Have We Got The Right Balance In Midfield?

[Eboue Can't Defend]

The obvious answer to the question is no - we don't have the right balance. But I ask because most of you would have noticed that we played four central midfield players in the first half against PSG, with the predictable lack of width that brings.

Diaby can not play left midfield in a four, although he could as part of a three man central midfield. Flamini - despite his goal - was poor and struggled to give us anything wide on the right.

Talking about being unbalanced, did you guys notice that in the second half we had four full-backs on the pitch at the same time - something I don't thing I've ever seen before anywhere!!.

In the second half we improved considerably when Diaby went into his more natural position of centre midfield and - although I'm against the idea being used as a permanent solution - we had two fast full-backs playing as wingers. We improved essentially because of the extra width this gave us.

Wenger even played Hleb in a position which allowed his dribbling ability to shine - behind a lone forward in a sort of 4-4-1-1 or as an attacking central midfielder in a 4-5-1. This also meant that we still had enough defensive cover when he lost the ball - as he inevitably does.

One thing is for sure - Hleb is not a natural winger, and nor is Rosicky or Mark Randall. We desparately need at the very least a good left-sided one (assuming Theo will be playing on the right a lot of the time), if we are going to give ourselves a real chance of competing for the top prizes.

In conclusion, Clichy was superb in midfield and Eboue did okay, but wouldn't the side be even more effective with proper wingers? If anything proves we need them, surely that second half did!! It was there for all to see - Wenger needs to buy at least one if not two quality wide-men and the team system will flow much better.

[stats]

In the past as already said there was different partnerships with Overmars, Freddie, Bobby etc setting up & scoring the goals for Arsenal
I think Tom & Alex could work well together but i'm feed up of players like Alex keeping the ball at his feet like glue then fecking up towards goal
Arsenal i have a strong feeling is gonna become one of the strongest forces in europe & the CL for me is coming on a plane to N5 pretty soon

[augie]

I have stated before that I am against the idea of eboue playing in midfield and I cannot see it working. After watching his performances in the last 2 pre season games I have seen nothing that makes me even consider to change my mind. Eboue has been great as an attacking full back for the last 2 years when he over-lapped his winger however there is a big difference in making support runs past a lazy opposition winger and having to actually carry the main load on the wing. I agree that he has developed some habits which do not do him or the team any favours but he is still a potentially world class right back imo. I find it amazing that a lot of fans turned against eboue after wenger slated him publicly for diving in champs league final while bob pires dived so often in our colours he had it down to an art form and le boss never "outed" him like that. Another criticism of eboue at full back is a lack of defensive positioning but in the 1st half today sagna got exposed 3 times positionally in the first 30 mins.

Anyway to my mind we need to but a top quality winger(queresma please) and play him & rosicky on the wings where they can alternate sides at will.

[TFI Arsenal]

alright so i go to the shop and dont come back for weeks and nobody sends out a search party?

i had the..well i would normally say pleasure but it wasn't really a pleasurable experience paying the money i paid to sit in an 'audience' who had more fun with a stupid bloody wave than the 4 champions league sides that bumbled around for 4 hours between them today....and i too did notice how much better we were with actual wingers, well not wingers but width, actual width.

eboue was hardly involved and clichy was superb throughout. i thought at least. our goals came from a cross from wide and a corner. very un-arsenal. give us someone who runs at full backs and gets some good crosses in. i'd love it. i'd absolutely love it.

i'm sure its been mentioned whilst i was away but isnt the new third kit fugly?

[TFI Arsenal]

i have another point. weren't we linked with that joaquin fella who played for valencia today? total shite i thought. couldn't control the ball and whinged like a little bitch about 'bad passes'

i'll pass at the opportunity to give them 12m of our money on this showing if you dont mind

[Eboue Can't Defend]

Augie,

Agree that Eboue - or any other full-back - should not be playing as midfielders for exactly the reasons you state above. Indeed I wrote as much in an earlier thread when someone else brought the possibility up.

I also concur that Queresma would be the perfect candidate.

In fact, the only thing I do disagree with you about is the claim that Eboue could still become a world class full-back. Above average maybe, on the strength of his pace and attacking ability, but certainly not world class - because of his lack of natural defensive nous. He doesn't think like a proper defender.

[gus ceasar is a legend]

Augie we normally agree on most things but Im sorry Eboue will never be a world class full back.

His pace is his main asset and it digs him out of a hole on many occasion but it cannot disguise the obvious lack of positioning and defensive nous. People have moaned about the amount of goals we conceeeded in the air last year and I agree we did ship to many! However you look from what side the vast majority of the crosses came from! Their left our right! The art of good defending is not clearing the cross but stopping the cross in the first place. Eboue is out of position time and again! Maybe he is a more natural midfielder and we have not seen it yet I dont know. That however will take a lot of convincing but then again hands up I could never believe Kolo played centre half for his country before he made that position his for the Arsenal.

A pacey overlapping full back is great but if you are sacrificing defensive for attacking ability there has to be an end product! Is there enough of thet from Eboue? I think not! His crossing is at best described as wild or hopeful.

Now yes Bob did like a tumble now and then agreed! However when he did decide to hug the turf he would give only a disgruntled quizical look most of the time. Our Ivorian Lion however looks like he has been shot. On TV it looks even worse as the amount of times he has rolled about and the replay has shown none or very little contact has increased over two seasons. He has now got a reputation. We are all happy to point the finger at Robben but Im afraid Eboue is on a par!

Ive said it before and I will say it again now........I find Eboue an embarassment with his theatrics! If he was a world class full back I could maybe use that to temper my thoughts on him but he simply is not and will never be!

[WengerKnows]

when cashly first burst on to the scene he was brilliant going forward but defensively he was lacking and only his pace and stamina allowed him to cover up for his defensive failings . i reckon it took him a season and a half to really improve the defensive part of his game , maybe there is hope yet for eboue .

however one big difference is that back then our left side i.e cashley , bobby and henry were probably one of the most lethal attacking combo in football and conceding the odd goal to defensive naivety was not so much of a issue since we usually scored for fun .

[stats]

I miss Silvinho
He was great at Arsenal but Cashley pushed him away from the team

[All_Arsenal_1886]

Shite i clicked no instead of yes everyone know i think we need a quality winger Matty Taylor anyone??

[Ben-gooner14]

I was also impressed by clichy crossing ability and not just his pace and runs, eboue crosses were poor yesterday and would like to an improvement as i have seen a lot better from here previously.

[Chopper]

Shite i clicked no instead of yes everyone know i think we need a quality winger Matty Taylor anyone??

I did the same too, ignored the question and just went by the post title!

No brainer for me, another positive result today but could be devestating with an out and out winger.

Didn't realise Simao had gone to Atletico too, not a bad option but Drenthe AND Quaresma are still up for grabs.....