They’re gonna have to replace them, soon. We can’t keep playing two guys to do one man’s job. This is what screwed us during the Coquelin/Santi era.
On seeing the replay of the foul on Tavares, I now see that it was studs into his ankle, which probably caused his wild recoiling somersault. So, it's not the100% embellishment which I initially thought. Sorry I doubted you Nuno. That said, I still don't like the level of play-acting that has crept into our team in recent times. Laca is probably the player who I've noticed to have reinvented his "game" to do more of this. I suppose I could be wrong about that perception too, but I don't think so.
I’m not sure I really see the value-add for playing both Laca and Auba instead of Odegaard (who I think has tbh been better in the super sub role) and Laca together. Can’t really see what Auba is doing this season that is way better than what Laca would do in the same position
I used to feel the same, but when I realized we were the only major club in Europe who wasn’t doing this - and to the detriment of the team - then I decided to chalk it up to “fair play” even if that term is a big oxymoronic.
Just wanted to say, I thought AMN was good today too. He was playing against dross, sure, but he was taking risk with passes and not doing typical Elneny clogger stuff which I appreciated. And his pressing/ball recovery seemed good. Conversely I thought Lokonga was maybe the most erratic I’d seen him play for Arsenal, made me nervous a few times against the press. But overall that midfield gives me a sliver of hope that we can survive AFCON
When would that have been, pre-virus? I think Arsenal would have been willing to sell either PEA or Lacazette but there weren't any takers.
I haven't really noticed it from either of them tbh. Ospina was the worst I've ever seen from an Arsenal player. Happy to see the back of him.
1st half had AMN doing a lot of dropping into the LB space to allow Tavares to bomb forward, 2nd half was more of a double pivot. I have no idea why Arteta keeps trying to do this. It leaves one CM all alone in midfield, and whether it is Sambi or Partey or Xhaka, they all look bad when they get exposed like that. If he sticks with the double pivot, then the LB stays at home more. Or needs to be athletic enough to bomb forward occasionally but also get back. And I think Tavares is better at than than Tierney, who tends to basically play as a LW at times. Striker is going to be interesting going forward, Auba was poor and Laca can't play more than 60 minutes. Clive Palmer suggested Pepe could be tried in the central Laca role, I don't know if that would work but it'd be interesting. Maybe they could try Martinelli for Auba and Pepe for Laca in the next League Cup match. Hopefully Odegaard almost scoring is a sign that he's trying to play closer to the goal.
I couldn’t disagree more with Clive on that one. What are the reasons Laca has forced his way into this side? His pressing intensity and his link-up play are principal, to my mind. Pepe is awful at both of those. We can get away with having his laconic play-style on a wing, especially with a more defensive fullback counterpart. I feel these weaknesses would get exposed centrally.
this was sort of the same thing i always felt about oxlade-chamberlain and being in the middle - and i like both him and pepe. but they have the luxury to be more loose with the ball when outside that they would not be afforded central.
Great to see AMN making everything look effortless while putting a shift in. Arteta was warm with his praise, you can tell it was earned. I’ve always been a AMN fan, not just the Swiss Army knife of players, but he can play multiple roles and allow the FBs to come forward. He’s developing an eye for the pass. Great recovery speed, great athlete. I hope this Swiss Army Knife of a player means the end of our actual Swiss MF.
You're right, he doesn't do the things Laca does. He can strike the ball really well, he is descent in the air. He's awful at the one-two passing game. You'd like to see him on the wing cut in like Robben and fire off shots at the edge of the box, but he isn't a good enough dribbler. I think you want him close to goal since he is such a good finisher whereas on the wing all he can do is whip in crosses, hopefully before he is dispossessed. He would be a very different option to Laca, but there isn't anyone else in the squad that does what Laca does. One of his better performances for Arsenal was at Anfield. He played pretty centrally, Liverpool dominated possession which gave him space on the counter. That's his real problem, he is much better in a countering team than a possession team. The next match after the break is Liverpool...
Arteta, seems to be progressing the side. The offensive output still lacks when coming up against a low block, which isn't anything new that's just par for the course when other teams "let you have the ball". There were, IIRC but they didn't want to sell. To me both those guys are antithetical to what Arteta is trying to do. Our buildup doesn't work with our best goal scorer, and our cutting edge dulls with our best player in buildup at that position. I was completely against Edu/Arteta btw but they deserve credit because they've hit on all their transfer targets last window and there is a "vision" for what they want and how they want to use the players. I wasn't an ElNenny guy either but the fact is data shows he's the most secure at the base of the formation in front of the back four. Press resistant and able to progress the ball and more importantly retain the ball. Neither of the other mids are as good at it as he is, he should be paired with Partey at all times, while Lokonga learns on the job. In due time, or maybe now, Lokonga can be the partner for Partey. AMN showed what he can do, he also deserves an extended run. So that would give us some good options in the middle. The final third is where we have a conondrum, Pepe is a bust, as he doesn't fit Arteta's system but we're stuck with him and AubaZette is two players that make one fit for the system. Address those two issues in the window and things are looking up. I'd also like to see Saka work on his technique, the boy is out there with Timberlands on at times. Watching Tomoyasu brought tears to my eyes cause having the fashion merchant there for so many years I forgot what proper RB play looks like, I'm also trying to erase from my memory the Carl Jenkinson Hivers what a ********in time. Anyway, I'm optimistic which at this point is all one can ask for. Long may it continue.
I didn't notice it at the time, but have subsequently heard various pundits say that Ranieri was upset with our players not doing the gentlemanly thing of giving the ball back to Watford after they intentionally kicked it into touch. Supposedly this happened shortly before we scored the only goal which won the game. Totally makes sense he/they would be aggrieved. We would be too if the tables were turned. I heard that Arteta semi-apologized for them having done this? I also heard someone bring up that time when a similar thing happened under Wenger in a cup tie w/ Sheffield Utd, and Wenger famously and super-gentlemanly offered to replay the match, which they accepted, and we won again the 2nd time.
Listening to the AV podcast from this match, and when they discussed the sh*thousery there was little sympathy for Watford. The rotational fouling was ridiculous in this match. There was a stat from the first half that Watford had 12 fouls to our 2, but both teams had 2 yellow cards. That’s severe game mismanagement by the referee crew that highly benefitted them. And I never saw Watford complaining about us not giving the ball back when it happened, and the ball moved around with plenty of time for Watford to get organized before ESR scored.
They also won it back before losing it again before the goal. Rose had no reason to put the ball out. They had a player pretending to be injured who was up again by the time the ball crossed the touchline.
Mentioned this on the Arsecast, the 3rd oldest player in Arsenal's starting XI was Maitland-Niles at 24. Auba is 32, Laca is 30, everyone else was 23 or less. Weighted by minutes played, per fbref, Arsenal have the youngest squad in the League at 24.8, a full year younger than the next squad (Southampton).
I mostly find it interesting. If you can succeed with a young squad, I think that's a great sign for the future and a reason to be optimistic. Young and failing isn't great but you could be building to something down the line. An old squad is fine as long as you are winning. An old squad that is failing is the worst place to be. Burnley and Watford are the two oldest clubs in the PL and both in the bottom 4. West Ham is the next oldest, which is interesting considering their recent success.
I agree with you for the most part, I guess just the one difference is that I actually do think Lacazette fits what we want to do. His problem is just plain lack of quality relative to the level we want to be at. He doesn't have size or pace and lacking at least one of these I fear he's basically maxed out already. However, he does bring all our creative players into the play and sometimes, at least circumstantially I think we should be playing Lacazette and bringing on PEA as a sub. PEA has the opposite problem. He does have the quality we need, or least he's shown it numerous times throughout his career. But like you said, he doesn't fit. Unfotunately, Laca is out of contract at the end of the season and I think PEA still has some years. If it were up to me, we'd re-sign Lacazette for some reasonable wages and sell PEA. Then we'll need to buy one good forward in the summer, I'm apprehensive that we can successfully integrate two into the squad. Things get a little complicated with Pepe. He's shown enough to where he _could_ be good enough for us, but the player he is just isn't. I don't know who he's supposed to play for to regain form, hopefully not us. If anyone offers real money for him, sell.