Very little chance that would have prevented any injuries from happening, or that any realistic names discussed during this period would have a notable lifting effect on the attacking output this season
Sure, when more than we have is your goal, that’s a seemingly easy low bar to clear. But the club has to deal with the players and their desired roles as well, and Arteta’s thoughts on each player. Highly unlikely Rashford entertains a move without assurances about playing time, no-go for AFC.
Tbh I don’t see how anyone who was on the market makes a material change in the title odds, save of course for the doomsday scenario we’re in when it goes from 0% to 1% or whatever, and even Rashford would have like a month of starts from here, tops
Improvement on what we have right now, sure. That wasn't the framework under which the players were considered, though, on neither Arsenal nor the players' side. Kolo was given the Juventus starting striker job, Arsenal couldn't beat that. Asensio was promised a key role @ Villa playing 10.
Maybe we wouldn’t have beaten Juventus to KM given they were offering him a more important role off the bat, but to not even try is baffling to me. Obviously the real error was leaving ourselves short in the summer window (and wasting those domestic loan spots) but they had to do something in Jan
We don't know that they didn't even try. Remember that agents and SDs are always calling and checking in with each other. Very likely/possible that a check-in occurred and it was clear Kolo wanted big role, Arsenal said no can do, it was over. Summer is a longer story but understandable imo.
In some unlucky cases like jesus and timber last yeah you really can't, but in the case of Saka and Havertz everyone saw it coming and Arsenal did nothing about it. Saka has been overplayed for seasons it was bound to happen. Havertz only rested when he was ill...
Arsenal waited to see where the glass will break and didn't get a 2nd glass, no real replaces for Havertz and Nwaneri really got a chance after Sakas injury, club didn't make a serious effort to preserve them
So your theory is that Arsenal, who employ sports scientists and physios with tracking data and actual exams, were knowingly clearing Saka and Havertz to play fully knowing that injuries were coming, all while reporting that to recruitment, and no one did anything? Oh, and fans could see it as well.
I don't think they were expecting injuries and they just let them, i just think they overestimated how much they can endure. Everyone saw Saka limping off the pitch like 2 seasons now and havertz looked exhausted in his last match vs Newcastle,both were never given a proper break
Love Adam’s work. But club knew we had only 4 attackers in Jan,right?-one being STERLING😂They KNEW attack was under powered in APRIL 2024&they did NOTHING. Data&stats have an important role to play,but it often ignores/cant capture context&the ‘football’. Club threw this season,&this team,in the bin
no they didn't, somehow you've fit a couple of different inaccuracies here in only 300 characters. you should read the excerpt about Liverpool and their summer in particular in the actual article, could be informative
I don’t care about Liverpool’s summer. They were pissed off as well,but have been smiled on by Lady Luck in a way no team maybe ever has been in PL. ALL opponents destroyed by injuries. And club DID admit it after Bayern. Doesnt have to be a letter headed statement for it to be an admittance mate
What the club was looking for was the ability to add another dimension to the attack, not to add more attackers. There's a distinction there. It's important to understand that distinction, as well as to understand what the summer market was like. By any means necessary is unreasonable.
Sterling happened because they were offered someone they knew, ton of valuable experience, at next to no cost. If they were after numbers they wouldn't have sat on Nico all summer.
Im not saying it isn’t ‘hard’. I know it’s hard,but sometimes the job is hard&maybe in lieu of PERFECT you gotta find another way. Im curious why they weren’t so picky when splashing on a sick note LB& a 6-7/10, 28yr old plodding MFer who is also a BIT of a sick note. It’s a paradox.
Your 28 year old plodding MFer, known as one of La Liga's best for a half-decade before signing, broke his shoulder after he joined the club and has missed TWO PL squads since. In five months. And don't act like Calafiori wasn't on absolutely everyone's radar at the outset of the summer. This is BS.
There's completely rational explanations to why it was the correct decision to not go for anyone in winter. Would you be saying the same if Havertz didn't get injured and we got stuck with another Sterling but with worse wages?
Leaders rise&fall on results,not rationales. They made choice&they were extremely wrong. They took a wild gamble with our/existing squad’s season. They failed,it’s ok to say it. Big concern for me is the collateral damage. If I was Saliba/Big Gab/Saka,I wouldnt be signing, their careers are short.
Yes, they failed because of injuries. Something they gave no control over. Was it risky? Of course. But tell me Liverpool wouldn't be in the same situation if the loose Trent and Salah for a large number of games.
But he did&it was widely predicted. Club said we needed additions in APRIL. So club had TWO windows to do something. Worth noting,club were fine having EVEN less attacking options as Sterling was a literal 11th hr fluke. So ‘plan’ was to WEAKEN an attack that the club said wasnt good enough🤷♂️
Finances didn't allow for a player that would take us to the next level.
Sterling was a low risk with Chelsea basically begging for someone to take him, and the opportunity to make money from ESR and Nelson is worth it in the long run for PSR.
The plan is only bad in hindsight because of injuries.
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Sterling was a low risk with Chelsea basically begging for someone to take him, and the opportunity to make money from ESR and Nelson is worth it in the long run for PSR.
The plan is only bad in hindsight because of injuries.