Very big, got a head on him. But he's slow, even for a CB. Will improve what they have (especially if it means Squillaci doesn't play regularly) but he won't set the PL alight.
Arsenal in talks to sign Per Mertesacker
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I don't mean literally, I meant that they are both very physical defenders. I misspoke with the word physique.
Most great CB pairings have one that reads the game and one that acts as the physical partner: Rio and Vidic, Terry and Carvalho, Puyol and Pique, etc. The world class ones offer a bit of both (Vidic can now read the game excellently).
Arsenal already have readers and quick CBs - they need a physical one. That's why I think Samba would of been great for them. It's all about balance in my eyes.
Good for them that they are building from the back, bad for them that they are looking at average players in Santos and Mertesacker only because they are available at fair prices.
He is going to have a medical soon.
As much pace as Rio....
Rio may not have the same pace he did in his pomp, but even now he'd beat Per in a foot race. Hell, he could give him a 5 yard start and still cover the same distance. Per will be good in the box against the crosses Arsenal are susceptible too, but he's slow as molasses and will suffer if Arsenal play that high line.
I expect he's being brought in to play against the likes of Stoke & Bolton where we need more presence than speed. It gives us options. Kos/Verm will be the pairing against a more pacy attack. I hear he has injury problems though...great!
Per Mertesacker - Official Website
cheesy!
Per Mertesacker - Official Website
cheesy!
Ouch
"Rooney (the hat trick) is not the reason I signed for Arsenal" was pretty funny too.
Early days blah blah blah but I thought he lived up to the "sack of merde" nickname last night. Senderos with longer hair.
Their tactics in the first half were the exact opposite of what suits him. They were playing a stupidly high line and Koscielny isn't nearly a good enough reader of the game to sweep up in behind.
Koscielny ALWAYS tries to steal in infront of the striker and intercept the ball, either with his head or his feet. Mertesacker is incredibly slow. Couple those facts with Arsene Wengers preferred high back line, and you'll get a catastrophy. It's what I said when I heard they've signed him.
Even against Swansea he looked terribly out of his depth when they ran at him with pace, and at Arsenal that's the kind of situation a CB will be exposed to a lot.
Even against Swansea he looked terribly out of his depth when they ran at him with pace, and at Arsenal that's the kind of situation a CB will be exposed to a lot.
He was brilliant today
He was done for pace on more than one occasion and still looks clumsy
Poor signing. Kosieny looked the far better defender today
Kos has been a very good defender this season. SackofMerte was clumsy and hes really slow.
Thought he had a good game.
The commentators were making it sound like he was brilliant. He wasnt. He didnt have a stinker. Expectations shouldnt be THAT low.
The commentators were making it sound like he was brilliant. He wasnt. He didnt have a stinker. Expectations shouldnt be THAT low.
He didn't look that out of sorts I thought.
He was good. Kos was very good though.
Thought Mertesacker had a good game - most probably his best in an Arsenal shirt.
a decent game at best. Welbeck almost made him pay for his lack of pace but I didn't see anything that he did that was remarkable today. Solid performance.
MOM for Arse
Got out jumped by Rooney for one header, don't rate him at all, he probably had his best game for them today too. Lacks pace and isn't commanding at all for his height, he reads the game well-ish but he's not what Arsenal need.
He was very good today.
Of course he lacks pace but that is nothing new.
Of course he lacks pace but that is nothing new.
Out "long term" after having ankle surgery today
what happened to him? i saw the incident in the Sun der land game but there was no mention of the cause of the problem.
In other news, Arsenal's odds of a top four finish are drastically shortened.
I decided he was shit early on in his Arsenal career and haven't seen enough to change my mind since.
That said, the bloke at arseblogger reckons he's the only defender they have who complements Vermaelen or Koscielny. They both like to attack the ball and neither of them is much cop at organising the rest of the back four, so are a terrible combination. Based on last night's game, you can see where he's coming from.
I only wish I could take more pleasure in Arsenal's impending failure to qualify for next season's CL. The fact it's a big boost to Liverpool's chances is eating me up inside.
That said, the bloke at arseblogger reckons he's the only defender they have who complements Vermaelen or Koscielny. They both like to attack the ball and neither of them is much cop at organising the rest of the back four, so are a terrible combination. Based on last night's game, you can see where he's coming from.
I only wish I could take more pleasure in Arsenal's impending failure to qualify for next season's CL. The fact it's a big boost to Liverpool's chances is eating me up inside.
I kind of see where that arseblogger-dude comes from. Koscielny and Vermaelen are both prone to attack a ball they're never going to get.
However, the idea of a covering defender with the pace of Laurent Blanc as of today, in a team playing a high back-line.... Well let's just say it's unfair to expect anything else of Mertesacker, who admittedly has struggled to cope with the tempo in the PL.
No way
Out of the two of them, Koscielny has been so much better than Mertesacker this season it's unbelievable. On the evidence of this season's worth of football, there's just no contest. Any Arsenal-supporting guy will be able to tell you that.
And there's no doubt Kos is more suited to their style of football. He's quicker, more aggressive, and a better ball-playing CB. Also, for a big guy, Mertesacker really is shite in the air.
It's between Chelsea and Arsenal, Liverpool will have no say in this battle, they're crap.
He's pretty shite overall but at least he gave them something which they lacked. A tall CB with experience. Plus from looking at it their 2 CBs in Koscielny and Vermalaen aren't a natural pairing. (both aggressive players who are relatively short)
He'll be a miss more because of the type of player he is rather than how good he is.
He'll be a miss more because of the type of player he is rather than how good he is.
What does that have to do with the Arsenal vs United game my post was referring to?
Still, Koscielny looked the far better defender vs United. No doubt about it.
There is plenty of doubt about it. Mertacasker played better than any Arsenal player against us. Problem is folks on here and in the media are so used to him doing badly, that only a few noticed. That's how they failed to notice Koscielny costing Arsenal the match rather than Mertesacker.
Arsenal will miss him - because it means Djourou will get games.
TBF if Djourou returns to his best form it could be a blessing in disguise.
Is djourou even that good potentially chief? From the times i've seen him play, looks utterly lost.
I think he is. Injuries have disrupted his development alot. But In the world cup especially I felt he showed how good he potentially can be. Last season too for example his return led to Arsenal best period of form during the campaign and he was really ace for them. Right now though he seems to be going though the type of crisis of confidence Evans had last season.