Another CB was very much a necessity in the summer, and the fact he can play LB adds to his value to us.
His injury record is the only worry for me, his ability certainly isn't.


Of the left backs we have, Zinchenko and Tierney won't be here next season. Injuries are probably the biggest reason they will still be here February. Tomiyasu is pretty much written off at this point.

comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 1 minute ago
Another CB was very much a necessity in the summer, and the fact he can play LB adds to his value to us.
His injury record is the only worry for me, his ability certainly isn't.


Of the left backs we have, Zinchenko and Tierney won't be here next season. Injuries are probably the biggest reason they will still be here February. Tomiyasu is pretty much written off at this point.
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Was it bigger than getting effective cover for Saka or the CF that was so desperately needed. I don't think so but that is just my opinion. Right now I've watched both Califiori and Lewis-Skelly and the latter looks a better player to me certainly in that position. I'm not writing him off but I question the signing when we have bigger holes elsewhere to fill.

Yes it was bigger - even with Cala we have Timber at CB, a CM at RB and a CM at LB

Arteta only used MLS when White, Calafiori, Zinchenko and Tomiyasu were injured - we all know Arteta is reluctant to trust inexperienced players.

Equal to MLS is Nwaneri, and he is cover for Saka plus Arteta bought in Sterling for that role. Buying cover for Saka at £40m - who exactly will jump at that? Doubt we had decent options for that role.

comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 39 seconds ago
Yes it was bigger - even with Cala we have Timber at CB, a CM at RB and a CM at LB

Arteta only used MLS when White, Calafiori, Zinchenko and Tomiyasu were injured - we all know Arteta is reluctant to trust inexperienced players.

Equal to MLS is Nwaneri, and he is cover for Saka plus Arteta bought in Sterling for that role. Buying cover for Saka at £40m - who exactly will jump at that? Doubt we had decent options for that role.


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I think we will have to agree to to disagree on that. To me in no way can you call Sterling effective cover for Saka. I doubt he was even really wanted it was just a last minute panic move. Arteta has tried both Martinelli and Trossard on the right rather than give Sterling extended minutes that just says it all. It's also incredibly naive to think you can get through a season with just Havertz and Jesus as options up front with the latter being a sicknote

The point is, who would join as back up to such an established player as Saka in budget? Plus Nwaneri is there at the same level as MLS.

comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 13 seconds ago
The point is, who would join as back up to such an established player as Saka in budget? Plus Nwaneri is there at the same level as MLS.
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That's up to manager and the recruitment team to work out they've managed to do that in other positions. When Timber joined for example he played predominately at right back and cb for Ajax. I'm sure there were conversations from his camp asking about where he fits in given that there are already established players in those positions at the club. Saka is a fantastic player but we have to create a level of competition for him that will ultimately make him a better player and if he has anything about him he would enjoy the challenge.

For Timber there was the clear path to the starting XI at left back.
Arsenal clearly tried to find someone in budget, Nelson was only allowed to leave once we actually found someone.


But at the same time, if you are saying Cala wasn't needed because we had MLS already then you have to say cover for Saka wasn't needed because we already had Nwaneri. And we still bought in cover for Saka, and were just unfortunate (or fortunate I guess) that cover was injured at the same time as Saka got his injury.

comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 3 minutes ago
For Timber there was the clear path to the starting XI at left back.
Arsenal clearly tried to find someone in budget, Nelson was only allowed to leave once we actually found someone.


But at the same time, if you are saying Cala wasn't needed because we had MLS already then you have to say cover for Saka wasn't needed because we already had Nwaneri. And we still bought in cover for Saka, and were just unfortunate (or fortunate I guess) that cover was injured at the same time as Saka got his injury.
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I'm saying he wasn't needed because we had Zinchenko, Tierney and Timber as you say before you even factor in Lewis-Skelly. Now you may say they are surplus to requirements which is fine but get them out the door before you invest significant funds into the player. Right now we've got four potential left backs in a squad of 22 players that's just poor planning pure and simple.

Naming Tierney is disingenuous, only his injury kept him here. Only injuries to 5 others gave him minutes.

You are neglecting the fact Cala is a CB, and we only have Gabriel, Saliba and Kiwior plus full backs who can cover. Kiwior has no long term future, kept only to allow Cala to settle with injuries prolonging his time beyond this window. To suggest we didn't need more CB cover I don't agree at all with.

I think the way the season has gone shows how much another defender was necessary. Shame we picked one with fitness issues, but that is a different argument.

I'm saying he wasn't needed because we had Zinchenko, Tierney and Timber as you say before you even factor in Lewis-Skelly.
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Equally you had Saka, Martinelli, Trossard and Nelson before you even factor in Nwaneri. Nelson only left once we secured a replacement - suggesting they were trying to do so all summer if they could find someone.

comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 1 minute ago
Naming Tierney is disingenuous, only his injury kept him here. Only injuries to 5 others gave him minutes.

You are neglecting the fact Cala is a CB, and we only have Gabriel, Saliba and Kiwior plus full backs who can cover. Kiwior has no long term future, kept only to allow Cala to settle with injuries prolonging his time beyond this window. To suggest we didn't need more CB cover I don't agree at all with.

I think the way the season has gone shows how much another defender was necessary. Shame we picked one with fitness issues, but that is a different argument.
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No I don't think it is he's got a squad number he's played recently. That's fine if you disagree I just think there other areas of the field that needed attention first especially if they were working on a tight budget.

Why wouldn't you give him a squad number? He couldn't be sold. The fact he has played shows how much we needed someone signed.

If we didn't have the defensive injuries we have, Tierney would be back at Celtic Park already.

comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 1 minute ago
Why wouldn't you give him a squad number? He couldn't be sold. The fact he has played shows how much we needed someone signed.

If we didn't have the defensive injuries we have, Tierney would be back at Celtic Park already.
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That is speculation we will never know for sure. Would Celtic have been able to afford the transfer fee along with his wages at the time. Maybe Arsenal would of cancelled his contract, again we will never know. The fact of the matter is for me when they submitted the squad list at the start of the season we had sufficient bodies in those positions to cover those areas. In the last few games how many times has Havertz been replaced to try and keep him fresh? Probably none because we have no one else to put in there that's the issue.

Moved from Saka to Havertz? Jesus is the obvious alternative, plus Trossard has played up top this season. 3 players for one role. Sufficient bodies.

Jesus was also a name on the squad list who was an alternative to Saka btw, forgot him.

comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 27 seconds ago
Moved from Saka to Havertz? Jesus is the obvious alternative, plus Trossard has played up top this season. 3 players for one role. Sufficient bodies.
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No I mentioned a CF as well in an earlier message if you read back.