Ahead for Gunners is a very long International break, so here’s an easy conversation starter.
I’m offering one formation and one positional player option.
It’s a 4-2-3-1 and today the option is Mesut or Mkhi. Obviously you vote for one, but can then elaborate in comments i.e. Mesut only starts when the sun shines and it’s a Full Moon……………
POLL – Mesut or Mkhi – You decide?
mickydidit89
Arsenal News 24/7
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So won’t distract early on with a ” don’t want to start 4231″. Mesut plays only when there’s a vowel in the month.
Mesut, Mesut, Mesut.
But I’m always one to buck trend on certain players, Ollie springs to mind, it fills me with a certain amount of ire that Chavs are making use of his abilities so well, they play to his strengths.
Back to Mesut, after Watford I had a chat with a young fan who had just been to his first Arsenal game, he was not from UK, had travelled to see Arsenal and especially Ozil and was in raptures about his performance and how easy he makes the game. But also how he moves to be in the best position to receive and play.
I like Mikhi too but if I had to choose it’s bench for him as a very good back up.
Cheers, Micky.
With Terrier and Xhaka looking like a balance made in heaven in front of the back four, we only have 4 places left in the team to fill.
If we play two wide attacking midfielders (flanking those two) plus two strikers as was purported on Sunday, Mesut doesn’t really fit the system.
In a 4-2-3-1, Mesut seems the obvious choice.
Good poll but I am going to expand the idea a bit more.
Neither Ramsey, Ozil or Mkhitaryan are right sided attacking midfielders possibly Mkhit is best suited but still far from perfect.
Now, what if we had a perfectly suited right sided attacking midfielder and I will use the most obvious example to make the point.
Aubamayang, Lacazette, Ronaldo
——————–Ramsey
Now this would be good but………………
Aubamayang, Lacazette, Ronaldo
——————Ozil
This would be better.
The point I am trying to make is that we are still shoe horning; we have 3 number 10s and something will have to give if this team is to move forward.
Of course this may all be solved in January with the possible departure of Ramsey because we then get.
Aubamayang, Lacazette, Mkhitaryan
——————-Ozil
And no body’s nose is out of joint.
That team further above with a young Ronaldo does look good though doesn’t it?
LB
Three players in front of Mesut?!!!
Sound a bit defensively light especially on the flanks.
4-2-1-3?
I think we are lucky to have them both, as good sides have two of everything at least. Mesut and Mkhi can definitely play together as per LB’s comments, but it is also good to play them both in a game without them playing together. One subs the other and a fresh pair of legs and eyes, having watched the game on the bench until then, will find the gaps with more ease and deadliness once on the pitch. If I had to choose it is of course the legend that is Mesut – but there is no need to do so: we are a multi-dimensional team.
Perhaps anther topic for later in the Interlull Chas, but Ballon d’Or!!! Ballon Balls-up!!!
Hugo Lloris and for that matter, Alisson as the two goalkeepers from the Premier League!!!? (And don’t give me, he won the World Cup!)
Okedoke, here’s my bit:
Regular readers will know Mesut is always first on my team sheet because I put style over substance
Here’s my bombshell. I’d start Mkhi
But wait, hang on a mo., there’s a good reason. I’m no longer watching the first half where we hassle and press the opposition which is, and rightly so, simply not Mesut’s bag
Mkhi starts, with Danny (M-N) and Iwobi either side (Laca up top obviously), the on 60 mins Mesut and Auba stroll on to give us 30 memorable minutes
Talking of goalkeepers! Jim Montgomery ( he of the double save in the 1973 Cup Final) is 75 today. Great goalkeepers of the old school. Them were the days!
Is that Danny Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Micky?
Chas
I laid it out that way for simplicity. Xhaka and Torriera would be on either side of Ozil, probably slightly set back.
——————Lacazette
Aubamayang—————Mkhitaryan/Ronaldo lol
———————–Ozil
———-Xhaka—————Torriera
Makes a lot of sense Micky
57% Mkhi at the moment. Close and interesting
It may make sense, LB, but at heart I’m a romantic, stylist and purist, so would go for your XI every time with maybe a few less defensive sorts 🙂
LB
Mesut as part of the middle three? He’d never be there. We’d be overrun.
Surely he’d have to always be part of the front 3?
Not that I wouldn’t mind us playing with 4 out and out attackers! 🙂
Corny Dad jokes are back in fashion officially;
“A Yorkshire man and his wife went self-catering to Spain. When they arrived they realised they’d forgotten to pack the gravy to go with their pie. “There’s a British couple next door”, said the man, ” I’ll pop round to see if they’ve got any”. He knocked on the door and when the neighbour answered he asked, ” Hast any Bisto?” “Sorry”, said the neighbour. ” I don’t speak Spanish.”
