Otamendi

[LittleEgg]

I honestly don't!

Mertersacker is comically crap.

Do you watch the other big teams much?

I only ask because arsenal looked good in defense for a decent period of time when mertesacker partnered koscielny, it was well covered in the press and clear to see on the pitch.

It didn't last beyond a season mind.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Vincent had poor games and some shit games, but he's not as comfortable playing our style of defending and is asked to jump out of the defensive line and try and win the ball early and that can make many good players look worse than they are. He did also have some excellent games last season though, he wasn't dogshit across the whole season.

And Zaba was back to his best from late March onwards after a poor first two thirds of the season.

But last season is last season and absolutely nothing should ever be read into pre-season. It's a joke.

I agree that pre seasonmeans little, but it's a fair indicator that we would have been in deep shit if the season started a week ago. Hopefully, they have done good work this week.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Do you watch the other big teams much?

I only ask because arsenal looked good in defense for a decent period of time when mertesacker partnered koscielny, it was well covered in the press and clear to see on the pitch.

It didn't last beyond a season mind.

Last season Arsenal changed to bus parking as a team & playing on the break & still only let in about 2 or 3 less goals than us. The season before, they let in more goals than us, but scored about 30 less, playing their usual way.

I don't understand where this idea of Arsenal being solid has come from. They are the flakiest fucks in the league.

 

[LittleEgg]

Last season Arsenal changed to bus parking as a team & playing on the break & still only let in about 2 or 3 less goals than us. The season before, they let in more goals than us, but scored about 30 less, playing their usual way.

I don't understand where this idea of Arsenal being solid has come from. They are the flakiest fucks in the league.

It bought solidarity to their defense playing mertesacker(a very underwhelming player compared to otamendi) with koscielny is the point.. People wrote off the arsenal defense constantly before this. They may have leaked more goals than you guys, but defensively they were truly shambolic for a very long period of time beforehand...a bit like city at present, actually no even worse.

The point has gone anyway if you can't recall arsenal tightening up defensively not so long ago.

 

[Neville Kneville]

It bought solidarity to their defense playing mertesacker(a very underwhelming player compared to otamendi) with koscielny is the point.. People wrote off the arsenal defense constantly before this. They may have leaked more goals than you guys, but defensively they were truly shambolic for a very long period of time beforehand...a bit like city at present, actually no even worse.

The point has gone anyway if you can't recall arsenal tightening up defensively not so long ago.

There is no such thing as 'tightening up not so long ago' ! Which period do you choose as the 'tightening up' bit ? Six months ago but not the month before or the month after ? It's the same people!

 

[LittleEgg]

There is no such thing as 'tightening up not so long ago' ! Which period do you choose as the 'tightening up' bit ? Six months ago but not the month before or the month after ? It's the same people!

There is absolutely no question that arsenal have been better defensively with mertesacker alongside koscielny, as opposed to what they had before.

I'll concede they haven't been amazing throughout, but compared to the period before this pairing, they have been very solid. Don't just take my word for it, there are articles all over the net:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...reat-defensive-partnerships-Martin-Keown.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...of-Per-Mertesacker-and-Laurent-Koscielny.html

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/barclays-pr.../how-arsenal-defense-became-one-of-prems-best

I don't get why i'm having to explain this though fella...It was hot news at the time(and plain to see watching arsenal), can we get back to the point that was originally being made in post 964, as this is going to go round in circles at this rate.

You didn't touch on what i said about kompany's form possibly not returning, which it looks like you are very much banking on.

 

[mosssideblue]

Pre-season is not important enough to cause concern nor excitement. Pre-season is a joke nowadays, it should be called "the total lack of preparation season" because of how disjointed it is and how much travelling is involved for very little physical and tactical preparation on the back of it. (I don't mean our pre-season before the weirdos jump on that sentence, I mean all clubs).

Kompany is not out of form, nor is he in form. He's probably a bit more tired than usual as he will have been up in the night with his new baby but that's about the only thing to take from the recent past.

Sorry mate, would love to agree with you but the signs were there towards the end of last season. If he plays tonight, we need to see signs that his recent outings were just a blip otherwise I think Pellers will consider dropping him like he did Joe.

 

[Neville Kneville]

There is absolutely no question that arsenal have been better defensively with mertesacker alongside koscielny, as opposed to what they had before.

I'll concede they haven't been amazing throughout, but compared to the period before this pairing, they have been very solid. Don't just take my word for it, there are articles all over the net:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...reat-defensive-partnerships-Martin-Keown.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...of-Per-Mertesacker-and-Laurent-Koscielny.html

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/barclays-pr.../how-arsenal-defense-became-one-of-prems-best

I don't get why i'm having to explain this though fella...It was hot news at the time(and plain to see watching arsenal), can we get back to the point that was originally being made in post 964, as this is going to go round in circles at this rate.

You didn't touch on what i said about kompany's form possibly not returning, which it looks like you are very much banking on.

Because the media are full of shit. I can't believe you have gone to all that trouble. Our shit defence has been as good or mostly better than Arsenal's during the same period! We attacked like fuck with 2 up front, won the title with 30 more goals, & conceded less!

And yes I'm relying on Vinny. If he is shit, we have a potentiallly big problem, with or without any signings. We need him.

 

[LittleEgg]

Because the media are full of shit. I can't believe you have gone to all that trouble. Our shit defence has been as good or mostly better than Arsenal's during the same period! We attacked like fuck with 2 up front, won the title with 30 more goals, & conceded less!

And yes I'm relying on Vinny. If he is shit, we have a potentiallly big problem, with or without any signings. We need him.

Mate, i'm not saying they have a better or worse defence...you are way off the point, the point being that even just signing a rather standard experienced defender can sometimes make the difference, and one far less capable than otamendi at that, who you seem fearful of signing in case he's not good enough.

And the media are not always full of shit, there is no conspiracy in reporting how a teams defence improved almost miraculously...basic sports reporting, not fantasy. If it were "hazard better than ronaldo" or something which is obviously biased, then yea i'd agree fully. Those links took 10 seconds to find on google.

But we definitely starting to go round in circles now, i just hope he does sign and the proof will be in the pudding. Shall we just allow the topic to get back to otamendi now?

 

[Universidad de Chile]

Manchester is desperate to get Otamendi (Superdeporte, Valencia Press)
After the injury of central Phil Jones Van Gaal they have even more urgency in signing
10.08.2015 | 19:56

@SUPERDEPORTE_ES

Theres in Mestalla differents views of Otamendi, the player heard whistles last days in response to his intention to leave and that's a possibility that remains open to little more than a week of open competition with the tie against Monaco. Otamendi's name, in fact, was Sunday in all British media as a possible signing of Manchester United, because of the injury to the central Phil Jones. 23 English is now an important bastion in its defensive line, but it will be several weeks inactive because of a thrombosis and caused him to miss the debut of his team in the Premier League. It is a condition that the club described as mild but whose recovery is unpredictable and delicate. At the moment it looks like it will miss both legs of the play-off of Champions, which puts more pressure on Louis Van Gaal yet to sign a central.

Monday also the UEFA deadline to submit the lists of registered ahead of the previous round which takes place between 18 and 26 August. E Valencia played against Monaco and United, with a little more luck in the draw, it has measured the Belgian Bruges. Beyond that Valencia does not arise that Messi cause low for this very decisive meeting with Lim entire project at stake, it seems impossible that after so many months in less than 24 hours a deal that would have to be achievable by 50 million clause, a fortiori if the urgency of the buyer club is growing. The Reds have just entered by Di María something more than what you ask for Valencia by the Argentine defense, which was also claimed by the City, and the latest news suggests waiving Sergio Ramos incorporating in negotiations to renew with Real Madrid.

Open market
"The continuity of our players is key to the project in the market but nothing, nothing, nothing is closed." It was the response of Nuno Espirito Santo coach after the match against Roma (Valencia lost 1-3), when asked if you are happy with the squad or else thinks about the possibility of doing some reinforcement ahead of the final stage of the market. They are not unlike their words that has ruled on previous occasions during this season, because in reality the unknowns that can still cause a change in the group remain. They are, beyond doubt Negredo, the fact of exceeding or prior and be full-fledged Champions team and what will happen to the future of Nicolas Otamendi between now and August 31. The defense mantiener leaving open the expectation and Valencia would have to go to the market to sign. These conditions must be added the situation Feghouli, the only player to still renew his contract and may be freed on 30 June if the club does not intervene earlier.

http://www.superdeporte.es/valencia/2015/08/10/manchester-desesperada/266139.html