• ! ! ! 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.

Joe Willock: The True Joerdie

Status
Not open for further replies.

BigPoppaPump

Reeling from Laca & Kos nightmares
He looked great in a pre season a few years ago, he was in central midfield.

I don’t really see it myself though tbh. Just like the majority of our academy players.

Watching the Hale End boys try pass the ball around is torture, I thought that's what they taught them in the academy? Got no ball control or quick thinking between them.
 

Geofranco

Would let Saka date his daughter

Player:Saka
Watching the Hale End boys try pass the ball around is torture, I thought that's what they taught them in the academy? Got no ball control or quick thinking between them.

How many players on the team have good ball control or quick thinking? Xhaka is a guy who is heralded as the most important midfielder on the team and he ****s the bed under any sort of pressure.

Can't play quick combos or even dribble out of the middle to progress play. A lot of players on this team are technically deficient.

Even Auba can barely dribble or link up properly and he is a world class forward.

It's very difficult at the highest level to play technical football cause things are much more physical and moving at a quicker pace than at youth football.
 

DanDare

Emoji Merchant and Believer-In-Chief
Trusted ⭐

Player:Saliba
Forgot he was playing for large portions of the game
 

roz

Fake News Merchant
Is the plan to play him into form so he attracts suitors for a sale?

Miles behind AMN, Saka, Nelson & Eddie, all of whom can do a decent job for the team over the next few years. Dont see space for Willock at all.
 

BigPoppaPump

Reeling from Laca & Kos nightmares
How many players on the team have good ball control or quick thinking? Xhaka is a guy who is heralded as the most important midfielder on the team and he ****s the bed under any sort of pressure.

Can't play quick combos or even dribble out of the middle to progress play. A lot of players on this team are technically deficient.

Even Auba can barely dribble or link up properly and he is a world class forward.

It's very difficult at the highest level to play technical football cause things are much more physical and moving at a quicker pace than at youth football.

Yeah that's the problem with our team, can never string passes together or make things happen for themselves or others. When we played Liverpool last week it was annoying seeing how good almost all their players passing, first touch and ball control is. While our players need 5 touches to get the ball under control.
 

Maybe

You're wrong, no?
Yeah that's the problem with our team, can never string passes together or make things happen for themselves or others. When we played Liverpool last week it was annoying seeing how good almost all their players passing, first touch and ball control is. While our players need 5 touches to get the ball under control.
Gomez has a better ability than all of our midfielders/defenders except for Ceballos. Our players look like they're passing a hot potato with their bare hands, pass it to someone else, whatever it takes :)
 

Trilly

Hates A-M, Saka, Arteta and You
Trusted ⭐

Country: England
Yeah that's the problem with our team, can never string passes together or make things happen for themselves or others. When we played Liverpool last week it was annoying seeing how good almost all their players passing, first touch and ball control is. While our players need 5 touches to get the ball under control.
It's also mental and a consequence of familiarity and just outright being better.

Is Henderson really more technical and a quicker thinker than Ceballos? Probably not but the core of that side have played together under the same tactics for years, they know where each other will be and they can play with more freedom as they haven't been pressed to death for most of the game.

I think that's part of it anyway.
 

AbouCuéllar

Author of A-M essays 📚
He trusted him there against Leicester away. I think you are reading too much into it. He’s just a versatile footballer who Arteta uses in different ways depending on the opposition.

Nah. He didn't even really trust him that much against Leicester in Carabao Cup--he was telling him during the match to move higher to avoid getting involved in possession deep.

Deficient footballer in number of important facets of midfield play, constantly hidden in possession, even in favour of people theoretically less natural to the position than him (Saka) = only one thing. Like I said, squad player potential at best for this guy, Arteta just uses his tools without viewing him as a real complete footballer, which is fair enough, he'd need a loan and some great leaps in development to get there, and honestly Azeez, Patino, and Bandeira will surely pass him.

It's also mental and a consequence of familiarity and just outright being better.

Is Henderson really more technical and a quicker thinker than Ceballos? Probably not but the core of that side have played together under the same tactics for years, they know where each other will be and they can play with more freedom as they haven't been pressed to death for most of the game.

I think that's part of it anyway.

It definitely is a part of it, Liverpool players have a clear idea of what to do in possession and out of it. This helps players a lot.

We ourselves have improved with this under Arteta, especially re: playing out from the back, thanks to Arteta's juego de posición installed and sensible adjustments he makes to get the best out of players (makes sure Xhaka has passing options so he can make one-touch passes out of a press and not receive and think too much where he struggles, for example, or early on had him drop into LB position in possession against teams not pressing as high to give him time and space on the ball to play out). It's the first time we've had clear instruction tactically in a long time.

Ultimately there's no substitute for quality, though, Arteta does a good job getting the best out of players like Xhaka, AMN, and Elneny, but they're not going to suddenly turn into Thiago and Fabinho, who are just players of a higher quality. Same goes with Salah and Mané and Firmino, Firmino is different quality than Lacazette, Mané is world class of course so even though Willian is an astute signing he's a step above, and Salah and Aubameyang are different types of players--Salah creates better, Aubameyang is a more natural goal scorer.

Things will get significantly better if we can get Aouar in here. In non top 4 games Tierney-Gabriel-Luiz-Bellerín Xhaka-Ceballos-Aouar Saka-Auba-Willian could produce some very nice football under Arteta, and Aouar on the left of the 3 forwards in Arteta's hybrid 3-4-3/4-3-3 can also be a nice option in more difficult games.
 

