Football: Remain in Europe

[Mark Antony]

Milan could use him in their midfield. Think he’d do well in Serie A as well. 

[Iskaral Pust]

I still like Ramsey but he has not been used well in a while.  Look at James Madison doing so well for Leicester -- Ramsey would also succeed in a role like that, or even in Kante's current role for Chelsea.  Assuming he stays uninjured.

But Arsenal have Ozil and Mkhitaryan, and had Wilshire and Cazorla, not to mention Sanchez.  Too many players who want to play in the same space, not enough players who complement them to retain structure and balance.

The worst of the rumor is that Arsenal have withdrawn their contract offer after turning down a 50 million bid for him during the summer.  If accurate, that makes Spurs' approach to Alderweireld look a lot better by comparison.

[Raja]

9 hours ago, Iskaral Pust said:

I still like Ramsey but he has not been used well in a while.  Look at James Madison

Yeah, no, those two are very different players. 

This whole notion that Ramsey hasn't been used correctly in our team is kinda hogwash and basically from people who don't really watch Arsenal or Ramsey

10 hours ago, Mexal said:

I'm fine with it. I don't think he fits this team's style at the moment. I think this best position is CM and he hasn't played it once since Emery has arrived so probably best if he moves on. I hate that we'll get nothing for it though.

There just isn't place for him in a midfield two, every option is better because he doesn't give us *any* security at the back in a two, you need a 3 to play him, but if you play a 3, you need Ozil not to be one of them. I don't think Ramsey is good enough as 10, he never has been for us. He has the potential to be an important player, but honestly, I kinda have faith that Iwobi might step up in Ramsey's position. 

[Mexal]

14 minutes ago, Raja said:

There just isn't place for him in a midfield two, every option is better because he doesn't give us *any* security at the back in a two, you need a 3 to play him, but if you play a 3, you need Ozil not to be one of them. I don't think Ramsey is good enough as 10, he never has been for us. He has the potential to be an important player, but honestly, I kinda have faith that Iwobi might step up in Ramsey's position. 

Personally, I think Ramsey would play well next to Torreira with Ozil as a 10. I don't think he's useful in any other position for Arsenal.

[Raja]

58 minutes ago, Mexal said:

Personally, I think Ramsey would play well next to Torreira with Ozil as a 10. I don't think he's useful in any other position for Arsenal.

I don't think he has the positional discipline, or if he does, he hasn't shown it in years. I also don't think he's good at setting *any* sort of tempo, or is as good technically as Xhaka is in picking up the ball and distributing it from deep. 

Edit: I think tempo is quite important, arteta did it when Ramsey played beside him. 

I know you don't like Xhaka, but for both our coaches, he's basically started every game since he's come into the team, which I think kinda shows his importance ( I do think criticism of his mistakes is totally fair though) 

[Jeor]

Ramsey is an interesting case as he has a rather specialised skillset. He doesn't have the defensive engine of a Kante or true anchorman; while he can pass a bit he's not a pure creative player either, and is better on the end of things than setting them up. His best skill is finishing from midfield, getting into the box late and scoring goals; that glorious half-season a few years ago it seemed like he was scoring every game. People used to liken him to Steven Gerrard but Gerrard was probably a bit more active defensively and better at providing the final pass.

It's a real shame we won't get top dollar for Ramsey as he's still a good age and can do a good job for other teams. Not that he's likely to do it, but I think his best spot would be in a smaller Premiership team where he can score goals and be that quality finisher and an old-fashioned central attacking midfielder (as opposed to the more modern style of No. 10 assists machine). But I'm willing to trust that Emery knows what he wants and if Ramsey isn't in the plans, then so be it.

[Isalie]

So, is this Ronaldo is a rapist thing old news or is it just not very interesting?

[A Horse Named Stranger]

Feels like I've heard or read that rumour already some time ago (at least two years I think), that he settled something like that* out of court. So in a way it is old news.

 

*I tink it was sexual harassment - it was aome sex related offense, I am just not sure whether it was assault or harassment.

