Premier League 2017/18: Build-Up

[Dickie]

I'd take Ben Gibson in our side in a heartbeat.

[Dan+]

Hull have some decent players. They'll get picked apart.

[LFCMadLad]

Sounds like we've already picked up Andrew Robertson from Hull. 

[Honey Honey]

I don't think I'd take anyone. They're all losers and damaged goods as a result. 

[LFCMadLad]

6 minutes ago, Cannabis said:

How uninspiring.

My thoughts exactly. Hopefully it's a cheap buy as back up for our real LB. 

[Dave]

Battle to keep:

Yohan Cabaye

Wilfried Zaha

Andros Townsend

Christian Benteke

 

Keep at the team:

Jeffrey Schlupp

Patrick Van Aanholt

Pape Souare

Scott Dann

James Tomkins 

Martin Kelly

Joel Ward

Luka

James McArthur

Jason Puncheon

Hiram Boateng 

Sulley Kai Kai

 

Offer New Contract on current or less terms:

Wayne Hennessey

Julian Speroni

Damien Delaney

Joe Ledley

 

Allow to leave on transfer pending offers:

Steve Mandanda

Kwesi Appiah

Jordan Mutch

Chung Yong Lee

Jonny Williams

Bakery Sako

Connor Wickham

 

Release:

Zeki Fryers

Matthieu Flamini

Fraser Campbell

[Dave]

Hull have an ambundance of players whose stock would have risen since the attention was off Snodgrass. Clucas, Maguire, Robertson, Grosicki and Jakupovic should all be on radars.

[Lucas]

People mention Adama Traore and not touching him. He's the first one I'd pick tbh. There's plenty that could 'do a job' but surely you want someone who is going to do more than that. Traore is one of those enigma players who should do so much more with his ability currently. But if he gets it right, he could be special also. It's a low risk gamble.

I completely get that he's a hot and cold player. But hey, he's only 21 and he's had a serious leg break in his career early. His time at Villa was a bit of a write off. And Middlesbrough are incredibly dour and defensive minded that he's just not set up to be in that team.

I think his speed is frightening, he's tricky, direct and strong on the ball. He needs to have more end product granted and a better footballing brain but that can come with the right coaching and better development.

There's not much you are going to learn from being at two struggling teams in Villa and then Middlesbrough to be fair.

If a better club came in for him, someone that played decent football and could give him more freedom to flourish, he could be a handy signing, especially as an impact player off the bench.

[HK85]

From Hull; Robertson then Maguire as last resort. 

[Lucas]

I would take Bakery Sako off you for a few quid. We could do with someone like him.

[Dave]

6 hours ago, Lucas said:

I would take Bakery Sako off you for a few quid. We could do with someone like him.

I think injuries have taken there toll on him. He is still a tank but his movement, anticipation, first touch etc isn't as good so he's rarely in a position to unleash one of his powerful shots. Hopefully a move to a Championship can rejuvenate him like it did with Bannan and Guerdioura.

[Happy Blue]

SELL:- Bravo, Hart, Zabaleta, Sagna, Kolarov, Clichy, Mangala, Delph, Nasri, Fernando, Yaya, Navas, Nolito, Bony, 

KEEP:- Cabaellro, Kompany, Otamendi, Stones, Gundogan, Sane, Sterling, De Bruyne, Silva, Fernandinho, Roberts, Jesus, Aguero, Iheanacho

[Chaaay AFC]

Goalkeepers -

Petr Cech - Keep. He has improved a lot towards the end of the season and his experience is great to have.
David Ospina - Sell. Okay, but I'd happily let him go now.
Emi Martinez - Loan to a top league club. Lots of promise, but needs more experience.
Wojciech Szczesny - Keep (If Wenger goes). Been fantastic at Roma, deserves another chance.

Defenders -

Laurent Koscielny - Keep. Brilliant defender.
Shkodran Mustafi - Keep. Had a shaky first season, but a lot of potential there.
Gabriel - Sell. Still not sold on him, think we could do better.
Rob Holding - Keep. He has done very well whenever given the chance.
Calum Chambers - Loan. Think he needs another spell away.
Per Mertesacker - Sell. No idea why we gave him that extra year.
Hector Bellerin - Keep. Think he is brilliant, he was seriously run into the ground this season.
Mathieu Debuchy - Sell. Out of favour.
Carl Jenkinson - Sell. Not good enough. 
Kieran Gibbs - Sell. Time to move on for him for me, deserves more game time elsewhere.
Nacho Monreal - Keep. Unless he want to go back to Spain.

