I think it comes down to simple instructions in that scenario really. I have no doubt that Wenger and Bould are telling their players to jump for headers from corners, but you cannot legislate for our tallest player ducking out of the way ! I think Sanj has highlighted the problem really, which is that Mert without Kos is like a car without petrol, and no matter which other type of fuel Wenger tries, it's just not compatible. That said, there are no excuses for Mert not challenging for that header, he should be making it his No1 priority to get to that ball.
i think its less about confidence and more about a lack of cohesion, certainly in the back weve chopped and changed our whole backline practically every game, with mainly makeshift cbs next to merts. Even our keepers have been struck. Same in midfield recently - flamini has been in and out of tge side like a yo-yo and while in the team has been all over the place positionally. This has compounded our defensive disorganisation. Our cm keeps changing from box-to-box players to winger/midfielders to deep lying pkay makers and attacking midfielders while weve recently changed our attack to a front 3 instead of a main striker and two wide men. With losing our captain, our defensive glue and main play maker, i think its meant weve struggled with defensive organisation particularly at corners, closing down high up tge pitch, attacking set pieces.
I'd largely agree with this, but the next option to Koscielny shouldn't be your first choice right-back. That automatically weakens your defence twice if you lose one player. We don't know if having another experienced centre-half in reserve would get the best out of Mertesacker, but I doubt it would hurt his game. You wouldn't even have had to spend much money to avoid this situation. Southampton loaned in Alderweireld, for example. Starting the season with only two recognised centre-halves is exceptionally naive for a Premier League side. For one that's also in Europe, it's virtually suicidal.
Debuchy seemed to be played there for his pace with Sterling looking to get in behind. He did a good job but I get the general point. Arsenal's problems were more to do with the team ahead of them that was poorly organised and, with the exception of Giroud, struggled all game. Mertesacker actaully played well, apart from the shocker at the end, it was the play infront of them that had Liverpool constantly winning the ball back and getting space to have pops at goal. Markovic's chance aside, Liverpool didn't manage to make anything of note in the box, the vast majority of the time it was their midfielders that weren't being dealt with properly outside the area.
Good post. As you say, not discounting individual errors, Wenger has barely been able to field his first 11 this season. Certainly not at the same time anyway. It would be interesting to see how many games he's been able to pick from the same available players.
What do you put it down to, though? I think that a lot of people could see it coming, but Wenger appears to have been one of them. When Vermaelen was on his way out (not that he would've been any use had he stayed), the manager said that he needed to bring in a replacement. Why didn't he do so, even if it was a loan or an old, experienced warhorse to see you through? Seems very odd, to me.
I think Wenger is adamant in his view that unless a player coming in is at least as good as the one going out, then he won't sign one just to make up the numbers. The trouble is, every man and his dog could see that we would be short at the back if we had any injuries, especially loaning out Jenkinson too. It's really frustrating, because at RB and LB we have great first choice players in Debuchy and Gibbs and good back up players in Chambers and Monreal. The problem has been that losing Kos means that immediately Wenger has to use one of those at CB because there is no recognised back up in that position and as you say it then affects more than one area of the defence. I think Wenger will have to bring in a CB on loan in Jan, which I was advocating on another thread. Ideally I think it should be somebody with Premier league experience who can hit the ground running. We don't have the luxury of waiting for a player to adapt to this league and we're not going to sign a world class CB from another league in Jan.
There are a number of experienced Premier League centre-halves that are out of contract at the end of the season, so you might benefit by targeting one or more of them. I think you've already been linked with Winston Reid of West Ham and Ron Vlaar of Villa's not shown any interest in signing a new deal, either. Both clubs might accept fairly low bids now, rather than nothing in the summer.
In the summer I think we should be trying to sign a CB like Matts Hummels, Fabian Schar or Raphael Varane, so I wouldn't want to see us making a permanent signing in Jan (because then Wenger would be unlikely to sign one of the aforementioned) Instead I think we should be looking for a loan deal for an experienced old head from the premier league.
Not surprised, what a bunch of bottlers. If one of Mourinho's centre backs had cowered like that, so publically, do you think he'd play the next game? Bet Merts does. WHY are Arsenal STILL zonal marking? It's been shown up SO often. Top4 is in real danger now, especially with Man Utd showing well, which means 3rd is likely out. Another battle for the 4th place trophy, after promises of challenging for the title. The club is a joke. Get that man out.
Or to sell. As you pointed out, bringing in someone without Premier League experience in the middle of the season is asking for trouble. Any side that sold a defender that would be good enough to get into your squad would have to replace him with similar quality, I'd have thought.
It's not an easy one, which is why it's so frustrating that Wenger didn't buy one in the summer. For a permanent buy, Nastasic is apparently on the way out at City, he'd be an ideal signing but it might be difficult getting City to sell him to a rival. For a loan deal, Dejan Lovren can't seem to get a game at Liverpool at the moment, although our relationship with trying to get players from Liverpool isn't exactly hearty handshakes and back slapping either. Apparently Gerard Pique is unhappy at being on the bench at Barca. He has premier league experience with Utd and could be a good option.
Why? He let himself and the team down. Show him he can't shirk his responsibilities and get away with it. Weak.
Because then we'd be playing two non CBs at CB Ever heard of the phrase 'Cut your nose off to spite your face' ?
Yeah. The point is he is undroppable because Wenger is inept. There is no accountability in this team. Bad game, awful game, terrible game and you will play the next match. Gervinho has stated recently that Wenger has his preferred 11 and he barely speaks to the rest. The man is the dinosaur of the premier league, he hasn't changed since the league began.
