The 2021/22 Season didn’t start very promisingly for the Gunners. Struggling to find their stride after the great Arsène Wenger left the club in 2018, Arsenal experienced a sharp drop in stature.
Already missing their once taken for granted place in the Champions League in the 2016/17 & 17/18 seasons, Wenger’s 22 years in charge didn’t end with Arsenal’s best selves. The Gunners are still yet to play another match in the Champions League four years on.
With Unai Emery’s chaotic time in London, the club got through hard times. Staying in the race for a Champions League spot until the last kick of the Spaniard’s first season didn’t look that bad for the Gunners, but the thrashing that bitter city rivals Chelsea gave them in the UEFA Europa League Final was a shaming that club’s fans will not forget for a long time.
The next campaign proved to be much more painful for the club though. Achieving their worst run of results since 1992, the Gunners went seven games without a victory, finishing 8th in the Premier League, eight points adrift from the Champions League spot that they were chasing. On paper it looked very bad; on the pitch, it was even worse.
The infamous Granit Xhaka incident, where the Swiss captain of Arsenal, threw away the armband, removed his shirt in front of the home supporters and told them to go away in less pleasant words after being subbed off, somehow wasn’t the worst thing happening at the club. Mesut Özil, an influential figure around the club, constantly stated his disapproval of Emery on the field, leading to players losing faith in the manager, making the situation only more miserable. Their Europa League group stage loss at home to Eintracht Frankfurt was the last straw for the Gunners, sacking Emery at the end of November 2019 and appointing Fredrik Ljungberg as interim manager.
After three weeks of shaky performances both from players and Ljungberg, Arsenal appointed former captain Mikel Arteta on December 20th, leaving his post at the side of Pep Guardiola to manage Arsenal. This being his first job as the main man in charge, the Spaniard was questioned brutally, and performances didn’t help either.
With an incredible FA Cup run, the Gunners lifted the cup, extending their tally as the competition’s most success team, while beating Manchester City and Chelsea in the process. Another achievement from Arteta’s men came when they played a very weakened side of the previous year’s Premier League champions Liverpool in the Community Shield and emerged victorious via a penalty shoot-out.
Drama being a significant department in the club’s structure though, things weren’t all plain sailing for Arteta in his first season. With Gabriel’s signing at the summer being the only significant move, Arteta struggled to create a stable line-up, while on some days the players appeared to forget how to play football, making for a shaky but acceptable start to the league.
The additions of Thomas Partey and Martin Odegaard in the winter transfer window seemed like a breath of fresh air, but Partey struggled with injuries throughout the second half of the season and youngster Odegaard failed to reach his full potential in this chaos-stricken environment. The club were knocked out of Europe at the hands of Unai Emery’s Villarreal in the semi-final, who went on to win the tournament, while Arsenal finished the Premier League in 8th, six points off a Champions League spot and one point off qualification for Europe’s lesser tournaments, doing little to help Arteta’s job security.
Bringing in Ben White, Aaron Ramsdale, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Nuno Tavares and permanently signing loanee Martin Odegaard in the summer transfer window, spending nearly £135 million, the 2021/22 season started with lots of hope for Arsenal. After zero wins in their opening three matches, including a 2-0 loss to newly-promoted Brentford, another 2-0 loss to bitter city rivals Chelsea and a 5-0 thrashing against City, Arteta’s time at Arsenal looked like it had already come to an end.
Slowly but surely, the Gunners started to perform though, and they now sit sixth in the Premier League after the 23rd match-week. With lots of teams having games in hand (Arsenal having two themselves), it’s hard to say who has the advantage amongst those chasing the fourth and final Champions League ticket of English football, but Arsenal are convincing many recently. With the introduction of youth and no toleration of ill-disciplined behaviour, Arteta seems to be creating a side for the future, able to play football with Arsenal DNA that can go on to win silverware.
The Spaniard dropped the defensive shape of his 3-4-3 in the middle of last season, converting to a more attacking 4-2-3-1 – a shape Arsenal already adopted in possession when previously playing 3-4-3 – and constructed a team that is hard to beat.
