last night showed again why TH is right

[gco40203]

when he said we would never win the title with Giroud leading our attack. He is fine against the lesser teams but in the big games he is an oaf who contributes very little and is not good enough to convert a chance when it comes along. In the last 2 years it has been the same story in these games against better/big teams.

And until Wenger stops being so stubbornly loyal to inadequate players we will never win the league. If he doesn't think that there is a better player than Giroud available (although pretty much most players are available for a price and we have stacks of money) then change the system to make the most of other better players. So many years of not being title contenders must surely start getting through AW's stubborn skull at some point to say that either our system or players are not good enough.

[Rich]

WENGERRRAHHHHHHTTT.

[Monty91]

Is it not strange that this stubborn streak would only manifest when it comes to the striker position?

I mean, in recent years he's bought two experienced full backs and centre back and two world class attackers

[Classic Jorge]

If yesterday showed anything it's that we need another negative midfielder to work alongside Coq so we can protect the defence more effectively when the need arises.

[Billy Goat Sverige]

I think we'll sign one before the window slams shut as well. Whether they're world class or not is another matter.

[Billy Goat Sverige]

[Rich]

Whoever it is, I bet it comes out of the blue.

Lewandowski would be my preferred choice.

[Billy Goat Sverige]

[Monty91]

Giroud or Wellbeck.

[Classic Jorge]

Point being we have two decent players for the striker's role and only one for defensive midfield, ergo that's the position we really need to strengthen.

[Classic Jorge]

[Jake]

[Rich]

a nice lad, all the same.

[Billy Goat Sverige]

[Rich]

Hull. But Liverpool's defence must have been delighted to see him coming on to play through the middle.

[Billy Goat Sverige]

I'm all for signing another one but i doubt they'd ever play with Coquelin.

[Classic Jorge]

Fernando & Sons
Schweini & Schneiderlin
Matic & Ramires/Mikel

[Brentwood]

Utd

Chelsea won the league and have already brought in Falcao, Baba, Pedro and probably Stone. They took a punt on a 29m defender in Feb and now they've farmed him out on loan

Wenger has to stay loyal to players who underperform for a few games, or who are young and need a season or two to adapt. That's the "normal" way of managing a team imo. Chelsea and City's approach is very artificial, but causes fans to look on with envy

[Rich]

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

Most people already think you are a simpleton and c**t, you are now running the danger of those who are still undecided crossing to the path of clear logic.

[Classic Jorge]

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

[Rich]

[Classic Jorge]

[Jake]

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/littlebritain/images/3/3e/Andypipkin.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20130712150625

[Classic Jorge]

Look, if everyone is allowed their little flights of fancy about strikers when we have theo/welbz and geee-roood then allow me some latitude in the midfield.

[Billy Goat Sverige]

Probably not world class but was one of the better young strikers in europe at the time.

[Pokster]

[Jake]

I'd argue a top striker can win you games alone though, cliched but true. The inclusion of another midfielder could make us more stable and consistent but not raise us into the higher echelons.

[gco40203]

actually it has....he took years to get a quality in (assuming Cech still is a quality keeper) since Lehmann's demise. For years the centre half position was a weak spot and not resolved (Sagna, Monreal, Debuchy all playing there at times !!!!) and last night's first half travesty of a performance by Chambers shows we still don't have the resources required. Then there is still the holding/defensive/ball-winning midfielder that he hasn't bought in and has been missing for years.

So actually his stubbornness is imprinted all over the team. The only thing he likes to buy is number 10s and we have a stack of them and then he force fits them into the team by playing them out of their best position.

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

Never has been a winger.

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

Your top class shiny forward will on occasion win them with brilliance, but to overlook or perhaps under estimate the value to a side of having a top class midfield is folly.

Messi may get the shiny buttons but the most important player in the Barcelona club in the past decade has been Xavi and latterly Iniesta.

Henry was shiny but Vieira more important.

I still think we missed a trick on Schneiderlinn but such is life, we all miss out on things. Anyway, 6 more days and we can just move on and relax.

[Classic Jorge]

Barca have always had someone like Busquets, Mascherano or Toure Yaya behind your talented midget squadron to allow those players to really sparkle. In the national team they've gone one better with Xavi Alonso too.

Those are your crucial players, your beams and RSJs of the team. The ones that give you structural strength and rigidity.

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

Your basic analysis that Makelele was always the most important player in a side of very shiny buttons at Madrid.

I did contemplate suggesting Busquets was arguably Barcelona's most important player but let's be honest here I would have been called a pervert.

[The Tony]

I.e. Having someone to hold the ball up while the other get set in their attacking positions rather than an out and out goal scorer.

Probably explains why he was willing to take chances with Sanogo

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

[Rich]

[The Tony]

Anyone who wants to know why there's a shortage of top strikers just needs to look at the 4231

Loads of strikers have been shafted and having to playing out on the wings and out of position.

[Classic Jorge]

[Billy Goat Sverige]

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

I see him more as a footballing pawn in whatever game it is Chelsea are playing, taking in top level footballers and then for whatever reason deciding they are completely surplus to their footballing requirements and then moving then back out again.

Marin, Salah, Felipe Luis, Cuadrado.

[Classic Jorge]

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

http://www.awimb.com/fudforum/index.php?t=tree&goto=4047 109&rid=173&S=0aeeca5162271f1b972384f6d4c558bf (http://www.awimb.com/fudforum/index.php?t=tree&goto=4047109&rid=173&S=0aeeca5162271f1b972384f6d4c558bf)


5 actually as LA reminded me about the keeper.

[Jake]

Take Messi out and they aren't the greatest club side ever.

There may be other players allowing X and Y to thrive but at the end of the day it is X and Y doing the business.

They work in tandem I suppose, it's just hard not to value the game-changer more, imo.

Especially when you're using examples like Henry and Messi.

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

Kind of like Sanogo really but on a different level, being the level Chelsea operate at.

The cost appreciation with regard to KDB is quite staggering I have to say.

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

Henry would not have been the player he was without Vieira, Pires and others. The fantastic Arsenal time of that era would not have been the side it was without players such as those already mentioned plus Gilberto and f**k it I am even going to slip in an Edu because I loved him.

Your stars, being those you specifically highlight, are still your stars and it is for this reason that in general the history of the most expensive transfers in football tend to be strikers* but I still argue that the most important players in a football side are your midfield.

In summary, I love midfielders.

Show me a top level midfield footballer, especially one who is left footed, attach the obligatory “stylish” label and I am a happy man.

Thankfully Red appears to have not yet got out of bed.


* The likes of Zidane and Figo kind of make this comment dubious

[Monty91]

[Fred Killah]

Don't know anything of the Sputnik loving fiend though.

[Rich]