Perhaps the biggest conundrum of last season was why Arsene Wenger did not shift to the new back-three system sooner. Clearly, the system brought to Arsenal defensive solidity and more creative freedom for the Gunners’ forward players and laid the foundation for the team’s late resurgence in the previous campaign. But leaving that aside, Wenger did confirm that he will stick to the new system next season as well and it now appears as though the Frenchman is signing players based on the formation as well.
Arsenal’s latest acquisition, Sead Kolasinac, is primarily a left-back who is equally adept at and has the physical stature to play at centre-back and in defensive midfield as well, something the player himself reiterated in his first interview upon signing for the club from Bundesliga side Schalke on a free transfer. Moreover, the Bosnian, apart from being solid and tenacious at the back, is great going forward as well and hence would be perfect for a wing-back.
In the new system that Arsenal employ, there is always a necessity for an extra defender considering that the team will start the game with three central defenders on the pitch. Therefore, it makes sense to bring in a quality left-sided defender who has all the attributes to step into central defence should there be a necessity. Furthermore, Kolasinac is a lot like Oxlade-Chamberlain in terms of his energy levels and willingness to take people on, so it would be really interesting to see these two bombing down Arsenal’s flanks next season.
Having said all this, I firmly believe that Sead Kolasinac has been brought in with the new system in mind. The player, who was included in the Bundesliga team of the Season, will most certainly strengthen the Gunners’ squad and it remains to be seen as to how efficiently Le Prof can strengthen the team in the other areas in which reinforcements are needed to make his plan even more efficient, especially with respect to a prolific goal-scorer.
AT
Yup, Wenger is the man with the plan? Kolasinac will boss the whole left side of the wing, in defending and attacking, which means Wenger got a freebie who will also cover the departing Sanchez’s role too. ? ? they don’t call the player the Bosnian – Hulk for nothing, you know! ??
Meanwhile… Across the pond ??.
The president of French football club Lyon has announced he does not think Arsenal will make another bid for his striker Alexandre Lacazette.
Lyon have already rejected a bid from the London club for the 25 year old French international, but speculation that Arsenal are set to come back with an improved £33.7m offer has been rife this week.
Speaking to L’Equipe however, president Jean-Michel Aulas said: “Arsenal have not come back…and they will not come back” adding: “No one will leave OL, except for Rachid Ghezzal if he has an offer, which I doubt.”
Wenger: “We were close to signing Messi. He offered £22 mils for him but the club wouldn’t let him go.”
Classic Wenger, under-bidding players so he can say he tried, knowing, he would fail.
A LEOPARD NEVER CHANGES IT’S SPOTS!!!!!!!!.
Jack sh*t is going to happen in this transfer window as per usual.
But a snake does change its skin.
I don’t like snakes.
Barcelona offered 20m.for Bellerin
thats messed up hafiz
what u reckon ? bid 137 .9 million on sidibe or what??
Nobody knows whether he will boss the whole left side of the wing, in defending and attacking. Maybe he did it in Bundesliga, but this is Premier League and he will be a wingback (not a fullback) in Arsenal.
A top wingback is not just about speed and physicalities, but he should also be smart and possess very good technique, like Dani Alves, Antonio Valencia and Cafu. I just hope he has good technique like Chamberlain.
We can see how good he really is in the pre-season matches. Arsenal still has Gibbs to push Kolasinac perform next season.
Good start but we still have a lot of work to be done:
– Sought out the Sanchez / Ozil / Ox situation asap
– Clear the deadwood asap
– Get us a proven goal scorer asap
– Get us a proven CM asap
– Throw in another quality winger if we can
– Get a coat with a proper zipper
– Get Stan a new wing
As things stand his still the same old Wenger, all his done is bring in 1 player, the rest are all rumors.
yes all gd valid points but if your not gonna paint a picture bro
whats the point???
Personally I think we already have a proven goalscorer in 30 goal alexis. The manager just needs to find the right permutations behind him to get the best out of him.
The fella I feel most sorry for is lucas. I am certain that given the opportunity he would out score walcott, giroud and welbeck.
If only we can keep alexis and ozil, add Mbappe and seri. I would say that is then our £150m spending spree done and dusted and our first x1 sorted. Though the sales of some fringe players, may enable us to strengthen the academy and in turn strengthen our Europa league, EFL and Fa cup campaigns.
yes Wenger always had a plan – A plan to fail. for 13 years in a row he’ve been planning to finish 2nd, 3rd or 4th, he did and even fans from other ambitious teams named 4th as Wenger trophy.. and this is new era, now he’s planning to be finishing 5th, 6th and 7th, already started with 5th. Wenger the master plan
Bran99 Look where Chelsea finished when they sacked Mourinho. They finished 10th dude. Then they ran away with the title the following season.
Just because we finished 5th last season it doesn’t mean we will stay out of the top 4 for all eternity.Relax!
