that's the spirit!
Cesc is wasted at Barcelona. I only fear that Cesc might not want to come back... D:
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Football Thread |OT21| Robben learns to score in finals three years late
- Thread starter Blablurn
- Start date
- Status
that's the spirit!
Cesc is wasted at Barcelona. I only fear that Cesc might not want to come back... D:
I can't wait when Cesc comes and see your tears.
You're drunk in one of your joking moods it seems.He'll be appreciated in Paris.
It would sting if he did, but I can see it... they win things, we don't. they can offer more money than we can (Gazidis can talk all he wants but until I see some money being spent I remain incredibly skeptical). or I can see them paying a fee and us being too stubborn to match it.
speaking of Gazidis, I'd definitely take Rooney though. even a Rooney on the decline. hell, I'd take Tevez too—I think he's probably a better player than Rooney is at the present. having said that, I doubt City would sell to a domestic "rival" and he's got a cunt of an agent (and is a bit of a cunt himself), and he probably doesn't even want to come. still, could have been a nice transfer.
Yeah it would sting but watching his career get ripped by Barca stings too so if he chooses Man U, I doubt he would but you never know, then so be it if it gets him back to his old self. Depends a lot on Cesc himself that one, if Cesc does what he done to us and only wants to go to one club then that drops the price. If he's open to going anywhere then that changes things.
I would rather Higuain over Rooney only because Rooney is a bit of a cunt who can't be trusted to stay in line long term. He would be disruptive and call the club into question. If he does it to United he would definitely do it to us as well only quicker and more harsher.
WAR recon zero
Banned
I welcome Bale, but that wasn't a position we needed.
If Bale is coming, get rid of Di Maria and spend the earnings buying a decent Central Defender, a decent Right Back, and a Striker. There are lots of young talented strikers out there.
Higuain is our best chance at a better-than-Giroud striker this window I think. I too would take him over Rooney (he just seems like a more consistent, more reliable player; not capable of the same heights but a lower risk) and Jovetic too who's nowhere near as experienced and seems to have injury problems. Would be nice to have a squad that wasn't brittle as hell and could actually last the season.
I wonder what wages/fee Higuain would command. He wasn't exactly the star of the show at Madrid but he's obviously not a bad player either.
Higuain, Cesc and a GK and I will be happy. Muppet formation looking like this.
-----------Mignolet---------
Monreal/Kos/Merte/Sagna
-----Wilshere/Arteta-------
----------Fabregas----------
Walcott--------------Cazorla
-----------Higuain------------
Bench - Szczesny, Gibbs, Vermaelen, Ramsey, Giroud, Podolski, Chamberlain, Jenkinson, Rosciky
Decent squad that is capable of challenging and would only cost around 70 mil.
How can you post a 'muppet formation' and still have 2 shit central defenders?
Seems to me like Fabregas is a complete waste in that formation - would force Cazorla out wide and cost the most, meaning you're left with the shitty defence (isn't Sagna out of contract?) and a terrible bench.
That "shitty" defence only conceded 37 goals last season, 2nd best in the PL, and how is our bench shitty?
Cesc is better than Cazorla and Sagna is out of contract next season not this one.
Kos/Mertesacker is a solid partnership. We have the second best defensive record in the league this season! Our defense is actually pretty good for once, the big issue this season has been the completely non-existent midfield cover after we sold Song.
Cazorla tends to drift wide, he's been playing wide in the last few games of the season during our pretty solid run to get 4th. He's much better on the left than Podolski is, so that's not much of an issue imo (especially if he's getting replaced by Fabregas in the middle, who is easily an upgrade to me)
Sagna has one year left—remains to be seen if he'll be sold or leave on a free. Doubt he'll sign a new contract, but his value is so low, I'd keep him on for another year.
Biggest hole in that lineup, Lightning, is the lack of a holding midfielder. I don't trust Arteta/Wilshere partnership at all. It never really worked this season when Wenger played them together, and, honestly Wilshere's been pretty underwhelming this season. Both of them are natural attacking midfielders and neither of them have the discipline nor the physical strength to provide enough cover for the midfield. Plus, I think Wilshere's position is basically Arteta's position so I see them more competing for the same role rather than coexisting in the same XI.