Midfielders -

Francis Coquelin - Sell. Not good enough.
Mohamed Elneny - Sell. Not good enough.
Granit Xhaka - Keep. Similar to Mustafi.
Aaron Ramsey - Keep. There is a top player in there, I think it needs someone else to fully unlock it.
Santi Cazorla - Keep. Signed one year deal, may as well keep him around.
Jack Wilshere - Keep. Unless he wants ridiculous wages on his new contract then sell.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - Either. Happily keep him but wouldn't be devastated if he left.
Mesut Ozil - Keep. If we can.
Alex Iwobi - Loan. Needs more time to develop at a lesser club.

Forwards -

Theo Walcott - Keep. Came back very well this season.
Lucas Perez - Keep. Really like him, totally underused this season. I expect him to go though unfortunately.
Danny Welbeck - Keep. Very useful squad player.
Olivier Giroud - Either. Wouldn't mind keeping him around, but if a decent offer came in I'd happily sell.
Yaya Sanogo - Sell. Please... anyone?
Joel Campbell - Sell. Time to move on for the good of his career.
Alexis Sanchez - Keep. However unlikely that is.

[SirBalon]

GOALKEEPERS

• Petr Čech - Keep - Unless Arsenal can sign a world class keeper of which there aren't many, then he's as good as any and we'd be mad to let him go.
• David Ospina - Keep - How many clubs have a keeper as good as him as a second choice.  Again...  Crazy to let him go unless he's had enough and wants to leave.
• Emiliano Martínez - Keep - Like Spike said in his...  How can I judge whether we keep a third choice keeper or not.

 

DEFENDERS

• Mathieu Debuchy - Keep - I say keep, unless he wants to leave, which if he does then I fully understand.  He's a great backup right-back but I can't see him staying.
• Rob Holding - Keep - He's impressed to be honest and as a bench defender considering his age, then he has to stay.
• Kieran Gibbs - Keep - Again, we're talking about backup players and he's as good as anything anyone else has in the Premier League when considering he's second choice.
• Nacho Monreal - Keep - He's had some stick this season and I don't see why to be honest.  He's dynamic in his natural position and can also play at centre-back if needed which is a massive plus.
• Per Mertesacker - Keep - If he wants to stay and respect he's way down the line in the pecking order at the club.  Turns like a mechanical wind-up tank but has tons of experience which is important.
• Shkodran Mustafi - Keep - Has had some indifferent moments when our form went out of the window, but that's something that occurs to most players when the team are crap.  Top centre-back in my view and knows what to do with the ball at his feet.
• Gabriel - Sell - He's crap!
• Héctor Bellerín - Keep - It's going to be practically impossible to hold onto him but if we do then it will be a massive coup and almost like a top signing.  He's one of the best right-backs in the world in my opinion and look at his age.  He is getting better all the time too...  What a player!
• Laurent Koscielny - Keep - Although he is massively overrated in my opinion.  He is good, but not as good as some make him out to be.  But like with Čech, unless we can sign a world class defender to replace him, then we'd be mad to let him go.  Plus he's been with us for a long time which is important.
• Carl Jenkinson - Sell - What the hell? hahahahahaha...  I'm not even gong to comment on what I think of him as a footballer.

 

MIDFIELDERS

• Aaron Ramsey - Sell - Yeah, I know what people may think but I've had enough of him.  He isn't gong to get any better and I still don't know exactly what he's top quality at.  Just sucking massive wages and he needs replacing.  Doesn't mean I think he's crap though, just not good enough.
• Granit Xhaka - Sell - It ain't going to happen in a million years because he was only signed last season.  But he's crap!  Has a very good long to medium range pass, but he was signed as a holding midfielder, that aggressive middle of the park man we so needed and he's crap at that.  His tackling is Monty Python quality, or it would be if it wasn't so violent to look at at times.  Although he's not a violent player, just stupid.
• Mesut Özil - Sell - One of the most naturally gifted midfielders in the world. But also one of the most lazy sportsmen to have ever turned professional...  Don't give me the Kms he runs, and leave your stats for American sports.  He's bone idle!  He isn't world class either because a world class player can take the team by the scruff of the neck and turn a game.  He's a massive luxury on ridiculous wages.  Sell him and get a top player as there's many.
• Jeff Reine-Adelaide - Sell - Who?
• Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - Sold? - As far as I know he's been sold to Liverpool.  Has been one of our best players in the shit end of our season awn sad to see him go.
• Francis Coquelin - Sell - He's nowhere near the quality needed to compete where Arsenal tend to compete in the most fundamental part of the pitch which is right in the middle.
• Santi Cazorla - Keep - We've missed him massively and I'm only saying keep because of what he provides the side with when he's fit.  But there are question marks on his fitness as he gets older as he's been inflicted with way too many longterm injuries in recent times.  But if fit, we've got nobody better right now.
• Mohamed Elneny - Keep - I actually like him and I think he provides the team with unpredictability when he plays.  He's not a holding midfielder but he is good and as a bench player he's quality in my opinion.

