Defense is better but now the offense sucks - 2021 Jan Transfer Thread

chjoak · Nov 13, 2020

Time to move on from the summer thread and talk about Jan. Arteta has done a good job shoring up the defense given the personnel we have but the offense has taken a hit. You could make equally successful arguments that the issue is scheme and personnel. The question becomes... what (if anything) is done about it in Jan? Will the roster change at all? Who stays & who goes?

chjoak · Nov 13, 2020

Will start off with the video @CarlosKaiser posted in the summer thread...

bandwagongooner · Nov 13, 2020

The idea that Arsenal is ahead of the game on anything transfer-related is laughable. For the last 15 years bar 1, they do deals at the end of the window after dicking around for 2 months. Nothing in the last window suggests that will change.

And_ROOS · Nov 15, 2020

Would think we don't bring anyone in this window, but if we did need a creative midfielder.
A lot of our attacking issues are playing personnel in the wrong positions. Just watch Auba for Gabon.

bandwagongooner · Nov 15, 2020

And_ROOS said: ↑

A lot of our attacking issues are playing personnel in the wrong positions. Just watch Auba for Gabon.
Click to expand...

I have a growing nagging doubt about Arteta, and this is one of the problems. He's massaging the players he has into holes they don't exactly fit. At the same time he's not buying players who naturally fit into the roles he wants. All of the little pieces of his plan seem to be fighting against each other instead of moving in the same direction.

Maybe I'm wrong and he's got more moves to make, but I'm moving towards being a skeptic.

chjoak · Nov 15, 2020

And_ROOS said: ↑

Would think we don't bring anyone in this window, but if we did need a creative midfielder.
A lot of our attacking issues are playing personnel in the wrong positions. Just watch Auba for Gabon.
Click to expand...

If the end goal is a 4-3-3 / 4-2-3-1 then I 100% agree that we need a #10 or #8/10 type that can better create. However we have almost 2 months until we have any chance of adding one and given our current personnel I think we need to consider a change of scheme. I'll credit @thebigman (pretty sure) that suggested we switch to a pressing counter attack 4-4-2 / 4-2-2-2. The pieces don't all fit perfectly for that but A) I think most of them fit a little better and B) it in theory will help create a more exciting offence and scoring opportunities then the current slow paced possession attack.

ST - PEA, Laca, Pepe, Eddie, Balogun & Martinelli
AM/W - Saka, Willian, Pepe, ESP, Nelson, AMN, Willock, Martinelli
CM - Partey, Xhaka, Dani, El Neny, Willock
FB - Tierney, Bellerin, AMN, Cedric, Kola
CB - Gabi, Luiz, Holding, Saliba, Mustafi, Mari, Chambers

To me the AM/W rotation will be key. Who you play each game or in sub dictates how you wanna play (attack vs defensive, etc...). Overall we have enough speed at ST & W that we should be able to run an effective counter. Would be basically the same system that Leicester won the league with a few years ago. And if it works, then just scrap the possession idea and start building around this scheme.

CarlosKaiser · Nov 15, 2020

Dominik Szoboszlai (20 yo creative MF from RB Salzburg) was mentioned briefly by Ornstein, he has a €25m release clause. Fabrizio Romano said on twitter that he is on Arsenal's shortlist behind Aouar. Sounds like some other clubs might be interested, Arsenal could offer the best opportunity at immediate playing time.

Maybe the Kolasinac move that almost happened in October could happen in January. It would be nice to move on from him and find a young, preferably home grown LB that can deputize behind Tierney.

thebigman · Nov 15, 2020

Sign Aaron’s from
Norwich as wel and get rid of heccy

he’s washed

casoccerdad47 · Nov 15, 2020

CarlosKaiser said: ↑

Dominik Szoboszlai (20 yo creative MF from RB Salzburg) was mentioned briefly by Ornstein, he has a €25m release clause. Fabrizio Romano said on twitter that he is on Arsenal's shortlist behind Aouar. Sounds like some other clubs might be interested, Arsenal could offer the best opportunity at immediate playing time.

