30 Jul 2024 10:26:50
Excellent signing Calafiori - helping make a strong defence stronger with rotation. We do seem to have more left backs than England have right backs though!
I have too much time on my hands and I have a confirmation bias complex with Kai Havertz. Just from last season and I may be alone but let's take penalties out of the equation as I think gives a skewed view of how effective a striker is if pure goal stats are being thrown around
Haaland 27 goals 7 penalties
Palmer 22 goals 9 penalties
Isak 21 goals 5 penalties
Salah 18 goals 5 penalties
Watkins 19 goals no pens
Palmer is also new to their club as was Havertz. He carried Chelsea yet scored 13 goals without pens. This is the same as Havertz. Indeed if Kai scored all our penalties he would have been level with Palmer. Toney is not for me penalty heavy. I just think we have to be careful to not skew our view of players based on just goals scored which includes penalties. One last stat if I may, Havertz scored 12 goals in 26 after a poor start. Extrapolating that out is 17.5 goals this season without penalties or 27 with penalties ( Is he really as bad as some on here believe? ) My question is : is that enough or should we replace and if so who? COYG.

1.) 30 Jul 2024
30 Jul 2024 12:33:36
Nice post Sussex, also consider how Havertz was either played much deeper or even from the bench for much of his first few months with Arsenal. Perhaps a sign he will eclipse that total this year, fingers crossed.

2.) 30 Jul 2024
30 Jul 2024 13:52:22
High Wire thank you, I just think the one position we need to fill is Rice`s partner in midfield. A fit Partey and Jorghino would be great cover but buying the best Rice partner we can buy is a priority. Irony of ironies Kai ( a waste of money) can save us that money on a striker and allow that midfielder. Rumours seem to be Merino. Cover for Saka needed perhaps although Martinelli played well there albeit one game and Jesus can play out there COYG.

3.) 30 Jul 2024
30 Jul 2024 16:02:45
Yeah nice post Sussex

Agree regarding king Kai.

4.) 30 Jul 2024
30 Jul 2024 19:09:07
Kai ain't no, dare I say it, striker! Sure, he's tucked away a few goals, but extrapolation doesn't work in real world football. Young Martinelli put away 15 in the 2022/ 23 season. Last season he scored 6. Ode scored 15 in 22/ 23, last season 8.

5.) 30 Jul 2024
30 Jul 2024 19:41:35
Evening Sharpie and I did say I had a confirmation bias! So if not Kai who? I’m easily convinced a bit like you when buying watches ? #inoticed- timepiecebandit
COYG.

6.) 30 Jul 2024
30 Jul 2024 20:58:40
Hey Sus. I'm not even talking marquee signing in that position. Just someone who is going to be better than Jesus and Nketiah.

{Ed025's Note - Mr Bean could do that Sharpy.. :)

7.) 31 Jul 2024
30 Jul 2024 22:42:59
Evening ed025 hope you’re well! Only just started watching Ted Lasso and knew it wasn’t real when they said Everton were in 8th place! Apologies! COYG Maybe red tinted specs but Jesus will surprise a few Eddie not so much ( probably be sold )

{Ed025's Note - maybe the one who could turn water into wine SUSSEX but not the one who plays for Arsenal mate, you have a great chance this coming season to win the title but you cant afford any passengers and for me GJ is just not good enough..

8.) 31 Jul 2024
31 Jul 2024 08:12:31
Sus, what's changed from last season? Literally everyone involved in football were saying we needed a striker. Kai has only ever managed double digits twice in his career. Once with us, and once in Germany. He just isn't a striker.

Jesus, now here's someone we all had high hopes for, but he just hasn't delivered. Expecting that he magically will this season just seems like we're plodding along on a wish and a prayer. What's the point of assembling this otherwise great team?

9.) 31 Jul 2024
31 Jul 2024 08:13:20
Ed025, I prefer the one that turns sticks into spliffs. That's my kind of Jesus!

{Ed025's Note - you do come across as a holy man Sharpy.. :)

10.) 31 Jul 2024
31 Jul 2024 09:21:31
Which is my point in the original post and yet all I’m hearing is he’s not good enough GJ not good enough but I’m here waiting for someone to convince me xyz is better than we have. I am willing to listen . Watkins and Isak doubt can be bought, Osimhen ridiculous price and that leaves Gyokeres . So simple who and why? COYG Money no object Isak for me but Newcastle richer than C£ty - no chance.

11.) 31 Jul 2024
31 Jul 2024 11:33:59
Sus, I already have a job that keeps me in mediocre timepieces. Surely, with an extensive scouting system that likely costs the club millions per year, you'd expect them to have a bit more of a clue.

However, just off the top of my head - Solanke. 16 goals last season for a quite meh Bournemouth side. He'd get the service at Arsenal to maybe better that goal tally.

12.) 31 Jul 2024
31 Jul 2024 12:16:42
Not the same Solanki who got 6 goals (Full Vidiprinter SIX) the previous season. To conclude this let’s agree to let the pro’s decide I reckon - it’s their job on the line after all COYG.

