Per Mertesacker: The BFG

[Jazz]

Didn't actually watch us much during that period, luckily perhaps. Think Per has been doing well so far this season though (you know, not yesterday obviously). His lack of physicality and aggression is annoying though. Never seen a CB that tall losing so many aerial duels.

It's not just the mistake though. If Kos had done that we wouldn't drop him to the bench but like I said, Per hasn't played well for a while now while Gabriel has so if you want to improve and send a message you drop Per and play Gabby.

 

[eye4goal]

If we do, though, Per should be the one to push up and Koscielny should drop off so he can cover with his pace if the offside trap doesn't work. Which, granted, isn't playing either of them to their strength. The main issue is, though, that the team doesn't press as a unit, which we have to do in order to make a high line work.

I feel we've pushed Koscielny ahead of Per over the last month or so to use his ability to play penetrative passes from the back and bail-out the midfield. It used to be Per that was more involved in the build-up(when we had a midfield) with Koscielny on the cover. The CBs and Flamini were neither high enough or deep enough to deal with the situation, and that's been happening alot over the past weeks. We look very disjointed, and got away with it due to the standard of opposition.

 

[Jerome_Gooner]

I feel we've pushed Koscielny ahead of Per over the last month or so to use his ability to play penetrative passes from the back and bail-out the midfield. It used to be Per that was more involved in the build-up(when we had a midfield) with Koscielny on the cover. The CBs and Flamini were neither high enough or deep enough to deal with the situation, and that's been happening alot over the past weeks. We look very disjointed, and got away with it due to the standard of opposition.

Good analysis, it's exactly that.

We don't have a strong protective DM anymore (Coquelin) thus leaving the defense expose.

But also we don't have a DLP whose first touch and passing range are his strong points (Cazorla), thus relying more on Koscielny to be involved in the attack from deep (mind you something he's very good at in my opinion, but it exposes us).

This is why I'm a big advocate to try Elneny next to the DM in the Burnley game, and not as a DM, so we can see how that could be useful for a futur Coq - Elneny partnership rather than rotation between the two.

 

[blaze_of_glory]

Yeah I think we're gonna see El Neny and Coq play together a fair bit until Santi comes back. I could be way off on that, but it's the feeling I get going on Wenger talking up El Neny's versatility and how he's not just a screen for the defense. Wenger wants to get Ramsey on the right again as well I think.

 

[MaraDon]

Per hasn't turned into a **** defender over night, he's still a very solid and reliable player. Koscielny hasn't played well lately, more often than not it's the Frenchman's rash decisions that puts Per in a tight spot with pacy players breaking the off-side trap.

That said, Per made a bad mistake yesterday that cost us the game, there's no two ways about it.

agree with your post, the paring is suffering because of the constant changing of personel in the middle, what im trying to say is that flamini is not helping.
Problem with Gabriel is that we aregoing to lack in phisical and aerial duels, plus we are going to look very afwul on the rightside of the field because bellerin is still a liability.
But it is time, its time for Gabriel to make his move to the first team.

 

[MaraDon]

Likeable guy, average defender.

Nonsense he is a great defender.

 

[say yes]

Nonsense he is a great defender.

Yeah yeah. Mertesacker is a great defender. Giroud is a quality CF. Coquelin is the best DM in the world. We don't need a RW because we've got the Ox. etc etc.

 

[Jury]

Per is easily targeted and his lack of pace will always hinder us. He's not what we need. I'd happily get rid of him. Don't even want CBs like that at the club. He's a weak link.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

I sometimes think Wenger got bored with the league after going undefeated for 49 games. The next challenge would be trying to win it with dross and deadwood.

Mertesacker - Flamini - Giroud spine must be the ultimate challenge for him.

 

[Jury]

The fact of the matter is Arsenal under Wenger like to play a high line, and you just can not have a poor athlete as your last line of defence up near the halfway line.

I mean, ffs, if there was ever a complete fvckup waiting to happen, hidden in plain sight!

 

[RandyMarsh]

Thought Per recovered after a very shaky start to the season, but he basically cost us the game yesterday. If you're going to make that challenge (and not even look at the player you're tackling) you have to be 100% certain. Unforgivable I'm afraid. He should be dropped for that, after his ban has finished.

Agree with people taking about Elneny-Coq. I'd like to see that too. Elneny-Chambers wouldn't be a bad combo this weekend.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

The fact of the matter is Arsenal under Wenger like to play a high line, and you just can not have a poor athlete as your last line of defence up near the halfway line.

I mean, ffs, if there was ever a complete fvckup waiting to happen, hidden in plain sight!

Don't understand why we didn't drop deeper. Chelsea were having a go at us, all we had to do was weather the storm. They dropped off in the second half. I think they were even more tired than us after 80 minutes.

 

[redanddread]

They (BFG & KOZ) continually make mistakes trying to play the offside trap when high up the field - not sure who's more guilty but they **** it up regularly.

 

[Jury]

Don't understand why we didn't drop deeper. Chelsea were having a go at us, all we had to do was weather the storm. They dropped off in the second half. I think they were even more tired than us after 80 minutes.

We rarely change our approach or in-game tactics. We rarely make adjustments--well not to the eye anyway.

Not sure dropping deep and conceding ground would have helped us at the time anyway. They were on top and probably would have turned the screw and scored! We'l never know.

 

[redwhiteAustrian]

Kos has always had issues with the offside trap, since he's been here basically.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Not sure dropping deep and conceding ground would have helped us at the time anyway. They were on top and probably would have turned the screw and scored! We'l never know.

Yeah my theory is that we would have been more compact in the midfield, not letting Willian pass the ball. And sitting deeper would mean lesser chance on running behind. But like you say we will never know!

 

[blaze_of_glory]

Someone in another thread pointed out that Kos has been pushing up since we lost the Coq-Santi midfield, due to his ability to start attacks from the back and the lack of distribution coming from Flamini-Ramsey.

If that is happening, we have Merte covering and that's bad news. When we had Coq and Santi, Merte would be higher up and Kos covering, which is a lot safer.

I hadn't noticed this, but if its true then it would go some way to explain why we've been getting beaten with more through balls lately (Southampton game as well, I think Liverpool had some chances like that too).

 

[Jury]

Someone in another thread pointed out that Kos has been pushing up since we lost the Coq-Santi midfield, due to his ability to start attacks from the back and the lack of distribution coming from Flamini-Ramsey.

If that is happening, we have Merte covering and that's bad news. When we had Coq and Santi, Merte would be higher up and Kos covering, which is a lot safer.

I hadn't noticed this, but if its true then it would go some way to explain why we've been getting beaten with more through balls lately (Southampton game as well, I think Liverpool had some chances like that too).

Now you say it, I think he has been marauding through the middle more often. He's played some nice passes too. The cons outweigh the pros though, if that was the plan to cover for Coq.

 

[RandyMarsh]

Now you say it, I think he has been marauding through the middle more often. He's played some nice passes too. The cons outweigh the pros though, if that was the plan to cover for Coq.

Says a lot about our central midfield atm though when Kos is basically our DLP.

 

[General]

Should be the big foolish giant. Absolutely brainless sending off and the more you look at it the more ridiculous he looks. He even managed to sneak in a look away whilst sliding in on Costa. Shocking really for an experienced player.