Your Starting XI?
Your 2009 - 2010 Arsenal Squad
Imagine that if you were the manager, and everyone is fit, what would be your pick of our strongest starting XI? Here is my lineup (in 4-3-3):
Goalkeeper: Almunia
You guys know how I feel about him. But goalkeeper is all about CONFIDENCE. A great goalkeeper spreads a sense of confidence into his defence, his teammates, and the fans. Not that I feel any “confidence” whatsoever in Almunia, the thing though is – nor do I have in any other of our current ‘keepers. So Almunia would get my vote simply because he’s more experienced than the others.
Defence: Sagna – Gallas – Varmaelen – Clichy
The defence picks itself. Though I am tempted to play Eboue instead of Sagna because he’s better attacking wise. Nevertheless, since they are called “defenders”, I believe it’s better to have Sagna, who IMO is a better and safer right back.
Midfield: Song – Fabregas – Arshavin
One problem with the current 4-3-3 formation is – there seems to be a “gap” between van Persie and the midfield. In other words, we seem to have no one playing in the “hole”. I believe Cesc is best suited as a midfield schemer. Arshavin would be perfect to play alongside Cesc and look to charge forward supporting the main striker.
That was how he played back in EURO 2008, when he pulled of such a influential and dominating individual performance the world hadn’t seen since Platini in EURO 84 and Maradona in World Cup 86. Arshavin has an admirable workrate as well, so when needed, he could also drop back to help out Cesc and Song to stop the opposition’s attack.
Song would be our insurance in front of our back four.
ATTACK: Walcott – van Persie – Rosicky
I’d pick Walcott ahead of Nasri, for the simple fact that we need PACE upfront. His pace could offer us an extra attacking dimension. Someone who’s able to get behind the opposition defence. Someone who’s a real threat ion the counter attack.
Rosicky is our best runner without the ball behind Eduardo. But at the same time he’s also a quality schemer. In order for our pass and move game to work, we need runners there up front to create space for his teammates.
Van Persie is probably better suited for a wing role up front but he remains the club’s best striking option. He’s aggressive in the box and while not the strongest guy in the world, plays with an edge.
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I really would like to know why RvP is perceived as a FK specialist. Does anyone remember the last time he scored from a FK? From the top of my memory, I think it was against Sunderland last season. Has anyone ever seen him score by bending the ball over the wall?
His technique is pretty straight forward. Hit the ball hard around the wall. Any decent GK who has studied him should be able to stop those. It is only the speed and possibly spin that they have to contend with.
By the way, why does nobody else take them at Arsenal? So many technically gifted players and not a single one who can actually bend the ball over the wall !!! I seem to remember Reyes, Eduardo, Arshavin and even Ramsey scoring from free kicks prior to joining Arsenal or for their international teams. Have only seen Cesc attempt a few.
Good point. I don’t remember neither.
van Persie is a “striker”, meaning if he hit it on target, it’s hard to stop, with that power.
Problem with “striker” is the accuracy would be lower than those who “places” the ball (e.g. Henry).
Personally, I believe FK is a result of hardwork. Like Beckham, hardly a natrually gifted footballer, but he’s one of the best FK takers in the world. Sheer hardwork in training ground to master the skills.
Same with Henry, when he first joined Arsenal, he was by no mean a great FK taker. His improvement over the years has shown how dedicated a footballer he is to improve himself.
I haven’t seen Arshavin, Rosicky the likes taken a FK for us yet. So I only judge for those whom I’d seen (taking a FK), my FK pecking order would be:
On the left (side of field):
1. Nasri
2. Ramsey
On the right (side of field):
1. Eduardo
2. van Persie
3. Vela
I wouldn’t want Rosicky to take a free kick, he might pull a hamstring!
RVP should take free kicks over Cesc every time, if it is a direct free kick.
Maybe we don’t practise free kicks.
re: FK’s
Its obvious that this is not a priority in training (as are corners);
tactically – there are other options
My dream team
———Almunia————-
Sagna-Gallas-Vermaelen-Clichy
———–Song————–
——-Fabregas—Nasri——
—Rosicky———Arshavin–
———-Eduardo————
Eduardo edges it over RvP since he is more clinical and he meshes better with Arshavin.
If we want to play the Barca way, this is the team we need to play. Technically strong players who can dominate the opposition by keeping and passing the ball.
Our weak spots are there for all to see. The front five have adequate replacements. No clear substitute for Song. Plus he himself is young and can be inconsistent/ineffective in certain games. One injury to Gallas or Vermaelen and we are left with Senderos/Silvestre to contend with. Not to forget Almunia.