Maybe the Kolasinac move that almost happened in October could happen in January. It would be nice to move on from him and find a young, preferably home grown LB that can deputize behind Tierney.
Click to expand...

Since he’s 20 Szoboszlai has a year before he counts against the 17 player limit on non homegrown players, so they wouldn’t have to move anyone out in January to accommodate him in the team.

And_ROOS · Nov 16, 2020

thebigman said: ↑

Sign Aaron’s from
Norwich as wel and get rid of heccy

he’s washed
Click to expand...

I feel Barca would take him and Mustafi as a package

thebigman · Nov 16, 2020

At this point I would pull the trigger

chjoak · Nov 16, 2020

If you can find anyone to take them i would try to move the following in Jan...

Mustafi
Luiz
Sokratis
Kolasinac
Cedric
Laca (maybe)

Then i would look at a RCB, LB and maybe ST/W and CM/AM depending on scheme and others performance.

chjoak · Nov 16, 2020

CarlosKaiser said: ↑

Dominik Szoboszlai (20 yo creative MF from RB Salzburg) was mentioned briefly by Ornstein, he has a €25m release clause. Fabrizio Romano said on twitter that he is on Arsenal's shortlist behind Aouar. Sounds like some other clubs might be interested, Arsenal could offer the best opportunity at immediate playing time.
Click to expand...

Dominik would be a good buy especially at 25m. He is young, creative and mobile. Has played some on the wing for Salzburg as well so he could still be a good fit if we switch to a more pressing counter attack.

chjoak · Nov 16, 2020

And_ROOS said: ↑

I feel Barca would take him and Mustafi as a package
Click to expand...

Curious if it was just coincidence that you mention Mustafi & Barca. Poking around this morning and see them linked with a Jan move for Mustafi.

Serengeti_Boy · Nov 16, 2020

thebigman said: ↑

Sign Aaron’s from
Norwich as wel and get rid of heccy

he’s washed
Click to expand...

Yeah plus there is an abundance of RBs in the epl. Lamptey and Justin from Leicester. Problem is they are English and will be expensive.

Silva 5 · Nov 17, 2020

Rumors of a swap deal with Inter. Eriksson for Xhaka.

chjoak · Nov 17, 2020

Was coming here to post that. Xhaka has some positives but is to slow and is stuck in a bit of a tweener role where he really doesn't fit any MF role we need in this scheme. Eriksen hasn't really fit at Inter but he has the potential to be the creative playmaker we desperately need. If we were to make that move I think it would mean that we go 4-2-3-1 or the 4-3-3 equivalent of that shape as I think Eriksen would function best as a central #10. My only concern would be his age. Would be nice for us to be getting younger.

Tonerl · Nov 17, 2020

That would be dumb.

Surely bullshit, anyway.

mebeSajid · Nov 17, 2020

Swap deals rarely happen.

thebigman · Nov 18, 2020

I’d do that just for the spurs lols

Tonerl · Nov 18, 2020

thebigman said: ↑

I’d do that just for the spurs lols
Click to expand...

Just no.

Please god no we have enough past peak high earners to tide us over until forever.

casoccerdad47 · Nov 19, 2020

Just saw an article saying that Kolasinac has tested positive for Covid. Tierney can’t play every game as the left sided center back, so Arteta is going to have to make some adjustments. The easiest solution might be to play four at the back in the Europa league with AMN as the left back.

thebigman · Nov 19, 2020

Saka?

casoccerdad47 · Nov 19, 2020

thebigman said: ↑

Saka?
Click to expand...

I’d rather leave him where he is or move him to left forward and shift Aubameyang to the middle. He is an integral part in what little creativity Arsenal have left.

But I was talking about the Europa League games and after playing three games for England during the last 7 days, Saka doesn’t need to be playing in the Europa League next week.

mebeSajid · Nov 19, 2020

Play the kids next week in the Europa league.