*Official* English Football Season 2012-13

[Pothas]

Should have bought Toulalan years ago. Love that man.

 

[Uppercut]

Podolski was a crazy signing when Reus was available for €17m.

In fact, his German business has been flat out bizarre, full stop.

Where did you hear that Reus was available? Would have assumed he'd pick a move to Dortmund over Arsenal 100 times out of 100.

 

[Pothas]

They had Reus snapped up well before the summer as well didn't they?

 

[sledger]

The thing with using that tactic is that it really disrupts the other team, and not only do you need an organised back-line you have to ask your goalie to play as a make-shift sweeper at times. If you can hold possession and push the opposition up into their half, then you're gonna be dominating them although they'll still have those chances, inevitably. I agree with you about Arsenal not having the tools though.

I think the bad choice is simply because Wenger is a great coach but not necessarily an amazing tactician.


I agree with this. That match I brought up earlier featured Diaby (who is probably your Vieira-type player), Arteta and Cazorla; and they ran rings around us. You look at United and they don't really have a tough-man either.

Its probably as sledger says that they're having a make-shift play that role. I don't know how people outside still rate Lucas (at Liverpool, he is a star) but a player like him in Arsenal would own. He has a high amount of tackles/assists, never goes hiding; is strong physically but technical enough to play the passing game. I thought Song made the worst decision of his career going to Barca.

Much as I love Wenger, I would have to concede that tactically he's not the best. Though Arsenal's style and system has changed a lot since the invincibles team, they only ever seem to have a plan A. If things go down the pan, plan B is inevitably to bring on Kanu/Bendtner/Chamakh/any other tall player and try and hoof it up to him. Though of course, these days that has turned into bringing on another attacking midfielder.

It's also all very well and good saying Arsenal smashed Liverpool, which they undoubtedly did. But Liverpool aren't a great side, I don't care what anyone says.

RE: Song, it was definitely a poor move on his part, but equally poor on the part of whoever it was at Barca who decided to sign him. Tbf though, it rather sounds as if Arsenal wanted rid. Loads of reports that his attitude was terrible, and that Wenger had lost patience with him. Would explain things quite well, as I can't see any other reason why they'd be keen to let one of their best performers from the last few years go for a fairly modest sum, particularly as his contract still had a few years to run.

 

[sledger]

They had Reus snapped up well before the summer as well didn't they?

Yeah, the Reus deal was done in Jan.

 

[Uppercut]

Maybe, but even when he is fit he blows hot and cold. He's definitely got the best physical presence and work rate of all the current midfielders at the club, but I wonder if this can at times obscure the fact that he's defensively still pretty dodgy.

Still having said that, I'd defo start him every match if he was available.

Diaby does an awful lot of unbelievably stupid things. Bizarre own goals, giving away penalties and free kicks in innocuous situations, getting himself sent off when the team's 4-0 up.

He's alright but two good games followed by a long period out injured where your team underperforms does great things for your reputation. Still think Arteta/Wilshere/Cazorla is your best midfield combination and I don't really like Cazorla on the wing.

 

[sledger]

He's alright but two good games followed by a long period out injured where your team underperforms does great things for your reputation. Still think Arteta/Wilshere/Cazorla is your best midfield combination and I don't really like Cazorla on the wing.

At this moment I think it is too, but it's still not good enough to compete against good sides.

All three players are seriously good imo, but none of them are well suited to any sort of defensive duty. Arteta and Wilshere can muck in, sure. But designating either one of these players as the "defensive midfielder" is just no good. None of them are that sort of player.

You could perhaps get away with that if you had a rock solid defence...but erm...yeah.

 

[Pothas]

Yeah wasted there.

Not that it in anyway addresses problems in central midfield but Joel Campbell had another really good game for Betis yesterday. Is rather prone to having terrible shots from miles out but think he
could be excellent in a couple of years.

 

[Ikki]

It's also all very well and good saying Arsenal smashed Liverpool, which they undoubtedly did. But Liverpool aren't a great side, I don't care what anyone says.

You say that, but honestly...even when we lose we rarely get out-possessed in terms of ball retention and even rarer look clueless and dominated. There was a Rodgers interview (not sure if it was in the 'Being Liverpool' show) where he said Arsenal were doing exactly what he was trying to do to other teams - death by football.

Anyway, it was just an example of a complimentary and functioning midfield, that you already have, clicking. On the whole, I think your midfield is more than fine.

 

[Uppercut]

You say that, but honestly...even when we lose we rarely get out-possessed in terms of ball retention and even rarer look clueless and dominated.

That's because you're strong in that area though. Whereas you make loads of expensive mistakes at either end of the pitch. Finishing's been a bit better lately, but still.

 

[Ikki]

I agree, I'm just saying for a midfield to dominate our midfield takes some doing. So, I disagree that Arsenal really have to worry about getting an enforcer-type midfielder. What they have is more than good enough.

 

[sledger]

Also, even if Liverpool are a decent side now, they were considerably worse at the time that game was played.

Arsenal's midfield were great on the day, absolutely. But I maintain, that against a really top side, it won't cut it. Much as I like Arteta, for example, he's been made to look very average in the Champions League whilst up against decent oppo. He just couldn't get in to the game against Bayern, and was similarly anonymous when Arsenal got dicked on by Milan last year.

Also, "death by football" is just another of those terrible expressions that is totally meaningless.

 

[Cabinet96]

I don't really agree with that at all, to be honest. It would just be really jarring to have some big lump in the middle with Arteta, Wilshere and Cazorla. Much better to have all lumps or all passers than a mix of both.

Unless you can find another Vieira-type who can pass as well, of course. Even a proper replacement for Song would be handy. Or maybe you can get him back, he's been **** for Barca.

Why am I not surprised?

You say that, but honestly...even when we lose we rarely get out-possessed in terms of ball retention and even rarer look clueless and dominated. There was a Rodgers interview (not sure if it was in the 'Being Liverpool' show) where he said Arsenal were doing exactly what he was trying to do to other teams - death by football.

Anyway, it was just an example of a complimentary and functioning midfield, that you already have, clicking. On the whole, I think your midfield is more than fine.

Yeah I agree tbh. I'd say it's our strongest area. While it's obviously not as good as many in Europe's, I'd be much more eager to get in a world class centre forward or centre back, as opposed to a world class centre midd.

 

[Cevno]

I think Arsenal need a DM who can mix it or a Box to box player who can give a good work rate plus some bite. Not someone completely technically deficient but someone lesser technically slightly than the other 3 would do too.

Also, agree on Arteta not offering enough protection in big games as the deepest of the 3 and not looking a natural there. Arsenal do well in possession terms usually but then that is helped a lot of times because of 1 of the 2 wide players tucking in along with 3 midfielders already there.

Against Spurs they tried to play Ramsey to support Arteta for example, but he really doesn't seem to suit that role either and hasn't been the same player since his injury.

 

[Ikki]

Arsenal in for Williams - IMO a very good defender who can pass from the back.

 

[sledger]

Would be quite happy with that tbh. Would be an improvement on what's at Arsene's disposal at the moment anyway. Would probably demand less in wages than ****ing Squillaci too.

 

[The Sean]

Giggsy starts. Rooney on the bench. ITSTL.

 

[Pothas]

No Kagawa either.

Not sure about that United midfield at all.

Cautiously optimisitc that the lesser evil win win tonight.

 

[The Sean]

That's a ****ing joke.

 

[Scaly piscine]

That's an utterly ludicrous decision.

Could decide the game.