Don Mannone
Something I’ve said about Almunia for a while is that he is a very average keeper… he’ll make all the saves you expect him to… but he’ll rarely dig out world class performance for you.
Mannone exposed big Al today… he shone. He pulled off 5-6 superb saves, he was brave coming for balls in the box and all the players went to him first when the final whistle blew after 96 minutes. Arsene Wenger sneeringly pointed out to ESPN that this was only one game (*Later reviewed)… Kevin Keegan also pointed out that he palmed quite a few into the path of oncoming players… but what the heck, he was man of the match and if Big Al had been between the sticks, we could have shipped 4.
The team performance in the first half was heavily criticised by the pundits, anyone would have thought Fulham had dominated us. Geoff and I didn’t see that game. Arsenal controlled the pace of the game without ever really troubling Fulham. It was all a bit lack lustre and certainly short of any ingenuity. Arshavin was the only one to really go close… and that was blazed over the bar. Fulham had some good chances, but Vito was equal to them.
The second half was a different kettle of fish, our game ranged from the sublime… to the downright awful. We defended very poorly and failed to take control of the game in the middle of the park. It was a real battle and certainly more nervy than it should have been.
What many people fail to take into account is that Fulham are no longer the whipping boys of the Premiership… they are a very well organised unit and if they had someone a touch more clinical up top, they’d be a real nightmare to play against.
It’s interesting to know that they had the least injuries in the league last year… they played 20 games with an unchanged team last year, pretty impressive, this article here highlights what I mentioned about Arsenal a few weeks ago. Clearly we’re not managing our players as well as we’d like to think… interesting that he speaks about keeping older players going for longer… we just ship them out because we can’t manage their fitness. Keeping players fit is a science, not good luck.
Back onto the game… Konchesky fires a poor ball forward, Song intercepts… quickly distributes it to Cesc, who powers forward… chips it into the path of RvP… who sublimely controls it… then drags his shot back across Schwarzer’s goal into the bottom corner. A superb goal, from a player struggling for goalscoring form lately.
Then began the battle… Arsenal had some chances to capitalise… Fulham had better chances to equalise. Diaby was running hot and cold, mostly cold… Song just doesn’t have the pace or will to be the long term solution to the holding role and telling me he’s amazing wont change my opinion on that (It’s the in thing to do this year, like Denilsons stat’s were flavour of the blog walk last year)… Bendtner worked hard, but his lapses of concentration are extremely frustrating… not as frustrating as Arsene Wenger taking off RvP and replacing him with Eboue. What’s with that? Is that honestly the best solution we have? Disregard the fact he went close a couple of times… if we’d lost a goal, what would that have mattered… he wasn’t clinical… anyone can come on and miss can’t they?
6 minutes of injury time played out… we had the victory. On a weekend when Chelsea dropped three hysterical points at Wigan,every other team in the top four had a piss easy game and we were playing a team that took 4 points off us last year… this was a good three points.
Player Ratings:
Mannone: Incredible performance for a keeper I really don’t rate. His kicking was spot on, he looked calmer and he made some fantastic Hollywood saves. Someone said we could make a youtube compilation of that performance and pass him off as a £10million wonder kid! I couldn’t disagree! I thought Wenger was a bit nonchalant when he passed the performance off as 1 game. We’re bastards for not appreciating Eboue as the pass master, or admiring Denilson’s invisible performances… but when a kid does a super job, it’s a one off? 9.5
Clichy: A few hairy moments, and a few too many crosses creeping in the box for my liking… but part of the clean sheet crew. 6.5
Vermaelen: Top performance from the best thing to come out of Belgium since Stella Artois (… just). It’s great to watch a defender who sees only the ball, puts his head on anything and genuinely loves defending. He is a very good player and his signing was a top bit of business. 8
Gallas: Oh bloody hell Willy… get up. No… that wasn’t a transcript of a sexual encounter I had last night, but it was a constant thought in my head every time I watch Gallas collapse in a heap… I think he was solely responsible for all 5 minutes that went on the board! He put in a good performance though… refusing to be overshadowed by the Verminator. Good to see him back to his best. 7.5
Sagna: A few good deliveries into the box from a full back notorious for bad crossing. He didn’t play out of his skin, but was adequate today. 6.5
Song: The problem with Songs game was summed up when Andy Johnson raced into the box and Song couldn’t catch up with him, briefly giving up. He doesn’t have the pace, he doesn’t have the will to sit back and defend and he doesn’t really do much else bar a few neat passes late in the game. He’ll do against Fulham, barely… but he can’t hack it against the top teams. When Robin talks about keeping his thoughts to himself on weak positions… and people want to know why Cesc looks sullen… I wonder if they are thinking about the player who rules the middle of the park?
