By Tony Attwood
We are of course still waiting for a transfer announcement. Tavares, has made his loan permanent, Jorginho returns to Brazil from whence he came, Tierney is going back to Celtic, Neto has gone back to Bournemouth and Sterling has returned to Chelsea.
So the team we are left with is
Raya (backup Hein) in goal is all sorted. Tommy Setford, who is 19 is seen as the third choice and so probably on the bench for league cup matches.
At right back it is White with Tomiyasu, and then there is Timber who played match after match last season and he is only 24. He will become an increasing challenge to White, as well as able to slot into other positions if there are more injuries or even the slightest hint of a loss of form.
In the centre of defence, we have Saliba on the right and either Kiwor or Gabriel Mag playing left centre, and Calafiori, Zinchenko and Lewis-Sklly on the left. That makes the centre-back position look to be the one that is vulnerable and while the whole world expects a centre forward, I’d rather see an extra body for right centre-back. Especially as Saliba is in his final year of the contract, and there is no talk of him re-signing.
Incidentally, Zinchenko and Lewis-Skelly only have one year each on their contracts. While I can’t imagine Lewis-Skelly wants to move on, you never know. Thomas Partey also has only a few days left on his contract and we are all waiting to see if he signs. The media suggest talks are on-going and a positive deal will be arranged. Albert Sambi Lokonga is in the last year of his contract and there is talk of him going..
The centre of midfield has Rice and Merino patrolling, and no one is going to replace Rice (three years left on the contract) except for league cup games, FA Cup matches against League Two sides, and Champions League games against the champions on Andorra (although come to think of it, perhaps not). Added to which, Merino did show his worth as the injuries mounted, so I’d certainly hope he stays. But Merino could be sold because of his performances last season showing his flexibility – and he is 28.
So then we have got the three patrolling the advanced midfield behind the centre forward. We’ve got Saka, Odegaard and Martinelli. Reiss Nelson might fancy a move, but Trossard having played 37 games last season will expect the same again. Ethan Nwaneri has only a year to go on his contract, and I’d expect a new contract. Talks are said to be “on-going”.
But then there is Fabio Vieira who played 26 games for Porto last season and scored four. Not that great a number of goals but then if we note that between 2019 and 2023 he played 25 times for the Portugal under 21s and scored 14, there is clearly something there.
However for the three behind the centre forward Martinelli, Odegaard and Saka, with Trossard and Reiss Nelson in reserve apart from the aforementioned Nwenari and Vieira.
I really do hope Martinelli stays (there have been rumours to the contrary) not just because of his own talent, but because of the way he forces defences to watch his side of the pitch, leaving Saka the chance to drift into space for when the ball comes across.
Up front that leaves Havertz who has three years to run on his contract, and will by the start of the season hopefully be fighting fit, and Gabriel Jesus, who I suspect won’t be fit for quite a while. Now all the talk of course is of buying someone to replace Havertz as the first choice, forgetting that for the two seasons before the last (when all the injuries came) Arsenal were knocking in goals for fun. Well, for my fun at least.
It was 88 goals and 91 goals in those two seasons before the injuries struck last time around, and to achieve that total again would give us a real chance of the title. And I would add that Havertz has only just turned 25 so there is every chance of his numbers improving next season, as long as there are no more injuiries.
So there we are; a very quick review. Given that there is time for new names to appear, it all looks promising. But if I were at Arsenal I think I’d be investing in new magic injury-recovery equipment rather than more players, for having discovered how to get draws out of Arsenal by kicking the team to bits without referees minding too much, I doubt that that behaviour by the opposition will suddenly stop.
