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Opinion: Does Arsenal need a big squad considering there is no European football

Arsenal is expected to have a busy summer with several players leaving and others joining.

Matteo Guendouzi, Martin Odegaard and Dani Ceballos have already left the club in this transfer window.

The likes of Granit Xhaka and Lucas Torreira could still leave before it closes.

One of our failings last season was not making the European places at the end of the campaign.

This means we will play just domestic games next season and that probably calls for a smaller squad.

While we need to make changes, I believe a squad that is too big would cause some disharmony in the dressing room.

At the moment, we have at least four strikers with the likes of Folarin Balogun, Eddie Nketiah, Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang all expected to be a part of the squad next season if they remain at the club.

Nketiah and Lacazette have uncertainty surrounding their future, but Arsenal has offered the Englishman a new deal which he is yet to sign.

We could struggle to sell some of our unwanted players, yet I don’t see that stopping Mikel Arteta from signing his targets if money is made available.

That means we could potentially start next season with a very big squad, do you think that would be ideal?

An article from Ime

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29 Comments

  1. We should play our strongest 11 every league and FA Cup game, there’s no excuse not too (injuries excluded obviously). Youngsters in the league cup.

    We don’t need a huge squad no. Unfortunately MA loves to tinker so who knows…

  2. Well I don’t see a big squad at the moment and there are many more departures likely then signings. I think the squad currently sits at 26.

    The squad currently includes runarrsson, Bellerin Saliba Kolasinac, maitland-niles xhaka, Elneny, Torreira, willock, Willian, lacazette Nelson and nketiah, that is 13 players, all of whom have been linked with departing. Not too mention Smith-Rowe is getting his head turned by villa and must be turning the club’s head too if it hits 40m? We could sign Aouar and Sabitzer for less than that.

    1. Totally disagree with you re. Aour and Sabitzer for ESR.
      ESR is making about 50K pw. The combined salary for Aouar and Sabitzer would exceed 200pw. (Agent fees excluded). So any profits from ESR’s sale would be quickly wiped out by salaries. This example supports the argument for keeping and developing our academy prospects.

      1. Just to make it clear, I would not sell ESR, but the club? Arteta? I am not so sure he believes in a youngster who has had lots of niggling injuries. Willock, Nelson and Saliba again I am sure he is unconvinced.

      2. 👍 RFrancis, however I would add that one of Sabitzer, Aouar, Pereira etc would be good, so that ESR’s playing time can be managed to keep avoid playing him into the ground and increasing chance of injury.
        A DM/deep lying playmaker is required to replace Xhaka and Torreira, with AMN (if retained) and Willock being competitors, as well as back ups.
        Even to compete in the EPL and two cup competitions, Arsenal needs two players for each position.

    2. Yes. Those players would likely leave, so we might have a small squad

      About Sabitzer, he wasn’t impressive in Euro. If I were the decision maker at Arsenal, I wouldn’t trade Smith-Rowe for Aouar or Maddison

      Smith-Rowe was obviously our best attacker in the Chelsea game, so we’d better complement him with a left-footed midfielder

      1. Aouar on a good day is good attacking midfielder and he plays like Eden Hassard. Even Gardiola has a good impression of him and he used two legs skillfuly but wether he can adapt to English league is an unpredictable thing. S Row is the future of Arsenal he must not be sold. Except for irresistible 50m.

  3. we need a more compact but high quality squad for this season +hale end. this gets the job done this season with a few more next season to cope with cl fixtures added

  4. We need to focus on quality. Id rather have a smaller team of good quality players than a huge team with a lot of average players. We don’t need a huge quantity but we do need as much quality as possible

    1. Very true regarding quality. Unfortunately Mari, Willian, Cedric, are adding to the deadweight we are trying to clear out.

      Cedric appears to be yet another player frozen out, Willian is Ozil 2.0, and Mari is the new Diaby.

      So far we apparently have a backup LB and backup CM (Elneny replacement?)

      Midfield a shambles, and yet to be addressed. Too early to judge this window, but hopefully some key players will join in time for some preseason bedding in.

