Squad Analysis

[Asterix]

Yeah, good point ronitc - there are always exceptions, and this group has already been together for a while.

I'm very excited about thisd season anyway, and can't wait for August 12.

 

[14teranga]

Ronitc even then ajax had Rijkaard, Blind, Litmalen and Finidi who were quite experienced. The closest thing is the 99 manU maybe. But I am not worried as these kids have the experience off coming back from a goal down (caling cup) and even two down (Sp**s).
With this squad you have something real : it is talent. Now we all know that it is essential but not enough if you want to win big things you need caracter, you need hard working and sometimes luck as well.
To me the talent is there, the caracter is not missing but will they work hard enough and will they get the luck they need? The other key factor will be Wenger, how is he going to cope with the "negativers" of the game? And off course the referees I believe last we have been outdone by doggy referees (West Ham away that tacle on Hleb!!!, Blackburn FA 1st leg that tacle on Aliadiaire, second leg on Ljundberg!!! the list goes on, not to mention when players literraly hyppercut our youngsters) these are things that let us down so the real question is are we ready to overcome them with off course less injuries? One hope is that since Wenger is here we always struggle after a major international tournament(Word cup, EURO) so this year we don't have to suffer from that.
When you analyse the squad we do have a good shot. With Gil as anchor man and Gallas, Toure, Clichy and Sagna we have a very strong defense. For all Hleb's lack of goal you do realise he is one the best to find someone to get an assist, he links the defense to attack with such ease it is priceless. He is the key to our fluent game. All he needs is a Cesc, some running strikers and an overlapping right back to deliver the odds. You have Rosicky whose movements are the best I have seen, he is very alerted, very skillful and does have a hell of a shot on him, he did better then Pires on his first year. Then you have V.Persie, I am so confident this guy can go on and get the WPOY a couple of times that is just how good he can be. Off course we will need to exploit his strength which in my opinion is tight spaces. Give him the ball where you least expect him to deliver and he will beat everybody so to me the second(free) striker role is his, from there he can get his way out of very congested area and relish a killer shot or a killer pass and he also is a dead ball specialist. Now you have the hard working little bit skillful Ade and the "goal machine" we hope Dudu is to complete a rather strong side. And let's not forget about Theo and Randall I found these two very promising on the Barnet game and I hope they will give us some good.
And we do have a debt and some variations(Flamini, Diaby, Eboue, Hoyte, sagna, Gilbert, Bendtner, Nordveit, Djourou, Senderos, Theo, Randal, Ade, Denilson...)

 

[gunnerGH]

And we do have a debt and some variations(Flamini, Diaby, Eboue, Hoyte, sagna, Gilbert, Bendtner, Nordveit, Djourou, Senderos, Theo, Randal, Ade, Denilson...)

These players are good to come in for the odd game but HALF of them havent even played a quarter of the games in a season.

In 5 years they will be much more reliable when called upon for a long period of time.

 

[tactica442]

There are some video sharing on the early '90 Ajax on the Maxxed football site. It's interesting to see how van Gaal could still add a few new players into his team win the CL even after Bergkamp and Jonk were sold to Inter. Another fine example of team building.

 

[qs]

Fabregas never plays in a very advanced position though. I wish he would but he doesn't.

About a billion scuffed chances in front of goal beg to differ.

If anything, the problem with Fabs is his lack of formation discipline, placing himself in such an advanced position it's hard to track back.

Flamini find himself in those positions too, so do players like Parker, O'Shea, Campo, etc

 

[Clrnc]

Fabregas never plays in a very advanced position though. I wish he would but he doesn't.

About a billion scuffed chances in front of goal beg to differ.

If anything, the problem with Fabs is his lack of formation discipline, placing himself in such an advanced position it's hard to track back.

Flamini find himself in those positions too, so do players like Parker, O'Shea, Campo, etc

actually if you review arsenal's season, bar des get into advance position 2 or 3 times per match.

also he doesn't scuff shot like what banduan says. he lack composure in front of goal, but with given space and time, he shoots very well from outside the box

 

[kooldawg]

Cesc seems to have good technique when he concentrates properly on the shot and the direction he wants it to fly.

But of all our current midfielders, bar Rosicky, Denilson seems to be the one who is not shy about taking a crack at goal from outside the box. I think thats a good thing and hopefully he progresses to the point where he can provide us with a genuine outside the box threat from central midfield.

 

[Biggus]

Yeah, Cesc is only 20. Power and accuracy can be practiced and improved, but willingness to shoot cannot, its either in you or it is'nt.....need I say any more?

 

[Christofaux]

willingness to shoot can come with confidence in shooting. So yes it can be improved.

 

[Biggus]

What I mean Christo is, Cesc is not short of confidence and willingness to shoot. And like Rosicky he kept having pots as he knew he would score sooner or later, as Arnold Palmer said 'the more I practice the luckier I get' This is different to someone like....oh I don't know...... who just doesn't have it in him to try and is not willing to take chances.

 

[ThaSaltCracka]

well then who were you talking about then?

 

[Biggus]

Who would you think?

 

[mood]

Taken from OPTA stats from skysports.com


Shooting Player Shots Shot %
1 Thierry Henry 78 52.6%
2 Emmanuel Adebayor 58 51.7%
3 Francesc Fabregas 55 54.5%
4 Robin Van Persie 52 48.1%
5 Tomas Rosicky 52 44.2%

And Henry played what, 16 games? That clearly shows you how we barely take a shot on goal. Also the fact that 2 of those players on that list Fabregas and Rosicky who scored 2 and 3 Premiership goals only is worrying.

 

[Zico]

Thanks for the numbers, Mood. Very disconcerting indeed. It's amazing to think that Henry played in 5 fewer games than van Persie but took 50% more shots than him.

The key is the four remaining guys on that list need to shoot and shoot and shoot. if Fabregas is hitting the target, there's always the hope that the goalie will spill and one of Adebayor's telescopic legs will stab home the rebound.

I am going to put down a hundred quid that Hleb will score 10 goals this season. If he doesn't, so be it. But if I win, I'll probably be able to spend the entire summer sipping pina coladas in the South Pacific.

 

[Viper]

Van Persie's game to goal ratio is very good.

Fabregas and Rosicky both have terrible stats in that depatrment.

 

[kamikaze80]

im a pretty young guy, and by my count, excluding keepers, there are only 2 outfield players older than me now.

i have no doubt we'll finish at least 4th, but we're not winning anything this season.

 

[qs]

im a pretty young guy, and by my count, excluding keepers, there are only 2 outfield players older than me now.

i have no doubt we'll finish at least 4th, but we're not winning anything this season.

Gilberto and Gallas. Good lord I'm the same. Weird.

 

[No.8_Wright]

Our squad still has experience no matter what their actual age

Lehamnn - German International, Champions League Final
Eboue - International, Champs League Final
Toure - International, Champs League Final, Prem winner
Gallas - International, Champs League Experience, Prem winner
Clichy - Champions league experience, 2 years in first team.
Rosicky - National captain, Champs League experience
Fabregas - International, Champions League final
Gilberto - Won many international and domestic trophies
Hleb - Champs League experience, International
Van Persie - International, Champs league experience
Adebayor - International, Champs league experience

Even on bench we have international experience in Eduardo, Bendtner, Walcott, Hoyte & Sagna (u21)

We may have lost some experience but we sitll have alot remaining. I don't think that is really our problem, we do need wing cover especially after Freddie has left but I would not be too worried about the age of our team or squad.

 

[>YounGunner<]

Bar Hleb and Clichy all of our first team have a world cup under their belt with one world cup winner in gilberto, a finalist in Gallas and a semi finalist in Jens.

 

[awooga83]

I don't think anyone could really cite the inexperience excues for most of our players anymore as they have mostly all had league and champions league experience. Its time they lived up to the constant faith Wenger has put in them and we as fans have had to have.