There’s no way to package that game up positively from a performance perspective. That was a 3 out 10 and it’s really hard to argue that we deserved anything out of the 90. Three shots on target, two goals, and 3 points.
You do have to win ugly in the Premier League. All games are hard. That though, was Elephant Man levels of grimness. It’s hard to really understand why Arteta changed his winning formula from last week from a team that was so very impressive. Elneny, AMN and Tierney (hip injury) all dropped out of the starting 11. In came Saka, Ceballos, and Kola. It really broke the system and it failed to click for the most part.
Our midfield dominated possession but failed to make headway into the opposition box, a constant issue. Deeper than that, Ceballos held onto the ball too often, slowing play down… compared to Mo last week he just kept the ball moving at speed. Yes, Dani was a key part of our win, but I think the performance will not have pleased the manager. I can’t imagine he was following instructions, if he was, they weren’t very good instructions for the day.
Kola was a non-entity out on the pitch. I don’t know why he’s anywhere near the squad. He’s mentally weak, he literally can’t get up for the games, and he wants out at Arsenal. It was unfortunate that Tierney picked up a hip injury, but more worrying that Arteta puts Kola in his spot despite clearly knowing he’s a bad player. How many times must he be reminded of this? Why do we have a player starting that isn’t committed to Arsenal?
Saka landed the two pre-assists. That’s some peak Alex Hleb stuff right there. However, I think you’d only call his performance good if that’s all you saw. We needed more from him out there. It was a sloppy outing, below is standard, but the sign of a class player is they still deliver when thing aren’t going well. He delivered.
Bernd Leno showed why many people had a preference for Emi Martinez. I thought he was really poor. He looked nervous for a start. He was flapping for crosses, he more often than not opted to punch, and he didn’t look in control of his box. The cross that he came out for an nearly broke his neck for was a stark reminder of how close we are to having to go with a really unsuitable keeping option. Leno needs competition, that was not the sort of game we needed to see from him after selling a keeper in purple patch.
My big positive was that Eddie and Pepe came on and both looked really hungry. I was at a table with a bunch of Gooners and we were saying that Eddie in particular needs to start impacting those 15 minutes when he’s brought on. He certainly did yesterday. He worked hard and when his chance came, he buried it. He needs a big season. Hopefully that’s a stake in the ground in a 15 goal season. He’ll need that because Lacazette didn’t look at the races again, it’s clear there’s no new deal coming and the club is going to have to sell him this window to avoid another no-fee disaster.
Ultimately, we found the tools to unlock a West Ham that looked far more organized than they have, but that sort of performance is a reminder that the old Arsenal still lurks in the wings. Bumming victories like that can be both a good sign, because it shows focus and effort, but it can also be a precursor to deeper issues further down the line.
The good thing about this coaching setup is there won’t be a celebration of that performance. They’ll be trying to fix the issues there and hopefully we’ll see a response for the Liverpool game. For me, the mistake was tinkering with a model that was working. West Ham and Fulham could have been taken down by the same starting 11 and it could have built a bit of performance momentum. I also think Arteta thinks he can change every player, hopefully the Kola performance was a reminder that there needs to be more than two players on that blackball list.
So we move on. We have 6 points out of 6. The Liverpool game is going to be a roll of the dice, but maybe a shitty run out like that one will refocus the minds in the training ground. I’d rather learn a lesson with a win, than take that sort of complacency across the board into the Liverpool game and get our backsides handed to us.
See you in the comments!
Freddie
Don’t know if you were talking about a different player – you mentioned Laca.
It’s going to take a long time to recover from the mistakes of Wenger and Gazidis.
Beautiful Rambo pass
https://twitter.com/juvecanal2/status/1307770693329858560
Marc
CC was talking about Torreira to Athletico is a loan deal, was talking about that but should probably have made that clearer.
