Geoff has had his blog holiday form signed off… so you’ll have the pleasure of a Pedro lock down for a few days!
First thing to touch on is our joint devastation that Cesc is out for the season. He’s broken his fibula and will miss all our games and maybe the World Cup. I’m gutted because he has been our player of the season, but not too concerned because I have a lot of enthusiasm for the more pacey Samir Nasri in the centre of the park. His ability to dribble and his desire to prove himself as a centre midfielder could be what we need to drive us through the next few weeks.
Not to be outdone, William Gallas and Andrey Arshavin have also added themselves to our ever growing sick list. Both out for three weeks. That really does put us up that well known creek without any form of paddle. I said at the start of the season, the biggest problem we’ll have is if Vermaelen or Gallas pick up an injury. We’ve got Sol as back up, but he can’t play more than two in a week and Barca’s pace could be too much for him. So, now, because of bad planning we’ll have to drop Song into defence. Yep, drop one of your most consistent performers into a position that is alien to him (70% of people put the two Barca goals on him).
I’m not too fussed about Andrey. He’s a superb player, but Theo looked great the other night and if push comes to shove, we could always do something crazy… you know… play Carlos Vela!
Ok, so yesterday I touched on my disappointment that we all gave Thierry a rapturous standing ovation mid-way through one of the most important games of our post-Highbury history.
That didn’t mean my love for him had waned. Would anyone else in our previous history get such a welcome? I very much doubt it.
The Mirror had an article about the lack of love Ian Wright gets nowadays.
Where do supporters stand?
Ian Wright was one of the most explosive strikers in his prime. He was fast, he could score long range efforts, he could knock them in with his head and he could sniff out a chance from anywhere. Not just that, he was a massive, massive character for the club and until recently, he was our all time record goal scorer. He won plenty of trophies as well, even bagging himself a Premiership late on in his career. He left the club in a bit of a sulk, unhappy Wenger decided not to field him in the 98′ cup final and went on to score goals for Celtic, West Ham and Burnley. He eventually retired citing injury.
That my friends is where it all went wrong. At first, I could stomach Wrighty as the fun figure in the match of the day studio. He was vibrant, honest and a laugh. Then he decided there were bigger fish to fry. He upped sticks and took a job that you only succeed in if you’re outrageous and inflammatory… yep, he took up a spot next to Adrian Durham on the drive time Talksport show along with a position as a writer (Talker with a ghost writer) with the Sun.
He was now paid for spouting controversy. His Sun articles could only go one way… anti-Arsenal. He was constantly telling the media Arsenal weren’t good enough, he thought Spurs would beat us to a top 4 place… he was pretty much ready to say anything to shift papers. No way to treat a club that loved you and supported you. Minor celebrity when you’re already minted is an excess in my opinion and although I’ll love him forever for his contribution to the club, I can’t forgive him for how he’s treated us after.
You can say he’s only giving his opinion but I listened to his Talksport show and read some of his articles in the Sun. He wasn’t being honest, he was towing the company line and putting opinions out there to rile the public. Paul Merson, Ray Parlour, Tony Adams, Lee Dixon, Alan Smith and Martin Keown have all carved out a reasonable media careers without falling foul of the Arsenal fans. If they say something negative about Arsenal, you know they’re at pains to say it.Wrighty sold his Arsenal soul for a chat show on Channel 5.
Still, if you want to get to the top in media, you don’t do it through balance and perspective. You have to be as unreasonable as possible. It’s done wonders for Stan Collymore, Jason Cundy and Alan Brazil.
Then we move onto Thierry Henry. He arrived for a club record fee way back in 2000. He was a direct replacement for Anelka and he came with much promise. France’s top scorer in 98′, a player that destroyed United as an 18 year old, we had high hopes. When he started playing he had the pace, the tricks but no finishing.
According to a friend who used to play for Arsenal, Adam’s and co used to rip him to pieces during shooting practice because he was so, so bad. Undeterred Thierry worked on his game after training and the dividends soon paid… and boy did they pay! In only a few season he transformed himself from iffy winger to world class front man.
He was the best player on the planet by a mile and his goals helped us land two Premierships and plenty of cups. He left us as the top goal scorer after a messy divorce. He went to Barcelona and has never stopped heaping praise on us since. He even did the unthinkable, came to watch Arsenal and rolled out onto the pitch to an ovation… whilst contracted to another club!
Just to cement his legend further, he even said he didn’t want to play against us this week. Then when he came on, he didn’t play with any real drive! The guy has got it bad for Arsenal and he always will do.
If you were to be cynical, you could say it’s all a bit transparent. If he loved the club so badly, why didn’t he stay and help us through the tough years? Why was he so keen to take 10mill off a struggling club for one seasons work? Why, when he was here, did he not encourage more? His sulky behaviour and his death stares on the pitch were a major hindrance. If he’d stayed on one more season and we’d had his experience in the squad. Could we perhaps have one more Premiership under our belts?
