Summer transfer joy and happiness

[I am invisible]

We’ve got a midfield imbalance to solve if we plan on playing a 3 man midfield. Xhaka, Ramsey and Ozil shouldn’t start in the midfield together. In fact, a combination where two out of the three start together shouldn’t happen. All three of the fuckers need support players around them to compensate for their weaknesses and we don’t have enough players on the pitch to solve that. They don’t complement each other and what they offer as individual players is lopsided. Ozil – Assists, Xhaka – Long range passes, Ramsey – Goals. All three are weak on defence and helping to dictate the tempo of a game with build-up play.

Saying that, we have just signed Lucas Torreira. I mentioned Guendouzi. AMN should get a run. Elneny is underrated. I think Iwobi should play a central role. I think we have the DM and CM positions covered even if we sell Ramsey. My main concern comes back to the wide positions, creative players and strikers. I guess we may see youth players getting game time plus Mkhitartan can play as the 10 or out wide. Same goes for Iwobi.

I really have no idea what the set up will be this season or how Emery will deal with rotation. How do you see us lining up this season?

I can see those 3 in the same team, but, as you say, not in the same 3-man midfield - Özil would have to play as a creative winger and Ramsey would have to be in a more advanced role, where his marauding, maverick ways are less of a problem for us defensively. That frees up the extra space at the base of midfield that we need to make it work.

In terms of the support players needed, I think they do actually solve some of each other’s problems: Özil needs Ramsey (and other high-energy players who make runs and offer a goal threat); Ramsey always seems to play best with a Xhaka or Arteta type (ie someone who can feed him the ball from the back); but Xhaka, unfortunately, really needs a proper DM next to him at the base of midfield... and this is where the whole thing usually turns into a house of cards. Hopefully Torreira solves this for us, and that chain of dependency stops with him.

If Ramsey’s still here in a couple of weeks time then I expect we’ll be looking at some combo like that. So glad we have a couple of hungry players like Guendouzi and AMN there to keep them honest though - could be a very different midfield that ends the season to the one that starts it!

[Power n Glory]

Walcott in terms of how teams played against us and how they set up and his movement was very crucial, he often stretched the play when he was on the field and didn't score so many by accident.

We all agree that a) We're missing a wide player and b) that it would be ideal if that wide player is dynamic for the varied scenarios presented over the course of a season.

It's not use signing another centre forward who scores neither to swap in for Aubameyang/Lacazette, the potential additional goals need to come from other parts of the field...i.e midfield and/or wide.

We don't know that Emery will settle on Auba from wide left and Laca centre too.

I like Douglas Costa and Dembele don't I won't be the farm of either happening.

We're we're really missing an Alexis type to play out wide. Auba out wide just feels like a waste and I have a feeling he'll have games where we want him playing through the middle.

[Mac76]

Lacazette will also get a fair few, goal wise we're in a better place than we have been for years, two very good strikers.

Alexis was quality, but Walcott offered next to nothing often doing nothing in games.

I agree about the wide man though, we lack one, we have for years to be fair and that would be the player I'd be looking to sign, could have got Gelson Martins on a free if we'd been more proactive.

Don't forget we have Perez on the books, who looked very effective on the left even with the very few chances Wenger gave him - i really hope Emery gives him another chance

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Alexis was instrumental to us picking points up away from home and in truth Emery would have loved him for the pressing game.

Fortunately Mourinho is doing his magic so we don't have to pine for the player we lost so much.

[Power n Glory]

I can see those 3 in the same team, but, as you say, not in the same 3-man midfield - Özil would have to play as a creative winger and Ramsey would have to be in a more advanced role, where his marauding, maverick ways are less of a problem for us defensively. That frees up the extra space at the base of midfield that we need to make it work.

In terms of the support players needed, I think they do actually solve some of each other’s problems: Özil needs Ramsey (and other high-energy players who make runs and offer a goal threat); Ramsey always seems to play best with a Xhaka or Arteta type (ie someone who can feed him the ball from the back); but Xhaka, unfortunately, really needs a proper DM next to him at the base of midfield... and this is where the whole thing usually turns into a house of cards. Hopefully Torreira solves this for us, and that chain of dependency stops with him.

If Ramsey’s still here in a couple of weeks time then I expect we’ll be looking at some combo like that. So glad we have a couple of hungry players like Guendouzi and AMN there to keep them honest though - could be a very different midfield that ends the season to the one that starts it!

Slightly disagree with that. Because we had Giroud clogging up the middle with little movement up front for Ozil to work with, Ramsey going forward helped our lack of movement in the box. But Ozil didn't need Ramsey. He could play just as well when Sanchez was playing up top as striker or put a skillful CM like Cazorla behind him, it gives Ozil way more time to find space when off the ball. Ramsey bombing forward all the time made it harder for Ozil to pick up the ball in the final third, so he ends up chasing shadows and not really getting on the ball. Plus it helps to weaken our midfield even further because with Ozil in the final third and Ramsey impersonating a striker, we're left with one man in the midfield to defend which would be a problem for the best of players and god help us if that player turns out to be Granit Xhaka. Deer in a headlight effect when a player comes running at him.

The amount of goals Ramsey scores doesn't justify the pain it causes the midfield. He needs to find some discipline and find his way back to winning the ball for us with tackles and just dishing the ball off. If he reins it in a little, he'd be fine. Just needs to cut out the constant goal hunting every second of the game.

