Category: Arsenal Opinion

Arsenal have spent more money than Man City? Pull the other one!

Is Manchester City’s success down to the money their wealthy owners have been willing to spend over the years? Most of us outsiders think so, but is it so? Man City Chief Ferran Soriano doesn’t think so; he says that it is unfair to claim Manchester City is getting the success they are getting due to overspending, as he feels they haven’t spent much; clubs like Arsenal have spent more than them.

“Look, you only have to look at the investment in players in England in the last year, three years, five years… we are never the club spending the most on players,” Soriano argued while speaking to Spanish outlet Movistar.

“There are many other clubs investing more money than us: Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal.

“Saying that we’ve spent a lot of money and we won because of that is just not true.”

However hard Soriano claims City’s success isn’t about the money, my question to him is, who has the best squad in the PL? To get a squad with such a strong bench, didn’t they spend? One reason that Arsenal failed to win the league is their inferior squad; this summer, they will try to bridge the gap between them and the Cityzens.

Given that only spending big could see Arsenal’s summer window turn out to be a success, you are left to wonder: could City have managed to have the success they’re having without spending?

Man City is probably the best club; for the last few weeks, they’ve proved time and again they are the real deal. At one point this year, they were trailing Arsenal by 8 points, but just out of nowhere, they are now on an 11-game winning streak in the league, and they’re set to beat Arsenal to the league title.

Incredibly, this league title win will be their fifth in six years, but to say they didn’t build that squad by spending zillions is simply not true!

Moggy

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William Saliba’s future at Arsenal will only stop being discussed at least the day Arsenal ties him to a new deal. The Frenchman is in the last 13 months of his deal at the Emirates. Over the last few months, there’s been talk about contract negotiations between Arsenal and Saliba’s entourage. However, nothing positive has come out of these talks; no progress has been made.

Arsenal are in danger of losing the Frenchman on a free transfer next summer if he doesn’t commit. Arsenal are in a tricky position, but it gets trickier with the reports that, as per personal hookup id, three clubs are keen on Arsenal’s No. 12 and are ready to tempt Arsenal with offers to get him. Saliba has this season established himself as the key to Arsenal’s defence. Without him, the Gunners struggle defensively; no one can play the Saliba role as well as he does. Arteta’s project needs Saliba, and even Arteta knows that.

“We want to keep our best talent,” the Spaniard told reporters (as per http://thearsenalblog.com/free-online-dating-apps-for-windows-phone/, a few weeks ago ahead of his side’s clash with Newcastle. “Especially the players that deserve some recognition. I think he (Saliba) has been incredible since he came back from his loan period, and we want to reward him, that is for sure. We will find the right moment to do that.”

The Arsenal decision-makers should give Saliba what he wants, but if he is intent on leaving then we need to sell as quick as possible (for the best possible price of course) and then we can concentrate on bringing in some top (hopefully better) defenders, as dating sites denmark free.

The sooner this saga is over, the better it will be for Arsenal.

Just my opinion, Gooners!

Moggy

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The facts and stats say Arsenal need to improve their defence and don’t need a top striker

I have never understood why the prevailing suggestions that Arsenal must have a 20+ goal striker next season to be successful. I am of the opinion that having multiple sources of goals within the team is much more important, and that Arsenal has plenty of players who can score goals.

I would argue that Arsenal should prioritize other areas of the team, such as the midfield, fullbacks, and centerbacks, which need more investment to improve the team’s defensive record.

The fact is that Arsenal has scored a decent number of goals this season, with multiple players contributing to the team’s goal tally. The saying goes that the League Table doesn’t lie, and that is telling me that, despite the high-scoring defeats that Man City have been giving to their opponents this season, they have scored only 9 more goals than Arsenal up to now. Plus, for further perspective, the team in third, Newcastle United, have 20 fewer goals than Arsenal!

However, the team has struggled defensively and has conceded more goals than some of its rivals. Again, the table says both Man City and Newcastle have let in 11 goals less than the Gunners, and Chelsea, who are having a nightmare season down in 11th place, have also conceded one goal less than us!

