Arsenal 2017/2018

[Loke]

So he rather gets red cards whilst giving away pens than possibly a goalscoring chance? He sleeps often himself too.

He can be a top CB on his day, but I've see many top matches of him which were very below par. Just look at the Hazard goal last season for example.

Over a season, he plays at his best 90% of the times. I think you nitpick too much based on few games and just think he's like that all the time.

At the end of the day, a lot of the goals we concede can be stopped further up the pitch, but our midfield doesn't exist so the defenders at the back are often facing a large number of players running at them.

Number of times we get caught on the counter is appalling. At united, Chelsea, city and even spurs, there's a matic, Kante, wanyama/diet, fernanidnho etc. That help prevent this and they are further assisted by a good system and organisation.

Wenger knows midfield ain't doing enough so switched to back 3, but again he's not good enough at coaching the team how to play it well.

 

[giorno]

Wenger knows midfield ain't doing enough so switched to back 3, but again he's not good enough at coaching the team how to play it well.

Wenger switched to a back 3 to improve the attack, not the defence. And it works, arsenal have been way better at it then before the switch. Problem against stoke was most chances fell to bambi on ice and Ox

 

[Loke]

Wenger switched to a back 3 to improve the attack, not the defence. And it works, arsenal have been way better at it then before the switch. Problem against stoke was most chances fell to bambi on ice and Ox

We also look extremely susceptible to counters. More so than before

 

[giorno]

We also look extremely susceptible to counters. More so than before

Not really, defensively you haven't changed

 

[MadMike]

They play 3-4-3 now. I would expect the front 3 to be Ozil and Sanchez behind Lacazette with Iwobi, Welbeck and Giroud as back up. They are some really good attacking options.

Central midfield 2 looks like Elneny and Xhaka with Ramsey as a more offensive and Coquelin as a defensive option. Bellerin, Ox and Kolasinac as wing backs. They have a big squad and need to shed some players but I don't think they need many more in.

But, allowing Sanchez, Ozil and Ox all to run their contracts down is crazy. Especially in an era where someone like Coutinho could go for over £100m and top English clubs are in for Evans and Drinkwater to fill a home grown quota.

Forgot to replay to this, sorry mate.

While they do indeed play 3-4-3 now, this will be their undoing in my opinion. They don't have a decent LWB-ML like Chelsea's Alonso for that system and they don't have enough proper CBs to play 3 at the back since they sold Gabriel. For me personally, it's obvious they should play 4-2-3-1 / 4-3-3 with Kolasinac, Koscielny, Mustafi, Bellerin as back 4.

And yeah, we agree, running down the contracts is beyond insane. If Wenger gets the sack end of the season, the new manager would be majorly, majorly fecked. Wenger's management of the squad has been so appalling that I'm starting to consider that he's either turning senile or he's self-sabotaging for unknown reasons.

 

[giorno]

They don't really play 3-4-3...it's more of a 3-1-4-1-1/3-1-3-2-1/3-1-5-1/3-1-4-2 which becomes a 5-4-1/5-3-1-1/4-4-2 when they're pinned back in their own half. Only the defenders, Xhaka and the two wide players occupy a fixed area on the pitch. The other 4 play where they want

 

[oneniltothearsenal]

Wenger switched to a back 3 to improve the attack, not the defence. And it works, arsenal have been way better at it then before the switch. Problem against stoke was most chances fell to bambi on ice and Ox

No this is wrong. @Loke is 100% correct; Wenger switched to a back 3 to get more solid at defense after losses like Crystal Palace and West Brom last year.
Considering that the switch to back three removed one attacker in favor of adding a defender it should be obvious.

 

[Tarrou]

Well at least Scrappy-do is back, doing what he does best

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[Nick7]

Well at least Scrappy-do is back, doing what he does best

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City player diving to the ground and grabbing his face is tragic.

 

[Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87]

Well at least Scrappy-do is back, doing what he does best

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I understand him though. City player's foul was cnutish.

 

[giorno]

No this is wrong. @Loke is 100% correct; Wenger switched to a back 3 to get more solid at defense after losses like Crystal Palace and West Brom last year.
Considering that the switch to back three removed one attacker in favor of adding a defender it should be obvious.

I should correct what i said: doesn't matter WHY wenger switched to a back 3. The result is that arsenal have remained the same on defence, but massively improved their attack

EDIT: That's so wenger. Make a change hoping to improve the defence, end up improving everything BUT the defence

 

[Loke]

I should correct what i said: doesn't matter WHY wenger switched to a back 3. The result is that arsenal have remained the same on defence, but massively improved their attack

EDIT: That's so wenger. Make a change hoping to improve the defence, end up improving everything BUT the defence

we've not conceded 5 goals in a while...so think its working

 

[oneniltothearsenal]

I should correct what i said: doesn't matter WHY wenger switched to a back 3. The result is that arsenal have remained the same on defence, but massively improved their attack
EDIT: That's so wenger. Make a change hoping to improve the defence, end up improving everything BUT the defence

Yeah I think that's because the 3 at the back doesn't actually fix any of the defensive problems. It just masks and hides them. Essentially what it did was force an extra man at the back to defend counter attacks and play around the high press. But it doesn't address the actual problems with positioning, discipline and all around team defense that we've had for years now. I just chalk it up to a weakness in Wenger's freestyle philosophy. Need a new manager with new ideas before we see any real difference imo. Good mate of mine (Arsenal fan) is convinced 7th is where we finish if Wenger stays the full year for these reasons

 

[HisDudeness]

Lacazette's finish for that super marginal offside goal was brilliant.

Offside is offside. A hole is a hole, you cannot dig half a hole. I donna what this Keown guy was on about, as an ex player you should know that the ball can't be played with your arm/shoulder.

That was a baffling attempt to argue that the goal should have stood.

 

[giorno]

Yeah I think that's because the 3 at the back doesn't actually fix any of the defensive problems. It just masks and hides them. Essentially what it did was force an extra man at the back to defend counter attacks and play around the high press. But it doesn't address the actual problems with positioning, discipline and all around team defense that we've had for years now. I just chalk it up to a weakness in Wenger's freestyle philosophy. Need a new manager with new ideas before we see any real difference imo. Good mate of mine (Arsenal fan) is convinced 7th is where we finish if Wenger stays the full year for these reasons

Agree with you. While the reason why it improved the attack is because it gives you an extra man in the midfield/defensive third area for the build up, while giving you much better spacing in the final third. It also allows Wenger to play his 3 best/most talented players(alexis, ozil and ramsey. Excluding Lacazette) without them stepping on each other's toes

 

[ThierryHenry]

It's essentially replaced Coquelin with a centre back (all of whom are better on the ball anyway), with that added protection meaning that Ramsey and the two full backs can get play much further forward. We're therefore much more attacking in this formation, hence the improvement in goals scored but not conceded.

It worked great at the end of last season, remains to be seen if it's successful as a long term switch. I hope it is - the first half of last season proved that our midfield is dreadful at protecting its defence. That's less of an issue now.

 

[Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87]

We still need a DM and a WB, but Wenger will never buy them.

 

[Scarecrow]

Well at least Scrappy-do is back, doing what he does best

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I'd do the same, to be honest.

 

[Robbie Boy]

Christ, Wilshere really has taken a massive fall from grace. He was the next big thing apparently!

 

[kouroux]

I'd do the same, to be honest.

We'd talk about you on the caf.

 

[Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87]

Christ, Wilshere really has taken a massive fall from grace. He was the next big thing apparently!

Too many injuries and a bad behaviour off the field.

 

[Robbie Boy]

Too many injuries and a bad behaviour off the field.

He was a talent for sure, but I always feel both his ability and potential got blown out of proportion due to the fact that he was an English player would good technical ability.

Still though, hard to believe how far he has fallen over the past 2/3 years.

 

[Loke]

He was a talent for sure, but I always feel both his ability and potential got blown out of proportion due to the fact that he was an English player would good technical ability.

Still though, hard to believe how far he has fallen over the past 2/3 years.

I don't think it was blown out of proportion. His technical ability was really high for an English player and comparable to the Spanish counterpart hence the excitement around him.

Not many players around in the England setup like him.

I expect us to sell him soon though, too injury prone and doesn't look after his body either.

 

[Adisa]

I remember when he was rated higher than Thiago.

 

[POF]

Forgot to replay to this, sorry mate.

While they do indeed play 3-4-3 now, this will be their undoing in my opinion. They don't have a decent LWB-ML like Chelsea's Alonso for that system and they don't have enough proper CBs to play 3 at the back since they sold Gabriel. For me personally, it's obvious they should play 4-2-3-1 / 4-3-3 with Kolasinac, Koscielny, Mustafi, Bellerin as back 4.

And yeah, we agree, running down the contracts is beyond insane. If Wenger gets the sack end of the season, the new manager would be majorly, majorly fecked. Wenger's management of the squad has been so appalling that I'm starting to consider that he's either turning senile or he's self-sabotaging for unknown reasons.

I'm not a big fan of so many teams switching to a back 3. I find it really strange that when a system works for one team, so many others try to replicate it, whether it suits them or not. That said, I think it has worked quite well for Arsenal. It seems to make them more fluid.

I think wing back suits Oxlade Chamberlain really well. I haven't seen enough of Kolasinac but I think Monreal is their best defender. It would be harsh to leave him out.

With Arsenal, I don't think it really matters what formation they play. They've had the same season for the last 10 years. They will go on a good run, start being talked about as contenders and then collapse like a house of cards at the business end of the season with Wenger praising their mental strength.

It seems nailed on that all 3 of Sanchez, Ozil and Ox will leave in the summer. I am amazed players like Sanchez and Ozil join them in the first place. You can see Sanchez getting frustrated that Arsenal aren't competing for the title. What did he expect when he joined? Wenger being sacked is actually Arsenal's best chance of keeping any of those 3.

 

[Robbie Boy]

I don't think it was blown out of proportion. His technical ability was really high for an English player and comparable to the Spanish counterpart hence the excitement around him.

Not many players around in the England setup like him.

I expect us to sell him soon though, too injury prone and doesn't look after his body either.

Well that's kinda my point, I feel a-lot of the hype was based solely on his technical ability and there were other facets of his game that never improved. There's no denying he had a-lot of potential and circa 17-22, he looked like he would go on to become a quality player. I feel he badly stagnated and never fulfilled his early promise and injuries definitely played a part in that. I guess that Barca game will always stand out where he looked the real deal.

 

[pseudo_canadian]

Well at least Scrappy-do is back, doing what he does best

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I would have reacted similarly, the City player intentionally came in very hard.

 

[AR87]

Well that's kinda my point, I feel a-lot of the hype was based solely on his technical ability and there were other facets of his game that never improved. There's no denying he had a-lot of potential and circa 17-22, he looked like he would go on to become a quality player. I feel he badly stagnated and never fulfilled his early promise and injuries definitely played a part in that. I guess that Barca game will always stand out where he looked the real deal.

The lack of progression in his career from that Barca match onwards is as much about lack of direction and development from the manager and training staff as it is about his injuries. I do believe he'd have progressed much more in his tactical discipline and understanding of the game elsewhere.

 

[Robbie Boy]

The lack of progression in his career from that Barca match onwards is as much about lack of direction and development from the manager and training staff as it is about his injuries. I do believe he'd have progressed much more in his tactical discipline and understanding of the game elsewhere.

Possibly, who knows... He certainly looks a-bit of a lost cause at the minute and really needs to get himself a permanent transfer and try find some form again.

 

[tomaldinho1]

I would have reacted similarly, the City player intentionally came in very hard.

Admirable but best bet these days to get someone back is to go down screaming and chuck in a few rolls. Red cards flying out ten a penny at the moment

 

[giorno]

I remember when he was rated higher than Thiago.

I remember when the english press rated him more than Thiago and Guardiola laughed at them to their faces

 

[Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87]

He was a talent for sure, but I always feel both his ability and potential got blown out of proportion due to the fact that he was an English player would good technical ability.

Still though, hard to believe how far he has fallen over the past 2/3 years.

That's for sure. Besides, his style of play has always been too nasty based on rough sliding tackles. You understand you get injuried easier in this way.

 

[SirAF]

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[Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87]

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Well, finally

 

[SirAF]

Well, finally

Tbf, they look quite smart!

 

[Loke]

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I hope we take this seriously. Would be nice to lift a European trophy. My only memory of getting anywhere close was 2006 and was too young for 2000 so this would be nice, even if it's not too prestigious.

 

[Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87]

I hope we take this seriously. Would be nice to lift a European trophy. My only memory of getting anywhere close was 2006 and was too young for 2000 so this would be nice, even if it's not too prestigious.

Completely agree.

 

[Mogget]

The lack of progression in his career from that Barca match onwards is as much about lack of direction and development from the manager and training staff as it is about his injuries. I do believe he'd have progressed much more in his tactical discipline and understanding of the game elsewhere.

Arsenal isn't the club that brings through young players anymore. It feels like every young player with potential we've bought in the last 5 years has stagnated and I don't see that changing any time soon.

 

[AR87]

I hope we take this seriously. Would be nice to lift a European trophy. My only memory of getting anywhere close was 2006 and was too young for 2000 so this would be nice, even if it's not too prestigious.

Definitely. It also gives you 2 avenues to qualify for Champions League and it's a realistic chance to win a European trophy. Even last year I wanted United to win Europa more than any other trophy we had a chance for other than the league and certainly more than finishing top 4.

 

[Yagami]

I don't think it was blown out of proportion. His technical ability was really high for an English player and comparable to the Spanish counterpart hence the excitement around him.

Not many players around in the England setup like him.

I expect us to sell him soon though, too injury prone and doesn't look after his body either.

I hope we take this seriously. Would be nice to lift a European trophy. My only memory of getting anywhere close was 2006 and was too young for 2000 so this would be nice, even if it's not too prestigious.

I agree with both of your posts.

Regarding Wilshere, I think the hype was completely justified - he was an incredible talent. If he had stayed clear of injuries and had looked after himself I think he'd be just as good as Isco is now.

On the Europa League, it still baffles me as to why some clubs don't take it seriously (including us under Fergie). It's a fine competition with many benefits if you win. I was all for José taking it seriously last year and I'm delighted he did because it pretty much saved us from a disappointing season.