2016-17 Squad analysis and Tactics

[KG3]

I don't think we have a clear strongest eleven, and that's not for a lack of options. As of now the only players who are guaranteed a starting spot are Koscielny, Mustafi, Bellerin, Ozil, Walcott and Alexis.

x
Bellerin - Mustafi - Koscielny - x
x - x
Walcott - Ozil - x
Alexis

I'd still have Cech and Cazorla in there but with Ospina's form and the variety we have in midfield I'm open to changes.

Cazorla is the heartbeat of this team when fit.

Yeah it's no surprise that every time Cazorla gets injured our tempo drops and we look clueless in midfield he is the link between attack and defence and which allows Ozil to do his thing.

[Angelito]

Some stats that might interest a few ~ from SofaScore.

Within the brackets are the league leaders in that specific category.

I've excluded players who've started only 1 game ala Jenks, Gibbs, Holding.

Premier League

Major Chances Created (overall):

1. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - 4 (Kevin de Bruyne - 10)
2. Mesut Ozil - 3 (Zlatan Ibramovich - 8)
3. Hector Bellerin- 3 (Yannick Bolasie - 8)

Key Passes (per game):

1. Mesut Ozil - 2.5 (Dimitri Payet - 4.3)
2. Alexis Sanchez - 2.2 (Kevin de Bryune - 3.4)
3. Santi Cazorla & Alex Iwobi - 1.3 (Willian - 3)

Accurate Crosses (per game)

1. Mesut Ozil - 1.3
2. Santi Cazorla - 1.1
3. Theo Walcott & Hector Bellerin - 0.5

Scoring Frequency (goals per mins):

1. Olivier Giroud - 36
2. Alexis Sanchez - 167 (Michy Batshuayi - 76)
3. Theo Walcott - 191 (Kelechi Iheanacho - 96)
4. Mesut Ozil - 297 (Sergio Aguero - 104)
5. Santi Cazorla - 310 (Diego Costa - 106)

Accurate Passes (per game):

1. Santi Cazorla - 65 (Jordan Hernderson - 73.9)
2. Shkodran Mustafi - 55.2 (Santi Cazorla)
3. Mesut Ozil - 52.5 (Fernandinho - 64.3)

Tackles (per game):

1. Francis Coquelin - 3.1 (Idrissa Gueye - 4.8)
2. Nacho Monreal - 2.4 (Jordan Henderson - 4.2)
3. Granit Xhaka - 2.3 (Danny Drinkwater - 4.1)

Interceptions (per game):

1. Nacho Monreal - 3.8 (Curtis Davis - 4.3)
2. Shkodran Mustafi and Laurent Koscielny - 3.0 (Winston Reid - 3.8)
3. Francis Coquelin - 2.7 (Nacho Monreal)

Ground Duels Won (per game):

1. Alexis Sanchez - 5.3
2. Francis Coquelin - 5.2
3. Theo Walcott - 4.9

Aerial Duels Won (per game):

1. Laurent Koscielny - 3.8
2. Shkodran Mustafi - 3.6
3. Francis Coquelin - 2.0

Will do a CL one next. Looking at those stats, we're overachieving massively so far. Our last three games - draws - are more reflective of our form than the months of September and October.

Specifically, check the Major Chances Created, Key Passes, and Scoring Frequency categories. We're borderline dreadful for a club who aspires to win the League (debatable, but suits the narrative).

[KG3]

I know at the start of the season people were saying this squad is strong we have plenty of cover and so on but it's more quantity than quality really. Take out Koscielny, Cazorla, Ozil, Sanchez and we have an Everton level team and that's being generous.

In the summer we seriously need to start trimming the herd Szczesny, Debuchy, Mertesacker, Chambers, Wilshere and Campbell are just an example of a few players we don't really need here who take up plenty of wages, if we sold them we could recoup a decent amount and maybe sell one or two first teamers and re-invest in top quality to play alongside our best.

[ThisIsNotAnID]

Take out Hazard, Costa, Kante, Cesc etc.
Take out Coutinho, Mane, Lallana, Matip etc.
Take out Kane, Eriksen, Alderweireld, Lloris etc.
Take out Aguero, De Bruyne, Silva, Gundogan etc.
Take out Ibrahimovic, Pogba, Mkhitaryan, Mata etc.

[Pudpop]

Take out Messi, Neymar, Suarez and Mascherano what even is barca

[Pudpop]

I know at the start of the season people were saying this squad is strong we have plenty of cover and so on but it's more quantity than quality really. Take out Koscielny, Cazorla, Ozil, Sanchez and we have an Everton level team and that's being generous.

In the summer we seriously need to start trimming the herd Szczesny, Debuchy, Mertesacker, Chambers, Wilshere and Campbell are just an example of a few players we don't really need here who take up plenty of wages, if we sold them we could recoup a decent amount and maybe sell one or two first teamers and re-invest in top quality to play alongside our best.

Lol you've mentioned 4 loan player, our 4th choice CB whose contract is running out and Debuchy.

Surely you can troll better than that mate

[KG3]

Take out Hazard, Costa, Kante, Cesc etc.
Take out Coutinho, Mane, Lallana, Matip etc.
Take out Kane, Eriksen, Alderweireld, Lloris etc.
Take out Aguero, De Bruyne, Silva, Gundogan etc.
Take out Ibrahimovic, Pogba, Mkhitaryan, Mata etc.

Dont think you are quite getting the point here our rivals could still field quality players like Willian, Pedro, Toure, Rooney, Rashford, Martial, Firminho, Sturridge, Sane, Herrera etc the list goes on but if you take out our key players the best we are left with are players like Walcott, Iwobi, and Ramsey.

