₦airaland Forum

Spy360:
I am not obsessed with a striker scoring, I am rather incensed about a striker not scoring because it's absolutely wrong and waste of space. How can we win when we can't score. Players do have goal drought I know, but Lacazette case is not goal drought but normal. That's the point.

If not for a good defense, this team would have been drawing or losing games.

Nketiah is a poacher kind of striker, but even that he has pace, makes good runs, and exhibits some dribbling skills. It's sad for me that you can't see that in the few touches he makes while on for his usual cameos but my football brain tells me he will do better if afforded more opportunities.

You blame Odegaard for shooting but exonerate Laca for not. Go and check Laca's missed clear cut chances and see why he needs to start shooting. Why would a striker not shoot? Any good striker must have a bit of selfishness or else he is done for. Honestly, no one will sign him even as a free agent he he doesn't start scoring. The reason he is still starting is because those you g lads are scoring for him. If for any reason the goals dries up from the flanks, then we will understand why having a scoreless striker is a sin. Like I have said before, an out of form Aubameyang was better.

You said defence have been helping us. When last have we kept a clean sheet before Leicester game?
What you fail to understand is that the team have improved and laca is part of it.

You guys are just tensed up because of a loss against Liverpool and what is even surprising is that no be say Liverpool dey our level sef. Me I'm not worried about us scoring because I know goals can come from anywhere as we're creating chances and we're dominating. The day I'll become worried is when we're not playing together as a team again and we're getting outplayed. Losing only against Liverpool and Man city (home and away) won't stop us from getting top 4, na the Aston Villas and Brighton's of this world that we need to beat. So make una just chill

Laca for now won't take us to the next level(I admit) but for now he's important in us getting top4.

Lastly, shey na out of form Auba bin dey beginning of this season? Na us dey shout how we were always outplayed by the Brighton, Crystal Palace, Norwich but needed scrappy goals to get points from there.

No matter how you wanna twist it but laca was important to us this season and our dominance in game started from when laca was introduced in the Crystal Palace game. You can deny it if you like but that is the truth

Spy360:
Nketiah is a poacher kind of striker. We need such kind of striker who can turn up unexpectedly and get to the end of play. Our team has more than enough creators both left right and centre, those lads need someone who can place the ball inside the net and not a recycler. Imagine if Aubameyang was playing alongside Saka, Odegaard and Martinelli in their current form. I mean, it's easy and I know with time Arteta will get pussed off and do the needful.

Aside Martinelli for ESR(who was even in better form than Martinelli sef), who was the people auba was playing with? Aren't these the same people. In fact, it got so bad that odegaard was seeing the bench In place of Laca.

Those guys started seeing their current form when Laca was slotted into the 9 role and even you admitted it both in the italicized form and the bolded

Spy360:
The fact is that, Laca's presence at the centre is what gives Martinelli the impetus to shine. He won't do same if a similar mode of forward is alongside him. Martinelli will be of less threat in a CF position that is already packed with bullying defenders.

Jodera:
Aside Martinelli for ESR(who was even in better form than Martinelli sef), who was the people auba was playing with? Aren't these the same people. In fact, it got so bad that odegaard was seeing the bench In place of Laca.

Those guys started seeing their current form when Laca was slotted into the 9 role and even you admitted it both in the italicized form and the bolded

Lol

You did not realise that a lot changed between December and now. Even the formation have changed twice. Then we were playing a 442 hibrid, then a 451 double pivot, and now a 451 single pivot. A lot have changed.

Martinelli now gets from Xhaka what Laca was doing, because we now play a double 8, so that the striker can focus on scoring. All our attackers have picked form including and especially Odegaard. Laca's role in that set up (false 9) have become redundant.

https://www.nairaland.com/7035887/does-mesut-ozil-deserve-appology

I remember this issue back than. And people justified it by saying Ozil should stay out of politics and he’s costing us Fans from China.
Today the whole of EPL is standing with Ukraine.
Double standards at its peak is that not costing us fans from Russia?

