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Lauren Lost his place???

r_blair2

Active Member
Today Kolo Toure showed Lauren how he should play right back. I would say this is Kolo's best position as he can contribute more to the the team in both attack and defence. I have always said the Lauren was the weak link in the arsenal team and now I think he may just have lost his place.

With Kolo at right back we have the same attacking threat which we posess on the left wing.

Toure
2 <<< Not 6
 

johe

Active Member
Toure looks extremely good as a centre back, and with Volz soon returning, I think that's where he's gonna play in the future. Lauren is a good right midfielder though and could be good cover there, if we need better defensive cover than Ljungberg, for tight games. We're really lucky to have someone as versatile as Kolo Toure, I mean, he can cover everywhere except striker positions :)
 

lewdikris

Established Member
I think the point is that Kolo is just as good as right back as he is at centre half. It genuinely doesn't matter where he plays.

Maybe that means that the selection decision comes out between Cygan, Keown and Lauren from now on. Cygan's playing remarkably well at the moment - undroppably well. That may not last, although it would be great if it did. When I first saw him for Lille vs Man U, he was immense, and if Wenger's sorted him out to play like that again, we'll have a very good (but not a great) centre half. Slow, but strong as an ox, and great with the ball.

I really never thought i'd say that. Geesh. But he deserves it.

Toure's total adaptability means that whoever of the other centre halves/ right backs we have is playing best keeps their place, otherwise Kolo gets it. Simple.

I guess the question is, when Cole's suspended, will Wenger play him at Left back too???
 

slapz

Well-Known Member
I think long term Kolo will be the centre back for Arsenal. His stint at the centre has helped kolo become disciplined at right back.

I guess what will happen when Lauren comes back is for him to regain his place and Kolo get pushed to left back to make do for ashley's suspension
 

johe

Active Member
I think Wenger might use Clichy at left back when Cole is suspended.
He seems to have faith in him, and if Cygan continues to play the way he did today, he'll propably continue with the same back four except Cole out for Clichy.
 

GoonerGurjit

Established Member
Kolo certainly looked very good today. He's such a good athlete and looks like he's got a good balance between defending and going forward. I wouldn't be surprised if he makes the right-back position his own. Maybe Senderos will be Sol's long term partner with Kolo at right back but the likes of Hoyte and Volz may have something to say about that.
 

JGooner

Well-Known Member
Surely the thing to do with a dilemma like this is play the player in question in the position he prefers. We know that Toure's favourite position is centre half (and we know he is absolutely ace in that position) so why move him elsewhere? Keep him as a CB, I say.

The right back position is very interesting. I have felt for a few months now that Lauren just isn't good enough in that position. This isn't to say that he is bad in absolute terms, just that he is a weak link in the side. His pace is not great, which is why he gets beaten on the line quite easily, and his technique is also mediocre, which is why his distribution and crossing when going forward often falls short of what is required.

After watching the Leeds v Fulham game today, I am convinced that Volz is the answer. He didn't give a star performance (full backs never do) but he demonstrated so much comfort on the ball that I kept confusing him for a midfielder. His passing is not just competent but often quite visionary - he's always taking two defenders out of them game by threading a tight pass between them. He runs with the ball much more easily than Lauren. Defensively, he is probably not much different o Lauren but he seems a clearly superior ball player.

Hoyte is another long term option but i have never seen him play, so i can't make any comment. From the available evidence, it would seem that Volz is the man - not just for the future, but right now.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
disagree. Lauren is quality and kolo in Central defence with Campbell
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Kolos future lies in the centre. He played well today at right back, but has looked a bit out of position in other games. But Campbell cannot be dropped, and neither can Cygan on current form, and Kolo has to be in the team, which only leaves the RB positon at present.

Ralphy is a good player, and i think he can do a job for us at right back. Im yet to be convinced by Voltz, he played ok against us, but Pires and Henry had a lot of joy down his wing.

We have a lot of different options now in defence, with Kolo able to play in any postion. I hope Wenger playes Clichy when ash is suspended as he looks a great prospect, but he could easily play Kolo there.

When is lauren back from injury btw?
 

Adam

Established Member
He'll have to have one/two reserve games to get back to match fitness but his injury is healed. So another week or so.

I think Clichy may be a starter at LM or LB at some point in the future. He has a great attitude, ability, and pace that suggest to me that Wenger has a role for him. He is only 18 so we do not need to rush him in because he will be at a level within a few year that will force someone out of the team. But he has a role to play this season.
 

AFCG7

Established Member
I dont think Lauren is good enough defensively... and i dont think he should get his place back.. i think our long term defense should be Volz Campbell Toure Cole
 

kanooo

Well-Known Member
r_blair2 said:
Today Kolo Toure showed Lauren how he should play right back. I would say this is Kolo's best position as he can contribute more to the the team in both attack and defence. I have always said the Lauren was the weak link in the arsenal team and now I think he may just have lost his place.

With Kolo at right back we have the same attacking threat which we posess on the left wing.

Toure
2 <<< Not 6

I totally agree. Toure has been playing really well in that position. Both in attacking and defending.
 

thierrys_girl

Established Member
Toure is a great Central Defender and thats where i see him playing in his future with us. He has done well in Right back, but Lauren plays very well there too.
 

satan_beckham

Active Member
Lauren is always our weakest link in defence,he is just not a defender, he would be better of playing in the centre of midfield taking gilberto position.He does good crosses,can shoot and dont gives the ball away too often.RB position should go to volz
 

n_henry

Well-Known Member
Yeah..wouldn't say he's lost his place, but it's good that he knows he has to improve on his performances. :)

But it's true that he is the weakest link in our back four...but I'm not sure he'll be a great success in midfield either..
 

Guns and Arses

Active Member
Lauren is a fine player but he still belongs to the midfield. Right-back is not his natural position. He has not been playing well this season while Toure(whom I think is the best player in the team so far) is very very impressive. The problem is, Cygan has been excellent at the moment and I hope Wenger continues to play him alongside Campbell. I think Clichy will replace Cole at left-back when he's suspended. Therefore, Lauren may be relegated to the bench.
 

lewdikris

Established Member
Basically, this is a good problem to have, isn't it. Kolo is gonna be a great central defender and a great right back - so why worry, he'll play wherever the rest of the team is weakened, pure and simple. If Senderos turns out to be half as good a defender as he should be, then we have so much strength available.

Simple fact, he's better than Lauren and Cygan, so let them worry who's better. It's all good for us.
 

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