A few points on Arsenal
A FEW very quick points I’d like to get off my chest:
-Besides being five points off fourth, we’re also six points off second.
-When was the last time you held your hand up said a team had scored a genuinely good goal against Arsenal?
While we may have done a little more to stop the cross coming in, the shots in the papers showed how Clichy made a perfectly decent attempt to win the ball, but Cahill just got incredibly high to meet it. A good goal in my book.
-Everyone has been asking where we’d have been without RVP for the last couple of months. A fair question in one sense but a little disingenuous to the boss in another. It’s not some kind of fluke we have him.
Granted, he could very well have been injured. But if Arsene is somehow lucky that he isn’t, where then is the sympathy over the losses of Walcott and Fabregas?
-Does watching without commentary change one’s perspective of a game? I only ask because I watched it on mute with two others and the conclusions we drew from the game seemed a little more positive than those I’ve read elsewhere online.
-Is it now time to give Wilshere or Vela a start on the wing? Neither Eboue, Diaby or Denilson look like any kind of answer there.
-Updated: One more final point: Can people stop moaning that we’re not what we were five years ago. Of course we’re bloody not. If you watched the Invincibles and didn’t realise you should enjoy it while it lasted, all fool you. I was lucky enough to appreciate it.
I’m not making excuses for the current lot. Bemoan the selling of three midfielders and the purchasing of none by all means. Bemoan the lack of effort from some players. But don’t go comparing them at every opportunity to the class of 03-04, who were probably the most complete club side England has ever seen!
30 January 2009 at 10:07 am
I agree with the ‘lack of commentary’ bit playa.. i watched the game on a stream with french commentary and i thought we did just fine… Had i watched it on TV with some whining cunts from sky, i may have had a slightly negative feel about the performance
30 January 2009 at 10:08 am
I totally agree, i think i would give them both a good run in the team. Denilson can stay though i think he’s doing ok, but please not on the wing. This playing players out of position is not the answer, they are more often than not lost out there on the wings and just look to get rid of the ball, which results in us having no width.
I too listen on mute, commentry is at an all time “arsenal critical” high, fair do’s some of it is warranted but some of it makes me cringe with its blatant anti arsenal jibes.
We are not good at the moment but picking up points, alls not lost in my opinion.
30 January 2009 at 10:10 am
I can’t agree with you more!
Vela and Wilshiere need to be given a chance. These lads have always had impact all the time they’ve been brought on.
Diaby isn’t crucial to the team anymore, whatever happened!
James
Uganda.
30 January 2009 at 10:23 am
It may have been a good goal but putting up Clichy against one of the best headers in the PL. Imagine Adams, Bould , Keown letting the smallest guy in the defence mark a guy like Cahill. Gallas is the senior member of nthe defence and he was marking TC most of the time but where was he at the crucial moment. Standing watching.
30 January 2009 at 10:26 am
Playa,
Thanks for providing a view with some perspective. Of course it suits the media to portray anything other than a victory as being a sign of crisis. Everything must be radiant white or deepest black in their world it seems. But as you say, the Everton goal was very well taken and the result of an excellent cross albeit that the wide man could have been closed down quicker.
30 January 2009 at 10:28 am
I’ve been watching without commentary for some time. Occasionally if Steve Claridge is the expert summariser on 5-Live I’ll listen to what he has to say but the rest are a waste of time.
I agree about Vela and Wilshere. Move Nasri in alongside Denilson and just go for it in every game. There aren’t too many teams that can live with us when we really play.
30 January 2009 at 10:30 am
Good points. Think where we could have been the last couple of seasons if RVP had been fit?? I watched the match with the arseblog arses on, never again though. There are some real idiots out there “supporting” the Arsenal.
30 January 2009 at 10:34 am
I agree with the post entirely. I did not think we played that badly at all. People seem to forget that Goodison has never been a walk over….didn’t we loose there a few years ago to a Rooney goal with the likes of Henry, Pires et al in the team. My only ‘concerns would be
1. We seem to be playing Champions league tempo all the time I think this is to our detriment.
2. Complacency seems to be entrenched in our current squad when you think back to all the games we have lost many of the goals against were avoidable by any competent player doing his job
Whilst I think we could have done better thus far, we are by no means down and out and have key players who can make a difference hopefully returning very soon
30 January 2009 at 10:35 am
I’m abroad and can’t get to games.
If I’m watching Arsenal on an English-speaking channel, it’s been mute all the way this season. I always seem to get Waddle, Macari, Andy Gray or Pleat analysing - a bit of a conflict of interest there!