This explains so much about officiating in almost every sport:
“Hard-wired human flaw results in missed calls at Wimbledon”
http://articles.latimes.com/2008/nov/01/science/sci-tennis1
I would have gone for Mazza’s number 1 line up on the premise that we have to stick with the 4-3-3 (oops that was until I realised you ejected Clichy). Covered all angles there though didn’t you Maz.
I do not buy into the arguement that we need to play certain players because of their size at all. Diaby has good upper body strength but little in his legs that’s why he gets outmuscled so often for a big man. Also it seems he thinks he is stronger than he really is.
Bendtner is not a good target man despite his height. I remeber watching one game where Nik seemed to loose out on the long ball time after time when it was sent to him and then watching Ade win everything in that CL semi against ManU. It was just another example of ability in the air being more precious than those few inches.
Van Persie Vs Eduardo is another example of this. Despite his height advantage Van Persie is far inferior in the air. How many goals does the Perse score with his head, I can only remember him scoring about four. Although I can’t remember Edy scoring more for Arsenal in the time he has been with us, I remember him scoring some well taken headed goals on the international stage.
Eduardo if he is on fire can be our new Ian Wright, send it over the top and you will be sure 8/10 times he will finish it. The problem is he has never been given a long enough run as a striker to prove he is up to the task. Van Persie has started to look like he is up for it. So Ed Vs RvP is a really hard choice, on fire I would pick Edy but a the moment judging by his recent form, Van is the Man, especially as he is a FK specialist too.
As for GK, I would go for Big Al for exactly the same reasons as Andez.
Looking at the various options and the hard to calls, it does appear that we do have strong squad in some respects. We would have quite a stong bench with Walcott, Denilson, RvP/Eduardo, Bendtner, Djourou/Sivestre (dare I say it) Gibbs/Traore, Eboue, Ramsey/Meridia, Wilshere, and Diaby all contenders.
It is true we have no like for like replacement for the outstanding Alex Song but with the right attitude and a collective spirit Denilson and Nasri could fill the void at least until Jan. I would rather have someone dependable like Yaya come in but that ain’t gonna happen, I think Wenger is trying leave space for the likes of Denilson, Ramsey, Diaby, Coquelin and Meridia to fight for. Coquelin is the only like for like for that DCM position but Arsene doesn’t seem to believe the Makele role is essential to balance his team, hence his faith in the not particularly DF minded CMs listed above.
I agree , size isnt really that matters.
In fact, the big tall players we have are/were all at one stage being labelled as “clumsy” – Senderos, Adebayor, Diaby, Bendtner.
So at times I really don’t know what people want.
I always believe we were ‘forutne” to have nick Henry and Vieira away from Series A with a relatively low cost. 10 mil for Henry must be the bargain of the decade. Paddy was the bargain of the century!
Both are tall, strong, and skillful. A deadly combination.
Yet the fact that both of them are in Arsenal fans’ all time top 5 list just shows us that players like them are RARE.
Let’s face it, when you get a six foot four player, there are more chances he would be a “clumsy” lad than a smooth little operator like Arshavin.
Personally I don’t mind to have added a six-footer who got a skill like Henry. But it’s far easier for me to sit here and say let’s get one. Question is WHO? If there’s such a player in the market, chance is that we simply wouldn’t be able to afford him.
and we sold both of them before the ran out of gas!
Henry and Vieira.
Haven’t won shit without Vieira.
Yes, they were special players, but we sell all our special players!
Its nice to have some taller players. We suck in the air, its not coincidence that we are short too.
Song is good, he isn’t close to outstanding, and without help (as in a back-up to play some matches) he’ll be dead by December!
Many (including myself) have left Theo off our starting line ups. Of all our players, he is the biggest
UNKNOWN factor.
When he is on his game, Theo adds a dimension to Arsenal attack that is devastating.
However, I do not see Theo is a wing player. In many matches he is tactically lost on the touch line ” for large spells ” & chasing the opponent/playing ‘d’ is not in his dna.
I can see him playing up front or the point of attack, like Henry.
Our skillful munchkins: Eduardo, Rosicky, Cesc, Nasri, Arshavin can link (control midfield play) AND then any are capable of delivering to Theo the killer pass.
For our team to fully utilize our munchkin’s talents, we need Theo to give us this other dimension; especially against ManU, Chelski, Pool, and City.
When you evaluate players, you see how they produce in big matches and in pressure situations. I have this unsubstantiated sense, that we are going to see Theo develop this season like Song.
Theo should start in some matches, and come off the bench in others. He definitely provides speed that we don’t have a lot of… not at his level of speed.
If he can stay healthy, he helps us and gives us options.
A quick and GREAT solution to the DIRE situation we find ourselves in at DM is Vieira.
Why Wenger was eager to spend 750k on Silvestre but not on Vieira is beyond me.
