₦airaland Forum

Jodera2:
1.. Lol, juventus aren't called Old Ladies for nothing na.
If I call chiellini and thiago Silva old, I'm not wrong. I dunno why you see this as an issue to be honest

2... Yes, pique was slightly above average. Every barca fans knows that. No sentiments!!

32 is the best age to be a defender. Calling Puyol old at that age is an irony.

Every good player is above average. Berating Pique for being above average is a paradox.

Jodera2:
.. We factored it na. That's why we were happy for partey signing cos we knew partey have the tendency to shield our defence (not consisting of mustafi and sokratis oo)

He did that expertly against Man u first leg

When I said factored it is to say that signing a midfielder to strengthen your defense is similar to signing a defender. All na defense.

Jodera2:
While we're clear on agreeing on everything you said up there, but you see that bolded, that's where our major differences is coming from.

While you feel the order is immaterial, most of us feel the order is highly material.
That's why we're always talking about priority. Like we say, even tho White and Gabriel aren't bad signings, but the priority isn't as important as getting an Am or Cm or a good scoring winger.
I've said it numerous times here, even if we got Peak Van dijk instead of White in this transfer window, I wouldn't have been impressed even tho I know he'll improve our defence highly.

As long as the TW is sti open, the order is immaterial. #fact

So far at the start of season we have all the players we want.

We will talk if he doesn't sign an AM after paying 50m for a defender.

Jodera2:
Spy spy... Please don't be emotional about this. I didn't say they're not legend. I don't want to seem as if I'm dragging dem(cos that's not my intention) but everyone know puyol was old as at 2010(32yrs), pique was above average, Maxwell too. Does that stop dem from being a legend? No

Mertesacker is an average defender in grand scheme of things, does that stop him from being an arsenal legend?... No also. Please let us not be emotional about this egbon

1. Old at 32. A defender. Then Cheleini will be what? Bone skull?
2. Above average. Before nko.

Just to prove a point.

Just negodu

I hear there are active tps on 45e now.

Jodera2:
Lol.. Even tho I lamented about the signing of Gabriel, but that was due to neglecting the main core areas which was midfield and attack.
Most of us here lamented how we lack Am, while we were happy with partey but he was like for like replacement for Torreira (who isn't too bad either). Our midfield lacked goals and creativity alongside our attack (unlike arsenals of previous years). While we don't want mustafi or sokratis back, we believed that Luiz, tho he's a leader even tho he's erratic atimes , Chambers, Saliba and holding can hold that Cb position. What we just need is a good midfield and attack to cover up our Cbs issue(not mustafi and sokratis oo) with goals and assists. We know we don't want mustafi and sokratis back, but we also know we have more than enough CBs to cover up for them.
If we'd gotten a very good AM, CM and a good winger. All those 1-0/0-0 losses/draws we had would have turned to 2-1 or 3-1 wins. It was so bad that anytime a team scores us first, we've automatically lost that game. The only time we overturned a loss to a win was against Southampton in January (2nd to last match of the first half season). And that happened cos of the Am in ESR we got. Now imagine we had good Am and Cm during the loss to Leicester, Everton, Burnley and so on in the first half of the season...

My next quote will be about talking of the Liverpool scenerio you brought up

Two seasons ago it was our defense in disarray. We got Gabriel, Partey and changed to a defensive pattern.

Last season, it was the attack not clicking, and we all felt an AM would suffice. Instead we got a CB for 50m. Now that price look outrageous to us because of what we have come to know our club for.
But the question is

1. will that player automatically strengthen our defense? The answer so far is a big yes.

2. Does that mean we would not strengthen AM that we all want? The answer is no since the TW is still very much active. That itself can only be judged during and at the end of the season.

Let's keep fingers crossed. A good CB, a good CM, a good AM, and a good striker will all strengthen the spine of our team. The first one has been done, let's hope more will come. The order it will follow is immaterial.

Jodera2:
lol.. Old puyol, average pique, not so well abidal and above average Maxwell. The less said about Valdez the better

Wen people are talking of the great barca side, you see
Messi, etoo Henry xavi and iniesta in pep first season

Subsequent seasons you hear
Messi, villa, Pedro(even this he's average but can score), Xavi and iniesta

The only defender they get to talk about is alves and we all know why... (I'll leave you to answer that yourself)

It's an insult to football to use rubbishing terms for Puyol, Pique, Abidal and co. These are Barca legends for your information.

