Alex Song

[Barca_070]

IMO Arteta didn't do much for them. . . He played higher than song, and yet couldn't manage to get half the assists Song contributed. . . What defines the role of a Midfielder?

So what, Song was more defensively than Arteta, but he made the same amount of interceptions, with less tackles and fouls. What is your point?

 

[Hamzah]

arteta wasnt covering song, he was just playing central midfield. he just happened to be behind song because song decided to charge forward on evry move.

 

[La Furia]

arteta wasnt covering song, he was just playing central midfield. he just happened to be behind song because song decided to charge forward on evry move.

And part of the problem is Song's poor positioning sense.

I think Arteta and Song were both used as CMs, meaning they shared duties on both ends...but Song has a tendency to do too much forcing Arteta to clean up after him.

 

[Gervinho]

IMO Arteta didn't do much for them. . . He played higher than song, and yet couldn't manage to get half the assists Song contributed. . . What defines the role of a Midfielder?

higher? he played deeper and no it wasnt by choice. wenger had to come out and explain why song has gone all crazy on us few months ago. and he said we dont play with defensive midfielder, but 2 midfielders who share the defending. fair enough. thing was arteta was the one always dropping deeper and keeping things together. if you ever watched us without arteta last season you would know what im talking about.

its not that arteta is world class exactly...just a solid pro who is tactically astute, and it shows you how important football brain is. For me if Song has Artetas football brain he would be absolute class, sadly he dont

 

[Superfly]

Good to see my last post got deleted. . .lolz. If Arteta played farther behind song as you say he did. . . . The big question is why would he have to drop any deeper to cover song? That goes for you too La Furia. Once again as I said initially your post epitomizes contradiction.

Arteta played father behind (''dropping back") Song as a result of him going forward. I don't understand what's so difficult to understand about that?

 

[La Furia]

Arteta isn't elite but he's the type of player who keeps a team ticking. He was more important to Arsenal last year than anyone but RVP IMO. On a team notorious for lacking structure, Arteta managed to give them some.

Song might be solid on both ends but he's not the sharpest out there.

 

[Messi+Eto]

Not the number of assists, for one.

A midfielder's job is to balance the tempo of the game, dictate the pace of the game, support the attack/defence, act as a bridge between the attack and defence, and most importantly create chances for the strikers. . . Arteta does most of what I listed, in exception of the last one . Little wonder he is hardly invited to the Spanish national side.

 

[Hamzah]

rofl. you have zero tactical knowledge. look at xabi alonso, he dicates tempo, supports attack and defence and keeps the ball moving. he is a world class deep lying playmaker.

you are thinking of an attacking midfielder whose only job is to assist (example: fabregas)

fabregas would fail at the other aspects on midfield play (what alonso does) - the only player who combines both deep lying playmaker with lots of assist is xavi thats why hes the best.

 

[Messi+Eto]

Arteta played father behind (''dropping back") Song as a result of him going forward. I don't understand what's so difficult to understand about that?

Still doesn't explain why Arteta has a lower amount of Assists. . . . After dashing forward, its only sane to suggest that Song would return to his "original" position?

 

[karthik]

May be Tito is willing to tweak the team with something new from his side by adding Song ?

 

[Messi+Eto]

rofl. you have zero tactical knowledge. look at xabi alonso, he dicates tempo, supports attack and defence and keeps the ball moving. he is a world class deep lying playmaker.

you are thinking of an attacking midfielder whose only job is to assist (example: fabregas)

fabregas would fail at the other aspects on midfield play (what alonso does) - the only player who combines both deep lying playmaker with lots of assist is xavi thats why hes the best.

Xabi Alonso does create chances for Ronaldo and Benzema agree or disagree? Wishere created way more chances than even song from that position agree or disagree? Lets put your tactical know how to the test shall we?

 

[La Furia]

A midfielder's job is to balance the tempo of the game, dictate the pace of the game, support the attack/defence, act as a bridge between the attack and defence, and most importantly create chances for the strikers. . . Arteta does most of what I listed, in exception of the last one . Little wonder he is hardly invited to the Spanish national side.

Because he's not as good as the greatest generation of Spanish midfielders in history?

Borja Valero had as many assists as Xavi last year, where is he on the national side?

 

[Gervinho]

A midfielder's job is to balance the tempo of the game, dictate the pace of the game, support the attack/defence, act as a bridge between the attack and defence, and most importantly create chances for the strikers. . . Arteta does most of what I listed, in exception of the last one . Little wonder he is hardly invited to the Spanish national side.

No shame in not getting in the Spain squad......he would be part of pretty much any other national team squad. its just that Spain is blessed with amazing midfielders

 

[Messi+Eto]

Because he's not as good as the greatest generation of Spanish midfielders in history?

Borja Valero had as many assists as Xavi last year, where is he on the national side?

What will you say if Xavi wasn't creating assists for Messi? It is common knowledge that most people would argue Messi only scores as much as he does because of the sheer quality of Midfileders around him.

 

[Hamzah]

alonso creates chances because he gets forward more. khedira and lass rarely get forward. so hes obviously going to make assists.

with arteta he plays beside song who runs forward alot. so he cannot get forward as much because one person has to stay back. if song held his position arteta can get forward and make same assists as alonso.