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But we need a striker.
In other words not Eddie. and a I do like Mr Jesus but he does seem to have a habit of falling down constantly looking for free kicks and pens and it's getting annoying.
other notes: one of these days the other teams are going to break Saka :-(
Preseason has been hyped up in recent times but it's still about building fitness more than anything.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pat Vegas
I do worry we're going to miss Xhaka, not just on the pitch but as a leader in the dressing room.
I am not so keen on playing rivals in pre season. I thought the tackles on saka and odegaard were a bit too much.Quote:
Originally Posted by PSRB
However I agree on Xhaka we need a new policeman on the pitch. I noticed last season we didn’t tend to get bullied like before. So hope this doesn’t creep in again.
I don’t really understand the persistence with Nketiah. He never really established himself at any loan club, at least Patino achieved hero status at Blackpool. The decision to reward him with a 100k per week contract, following a bright spell in a few games is baffling. Who’s going to take him off our hands at those wages ?Quote:
Originally Posted by Pat Vegas
I fear we’re stuck him. Balogun’s days look numbered but at least he’s likely to command a far higher sell on figure, although it’ll be interesting to see who comes in for him. He’d be a very decent punt for a club like West Ham.
He went on loan once at a club that was doing all right but Nketiah didn't really fit Bielsa's philosophy. Patino went on loan and did "well" for a club that got relegated. Odd comparison to make really. Difficult to get players who are happy to sit on the bench but are able to make an impact when needed. The way he came in and covered for Jesus was incredible - worth paying over the odds for. Not saying it's best in the long run. Balogun does appear to be a whiny little **** who isn't prepared to fight for his place (see also giving up on England to play for the US)Quote:
Originally Posted by 7sisters
I’m indifferent towards Balogun but have to acknowledge what he achieved in France. It’s clearly put him firmly in the transfer window. and, to be fair to the lad, why should he now accept his career going into reverse by warming the bench.Quote:
Originally Posted by Luis Anaconda
There’s a real opportunity for any player to take on that 9 shirt at Arsenal, it’s obviously beyond Nketiah but it depends if Arteta sees enough in Balogun to allow him a run at it,
Farmer's leagueQuote:
Originally Posted by 7sisters
Perhaps not as good as the PL but you can only react to what’s put infront of you and all that. I wouldn’t hang the guy for choosing the US either, it’s not as if he’s going to displace Kane, is it ?Quote:
Originally Posted by PSRB
Take your opportunities. He took them 🤷*♀️
Kane has what 2 or 3 years left as top dog with currently no obvious successor. Balogun needs to prove himself in the PL and could easily have put himself in pole position. Looks to just want an easy ride, imoQuote:
Originally Posted by 7sisters
You may be right but apathy at that age is a rare thing, perhaps he’s just hungry to make his mark with no affiliation to how he achieves that goal. We expect loyalty as fans but many players don’t choose that path. I still think there are many ahead of him in the queue behind Kane. Toney for one, if he can stay away from the bookies.Quote:
Originally Posted by PSRB
Toney is 27 though. It's not a question of loyalty, I just suspect the attitude isn't right and it's not that rare for young players already on a decent wedge to become complacent about it all.Quote:
Originally Posted by 7sisters
Yup. 5 pts behind when we started, 5 pts when Jeez came back. Also, in that 1-0 defeat to Everton, just before they scored Eddie beat 2-3 down the left and put it on a plate for Ødin.Quote:
Originally Posted by Luis Anaconda
In latter games, Ødin and Eddie both missed simple chances made by the other.
My only issue is that he's fine when we start - and after he lost his place to Leo, he seemed to suss what he needed to do more from the left to get Gabby involved when he came on once.
But we haven't found a way of playing him when chasing a winner. MA hasn't come up with a way of chucking on more strikers like AW used to.
Maybe Saka at RB and Jeez RW with Eddie central but all switching? But we need a way of playing Eddie in a front two or whatever when chasing the game. He's a great poacher - look at the MU winner.
Agree about not expecting loyalty but he just doesn't have the desire to fight for the place which is disappointing. As regards the French league would like to point out that Lacazette scored as many goals last season there as he did in his last three seasons at Arsenal (not knocking Laca who had great qualities as a team player as well)Quote:
Originally Posted by 7sisters
That point is spot on - Martinelli much more effective with Jesus and TrossardQuote:
Originally Posted by Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult
Please never say Saka at RB againQuote:
Originally Posted by Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult
I'm thinking when playing vs a packed defence at 1-1 with 10 mins left. Instead of a back 3 with Zinny inverting into MF on the left, bring Eddie on for him. BW shuffles across for a back 3. Saka as the free role FB but basically, you'd have him and Jeez switching positions on the right with Eddie mostly central but able to go right with those 2 to join the overload, with added Ødin or Eddie switching with Gabby on the left with added Havertz.Quote:
Originally Posted by PSRB
What I'm really saying is we need a formation switch where Eddie comes on for a defensive player when chasing the game. I dunno what it is but we need one. We can shut up shop now - Jorgy or Partey on for a number 8/10, maybe even Timber for Saka.
