Arsènal FC - 09/10 Season Thread

This is how my Arsenal front 6 would like If I'm allowed to pick the team:

-----------------------RVP
----------------Arshavin
Rosicky------Denilson/Song---Cesc----Nasri

there are 7 players there, just one reason why you should never be allowed to pick the team

Nasri = Rosicky's replacement. He's going to admirable lengths to take the role seriously.

Black Magic wrote:Nasri is the 4th best player in the team. Yes, he is key.

3rd in my book.

I'd not have him that high(3rd or 4th) as much as I rate him, I consider Arshavin, RVP, Cesc, Rosicky, Gallas etc all better players.

However I'm expecting him to really step up and make a huge difference to our season. I saw that in bits in some games last season when moved away from the left.

His best performance was behind RVP in the CL first leg against Roma.

He is a key player IMO.

He was also amazing when we played Newcastle away.

Coming from the right hand side he was very effective.

The Professor wrote:This is how my Arsenal front 6 would like If I'm allowed to pick the team:

-----------------------RVP
----------------Arshavin
Rosicky------Denilson/Song---Cesc----Nasri

Prof your obsession with RVP as the lone striker is becoming a bit much

At least you see the need for ball retainers in the team though.

Ok here's a weird suggestion;

I know this sends out the wrong signal and wouldn't be accepted by the majority of fans, but I think we should bring Hleb back. I've thought about it and the pros outweigh the cons:

Cons:

- Sends out the wrong message. It means players can force transfer out of the club but they'd still be welcomed back with open arms when things don't work out for them.

Pros:

- He doesn't need time to adapt

- He's relatively cheap. There's no one else we can get with his quality an experience for as little as 8-10m.

- Having someone like Hleb(instead of a forward like Theo) allows us to play our normal 4-4-2.

- We'd have 3/4 of our 2007/2008 midfield back. We all know how superb that midfield trio of Rosicky-Cesc-Hleb was. They know each other inside out and they are great friends outside the pitch(might help Cesc stay longer). That'll cut short this little transition we are in, we'll see the end of all those little experiments which we saw last season.

Your thoughts?

Bring him back.

I would love him back if we hadn't of signed Arshavin who is better and will score more goals.

You also have to consider that would mean the likes of Nasri, Diaby, Theo, Wilshere etc getting less playing time.

The glaring area in the team which still needs strengthening is apparent and I'd rather have that adjusted before we look for another AM. Goalscoring has never been our problem.

I'd like us to start playing like we did again 2007/8 when we pressed higher up the field which in turn resulted in our defenders being under less pressure.

I do love Hleb but unless someone leaves I wouldn't consider it at the moment.

Ray Parlour wrote:

The Professor wrote:This is how my Arsenal front 6 would like If I'm allowed to pick the team:

-----------------------RVP
----------------Arshavin
Rosicky------Denilson/Song---Cesc----Nasri

Prof your obsession with RVP as the lone striker is becoming a bit much

At least you see the need for ball retainers in the team though.

RVP's creativity is somewhat overrated but his ability as a goal scorer is very very underrated.

I hope we partner him with Arshavin if we play 4-4-2.

I think he'll hit more than 30 goals injuries permitting.

I would also like to see Arsene play Arshavin upfront but I don't think he would have let Ade go without having plans of signing someone or playing Edu or Big Nic on a regular with RVP.

The Professor wrote:RVP's creativity is somewhat overrated but his ability as a goal scorer is very very underrated.

In 247 appearances he's scored 77 goals...

Black Magic wrote:Bring him back.

Ray Parlour wrote:I would love him back if we hadn't of signed Arshavin who is better and will score more goals.

You also have to consider that would mean the likes of Nasri, Diaby, Theo, Wilshere etc getting less playing time.

The glaring area in the team which still needs strengthening is apparent and I'd rather have that adjusted before we look for another AM. Goalscoring has never been our problem.

I'd like us to start playing like we did again 2007/8 when we pressed higher up the field which in turn resulted in our defenders being under less pressure.

I do love Hleb but unless someone leaves I wouldn't consider it at the moment.

Our defence came under less pressure because when we won the ball we could keep it for ages(ie deprive the opposition of getting it and attacking us), Hleb was the major reason we did that.

As for that affecting the likes of Theo, Diaby, wilshere etc :

Theo: should be moved upfront as far as I'm concerned if we are going to play 4-4-2

Diaby: should sort out his head and focus on a more central position - that's where his future lies.

Wilshere : He's 17 and should be learning from players like Hleb in the next 2-3 years atleast. As talented as he's, we should stop giving youngsters too much responsibility too soon. We need more experience.

