Riccardo Calafiori | Arsenal player

They have a pretty sick list of players who can play CB now. Saliba, Gabriel, Timber and now Calafiori.
 
Pronewbie said:
They have a pretty sick list of players who can play CB now. Saliba, Gabriel, Timber and now Calafiori.
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Timber is quite the sick note. Isn’t he also more of a fullback? Let’s see if he and Califiori make the PL grade first before hailing them.
 
amolbhatia50k said:
Timber is quite the sick note. Isn’t he also more of a fullback? Let’s see if he and Califiori make the PL grade first before hailing them.
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Timber isn't a sick note. Can we stop labelling players sick notes and crocks when they sustain a long-term injury for the first time in their career? Same with Malacia
 
arteta just copying city and having 4 players who can all play centre back in the back 4.

They will line up

White/Timber Saliba Gabriel Calafiori/Timber
 
Big Andy said:
How many of them can they play though? Surely Saliba and Gabriel are their main two?
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Yeah. They'll be the starters. But I like the versatility and quality that arsenal have on the back line. If one of the main CBs gets injured, then there's very little drop off if Caliafiori or White have to move inside. And then Timber is probably first choice off hte bench for LB or RB. And then Tomiyasu is very good at both RB and LB too tbh. Plus Tomi is a good CB in is own right. Lots of versatility and quality in the back
 
FriedClams said:
arteta just copying city and having 4 players who can all play centre back in the back 4.

They will line up

White/Timber Saliba Gabriel Calafiori/Timber
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This is what I've been thinking too.

Arteta is jusy copying City & even grabbed their players like Zinchenko & Gabriel Jesus as his first options.

His front line is a copy of Pep's false 9 tactics & it wouldn't surprise me if they try bring a striker like Toney or Gyokores etc for them to be their Haaland.
 
If it were as simple as 'playing 4 centre backs' then everyone would do it. Quality of player and organization by the manager is what's most important rather than the generic profile of the player's position.

Last year when Arsenal were out of possession, we play 4-4-2 and the space between the banks was congested. You add the fact we have players like Saliba, Gabriel, Rice whilst Odegaard and Havertz pressed hard form the front, its now wonder we had a good defensive record, especially in the last 19 games where we conceded only 8 goals in the league. Were adding Calafiori into the mix and Timber will be like a new signing. Hopefully we add Merino too. Ball winners and press machines all over the pitch. Plus were a big team too, literally we are tacked with tall strong players with engines and pace.

I dont think we can outscore Man City. But we absolutely can concede less than them. Arteta and Arsenal should be aiming to conceded around 20 league goals, and aiming for 20 clean sheets in the league.
 
FriedClams said:
arteta just copying city and having 4 players who can all play centre back in the back 4.

They will line up

White/Timber Saliba Gabriel Calafiori/Timber
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There's times where we've been playing 4 centre backs for a while, for instance if Kiwior was at left back, or even before that with Tomiyasu.

Actually given how much City played Walker still, we've been probably been doing it more regularly than City.
 
White Saliba Gabriel Calafiori is absurd as a backline. LB was probably their weakest position last season, and they have gone and strengthened there 5 folds.
 
Excellent transfer by them, although somewhat injury-prone. Their backline is formidable. If they sign a decent striker, maybe they can go the extra mile this time. Maybe.
 
Pronewbie said:
They have a pretty sick list of players who can play CB now. Saliba, Gabriel, Timber and now Calafiori.
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Ben White was excellent at CB with Gabriel in 2021/22 aswell.

Pretty much the best defensive unit in the league now. I know Man. City probably are statistically but we saw last season when teams aren't scared to depth of attacking them you can create a reasonable amount of chances e.g. Cup final.

Arsenal to me are where Liverpool were in summer 2019 so they just need to keep going and another serious chance to win the league will occur.
 
FootballHQ said:
Ben White was excellent at CB with Gabriel in 2021/22 aswell.

Pretty much the best defensive unit in the league now. I know Man. City probably are statistically but we saw last season when teams aren't scared to depth of attacking them you can create a reasonable amount of chances e.g. Cup final.

Arsenal to me are where Liverpool were in summer 2019 so they just need to keep going and another serious chance to win the league will occur.
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Feel we need another midifielder as we have noone of Odeegards quality. We are linked with Merino so should be a good signing if can get him
 
ArtetasHair said:
Feel we need another midifielder as we have noone of Odeegards quality. We are linked with Merino so should be a good signing if can get him
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Yeah. Sounds like that signing will go through. And I think Nwaneri is going to get a lot of minutes too this season.
 
Funny that a few months ago he was just walking around the stadium and nobody had a clue
 
ArtetasHair said:
Feel we need another midifielder as we have noone of Odeegards quality. We are linked with Merino so should be a good signing if can get him
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Had forgotten about Fabio Vieria's existence until he scored v Bournemouth. His third season so I presume the feeling is he's not going to make it at Arsenal?
 
FootballHQ said:
Had forgotten about Fabio Vieria's existence until he scored v Bournemouth. His third season so I presume the feeling is he's not going to make it at Arsenal?
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I actually quite like him he did play a few games when Odeegard was injured season before last and did decent. Though remains to be seen if he can replicate that over 38 games.