Therefore, I think that Arsenal should focus more on improving its defense, which has been unbelievably poor at home. Other than the relegated sides, only Fulham, Bournemouth and Everton have let in more in home games, which you must admit is a crazy stat for a team that had pretensions of winning the title. So much for Fortress Emirates!

Okay, I would agree that Arsenal could benefit from acquiring a taller striker who is good in the air, to offer something different. However, it seems to me that Arsenal’s style of play under Arteta does not rely heavily on crosses into the box, and therefore a tall multi-goal specialist striker should not be a priority for the Boss, who would rather work with more attacking options from midfield or the wings.

So, it makes sense to me that Arsenal should prioritize improving its defense and investing in other areas of the team this summer rather than splurging on an expensive 20+ goal striker.

I think that Arsenal has more than enough firepower in our current squad and that with some strategic investments in key positions, the team can improve its defensive record and compete at the highest level in the next campaign.

Just my opinion Gooners!

Moggy

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Brighton defeat was depressing, but let’s look at the big picture at Arsenal

Arsenal’s disappointing loss to Brighton has led to a feeling that the team simply can’t handle the pressure of a title race. However, I believe that the gloom and doom surrounding the club is a bit overblown. Yes, it was a disappointing game, but they still finished second in the Premier League, which is a huge improvement from last year.

It is important to remember that this is still a young team that is still learning and growing. They have a lot of potential, and I think they will be even better next season. Arteta has done a good job of building a young, talented squad, and I believe he deserves to be given more time to see his project through.

That being said, there are some areas where Arsenal can improve. One area of concern is the lack of a natural goalscorer up front. Jesus is a good player, but he is not a prolific scorer. Arsenal need someone who can hold the ball up and bring others into play. If they can add a player like that, I think they will be a real force in the Premier League next season.

Another area where Arsenal can improve is their squad depth. They have a good starting XI, but they lack quality depth in some areas. This was evident in the game against Brighton, when Arsenal were forced to make several changes due to injuries. If Arsenal can add some quality depth to their squad, they will be better equipped to deal with injuries and suspensions next season.

The absolute key areas that Arteta must concentrate on is our midfield, and with the constant rumours about Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo, and numerous other top class central performers, we can just about confidently predict that we will be having a very exciting summer transfer window ahead.

Also, although at the beginning of the season most Gooners thought that Saliba and Gabriel were likely to be the strongest defensive pairing in the League, our defensive League record is telling us the exact opposite is true, especially when either of them were out injured and we had to rely on the adequate but uninspring duo of Holding and Kiwior, so it is a must that Arteta concentrates on our back line as well.

But overall, I believe that Arsenal are on the right track. They have a young, talented squad with a lot of potential. With a few key additions, I think they can be a real challenge to Man City in the Premier League next season.

Moggy the Gooner

 

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My choices for the five players Arsenal need to buy this summer

Arsenal’s Summer Transfer Needs

Arsenal need to sign at least five players this summer:

A right-back
A winger
A central midfielder or defensive midfielder
A center-forward
A left-back

It is obvious that Arsenal need to invest in the transfer market to give us enough options to be challenging on all fronts next season, including at least qualifying out of the Group Stages in the Champions League. Here is the players I would suggest to fill those roles….

Right-back

Mohamed Simakan is a good option for right-back. He is available for €30 million and can also play as a center-back.

Winger

Michael Olise or Leon Bailey would be good options for winger. They are both available for around €25 million.

Central midfielder or defensive midfielder

Arsenal need to sign a central midfielder or defensive midfielder to replace Granit Xhaka. Youri Tielemans is a good option and he is available on a free transfer.

Center-forward

Arsenal need to sign a center-forward who can score goals. Dušan Vlahović, Youssef En-Nesyri, and Aleksandar Mitrović are all good options.

Left-back

Pervis Estupiñan is a good option for left-back. He is available for around €20 million and can also play as a center-back.

Total cost

The total cost of these five players would be around €200 million. However, Arsenal could recoup some of this money by selling players such as Shkodran Mustafi, Pablo Mari, and Lucas Torreira.

