HOUSEBOAT - Warning: tenuous links ahead!: Page 363 - The Arsenal discussion forum and community: One More in the Tolly

HOUSEBOAT - Warning: tenuous links ahead!

Clrnc

By the way the Guardian links say we are still interested in Rugani so I took a look at the Juve forums.

The fans are treating him like how we treat Mustafi. They are so over the moon if they get anything above 20m for him. "Italian trained, Juventus CB, someone would be duped to buy him"

Klaus

Clrnc wrote:
By the way the Guardian links say we are still interested in Rugani so I took a look at the Juve forums.

The fans are treating him like how we treat Mustafi. They are so over the moon if they get anything above 20m for him. "Italian trained, Juventus CB, someone would be duped to buy him"

I told you guys.

Qwiss

@lorddulaarsenal wrote:
He muscles players off the ball for fun.

Mad thighs

Quick too, can do the recovery work Sokratis is too old for.

lorddulaarsenal

Yeah it’s a worry us getting him

JazzG

He’s 6’1” so he definitely ain’t short. Canavaro used to dominate Drogba in the air, so not just down to height. If you’ve got a good leap and good anticipation you’ll be fine.

jones wrote:
He is, mostly because Upamecano has been injured a lot last season and Konate has cemented himself as first choice in his absence. He's also bigger and not a lot slower if at all

How would you contrast their styles? Who do you rate higher?

Shady

There's definitely something stinky about Rugani.

lorddulaarsenal

If wengs was still here we’d be linked to jones or Rojo

Ricky1985

Qwiss! wrote:
He's not short. Sure he's not Naldo but he's not exactly Cannavaro either. Same height as Sok AFAIK.

He's 6'1", so not short, but also not 6'4" like Saliba. When you're coming to the Premier League you've got to have the tools to be ready for an aerial assault. Sokratis is far from unbeatable in the air, mainly because he often relies on a good spring rather than a height advanatage, like Koscileny always has too.

Ray

Being a tall CB isn't about being good in the air, usually those who time their leaps are good in the air like Mustafi. The bigger advantage is when closing down the attacker you can tower over them and bully them to stop them getting around you, especially when combining height and pace. For example someone like Barnes can overpower Mustafi but would find it a lot more difficult to do that to someone taller when running the channels.

Qwiss

Kos has always been sub par in the air, its just we don't really focus on it because we've so many bigger issues in defence. If the future is Upamecano, Saliba and Holding I don't think him being 6'1" is a concern. Just think of him and Saliba like the new Toure and Campbell.

Ricky1985

Qwiss! wrote:
Kos has always been sub par in the air, its just we don't really focus on it because we've so many bigger issues in defence. If the future is Upamecano, Saliba and Holding I don't think him being 6'1" is a concern. Just think of him and Saliba like the new Toure and Campbell.

That is a nice thought, indeed.

Toure did become vulnerable in the air when he was partnered with Gallas, who was also not particularly tall or strong for a CB. But he was more than fine next to big Sol. I guess with all these French centrebacks out there, I'm just being a bit picky.

Question though: In an ideal partneship do you have two Sol Campbells, or are good partnerships made by having one that is big, strong and slightly more reserved and a smaller, more agressive, more agile, ball winner? I'm thinking Cannavaro and Nesta, Ferdinand and Vidic, Terry and Carvalho, Adams and Keown, Varane and Ramos. Even, to a much lesser extent, the success of the Mertesacker and Koscielny partnership.

I would have said always go for the two 'complete' defenders, but perhaps partnerships where each one compliments the other's strengths and weaknesses works better in practice? Campbell and Ferdinand were never great together for England, for example, the same with Terry and Ferdinand, but that's not exactly a great comparison to make.

Coombs

Football is a game of partnerships, I think that's definitely an important consideration in a CB pairing. That doesn't necessarily mean each have to have limitations in their game, more that their strengths should compliment each other. To be strong in everything is great, but rare, and on the pitch different things need to be done in different circumstances, so having players that fit together in that sense is probably pretty important.

lorddulaarsenal

Wolves are rumoured to be in for Rugani. I supposed that’s an endorsement of Laurence Fishburne likes him

QuincyAbeyie

With these exciting rumours popping up I can only imagine what we could do with CL money.

Claudius

Quincy Abeyie wrote:
With these exciting rumours popping up I can only imagine what we could do with CL money.

I think we are spending the CL money. Taking a bet that Chelsea and United are a bit messy so we should go all in.

lorddulaarsenal

But the types of players we are adding will hold their value. Low risk imo

JazzG

Captain wrote:
Coombs wrote:
Raul seems like he's willing to take the risk, even if it does put us over a barrel to some extent.

Taking a mortgage out on the club...

Somebody needs to tell him that Islington council won't be bailing is out any time soon.

I don't think we are at those levels just yet! Maybe there is a realisation higher up that unless we pull our finger out now other clubs will catch up and possibly surpass us. Decade of chronic under investment (and poor purchases) in our squad is the reason for finishing out of the top 4 for 3 years now.

Claudius

And it’s fine to go into an investment super cycle. It’s apparent that’s what happened with Liverpool. They invested heavily for a couple of years and are cooling off this summer. Annual investments needn’t be linear, especially as you build a team to challenge for a given period. So Raul might spend like mad this year and spend very little next year.

speedy

Claudius wrote:
And it’s fine to go into an investment super cycle. It’s apparent that’s what happened with Liverpool. They invested heavily for a couple of years and are cooling off this summer. Annual investments needn’t be linear, especially as you build a team to challenge for a given period. So Raul might spend like mad this year and spend very little next year.

Or get CL next year . . .and better sponsorship deals with some bigger exciting names joining the club.

Jed

@lorddulaarsenal wrote:
If wengs was still here we’d be linked to jones or Rojo

We'd be linked to no one.

"We don't need a new center back. I believe we have 4 world class center backs - Sokratis, Koscielny, Holding and Mustafi. Don't forget Mavropanos will be like a new signing. As well, we don't want to kill Medley".

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