Merino’s Strong Attributes

Aerial duels: one of his strongest attributes is for how good he is in aerial duels, both offensively but also defensively. He wins a lot of duels if it becomes physical and he is 6’2.

Passing: He is also quite comfortable with his feet, leans a lot on his left foot though. He plays for the most part short passes, give and go on the left side. Can switch the ball if it becomes too tight. He is progressive passer.

Goal scoring opportunity: He is good at attacking spaces up front when the opportunity is there either from corners or him playing 12 and attacking inside the penalty area. He likes to take shots from outside of 16 meters which will give Arsenal another attacking threat.

Tackling: He is a harder worker and will tackle if he gets outpaced. This can go both ways though.

Experience: Not only will Arteta get a player who fits his profile type in a midfielder in terms of his technical ability, but also a player with experience in the highest level and a winner. Merino had an outstanding ending to his season in international stage, winning the Euros with Spain. Before that, Merino won UEFA national league, Spanish Cup (Copa Del Rey), European champion under-21 and European Champion under-19. Unlike the other signings Arsenal has made this summer, Merino is player who has seen it all. He is at an age now where his next logical step is to compete for titles on club level.

Area of improvement/weakness

Fouls: He has tendencies to commit silly fouls. Merino has the habit of getting unnecessary many yellow cards by pulling players or misjudging and tackling a player.

Lack of tempo: He can struggle against pacy, quick opponents as he is not the quickest player. His turning radius can let him down if the ball is played behind him.

How would he fit Arsenal

He would be the natural replacement for Xhaka. A player similar to his profile when it comes to work rate, creating chances, linking up with the left side of Arsenal’s attack (especially Martinelli) who has suffered because of the departure of Xhaka. With Merino, the left side will create overload when attacking with him and Martinelli. This could open up space for Merino to shoot from distance or open space for Martinelli to run behind the defensive line.

Grant Xhaka left a void in the 8 role, a position that was initially was intended for Havertz, but he lacks the passing and composure to excel in that position. Merino would slot in perfectly in that role as he has been molded in that position for the past few seasons.

Style of play

Merino’s style of play and what he is used to at Sociedad is similar of how Arteta’s sets up his Arsenal team. Heavily reliant on having the ball, keeping possession, quick passes in the final third and creating overload with the wingers, but also Ødegaard and at times Rice when he is playing more offensively.

For Merino, the adaptation time won’t be an issue as this is the style of play that has been implemented on national level, but also for Real Sociedad. Another factor is the chemistry with his former and current teammate, Martin Ødegaard. They played together in 2019/20 season. This will likely boost the adaptation process for Merino, having played with Ødegaard.

Arsenal are getting an experienced, strong midfielder to fill their left 8 hole in midfield that checks a lot of boxes, so Gooners should be excited about Merino this season.

In a clash that had fans on the edge of their seats, here’s a closer look at how the players performed.

David Raya (7.5): Making his debut performance for Arsenal, Raya delivered a solid display, although he wasn’t significantly tested throughout the match.

Ben White (7): White put on a commendable defensive performance, standing out with his involvement in the build-up play. His consistency and reliability were evident throughout the game.

William Saliba (7): Saliba exhibited a dependable defensive presence, displaying remarkable composure and maintaining a collective effort in defense.

Gabriel Magalhães (7): Gabriel had a relatively uneventful game, but his stability at the back was crucial to Arsenal’s performance.

Oleksandr Zinchenko (7.5): Zinchenko played a vital role in both attack and defense, contributing significantly to Arsenal’s offensive moves with his precise passing.

Declan Rice (8): Drawing comparisons to N’Golo Kanté, Rice was ubiquitous on the pitch, showcasing an exceptional work rate from the outset. His performance was a standout feature of the match.

Fabio Vieira (7.5): Vieira had an overall strong game, but his decision-making in the final third left room for improvement.

Martin Ødegaard (6.5): Ødegaard, despite his high standards, had a relatively subdued performance due to the crowded midfield. He was often outnumbered by Everton players.

Bukayo Saka (6): Despite a subpar performance, Saka managed to secure the game-winning assist. It’s a challenge to assign a rating, as his contribution was pivotal yet inconsistent.

Gabriel Martinelli (N/A): Unfortunately, Martinelli’s match rating remains unrated, as he had to exit the game due to injury just moments after coming on.

Eddie Nketiah (5.5): Nketiah faced a tough outing and had to leave the game prematurely, making it difficult to assign the lowest rating among the starters.

Leandro Trossard (8.5): Trossard, named the Man of the Match, exhibited a performance characterized by moments of uncertainty and brilliance. His decision to take the crucial shot and his courage earned him a well-deserved high rating.

As for the substitutes, including Gabriel Jesus, Tomoyasu, and Havertz, they played their part in helping Arsenal secure the lead but didn’t significantly impact the game’s flow.

This victory holds significant importance for Arsenal, not only in terms of breaking the Goodison Park curse but also in boosting their early-season aspirations. It was a hard-fought victory, reminding fans of the team’s resilience and determination, despite a few uneven individual performances. Arsenal will now look forward to building on this momentum in the upcoming fixtures.

https://youtube.com/live/Yx-FumEFAiY

Since signing for Arsenal in June 2022, Fabio Vieira has come under criticism from fans, journalists, and pundits for not being ready for the competitiveness and physicality of the Premier League. Having joined the Gunners from FC Porto for a fee of just under £35,000,000, many expected the Portugal youth international to hit the ground running but this didn’t happen. Whilst he did show glimpses of his potential at some points last season, he was largely disappointing at times. I’ve never been one to judge players from foreign leagues too quickly. I thought Nicolas Pepe was harshly treated after a lacklustre first season and was given the correct amount of time to adapt, despite it eventually not working out. I do think Vieira disappointed at times last season, but I am yet to sleep on him.

Vieira arrived at the club with an injury so was unavailable during the club’s brilliant 2022/23 pre-season. He made his debut in a 3-1 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford in September 2022, before making his first start against FC Zurich in the UEFA Europa League. Stepping in for an injured Martin Odegaard, Vieira made his first league start later that month in a match at Brentford. He scored a stunning long-range effort to round off a 3-0 win. He went on to score his second goal in another 3-0 win, this time against Bodo/Glimt at Emirates Stadium. Vieira’s next big chance came as a substitute for Granit Xhaka against Wolves. The Swiss went off sick inside twenty minutes so Vieira had time to make his mark. He proved his worth by assisting Odegaard’s first goal in an eventual 2-0 win. Despite these good performances prior to the World Cup, Vieira performed poorly for the remainder of the campaign.

Many fans, including myself, felt that it’d be best for Vieira to secure a loan move to another Premier League club this summer. This would have helped him have a consistent run of games to fully understand the league. However, it seems that Mikel Arteta decided to keep hold of the midfielder in order to boost his squad depth. He had a mixed pre-season, missing a penalty in the shootout against Manchester United before scoring a brilliant goal in a 5-3 win against FC Barcelona. He further improved his form by making a good cameo against Man City in the FA Community Shield, going onto score the winning penalty in the shootout. Having failed to make an appearance in the first two league matches, he came on against Fulham on Saturday. At 1-0 down, Vieira did well to win a penalty, which Bukayo Saka converted. He made a bigger impact by assisting Eddie Nketiah to give his side the lead two minutes later. Although the match finished 2-2, Vieira’s contribution can not be ignored.

Having seen Kai Havertz have a poor game in midfield, Vieira should be given a chance in that position. If Arteta is to continue his experiment with Thomas Partey at right back, Vieira should have his chance. He seems to have finally settled into this Arsenal team and the Premier League. Considering this, I feel that it is indeed Fabio Vieira’s time to shine with the Gunners needing to improve their performances if they are to challenge for the league title this campaign. I do think that he has shown enough in pre-season and his short appearances so far to at least warrant a chance in the starting eleven.

We experienced a two-point drop rather than gaining the one point we anticipated. At certain moments during the game at Emirates, frustration was palpable. Fulham took advantage of this and left with a point that felt like a loss.

In the first half, we had countless chances. However, we began poorly, conceding to Ago in less than a minute due to multiple errors from Ben White, Partey, Aaron Ramsdale, and even Saka.

Michal Arteta’s pre-game team selection brought Trossard in and later swapped him out for Eddie Nketiah at halftime. Additional substitutions included Fábio, Vieira, and Zinchenko, which had a positive impact and changed the dynamics of the game. Goals finally came through a penalty won by Fábio Vieira, converted by Saka, and Nketiah, also assisted by Fábio Vieira. Nevertheless, lackluster defending towards the end, coupled with numerous substitutions, exposed our weakness. Paulinho equalized from a corner, leading to a disappointing outcome.

For more insights into the match reaction, check out my YouTube channel: Egal Talks Football – Link here https://youtube.com/live/oAiwHqDJG7k

Now, it’s time for the player ratings:

Ramsdale’s performance was subpar and filled with uncertainty, highlighted by his involvement in the corner and the initial goal. I would rate him a 5.

Partey’s careless positioning directly contributed to the opening goal. I would rate him a 5.

Ben White struggled in the beginning and appeared frustrated, although he did improve in the second half. I would give him a 5.5.

Saliba played a crucial role; without him, the score could have been significantly worse. I would rate him a 6.

Kiwior’s performance merits a 5.

Declan Rice remained inconspicuous throughout the game, warranting a rating of 5.

Kai Havertz displayed wastefulness in front of the goal, failing to capitalize on his chances. Despite creating a significant opportunity, his performance highlighted recurring issues from his time at Chelsea. I would rate him a 4.

Martin Ødegaard’s goal was disallowed, and he didn’t contribute significantly in the rest of the game. However, his positivity when in possession was notable. I would rate him a 5.

Bukayo Saka managed to score a penalty, but apart from that contribution, his performance was lackluster. His errant pass led to Fulham’s opening goal. I would rate him a 5.

Martinelli emerged as the most significant attacking threat throughout the entirety of the game. I would rate him a 6.

Trossard had a subpar first half, which prompted his substitution at halftime. I would rate him a 4.

Eddie Nketiah made a notable impact off the bench, warranting a rating of 6.5.

