I will admit to having been far from a supporter of Arteta and still have misgivings about his man management (Ozil, Auba, Saliba, Guendouzi and Pepe). But I cannot deny that these players are playing for him. Even the squad players have not downed tools but are running their hearts out for him. That is a very good thing.
Looking to the summer and knowing we will need a bigger squad and potentially players who are established over youth and potentiall come with egos, how do we think we will fair? What will Arteta do?
A couple of players who I think would do very well for us but I doubt would want to be back up are Cucurella and Bissouma at Brighton. I am so impressed with Cucurella and Bissouma has been a beast for years. Both would shore up problem areas but I doubt they'd want to play second fiddle to Partey/Xhaka and Tierney (although Tierney misses a good chunk of every season). Trossard is also a player who seems intelligent and has end product (3 assists and 8 goals in a team that has scored 38 in the league) a d at 27, is right in his prime.
No clue what strikers I want - but clear that Laca is done and Nketiah is not my pick to lead the line. With his age and some of the attributes that have come to the fore over the past few games, would love to keep him for rotation...but he is at an age where he needs regular games to develop further.
And before anyone starts complaining that we should not be looking at Brighton players and have "ambition", Liverpool have raided smaller teams (i.e Southampton) regularly and gotten fantastic players.
Arteta and summer transfers
posted on 9/5/22
Cucurella is a wing back/winger, so not sure he is what we need. From what I have seen from him is that he looks good to a casual watcher, but when you analyse his game he isn't good enough for the top.
Bissouma is a sexual predator.
Trossard is 27, so I am not sure he fits the profile. Plus his 8 goals may sound good, but Brighton should have far more and he has often been guilty of missing multiple opportunities, either with the shot or poor final ball. Might do a job, but hardly one to replace Saka, Martinelli or ESR and not one to be our striker.
posted on 9/5/22
Conversely, I feel Nketiah would do very well at Brighton. Think that would be the better move for him over Palace or abroad.
posted on 9/5/22
Bissouma has been a beast for years.
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It's the courts job to come to a conclusion on that.
posted on 9/5/22
Jesus would be a good signing although there have been links with Sterling too as both are out of contract next summer. Sterling's wages are probably too high for what we would want go for though.
With regards to the 3 Brighton players, all decent quality players. Hasn't Cucurella been play left of a back 3 lately and bombing on sort of like Tierney does for Scotland. Could be a good shout. Bissouma obviously has things hanging over him which is probably why no one has gone for him. What is Trossard's best position? Would he fit in to the front 3 or more a left or right sided 8?
Tielemans could be a good signing, hopefully him not doing much of late means we can get him on the cheap and hopefully going to a bigger club will elevate him like Jota has stepped up at Liverpool.
Big summer coming up though and the forwards are the key signings. Xhaka and Elneny are likely to stick around and we will also have Partey and Lokonga so midfield doesn't feel like the most important position to get right this summer.
posted on 9/5/22
comment by HB Fash (U21935)
posted 1 hour, 13 minutes ago
Bissouma has been a beast for years.
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It's the courts job to come to a conclusion on that.
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posted on 9/5/22
‘..and still have misgivings about his man management (Ozil, Auba, Saliba, Guendouzi and Pepe)’
Still?!
Haven’t time to read the rest of the article now, but I’m hoping the comedy level doesn’t lag after such a strong opening.
posted on 9/5/22
Looks like we are in for Tielemans
posted on 9/5/22
Tielemans Has been dog5hite of late, you could be buying a duff player.
posted on 9/5/22
comment by Emile Death Rowe (TCM) (U8959)
posted 3 hours, 40 minutes ago
...
Big summer coming up though and the forwards are the key signings. Xhaka and Elneny are likely to stick around and we will also have Partey and Lokonga so midfield doesn't feel like the most important position to get right this summer.
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Midfield is CRITICAL, Lokonga is simply not up to it (loan to see if he progresses or sell). Elneny has done well as backup and is a good squad player but we need another top midfielder.
A midfielder and two strikers is paramount (if Nketiah insists on a first team place then sadly he has to go).
posted on 10/5/22
I think strikers and getting goal scorers is the more critical position to get right though. If we sign a midfielder who isn't up to scratch from the off then we at least have options there to try and bed them in.
With Lacazette and Nketiah likely both off then we've got no strikers other than Balogun who may well go out on loan again.
Lokonga is definitely good enough without a loan move and with more games next season, he will get a lot more minutes to feature more regularly. I think a couple of games when the whole team was bad isn't a fair reflection on his quality.