It’s all well talking about your love once you’ve left, but isn’t the sign of a truly special relationship in the act of support when one party is in trouble, you go to them to help?
So, the question I put to you is this morning is…
Who is the bigger legend in your eyes and why?
It’ll be great to read people’s thoughts from all nationalities and all age groups!
See you in the comments!
P.S. If you haven’t had a look at the Le Grove range of t-shirts, check out the designs at Tatty and purchase yourself one! Follow us on twitter: @legrove and join our facebook fanpage at this address – facebook.com/legrove
Wenger says Big Sol cant manage two games in a week.If you knew it,why the feck didnt you buy a better centre back,you retard?
Burquets wouldnt have been too busy rolling around on the floor trying to get our players sent off to be in awe of anyone.
For once again,we will win nothing because of a senile stubborn manager.I am sick of moaning and blaming him.But as every game passes,I think what a force we would have been if we had proper back up in the CB and GK.Instead,that senile retard chose not to spend,to save his bonuses.
Broken cross? Call CruciFix
Suga3 – that’s rubbish dude, whenever have we faced a team that technically good, you say 60 minutes it was the first 35 and after that it wasn’t just us stepping up it was because barca had put pit that much effort in.
We looked nervous and naive and the thing about the carling cup is you’re not going to learn fuckall about dealing with teams like barca even if you win it.
You can’t talk about management and then wonder why one matters more than another it makes no sense
FFS Jaguar. How the fuck was Wenger supposed to know Gallas was going to get injuried for the second half of the season.
Blame him for Silvestre or even JD but how the fuck can you blame him for not knowing that our first choice defender was going to get injured forcing us to play our back up?
Apple will be releasing a new gadget exclusively for women later this year.
It’s called the iRon.
I think the invincibles would’ve beaten then a fit henry alone would’ve ripped puyl and piqué apart.
It would’ve been a great game from both sides.
Did you expect Gallas and Vermaelen to play a whole season without injuries.He could have bought a fitter defender than Campbell(no offences to Big Sol). Now that retard played an unfit Gallas and has paid the price.
winning the carling cup might not teach you about playing the likes of barcelona keyser but what it does do is give youre players an opportunity to play in a final and win so they can actually believe they can win something. it may only be the carling cup but until they actually win a trophie how can they truly believe & know it is something within their ability?.
a coach can tell his boxer all day every day he is good enough to beat a certain fighter but until he gets in the ring and beats that fighter to give him the proof he wont know for sure.
Mick & Mary were out walking home from the pub.Mary says i need a piss and goes behind a bush and drops her knickers.Feeling horny Mick puts his hand thru the bush and feels something dangling between Marys legs.He jokes to Mary have you changed your sex? Mary says no iv changed my mind im having a shit!!
Keyser,
nonsense – for the entire 1st half we didn’t get a fucking sniff, then we conceded 2 goals, which does not indicate a particularly good play either, does it?
thing is, we have too many passengers in the squad – it should have been addressed in the summer/winter, yet nothing was done…
I am not ‘wondering’ why one is more important than the other but dropping out of the competition is just embarrassing…
Okay how about this… If we’d competed with Barca in the first half we would have still conceded those 2 goals because they were both individual errors. But then we wouldn’t have the energy for the late assault.
Barca played a perfect game playing at twice the tempo they usually do and with absolute precision. we could have closed them down better but they still would’ve come out on top. It was just one of those days.
Apparently Wenger asked the team to absorb pressure till 70 minutes and then get at them. It worked well and could’ve worked better since both goals were preventable. I’m not hailing that as managerial genius , but it was thinking on the go. And pretty tactical if you ask me.
I didnt expect Gallas to miss half the season through injury either though.
Granted Wenger does a lot wrong but he cant be blamed for Gallas getting so many shit injuries.
He is to blame for not replacing JD though and letting Senderos go when he would have been usefull imo.
Stu JD got injured after the window closed.
No Mayank, he got injured in august and Wenger knew. He could have bought someone.
Why the fuck did the retard send Senderos on loan in Jan?
Theres nothing worse than after rough sex with a bird than looking down and seeing a burst condom hanging off your knob !Especially when you were’nt wearing one when you started!!
What do you call a beautiful woman on the arm of a Ginger bloke?
A tattoo!!!
Some bloke at a bus stop earlier hit me on the legs with a stick for no reason.
Naturally, I retaliated and beat the living shit out of him.
Just for good measure, I kicked his Labrador as well.
