21 Jul 2018 22:10:51
Its quite damming on the previous regime but also quite refreshing that Dick seems to realise the defending was absolutely disfraceful. he's systematically replacing them one by one while leaving the attacking side relatively untouched. I would imagine mislintat has a big say as well, looking forward to less dross defending and more clean sheets.
21 Jul 2018 22:30:58
That's got to be the first step on the road back to being competitive Steve mate.
It's got to be that way.
22 Jul 2018 00:42:02
Gunner, i actually think players might actually be responsible and liable for bad performance at last.
22 Jul 2018 04:51:09
Bad systems (not formation) breeds bad players. And if as head one put up a great system but players continually default why not drop such players and use others.
But if everyone is failing or coming short in your system them it has little to do with players its the head.
22 Jul 2018 05:39:29
Last season we finished bottom of the top 6 and had a terrible defensive record. The squad was unbalanced and the poorest I can recall for some time. Many players were simply not good enough and were certainly not improving, many going backwards as players.
Emery has signed 5 players and has hinted at a possible 6th, which is as many that could reasonably be expected to be integrated in one window and that won't be an easy task. Of the 5 we have signed a keeper, a RB, a CB and 2 DM's (if you consider Guendouzi to be a DM) , all defensive signings. Offensively we clearly have the players. I still belive that we need a second keeper, with rumours emerging of a bid to sign Yann Sommer, as neither Cech nor Ospina were good enough last season. Bellerin needs to learn how to tackle and the defensve positional side of the game. Mustafi, a Wolrd Cup winner, was woefully out of sorts and was dropped from the German national team for this summer's World Cup Finals, Monreal had a good season, but rumours are that Emery is looking to replace him, probably not this window and Kolasinac went off form. Last season, at times we saw Maitland-Niles, a DM, used in both Full back positions, Monreal and Kolasinac played at CBand Bellerin a RB, played at LB! The biggest change I expect to see under Emery is a properly organised defence and proper DM's, not creative players such as Wilshere and Cazorla playing in a position that led to injuries to small, trechncal players. Rant over!
22 Jul 2018 10:30:02
Cazorla has been our best player, he was excellent in that position and made us a totally different team. We were never the same after his injury. He's the player we need to replace, I wouldn't want us to have 2 destructive DM's we need something akin to the coq/ cazorla partnership with a destroyer and creative player who dovetail well.
22 Jul 2018 11:09:06
I think that's right Eden but the creative player needs to put in a shift too and be prepared to accept defensive duties willingly, Caz did that and in the win at City a few years back that launched Le Coq DM career Caz was the driving force behind that day from top to bottom.
Apparently it was him who told Arsene the players weren't happy to go out and get beat in the same old way before the game which lead to the introduction of Le Coq and Caz drove the team forward on the pitch that day while also partnering Le Coq perfectly on the defensive side of the game.
Aaron has it in him but just isn't turned on by the defensive side of the game he wants to be Mr match winner by scoring or at very least assisting wonder goals, a displined creative player who is as happy to make a match saving tackle or clearance as he is to score or assist a match winning goal,
That's what we are and have been missing, the Caz Le Coq partnership was excellent but unfortunately short lived and very interrupted by injury to Caz but that is the closest we've come to being a force again for a very long time.
I think Dick will know this more than anyone and I wouldn't be surprised to see Elnenys career take off under Emery more and more as the season progresses.
Elneny is a very willing team player who just needs some clear direction and help to achieve being the master of one trade rather than ok ish at all.
22 Jul 2018 11:28:47
Spot on eden, Cazorla was a fabulous player and so good with Coquelin.
22 Jul 2018 13:55:22
The formation RM used against PSG last year 4312 looks like it would get the most out of our talent, they had
Nacho varane ramos marcelo
Modric casemiro kroos
Isco
Benzema ronaldo
So 2 creative players either side of an enforcer, but obviously hard working as well and that's the big question mark over our creative players, but they could dominate midfield, if we fielded something like
Bellerin sokratis mustafi kolasinac
Ramsey torreira mkhi/ xhaka
Ozil
Lacazette aubameyang
Hopefully free up ozil, laca and auba to just get on with attacking, i never normally bother thinking of teams, cos well what s the point? But when you try, the main problem is still the defence! With kos injured, who do you partner sokratis with? Who himself has never played in the league before so may need to adapt, but your options are mustafi who hasn't looked good and most people think should be moved on, I only put him cos he looked the most likely of a bad bunch! The other options being mavropanos who looks the most promising, but is young and has barely any experience hardly plausible to expect him to be a mainstay in defence, the same with the other choices holding and Chambers, both hopefully improve and go on to big things but none of them fill you with confidence as a regular starter!
22 Jul 2018 16:44:26
Sokratis hopefully gives us 1 decent CB which is 1 more than last season because even Kos was poor last season.
The young Greek CB looked half decent at the end of last season when most teams we played had flip-flops and suntan lotion on but it will be different for him when everyone is up for it 100%, I'm not dissing the lad just saying the end of season with players winding down can be deceptive when judging young players ability, hopefully he's the real deal but let's see.
My guess is Chambers will partner papawasarollingstone on opening day by which time Dick will have him in the best shape mentally and physically since he first joined us along with the rest of the players he selects to face city.
22 Jul 2018 18:00:57
Chambers starting I imagine that will give RG a heart attack! 😂.
22 Jul 2018 23:11:27
Obviously I'm hoping sokratis hits the ground running mustafi with a bit of faith proves to be close to a £35 mil player and the others prove to be decent back up but worst case sokratis takes time to adjust, mustafi continues to be poor there's no one safe to cover them! Evans at 3 mil seems like a steal for a reasonably safe option.
23 Jul 2018 08:20:30
Agree Eden Evans wouldn't have been a bad addition to any squad at that price.
Obviously Dick has his reasons we've just got to hope we all agree with them next May, I'm not sure Mustafi can be changed from responsibility shifter to responsibility taker.
It's difficult to change someone's personality without them accepting there is a problem with how they go about things in the first place.
He's not without ability he sometimes makes some fantastic challenges but he always looks for someone else to blame for his mistakes.