Smith-Rowe’s defending has never been a strength. But in the advanced left 8 position, Xhaka’s defensive contribution hasn’t been a particular strength either, because he’s playing higher up the field and once bypassed he hasn’t got the recovery speed to immediately have a defensive impact. I’m not advocating that ESR become the starting left 8, but there are game states when Arsenal are trailing by a goal, or are in a tied game that Arsenal have to win, when ESR, Trossard, or Vieira, make sense in the left 8 in place of Xhaka. All three would almost certainly get off the shot Xhaka had blocked on Wednesday. In addition, having a strong attacking presence next to him probably takes away some of the double teams that Martinelli has been facing recently. Arteta appears to be recognizing this with his late substitutions for Xhaka in the last two games.
Seems bizarrely conservative on the ball, and then the opposite out of no where. He doesn't give me same impression of wanting to attack the goal, with pace that MO gives me. And, I think teams actually kind of relax a bit when he's on the ball.
Which is strange because he filled up the stat sheet last season at Porto, 17 goals + assists while playing less than 15 x 90-minute equivalents. Confidence issue?
Small body in a faster more physical league who has had the equivalent of 3.1, 90 minute games, to adapt to the physicality of premier league play. He needs more time to adapt and gain confidence.
Lack of game time + the magnitude of the match/opposition. The blame might land somewhere between Arteta being too stubborn to rotate Xhaka more often and Vieira not blowing him away in training.
I’m confident in vieira but he’s doubting himself and isn’t strong yet he will get there. He has amazing technique
Xhaka is still a solid player and knows how to run some parts of the attack from a deeper position. His passing is generally good as well esr has not shown rhat. All his best work is in a counter attacking phase or in the final third. I just cannot see him as an 8 maybe a 10 in a 4232 but he is better with the space in front of him and reacting quickly and not building
Arteta isn’t using Xhaka as a traditional 8. His responsibilities are much more as a part of the front 5, than the back 5. Xhaka is clearly a more progressive passer, though much less so since he began playing as an advanced 8. That build up role has fallen on Partey and Zinchenko. ESR is a more progressive ball carrier and breaks down defenses with quick one touch give and go passes. Martinelli’s game has clearly suffered after the injury to Jesus. He doesn’t have the same understanding with Eddie or Xhaka that he has with Jesus. We don’t have the depth at forward to make a change there to help Martinelli regain his form, so any change probably has to come at left 8. I’d actually like to see what Trossard could do in that role, but I’m not opposed to ESR or Vieira getting a shot at left 8.
There are times in every game, including those we are dominating, when we are defending our third as a team. Xhaka does so much more work in these periods than he’s given credit for. Smith-Rowe could be a midfielder someday but he isn’t now. I agree with you that he could be a situational replacement for the Xhaka role, but it would be heavily circumstance-dependent.
Hmm. They only managed a draw at the Camp Nou against Yanited. You sure? Regardless, I don't fear them.
Perhaps it’s time to learn the zone #’s? I don’t really know them either but I just did an image search and they’re pretty simple. And coaches like Pep refer to them with some regularity so I think we have to get with the program. Plus it seems to me there’s less ambiguity or nuance in referring to zones compared to archetypal player positions like 6, 8, 9, 10. But both numbering systems have their use of course.
From wikipedia: In the draw for the round of 16, the eight group winners will be seeded, and the eight winners of the knockout round play-offs will be unseeded. Again, the seeded teams will be drawn against the unseeded teams, with the seeded teams hosting the second leg. Teams from the same association cannot be drawn against each other.
Yeah, I thought I recalled from the year we made the Europa final (less said about that the better) we couldn't draw Chelsea until the quarters.
Official. Mo Elneny signs new deal with Arsenal valid until June 2024, done and sealed 🚨⚪️🔴 #AFC“I’m so happy, I love this club and our supporters and I’ll give everything to help us be the best we can be, every day I’m here”, Elneny said. pic.twitter.com/dywG5UiALj— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 21, 2023
Assuming we sign a young #6 this summer, im thinking that move may increase our chances of moving one of Partey or Jorginho.
Shades of Wenger "doin the right thing" by extending contracts of injured players? Diaby? (I can't recall the details)
Read earlier that we had and option to extend his current deal but this is a separate extension on lower wages.
Say what you will about Elneny as a player, he's been pretty consistent publicly affirming his affinity for the club. Feels rare to see that in someone who rarely sees first team action.