Barcelona focused on attack as a matter of playing style, compare that to Chelsea of the same era. Don't make good attacking football sound rubbish just to prove a point.

Jodera2:
The bolded is Exactly the reason why most coaches work on attack first instead of defence.

Check most teams that are feared and that bookies or fans normally term them as favorites. It's cos of good midfield and attack. When mourinho came to Chelsea during his 2nd spell, the twi missing puzzle he added was Costa and fabregas.
Most mantra most coaches use is this
1... They build attack(midfield and attack)
2.. The attack breeds confidence cos of the wins
3.. Then they strengthen defence in order to take them to the very top

Klopp did such at Dortmund and Liverpool
Pep did that at barca and Man city


This ain't coincidence bro

I don't expect further upgrade in defense at the expense of attack for a team that already boasts the best defense the previous season. So once again you are not wrong but you must take things I to perspective just as Blueray said.

iamoyindamola:
That season midfield was the priority, we explain alot that no matter how strong your attack or defence is midfield will be the connection and your lifesaver.
To score was easy cos auba was in a terrific form he doesn't even need provider to score alot of goals
Arsenal keeper won the golden glove with mertersacker and Kos that should tell you midfield of coq and carzola were the key
If you can't get pass the midfield tell me how you will get to defense
Lfc title winning seasons is another example, vvd was getting the praise but the 3 holding midfielders will press the living shít out of any team.
Same with city, the truth is we have accepted it like that but bringing Gabriel purchase again to justify we needing defenders is false

Your thoughts are absolutely correct. Still defense. Probably what you didn't factor is that midfield can also be divided into defense and attack.

Cc: Jodera or Jodera2

Monogamy:
Indeed Ipobs are confused set of people..

They lie too much

It was soldiers that killed those people, one of them is an IPOB member. Let's tell the truth at least to respect the dead.

https://dailypost.ng/2021/08/09/two-killed-in-nnewi-over-ipob-sit-at-home-order/

Jodera2:
Thanks for the compliments, I appreciate
Now what really made me write all those stuff was because you said "for any team rebuilding, you need to rebuild your defence first". I just wade in to show that it's the other way round which is attack first.

But I'm really glad we've all finally come to and understanding cos all what you said here is all what I and some others (like Fkhal.ifa, Akinba.hm, Oyinda.mola and others).
Thank goodness we've finally come to a very good understanding and all what you said up here is really understood.

Our hope is make Arteta just do wetin dey right for diz Tw if not this season will surely be bloody than last

Assuming it is a club in disarray trying to rebuild or a low level club trying to climb up, I think it better to start with rebuilding defense. That doesn't mean one should neglect attack, but more attention should be given first to defense then attack. In fact many teams adopt this approach.

Defenders are cheaper and ensure a level of stability when they blend as defense is more team partnership than individual brilliance as opposed to attack. Once that is achieved, focus shifts to adding attackers.

A low team wants to survive first, so on a long term basis, it's the defense that ensures that.

ndidibabe:
Okay now. I hope I won't have to quote you.

Do we keep Lacazette or go for Abraham?

Jodera2:
I never really wanted to join this discussion, but that bolded just made me change my mind.

We all agree that attack wins you games but defence win you league. While we all agree on that quote but I think it's the interpretation that you're not getting right.
Firstly, for you to win the league, you have to WIN GAMES FIRST.
We know that a team can win games yet can't win the league but no one can win the league without winning games. So in essence, what the breaking down of that quote is that you should settle your attack (which will win you games and take you to the top) before doing the last process which is strengthening your defence to win the league (that extra push required to win the league). While you're taking the quote in isolation, but in essence, that quotes are together.

Examples...
When klopp wanted to rebuild his team, he had to buy mane first(his big signing to bolster his attack). His next big signing was wijnaldum(another attack/midfield). Still he didn't sign any big signing defence.
After wijnaldum his next big signing is Salah.

Now look at the trajectory. Mane took them from perennial 8/9th to 4th. While mane, salah took them from 4th to 2nd. Now this was the height attack will bring you too. Tho they concede goals, but Attack more than make up for the wins to ensure top4.
Now that extra push for top 4 to win the league was what prompted the defence, and there goes Van dijk. He (along with attack) push dem from 4th to 2nd(a touching distance to first) and a Cl final. Since the puzzle wasn't complete, a good keeper was needed, and there comes Allison. Trajectory complete. A league and a cl league to boot.