Yes he’s improved… but don’t benchmark Song against the Song of 2 years ago… that’s like benchmarking your vocab against what it was when you were 4 years old (Probably an even match for Chris Waddle). Do what you should do, benchmark him against Petit, Gilberto or Yaya Toure… because that’s where he needs to be if we want the glory days back at Arsenal. 5
Cesc: A weak performance from a player who looks like he’s been asked to play for the ladies under 18 team. His passing was off, his shooting was woeful… but the thing with great players is they can still produce magic… which he did with a masterful chipped pass to Robin. One notable point is that his freekicks are diabolical. Cesc, if you can’t even hit the head of the defender on the front post, you know it’s time to hand over responsibility to someone else. Our club seems to be so conflict free that no one will step in… the same has to be said of Robin. How many more duff kicks do we have to witness before someone else takes responsibility? 6.5
Diaby: I picked up an amazing slab of organic beef that cost me a fortune a couple of weeks ago… I can’t cook, but my brother can. I said to him…
‘James, there is an amazing piece of beef in the fridge, you can share if you cook it’
What he presented me was as upsetting as a Diaby performance. He’d grilled it to a sinder, then tried to rescue it by moistening it with tobasco sauce. Kind of like putting out a fag burn on a friends carpet by urinating on it. Diaby’s performance was equally as disappointing as the beef. You see he has potential, but the product he is serving up is often over cooked and disappointing… give him the games Denilson gets and we might have something a bit more palatable on our hands but at the moment, he’s just a burnt lump of tobascoed leather. Here are his stats if you’re interested:
shots 0
passes 27 successful 1 unsuccessful
interceptions 5
tackles won 8 lost 6
clearances successful 3 unsuccessful 0
blocks 0
free kicks won 1 conceded 3
Source Guardian chalkboard
Shows you how useful stats are (Song completed 45 passes in a less advanced position), where is the one for losing the ball because you refuse to release in under 10 seconds? 4
Bendtner: Put Andre the giant on an ice rink and ask him to figure skate, don’t expect tens all round. Why put Bendtner out wide and expect him to devastate full backs and wow us with pace and trickery? It’s ridiculous and surely a hindrance on his game? He knows he’s doing a bad job out wide and he knows the fans think he is… great way to build a player up. Surely we have better options than Nik out wide? No wonder we struggle for ideas when we put the the wrong players into alien systems…
ROUND PEGS FOR ROUND HOLES ARSENE!
A good defensive performance… and considering he is a centre forward, he made the best of a unnatural position by causing a few problems and drawing a good save out of Schwarzer. I wonder how he feels when Eboue comes onto play in the middle up front instead of Wenger asking him to move over? 7
Arshavin: Mr Invisible again… he has a few bright sparks… literally about 3. He doesn’t fit our plan, or people don’t like giving him the ball. When you have a talent as explosive as this little rocket, why wouldn’t you try and base your game around him? Why sign the 5th best player in the world and play him in a position he doesn’t like? He’s 28… not 19… he’s too far gone to change him. 6
Robin: Before the goal I said to Geoff, ‘Doesn’t Robin fall down easily?’, Geoff replied, ‘He doesn’t fall down, he glides down’. It’s true, he tumbles in slow motion! I didn’t think it was his best game and I personally believe that he should be played out wide and asked to play the role he used to play for Holland. I’m glad he bagged a goal this week and proved his value is more than just an assister… he is a top player and he is Mr Arsenal for me… good to hear him say he might stay forever as well! 8.5
Conclusion:
A well ground out result (<– So, so cliché!) and a superb performance from the keeper… but it was a struggle. How many times do we talk about grinding out results… when does it become just getting lucky? When do the amazing performance come in to act as the counter balance for playing vastly short of our potential?
If we’re in this competition to win it this year, we need to start addressing player positions and we need to start defending with a bit more confidence because against top quality striker renowned for more than having the most shots without a goal… we’ll get exposed.
If Diaby isn’t cutting it… stick Rambo in there… if Cesc is playing poorly, give Arshavin a go in the middle… and if you have Wilshere \ Vela at your disposal and you think Nik B is the best option… make the right decision and go and see a doctor.
You see, if players like Rambo, Wilshere and Vela aren’t ready this year… our squad has false depth… because they aren’t really available are they? All this guff should have been addressed in the summer shouldn’t it?
3 points are in the bag, which is a good thing… however, just focusing on the outcome would be foolish.