Things seem to be getting a bit busy but fuck Atletico if they’re acting like cunts with regards to Partey and meanwhile just think we’ll give them Torreira. Swap or pay his fucking fee so we can be able to pay Partey’s fee
Paulinho, now I understand why people bust your balls about Ramsey, this pass was just ok.
Tom – Yeah, your right. Just linked because he was MOM tonight.
Freddie
No worries mate – I think we’re all getting a little frustrated with the transfer window.
Paulinho
Maybe you should’ve said that first and not get my original response. Always liked Ramsey btw, just didn’t think the pass was anything worth posting the link to that’s all.
Tom – I will send a strongly worded DM to the guy on put it on twitter and say Tom off Le-Grove doesn’t think it cuts the mustard, and he should remove it immediately.
Paulinho
That’s better
Ramsey lives for twitter clips of passes he does these days. Comps like that are sure to get him a loan this coming season
The only thing I’ll say about the keeper situation is that obviously Edu and Arteta couldn’t let 20m sit on the bench all season considering our financial situation. Yes Leno isn’t 100% quality at crosses. But he has saved our bacon so many times and put in many man of the match performances. He’s not a shit keeper like some suggest. If our new CBS can adapt to the league sooner rather than later we won’t be so dependant on Leno having to come so far off his line. The problem is in no way the keeper. It’s the shit… Read more »
Paulinho that was a lovely ball, however if it was left footed and curled more the forward wouldn’t have been so wide, probs a better chance to score.
Also the Juve man was so far free that it was the only logical ball haha. I don’t think it’s that special. Saka’s ball through to both Auba and ceb was better than that.
Mind you, I’m with you I like Rambo as a player
For the record that Rambo pass was fire.
Also I feel for elephant man, he’s just trying to do his best. Can’t say the same for the performance 😂😂
Having a good goal keeper is much more than making reflex saves and shot stopping, it is about bringing a level of confidence to the defenders so that they can get on with their job. This is particularly pertinent when playing out from the back. The outfield players have got to set up to move the ball forward, not worry about misplaced passes from the keeper or hospital balls to deal with. Same goes for set pieces. You can not set up appropriately to defend your zone if you are worried about a flapping goal keeper, particularly if you do… Read more »
Sorry I meant to say about Martinez that if at the end of the season he still wanted to leave let go for free, but I doubt that would be the situation.
Seems like Chelsea are already sorting out their goal keeper situation! “Chelsea have completed the signing of goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and will unveil the player next week, according to Fabrizio Romano.” Oh how I wish we could be so decisive! Rumour has it that we have not even made a straight cash offer for Aouar yet even though ‘personal terms’ have been agreed. Lyon do not want any of our cast offs in exchange. The truth is that we can not compete at the top level without the appropriate personnel and we will not be able to purchase the players… Read more »
“Téléfoot Chaine report that Arsenal will imminently make a €40m offer to Lyon for Houssem Aouar”
Let us hope that this is true!
Welcome our new arrival Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson on a 5 year deal!
+ Strengths
Long passing – Strong
– Weaknesses
Saving close range shots – Very Weak
Catching crosses – Weak
Saving long shots – Weak
Style of play –
Comes off his line often
( From who scored.com)
Great for a new goalkeepr! Welcome to our new normal!
Aussie Gooner
Leno just played his second game back from injury. I agree that he is not commanding like Martinez but that save from Antonio was good as it gets . I think communication is key with Leno , hope it gets sorted in training.
Leno if he works on catching crosses and being more assertive will really improve. Does not seem to much to improve on. His reflexes are quite good. He does need to add some more bulk to his upper body to deal with the pushing and shoving in the box
£44 million is a snip for Aouar. There’s no reason why we can’t borrow against next season;’s transfer budget to do it.
Devine
Agreed, but he had similar issues prior to his injury.
