Morning all.
I know we need to take what’s written in the back pages with a large pinch of salt, especially when it’s written in the Daily Star, but it seems Francis Coquelin has been training playing at centre-back. This news is rewritten from a quote on Arsenal Snapchat:
“I’ve been playing centre back and I’ve been bossing it, you know.” said the French midfielder.
Still, I guess this will enhance his defensive abilities and with Kos, Merts and Gabriel all missing from the squad, someone with experience has to fill in. I’d have thought one of Debuchy or Monreal will be used tonight though against Drogba and his fellow MLS team-mates, after all, they have both played in that position before.
But it’s making do isn’t it? Before the season ended most fans could see that we are seriously lacking in experience and quality in the centre of defence yet here we are, two weeks before the season kicks off and nothing. Rob Holding may turn out to be a surprise but going from the Championship to the Premier league and Champions League may prove to be a step to far for him. But he’s played at international level for a while now and it was him and Chambers together in defence which helped the England under 21’s Toulon Tournament just a couple of months ago.
Ok, I’m pushing it a bit on the hope and expectation front, it’s getting desperate eh…..
The boys are having great fun in the US it seems and the official site are running a tour blog which shows their daily activities and it’s great to see Freddie there with them having a ball. They are managing to squeeze a bit of training into their day so it’s not all fun and frolics….
Meanwhile, the search for a defender goes on, as does the hunt for a striker, well, I hope it does and while Arsene larges it up in America, others back at Arsenal need to be working hard.
It’s widely reported that the club will go back with a better offer for Lacazette, one which will hopefully be enough to get him and on the defender front, Shkodran Mustafi is fast becoming the favourite according the media. I quite like the prospect of having another German international player in our squad. Mind you, Granit Xhaka being at Arsenal might just tempt his Swiss team-mate Fabian Schär to make a move to north London. He’s linked with a move to us this morning and surely 1899 Hoffenheim would be tempted to sell for the right price.
If Arsenal were more ambitious and had their heart set on winning the Premier League and doing really well in Europe, they’d get all three….
Good piece on Lacazette…
http://statsbomb.com/2016/07/who-is-alexander-lacazette-and-should-arsenal-spend-40m-on-him/
Morning lots to watch there. However off to a long days work but will comment later around 6 to 7 pm I should think. Have fun all.
Have we bid less than West Ham did earlier in the TW?
Morning Potter, have a good day..
Apparently so Lee. Beggars belief eh…
It was not long ago nobody thought Coquelin could play DM……….just saying.
Why not try him?
Henry was brought in after playing Winger.
RVP…same.
Yes, we MUST buy a CB, but don’t knock trying Coquelin there when we haven’t seen him before.
But it’s making do Scott and it’s not what a club like ours should be doing imo.
Rico, that is overlooking my point, and I did say we should sign a CB.
I’m not defending Wenger, but I keep saying it-Gooners are so quick to criticise our players when it’s not warranted, IMO.
Imagine Coquelin plays there and is a superstar??
Of course, most people would then say Wenger lucked out again, while very, very few fans would say he saw something in Coquelin.
I’m not knocking Coquelin at all Scott. As I said earlier this morning, I don’t blame many players, but I do blame Wenger for being a penny pincher and shuffling players around just because he can…
And Wenger did get lucky with Coquelin as if it wasn’t for an injury to our midfielders, he’d be playing elsewhere right now….
If Coquelin plays CB and nails it, then great, smart move but Wenger has a history of ruining players by playing them out of position….
For every Henry which went right, there’s always a Podolski, Ramsey, Vermaelen, Nik B….. etc etc..
Again, I’m not defending Wenger..
Not one bit.
I’m carrying over from yesterday’s post where so many fans criticise players who the know damn well are playing out of their preferred position.
remember one mascherano who played DM for Liverpool but now.one of the best Defenders for Barcelona…. just saying what are the odds
Of course players will get criticised though when they play poorly, regardless of where they play, that’s just the way football is – after all, much of the time they look like they aren’t happy and aren’t putting the effort in.
But ultimately, if Wenger was as good as he was so many years ago, he’d have a balanced squad with specific players for specific roles, not a bunch of footballers who he tries to fit in where he can…
Pekky, Wenger can’t sort out our defending with so called proper defenders, so the chance of him coaching Coquelin into being a top central defender are slim to none imo….
We’ve been crying out for a spine for ages, we’ve got the DM sorted still need a top striker and a top CB and have done for ages….. this is what irks me, we’ve got the money what’s the fucking problem in rectifying the situation???
We carry on like a mid table club NOT one of the top 5 richest clubs on the planet…..
Spot on Lee.
Tea break, Does Andy Carrol or Peter Crouch play in La Liga ? and Spurs fill their team with 6 plus footers. English football does not work in the same way as others. A 5 foot 9 centre back would be food and drink to most other teams at set pieces and corners.
