Well so much for Patrick Vieira’s Palace team helping us out huh? After a competitive first half in which they had opportunities, Spurs ran out with a 4-0 victory. Obviously we have a nice lead on them in the table, but they at least could have at least gotten Kane to pick up his 5th yellow on the season so he missed the NLD in 10 days time. Was that really so much to ask!?
Anyways, from an Arsenal perspective we have the Oxford match to look forward to on Monday. We’ll focus more on that one as we get closer, but I sincerely hope we can give our typical starting XI some much deserved rest and get minutes into our bench. This is going to be the most packed “second half” of the season the Prem has ever seen, so our depth is going to be that much more important. Speaking of depth, I would be remiss if I didn’t touch on the glaring lack thereof in the attacking department.
It seems Todd Boehly has arrived at Chelsea with a serious point to prove. He clearly has no issue overpaying for players and it seems he’s prepared to do the same thing with our top target – Mykhailo Mudryk. While I desperately want us to make this signing as soon as possible, I think its crucially important that we don’t give in and pay an absurd fee to make it happen. The last thing we need is to gain that reputation and be held ransom for it moving forward. The opposite approach, a measured and calculated one, will serve us much better moving forward. Stan and Josh Kroenke, despite their negative reputation in recent seasons, have shown their willingness to splash the cash and do what it takes to make us competitive. That doesn’t mean we should be frivolous like United and pay 100m for the likes of the ever-spinning Antony.
This brings me to the other major reported target – Joao Felix. It seems clear the preference for both the player and his club, Atletico Madrid, is for him to leave on loan this month. The compensation Atletico are looking for and what clubs seem willing to pay are very out of whack though. The only manner in which I see Arsenal moving for the player is if 1) Atletico come down on their loan fee demands and 2) there is an option to buy at a price Arsenal could see themselves triggering if the loan spell is a success. Without these two elements being in tune, I simply cannot see this being realistic. With that said, the quality of the reporters giving credence to this rumor makes it clear there is something there.
We all know what happened last January, as not adding to the squad likely cost us 4th place and Champions League football. I just hope we don’t get to the end of the season and, again, regret not making the moves to put us over the top in our pursuit of the league title. Realistically, unless something crazy happens, we are going to be playing Champions League football next season. This means we will need quality depth, i.e – not academy kids – so moves we make now will allow for both the title push and further bedding in ahead of a much more demanding campaign in 2023-24. I think we need to add two wingers, a defensive midfielder to compete with Partey and a left sided center back.
In regards to striker, I was initially hesitant about bringing Folarin Balogun back from loan this month. That’s assuming there’s even an option in the loan deal for us to recall him. His time in France with Reims has been hugely successful and will have done him a world of good. With that said, it is inherently clear there is nobody besides Eddie Nketiah who can play up top other than Martinelli who is already starting on the left. That means in the final 20-ish minutes of a match there is no option for fresh legs unless we completely change system into some sort of false 9 concept with ESR. That means another body up top would be immensely helpful so we aren’t dependent on Gabriel Jesus coming back quickly and being thrown right in, which simply is not a good idea on numerous fronts. I also don’t want to see us sign a player that blocks his path nor do I see the point in a loan for a player we cannot keep/develop. That makes Balogun the best option – or “least worst” option – depending on how you look at it. If he was going to come back and not play then that would be a horrendous decision, but he will play – a lot. I think this is one where we need to make a tough decision and pull the trigger should the option in his loan deal exist.
That’s it from an Arsenal perspective today. Let’s see if Chelsea can get some sort of result against City at the Bridge today. Not that I wish anything positive upon them, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be a bit handy to our title challenge. Until tomorrow!
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