Zinchenko’s positioning proved costly in relation to the final goal, despite his excellent overall performance when he came on. I would rate him a 5.

Fabio Vieira was the standout player on the pitch for Arsenal today. His impact was immediate after coming off the bench, winning a penalty and providing an assist within about six minutes. I would rate his performance an 8.

Jorginho’s playing time was insufficient to warrant a rating.

When asked in last week’s press conference if he intends to return to the transfer market for a Timber replacement, Arteta said that he is thinking more about the resources he already has within the team. He could indeed be hinting that there is already an option available in the squad. Oleksandr Zinchenko, Kieran Tierney, and Nuno Tavares are the only natural left backs in the first team, but with the latter two looking likely to leave, it brings about the question if it would be best to bring in even just a short term replacement. It is important to acknowledge that Jakub Kiwior and Takehiro Tomiyasu have previously played on the left for Arsenal, but it is a risky move to rely on unnatural players as backup.

Personally, I would prefer to see Arsenal bring in another left back if both Tierney and Tavares were to leave the club, even if it was just a short-term option. The past two seasons have demonstrated to Mikel Arteta how important it is to have good depth in every position on the pitch to prevent injuries having a severe impact on team performances. I am a big fan of Tierney and expected him to become club captain prior to his season ending injury in the 2021/22 campaign. That and the purchase of Zinchenko from Manchester City pushed him down the pecking order. Whilst I would prefer to see him stay, I do think he is way too good to be a second choice left back so it’d be best for the Gunners to cash in. In terms of a left back, I think it’d be wise for Arsenal to make it a priority in the final weeks of the window if they are to lose Tierney and Tavares.

Arsenal also need to get rid of several other deadwood players, with players such as Cedric Soares, Folarin Balogun, and Albert Sambi Lokonga all considered surplus to requirements. I think this should be another priority for the club as it would help make back some of the money that has been spent. It would also prevent problems within the squad as keeping unwanted players around can cause relationships between the team to turn sour.

To conclude, I feel that Arsenal’s next move in the market should be shedding some of the deadwood that remains in the squad. However, the club must be ready to find a new left back if Kieran Tierney and Nuno Tavares are amongst those who leave the club. If all of this is achieved prior to the window closing, I think that it would be smart for Arteta to look for a new right winger as backup to Bukayo Saka, but this shouldn’t be the priority at this current time.

As we approach the business end of the season, chasing an illustrious top four spot, it is equally as important to plan ahead to next season. In this series, I will be profiling the best possible acquisitions we can make to really propel this side to the next level. 

To kick off the series, we will be looking at the all important hunt for our next star-studded striker. I have compiled a list of names that we could potentially be seeing grace the pitch at The Emirates next season.

As we have scored just 56 goals in league action this season, it is clear a new star-studded striker is paramount to progressing as a club. We have failed to score in 11 of our 37 Premier League matches to date this season, with 8 of them coming away from home, the 5th worst record in the division. So without further ado…

Profile

• Club: Man City
• Age: 25
• Nationality: Brazil
• Height: 1.75m
• Preferred foot: Right
• Current Value: £45m

Gabriel Jesus has became a household name for Premier League fans over the years with Man City. The newly turned 25-year-old striker left his homeland over 5 years ago now when he swapped the sandy beaches of São Paolo for the gloomy skies of Manchester, and he hasn’t looked back since. Over 150 appearances, 56 goals, 32 assists, 3 league titles, 3 league cups and 1 FA Cup for “O fenômeno” as he is known in Brazil, testament to his lung-busting work rate.

However, with the proposed arrival of Erling Haaland looming, as well as Argentine wonderkid Julian Alvarez joining up with the squad from River Plate this summer, Jesus’ time looks to be up at the Etihad. Arsenal have been heavily linked in recent weeks regarding the signing of Gabriel Jesus, and with only 1 year remaining on his deal, a discounted deal may be on the agenda.

Strengths

With the ability to play anywhere in the front 3, Gabriel Jesus is a very admirable pick for Arsenal and especially Arteta. The Brazilian has over 50 full international caps for Brazil, blessing him with a wealth of experience not too dissimilar to our own Alexandre Lacazette, at just 25 years old.

His versatility and work rate is a major plus for Arteta, who will know him well from his time spent at the Etihad as a coach. Although he may not offer the typical presence of a ‘number 9’ he can offer an abundance of other traits. His stellar finishing, gritty determination and stereotypical Brazilian flair make him a highly valuable asset to Arteta and the way we play.

His versatility for me makes him one of the most elite options we could find, combined with his Premier League prowess. There was once a time that Gabriel Jesus was regarded as the best up and coming striker in the world of football, and with him being just 25, his best days are arguably still ahead of him.

His decisiveness in front of goal is far from being his biggest strength too, as his aggressiveness when pressing opposition defences can be a match made in heaven for Arteta’s side. The images below signify his determination and grit to win the ball back high up the pitch, something that he does on a regular occurrence.

Due to his aggressive nature, he will likely create plenty goalscoring opportunities for others. Saka, Smith-Rowe and Martinelli is all players that would reap rewards from his ruthless press.

Jesus registers the third-most tackles in the attacking third for players who have played more than 10 games this season for Pep’s side, averaging 0.58 per 90, which is considerably more than Arsenal’s Lacazette who averaged 0.32 per 90, despite considerably amassing more minutes on the pitch. He also ranks 1st amongst the attackers at Man City for tackles and interceptions (2.09 p90).

What stands out the most in the Gabriel Jesus repertoire however, is his elite npxG statistics (non-penalty expected goals). His npxG of 0.44 per 90 ranks him in the 94th percentile in all of world football. Again, for context, Bukayo Saka has the highest npxG for Arsenal this season, totaling 0.25 per 90.

Having a player such as Gabriel Jesus in the ranks is destined to increase our points tally, and it is a move he would more than likely welcome with regards to the World Cup later in the year. Ideally, he wants to be playing consistently and that is most definitely something Arsenal could offer him.

Weaknesses

As Jesus enjoys playing on the shoulder’s of the last line of defence, he often gets caught offside, however, that record has drastically improved this season. He has recorded just 0.45 offsides per 90 this season, which is slightly less than his fellow compatriot Gabriel Martinelli who records 0.51 offsides per 90.

However, this may be due to a tactical tweak in Pep’s system, which has seen him be deployed as a right winger more often this season. Jesus primarily lead the line before this, which saw him record 0.74 offsides per 90 last season and 0.80 the season prior to that.

Another area of concern is the fact that he is not to be trusted with penalty duties for the club. He is one of the few strikers in world football to have missed more penalties (7) than he has scored (5), so as long as we can keep him away from penalty duties, we should be okay.

Summary

Gabriel Jesus is one of the most explosive strikers in the world, and his 4 goals in the one game v Watford this season is testament to that. His versatility and lung-busting work ethic make him a must sign for me. He may not be able to carry the club to glory single-handedly, but he will most definitely propel our club in the right direction.

I would hope a deal between Pep and Mikel won’t be too hard to accomplish, and we are not required to break the bank for the man with one year remaining on his deal in Manchester. If a deal <£40million can be arranged, he’s a must buy in my opinion.

Overall Rating: 9/10

As we approach the business end of the season, chasing that illustrious top four spot, it is equally as important to plan ahead to next season. In this series, I will be profiling the best possible acquisitions we can make to really propel this side to the next level. 

To kick off the series, we will be looking at the all important hunt for our next star-studded striker. I have compiled a list of names that we could potentially be seeing grace the pitch at The Emirates next season. As Champions League football is not confirmed for Arsenal next season, I will look at potential prospects for both scenarios.  So, without further ado, let’s delve into the meatiest search of the lot.

Ivan Toney is currently enjoying his first season in the Premier League with newcomers Brentford, who have impressed many this season. The frontman has notched 14 goals in 33 games in all competitions this season playing in a front two alongside Bryan Mbuemo. Despite not being the most prolific or star studded name in the world of football, this transfer just makes sense for Arteta’s Arsenal. He may not have a name that will get you off your seat, or someone you dream of seeing playing in the flesh, but rather a sensible and realistic pick. 

Strengths

It’s clear Toney knows where the back of the net is, demonstrated by his prolific goal record. In his previous two seasons, he bagged a whopping 57 goals between both Peterborough of League 1 and Brentford in the Championship, setting a Championship record of 31 goals in one season (since beaten by Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic). His seamless transition from League One to the Championship and then the Premier League is primarily due to his excellent off the ball movement. Below you can feast your eyes on just one example of his attacking intellect, completely bamboozling the defender before relentlessly firing a volley goalbound.

Toney’s ability in front of goal should not be downplayed whatsoever. The calibre of his ball striking compares to the most ruthless finishers on the planet, giving Toney the ability to score from anywhere in and around the box. In the image below, Toney starts on the wide left, squaring up his full back before driving into the box to produce a tidy finish through a crowded penalty area.

Whilst his ability in front of goal is impressive, it’s not his only pulling factor. It is only when you pull back the curtain and truly dissect the player in question that you see that it is an insult to label Ivan Toney as just a goalscorer. He is much more. Typically, he plays in an old fashioned ‘big and small’ partnership with Mbuemo, in which he plays as the target man. Likewise with Aaron Ramsdale, David Raya boasts an impressive kicking range, which has been heavily utilised by the side this season. Winning 4.86 aerial duels per 90 makes Toney one of the best aerial forwards in Europe, which could definitely compliment Arsenal and their aerial woes in attack, and also provide us with another avenue of attack by having that ‘outball’.

He demonstrates well his ability to create chances as well as bury them by his tendencies to drop into the midfield and link up play. His skill set is unique and desirable, especially for a team like Arsenal. Essentially, this man is the same mould as Harry Kane, minus a few attributes. He has recorded 5 assists this season, and also racked up an impressive 10 assists last season in the Championship. Coupled with the marauding Gabriel Martinelli, Arsenal could very well boast a partnership that is not too dissimilar to that of our local rivals, Kane and Son. 

