Vermaelen – Arsenal can score without Van Persie (and Arshavin is a tool!)
After Arsenal’s 0-0 draw with Marseille at the Emirates this week, many fans and pundits questioned whether Arsenal are a “one-man team” and can’t get goals in Robin Van Persie isn’t playing.
But Thomas Vermaelen, who kept a tight defence on his return to the team, believes that Arsenal have more than enough firepower if Van Persie needs a rest. He said: “It is a fact that Robin is a world-class player and an amazing striker,”
“But he can’t play every game, we have a big squad and we have enough strikers to fit in in his place. I think there are goals in the team, away from Robin. We have enough players who can decide a game like Gervinho, who is very quick.
“We created enough chances without Robin against Marseille and Andrey can decide a goal, also. So we are confident that we can create and make goals without Robin.”
Arshavin himself admitted that he has never shown the same form at Arsenal that made him into such a big star in Russia, and considers himself to be simply a “tool” for the Gunners. He said: “Speaking honestly, I think my performances for Arsenal have been average,”
“I’ve done some good things but I don’t assess my game on goals or assists – I look at the whole picture. Normally when I’m on the pitch, I take control of a game but I haven’t really done that here. I’m an extra tool in the team rather than the main one, so it’s been different.”
Arshavin had an explosive start to his career in England, but now there are not many Arsenal fans that would disagree with his assessment!
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Arshavin is not a front stricker he has never been,Ramsey plays behind the stricker where i think is natural position for Arshavin but he has been lazy recently so we beter continue play Ramsey. We need another Van Persie to continue his work when he is resting on bench or injured,maybe in January we may have that. Park still needs some games to improve.
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I’d be ecstatic if Arshavin played for Arsenal the way his did for Russia. I’d like to see him in thy role when Ramsey needs a rest. AA23 will play a little farther up the field than ram so he’ll have to lose his laziness and get back on D. Verm’s dope. I hope he’ll reopen his account against WBA
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To be fair to Walcott he`s managing to get in some half decent crosses ,just need a little adjustment to get them away from the keeper. What ever formation Arsene decides on is his affair, he`s the boss but we need bodies in the box and we`re not getting them hence wasted chances. Eduardo and Vela to me were `fox in the box` types but, for one reason or another ,never got the chance to prove it. I`m not a fan of the `lone striker` approach but if that is the way we are going to play let`s have a feeder like Asharvin behind him. Myself I`d play RVP and Parks together with Andre right behind them.
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Funny how quickly people judge a player like Park. He has played very few games for us and has already scored goals. He has one bad game and all of a sudden he isn’t that good. How many games has RvP played where he didn’t do a thing? I can think of plenty last season. So we should give Park a chance as I think he is far better than Chamakh.
It’s difficult because when RvP needs a rest, Park is the only decent sub. It would be nice if we had that bit of depth to play the two together, Park just behind RvP as a support/long range striker. Perhaps in Jan Wenger needs to sell Chamakh and splash out on another world class clinical striker. If you look at a team like United, they have Rooney, Hernandez, Berbatov. All killer strikers.
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vermaelen are you very sure we have strikers “who can replace” van persie ???? still,love vermaelen’s postive attitude though……..
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I think all is well without Rvp on the pitch, games do change and hard some time, although we have a great previledge and chances due to the match against masseille but park is also very good and his game is intelligence where you can see that in the carling cup match a week or two weeks ago, he scored one. Considered the first match against masseille where Rvp did not have a goal if not for ramsey. So all am saying is that arsenal get a better squared but Rvp way of played/intelligence may pass the rest striker. Up Gunners.
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It seems Arshavin has just exposed the real reason for his poor form since joining arsenal.
The fact that he’s not the main tool in the club like it has been at his other clubs is the real issue.
Being an extra tool is no good for his ego, so in return rather than working hard and being a team player we get the lazy lack lustre character instead.
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You know press and pundit always have things to say about arsenal. It is their way. It does mean that you will score, win in every game you play.
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J.lo,did u notice ur 2 suggested squad’s are 12 players each?….lol.
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yeah a tool. but which tool? can you use a spoon to move a lorry full of ballast?- call a spade a spade.hunting for goals has never been a bedroom affair leave alone combing your hair. strikers have special features in them that other players don’t. they decide matches and condemn opposition we are talking of a world class player RVP. he is irreplaceable and weird character. it has taken long for him to be there and he is now a lust for the rest of clubs in Europe. but arsenals attacking football will produce another world class striker from ashes. wenger knows how to do it, better than wishing his wife a happy birthday. with oxlade on form and ryo’s star rising from the horizon and podoskis rumours. i am optimistic that the struggle of the first eleven will push chamach, arshavin, walcott and gervinho to the drawing table or else they will be the first ones to book tickets out of england. but for now ,RVP is more than life- pay him 250k.
