Toney is 27 though. It's not a question of loyalty, I just suspect the attitude isn't right and it's not that rare for young players already on a decent wedge to become complacent about it all.
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Yup. 5 pts behind when we started, 5 pts when Jeez came back. Also, in that 1-0 defeat to Everton, just before they scored Eddie beat 2-3 down the left and put it on a plate for Ødin.
In latter games, Ødin and Eddie both missed simple chances made by the other.
My only issue is that he's fine when we start - and after he lost his place to Leo, he seemed to suss what he needed to do more from the left to get Gabby involved when he came on once.
But we haven't found a way of playing him when chasing a winner. MA hasn't come up with a way of chucking on more strikers like AW used to.
Maybe Saka at RB and Jeez RW with Eddie central but all switching? But we need a way of playing Eddie in a front two or whatever when chasing the game. He's a great poacher - look at the MU winner.
Agree about not expecting loyalty but he just doesn't have the desire to fight for the place which is disappointing. As regards the French league would like to point out that Lacazette scored as many goals last season there as he did in his last three seasons at Arsenal (not knocking Laca who had great qualities as a team player as well)
I'm thinking when playing vs a packed defence at 1-1 with 10 mins left. Instead of a back 3 with Zinny inverting into MF on the left, bring Eddie on for him. BW shuffles across for a back 3. Saka as the free role FB but basically, you'd have him and Jeez switching positions on the right with Eddie mostly central but able to go right with those 2 to join the overload, with added Ødin or Eddie switching with Gabby on the left with added Havertz.
What I'm really saying is we need a formation switch where Eddie comes on for a defensive player when chasing the game. I dunno what it is but we need one. We can shut up shop now - Jorgy or Partey on for a number 8/10, maybe even Timber for Saka.
But with all this extra creative/scoring talent on the bench - Eddie, ESR, Leo, Fabio, RN - how do we bring on one of them in place of one of the back 4 when facing a team parking the bus?
I don't think young Edward is irreplaceable in the current squad, nor would big money be needed to massively improve us by replacing him. As an example i'd say the versions of Chamakh and Togo, signed at the time Wenger signed them would hugely improve on Eddie based on how we play. Even in todays money based on inflation those players would cost around £20m. Arteta ball is crying out for a certain type of forward. We don't actually have it on paper but Jesus does excell playing that role with his back to goal sacrificing himself for the team.
Agree with that. Eddie failed to cement his place last season and has been largely dining out on the run in from the previous season.
Always room for improvement but for me there’s not enough.
Balogun, I suspect, is another Andy Cole in the making elsewhere.
Dunno about Chamak. Reckon Kai will help with hoofing it into the box late. And as you say, Jeez does far more than Marouane ever did.
The Togonator was a bit different. Titi thought he'd be as good as him and he scored 30 one season in a 4-4-2 with RVP. {Though 20% of his goals were against Derby County.} Obviously if we could get a 2006-10 Ade for £20-30m that would be tops.
But when Eddie played last year and was scoring at the start, on a Times article, the journo replied to me and said Eddie's ability to find space in the box reminded him of Gerd Muller - though not as good, obv.
I just wish we could find a way of bringing him on if we need a winner, while keeping Jeez, Saka, Gabby, Ødin and Kai {or whoever's playing there} still on the pitch.
We have options to switch players in our normal formation. We can switch to a more defensive formation. But I'm still not sure how we switch to a more attacking one.
JAI SHREE GANESHA.
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