Well I respectfully disagree on all your points there! I'm no huge fan of Song though I can see what he brings a team. Regardless teams like Barca have shown you don't need musclemen in midfield providing you have disciplined players and I think Arteta/ Wilshere could do a job there. Either way, in a year or twos time I think Arteta will be on his way out and I envision Coquelin will replace him in that role and he'll provide that extra bite for us. I think our LBs position is one of our big weaknesses and I think in Baines you can get a player for 5 years who would do a very solid job. I don't think we've ever properly replaced Cole when he left.
I would have coqulein replace song.in the ling run tbh. His tackling and interception is pretty under rated
What we must not do is lose the explosive pace and power of Wilshere, he drifts past players with ease, I'd want him to play as far forward as we can. He is disciplined enough to sit if any of the other CMs go forward, I see Rosicky doing this far more than Song or Arteta, so we'd need another CM who is a bit physical. JJSB you used Barca as an example that you don't need musclemen in midfield but Spanish football is far less physical than English football, we'd get cut apart far more if song wasn't playing ... and we get cut apart enough as it is !! I agree that Coquelin will replace someone but I worry that we lack height and a physical presence in midfield. Even the mighty Barca were put under pressure by Chelsea every time the ball went in their box. Diaby should be the answer but .. he doesn't seem to have the defensive discipline or fitness (always injured) to be given the role.
Not if Wenger gives Song more attacking responsibility and plays Coqs in a more defensive manner. It's just sad that Frimpong had to get injured. It would have made the selection process all the more harder for Wenger.....
@HH I know where you're coming from and in part I agree with you. However, I think many of our problems are self-inflicted lack of discipline rather than merely a lack of strength. For me, I just can't see Song ever being disciplined enough to do the DM role properly. It frustrates me no end as I think he's superb at brushing people off the ball. If that means we buy in someone like M'Vila to do that job then so be it. The downside for me there is that it would then hinder the development of Coquelin who I feel has it in him to be extremely useful. Aaaargh. It's a tricky balancing act. I think many planning our new aquisitions for next season are forgetting we'll be havign Jack back! In two years time either way I think we will almost certainly be replacing Arteta and Rosicky so we need to be planning now.
Song is good at attacking but I see only one of frimpong or coquelin making it starting off as songs deputy and my money is on song. I don't see song playing In a more advanced role purely because there are better options available. Our system needs are defensive midfielder to be more attackng minded complemented by an Areta/wilshere like player. We don't play with a purely defensive midfielder.
He might drop Song from the first team and buy a defensive midfielder instead. I think Arteta has proven how important he is, so he needs to stay in there. He's what some people call the pivot, a central hub of the team, starting every attack and passing the ball more than anyone else. Sczezny Sagna Kos Verm Gibbs M'Vila Arteta Wilshere Walcott RVP Podolski
We need to bring in more energy into our midfield. If Coqs can do that then i would select him. As JJSB said earlier, a lot of our problems are due to ill discipline in midfield and that goes down to switching off and not closing down properly. Barca are successful due to Pep's hard work ethic of closing down opposition players. We need someone in our management that will kick some @rse!
tbh the only scenario in which i would not mind seeing mvila is if song leaves but that would be pretty sad considering what hes done for us over recent years and m'vila is pretty untried. Vertognhen can play there too though as well as left back and center back.
This is the conundrum. You can't play Coq as a a DM behind Song because he has too much energy and is far too good a passer and going forward to be solely a DM - this is where I think Song becomes obsolete because - unless Song plays solely as a DM - which I would have no problem with - he won't provide what you need. In any scenario Song shouldn't be used in a more offensive role because we have better players than him to play there.
actually, teams like Barca DO use muscle men in the middle. why else do you think Busquets gets anywhere near the team? its part of the modern game and the 4-3-3 that someone like that is required in the middle, especially in the prem, otherwise your midfield will get pushed over. i also disagree with LB, as I think Gibbs is almost as good as Baines, and if he can stay fit will surpass him. in our last few games when gibbs has played, he has been better than sagna imo
First of all, there is absolutely no chance of Song being dropped anytime soon. He is absolutely one of the top performers on the team and is integral to the way Arsenal play the game. If you don't appreciate how Song supports the team then you need to do some more research, because you simply are not reading the game correctly. I find it odd that you don't have the slightest self doubt on this and keep writing it. I have never been a huge fan of Steven Gerrard, but at no point in the past would I have told you he is rubbish, or that Liverpool should drop him, for the same reason. I think Arteta is a huge loss, but if I had to choose between Song and Arteta being out, Arteta would have been my choice to go, in a heartbeat. Having said all that, the midfield is a unit and finding attacking and defensive schemes with Arteta out and Walcott out is going to be hugely challenging. We are going to have to change the way we play the ball in midfield, again. Perhaps this time they may play more the way you like. In any case I have no doubt that Song will be at the heart of the solution. I realise that these forums are just a place where you can give an opinion, but I'm afraid that at some point repeating that the earth is flat, turns from being irritatingly eccentric into raving mad.