Big Poppa

Established Member
Trusted ⭐

Country: USA

Player:Saliba
Nah. He didn't even really trust him that much against Leicester in Carabao Cup--he was telling him during the match to move higher to avoid getting involved in possession deep.

Deficient footballer in number of important facets of midfield play, constantly hidden in possession, even in favour of people theoretically less natural to the position than him (Saka) = only one thing. Like I said, squad player potential at best for this guy, Arteta just uses his tools without viewing him as a real complete footballer, which is fair enough, he'd need a loan and some great leaps in development to get there, and honestly Azeez, Patino, and Bandeira will surely pass him.



It definitely is a part of it, Liverpool players have a clear idea of what to do in possession and out of it. This helps players a lot.

We ourselves have improved with this under Arteta, especially re: playing out from the back, thanks to Arteta's juego de posición installed and sensible adjustments he makes to get the best out of players (makes sure Xhaka has passing options so he can make one-touch passes out of a press and not receive and think too much where he struggles, for example, or early on had him drop into LB position in possession against teams not pressing as high to give him time and space on the ball to play out). It's the first time we've had clear instruction tactically in a long time.

Ultimately there's no substitute for quality, though, Arteta does a good job getting the best out of players like Xhaka, AMN, and Elneny, but they're not going to suddenly turn into Thiago and Fabinho, who are just players of a higher quality. Same goes with Salah and Mané and Firmino, Firmino is different quality than Lacazette, Mané is world class of course so even though Willian is an astute signing he's a step above, and Salah and Aubameyang are different types of players--Salah creates better, Aubameyang is a more natural goal scorer.

Things will get significantly better if we can get Aouar in here. In non top 4 games Tierney-Gabriel-Luiz-Bellerín Xhaka-Ceballos-Aouar Saka-Auba-Willian could produce some very nice football under Arteta, and Aouar on the left of the 3 forwards in Arteta's hybrid 3-4-3/4-3-3 can also be a nice option in more difficult games.

You’re speculating about Arteta’s motives for asking Willock to push high. Your assumption that it’s because of a deficiency in possession rather than a strength at, pressing, is exactly that. Arteta does stuff like that for different reasons - usually because he wants to effect the game in a certain way without/without possession.

He’s had a few cameos in random utility roles, while still adapting to first team football. He barely plays, let alone in his best position. So I’m not really taking your perspective of how his career might turn out that seriously.

We don’t have another CM of his profile. Who can receive the ball under pressure, pass with either foot, and drive from deep to break lines. We’ll agree to disagree on his technical base as before. My opinion of him changed completely after his performances for the U23s and at the Nou Camp as a 6. He’s mouldable at 20. That’s my opinion.

I don’t think anyone here sees him as a reason not to go out and buy more proven quality like Aouar, if that’s what you’re getting at.
 

AbouCuéllar

Author of A-M essays 📚
You’re speculating about Arteta’s motives for asking Willock to push high. Your assumption that it’s because of a deficiency in possession rather than a strength at, pressing, is exactly that. Arteta does stuff like that for different reasons - usually because he wants to effect the game in a certain way without/without possession.

He’s had a few cameos in random utility roles, while still adapting to first team football. He barely plays, let alone in his best position. So I’m not really taking your perspective of how his career might turn out that seriously.

We don’t have another CM of his profile. Who can receive the ball under pressure, pass with either foot, and drive from deep to break lines. We’ll agree to disagree on his technical base as before. My opinion of him changed completely after his performances for the U23s and at the Nou Camp as a 6. He’s mouldable at 20. That’s my opinion.

I don’t think anyone here sees him as a reason not to go out and buy more proven quality like Aouar, if that’s what you’re getting at.

Fair play. Yeah, we disagree in our opinion of him--I would especially disagree with the bolded--and that's fine. In the end we're both rooting for him and opinions and assholes and all that.
 

Big Poppa

Established Member
Trusted ⭐

Country: USA

Player:Saliba
Fair play. Yeah, we disagree in our opinion of him--I would especially disagree with the bolded--and that's fine. In the end we're both rooting for him and opinions and assholes and all that.

Indeed. We may disagree on this point but you have a sound knowledge of the game and I respect that.
 

BigPoppaPump

Reeling from Laca & Kos nightmares
It's also mental and a consequence of familiarity and just outright being better.

Is Henderson really more technical and a quicker thinker than Ceballos? Probably not but the core of that side have played together under the same tactics for years, they know where each other will be and they can play with more freedom as they haven't been pressed to death for most of the game.

I think that's part of it anyway.

But that's good coaching though, even Arsène had some absolute bum players passing the ball, even if it was going nowhere and just passing around the box, at least we could keep possession.

Arteta's football if I'm being honest is a bit boring and uncreative, seems like he just wants the fullbacks to make something happen. Identical to Emery, but I think that's a consequence of the players available.
 

DJ_Markstar

Based and Artetapilled

Player:Martinelli
But that's good coaching though, even Arsène had some absolute bum players passing the ball, even if it was going nowhere and just passing around the box, at least we could keep possession.

Arteta's football if I'm being honest is a bit boring and uncreative, seems like he just wants the fullbacks to make something happen. Identical to Emery, but I think that's a consequence of the players available.

I think Arteta knew he could have a larger impact getting us to be compact and hard to beat than improving the goalscoring, so he went for the path of least resistance. We were shambolic tbf so I think lots of people are happy to see us not concede as many stupid goals.
 

Impact

Established Member
MOTM for me.

Brought a completely different profile to the midfield with his runs on and off the ball. Rode challenges so well. Strong in the duels. Has an eye for space and finished his chance well. Underrated talent with a big ceiling.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom