Arsenal 2025-26 - Will they bottle it?

oneniltothearsenal

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Signings finally getting rolling. With Noni and Gyokeres looking likely here is how the squad is looking to shape up

Starting XI
David Raya
William Saliba
Gabriel
Jurrien Timber
Myles Lewis-Skelly
Martin Zubimendi
Declan Rice
Martin Ødegaard
Bukayo Saka
Noni Madueke
Viktor Gyökeres

Bench
Kepa Arrizabalaga
Riccardo Calafiori
Ben White
Christian Norgaard
Mikel Merino
Albert Lokonga
Gabriel Jesus
Gabriel Martinelli
Kai Havertz
Fabio Viera
Ethan Nwaneri

On the Way Out
Jakub Kiwior
Leandro Trossard
Reiss Nelson
Zinchenko
 
You expect Madueke to start? Aren't you also about to sign that Valencia CB?

Also, you need to win something now.
 
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Think Arteta will come under massive pressure next season if they have a slump in the winter.

He got a very easy ride last season for the CL run. Domestically they were out of the title race by January. Comfortably defeated by Newcastle in league cup SFs and lost at home to Man. United who were in total crisis at the time in FA Cup.

Intrigued how they play with Gyokeres as my gut instinct is he really isn't the CF Arteta wants upfront. Very strong all over the park though so their target in the league must be 90 points.
 
Wonder what will be their excuses for
Mikel this season.
 
I am hoping with Berta now as DoF things will change.

If we don't win anything this year, Arteta will be gone next year. He any has a contract till 2027 so max till that time.
Everyone know its time to start winning now.
 
The pressure will definitely be on from day one to win something. But this is also easily the best squad Arteta has ever had. To really take the squad to the next level we still need a LW upgrade, like Rodrygo or Eze. Martinelli and Trossard both have nice qualities but the complete package just isn't enough and it leaves us too one sided. But I think any further addition in this spot is dependent on an outgoing - most likely Trossard - so it'll rumble on for a while.

Otherwise, the squad is just clearly improved. Gyokeres for a broken down Jesus is the headliner but I think people will be surprised how much Zubimendi opens up when compared to Partey, who was still a good technician but really lost his legs the last few years. It was very limiting to have two DMs in Partey and Jorginho who couldn't carry the ball in possession and were very easily exploitable in defensive transition and I think it was a big part of the reason the team's buildup became slower and more cautious.

Jesus --> Gyokeres
Partey --> Zubimendi
Sterling -->Madueke
Jorginho --> Norgaard
Tomiyasu --> Mosquera
Neto --> Kepa

Every one of those moves (except the GK) is making the team more athletic and mobile. If we can flip Trossard and bring in an Eze or Rodrygo even more so.
 
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CannonBalls said:
I am hoping with Berta now as DoF things will change.

If we don't win anything this year, Arteta will be gone next year. He any has a contract till 2027 so max till that time.
Everyone know its time to start winning now.
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Will the league cup or fa cup be enough to satisfy Arsenal fans?

The Arsenal fans I know are a bit split. Some are CL or PL or bust. Some are willing to give a bit more leeway if he wins one of the domestic cups, with the obvious caveat that Arsenal still partake in a proper title race.
 
Powderfinger said:
The pressure will definitely be on from day one to win something. But this is also easily the best squad Arteta has ever had. To really take the squad to the next level we still need a LW upgrade, like Rodrygo or Eze. Martinelli and Trossard both have nice qualities but the complete package just isn't enough and it leaves us too one sided. But I think any further addition in this spot is dependent on an outgoing - most likely Trossard - so it'll rumble on for a while.

Otherwise, the squad is just clearly improved. Gyokeres for a broken down Jesus is the headliner but I think people will be surprised how much Zubimendi opens up when compared to Partey, who was still a good technician but really lost his legs the last few years. It was very limiting to have two DMs in Partey and Jorhinho who couldn't carry the ball in possession and were very easily exploitable in defensive transition and I think it was a big part of the reason the team's buildup became slower and more cautious.

Jesus --> Gyokeres
Partey --> Zubimendi
Sterling -->Madueke
Jorginho --> Norgaard
Tomiyasu --> Mosquera
Neto --> Kepa

Every one of those moves (except the GK) is making the team more athletic and mobile. If we can flip Trossard and bring in an Eze or Rodrygo even more so.
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Is Zubimendi really a better player than Partey?

I agree overall, Arsenal have done good business, but it's basically the Gyokeres deal that takes your business from meh to really good. Landing Eze or Rodrygo on top of what you've done so far would be make it an absolute dream window for Arsenal fans.
 
WeePat said:
Will the league cup or fa cup be enough to satisfy Arsenal fans?

The Arsenal fans I know are a bit split. Some are CL or PL or bust. Some are willing to give a bit more leeway if he wins one of the domestic cups, with the obvious caveat that Arsenal still partake in a proper title race.
Click to expand...

