Country: Iceland
Chunk a 50 million on midfield in last two windows and we are more than middle into this season and we have no clear midfield partnership and there isn't a midfielder in this team that I wouldn't get rid of.
-
! ! ! IMPORTANT MESSAGE ! ! !
Discussions about police investigations
In light of recent developments about a player from Premier League being arrested and until there is an official announcement, ALL users should refrain from discussing or speculating about situations around personal off-pitch matters related to any Arsenal player. This is to protect you and the forum.
Users who disregard this reminder will be issued warnings and their posts will get deleted from public.
The Midfield Enigma
- Thread starter Aevi
- Start date
- Replies 535
- Views 47,480
Country: Iceland
Mitch
Blonde Brigade Grand Wizard
For me we should go with Xhaka and Elneny as the CM partnership for the remiander if the season as it's been very effective partnership in the few matches they have played together. I would also be interested too see how ox plays with either of these two considering his positive cm performances of late.
With Coquelin's drop in form this season and Ramsey third dreadful season in a row - these two should be at the bottom of pecking order.
With Coquelin's drop in form this season and Ramsey third dreadful season in a row - these two should be at the bottom of pecking order.
The thing is, Özil's lack of physicality is highlighted due to the lack of physicality in the team or structure. We played with Pires. A man who got cheered for a sliding tackle he made vs Juventus because it was genuinely his first slide tackle for the club. It didn't matter that he was a defensive liability as he was covered by Gilberto, Vieira and Freddie.
If you are going to play Özil in the whole then you need two box to box physical midfielders in midfield. Or the alternative is to play him on the wing and then fill the midfield with 3 mobile players.
Sykes
Active Member
Sorry guys, don't think our midfield is as bad as people are making it out to be. Just think it lacks balance and certain players i.e Ramsey have failed to step up due to injury or whatever.
Looking at our options, it's obvious what Wenger was thinking. Xhaka - Ramsey as one option, Coq - Santi as the other. Elneny being the utility guy that can play alongside both Coq and Xhaka and to a certain Extent Ramsey. But as usual, no matter how many midfielders we have, we'll always be short one way or the other due to injuries.
Next season, I think we need to sell Ramsey and get an ELITE cm..spunk 40 -50m. I think Ramsey is talented, but he just doesn't fit into the team. He's probably going to be WC in any other club that isn't arsenal..who knows.
Looking at our options, it's obvious what Wenger was thinking. Xhaka - Ramsey as one option, Coq - Santi as the other. Elneny being the utility guy that can play alongside both Coq and Xhaka and to a certain Extent Ramsey. But as usual, no matter how many midfielders we have, we'll always be short one way or the other due to injuries.
Next season, I think we need to sell Ramsey and get an ELITE cm..spunk 40 -50m. I think Ramsey is talented, but he just doesn't fit into the team. He's probably going to be WC in any other club that isn't arsenal..who knows.
chessygoal
Well-Known Member
Agreed, I think Wenger was set on a Xhaka-Ramsey, but they rarely played together and when they did they were a bit meh.
Our team is a mess right now, having Santi out has been a massive blow.
But I still think that we have enough talent in our team to have a very good midfield, we just have to find the good set-up.
Tir Na Nog
Changes Opinion Every 5 Minutes
Country: Ireland
Our midfield is awful.
Thinking about it, in 12/13 we had Cazorla, Arteta, Diaby and Wilshere as our main options with Ramsey coming into the centre of midfield in the second half of the season and Rosicky then taking up the 10 role when we switched to 4-2-3-1. Now we have Coquelin, who was like 5th or 6th choice at best that season, starting in all our big games and with all due respect, Elneny a borderline starter too. How did this happen?
Even 13/14 Ramsey-Arteta was first choice, Cazorla was an extra midfielder from wide left. Wilshere was there too and of course Diaby had his injury problems so Flamini was brought in. Even then it was a lot better than our current mess.
The one thing you could say for us between 2007-2014 was that our midfield was always our best area of the pitch, it allowed us to keep possession even against better sides (even if our defence/keeper let us down and our attack was toothless). Now it's our worst area.
Thinking about it, in 12/13 we had Cazorla, Arteta, Diaby and Wilshere as our main options with Ramsey coming into the centre of midfield in the second half of the season and Rosicky then taking up the 10 role when we switched to 4-2-3-1. Now we have Coquelin, who was like 5th or 6th choice at best that season, starting in all our big games and with all due respect, Elneny a borderline starter too. How did this happen?