 

FORWARDS

• Alexis Sánchez - Keep - One of the best forwards on the planet.  A world class player because that's exactly what he offers...  Genuine!  Can we hold onto him though?
• Alex Iwobi - Sell - Sell now!  Don't make the same mistakes as have been made with so many others like with Theo Walcott.  You can see the limit on him and it's not enough.  I don't rate him as being anywhere near enough to compete for the Premier League and definitely nowhere near the level for the Champions League.
• Lucas Pérez - Keep - He should replace Olivier Giroud as the bench striker...  He is better than the Frenchman and adds more mobility and technique.  He has been a Wenger victim this season and impressed when played.
• Yaya Sonogo - Sell - hahahahahahahahahaha  hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha  Sanogo hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha...  Please give me a break!
• Olivier Giroud - Sell - Enough is enough!  He is there because he's the main man up front even though he hasn't been this season because Alexis has improvised in that position even though it's not his and the Chilean has been top notch which tells you something.  Giroud is monotone and not the type of striker Arsenal need considering the type of football we play.  The total odd man out in the squad. Very overrated (or at least used to be).
• Danny Welbeck - Keep - If he wants to stay then I'd be very happy for us to keep him.  Very injury prone but if fit and happy on the bench, then he provides many different solutions when coming in off the bench.
• Theo Walcott - Sell - He is one of the eternal "please sell him" players at the club.  Reached his ceiling years ago and is also one of the biggest earners at the club.  Massively overrated forever and to be honest you can't have a player of that quality earning so much...  One of the issues surrounding Arsenal's problems for years where paying mediocrity too much money.

 

ON LOAN

• Jack Wilshere - Sell - Had enough of him and his move to Bournemouth proved what I though about him secretly.  He's a coward and an injury prone one to boot.  I used to be his biggest defender, but no more.  Massive wages and isn't worth a penny of them.
• Joel Campbell - Sell - Has been at the club too long and eternally on loan apart from last season.  He isn't Arsenal quality although there are various things I like about him. Wish him well.
• Calum Chambers - Sell - There was a period early on in his Arsenal career where I saw qualities and was very happy with him.  But he was soon found out.  Don't think he's good enough and never will be.
• Wojciech Szczęsny - Keep - Keep him on loan at AS Roma if possible.  The longer he's there the better he'll become and maybe we can replace Čech with him in the future once he's filtered out the crazy moments from his game.
• Chuba Akpom - Sell - Not good enough.
• Takuma Asano - Sell - Not good enough.

[LFCMadLad]

6 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

GOALKEEPERS

• Petr Čech - Keep - Unless Arsenal can sign a world class keeper of which there aren't many, then he's as good as any and we'd be mad to let him go.
• David Ospina - Keep - How many clubs have a keeper as good as him as a second choice.  Again...  Crazy to let him go unless he's had enough and wants to leave.
• Emiliano Martínez - Keep - Like Spike said in his...  How can I judge whether we keep a third choice keeper or not.

 

