Truly, the Arsenal defence is getting better by Lagos Gooner
Whatever work Arteta is doing at the Emirates is beginning to yield good results. We are now starting to play with the confidence that has been lacking in the team for a long time. We are also starting to keep clean sheets. Even before we started keeping clean sheets, Arteta’s work had been felt in the team, as he has made the team play better defensively.
I once asked myself last season if Arsenal would truly get it right in defence? I always felt Arsenal’s problem would not be solved simply by splashing out money to buy defenders. I have always been of the school of thought that anybody can be a good defender; all that is needed is for the individual to be disciplined and to be well trained. Many people view defending as a difficult thing to do, but not me. Thank goodness, Arteta thinks like me concerning how to solve Arsenal’s defensive issues.
The Sun, in a recent news story, reports Arteta saying what he did to improve on Arsenal’s defence. This is what he said. “I have told the players they have to enjoy defending as much as they do attacking because it’s a big part of the game.
“So if you give simple balls away you’d better run back and recover that ball as quickly as possible.
“But this team plays with a big heart and I see a lot of effort from these players. Instead of splitting they have joined together really quickly.
“The wide players are now behaving in a different way. They are tracking back and we’re doing a lot more work to stay compact when we don’t have the ball and I’m really pleased with that.
“There are a few lessons within that game for us, and some great things for our development as well as a team.”
Well said boss! The team needed to be told that defending is an art and when done with joy, can be enjoyable. No matter how many goals the team scores in a match, if they cannot keep their defence tight, they will kill the joy of scoring goals.
Arteta never said we were not going to buy defenders; what he simply said was that defending was very achievable, with the right frame of mind and with the right amount of focus. With every member of the team playing their part well, conceding cheap goals may just be something we may forget soon. Come on you Gooners! We are gradually getting to El Dorado.
We are Arsenal and we are Proud.
Sylvester KArsenal wentua
A good artcicle in general, but spoiled by a silly comment that “anybody can be a defender, if disciplined and well trained”! Sorry Sylvester but that sort of arrant nonsense lets you down. The logical extension of your argument for “anybody can be a defender..” is that, say, such as Mo Farah can be a good defender, as HE is disciplined and well trained! I am trying to be supportive, as I admire your urge to write, your keenness as proper Gooner and you often write interesting things.
But Sylvester, words are of VITAL importance and to say that silly sentence lets you down big time. That apart, I liked your article.
To sum up and as you say, defending is an art. An art is given only to an artist(in the broad sense of that word) and NOT and NEVER to less talented players. We are playing better DEFENSIVELY because there is now team shape and team ethics with an attitude of all eleven players doing their part in defence. But do not mistake that truth for thinking that such as Sokratis, Musatfi and Luiz are good defenders. They are simply not! I would like to know if you ever saw Adams, Campbell, Bould and that ilk in the flesh in our colours. If you did, you would recognise the HUGE gulf between them and our present unfortunates.
To the writer of this article. These are words:
”Thank goodness, Arteta thinks like me concerning how to solve Arsenal’s defensive issues.”
From your words are to understand that you and not Arteta is the saviour of our defence?
that being so can we have your expertise on midfield play and attack.
I hope we both have reason to enjoy the game against Everton.