AyeDubbleYoo

Yeah but I don't see why defensive upside is pointless. His recovery ability is stopping attacks every game which could result in opposition chances. I don't mind trying something new, I just don't like to pretend that there's no logic to what we're doing now.

Think you're downplaying the importance of a better quality squad though, when playing every 3 days. Of course it doesn't look like we have a better quality squad now because people aren't playing well, but I don't think that means the theory of trying to build it was wrong. Also I'm sure people like Elanga were expected to challenge and maybe displace the existing player. Being worse than Jacob Murphy is quite surprising.

I'm not stuck on anything, I'm just saying there is a reason that Tonali was moved back and it was a positive change for the team. Do we not need his recovery defensively now?

On paper I still don't think it's a bad window considering the circumstances. Injuries and weirdly shite form have made it look a lot worse. There was no reason at all to predict that Ramsey and Wissa would get injured and Elanga would forget how to play football (and get injured). Ramsdale was obviously a bit of a desperation option given that we missed out on a few elite GKs. I wouldn't give him a 0 given he's a capable PL goalkeeper (arguably still better than Pope). Obviously a hard argument to make when we've just lost and generally having a poor-ish season in terms of performances.

Botman's playing well and Burn is back, I doubt we'll see the need to recall Targett. Whatever fans think, Howe doesn't seem to like him at all. Personally I would have just kept him as backup LB always, but maybe there is some financial or other reason why we didn't.

TBF that's the reverse of what happened initially, where the team transformed once Tonali dropped into the 6

As always we want to put black and white lens on the transfer business which is actually a complex negotiation and discussion process.

Making the space for the shots is the issue I would say. We push the ball wide almost every time we attack. Although we do have a few players who can't really kick the ball hard in midfield.

Not true at all, he’s shown good technique, awareness and ability to turn his man if he gets decent ball. Not sure that makes playmaker, but it makes a very unusual and potentially good attacker.

I don’t think Isak was always going like. The chat was more about he would stay if we made CL. The player himself seems to have wanted a new contract at one point.

I’d be tempted to have: LW: Barnes/Wissa CF: Nick/new signing RW: Gordon/Elanga At this point. Getting Woltemade to work is going to take time and he needs plenty of minutes with narrow wide forwards playing off him.

Is that different? Unless teams are planning to let us have great chances?

We've missed a fair few good chances as well mind, which is nothing to do with opposition finding us really easy to play against.

We’re in a very weird position at the moment and also so many mitigating factors recently. We have potential to beat anyone but at the same time teams like Villa look so much slicker and more confident than us and have a lot more technical quality (especially in midfield and attack). I feel like ultimately it’s a transition period and a temporary downturn rather than any kind of terminal decline. And we’re luckily that the league is probably going to remain wide open until the end. Nothing we should be changing manager over for me, not until we see how summer and next season goes at least. I am a bit miffed sometimes though, archanlay.

It’s his squad but he did have to rebuild the entire club from the Ashley era under PSR restrictions and also deal with Isak fucking us over.

Totally agree, it would be good for the team and he could do it quite easily IMO. No idea why he’s so against it, England spot is the only thing I can think of.

Going to the byline and crossing with his weaker foot is never going to be consistent TBH. The reason he wants to play LW is to cut inside.

No awkward questions were asked here either

We need to brace ourselves and take a breath, could be a really brutal few weeks coming up.

Not sure there’ll be any bad feelings with Ramsey. They probably didn’t want to sell him and he probably didn’t want to leave. It was just PSR.

It’ll be up and down right until the end. I don’t really expect us to go on much more of a run because our fixtures are too hard. But I don’t expect anyone else to either. We’ll be in the mix, who knows how it will end up.

I feel like the PL is conspiring to help us at the moment. Massive incentive to win tomorrow and go 4th.

FYP

Who's Peter Clennell? Sounds like a Viz character.

Don't think he's that good at corners though, so unnecessary for Arsenal.