My mistake, he got injured after the season started, not when the window ended. Sendy had no future at the club, Sol was a good player to bring in to rotate with Gallas and even cover for him for a a few weeks. But a Fab and Gallas injury is a inevitable every season. Never mind RvP.
it does have said this young were in awe of barc something you just cant do and this team is alot better than that,i feel this team can beat barc but they cant show any repect at all and must go all out i dont think arsenal are kind of team that can play 451 they have tried so many times to play like that and it just does not work for them. i can understand why wenger played sagna to give more defensive stability but eboue would hace caused them atot problems and as soon as he did both thoe and eboue were nothing trouble.in second leg for me arsenal have got to be alot more attacking i would eboue wilcatt as well as cabell but i would not play him wolves game lets not forget vern is suspended
sat
sagna silvest cambell troea
diaby song risicky
vela edwardo bretna
against barc
eboue verm sole clichy
song diaby nasri
thoe bretna edwardo
Stu it was about a week into September that JD was diagnosed as out for ages
How could Sol cover Gallas for a few weeks,when he cant play two games on the row?Once again,the mug went for a freebie,and it has backfired.]
So when Silvestre leaves this summer,what would we achieve?
About 8m wasted on a crock,with zero returns.We wont win anything with this senile French retard onboard.
Too serious today due to AWs lack of spending and debating about how great we played against Barca? well we was embarassing to say the least any one who says different must have been watching a different game to me then..
He injured his knee while training for Switzerland before they were due to play Italy on august 12th. He only had knee surgery on september 6th that put him out for 6 months.
Obviously he was going to be ouit for a while if his injury was so bad that it needed surgery.
Paddy is sitting on train across from blonde in a mini skirt. He soon realises she is going commando. ‘Are you looking at my fanny’, she asks. ‘Yes I’m sorry’ says paddy. ‘Its ok’, she says ‘i’ts very talented, watch this I can make it blow you a kiss and wink at you’. He stares in amazement as the fanny first blows him a kiss then winks at him. ‘Come sit next to me – would you like to stick two fingers in?’. ‘Fucking hell’ he says – ‘can it whistle as well?!’
Afternoon all!
A, good to have you back!
afternoon Pedro
btw even though it is risking our injury concerns further i think we need to play theo against wolves and give him a chance to do what he did against burnley and build his confidence even further for the 2nd leg and hopefully give Barcelona something to think about in terms of will they come out & play so high winning the ball if theo can get in behind.
mike,
thing is, Barca don’t have to chase the game, it’s us – that means fuck all space for Theo to exploit, unless we score first…
Right, off out! Have a good one!
thats true suga but playing high up and closing down winning the ball was pep’s strategy because once they win the ball they has less distance to go to the oppo’s goal. if they drop deeper it will shut down theo but in doing so give our midfield more space.
just whizzing by, Pedders?
laters
*have
mike,
that WAS Pep’s strategy in the first game and it reaped benefits – you wouldn’t think he will go all out when there is no need to, especially with El Classico around the corner, would you?
Its been the barca stragegy to press up as high as possible all season and all of last season. They arent going to suddenly stop doing it just because they dont have to. Its works for them because as Mike said when they win the ball off the oppos defence they are right in front of goal.
In fact thinking about it im not suprised that we got the better of them and got our goals in the last half hour of the match because they work so hard for the first half they are obviously going to ease up after the break.
Best example i can think of is when they played atletico last season (i think). They were something like 5-0 up at HT because of their high tempo but in the second half they didnt score at all.
They like to have the match won early so that they can rest their players. We are the opposite and like to push on towards the end, after the oppo have tired.
Suga3 – you were talking about looking at the bigger picture, what is the bigger picture ?!
Barcelona the Worlds best team came to the Emirates with the Worlds best player in some of the best form of his career and despite us supposedly being completely embarrassed outplayed outthought outfought and whatever other bollocks went 2-0 up with half an hour to ho and left with a draw.
Not only that but we’re shit but also should be much better than the performance we gave ?!
That’s what you’ve come up with ?!
Stu,
we only have a chance if we score first – AW knows that and Pep knows that as well, so they will do anything to prevent this and play counter attack: once they score, it’s curtains (unless we do first, that is)…
Well Suga, they arent going to suddenly change their philosophy just because they dont have to score first. They will still want to win the match outright, whatever about the tie.
Just like Porto didnt play negatively at the Grove, Barca wont play negatively at the Nou Camp. They had 65% possession at our place, they arent going to change tact and give us all of the ball. They will play the same way as they always do.
