What Arsenal need to compete in 2022/23 by Konstantin Mitov
Well lovely Arsenal people, it’s another transfer window, and I think the end of last season highlighted the need to improve in various areas to compete.
The most notable transfer so far is of course Gabriel Jesus. We need to score more goals, that’s kind of obvious, and Jesus’ total of 14 pl goals, doesn’t set the world alight, but still a massive improvement of the combined total of around 10 between Eddie, Laca and Auba.
I’d still get another striker though. I’d like to get the option to cross it in the box and have a big target man to hit. An Olivier Giroud type of player, especially with 5 subs next season is something that might help us break opposition teams down.
Liverpool signed Nunez, City signed Haaland, I think you can see even Pep and Klopp realized the need for that. Even an Ivan Toney kind of signing that would give us an extra option up front is something I’d take.
I’m not overly impressed with the Eddie deal and giving him the number 14 shirt based on 5 goals in the end of last season when it was clear Laca wasn’t cutting it. For me we are 1 striker injury away from another crisis, with more games to play this year, but I doubt we will actually go for more strikers.
We’ve been linked with Lisandro Martinez, who is a versatile player that is most likely our choice to cover left back, which has been a huge problem for us. Nuno is clearly not the answer, and Tierney’s injury record means a left back is most needed. The problem is United are likely to pick him up, because of Ten Hag, and we should have an alternative lined up if this deal doesn’t work.
Then there’s midfield where we desperately need an improvement on Granit Xhaka. The guy is the anchor of our midfield, because for years we’ve neglected the need to improve there drastically. We’ve been linked to Tielemans and honestly, I wonder why we haven’t just coughed up the 25 million to wrap the deal up.
One Partey injury and it’s back to Elneny and Xhaka. This is not taking us back to the champions league, I’m sorry, they’ve been here 6 years, it’s time we splash the cash on an area so pivotal in modern football.
We’ve been also linked with Milinkovic-Savic. This player has been highly rated for a long time, and I’d take his presence in the squad, but Tielemans is younger, has only a year left on the deal, if we went with a real bid, we could wrap it up.
I’d like to see the main players ready before we go on tour, and seeing training pictures of Bellerin, Torreira and Pablo Mari is not very encouraging. If we seriously want to challenge, I’d go as far as to say, we need 2 midfielders, not one, and also a right back. Tommy missed a lot of games and Cedric is a target in our defense.
I also understand the bid for Raphinha. Too much pressure last season fell on the shoulders of Saka, ESR and Martinelli. That shouldn’t be the case, and we should ease their burden by adding more experienced players around them. It’s not about “limiting” their playing time, it’s about having options when the game isn’t going your way, and there are again the 5 subs.
We’ve also signed Fabio Vieira, who we’ve all seen pictured with that protective boot. I don’t know what the injury is and also, I don’t know the player, and I don’t trust YouTube scouting, because it can make any player look good. But again, I feel like there is a recognition that we don’t score enough goals, thus the need to reinforce the forward line.
Then there’s a bunch of players who need to be sold like Bellerin, Mari, Torreira, Holding, Pepe, AMN, Leno and so on who are likely not going to feature too much.
In an ideal world I’d like us to sign 2 CM, 1 more striker, 1 winger, and also left and right full backs. In a reality though I doubt we’ll spend so much, and a LB and a CM seem the most likely. I wouldn’t mind adding some experienced faces too. Hopefully we’ll do our business quick.
The draw for the start of the season has been kind to us, but we need to be prepared. Our record at Palace is terrible lately, we need to erase that. The first 3 games of last season should be a stark reminder why we should have a fully fitted squad of players capable to win football games.
We finished 2 points off of 4th having lost more than 10 games. That number has to be massively reduced. We also exited the cups far too early. The competition is tough. Spurs signed some good players sadly, Chelsea are yet to show what their new owner is all about, Liverpool and City bought two of the hottest strikers around, it will be tough, and we need to move fast.
