The 2020/2021 season didn’t go to plan for Arsenal at all. Finishing eighth with a disappointing run in each of the two domestic club competitions, Mikel Arteta’s men performed below par. Going into the 2021/2022 season, things were looking up, however. After finishing last season with five straight victories, the momentum was on their side heading into the new season.
With that being said, their pre-season form was woeful. A loss to Hibernian, a draw with Rangers, two back to back 4-1 victories over lower opposition and finishing off with two losses to Premier League opponents highlighted the problems they have. They have continued this awful form into the season itself, suffering a 2-0 defeat to newly promoted Brentford, another 2-0 loss to European champions, Chelsea and a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Manchester City. The manner of these defeats, the tactical decisions and overall lack of performance is what is worrying Arsenal fans the most.
They had the opportunity, like every club in the league to improve their squad during the summer transfer window, however, they appeared to have wasted the opportunity massively by not improving their squad from last season.
Transfer Window Woes
The key problem is that Arsenal have spent the most out of anyone in the transfer window this season, however, they haven't seemed to improve their squad at all from last season. They spent the most in the Premier League, a huge £131.8 million. The person to blame for this is their head of recruitment, Edu. He hasn’t had any experience in bringing in talent to a club side within Europe, highlighting why he may be making mistakes.
Firstly they bought in a new left-back in Nuno Tavares. He’s certainly one for the future and as a backup left-back, he’s a solid option. With that being said, he doesn’t improve the starting 11 as arguably Arsenal’s best player, Kieran Tierney will occupy that position all season.
Albert Sambi Lokonga was the second name to be bought into the Emirates for a fee of around £16 million. He’s a solid prospect, can hold the midfield and was arguably bought in to replace Granit Xhaka when it appeared the Swiss international was on his way out the door. Now that Xhaka has signed a new contract at Arsenal, it appears Lokonga will be a backup once Thomas Partey returns to fitness. Again, the question is if Lokonga improves the starting 11 of Arsenal? It’s likely that although he’s a talent, he’s ‘one for the future’, rather than a player that will make an impact straight away.
Ben White was the biggest transfer for Arsenal this summer, coming in from Brighton for £50 million. Let’s not get mistaken, Ben White is a good, young centre back with an exciting future. With that being said, there are certainly questions about White, especially his £50 million price tag. Firstly, he’s played just one season in the Premier League, last season at Brighton. Prior to this, he played for Leeds in the Championship on loan as well as loan moves to Peterborough and Newport prior to this. The reason Ben White cost £50 million is largely due to him receiving a call up for England during last summer’s European Championship. Beforehand, he’s was nothing but a Brighton centre back, now he’s an England international, adding a few million to his price tag. He also comes with the notorious ‘English tax’. English players cost more when swapping between English clubs. Harry Maguire, Jack Grealish and the evaluation of Declan Rice are all arguably overpriced.
Two further signings in Aaron Ramsdale and a deadline day deal for Takehiro Tomiyasu rounded out a disappointing transfer window. It was only last season that Arsenal sold Emiliano Martinez to Aston Villa and bought in Runar Alex Runarsson as the back-up goalkeeper. Runarsson has now been loaned out and Ramsdale has been bought in for a huge £24 million to give current goalkeeper Bernd Leno competition for the number one spot. Could that £24 million be better spent elsewhere and did they really require such an expensive substitute goalkeeper, especially as they’re no longer competing in Europe?
Tomiyasu without a doubt wasn’t on Arsenal’s radar at the beginning of the transfer window. With that being said, he’s a good option to have for Arsenal, who have conceded nine goals without reply in their three league games thus far. He can play at either centre-back or right-back, is good in the air (having won 64% of his aerial duels last season) and at just 22 has already made 23 international appearances for Japan. With that being said, does he start for Arsenal alongside Ben White? No. Although White has missed two games this season, Arsenal have had five different centre-halves starting their three games. Whether it’s Pablo Mari, Rob Holding, Callum Chambers or the currently injured Gabriel, it’s hard to see where the new Japanese signing fits in.
The one stand out bit of business that Arsenal have done is securing Martin Odegaard on a permanent deal having had him on loan last season. For just £35 million, Arsenal have bought in a brilliant, young playmaker. Last season he recorded one goal and two assists in nine starts with a pass completion rate of 86.4%. Securing him on a permanent deal fills the gap he would have left, taking some of the pressure off Emile Smith-Rowe to be the lone playmaker for the Gunners. With that being said, as he was at Arsenal last season and as they finished eighth, it doesn’t show a signing that will improve them. Odegaard was at the club last season and wasn’t able to turn their fortunes around and get them back to where they historically sit, in and around the top four, so you have to wonder whether it is a signing that actually improves the squad overall.
Outgoings
Not only have Arsenal had an expenditure in excess of £140million, but there have also been few outgoings. Joe Willock returned to Newcastle on a permanent basis, going for £25 million, a decent price for the 22-year-old.