Keyser,
as usual, you’re just looking for an argument – stop going about drawing against them, as we have been lucky as fuck not to be out of the damn thing before halftime and if you are happy with that, then you are easily pleased…
the bigger picture is: we are Arsenal, we deserve better, capisce?
suga, they may well have a score to settle and be pissed at how they let the result get away from them so will look to put it right and start the same way as they did on wednesday. what i am saying is if they do that there is obvious chances to use theo’s pace in behind, now if they decide to drop deeper so they dont get exposed and as they are at home with 2 away goals in the bank that will give our midfield more time and space on the ball and a opportunity to get our passing game going and make them run around a bit.
also lets not forget their approach to the game and the high energy it requires has resulted in them being shaky in the last 15-20 mins recently. fact arsenal finish strong and have scored a lot of goals in the last 10 mins was something they were very aware of going into this match.
Stu,
quite frankly, it’s our only hope, as the same quality employed to play on the counter will suffocate us…
mike,
we did not run for the first 60 minutes, ‘absorbing pressure’ – if we do this at CN, there will be nothing to play for in the last 15-20 minutes…
besides, if by some fucking miracle we go past them, Maureen will be licking his lips – he got one over the full strength Chelsea, do you think our decimated squad will pose more problems to Inter?
and on that note, I am off for a bit…
hattrick!
I fancy a 2-1 win.
with Rosicky and Nik scoring.
suga absorbing pressure is not a good tactic for us i am not saying that. i am saying if they start how they did WE should impose our self on them to try and start the game how we played once theo came on. we stood off far too much and let them play the players need to get their finger out and close down them just like they did us.
100,000 fans at camp nou can be just like newcastle fans great until 20 mins into the game and the oppo has scored then they get frustrated and turn easily.
what the players really need to be saying to each other is we have seen the best of barcelona and somehow got a draw…have they seen the best of us?
its on them to show them
btw has anyone pulled song up on his stupid booking on wednesday? he got away with tackles that they wanted him booked for and then he goes and needlessly sticks his foot out to stop the free kick which wasn’t going anywhere and picks up a yellow.
if he does that at camp nou with a pro barce ref its gonna cost us.
hattrick!
First of all we need fit players at barcelona. They looked very good because Gallas was not fit, Arshavin was not fit, Cesc was not fit and Diaby was barely fit.
After you get a fit group we need the tidy in possession guys to start which means Song, Denilson and Nasri in CM, Vela and Eduardo at the wings and Bendy up front. Clichy and Eboue as full backs. Vermaelen and Campbell can protect Almunia.
Early in the second half we can give them Theo and Rosicky to do their things. And according to procedures we could bring on Diaby or Sagna for Bendtner or Eboue or whoever baring we don’t have injured people during the game.
Why did the DVD player cross the road?
Because it was in the scouser’s bag.
Suga3 – not looking fir an argument just tired of people moaning for the sake of it who gives a fuck if we were lucky because the way it works you’ll be back on here telling everyone how the great teams make their own luck or some such other shit.
Barca were lucky that as soon as they go down to 10 men we end up with our best player breaking his leg having already made our own 3 subs.
It’s like saying inter beat Chelsea at full strength, it’s just rubbish.
We HAVE to start Rosicky against Barca…along with Nasri, they will be our driving force.
the only way to beat barc is to be agressive and play high up the pitch and get them on the back foot which they are no nera as good at once eboue and thoe starting running at the defenders it quicky had an impact and for wenger needs stick to same thing,barc are not realy phsical team so i would want quick mobile players so i would want nasri risicky song in the middle, and i would want thoe edwardo/vela bretna ,i would want eboue instead sagna. in central defence i feel sole experience will be crucial i just think it will be a bit to much to do though
Exactly, Keyser..
say what you want, we could have bought a couple more players in the summer, but we’d still have injury problems. To have 4 of our best players out in RVP cesc arsh and gallas is nothing short of unlucky and no manager can have foreseen that.
Keyser,
‘great teams make their own luck’ – I have never said such shit, besides, we were anything but ‘great’ on Wednesday…
and we were not ‘unlucky’ to lose Fabregas – it was Wenger rolling over when Fabregas said he wanted to play despite not being 100% fit…
yet, we keep RvP nicely cotton-wooled for Dutch FA to fuck him up again – cannot see any fucking logic in that…
and who were Chavs missing exactly? Cashley? who else?
Who’s Bretna?
unlucky, schmunlucky – if you work your best players too much without having proper depth, fatigue creeps in and it results in injuries: it does not take a medical genius to work that out, does it?
leon,
I believe Denilson could do a great job against Barcelona. He was our only player who could frustrate their passing game and their pressing at the same time. He was intercepting balls, completing passes and winning fouls in the middle so it would be mad not to start him again. This is the only time when he will be truly important.
saturdday
almunia
sagna silvestre tv clichy
nasri song diaby (denilson if diaby not fit)
theo nik tom
barca
almunia
eboue sol tv clichy
nasri song diaby
theo nik tom
Play your best team every game from now till end of the season. Only rest players who are injured, and Sol who must be kept for the big games (CL, City, Spuds). No way vela or eastmond will or should start any game before end of this season, simply not good enough either of them.
