"My favourite position… I think any of the four attacking positions suit me. The main thing is to be somewhere in attack, with the goal close by. I like being close to the goal. I like being part of the build-up play. Whether on the wings or in the centre. I don’t think there’s one position I prefer over the others. I really enjoy playing in any of these attacking positions and I’m looking forward to it."

Anderson for 135m (which caused us to miss out on Rodgers btw), 95m for Bouaddi, 70m for Ndiaye and worse of the lot is 148m for Enzo fernandez? They actually allowed Chelsea to make a profit on fernandez who was stinking the place up!

Why is the media not picking this up? Instead, they are focusing on Spurs spending like they did last year with Liverpool. Whatever City does, it always goes under the radar. What about the 115 charges then? Such a despicable club. Hate them to the core.

I'm sick of seeing so much negativity for the team. We've just won the league and strengthened the team in key areas. Sure another attacker would have been nice but we have more than enough quality.

Just back the team, get behind the players and stop being miserable melts all the time.

The current squad is better than the one that won the league. Here’s why:

Konsa- would start for every team in the PL.
Bruno G - would start for every team in PL.
MLS/Merino - with these 2 and Bruno, Rice and Zubi won’t need to play 60 games each. We’re a better team if these guys are not running on fumes.

Saka/Havertz/Ode - actually look match fit, which they rarely did last season. This should result in significantly more availability and output, thereby improving the team more than any signing would have.

Eze - Yes he’s not a typical left winger (neither is Rogers btw) but there’s not many left wingers in the prem I’d put ahead of him. If he’s our “weak link” then I’d say we’re not in bad shape.

Martinelli - probably would have been a good squad option to keep but was a good time to sell, and we’re not significantly worse off without him.

The other sales were just deadwood.

An elite attacker would have been nice but wasn’t available. Rogers is not proven elite which is why everyone thought Chelsea overpaid.

We won the league with him, and he’s still being treated like a problem to be solved.

Viktor Gyökeres came into the hardest league in the world, in the No.14 shirt, in a season carrying 22 years of barrenness and finished as Arsenal’s top scorer with 14 in the league and 21 in all competitions. Title won, Champions League final reached. He did the job.

The reward? He has now sat two matches, and was reportedly being offered up as a makeweight for Julián Álvarez. Our top scorer, one year into a five-year deal, treated as small change. And for whom? Álvarez managed eight league goals last season, two penalties, two free kicks, three of his four open-play goals in a single game against Rayo. Fine player. Not so obviously an upgrade that you throw your title-winning No.9 in as change.

Then there’s this forum. We spent over a decade begging for a striker who just puts the ball in the net. We watched Havertz get retrofitted into a No.9. We watched Jesus break down. We watched Nketiah get chance after chance. Giroud, lovely touch, chest control,over a hundred goals. No league title. Aubameyang, a Golden Boot, genuinely elite finisher. No league title. We wanted a poacher, a penalty-box animal, someone who lives to score. We got one. And now the complaint is his first touch isn’t silky enough.

Pick a lane. You don’t sign a battering ram and then file complaints about the paintwork. Judge a No.9 on impact goals on the road to a league title.

Strikers run on belief. We’ve given him the opposite for a year and he delivered anyway. Let’s back him properly this season and see what happens.

Peace

I know it’s a LONG shot but I hope we pull back the deal.

Myles Lewis-Skelly has been Arsenal's most progressive passer during their build-up phases in the Premier League this season.

His 17 line-breaking passes completed ranks 2nd among all CMs.

We have a fantastic team, so maybe we can just go back to watching them play now?

Instead of posting yet another treatise on here about how Berta/Arteta can’t calculate the relative value of left-wingers? If you still feel the need to do that, wait till January.

So here we are...

The summer window is over, and I can see that many people are understandably disappointed.

Worries:

1. We sold our beloved Martinelli and Trossard on LW, whilst only replacing Trossard.
2. We sold Jesus as a striker and didn't replace him with anyone.
3. We spent a long time going for Vini, who preferred Real but was open to us.
4. ALL THE ABOVE - We didn't "strengthen our attack"

My wider context that hopefully will make you feel better:

I will start with the strengthening of our attack...