We move swiftly onto the Champions League, then Blackburn shit kickers at home.
Joy.
Happy Sunday Grovers!
P.S. Glad to see our players exploited Hangeland’s rumoured lack of pace (I’m sooo being sarcastic).
David, if Vela is amazingly talented… he’ll be kept.
I don’t think Wenger often lets players go he wants to keep… Flamini and Hleb being the exceptions.
I’m a Chav mang… never a spud!
Well Flamini isnt even playing for them right now.
Stu
Flamini is suspenders
Stu, they fucked up big time putting Leonardo in charge.
Erm, I mean suspended! What am I thinking???
Yeah Pedro…and not spending the 60m they got for Kaka. Serious problems at that club right now.
No goals for Klaas I see…
Did anyone use to watch that sitcom Just Shoot Me i re-found it it’s funny as fuck…
Well i guess that answers that then MG.
Vela will turn out to be a very important player for us this season, IMO, he aint goin no where’s…
Sooo, Hangeland on a free next summer then?
Did I miss the game where Vela tore apart a Premiership defence like Torres did yesterday? Or like Henry used to do 10 times a season?
Is he out of contract next year? That’d be a touch!
Arsene would never lose a player who was delivering… especially a young one.
I can’t imagine Vela would leave either.
Baxter… he tore a full strength Wigan defence apart last season scoring a hatrick… surrounded by kids.
When is Velas contract up? He has been with us for about 4 years already (2 out on loan..or was it 3?)
I can’t believe the media have tried to protray Fulham as dominatin the whole game. What a load of bollocks.
We were very poor 1st half, IMO, but were in control for most of the game. From where I was stood, Diaby and cesc both had pretty poor games, while Gallas and Vermilli were excellent again. And RvP is leading the fight and the line more and more.
What has Vela delivered yet? A couple of coca cola performances? Hell even The Beast managed that!
Oh jeez, Vela is shit now?
The Bap had a decent run in the team, as did Aliadiere and did fuck all. lets give vela, who is, erm, 20 I think the same chance before wanting him to fail. That’d be real nice.
It don’t make him the second coming though does it Pedro? I mean he looks like he’s got some ability but lots of players with ability don’t make it. I’m not sure Vela will.
Theo has done a lot more and most of us are a bit unsure about him.
It all seems a bit bandwagonesque.
Mang, I thought the 1st half was better than the second… Gallas and Verm look great… the midfield didn’t… Cesc looks very Anelkarish…
Baxter, if we’re going along those lines… we might as well write off Jack until he does it in the Premiership.
Vela is an awesome talent… and he’d do a better job than Nik out wide… or Diaby.
Umm if we go by that theory no Arsenal player has delivered yet… But if a kids talented he’s talented…
Stop picking fights Mangoo I’m just saying, he’s got to do a bit more yet to justify the hype.
In my opinion there is a lot of hype and not a lot else. YET.
I assume we are still allowed to have opinions here that don’t conform to Mangoos?
Pato on to save Milan.
Baxter, Vela has far more natural talent and skill than Theo will ever have.
He is a natural wide man as well and he’s about the right age to do some damage. He rarely lets us down and down grading his coca cola performances seems a bit harsh considering he was playing with kids… against a very good opposition… and he destroyed them.
Jack has had fewer chances than Vela Pedro, if Jack had had the same number of games in an Arsenal shirt and not really delivered the goods yet, i’d be saying the same thing about him.
Hype is easy, not every hyped player turns into a world beater.
Bax
I aint startin nuffin… You wanna be startin sumfin, I say, you wanna be startin sumfin…
I think Vela is a special talent, but needs a run to show if he can do it on a consistent basis.
That might be so Mangoo.
In fairness, i’d be wanting to see him get a run beofre I wrote him off. I’m just saying he hasn’t impressed me in the Premiership yet.
Has he you? Honestly?
16 starts, 3 assists and 6 goals.
Not bad for your first year.
I think the hype is justified.
Baxter;
Honestly mate, I think he can be a feckin world beater. There’s sumfin about him, he has skill, pace, and an eye for goal.
He could turn out to do nuffin, but I doubt it, although he needs a decent run 1st.
He’s had 14 appearances most as subs… That’s waaay to early to judge a player either way…
Anyhoo, catch yall laters…
Are they league stats Pedro?
Total Arsenal stats.
He started two games in the league, which is why you being unimpressed is a bit perplexing?
Compared to Theo… 29 starts… 8 goals and 3 assists.
He just earned a £60k a week contract.
What is they say about stats – figures don’t lie but liars can figure?
