Now that the Nicolas Pepe transfer has been completed it is time for Arsenal to focus on the problems in defence and as stand things today there is a chance that we will see three transfers next week, possibly even four.
The three/four transfers I am referring to are two outgoing and two incoming.
The two outgoing transfers, if the latest rumours are to be believed, are Laurent Koscielny and Shkodran Mustafi and the two incoming would be Kieran Tierney and an unnamed central defender.
I truly believe a worst-case scenario would be just Koscielny leaving and Tierney arriving and if I am honest, I would be happy with that.
Obviously, it would be dreamland if we also managed to offload Mustafi and brought in a new highly talented centre-back.
There has been a mix of credible reports and your usual tabloid fodder in regards to the defence, David Ornstein has touched on the defensive issues and does give credibility to the reports and I would be very surprised if there are no changes before the transfer window shuts.
Arsenal technical director Edu met with the Stade Rennes president + the representative of Laurent Koscielny in London yesterday. Talks between #AFC & suitors continue in a bid to resolve Koscielny’s future. The 33yo captain does not anticipate playing for the Gunners again #SRFC
— David Ornstein (@bbcsport_david) July 30, 2019
I know there is still some talk of Wilfried Zaha being signed but I just do not see that and I will be waiting anxiously over the next week for an official announcement from the club, more in expectation than hope.
If Zaha signs, then I imagine Auba goes, given he only has 2 years left on his contract, and because of the massive spending.
Tierney seems likely to happen, and I am fairly convinced we will sign a CB. The new regime have been focusing on our weakest areas since last summer, but a new CB may depend on whether we can offload either one of Kos/Mustafi, or both of them.
So I feel a new LB, and CB are likely, but I haven’t seen any rumours at all in regards to the RB position, which is a worry. Another big name attacker would be a surprise, given we already have Laca, Auba, Pepe, Nelson, and Iwobi.
The weakest area is defensive midfield. Xhaka to be precise, He cannot perform the combined roles of tackler and passer. His weaknesses regulsrly exposes the defence. The managers solution is to employ an additional tackler to cover for Xhaka which leads to a reduction in the teams creativity output. The boy Joe Willock has proven on numerous occasions that he has the ability and the athleticism to undertake and fulfill the role now and must be given his chance. He will be an instant upgrade on Xhaka and won’t cost a dollar.
I cannot agree more with you problem is I think Emery is not very confident of playing the youths.
I assume AMN will start at right back. Please Unai not Jenks that would be a disaster. So important to get Bellerin back.
Arsenal could potentially have the most cohesive front-three in EPL if Zaha joins
Pepe and Zaha are both Ivorian inverted wingers that can swap their positions dynamically. Having both Ivorians would allow Emery use overload tactic like Ajax’s and Klopp’s false nine
However, I predict Tierney would be the last purchase. If Arsenal plan to add another CB, I’d prefer a British CB like Maguire, Dunk, Keane or Tarkowski, due to their adaptation advantage
Issa Diop of west ham is the one Arsenal go for even with 50m+. unless next year u will see his price will go beyond 100m+. Tall, athletic, fast, tackler…
Agree. I think Tierney will be it. I think the club would want to sell CB’s before buying another one. And since our window ends earlier, we will be waiting to see if Kos and/or Mustafi also depart. Hopefully both. We can manage without them, and if a good opportunity arises in January, we take it.
Only if Ozil can be offload ZAHA is possible
Nketia can still do a good job as the third striker
Let them swap mustafi for Jonathan tah
Soccer Saturday is back tomorrow!
Community Shield on Sunday – Come on City!
We play Barca on Sunday!
We’ve smashed our transfer record!
9 days to go until our season starts!
Who knows, we may buy someone else?
So bloody happy right now! COYG
Football is an addiction and we fill the withdrawal syndrome in the off season. At least I have other sports like tennis, F1, tour de France, NBA in June/July to quell the urge or I don’t know in what condition I would be.
I totally agree, Ackshay! Our lives revolve around it & when it isn’t there, it’s horrible ?
Luckily, there has been a lot of other sport to watch, as you say.. so these 2 months haven’t dragged as much as I was anticipating
What about Beilik to Derby, which could turn out to be a mistake after his performances at Charlton and at the European under 21 Competition.What has the lad done to annoy Emery?To my mind he is better than Mustafi and Socratis.
Grandad although you make a good point, my nana better than Mustafi and Xhaka. It worries me that they both still play.
Emery probably hasn’t seen him play, because he was on loan at Charlton last season and the previous season when Emery was at PSG, Bielik was mainly injured.
Bielik apparently decided not to sign a contract extension and wanted to leave. The decision on whether Arsenal wanted to force the issue to retain Bielik would have surely fallen to Lundberg.
I just hope we’re putting a buy back clause in grandad
Shame we’re letting him go can’t believe he wouldn’t have the opportunity for minutes on the pitch
I completely agree, Emery at times has a blind spot. Even with Kos, asking to to stay, is a weak and a poor approach. Emery whilst a good manager, has a poor record in defense in all previous clubs. For defensive organisation and player selection.
As well as Beilik did last season, it was League 1. That’s a two division jump. I would still pick him over Mustafi (although ANYONE is better than Mustafi), but it’s hard to gauge his ability/potential based on the level he was playing at. If it’s true that may get around £10 million for him, then that is a fantastic offer for a young player, who has no experience of the top two divisions in England. Under Wenger/Gazidis we would get next to nothing, or nothing, for these type of players, so take the money, and reinvest.
If Beilik has that much potential, then put in a buy back clause, percentage of resale, first option, etc.
Word is £10 million with a 35% sell on fee for Bielik to Derby County.
Under Wenger we got 35 mill. for the utterly mediocre Oxlade, don’t forget.
