Arsenal Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2011/2012

tayto lover · 06-05-2012 6:44pm

EuropeanSon wrote: »

Yeah, that soft centre really got found out against Spurs, Chelsea and Liverpool (to name a few) this season. No fight, no heart, etc., etc.... :rolleyes:

It seems to me to be more a case of our players taking things for granted. Eejits. They should really have learned by now that they've got to focus on every minute of every match.

Is it a case of being up for the big names but expecting to win against the so-called minnows then ? If it is then it is high time the players and management started to learn because its happening far too often. Schoolboy defending again yesterday.

gosplan · 06-05-2012 6:45pm

tayto lover wrote: »

gosplan wrote: »

We are a poor outfit with no leaders??

Really?

Yes.
We have a soft centre and we cant seem to hold onto a lead. We took the lead with 5 mins remaining and there was nobody to put their foot on the ball and keep possession. That has happened numerous times to us in the past. We should be beating the likes of Norwich in such an important game and not throwing away the lead twice at home. It was nearly as bad as when we were 4 up against Newcastle last year and struggled to draw. Not good enough to be honest.

At any point have you ever noted how improved we are at closing out games compared to last season? Are you drawing a straight line from yesterday to fulham away in November and then back to last year's examples of throwing away points late on without acknowledging the matches that have come in between.?

Is every club no from Manchester 'poor'?

tayto lover · 06-05-2012 6:47pm

batistuta9 wrote: »

There's a serious need for a proper DM in the team, yet a lot of people don't see this or think one is needed. Too many times arsenal be caught with far too many players up the pitch or teams go through them like a hot knife

Your a little harsh on them though I'm nearly sure arsenal have gained the post points in the PL from losing positions - so there's some fight there

but 3 points from the last 12 is a poor return, especially since 3 matches were at home

Maybe I am a wee bit harsh but that performance yesterday with the winning line in sight was not good enough. I was very angry afterwards. With today's results we should have had third place wrapped up and been in a position to enjoy the last day and the Champions League Final.

tayto lover · 06-05-2012 6:49pm

gosplan wrote: »

At any point have you ever noted how improved we are at closing out games compared to last season? Are you drawing a straight line from yesterday to fulham away in November and then back to last year's examples of throwing away points late on without acknowledging the matches that have come in between.?

Is every club no from Manchester 'poor'?

Maybe I just don't see it so can you tell me who the leaders were yesterday on the field ? If you take RVP out of that team then what have we ?

gosplan · 06-05-2012 8:04pm

tayto lover wrote: »

Maybe I just don't see it so can you tell me who the leaders were yesterday on the field ? If you take RVP out of that team then what have we ?

The leader thing is overdone.

What you're looking for is consistancy and a team performance - not just one player to step up and make easy commentary for the match of the day team.

Leaders aren't defined by moments where they take the game by the scruff of the neck or something like that, it's not all about snapshots like a captain's goal when you're two nil down - there're leaders because they put in consistant performances and always take care of their end of things. They function at a high level all the time.

They're basically immune to 'form' - and judging by this season i'd say there's like 4/5 of them in the premiership - Kompany, Yaya, Scholes, Rooney, RVP maybe throw in a couple of people like Tiote and Arteta as well.

But they're few and far between. Everyone else is affected by form and you can see it this year especially - City go from being unbeatable to not being able to win to being unbeatable again - Man U go from being super consistant to throwing the league away - and Arsenal and Tottenham go from sublime to complacent and back again a couple of times.

Right now were in a funk - we're missing our most effective midfielder and our most creative winger. We have leaders on the pitch but they're basically our better players and they're not immune to a bad game or two. They're the same leaders who were in place when we went on our run of wins that put us where we are now.

Getting aside from the leader thing, I think it's becoming more clear all the time how important Arteta is to us.

tayto lover · 06-05-2012 8:13pm

gosplan wrote: »

The leader thing is overdone.

What you're looking for is consistancy and a team performance - not just one player to step up and make easy commentary for the match of the day team.

Leaders aren't defined by moments where they take the game by the scruff of the neck or something like that, it's not all about snapshots like a captain's goal when you're two nil down - there're leaders because they put in consistant performances and always take care of their end of things. They function at a high level all the time.

They're basically immune to 'form' - and judging by this season i'd say there's like 4/5 of them in the premiership - Kompany, Yaya, Scholes, Rooney, RVP maybe throw in a couple of people like Tiote and Arteta as well.

But they're few and far between. Everyone else is affected by form and you can see it this year especially - City go from being unbeatable to not being able to win to being unbeatable again - Man U go from being super consistant to throwing the league away - and Arsenal and Tottenham go from sublime to complacent and back again a couple of times.

Right now were in a funk - we're missing our most effective midfielder and our most creative winger. We have leaders on the pitch but they're basically our better players and they're not immune to a bad game or two. They're the same leaders who were in place when we went on our run of wins that put us where we are now.

Getting aside from the leader thing, I think it's becoming more clear all the time how important Arteta is to us.