He’s had more then a few subs performances Pedro and i’m just saying i’ve yet to be massively impressed, the games he started in the league he seemed a bit lightweight…have I found your sacred cow or something?
“I can’t believe the media have tried to protray Fulham as dominatin the whole game. What a load of bollocks.”
Take a look at the 2 minute highlights on ATVO. Arsenal wise, it has our goal on it, that’s all…… everything else is Fulham’s chances and Mannone saves. That was the story of the game unfortunately.
The thing about Theo as well – i think i said I like many others are unsure about Theo but it seems like its “acceptable” to say that Theo might be overhyped but not Vela.
Soory, but i don’t do acceptable.
Evening All,
Vela has scored more in his arse career than theo if i am correct with less than half the starts!
I haven’t seen the media say that Fulham dominated the game Chozzer, most said they were unlucky not to get a draw, which is pretty on the money I think.
Baxter, there aren’t many ways you can paint goals and assist stats… I think they’re the least subjective of them all.
He’s started two games in the league… one of them was Pompey in a team of loads of kids… and he scored… I think that was actually the only game? And you weren’t impressed!
Each to their own…
Who is saying that Theo is great? Not me! Saying that Vela is great because Theo is bad does not seem like much of an argument.
Baxter, Theo doesn’t have the natural instinct for the game that Vela does… and he hasn’t delivered after plenty of games.
That’s why people say Theo is overhyped… oh and he has a £60k a week contract!
You can include loads of pointless games and secondary cups Pedro!
I hope you’re right, i hope he turns into The Michelangelo of football, but until he does I’m not prepared to declare him as such.
Baxter… I think you’re the one who brought Theo into the argument.
I’d take Theo or Vela out wide over Bends or Diaby.
who cares how much Theo earns? It ain’t my money!
Baxter, goals are goals… the size of the frame doesn’t change… the fact there is a keeper doesn’t change… you’ve still got to bang it in.
If ‘pointless’ games are the only ones you’re given… and you do well in them… that should be commended, not palmed off…
I thought you were a season ticket holder?
I didn’t say I thought he was good though Pedro!
I said he gets a canning but Vela is a demi god despite not doing much if anything more.
Based in the midlands… maybe not!
Well, as a contributor to the wages… it does matter to me.
He’s not a demi-god… he’s just highly rated by the faithful.
Pace, tricker, an eye for goal… why wouldn’t people be excited about him?
I am but I’m not a shareholder. I just buy tickets to the games, i don’t care about he pays what and stuff, I just like to watch football.
I don’t ever turn on the stockmarket and sit there with a beer cheering on the share price!
we didnt win ugly yesterday. were outfought,lost every 50 50. our keeper had a stormer and on another day with better finshing and luck fulham would of hammered us. wake up and smell the coffee, this teams goin nowhere with crap losers like diaby, eboue, clichy,bentner, better stop now, thers more
Hi Guys
Just peeking in as I ahve been busy so sorry if this has been said already.
Mannone looked like a world beater yesterday because he actually made some saves, fuck me isn’t that what keepers do. Well done Vito for being a Keeper and not a Tapas bar waiter impersonating a keeper.
Also the fact that the Verminator is becoming a legend after a few games is the same, he is a decent defender and we haven’t seen one of them at the heart of our Team since the days of TA, Sol and Keown.
Ditto Arshavin. Although the Players we have been watching the past 4 years have been good they haven’t been as good as the guys from the Invincibles era and before that.
Most have been suckered into the Spuds syndrome of yesteryear,saying we play pretty football but win fuck all with flair players who have good technique.
Even if young Vito fucks up soon we must persevere with him as he will improve more in 10 games than Coco the fucking Clown Tapas bar waiter has done since he has been with us.
Funny how a chest infection can not be treated quicker than this. We either have the worst Doctors in the world or there are damn lies going down and I think I know what one I believe.
“the wonderful loping runs of Abou Diaby, slicing through gaps with awesome power and speed, the compact sensibilities of Alexander Song, who looks to have it all”
lol
http://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/
tecnically nn, they were crap winners yesterday, not crap losers.
Shareholders don’t pay the wages Baxter! The fans who put their hand in their pockets every week do… I care about value for money… I don’t believe Theo represents that on his current deal.
I’m hoping he’ll prove me wrong and turn into a world beater like Geoff hopes!
