Must admit I didn't notice Xhaka so much during the game.
Then I watched this. Wow. This guy is a baller.
I love how firm and decisive his long ball on the ground or over the top is, Wally, The Ox, Alexis must be loving it. I really do want the Ramsey/Xhaka axis firing, think it's a very aggresive, fit, quality pairing
Not something I've noticed from him much before - although I do remember that lovely back-heel in the build-up to the second goal against ManU in that 3-0 win last season.
Just for the record, that backheel happens at 0:07 in this clip, it's a lovely little touch;
I love how firm and decisive his long ball on the ground or over the top is, Wally, The Ox, Alexis must be loving it. I really do want the Ramsey/Xhaka axis firing, think it's a very aggresive, fit, quality pairing
K, I'm gonna get all controversial here, but been thinking about this...
With Wilshere's form and improving fitness, and Wenger saying they want to offer him a new contract, plus all the talk about where Ramsey should be playing, and our extensive options in the middle (Cazorla, Coquelin, Xhaka and Elneny as well as Wilshere and Ramsey), Wenger really needs to sort out the longer term vision there.
All these guys are pretty young except for Cazorla, we can't carry them all in our squad and keep them all happy for a long period of time.
So what does he do?
I think retaining Cazorla on a year by year basis is a no-brainer. He's a quality player who basically starts ahead of any of them when fit, but fitness will probably continue to be an issue now given his age. He is also a high quality fill-in for the no.10 role, and can even play in a wide position should there be injury problems in the squad.
Then looking at the rest of them, I say we need to keep 4 of the 5.
That would mean two players for each of the deep midfield roles, plus Cazorla.
So which one goes?
Xhaka, Wilshere and Ramsey are the more glamorous fan favourites, and they have more obvious ball-playing qualities than Elneny and Coquelin. But that also means they naturally demand starting berths, or they are likely to become unhappy. We're all whinging about Xhaka not starting enough, Ramsey is getting shoe-horned at the moment and doesn't appear to happy about it, and Wilshere has gone on loan to get starts. That's all evidence of that.
Problem is, to have a successful squad, we need guys who are happy to be in and out of the starting lineup. That's why, ironically, I feel that Elneny is vital to us. He is a solid if unspectacular starter (Barca wondergoal aside), and the kinda guy who won't kick up a fuss if he ends up on the bench for a stretch. I see him as our new Edu a little bit. Quality player, will do a job, key role in the squad. Elneny also appears to be comfortable in either of the two midfield roles, which is not something you can really say about the other midfielders.
Coquelin is more competitive and probably thirstier for starts, but at the same time a lot of his quotes in the press suggest that he would also be ok to be in and out of the team. He is the perfect "horses for courses" player too - I feel he's very effective as a destroyer in the big games, and he brings (fairly) controlled aggression to derby matches.
I would keep both of them.
I would also definitely keep Xhaka. His passing range is only rivalled by Cazorla and Ozil in our squad, in my opinion, and he's just about our only midfielder who looks most comfortable staying deep, in front of the back four. For me he is the long-term starter there.
So for me, that leaves Wilshere and Ramsey, for one spot. I would sell one of these guys.
And for me that would be Ramsey, for several reasons. Firstly, I honestly feel that his best position is as an attacking midfielder, in the no.10 role, how he plays for Wales. He did excel for us playing deeper than that, but if you cast your mind back, why was he so good? Goals and assists. Not tackles, not tracking his runners, not passing from deep. He has a great engine, but he uses that to make runs and get into the box and score. He just doesn't bring enough to his all round midfield game for me. That's why I think Wenger uses him in a forward role all the time. He is the type of player that is best when he's the most prominent player in the game, totally running the show, getting touches on the ball all the time. But for that we have Ozil, and now that Ozil's scoring, Ramsey will just never get in the team unless he's injured. And we don't need him for back-up there, when we've got Iwobi (who I feel is really a natural no.10), and Cazorla as the third option.
