Some Gooners are concerned that, having waited since last summer for a striker, some angry that even after injuries one didn’t arrive in January, and with ex-players, pundits and even supporters of other clubs feeling that a proven goalscorer could be the missing piece of our puzzle, it’s looking increasingly likely that our first-choice target is someone who is… not a proven goal-scorer!
The third highest-paid coach in the world’s solution to finding a forward who can provide 20-30 Premier League goals is Benjamin Sesko, whose highest-scoring league tally in Germany is 14, only beaten by his career-high 16 in Austria’s top flight.
This isn’t a case of there being a lack of options in the market. Viktor Gyokeres, in two Primeira Liga campaigns, has 68 goals, two fewer than Sesko’s entire career total in either the German or Austrian Bundesliga, while Osimhen got 26 on loan in Turkey, also the greatest amount he recorded in Serie A. Both have buy-out clauses.
This isn’t about cost, it’s about conviction
This isn’t Arsenal trying to find the cheapest alternative. RB Leipzig might be more flexible regarding a repayment plan, but Sesko will cost just as much, if not more, than the other two.
Some reports are saying Gyokeres would be Andrea Berta’s pick, but our Director of Football respects that Sesko has been on Mikel Arteta’s radar long term. Having only arrived in March, the Italian doesn’t want to undermine negotiations that (off record) may have been going on since last summer.
Not wanting to be distracted at the Euros, the Slovenian clarified that, for his development, he thought it worthwhile staying in Germany for another year. It’s believed he made a gentleman’s agreement with his employer: if the 22-year-old stayed another 12 months, no one would stand in his way afterwards if a certain value was met.
Reports in the last two transfer windows said that, having scouted the youngster for years, the Gunners believe the player has such a high ceiling they were willing to wait for him rather than bring in an alternative.
Some of my peers may be concerned by that transfer strategy and worry it’s out of touch with what the fanbase expects, while others will feel it confirms what we already know.
Is Arteta thinking long-term when fans want now?
Sesko could very well develop into a world-class player. He’s at an age where his finishing stats could one day improve. When he reaches his peak, he could be viewed as superior to the other names I mentioned.
Yet fans are tired of being asked to wait. It’s been two decades of patience. In that time, we had young squads who got broken up by eventually even the dressing room getting impatient for jam tomorrow. A Nasri, Fabregas, Van Persie, etc., were not willing to put their careers on hold to wait for others to mature, and the same will eventually happen to Saliba. Especially if those with more of a proven track record in front of goal join the same division and outscore him.
No signing is guaranteed to deliver, of course, but in terms of purely finishing, our boss seems to be picking a raw talent over a finished article. Clearly, that means there are stats more important to the Spaniard?
Which means the 43-year-old either doesn’t feel the team needs a natural poacher but can instead share the goals around, or he believes we are closer to getting over the finishing line than reality, and he doesn’t need to adapt his tactics?
Maybe he truly thinks that possession and random crosses into the box were his players dominating games, but he just needs a tall presence to be the target man?
The sport goes round in cycles, and at the moment, the days of a CF only having to worry about what they contribute inside the penalty area are long gone. Coaches care just as much about your ability to hold onto possession, your link-up play, spotting the runs of those on the overlap.
Some blame Pep Guardiola for overcomplicating football, hence one of his disciples works at the Emirates possibly overthinking systems. Even at the Etihad, they ended up bringing in Haaland to get them over the line in the Champions League.
Some argue that Man City are more entertaining to watch without a focal point. Yet having someone to get you the scrappy goals is crucial.
If it were José Mourinho, he would demand the individual more likely to deliver in the present with immediate effect. That’s because he worked for owners with ambition.
The fact Mikel Arteta’s judgement is influenced by the future shows he feels under little pressure from the Kroenke family to win the title in 2026 or else!
As a business, Arsenal are fantastically run. Their recruitment team have a clear action plan for not just now but assets whose worth will increase, and Arteta is part of that vision. Berta is also looking to bolster that team with the imminent addition of highly-rated talent spotter Matteo Tognozzi.
A great manager sticks by his convictions and isn’t pressured into changing his point of view.
So if Mikel Arteta and his staff have reviewed all data and truly feel Sesko gives the club the best possible chance of success, he should be listened to.