Arshavin is overall a better player than Hleb, but Hleb does more midfield work than him. He's best as a forward whilst Hleb is best as midfielder. So pushing him in advance position would strengthen our attack and replacing him with Hleb in midfield would strengthen our midfield.

Stimulus Package wrote:

The Professor wrote:RVP's creativity is somewhat overrated but his ability as a goal scorer is very very underrated.

In 247 appearances he's scored 77 goals...

Means fuck all.

He's played deep or out wide in his whole career, play him in a more forward position and he'll get a zillion goals more.

Diaby is not serious. That guy has issues he needs to sort out. He has been at the club more a less the same time Cesc has and look at the progress each one has made. You could argue injuries have obviously been a hindrance but at his age how can he not know where his best position is. This really is a big season for him.

Walcott I agree should be moved upfront but even then he should be like 5th choice. The guy has hardly developed in my opinion but obviously the English hype will always roam on. He is a dedicated guy though and I will continue to support him.

Arshavin should definitely be moved upfront IMO.

I'm all for bringing Hleb back but as long as that is not our last signing this summer.

The Professor wrote:

Stimulus Package wrote:

The Professor wrote:RVP's creativity is somewhat overrated but his ability as a goal scorer is very very underrated.

In 247 appearances he's scored 77 goals...

Means fuck all.

He's played deep or out wide in his whole career, play him in a more forward position and he'll get a zillion goals more.

So empirical information means nothing but your rampant speculation is gospel?

Ray Parlour wrote:Diaby is not serious. That guy has issues he needs to sort out. He has been at the club more a less the same time Cesc has and look at the progress each one has made. You could argue injuries have obviously been a hindrance but at his age how can he not know where his best position is. This really is a big season for him.

Walcott I agree should be moved upfront but even then he should be like 5th choice. The guy has hardly developed in my opinion but obviously the English hype will always roam on. He is a dedicated guy though and I will continue to support him.

Arshavin should definitely be moved upfront IMO.

I'm all for bringing Hleb back but as long as that is not our last signing this summer.

Yep that shouldn't be our only signing. I'd bring in 2 or 3 players:

One of them should be an experienced CM.

Aren't you guys missing the obvious here? RVP may be a great player, he may even be a very good goal scorer, but he also is rather injury prone, so there is a big risk to rely on him as your main source of goals.

I think it's only Prof that would want him as the lone striker or next to Arshavin in a 4-4-2

He did show signs of leaving the problems behind him last season as he played in most games evidenced by 20 goals and 11 assists.

Eduardo if fit is able replacement.

Hopefully Bendtner can make the step up like Ade did when Henry left.

We can also expect Theo to get more game time upfront so I'd say we are pretty well covered up front.

Diaby did it! Fucking lanky oaf

Get better soon

can you do one for Lucas as well please Ray

Ray Parlour wrote:Diaby did it! Fucking lanky oaf

sauce?

Just found out about Nasri

A shame. He had a good, strong finish to the last season and though he's yet to find a real position for himself, his industriousness and boldness on the ball was always a positive for us. Luckily we do have coverage in the midfield so it won't be a crippling loss (we survived 3 months without Cesc) and an opportunity to get Rosicky back into the game - how did he play at Barnet?

@ Prof, no way re. Hleb. Nasri's already done in a season what Hleb managed in three.

Stimulus Package wrote:

The Professor wrote:RVP's creativity is somewhat overrated but his ability as a goal scorer is very very underrated.

In 247 appearances he's scored 77 goals...

How many of those matches was he subbed on or off? Wouldn't be surprised if in say 50 matches he played only 10 minutes.

I prefer goalratios per (90) minute(s) played.

De Guzman wrote:

Stimulus Package wrote:

The Professor wrote:RVP's creativity is somewhat overrated but his ability as a goal scorer is very very underrated.

In 247 appearances he's scored 77 goals...

How many of those matches was he subbed on or off?

I prefer goalratios per (90) minute(s) played.

77 games. A fair few of Van Persie's goals have come from sub appearances, though not in the last couple of seasons.

For Arsenal he used to be a great sub early on. For Feyenoord he was pathetic as a sub (He was banned to the Reserves & when he came on he tried to prove in 10 minutes he was the best).

Anyway van Persie isn't Arsenal's problem. Cesc, Arshavin, RVP & Nasri are fine. It's the others that have to become better.

De Guzman wrote:

Stimulus Package wrote:

The Professor wrote:RVP's creativity is somewhat overrated but his ability as a goal scorer is very very underrated.

In 247 appearances he's scored 77 goals...

How many of those matches was he subbed on or off? Wouldn't be surprised if in say 50 matches he played only 10 minutes.

That's only 12 seconds per match. Absurd!