DEFENDERS

• Mathieu Debuchy - Keep - I say keep, unless he wants to leave, which if he does then I fully understand.  He's a great backup right-back but I can't see him staying.
• Rob Holding - Keep - He's impressed to be honest and as a bench defender considering his age, then he has to stay.
• Kieran Gibbs - Keep - Again, we're talking about backup players and he's as good as anything anyone else has in the Premier League when considering he's second choice.
• Nacho Monreal - Keep - He's had some stick this season and I don't see why to be honest.  He's dynamic in his natural position and can also play at centre-back if needed which is a massive plus.
• Per Mertesacker - Keep - If he wants to stay and respect he's way down the line in the pecking order at the club.  Turns like a mechanical wind-up tank but has tons of experience which is important.
• Shkodran Mustafi - Keep - Has had some indifferent moments when our form went out of the window, but that's something that occurs to most players when the team are crap.  Top centre-back in my view and knows what to do with the ball at his feet.
• Gabriel - Sell - He's crap!
• Héctor Bellerín - Keep - It's going to be practically impossible to hold onto him but if we do then it will be a massive coup and almost like a top signing.  He's one of the best right-backs in the world in my opinion and look at his age.  He is getting better all the time too...  What a player!
• Laurent Koscielny - Keep - Although he is massively overrated in my opinion.  He is good, but not as good as some make him out to be.  But like with Čech, unless we can sign a world class defender to replace him, then we'd be mad to let him go.  Plus he's been with us for a long time which is important.
• Carl Jenkinson - Sell - What the hell? hahahahahaha...  I'm not even gong to comment on what I think of him as a footballer.

 

MIDFIELDERS

• Aaron Ramsey - Sell - Yeah, I know what people may think but I've had enough of him.  He isn't gong to get any better and I still don't know exactly what he's top quality at.  Just sucking massive wages and he needs replacing.  Doesn't mean I think he's crap though, just not good enough.
• Granit Xhaka - Sell - It ain't going to happen in a million years because he was only signed last season.  But he's crap!  Has a very good long to medium range pass, but he was signed as a holding midfielder, that aggressive middle of the park man we so needed and he's crap at that.  His tackling is Monty Python quality, or it would be if it wasn't so violent to look at at times.  Although he's not a violent player, just stupid.
• Mesut Özil - Sell - One of the most naturally gifted midfielders in the world. But also one of the most lazy sportsmen to have ever turned professional...  Don't give me the Kms he runs, and leave your stats for American sports.  He's bone idle!  He isn't world class either because a world class player can take the team by the scruff of the neck and turn a game.  He's a massive luxury on ridiculous wages.  Sell him and get a top player as there's many.
• Jeff Reine-Adelaide - Sell - Who?
• Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - Sold? - As far as I know he's been sold to Liverpool.  Has been one of our best players in the shit end of our season awn sad to see him go.
• Francis Coquelin - Sell - He's nowhere near the quality needed to compete where Arsenal tend to compete in the most fundamental part of the pitch which is right in the middle.
• Santi Cazorla - Keep - We've missed him massively and I'm only saying keep because of what he provides the side with when he's fit.  But there are question marks on his fitness as he gets older as he's been inflicted with way too many longterm injuries in recent times.  But if fit, we've got nobody better right now.
• Mohamed Elneny - Keep - I actually like him and I think he provides the team with unpredictability when he plays.  He's not a holding midfielder but he is good and as a bench player he's quality in my opinion.

 

FORWARDS

• Alexis Sánchez - Keep - One of the best forwards on the planet.  A world class player because that's exactly what he offers...  Genuine!  Can we hold onto him though?
• Alex Iwobi - Sell - Sell now!  Don't make the same mistakes as have been made with so many others like with Theo Walcott.  You can see the limit on him and it's not enough.  I don't rate him as being anywhere near enough to compete for the Premier League and definitely nowhere near the level for the Champions League.
• Lucas Pérez - Keep - He should replace Olivier Giroud as the bench striker...  He is better than the Frenchman and adds more mobility and technique.  He has been a Wenger victim this season and impressed when played.
• Yaya Sonogo - Sell - hahahahahahahahahaha  hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha  Sanogo hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha...  Please give me a break!
• Olivier Giroud - Sell - Enough is enough!  He is there because he's the main man up front even though he hasn't been this season because Alexis has improvised in that position even though it's not his and the Chilean has been top notch which tells you something.  Giroud is monotone and not the type of striker Arsenal need considering the type of football we play.  The total odd man out in the squad. Very overrated (or at least used to be).
• Danny Welbeck - Keep - If he wants to stay then I'd be very happy for us to keep him.  Very injury prone but if fit and happy on the bench, then he provides many different solutions when coming in off the bench.
• Theo Walcott - Sell - He is one of the eternal "please sell him" players at the club.  Reached his ceiling years ago and is also one of the biggest earners at the club.  Massively overrated forever and to be honest you can't have a player of that quality earning so much...  One of the issues surrounding Arsenal's problems for years where paying mediocrity too much money.

