I think it's centralish. He's almost falling into the Ox trap though of being pushed into a specific hole to cover shortages instead of playing in his aspirational position.
(The not-so-temporary quite-official) Gooner Thread (Part 3)
The problem for him now is that the time where we needed another body in the middle of the park has passed - Torreira is that man.
The problem for him now is that the time where we needed another body in the middle of the park has passed - Torreira is that man.
If we're talking about CM then AMN was never that man. He's utilised better elsewhere.
Where abouts Buffy?
I kind of see our current structure like:
DM, Torreira, AMN
CM, Xhaka, Guendouzi, Elneny
AM, Ramsey, Ozil, Mhikitaryan, Iwobi
The problem for him now is that the time where we needed another body in the middle of the park has passed - Torreira is that man.
If we're talking about CM then AMN was never that man. He's utilised better elsewhere.
Disagree. He's a CM/CDM.
The man clearly has talent so I hope he gets a chance to develop in his strongest position at some point. Otherwise we could have a Fenton type situation on our hands.
Koscielny back in full training last night!
That's definitely way ahead of schedule.
Imagine a fit Kos and Sokratis next to each other....Please.
hey what websites or apps do people use for their epl/general football news? I currently use football365, but they have just changed to a pay-for-news model, so im looking for an alternative.
hey what websites or apps do people use for their epl/general football news? I currently use football365, but they have just changed to a pay-for-news model, so im looking for an alternative.
Aren't they just asking you to pay to remove the ads? If you disable your ad-blocker, you can still browse?
I generally use the espnfc website as it's quite factual, they don't tend to report transfer rumours etc until they are very solid. So it's a good place to get a gauge if something is actually real or not. It's ok for scores etc, and they do some decent opinion pieces.
When i had the app it was absolutely terrible though, I deleted it. I guess it may have improved now but haven't downloaded it since.
I tend to just use twitter, or google things, if I want to know something specific.
For scores and match updates I use the app "LiveScore". It's good just to see what the score is, who got the goals/assists etc.
And I sometimes use the aggregator NewsNow to see what's happening across the board in terms of media. You learn what to shut out (metro, daily mail etc etc) and what is actually worth reading.
Big fan of the FORZA app, has a calendar view of results and normally has goal clips and/or highlights too.
thanks guys. Yea it was down to my ad blocker. I dont know how i missed that. Anyway always good to see what else people use and get some new ideas.
man, im excited for our next game. I'm already over the nations league and just want club football to return
Ozil to captain the team. I bet a few pundits are going to have meltdown about that!
Down 1-0, pretty unlucky own goal off bellerin
3-1 up after 2 goals in 2 minutes for Auba. Stunning team goals, both of them.
Some very nice stuff being played now, after some hairy defensive moments as per usual!
For those who said that Ozil perhaps doesn't have a place in the team anymore (including me at times) - I guess that's his response. What a performance by him; the best I've seen from Ozil since the Milan away game last season.
I had started to think the same thing, after that Fulham game especially.
That was some performance today, and not just from him, but the entire team in the 2nd half. We should've scored twice that many goals (Laca?!?!), but the football was stunning to watch, we were tearing them apart, the movement was fantastic.
That 3rd goal contained no less than 3 ridiculous Ozil moments - the flick, the dummy, and then the little dinked pass at the end. Beautiful. We are finishing strong in games, even after international breaks, which is a really good sign.
Interesting comment from Emery;
“We need the number 10 position sometimes with Mesut Ozil and sometimes with Aaron Ramsey. We can’t play with both sometimes. Last match was away and we played it with two strikers. Today Mesut was very good but I believe in every player and different positions for the players.”
I might be trying too hard to read between the lines here... but is this why the decision has been made to let Ramsey go?
Sounds like Emery does not see him as a central mid, but only as a no.10 or forward, and that he and Ozil can't play together in his systems (which is backed up by the flat performances we've often seenfrom both when they have played together this season), so they are essentially competing for the same spot now.
That would mean we can't really justify superstar wages on both of them, which is essentially what has to happen if we are to re-sign Ramsey.
Michael Cox, who I personally feel is the best football analyst going around, wrote a decent piece on the game this morning;
https://global.espn.com/football/club/arsenal/359/b...
"This was Arsenal's No. 10 -- their 10th win a row -- and felt like the most significant. A fine atmosphere, a confident comeback, a starring performance from their most talented player."
That 3rd goal is just pure sex. Absolutely outrageous.
We are finishing strong in games, even after international breaks, which is a really good sign.
We do seem very fit.
Saw a tweet this morning saying we are leading the league in both sprints per game, and total distance covered.
Avoided the score all day. Came home to watch it only for Bein to absolutely fudge me over. Useless cods.
Oh and it wouldn't play so I'm currently downloading the match to watch illegally instead of watching via the medium I pay for.
Gorgeous goals.
brumbys - that has done me over before as well. Thankfully it was for a dire match that I was happy to avoid watching.
I was watching the replay on Optus and it skipped ahead to the end, luckily we were already 2-1 up and I just rewound to see the rest.
I was watching the replay on Optus and it skipped ahead to the end, luckily we were already 2-1 up and I just rewound to see the rest.
You in Aussie now bud? Or using VPN?
Well, once I got over myself that was a great game to watch. Or should I say a great 50 minutes of football from the 40th minute!
