I think this one has moved into it's on! territory now. :bow:
Printable View
I think this one has moved into it's on! territory now. :bow:
I'll start the scapegoat thread shortly, just so we have everything covered.
Wenger OUT!!
Should have signed [insert player name] instead! Everything is shit!
Don't we usually lose the player as soon as these threads are started? Do we not want him?
I will believe it when:
David Ornstein speaks
Wenger says he has never heard of him
The player gets injured
Until then..
Not bad and the right sort of player though his disciplinary history is concerning.
My guess for the first choice midfield:
Ozil
Santi
Xhahxa
with Ramsey, Coquelin, Elneny and Jack interchanging into it when necessary. Perhaps Toral as well if Wenger rates him.
Now go and sign a fucking striker!!
he'd have been 10 when we won that titleQuote:
Originally Posted by Munchies
He looks like Ronaldo's retarted brother in the pic.
We need a striker and and defender so what does Wenger do, he signs a midfielder.
I don't understand why we need him.
Retarted? That actually works.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kano
Knew what I was doing all along tbh.Quote:
Originally Posted by McNamara That Ghost...
We need both ideally, as Coq is a good squad player, filler but not a regular starter. Elmo is the same.Quote:
Originally Posted by dostoy
Can't complain if he is an upgrade on what we already have. But we do also need a 1st choice CB to play alongside Kos, a top striker and probably an upgrade on the options we have at right wing. Plus a couple of squad fillers if we lose the likes of Gibbs, Debuchy, Ospina etc. I really can't see Wenger doing all that though. No doubt we will be left '1 or 2' short as always!
433Quote:
Originally Posted by The Emirates Gallactico
Have Jack (Santi when Jack is injured), Ramsey, and Xhaka at the base.
Or a diamond with those 3 and Ozil up top.
3 central midfielders are needed at all times
@bbcsport_david
Arsenal close to signing Gladbach mdf Granit Xhaka. Agreement reached on £30m deal, in London to finalise terms, medical this weekend #AFC
It's done! :bow:
What time is the press conference?
7pm bruh
£30m eh. He better be the new Vieira.
How did Coquelin go from being one of the best defensive midfielders since last January to a squad signing? Wtf are we looking for in that position? Patrick Vieira? To me, Coquelin is as good a DM as there is in the PL. His interception, tackling and work ethic are some of the best in the PL.. how on earth did he become a squad player for an average team like us?! Top 5 players at Arsenal tbh..Quote:
Originally Posted by Kano
Sell him he's shit etc
He never was. We simply got excited because we had a player that worked hard, didn't leave gaping holes in midfield and liked to tackle. In the modern incarnation of Wenger's team it seem revolutionary. But in reality he isn't the answer to our central midfield when it comes to starting every week. A good player, definitely want to keep him as a useful squad member but not beyond that.Quote:
Originally Posted by fakeyank
I agree. He's disciplined, which at the time when he came back from loan was exactly what we needed. Now though with Elmo providing a similar service, plus some great distribution on top, I think Coq's role will be limited to that of a bit part player. Especially with Xhaka in the mix now as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kano
More than happy for Coq to remain in the squad though, sometimes when things are desperate players like him will save your bacon. Always room for a water carrier tbh.
I'll be quite happy to see whoever does their role most consistently and with the least fuss play alongside Cazorla in midfield, be that Elneny, Xhaka, Coquelin or Ramsey (however unlikely). Do the simple things well, know your role and don't make mistakes.
I do think that with his ball retention, creativity and mobility, Santi is still a mainstay.
Though I appreciate it might be slightly erring towards the attacking side I think it would be worthwhile if our forward was lethal....
Forgot Wilshere too!
His range of passing looks really good, very disciplined as well. If you look closely tho, he has runners all around him and we have to make sure we do that. We can't have static players and render his qualities useless. Wenger cannot force him to pass it sideways to, let the guy do what he knows.Quote:
Originally Posted by Munchies
I have always loved a left footed DCM, they look so classy and give the midfield a nice balance.
Not being funny but he looks under virtually no pressure in most of the clips......I do find it interesting that because of the price tag, we are kind of taking it as read that he is any good and many seem to have formed a strong opinion already when he has something of a modest reputation.
To be honest I don't know much about him (I don't think many of us do) but if Wenger of all managers is prepared to spend £30m on a player, you have to assume he's got something about him. I don't see him parting with this kind of cash on any old flavour of the month player.Quote:
Originally Posted by Blink 1nce Quince 2wice
I read some comparisons with Schweinsteiger and Alonso which is encouraging at least, god knows we've needed a proper CM for years.
:gp:Quote:
Originally Posted by Marc Overmars
I hadn't heard of him 6 months ago, so let's hope he settles well and can show us what he has in his locker.
He seems to get booked alot, but from what I've read, he is a 'natural leader' on the pitch and stands up for himself and the team.
:good:Quote:
Originally Posted by Kano
I think part of the problem is that Coquelin and Cazorla work best as a package, and fill in the blanks in each other's games really well - the two of them together is a beautiful thing, but lose one and you kind of lose the whole attacking or defensive side of the heart of the team. Given the frequency and severity of the injuries we pick up, that's a worry.
With players like Xhaka, Elneny, and dare I say Wilshere, if he's ever fit (and played in the right place), I think we're looking at more independent, rounded players - none of them may be quite the passer that Cazorla is, or quite as efficient a tackler and interceptor as Coq is, but they're all competent or better in both areas, and I think each of them would probably cope with the loss of any given partner a little easier?
Maybe he's just an English player (so to speak) playing in a foreign league, and the sort of things he gets booked for out there may be no big deal in the Prem?Quote:
Originally Posted by Munchies
That is a reasonable assumption yes......though haven't many lost faith in his judgement? I don't expect him to be a dud.....but I am surprised so many expect him to easily be the first name on the team sheet. Probably just relieved we are spending money.Quote:
Originally Posted by Marc Overmars
I actually think we have a midfield good enough to win a league but not a front line....and that has been the case far too long now.
Car Jacker in London and completing personal terms and a medical this weekend
I think we've lacked a good all round CM for years, how many times do we just seem to empty the midfield and get overrun?Quote:
Originally Posted by Blink 1nce Quince 2wice
I still agree with the attack though, without an effective front line we're never going to be competitive in the league or CL.
Add to that list a better manager as well. Regardless who we sign in the summer I have little faith in us properly challenging next season with Wenger still at the helm.
In a way us signing Xhaka is like somebody having a faulty engine but instead of buying a new one, he decides to replace his rims....
So many reasons why this signing won't make a blind bit of difference come next May. We all know what they are and we all know where they originate. Unless we're going to change almost everything about our game then we're going nowhere. Even the staunchest optimist must have twigged by this iteration in the loop. At least in Groundhog Day Murray learns as he goes, he doesn't just do the same thing over and over.Quote:
Originally Posted by Marc Overmars
This boy is coming with a big rep, Pep tried to sign him for Bayern last summer and Gladbach rejected the 35mill offer. From the little I've seen of him he looks a very good player, highly technical, strong in the tackle, very good passer (long & short). He has the potential to be world class if he keeps on developing. Good signing, surprised we've got him. :)
Still think we need to upgrade Centre Forward & Centre Back.
P.S I Agree with NQ, this signing will be pointless if we don't adapt our approach and implement a system that benefits the starting players.