How about the defense? ---Jansen(?)-----Boateng----Mertesacker----Jung(?) looks very shaky still my team: ---------------------------------Neuer--- --Lahm-------Mertesacker--------------Boateng-----------Jansen ---------------------------------Schweini ---Mueller-----------Oezil----------------Kroos------------Reus ---------------------------------Lasogga Verdict: 1) Defense looks extremely shaky consider our next best RB is probably Sebastain Jung from Frankfurt. Mertesacker-Boateng is the best defensive asset we currently have. Still stuggle to trust Schmelzer/Jansen on the left, i dont think both can handle top class RW in World Cup (Hulk, Pedro/Navas, Robben, Di Maria/Lamela and co.) anyway Can Jung/Grosskreutz/Beck handle CR7, Hazard, Ribery, Neymar and co. is another big question mark. We still need Lahm at RB to handle these world class wingers, especially in this wingers dominant era 2) Schweinsteiger has to be tried at DM/CM, i still prefer to start him over someone like Jung. From Lahm to Schweinsteiger, the drop off is not as huge as Lahm to Seb Jung afterall 3) We need someone with better back-to-goal as frontman, Goetze isnt the ideal option as he cant play back-to-goal, and his first-touch finishing off dribble isnt adequate. Goetze scores in a pattern, but someone like Lasogga (who is big but still very mobile n versatile) who can really play back-to-goal, can hold up the ball, can finish in more diversed ways (headers, volleys, first-touch firist off dribble, long shots) will be useful n provide something different to what we already have. We also need Lasogga's "fire", winner mentality and determination up top. currently too many "soft" players. Lasogga hustles like shxt every game Volland is another interesting player with a good n rare combination of size (stocky), skill, mobility/versatility, creativity n allround finishing abilities inside the box. Afterall, Volland was trained to play n used at Cf all his career until he joined Hoffenheim. and as @footyfan1 has mentioned Volland was decribed as more of a traditional #9 earlier in his career. Or else i'll take the risk n try Draxler up top. I think he has a much better physique than Goetze n better potential to play back-to-goal.
The line-up is good. IMO though Gotze is too good to leave on the bench and on Friday he proved to be excellent in the false-9 position. If he gets more playtime in this role throughout the rest of the season I think he will be in fine form for the NT. The issue with Lasogga and Volland is that you should not go to a WC with players in key starting line-up positions who have virtually no experience in international football. The amount of players who have been great at club level but complete flops in international football is endless. Look how long it took Lionel Messi to work for his national team. This is Messi we are talking about. International football has a key component of gelling with players that you are unaccostomed to playing with. The same thing applies with Draxler but from a different angle. Do you really want to want to go into a WC with a player at the #9 position who, whilst having some international experience, has never actually broke through for the NT and has never played in the position. Sorry but that doesn't make sense. In contrast we have a player, Mario Gotze, who has a lot more international experience, plays regularly with many members of the NT at club level, was one of our top scorers in qualifying, and has significant experience playing the position under the guidance of the master tactician who developed the role. You are letting your aversion to the false-9 system and Gotze's limitations cloud your judgement.
Something kind of scared me this weekend. Whilst not the biggest fan of Jansen, I thought he was our best option for LB. But reportedly he got crucified by Jefferson Farfan this weekend which allowed Schalke to crush Hamburg. The search goes on?
I read he was having the flu only a couple of days ago and was therefore doubtful for the match which possibly had a big impact on his performance Aside from that a back-four of Boateng-Hummels-Mertesacker-Lahm might be the most stable of all. Jérome Boateng definitely deserves the centre mid starting spot next to Mertesacker but I can't think of a defensively more stable back-four than that.
You could be right, but Hummels has been too inconsistent for the NT to have as first choice CB and Hummels/Mertesacker pairings in the past have been bad. I still say that right now Boateng/Mertesacker should be theCB pairing. I'll forgive Jansen this one based upon this info you provided. He is my first choice LB right now for the NT and his whoscored rating for the season is very good.
Very disappointed with Mesut today. Maybe should be dropped for the next few games to make him realize he needs to play better. No more excuses.
What??? So when an entire team is off let's blame Mesut again. Unbelievable. Some of you are out of this world irrational and just so invested in vitriol.
And if this were an NT game, noone would blame Mesut. It would be Loew's fault. He got his tactics wrong, didn't prepare the team, was outcoached, etc. I gues there couldn't be a small chance that Wenger screwed up? Nah....
I'm not blaming him for the loss today. I do think he needs to improve his level. I'm not expecting world class performances from him this season with him adjusting to a new team, and all the imbalances Arsenal have at the moment, but despite that he should still be performing better than he has been with the talent he has. I hope we agree on this.
But making a comment about him as an individual after today's match is beyond reason. It's perfect for people who want to find flaws. There's NOTHING he could have done today. Özil is not Suarez. He won't take the team over. He will do brilliant things if he has a supporting cast because that's his strength. Even if he is free he will want to support teammates because that's better use of him and at Arsenal he has a poor supporting cast. Simple as that.