Muppet transfers for me would be: Fabregas (25-30m), Higuain (20m?), Fellaini (20m). Really expensive acquisitions, which is why it'll never happen, but those three would be enough to win the league next season. Oh plus a keeper, but I guess I could live with Cesar if we splurged on some big names lol
Cazorla tends to drift wide, he's been playing wide in the last few games of the season during our pretty solid run to get 4th. He's much better on the left than Podolski is, so that's not much of an issue imo (especially if he's getting replaced by Fabregas in the middle, who is easily an upgrade to me)
Sagna has one year left—remains to be seen if he'll be sold or leave on a free. Doubt he'll sign a new contract, but his value is so low, I'd keep him on for another year.
Biggest hole in that lineup, Lightning, is the lack of a holding midfielder. I don't trust Arteta/Wilshere partnership at all. It never really worked this season when Wenger played them together, and, honestly Wilshere's been pretty underwhelming this season. Both of them are natural attacking midfielders and neither of them have the discipline nor the physical strength to provide enough cover for the midfield. Plus, I think Wilshere's position is basically Arteta's position so I see them more competing for the same role rather than coexisting in the same XI.
Muppet transfers for me would be: Fabregas (25-30m), Higuain (20m?), Fellaini (20m). Really expensive acquisitions, which is why it'll never happen, but those three would be enough to win the league next season. Oh plus a keeper, but I guess I could live with Cesar if we splurged on some big names lol
Wenger will never give up on Wilshere and Arteta's leadership is crucial. How can Arteta be dropped? Can Fellaini be depended on not to go roaming forward like Song? I never mentioned a replacement there because it would force either Wilshere or Ramsey out of the club which Wenger won't do.
I agree it's needed but no way. It would kill Ramsey or Wilshere possibly both. Can't see it and Arteta is super important.
That's a terrible deal for Milan. It's also against their new youth policy.
I think rotating Wilshere/Arteta/Cesc between those two non-holding midfield roles would give all three enough playing time to be happy. Wilshere needs careful management anyways. I know Wenger's not big on rotation, but I think it can be done. We can usually count on a key player spending a couple months out injured anyways so I'd rather be prepared for that inevitability than not.
It would probably kill Ramsey's Arsenal career and, frankly, that's a risk I'm willing to take. I just don't see him as a holding midfielder, he's nowhere near as good as Wilshere or Arteta in that deeper role, and he was a pretty poor number 10-style player in 11-12. I'd let the hypothetical holding midfielder compete with Ramsey for minutes and if Ramsey loses out... so be it. He's had a bit of a late season resurgence but that's not enough to convince me he can properly protect the defense after months of playing poorly.
All of the top teams have a very similar Goals Against stat; that Arsenal's is the second best is largely meaningless and most likely due to the vagaries of fortune - it is not statistically significant. From a subjective viewpoint I don't think any non-Arsenal fans would call that defence good, though I suppose we can test that in this very thread.
As for the bench, those players are fine but again we're looking at relative ability here, Giroud, Podolski & Chamberlain would perhaps be back-up for the other top teams and the rest would get no where near a title winning side. Those players just aren't good enough to actually take Arsenal to the next step of winning something.
Tad harsh on Ramsey. He was very good near the end of the season and at the start of the season was being played on the wing and all over the show. So it's natural his confidence would be low and performances inconsistent. Ramsey's work ethic is outstanding, he runs all game and puts his body on the line. It's his passing that worries me and his first tough is horribly bad but has improved.
Fellani and Cesc in the same team would be great though. I wouldn't be against Ramsey being forced out but I think Wenger would be against it. That's why I didn't bother with it because Wenger won't kill Ramsey or Wilshere, he got both to commit long term. It's just not in the plan .
Gibbs not good eniough? Szczesny not good enough for a back up? I don't agree and Vermaelen is plenty capable of being a back up. I don't agree with that view point.
And your reasoning for our defensive stat was we were lucky? Don't agree with that either.
Underestimates what it takes to challenge.
the vagaries of fortune also meant Arsenal finished 4th instead of 2nd (5 point difference) or 5th (1 point difference). at the end of the day, the defense didn't concede a lot of goals and that's a good thing.
