Rice and Zubi? Perhaps, the jury’s still out there on whether they can deliver that quality for a sustained period.
Hopefully they do though.
I am worried about the midfield in general though, it seems very light.
One injury to any of those starters and we could easily get overrun in most games.
If we get Eze, I think I’ll feel better because he gives another option in terms of attacking flair to get a goal or create something, if we concede from midfield/transitions like last season.
I feel like this atheticism factor is being way overrated while comparing them, while totally ingoring the part about playmaking, dictating the game, progressing the play from deep while under pressure - which is absolutely vital for every elite team in that position nowadays.
We aren’t in a Roy Keane era anymore.
A a squad player, Jorginho had enough athleticism. Rarely needed to play many games in a row anyway, and when he did - the second part of 2023/24 he was top class. No way Norgaard ever replicates that for us here.
There were some games where we played like shit, were all over the place and his lack of athleticism got exposed. But more often than not he played on top level.
I pessimistic about Norgaard adequately replacing Jorginho, but I’m open for him proving me wrong.
On a side note, I was strongly against Jorginho initially (while I badly wanted us to get Caicedo) but he won me over quickly.
It wasn’t a Very Important Update
Always disliked him so it’d have been a big no from me lol
Quality here in his last couple of seasons
Eze is an 8, not a 6, so the Partey position you worried about is irrelevant.
No way you think that. I’ll give you he was quality in his last season.
In seasons before he was at best decent, and we’re talking mainly about his time under Arteta. Before that he was a massive liability.
Xhaka is someone who has benefitted greatly from leaving Arsenal when he did. He was already struggling on his way out and was one of the players that capitulated massively in the run-in where we gave away the title to City.
Fairly positive he would have had the similar fate to Zinchenko and Ramsdale had he stayed here.
@Truth_hurts Wha gwan?
But the main point is the ability to play key passes that could lead to a goal.
Partey could do that. None of our current midfielders bar Ode can do that reliably.
Having Eze as an 8 would at least help offset that responsibility; albeit in a different way - but it’s ultimately about creating more chances to score goals.
correct me if I am wrong…
Eze is a dribbler, not a passer, right?
He’s both.
I’d argue he’s a bit of both. He scores/dribbles and assists.
Is he a passer like Partey, making passes into assist from 30 yards out, or he is a passer in the box (or close to)?
Adding Eze is good of course, but I don’t believe he would make any difference regarding the 6.
this is the sort of backward shit wenger did like signing flamini in 2013 instead of a proper midfielder
I was his biggest critic when we had to transition from Santi pulling the strings to Xhaka but the guy deserves credit for the way he turned things around
Would you rather Xhaka stepping in during injury/suspensions, or Merino/Norgaard? Nothing against either of them but Xhaka definitely the superior of the three
Final third. Sorry, didn’t realise you were talking about him as deep lying playmaker. Yeah, he’s not that for sure.
Merino or Norgaard every day.
If Xhaka was good enough to be here, he’d still be here. And if he was good enough to come back, he’d be back.
Arteta loved the guy, backed him when he was here and even blocked his exit when he first came.
No comparison between xhaka and Merino midfield performances here