Ainsley Maitland-Niles

[Santi]

Yeah the midfield is Casemiro, Kroos & Modric. La Liga also not as physical as someone said.

Isco plays further forward or as a makeshift winger that basically cuts inside all the time.

[Arsene Nose]

If your positioning is good, your interceptions clean and you can shield the ball with your body you don't need to be a big unit. Some of the best players in that position are like Cazorla and Kante rather small built men.

[theHotHead]

would like to see him in a 4-3-3 with Xhaka and Wilshere in the midfield

Thats 3 lightweight CMs - you need some beef in there, that midfield would get ripped to shreds.

I agree. We need a beast midfielder. Ramsey and ElNeny are not as well, and Coq, though being more physical than the others, shouldn't be starting.
I think our best midfield trio for now are Xhaka, Wilshere and ElNeny. Niles has the potential, so I wouldn't mind giving him some games to develop.

Most importantly, Ramsey really shouldn't play as a CM. Wouldn't mind him as a shadow striker.

This is what annoys me about Wenger. Its clear Maitland-Niles won't get much game time so why was he not sent out on loan this season to get experience ?? We can't afford to be developing kids, we need players ready to do a job, we are much too inconsistent as it is.

[theHotHead]

would like to see him in a 4-3-3 with Xhaka and Wilshere in the midfield

Thats 3 lightweight CMs - you need some beef in there, that midfield would get ripped to shreds.

Not really. Isco, Kroos and Modric seem to be doing fine. It's technical quality that matters.

thank you.

this whole english preoccupation with physicality can be baffling to me ..

Its because its REAL. Many players have commented that the game here is much more physical and faster than where they came from, we have nutters in midfield here where on the continent they have fewer mad dogs who go around kicking people/roughing people up. Not only that our game is up and down the pitch, its end to end and part of the lure of the Premier League to foreigners - its exciting football - hence the big TV deals. The only league faster and more physical than the Prem is the championship.

[theHotHead]

If your positioning is good, your interceptions clean and you can shield the ball with your body you don't need to be a big unit. Some of the best players in that position are like Cazorla and Kante rather small built men.

Yes but like we have seen with Xhaka and Ramsey - they can't play that role, they get steam rollered. Makelele is another example of what you speak, but he was stronger than he looked and very effective. Very few small players that can dominate the middle. Cazorla is phenomenal on the ball so can twist and turn out of trouble. Cante is strong for his size and not easy to brush off.

[Arsene Nose]

So in your opinion a midfield of Ozil, Cazorla and Kante would not work in the premier league?

[Arsene Nose]

If your positioning is good, your interceptions clean and you can shield the ball with your body you don't need to be a big unit. Some of the best players in that position are like Cazorla and Kante rather small built men.

Yes but like we have seen with Xhaka and Ramsey - they can't play that role, they get steam rollered. Makelele is another example of what you speak, but he was stronger than he looked and very effective. Very few small players that can dominate the middle. Cazorla is phenomenal on the ball so can twist and turn out of trouble. Cante is strong for his size and not easy to brush off.

Xhaka Ramsey is a bad example because they don't complement each other. Ramsey likes to be in a advanced role and Xhaka has poor mobility and positioning. Xhaka Cazorla would be fine. As would Ramsey Kante.

[theHotHead]

So in your opinion a midfield of Ozil, Cazorla and Kante would not work in the premier league?

That would work because Cante can defend. He would have to curb his tendencies to burst forward though.

[theHotHead]

If your positioning is good, your interceptions clean and you can shield the ball with your body you don't need to be a big unit. Some of the best players in that position are like Cazorla and Kante rather small built men.

Yes but like we have seen with Xhaka and Ramsey - they can't play that role, they get steam rollered. Makelele is another example of what you speak, but he was stronger than he looked and very effective. Very few small players that can dominate the middle. Cazorla is phenomenal on the ball so can twist and turn out of trouble. Cante is strong for his size and not easy to brush off.

Xhaka Ramsey is a bad example because they don't complement each other. Ramsey likes to be in a advanced role and Xhaka has poor mobility and positioning. Xhaka Cazorla would be fine. As would Ramsey Kante.

Nope, cos neither Xhaka or Cazorla can defend. Cante can thats why it would work with Cante.

[Losmeister]

He looked pretty spritely on the ball, I like the way he pops the ball forward into forward's feet. Would like to see him get more game time to see what he can really do.

well put. "spritely on the ball.

i second this.

[Zedie]

No point judging him on his first half. It was his first professional game at LWB and he looked out of place, much like kolo toure did when he was deployed anywhere but CB.

The second half was a great showcase of what he's about.

Calm with and without possession, good in the tackle and reasonable at reading the play. He keeps his passes simple and has a burst of pace when he gets forward.

Iirc it was him that won the ball that set off the counter for bellerins goal outside our area.

He's really promising imo but he needs games and to bulk up before he gets serious minutes in the first team.

I was really impressed with him tbf.

I can only remember him losing out on possession once in the second half and obvs he took a touch too much when he broke into the box. Otherwise he had a really solid second half.

[Kite33]

No point judging him on his first half. It was his first professional game at LWB and he looked out of place, much like kolo toure did when he was deployed anywhere but CB.

The second half was a great showcase of what he's about.

Calm with and without possession, good in the tackle and reasonable at reading the play. He keeps his passes simple and has a burst of pace when he gets forward.

Iirc it was him that won the ball that set off the counter for bellerins goal outside our area.

He's really promising imo but he needs games and to bulk up before he gets serious minutes in the first team.

I was really impressed with him tbf.

I can only remember him losing out on possession once in the second half and obvs he took a touch too much when he broke into the box. Otherwise he had a really solid second half.

[Goonerz]

How is this guy still having chances? Every time I have watched he is a calamity waiting to happen. Poor defensively but his pace gets him out of danger. His does some of the basic errors when in possession, he nearly did a Bellerin when he gave the ball away under no pressure in the centre circle.. That back pass was funny.. And he is easily turned all the time, his pace is the only saving grace for him right now..

What is he good at? What is his best position?

[gooney]

How is this guy still having chances? Every time I have watched he is a calamity waiting to happen. Poor defensively but his pace gets him out of danger. His does some of the basic errors when in possession, he nearly did a Bellerin when he gave the ball away under no pressure in the centre circle.. That back pass was funny.. And he is easily turned all the time, his pace is the only saving grace for him right now..

What is he good at? What is his best position?

He is a central midfielder basiMichelle Bombshellcally thrown everywhere to make up the numbers. He would be better of moving and establishing himself somewhere else. Wenger has never had respect for defenders and said himself no reason a midfielder cantbbecome a defender

[Arsene Nose]

He's awesome and he has a great name.