If there's anything to the David Luiz / Giroud swap rumours, then this could be a very shrewd move as Luiz can play DM
That would be an interesting move and he would give us a CB/DM solution. He would give us height at the centre and have the mindset to lead at the back. But isn't he worth quite a bit? Depends on how desperate Chelsea are at getting a striker. If we do pull it off, it would be quite the masterstroke.
It must be gut-renching for you guys if this brilliant deal is collapsed by asking for £35 million for Giroud, who isn't good enough to get a game ahead of a striker who can't score!
Well, I just don't think this has anything to do with a DM. I think Wenger is going back to his roots and he is just going to say, screw defence, I am going to make you so worried about our attack that we will not have to defend. And even if you score 2 goals, we will score 6. Me, I am OK with that.
Depends on what you call Wenger's roots. At his most successful he had a really good defensive unit with an operating DM. Which was instrumental in our attack being so devastating and produced the Invincibles season. There is no surprise that when he abandoned this, his team's were never the same again. One of my favourite Wenger teams was the one in 2008, it was one of the most exciting to watch. But it also made key errors in midfield, leaving the defence vulnerable. This was rare with his early teams. That is why Arsenal was referred to as having a soft underbelly.
I'm not sure anyone would be NOT OK with winning every game 6-2. Unfortunately the likelihood of this with a Wenger managed team is zero. Unless he's invented a time machine and plans to transport all the **** teams and **** managers from the 90s to take over every prem club. Then a Wenger arsenal might win the league again.
Well maybe so maybe not, was the Invincibles defence and DM good, or were the attack so frightening they made the defence look good? I would at least try to play... Cech Bellerin-Mustafi-Kos-Monreal-Kolasinac Wilshere Mkhi-Ozil-Aubameyang Lacazette Particularly against weaker opposition.
Not sure that Aubameyang is going to be happy playing LW though, he's an out and out striker (although he did start his career on the left). I think the best way to incorporate Aub and Laca is in a front 2 or possibly with one playing LWF in a front 3
That is why I put in the wing-backs, With them providing the width, and the tracking back, Aubameyang turns into more of an inside forward. He will still have to defend post-transition unless you get Ozil and Mkhi to track back as the CMs to make the 8-zone. If you play a back 4 and two DMs then Aubameyang would be more of a winger, because the full backs can't venture forward to provide the width as much.
Of course the defence was good, you can't go unbeaten for a whole season with an average defence. We had a defence of Sol Campbell, Toure, cole and Lauren. You could improve on Lauren but the other three were world class. Saying that Lauren could get into our team right now, let alone the other 3 would walk in with ease. Also Gilberto was a very good DM for us, he worked really well with Vieira and protected our back 4 really well.
I was saying Elneny was the answer and we don't need better. I am saying of what we have he is the best at doing the job which in itself is a problem. See what happened last night when he got subbed off. That position is KEY. Even Pep knows this. At Barca he had Bousquets. At Bayern he Lahm. At City he has Fernandinho. We need a platform for all these attacking players to express themselves.
Deal is done https://www.arsenal.com/news/pierre-emerick-aubameyang-signs please log in to view this image
As **** as we were last night at Swansea, I actually thought Mkhitaryan did okay when he came on and looked sharp. I also think that Lacazette is the type of player who needs good service. He's not a Sanchez type of player who can pick the ball up on the wing and drive through defences. I think he needs to be on the end of balls played into him and I think he will thrive with another striker alongside him, so that one can sit deep and collect the ball and one can go forward. They can also interchange in that role. So I would play a 3-4-3 diamond. ............Ospina.......... Bellerin....Kos.....Monreal ........Elneny/Xhaka........ Wilshere..........Ramsey. ................Ozil................ ....Lacazette....Mkhitaryan ..........Aubameyang.........
Having said that, yesterday Mhyk passed a perfect ball behind the defence and Laca wasnt fast (or strong) enough. Worrying.
blimey that looks just a tad under strength defensively to say the least. If Wenger goes with that i'd expect 6-6 next time we meet
Only saw the first two goals, but did he look interested( laca )I mean. Do you think he is pissed that he comes in club record then a few months later it broken again for a player in same position who as we all have said are better than him in every way.