At last, the transfer period has ended and we now know our squad. It is important here to highlight 2 key points:
- Although we did not make much money from our outgoing players, we did let a lot of players go and sometimes very elegantly like with Bellerin but some departures (AMN especially) might bight us back in the behind
- We did recruit proven EPL players, which confirms Edu-Arteta’s wish to have players that are EPL ready from the on-set but we did not manage to get 2 players we needed to complete our squad: a DM/CM and a FW. Hopefully we will be ok…
Here is our squad:
- RAMSDALE, Turner as our GK
- TOMY, Cedric at RB
- SALIBA, White, GABRIEL, Holding at CB
- ZINCHENKO, Tierney at LB
- PARTEY, El Neny, XHAKA, Sambi at DM/CM
- ODE, Emile, Vieira at CAM
- SAKA, Marquinhos, MARTINELLI, Reiss-Nelsson at FW
- JESUS, Nketiah at CF
Apparently, we are also about to extend Saka to our longer deal so this is great news for us!
Our objective is clearly to finish in the Top 4, to do well in domestic and European Cups.
Our season started well with 5 wins but we have already lost Partey (AGAIN!) and Mo to injury, which makes us thin at DM/CM. We also have let AMN go although he could have helped out in these positions and we have loaned out Patino so…We tried to get D. Luiz but unfortunately, we could not reach a deal with Villa and it seems that our interest in Tielemans cooled down in the end…As for FW, Pepe left and we let Balogun on loan. Marquinhos and RN are our back up to Saka and Martinelli and no offense to them but they are not giving the best guarantees as of yet so we may be a bit short if Saka or Martinelli get injured…luckily we have Vieira and ESR that could also deputize there but not their main role, really…
So are we well equipped or under-equipped for this season?
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Not strong enough . Scoring will be a problem. Classing Marquinos and Nelson as viable back ups is nonsense. Saka couldn’t hit a barn door. Relying on Nketiah if Jesus injured is fantasy. Marti conversion rate is appalling. Purchase of Turner is a complete mystery and step down from Leno.
@silentstan i agree with all you have said, but you forgot to mention, the World will be coming to an end tomorrow.
Without wishing to state the obvious, with the volume of games, the boss will need to use substitutions wisely. If Marquinhos and Vierra are as promising as I hear then we must rotate and keep the minutes of the first 11 down when we can. Trusting the squad for cup runs and Europe is a risk we need to take. Quietly optimistic for top 4 (without any major injuries)! 🤞🏼😆
I think we are fine once we don’t lose no one for to long this season would be a breakout season for Eddie and think it time to for Nelson to show us what he got
Help feynord to semi or finals in one the cup competition so je is adequate enough I believe
How many CB do we have not sure if Mari still with us
Rome wasn’t built in a day. I think Arteta has cut out all of the “cancer” and now we’re in “recovery”. A small but tight knit squad isn’t ready to win the PL but will fight like crazy to finish top 4 and hopefully win a cup (or two). Good enough for me.
Nelson also injured so probably marquinos get some Game time
Apparently Vieira can also play just like ESR on the sides if needed…Marquinhos also doing well with the academy team…fingers crossed
We can’t afford any more injuries in midfield tbh
Anybody who fancies writing up a pre-match for Sunday’s game, just reply in the thread here and I will then extract to make it a post
Every club will wish they had more and better players (possibly excepting Nottingham Forest). However, this looks a good collection with no real weaknesses. Moreover, we have the “home grown” issue covered, which will not apply to all squads. Silentstan, you really should live up to your sobriquet!
To address a little of what Silentstan said, I think the Edu/Arteta mantra is simple – get rid of “stars” that don’t give 100% and let others play. Admittedly it would be nice to have 22 world class starters but that’s fantasy. We’ll score plenty enough goals. Our youngsters will only improve if they play. Leno wanted to be a #1 so wouldn’t stay, turner is a back up. No one can guarantee we’ll be great or crap. But as I’ll say again, we finally (since 2005 or 06) have a 100% committed group. I’m happy about that.
So is our squad adequately equipped to deal with this season’s challenges?
Yes…
Fred, Mari is on a season long loan with Monza in Italy, I doubt that he’ll return.
Fred, regarding centre backs I reckon you could say that we have 5, 6 at a push if you include Tierney.
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Sunday 430 at the Salford Public Conveniences.
This is a game we might lose. No Partey, Zinchenko or Elneny. Odegaard questionable (it wouldn’t be surprising if he has one of those small annoying fractures). Ramsdale not certain.
The No. 6 is easy: Sambi played really well against Vile, and will be better for minutes on the pitch. The No. 10 is harder should MO not be fit. Next in-line is ESR, but the natural like-for-like replacement is Fabio. But what a game to make your debut!
If MO and Ramsdale are fit, I predict a strong victory. If not, defeat would not be surprising, or dishonourable. But equally not certain. We will still have the dynamic front three plus Eddie when called upon. How so-called supporters are undervaluing Eddie, I cannot get my head round. He’s a genuine player, and he’s much stronger this season.
Our opponents are as they have been for a couple of years – a disparate assembly of expensively-acquired overpaid footballers. Watch out for MacTominay carrying on where McGinn left off, without censure from the referee Paul Tierney (from Greater Manchester) or VAR assistant Lee Mason (from Greater Manchester). How sensible of the PiGMOb to make economies on travel.
Unfortunately ten Hag has realised what a liability playing a refrigerator as your last line of defence is, and is going with the more balanced Varane and the dwarf Lisandro. Casemiro might well start (see MacTominay for critique), but will be slowed by all the banknotes bulging his pockets. I hope Anthony starts – he’ll be jigging about unsteadily under the weight of a preposterous transfer fee. Ten Hag knew him at Ajax, so obviously rates him; but KT will have his measure. And his goal contributions have always been negligible – a case of style over substance?
They have won three on the bounce, which is irritating, but they have all been by the odd goal, and reportedly unconvincing.
I expect us to go with:
Ramsdale
Tomi Saliba Gaby Tesco
Sambi X
ESR
Saka Gaby Gaby
Thank you.
If we have that many injuries, putting in Tomi, Tesco, Sambi and ESR together at the same time, no continuity of play and thought, we have not a chance in hell of winning this game at old toilet.
This is including Ramsdale in goal, if his hammy went twang and Turner starts, well, just well,,,,.
Like all those players, yet, what have they played, a total of 200 minutes for all them combined in the last 5 games??
Not happy with the closing of our transfer window business to say the least.
Will of course watch, but not with any realistic chance of electric futbol, and how could it be with all those changes. Tempered expectations of a draw or some miracle of a one goal smash and grab.