PL: Leicester vs Arsenal | KO:17:30 | Saturday 9th November | Sky Sports

[OnlyOne]

Yeah, of course VVD would struggle, our midfield is over-run every game. What are you saying, it's because he's not playing Torreira as DM.

So if you were Emery, what is our best midfield combo?

The midfield is often over run because it seems, at least to me, they don't really know what they are doing. Obviously it's not just about sticking Lucas at DM and everything will change but his best games came at that position and is yet to play well at CAM. I'm only using Torreira as an example of Emery confusing the players and us to an extent.

As for our midfield, baring in mind I have no form of managerial experience I'd like to see Guendouzi + Torreira at the base, one can pass, one can defend and then Özil as a creator, or play a reverse diamond with Ceballos, Guendouzi and Torreira. I think both combinations would be better at keeping the ball, Torreira isn't the best on the ball but all he needs to do is recycle it. Luiz and Guendouzi can make the long passes.

Granted Trax, our squad is limited, however we should easily be in top 4, easily.

 

[Hleb's Sirush]

Arsenal on the other hand have blown most of their money on expensive forwards and neglected the midfield and defence at £400+m.
That mismatch is biting us in the arse, regardless of Emery.

It is been shown numerous times that if you get a lethal attack you can blow away 80% of the teams even if your defence is average at best. You only need great or world class defence if you regularly want to win titles.

Liverpool in 2013/14 had Flanagan and Cissokho and I think Lovren in their backline. Yet they were a whisker away from winning the league. Why? Cos they blew teams away with elite forwards of Suarez, Sterling and Sturridge.

Our defenders are also looking far worse thsn they should be. You know something is terribly wrong when our defenders are being made look poor by a Portuguese 5th placed team.

 

[Makingtrax]

They only look formidable now because they know exactly their role in the team and those players compliment each other well.



There are plenty of holes in that squad. Far more than in our squad. For a start they don't have any great attacking wide players. Most of the time Perez and Barnes line up in that position but they don't seem too comfortable in those positions. Gray and Albrighton are natural wide players, but they don't have the necessary quality to be really effective hence they ride the bench in most games. It severely limits how they can play, if you stop the counter attack and mark Maddison through the middle or stop their fullbacks pushing up high to provide the width, they don't seem to be able to attack in any other way. It is what happened at Old Trafford. Their squad doesn't have enough variety of players, which I would say is same as having gaps in the squad.

At CB only Soyuncu we might be able to say is above average. Evans has looked poor plenty of times in the last 2 years. He is playing well now cos the system is working well and maximising his strength. If he was playing for us now people would be asking why we bought a cheap reject from United to strengthen us. Ffs their first sub at CB is Wes Morgan, again an average CB but will do a great job in a competent system. Again the system and organisation is key here.

At front. Only Vardy and perhaps Maddison are reliable goalscorers. Leaving even aside the fact if Vardy gets injured they are ****ed. It also again forces them to play in only one way. The fast counter attack or build up through the middle or rely a lot on their fullbacks to provide the width. Teams might well be able to suss that out later in the season and stop them being as effective.

You're over stating the role of the manager. We've had this discussion a thousand times on here. Does the manager make the squad, or the squad make the manager. And the evidence is overwhelming, the squad is more important by a long way. That's why Klopp or Pep could never win the league with Watford. And Spuds are below us . . Loris injury, and throw in Vertonghen and Eriksen unhappy about transfers and it all goes wrong . . same manager!

To out perform your spend you need both a good squad and a good manager. Emery is making mistakes and our squad is unbalanced, that's why that's why our stats are the pits.

 

[Hleb's Sirush]

Check out the thread I created at the start of the season.

https://arsenal-mania.com/forum/threads/top-6-can-wolves-everton-or-leicester-break-in.33886/

This is interesting actually. While acknowledging Leicester has some good players the majority of posters voted none of those sides would make top 6. And that was when most people thought Chelsea cos of the tranfer ban would be vulnerable to miss out.

I myself rate the Leicester first 11, the squad isn't deep enough though. But even then I think they have the 6th or at best 5th best squad. Just because they are doing so well now doesn't make them have better or better balanced squad than us.

 

[Aussie_gunner123]

Anyone else a bit concerned we may cause a bit of an upset & have Emery keep his job after? It's a bit worrying if we are getting to that thought.

 

[Hleb's Sirush]

You're over stating the role of the manager. We've had this discussion a thousand times on here. Does the manager make the squad, or the squad make the manager. And the evidence is overwhelming, the squad is more important by a long way. That's why Klopp or Pep could never win the league with Watford. And Spuds are below us . . Loris injury, and throw in Vertonghen and Eriksen unhappy about transfers and it all goes wrong . . same manager!

To out perform your spend you need both a good squad and a good manager. Emery is making mistakes and our squad is unbalanced, that's why that's why our stats are the pits.

I believe the manager is more important than the squad. Of course the squad is very important too. The reason a good or great manager won't succeed with an average squad is because he is competing with other good or great manager. Then the difference will be the squad.

Klopp or Pep could never win the league with Watford because they would be competing with competent managers with better squads.

Moyes took a squad (albeit slighty ageing) who finshed as 1st to 7th place in a matter of months. The difference in league position was the difference in the abilities of Ferguson and Moyes.

Good managers will always over perform relative to their squad, bad managers will under perform.

 

[CaseUteinberger]

Anyone else a bit concerned we may cause a bit of an upset & have Emery keep his job after? It's a bit worrying if we are getting to that thought.

I'd take a win over a loss any day, regardless of consequences. We cannot dislike the coach so much we forget to support our team. We were lucky with Wenger for such a long time. Time we all suck it up and support the team!

