oh come now, you're being far too modest, most if not all of yrou 2am-booze-fulled rants are far more cringeworthyOriginally Posted by Niall_Quinn
oh come now, you're being far too modest, most if not all of yrou 2am-booze-fulled rants are far more cringeworthy
ha, but where are you on Gakpo, that's what we want to know?
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Dusan Vlahovic been linked with a summer move, my personal preference would be depending on how we do between now and January to sign a striker in January. Especially with the Rodri injury, which I think could put us in the box seat for the title especially if we sign a proven goalscorer. I don’t think Vlahovic is fantastic, 79 in 179 appearances for both Juve and Fiorentina is not exactly setting the world alight. But I think we need someone a bit like Giroud who can hold up the ball well but also has a bit of trickery
https://www.nowarsenal.com/transfer-...s-replacement/
Though probably not the best of sources, this would be the third best thing that could happen to the club (the 2nd involves getting a striker and the 1st is giving Arteta a public ultimatum).
Like I said in an earlier discussion, Arteta should have trusted his earlier instinct to get someone who would have made Martinelli be our second option on the left.
Lookman is easily one of the best players in the world in the position currently and this is definitely music to the ears. Finally a real goal threat on the left that could result to more double team defending on that flank and more space for anyone going through the middle and even Saka possibly.
He might not be the typical "Jolly green giant" that our coach has wet dreams about, but he definitely could hit the ground running in familiar surroundings.
I could start forgiving him if he pulled this off in January though TBH it would be crazy for Atalanta to sell their best player mid-season.
well he might be useful but we need an out-and-out striker first and foremost - you can have as many people as you lke putting in crosses, but if there's no one there to put them away it doesn't get you very far
I don't think Trossard does a bad job on the left in any case although he drifts in a bit more and I guess he's not getting any younger
on which note I really do hope we win something this year, even if it's just the League Cup, people like him deserve that big day out at a final and to win something
The main issue on the left is whoever plays there suffers from a lack of service, Odegaard is placed on the right hand side of central midfield, and to be honest against most teams we don’t need to be playing two holding midfielders and generally speaking I think the fact that we do says a lot about why we don’t create as many chances from open play.
Also you look at how someone like Martinelli performs when he has Calafiori playing behind him it’s markedly different than when he has Timber.
I absolutely would not want to be spending money on a player who is 27, and totally reliant on pace (we see what happened to Raheem Sterling when he’s lost his electric pace before 30) and let’s be frank has only ever produced in the Italian league which is much slower than ours. Not to mention a player that we will end up losing for up to a month potentially every two years because of AFCON.
I would personally look at Nico Williams if we want someone to compete with or even replace Martinelli.
Nico would be a dream alternative too...but their is little chance he would choose us over Barca.
On the service thing, I think its a little bit overplayed and done on purpose.
What I mean is that so many times (I saw it again on Sunday, though it was Trossard manning the position) when the ball is being driven forward by our CBs, though it is clear as day that both Odegaard and Saka are being doubled teamed, however the ball is still passed to them and most of the time Saka or Odegaard just passes it back to defender, which is actually the main cause of our slow build up play, the endless silly recycling as the defenders do a simple one two and still pass it back to the right.
You will not notice this in highlights but watch the 90 mins and you will see this disturbing pattern over and over again, with Martinelli /Trossard in loads of space and no one willing to pass the ball to them. Trossard does a bit better with this as he usually abandons his position and comes deep for the ball, but I guess thats against Arteta's instructions as Martinelli makes sure he always stays there (probably to ensure the opposition is stretched).
In fact when I think of most of the times we get the ball really fast upfield when a team is playing a deep block, it occurs on the left as smart opposition teams do not waste their resources double teaming there as simple "stay with your man defending" is usually enough to hold us.
Its a pattern I've noticed and I doubt anyone here will say they've ever noticed Saka free in loads of space and not being given the ball.
Interesting points. For me the problem is that we have still not resolved the left 8 position. I don't think Rice or Merino are the answer, and would love to see how Odegard and Nwaneri look as a double pivot, with Rice dropping back to 6. Maybe even Partey playing slightly in front of Rice?
Putting the laughter back into manslaughter
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