Arsenal Debate; Vermaelen v Koscielny v Mertesacker ? What’s your choice?

Posted on September 04, 2012 by admin

Who should Arsenal use as their first choice centre backs?

After yesterday’s heroic performance from both Thomas Vermaelan and Per Mertesacker, they’ve created a real dilemma for Le Professor. With Laurent Koscielny fully recovered from injury, who does Wenger use as our first centre-back partnership? I’m going to analyse the possibilities.
Our first choice centre back pairing was Mertesacker and Koscielny. Both started their first partnership together against Blackburn Rovers where we let in 4 goals and lost the match. The start was ominous but we eventually started to put in the performances of champions. It was a very solid partnership with Mertesacker sitting back anticipating any leakages in the defence and with Koscielny absolutely destroying any player that tried to tango with him. That mixture of pace and alertness was vital. What made this partnership even more impressive was the fact that they had to play next to non-conventional full backs who affected their positioning. However, I felt that Mertesacker was the weaker of the two and rightly so considering it was his first season as a Premier League CB.

The second rotation was Koscielny and Vermaelan. They are both similar in their play. Both are extremely fast, extremely strong and extremely aggressive. They both seemed to complement each other really well even with their similarity in styles. They were part of a defence that allowed a 7 game winning streak. There was a key difference to the defence and that was the fact that Gibbs and Sagna were both playing full back allowing our two central defenders to play their roles efficiently.

The final pairing that we’ve only really seen from the first 3 games of the season is Vermaelan and Mertesacker. They have both played extremely well together and have not conceded a goal yet. The partnership is similar to the German and the Frenchman. Vermaelan attacks when required and Mertesacker just holds the fort. This new found solidarity might be down to the addition of Steve Bould.

I actually feel confident with any combination. They all know their roles properly. If I was pushed, I’d actually have the Mertesacker and Koscielny partnership. They always seemed the most solid and I’ve always rated the German. What CB partnership would you prefer?

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Arsenal prepare to sell Vermaelen

Posted on August 17, 2012 by Bob

Don’t worry, it is just my little joke. Arsenal have named Thomas Vermaelen as their new captain, after Robber van Persie forced his way out of the Emirates this summer. I do not really think that we will be waving goodbye to another captain next summer( please God). Mikel Arteta has been rewarded for his excellent contribution to the Arsenal team by being given the vice-captaincy.

26-year old Vermaelen was captain of Ajax in 2009 before moving to Arsenal, and was our vice-captain last year. Wenger has said that it was an easy decision to make, although he also said that the team is full of potential captains.

With Steve Bould now serving as assistant manager and a centre back serving as captain, hopefully Arsenal will pay more attention to the defensive side of the game. If it wasn’t for defensive frailties, the Gunners would never have gone seven years without a trophy. Arsenal have been acclaimed as the most fluid attacking team for years but have just let themselves down at the back.

We might have lost van Persie, but I am sure that with Arteta, Diaby, Ramsey, Wilshere, Walcott, Ox, Cazorla, Giroud, Podolski and Gervinho we might be able to fashion a few goals. If Song leaves then so be it, another defensive midfielder will come in. I have a feeling that Song will not be too happy about moving back in to his old position and not enjoying the freedom he had last season, but I would love him to stay.

The most important thing for Arsenal is to work as a team this season. With a solid defence as a platform to build on, we can take on the world.

Congratulations to the Verminator and Come on you Gunners

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Vermaelen – Arsenal can still win trophies without Van Persie

Posted on August 16, 2012 by admin

The new (surely?) Arsenal captain Thomas Vermaelen has admitted that he has is very disappointed that the Gunners (former) captain Robin Van Persie has left to join another title rival, but he still thinks that Arsene Wenger’s team still has the firepower to end Arsenal’s trophy drought.

“I am disappointed because I wanted him to stay at the club,” Vermaelen said. “He was fantastic for us in the last year, scored lots of goals and I am disappointed he is going, but we have to focus on the next season with Arsenal. We have to fight and I am confident we have a squad to win something.”

“We start Saturday and this is all clear now, Robin is leaving and we have to move on,”

Wenger has already admitted that he won’t be buying a replacement for Van Persie, but now Arsenal fans surely want the attention turned to Alexander Song and Theo Walcott. Wenger said that he had “no choice” but to sell RVP as he hadn’t signed a contract extension, well Theo is in exactly the same position so does that mean he will definitely be sold as well……

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Robin van Persie leaving Arsenal for Manchester United cannot distract our campaign, says Thomas Vermaelen

Van Persie is close to finalising a £24 million switch to Premier League rivals Manchester United after signalling his intent to leave Arsenal earlier in the summer when announcing he would not be signing a new deal.

Belgian defender Vermaelen is now likely to inherit the captain's armband and has insisted every player needs to put the disappointment of Van Persie’s exit to one side ahead of their season opener against Sunderland on Saturday.

"He was fantastic for us in the last year, scored lots of goals and I am disappointed he is going, but we have to focus on the next season with Arsenal," Vermaelen told Sky Sports News.

"We have to fight and I am confident we have a squad to win something.

"We start Saturday and this is all clear now, Robin is leaving and we have to move on."

Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger insisted the club had no choice but to allow their inspirational skipper to leave the club after he turned down contract terms which would have seen him become the club’s highest paid player ever.

However, he maintains the summer additions Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski will "offset" the loss to the squad, as will the arrival of Spain midfielder Santi Cazorla.

"It is never great to lose players of that quality, but he only had a year contract so we do not have a choice," said Wenger on French TV station TF1.

"We wanted to avoid that at all cost, but we weren't able to. Honestly, I'd have preferred to sell him abroad, to PSG, for example, over Manchester United.

"They have the advantage of having played against him and knowing his great class. He's truly an exceptional player in every sense of the word.

"We have already recruited since we bought (Olivier) Giroud and (Lukas) Podolski who originally were intended to offset the departure of Van Persie."

The Dutch international, who scored 30 goals for Arsenal last season, may not be the only exit from the club this summer with Barcelona interested in a £15 million capture of Cameroon midfielder Alex Song. Russian winger Andrey Arshavin and Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner are also looking for moves.

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