Shite.
That's my response to the thread title.
Shite.
That's my response to the thread title.
Saying weaker in capitals doesn't make it any more true, less number yes but that doesn't neccesarily equate to being weaker. When you talk about analysis, why don't you think about what combination of players we will have that mightly actually work rather than focusing on 'replacing' a pre-ordained amount. I think someone like Gnabry would be able to be a thread in combinations with what we currently have up front for those occasional roles, based on what I saw pre-season.
The same goes for Eisfeld but I doubt whether Wenger really trusts him.
I don't think it matters if they replaced his goals or not - I don't really know how we can say his 30 goals were replaced by them and just say the other 30 odd weren't replaced by the rest of the team. Plus, are we not forgetting about how a better defence can help us to be better in attack? I'll feel more comfortable with Koscielny and Mertesacker in defence for those bigger games, should it go that way, so hopefully we won't be 2-0 down in the first half at WHL or Stamford Bridge.
The squad is weaker with deadwood gone than it would have been if they were still here, I say this because:Saying weaker in capitals doesn't make it any more true, less number yes but that doesn't necessarily equate to being weaker. When you talk about analysis, why don't you think about what combination of players we will have that might actually work rather than focusing on 'replacing' a pre-ordained amount. I think someone like Gnabry would be able to be a thread in combinations with what we currently have up front for those occasional roles, based on what I saw pre-season.
1. Zero competition for places, none, zilich. Instead of a Gnabry getting a call up based on merit, injuries will force him into the team, on unknown confidence levels and, well, you should all know how that works out.
2. What ever defensive organisations and tactics we acquired last season (TBH, it was mostly the midfield ramsey and arteta bossed it) could have applied to the *deadwood* - Given that we don't have any defensive cover atm, are you expecting our first choice CB pairing to play all 60 games? Or do you think rotation just means playing the same 11 in different parts of the pitch?
3. The injury spiral. The smaller the squad, the more each individual player has to play, the more pressure they are under to be brought back into the squad quickly when they do get injured and with such a small squad to choose from, and with a respectable number that squad being over 30...
And re: your dig at "Anaylsis"
Combination of players for particular positions? The reality is each player has so many hats that it's rather pointless, Carzola is likely to play in every midfield position and forward position beyond CF and CDM. I wouldn't be surprised to see Ramsey playing in right back before the end of the season given no reinforcements and with Miqel and Yanaris on loan, we don't even have any viable reserves in defence. We're also a goal keeping injuring and red card away from Sagna playing in goal, btw, who is our reserve goal keeper this season? Sagna will probably play at center back at some point this season too, soon if Kos's injury is confirmed. And if wenger has figured out that ramsey, diaby and rosicky don't work on the wings (if we ever have all 3 to pick from at any point this season) we're short on natural wingers even if you imagine podolski, walcott and carzola being ideal in those positions.
And that's before having the luxury of having a potent CF option....
But I guess we shouldn't forget Sanogo...
The whole point is - our squad is thin, wenger knows this, I'd be surprised if he doesn't remedy this with another panic buying spree... to ask, again, what was the point of the clear out if ideal targets weren't chosen in advanced and given a full pre-seaon?
Last edited by AKBapologist; 13-08-2013 at 08:22 AM.
I'm not sure how 'deadwood' as you call it could be relied upon to provide competition. It's deadwood for a reason, surely? Anyway someone like Gnabry is not going to be a starter barring injuries in all likelihood so I don't imagine it would be the case that he would lack any motivation. Talented young attacking players tend to be unburdened by fear and without wanting to sounding wistfully clichéd have something to prove.Originally Posted by AKBapologist
Out of the players previously mentioned it is only Gervinho that made any signficant amount of appearances last season (at 26) - Arshavin and Chamakh had about 16 appearances between them and that's heavily weighted in Arshavin's favour.
Talking about Wenger bringing players back prematurely has been occuring for multiple seasons, I don't disagree that the squad could be stronger but clearly Wenger didn't feel he could rely on Arshavin and Chamakh otherwise they would've played a lot more than they did last season, even when we did have injuries (though last season wasn't too bad in comparison).
I don't expect Mertesacker and Koscielny to play 60 games together, that would be silly but I do expect them to play as many matches as Mertesacker and Vermaelen did as a pairing last season. Also, we have no idea who we will yet play in those 20 games so I don't feel that we should be looking at much outside of what could happen for league games (and the two play-off matches).
Sagna and Jenkinson will be in the right-back position for most of the season. I don't think there is much of a problem in terms of numbers for defence, we could possibly do with one more CB that is content to be a squad player but anything else would just be getting players in for the sake of it.
