He also looked really good at times last season, young players are inconsistent, especially when they don’t get regular playing time.
That game was about 90% on Arteta. The players could have made a better showing but they team was not set up for success. MLS needs games, some time to grow a little taller, and probably to work his way up the league. But he's already better on the ball and when we are in possession than a player like Anderson. Its his defensive decision making and threat assessment needs experience and tuning. He's getting beat on the dribble which is a form issue imo. Nwanari needs trust and the room to learn on the job. I get that Arteta trusts Odegaard but he's not a sort of player you can bring on to create impact, and his availability issues are compounding. This season Nwanari should have been getting 15-20 minutes a match almost regardless of game state, until he had a massive decision making error.
Arsenal are bad at selling because they don't sell until everyone and their grandmother knows Arsenal need to ditch the player. It doesn't say Arsenal will sell, it says they are open to selling. Which they should be for everyone other than nailed on starters like Rice, Saliba, Raya, etc. If someone sees MLS as a 60m LB and Arteta - who works with him every day - doesn't think he will ever get there, then now is the time to sell. Nwaneri plays in a crowded area of the pitch, Saka, Madueke, Odegaard, Eze, Merino, Havertz. Dowman will play more minutes next season. I would rather sell Odegaard, that seems like the better decision over the next 5 years. Berta may need to stand up to Arteta and do what is in the club's best long-term interest. I'm less convinced by MLS, his lack of athleticism may hold him back from being great. He also has a lot of competition at LB and most see his future in midfield where he has never played, at least in the first team. I would also go for a loan, but that is not without risk. He could get injured or buried on the bench and not get the development he needs.
Seems you left out the all important comma in that sentence? "Until proven otherwise, under Berta we are..." or "Until proven otherwise under Berta, we are..." I'm presuming it was the former?
The problems with the open play offense is not just a left wing problem. In both all competitions and the Premier League the left wing combination of Trossard and Martinelli has provided more goal contributions than the right wing combination of Saka and Madueke in fewer minutes. In all competitions the margin is 32 to 24, in the Premier League the margin is 14 to 12.
Yeah I think the club made a mistake with Ethan. He should have been loaned after the Eze signing. He wasted 5 months. On Myles, I don’t think Arteta rates him as a CM.
Will you miss them? I don't mind MLS leaving. Nwaneri will sting a bit. But looking at Willock and ESR, maybe the club knows exactly what they are doing. Downman will really benefit from this.
Market opportunities. From the relegation candidates, who would you take? I'd take Bowen in a super sub role, Diouf the WHU left back, Porro, Kulu and maybe summer ville.
It's been a minute since I last spoke to Berta, so I'm wondering aloud if any of the really young kids like Luis Munoz are factoring into any of the discussions whether to sell MLS and/or Ethan. There's also the possibility the MLS and Nwanieri reports are agent-driven to get them more playing time here or elsewhwere, and the "reports" of them being sold could be coming from the club to test the market to see what type of interest they'd get now - potentially to create an inflated bidding war.
BBC and other journos reported the rumors, and they were cited here. I don't think it was utter speculation, but doesn't mean they are credible (or likely).
I mean the ESR rumours were just rumours until they weren't. I could see us selling one of Nwaneri or MLS I doubt we sell both. But for what its worth we have been good at selling young talent (i.e young or under 50 appearances) and those players don't tend to kick on. Willock (40apps @ Arsenal) at times has been really good for Newcastle but wouldn't be in our starting 11 and only would have played for us last season due to our injury list. ESR (80apps @ Arsenal) has scored some goals for Fulham but the games I have seen he hasn't hit the heights he hit in that one breakout season for us. The only players I can think of that have done well post Arsenal that were released young in recent history were Balogun at Monaco but until he is in his late 20s we won't really know how that pans out.
Sure why not. Can we bring in someone to tap Arteta on the shoulder each week and force him into rotations?
As in we got a good deal or a bad deal? I should clarify when I say we are good at selling young talent I don't mean what money we get for them, more that we sell them and they seldom go on to play at a top 4 team in other leagues. Edit: Nketiah at Palace has 11G 4A from 56apps. This season across all comps he has 4G 1A from 19apps. So he has been a great sale for us and not so great for Palace on pure output. According to transfermarkt he has been crippled by injury this season.
Cool. USMNT haven't had a confident striker on a hot-streak in I can't remember when. Maybe Jozy at some point?? Or Clint or McBride??
Seeing claims that Real are gonna push Gonzalo Garcia out to make room for Endrick next season. Would he (Gonzalo) make a good option for a VG understudy? Doesn't have many goals this season but he also has under 1000 min. What little Ive seen he looks the part just doesn't have the goals yet.
Saw a claim that Christian Kofane's agent has had contact with Arsenal and there are plans to talk after the season.
Lean towards no. The fact that he is already 22 and has played very little, he needs to get starter minutes somewhere to develop. I don't think he would get that at Arsenal. Feel like he has way more upside but I fear they will want an Ekitike-type fee, that only makes sense if Berteta think he can supplant Gyokeres in the next 2 seasons. Which if that's true, I have no objection to going for it.
Should Yan Diomande be the top left wing target? Pros: Young, explosive, huge upside. Fantastic dribbler. Didn't have a goal contribution in his first 7 Bundesliga matches but has 11g/7a in his last 21. Cons: Competition for his signature from other clubs, could cost a lot. Leipzig and Berta may not have the best relationship. His production has mostly come from the right wing this season, although he is right-footed so you would think he can play equally well for Arteta on the left. Bundesliga tax. Would miss time at future AFCONs. That's a lot of cons but he might be my favorite option on the left, particularly if Barcola/Yildiz are not available.