Sambi Lokonga: Sam Be the Man in Midfield?

[Yousif Arsenal]

I swear if Arteta play him alone in midfield I'll lose it. He was performing when xhaka or Partey next to him why you keep playing him in lone role.

He looked lost in 1st half and isolated in midfield

 

[Heavy Duty Rom]

People really got gassed after he made some passes vs Palace at 3-0 down

 

[Bloodbather]

I can't put too much blame on Sambi, it's just poor management putting him out there as the lone pivot with ESR and Ødegaard as 8s. We're not even convinced that Partey can pull off that role ffs.

 

[Heavy Duty Rom]

I swear if Arteta play him alone in midfield I'll lose it. He was performing when xhaka or Partey next to him why you keep playing him in lone role.

He looked lost in 1st half and isolated in midfield

He is nowhere near ready, I don't think he ever will be ready, he's a coward. We've all seen/played with people like this, they look good training, they look good when everyone is playing well and the team is dominating, but when things aren't going well, they hide. Thats Sambi.

 

[AberGooner]

Feel for the lad, he ain't a DM at all but he's not picking himself there. All his best work comes when he's driving towards the oppositions box. He could've done that a lot more today if Xhaka was sitting next to him.

By no means a good performance either but he wasn't helped at all by Ødegaard and ESR jogging about in front of him.

 

[Taneruit]

2nd half performance was better than the first. I do think he has the makings of the kind of lone 6 Partey was playing, but he needs support. Putting a combination of ESR and Ode in front of him ain't it.

Criminal decision even.

 

[Bloodbather]

Feel for the lad, he ain't a DM at all but he's not picking himself there. All his best work comes when he's driving towards the oppositions box. He could've done that a lot more today if Xhaka was sitting next to him.

By no means a good performance either but he wasn't helped at all by Ødegaard and ESR jogging about in front of him.

Yeah, I don't get why we treat him as a DM, either. I see a pure CM, the type who likes to make dashes forward, contribute to the build up and take long shots while contributing to the press. Not someone who holds his position and wins balls or dictates tempo from the back.

 

[AberGooner]

Yeah, I don't get why we treat him as a DM, either. I see a pure CM, the type who likes to make dashes forward, contribute to the build up and take long shots while contributing to the press. Not someone who holds his position and wins balls or dictates tempo from the back.

He doesn't take up good positions from DM to receive the ball from the defence either which leads to them getting frustrated. His better performances earlier in the season he had Partey deeper allowing to him get forward. He looked really encouraging at that point.

It really shows to me that we need a proper backup for Partey in the summer. AMN to me was absolutely ideal for that role but I know a lot of people won't agree with that.

 

[Heavy Duty Rom]

Please, do not compare this guy to a genuine talent like Guendouzi again. What a downgrade this club has made.

 

[Riou]

Young players shouldn't be expected to immediately come into the league and hit the ground running, Cesc and Vieira are the exceptions and not the rule.

I look at someone like Song when thinking of Lokonga...

Alex was actually very good here for a number of seasons, even playing well enough for us to earn a move to Barca...but it took a good few years before he was ready to start here, he had to be patently developed.

Shocked that he didn't let Sambi play in midfield with Xhaka or even Elneny today, no idea what he was thinking.

Still got potential though, wouldn't blame any of the players for today/not getting Champions League this year...all on Arteta and the club.

 

[Maybe]

Alex was actually very good here for a number of seasons, even playing well enough for us to earn a move to Barca...but it took a good few years before he was ready to start here, he had to be patently developed.

Song was actually decent from the start, still remember one of the Liverpool games where he schooled their experienced team, was only 19 if I remebember correctly. But yeah, he wasn't regular for us for a while

 

[Penn_]

So let me get Arteta’s thinking here.

Tavares has been dropped because he’s young, shaky and hasn’t had much game time.

So part of the solution is to ask Sambi, an equally young, inexperienced player with little game time to hold the midfield.

That’s insane right?

 

[Macho]

Not ready for lone 6, Partey has even struggled with this until recently. Also a bit surprised people are coming for him when ESR and Ødegaard did sweet naff all for most of the match.

A lot of revisionism regarding Guendouzi as well, sadly.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

If he comes in for Partey then we should go back to the double pivot and have Xhaka the deeper of the 2. Allow Sambi to be the more offensive minded one. Don't think he can handle protecting the back 4 himself but he's a decent threat going forward.

I agree I principle but I think this will fail. Our upturn started with Sambi and Partey with Sambi doing the running and Partey the shielding. I don't rate Xhaka but he has been okay to decent pushed further upfield. If he's in front of the back 4, he will be pressed into passing backwards and inviting pressure or lose possession. He can't do it. Only Partey can. When be gets the ball, he is pressed and as soon as he turns, the opposition back off. Ode may have to be given a freeish role as we mix it up

 

[Pop Tart]

Always quite liked him, Arteta got it completely wrong with him in first half. No fault of the player.

 

[AberGooner]

I agree I principle but I think this will fail. Our upturn started with Sambi and Partey with Sambi doing the running and Partey the shielding. I don't rate Xhaka but he has been okay to decent pushed further upfield. If he's in front of the back 4, he will be pressed into passing backwards and inviting pressure or lose possession. He can't do it. Only Partey can. When be gets the ball, he is pressed and as soon as he turns, the opposition back off. Ode may have to be given a freeish role as we mix it up

It was more on the options we had available today. Having Sambi as the loan shield was a recipe for disaster.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

It was more on the options we had available today. Having Sambi as the loan shield was a recipe for disaster.

If Arteta wants a back 4, then we have to put Elneny next to Sambi

 

[Maybe]

If Arteta wants a back 4, then we have to put Elneny next to Sambi

Pls no, I'd rather take that conference league place

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

Pls no, I'd rather take that conference league place

Lol. Omari Hutchinson, please stand up .

 

[samspade]

He's not ready for the lone 6, he doesn't yet know how to move to help us.