You might say, van dijk went to injury last season to prove your point why they struggled to get 3rd. But the good thing is that dey got 3rd with their attack. Now imagine a Liverpool without mane, salah, firnino and jota, but van dijk, Arnold, matip and Robertson. Even 5th dem no go see(na just 8-10th).

That's what is exactly playing at in arsenal

I know say e long, but I just need to explain

I like you because you don't just talk but analyse things. I get your point and it makes a lot of sense especially that attack alone could take Liverpool to 3rd but defense wouldn't take them that far. Which I accept.

But that's not my point.

Also it's not my point that defense is more important than attack. No.

Also it's not my point that a team should ignore attack and build their defense. No.

My point is that, you need a good attack to win games, but it doesn't guarantee you won't lose, while a good defense ensures you don't lose games. (It's not losing that brings the title). It's like half full Vs half empty. The former ensures short term success (winning games) but it's the latter than ensures long term success (winning the league).

Alternatively, look at it this way;

A team has both a good attack and a good defense.

The attack ensures that they achieve their short term goal- win games, while the defense ensures that they achieve their long term goal- win the league.

ndidibabe:
Na real faithful BF o... Arsenal has sold Guendozi for 11m,in the same breath they’ve paid 6-7m more for lokonga who Is not more talented than Guendozi. That's how we are seeing Arsenal's TW..

Lokonga is better na. Common.

kodded:
I have no problem bringing in a defender but after seeing how useless we were in the attcking third last season, I believe the main priority should have been that we sign up at least 2 creative personel to ease the burden from saka and ESR, but sadly the manager prefers to massage his ego than doing what is right.

Transfer window never finish na.

Akinbahm:
Sorry, why force your opinion on me? This is very glaring and we sited two to three different big clubs Liverpool, Man city and partly Barcelona as a case study these teams strengthen their attack fess before splashing the cash on defenders.

That's why in every team that has an average defence but a solid (4) DM the defenders are still safe small, Chelsea and Leicester fall into this category and for every team that has a blunt attack Arsenal, Real Madrid, Chelsea(lampard tenure last season) their defenders will suffer. My observation from various teams.

Let it slide and let's wait patiently for the new season to begin.COYG

Lol. I wasn't refering to you my brother. It was a rhetorical statement. I was comparing those with same opinions as those top managers.

This is how we want Biafra. Only enjoyments. We should enjoy the resources God gave us. Mondays now enjoyment day.

uglyafonja:
I am igbo from Anambra state.... I must confess, this is a crazy height of foolishness,... How can you lock up your economy on a Monday morning.., who is loosing... Abeg, who advices this set of people, who is their advicer...da should Continue......
PLEASE,they should try and lock up Aba, Onitsha, and Nnewi permanently...... Yeye people

Which economy? Nwanne there is no economy.

Roland17:
Why? There is no rule that says only a left footed player can play LCB.. The last time I checked he played LCB during his time at Nice and he did well.
Now, don’t construe this to mean he would replace or is the best fit to partner White in comparison to Gabriel.. No but at this time, Gabriel is out injured and Mari has not impressed, so Saliba could have provided that option.

Arteta prefers a left footed player at LCB and right footed for RCB and he has invested heavily on that. He has his reasons which we will find out.

I am not saying he won't end up being stupid, but let's see.

kodded:
Well so far so good, his plans has landed us in 8th position for two consecutive seasons, so I dont think his plans are great either.

This is fact and so I concur.

Akinbahm:
[color=#000000]That's when the attack is dangerous enough to oppositions but the majority opined the defence is to be sorted out fess before the attack to balance the team.

We should just get a chair to relax and see our defenders bagging goals...[/color]

Why do you think teams prefer to pack bus even with their attackers against superior opponents? They know that securing defense first will always give them a chance.

That's not saying you shouldn't strengthen attack, but for a team in a rebuilding stage, you have to strengthen defense first. Take that to Jamaica if you like, but every top manager knows this. If you disagree you're not wise.

kodded:
I don't understand this obsession with a left footed LCB


Italy just won euros with two right footed CB

Every coach has his plans.

kokaneprodigy:
Lies!!!

