The Arsenal Thread

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damola3 said:
In the second half of the season table, we would have been a point behind Chelsea and we won the FA Cup. We scored scored and conceded pretty much the same amount as Chelsea last season. A CB and GK plus better tactical planning later proves that it's inevitable that we will challenge. 9 errors were made leading to goals last season between Szczesny and Ospina. Last season, Coquelin proved that he can shield a defence pretty well. Look at his stats and our defensive record with him. If we replicate our second half form, there's no doubt that we will challenge.
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I was pretty drunk last night and now I am pretty hungover, so it is probably best this is the last I say on it.

All big teams invariably hit form at some point in the season and tbf Arsenal usually do put it together in the second half of the season to win the fourth place trophy. What I am saying is thats not exactly a good barometer to predict what will happen next season.

IMO I do think you have a great base but for me you need a striker, a DM and I also think you need a left back and all these signings need to be top quality, before you can even think about challenging.
 
epic terrorist said:
I was pretty drunk last night and now I am pretty hungover, so it is probably best this is the last I say on it.

All big teams invariably hit form at some point in the season and tbf Arsenal usually do put it together in the second half of the season to win the fourth place trophy. What I am saying is thats not exactly a good barometer to predict what will happen next season.

IMO I do think you have a great base but for me you need a striker, a DM and I also think you need a left back and all these signings need to be top quality, before you can even think about challenging.
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It's funny as couple of seasons ago I remember seeing that we always melt away in Spring, but be it spring, fall or winter we need to be more consistent. We've made important signings in the medical department and injury prevention front and hopefully these work as big reason why we had so poor start to a season were injuries to many key players at a same time.

Monreal was actually one of the best LB's in the league last season and Gibbs when fit is good competition. Wouldn't mind Alaba there, but can we sign him? No.

The reason we haven't signed a striker or defensive midfielder is that there isn't one available who we could sign who'd walk into our starting 11. There was interest in Vidal until his car crash which made Wenger withdraw interest. Schneiderlin for example wouldn't start ahead of Coquelin or Cazorla/Ramsey.

Wenger has enquired about Benzema and will likely keep an eye on the situation, but who other is available who would automatically go into starting 11...
 
Quasit said:
It's funny as couple of seasons ago I remember seeing that we always melt away in Spring, but be it spring, fall or winter we need to be more consistent. We've made important signings in the medical department and injury prevention front and hopefully these work as big reason why we had so poor start to a season were injuries to many key players at a same time.

Monreal was actually one of the best LB's in the league last season and Gibbs when fit is good competition. Wouldn't mind Alaba there, but can we sign him? No.

The reason we haven't signed a striker or defensive midfielder is that there isn't one available who we could sign who'd walk into our starting 11. There was interest in Vidal until his car crash which made Wenger withdraw interest. Schneiderlin for example wouldn't start ahead of Coquelin or Cazorla/Ramsey.

Wenger has enquired about Benzema and will likely keep an eye on the situation, but who other is available who would automatically go into starting 11...
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Deluded man..... Schneiderlin is a superior player to Coquelin and is proven in Premier League as being one of the best DM's in the league for last 3 seasons. Also lets not forget that Schneiderlin is a France international player been capped just under 10 times, he's quite a key figure now for them in that team. Coquelin only came into the first team because you had injuries and he had a decent second half of season but now every Arsenal fan seems to be blinkered thinking somehow he's your saving grace and a world beater? He's only 1 year younger than Schneiderlin as well so not like he has the obvious potential to grow and be better.

He had a decent second half of a season.... how on earth do you suddenly think he's better than Schneiderlin? Schneiderlin would get into any team over Coquelin.
 
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zzeezzy said:
Deluded man..... Schneiderlin is a superior player to Coquelin and is proven in Premier League as being one of the best DM's in the league for last 3 seasons. Also lets not forget that Schneiderlin is a France international player been capped just under 10 times, he's quite a key figure now for them in that team. Coquelin only came into the first team because you had injuries and he had a decent second half of season but now everyone thinks he's your saving grace and he's a world beater? He's only 1 year younger than Schneiderlin as well so not like he has the obvious potential to grow and be better.

He had a decent second half of a season.... how on earth do you suddenly think he's better than Schneiderlin? Schneiderlin would get into any team over Coquelin.
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I might be wrong but I think he's more saying Wenger wouldn't bring Schneiderlin straight into the side in place of Coquelin.

He'd keep his place on form was what I think he's alluding to more than one being better than the other.
 
Scouseinthehouse said:
I might be wrong but I think he's more saying Wenger wouldn't bring Schneiderlin straight into the side in place of Coquelin.

He'd keep his place on form was what I think he's alluding to more than one being better than the other.
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Possibly, the way he worded it make it sound like Coquelin is some undroppable force far better than Schneiderlin. :D
 
The importance of a good DM can't be overstated.

Just look at Chelsea, they've been leaking goals for years unless they packed the box with 10 people and a club mascott. Then Matic comes along and he singlehandedly changed them into nearly impenetrable defense. Javi Martinez came to Bayern and next year they comfortably secured the treble. City can't patch up their defense ever since De Jong left. And so on and so on.

You don't need Galacticos for every position, 4 good players in front of great keeper and rock solid midfield is more then enough.
 
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zzeezzy said:
Deluded man..... Schneiderlin is a superior player to Coquelin and is proven in Premier League as being one of the best DM's in the league for last 3 seasons. Also lets not forget that Schneiderlin is a France international player been capped just under 10 times, he's quite a key figure now for them in that team. Coquelin only came into the first team because you had injuries and he had a decent second half of season but now every Arsenal fan seems to be blinkered thinking somehow he's your saving grace and a world beater? He's only 1 year younger than Schneiderlin as well so not like he has the obvious potential to grow and be better.

He had a decent second half of a season.... how on earth do you suddenly think he's better than Schneiderlin? Schneiderlin would get into any team over Coquelin.
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Superior in some areas, but inferior in others.

Decent half of a season? He was perhaps the best DM in league during that time and when I'm talking about DM I mean purely as a defensive player. Coquelins job was to shield defense and he does that perfectly. What he now needs to do is continue it this season. We have a word in Finnish suonenveto which translates poorly to English, but is basically used when average player has a stormer of a season, but after it fizzles out back to mediocrity. Might happen to Coquelin, but I doubt it.

Is he world class? Definately not, but neither is Schneiderlin. Don't get me wrong I would have been happy to have Schneiderlin to bring some competition for Coquelin and he'd been great replacement for Arteta, but Coquelin still would have deserved to start and if he'd kept that form going he'd keep Schneiderlin on the bench.

Coquelin has thought he is a offensive / B2B midfielder all his career and actually listened to Wenger for once when he came back from Charlton when Wenger said he thought Coquelin should just concentrate on defensive side of the game and leave creative tasks to likes of Cazorla and Özil. For Schneiderlin it's been bit easier to find his place and get minutes under his belt.
 
Scouseinthehouse said:
I might be wrong but I think he's more saying Wenger wouldn't bring Schneiderlin straight into the side in place of Coquelin.

He'd keep his place on form was what I think he's alluding to more than one being better than the other.
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Pretty much. Coquelin on form last season was as good as Matic defensively (Matic brings also bit more to table so don't think I'm saying he's as good of a player, but as good of a DM), but what he needs to do is keep it up or get even better and it's his place to keep or lose in the team.
 
Quasit said:
Is he world class? Definately not, but neither is Schneiderlin. Don't get me wrong I would have been happy to have Schneiderlin to bring some competition for Coquelin and he'd been great replacement for Arteta, but Coquelin still would have deserved to start and if he'd kept that form going he'd keep Schneiderlin on the bench.
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Defining what is world class and what isn't is hard because players of this ilk are under-appreciated for the role they do in a team, in many ways like the Carrick in United. It was only after considerable amount of time the majority began to realise how important he was to the team. Same can be said for players like Schneiderlin and Matic.

I get Coquelin had a good half of season, but I don't see how he suddenly would get into a team before Schneiderlin based on how good he has been for the last 3 seasons at Southampton in Premier League. It can only be from loyalty by Wenger, in my opinion this could cost you next season because I believe this has made Wenger think you don't need anyone else in that position, considering your backup is Arteta/Flamini it's going to be a very similar scenario when you pick up a few injuries which will cost you again because the depth quality isn't good enough.
 
