Our Defence

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blukyt

Well-Known Member
Aug 27, 2014
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Am I the only one not sold on our defence?

I do believe we are playing the right personnel but performances for me have been suspect. The stats do not align with the feeling I get from watching the games. I feel we have been getting away with it and fear one day a bad result will hit hard.

This issue for me starts with our MF pairing. For me Xhaka + Coq is not the answer. I don't trust in Xhaka's defensive ability. I would rather have Santi + Coq. Santi's ability on the ball reduces the amount of pressure we come under. Mustafi has been showing some worrying signs. He is erratic at times. But I think he and Kos are the right pairing at the moment. but the MF needs to tighten up. Xhaka especially.
 
Yes,it has indeed been...Kos and Mustafi have been found out time to time,we are riding on the individual brilliance of our back 5,we have returned to the glorious wenger style of 1997 to 2011,so this will be a regular occurrence but instructions will be given to be tighter in big games i guess like we were at chelsea.

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blukyt said:
Am I the only one not sold on our defence?

I do believe we are playing the right personnel but performances for me have been suspect. The stats do not align with the feeling I get from watching the games. I feel we have been getting away with it and fear one day a bad result will hit hard.

This issue for me starts with our MF pairing. For me Xhaka + Coq is not the answer. I don't trust in Xhaka's defensive ability. I would rather have Santi + Coq. Santi's ability on the ball reduces the amount of pressure we come under. Mustafi has been showing some worrying signs. He is erratic at times. But I think he and Kos are the right pairing at the moment. but the MF needs to tighten up. Xhaka especially.
Click to expand...

I think Xhaka and Mustafi will still need some time to bed in properly. To be fair, they've both been pretty good so far, albeit with a few mistakes, but that is to be expected.

Agree though that our MF looks much better with Cazorla in there, his skill and reading of the game means that he is rarely under pressure and always looking to go forward, which in turn means the oppo is looking to retreat.
 
I still maintain Mustafi and Koscileny are too similar.

Both are quality and I think they will be great against certain sides. But overall I think we should have kept Holding alongside Koscielny. (which I said at the time)

Holding is bigger, stronger, better in the air and more of a traditional 'defender'. Sure he's still developing and will make mistakes but it would be worth it in the long run IMO.
 
TheBear said:
I still maintain Mustafi and Koscileny are too similar.

Both are quality and I think they will be great against certain sides. But overall I think we should have kept Holding alongside Koscielny. (which I said at the time)

Holding is bigger, stronger, better in the air and more of a traditional 'defender'. Sure he's still developing and will make mistakes but it would be worth it in the long run IMO.
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Holding looks like he's going to be a very good player for us and hopefully he'll have a long Arsenal career ahead of him. But I have to say, I think Mustafi has settled in really well and looks very good alongside Kos. Yes, he's made a few mistakes, but like any player it will take a while to adjust. So far I'd say he's done great.
 
This is the best personnel we can play,holding isnt ready yet,if he is that exceptionally good...wenger will know it and push him in...gabriel by next jan he should have enough to be a regular player for us as he should have found his rythm,there isnt much to be worried about either as Kostafi are 2nd in the league only to the Vertoweirald partnership.

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I do believe believe our back 5 is the correct 5 to play. It is the guys in front of them that need to up their game defensively
 
An Interesting thing is. When we have played Xhaka and Coquelin together we have looked more open than when we play one of them next to Cazorla/Ramsey.
It's like neither player has been drilled as to who should sit and hold and who should go forward.

In the Spurs match for example when we took Coquelin off we actually looked better defensively. Xhaka sat deep and Ramsey got forward.

I do think getting Cazorla back will be a massive boost for the side.
 
Atleast against spurs,Xhaka showed he is great defensively,he is a defensive midfielder but there is a discipline issue...If the increased competition,standards and decreased playing time can give a kick up ramsey ass,forget even the goal scoring if he get his all round ability back in the pitch like covering ground,defending and passing.

We might have the best midfield pair in the world.

Or it has to be Coqzorla slowly becoming xhakzorla.
 
ArtisanWenger said:
Atleast against spurs,Xhaka showed he is great defensively,he is a defensive midfielder but there is a discipline issue...If the increased competition,standards and decreased playing time can give a kick up ramsey ass,forget even the goal scoring if he get his all round ability back in the pitch like covering ground,defending and passing.

We might have the best midfield pair in the world.

Or it has to be Coqzorla slowly becoming xhakzorla.
Click to expand...
I am not convinced by Xhaka defensively at all. I see what Wenger is trying to do with him though. He wants a Xabi Alonso type CM. I think Xhaka needs to improve a lot defensively. I think he will given time to settle in and adjust to this league. But for now it has to Santi and Coq.
 
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