- Jan 15, 2017
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It's great isn't it. I just look across their team & it's full of bang average footballers. Their young English guys are average too apart from Saka:
Saka - Good young player.
Holding - Ok centre back. Not that young anymore.
Maitland-Niles - Really average, pushed to right back because he wasn't good enough in CM.
Nelson - An ok winger, that's it.
Willock - Not sure what this guy does, no pace, no strength & just a bit rubbish. Seems to be playing ACM but has nothing to offer.
Nketiah - Scored a whole 3 goals in the Championship, compare that to Abraham and the levels are staggeringly different.
Smith-Rowe - Comes with a big reputation but isn't doing much out on loan.
The thing is, if one had looked back at our youngsters in 2014 you could easily have said:
Rose - Error prone, clumsy, can't cross, relies only on pace but has nothing about him
Walker - As above
Dier - Ok centre-back but no experience of the English game
Bentaleb - Doesn't score or get assists, nothing to him
Mason - 23 years old and zero appearances at Premier League level. Never going to be a regular in a side at that level
Lamela - Showpony from Italy that's never going to be able to adapt to the pace and physicality of the Premier League
Eriksen - Talented but there's a reason why every top club in Europe turned him down
Kane - Big fat lump that failed in all of his loan spells at lower league clubs
The pessimist in me that's wished for the fall of Arsenal his whole life but seen them find ways to rebuild often on a budget means I can't help but think they could clear out some of the deadwood and bad apples within the squad, develop the young players you mentioned (plus Martinelli), alongside one or two high quality new players they could become a real force again, like we did when Poch first took over and like Chelsea are doing with Lampard now.
But for the time being - this is hilarious. We've had a pretty piss poor season but theirs has been even worse. Bottom half of the table. Goal difference of zero. 20 points less than the same stage last season. Only two wins against the top half all season, neither of which came away from home. Without Aubameyang's goals they'd have been in big trouble this season...