Exactly. Man City has the exact same problems as Arsenal, as they're playing in somewhat similar fashion. In their case, Gundogan does the box-to-box role in the left. And the end result was an unidimensional team with the action happening only on the left side... Until Guardiola inverted both his fullbacks, allowing Walker to have a more creative role in the midfield. It helps Rodri is a better organizer than Partey.
BUT Arsenal can't do that, because one of the bases of our defense is working with 3 centerbacks when in possession. And it has been working wonders, actually. So you need to solve that problem in other ways. Right now, there's pretty much nothing that can be done. But if Tielemans arrive, you could make that change I just said and allow more distribution on the right, while Zinchenko and Martinelli have more space to work on the left, allowing Arsenal to be more multidimensional on the buildup.
Now, about Xhaka's defending. It is his job to track Maddison all the way there, because the way we play forces Zinchenko to play way up field. So whoever is on the LCM role needs to cover for him. When Xhaka's playing 8, Zinchenko himself is responsible to cover, but when Zinchenko is operating high on the wing and Xhaka drops to the LCM, he has to make that move like a fullback in order to not allow the other team to overload our left flank. He failed in doing so and this was one of the reasons the 2nd Leicester goal happened.
Our squad is easily as good as Liverpools. The addition of Zinchenko, Jesus and Saliba has brought it up to a title challenging level. Our wide forwards Martinelli and Saka are as good as it gets, we just need another quality midfielder in case we get an injury to Partey as per last year.Good result and performance generally. That said I still dont think we were good enough, we need to control games more both when we are squeezing teams, and when we look to calm them down when the opposition have a spring in their step.
I want us to bring in another wide forward and central midfielder and work on our control. Do that, and we will be behind City and Liverpool only.
This time last year this fine forum was getting trolled by that one Leicester fan, you remember him? The one who kept going on about how good their transfer policy and recruitment is, how they don't need to sell Maddison, how its a sideways move for Maddison to move to Arsenal.
Well well well.... life comes at you fast.
Wasn’t his name Slyfox or something like that?This time last year this fine forum was getting trolled by that one Leicester fan, you remember him? The one who kept going on about how good their transfer policy and recruitment is, how they don't need to sell Maddison, how its a sideways move for Maddison to move to Arsenal.
Well well well.... life comes at you fast.
Our ability to instantly reply after conceding doesn't get enough credit IMO.
Our squad is easily as good as Liverpools. The addition of Zinchenko, Jesus and Saliba has brought it up to a title challenging level. Our wide forwards Martinelli and Saka are as good as it gets, we just need another quality midfielder in case we get an injury to Partey as per last year.
Lol. That's your opnion but I think Saka, Jesus and Martinelli are as good as any forward line. And I'd rather Partey Xhaka and Ødegaard than Henderson, Milner, Elliot and Keita. Tierney is one of the best LBs in the league and Saliba playing with Gabriel is a very good CB pairing, not up to VVD standard but better than Phillips. The one thing Liverpool have is more depth. But this Arsenal squad is very good.Come on. I like this squad and it's improving quickly, but it's very obviously not as good as Liverpool's, at any position.
This feels like a pretty obvious attempt to overstate the quality of the squad to set up an attack on Arteta if the team doesn't finish ahead of Liverpool.
Are Thiago, fabinho, konate, matip Everton players now?Lol. That's your opnion but I think Saka, Jesus and Martinelli are as good as any forward line. And I'd rather Partey Xhaka and Ødegaard than Henderson, Milner, Elliot and Keita. Tierney is one of the best LBs in the league and Saliba playing with Gabriel is a very good CB pairing, not up to VVD standard but better than Phillips. The one thing Liverpool have is more depth. But this Arsenal squad is very good.
How did Liverpool get on against Palace at home?
Lol. That's your opnion but I think Saka, Jesus and Martinelli are as good as any forward line. And I'd rather Partey Xhaka and Ødegaard than Henderson, Milner, Elliot and Keita. Tierney is one of the best LBs in the league and Saliba playing with Gabriel is a very good CB pairing, not up to VVD standard but better than Phillips. The one thing Liverpool have is more depth. But this Arsenal squad is very good.
How did Liverpool get on against Palace at home?
It could happen right now, it's just my guess it would take two years for him to bypass Saka. In terms of general play effectiveness and end product.Why two years? I don’t get it. It could happen right now.
Lol. That's your opnion but I think Saka, Jesus and Martinelli are as good as any forward line. And I'd rather Partey Xhaka and Ødegaard than Henderson, Milner, Elliot and Keita. Tierney is one of the best LBs in the league and Saliba playing with Gabriel is a very good CB pairing, not up to VVD standard but better than Phillips. The one thing Liverpool have is more depth. But this Arsenal squad is very good.
How did Liverpool get on against Palace at home?