No point making him the third highest-paid coach in the world if you then don’t trust his judgement.
It equally isn’t Sesko’s fault who is or isn’t bought, or how long Arsenal have gone without being champions. He should be judged on his own merit.
Some have suggested Arteta doesn’t want to rely on one player to be the sole source of goals. He’d rather work with a diamond he can mould.
A Gyokeres would need everything built around him. An Osimhen would want to be the main man. Either of them would start every week.
Sesko means Kai Havertz probably starts the season up front.
We don’t win the Prem with Kai Havertz starting up front..
Thoughts in the comments please.
Dan Smith
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“Yet fans are tired of being asked to wait. It’s been two decades of patience. In that time, we had young squads who got broken up by eventually even the dressing room getting impatient for jam tomorrow. A Nasri, Fabregas, Van Persie, etc., were not willing to put their careers on hold to wait for others to mature, and the same will eventually happen to Saliba.”
Yeah this is basically my concern – key players run out of patience and leave, replacing them is always a gamble, we’re left with the less ambitious players (the ones who don’t get so frustrated by not winning) and eventually we decline and stop being competitive to the point we need a complete overhaul. You can’t prioritise what we could achieve in 3 years over what we could achieve now, especially if we’re not winning now.
As I’ve said before – winning something major next season but only helps us keep our best players, but also brings better opportunities for other top players to join. If we start to decline, we become less attractive and those players go to clubs that do win.
Gyokeres is a proven goal scorer in Portugal, two seasons ago when Kai was out centre forward we scored 91 goals.
Why the Kai havertz hate? Did Liverpool bwin the league with firmino? Why twist things to say that arteta strategy is failing, because we were short on man power last season and still finished second?
Were we losing to the big teams? Or were we dropping points to the smaller teams? The smaller teams ofcourse, so the problem is obviously the floor not the ceiling.
Just because sesko has a lot of improvement to do doesn’t mean he is t good. Not one champions league club wants gyokeres.. is that a sign?
I’m assuming this wasn’t meant as a reply. No hate to havertz from me, though I do think we need a better CF, or at least another option.
I tend towards gyokeres over sesko, but I don’t really know enough about either. Having resigned myself to us signing sesko, I’ve looked into him more and at least see the reasoning behind it. The key point though is that if he’s our big signing and isn’t a ready made top class CF, we likely will be in for another nearly season, and then we might move into the territory where some of our best players might start thinking it’s time for a change.
“Were we losing to the big teams? Or were we dropping points to the smaller teams? The smaller teams ofcourse, so the problem is obviously the floor not the ceiling.”
YES! Very astute. Injuries and lack of rotation meant we weren’t sharp or motivated enough against the lower teams. Too many draws. Getting more depth so we don’t have tired players playing on Saturday after having played on Wednesday. Saka and Odegaard play too much and would be more productive in the games they played if they were better rested.
It’s always a worry but I don’t think we’re at that point yet. We have a few mid-career players who would be highly attractive to richer or more successful clubs (Gabriel, Rice, Raya, Odegaard, Kai, Partey etc), and a few earlier-career players who fall into the same category (Saliba, Martinelli, Saka, MLS etc). None of them appear to be rushing for the exit door just yet. We’re very close to winning big trophies and the team is quite settled.
As far as signing the famous world class players goes… yes, lots of fans are gagging for that “statement signing” in the number 9 role. The unfortunate reality is that there aren’t any of those on the market right now of a reasonable age. You have basically Isak, Mbappe, Haaland and possibly Alvarez. Some would argue to include Osimhen and Martinez in that group. We’re not getting any of those. I’m sure the players are well aware of that too. Sesko and Gyokeres are two of the best gambles for the number 9 role at this point in time.
The left wing is the open question…
What’s wrong with looking at Jonathan David, or was wrong with Bryan Mbuemo and Liam Delap. You have let other clubs and players dictate instead of going and getting
Now it looks like Zubimendi might be going elsewhere, come on Arsenal. Get it sorted sooner rather than later.
I fancy David as a great poacher in the box. It would allow us to rest Havertz.
We are taking to long to make decisions in this should have all be sorted but we keep dithering on price, wages etc. we start of shopping in Harrods and by the end of the window we are buying form aldi centre isle , a lot of reports flying around we are now looking at defenders again along with the reports of kepa this looks like a typical window were we are not buying in the right position If we have another bad transfer window someone needs to be sacked
Well written article and just my thought line.
Imo, Arsenal isn’t about the fans but the owners business model of which winning trophies is secondary. It has always been like this even though many fans failed to see things that way.
AWenger stayed long as Arsenal manager not because of the trophies he won but the position he put Arsenal financially. When it became threatened he was relieved of his employment.
If Arsenal continue to be in Top3 in Epl and make 2n or 3rd position in UCL plus one local cup Arteta’s job is safe. They continue to dilly dally on top target till those players are out of sight when they resources to sign them is available. Hope the fans wait for major trophies ends someday.😎
Thank you ur sport on to ur point
Sesko is a gamble, and we will come back next season defending Arteta for the injuries his team had. I am deeply frustrated. Instead of investing in proven strikers, we are looking for mediocre. Thanks for your comment.
Where are the proven strikers?
Gyokeres and Sesko are all gambles as it stands. But Sesko is a better gamble than Gyokeres. You cant compare Portugal league with Germany Bundesliga. Talk of a farmers league and a top five Europe league with elite defenders, age and stats all points to Sesko as a better gamble. Gyokeres scored so many penalties in the season. i think he is just overated. He is now going around with his agent offering himself to clubs sensing clubs are going away from him.
I would love to know what the deal is with Osimhen?
Because it’s not just Arsenal that seemingly have no interest in him. None of Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs, Utd, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, and possibly Barca considering Lewa’s age, went for Osimhen, when they all needed a striker, and there seems to be no links so far this season.
That is a major red flag. Then an even bigger red flag is ending up in Turkey on loan! Clearly there’s an issue with this guy.
Off topic, has anyone heard any news about Eze? It’s strange as I haven’t even seen any fake links at the moment, to anyone!
All I know he scores goals and wins things
The reports say he has a bad attitude, apparently arteta had a meeting with him a bit over a year ago and was immediately put off. Seems to be the trend, clubs have interest then after a couple meetings, they drop the interest
Osimhen does appear to be seen as problematic for reasons other than his on-field talent.
Not sure about Eze, you’d think he’d be hot property for sure…
Though he has 2 years to go on his contract still.
Sesko wouldn’t have to score 20+ goals per season if he could play false-nine very well as Firmino did for Liverpool
Sesko is also much younger than Gyokeres, which allows Arsenal to sell him with a better price if he can’t perform well
Gyokeres’ goal tally was also inflated by the penalties, which is similar to Nicolas Pepe who looked productive due to his penalties
@Gai it all depends on what Arteta as a coach wants to achieve after 6 years in a club. If PePG, at a stage in his career wanted more and went for Halland why not Arteta do same?.
A coach would be remembered for trophies he won not how well his team played. .SPurds last coach has written his name in history book compared to others like Pochettino who won nothing. AWenger Played good football but also won trophies.
VGyokeres has power shot to score goals and hardly miss chances compared to Sesko. 52 goals in all competition of whuch 20 was penalties, 32 non penalties. You are almost guaranty of 20 goals. Penalties also matters for a CF. What Arsenal lacked last season was goals not good play.
VGyokeres previous experience in Epl would count for something just like Merino. I wonder why VOsimehin isn’t on Arsenal’s radar?
Arsenal has goals in it with everyone fully fit. They proved that in 2023/24 setting the record for most goals scored by an Arsenal team in the league.
We tend to struggle against teams like Villa,Fulham, Newcastle and Everton. These are the teams that have arguably prevented us from getting over the line.
What we should be asking ourselves is, which kind of player helps us beat these teams? Gyokeres does well against open teams that give him space to run into. He won’t get that against these teams. Sesko’s technical ability, athleticism and heading ability would be more useful against these teams.
It’s pointless to go for a player who will score loads of goals against teams we’ve always beaten without him. Now getting a player who will help us beat our boogey teams would be more useful, turning some of those draws into wins.
I may be in the minority here but I feel like getting our left wing to be as effective as the right, benefits our attack even more than any benefit we could get from a new centre forward, unless that CF is Mbappe,Isak, Haaland or Kane.
our right wing won’t be effective if Saka and Odegaard continue to be overplayed. Both broke down after months of overuse. Our free kicks and Merino/Havertz’s headers were our bread and butter.