IMO, Arteta will leave only on his own terms no matter what happens. Even if he wins nothing next year there is zero chance the club sacks him. The growth in the club's earnings, stature, and valuation under Arteta has been massive. The Kroenkes aren't killing that golden goose.

As far as the fans go, I think people exaggerate the "win or bust" attitude among fans because they overindex the vocal minority on social media. Of course, few fans will be truly satisfied with a domestic cup. But most will just shrug and bemoan the situation. The number of people who would really be calling for Arteta's head if he didn't win PL or CL is actually tiny and largely just idiots looking for clicks, likes, and attention.
 
Powderfinger said:
IMO, Arteta will leave only on his own terms no matter what happens. Even if he wins nothing next year there is zero chance the club sacks him. The growth in the club's earnings, stature, and valuation under Arteta has been massive. The Kroenkes aren't killing that golden goose.

As far as the fans go, I think people exaggerate the "win or bust" attitude among fans because they overindex the vocal minority on social media. Of course, few fans will be truly satisfied with a domestic cup. But most will just shrug and bemoan the situation. The number of people who would really be calling for Arteta's head if he didn't win PL or CL is actually tiny and largely just idiots looking for clicks, likes, and attention.
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Do you not think more people are likely to turn on Arteta if it's a relatively bad season now because of the whole Partey situation?
 
WeePat said:
Is Zubimendi really a better player than Partey?

I agree overall, Arsenal have done good business, but it's basically the Gyokeres deal that takes your business from meh to really good. Landing Eze or Rodrygo on top of what you've done so far would be make it an absolute dream window for Arsenal fans.
Click to expand...

There will always be questions and unknowns about his adaptation to the PL, and I do think sometimes it takes midfielders in particular a while to get used to the speed of the league. There's a legitimate chance that he doesn't adapt well and disappoints. But I think there are a couple good reasons to believe that he will be an upgrade on the Partey of the last couple years.

Partey was a great player when healthy when he first arrived because he combined really good technical qualities with great athletic ones. He had great recovery speed in transition, could shrug off players in duels, and could carry forward when given an opening. Athletically he has declined significantly, so slow in defensive transitions and no longer very capable of bursting forward with the ball at this feet. Zubimendi is actually a pretty good carrier and definitely quicker at this point in his career in defensive transitions.

More broadly, despite other impressive qualities, I don't think Partey was every truly a natural lone 6. He came through as a double pivot midfielder at Atletico, Arteta tried to make him a lone 6 when he arrived, but ultimately our possession game only really came together once we started inverting the LB next to him to form a double pivot. That has worked well in some ways but its limiting in certain respects too. Zubimendi's whole career has been as a lone 6 and I think he has a more natural feel and comfort level for that role in possession which might allow us to do some different things and vary how we play more.
 
sizzling sausages said:
Do you not think more people are likely to turn on Arteta if it's a relatively bad season now because of the whole Partey situation?
Click to expand...

Arguably they should but my cynical guess is no. Some subset of fans will hold that against the club for a long time but most will just move on once the football starts up again.
 
SilentWitness said:
You expect Madueke to start? Aren't you also about to sign that Valencia CB?

Also, you need to win something now.
Click to expand...

I think the club wants to sign Rodrygo or if not, Eze but I only wanted to list the almost done deals.
 
WeePat said:
Is Zubimendi really a better player than Partey?

I agree overall, Arsenal have done good business, but it's basically the Gyokeres deal that takes your business from meh to really good. Landing Eze or Rodrygo on top of what you've done so far would be make it an absolute dream window for Arsenal fans.
Click to expand...

Taking everything into account, Partey's injury record and off the field problems, I'd say yes.
 
oneniltothearsenal said:
Signings finally getting rolling. With Noni and Gyokeres looking likely here is how the squad is looking to shape up

Starting XI
David Raya
William Saliba
Gabriel
Jurrien Timber
Myles Lewis-Skelly
Martin Zubimendi
Declan Rice
Martin Ødegaard
Bukayo Saka
Noni Madueke
Viktor Gyökeres

Bench
Kepa Arrizabalaga
Riccardo Calafiori
Ben White
Christian Norgaard
Mikel Merino
Albert Lokonga
Gabriel Jesus
Gabriel Martinelli
Kai Havertz
Fabio Viera
Ethan Nwaneri

On the Way Out
Jakub Kiwior
Leandro Trossard
Reiss Nelson
Zinchenko
Click to expand...

SilentWitness said:
You expect Madueke to start? Aren't you also about to sign that Valencia CB?

Also, you need to win something now.
Click to expand...
Agreed. Not sure you'd be strengthening your starting eleven at all by playing Madueke on the left over Martinelli.
 
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WeePat said:
Will the league cup or fa cup be enough to satisfy Arsenal fans?

