₦airaland Forum

Spy: Haaland is a defender

Me: No, Haaland is a striker.

Spy: I just gave a hypothesis. It has not yet been proven as fact yet but you need to argue with me that he's a defender

Spy360:
Ok. Now I get your ignorance.

Hypothesis can be a speculation in lay man's language, but it does not stop there. It can also be an UNTESTED IDEA THAT HAS BEEN DRAWN FROM OBSERVATIONS. It is part of the scientific process of establishing facts. In other words, it is a fact that has not been proven. It is the second step of establishing facts or theories or principles, the first is OBSERVATION.


Now why I call my idea an hypothesis is because it is not yet proven.

You clearly said Havertz and White are cerebral players according to how Arteta are USING them.
You clearly said they're the brains of the team.

You said all these because of how they've been playing for arsenal these past few weeks.

How then Is it a hypothesis when the "how" and testing have already happened?

You gave a list of skills, defined them and gave categorised examples with our players under such skills.
How then is it a hypothesis?

I don't care if you're the godfather of research department ooo, but you see this English, you must grab understanding of English first

You can't give an analysis, categorisation and examples, bring a review video from 442 as your reference and when you're bursted you turn around to claim hypothesis.

None of us be pikin here na

mostob:
Na so o. Na that point make me disagree sef...

Spy just dey use English grasp at straws

mostob:

If Gabriel and Holding (strength wise) can't handle Haaland, na VVD go handle am? I doubt sha..

Lol, I'll try and see if I will get that video today.
As long as shoulder barging is involved, I doubt Haaland can do Vvd such nonsense

Modified: https://youtube.com/shorts/hXBuKuxO9DI?si=8IQq7qqH9O5h0RrQ

https://youtube.com/shorts/nj68l_j-Fxo?si=pN4lsGNefI5TASeY

https://youtube.com/shorts/MqPFLbhXrqo?si=s1ejeuaSAo3oj9zH

https://youtube.com/shorts/45ezvd7lABQ?si=gCluf7NLN32e3JAT


Mostob, I don bring you plenty evidence

You see this shoulder barging wey players go dey fall anyhow, no be with Van Dijk

User09:
Use the same argument for Messi vs Ronaldo and you'll see exactly what I mean

Lol... Messi is better than Ronaldo.
Anyone who watches both of them without any sort of sentiments knows these.
Na only Ronaldo fans no go gree but then everyone Is entitled to their opinions

What a rollercoaster weeks of football this team have served us. We're looking well poised for the challenge been set before us and that's really a good thing.

1. Scoring 21 goals in 5 matches and conceding only two is stuff of champions and to do that in 3 away games is nothing to be joked with. What is even more interesting is that we've allowed just two shots on target in those 5 matches. Wowwwwww!!
Back to back zero shot on target conceded while scoring 11 goals? It just feel un-arsenallike but hey, I'm not complaining

2. This Dubai trip seems to do a lot of wonders for us and I'm so glad it came at the right time when we were at our lows. Suddenly no talk of needing a proper Cf amongst our fanbase, cohesion within the team is at an alarming best, our set piece delivery is dope. In fact, it just feels like a new different arsenal compared to the first half of the season.

3. I love the new tweak Arteta have made in finding a system to isolate Saka let him be 1v1 with defenders instead of the normal 2-3vs1 Saka is always suffering from. Now Saka is seen to start from deep before making that darting runs instead of always been hanging out in the wings. The constant fluidity and movement in our frontline helps too. Saka now playing closer to goal infield, Martinelli shuttling between WF and outright Cf, Trossard knowing when to play the CF role and when to drop deep so that Havertz will fill the CF role by making those deep runs which confuses the CBs, White inverting and and helping in our buildup(must be said, he seamlessly took that role like duck to water), Odegaard being Odegaard — pulling the strings with his creativity and vision and Rice doing what he knows best. It must also be said that Raya have been exceptional since the restart of this year. His distribution have been top notch and his confidence at the back is great. Kiwior have been great also since playing the conventional Lb role he's been assigned to but he needs to improve in the attacking 3rd. Not forgetting our two CB dynamos (Gabriel and Saliba)

4. I was surprised about Martinelli first time pass to Odegaard which led to our first goal ystdy. Same thing he did against Man u. I just wish he could be looking up more and giving a certain pass/cross instead of just blindly whipping a hopeful cross anytime he gets to that byline. Trossard and Havertz understanding is something I noticed in this passed two games (various swapping and movement) and I just hope it continues. It not only confuses defenders since they won't know who to mark but it also makes Odegaard to give that defence splitting passes since he can spot runners going in behind defence. Havertz first touch let him down numerous times ystdy and I was hugely surprised cos that's his strongest quality. Happy with his goal cos it's of good quality and long may it continue.
Trossard—Havertz partnership, it'll be interesting to see how it continues when Jesus comes back.

