The Run-in

Wenger is tactically useless. Everyone apart from Wenger will admit this. But he's the best placed person at the club to make decisions about which players are suitable for which games.

Plus, he will know that with Arteta and Diaby out, Ramsey is the best person for the role. Wenger is a genius at giving players confidence and therefore he is right to play Ramsey in the next two matches.

I don't think he's tactically useless, he's just too idealistic. You can't play some of the football we've done over the years without a tactical brain, with the quick movement and passing. He just overlooks or can't be arséd with the basics

Yeah I have to agree with 8bit there.

It's Wenger's idealistic views of how the game should be played that more often than not is the cause of any slip ups he makes.

Which is of course a little naive. Especially from a manager with his experience.

I don't think he's tactically useless, he's just too idealistic.
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Is there really a difference? A brilliant tactian will know what his team is capable of but also spend a fair portion of his time analysing the opposition and exploiting their weak points. Trying every avenue to gain the upper hand. Wenger doesn't bother. He has this delusion concept that if we played to our strength, every minute of every match then we'll come through.

Naive

Today's the day we find out if Arteta's season is over apparently.

Gulp.

Yeah fair point. I just think he's too concerned with his principles than the ruthless desire for results, like SAF is. Not to do with tactics but he let Sanchez Watt play against us in the cup when he was on loan, no other manager would do that. He wants to win but he wants to do it the 'perfect' way.

Don't hold out any hopes Lex. Arteta is done for the season. Even if he wasn't, he'll miss the crux Chelsea and Stoke games, so no point in rushing him.

Ramsey will come good. Bookmark this.

Well Luiz is out this Saturday which is a big plus for us because he is their only defender with genuine pace and technique and Ivanovic is suspended, too which means that the Ox should FINALLY start (surely he will start?!) and give him hell. Walcott always gives Cashley a tough time so if we can control the wings then we will win. RVP is due to score eventually. We just can't play Ramsey in the middle because when he plays he doesn't release the ball quick enough and our wingers automatically go out of the game.

Perfect analysis. We must play with pace. Ramsey can't do that. So leave him out.

Thrugunner, Ramsey can play with pace, but match fitness means he needs game time. He will play at the middle, with arteta and diaby out.

Who else could take up the role? Coquelin? A bloke that hasn't played for months and has little match experience. Who's only big match starts have resulted in thumpings?

Ramsey just needs to support Alex Song better. This is his only flaw. Song is perfect with Arteta because the latter allows Song to express his attacking instincts. Ramsey is defensively naive and needs to think about the team rather then venture on attacking runs alone.

But Ramsey will do the job. Stand on me.

Lewandowski is class and one of Dortmund's main men, he won't be joining us any time soon.