*Official* English Football Season 2014-15

[Furball]

His lack of defensive workrate and discipline centrally also increases the load on those behind and particularly a DM.

Though it comes more down to how well Arteta, midfield and the defense can cover more than anything as others have said.

Complete myth.

 

[Uppercut]

Nah it really isn't. He does nothing defensively, nor should he, because he's at his best when finding space to receive the ball when his team wins it back.

The diamond idea isn't a bad one but they would need Debuchy back first because otherwise they'll lack width down the right.

 

[CarlsbergXpress]

Okay, onlinearsenal is full of children and Arsenal-Mania full of wankers. Not worth bothering.

You another gooner Carlsberg?

Nah, wifey is though. I'm letting her watch football now the cricket season is nearly over

I'm another southern Man Utd fan so it's nice to see some cl football anyway!

 

[Furball]

Who the **** thought selling Kroos and signing Alonso was a good idea?

 

[Furball]

Nah it really isn't. He does nothing defensively, nor should he, because he's at his best when finding space to receive the ball when his team wins it back.

He doesn't have a lot of defensive ability, but that's entirely different from saying he lacks discipline or has poor workrate.

 

[Uppercut]

I guess so. Sort of hard to say whether he fails to track runners because his sense of positioning isn't great or it's a low work rate. Or maybe, as I alluded to, it's tactical.

 

[Cabinet96]

Look at the way Bayern completely change formation and player roles so seamlessly in the middle of a match. Start with Alaba at CB, then finish the first half with him being the chief threat going forward basically as a number 10.

Compare that with Arsenal who try to play away at Dortmund the same way they would Crystal Palace at home.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Who the **** thought selling Kroos and signing Alonso was a good idea?

Tbf selling Alonso and signing Kroos wasn't a very smart move (short term at least) in Real Madrid's shoes.

 

[Cabinet96]

Also, imagine how good Arsenal would be if they had Rudi Garcia Gervinho and Madrid Özil.

 

[Cabinet96]

Tbf selling Alonso and signing Kroos wasn't a very smart move (short term at least) in Real Madrid's shoes.

Yeah, I didn't think it suited either. Real sold their only holder their willing to start, whereas Bayern already had a wealth of players who could do the role (albeit it with injuries at the moment their options are slightly restricted). But from what I've heard Pep didn't want to sell Kroos.

 

[Jarquis]

Sledger's said a lot of good stuff but there's a reason we tried binning Podolski over the summer before Giroud got injured.

Loads of blokes on Twitter asking for the diamond with Wilshere behind Ramsey and AOC as the deepest three. Proper 'score one more than you'

 

[Cabinet96]

Sledger's said a lot of good stuff but there's a reason we tried binning Podolski over the summer before Giroud got injured.

Loads of blokes on Twitter asking for the diamond with Wilshere behind Ramsey and AOC as the deepest three. Proper 'score one more than you'

Wait, what? Tbf, if England can do it with Wilshere...

 

[Tom Halsey]

Yeah, I didn't think it suited either. Real sold their only holder their willing to start, whereas Bayern already had a wealth of players who could do the role (albeit it with injuries at the moment their options are slightly restricted). But from what I've heard Pep didn't want to sell Kroos.

It was silly in the extreme. Kroos is obviously a good player but a) has been quite a lot less convincing in the more reserved midfield position he's occupied in the last year or so than the more advanced role he played before, and b) related to that isn't a ball-winner. Alonso is a worse player now but solves both problems. Basically I don't think selling Alonso and signing Kroos has improved them at all - in fact completely the opposite. Same with James, who obviously doesn't fit into a 4-3-3. They could change back to the 4-2-3-1 that they played at the start of last season (they did this vs Atletico) but it didn't work then and now with the holding midfielders being Modric and Kroos, the most similar midfielders you could find pretty much with the same weaknesses, it is an absolute recipe for disaster.

I wasn't that excited about United signing Kroos when it was in the media for these reasons.

 

[Pothas]

Kroos only left because of wage demands didn't he?

Think Alonso is a perfectly sensible buy from Bayern, he was poor in the World Cup but he was still excellent for Real last season.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

**** off Bayern. So sick of the sight of them.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Kroos only left because of wage demands didn't he?

Think Alonso is a perfectly sensible buy from Bayern, he was poor in the World Cup but he was still excellent for Real last season.

Yeah but that's the point. I am saying it was silly to let him go from Real Madrid's point of view.

 

[Cabinet96]

Kroos is best as a 10, but he's not particularly glamorous in that role. Kroos should've been signed as back up to Di Maria and Modric in Real's 4-3-3 and James shouldn't have been signed at all

Alonso isn't the player he was but he's still a good holder for most average league sides. Not sure he should start against the likes of Dortmund and Leverkusen though.

 

[Furball]

It was silly in the extreme. Kroos is obviously a good player but a) has been quite a lot less convincing in the more reserved midfield position he's occupied in the last year or so than the more advanced role he played before, and b) related to that isn't a ball-winner. Alonso is a worse player now but solves both problems. Basically I don't think selling Alonso and signing Kroos has improved them at all - in fact completely the opposite. Same with James, who obviously doesn't fit into a 4-3-3. They could change back to the 4-2-3-1 that they played at the start of last season (they did this vs Atletico) but it didn't work then and now with the holding midfielders being Modric and Kroos, the most similar midfielders you could find pretty much with the same weaknesses, it is an absolute recipe for disaster.

I wasn't that excited about United signing Kroos when it was in the media for these reasons.

He played with Schweinsteiger as a 2 man midfield on the run to the 2012/13 Champions League final.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Any of our lower league visitors know whether their club is well accessible for wheelchair users? Asking for a friend (no rly)

 

[Pothas]

Yeah but that's the point. I am saying it was silly to let him go from Real Madrid's point of view.

Yeah was not disagreeing with you at all.