Wow ,so many doom mongers today. We should already know most of the squad is not up to standard, this is not something new. I was encouraged by Mikel’s post match comments. He basically said virtually the whole squad is available for the right price, he almost invited other clubs to make offers. He knows these players aren’t good enough, but he can’t replace them before selling. Could be an exciting 2 weeks ahead or a very meh 2 weeks, we will know on Oct. 5. Fingers crossed we do a lot of business. Pedro, do you have some inside… Read more »
€40m is below the asking price and unlikely to get the player. Lyon are tough negotiators, we’re wasting our time if that’s all we offer
I don’t know if we need another sale before we can offer more though. All this talk of mustafi being linked with a 13m move to Italy is nice as hell. We can only pray
Yeah Dave everyone was so positive a few days ago then we play badly for a game (still win) and the sky is falling
The only thing that changed in the last few days is we got 3 more points
Aulas does not fuck around. Got to get the bid a little higher….
I Think Aulas did similar posturing when we went in for Laca as well , Its good that he is talking to press . It means we are in for Aouar . Get it done Edu come on.
Aussie Gooner
Prior to his injury Arsenal fans were praying he doesnt get injured or that he would recover fast . We really do have short memories , he was outstanding and rightly voted 2nd in Arsenal Player of the season.
In order to get new signings up and running, it makes plain as day sense to get them in now. Not later on and have to go though all the adjustments…
Need the fellas in now, training and getting ready to play.
Lets hope we dont do a wenger and wait until the last few hours of the window for a bargain…
Just bid the amount needed, Someone will buy Torr and some other scrubs
Despite Saturday’s victory there were many lessons to be learned from what was a poor performance. 1. The team was severely weakened by the inclusion in defence of Kolasinac who spent much of his time playing out of position as was case when West Ham scored. Playing him alongside Saka on the left caused also a lot of confusion. 2. Our team selections were also not helped by Tierney missing through injury and Maitland-Niles not being selected. 3. Arsenal’s midfield has currently waifer thin resources. Our options are down to Xhaka, Ceballos, Elneny and Willock none of whom is outstanding.… Read more »
Someone pointed out about Pepe the other day… his cost aside, how will be fit into this side once we get another 2 mids?
He does not seem to be a bang on starter so how much he will play will be interesting to see…
And indeed, his price is still a burden… we paid way over the odds. He is about a 30M player in all honesty.
Not wanting to raise the Martinez issue again I just want to comment on this
“So 10-15 games over a 10 year period is what you judge him on? It’s bold I’ll give you that”
I wonder what the sample size of the majority of posters claiming Aouar as a priority signing is? A ten minute YouTube highlight video?
But of course outgoings will impact the incomings ET
Unless Stan takes a completely different approach to ownership we are trying to buy almost 100m worth of talent with presumably available funds less than 40m currently. No sales no dice presumably
With Willian here we can put Pepe right and Willian left with auba up top but arteta seems determined to keep Laca in the starting 11 so Pepe is the big loser out of this arrangement
As long as auba is kept as a winger, we’re going to be having issues with a glut of wingers
Auba is a nailed on starter every match so it means Willian Pepe saka Nelson and Martinelli are/will all be competing for one position
The reason we haven’t got more players in really is because we need to sell to buy, not even just for moolah but freeing up squad places. We have been run so poorly the last few years. Even josk K said it, paying CL wages to EL players. Our squad is just so bloated with so little top level talent and a shit tonne of deadwood. There is surely going to be a frenzy when all the club’s who haven’t spent need to by the end of the window. Everyone is just holding out for covid bargains and in our… Read more »
Fucking socialist wage policy hahaha.