Jodera:
You said defence have been helping us. When last have we kept a clean sheet before Leicester game?
What you fail to understand is that the team have improved and laca is part of it.

You guys are just tensed up because of a loss against Liverpool and what is even surprising is that no be say Liverpool dey our level sef. Me I'm not worried about us scoring because I know goals can come from anywhere as we're creating chances and we're dominating. The day I'll become worried is when we're not playing together as a team again and we're getting outplayed. Losing only against Liverpool and Man city (home and away) won't stop us from getting top 4, na the Aston Villas and Brighton's of this world that we need to beat. So make una just chill

Laca for now won't take us to the next level(I admit) but for now he's important in us getting top4.

Lastly, shey na out of form Auba bin dey beginning of this season? Na us dey shout how we were always outplayed by the Brighton, Crystal Palace, Norwich but needed scrappy goals to get points from there.

No matter how you wanna twist it but laca was important to us this season and our dominance in game started from when laca was introduced in the Crystal Palace game. You can deny it if you like but that is the truth

Since you have admitted that we need an upgrade on Laca. Let me make some admissions too.

Laca's leadership and mentoring of these young boys must be commended. He has also added some urgency to our play and then his usual ginger. He has done a good job as captain.

But like Xhaka, he is not equipped enough to continue with this current transition. The boys have grown and he is now bringing diminishing returns.

We don't have to wait till season is over to replace them in the starting line up. That's why I will like us to try ESR for Xhaka's role, and Nketiah for Laca's. I am confident they will tu n up like the others have done. They are good already.

Spy360:
Lol

You did not realise that a lot changed between December and now. Even the formation have changed twice. Then we were playing a 442 hibrid, then a 451 double pivot, and now a 451 single pivot. A lot have changed.

Martinelli now gets from Xhaka what Laca was doing, because we now play a double 8, so that the striker can focus on scoring. All our attackers have picked form including and especially Odegaard. Laca's role in that set up (false 9) have become redundant.

Lol.. For your info we weren't playing 442 hybrid in December. We only 442 the period where Laca was partnering Auba

While I get your point, but it'll no be with nketiah abeg. You mean we should test nketiah as a 9 when we're really seriously looking for top 4?

The time for nketiah to stake his claim was beginning of season when we were in turmoil(just as how ESR grabbed his last season). If he didn't get it then ., he should forget it till next season (or if Laca gets injured). No be now we go use our top 4 ambition dey test run Nketiah.

Ò diro wise at all..

Spy360:
Since you have admitted that we need an upgrade on Laca. Let me make some admissions too.

Laca's leadership and mentoring of these young boys must be commended. He has also added some urgency to our play and then his usual ginger. He has done a good job as captain.

But like Xhaka, he is not equipped enough to continue with this current transition. The boys have grown and he is now bringing diminishing returns.

We don't have to wait till season is over to replace them in the starting line up. That's why I will like us to try ESR for Xhaka's role, and Nketiah for Laca's. I am confident they will tu n up like the others have done. They are good already.

Why??
That bolded is very wrong for you to say. No be for middle of season when things don hot we go dey try things and not when we're even getting maximum points (bar Liverpool game).

You mean we should leave the personnels/tactics that's getting us 3 points to try wetin no sure just because you don't like those two?
You mean we should gamble our top 4 ambition on the altar of starting nketiah(cos I don't see any tangible reason why he should start)

Wetin nketiah don do sef for him to deserve such?? Please I need your honest answer cos me I don't understand this your benching laca for nketiah

Jodera:
Lol.. For your info we weren't playing 442 hybrid in December. We only 442 the period where Laca was partnering Auba

While I get your point, but it'll no be with nketiah abeg. You mean we should test nketiah as a 9 when we're really seriously looking for top 4?

The time for nketiah to stake his claim was beginning of season when we were in turmoil(just as how ESR grabbed his last season). If he didn't get it then ., he should forget it till next season (or if Laca gets injured). No be now we go use our top 4 ambition dey test run Nketiah.

Ò diro wise at all..

What have we to lose as Lacazette is not scoring either?

I said it before and I hope he would because I would give Nketiah his break if I were the manager.

