When we signed Leandro Trossard I was very underwhelmed.
To go from chasing one of the most exciting raw talents in Europe to ending up with a journeyman at one third of the cost was a bit deflating. And that is why I am a blogger (that makes no money from his blogs), rather than work for Arsenal.
Anyone that says that they were excited by the arrival of Trossard last January would be a liar. I think almost everyone shared my view on the transfer.
One goal in 20 league games in the 2nd half of last season might indicate that he was a poor signing to those with such linear thinking when it comes to statistics. To present that as a representation of what he contributed would ignore his 10 assists.
Only 4 players assisted more during the entire of last season than Trossard did in an Arsenal shirt (Kevin de Bruyne, Mo Salah, Bukayo Saka and Michael Olise).
This season he has 6 goals in 14 games across all competitions, as well as a further 2 assists. The Belgium and Gabriel Martinelli are providing a perfect axis for us that allows the left hand side to maintain 100% intensity for 90 minutes.
Trossard has been a terrific signing.
In the same way I was underwhelmed by Trossard’s signing, there is a similar feeling amongst Arsenal fans about our links to Douglas Luiz – I have learned my lesson and think he is a ideal for Arsenal.
With Thomas Partey’s Arsenal journey coming to an end, Arsenal probably need to go into the market in January to recruit someone who can provide cover and competition to Declan Rice.
You would also hope that the replacement can also become an option further forward, giving us an alternative to the more attacking Kai Havertz / Trossard option. Someone a bit more defensive minded who can replicate the solidity that Granit Xhaka gave us.
I recently blogged how Olexsandr Zinchenko could be this player once Jurrien Timber returns from injury – having the options of Timber, Tomiyasu and White at full back would allow Zinchenko to be an option in the midfield. But with Jorginho and Mohamed Elneny also heading for the exit door in the next 6-months, and Timber still 2 or 3 months away from returning, signing someone in January could be key to our title hopes.
Everytime I look into who can do this role, I keep coming to one man – Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz.
Like Trossard, Luiz is certainly not a big name and would be joining from a mid-table Premier League team.
The Arteta / Edu era has seen us look to players with Premier League experience more often than not when it comes to new signings – Ben White, Martin Odegaard, Aaron Ramsdale, Gabriel Jesus, Zinchenko, Trossard, Jorginho, Declan Rice and Kai Havertz.
Nearly 75% of what we have spent since 2021 has gone on players with Premier League experience.
Going for Premier League players means they are less risk. They do not need to adapt to a new club, in a new league, in a new country. They are more likely to hit the ground running. Declan Rice as exhibit A.
Luiz has been in the Premier League since 2019. In that time he has clocked up over 170 games for Villa in England.
Many of those appearances have come as Villa’s deepest midfielder. A single pivot whilst the likes of John McGinn, Emi Buendía, Philippe Coutinho or Youri Tielemans played further ahead.
This season, with the recruitment of Boubacar Kamara and departure of Coutinho, Luiz has played further advanced.
Luiz has the right mix of defensive awareness and tenacity, combined with wonderful technique. He is Aston Villa’s best passer and anything positive they do tends to come through him.
You could certainly see Luiz in an Arsenal shirt, as cover for Rice defensively and as an option to compete with Kai Havertz further forward.
He has a contract expiring in 18-months, so Villa only really have this window and the next to make any sort of money for him. The fee being floated about right now is £60m.
£60m might seem expensive for someone who would become a squad player, but it is a figure that we could work with.
Partey is costing us £9m a year in amortised transfer fees and a further £10m a year in wages. A total of £19m a year.
£60m for Luiz would see his amortised cost be £12m. An increase on his £4m Villa wages to £6m (£115k a week) would cost Arsenal a total of £18m a year. So despite the big transfer fee, Luiz would actually cost us less a year than Partey.
You would also hope that we can flog Partey to the Middle East, get a fee of around £30m+. That fee would offset some of what we play for Luiz.
I learned with Trossard to trust in Edu and Arteta’s judgement. They have come on a long way from Willian / Cedric / Mari.
Douglas Luiz might now be the global superstar some will demand, but I think he would make the perfect midfield recruit.
Anyone that watched the Manchester City game will know that today will not be easy.
Aston Villa have won 14 home games in a row, a wrong that goes back to last February when The Arsenal won 4-2.
In that time, Villa have beaten Newcastle, Tottenham and now Manchester City.
It is probably too early to call them title contenders, but if they win today they will be just 1 point off top spot (2 if Liverpool beat Palace in the early kick off).
Unai Emery has got his team purring – not a surprise as he is a top manager who thrives at mid teams, getting them to play levels ahead of where they are.
Against City, they played a 4132 system, with a very narrow, compact midfield.
Boubacar Kamara sat behind a narrow trio of John McGinn, Douglas Luiz and Douglas Luiz and Youri Tielemans. They overwhelmed Manchester City’s midfield.
City played into their hans by playing John Stones and Manuel Akanji in midfield, with Julian Alvarez and Rico Lewis ahead of them. Stones or Akanji might be able to do the job when alongside Rodri, but together they were hopeless.
Lewis is a bright young talent, but often it feels like Pep Guardiola plays him so that it can appear he is developing young talent. I do not think he starts for anyone else in the top 6. And Alvarez is a striker.
Today we need to ensure that we do not become over run in midfield, and match Villa’s work rate. For that reason I expect Jorginho to come in for Kai Havertz.
That then makes is a 3v2 match up in the middle (McGinn, Tielemans, Luiz v Rice and Jorginho). Considering Rice is a two-man midfield, we should be able to match them.
Due to them setting up so narrow, we could exploit the spaces they leave out wide. They will not have the resources to double up on Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, whilst also keeping the middle compact. This will leave our wingers one-on-one with the Villa full-backs. Odegaard should have more space to roam as well if he can shake off Kamara.
It is going to be an interesting tactical game! UTA.
Keenos
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 
Wow, Really quite arrogant calling the Villa, a mid table team. Admittedly, we have had quite a Barron time for too long,….but I will remind you as I’m sure you’re more than aware that although maybe not quite as consistent as Arsenal, can you remind us all, ….”can you remind us all, what year was it that you won a European Cup?”…. Ahhh that’s a never never isn’t it…..Your blogs good ok for a Gooner, but really, drop the arrogance. Up the Villa. One of the founding clubs, for all who followed.
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Aston Villa have not finished higher than 6th since 199
Yes, they were once a top team, but for the last 26 years they have been mid table. Infact, they have only finished higher than 6th about 4 time since they last won the league 1980/81. So that is over 40 years of being a mid-table team
And what is the point about singing about winning a European Cup if you were not alive to see it?
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I did say Villa hadn’t done anything for ages, and that I liked your blog . Are you bitter because we beat you, and have the honour of singing about winning a European Cup, and by the way, I’ve been going Villa since I was 5 years old with family, and that’s since 1972, I’ll let you deduce how old I am. I doubt anything positive will come in response, so I truly hope the season continues in this case, as it’s nice to see a more competitive league. And hey, I hope Villa win the european wooden spoon cup, with your x manager, as did the Hammers last year, oh dear, another club that won a European Cup…Tada, Good Luck to both teams, good bit o banter ..C’ Mon The Villa. X
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