Hleb plays his best off the striker imo. You can tell he enjoys playing there as opposed to be on the either wing
Something needs to change next season
- Thread starter CliffyG
- Start date
Hleb plays his best off the striker imo. You can tell he enjoys playing there as opposed to be on the either wing
Another season ends for Arsenal (according to their fans) and it's another chance for many to say that you still haven't got the spine in the squad that'll win you the PL or CL, you've got the talent though that's for sure.
You've pretty much always had enough goals in your side but your defensive backbone has been weak for a while now so maybe it's time to learn something from the boring, boring Arsenal days if you want to win something
That's the thing, Wenger inherited from Graham arguably Arsenals best ever back 4. With that defence Wenger added some brilliant flair and creative players and from that sparked Arsenals most successful period in history? Those old legs only lasted so long and IMO apart from Campbell and Toure (who he signed as a midfielder IIRC) he hasn't really replaced those defenders with ones that are truly class at defending.
I take my hat off to him with his approach to youth but I think in the end it is to the detriment of Arsenal. In the past few seasons it has been the case of "next season syndrome.." with everyone always looking at the youth to step up the following season and replicate Fabregas's meteoric rise. Very rarely has he bought top players with proven reputations (which obviously don't always work, when he has tried, he got his fingers burnt badly by Jeffers and especially Reyes). I think his arrogance with regard to his youth policy may undo him in the end if this thread is anything to go by.
Another nearly season beckons for Arsenal unless Wenger makes some big signings IMO.
You've pretty much always had enough goals in your side but your defensive backbone has been weak for a while now so maybe it's time to learn something from the boring, boring Arsenal days if you want to win something
I know it sounds like the usual moaning and sour grapes, but we have been seriously robbed by the officials in recent weeks (pennos, offside decisions etc).
This is something I've pointed out in the past - building for the future and developing players has no meaning if the trophy cabinents are bare, meanwhile older experienced players fade or leave. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
My real regret is that the truly incredible team of 2002-4 didn't push on and achieve domination like MU did in the 90s. When Vieira was sold I immediately gave up on the title (people seriously underestimated his contribution to the side just because he wasn't so effective going forwards anymore) and got a bit of stick for that, but 3 years later and we are still struggling to get automatic CL qualification again.
Building for the future is all well at good, but can anyone seriously look me in the eye and say that the current team (as it stands today, ignoring 'future potential') is a match for the Lehmann, Cole, Campbell, Toure/Keown, Lauren, Pires, Vieira, Gilberto, Ljungberg, Bergkamp, Henry side of 4-5 years ago? Experience, pace, physical strength, vision and understanding were all there in abundance.
![[ASSE]Hinchy](/styles/overclockers/avatars/8.png){kind=avatar}
Soldato
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That was a fantastic Arsenal team yes and today the current team would get beaten by that team. But another 2 players brought in and you're certainly not far off.
http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?...Flamini+out+for+three+weeks+with+ankle+injury
Flamini and Sagna out, 6 - 0 Man Utd.
Flamini and Sagna out, 6 - 0 Man Utd.
Missing Denilson - http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_3410016,00.html
Although i'm a Spurs fan, i love the way Arsenal play and respect them for that.
I actually think they've been quite unlucky. The injury suffered by Edwardo was horrific and must have had a big impact upon them.
I watched most of the 3 games they played against Liverpool and thought they looked the better team. How on earth they didn't get two penalties is beyond belief. Had these been awarded things could be very different now.
Although i like their style of football, i think they pass far too much. Its hard to tell when you watch on TV as opposed to being at the ground, but sometimes i found myself getting frustrated watching them pass and pass and pass, even when it seemed that an opportunity to shoot was there. Part of the problem i think, is that their style of play gives the opposition players plenty of time to get behind the ball.
I actually think they've been quite unlucky. The injury suffered by Edwardo was horrific and must have had a big impact upon them.
I watched most of the 3 games they played against Liverpool and thought they looked the better team. How on earth they didn't get two penalties is beyond belief. Had these been awarded things could be very different now.