Auba has done well as a LW I do see some benefit to him there. Seems a lot of attackers who have pace need a diagonal path to goal which allows more attacking options, they can cut in, or stick to the wing and put in crosses, etc. getting behind defenders also makes sense if you have speed. Auba is not a strong target man, ALA giroud or others. Him battling with a CB or 2 is not really his game I would rather a new CF,, like Edouard, and then Willian on the right, with Aouar in the hole…… Read more »
Not to mention Auba actually tracks back and helps on defense more than any other attacker we have
The Martinez decision is going to come back and haunt us. Poor form from Mikel. Here’s how he should have dealt with it: To Martinez – Emi, I cannot guarantee you permanent no. 1, but I can assure you at this point in time, you start. This continues till if/when your performance drops. Then I will give Berndt a chance, and you will then have to fight with him for no. 1. To Leno – Berndt, Emi came in when you were injured and he had put in world class performances, helping us win two trophies. At this moment, I… Read more »
Lol 59 is just fat fingers. 50 would do it fir me. Even 30 wouldn’t be bad but Chelsea bring Chelsea they would probably pay you at least 40.
No way I’d let Leno go to Chelsea. He can only go back overseas if he leaves.
But I do agree to an extent wengaball. If we weren’t so desperate for money, I’d have kept him. But Leno is a good keeper. It’s our midfield and shit defence that is the problem.
Our backline looks as though it has the potential to be great, but time is needed. Midfield needs to be sorted asap or we just continue on our merry way to nowhere.
Athletico do not need Laca, Morata offers more than him to the team at less the cost
Wengaball
I’m guessing that’s how the convo went but emi said he wants to be a nailed on no.1, not having to look behind his shoulder every time he makes a mistake, because he wants to be Argentina’s no.1.
He wanted the cushion of being able to to get injured or have a drop in form whilst still being no.1
Something which can’t be accepted, since you pointed out if leno Said no, he would be sold. So emi said no and he was the one who got sold.
Really glad for Leno tho, that clash with Ceballos 😮😮
I was in a mortal fear for his life..
We are dropping some mad money on this aruar chap, who doesn’t look that good to be honest. I’d rather save the money for next season, and get in partey or soumare for this season.
Ozil may leave if he doesn’t play till the last week of the window. No one is denying his talent, it’s his application that is the issue. He shows up only when it’s an easy opposition and for about 60 mins.
Hahaha Gons, don’t even do it, you know ozil is just going to sit back and take his pay cheque doing shit all.
Gonsterous- if that’s the case, then fair play.
But I suspect it was a case where it was Leno starts,l the season as no. 1.
“The problem is in no way the keeper. It’s the shit in front.”
It’s pretty much the same shit that was in front of Martinez when we beat the two best teams in the pl.
Yeah nicely set up. How’d we do against Brighton twice and Sheffield and all the draws last season?
We conceded shots like it was our game plan last season. Arteta has done well to give us solidity but when it comes down to it our midfield is poor and our backline is going to need time to become world class. It has the potential.
Look I don’t think Leno is perfect, but he kept us in so many matches it wasn’t funny. The fact everyone now sees the ability to claim crosses as the be all and end all of keeping is a bit ridiculous.
The headlines out there are contradicting to say the least. On the one hand the Daily Star are saying Torreira is a done deal to Atletico whereas Inside Futbol are saying Arsenal have rected the offer from Atletico for Torreira. We’ll have to wait I guess.
Well it seems like Arteta and Edu have played this summer right. Lucas Torriera is interesting Athletico Madrid and rightfully so. They play a deep block. He won’t have to cover as much ground as he was asked here. He isn’t as bad as people make him out to be when progressing play. Laliga is also slower and more technical. And Uruguay play the same way. So he is a great fit for them. We can get Partey and they will get a good young player plus money. Aouar might be more difficult considering Aluas is a dick when it… Read more »
Ings Im sure would jump at a chance at Arsenal.
Much more mobile than Laca..????
HG It is critical that Arsenal resolve quickly our recruitment of midfielders. As I posted earlier today the club has currently got only FOUR central midfield players on books who are likely to play this season for club ie Ceballos, Xhaka, Willock and Elneny. Torreira is clearly leaving in this transfer window and both Ozil and Guendouzi are unwanted by Arteta and unlikely to play in the team for major games. Leaving aside whether we can unload these two players we are woefully short of both numbers and quality in this department for this season. The owner must unlock funds… Read more »
“I wonder what the sample size of the majority of posters claiming Aouar as a priority signing is? A ten minute YouTube highlight video?”
