Liverpool have been terrible by their high standards this season and as we all know we are the perfect team to make struggling teams look world class again. Look who they had in defence and that was probably Kabaks easiest game, and he's been very shaky since joining Liverpool.
Fun and jokes aside though, the game was mostly easy for them because our attack is toothless.
First thing we need is a new striker but who do we get rid of? Auba I think its pretty safe he's done and I'd assume anyone who thought Auba was world class, probably got hit with a dose of reality this season. While he's still useful in front of goal its clear for all to see now that he's quiet average with so little to his game, it feels like playing with 10 men.
As for Laca he's been pretty average too except he brings something to the game even when not scoring, pretty good hold up play and is able to combine with the rest of the team and a very good link for players like Saka, ESR and Odegaard to play off, some of our best performances this season have been with that setup.
So question is who do we keep? Can Auba come back next season and be up there with the other golden boot chasers of the league or should we keep Laca for the other qualities he brings to the team and replace Auba with Martinelli or another striker?
Discuss...
Why are people surprised?
posted on 4/4/21
comment by Castor Troy (U8700)
posted 26 minutes ago
Auba style of play is never going to suit the way Arteta wants to play.
Auba is decent 1 on 1 but is arguably one of the worst all round strikers in comparison to the Rashford, Kane, jesus, Calvert lewin and quite a few others.
He can't play centrally because he is too weak and he is starting to become more and more of a non entity out wide now as well.
If we can somehow sell Auba, even though he is on huge wages, then it needs to be done.
Laca isn't ideal but we play better when he starts and Auba doesn't
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Couldn't agree more. If we keep Auba, I feel the same problems will persist next season, too much of our play breaks down once it gets to him, unless he's one on one with the keeper or on the end of a tap in.
We need more dynamic players and not limited attackers.
posted on 4/4/21
Laca isn't an elite striker but when he has energy & runners around him, his link up, aggression and control transforms our attack. He always struggles with Pepe & Auba... I don't understand why Arteta is trying to prove otherwise.
posted on 4/4/21
Arsenal are not a side who can sit back and defend and hope for a goal on the counter attack which was quite clearly evident. Pressing also non existent
Arsenal have to take the game to other teams to even have a chance of winning. Sitting back is as good as conceding defeat
posted on 4/4/21
I don't know how anyone can blame our attackers for yesterday when they were clearly instructed to drop that deep and play in a way that doesn't suit their strengths. Look at how deep Aubameyang was playing at times to defend against Trent ffs. Why is he being utilised in that way? Why were Pepe and Lacazette taking up such low positions? It means there's more ground to make up when receiving the ball.
It was such a conservative set-up and we played to not concede, rather than expose the weaknesses of our opponents.
There was no need to play that way against a Liverpool side low on confidence and with an inexperienced CB partnership.
posted on 4/4/21
comment by Samir (U2630)
posted 2 minutes ago
I don't know how anyone can blame our attackers for yesterday when they were clearly instructed to drop that deep and play in a way that doesn't suit their strengths. Look at how deep Aubameyang was playing at times to defend against Trent ffs. Why is he being utilised in that way? Why were Pepe and Lacazette taking up such low positions? It means there's more ground to make up when receiving the ball.
It was such a conservative set-up and we played to not concede, rather than expose the weaknesses of our opponents.
There was no need to play that way against a Liverpool side low on confidence and with an inexperienced CB partnership.
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Yeah Arteta set up in games is concerning but there is zero chemistry with our front 3.
Look at mane, Salah and Firminho. They are physical, very creative and link up excellently and don't rely on service
posted on 4/4/21
Why does that surprise you when yesterday was the first time Lacazette, Pepe and Aubameyang have started together all season? Of course there's going to be zero chemistry. They rarely play together.
That's not the fault of the attackers, that's the fault of the manager for not setting us up in a way that's conducive to team cohesion/getting the best out of these players.
posted on 4/4/21
Look at mane, Salah and Firminho. They are physical, very creative and link up excellently and don't rely on service
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Of course they rely on service. Quite literally every attacking player needs service. It's not like they dribble past every single player on the pitch from their own half all the way to the opposition goal.
Aside from the fact Salah, Mane and Firmino are different profiles to the players we have (and are clearly better than what we have), the one thing that has helped them is how frequently they've played together regularly over the years to get that understanding.
posted on 4/4/21
comment by Samir (U2630)
posted 3 minutes ago
Why does that surprise you when yesterday was the first time Lacazette, Pepe and Aubameyang have started together all season? Of course there's going to be zero chemistry. They rarely play together.
That's not the fault of the attackers, that's the fault of the manager for not setting us up in a way that's conducive to team cohesion/getting the best out of these players.
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Surely you have seen enough of Auba, Laca and Pepe all playing together and doing fack all?
Auba and Laca partnership has never worked. It's been a complete failure.
posted on 4/4/21
We have played our best football when Auba hasn't played and Laca is central with a Willian or ESR out wide and surprise suprise the link up play is far better
posted on 4/4/21
Surely you have seen enough of Auba, Laca and Pepe all playing together and doing fack all?
Auba and Laca partnership has never worked. It's been a complete failure.
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As I've just showed you, they don't play together. Yesterday was the first time this season they have all started.
I don't rate Lacazette, and I'm not a huge fan of Pepe, but you can't deny that the instructions from the manager and his team rotations are affecting the way they play.
Look at how Aubameyang is being played and the things that are being asked of him. He's barely getting any chances to shoot, being asked to track back, hold the ball up....none of this has EVER been a feature of his game throughout his entire career.
And whilst I dislike his lack of effort out of possession, the reality is he's probably fed up of being asked to perform in a way that he's not suited to.
Even with Pepe, I never feel like we utilise him properly. He's not a hug-the-touchline type of player. He likes to drift inside from the left and dribble/shoot. He also needs better support from the fullback. Look at how well he plays with Cedric behind him, as opposed to Bellerin/Chambers.
I actually think when he has played in recent weeks, he's been decent, but then Arteta drops him and then he has to wait 2-3 games to play next. There's no continuity.
That's one of the biggest issues I have with Arteta - his squad management is really, really below par. And he's been in the job long enough now to the point where he should know how to handle these situations. But he doesn't.