He didn't impress me unduly, but I'm certainly willing to give him another chance. I wasn't exactly razor focused on him... I did notice that he was playing pretty advanced, ending up within the 18 or 6 box quite a few times. Dani seemed to catch my eye a bit more when he came on, and he had at least one absolutely killer pass on a play which absolutely should've been a goal, but Eddie(?) whiffed on Pepe's cross.
Interesting how all the academy trained center mids, Willock, Maitland-Niles, and Smith Rowe make runs into the box, while the non academy trained CMs don’t. In fact the final goal occurred when both AMN with the assist and ESR with the goal had made runs into the box. I defended Ramsey for years against claims that his attacking runs left him stranded defensively, by suggesting he was doing exactly what he was being asked to do. The fact that our academy graduates are making the same kind of runs suggests they are a key component of Wengerball. I’d have to go back and watch it again, but I thought AMN consistently moved the ball quickly with a number of one touch passes, something Arsenal’s other midfielders sometimes struggle to accomplish. Athletically, it would be interesting to see AMN as the 8, paired with Partey as the 6. I don’t know whether it would work or not, but you would have two players who could cover a lot of ground.
Not sure AMN has the vision to be an 8 but I wouldn't mind seeing us try. I still really like the idea of a 4-2-2-2 with AMN & Saka on the wing against stronger teams because both are capable of being defensive as well as getting forward to provide opportunities.
I agree - and would be curious to see where AMN *excels* for us. AMN may be one of the most versatile players we've ever had, but I wonder if anyone, including Arteta, knows his best position on the pitch. IOW - He's proven he is competent anywhere he is played, but I wonder if there is a "best" position where he should be played. He seemed to play more of a box-to-box role (based on reports, couldn't watch the game), and I think that might be an ideal spot for him if he's given time to grow and settle into that role.
Pepe can play as a deeper forward in the tight half space with auba as well as Laca in a deeper role too the forms ion makes so much sense to arsenal at the moment
Arteta held a "clear the air" meeting with the team on Tuesday. The players then had their own private meeting that was heated. Fascinated to see how they look against Tottenham.
ON TO THE DERBY!!! I'll have the official thread up tomorrow morning and also let Cindy Margolis in on the full scoop so hopefully she and the kids can watch on Peacock Premium in their basement home theater in their new $1.8M home they moved into in Sherman Oaks, in which you can see the photos of right here!!! It's actually a downsized place from where they used to live at in nearby Tarzana, in which she most recently sold for more than $3M in which she and her ex-husband (m. 1998, d. 2008) and the 3 kids lived in for many years. Makes my little BIGHMW.com World Headquarters At Bishop Park look kinda tiny to say the least, enjoy looking at their house, and you'll see mine on YouTube on New Year's Day!!! https://www.dirt.com/entertainers/reality-tv/cindy-margolis-house-sherman-oaks-1203350541/ https://www.dirt.com/gallery/entertainers/reality-tv/cindy-margolis-sherman-oaks-home-1203350433/
Thanks to Amy Lawrence’s lovely little audio postcard from the match (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podca...sodeGuid=ce885dc2-35b6-11eb-ac83-13b4a2c492b1) I now know it was “IF YOU HATE TOTTNUM, STAND UP...” Of course it was... duh!
i don't know if he has the great incisive pass that ceballos can but i've always loved how measured and careful maitland-niles can be with his attacking play and passing. i think it could certainly work with him in the middle with partey.
i think people have images of him being a poor attacker from the left stuck in their head because of recent times but he is pretty darn solid/good with attacks when he is central/right.
I saw several people on Twitter saying this---which of course doesn't make it true. Maybe they were all quoting the same dubious source. I dunno.
Also he’s so athletic he’s a big upgrade on any of our other midfielders bar Partey in that department. I have a real thing for his technical ability, as well. He still needs to learn more focus on the ball (which is a real concern at his age), but his technique is so effortless that I have no doubt he has the ability to be a great receiver, holder and passer. His apparent ability to adapt to complex roles and focus on structural and defensive assignments makes me hope he can learn to be more secure with the ball. If I was Arteta, I’d be putting a lot of effort into developing this guy.
AMN isnt a particularly good finisher but he is a good attacker from the right. With his speed and passing he should be a very good press & counter winger.
ESPN ran with it. All anonymous sources. It's a funny story because it reports that Arteta insists to the team he's looking for the leak and then there's a leak that the player only meeting was heated. https://www.espn.com/soccer/arsenal...d-clear-the-air-talks-in-bid-to-rescue-season
you're right. not sure if it's finishing or composure yet because of sample size but we have seen more than once that he is (yet) not clinical. but i think he can definitely be a good attacker like you said. and not one who . . . not to knock oxlade-chamberlain and walcott when they were young/here but maitland-niles doesn't feel like someone who'll just knock a random ball into the box (or the first defender) because he ran out of ideas. i feel like he'll actually take some measured actions.
that's a great point. i hadn't even thought of that. agree. i also like that he just feels unflappable. man, i hope so.
Not much in that story, but I also don't really doubt it might've gone down that way. If so, it's an example of Arteta's style and the gamble he might be taking with losing the dressing room. Some pundits have speculated on the latter, perhaps a bit prematurely. But I do think he has to be careful of being too dictatorial, operating too much on favoritism vs meritocracy, and dishing out discipline evenly. Obviously winning matches will be the key stat in all this... if we do then players and fans will be willing to rally behind him and his style, and if we don't well you know what can happen then.
All good points. I'm thinking it only matters if the players who are in his long term plans back him. He may be hard on guys he sees no future for. Which could be argued is poor management. Think about Guardiola at Barca. He forced out uber talented players like Sanchez and Ibra. They didn't fit the system or they didn't buy in to what he was selling. But it was of no consequence to perhaps the best team of the 2010s. The system outweighed any individual.