Today, in The Independent, and yesterday in The Telegraph they wrote that Arsenal have their best squad in 10 years. I would often disagree with the Torygraph’s line on all things related to Arsenal, but not this time.
We must have lost count nearly of how many times the club have had to rebuild the team since the end of the Invincible’s era. 3 captains gone in the last 4 years alone, yada yada. The Boss banked on a golden future of Cesc, Eduardo and Nasri, then on to Arshavin, JvC and Song. Instead we became a feeder club to City and Barcelona as greed and impatience festered in the ranks.
Despite all of these set backs, we have gradually built back up the quality of the squad; I think the signing of Santi Cazorla was the point where the fightback began. Arteta, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ramsey, Mertesacker, Podolski and Giroud have been acquired around the same time. Only the hardcore loonies can still remain adamant that Arsenal had spare funds between 2008 – 2012 for more player purchases and higher wages to splash out on the very best available quality. Ironically they use vaguely quoted statements to support their arguments against Arsene Wenger and the board. Bottom line – the Club didn’t have enough money.
What Arsenal haven’t been able to do until recently is developed significant strength in depth in the squad. As an example in the 2006-07 season Senderos made 25 appearances, Hoyte 26 and Traore 7. In the 2009-10 season Silvestre made 16 appearances, Eastmond 5 and Merida 4. Even in ’11-’12 we had players like Santos, Park and Chamakh filling out the squad. There was clearly too much secondary quality in the overall squad to be sustainable or truly competitive. Even with these grade of players, Arsenal were caught in a bind over wages to players who could threaten to get far more elsewhere from more recklessly spending clubs.
In the excellent book, The Numbers Game by Chris Anderson & David Sally* they have clearly demonstrated that the biggest improvements to a team’s performance over a football season comes from raising the standards of the average journeymen in the squad, rather than squeezing a few minor percentiles of perfection out of the top rated players, i.e. for every minor coaching tweak to get more assists or goal scoring from the likes of an Ozil, – time and effort could be better spent trying to improve someone like the Squid’s defensive performances or whoever the boo boys think is this year’s Squid. (Gervinho, Jenkinson, Park, Nacho, Coquelain, – even Jack has been getting some stick this summer).
The book back’s-up this incredible assertion that making upgrades on the weakest links in the squad gives a higher boost to the overall team’s league performances with some impressively hard data from many many EPL club games over several seasons, and further research from La Liga, Serie A, and Bundesliga. The data doesn’t lie. What is recommended is that the B team players should be of the best calibre we can get – either through in-club coaching to get the best out of the existing players (and Arsene Wenger has turned coal into diamonds many times) or by getting upgrades. Improving the B team results in improving the club’s overall performances. Fact.
The bringing through of more academy produced players has been tortuous – few have been able to survive at Premier League altitude: Serge Gnabry shows immense promise – but I also had high hopes for Eisfeld. I genuinely doubt Zelalem has the physique to challenge in EPL games, although reports on Dan Crowley’s progress are encouraging. It has been really unfortunate that for the last couple of season’s we haven’t had enough opportunities with extended cup-runs against lower league opposition to try out more of the youngsters more often. In fact I think the fans put so-much pressure on Wenger to end the trophy drought we haven’t been able to use the Cup games the way we used to. (remember when the fans were complaining about Arsene Wenger not taking them seriously enough?). The unfortunate consequence is that we have not had enough chances to show where the true talent is in the academy squad. Talent alone is often not enough for many, anyway.
So what is the bottom line?
First XI – Szczesny; Gibbs, Mertesacker, Kos, Debuchy; Arteta, Ramsey; Cazorla, Ozil, Alexis; Giroud
Second XI – Ospina; Monreal, AN Other(?), Chambers, Bellerin(?); Flamini, Wilshere; Podolski, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott; Sanogo
Extra Squad Players: Rosicky, Campbell, Gnabry, Diaby (players probably out on loan/sold would be Coquelin and Miyaichi)
It would appear that yet again Arsene Wenger has built a squad with a good age profile, skills and appetite for winning to serve Arsenal for years to come, I would also suggest that we are not likely to get in any players who would push anyone out of the First XI on a regular basis, so I can’t see the likes Khedira or Hummels willing to sit on a bench for 30 or so games in a season. We are never ever going to pay the crazy wages that the likes of the greedy Oligarchs can afford – so forget about the likes of Falcao or Cavani. There are potentially some natural slots in the squad for replacements coming up by next season because Arteta and Rosicky can’t play-on forever and the BFG’s pace will eventually recede to continental drift levels.
