Next Season's Centerbacks

[freeglennhelder2]

Does anyone else think that none of this is real (it can't be surely, too many things have gone wrong for it to be real) and we are all hooked up to Matrix-like dream machines, controlled by a master machine force that has taken over earth.

And for some reason the machines cities are super powered by the depression of Arsenal fans specifically...like in Monsters Inc, were they find out that laughter is better than screams?

This insane theory would at least make the decisions the board are making, make sense to us...

Cypher : You know, I know this club doesn't exist. I know that as I'm watching them now on TV, the Matrix is telling my brain that they are an abysmal shambles. After nine years, you know what I realize?

[Ball deflects off Luiz into the goal]

Cypher : Ignorance is bliss.

 

[sdotzdot]

In all honesty, I agree with the guy that said the midfield is higher priority. You could add any name in the world to that back line but it would still leak in goals. You can have world class defenders but if they’re constantly on the back foot being exposed time and time again they will concede, this is a fact. The biggest flaw in our defensive shape right now is our midfielders. Every single one of them bar Xhaka to an extent are so unbelievably horrific at positioning, defending, awareness. Basically everything.

We had the same defenders when Arteta came in. Yet, we were hard to concede against. We were ****e offensively but Arteta recognised the leaking hole in our team and tried to stick a bandaid on it. The reason we looked so solid in our shape and were hard to concede against was because of the instructions Xhaka was put in to protect the back line and specifically cover the left hand side when Saka would go forward.

Before we even start thinking about new names in defence, we need a ****ing midfield that can actually move and concentrate rather than fannying about acting like a spinning bottle cap or strangling midgets after the ****ing game is over.

 

[arsmile]

the Mari/Luiz/Cedric decisions seem to have put a definite end to sokratis- which is maybe a bit of a shame as I felt like he was the best of the bunch for most of his time here.

Others will have to go too- maybe holding and chambers if we decide to call time on the English experiment- they both have re-sale value hopefully- although we paid a ton for chambers.

You wouldn't exactly look at the 3 with left with Saliba that any one of them has it in them to be a great partner to him..I worry we've lined luiz up to be his 'mentor' on the pitch next season and that's a worry!

 

[Aevi]

Luiz
Sokratis -------> Mari
Mustafi
Chambers
Holding -------> Saliba

Upgrade, downgrade, or more of the same? Seems a slight improvement to me but we'd still lack the unquestionable #1 starter we're in need of.

 

[sdotzdot]

Luiz
Sokratis -------> Mari
Mustafi
Chambers
Holding -------> Saliba

Upgrade, downgrade, or more of the same? Seems a slight improvement to me but we'd still lack the unquestionable #1 starter we're in need of.

It’s difficult to say. I have serious hope for Saliba becoming top tier and got a sneaky feeling he’ll adjust to the PL instantly, but only time will tell how long it will take for him to bed in, but he’s a top class CB for sure.

Mari is too slow and has terrible agility, it’s as simple as that. I’ve seen enough to see this guy won’t cut it in the PL unless he has elite positional awareness and a strong compact midfield in front of him to stop him getting exposed.

Never understood the discontent with Sokratis, he isn’t fantastic but he is by far the most consistent no nonsense defender we have right now. Out of the four in the vote I would certainly rather have him still here.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

Luiz
Sokratis -------> Mari
Mustafi
Chambers
Holding -------> Saliba

Upgrade, downgrade, or more of the same? Seems a slight improvement to me but we'd still lack the unquestionable #1 starter we're in need of.

Definite improvement. Still not CL quality or anything like that but Mari in for Ogreratis and Saliba for Holding are definite upgrades.

 

[Oxeki]

Ideally I'd have like us to bin those four.

When Klopp came, after he assessed the team, the first set of players he got rid of were the CBs. Klavan, Skrtel and Toure were all binned within a year.

That's the ruthlessness we lack.

We'll potentially have 8 CB next season and yet the only one of those CBs that the fans rate currently is Saliba who is actually the youngest of them.

