Month: May 2023

What next for Arsenal?

What next for Arsenal?

We have reached the end of another Premiership season, and once again it is the blue side of Manchester that finds itself celebrating a title victory. Meanwhile in North London, Arsenal fans, players and staff will be left wondering what might have been, as having led the league for most of the season, a series of poor results allowed City to catch up and overtake them down the home stretch.

But is it really all doom and gloom for the Gunners? Mikel Arteta just found himself competing for the title with the youngest squad in the league, while of the main squad, only former City players Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus having experience of winning a Premier League title race, and even they had usually been playing more of a support role than stars of the starting XI. Even Arteta is still rather inexperienced, having only taken the lead role at Arsenal in December 2019 (named head coach, with his role expanding to manager in September 2020). While this loss will hurt, the squad will have learned so much, which will benefit them in the coming seasons. And while you would expect some of their rivals to be better next season, that extra year of experience should also be huge for the Gunners.

Of course, this painful end to the season has also highlighted a need to improve the depth of the squad, what is important is to find players who will complement the squad:

  • Probably most notable from the end of he season is the need for at least 1 more centreback to be brought in, as the Gunners were clearly hurt at the back by the loss of William Saliba. I can’t help but feel that Arteta should be looking to Italy here, where if Roma fail to reach the Champions League it would perhaps provide an opportunity to lure Chris Smalling back to England, which would also provide them a far more experienced player who is already used to the Premier League and has experience of fighting for (and winning) the title.
  • Similarly, you could argue that more options are required in the fullback positions, as a new right back would free up Ben White to potentially move back inside, while a lack of minutes this season will likely see Kieran Tierney look to move on.
  • While signing Jorginho in January brought a bit more depth to the midfield, Arsenal arguably need more options here, especially in the deeper position where Thomas Partey operates, as there was no real option available as his form disappeared towards the end of the season, while he could also miss time through the African Cup of Nations. Luckily, there are a couple of big names who may be available to move from other Premier League clubs, as Rúben Neves has expressed his desire to play Champions League football, while Declan Rice could potentially be available if he decides to leave West Ham, and Kalvin Phillips could even become an option should City decide to sell him after a successful move to midfield from John Stones.
  • Finally, like Manchester City a season ago, Arsenal need to look at adding another option up front in the form of an out-and-out central striker. We have seen the impact that Erling Haaland has had on City this season, providing a focal point in the box while also still retaining the quality of technical attack that we have come to expect of them. Of course, not everyone can get an Erling Haaland, and the obvious big name who may be available—Harry Kane—is highly unlikely to join having been a Spurs fan all of his life, while Ivan Toney’s ban probably rules him out this summer. However, Roma again feels like a potential place to look for the answer as the promise of Champions League football and also the lure of a potential England recall could tempt Tammy Abraham to the Emirates, while boyhood Arsenal fan Ollie Watkins may also be available, especially if Aston Villa just miss out on Europe.

While this will hurt in the short-term, as long as Arsenal learn the right things from this season and make smart moves in the transfer market, Arsenal have every chance of competing for the title again next season, even if we see a resurgence from Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs and continued improvement from Manchester United, Brighton, Newcastle and Villa. Only time will tell. But it feels like some silverware and a title challenge is a must.

Top 5: Fullbacks

Top 5: Fullbacks

Welcome back to my “Top 5” rugby series. This 13-article series has been inspired by countless conversations among friends or other fans over the years and will see me selecting my top 5 men’s rugby players who are currently playing at each position.

With all of these lists, I am picking who I feel are the best 5 at each position, so there may be some surprises in there as I select the players who I feel are most appropriate to the position despite there being multiple ways to play many positions. I try to watch rugby from a broad range of leagues as well as plenty (or too much, depending how you ask) of Test matches, but I appreciate that I still have some blind spots, while a list like this is subjective; so while the majority of each article will be my list, I also set my good friend and occasional collaborator Phil the challenge to select his top 5, which I will include below. I’d also love to hear your picks, so go ahead and post them in the comments!

And so, we reach the end today and conclude this series with a look at fullback.

Top 5

Santiago Carreras

Currently the starting 10 for the Pumas and has spent much of the latter half of the season playing their for Gloucester too, but to me, Santi Carreras is so much better at 15. Has the intangibles to play across the back line, with a great range of passes and kicks (though he may overhit the odd kick), incredible footwork and enough pace to hold his own on the wing, while from a defensive standpoint, he is one of the best around under the high ball and a solid and reliable tackler.