Steven Gerrard ?? One of the best players the premier league has seen and you compare not rating him to not rating Song ?? I have explained my reasons for not rating him and contrary to what you wrote I think he has no real place in the Arsenal team UNLESS he is played purely as a DM because he is not good enough to play anywhere else. You talk about research ... go back to sleep - if you think Song offers anything offensively compared to a proper offensive midfielder or a box to box midfielder then you are crackers. Drudeboy - you would hardly call Busquets muscle though, I mean he doesn't use weight/strength (he doesn't have any) he covers ground well and reads the game so is able to position himself very well - hence the reason why he comes away with the ball so often. I agree with you about Gibbs, I rate him massively, better than Baines and I think Santos offensively is good so providing both stay injury free, I think the LB role is covered. I liked Santos playing in front of Gibbs against Chelsea, it secures the left hand side and is a good option in games where we need to be defensively sound.
i don't see why we don't just go 442 for the last couple of games, confusing the opposition and getting balls into the box for chamakh, as he can actually head quite well. it would certainly surprise the opposition and could give us another option for the future if it works.
Can anyone make any sense out of the Park situation though? I know we haven't had the luxury to make room for another CF, but apparently he can be played on the wings, yet Chamakh still got more chances than him. Is he just not trying to impress in training or what? I would guess Wenger would have tried to play him on the left/right if he was showing something in training or reserve games? Really feel bad every time I hear about him. Could be the case of 'selective' youtube videos but he seems to be an important player for S.Korea and he would probably be a starter for Lille if his transfer went ahead. Can't help but think the move to Arsenal might have ruined his career, what with the military requirement coming up etc.
If we keep Van Persie, add a top Striker and a world class Defender I think we CAN win the league. Next year's potential line-up: Sczezney - After his first full season as Arsenal number 1 we can expect Sczezney to keep improving. Hard to believe he's still only 21. Sagna - We missed him when he was injured. Best RB in the league. Vertonghen - Larger and more powerful than Koscielney and FAR technically superior to Mertesacker. Vertonghen is exactly the type of player we need. 43 goals conceded this season is WAY too many and those who think our defence is 'good enough' need to re-evaluate. The stats prove we need more quality. Vermaelen - Quick, aggressive and a natural leader. Gibbs - Finally showing his quality. if he can stay fit he can be a TOP class fullback. Song - When he plays well.. Arsenal play well. massively underrated. Rosicky - Back to his best. Works hard and is technically excellent. Wilshere - He's our best midfielder. Been a huge loss this season. Going to be 'World Class'. Walcott - Gets WAY too much critiscm. 11 goals and 14 assists is a pretty good return. Can and will do better next term. Van Persie - He scores when he wants! Podolski - Scored over 20 goals this season from a wide left position. He's aggressive, quick, versatile and his left foot is a ****ing magic wand. Would make a BIG impact under Arsene Wenger's guidance. Then pushing for a start we have: Chamberlain: Will end up down the middle but can play down the left or the right. Could force his way into the starting line-up next season. Arteta: Great on the ball, can defend and takes a mean set piece. Will still get plenty of games and gives us much needed experience. Mertesacker: The big German has plenty of big game experience and reads the game incredibly well. Gervinho: No end product but can win games for us with his trickery and pace. Santos: A Brazil international. He can be too adventurous and get caught out of position but is absolutely fantastic going forward. Diaby: It's make or break for him. Tall, aggressive and quick if he cant stay fit he should be sold but has a massive amount of potential.
I just think we lack the cutting edge sometime in MF, although Song has provided some great passes for assists to RVP and Rosicky has had some moments of brilliance - I still think we need a player to replace Narsi or Fabregas. That said, I'd like to see us play a strong holding DM in some games, I think Frimpong could be that player, but realistically, he's another season away from his potential best. M'Vila maybe ?
I think the question of Deadwood, is irrelevant. These palyers are going to be sold, out on loan, or let go, but in any case they aren't going to be training with the team or taking up a roster slot and they aren't going to have their contract renewed, unless they improve dramatically. I'm sorry, I don't think Frimpong is the answer. I think he has been well off the pace in most of the games he has played for the first team. When I watch M'Villa, I really see Denilson, so I am a little surprised with him being pushed forward. My view is that, somewhat like Arteta, we will be more successful if we take a playmaking midfielder who can defend, rather than a DM and try and teach him to attack. I really feel that our midfielders have to be all-rounders and people shoud stop expecting them to produce the pure attacking or defending performances that they see from players playing in those "pure" roles. The real proof of the performance is in the combined play of all the midfielders. We also have 3 players playing up front and so the 3 CM players are all slightly more defensive than the 2 CMs in a 4-4-2 for example.
