I am happy and very excited with the win over Chelsea but frankly I won't go over board and get carried away. I am not pessimistic but I watch football without a bias and must admit the outcome of the Chelsea game could have gone either way. It could have even been double figure tie. I am still concern about our defending and I am now convince than before that the problem does exist with the coaching staff, something I have been preaching over and over again. Why are we continously defending with an high line and is always outsped by the oppostion? Why is our wingbacks always out of position without any cover? If the World can see that why not the coaching staff. It's true we are a team in transition but I am still trying to figure out the role of Arteta. No doubt he's a very skillful player but I thought when we got him from Everton he would be playing the role we see of David Silva. Arteta should be our player maker. breaking down defense, controling the pace of the game and marshalling the midfield, but unfortunately he's not doing that. His passing doesn't make any impact where I am concern, just the next Denilson with side on pass to the nearset teammates. Only he's not give up too many balls. I still have hopes we get it right. Ramsey did show a lot of improvement in the Chelsea game with his ball position and boldnes going forward. Van persie was also awesome. Individually we are good in parts but I am yet to see the great Aesenal passing of 2-3 years ago. I love to win with classs, It doesn't matter who is playing for us or who we are playing against. time for us to get it on to the good ole days.
If you thought that then you clearly have not watched much of Arteta before. He is not a player that plays between the likes ala Silva or Fabregas. He is doing the job Wilshere was doing last season. Although so far he has not been as good as Jack was. But he is at a new club and needs time. Ramsey is the player that we use to play between the lines. Arteta is doing the job Xabi Alonso did for Liverpool when he was there. Unlike Denilson, he can cover more ground and is smart with the ball. He knows to speed it up or slow down and stuff like that. His passing range will get better once he plays more games and gets more confident.
aS SUPERJACK SAYS YOU'VE OBVIOUSLY NOT UNDERSTOOD WHY WE HAVE aRTETA AND THE ROLE HE PLAYS. aND ACTUALLY HE HAS BEEN PRETTY GOOD SINCE JOINING US. omg caps attack......
I agree Bobby. We're not there yet and to think so would be to embrace a false dawn. The problem you mentioned about our defence is that we do not really have much by way of coaching staff for defence. I read some weeks back that Arsene's response to the players who approached him for defensive coaching is that they should get on with it themselves. Arsene concentrates on attack and that's all very well since you need to attack to score goals but like you I feel we do need to bolster our defence. I believe though that the team's confidence is steadily being restored and that's highly crucial since it virtually ebbed away following the CC final last season. There are still things to get right with the team but for now there is some hope that at least the results are coming right. That too can be a problem because it will mask the deficiency we have with our defensive strategy. Like you, I hope someone at the club who can do something will see it too. PS - Welcome to the Arsenal Board
I think it is highly unlikely that players approached AW and asked for more defensive coachign and he told them to go off and do it themselves...
I'm just wondering why a supposedly knowledgeable source would broadcast this on the radio then. The lack of defensive coaching has been a problem at the club. If you rather not believe it, fine.
Arteta is far from "very skillful", he is basic, simple passes, nothing clever or fancy. But like you I did think he would play further up in attack, I don't mind where he plays as long as he isn't kack, what I like about him is he rarely gives the ball away and he can play possession football.
@RVB - i didn't say there is no issue with our defensive coaching or style - i just said i find it highly unlikely that AW told the players to sort there defensive coaching themselves.
My apologies Afcftw, my statement was badly worded. However, I did either read or listen to commentary that Arsene did precisely that ( tell the players to do the defensive work themselves ) and the discussion was to do with the lack of defensive coaching at the club. It was at that juncture when the participants on the radio program were wondering why someone like Martin Keown who has close links with the club or indeed Steve Bould who is with the club is not given the role of a defensive coach to the first team. I appreciate my next remark isn't conclusive evidence but Szczesny himself has also said that he and a couple of the defenders ( names I forget now ) work on defensive tactics themselves. I'm only reporting what I read or heard.
