Only a few days before the season kicks off again with the Community Shield. I am not so hopeful about the outcome of this game against Liverpool but we are a cup team, so hope is permitted 🙂
More seriously and as the first EPL game is coming up soon too, we really need to have our “season” squad as soon as possible. There are a few players whose future is up in the air and some we won’t mind losing (Sokratis…) but I feel there are others where the jury is more divided so have your say on whether the following players should stay or go and give your rationale behind your decision
- Mustafi – quite a mixed career at AFC but a real resurgence under Arteta so should he say or should he go?
- Chambers – versatile and rather reliable when he played but he had his fair share of injuries and never nailed down a starter’s place under the various coaches. Should he stay or should he go?
- Holding – a promising defender who ended the season on a high but who had also shown some potential to be a very error prone defender. Seems to still run after his fine form before his knee injury. Should he stay or should he go?
- Kolasinac – the beast! The man who scared robbers! An overall solid athlete and defenders but never seemed to hit the top level we expected. Has shown that he can play as LCB, LB and WB so a versatile and useful player but should he stay or should he go?
- AMN – our very own academy product, a gifted player and a very good athlete. Excelled at the end of the season as a LWB. Should he stay or should he go?
- Lucas Torreira – one of the heroes of a memorable derby vs Tottenham and at first, a good performer but also seem to struggle at times with pace and physicality of the EPL. Should he stay or should he go?
- Matteo Guendouzi – a truly promising player who seems to struggle with his attitude though. Had great games and poor games. A controversial figure on the pitch and off the pitch. Should he stay or should he go?
- Ozil – we had the chat already so…no need to comment here 😛
- Reiss Nelson – seems to find his feet in the first team and had interesting games towards the end of the season. Do we stick with him in the squad or let him develop elsewhere?
- ESR – a promising player who never really got things going at AFC. Still unsure whether he is the next Cazorla or the next Kallstrom but seemed to have done quite well while on loan. Should he stay or should he go?
- Willock – highly touted by Ljungberg and given a chance under Emery and Arteta, he seemed to have hit a stumbling block and his season has been at best average. Should he stay or should he go?
- Lacazette – had a tough year but his career with us has been more than satisfactory. His work ethics, goals and assists have been useful but his time with us may still be up. Should he stay or should he go?
Pick any player(s) and blog away fellow Gooners!
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12. Lacazette – I would love for Lacazette to stay but I believe that his time with us is up. He is a very good player but I believe the recruitment of Willian indicates that Auba will play through the middle and that means that our front three will be Pepe-Auba-Willian. We are also desperate for cash according to reports and Laca will bring in the necessary money. He is well liked by Simeone, Conte and Pirlo so for me, he is on his way to Atletico, Inter or Juve. So Laca – thanks for everything and good luck in your next adventure: un grand merci pour tout et bonne chance pour la suite!
Sok, sead, mustafi, ozil and torera can go but let d young one remain they are d one for d future. Guendouzi should be talk to about his behaviour. He reminds of paul pogba at man u before heading to juve. He is a future star.
AMN is the last player on that list I’d want to go, but it looks like he is. Surely the fact rival teams like spurs and wolves were all over this should be a wake-up call – at 20m, he’s an absolute bargain. Not sure why Bellerin isn’t on this list but he should be as it sounds like we’re trying to move him on as well, and I’d be happy with that if AMN were staying.
I wouldn’t be surprised if saliba plays a bit at RB next season as I think he’s spent quite a bit of time at fullback.
Except for Nelson (useful player who has changed games in a low-key way and will get better) and ESR (needs a chance to show what he can do), I any of the others could leave IMO. Would be sad to see Laca go as he’s not had all the credit he deserved, and I’m curious to see if Mustafi could kick on from his fine form at the end of the year (it’s one of the most incredible turnarounds I’ve seen at the club) but I wouldn’t be devastated if they moved. Laca leaving might leave us a bit short up front though
I d be happy to keep AMN too but if he is to be sold, we should include a buy back clause for sure. The guy is red through and through and I remember a few years back, Henry was saying that AMN was the youngster that impressed him the most when he came back to the club so I d be happy to keep hold of AMN.