Also, I think Saka will still be our designated penalty taker next season, no matter who is signed, unless the striker ends up having a slow start and needs a penalty to boost their confidence.
Can you name 2 or 3 champions League playing team that are falling head over heels to sign this victor Gyokeres guy, if he’s so good as us fans would like to believe, why isn’t any of the big teams looking in his direction??
Chelsea, Liverpool, Barca, Real Madrid, etc
like, this guy had the highest number of goals in the whole of europe, why ain’t we seeing a bidding war over him.
Just being curious.
Gyokeres
39 league goals and 7 assists in 33 matches isn’t too shabby
Exactly, gyokeres will play against low blocks while playing for arsenal… Either he would have to change it we would have to change.
He isn’t messing, so why would you change the entire team for him?
Sesko will cook, he will definitely
“Sesko wouldn’t have to score 20+ goals per season if he could play false-nine very well as Firmino did for Liverpool”
I tend to agree with this, though we would be relying very heavily on saka to stay fit, and on odegaard and ideally martinelli to start scoring again. Unless we get a another goalscoring winger, which we might. I’m not convinced sesko would really play as a false 9 exactly, I think we want someone who can be a handful for defenders, bring others into play and finish chances when they come – I’m probably most confident about the latter with sesko, less so about the first two because I don’t think he’s very good when up against physical defenders (in a league known for physical defenders). That’s what’s really missing for him, and at best it would take him a while to get up to speed. Not ideal if we’re playing big money for him.
One thing that could help is I think rice is starting to score more – I don’t think 10 league goals is beyond him next season
The ability to handle physical contact is something the Arsenal coaching staff seem to be good at drilling into their players. Havertz is a good example of someone who has improved in this area. Sesko already has the raw strength to match physical defenders so it’s all about teaching him to use it by orienting his body in a certain way.
The gaffer is thinking he’s going nowhere as long as he continues to make Arsenal competitive with Europe elite.
Sesko is not the finished article, the kid has a massive ceiling, the Big German is expected to play over twenty percent by sharing the responsibility of leading the line as the kid bed in.
That’s how I see it, if the kid is given the nod
And what happened to OLLIE WATKINS?
I thought most of our fans wanted him so badly in January?
Why don’t we just go back for him??. He is already an experienced EPL striker that won’t need time to adjust to a new league. And he will only cost about £60 million that many were encouraging the club to spend on him anyway…
🤞👍🙏
Goonster,
The reason being Arsenal were never interested in the first place. They did what they’ve done on more than one occasion over the years, put in a bid they knew would be rejected. Then say well we tried, and remember that bid was put in on the last week of the window. What were they doing for the rest of January.
@Derek
I love your always beautiful psychoanalysis of what the owners and Arteta tactics and intentions are.
You and @Dan seem to have convinced yourselves that the board and Arteta do this kind of manipulation on a daily basis.
This is where I think your cynicism and dislike of Arteta and the Owners becomes personal illogical.
Once we enter the psychoanalysis and Cynical Conspiracy Theorist realms like these then it’s no longer about being rational, logical and honest et. It’s proper unverified Cynicism in my opinion.
👍👍
Flipping heck Goonster,
Have you swallowed a dictionary. 😂🤣👍
But we didn’t say it after the event
I said it literally on the day
They will do enough to keep the likes of you sweet
That’s why when Jan window closed suddenly it’s leaked 300 million war chest available lol
Simply not true
@Dan
I can imagine you in a court as the prosecutor and giving such speculative / unverified evidence against the Kroenke.
Judge:
“Mr Dan, you can proceed with your case against The Kroenke’s by entering your affidavit into the record. Why do you think the Kroenkes are deliberately manipulating the whole Arsenal fanbase when it comes to transfer funds? Why do you think they did not by Ollie Watkins in January?”
Mr Dan:
“Thank you your honour. I would like to enter exhibit number “275” into the record.”
“It’s almost like there was never an interest in Watkins in the first place ?
It’s almost like they intentionally offered no where near Villa asking price knowing it will be rejected so they can say they tried
Likes of me said it at the time
The Koronke Family are not going to change.
