Player Watch Player Watch: Micky van de Ven

[BehindEnemyLines]

Just not true though is it? We did none of that. They at least are going for prem proven targets who arteta has identified to play in a certain way. They’re doing exactly what we should have done under poch but levy failed him.

They might be signing PL players, but I'd say it's not them that have got arsenal where they are - Saliba, Partey, Viera, Odegaard, Martineli, and Tomiyasu have probably had the biggest recent impact on their form imo, and none of them are from the PL.
*forgot Zinchenko and Jesus, so my point is a little diluted perhaps, but does also show the extent of their player turnover

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

We have also bought Kulusevski and Porro this window dont forget, so you can add another 70 million.

haha oh yea and we also bought them the last 2 windows as well

 

[HildoSpur]

haha oh yea and we also bought them the last 2 windows as well

Yes, as I said - ball dropped.

 

[spursgirls]

We have also bought Kulusevski and Porro this window dont forget, so you can add another 70 million.

Yeah but we're paying for them over several seasons.

 

[hughy]

Yeah but we're paying for them over several seasons.

I think he's owned his mistake in fairness.

 

[spursgirls]

I think he's owned his mistake in fairness.

Fair enough! Too many posts to read them all!

 

[Majick]

2002-3 Played 41.

05/06 it was 40 - knocked out of both cups in the first round + no Europe.

 

[Frozen_Waffles]

This mindset is exactly why the quality of the squad is deteriorating year by year

It's not deteriorating is it though?

I am far happier with our current squad than with Jose's team.

Unless you think Winks and Sissoko were better than Bentancur and Bissouma?

Doherty and Aurier better than Emerson and Porro?

Moura and Bergwijn better than Richarlison and Kulusevski?

I think people underestimate sometimes how painful, the painful rebuild has been and continues to be.

The reality is after signing so many players we are still 3 CBs off. But we currently have 3/4 left backs on our books and 5 cbs. Only 2 of those players are guaranteed to stay. That's a possible 7 outs in just two positions. Which is crazy.

I do agree we should go all out in the CB department, but after Skrinrar, Torres, Bastoni, Bremer and even whispers of Gvardiol I'm not holding my breath.

Anyway let's get a CB in soon, and preferably an experienced one, but to say are squad has deteriorated is just incorrect imo.

 

[TheChosenOne]

05/06 it was 40 - knocked out of both cups in the first round + no Europe.

Thanks a mill !

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

I think the realistic challenge to signing multiple "top" CBs in one window is opportunity.

Why would two CBs want to come in, knowing they would have to compete with each other, for the life of their contracts, for playing time?

It's one thing to bring in a Konate when you have VVD and Matip - you can tell Konate that he will be the CB of the future and rotate in now. Its another to bring in two at the same time - where both represent the present and the future.

 

[Timberwolf]

It's not deteriorating is it though?

I am far happier with our current squad than with Jose's team.

Unless you think Winks and Sissoko were better than Bentancur and Bissouma?

Doherty and Aurier better than Emerson and Porro?

Moura and Bergwijn better than Richarlison and Kulusevski?

I think people underestimate sometimes how painful, the painful rebuild has been and continues to be.

The reality is after signing so many players we are still 3 CBs off. But we currently have 3/4 left backs on our books and 5 cbs. Only 2 of those players are guaranteed to stay. That's a possible 7 outs in just two positions. Which is crazy.

I do agree we should go all out in the CB department, but after Skrinrar, Torres, Bastoni, Bremer and even whispers of Gvardiol I'm not holding my breath.

Anyway let's get a CB in soon, and preferably an experienced one, but to say are squad has deteriorated is just incorrect imo.

Agreed. The deterioration of the squad took place from about 2017-2020 when Walker, Dembele, Rose, Wanyama, Eriksen, Toby, Lloris and Verts all moved on/got old and we didn't adequately replace any of them. Maybe if we'd got a more progressive coach than Jose who could've made better use of Lo Celso, Bergwijn, Ndombele & co things would be different, but as things were our recruitment and squad planning over that 3-4 year period was absolutely abysmal.

In the past 3 seasons we've actually strengthened in every area of the pitch, especially in depth, albeit in a slightly weird, unfocussed way. Now we've got Maddison and Vicario, LCB is pretty much the only massive weak-spot left and if we sign a proper quality CB to play alongside Romero, this is the best the squad has looked since about 2017/18 I think (although obviously if/when Kane goes that changes everything...)