If the Club could find a midfielder of Gilberto or Edu’s standard – I would be as happy as Larry, but I don’t see many of those around. I don’t really believe in a team that play like Arsenal having the need to use a pure defensive midfielder anymore – in fact I think it weakens our normal 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 formations – It is far better to have a more balanced and creative player [Arteta] in the middle of the park – but if he can tackle like a shithouse then that would be all the better. In the meantime I would say speed of thought is more important than brawn.
Ivan and the back-room wonks have been doing their job, thankfully more quietly and out of the public eye for a change, so no more silly boasts about spending money to please the baying mob – just concentrating on getting the sponsors money in and planning the investments wisely. That’s a lot better than can be said of our main domestic rivals; or Tottenham. September’s annual accounts shall be interesting reading – I expect Arsenal may be even richer these days than we think and more superstars will be on their way to N5 – Next Summer. In the meantime we can sit back and watch AOC developing into our next superstar this season, and let Gibbs continue to be the best LB in the league not to get picked for England.
The final line? – Arsene Wenger knows better than anyone how to select a squad for the club for the long term especially now we have the resources to avoid the weaker calibre of players, and our long term future is looking very rosy indeed.
*The Numbers Game: Why everything ou know about football is wrong, by Chris Anderson and David Sally
This post was submitted by Double Canister on Tuesday evening and follows neatly on from yesterday’s post.
Positively Arsenal 
I think the CDM issue is interesting. We clearly need a proper CDM to enter the elite clubs and dominate for a period of time. However, looking at last season, a more careful approach to four games would have made a massive difference on the season.
Therefore, I think we can challenge without the CDM, however, long-term, to enter the true elite and compete at the highest level it is a must buy position.
LikeLike
Sorry but by the end of the season reality will kick in. They are not defensively strong enough. The present defence needs a sitting defensive midfielder and obviously another good CB, like William Carvalho or some other dedicated DM. Time will show the truth and by the end of the season you will be admitting you are wrong. We need a DM.
LikeLike
This just has to be read http://www.justarsenal.com/an-analysis-of-why-arsenal-should-appreciate-mikel-arteta-more/34530
LikeLike
Excellent piece DC and I have downloaded the recommended text to the Kindle for a bargain price of £3.49.
On the topic of acronyms as I have said for a very long time the CDM is dead, long past, what football clubs employ nowadays are TFM. That is total footballing midfielders, who can defend, attack, tackle, read the game, hit a mean dead ball and generally get in the referee’s ear. The days of the one dimensional one directional Makele Jon Obi Mikel Nigel de Jong Gareth Barry Lorik Cana Melo are long gone.
What the modern midfielder requires is a bottomless reserve of energy , to contribute from goal line to goal line.
If you have TFMs for have 4CDM’s, 4 CAM, 4 MMM (or whatever this weeks acronym is)
LikeLike
An excellent read DC. I think you have convinced me….
Also, I totally agree with anicoll5 @10:37
Now back to work…
LikeLike
PG
I had to read the article you referenced above. What amazed me was despite the impressive evidence provided, that overall Arteta was the best midfielder last season, almost all the comments posted ignored it. They still want a defensive midfield beast!
LikeLike
Good stuff DC.
So. The consensus amongst the petty plunditry, the not so great and the not very good is that until Arsenal buy or write a new D**M, they are D**Med? Like Cana? Or Inler?
Might as well pack up now then.
LikeLike
Abu Dhabi’s Fernando looked the the player who could save Arsenal’s season?
Or, maybe not *coughs* Hey, at least Special Agent Mendes is happy.
I’d rather see Hayden chucked in there!
–
In the interview on the .com Arteta talks about all this. And he says that he’s looked at his stats and compared them with players playing similar roles at all the top clubs, just like we have. And he is happy with his progress! As he should be.
This bit may be controversial for some but the it’s fair to say that Aretea has shown better form then players who were the Spanish squad, though one or two have had injuries over that period, like that overpriced useless tat who plays for Abu Dhabi, Garcia or something. Simple truth of the matter is that the venerable Marquis made a mistake to not include the in form (relative to some of his other players) trophy winning skipper in his World Cup squad. As an Arsenal an I’m not complaining, but he should’ve been in the squad.
LikeLike
Brilliant DC. The qualitative improvement in our squad is palpable since the fatal blow to project youth when Cesc and Nasri fucked-off in 2011 followed by Van Prick the following year. The majority of pundits simply discount this fact. Perhaps the most important point in your blog is the improvement to our 2nd XI. These days it is hard for me to predict our 1st XI. In fact, given that 4-1-4 formation vs City, I am completely uncertain as to how Wenger will deploy Ozil this season; whether as a traditional #10 or operating from a wide-left position as he did for Germany.
