Q&AFC Fan Question Friday – August 13th, 2021

Each week the writers at DailyAFC will take a shot at answering your questions in a new post series called Q&AFC. It’s a chance for you to ask questions to knowledgable football writers – transfers, analysis, opinions, everything is fair game. Here are the questions for our first week!

1. How many more signings do you think Arsenal will end up with and who do you think they’ll be?

@SeanW_Football: I expect three, although I hope for more. A second-choice goalkeeper is a certainty, with the woeful Runar Alex Runarsson set to depart and Arthur Okonkwo still too inexperienced to act as Bernd Leno’s deputy. Sheffield United’s Aaron Ramsdale was the most likely candidate for this role, but his proposed move now appears to be off. Barring a turnaround from the Blades, The Athletic have suggested that the Gunners may explore a loan move as an alternative, temporary solution, with Barcelona’s Neto mentioned as an option.

A creative midfielder is the other guaranteed incoming, particularly following the likely sale of Joe Willock to Newcastle United. Emile Smith Rowe is the club’s only natural attacking midfielder and links to Leicester City’s James Maddison and Real Madrid’s Martin Odegaard have persisted all summer, while Lyon’s Houssem Aouar has been widely reported to be available at a very reasonable price. There’s a chance any of the aforementioned trio could end up at Arsenal, but Odegaard appears to be the club’s top target and seems the most likely to join.

Arsenal are clearly in need of a new right-back, but there have been few concrete links on that front – possibly due to the lack of serious interest in Hector Bellerin. Additionally, the collapse of Granit Xhaka’s proposed move to Roma means that talk of a new, starting-quality central midfielder has gone quiet. 

There have also been rumours of interest in a forward – namely Tammy Abraham and Lautaro Martinez – but the Gunners are well-stocked in that area and may not be able to buy unless they can sell. Abraham appears to be the more likely candidate of the two, but it’s still entirely possible that a new name will crop up in the closing weeks of the window. 

@FPLSeag: Realistically, I don’t think we can expect any more than 2. I imagine James Maddison or Martin Odegaard comes in as a 10 and then maybe a right back if Hector Bellerin leaves. I don’t really think we will sign Tammy Abraham unless Lacazette leaves the club.

@dopegooner: My guess is three: an attacking midfielder, a backup goalkeeper, and I have a sneaky feeling that we’re going to bring in a striker as well. With Willock departing, I would be shocked if another creative player didn’t come in, and it sounds like Maddison and Ødegaard are the players we’re deciding between there. Ramsdale was not in the squad for Sheffield United in the EFL Cup on Tuesday, preventing him from being cup-tied should he leave. That’s a solid indication that he’s off, and Arsenal are known to be quite interested in him, so that’s my pick for the goalkeeper who’s coming in. At striker, Abraham makes a lot of sense; our football these days involves a lot of wide play and crossing. Abraham has the build and power to get on the end of deliveries from the likes of Tierney, Saka, and Smith Rowe.

@Joee_Ward: I can definitely see another 2 first team arrivals before the window closes. It’s no secret that Arsenal have been hunting a creative midfielder for months, and the fans won’t take kindly to the club coming back from their search empty handed – particularly with the latest news of our reported primary target Ødegaard wanting out of Madrid. James Maddison is also of concrete interest in the advanced midfield role, but with Leicester reportedly holding out for a £60 million fee, Ødegaard certainly seems the more likely signing to me at the moment.

After that, it becomes a case of which problem position the club decides to prioritise. Back-up goalkeeper, right back and striker are the areas that need attention, although our struggles offloading the likes of Bellerin as well as Nketiah and Lacazette mean that a 2nd choice ‘keeper is likely where Edu will focus his attention. The Aaron Ramsdale ship finally seems to have finally sailed, but it’s still likely that we will target a homegrown player. My guess is Sam Johnstone.

@NoahKnowsFooty: I would expect 2, I would hope for 3 or 4, but knowing Arsenal we’ll end up with none. A back-up goalkeeper is needed as I wrote last month, and up until yesterday, I thought that would have been Aaron Ramsdale. But with that move broken down, it could be anyone. Sam Johnstone and Freddie Woodman could be potential home-grown targets.

Other than that, an attacking midfielder to rotate or play alongside with Smith Rowe is also necessary and these are the strongest Arsenal links at the moment. Odegaard and Maddison are the names that have been discussed. However, I think whoever we sign in that department, it won’t happen until very late on in the window, and I personally think it will be Odegaard.

A right-back should also be a priority, with Hector Bellerin’s days at Arsenal numbered, but I have not seen many concrete links in that position. Elsewhere, if Lacazette leaves, then a striker should also come in, and the likes of Tammy Abraham and Lauturo Martinez join the club. I think Abraham is more likely but I doubt wel’ll end up with either.