I agree with you to a point BUT who was doing the shouting yesterday when players were not tracking back ? Who was reminding them of their job ? Who was shouting at them to get the blocks in and close down ? Some of them looked like they were in the park for a kick about. I watched it again today and couldn't believe how poor Gibbs was at left back. Song (who I have defended on occasions) and Ramsey standing in midfield looking back as Norwich attacked in droves. Rosicky trotting back as if he expected the danger to be stopped by someone else. That is not the first time we played so poorly in the last few weeks either and you're right we really miss Arteta and haven't won without him. I am fearful about next Sunday too.

tsoparno · 06-05-2012 9:10pm

Had a load of points to make but I think we've covered them all in the last few posts.

It's scary to think yesterdays starting back-line was our first preference, I know Sagna went off injuried, but the crux of the problem and its been that way from the start of the season is the tracking back or lack of! Watch the utd mauling if you can stomach it, it's actually shocking to see the players looking on as the opposition stroll past them.

Arteta is being badly missed, and Ramsey should be dropped to the bench, these aren't Carling cup games to build his confidence again.

One things for sure I'll be ****ting a brick for the last game.

Galvasean · 06-05-2012 9:14pm

Well, despite ourselves we remain third. Amazing really.

Sergio · 06-05-2012 9:23pm

tayto lover wrote: »

I agree with you to a point BUT who was doing the shouting yesterday when players were not tracking back ? Who was reminding them of their job ? Who was shouting at them to get the blocks in and close down ? Some of them looked like they were in the park for a kick about. I watched it again today and couldn't believe how poor Gibbs was at left back. Song (who I have defended on occasions) and Ramsey standing in midfield looking back as Norwich attacked in droves. Rosicky trotting back as if he expected the danger to be stopped by someone else. That is not the first time we played so poorly in the last few weeks either and you're right we really miss Arteta and haven't won without him. I am fearful about next Sunday too.

Couldn't agree with you more .I was watching the sunday supplement programme on sky sports this morning which is on every sunday and has a panel of the top footballer journalists from all the major newspapers in the uk. They were making your exact point about players getting caught out of position and not tracking back quick enough. I think our back 4 and GK take an awful lot of criticism when we leak goals like norwich's equalizer yesterday but i think our midfielders in particular need to get back quicker and protect the back 4 more.Even the mighty RVP could chip in more with the defensive side of the game.I would like to see another strong midfielder come in but i think if we defended better as a team then we wouldnt give away as many stupid goals like yesterday!

Noo · 06-05-2012 9:47pm

Galvasean wrote: »

Well, despite ourselves we remain third. Amazing really.

The mind...it boggles.

gosplan · 06-05-2012 9:56pm

Sergio wrote: »

Couldn't agree with you more .I was watching the sunday supplement programme on sky sports this morning which is on every sunday and has a panel of the top footballer journalists from all the major newspapers in the uk. They were making your exact point about players getting caught out of position and not tracking back quick enough. I think our back 4 and GK take an awful lot of criticism when we leak goals like norwich's equalizer yesterday but i think our midfielders in particular need to get back quicker and protect the back 4 more.Even the mighty RVP could chip in more with the defensive side of the game.I would like to see another strong midfielder come in but i think if we defended better as a team then we wouldnt give away as many stupid goals like yesterday!

I've been harping on about the 2 DMF's for years now. We were brilliant when we had them. Vieira did play more in the middle but he was a beast and was really complimented by Petit/Gilberto.

Nowadays we've one DMF, who's really a CMF that's clearly told to get forward whenever possible, and then we've a bunch of AMF's and wingers.

When Febregas came in, Wenger changed the system and tried to go all Barca in that we had no outstanding defensive players in the middle but loads of skill so we'd rarely not have the ball ... but it hasn't worked, and when you're trying that game with Rosicky and Walcott instead of Iniesta and Xavi, you lose the ball in shocking positions and leave the back four exposed.

greendom · 06-05-2012 11:31pm

Looking for any positives, West Brom have lost more than anybody else at home outside the bottom 3 this season.

jonneymendoza · 07-05-2012 12:09am

Only Arsenal could put there fans ina stressful state in the last game of the season

tayto lover · 07-05-2012 12:25am

greendom wrote: »

Looking for any positives, West Brom have lost more than anybody else at home outside the bottom 3 this season.

And only 2 teams in the Top 10 have conceded more than us. We need the right attitude for a change next Sunday. Wenger has a whole week to get that right but he needs to act this time as nothing seems to be getting done to fix our defensive woes.

gnfnrhead · 07-05-2012 12:38am

tayto lover wrote: »

And only 2 teams in the Top 10 have conceded more than us. We need the right attitude for a change next Sunday. Wenger has a whole week to get that right but he needs to act this time as nothing seems to be getting done to fix our defensive woes.

Take out the freak Man United result and we have the (level) 4th best defence in the league. Two of those ahead are 1st and 2nd in the league.

What does that say about the rest of the league if our defence is apparently so bad?

