€9m and 80k a week, not really a budget signing so fair play on that.

Ricky1985 wrote:

Like I said, I'm really not happy about it, but it is what it is. Arsenal aren't signing the best, so a middle of the road player like Mertesacker will have to do. Middle of the road or not, he'll start for us without question.

A middle of the road player is a hell of a lot better than what we sent out against Utd Rick.
Although I agree it's to little too late.

Biggus wrote:
Jack van Gercott wrote:

per merdesack

Thats not nice Yak, I'm happy with more Jerry and less Froggy.

i was joking - i'm happy with his signing

I know Yak, and so was I.

Tim wrote:

The whole thing about needing to be quick to play in a high line is fundamentally stupid. If anything, playing high up the pitch puts a huge emphasis on your reading of the game and basic decision making, rather than your physical abilities. At the highest level, once someone gets a yard on you it's all over anyway, regardless of pace.

Exactly Tim, what are you going to do that doesn't result in a red? it would take a super defensive effort to catch up and perfectly time the tackle.
We've only got kids who can't read the game, no- the high line must go- it's done nothing for us anyway.

I'll reserve judgment, but this smells like another Cygan to me - similar strengths and weaknesses.

kamikaze wrote:

I'll reserve judgment, but this smells like another Cygan to me - similar strengths and weaknesses.

😆

Except Cygan couldn't read the game for diamonds.

Cygan at his absolute peak wouldn't have got 70 odd caps for the german u12's, let alone the full national team. There's obviously a chasm of class between the two.

I have nothing against being critical, but Kami have you ever watched Mertesacker play?

CMkh4lilul Khalilul
by arsenalreport
Mertesacker Fact. Last season in a match vs Dortmund it was his first yellow in three years in the league @arsenalreport

Hell's bells!

He's a brilliant reader of the game, Ricks. Rarely has to go to ground to make a recovery tackle. He's the anti-Shawcross, basically. I think the card he picked up before that one was because he hit someone and not because of foul play.

Tim wrote:

The whole thing about needing to be quick to play in a high line is fundamentally stupid. If anything, playing high up the pitch puts a huge emphasis on your reading of the game and basic decision making, rather than your physical abilities. At the highest level, once someone gets a yard on you it's all over anyway, regardless of pace.

You're right of course. I'm just worried that our lack of midfield protection, coupled with a left back who has a better scoring record than most of our forwards, will sell him short. But we'll see.

Another thing I just remembered about Mertesacker: he's a massive Arsenal fan. Always nice to have players like that on board.

Yup I read that he's wanted to join us for a few years

Also klaus don't worry mvila will shield thr centrebacks

We'll see, Dules. We'll see. It doesn't look entirely unlikely. Let's hope for Banega instead for now though, right?

9 yellows in 220 odd bundesliga games.

Been reading up on him. Apparently he's a really good character to have in the dressing room. Not like Eboue was, but more a vocal, upbeat leader type. Gof forbid, some of our young players might have someone to look up to (literally and figuratively).

More I hear about him the more he sounds like a good signing, a calming influence in our defence perhaps. Hopefully his lack of mobility isn't a big issue.

The idea of him shoring up our central defence with Vermaelen has really grown on me throughout the day.

No more Squillaci or Djourou - massive relief that.

Well, Adams and Keown weren't exactly the most mobile players, but they coped.

From here

But the Mertesacker deal may at least shore up Wenger’s defence after the 8-2 hammering at Manchester United and the German international has claimed in the past he is an Arsenal fan.

Speaking in 2004, Mertesacker said: “Since I was small I was an Arsenal fan. When I first went to England, I immediately got a couple of Arsenal jerseys.”

Nice. 🙂