Sambi Lokonga: Sam Be the Man in Midfield?

[Jack badmon]

He plays football like I do, hide from the responsibility of building attacks, jog around a bit and every now and again when you get the ball drop the shoulder in a cultured way then pass back to your defender. He stands out now because the levels are higher.

 

[dka1]

Naa you lot are just a bunch of HATERS for giving your honest opinions and I tell you what, I will LOVE IT when Sambi proves you wrong and becomes a balrog dor winner and I'm gonna come here and gloat and rub it in your faces that me dka1 was the only person (reasonable or not) that stuck by Sambi.

F*ck you man.

 

[MA08]

I will keep in Premier League till summer. Burnley will be promoted next season and Kompany is a fan of the player. We might be able to make a profit with the player

 

[MikeVinna]

It just seems like he lacks the intensity required. Especially in an Arteta team he just sticks out so much. I’d want to see him go but we have no numbers in central (defensive) midfield.

 

[sergio_giorgini]

What let’s him down is a low footballing IQ I feel…

 

[TH14shahriar]

What let’s him down is a low footballing IQ I feel…

He's deliberately sabotaging at this point imo

 

[MikeVinna]

Considering we’re out of both domestic cups I truly hope we don’t see him play again this season. Sell him in the summer.

 

[Blood on the Tracks]

One thing I can't accept is a player coasting and hiding.

Someone like Holding is probably equally as crap in his position but at least he gives it is all and doesn't hide.

Kompany has recommended us a dud.

 

[Gillaroo]

It’s like playing with 10 when he’s on the pitch. Take what we can and move on.

 

[BigPoppaPump]

AM:





Nacho:

Only came here to read your posts tbh.

 

[SA Gunner]

He’s not hiding FFS, do you think Arteta starts him if he hides from the ball?

You guys need to educate yourselves on the importance of the six role in our system. And if you don’t want to do that, simply cast your mind back to when TP5 himself was struggling in the position. Do you remember some here calling TP5 a waste of money and failed transfer?

Lokonga is struggling to completely adapt to the role, but he has already shown improvements. His mistakes or lapses are magnified due to the area he operates in.

Did you not see what happened when TP5 made one mistake against United last weekend?

So humble yourselves, learn about the game and particularly what it takes to be a regista before your talk.

 

[UpTheGunnerz]

Didn’t read the post above but Sambi dusted and should be sold

 

[MauveGunner]

Never see him work as the Partey role. He started well when we were in shambles but when the team started to raise their level, he fell behind. Doesn't seem mentally ready for a top PL club. Shame, but not the end of the world. But the Sambi that I saw at RSCA I've never seen with Arsenal, bar some moments.

 

[berric]

He’s not hiding FFS, do you think Arteta starts him if he hides from the ball?

You guys need to educate yourselves on the importance of the six role in our system. And if you don’t want to do that, simply cast your mind back to when TP5 himself was struggling in the position. Do you remember some here calling TP5 a waste of money and failed transfer?

Lokonga is struggling to completely adapt to the role, but he has already shown improvements. His mistakes or lapses are magnified due to the area he operates in.

Did you not see what happened when TP5 made one mistake against United last weekend?

So humble yourselves, learn about the game and particularly what it takes to be a regista before your talk.

Nah with Partey you could always see the ability to beat a press, drive forward, cover space, take the ball etc.

Sambi has a good long ball on him and calm presence but lacks everything else.

 

[SA Gunner]

Nah with Partey you could always see the ability to beat a press, drive forward, cover space, take the ball etc.

Sambi has a good long ball on him and calm presence but lacks everything else.

Elneny also lacks the ability to consistently dribble past opponents, yet he can fit in as a six for a few games.

How do you explain that?

The answer is… there is a system of play that supports the role to a very high degree, hence we can place close fits there, for short periods. You see the same thing upfront, with Nketiah. A close fit profile to Jesus, who can come and play ball because he is alert and understands the system.

TP5 is the best midfielder in the league, he dribbles well, positions himself well, can pass long, can pass short, is able to tackle cleanly (due to his positioning ability), and moves well around the ball (again his positioning ability).

Lokonga and Elneny do not have all those abilities in their individual lockers but the reason they work is because they play in a system of patterns and positioning, which protects them and helps them play to their strengths.

Ideally we need a player who is on it all the time, first and foremost, ready to be there and close down. Thereafter it’s positioning, then dribbling, then long passing.

Caicedo will struggle just as much as the others before him when playing as our six. But what will help him is his awareness and alertness, as he grows in understanding of our movements.

 

[berric]

Elneny also lacks the ability to consistently dribble past opponents, yet he can fit in as a six for a few games.

How do you explain that?

The answer is… there is a system of play that supports the role to a very high degree, hence we can place close fits there, for short periods. You see the same thing upfront, with Nketiah. A close fit profile to Jesus, who can come and play ball because he is alert and understands the system.

