I think you're right about avoiding having too large a squad. My views in football were very much influenced by my Dad (who first took me to Highbury in 1955!) He knew his stuff having played in the Royal Artillery first XI alongside Bob Paisley. He said the job of the manager is to keep eleven players happy - the reserves.
I agree with you! van Domselaar and a LW to challenge Foord should be enough. It’s also a vote of confidence for Illestedt and Pelova which is when you are training your ass off to come back really important imo
I don't always agree with you but I think in this case you've got it bang on. Arsenal shouldn't be bringing in anyone in these two roles unless it is someone to raise the ceiling. At the same time if they are bringing someone in someone has to be going to keep the squad from getting bloated. While I'd love to see all of these players succeed with Arsenal, I'd rather see them go somewhere else and flourish as opposed to languishing on the subs bench which doesn't help the club or the player.
Agree, agree, agree. Ke Kuhl and Teyah Goldie? Very much want them to succeed with us but utter honesty required from the Club. Use them or let them go. Having followed the U21 (really U17/U18/U19) I am convinced we really do need to have a real development plan to make the best of a golden generation....Freya, Michelle, Viv, Katie and Maddy are just too good to waste.
I'm a little confused about Ilestedt. Before she got pregnant last season, she didn't overly impress in a leaky defense. The consensus seemed to be that she would likely stay at Arsenal for two seasons and then probably leave when her contract ended in 2025. Yet once she got pregnant, the narrative changed and she's now a player so important that Arsenal need to keep her spot vacant so she can return and... go back to not impressing in a leaky defense? I know it's important to support her while she's becoming a mother and not give the impression that Arsenal are trying to push her out, but if she wasn't that great before, shouldn't she be let go when her contract ends in 2025 irrespective of becoming a mother? It's a tricky subject, because we really all do want to support her in her pregnancy. My concern just is that she wasn't the level Arsenal needs, and that she's a player Arsenal should be trying to upgrade on regardless.
Not seen anything to suggest that still won’t happen nor have I seen anything to suggest people have begun to overstate her importance. She was signed as a player who could come straight into the team with Leah out. Now Leah is back she’ll be a back up option there.
I agree about squad sizes and the perceived demand for players. Walsh would be a good aquisition and I was a fan of Van Domselaar since before she went to Villa. Too many players at once coming into a club can unsettle and unbalance a squad so, like you suggested, less is more.
I think you're right about avoiding having too large a squad. My views in football were very much influenced by my Dad (who first took me to Highbury in 1955!) He knew his stuff having played in the Royal Artillery first XI alongside Bob Paisley. He said the job of the manager is to keep eleven players happy - the reserves.
I agree with you! van Domselaar and a LW to challenge Foord should be enough. It’s also a vote of confidence for Illestedt and Pelova which is when you are training your ass off to come back really important imo
I don't always agree with you but I think in this case you've got it bang on. Arsenal shouldn't be bringing in anyone in these two roles unless it is someone to raise the ceiling. At the same time if they are bringing someone in someone has to be going to keep the squad from getting bloated. While I'd love to see all of these players succeed with Arsenal, I'd rather see them go somewhere else and flourish as opposed to languishing on the subs bench which doesn't help the club or the player.
Agree, agree, agree. Ke Kuhl and Teyah Goldie? Very much want them to succeed with us but utter honesty required from the Club. Use them or let them go. Having followed the U21 (really U17/U18/U19) I am convinced we really do need to have a real development plan to make the best of a golden generation....Freya, Michelle, Viv, Katie and Maddy are just too good to waste.
I'm a little confused about Ilestedt. Before she got pregnant last season, she didn't overly impress in a leaky defense. The consensus seemed to be that she would likely stay at Arsenal for two seasons and then probably leave when her contract ended in 2025. Yet once she got pregnant, the narrative changed and she's now a player so important that Arsenal need to keep her spot vacant so she can return and... go back to not impressing in a leaky defense? I know it's important to support her while she's becoming a mother and not give the impression that Arsenal are trying to push her out, but if she wasn't that great before, shouldn't she be let go when her contract ends in 2025 irrespective of becoming a mother? It's a tricky subject, because we really all do want to support her in her pregnancy. My concern just is that she wasn't the level Arsenal needs, and that she's a player Arsenal should be trying to upgrade on regardless.
Not seen anything to suggest that still won’t happen nor have I seen anything to suggest people have begun to overstate her importance. She was signed as a player who could come straight into the team with Leah out. Now Leah is back she’ll be a back up option there.
I agree about squad sizes and the perceived demand for players. Walsh would be a good aquisition and I was a fan of Van Domselaar since before she went to Villa. Too many players at once coming into a club can unsettle and unbalance a squad so, like you suggested, less is more.