It’s not necessarily about the shirt number, I just think we have now decided not to bring another attacking midfielder and we will be naive enough to think that ESR can fill the void left by Ozil and Odegaard.
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That would be utter stupidity. Not that I rule it out under our current management.
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I really don’t see it. We know well enough that ESR can’t carry the load on his own.
Arteta has rambled about our youngsters being overplayed often. At the very least we’ll bring someone in to rotate with ESR throughout the season.
Whether that’ll be Maddison or Odegaard we’ll see.
I think backup GK, DM and AM are certainties as the next incomings. It’s a matter of who’s it gonna be for me.
The only ones I think are up in the air are RB and ST.
I can see it. ESR first choice with Willian filling in as backup #10. Quote me.
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I don’t want Oderfraud give me Madders.
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Didn’t Bell say something about Maddison being promised the #10?
With Odegaard not coming here it would mean the signing of an AM is a priority.
We finished mid table with Odegaard so clearly we have to get someone who is, at the bare minimum, at a similar level and Maddison does fit the bill.
Like you say, we need a GK as well as a CM, unless we can’t sell Xhaka and the only way we’ll get a RB and striker is if Bellerin and Lacazette leave and have to be replaced.
I think we’ll get an AM, CM and GK but we are desperate for quality rather than quantity and, apart from Maddison, the players we’ve been linked with are fairly underwhelming.
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Personally, once we’ve missed out on Buendia I was big on us going for an experienced AM/CF.
Someone in the mold of Bernardo, Griezmann, Fekir(yep, I rate him still) or Sabitzer.
I feel they offer the best balance with ESR.
From what I’ve gathered from our targets so far though is that we are trying to go for younger players even if that conflicts with what we already have.
Seems to me the club is welcoming having 2-3 young players fighting for the same spot. I assume the rational is that they push each other and at a worst case scenario you can move on the one that’s surplus for good money still.
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To be fair, the league table damage was mostly done first half of the season where the fucking idiot manager played 5 at the back or lacazette as a number 10
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This is who I want. He’s got great vision and a good shot. He can run into the box from MF and score or assist like Ramsey used to.
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His versatility is certainly interesting. One of those players tacticians like Mourinho love.
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I’m not so sure about end product as an AM, I have Sabitzer’s strength more as an energetic b2b. Does he have good stats on end product (assists, goals)? I only ask because I don’t remember anything grabbing my attention on that front.
The very few games I’ve seen him in he kind of reminded me of Ramsey… only faster. He plays winger as well, so he’s a very offensive minded player.
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It’s impossible to comprehend that we could be spending 100mill + this transfer window and still be going into the season with ESR as #10.
I don’t believe it tbh.
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Typically I’d say Maddison is a deadline day deal - but it’s not as if any other pieces need to fall before we can do this + Leicester would likely want to spend that cash on new acquisitions. If it’s not super-hot next week, I think it’s not going to happen.
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I think you might but it’s a very risky tactic from both us and Leicester.
They won’t have anyone to replace him and, if it doesn’t happen, we will be going into yet another season without a top quality attacking midfielder, as well as not having Odegaard either.
If we only got Maddison in this window and no one else, it wouldn’t be great but at least we would have a decent attacking line up, which we haven’t for several seasons.
This transfer would at least be something the supporters could get behind.
Bloody Ornstein, you party pooper.
ESR cannot be our starting 10 this season.
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Surely we’ll sign someone?! Maybe a name that hasn’t been mentioned yet.
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Looks like we are gonna be sentimental as fuck and go full respect hale end.
Announce sadness
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