The point is we need to surround our top players with better quality, they don't have to be world class level but not exactly Campbells level either by selling those players and freeing up funds maybe we could afford to have players like Martial, Batshuayi and Sane in our squad as options.

[KG3]

I know at the start of the season people were saying this squad is strong we have plenty of cover and so on but it's more quantity than quality really. Take out Koscielny, Cazorla, Ozil, Sanchez and we have an Everton level team and that's being generous.

In the summer we seriously need to start trimming the herd Szczesny, Debuchy, Mertesacker, Chambers, Wilshere and Campbell are just an example of a few players we don't really need here who take up plenty of wages, if we sold them we could recoup a decent amount and maybe sell one or two first teamers and re-invest in top quality to play alongside our best.

Lol you've mentioned 4 loan player, our 4th choice CB whose contract is running out and Debuchy.

Surely you can troll better than that mate

That's the f***ing point we don't need them and they're taking up wages even the ones on loan as we still pay some of their wages players like Szczesny, Wilshere and Campbell are basically done devoloping theirs no need to keep them, might as well selling them and re investing in players that can contribute more to the team.

[ESR10]

I don't think our squad is that bad. With another manager, we could win the league without further additions. Look what Conte did with players like Luiz, Moses, Cahill and Alonso. We just need a better system to fit our players with a manager, who isn't resistent to modern tactics and too stubborn to recognise his mistakes and adapt his game.

[ThisIsNotAnID]

Take out Hazard, Costa, Kante, Cesc etc.
Take out Coutinho, Mane, Lallana, Matip etc.
Take out Kane, Eriksen, Alderweireld, Lloris etc.
Take out Aguero, De Bruyne, Silva, Gundogan etc.
Take out Ibrahimovic, Pogba, Mkhitaryan, Mata etc.

Dont think you are quite getting the point here our rivals could still field quality players like Willian, Pedro, Toure, Rooney, Rashford, Martial, Firminho, Sturridge, Sane, Herrera etc the list goes on but if you take out our key players the best we are left with are players like Walcott, Iwobi, and Ramsey.

The point is we need to surround our top players with better quality, they don't have to be world class level but not exactly Campbells level either by selling those players and freeing up funds maybe we could afford to have players like Martial, Batshuayi and Sane in our squad as options.

Usually fans overestimate their own players while underestimating those of opponents'. You seem to be doing the opposite or you have selective memory when it comes to our own players.

[KG3]

Take out Hazard, Costa, Kante, Cesc etc.
Take out Coutinho, Mane, Lallana, Matip etc.
Take out Kane, Eriksen, Alderweireld, Lloris etc.
Take out Aguero, De Bruyne, Silva, Gundogan etc.
Take out Ibrahimovic, Pogba, Mkhitaryan, Mata etc.

Dont think you are quite getting the point here our rivals could still field quality players like Willian, Pedro, Toure, Rooney, Rashford, Martial, Firminho, Sturridge, Sane, Herrera etc the list goes on but if you take out our key players the best we are left with are players like Walcott, Iwobi, and Ramsey.

The point is we need to surround our top players with better quality, they don't have to be world class level but not exactly Campbells level either by selling those players and freeing up funds maybe we could afford to have players like Martial, Batshuayi and Sane in our squad as options.

Usually fans overestimate their own players while underestimating those of opponents'. You seem to be doing the opposite or you have selective memory when it comes to our own players.

Tell me then which one of our bench options is better than Martial, Batshuayi and Sane?

[ThisIsNotAnID]

Personally don't know our starting XI doubt even Wenger knows - much less that starting XI of other clubs but I'm willing to bet that we have the best or second best squad in the league if you remove each team's 4 best players. For Christ's sake, you are mentioning Iwobi and not Bellerin. You clearly have an agenda here.

[KG3]

Personally don't know our starting XI doubt even Wenger knows - much less that starting XI of other clubs but I'm willing to bet that we have the best or second best squad in the league if you remove each team's 4 best players. For Christ's sake, [b]you are mentioning Iwobi and not Bellerin.[b] You clearly have an agenda here.

Well this explains a lot I'd have better luck trying to teach Chinese (which I don't even speak) to a monkey, first of all Bellerin and Iwobi don't even play a same position and the reason I mentioned Iwobi is due to the fact that he is Ozils replacement who is a world class player, now the last time I checked Bellerin is not world class hence the reason why I haven't mentioned him.

[ThisIsNotAnID]

Personally don't know our starting XI doubt even Wenger knows - much less that starting XI of other clubs but I'm willing to bet that we have the best or second best squad in the league if you remove each team's 4 best players. For Christ's sake, [b]you are mentioning Iwobi and not Bellerin.[b] You clearly have an agenda here.

Well this explains a lot I'd have better luck trying to teach Chinese (which I don't even speak) to a monkey, first of all Bellerin and Iwobi don't even play a same position and the reason I mentioned Iwobi is due to the fact that he is Ozils replacement who is a world class player, now the last time I checked Bellerin is not world class hence the reason why I haven't mentioned him.

Do you think we have a fixed starting XI at this moment with all the injuries and trying to integrate new players? Was Coq-Santi our starting midfield with our 35M player on the bench? Will Lucas have had the chance to prove himself without Theo's injury?

We are also not taking about replacements here or dividing our squad players into forwards/midfielders/defenders? You simply took off our 4 best players and said the remaining players were Everton level.

[KG3]

Ok I give up you win, our squad is up there with the Chelsea's and the City's, we are going to win the league, unicorns and fairies exist.