Vieira, of course does not have the legs, but he will be very hungry to go to the World cup. He will also be able to bring his A-game for some really big games like against Man U.
Just look at Giggs and Scholes. Rested for the smaller games but in the big games they MAKE THE DIFFERENCE. Mostly because they are rested and when rested experienced players are quite useful.
I can imagine Vieira will be seriously AMPED up for the really big games. And against Man U I can almost bet he will be up to his marauding best of 2002. Just rest him a week before and after.
Song can still play up to 60-70% of league games plus the CL games while Paddy takes 40% of league games. Coquelin can play the league cup games.
If Wenger is such a cheap ass as to not want to spend on a DM, this is the least he could do for almost nothing. I am very sure Vieira would take pay as you play wages that would certainly be lower than Denilson’s 60k per week wage.
Fred, you’re assumption is that Song & PV will not be injured.
This is like the scenario for our best starting line up. (unlikely)
If you were coach (after you’ve cleared the lockers for Denilson, Diaby, Silvestre,
and Almunia) wouldn’t you invest in a decent back up at DM that could be a better long term solution.
Then use part of the $4 m you received from the sale of the above and look for your CB and GK.
Ofcourse, I would go out and spend money on a proper, competent 27 year old DM.
But am trying to look at it from Wenger’s miserly, profit-seeking point of view.
That’s good Fred, I said this about a week before the transfer window shut, and we were rumored to be interested in Vieira.
He would be a good option, wouldn’t have to play 1/2 the matches… give Song a rest, and provide experience and someone not afraid to commit a hard foul.
But alas, he jogged onto the pitch as a substitute in the CL this week.
But come January, I’d say why the hell not. Not as a saviour, but a stop gap for half a season.
I would go back to a 4-4-2:
Almunia
Sagna – Gallas – Vermaelen – Clichy
Rosicky – Song – Fabregas – Arshavin
RvP – Eduardo
Bench: GK – Bendtner – Vela – Walcott – Djourou – Gibbs – Nasri
Thierry Henry class even away from the club:
http://www.fanfeedr.com/soccer/2009/10/01/henry-wants-wenger-reunion
I have a few ‘best’ teams that I think can be utilised throughout the season. The clincher is keeping our playmakers fit – always has been. Keep them fresh and rotate wisely, and we should ride out the inevitable storm of heavy legs and tired minds.
———-GK———
Sagna— Gallas—Vermaelen—-Gibbs
———– Song——————-
——Fabregas—–Nasri
Arshavin—————-Rosicky
————-Eduardo———–
From then on the same defence and Song in central midfield but the rest of the team has scope for rotation.
2. ——–Fabregas—Rosicky——
–Walcott——————Arshavin
—————RVP—————–
3.
——-Fabregas—–Merida——
Nasri———————-Rosicky
————–Vela—————-
4.—–Nasri——–Merida——
Rosicky———————Arshavin
————-Eduardo————–
The big problem is cover for Song. It really amazes me that someone who supposedly lives and breathes football for 24/7 can overlook/dismiss the fact that there is NO ONE to replace Song as DMC. Does he plan on playing him into the ground, like he did with Fabregas and Hleb two years ago?
So, lots of scope for change, but as per usual, a position in our squad has been left woefully short of legitimate options. Denilson maybe can do it, and the fact that we are playing three in there somewhat offsets the problem, but still……..
My lineups mirror Mazza’s exactly.
Mannone and Szceni in goal till January when we buy a new goalie.
I support the immediate selling of Diaby, Denilson, Silvestre and Almunia.
If possible, just break their contracts and pay them off.
That’d be great Fred, but who would buy them? and they whatever we saved or got for them, we wouldn’t spend on replacing them as back-ups…
and Diaby is one of the only non-midgets in the team, so he has to play!
Personally even if we dont buy anybody to replace them just their absence alone will be wonderful news to me.
They are negative energies who pollute the team and give people a false sense of depth.
Can we throw Senderos in for good measure?
I’d agree, but we haven’t seen Senderos play this season, so we don’t know what he’s learned in Milan. I don’t mind his as a back-up defender at all.
and even if you don’t like the other 3, if we have nobody else… and we don’t, we need bodies for the FA and CC matches that don’t matter at all to Wenger. Song will be run into the ground by December.
Just off the Arsenal site –
Walcott and Nicky B are back for Blackburn. Eduardo is out with a thigh injury and Manny will also not be back.
Nasri and Fabianski should return shortly after the international break.
Can’t complain too much about any of the previous lineups, but would personally set up in a 4-1-3-2 in order to utilize our best players in favorable positions.