TP5 is the best midfielder in the league, he dribbles well, positions himself well, can pass long, can pass short, is able to tackle cleanly (due to his positioning ability), and moves well around the ball (again his positioning ability).

Lokonga and Elneny do not have all those abilities in their individual lockers but the reason they work is because they play in a system of patterns and positioning, which protects them and helps them play to their strengths.

Ideally we need a player who is on it all the time, first and foremost, ready to be there and close down. Thereafter it’s positioning, then dribbling, then long passing.

Caicedo will struggle just as much as the others before him when playing as our six. But what will help him is his awareness and alertness, as he grows in understanding of our movements.

Yes but tbh Elneny was quite frankly never deemed good enough for the 6 role. Can chip in but he's a 30+ years seasoned professional who always had extreme professionalism, positional awareness, and work rate as his main traits - even at Sambi's age. Not sure Sambi will suddenly become a workhorse.

However, one issue I have with Arteta regarding Sambi is that - while yes he gives him chances - it's usually throwing him in after a couple games of not playing at all, and he rarely gives him minutes in the league in the last couple games. You can't expect a young player to get into the rythm right away (Eddie needed a few starts as well).

 

[Blood on the Tracks]

He’s not hiding FFS, do you think Arteta starts him if he hides from the ball?

You guys need to educate yourselves on the importance of the six role in our system. And if you don’t want to do that, simply cast your mind back to when TP5 himself was struggling in the position. Do you remember some here calling TP5 a waste of money and failed transfer?

Lokonga is struggling to completely adapt to the role, but he has already shown improvements. His mistakes or lapses are magnified due to the area he operates in.

Did you not see what happened when TP5 made one mistake against United last weekend?

So humble yourselves, learn about the game and particularly what it takes to be a regista before your talk.

Arteta didn't have any other options though did he? If Partey hadn't picked up a knock Lokonga wouldn't have played. If Partey picked up that knock and Elneny was fit we wouldn't have seen Lokonga. He was the last choice and for good reason. Arteta wasn't dying to give him game time that's for sure.

He does hide though. Look how Partey finds space and shows for the ball, if Lokonga is blocked off for a pass he'll just stand there like a statue. His positional play is woeful, his alertness to danger is absent. He's got no intensity to his game at all.

The role he's asked to play is a hard one, but no-ones expecting him to put in a Partey like performance. All we're asking for is a 6/10 performance and he's way below that level. We lost all control of the midfield second half.

He's just subpar in virtually every facet of the game. To me people sticking up for him are just being contrary.
There's nothing about him that makes me think he'll ever have the quality to be a 6 or even an 8 at a club like Arsenal.

 

[BigPoppaPump]

Sambi needs to go somewhere he plays everyweek. This Arsenal move kind of stalled his career, I don't think it was a good move.

 

[SA Gunner]

Arteta didn't have any other options though did he? If Partey hadn't picked up a knock Lokonga wouldn't have played. If Partey picked up that knock and Elneny was fit we wouldn't have seen Lokonga. He was the last choice and for good reason. Arteta wasn't dying to give him game time that's for sure.

He does hide though. Look how Partey finds space and shows for the ball, if Lokonga is blocked off for a pass he'll just stand there like a statue. His positional play is woeful, his alertness to danger is absent. He's got no intensity to his game at all.

The role he's asked to play is a hard one, but no-ones expecting him to put in a Partey like performance. All we're asking for is a 6/10 performance and he's way below that level. We lost all control of the midfield second half.

He's just subpar in virtually every facet of the game. To me people sticking up for him are just being contrary.
There's nothing about him that makes me think he'll ever have the quality to be a 6 or even an 8 at a club like Arsenal.

Mate, I’m pretty sure if Lokonga would have been long gone by now, if he hides from the ball or was just not good enough as seen in the opinion here.

If you are calling his poor positioning and lack of awareness “hiding” then ok. What I’m saying is, he doesn’t have the awareness and other key requirements needed for a six. I don’t see that as protecting or standing up for the player, I see it as an assessment on where he is as a player.

What angers me is this writing off of the player completely. Sure, he isn’t good enough now, but where do we get all this confidence when claiming the player will never get it right? Did we not learn with Nketiah, Ødegaard, White and TP5 himself?

 

[Makingtrax]

He’s not hiding FFS, do you think Arteta starts him if he hides from the ball?

You guys need to educate yourselves on the importance of the six role in our system. And if you don’t want to do that, simply cast your mind back to when TP5 himself was struggling in the position. Do you remember some here calling TP5 a waste of money and failed transfer?

Lokonga is struggling to completely adapt to the role, but he has already shown improvements. His mistakes or lapses are magnified due to the area he operates in.

Did you not see what happened when TP5 made one mistake against United last weekend?

So humble yourselves, learn about the game and particularly what it takes to be a regista before your talk.

Exactly. Never like to see fans hitting on players. The club bought him and tells him how to play. The praise for Arteta and his process is effusive on here, so why not trust him in this.