Five points clear at the top of the Premier League, with one game less to start, and a young and exciting team led by an increasingly impressive manager. Everything must be rosy at Arsenal, right?
It’s fair to say, however, that the January window hasn’t gone as ideally as the league leaders, who are keen to win a first national title since 2004, would have liked.
Among their top two transfer targets, Mykhailo Mudryk chose Arsenal’s London rivals Chelsea on the Gunners, while offers for Moises Caicedo from Brighton have been repeatedly postponed.
This has led to the arrival of Leandro Trossard and Jorginho looking like second-choice signings to some, but should that necessarily be the case for two experienced top-flight operators?
Since the start of the Premier League in 1992, Arsenal are the ninth team to hold a five-to-eight point lead – to take into account their current game – after 19 games, the middle of the season.
Of the previous eight, only two – Norwich, in the first-ever Premier League campaign in 1992-93, and Liverpool, in 2018-19 – have failed to win the title.
The failed bid from the Reds four years ago will be the most relevant for the Gunners, given that it was Manchester City, Arsenal’s closest rivals, who overhauled them.
So was January a missed opportunity – or did Arsenal already have enough in their ranks to ensure they would cross the line despite minimal winter activity?
‘Smart signing Jorginho has winner’s mentality’
In some circles, the capture of Jorginho from Chelsea was seen as a disappointment – a plan B, at best, after a failed bid for Brighton’s 21-year-old Ecuadorian midfielder Caicedo.
Signing a 31-year-old on a relatively short-term contract also doesn’t quite fit with the Gunners’ recruitment policy under Arteta, where the philosophy has been to bring in players in their early to mid-twenties such than Gabriel Jesus. , Oleksandr Zinchenko and Martin Odegaard.
But, pushing that aside for a moment, Jorginho’s arrival strengthens Arsenal in a key area, an almost intangible area – the art of winning.
‘I think Jorginho is a smart signing,’ ex-Tottenham and England striker says Darren Bent on Twitter. “Premier League experience, has a winning mentality.
“My only concern is maybe possession, in terms of mobility. But a bargain.”
Times Football Editor Henry Winter agreed, writing“I don’t understand the antipathy some Arsenal fans have towards Jorginho. Experienced, winning, interrupts play, rarely wastes possession (although unimaginative). A little slow but good cover for Arsenal.”
The aforementioned duo of Jesus and Zinchenko have won virtually everything there is to win at Manchester City, but the Brazilian is out until at least March and the Ukrainian defender has also missed big chunks of the season due to ‘a wound.
Even the influential Odegaard has just one Copa del Rey to his name, while Arsenal’s lone trophy under Arteta was the 2020 FA Cup – of the current squad only Granit Xhaka, Rob Holding, Kieran Tierney and Eddie Nketiah starred in this final.
In contrast, Jorginho, in 2021, became the first player to win the European Championship, Champions League and Super Cup in the same year, playing in all three finals.
Former Spurs midfielder Michael Brown believes the move could be “an incredible signing” for Arsenal.
“He will fit perfectly into the philosophy of Arsenal,” Brown told BBC Sport. “He’s so cool and he comes after winning the Champions League and the Euros, carrying all that success.”
Trossard not far from Mudryk’s figures
While the failure to bring in Mudryk has been a blow to Arsenal – who also signed young Polish defender Jakub Kiwior in January – the numbers suggest Trossard is a more than adequate alternative.
The Belgian striker has scored as many goals this season – seven – as Mudryk has managed in the Ukrainian top flight, where, it’s fair to say, the quality is lower.
Mudryk provided a further five assists – seven to two – but in a side that have scored 45 goals in 19 games, a total bettered only by City’s 53 in 20 games, Arsenal are not lacking in creativity.
The Ukrainian averages a goal or assist every 65 minutes, compared to Trossard’s one every 147, but it remains to be seen if he can replicate those numbers in a more competitive league, while the former Brighton are a proven product in the Premier League.
The comparisons between Jorginho and Caicedo are even more interesting.
The Italian may have earned an unfair reputation as a ‘sideways’ footballer but, over the past season and a half, he has averaged more assists in the final third per game (20.4) than Caicedo ( 14.7) and more forward passes too (20 to 14.5).
Jorginho also carried the ball more successfully (109m per game compared to Caicedo’s 97) and won the ball more often (8.3 times per game compared to 6.7).
The 31-year-old leads Chelsea in recoveries per game, interceptions and tackles this season – oh, and he’s pretty reliable from the penalty spot too.
There is no doubt that Mudryk and Caicedo, at 22 and 21 respectively, would offer more long-term benefits than the former pair of Trossard and Jorginho – but Arsenal are not lacking in youth and potential.
Indeed, it could be argued that us and the experience are exactly what is needed for the nervous break-in – rather than big-name or big-buck additions that could upset a happy, sedentary squad.
“Proven winner”, “Big influence” or “Disappointing”? Your views
Ashley: “Jorginho is not an exciting signing but I can live with an 18 month contract. At the end of the day, we just need him to start our Europa League games and cover Partey and Xhaka in the league in case of an emergency “We’ve shown that we have plenty of money to spend at least one, maybe two, exciting midfield signings this summer so I can live with that for now.”
Miles: “I don’t understand how my fellow Arsenal fans feel about signing Jorginho. Proven winner, cheap in today’s market and he’s a team player. A shrewd deal if you ask me.”
bobo: “A lot of disgruntled Arsenal fans miss the point on Jorginho – you need a technical player who can adapt to Mikel Arteta’s tactical system. All of your success is down to players who adhere to that very system!”
John: “Jorginho to Arsenal is the most disappointing news of the transfer window. Old, slow and lateral passing will ruin the flow of the team that Mikel Arteta has built.”
Simon: “A few years ago Jorginho was among the best in the world, has winning experience and adds depth to Arsenal’s midfield where behind Xhaka and Partey they don’t have much. He could have a great influence on the run-in.”
David: “I’d rather have Jorginho for £12m than Caicedo for £80m+ I think. Good team player with lots of experience. Save some money and go for Declan Rice this summer.”
