Arsenal - Watford | Sunday, 2pm: Page 16 - The Arsenal discussion community: One More in the Tolly

Arsenal - Watford | Sunday, 2pm

Klaus

Another aspect I think should be talked about more is that we started the game today with three lads - Maitland-Niles, Saka and The Smith - who have been at the club since they were 7 years old. Passports shouldn't dictate who plays and who doesn't but there's still something to be proud of in that fact, I think.

jones

Klaus wrote:
Another aspect I think should be talked about more is that we started the game today with three lads - Maitland-Niles, Saka and The Smith - who have been at the club since they were 7 years old. Passports shouldn't dictate who plays and who doesn't but there's still something to be proud of in that fact, I think.

Definitely, don't think passports come into it necessarily anyway since Iwobi was Nigerian and played for us since a schoolboy. Don't care for the nationality at all (unless Dules is present and the player is a smelly Brit) but there's nothing better than having talented academy kids coming through playing for the first team.

Especially when they're not overhyped olympic diving dickheads like Trashford and Greenwood or stiff spastics like McTominay.

Sicario

Qwiss! wrote:
Ainsley's matured too. The focus is there now.

I was at the game. He was brilliant during the first half of the first half but faded slightly after that. Second half was ok but he is still far too casual for my liking.

Auba was poor but appreciated the effort. Usually when he’s poor he throws the towel in and gives 1/10 performances but at least this time he gave it his all. Do we need a new pen taker though?

Mom for me was White (best display in an Arsenal shirt defensively) followed closely by Tomi and Gabriel.

ohboy

Got to say, I would take Rashford in a heartbeat if he was available.

If Maitland-Niles is playing, he should be taking the penalties.

Apart from that Ramsdale brain fart, great focus.

We need to be creating more chances though.

Bring Back Kerrea Gilbert

Crazy that we're six points off the top, but I am still so unconvinced by our play.

Burnwinter

It is quite wild that we're 16 behind City on goal difference but only 3 points back. We are not a free-scoring side.

Gazza M

we've really eked out some points during this run, and the GD compared to the sides above us are a bit of an indicator as to what's missing

Burnwinter

The case for us to bring in a younger top tier striker is pretty inarguable. I have no outstanding criticisms of Aubameyang and Lacazette, actually they've both been working hard to their present limits and contributing with energy and discipline, setting an example. But both are in a steady decline. We can't rely on chances for the likes of Smith-Rowe, Lokonga and Gabriel to decide too many matches.

Anzac

https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1549639/Live/England-Premier-League-2021-2022-Arsenal-Watford

https://www.football365.com/news/arsenal-1-0-watford-gunners-win-in-artetas-100th-game-as-manager

like this
https://www.football365.com/news/arsenal-show-welcome-steel-to-deal-with-watford-antics

Qwiss

Burnwinter wrote:
The case for us to bring in a younger top tier striker is pretty inarguable. I have no outstanding criticisms of Aubameyang and Lacazette, actually they've both been working hard to their present limits and contributing with energy and discipline, setting an example. But both are in a steady decline. We can't rely on chances for the likes of Smith-Rowe, Lokonga and Gabriel to decide too many matches.

Aubas still scoring at the same rate as the leagues top strikers which is great. Laca has had a massive impact in the last few games which is also nice. However Laca is off in the summer and we shouldn't extend. Eddie is also off in the summer and Auba is ageing out. We need a young striker next summer who if not ready to walk into the first XI is at least ready to challenge Auba and take over the following season. I thought we should have done that this summer and let Laca and Eddie go but next summer is absolutely the last chance to do it and not have it turn into a major problem.

flobaba

Oh oh. Careful with all this Auba is looking like he’s past it talk now… y’all starting to sound like flobaba.

He’s a yard slower. His instincts are there but if you’re not going to get there, and you know it, then they begin to dull too.

Then even when you’re looking like you’re giving it your all again for the first time in about a year, everything is still a struggle. Even penalties, and basic first touch 101.

Qwiss

Aubas still one of the best around but we need to plan for the future because 33/34 comes at a striker fast. Even Vardy is starting to fall off now.

jones

Vardy is 30 months older than Auba, agree we need to plan for the future but we really should be getting at least one more good season out of Auba.

The two best players in the world right now (along with Salah) are Lewandowski and Benzema, two strikers who are 33 and almost 34. Auba's looked like a complete donkey yesterday but the reason he's not as free scoring as he used to be is mostly because we're still horribly disjointed in attack.

Qwiss

Ideally next season you would have Auba plus whoever takes over from him so you could phase the new guy in, get him used to things, etc and still have Auba in case there was any issues with adaptation, etc

goon

Yup, I was against signing a centre forward this season barring a great opportunity but next summer is the right time. Means we're not depending on Auba while also not putting all our chips on a new signing.

I wonder if Auba would accept a reduced role/wage after that? For sentimental reasons alone I quite like the idea of him sticking around, though maybe from a pragmatic POV it's better to give those mins to someone like Balogun.

Qwiss

Balogun still has a long way to go by the looks of things. He should be getting a loan for the second half of this season. Has he made a PL squad since Chelsea?

goon

Yeah I meant a year and a half down the line at which point you'd imagine it would be make or break time for him. Definitely needs a loan this season and I'd say probably next year too.

Centre forward is one of the toughest positions to play in for a big club, it's not really an area where a young player from the academy can just bed in without experience out on loan.

Qwiss

Depends on the player, with forwards sometimes you get one who's just so instinctive and usually quick that it doesn't matter how young he is. Think Anelka,Owen, Rooney, etc even Theo. Most take the normal progression though, I always get a twinge of hope someone coming through is about to be that sort of break out start early but Balogun isn't so he definitely needs another while.

Anzac

https://arseblog.com/2021/11/tactics-column-maitland-niles-shuts-watford-down/

https://shewore.com/
Benjamin the Great, Glorious Gabriel, Excellent Emile and Auba’s Anguish

https://gunnerstown.com/arsenal/2021/11/08/a-different-kinda-thing-artetas-arsenal-muddle-through-in-presence-of-evil-overlord-ars-1-0-wat/

« Previous Page