With these five signings, Arsenal would have a much stronger squad and would be able to compete with the top teams in the Premier League and Europe.

Moggy the Gooner

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My thoughts after watching Arsenal’s disastrous defeat at home to Brighton

Here are my thoughts after watching Arsenal’s disastrous defeat at home to Brighton

Managerial Concerns

It appears that Mikel Arteta does not have a great deal of faith in his Arsenal squad as a whole. He seems to be certain about the first XI, but after that, he is not sure or confident that the other players can get the job done. This is likely why he has been reluctant to rotate his squad. Of course, none of us can know this for sure, but it is the impression that I get.

Ramsdale

Aaron Ramsdale is the best shot-stopper in the Premier League, and I would not trade him for anyone else. As time goes on, he will cut out the occasional mistake and go on to become a legend for Arsenal.

Partey

It took me a while to start believing in Thomas Partey, but he did have a fine season until recently. For whatever reason, he has gone back to being a bit ponderous and has generally lost form. I hope that he can regain his form soon, as he is a key player for Arsenal.

Diving

Today’s footballers are great athletes, but they do like to “go down” too easily. For example, Gabriel’s collapse in the recent match was unbelievable. He should have stood up and defended the clear and present danger, but he instead chose to go down and appeal for a foul. This type of behavior is disappointing to see, and it needs to stop.

Everton/City

I am not sure that the Everton/City result had anything to do with Arsenal’s performance against Brighton. Everton are a good team, and they were always going to be a tough test for City. Arsenal should have been prepared for this, and they should not have let the result of the other match affect their performance.

Summer Transfers

The right recruitment during the summer will see Arsenal improve as a squad. Contrary to what some people believe, City are not going to dominate forever. Arsenal need to strengthen their squad in order to challenge for the title.

Osimhen

Even if Napoli were willing to sell Victor Osimhen, he would be too expensive for Arsenal. However, Arsenal do need a proper center-forward. An old-school “killer striker” who can score goals would give Arsenal another dimension and keep opposition defenders guessing. At present, Arsenal have excellent tricky players, but they are all similar in their style of play.

Game Management

Arsenal can improve their game management. There is no shame in playing against City or Liverpool with less than expansive football if it means coming away without losing. Arsenal need to be more pragmatic and learn how to win ugly.

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Could Gabriel Jesus be a Golden Boot contender with no injuries?

Many Arsenal fans would agree that Gabriel Jesus is a key component of their team’s supremacy this season. The arrival of the Brazilian and Zinchenko to Arteta’s project turned Arsenal from a team that only honoured Premier League fixtures to a title challenger.

Arsenal’s attack was toothless in the 2021–22 season, with Aubamayeng (before leaving for Barcelona) and Lacazette failing to dazzle. This struggle saw Arteta willingly pay Manchester City £45 million for Jesus in the 2022 summer transfer window to get his attack right.

It didn’t take long for the Brazilian to make an impact at Arsenal With his impact, Arsenal’s assault was deadlier than ever from pre-season through the World Cup. With his momentum in his first few months at Arsenal, I bet he would have been the league’s signing of the season if he hadn’t been sidelined for three months due to an injury sustained at the World Cup.

Interestingly, Emmanuel Adebayor, an ex-Arsenal player, feels an injury-free Jesus might be in the running for the golden boot. In conversation with FutFanatico, he spoke of how highly he rates the Arsenal number 9, saying, “[It] would actually be interesting to see him play a season without any worries; his potential is huge. Then you would be able to see if he would be in the fight for the goalscoring crown.

“I honestly have no doubts about that because he’s always capable of scoring goals; he’s ice-cold, and he needs fewer and fewer chances to score. He is on a very good path.”

Jesus can score goals; his ten goals in 22 league games hint at that, but he needs consistency in front of goal. If he stops wasting the many chances he’s been wasting (like the chances he wasted versus Southampton), there is a golden boot winner in him

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Arsenal’s leaders have simply “have not been able” says Neville

Much has been said about Arsenal losing their position as favourites in the PL title race. Gary Neville has had his say on The Overlap. The ex-Premier League star says the failure of the experienced Arsenal stars to step up when needed has cost them. He says, Xhaka, Odegaard, Zinchenko, and Partey have just failed to lead by example. Apparently their failure to do so has seen the young Gunners fail to play at the level they ought to.

