Squad Analysis 2018/19

[MutableEarth]

Agree with most and in general also with Mustafi whilst Sokratis looks the best of a weak link. However, Mustafi is leading almost als stats of CBs in the league and except for a few bad moments has inproved dramatically.

Not seen any CB having no blunders at all this season and that's probably impossible nowadays for a full season with the current competitiveness in the league.

I dont feel like Mustafi is the way to go to reach for the highest price, but he is one of those players who improved the most under Emery, but did not get any acknowledge for it at all from the fan base

Same deal with Xhaka. They have good games and do goof work but undo much of their good work by making batsh*t insane decisions. Hence why it's difficult to trust them.

 

[dashsnow17]

We actually did try him upfront but we were severely lacking in front of goal if you recall. The reason Auba would not be as effective as Laca upfront is the same reason why Giroud was preferred to Walcott upfront in our previous set up. A striker must be able to bring his team mates in the game especially in the league where most teams know how to defend. You would need a player who is very capable of beating defenses with pace and flair and we both know Auba has little flair.

Reasons behind Laca starting upfront is his ability to link up play. I think most here will agree that outside of pace and positioning, Laca's strengths resoundingly **** on those of Auba. A case example for instance is that goal vs pool. I could be wrong here but I think Laca, Ramsey, Özil and Mikhi are the only players who would have managed to pull such a goal!
These factors however don't mean that I don't rate Auba. 7 goals in the league cannot be an easy feat but neither is 5 which Laca has managed! However, when you take off the tap ins from his goals, you will realize that he has got only a goal or two which he scored with individual brilliance.
This factors alone point me into believing that Laca is our best bet upfront in the current set up although I believe the two are better alongside one another which is why you have got to accommodate them both.

What I recon we lack in abundance in the final third atm is creativity! I do believe that a direct pacy winger and maybe a twist in formation would solve most of our problems!

This team is only a Dembele and a Koulibaly away from mounting a very serious challenge for major honors!

We tried Auba centrally for a few games at the very beginning of the new era. True it didn’t set the world on fire, but it’s hardly a definitive assessment. You are allowed to go back and try things again under different circumstances.

Also you seem to be saying that Laca is just inherently more suited to the central role. So why is it that Auba was an elite central CF at Dortmund but he can’t be one here, is there something special about Arsenal that’s changed things? I don’t think so.

I’m not saying it should always be Auba up front regardless of form. The fact that we have two good strikers means we can change according to needs or form. But I don’t think we’re seeing the best of Auba as it is and it feels like time for a change.

 

[#254]

We tried Auba centrally for a few games at the very beginning of the new era. True it didn’t set the world on fire, but it’s hardly a definitive assessment. You are allowed to go back and try things again under different circumstances.

Also you seem to be saying that Laca is just inherently more suited to the central role. So why is it that Auba was an elite central CF at Dortmund but he can’t be one here, is there something special about Arsenal that’s changed things? I don’t think so.

I’m not saying it should always be Auba up front regardless of form. The fact that we have two good strikers means we can change according to needs or form. But I don’t think we’re seeing the best of Auba as it is and it feels like time for a change.

It's obvious the EPL is levels above the Bundesliga so it would be generally easier for a player to over shine in that league as compared to how he would do in the EPL.
Although I don't get to watch much on the German league, I have watched the likes of Wolves, Burnley et al frustrate the **** out of teams defensively, something that I don't think was a very common in the Bundesliga with the lower teams.
I believe Auba is a top forward, but it is also true that his game lacks some very important features that would otherwise have made him absolutely world class. His inability to properly hold up play, and beat opposition players out of individual brilliance is something that will always hinder him at becoming the very best he can be.
While not taking anything away from the player he is, I believe he needs someone who can cover for his impediments. In BvB he had Micki, Reus, Gotze who would offer that kind of support esp the former.

BvB's style of play was also quite different to ours as they played quick counter attacking football which ultimately got the best out of Pierre as he would almost always beat anyone to the ball.
I'd like Pierre to succeed here as a center forward but what I want most is for the team to succeed. If both Pierre and Laca are recipes to such success then am fine with it. If we can also manage to play either at a time and still be successful then its also fine with me!
But yes right now I think Laca possesses the tools to be the starting CF at arsenal more than Auba but I also think that they could do well if partnered together and cover for each others weaknesses esp with a twitch of formation and an addition of an elite with winger to take the pressure of them.

 

[Ricardinho]

Need Mavro, Koscielny and Nacho back asap as we're down to the bare bones at the back.

Here's a thought - could Elnenny do a job in a back three if needed?

 

[OnlyOne]

Need Mavro, Koscielny and Nacho back asap as we're down to the bare bones at the back.

Here's a thought - could Elnenny do a job in a back three if needed?

I mean, Elneny can't even do a job in his own position so probably not mate.

 

[boyinneedofhumor]

I mean, Elneny can't even do a job in his own position so probably not mate.

Erm... nope.

I mean, if you're keeping players on wages, then at some point you would play them when the opponent isnt that strong, and other players are nearing a point of fatigue? This seems to be one of those scenarios.
I would even advocate Jenkinson as RB for this...

