if he joins then partey will be on bench ??
There’s allot of games to be played with the league, CL, FA and league cup.
If I’m Partey knowing my injury record I would be content as a rotation player in the league and starter in the cups.
It would allow tactical flexibility, rotation to prevent injury, and cover in case of injury.
Definitely wouldn’t be at a point where we would have too many options after signing him
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i know there will be rotation but having both fit, surely Merino will start ? We are not gonna keep him on bench only to sell him a year or two later, considering he is already 28
Yes and it’s the right time for that. Although I suspect it will be at least 2 to 3 games where Partey will still be starting while Merino beds in. The more pertinent question is who plays 6 and who plays 8 out of Rice and Merino.
Will we sell Merino in 2 years? If he’s good enough we could get 3-4 years out of him .
I think all talk of who starts where is reductive. Different types of players will be needed for different challenges and having a quality squad keeps opponents on their feet. Merino adds to the number of players who could start. That’s the point of this “floor raising” summer.
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Merino is also just oven-baked for the role at Left-Midfield.
Xhaka operated there quite well at 30-31 years old.
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Ffs, players careers don’t end at 30.
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I would be very very surprised to see Merino as a 6 at Arsenal ever really.
Both at Sociedad (Zorroaster is the 6) and the NT he literally plays the same exact role we have in that LCM8 position, played by Xhaka, Havertz and Rice recently.
He is quite complete and can play in almost any postition, but atm for me there’s no question where will we use him.
Of course, with Rice I think the long term plan is definitely to use him as a 6 primarily no matter he did a very good job as an 8 last season.
Both of them are roughly quite similar and can probably play in both positions but surely we’re getting Merino to play the role in which he excels most od the time, with Rice going back to the role he usually played before Arsenal. Along with Jorgi and Partey covering for Rice. With Rice covering for Merino.
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Yeah, for me the main reason Rice played as an #8 last season was to accommodate Partey/Jorginho.
Due to advancements in sports medicine, being an athlete at 30 in 2024 is probably like the new 26/27 from the late 90s, early 00s.
Vardy is 37 and still going. Ronaldo 39, Milner, Ashley Young etc.
The geriatrics are making a strong comeback lately.
Looking at his close ball control, ability to pick up a pass and his none-too-shabby scoring record, I would not be surprised if he’s also going to be trained to be Odegaard’s deputy. He won’t get bullied there like Vieira does.
I think at his earlier stages he was actually a 10 primarily, at least as far as I’ve read somewhere.
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Imagine having someone who can just step into that position when needed without it crapping on our style of play. This is my hope for a wide player too, someone who’ll play across the front line without a drop-off from Martinelli, Trossard and Saka.
This will take the cake for most anti climatic signing ever.
Not that it’s a bad one just not overly exciting (like a rice or ozil) and not got the ‘bang it’s done out of nowhere’ factor since we’ve been hearing the same recycled garbage for 8 weeks now.
Get the cunt in and make us wait til October for the announcement video.
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This club only act proper for fucking goalies
I wake up to fifteen new posts and then notice it’s still in the Rumour Mill thread. Fucksake.
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Fresh talk