On the other hand if we’re on TV on any European channel, turn the volume right up, even if you can’t understand everything they say. European commentators and pundits don’t suffer from the same viral idiocy and bias you get back home.
I’m happy with the team selection at the moment. Vela, as a natural striker, probably wouldn’t offer much defensive cover down the left wing to merit a starting place. And if Vela were to play wide, Nasri would have to start central, and our midfield would be looking very flimsy. I’m quite happy with Diaby/Song and Denilson in the middle.
The right is a different matter - we could do with some creativity there (to cover players missing), and this is where I imagine Arshavin would start for us.
30 January 2009 at 10:37 am
Glad to see some sanity on the blogs. Too few these days. Even normally ’sensible’ blogs seem to have caught Alan Hansenitis
30 January 2009 at 10:41 am
surely we aren’t playing as well as we ought to be guys… rationality and sanity is one thing, but isn’t this at the other end of the spectrum.. The reason we’re 6 points off 2nd is cos the others arent doing great themselves.. but that shouldn’t stop us from criticizing/analyzing our shortcomings?!
30 January 2009 at 10:47 am
i don’t think we are saying we should be doing better. But to hear some blogs/ commentators anybody would thik we were as bad us the Spuds. And the reason that some of the other teams are also not doing so well is that maybe the rest of the Premiership have caught up a bit this season - particularly Villa and Everton. Also the lower clubs have found a way to frustrate the better teams by defending in depth and stopping teams settle on the ball
30 January 2009 at 10:47 am
i agree with you. i think vela should play on left wing, rather than anybody else. denilson can stay in the middle with nasri. on right wing, we can put diaby. that is the perfect line up for arsenal right now.
30 January 2009 at 10:48 am
that should have benn ‘I don’t think we are saying we shouldN’T be doing better’
30 January 2009 at 10:49 am
SWM,
We’re not playing as well as we normally would, but we’re missing important players. We’ve done admirably to cope without Theo, Fab, Tomas and Dudu. These are the guys that help produce the scintillating football. Without them, we are a solid team that is growing in confidence and can still get results (best player in the country and 9 games unbeaten). We’ve had crises this season, but we’re still there - or thereabouts!
There is cause for optimism at the moment.
30 January 2009 at 10:50 am
We had 3 shots on target against Everton. OK, Everton played well, closed down space and made attacking play difficult, but that kind of stat shows a team way off challenging for the title which is where Arsenal should be.
Denilson is doing OK, but he’s no Patrick Vieira. Nasri is all right. But he’s no Robert Pires. Almunia is fine. But he’s no Jens Lehmann. Adebayor looks like Berbatov did at Spurs; hacked off to be playing at a club that’s not going to win anything again. He’s right. We’re not. Partly because he’s no Thierry Henry.
30 January 2009 at 11:06 am
@ Steve, I quite agree with you that…There are some real idiots out there “supporting” the Arsenal.
Fans that know little or nothing about the Proud history and heritage of the club who just wanna support because of the glory associated with our great club. The truth is that we might not be playing as we would love to but it’s always natural to have blips in performances sometimes. As far as I am concerned, we are not really doing bad at the moment cos’ we are still very much in the title race because those ahead of us will definitely drop points too along the line and if we can just keep going at the level we are right now, I’m very sure that by May many of those so called ”FANS” would be eating their words.
My last word… Keep believing and don’t waiver in your belief in these great bunch of lads and I’m sure you won’t regret you did.
I remain a GOONER FOR LIFE!!!
Apata from Lagos, Nigeria
30 January 2009 at 11:09 am
One thing to remember is the invincibles were Avg age 28 (ok im pulling that out my thumb but you know what I mean), no supporter should be comparing the current team to them.
The problem I note is that Wenger only buys central midfielders or strikers, and thinks he can make up a team from them. Rosicky, Hleb, Nasri, denilson, song, diaby were all central players, why cant we just buy a wing wizard. Vela is a striker and although he could do a job on the left, it will also hinder Clichys attacking threat..maybe it will work, maybe not, we havent seen enough to tell.
30 January 2009 at 11:10 am
re the french commentary. i also watched that stream. sadly i understand french. they were giving diaby pelters. and song actually. interestingly they love wenger obviously and they seemed perplexed that he couldn’t see how terrible his midfield two were….
30 January 2009 at 11:17 am
i love clichy, bit if i remember right the only reason why clichy did his best and still got near the ball was because when the cross came in he was so far away from his marker. he made an effort to get close, but whilst that looks like a good effort, it was far too late, it was very poor marking.
30 January 2009 at 11:29 am
Why isnt Vela playing and Nasri in the middle? And why is RVP not our interim captain?
30 January 2009 at 11:34 am
I still think our Carling Cup team would beat the first team. They are faster and can at least pass a ball. Has Adebayor shocked anybody else by his total ineptidude and seemingly lack of interest. Should have sold DFN last year.
Anybody else like the rumour of Kolo to Man City in exchange for Micah and cash? Kolo has not been same since last years Arican Nations Cup and at 27 is not going to get better. Micah is young and sure has lost form but that is either cfaused by massive injury or loss of confidence. He’s an Arsenal fan and could develop into a legend with us. Plus extra cash could swing Arshavin deal.
Djourou and Richards could be a middle pair for years.
Gibbs is a good back up for Clichy, we dont need Silvestre (please stay injured) As for our midfield its to me a bad choice of selection. Eboue and Song in midfield means turn off the telly, its not worth losing 2 hours of your life for the crap you are about to watch. Eboue’s only saving grace is that he is supposed to be a right back and back up to Sagna. I have racked my brains to find out why Arsene thinks he is a midfielder or even a footballer. The only answer I can find is that Arsene must be gay and Eboue has a big dick.
Song did OK against Everton but he is a defender or defensive midfielder if rest of midfield and backs are attacking. He has been suprisingly good in central defence but is really too slow for midfield.
We have too many broken parts right now which is causing individuals to suffer. Fabregas back changes supply to up front. Walcott back causes speed and width and supply to front two. Rosicky back would help Nasri and just help because of his skill and class. Eduardo back gives us a different type of striker option. Arshavin in would just hopefully get us back to beautifull football that is worth stayingf up to watch on the other side of the world and getting the pundits back to creaming their p[ants over the quality
30 January 2009 at 11:40 am
Villa had one shot on target on Tuesday night…
And to the person who said we are only six points off second because other sides keep messing up, I’d say it probably has more to do with us not losing in nine league games.
30 January 2009 at 11:51 am
Wilshere will be playing in the Youth Cup tie, so he’s very unlikely to feature on Saturday. I’d love to see him start the cup replay next week though.
Listening to 5Live last night you’d think the seaon was over and we’d already finished fifth. We’re miles off our best at the moment, but we’re not losing, the defence looks more secure than at any stage this season and we’ve got a run of winable games starting tomorrow. Now I don’t think for a minute that we’ll win the league this year, but coming second or third is entirely possible. Irrespective of Villa (who deserve credit despite being boring, defensive and wildly lucky) the wheels are coming off Liverpool’s alleged title challenge and Chelsea are an accident waiting to happen. We’re still in the cup and the Champions League, we’ve got loads of players to come back into the squad (and maybe Arshavin too). Reasons to be at least slightly optimistic…
Come on you Gooners !
30 January 2009 at 12:53 pm
Hear Hear GP, post of the year, I’m sick of the bullshite of comparing this lot to the invincibles myself.
And I don’t mean to pick on you Old Git cos you’re not the only one to have said it this year but I’m sick of this “Nasri is not Pires” crap that floats on here every now and then. And it’s not because it’s incorrect but it’s because I said it all along; I don’t want Samir Nasri to be Bobby Pires, I want him to be Samir Nasri and he’s doing bloody fine at that right now thank you very much.
I’m not going to waste my time looking up stats on an Arsenal legend (which Bobby was) but the fact of the matter is if Pires scored and created as much in his first season as what Nasri has I’ll bite my arse. Bobby came over (5 years older and more experienced mind you) and in his first campain played uninspiring, dove a lot and complained about the physicality of the league. Nasri scored in his first game and squared up to that thug Joey Barton after he tried to break his leg. He then scored twice against United and kept on scoring vital goals. No bloody comparrison if you ask me!
So, to illistrate the point GP has made, no - Nasri is not one of the invincibles. But he is a “goodplaya” who is only going to get better and a gunner to boot. There are bigger problems than him or Denilson right now I am sure of that (Hello AC Milan, do you still have any interest in a disinterested Togolese striker?).
30 January 2009 at 6:09 pm
i don’t agree with you GP or White Ox. The reason I and others “bullshit” about comparing this team to the Invincibles is because they are SO much worse, and because Wenger and the team consistently bullshit (that’s a proper use of the word) about us still being able to win the title.