Fins: Thanks for reminding us of that fabled D**M debate back in the day. 3-4 years later it is as if we are in a twilight zone. People arguing for a monster DM; it is as if football has stood still in the past 4 or 5 years. Many of us need reminding that arguably the most successful English football team, Man United, won multiple trophies over the past 5 years with Carrick as their deepest lying midfielder who is not the fastest or the most physical. His main attributes, I daresay, are closer to Mikel Arteta’s.
Anyway in a few days we will start seeing the proof in the pudding.
LikeLike
Puddings?
Football?
Alright then:
Alan Partdrige’s plunditry is not that bad when compared with BT and Michael Owen, the unqualified success (that’d be failure then) that promoted Phil Neville at the bleedin’ Bleeb, Stewart “I’m not bitter” Robson. The “Banter” off NewsCorp. Such a long list! Plunditry so bad and insincere that satire that is now fifteen years old makes me think that the plunditry back then must have been better then it is now!
Steve Coogan is a bloomin’ genius. Or a prophet. Or, the plunditry that we are subjected to, that people regurgitate, including all the idiots talking about D**Mers it is only worthy of ridicule. One of the three.
LikeLike
El Capitano speaks http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20140813/arteta-we-want-to-set-an-early-marker
LikeLike
I know what kind of player would satisfy the people who want a CDM to sit in front of the defence and sort shit out. One, he has to cost a small fortune. Two, he must be African or born in Europe to African parents. Three, he has to have looked like the dog’s playing against inferior opposition in a league like Portugal’s. Buy a player like that and football illiterates like Piers Morgan will calm down for a few weeks.
As far as our defence, we are right up there with every other big team as far as cover is concerned. Chelsea may have bought Kurt Zouma and City may have bought Eliaquim Mangala, but they’re both really young and haven’t played in any of the big three leagues. On top of that, they each have a thirty three year old in their ranks and will have to rely on one of their youngsters.
LikeLike
Thanks for your compliments folks.
I think in the Baclay’s Premier League the teams with the strongest attacks generally do the best. City and ‘Pools GD last season was much stronger than Arsenal’s even though their defence were worse or just as bad. Neither they or Man United have one of these fabled Big Defensive Mids people insist Arsenal need. Yaya is not one. Stevie will never be one – and as George noted – Carrick is a bit like a less talented Arteta. The season before, the GD and GA of top 4 were also in the same trend.
I can assure you all that Arsenal’s defensive record has improved vastly since we sold Song and didn’t replace him with a DM, our only drawback compared to the main domestic rivals for the last 2 years has been in scoring enough goals to make games perfectly safe when we dominate. I would put part of that down to key injuries, and some down to a lack of self-confidence in the team.
Chelsea are the team that are at variance to this trend and rely on a much stronger defensive system – but they will never be able to score their way out of trouble if they went a few goals down, as was shown in the UCL.
In Europe the real elite clubs are Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, Baca, Atletico and Dortmund second to these. I don’t see any Brick-Wall type players in any of these teams – plenty of goal threats is the more common theme.
LikeLike
If I was being bitter,(which of course I always am) I would say that the real “Defensive Mid” Arsenal always have to play against in England and Abroad is the fecking bastard in black who constantly disrupt our good attacking work and lets the opposition reek merry hell with their boots on our players.
LikeLike
That our defensive record has improved since Arteta was moved to the CDM spot will not satisfy the football illiterates. They want their big, bad CDM like a baby wants their teddy bear. To them, it doesn’t matter that this type of player doesn’t fit our tactics and may be expensive as shit. How can you put a price on feeling like daddy is holding your hand?
LikeLike
I love how the pundits have decided that Chelsea will win the league based on their pre-season form. Us, despite having beat the Champions in the most official of all friendlies, we’re going to get dumped out of the top four by Everton, Liverpool, Man U or Spurs because Lukaku.
LikeLike
If we have switched to a 4-1-4-1 as it seems we might have (too early to say for sure) then our new captain is just the man for the job in front of the defence,we do need a centre half for sure,but I’m well happy going into this season- I expect Ozil & Santi to fill their boots and as my DC says-the Ox is gonna be a superstar just like Rambo and Alexis.
LikeLike
There have only been a handful of Water Carriers that I can recall in the last twenty years:
Dunga – With Mauro Silva as the CM? Not sure as it was so long ago.
Deschamps – The original water carrier extraordinaire.
Makelele
Gilberto Silva
Mascherano is a definite throwback- one who was passing the ball beautifully at the recent WC!
