Sambi Lokonga: Sam Be the Man in Midfield?

[Big Poppa]

The problem switching to 3 central midfielders could affect us so much creativity wise. My frustration same as yours even after signing Sambi i thought we still not have enough quality specially when Partey is gone.

I actually think one of our biggest issues creatively has been caused by leaving one CM isolated and the other covering space left by Tierney when he pushes forward. Since Xhaka returned from suspension he's been playing a lot closer, and slightly in advance of Partey and it's made a HUGE difference creatively. Otherwise teams just allow our CBs to have the ball and force them wide, which slows our build up and means we can't get our most dangerous players into 1 v 1s.

You can just about get away with playing a 2 man midfield if you have someone like Lacazette dropping in to link midfield and attack (Ødegaard plays more as an inside 8 on the right than as a 10), but if you play someone like an Nketiah or Aubameyang, you need an additional progressive CM in my opinion.

I think a real defensive pivot at the based of a 3 would free up Sambi to play further forward where I think his qualities are better utilised. Chambers and White are not my first choice unless we can sign someone.

 

[blrgooner]

Lokonga has had a lot of good games this season, don't act like he hasn't...he just needs a player to lead him in the middle, like Partey was doing.

He can't carry a midfield yet, nor should we expect him too...young midfielders like Paddy or Cesc are freaks.

Should have went 3 at the back yesterday, give him some protection...rate Arteta, but he let Lokonga down yesterday, tactics were crap.

Still believe Sambi will develop into a quality player for us.

Yep and he made things worse by bringing on Laca for Patino. I think he should have brought in Salah for Eddie. Sambi is nowhere close to the finished product to be playing alone in the midfield with no passing option.

 

[AbouCuéllar]

Honestly can't tell what I think of this player. There are times I watch him and think he is quite clunky, a bit awkward, doesn't really have that short burst with the ball close to his feet that basically all the top midfielders have, and that if Kompany hadn't compared him to Yaya Touré no one would really rate him.

Then there are moments when you see a nice turn or feint to go away from a defender, with those beautiful long strides in midfield that we fell in love with with Paddy and later with Abou, and you do see the Yaya Touré comparison.

But I don't know. Certainly technically there is no comparison between the four players, Lokonga is the one with the lowest technical ability by some distance (which isn't a huge slight, we're talking about fantastic footballers), and the least advanced at his age, as well.

Patience certainly is the name of the game with this player, he's not helped by the current situation without a real midfield partner and the general tactics yesterday, so there's that.

I do confess that I question whether he is a player to really get excited about, whether I can see a real top player in there. I think more likely he can develop into a good player but not a top one, but it's always risky to make these kind of projections about potential after a poor performance biasing your feelings (or a really good one).

 

[Rex Stone]

The kid shows glimpses but we knew he was going to be a project. He’s basically a rookie jumping up from the Belgian league to the PL.

He looks talented but he’s not ready to be starting week in week out for a team who wants to finish top 4.

 

[GLITCH]

So missing out on Europe this season and be mid table next season and he will be safe?

Yep. Covid, Young team, AFCON. Take your pick because I bet they'll use at least one of those excuses.

 

[UpTheGunnerz]

He looks talented but he’s not ready to be posting week in week out for a forum who wants to finish top 4.

@Riou

Your midseason review

 

[Rasmi]

Yep. Covid, Young team, AFCON. Take your pick because I bet they'll use at least one of those excuses.

Tbh lee Dixon used it on radio today. Arsenal fans has to be patient they have a young team and young manager

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

Tbh lee Dixon used it on radio today. Arsenal fans has to be patient they have a young team and young manager

A young team with a better manager would improve us. We already know from Wenger's time that established players are needed to supplement youth. Youth alone will usually fall short. Wenger had to keep the club afloat and rely on youth development to keep competing. Now we have money, it shouldn't be squandered on a never ending process whilst Arteta learns slowly (if at all) and clings religiously to his ambiguous non negotiables

 

[Blankety Blank]

A young team with a better manager would improve us. We already know from Wenger's time that established players are needed to supplement youth. Youth alone will usually fall short. Wenger had to keep the club afloat and rely on youth development to keep competing. Now we have money, it shouldn't be squandered on a never ending process whilst Arteta learns slowly (if at all) and clings religiously to his ambiguous non negotiables

Arteta has always said we need experience tbf. Thats why he has talked up the role of players like Xhaka/Laca.
Its finding the blend though & i can see why he is bringing in younger players to develop when top level quality experience is so expensive fees/wages. 72m got us a Pepe & Willian didnt work out.

People imho are far to quick to slate the manager you cannot just pluck the perfect players out of thin air.

It wasnt long ago folk were screaming for Balogun & Azeez/Patino at the expense of Laca/Xhaka saying Arteta is holding back youngsters (even though we had the youngest team in the league)

Now the same clowns are slating him when a very young team gets beaten away in the Fa Cup & saying we need more experience.

 

[Rasmi]

Arteta has always said we need experience tbf. Thats why he has talked up the role of players like Xhaka/Laca.
Its finding the blend though & i can see why he is bringing in younger players to develop when top level quality experience is so expensive fees/wages. 72m got us a Pepe & Willian didnt work out.

