***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

[~LiverpoolRed~]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

2. We need a new CB pairing

Where's Rob Holding? Has he suffered another setback?

[Suntan Superman]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

Where's Rob Holding? Has he suffered another setback?

Honestly hasn't been that great in his return, much like Bellerin you can see him struggling to find his footing again post injury. I wouldn't be surprised to see him turn out for the U23/Reserves a few more times to try and regain his fluidity in movement. Which is also why I really tried to hammer home that we can't be rushing people back from injury and that waiting for a full recovery was always the best option. He may have no damage, and be fully healed, but learning to move and do the things you used to do takes time. As someone who has had a lot of leg injuries, the timetable to get back to normal, not just healthy, is generally 18 months. On an expedited table I'd expect him to be normalish around February/March.

[Krebstar]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

Where's Rob Holding? Has he suffered another setback?

I think he has a slight knock or is just being slowly brought back after a slight knock? Even if he's back...nobody really knows what our best pairing is.

If it was up to me? Holing + Chambers if everyone is fit. I don't care if they're not the most experienced right now, because they're the ones who should be with us the longest going forward. Give them the experience now.

[jb12780]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

My vote would be Chambers/Holding or Holding/Papa.


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[jb12780]

***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

I feel a RB to back up Bellerin is needed. Chambers isn’t a RB and AMN doesn’t seem to want to play there.

Chambers would be better served as a CB/DM.

Also, I feel this team is in no way, shape, or form suited for a high defensive line, and sooner Freddy figures this out, the better.


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[Suntan Superman]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

I feel a RB to back up Bellerin is needed. Chambers isn’t a RB and AMN doesn’t seem to want to play there.

Chambers would be better served as a CB/DM.

Also, I feel this team is in no way, shape, or form suited for a high defensive line, and sooner Freddy figures this out, the better.

Was really hoping Osei-Tutu was gonna make the grade at Bochum and force the clubs hand in giving him an opportunity to make the backup/rotation spot his, but he's not really doing that at Bochum, and neither Harry Clarke nor Zak Swanson have really made the rightback position theirs. I agree that it's time we get something going there. Personally, I'd love for us to sign someone to even compete with Bellerin for the starting job, but I am certainly of the mind that competition for places is a good thing.

[Krebstar]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

Numbers noob here with an interesting stat—I was looking forward to checking our PPDA (passes per defensive action) after Freddie took over to see if we were pressing more.

Against Norwich, it was 7.88—which does she we were slightly pressing more than our average previous to the match which was 9.71 So, on average, we were pressing Norwich more quickly than we were under Emery.

Of course, the pressing is all determined by triggers such as who has the ball, and it was only one match. Will be interesting to see if the number continues to show more pressing under Freddie.

As for Thursday, the only teams who press more than Brighton this season are Leicester, Man City, Liverpool, and Everton. So, we're going to get pressed and that worries me.

[jb12780]

***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

Numbers noob here with an interesting stat—I was looking forward to checking our PPDA (passes per defensive action) after Freddie took over to see if we were pressing more.

Against Norwich, it was 7.88—which does she we were slightly pressing more than our average previous to the match which was 9.71 So, on average, we were pressing Norwich more quickly than we were under Emery.

Of course, the pressing is all determined by triggers such as who has the ball, and it was only one match. Will be interesting to see if the number continues to show more pressing under Freddie.

As for Thursday, the only teams who press more than Brighton this season are Leicester, Man City, Liverpool, and Everton. So, we're going to get pressed and that worries me.

The question I ask is does any combination Freddie throws out there have the ability to successfully beat a press?

To me the issues now are the midfield and back line. Need to find the right combo. Leno has been the clubs best player so far this year.


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[Krebstar]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

The question I ask is does any combination Freddie throws out there have the ability to successfully beat a press?


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I think Mustafi + Luiz at the back worked well in terms of playing from the back, the issue is they were disastrous at defending.

There was at least one moment that stood out, and I posted when it happened. We were pressed deep into our own corner, and with a few passes including the defenders we were at midfield and breaking forward. I hadn't seen Arsenal do that in...a long time.

What's interesting is that if Brighton do press, we can invite it by playing from the back, and try and then have numbers going forward. However, if we do that enough and give it up, we then have sorry excuses or defenders to attempt to stop an immediate attack.

I do think Freddie can improve areas of the team using the squad available to him, but he'll need time. My hope is just that with several training sessions this week we'll see slight improvements compared to Sunday.

[jb12780]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

Luiz and Mustafi is a bad combo IMO.


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[Krebstar]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

Luiz and Mustafi is a bad combo IMO.


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Together they really are an absolute clown show.

[Suntan Superman]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***



This is how I'd lineup vs Brighton, I think this lineup can effectively break up the press, and defend with Torreira shielding Luiz/Mustafi. Obviously Luiz/Mustafi is not our best combination, but I trust the both of them to play out of the back more than I do anyone else, especially Sokratis. I'd be fine with whatever the result is, as long as we're playing in a way that looks like we're countering Brighton's press and working the ball forward. I also love the idea of having three forwards with two playmakers against the Brighton defense.

I doubt I'll get my wish, but I'm gonna sit here and hope either way.

[jb12780]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

I would love to see Martinelli get a start.


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[JHedges2]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

Not sure Ceballos is fit yet...?


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[Suntan Superman]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

Not sure Ceballos is fit yet...?

whoops, Xhaka or Willock in his place then, forgot he was timetabled til Mid-December, thought he was day to day.