The Kroenke Defence Lawyers:
“Objection your Honour. Speculation.”
Judge:
“Sustained.”
“Mr Dan, that piece of evidence is inadmissible. It’s just speculative. Can you provide / enter a different piece of evidence into the record?”
Mr Dan:
“Yes your Honour.”
“I would now like to enter exhibit number “146” into the record.”
“Some of us didn’t say it after the event
I said it literally on the day
They will do enough to keep some fans sweet.”
The Kroenke Defence Lawyers.
“Objection your honour. Speculation and Hear say.”
Judge:
“Sustained.”
“Mr Dan. That is not evidence. That speculative evidence. Have you got any non speculative evidence Sir?”
Mr Dan:
“Yes your honour.
I would now like to enter exhibit number “312” into the record.”
“That’s why when Jan window closed suddenly it’s leaked 300 million war chest available lol
Simply not true”.
Kroenke Defense Lawyers:
“Objection: More Speculative / unsubstantiated evidence.”
Judge:
“Sustained”.
“Mr Dan, have you got any actual substantiated evidence against The Kroenke’s apart from your own personal Feelings, emotions, psychoanalysis etc towards them?
Mr Dan:
But but your honour, my gut feeling and instincts tell me this.
Your Honour, you want to tell me that One’s personal feelings and emotions can’t be taken as serious evidence against their nemesis?
Judge:
“Yes Mr Dan”.
“Now I do declare this Case closed.”
🤣🤣👍
Goonster, absolutely brilliant 😂. Post of the decade 😂😂
My top 5are … .
Arteta has revolutionsed Arsenal
Havertz to score more goals then Halland
Nwaneri more skilful then Yamal
Then ….. Maitland Niles better then Kante
But my winner …… I prefer Eddie Nketiah to ……..Mbappe lol
Yet our fanbase has not been manipulated lol
Personal choice
Not mine
But still theirs
I didn’t read all of it but to carry on your them
My evidence your honour
Arsenal before 2007 – Arsenal since
Took us 8th our lowest League position
And of course ……the Super League
Case closed lol
@ Derek.
And what were they doing the rest of January?
May be there was no value for money or the market was not viable in January?
Imagine if the club listened to all of you who were calling for them to Spend £60 million on 30 year old Ollie Watkin in January?
As I keep saying. People have got to stop being overly sensationalistic. People just seem to go by emotions, feelings, sensationalism, shortsightedness, heat of the moment, media gossip etc..
We should encourage more deep thought / long sightedness than the constant Sensationalism we are treated to every time.
Lets think deeper. Lets be more Proactive than Reactive etc..
Goonster,
Show me in any of my post’s where I said that we should pay £60M on 30 year old Watkins in January.
I simply said that it wasn’t a serious offer, the club have a history of doing it. They’ve done it before and no doubt they’ll do it again.
Arsenal are specialists in panic buying towards the end of the Window. Just one example of this was the totally stupid decision to loan Sterling.
But you have your opinion and I’ll have mine.
Can I ask why it wasn’t serious? Why bother? It doesn’t suit the often used word – narrative – to think otherwise about Arsenal spending.
Haven’t Arsenal spent big before? By all means have an opinion about the value for money of the transfers but Havertz, Rice and White were not peanuts. When the investment goes up according to the relative dislike of Arteta- almost a billion and rising depending on who you read, then spending has not been the issue
I also have to question why you class Sterling as a panic buy when you later add that he was a last minute loan. They are 2 different scenarios
SueP,
Buy or loan who cares, it still represents a last minute panic move in the market.
And I’m not questioning how big the fees that Arsenal have offered in the past.
I just said that they made a bid low enough knowing that Villa wouldn’t except, they’ve done it before. This is not a new thing for them to have done.
It’s almost like there was never an interest in Watkins in the first place ?
It’s almost like they intentionally offered no where near Villa asking price knowing it will be rejected so they can say they tried
Likes of me said it at the time
The Koronke Family are not going to change
Dan as you see above, I’m of the same opinion as you. I also said it back in January, it’s not the first time they’ve done it and it won’t be the last.
They even did it in the Wenger era. I didn’t believe it then, and I don’t believe it now. 👍
It’s a reasonable question. Obviously he’s an excellent player, but there’s… calculations. His age has apparently been a consideration for the bean counters.
