100% Xhaka vs Havertz it’s an immediate upgrade he’s better at creating and taking opportunities, that being said I think Zinchenko missing at the start of the season, White being out of form and Partey out injured has had a knock on effect.
Real problem is the midfield buy another striker and we’ll still be slow in the transitions and low on the creativity.
Doesn’t really matter where Odegaard starts or what you call the position, LAM, LCM, RCM, RAM he will be good, my problem with the article is Fabio Vieira.
Having said that I actually think our best midfield would be Rice, Partey, Odegaard with Rice at LCM.
We should actually try Jesus there he naturally drops deep to bring the ball up the pitch, makes literally double the tackles Havertz makes, wins the ball at a higher %, has better at interceptions, looks better on the ball and presses more than Trossard and Havertz. From pure creating goals perspective Trossard has highest xA, xG and key passes per 90 in the whole team. Havertz only real win above the other 2 is in aerial duals, technically he wins xGbuildup (every possession you’re involved with that should lead to a goal chance) but the fact that he isn’t producing goals/assists despite this is actually a negative.
Xhaka contributed more in every aspect, defensive awareness, key passes leading to shots per 90, take on success, higher xG, higher xA, Assists and Goals.
Obviously we’re missing other important players (Jesus, Partey, Zinchenko at the start of the season) but even without them Kai seems to negatively impact the players around him, from the eye test Havertz looks uncomfortable receiving the ball, is panicked in possession and offensively timid.
I didn’t want Havertz when he was being talked about but I was optimistic that Arteta would get the best out of him, unfortunately he’s been terrible though.
I don’t get why we don’t just play Trossard in the position he’s a stats monster and the eye test tells me he could do it to.
We miss Partey there.
0.09 xA per 90 it’s factually terrible.
Arsenal are 10th in non penalty expected goals, this is because we don’t create as many goals scoring opportunities as other teams. While I’d like a striker upgrade our strikers finishing xG is only ever going to be proportionate to how many good chances they get, e.g. Eddie and Trossard xG is half of what Haalands is, that’s not only because Halaand is amazing (he is) but he factually he gets more chances to score. Long winded but this is why I think Brandt would make sense he’s a player that can get in between the lines and is always looking for the offensive option that brings players into the game.
Deserved though.
Small mistakes made all the difference in this game, hopefully this will serve as a reminder to all our players that they have to stay sharp. White needed to get his header over the bar and Eddie needed to keep his down but it’s wasn’t just those 2 we looked a second off the pace and few cms short everywhere.
If I was Fabio Vieira and my team mate is on the brink of 4 I’d be insisting they take the PK.
Having said that, it was an all round nice moment.
We have plenty of room for improvement I we are still missing Partey in the transition.
This is the correct logic.
Beginning to hate Cole Palmer, I even got pissed off when he stole the PK away from Sterling.
Yellow all-day but don’t think he deserves his first 1.
Yeah Denilson for me to, by no means the worst player but probably the worst attitude. Complacency embodiment.
His final ball was consistently bad but purely movement wise he was probably better than 99% of professionals. I think it’s easy to be frustrated at players when their faults are so obvious. Still I think he’s better than what a lot of people thought, I kinda think it’s better to miss 7 out of 10 chances you get than to only get 3 chances and finish 2 of them.
Most wouldn’t start Toney over Jesus
Toney cost to upgrade Nketiah doesn’t seem worth it.
Toney betting against his own team has negative connotations.
I’m glad this comment isn’t aging well.