I still think we will lose against Leicester. Have us going down 2-0 on my predictor but would love a win and us playing well regardless. Don't like Leicester, their players or their coach.

COYG!!!! :trophy: (lifting imaginary trophy)

 

[BigPoppaPump]

Yes I know how you feel about adding a winger, you mention it enough. I said it a while back but I think the plan was always to bring in Saliba this year and still have Kos, both plans went to sh*t.

It's easy to bash Emery because we've gone backwards in every department this year. I can honestly say if we had VVD in this squad we wouldn't look any better. All the players look confused, the midfield is disjointed and so is attack. Our ball winning DM plays at CAM and hasn't had a good game there yet but still plays.

This isn't on the squad, Emery would be sat in 6th with Liverpool.

Wow this may be the worst post of 2019, I’m not surprised who it’s by either. Poverty posting.

 

[OnlyOne]

Wow this may be the worst post of 2019, I’m not surprised who it’s by either. Poverty posting.

Oh piss off you chainmail draped *****.

Ah you can't see the word I've used, maybe N0nce works.

 

[Big Poppa]

Unpopular opinion: Our attacking threat has been severely diminished by failing to replace Mkhitaryan and Iwobi's pressing and ball carrying in the final third.

 

[BigPoppaPump]

I believe the manager is more important than the squad. Of course the squad is very important too. The reason a good or great manager won't succeed with an average squad is because he is competing with other good or great manager. Then the difference will be the squad.

Klopp or Pep could never win the league with Watford because they would be competing with competent managers with better squads.

Moyes took a squad (albeit slighty ageing) who finshed as 1st to 7th place in a matter of months. The difference in league position was the difference in the abilities of Ferguson and Moyes.

Good managers will always over perform relative to their squad, bad managers will under perform.

Emery is poor but this squad would struggle unfer Klopp and Pep too. Not nuch quality at all in midfield or defence, add in players coming back from injury too.

 

[BigPoppaPump]

Oh piss off you chainmail draped *****.

Ah you can't see the word I've used, maybe N0nce works.

DM me if you want me to teach you about football since you obviously have no clue.

 

[scrappypoo]

Hi folks - Leicester fan. Not hear to mock or take the pee. It seems difficult to gauge (whilst sneakily stalking your forum), if you actually want to win this game? Or is getting shot of Emery more important?

 

[freeglennhelder2]

Can the plucky underdogs from Dial Square FC hold on against the mighty former Premiership champions Leicester City? It’s a big ask.

 

[Big Poppa]

I think we'll win this as Leicester are just pathetic whenever they play Arsenal they've only beaten us 10 times since 1967.!! and that's out of 66 games shocking stats even in their title winning season we pushed them around like clowns.

We truly are their boggy team.

Hope odds are well against us with the bookies cause I'm certain we're winning this.

Posters on foxes talk saying how their beaten us 5-1 and sh!t - DELUDED

The same delusions about keeping players like Kante & Mahrez after their title win. Small club . I know your reading this Foxtalk posters.

Suck that up...

The only thing that's certain is that it won't be a comfortable watch.

 

[Hleb's Sirush]

Emery is poor but this squad would struggle unfer Klopp and Pep too. Not nuch quality at all in midfield or defence, add in players coming back from injury too.

I know our squad isn't perfect. It does need more reinforcements, especially in midfield. This season I believe we have the 3rd best squad, finally leapfrogging Sp**s in that regard. While it might not be good enough to challenge for the league, it should definitely be good enough to challenge for the top 4.

 

[Mark Tobias]

This is interesting actually. While acknowledging Leicester has some good players the majority of posters voted none of those sides would make top 6. And that was when most people thought Chelsea cos of the tranfer ban would be vulnerable to miss out.

I myself rate the Leicester first 11, the squad isn't deep enough though. But even then I think they have the 6th or at best 5th best squad. Just because they are doing so well now doesn't make them have better or better balanced squad than us.

Agree with that. They do seem to be performing at a level of synergy we have been incapable of for about 5 years

 

[OnlyOne]

DM me if you want me to teach you about football since you obviously have no clue.

DM me if you need helping picking up girls since you obviously have no clue you massive virgin.

 

[Mark Tobias]

It is been shown numerous times that if you get a lethal attack you can blow away 80% of the teams even if your defence is average at best. You only need great or world class defence if you regularly want to win titles.
.

Where has this been shown. It isn't 2008 anymore man..

 

[Big Poppa]

It is been shown numerous times that if you get a lethal attack you can blow away 80% of the teams even if your defence is average at best. You only need great or world class defence if you regularly want to win titles.

Liverpool in 2013/14 had Flanagan and Cissokho and I think Lovren in their backline. Yet they were a whisker away from winning the league. Why? Cos they blew teams away with elite forwards of Suarez, Sterling and Sturridge.

Our defenders are also looking far worse thsn they should be. You know something is terribly wrong when our defenders are being made look poor by a Portuguese 5th placed team.

I'm confused by this. Our panic ridden defending undermines our ability to attack because we are poor at recovering the ball and the countless stupid corners, free kicks and penalties we concede kill off any chance of attacking turnovers.

The current Liverpool attack has smashed all their prior goalscoring records, and are arguably more effective because they can wreak havoc without worrying about the next defensive blunder.

Spending Coutinho's fee on van Dyke and Alisson has resulted in an increased goal return. That security squeezed 10% extra belief out of every player.

There is overwhelming evidence that all successful teams must have a solid spine in goal, defence, midfield and attack to be consistently effective at both ends of the pitch.