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zzeezzy said:
Defining what is world class and what isn't is hard because players of this ilk are under-appreciated for the role they do in a team, in many ways like the Carrick in United. It was only after considerable amount of time the majority began to realise how important he was to the team. Same can be said for players like Schneiderlin and Matic.

I get Coquelin had a good half of season, but I don't see how he suddenly would get into a team before Schneiderlin based on how good he has been for the last 3 seasons at Southampton in Premier League. It can only be from loyalty by Wenger, in my opinion this could cost you next season because I believe this has made Wenger think you don't need anyone else in that position, considering your backup is Arteta/Flamini it's going to be a very similar scenario when you pick up a few injuries which will cost you again because the depth quality isn't good enough.
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As a player Schneiderlin is closer to Matic than Coquelin. Both Matic and Schneiderlin are better going forward, but then for example loot at the number of interceptions and blocks Coquelin makes compared to the two, it's almost douple for interceptions alone. Stats only show you so much, but after Coquelin came into the team and Koscielny was fit again our defence was transformed.

That loyalty extends only so how well you perform in the team. Wenger now is very different to one couple seasons ago and is much more ruthless towards the players. He still backs all the players, but as Walcott said it is really hard now to get into the team while it's winning even if you are one of the senior members of the squad.

Flamini is on the market and club is looking to sell. Arteta is doing his coaching badges and won't play that much so I think Wenger is still on a lookout for a new player there.
 
Quasit said:
As a player Schneiderlin is closer to Matic than Coquelin. Both Matic and Schneiderlin are better going forward, but then for example loot at the number of interceptions and blocks Coquelin makes compared to the two, it's almost douple for interceptions alone. Stats only show you so much, but after Coquelin came into the team and Koscielny was fit again our defence was transformed.

That loyalty extends only so how well you perform in the team. Wenger now is very different to one couple seasons ago and is much more ruthless towards the players. He still backs all the players, but as Walcott said it is really hard now to get into the team while it's winning even if you are one of the senior members of the squad.

Flamini is on the market and club is looking to sell. Arteta is doing his coaching badges and won't play that much so I think Wenger is still on a lookout for a new player there.
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Maybe you're right, no doubt Schneiderlin is different to Coquelin but I was just really surprised you didn't even make a bid for him, from what I heard Wenger has been a big admirer of him for a long time.

Perhaps there is other options I don't know about or you make a shock signing for someone who doesn't appear available. But to my mind the only person really you can go for is that polish guy in Sevilla, I've forgot his name now.

It does seem like typical Wenger so far in the transfer market, not addressing positions in order to have a fully capable squad to challenge next season. Think we agree Arsenal needed a DM and striker.
 
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zzeezzy said:
Maybe you're right, no doubt Schneiderlin is different to Coquelin but I was just really surprised you didn't even make a bid for him, from what I heard Wenger has been a big admirer of him for a long time.

Perhaps there is other options I don't know about or you make a shock signing for someone who doesn't appear available. But to my mind the only person really you can go for is that polish guy in Sevilla, I've forgot his name now.
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There was something going around that his representatives were demanding too much. Transfer fee hardly a problem, but if they are demanding more basic wage than Özil and Alexis Wenger isn't going to do it.

He might be a target, but I think only as a backup option if first choice target can't be signed as he has a release clause and so is "easy" to sign. Personally I think if he were a first choice target we'd have signed him already.
 
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Sport Witness @Sport_Witness Szczesny's agreement in principle to leave Arsenal. http://sportwitness.ning.com/forum/topics/arsenal-agree-transfer-in-principle-for-goalkeeper-could-be-done …
 
Its a shame to see Szczesny go but he had more then enough opportunities to make that his spot for years to come.
 
He did it to himself. If he focused more on football and less on Twitter, he had all the chops to even have similar careeer to Seaman. 130 first team apps, in a top club, at 25, is something most goalkeepers cant even dream of.
 
What I've understood it's a loan deal not permanent transfer for Woj. If we look at who we should keep as competition for Cech then this is right move as Ospina deserves a chance due to his form last season.
 
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