In the two images below we can see Toney illustrating his ability to link up and create chances for his teammates, something that will be pivotal to his role at Arsenal. The first image displays Toney beautifully disguising a pass into Onyeka, despite his body position insinuating he will knock it back to a centre back. In the second image Toney exhibits his vision and creative capabilities, which really embellishes his uniqueness as a number 9.

His scoring record this season may not have the ‘wow’ factor of other forwards in the continent, but any doubts should really be dismissed when you consider the context of his role at Brentford. He performs as one half of a front pairing at Brentford, but would be required to play as a lone man for Arsenal. Both his hold up and link up play would flatter players like Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith-Rowe and Gabriel Martinelli, making him a dependable and instrumental part of the side. We have lacked having that option in a physically deprived Lacazette, who struggles to perform as a real outlet on occasions. 

It is equally as important to Arteta to be able to work hard and have some sort of defensive resilience, which Toney also has in his locker. In many a game this season, Arseanl have been required to endure long spells of pressure in big games, notably versus Liverpool and Man City, so having a forward like Toney would certainly help relieve some of that perpetual pressure.

Weaknesses

His discipline. I could just be nit-picking here, as I am genuinely struggling to find any real weaknesses to his game, but he can be prone to a booking. He received the most bookings in his team in his League One campaign with Peterborough, with 10 yellow cards in 32 appearances, followed by 7 bookings in his record breaking Championship season with Brentford. Another 7 bookings has followed to date in this seasons Premier League, which does not insist his disciplinary record is improving whatsoever.

“I get told off by my mum for being a bit rough on the pitch. I’m in the referee’s ear a lot – referees probably hate me – but it’s just part of my game. My mum tells me off for that as well; speaking to refs too much.”

Ivan Toney, 2021

Summary

Toney will probably demand a substantial fee. A fee that will compare him to some of the most elite strikers in Europe, due to his age, homegrown status and the fact he is owned by another Premier League club. This could well be a major stumbling block with regards to a move to the Emirates this summer. However it is one I hope we can work around. If we are talking figures, £40m would be an absolute bargain for this man, £50m would be doable, but upwards of £60m would probably prompt Arteta to seek elsewhere for his shiny new striker.

It is important to remember that identifying the right price is as crucial as identifying the right player too. Manchester United are great examples to this. United often spend large on exciting talents with big names, which has been a major contribution to their downfall in recent times. Liverpool on the other hand, flaunt their ability to buy a player suited to their system for a reasonable price, Luis Diaz, Mohamed Salah and Thiago to name a few. These three players cost Liverpool around £90m in total. Harry Maguire cost United £80m. No further comment necessary.

Overall Rating: 10/10

Introduction

In this series, I will be profiling players that have been linked to Arsenal in some capacity in recent weeks.

The profiles will be bitesize, easy to read and have some volume of analysis to really learn about the player. To kick off with, I will be looking at the all important hunt for our next star-studded striker.

As Champions League football is not confirmed for Arsenal next season, I will look at potential prospects for both scenarios. I will also take requests/recommendations to players any of you wish to see appear on this series. You can do this by either leaving a comment here, or directly on twitter at FPLSeag.

So, without further ado, let’s dive into the meatiest search of the lot.

Darwin Nunez

Profile

• Club: Benfica
• Age: 22
• Nationality: Uruguayan
• Height: 1.87m
• Preferred foot: Right
• Current Value: £36m

“In a time that has been negative for the club, Darwin has been the biggest highlight of the Benfica team. He is young and has room for progression. If he was already wanted by several clubs in Europe, now he is even more”

Nuno Correia

Darwin Nunez is one of the hottest prospects in European Football this season, and if you haven’t heard of him I would advise you to come out from under that rock you’ve been sleeping under. With 33 goals in 39 appearances in all competitions this season to date, including six in six in the Champions League, this man now has a multitude of admirers around Europe. For Arsenal to land a player of this calibre it would show a real sign of ambition to the fans.

His rapid rise can be accentuated by the fact he was both Almeria’s 2nd most expensive signing and their club record sale the season after. He is unlikely to become Benfica’s record sale, thanks to Atletico Madrid and Joao Felix, but he will likely still gain Benfica a healthy profit from the €24million they spent on his signature just two years ago.

Strengths

Standing at 1.87m tall, his athleticism makes him a very prominent figure on the pitch. Deceptively quick pace for his size, he provides a real threat to opposing defences, comparative of Erling Haaland if you may. This man is like a freight train when he gets going at top speed, and he is equally as hard to knock off the ball due to his sheer robustness. A true physical specimen that works his absolute socks off and has the ability to impose himself on ANY game. 

However, his physicality is not his sole selling point, but rather compliments his defying attacking intelligence. His awareness is a real stand out part of his game. He has the ability to occupy numerous defenders by making sharp, darting runs across the opposition defence, creating an abundance of indecisiveness and thus opening up spaces for teammates to ambush and invade. 

Finishing wise, his goal tally speaks for itself. In his debut season in Portugal, he notched 14 goals and 12 assists in all competitions. An impressive return, justifying the 25 million Euros spent on his acquisition from Almeria CF just two years ago. His ability to remain cool in front of goal is one of his forte’s, often finding good angles before pulling the trigger, which can sometimes be quite raw in young strikers. Not for Nunez though, who looks to be a younger mould of his fellow countryman, Edinson Cavani. A Haaland and Cavani hybrid? The hype is real. We can see from the images below, in the Champions League game v Barcelona, Nunez is the antagonist of his own goalscoring opportunity, creating the angle before ruthlessly finding the bottom corner.

Combined with the devastating intellect of Martin Odegaard and the artistic feet of Bukayo Saka, Darwin Nunez could very well become a devastatingly good striker for Arteta’s Gunners.

Weaknesses

However, I must highlight the Uruguayan’s weaknesses too; which lies on the technical side of the game. Sometimes considered erratic, his first touch can let him down on occasions. Arteta and his coaches would have the task of honing him to the intensity of the Premier League. If he is to be brought in to play as our lone front man, his ability to hold up the ball will be paramount to this. A major point of interest for Arteta will be to have the option of long balls from Ramsdale also. In Nunez’ case, his hold up play and touch will have to improve in order to facilitate this.

In addition to that, he can be guilty of not using his physicality to the most of his advantage, particularly when he has his back to goal. This is something that he will be required to do more of in Arteta’s system, and also in the Premier League in general.

Summary

Nunez is not the finished article, every player has their advantages and disadvantages, but he is certainly capable of becoming a top player for Arsenal. If Arsenal are able to improve the technical side of his game, the world is at the Uruguayans feet. The acquisition of Nunez however, is most definitely reliant on the basis of whether or not we will have Champions League football at the Emirates next season. If we can return to the UCL, we would still need to win the race amongst a quantity of admirers, one notably being Liverpool, whom he scored against in this season’s Champions League, both home and away.

Nunez however recently sacked his agent and appointed ‘a representative close’ to Jorge Mendes, which unfortunately could mean a higher transfer fee will be required in order to secure his services.

A fee of around £60m could draw the Uruguayan away from Portugal, however bidding wars are expected, which could inflate his price even more.

Overall Rating: 8/10

Unfortunately, it won’t get better anytime soon. After being comfortably handled by a powerful but penetrable Chelsea side, an even sterner test awaits Arteta and his men at the weekend. A Manchester City side that is a striker away from having no visible weaknesses looms as Arsenal’s next Premier League fixture on Saturday. But for many, the canyon between the quality of the sides serves to make the trip to the Etihad a bit of a free hit. For all intents and purposes, Arsenal’s home skirmish against Norwich is the next time to properly evaluate Arteta’s performance.

But there is a match that Arsenal plays before the international break that will serve as an adequate indicator of just how much we can expect from Arteta’s Arsenal in the near future. On Wednesday, the Gunners will travel to The Hawthorns to face West Brom in the second round of the EFL Cup. While this is not a competition the club has typically made a priority, the manager will need to take this fixture seriously. In the wake of the maelstrom that currently engulfs Arsenal, the team needs a result. A win of any kind would be welcomed right now.

To that end, Arteta is likely to deploy a strong side with only a few players held out. He has already confirmed that he plans to do so. Therefore, the team that Arteta fields and the style in which they play will be highly comparable to what we will see in the Premier League.

So far, Arsenal have done little more than occasionally look threatening in their first two matches have the season. Brentford played them off the pitch. Chelsea routinely dispatched them how they would a team in the relegation spots. But the Brentford match could arguably be chalked up to a bit of rustiness out of the gates and an affected mindset due to a late COVID scare — this is no way absolves the team and manager of blame for a bad result, but serves an explanation for what happened. Chelsea is so far ahead of Arsenal right now that it was difficult to expect anything other than a loss. Arsenal’s poor start, while still massively frustrating, is understandable.

West Brom is a different proposition, however. If Arsenal cannot defeat a side in the Championship, regardless of the fact that it is unbeaten in seven matches, there can be no denying that it is time to panic. Even if Arsenal can manage a victory, it is hard to see a promising future under Arteta if that win does not involve the team playing well. The Gunners need to take shots. They need to threaten West Brom’s goal regularly. They need to control the game for most of the match. They need to look capable of playing football at the level required in the Premier League.

For that is the most worrying symptom of Arteta’s Arsenal. It is one thing to claim that the team needs time to become contenders for top honors once more. If the side is showing consistent improvement under the manager, fans are willing to extend their patience in order to achieve that goal. But it is another thing entirely for Arteta to say his project needs time when his iteration of Arsenal regularly is one of the poorer sides in the top flight. So far we’ve seen a team that rarely creates chances, does not dominate midfield, is increasingly suspect defensively, and is just flat out not an entertaining watch.

If Arteta cannot take the game by the scruff of the neck against West Brom with players such as Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Kieran Tierney, and Martin Odegaard at his disposal, how can he be expected to do better against sides like West Ham, Leicester, or Aston Villa? Why should fans believe he can compete for European places when his side has some of the worst metrics in the Premier League and has difficulty overcoming clubs in the second division? A convincing win against West Brom would not assuage supporters’ concerns regarding whether he is the right man to see out the Arsenal rebuild. But it certainly would stave off credible calls for him to be replaced immediately, before Arsenal has even initiated a proper process to find his replacement.

