alexf

Willock is completely unreliable now. Can't stay fit and even when he does he's not contributing anymore. Joelinton has had a serious injury on each of the last 2 seasons and also has has had suspensions due to yellow card accumulation. Add in the potential for considerable additional games and the impact fatigue has on performance levels. I believe not having adequate cover in midfield will be our biggest down fall this season (striker uncertainty not withstanding)

Starting 11 isn't the problem unfortunately. It's what's underneath. Midfield is the biggest drop off when we pick up injuries. Wingers and full backs are well stocked. CB needs one more (like Guehi as you added) which means we have Botman burn or schar to rotate with Lascelles and krafth as emergency cover. Striker would need Wissa and Sesko to be sufficient cover. ----------------------- So we need 2 midfielders (1 close to first team + maybe 1 younger development player) Then 2 strikers of any combination: Isak + Wissa/Sesko or Wissa + Sesko. And atleast one CB.

I know it's meaningless as it's only preseason. But I think he looks in good form going into the season. Even that Celtic game, he was the only one really coming out with any credit and he had some really good moments and set some great through balls that should have resulted in better. Hopefully we don't need to run him into the ground like all the other seasons so far. But not looking good considering the tragic lack of depth in cm at this current moment. Glad he got abit of that fire out against Romero also. Can get away with that in preseason.

Annoyingly we should also have had a season in the conference if it wasn't for Man City going out on the piss all week before the fa cup final.

I am still deeply sad that it looks like Isak will be leaving. I called it back in December that Liverpool would have boat loads of cash and I could see them rather than Arsenal trying for Isak come the summer. I told myself if we didn't get CL he would definitely leave this summer but once we scrapped in I was confident we had one more year atleast of seeing one of, if not possibly the best striker I have seen in our colours. However to be the best he needed the longevity and it looks like that won't happen so he falls back into a lower position now for me. I just wasn't mentally prepared for him going this sunner, it feels far too soon, especially after the cup final and to the team we beat. Even then I could maybe accept it better if the price was monumental and would help us overhaul the squad and push on higher. But it isn't, it's a bargain in today's market in my eyes and it doesn't give us the funds we need and also has contributed to a shit show of a summer where we currently are massively short in multiple areas of the squad. Also thought wrongly that he would have more respect for us and leave in a more professional manner and not sour our memories of him.

The other issue, if we did go on a late splash with the Isak money if it comes in, is even if we get all the positions and depth we wanted covered, they would have had no bedding in time and there will be very little time on the training ground this year for Howe as he stated last time we were in CL. Which is partly why he was pushing us to try and do business early. Relying on new players to play on instincts alone and with very little patterns and relationships with others developed. Fuck Isak and Liverpool man, they really didn't help our situation this summer. However there are other factors that contributed to this chaotic window.

Don't do it to yourself. It's looking like he's gone unfortunately.

Would be happy with that. Provided Isak isn't a total cunt and refuses to play or put any effort in.

Not excited at all annoyingly. Anyone we get is a step down from Isak but we have the added caveat that we are desperate and will over pay because of it, and the player probably isn't that bothered about joining. It's the evitable backwards step that's most frustrating. Didn't have to be. Should have been able to counter losing Isak with a major squad overall to counter balance the loss. But the club have fucked that up aswell this summer unfortunately.

Midfield has risen above CB for me this summer. The last friendly proved it. Bruno went down with a nasty fall which could do easily have been a serious injury. That would have meant Miley starts with Tonali and Joelinton. Would also mean zero backup apart from academy kids. Willock is currently injured for 4-6 weeks and is regularly injured. Joelinton is a walking yellow card and last few seasons has had a few serious injuries that kept him out a a few months. Not to mention losing Brunos creativity if that happened. We need two midfielders minimum to add to the two strikers and CB. It's not gonna happen though and the squad is going to be woefully short of depth.

No chance we keep Isak if we get two strikers, maybe even if we only get one.

Yeah Joelinton lacking sharpness clearly.

...but lost the war???

I think simply speaking, his greatest asset was his athleticism and speed and his injuries have taken some of that away and therefore he's no where near as effective or dynamic as he used to be. It's a shame but it happens. We desperately need 1, ideally 2 new midfielders for squad depth this year.

I like the idea of us making a signing. Don't like that it likely means he's replacing Isak. Massive initial downgrade obviously. Would love to believe we can keep both and he spends a year acclimatising before we cash in for Isak next year. But think it would be far to obvious that it would mean Isak leaves immediately after we sign a new striker.

Yeah I'm sure no one is doing so, but I'd hope no one is gloating yet or anything because there's still a massive chance he goes this window. I really hope not however.

Doesn't deserve number 9. That ship has sailed, especially as we would know he's staying one year more max.

If he stays there will definitely start to be a backtrack from media that he is over priced and injury prone and it's insulting that we value him so highly, especially if he starts the season shit as will be expected if he stays now...... all while for the past year they have been the ones hyping him in the press as the best striker in the league currently and how Arsenal must sit him etc. So which is it? He's either top 3 strikers in the league and a unicorn player as they describe him in a era of few star strikers. Or he's over hyped and injury prone. Which is it?

If they value him around £120-130 and we value him £150m (guess work based on media speculation) they are probably hoping that if they start at £110 then we will meet them in the middle. Fuck that.

Undoubtedly. However I think alot of it could be mitigated if they PR spin and he doesn't go public now and go scorched earth to force the move. So far the facts are he had an injury, the club rejected a bid and he allegedly has asked to "explore his options" but that still was not a direct quote. I imagine this has all been done this way on purpose with the possibility he might have to stay. Behind the scenes will be a different matter and will likely be abit icy between him, Howe and the players. Obvious if he goes all in with public quotes and transfer requests now then everything is fucked and he's getting Michael Owen treatment next time he plays.

He was clearly injured. Don't let this summer conflict with reality. Even in the cup final when he was fully motivated to win, you could see him struggling. Do you remember a moment he was through 2nd half and tried to sprint and looked like he was running backwards.

If he does stay then perhaps getting him involved in one of the friendlies to let whoever feels inclined to get their boos out the way and then we can start a fresh when the season starts Although realistically, even if he did stay I know he's gonna be "injured" until atleast 1st September.

Stealing a living these guys "understand..." Yeah you are repeating what's been reported by others and not crediting the original source.

Wouldn't be surprised if there is abit of ego from the other players as well. Like saying "oh you did all this by yourself did you Alex?, you're above the rest of us and we did nothing?"

Isak could sit in the reserves all year and we would still get a bigger offer than that next summer.