Arsenal Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 12/13 MOD POST #232

Soups123 wrote: »

We won 2-1 away last night to the French champions, United crawled over the line at home to Gala, yet your telling me they would have torn them apart, neither Chelsea or City would have done much more than 2-1, maybe 3-1 at best.

We beat Southamption 6-1, the weekend, we cant be expected to destroy every team we meet.

We won 2-1 away because we we lucky.

Our defence was poor. Only Belhandas (?) awful finish at the end saved us.

Oyr midfield was overran in the second half, and our left wing was continually exposed.

The result was great. But we didn't grind out a 2-1 away win. We got a 2-1 away win by the seat of our pants.

The performance worried me, and put in context a lot of hot air spoken about the new defence, and Steve Bould, etc.

meriwether wrote: »

We won 2-1 away because we we lucky.

Our defence was poor. Only Belhandas (?) awful finish at the end saved us.

Oyr midfield was overran in the second half, and our left wing was continually exposed.

The result was great. But we didn't grind out a 2-1 away win. We got a 2-1 away win by the seat of our pants.

The performance worried me, and put in context a lot of hot air spoken about the new defence, and Steve Bould, etc.

I thought the defence played well enough. In the CL every team is going to have chances. They had one, maybe two clear cut chances and didn't take em. Other then that it was long shots. These guys are the French champions. I know a lot of people are sayin one season wonders but they still won a competitive French league which you just can't fluke.

The performance wasnt great but we got the win

I agree people may be over estimating boulds influence. Even wenger said as much but it's plain to see we are more solid then last year

What does worry me is how much the team tired in the second half. They should be well able to last a full ninety minutes this early in the season. Think I read it was very warm in France that night but still. The whole team shouldn't tire like that

If and it's massive massive IF
But if jack and get back to old form things could get interesting with this team

Bam Bam Mickey wrote: »

One user called it an Embarrassing performance.

Putting words in my mouth again.

I said the performance in the second half was embarrassing. The first half we played very well.

Get your facts right.

Bam Bam Mickey wrote: »

Just the secondhalf was embarrassing?, ah that's ok so.:pac:
As i said then you were being totally disrespectful to the opponents, who were champions of their league.
We weren't playing well at all, but embarrassing?
To expect any team to have the right to dominate any half of a football match is out of touch with the reality of the game.
Look at United last night.

Yeah that's what I said. The first half we played well.

The second half our players looked like they couldn't give a shít. It was embarrassing.

Of course we don't have a right to dominate every half of football we play. But close on our 1st. choice XI being dicked on by Montpellier and not putting up any sort of resistance for 45 minutes is embarrassing.

Galvasean wrote: »

So how about that Gervinho lad eh? He's doing well for himself.
I read somewhere that in his first season with us he had the same games/goals/assists stats as Bobby Pires. Plus, look what happened when we moved Terry Henry from the wing to full forward. it's a big might, but this MIGHT just be his season...

And they said I was mad when I put him in my fantasy league team... MAD! :pac:

I put up that stat bout the sane first season as pires
I will leave the Henry comparisons to you

Wilshere, Cazorla, Diaby, Arteta, Ramsey, Coquelin and Frimpong with Rosicky to come back still... only one of those a new signing but it still feels like we've a completely different midfield this season! The question is where the **** will Wilshere fit in when he gets fit?

Also, on Gervinho, he's extremely effective when deployed in the right way but he's not on the same level as Henry, less likely to make something out of nothing the way Henry could. Still, if we can get 20 goals each from both him and Podolski...

The start of this season has seen us play much more like a team than I've seen in a long time. Even the awful 2nd half of the Montpellier game saw the team keep shape and work for each other defensively with both Diaby and Arteta dropping into the CB line! We were awful on the ball, but we did just enough to prevent Montpellier from capitalizing (Mertesacker error aside) which is all that matters.

wandatowell wrote: »

I would have laughed at you and placed you on my ignore list if you had said this 2 weeks ago!

I know, but the fact people keep forgetting is that he got 18 goals in both his seasons for Lille playing in a wide position. He's limited, but when he gets the space to run at people he can be devastating.

The biggest problem for him last season (aside from the sitters missed, which seems to have been as much confidence as anything else) was that we didn't offer creatively through the middle and he was the one tasked with creating space for himself. That usually meant he ended up too wide to really run directly at people and get in behind defenders. Now, with Cazorla and Giroud dragging the central defenders out he's got much more of an opportunity to be a threat in front of goal.

I have been a fan of Podolski for years and anticipated him being a success at the club, but did not expect him to hit the ground running the way he has. Both him and Cazorla have adapted to our style like a pair of fish being let back into the water.
If we could get 15 league goals from Podolski, Girousd and Gervinho, plus maybe ten a piece from Walcott* and Cazorla we'll be laughing.


* Say what you will about the guy but he does get among the goals, even when playing poorly over all.

Sútalún wrote: »

Just want to echo what other posters have said, we are really playing like much more of a team than a good few years! Not relying on one single player, or basing play around him. Am I the only person that has really taken to Podolski too? Seems to show such passion and commitment, great to see!

I think everyone has taken to podolski, people laughed at me when they would ask about what signings arsenal made over the summer and i would name podolski.

I really love watching his passion when he scores. Looks like the greatest feeling in the world to him! You know he is going to push for his goal fix every game.

In their first four games, Arsenal and Man City have each played Liverpool and Stoke away and Southampton at home. Joint on 8pts.

Not a bad judge so far

Don't we usually get beaten after a champions league away game anyway?