@TanmayPratapS: I was certain we’d be able to land Messi (Lost a tenner on it). Other than him, I think a goalkeeper is a certainty. I think Noah has done a fantastic analysis of who it should be already. An attacking midfielder is also a near certainty. Smith-Rowe can’t do it by himself. I join @Frankinetics in asking why Houssem Aouar is not more seriously being pursued for that role.

2. Why do media outlets report false information about our transfer targets?

@SeanW_Football: I think the answer to that question depends on the source. Certain outlets or ‘ITKs’ are unconcerned with veracity if they can generate clicks and, as a global institution, the Arsenal name is a good way to do that. However, sometimes journalists with honest intentions are either fed incorrect information, or a deal simply never materialises. Stick to credible, reliable sources with proven track records and you’re unlikely to be misled.

@FPLSeag: I don’t think this is a subjective thing, but more so widespread across the board. Every club reads numerous articles containing false information about them daily, it’s just what gets clicks unfortunately. More clicks/reads, more traffic, more people speaking about it, etc etc. If you imagine a fire, the media outlet will ‘spark’ a story with little to no evidence, and before you know it, it’s a massive fire and doing the rounds internationally. I only ever trust David Ornstein or @theAFCBell with reliable info regarding Arsenal.

@dopegooner: I think that characterization is a little unfair. Yes, there are outlets that will haphazardly fire off transfer “news” without checking the legitimacy of their information because it gets them clicks. However, I think there are a lot of great journalists out there with reliable sources inside the club who simply tell us what they know in the moment. It’s actually pretty common for transfer info to be true at the time it is reported and then no longer be the case a short while later. Such is the nature of the transfer market; things are changing constantly. Until things are confirmed by the club, we simply do not know for sure what is going on behind the scenes regarding our transfer activity. My advice: avoid the ITKs and only treat the verified Arsenal reporters as credible.

@Joee_Ward: It’s all about the clicks. There are plenty of credible journalists out there who work long and hard to bring reliable, insightful news over the course of the transfer window, so it’s important not to tarnish all transfer news accounts with the same brush. Unfortunately, there are an even number of ‘news’ outlets who fabricate stories in order to generate website visits and reactions from fan bases. Fabrizio Romano, David Ornstein and AFCBell are the three accounts you should follow with notifications on for any serious transfer developments.

@NoahKnowsFooty: It really depends. A lot of the time, fake accounts or ITKs report news for clicks, or even to make Arsenal look bad by linking us to a player they know Arsenal fans wouldn’t want. A lot of the time, they try and find links that might make sense, and so might be believable. But I don’t think this is an issue only for Arsenal, we see it happen to all the top clubs across the world.

@TanmayPratapS: Depends on how you define ‘false’, doesn’t it? If you mean ‘not necessarily true’, then there’s a host of reasons. A lot of transfer talk is subjective, ex “Lautaro move is likely”. What does ‘likely’ mean? 50%? 75%? 90%? Also, conditions change and what was true yesterday, may not be true today. But if you mean ‘false’ as in simply malicious lies that the reporter knows to have no basis in reality, then I just ignore those guys. I get my transfer news from Fabrizio, Ornstein and Bell like the rest of the DailyAFC writers.

3. What’s the latest news on players who are/were expected to leave?

@SeanW_Football: Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ situation is less clear than that of others at the club. Given his oft-stated desire to play in central midfield, it seems more likely that he will leave than stay, and there have been links to Leicester City, Southampton and Burnley. However, there has been very little in the way of concrete news on a departure for the Englishman, so don’t be too surprised if he remains at Arsenal beyond the end of August.

@FPLSeag: I believe Willian will leave the club sooner rather than later, an opinion that is further strengthened by the fact Arteta left him out of the squad entirely to face Spurs in the final pre season fixture on Sunday. Fabrizio Romano claimed that Willian was actively seeking to leave the club this summer and I do not expect that to have changed. The 33-year-old was linked with a move overseas to the MLS but talks have stagnated as of recently. For now it’s a guessing game where he will resort to, but I am certain he won’t be wearing an Arsenal crest on his chest again.

@dopegooner: As I understand it, the latest on Bellerin is that Arsenal have been unable to find a buyer for him and therefore might end up holding on to him. Earlier in the summer it was reported that Inter were interested in him as a replacement for Hakimi, but that looks to no longer be the case. Kaya Kayanak of football.london reported last week that Bellerin signing an extension is unlikely at this stage. Basically, while Bellerin would like to leave and Arsenal want an upgrade, both parties have failed to make the right move happen so far and realize they could do a lot worse than each other. Maybe something will shake loose in the last few weeks of the transfer window, but don’t get your hopes up.