That doesn’t mean all that much in terms of actual ability NOW of course. He’s not obviously declining, and I think he’s probably got many good seasons in him still.
My guess is that the recruitment team is being tasked with building a team who can stay together for several seasons, and in particular finding a highly athletic player who can be our longer term number 9. Similar reasons to why Gyokeres isn’t being chased down (on top of the fact Gyokeres is clearly more of a gamble, and an odder puzzle piece than Ollie).
He is 29 probably going 30 and that is against this club’s age policy. Also is goal returns aren’t that encouraging.16 last season. He was only a stop-gap thought to salvage a falling season considering the injuries we had and arsenal’s play style would prove tricky for him. Plus at the EPL it’s all physical and athleticism seeing he is an aging chap
If we are being honest, all options available to us are gambles. Only Isak would be a guaranteed hit. The notion that Gyokeres would provide instant impact assumes that his form in the Portoguese league would automatically translate to the Premier League, which may not be the case. History shows that a significant number of strikers who’ve done well in that league have failed to replicate that level at bigger clubs/leagues. Darwin Nunez and Goncalo Ramos are good examples.
Having established that both Sesko and Gyokeres are gambles, it’s all about determining who suits as better. Arteta has the right to choose a player he feels suits his ethos. We all know what happened the last time our coach (Emery) got a player(Pepe) that the fanbase and the higher ups wanted instead of the player he actually wanted (Zaha).
Finally,this notion that we can’t win the league with Havertz or whoever is absurd. Winning the league is a group effort. It’s all about the kind of attacking group we end up with. Liverpool won the league with Firmino scoring just 9 league goals- same as Havertz managed this season while missing three months. Their centre forward this season was Gakpo who managed only 10 goals. PSG is another great example of spreading the goals around. It takes an entire functional and dynamic group, not an individual.
If Sesko was the only attacker signed, I’ll have my doubts on our ability to win the league. But another top class attacker on either flank in addition to Sesko will make us genuine contenders. Let’s wait and see what our attack looks like before making premature judgments.
I agree with this – I’m just doubtful over sesko’s ability to be good enough next season (which is why I’m not particularly in favour of the transfer), and I don’t know who else we’d bring in who could make the difference. Maybe rodrygo, if there’s any truth to that rumour.
I’m probably in the minority, but I think a fit Havertz is a good CF. If he can perform to the level he did in the second half of 23/24, we’ll be good. It’s easy to forget we were on an 100+ point pace for that five month stretch and easily one of the best teams in the world. It feels like everyone is overlooking him, like he can’t contribute. He’s the reason I’m not too worried about the new CF signing. Him sharing minutes means he won’t be run into the ground and can be more productive in front of goal.
The LW provides the biggest room for growth in my opinion. Whether that means recruiting one or using the ones we have better, we’ll wait and see. Getting that side to be as effective as the right improves the attack more than even a new CF would, in my opinion. A threat from the left would also reduce the numbers teams put on Saka and he’d likely score more. It’s like how PSG was completely transformed when they signed a world class left winger ( Kvaratskhelia) . He improved everyone around him. The PSG we faced in the group stages and the one in the semis were so different because of that.
If you have a Saka caliber winger on the left, you can get away with a second tier centre forward in the middle. Think of that Salah/Mane duo. Firmino never once got close to 20 even though he scored some decisive goals.
More importantly the left winger market has genuine world class talent that are available and getable. You can easily name 5 LW who would improve us. The CF market on the other hand is not great. None of the world class ones is available. Whoever we get will be a gamble one way or another.
Firmino shows up when the likes of Mane and Salah are subdued. Havertz is not like that and his conversion rate is poor. He is very poor when he goes one on one with a goal keeper. With him as a starter, there would be more presuure on Saka to produce especially when our left side is none existent. Our play is so predictable as everything goes thru Saka and the left and middle is of no use. Plus, Arteta need to change the role of Saka to mirror the role of Salah at Liverpool. We can not have Saka doing lots of defensive work when he is our only attacking outlet.
Havertz has shown up when the others haven’t. The winning goal vs Brentford in 23/24 comes to mind. He may not be a one on one specialist but he scores different types of goals- headers and some scruffy tap ins. His numbers and those of Firmino aren’t that different.