My lineup would be:
GK (Buy one)If not, Fabianski
Sagna, Gallas, Vermaelen, Clichy
Song
Rosicky, Cesc, Arshavin
Eduardo, RVP
Bench: Gibbs, Eboue, Nasri, Vela, Dhojourou, Bendtner, Diaby
The thinking here is that we need RVP to add some height to our “midget” team and the same reason applies to Diaby being on the bench although he may not be better than Walcott, Ramsey and Wilshere.
Rosicky, Cesc and Arshavin would all be interchangeable parts of the midfield and their colossus work rate would assist defensively.
Eduardo speaks for himself as he is our only clinical “fox in the box” predator.
my ideal line up:
——-GK (anyone but Almunia)——
Sagna—-Gallas—Vermaelen—Clichy
——–Song——————–
—————Nasri————
Rosicky—-Cesc———–Arshavin
————Eduardo————
bench: RvP, Bendtner, Vela, Ramsey, Theo, Djourou, GK
(Merida, Wilshere)
That’s an okay lineup but I would put RvP over Dudu for the siomple fact that with TR7, CF4 and AA23 you are already too small. While RvP isn’t towering he is a bigger target up front.
which is also why we have Diaby featuring regularly, because we are a team of finesse midgets!
all of this is opinion
I agree about physical advantages with RvP – but as a target, he is not a target in the traditional sense – high balls to head at goal? or high balls to play off to teammates? (only Bendtner has these qualities)
– Rvp maybe tall but he has no bulk and strength to win the 50/50 high ball in the box or in the middle 1/3 of the pitch
– coming back to show for the ball & link with teammates, excellent – but so is Eduardo
– RvP, no advantage when he takes the free kicks
– RvP unable to control his emotions; easily ticked off
– both equal on technique and tactical IQ
I just believe Eduardo has a maturer disposition as an attacker.
I disagree totally on RVP. I think he is our best striker. He is very good at getting the ball with his back to the goal and turning for a good shot… he can actually shoot with both feet, even though he’s left footed, and he IS definitely a threat with free kicks. (as opposed to Cesc, who is a horrendous shot, but great passer).
We need players to play with emotion, I’d rather have them more emotional and ticked off, than to easy going and getting pushed around.
I thought of switching Rosicky n AA23 but there really is very little difference between the two except that AA has much better close control and can create out of nothing. Add to that – the amazing power with such a short backlift – so maybe he should be playing closer to goal.
I keep swaying a lot between Denilson and Song – sort of a choice between a more dynamic and a steady player. Overall though maybe Song is better.
Really though – the system is so so fluid that you can put anyone among Rosicky, Nasri, Dudu, Arshavin in the wide attacker role and it’ll work.
The only thing I worry about for the next 2 months is Diaby and his terrible work rate. I’d like to see his stats or whether I’m just biased.
DAG – ON TARGET WITH YOUR POST (plus the linking articles), which are the source of fan concern.
Playing 60+ matches, the ideal line up that is needed throughout the season and especially for key matches,
just won’t material.
If we look at Arsenal success, since the arrival of Arsene, ALL of the key players were bought from other clubs,
NONE were nurtured through the the Arsenal youth academy; for our current roster: Sagna, Gallas, Vermaelen, Rosicky, Eduardo, Arshavin, RvP, and Nasri
This is a global sport, 200+ nations as a spawning ground for talent. I don’t believe that by having a youth
academy, you can rely on it for achieving silverware. The academy plays a role, but kept into perspective to
the club’s goals.
Due to injuries, we were not able to field our strongest team against ManU or City. Even if we could have, the
strongest line up has not played sufficient matches together to develop chemistry.
If one of our goals is to win trophies regularly, then the roster needs back up players that can maintain
a level of play. Seeding the line up with developing leaves us susceptible to losing close matches or
being upset.
Theo, Denilson, Clichy, Almunia, Diaby, Ramsey, Wilshere, Eboue, Gibbs, Traore, are works in progress.
When on the pitch, they consistently DO NOT dominate at their position.
IMO – these players can not start or sub and maintain a level of play to attain silverware goals.
To compete for the EPL title and Champion’s League, our roster needs another strong back up for Song, CB, Sagna, GK, and Cesc. So from the 10 listed above, five will not fulfill back up needs.
Thank me for the links. Andez did the article. :-)
Andez – did not mean to discredit you! great stuff…
John Cross’s thoughts on Arsene Wenger’s transfer policy:
http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/opinion/columnists/john-cross/Arsene-Wenger-is-Arsenal-s-best-ever-manager-but-if-he-doesn-t-change-his-transfer-policy-then-he-might-not-be-remembered-as-such-article176345.html
Darren Lewis’ thoughts on Arsene Wenger’s transfer policy
http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/opinion/columnists/darren-lewis/Arsene-Wenger-is-right-to-ignore-a-vastly-inflated-transfer-market-article174913.html