Summer Transfer Misery and Recriminations.

[Power n Glory]

Positionally speaking, I'd put him where Cazorla is (although I'd obviously expect him to put his own stamp on the role): a slightly deeper role, where he can see the game in front of him, and has licence to drive forward when it's on. As you say, he has a natural tendency to hold on to the ball, and when you combine that with a more advanced role, where he's receiveing the ball with his back to opponents, then you've pretty much got a perfect recipe for being hit hard by big, burly defenders and defensive midfielders (which could partly explain why he's been picking up so many injuries in recent years?). Move him further back though, and he'll be receiving the ball with opponents in front of him, and he'll be directly up against lighter weight attacking midfielders instead - might not be a cureall for all his woes, but I think it would drastically cut down on the impact injuries.

In terms of what he'd bring to the role, I think he shares a lot of the same attributes as Rosicky (who I also thought would be a perfect fit for that deeper, central role) - a spiky character, who's at his best when he's in the thick of it, turning over opposition atatcks, and then suddenly accelerating our play. I think that kind of player would make a great counterfoil to the calmer influence of a holding midlfielder like Xhaka: one slows the play down when we need to, and the other speeds it up; one can hit it direct and long, and the other can jink his way through shorter, tighter spaces; one is more of a careful orchestrator, and the other more reactive.

I keep thinking back to that 2010/11 seaspn when he really broke into the first team - that's the Wilshere that I want to see, if / when he returns. He played that same, deeper role in the same formation that season (playing 49 games, for what it's worth), and I thought he was carrying our midfield by the end (i.e. after Fabregas and Nasri had mentally fucked off to their new clubs, and Song had decided that he wwould rather be a forward). But he was a humbler, younger man back then though, and he kept his game a lot simpler - I think a lot will depend on whether he can regain that humility and focus on this loan...

I'm not sure what happened to Wilshere. All he needs to do is release the ball quicker. Someone should send him a tape of Rosicky and Cazorla. I really rated Rosicky in that role as well.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Do you happen to know where people whose panties are in a bunch go to? You need to look that place up. I'll start a GoFundMe page for you to get there because I am sure you probably dont have a job (probably an Indian has taken it)! Is that the reason for being so butthurt all the time?

Listen if i want to amuse myself by using tired stereotypes about homosexuals in Indian society because a guy who happens to be Indian suggests i get a room with someone who as far as i'm aware is the same gender as myself because apparently every long last debate/argument i have with that individual comes down to repressed sexual tension than i will.

And Butt hurt?......jesus do you actually have sodomy on the brain?

Don't dish it out if you can't take it chief

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Rosicky is about as unique a player as I remember seeing in my lifetime.......never really seen a player quite like him with that ability to receive the ball with his back to goal, turn and ghost at pace past people.

Diaby had a bit of it but by taking far more touches and using a bit more power in the execution.

I'll really miss him.

[Power n Glory]

Rosicky is about as unique a player as I remember seeing in my lifetime.......never really seen a player quite like him with that ability to receive the ball with his back to goal, turn and ghost at pace past people.

Diaby had a bit of it but by taking far more touches and using a bit more power in the execution.

I'll really miss him.

It was a thing of beauty. Rosicky had it all mapped out before he even recieved the ball. We really should have had him and Cesc playing in the middle together instead of wasting time on Denilson..

Diaby is another one that could have been great for us in that role if he could have stayed fit.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Didn't mean it to sound like an obituary but yeah I loved that guy!

Wishere I also see in that deeper role similar to when he partnered Song but perhaps that's because that's one time he consistently played well for a long period and perhaps it is short sighted?

Desperately hope he gets over the injuries.

[fakeyank]

Listen if i want to amuse myself by using tired stereotypes about homosexuals in Indian society because a guy who happens to be Indian suggests i get a room with someone who as far as i'm aware is the same gender as myself because apparently every long last debate/argument i have with that individual comes down to repressed sexual tension than i will.