  5. Looking at those 14 players linked with leaving, I would only want the club to keep 4, Saliba, Willock, Nelson, smith-rowe. I would sell the rest.

    But I do think that being in only 3 competitions, there is no need for more than a 25/26 man squad, play a 433 but may be mix it up in the cups?

    Leno, +1, Okonkwo
    Chambers, Cedric
    Holding, +1, Saliba
    Gabriel, Mari
    Tierney, +1
    Smith-Rowe, Willock
    Partey, +1
    Saka, +1
    Pepe, Nelson
    New Striker, + Balogun
    Aubameyang, Martinelli

    My +1s = Johnstone, White, Tavares, Lokonga, Aouar. New Striker (Silva or keep Lacazette)

    Sell – Runarrsson, Bellerin, Kolasinac, Elneny, Xhaka, Maitland-Niles, Torreira, William, Nketiah and Lacazette if we can get a good price and a good replacement.

    If we can up the budget by selling all those then maybe get a better right back and let Cedric go

    There is always academy kids too for the early rounds of the carabao cup.

    1. Like a long queue is waiting outside the Emirates door for the signatures of those ten players!!!

      Oh, I missed the second queue of players waiting to join the mid-table club with not even Conference League football for the coming season.

      Get a grip and act like a mid-table club fan.

      1. Never said there was queues just saying what the links have been and obviously I am acting like a mid table fan, like the club. We get linked with the likes of zaha, Maddison and locatelli to sell those season renewals. But in reality we are going for a benfica reserve, an Anderlecht reserve, a Barcelona reserve and a Brighton player.

        We can get rid of most those players I listed, but as like most clubs no one is really spending. Psg have signed about 4 players on frees to improve their squad, but if arsenal done that you would all be screaming. Admittedly our experience of free transfers have not been great recently.

        1. Why do people like VasC have to start trolling, saying things like get a grip.

          Makes you want to just say fcuk of you little wnaker. I though comments were all input opinions? But if people feel the need to big themselves up with a bit of abuse, I really won’t bother.

          1. Playing only league & Cup is a 25 man squad! 2 players per position & 3 extra to be registered. At the moment we don’t have 2 players in each position, let alone competition for that 1 place!
            It’s Sunday league stuff… it makes me shudder as to the final team announcement for the 21/22 season
            Rb bellerin & Chambers?
            Cm Partey & elnenny?
            Gk Leno & runnason?
            Lm martinelli & William?
            Cb Gabriel & Holding?
            2 great players per position pushing each other for that starting place!
            Apart from
            Cf Aubameyang & Lacca
            Rw saka & pepe
            KT……….
            Very weak, very weak

  6. Until the manager decides on the formation, tactics and plan B, no decision can be made on the size of the squad or the players included in the squad.

    1. Gotanidea can hopefully write an article and explain Arteta’s plan for you and I, VasC?

  7. I will like to see these players leave ASAP.

    Bellerin
    Torreira
    Willian
    Runarsson
    Niles
    Nelson
    Nketiah
    Kolasinac
    Xhaka

    This clear out will be so important

  8. Martinez saved 3 penalties. Who was the goalkeeper when Arsenal won the 19/20 FA cup and 20/21 Charity Shield?

  9. I think we need to get the squad in a better shape in terms of numbers and balance. We need a new RB and backup LB for a start. In the center of midfield we need at least 3 players plus promotions from the academy setup.

    The way I see it Arsenal will be cautiously approaching their targets. Players who play in the AFCON will only be considered for a good price and if we have back up to them. We already have Auba, Partey, Elneny and Pepe going, signing Bissouma and the like will at to that list of key players we lose for a month. At the most important stage of the season.

    1. Arsenal have two promising LB’s in the Academy, who were both overlooked for young Tavares. There are also RB’s, who haven’t had opportunities.

  11. “A compact robust balanced squad.” I like the sound of that. It reminds me of the squad that George Grahm won the title with in 89 or Leicester’s winning combination a few years ago. As the practical realists on this site have been saying there are three positions which need reinforcing. They are not centre half and goal keeper. Arsenal need to be shrewd, smart and practical and not be run like a Kroenke owned franchise.

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