“In fact, they contributed to the difficulties they were having in the matches,” said Neville.

“Xhaka at Anfield [referring to the incident with Trent Alexander-Arnold], Partey’s performances in the last few games, I think Zinchenko gave a goal away in one game as well—the Liverpool game and maybe West Ham as well—and Odegaard had probably his most difficult game as well against Manchester City.

“And then, if you think of the huddle that Zinchenko did [against Southampton], and then Odegaard came over and said, ‘Break up’.

“So those four players that are the leaders in that team have not been able, at the moment those younger players needed it, to really pull them together and keep them calm and composed. That, to me, has been apparent these last few weeks.”

Going forward, everything will be said about what was not right about Arsenal’s title charge. Winning the Premier League may be hard, but Arteta and his team need to end the season in style.

A five-game winning streak could be a nice way to end the season. It could set up a blockbuster summer transfer window where Arteta could take Arsenal to the next level, because Arteta still needs to take us up another notch to compete with Man City.

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Gary Neville pinpoints which Arsenal players have let the side down recently

Much has been said about Arsenal losing their favour in the PL title race. Gary Neville has had his say on The Overlap. The ex-Premier League star says the failure of the experienced Arsenal stars to step up when needed has cost them. He says, Xhaka, Odegaard, Zinchenko, and Partey have just failed to lead by example. Apparently their failure to do so has seen the young Gunners fail to play at the level they ought to.

“In fact, they contributed to the difficulties they were having in the matches,” said Neville.

“Xhaka at Anfield [referring to the incident with Trent Alexander-Arnold], Partey’s performances in the last few games, I think Zinchenko gave a goal away in one game as well—the Liverpool game and maybe West Ham as well—and Odegaard had probably his most difficult game as well against Manchester City.

“And then, if you think of the huddle that Zinchenko did [against Southampton], and then Odegaard came over and said, ‘Break up’.

“So those four players that are the leaders in that team have not been able—at the moment those younger players needed it—to really pull them together and keep them calm and composed. That, to me, has been apparent these last few weeks.”

Going forward, everything will be said about what was not right about Arsenal’s title charge. Winning the Premier League may be hard, but Arteta and his team need to end the season in style. A five-game winning streak could be a nice way to end the season. It could set up a blockbuster summer transfer window where Arteta could take Arsenal to the next level.

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Who would you want to replace Arteta if he is tempted to leave Arsenal?

Arsenal are the real deal in the Premier League. Anyone who doesn’t believe this doesn’t watch the Premier League. Mikel Arteta’s work at Arsenal speaks for itself. The Spaniard has in his time at the Emirates transformed Arsenal from a team that was in its comfort zone, just honouring PL fixtures, to a team that is now setting the pace in the PL, a team that many fear meeting as they are too dominant.

At the moment, Arsenal are top of the table with 72 points, eight points better than Manchester City, who are second. If Arsenal manages to win the league come May 28th, there will be no doubt Arteta will be considered one of the greatest at the moment.

Him being the greatest, top clubs will be keen to sign him from Arsenal. It is unlikely Arteta will want to leave Arsenal, but if the deal is too good and he leaves, what will happen to Arsenal?

Apparently, as per FC Inter News, Arsenal already have a back-up plan if Arteta leaves as early as the summer. Apparently Arsenal decision-makers have been impressed with Roberto De Zerbi’s brilliant form as Brighton boss since taking over at the Armex stadium last September.

De Zerbi has the Seagulls flying, playing beautiful football, and collecting results. Inter Milan also want him, but Arsenal are ready to beat them to his services if the need arises.

“Should Mikel Arteta consider his cycle at Arsenal concluded with victory in the Premier League, the Italian would be clearly in pole position to take up his legacy,” writes FC Inter News. Though it is unlikely to happen, would you consider De Zerbi replacing Arteta?

If not, who would you front?

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