They always talk about Strength in depth at City but when Arsenal try to improve its always Questions about How, But City Can Keep Grealish, Nunes but Arsenal cant
I dont remember Man city getting this kind of debate about Nunez or Kovacic fitting into the midfield. Or how Gravenberch or Endo at Liverpool. It's almost like Arsenal is not allowed depth.
Rice is NOT an 8. He has even said he is better as a 6. Also with all the football he has played the last year, I don't think he can hold up for a full season at the 8 without getting injured. He already looks gassed in the first two games.
all i could think of during the villa game, seeing Declan up near Kai while Thomas and Timber were trying to work the ball through the lines......is thank god Merino can take up this position and we can have Dec back as a 6. this is so obvious
I want Rice at 6 and Merino at left side 8. These ESPN clowns don't do their research, Merino is about the best midfielder in arial play in Europe according to his stats. Mostly though it means we can rotate the centre midfield in real time.
I think Merino is a good signing, one that we needed for sure. Can’t help but look at that bench and feel we need a lot of improvement. Eddie leaving, Jesus is not available enough leaves us short upfront (along side Martinelli stagnating for a while). We need to invest in a forward player, ideally a wide forward imo. Leao, Williams, Sterling (if he takes a huge cut) etc
@@GIBBO4182don’t see us signing a striker as we spent 60m on Kai and I think Arteta will persevere with that. Martinelli on the other hand just isn’t clicking
I haven't watched much of Merino but from what I've heard and seen, he seems quite similar to Rice, though maybe with more progressive passing (though Rice's passing is severely underrated imo). So maybe it will be a double pivot where they can swap being the 8 or 6 depending on the situation. Alternatively, Merino might just be cover with Rice and Arsenal will continue with Partey/Jorginho at 6
Villa created 2 chances and defended well but somehow were better. We had 61% possession and managed the game after the first goal. They setup to counter and failed.
Arsenal is missing someone like Silva or Gundogan in the midfield , when Oodagard not playing, someone can stabilize the midfield and organize the attack.
Partey will be back up for the 6 while Merino and Rice start and share the 6 and left sided 8 role, likely with Rice playing more 6, this could then shift to a double pivot letting Odegaard float more. Then, once Timber and Calafiori settle in, it will get even more interesting and unpredictable, which is what Arteta wants (options and unpredictability). Arteta is building his version of total football, with players interchanging and covering each other in a myriad of ways to confuse the opponent and score lots of goals while maintaining a sound defense.
@@mydancinglife730 No one is good enough to do what Partey does. He is a force multiplier. He makes everyone around him better, he collects the ball, pivots, and makes progressive passes. Rice can't do this and Merino's strong suit is interceptions. Partey is the first pick in the midfield as long as he is healthy and Arteta knows this.
When Rice plays the 6, ball progression becomes stagnant and slows the offense down which is something that doesn't work against top table teams. So the 6 is going to be either Moreno or Partey unless Arsenal is playing against bottom tier teams then maybe Rice.
Feel it's more likely Rice is the main 6 and Merino is the 8. It's Merino's main position and Rice's main position is 6. Imo people overreact a bit on Rice's ball progression. Paired with Merino it'll be okay. Being left footed too he'd help with overlapping the LW to bring them inside more to increase threat centrally.
@@TheKh65 its not because of rice bro, but because of havertz play at LCM, jesus at striker and zinchenko at LB, that is worst line up when title race especially we need win and cannot draw or lose
mostly agree as from a technical and style point of view you are totally right.. but I think we have to factor the age and pressure of being asked to be "the guy" in real competitive games esp late season or KO CL games etc.. don't think its as likely when u consider that.. I think he will (hopefully) get a lot of minutes in the "right" games or late in games to rest Odegaard when we are winning, but if (god forbid) there is a Odegaard injury then I do think Havertz there might be a better choice in big games, unless Arteta "looks into Ethan's eyes and just KNOWS he is ready!"
I see it completely opposite to Gabs. You lose the best of what Declan Rice offers when you play him at the 8. At the 6, you get his best qualities. He's a destroyer who protects the back 3, swings long passes out wide, and carrys the ball forward. You lose him at the 8 because he's not a natural playmaker. It makes sense for Merino to come in and play 8 and have Partey as a rotation player. Our defence is too open with Partey in the 6 and Rice high up the pitch.
Rice longterm position was always meant to be the six. Saying that he wont play there because he isn’t Pirlo in his playmaking is such a bad point, because Arsenal have other players who can do that. Merino will do it and Odegaard has done it since last year. Plus people seems to forget we have added Timber and Calafiori and they are playmakers also.
So the “full Declan rice” experience involves not playing him as the 6 where is one of the best in the world, but rather as an 8 where he is anonymous? Makes sense
He misses the rodri, Joginho factor of creativity and line breaking passes. A super 6 should do that. What he has however is well enough to manage as a 6.
Not everyone needs to be making line breaking passes, especially when almost everyone else on the team can do it. sometimes you just need someone who won’t get cooked constantly
@@jadepeterson6593 no problem if rice not trying break the line with his passes when rice at 6 as long as merino (who have skill break the line with his passess and play at 8 )can go to deeper when build up like become deep lying playmaker , so declan rice job just steal ball from opponent by intercept, tackle, ground duel and aerial duel which rice world class to do that,
Rice, Merino and Odegaard. Our midfield will be so difficult to break. Rice underperformed against Aston Villa on Saturday, so Partey will be challenging him.
How can Gab seriously argue that Arteta is going to use Merino in a new position that he hasn't played in? It's an interesting idea, but it comes out of nowhere. Where is the evidence to suggest this? Rice has been world class as a 6 for his entire career...it's so crazy to suggest new positions for established top class players lol
@@pascalacquaah5486 No, Partey was injured because he hid the severity of the injury he had until it got even worse and he's still working his way back to match fitness.
Gab really needs to watch more football outside of the EPL...Rice a better head of the ball than Merino? Merino has been the top in all 5 main leagues. What are we even talking about here?
We the Arsenal to win the league and champions league need and want and must and have got to sell Eddie and Nelson and buy and get a ST and right winger and midfielder and right back right now so hurry up and do it and get it done be for the window ends and finish’s and closes this week is the last week ❤😂🎉😢😮😅
