Per will do a great job. He's vocal, has a sense of humour and everyone loves him. When someone as slow as him can play in a high back line like ours there's something any defender can learn from him. Good move by the club
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Per will do a great job. He's vocal, has a sense of humour and everyone loves him. When someone as slow as him can play in a high back line like ours there's something any defender can learn from him. Good move by the club
Per is unappreciated. He was out all season and didn't play a single league game but is it a coincidence that we the end season with our worst goals conceded record since Merts debut season? We've dropped out of the top 4 and it really looked like Wenger lost the team at one point. The players were really taking the piss for some games. I'd say we missed his presence.
Our defence has been a shambles with or without him, he's ok in the air and decent at interceptions but he's as slow as a barge and doesn't have the kind of anticipation to make up for it that someone like Adams had.
Just never been convinced by him, any team with pace would give him all kinds of problems. I can't really rave about any player of the last 10 years who hasn't really stood out during a period when we really haven't been all that great, if he was that good he was have stood out as head and shoulders above the other defenders, if anything the error prone Koscielny has outshone him.
When we've needed leadership on the pitch during games when we were being tonked he's been nowhere to be seen to be fair, leaders calm the situation and help other players settle the ship, he's never really done it.
There really is no point in comparing him to Adams or anyone of the past. The question is, who is a better partner for Kosienly? The players with more pace, agility and aggression to their game, Mustafi and Gabriel, the type of players people have called for to replace Merts, haven't formed a good partnership with Kos.Quote:
Originally Posted by Özim
Also, you're missing the point. Our defence has always been a shambles and that's partly down to bad coaching, but it's been even more of a shambles for this particular season which coincides with us conceding the most we have in years and dropping outside of the top 4.
Leadership has always been a problem with the club but there is no denying this is probably the worst we've seen it in years. Just think back to that corner where nobody jumped and just left their men unmarked. I can't say that wouldn't have happened with Merts on the pitch, but it's a fact that that has never happened with him on the pitch. That took shambolic to a new level. Kos definitely isn't captain material. Quick to jog off when injured, doesn't talk to his teammates, head drops quickly when we concede and suffers in silence.....I don't see that from Merts.
I think you're caught up in the all action Kosienly types and forget how much mistakes he made before Merts arrived. As for any team with pace....Chelsea aren't exactly slow are they. That's going off the last game we played and Merts bossed it. You have to pay more attention to his game. Too many generic statements about his pace and such. We've played plenty of quick teams and dealt with them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5ntyDxKUHE
Some love for BFG! Final against Chelsea.
He was very good in the cup final, no doubt about that, but that's one game and every player has the odd very good game from time to time, top players however produce solid performances regularly and stand out from others.
Koscielny is a better defender although error prone and has had interest from big clubs, Mertesacker has never really been on any clubs radar since we signed him which kinda shows noone thinks he's a standout player.
So now that I have a clip of the FA Cup final, you remember the one good performance. :lol: This is the type of debate where I'd have to scour through every single game with highlights over a season and you'd still come back and say every player has one stand out season. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Özim
Kos has more physical attributes over Merts but lacks the leadership and lacks the intelligence. You only have to look at the sending off that had him banned for the final of that example.
His Cup Final performance was one of the most accomplished defensive performances we have seen for many years, either for or against.
That it was his only contribution all season makes it remarkable.
Current UEFA club rankings.
https://i.redd.it/vx2dzpyphy8z.png
No Monaco?
And they forgot to put the spuds in, everyone knows they probably have the best young team in Europe. Said so in the papers.