Per Mertesacker: The BFG

[albakos]

Yes, but a foul so far away from the goal is not prventing a goalscoring chance, so a push is deemed a professional foul not reckless play and would get a maximum yellow. Koscielny was not booked, and didn't run a risk of missing the second leg.

 

[WhatAFC]

Missed in today's game. Organisational skills are invaluable.

 

[MaraDon]

but he is slow.

 

[Realist]

Can't believe I am saying this but we missed him today, who knows maybe we wouldn't have conceded those goals to Rashford if Per had played.

 

[haha_arsenal]

agree, we missed him bad.

 

[WhatAFC]

but he is slow.

Very true. Have Utd got pace everywhere? Don't think so.

 

[Aevi]

Grass is greener on the other side.

Truth is both have large flaws and neither is good enough atm. Gabriel shows serious inexperience, and Per serious lack of pace.

You'll always whine when one plays and the other doesn't, because it is so easy to look at the flaws first. We need a new CB to partner Kosc.

 

[blaze_of_glory]

Hindsight and all that, but I actually think we don't lose this game if he plays today. Not that I was against him being dropped at the start.

 

[arsenalfan4ever]

Might have stopped one goal with his head and other with his legs. The guy is a better leader then the rest of the defenders for sure. Kos might be the best defender, but he plays better with Mert and worse without him.

 

[WhatAFC]

Him and cech are the only leaders in the team. Possibly coq. When you have that few of them you can't take them out unless you're forced.

Regardless of people saying he's slow, the guy is a World Cup winner, part of the 2nd best defence in the League (prior to today). Players have a few bad games in the season but when it comes down to being one of the best defences in the league that's acceptable.

 

[Highbury Rock City]

The team really missed Per today. I'm not saying he's the CB in the world, but he's partnership with Kos makes the defense so much better. I'm starting to worry about Gabriel and Kos simply just not clicking at all.

 

[Anders_Limpar]

Mertesacker isn't the solution to our problems. He's been at fault on countless occasions this season.
Many of our problems stem from three main primary fault line running right through our team.

1.We have zero tactical defensive plans. We don't press high as a unit or sit deep and flood our half with bodies. Rather we play high and stand off players.

2. In many games we show very little aggression / fight to get the ball back. United at the Emirates was different this year. We hounded them for 90 minutes. I remember even Theo got stuck in and nailed a few of their midfielders with sliding tackles. In the majority of games we coast. Most of the time we get by with this attitude. In big games, again and again, this attitude is glaringly apparent. Big teams know that if they run more than us they'll beat us. Wenger can't / refuses to explode at this team and demand that they go above and beyond the physical restraints and hound after the ball like men possessed.

3. For much of Wenger's career he's been unable to spot a proper defender. Lushny, Stepanovs, Squillaci, Eboue, Santos ... the list goes on and on. Our current lot aren't as bad as these but they're not very good either. Bellerin, Kos, Mertesacker, Monreal. They're not players who are proper defenders. Each has a glaring weakness in their game. None are amazing at any one facet of defending.


Mertesacker is not the answer.

 

[Trilly]

He has good defensive skills, he really does. But when you're so slow that you need your CB partner covering for you at all times it's a problem.

For the first goal he had no choice but to attempt to play offside. You get in behind this guy and it's usually game over, we aren't the invincibles or Graham's Arsenal. We need defenders with recovery pace.

 

[blaze_of_glory]

We're still better with him there than without imo. Gab/Kos is chaos.

Merte/Kos is generally solid, and Merte/Chambers looked ok too when played together.

Right now if there is a problem CB its Gab.

 

[Trilly]

We're still better with him there than without imo. Gab/Kos is chaos.

Merte/Kos is generally solid, and Merte/Chambers looked ok too when played together.

Right now if there is a problem CB its Gab.

Mert would be a perfect 3rd choice CB. Can do a good job most games without his flaws being exposed. Gabriel on the other hand...

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Did he bet Swansea would score goal? This has to be looked into.

Just look how he acts when they score the first goal.

 

[Coolin]

I think he was expecting the ref to blow for the Özil foul. Still he should've played to the whistle though.

A very good performance partially spoiled by that lapse in concentration.

 

[Ceballinhos]

His attitude lately has been a disgrace
http://arsenalist.com/f/2015-16/arsenal-vs-swansea/massive-chance-for-swansea.html

how the hell can he let Gomis run past him & just walk in the box???

 

[Bounce-Back-Ability]

Pundits highlighted exactly what i felt while we conceded.

First goal, he lost Alderweireld and was caught ball watching.

Second goal, boot the ****ing ball out you tool!

He's costing us so many points this season, we really need a new CB.

Chelsea red card
Swansea ball watching
And today x 2

Don't know whats up with him, but he's been rubbish this season.

 

[say yes]

Been **** the last few months. He's done at the top level I think.

Never been anything special but is increasingly looking like the worst player in the team.