And Butt hurt?......jesus do you actually have sodomy on the brain?

Don't dish it out if you can't take it chief

Bye Felicia.

[Power n Glory]

Didn't mean it to sound like an obituary but yeah I loved that guy!

Wishere I also see in that deeper role similar to when he partnered Song but perhaps that's because that's one time he consistently played well for a long period and perhaps it is short sighted?

Desperately hope he gets over the injuries.

Yeah, he was a special player. A joy to watch.

I hope Jack gets over his injuries. He just hasn't been the same. I remember in his very early days, a friendly against Real Madrid and he was being played as a winger, nobody could get close to him. The low centre of gravity; he'd glide and dance through challenges. Thought he was born to be a winger when I saw him play even though I knew he was playing as CM for the youth squad. The injuries have slowed him down. It's been so long since we seen him play but I remember he was starting to get power into his shots on his last few cameos. It's a shame he pushed for a loan because it's bad timing. Check out Stillman's latest on Arseblog.. I think he has a point. Jack could have found a way into the team if he were willing to ride it out.

[Power n Glory]

Bye Felicia.

Yes, this has gone too far..

[Marc Overmars]

Didn't mean it to sound like an obituary but yeah I loved that guy!

Wishere I also see in that deeper role similar to when he partnered Song but perhaps that's because that's one time he consistently played well for a long period and perhaps it is short sighted?

Desperately hope he gets over the injuries.

What's even more impressive is that the never seemed to lose a step despite the injuries. He retained all that spark as he got older, he played as though he was 10 years younger. Says a lot that Reus considers him as his favourite ever player.

Shame his body gave up on him because he could have been a huge legend for us. Rotten luck.

[mastermind84]

Positionally speaking, I'd put him where Cazorla is (although I'd obviously expect him to put his own stamp on the role): a slightly deeper role, where he can see the game in front of him, and has licence to drive forward when it's on. As you say, he has a natural tendency to hold on to the ball, and when you combine that with a more advanced role, where he's receiveing the ball with his back to opponents, then you've pretty much got a perfect recipe for being hit hard by big, burly defenders and defensive midfielders (which could partly explain why he's been picking up so many injuries in recent years?). Move him further back though, and he'll be receiving the ball with opponents in front of him, and he'll be directly up against lighter weight attacking midfielders instead - might not be a cureall for all his woes, but I think it would drastically cut down on the impact injuries.

In terms of what he'd bring to the role, I think he shares a lot of the same attributes as Rosicky (who I also thought would be a perfect fit for that deeper, central role) - a spiky character, who's at his best when he's in the thick of it, turning over opposition atatcks, and then suddenly accelerating our play. I think that kind of player would make a great counterfoil to the calmer influence of a holding midlfielder like Xhaka: one slows the play down when we need to, and the other speeds it up; one can hit it direct and long, and the other can jink his way through shorter, tighter spaces; one is more of a careful orchestrator, and the other more reactive.

I keep thinking back to that 2010/11 seaspn when he really broke into the first team - that's the Wilshere that I want to see, if / when he returns. He played that same, deeper role in the same formation that season (playing 49 games, for what it's worth), and I thought he was carrying our midfield by the end (i.e. after Fabregas and Nasri had mentally fucked off to their new clubs, and Song had decided that he wwould rather be a forward). But he was a humbler, younger man back then though, and he kept his game a lot simpler - I think a lot will depend on whether he can regain that humility and focus on this loan...

I would like to see it but he don't defend and isn't that intelligent a footballer. Santi isn't a good defender either but he is waaaay better at defending half spaces than Jack is.

Song did a lot of work for the team that season so let's not discount is performance. He was really strong defensively.



The demise of Diaby was so heartbreaking. He was basically an earlier version of Pogba in almost every way except Diaby had cleaner technique and Pogba could stay healthy. Diaby should be carrying the midfield now.

Rosicky was also greatness.