 

ON LOAN

• Jack Wilshere - Sell - Had enough of him and his move to Bournemouth proved what I though about him secretly.  He's a coward and an injury prone one to boot.  I used to be his biggest defender, but no more.  Massive wages and isn't worth a penny of them.
• Joel Campbell - Sell - Has been at the club too long and eternally on loan apart from last season.  He isn't Arsenal quality although there are various things I like about him. Wish him well.
• Calum Chambers - Sell - There was a period early on in his Arsenal career where I saw qualities and was very happy with him.  But he was soon found out.  Don't think he's good enough and never will be.
• Wojciech Szczęsny - Keep - Keep him on loan at AS Roma if possible.  The longer he's there the better he'll become and maybe we can replace Čech with him in the future once he's filtered out the crazy moments from his game.
• Chuba Akpom - Sell - Not good enough.
• Takuma Asano - Sell - Not good enough.

Ox already sold to us? 

I know we are interested and I'd heard discussions have been had but.... Do you know something we don't?

[Stan]

you'd sell 5 midfielders and bring in who? especially since Wenger doesn't exactly flash the cash...

[SirBalon]

27 minutes ago, Stan said:

you'd sell 5 midfielders and bring in who? especially since Wenger doesn't exactly flash the cash...

I know it's impossible and it won't happen!  It's what I feel with our squad member by member.

[Spike]

37 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

 

• Mesut Özil - Sell - One of the most naturally gifted midfielders in the world. But also one of the most lazy sportsmen to have ever turned professional...  Don't give me the Kms he runs, and leave your stats for American sports.  He's bone idle!  He isn't world class either because a world class player can take the team by the scruff of the neck and turn a game.  He's a massive luxury on ridiculous wages.  Sell him and get a top player as there's many.

But my friend, that is one of the most important aspects of his game... The fact he runs so much yet influences so little and remains invisible is far worse than a player that is bone idle. Zlatan doesn't move much but you know he is on the field, he presence is unmistakable. Ozil on the other hand, I often don't even realise he is starting.

[SirBalon]

36 minutes ago, LFCMadLad said:

Ox already sold to us?

The last news I heard was that he was adamant he was leaving and the only stuff that's been offered has been his contacts with Liverpool.  But all the same, that's why I put the "?" in there as it's not for sure and I wouldn't sell him.

[SirBalon]

5 minutes ago, Spike said:

But my friend, that is one of the most important aspects of his game... The fact he runs so much yet influences so little and remains invisible is far worse than a player that is bone idle. Zlatan doesn't move much but you know he is on the field, he presence is unmistakable. Ozil on the other hand, I often don't even realise he is starting.

Indeed...  It's even worse when you're at the ground watching him.  THERE is where you really see what he doesn't do and all those kms totted up jogging around means nothing.  Football at this level requires a lot of a midfielder and one of those things is to sometimes run like an idiot recovering your position or someone else's.

[Spike]

2 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

Indeed...  It's even worse when you're at the ground watching him.  THERE is where you really see what he doesn't do and all those kms totted up jogging around means nothing.  Football at this level requires a lot of a midfielder and one of those things is to sometimes run like an idiot recovering your position or someone else's.

The key difference between Zlatan and Ozil is that one plays to his strengths and the other's weaknesses keep him down. Zlatan knows he isn't quick or that mobile, he knows it isn't his job to win the midfield battle, his job to position himself in a way that opens up the defence, create issues, and most of all score goals. Ozil is frustratingly very atheltic, he is quick, strong for his build, and is in his physical prime. We know he can run 10+km per match, yet he does nothing with it. He doesn't win the ball, he doesn't create space with movement, nor does he press, he receives the ball and releases it, only one half of his duties. Zlatan doesn't move a lot and is immensely more influential than a player that completes a few marathons.

Maybe if Ozil was a striker or a false-nine, we could forgive his flimsy approach but Arsenal cannot carry both a wasteful Frenchman at #9 and an invisible #10.

[Toony]

Defoe to Bournemouth was one of the most predictable transfers of the summer, a very good signing for them too. I reckon Pickford will go to Leicester when Schmeichal goes too.

[Stan]

i would love that. be very happy with that bit of business if we can lure him here. There'll be interest and bids from bigger clubs for sure though. 

[Toony]

Newcastle & Brighton.

I think Huddersfield will go down, there'll be a lot of teams in that battle though and it's probably too early to say for certain.

[True Blue]

Think Newcastle will stay up, not that certain about Brighton and Huddersfield.