The Unpopular Opinion Thread

[YeahBee]

Actually think Mustafi can be a good CB for us.

Yes

Holding and Mavro are slower so we need the little speed mustafi does have over the others

 

[Mark Tobias]

Actually think Mustafi can be a good CB for us.

Last season I was with you on this but I'm losing faith.

 

[CaseUteinberger]

Yes

Holding and Mavro are slower so we need the little speed mustafi does have over the others

Last season I was with you on this but I'm losing faith.

I still think there is a good enough CB in there. I think he can tackle well, is a decent header of the ball and he has attitude. He just needs coaching and proper defensive reps. Just like the rest of our defence he has struggled from not being coached enough. Hope that this will change.

 

[L3T5 PL4Y]

We won't go forward with Özil, Xhaka and Ramsey as key players.

 

[Mark Tobias]

We won't go forward with Özil, Xhaka and Ramsey as key players.

Not particularly unpopular.

 

[L3T5 PL4Y]

Not particularly unpopular.

Maybe but it still is not really popular. Will be by the end of the season is my guess.

 

[Mark Tobias]

Maybe but it still is not really popular. Will be by the end of the season is my guess.

The fanboys will remain, believe that much.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

Right, I've been holding off a lot of my unpopular opinions but I'm going to share them now.

I don't rate Aubameyang and Lacazette that highly at all, especially for where we want to be aiming. I wish Giroud was still here (at the very least as backup to Aubameyang). I also wish Walcott was still here as he'd be our best winger.

This whole forced playing out from the back thing is the most frustrating thing I've ever seen given the players out our disposal. We don't have the talent that City or even Chelsea and most of the guys we have will panic when pressed. Also the fact when Cech kicks it long there's absolutely no one further forward who can win a header or take the ball down to save their lives (going back to wishing Giroud was still here).

I worry about Emery's tactical flexibility. He seems to have his ideas and way of playing, system, etc and will stick to it no matter what and will only change personnel rather than adapt to the circumstances. I will support his long term project with the knowledge that it is very long term and that we'll need significant investment and real quality additions to get to where we want to be.

Giving Özil his new contract was a massive mistake. Also the fact that we have 3 key players all nearing 30 on pretty decent wages worries me a lot as we could be stuck.

I was not totally convinced with how how our summer business went. For example Rui Patricio was available on a free while we spent 20 million on a keeper that Emery isn't confident enough to start yet (while apparently Leno hasn't improved all that much since he was a promising young keeper) and we spent £16 million on Sokratis when Evans (imo an extremely underrated and underappreciated solid PL defender with experience) was available for just £3 million.

All 5 of our top 6 rivals are stronger than us and it'll take a minor miracle to finish in the top 4 this season.

 

[dashsnow17]

Right, I've been holding off a lot of my unpopular opinions but I'm going to share them now.

I don't rate Aubameyang and Lacazette that highly at all, especially for where we want to be aiming. I wish Giroud was still here (at the very least as backup to Aubameyang). I also wish Walcott was still here as he'd be our best winger.

This whole forced playing out from the back thing is the most frustrating thing I've ever seen given the players out our disposal. We don't have the talent that City or even Chelsea and most of the guys we have will panic when pressed. Also the fact when Cech kicks it long there's absolutely no one further forward who can win a header or take the ball down to save their lives (going back to wishing Giroud was still here).

I worry about Emery's tactical flexibility. He seems to have his ideas and way of playing, system, etc and will stick to it no matter what and will only change personnel rather than adapt to the circumstances. I will support his long term project with the knowledge that it is very long term and that we'll need significant investment and real quality additions to get to where we want to be.

Giving Özil his new contract was a massive mistake. Also the fact that we have 3 key players all nearing 30 on pretty decent wages worries me a lot as we could be stuck.

I was not totally convinced with how how our summer business went. For example Rui Patricio was available on a free while we spent 20 million on a keeper that Emery isn't confident enough to start yet (while apparently Leno hasn't improved all that much since he was a promising young keeper) and we spent £16 million on Sokratis when Evans (imo an extremely underrated and underappreciated solid PL defender with experience) was available for just £3 million.

All 5 of our top 6 rivals are stronger than us and it'll take a minor miracle to finish in the top 4 this season.

Yep, pretty much. I also agree we have a huge issue in terms of our key highly paid attackers all being at the wrong end of their careers. I'm just kinda burying my head in the sand with that one, hoping that we'll figure out a way to solve it at some point down the line.

