Wrighty Calls For Theo Through The Centre

[General]

If he said he didn't want to go into our horrible mess of a defence, why did he insert a picture of Fabianski under the caption 'we haven't had a decent keeper since Seaman'. Way to scapegoat a rookie keeper. Then again you wouldn't know would you, because you fetched this codswallop off the internet whiles I actually have the paper right in front of me.

Congratulations.

Yeah aren't I the lucky one. Buying this ****ty paper because for once I though Ian Wright Wright Wright was talking sense. :bash

If he said he didn't want to go into our horrible mess of a defence, why did he insert a picture of Fabianski under the caption 'we haven't had a decent keeper since Seaman'. Way to scapegoat a rookie keeper. Then again you wouldn't know would you, because you fetched this codswallop off the internet whiles I actually have the paper right in front of me.

I don't think Wrighty had anything to do with what pictures are used. He just speaks and a journalist does all the editting.

Yeah, I guess they made up the caption too. Clue – Quotation marks means he actually said it. I’d quite happily accept it if he said we haven’t had a world class keeper since Seamen but decent? Lemon for all his faults was more than decent and Almunia certainly is a decent keeper. Once again, IWWW is talking through his arse.


@ Sabre. Read above. I’m well aware of the editorial process. Nevertheless I don’t have a problem with the argument you’re making nor do I want to get into a drawn out debate on the contentious issues. Just don’t give me this **** about being misinformed and illiteracy problems when you clearly weren't better placed to comment. Funny enough you bought into this notion about him not commenting on our defence as it wasn’t his area of expertise until I brought to your attention his assertion on our lack of a decent keeper. He played with big Tone too. I guess he can suggest a new CB whiles he’s at it.

 

[sabret00the]

@ Sabre. Read above. I’m well aware of the editorial process. Nevertheless I don’t have a problem with the argument you’re making nor do I want to get into a drawn out debate on the contentious issues. Just don’t give me this s**t about being misinformed and illiteracy problems when you clearly weren't better placed to comment. Funny enough you bought into this notion about him not commenting on our defence as it wasn’t his area of expertise until I brought to your attention his assertion on our lack of a decent keeper. He played with big Tone too. I guess he can suggest a new CB whiles he’s at it.

I hardly think buying a decent keeper, of which a few have been available since Seaman left, is the same as constructing a defence. Anyone can name a world class keeper, asking said person to construct a world class defence is a whole other matter. Let's not trivialise something that Arsène has never got quite right.

 

[14teranga]

I don't know if I am the only one but I believe our attack needs as much fixing as any other area of our game. You can not be champions without having someone to compete for the golden boot and we don't have that. Adebayor for all his size is not a great lone striker, against Chelsea RVP has created more chances for Theo, Cesc and Ade while having his back to goal than Ade has done on all the big games he played that role.

if your attack is not good your defense will suffer from it and vice versa. As a simple example Chelsea would not have scored their 4th goal had Ade converted his one on one against Cech as simple as that.

Against United away in the CL semi we were so bad going forward that we were conceding chances after chances!

You have to attack well and finish your attacks if you want to avoid being counter attacked.

Most of the goals we have conceded have been either on counter attack or set piece but never a well constructed attack.

 

[irishgunnerz]

i happen to prefer fabianski over almunia.

Errr I was nodding head in agreement with everything you said then read that

As you you say, to each their own I guess. Just hope you mean long term as at the minute Manny has probably been our player of the season as opposed to Fabianski who has errrrrrr not impressed

 

[hackajack]

I hardly think buying a decent keeper, of which a few have been available since Seaman left, is the same as constructing a defence. Anyone can name a world class keeper, asking said person to construct a world class defence is a whole other matter. Let's not trivialise something that Arsène has never got quite right.

I don't see how you come to that conclusion - he built a defence that went 49 games unbeaten.

 

[sabret00the]

i happen to prefer fabianski over almunia.

Errr I was nodding head in agreement with everything you said then read that

As you you say, to each their own I guess. Just hope you mean long term as at the minute Manny has probably been our player of the season as opposed to Fabianski who has errrrrrr not impressed

Fabianski lacks experience and with that lacks confidence, but i subscribe to his style of keeping. I do however question, whether it could truly work without our intelligence shy and tactical ignorant defence. He's a work of art in progress for me. Almunia has done a great job overall this season.

 

[burnsjed]

Fabianski needs to go out on loan for a season.
It is no good for a young keeper to sit on the bench every week and not play, it is the single most important position as far as experience is concerned, and that can only be gained by playing.
Yesteryear there never use to be a No2 keeper on the bench, so they use to play for the reserves on a regular basis, these days this is not the case.
You are better off having a veteran keeper who can be called upon to play a hand full of games once in a while, and let your young prospects get the knowledge and experience they require else where, sorry for off topic.

 

[DaGunners]

Playing Walcott up front is the best thing that could happen for the kid. He is being completely wasted on the wing. Not only does playing him there hurt his game, it hurts our attacking game as a whole. On any given day for Walcott on the wing his day consists of one thing and one thing only; getting the ball and running at pace towards goal. Now when we are playing poor teams he looks like a world beater, but when we play teams with decent defenders he is easily nullified. He has no trickery or link play to speak of, so when his running ta players isn't coming off, we are effectively playing with 3 people in midfield, because playing to Theo often ends with us losing possession.