Although i like their style of football, i think they pass far too much. Its hard to tell when you watch on TV as opposed to being at the ground, but sometimes i found myself getting frustrated watching them pass and pass and pass, even when it seemed that an opportunity to shoot was there. Part of the problem i think, is that their style of play gives the opposition players plenty of time to get behind the ball.
Hleb plays brilliant there, but the trouble is he isn't enough of a goal threat directly, in terms of scoring goals himself.
On the right he's good, the left brilliant and exceptional off the strike. If I was Wenger I'd deploy him on the left permanently but give him total freedom to roam in to the hole behind the strikers if he wishes. Clichy is such a monster fitness wise that he can basically occupy the whole left side on his own at times.
Regarding Denilson.. I'm pretty sure he isn't fit right now. Didn't he get quite badly injured in a friendly?
You on drugs mate?
It's pretty much common knowledge to any Arsenal fan with a pair of eyes that Hleb is twice the player on the left side than he is on the right. He's far more willing to run at players and drive in to the box and just seems to develop a directness that is, for whatever reason, lacking when he's asked to play on the right. I think Wenger realised this towards the end of last season when Hleb played a few games on the left, and that is why we've literally only seen Hleb on the right wing a handful of times this season.
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I didn't really rate him prior to this season, looked over complicated and always wanted an extra touch but he's looked a top player this season. If he could come up with ~15 goals a season he'd be right up there with the likes of Kaka, Messi, Ronaldo etc. That's all he's missing imo.
You on drugs mate?
I've seen him be pretty ineffective on the left nearly every time i've seen him play there. We've basicaly had no left midfield the whole season and he's rarely played there. The reason he hasn't been playing on the right as much is because Ade has been playing up top on his own with Hleb behind. When we have 2 fit strikers Hleb plays on the right.
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Is it?
I can't say I can ever recall Hleb putting in a stellar performance on the left, whereas all the good games I do remember him having, he's played on the right. He's played on the left recently because Rosicky and Diaby have been out, and even with Diaby fit, I'd rate Hleb as a better left mid than him, because Abou is a central mid at heart, and has no left foot. So it's be easier for the team to have Eboue or Walcott on the right, and Hleb, who's a bit more ambidextrous with his feet (ambifootrous? answers on a postcard), on the left. Nothing to do with being any better there.
Three things we need to address in the summer which I think would put us right there.
Captain: Need a new one. Replacing Henry with Gallas was pretty much a like for like. One moody french megalomanic for another except this one also mouths off nonsense. He is not the right man for the job.
Toure or Gilberto are but it doesn't look as though Silva will be with us next season. Flamini looks like he good be a good leader.
When push has come to shove though; when we needed a strong captain this season he hasn't done the job. Its not all of his responsibility, but Tony Adams would have been spitting nails watching the Arsenal captain this season.
Defence: We have a habit of giving away silly goals, out of nothing. With shocking regularity this season we have outplayed teams for the first twenty minutes only for them to score a goal with their first effort. Either that or we go a goal up but gift an equaliser at the other end.
Whether its because Gallas and Toure are not right for each other or not enough protection from midfield I don't know. I'd like to see Gallas replaced with a more traditional, tall centre back like Hyppia, Terry etc to complement the pace of the other players.
Depth: We need to be able to attract good players willing to fill in when needed. The problem with this is that any good players coming in will want to start. They don't want to sit around filling in for a player who is probably going to be a lot younger than them.
Injuries can be filed under this. We cannot afford to get 5-10 games a season from players like Rosicky and RvP regardless of how talented they are. A permanent solution needs to be found.
Captain: Need a new one. Replacing Henry with Gallas was pretty much a like for like. One moody french megalomanic for another except this one also mouths off nonsense. He is not the right man for the job.
Toure or Gilberto are but it doesn't look as though Silva will be with us next season. Flamini looks like he good be a good leader.
When push has come to shove though; when we needed a strong captain this season he hasn't done the job. Its not all of his responsibility, but Tony Adams would have been spitting nails watching the Arsenal captain this season.