How much did we get for young players before Wenger?
Have you forgotten how the market prices have increased in the last 3 years?
We would have gotten 2 or 3 mill for Bielik a mere few years ago when players like Wan Bissaka were 15 mill. not 50.
Nonsense, first of all the fact that you can compare Charlton to arsenal is beyond me, secondly if he had been that good at Charlton surely more than 2 clubs would have tried to sign him no?also it is cocu derby who bought Bielik not lampard who has a better knowledge of British football than cocu for sure,there is a reason Lampard had no interest in him,the guy has promoted young players at Chelsea who played for him at Derby last season, mason has already scored few goals in pre season,the real reason Bielik asked to leave was because it was better for his career to ask to be sold than being on the arsenal list of players to be sold for not being good enough,and my friend that is the truth!
I can’t see Zaha joining. I think it was a question of ‘either- or’ between the two Ivorians, not both. I don’t even want to have our two top wingers from the same nation. That means each time Ivory Coast are involved in a football event, we lose both. That’s less than ideal, to say the least.
On the defensive side, I agree that we are probably going to see Kos out and Tierney in. Chambers would be Kos’ replacement. Another CB, like Ruggani on loan, would be a welcome bonus.
Mavrapanos will most likely go out on loan.
And, talking about Mavrapanoe, I’m becoming slightly worried that the young man’s development is not going well at all. I hope he doesn’t end up like Bielik.
Hard to develop if you are always injured, just ask Wilshire and Diaby and a million youngsters who failed to even get where Mavropanos is now because they couldn’t manage the level they play Vs their fitness levels.
International games are almost all synchronized nowadays. Qualifiers are almost same time.
Afcon is now in summers- off season
Africa Cup of Nations was moved to the off season. It’s no longer the irritating inconvenience it was but now a very exciting competition to follow.
QD-If that’s what you call exciting you need to get out more
?? cmon! It was exciting watching seasoned winners like Egypt get knocked out in the R16!
You don’t choose for others
Afcon is an exciting tournament to follow believe it,go and watch Nigeria vs Algeria semi final game or Nigeria vs South Africa game, you will see a quality football game
AFCON is a tough and exciting tournament
They showcase very good players
Issa Diop for £60m? Westham sure knows how to swindle potential suitor. A LB is a priority, CB? Maybe ‘if’ a very interesting upgrade become available, am afraid we dont have atletic CB presently, all of them are just too slow, mustafi can run better but error prone.
Ill prefer an english cb or the one currently playing in EPL, we should be able to woo someone from Burnley, wolve, everton,saint or any of the midtable teams but i wouldnt complain if no new CB arrive but will not be happy if the summer business end here, to me we have no LB and must get one, at least
Yes sue back to watching what we love ⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽ can’t wait
??????
Can’t see us selling Mustafi unless we have a new CB coming in.
Kos is a different situation, which I trust the club will handle.
I suppose Tierney makes sense to get, because it could also mean Monreal playing mainly CB.
As for players going out, there are plenty we would be better off not having to pay. But I don’t see many “takers” for them. But ideally we should get rid of:
Mkhitaryan
Jenkinson
Iwobi
Mavropanos
Chambers
Elneny
and even Özil if it was possible.
I really don’t see any future in any of them.
Mavropanos is a wonderful player only needs to stay fit,Chambers has been our Best CB in pre-season but Iwobi needs another chance but the rest can leave and I’m sure most of them will be sold in the next off season transfer.I’m certain especially Jenks,Mustafi nd Mkhitaryan and Elneny.
We surely need Tierney in that LB position and I would love to see James Tarkowski sign 4 Arsenal Fc he’ll be a huge upgrade on Mustafi
Admini Martin.
Why don’t you make it 2 outgoing and 3 incoming?
Arsenal still need to do an upgrade in the left wing side of the 1st team squad this summer. In this regard, I’ll prefer it if they bring in Everton Soares this summer widow before it is closed to do this upgrade which I considered very necessary for Arsenal to do if they don’t want to leave a vital position in the forward under strength. For, Iwobi has not yet cut it as a top quality left winger at Arsenal despite his being good but he was of average quality in this area for Arsenal last season. Him dodging the issue to say he’s a central midfield player will not help Arsenal. Because even if he’s played there, I believe he’l stilll be average for Arsenal there. We watched him in the Afcon for Nigeria and he was average in both the left wing and in the midfield for Nigeria. Sometimes even below average. So, what is he talking about? Iwobi should endeavour to improve on the quality of his game for Arsenal generally whether in the left wing or in the midfield. Otherwise Arsenal could leave him behind.
We’ve all agreed that Arsenal need to do an upgrade in the left back position in the team with a new top quality left back signing this summer. And the general consensus is, if Arsenal sign Tierney this summer, he should fit the bill for the club.
2 top quality centreback defenders at the same time has been a problem for some seasons at Arsenal to solve. Even when Mertesacker and Koscielny were on top of their game for Arsenal nanning the position in pair, the centreback manning position during duo playing together at Arsenal did not totally resolved as Mertesacker was said to be Rhinoceros. Yes, Chambers could be used as replacement to Koscielny if he left. But Arsenal may not do a new centreback signing this summer if Mustafi stubbornly refused to leave the club on transfer.
Zaha IF POSSIBLE or / Thierney and Dunk.
Don’t forget we have a lot of young very talented players,who we IMO have to give a chance this season. More of these young players know our system, and they would be like new good signings.
Zaha would be such a fantastic signing combined with Pepe on the wings.
It would be a dream attack. Simply a monster attack.
Go for Zaha please and get rid of some of the deadwood.
Selling Iwobi will be the daftest thing for Arsenal board to do, did you watch this guy for Nigeria at the Afcon,he behind most of the good moments of Nigerian attacks