Defence, more important than attack ??

You damn skippy ! In recent modern football (the last 20 years) no team that I can remember has won the PL or CL who couldn't defend.

So why we keep looking at offensive players is beyond me. Surely the defence is far more important than offence. It also surprises me that the best defenders sell for far less than the best attackers.

 

it makes me laugh when people say we should get this striker or that striker , or so and so would be great upfront with van persie.


WE DONT HAVE TROUBLE SCORING GOALS !


The problem with Arsenal is the defence conceding goals 3 minutes after our strikers have done THEIR job.

Rule 1 , page 1 footballing handbook .


Build a team from the defence , forward.

 

as a canary fan, i was amazed at how easily we got through/round your defence at the emirates. if wenger is not looking to significantly improve this area you could be in for more pain again next season. the old saying " the best form of defence is offense" is strictly from the forgotten past. we have the same problem, our defense is nowhere as good as the rest of our team.

 

Im sure wenger really despairs when we concede such soft goals , but he has still failed to solve the problem .

Its not a good sign .

 

I might be wrong but I'm sure I have read posts from Hothead mocking Chelsea for winning the CL by being defensive...

but for what it's worth I agree...If spurs could have defended properly v QPR, Norwich, Villa, etc. we'd have been playing CL footie next season...

 

I did mock them

But I am not advocating playing defensive football, I am saying defence is more important than attack. We put far too much emphasis on attack and so little on defence. Is it any wonder we concede stupid goals all the time. The match winners can then do their thing in tight games, a moment of genius from RVP - 3 points gained.

I'd prefer to see 1-0 and 2-0 score lines than 3-1 and 4-2 score lines. I want us to be tough to beat.

 

Surely it's about balance ? Rather than one being more important than the other ?

But the need for a good attack cannot be understated, ultimately the best a great defence can do is keep it 0-0,
but a great attack can always score one more than the oppo

 

it ain't necessarily so (goes the song).

 

This is why we need Mvila or Capeue, whatever his name is! Someone to cover the defense

 

If you only have a great attack you will never win anything - you won't stand a chance. but if you have a great defence you are always in with a chance. in a tight game with a bit of quality up front, you can nick a goal, worst case - you don't lose - and give the opposition 3 vital points .. or an away goal !!

 

Sounds like you want us to play like the Chavs

 

Or Frimpong.

Yes, you are right though. Over exposure of our defence has forced mistakes, DM is the fulcrum between the balance between attack and defence that I'm advocating.

 

We don't really need any defensive players tho.

Koshielny is world class
Vermalean is a top defender as is Mertesacker
Sagna is a top right back
Santos/gibbs are capable leftbacks

Szneznekznkeznkeznkekenenkeenszeneznkey is a class goalkeeper

we just need the rest of the team to join in, and some general defensive order, we currently defend as 4 players and a goalkeeper, not as a defensive unit!

 

No not at all, having a great defence doesn't mean sitting back and defending like Chelsea, it means being difficult to score against. I'd have a great defence and a marginal attack rather than a great attack and marginal defence.

I think back to Italian football in the 90s and marvel at the great defending. I marvel at George Graham's defence conceding 18 goals for the season. You can't be hard to beat if you don't have a good defence, its not possible. That has to be the starting point.

 

Don't disagree with any of that fella. But our team now is a vastly different one, in style and skill to GG's days. They were a unit, with a touch of flair, Hayes, Marwood, PERRY GROVES, Rocky. Even Smithy could turn a bit of class on. But ultimately they were a team that grafted for a 1-0. Our team today is based on creative attacking flair, (that's why we still need to replace Fabregas imo) and what we need for our team now, is need a DM - who can link the two and provide some balance between attack and defence. Frimpong could be that player for us. I think we have assembled a decent bunch of defenders though. Kos, TV, Sanga, Mertesacker are all top class players and I think Santos is going to have a big season with us this year.

 

Koscielney is NOT world class.


Ask any fan of United, City , Chelsea wether they would want him in their team.

 

the sum of the parts (our defenders) does not equal a good defence.
They may be good on paper but they need f*cking ORGANISING.

 

They need a DM in front of them.

 

as I've been saying for what seems like 2 years.

 

I hope you're not trying to take over Jayram's mantle of failed revolutionary leader?

It's suits you better with a couple of pom poms, cheering on from the sidelines