Dear Gooners, Another thread about

[EL Patron]

Arsenal defenders, What is exactly going wrong ??. Defensive mistakes after defensive mistakes. Whether it's Mert,Vermaelen, Koscielny, Sagna. Even Monreal has caught the disease. You can bet your bottom dollar in a match, they will guarantee you a least one mistake. So what is wrong ??, is it a lack of focus, tactics, communication, confidence or are ?? they not good enough

[Chumlum]

Except for Sagna, Arsenal don't have any top-level defenders.

Yet, none of the current first-team players in Arsenal's defense is a bad player, either - on an individual basis they're all good-to-very-good relative to what we should expect of someone their age, experience, etc. I think it comes down to coaching and a mutual understanding - this defense, like the whole team, just doesn't quite have that sense of common "fight." It's there in spurts, and in particular players. But something about the combination doesn't click, and Wenger & Co. haven't found out to bring it to the right level on the training ground.

I feel bad for Koscielny this season. Like Verm & Mert, he's got flaws, but I think when it comes down to it he's the center-back I trust most when it comes to defending against superb opposition. Deserves more playing time.

[Jay29]

For me, the most likeliest explanation is that the coaching and training is inadequate. While our defenders have changed a lot over the years, the people coaching and training these guys have remained the same, as has the mistakes our defence has made.

At the start of the season, our defence barely made any errors and was looking excellent. You could tell, then, that they really worked on defending as a team.

But it's not reached that level again this season. There's been a change in how we play; more emphasis has been put on possession and offence than it has on keeping a good shape and being to transition from a defensive shape to an attacking one effectively. Such a decline leads me to believe that we haven't maintained the work we did on our defending.

[Raptorgunner]

I know the defence is at fault but Wenger is responsible for our shit season. We should have kept Song and bought a better striker.

We have no back up to Giroud, we have no game plan. How in the world we could not add a player in January to improve us.

[EL Patron]

For me, the most likeliest explanation is that the coaching and training is inadequate. While our defenders have changed a lot over the years, the people coaching and training these guys have remained the same, as has the mistakes our defence has made.

At the start of the season, our defence barely made any errors and was looking excellent. You could tell, then, that they really worked on defending as a team.

But it's not reached that level again this season. There's been a change in how we play; more emphasis has been put on possession and offence than it has on keeping a good shape and being to transition from a defensive shape to an attacking one effectively. Such a decline leads me to believe that we haven't maintained the work we did on our defending.

I don't think we have a particular plan when defending, do we press or get men behind the ball ??. For example when we played Liverpool at the start of the season we got men behind the ball. Today played a highline and tried to press high up the pitch.

In set pieces its Zonal Marking which this team seems incapable of carrying out.

[Wilson37]

For me, the most likeliest explanation is that the coaching and training is inadequate. While our defenders have changed a lot over the years, the people coaching and training these guys have remained the same, as has the mistakes our defence has made.

At the start of the season, our defence barely made any errors and was looking excellent. You could tell, then, that they really worked on defending as a team.

But it's not reached that level again this season. There's been a change in how we play; more emphasis has been put on possession and offence than it has on keeping a good shape and being to transition from a defensive shape to an attacking one effectively. Such a decline leads me to believe that we haven't maintained the work we did on our defending.

the much hyped Bould impact took a hit after the initial months when we struggled to create chances and failed to get a shot on target for nearly two months.. Even relegation teams ran through our midfield.. So we have tried moving back to the all offensive Arsenal who outpossessed and outscored other teams.. But unfortunately we dont have clinical creative players upfront to create or finish whatever chances we create..
Both tactics have had initial success and then failure.. I would personally prefer the all offensive one.. Too frustrating to see Arsenal struggling to create against smaller teams..

[silver]

Our midfielders/attackers dont track back and help the defense enough. And we play a system that clearly isn't suited for some players. Why are we playing a high line with Mertesacker in the line up, against the likes of Bale and Lennon?

Spurs weren't stupid enough to do the same against Walcott...

[Flick]

Our midfielders/attackers dont track back and help the defense enough. And we play a system that clearly isn't suited for some players. Why are we playing a high line with Mertesacker in the line up, against the likes of Bale and Lennon?

Spurs weren't stupid enough to do the same against Walcott...

I think it's about time we get a defensive coach outside of the Arsenal coaching tree.. It seems like every year our defense is getting pummeled to death compared to the top tier teams.

[boyzis]

Our midfielders/attackers dont track back and help the defense enough. And we play a system that clearly isn't suited for some players. Why are we playing a high line with Mertesacker in the line up, against the likes of Bale and Lennon?

Spurs weren't stupid enough to do the same against Walcott...

Bro, you are right. It doesnot matter what players you have its down to the way you defend as a team.

[6unner]

Our midfielders/attackers dont track back and help the defense enough. And we play a system that clearly isn't suited for some players. Why are we playing a high line with Mertesacker in the line up, against the likes of Bale and Lennon?

Spurs weren't stupid enough to do the same against Walcott...

I think it's about time we get a defensive coach outside of the Arsenal coaching tree.. It seems like every year our defense is getting pummeled to death compared to the top tier teams.