Walcott's strengths include timing of runs, pace, and natural finishing. Moving him up front and having him work in training exclusively on finishing and movement will take him and our football to the next level. Theo is a player who needs to be an outlet to our football, not a creator of it.

 

[fabo]

Theo as a striker - on the bench
Theo as a winger - on the bench

Regardless of what happens this summer - we cannot be reliant on him as a starter next season.

 

[Goonereagle]

Theo as a striker - on the bench
Theo as a winger - on the bench

Regardless of what happens this summer - we cannot be reliant on him as a starter next season.

Theo comin' off the bench at right mid - could cause problems, but most would result in same old, predicability--lack of creativity; heavy touches and tryin' always sprint pass people.

Theo comin' off the bench upfront - Gives the tirin' centre-backs somethin' else to think about, and helps us to go more direct with a through ball or ball over the top for Theo to cause havoc, which could reuslt in Goal for Theo, penalty, corner or a pass to more intelligent players. (Nasri, Shava, RVP, Cesc, Rosicky.)

 

[ricky1985]

I would love to know what all of those saying Walcott isn't good enough to start as a striker are basing your opinions on?

 

[fabo]

Theo as a striker - on the bench
Theo as a winger - on the bench

Regardless of what happens this summer - we cannot be reliant on him as a starter next season.

Theo comin' off the bench at right mid - could cause problems, but most would result in same old, predicability--lack of creativity; heavy touches and tryin' always sprint pass people.

Theo comin' off the bench upfront - Gives the tirin' centre-backs somethin' else to think about, and helps us to go more direct with a through ball or ball over the top for Theo to cause havoc, which could reuslt in Goal for Theo, penalty, corner or a pass to more intelligent players. (Nasri, Shava, RVP, Cesc, Rosicky.)

Not really trying to distinguish mate - just that my stance on the subject is that Theo should not be starting for Arsenal Football Club.

He will of course make an impact at times wherever he plays - but not consistently enough for us to rely on him...And IMO he is one of the main causes for our midfield malfunctioning.

I would like to see him utilised in a more forward role, but sparingly. Preferably moved between both wide/striker roles as neeed be, depending on opposition/form/injuries. I don't see where all these definitive opinions about Theo's suitability to play up front have come from. Like I said, he's more likely best suited up there but has also shown inconsistencies in that role and should be used sparingly at least for the time being - until he consistently performs!

 

[Goonereagle]

I understand where you are comin' from, Fabo.

I think the reason for wanting Theo upfront is because he can be pretty wasteful on the right, and people no longer want to see a ratio of 1 good run for every 5 times he loses the ball. I perosnally still see him as very close to starting, but at the moment an impact sub--that is when Rosicky is back.

Due to his lack of technical abilities in comparison to the rest, I believe it is also a case of , "stick the quick guy upfront". Having said that, I think Theo is capable of coming in on the left onto a through ball and slotting the ball in Thierry style, (though obviously not as often as Thierry did).

 

[fabo]

Yeah cool GoonerE.

As I've said, he's shown nothing to me to suggest he should be played consistently in any position. Of course he's had less chances up top but has had opportunites and hasn't exactly set the world alight in terms of his overall displays.

As you've said, snippets of his pace, finishing and movement have led to these calls for his placement up top - but games like the Chelsea one show how naive and inexperienced he can be. Not using this game as the basis of my opinion - over the season I still feel Theo is best used as an impact player in either position, at least until some consistency is shown.

 

[Klaus Daimler]

I'm surprised anyone listens to what Wright says or writes these days. He was a great player but as a pundit he's a bit of a ****. A trashtalking clueless ****. The limit was reached last year when he used Rockys name to back up his deluded nonsense.

 

[DaGunners]

Wrighty is talking absolute sense about Theo and our strike force at the moment, as is Andy Cole.

 

[Klaus Daimler]

He's not right. He's just looking at things saying what they are, a bit like Brick Tamland in Anchorman. "I love... lamp!", "Strikers... doesn't score as much as last season." and so on. His analysis is weak at best and completely ****ing ridiculous at worst. The comments about not having an able goalkeeper if completely off base for example. Futhermore, the season after Henry went we had a striker who scored thirty goals for us. Now you might not rate him because you're being ridiculous, but that doesn't change the fact that we've been well-stocked on good strikers.

 

[fabo]

You listen to Merse, Klaus - even more fickle than Wright. Every match against a Big 4 team he predicts a 3/4-0 loss!

We've been static up top this year at times, but have also had a winger who has not been very productive and has shown little to suggest he should displace anyone up front. I'm all for Theo being used sparingly between both positions until he performs regularly.

Ron Burgundy is the King!

 

[DaGunners]

Fabo, why in the world would Walcott's lack of quality out wide be reason for him not to get games via the centre?

 

[fabo]

The way I see it - he's played many games wide for club and country(NT and U-21's) and less in a forward role. Yet from the few quality moments he's shown(in either role), people assume he's a valid option as a starting striker. But the reasons stated to verify this opinion(pace, movement and more importantly finishing) seem to be from fragments of matches which have been few and far between IMO. So, as I said Theo should be used sparingly at least until he performs consistently or outperforms our current attacking players.


I'm all for Theo being used in a more forward role next season, just not being relied upon consistently. Much rather a fluid midfield with players who can retain the ball and have some game intelligence.