Will Jordan

One of the silver linings from the dark cloud on All Blacks history that is the Ian Foster era, Jordan is one of the most exciting attacking fullbacks in the game. With the pace to also cover on the wing, he is solid under the high ball, an has great footwork to beat his man, while always appearing to pick the right line to break through the defense, or constantly on the shoulder to finish off the break.

Cheslin Kolbe

Gets the nod over Willie Le Roux, but Kolbe’s ability to also cover wing means I would look to get both of them in my team if possible. Kolbe is almost impossible to put down, with a great blend of pace and footwork making it near-impossible to get hold of him and then an incredible strength and leg drive making it hard to get him down if you do grab him. And with all that focus on how hard it is to tackle him, what then gets overlooked is his range of distribution that makes him capable of playing fly half.

Freddie Steward

One of the new young stars of English rugby. Steward is a big-bodied 15 who excels under the high ball, combining his height with an impressive vertical leap. Meanwhile, he picks his time and spots to come forward in attack, having great success in and around the 13 channel, using his pace and size to create a good momentum to put the team on the front foot or even go over for the try himself.

Hugo Keenan

And last but not least, a player who makes the list simply from reliably doing the basics right 99.9% of the time. Has good al-round attributes in attack and knows how to pick his moment to hit a deadly line, but it is hs defensive game that really sets him apart, as he always seems to be in just the right place to deal with whatever kick the opposition send into the backfield, including being super reliable in the air, while this reliability also continues to being in the right place to make a crucial tackle too.

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Phil’s top 5: Will Jordan, Hugo Keenan, Liam Williams, Kotaro Matsushima, Santiago Carreras

Who makes your top 5?

Movember_Partner Badges_Proud Mo Grower_BlackThis year, I’m doing Movember a little different with my Movember Marathon.

You can find all the details on my announcement.

Visit my JustGiving page for updates or if you would like to donate.

Help me to change the face of men’s health!

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Top 5: Wings

Top 5: Wings

Welcome back to my “Top 5” rugby series. This 13-article series has been inspired by countless conversations among friends or other fans over the years and will see me selecting my top 5 men’s rugby players who are currently playing at each position.

With all of these lists, I am picking who I feel are the best 5 at each position, so there may be some surprises in there as I select the players who I feel are most appropriate to the position despite there being multiple ways to play many positions. I try to watch rugby from a broad range of leagues as well as plenty (or too much, depending how you ask) of Test matches, but I appreciate that I still have some blind spots, while a list like this is subjective; so while the majority of each article will be my list, I also set my good friend and occasional collaborator Phil the challenge to select his top 5, which I will include below. I’d also love to hear your picks, so go ahead and post them in the comments!

And so, let’s continue down the back line and look at the wings.

Top 5

Damian Penaud

The son of former France stand-off Alain Penaud, the Bordeaux-bound wing has already done enough by the age of 26 to have become a French rugby legend in his own right. With a great blend of pace and power, the wing is able to make or finish a break, and make it look oh so simple. Already sits joint-5ᵗʰ alongside Philippe Bernat-Salles and Émile Ntamack in France’s all-time try scoring charts with 26, and it is highly possible that by this time next year he will have surpassed Serge Blanco’s record of 3 tries in just over half as many Tests.

Makazole Mapimpi

Perhaps one of the more underrated wings in Test rugby. A regular try scorer in open, attacking teams, playing for a much more defensive South African team has highlighted his full quality. While he still utilises his pace and power to take the chances he is given to score, he also uses these same attributes to shut down attacks down his wing. But more than that, he has an engine and selflessness, being willing to spend matches constantly chasing up box kicks and taking the catcher as soon as they have the ball, allowing his team to dominate the territory game, while he is also more than capable to compete in the air when he gets there in time.

Duhan van der Merwe

A player who jus seems to be getting better and better, van der Merwe may not be the best defensively, but more than makes up for this with his attacking prowess. A giant on the pitch, he utilises his size and strength to dominate most of his fellow wings (while also coming inside as a crash ball option to help put the team on the front foot), but he also has an eye for a gap and the pace to take advantage of any space he is given. A key part of Scotland’s World Cup hopes.

