Invincibles vs Current Squad MNF Video

[I am invisible]

I don't know if anyone else followed the youth side that much, but Coquelin and Wilshere actually formed an excellent midfield partnership in that side that won the Youth Cup under Steve Bould? Haven't had much of a chance to see those two next to each other in the senior side yet, but I'd be interested to see if they've still got that same understanding? Wilshere is better at defending than people generally give him credit for (or at least he's not shy about putting in a challenge), and Coquelin is a better passer and dribbler than people think. Are there better individuals out there? Probably. But as MarcO says, those little partnerships and understandings can sometimes lift you up another level.

I'd certainly like to see Wilshere used in one of those deeper roles, whether he's paired with Coquelin or not. He's a very similar player to Rosicky, for me, who I've also always thought was far better suited to playing deeper, with the game in front of him. Might stop him getting injured so much too, if he's not constantly running at a wall of massive CBs and getting chopped down every 5 minutes? Never thought I'd say it, but England have the right idea here...

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

I don't know if anyone else followed the youth side that much, but Coquelin and Wilshere actually formed an excellent midfield partnership in that side that won the Youth Cup under Steve Bould? Haven't had much of a chance to see those two next to each other in the senior side yet, but I'd be interested to see if they've still got that same understanding? Wilshere is better at defending than people generally give him credit for (or at least he's not shy about putting in a challenge), and Coquelin is a better passer and dribbler than people think. Are there better individuals out there? Probably. But as MarcO says, those little partnerships and understandings can sometimes lift you up another level.

I'd certainly like to see Wilshere used in one of those deeper roles, whether he's paired with Coquelin or not. He's a very similar player to Rosicky, for me, who I've also always thought was far better suited to playing deeper, with the game in front of him. Might stop him getting injured so much too, if he's not constantly running at a wall of massive CBs and getting chopped down every 5 minutes? Never thought I'd say it, but England have the right idea here...

I would agree about the partnership of Coquelin and Wilshere if the latter was able to stay fit, to be honest we have given Wilshere chance after chance to stay fit and really he has to go at the end of the season if he doesn't feature in at least half the games.

[mastermind84]

We didn't need a clone, I just don't think passive pass merchant like Fabregas was ever going to be adequate enough.

I agree with you. It's just harsh to say Wenger had an "oversight" for not discovering a player that no longer exists.

Coquelin is an excellent DM and works his nuts off chasing back but his ball distribution and his ability to run with the ball to set up an attack is limited and that's why you need someone sitting deep alongside him. Wenger does recognise this and has opted to play Cazorla in the box to box position which he can do and at his best excels at it given that it's not his natural position but when we are attacking he is slow to get back and can leave Coq doing too much cleaning up work on his own.

Cazorla hurts the team at that position as well because he doesn't defend.

If we are going to be honest, Wenger needs to find a complete central midfielder to pair with Ramsey. I think that's what you meant Marc_Overmars.

[mastermind84]

Snap. But I think Coquelin has a lot more to show with his dribbling and passing. He's shown in a few games recently he can spread the ball and I remember seeing him at the Emirates having a storm of a game. Dribbling, passing and hard tackles. We have more to come from this guy.

It's not about passing and dribbling as much as if he can spot runs quickly.

The reason Wenger loaned him around the world in the first place was due to him holding the ball too long.

[Power n Glory]

It's not about passing and dribbling as much as if he can spot runs quickly.

The reason Wenger loaned him around the world in the first place was due to him holding the ball too long.

Did Wenger actually say why he was loaned out?

[Penguin]

I think Coquelin's footballing ability is very underrated, especially by gooners. His short passing is good and he has that pass to spread the play to either wing in his locker. He doesn't need to be Xavi cause he's got 3 or 4 playmakers on his team who should be doing that role.

[Niall_Quinn]

I agree with you. It's just harsh to say Wenger had an "oversight" for not discovering a player that no longer exists.


Cazorla hurts the team at that position as well because he doesn't defend.

If we are going to be honest, Wenger needs to find a complete central midfielder to pair with Ramsey. I think that's what you meant Marc_Overmars.

It's not that he needs to fine one - what he needs to do is act when the player is jumping up and down under his nose.

[alexander]

Never thought i would say it, because as a player he was a right little turd, but Gary Neville talks a lot of sense (not just Arsenal related). Robbie Savage, Carra and others could learn a thing or too.
Everything he said was right. This team can not win the title, they are just not good enough to go toe to toe with man city or chelsea over a full season.

[Maestro]

It's not that he needs to fine one - what he needs to do is act when the player is jumping up and down under his nose.

Vidal then get Reus, and we would have been set to go, but hey top quality players are not available and there is no one we could have got to improve our squad ....utter tosh

[Globalgunner]

Two things:
1. Wenger doesnt really want to improve the squad. Having the right players in the right places at the same time, removes his final get out of jail card. Come the end of this season I bet you he will be saying: Well yes we ended 10 points offf the leaders but you must remember, we couldnt get the players we need as the clubs refused to sell them. Also Chelsea, United and City spend a total of 350m and we only spent 13m, so we have done well to finsh 3rd/4th.

2. Wenger is dedicated to this system he has been cultivating since 2005. Beauty above effectiveness. He does this because he can afford to, we still make CL despite his eccentricities. Even if we had got Vidal, Reus et al, we would not abandon this tippy tappy shit. New players will either have to integrate or get sidelined.

To the essence of the argument. Yes we need characters like the invincibles, people who are tough physically and mentally, Players that hate to lose, that bear grudges remember defeats. Players who know what works and what doesn't. Does anyone think the team of 99-2005 would stand for this aimless tippy tappy no shoot policy?.
Wenger has moulded this team, fabricated its psyche to mirror his own. Every defeat is water off a ducks back. No post mortem of what went wrong, just pencil it down to bad luck, bad officiating, bad weather, or just lack of sharpness. He wont buy warriors because they may infect the other players. He wants to be the dominant personality in the team, and so he buys only malleable, laid back types. Good players come become disllusioned and go. Wenger just presses reset and starts all over again.
This season no doubt will end up resembling every other one we've seen for the last 10 years. Sometimes great but mostly average. The fear i have is that a lot of PL teams have now got resources to buy previously unattainable quality. We no longer have the edge in quality over teams that we had before to make up for Wenger`s obvious defects. Apart from the keeper, we have stagnated while every other team has upgraded. It will be close, however we have other teams stepping up to make life hard for the usual suspects, Us, United, City and Chelsea. It could either be a record season for City or a bunfight among last years top 8. I fancy Swansea to really surprise everyone this season, Good manager with a good team