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Blissful Friday, everybody. With the US tour executed for the summer season and the season quick approaching, there’s nonetheless loads of work for Edu to do earlier than the switch window closes. Mikel Arteta is greater than conscious of that too.
“We’ve 30 gamers right here which is unsustainable,” he mentioned after yesterday’s win over Barcelona. So 30 is unsustainable and we all know Arteta would ideally have 22 outfield gamers, at the least that’s what he advised us again in April 2022.
“If you happen to can afford it — and we don’t must do the turnaround within the squad that we’ve needed to do — for those who ask me what I need, it’s 22 outfield gamers and three goalkeepers.”
Together with the gamers not taken on the tour — the likes of Cedric Soares, Nuno Tavares, Sambi Lokonga, Nicolas Pepe — that’s a hell of loads of work for Edu to get by. So what would a 22-outfielders Arsenal squad appear to be for the brand new season and who does that go away behind? Let’s begin with the certainties from again to entrance.
Defenders: Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jurrien Timber, Jakub Kiwior.
The primary selection again 4 from final season and the signings from the final two home windows. Let’s add Takehiro Tomiyasu as properly and that’s seven gamers.
Midfielders: Declan Rice, Thomas Partey, Jorginho, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Emile Smith Rowe.
Subsequent up can be Fabio Vieira to take it to seven, and with Mohamed Elneny can be an eighth participant. Trying on the quantity choices in defensive midfield in comparison with additional forward, Elneny is admittedly unlikely to play in any respect however I feel he’s more likely to stick round. However with 4 potential holding midfielders after which simply 4 gamers for the 2 extra superior positions, I nonetheless wouldn’t in any respect be stunned to see Rice play a extra box-to-box function at instances.
Forwards: Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, Reiss Nelson.
After which let’s assume we maintain one in every of Eddie Nketiah and Folarin Balogun.
That leaves us with … 21 gamers to date. And loads of senior gamers omitted. I feel we’re so over-indexed in defence, and there doesn’t appear to be that a lot curiosity in gamers there (Tierney apart — however not on the value we would like for him) that we in all probability find yourself retaining one in every of Tierney and Rob Holding to take the squad to 22.
Which nonetheless means exits for: Tierney/Holding, Auston Trusty, Cedric Soares, Nuno Tavares, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Nicolas Pepe, Marquinhos, Nketiah/Balogun.
Plus potential loans for the likes of Amario Cozier-Duberry and the work that can go into figuring out the futures of youthful gamers who’ve had loans already, like Charlie Patino and Brooke Norton-Cuffy. I hope Edu has a couple of telephone on the go as a result of he’s going to be a busy, busy man as soon as he’s again in London.
Possibly we get sufficient executed to make one other signing — promoting each Nketiah and Balogun, for instance, or chasing up among the curiosity that has been proven in Thomas Partey, although that now appears much less possible. However for now the main target needs to be on slicing this squad all the way down to dimension.
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On a really completely different observe, it was such a disappointment to see Jordan Henderson full a transfer to Saudi Arabia. He has executed and mentioned some unbelievable issues throughout his time as Liverpool captain and an England participant, he has genuinely been a mannequin ally for the LGBTQ+ neighborhood and a stellar instance of how footballers can take a optimistic, public stance on a desperately vital concern and supply gentle for individuals who might have it most.
Hello Joe nice to listen to you loved the sport as it is best to. Nobody must be afraid to go and assist their membership or nation as a result of soccer is for everybody it doesn’t matter what. Thanks in your assist, take pleasure in the remainder of the Euros. 💪🏻🏳️🌈 https://t.co/xHqXgDj1h7
— Jordan Henderson (@JHenderson) June 30, 2021
In 2019, speaking in regards to the unbelievable work of Stonewall and the Rainbow Laces marketing campaign, he mentioned this:
“I’m a father or mother, a husband, a son and a brother and the concept that anybody I like and care about wouldn’t really feel secure or comfy coming to observe me play in the event that they had been a part of the LGBT neighborhood makes me surprise what world we dwell in.”
Henderson has now signed for a membership the place, as a father or mother, a husband, a son and a brother, anybody he loves and cares about can’t comfortably go to observe him if they’re a part of the LGBTQ+ neighborhood.
That is completely different to, say, Idrissa Gana Gueye refusing to put on rainbow colored numbers whereas taking part in for Paris Saint-Germain (we don’t must get into unpacking simply how difficult that’s) as a result of Henderson has made extremely clear that he not solely holds a optimistic stance on LGBTQ+ points however that was repeatedly prepared to take that stance loudly, in public.
In a video asserting of his signing, Al-Ettifaq turned the rainbow armband worn by Henderson at instances as Liverpool captain black and white. A slideshow of pictures of Henderson with the armband, the place gamers so typically adorn these rainbow colors, and solely the armband in black and white.
The message is obvious: with sufficient cash, allyship could be purchased. The assist could be distinguished. That’s now the legacy he has to dwell with and it’s bitterly disappointing. I sympathise with the Liverpool followers his views have resonated with previously as a result of I might be so indignant and so gutted if this was one in every of our gamers.
I’ll go away it there for as we speak ✊🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
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For one thing else to learn this morning, try Tim’s superb account of his time on the tour and the way particular it’s that all of us have this membership connecting us regardless of the place on the earth we’re.
And in your ears: the Andrews have recorded an arsecast the morning after the win over Barcelona, you could find that under and in all the same old locations.
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