Marika Koroibete

While the performances of the Australia national team have been consistently inconsistent over recent years, Koroibete is one of a handful of players whose performances always seem to reach at least an 8/10. Combines pace, power and incredible footwork to consistently beat defences, while he frequently makes key interventions in defence  to turn the tide of matches in his team’s favour.

Rieko Ioane

A player who has spent much of this cycle playing outside centre, Ioane still reaches another level on the wing. His pace is a nightmare for defenders to deal with, and he backs this up with surprising strength, which makes him a matchup nightmare for opposition wings. Scoring tries at a rate of just over 1 every 2 games, which has slowed down a little in recent years as Ian Foster did his best to ruin the All Blacks, but at 26 years old, he still has plenty of time to climb the try scoring charts.

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Phil’s top 5: Makazole Mapimpi, Duhan van der Merwe, Cheslin Kolbe, Keith Earls, Santiago Cordero

Who makes your top 5?

Movember_Partner Badges_Proud Mo Grower_BlackThis year, I’m doing Movember a little different with my Movember Marathon.

You can find all the details on my announcement.

Visit my JustGiving page for updates or if you would like to donate.

Help me to change the face of men’s health!

Movember_Iconic Mo_Black

Top 5: Outside Centres

Top 5: Outside Centres

Welcome back to my “Top 5” rugby series. This 13-article series has been inspired by countless conversations among friends or other fans over the years and will see me selecting my top 5 men’s rugby players who are currently playing at each position.

With all of these lists, I am picking who I feel are the best 5 at each position, so there may be some surprises in there as I select the players who I feel are most appropriate to the position despite there being multiple ways to play many positions. I try to watch rugby from a broad range of leagues as well as plenty (or too much, depending how you ask) of Test matches, but I appreciate that I still have some blind spots, while a list like this is subjective; so while the majority of each article will be my list, I also set my good friend and occasional collaborator Phil the challenge to select his top 5, which I will include below. I’d also love to hear your picks, so go ahead and post them in the comments!

And so, let’s continue down the back line and look at the outside centres.

Top 5

Lukhanyo Am

A few years ago he was regarded as one of the best defensive 13s in the world… then the best defensive 13 in the world… then the best 13 in the world…now he is probably competing with Antoine Dupont to be called the best in the world. Always appears to make the right decision at just the right time, so solid in defence and able to truck the ball up, pass or kick as required.

Chris Harris

I remember being disappointed when it was announced that my team Gloucester were signing Chris Harris, as beck then he just seemed to be a very good defensive 13. Well roll the clock forward and he is now arguably one of the best defensive 3s in the game. Always appears to make the correct read in defence and knows when to hold back and when to blitz forward and make a big hit, while also covering the spaces that his teammates need. And the growth of a decent attacking game too certainly doesn’t hurt things either!

Jack Goodhue

That Goodhue’s last cap came in 2023 shows just how badly his career has been hit by injuries, but he remains a star and still has time to prove it on the internationals stage. A solid all-rounder in attack, Goodhue is another who excels with his reading of the game in defence, which result in him always being in the right place to stop an attack.

Len Ikitau

A player who has really snuck up on me to make his way onto this list. Took his chance when injuries opened up a spot in the 13 shirt for the Wallabies and quickly cemented his place in the team. Super reliable in attack, he’s also so reliable in his defence that he was able to shine defensively and succeed with the personnel around him changing each week during recent Australia matches. And at just 24 years old with 2 years of Test rugby behind him, he will just continue to improve over the coming years.

Garry Ringrose

A player who came onto the Test scene and was immediately hailed as the successor to Brian O’Driscoll, such was the hype about him in the early years that top quality performances are just expected from him these days. And yet somehow he never does appear to have a good game. A great dynamic attacker to balance outside Ireland’s more physical 12s, Ringrose is yet another player whose defensive reading of the game is spot on, and who you can always rely on to make the right decision between holding back in the line or flying out to make the man-and-ball tackle.

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Phil’s top 5: Chris Harris, Lukhanyo Am, Henry Slade, Jonathan Danty, Anton Lienert-Brown

Who makes your top 5?

Movember_Partner Badges_Proud Mo Grower_BlackThis year, I’m doing Movember a little different with my Movember Marathon.

You can find all the details on my announcement.

Visit my JustGiving page for updates or if you would like to donate.

Help me to change the face of men’s health!

Movember_Iconic Mo_Black