The Wish List

[spartandre217]

Don't start with that Fabo, there are worse midfielders making more and being sold for more at clubs that placed above us last season. There is but one player in midfield at any club in the PL that I covet and that is Yaya Toure.
The rest couldn't and likely will never be good enough to start for us and I truly believe that for all the flak that I've given both during the season.

 

[Armor for Sleep]

We could definitely do a lot better than Diaby. I don't think he's nearly as bas as some make out, but he's injured every ****ing week. No way we should go into this season with him as DM cover but unfortunately we will.

 

[fabo]

So our midfield is fine then!

 

[spartandre217]

Our midfield is the best in England and damn close to the best in Europe.

 

[Anzac]

AW hasn't stopped 'tweaking' the midfield as it's both the engineroom & focus of our play, and it's yet to work without specific sets of skills in each role = it's too specialised/reliant upon the players.

I'm pretty sure Diaby and Song can and have played the same role with more or less equal efficiency this season, ditto for Wilshere and Rambo. It's not specialized at all with the exception of Cesc's role which we only see an issue with because the players that get put there are either too scared (Nasri) or not quite as developed (Wilshere and Rambo) to pull it off quite as well.

But then again, this is FM so all our backups should be equal to the starters

It's specialised because of the requirements of the players in the 3 roles you just described - take any of those components out in any area & it doesn't work. Take out the physical component & we struggle to impose; take out a passing CM & there is no supply to the front 4; take out a passing creative AMC & the pattern doesn't work.

If we don't have those resources available we need to be able to adapt accordingly, however AW sticks to the same roles & patterns.

 

[spartandre217]

If we have no players we can't play the game, I fail to see your point here Anzac :?


If your car has no engine it can't move on its own can it?

 

[fabo]

Come on man, stop being obtuse for the sake of it.

He's saying that the midfield malfunctions when certain players are unavailable, and Wenger perseveres with the same shape/roles regardless. The best example being Cesc's injuries and the failure of numerous people to fill that void in the AM role.

Although I think the wide players are as much to blame for that as the unsuitability of Nasri/Ramsey/Rosicky to play Cesc's role(that's another discussion). I doubt many, if any, midfielders in world football could do Cesc's job to the level he does.

 

[morpho]

Who do you guys think is our answer? Jagielka, Cahill or Samba?

 

[Le Titi]

Who do you guys think is our answer? Jagielka, Cahill or Samba?

Out of the three I would have Samba. Experienced, strong and a leader. IMO he ticks all of the boxes.

 

[Pies]

Samba.

 

[redwhiteAustrian]

Me too, Samba.
Offers exactly, what we're lacking at the back at the moment.

 

[GDeep™]

Cahill, Samba has too many issues with his game, sort of guy who is worth a punt at below 10M or you bring in to be a squaddy. Cahill at the right price would be a better buy, he had the best stats of any CB last season for aerial clearances too.

Samba is hardly a good leader, told Blackburn he wants out in the middle of the season, then signs a contract, and 2 seconds later he is flirting with us, maybe he will do the same here if he doesn't get the game time he wants? I like Cahills put your head down and work style, never heard or seen him talk about leaving.

 

[ricky1985]

Cahill, out of the three, but I feel he needs to take his game to another level and really become a top class centreback. By that I mean he needs to show much more leadership and personality on the pitch. He's at an age where he could make that jump.

Not sure it's wise to limit ourselves to just those three options, there are other good centrebacks out there, who have the quality and experience to adjust to the League quickly. I mentioned Diego Godin in another thread, and I think he's someone who could do well here.

 

[morpho]

Seems that its going to be one of those three, but then again what do i know. Out of this pack im leaning towards Samba aswell. A paring of Samba and Vermaelen would make some eyebrowse raise. Havent seen to much of either three (rarly see other than Arsenal matches), but want a cb close to Campbell's prime... Samba is closer in my opinion even though no one gets within a mile

 

[GDeep™]

Good shout Ricky, Godin always impressed me when I watched him during his time at Villareal, was excellent for Uraguay in the World Cup too, not seen much of him at Atleico though - who got him pretty cheap I thought, under 10M.

You would think his lack of pace would be a issue in the Premier League.

 

[ricky1985]

He never struck me as someone who lacked pace at the World Cup, if anything his mobility seemed a real strong point in his game?

 

[spartandre217]

Come on man, stop being obtuse for the sake of it.

He's saying that the midfield malfunctions when certain players are unavailable, and Wenger perseveres with the same shape/roles regardless. The best example being Cesc's injuries and the failure of numerous people to fill that void in the AM role.

Although I think the wide players are as much to blame for that as the unsuitability of Nasri/Ramsey/Rosicky to play Cesc's role(that's another discussion). I doubt many, if any, midfielders in world football could do Cesc's job to the level he does.

I really wasn't being obtuse though. :shock:

Sure the AM position isn't as effective when Cesc is out but he DOES alter the position so that most forward midfielder plays DEEPER when Cesc is out to get on the ball more and give them more time to do their thing. See Ramsey vs Utd for more detail.

 

[Anzac]

Come on man, stop being obtuse for the sake of it.

He's saying that the midfield malfunctions when certain players are unavailable, and Wenger perseveres with the same shape/roles regardless. The best example being Cesc's injuries and the failure of numerous people to fill that void in the AM role.

Although I think the wide players are as much to blame for that as the unsuitability of Nasri/Ramsey/Rosicky to play Cesc's role(that's another discussion). I doubt many, if any, midfielders in world football could do Cesc's job to the level he does.

I really wasn't being obtuse though. :shock:

Sure the AM position isn't as effective when Cesc is out but he DOES alter the position so that most forward midfielder plays DEEPER when Cesc is out to get on the ball more and give them more time to do their thing. See Ramsey vs Utd for more detail.

Which was about the ONLY time we saw the midfield work as an inverted shape as opposed to 3 distinct roles.

 

[Bossa]

I'd rather move for Mata or Nzogbia than Alvarez. I like Alvarez but I think that he's a little bit raw and there's a risk that he needs to acclimatise after just moving from Argentina.

Mata would cost 10m more but at least you know what you get. I think that we need a 20m player more than two 10m players.

 

[Anzac]

TBH if the talk is true & we're waiting to announce 3 signings on July 1st, and those 3 are Gervinho, Alvarez & The Ox, then I'll be pretty underwellmed. No disrespect to those players but they do not address our current primary issues in the team (let alone represent a clear improvement on current starting resources), & still leave a LOT of work to be done.