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Timber is back on the right now, and has been one of the top players at Arsenal having watched them often.
He’s also better than De Cuyper.

 

How often have you seen De Cuyper play?

 

Calafiori when plays gives Arsenal more offensive threat and is very unpredictable with his left footed shots.

Timber at LB is a question mark and like I always say in big games, his inability to penetrate forwards always comes to spotlight. His has his strength defensively and weakness offensive threat and this is where Ben white edges him. So arteta has options whom to use when. Like I said earlier, koeman tatic is the build the team defensively rather than offensively. He will fall again and again. Until kicked out.

another reason why Liverpool are going to win the league. Robertson and TAA.

 

Ake is out 10 weeks. Botman is out 8 weeks.

 

Ven der Ven was on bench vs AZ.

 

I have seen De Cuyper play about 10 times Champions League and Nations League.
Saw his goal vs Villa the other day too, and aware he’s drawing some transfer interest from a few teams, which makes sense because he’s developing nicely.
I’m just very impressed by Jurrien Timber who plays at a higher level, and is showing Arteta & Arsenal exactly what they missed last season due to his season long injury.
He’s just tremendous defensively and very good on the ball proving to be one of the best players for Arsenal this season.

 

Calafiori has been up and down with his performances, and I don’t think he’s suited to play Left back as he generally plays in the middle for Italy and Bologna last year.
He’s made some mistakes defensively from his shaky positional play.
Ben White is not better than Timber who has taken his job.
Arteta rates Timber highly, and sings his praises often as he has been one of the top performers at Arsenal this season.
Timber is so much more flexible with the ability to play several positions, and shows great tactical flexibility.
Liverpool will win EPL because of excellent team play & Slot not because of TAA and Robertson who are shaky defensively.
TAA simply bad defensive play, and Robertson is lacking the pace.

 

Timber is a starter for Arsenal, the best defensive team in EPL. Arsenal has many holes to fill up but defense is where they rarely need back up. They might sign someone to give competition to their starters but it is always like that at any top club anyway.

 

Few things. I will point out here. Some I do agree with. With a good balance it’s possible to get the best out of the team but time and time again Arsenal have gotten pegged using this strategy. As much as Timber has been seen as a brilliant signings, defensively yes but when it comes down to games where you have shift a gear up to match the tempo, that’s where timber’s deficiency simply comes into spotlight. And this is a critical point about him. I mean tete was in the same boat and him being versatility also doesn’t help in this course either. You can look at Ake is the same spectrum, good but can’t shift a gear up when warranted because of the strengths and weakness. The bottom line is, if it doesn’t work and you continue to drag, it’s foolishness and this is why you need depth including players who can change the situation when needed. ( impact players). This is why having different esque players often helps coaches to change things around when needed. For Arteta injuries has hampered this but if you see on a day if they get behind they hardly make a come back. if you look at NT This is what koeman is not doing. You simply can’t go one dimensional approach and hope it works every time. You will get shot at some point. Again this is what’s happening to NT. They want to go tatical but come a good balanced team, they get neutralized and the toilet paper comes out.

Ben white has just returned from injury and again I think with competition which I always look forward to will give aterta options and depth when required.

for Liverpool first and foremost, the day salah leaves, slot will be like any other coach gasping for air. Imo opinion Robertson and TAA have been influential to the team in the background from creating opportunities POV. Liverpool have been pretty decisive on counters and both are amongst other who usually open up the play either with passes, crosses or their offensive play In generally

 

What strategy are Arsenal using that sees them getting pegged back exactly?
Their problems are simply caused by lacking a true # 9.
I’m a little confused by what you are saying here, but it seems that you are suggesting that Timber cannot function playing at a faster tempo, or going forward which is absolutely ridiculous.
Comparing him to Tete is silly as Timber is clearly a much better player.
Regarding Ake & Oranje you simply cannot expect Koeman, or anyone else to utilize tactics of bombing forward constantly.
There simply has to be some balance when it comes down to keeping your shape defensively, and being organized.
Koeman’s tactics certainly can be better, but his usage of unathletic players like Veerman and Weghorst are his biggest problems.
Van Gaal at the World Cup was done in with his pragmatic approach, and love affair with Blind & Klaassen, but also eventually it was aided by a horrible referee.
Those are very much the facts.
Regarding Liverpool I’m not a fan of PK King Mo Salah, and feel he’s a very selfish player, but despite his crazy statistics this season the overall success of the team is down to Arne Slot and his tactics quite often.
Slot was the star man at Feyenoord too, and suggesting anything else is just wrong.

 

By the way Timber scored vs PSV the other day with a fine header (probably his weakest point of his game) and today sets up goal with some nice dribbling getting forward and creating the space for Rice’s finish.
Arsenal lack a Striker while United lack a proper Coach with tactics among other things.

 

Timber is having a good game today so far and deserves a spot in NT.

 

Just did some great work to set up Rice's equalizer

 

I think he’s an excellent player and best footballing defender at Arsenal as well.

 

Timber stabilizes the right side, and Arsenal is wishing if it has another Timber for left side.
De Ligt had a decent game today. He is improving.

 

I totally agree about both.
De Ligt is far from useless as many detractors have said about him, but some of his play is very good.
Certainly he’s had some tough moments, but no one is flawless especially playing at Manchester United which is not a very good team and looks very disorganized with a clueless Manager who is tactically lacking.
De Ligt is missed at Bayern Munich who despite their standings in the Bundesliga and Champions League are very shaky defensively with the error prone duo of Upamecano and Kim both of which are not better than De Ligt.

 

Agree about Timber. Given the current roster, I think Timber can play at LB because we do not have anyone better at the moment. I watched Hato against Frankfurt and he is very raw. Frankfurt actually targeted his side for a long time to get the equalizer.

I have followed De Ligt for long time. I think he is good. Unlike a lot of people who do not follow Juve or Bayern and get the fake impression that he failed there, he actually did very well and were liked by their fans. His defensive, stamina and strength are top notch. There are three main issues with him plays though: one is he always has the tendency to commit some mistakes out of nowhere, the handball of Czech and several handballs at Juve; second after his time at Juve, his passing regressed a lot, he is not terrible at passing, but compared to someone like Van Hecke, he is way behind. Van Hecke always keep the ball until the last second force the forwards and midfields move out of position before passing. That is because he has excellent ball control and a wide range of passing. The third issue is obvious, he is at United, he need to get out of that club.

 

I follow Arsenal every weekend, my childhood club and I can tell you, Timber has his pros and cons. I always try and study him and If you watched Newcastle Vs Arsenal few weeks back, I think it was the FA cup or carabao then you would understand what I'm referring too. Antony Gordon turned him inside out of him making him look amateur. The game vs westham and where Arsenal dropped crucial points. he was not productive going forward especially with Nwaneri cutting inside. He doesn't have that quality. You see this is where Arsenal are lacking and straight forward I'm saying this, they will never win.


The strategy also that I was talking on top was keeping of possession. You will see when teams put up a good fight in this, Arsenal has always struggled. But hey I'm not saying or just pointing out at at Timber but like I said, in NT it wont be the same as in Arsenal. Especially when koeman is adamant of using him on the left. It will back fire, write it down somewhere. Yes Arsenal is struggling in that 9 position but let's not forgot Liverpool also don't have a out and out striker. Their wingers are doing the job. Don't think Diaz is a striker. Makeshift.

For Tete I think injuries has not helped his progression well other wise last season he was on in good form. Robust, recovery and average going forward.

 

A yellow card and a penalty give away. 0-1 down. He is 25. If he cannot change soon then he will be passed over by other CB soon.

 

Timber once again shines against Real Madrid, and is praised greatly by English and Spanish media for his excellent play.

 

Virgil has signed on with Liverpool for another 2 seasons.

 

Making mistake sometimes, maybe a bit slower but overall still the best central defender in the world IMO (scored the winner after contributing to the own goal is a nice comeback a week ago). Next week he will lift the Championship cup with Gravenberch and Gakpo. De Jong has the chance for treble in Barca (but has to beat Inter in Champion Leagues SF first). Dumfries (soon to return) and De Vrij has a chance to win Series A with Inter. Struijk's and Piroe's Leeds United can clinch promotion back to Premier League this weekend.