I’m not fully convinced that Buendia can play that much deeper but he still has the profile of a player we really need - a creative type who can play as a 10, a wide playmaker on the right, or as the right sided 8 in a midfield 3. He is also likely to be cheap, which is vital given that we have limited resources and we need to target our spending in other players, most importantly at least one proper CM.
Best case scenario is probably that we resign Ceballos, acquire Partey in some kind of swap deal + limited cash, and sign a player like Buendia on the cheap. Even that is very likely unrealistic.
Only hesitancy I have with this is that I almost feel Arteta will go out of his way not to be just a Pep clone, and will have his own way of doing things. Cause I can assure u Buendia would be a dream in the type of setup Pep uses.
I’m gonna post this again just to show how absolutely fuxking useless that pile of shit Xhaka is and how easily replaceable he is. Also to dispell this notion that he makes passes between the lines, cuz he doesn’t.
StatDNA. Big Weng is actually the guy behind it and he feels guilty for leading Wenger astray all these years and now trolls constantly about StatDNA across multiple internet forums in a pointless attempt to atone.
If I’d been providing this data to Wenger and he was scouting these players it would been a wrap for the rest of the league. Arsene + Treble woulda had a dynasty. Probably 20 PL titles in a row tbh.
And to answer ur question the source is Xhaka’s advanced stats per 90 minutes, put into a statsbomb radar template by me. And just to show that I’m not being biased, I could show u Guendouzi’s radar which is pretty bad too lmao, he has a higher percentage of completed passes than Xhaka and a better tackle/interception rate but he’s just as inept at creating anything attacking wise.
I agree with the squad, we will be competitive if we can sign 2-3 really good players, but not sure about your formation. Luiz in a back 4 doesn’t work…this season has proved this. I could see us moving to a 5-3-2 formation next season:
He already did copy Guardiola quite a bit and he’s still (sort of) using his positional play approach, even if the shape now is quite different to the standard shape Guardioa has been using for the most part during the last few years.
The big difference is the lack of pressing (which is why I think the Brighton comparison makes more sense) and of course the players playing out of position.
Basically 2-3-5 with maybe Xhaka (hopefully a new signing) as the dm, Ceballos a bit towards his left (with license to move up when required) and AMN as the right back who joins midfield and sometimes makes inside forward runs to open up space for Pepe. Someone like Buendia behind the opponent’s midfield, with Pepe out wide on the right. Saka or someone else more suited as the inside winger/#10, Tierney pretty much as a winger to his side and then Aubameyang or Lacazette up front.
Doesn’t have to be this shape or these players, but this is a shape Arteta already tried when he first joined but always went with the wrong options.
If he wants to continue with the 3-4-3 then I think he has to drop Aubameyang and Pepe, then find two players comfortable inside/behind the opponent’s midfield instead of a striker and a touch-line winger. And I’m not sure the club can afford to not do everything to get the best out of Pepe.
Still not sure why it would be strange to buy Buendia to play as a #10. Cazorla made a career as a winger and then turned into a #10. Same for Ozil. Di Maria had a similar path(although he turned back into a winger at PSG).
Buendia playing RM for Norwich reminds me a bit of Coquelin playing as a winger for Freiburg because he was their best dribbler. They’re adjusting to their personnel. I don’t think they have anyone else to play there. Look who replaced him against City. Lukas Rupp had to play as a winger.
