Yeh but Ozil is a precious commodity. It’s much easier to come across a player like Coq than it is a player like Ozil.
Saying that, it’s incredibly difficult to find a combative CM who can also add to the attack side of a team but it’s definitely something that should be our priority if Santi is well and truly fooked.
yep, definitively!
I guess that’s why the pair of Santi/Coq worked so well, the balance. That little magician is full of creativity.
Xhaka is a good shout, he reminds me of Arteta and the way we played with him as a DLP but I don’t think it’ll work alongside Coquelin. Maybe a Xhaka/Jack partnership?
We have one and his name is Granit Xhaka, but we’ve either gotta accept he won’t be as effective at defending in large space as Coquelin or improve the collectives ability to defend so Granit doesn’t have to cover so much space.
In regards to Ozil doing more defensively, I think he does as much as he’s asked to do. Someone like Jack who either brainlessly closes the ball without understanding of how to use his cover shadow or spectates is far worse, I don’t believe Ozil is personally a hindrance on our ability to press.
Nonsense? From a man that thinks 48 goal league goals by Ronaldo wouldn’t stand out at Arsenal.
Okay.
Didn’t say he wouldn’t stand out, just saying since his decline I doubt he’d have been enough to win us trophies under Wenger, as Alexis and Özil haven’t, and there’s little difference in the quality of the Ronaldo of the last few years and those two, in fact if you pushed me I’d take last seasons Özil over last couple season’s Ronaldo. He’s not decisive for them anymore, hasn’t been for a while, and though he rarely misses a game when he does his absence is not felt.
But then you rely on players like Walcott/Ox/Iwobi to press for the duration of a game and I’m not sure even the most stout of defensive coaches can make them do such a job whilst also doing what they do offensively.
All this talk of Le Coq being a destroyer, he has the nouse to play in the deeper position whilst Xhaka moves higher up the field and creates from there. Does he have the feet for it though?
People are seriously underrating Coquelin’s ability on the ball and passing. I’ve seen him ping plenty of perfect cross field balls around with impunity, he just only does it when there’s no risk attached.
People got it into their heads that he isn’t a sexy, suave style player and so think he’s just some 2- bit hack in the same mould of Lee Cattermole, blinding them to the fact that he can actually dribble and can actually pass to a good level but his tackling and positioning just outshines it.
I’ve got a lot of time for Coquelin, because he adds something to the team we haven’t had in years and sorely need but also because he has so much passion and so clearly cares about the club. He bleeds Arsenal, and much like players like Kieran Gibbs it shouldn’t be underestimated how much value they offer the club despite not being an Ozil or a Silva or a Kroos.
You literally did. Your exact words were:
“Not sure about that, certainly the last couple years in a club like Arsenal he wouldn’t stand out over Alexis or Özil, as they’re better footballers at this point. Before then, before his decline, maybe.”
I mean, jesus christ AC. I understand not giving him loads of credit since his decline, but pre decline? Bias at it’s absolute ugliest.
Had Ronaldo scored 48 league goals for Arsenal, it would stand out, it really is as simple as that.
Yeah, key word there being “over”. Of course he was a fantastic player pre decline, I’ve never denied that. Was still overrated then though.
I think you meant to say ‘oh, so I did say that, sorry’. 
Nah, I just know how to read and expect the same of you pal. 
‘Ronaldo wouldn’t stand out at Arsenal’
‘I didn’t say Ronaldo wouldn’t stand out at Arsenal’
Lol okay. 
Except that’s not the quote…I don’t know how to quote on my phone but it’s right there above…“wouldn’t stand out over Alexis or Özil”, as in, to refute the idea that we’d have more trophies in our cabinet if we had him instead of Alexis or Özil, I point out that he wouldn’t be a significant upgrade on either of them.
One thing we’d still agree on with Wenger is the manipulation of his words to serve some Morrisian or Irish Brianian purposes. But here you are…
I don’t think you command the English language like you think you do. Might be worth reflecting on.
Dunning-Kruger in full effect.
Out of
““Not sure about that, certainly the last couple years in a club like Arsenal he wouldn’t stand out over Alexis or Özil, as they’re better footballers at this point. Before then, before his decline, maybe.””
you make
“‘Ronaldo wouldn’t stand out at Arsenal’”
Deliberately misrepresenting the other posters opinion with no other intention than provocation. There’s no profound command of the English necessary to see that, it’s blindingly obvious to everyone. Intellectually dishonest at best, downright stupid at the worst. After that, the inevitable condescending “advice” on how to behave, what to do, and so on. You’ll most certainly get a like from Trion, though. Mission accomplished.
What other top club has so much limited players like we do? It’s said Bayern, Real and Barcelona dominate games because they have proper footballers at dm, but how about the fact those three clubs possess players at 1 through 11 who are better than anything their opponent puts on the pitch? And dominate games by the fact they are so much better teams overall? Not just because they have a ‘baller’ on dm?
I’ve much rather have a limited player like Coquelin than Alex Song, who provides 13 assists, but is so ill-disciplined. Sure there are players out there who can do both. But, like I said, Coquelin is not the first priority when it comes to playing better football, when there are so much limitations upfront.
Again, it certainly isn’t a case of one or the other, but I do find it curious why you continually suggest that finding more useful players on the wings/attack in build-up (when we have 2, arguably 3 with Iwobi) is a priority over doing so in midfield, when because of the nature of football in general a central midfielder has more influence on the build-up play than a winger/attacker. To sum up: I agree with you that we need better options in attack, but I am puzzled by your de-emphasis on central midfield.
@CunningLinguist thanks for doing that work for me, genuinely appreciated.
I understand the sentiment, however @Burgundy made the key point, in my opinion. A good defense - much more so than a good attack (which can always rely on top players like Messi, Ronaldo, Suarez, Neymar to make something happen) - relies on the collective. Iniesta and Xavi, for example, were always tiny guys, who didn’t tackle a lot, couldn’t win headers or outmuscle opponents, because of their physical attributes. I don’t think anyone would call them outstanding defenders as individuals. Add team tactics, however, and they were hardly allowing opponents to breathe making Barca one of the best defensive teams of all time.
Bayern under Guardiola did not concede the fewest goals and fewest shots by some distance, because they were individually better (they were, of course), but because their defensive organisation allowed them to win the ball back immediately. They played with Lahm, Alonso and Kroos in midfield, all of whom are way down on the lower end of the athleticism scale.
What I’m trying to say is, you can much more easily compensate for a midfielder’s lack of pace, stamina and athleticism on the defensive end of the midfield by organising a team well, than by somehow finding ways to alleviate deficiencies in passing, decision making and pressing resistence when you’re in possession.
I will - no doubt - soon be called a fanboy, and a hipster by association. 
Yeh, I would say that post above is rather eloquently put too, but they’d probably give you the infamous title of AC idol if I did. From which you just know Burgundy is suffering in silence.