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The Unpopular Opinion Thread

MutableEarth

Reiss' Dad
Trusted ⭐
Football has become boring with too much tactical control and less expression on the pitch.
Now this I can agree with. Very much predicated on systems and automatisms to the point that a lot of football nowadays - especially at the top level - has become quite choreographed. It's still entertaining in it's own way, like becoming engrossed in a high speed game of chess, but the days of the spectacle with flair players and free-flowing football are rarer by the day. Teams have become much better but at the expense of the individual players being footballing greats in their own right. It's why nobody's even come close to Ronaldo and Messi for so many years. They're anomalies in today's football world. You could probably only put Mbappe and Neymar in the same breath at a push.
 

Tir Na Nog

Changes Opinion Every 5 Minutes

Country: Ireland
Football has become boring with too much tactical control and less expression on the pitch.

This is such a key thing for me in terms of my love of the game diminishing recently.

Tho even yesterday for United, Pogba comes on and they need a goal so Solskjaer basically just lets him and Bruno roam a bit and find spaces. Everytime Pogba got the ball I was interesting in seeing what he did because he had full freedom, he wasn't bound by tactical restraints. In the end they get a goal because of him. As much as I appreciate why managers have these strict instructions for their players as it's important to the structure of their team, the tactics and whatever, as a pure supporter you want to see talented players with the freedom to showcase their talent. You try to restrict them and the player suffers a bit.

I think tho, it was the circumstances that allowed Pogba to have the freedom he did in terms of chasing a game.
 

MD3 Gunner

All Deals Off
The signing of Nasri was ****. It dragged on for 3 months and he was so underwhelming for the most part.

Bear in mind we had lost Hleb, Flamini, Gilberto and Diarra from our midfield and we only signed this young kid who flattered to deceive.
Nasri in his final season was unplayable. Was so upset when we sold him. Could've been our next Pires
 

BigPoppaPump

Reeling from Laca & Kos nightmares
Nasri in his final season was unplayable. Was so upset when we sold him. Could've been our next Pires

Nasri going to City was such a stupid move, he ruined his career. If he stayed at Arsenal a few more years after Cesc left he would have improved a lot being the main man and probably ended up at the Barca/Reals of the world by the time he was 25. Instead he became a career bench player at City.
 

Notorious Big

Drunka In Friend Zone
Nasri going to City was such a stupid move, he ruined his career. If he stayed at Arsenal a few more years after Cesc left he would have improved a lot being the main man and probably ended up at the Barca/Reals of the world by the time he was 25. Instead he became a career bench player at City.

Wasn't he regular in his first 3 seasons with City ?
 

krengon

One Arsène Wenger
Trusted ⭐
Nasri going to City was such a stupid move, he ruined his career. If he stayed at Arsenal a few more years after Cesc left he would have improved a lot being the main man and probably ended up at the Barca/Reals of the world by the time he was 25. Instead he became a career bench player at City.

Yeah Nasri as the main man here would have been interesting to see, the talent was unquestionable and he had the potential to be good enough for the biggest clubs.. I think he regrets the move a bit too, didn't he come out a few years later saying he only left because Kroenke forced Arsenal to sell him lol..
 

Aevi

Hale End FC
Moderator
Cedric is ultimately a good signing (provided he's on cheap wages).

When the team has as many issues to resolve as ours does, building a new core is the most important part of the rebuild. Competition at RB is meanwhile the least of our worries. Despite maybe struggling a bit in his last season, Cedric has historically been a solid player at Southampton and is a stable, cheap option that let's us concentrate on mending more important positions.

That's where simultaneously continuing with Luiz, Ceballos, and Mari is questionable, filling our core positions (CB and CM) with yet more undependable or untested options when we are in desperate need for reliable and established bodies (of which we have none). The only justification for it is if we're flushing out many of the other CB/CM options, which I don't have faith in the club to properly do.
 

tcahill

Well-Known Member
I prefer us buying a LW and a creative CM before buying a CB. Hear me out.

We aren't going to break down packed defences with three at the back and Aubameyang at LW. We'd win more games like Brighton and Villa with a more offensive formation, even if we'd become slightly more vulnerable to stronger teams. With Aubameyang at striker, a new LW and creative mid, our chance creation should be much higher. I think Arteta will return to a 4 at the back formation when he can, which leaves us with 2 CB spots;

Holding, Chambers, Saliba, Sokratis, Mari, Mustafi and Luiz.

Not the greatest options, but I refuse to believe that we can't make a decent defence with a combination of these CBs, and with Tierney and Bellerin/Cedric at FBs.

Ideally we'd sell three of these and buy a new CB, but I can't see that happening due to: inflated wages, our board being donkeys and coronavirus.
 

Country: Iceland
I prefer us buying a LW and a creative CM before buying a CB. Hear me out.

We aren't going to break down packed defences with three at the back and Aubameyang at LW. We'd win more games like Brighton and Villa with a more offensive formation, even if we'd become slightly more vulnerable to stronger teams. With Aubameyang at striker, a new LW and creative mid, our chance creation should be much higher. I think Arteta will return to a 4 at the back formation when he can, which leaves us with 2 CB spots;

Holding, Chambers, Saliba, Sokratis, Mari, Mustafi and Luiz.

Not the greatest options, but I refuse to believe that we can't make a decent defence with a combination of these CBs, and with Tierney and Bellerin/Cedric at FBs.

