In defence of our defence.

[Jae]

Posted this in the matchday thread but it's applicable so here goes:

We are truly one of the worst, if not the worst team in the league without the ball.

There are a handful of players in our team who are willing to put a shift in, track back, stick a foot in and put pressure on the opposition. Nobody else seems interested in defending, it's pathetic.

People jogging back when we're being countered, putting absolutely no pressure on whatsoever whilst standing in front of opposition players who have the ball and rather than actually tackling they just do nothing and wait for them to pass it to another player or take a free shot. Marking space when they should be marking a player and vice versa. Showing them inside when they should be forcing them down the line. Lack of structure and discipline, getting caught miles out of position all the time. Playing for stupid fouls when they could just get up and win the ball back.

The list is endless and its embarrassing. There is no personal pride in this team whatsoever, not one of them gives a sh*t about our club, whenever you see them throw a pity post up on Instagram it is because they are embarassed for themselves.

Up until now there have been no consequences for their performances, they've been allowed to get away with it for years under Wenger.

Thankfully that's all about to change.

 

[Jury]

Flat track bullies, apart from when we get bullied by the bigger boys on our flat track.

 

[Trilly]

We never sign defenders who come in as established quality. There's literally always a question mark and I mean always.

City passed on Mustafi to sign Otamendi, either that or Mustafi was his replacement. He also wasn't an established German international and didn't cut it way back when at Everton.

Kolasinac made the German team of the season but there were immediate doubts when we were able to sign him with relatively little competition on a free, his team was also awful.

None of the above reasons are reasons not to sign a player but when was the last time we signed a defender who we just knew was good? Sol Campbell I think? Or Gallas before he lost his head? You just tend to get what you pay for.

Look at Mendy, looked fantastic playing in the CL for Monaco against top opposition including City themselves, is highly sought after then goes for big money. Not a surprise he's doing well, same goes for Van Dijk I suppose.

 

[OnlyOne]

Awful awful video, how many parts will there be? Anyway I think this highlights why we need experienced heads in our back line. Emery has a big job on his hands, hope he gets to watch this video too.

 

[OnlyOne]

4:10 is the hardest thing to watch again, we started really well and should of buried United that game.

 

[Jae]

Awful awful video, how many parts will there be? Anyway I think this highlights why we need experienced heads in our back line. Emery has a big job on his hands, hope he gets to watch this video too.

From what I've heard about Emery he's probably already watched this a thousand times, he'll probably make the team watch this over and over again, and they should do because it's an embarrassment.

 

[Camron]

We got 5 international well experienced defenders to concede 51 goals is not good enough you can't defend this

 

[Alan Latchley]

I literally cannot wait to see our new well drilled boys at the back. It is going to be a joy to see.........

 

[krengon]

Awful awful video, how many parts will there be? Anyway I think this highlights why we need experienced heads in our back line. Emery has a big job on his hands, hope he gets to watch this video too.

Most of these are bad individual defending/mistakes.. Just makes me more certain 1 or 2 good defensive signings will go a long way to fix this problem.. Hell, just a new competent keeper will make a massive difference.

 

[zhaggy]

Most of these are bad individual defending/mistakes.. Just makes me more certain 1 or 2 good defensive signings will go a long way to fix this problem.. Hell, just a new competent keeper will make a massive difference.

I also think we could do with better defenders.
However a badly coached defensive unit is bound to make more individual erros due to being exposed more.
So i think a combination of 1 or 2 fresh faces with more detail on the defense as a unit will help us improve.

 

[shootxhakashoot]

Our right and left backs are no where to be seen on so many of our goals. Yes Mustafi is appalling for some of the mistakes but there is just no semblance of marking on crosses or sense of responsibility and LB/RB are just either absent or getting dragged all over the place.
Embarrassing stuff, hopefully it was mismanagement not personnel but the going by some of those mistakes the weak links are Mustafi and Monreal and that is primarily the left side of our defence.
Interesting that Özil is absolutely no where to be seen in any of those clips as well. Obviously not his job to cover defensively (not that anyone was given jobs seemingly) but interesting he is left footed/left sided as well.....
Either way people need to be drilled and organised clearly. Just painful to watch that. Ive seen more discipline at my Monday night kick around (not from me I might add Im a headless chicken..)

 

[ptrcopp]

Didn't we have one of the best away records like a few seasons back?

Same manager, same system, some of the same players back then. Interesting to see what changed.

As much as it's about system it's also about mentality.

I think it was for two or theee seasons running, with Kosh and Merte , and still the ‘Arsenal can’t defend’ myth was about.
And when you look at the figures, we do not concede many at home - that may be because teams don’t come out at us of course, score one and decide that is enough. However, when I watched us this season, the defence seemed a lot more assured at home than away.
It may just have been a form thing, form transfers differently. Remember in 04 there was a bad patch, losing in the League Cup, FA cup and Champions leave in the space of a couple of weeks and then hammered Liverpool. And in 06 the eformances in the CL were exceptional, and our league form was poor toward the end of the season.

 

[ptrcopp]

We never sign defenders who come in as established quality. There's literally always a question mark and I mean always.

City passed on Mustafi to sign Otamendi, either that or Mustafi was his replacement. He also wasn't an established German international and didn't cut it way back when at Everton.

Kolasinac made the German team of the season but there were immediate doubts when we were able to sign him with relatively little competition on a free, his team was also awful.

None of the above reasons are reasons not to sign a player but when was the last time we signed a defender who we just knew was good? Sol Campbell I think? Or Gallas before he lost his head? You just tend to get what you pay for.

Look at Mendy, looked fantastic playing in the CL for Monaco against top opposition including City themselves, is highly sought after then goes for big money. Not a surprise he's doing well, same goes for Van Dijk I suppose.

Mertesacker or Debuchy would surely be the last. And Czech if you count him. And I think it is a bit unfair to say a Mustafi didn’t make it at Everton as well, he was young and went on to be a starter for other clubs across Europe.
But doesn’t this go back to a conversation on another thread (can’t remember which) about how Arsenal need to take risks because the money isn’t available. The comparison there was Chambers/ Holding and Stones. Stones cost 50mil and was relatively risk free; Chambers 15 mil but more risk; and Holding 3 mil and lots of risk.
That is obviously not the only factor. Mustafi was signed for 35 mil, but even that looks cheap when ready made CBs go for 80m and young ones are going for 50.
IMO Sokratis is the best we can hope for. Who else ready made is available in any of the back four positions who would improve us?