I think Wilshere has a better all round game for a deeper role than Ramsey. He's better in the tackle, he has a better long pass, his close-control is similar to Cazorla in that he gets out of tight spots and rarely loses it.
Plus Ramsey probably has more re-sale value, and has shown some ambition to play abroad. I feel that we could get a good fee (although not sure how long he to run on his contract), and use that money to buy a proper exciting wide-forward, which would be of more use to us in our current squad, particularly with Sanchez now established as a striker.
I know he hasn't done so well there, but a swap with Madrid for James Rodriguez would be a salivating option. Or perhaps use the cash to go for someone like Draxler or Reus?
Anyhow, it's a controversial opinion, so I'm sure there will be disagreement... discuss! A poll of some sort would probably be interesting.
What would others do with our midfield?
I see our midfield like this:
No. 10 - Ramsey/Ozil - clear senior vs junior
DMF - Xhaka/Coquellin/Elneny - selection dependent on opposition
Deep Playmaker - Cazorla, Wilshere - whomever is fit
Up & Coming - Iwobi, The Jeff, Zelalem
Ultimately I think Paul you & I see this midfield make up relatively similar; and for me the glaring issue is the deep play maker. Cazorla's aging and having those niggly issues that keep him out for short bursts while Jack just hasn't proven he's got a full season in him - they guys worse than Fabregas was.
I like to think Rodgriguez could be that player for us; although I'm unsure of his deep lying nature. Potentially that could even be a role for the Ox to try on.
I don't think keeping them all is really an option...we've got at least one too many... we all l want Xhaka to play more, Ramsey has been on the bench a lot, or in a wide role, Wilshere is on loan, Cazorla has been injured, and yet we've still never been light in midfield so far this season... something has got to give I feel.
Wow isn't it great to be talking about having too many players for a position hahahaha a far cry from a few years ago!
Thursday 8:40 sky 267
Arsenal v Southampton
E's Flat Ah's Flat Too
I don't think keeping them all is really an option...we've got at least one too many... we all l want Xhaka to play more, Ramsey has been on the bench a lot, or in a wide role, Wilshere is on loan, Cazorla has been injured, and yet we've still never been light in midfield so far this season... something has got to give I feel.
Wow isn't it great to be talking about having too many players for a position hahahaha a far cry from a few years ago!
Sorry I should have been clearer :) Wilshere needs to go to make room for a Cazorla replacement so Cazorla can be the second string for that position, while a youngster comes through to be ready to play second string when Cazorla can't hack it/retires.
Man cluster f*ck for the first goal. Jenko exposed on the right letting the cross in, then Elneny & Le Coq no where to be seen tracking late runners. Could Martinez have done better?
We've seen this game before
Fudgeing lift!
E's Flat Ah's Flat Too
Man cluster f*ck for the first goal. Jenko exposed on the right letting the cross in, then Elneny & Le Coq no where to be seen tracking late runners. Could Martinez have done better?
Here's a screen grab from the build up. Centre halves marking their lead striker; good move. Attacking midfielder back almost deeper than our full backs and screening midfielders...#wtf.
Alos 6 red shirts vs 6 blue shirts, should be easy enough to mark a pull back.
https://twitter.com/DuncanCastles/status/804082447151407104
The replies to this, fecking funny
Cazorla to have surgery and will be out for at least another 3 months. Write off for this season.
Cazorla to have surgery and will be out for at least another 3 months. Write off for this season.
Agree, total shame really. He's also at that age where it starts to become more and more daunting to come back.
Good news is Welbeck is back in training & Hector appears to be ahead of schedule (hopefully not too much more Jenko).
For this weekend I'd be rolling out:
Sanchez
Iwobi Ozil Walcott
Xhaka Ramsey
Monreal Kosc Mustafi Jenko
Cech
I think we need some more attacking minded players in the midfield, as Le Coq & Elneny just aren't that. Xhaka can tackle well & Ramsey's engine should facilitate enough cover for that back four. Meanwhile I would start Iwobi to reward him for his efforts against SOTON.
face it we are fudgeed without Santi
Really should of put best XI out v Southampton.
