The College Dropout

Here here.

We are 14th for XG over the last 6 btw. This isn’t a one-off. You build a squad because you expect injuries, form issues, rotation, suspensions and want different tools in attack. No 4-3-3 manager wants to have 4 central midfielders in the squad. You want 6 capable of playing in midfield. Going with 4 is a clear risk. If you can’t see that…. I just don’t know what to say.

You can criticise the people for not trying to capitalise on opportunities and making weaknesses weaker. Overall absolutely everyone has done a stellar job. No doubting that. We are on an upward trajectory. The best owners and managers can make mistakes, miss opportunities and score own goals.

No football manager would willingly have their squad in this position. FSG have had criticism for doing the same thing at Liverpool. When they didn’t get Touchameni they didn’t get any class CM. THe fans are saying they can’t let seasons go by waiting for the right players every time when they have urgent needs.

I personally don’t think Eddie ‘greenlit’ the Shelvey sale. At least not in the traditional sense. I think the club said to Eddie we want to let Shelvey go because of xyz and Eddie eventually said ‘ok’. Myself sometimes I’m asked if a team member can move and I have full power to say no. Sometimes I’m more told than asked, I accept and tow the company line because it fits a long-term vision even though it makes the short term targets more difficult. It’s a world of difference. There’s no way Eddie wanted to sell Shelvey and not sign a midfielder.

He has to learn at some point. He’s a lot to learn. But I like the components he has.

Didn’t like him at AM. With his back to goal he just plays simple balls back into midfield. Facing goal he wants to run at players, pass and move. Isak’s better in a similar role. He’s got those cute turns and smart passes.

Without the technical quality and the ability to beat players at will? Yes.

Many Arsenal fans thought their lack of activity last January would cost them the CL spot. It did. Many Arsenal fans thought they needed to strengthen in January if they were to win the league this year. They have strengthened but some fans wanted a higher calibre of player.

I’m not without evidence. The club got a negligible fee for him. He only had 6 months on his contract. We lacked in his position already and knew we were likely to not replace him. But we let him go anyway. The manager wanted to keep him. What’s the motive to sell?

I disagree. Clubs block moves for players that they want all the time. if you buy it - good for you.

The fee we received was minimal. Shelvey earned a reported £70k per week. So let’s call it £4m per year. That’s a club decision to save that money. I’m certain Howe would’ve preferred to keep (until the summer at least) him if he wasn’t going to be replaced.

Teams have cottoned on. You can get at him 1v1 and he’ll offer nowt in attack.

The underlying point is that we needed a Cm before Shelvey was sold. Shelvey was not sold for footballing reasons. If he stayed, he was highly likely to trigger his contract extension. An extra £4m the club didn’t want to pay. Anderson is arguably the worst part of this. He’s not ready for the PL. He needs a loan down a division or 2 playing regularly. Instead he’s here and will only get good minutes in an injury crisis.

I disagree. You can put together a well thought out post and someone will reply ‘do you think you know better than the board? They know more than you.’ That is the extent of their response. On 1st January 2023, you thought selling Shelvey and bringing in no other central midfielder would be a good idea because we have the 4 CMs playing every week? Nobody doubts the leadership has done a great job. That doesn’t make them exempt from criticism. FSG have done wonders at Liverpool but they’ve clearly made errors. It’s ok to say that they’ve made mistakes. Naby Keita was a poor signing. They are also guilty of neglecting short-term squad needs by waiting too long for their ideal targets.

Btw with Gordon, hes big but weak. I can see him developing strength and being quick and strong. Bundling players over. He’s got the size to be an aerial threat too. His off the ball play could improve too. But that cuteness, that technical ability. It’s never going to be a strength. Like James Milner improved tremendously as a player and changed positions. Achieved so much. But he never became a cute attacker like Nobby Solano

Depends what you mean by coaching. I think 99% of it is 1. playing players in a way that utilises their strengths most and limits their weaknesses and 2. playing with more confidence. Miggy is playing with a lot more confidence and is playing a lot closer to goal. He can win the ball high due to his work rate and then he’s in on goal. Perhaps his movement has been coached better. But mostly it’s making the most of his skills and confidence. Joelinton has the same limitations he’s always had. But now he’s using his physicality and engine in a way we couldn’t imagine. And he has confidence. Schar is better defending higher up the pitch etc.

Many on this forum won’t accept any criticism or disagreement of the board.

I thought the Bournemouth player kicked it to Maxi.

When people say they expect improvements from coaching - what do they think will happen?

My concern with Gordon is that he lacks quality. I still think that. The other parts of his game are impressive.

Just dithered a lot on the ball in the attacking third.

What’s your point? My point is we needed a CM while Shelvey was here. We now need 2. We needed those players because our first team included all of our fit CMs and any injuries would leave us seriously short. Had we properly addressed CM in the January window, we would have more points than we do now. At the end of todays game we have 2 fit and available CMs in the entire squad. 1 of which is 1 YC away from a 2 game suspension.

WHO WOULDVE GUESSED IT? ALL OF OUR OTHER CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS HAVE PLAYED DAMN NEAR EVERY MINUTE. WHO COULD HAVE PREDICTED THEY WOULD GET TIRED. INJURED. OR SUSPENDED AND WE MIGHT NEED TO USE OTHER PLAYERS.

The decision to not sign a midfielder and sell Shelvey was not a footballing one. Business, long term strategy etc. it may work out in future. In 22/23 it has and will cost us points. EH was not happy about it either. Because it weakens the squad he has to manage. Yes board have done well so far. As have the team. Ok they are nice Tories. Does that make you feel better?