Squad Analysis 2013/14: Page 91 - The Arsenal discussion forum and community: One More in the Tolly

Squad Analysis 2013/14

Biggus

Klaus wrote:
He's basically become a millionaire by getting massages and working out in the gym for the last five years.

Don't forget hanging out at Arsenal going to all the games free and meeting loads of famous footballers and wags.

Not a bad life.

Burnwinter

Don't see any confirmation he's actually being released in the article. Last time Wenger spoke on the matter he said he'd be offered a new deal if fit.

arsedocmd

Damn.sorry. i was just excited that he's finally leaving,plus there was detailed stats in the article so i assumed there was legit news somewhere in there.
Yes,i remember the same that he'll keep diablo if he came back,which is exactly what happen cos our luck is so shitty.

Burnwinter

Well, "if fit" is a pretty big "if" in Diaby's case, so it could be true that he's on his way.

I don't actually care either way any more. But that apathy makes me wonder if perhaps Diaby might suddenly get fit!

Claudius

Wenger's saying the right things. He can't just say Diaby's a carcass that's earned millions for doing nothing. His story is heartbreaking really. Can't we release him and ask him to take his coaching badges and come back to coach kids or summin. He seems a good, likable guy.

Burnwinter

lagos wrote:
😆 yeah imagine that

😆 Now that we don't give a fuck, it might happen!

Biggus

Indeed, Schopenhauer was right- It doesn't hurt as much when you don't give a fuck.

QuincyAbeyie

Starting to show that we have a pretty good squad. For me, this is our first XI:

Ospina
Bellerin - Gabriel - Koscielny - Monreal
Coquelin - Ramsey
Ox - Özil - Sanchez
Giroud

While this is our second XI:

Szczesny
Debuchy - Chambers - Mertesacker - Gibbs
Arteta - Wilshere
Walcott - Cazorla - ?
Welbeck

I think we need a wide forward, a DM and a world class GK if one is available. If Mertesacker leaves, we need to replace him.

Claudius

Agree. That second team central midfield is hella shaky. We definitely need that DM in. My view on a wide forward is someone to come in ahead of Ox (Reus/Griezmann level). Ox is still 2-3 years away from being a reliable starter. He has a long way back from injuries

QuincyAbeyie

If Ox wasn't troubled with injuries I reckon he'd have nailed down a starting position by now. It's the only thing holding him back.

goon

He's already a starter practically, he's started pretty much whenever he's been fully fit.

QuincyAbeyie

Let me rephrase - If he hadn't been troubled with injuries, I don't think we would talk much about upgrading on our wide players.

yuv

I can see the logic in this, but I find it odd that what actually happens is still not expressed in those ideal set ups.
When did we ever start without Cazorla? boss certainly doesn't seem to think like that.
For me it would take some hard evidence that we could actually do without him, probably coupled by a drop in form,
before Wenger drops him.

Seems to me he's seeing the
Coquelin Ramsey
Oz Cazorla Sanchez
Giroud

as a core thing. I see it like this as well.

It's not hard for me to see Oz slot in the middle and, say, Ox enter (or Welbeck).
But at this time I see Cazorla as an important part of things ticking. I don't take that at all for granted.

QuincyAbeyie

Being a player who always plays unless both Ramsey, Ox, Özil and Sanchez are all fit is as much first choice as any of those mentioned, because our squad is never fully fit.

yuv

For now I haven't really seen him dropped, so it's just an assumption others would be preferred if,
say, Ox is back. Last time he was around I think nothing in the world would have dispatched Santi.
Ozil wasn't even in the neighborhood.

Now that Oz seems to be getting there, and signs of him and Sanchez working together are there,
this may present such an option. But I wouldn't be surprised if Ox was a Sanchez sub primarily, or used
in off Oz days. Ramsey's also in the equation: when Oz is AM and Santi's out, you need a very restrained Ramsey there.
Santi offers much stability, and in many ways did a type of Arteta for us.

It won't be easy dropping Santi, though if all in form it's a possibility.

QuincyAbeyie

Well, I did say that it was my first XI, not Wenger's. His selection isn't really relevant. And the depth is the same even if you switch Cazorla with Ox, so I don't really see your point.

yuv

Quincy Abeyie wrote:
Well, I did say that it was my first XI, not Wenger's. His selection isn't really relevant. And the depth is the same even if you switch Cazorla with Ox, so I don't really see your point.

😆

And we blame Wenger for idealism...
His selection, be it preferred or rejected by you - the ideal adopted or modified - is what reality shows us.

Of course we can deduct to create our own counterfactuals, and set ideals regardless. But we would be a bit hasty
to prefer the thin air of what hasn't been tried without hesitation. It's not that it's his choice - it's that it has worked, while
the other, whatever it's merit, is an idea. I read so much about how Cazorla is not central. But he has always played.

Things can work, but who would have guessed Ozil won't show up for 18 months? that him and Sanchez won't instantly work like magic?
Show me it works before I sit Santi on the bench.

QuincyAbeyie

Relevant for my post, of course. When discussing depth it wouldn't matter if I put Welbeck as first choice ahead of Sanchez.

yuv

Oh, don't mind me, I'm just bitching about how Cazorla is being treated like our [size=small]beloved [/size][size=small]old dog. [/size] 🙂

QuincyAbeyie

I agree. I'm not one of those who feel that he isn't important. When the squad is fully fit, which never happens, for me, Cazorla is on the bench. Since it never happens, he always plays. This means he is very important.

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