- Where do we normally get to after three games
- Just how many players do Arsenal need in their squad to win the league?
By Sir Hardly Anyone
So with Eddie Nketiah having a medical at Crystal Palace (according to reports and we all know what that means) the deal is perhaps finally done (although I’ve not included it in my totals above) while meanwhile Mikel Merino has arrived from Real Sociedad. So he is now an Arsenal player on a four-year contract with the option of a fifth year. As ever the fee is not being quoted openly by Arsenal but the general value is accepted as £27.4m with add-ons taking it up to £31.6m.
Merino is a holding midfielder sometimes known as a number 8. So that means we have spent an estimated £96m and brought in, through sales, about £40.7m. The list of incoming players of course includes David Raya who was on loan last season, , Tommy Setford the young English goalkeeper, and a second keeper, Lucas Nygaard who is signing terms on his 18th birthday
Against this on the way out is Emile Smith Rowe who was responsible for the bulk of the sales fee, at least until Eddie goes – if he does. Mika Biereth has gone to Sturm Graz for £4m, Brooke Norton-Cuffy to Genoa for £1.7m, Charlie Patiño in whom I had great hopes has gone for £1m to Deportivo La Coruña, and then out on loan we have Fábio Vieira, Charles Sagoe, and Karl Hein. As I say, we await news on Eddie.
Mohamed Elneny who was released, has ended up with to Al-Jazira and Cédric Soares has been released and the reports I have seen is now “without a club”. The very upwardly mobile Wrexham have made quite a fuss about getting the keeper Arthur Okonkwo. Amario Cozier-Duberry has gone to Brighton, and although that was on a free,
There are others let go who I have not seen during their time at Arsenal as youngsters, but as ever the list is a reminder to young players just how tough the whole game is. Being a junior player at Arsenal must be an amazing experience, but when one is released with no other club picking you up, it must be a hell of a letdown.
Edu’s comment about the latest capture was particularly interesting I thought when he said, “This has been another great team effort from many people at the club to finalise the transfer of a player who attracted interest from a number of clubs over the summer. Mikel was a key target for us this summer, and we identified him as a player who can fit perfectly into our squad and profile to improve us, as we aim to build on our strong performances of last season.”
Contrast that with the daily spouting from the newspapers as Arsenal are seen to be flitting from one player to another – often a centre forward.
So far the most profitable team is Manchester City who, having brought in seven and let go seven, have managed a profit of around £70m. Wolverhampton have also made a profit (at least provisionally, that might change) which they need to do, and Palace could be getting Eddie, because thus far they too have been profitable in the window.
The biggest loss this window so far is by Brighton (-£163m) so they must be pretty secure about their FFP standing, and just behind them Chelsea – which is surprising given their past spending sprees. They are showing a loss of £98.1m in transfers this summer at a time when questions about their finances are still being asked. Tottenham have thus far made a loss of £66m. (All these figures from the Guardian).
Liverpool’s case is interesting in that they have only signed Giorgi Mamardashvili who in fact won’t be joining until next year, but have made £52m on sales this summer. That again looks to me like a transfer window affected by sustainability worries.
Eddie to Palace will probably bring in £30m reducing Arsenal’s loss to £25m which is probably ok under sustainability rules, and unless something pops up suddenly and unexpectedly, I suspect that move will be the end of the window for Arsenal.
As I have seen elsewhere, and I suspect a few of our regulars would of noted, over the last couple of seasons we have not only been bringing in talent, but also bringing in height. Whether this is just a coincidence or not who knows, but from what I have read we now have the tallest ‘squad’ since the invincibles.
I thought this was worth looking into, but I decided to focus on the comings and goings of what could arguably be described as the first team squad rather than the entire squad. Pretty much the normal starting 11 plus bench.
I have not included goalkeepers. I have not included loans. I have included a couple of players in the leaving column that I feel height would of been irrelevant as they would of been released no matter what for a variety of reasons. I’ll leave you to judge who they may be.
As you will see the outs outnumber the ins, but that isn’t the point. It’s the height issue I am highlighting.
OUT
Elneny = 5′ 8″
ESR = 5′ 9”
Soares = 5′ 6”
Nketiah = 5′ 7”
Xhaka = 6′ 1”
Pepe = 6′ 0”
AMN = 5′ 8”
INS
Merino = 6′ 1”
Calafiori = 6′ 2”
Rice = 6′ 2”
Havertz = 6′ 3”
Timber =5′ 8”
Seems to be a deliberate strategy to me, after all, as they say, a good big’n will always beat a good little’n.
As I say, it might just be coincidence though?
Sorry, meant to say just the last 2 seasons.
and we got money this year from Hutchinson and Mcguiness
Nitram,
I noted the same in a comment on the post “Where Do We Normally Get To After Three Games”.
What I noticed is the team is taller and more physical but hasn’t lost any technical ability. That’s a pretty nifty trick to pull off. It won’t be fun to try pinballing your way through Rice, Merino, Saliba and Gabriel. That kind of tough spine has been missing for a long time. Up front, Havertz has sharp elbows and certainly doesn’t shy away from contact.
Another exciting season ahead, I hope with honours. To me it’s the EPL. Everything else just wears on the team. Fall out of the domestic cups early but compete in the UCL for the revenue and prestige. Teams recruit top players with the chance of UCL competition. But when the national teams come calling, especially for useless ‘friendlies’, just tell them sorry ‘he’s picked up a knock, maybe next time”. I’d burn the candle at both ends for the League title. As Tony Atwood noted recently, MC and AFC used the fewest number of players last season and finished 1, 2. If you have the best players, play them as much as possible.
I know it’s all easy to say as a fan, lol. COYG!!!!
Arsenal will play Bolton Wanderers in the third round of the Carabao Cup at the Emirates Stadium.