Can’t think of many more worth remembering. Any others? I don’t think Carlton Palmer made the list. But I’ll be happy to add as a minor member Nicky Butt (Pele’s quotes haha!), for fun, he had a couple of ok seasons before Utd evolved into a team with Carrick running CM – Carrick, who never got a decent run in the England team. Passing the football? Fuck that bollocks, said the FA.
Those games with Makelele and Silva were as close as football gets to chess, awesome stuff. But as per the list of clubs above, I haven’t seen that many players who play that type of role. Even the rare CM/CB type that I can think of, Javier Martinez, he’s not the same to my untutored eye when he plays in midfield.
The player who benefitted the most from Song leaving was obviously Ramsey. Arteta and Song had a good partnership, Arsenal didn’t lose many games when they played in CM together. But even then Arteta was the ‘holding midfielder’, as he says in the interview above: For the last three seasons.
Football moved into a world populated by the likes of Alonso, Schweiny and Busquets some time ago. They count as Midfield Generals for me, how could anyone watching the WC final disagree?
The infamous 1-1 at Newcastle was achieved when Chamberlain came on for the injured Arteta, a CM pairing of Ramsey and Chamberlain saw the Arsenal through that exceptionally crucial moment. And here we are today! Özil, Sanchez and all the rest on the back of that CM pairing that day. Sweet, isn’t it?
Chamberlain. Who then went on last summer to dance his way past the then new Tottenham CM, the hilariously expensive and lame Paulinho, Hernanes too (who is better then the spud), and score a beauty. From CM. Happy to guess that Chamberlain will play on the flanks until he gets his full fitness back at least. Can’t wait to see a front three of Chamberlain-Sanchez-Walcott, we won’t see it every game but hopefully a few times. Please Mr. Wenger? I hope he is listening. Fortunately someone at Pravda.com must’ve read my complaints about Rosicky not getting enough minutes (in CM) and so the club pulled out the Khedira bid. What were they thinking?
It will be interesting to see where Chamberlain plays later in the season.
LikeLike
Flamini was a water carrier before he went to Milan. In that one season he was extraordinary. De Jong is another one who played exceptionally well at City.
Yeah, Fin, ever since Barcelona taught the world how possession is the best form of defence, one has to question why any team would sacrifice a creative midfielder for a destroyer type. Even Brenda was able to use Gerrard as a CM and still beat bigger teams.
LikeLike
Thanks Gains. How could I forget the younger scuttling Flamster!
LikeLike
Extraordinary stories tonight about Tony Pulis having a big fall out with the Palace board and on the verge of putting his resignation in before Saturday.
Football eh ?
LikeLike
O have wanted AW to sign a tall, rangy central midfielder for a couple of seasons now.
The fact that my choice was Etiene “Kapow!” Capuoe should tell you all you need to know about me and my amazing football brainz…
LikeLike
The guy who runs the Bundesliga said a shit storm would break out if they charged their fans what they charge fans in England. How come the Greed is God philosophy works in England, but not in Germany?
LikeLike
According to the Guardian, Spuds haven’t made many purchases this off season because they’re looking for stability. Hahahahaha! They haven’t made any purchases because they flushed one hundred million euro down the toilet last season.
LikeLike
Gains 6:40pm
Excellent point!
you have it in a nutshell – why do we need a DM when we have possession of the ball?
LikeLike
great post, I agree withh 99.9% of the post except senderous when playing regular was actually a good player.
The double pivot system means you do need four players in the squad who can cover the dm position however they still must be techniquely excellent to be in our system and not just the old fashioned destroyer.
LikeLike
So farewell Tony
Pulis
Goodbye
Yes
LikeLike
has he actually gone, i thought they were still in crisis talks
LikeLike
The resignation of Mr Anthony Richard Pulis from his position of first team manager of Crystal Palace Football Club (London SW) has been announced by the BBC Home Service tonight.
I sense the crisis talks have resolved.
LikeLike
I suspect Pulis is lining himself up for a shrewd run at the WHL job come, say, October. The Ammers maybe as a second choice even sooner.
A rogue but I admire his front to go for a step up.
LikeLike
He didn’t want to stick around and witness Wenger give one of his teams a true shellacking on Saturday.
.
LikeLike
Would I be excessively suspicious to imagine Tone may even have been gently tapped up by the pornographers already ?
Perish the thought
LikeLike
Pull is said at the charity shield he had a plan to deal with ARSENAL well now we know get himself sacked
LikeLike
Best news I heard all day. Tony will not be in the changing room telling his players to kick the shit out of Arsenal come opening day.
LikeLike
“Best news I heard all day. Tony will not be in the changing room telling his players to kick the shit out of Arsenal come opening day.”