@Joee_Ward: Sead Kolasinac is reportedly of interest to a number of European clubs, with Fenerbahce and Lazio appearing the most serious candidates for the Bosnian’s signature. The full back spent most of last season on loan at Schalke, who were relegated with comfortably the worst defensive record in the Bundesliga. Given the fact his contract is set to expire in 2022, I wouldn’t get too excited about the eventual transfer fee.

@TanmayPratapS: Aw man, you guys have taken all the best ones. Who’s left? Lacazette? I believe he’s been offered as a makeweight to Inter in any potential deal for Lautaro Martinez. Let’s see where that leads. My personal preference would be a yes for a Lautaro←→ Lacazette swap. 

4. If you could add one ex-Arsenal player to the current side, who would it be, and why?

@FPLSeag: If you don’t say Thierry Henry then you have lost your marbles. The current side isn’t the most prolific as we know, as we lack someone in the attacking third that can take a game ‘by the scruff of the neck’. Seriously, I don’t even think I need to justify why I would take Henry back, it’s the only correct answer.

@dopegooner: I mean, it’s got to be Thierry Henry, right? Not just because he’s our best-ever player, either. The strikers we currently have, while very good at what they can do, are fairly limited. Aubameyang doesn’t do much outside of making smart runs and getting on the end of chances. Lacazette is good at serving as an offensive fulcrum just outside the penalty box and linking with other players, but he isn’t a prolific scorer. Henry, of course, had a much larger skill set. And we really need someone right now who can run at defenders with the ball, take lots of shots, create chances, hold the ball up, and just make things happen when no one else does.

@NoahKnowsFooty: Of course it has to be Thierry Henry. Just imagine what an impact one of the best strikers in football history would have on a team with a declining Lacazette and Aubameyang up top. Oh the things I would do to see Henry in an Arsenal shirt in my era, linking up with Hale End’s very own Smith Rowe. I don’t see how anyone can say anything other than Henry. 

@TanmayPratapS: Jermaine Pennant. I will be taking no followup questions.

@Joee_Ward: It can only be Thierry Henry. The best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be. This Arsenal side could also definitely use a Tony Adams type in the ranks for some much-needed leadership, if I’m allowed to cheat and take 2 players.

5. Why do Arsenal never do as well in the League Cup as they do in the FA Cup?

@SeanW_Football: In Arsene Wenger’s time at the club, the League Cup was used primarily as a means of giving young players an opportunity, whereas the FA Cup was treated as a prize worth winning. Wenger did reach three finals in his 22 years at Arsenal, but were beaten on each occasion. These days, Manchester City dominate the League Cup due to the strength of their squad depth, winning the last four in a row and six of the last eight. The Gunners are not blessed with such a wealth of options and have had more important objectives to focus on.

@FPLSeag: I do feel the prestige of the competition comes into play here. Unless it completes a domestic treble, the league cup feels to me to be on par with the Community shield. I couldn’t even name the last 3 winners. It is because of this the squad that tends to play in these games are weakened ones, utilising the opportunity to rest key players and experiment a little bit with tactics and personnel. 

@dopegooner: I just don’t think it’s a big priority for us. Back in the days of Arsène Wenger, league cup matches were used to blood in promising youngsters, even if it meant not progressing far into the competition. The FA Cup is a much grander, more historic competition, and it also holds more importance. Remember, it’s the winner of the FA Cup, not the league cup, who gets to play the Premier League champions in the Community Shield. Winning the FA Cup gets you into the Europa League group stages, while winning the league cup gets you into the Europa Conference League playoff stages. The FA Cup just means more, which is why using the league cup to provide senior-level minutes to the academy players has typically been worth more to us than actually winning matches in that competition. And it doesn’t hurt that the FA Cup is now also sponsored by Fly Emirates!

@NoahKnowsFooty: It’s a very valid question, as on the surface, there is no real difference between the competitions. One thing I would say, is how early in the season the Carabao Cup takes place. The 3rd round starts just a few weeks into the season, and the competition is wrapped up by March. Obviously, this contrasts the FA Cup which starts for Arsenal in January, and which concludes in May, after the conclusion of the Premier League. This means that because of the early season fixture congestion, Arsenal are forced to play much rotated sides for the Carabao Cup, and clearly our rotated team isn’t very good!

@TanmayPratapS: Because Man City does better in the League Cup than they do in the FA Cup.

@Joee_Ward: In recent times, Arsenal have been fielding teams in four separate competitions – the Premier League, the Europa/Champions League, the FA Cup and the League Cup. With a fixture list so congested, the manager has to determine when to allow key players a rest, and the FA Cup takes precedent as a deep rooted competition in Arsenal history. The League Cup has certainly served its purpose for Arsenal over the years, allowing our youth some invaluable first team minutes to showcase their talent, but it’s not a primary focus for the club at present.

That’s all for this week’s edition of Q&AFC! If you have a question you’d like to see answered next week, comment on this post or look out for our next Q&AFC Tweet on @DailyAFC on Twitter.