I agree with your point DM, I can see what you're saying that a normal height player probably managed to get more spring in his legs, more momentum or whatever you'd want to call it, but I still feel that someone as vastly experienced as Mertesacker should be challenging in the air much better than he does. It's only his first season here, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and wait to see what his performances are like once he's more used to the league, but it isn't looking like a particularly amazing transfer thus far. We'd have been better buying a player such a Samba, Cahill, even someone like Jagielka would have been a better acquisition.
I wonder who we'll get in on loan if Wenger decides to bring in a left back for the season...
Fantastic pics, spam away.
Bridge
I have zero faith in his scouts, or his judging of players ability anymore.
Gervinho, Walcott, Santos, Mertesacker, Song, Chamakh, Sagna, Squillaci, Djourou, Senderos(someone I said we should never have lost).
How many players on low wages who we shouldn't have lost has Wenger let go who have gone on to be better than people we currently have in the prem league or other leagues. Larson looked great at Arsenal and out on loan, he's undoubtedly better than our wingers, and that is on pure talent, he's small and not very fast, its all skill and intelligence. Senderos is a completely solid defender, he was only not solid when played for half a game 3 months apart, in proper rotation he could have saved us injuries to other players and been part of a solid defence.
I can't remember now but he was part of our champs league record breaking defence wasn't he. It's been a while, it was largely Senderos, Cygan, Flamini and..... Lauren?
AS for Mertesacker, his problem is he's on the wrong line of tall and really strong and tall and really lanky, closer to Crouch then to Samba. You need a god damned rock in there, not a lanky girl.
Worst thing is, Samba would likely have done more for us, proven in the league, likely have cost less AND been on lower wages.......... but we went last second for a "gimmicky" player rather than a quality player.
I don't think he'll improve either, he might get to learn certain attackers and play against them better, but the fundamental things, doesn't matter what league you play in, if you like running in and winning every header, you will, if that isn't part of your game, you don't. he doesn't, and he's not young so won't be changing that dramatically.
We've seen him fall a lot, shoulder to shoulder against big guys in the box he goes down, not wins headers....... next year every team will put a strong player up against him rather than a tall one, and let them bully him off the ball without really any fear he'll win headers. it free's up a taller player to mark Verm/Kos.
he was a panic buy, and well, when you pick up a Cesc at 16 and get one of the best players in the world....... that isn't surprising, when a not particularly successful ARsenal pick up a KNOWN older international that EVERY top team has scouted before, and he's still available........ alarm bells should be ringing. Same goes for Santos, if he was great, he wouldn't be where he was.
gutted we don't have him any more but ambition and price were too high.