All the club you mentioned above bar Atletico Madrid never strengthened defence first before attack.

They already had strong attack and were doing well in the league only to add a formidable defender as the icing on the cake to remain dominant.
Atletico took the other route and it took them longer to get any trophy,(they had to invest in their attack to clinch anything) the other teams I mentioned above were at least getting one trophy or the other before splashing heavily on defense.

You need to understand that it’s more difficult integrating a midfielder or attacker into a team than a defender or goal keeper. You eat your big frog first!

I didn't make the point. Sir Alex Ferguson did. Guess you know more than him.

BlueRayDick:
This madness I just keep reading about Arsenal.being interested in Tammy Abraham

While some people are complaining about Auba not doing anything other than scoring tap-ins, the club then decides the best and right thing to do is bring in a certain Tamuno

E just be like say Arteta and the board no get good plans for us this season at all

We will not sign Abraham. He is too expensive at 40m when the likes of Cunha is less than 25m and Vlahovic is about 35m. But Arteta and Edu knows.

Roland17:
I love the fact that he is a forward thinking midfielder with energy, lets wait and see him in real games but I was quite impressed with his showing. I am happy you made this comment about Pepe because if na me make am e go be like say na because I like the guy.lol. He finished last season strongly and seems to have carried his form into the preseason. He can have a good season if he continues especially with his confidence level and keeping things simple.

As for Mari? Make I keep quiet because if I start now, dem go remind me say Saliba insult our ego driven coach Arteta. Saliba would have provided us a strong option to evaluate for that 2nd CB position.

Saliba is not an option to Mari. I think Gabriel will man that position this season.

ndidibabe:
Auba na player,?

No he is a faithful boyfriend.

How is Oga seeing our transfer window activities?

Fkhalifa:
That's not wha I mean...

Crystal palace will prefer Van ahnolt ahead of Kolasinac
AWB was/has been better than Bellerin before he joined Utd.
Zaha is better than all Arsenal wingers
Townsend is at par or better.......
,
Ward prowse, Vestergard, Bertrand, Redmond are better than all the deadwoods you want to offload.

The hard truth is atm apart from Tierney, Gabriel,Partey, Saka and Pepe, everyorther players are either at par or a bit better than the midtable teams in England.

What you explained is exactly what I thought.

You are hiding from the fact that I will ask you to account for why they aren't finishing higher than us on the table.

True or false

Fkhalifa:
The bitter truth is those teams you listed have better or players performing better than the Arsenal players.
I once read a Leicester fan saying " He doesn't want Auba in his team and very comfortable with Vardy.

The thing is when you play for Arsenal or a big club, you get more attention/praise at the little stiffs you do, but only those who can look deep will see the difference.

So Crystal Palace and Southampton have better players than Arsenal?

Nothing way Obi no go see for community primary school.

Jodera:
All what you said would have been legit if only we can easily move on the older players. But then reversal is the case here and we need money to fund our purchase.
Now that we have the opportunity to sell Willock for good amount, let's do it. After all, we hope some guys from the academy can take over Willock spot 1-2 yrs to come (like Omari Hutchinson).
Now it's just necessity making us selling Willock and getting that appropriate Am we want, while Willock goes and see more first team shirt at Newcastle. Everyone goes home happy.

We can move the older players if we refuse to make a profit off them.

kodded:
we are saying the same thing bro, leno is actually not comfortable playing out from the back especially when he has the likes of mustafi and kolasinca infront of him but he has no choice because that is what the manager want

Using your logic why can't Leno know when to pass to his defenders according to their strength? His latest error was the friendly against Watford where he opted to pass to Elneny (of all people) despite being surrounded by 3 Watford players inside the box.

Talent is one thing, IQ is another.

kodded:
A good caoch should play to the player strengths and not their weakness, it was so obvious that passing out from the back was one of Leno weakness

I think common sense is responsible here. The question of when and when not to. That one is entirely up to the player.

iamoyindamola:
So if the manager tell leno to put his hands inside fire he will, that one thing martinez will never do
Put his team under pressure, leno can't smell danger at all he will rather foolishly pass t his teammates when they are on pressure instead of playing it long.
That alone make me lose faith in him, we conceded stupid goals cos of this silly error

On this area you are right too because if you ask me to choose one out of the two right now, it will be Martinez without even doing calculations.