Very disappointing week.
E's Flat Ah's Flat Too
Cazorla to have surgery and will be out for at least another 3 months. Write off for this season.
A real shame. Has been one of my favorite players in the EPL.
If you are old and wise you were probably young and stupid
Who is gonna step up?
Ramsey? I'd bench him to be honest. Coquelin, Elneny and Xhaka are performing much better. Don't like the Coquelin/Elneny combo, but any other combo with this 3 is ok with me.
Saw a horrible win percentage stat on Ramsey - with him we've won 41% of games since 2014, without him 68%... crikey.
Personally I don't see him as one of the two deeper mids anymore. He either needs to make a wide forward spot his own, or accept his role as back-up to Ozil at no.10. Yesterday did not bode well in that respect...
We could do with Wilshere right now tbh!
team Ox with Coq or Granit
Walcott-Ozil-Sanchez
Giroud (if fit)
E's Flat Ah's Flat Too
We are absolutely done for unless we find a midfield combination that clicks. Xhaka, Elneny, Coquelin, Ramsey - none of them are good enough to carry that midfield. They are only good enough to play alongside someone like Cazorla.
It's no surprise we've been poor since Santi got injured.
Fudge sake Wilshere, you would be starting for the rest of the season.
a.haak
Welbeck ahead of schedule, now returning to training, possible that he'll be ready to play by the end of this month.
We aren't short of strikers but he might fancy himself for a battle with Iwobi/Ox for a spot on the left.
We are absolutely done for unless we find a midfield combination that clicks. Xhaka, Elneny, Coquelin, Ramsey - none of them are good enough to carry that midfield. They are only good enough to play alongside someone like Cazorla.
It's no surprise we've been poor since Santi got injured.
Fudge sake Wilshere, you would be starting for the rest of the season.
He needed to be at Bournmouth for us to find this out.
E's Flat Ah's Flat Too
we seem to be very nonchalant about possession and shooting today, no one seems to be fussed if we fluff a few. we could be out of sight by now (30min) if we had put our chances away
also love how wally scored a header last week so now we are crossing to him at the back post all the time! ridiculous.
Sanchez a class above.
Three for me, and two for them.
Man that coulda been 20. We should've been out of sight at halftime.
Good to see our big players with so much energy in the final quarter though, that depth is starting to show.
Gabriel looks like a decent right back solution for now, with Bellerin back in a couple of weeks. I didn't realise he was so fast to be honest.
Although he scored Ozil is a touch frustrating right now, we know he's not a tackler but sometimes his lack of effort after he loses the ball is pretty glaring. Mertesacker and Mustafi need to have a word with him I reckon.
Xhaka/Coquelin seemed to work a lot better than the other combos we've been trying, man Xhaka's passing range is good. I do love that we look so comfortable when we're not in possession. When we turn it over we're so dangerous. The style reminds me a lot of Wenger's earlier Arsenal sides.
If the Ox improves his composure in the final third he will be absolutely devastating. He creates so much, beats players so easily, just loses his head a lot at the vital moment.
though his last goal was offside, his stepover was outrageous! gotta love sanchez
Excellent bonus with Aguero and Fernandinho both now suspended for the match against us in a fortnight.
Up to second, and the increase in goal difference means that in the (admittedly unlikely) event of Liverpool not winning tonight, we would stay second.
Yep, needed that win. Thought Ox and Coq were good but dumb YC.
Reid saved a few goals.
E's Flat Ah's Flat Too
We scored 5 and had a slew of other chances, but at the same time Winston was pretty impressive
Football's a funny game innit
Great win. West Ham were one of the worst sides I have seen this season though; jesus - we were basically walking the entire game and just waltzed through.
a.haak
Good weekend for us
Rest Ozil and Sanchez midweek, probably Kos, Nacho, Coq and Ox too.
E's Flat Ah's Flat Too
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