Summer transfer joy and happiness

[Power n Glory]

I love how M's name gets shorter every time it's written!

Funny you should say that [about the 4-2-2-2]... I was just thinking that that's how most of these shapes / formations will probably end up in real-time when we're in possession. Most likely we'll end up Özil either coming more central to play through balls (or getting down the channels for cut-backs), with Auba hitting the near post, Laca ghosting in behind to the back post (hopefully unnoticed) and Ramsey following in as a delayed runner to give us a 3-pronged goal-threat. Any real width will be provided by the fullback on whatever side the play is on.

I've always thought that shape was more about how we regroup when we're defending anyway, and where our players should be starting attacks from - beyond that there's not much predicting how it will unfold, as wide players might come central, central players might go wide, advanced players might drop back (e.g. for hold-up play), deeper players might overlap, wingers might swap sides, etc, etc... basically anyone in the front 4 could end up anywhere, really! As long as the rest of the team maintains a more rigid, disciplined shape then I'm kind of happy for the for the attackers to freestyle it (to a certain extent).

This is why I don't think I'll ever understand why so many attackers care so much about the exact starting positions they're given - across the 90 minutes, they're likely to end up doing a bit of everything anyway, and in a high-press they're certainly all going to have to put in a defensive shift - is it really that big a deal? (Keeping in mind we're talking about "professionals" here, who are paid millions of pounds a year to do this for a living - just deal with it, please!)

For me, the starting position matters and effects how we attack and defend. The more you freestyle, the harder it gets to maintain a rigid order. It relates back to what we were saying about Ramsey, if he’s bombing forward further than the striker, his recovery run to try and defend when play breaks down will be difficult and almost impossible to recover from. You need someone to cover his position.
But if you have wingers that are also cut inside to a central position exposing the flanks, full backs bombing forward to compensate for a in drifting wingers, you’re left vulnerable to counter attacking teams.

Also, this relates to what I was saying to Blink about Ozil, I believe if you’re not playing in your natural position when receiving the ball, you’re always having to work yourself into getting into the optimal position but by the time you work your way in field or out wide, the opportunity has gone or you’ve lost the ball. If you’re hogging possession and have a slow build up play, you’ll eventually get into the spot you want to be in but you’re most likely crowded out by defenders.

[Özim]

Ozil has been great on the wing for Germany and Real I believe, been very effective on the counter, IMO that's his best position when he performs.

[Mac76]

Ozil has been great on the wing for Germany and Real I believe, been very effective on the counter, IMO that's his best position when he performs.

The World Cup kind of passed you by, then...?

[Power n Glory]

Ozil has been great on the wing for Germany and Real I believe, been very effective on the counter, IMO that's his best position when he performs.

Yes and in 2011/12, Wayne Rooney was still banging in goals for Man Utd. Things change and shit happens.

[Özim]

The World Cup kind of passed you by, then...?

I didn't mean in the World Cup, but in the past when Ozil has stood out, this was generally on the wing in counter attacks, IMO that's where he excels, quick counters where he delivers a great cross or ball as his delivery is very accurate.

We just don't seem to use him to his strengths consequently we never see the best of him.

[Özim]

Yes and in 2011/12, Wayne Rooney was still banging in goals for Man Utd. Things change and shit happens.

But not for Walcott right, he's still hard done by even today

More recently than that for sure, IMO we haven't used Ozil effectively, he needs to be in a counter attacking team if you want to see him at his best.

[Power n Glory]

But not for Walcott right, he's still hard done by even today

More recently than that for sure, IMO we haven't used Ozil effectively, he needs to be in a counter attacking team if you want to see him at his best.

Walcott's time has come and gone.

Everything discussed yesterday was past tense and based on what he’s done and not what he can do today. I thought you’d understand that.

Bringing up what Ozil did at Real Madrid for Jose Mourinho is pointless. People are talking about his performance for Arsenal yesterday and what we’ve seen of him on the wing in the past for Arsenal and Germany. What worked almost 10 years ago might not work today.

[Özim]

Walcott's time has come and gone.

Everything discussed yesterday was past tense and based on what he’s done and not what he can do today. I thought you’d understand that.

Bringing up what Ozil did at Real Madrid for Jose Mourinho is pointless. People are talking about his performance for Arsenal yesterday and what we’ve seen of him on the wing in the past for Arsenal and Germany. What worked almost 10 years ago might not work today.

As I said though, we've never played him in the right way, I've always maintained he never suited our style of play, he's best suited to counter attacking, unless we play wth more pace and with more counters we'll never see the best of him.

He's not been in great form for Germany recently but he wasn't German footballer of the year in 2011, 2012, 2013,2015 and 2016 for nothing.

[Power n Glory]

As I said though, we've never played him in the right way, I've always maintained he never suited our style of play, he's best suited to counter attacking, unless we play wth more pace and with more counters we'll never see the best of him.

He's not been in great form for Germany recently but he wasn't German footballer of the year in 2011, 2012, 2013,2015 and 2016 for nothing.

If you’ve been following the conversation, this is exactly what folks in here have been talking about this morning.

[Özim]

If you’ve been following the conversation, this is exactly what folks in here have been talking about this morning.

We will if we play more counter attack of course, whether we do or not is up for debate of course, I didn't categorically say we'd never see the best of him, just that we may not.