Simples.
and please, be realistic – I know it’s no fun, but we should be happy with finishing third and potless, all things considered…
‘One million dollars, there’s only one million dollars’
I think we’ll beat barca. They’ve played thier best game ever and only got a draw. We’ll score 3 over there. We’ve got some history of doing better in these big games in the away leg.
They were missing Essien as well…easily their best midfielder. And Bosingwa, their starting right back.
Also, Messi plays almost every match for Barca but he never gets injured despite probably getting targeted by most defenders. Our players dont get injured because of fatigue. I dont know why they get injured but it isnt because of overplaying imo.
My team for Wolves
…………………..Al/Fabinaski…………..
Sagna…….Sol……….Vermaelen…………Traore
………………….Song……………………
….Nasri/Rosicky………………..Diaby/Den…..
..Theo…………….Eduardo…………….Vela….
My team for Barca 4-4-2
…………………….Al…………………….
Sagna…….Sol/Song………….Vermaelen…..Clichy
Eboue…………Nasri……Song…….Den/Diaby….
…………..Theo………….Bendtner…………..
Cech Essien, Cole, Bosingwa and it wasn’t exactly spectacular how they scraped through,
There you go again comparing Van Persie just about coming back to training and saying it’s the same as Fabregas playing after a knock on the weekend.
If they’re missing Cole they’re still not full strength are they,
So we’re never unlucky either it’s just poor planning because you should be able to plan foe every such situation ? You just want a moan and then get upset when someone questions you , don’t get why people do that.
to be honest, it may be more beneficial for the club if we get spanked there, otherwise we will have to endure another barren summer and next season as well with AW pulling ‘we have beaten Barcelona’ bullshit out of the hat…
OGL never had an answer to Mourinho’s approach, did he?
still, we may meet Spartak
4-4-4 Ja? Never going to happen. WHy would we go back to 4-4-2 when we have been playing 4-3-3 since the end of last season.
Wenger may have a shit record against Mourinho but if we meet them this time they have no Drogba. We could beat inter imo.
Now you’re asking people yo be realistic wheen you’re the one saying we should go for the carling cup, if we’d gone all out to win that how overplayed would our best players have been ?!
Messi was rested for most of their last game because they can afford to.
It’s like with Ramsey there’s fuckall unlucky about that and he could have rested Fabregas on the weekend, same with Djourou being our backup or Gibbs for Clichy.
Keyser,
both are not 100% fit, right?
RvP said himself that he could have been back about now, so what is the big difference? and in Cesc’s case it was not just a ‘knock’, it was bordering on fucking assault…
fair enough, I forgot about Essien, but they had more than enough upfront to score a few, no?
Maureen: unspectacular, yet efficient – we don’t do that, do we? zut alors, that would be wrong…
I really think 4-4-2 can help us the Barca game..and even other games as well… Here is why..
Look at the 4-4-2 team
……………………..Al…………………..
Sagna………Sol/Song……….Verm………Clichy
Eboue……..Nasri………Song……….Den/Diaby
……….Theo……………Bendner……………
1.We would have Eboue running at Maxwell(one of their weaker players)
2. Nasri in the centre where he excels…Song mops up
3. Den/Diaby helps break up play and sits most of the time to help out Clichy against Messi and Alves
4. Bedntner wins highballs and flick ons for Theo to chase right through thr heart of the second string defense(Milito + Maruez) Imagine Theo running full pelt at them…they will panic ,maybe even give away a penalty or two…..
Wenger should not be so rigid…4-4-2 can work in some games….as this formation suits both Walcott and Eduardo because the get to play off a big man…
we don’t have the personnel to play 4-3-3 any longer…
AW’s stubbornness will be our undoing – again!
Because Mourinho had the most expensive squad in world football but did he have an answer for benitez ? Hah.
Loyalty is important so, Henry all the way….
are we talking about Benitez here? thing is, everyone had us figured out, it’s all about quality – if the opposition matches ours, we are fucked…
it’s way too rigid, no surprises – we should be able to switch formations during the game…
can you honestly tell that we still have players to play 4-3-3?
Stu,
they have Eto’o, that’ll do against Coco…
Suga3 – I didn’t see the challenge on cesc from the weekend was it bad ? I’ve probably been desensitised anyway.
And there’s a massive difference one hasn’t played for months the other played on the weekend.
Chelsea were unlucky, one goal either way would’ve settled it and it wasn’t just efficiency his teams are some if the dirtiest cheats around.
Stu obviuosly our main formation is now 4-3-3 but in certain games we should vary things a bit….
