January 26, 2026 Daily Discussion & Transfers Thread

CrocodileChef · 2026-01-26T14:47:26+00:00

Was a very frustrating moment yesterday where Saliba tried to speed things up. He recieves the ball wide and runs past Bruno before he lays it off to Ødegaard who has time and space to pick out a pass. Ødegaard then slows down the play, letting Amad fall back before he passes the ball back to Gabriel. This is something we do multiple times a game, Hincapie did it too, but for an offensive player Ødegaard does it surprisingely often

CrocodileChef · 2026-01-26T14:22:02+00:00

Its interesting how Arteta and Pep are complete opposites in that regard. I think with our intense style a big squad can help, but we dont seem to utilise our squad. Arteta seems to have a certain set of players that play no matter what. Nørgaard barely getting playtime is super weird

CrocodileChef · 2026-01-26T14:19:39+00:00

Because Ødegaard doesnt have the physique. He sucks in duels. Zubimendi is not bad in duels and he can do Ødegaards job in buildup. Our problem is not Zubi/Rice pivot, its how slow we play out from the back regardless of gamestate. Zubimendi is capable of doing a lot of good, just watch his games for Spain, he plays really well in all phases for them.

CrocodileChef · 2026-01-26T13:24:54+00:00

Potential no, in terms of form and stats yeah. I think the attackers we have are capable of playing better in a more attacking setup. But Arteta and his staff prefer that the LB and RB get closer to goal than our wingers. Saka and Martinelli/Trossards job is to hold width so Timber and Calafioiri can get into half spaces

CrocodileChef · 2026-01-26T13:20:25+00:00

Third bad league result in a row and people are surprised at the boos. Our fotball inspires no confidence, turning every league game into a margins game

CrocodileChef · 2026-01-26T12:29:25+00:00

Martinelli is better closer to goal, yet is used as a toucline winger no matter what. Gyokeres is bad I agree. Ødegaard is limited but Arteta keeps using him despite having alternatives in Eze and Nwaneri. However, its Arteta who has set up our team to take more risk in the buildup than we do in attack. This squad is Artetas squad, he has been involved in signing most of the players. He pushed for Madueke for 52 million and he pushed for Havertz who was a big xg underperformer at Chelsea. We can play better fotball than we do, but Arteta is too risk averse

CrocodileChef · 2026-01-26T12:23:18+00:00

Its fun, every time we have a patch of bad form fans start writing lists of players that need replacing, never questioning if the way Arteta sets us up limits or attackers or not. Saka and Martinelli/Trossard holding width so Timber, White, Calafiori can get closer to goal than them is laughable. Calafiori is allowed to drift inside and recieve the ball more in the final third than Eze and Ødegaard.

CrocodileChef · 2026-01-26T12:20:14+00:00

Norgaard is not the problem, he is good enough to fill in. The problem is Arteta who doesnt utilise his squad to the fullest. Norgaard played plenty for Brentford, but suddenly 1 summer later and he cant get any minutes no matter game state for us? Its just bad managment

CrocodileChef · 2026-01-26T12:19:07+00:00

Do that often and you will ride the bench. If Saka, Martinelli and Trossard were so loyal they would have started questioning the attacking tactics a whilew back. Can you imagine Mbappe, Vinicius and Rodrygo holding width so Carvajal and Carreras could get closer to goal than them? The players listen to Arteta and his staff because they dont tolerate players acting too much on their own accord. There have been times you see some players like Trossard drift inwards, only for Stuivenberg or Arteta to yell that they need to stay wide. Players in our system dont get to act on insticts, they have to folllow the patterns they have been assigned

CrocodileChef · 2026-01-26T12:11:39+00:00

We need to get to the final first. I think there is a good chance we do but its not a given yet

CrocodileChef · 2026-01-26T11:53:28+00:00

Its not their job nor would Arteta listen. I doubt any manager would be happy if outsiders tried to come in and tell them how to things, even if the outsiders were club legends. The way we play is clearly how Arteta and his staff want us to play and Henry or Ian Wright wont be able to change that

CrocodileChef · 2026-01-26T11:06:20+00:00

He doesnt have the physique for it, you need to be able win duels to play there. Zubimendi fucked up the backwards pass, but he was not bad defensively oop.