Mum: Our kids do brighten up the home, don’t they?
Dad: Well, they certainly never turn any flippin lights off!”
Sorry if I’ve spoilt the survey and started someone else off!
Chas
Remember, the idea of four attackers is when, at 60 mins, we go all out sexy-knickers-time.
Imagine the opposition. We’ve harried and bored them rigid for 60 mins, they’re tired and weary, then see Mesut and Auba skipping up and down the touchline. “Oh FFS, I give up” would be running through their tiny minds
Sorry LBG
no it’s Danny or M-N
Yep, I’m sold on the idea of sexy subs. 🙂
We’ve got 3 games in 7 days when we come back, so I suppose most will get a game.
Multi-dimensional sexiness – what’s not to like.
Interesting Chas
This does throw up the question of what is or what has been Emery’s go to line up.
I have been working on the basis that is has been the following as that was the line up for Everton and Watford
———————-Lacazette
———Auba——-Ramsey——Ozil
————-Xhaka———–Torriera
Ozil is wasted out on the right and has surely only been there to try and appease Ramsey by giving him prime central real estate.
But with Ramsey gone surely it becomes what I described above.
———————-Lacazette
———Auba———————Mkhitaryan
————————-Ozil
————-Xhaka———–Torriera
Ozil can do whatever he wants from there without any defensive duties what so ever.
I am curious to know if you agree or think otherwise?
And that brings me back to my original point of: we don’t have a proper right sided player.
Mikhitaryan is the best we have but he is far from perfect out there.
Not to forget an additional 60 mins in the boozer. It’s a win win scenario
I’m also guessing that out of your stat. saying 73% of goals come second half, the 27% are dull CB in-offs
Weird, I was responding to Chas’ 11:36 and hadn’t seen the LB’s
I see where you’re coming from LB.
Ramsey and Ozil shoehorned into the front 4 like that obviously wasn’t working.
We ended up with……..
………………Lacazette
Auba……. RamOzil…….The Invisible Man
Both want to be the man just behind the striker(s) which always leaves us short in midfield as against Man City’s 4-3-3.
Guendouzi and Xhaka weren’t enough.
Personally I think if we play 4-3-3, we need either one of Mesut/Ramsey/Mkhit as part of a front three and an extra body in the middle three else we are exposed.
With 4-2-3-1, Terrier and Xhaka fit nicely as the two with the outside 2 of the 3 helping out in midfield. Hence why Auba is wasted running around on the halfway line.
The supposed 4-4-2 seemed effective because Iwobi, Welbz, Laca and Mkhit (to a certain extent) worked their proverbials off.
I’m going to stop now before I disappear up my own arsehole. 🙂
Tactical bolleaux – the whole lot!
LB
Yeah but you’re still trying to play three out and out strikers up front as in Auba, Laca and Ronaldo!
I keep reading stuff how playing two out and out strikers up front is outdated. Most play just the one!
Thinking about it, I think you are right, three out and out strikers is not going to work. Re-think on my side.
But thanks for taking the time to answer.
And another thing: Ronaldo is past it 🙂
Paul Merson being the usual arsehole we’ve all come to expect. We know, you seriously sh** pundit, that the defence is not perfect, but it is coming along. Rob is maturing, Sokratis brings maturity and ” solidity” and his Greek mate is going to surprise a few. Let alone Kos returning and going out in glory at the end of the season.
Like that other No1 twat, Collymore, go boil your heads and give us all a break!
Voted for mesut shocked mkhitaryan leading the polls
Fred
That’ll be the effect of us just having won 5-1 without Mesut playing, I reckon.
And not because everyone thinks Micki should play the first 60 and Mesut the last sexy 30!
Chas
If you ask for another interlul post, you know you’ll get exactly the same format just another position, another pair.
That’s eleven days. A rinse and repeat job 🙂
Maybe Thursday for the next one!
What I’d like to know is why is the new keeper’s surname pronounced Lenno?
Burnt Lenno sounds like something you get on those stinky bonfires where people burn rubber and other toxic stuff.
Burnt Lino as in plastic floor?
as pronounced lie no as in linoleum flooring
oh I don’t feckin’ know, you’re the english expert 🙂
So we have Helmet and Burnt Floor I suppose
I mentioned on Sunday that didn’t find mkhitaryan was doing anything mainly this was in the first half, did anyone else see it this way
Not me, Fred.
Ok
Old school football
Morning
Last day of summer down here today
Still too dark to see surfcams, but forecast says South Easterly winds and clean head high waves. An evening surf?
Have you been exercising?
NEW POST
No….obviously 🙂
I take it I moaned after the last surf, and being me, I naturally imagine that miraculously all will be well the next time by doing jack shit 🙂
I’m pretending it’s about the mental rather than physical state. It’s the only theory that might work