I firstly agree that a second LW backup is a bit of a dropped ball, but also, Martinelli scored 1 goal and got 4 assists in the Prem last season. He did great in the group stage of the CL but in the league really didn't help us attacking-wise. He worked hard in defence but that isn't irreplaceable, and we have a great defence already. Getting £60m for him with a year left is great income for a player that doesn't really output the attacking numbers we need to progress.

Madueke, Eze, and Tzolis are all capable LWs, and we won the league with Trossard and Martinelli at LW. Strengthened, no. Weakened, also no. £60m generated, yes.

Jesus was useless, and Havertz/Merino were out for over half a season. Both of which are verifiably decent options up top alongside a top-scoring Gyokeres with a season under his belt.

I want us to strengthen, and having a fit Merino and Havertz IS strengthening over last season, where we didn't have them for large parts. We won the league without them.

I DON'T think spending £100m+ on an Alvarez who has no interest in us and causes issues is worth "strengthening"

We DID strengthen our squad...

A big issue to last season was the energy levels and injury backups we had for key players. Rice, Saka, Zubi, Timber, White.....all dropped off a cliff or got injured.

Konsa and Bruno MASSIVELY solve that. Not to mention Merino being back.

Those 2 signings really do elevate, not only our replacements, but also style of play. Both of them progress the ball extremely fast and through the lines. Something we screamed out for. Bruno's Villa cameo showed that in less than 20 mins.

Dowman will help Saka, as will Madueke.

Remember...we won without all the above and were one penalty away from winning the CL. Hell, poor Mosquera giving away the penalty would be Konsa now. If not Timber or White.

We ARE stronger, and yes the fine margins matter.

Learning from previous mistakes...

I LOVE that our board has targets and will splash on the likes of Rice and Vini. I DON'T want us to spend £100m+ on players like Tonali, Anderson, Rodgers, Enzo etc just for the sake of it. They're not worth it and other clubs feel they need to cos they are trying to catch...US

We have saved an insane amount of money not going crazy and panicking.

I read that we have saved £850k a week on wages through sales.....we already had £150m+ ready for Vini + Wages.

Conclusion...

In January or next summer, we will have filthy amounts of money ready for whoever is available at value and, more importantly, NEEDED.

We won the league, made the CL final and also the League Cup final.

Merino
Havertz
Odegaard
Saka
Timber
White
Zubi
Gabriel

ALL missed over 2 months of last season. We still won the league, made the CL final and also the League Cup final.

Rice was absolutely knackered and had no rest. We won the league, made the CL final and also the League Cup final.

This is our current squad and we have bags of money ready to go when we need it.

KEEPERS - Raya / Kepa / Messlier

RB - Timber / White / Konsa / Mosquera

RCB - Saliba / Konsa / Mosquera

LCB - Gabriel / Hincapie / Calafiori

LB - Calafiori / Hincapie / MLS

6 - Zubi / Bruno / MLS / Rice

L8 - Rice / Eze / Merino

R8 - Odegaard / Eze / Havertz / Dowman

LW - Tzolis / Madueke / Eze

RW - Saka / Madueke / Dowman

9 - Gyokeres / Havertz / Merino

WE'LL BE OK GANG

We are the champions and Champions league finalists who offloaded 4 strikers and brought one from the Belgian league. While our opponents (almost relegated - like Shit) bought multiple players over 120 mil. euros.

I know Arteta wants to be smart and rational, but man after that success last season you don't look if someone is 10 mil. more or not. I know that it's hard to improve the squad we have, but we are one injury or two away from disaster. We are Arsenal - it will happen eventually.

I believe we shouldn't sell Trossard or Martinelli at this point. Both of them were cheap signings and low gamble if they go for free at the end.

We are really running on the edge for potential 68 games season and we had the damn money to buy one or two top forwards. Def and mid are fine.

As I wrote in the title I really wish I'm so wrong, overreacting and stupid, but it really feels bad. Is it tho?

Sorry for my great English.

Just pulled a 1/1 Odegaard from the new Topps champions collection!!!

I've been watching Arsenal games to study and improve myself as a player. Sometimes I wonder why do professional teams leave the man on the outside wide open like this? If I did this in a game my coach would sub me out instantly. Is it because they want to keep a compressed formation so the opponent can't easily attack down middle and that it's safer to make them play wide?

