10 Dec 2017 23:36:12
Particularly away from home and until we buy a couple of CB's we need to revert to 4 at the back and sit deeper for the opening 20 minutes. We also need to play a true DM, so Coquelin, although not really good enough, has to start alongside Wilshere against West Ham. With Sanchez on the left of a 4 man midfield and Walcott starting on the right. I would then start Giroud and Lacazette up front.
The back four should be Bellerin, Mustafi (if fit) , Kos and Kolasinac.
In the break we should snap up N'Zonzi and Johnny Evans.
We have players to sell or release over the next two windows: Ospina, Debuchy, Mertesacker, Chambers, Akpom, Campbell, Coquelin, Elneny.
We have too many attacking minded midfield players that can't defend and this needs to be addressed.
Rant over.
11 Dec 2017 08:25:58
The thing is with Kos starting to look past his best all its difficult to name one of our CBs or CMF player's who don't have a huge question mark next to their name.
It seems to me you can mix and match all we have what ever way we like and it will never be right.
Jack and Theo being the answer sounds like a post from 5 years ago to me.
What we have just doesn't work and it's almost impossible to see how it is ever going too after all this time.
11 Dec 2017 12:47:29
How bad is it? Bellerin doesn't look a right wing back or a good right back, mustaffi looks slow and ponderous, mert and kos past it, monreal really a left back turned uncomfortable center back. The two young center backs holding and chambers, being nice, aren't ready yet and our central mid is flimsy and weak. But more than anything, don't work together and always look short of confidence.
11 Dec 2017 13:36:52
If you took over next summer with Ozil and Sanchez already gone and wanted to really have a go at the title in your first season who of who we already have could possibly make your title challenging 11?
For me Kol Lacasette Belerin possibly Ramsey if surrounded by top players might be able to step up but apart from that you are looking at back squad players for the best of the rest at the very best.
It's shocking I know but when Sanchez and Ozil have gone we will be left with 3 or 4 at a real push who might be good enough to play regularly in a title winning team and a whole lot of players good enough for back up at absolute best.
That really is a poor state of affairs at a club like Arsenal.
11 Dec 2017 14:41:03
I think our players are in the main good players, often played either out of position or with poor tactics, which is down to Wenger.
Bellerin is a winger converted to a fullback or wing back and the defensive side of his game is poor.
Wilshere, Xhaka and Ramsey are all offensive midfield players, played in a DM role.
Tactically, more often than not our defence starts a match 10-15 yards too high up the field and our opponents get in behind and score. We are playing 3 CB's often marking one forward.
With the opinions we have, as stated above, a defence of Bellerin, Mustafi, Kos and Kolasinac, sitting deep away from home, protected by Coquelin and Wilshere, sitting just ahead on them. We must buy a couple of CB's and a couple of DM's.
11 Dec 2017 19:17:39
It's OK seeing what we should buy RG but will we? The answer is highly unlikely.
5 years ago we thought Jack was going to a Superstar and Theo top notch we can't simply go back 5 years because nothing else has worked and we have run out of ideas.
12 Dec 2017 06:49:54
G62 - I have littel confidence that we will buy, even though Wenger will want to replace Sanchez, who appears to be off. I have a feeling we will limp on with roughly the same squad, until the summer when Ozil and Sanchez will depart.
12 Dec 2017 07:57:30
Do you not think Sanchez will go in January RG? It would make sense as he obviously can't find his Arsenal majo easily any more and at least we get something for him.
12 Dec 2017 08:29:20
Tricky question G62 - I can't see Arsenal allowing both Ozil and Sanchez to depart for nothing, although we are in a very weak position as they can both negotiate with other clubs as from January and that would possibly mean a better deal for them as interested clubs sign them for nothing in the summer, opposed to £millions in January.
My instinct is that Wenger is going try and sign replacements in January and cash in on the pair, if possible. I have a sneaky and hopeful suspicion that the recent N'Zonzi 'noise' had some truth in it and that we may try and sell Ozil, with the knowledge that we can play Ramsey in a more attacking role which suits him better.
In respect of Sanchez, we may try to do an exchange with team abroad, which will keep him away from PL teams and bring a player in exchange. A very interesting window, which needs careful handling.
12 Dec 2017 10:29:36
Personally I'd let them both go in January for £s rather than for 0 in the summer and play as you say Ramsey in the Mesut role and Jack Le Coq in the cmf as it's the nearest thing we have to the Caz Le Coq partnership that did work and play Danny in Sanchez place, ok Welbeck is no Sanchez but a commited Danny is equal to a half hearted Sanchez surely?
I don't really see how we would be likely to finish this season any better or worse by selling Sanchez and Ozil next month than we would giving them away next summer.
12 Dec 2017 11:39:50
Confidence may drop if we sell both, assuming we are able to, in January, without replacing them.
I have a feeling we are trying to make January signings and sell them.
12 Dec 2017 12:16:54
I don't really have any idea if we will buy anyone or not in January guessing what Arsene will do is usailly a complete waste of effort because we all think logically and Arsenes actions so often defy logic.
Why does he sub Lacasette so much
Why does he insist on playing Xhaka every game
Why does he sell Gabriel and not replace him.
{Ed002's Note - Things are changing at Arsenal as I have explained and you should be looking ahead rather than being an embarrassment by whining.}
12 Dec 2017 13:13:17
Can't wait Ed002 when will we actually see any sign of this change?
When will this change be seen and reflected on the field and in the league table?
I'm looking forward but no sign yet of anything different happening to me it all looks pretty simular to me.
{Ed002's Note - Clearly I am wasting my time explaining the changes that are happening at Arsenal at a senior level. I will steer clear as much as I can.}
12 Dec 2017 13:23:37
You don't have to steer clear on my behalf Ed002 as I never ask you any questions or comment on the answers you give others either.
So you certainly ain't steering clear of me.
13 Dec 2017 09:39:31
People are been put in place and if you don't see an improvement by next weekend we need to get rid of these people as they obviously ain't working 😂.