Wednesday’s second-round tie against West Brom might not look like the most glamorous fixture in the opening weeks of Arsenal’s budding campaign. But it is an important one nonetheless. A sound victory against the hosts will see the mood lighten slightly around the club. But anything less than that will go a long way toward legitimizing the conclusion that the only direction Arteta can take Arsenal is down, down, down.

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The Rules are thus – you can’t leave any out and you can’t assign two of these things to one goalkeeper. You have the benefit of hindsight, which to be fair to Artedu, which is the Brangelina name for Arteta and Edu, the pair did not have in the summer of 2020. And we know what choices they have made. Kiss Ramsdale, kill Emi and marry Leno. 

Will you make the same choice? You also have the benefit of the case made out in this article. Let’s look at them the way we look at all kiss, kill, marry options: one by one.

Bernd Leno

Only fair to start with Arsenal’s current starting goalkeeper. Bernd Leno cost Arsenal approximately 22 million pounds in July 2018 when he arrived. Nobody can claim he hasn’t been well worth the money. Performance in his first two seasons at Arsenal (2018-19 and 2019-20) was commendable, at least until the second was cut short by injury. He kept 7 clean sheets each, with ~23% of his games ending in clean sheets.

He made 103 & 110 saves in those seasons, with a save percentage of 74.5% and 77.6%. His numbers improved in his next season (i.e. the one that just went by: 2020-21). He kept 11 clean sheets at 31.4%. But his total saves made has gone down to 84. Part of this is explained by the fact that he faced fewer shots (117 v 147 and 137 in the seasons before). But his save% also dropped almost 8.5 percentage points to 69.2%.

The most important statistic that explains shot stopping capabilities is PSxG-GA. This is the post-shot expected goals (xG) minus goals allowed. xG is the current metric of choice that quantifies the quality of shots. Post-shot xG is calculated after the shot is taken, to remove off-target shots, and so better calculates the keeper’s contribution. It also does not include own goals. If you subtract the number of goals allowed from this stat, you get a numerical quantification of the goalkeeper’s ability to prevent goals. A positive number means more goals saved than was expected. And a negative number means more goals let in than was expected. Thus, the PSxG-GA.

Leno’s PSxG-GA in the last season was +4.1. Which means that over the season, he let in only 33 goals, whereas he was expected to let in 37.

Emi Martinez

Oh, what could have been. Despite being practically delivered in the Arsenal maternity ward, Martinez had to wait ten years, and a Bernd Leno injury, for a chance to prove himself. And prove himself he did. He played the remainder of that game, and the remaining 8 games of the season as Arsenal’s No. 1. He kept 3 clean sheets at 37.5% and made 33 saves with a save percentage of a whopping 81%! He significantly outperformed Leno in that season. In just eight and a half games, he had racked up a PSxG-GA of +3.9! 

He had shown that he would never again be a second-choice goalkeeper. He bode his time for ten long years, and then gave us the greatest coming of age story since Araby in James Joyce’s Dubliners. Arteta had a decision on his hands. Demote Leno to second choice, or sell Martinez? He took a decision that no one can fault him for on the basis of what was known then. 

And I wouldn’t blame him for reminiscing about what could have been, like a sad ex-boyfriend refreshing his ex’s instagram page after a breakup that was his own fault. Martinez has gone on to keep clean sheets in nearly 40% of his games. He maintained a high 76.8% save percentage throughout the season, and even saved a penalty (#5Points #FPL). His PSxG-GA over the season was an absolutely ridiculous +7.4.

He is also better than Leno with his feet. Arteta’s style of play demands a build-from-the-back approach, where the goalkeeper is the first attacker. Martinez is a better passer and is more confident with the ball at his feet than Leno, though it is more difficult to reduce that ability to numbers.

Aaron Ramsdale

Impossible as it is, I’m going to try to put aside the sheer absurdity of selling Martinez for less than £20 million, and then bidding in the range of £30 million for a goalkeeper heavily recommended by the man who brought Runarsson to Arsenal. I will approach Ramsdale’s section armed not with my many, many emotions, but with cold hard stats. 

The first stat to note is that the man is 23, giving him several years on the other two. It also means that he is likely to grow and improve, whereas Leno and Martinez are nearly finished products. The other point of subjectivity to note is that his Premier League experience has come with Bournemouth (in 2019-20) and then Sheffield United (in 2020-21). Arsenal’s defence has not been their strong side since the Koscielny-Mertesacker partnership was at its peak, but the back line at least offers greater protection than Bournemouth’s and Sheffield’s. Ramsdale was able to manage a 67.8% in 2019-20 for Bournemouth and 70.7 for Sheffield United. He kept 5 clean sheets each at 13.5% in both seasons. 

His PSxG-GA was actually negative 0.3 for Bournemouth, and only +1.9 for Sheffield. To assess him against Arteta’s preference for a goalkeeper who plays out from the back, 91.5% of his goalkicks were 40yd+ launches last season. Martinez at Arsenal launched 54% of his goal kicks over 40yds, which increased to 70% in Aston Villa’s system. Leno, on the other hand, launched 59% of his goal kicks. Ramsdale will, clearly, have to fit into a system where he currently doesn’t play. 

Verdict

Kiss: Leno

Marry: Martinez

Kill: Ramsdale

Unfortunately, I don’t live in Fantasyland (I live in Chittaranjan Park, New Delhi – 110 019), and we can’t go back for Martinez. Artedu’s choice appears to remain Kiss Ramsdale, Kill Martinez, Marry Leno. 

Fresh Faces Required

It’s no secret that Arsenal have too much dead weight on the squad. There are far too many players ready to leave that are not part of Arsenals future. Fresh faces are imperative at this point in Mikel Arteta’s tenure as manager and the addition of young players is exactly what this new look team needs. Players like – Nuno Tavares, Albert-Sambi Lokonga, Ben White, Martin Odegaard, and Aaron Ramsdale will surely bring some fresh energy to a currently stale squad.

A new right-back and centre-forward would be such a massive boost for the fans and would provide ample room for competition. If Arteta is able to bring reinforcements then the club would be heading in a good direction. Much more work needs to be done on the pitch, but at least we know that the club is taking things seriously.

Positive Fan Mentality

The past few seasons have been quite horrible from a fan perspective. It’s difficult to accept that the team you support is in a major rebuild, but it’s important as a fanbase that you stick behind your team no matter what. I can’t help but feel that the ultimate fan will always be standing next to there team. Over the past two seasons we have seen two new managers, players revolt, and social media become the way to express your feelings. I think that as frustrating as it might be, you shouldn’t be turning on your players.

The fans need to accept the reality that is in front of them. Arsenal are not where they need to be. Arsenal need to improve in more ways than one, but kicking and screaming won’t help. The passion and excitement needs to be there, but I think avoiding negativity would help the current situation. This season could be pivotal for the club, let’s stick by the players and create a positive attitude moving forward.

Give us Goals!

Nothing says Arsenal more than goals being scored. With the new additions, I expect goals to start coming. The creative output has been slow to kick off the season, but I expect Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to start banging in goals. The criticism has been harsh since last year and fans are wondering if he is past his best. I’m confident he finds his form as soon as he gets back on the pitch. If Arsenal decide to keep Alexander Lacazette then his contribution needs to be as good as, or better than that of Aubameyang. The two have a great relationship on and off the pitch, if both can be effective then I am sure this year will be a success.

If it turns out one or both want to leave the club, then Arteta will need to find goals elsewhere. A new striker would be exciting, but difficult to transition considering the season has begun. I would expect more from Saka, Smith-Rowe, and Pepe this season. Ideally, a third option would be ideal to take some of the burden off our main goal scorers.

However the next couple weeks go, we should see a fresh new look from Arsenal in multiple ways. This weekend will be a tough task with Chelsea visiting the Emirates Stadium and Romelu Lukaku being the focus of the Chelsea attack, but let’s hope everyone is healthy and ready to go.

So with these circumstances, and the players that are available to Arsenal at the moment, a change in formation might do Arsenal good in this weekend’s clash. And one potential tactical change, could be Arsenal reverting to the 5-at-the-back system, previously used by Mikel Arteta during project restart in the summer of 2020, which culminated in our 14th FA Cup win. Here’s why Arsenal should return to this system.

It suits the personnel

Arsenal used a back 4 of Tierney, Mari, White and Chambers in the season opener against Brentford. That whole back 4, except Tierney, played poorly, and struggled to cope with Brentford attackers Mbeumo and Toney. This is concerning, as this could quite possibly be the back 4 Arsenal lineup with against Chelsea, given the lack of other options. But my opinion is that Mari and Chambers should not be starting in the game against Chelsea. So the question is, how do we replace them.

Mari takes up the left hand side centre-half position. The only other left-footed player for that position, is Gabriel Magalhaes – who is injured. There is a case to be made for Rob Holding to start there, but it is not his natural side.

Calum Chambers operated at right-back. Other options in that position, such as Bellerin and Cedric, are very underwhelming too, so Arsenal are left with two positions to fill.

Playing a 5-at-the-back would suit the defenders available to us. Ainsley Maitland-Niles has done a great job at right wing-back for us in the past, so he can play there. Kiernan Tierney and Rob Holding could operate either side of Ben White, who thrived for Brighton last year, in the middle of a back-3. And finally, Bukayo Saka could fill in at left wing-back, which is not his best position, but allows us to field an extra attacking player.

It has worked before, it can work again

As I mentioned, this system has worked before in our marvellous FA cup run in 2020. In fact, we used this system to play our next opponents, Chelsea, in the cup final. In that particular match, centre-halves Holding, Luiz and Tierney has to deal with Mount, Pulisic and Giroud. You can see the parallels with this weekend’s match. White and Luiz are similar players, who like to step forward in a back-3. And if we assume that Chelsea’s front 3 will be Mount, Havertz and Lukaku, Lukaku and Giroud offer a similar physical and aerial threat, while Mount and Pulisic offer the same directness and technical ability on the ball. 

This back-5 also worked particularly well to keep out a Man City attack consisting of Mahrez, Sterling, David Silva, Jesus and De Bruyne in the semi-final. In that game, Arsenal scored a magnificent team goal, playing through the Man City press, something Arsenal’s back-4 of late have struggled to do with any confidence at all. Maybe an extra man in the back line could improve Arsenal’s play under pressure?

