re: Arsenal 2012/2013 Season Long Thread

Is there a chance of Pep taking over?

Would he make a difference with this board, or is Arsene a big part of the problem and we need a new approach?

LINK

I'm excited about how aggressive Ox and Theo were today, along with Gervinho having a prolonged absence I am optimistic about taking over 3rd.

I do wonder about Wenger's lineup for future matches, I feel at some point he will want to start Giroud and Ramsey over Ox & Theo, possibly Poldi.

I'd rather keep Walcott than sign Ba.

Not a huge fan of either for our style of play.l, but I'd take them.

I loved the lineup today. Particularly like that against better teams it could be a deadly counterattacking side.

Loved the starting lineup. Still sucks that Ramsey came off the bench first before Rosicky. I don't understand what Wenger sees in him. He fricks up the flow.

I know it was Reading, but it was refreshing to finally see some attacking vigor today.

Also, to keep up with the Ramsey bashing. There was one play late in the game where it was around a 4 on 4 counter for Arsenal. Ramsey had about 3 options for a pass within 10 yards of him. Instead, he did some sort of rash FIFA13 pass where he completely changed direction and lasered it down the near sideline. It would have been beautiful if a red shirt was within 30 yards of it.

I didn't think Ramsey was bad yesterday. His cameo yesterday was one of his better performances this season.

I do think he's wasted wide right. Talent isn't his problem. He seems to have physically recovered too. Unfortunately, his form has been poor and as you suggest, it's probably due to confidence. Don't know what he can do for him though considering nothing has changed form wise for him this past year and he's had plenty of PT. Guess we just have to wait and hope.

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Wilshere and eventually Ox are the two I would rather centrally over ramsey.

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Wilshere is a different type of player. He needs the ball at his feet, and when he tries to be a runner from midfield into the box, he's out of his comfort zone. Ox is another player who needs the ball played to his feet, which is annoying tendency our players have. Ramsey wants the ball at his feet, but he's also a more traditional British-style CM who supports the man on the ball with runs into space. He's done it plenty of times for us, and if his finishing was better, he'd be rated as one of the top young players in Europe.

In a midfield three, you need balance. Right now, our midfield is unbalanced with players who only want to watch the game head on with the ball at their feet. I like the midfield where you have the Destroyer-Creator-Runner because it offers fluidity in a way that our midfield right now doesn't. All three are creators, which means the space in midfield is always made compact by the lack of desire of all three to make space by running into zones they don't usually occupy.

Cazorla is valuable because he wants to exploit the space between the lines in a horizontal way, but he doesn't support the striker in the way you would want a second striker to. Wilshere can drive from midfield really well, but he's so one footed that he's often uncomfortable until he can get into that position. Arteta is excellent as a destroyer/distributor, but he is the last person we want making runs up the field.

So with the space becoming compact in midfield as we get towards goal, it would help if we had a player like Ramsey or Rosicky who are interested in pressing play behind the defensive line.

This is why a player like Walcott is so valuable, because he never wants the ball played into his feet, he wants to be on the end of moves rather than facilitate them. Of course, I'm making some generalizations, but broadly speaking this is what I see our problem is.

When Ramsey is introduced, the problem is his final decision making, and the speed at which he makes those decisions. Again, that's indicative of confidence. When he first came here, he played with a freedom and desire he hasn't since the injury. It's quite noticeable, especially if you notice the Portsmouth game from 2008-09, the Portsmouth game away in 09-10, and various cameos before his injury.

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before his injury.

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Even after his injury the match where he scored the winner against ManU at the end of 2011 was a great all around match by him. He lost confidence from being played too much early last season with Wilshere out and with Speed's suicide.

Aaron Ramsey is 5'10"
Jack Wilshere is 5'8"