Unfortunately that idiot with the 1960s haircut (Gerry Francis) will.
LikeLike
Great post DC
LikeLike
Sp*d crash @Ars:
http://www.epictv.com/media/podcast/how-to-eat-sht-and-break-your-arm-%7C-epictv-choice-cuts/600248?header_b=1
LikeLike
Arsene presser coming up on ssn
LikeLike
I think that is a routine pre-match Presser A_or_B
Unless Wenger pulls open the curtain to reveal Hummels, Howedes, Carvaleo, Khedira and Cavani.
LikeLike
Anyone up for writing tomorrows preview?
LikeLike
Arsene Wenger: “What is a big signing? For you, it’s the size of the fee. For me it’s the quality of the player.”
You tell them Boss !
LikeLike
Germans availiable for everton hopefully
LikeLike
I dont want a beast or a destroyer. I want a personality equal to the schweinsteigers of this world for the games that decide big trophies. Whether we like it or not, the position requires a ‘warrior’ type.
LikeLike
Pulis may be gone but the plan for Arsenal is intact. It will be the good old 4-5-1. The only difference is that Tony instils belief. Caretaker Millen and Gerry Francis can’t/won’t.
PS: Poor old Tony wanted to spend boatloads of money like he did at Stoke. He thought the general manager was Peyton, not Parish.
LikeLike
“warrior type” for a season or technical tackler for the long term? Everybody is saying we need a destroyer to take the weight of responsability off Arteta and for a final push ths season I partially agree although isnt this the ox’s final position joining Jack and Aaron in the red and white triumpharent. Arsene has always, even in the first ten years, resisted buying too many players and so the idea another three are coming in is surely ridiculas. A second BFG would be exciting but im not 100% sure a carvalo type might be better if annyone at all. To be honest I think I’d be happy with the greek lad and then reasses the squad at christmas when we know how each department is copeing. As people have been commenting on here for a while now the game is evolving and im not sure the warrior type will survive
LikeLike
Well im not everyone..heh.. i just want a personality big enough to take care of barcas bayerns madrids and that awful lot at the bridge. I dont see arteta or flam as strong enough characters to impose our game on these 4-5 squads that we will have to eliminate/beat to land the big one. Yes im thinking champions league. The epl can be won even without being the best, just consistent. The cl though…… thats were tactics and stats go down the toilet and it becomes a matter of character. Without aarons energy our midfield struggles and when mikel was asked to hold the fort last year …the less said the better…lol..
LikeLike
Finals and trophy deciding games are all about the stamina and soul of your leaders. At this level where they are all more or less equal technically its all about the personality. You can ask popovic/obradovic or any big coach of any big sport. Ginobili vs le bron james……..
LikeLike
Hunter, ‘warriors’ we have aplenty – but a brain behind the brawn is important.
LikeLike
I have had the probably dubious distinction is watching most if not all of Pulis’ visits to the Emirates with Stoke as well as the Palace game last season. In spite of the expectation that Stoke or Palace would put up some sort of battling performance and/or kick the shit out of us that never happened, as far as I recall.
Stoke always arrived sightly overawed and the height of their ambition was to get away with a point, very similar to the approach of Palace last year where they clung on for the first half then conceded from the second half kick off. Ox’s second settled it comfortably and both sides played out the final 20 minutes in neutral.
Pulis’ tactics, such as Stoke or Palace ever had any, where to stick a “big lad” up front (Crouch, Jerome, Chamakh etc) and hope to get a chance on the break or through a dead ball kick and I would be truly stunned if their approach is any different tomorrow.
To be fair to Pulis on two fronts – First, in spite of a lot of Arsenal fans wanting Stoke to sustain a savage beating at the Ems because of Aaron Stoke generally kept the defeats respectable, and saved all their own fire for the game in the Potteries. At the Ems they would cling on for an hour, then fold up and settle for 1-2-nil.
Second, I read this morning about the alleged dispute between Pulis and the Palace board on the transfer targets and spending by the South London club this Summer. Apparently in total Palace have spent £2.5million. A couple of decent free agents have come in but other targets have gone elsewhere, even to Champinonship clubs rather than the PL Palace. I don’t recall Pulis being particularly wasteful in his spending at Stoke and his achievement with the players he inherited at Selhurst Park this year was highly creditable. If I were the PL Manager of the Season, as Pulis’ fellow managers declared him in May, I suspect I would be a little pissed off at the parsimony too.
LikeLike
Aaron is sometimes played in the double pivot and he is a massive personallity very much in the swinestiger mould (yeah i know thats not the corrrect spellling)
LikeLike