Matching Tuchel’s system

Our opponents on Sunday also use this back-5 system. With centre-half options such as Rudiger, Chalobah, Christensen and Zouma, Arsenal can expect a very physical and solid backline. While with wing-back options such as Chilwell, Alonso, James or Azpilicueta, Arsenal can expect to face pacy, attacking-minded wide players. So it makes sense to have our own wing-backs to combat this threat. If Arsenal simply play a back-4, like against Brentford, we can expect overloads on the wing. And in particular, I do not fancy Calum Chambers’ chances against both Havertz and Chilwell, and likewise with Mount and James on the other side.

This does leave Ben White with the horrible job of dealing with Romelu Lukaku. However, the two centre-halves either side of White, can take some of the pressure off our new signing, and assigning three defenders rather than two to deal with one of the best strikers in the world makes a lot of sense.

Meanwhile, in midfield, we could see an interesting duel between Xhaka and Lokonga and two of Jorginho, Kante or Kovacic. While I don’t particularly rate Arsenal’s chances of bossing that midfield, Ben White could also step in to provide an extra man in defence, or Smith Rowe could also move more centrally and deeper to add an extra man.

My ideal starting XI for Chelsea

So as you can tell, I would definitely opt for 5-at-the-back if I was picking the team for this weekend. So here is who else I would pick:

Goalkeeper – Leno – The only good goalkeeping option we have at the moment

Left wing-back – Saka – This is probably not his best position, but this still gives Saka a license to get forward, and also offers an extra man in defence.

Left centre-back – Tierney – Although it might be nice to have a player like Tierney bombing down the wings, he is a very capable defender. We’ve seen him play this role before and I have no doubt he is better than Pablo Mari.

Centre-back – White – We know that his strength is playing in the middle of a back-3

Right centre-back – Holding – Is a better defender than Mari and Chambers

Right wing-back – Maitland-Niles – None of our right-back options really excite me. However, Maitland-Niles has played at wing-back very well before, so I’d like to see him do it again.

Central midfielder – Xhaka – The back-5 could take pressure off him. He is the only midfield option available.

Central midfielder – Lokonga – Had a very promising debut against Brentford and is the only midfield option too.

Left winger – Smith Rowe – Can always drift centrally, but was by far our best player against Brentford.

Centre-forward – Martinelli – Assuming Lacazette and Auba are ill, he is the best forward available to us. If one of the senior strikers is fit, they should start over Martinelli.

Right winger – Pepe – Wasn’t great against Brentford, but is capable of scoring out of nothing. Has combined well with Maitland-Niles in the past, and is our best available winger.

Let me know in the comments if you would make any changes to my starting XI. Also let me know if you think changing to a back-5 is the best move. We’ll have to wait and see if Mikel Arteta listens to me, but nonetheless let’s hope Arsenal can produce a result in the London derby this weekend.

As the Gunners geared up for their season opener, only a few of these demands had been met. Nuno Tavares had been brought in from Benfica to provide cover to Kieran Tierney. Ben White, a young English center-back with a great passing ability, was signed from Brighton as Arsenal’s biggest acquisition of the summer. Albert Sambi Lokonga arrived from Anderlecht, and after an impressive preseason and Premier League debut, is the clear third choice in midfield behind Xhaka, whom Arsenal have extended instead of signing a new central midfielder, and Thomas Partey. But even at the time of this writing, those are the only signings Arsenal have made. The absences of Gabriel, Partey, Aubameyang, and Lacazette saw Arteta start a young, promising, and exciting side in their first match of the season, but also an inexperienced and relatively weak one. As a result, Arsenal lost 0-2 to Brentford to start the campaign.

This failure to adequately address Arsenal’s areas of need before the beginning of the season falls at the feet of Edu Gaspar, Arsenal’s current technical director. The former Invincible has consistently proven unconvincing since being placed in charge of Arsenal’s transfer strategy following Raul Sanllehi’s exit from the club. Sadly, this is not the first time that Edu has failed to get all the necessary signings done before the first kick of the ball in a campaign. To start the 2020-21 season, Arsenal found themselves relying on a midfield of Xhaka and Dani Ceballos. This duo was slow, easy to press, and not dynamic. Despite a solid string of results to begin the season, their victories following a 3-0 win away to Fulham belied how close for comfort the margins really had been in those contests. By the time Arsenal triggered Partey’s release clause on deadline day of the transfer window, they were lucky to only have lost to Liverpool by then.

This time, however, the fixture list does not appear to be so benevolent toward Edu’s willingness to dally. Arsenal’s loss to Brentford and fixtures against Chelsea and City looming in the next couple weeks practically guarantee that Arsenal begin this new season with three losses unless the squad is buttressed quickly. The technical director’s aversion to taking an aggressive approach in the transfer market could very well cost the Gunners nine points in what is potentially a defining season. Nine points down the drain is a massive loss when the club likely need just over 60 points to finish in the European places and remain relevant. And yet, Edu is willing to make such a costly sacrifice in the hopes of getting slightly better deals for the several reinforcements Arsenal desperately need right now.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the only way in which Edu has massively disappointed. In addition to taking a while to make signings, he has also shown that it’s not a guarantee those signings are always smart ones. The Brazilian has had a hand in some of Arsenal’s most head-scratching acquisitions in recent memory. In his first transfer window fully in charge of Arsenal’s market activity, he signed Cedric Soares on loan from Southampton. The Portuguese right-back did not feature once during his loan, but was offered a long-term deal anyway following the expiration of his contract with the Saints. Arteta now prefers multiple right-backs to Cedric, who looks a strong bet to warm the bench for the rest of his time in north London. Then, of course, was the arrival of Willian, a transaction that Edu played a crucial role in. 32 years old at the time, the former Chelsea man was given a three-year agreement and a six-figure weekly salary. Willian is even less welcome in the Arsenal setup, with the manager telling ESPN Brasil recently that the winger had not met expectations and subsequently not including him in the first matchday squad of the season. On the recommendation of Iñaki Caña, Arsenal’s goalkeeping coach, Edu brought in Rúnarsson. A year later, the Icelandic keeper is essentially persona non grata and might even be behind Karl Hein and Arthur Okonkwo in the pecking order.

On top of bringing deadwood to the club, Edu has also demonstrated an annoying reluctance to accept good offers made for players who are surplus to requirements. Last summer, PSG offered £25 million plus another £5 million in add-ons for Héctor Bellerín. Instead of accepting such a lucrative proposal for an academy product who was coming off of an ACL tear and already wished to leave, Arsenal rejected the approach. Arteta was allowed to convince Bellerín to stay. The Spanish right-back lost his starting berth to Cedric and then Calum Chambers last season, and was not selected for the trip to Brentford on Friday. One player who made the bench over Bellerín last weekend was Ainsley Maitland-Niles, whom Wolves were willing to procure £20 million for in the summer of 2020. But once again, Arsenal refused to make a profit on a Hale End product because Arteta wished to keep him. Maitland-Niles played so little in the first half of last season that he was loaned to West Brom to enjoy some playing time. His fortunes do not imminently look like changing this season. With West Ham interested in Eddie Nketiah last January, Arsenal snubbed all potential approaches and held on to the England U21 record goalscorer. Nketiah went on to achieve only 94 minutes in the Premier League after the end of the window.

An especially concerning aspect of these blunders is that they seemed to occur at the behest of Arteta. The inadvisable signings of post-prime players were reportedly carried out because Arteta wanted those players. The retention of players from whom Arsenal stood to gain a much-needed profit took place once again because the manager liked those players and wished to include them in the squad. While the exact structure of the club’s leadership is murky at best, it is difficult to imagine Arteta’s promotion made him anything more than level with Edu in the Arsenal hierarchy. If that is true, it would mean that Edu’s transfer strategy is beholden to Arteta’s whims, which makes for an unacceptable way to operate as a club’s technical director. Instead of serving as a check to Arteta’s worst instincts, Edu has enabled them. Rather than exercise his authority and perform his duties, he has opted to do the easy thing and rubber-stamp the manager’s demands without pushback.

So to recap, Edu Gaspar has failed to get crucial business done for the club before the curtain rose for the new season, costing Arsenal precious points as they aim to bounce back into the European places. He has been involved in some truly disastrous signings for the club, and has also refrained from selling players who would shortly thereafter become obsolete in the manager’s eyes when their value had likely peaked. And he has allowed the club’s transfer strategy to be dictated by the coaching staff rather than adopt more precise methods, to the point where is unnecessarily subservient to the manager.

As a cherry on top, Edu has spent the summer publicly flaunting his being on holiday. Now, in all likelihood, he was likely in the loop and working on deals while abroad, and he has every right to enjoy a vacation regardless. But perception is a massive part of a job as public-facing as technical director of Arsenal Football Club. To that end, posting photos from a Monaco yacht club or a beach resort in Mallorca requires either a disqualifying level of obliviousness or a concerning amount of indifference. Edu showing up in Instagram posts with an infamously opportunistic super-agent and a former executive who exited the club under a cloud of controversy makes for an especially bad look. Again, his job is a stressful one and he is entitled to rest and relaxation like the rest of us. But he should know better. His counterparts at other clubs are not engaging in this behavior. The fact that he has is yet another black mark against him.

When he was first appointed as technical director, Edu’s arrival did not inspire much confidence within the Arsenal faithful. Since then, the Brazilian has done very little to win supporters over. He has made a plethora of errors, failing to justify his retention whilst the likes of Ralf Rangnick and Luis Campos were unemployed. Unless, and perhaps even if, Edu pulls off an absolute masterclass to end the current transfer window, Arsenal would be best served extricating themselves from their current technical director. For the club to return to the big time, they need to put people in charge who are serious, ruthless, and reliable. And Edu Gaspar hasn’t demonstrated that he is any of those things.