Jodera:
Why??
That bolded is very wrong for you to say. No be for middle of season when things don hot we go dey try things and not when we're even getting maximum points (bar Liverpool game).

You mean we should leave the personnels/tactics that's getting us 3 points to try wetin no sure just because you don't like those two?
You mean we should gamble our top 4 ambition on the altar of starting nketiah(cos I don't see any tangible reason why he should start)

Wetin nketiah don do sef for him to deserve such?? Please I need your honest answer cos me I don't understand this your benching laca for nketiah

My answer is the same, what have we to lose?

Those two are pulling the weight of the team down. It will only be a matter of time and they will run out of ideas.

It's not like Arteta should make it a drastic change, but that should be aim. For Nketiah and ESR to replace Laca and Xhaka respectively. It could be gradual, but it could be done as long as we are playing this pattern.

Mind you, it's the tactics that is working not necessarily the players. Arteta has only just found a way to get the best from his best players. This off course does not include Laca and Xhaka, they are just making up the numbers. We all know, if the last window had favoured us, we could have had Vlahovic and Arthur Melo.

Spy360:
What have we to lose as Lacazette is not scoring either?

I said it before and I hope he would because I would give Nketiah his break if I were the manager.

Lol, so nketiah will be the one scoring?

Even ESR coming from bench have scored more goals this season than nketiah coming from bench. If nketiah can't be scoring or assisting when coming on against tired defenders, how can we be sure he'll score when he starts a match.
He has been coming off from the bench in the past month since dec yet he hasn't gotten a goal or wowed any fan here.
Abeg stop with this your fantasy oo

Nothing that you'll say will give Nketiah advantage.

Na so you wan risk our top 4 hope??
We resemble nketiah charity here??

Spy360:
My answer is the same, what have we to lose?

Those two are pulling the weight of the team down. It will only be a matter of time and they will run out of ideas.

It's not like Arteta should make it a drastic change, but that should be aim. For Nketiah and ESR to replace Laca and Xhaka respectively. It could be gradual, but it could be done as long as we are playing this pattern.

Mind you, it's the tactics that is working not necessarily the players. Arteta has only just found a way to get the best from his best players. This off course does not include Laca and Xhaka, they are just making up the numbers. We all know, if the last window had favoured us, we could have had Vlahovic and Arthur Melo.

We're winning games since february and match and you're saying those two are weighing us down? Not even for an experienced striker mostly but rookie Nketiah


As for the bolded, it would be better cos at least those two are experienced and we know the CV.
Nketiah no dey score, no dey assist, no dey have impacts in games but you want make we gamble our top 4 contest on him.

Stop am biko!!

That Vlahovic abi wetin be him name, he say Arsenal no dey Europe he shenk us go Juve now Juve Don commot UCL, they will not Serie and will most likely end the season in similar situation like arsenal

No be juju be that?

Jodera:
Like I said last week, you're obsessed with a striker scoring while me I'm obsessed with my team winning. [/b]The chance of odegaard scoring that goal is 98% but he messed up. Moreover, lacazette wanted to dribble Allison but Allison didn't go down, the worst part is that he even narrowed the angle making the chance difficult for lacazette to score. I don't know why any striker who's thinking about the team success over his personal ego would be thinking of scoring from that tight angle instead of passing to person that's free that has a higher and bigger chance of scoring.
One thing I will blame lacazette for is lack of movement upfront but I'll never ever ever blame him for passing that ball to odegaard. NEVER!![b]

And as for the bolded, thank God you're not Arteta. When martinelli was struggling to break into arsenal premier league squad, he was giving in impressive performances in Europa scoring back to back to back. Aside his goals, his other play was great. Most people(fans) was itching to see martinelli play in the premier league cos we know he's talent. But na nketiah you want make we dash first team shirt because he hit bar against Watford while missing for the remaining duration. Person wey we no dey ever see him impact for pitch anytime he's introduced as a sub naim you want make Arteta put him top 4 hope on??
Kole werk!!

I thought I was the only one who saw that, Allison made that angle very tight and it's difficult to score from there, the best he could have done is lay it back to Odegard.
I could remember Emery,'s first season when Iwobi laid a through ball to Laca and he (Laca) successfully rounded
Allison on the floor and scored in the 1-1 draw.
For me, one of the things I'll attribute this teams improvement is the ability of the attacking players all moving, workng, creating chances and spaces to score as against the former style of relying on the assist lord and that goal machine nigga.
Arsenal were just unlucky, if the Odegard and Martinelli's had gone in, it would have been a deserved draw game.

3 starts, 3 Wins ,3G/A for Reiss Nelson..

Should we cash in or call him back?

BlueRayDick:
That Vlahovic abi wetin be him name, he say Arsenal no dey Europe he shenk us go Juve now Juve Don commot UCL, they will not Serie and will most likely end the season in similar situation like arsenal

No be juju be that?

If there's any player currently that can play that Xhaka role , it is either Patino or Miguel..

ESR is too attacking minded to play the role.
Playing ESR and Ode at the same time will overwork Partey

Fkhalifa:
I thought I was the only one who saw that, Allison made that angle very tight and it's difficult to score from there, the best he could have done is lay it back to Odegard.
I could remember Emery,'s first season when Iwobi laid a through ball to Laca and he (Laca) successfully rounded
Allison on the floor and scored in the 1-1 draw.
For me, one of the things I'll attribute this teams improvement is the ability of the attacking players all moving, workng, creating chances and spaces to score as against the former style of relying on the assist lord and that goal machine nigga.
Arsenal were just unlucky, if the Odegard and Martinelli's had gone in, it would have been a deserved draw game.

Oil dey your head. The way they're talking about that chance, one will think Laca didn't make any effort to score and immediately it didn't work out he looked out for the next best option.

What I'm really happy is that bolded and it's the reason why I'm eager to watch arsenal match with optimism unlike before that I'm just hoping.

Guys that should be happy we even played Liverpool and see the progress the team have made unlike before where they'll play us and still disgrace us is now mad at Laca for not scoring as if laca will even be here next season. Some people are refusing to even look at the bigger picture.

If that Odegaard own have entered sef, the diogo Jota chance would certainly wouldn't have come either and the way arsenal would approach the remainder of that game would have been different.

Me I'm happy with the way we played, if we continue like this I'm certain we can take that top 4 slot and that's my main Joy.

mostob:
If there's any player currently that can play that Xhaka role , it is either Patino or Miguel..

ESR is too attacking minded to play the role.
Playing ESR and Ode at the same time will overwork Partey

Lol.. Spy seems to forget that this team is still work in progress and that for now, we should be looking at team balance instead of disrupting the present team balance and momentum for an uncertain fantasy.

We've tried this midfield trio of Partey, odegaard, smith Rowe twice or more this season and we've been overran.

Now that we've got the balance of midfield and attack which include laca and xhaka, he wants us to try something new as if we dey preseason or as if we aren't fighting for something serious.

Spy360:
My answer is the same, what have we to lose?

Those two are pulling the weight of the team down. It will only be a matter of time and they will run out of ideas.

It's not like Arteta should make it a drastic change, but that should be aim. For Nketiah and ESR to replace Laca and Xhaka respectively. It could be gradual, but it could be done as long as we are playing this pattern.

Mind you, it's the tactics that is working not necessarily the players. Arteta has only just found a way to get the best from his best players. This off course does not include Laca and Xhaka, they are just making up the numbers. We all know, if the last window had favoured us, we could have had Vlahovic and Arthur Melo.

How did I miss this bolded sef??

It's the tactics that's working not necessarily the players.

We can as well start pepe ahead of Saka, Elneny ahead of Partey and Leno ahead of ramsdale

I'm sure we'll be a force to reckon with Oh great Spy

Plot of Premier League midfielders this season | defensive actions per 90 | progressive actions per 90

mostob:
If there's any player currently that can play that Xhaka role , it is either Patino or Miguel..

ESR is too attacking minded to play the role.
Playing ESR and Ode at the same time will overwork Partey

You are right in your own view. But it depends on what the manager wants to do.

