In fact, I think he’s unquestionably better in the air than White, so defensively he is probably better suited for a playing a team like like West Ham who want to cross the ball into the box. But I also think Arsenal missed White’s passing out of the back.
Just me, but I've got no problem with Holding, Gabriel, and White rotating as the team's CBs. Whatever weaknesses they have are manageable, especially if the club invests to upgrade at other positions.
I actually think White’s ability on the ball is largely overrated. He rarely connects on his ambitious passes and frequently holds it too long when he carries the ball forward. He’s still on a completely different planet from Holding in that regard. Also while Holding can look good on aerial balls, he gets caught too far underneath them for no reason all the time. Great squad player, tho.
Also, pursuant to the convo about Moyes’s comments above, he apparently doesn’t want his players diving. He ‘doesn’t believe in it’ because ‘the game is hard enough’ without it. Then he says this about the Bowen-Ramsdale incident: ‘I think Jarrod could just have left his leg there and kept going into the goalkeeper. Easy. (…) But I think Jarrod could probably have kept his foot in it, and then we might’ve had a different situation.’ You can fvck right off, Eddard. What the fvck do you think diving actually is? *Spolier* it’s exactly what you are advocating for your player to do.
I agree. White's ability on the ball hasn't exactly transformed the way the squad plays, but he's better than Holding. Aside from the opener against Toney, White's held his own in the air. It's not his strength, but I don't recall him getting beaten in ways that hurt the team. In fact, he's one of the quieter players in the squad. After years of Mustafi and Luiz, it's nice to have a CB that isn't getting noticed for mistakes and red cards. Holding's main issue to me is that he can get turned by quicker strikers. But he's kind of ideal as a backup, good attitude, homegrown, durable since his knee injury a few years back.
I feel like that will be enough, Spurs currently on 61 points; Will lose to Pool this week as they have too much to play for to let it slip (insert Stevie G jokes here) keeping them on 61 points for the week, A draw against us taking them to 62 points, Wins against Burnley and Norwich take them to 68 points. They either need the upset win against Pool, or the home win against us. But a win for Spurs against Burnley isn't a sure thing as they have improved a lot recently and are fighting off relegation. The only sure thing in my opinion for Spurs is they will batter Norwich.
How do Arsenal's last 6 results give you any confidence about beating a mid-table side? Or make you worried about dropping points to a top 4 contender? Honestly, no results would shock me.
Yeah, I don't think away to Newcastle will be easy, and it sure looks like Everton will arrive in London playing for their Premier League lives. Arsenal has the talent to beat both, but those teams also have the ability to beat Arsenal, as well. Gunners absolutely should not let up until the final whistle.
Fourth place trophy? All I can say is that Wenger was a complete visionary. And he got slammed for his openness about it.