How good are Arsenal? by Briantole
Many predicted that this will be the year Arsenal finally deliver. Having ended last season on a high and bringing the same tempo in the following season as evidenced by our unbeaten pre-season. But injuries and suspensions seem to hold us back. So without them how good are we?
Let me start by pinpointing the individual brilliance in our team. Cech, Bellerin, Kos, Monreal, Coquelin, Santi, Ozil and Sanchez are already the best in the league in their respective positions, and only a few individuals in Europe if any can do a better or similar kind of job as them.
So in general terms where does our team lie? Well we are Number One at:
Sublime movement – when Arsenal have the ball at their feet they are a joy to watch. In fact it is only Barca or Real Madrid who might surpass us in this area. But that can be due to the fact that they follow Ronaldo and Messi.
That in fact shows how great we are in possession.
Great passing – This has a number of areas. In terms of through balls, long range and short range passing, and crossing. We are the best at all those areas having registered the highest number of passes completed in the Premier League. This means that it is important aspect in this team.
Creativity – By far our greatest strength. This is where we surpass even the elite in Europe by a strong margin. Santi and Ozil do the most part ,but even Sanchez and the full backs contribute in this area. This is characterized by most chances created and most clear cut opportunities made. We are outstanding in footballing intelligence.
Precision – We are almost flawless in our play. We have registered the highest percentage of pass completion and take-on completion. We also commit very few fouls. So many skilled players like Sanchez, Cazorla and Bellerin make all this a possibility.
Now Squawka stats have backed this, by us having the highest performance index. But we also have weaknesses that shroud this great play from our team.
We lack:
Aggression – That kind of aggressive player that drives the team forward is the missing piece of the puzzle. A Yaya Toure or William Carvalho kind of player aka the heavy weights – a midfield destroyer who wins battles is very important to every team.
Finishing – We take the most shots, create lots of chances, clear cut chances but our finishing isn’t anything to be proud of. We have a very low conversion rate. So much wastage…
Depth – One area that needs to be solved, especially in the holding midfield and wing positions. We need enough depth for better results – but I’m seeing youngsters stepping up so we might soon find a solution to this problem in house…
Is this a fair assessment?
Briantole