On the break. Going all in!
Here we are, the first international break of the season, coming hot on the heels of our first defeat. No better time to digest the summer window results, is it?
Hincapie added to the chamber
Piero Hincapie, the left-back/left-sided centre-back, has arrived from Leverkusen. This is the type of the player Arteta loves the most to purchase. I'd put good money on Hincapie being brought in as an overlapping left-back to complement Eze, rather than as a straightforward back-up for Gabriel. At least, that's how it'll play out in the normal run of things. I reckon Gabriel's rotation option will more often be Calafiori, assuming he stays fit, while Hincapie will be bombing up and down that left flank.
Generally speaking, the majority of the wing-backs purchased in the Arteta era have played a significant portion, if not the majority, of their careers as centre-backs. There's a certain logic to it, really. The physicality of the Premier League is far more suited to players who've anchored the heart of the defence in other leagues, and the ability to halt a dribbler is also, generally, a more common centre-back trait. So, what the club was clearly after was the physical capacity to sprint up and down the pitch, and the young Ecuadorian certainly possesses that. It’s an interesting decision, especially since Bayer had an actual left wing back, Grimaldo, who scored free kicks, produced assists and dribbled past players. But it’s not the creativity that our manager primarily seeks in defenders and the tall Hincapie is no exception.
This probably means Myles's playing time will be significantly curtailed this season. He'll likely only be paired with a touchline winger, such as Martinelli or Madueke, and frankly, none of that sounds particularly thrilling or like a mainstream option. Our midfield, where Myles could potentially feature, is also absolutely stacked with Zubimendi, Rice, Norgaard, Merino, Havertz, and even Eze all vying for those two central spots. So, I'm pretty certain he won't be getting minutes in midfield this season. Aside from Cup games, we might only see Myles unleashed against dangerous wingers who need to be tightly shackled. And that away fixture against Newcastle, coming up in September, is one of the first candidates. I suppose it's not a disaster if Myles doesn't play as regularly, as long as he still clocks up 1500-2000 competitive minutes over the season.
The transfer has also added the promise of an extra £50 million next summer to the £300 million already splurged this year. And that can only mean one of two things: either we're putting all our eggs in this season's basket and fully expect to be selling our first-team stallions (think Saliba, Gabriel, Saka, Odegaard) next summer. Or, the Super League is indeed on its way, bringing with it a sprinkling fountain of cash to fill the pockets of top Premier League club owners. Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Spurs have all spent an absolute fortune, which has seen the total cost of transfers across the entire Premier League surge by almost 40% compared to last season.
Miserable sales results
As widely anticipated since mid-August, Arsenal unfortunately failed to secure any reasonable fees for players who are clearly not part of the manager's plans.
The list, surprisingly topped by a certain Nuno Tavares (who, indeed?), looks frankly embarrassing for a new sporting director. While he certainly got plenty of business done on the buying front, his performance in terms of sales merits a firm 1 out of 5 for the window.
The only player on that list who could have commanded a significant sum was Jakub Kiwior. The Polish centre-back who contributed to a win against Real Madrid, now is off on loan with a laughably low £17 million fee promised for next year. The rest on the list were never going to fetch decent money, given their wages and the clear signal from the club that they wouldn't be playing. And still, we couldn't raise even modest transfer fees.
The senior players who actually featured last season – Jesus, Trossard, and Martinelli – are, by all accounts, staying put for another campaign. Regarding Martinelli and Trossard, I genuinely can't see a compelling reason to keep both at the club. We've already got four players who've played in that left-wing position this season, so one (or both) of those two aren't going to get significant game time. I know the fans (and apparently the club) were keen to overcompensate for last season's injury troubles and were delighted to go into the season overstocked. But, unfortunately, it's not as simple as just having players on the books.
A player who hasn't played competitive football for two months isn't going to suddenly be a saviour when called upon. They'll lose match sharpness, motivation, and that vital connection with their teammates. Only the most senior pros, who knew in advance they were signed as a stopgap (think Jorginho, for example, or perhaps even Norgaard), might be able to perform well under such circumstances. But those who were starters before? I'm highly skeptical. We all witnessed Martinelli's disastrous performance against Liverpool, and that was before he was truly banished to the furthest corner of the bench. He'd only missed one game and was already completely off the pace, seemingly because he understood his time was coming to a close. What happens if he's sat on the bench for a month? And he will be, because even five substitutions aren't enough for rotation. Five subs are primarily used to address injuries, cramps, yellow cards, and tactical tweaks; they're rarely used simply to "give someone game time", unless we're talking about a 15-year-old teenager with an unimaginable ceiling.
I'd much rather see either Trossard or Martinelli depart. I was genuinely astonished by the "pay rise" news in August, as it effectively signaled that he was never going to be sold. So, any potential Martinelli suitors immediately knew they wouldn't need to pay a decent sum for him, as he's clearly surplus to requirements at Arsenal. I don't know about you, but personally, I'm a bit tired of seeing both Trossard and Martinelli in our shirt. At the general level of our squad, they're average players, and the summer break hasn't changed that. I'm weary of seeing the same average patterns: Martinelli, who's lost faith in himself and connection with his teammates, and Trossard, who, when he starts, simply isn't quick enough to pose a threat from that wing. I'd rather see an Eze or a Madueke, because at least I can dream of their potential and the damage they could inflict on our opponents.