Jorginho, Partey are all a year older as well. The latter made of glass and the former not sure how long his legs can carry
 
FootballHQ said:
Had forgotten about Fabio Vieria's existence until he scored v Bournemouth. His third season so I presume the feeling is he's not going to make it at Arsenal?
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He’s okay. Surprised he’s not being considered to be sold. Must mean Arteta still rates him a bit
 
Looks like Merino deal close with personal terms agreed(?) Fees negotiating now, as they want 30million
 
ArtetasHair said:
Looks like Merino deal close with personal terms agreed(?) Fees negotiating now, as they want 30million
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I'm weirdly more hyped by signing Merino than Calafiori. Him and Rice could be a very good duo and it will be nice to phase out Partey.
 
ArtetasHair said:
Looks like Merino deal close with personal terms agreed(?) Fees negotiating now, as they want 30million
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Ridiculously good value, guessing one year left on his deal? Might be a bit too similar to Rice though with his profile.
 
Interesting first match for him today against lyon. Had about a 25 minute cameo that started at left back. I thought he looked a little leggy and chaotic playing there. Obviously barely any time to judge and it was his first five minutes playing with a new team in a match but he looked WAY better when he was moved to center back.

It'll be interesting to see where he plays.
 
Gene Loblaw said:
Interesting first match for him today against lyon. Had about a 25 minute cameo that started at left back. I thought he looked a little leggy and chaotic playing there. Obviously barely any time to judge and it was his first five minutes playing with a new team in a match but he looked WAY better when he was moved to center back.

It'll be interesting to see where he plays.
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I do think he is going to have to adapt to LB. Might take a bit, but I really don't want to see any more messing around with our Gabriel / Saliba pairing.

This guy is very solid on the ball, knows how to use the space around him... little chaotic as you mentioned in the little time but the quality is there.

Assuming Merino comes in we still need that forward! Would Arsenal supporters on here take Toney? I don't see him as an ideal fit...but at the price quoted, maybe that's the best we can do? Or are we done after Merino?
 
What's their plan with him, play him at LB since Saliba/Gabriel is one of the league's best partnerships? He's much better at CB really so I don't know why they bought him apart from the fact he's a really good player.
 
Changeisgood said:
I do think he is going to have to adapt to LB. Might take a bit, but I really don't want to see any more messing around with our Gabriel / Saliba pairing.

This guy is very solid on the ball, knows how to use the space around him... little chaotic as you mentioned in the little time but the quality is there.

Assuming Merino comes in we still need that forward! Would Arsenal supporters on here take Toney? I don't see him as an ideal fit...but at the price quoted, maybe that's the best we can do? Or are we done after Merino?
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Surely Toney would be devastating for your attack? I hope you stick with Jesus, obviously. He's the chosen one.
 
Changeisgood said:
I do think he is going to have to adapt to LB. Might take a bit, but I really don't want to see any more messing around with our Gabriel / Saliba pairing.

This guy is very solid on the ball, knows how to use the space around him... little chaotic as you mentioned in the little time but the quality is there.

Assuming Merino comes in we still need that forward! Would Arsenal supporters on here take Toney? I don't see him as an ideal fit...but at the price quoted, maybe that's the best we can do? Or are we done after Merino?
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Yeah. I don't know. I hope arteta doesn't stray from a cb pairing that's probably the best in the league. I wonder if he starts experimenting with a back 3 like Pep is doing and that would let Calafiori kind of play like Stones does for City. But I'd guess he's just going to eventually slot into left back in a month or so.

There was a ton of interest in Toney last season and into the january transfer window. Wasn't the rumor that Arteta didn't like his attitude or something? And then after that, the interest him died. I don't know though. I do agree that the squad needs another forward. There's a reason why they tried to sign Sesko and Nico Williams. I guess they're just being really picky. But I'd like for them to get someone.
 
Not convinced that his goal was an actual shot attempt but I thought he had a great match overall. Tough for your feature debut to be away at city, but he was class.

Will be curious if that's the new starting back 4.
 
Gene Loblaw said:
Not convinced that his goal was an actual shot attempt but I thought he had a great match overall. Tough for your feature debut to be away at city, but he was class.

Will be curious if that's the new starting back 4.
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It was definitely a shot, he just sidefooted it for accuracy. He hits it and then starts turning in celebration before it even hits the back of the net. You don't do that if you were trying to cross the ball and shanked it completely.

Savinho did him on the first goal, but a lot of other things had to happen for that to turn into an actual goal. After that I thought he settled down well. He'll probably never be an elite 1-v-1 defender in space if consistently isolated against that kind of winger but he moves fine in general and reads the game really well, just seems like a smart natural defender who is also cool as they come on the ball.
 
Absolute unit, isn't he. feck me when he ran over to Jorginho I thought he'd bowl Arteta over like a nine pin.
 
Also, yeah, 1000% a shot. Really crazy skill to pull that off, but that's from the training ground.
 
Thought he wasn’t able to hand Savinho until Arsenal parked the double decker
 
amolbhatia50k said:
Thought he wasn’t able to hand Savinho until Arsenal parked the double decker
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Looked iffy for sure starting off, particularly for the goal because we rely so much on the 1v1's working in our favour. Settled in well I thought before the game became attack v defence.
 
amolbhatia50k said:
Thought he wasn’t able to hand Savinho until Arsenal parked the double decker
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Savinho spun him well in the first goal, but he did spin inside, he shouldn't have been afforded the space towards the middle of the pitch after getting away from Calafiori, we got our distances all wrong there.
 
Think he lacks elite top end recovery speed. But hes a beast and I’m more impressed with every match he’s played. His anticipation and timing to win balls is crazy. He transitions from defense to attack so quickly
 
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