Mole_Toonfan

Replacing Modric and Adebayor will definitely be the key for Tottenham's season, if they do it successfully then they can challenge for top 4 if not then i could see them finishing outside the top 6. That's how big a difference those two made to them.

Sahin is basically an Alonso clone, except he's better in tight spaces and is better at dealing with being pressed.

As VDV has got older he seems to have practically become a second striker, some of the things that used to make him so highly rated have seemed to have disappeared. He's practically a poacher now.

I did hear they had a difficult start and West Brom was the easiest apparently

I'm starting to think i may have been spoiled by Colo and expecting too much from our defenders now tbh.

I think they have tbh, Cazorla, Podolski and Sahin are quite frankly all better players than they had in those positions last season. RVP is a big loss and goalscoring will have to be spread out across the board instead of just the CF but as a team i think they are better. if RVP was the CF in this team they would probably be title challengers, now they are not because of this but i still think they have improved. Replacing Rosicky, Ramsey and Song with Cazorla, Podolski and Sahin is an upgrade IMO.

Douglas is reasonably comfortable, i'm not asking for a Colo clone here just someone who is comfortable at passing the ball forwards. If we are going to continue passing it out from the back, both our defenders need to be reasonably comfortable they don't have to be Colo comfortable but comfortable enough.

I said 3 players because i feel that's what they have done. They know a multi-talented a player like RVP can't be replaced with 1 player. They are hoping Giroud and Podolski provide the goals he provide who something close to it and Cazorla replaced his creativity. The thing about RVP last season wasn't just his goals but he created so much for others too. Giroud can't create things for others like RVP can so they are basically getting Cazorla to replace the creative side an Giroud and Podolski to replace the goal threat. Time will tell if between the 3 of them they can replace the goals RVP scored and created but i think that's what Arsenal are gambling on.

No, we don't need a Colo replacement, we need a Colo partner to cover/challenge Taylor. Didn't really mean that, i agree with you. I was just saying that a CB who compliments Colo but who can bring the ball out comfortably would be ideal.

They tend to come when he has an actual RB behind him which i understand it's difficult to perform when your RB is Djourou and contributing absolutely nothing to the attack. One of the reasons its so important we get a RB who contribute going forward. He has end product though, in fact he's one of Arsenal's more important players the pace and width he adds to the team is underestimated a lot like with Lennon and Spurs actually.

Walcott was directly responsible for over 20 of Arsenal goals last year, the theory he has no end product is an utter myth.

Sure Song did play a few through balls for RVP but it's not like Sahin would be incapable of that as he showed at Dortmund. This is the same player that made Schweignsteiger look average home and away and Song is better?

I think Podolski will be more of a support player than an actual goal scorer, he will probably get 10 league goals or something but i think he will be more important for link up play and creating chances for Giroud.

Perch and Taylor are fine with their distribution. Very good imo. In the second half i'd agree but in the first half we struggled to really pass through midfield, something Colo is usually excellent for and not just simple 2 yard passes backwards and sideways he usually gets us going with crisp 10 yard forward passes. We missed that IMO especially in the first half.

Yeah i agree, but that's been happening for years and nothings changed. Said a few times Arsenal's problems are system based not personnel based no amount of signings would make them champions. It's vital for them to be successful to actually improve in defensive organisation and pressing.

We don't need Johnson, it would be nothing more than an ego signing. CB and RB plz.

Agreed.

Arsenal all round as a team has improved, the only area they have weakened although it is big is centre forward. I suppose they are hoping with the added quality of Podolski, Cazorla, Sahin and even Wilshere when he comes back will create more chances and thus they don't need a top class striker to win games. Cazorla is better than Ramsey, Sahin is better than Song and Podolski is better than anyone they played on the left last year. They clearly have improved in those areas but Giroud is a big drop down from RVP, difference is this year they have more players who can make things happen last year it was RVP and RVP alone. Also Sahin was considered the best young playmaker in world football at Dortmund, it seems his time at Madrid where he hasn't been given at chance has made people forget that.

Song will be replaced by Sahin who is a much better player ( inb4 Song is a DM ) Van Persie was replaced by 3 players.

Yep the next step is passing the ball out from the back and actually creating plenty of chances but i'm sure with games and overall fitness it will come.

Love that, i like them both equally though

As far as Debuchy goes apparently if we did come in with an improved offer then Lille would sell despite their tough stance and they are supposedly actively seeking replacements. As for CB i still want one, mainly for distribution, aerial and recovery pace reasons. For me while Perch did a solid job, we really missed Colo's distribution and strides forward from the back, Aerially and being caught in behind was a weakness of last season and i'd like to see us rectify it. While the caught from behind thing can mainly be solved by controlling games better and not allowing to be overrun in midfield and constantly countered but it wouldn't hurt to get a CB who is reasonably quick and a beast in the air. Personally hope we can get Douglas and Debuchy before the deadline.

Depends really, if we can get some decent communication between JC and Pards then yeah i'd agree but if it's like Saturday then i'd say it could effect us tbh

If he is get a one-game touchline ban, hopefully we can delay any decision until after the Chelsea game, i would want Pard's on the touchline for that.

I'd like to see Vuckic start, and hopefully Abeid getting involved as well. Perch should also play, if Colo is expected to make next saturday. And i thought Shola was out of contention? Campbell ftw! Forget about Vuckic, yeah i agree he will probably start and Amalfitano (who i think we will play) out on the wings and Obertan or Marveaux on the bench. Unsure about Abeid he may start he may not.