Arsenal: 3 key squad areas to address in transfer window

2. Tactical Fluidity

This mainly covers the need to bring in players who are still able to absorb new tactical regimes. Looking at those Arsenal have in reserve, there is no scope for the likes of Cedric, Holding or Elneny to adapt to new styles.

They are what they are, for better or for worse, with the door available for them to become ‘Arteta players’ either shut or barely ajar.

Clear to see is that depth is essential in this team. But it has to be the right depth or the right starter.

Signing Cedric as a backup was at the time deemed a wise move for the club, for whatever reason that may have been. Never more than a stop-gap, a key element of rebuilding the squad is acquiring players who can all sing from the same hymn sheet. The older members of this group can’t hit those notes.

While it is important that Arsenal don’t solely back up the current group with another batch of inexperienced and younger players, the 24/25 years old age group need to either have the capacity to adapt to new systems or already be well versed in them.

It’s never easy doing so, especially when time is of the essence in a transfer window that drifts by in the blink of an eye with clubs unwilling to part with their prized assets. Arsenal did a magnificent job of this over the summer, and must now compress all that into a shorter time frame.

Wherever depth is sourced it can’t be just for the sake of it. The numbers need bolstering with players who can all either learn to sing, or who have been practicing in a similar choir elsewhere. Manageable tactical profiles are so key at this stage.

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