Even 13/14 Ramsey-Arteta was first choice, Cazorla was an extra midfielder from wide left. Wilshere was there too and of course Diaby had his injury problems so Flamini was brought in. Even then it was a lot better than our current mess.
The one thing you could say for us between 2007-2014 was that our midfield was always our best area of the pitch, it allowed us to keep possession even against better sides (even if our defence/keeper let us down and our attack was toothless). Now it's our worst area.
Country: Wales
I just can't believe we have Elneny and Coquelin now in our midfield as major contributors.
If Özil does leave I think a midfield 3 out of Ramsey, Wilshere, Santi and Xhaka would be very good but because all of them have trouble staying on the pitch I think we'd need another midfielder in the summer.
Tir Na Nog
Changes Opinion Every 5 Minutes
Country: Ireland
Definitely, it's a must. Ramsey sadly just can't be relied upon because he'll always miss at least a couple of months and Cazorla shouldn't be relied upon at all anymore. If Özil leaves then my first thought is Nainggolan. Get him in, put him next to Xhaka and let those other three fight it out for the 3rd CM position, maybe the Ox too.
- Thread starter
- #389
At this point, let's just try variations with Chamberlain, Xhaka, and AMN for the rest of the season. Test them out and give them experience for next season.
Country: England
Mitch
Blonde Brigade Grand Wizard
The midfield pecking order should be:
Cazorla
Xhaka
Ox
Elneny
AMN
Coquelin
Ramsey
Cazorla
Xhaka
Ox
Elneny
AMN
Coquelin
Ramsey
There is no enigma.
Caz, Coq, Ramsey are done.
I'd keep Ox and Elnenny for one more season and give them a chance.
AMN and Xhaka I could keep.
kudos to reddit user cod2242..different formations and results..
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1If286nklwkPSHY66n0Dwfv8sRn9x67QximSt61L8jRM/pubhtml
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1If286nklwkPSHY66n0Dwfv8sRn9x67QximSt61L8jRM/pubhtml
What's with the highlighting?
Kobi
I Know Who You Are
The enigma is how we have gone from Vieira, Petit, Gilberto, Edu, Fabregas etc to this.
Van Bronckhorst who barely got a game would be the best midfielder in this squad by a mile (with the possible exception of Santi R.I.P).
karl
Well-Known Member
If he is ever fit, I can only ever see Ramsey in Özil's position with less responsibility. For a player at the club for 9 seasons you have to say he is largely ineffective and lacking a position.
Xhaka and Elneny look the best option if you take into account fitness and the combination of the two. Better still, I would prefer we drop the no10 position completely and find a more mobile third player.
The current 4231 is just 4411 in disguise and we have not changed tactics since Wenger arrived really. The big change was getting rid of the powerful midfield two and popping small technical players in.
Xhaka and Elneny look the best option if you take into account fitness and the combination of the two. Better still, I would prefer we drop the no10 position completely and find a more mobile third player.
The current 4231 is just 4411 in disguise and we have not changed tactics since Wenger arrived really. The big change was getting rid of the powerful midfield two and popping small technical players in.
I think the guy wanted to show how many times Özil, Santi, Ramssey played at the same time.
And he hates Coquelin.
Country: Scotland
It's not much of an enigma. Our midfield is great on paper. Games aren't played on paper. And there is the fault.
Ramsey - injury problems about to eclipse Wilshere in my eyes.
Cazorla - injury problems
Xhaka - discipline problems
Coquelin - good but not good enough doe the amount of games asked to play.
We need to replace Ramsey and Cazorla and bring in reliable players. We have to many games where we play what I see as 4th, 5th, 6th choice even further down the line in some occasions. That's not sustainable in the short term and for us it's to often long term.
Ramsey - injury problems about to eclipse Wilshere in my eyes.
Cazorla - injury problems
Xhaka - discipline problems
Coquelin - good but not good enough doe the amount of games asked to play.
We need to replace Ramsey and Cazorla and bring in reliable players. We have to many games where we play what I see as 4th, 5th, 6th choice even further down the line in some occasions. That's not sustainable in the short term and for us it's to often long term.
ARSNLNO1
Active Member
What is abundantly clear is that Xhaka / Coq partnership does not work, someone forgot to pass that memo onto Wenger though, ha!
Chemberlain, Elneny or Ramsey has to play beside Xhaka, either that or you drop Xhaka, but I wouldn't drop anyone for Coq as this season he has been dreadful.
