Despite the disappointments, Arsenal’s age and experience profile for 23/24 is EXCITING

Building an exciting squad profile

As a community, we are undoubtedly all feeling wounded, raw and a tad sorry for ourselves right now, which is completely understandable. However, in the despondency it is not so hard to find reasons for huge positivity.

It has been a wonderful season and we can all trot out the obvious response to recent decline in form, and apparent limp handing of the initiative to the champions – ‘None of us ever expected more than a fight for the Champion’s League places.’ Whilst our season up until a few weeks ago might have had us all believing we could actually win it; the previous statement does hold true. Nobody, not Arteta, the players, the media or us as a fanbase believed in August that Arsenal would be challenging come May. Well, we have, and we still are. It is 15 years by my reckoning that Arsenal were still fighting for the Premier League in the last month.

Obviously, we all secretly or perhaps not so secretly feel that had we not lost Saliba and Tomiyasu, thing might have been different. That may or not be true, but as I watched my team utterly and completely outplayed and out thought by Man City last night, the phrase that continually came to mind for me was, MEN AGAINST BOYS!

It reminded me of watching most teams against Wenger’s Arsenal between 2001 and 2004. Arsene had pulled together a team that had experience but also incredible athleticism and physicality. Players like Gilberto, Vieira, Henry, Bergkamp, Parlour, and Campbell simply were not out muscled or out fought, whilst simultaneously of course were technically superb. That was the overriding impression watching Man City at their best. Even their shorter players such as Gundogan and Silva are so strong on the ball and in the tackle. I suspect this strength experience and know how, is why they started along with the effervescent Grealish, and Mahrez and Foden did not.

This got me thinking about know-how, by which I think I mean Premier League savvy and experience and it is here I find my positivity and extreme optimism. Because experience in the case of Arsenal now does not need to mean older players. In the past few years Arteta clung on to Aubameyang and latterly Lacazette because along with Xhaka, Elneny and Partey they were his only remaining old heads. Because of the early blooding of an exceptional group of young players, combined with astute age profiles purchases, Arteta already has an experienced squad, despite being the league’s youngest in profile. Next season, I believe that situation will only improve and not just because of lessons learned by coaching staff and players during this campaign,

In the same way that most Arsenal supporters could name the strongest ‘Invincibles’ 11, even though they only players together in 2 of the 38 unbeaten matches, we can easily all identify, Arteta’s starting 11 this season. Within that 11, it is Xhaka and Partey who are the senior statesmen, and both have justified their manager’s faith and excelled in the new 4123 formation. Both, therefore, will probably be in the squad next season but it my belief that neither will be regular Premier League starters.

Not the future perhaps

Xhaka, will be 31 in September and Partey, 30 in June, which is far from past it in a footballing sense, but let’s not forget that Arsene Wenger only offered 1-year extensions to players who had reached that landmark for a reason. It is also enlightening that whilst a contract extension for the long serving Swiss skipper has been mentioned, not once have I heard or read that Arsenal are seeking to offer a new deal to Partey, who has 2 years remaining. These 2 fine players are not the future for this youthful yet experienced beyond their years squad.

So, I thought it might be interested to look into a crystal ball, which is not that tricky when Arsenal’s 2 main midfield targets seem to be identified and well known. The exercise is extremely useful though because it allows us to consider the average age and also Premier League experience and savvy of next season’s potential go-to 11.

Not only does that starting Premier League team excite me but so does their profile. We could easily be starting the 23/24 season with a balanced and dynamic team, which has goals galore in it, but not only has an average of over 3.5 years of experience in this unforgiving league but incredibly with an average aged of below 24.

Lower age profile but still PL proven

Add to that of course the experience to be blended when required across 4 competitions of Xhaka, Partey and Jorghino, although I anticipate at least one if these will depart. We also have the versatility of Tomiyasu, which has been sadly missed to return, and I expect the arrival of a Rob Holding upgrade.

I hope this quick vision next season will give us all hope and something positive to cling to. Arsenal’s immediate future is undoubtedly exciting given the combination of experience, youth and talent. Particularly as Saliba, Martinelli, Odegaard, White and Saka, whilst already among the finest in this league have so much more to give and so much time to improve further in red and white. And, whilst the squad and financial clout of City is scary, the aged profile is not. We do not know whether City will be penalised or when, but we do know that Walker, De Bruyne, Gundogan and Mahrez are all the wrong side of 30.

The additions of Rice and Caicedo will also offer more pace and athleticism than Xhaka and Jorghino, which affords Arteta more flexibility in his selection/structure in the centre of the pitch. For example, an easy switch from double 8s to a double pivot, but that’s for another piece ………

Dave Seager

Passionate fifty-something Arsenal supporter who has been making the journey to N5 regularly since the early 1980s – although his first game was in 1976. Always passionate when talking about The Arsenal, Dave decided to send a guest blog to Gunnersphere in the summer of 2011 and has not stopped writing about the Gunners since.

He set up his own site – 1 Nil Down 2 One Up – in February 2012, which he moved on in 2016 to concentrate on freelance writing and building Gunners Town, which he launched with Paul in 2014.

The objective of GT was to be new and fresh and to give a platform for likeminded passionate Arsenal fans wishing to write about their team. Dave still of course, writes for the site himself and advises the ever-changing writing crew.