 

[IfiHadTheWings]

I really dropped the ball on this post didn't I

Hildo Bairstow

 

[mil1lion]

I agree with everyone. We should sort out the whole squad, ins and outs, in one window. Forget all this rubbish about a rebuild taking a few windows to sort out. We should be signing 10 CBS in now and offloading 457 players by next week.

The rebuild is already well under way and has been progressing the last 2 years. We're already at the end of the few windows.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

@mil1lion regarding your last post in the ITK thread I think you're spot on that a new GK and CB will make a big difference to our defence as well a total change of style of play because we are going to play a lot closer together and with a lot more posession so that alone will give the opponents less chances to score as they'll have less of the ball.

I hope our defensive upgrades however are better than just e.g. Tapsoba or VDV and Lenglet. I'd like to hope we added Tosin to that also for example but it depends on who Ange thinks he can 'coach-up'.

Sounds like from prev ITK that Sanchez has had some interest and mabye time is up.

Dier is 28 and lacks pace, not sure how much more 'coaching up' can be done on our Eric, Tanganga intrigues me under big Ange as he's similar profile as CCV who Ange liked at Celtic however I think CCV was a bit better with the ball than Japhet tbh.

We shall see how the puzzle plays out.

 

[SandroClegane]

Massively disappointing if we only sign one top class centre back however I won’t be surprised. It’s a typical Levy policy to leave us one or two short every window.

It's July 6th.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

It's July 6th.

Thanks being a new parent with a baby I’m so sleep deprived I can barely remember my name so the date is always good to know, what day and year it is would also be helpful

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

Massively disappointing if we only sign one top class centre back however I won’t be surprised. It’s a typical Levy policy to leave us one or two short every window.

Trix said if we only sign one of these 2 it’s not financial more where players fit into the puzzle so let’s calm down for now as right now we are acting like we have a plan and all ITK is positive on this and Ange breath of fresh air in this regard and how decisive he is etc.

Im with you I’d like us to sign 2x top CB’s but one before our tour would be a good start and we see how the rest plays out.

 

[PaulThurston]

It's July 6th.

Until it's July 7th

 

[Neon_Knight_]

It’s also been suggested that VDV has been quite capable as an LB for Wolfsburg and we could see him as a backup option there as well, which would open up a lot more potential minutes. Not sure if that’s realistic or pure wishful thinking.

We've already got a new LB (Udogie), plus still have Davies, Sessegnon & Reguilon (+ Perisic, but he's really not a LB) on the books. I have no idea how VDV compares to any of them at LB, but he'd need to be at least second choice there (presumably behind Udogie) to get a meaningful amount of minutes there.
We're unlikely to shift everyone apart from Udogie and it's very possible that Ange will rate one of them enough (perhaps more than VDV!) as our back-up LB.

 

[mil1lion]

@mil1lion regarding your last post in the ITK thread I think you're spot on that a new GK and CB will make a big difference to our defence as well a total change of style of play because we are going to play a lot closer together and with a lot more posession so that alone will give the opponents less chances to score as they'll have less of the ball.

I hope our defensive upgrades however are better than just e.g. Tapsoba or VDV and Lenglet. I'd like to hope we added Tosin to that also for example but it depends on who Ange thinks he can 'coach-up'.

Sounds like from prev ITK that Sanchez has had some interest and mabye time is up.

Dier is 28 and lacks pace, not sure how much more 'coaching up' can be done on our Eric, Tanganga intrigues me under big Ange as he's similar profile as CCV who Ange liked at Celtic however I think CCV was a bit better with the ball than Japhet tbh.

We shall see how the puzzle plays out.

I think we need to sort first choice first and see how things go in pre season. We need to identify who to keep but also see which defenders we get a suitable offer for. Anyone outside of Romero can be sold if a bid comes in. See where we are later in the window and determine our 2nd CB signing. It's tricky because a lot can depend on who plays which side and who we get an offer for. Also the homegrown factor to consider, Tanganga and I think Rodon could be options for that. My concern with Tanganga is his injury record so I think at best we get say Tapsoba who can also play RCB and use him as 3rd choice RCB (Romero 1st and Tapsoba 2nd). If we keep Rodon then also depends who the first centre back is as we might need a RCB if say we got VdV. Ideally I'd take 2 young centre backs to be our Sanchez and Foyth with a top level partner for Romero to be our Toby and Jan. There's a few moving parts though so hopefully we get the first choice sorted soon and allow flexibility for the 2nd (maybe even 3rd late if we sell enough).