I mentioned the LW in my post. For me, an improvement in this area will benefit centre forward as well as right wing.
The idea of reducing Saka’s defensive work is a good one. Only problem is, it will affect our ability to press effectively. PSG for me is what we should be aiming for. Everyone defends and press like crazy but they still score goals. With an effective left wing, we won’t have to rely on Saka alone. Additionally, Zubimendi could open up the centre of the pitch for us.
I largely agree, particularly with the point about the left wing – I don’t think we improve that left wing without a major signing, though (martinelli and trossard both have qualities, but are too inconsistent imo). No use worrying about it now, but we really could have done with signing kvara in January ourselves. Might have won us the ECL, honestly.
I’m not such a havertz fan as you but I do think he’s good in that CF role for us (slightly better/more reliable than the two left wingers imo), but I would say that if left wing is the biggest area for improvement, CF is second on that list (assuming odegaard does pick it up again next season!).
even Isak is a gamble as he is brittle and injury prone. He is not the stockiest man and has troubles staying fit due to the rigors of the tough EPL
He’s not for the future, he is now! I don’t understand anyone saying he’s not Prem League ready, he will smash it.
I feel like Arteta is not the main problem.
The main problem is the arsenal board who have set they bar so low since they took over. Since 2004 arsenal has only won 4 fa cups which is not good enough for a club considered a big club like arsenal.
What makes it even worse is that we keep doing the same things that have always held us back and never learn.
And one example of that Is after coming so close to winning the league in the last 3 seasons and it’s very obvious we need a world class striker to finally get over the line instead we are going for a learner which is an experiment in my opinion and such experimenting is the reason why we keep going trophyless.
As I conclude if arsenal are serious club and Arteta gets it wrong with his striker experiment next season they will sack him b’se there has to be consequences.
Arteta choosing Sesko instead of the short terms fix like Gyokores or Osimhem is could actually be him choosing the Club and long term focus rather than the short term fix and his own benefit. After 3 seasons of what ifs/ close but no trophy the pressure is actually on him to deliver. Imagine Sesko takes a season to acclimate to the league before blowing up, Arteta goes after failing to win the league again and the next manager hits the jackpot like slot.
Or the Real objective was never to win big titles only to return closer to the top and actually competing is just an overachievement/bonus. Which means Arteta is just fulfilling his boss requirements and taking us for a spin. Wenger lied blatantly so Arteta doing so wouldn’t be such a surprise.
Arteta is under zero pressure to win title
He could finish 2nd again and the Koronke Family would be delighted
So would I Dan, but finishing first would be even better and the Kronkie family would surely agree with that, as it would mean more money for the club they own?
Give me examples of Arsene Wenger lying blatantly please Ackshay.
He told us there was money available to buy players but only the right players something like that when there was clearly none. Also protected the board lying about their objectives and other things. He was a club legend and universally loved unlike the kroenke so had he had the balls to go against them every single fan would have been behind him.
You might have thought there were better players, that doesn’t mean he blatantly lied.
Protecting the board and “other things” – what “other things?”
What were the board objectives that he had to blatantly lie about?
He still is a club legend of course.
no i meant he told things like money was available if the right player was available. he defended inactivity in the t.window hence protecting the board from criticism.
“I have made more than 300 transfers and every time it’s a decision to make. Do you buy the player because he strengthens his squad or not? The solutions we had were not convincing at all. In the end you do not buy to give hope, you want to buy because the players who come in can help your squad to be stronger. Buying and selling is one way to strengthen your team but that’s not the only way.”
You tell me there was really no outfield player we could have bought in 2015 to improve the squad?
“I am grateful to have the support of the board in doing everything we can to win more trophies. It’s what we all want and I know it’s what our fans around the world demand.”
another
“For us it’s very important that we only consider the players who can really make a difference
for others Wenger admitted to lying to the press to protect his players and team.
Board and upper management claimed to want to win the league and in europe many times which were blatant lies as we never saw any investment made to really do so. Wenger could have told the truth but he kept the lies going.
why-does-wenger-keep-telling-lies-to-arsenal-fans article by dan 2018
All this talk about Sesko low amount of goals and the same people wanted Isak whose career high before joining Newcastle was 17 goals. Sesko has 14 in a similar level league and he is younger. With the amount of chance we create he could get 20 in the league especially when defenders haven’t yet adapted to his play.