But with all this extra creative/scoring talent on the bench - Eddie, ESR, Leo, Fabio, RN - how do we bring on one of them in place of one of the back 4 when facing a team parking the bus?
I don't think young Edward is irreplaceable in the current squad, nor would big money be needed to massively improve us by replacing him. As an example i'd say the versions of Chamakh and Togo, signed at the time Wenger signed them would hugely improve on Eddie based on how we play. Even in todays money based on inflation those players would cost around £20m. Arteta ball is crying out for a certain type of forward. We don't actually have it on paper but Jesus does excell playing that role with his back to goal sacrificing himself for the team.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult
Agree with that. Eddie failed to cement his place last season and has been largely dining out on the run in from the previous season.Quote:
Originally Posted by Arsenal Alcoholic Review
Always room for improvement but for me there’s not enough.
Balogun, I suspect, is another Andy Cole in the making elsewhere.
Dunno about Chamak. Reckon Kai will help with hoofing it into the box late. And as you say, Jeez does far more than Marouane ever did.Quote:
Originally Posted by Arsenal Alcoholic Review
The Togonator was a bit different. Titi thought he'd be as good as him and he scored 30 one season in a 4-4-2 with RVP. {Though 20% of his goals were against Derby County.} Obviously if we could get a 2006-10 Ade for £20-30m that would be tops.
But when Eddie played last year and was scoring at the start, on a Times article, the journo replied to me and said Eddie's ability to find space in the box reminded him of Gerd Muller - though not as good, obv.
I just wish we could find a way of bringing him on if we need a winner, while keeping Jeez, Saka, Gabby, Ødin and Kai {or whoever's playing there} still on the pitch.
We have options to switch players in our normal formation. We can switch to a more defensive formation. But I'm still not sure how we switch to a more attacking one.
JAI SHREE GANESHA.
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CHAMAKH?!?!??! Never have I despised an Arsenal player more.Quote:
Originally Posted by Arsenal Alcoholic Review
just because he had **** jeans?Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich
Chamakh was a sh1t**** all right, but he was no Aaron Ramsey :nono:Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich
He scored twice when we won 7-5 from 4-0 down.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich
What did Gervinho ever do?
I might be wrong but I thought Gervinho had a decent start to his first season. but not for longQuote:
Originally Posted by Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult
Gervinho too was underrated. The fella knew how to get on the ball and find space. Seemed to always have about 100 ball involements a half. He always looked like he had the ability to really explode on to another higher level. His problem was once he got into dangerous positions his end product just wasn't there. He always reminded me at his best of young Terrence's first couple of months for The Arsenal. Only Gervinho just didn't kick on from that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pat Vegas
Especially academy ones.
Same at every big club; supporters will ALWAYS believe they can afford to buy better. And all to often, the club agrees :-|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pat Vegas
When was the last time a striker from our academy became a regular starter for us? Super Kevin Campbell? Or Merse if you go by most recent to play for us?Quote:
Originally Posted by redgunamo
Bendtner. You might say he was poached from a foreign academy but Eddie himself joined us pretty late into his youth career from Chelsea. Ironically Chelsea released him and Declan Rice at the same time. :hehe:Quote:
Originally Posted by Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult
Fair play. I don't really count him, though. That was just signing a great teenager like Gabby M2. Dunno if I'd really count Cesc. Both were signed knowing they'd send up in the first team. That's not the same with Eddie. Which is sort of shown by the fact that the Chavs let him go while Barca were fuming about Cesc. But all right, I'll give you NB52.Quote:
Originally Posted by Arsenal Alcoholic Review
Same day wasn't it - good work thereQuote:
Originally Posted by Arsenal Alcoholic Review
Ironically Bendtner wasn't actually the young star forward signed that summer for the youth team. That would have been Arturo Lupoli. Who went on to be a below average forward in the lower leagues in Italy. Still, him and Bendtner tore it up for the reserves that season. We had quite the forward line. Even young Anthony Stokes had to play in midfield just to fit everyone in the team.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult
Didn't we loan 3 players to Steve Bruce's Brum and get them promoted. Nicky B, Seb Larson and someone else.Quote:
Originally Posted by Arsenal Alcoholic Review
I actually liked Bruce as a manager {not as a Manc player, obv.}. He respected us. Told his fans they should be grateful to Arsène but that there was no hope of them keeping Nicky B cos he's rarely seen such a talented 19 year old and he'd end up in the AFC first team.
Yeah Muamba. Bendtner was a very young 18 year old going on that loan. Literally turned it around the month he went. Had one of our best ever loan showings for Brum which saw straight into the Arsenal first team squad next season.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult