Another Solution for Arsenal’s Defensive Problems by AT
As we all may have realised by now, the unfortunate injury to Laurent Koscielny has had a very significant impact on Arsenal’s season, not only because of the sheer quality of the French international defender but more so because of Arsenal’s lack of cover in that position. It is an issue so significant that the Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has to play Nacho Monreal, who isn’t quite up to the mark in his more natural left-back position, as a centre-back in the heart of the Arsenal defence.
While I understand that the reason behind that is because our third-choice centre-back Calum Chambers has to cover for the injured Mathieu Debuchy at right-back, there is also another solution that Wenger can consider. Let’s face it, Chambers is a much better central defender than a full-back, a fact that was so evident when the English international was shredded by Jefferson Monteiro during the Gunners’ Premier League clash against Swansea City. But although he isn’t the best full-back around, he certainly is a very sound centre-back, as we saw in the early stages of the competition.
What I’m trying to suggest here is that Chambers can be moved to the centre to partner Mertesacker, making space for Hector Bellerin on the right side of defence. Contrary to popular opinion, I really do not think that in doing so, Arsene Wenger is rushing the former La Masia youngster into the first-team, anyone who may have seen him play so far this campaign will know that Bellerin is well and truly ready for the big-time and is desperate to make the break into the Gunners’ first-team picture.
Speaking in regards to what the Spanish starlet can bring to the pitch for Arsenal, he has electrifying pace, great dribbling ability, an eye for a killer pass and he is also very defensively sound, all he needs is a little experience under his belt. So now with Koscielny and Debuchy both struggling with injuries and with Chambers not really up to the mark in the right-back position, why doesn’t Arsene Wenger just give young Hector Bellerin a chance to shine for Arsenal?
U want bellerin to be ripped apart by di maria
Bellerin has more chance with Di Maria than Chambers. Calum couldn’t handle Montero who’s a quarter of the player Di Maria is.
Besides we need Chambers in the middle instead of Monreal.
Doing the same thing and expect a different result is total madness……90munites will speak for itself……
Win, loose or draw today #AW OUT!!!
My blood boils when we face united, I just can’t help it. I respect them but I still HATE them. COYG……….
Wenger out and klopp in for next season… COYG!!!
Mats hummels, Schneiderlin, Lars Bender, Benzema/Cavani/Bony to win the premier league next year INSHAA ALLAH..
allahusnakbar 😛
Same thought here!,remember the Dortmund game where he(bellerin) was specifically targeted by their players? No can do!.We’ll have to live with “OUR” decision of replacing Vermaelen(with Chambers),Sagna(with Debuchy) but not replacing Jenko,Hector just lacks the exposure required at this level #COYG!
Whats up nigh. I been following you guys for about a year not come janurary and finally took the plunge and registered.
the back 4 should be:
Gibbs-Chambers-Mert-Bellerin or swap Chambers and Bellerin and play Hayden.
Unfortunately no matter how bad United Suck their offense is still class against our shitty defense so I’m expect 5 goals, 4 at least b/c neither of us can defend.
You guys give monreal a lot of shit on here, but honestly he’s played well, i haven’t noticed a poor game, even though he’s out of position. his delivery is better than gibbs and he’s smarter getting forward, but last few games gibbs has been playing well so ride that out. Also curious why he doesn’t try monreal at RB if he’s uncomfortable with bellerin. Bellerin will at least be able to run with di maria
Idk why hayden hasn’t been played, of everyone in the defense that capital 1 cup match he was the best. Also chambers is gonna get worked if he has to mark di maria, but then again chasing RVP/Rooney may not be much better.
should play 4231
Welbeck/Giroud (don’t matter which one)
Podolski-Sanchez-Ox
Flamini/Diaby(prob hurt) and Ramsey
Defense
I pick ramsey over jack b/c wilshere is too reckless and his recklessness hurts the team and his body. Ramsey pay play bad, but he won’t give the ball up and get tackled as much. when ramsey plays bad its b/c of flicks and maybe a ariad pass, but wilshere is prone to the same thing. Plus jack hangs on to the ball too much and allows himself to be tackled/potentially injured too often, and has poor emotional control. he’ll get frustrated then make a tackle that injures him. But i have heard that he’s been playing well for england, although england suck and are overrated…well they’re kinda good but can’t play together yet, individually they’re almost there.
Ultimately I think wenger needs to move on, most likely this summer but if klopp is available come janurary you have to make that business move as a Club to buy the best successor available instead of being stuck with someone when wenger contract expires and all other class managers are signed.
I think we should bring in an assistant coach or some form of coach from outside of the soccer world/specialty. Every major sport is drowned out by cliches and “experience knowledge” in terms of judging players potential and skills but that provides a limited understanding. Adding a basketball coach would be best, the sports are 90% alike in terms of tactics, runs/cuts, and team play/passing/creation. bringing in a diverse staff member that sees something slightly different can only help. especially with our pace, someone who can coach and train those diagonal runs and through balls other than wenger wouldn’t hurt. A football coach would be great/ WR coach in training for runs, and CB coach would be greta for our defenders b/c they specialize in understand how opposition attackers will run to attack the goal and what spaces to exploit, and how to counter/manipulate/trick others.
