As we're unlikely to see terraces again at football, this is the virtual equivalent where you can chat to your hearts content about all football matters and, obviously, Arsenal in particular. This forum encourages all Gooners to visit and contribute so please keep it respectful, clean and topical.
Rohan wrote:Surprise Wenger gave up quickly on TV without trying him for DM or something.
I think his problems tend to stem from the fact that he can be rash and error-prone - not really what you want in a DM.
True, but I have been wondering if Vermaelen could be a defensive midfielder?
Not a Gilberto type holding player, but a Flamini type who runs to the player in possession and tackles and who pushes forward to make something happen.
An oft criticism of Wenger on here is that he plays players out of position, but surely this is worth a try in training and pre-season if Vermalen is not scheduled to be sold?
Tbh I'm a bit reticent to try it - if he's not good enough in the position he's played in all his life (and a weak link in the secondary position of left-back) then I don't see much to come from trying to convert him into an entirely different position that (as far as I'm aware) he's never played before. Besides, I think a defensive midfielder is, along with a striker, the most important position by far in our system and as such we should be looking to buy an established player in that role.
On the other hand there's not really much to lose from toying with the idea in training or an early pre-season friendly, although I just don't see that he's particularly more likely to prosper in that position than your average centre-half would be. For me he's a player that has some very good attributes - strong tackler, pretty decent in the air notwithstanding his height, generally good in possession for a defender and fast. But I'm not convinced he reads the game well at all and is forced too often to make impulsive decisions at the last minute. All those attributes are worth nothing if he's been dragged out of position or pressed the ball at the wrong time.
1989 wrote:I think Per will be the captain next season. He was given the armband when Vermaelen and Arteta were missing against Brighton & Hove Albion.
I hope he does, Adams wasn't the greatest at his age, and turned out to be superb as we all know.
I love Merts attitude, typical German.
1989 wrote:I think Per will be the captain next season. He was given the armband when Vermaelen and Arteta were missing against Brighton & Hove Albion.
I hope he does, Adams wasn't the greatest at his age, and turned out to be superb as we all know.
I love Merts attitude, typical German.
You do realise that Per Mertesacker is 28 years old don't you?
1989 wrote:I think Per will be the captain next season. He was given the armband when Vermaelen and Arteta were missing against Brighton & Hove Albion.
I hope he does, Adams wasn't the greatest at his age, and turned out to be superb as we all know.
I love Merts attitude, typical German.
You do realise that Per Mertesacker is 28 years old don't you?
Of course, Adams just got better and better, he wasn't called the donkey for no reason.
Wenger turned Adams into the player he turned out to be, when George was the manager, all he did was lump it up field.
1989 wrote:I think Per will be the captain next season. He was given the armband when Vermaelen and Arteta were missing against Brighton & Hove Albion.
I hope he does, Adams wasn't the greatest at his age, and turned out to be superb as we all know.
I love Merts attitude, typical German.
You do realise that Per Mertesacker is 28 years old don't you?
Of course, Adams just got better and better, he wasn't called the donkey for no reason.
Wenger turned Adams into the player he turned out to be, when George was the manager, all he did was lump it up field.
He was nicknamed donkey after Euro 88 when at 21 he was humiliated being put up against one of the best players in the world in van Basten. By the time he was 28 he had hit back at his critics somewhat by captaining the club to two league titles, two domestic cups and a European trophy. Despite spending half of his days half-cut. He may have become a bit more assured and certainly better with the ball at his feet under Wenger but I think you're doing the first decade of his professional career a shocking disservice.
Mertesacker came with plenty of experience and has managed to look all at sea against half the players he's come up against in the league. He hasn't proved anything that can't be explained away by him wearing lead boots every week.
1989 wrote:I think Per will be the captain next season. He was given the armband when Vermaelen and Arteta were missing against Brighton & Hove Albion.
I hope he does, Adams wasn't the greatest at his age, and turned out to be superb as we all know.
I love Merts attitude, typical German.
You do realise that Per Mertesacker is 28 years old don't you?
Of course, Adams just got better and better, he wasn't called the donkey for no reason.
Wenger turned Adams into the player he turned out to be, when George was the manager, all he did was lump it up field.
He was nicknamed donkey after Euro 88 when at 21 he was humiliated being put up against one of the best players in the world in van Basten. By the time he was 28 he had hit back at his critics somewhat by captaining the club to two league titles, two domestic cups and a European trophy. Despite spending half of his days half-cut. He may have become a bit more assured and certainly better with the ball at his feet under Wenger but I think you're doing the first decade of his professional career a shocking disservice.
Mertesacker came with plenty of experience and has managed to look all at sea against half the players he's come up against in the league. He hasn't proved anything that can't be explained away by him wearing lead boots every week.
I don't really see the parallels myself.[/quo
Time will tell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LDB wrote:Mertesacker is the best centre back we've had since Campbell.
Which probably says more about the paucity of all our centre-halves since then, rather than the actual qualities of the BFG!!
Absolutely. Vermaelen has been a decent signing but has had a poor season this year. Mertesacker has looked fucking awful against virtual every side with a physical centre forward and has looked OK recently most against bottom half clubs without such a player
In a better-organised team then I think Vermaelen could be a good CB. He's fast, pretty strong in the tackle, decent in the air and the added bonus (but not key skill for a CB Arsene!) is he's pretty good on the ball. Unfortunately like so many of our defensive players in our complete lack of organisation and pressing strategy his faults are amplified.
Latest rumours suggest our captain will be sold. I think its time he was moved into the defensive midfield role. It worked well with Grimandi and Petit, he possesses the same qualities reads the game well, good passer, knows how to defend and unlike a certain Alex Song, has the discipline to sit tight and stay in position. The best is yet to come from young Thomas.