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The Euros ended in heartbreak, and much worse

To provide a little context, the English football team reached its first major tournament final in decades at the Euros 2020, but in a script that could well have been written by M. Night Shyamalan, the match headed to penalties – England’s old arch nemesis. 120 minutes were played, huddles were huddled, hand gestures were made, penalty takers were decided and hey presto bob’s your uncle, 19-year old Bukayo Saka was burdened with the fifth and final penalty. Millions of non-Italian speaking hearts were broken as Saka’s penalty was saved by Donnarumma, handing Italy the victory. In that moment, everyone knew what was to follow.  Everyone had been on social media long enough to know exactly what would happen next. 

Of the hundreds and thousands of vitriol-spewing hate-spreading trolls on the internet, three were training in the Portsmouth FC Academy set up. I was able to see a purported screenshot of the alleged snapchat conversation between the boys on Twitter. My first reaction was utter dismay, but it was very quickly replaced with anger. Up until now, I had been seeing them as minors, but I seethed at the venom being displayed here. 

Systemic Issues Need Systemic Solutions

Even then, here’s my concern with the sacking – systemic issues need systemic solutions. Racism is not a series of incidents, it’s a culture, an atmosphere. It cannot be solved by a knee-jerk crime-and-punishment approach. The fact that this happened suggests that Portsmouth has a culture of racism – it can’t not, the entire world does. And Portsmouth FC does not exist outside of the world. A bare statement saying they “are fully committed to the elimination of all forms of discrimination” won’t change that. What will change that is a sustained, long-term approach.

Transparency is an essential component of this approach, and that is what has been missing from this entire episode. The Portsmouth FC website does not make its Code of Conduct for Academy players public, if there even is one. None of the dozens of news reports I read suggested that any of the reporters had accessed such a document either.

The only documents that have been made public in this episode have been four club statements. One announcing the investigation, one announcing that the investigation was continuing, one announcing that the investigation was completed, and a fourth announcing the result of the investigation. The statements do not provide any clues as to what procedures were employed during the “investigation” and during the decision-making process. 

Accountability without transparency is nothing

You may argue that the sacking advances accountability, since it certainly appears that the three boys were held accountable for their actions. But that outcome has nothing to do with accountability. All it does is wash Portsmouth FC’s hands off the whole matter. And we have received no accountability from Portsmouth. 

I’m not suggesting that Portsmouth FC ought to be punished – accountability does not mean punishment. I am suggesting that Portsmouth FC reveal the measures it put into place to ensure this never happens. We need answers on what has been done to counter the culture of racism. Why is a written, reasoned decision not publicly available? 

In the absence of all of this, the objective of the sacking sounds like a face-saving measure for Portsmouth FC rather than a genuine attempt to root out racism. A zero-tolerance approach sounds great to tweet about, but all it guarantees is that racism becomes smarter. Every time there is an attempt to frame systemic discrimination as an isolated issue, the fight against racism becomes harder. 

But at Arsenal, there is a situation where there are 3 current first-team goalkeepers. Bernd Leno, the number 1, who has 2 years left on his contract, and whom many Arsenal fans have casted their doubts upon his ability. Runar Alex Runarsson, who is rumoured to be leaving the club, disappointed last season. And Arthur Okonkwo, who was promoted to the first season last week at 19 years old, who is Arsenal’s ‘third goalkeeper.’ This leaves a big gap for a number 2 goalkeeper, but what kind of profile should Arsenal be targeting?

The Ideal Profile

As with Tavares and Lokonga, I expect this keeper to be of a young age, between 21-24. It seems as though Arsenal have taken the decision to stay away from deals for 30-year-olds who will see out their career at Arsenal. They have opted for the inexperienced but raw talents instead. This is the case in particular for the goalkeeper position. With the uncertainty over Bernd Leno’s future and ability, it would be pretty realistic to assume this number 2 goalkeeper could well become the number 1 in a couple of seasons. 

They need to be a player who is going to be satisfied with restricted gametime this season. But they also need to be making Leno sweat over his number 1 role. We can’t have a situation where Bernd Leno feels too comfortable as number 1. With this comfort, he might start to let his performance levels drop. That’s a situation Arsenal can’t afford to have. And most of all, this number 2 keeper needs to have the potential to develop into a world class number 1 goalkeeper for Arsenal in the future.

It has become clear that Mikel Arteta likes to play out from the back. This starts with the goalkeeper, so someone comfortable with his feet and with immaculate distribution is also vital for this number 2 goalkeeper. 

Who have Arsenal been linked with?

There are 2 main candidates at the moment that Arsenal have been linked with. First is West Brom’s Sam Johnstone. He was one of the few highlights for West Brom last year as they were relegated from the Premier League. He made 167 saves (although he still conceded 74 goals) in the 2020/21 season – the most of any goalkeeper in the Premier League. However, at 28 years of age, he does not quite fit the age profile that Arsenal are looking for. This might explain why Arsenal have much less interest in the player. West Ham did have some interest in Johnstone, but opted for Alphonse Areola in the end. It is likely that a bid of around £12 million could be enough to acquire Sam Johnstone.

Secondly, the player with stronger interest from Arsenal, is Aaron Ramsdale from Sheffield United. However, this news has not been received well by Arsenal fans (to say the least). Ramsdale was the keeper who got relegated with Bournemouth 2 seasons ago, and was relegated with Sheffield United last season. Last season he conceded 63 goals and kept only 5 clean sheets all season. To add to this, it is being reported by many sources that Sheffield United are looking for just over £30 million for the 23-year-old. This is an obscene fee considering that just a year ago, Arsenal let Emi Martinez go for just £17 million. Although it isn’t all bad for Ramsdale, as he was second on the list of saves made last season, making 147 saves.

What do the stats say?

A fascinating stat to use to compare goalkeepers is post-shot expected goals prevented. Post-shot xG is a stat that gives each shot a value up to 1.0 based on how likely it is to end up in the back of the net. It takes into account factors such as distance from goal, which area of the goal was shot at, power of the shot and defenders around the player. So let’s say a team concedes 50 goals over the season but concedes 55 PSxG over the season. Essentiallly, the goalkeeper has prevented 5 goals from going in. While let’s say another team concedes 50 goals but only 45 PSxG. Essentially the goalkeeper has not saved easy shots and so is responsible for conceding 5 goals over the season.

Aaron Ramsdale has prevented 1.9 PSxG over the season (conceding 60 goals from a PSxG of 61.9). While Sam Johnstone has prevented 4.3 PSxG (conceding 71 goals from a PSxG of 75.3). For comparison, the best goalkeeper last season was Alphonse Areola of Fulham who prevented 7.6 PSxG while the worst was Southampton’s Alex McCarthy who registered -8.1 PSxG (!) over the season.

In summary, it is a good thing that both these goalkeepers have conceded less goals than expected. But there are plenty of goalkeepers in the league who have registered better stats.

Who is my ideal number 2?

Quite clearly, Sam Johnstone is the better goalkeeper out of the two. And bearing in mind the fact that whoever we sign could become the Arsenal number 1 in the near future, Johnstone is much more suitable for the role and comes at a much cheaper price. However, the only case I can make for Ramsdale is his potential. Although Johnstone is not old, he doesn’t have as much room for development as 23-year-old Aaron Ramsdale. And I think that the Sheffield United number 1 is a much better keeper than people think he is.

Regarding his price tag too, £30 million does seem like a lot to spend on a recently relegated back-up goalkeeper. However, if the club are willing to spend that money while also paying £50 million for Ben White and making bids in the region of £40 million for other players such as Tammy Abraham and Manuel Locatelli, then I am confident that money is not an issue this summer.

The bottom line is that Arsenal are looking in the right area. Price-tag aside, a home-grown English goalkeeper with Premier League experience is a move that makes sense. It shows signs of much smarter recruitment than Arsenal have shown in recent years.

White, at just a few cm under 6ft, is a right footed, modern centre back. He excels as much going forward as he does defensively. One of best traits is his ability to play out from the back, which is something that Arsenal have struggled with in previous seasons.

An example of this came in Wednesday’s friendly against Watford when Mohamed Elneny was pressured by three Watford players before coughing up the ball in his own box. The error led directly to a goal and was a perfect example of Arsenal’s clear deficiency. It was reminiscent of Arsenal’s away match at Watford in September of 2019. David Luiz gave the ball straight to Tom Cleverly after receiving it from Leno. Cleverly quickly slotted it away from six yards out.

An inflated price is expected with young English talents these days. Even if the £50m fee is a large sum of money. The necessity for homegrown players in your squad normally allows clubs to add around a 20% increase in asking price when selling to another Premier league club. This is why we’ve seen in recent years why you can buy players like Virgil Van Dijk, the best centre back in the world, for £5m cheaper than Harry Maguire.

Arsenal’s Current Centre Backs

Arsenal’s centre-back situation is in a weird place with Shkodran Mustafi and David Luiz both departing the club permanently. William Saliba, Arsenal’s promising young CB, is also undergoing a third consecutive loan spell. At the moment, Arsenal only have 4 senior centre backs (including White) and 5 if you include Calum Chambers’ ability to play centrally. This means a starting caliber centre-back was an absolute necessity for the Gunners this summer.

White, at only 23, has a good combination of youth as well as experience that he will bring to North London. White has already amassed 200 career appearances at club level across all levels of England from League 2 with Newport County to most recently the Premier League with Brighton and Hove Albion. He also just returned from a full Euro’s campaign that saw England go all the way to the final. While he didn’t get the playing time he likely wanted, he did gain some valuable international experience.

The Proof Is In The Statistics

Last season in the Premier League, White completed 1477 passes at a success rate of 83%. A lot of these passes were advancing passes whilst playing out from the back, something Arteta has been trying to implement within the squad since his arrival. A quick check on FBRef reveals Ben White’s ability to play out from the back. White is:

• Within the 68th percentile of progressive passes compared to other centre-backs in Europe’s top 5 leagues.
• In the 88th percentile of progressive passes received, showing that he is very comfortable working in a defence which plays out from the back.
• Within the 93rd percentile of dribbles completed when compared to centre-backs within the top 5 leagues.
• In the 78th percentile of shot creating actions per/90 and in the 70th percentile of xA (expected assists).