Now we also have Europa league, and my expectations are top 4 and a good run in the cups for a bare minimum. The Kroenkes won both the super Bowl and the Stanley cup. They’ve also backed Arteta more than any of his predecessors, but if they really want us back in contention, we might need to go over 150m in spending this season. Also, this will be Artetas 4th season here.
No more excuses for me. The Arsenal must deliver.
Konstantin
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Broken record here……
A DM!!!!! A real one! If we had a powerful DM that was fit all season then we would’ve made it into the top 4.
Still trying to figure out why we, to this day, have never replaced Gilberto with a player similar to his calibre. It blows my mind the constant obsession with getting new attacking players when your spine isn’t solid in the team.
Arsenal system has revolved, we hardly use DM, we use b2b as DM and if we buy DM we convert them to b2b as the case of Torreira. That’s why I was convinced we were never interested in Bissouma, a player I do much wish to see in arsenal shirt
I’m guessing you mean evolved right? Yes and we’ve seen how well it’s worked for us in the EPL since not having a DM, we’ve looked fragile, even when on form, for well over a decade.
Yea evolved is the word.
That’s the system all our managers preferred. 3managers doing same thing. That’s not a coincidence
100% agreed, not a coincidence we’ve been nowhere near winning the EPL since….
It’s also repeating the same failings then
Kudos to all arsenal fans!!! Let us b exceptional here and the most two thing will need now is, a strong four midfielder and tall also who can gain ball in box to box from other team player. Who also ave d mind of aggressive to over come strength wen will need him most, secondly right back who can run with d ball.
👍PJ-SA, another broken record here. Arsenal has never satisfactorily replaced Gilberto Silva. They have lacked a strong powerful DM since he left and he was integral to the winning Arsenal teams he played in.
Two more signings please.
A DM and a box to box player.
A LW to replace Martinelli (he isn’t good enough)
A cm for 433
A versatile back up for lb and midfield but I wouldn’t want us to break the bank for Martinez a back up option but it would be great if we get him
Really!
– A Giroud-like CF, who’s willing to rotate with Jesus and Nketiah. Or a tall left-footed false nine like De Ketelaere
– A consistent free-kick scorer, to increase our goal tally
– If possible, a left-footed CDM, to allow Partey, Smith-Rowe and Maitland-Niles use their dribbling skills in front of him
Gai De who? Never hard him I’ll go searching 🙄
Leeds are approaching him, so Arsenal had better move quickly
I think most important at the moment is a very good experience DM considering Pabey’s injury record and LB to deputise Tiieney.
Ruben Neves
Zinchenko/Martinez
Gnarby
We have a first choice starting eleven which is a match for most of the PL teams, but still need a couple of quality back ups in defensive positions. Some of our defenders can play in two or more positions but a dedicated left back is the most urgent.
Adding Europa league Fixtures, Arsenal have plenty of work to do to fall back in top 4 . Arsenal need to challenge in additional players such as Ruben Neves if he’s willing to come or we go for Tielemans and of course a LBD Zinchenko or Martinez then an attacker Gnabry. We the Arsenal have quality players already who can do all the best , get trophies and step up to top 3, Injuries and fixtures at hand is an obstacle which Arteta needs to fix. He’s job is getting old and he needs to wake up
Left back is the most important issue right now. Every where else is passable.
To compete for top 4
LB: Grimaldo/ Zinchenko
DM/CM: Milinkovic Savic/Tielemens/Ruiz+Onana
RW: Dennis/Sarr
Martinez is 5″9’…not gonna cut it at CB, in of all leagues, the EPL. As a DM and full back cover probably he would suit us.
Aaron Hickey can play both LB and RB…what is stopping this? Youri Tielemans is a no brainer as we do not have a strong midfield pool of players. I don’t quite get why we are stalling. Someone else will come in, like Conte did with Bissouma, and steal him. He’s only 25 and has potentially 6 top years ahead. We are definitely a big striker short. Yep…. Ivan Toney, would give us multiple options in different types of games. Can Edu, multi task……I hope so or we may miss who we really need. Mindfulness is really needed and courage…Edu. We are 3 players away from challenging for the EPL.
I remember Sagna and Monreal filling on the CB position once in a while due to our injuries. They always did great..
Sagna and Monreal are between 5’9 and 5’10.. But I myself I’m not that confident about Martinez playing as a CB in the most physical league in Europe.. But if we can get him into that Xhaka or Torreira midfield position then I think he might do well. Even filling in at LB..
But we don’t know what Arteta and Edu have planned for him..
Sagna was amazing in the air for his height, or just in general. It’s not common but there have been very successful cbs on the shorter side – canavaro and Ivan cordoba stick out in the memory for me. If they can be decent in the air, I wonder if the lower centre of gravity can have advantages
I still want a commanding CF… A striker that can hold up and strong on the headers too..
A proper strong CM / B2B midfielder..
Onana would provide this. B2B ,6’5″ obv poss danger at free kicks,corners & goal kicks.
Jimmy, West-Ham just had a bid of 20M turned down by Lille for Onana.
Some good comments & observations. Ideally we have to invest to carry on the momentum created with our signings last season. We’ve spent +/- £90m this year. Another £110 / £130m to get our targets.
Martinez.
Onana
Tielemens.
Dennis or outside possibility Zaha. Think 1 year left on his contract.
Arteta wants 22 outfield players…that will mean 5 midfielders…2 DM’s..2 CM’s..+ 1 more….for me that’s Partey..Lokonga and Patino…so I wish Arsenal buy 2 more midfielders
Starting B2B, DM, backup LB. If we can move on several players and sell Pepe, then a plan B striker and a winger to replace Pepe.
I feel Vieira was a unnecessary Ben White type purchase because we have ESR to backup and compete with Odegaard.
The midfield is a glaring problem still, and lacking a true DM and not upgrading Xhaka with a solid B2B will see the same issues plague the club.
Durand, I agree with your assessment. However, it is beyond my comprehension, why people (including Arteta) want rid of Nicholas Pepe? For the money he is likely to bring, he should be worth more to Arsenal getting playing time, even as an impact player. I see the apparent inability of Mikel Arteta to give Pepe consistent playng time as a major failure. Pepe has been a wasted resource.
Arsenal needs about 3/4 player upon to what we have infact 3 new signings works if we can get in Lisandro Martinez its equivalent to getting 3players due to his versatility LCB LB and DM settled in him then a CM best option is Tielemans due to his cost and the league experience furthermore is a winger Gnabry would workout the best for the RB position Saliba or Ben white can help there that means we should get rid of Cedric and Tavares in this summer.
For target man option maybe we should look at Weghorst, can’t imagine he would cost much more than £10M(probably has a relegation clause) and with him taking a massive step up from Burnley to the size of Arsenal, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind battling with Eddie to be back up striker to Jesus
If Arsenal we’re SERIOUS about challenging for
the Top 4 and cup competitions…
Fofana or Tielemans
Raum or Grimaldo
Onana
Gakpo
Lovely
Tomiyasu would still be injured again. Will need a RB and LB. Teliemans and Savic would enable us challenge for the EPL next season. Not Viera when we have esr and odegard. A winger and another striker would be a great summer for Arsenal. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR MIKEL ARTETA.
I believe we won’t see any more signings until some leave. If we don’t release any you can almost guarantee out bisuness is done, unfortunately.
I still believe though that we need at least a world class striker, world class dm, and Martinez who can cover at least 3 positions. Without these we’re looking at top 6 again. That’s all.
A new manager 🫢
(Jokes )
Well if worst case scenario is true, we need two DMs, not one.
DM and a B2B.