If you mean as of right now who is our second choice goalkeeper? I suspect Fabianski.
Targets were chosen in advance I'm sure of that but seeing it through, even when circumstances from the selling side is our problem. It's not always desirable to get things done very early on - you can never be entirely sure who will become available for instance but I agree, there should be a limit to how close we're willing to go to the window without one of the targets attained.
A few points.
Sagna's been drilled to play center back, at +30 years old, and can't cross for shit - a smart move imo. According to reports, we're interested on a 29 year old right back from juventus.
Bringing back players from loan has some pretty serious penalties in most of the agreements. And tbh, I don't think any of the loanee's are good enough to play on a daily basis in the first 11. Have a good look at that list btw, there's another +40 appearances from players like Coquelin and Mannone....
Which brings me back to my other question, who is our 3rd choice keeper now? I don't even know who the reserve keeper is? Iliev? (who?)
And finally, our reserves, featuring Eisfied, Hayden, Bellerin, Zelalem and Akpom just lost 5 - 1 to colchester united fyi. There previous result was a 7-0 loss to luton town.
I'd rather be looking at the Arsenal Ladies squad for reinforcements tbh.
Any ideas what the bench would be on Wednesday? Hell, what the fuck will the back line be against Fulham.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4
Don't know who will play at the back vs Fulham. We'll have to start drafting kids in I suppose. Don't know who we'll have for defensive cover on the bench. Wenger is a laughing stock. Who has ever been this poorly prepared for a season?
Für eure Sicherheit
Mail are reporting that AOC is out for the rest of the year.
In total our sick bench looks like this:
Thomas Vermaelen
Mikel Arteta
Ryo Miyaichi
Ignacio Monreal
Abou Diaby
Bacary Sagna
Tomás Rosický
Aaron Ramsey
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Notice how every one of our +30 year olds is now injured. In addition, Walcott, Wilshire and Carzola were not match fit and are high risk at further injuries given the matches we've got (4 between now and the 2nd of September, including a London derby and 2 CL qualifiers...)
Another way of looking at things is that we've got 15 players who don't have injuries, including Bendtner, Park, Frimpong and Ryo. Tottenham have around 23, 24 if they sign Willian and manage to retain Bale...
Guide to Super Market Sweep 2013:
99% Chance of signing: Goal Keeper. You can't have only 2 senior keepers, further more, Damien Martenez hasn't been good enough apparently and Dragen Illev has been played in his place during recent reserve matches. Who this will be is anyone's guess, but, an older experienced goalie who wouldn't mind the bench would be my choice.
90% Chance of signing: CDM. No Arteta, no midfield. It's as simple as that, Ramsey can't screen midfield on his own - he's currently injured now anyway, even if you expect arteta back soon (4-6 weeks), he's over 30 and must play less games this season, than the 43!! he made last season. Wilshire needs to get the fuck out of lower midfield and learn to become more productive around the box.
80% Chance of signing: Right Back: Sanga was shocking, both at right and left back this weekend. He's been pretty bad throughout pre season. Furthermore, injuries, age and the lack of competition mean this position is very light.
50% Chance of signing: Center forward: The problem here is that I believe Wenger is looking for diversity in the type of options we have up front. Someone mobile, creative who can create chances, and/or is clinical. I don't think there are many options available for this right now, or at least, not at any price we're likely to spend.
30% Chance of signing: Left sided winger. We've over relied on our right hand side last season. Although having a balance between a technical and pacey winger is ideal, both need to be productive in terms of goals and assists. Gervinho wasn't the answer any more than Poldolski was, and although AOC was somewhat productive on the left this weekend, most of the game we lacked width due to his tendency to cut in - which was also a problem on the right with Theo. Now that Gervinho has been sold, AOC is out for 6 months and the nearest thing we have to an alternative is Ryo (who's also currently injured)... we're a bit fucked. We really need a creative winger, ideally left footed, but I'm not holding my breath.
20% Chance of signing: Center back. Sagna can play there, (when he's back from whiplash or a broken neck) and so can Ramsey (when he's back from injury...) - We may panic buy just to deal with the next couple of games however...
Last edited by AKBapologist; 18-08-2013 at 10:22 PM.
That's a massive and possibly fatal setback to his career if true. Apparently Wenger was working them all into the ground in pre-season, had to get his numbers right in the spreadsheet.Mail are reporting that AOC is out for the rest of the year.
Für eure Sicherheit
I don't know what the fuck happened in pre-season. TBH, I think the internationals had more of a toll on all of our GHEL's tbh. None of them were sharp.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote