₦airaland Forum

Jodera:
Ozil will want to play. At least, it will even make him have more free suitors especially in top leagues if he performs(esp as he's still eyeing a top league).
Win-win for both parties

January market has hardly favoured us. It's expensive and the player most times will still need time to bed in. If Ozil will be available, your suggestion is the best. If...

kokanepyramid:
Ozil's case is done and dusted .

get a more experienced AM in January to relieve ESR of the pressure and as buffer if injury happens.

So what if the club decides to forgive Ozil's sins?

That apart, you are on point.

Jodera:
The latter. The money we'll use to loan another player can be invested elsewhere. Make we no waste money cos that will totally be a waste of money.

Unless we want to buy, which is for the long term, then fine. But any loan now na really waste of fund. ESR start, ozil to deputize him

Ordinarily this should be the best option but it is the less feasible as we don't know if Ozil is forgivable.

afrodoc2:
No o. I am just saying that because at that age they are still growing it is difficult to predict how well each person will adapt to the senior game.

True. Some players are just good at youth level but can't make the transition to senior where the pace and agility required increase dramatically.

Akinbahm:
You are right at the emboldened, that's why I keep emphasizing on them prioritizing defense to attack.

At the italicized can u show me evidence prolly am the one seeing it wrongly?

OK.

It's obvious Arteta mostly employed defensive tactics. We all saw this and condemned it especially when it was against smaller teams. I am with you on this. But the question of whether right or wrong is totally personal. Like I said, for me it's wrong. But this has nothing to do with the defense wins you league arguments.

My case was actually centred on whether we improved defensively compared to last season or not (without reference to whether we played defensively or not), which from stats we actually improved.

Also the signing of Gabriel for me was needed. Yes, it adds to our list of uncountable defenders but that's because we could not throw them all out. Most of those guys shouldn't be playing for a club like ours. Luckily some are finding their way out and many will by the end of the season. But we needed to get better defenders. This is where I supported the emphasis on strengthening our defense.

That does not mean I supported our failure not signing attackers. In fact, I lamented so much about the failure to get an AM and then freezing Ozil. I remember I stated top 4 will be a mirage since we failed to get the AM we needed.

In summary, at the beginning of the season we needed 3signings to boost the squad...
A defender, a defensive midfielder and an attacking midfielder. We got 2 and missed one, which shouldn't have happened. Nevertheless, I am happy for the two we got and hope we get the AM this January...

Question of the day:

Would you prefer we loan/buy another AM in this TW to complement ESR, and let Ozil leave for free or we find a way to reinstate Ozil and let him leave at the end of the season?

Let's interact.

afrodoc2:
You never know how it translates to senior football, especially the physical side of things.

Are you underrating his physicality?

Unlimited22:
When the lineup came out and everyone was rejoicing I made a point of saying they shouldn't expect much.


No one is in form and if we didn't desperately need the win Ziyech wouldn't have started. E just from injury return.

OK.


Take heart

One love

raumdeuter:
Are you subbing airmark?

They want to switch

raumdeuter:
Is Ziyansh piano abi Saxophone

Na DJ jazz beat...

Expert17:
Mendy should switch with Werner

Or just off the switch....

Chelsea being served cold ...

Let me go to their thread and read curses.

Akinbahm

I have gone through your responses and deduced that you feel Arteta has employed defensive tactics which is wrong and that he should attack more. Am I right? Just wabtvro know if I comprehended you.

kokanepyramid:
Am I debating an improvement in defence with you, you want to invite me to eat the amala you are turning. I am not interested

After you will call my piss rain.

Spy360:
It's funny how too soon you have forgotten all those comics we suffered from our defense to the point you even feel we shouldn't have strengthened defense at all. OK. All those times you were crying for a DM have all disappeared abi? OK.

You think that with a Sanchez you will score 2 easy goals in the first half...

I am pretty sure if we did not have Aubameyang you would have said the same thing. But let me show you something...

............................P W D L GF GA GD PTS
2. Leicester 14 9 0 5 [26] (17) 9 27

14. Leeds 14 5 2 7 [24] 30 -6 17

15. Arsenal 14 4 2 8 12 (18) -6 14

From the table, you could see that both Leicester and Leeds have similar strength in attack but Leeds have a poor defense. Their strong attack has not helped the team at all. If they sign a DM or a defender depending on what they need, they would be like Leicester. Arsenal has a similar strength in defense as Leicester but are in the same position with Leeds because of poor attack. Let them sign an AM and they will be like Leicester.

But please note, Leicester are not an exceptional team, they only have a balance between attack and defense. You will notice that as you go up in the league table, teams with more balance in attack and defense are higher than those who have not irrespective of their individual team strengths.

Akinbahm

https://www.nairaland.com/810639/arsenal-fans-thread-finally-reborn/2079#97314636

For your attention @Akinbahm

Akinbahm:
Baba am done with u also, what was our arguement from onset?

Arteta should prioritize attack to defence but u people said defence to attack because the way pundit painted your defense as if those defenders sabi nth same media nd pundit that over hyped Pepe are twisting mouth u people never learn.