For instance Barca is a straight up 4-3-3 team for years…but in certain games they play something resembling 4-4-2…
IN the game against Zaragoza where Messi scored a hattrick and won a pen….HE was playing alongside Henry….
In that game Messi was not hugging the right touch line at all…I know Messi roams but in that game..it was clear he was not starting from the right wing at all..
It seems Pep plays something like 4-4-2 whenever he starts Henry+Messi these days…but he plays the normal 4-3-3 whenever Ibra plays….
Yes 4-3-3 is our formation now….but that does not mean we have to play it 100% of the time…we will get fucking predictable and monotonous…
Look at Fergie…in big games he plays 4-3-3 with roonery as lone striker….in smaller games he plays 4-4-2 with Berba partnering Rooney…
We should not be so fucking rigid…Its fucking tactics that beat us all the time…yet Wenger does not want to apply tactics..he just tells the guys to go out and express themselves…but at this level tactics can turn the tide…
Keyser,
we should have enough players to compete on all fronts, having as many in the squad as we do…
and yes, Cesc should have been rested v Brum…
we know that Maureen’s teams are cheats – we, on the other hand are naive: you don’t need to look further than Brum game to know that…
like I said – screw ‘moral victories’, it’s pathetic loser talk…
Not sure Suga.
We can use Eduardo on that left wing, remember how deadly we were at the start of the season. Rosicky on the other wing. Walcott starts in the CL matche/s and comes on as sub in the PL matches.
When RVP back, we revert to Eduardo / RVP / Bendy. Awesome!
Everyone had us figured out ? What this year ? Mate we’ve played without key players all year otherwise we would’ve had the options did barca figure out Walcott ? They didn’t even figure out Arshavin because they didn’t have to.
We’d probably have started with Van Persie for one with Bendyner up against Maxwell or on the bench.
no, we are one dimensional: if I know what is going to happen next when we play, so does any professional manager or footballer…
Bendtner against Maxwell – clumsy facker with no pace playing wide forward? against Barca? noooooooo…
Suga you’re getting sucked into all this football machoism. Every manager has their own way of winning matches. We’re not losing matches because of tactics alone.
We do get outsmarted now and then but who doesn’t. SAF just this week. IMO they were lucky to not be out of this. At least our fightback was more to do with us.
The reason we are where we are is because of other teams being better and our own injuries. Chelsea have struggled because of injuries too.
Why should we have enough to compete on all fronts ? Unless we get to the final of all four competitions how do you judge what competeing is ?!
Just out of curiosity does anyone know how many cup competitions Italy and Spain have ?!
suga not sure about that this team still has fear few attacking players but the injuries are pilling up in a hurry but 433 plays 2 midfielder to link up the the 3 strikers and interlink with each other
My Man U friends can predict how their team’s gonna play. Barca fans knew that Theo would rip into them. Chelsea fans know what their tactics are going into any match. Maureen knew how Chelsea was going to play.
Fans follow their team more than oppo managers.
Mayank,
this season we have been exposed against quality teams:
- Chavs (twice)
- Manure (twice)
- Shitty (once and a half if you count CC)
- Barca
it’s not a lapse, it’s a pattern…
Suga3 – heh there it is again so clumsy ducker who set up both our goals or are we just pitting everything down to luck ?!
What credit do we deserve ?!
Keyser,
what I meant was: he has his uses in the middle but is a complete waste in wide positions…
Except that last season with a weaker team we did better. The margins are too small. It has more to do with dealing with pressure than tactics and ability. Something that they’ll get over when they win a trophy.
the only credit we deserve was for fighting until the end
fans usually have less knowledge of tactics and all that – it was enough for Pep to watch all our games we played this season to have us figured out, no?
What’s the pattern ?
We lose against very well organised technically sound teams who’ve spent years getting to that stage.
We should have beaten united away and did well against Chelsea simple fact is unless you have your best players available against the top teams or are able to build up momentum and a settled team you are more likely to lose.
People ignore how well we’ve done despite everything we’ve faced this year.
Barca’s style isn’t simply down to tactics they’ve been playing like that for decades and the same through their academy, fergies been at united for soo long that they have their own ethos, and if you look at Chelsea side for the past few years you’ll see how many players they have had together for consecutive seasons.
Consistentcy kills us not tactics, how many times. Have half this team played together for consecutive games against top opposition like Barcelona ? Very fucking little.
dropping out of competitions by the way of fielding teams not capable of winning games does not breed winners, does it?
‘It’s not winning, it’s taking part’
no, it’s not: we are talking about professional sport, a result business, not fucking paralympics…
If he’d seen all our matches at home in Europe he’d have played defensively. Fans have lesser technical knowledge but pretty much know what their team is going to do in any situation. We are not alone.
It was sad to see Man U drop out of the FA cup, they should give it more respect. Same with Chelsea and CC.
Keyser,
fair enough, but haven’t we heard about ‘playing the Arsenal way’ and kids being taught that from 9 years old upwards?
and if you are buying small, injury prone players, then you have to expect that you will get fuck all consistency…
Heh, how much of it was down yo pep having some sort of special tactic or him having the best team in world football playing for him.
It’s too easy to give credit to the manager.
It’s like everyone was watching messi we handled him well that could show either messi was poor or that we gave him soo much attention that it gave barca other options,
were still guessing.
Cesc and RVP aren’t injury prone. When you look at their injuries, many of them have absolutely nothing to do with being injury prone.
When was the last time RVP actually had an injury due to being injury prone? When was his last muscular problem??
Hargreaves Owen Rosicky are examples of injury prone players. Most of our squad get’s the shit kicked out of them.
I am not guessing – Ibrahimoshit went through on the left on both counts…
verdict: Clichy and TV at fault – too occupied with Messi…
we get the shit kicked out of us regularly – which brings about the same old solution: visit Monsters’R'Us and buy a few shitkickers for these games…
Suga3 – exactly the arsenal way, uniteds style goes back several decades to the days of Best, how long do you think it’s taken barca ? Xavi was probably working his way through the youth academy before wenger even got to the club, the arsenal way takes time a while ago the arsenal way used to mean something completely different.
CLichy had nothing to do with Ibra scoring. That was down to Vermaelen imo. He got caught out both times because he was stupidly out of position.
Diaby and Song are pretty big and can’t be bullied. Or do you want even bigger. Nik as well. Do you want a Bolton type side? I don’t think we can afford to lose technical ability for strength on more than one player in MF. Right now that’s Song.
Vermaelen and Song, Song should’ve been lot closer to him plus Ibrahimovic played the line well, Gallas would probably have bern quick enough to recover but Song wasn’t.
Granted Song should have been on the cover but Vermaelen left such a gap that Song would have had to be so close to Ibra that he would have left a bigger gap between himself and Sagna.
Yeah agree Stu, Song probably should’ve been a bit closer to Ibra, but Vermaelen went walkabout, totally out of position both times, and that created the space for Ibrahimovic to walz into.
Very weird from Vermy, but not the first time he’s done it in big games this season. Over-enthusiasm to win the ball back, but he should calm down, and learn to hold his position even when he wants to impose himself
i think henry is a true legend. and as far as barca game i still have hope
but we really need to do some buying this summer so we are not let down by injuries again. and even here in the usa i could feel the sigh when denilson came on 
but surprisingly he did good. i hope he keeps that momentum going 
gooood luck arsenal and i love u 
Fuck’s sake,Mayank.Your argument is crap.Paddy,Adams,Titi,Keown all were monsters and we were not playing the Bolton way.
Wenger is at fault for not buying physical enough players.All he cares is technical midgets,who can rip apart shite teams,but often found out against physical teams.
Vermaelen has been brilliant this season against low rung teams.But was often exposed by superior teams. Thats where the lack of height mattered.He couldnt head away the ball which lead to the second goal.
I think the “Bolton way” doesnt fit anymore. Especially since Coyle took over and have somewhat put a stop to their statistic football. Its really the “Fat Sam way”…or Pulis.
Vermaelen mis-read the flight of the ball and jumped under it giving Ibra all the time in the world to control the ball and pick his spot.
Obviously Song is somewhat to blame but its excusable seeing as he has played DM all season so surely isnt match sharp at CB. Also Almunia did himself absolutely no favours on either goal.
Nowt to do with height Jaguar, it was midjudging it. He should’ve been holding the line with the other three defenders, not running out. It’s over-excitedness that has left him a little exposed in bigger games, not his physical limitations, imo.
jag all those players you are talking had more to with the fcat they quality players than hieght because you can be 6’5 but cant jump,if you look at barc team most of players are quite small but high quality players,i feel that thi steam have has pretty much proven that phsical side of the game is no problem to them,song bretna diaby are phsical but they most importantly have very good movement and skill,i think you will fing against like stoke birmingham bolton everton have dealt with teams pretty well,this team as well and truely squached that mith i am afraid
Jaguar Paddy was one in a million we’ll do very good to find one like him again. Diaby’s the closest but has a long way to go. Henry avoided challenges using skill, he never got physical. How much more physical than Gallas and Verm were Keown and Adams.
Also. Verm’s not bad at heading he just needs experience his leap makes up for it.
Technical midgets, you mean Xavi and Cesc? Or Arsh and Messi?
Eden Hazard rules out Liverpool move claiming he has eyes only for Real Madrid and Arsenal
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1263010/Eden-Hazard-rules-Liverpool-claiming-eyes-Real-Madrid-Arsenal.html
Teenage attacker Eden Hazard has revealed that were he ever to leave Lille, it would be to either Real Madrid or Arsenal.
