Defending - its the new club culture

[Nos89]

Just had a look at how the reserves and youth teams are doing. It's quite noticeable that it's not just the 1st eleven that can't defend its through the ranks as well. We got a very poor goals against column in youth and reserves.

Youth P13 A 21
Res P17 A 23
Prem P21 A 31

Its a club culture problem none of ours defenders seem to know how to defend. Surely that should set alarm bells ringing as our famed academy will not produce a decent defender anytime soon. If it is a long term strategy it needs fixing from bottom to top.

[augie]

Just had a look at how the reserves and youth teams are doing. It's quite noticeable that it's not just the 1st eleven that can't defend its through the ranks as well. We got a very poor goals against column in youth and reserves.

Youth P13 A 21
Res P17 A 23
Prem P21 A 31

Its a club culture problem none of ours defenders seem to know how to defend. Surely that should set alarm bells ringing as our famed academy will not produce a decent defender anytime soon. If it is a long term strategy it needs fixing from bottom to top.

And who was the last decent defender our academy produced ? Personally I have always felt that if swiss tony had a manager like GG over him then he could have been a star but sadly he got stuck with the incompetent tactically naive buffoon that is presiding over this current defensive fiasco

[flash gunner]

Being brought up on Grahams Arsenal ive always loved defending even more so than free flowing attacking Sunday League style 5-3 wins or 8-2 losses Give me a 1 or 2-0 win anyday rather than 5-3

Our defending in the last 5 seasons has been shameful and embarrassing in equal measures

[g88ner]

Just had a look at how the reserves and youth teams are doing. It's quite noticeable that it's not just the 1st eleven that can't defend its through the ranks as well. We got a very poor goals against column in youth and reserves.

Youth P13 A 21
Res P17 A 23
Prem P21 A 31

Its a club culture problem none of ours defenders seem to know how to defend. Surely that should set alarm bells ringing as our famed academy will not produce a decent defender anytime soon. If it is a long term strategy it needs fixing from bottom to top.

I think they're allowed to play with freedom at youth level, and we don't try and hammer them down with tactics and defensive discipline at a young age (I think it's a similar ethos at Ajax?) - which is fair enough.

Presumably, once they've developed with that raw technical ability, we then break them in gently (:shock:) with tactics and defensive discipline as they become ready for the jump up to the first team.

Of course, as we all know, this is where the wheels come off 'Project Wenger', as the first team is woeful at defending, so any young player coming into the team (like Gibbs & Miquel) are really thrown in at the deep end with very little idea of how to defend properly... and with little direction from those around them.

In fact, I think it's best that any promising young defender at Arsenal is loaned out for a couple of years at 16 years of age so they can get a proper education on defending from clubs & coaches who don't look down their noses at that [essential] side of the game.

[brazilianGOONER]

Just had a look at how the reserves and youth teams are doing. It's quite noticeable that it's not just the 1st eleven that can't defend its through the ranks as well. We got a very poor goals against column in youth and reserves.

Youth P13 A 21
Res P17 A 23
Prem P21 A 31

Its a club culture problem none of ours defenders seem to know how to defend. Surely that should set alarm bells ringing as our famed academy will not produce a decent defender anytime soon. If it is a long term strategy it needs fixing from bottom to top.

if you analyze youth fixtures, you'll find out that the scores are usually higher than in the professional level. i'm sorry, but that proves nothing. and also we're not necessarily a top 4 team in the youth level, that changes consistently, while in professional level it doesn't so often.

i'd say that we have many defenders who can defend very well. sagna, vermaelen, koscielny and even mertesacker even though he's a bit slow and poor in the air (?!?!) are quality defenders. the problem is defending as a team, putting pressure on the opposition whenever they have the ball, etc.

having arshavin, for example, means that the opposition right back has all the time in the world to do whatever he pleases. alex song even though capable of very good assists, has poor positioning and also leaves the defenders vulnerable quite often.

so if you're questioning tactical choices and player dedication on the pitch than i agree that's a problem we have - but simply saying we don't have defenders who can defend is entirely untrue, and saying none of the youngsters will come good is a bit naïve as we don't see them game after game therefore we can't really judge.

[SWLGooner]

Flash who is Swiss Tony? We have had two Swiss centre backs recently both who have been talented but come to very little

[flash gunner]

Flash who is Swiss Tony? We have had two Swiss centre backs recently both who have been talented but come to very little

Wasnt it Senderos? He wore number 6 too

[SWLGooner]

Yeah but do does Kos and nobody ever calls him Franco-Polish Tony... ;)

[brazilianGOONER]

i have to admit i liked senderos not much, but i did think he'd become a decent defender

[flash gunner]

Yeah but do does Kos and nobody ever calls him Franco-Polish Tony...

Fair enough

I think Swiss Tony was a character out of the Fast Show too

[flash gunner]

i have to admit i liked senderos not much, but i did think he'd become a decent defender

Vermaelen aside he is no worse than the current crop of wankers

[SWLGooner]

Koscielny is leagues ahead of Senderos IMO.

And Sagna too, he is absolutely class, but I don't think you were including full backs in the parameters of your response, were you?

[flash gunner]

Koscielny is leagues ahead of Senderos IMO.

And Sagna too, he is absolutely class, but I don't think you were including full backs in the parameters of your response, were you?

Wasnt including full backs and IMO Kos is no better than Senderos so far, in a couple of years who knows but not now

[worthing gooner]

As good as TV5 is his injury record is bad which makes his true worth as a defender completely irrelevant. Having good ball distributers instead of defenders first then learn to play after that is for me the real issue here.
Obsession with passing stats means nothing compared to goals conceded and that for our team is damming.

[flash gunner]

Having good ball distributers instead of defenders first then learn to play after that is for me the real issue here.
Obsession with passing stats means nothing compared to goals conceded and that for our team is damming.

Spot on mate i want defenders to defend then give the ball to the rest of the team who can play, pass or score