The Arsenal fans I know are a bit split. Some are CL or PL or bust. Some are willing to give a bit more leeway if he wins one of the domestic cups, with the obvious caveat that Arsenal still partake in a proper title race.
Click to expand...
Nope its CL/PL or bust.

If we had won 2+ cups in last 5 years. People would give a bit more leeway.
As it is not just us even Arteta throwed everything out of the box just to focus on CL/PL.

Now anything except CL/PL is too little too late.
 
Powderfinger said:
IMO, Arteta will leave only on his own terms no matter what happens. Even if he wins nothing next year there is zero chance the club sacks him. The growth in the club's earnings, stature, and valuation under Arteta has been massive. The Kroenkes aren't killing that golden goose.

As far as the fans go, I think people exaggerate the "win or bust" attitude among fans because they overindex the vocal minority on social media. Of course, few fans will be truly satisfied with a domestic cup. But most will just shrug and bemoan the situation. The number of people who would really be calling for Arteta's head if he didn't win PL or CL is actually tiny and largely just idiots looking for clicks, likes, and attention.
Click to expand...
Dont think any would call his head. But if we don't win anything next year both Arteta and the Club would walk away in 2027 when his contract expires.
 
The squad is now bloated and I don’t think he needed to sign any of the players bar Gyokeres.

It’s hard to see minutes for a lot of those players now, and many of them were bought for big money.
 
Maluco said:
The squad is now bloated and I don’t think he needed to sign any of the players bar Gyokeres.

It’s hard to see minutes for a lot of those players now, and many of them were bought for big money.
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There are definitely some players on the way out and Zubimendi was absolutely necessary with Partey leaving (finally!).
 
They’re making some worryingly good signings.
 
He has to win the league or champions league this season. Has to be sacked if he doesn’t. You can’t have 7 or so seasons and close to a billion spent and walk away with neither of those. Has a fresh midfielder and the striker that people have been saying has cost them the league because they didn’t have one.

No more excuses for them.
 
Maluco said:
The squad is now bloated and I don’t think he needed to sign any of the players bar Gyokeres.

It’s hard to see minutes for a lot of those players now, and many of them were bought for big money.
Click to expand...

We definently needed all of those players.

Kepa > Neto
Mosquera = Tierney/Zinchenko/Tomiyasu
Norgaard > Jorginho
Zubimendi = Partey
Madueke > Sterling
Gyokeres is the added attacking option that we needed last year when we resorted to playing Merino upfront and Tierney LW, coupled with Jesus being out for a while still.

And finally Eze/Rodrygo would > Trossard if he were to leave and we can afford it.

We have just made like for like upgrades to the squad raising the level of players that have left apart from Partey probably.
 
Let’s not forget they’re hoping to add Fred West and the Marquis de Sade to their ranks to replaces what they’ve lost in Partey.
 
We have to win the PL. And atleast a final in the CL, the striker situation really hampered us but this year I am hoping Gyokeres stays fit. An injury to him and it won't be great.
 
oneniltothearsenal said:
There are definitely some players on the way out and Zubimendi was absolutely necessary with Partey leaving (finally!).
Click to expand...

I guess Zubimendi and Rice makes sense, but where does that leave Merino? There are a lot of questions about a number of players now. I really admire what he did at the start of his tenure at Arsenal. The clear out was great, but I think the recruitment has been a bit random for a few years now. Too many squad players signed for big money.

Nish115 said:
We definently needed all of those players.

Kepa > Neto
Mosquera = Tierney/Zinchenko/Tomiyasu
Norgaard > Jorginho
Zubimendi = Partey
Madueke > Sterling
Gyokeres is the added attacking option that we needed last year when we resorted to playing Merino upfront and Tierney LW, coupled with Jesus being out for a while still.

And finally Eze/Rodrygo would > Trossard if he were to leave and we can afford it.

We have just made like for like upgrades to the squad raising the level of players that have left apart from Partey probably.
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This is where I disagree. If Kepa is ok being a backup; that’s fine I guess. Jorginho was hardly a key player that needed replacing, especially not with another older squad player.

Zubimendi/Partey I guess, but they were also trying to tie Partey down while actively trying to sign Zubimendi.

Again, Sterling barely played, and replacing him for a £50 million signing that is much better on the right, doesn’t make sense.

It feels like Havertz, Vieira, Jesus, Trossard, Merino, Calafiori etc… now don’t have clear roles in the team, that’s a lot of money, and some of it spent very recently.

It’s a scattergun approach, and I think Arteta brings the pressure on himself at times by spending so much money, often needlessly.
 
ArtetasHair said:
We have to win the PL. And atleast a final in the CL, the striker situation really hampered us but this year I am hoping Gyokeres stays fit. An injury to him and it won't be great.
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Mate, we signed Gyokeres, not prime Messi.
 
