Transfer Out
Francis Coquelin
Alexis Sánchez
Theo Walcott
Mathieu Debuchy
Olivier Giroud
We have 30 players in first team/capable of contributing in first team.
We have 11 players who seem likely to depart, out of which we will have to indulge in selling 9 players as Per & Santi would just run out their contract. [5 sold]
Contracts needs to be negotiated for Wilshere, Ramsey.
Kos & Monreal need to be replaced after a season or sooner.
Need a right back as backup or someone capable to make Bellerin as backup.
Unless Nelson & Iwobi step up, We have no wingers or atleast no wingers capable of scoring.
We need a midfielder or two despite not being a concern quantity wise.
I thought the contract info was nice. And I echo every point you made below, I think we need to shave some off the squad size and get some quality>quantity. It looks like we have a CB issue as Holding+Chambers are in a slump and I don’t know what Mavro has got yet, but that could change over a few months at that age.
We have a wide player issue and we have for a while, and we still need a CM who is the Cazorla/Cesc type (I’m so weak for that role in general lol), as imo Jack is slightly better a bit higher up the pitch, like where Özil is at. It just so happens that he fine at CM and currently better than the rest.
I could watch Mert, Debuchy, Jenko, Xhaka, Elneny, Walcott, Campbell, Welbeck and Perez (+Sanchez) go in good conscience for various reasons - if we could refill properly, which I’m not sure we can lol Assuming our CBs shape up and Mustafi stays, say a RB, a CM, a LW, a RW and a ST. Out of the kids I think Nketiah and AMN looks promising, say they hold their spot and support our “self-sustained (be cheap) model”.
I still think we should invest in a pure passing pivot for midfield if possible, it would benefit our play so muc, and I think there’s a realistic bag of what we need in La Liga. Even the mid-table teams have a guy or two who is like 28-29 and naturally moves the ball with pace and accuracy, you’d get 3 years out of them no probs, they all have our style in the back bone, they all have buy out clauses, they’re all paid less than we can pay them, and we represent a career step-up abroad. Basically what we did with Cazorla. Surely we could find one that would be better than our current CM clown troupe
Arsenal has a fairly bloated squad really, when you consider Jenkinson, Cazorla, Campbell aren’t even in the 25, on top of those that are and need to go like Akpom and Debuchy. Also we have two free non-HG spots which will become at least five when Mertesacker/Ozil/Sanchez leave.
So the possible big summer turnover is both welcome and worrying. Welcome because I would happily move on about 10 of them if we’re serious about stopping the rot, but worrying because that realistically isn’t going to happen in one summer.
The squad needs spicing up with quality first and foremost, but cutting down on the quantity is just as difficult
If you’re Arsenal ‘deadwood’ like a Coquelin or a Wally Walcott then you stay for the entire duration of your contract because you know it’s the fattest contract you’ll ever earn. Then you know you can move on to your west ‘aaaaam or Southampton anyway on the free upon expiry, because you still have that connection as an Arsenal player, so you’re presumed more than good enough for them etc
TLDR = the limpets have stuck around long enough, might as well see it through until June
At least he can actually get a permanent club now he’s been on loan ever since he signed for us in 2011 apart from 15/16 where he actually played for us and was good lol
he’s been on loan ever since he signed for us in 2011 apart from 15/16 where he actually played for us and was good lol