Klaus wrote:

Tony Montana wrote:

In a nutshell it's pretty much true.

Aye. I think it has to do with the fact that he played as a holding midfielder once but people don't account for the fact that we don't have any holding players anymore. There's a discrepancy between how they want us to play and how we de facto play, and Song gets caught in the middle because he's not being perceived as doing the job he used to do. Different system, different responsibilities.

There's still a lot of valid criticism people can level at Song but most who do so completely ignore the amount of balls he's winning in midfield, the press, all the tactical fouls and the vital passing between the lines. People seem to think he just puts the ball in over the top but only Arteta was better last season at passing the ball along the ground. People want to replace him, fine. But sign the replacement before we sell Song in that case. And make sure to sign someone with the right skillset. We need someone who can win the ball back. Coquelin strikes me as our best inside option but he's young and injury prone.

The problem with Song when he press, you can bypass him with ease and those so call tactical fouls are fouls he make when he does not position himself properly or get caught out.

No, it's not. It's called tactical fouls because they break up play. Which he needs to do constantly because we're constantly undermanned. Most of our players can't be arsed to track opponents. You can't have three forwards and one attacking midfielder who think it's fine to just sit on their arses in the attacking half when the opponents counter.

For 15m I'll take him to Barca myself.

@ Klaus

I do not know what football you where watching last season but Song donot make tactical fouls he makes foolish decision and get is customary 1 match ban after 10 games.

We had a certain individual by the name of Gilberto Silva who made a lot of tactical fouls but never got book. I remember one season when he committed the most foul for Arsenal but only got two yellow cards in the entire season.

You can make a tactical foul and still be booked.

Selling Song for less than 20m is ridiculous.

I can't see this happening, but it is happening and I really don't understand why.

Shinda wrote:

@ Klaus

I do not know what football you where watching last season but Song donot make tactical fouls he makes foolish decision and get is customary 1 match ban after 10 games.

We had a certain individual by the name of Gilberto Silva who made a lot of tactical fouls but never got book. I remember one season when he committed the most foul for Arsenal but only got two yellow cards in the entire season.

How many times did Songs fouls cost us a goal and how many times did they stop threatening attacks.

Nearly every player in the league who's considered good in those positions picks up just as many fouls and yellows as Song. Although refs do seem to be very harsh on Song, usually because we'll be getting kicked up and down the park before an opponent gets a yellow then Song commits a standard foul and gets booked so the ref feels like he's being even.

Song's a great player and it would be a right shame to lose him. The fact that The Best Team in the World™ want him shows how undervalued he is by so many Arsenal fans.

They also wanted Hleb. Jus' saying. ;-)

The reason why Song gets so many yellow cards in a season is because he constantly fouls players in a game, and that's because he's always out of position and people continue say he makes tactical foul.

If he was out of position he wouldn't be there to make the foul.

Sky saying on the tele that Song's reps are in Barcelona finalizing a deal for 15 million pounds.

I'm getting a little more freaked out about this now, Sahin has allegedly declared for Liverpool, M'vila for Spurs, what are we doing here?

Mental selling Song at this moment in time.

It's breaking news on Sky?

No it's not. Kids been on the herb again. That or he's been banging that rough fat chick from his school again

squallkid lives in america, so presumably he got it from twitter. Seems to be a common theme now.

Guy on SSN did just say Song's reps were in Barcelona finalising a deal. It's not the breaking news though, Modric expected to fly to Madrid tomorrow is the breaking news

I got it from twitter, not sure how true it is.

Myles Wanker Palmer has apparently said Song and RVP have left. He posts a lot of shit to get hits on his site.