Despite the club being in its best shape in five years, they still have a lot of work to do to get into title contention. The number of players capable of playing to top four standards still isn’t enough to form a full squad – essential for a club also chasing European success. It’s obvious that, with the club not having the pulling power it used to, Arsenal have at least one or two transfer windows in front of them, although, with quality additions, merged with the young and hungry team at hand, they could reach the top.
Offering Champions League football is a great help when a club is entering talks with a player – and one they currently lack – so I have tried to offer some options for the positions where the team obviously requires a replacement or back-up on the assumption they manage a top four finish this season.
Centre forward
With the captaincy stripped away from their star player and striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for a disciplinary breach and Alexandre Lacazette not getting back to the level he was once at, the Gunners’ first priority in the transfer market is to bring in a centre forward. As youngster Eddie Nketiah’s performances are not convincing enough for Arteta to hand over the post to him and Folarin Balogun is on loan at Championship side Middlesbrough, Arsenal must act quick in this manner.
Dusan Vlahovic was the most important available candidate for the post, but he was a long shot from the start. With the Serbian likely joining Juventus, here are the qualities Arsenal should look for in a striker, and possible signings:
Having to play high pressing football, this player must be willing to work hard and pressure the centre-backs of the opposition when they have the ball. The statistic I have looked into for this area of play is Pressures in the attacking third per 90 minutes (P90).
When building from the back, the Gunners’ need for a centre forward who can also participate in the build-up and create openings for the other attackers around him, in addition to scoring goals, is obvious. To find a player who check these boxes, I have looked into Touches in the middle third P90.
In the Gunners’ set offence, the missing piece of the puzzle is a pure goalscorer rather than a creator, already having the likes of Emile Smith Rowe, Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka. The forward’s ability to make runs behind the defence in order to get himself into scoring positions is essential too, so I have looked into Non-Penalty Goals P90 out of Non-Penalty Expected Goals to determine the player’s finishing ability of finishing, while also checking the number of Progressive Passes Received P90 to have an understanding of the player’s offensive positioning, whether he positions himself well enough to attract progressive passes.
Alexander Isak
Being named Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s successor is a valid argument for signing any player, but Swedish football’s rising star Alexander Isak is making a name for himself with his performances in La Liga even ignoring the 31 caps with his national team.
Making his breakthrough in 19/20 Season by partnering Odegaard while the Norwegian was a loanee from Real Madrid, the duo’s ability to understand and play with each other was one of the main factors that led Real Sociedad a sixth-place finish in La Liga. Now his attacking partner Odegaard is at Arsenal, their connection may be the Gunners’ way to success.
Isak showed his willingness to work in a high pressing system by averaging 6.7 Pressures in the Attacking third P90 in the 23 appearances that he made for Sociedad this season. His Non-Penalty Goals Scored P90 being in the plus column by 0.06 (nPG : 0.54 , nPxG : 0.48) underlines that the 22 year-old has the skill to make the most out of the chances that he’s given. He also averaged 6.85 Progressive Passes Received and 16.9 Touches in Middle third, showing that he’s capable of making line-breaking runs into both advanced and deep positions too.
Renewing his contract with Real Sociedad this summer, Isak is under contract until the summer of 2026 and has a reported release clause of €90million. Under current circumstances and with the big clubs of Europe eyeing the youngster’s performances, Isak’s signing would require a lot of work for the Gunners, but, if completed, the Swede’s performances are a matter of “when” rather than “if”.
Patrik Schick
A career reborn at Euro 2021. Thanks to his 2021 FIFA Puskas Award finalist goal, that shook Scotland and the world at the same time, Patrik Schick’s name has started to appear more and in the transfer discussions of Europe’s big clubs.
Standing at 1.86 meters tall, his skillset is not limited to those that usually come with such a physique. He’s not the hardest worker on the defensive side, but the Czech’s 4.73 Att third Pressures per game is not the worst either.
When his team have the ball, his main qualities start to come to life. He receives 8.4 Progressive Passes P90 and 16.9 Touches in the middle third, which are also indicators of his ability to play between the lines, while his Non-Penalty Goals of 0.79 P90, being 0.14 better than his Non-Penalty xG, also proves that the word “reliable” is an understatement his finishing skills.
