Arsenal Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2015/16 ( Mod Note linked in OP 29/12)

domrush wrote: »

Don't really think our midfield can be improved upon a huge amount if I'm being honest. Ozil, Coq, Sanchez and Caz are all nailed on starters in a normal game. Having Ramsey, Walcott, Campbell, Ox and Wilshere all able to play RW means it isn't a massive weak link at the minute. They all have potential, just a tendency to make ****e decisions in my opinion. CF more a priority for me.

However the glaring weak point is CB and has been for quite some time. Mert isn't up for it. Imagine we had two Kos's, how solid would we be ? Mert's lack of pace effects the players around him and its a weak link every team knows about. I don't normally like singling out players but he isn't up to the job, and he doesn't even use his height to its full advantage anymore.

I think Chambers has huge potential but he's not ready to be number 1 choice yet, jury is still out on Gabriel too. Miss Vermealon hugely at this stage even though he was on the decline as he left us. Monreal, Kos , Verm and Bellerin sitting in front of Cech would have been a world class defence.

It's probably not a popular thing to say, but Mert actually saved us a few times tonight, made a good few interceptions, tackles and blocks (here, here and here for examples) but none of those will be remembered.

Merts ability to read the game is often overlooked and he does seem to bring a certain calmness to the defense, but he is an easy target for criticism due to his lack of pace which can be easily exposed, usually by other people in the defense.

I am actually upbeat after the game. We were beaten but there was a lot of encouraging sides. It was always gonna be a big ask and it was gutting to lose that way but it was small margins. Ox or girouds chances go in and its a different game. We were looking very dangerous before we got caught on the counter.

I thought Bellerin had a great game, Welbeck looked good, Ozil had some nice touches though we didn't have enough of the ball for him to exploit and Ramsey had a good game especially in the first half. Also a mention for Cech who pulled up some great stops

Players need to dust themselves down and go again on Sunday. Next few games in the league are huge

Basil3 wrote: »

Everyone knows that we could do with a world class striker. It's not a special gift you have, being able to identify this when nobody else can. We need someone better than Giroud, though. Just buying any old striker is pointless.

I still don't understand the Ramsey hate. That guy works harder then anyone else, and gets in positions to score goals. Santi lacks mobility, and I don't know what he would have offered in a match where we concede possession.

Who are the players that are carrying the average players? It would be interesting to see who you think are our performers right now, and who are the passengers.

Sanchez is out of form, probably the biggest disappointment in the squad right now. You can happily mention Ramsey giving the ball away, when Sanchez is by far the biggest culprit, and seems to get himself less goal scoring chances than Ramsey does of late. I really hope Sanchez hits form soon.

I agree that Sanchez gave the ball away a lot but I will give him the benefit of the doubt as he usually comes up with something special and is the type of player that can turn a game on its head. Can you say that for any other player in our squad? Ramsey as a central midfielder, his number one job should be to retain possession and play the simple pass. Instead anytime he got hold of the ball last night he trys to play the killer ball and in turn kept given it away.

The average players I am talking about is, Walcott, Oxlade Chamberlain, Flamini, Mertesacker. All not good enough to play for us, let alone start one of the biggest games of the season for us. Giroud is decent but last night he threw in one of those games when he tried to be too smart with all these flicks instead of doing the basics right and hold up the play and bring our wingers into it. Coquelin another who the jury is still out on. A good honest professional but should be no better than a back up. If we want to become a dominant force in Europe again than we have to bring in players of a higher quality to the ones mentioned above.

I think our biggest problem in the side are the wings. We are all pace out there but very little end product or creativity.

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Too much effort, not enough result. Cazorla would have been useful as a more consistent "out" ball when trying to break. That said, he can be guilty of holding the ball too long as well. I'm sick of Ramsey tbh, himself and Giroud simply won't focus on doing the simple things right.

8 games Giroud is without a goal now. His pass completion was just 52% last night. Just not good enough at this level.

12gauge dave wrote: »

And we expect to win silverwear :L

I still do.

Right. That's done now. It was a long shot at best anyway.

This weekend is different. We have more than enough to beat this shower, I can't wait for it.

Want league. Everything else is secondary*.







*want 3 FA cups in a row too. But not quite as much as I want to beat Spurs. Sorry, i meant want to win the league.

You'd swear we were League 1 Millwall the way some people go on about us. Seems nobody expects anything from us other than last 16 4th and maybe a domestic cup. No reason we can't be beating the Barcelona's of the world winning the premier league and finally getting that CL.

Colonialboy wrote: »

so what..
Arsenal arent running a charity or a retirement home.

Coq did nothing.. every pass was either backwards or lateral.
Big teams love that.. they never have to turnaround and face their goal, cos the opposing dimwit in the middle for the other team keeps passing it backwards.
No wonder Barca could play their pressing game, Coq never got them turned around.

Campbell, had done brilliant when Sanchez and Coq were out.
Wenger has his favourites and no matter what, they are always straight back in the team even if it disrupts other players who are in form.
Wenger is constantly upset the team thats on a roll cos he tries to fit in someone whos back from injury.

Im raging over this result cos Ive been watching the same results in the CL for 14 years and Wengers learned nothing.

Las Palmas 3rd from bottom in La Liga lost 2-1 to Barca last weekend, Las Palmas had 52% possession
If you watched Spanish football regularly you would know that alot of teams gave Barca a better match than we did last night.

Wengers out of his depth against the big managers,
Wengers out of his depth at the big boys table
Wengers is out of his depth when it comes to playing top tier style, clinical, thinking European football.

What has coq got to do with Campbell. They dont play the same position.

Coq was hardly a favourite when he was shunted out on loan and needed an injury crisis to get a shot. Chamberlain has only come in to the starting line up in the last few games

Ken Shamrock wrote: »

You'd swear we were League 1 Millwall the way some people go on about us. Seems nobody expects anything from us other than last 16 4th and maybe a domestic cup. No reason we can't be beating the Barcelona's of the world winning the premier league and finally getting that CL.

Agree. And only for the league is a poor one this year it would be another 3rd or 4th place for us. That Barcelona team last night were there for the taking, a top side no doubt but they are so over rated. That Barcelona side we beat 2-1 a few years back were a level above the side they have now.

I thought Arsenal were very good until Barca scored - incredibly well organised and dangerous on the break. The second goal was a brain fart.

The shape and discipline were great and if Ox had either (a) taken the best chance in the whole game and/or (b) got his head up to find Ozil when himself and Giroud were breaking...who knows? These are the minor details that shape a tight game: the overall performance was still good.

My main takeouts were:

I'm not Ox's biggest fan but he was very good without the ball, coming inside to cover the centre and covering Bellerin (also very good).

Welbeck won headers and held the ball up really well when he came on, as well as being able to beat a man. Would love to see him given a run up front - Giroud needs a break.

Sanchez is still struggling to find form.

The defence wasn't the problem last night. It was the final ball and finish.

If Arsenal could take the level of performance for the first 70 minutes into the Man U and Spurs games, they'll get results. However, there could be a bit of hangover given how much they gave until the first goal.

Sacksian wrote: »

I'm not Ox's biggest fan but he was very good without the ball, coming inside to cover the centre and covering Bellerin (also very good).

.

That would be all well and good if he offered something in the final third. Id be inclined to play him in a more central role because I cant for the life of me see him making the grade as a winger.