Defence: We have a habit of giving away silly goals, out of nothing. With shocking regularity this season we have outplayed teams for the first twenty minutes only for them to score a goal with their first effort. Either that or we go a goal up but gift an equaliser at the other end.
Whether its because Gallas and Toure are not right for each other or not enough protection from midfield I don't know. I'd like to see Gallas replaced with a more traditional, tall centre back like Hyppia, Terry etc to complement the pace of the other players.
Depth: We need to be able to attract good players willing to fill in when needed. The problem with this is that any good players coming in will want to start. They don't want to sit around filling in for a player who is probably going to be a lot younger than them.
Injuries can be filed under this. We cannot afford to get 5-10 games a season from players like Rosicky and RvP regardless of how talented they are. A permanent solution needs to be found.
I still think gallas can be a good captain
Up until the birmingham game people were singing his praises saying he had stepped up to the plate and got the kids fired up in important matches.
He throws a wobbly at blues then everyone says he cant be captain
Funny how quickly peoples opinions can change??
Up until the birmingham game people were singing his praises saying he had stepped up to the plate and got the kids fired up in important matches.
He throws a wobbly at blues then everyone says he cant be captain
Funny how quickly peoples opinions can change??
The main ingredients are there but the squad needs to be bolstered up because what has happened for months now is so many key players have been desperate need for a breather (Adebayor, Fabregas and Hleb) but due to injuries we just couldn't afford to rest them. Ideally we need 3-5 players this summer. We need a GK, one defender and a left winger are main priority and urgently needed. If Flamini decides to leave that is another position we need to strengthen as well and possibly a striker because I doubt Eduardo will be around much for the first half of the season. The problem we have is Rosicky and RvP are proving to be incredibly injury prone so this is a major headache for us, you can't have two key players who are injured like they have been for us. Also we don't have much cover or backup for Fabregas either. With Gilberto probably leaving we might need to sign two defensive midfielders. So we need a few new fresh faces this summer, Wenger simply can not afford to make the same mistake again because it will cost us again.
Same can be said of Gerrard who apart from recent months has been a liability for Liverpool and many Liverpool fans were getting quite upset and frustrated with him. When Liverpool were in a real bad run Gerrard was nowhere to be seen but since they have got going again everyone has been loving Gerrard again. The Birmingham incident is the only blot on a very good season as captain for Gallas, unfortunately it is quite a big blot but he will learn from that.
Same can be said of Gerrard who apart from recent months has been a liability for Liverpool and many Liverpool fans were getting quite upset and frustrated with him. When Liverpool were in a real bad run Gerrard was nowhere to be seen but since they have got going again everyone has been loving Gerrard again. The Birmingham incident is the only blot on a very good season as captain for Gallas, unfortunately it is quite a big blot but he will learn from that.
No it can't.
I have lost count the amount of times when we've been struggling and Gerrard has single handedly dragged us through games and not just in your average league game but in cup finals etc.
What Gallas did against Birmingham was absolutely shocking especially as captain of such a young side.
You are citing one example of his poor behaviour and I agree with that but many games earlier this season we didn't play that well and Gallas was superb at the back and made us a lot more solid at the back. All good citing Gerrard pulling off great performances in one off games but a captain is someone who should be your most consistent player throughout a season, Gerrard most certainly hasn't been that for Liverpool in recent years. He is always blowing hot and cold throughout a season, up until the Inter game he had been average for you this season, not what I'd expect from my captain. I'd argue Jamie Carragher is much more deserving captain and much more consistent in recent years though hasn't had a great season this time though.
Yea he's been average, only got the 20 goals and 16 assists (majority of those being before the Inter games) this season
Gerrard has been consistently our best player for the last 7 or so years (Carra was up there too last season). Even during our run of 6-7 poor results around October-November Gerrard was our best player in most of those games.
A captain is somebody who like you say puts in consistent performances (which Gerrard does) and comes to the front when the team is struggling which Gerrard has done so many times.
As for Gallas, the guy has never struck me as a captain. What went on prior to him leaving Chelsea was shocking and although it's been his only real failing as captain for you, the Birmingham incident was an absolute joke. Who knows the effect that has had on your season.
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