Fredrik Ljungberg (Out)

[tactica442]

I just wonder if Freddie had streched his leg muscles as often as he should have. He looked quite stiff in contrast to his movement 2, 3 years ago. Maybe he has injury problem with his thigh? Sometimes he struggled to trapped the ball from penetration passes when about to break into the box.

 

[Army of Me]

And what? Bring in another teenager? There is currently an imbalance of experience and youth in our team, I think the experience and grit Ljungberg brings to the team is worth every penny we pay him right now.

Experience and grit means next to nothing if the performances are mediocre.

If "another teenager" can step up and make a difference in Freddie's position then why shouldn't they get a chance? it's not like Cesc didn't step up to replace Vieira, or Eboue to replace Lauren, or Senderos/Djourou to replace Sol etc.

Freddie has been putting in the effort but the sad fact is he's just not that good any more. Last season him and Reyes were the 2 most frustrating players in our team, like RtC said, if they weren't moaning they were picking themselves up off their arses.

As far as I'm concerned, it's 1 down...

 

[cesc18]

being a big freddie fan i feel bad about the criticism he gets
he has been putting in 100 percent every game
but the problem is his goals are no longer there even if he does get chances he doesnt score and more worryingly doesnt look like he could score
also his pace which is an integral part of his game especially while making runs towards goal or getting past players seems gone with age
at the moment rosicky hleb are both ahead of him when chosing our best wide players

well maybe he ll put in a motm performance in our next game and i can stop moaning about him struggling

 

[liridon]

no text even one word of your post will be deleted

 

[Qwxp437]

freddie is not finished yet! he is just not in form!
i think he can make it back in the starting 11! he CAN! but i really ask myself if he will...

and if there is a teenager to step up - why not! experience is a much overrated factor for football players!

Just take a look at the championsleague final! Freddie was very good in that one! and that is not to long ago! i don`t really think he is finished! give him some time!

 

[mad jens]

put him in when he's hungry. but for now put rosicky on the left and make ljunberg fight for his place...indeed hes a gooner for life and we should never sell him. He is the quality backup we need during injury problems

 

[RocktheCasbah]

Just take a look at the championsleague final! Freddie was very good in that one!

Yeah, one good game in two years, that's fantastic...

:roll:

 

[Gryphon]

freds lost confidence in himself which is worse than anything else; he gets jitterbugs when hes in front of goal but he does work hard but then again so do hleb and rosicky

 

[Nisty]

I agree.. He may not be past it career-wise - but I think at Arsenal he is. He doesn't click with the system at all. He should be sold to the highest bidder or just be releived of his services - he isn't either well served by playing second fiddle. He may still be able to act in a lesser important role but the emergence of Walcott and the inctroduction of Baptista will be at the expense of Ljungberg.

 

[GoonerGurjit]

I was expecting big things from Ljungberg this season after his performances at the World cup. But he's looked a shadow of the player he use to be.

 

[Gurgen]

Just take a look at the championsleague final! Freddie was very good in that one!

Yeah, one good game in two years, that's fantastic...

:roll:

I guess you missed Madrid and Juve away then, and the games he scored in in 04/05.

Shame that.

 

[RocktheCasbah]

Sorry, three good games last season.

I take it back, give him a new contract and make him captain.

 

[otfgoon]

Freddie has definately lost something from his game, but im not sure its pace. He doesnt seem to be getting into the right areas as much, and he isnt making those great runs into the box either. That was the probably the best part of his game.

Having said that, he's still a solid player, and I dont think the fact that we have two outstanding players in Rosicky and Hleb should overshadow that.

 

[Thommybhoy]

Freddie isn't in same form as he was in 2001/02 season. Far from that, but if you don't look his peformaces last season on any before that. Just remember what he did for his Sweden on World Cup. He was without argue the best Swede. Against Charlton he wasn't that bad as many would like him to be. IMO he was actually quite good. I have a feeling that many are just counting his bad actions in stead of his good ones as you should do for a Gunner. He had (against Charlton) bad moves and hardly understainding moves, but also some very good. He is way out of his form and he will reach it only with games. When he's in form he is one of the 5 best midfielders in the league. He is a fighter and allways will be and bad form is a thing that any player has. He is a player that would be in starting 11 of ANY other team in Europe even in this level of form I'm sure. I can remember his performaces from season 2002/03 when he would make single wrong pass or lose any ball. He didn't forget to do that. I'm sure he can't perform worse than at this moment and even now he is way above mediocre.

