Vermaelen fit for Chelsea - where does he play?

[Syn]

The signs are that Vermaelen will play against Chelsea.


Speaking after the game, he [Vermaelen] said (http://news.arseblog.com/2011/10/vermaelen-its-a-mental-thing/):

Personally I don’t believe in that. If I have an injury for a long time I don’t believe in coming back and getting rhythm. I think it’s just in your head, it’s just a mental thing. If you’re a footballer player, if you’re a pro, you have be there straight away, and that’s why I wanted to play today.

I know it’s early days, and there’s been no indication of this from the manager, but I think he’ll play Vermaelen in the centre with Mertesacker and move Koscielny out to right back for this one. When you’re facing a team as good as Chelsea, you need your best players out there and Vermaelen is one of our best players. More on this tomorrow but I think Koscielny, for all his effectiveness in the middle, will provide us with more solidity and pace at right back than Djourou.

http://arseblog.com/


Sounds like a recipe for disaster playing Kos at RB. He doesn't have pace and isn't much going forward.

Kos and Mertesacker have been good in recent games. Vermaelen at RB sounds like the better choice?

Also, Rosicky or Ramsey for the 3rd CM position? Both have shown decent form, but I'd put money on Rosicky being the more likely to stick a foot in and annoy their midfield.

The rest of the team picks itself, I guess.

[dazthegooner]

Along side Van-Persie :unsure:

[Marc Overmars]

Leave him out.

Keep Kos in the side for the time being, he's worked well with Merts.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

RB tbh is best for him, Merts and Kos have done well, TV 5 in CB would be silly for this game he needs to bulid up a partnership with merts but not yet.

[server too busy!]

RB for a left footer...that is retarded. Keep Djourou there, done nothing wrong. Lets not rush him back just yet.

[LDG]

Bench for me.

Why change a winning formular?

Plus, we'll get more joy at corners than usual. We always do against Chelsea, as they can't defend them for shit. Kos and Merts are the best for that.

[Niall_Quinn]

It's a step up in quality, tempting to see if Kos can cope but safer to play TV and leave Kos on the bench. He's 3rd choice so let's use him as 3rd choice. TVs leadership qualities will be required.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

It's a step up in quality, tempting to see if Kos can cope but safer to play TV and leave Kos on the bench. He's 3rd choice so let's use him as 3rd choice. TVs leadership qualities will be required.

Yeah but TV 5 has not played many games this season and could make a mistake, kos has been playing well so far don't see thge point changing it now.

[Niall_Quinn]

Yeah but TV 5 has not played many games this season and could make a mistake, kos has been playing well so far don't see thge point changing it now.

Let's just do it my way shall we? Thank you.

[Syn]

RB for a left footer...that is retarded. Keep Djourou there, done nothing wrong. Lets not rush him back just yet.

It's not about rushing him back - he says he's ready, Arsenal say he's available...looked ok against Bolton. You have to play your best players if possible. Djourou isn't really a RB either. He hasn't done anything wrong is no selling point when the match was against Stoke who don't have any pacey/quality wingers to trouble him.

It all comes down to whether you think Vermaelen would do a better or worse job than Djourou when up against - who plays on the left for Chelsea? Mata? Malouda?. I think Verm would. Also agree with NQ that aside from his defending ability, Verm has a presence on the pitch which would help the rest of the players.

But it would be the wrong move to split KosMert at the moment. They actually have been tested well and Kos - in particular - has been absolutely superb. Single-handedly limited the opponents to 0/1 goals, depending on the match.

[Cripps_orig]

on Vermaelen's return…
He did very well. He had to come off for a minor calf problem but I hope it's not too bad. He will be a bit short for Saturday, I don't know yet what I will do. We have to test him tomorrow, but it doesn't look too bad.

He wont play

[Syn]

Old news.

Less old are these:

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/vermaelen-i-don-t-need-games-to-be-sharp

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/vermaelen-available-for-chelsea-match

[Cripps_orig]

Read them as well and in neither of them does Wenger say a thing.

[Dog Toffee]

But their less old.

TV will play if hes fit. INstead of Mertesacker I think. Or Kozza, or right back, yeah he'l play right back if fit I think.

[Master Splinter]

Koscielny is not slow.

But yeah, not wise playing his first match at RB versus Chelsea.

Vermaelen should definitely play at LB over Santos though. He will be murdered if Mata or Sturridge are on form.

[IBK]

Kossy has done enough not to be dropped. I'm happy with Nutsack. TV at RB or not at all.

[GunnerFan4Life]

His heading ability has gone from 55% last year to 86% this year, Mertersacker is only 40%.

He still needs to do a bit more tackling (at least statistically only 2 per game most good CBs have around 3.5-5)

also if you add Vermaelen beside Kos (who is superior in every stat other than offside won to Kos) then we have a very strong CB partnership

^ comment from a Kos vs Marseille youtube video.

[Boss]

Vermaelen ahead of Koscielny, keep Djourou at RB.

[Japan Shaking All Over]

Kos at RB would be counter productive as we are just seeing him gain his confidence back after a run of games with Merts. . .which I feel gets better every game, however Chelsea are a step up and we might see a few cracks resurface but Chelsea play football which might suit thus partnership a bit more.

Verm to play RB might be a thought as Djouru is often a breath away from doing something stupid. . ,


A question for all the talk about Wengers youth policy why do we not see any defenders make the step up, Gibbs aside cant think of any, and Gibbs has been around for a while now. . .are there no youngsters chomping on tje bit to get thay chance?

[Daniele]

Merts and TV5 CBs and Kos RB

[Dog Toffee]

Left back? Thats nuts. Santos is fine.

[Syn]

Left back? Thats nuts. Santos is fine.

He seems more likely to get sent off that Song. That's worrying.

He also plays like a maniac and does crazy shit.

I'm still a fan though. You need someone who doesn't take poncy stepovers from lightweights. The team is badly lacking personalities.

[Dog Toffee]

Its going to be pretty interesting to see what Wenger does with this defensive issue for Saturday. I havent a clue, but in the long run I think Kockielny will improve and Verms/Koz will be our CB first choice.

[Master Splinter]

I'm still a fan though. The team is badly lacking personalities.

:woohoo:

Another Eboue!

I wonder if he speaks Korean.

[Syn]

:woohoo:

Another Eboue!

I wonder if he speaks Korean.

There are some similarities. They both do stupid stuff. What the fuck are all the handballs about?

But while both are scrotes, Santos appears to have some subtlety about his cheating ways. Santos actually appears to be smart. The type of fouls he has been giving away; the right choices going forward...there's more reason to believe he won't be the complete liability than Eboue was.

[Japan Shaking All Over]

Left back? Thats nuts. Santos is fine.

Santos is fine. . .now that he is fit enough to last a game

Needs to stop trying to control cross field balls with his arm tho. . . .

[Japan Shaking All Over]

Its going to be pretty interesting to see what Wenger does with this defensive issue for Saturday. I havent a clue, but in the long run I think Kockielny will improve and Verms/Koz will be our CB first choice.

I think Kos will come good too but I would still like us to at least look at another CB in Jan. . .it will give us a chance to clear the dross, Squid/Gay Lion but saying that I liked the way Miquel played, even in the bloodbath at Old Trafford

[Master Splinter]

Santos is also quite fat.

Needs to STFU*.



























*Slim The Fuck Up

[Japan Shaking All Over]

Santos is also quite fat.

Needs to STFU*.



























*Slim The Fuck Up

STFU = :bow:


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