The Phil Costa segment is interesting.
Here are his sell and buy scenarios.
Assumes 130 is the net rev # and pick up 76 from sales for total of 206.

His comments about Florian Wirrz are interesting too. His signing appears to be a massive contract battle between Real Madrid, B Munich and City

Ive got some issues with his suggested spend.....

Ekitike - Im not sure we've ever been linked. By the historical numbers he is raw. Hard time seeing us going after anyone but Sesko unless he straight up rejects us.
Wharton - I like the kid but (a) Arteta wants Zubimendi and (b) I feel like Palace will want more than 50 to let him go
Garcia - I know we've been linked but where is the value in spending 25m on someone that likely gets 10 matches max? Go get a vet FA and develop the 3-4 u21s we signed in the last year.

What about Zubimendi?

I listened to the podcast and this wasn't so much a hard prediction as much as a fun game of conjecture/possiblities..

They admitted that Zubimendi was coming in over Wharton, and likely Sesko over Etitike. But since those players had already been discussed exhaustively, he threw some other names out so they could discuss some possible new options.

He was being straight forward on his outgoing predictions though.

I've been thinking alot about the "what do we do with Nwaneri discussion" and I think I have a solid option.....

Arteta has tweaked our formation/tactics atleast a little every season since he has been in charge. We've played a 3-4-3, 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3 with traditional FBs, 4-3-3 with 1 inverted FB and now 4-3-3 with kind of hybrid FBs. An idea I had would involve another formation/tactical change. While it may be unlikely that we shift back to a 3-man back line, I think it could be worthwhile to mimic Leverkusen where Xabi Alonso teaches the same types of spacing principals as Arteta but with a different setup.....

------------ Havertz ------------
--- Nwaneri -------- MO -----
MLS - Merino - Rice - Saka
---- Gabi - Saliba - White ---
------------- Raya ---------------

Above is current roster with everyone healthy.

Move to a 3 man back line. All of the defenders that are expected to stay, except MLS are naturally capable CBs and many of them have played in a 3 back setup previously. Gabi, Saliba, White & Cala become your primary rotation. Timber can play on the outside or can be shifted to DM/CM or play as a defensive WB. Tomi (if ever healthy) can play all 3 spots and Kiwior likely still gets sold and is replaced by someone young.

Rice in a double pivot is a much more natural role for him and finding quality players for a double is easier than a single pivot. You can still bring Zubimendi and use he, Rice & Merino as your primary rotation. MLS would be a very strong option for LWB or one of the DM/CM spots. I pulled Saka back to RWB because (a) he is already a strong wide defender and (b) WBs are heavily involved in the offense in this setup with (c) Grimaldo (LWB) being the leader for G+A for Leverkusen last season and both WBs being top 5 both this season and last. Could add Timber to this group as a more defensive option for both sides and would likely need atleast 1 guy added for depth..

For the AMs you have MO & Nwaneri. Could probably play Trossard in that role as well as Havertz if/when a new ST is brought in. Chances are you would need to bring in atleast 1 guy for depth.

The only player that we currently expect to stay that I have a hard time fitting into a role for this formation is Martinelli. While he is decent at tracking back, I don't see him being a legit option at WB. I also don't see him being creative enough for the AM role. Think he would either have to moved to ST or be sold.

Damn. Ended up with PSV which puts us on the tougher side of the bracket

PSV is better than Feyenoord. And no Van Persie reunion. Oh well

wangus12 said:

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Damn. Ended up with PSV which puts us on the tougher side of the bracket

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And Liverpool got PSG...it's almost like its rigged

https://arseblog.live/liveblog/67b9a1fe3b249c0008f449d4

Good looking lineup. I'd put MLS at left fb, but Cala is quite a good player himself.

Crap! Too easy! Nobody marking Bowen! Rice was a spectator!

OneBlitzer said:

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Crap! Too easy! Nobody marking Bowen! Rice was a spectator!

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Way tomeasy

It's long past time for Arteta to abandon the high line. Everyone knows how to attack Arsenal because of it

MLS sent off. Can't complain. Miserable match.

Ugh.

I sliced part of the tip of my finger off this morning cutting up fruit for the kids and now this **** show

Great day so far

What the **** was Raya doing THAT far up?

Honesty we have no real forward line so rarely a threat

Just finished the game, what a terrible loss

Welp, not all is lost, but not looking good for the epl. So much has gone wrong this season when it was set up, at least to a degree, to go so right.

Hoping Arsenal can hold enough in the CL to get back both Saka and Marti.

Arteta and staff will have to dig deep and coach like they have never coached before if there is to be any silverware this season.

Just a draw today would go a ways toward keeping 2nd place

COYG!

Calafiori smacked one off the post.


And I have noticed that, of course, Isak isn't playing for Newcastle against Liverpool today.

Aye, Odegaard with two great chances cleared away

OZ was a mile off on the buildup

wish the ref would quit falling for NF's flopping. they are hitting the dirt anytime our players even come close to touching them on 50/50 balls.

Another game with no goals.

Just survive, get top 4 and try again next season.

TXAggie2011 said:

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wangus12 said:

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Again just not our year. Just try and stay in top four. Injuries, red cards, terrible refs and our own stupidity. Regroup with a full rest this summer

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EPL is gone.

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Welp, it most likely is now. I know a miracle was needed, but no legit forward/striker due to injury and poor/lacking recruitment the past few years is just too much of a hill for this season.

Here's to hoping next season plays out to the tune of an EPL title.

I do look forward to what the CL holds. Could be a surprise, which would be nice considering how the other comps have turned out.

Fortunately only 2 more EPL games before we get a break and reprieve in mid-March and guys should start to be coming back healthy. Losing to Forrest would have been a nightmare.

Orny says that we plan to appoint a new SD by the end of March. Claims that the current names being discussed.... Jason Ayto, Dan Ashworth, Andrea Berta, Roberto Olabe and Thiago Scuro.

My uneducated thoughts/summary.....

Ayto - Failed Jan window. Inexperienced "yes man" option

Ashworth - Seems to have done a solid job building squads at BHA & Newcastle but I'm very curious WTH happened at ManU. -150m-ish net spend at BHA & -400m net spend in 3 years at Newcastle. Has shown the ability to spend on good/decent players but his ability to sell is questionable. Only single sell over 20m at BHA was Ben White. His record sale at Newcastle was Jonjo Shelvey for less than 10m.
Berta - Atletico have a strong squad. Something like -150m net spend over his 8ish yrs at Atletico. Doesn't have an issue buying a 30+ yo player. Only job in football is as SD at Atletico. Left the club at the beginning of Jan.
Olabe - Sociedad has maintained a competitive squad with a small budget. Roughly +85m net spend in 8ish yrs at Sociedad. Has a tendency to buy low sell high. Only candidate to be a player, manager & director. Was able to keep key players on the roster despite lesser budget. Leaving club in June.
Scuro - Has the most varied experience in football with SD & CEO roles at 6 clubs across Brazil + Monaco. Currently has a roughly -50m net spend in 2 years at Monaco. His MO at Monaco has been to buy young, cheap players from lesser leagues and bigger names that have failed for bigger teams/leagues. Monaco has a pretty strong young players but they are currently 5th after finished 2nd last year.

I don't know much about just about any of these guys.

I like Olabe's success at Sociedad.

I read an interview with Scuro, who talked about trying to really integrate their older youth players and teams at Monaco with their 1st team, and I like that a lot.

I like the ability for these guys to buy younger players and turn them into appreciating assets but can they buy the right people that will turn us into champions as well? Can they make the Rice and Trossard-type signings because that is the difference?