‘Undebatably Elite’
End of Season Review (Part 3/3)
HOPES:
Arrivals:
Before we start, Santi Cazorla as an assistant coach.
Would bring so much joy to the fanbase and inspiration for the players. Would encourage others to value improving their weak foot more than anything else.
I’ll start with my personal choices.
If you know how much time I’ve spent thinking about this, you would be embarrassed for me.
When considering what the team needs I try to do what the club will be doing also, which is understand the weaknesses and needs of the team.
Arsenal primarily need more reliable goal-scorers.
Arsenal need players to unlock a low block. Elite passers and/or elite combination players.
Arsenal need magic.
If you consider the energy that our fan base have proven that they can offer, it is vital that we take advantage of that.
If you have a player on the field that gives the fans hope then there will always be energy. You saw it when we were struggling and brought on Dowman. He may be only 16 years of age, but the fans saw a player that could do it by himself. When Arsenal are struggling, it is ordinarily because we are circulating the ball and passing the buck to each other. Nobody really wanting to make the difference and take a risk.
Arsenal need a magician and deserve one.
Because we have non-negotiables and proper accountability at the club I think it is worth taking the risk in bringing in a player that has a history of a lack of work ethic, but is in the highest bracket of ‘magician.’
If it was the other way around it would be pointless. You can teach work ethic, but you cannot teach someone to be an elite magician. You need blessings from above, natural talent.
Not only is Rafael Leao arguably the player with the highest ceiling on the market, but alongside Kvara he is probably the player with the most talent. He is also a half or even 70% cheaper than other players who have a similar level. This would allow Arsenal to go big in more areas. Also, he has the same energy as Ebe Eze. A natural joy for life. Easy to love.
If you can imagine having to play Saka on one side and Leao on the other side, you are looking talent-wise at two equivalents. If you’re trying to coach against that, then you can’t focus solely on Saka, which has hindered him and us both. You don’t want Arsenal to go to the right and now you don’t want Arsenal to go to the left either.
If Emery was our coach, I probably wouldn’t go for him. Arteta improves players. All of them. The only one that hasn’t really improved is the guy that Leao would replace. Mikel could make this young man achieve his full potential, and therefore Arsenal would be huge beneficiaries.
The midfield situation is interesting.
In pre-season I’d try Odegaard deeper as a central midfielder. If you watch clips of him as a right winger at Real Madrid he was a far more adventurous player.
Under Mikel he has become a structural piece. That has had its benefits but it doesn’t exhibit his best. Both he and Rice have been tried higher and neither are goal scorers even if their profile, and especially technical level, would suggest they should be. Rice is better cleaning up which leans into his number one quality.
Odegaard’s best quality has evolved from creator to a press resistant tempo setting central player. That’s a mouthful.
If we try it pre-season and get a rash because he won’t tackle then maybe we move in the market.
Looking at the needs of the team, we need a risk taker who is willing to have a lower pass completion but will frequently unlock defense’s.
When I watch Adam Wharton, this is what I see. The timing is perfect as is the age profile. He will be ambitious and would offer a more natural option to the left of Rice than Rice himself.
I’m with the club on the striker choices. Julian Alvarez and Jr. Kroupi are the upgrades we need.
Alvarez is the reliable finisher that would win us games where all we need is quality.
I’m skeptical that he wants to come as he seemed homesick in Manchester and refused to learn the language. That wouldn’t fly with Mikel. Especially for €150M.
Kroupi would be half the price and is younger and has similar gifts in front of goal. Logically he wouldn’t feel aggrieved to wait for his time on the bench which would fit the spirit we have.
I think Kroupi is a better fit.
There is a slightly cheaper option and the player that could be a one year loan. Endrick seems to have hit his groove on loan at Lyon. I’d be surprised if Arsenal purchased him, but as you know they’ve done the loan thing before.
I love shiny new toys, and so it’s tempting in my mind to sell both Martinelli and Trossard, but I think that Leo has more to give at Arsenal. I also think that the addition of a higher level left-winger would raise his game even further.
It’s so important for us to sometimes take the reputation away and just look at the output of an attacker. If they are consistently providing attacking threat whether that be through threat itself or assists and goals, then perhaps it is foolish to think that you can find somebody better. I’m not saying that he is as good as the other options out there, but he is established and up until January. He has been a consistent threat and consistently available. I won’t be upset if we kept him. I’d say that as a fairly intelligent decision, especially if you are bringing in a player that you do not know if he will be able to produce even Leo‘s level.
