Dominating and winning the Premier League is all Mikel Arteta may want for next season.
He has shown with the deals he has to complete this summer how strong he wants to be next season. As we speak, Kai Havertz, Declan Rice, and Jurrien Timber are nearly set to be in his ongoing project.
Much has been said about how Havertz and Rice are upgrades for Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey, but I’d like to tell you what Jurrien Timber should be bringing to the Gunners.
The Ajax star is set to join Arsenal and will likely be played as a right back. In that position, the one thing he’ll need to do is mirror what Zinchenko is doing at left-back.
Last season, the Gunners enjoyed fluidity on the left back because Zinchenko was an attacking-minded player, and this brought the best out of Martineli and players in the midfield, as the former City player joined them in the middle at times in an inverted role.
Still, the same cannot be said of the right back. Arsenal needs another Zinchenko at right back. Timber could be that, as his technical ability and give-me-the-ball attitude can make things happen through his pace, passing abilities, long shots, dribbling capabilities, and other technical skills, but as it stands, we clearly do not have this type of player in the team.
To enjoy more creativity and spark in the final third from the right wing, Timber will need to be troubling opponents with good deliveries (crosses), good runs in the channels, and providing support to the midfielder if possible. He will need to embrace playing as an inverted fullback.
If he can give Arteta another dimension to his tactical changes, Timber will definitely be a sound investment.
Darren N
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I don’t agree we need another Zinchenko at right back. Zinchenko is flawed when it comes to defending as a left back. He is technically strong when inverting into midfield, but a left back must first and foremost be able to defend. I don’t disagree with the tactic of an inverted full back, especially when we dominate games, but Zinchenko was caught flat footed and out of position a few times last season. If Timber can play the role I am all for it, as long as he can still fulfill his defensive duties.
You are on point. I think that’s the reason Pep moved away from the inverted LB and instead adopted 3CB with one CB slotting into the midfield when in possession. He might have seen the struggles with having Zinchenko or Cancelo as the inverted LB and it could be the reason he let them both go.
So does BW get relegated to the bench? I really hope BW is not moved back to CB, I understand he was signed as a CB but he certainly didn’t look up to the task when played there.
The idea of inverted full backs lies with one side of the pitch which in favourable situations has a speedy winger. And suitable players for that role are players with midfield playing abilities. Bernardo Silva did played this role on occasions for City last season. Zinny did it so well. It will be risky to play two inverted fullback at the same time.
I feel lack of sticking to the initial team shape dynamics at the end of the season caused our losses towards the end of the season. This was due to loss of some players to injury and deep in form. We needed Tomi at Liverpool but he wasn’t available due to injury. Pressure from the dropped points in that game affected the players against West Ham.
I praise Zinny for the brave role he played.
The team is getting properly adjusted currently to prevent what happened last season. How the coach is going to use Timber is going to be interesting considering the presence of White and Saliba. With UCL to play, there will be enough games for rotation of players.
There are a very similar amount of games as last season, we are just switching 1 European competition for another 1…..so there was enough games last season for rotation as well but we barely rotated.
That’s one thing that most never realize. We’ve got the same amount of games as last season. Our coach has favourites and that’s partly what led to our collapse at the end of last season. As an example, once Jesus came back, Trossard was benched and our results nosedived. It’s no coincidence
Yes lack of rotation affected the team. He did rotated at the group state of Europa League. He got too confident and lacked trust in the bench during the knock out stages. We lost Saliba and Tomi as a result of that which cost us the league.
It should be part of the lessons he must have learnt.
So your not expecting us to progress further in the fa cup, league cup and the European competition than we did last season then?
I really don’t know about the cups. But if we still use mainly a first eleven throughout the season, there will be issues
That’s right PJ. We will have the same number matches as in last season. We bought players to have depth and quality in our bench. How Arteta is going to use them is another thing given the fact that he doesn’t fancy rotation of players.
From the little of what I have seen, he seems to be very comfortable on the ball, he loves to dribble and will confidently take on a player carrying the ball out, that could be crucial beating the press.
Defensively he’s robust and better than the Ukrainian but offers nothing in Aerial cover.
“Still, the same cannot be said of the right back”
I’m as big a zinchenko fan as anyone, but over the course of the season white was better. His passing and movement in attacks was excellent. I don’t think white deserves to lose his place in the team, and I don’t think he will – he might change position somehow to accommodate timber, but i think it’s more likely timber will play CB and it will be saliba or Gabriel who’s place is under threat
I keep reading that Arteta wants to get the transfer and contract business done early!
I have yet to read that Saliba has actually signed a contract. I do not think Nelson has signed a contract either.
I have not read that Havertz is officially an Arsenal player, nor that Timber or Rice have completed their transfers (or even their medicals for that matter).
I have not read that Xhaka, Holding, Partey, Pepe or Folagun have left the club via transfer.
So where are we Mr ED?.
You need to extract your digit and get some of these transfers across the line!!!!
Stop with your nickel and dime tactics and complete the business!!!!!!!
Training camp has already opened