In short, I'm glad this is Wenger's problem and only ours to speculate lmao. The endless possibilites

What's with people placing Podolski at AMC. The closest thing to no.10 should play there, not a Striker/Winger. Has to be Rosicky/Cazorla in that role.

Damn Goners, what a team.

----------------------------------Szczesny----------------------------------------

Sagna/VDW--------Koscielny----------------Vermaelen---------------Gibbs----

--------------------------Arteta-------------M'Villa-------------------------------

Cazorla------------------------Sahin/Song------------------------------Podolski

-------------------------------------RVP-------------------------------------------

How does this work for you guys? I admittedly haven't been watching football for as long as probably most of you guys have, so forgive me if I am misinformed about something.

But Personally this is what I would love to see. We need a better defensive midfield if we are going to win anything next season imo, and with Song in there, while he was great and put up very impressive stats he was too soft defensively. His liability defensively either makes me want to play him in a more attacking position or just leave him on the bench. Im not sure what is up with the M'villa situation but is there any chance of that deal still happening? Because I feel a combination of Arteta and M'villa in our DM would be perfect.

Cazorla from watching him a bit always seemed to cause the most damage on the right wing, even though he can play anywhere it seems, very versatile.

And honestly, even if he doesn't resign, and leaves for free next season we should keep RVP. Selling him now would be a terrible idea imo because it seems like he wants to go to Man U and the last thing we need to do is make City or United any better at all. They are the only other two teams that can finish above us next season and we have to put all of our eggs into one basket. This is the best team we have had in a long time and the transfer window is still not over and we still have time to improve even more. All we need is another RB for depth and a defensive midfielder like M'Villa, it doesn't even have to be him, just someone with a similar skill set

It is do or die this season and I say screw the future or what happens next season, go all in, win now or bust. Lets do this.

I love how many of you have totally disregarded the need for a defensive midfielder by leaving out Song from the team.

Haha, you guys are crying for a defensive midfielder, but have put out teams with no defensive midfielders. And to top that off, it isnt like Arteta, Sahin and Wilshere are the most defensively capable players.

AnJl wrote:I love how many of you have totally disregarded the need for a defensive midfielder by leaving out Song from the team.

Haha, you guys are crying for a defensive midfielder, but have put out teams with no defensive midfielders. And to top that off, it isnt like Arteta, Sahin and Wilshere are the most defensively capable players.

Spoke my mind.

#InB4ArtetaIsDefensivelyGood
#InB4WilshereIsDefensivelyGood
#InB4SahinIsDefensivelyGood

AnJl wrote:I love how many of you have totally disregarded the need for a defensive midfielder by leaving out Song from the team.

Haha, you guys are crying for a defensive midfielder, but have put out teams with no defensive midfielders. And to top that off, it isnt like Arteta, Sahin and Wilshere are the most defensively capable players.

Well I believe you can have someone in the DM if you a playing a 4-2-3-1 who is weaker defensively as long as they are paired with someone who is much more capable to compensate. Song, Wilshire, or Arteta can all play there imo but not a combination of two out of the three it is too much of a weakness.

I picked Arteta to be in the DM because defensively out of the three while he isn't good, I would say he is easily the least bad at it.

srigooner wrote:

AnJl wrote:I love how many of you have totally disregarded the need for a defensive midfielder by leaving out Song from the team.

Haha, you guys are crying for a defensive midfielder, but have put out teams with no defensive midfielders. And to top that off, it isnt like Arteta, Sahin and Wilshere are the most defensively capable players.

Spoke my mind.

#InB4ArtetaIsDefensivelyGood
#InB4WilshereIsDefensivelyGood
#InB4SahinIsDefensivelyGood

#InB4ArsenalIsVeryGoodDefensively
#InB4ArsenalNeedTheRightSystem
#InB4DefendingIsATeamEffort
#InB4LetsShipIn49GoalsAgain

@AnJl - lol


@VendettaRed07 - Welcome to the forum mate, hope you stick around! Couple of usual questions : (1) How did you find us? (2) How and when did you become a gooner?

Btw, nice Avatar!

VendettaRed07 wrote:

AnJl wrote:I love how many of you have totally disregarded the need for a defensive midfielder by leaving out Song from the team.

Haha, you guys are crying for a defensive midfielder, but have put out teams with no defensive midfielders. And to top that off, it isnt like Arteta, Sahin and Wilshere are the most defensively capable players.

Well I believe you can have someone in the DM if you a playing a 4-2-3-1 who is weaker defensively as long as they are paired with someone who is much more capable to compensate. Song, Wilshire, or Arteta can all play there imo but not a combination of two out of the three it is too much of a weakness.