But an 8 is a full attacking midfielder. Otherwise he is just a box to box CM.

I think Arteta wants an 8 in that role and ESR foots the bill perfectly.

Jodera:
Lol, so nketiah will be the one scoring?

Even ESR coming from bench have scored more goals this season than nketiah coming from bench. If nketiah can't be scoring or assisting when coming on against tired defenders, how can we be sure he'll score when he starts a match.
He has been coming off from the bench in the past month since dec yet he hasn't gotten a goal or wowed any fan here.
Abeg stop with this your fantasy oo

Nothing that you'll say will give Nketiah advantage.

Na so you wan risk our top 4 hope??
We resemble nketiah charity here??

I believe our opinions on this issue have been well expressed and exhausted. Before this season runs out, Nketiah will drop Lacazette to the bench. It's no prophesy.

Then you will call me your guru.

Jodera:
We're winning games since february and match and you're saying those two are weighing us down? Not even for an experienced striker mostly but rookie Nketiah


As for the bolded, it would be better cos at least those two are experienced and we know the CV.
Nketiah no dey score, no dey assist, no dey have impacts in games but you want make we gamble our top 4 contest on him.

Stop am biko!!

Those two limits the overall team performance even though they win. It was clearer against Liverpool because the are a superior side.

An FYI, Nketiah has the best goal record for an England U21 striker, better than DCL.

Jodera:
Lol.. Spy seems to forget that this team is still work in progress and that for now, we should be looking at team balance instead of disrupting the present team balance and momentum for an uncertain fantasy.

We've tried this midfield trio of Partey, odegaard, smith Rowe twice or more this season and we've been overran.

Now that we've got the balance of midfield and attack which include laca and xhaka, he wants us to try something new as if we dey preseason or as if we aren't fighting for something serious.

A trial will convince you

Jodera:
How did I miss this bolded sef??

It's the tactics that's working not necessarily the players.

We can as well start pepe ahead of Saka, Elneny ahead of Partey and Leno ahead of ramsdale

I'm sure we'll be a force to reckon with Oh great Spy

You make me dey laugh for here

Here is the point.

All the players we have now were the ones we had since the start of the season. There was no single addition in January but rather subtractions.

Hence it's the tactics that's making the difference and not NECESSARILY the players.

Hope this is meaningful.

Spy360:


You make me dey laugh for here

Here is the point.

All the players we have now were the ones we had since the start of the season. There was no single addition but rather subtractions.

Hence it's the tactics that's making the difference and not NECESSARILY the players.

Hope this is meaningful.

I no just get strenghth to explain the bold part of Ur post to him.

No martinelli and Ramsdale in the squad today.

Hope we get all 3 points

Spy360:
I believe our opinions on this issue have been well expressed and exhausted. Before this season runs out, Nketiah will drop Lacazette to the bench. It's no prophesy.

Then you will call me your guru.

Yeah.. Time will tell.

Lol.. If this doesn't happen nko?

Spy360:
Those two limits the overall team performance even though they win. It was clearer against Liverpool because the are a superior side.
FYI, Nketiah has the best goal record for an England U21 striker, better than DCL.

Lol.. I'm not naive to know that shining in u21 and shining at professional level are two different thing entirely.

So many players have been touted as the best in the junior level but never made it at the senior level while some have made great heights at senior level even when they didn't make much noise at junior level

Jodera:
No martinelli and Ramsdale in the squad today.

Hope we get all 3 points

I am not so sure

Jodera:
Lol.. I'm not naive to know that shining in u21 and shining at professional level are two different thing entirely.

So many players have been touted as the best in the junior level but never made it at the senior level while some have made great heights at senior level even when they didn't make much noise at junior level

I saw Lacazette at junior level for France.

I was also old enough to watch Anelka take up striker responsibility for Arsenal at age 17.

I know a good striker when I see one by experience

Jodera:
No martinelli and Ramsdale in the squad today.

Hope we get all 3 points

It looks like Arteta is penalising him for the Liverpool first goal