There is a player in a situation that would be an upgrade, but difficult to make happen. A player of the same age bracket as Leo with Premier League experience and absolutely of the elite level. Raphinha.
Barcelona do mad things and I know that he was upset last season when he was benched for a while. I believe that Barcelona is his dream club, but if he is going to be second choice and not even a rotational option, then I’m sure he would be tempted by Arsenal.
Who wouldn’t right now?
He would be the closest thing you could find to a ready-made upgrade. A very un–Arsenal thing to do, but with the incoming special talent, Jeremy Monga, it might be smart to get an older player that isn’t going to be around to stop the pathway of a very talented young player.
Another with the right profile is Illiman N’Diaye.
Using the same logic as Rafael Leao, I think the more magic we can bring to the Emirates the quicker we get to an even higher level.
This player was born to dribble, and even though Martinelli and Trossard are good dribblers, I really feel like we need more unpredictability. Trossard uses fakes to create space which is good. Martinelli uses a quick change of pace, but blended with his lack of ability to pick his head up early enough, often doesn’t lead to a goalscoring situation. A natural dribbler has more tricks, is more unpredictable, and therefore gives themselves an extra split second to create or finish.
Another interesting pick could be Kaoru Mitoma. Even though he is 29, like Raphinha, he has also perfected the art of dribbling. Leo had never played for a big club before he came to Arsenal and showed he was worthy. Mitoma is a far better and more direct dribbler and an equal goalscoring threat. His age, injuries are a fair concern though.
Mika Godts at Ajax and the Kvara compared Bosnian, Kerim Alajbegovic are both potential superstars. The argument would be that ordinarily they would go to a club like Brighton first, but then the transfer fee doubles if they prove that they can play at a higher level.
The other need we have is a slightly different profile of technical attacking midfielder. A Santi Cazorla in his prime.
Dani Olmo would be a wonderful addition to the attacking midfield or inside left position. Ready to go player. The kind of player that you could not see failing. Just a bloody good footballer.
This next option is largely unfashionable, but have you ever thought about how a certain player would look if you put them around players that are three times better than the ones they’ve ever played with?
Bilal El Khannouss is the guy.
He showed his glorious feet and balance at Leicester and I believe has recently signed with obligation to Stuttgart for €15 million. I would offer them double that and plop him in a brand new elite environment where his potentially elite foot skills belong.
I think that Andreas Schjelderup is going to the very top. The Benfica and Norwegian international is a highly technical winger/attacking midfielder and could shine at The Emirates.
This would be my squad of 25
REALITY:
I think Arsenal will sign the following players;
Jeremy Monga (Leicester)
Potentially a better version of Jeremy Doku
Morgan Rogers (Villa)
Can play all the way across the front line and is the powerful dribbler that Arteta likes.
He’s a regular XG over performer, who can pick corners in tight spaces and destroy a man to man press.
Emmanuel Mbemba (PSG)
Gabriel replacement in four years. Loaned out to French team like Saliba,
Marco Carnesecchi: (Atalanta)
Expensive back up, but super talented.
Julian Alvarez (A.Madrid)
Changes our quality of finishing.
Sandro Tonali (Newcastle)
Midfielder capable of playing six and eight.
Dani Olmo (Barcelona) OR Ander Barrenetxea: (Real Sociedad) OR Brahim Diaz (Real Madrid).
Left-wing and technical attacking midfielder options.
The most expensive transfer window ever but at the same time I believe that we’re going to make some proper money from sales.
FINAL THOUGHT:
For those in the praying community, I’d appreciate prayers for a new job. I’d love to write full time. Preferably about Arsenal but I need to find a publisher for my kids books I’ve written too.
I’m meeting with Clive Palmer and Adrian Clarke when I get to England and I have what I think is a good idea. It involves Ian Wright and Arsenal Football Club. A long shot, of course.
I’m a small fish in the Arsenal contact community, but I love to dream big and it’s always served me well.
If this idea comes to fruition, then the respect for Arsenal Football Club will rise even higher, and the Arsenal community will be blessed.
If you have a connection at the club, I’d love to hear from you. If my contact with Clive and Adrian doesn’t pan out then I’m considering camping out at the entrance to the training ground and that might be a little too humiliating.
Former Highbury regular. Moved to TN, USA in ’99. Married with 3 kids. Coached in UK and US for 27 years.
Mike McDonald Soccer Academy in Morristown TN, Olympic Development coach, Regional Premier League Champion.
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