I picked Arteta to be in the DM because defensively out of the three while he isn't good, I would say he is easily the least bad at it.

First of all, Welcome to the forums Red07!

Hope you stay on and not just lurk like me because I manage to forget my password everytime.

Now, You were alright in your selection because you placed a proper DM in MVilla.

Some havent even picked Arteta, they put Sahin and Wilshere together.

Sahin had Bender to do the defensive work for him, while Wilshere had some to back him up.

^this
In some away games (remember Dortmund) Song was immaculate. I don't know if it's Wenger's instructions or Song's gut feeling but he stays back in certain games and really shows what being a DM is like. Protecting the back four,Making simple yet effective passes and generally not screwing things up. The thing with Song is that these games are few and far between.
What I hope Cazorla's signing and Wilshere's return will bring is stability.
They will lift Song's burden to be the creative hub and thus we'll hopefully see a more compact midfield and more clean sheets.

Rev wrote:^this
In some away games (remember Dortmund) Song was immaculate. I don't know if it's Wenger's instructions or Song's gut feeling but he stays back in certain games and really shows what being a DM is like. Protecting the back four,Making simple yet effective passes and generally not screwing things up. The thing with Song is that these games are few and far between.
What I hope Cazorla's signing and Wilshere's return will bring is stability.
They will lift Song's burden to be the creative hub and thus we'll hopefully see a more compact midfield and more clean sheets.

EXACTLY!!!!!!! THANKYOU!!!!

I do think that Wenger has given Song the license to roam upfront because Wenger being Wenger knows that Song can provide that creative spark if needed.

What makes Song dangerous? Because he can do both. Like you said, the Dortmund game showed he still hasnt forgotten his defensive skills and can really knuckle down if needed.

But when Ramsey started to falter and Rosicky still not being able to kick start his campaign, while Arteta had to make sure there was some stability in the team, to top that off, Gervinho and Walcott were rocking back and forth on their form scale like a swing, so it was left upto Song to do something about it, and he did it very very well.

But now with Cazorla coming in, Sahin coming in, Diaby seemingly fit and Wilshere coming back in about November (hopefully), plus Arteta also present, Ramsey improving (on the basis of Jay's comments about the Olympics), the offensive side of Song's game can be kept locked up till needed.

But why is Song so important and I feel is undervalued to the point that you are so mehish about him leaving, is that when are lets say chasing a game that we are desperately trying to win, but we have to keep a small eye on our defense too, who are you going to trust?

A midfield of Arteta, Sahin and Wilshere?

While they are good and would be perfect for chasing the game, they WILL leave us vulnerable at the back. This is where Song comes in, he can provide the slightly more defensive touch to the team while still providing the necessary offensive skill. THIS is where Song is the most important and THIS is why Song is needed.

To top that off, he is a nice guy, brings about a nice positive and cheerful attitude and shows tht he loves playing for Arsenal, yet you guys are alright about selling him?

Good job guys, good job...

All sounds good, but I remm one of AW's interview saying Song was moving front of his own accord and not under AW's instructions.

srigooner wrote:@AnJl - lol


@VendettaRed07 - Welcome to the forum mate, hope you stick around! Couple of usual questions : (1) How did you find us? (2) How and when did you become a gooner?

Btw, nice Avatar!

Hello! Thanks man, I found this place because a little while ago I googled football forums and I just happened upon this one and it seemed like the best so after a while of lurking I decided to join so I could contribute!

and actually it might be a little embarrassing but around a year and half ago, during the middle of the 2010-11 season

I live in New York and I didn't actually even know much about the sport at all before World Cup 2010. Like I couldn't have told you anything about much of anything before the World Cup. It was never because I didn't have any interest though it was mostly because there was seemingly like no exposure at all and none of my friends watched it. But while watching the world cup I fell in love with it, I thought football was just absolutely amazing and I couldn't get enough.

But after that I went to a couple Red Bulls games and I thought Henry was by far the best player in the league and I guess finding about his history with Arsenal is where I started to become a really big fan. Sadly I never got to witness him play in his prime live though seeing him on loan was really awesome. And I thought they had the best kits, the best name and just seemed like a really awesome club haha, there just seemed nothing to not love about Arsenal

And thanks lol, I also love sega and the Dreamcast system, so to me that is like the best Kit ever

Henry

I am glad you say FOOTBALL and not 'soccer'. Thank you Have a good time here

Actually, I agree with this 11 entirely... well done

REWB wrote:

Szczesny
Sagna Verma Koscielny Gibbs
Sahin arteta
Wilshere
carzola Giroud podolski

*Sahin has to start, why would you move from rm bench to arsenals bench?

