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Vermaelen - Good Will Hunting

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posted on 12/3/14

I've seen him being linked to United as a replacement for Vidic, I think he's a good defender. He kept Lahm nullified pretty nicely last night.

posted on 12/3/14

To be honest, it's still a mystery to me how he lost his way so badly.

Granted, his bad form started when he just came back from long-term injury, but he just seemed to get worse from there. I was genuinely concerned that he was going down the Sol Campbell road-of-no-return.

posted on 12/3/14

If he leaves I hope it's abroad, maybe Barcelona?

posted on 12/3/14

Even durimg his bad form I don't think he was quite as bad as some were making him out to be. We've seen some terrible defenders at Arsenal over the years but Vermaelen isn't one of them.

Alot of you may disagree with me here but individually when all three are on form I don't think there's much between them. However as a partnership Kos/Mert is definitely our best

posted on 12/3/14

Very strange. He went from being one of the stand-out centrebacks in the Premier League one season, to becoming a near liability almost overnight. I do think he has a problem(s) with niggling injuries, at least it would appear that that's the case.

There's no doubt that as a pairing, Koscielny and Mertesacker work VERY well, the chemistry is there between them & they compliment each other. When Vermaelen is thrown alongside either of that duo, the defence (usually) looks considerably weaker.

Like I say, as a squad player,I think he's more than good enough and extremely useful. But for the player himself, I'm sure he'll be looking at being a first-teamer. If he can't do that Arsenal, he'll surely look elsewhere?

posted on 12/3/14

He was really good, I like him a lot, Fabianski was so agile and quick off his line good decision making.

posted on 12/3/14

've always said it, Vermaelen is a good defender just going through a patchy run of form. He is quick, good in the air and very much a useful addition to the squad.

Problem really is Wenger. Any other manager would give a healthy share of rotation to their CB pairings to keep them fresh. Mourinho and Fergie regularly chopped and changed the CB pairings to keep them fresh.

However, ever since Wenger stumbled upon this CB pairing last year, he's stuck to it like glue. Completely reluctant to shift the CBs just in case the earth might open up and swallow our whole back 4.

As a result, Vermaelen has been ignored and underused. He's shown in these two tough games that he can be relied upon and still at a good standard. But i'm afraid Vermaelen will feel he's had enough playing second fiddle to Kosc and Mert, and will most likely leave.

comment by BO$$™ (U6401)

posted on 12/3/14

He was good last night probably because we defended so well. He wasnt required to go upfield and put in cross after cross so wasnt caught out on the break.

Did well and hope he gets a bit of confidence bk on tat performance.

posted on 12/3/14

Don't care what any prem team offers is rather see him move abroad. Criminally underrated player who was a scale goat for the whole teams defensive fragility when he was dropped and unluckily for him the Per and Kos partnership is too good.

posted on 12/3/14

If we sell him to United, i hope Wenger can fúck off after. He's a good defender that needs game time and confidence. He'll get that at United.

posted on 12/3/14

Very good defender. Very professional too. Plus he's the captain so as the custom goes he will leave. But I rather he went to a world class team such as Barca if he does. Much better than any defender they currently have.

posted on 12/3/14

comment by Serial WUManiser - The Chosen One (U1410)
posted 31 minutes ago

Problem really is Wenger. Any other manager would give a healthy share of rotation to their CB pairings to keep them fresh. Mourinho and Fergie regularly chopped and changed the CB pairings to keep them fresh.

However, ever since Wenger stumbled upon this CB pairing last year, he's stuck to it like glue. Completely reluctant to shift the CBs just in case the earth might open up and swallow our whole back 4.

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Considering how defence has been our Achilles heel for many years now, you can't really blame Wenger for sticking with what was working (and until more recently, was working outstandingly). If he rotated when Kos and Mert were playing so well and we did concede a few then he would get crucified.

And that's before you mention that Verm has had 2 quite lengthy injuries this season.

I like him but he's clearly not going to stay with the situation as it is, and I suppose you can't really blame him. It will be a shame because he is a very good player. I think he was overrated when he first came because he scored a lot and because we were desperate for someone like him at the time. I also think the criticism when he wasn't playing so well was overly harsh too. But that seems to be just the way opinions are. Everything is either amazing or shít and never anything in-between.

posted on 12/3/14

He showed that he is good enough to play for Arsenal. We should give him a new contract. I want him to stay.

posted on 12/3/14

I still wonder why he cant be used in the DM position. Is it stamina problems of lack of positional awareness in that role?????
Please somebody tell me how long he has remaining on his contract with Arsenal?
I like TV and would be very sad to see him leave us.

posted on 12/3/14

If Sagna leaves the club this summer, which is looking more likely with every passing week, as well as Vermaelen, the club will be in the situation of HAVING to sign a minimum of 2 NEW defenders, but more likely 3 (even 4, at a push) players, due to Sagna and Vermaelen being able to cover various positions along the back 4.

Wenger doesn't like (traditionally) to make bulk signings, but IF that pair (Sagna & TV) fly th nest this summer, there'll be little option but to go into the market for defenders.

posted on 12/3/14

Moist, do you know now long TV has on his contract?

posted on 12/3/14

comment by ubad9jagooner (U7978)
posted 4 minutes ago
I still wonder why he cant be used in the DM position. Is it stamina problems of lack of positional awareness in that role?????
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Lack of positional intelligence (he gets caught out in his natural position as a defender so God knows what he'd be like in midfield). Also there's no evidence that his ball retention and passing is anywhere near good enough to play that role.

posted on 12/3/14

Moist, do you know now long TV has on his contract?

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2016?

posted on 12/3/14

Lack of positional intelligence (he gets caught out in his natural position as a defender so God knows what he'd be like in midfield). Also there's no evidence that his ball retention and passing is anywhere near good enough to play that role.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fair point; but he seems comfortable to carry the ball out of defence and fairly aggressive in the tackles.
That said, arsene see him everyday in training and surely have a better assessment of TV's strength and weaknesses.

posted on 12/3/14

I hope if sagna and Verm leave wenger doesn't think he'll just need squad players. Could see him signing a squilaci and silvestre type player again.

posted on 12/3/14

If Sagna and TV leave, we would need at the very least, three defenders-a replacement right back and two CBs.
Every top team require a minimum of four natural CBs and I hope the fact that we have been lucky with injuries in that department do not cloud arsene's judgement in the summer's recruitment exercise.

posted on 12/3/14

I hope if sagna and Verm leave wenger doesn't think he'll just need squad players. Could see him signing a squilaci and silvestre type player again.

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You'd think (hope) that Wenger's had his fingers burnt once too often with that kind of behaviour. Once bitten, twice shy & all that...

posted on 12/3/14

It was great seeing TV in the last couple of games. Rather than say more on that, I'll just say I agree with everything you said in the article, Moist.

I think he's been caught out by circumstances a lot. Last year, he started the season well. Wenger did rotate - remember when Kos came back in for his 1st game of the season vs Chelsea and cost us the game? - but it didn't work out well. If I remember correctly, that happened pretty much whenever he changed center backs last season. Then TV got injured and Mert and Kos cemented an excellent partnership. When TV came back in for the odd game or two he didn't do well (exactly like Kos when he came back vs Chelsea, for example) and hasn't been able to really break back into the side. Wenger is now loathe to swap CBs too often since the formula works with Mert+Kos, and he got stung when he tried to rotate last season.

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