Madness!

 

[Tir Na Nog]

Ideally I'd have like us to bin those four.

When Klopp came, after he assessed the team, the first set of players he got rid of were the CBs. Klavan, Skrtel and Toure were all binned within a year.

That's the ruthlessness we lack.

We'll potentially have 8 CB next season and yet the only one of those CBs that the fans rate currently is Saliba who is actually the youngest of them.

Madness!

He signed Klavan in fairness.

 

[RacingPhoton]

I don't know where the sudden hatred for Holding is coming from. He is back after a long layoff. When he was fit for a continuous run of games, he performed much better than all the other dross we have. Plus he is just 24. I would retain him.

 

[GunnerShy]

I don't know where the sudden hatred for Holding is coming from. He is back after a long layoff. When he was fit for a continuous run of games, he performed much better than all the other dross we have. Plus he is just 24. I would retain him.

Not sure it's hatred. I think it just more likely that he would find some takers. I'd be happy for him to stay. I think he's a decent enough CB just questions about him on the ball.

 

[Oxeki]

I don't know where the sudden hatred for Holding is coming from. He is back after a long layoff. When he was fit for a continuous run of games, he performed much better than all the other dross we have. Plus he is just 24. I would retain him.

He's a liability on the ball.

I don't think he's good enough. When you look at him you don't even see anything that stands out in his game

 

[OnlyOne]

Luiz - Good on the ball, makes errors
Mari - Good on the ball, slow
Saliba - Unknown
Mustafi - Rubbish & error prone
Sokratis - Decent defender, rubbish on the ball
Chambers - Injured
Holding - Average on the ball, slow, injured
Mavro - Needs a loan

We're actually desperate for a new CB and I have no idea if we'll get one. Need to get rid of 4/5 of these.

 

[HairSprayGooners]

We need a commanding CB but it won't come until at least next summer. We have signed Luiz up and signed Mari for a reason, that's two CB's that could have potentially gone to make room for a new one. We won't be signing a CB this summer, main focus will be Partey and a creative mid in my opinion.

Arteta will work with finding a temporary Saliba partner within the club, imperative that we make top 4 next season to get that top top CB in to partner Saliba long term.

 

[Penn_]

Imagine the melt down when Saliba has a shocker on his debut.

 

[TromsoGooner]

Imagine the melt down when Saliba has a shocker on his debut.

Except Saliba there is not one of the CBs I think it`s vital to keep. But Luiz and Mari will be here at least. Chambers could be difficult to sell due to his injury. Hopefully we can sell Sokratis, Mustafi and Holding and go into next season with Saliba, Luiz, Mari, Chambers and Mavropanos. Far from ideal but I don`t expect any new CB to come in. I would keep Mavropanos, he has excellent physical qualities, very strong in the air and quick as well.

 

[Marjorie]

Mari looks like dead weight from what we've seen of him and more dross to add to the dross options we've already got. A complete clear out is needed. 20 years ago we had some of the most feared defenders in the game, now it's powderpuff.

 

[OnlyOne]

Get rid of Holding, Mustafi, Sokratis and loan Mavro.

Minimum 15M and go bring in someone.

Gabriel looks the best bet, under 30M, left footed and apparently hasn't made an error leading to a shot all season.

 

[Oxeki]

I'm worried about Mari. He runs like Mertesacker with a space suit on.

For him to have a remote chance of success here, he has to have an excellent positional awareness, else we potentially got a far worse defender than Mustafi on our hands.

 

[Oxeki]

Get rid of Holding, Mustafi, Sokratis and loan Mavro.

Minimum 15M and go bring in someone.

Gabriel looks the best bet, under 30M, left footed and apparently hasn't made an error leading to a shot all season.

If the club was thinking of bringing in Gabriel, they wouldn't have extended Mari.

Best case scenario, we go for him next season to compete with Mari for that LCB role when Luiz deal would've expired

 

[Oxeki]

Some on here voted for mustafi to stay