Squad Analysis 2013/14: Page 87 - The Arsenal discussion forum and community: One More in the Tolly

Squad Analysis 2013/14

Bold Tone

Knowing all this only makes it more painful to see us struggle against spuds and what should be cannon fodder at the Emirates. Also the absolute knowledge that no amount of hot air from us registers on the club who are fully committed to a manager who has always achieved cl status.

Anzac

lagos wrote:
In an Arsenal where you have to seek out positives to keep one's sanity, the consolation is as Klaus said but like I have been saying for years, it's carrying players like Theo that prevent us from being genuine challengers every year even if we don't win the league. It's not like he earns £50-60K a year, there are too many players on big wages not delivering (for whatever reason) the expectation of their wages and taking up the space of someone who could potentially add more, improve us and take us closer to genuine contenders.

Theo on £100k pw, Sanchez on £140k pw...which represents better value?

take a loot at this and tell me this represents good value for money

http://www.caughtoffside.com/2014/10/10/arsenal-wages-15-highest-paid-players-including-overpaid-subs-crocked-striker/

Agreed re Walcott - IMO Aw keeps him for his threat value re his pace, and that he's amongst our better finishers (primarily because he's essentially a poacher & a younger version of Podolski, but not as good in front of goal), and because he's HG. 7 years as a starting player & this is what we have to show for it when others are criticised based upon work rate.

I hope to Christ those figures are wrong - 100k/week for Giroud FFS.

Biggus

Never mind that....

Abou Diaby £65,000
Welbeck £75,000 😆

QuincyAbeyie

Our highest is Özil with 140k, while United have Rooney 300, Falcao 280, van Persie 250 and Di Maria 150. They're crazy.

Gazza M

whats also crazy is people thought it would be worth bringing in falcao on near double what our top earner gets

ultimatewarrior

Claudius wrote:
I haven't talked Theo in a long time. As you guys know, I'm super concerned about what he adds to the team's approach play, and we've discussed ad nauseum. Arseblog mentions just how uninvolved he was yesterday. Can we afford this in a starter?

He attempted just 9 passes and completed only 6 of those. He had fewer touches of the ball in all that time than Giroud did despite the Frenchman playing 50 minutes less (thanks to @JongsmaJongsmafor that stat). It speaks to a player who isn’t involved enough. He was selected on the right hand side last night, but his trick of drifting into the centre into positions where he can’t get the ball – or where it’s not sensible for other players to give it to him – means he barely features.

He fluffed a great chance in the opening minutes, was on hand to tuck away the rebound very smartly indeed, but aside from that he was a complete passenger. I don’t think it’s overly-critical to expect more from a player. I get he’s not the most technical or skillful and that his main strengths are getting in behind and finishing, but on nights like last night he becomes very difficult to carry. If Mesut Ozil had been as uninvolved last night, the Daily Mail would have had him deported.

Like I said before the game. Theo at the moment is all about running as fast as he can towards the goal to try and score.

Theo was much better with the ball last season, but he's been all about kick and rush so far, which might be expected. He's not attempting to dribble at all, so he's passing to the nearest man and making a run for it. He did just come back from injury.

ultimatewarrior

Gazza M wrote:
whats also crazy is people thought it would be worth bringing in falcao on near double what our top earner gets

What's crazy is that we almost always end up being wrong, the lot of us, yet we always think we are right. That's fucking crazy. :doh:

Rex

Speak for yourself.

banduan

Theo needs to be told to do what he's been doing before his injury, getting involved in play. He is one of our better crossers and snagged loads of assists from smart runs down the flanks. Now he's just drifting in, mainly because he knows he times his runs very well and can easily get a scoring chance, but to the detriment of our general play.

goon

We had Ozil, Santi and Rosicky in the side, not to mention Sanchez. We don't need Theo to get involved in play we need him to keep making those runs.

Bold Tone

I think bandy is making the point that Theo is better than the passenger we have seen in his past few games when we needed him more in midfield than upfront. Can you imagine the furore if any other player did as little as he has done in the games against spuds and Leicester?

goon

He played 10 mins against Tottenham, what is he supposed to do In that time?

Against Leicester he scored and was involved in our two other best opportunities. I'd rather less involvement as long as they are decisive, rather than Santi and Rosicky having loads of the ball and doing nothing of note with it.

Bold Tone

otfgoon wrote:
He played 10 mins against Tottenham, what is he supposed to do In that time?

Against Leicester he scored and was involved in our two other best opportunities. I'd rather less involvement as long as they are decisive, rather than Santi and Rosicky having loads of the ball and doing nothing of note with it.

Against spuds we were being overwhelmed in midfield and he may as well have sat down on the centre circle. Against Leicester you surely can't be counting the guilt edged chance he fucked up when Ozil put him clean through as a positive involvement. Far from bashing the guy i am saying he is capable of more than what he is giving.

Qwiss

otfgoon wrote:
He played 10 mins against Tottenham, what is he supposed to do In that time?

Against Leicester he scored and was involved in our two other best opportunities. I'd rather less involvement as long as they are decisive, rather than Santi and Rosicky having loads of the ball and doing nothing of note with it.

He's had 3 starts recently and scored 4 goals. He's in great form.

banduan

Well having missed the Leicester game I didn't realise he was CF. OTOH, even as CF he has the opportunity to influence matches more, like he did against Spurs in the cup last year. However, I do think the end product is more important.

lagos wrote:
Theo never plays well when the rest of the team is playing badly

That's another one of those silly quips along with "Theo only scores when it's not important" isn't it.

dreamlord

lagos wrote:
I will say it again especially to those who keep calling for Lineups wityh Theo and "bring on Theo" when we are having a bad game, Theo never plays well when the rest of the team is playing badly. He might capitalize on a team that is having a good day but he could also be the sore thumb even when the team is playing well. The guy is a luxury player, a waste of space, especially considering the opportunity cost and his injury record. Ox may not score as many goals but his overall contribution represent better value.

While I don't agree with the extremism in this post regarding Theo, I do agree that I would rather have Ox starting than Theo, especially when we are trying to play our counter game away to good teams.

Kel Varnsen

Theo is great as a wide striker, but he's a poor right winger.

ChiliPalmer

Theo doesn't need the team to play well. All he needs is the ball in the final 3rd, and he'll make the most of it. Scores loads of individual goals too - an underrated aspect of his.

Bold Tone

Winning that argument is pointless as we all know Theo's strengths and weaknesses. My issue with him recently is that, unlike Cazorla, Ozil and even Wilshere, i know he is a very effective defender when he tracks back.

Qwiss

Chili Palmer wrote:

Theo doesn't need the team to play well. All he needs is the ball in the final 3rd, and he'll make the most of it. Scores loads of individual goals too - an underrated aspect of his.

Exactly. He does his thing whether the team plays well or not. He is always capable of popping up with a definitive moment in a game.

Kels point is a good one though, he is a forward. He's best as a wide forward but can play as a striker too in the right situation.

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