We could bring in whatever defensive coach we want. If Wenger does not give the coach the type of players he wants or the power to coach them. It will do nothing.

[furiouswindbottom]

Wenger's team talk.

''Go out there and show them how good you are. Let them worry about you.''

Wenger thinks we are Brazil 70, The Invincibles or the Barca side of a few seasons ago.

Can imagine TV/Mert asking ''Do you think we should work on some defensive drills to combat the opposition?''

Wenger (fingers in ears) LALALALALALALA! I CAN'T HEAR YOU! LET THEM WORRY ABOUT YOU!''

Bould should resign. Not because he's doing a bad job...because he's not being allowed to do his job.

[Raptorgunner]

Arsenal's biggest enemy is Wengers ego.

Wenger is too stubborn to admit his own mistakes. would you admit if you were getting 7.5m a year?

No other team would have kept him around, the same reason why he will never leave us.

[6unner]

Arsenal's biggest enemy is Wengers ego.

Wenger is too stubborn to admit his own mistakes. would you admit if you were getting 7.5m a year?

No other team would have kept him around, the same reason why he will never leave us.

To bad his socialist wage structure did not extend to him. Think he would be so willing to stay around and continually experiment driving the team to mediocrity if his wages were similar to the £3 million EPL average?

[Raptorgunner]

Arsenal's biggest enemy is Wengers ego.

Wenger is too stubborn to admit his own mistakes. would you admit if you were getting 7.5m a year?

No other team would have kept him around, the same reason why he will never leave us.

To bad his socialist wage structure did not extend to him. Think he would be so willing to stay around and continually experiment driving the team to mediocrity if his wages were similar to the £3 million EPL average?

I dont care what anyone says. if Wenger was not getting paid crazy money, he would have left just like the players.

[VendettaRed07]

Arsenal's biggest enemy is Wengers ego.

Wenger is too stubborn to admit his own mistakes. would you admit if you were getting 7.5m a year?

No other team would have kept him around, the same reason why he will never leave us.

To bad his socialist wage structure did not extend to him. Think he would be so willing to stay around and continually experiment driving the team to mediocrity if his wages were similar to the £3 million EPL average?

I dont care what anyone says. if Wenger was not getting paid crazy money, he would have left just like the players.

I hope giving theo the 100k was a sign of actually making players happy and giving them the wages they want. I can bet more than half the star players sold would have stayed if they were given wages other clubs gave

[Jay29]

Interesting stuff from David Ornstein on BBC 5Live tonight (that's bbcsport_david, for the twitter people). Said that there's no falling out between Wenger and Bould, but Bould isn't being given the influence he wants.

Also said that at the start of the season, Bould took defensive drills, but his influence lessened because Wenger thought he was getting too much attention in the press.

Mentioned that we do study teams, but there isn't a lot of emphasis on tactics.

Hard to believe that part about the press, but this is from a pretty reputable source when it comes to Arsenal news.

[timzink]

yeah i heard that piece by david ornstein. i really doubt that we dont get tactical training or tips from arsene . perhaps what he meant is that the tactical training isnt as rigorous but i still feel that we are getting tactical advice and training but a combination of a lack of player quality/ motivation / ( the team we are playing is playing better ) means the tactical plans arent being executed .

With this Arsenal team i feel like we need to score a goal not to get ourselves ahead but to cancel out the goal we have already conceded or are going to concede . its a chronic weakness. However we have only conceded 1 more goal than manchester united .

[the xcx]

I think the problem is the transition between the midfield and defence. Theres none. Wenger should have known better and brought an adequate replacement to Song. The back 4 of Arsenal is too pressured at times and its just normal to start making defensive mistakes. Playing the combo of Wilshere and Arteta leaves the midfield to shackels every time the opposition rises with numbers to counter attack. Be that in the middle or in the flanks. DM would have been able to hold off an counter or do enough for the others to track back and retain the possession.

Current formation that is being used is best suited for smaller teams as of now imo.

[Jay29]

Neville's analysis of both goals. Excellent stuff and worth watching:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=KL8d0vR6fB4

[TalkingReckless]

Neville's analysis of both goals. Excellent stuff and worth watching:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=KL8d0vR6fB4

Brilliant analysis, i think Kos is the only one out of 3 CB's that doesn't push forward, both Mert and Verm push forward to get a tackle/block in when they should be dropping back. Most of our mistakes have come from this and both have fallen down many times while defending this season and that pushing forward at the wrong time is a reason for it

[aleumdance]

Seriously, why si everyone here avoiding the fact that Wenger's complete idiocracy cost us a comeback draw?

The Ref gave 6 minutes extra time, 6 NOT FVCKING 2. arsenal have been $hit in the air for the past 5 years, why did Wenger watch his boys waste countless airball over airball, WHY?

the Dictattor has to go, nothing more, he does not even understand his team anymore

[Raptorgunner]

Its time to say to goodby to CL for a long time. The players are just not good enough for that. They will win one or two, then lose one, then win two more than draw two. We cant get any better we have too many average players who are paid well and cant be sold. With Girud leading the line and cant even do simple things we wont even make EL now.

I know Wenger is heart broken he cant turn the greatest Striker Gervias to Henry and Giroud to RVP.

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