After last week’s “oh, really, did I score?” dead pan expression. Cesc looked genuinely pleased this week…photo op with RvP, Nikki.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1216346/Fulham-0-Arsenal-1-Van-Persie-Mannone-inspire-vital-win.html?ITO=1490
Anyway guys, i’m off for a bit. Nice chattin’
Evening Baxter!
el tel: you’re wrong Almunia is not a Tapas bar waiter impersonating a goalkeeper, he’s a goalkeeper impersonating a Tapas bar waiter.
Saw on the injury news on Arse.com that Cesc and Diaby have chest infections this week and that Ramsey and Vela will get starts.
Nah, still don’t care Pedro, i care about whats on the pitch, thats why I love football. The stuff off it doesn’t matter to me. I’m not inside the club, I don’t know who’s really paid what.
I just figure that most of em get paid the going rate, some lucky chancers might get a bit more, some a bit less but as long as I get 90 minutes every other week of my favourite team as I have for over 30 years then I’ve had my money’s worth and the rest of the stuff is just background noise.
really am off now!
I may sound negative every time I write but Clichy is a weak link too. I can’t believe people really think he is the best left back in the world or is anywhere near being so.
Clichy has been getting loaded up for a few years now as other Teams know where we are vulnerable.
Vela has been scoring for Mexico too
He has scored every time he has started for us but once.
Theres a difference between him and some of the other talented players in the squad- he has something special to offer in every department, his control, his astonishing clinicality and link-up play
Players that dont make it at arsenal dont have those qualities- Aliadiere, Bentley, Owusu-Obeye
Players who do have the style he has do
He is special because he is different.
I rate him above Rambo but below Jack
An Arsenal away victory + Lewis Hamilton + England cricket team beating the supposed best in the world & on the home ground + the Chavs losing to an very ordinary team = a fantastic weekend.
Raddy, did Hamilton win?
Kevin Keegan can suck my balls. Mannone actually did what a keeper is supposed to do and that is to palm the ball sideways to avoid dangerous situations or to create a situation where u can cover your goal. That is one of Almunia’s main faults that he doesn’t do that
Not bothered what they earn as all of them earn more in a week than many earn per year.
If Almunia served my table I would give him a tip. It would be find a Championship side who need a Keeper.
I listened to the game on Radio and they were saying we played well. Fulham had the better chances but we played ok if the 5 Live guys are to be believed.
Oskar… you’re supposed to palm it away… not back into danger which he did twice.
The performance was top notch regardless… he kept a clean sheet and that’s all that matters.
El tel, we weren’t attrocious… but we didn’t play well or really create. The defence looked solid though.
Well said Raddy!
I’m a big Vela fan Rob, he could be a really massive player for us, especially in the current system. It’s going to be interesting to see where Arshavin features, he’s gonna have to buck his ideas up a bit to keep his place in the team with all our attacking players coming back from injury!
Chozzer, I think plenty of people make judgements on players they don’t watch that often… Song probably does look like the full package next to Bouba Diop or Pantsil!
BTW I think to give AA a 6 and Song a 5 shows considerable bias.
Watch the game again and you will see that AA was our worst player. His passing was awful, his tackling no-existent and his shooting woeful. I hope that is the worst game we see him have in an Arsenal shirt. I was shocked.
How many more poor performances before Diaby is dropped? that was 4 in a row. To give that man the shirt ahead of Rosicky is madness. Let us assume that AW played AD because TR had played too much, then why not start with TR and bring AD on when he tires? Diaby is clearly not good enough
If you spend a lot of time on the blog… but don’t admit you do… does that mean you have a problem?
Good call Big Raddy but the Mancscum won and the Neanderthals thrashed Burnley. Would also have been good if button was World Champ.
Good weekend but not great mate.
PS. The Invincibles record goes on another year.
I think that’s fair. It was very scrappy game and Fulham were energetic and disruptive, but not dominating and they had some chances that either the CBs or mannone took care of. We were lucky, but then it’s about time.
evening allllll
Yeah Pedro I agree, Mannone was a hero on Saturday, but he’s far from a top keeper just yet, he still made a couple of potentially shocking mistakes, and his saves although good to stop it going in a couple of them that he SHOULD save he didn’t get out of the danger area. Almunia will come back in when he’s back from injury, and rightly so, but still fantastic from Mannone yesterday, and hope he continues in that vain on Tuesday.
what the fuck do people expect he’s been out for a while he’s not going to come back and start beating the world is he
Are you gonna be bigging up Andy Johnson and Bobby Zamora in tomorrow’s post, then?
I think yesterday was the sort of game not to use 4-4-4 or 4-2-3-1
Against Fulham away you need to put 2 up front
Wenger has got to use his new formation against the better sides who will leave more space at the back-Liverpool, City, Spurs, Villa,United and Chelsea.
Not when we cant play break style fluid football
Yes Little Theo won in Singapore Pedro
yesterday we ground out the result im fucked if we played well again and lost that’s some bullshit,it’s time we played shit and won the sooner they learn that the sooner we might win something
Raddy… he was so annonymous it was hard to give him a 5. He had a few shots… nearly scored.
Creative players tend to lose the ball more because they’re trying more ambitious things.
He also got very little of the ball…
I just checked his stats!
22 passes… 12 successful! haha!
Dear oh dear!
Cheers Pedro, A win is a Win I guess.
Big Raddy how right you are about Diaby, how come we always play with men light?
Vela is better than Nikki B as a winger so why does the Manager persist with this crazy shit.
Eboue gets on again too the way its going the cheating prick will beat David O’Learys Arsenal appearance record. What a disgrace that would be.
However, most of his fucked up passes were balls into the box or playing players through…
LOL Chozzer. What Fulham did well was to find an attacker with a cross, something we clearly struggle to do !
Vela will be great for us. Can’t wait to see him get a run of games
For me Arshavin was a 4 yesterday
I know hes fatigued but he just wasnt interested and did absolutely nothing of note, except miss (unluckily) the best chance we had all game.
How does that earn him a 6???
He might have not been playing!!!
Im worried that this will become the norm for him
Cesc had 17 unsuccessful passes but 45 good ones…
Stats like that are hard to interpret.
We should sign Zamora
TO make us see how good we have it with RVP and Eduardo, and we might get a few hundred more Bendtner fans
So many Fulham fans cry to me about him, and it makes me laugh
Rob, 6 is just the standard.
I feel he is being played out of position and he’s not being involved in the play.
El Tel. N Nice to see you retain your sense of humour !
No they weren’t Pedro. Plus AA was playing passes behind the player and thereby slowing our attacks. I cannot slag off a man who has such talent, perhaps AW rushed him back.
RVP’s right foot is becoming better isn’t it..
A thinks it would be right for Coco to return and my guess is he believes he really is injured.
I don’t care that Mannone palms the ball back into play thats when the defenders can nmop up. At least the fella don’t let in goals at every shot/header on target.
Any Keeper will do for me rather than that imposter.
It’s a team game Pedro. Someone has to bust his balls looking for the killer pass that makes a goal while others have to shovel it sideways with 100% accuracy. Stats are worthless.
pedro
i dont agree with that at all i dont see aa,risicky,nasri, giving the ball away that much because they have are quality players same thing with manu,chelsea,and liverpooli dont see stevie g,lambard,scholes giggs,carrick i dont these players losing ball giving away posesion very often
Very true Chozzer!
The only stats worth anything are goals and assists… oh, and clean sheets!
KK fair enough
My worry is, when we have a fully fit squad, we will see whether or not Wengers team selection is any good.
Then we will se if he prefers Diaby and Song and Denilson, Eboue and Bendtner, to Nasri, Walcott, Rosicky Eduardo and AA
I think he will still play Densongabyoue ahead of our real talent
Scary really…
Evening BR, BBK, el tel, chozzer
I have a soft spot for Zamorra. He is a Londoner and he always gives everything. He never hides, and despite having very limited ability has had a fine career.
I have heard that he turned down a 6k a week pay increase when he refused Hull. Unlike some other cash conscious scum who have left THOF
evening choy
Arshavin is being wasted on the left… problem with the 433 is where do you play him?
Hi Choy
Any ideas how many goals RVP has got with his right foot as I would guess its a fair amount.
I reckon RVP should take the free kicks with his right as his left is fucking woeful at them.
RVP is also the King at hitting the woodwork.
Evening Choy
Choy-on the right???
2 goals for rvp.. 2 goals for the chocolate leg
El Tel
I read he has the record for top flight woodwork hits in Europe (from open play and set-pieces)
Must actually be harder than scoring really, so if you think about it- Hes the best striker in Europe
Choy, you give AA a free role. He is so intelligent that he makes his own space,
RvP’s direct free kicks are dreadful, better to give AA the ball. But his whipped in crosses are brilliant.
LOL Rob
Chocolate leg! haha! Nice one!
Right, I’m signing off… it’s been a pleasure as always!
Geoff is up tomorrow!
Adios!
I personally would give AA at least 7 every time he steps on the field.
When we get AA, TR, Cesc, Nasri in midfield with Vela and Bendtner up front we will be unstoppable.
Cesc and Nasri can hold the midfield with TR and AA just ahead. RVP, Theo, Willshere on the bench.