Frisbee · 07-05-2012 12:41am

Woj

Coq

Koscielny

Vermaelen

Gibbs

Ramsey

Song

Benayoun

Rosicky

Santos

RVP

for me next week. If Walcott is fit then bring him in for Santos and move him over to the right and Yossi to the left. I know Santos seems odd but he's much better than the clogger at this stage and I don't think a game with so much riding on it is the right one for Oxo to start, he'll be needed from the bench. Santos plays more like a left-mid when played at LB so giving him the freedom to play on the wing means we shouldn't have any worries about his attacking ability.

I reckon we'll see the same team that started on Saturday though, just with Coquelin in for Sagna.

DenMan · 07-05-2012 10:43am

Our new home kit for next season. I like it.

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/arsenal-s-new-home-kit-picture-gallery

Andre80Johnson · 07-05-2012 10:51am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdVJfVK_hPI

Looks like so much fun. Especially at the end. They all seem to enjoy themselves which is great to see. Szczesny made lol. A reminder to the days of young lads messing about with a ball in School etc..

L'prof · 07-05-2012 11:13am

DenMan wrote: »

Our new home kit for next season. I like it.

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/arsenal-s-new-home-kit-picture-gallery

Haha, French flag on the sleeve now???

tayto lover · 07-05-2012 11:48am

gnfnrhead wrote: »

Take out the freak Man United result and we have the (level) 4th best defence in the league. Two of those ahead are 1st and 2nd in the league.

What does that say about the rest of the league if our defence is apparently so bad?

We have conceded 47 goals. Only two teams in the Top 10 have conceded more. How have we the 4th best defence in the league ?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/table

Mickeroo · 07-05-2012 11:52am

tayto lover wrote: »

We have conceded 47 goals. Only two teams in the Top 10 have conceded more. How have we the 4th best defence in the league ?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/table

he said to take out the 8 goals shipped against United and then we have the 4th best defence.

tayto lover · 07-05-2012 11:58am

Mickeroo wrote: »

he said to take out the 8 goals shipped against United and then we have the 4th best defence.

Ha ha maybe we should write to the F.A. too and get them to do the same.
We shipped 8 goals in that game and it was just typical of some of our defensive blunders over the last few years. Maybe if we could take out the 4 we conceded to Milan we could win the Champions League too.

DenMan · 07-05-2012 12:06pm

Just been to our clubs page on the BBC website and apart from the Norwich game at the weekend since Chelsea we haven't conceded at least 3 goals in a game. 8 goals against Utd in August, 4 against Blackburn in September and 3 against Chelsea in October. We have improved a lot but your right 47 is unacceptable. Next season we should aim for a minimum of 30 (25 would be fantastic)

Edit

Swansea scored 3 against us in January too. Apologies.

tayto lover · 07-05-2012 12:42pm

Seriously though the left side of our defence has been bad. Verm and Gibbs have had a poor season defensively and most of the goals we conceded have come from that side. I don't know if Santos is good enough either. Our midfielders not tracking back is also part of the problem and we need to sort it our for next season.

DenMan · 07-05-2012 12:46pm

Very true. Hopefully now Wenger will address this in the summer. I'd imagine he'll be doing Euro 2012 commentary for either French TV/Radio so after the tournament he'll assess the situation. Does anybody anything about Denilson? Will he return to us I wonder?

ImpossibleDuck · 07-05-2012 12:48pm

Dercola wrote: »

Was thinking that myself today. I genuinely didn't even realize that Ramsey was playing yesterday, until he gave the ball away just before half time.. The Ox needs to start next week, because at the very least he adds a sense of urgency to the team.

Not only did we dodge a bullet this weekend, but we dodged a f'kn cruise missile. The only saving grace is the spuds seem to be as bad as us atm, and I fancy Fulham to sneak a point next week. Newcastle are a worry alright tho. Keep the faith lads..:p

Wouldn't worry about Newcastle, our goal difference over them is like an extra point cushion. If we draw and they win, we'll still finish ahead of them.

So, interestingly enough, if both us and spurs draw, and Newcastle win we'll still pinch third on goal difference. That'll make for some heart-thumping last few minutes though! :pac:

DenMan wrote: »

We have improved a lot but your right 47 is unacceptable. Next season we should aim for a minimum of 30 (25 would be fantastic))

You say that, but the only team that's shipped less than 30 goals this season is City.

Mickeroo · 07-05-2012 1:09pm

ImpossibleDuck wrote: »

You say that, but the only team that's shipped less than 30 goals this season is City.

Exactly, which is why we should be aiming to emulate imo.

tayto lover · 07-05-2012 1:13pm

Mickeroo wrote: »

Exactly, which is why we should be aiming to emulate imo.

Used to love the chant " One nil to the Arsenal" because you knew the opposition would find it very hard to score. Changed days now though.
Anyone know who our defensive coaches are ?

07-05-2012 1:16pm

I like this tittle-tattle the papers are coming up with that we'll sign Dempsey from Fulham. He could do a mega job for us

ImpossibleDuck · 07-05-2012 1:48pm

Mickeroo wrote: »

Exactly, which is why we should be aiming to emulate imo.

Of course, but I'm asking for a bit of realism. We're not going to do that next season. I'm not saying we should be content with 47, of course not, just set ourselves a more realistic target than 30.

Arsenal Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2011/2012

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