I don't mean to shit on Liverpool in particular, but I feel like Liverpool is the classic example of every player in their XI being talked up as a worldbeater (by fans and non-fans alike) and yet they just can't get it done. maybe Arsenal's defense looks like shit on paper and maybe it looks pretty shaky in matches, but if they're not conceding too many goalsthen they're doing their job and that's what counts.
Also, compare Arsenal's defensive record this season [1st/2nd/3rd/etc., bolded is Arsenal's goals conceded] (43-34-39-37... Everton was 40 but they're aways down at 6th in the table) to the record when we regularly had Squillaci and Djouru in defense (10-11 season; 37-33-33-43) and, at the very least, we're keeping pace with the pack rather than lagging significantly behind.
I don't mean to shit on Liverpool in particular, but I feel like Liverpool is the classic example of every player in their XI being talked up as a worldbeater (by fans and non-fans alike) and yet they just can't get it done. maybe Arsenal's defense looks like shit on paper and maybe it looks pretty shaky in matches, but if they're not conceding too many goalsthen they're doing their job and that's what counts.
Also, compare Arsenal's defensive record this season [1st/2nd/3rd/etc., bolded is Arsenal's goals conceded] (43-34-39-37... Everton was 40 but they're aways down at 6th in the table) to the record when we regularly had Squillaci and Djouru in defense (10-11 season; 37-33-33-43) and, at the very least, we're keeping pace with the pack rather than lagging significantly behind.
Utd conceded 5 goals against West Brom. Must be that magical Liverpool luck!
Sviatoslav
Member
Word out of Ukraine is that Shakhtar is offering 30 million for Konoplyanka(stay strong Yevhen and resist their evil clutches, daddy Gazprom will make their play soon!). Basically more confirmation that Mkhitaryan is on his way out. Hopefully not to Liverpool, Henrikh deserves better!
also, 09-10 season goals conceded
Chelsea: 32
United: 28
Arsenal: 41
Spurs: 41
City: 45
Villa: 39
Liverpool: 35
Arsenal's defensive record this season wasn't perfect, but it's clear that it's a big improvement on years past when we lagged significantly behind the top clubs (and a lot of other clubs too). There are various factors that play into this (I suspect going out of the CL early played a huge role in this; Wenger is fucking terrible at rotation), but I feel confident about a Kos/Merte partnership. The worry is when they get injured... Vermaelen and ??? (Wenger'll end up playing some youth teamer won't he) don't inspire much confidence.
Chelsea: 32
United: 28
Arsenal: 41
Spurs: 41
City: 45
Villa: 39
Liverpool: 35
Arsenal's defensive record this season wasn't perfect, but it's clear that it's a big improvement on years past when we lagged significantly behind the top clubs (and a lot of other clubs too). There are various factors that play into this (I suspect going out of the CL early played a huge role in this; Wenger is fucking terrible at rotation), but I feel confident about a Kos/Merte partnership. The worry is when they get injured... Vermaelen and ??? (Wenger'll end up playing some youth teamer won't he) don't inspire much confidence.
I'm sure the day will come when we have to give a fuck about Arsenal again.
But this is not that day.
Those Norwegians with the big scoops
yeah that would be Arhsavin-type wages. Actually a little bit below Arshavin I think. Now I'm really hoping you guys get Tevez!
Yeah Ramsey is diabolical on the wing. Shame on Wenger. Yeah, I doubt Wenger would drop Ramsey also (just signed a new long-term contract in January too iirc) but then... I'm reading we might be releasing Frimpong, Song's once heir-apparent? you never know
Sviatoslav
Member
Zenit fans dreaming about Tymo....and we got him!!! Everyone is so jealous.
I don't think anyone would say Liverpool's central defence were worldbeaters or close to that for this season and yet they conceded just 6 goals more. That's a very small swing indeed - all it would take is one bizarre outlier versus West Brom, for example, or perhaps one or two losses, or a couple of consolation goals, or some extra penalties.
