Jovetic: Page 22 - The Arsenal discussion community: One More in the Tolly

Jovetic

Gunner89

Milan winning 2-0. If they win they are 7 ahead of Fiorentina who can't afford to lose a single game of there 3 games and would need at least 2 wins and 1 draw. If Milan get a point of their next 2 then Fiorentina need to win all 3.

Captain

I quite like the wholly unrealistic idea of Papadopoulos.

In fact Adler, Dzeko, Papa, and one more is pretty much my wishlist for today. If only we had a thread for that.

Klaus

Armor wrote:
I mean Klaus is saying our flanks are getting taken apart every game - well name me a right back out there who's going to defend a lot better than Sagna? Sounds a tad silly to me.

By contrast, name me a right-winger who defends worse than Walcott.

We've been without Sagna for long spells the last two seasons and Jenkinson blatantly isn't up to scratch. Mertesacker, Vermaelen and Gibbs are decent backups. I haven't made up my mind about Monreal yet but he doesn't look like starting material in England either.

Armor

Sorting out the right side of the attack isn't a bad idea alright.

But in regards to the back 4 i don't think we're going to find much better than what we have. Our defensive record is similar to every team bar City and thats despite only finding our best CB combo and sorting the midfield balance out recently. A new keeper is the only defensive position that looks like it can be easily improved imo.

Klaus

I'm not overly concerned by numbers. You can concede for a number of reasons just like you can score a number of ways. It's absolutely clear from watching them that they're a bogstandard bunch of players though. It's impossible to rely on them in any situation. Their problems range from being tactically naive to technically woeful. It's been made worse by Sagna's lack of form. Koscielny is the only one of them who has any business in our starting eleven next season, and I include Szczesny in the defence.

Armor

Well i'll put it this way. When i compare our squad to the Manchester clubs and Chelsea, its the attack which looks way inferior. Thats not to say we can't improve defensively, but i have no doubt that the bulk of our money should be spent on attacking players. Thats the bottom line for me.

Captain

Think Per has probably been our best player this season when all is said and done.

Klaus

Armor: We look inferior in every area compared to those teams. Keepers, strikers, midfielders, defenders, squad depth... take a pick.

Armor

I already picked attackers Klaus! Thats where we have most ground to make up imo.

GaelForce

I'd be happy with Mertesacker and Kos as the two starting centre backs next season. A striker's definitely needed more than anything, and then pretty much every other position could do with a new starting player. Depends what's available and who Wenger rates.

Klaus wrote:
Armor wrote:
I mean Klaus is saying our flanks are getting taken apart every game - well name me a right back out there who's going to defend a lot better than Sagna? Sounds a tad silly to me.

By contrast, name me a right-winger who defends worse than Walcott.

I'm so annoyed by the new model Theo. At least kid Theo worked hard every game...

Rex

I don't think Klaus's valuation of Mertesacker is correct. He is way better than what he is given credit for. It should also be obvious to everyone that Gibbs is clearly a better player than Monreal. I think Gibbs is top 3 or 4 LBs in the PL. Monreal is not a bad player, but his lack of pace means that once he is beaten, which happens too often, he stands no chance against most PL widemen to make up for his initial mistake.

If it were up to me I'd spend 60 percent of what we intend to spend this summer in attack, 30 percent in midfield and 10 percent in defense. Selling Sagna and Flappy would only marginally influence that.

Ray

Mertesacker and Koscielny is fine, for defense I would buy Richards as cover for RB and CB and leave it at that. Midfield i'd buy a backup midfielder probably Capoue, attack is where the big money should be spent.

Timbob

Have to say I disagree with Klausies assessment of our squad. We do have a few too many mediocre players, but we have a lot of good and promising players too. We lack a couple of proven, exceptional footballers who can make the good players look even better.

Tbh, when it gets right down to it, the key is bring in world class quality, particularly through the spine. Fill any two positions of goalkeeper, centre back, centre midfield or centre forward with top quality and we'll look a million times better.

goon

Klaus' assessment isn't necessarily wrong, but I think his point of view would be more valid if we were aiming to build the best team in Europe rather than simply be competitive again. I think most of us would take the latter for now, baby steps and all that.

We can definitely be competitive again with 2-3 top quality players who fit the system we're trying to play. We wouldn't be favorites by any means but we could definitely mount a serious challenge.

Clrnc

Armor wrote:
I like Jagielka but is he really going to be a big improvement on Mertesacker? I don't think so. I mean Klaus is saying our flanks are getting taken apart every game - well name me a right back out there who's going to defend a lot better than Sagna? Sounds a tad silly to me.

Sagna has been defending very poorly though, at least half of the RB in PL this season is doing much better than him.

Captain wrote:
Think Per has probably been our best player this season when all is said and done.

Yep, hardly anybody recognised that. He's been so consistently good and he helped our defence become much more solid. Its always Per +1. I know Klaus think he is the worst player this season though. I would gladly start this CB pairing next year with Vermaelen third choice and the 2 LB we have, we are looking pretty solid. If there was a top class defender like Howedes or Hummels available we should go for it, otherwise signing some young promising CB like Marquinhos or someone lesser name but experienced in the PL like Williams/Reid will suffice. If we don't have enough cash then promote Miquel as 4th choice, he would be fine.

In terms of priorities it should always be striker > striker > playmaker/winger > RB > DM > CB > GK

samthegooner

Just look what United did last summer. They definitely had some holes in defense and I don't think anyone would say that they had a great defense this year. But they score and score a lot and that takes pressure off the defense. I do get worried when we have to rest Per or Kos and then TV5 comes into the team. Liked the suggestion to sign Richards as versatile cover. And then spend the rest on Jovetic and a top class forward who can score 20+ goals (Benteke/Higuain/Dzeko/Lewandowski). Can never have enough quality goal scorers and United has proved that recently.

Cannon

Lets not get ahead of us guys. Kos and Per are very good and they have proved it. Talk of vertonghen/williams improving the CB partnership is just that. talk. Vertonghen is in no way a finished product, Per has much better anticipation and positioning than him IMO. What we need is a good backup in case verms leaves or else we need some young talent like that greek CB Papadopoulos .

TambourineMan

Vermaelen is too big a name to be back up in my opinion. It nothing changes over the summer he'll be off.

lorddulaarsenal

Surely if nothing changes he stays?

Klaus

Clrnc wrote:
I know Klaus think he is the worst player this season though.

No I don't. 😆

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