Can't do much for that OGGY but the quality of the rest of goals were absolutely lush. How big are the balls on Emery? 1-1 at home, brings off Mhikitaryan and Liechtensteiner, drops Xhaka to left back to accommodate Guendouzi and sticks Auba on the wing. I mean it worked, but jaysus that didn't look good on paper!
Good to see Iwobi continue to impress too.
Here’s my current starting 11 based on what we’ve seen so far this season.
Lacazette
Aubamayang Ozil Iwobi
Xhaka Torreira
Monreal Holding Sokratis Bellerin
Leno
Bench: Cech, Mustafi, Kolasinac, Guendouzi, Ramsey, Mhikitaryan, Welbeck
As good as 10 in a row is. I just cant shake the feeling that our defending just isn't up to it. Does anyone else have that?
LC ran riot in the opening stages of the game yesterday and should have been 2 or 3 up. We have individuals playing well, Torreia would be the prime example, but as an overall system, it seems to be only just holding. Trying that against a quality team, I think the game will be out of sight before we could recover.
I think most people are feeling that way Kwlap, but the good news is we're basically at rock bottom in terms of personnel available in defence, so you'd think it can only get better from here. Plus there does seem to have been improvement. Yes we gave up chances to Fulham and Leicester, but it felt like there were a lot less than in previous games.
Bellerin is the only first choice in that back 5 yesterday, with Cech, Koscielny, Sokratis and Monreal to come back.
On our best 11, I'd probably agree with that Brumbys, although we haven't actually tried things with that exact formation yet - Iwobi on the right and Auba on the left. The problem Emery has right now is that Iwobi offers something that no one else in the side brings, and therefore must start, but he plays best on the left, which is also where we need to fit Aubameyang, because Lacazette is better for the team in the lone striker role.
It's a conundrum, but an excellent one to have I guess. Particularly as we also have Mkhi and Rambo backing that all up, giving us a very strong bench.
In my opinion we only need to be shopping in one position come January, and that's centre back. I want a straight replacement for Mustafi, around the same age as well. We have two older experienced heads (Kosc/Sokratis), two young prospects (Holding/Mavropanos), Chambers in between who is on loan, so someone around 26, who can be better than Mustafi, would be perfect.
There are other less important areas - perhaps a long term prospect at LB, a slightly younger and more dynamic RB than Lichtsteiner, and someone to replace Ramsey but that can all wait until the off-season.
As good as 10 in a row is. I just cant shake the feeling that our defending just isn't up to it. Does anyone else have that?
LC ran riot in the opening stages of the game yesterday and should have been 2 or 3 up. We have individuals playing well, Torreia would be the prime example, but as an overall system, it seems to be only just holding. Trying that against a quality team, I think the game will be out of sight before we could recover.
Don't quite agree, actually. I think Sokratis has been better than expected, and we look a lot more solid with him in there instead of Holding. I think we are still missing a top left-sided CB to partner him, however.
A lot of the problems v Leicester were caused by Licht playing on his unfavoured left, with both Monreal and Kola out.
With everyone fit;
Lacazette
Iwobi Ozil Mkhi
Xhaka Torreira
Monreal Mustafi Sokratis Bellerin
Leno
I just think this provides the best balance right now. I don't think we can play Ozil, Auba and Laca. I also don't think we should always be focused on getting every single favourite player into the first 11.
Yea I don't disagree Valeo. That is the most balanced lineup in reality. It's a tough conclusion but probably the right one.
It just feels weird having such a prolific scorer like Auba not in the starting lineup, and I wonder if he will become unsettled if it was to go on for a long time.
I'd probably have Cech as no.1 keeper, even though Leno has impressed, but it's a pretty close-run thing too.
I think Sokratis has been better than expected, and we look a lot more solid with him in there instead of Holding. I think we are still missing a top left-sided CB to partner him, however.
Koscielny should be able to fit that bill at least in the short term...
Yea I don't disagree Valeo. That is the most balanced lineup in reality. It's a tough conclusion but probably the right one.
It just feels weird having such a prolific scorer like Auba not in the starting lineup, and I wonder if he will become unsettled if it was to go on for a long time.
I'd probably have Cech as no.1 keeper, even though Leno has impressed, but it's a pretty close-run thing too.
I think Auba will have plenty of chances to start, whether through injury or due to the amount of games we have to play - didn't see City worry when Jesus was on the bench, or when Aguero has been benched.
Yea I don't disagree Valeo. That is the most balanced lineup in reality. It's a tough conclusion but probably the right one.
It just feels weird having such a prolific scorer like Auba not in the starting lineup, and I wonder if he will become unsettled if it was to go on for a long time.
I'd probably have Cech as no.1 keeper, even though Leno has impressed, but it's a pretty close-run thing too.
I think Auba will have plenty of chances to start, whether through injury or due to the amount of games we have to play - didn't see City worry when Jesus was on the bench, or when Aguero has been benched.
Yea he should do.
Although there was definitely worry at City with Aguero when he was getting benched a lot at the beginning of Pep's reign. There was talk of him leaving, and even rumours that we were trying to get him in a swap deal for Sanchez. Jesus is a bit different as he's a young player.
This woulda made a tidy goal if iwobi had finished
mhiki doesn’t deserve to start, hasn’t scored since opening day and just doesn’t contribute as much as he should.
In other news JENKO OS GOING TO PORTUGAL!
Disagree, Mkhi provides balance even when he doesn't supply assists or goals.