Ideally we'd sell three of these and buy a new CB, but I can't see that happening due to: inflated wages, our board being donkeys and coronavirus.

One of the main reason, most likely, that we are playing 3 at the back is because two of our best center backs, Luiz and Mustafi can't be trusted in 4 man defense.

So we need CB and that very expensive one because he will have to carry the other two most of the time if we are going to play an attacking system in the future.
 

tcahill

Well-Known Member
One of the main reason, most likely, that we are playing 3 at the back is because two of our best center backs, Luiz and Mustafi can't be trusted in 4 man defense.

So we need CB and that very expensive one because he will have to carry the other two most of the time if we are going to play an attacking system in the future.

If they can't be trusted in a back two then they aren't our best CBs.

Mari was signed for a reason, not just because he's left footed, and we're yet to see him in action for a run of games. Saliba is very young, but is highly rated. I recommend the Athletic article in May, which argues that he's ready for the PL despite his age. Chambers has looked solid, not great, but solid generally whenever he's played at CB this season or even last season. Mustafi has looked decent in both a back two and three under Arteta.

I'm not arguing that we could be Mourinho's Chelsea, only that I believe our defence can be respectable.

Any CB that is a substantial upgrade over what we have is likely to cost 30-40 mill, money that we desperately need elsewhere, particularly in midfield.
 

RunTheTrap

Kai Havertz Offense League
I prefer us buying a LW and a creative CM before buying a CB. Hear me out.

We aren't going to break down packed defences with three at the back and Aubameyang at LW. We'd win more games like Brighton and Villa with a more offensive formation, even if we'd become slightly more vulnerable to stronger teams. With Aubameyang at striker, a new LW and creative mid, our chance creation should be much higher. I think Arteta will return to a 4 at the back formation when he can, which leaves us with 2 CB spots;

Holding, Chambers, Saliba, Sokratis, Mari, Mustafi and Luiz.

Not the greatest options, but I refuse to believe that we can't make a decent defence with a combination of these CBs, and with Tierney and Bellerin/Cedric at FBs.

Ideally we'd sell three of these and buy a new CB, but I can't see that happening due to: inflated wages, our board being donkeys and coronavirus.
I've been torn lately by this predicament. A part of me wants to buy Partey and a CB and trust ESR but there is another part of me that thinks we should go big on an AM and winger so our lack of creativity is addressed. I have a hunch we will only buy two 'expensive' players and do loans/freebies for the rest, unless the Kroenke's get involved.

Anyways, I think its better to go for the defensive options first of Partey and a CB and I'll explain why.
1. Its unlikely we'll be able to match up our attacking talent the same way United and Chelsea have. Excluding City and Liverpool because they're much better than us. Chelsea are supposedly buying Havertz and they have Ziyech and Werner to come, United are after Sancho and rumours that they want Grealish too. What does that tell us? It seems like our immediate rivals are buying CL level attacking talent, but both teams do struggle massively with their defences and neither have been strongly linked with centre backs. Arsenal not being in the CL obviously diminshes our chances to sign similar attacking talent but we can make ourselves a more balanced team if we address our defence. We may not score 80 goals next season but if we can concede less than 40 goals that may just make us harder to beat.

2. Our centre backs are incredibly error-prone. Even with a solid system to cover the spaces, our CBs can easily turn into idiots with a flick of a switch. The errors we make are costly, we have lost the most points from winning positions and Arteta has had to deal with too many silly red cards that force us to defend. We have dropped more points from errors than our inability to score.
 

BigPoppaPump

Reeling from Laca & Kos nightmares
I don’t give af about youngsters, if it was up to me we’d have a whole squad of 26+ players and send all the kid on loans until they’re 25.
 

Ash10

Chairman of the Bum Brigade
The hale end bias is one of the things that's holding this club back. We have a very mediocre bunch of young players in the main team right now. Barring one or two none of them will come close to being of necessary quality & we should cash in on them as soon as we can
 

GDeep™

League is very weak
Holding, Chambers, Saliba, Sokratis, Mari, Mustafi and Luiz.

Not the greatest options, but I refuse to believe that we can't make a decent defence with a combination of these CBs, and with Tierney and Bellerin/Cedric at FBs.
Why do you refuse to believe it when we’ve seen it with our eyes? Arteta had to go to a 3 at the back because these guys are so bad.

Saliba is a kid, Luiz can’t play in a two, Mustafi was born with mistakes in his DNA, Arteta hasn’t given Sok even a minute at CB I think. You’ve just listed absolute trash options.

I suspect we’re signing in the positions you mentioned as well as a CB. Don’t forget we’re most likely loaning, look for free guys or swapping, so this opens up Willian, Coutinho etc. Not players I want, but they cover what you asked for without a transfer fee.
 

Riou

In The Winchester, Waiting For This To Blow Over

Country: Northern Ireland

Player:Gabriel
Luiz has made mistakes all season, Mustafi is mistake ridden, Saliba is a kid, you’re not finishing anywhere near top 6 with these guys.

The premiership will terrorise these guys, like they have all this season.

I reckon we can get Champions League with a back 3 of Saliba-Luiz-Tierney next season.
 

GeorgiaGunner

#FreeClaude
You’re entitled to your opinion. I’m not sure Arteta wants to play 3 at the back, think he’s forced to now because the guys are so bad.

Think we’re miles off the other teams in the race for top 4.
We’re in 10th and will spend far less than the top 5 this summer. Not exactly a recipe for a CL berth.
 
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