That Midfield!

First topic message reminder :

Where has it been all season?

The answer is that Mutch has been injured, but now that he is fit, what a combination he offers with Kimbo....

Kimbo now has someone he can rely on to lay the ball off to who plays on the same level as him. He's been playing on a different plane to everyone else until Mutch returned fit and raring to go.

Where it leaves Whitts, I am not sure. For so long the jewel in the crown and obviously still a fantastic player that other teams will covert, there will need to be an alternative midfield system that can utilise his skills to the best.......any suggestions?

I am mindful that we also have Filip Kiss and Joe Ralls in the wings.

All in all, I don't think we'll need much more for the Premiership in the midfield area..........although Rambo could be a useful addition to the squad.

Yes it's looking very good and I think it will be fine in the PL.

With regards to Whitts, it's unfair to judge as he was part of a 2 man midfield and since he was dropped it's been mostly a 3 man midfield. Next season in the PL we will need lots of classy midfielders and Whitts will definitely play a part as he's still one of our best players on the ball.

Midfield is one area we won't need to strengthen next season and as much as I'd love to see Rambo at the City one day, the truth is he's played a part in nearly every Arsenal league match this season.

Slumdog's Son™ wrote:I think he scored 11 or so out left a few years ago. There is a lot of competition out left though, as Bellers and Noone play there although I expect Conway to move on in the summer. It would also allow us space in the squad to bring in Rambo as a central midfield option...?!

He actually scored 25 goals from the left in one season. Definitely his best position

Alf Red wrote:

Slumdog's Son™ wrote:I think he scored 11 or so out left a few years ago. There is a lot of competition out left though, as Bellers and Noone play there although I expect Conway to move on in the summer. It would also allow us space in the squad to bring in Rambo as a central midfield option...?!

He actually scored 25 goals from the left in one season. Definitely his best position

Pretty sure 10+ of those were from the spot. Still, decent GS record.

Unless Wikipedia is lying, his best ever goal scoring season was 20 in 9-10, going up to 23 if you include cup goals. Plus taking gloves star of at least ten penalties, his goals from play drops to ten or less, no better than any other season with us. Very little evidence to say he's best out wide, especially when you take into account the sort of players that would miss out on games considering how overcrowded wide left is already.

I just can't believe that there are people (not necessarily on here) writing Whitts off - probably the same people who a few months ago were saying that he would thrive in the prem and calling him a legend. I am sure that he will play a huge part for us next season, but not out wide. We all know that there will be lots of changes next season and a number of changes in personnel. it will be a learning process for everyone but I am sure that Malky will find a pattern within which Whitts will again thrive.

I too would love to see Rambo back but I don't think it will happen. Would anyone want Gunter back?

I fully agree on Whitts MOH. It has been sad this season to see his game fall away so much and him genuine struggling to make an impact for the first time in years. I don't think Malky has got things right with Whitts this season and his confidence has suffered as a result of it.

Whitts is still a quality player though and i am backing both him and Malky to find a way of exploiting his talents properly. Whitts at his best will be an assett in the Premier and i honestly despair of some people who are slagging him off so badly. Some people i know have always hated his "lazy" style of play where he hardly rushes because he can find time on the ball to make his pass and simply doesn't need to rush around to achieve the same thing. For them it is now the perfect time to tell everyone how Whitts has never been any good. Crazy.

For the rest of this season possibly Whittingham might be a bit part player. It won't hurt him to have a longer rest and then try to come back next season raring to go again. It is good to see that we are developing a system that doesn't necessarily revolve around him. If Malky can find a way of making him work in that system then he will be a brilliant option to have.

Toast Boy wrote:I fully agree on Whitts MOH. It has been sad this season to see his game fall away so much and him genuine struggling to make an impact for the first time in years. I don't think Malky has got things right with Whitts this season and his confidence has suffered as a result of it.

Whitts is still a quality player though and i am backing both him and Malky to find a way of exploiting his talents properly. Whitts at his best will be an assett in the Premier and i honestly despair of some people who are slagging him off so badly. Some people i know have always hated his "lazy" style of play where he hardly rushes because he can find time on the ball to make his pass and simply doesn't need to rush around to achieve the same thing. For them it is now the perfect time to tell everyone how Whitts has never been any good. Crazy.

For the rest of this season possibly Whittingham might be a bit part player. It won't hurt him to have a longer rest and then try to come back next season raring to go again. It is good to see that we are developing a system that doesn't necessarily revolve around him. If Malky can find a way of making him work in that system then he will be a brilliant option to have.

Well said, Sir. Players with the talent of PW sometimes lose form but that doesn't suddenly make them a bad player. As the saying goes, 'form is temporary but skill or talent is permanent'.

Whitts will be fine but he is probably behind Mutch/Gunns/Kim in central midfield in my opinion. He is still undoubtedly a quality player but the balance is better with those three. I agree with Toast Boy though, Whitts wasn't deployed in a way that's conducive to his style of play, and he started far too many games.

Man Of Harlech wrote:I just can't believe that there are people (not necessarily on here) writing Whitts off - probably the same people who a few months ago were saying that he would thrive in the prem and calling him a legend. I am sure that he will play a huge part for us next season, but not out wide. We all know that there will be lots of changes next season and a number of changes in personnel. it will be a learning process for everyone but I am sure that Malky will find a pattern within which Whitts will again thrive.

I too would love to see Rambo back but I don't think it will happen. Would anyone want Gunter back?

MoH nice to hear from you again!
As I said above I would like to see Whitts in a central trio with Kim and Mutch ahead of the overrated Gunnar who I think will struggle with the pace of thought and movement in the PL.

Red614 wrote:Unless Wikipedia is lying, his best ever goal scoring season was 20 in 9-10, going up to 23 if you include cup goals. Plus taking gloves star of at least ten penalties, his goals from play drops to ten or less, no better than any other season with us. Very little evidence to say he's best out wide, especially when you take into account the sort of players that would miss out on games considering how overcrowded wide left is already.

You have left out the 2 goals he scored in the playoffs. In 2009/10 he therefore scored 25 goals in all competitions. He scored no more than 13 in any other season and he was taking penalties then too. Any way you look at it his best goalscoring season came when he was played wide on the left. Got 13 assists that year too- not too shabby.

There were an awful lot of pens in that total though. I remember seeing an interview by Whitts when he said that he would never have reached that total if Bothroyd hadn't been throwing himself on the floor so often.

Man Of Harlech wrote:There were an awful lot of pens in that total though. I remember seeing an interview by Whitts when he said that he would never have reached that total if Bothroyd hadn't been throwing himself on the floor so often.

That was Bothroyd's best position