David Luiz ran his contract out and is currently without a club. The experienced centre-back made 53 appearances for Arsenal over his two seasons at the club and they could have definitely received some money for him. It was a similar situation for Luiz’s countryman, Willian. After seven years at London rivals Chelsea, Willian joined Arsenal and made 25 appearances last season. He had an extremely disappointing season at Arsenal, achieving an XG of just 0.13, almost half of that of his XG the season previously at Chelsea (0.25). Willian terminated his contract with Arsenal, despite having two years left on his contract. He joined Brazillian club, Corinthians, leaving England behind.
Lucas Torreira left on loan, with Arsenal receiving a €1.5 million loan fee for him, however, there were plenty of players that left on free loans. Matteo Guendouzi, William Saliba and most importantly, Hector Bellerin all left for no fee. Bellerin in particular will likely be a big loss to the Gunners as they would benefit from his experience (183 premier league appearances) in the defence.
Have the Signings improved the team?
As stated earlier, the signings themselves aren’t terrible. With that being said, they don’t actually improve the starting 11. Leno and Ramsdale are both solid goalkeepers, with Leno having a 69.2% save percentage last season. Ramsdale has a save percentage of 70.7% at Sheffield United last season. Although he’s younger, 23 to Leno’s 29 years, he doesn’t massively improve the goalkeeping position.
In defence, Ben White is an upgrade on David Luiz, but as of yet, Arteta hasn’t decided on his starting centre-back pairing. White alongside either Holding, Chambers, Mari, Gabriel or Tomiyasu could work, however, Arteta needs a set, consistent partnership. Until they decide on their best partnership, it’ll be unclear as to the effectiveness of the White transfer. With that being said, they also need to be more consistent with the right-back, having named five right-backs in the squad on the opening weekend of the league.
Tomiyasu is unlikely to start next to White but is a solid option as an alternative. With no European competition this season, it’s unclear how much Arsenal will need to rotate their squad and therefore Tomiyasu may be more one for the future. This is the situation for Nuno Tavares. Although he is a decent prospect having made 25 appearances for Benfica last season, he isn’t better than Kieran Tierney and therefore won’t play all that often.
Again, Lokonga is a solid young player having made his Belgium debut in the recent international fixtures. With that being said, he’s unlikely to displace Thomas Partey once the Ghanaian is fit. Granit Xhaka seemed to be on his way out but instead got a new contract at the club. He’s got far more experience than Lokonga and will likely be preferred in the bigger games. Lokonga will likely be ahead of Mohamed Elneny in the eyes of Arteta but again, there is no evidence that Lokonga has drastically improved the starting 11.
Confirming Martin Odegaard on a permanent transfer is good for Arsenal, however, he doesn’t improve on last season’s squad. He was at the Emirates last season and therefore hasn’t actually improved the squad itself any further.
Comparisons to the Top 4
When taking into account Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea, it could easily be argued that non of Arsenal’s players get into any of these teams.
Taking the goalkeepers and defenders, none of Arsenal’s starting back five displaces any of the back five of City, United, Liverpool or Chelsea. The closest player to getting into any team is Tierney, however with Zinchenko, Shaw, Robertson and Chilwell all left-backs for the top four, Tierney certainly doesn’t displace any of these players instantly.
Thomas Partey gets into Manchester United’s starting 11 based mainly on the defensive midfield issues that the Red half of Manchester have. He could be an alternative option for Liverpool and would arguably be ahead of Milner at Liverpool, but doesn’t get in the team ahead of Fabinho or Henderson. Kante is elite, as is Rodri, so Partey doesn’t quite get into either City or Chelsea.
In forward positions, Smith-Rowe, Saka, Pepe, Aubameyang and Lacazette all struggle to get in any of the top four teams. Are any of the given players better than Grealish, Foden, Gabriel Jesus (on current form), Torres? There is almost no argument for this.
Similarly, Salah, Jota, Firmino and Mane are all better than Arsenal’s forward players. The strength that Chelsea have also blows Arsenal’s forwards out the water, with arguably the best strength in depth in the league in forward positions. Manchester United’s front line is also elite, especially in comparison to Arsenal’s. Ronaldo, Sancho, Rashford, Fernandes, Greenwood and Cavani are all better players on recent form than any and all of the Arsenal front line.
Ultimately, Arsenal have wasted their summer transfer window and the opening three fixtures definitely highlight this. On paper, were they ever going to beat City or Chelsea? No, especially on last season’s form. What was surprising was the Brentford result, but that can happen to any team against a promoted team in their first game back with fans in 18 months. What’s worrying for Arsenal fans is the manner of each of these losses. Soulless. A distinct lack of tactics, ideas, passion and more than anything, effort. A 0-9 aggregate score with an XG of just 1.9 across all three games is shocking for a team who should be competing for a top-four or a top-six place this season.
Will the transfers work? Only time will tell but none of the incomings actually improve last season’s squad so expect a mid to lower table finish.
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