People imho are far to quick to slate the manager you cannot just pluck the perfect players out of thin air.

It wasnt long ago folk were screaming for Balogun & Azeez/Patino at the expense of Laca/Xhaka saying Arteta is holding back youngsters (even though we had the youngest team in the league)

Now the same clowns are slating him when a very young team gets beaten away in the Fa Cup & saying we need more experience.

You do know willian was Arteta signing? He specifically asked for him

 

[Blankety Blank]

You do know willian was Arteta signing? He specifically asked for him

Not sure its relevant if it was an Arteta or not. Some signings work others dont & that will always be the case?
We got 3 kia signings I think it is fair to say that was in a large part down to EDU.

 

[Rasmi]

Not sure its relevant if it was an Arteta or not. Some signings work others dont & that will always be the case?
We got 3 kia signings I think it is fair to say that was in a large part down to EDU.

Arteta said from his own mouth he wanted willian and he said he decides if a players is signed. I rather go with his words rather than edu making deals on his own

 

[Macho]

Emery turned down Willian btw and he didn't even have sway at the club like that. Willian was absolutely Arteta, but some work some don't - kind of irrelevant now?

 

[Blankety Blank]

Arteta said from his own mouth he wanted willian and he said he decides if a players is signed. I rather go with his words rather than edu making deals on his own

Yeah he also signed Ramsdale &Tomi (apparently edu wanted some bloke that ended up at Sp**s)
I really dont get your point? Are you just desperately looking at ways to try & land cheap shots against the manager?
Unfortunately It didnt work out here for Willian.
We moved him on
Some signings work, others do not, this is hardly a new phenomenon.
Football has always been like that.

Managers/Chief execs do not have a crystal ball to see how the future will look.
If they did I doubt we would have paid 72m for Pepe or Everton would have given us over 50m for Theo & Iwobi.

 

[Rasmi]

Yeah he also signed Ramsdale &Tomi (apparently edu wanted some bloke that ended up at Sp**s)
I really dont get your point? Are you just desperately looking at ways to try & land cheap shots against the manager?
Unfortunately It didnt work out here for Willian.
We moved him on
Some signings work, others do not, this is hardly a new phenomenon.
Football has always been like that.

Managers/Chief execs do not have a crystal ball to see how the future will look.
If they did I doubt we would have paid 72m for Pepe or Everton would have given us over 50m for Theo & Iwobi.

No I’m just not gonna let a lie slip that Edu is signing players when both he and Arteta said Arteta has the final decision. Players stay and leaving is down to Arteta. Having midfield crises we have no is down to Arteta.

 

[Blankety Blank]

No I’m just not gonna let a lie slip that Edu is signing players when both he and Arteta said Arteta has the final decision. Players stay and leaving is down to Arteta. Having midfield crises we have no is down to Arteta.

The main reason we have a midfield crisis is down to afcon & covid.
Not keeping AMN until the end of the window seems a poor decision & I
dont rate him. tbf we dont know the circumstances.
We need another CM player as cover now

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

Arteta has always said we need experience tbf. Thats why he has talked up the role of players like Xhaka/Laca.
Its finding the blend though & i can see why he is bringing in younger players to develop when top level quality experience is so expensive fees/wages. 72m got us a Pepe & Willian didnt work out.

People imho are far to quick to slate the manager you cannot just pluck the perfect players out of thin air.

It wasnt long ago folk were screaming for Balogun & Azeez/Patino at the expense of Laca/Xhaka saying Arteta is holding back youngsters (even though we had the youngest team in the league)

Now the same clowns are slating him when a very young team gets beaten away in the Fa Cup & saying we need more experience.

I hear what you're saying but unfortunately for us there is a question mark of sorts over every single senior player. Willian, Cedric and Mari were atrocious Arteta picks tbh. He has to do better. I actually think a side with more U23's would have done better vs Forest as they can play cohesively but we'll never know. Neves Bruno and similar sounds like a move in the right direction.

 

[Blankety Blank]

I hear what you're saying but unfortunately for us there is a question mark of sorts over every single senior player. Willian, Cedric and Mari were atrocious Arteta picks tbh. He has to do better. I actually think a side with more U23's would have done better vs Forest as they can play cohesively but we'll never know. Neves Bruno and similar sounds like a move in the right direction.

I dont for one single minute think those 3 were Arteta picks.
All signings have risks & some will not work for various reasons.
Now I can believe Arteta wanted Willian (now departed) but i dont think for one moment Arteta went banging on Edu's office door shouting bring me Pablo Mari & Cedric Soares

Nothing more than Squad fillers that Mikel was given.

They both perfectly fit the realm of Edu/Kia 'favour' signings.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

I dont for one single minute think those 3 were Arteta picks.
All signings have risks & some will not work for various reasons.
Now I can believe Arteta wanted Willian (now departed) but i dont think for one moment Arteta went banging on Edu's office door shouting bring me Pablo Mari & Cedric Soares

Nothing more than Squad fillers that Mikel was given.

They both perfectly fit the realm of Edu/Kia 'favour' signings.

Fair enough. There's a few players that have, imo, been picked over the manager's head in recent seasons. Can't win em all

 

[boonthegoon]

One mistake in the first half aside, good comeback for him considering he played with martinelli and saka as his mid partners.