The centre forward signed for Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 202, which means that he’s under contract with the German side for another three and a half years. A move to Arsenal is attractive to the vast majority of the players, but, considering that Leverkusen won’t be the most willing of sellers, Arsenal will most likely have to pay a serious amount to secure the signing of the 26 year-old.
Central midfielder
Thomas Partey starting to gel with the team, building a decent partnership with Granit Xhaka, seems like a positive for the club, but Xhaka’s not-so-impressive stat sheet, concentration problems and considerable red card tally is worrying. The club needs at least another option if not a replacement. Bruno Guimarães of Lyon seemed like the leading candidate for the post but Newcastle United were quicker than the other interested parties to recruit his services.
Granit Xhaka’s role is essential in Arsenal’s build-up. The Swiss fills in for attacking full back Kieran Tierney in order to let him play higher and wider up the pitch, filling in sometimes as a centre-back or full-back to help Arsenal play out, so the new signing has to be able to play from deep and help his team to pass around high pressing opponents. Therefore the stats I looked for were Passes Attempted P90, Progressive Passes P90 and Progressive Carries P90.
In Arteta’s set offence, Xhaka continues to behave as a holding midfielder, responsible for recycling the ball and preventing counter attacks. With little expected from him creatively, he sits deep and generally plays simple sideways passes. A player who is able to fulfil this department of play, but also able to make runs in or around the opposition’s box would be ideal, because Xhaka’s partner Partey, despite his skills, is not as willing to participate in the goal-scoring or chance-creating department. The stats I looked into for this department of the game were Progressive Passes Received P90 and Touches in the Opposition Box P90.
Arteta usually chooses to press in a 4-4-2-ish shape, pushing the attacking midfield player forward to partner the striker, leaving Arsenal with just two players to control the centre of the pitch. With his physical and mental abilities, Partey is well-equipped for this challenge, but the same cannot be said for Xhaka. The Swiss’ athleticism has never been his strongest department, while he has a tendency to get lost in the course of the game and his decision-making in disadvantageous situations is very questionable. The Gunners need a midfielder that is physically capable, athletic and defensively skilled. The stats that I looked for in this department are Ground and Aerial Duels P90, Tackles P90, Interceptions P90, Pressures P90, while also taking a closer look at the areas where these actions happen.
Aaron Ramsey (Juventus)
The 31 year-old Welshman certainly doesn’t need an introduction, especially not to Arsenal fans, so he is the only player that will be on this list of potential signings without any stats included.
Having spent ten seasons at Arsenal, making 263 appearances for the club, a few of them as captain, Ramsey lifted the FA Cup three times and the Community Shield twice during his time at the Emirates. With Emery not offering him a new contract, his departure from the club in 2019 hurt the fans deeply. Now out of favour at Juventus, unable to adjust since his his move, Ramsey is set to leave the Italian giants in the January transfer window.
With his ability to play in both the deeper and advanced areas of the pitch, Aaron Ramsey can more than serve Arteta’s interests. Off the ball, his willingness to work hard and his experience of playing 13 years at the top level can prove beneficial too, especially since Arsenal’s usual starting eleven have an average age of 23.
Aurelien Tchouameni (AS Monaco)
If you are looking for a player who is physically gifted, a tenacious defender and also great with the ball at his feet, you will find that player in France. Standing at 1.87 m tall, the 21 year-old Frenchman has taken Ligue 1 by storm.
His primary strength is the defensive side of the game, averaging 4.05 tackles and winning 2.78 of them, with 3.26 interceptions per 90 minutes in his 26 appearances for Monaco this season. 1.88 of these tackles came in the middle third of the pitch, right where Arsenal need a higher intensity. He also averaged nearly 10 of his 19 pressures per game in that area.
Not intimidated by any physical presence, he averages 13 duels a game with a success rate of 66%, while he also towered over his opponents as an aerial threat, contesting 3.59 aerials per game, winning 70.9% of them. The Frenchmen also completed 12 ball recoveries.