All our problem you high listed up there 90% is on attack

1: Defenders are more than attackers.

2: Willian was bought because he can support defence that shows their hidden agenda nah defence not attack.

3: Out of 10players on field we only have to players who are creative yet they want us to believe attack was prioritized over defence truly issokay...

4: First 3 players u listed shows our attackers are very blunt cause am not carried away with Auba goals nd Saka creativity last season I/we foreseen it those duos cant do it alone thus we requested for new addition in attack first b4 defence.

Consistently, our attack is our major set back Gabu nah fine player do we need him now NO, why? Our attack is not good enough to pressurize defense considering the position of our players in the then squad b4 getting Gabu, Willian and Partey.

Those players that gingered others were injured nd some were not trusted enough (Martinelli nd ESR) b4 covid nd injury forced our coach to use them nd we r seeing the results now.

In conclusion remove ESR nd ESR nd we are back to square one.

If I get your point...

I accept that Arteta prioritized defence ahead of attack even in his tactics (mind you I would do same because our defending before was sickening to be fair) and signings but that doesn't mean he ignored attack, we got Willian and had just signed Pepe few months before.

If any of you think that decision was bad then you probably need to check for amnesia. Defense was a headache last season and Arteta so far has done a good job fixing it.

The problem led to another one in attacking midfield do to the Ozil situation. But fortunately we have ESR to salvage the team. Hence our recent performances. You guys are slow to see that despite our poor form our defending has been up there compared to those higher up the league. I showed this a couple of weeks ago using stats from league table (Jodera where are you na) which led to some arguments. Go and check.

Akinbahm:
Even a blind could read through the lines on my stand.

Our attackers r not good enough. what I was expecting you people should point out is where exactly in our attack needs recruitment.

Your emboldened is a relative statement, (if you know what that means). Even Klopp felt the same way that's why he added Jota to the fire power already at Liverpool. So it depends on what comparison you are making.

Jodera:
I get. What I was just saying is that ESR form made the other factors to click well. At least, we saw most of those personnel this season with same formation bar ESR against Leeds and wolves wen we used same factors. Auba wasn't on form ystdy yet the attack clicked, imagine same personnel ystdy but willock/Willian/lacazette in place of ESR, would we have blown away westbrom, took the game to Chelsea or played Brighton the way we did?

We are on the same page on this.

kokanepyramid:
don't mind them, after claiming defence wins you league to support the prioritising of Gabu's signing over AM. As fate would have it we got a fresh leg to play the AM role while Gabu is out and we have recorded more success in game play and results than when Gabu was in and no potent AM. yet they want to piss in my face and tell me it is raining.

Isn't Mari a defender? Was he not signed to strengthen the defense? Or you think our defense was not improved on?

Akinbahm:
Baba let it slide am not in for that I hate having forth and back arguement.

Up till now you have failed to make a single point or line of thought. This is worse than blind arguments because you are just roaming about and quoting people with no point to note. At least a blind man needs help but when you are blind but won't accept, how can one help you? This is ignorant blindedness. Do as you said, let it slide.

Jodera:
As for the first bolded, that was what I wanted afrodoc to note. We've played this our present formation this season, using willock, willian and lacazette different times, yet we were always subpar. ESR bringing something different made others to open up their game. Saka seemed more "free", lacazette upped his game and attack shone through. Once ESR was taken off, you'll just notice something off with our attack. Like a sort of " de-link"

As for the 2nd bolded, what position does Azeez play? I know he's a midfielder, but is he an attacking midfielder? If yes, let them nurture him into that role. So that with time, he and ESR can rotate that role.
With such, we'll know we've settled Am, what we just need is two good rocks at their back. Maybe partey and ndidi-type, partey bissouma-type and all that

Afrodoc has already accepted ESR as a change factor but is only insisting that there are other factors such as tactics.

As for Azeez, he is a CM not AM. So he is not what we need. Though I see more talent in him than most of the senior guys we have. These lads only need more game time to explode. The club has to manage this effectively.

Akinbahm:
Kokanepyramind come nd join me laugh. It seems you are just arguing blindly then so to say

My problem with you is that you are just running here and there like a house rat without making a point. Please make q statement of point/fact let's understand your thinking.

Akinbahm:
What circumstance you wey them never give u scouting job don scout 2 better playmakers wey dey cheaper so what are the clueless being given the work to do has been doing. Do you just say words without knowing the consequence?

If you were following you would know that the Aouar deal was almost done until his brother came with some demands the club found offensive and pulled out.

Now you know the circumstances, what's your point?

Akinbahm:
Is the Am part of attack or defence biko yes/no answer.

Please why are you asking this question because the answer is obvious. I want to understand your thoughts. Thanks.

Akinbahm:
Bro, BlueRayDick in all honesty do you have confidence in our attackers and you believe these young lads could take us far since u said Areta buried the attack.

If Yes, let's die down the argument on Attack/Defence argument.