I think those of us whio weren’t so blinkered pretty much predicted what the outcome of season 24 -5 would be based on our available players and poor summer window. It’s not fun to say I told you so. I can’t see any reason for keeping Arteta beyond next season should we fail to win the league. It would simply be stalemate and smugness with no thought of the club’s history and fan base. I just hope manager and football director get it right this time. We have a number of players approaching their use by dates. We need to bring in players in their early to mid twenties to add speed and further energy because Martinelli and Saka are getting tired, as well as a hungry goal poacher. Will that be enough?
The proof will be in the pudding. I would caution people against saying Sesko will be the best striker in the world in a few years. He’s going to be under tremendous pressure if Gyokeres goes to United abd starts popping in goals at a high clip.
However, that doesn’t mean Sesko can’t help the team. The clubs hunt for a left sided attacker means Arteta doesn’t want whoever starts up top to be burdened with primary goal scoring responsibility.
I see the wisdom in that but sometimes in soccer you need a moment of brilliance from a top tier forward to steal points. Will Sesko and whoever comes in on the left be enough when added to the other goals, for the title?
I think Arteta has fulfil his own side of the contract by returning us to CL. I do not think winning trophies is one of the contract agreements otherwise, he wouldn’t waste time to go for a proven CF goal scorer and a dazzling LW player. With Sesko, we shall be back to square one by this time next year.
Osimhen is the deal. Arteta does not know how to manage players with personality and ego. That is why we are not going after Osimhen.
Whoever has a knowledge of the game would know that Osimhen is by far better than Sesko.
I doubt if this club has any objective of winning the EPL. The last time we won the league was in 2004.
Skills1000, that must mean everyother Manager/Headcoach must also not be able to manage players with an ego and personality, as none of them are going for Osimhen.
It seems that every manager can’t handle a player with personality and ego, as it seems no top club is interested in him…. I wonder why?
HD Find your own material!! 😂😂😂
Ken, you cheeky so and so 😂. Have a look at the times of mine and your post 😂
But I live in Scotland and it takes longer 😂😂
Ken 🤣🤣
Ken it would seem to me that great minds think a like.
Indeed 👍😂
Sign both Sesko and Gyokeres. One is the replacement for nketia and the other to fill the striker we didn’t have. We can afford it. Sell Jesus and the first team players on loan.
I am less sanguine about Arteta’s future as the manager, if he fails to win at least one trophy this season!
We do not want to become the new SPURS, trophy less!!
John, I think buying both of them would be a good solution,
But the new Edu’s middle name might just be Scrooge!!
NB,
Man City have almost brought in an entire new squad in the last week, and we have no-one
Arteta planning for a future he is basically guaranteed as long as he keeps delivering Champions League football. I’ve said it time and time again, the board don’t care about winning anything, they just want their business to keep making them money, and that is exactly what Arteta is providing.
Unfortunately, whilst a manager having the backing of the board regardless of their reasoning, is a good and rare thing these days, it does afford Arteta and element of entitlement to do exactly what he wants without having to worry too much about the results. Basically he can afford to not win as long as he does enough.
Sesko may or may not go on to be a terrific player, but as stated in the article his signing signifies that Havertz is the primary striker for next season and beyond. And I like Havertz, I think he works incredibly hard and the team is weaker without him. The problem is he doesn’t worry defenders. They can afford to take their eyes off him because his finishing is very much hit and miss and I think this will be the case with Sesko, too. They won’t get that luxury with Gyökeres.
However, I think at this stage of the year most Gooners just want the club to pick one and buy him. Just get it done. There’s no wrong pick here. I am still amazed they aren’t considering Jonathan David who is available for free!!! He offers pretty much exactly the same thing as Havertz but with slightly better goal return….
Arteta has his sights set on the player he wants but it should mean something if it doesn’t pay off and I just don’t think it will. He just isn’t under that level of intense pressure. And to be honest maybe he shouldn’t be considering where the club sees itself the last 3 seasons, I just think the fans are owed some hope rather than going into yet another season woefully under prepared and undermanned.