Printable View
We have decent players they're just not coached and drilled as a unit.Quote:
Originally Posted by Arse n Wonga
I said this before - our 'famous back 5' (I'm including Seaman) had a couple of players (Bould and Winterburn) who struggled to get into the England side (they got 2 caps each). BUT, they were drilled well as a unit.
I personally don't think our players are good enough, very error prone, never cover for each other, at some point defenders have to take responsibility they're all at least in their mid 20's (most in their later 20's) by now they should be able to do simple things, sure the coaching is poor but it doesn't explain the general poor play and constant mistakes....Mertersacker is slow and ponderous and gets caught out often enough, Vermaelen has no sense of position and Koscielny is an disaster waiting to happen with his error a game style (the keeper has become badly error prone as well).
The back 5 we had in those days, were disciplined, covered for each other and didn't make many errors, sure they were coached well but they were also far better defenders, Bould may not have played for England but his reading of the game and ability positional play was superb, Winterburn knew how to defend and also worked incredibly hard for the team.
To an extent coaching and the blend of players matters, but at the age they are now for me they have to take responsibility for their awful play as well. I've said it before, scrap the lot and start again and buy defenders who can tackle and have good positional awareness first and foremost and buy players that complement each other, speed, being good in the air, leadership, great tackling should all be qualities that are combined adequately to form a rounded defence.
There were only 2 top class players in the famous back 5 - Seaman was, IMO, right up there with the best goalkeepers of all time; Adams was a fantastic captain. The other 3 weren't anything special, they were just very well drilled. They were better defenders but only because Graham coached them until they could do it with their eyes closed, I don't buy they were necessarily better players . I'm sure it was you that said that Wenger "doesn't believe in defence". Slightly over-stating things maybe, but he certainly doesn't want us to be a defensive side. I applaud that to an extent but there has to be some balance. I take the point about self-organisation but were that so what's the point of coaching? Players do need some guidance in how to play and be organised and our lot clearly aren't. The fact that Vermaelan is such a useless captain doesn't help - I thought he'd be OK but I got that wrong. Adams wouldn't let players get away with poor performances, Vermaelan not only permits it, he makes his fair share of stupid mistakes himself.
Arguably Wenger's biggest failing IMVHO.
He is not a tactician. He is the spotter of technically gifted footballers, but is reliant on the "mental strength" and "intellegence" of said players in order for them to organise themselves.
With Wenget Mrk1 you had the old back line who took care of themselves and bedded that same spirit in with Vieira, and other mentally strong individuals.
With Wenget Mrk2 he bought a ready made warrior in Campbell to marshall the backline. But still with that added protection of Vieira.
Wenget Mrk3 saw us buy Gallas who didn't have "mental strength" and Vieira had gone.
Wenget Mrk4 sees him chucking technically good players at a system which has no regulation.
At no point, has he ever paid attention to getting it right at the back. He was just lucky that his earlier teams had the spine, teaching and intellegence to do it.
The modern game dictates you should have technically adept defenders but what Wenget has done is give them a free reign to express themselves, which is just plain wrong given there doesn't appear to be much of a defensive ethos to begin with.
Aye. Wenger's never been a great motivator or tactician, his success came when we had better sides than anyone else - you don't need to be a great tactician when you've got players like Henry, Bergkamp and the rest. They'll smash most sides regardless. And you don't need to be a great motivator when you've got Adams and then Vieira to do it for you.
Yup :(
We're also suffering little bit, for that period where no experience was bought in to supplement the burgeoning talent of our younger players.
We lost the continuity of experience and winning mentality.
Our defenders evidently aren't very smart full stop. Even if the coach is hindering rather than helping with his fucked up tactics and formations you'd think professional footballers would be able to apply a bit of sense on the pitch. Our three look like they are incapable of injecting a bit of common sense into the proceedings. When they see they are getting caught time and again they just keep playing it the same way until things break. Either they are as thick as planks or Wenger is so ruthless with his fucked up instructions they have no choice. And if they are given the option to express themselves, why don't they do it by defending properly? Why the need to suddenly dream of becoming midfield, wing or striking maestros? Just kick the fucking thing away, head it away, cover each other, talk, learn, adapt. They don't do it. Silly bastards.
The culture at the club has totally changed. A team full of dullards who don't want to take responsibility and a manager who prides himself on achieving the bare minimum to save face. I can accept not winning things but when you start to feel like there's no hope of improvement, that's when you know things need to change.Quote:
Originally Posted by LDG
In other news, the Emirates Cup is back this year :dance: