The transfer window slammed shut last night, but not before a couple more players jumped through it into the Arsenal family.
So how does our squad look now?
Keepers
Bernd Leno, Emiliano Martinez, Matt Macey
Leno is the undisputed #1, and showed quality last season. However, there are concerns over the back up options and Martinez will have to prove his worth in Europa and cup competitions.
Full Backs
Hector Bellerin, Ainsley Maitland Niles, Calum Chambers
Kieran Tierney, Sead Kolasinac, Nacho Monreal
When Bellerin and Tierney are fit it looks good. Unfortunately that may be mid October. The alternatives have been found wanting in the last year, and Mr Emery may once again prefer to go with a back 3 to accommodate the defensive weaknesses of his options.
Central Defenders
Sokratis, David Luiz, Rob Holding, Shkodran Mustafi, Calum Chambers, Zech Medley, Konstantinos Mavropanos
The first 3 could offer us decent options, but Holding is injured at the moment. Interesting to see if Luiz is thrown straight in and whether it is a 3, as discussed above. Still light of quality, but with Saliba and potentially another coming in 12 months, we have to wait this out.
Midfield
Lucas Torreira, Granit Xhaka, Dani Ceballos, Matteo Guendouzi, Joe Willock, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Mohamed Elneny
A good, if young, choice there. If Ceballos and Willock can live up to the ever growing hype then it certainly looks good. We need Torreira fit and back to his best, while Guendouzi will hopefully push on from his debut season. Still possible Elneny will go before the end of the month.
Attacking Midfielders/Wingers
Nicolas Pepe, Mesut Ozil, Henrik Mkhitaryan, Reiss Nelson, Emile Smith-Rowe, Bukayo Saka, Dani Ceballos
Our big money signing, Pepe, may be eased in, while it remains to be seen how much Emery rates Nelson. As such Ozil and Mkhitaryan may be relied on to create for us in the early weeks.ESR could go on loan before the window shuts across Europe, and Saka may not be ready to be involved regularly.
Strikers
Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette, Gabriel Martinelli
Two top quality strikers, and a complete unknown. With Laca already struggling to be fit for the opener, it remains to be seen if we have taken a big gamble not investing in a more senior back up - although Pepe can do a job up top.
Our squad stats are:
23 Senior Players
6 homegrown
17 non-homegrown (maximum allowed)
Guendouzi, Martinelli, Willock, Nelson, Smith-Rowe, Saka, Medley, Burton, John-Jules are among the Under-21 players we can use along side the 23.
If we can get CL one way or the other, and continue to build next summer, then it is beginning to look good in my opinion.
Will the optimism among Arsenal fans last longer than when the team is announced on Sunday?
Our squad...
posted on 9/8/19
Mavropanos out 6-8 weeks
Tierney out for 4 weeks
Bellerin out til October
Holding in full training.
ESR 2 weeks
Elneny and Pepe unfit.
posted on 9/8/19
We have 3 rights backs at the club. 1 recognised right back who won't be fit until October
Just don't get the logic
posted on 9/8/19
comment by Castor Troy (U8700)
posted 0 seconds ago
We have 3 rights backs at the club. 1 recognised right back who won't be fit until October
Just don't get the logic
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*3 left backs
posted on 9/8/19
comment by Castor Troy (U8700)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by Castor Troy (U8700)
posted 0 seconds ago
We have 3 rights backs at the club. 1 recognised right back who won't be fit until October
Just don't get the logic
----------------------------------------------------------------------
*3 left backs
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The transfer window isn't over yet.
There's still enough time left in the window to ship out a number of players. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised to see either one of Kolasinac or Monreal shipped out.
This is The Arsenal after all. Got to balance those books in the end.
posted on 9/8/19
Would rather keep Kolasinac
posted on 9/8/19
comment by Gillespie Road. (U18361)
posted 8 minutes ago
comment by Castor Troy (U8700)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by Castor Troy (U8700)
posted 0 seconds ago
We have 3 rights backs at the club. 1 recognised right back who won't be fit until October
Just don't get the logic
----------------------------------------------------------------------
*3 left backs
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The transfer window isn't over yet.
There's still enough time left in the window to ship out a number of players. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised to see either one of Kolasinac or Monreal shipped out.
This is The Arsenal after all. Got to balance those books in the end.
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Having brought Tierney in , it natural to have one of the other two shipped out. This is not unique to Arsenal and it is not just about balancing books.
posted on 9/8/19
comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 48 minutes ago
Mavropanos out 6-8 weeks
Tierney out for 4 weeks
Bellerin out til October
Holding in full training.
ESR 2 weeks
Elneny and Pepe unfit.
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Put Mavnopanos down ffs. His injury record is a joke!
posted on 9/8/19
Emery: “We had with Laurent Koscielny the first captain but just five days ago he left. Other players were coming in, we finished our market but it is at the moment open in other countries.
“In the next 20-25 days some players will leave. It’s the reason, I want to close our squad clearly.”
Have to think they're working to get Elneny and Mustafi off the payroll...
posted on 9/8/19
Monreal will be used at CB cover, especially if we play 3 at the back. Can't see him or Kolasinac going.
Elneny, Smith-Rowe and Mustafi most likely departures.
posted on 9/8/19
Sucks big time the best part of the defence won't be ready till October-ish. Even then it ain't exactly fantastic.
Hope Emery has the balls to play the youngsters. Willock certainly deserves to start Sunday.