High floor, low ceiling team. A bit like Pochettino's Spurs.
 
WeePat said:
Will the league cup or fa cup be enough to satisfy Arsenal fans?

The Arsenal fans I know are a bit split. Some are CL or PL or bust. Some are willing to give a bit more leeway if he wins one of the domestic cups, with the obvious caveat that Arsenal still partake in a proper title race.
Click to expand...

Honestly mate, I just can't go into a season saying that the manager has to win the league or Champions League or he must be sacked. I know others might feel that way, but I just don't think Arsenal have ever operated that way where it's been so black & white and clear cut.

It doesn't take into account any context of a season, how things can pan out with injuries etc.

I think if we don't improve results and performances from this season I think both club and manager might think it's coming to a natural end. It also doesn't take into account the level of opposition, say if Liverpool or City have a plus 90 points season.
If we were to get a 91 point season for instance, and Liverpool get a 92 point season, I struggle to insist the manager must be sacked for that.

Of course, it might also depend on how we perform in cup competitions as well. This is why context of the season is important. But again, if it's Champions League or bust, your talking about a competition no Arsenal manager in history has won.
 
GoonerBear said:
Honestly mate, I just can't go into a season saying that the manager has to win the league or Champions League or he must be sacked. I know others might feel that way, but I just don't think Arsenal have ever operated that way where it's been so black & white and clear cut.

It doesn't take into account any context of a season, how things can pan out with injuries etc.

I think if we don't improve results and performances from this season I think both club and manager might think it's coming to a natural end. It also doesn't take into account the level of opposition, say if Liverpool or City have a plus 90 points season.
If we were to get a 91 point season for instance, and Liverpool get a 92 point season, I struggle to insist the manager must be sacked for that.

Of course, it might also depend on how we perform in cup competitions as well. This is why context of the season is important. But again, if it's Champions League or bust, your talking about a competition no Arsenal manager in history has won.
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A sensible reply - I think it's essentially a case of winning or being extremely close/unlucky (which you were the season before last due to Michael Oliver getting the City vs Pool & Arsenal games) and then cups are something to fall back on if you drift off the pace. Looking at Arteta's signings you are going to be going full Stoke FC this season which I can't wait to see.
 
Maluco said:
I guess Zubimendi and Rice makes sense, but where does that leave Merino? There are a lot of questions about a number of players now. I really admire what he did at the start of his tenure at Arsenal. The clear out was great, but I think the recruitment has been a bit random for a few years now. Too many squad players signed for big money.
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I agree Merino was a bit of an odd signing that was likely a backup plan. I see him more as giving depth to backup Rice and Ødegaard and in a pinch at CF, although that was desperation.
 
GoonerBear said:
Thanks....but you need to explain this 1 to me?
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It was partly to Stoke the fire as a joke, but I do think Norgaard, someone like Gyokeres, and the change in how you played last season mean we'll see a gameplan with a lot of focus on set pieces.
 
tomaldinho1 said:
It was partly to Stoke the fire as a joke, but I do think Norgaard, someone like Gyokeres, and the change in how you played last season mean we'll see a gameplan with a lot of focus on set pieces.
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I can’t see Norgaard playing a ton of games unless Zubimendi suddenly becomes injury prone (which is very possible, tbf).

And Gyokeres is pretty useless at set pieces, despite his muscular 6’2” frame.
 
tomaldinho1 said:
It was partly to Stoke the fire as a joke, but I do think Norgaard, someone like Gyokeres, and the change in how you played last season mean we'll see a gameplan with a lot of focus on set pieces.
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I'll take that. ;)

Gyokeres is actually really poor in the air, it's the main weakness in his game. He isn't that great at pinning physical centre backs either, he's more a runner of channels and in behind like a more physical Jamie Vardy than a punt up the park and hold the ball up and play off him type of player, so we might need to adapt the way we play a bit.

Odegaard should have more fun mind you, it will be more similar for him having a runner in behind like he has with the national team.
 
Daydreamer said:
I can’t see Norgaard playing a ton of games unless Zubimendi suddenly becomes injury prone (which is very possible, tbf).

And Gyokeres is pretty useless at set pieces, despite his muscular 6’2” frame.
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The more I hear about him, the more it seems like he's just Hojlund playing in a league he can run past everyone in :confused:

Are you think Zub - Rice and Odegaard will be the three?
 
tomaldinho1 said:
The more I hear about him, the more it seems like he's just Hojlund playing in a league he can run past everyone in :confused:
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I fear you might be right about that. But Merino got 9 G/A in 12 games at CF for us. Which makes me think he’ll probably be alright.

tomaldinho1 said:
Are you think Zub - Rice and Odegaard will be the three?
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Yeah, almost certainly. And if Zubimendi adapts and Odegaard returns to the level he was playing at before, that will be a quality trio.
 
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