I'm bordering on fantasy, but I would like those who played the full 90 previously (Utd) to have no part in starting this (Huddersfield)...

 

[GoonerJeeves]

Do we have anyone in youth teams that can do a job at cb? Sheaf?

 

[Batman]

The team still has the same glaring hole in terms of a really great pacy dribbler that it has had for years. I look for that to be one of the next areas that Sven and Emery address. A wide player version of Torreira if you will. We need someone who can create danger and space running at defenders. Every other top team has that and I would say that's our only real weakness in attack.

 

[Furious.]

It's to be hoped that Sven and Unai have faith in Mavropanos to step up when he's fit. Either that or Arsenal buy a CB in January. I would love it if Diamond Eyes pulled off another leftfield signing and found another diamond in the rough.

 

[Maybe]

The team still has the same glaring hole in terms of a really great pacy dribbler that it has had for years. I look for that to be one of the next areas that Sven and Emery address. A wide player version of Torreira if you will. We need someone who can create danger and space running at defenders. Every other top team has that and I would say that's our only real weakness in attack.

That's the tricky one. If you bring someone in, you shut the door for some of our best youth talents like Saka, Ameichi and Nelson.

 

[Gooner Zig]

Same deal with Xhaka. They have good games and do goof work but undo much of their good work by making batsh*t insane decisions. Hence why it's difficult to trust them.

Think you're going overboard with Xhaka. He's been one of our best players this season, despite the two big errors.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Do we have anyone in youth teams that can do a job at cb? Sheaf?

He has been dealing with lot of injuries this season. Sadly!

 

[dashsnow17]

So Sanllehi gave the interview saying it’s unlikely we’ll do business in January, but since then we’ve had two season-ending injuries (old habits die hard), hard to believe we won’t be forced to buy someone surely?

The club is acutely aware that we need top 4 this season and that we’ll need the squad to achieve that. Do you recall Nelson to replace Welbeck, do you trust Kos and Mavro to replace Holding? I’d say no, that’s a risk and it jeopardises top 4.

I’d say we’ll be in the market for one or two in January.

 

[Sniper Mik]

Do we have anyone in youth teams that can do a job at cb? Sheaf?

Zech Medley looked quite cultured and assured on the ball against Vorskla. Could do a job in the EL games.

 

[HBL]

Zech Medley looked quite cultured and assured on the ball against Vorskla. Could do a job in the EL games.

There's a high chance he'll start on Thursday with Koscielny as I believe Mavropanos and Pleguezuelo are still out injured.

 

[Dj_sds -]

That's the tricky one. If you bring someone in, you shut the door for some of our best youth talents like Saka, Ameichi and Nelson.

If they are good enough they will get their chance. If not they didnt deserve the faith. Its not a nursing home and quality will always show.

Too many next big thing youth prospects i saw people talking about on this forum that are now in lower league teams.

 

[Batman]

That's the tricky one. If you bring someone in, you shut the door for some of our best youth talents like Saka, Ameichi and Nelson.

You don't shut the door at all. Cream rises to the top. A young talent doesn't need something handed to them. They need to earn it. Debuchy was brought in and lost his job to Bellerin in a matter of months. If a young player is good enough he will earn game time. There's more than enough matches between all the competitions we're in for everyone to play and earn it. I personally like trophies so if Dembele is available I would rather him come and win me something than worry about Nelson making it here or not.

 

[Maybe]

You don't shut the door at all. Cream rises to the top. A young talent doesn't need something handed to them. They need to earn it. Debuchy was brought in and lost his job to Bellerin in a matter of months. If a young player is good enough he will earn game time. There's more than enough matches between all the competitions we're in for everyone to play and earn it. I personally like trophies so if Dembele is available I would rather him come and win me something than worry about Nelson making it here or not.

Can't agree with that. We've made some wrong decision in the past of not giving chances to some of our young players, most notable were definitely Diarra, Vela and Gnabry who all proved later that they were valuable players we could've use but never gave them a real chance. There are much better examples outside of Arsenal like De Bruyne and Lukaku for example at Chelsea. These mistakes can prove to be very costly and we are currently producing some of the best talents in England and I don't think we should just start spending spree without giving them a proper chance.
Bringing in Dembele is a no brainer, but I'm all against filling our squad again with Elnenys and Welbecks at the expense of our youth players.
You are right that there is enough games, but at this moment homegrown player like Nketiah has only one start or so with a couple of minutes as a substitute.

 

[Maybe]

If they are good enough they will get their chance. If not they didnt deserve the faith.

Sorry, this is just a myth. There are number of examples that would prove you wrong, not necessarily at Arsenal.

 

[Sniper Mik]

Alex Iwobi: 13 apps - 1 goal + 3 assists
Henrikh Mkhitaryan: 13 apps - 2 goals + 1 assists

26 apps, 3 goals + 4 assists

Therein lies part of the problem. We replace even one of them with a higher output player, our over-reliance on Auba and Laca goes down.