Speak for yourself man. I have been following him right from depay’s first season at Lyon.
Regarding Lacazette I would not sell him in this transfer window and I see no necessity in negotiating a new contract with him.
No-one is going to pay us a market rate for a player of his quality in this transfer window. They will want to take him on the cheap or even on loan as was case with Mkhitaryan.
Furthermore any replacement will cost us significantly more when you factor in both transfer fee and wages.
The time to make a decision is next summer.
I don’t know what everyone else thinks but I’ve a feeling that this season we will see a much more open EPL than ever before. No spectators, no inhibitions, less pressure, teams not going into their shell when facing the top sides. Already we are seeing more goals. It bodes well for an interesting and open season. Look at Brighton. Their football against both Newcastle and Chelski was excellent. Technically, they are a very good team with some great athletes. Graham Potter has got them playing a super brand of football which will cause problems for the opponents, whoever they… Read more »
“To Martinez – Emi, I cannot guarantee you permanent no. 1, but I can assure you at this point in time, you start. This continues till if/when your performance drops. Then I will give Berndt a chance, and you will then have to fight with him for no. 1” You aren’t saying anything new here. What does “I cannot guarantee but assure you” suppose to mean? If I may ask you, who started the community shield game? Martinez is just an insecure goalkeeper who want to be guaranteed the No. 1 irrespective of his performance. He is not ready to… Read more »
To be honest, Lacazette has had an indifferent year. I wouldn’t sell him if someone doesn’t pay the asking price but if there was an offer, I would consider it provided we sign creators. Auba at C.F without creative players is a disaster waiting to happen considering he doesn’t do enough to build a play. But have enough width and flair behind him, he will do great.
It doesn’t have to be Aouar neccesarily but we need someone who will be a creative hub.
Why is it so hard to understand why Kola started. The LCB role in the Arteta system requires a full back and not a CB Tierney is perfect for that role but if he is out only Kolasinac can play that role. Saka and Niles are way too attack minded and Gabriel is a CB and not known for bombing up and down the left hand side. Kolasinac tho should be ousted as soon as possible. 15 days left in the TW. Hopefully we see some outs this week. What are Atm smoking? They wont budge a dime for Partey… Read more »
‘Arteta has been very clear about this. He said he can’t guarantee any of leno or martinez the No. 1 position which means they will have to fight for it.’
100% right. And Arteta maintains this stance for all the 11 players out there. I can understand why Emi left tho. He is 28 and wants to be Argentina’s no.1 and wont achieve that if Leno takes over the no.1 spot again.
“There is a Twitter ITK claiming we might even go for Zaha with Nelson going in the other direction on loan.”
I’ve heard the rumors but can’t see it personally as we’re well stocked on the flanks with Auba, Wilian, Pepe and Nelson.
Don’t the we’re at the stage where can afford to have Mr Zaha and Pepe as our backup options for Auba and Willian.
Only way i can see Zaha coming in is if we sell Laca and put Auba up top then Zaha taking Auba’s wide left position.
*Dont think
Regarding Auba up top, it took me a while to realize that wide left is his best position as he can receive the ball facing the opposition more regular than that of a CF so he can drive at the defence from a less congested area of the pitch..