I didn’t want to mention that Potter, in fear of being told height doesn’t matter… 😉
Merts is tall.
How much does size really matter??
Bournemouth have spent more money than Arsenal this summer…… Just saying….
Not sure Merts is the best example of a tall defender… 😉
All well and good for the odd game against Snow White F.C etc but as you say food n drink for all the other clubs! We shouldn’t be making do, we should have a competitive squad assembled NOT an unbalanced ill equipped squad.
Last season we had a better man for man squad/team than Leicester but still came up ten points short……maybe just maybe it’s Wenger that’s the problem???
Hopefully this is his last season and a new manager is given a crack with the majority of this squad and kitty!?!?
Wenger, the coaches, and the general complacent approach on a match day…
Trouble is, what decent managers are left out there?
Even Sam’s gone now…………… 🙂
Sign him up Arsene…… 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSTRCaNdl7g
Off for a while, laters…
We have been short of a really dominant CB since Sol left and a top striker since…RVP had that golden season?. Before that, Thierry himself.
From the outside the whole thing just feels stale to me. New ideas, new energy? All that stuff.
Fair enough, Rico, but he is the perfect example of size not mattering as a CB 🙂 🙂
Kozzer isn’t overly tall and they don’t come much better.
Afternoon One and All…
Afternoon Adam, Rico, Rizla…
Adam, aren’t you overlooking Senderos…
Good Afternoon Lovelies and Hunkies.
Rico…..I do not think its fair that Coquelin plays at CB. Yes he has experience and he can boss the others and knows how to tackle. But its not fair to make do. Neither on the player, nor on the club nor the supporters who deserve a better team.
I think Le Coq will make a splendid CB if there’s one thing he doesn’t lack it’s tenacity his current position is a bit overcrowded now so at least it keeps him playing.
Coquelin playing there should only be a temporary measure, unless of course he turns out to be a brilliant sweeper…
I mean Kolo Toure wasn’t a giant and he was an Invincible if I recall…
A bit of height at the back is important, but so is a bit of pace and the ability to tackle.
If Wenger buys taller players they will be able to look him in the eye, rather than have him look down on the Map! Where would he be then, dominated by players of an equal status and size! He’d be in the shite. His body language ‘power games’ would lie in tatters around his ankles!
I guess some people just like littles! Wenger is clearly one of them. Even Giroud isn’t as tall as his manager!
I don’t think being sizest is a good trait to have, but Wenger will play his games, bless him!
I agree KEv. but to put Le Coq there would be defeating the two players per position rule and hence rotation and rest. Yes AW does not do rotation but if he has two top quality players for every position than he will do it. Putting Le Coq there would mean that AW will not buy a much needed CB.
Or does he want to put Le Coq there in the hope that it works brilliantly so that he can fit in JW10 in one of his midfield positions.
Genius. He gets Le Coq to play as a CB and have a place for JW.
Yes it might work. But imo it stinks.
Every time Gazidis opens his smarmy gob he puts his foot further in it. Now saying we need to be careful with our money because you never know what the future holds! I have followed football for over 50 years and can’t recall a big club anywhere ever going out of business. The club really do insult the intelligence of us supporters! Pisstakers the lot of em.
Its like he is trying to re-invent the wheel imo.
Yes Coquelin is versatile…he can play RB, LB, CDM and now CB. He might become a total defensive footballer. But too much versatility might hinder him becoming exceptional in one position. Experiments are all fine and I agree with them….but not at the age of 25. Up till 18/19 yes…..but why keep on shunting players out of position?
And the biggest lie I have heard??? Gazidis saying we cannot compete. Bollocks. We are making money more than the toilet paper industry makes rolls.
Coach, I ain’t sure that Wenger subscribes to the two-players-per-position you suggest, so he’s gonna do exactly what he’s gonna do, and that’s pretty much that…
I think that Coquelin will just be happy to be in the team…
Can someone explain how ‘them’ morphs into “the Map”. Please?
At times I am taken aback by some of the discussions here; even-though, lmho HH is the best Arsenal blog on the web, and the only one worth a daily visit. Sure Coq played RB but that was a while ago, but playing RB, CB and CDM all require totally different mentality. The way Coq plays and runs into tackles, we better be prepared to give up a penalty a game if he’s a CB. Forget height and all that stuff. Gary Medal is 5’6″, imo he’s one of the best CBs in the world and wins headers at an alarming rate, so that height stuff is a bite overrated. But the concern is in order for Coq to be a good CB he has to be less aggressive in the box which by default takes away his highest attribute as a footballer.
Kev…..around 5 years ago our FA got all us UEFA A/B coaches and we had a seminar in which the main speaker was a foreign coach.