The 19-year-old Belgian starlet is regarded as one of the brightest young talents in Europe and has played a key role in Lille’s Ligue 1 title challenge and Europa League run this term.
His form has caught the eye of a number of major clubs and France legend Zinedine Zidane has recently come out to sing his praises.
He said: “He can become a great footballer. He is a star of the future.”
Hazard expressed his delight after hearing Zidane’s comments, and listed the Frenchman’s former club Madrid, as well as Arsenal, as possible destinations should he leave Stade Metropole.
“Such praise makes me very happy, especially from Zidane,” he said.
“If one day I leave Lille, I will go to Real or Arsenal.”
Hazard is another technical midget
If we buy Hazard, he will never get the chance to play in the wings,because Wenger is obsessed with tinkering.Probably,we will see him as a DM.
i feel people look at this team and see there small team quick team and think they can be bullied and that is no longer thae case a few yeras ago yes but now these hardend young men yes defensively they a bit friel but they have tons heart and fight and these attributes are whats needed at point of season and yes you need som e quality
Suga,
Appreciate your views…but your comments about paralympics are our of order
Not because he speaks french Jaguar? Thats one of your favourite reasons to hate Wenger, why arent you using it.
Suga3 you can’t complain about resting players in the cups and then at the same time complain because Cesc WASN’T rested for an important league game!
You’re contradicting yourself pal.
From what (little) I’ve seen of him I’d be very happy if we signed Hazard. Eventual replacement for Arshavin and Rosicky, along with Theo, Wilshere and Vela
Wolves shouldn’t be a problem, but I bit scared of a
Birmingham style performance
Jaguar, in a sense you are right as if Barca played in the PL, they would not win it.
They would have players legs broken every week, Messi playing a couple of games like Walcott and Xavi and Iniesta given a tough time by thugs disguised as footballers.
Did we not just draw with the ‘best team on the planet’? Maybe some supporters are in need of a bit of prespective. Yes, there’s no denying that some areas of the team need freshening up, which i’m confident will be done in the summer. But in the mean time let’s get behind the players and give them 100% support for the remaining games of the season. This is when they need it the most. Same goes for Wenger.
Oh yes! Henry hands down!
Jaguar, senile people often repeat themselves over and over again mate. Just saying like…
1.Denis
2.Adams
3.Henry
4.Paddy
5.Rocky
I.Wright doesnt make my top 10
dobbi thats true my problem is i know arsenal could have done better this team showed for to much respect and gave away some very soft goals that my problem i dont dought the fighting spirit of this team at all
Iwould love to get Hazard too, but for this summer all I want are Hardened semi-cheating big ugly bastards and Hugo Lloric in goal.
Can’t believe Lyon only got him for 8.5 million. FFS, where was Arsene there?
ritesh,
it was not intended to belittle paralympics or anything like that, apologies if you’ve been offended
it is simple a different kettle of fish – it’s all about trophies here…
Baxter,
no, I am not contradicting myself – it is all about acting in circumstances you are in at the given moment: we should have had more than enough in the locker to afford resting Cesc ahead of game against Barca…
wow barca have the classico this satuday. i didn’t notice
Bergkamp is definitely my favourite as well. Around when I started following Arsenal he scored that goal against Newcastle, completely blew my mind. Also he retired with our club despite our ridiculous policy regarding aged players. So, much respect… Henry and Pires are a close second. Used to love Pires’s chin beard thing.
Dobbi,
‘yes, there’s no denying that some areas of the team need freshening up, which i’m confident will be done in the summer’
again: where & when did I hear this before?
*simply
Gooby,
It’s not this saturday unfortunately, it’s the weekend after the CL
Baxter Wall Says:
April 2, 2010 at 18:28
Jaguar, senile people often repeat themselves over and over again mate. Just saying like…
—————————————————–
Are you referring to our manager?
ah okay, crap
We have nothing to lose at the Nou Camp. No one will give us a chance in hell against them. So lets just have a go.
I like barca, but how arrogant and unbecoming are some of their cuntish fans. Yes, you have the best team, they play the best footy, and yes Messi is the best, but you guys have never gone undefeated have you?
Put that in your pipe, Assholes.
Hazard will go to Madrid, and become a bench warmer
we’ve never won 6 trophies in a season either.
We need to hold tight and survive the onslaught from the off…
And we should Absolutely resort to long ball tactics.
Yep.
Absolutely.
big dave
Thats exactly why he won’t go there? Besides his name isn’t big enough for them at present.
David
I’m not saying this so you can start up ANOTHER Bendy debate, but long ball tactics won’t work with him. He will win it yes, but not much else doing afterwards in terms of goalscoring.