Xhaka's passing range doesn't justify his selection either. There is more than one way to skin a cat and I'm sure there are other ways to find Aaron Ramsey. In fact, I wouldn't want a player on the pitch that helps enable that gung ho approach from Ramsey. If we're playing Auba and Laca up top, Xhaka should be looking to for their runs. I'll never forget the video Theirry Henry did where Lacazette was making runs but Xhaka wasn't pulling the trigger. What was all that about? Pointless player if he can't get that right. Brings nothing to the table at all. By far the worst of the players and we need a sharp improvement.

[Mac76]

Slightly disagree with that. Because we had Giroud clogging up the middle with little movement up front for Ozil to work with, Ramsey going forward helped our lack of movement in the box. But Ozil didn't need Ramsey. He could play just as well when Sanchez was playing up top as striker or put a skillful CM like Cazorla behind him, it gives Ozil way more time to find space when off the ball. Ramsey bombing forward all the time made it harder for Ozil to pick up the ball in the final third, so he ends up chasing shadows and not really getting on the ball. Plus it helps to weaken our midfield even further because with Ozil in the final third and Ramsey impersonating a striker, we're left with one man in the midfield to defend which would be a problem for the best of players and god help us if that player turns out to be Granit Xhaka. Deer in a headlight effect when a player comes running at him.

The amount of goals Ramsey scores doesn't justify the pain it causes the midfield. He needs to find some discipline and find his way back to winning the ball for us with tackles and just dishing the ball off. If he reins it in a little, he'd be fine. Just needs to cut out the constant goal hunting every second of the game.

Xhaka's passing range doesn't justify his selection either. There is more than one way to skin a cat and I'm sure there are other ways to find Aaron Ramsey. In fact, I wouldn't want a player on the pitch that helps enable that gung ho approach from Ramsey. If we're playing Auba and Laca up top, Xhaka should be looking to for their runs. I'll never forget the video Theirry Henry did where Lacazette was making runs but Xhaka wasn't pulling the trigger. What was all that about? Pointless player if he can't get that right. Brings nothing to the table at all. By far the worst of the players and we need a sharp improvement.

[Özim]

Ramsey has been here 10 years. The most he's scored is 16 and that was in 2013. He's never come close to scoring 20 goals and just about hits double figures. In 2014 he scored 10 and last season 11 goals. Other than that, we've got 7 seasons where he's scored between 1 to 6 goals.

I'll just let the numbers speak.

APP GOALS
2008–09[134] Premier League 22 1
2009–10[135] Premier League 29 4
2010–11[136] Premier League 8 1
2011–12[137] Premier League 44 3
2012–13[138] Premier League 47 2
2013–14[139] Premier League 34 16
2014–15[140] Premier League 41 10
2015–16[141] Premier League 40 6
2016–17[142] Premier League 32 4
2017–18[143] Premier League 30 11


Walcott's tally in comparison.
APP GOALS
2005–06[196] Premier League 0 0
2006–07[31] Premier League 32 1
2007–08[42] Premier League 39 7
2008–09[44] Premier League 35 6
2009–10[197] Premier League 30 4
2010–11[198] Premier League 38 13
2011–12[199] Premier League 46 11
2012–13[200] Premier League 43 21
2013–14[201] Premier League 18 6
2014–15[202] Premier League 21 7
2015–16[203] Premier League 42 9
2016–17[130] Premier League 37 19

Chalk and cheese really, you'd expect a winger/striker to score more goals, that's pretty much all Walcott did, he wasn't really involved in games for large parts and often came on as sub which was pretty much the only time he was effective. I think Ramsey offers more to the team than that, in addition he usually played from the start so didn't have the advantage of playing against tired defences as often.

As mentioned though, if we lose Ramsey, I'm not that fussed, just as long as we go and get a winger which is what we really need. But if I had to get rid of someone it would be Xhaka, he just has no role and nothing to offer, best thing we can do is sell him for what we can get for him.

[Power n Glory]

Chalk and cheese really, you'd expect a winger/striker to score more goals, that's pretty much all Walcott did, he wasn't really involved in games for large parts and often came on as sub which was pretty much the only time he was effective. I think Ramsey offers more to the team than that, in addition he usually played from the start so didn't have the advantage of playing against tired defences as often.

But he offered next to nothing, right? Right!

At least you can admit when you're wrong. Do some research. Find some wingers that have a better goal scoring record.

[Özim]

Don't get it Max Meyer is available for free, apparently he wants big wages but Palace are close to signing him so they can't be that big, why aren't we in for him and getting rid of Ramsey with a week to go till the end of the season.

I do find our transfer/contract negotiation poor on the whole, why do things like this keep happening?

[Özim]

But he offered next to nothing, right? Right!

At least you can admit when you're wrong. Do some research. Find some wingers that have a better goal scoring record.

Truth is having seen Walcott in the flesh for years, if we could go back I wish we'd never signed him, too often he didn't deliver, his goals (the amount which never was anything particularly amazing when you put in context and who he scored against into the mix) just was nowhere near enough, there are loads of better wingers than him, that's why he's at Everton not pulling any trees out and not at another big club. He also feature up front a fair bit in that time.