If No, then our major problem lies on attack which is obviously visible...

Note: I hope we fans wont get carried away with just 3 win in a rows.

My brother, go back and check, we are not being carried away, we actually predicted it.

Some people blamed Xhaka, some Willian but I said we just needed any AM to complete this team. I even brought up stats comparing Arsenal with the likes of Leicester and Leeds (Jodera, you can testify)

Now that we have an AM, just wait let Partey returns...

kokanepyramid:
I’ve answered that already, the answer is ESR turning up for the AM role.

No one knew he would be able to fit in,this includes the manager. Going into the season with that in mind we should have shopped for an AM ahead of a CB.

It's your last line I have problems with. The club was actively in pursuit of an AM and would have done a deal if not for some circumstances.

We had three positions to strengthen, defense(Gabriel), central midfield (Partey) and attacking midfield. The later failed.

My issue with Arteta was ruling out Ozil after we failed to get the AM. This also I will not blame him as the Ozil issue is beyond him. We are only fortunate to have ESR in form.

If you check, all our additions are not part of this winning selection, so our problem is not one of personel but of structure. I remember saying that we should just get any AM even expired ones like Sony Erickson and our performance will improve. I said so because I saw improvements in all other aspects of the game apart from chance creation. With ESR, that problem was eliminated. Our problem is not personel but structure.

Jodera:
Did you know he dumped the 5 man defence against Leeds playing this same formation we're playing presently, yet our defence was cut and sliced through. He, out of I think fear made him ran back to the 5man defence again?
I've forgotten the 2nd match he started with same formation too, yet it didn't gel also. I mean we still played nonsense as a team.

They were some matches this season he started saka on the wings, yet he wasn't so effective the way he is presently (even tho he normally was our best in attack). Substitute ESR for willock and Willian in that role and see us struggle massively again just as we did the two times we struggled with either of those duo.

ESR really changed things and it's not me going overboard. At least, even Auba was not in form last night, yet our attack was functioning well.

Here you gave a clear explanation. I only hope your friends see it this way too.

afrodoc2:
I don't understand their logic. If Arteta had bought a midfielder mid-season leading to improvement then they might have a point but the change that led to improvement was playing attacking formations and skillful youngsters.

Who remembers that game earlier in the season that Arteta was playing long ball using Auba as forward and AMN at LWB against a top team. I think it was Chelshit.

Many people were hailing it cause it worked especially in the first half but with benefit of hindsight that was a wretched tactic. he was playing like Stoke City under Pulis or Bolton under Allardyce.

Arteta's tactics and lineups got him into this mess not lack of an AM.

I want to give him the benefit of doubt that having Ozil unavailable and not trusting ESR may have necessitated his weird tactics. I say this because there were times when he tried Lacazette in the AM position.

I have always stated here that despite his losing streaks, one gain we can count is that he strengthened our defensive aspect of the game and changed the mentality of the defenders which reduced their comical shows.

Hence, in comparison, the most significant factor that changed our recent fortunes is the peak form of ESR. He has allowed other players like Saka, Lacazette etc to focus on their strengths with Saka moving to the inverted winger position on the RW.

Those talking midfield strengthen defense are just short sighted, because we still have the same midfield, same defense, same attack. So the change factor is just the peak form of ESR of which if we had gotten an AM earlier we won't have been in that poor state we found ourselves.

During the match last night you would easily notice a revert to old ways the moment ESR was taken off.

Having said that, I am torn between giving the lad more games and signing another AM to compete with him. I know that with more games we will definitely improve same way as Saka.

BlueRayDick:
Arsenal's resurgence in recent times is hinged on more than 1 factor like some us want to believe ;

1.There's the factor of Tierney being allowed the freedom of roaming and being let fly on the left wing. He's no longer being wasted in the LCB role that has not yielded much for us in the recent past.

2. There's the factor of Saka being used in RWF where he can easily do opposing defenders dirty and cut in either playing shot or making a decent cross to our attackers. Thus far he's been flourishing there.

3. There's the Martinelli factor and the great press he affords the team upfront. Nobody has given that much press prior to his comeback from injury.

4. Then the introduction of Smith-Rowe who is hungry and ready to do both the dirty work and smooth pay to cement a place in the team has really been a good boost for the team.

In all what we can see is that Arteta has not been playing to the team's strength prior to now. Let's hope he will not undo everything by Imposing Willock and Willian on the team.going forward

Just enter any shop, collect one bottle of anything. I go pay.

afrodoc2:
Okay you people are now winning matches and scoring goals. What changed?

a) Arteta was finally able to buy new attacking talent in December and finally the team is complete.

b) Arteta was finally lucky enough to utilize the excellent attacking talent already in the squad rather than the oldies that got him into trouble in the first place.

Which is the answer?

Doc abeg nor make me overlaugh ....


Comprehension is a problem on this thread. Just talk and go. Lol

Meanwhile I just dey like all your posts.

kokanepyramid:
Spy360 your sins are forgiven

Yes since you could not throw the first stone.