13.) 31 Jul 2024
31 Jul 2024 13:59:33
So you're saying he's improved? ? Wish we could say the same about Jesus and Nketiah. I'm not even suggesting we go out and buy someone. Could use pre-season to see how Martinelli fares there.

Another season of someone up front who doesn't find the goal more consistently could see us second best again. We were THAT close last season. Played some wonderful football. Could we have won it if we had a more capable striker? Who know, mate.

{Ed014's Note - this is going to put the cat amongst the pigeons as for me we lost the league in the game against Villa.

Why? Because Arteta made the mistake of playing Jesus up front and dropped Havertz in to midfield, which was pretty much where Jesus then decided to play.

14.) 31 Jul 2024
31 Jul 2024 14:31:18
14, I'm sure he's a nice lad, but the football seems to have left him.

Defo lost the league at Villa, but maybe it wouldn't have mattered if we'd had a striker that could dig us out the Fulham or West Ham games.

15.) 31 Jul 2024
31 Jul 2024 19:59:17
We won’t win the league with Kai and Jesus. Neither are scary strikers with a constant goal threat. They are good squad players and options but we need a far better option up front if we want to win the league. Kai is not turning a gsme on its head but can benefit from the team playing well. We need someone spangle of 20 plus goals and having that special skill to turn a game on their own. Henry, Agüero and Wright had that in them…. Kai just doesn’t and Jesus isn’t clinical.

{Ed025's Note - spot on SY..

16.) 31 Jul 2024
31 Jul 2024 22:30:38
Brilliant! Who and why? It’s a simple question! Too easy to slag off and not have the solution! Solanki no chance ( replace Eddie perhaps) Who why and needs to be realistic? COYG.

17.) 01 Aug 2024
01 Aug 2024 09:33:44
And just as an aside (doubt anyone has scrolled down this far ) Darwin Nunez scored a goal a game all but in Portuguese League cost thick end of £80 mill and has scored one in three with 11 goals last season. At a reported £86 mill is Gyokeres with very similar stats the answer, in a new league new team etc? COYG.

18.) 01 Aug 2024
01 Aug 2024 12:00:59
Sus, bottom line is we have a need for a striker. Most people will agree with this. Clubs have scouts and analytical software that helps them identify targets for their very specific method of play. They'll also undoubtedly look at things like personalities, etc to make sure the player they are recruiting will fit their system/ philosophy.

And yes, sometimes it doesn't work out. Your Nunez example, or our Pepe. That's the risk clubs take. If they went gun-shy because some other club bought a player that didn't work out, well, no one would be buying players.

Let me flip this around and ask you - what do you feel the very minimum requirements are for a striker that plays for a team that one two occasions came up just short of winning the title.

Keep in mind, that in the 22/ 23 season and 23/ 24 season, the team that won the league had a striker scoring over 20 goals.

In the 23/ 24 season, we didn't have a single player in the top 10 for goals.

19.) 01 Aug 2024
01 Aug 2024 14:01:36
I would say we are not far away as it is. I believe we scored 91 goals last season ( the same as C£ty by the way) and also believe we fecked it up v Villa as Ed14 pointed out.

Maybe we might score more goals with what we have settled formation/ team etc but there is no guarantees anyone comes in scores 20 goals and we don`t score more than 91 as that striker becomes more of a focus. City are very good yet Haaland and Foden scored more than half of their goals. All eggs in one basket but has worked for them.

I am not averse to a big name striker if only to see if it the missing piece. Has to be the right player who allows the team to score at least 91 this season - no point in having someone score 30 goals and we don`t improve goals scored or win the Prem. I have said before break the bank for Isak or Alvarez but remain unconvinced by Toney Gykores etc.

Yes we didn`t have a single player in top 10 yet scored equal most goals. Surely that is an indication of how we want to play which ultimately meant we didn`t win anything but only lost the league at home to Villa when at the business end. It`s why it`s a matter of opinion on here but it is MA Edu and scouting staff`s opinion that counts. MA has intimated he wants to mix it up so a striker could easily be on his way.

Sharpy I don`t have you down as agreeing with most people and who are these people anyway let`s trust MA he seems to be doing quite well so far. It is quite exciting though 20+ Striker and/ or a better left back (tick) better partner for Rice hopefully Merino (tick) to shore up defence and score more goals that way COYG

#havertzornewstrikerscores20+goalsthisseasonstillnoguarantees
#finemarginstwopointsonly.

20.) 01 Aug 2024
01 Aug 2024 16:40:58
Sus, almost everyone who watched the prem last season would say they felt we were missing a striker. I agree with them because that's also how I feel. I'm not contrarian just for the feck of it you know ?

#14dislikespieeaters #COYG.

{Ed014's Note - I defo wouldn’t want Akinfenwa as our new striker! ?

21.) 01 Aug 2024
01 Aug 2024 18:02:39
That lad ate the pie shop!

{Ed014's Note - what, just the one?