Don't agree on Auba though, he's class.

 

[rich 1990]

Right, I've been holding off a lot of my unpopular opinions but I'm going to share them now.

I don't rate Aubameyang and Lacazette that highly at all, especially for where we want to be aiming. I wish Giroud was still here (at the very least as backup to Aubameyang). I also wish Walcott was still here as he'd be our best winger.

This whole forced playing out from the back thing is the most frustrating thing I've ever seen given the players out our disposal. We don't have the talent that City or even Chelsea and most of the guys we have will panic when pressed. Also the fact when Cech kicks it long there's absolutely no one further forward who can win a header or take the ball down to save their lives (going back to wishing Giroud was still here).

I worry about Emery's tactical flexibility. He seems to have his ideas and way of playing, system, etc and will stick to it no matter what and will only change personnel rather than adapt to the circumstances. I will support his long term project with the knowledge that it is very long term and that we'll need significant investment and real quality additions to get to where we want to be.

Giving Özil his new contract was a massive mistake. Also the fact that we have 3 key players all nearing 30 on pretty decent wages worries me a lot as we could be stuck.

I was not totally convinced with how how our summer business went. For example Rui Patricio was available on a free while we spent 20 million on a keeper that Emery isn't confident enough to start yet (while apparently Leno hasn't improved all that much since he was a promising young keeper) and we spent £16 million on Sokratis when Evans (imo an extremely underrated and underappreciated solid PL defender with experience) was available for just £3 million.

All 5 of our top 6 rivals are stronger than us and it'll take a minor miracle to finish in the top 4 this season.

If I were you, I would have held off a bit longer.

 

[boyinneedofhumor]

I would like to see a trio of Torreira, Elneny and Xhaka/Guendouzi at some point against an offensive opponent...

Torreira to bite
Elneny to recycle
Xhaka/Guendouzi forth and back as a B2B, depending on play

Could be really fun, as long as they dont put in a shocker...

 

[vijay]

I like this team. I liked the old manager who gave us 20 yrs of banter over Sp**s and a seat at the champions league. I like most of our players, though some do drive me nuts. I believe that after a few years of spending money and the end of the poverty years, we have a team brimming with quality and talent.

Özil is world class and an absolute star.
Laca, Auba, Mkhi are genuine world class players.
Mustafi, Xhaka, Ramsey, Bellerin, Nacho, Cech are very high quality, specially to one who remembers the days of Santos and Chamakh.

Iwobi, Welbeck, Torreira, Sokratis, Leno need to make their mark on the league, but quality wise they are up with the best of them.

The huge spending power of our rivals, the standard and slant of refereeing and the radicalisation of our fanbase are handicaps and headwinds to our team, but there should be no mistaking the quality in the squad.

This is without taking into account one of the most exciting phases in our youth development programme.

 

[Maybe]

I don't rate Aubameyang and Lacazette that highly at all, especially for where we want to be aiming. I wish Giroud was still here (at the very least as backup to Aubameyang). I also wish Walcott was still here as he'd be our best winger.

I can't understand how can somebody rate Giroud and Walcott but not Lacazete and Auba. The attack that we had before was absolutely dire, even when we had Özil, Sanchez and Cazorla behind them. Lacazette is almost complete forward, his hold up play is something that Giroud couldn't offer and on top of that he is very mobile and shows up everywhere on the pitch to hold the ball and bring others into game.
I got the feeling now that we can score against anyone if these 2 are playing, and if we fix some of the mess in midfield, we will get top 4 and push forward next season.

 

[vijay]

I can't understand how can somebody rate Giroud and Walcott but not Lacazete and Auba. The attack that we had before was absolutely dire, even when we had Özil, Sanchez and Cazorla behind them. Lacazette is almost complete forward, his hold up play is something that Giroud couldn't offer and on top of that he is very mobile and shows up everywhere on the pitch to hold the ball and bring others into game.
I got the feeling now that we can score against anyone if these 2 are playing, and if we fix some of the mess in midfield, we will get top 4 and push forward next season.

i guess its an unpopular opinion

 

[Gooner_girl14]

I can't understand how can somebody rate Giroud and Walcott but not Lacazete and Auba. The attack that we had before was absolutely dire, even when we had Özil, Sanchez and Cazorla behind them. Lacazette is almost complete forward, his hold up play is something that Giroud couldn't offer and on top of that he is very mobile and shows up everywhere on the pitch to hold the ball and bring others into game.
I got the feeling now that we can score against anyone if these 2 are playing, and if we fix some of the mess in midfield, we will get top 4 and push forward next season.

