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

[Krebstar]

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

Kola’s pass map today. Why Holding isn’t playing is quite the mystery.

He's still a player I would not mind seeing moved on. Since the restart, or since he's been in that back three, there's been a lot of talk about how well he's played.

But, has he? He hasn't made mistakes, but he never seemed to be putting in great performances—he was just not being noticeable, which isn't the worst thing.

Also, Mustafi is still Mustafi. It doesn't matter who is in front of him, behind him, or next to him. I'm sick of the idea that he can change, has changed, or will change. He's in the wrong league—clearly. His limp, falling down and into Kane as he went by him to goal today was one of the more pathetic things I've ever seen him do.

Good reminder today that we're still very far from where we need to be, and I know money is great, but I do not care about the Europa League. Give this squad + additions extra time each week to rebuild themselves. They do not need to be going through another Europa League group stage campaign.

[jb12780]

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

I wouldn’t shed a tear if Kola was sold. Mustafi speaks for himself. Might be MLS time for him.


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[ImTellinTim]

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

I wouldn’t shed a tear if Kola was sold. Mustafi speaks for himself. Might be MLS time for him.


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Mustafi is not fast enough to keep up with a runner and is bad at positioning/tackling. What a combo to have.

[jb12780]

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

Mustafi is not fast enough to keep up with a runner and is bad at positioning/tackling. What a combo to have.

He’s also got the confidence of Prime Zidane.


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[Krebstar]

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

Finally catching up with the Arsecast Extra from Monday, and a point was just made which makes me happy about the future—the height of our defenders.

Both Saliba and Mari are 6'4. Luiz is 6'2 and both Mustafi and Kola are 6'.

I'll be really glad to see some actual height in the central of our defense, as we've needed it for years.

[JHedges2]

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

Finally catching up with the Arsecast Extra from Monday, and a point was just made which makes me happy about the future—the height of our defenders.

Both Saliba and Mari are 6'4. Luiz is 6'2 and both Mustafi and Kola are 6'.

I'll be really glad to see some actual height in the central of our defense, as we've needed it for years.

How confident are you with a: Tierney, Mari, Saliba, Bellerin back 4?

I don’t think Arteta WANTS to play a back 3–but has to given the obvious liabilities that our current personnel have.

If that is the starting back line, and 31 and 15 leave, who are the backup LB and RB? Cedric at RB I suppose, but who plays LB? Saka? He isn’t a DEFENDER obviously by trade, and I’d rather utilize him up front—assuming Pepe can perform consistently enough, which I have my doubts about..


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[Krebstar]

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

How confident are you with a: Tierney, Mari, Saliba, Bellerin back 4?

I don’t think Arteta WANTS to play a back 3–but has to given the obvious liabilities that our current personnel have.

If that is the starting back line, and 31 and 15 leave, who are the backup LB and RB? Cedric at RB I suppose, but who plays LB? Saka? He isn’t a DEFENDER obviously by trade, and I’d rather utilize him up front—assuming Pepe can perform consistently enough, which I have my doubts about..

That's the back four I want to see, but who plays in front of them really matters. I think Bellerin and Cedric on the right, and I think we might try and move Kola in the window, or even bring in someone else regardless of if we can move him. Well, that's what I want to see. There's no way Arteta sees Kola as an actual LB in his system.

[Suntan Superman]

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

Since Thomas Partey isn't coming anymore, hopefully y'all look for someone like Denis Zakaria, or someone in that vein that is a true defensive midfielder. Moving off of Guendouzi, and having a new DM, with Torreira/Xhaka/Willock/AMN rotating amongst the two lead midfield positions seems to be a decent place for the midfield, especially if Arteta is intent on moving off of a traditional 10(like he seems, and very well should be). I assume that he'll want to keep Ceballos, but I'm not entirely certain that's a possibility, but he would be a good permanent signing as well.

[jb12780]

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

Since Thomas Partey isn't coming anymore, hopefully y'all look for someone like Denis Zakaria, or someone in that vein that is a true defensive midfielder. Moving off of Guendouzi, and having a new DM, with Torreira/Xhaka/Willock/AMN rotating amongst the two lead midfield positions seems to be a decent place for the midfield, especially if Arteta is intent on moving off of a traditional 10(like he seems, and very well should be). I assume that he'll want to keep Ceballos, but I'm not entirely certain that's a possibility, but he would be a good permanent signing as well.

Allegedly Real Madrid are looking for 20-25 million pounds. I’d do that deal.

The whole midfield needs changing and that’s a bigger problem than the defense.


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[JHedges2]

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

The whole midfield needs changing and that’s a bigger problem than the defense.

I think the midfield would be alright if we could play 3 of them, instead of 3 at the back.

He’s GOT to play Holding over Kola at this point.


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[jb12780]

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

I think the midfield would be alright if we could play 3 of them, instead of 3 at the back.

He’s GOT to play Holding over Kola at this point.


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Look at the goal scoring. Only 51 goals scored this season so far.

My personal opinion: Auba is being wasted on the left and needs to play through the middle.

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[JHedges2]

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

Look at the goal scoring. Only 51 goals scored this season so far.

My personal opinion: Auba is being wasted on the left and needs to play through the middle.

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Completely agree. The front 3 need more (some?) service.

Having 1 less CB and 1 additional creative midfielder would do that. Not sure what the trio would be, based off current personnel?

Xhaka and Ceballos, with Torreria sitting as the DLP?


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[Suntan Superman]

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

Allegedly Real Madrid are looking for 20-25 million pounds. I’d do that deal.

As I recall, I don't think the problem was Madrid's asking price, but I seem to remember Ceballos saying he wanted to use this loan to try and stake a claim to a place in the Madrid team. I could be wrong, but if the player wants Madrid, that's just another hurdle to jump over.

The whole midfield needs changing and that’s a bigger problem than the defense.

I don't think the whole midfield needs changing, I think that if Arteta will be implementing a more Pep-like system, as long as they get a true out and out defensive midfielder, they actually have a few suitable midfield players, but really comes down to the fact that they do absolutely need to come up with a true defensive midfielder, and no more hybrid players like Torreira, Xhaka, Guendouzi.

[JHedges2]

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

no more hybrid players like Torreira, Xhaka, Guendouzi.

Would you not classify Torreria a proper DM?

He doesn’t exactly offer much by way of going forward..


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[Suntan Superman]

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

Would you not classify Torreria a proper DM?

He doesn’t exactly offer much by way of going forward..

I would not, I would classify him as a ball-winning midfielder first, but in general, between what I've seen at Arsenal and Sampdoria, he's more of a deep playmaker. When I'm talking about proper DMs in this context, we're really looking for people like Fernandinho, Busquets, and the real stay-at-home don't do much outside of win the ball and splay passes to free other people type of midfielder. It's possible Torreira could fulfill that role, but it would seem like a waste of his typically good short passing, and movement in zone 14 by keeping him in zone 8/11 as a true DM.