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we bought Chamakh who is good with his head but we dot play a crossing game.
We have a go at Walcott for not getting the ball in the box but again we do not play a crossing game and even worse is that the guy is not even a winger he is a striker for gods sake
Arshavin has shown that he is great when he is played in his position.
Just to summarise when AW starts playing them in the positions they were playing before they came to us we will get the results.
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i only hope most of you guys would appreciate the industry of ROSICKY, ARSHAVIN,and BENAYOUNE (EXPERIENCE) and i hope they all stay longer to help out with the emerging youths
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@Gooner frm 9ja
owh soryy mybad..lamee haha..do u read it carefuly?ur eyes is bluur right?? it is 11 player. .with an option or! do u see this symbol / ?? do u need sumone to teach u to count?? sory again dude..mybaad!! haha
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@J.Lo I haven’t read the previous affair between yourself and Goon frm 9ja but to be frank, I have no bloody clue what you are trying to say. I’m not saying you’re stupid but I don’t believe Gooner’s eyes are blurry, he just can’t read that mess you formed.
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what mess do i formed dude??cn u read ds lineup crefulyy
szc
jenkinson-mert-tv5-santos
arteta – song OR coquelin
ramsey OR rosicky
walcot- -gervinho
park
stil is it that stupid?is that 12 player?do u love him so much??im sory f nobody agrees with my opinion..im jst gving one..dnt agree jst unlike it..satisfy?? pathetic..
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perhaps vermaelen shud b in that central role ..jstkding..okay?am jst kidink..dnt tke it sriouslyy
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Arshavin should be playing behind the striker, it is his natural position. However, the reason Ramsey plays there is because he is more industrious in defence.
Arsenal has played a style of football for a number of years now where we stack the midfield. This is not only an advantage on attack where we have the extra man, allowing us to pass our way through other sides due to superior numbers, but more importantly it allows us to congest the midfield with bodies when we don’t have the ball. This being the case, an ideal situation would have an attacking midfielder who can easily switch to a more industrious mid that can win the ball back and continue to grind the opposition down through passing or quick counter attacks down the wings.
I like the idea of Arshavin behind the striker, he has silky skills, can pick passes of the highest quality, and can pick up goals in and around the box which will always happen if he plays in that position, as he doesn’t have to dribble inside all the time, which is always tough, even for specialist wingers which he is not. But what he gives on attack is unfortunately not sufficient enough to cover for his low work rate when on defence considering the make-up of the team.
As Arsenal is based around our midfield (it’s noted all teams are, but Arsenal is esp.) and with such a fragile back four, seemingly at least, we need workers who can pass well (or vice versa, whatever): Ramsey fits that bill, he works his socks off and his passing is improving; Wilshere can also play there, no one will disagree that he’s a hard worker and future pass-master, whilst Arteta is the calming influence, and Song is the man to put in the tough tackles when we concede possession.
Arshavin can and should be played in the hole, but only in games against weaker opposition or in situations where we can dominate possession comfortably without having to exert too much energy trying to win the ball back. We’ll probably see more of the Russian in this role in the CC, provided we beat shitty, the early rounds of the FA cup, and against lower teams, providing we can afford to do so.
I hope he stays at the Emirates, after all he probably has a positive effect on the youngsters in training, and he still has the ability to pull something from nothing. Inconsistent yes, not good enough for the Arsenal shirt? no. The little Russian still has much to offer.
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@ J.Lo I think what people are trying to say is they would appreciate your punctuation and spacing to be better. Also your excessive use of abbreviations and cphone txting is annyin n the I’s. See?
Personally when I see text like that I just skip it. No offense
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I’m sorry, but Arshavin could be one of the best players in the Barclays Premier League if he was a deployed as a focal point. Play him just behind the striker as a key player, even just for a month and guaranteed that his form will pick up.
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Fuck british media…they have always to say something…arsenal a van persi team…now we are winning they must find something to say…put van persi alone on the pitch and we ll see…vanpersisor is an arsenal player…so what is their problem?
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Well, Arshavin has said the exact truth about his performances. He really needs to step up his tempo.
Guys, I really do think RVP might get stressed out if he is always relied upon as Arsenal’s sole striker (he’s just too good). It’s a shame I don’t think we have good replacements for him — he has to keep working, we need goals.
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Okay, so Arshavins been lazy and not been his old self at all this season and fair enough really, also people said he had an incredibly poor season last year, but stats suggested he was one of arsenals main men for assists last year and does a certain goal against barca ring any bells? HE WILL COME GOOD IF WE GIVE HIM THE RIGHT CHANCE.:D
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@big gun
okay okay mybad..soryy then..
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