Ultimately, goals conceded is not an aspect of a poor or good defence; like everything in football it is a result of 11 players against 11. Arsenal conceded 37 goals because of the 11 players they put out in 38 matches. But the weak links in any 11 would be contribute far more proportionally to poor outcomes than the average. Arsenal's GA may seem fine but that's because the alternative is not clear - if Arsenal had better CBs then perhaps GA would fall to 30, with world-class CBs perhaps to 20.
I'm really happy for Tymo actually! Good way to end the career.who do you want instead?
Frimpong and Coqulain I'm certain are going to go. Notice I never named them on my bench so you never know but I am sure Wenger won't want to kill Ramsey off, after all he plays him even when he's not playing well.Yeah Ramsey is diabolical on the wing. Shame on Wenger. Yeah, I doubt Wenger would drop Ramsey also (just signed a new long-term contract in January too iirc) but then... I'm reading we might be releasing Frimpong, Song's once heir-apparent? you never know
The problem I see is Podolski won't accept bench. He wants to go to the world cup and won't do that from our bench, same with Gervinho who Wenger has clearly given up on since he's been pretty much discarded unless we are hit with injuries or suspensions. So that could pose an issue.
Please take Jovetic and give us Higuain. I doubt you can get both!
Sviatoslav
Member
I'm really excited about Tymo coming here, getting the captain's armband and sorting out all the fucking locker room issues like the boss that he is.
I'm less excited about the rumours of Spalletti wanting to use him as a CB. Tymo is slooooooooowwww as fuck these days.
Thiago + Strootz + Rooney replacement.
Sviatoslav
Member
You guys ever read a rumour about your team that makes you just burst out laughing? Well here's mine for today: As a potential Hulk replacement Zenit are considering....wait for it....
Theo FUCKING Walcott.
Podolski needs a reality check. He just moved from a club that got relegated to a club playing in the CL, he's started a ton of matches this season, he doesn't track backwhat more does he want? He's under contract and he already failed once at Bayern, I hoped he would have learned the concept of the squad by now. Wenger should just tell him to shut the fuck up and get on with playing. Okay, maybe Wenger subbing him out all the time and always playing him on the wing is a bit bafflingbut I'm pretty sure he said he was fine playing on the wing when he first moved so... stop complaining.
At least Podolski is a decent player; we'll probably end up offloading Gervinho out on loan to various clubs for the remainder of his contract Bendtner-style. Honestly, I like Gervinho, but... yeah. It's not worth keeping him around.
I also read Walcott wanted by Napoli. lol
Podolski as a striker was shit though, which is why we want Higuain. I wasn't amused in any of the games where Podolski was the striker and against QPR and Utd was worse than Giroud. He has better finishing than Giroud but other than that I prefer Giroud in every other aspect and fuck is Podolski one lazy twat.
Gervinho has his moments where he looks good but horrendous bad first touch and poor finisher. If we could get rid of him for Gernier I would be estactic.
Theo is an interesting question mark for next season and beyond. If we get Higuain (or any striker, really), that's yet another nail in his shitty Thierry Henry impression's coffin. and right after we gave him a big contract too...
well, he'll always have that hat-trick against Newcastle I guess
well, he'll always have that hat-trick against Newcastle I guess
Sviatoslav
Member
Ooh, a bidding war, lol. Thankfully I know the rumor is bullshit because we're all aware of Zenit's fantastic selection policy:
Edit: We're apparently linked with Nagatomo from Inter too now. Not a good day for dem racist fans.
Matri won't join Milan to sit on their bench. He would much rather sit on ours...lol.
I like Matri's attitude, if he wants to stay then I'm okay with it.
No.
I like Matri's attitude, if he wants to stay then I'm okay with it.
but please leave mang
No.
The_Hitcher89
Member
...#...
edit: Bollocks, it showed the last post as 7:30am on the Community tab, it was actually at 8:30. Still, slow news month
edit: Bollocks, it showed the last post as 7:30am on the Community tab, it was actually at 8:30. Still, slow news month
The_Hitcher89
Member
Daddy's little boy's wages have to come from somewhere.
brokenbeans
Banned
Been away for a day or so please tell me United have signed someone!
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked
- Locked
- Locked