There are conflicting reports circulating about Trossard moving to Besiktas, with some suggesting Arsenal aren't planning to part ways with him. I believe this sale would be for the best; we'd have one less candidate for a bench-warming spot, which could then be given to talents like Dowman and Nwaneri. Furthermore, Martinelli's morale would surely be lifted, as he could at least imagine getting Trossard's minutes..
Post Anfield discourse
The chat around the Arsenal community this week has revolved around shifting from the sheer frustration of our Liverpool loss to a more nuanced view: a decent game plan undermined by a moment of magic – that free kick could’ve easily flown into the stands, couldn’t it? And fair enough, that's a valid take. The real problem is that we’re all putting this game into the context of last season, when, in truth, both managers simply stuck to their familiar patterns. In particular:
Arne Slot:
Boldly started an attacking midfielder at right-back.
In the first half, he looked a bit short of ideas, then, recognising Martinelli's lack of attacking threat on his flank, he pushed his full-backs, particularly Szoboszlai, higher up the pitch. (Just check the touch maps below)
He brought on two attacking players when Liverpool were on the front foot and really pushing for a winner.
Arteta:
He started three defensive-minded midfielders, despite having the likes of Eze, Odegaard, and Nwaneri warming the bench.
He failed to react when Slot expectedly pushed Liverpool's players higher in the second half.
He didn't sub Martinelli at the break to deliver that decisive blow, seemingly happy with his defensive contributions.
He brought on attacking players when Liverpool were pushing and the game state called for discipline, not creativity.
Was happy with securing a goalless draw, rather than risking to go for a win.
It’s all a bit too familiar, isn’t it? One manager inspires attacking football, the other prioritises defensive solidity. One pushes his lads forward, the other’s known to shout "get back!". If we're to win the big trophies, then Arteta needs to change some of his problematic patterns from the last season, which mainly were:
Predictable attacking patterns with a slow build-up that allowed opponents to get back into their defensive shape.
A large number of first-team injuries, driven by a lack of rotation.
A reluctance to trust a wider pool of players in competitive games.
So, what have we seen so far?
Arsenal have indeed splashed the cash on several quick, direct players, but there's no real cohesion yet. And, crucially, the master of unpredictability was left on the bench for a whole 70 minutes, while preference in two creative positions went to players who can mark their opponents and track them back efficiently. Who cares about creating chances anyway?
On the injury front, it's also looking a bit grim. All the events of last season pointed to Arteta's intense training sessions in addition to a pretty packed schedule. Most of Arsenal's injuries cropped up between late December and early February – a period where 21 games were squeezed into 11 weeks. We're now three weeks into the new season, and we’ve already got three first-team injuries. All of these lads were carrying knocks at the end of last season. Were they rushed back too soon and are we now paying the price for it?
"Saliba twisted his ankle during the warm-up, and he came in and he said he believed that he could carry on and play but he strayed away in the first two actions."
This exact scenario played out in April, and 12 minutes later Gabriel limped off, missing all the big Champions League clashes. How long is our manager going to prioritise a player’s word over a physio’s recommendation? How long will he keep rolling the dice on long-term injuries? I’m seeing absolutely no improvement in this area so far.
Where I do see a wind of change is in the trust shown to young players: Mosquera made his debut against Liverpool, Nwaneri was brought on in the first half against Leeds, and Dowman’s had a run in the last two games. That’s certainly an improvement on last season. But it’s simply not enough. Arteta needs to tackle those other two issues head-on. If our best players keep getting injured, if we don't prioritise attacking variety, if we don't become more direct at times and less predictable, we simply won’t win major titles.
And winning a major title this season is absolutely crucial for this team. Three second-place finishes in a row with no silverware is nothing short of stagnation. Arsenal will either break this cycle by winning, or send a clear signal to everyone, and most importantly, to the players, that this project is over. Our best players, who have proven themselves over multiple years, like Saliba, Saka, and Gabriel, will start looking for glory elsewhere. And believe me, there’d be no shortage of suitors, just like with Harry Kane a couple of years back. On the one hand, we’ve added so much depth that we can handle losing players much better. On the other, the fewer exceptional players we have in our squad, the lower our chances of coming out on top in the most important and difficult games of the season.
It’s truly a do-or-die season for Arteta. If he can’t lead us to a major trophy after we’ve kept all our key players and splashed out on four expensive new signings with qualities we previously lacked, then when can he?
Next stop Nottingham Forest
Our next game is at home against Nottingham Forest and I am lucky enough to visit it in person. Forest has problems of their own, conflict of the head coach with the owner, latest home defeat of 0-3 to a pretty unimpressive West Ham.
Last year the home game was luckily resolved by the end of first half, not without the individual piece of brilliance from Bukayo Saka, who will likely be watching from the stands this time.
What I'm desperate to see from Arsenal early Saturday afternoon:
From the first whistle, I want to see Eze making his bow at home, soaking in that crowd's roar, and linking up with Gyokeres with some smart passes.
A debut for Hincapie, in whatever capacity, to truly showcase what an overlapping full-back can bring to this team.
Give Nwaneri a decent chunk of time – at least 15 minutes – regardless of how the game's unfolding.
Madueke needs to convert his dazzling individual dribbling into a goal or an assist.
Zubimendi should put his famous pitch vision on full display.
I'm not bothered about Chris Wood – Mosquera and Gabriel will handle him without breaking a sweat. But those sneaky wingers, that's where the potential pitfalls lie. I reckon we're well-equipped to deal with them. The real question is: are we finally armed with all the needed tools to unpick our first deep block of the season?