It's never his fault, it's just like reading the Altidore thread on YA, it's all about his useless teammates.
It is true that Arsenal is a big step down from Madrid, but Ozil has the talent to be performing better than he has been. I acknowledge he isn't a Suarez or Hazard, but when it is clear like the game today that none of the other Arsenal midfielders were awake in the first half, he needs to show an impetus to try and create something, to take a risk. Without a Ronaldo-level player to cater to, Mesut should express himself more and Wenger has urged him to find the right balance between playing for the team and going it himself. He has that ability, and he showed it at Werder. He needs to find that now at Arsenal because he is the leader.
But don't you see the flaw in your argument? He is a passer, a creative player. He needs the other players to be on their game to make those plays. He can't magically make his teammates turn on. You keep making an argument that shows you don't really understand Mesut's game. He won't take matches over. Simple as that. He'd rather create for others. Even when he is on form, he will never just run at an entire defense. I'm not sure asking that of him is the right move either for any party involved. As we see at the NT level, his confidence also comes from the competence of those around him and from players who are mentally strong and trust Mesut. And as a result we see him score and make important, match winning plays, without being a Ronaldo. Suarez, or Messi-esque player who takes the team on his shoulders. I feel like if he ever will succeed at Arsenal, Wenger still needs to bring in players who are properly motivated and players who are natural leaders.
If you think Mesut is only capable of producing quality moments through his passing and dependence on others to make the run, than we shall agree to disagree. Personally, I see a player with the potential to do more with the ball, especially now when the team needs him without any natural runners in the team to receive his passes. His game at Werder was just as much about creating space for himself through dribbling as his movements without the ball. Mourinho made him more efficient with his use of the ball, and he took less risks in 1 v 1 situations, but I think he still has the touch and pace to create dangerous situations for himself. Of course, Wenger will need to bring in others who are willing to make runs in behind the defense and who understand Ozil to make the most of him, but Arsenal are in a title chase and if Mesut, who is 25 now, wants to show he's Ballon D'Or level he must do more to keep his team in it, rather than accept the situation as you suggest because it is not his natural way of playing.
But again, do you see how unreasonable the criticism is when these comments are made after a match like yesterday's? And of course Mesut isn't only pass and run but those are his strengths. At Madrid he HAD TO cater to others and he got criticized even for that. When he keeps producing and doing the things he does (his scoring record for Germany is excellent) dribbling, scoring, etc for Germany and didn't for Madrid or doesn't for Arsenal you really have to ask yourself who is really to blame. Too often, fans think football is an individual's decisions but football above all is a system sport, now more than ever. Even the most amazing player can be made to look rubbish in a system that can function to limit one attribute or another. So if we are actually waiting for Mesut to become more independent then we must realize it's a longer and more complicated process than just him one day saying to himself 'oh i need to be more like messi' and as a result we can't criticize him with hyperboles after every match he doesn't assist or score, and especially not in matches where his TEAM is humiliated. Again. Not him but his TEAM. I'm also shocked how nobody even dared to criticize Mertesacker who was actually awful here and allowed every single overlap and showed he cannot be asked to play higher than inside the box.
My criticisms aren't based just after yesterday's match, and I've been calling for him to show more ever since Walcott and Ramsey have gone down. I generally agree with your argument that the team's functions are key to the success of any individual, especially Mesut as he is a team player more than any. I understand what happened at Madrid, but at Arsenal he has been given more freedom as the go-to guy. In no way or shape am I expecting Messi-esque stuff from him, but he has the capability to create at least a few moments of danger every game by himself. Just take a look at this clip: . Look at how effortless he made a 50 yard run look, and it shows you he has the potential to move to another gear, and though it isn't his strength to play at that pace that's what the TEAM needs RIGHT NOW. I hope you agree that no matter how much the game of football has become team and system oriented, there is still at least some room for individual ingenuity, and in the case of Mesut, I think he has what it takes to make it happen. On Mertesacker, I agree he has no capabilities as a high-line defender; simply doesn't have pace to cover. I want to see Hummels-Boateng at the WC but that's very unlikely unfortunately.
I understand your argument. Here's the issue though. I don't think this Arsenal team has a specific structure to make its individuals click on a collective level and in yesterday's match there was an instance when Mesut received the ball and was immediately surrounded by three players. No other Arsenal player was receiving such tight marking. At that point, nobody in the Arsenal side made any attempt to move closer to Mesut to help him out so Mesut was forced to turn the ball over. This highlights a major problem at the club. Sometimes he is expected to do everything and sometimes his teammates choose to do nothing for him. Wilshire for instance is another major problem. He is supposed to be a "personality" at the club and with a big ego times demands time on the ball that has a negative impact on team synergy. His failure in the double pivot while demanding attention also reverberates throughout the team. On another occasions he simply walked into Özil's space when he shouldn't have and left space behind him. There's just a general feeling that this team still is in greater transition than it publicizes and gets by from individual brilliance. With a poor supporting cast, I'm not sure that even expecting Özil to "step up" is even asking the right question.