The Alex Song Question

[RioGooner]

He plays for himself, not the team. Every time he goes foward to try a "key pass" whilst leaving our defence exposed. Slow as old turtles fucking, can't bother to pressure the opponent's CM, can't bother to double team the winger neither, he's basically useless when we don't have the ball, because he can't position well, he always get booked, and that trickles down to our centre backs too, that get streched and commit stupid fouls.

Can't stand the man.

[zero 6]

I hate this c**t with a passion and probably more than any other current player and believe me there are a number of candidates in that race He sums up that lazy, arrogant, cant be arsed attitude that is rampant amongst these players and that fcuking "hairstyle" makes jason lee's look artistic His lack of discipline positionally also sums up the "everyone for themselves and no-one for the team" ethos in our players and we all seen in recent games just how shit our midfield is without arteta. GG would chew this clown up and spit him out as he wouldnt take his attitude for a second Hope inter come in with a big bid (anything over 12m will do me) so we can offload another waster

Never ben so pleased for someone to steal my thunder !! That is a liability of the highest order...I'm off to the pub

[worthing_gooner]

I think Song is a good player. He's a decent enough midfielder and I'd be happy to have him in the squad. However, I would have him in the squad as a midfielder, not a DM. He doesn't cover the defence, he's not strong or quick enough to do that role, his positioning and his awareness of potential danger is not good enough to play in that position.

Wenger is basically asking Song to play in a position which is unnatural to him. We don't have a proper DM in the whole squad.

[Its Up 4 Grabs Now]

The Alex Song Question

...Colonel Augie, in the study, with the candlestick.

[g88ner]

I can't help thinking Alex Song would improve immeasurably if he was coached by Mourinho or Fergie, and not Wenger.

I think he has all the attributes to be a top class holding midfielder, but is let down by his tactical immaturity and mental weakness... which, if we're honest, are attributes that have become synonymous with this football club in recent years, and completely alien to United and anyone coached by Mourinho.

The same could be true of Gibbs, I reckon.

[Babatunde]

Song is like the Clichy conundrum for me really. A simple one this:

Alex Song is shit, because he is with a manager who has absolutely no clue of tactics and no idea how to instill discipline in a defensive realm.

If Alex Song joined Real Madrid tomorrow (stop laughing back there!) then I can 100% guarantee you, that like Lassana Diarra who arrived with great attacking ideas, Jose would quickly let him know what he was there to do. He would be disciplined, and the first sign of him rampaging up field, trying those retarded outside of the boot passes and Cruyff turns, Jose would take him aside, clip him round the ear and make him train with the reserves for 3 months.

The last player who tried to take the piss at Real like that was Karim Benzema last season. Jose dropped him for ages, and look at the player he has become this season. Raul Albiol at Real played like a numpty when picked - no one has seen him since.

If Alex Song played for Alex Ferguson, or Roberto Mancini, there is no way we would be having this conversation about his fundamental lack of defensive discipline, and how it keeps happening AGAIN AND AGAIN.

The sorriest part of this saga, is that Alex Song, like the clown Djourou, will be given a new contract.


Look at how Clichy has performed since joining Mancini.
Song is a decent player, but will forever be a liability at Arsenal because he is being coached and managed by an absolute **** who has no clue of the tactical side of the game. Period.

[augie]

Ok some of you believe that the lack of coaching has led to his averageness/downright shitiness (creating new word there I know ) but do you people believe that the necessary attributes can still be coached into him ? I would suggest that at his age and with the amount of games he has under his belt (only at a club like ours would that happen ), that ship has long since sailed and what he is now and what he will be in the future

[GranadaJoe]

Worthing, if, as you say "he doesn't cover the defence, isn't strong or quick enough, and his positioning and awareness of danger are not good enough" (all of which I agree with), which of his myriad of other qualities would qualify him as a CM sufficiently to make up for these weaknesses?

I think the general argument that he's a CM not DM has holes in it as well because he seems to have much more licence to roam forward than Arteta.

On babatunde's point I am sure his general positioning could be improved by coaching but I still think his lack of pace, lack of tackling ability, slow passing and overall lack of awareness would prevent him from becoming good enough for us.

[begeegs]

I don't think that Song is the problem. He would be a good player if he was coached properly. The problem is Wenger.

You could probably ask the same question of Vermaelen or many in this team. With the correct coaching, Arsenal would be better off. I think that their current league position is despite Wenger not coaching defense.

I think that with proper coaching on defending as a team with the same players would see a world of difference.

[Babatunde]

Worthing, if, as you say "he doesn't cover the defence, isn't strong or quick enough, and his positioning and awareness of danger are not good enough" (all of which I agree with), which of his myriad of other qualities would qualify him as a CM sufficiently to make up for these weaknesses?

I think the general argument that he's a CM not DM has holes in it as well because he seems to have much more licence to roam forward than Arteta.

On babatunde's point I am sure his general positioning could be improved by coaching but I still think his lack of pace, lack of tackling ability, slow passing and overall lack of awareness would prevent him from becoming good enough for us.

I agree with you mate...

[LDB]

Most overrated player in world football

[frankbutcher]

Song does nothing particularly well. He doesn't sit deep and mop up pressure. He creates pressure on the team by giving away free-kicks and always getting booked. He has no game intelligence. What he does do is make a few nice passes to RVP, who converts them. That makes him look a lot better than he really is. He is one of those players that looks better in a team like ours because his mistakes don't show up so much. If he was playing for Wolves he would be exposed as the dog-shit player he really is.

[TeeCee]

He's shite

[QuartzGooner]

I think Song is a good player. He's a decent enough midfielder and I'd be happy to have him in the squad. However, I would have him in the squad as a midfielder, not a DM. He doesn't cover the defence, he's not strong or quick enough to do that role, his positioning and his awareness of potential danger is not good enough to play in that position.

Wenger is basically asking Song to play in a position which is unnatural to him. We don't have a proper DM in the whole squad.

Agree with first paragraph, Song has changed form a centre back to a defensive midfielder to an all round jack of all trades midfielder, good enough to be on the bench.

But we do have defensive midfielders in the squad.

Coquelin is the best pure defensive midfielder, but with Sagna's leg break we will likely see him start next season at right back.

Frimpong is a defensive midfielder with a box to box edge to him, but it could be the season after next that we see him involved.
Yennaris is a defensive midfielder too, though we could see him go on loan next season?

Arteta is what I call a "continuity midfielder", a bit like Gilberto. Not an out an out defensive mindstate, but enough savvy to know about team shape and covering holes left by other players.

I would like to see us buy M'Vila and Vertonghen (defensive utility) or other equivalent defensive midfielders to bolster the squad, and keep Song as a bench player or get good money for him this summer.

[Nos89]

Makes no difference he will be going in the summer. Don't be surprised to see him join Arsenal's leading sponsor, Man City.