Q&AFC Fan Question Friday – September 17th, 2021
Each week the writers at DailyAFC will take a shot at answering your questions in a 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 this week!
- Now that the transfer window is over…Where will Arsenal finish this season and on how many points? What will the Top 6 look like?
@FPLToronto: Arsenal will finish in 5th/6th this season, calling it now! I know this might not seem like such a wild take, but I truly think there is a strong possibility of Europa League football next season. I try to keep it realistic, even for my sake!
The players, management, and high powers can focus, solely, on results on the pitch. Arteta is now on the clock to contribute and prove his worth. It is up to this squad to bring Arsenal back to a standard that reflects a progessive mindset. It’s not ideal, but it’s better than how it went last season.
Top 6 – Chelsea, Man Utd, Liverpool, Man City, Arsenal, Tottenham…
@SamikaSingh16: I think Arsenal will finish 6th/7th this season but I’m trying to be a little conservative when I say this. I’m not sure exactly what the order will be but the top 6 will include Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Tottenham for sure, and hopefully Arsenal as the sixth team. I think it will get very close, especially between the first four teams on the list.
@joee_ward: it goes without saying that top 6 would be a huge ask for Arsenal this season, let alone top 4. Depending on whether a few of our key figures can stay fit throughout the campaign, I’d like to think that we can definitely push for 5th/6th. There doesn’t seem any real chance of us bridging the gap with United, City, Chelsea & Liverpool, but we have a real opportunity to assert ourselves as the top outside contenders for a seat at the Champions League table ahead of West Ham, Sp*rs and Leicester.
@DopeGooner: I think we’ll finish 6th. You look at our current team and there’s a core of 16 players — Leno, Ramsdale, Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel, Tierney, Partey, Xhaka, Sambi, Odegaard, Smith Rowe, Saka, Pepe, Martinelli, Aubameyang, and Lacazette — that I think are good enough quality-wise to get us there. We’re not playing Europe (which was painfully evident this week), so we get a week between most fixtures for players to recover and for Arteta to coach them up. Yes, the competition is pretty stout this year, but I feel like we have enough little advantages for things to click this season. I predict that the top six, in order, will be Chelsea, Man City, Man United, Liverpool, Leicester, and Arsenal.
@DailyAFC: I’ll say 6th. I believe our team will have some turbulent times but we will qualify for Europa League after a good run towards the end of the season. It’s hard to see us being anywhere near City, Liverpool, United, or Chelsea. Those will be the top 4, and Leicester will get 5th. We have a young exciting team but I think 5th is probably our ceiling.
Top 6: City, Liverpool, United, Chelsea, Leicester, Arsenal
- Who will win the golden boot and golden glove this season?
@FPLToronto: Golden boot will be won by Cristiano Ronaldo. CR7 being back in the premier league made me giddy with the nostalgic feels. I must admit. As much as I can’t stand Manchester United, the idea of Ronaldo being back in the PL was laughable. He will unequivocally make the Reds better. Bruno, Pogba, and Greenwood will all prosper, but Ronaldo will have gained the most.
Golden glove will be won by Edouard Mendy. It’s a simple answer for this one. Chelsea is my team to win the league and look very solid defensively. Don’t forget, Mendy is really, really good!
@SamikaSingh16: I could write so much about how much I loathe Ronaldo but I can’t deny the fact that he’s going to win the Golden Boot. As for the Golden Glove, I wouldn’t put money on it but I’m leaning towards Ederson.
@joee_ward: It’ll likely be between Ronaldo and Salah, and I favour the latter. Liverpool appear to be back to their imperial best, but it remains to be seen whether United have the midfield presence to offer a serious title push this season. With Van Dijk back to full fitness, my bet is also Alisson for the golden glove.
@DopeGooner: I think Lukaku is going to get the Golden Boot this season. Ronaldo will obviously push him, but I’m actually not fully convinced just yet that he’s going to walk back into the Premier League and be the best forward around. Additionally, despite their success last year, Chelsea needed more goals in their game and went out and acquired Lukaku. United had no problem scoring before they signed Ronaldo. If anyone’s scoring for Chelsea, it’s probably Lukaku, whereas the goals can come from anywhere for United.
As for Golden Glove, I think that will go to Ederson. City are just so good defensively, and Ederson is one of the best keepers in the league on top of that.
@DailyAFC: There are quite a few contenders. I think Kane is probably a decent shout (🤮), but I’ll also go with Cristiano. Dread it, run from it, but he’s so good and after his first match you can tell what he’ll bring to the United team. Golden glove I’ll say Ederson as well. Not because I think he’s the best keeper in the PL, but because City dominate matches and most teams don’t get many opportunities to score on him.
- What is your post-Invincible XI?
@FPLToronto: Leno, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Nacho Monreal, Cazorla, Fabregas, Ozil, Saka, Sanchez, RVP.
Subs: Cech, Gallas, Bellerin, Ramsey, Giroud, Aubameyang, Nasri, Song, Diaby
@joee_ward: Martinez, Sagna, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Monreal, Cazorla, Partey, Fabregas, Sanchez, Özil, Van Persie.
@DopeGooner: Runarsson, Jenkinson, Squillaci, Silvestre, Andre Santos, Willian, Denilson, Frimpong, Gervinho, Park, Sanogo.
Oh, you meant best XI? Szczesny, Sagna, David Luiz, Koscielny, Tierney, Partey, Fabregas, Cazorla, Alexis, van Persie, Ozil.
@DailyAFC: Szczesney, Sagna, Koscielny, Per, Tierney, Cazorla, Fabregas, Özil, Alexis, Theo, RVP.
- What is your ideal midfield pivot (choices of Lokonga, Partey, Maitland Niles etc.)
@FPLToronto: I think the midfield is where Arsenal has an abundance of current, and promising future talent. My ideal starting mids would include – Partey, Xhaka/Lokonga, and Odegaard orchestrating just on top. I prefer Lokonga, but I can’t see that reality with Xhaka still present. Just behind them include – Elneny, AMN, meanwhile, Smith-Rowe and Saka can cover.
The most intriguing player in Arsenal’s midfield is currently playing on the U23 squad, Charlie Patino. If you are unfamiliar, please just type his name in Google. It’s fun to watch this 17 year old work as if he is ready for the Premier League, which, by the way, he is!
@joee_ward: Lokonga and Partey for me. Xhaka on his day can be one of the most effective metronome passers in the league, but it’s about time we started phasing him out of the starting XI as our new young talent emerges. A midfield trio of Partey, Lokonga and Ødegaard has the perfect balance of steel, athleticism and technical quality to dominate opposition across the country.
@DopeGooner: Sambi and Partey for me. They’re both modern midfielders — mobile, physical, good distributors of the ball, but also able to drive forward when in possession. Together, they would create a much more flexible, press-resistant, and all-around better midfield than with Xhaka in there. Xhaka’s a good player, but his weaknesses are very exploitable and we need to have midfielders that can actually dominate the center of the pitch the way Sambi and Partey can.
@DailyAFC: Partey is obvious. The problem is pairing him with someone who can complement his strengths and have balance where there are weaknesses. Xhaka is slow, makes rash decisions, and has his issues, but for me, a fully fit and healthy Partey can cover for Xhaka’s main weaknesses while allowing him to do what he does best: dictate the game and make key passes. Lokonga is obviously a good shout, but for me he’s brand new to the league, team, and system. I’d love to see him develop more without the pressure of starting for Arsenal.
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.
