Santos as a LW ?

[Syn]

If this happens it would mimic the 07 summer signing of Sagna. Eboue (like Gibbs) was an average defender but doing quite well, great going forward...and Wenger decided to fix something that wasn't broken by bringing in a better RB in Sagna. Then he pushed Eboue as a right-mid and it worked to a certain extent, we went on to have a good season and width and overlapping runs of Eboue and Sagna allowed us to keep a pretty good shape.

The reason this Santos thing won't work is there's absolutely nothing he offers you over Podolski. With Eboue, at least he had good pace and a decent enough cross. Santos doesn't keep his width, waddles in-field and starts tapping it about (poorly) like he's one of the CMs. Waste of space - not needed. Left side was doing well recently or, at least, looked like our best bet in terms of getting a goal. Podolski in form and Gibbs overlapping was becoming a decent partnership. Should be interesting to see what happens with Monreal now. He's still only young but we need Oxlade to take off. That would make our options out-wide a lot stronger. Cazorla should be constantly playing on the right but Wenger's trying to cram Wilshere and Cazorla in the same space and it's not working.

[Özil's Panoramic View]

I don't mind him playing Lfb or LW, or even striker for that matter, as long as he's not doing so in an Arsenal shirt.

He needs to fuck off.

[Power n Glory]

If this happens it would mimic the 07 summer signing of Sagna. Eboue (like Gibbs) was an average defender but doing quite well, great going forward...and Wenger decided to fix something that wasn't broken by bringing in a better RB in Sagna. Then he pushed Eboue as a right-mid and it worked to a certain extent, we went on to have a good season and width and overlapping runs of Eboue and Sagna allowed us to keep a pretty good shape.

The reason this Santos thing won't work is there's absolutely nothing he offers you over Podolski. With Eboue, at least he had good pace and a decent enough cross. Santos doesn't keep his width, waddles in-field and starts tapping it about (poorly) like he's one of the CMs. Waste of space - not needed. Left side was doing well recently or, at least, looked like our best bet in terms of getting a goal. Podolski in form and Gibbs overlapping was becoming a decent partnership. Should be interesting to see what happens with Monreal now. He's still only young but we need Oxlade to take off. That would make our options out-wide a lot stronger. Cazorla should be constantly playing on the right but Wenger's trying to cram Wilshere and Cazorla in the same space and it's not working.

Pod has really been struggling as winger imo. He can have anonymous games and he's been at his best when we have space. He's not very direct and will hardly drive at his man and attempt to dribble past them. Maybe it's something he'll adjust to but I wouldn't mind seeing Santos played there if we ever had to push Pod into the centre or give him a rest.

I agree with Wilshere and Cazorla. The pair just aren't working together. The midfield trio have no cohesion and it's a serious worry. Maybe in time they'll get better.

[Syn]

Pod has really been struggling as winger imo. He can have anonymous games and he's been at his best when we have space. He's not very direct and will hardly drive at his man and attempt to dribble past them. Maybe it's something he'll adjust to but I wouldn't mind seeing Santos played there if we ever had to push Pod into the centre or give him a rest.

I agree with Wilshere and Cazorla. The pair just aren't working together. The midfield trio have no cohesion and it's a serious worry. Maybe in time they'll get better.

He does have some quiet games but he has become more consistent recently. The bottom line is that three attacking players (Giroud, Walcott, Podolski) are going to struggle the games if we can't control the midfield. He has put in some fantastic performances in the games we have won recently - and Theo and Giroud are really benefiting as a result. He can do what's required of him - best crosser in the team by far, tracks back well to help out Gibbs who's usually stuck in the opposition penalty area. But we know when wide players don't see enough of the ball the temptation is to start going in field. And then when you do have the ball they're not where you want them to be.

Can't see the mid trio of Cazorla, Wilshere + (Ramsey, Arteta, Diaby) getting better. The central midfield has been horrible (that's not to say they're playing badly, it's just that they don't fit in their roles). Wilshere and Cazorla are not CMs. Just because Wilshere can tackle doesn't mean we should want him tackling because his strengths are elsewhere - he should be high up the pitch (like in the Swansea game) taking the ball 30 yards out and looking to do something. We should be building the team around him. What we desperately needed was a massive physical presence in the centre who is only focused on winning the ball back. Some reckless nutcase. I'm not interested in their attacking contribution, just sit there, win your headers, win your tackles and pass to the nearest player. Then you play Arteta/Diaby alongside that monster, and allow Jack to basically do whatever he wants. Put Cazorla out wide on the right, Theo/Giroud up front, Podolski left and the balance is sorted.

[Niall_Quinn]

He's probably going to be shipped out in the summer, but how about trying him out in the position Bale plays in ? Shit at defending, decent at attacking.

I agree, he'd be great in Bale's role! Plus it would be serious fun laughing at the spuds. Definitely, sell him to the bastards.

[fakeyank]

I'd play him on the left side of the pitch outside the touchline.. he can keep passing the ball to the ball boy and warm up all he can. He is a serious waste of space. Dont want him anywhere near an Arsenal team

[McNamara That Ghost...]

BBC Radio 5 live senior football reporter Ian Dennis at the Stadium of Light:

"I have some transfer news for Arsenal fans. I expect left-back Andre Santos to return to Brazil in the next few days, with a loan deal possible to Gremio."

Oh no.

[Asthmatic Kitty]

looks like he's gone
http://www1.skysports.com/football/n...an-side-Gremio

[Cripps_orig]

Good luck to him

[Dennis Bendtner]

Arrival at his new club:



these are always funny. Vassell.