Guns that would be a very very pretty lineup I actually think arsenal are trying to find a buyer for Laca because why else at this crucial time in his contract would they openly say it’s not a rioting to renew. If they wanted to keep him it would be, surely. I rate Laca as a quality player and a hard worker, but I think he isn’t ‘next level’ or going to become it, so if we did sell him for 35+m and got Edouard for less it would on paper be an exceptional bit of business. There would probably… Read more »
Vintage Auba has been topping the goal scoring charts for several seasons from this position. How many more goals do they want from him? As you say it gives him space to run into and to run off players which he likes and it also relieves him of duties of holding up play centrally which he is not particularly good at. But some have got it in their heads forever that he must play centrally. Auba on the left is aiding the player as well as the team. For those “dreaming” of a Pepe right, Willian left and Auba central… Read more »
Also well done to Eddie for coming in in a challenging match and winning is the game late on. We need him to do this on the regular. We know from youth level he’s an excellent goal scorer but in the arsenal first team you usually feel he lacks a bit of quality in his shooting which I would put entirely down to nerves of playing at this level. If he wants to make it as this level he needs to find that same confidence and sharpness in his shooting in the first team that he obviously finds very easily… Read more »
Goals will come naturally for Eddie N once he shows the maturity in his all round game and there are recent signs going back to the tail end of last season that he is doing just that.
Ishola I don’t think auba must play centrally, but I think this: Historically Laca doesn’t really score enough at CF (he does score a good share, but not enough imo) Auba can do a job on the wings and still scores for fun but he’s not a top class winger. If you have a more dynamic dedicated winger we will create more chances than by having auba on the left Auba is going to score infinite goals regardless of where he plays, so if he’s CF he’s just going to have more chances to finish off with a better winger… Read more »
But if we signed a better striker than Laca who can also do hold up and link up as well, I’m good with auba staying left
Even if we couldn’t sign any midfielders if we signed edouard, you could play an attacking unit of
Auba————Edouard———-Pepe
———————Willian
There’s goals in that unit. A lot of fricking goals.
China Telling me that Lacazette isn’t good at holding up play centrally as well as Auba isn’t really excusing Auba is it. If both of them are not very good at hold up play centrally then Lacazette just shades it for the players not being good at it. It’s really not a misnomer to say that Auba hasn’t been very good at hold up play and bringing others into play in this position centrally since he has been wearing an Arsenal shirt. We watch the games. We have seen it for ourselves. He has disappointed in this aspecr since he… Read more »
But ishola Laca hasn’t done an especially good job of that so why accommodate him? Laca doesn’t score enough and is not elite at link up either so why bother accommodating him? It’s a misnomer because saying auba is not good at link up doesn’t matter when the guy who is playing that role isn’t that great at link up. It’s not solving a problem to have auba left because auba is going to continue to run, press, work hard and score tones of goals if he plays CF. He’s an elite CF but he isn’t an elite winger –… Read more »
I feel the criticism being directed at Lacazette is unjustified.
He is a box player and is not geared to doing all the donkey work we see him doing on a regular basis.
Lacazette is built like a boxer, not a lithe athlete. Give him an inch in the box though and he’s a very tricky customer. Defenders hate him being around.
Two goals in two games shows that he is still a key player for us.
There are many top teams who would jump at the opportunity of having a player like Lacazette in their ranks.
If our wide players did their job a little better, Lacazette would come into his own.
I mean Saka and Tierney know how to cross, but our right side not so much haha.
The other issue if you keep auba left is because he has to play every important game, it completely blocks off any chance for some of our best prospects to come into the fold Martinelli, Saka, Pepe are all players who look at their most effective on the wing (maybe CF for Martinelli). If Auba is left then how do these guys get a game? Either they play in other positions (Saka can maybe manage), or they all compete for the right wing (not realistic) or they simply don’t play (negative for their development). I didn’t even include Nelson who… Read more »
China as said before Auba has disappointed in aspects of hold up play and bringing others into play centrally more frequently than Lacazette. I have witnessed some really, really poor play from Auba in this respect since he has been at Arsenal. When people argue that Auba scored a tonne of goals at Dortmund centrally it is not really looking at the whole picture. Dortmund’s play was very predominately wing play, marauding down the flanks from both wingers and fullbacks. The need for Auba to come deep and central at Dortmund to link up was way less then since he… Read more »
Graham I agree Laca is a good player. He’s proved that throughout his career. But as you said he has a specific skill set in and around the box in tight spaces, he’s not a great link up player as a lone CF.
