since we have switched to 3 at the back I'm wondering who people think our first choice CBs will be? We have Kosc, Mustafi, Mert, Gabriel, Holding, Montreal and Chambers to play there. With everyone fit who would you go for? Also at LB and RB we have Bellerin, Oxo, Montreal, Kolasinac, Gibbs (though I assume he will leave). So who starts there? Bellerin has got to be first choice at RB but who will get the starting spot on the left? ----Mustafi--Kosc--Montreal--- Bellerin-------------------Kolasinac That's my guess. But I think Wenger will want to see Oxo get more game time and I also think Holding might push for a starting spot.
Has to be based on performances. Holding has been superb and Mustafi has been massively inconsistent. Also Mustafi 5'11, Kos 6'1, Monreal 5'11 - that s TINY back three. I would go.. -----Holding---Koscielney---Monreal---- Holding gives us more physicality. Mertesacker has also been good lately and his lack of pace is less of an issue playing in a three. Wingbacks I would go Bellerin and Kolasinac.
I still think Holding is overrated atm. He is an exiting prospect, no doubt, but he is still prone to mistakes. In our games against Chelsea both Costa and Moses goals were his fault. (Especially Moses goal - Rob was ball gazing like a schoolboy, awful, awful defending, so I would not call him "superb") Were it Gabriel or Mert they would be murdered by fans, but Holding is such a likeable lad, he can get away with it. At the moment, playing in a three Mert is a better defender than Holding who needs to be eased into the games, but he is not a cert starter yet.
I think it will be Koscielney-Mustafi-Holding with Monreal/Chambers/Gabriel/Mertesacker as backup. Monreal will be left-sided backup, Mertesacker middle backup, and Chambers/Gabriel right-sided backup.
Yes he's very young for a CB soo of couse he's going to be mistake prone. But he's got all the attributes to be TOP class. 6'3 strong and technical. He needs games to develope though. Nobody became World Class by sitting on a bench. I dont think Mustafi or Gabriel will ever be ELITE centrebacks. But Holding could get there if given the games.
In my opinion, a lot of our defensive problems over the years has stems from our midfield. It's the two CM positions that have been an issue and will be an issue coming into the new season. The first is not having Cazorla, he is great at keeping possession and moving the ball intelligently from defence to forward positions. We don't have a suitable player in that mould so expect lower possession levels and defensive errors from midfield. Secondly the DM/CM position. Coqs hasn't been good enough for the past year or 2 and no other player has stepped in as a potential replacement. This could happen but we need to test alternatives as soon as possible. We should score more goals this season from La Cassette and The Bosnian Hulk so this should help our deficiencies to a certain extent.
Yeah absolutely. I think the change to a back three was the right decision because we were not giving the defence enough protection. Our midfield was soo easy to bypass. I think we need to sell Coquelin and buy a quality DM or a least a robust Box to Box player who can defend. PSG need to sell a few players would love us to go for Grzegorz Krychowiak.
That would massively help. We also miss what Cazorla provides us in the centre, his possession, awareness and linkup play is sorely missed. His presence gives our midfield more dominance. You don't get that from the likes of Ramsey, Wilshere, Oxo or Xhaka.
you did have chelsea defence (conceding 3), just you didn't have a dumb red card from your captain and you have a deadly attack when wenger decides to use them properly
Might be controversial this but I'm thinking our best line-up may exclude Ozil. --------------------------Cech----------------------------- ----------Holding---Koscielny---Mustafi------------- Bell/Ox------Ramsey-------Xhaka------Kolasinac -------------------------Sanchez------------------------- -----------Lacazette-------------Giroud-------------- Obviously we have this as a second option.. --------------------------Cech----------------------------- ----------Holding---Koscielny---Mustafi------------- Bell/Ox------Ramsey-------Xhaka------Kolasinac ----------Ozil-------Lacazette-------Sanchez------- But on current form/influence you would have to say Giroud is offering the team more than Ozil. a 3-5-2 would enable us to play Lacazette, Sanchez and Giroud together. I also think this would get more out of Sanchez than playing him on the wing.
I disagree, I think Ozil is a lightning rod for the other team's defensive midfield. It is like when Beckham used to have quiet games, but every time he was dropped, England always played far worse. Sometimes teams mark him out of the game, although rarely completely. That doesn't mean he is playing badly, it just means that the rest of the team have more opportunity. The 5 league games he missed last year, we lost 3 of them and drew one.
Its only a matter of time before we see.. ---------------------------------Cech--------------------------- ------------------------------Koscielny------------------------- -------------------Bellerin-------------Monreal-------------- --------Bellerin------------------------------------Gibbs------ ----Debuchy-------------------------------------------Kolasinac-- Chambers--------------------------------------------------Jenkinson --------------------------------Ozil------------------------------------------ Wengers latest thing seems to be fielding as many fullbacks as humanly possible. The man has straight up lost the plot. Ozils stays in because regardless how badly he plays he will never get dropped.
I think against Liverpool we will see a back 3 of Mustafi, Koscielny and one of Montreal or Kolasinac. Bellerin and oxocube at the sides.
Holding I think will be eased into the team and not over played and Mert will always be a backup option.