[Mexal]

16 hours ago, Raja said:

I don't think he has the positional discipline, or if he does, he hasn't shown it in years. I also don't think he's good at setting *any* sort of tempo, or is as good technically as Xhaka is in picking up the ball and distributing it from deep. 

Edit: I think tempo is quite important, arteta did it when Ramsey played beside him. 

I know you don't like Xhaka, but for both our coaches, he's basically started every game since he's come into the team, which I think kinda shows his importance ( I do think criticism of his mistakes is totally fair though) 

I don't think we'll ever find out honestly. I thought Ramsey was fine moving the ball back in the day and I think if you put him in the midfield with Emery yelling at him, he may find positional discipline. Either way, we're not even going to try it so we'll never know. I'd rather play Smith-Rowe and Mhki than Ozil and Ramsey right now. They're a much better fit for what Emery wants to do.

That being said, Arsenal still will have a ton of issues because despite Xhaka's seemingly amazing ability to move the ball (or so people tell me), we still cannot move the ball quickly from the back. Next time we play Liverpool, no matter who plays offensively, we're going to get rocked when trying to break the press with our current set of players.

[Jeor]

8 hours ago, Mexal said:

That being said, Arsenal still will have a ton of issues because despite Xhaka's seemingly amazing ability to move the ball (or so people tell me), we still cannot move the ball quickly from the back. Next time we play Liverpool, no matter who plays offensively, we're going to get rocked when trying to break the press with our current set of players.

I think the real issue is that we never found a proper replacement for Cazorla. Xhaka isn't a like-for-like replacement and there's no one else in the team who has Cazorla's skillset.

[Isalie]

According to Swedish dn, quoting der Spiegel, she said no, he went ahead, apologized afterwards and paid her to be quiet about it. So rape.

[polishgenius]

Why the fuck are we starting with Matic, McTominay, Pogba and Fellaini all in the same team? At first glance can only imagine that Pogba's playing a wide role today (with Martial on the other side).

[Mark Antony]

Sacked in the morning 

[polishgenius]

I've seen a rumour that that crew who make the behind-the-scenes documentary have already been hired to follow Zidane's first few months as manager.

Please be true.

[Consigliere]

12 minutes ago, polishgenius said:

Why the fuck are we starting with Matic, McTominay, Pogba and Fellaini all in the same team? At first glance can only imagine that Pogba's playing a wide role today (with Martial on the other side).

McTominay in a back three. Herrera in a back three against Spurs. Bailly banished to the sidelines. Mourinho has lost the plot. You can see the players don't buy into his tactics and are playing with zero confidence. 

[Spockydog]

Ha ha. 

[Spockydog]

The entire Manchester United machine is as washed out as those disgusting shirts they're making the team play in. 

[Mexal]

And that’s why players dive.

[Iskaral Pust]

Sanchez finally dropped, Valencia omitted and Shaw given the LB spot he has earned.  Not bad so far.  But play a 3-5-2 with McTominay at CB — after Herrera was a disaster in the same formation and Bailly is available — play Matic and Fellaini alongside Pogba against a fast counter-attacking team that like to sit deep, and leave Lukaku isolated once again.  Mourinho might be making a point again about the CB he didn’t get to buy, but he’s only showing that he cannot put out a cohesive team.

You can see why the players look unconvincing.  They’re unconvinced themselves by the whole set-up. 

Fellaini is a Faustian bargain.  He’ll win you a few points with headers and chaotic assists, but overall he lowers the quality of play and eventually loses you more points.  Not because he makes match-losing mistakes but because of the opportunity cost of a more talented player.  Mourinho grasped at this bargain a few weeks ago but he’s kidding himself.  Fred, Herrera, Mata, Lingard are all decent MF players.  They’re not individually out of form, it’s the whole team that’s out of form. 

I hope Mourinho stays for his full contract extension. 

[Mexal]

This was a good game. Watford are a solid team. Will give a lot of teams issues.