 

[patrick42uk]

just one point on ljungberg. wenger obviously feels, especially with the 4-5-1, that we need that second pentrative option after the main forward. it gives some degree of balance to the 'five' in midfield and indeed in the 'four' when we play 4-4-2. the thing with ljungberg is that he seems to have lost a bit of sharpness. defenders are getting close enough to block his shots after a run for instance and his finishing isnt what it can be (confidence issue IMO). i dont know if its a physical problem because wenger is the best judge of that and freddie wont be here if it was. its early days yet.

i always get the feeling with freddie that he is being judged by irrational standards. freddie cant do what rosicky and hleb do, likewise they cant do what he does. i say this because i thought charlton was one of freddie's better games this season in terms of synchronisation with the team. he was runs were actually picked on a few occasions. if it isnt something terminal physically, then i feel he will come good this season with goals.

his role is one that can be replicated by only baptista which means he will continue to get games. i have the feeling that the only thing holding up baptista is getting him in shape physically. i know we all love to brag about his physique but i have a sneaky feeling thats doing more harm than good. i reckon wenger would like him to lose some of that in exchange for a little bit of extra agility and pace.

 

[Clrnc]

get your facts right jucsitin. freddie said before that he loved playing left flank more than right and that he do not need to adapt as before he joined arsenal he was mainly playing left/supporting forward.

ljungberg, yes he is a loyal servant. but you must understand he dosent have that footballing skill, that speed like in the pass already. he also dosent have the gelling with the new team mates. you could see that whenever he make his famed runs nobody is spotting him. also he is very very predictable. get to the byline and stop and go back pass to the middle whic is absolutely useless. all his done is running running and running. even in and madrid juv or barca game, he jsut runs run run

 

[The_byrne]

can you imagine freddie playing like hleb on saturday, scoring a goal like Rosicky's against hamburg or changing the game the way Walcott did against Villa.

As soon as he can be replaced we should do it.

It is beyond me how anybody can say he brings something to the team, he may be good in training and in the dressing room, but that is a coach's job, not a player.

Even when bobby couldn't run as fast, he would still pop up in the box and get scrappy goals.

I and would still be saying this if he scored in the final.

 

[Sammer]

the thing with ljungberg is that he seems to have lost a bit of sharpness.

Now this is what I call british understatement, patrick

I like him for his attitude, he gets "stuck in" and tracks back (when he again loses the ball), but it´s simply not good enough any more for our first team.

He neither has the technical abilities, nor the footballing brain or the physical skills to make an impact on our team any more. His last season, despite those three games where the whole team played well (e.g. Juve, Real), he hasn´t been able to put the "Freddie-stamp" on one single game.

Freddie - and Pires - were guilty of letting an 18 year old do the battle last year during our bad spell in midifield.

He cannot even beat mediocre EPL defenders any more. They all know his trick: run down the line - not able to beat his man - change directions and move backwards or side/backpass the ball. That is our current Freddie.
His shot is nothing special, his passing is average (nicely put) ...in short: he makes a good 70 minute-sub-player, when opposition teams run tired.

I like Arsène for his loyalty to Freddie. He doesn´t humiliate him by still giving him games and showing respect. But trust me: at the end of the season, the smooth switch to his benchwarming role will have been done.

 

[Gurgen]

Freddie has lost that acceleration and as a result I think he is pretty much finished.

However, considering the service he has given this club over the years it's shocking to read some of the reactions. Same happened with Pires on here. Yes he is in decline, yes he is no longer as useful, but he deserves at least a little respect.

So easy to forget all his vital goals in big games.

 

[RocktheCasbah]

So easy to forget all his vital goals in big games.

On the contrary it is the memory of those goals that make his situation so frustrating for the fans I think. When was the last goal in a big game?

And I think with Pires, as frustrating as he came to be in his final season or so, you always knew he was capable of popping up with a defence splitter, or a goal, just something to turn a game. Not that he produced it so much last year, but I just don't have that feeling with Freddie.