COYG lets get this win today 3-2 Arsenal!
P.S. why can’t campbell make the bench but other players can be garbage and play? ohhh wenger, you’ve got some splaining to do
Any one up for Klopp’s signature? Dortmund blows a 2-0 lead to 2-2.
Referee is a douche.
Why wasn’t this being asked during Chelsea or Hull city or Anderlecht game?
We want joel campbell! Coyg!
#FreeJoelCampbell
Holly shet, what a faul against Reus, only a yellow card. Injurie looks bad.
I would rather lose to the likes of Crystal place to 5 goals then losing to manure to 1. Comon Arsenal, go for the win.
Team confirmed and Bellerin on bench also Giroud.
I would have liked to see Bellerin at RB today, though inexperienced he is very quick and it’s coming out that MU will be playing 3-5-2 with Valencia and Young on the Flanks.
There is loads of pace in the MU side and we need to match them.
If Bellerin started and it didn’t work bring on Monreal and move Chambers over, at least try it Arsene!
Anyway watching BT sports and the team news is Monreal and Per to start, FFS!
The pundits say what we all say, “why play a LB at CB”?
Blacket, Smalling and McNair as the 3 CB’s, I sense MU will come out hard and fast at us 🙁
@abishek.
yep Winning against MU for me is like winning the CL!
I despise MU, RVP, Shrek and Van Gall.
Winning today and Welbeck scoring will make my weekend, in fact next few weeks 🙂
that mufc defense lol… if we dont score 3 we suck
We might score three, but we might also concede three.
yes thats very true mate… idk how we’ll do against their attack. I’ll be curious to see how we fare in midfield
First off, let me tell you most of our starting players will back off against their players, certainly as the game wears on.
What idiot manager keeps the same defence after what happened recently? Instead of trying something different, he does the same. It’s the same with the midfield and attack. This is the same lineup we had vs Swansea I think.
Looking back I don’t think Wilshere started v Swansea.
Once again it’s Wengers logic over common sense. For a third game running we play with almost the same 11.
As if no one is undroppable in the team.
As if no one made any mistake for conceding goals in the last two games.
As if we won the last two games.
This manager has no clue. I don’t care if we go on to win this game, it like I said in an earlier article today, he will try the same thing over and over again until it works for one game, just so he can proove his critics wrong for that one game. He keeps trying to prove the critics wrong by not getting a Physical DMF and a an extra CB for the last 4 seasons, every season it comes back to bite him. He doesn’t care, at the end of the season he will blame injuries again, and we’re supposed to buy that?
WH and Swansea currently losing, win today and we are back in our 4th place spot 🙂
Wenger logic no 26
Defence hasn’t been good enough recently by conceding 3 goals in a short space of time v Anderlecht and then 2 in a short space of time v Swansea, What do he do vs Man United?
He keeps the same defence, because conceding 3 and 2 every game against a decent to good side is nothing to worry about.
ugh, another frustrating lineup. Wilshere/Ramsey in midfield together is going to be another disaster.
RVP, Rooney and Di Maria playing. Manure’s CB’s are a pair of under 21’s lol.
Well at least our starting 11 looks strong enough to beat them. Question is, how many times will Mertesacker forget his man or Chambers get mauled by Di Maria?
why Loan Jenkinson….. promote bellerin only to bench him…… WENGER IS A MAD MAN!
Interesting Ramsey is in for Cazorla.
Wenger is more interested in making a team for the next British football team in the olympics.
@HA559. yep, his on the side hobby is to try and create an England side, why oh why?
Can’t believe Chambers and Monreal are out of position still. Yet again it’s another fantastic example of Wenger’s incompetence. Let’s keep doing what hasn’t been working by a country mile. As always he refuses to learn from his mistakes. We’re missing just one CB, yet Wenger feels this is enough of a crisis to put a LB at CB! You just wouldn’t see this at any level, even Sunday league football. If we had three CB’s out, then yes I could understand, but one! How often have we seen the likes of Clichy, Evra, and Cole play regularly at CB?
If I thought for just one minute that Wenger might actually learn something in defeat, then I wouldn’t mind ManU stuffing us if it would lead to Wenger not making basic mistakes any more. But that will never happen. At least he’s finally dropped Santi, but then again, how long did that take and how many points did it cost us?
I’m sorry for being so negative guys, but we haven’t won a single big match this season because of basic errors from Wenger.
@thirdmanJW. Agree, my fear is that Monreal starts to do okay and grow into the role a little.
It then wouldn’t surprise me if Wenger doesn’t sign a CB in Jan. Nothing now surprises me with Wenger!
Also people talking about putting young Bellerin into the side, what about Chambers he’s young and new. Can’t think that the Swansea game against Montero did his confidence much good!