It’s not like some old git (no offence Old Git, agree with your post) going on about the glory days - because this is of our own making. Wenger raised us to a level where we felt we could compete with Man U, and we should still be competing, we’ve got the resources to do it. But we’re not using them and Wenger (whether honestly or not) feels that our current squad is good enough. Well they’re not. And apart from a few players whose attitude I love (Cesc, Sagna) we have more than our share of whingeing backsliding primadonnas - certainly more than any other team in the top 6.
When Man U have a dip Ferguson goes out and does something about it, he doesn’t sit on his hands and talk about the potential in his squad, and likewise his board stump up top dollar and buy the best players out there - Arsenal look like men out of time - the days are gone when Wenger could keep up by getting bargains abroad and paying them less than other clubs would. The whole Arshavin affair is embarrassing, and when it follows our ineptitude in failing to keep Flamini, Diarra and Gilberto and the farce with Alonso, you have to conclude that we couldn’t negotiate the purchase of a packet of crisps. Bring back David Dein, he will sort it out.
30 January 2009 at 6:17 pm
And Englishmik,
agree Micah Richards would be great - he’s a classic Arsene purchase - young with great ability but lost his way at his current club - all we need to do now is persuade him to come for minimum wage and pay Man City £5.99 and throw in a couple of highbury flats and a year’s supply of ciabattas and polenta at Club level. Let’s Ken Friar on it and we can have him here by 2012.
30 January 2009 at 6:59 pm
Can people please stop comparing any current Arsenal players to Patrick Viera, the depths of his talent will not be completely realized until his career is over. If it weren’t for him, France would have been knocked out of the World Cup in the group stage in 2006. And what he did for Arsenal was unmatched, so, let’s just squash any idea that a new Patrick Viera will emerge, it will not happen.
RVP is simply amazing, his goals this season have been breath taking. All we need is one of our three injured midfielders back to help RVP more.
I think Nasri should be in the middle right now with Vela on the wing, but if that happens, Diaby or Song has to be there with him. Denilson (even though i think he is average at best) is too small to play in the middle with Nasri.
30 January 2009 at 7:17 pm
Was gonna do a lenghty post but having read The Chinaman i don’t need to. Spot on pal(apart from bringing Dein back, bit too much water under the bridge there, to put it polietly).
I don’t follow all this “well we were great 5yrs ago but hang on thats not going to happen again” defeatism, as the song goes “We are the Arsenal and we are the best, We are the Arsenal so fuck all the rest”. Even though er..we’re not. Lets stop burying our heads and listening to Arsene and the clubs propoganda and asking why.
30 January 2009 at 8:39 pm
Right on GP! Love it.
One thing though: Arsene is too conservative this season IMHO always relying on the same formation and the same players (aside from the injury lottery). As others have said, I’d like to see more of Vela., I’d like so see more for Bendtner on the wing, I thought he did pretty well there. I’d like to see some young players getting more exposure: more of Wilshere and Gibbs. We have other exciting youngsters: where are Merida, Randall and Lansbury? They may be all still built like matchsticks but they surely can play 15 minutes and inject some pace and enthusiasm.
Also let’s try a 451/433 with Nasri in the middle and Song+Denilson in defensive cover.
Pretty please Arsene?
30 January 2009 at 8:46 pm
We were great last season. We’re not doing as well this season and some of us may feel really disappointed/frustrated but this is no reason to spin and pretend we’ve been trash since 2004. That’s a lie.
30 January 2009 at 8:50 pm
I am curious: on the streams I watch the games are often commented by a nasty anti-Arsenal twat with a scottish accent. Who’s that bloke?
31 January 2009 at 12:53 am
We haven’t been the same since Eduardo got hurt and Rosicky got hurt… Hopefully when they both get back we will return to prominence…
31 January 2009 at 11:13 am
White Ox, fair play to on Nasri and Pires. I was trying to making the point that we have replaced great players with good players - or bad ones. I saw a lot of Nasri in France and he is very good and we haven’t seen the best of hm yet. It just annoys me that when Man United move Beckham and Saha on they buy Ronaldo and Tevez. We move , Henry, Freddie and Vieira on and replace them with Adebayor, Eboue and Song.
31 January 2009 at 11:28 pm
well said mate. Too many “prawn sandwich” dickheads in my earshot since we moved home. They almost want players like Eboue and Bendtner to fail so they can moan and moan and moan… F*** off you bunch of c***s. Up the Arse.
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