Along with his physical and defensive capabilities, he is also very impressive in possession. Playing as both a deep-lying and box-to-box midfielder, the 21 year-old averaged 61 passes per 90 minutes with a success rate of 86.1%. 5.3 of those passes were progressive, and he also managed 4.76 progressive carries per game. His ability to receive the ball in attack is not quite as impressive as his other abilities, but his numbers of 1.35 progressive passes received and 1.4 touches in the opposition box can only get better since he is only 21 years-old.
As guessed his talents haven’t gone unnoticed, awaking interest from Europe’s bigger clubs. His name was mentioned with Chelsea, three months ago in November, for a €50million move. After, he was linked with both Liverpool and Manchester United too, although not as seriously as with Chelsea. With The Blues also monitoring Declan Rice, if possible Arsenal should go all the way for Tchouameni in the summer, when he will be fielding interest from across the continent.
Ismaël Bennacer (AC Milan)
On Arsenal’s long list of misjudging talent, Ismaël Bennacer must be up there. Seven months after his professional debut, Bennacer was brought to Arsenal at 18 years-old from French Ligue 2 side Athletic Club Arlesien. His two years at Arsenal ended with only 16 appearances in six months on loan at Tours in Ligue 2. Five years later, he’s at Milan, where he was brought from Empoli, helping the Rossoneri to retrieve and maintain their long lost place in the Champions League.
Very reliable both playing out from the back and defending, the Moroccan has an impressing average of 2.98 Tackles, which he won 2.03 (1.42 in the Middle 3rd) of, and 2.23 Interceptions in his 25 appearances, also winning 62.5% of his 13.6 opposition duels. His average of pressuring the opponent 21 times P90 (11.2 in the Middle 3rd) is proof of his willingness to work hard defensively, especially in the desired areas.
Playing the ball to his teammates 67.3 times P90, he found the target 85.2% of the time. He also averaged 5.59 Progressive Passes and 5.3 Progressive Carries. His skills have not yet fully come to life in attack, but his 0.57 Touches In the Opposition Box and 1.23 Progressive Passes Received P90 may be insufficient, while his size means he’s only won an average of 0.85 Aerial Duels from a contested 2.27.
Nevertheless, Arsenal reject Bennacer would need to do some convincing to make a comeback to North London. With AC Milan working hard to remove his reported €50 million release clause, if the Moroccan can be convinced, Bennacer would be a pretty good fit for the role, albeit not perfect.
Maxence Caqueret (Olympique Lyonnais)
Another Lyon academy product, a hard worker, small in size but smart because of it, the 22 year-old midfielder has been playing in Ligue 1 for three seasons now, making 78 appearances for his boyhood club, 27 this year, and was a critical part of the Lyon squad who got to the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2020.
He’s averaging 3.54 Tackles P90 (winning 2.47; 1.84 in the Middle 3rd), 26 pressures (14.47 in the Middle 3rd) 2.07 interceptions and has recovered the ball 9.65 times per game. His disadvantageous size returned meant a low effectiveness in aerial duels, winning just half of his 1.4 per game, but his skills with the ball are more than enough compensation: out of his 58.83 attempted passes, 86.5% of them found the target. He made 6.05 Progressive Passes P90 and received 1.97. He also carried the ball 4.41 times and touched the ball 0.77 in the opposition Box. With 18 months left on his contract, Arsenal should make a move for the Frenchman immediately, because the interest is not going to decrease anytime soon.
Seeing shades of the old Champions League regulars Arsenal in the past few weeks, there is a lot to be hopeful about this side filled with skill, ambition and dynamism. Still, Arsenal have a long way to go, both on and off the pitch. Getting the current group stronger in terms of skilled personnel is a great way to keep that belief alive, when that skill is utilised with the right methods.
If the current picture doesn’t change dramatically for Arsenal, the Gunners will surely start to fire again both in continental and domestic competitions with the help of good recruitment.
You can follow Görkem on Twitter.
If you enjoy these posts, please consider subscribing to our Patreon or making a one-off donation. For just €2.99, you can get access to premium videos and training sessions.
One response
Never take it for granted.