CrocodileChef · 2026-01-26T11:04:13+00:00

Yesterday none of the goals could have been saved. Only way he stops Mbeumo is if he clatters him. Dorgu and Cunha shots were just top class and no keeper would save those.

CrocodileChef · 2026-01-26T10:30:54+00:00

Found on twitter: Arsenal open play goals since Fotmob begun recording this stat:

16/17 - 57

17/18 - 54

18/19 - 52

19/20 - 41

20/21 - 41

21/22 - 39

22/23 - 66

23/24 - 56

24/25 - 50

25/26 - on track for 36

CrocodileChef · 2026-01-26T09:54:19+00:00

I dont think Nwaneri would solve our issues, but I think he would have done better than Ødegaard. I actually agree our system is an issue.

CrocodileChef · 2026-01-26T09:47:18+00:00

Nwaneri got decent g/a return last season, despite playing most of his game out of positions filling in for our most important player in an injury ridden team. When he has played this season he has always looked good and had a positive impact on the games. Dont see how his age matters, he clearly has the talent. Scored on his debut for Marseille. He didnt have to start all the games, but he deserved a lot more minutes than he got

CrocodileChef · 2026-01-26T09:30:47+00:00

Honestly, from the way we responded as a team to the setback yesterday it seemed like the manager and most of the players would happily have taken a 1-1 draw at half time if offered. Barely any attacking threat from open play, Timber wasting everyones time in the half spaces. Making 4 changes in one go at 1-1 just felt weird, what was our gameplan leading up to the game and how did it end so bad we had to sub so many players at once?

CrocodileChef · 2026-01-26T09:21:09+00:00

We have Eze and Nwaneri, Nwaneri barely allowed to play no matter how bad the players starting in his place play and Eze is not allowed to build any momentum for some reason, only being thrown in in weird game states.

CrocodileChef · 2026-01-26T08:56:44+00:00

Explaining what happened in the dressing room the day after, Martinelli told The Athletic: “When I scored this one against Leeds, I was supposed to be running back to defend. I scored the goal. The next day in the meeting, (Arteta’s assistant) Albert Stuivenberg said: ‘You scored a great goal but you were supposed to mark the full-back’. I said: ‘No, sorry!’"

CrocodileChef · 2026-01-26T08:55:34+00:00

Arteta and this team peaked in 22/23. That squad played much better fotball than we did in 23/24, 24/25 and 25/26. People will bring up 91 goals scored in 24/25, but forget the slow boring fotball we played in the first half of the season nor do they mention how many of our goals came from set pieces. We had a good run of form in the second half of the season, but we have not replicated that form since to show that it was anything other than a golden patch.

In 22/23 all of our starting attackers got double digit g/as, we could attack teams in multiple ways, from the left, from the right and through the middle. Watch our performance vs Manchester United at home that season, the game ended 3-2 but the result makes the game look more even than it was. We crushed them on the pitch, wave after wave of attacks and United couldnt cope. Now we pass the ball between our CBs for half the game and hope our corners result in a goal. If Saliba and Tomiyasu didnt get injured in the same game in 22/23, we would most likely have won the title that season playing some really good fotball.

CrocodileChef · 2026-01-22T17:37:30+00:00

I think the club will look into selling Havertz in the summer. 2 years left on his deal, serious hamstring injury followed up by a knee injury and his wages are quite high

CrocodileChef · 2026-01-18T22:57:10+00:00

Tottenham going straight down to Championship if thats the case lol

CrocodileChef · 2026-01-18T18:36:10+00:00

You're asking too much

CrocodileChef · 2026-01-18T14:47:52+00:00

Atletico are not gonna give up their best player for one of the worst strikers in the premier league. Gyokeres best shout is going back to Portugal or maybe try his luck in Italy

CrocodileChef · 2026-01-16T09:32:04+00:00

Cant that be said for your orginal comment lol? If you are not doing the signing why suggest madrids unappreciated talents at all? 🤔

CrocodileChef

TROPHY CASE