Isaac Hayden

[Hughesy]

This guy is an absolute revelation - he's really intelligent player and should probably be one of the first names of the teamsheet.

[54]

Level. Headed.

 

[loki679]

Liking our players is gonna be hard to get used to

[KaKa]

Love this guy. Such a key signing. Really needed this type of midfielder.

 

Tiote, Saivet, Colback and even Anita just weren't giving us what we needed in that position.

 

Just wish Colback wasn't his backup!

[Ronaldo]

He's more a CM than DM. Hope he stays fit because he's so much better than his alternatives.

[Pilko]

Probably as close to an "all-round" central midfielder we've had since, I dunno... Rob Lee? I'm not directly comparing the two, just that all our central midfielders for years have only ticked one or two boxes... usually the ones marked "tackling", "shooting" or "unfit" but rarely much else.

 

(Any suggestions of Cabaye can gtfo)

[mozy]

He plays with the physicality of a central defender combined with the mobility and calmness of a classy midfielder. We've needed this kind of player for longer than I can remember.

 

Too early to be wondering why on earth Arsenal let him go?

[Ikon]

CM is probably the only area where we're not "over loaded". Especially when you consider the drop in quality from Shelvey and Hayden to Colback. IF we need to strengthen anywhere in january then its in CM. Obviously a lot can happen between now and january.

[Hanshithispantz]

Diame, Clark & Anita are probably our CM cover, we could probably do with another one in though.

[Hughesy]

I know it means virtually nothing in a game, but it was interesting to see that he was easily our best striker of the ball in the shooting warm up drills they were doing.

[KaKa]

He plays with the physicality of a central defender combined with the mobility and calmness of a classy midfielder. We've needed this kind of player for longer than I can remember.

 

Too early to be wondering why on earth Arsenal let him go?

 

Arsenal are stacked man

 

The kid is good enough to have started for us all of last season in the prem! Fair to let him go.

 

I appreciate Arsenal man. They never demand huge prices for the players they don't use much either.

 

I'd run the rule over every single prospect that doesn't quite make their team that is available to sign.

[mozy]

The point was more that I think he'll be a better player than Coquelin, especially when you factor in their ages. And if they really rated Hayden they would have just sent him out on loan again rather than a permanent sell.

[Ikon]

It's simply because they couldn't give him enough playing time to grow as a player. He's a good young player with potential, but not good enough to start for them. That's why it was good for everyone concerned that he left.

[Guest firetotheworks]

Probably as close to an "all-round" central midfielder we've had since, I dunno... Rob Lee? I'm not directly comparing the two, just that all our central midfielders for years have only ticked one or two boxes... usually the ones marked "tackling", "shooting" or "unfit" but rarely much else.

 

(Any suggestions of Cabaye can gtfo)

 

Not all-round but Cabaye's only been bettered (comfortably, I might add) by Lee and Speed imo.

[KaKa]

The point was more that I think he'll be a better player than Coquelin, especially when you factor in their ages. And if they really rated Hayden they would have just sent him out on loan again rather than a permanent sell.

 

Well Coquelin is pretty much established for them now, and is a really good player right now. Elneny looks really talented too if you saw much of him. They just added Xhaka also. They even use Cazorla and Ramsey in midfield, so it's tough.

 

They loaned him out to Hull last season, and probably would have continued to do so, but we came in for him for a permanent deal, and so they let him go. It's why I said they are a very fair club. As it doesn't look like he will be breaking into their team in the next couple of seasons at least, they let him move on to a great situation for him.

[Mole_Toonfan]

The point was more that I think he'll be a better player than Coquelin, especially when you factor in their ages. And if they really rated Hayden they would have just sent him out on loan again rather than a permanent sell.

 

They don't really need a DM tbh, they have a fair few. Their issue last season was that when Cazorla went down with injury they had no one getting the ball from midfield to Ozil and Sanchez.

 

Which is why they bought Xhaka i imagine, although Wenger is a bit senile these days and doesn't seem to play him so there's that. I really don't think they fucked up here or anything, but i'm not really bothered because he's been class for us and long may it continue.

[TRon]

Probably as close to an "all-round" central midfielder we've had since, I dunno... Rob Lee? I'm not directly comparing the two, just that all our central midfielders for years have only ticked one or two boxes... usually the ones marked "tackling", "shooting" or "unfit" but rarely much else.

 

(Any suggestions of Cabaye can gtfo)

 

Not all-round but Cabaye's only been bettered (comfortably, I might add) by Lee and Speed imo.

 

Cabaye wasn't so much of an all rounder though, while his passing was out of this world, he wasn't quick enough to be a box to box player like Lee and Speed. Hayden is much more capable of doing that role than anyone else we've had for ages.

[Hanshithispantz]

Probably as close to an "all-round" central midfielder we've had since, I dunno... Rob Lee? I'm not directly comparing the two, just that all our central midfielders for years have only ticked one or two boxes... usually the ones marked "tackling", "shooting" or "unfit" but rarely much else.

 

(Any suggestions of Cabaye can gtfo)

 

Not all-round but Cabaye's only been bettered (comfortably, I might add) by Lee and Speed imo.

Aye, he wasn't hitting box to box but Cabaye is easily the best and most rounded central midfielder we've had in a decade.

[Guest firetotheworks]

I'm pretty sure that the first three words in my post were 'Not all-round but' like. How you missed that and then started with 'Cabaye wasn't so much of an all rounder though' is beyond me.

[KaKa]

Hayden is healing some of those Abeid wounds man. Abeid was the closest we had to this kind of midfielder.

[prefabtoon]

Wenger replaced  Issac Hayden with Rob Holding from Bolton.

[Hanshithispantz]

Probably as close to an "all-round" central midfielder we've had since, I dunno... Rob Lee? I'm not directly comparing the two, just that all our central midfielders for years have only ticked one or two boxes... usually the ones marked "tackling", "shooting" or "unfit" but rarely much else.

 

(Any suggestions of Cabaye can gtfo)

 

Not all-round but Cabaye's only been bettered (comfortably, I might add) by Lee and Speed imo.

 

Cabaye wasn't so much of an all rounder though, while his passing was out of this world, he wasn't quick enough to be a box to box player like Lee and Speed. Hayden is much more capable of doing that role than anyone else we've had for ages.

He was like, the closest you'll get anyway without being an absolute beast who bosses every area of the field. He got stuck in and had a great passing range, could score goals and take set pieces (even though that part of his game was half stifled by Pardew being fucking shite).

[KaKa]

Holding is a centre back, and a pretty promising one at that from what I saw of him for Arsenal in pre season and early on this season.

[prefabtoon]

Issac Hayden

centre-back or in central-midfield, whilst having also previously featured at right-back and as a playmaker.

 

Wenger F***ked up letting him go in my opinion.

Why have an academy then let players like Hayden go.

[Guest firetotheworks]

I'm not sure how he fucked up by letting him go tbh. You can be a good player and not be good enough for Arsenal, it's not really a criticism of a player.