I'm thinking

Auba - Martinelli - Pepe

Saka in midfield.

Pepes only got one song

Think they’d look better with an improved midfield. We can hardly get them involved in the game at all. But work is needed to their part too, Arteta really has to start looking at how awful we are going forward and how we create chances against teams who let us have more of the ball.

we need a Fernandes or KDB clone in midfield and just one of Laca or Auba in the front 3

Think Auba needs to be played centrally. We could risk going into the season with saka as the only left sided option (Martinelli is injured for a long time) but a huge risk.

Risk think the 3 guys mentioned are not clever enough to play the right final ball, play one twos etc.

They really hamper us as a team when we are looking to dominate and create

comment by V - We played a little bit with the handbrake (U7971)
posted 45 seconds ago
we need a Fernandes or KDB clone in midfield and just one of Laca or Auba in the front 3
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Spot on

You hit the nail on the head here, Midfield isn't the only reason we can't put defences under consistent pressure, Auba and Laca also have a lot to do with that, their lack of ability to link up is shocking, misplacing simple passes, very poor ball retention from them, causing moves to break down consistently.

They only seem to be dangerous when the ball is played over the top for them to run on to, or if the ball falls just right to be hit towards goal (pretty much how we scored against Man City). They both have zero ability to unlock a defence between them or to create openings to shoot.

Without this sort of ability upfront we will struggle to make top 4 for a long time. 🤷‍♂️

What we need are players who continue to work hard and to go over limits. Individual we have good players. Unfortunately they havent got the right mentality and attidute. I can have Zidane in midfield if players arent willing to work hard. It's not good enough to turn up here and there and then having absolute shocker.

That's not good enough for Arsenal Football Club. That include our captain. He needs to lead by example.

Technically these 3 are not great. Also against packed defences you need some aerial presence. The wingbacks can cross the ball all day long but it's never going to reach an arsenal head

comment by #LiquidGenius (U20571)
posted 13 hours, 26 minutes ago
I'm thinking

Auba - Martinelli - Pepe

Saka in midfield.
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Still leaves Auba playing wide which isn't the answer

I swear I wonder if you've even seen Lacazette play sometimes. He's ones of the most physically combative players we have. They're not an ideal front 3 and I doubt we'll see them used like it much next season. Always a bad idea to play 2 strikers at the same time if you only have 3 anyway.

We won't be going into the season with just Saka for the left either. Saka and Nelson until Martinelli returns. Arteta also has the option of giving AMN a shot on the right and switching Pepe left, at a push. Despite the injury to Martinelli, Arteta does actually have options. We certainly don't want to be talking buy someone anyway.

I think we'll see them team selected to purpose alot next season. Which striker we're using will depend alot on which team we're playing. Might start off with both for familiarity, to settle in the first few games but you can see that Arteta will be a proper tinkerer for a while yet.

Laca is obviously a better link up player than the other two but at the same time his scoring stats are poor.

I would probably have Giroud over him

Less experienced players like Rashford, martial and Greenwood have better link up play

comment by Castor Troy (U8700)
posted 4 minutes ago
Less experienced players like Rashford, martial and Greenwood have better link up play
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Its actually embarrassing....

He had a goal drout, as stikers do. Last season he wasn't that far behind Auba for total goals. Rashford and Martial have been playing together and with the other players for ages. Lacazette got Pepe, Saka and Martinelli all new this season. So of course it's all looked sloppy to a total mess for much of the season.

You say you'd rather have Giroud but you only need to watch Giroud and Lacazette play together, to see how well Laca can link, when he's on the exact same wavelength as his strike partner/s. This team is still tuning in to each other. The chaotic season hasn't exactly made it easy to do that.

Yes Giroud has better link up play than both our strikers and far more physical

Laca and Auba have been playing long enough to have a better understanding on the pitch.

Auba more so than Laca will probably misplace 80% of his passes and doesn't have the guile and cleverness to create for others

Saka-Auba-Pepe

Saka needs to be a starter next season... Laca, Martinelli, Eddie and Nelson in reserve.