5. Porto away next. Let's go there. I'm feeling more ecstatic than ever. Moreover this team looks more matured and experienced, something we lacked last season. Let's go for the win

COYG!!!

mostob:
You clearly said they're the brain of the team sir.

All you typed here are still postulations without proof.

iamoyindamola:
Funny thing I haven't seen vvd and haaland on such situation
I will be interested in the duel

I think there's a duel they did in Norway Vs Netherlands where Haaland wanted to barge him and he failed.

I'll try look for that video or clip and see if I can get it

User09:
How ironic that this is now being used in favor of C.Ronaldo

When you do something at an extraordinary levels, you'll be judged/favoured differently. It's facts. Ronaldo was scoring goals at an incredulous rate and he was scoring all manners. At that point, he'll be solely favoured with goals and assist

mostob:
You know the funniest thing, Saliba doesn't like gym. One of his teammates said it in an interview. He said Saliba doesn't lift too much weight. I think Gabriel and Rice are the one who lift the biggest weight.

VVD no fit handle Haaland. I was even expecting you to mention Konate. No be small Martinelli bullied VVD.

Hmmm, if the bolded is true then he must have his root from Africa then cos it's not ordinary. Look at Saka strength and see what I mean

As for Haaland—konate, you have a great point there cos Konate na another beast

But I still doubt Haaland will barge Van Dijk that will make van Dijk fall like small pikin.

If you watch that video Sod09 talked about, EVERYBODY he barged fell down. I mean EVERYONE

BlueRayDick:
Himslef and Saliba partnership has saved us a lot of wailings.

I don't want to remmeber the dark days of Papasthapopulous - Mustafi CB partnership .
That bastar.d Mustafi will now be pointing with passion after chopping dribble 😂😂😂

Saliba and Gabriel is the best partnership we've ever gotten since I know arsenal. I don't know about keown/bould cos I never watched them but this two are the best I've known. Na why I deh vex when Arteta been bench Gabu begining of this season.

Anybody wey still no wan give Gabu him flowers just dey do strong head.

A001:
I agree with you. I may be wrong, but Saka seems underrated IMO.

Underrated?
He's certainly touted as one of the best wingers in the world (not just England). In fact, there's an outlet(I think ESPN) that awarded him as the best winger and Right winger in the world last year.
He's England's best footballer of the year (back to back for that matter)

I don't think that's someone that's underrated really.

Amigoss:
What was he doing then that was giving him world best vibes aside the goals/assists

I told you that he was already quaking people's feet na. Saka is undoubtedly good but does he do that presently the way Cr7 was doing his then?

A001:
Is Bukayo Saka underrated?

Cc: Ron.ald17, BlueRayDic.k, et al.

He's not underrated. While it's agreeable he have similar (or better) stats than CR7, but at that game 210, CR7 was already giving Balon dor and world best vibes. CR7 was already quaking people's feet before dey even enter pitch. These are things just Goals/assists won't tell you.

What Saka did at such a young age is very admirable tho

BlueRayDick:
I just say make I tell una say our defense has conceded the least goal(22) in the EPL this season .

Fans like Iamoyin.damola and kokane of blessed memory should apologise to Gabriel for slating his purchase while Mustafi and papasthapopulous were binned o.🚶‍♂️

He was even nominated for January player of the month sef

iamoyindamola:
I was watching epl compilation videos of haaland
It always a disaster for defenders to go shoulder to shoulder when on one on one
Even our own gabu collect last season, but guess what
The only defender that have succeeded is our rolls royce 2 times this season but not without a big fight
IMO the best way to handle such beast like haaland is to take him down to avoid one on one situation
He's like a viking or dorkati warrior
Very dominance

One needs to be very strong for Haaland not to successfully body such person. If you see how Saliba bodied Haaland in our 1-0 win with the latter falling, you'll know say no be anyhow person Saliba be.

Na only two people I'm sure Haaland no fit do that nonsense. Van Dijk and Saliba

Spy360:
I don't understand what you mean in the bolded because both are part of the same process. It's like asking me to make omelette but I shouldn't have broken the eggs. It's from observation that you generate hypothesis. Why I said it is personal is because I didn't read it anywhere. Ii came from my head. After all whatever you will bring must have sometime originated from some body's head. Are you jealous of my hypothesis?

You can write this statement below as hypothesis;

"There are three categories of skills for footballers. They are physical, technical and cerebral"

You can't say Saka is the hand of arsenal while Saliba is the bone of Arsenal then claim it's a hypothesis.

Hypothesis in football terms simply means speculation or preview. In order words, it's something that hasn't happened yet but due to past data or information, you believe this will happen

For example, If you give reasons why you feel/think someone like Havertz will shine for arsenal before he was bought here and reasons why Arteta needs him, that itself is a hypothesis.

All what you're saying since and all what we've been talking about are information that have ALREADY happened or is presently happening. And categorising skills is never termed hypothesis.

You can't say Odegaard is a very good Am, then claim it's a hypothesis. That's a fact through OBSERVATIONS.

Just thank me for the lecture this morning.

Like I said earlier, when you're ready to talk away from hypothesis in this brain, hand and leg matter, then let's discuss.

daveP:
It looked lile he wanted to give him chance cos nobody dey again. We were all here together na when we were vexed at player management plus the lazy attitudes of players as well. I rem the late coming and all but I'm focusing on the role playing aspect. Not defending the guy. He messed up!!

The role aspect, I still believe Arteta would have still used Auba till maybe he(Auba) will leave on a good term. I believed Arteta knew he owes him that. Even though his man-management was poor in the beginning, there were some few people Arteta can't do without and Auba once among those alongside Xhaka.

Na just Auba cast everything.

Spy360:
Lol. You will always go off point trying to catch up with my intelligent analysis.

Mind you, my hypothesis on players' skillset is a personal and not a scientific principle and so you have no obligation to accept it. However, you were not able to refute it either. You failed to give one single logical reason why you rejected it. You simply asked for a reference which I gave for showing that players can be cerebral.

Wait, You're claiming it's a hypothetical skillset? Like you are watching something and you're still doing hypothesis in something we all are observing?
And same you still claim it's personal and when you wanted to start your article you started with :
"There are three categories of skills for footballers. They are physical, technical and cerebral"

Imagine you stating the above in italics and still claim it's hypothetical and personal.


You're not serious Spy. I no dey argue hypothetical and personal things.

How you want make I argue 1+1= 11 with you when it's your own personal calculation.

When you bring something that's general instead of personal and you bring something that's observatory instead of hypothetical we can have a discussion.

Gracias!!

akwesenana:
I think they might be cerebral players sha. Although it kinda falls under technical, I feel there's a little difference.

no difference between what he gave as cerebral players and what we know as technical players. But the chief thing I note is that he claims with cerebral players, they're the brains of the team.

Na only person wey no dey watch arsenal go see Havertz and White call dem "brains of the team"

Spy360:
No the video was referenced to show that some players especially Havertz and Jorginho are cerebral players. I guess you and Jodera missed the first few seconds where he points to his head saying that Havertz is full of brains.

What that analysis aimed at is that it was our cerebral players that made the difference against Liverpool otherwise that game was a balanced draw.

So havertz is full of brains now makes him the "brain" of the team?

At this point na comprehension you suppose dey get first. I'm sorry

Spy360:
Off course it came from my head. There was never at any part of that post did I say it is an established scientific law. It came from my head. The question you should be asking is if it was right or wrong.

I'll also like to see something that came from your head.

You can't coin a term and expect us to gobble it up. You ought to have references. Read any footballing analytical opinions in sites or blog and stuffs like what you wrote always always have references to back it up. That doesn't mean you can't write something off your head through observations.

Even if I give you doubt for Cerebral players, with your definition and examples, it's way off.

You said Rice is more cerebral than Elneny yet you called Elneny a cerebral player while Rice is a physical abi technical player. You just dey muddle everything up and you think you made sense

mostob:
But I won't deny that there is an iota of truth in what he said. Though the way he classified them and his examples may be debatable. Spy na one of a kind.

I'm not doubting his iota of truth. Everyone knows there's physical and technical players or skills, the one category no one knows is cerebral. Oya where did he get it from?
How did White, Elneny (jeezzzz), Havertz and Jorginho fit into the narratives in this team?

That's where is pure lie

daveP:
Okay. I get you.


Me i just felt like he rushed Auba into it. Someone is used to a system for decade of his career approaching 30 and you want to now change his OT of attacking just like that. Not that he was not scoring o. Golden boot too o.

The grace he's giving Kai, he never gave Auba. The ish is no one can determine the depth of a fall off with a manager. That's where Auba really messed up.


They don't suit style, yet ya forcing figs to turn apples?? Haba.

Well, the thing is that is just the off field issues of Auba that facilitated things. Arteta was ready to give him chances esp since Auba helped arsenal and to a large extent Arteta in keeping his job with goals and fa cup. Remember the last season Auba was really trying to always come deep and try to facilitate things during the 2021/22 season?

He tried but he just didn't have the attributes. It was just during his exile(which was his fault) that arsenal really picked up big form with Laca as Cf

mostob:
I was actually expecting his link to discuss more about the whole stuff. Infact, I was ready to learn sef.

Actually, I knew he formed all those things from his head especially with those accompanying examples but I just wanted to give him benefits of doubt to prove me wrong.

Him no disappoint at all

daveP:
Your last paragraph is where you're wrong.


All the 9s we've been linked to will flourish in the setup. However, not all of them are excellent finisher. Imo, it seems Arteta is anticipating an arrival and is setting up the team to play in that way, even though we also know that he can tweak things to accommodate a 9 he likes that's better than Jesus in box. I'll mention just one-Lautaro. Auba situo is just a bad season with an ego striker doesn't mean we throw the baby with both bath, water and the cot.

Osimhen and Toney are obvious 9 that drop deep to facilitate build up and still be in the position to score if the needs arises and they're also good at pressing. So yeah, they'll flourish in this system. Especially Osimhen.

What I'm talking about is the traditional 9s that these types of attributes aren't their game. Our system will struggle with them . I'm not bad-mouthing Auba, just telling you that the system didn't suit him same way it doesn't suit Nketiah now.
They might get the goals but we might not be dominant or winning matches consistently

mostob:
Excellent analysis. That Liverpool game was one of Arteta's best from tactical POV.
However, TBH, this video didn't categorically states who is cerebral, who is cerebellum and who is medulla oblongata. It is just a match analysis.

You sef don see him diversionary tactics

Spy360:
I have no issues if you don't accept my idea. I can also say that you were unable to refute them.

You always ask for references but when you see them you turn around again to deny them or reject them.

The YouTube video below is fourfourtwo (I don't know if you're conversant with the magazine, but they have a strong reputation with Arsenal FC). It's a short video analysing our game with Liverpool. Listen carefully.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPnwo9cY1e8?si=gRnYehytSqCpPT84

Is the bolded you trying to indirectly tell us you formed those terms from your head yet you want us to just gobble it up because you're the alpha and omega of football?
Even people wey dey embark on project, write articles and essays always have references to show yet you couldn't even bring one. Typical you, always forming words and definition of football terms from your head then turn around to accuse me of always rejecting it.

NB: Just because Havertz was instrumental in the first goal against Liverpool doesn't make him the "brain" in our team. I've watched that video a day after our win against Liverpool and because of you I have to rewatch it again, no where was cerebral ever mentioned (which was what I asked you to bring).
I guess you didn't watch his analysis Vs west ham where he specifically said it's through Odegaard our football flows and it was an in-game decision from Arteta that White have to play the Inverted role just so that Odegaard would be accessible. To put it clearly, Arteta basically have to bring Odegaard into the game for we to break their defensive shape.
If you've not watched it, see it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5beivGJWHFc?si=4v65V5EPBhoo_3QD


Also, try and watch this too and see how Rice is also the brains behind this team. It also answers why we always need a false 9(in this system) instead of the traditional 9 most of us are always clamouring for here.

A traditional 9 won't make this system flow well. It's one of the main reasons arsenal got better when Auba was exiled and it's also one of the main reasons Nketiah isn't seeing match presently again (Jesus, Havertz, Trossard in that order). I'll encourage all of us to watch it if we haven't

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPEJlPKWY84?si=5UEvVbh_JeAYR34f

daveP:
I even appreciate him more considering the number of epl fullbacks that are in the hospital so far(over 14)

The position that has suffered since the switch to modern football is the fullbacks. They're expected to defend, attack, invert, make assists, join setpieces set up and recover on counters, and be in a 3v1 situation where teammates leave them sometimes. Plus they're also playing close to the white line so the consciousness of not conceding throws and cks or foolish passes that will jeopardize the team is all on them. They also don't even shoot screamers and score stunners for reasons I don't get. Yet.....


They're also the most likely to get changed positions among defenders

Lb or rb to winger, cm dlp, wb

Spot on with your observations. 💯💯

daveP:
Regardless of the down talks or/and hypes, i believe the next phase is where he singlehandedly begins to make things change for the team, getting tense situations changed and grabbing more spotlight. I dunno if Refs will protect him in return sha. Cos ororo enjoyed that. Salah does too.

This is really an excellent feat.
Saka of ystdy don reach 100g/a.

I even read that he's already equalled his g/a of last season and we're already in Feb. Wow!!!

This guy just keeps getting better and better. Kudos to him

izzou:
[color=royalblue]Anybody protesting should be arrested.

Maybe we can use this experience to ask questions in 2027.

What did Tinubu actually say that made them vote him, if not that he built Lagos from a desert to Dubai?

Person say nothing concern am with dollar, him supporters rejoice

Make Tinubu no gree for Anybody!

If you protest, collect 9mm for forehead.

Shebi debate no matter E go matter for 2027.[/color]

Na this one and "we need his brain not his body" muse me pass

Those two quotes suppose dey pinned for this thread

Mandela27:
but the guy is very consistent,one of my favorite

Yeah, really consistent.
And his understanding with Saka is very very good