At £50m Ben White will be Arsenal’s 3rd most expensive player of all time. While the fee is steep, it’s clear White is a perfect fit for the type of football Mikel Arteta wants to play. In today’s market with inflated prices, taking this chance on White could prove to pay dividends.

There’s no need to go too far back to understand how important the 10 jersey is, nor the Number 7. Lionel Messi’s and Cristiano Ronaldo’s fan-and-press-created rivalry has many undercurrents. Real Madrid v. Barcelona. Natural born talent v. Non-stop hard work. No. 10 v. No. 7. Whichever number you prefer, no one can deny that both numbers are incredibly sought after and important for players. Mesut Özil expressed his desire to wear the Number 10 for years, until Jack Wilshere had to make way. 

But there is a need to go far back in history to find a Number 10 that lived up to the legacy at Arsenal. Its previous owners have been Özil, Wilshere, van Persie, Gallas, Bergkamp and Paul Merson. With apologies to Paul, he wore it before my time, and I can only write about him on the basis of second-hand reports. All of the players who wore the 10 after him are legends in their own right. (Though perhaps not strictly Arsenal legends always). Yet some never really got going, while others wound down their Arsenal careers shortly after wearing 10. To locate an Arsenal legend that wore the ten for a sustained period AND shone in it, we have to go back a decade and a half. 

The Years of Unfulfilled Potential and Heartbreak

Mesut wore Number 10 in the 18-19 and 19-20 seasons, where his game time and importance for the club steadily declined. This was for reasons that were never made explicitly clear by the management, until he was unceremoniously left out of the squad altogether forcing him to get off the couch and move out. Like Smith-Rowe (20), Jack Wilshere was in his very early-twenties (then 22) when he was given the Number 10 by Arsene Wenger, and he wore it with pride for 6 long years before his contract was allowed to expire and he was made a free agent. Wilshere’s time in the jersey was, however, fraught with injuries and a strange insistence on smoking cigarettes in party photographs. 

Jack was able to wear the shirt because it was acrimoniously and confusingly left vacant by Robin van Persie’s infuriating departure to Manchester United weeks after he wrapped up a 30-goal season for Arsenal. Honestly, the less said about that the better. RvP wore 11 for most of his time in North London, donning the 10 just for his last two seasons, having received it from William Gallas, after what can only be described as a most confusing chapter in the 10’s history.

William Gallas arrived at Arsenal from West London rivals Chelsea, wore the number 10 jersey as a centre-back, stayed for exactly as long as it said in his first contract, and then walked over to North London rivals Spurs. There is no way to frame this story in a way that makes sense. Arsenal traded Gallas for Ashley Cole, an invincible, and one of the best left-backs to ever play that position. Gallas, on the other hand, allegedly threatened to score own goals if Chelsea didn’t let him go. To be fair, he did deny those allegations. Gallas didn’t do terribly as a player in his time at Arsenal, but in hindsight, it probably wasn’t the right move.

The True Legacy was 15 Years Ago

We have to go back 15 years before a worthy predecessor is found. And what a predecessor it is. Dennis Bergkamp, the non-Flying Dutchman, an invincible, with a touch so silky and confident he could produce tap-ins from outside the box. Bergkamp wore de tien 423 times over eleven long years. 120 goals were scored with the ten on his back, many of which still show up in compilation reels and YouTube clips. Commentators going crazy over his ball control for THAT goal against Argentina in the ’98 World Cup have spawned memes and remixes.

But, Emile was not born when Bergkamp put the jersey on for the first time at Arsenal, and he was six days shy of his sixth birthday when Bergkamp removed the jersey for the last time. He will not remember what Bergkamp was able to do with the jersey, just as I do not remember Paul Merson’s time with it. Emile Smith-Rowe has only known the “wilderness” years of the 10. 

ESR Needs to Distinguish Himself, Not Match Up

In that sense, there’s less pressure on his shoulders – there is no legacy that he will feel he must live up to. Any legacy that he leaves behind will be his own. While he is often compared to Özil in the space he occupies in the pitch, and the creativity he brings to the table, he is a very different player. What he lacks in Özil’s maturity and once-in-generation genius, he makes up for in hard work and defensive availability. He does have a will-they-won’t-they relationship with injuries, and that could be a potential point of similarity with Jack Wilshere. But he will not be too concerned about the comparisons that may be drawn between him and other Tenners. His task is to distinguish himself from his predecessors, not to match up to them. 

He has hinted at a desire to be a one-club man, and he’s only 20. It’s too early to speculate, of course, but doesn’t it just fill you with excitement to imagine a 36-year old Emile Smith-Rowe playing a testimonial in July 2037, having given the Number 10 as many years of greatness as it had of not-exactly-greatness? If you remember his goal for the U23s against Sunderland, it’s not difficult to imagine. 

Desperate for a result, Mikel Arteta turned to a player who had yet to feature in the league that season: 20-year-old Emile Smith Rowe. Gooners fretted that his shock inclusion against Chelsea constituted throwing him into the deep end. But as we now all know, Smith Rowe rose to the occasion. His tempo-raising give-and-go style of quick passing and moving took the Blues by surprise. Arsenal miraculously cruised to a 3-1 victory, with the “Croydon de Bruyne” grabbing an assist for Bukayo Saka’s fully-intended goal.

Since Smith Rowe’s first domestic appearance in the 2020-21 season, Arsenal were the third-best team in the Premier League. The Hale End product didn’t just improve the team; he transformed it. While they still were not quite the potent attacking side they needed to be in order to challenge for Champions League places, Smith Rowe provided a wonderful central passing outlet for Arsenal’s talented forwards to combine with. Scoring multiple goals in a match was once more on the table for Arteta’s men.

On Friday, Smith Rowe was rewarded for his impact on the first team. As reported by multiple outlets, the young Londoner signed a contract extension that keeps him at Arsenal until 2026. The new deal also sees him earn just under £80,000 a week according to James Benge of CBS Sports. And in a statement of both immense trust by Arsenal and tremendous ambition by the player, Smith Rowe will now wear the No. 10 shirt.

Arsenal’s retention of Smith Rowe is obviously a massive coup. The club have managed to tie down probably their second-best academy product in recent years after Saka, and likely have their starting creative midfielder set for several seasons to come. It is the latest step Arsenal have taken toward securing their future, with Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Folarin Balogun, and Kieran Tierney all having been convinced to sign contract extensions.

However, what started as negotiations passively dragging on threatened to become a saga. As reported by The Athletic, Aston Villa submitted a bid for Smith Rowe in the region of £25 million last month. Arsenal laughed off the offer and rejected it outright. Villa came back a little under a fortnight later with a proposal of £30 million. Arsenal once again declined, insisting that their breakout talent was not for sale.

Smith Rowe was probably never in danger of leaving the club. Despite this, the situation sparked an online debate among the Arsenal faithful about the price at which selling Arsenal’s new No. 10 would be worth it. For the most part, supporters agree that what Villa stumped up was far too low to even consider. But what if Villa had offered £40 million? Or what about £50 million? Perhaps £60 million would have done the trick?

However, as tempting as the prospect of pouring any of those amounts into Arsenal’s coffers is, the truth is that it would have required an astronomical fee, a sum that would be utterly ridiculous for Villa to proffer, for Smith Rowe’s sale to be justifiable. For several reasons, letting Smith Rowe go for anything less than a fate-altering fortune would not have been worth it. The circumstances outlined below required Arsenal to hold onto their man at almost any cost.

Finding a replacement for Smith Rowe would be almost prohibitively expensive.

Smith Rowe is a highly talented, albeit somewhat inexperienced, attacking midfielder who can play centrally or out wide. At 20 years old, he displays an incredible ability to receive the ball on the half-turn and combine quickly with the players around him to break lines of defense. He provides an easy outlet for wide players, and can play as a ten or an eight. His passing in the final third is accurate and efficient, and he is beginning to develop an eye for goal as well.

In short, Smith Rowe is already showing signs of a potentially elite creative midfielder. That’s not a player you can easily replace with £60 million, let alone the £30 million Villa hoped to acquire him for. While many supporters have focused on the transfer value Smith Rowe currently possesses, few have taken into account that parting with him leaves Arsenal with no ready-made attacking midfielder. They would be forced to dip into the market for a player just as talented as Smith Rowe, if not more. Based on alleged targets and the business they have finalized this summer, Arsenal would likely be on the hunt for a player in their early 20s, someone who has performed at the highest levels of European competition (preferably, including the Premier League) but has not yet entered their prime. Such a footballer would be very unlikely to be available for less than a king’s ransom.

Thus, selling Smith Rowe for just his perceived price tag would leave Arsenal having to fork over millions more to bring in a successor. And with the club still needing to address positions such as central midfield, right-back, goalkeeper, and perhaps even striker, adding that financial burden on top would likely be disastrous for their summer window. While they would make a profit on the player himself, letting Smith Rowe leave would prove far more expensive than keeping him.

Selling Smith Rowe would send a debilitating message to the rest of the footballing world.

Arsenal currently find themselves in a precarious moment. In a little over two weeks, they will commence their fifth season out of the Champions League, and their first season without any European football in a quarter of a century. Their standing in the game is plummeting by the season. Arsenal need to return to prominence soon, and they know it.

The club’s plan to return to the top seems to center around utilizing a core of young players, much like Arsene Wenger did at the start of the Emirates era. That effectively makes the likes of Saka, Smith Rowe, and Martinelli their most important assets. Now imagine the kind of message it sends when a club purporting to be competing for European places sells one of the cornerstones of their rebuild, under little to no pressure and for considerably less than that player will likely be one day worth, to a historically smaller club that has already gained some ground on them.

Arsenal cannot claim to be gunning for a top-four spot if they would sell one of their most important players to Villa at the first sign of a pay day. Remember, Smith Rowe stepped into this side seven months ago and immediately sparked it back to life offensively. He is absolutely vital to what Arsenal wish to achieve. And while odds are quite good his agent was playing hardball by baiting Villa into bidding for him, “the Smith” was never going to leave north London at his juncture. So to concede him, even for something as significant as £60 million, would be an announcement to the footballing world that Arsenal’s ambition is imaginary. Big clubs do not let their best players go unless their hands are tied, either by an imminently expiring contract or a mind-bogglingly gargantuan offer.

The impact of letting Smith Rowe go, unless for a truly wild fee, would cost Arsenal far more in the long run than they would earn from that transaction. It would hand Villa a win after what is clearly a power move on their part. It would further erode Arsenal’s reputation as a big club. It would make the club a less attractive proposition for prospective signings and put a ceiling on the number of new fans who choose Arsenal as their team in the future. And at the end of the day, all that simply is not worth fifty or sixty million pounds.

Allowing a sale of a promising young player would greatly undermine the Arsenal project.

There isn’t a whole lot to be excited about when it comes to Arsenal these days. The club is coming off consecutive eighth place finishes. The manager is a rookie who has made some infuriating blunders at critical moments during his tenure. The technical director hasn’t impressed and surrounds himself with associates who are shady at best. At the top of it all are absentee owners who have made quite clear that they only wish to maximize profit while minimizing the effort they put into running the whole enterprise.

The only thing fans can really get behind right now is the youth project at Arsenal. Arteta is building a team around a core of talented players in their early 20s, using both academy graduates like Smith Rowe, Saka, and Balogun as well as shrewd acquisitions such as Martinelli, Tierney, and Lokonga. A powerful, inspiring narrative of promising youngsters growing together into an all-conquering squad of veterans is developing in north London. And despite a painful lack of success recently, Gooners are engrossed by the possibilities associated with Arsenal’s generational rebuild.

To cut bait on Smith Rowe now for a fairly meager sum would be a betrayal of the club’s identity, of the story it is trying to tell. While some fans wouldn’t be troubled by selling for a profit, others would be upset to see Smith Rowe potentially achieve glory elsewhere. It would indicate that not even the best academy players who grew up in the club, call themselves fans, and state that they wish to become Arsenal legends are safe from immediate commodification. And at a time when Arsenal very much could use as many free superstars from their youth setup as possible, that message could prove quite unhelpful.

This is the worst time for Arsenal to give their best talents to teams they are competing against.

Yes, you read that correctly. Arsenal, at this point in time, should consider Villa a team they are competing against, along with the likes of Leicester, West Ham, and Leeds. The Gunners finished closer to those clubs than they did to the rest of the Big Five, and will likely have to fend them off in the table to finish in the top six this coming season.

Accordingly, handing one of their best players to a team in that group would surely come back to haunt Arsenal. It isn’t hard to imagine Smith Rowe scoring or assisting a crucial goal for Villa against his former team in the most heartbreaking way possible. At the least, he would contribute significantly over the course of the league season to a great finish for the Villans, as the Arsenal faithful watch inconsolably. We would all find ourselves wishing we still had Smith Rowe’s qualities in our team.

Practically speaking, Arsenal are much better served holding on to the talent they have than by selling to another Premier League club. Especially now, they cannot afford to hand advantages to the teams around them in the table. Arteta talked about ruthlessness when he first took charge at the club. Adding talent to rival rosters, even for a decent chunk of change, is far from the ruthlessness that is required to return to glory.

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Of course, these points are all somewhat moot now that Smith Rowe has committed his future to Arsenal. However, the lessons we can learn here are important to note moving forward. Arsenal will produce other promising young talents at Hale End who break into the senior team. Other clubs will sense an opportunity to buy low and come knocking.

But if those talents are anything like Emile Smith Rowe, it should take something rather exorbitant for Arsenal to even consider parting ways with them. Far more often than not, players with a ceiling like Smith Rowe’s are simply not worth selling. At a time like this, when the clubs at the top have almost limitless budgets and the parity among the rest grows by the season, players like him are damn near priceless.

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The creative side of the midfield has been largely absent too. The likes of Mesut Ozil, Jack Wilshere, and Martin Odegaard all provided highlights, but never something still seemed to be missing.

Now as Arsenal enters its first season without any European football, the biggest question marks remain over the Gunners midfield.

Recruit Albert Lokonga will provide depth but aside from Thomas Partey, Arsenal lacks any real substance. So, who is in line to be in the heart of Arsenal’s midfield for 2021/22?

Thomas Partey

The heir to Patrick Vieira according to some. Partey had a largely disrupted start to life in North London, but he showed flashes of being the dominant force Arsenal has craved for years.

His physicality, eye for a pass, and his tackling all have been on show at some point last term. Partey’s ability to dictate games is perhaps where his real value is for Arsenal. This was on show as he formed a great partnership with Mohamed Elneny against Manchester United in a 1-0 win at Old Trafford in the early stages of the season.

Going by players, breaking up opposition attacks, and his eye for a pass going forward make him a serious player for Arsenal.

His battle with Paul Pogba was a sight to behold. But ultimately it was the Ghanaian that would come out on top. It is no secret that Arsenal’s hopes rely heavily on his shoulders. He will have to have a much better campaign if Arsenal is to climb the table.

Albert Lokonga

One of Arsenal’s newest recruits. The 21-year-old arrived from Belgian side Anderlecht and depending on what dealings happen over the next three weeks, he could form a partnership with Partey in the heart of the Gunners midfield.

In much of the same build as Partey, Lokonga is equally adept at either end of the pitch. His defensive intelligence and his great ability to tackle and win the ball back often, make him a great fit for Arsenal in the heart of the midfield.

Lokonga also reads the game incredibly well and can sense danger and snuff out any potential threats when playing between the lines. One thing that is perhaps overshadowed is his physical frame. The Premier League is fast and physical so Lokonga will not be out of his depth if selected against Brentford.

The 21-year-old can offer plenty in the attacking third too. Likened to former Gunners midfielder Abou Diaby, Lokonga has the dribbling ability to get past players with ease and this will be something Mikel Arteta will look to utilize given the attacking options in the front third.

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Perhaps Lokonga’s best attribute is his versatility. He can be deployed as a central midfielder alongside Partey as a pivot or if needed he can play a deeper role should Arteta shift’s formation.

Should Lokonga and Partey be the preferred midfield duo for Arsenal, they will have perhaps their best partnership. Both have a strong physical element to their game; they can move the ball forward and can dribble past players with ease.

Having a Partey-Lokonga partnership will allow the likes of Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, and Pepe to concentrate more going forward.

Emile Smith Rowe

Hale End’s very own. Fresh of signing a new long-term deal and taking the famous No.10, Smith Rowe will look to build upon his stellar campaign last season.

It was no surprise that Arsenal’s upturn in form coincided with Smith Rowe’s inclusion. His ability to find the ball between the lines and distribute it to the likes of Bukayo Saka, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Nicolas Pepe was a sight to behold.

It remains to be seen as to whether another creative player will be brought in to help ease the load on his young shoulders. When out of the side, the Gunners struggled mightily to get going in terms of creativity. 

Arsenal certainly has a star in the making but the entire creative load cannot be solely on “Croydon De Bruyne”. There have been several reports of James Maddinson or Houssem Aouar being linked with a move to the Emirates. But do they materialize? That is uncertain.

With other options of Mohamed Elneny, Granit Xhaka, Joe Willock, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, and Lucas Torreira all linked with a move away, options could be vastly different come the opening day of the Premier League season.

Left-back Nuno Tavares and midfielder Albert Lokonga are the new additions to the Arsenal squad. Ben White is reportedly on his way to the Emirates in a £50 million ($69m) from Brighton as well.

However much more is needed, and it is unlikely that Tavares will feature in the first team unless Kieran Tierney succumbs to an injury or is rested by Mikel Arteta. Lokonga could feature in a midfield pivot with Thomas Partey but it remains to be seen if other reinforcements will be brought in.

Over the next couple of weeks, I will be going through the team and seeing what the first team could look like this season. I give my thoughts on the starters in each position, first up is the much-maligned defense.

GK-Bernd Leno

Arsenal’s undisputed No.1, Leno will be between the posts in every match he is fit. Without any pressure from underneath, Leno should be comfortable throughout the season. It remains to be seen whether Alex Runarsson will get another chance at being No.2 or if Arsenal’s interest in Aaron Ramsdale will come to fruition. Nevertheless, Leno is Arsenal’s keeper for the foreseeable future.

RB- Calum Chambers

With Hector Bellerin rumored to be on the outer for the Gunners after an underwhelming 2021 season, the English defender could be set for an extended run in the side. Having impressed during the preseason, Chambers could very well be the number one option for Arteta going forward. He will have competition from Cedric as he too has looked good so far during preseason.

It remains to be seen whether the Gunners will bring in another right-back, but Arteta could be satisfied with Chambers and Cedric for the upcoming campaign.

CB- Gabriel

When fit, the Brazilian is a certainty to start week in and week out at the heart of the Arsenal defence. Having started life in north London on fire, Gabriel’s form dipped towards the end of the campaign. David Luiz and Rob Holding were Arteta’s preferred combination for the end of the season.

However, with Luiz now gone, Gabriel must be the one to take control of the defence. Despite his tender age of 23, Gabriel is one of, if not the best central defender Arteta has at his disposal. 

Having played 23 Premier League matches and scoring twice, expect Gabriel to step up yet again for the Gunners.

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CB- Ben White

While the deal is still being worked through, according to several reports, the deal is as good as done. Many expect it to be completed this week. The Brighton defender is the perfect option to partner with Gabriel. Having played every Premier League game last season, White has proved to be a consistent performer. 

What the signing does do, is give Arsenal a ready-to-go player who will not need time to adjust to the rigors of Premier League football.

Like the Brazilian, White has time on his side too, being just 23 years old. We could be looking at the defensive partnership that Arsenal has craved since the days of the invincibles. 

LB- Kieran Tierney

It cannot be anyone else. The Scottish defender was instrumental to how the Gunners played last season. His lung-bursting runs, defensive nous, and crossing into the box make him one of the Gunners most important players.

Having worked up quite the partnership with Bukayo Saka on the left-hand side, Tierney is everything that embodies what Arteta wants in his players.

Having played 27 matches last season, scoring twice and assisting four times. Tierney is one player that Arsenal can rely on for consistent performances every time he steps onto the field.

Agree or disagree? Interested to know your thoughts. Follow me on Twitter @adam_schultz15 for more Arsenal related content