Man city signed the legendary Pep who everyone thought would runaway with the title. He didn’t finish much higher than us with his world class striker(Aguero) and his quality signings. He was beaten by us in his first game we played him in the pre season friendly,drew with us in the first premier league game for of the seaso and lost to us in the FA cup and this is a guy who has won silverware with Bayern and Barca. He didn’t get any silverware last season though. Despite playing poor for most of the season and having a worse manager and team on paper than City we still won silverware.
The summer transfer window has just opened and we are active. Our first signing is quality and there is nothing to suggest that we will stop there. I’m confident hat we will sign a quality striker and will be much more prepared for the start of the season than we were last year.
I will just be grateful if Wenger can win the 1st game of the season for a change.
That’s a good point, when we lose those first games it just ruins any optimism for the season. Esp last season after we finally spent some money in the areas we wanted, then boom back to reality.
It did come to back to bite us in the end thou didn’t it(Lost to Liverpool opening game of season and missed out on top 4 Wenger trophy at end of season by 1 point to Liverpool).
lower expectations. Just warning you now. More comedy is down the road next season.
Wenger will win EPL title and he will rip Bayern apart in Europa League when they drop out of ECL.It’s payback time for Bayern for all the brutal rapes they have endured on us in last 16 of ECL.WENGER IS THE MAN WITH PLAN.
unseen video of wenger on signing of new 2yr contract extension:
hTeeTeePeeS://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jABPi3JEigw
if i open the link and its a a grown man shaving his pubes again
i will not be impressed bro
i promise,…
its not a ‘grown’ man;)
I know the comments for the article will be negative as usual…smh…
Signing Sead is a good deal for me, the swiftness in doing so is also nice, let’s move on from that quickly..
On a lighter mood, didn’t he look like a bigger Lucas Perez????
or an eastern european ramsey?
Wenger is the man with a CHEAP plan
Its like he said the other day big signings are not always linked to money spent. Bayern got Lewandowski flr free.
How times have we said “Good Start” but Wenger failing to get all the players we need by end of summer. I lost count
ie. Last season Good Start with Cech
But no Top forward or Defensive Midfielder
Season before Good Start with Alexis
But no Top CBS Defender, No Top defensive midfielder
Anyway hoping we will get the following
Top Forward (2 if Alexis leaves)
Top DM
Another quality CM
Backup RB
there’s too much reality in your comment. Must go back to dreaming… Mbappe, James, coming to Arsenal, and Sanchez signing long term extension! Heard it here first!
If the James Rodriguez rumours are true and we happened to land him plus a clinical striker, then losing Sanchez would not be such a big blow.
The striker with ozil and James in tandem will replace his goals and James much more of a team player and also more creative and compatible with our system.
Not to take anything away from Sanchez but one the genius of Wenger and his wengerball system is that it makes some player look better than they really are, fabregas,nasri,hleb etc are perfect example if you need proof.
Why would a player who has just won back to back European titles come to a club who are in Europa League?.
u watch your whore mouth
i got friends in high places
lifeguards, milkmen and sh**
I’m just pointing out the truth and harsh reality which us Arsenal fans can’t handle at all.
Can’t handle, lol, it’s all we bloody talk about.
You know what i mean lol.
Every summer when the Lyon president sees Wenger rock up again he must think – **** not this window shopper again
bet he has 50 cent window shopper as wengers ringtone on his phone
soon as the beat drops
uhhhh yeahh…girl u’s a window shopperrrr
And then Bould and Wenger are in white coats looking through a clear wall and in da club beat comes on and all of a sudden Jack Wilshere is hanging down
Kolasinac featured 35 times last season, which is his best. Before that he appeared 30 times.
My worry is, does he have niggling injuries we should be worried about? I know he missed a season because of torn ACL, but why has he never played 40 matches? Did he rotate with Baba Rahman last season?
yes rotating like a doner kebab
both love meat…pause
i once hurt myself eating a wham bar, lost two teeth
best 10 pennies ever spent
ahhh wham bars…
used to love those!
wonder if we can get them as AFC sponsors next season.
WHAM!
with andrew ridgley singing ‘ you gotta have faith, fer, fur, fer faith”
McLovin, I think he only broke into the team this season because of injury. They used him as a utility player, but then he took to the wing like a duck to Mertesacker.
Don’t worry, I’m pretty sure that he’ll pick up more than his fair share of injuries at Arsenal… Cos we’re good like that.??
You’ve got the answer already mate.
He had to overtake Rahman before nailing down a starting spot this season. I have my concerns too though, players with a history of a torn ACL usually have recurring injuries. Luckily we still have Monreal / Gibbs / Bramall / and even Ox if need be can chip in on the left.
Wishing him an injury free career at Arsenal all the same.
man with a plan? No title in 13 years. Clearly bad at making plans. Aren’t the board essentially forcing him to spend money this summer, lmao
Not sure why we sold Ospina at a massive loss. It’s not like we had to sell him, unless Woj is coming back, and Wenger didn’t need the headache, but surely anyone would take him for 3 million?
How much did we pay for him.
Yeah right! He has a plan alright! A plan to wait for Lacazette & James Rodriguez to rundown their contracts just in time for him to sign them on a free! The Arse Wenger Proven Way…
Good start..