My point here isn’t to shit on Laca just to say that imo the cost of nailing down auba on the wing is more detrimental than the value of having Laca at CF imo.
China I think I’m with you there, as good as Auba is on the wing, he’s still a world class CF.
If we had one of our young wingers feeding him in the centre he’d still score regularly.
Remember everyone calling him a tap in merchant? 😂😂
It’s because wingers love playing him in. He makes the runs, the quality wide men, including fullbacks just aim for the space ahead of him. You know he’s more likely than not to bury it.
Sure ishola but isn’t that the point of putting a better winger out wide so that we can have more of those marauding wing player and better creativity out there?
That’s literally why I want it to happen. With the wingers we have at our disposal I don’t think it’s necessary for us to be heavily dependent on a link up CF. We have runners, dribblers and creative wingers who can be unleashed to do the creative donkey work and feed one of the most reliable finishers in the game
Ishola, you wouldn’t say a lot of our play does go down the flanks? Especially left side?
Though I mean when Auba is pitching those delightful balls into the box like he did for laca, you can see why it’s a hard decision, let alone the goal tally from that position.
China
Your words are not apt here.
You say “nailing down” Auba on the left side like it is detrimental.
It has been far from detrimental for Auba. It has actually been good for him.
And he doesn’t stay on the left does he. He drifts inside. So there is no nailing down going on.
Saka is already one of the most lethal crossers in the PL but he’s not going to get many chances to cross if he plays deeper or more central
You could play Saka left, Willian 10, Pepe right and you’d have a whole bunch of danger in there to support Auba
Goobergooner
“you wouldn’t say a lot of our play does go down the flanks? Especially left side?”
Nowhere near as much as the Dortmund teams Auba was in.
Dortmund’s fullbacks were animals marauding down the wings. A Klopp original trait.
Ishola you misunderstand my point about nailing down, my point is if Auba is playing on the wing, nobody else from our large collection of talented wing prospects is ever going to get a game there. That’s a legitimate cost to consider
It means Martinelli, saka, Willian, Pepe and Nelson appear to all be in competition for RW unless you play them out of position and hope for the best like we do with saka
China you’ve lost the plot here if you think Auba would score as many goals at CF in this set up.
Auba is excelling in this set up playing from out to in and not being tightly marked ghosting between the FB and CB.
Laca is sacrificing himself for the team by playing a 9.5. Auba can’t do this very well.
You don’t get the Liverpool fans wanting salah or mane as CF. In our set up now this is maximising Auba and his output.
Red neither salah nor Mane are Cfs and Firmino is a much better link up striker than Laca so the comparison doesn’t hold water
And who gives a fuck about the prospects? Maximise the talent you have now and increase competition. The best will be there at the end.
China
All I can say is Auba is having a good time in this left side position.
And as he is our best player by miles we should be happy that he is happy and doing well in this role.
Haha the forward line is literally the least of our worries.
Get in those midfielders and we can actually have the ability to change it up by playing through the middle or out wide. Will add a whole other dimension to both our attack and defence if we get Aouar and Partey.
China they’re all forwards and they’re all capable of playing anywhere across the front line.
Sorry fella but Ishola is right and you don’t have a scooby.
Laca does a similar job in our system regardless who’s better in your opinion. How many goals did Firmino score last season? Not as many as Laca I’m betting.
Well we agree on that ishola, auba is awesome
And for the record if we upgraded on Laca with a better link up striker (or better goal scorer) I would not necessarily be against Auba playing left. The point is as much about Laca as it is about Auba.
But it is suspicious the club are not concerned about quickly giving Laca a new contract when he only has 2 years left. It suggests to me the club are looking to sell currently. We’ll see what happens one way or the other
Red lol so firmino and Laca would look great on the wings is it?
Are you sure it’s me who doesn’t have a scooby? Lol