Per Mertesacker, Academy Manager

[theHotHead]

And yet after the FA Cup final people were saying Per was the answer to our problems in a back 3.

Per is too slow, everyone can have a blinding game now and then. The problem with Per is he is inconsistent and when you have 8 inconsistent players in a team they can look like Brazil '82 one minute and Finsbury Park FC the next!

did anybody actually write/say that? about him being the sol'n?

I paraphrased but you can get the gist of it here: https://www.goonersworld.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=20411&start=645
Even I said based on that performance he could have a part to play this season.

[Mike Dean]

Per wanted to retire after the FA Cup win. Wenger urged him to carry on for a season.

Let's not blame Per here. He's one of the smartest players to have played under Wenger at Arsenal. It's not his fault that his boss is aesthetically blind.

The funny thing is that Wenger sold Gab and also wanted to send Mustafi out in loan because he thought he could depend on Per and Kos all season long after that FA cup performance.

[PairyGrows]

Per wanted to retire after the FA Cup win. Wenger urged him to carry on for a season.

Let's not blame Per here. He's one of the smartest players to have played under Wenger at Arsenal. It's not his fault that his boss is aesthetically blind.

The funny thing is that Wenger sold Gab and also wanted to send Mustafi out in loan because he thought he could depend on Per and Kos all season long after that FA cup performance.

If that's true, I've been way too optimistic about Wenger's qualities as a manager.

[Nuggets]

Love the guy and has been awesome for us but all good things come to an end.

Hope he has a trophy to pick up in his last game

Best captain since Vieira

[thebigbangtheo]

As far as I can recollect, the plan was not for him to be a first team starter again but a back up squad player with only a realistic but limited option of some games in the league cup and Europa league games but not ahead of Holding (at the time we had kos, mussi and gab as our primary central defenders) or either of the first team centre half's if they didn't play in the preceding premier league game or an outstanding prospect coming through. That last bit hasn't happened (haven't written off Callum chambers just yet but all of his best games I've seen were for Middlesbrough and once again gave a glimpse of the potential on offer and why he was worth the effort and £16M) and we went and sold Gabriel whilst Holding's displays have been a bit erratic to say the least, so that's why Mert is much closer to the 1st team than was ever intended.

I am not an advocate of the three@the back system and especially the way we implement it, but yes I would have Mertesacker in it. The ideal to me would have been to have Kos on the left of the 3 as he is so accustomed to that side, Gab on the right as when on form his game would almost mirror koscielny's, with mert in the center, but not as a fulcrum or pivot as the role is often played now but the old catanatchio (excuse my spelling) style the Italian's implemented, so more of a sweeper role directing his defenders in front of him to the danger before it happens (which includes the full backs into the wider areas) allowing him to sweep up any second balls, get the ball into the defensive midfielder and deep playmaker in order to build play when permissible as well as carry the ball forward when the flanking centre half's have dropped back in order to affect an overload.
In this fashion the most tasking things he should have to deal with are aerial balls into the box which again should prove food and drink to him. Libiero I believe is the term, funnily enough a German by the name of Beckenbaur is often hailed as the best exponent of this position but for me Franco Barasi was the man.

[GoonerAlexandre]

I know he's past it, and has no role on the pitch now.

However, I remember when he was blamed for every counter because of his lack of pace. We're even more vulnerable to pace now, despite having a much pacier back four, or even a back 5. Guess what, he was the only CB we had who could organise and position our defence. Koscielny has been noticeably worse since he no longer has Per to guide him.

[Arsenal Tone]

I know he's past it, and has no role on the pitch now.

However, I remember when he was blamed for every counter because of his lack of pace. We're even more vulnerable to pace now, despite having a much pacier back four, or even a back 5. Guess what, he was the only CB we had who could organise and position our defence. Koscielny has been noticeably worse since he no longer has Per to guide him.

I remember being slated for saying that at the time too

[Santi]

f***ing atrocious against championship quality


just retire

[Angelito]

f***ing atrocious against championship quality


just retire

He wanted to before Wenger urged him to continue for a year.

#Wengered

[Nuggets]

f***ing atrocious against championship quality


just retire

He wanted to before Wenger urged him to continue for a year.

#Wengered

Thats how desperate we have become.

[coach8smallball]

all hail the Grinch with his masterful decisions to keep Mertz

[greengoonerie]

Don't forget this guy will be COACHING next season.

[coach8smallball]

Don't forget this guy will be COACHING next season.

don't mind him coaching, but just as long as he's far away for our 1st team.

[SuperJackyWilshere]

Felt sorry for him today.

If we have to play him then atleast play him in a 3 man defence. It's just idiotic to play him in a two man defence especially against a young, hungry striker.

[Highbury Hillbilly]

I will be haunted by that weak toe he stuck out in front of the Forest forward who simply blazed past him and won the Debuchy penalty.