Night All
Rob.. hehe
Read somewhere that pre season training knocked arshavin out completely!
Night BR and Pedro!
Evening Choy. I thought Arshavin was taking the piss at one point yesterday. He was hugging the touchline so tight as if to say ‘you told me to stay on the left wing’.
He needs a free role, but how in 433?
Would love to see that line-up el tel
Nik and Vela up top
5 goals every game
Big Raddy
I agree with most of the things you say.
Got to go all as I am working days next week and starting at 5 am.
Enjoy the night and take care all you Gooners.
exactly chozzer.. he can’t express himself
Cheers Rob, when they have played together the movement has been very good and they seem to compliment each other.
With that midfield they would all be impossible to mark imo.
Night guys.
Well
Am off to bed, to dream of what life will be like in 5 years time
Vela and Afobe up front scoring 60 a season
Wilshire captaining England to the World Cup
Rambo and Coquelin commanding the midfield
Thomas playing in just about every position imaginable as back-up for Walcott, who has just scored his 150th Arsenal goal
Gibbs, Bartley, Verminator and Sagna still havent conceded 37 games into the season
Mannone with little work to do in between the posts thanks to the defence, takes to reading during the matches
Wenger is given an elixir which makes him tactically briliant, and unable to age.
Aahhhhhhhhhhh what a life
Night guys, sleep well- i know i will
This for ‘DAVID’ 2 answer
when exactly did anelka win the world cup u moron????
France have only won the world cup once in 1998 and anelka wasn’t even in the squad so please in future switch on a braincell before opening your mouth next time. IDIOT
So fack what? So he didnt win the WC
He is hardly a reject is he?
What sort of fellow has a name as Mick anyways?
Like Mickey mouse?
So Theo could be in the squad but won’t start on Tuesday. It’s gonna start to get interesting if we don’t have anymore injuries, forward players could start having to really fight to get in the squad let alone the team. Eduardo didn’t make the bench on Saturday, who’s going to come out of the squad for him, and then someone else would have to for Theo as well. Still gonna need back up on the bench for all positions, so gonna be tough.
So for Tuesday I’m thinking it’ll probably be something like
Mannone
Eboue Gallas Vermy Clichy/Gibbs
Cesc Song
Rosicky Diaby Eduardo
VP
Subs Szczesny, Silvestre, Sagna, Gibbs/Clichy, Ramsey, Bendtner, Vela/Theo
Though I’d like to see Vela start rather than Diaby, stick Rosicky central, Vela and Eduardo on the flanks, and VP up top, then Ramsey could drop off the bench and Theo come in, unlikely though.
well a weekend that see’s man ure back on top the chev’s 2nd . liverpool with superior goal difference due to a clinical striker by the name of torres in 3rd, and if we won our game in hand we would be back to 4th spot ..
nothing has changed even 7 games in ..
same old same old ..
lets not get carried away A , OUR STRIKERS STILL ARE AVERAGE AT BEST , and i think ive told you all pre – season they would be ..
we definately need a class striker to be our
backbone for goal scoring ..
the only reliable striker weve had since th14 left is ade and i dont like the offsides and all the straight forward misses that came with him as baggage .. and the dramas in the dressing room / at the club aside , wenger needs to promote THEO to his natural position or vela …
these 2 have a future in the position, but nik B just isnt firing, he is over rated and needs to be dropped ..
i think youll find what i told you pre -season has happened .. 100% ..
dudu isnt the answer RVP needs the right partner , and nik B just IS NOT ready ..
VP is one of the best in Europe, Eduardo is one of the most clinical in Europe, Bendtner is becoming a very good player though still not got the goals in him, Arshavin will score a fair few goals, and Theo and Vela are two of the most talented young forwards around, our strikers are miles from average, calling them average at best is just laughable.
Bendtner played well yesterday, he doesn’t need to be dropped at all, though it is frustrating that he isn’t converting the chances he’s getting, but doing very well to get them.
You said we’d struggle to score goals, we’re currently they second top scorers in the league, and Liverpool have only scored more than us because of their playing Hull at home yesterday, we’ve scored 18 goals in 6 games, i’d say the opposite of what you said in pre season has happened, 100%….
calling them average at best is just laughable.
————————
the proof is right in front of you
our top scorer is a central defender ..
laughable ?
the only laughable thing is your spiel above
our strikers are struggling to score goals !
RVP has 2 goal this season .. and dudu has 1 or 2 also ..
not bad in 7 games plus 3 c.l games and 1 C.C outing ..
I SAID OUR STRIKERS WOULD STRUGGLE TO SCORE
get your facts straight !!!