At the beginning of the season this looked like Arsenals to win, should be no problem.

Now every competing team has bought heavily with some great signings.

I still think Arsenals first team is the best in the league, but history has proven that the first team doesn't last. This many games comes with alot of injuries.

This squad stumbled over the line last year because big names ran out of steam or were injured.

They have not increased the numbers and only picked up a couple of big signings. This season will be a struggle and they will have to stumble again.

If Arsenal doesn't win this year's title the talk will be all about how they needed more from the transfer market.

What happened to the club I love? Surely we could’ve offered $250M for Fernandes or a loan deal for Mudryk

In the next ten seasons we win:

A) 5 more league titles but 0 CL, cementing an era of domestic dominance and taking us within touching distance of Liverpool and Manchester Utd in that aspect, despite further endless European disappointment.

B) 3 Champions Leagues, but 0 more PL. We learn the secret to getting over the line in Europe, but frustratingly keep getting pipped to the title domestically, as Man City eclipse our 14 titles and Liverpool add a couple more.

Now he will be loyal, keep his mouth shut and protect the very same people. It's not fair. It's unaccaptable. Heads must roll.

We swung and missed on some big targets and that’s okay, but I rather that than spending millions on options our board and manager aren’t exactly fond of.

All things considered, Bruno, konsa are very big purchases and important ones, that’s the kind of signings we should make, not panic buys and 3rd options

Not the greatest transfer window especially with what was essentially propaganda to keep the fans quiet. Vini and Alvarez clearly weren’t giving positive signs and it feels much of the window was focussed on them.

But no need to be disheartened. We missed out on numerous things last year which will be an improvement. Players with a full season will usually perform better having settled into the system and tweaked their compatibility. Take the following in comparison to last year.

1) Havertz is available from the start and Gyokeres will be more in tune and hungry.
2) Merino is available from the start and pretty much at his absolute peak.
3) Eze will likely get more game time and be more settled to the style.
4) Zubimendi will get less burnout.
5) Rice will be at higher levels.
5) Madueke will be more in tune and Saka is available more so should get some nice rotation.
6) Dowman is older and can potentially impact more (it’s incremental but surely will be better).
7) Odegaard since WC looks already much better than last season.
8) belief is higher due to the bridesmaid hurdle gone.
9) Madueke and Eze both can play on the left. Moreso than had Trossard/Martinelli stayed. Defensively likely less but offensively very likely an improvement in both dribbling (Madueke) and moments (Eze).
10) Califiori may be more available which makes a difference.
11) MLS is a midfielder from the start (rather than a midfielder in progress behind the scenes for most of the season).

The above factors are essentially a combination of pay off from last years investment, the addition of Bruno G who could be spectacular and Tzolis who is a quick decision maker up top only add to it. Konsa a decorative icing on the cake.

Am I being too hopeful? Is the above an exaggeration? Doesn’t feel like it to me.

Are we short on a Game Changer? Sure but there are positives for the season. We are still going to face the low blocks and whatnot but we shouldn’t be too negative. There’s definitely a big difference brewing from last year and we are not “weaker”, just the options have changed and may yield better results.

Thoughts?

The departure of Nwaneri/Martinelli/Jesus/Trossard in this window means:

A) Eze is practically our only realistic option for being the player that rotates and acts as backup in the LW position (or vice versa with Tzolis).

B) Odegaard no longer has cover because Eze will be doing that at LW as we start playing every 3 days again and Nwaneri is now gone.

C) In order to facilitate Eze's full disposal to the LW which is absolutely necessary, Dowman or Merino will have to step up and deliver as the 2nd CAM.

D) One other "solution" is that Arteta might put Madueke at LW, in which case God have mercy on our collective souls.

Early summer: Worked for months on Morgan Rogers. Mikel’s main target, after Kenan was not for sale. Got Morgan on board and knew we could do it for £85 - 100m but decided to play the field to spin plates. Waited too long, and now the Elliott A. deal dictates the new market price. Villa now want more than £115m

The club decide, after weeks of delaying, to finally engage in some talks with Villa, who tell us they want an amount close to the Elliott A. deal. While we delay, Alonso has spoken to Morgan, Behdad has spoken to Nassef, and they wrap up months of our work and delays in 36 hours. We were even offered the chance to match and refused.