*I put arteta in there ahead of song as arteta is better defensivly and keeps the ball better

*Lastly, verm instead of mertesacker because i feel merte is incredibly overrated by arsenal fans on this forum, in addition he just came back from a long term injury which people seem to have forgotten.

Szczesny
Sagna Verm Kos Gibbs

Arteta
Cazorla Chamberlain
Sahin


Giroud Podolski





Wilshere to replace either Sahin or Arteta, depends who's playing better.

That midfield looks like it could work in theory, but with 2 strikers upfront and without an out 'n' out defensive midfielder, we would be murdered on the counters.(which we already have problems with).

That diamond formation looks intriguing though.

Based on our current crop and fitness:

Chesney

Sagna. Kos. Verm. Gibbs


Arteta. Song

Walcott. Cazorla. Podolski

Rvp


Fanianski
Jenkinson
Mertesacker
Santos
Rambo
Giroud
Oxo
Coquelin.

If song, park, bendy, chamakh, rvp & theo leave:

Chesney

Sagna. Kos. Verm. Gibbs

Capoue/m'villa/coq. Arteta

<---Oxo. Cazorla--->

Giroud. Podolski


Fabianski
Mertesacker
Santos
Mirallas
Rambo
Diaby
Coq/Capoue/m'vila

*When wilshere returns from long term injury he'll get his place

Im Mick BTW - I am new.

-------------Wol----------------
--Sagna-Kos-Verm-Gibbs--
---------Song-Arteta----------
-Walcott-Cazorla-Podolski-
-------------RVP----------------

That may change once Wilsheres back dependent on how he goes when he returns to full fitness. Its important to not become too expentant of him upon his return this season.

Isn't it a nice change to have such a head scratcher for our best first XI for once lads? Options are endless

As much as I am a huge fan of 4231, I'm actually toying with the notion of a 4141 formation. Which may further encourage the defensive discipline of Song whilst offering more flexibility to our creative midfielders. Further to that it is still interchangable and would enable an easy transition to a 4231 or 42121.

---------------------Wol------------------------
-----------Sagna-Kos-Verm-Gibbs----------
-----------------------Song---------------------
Walcott/Ox - Arteta - Cazorla - Podolski
-----------------------RVP----------------------

I understand everyones sentiments about Vermaelen and wanting him to play but Koscielny has become our best defender atm.
We also need to tall timber of Merts for defending aerial threats. He may b slow and was exposed or almost, a couple of times last year. This is mainly due to what u have all mentioned about Song last year; drifiting too far forward.

With the attacking players brought in this year, song will b forced to stay back and adequately protect the back 4 and Merts will b less susceptible to having his pace exposed.

I would therefore got with, the following linesups, depending of the type of team being played:

_______________________Scz____________________________
_____Sag_____Kosc_______________Verm____________Gib___
__________________Song_____Arteta_____________________
_______________________Diaby__________________________
Pod____________________RVP_____________________Car

Thats for ManU Carzola and Poldi would rip ManU's fullbacks to pieces. They also wont hav much height so we wont need Merts here. Our midfield can then boss theirs physically. this lineup can b tweaked to include Merts and Santos when playing Stoke.

Against Chelsea, we move Carzola Centrally to expose Mikel's defensive frailties and Theo to keep Cashley in check. This team could also work against Liverpool.

Welcome Mick! And Welcome back Kwame2u!

Welcome Mick, how long were you lurking?

If we go on to lose song then we should try and get capoue or Mvila and then change to

.............Szczesny.................
Sagna Koscielny Verm Gibbs
................Mvila.....................
Cazorla Sahin Arteta Podolski
...............Giroud...................

@SUPERCARTTS You totally forgot about Gervinho. He's not even on your bench.
Do you hate him so much ?

@Mani I don't think that would bring out the best of Podolski. He would be too far from goal. But he showed us in the EURO that he is a defensively capable fellow and could help Gibbs with the defensive side of things.

All in all, I'm just happy we've got so many variations and combinations to choose from.
I'm feeling spoiled.

completely forgot about ol'boy Gervinho. He also looks quite lively. He'd be a squad player but if he can improve on his decision making then he could well be pushing for starts.

He's got the ability to get past players but he then suffers from a mental break down and doesnt know whether to pass or shoot..

SUPERCARTTS wrote:completely forgot about ol'boy Gervinho. He also looks quite lively. He'd be a squad player but if he can improve on his decision making then he could well be pushing for starts.

He's got the ability to get past players but he then suffers from a mental break down and doesnt know whether to pass or shoot..

Sums up Gervinho doesn't it ?? he is such a panick merchant in the final third. He is even worse than Theo