PART 2
How will the Gunners line up this time around?
It would be a big surprise if Arteta changed anything in terms of the system from last season’s winning formula. Havertz will likely start the season as a ‘9’ once more with Jesus likely to start the opening games from the bench. Last season’s biggest problem area without doubt was at left-back where the unfortunate injury sustained by Jurrien Timber 45 minutes into his first game in an Arsenal shirt left Arteta chopping and changing throughout the campaign.
Oleksandr Zinchenko’s confidence appeared to be shot after a few dodgy performances and some fans turning on him while Jakub Kiwior’s lack of technical ability was apparent when he was called upon. Takehiro Tomiyasu arguably looked Arsenal’s most solid option there but injuries plagued his season once again and the Gunners decided to enter the transfer market to bring in Italian stallion, Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna after an impressive Euros campaign for the Azzurri.
Calafiori looks to be an astute piece of business and Arsenal certainly weren’t the only suitors with reports that Real Madrid also came calling. His versatility with experience at centre-back, left-back and even left wing-back will have certainly enhanced Arteta’s interest as he looks for more cover in the middle where Gabriel and William Saliba were forced to play virtually every minute. It’s widely predicted those two will continue as first choice central defenders with White and Calafiori either side, with the latter measuring in at 6’2 that will give Arsenal a back four all over 6’1 and make them absolute menaces from set-pieces.
Arsenal’s only other summer signing has been the confirmation of David Raya’s loan move being made permanent. To no surprise, the Spanish shot-stopper will be staying for the long-haul after an excellent start to life in N5.
What more do they need?
Some fans have been crying out for a striker - but is this really needed? And who’s on the market that could do a better job than what they have right now? As I alluded to before, the system with Havertz playing up top was working a treat right up to the end of the season. Not only would bringing in a new striker mean it likely that Havertz dropped back into midfield where he wasn’t as effective but also the new forward would no longer have a pre-season to adapt and get used to Arteta’s style of play and demands of a centre-forward. The Benjamin Šeško rumours from before the Euros seemed to make sense because he’s a young striker the boss could develop to play in his style but the market doesn’t seem to have too much else to offer and this new transfer team will not throw money around for the sake of it.
It seems much more likely Arsenal will recruit a central midfield player who can play in the role occupied by Havertz and Rice last season. Mikel Merino is the name that’s been going around for weeks now and it still seems highly likely he will join the club, especially now that Zubimendi has signed a new deal with Real Sociedad. This is a signing that seems to make sense; he’s another physical specimen standing at 6’2, he’s left-footed (a trait we know Arteta loves) and good on the ball.
The other position they seem to be looking at is a winger, whether that is a backup for Saka, competition for Trossard and Martinelli on the left or both it remains unclear. Exciting names such as Nico Williams, Leroy Sané and Kingsley Coman have all been mentioned but it seems unlikely such a big name will join without assurance that they will be first choice and I don’t think Arsenal can offer that right now. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a younger, more under the radar name arrive, such as Johan Bakayoko.
Out the door
There was a clear focus this summer on moving on some of the fringe players and others who’ve been out on loan. The saddest exit for many Arsenal fans was that of academy graduate Emile Smith Rowe who moved to Fulham for a fee that could reach £34 million. Long serving midfielder Mohamed Elneny was released following the expiry of his contract along with Cedric Soares and Arthur Okonkwo. Albert Sambi Lokonga and Nuno Tavares both left on loan deals that are likely to become permanent to Sevilla and Lazio respectively.
It is still highly likely there will be more exits in the remainder of the window, perhaps the most likely being Eddie Nketiah who was on the verge of a loan move to Marseille but with that collapsing in the latter stages it now seems that Bournemouth are very interested. Jakub Kiwior could be another who leave the club, possibly just on loan with the left-back area looking particularly stacked and Zinchenko taking on the number 17 shirt seemingly confirming that he will be staying at the club.
Aaron Ramsdale will likely leave the club this summer but the longer time goes on the more likely this will be a loan deal with the club keen not to lose players for significantly less than they value them. Reiss Nelson was also heavily linked with a move to another Premier League club, namely Leicester City, but these rumours have died down in the last couple of weeks.
Pre-season prediction
As an Arsenal fan of course I am biased but I genuinely believe this is our year. I don’t buy the rhetoric that we’ve failed these past two seasons, bottled the title or what not. ·We have lost out to potentially the greatest team in Premier League history, a side with unlimited resources and one of football’s greatest ever managers.
Nevertheless, we must strive to progress. Last season was progress. We competed on an extra front, back in the Champions League where we did OK but not as well as we all would have liked. We scored more goals, conceded fewer, performed better in the bigger games and took the title race to the final day. The only way to progress from this is to win it. Realistically I think it’s a two-horse race between us and City. It won’t be easy but we were so close last season that with some tiny tweaks and a bit of luck on our side we can do it.
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