AND THEY ARE !
and considering we play a 3-3-4 most of the time with 3 strikers in the mix , i think its quite a correct statement , as much as i like cesc and the midfield/ defense scoring , its our strikers who have fluffed most of the chances ..
and im 100% correct with my prediction ..
we need better !
VP is on 2 from 7, i agree thats not good enough by a long way but he has assists to make up for not scoring.
And Eduardo has 3 goals from 4 starts and 3 sub appearances. And it would be 4 is Eboue didnt get credit for what should have been Eduardos goal.
The strikers werent firing at the start of the season but thats not the case as much anymore. Just because the strikers arent scoring all out goals like Livershit doesnt mean they arent scoring enough.
well we certainly need better than Bendtner. No sense creating a chance you cant convert and havent been converting for 2 years on the bounce.
I think once Theo starts to show his form the dust will clear and the goals will come.
Its awfully clear we need Better than Song as well so Cesc can work his magic.
Has anyone seen Rosicky at all anywhere???..he plays so deep he might as well be a defender?
And for the CC team i sincerely hope that Wenger doesnt fack around like he did last time and keep the team intact the way it is…..maybe he should play some senior players but the better ones.
stu
considering the chances and movement this team has , it has been woeful up front …
Yes dave theo and vela are my long term picks , but will wenger treat them like babies and keep them in plastic wrap the rest of the season …
well it pisses me the fack off to no limit how Bendy has gotten into the first team so quickly for doing fuk all. I would love to see Vela get a piece of the action…i know he is injured but this is the time where Bendy was getting as many games and making sub appearances.
Yea there is no sense why Theo hasnt at least played 5 min…its getting rather ridiculous.
Ramsey will sooner make the team than Vela or Theo at this point.
A Says:
September 28, 2009 at 03:20
Bendtner is becoming a very good player though still not got the goals in him, .
Bendtner played well yesterday, he doesn’t need to be dropped at all, though it is frustrating that he isn’t converting the chances he’s getting, but doing very well to get them
———————————-
Even the Bendtner lovers are cracking. After 2 years????
About fucking time!
You cant keep giving excuses for shite forever!
Mannone
Sagna Gallas Vermy Gibbs
Cesc Song Diaby
Eduardo VP Arshavin
dave
you know the reason i think nik b features every week , if you remember AC milan or some such came in to bid for him towards the end of the window , so i suppose nik must of said play me arsene or im off ..
I agree with David: when I think of Bendter I too think of excrement. But not just any excrement…the worst example of talentless excrement. And excrement can be talented..
Wonder how flamini is feeling now
Bendtner has done well enough so far.He hasn’t scored many but then he is a cf and he can’t really do much playing wide
nish
more like i wonder how arsene feels letting him go on a free ..
you know some players just play well with some teams ,(or others around them ) like keane and spurs , glen johnson not playing for pompy , berbatov playing for man U he’s been average ..
rooney now ronaldo’s gone ..
i think it just takes the right chemistry for certain players to play well ..
diaby i dont think will ever play well for us ,
even if the magic is within the player sometimes the line up or position doesn’t suit you ..
hleb the same ,great with us , average with another.. wenger needs to come up with
the right combo to get the best out of this team , and his reluctance to experiment and his favoritism with some players will be his undoing .
The problem is that he experiments with players eboue and diaby.I really really wish we had flamini back.We play with a much better tempo.I am waiting for nasri to be back though.If he slots into the position denilson is currently occupying it will be a lot better.
I don’t think diaby is that talented anyway as some people say so.If he had some talent he wouldn’t be playing soo badly
Its actually strange that a manager who likes quick attacking football won’t give the likes of wilshere and vela enough oppurtunites
he might fit in with a better team , he looks like a wanna bee hero in the wrong movie …
he has some class but cant seem to get it together
i dont know if wenger is asking too much from him
or he just is a crap player ..
im not worried about him anyhow (about his future)
my only concern is he gets a game over ramsey – jack and vela who obviously are going to be big for us one day .. and he is just someone in the road stopping them from developing .
as are others , who i dont need to mention .
i do agree nik could be good for us , but currently he isnt and wenger needs to drop him
to make him work harder ..
give him the hair dryer treatment and he will continue to be unproductive …
when i mean better team , i mean a better team that suits diaby’s style ..
wot eva that fuckin style is ..
but it obviously isnt suited to wenger ball ,
so he should just fuck off and take big al – senderos eboue and those 2 other losers with him !
clear out the trash players and once thats done i wouldnt object to any player in our team .