He told us that ideally a club should have 2 players for every position which can make it easy to rotate. We were told that the ideal squad would have 15 top players, 4-5 reliable squad players and around 2-3 youth players who will surely make the grade. He stressed the importance of having the 1st and 2nd team to play the same way so that each one would fit in without the team suffering.
in this way rotation can be achieved without the team dropping in its performance.
He also stressed that moving players here and there is not beneficial to the players and the team.
That coach who was giving us the seminar was none other than Carlo Ancelotti….who has won European cups as a player and Manager, the league in Italy, Spain, England and now probably Germany as well. A coach who has produced countless players. And a coach who has always put Mourinho in his place.
If there is a coach that Mourinho hates because he has never got the better of its Ancelotti.
Afternoon Kev and all.
Today is a good day. Having looked after two houses and their enormous gardens for the last two weeks, both families return from holiday tomorrow… Whoooo bloody raaaaaa 🙂
Afternoon Rico and the House Just a short Visit.
H/T in Durban U19’s winning 1-0
Mavididi very good goal.
Latta
Afternoon Rick…
Arsenal have joined West Ham in the race to sign Juventus forward Mario Mandzukic. (London Evening Standard)
Pick an Arsenal problem and perm any one player from 5. If the papers mention enough players 1 of them might stick . Chances are though that none of them will.
With Mandzukic you not only get a past-it footballer but a cheating comedian too.
At least when the papers write rubbish like that, seldom does it come true.
What to make of the Mahrez stuff?
Dunno Rico.
Seems odd to me Adam, especially after the Adidas kit leak….
In control until we made subs then lost 2-1 to 2 late goals.
Debuchy transfer off they will not meet asking price.
Kamara has left on season loan.
Two late goals, that sounds familiar…..
It’s the late subs that get to me. I know people want playing time but the purpose of playing has to be to win. You can’t make changes for the sake of it. It seems to be a policy that runs through the club because as we know some of Arsene’s substitutions are baffling.
Aren’t they just, seldom has he ever changed a player who was having a bad game and then when the board goes up, he still changes someone else….
Night guys…
On the transfer front. I’ve only seen Utube videos but I like the look of Ben yedder . He reminds me of a young Suarez with his movement and clinical finishing.
Definitely worth a punt. Plus he has scored consistently in the last 4 seasons. He will score goals. He will be another one in 2yrs time costing mega money when we could get him cheap now.
Love to be proved wrong, but not gonna hold my breath.
Howdy y’all good read Rico, are United doin a big clear-out?
There’s talk of up to 9 players leaving mostly young homegrown players!
Fish-Mensah being one of em proper tank of a young fella! I’d take him off their hands!!
Fosu
Nothing much changes far better team can’t score
Good Morning Lovelies and Hunkies.
Morning Rico boss.
We won 2-1.
Campbell (pen) and Akpom the scorers
MLS scored through some lucky geezer who is being sued by Senderos and TommyV for giving them sleepless nights and who still gives them nightmares full of sweat. Seems that Senderos is still waking up shaking with fear and screaming something which sounds like “Drog the Ba”
He still needed three attempts to score though.
According to various reports (did not see game as was busy kissing the pillow) Holding did really well. Even AW praised him for his positioning and anticipation. Hopefully that will continue and he will keep his place. And in fact he did for the whole game. He was not subbed and that is testament to how well he played. Time for another CB from the lower division Mr Scrooge.
Theo Walcott was, well Theo Walcott. I saw highlights just now and in the third minute he had a one on one and fluffed his chance by shooting instead of passing to Campbell who was screaming alone on Theo’s left hand side.
Debuchy was also poor while Gibbs squandered possession when their Geezer scored. Seems that all reports were unanimous that Debuchy offered nothing going forward while Gibbs, although solid throughout still has that ‘mistake every game’ syndrome.
Campbell, Ox and Elneny were praised for their hard work.
Bielik also did well, while Chambers and Holding looked a pairing and a half. Ahhh, just remembered, they know each other from the England U21 so AW will surely know that. Maybe Chambers has found his partner in crime??
Bdw….according to the blogs who give points per match for everyone who kicks a ball….Holding got a 9
Jack Wilshere managed to get himself out of the wheelchair, and gave a quietly confident performance. He was directing the proceedings for a whole 1st half and was frustrated only twice….by Theo’s inept attempts to score. Otherwise he was kept happy by the spaces offered for him on a plate by the MLS team
Zelalem was also praised and a blog in particular stated that he is the equivalent of two players and a half. If that meant that Giddy was a combination of Pirlo and Vieira (the two players) and Pogba (the half) then we have the next best thing since sliced bread or the wheel were invented.
xhaka had a good game and held fort in front of the defence during the second half. Elneny was praised as well and it seems that AW has given way and accepted the fact that even if he does not want him to do so, Elneny will still shoot from a distance…and he nearly scored as well. Elneny’s partnership with Le Coq and then his partnership with Xhaka means well for the coming season. Elneny is here to stay.
Akpom did well it seems and got on the score sheet as well.
Meanwhile, according to various unconfirmed reports from various sources who are friends of friends of some unknown journalist sources, Eddie Howe set his alarm a quarter of an hour before the kick off so that he could watch his future team in action. He was impressed by the player who will one day be AFC captain……Holding.
And for the benefit of those who want to watch the highlights, here you are……….
“Let’s not forget that there are still few players at home. Ozil and Ramsey at home. And Giroud is not here. We have options,”
“But we are still going to look outside to find one more.”
One more??????
Morning Devil, Lee and all.
One forward and one defender…. Better than nothing I guess… 😉
Rico, I read it as “one” more player………. Mahrez and that’s it I reckon!
We still need a winger and a striker Lee And Rico.
Theo cannot lead the line and whenever he went outside the right hand side suffered.
We got more than enough chances in the 1st half alone by getting in behind the defence, but Theo was never in the right place to tap in.
Akpom scored from a tap in as one of our players got behind the defence and crossed from the byline.
We still need a defender as well….Holding was very good, and looks assured and anticipated many moves and snuffed danger before it raised its ugly head. But he is still young and inexperienced for AW to go whole season with him. Too much pressure on his young head.
From next year there will be four subs in the cups.
I would love Mahrez to join Lee. He will give us an edge on the right hand side. And maybe goals as well.
My thinking is he’ll sign Mahrez and not sign a forward, just use Walcott/Akpom (bad move imo) until Stan’s son is back fit again….
If it were for me I would go for Mahrez, Ben Yidder and Mustafi.
Then sell Theo and Campbell, and release Per at the end of the season.
theo can fetch 20-25 million easily since he is English. As home grown he will be replaced by Holding. His sale will release 140kpw. Even if Mahrez signed he will not command such a salary. So at the end AFC will stand to gain by selling Theo.
Mahrez, Yedder and Mustafi sounds like an order at a Morocan restaurant? 😆
Lee, he said two days ago that he wants a defender after Merts was ruled out so I took it as two… Maybe I’m wishing a bit too much… 😉
🙂 Lee, that’s funny…
If Debuchy leaves then surely he will have to buy a defender Rico. We will be short there.
Bellerin, Kos, Gaby, Nacho, Chambers, Holding, Gibbs. Per is out for more than half season while Jenks is still injured.
I still feel that AW will keep Debuchy till January to see how Jenks fares, then will sell MD in the transfer window.
As I said…Holding is good but he is still too young.
Lee….. 🙂 lol. Hilarious.
Walcott was woeful AGAIN last night……….. definitely time to move him on!
I doubt he’ll sign a right back Devil even if Debuchy goes, there’s a young guy coming through and he has Chambers and Jenks… Both English.. 😉
Lee I only saw highlights of last night and was open mouthed at some of the rushed decisions he took. At one point, during the 14min mark he had the option to pass to Campbell who could have had a better chance of scoring but opted to shoot weakly.
Some of the decisions bear the hallmark of someone who does not keep his head up but looks only at the ball. He lack in his vision as to where his team mates are.
When isn’t he Lee?
I know Rico. And I feel that way too. But I do not think its fair to base the defence on too much young shoulders.
Yes we have Bielik as well, but he has a long way to go.
As it is right now…..
Bellerin, Gaby, Kos, Nacho
Jenks, Chambers, Holding, Gibbs
I have utmost faith in Chambers and Holding. But even though I know that Jenks will give it all I feel that he is far away from top top level. Gibbs is good but still suspect.
At least that is an all English back line.
Morning Rico and all. Our defence looked like sieve in those clips. As for Theo, I can only assume Wenger has him in the shop window waiting for a sale.
I don’t either but I’m thinking how Wenger would be probably thinking, penny pinching!
Morning Adam. Who’d want him? 😉
Morning all.
Watching the game now…
Theo is Theo…..never be anything different.
Holding was how much???
Composure and talent isn’t always signified by the price tag, apparently….
Bielik is going to be a superstar.
Stood his ground bloody well a few times against Dogba who, although 76 years old, is still an imposing, strong unit.
Chambers is doing well so far..
Pretty rusty, but plenty to like from some of the young guys, and exactly what you’d expect from a few older ones.
I don’t know Rico. I thought perhaps West Ham might be interested or someone perhaps who hasn’t actually watched him for a while.
Otherwise he will be looking for that £200,000 a week contract. 🙂
If we get Mahrez I believe one of WHU or Leicester will take Theo.
Why not give Leicester Theo+12 million for Mahrez?? makes sense for all concerned imo
I thought Leicester might go for him Adam, he’d suit the way they play..
New post up now.