I agree that Bellerin should be added to the list so here it is:
13. Bellerin – the once mercurial full back seemd to struggle to rediscover his fine form and mojo. Clearly attached to the club, it would be a shame to see him go but for some reason, I d be less sad than if AMN goes…
Nice one, RC.. we have a friendly tonight.. 6pm away at MK Dons.. the website is showing it… COYG
Surely if there looking to offload Bellerin we gotta keep hold of AMN
Morning RC, a very good and apposite Post, given we are really into the transfer window and the new season is nearly on us.
Your article article highlights the decisions Mikel must be making now, altho my guess is that an organised personality such as he has probably started planning the way forward many months ago.
I have never really been a fan of AMN at right back as it did not seem the right role for him.
Oddly enough his brief appearance at left back nearly changed my mind as he played well there, and his athleticism and determination were so much better than at right back.
We have signed Soares (for nothing) and I am not convinced about him either, but I think AMN’s future is tied up with the money he will bring in.
It is not easy balancing Arsenal’s football needs with their ‘desperate’ shortage of transfer cash for new/better players – so I wish Mikel the best of luck with that.
Just a passing whimsical observation, but as Man City have twice sailed through the restrictions of FFP with nothing but a smack on the wrist and a measly fine, and Chelsea are now on the road to spending £250m on multiple new transfers in this window, perhaps our multibillion $$ owners will join them and open the coffers? No??
[And to head off any Smart-Alecks out there, it is not a fixation on spending money for the sake of it — it is the quality of the players that kind of money gives clubs access to, which in turn gives them much better chances to win trophies, and that in turn opens up the trophy income that winning generates, together with the resulting improved sponsorship deals being successful bring, et seq.]
A self-fulfilling financial, virtuous circle, don’t you think? — just ask the clubs who practise it, when they kick our asses every season.
Maybe Mikel is taking the first small steps to replicate it — he has my support.
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I simply cannot understand this burning desire to cull an already small squad.
What seems to matter most is continuity and the disruption by the introduction of new players and change in systems causes more problems than they solve.
The new players brought in the more disruption there will be to the team are more disjointed performances there will be.
It is not as though, apart from Wilian, the players been brought in are that experienced to make too much of a difference.
The same applies to the coaching staff who appear to have been sacked en masse and in the course of being replaced.
I do not have much hope for the immediate future what this continues.
Thanks, RC!
Nice summary!
I certainly would keep AMN and Laca.
Laca is a relentless fighter, we need someone like him in front.
AMN is red, a gunner from the age of 6. I do think that he is ready to give everything for the team. He might need support and trust from the gaffe but if he stays he can be Viera like.
For the youngsters (Nelson, Willock, ESR) I prefer to keep them at very least for another year and check their development
The others I’m not so sure. A Mustafi without brainfart, a Holding before the knee injury would be great to have but… can they?
Thankfully, Arsenal and Mikel in particular bid from Monaco for Smith-Rowe.
IF the Arse have pulled out of Partey at full price, hope either Athletico concede, or we consider Thiago from Bayern, if he is still wanting out.
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“have knocked back Monaco”…
Saliba starts 👍
Elneny
Wow!! Fred 😁
Rather enjoyed that half – given it’s only a gentle pre-season.
That was a terrific goal from Holding – perhaps we should play him at CF ?? 😜
Isn’t thiago Liverpool bound
Nelson with the forth why we needs willian again sigh
Not bad at all – scoring all 5 goals!!
Fred
Liverpool are worried about his age and given that his price. Dont think personally there are many better on the ball than Thiago.
@Cordie – welcome to the blog! We re looking forward to your contributions
@LBG – Thiago would be an outstanding acquisition but I doubt he d be interested in joining us…
@Sue and Fred – how did Saliba do today?
@all – I would be happy to keep AMN, Chambers or Holding, Willock and Laca and some of the younger players, I am happy to allow them to join other teams on loan
If anybody is in the mood to write the pre-match for Saturday’s game, please reach out to Peaches 🙂
RC.. He looked really calm and comfortable on the ball and played out perfectly in the build up to our 2nd goal… looks good 👍
Good to hear Sue. He is a promising footballer. If we are smart enough, we should also try to secure Wesley Fofana from St-Etienne – that guy is going to be a Van Dijk type of player while Saliba will be more of a Varane type.
Congratulations sue
New post all