Agreed. i love Giroud but he was a purple patch player and I'll never forgive him for going missing for 3 months when we only had Leciester to beat for the title. I know it's not all his fault but he was never that 20+ goal/season striker that we needed after RVP left. Auba I think is, so glad he's up and running now.

 

[vijay]

My favourite period was the period from the signing of Koscielny in 2010 to the signing of Özil in 2013 was an amazingly crucial period for the club.

Those signings and the team so formed of journeymen, misfits and flawed players will always be my favourite Arsenal team and the first FA cup win the sweetest...like a cool drink of water after trudging through a desert.

There was a time when Özil, Ramsey, Jack, Arteta, Cazorla, Rosicky, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Flamini and Gnabry were all vying for the midfield slots and then came Coquelin. None of them were expensive players...but what players they were and are.

 

[freeglennhelder2]

I also wish Walcott was still here as he'd be our best winger.

Never seen a player so disinterested in a club as Walcott in his final seasons here. If you truly loved Theo then you should let him go, it was completely the best decision for both parties.

 

[krackpot]

I wish Giroud was still here (at the very least as backup to Aubameyang).

Also the fact when Cech kicks it long there's absolutely no one further forward who can win a header or take the ball down to save their lives (going back to wishing Giroud was still here).

@blaze_of_glory

Only better hold-up guys I have seen are Aquero and Costa. Özil comes close but he needs the ball on the ground.

The man defended, attacked, held up the ball, and looked handsome all the while.

 

[bingobob]

Right, I've been holding off a lot of my unpopular opinions but I'm going to share them now.

I don't rate Aubameyang and Lacazette that highly at all, especially for where we want to be aiming. I wish Giroud was still here (at the very least as backup to Aubameyang). I also wish Walcott was still here as he'd be our best winger.

This whole forced playing out from the back thing is the most frustrating thing I've ever seen given the players out our disposal. We don't have the talent that City or even Chelsea and most of the guys we have will panic when pressed. Also the fact when Cech kicks it long there's absolutely no one further forward who can win a header or take the ball down to save their lives (going back to wishing Giroud was still here).

I worry about Emery's tactical flexibility. He seems to have his ideas and way of playing, system, etc and will stick to it no matter what and will only change personnel rather than adapt to the circumstances. I will support his long term project with the knowledge that it is very long term and that we'll need significant investment and real quality additions to get to where we want to be.

Giving Özil his new contract was a massive mistake. Also the fact that we have 3 key players all nearing 30 on pretty decent wages worries me a lot as we could be stuck.

I was not totally convinced with how how our summer business went. For example Rui Patricio was available on a free while we spent 20 million on a keeper that Emery isn't confident enough to start yet (while apparently Leno hasn't improved all that much since he was a promising young keeper) and we spent £16 million on Sokratis when Evans (imo an extremely underrated and underappreciated solid PL defender with experience) was available for just £3 million.

All 5 of our top 6 rivals are stronger than us and it'll take a minor miracle to finish in the top 4 this season.

Some of this is agreeable. Losing Giroud was a big blow. While I think Lacazette and Auba are better players they aren't levels above him and at least with Giroud we knew his level and never expected more from him than what he gave. Aubameyang is the best of the lot and I'm glad we signed him.

I'm shocked having seen Moussa Dembele go for 20m that we did not get in there. With the exception of City the other top clubs have big, strong powerful players at centre forward. Lukaku, Firminho, Kane and Morata. With no Giroud we needed a player who can if we go long hold it up and bring others into play. Dembele would have been perfect at that role with Aubameyang occupying the left sided position. This links in with our overall summer. Although I think our summer was hindered by what we had I.e. Lacazette but also with the new recruitment team favouring overseas as opposed to local. Some hits some misses.

As for the manager. What we see now are more managers with philosophy over practicality. So it's not surprising Emery isn't changing to his players.

And yes Özil should have went.

 

[freeglennhelder2]

All these posts about Giroud and hold up play. I assumed classic hold up play was receiving the ball under pressure in the opposition half. Holding off a defender with your strength. Then distributing the ball to your fellow team members who are joining the attack.

In his entire Arsenal career I only saw Giroud do this well in about 3 or 4 games ever.

Does hold up play mean something else?

Don’t get me wrong, used the right way, Giroud was and is a valuable asset.