Can't we just put that down to the players being jet lagged after their recent trip. It was always going to be tough having an away game so soon after that and I think the only important thing is the result on occasions like this
Boxing Day Football **SPOILERS**
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Can't we just put that down to the players being jet lagged after their recent trip. It was always going to be tough having an away game so soon after that and I think the only important thing is the result on occasions like this
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Watched Stoke vs Man U and then Villa vs Arsenal and all the highlights. My thoughts:
There are two ways to win the title, play brilliant almost all season and drop the odd points when you don't play well or find the ability to win when you're playing badly. That's why I can't see past Man U for the title. The Stoke game was a snooze-a-minute and was more deserving of a draw. Chelsea are great when they are winning but not good enough to play brilliantly most of the time or to win enough when they are bad. They didn't have much competition yesterday tbh.
Liverpool are the same. Banged a few goals in and played some very nice football and Keane scoring should be a big lift but their squad doesn't seem to 'do' grinding results out and they almost lose interest which is a shame because a bit more effort would have seen them 7 points clear and on for the title imho. How they played vs Arsenal's 10 men summed it up tbh
Villa - I'd like to see them pick up 4th and give MoN the chance to bring in some top end players. Owen and Heskey up front...? They are playing a basically English team and I like that. Probably deserved to win yesterday but don't have the killer instinct, bit like Liverpool.
Arsenal are a mess. I'm all for sticking by your manager, especially when he's had that much success, but a team of assorted African and English kids is not going to bring you pots and that's what you should be doing - winning trophies. Coming 4th shouldn't be a target, it should be a disappointment. Out of 4 competitions, the FA cup is the only realistic shout of silverware this year and it's still 2008. They need: 2 decent centrebacks at the neck end of 30m, two decent fullbacks and a proper midfield boss - 30 years old and the ability to shout so loud, you skin falls off a la Vieira or Keane. Wenger has lost the plot and needs to buy good players if Arsenal want to move on. If he doesn't, get a top end manager who does and put AW in charge of youth development. You need to make business decisions and the UEFA cup is not a place Arsenal can afford to be.
Finally, going down. West Brom - nice football, shame that the Prem teams like to play against nice football and are better at it. Pompey - Adams is a dribbling 'tard as a Manager and has proved it. I'm undecided who else wants to go down, the bottom 10 are all having a good go.
There are two ways to win the title, play brilliant almost all season and drop the odd points when you don't play well or find the ability to win when you're playing badly. That's why I can't see past Man U for the title. The Stoke game was a snooze-a-minute and was more deserving of a draw. Chelsea are great when they are winning but not good enough to play brilliantly most of the time or to win enough when they are bad. They didn't have much competition yesterday tbh.
Liverpool are the same. Banged a few goals in and played some very nice football and Keane scoring should be a big lift but their squad doesn't seem to 'do' grinding results out and they almost lose interest which is a shame because a bit more effort would have seen them 7 points clear and on for the title imho. How they played vs Arsenal's 10 men summed it up tbh
Villa - I'd like to see them pick up 4th and give MoN the chance to bring in some top end players. Owen and Heskey up front...? They are playing a basically English team and I like that. Probably deserved to win yesterday but don't have the killer instinct, bit like Liverpool.
Arsenal are a mess. I'm all for sticking by your manager, especially when he's had that much success, but a team of assorted African and English kids is not going to bring you pots and that's what you should be doing - winning trophies. Coming 4th shouldn't be a target, it should be a disappointment. Out of 4 competitions, the FA cup is the only realistic shout of silverware this year and it's still 2008. They need: 2 decent centrebacks at the neck end of 30m, two decent fullbacks and a proper midfield boss - 30 years old and the ability to shout so loud, you skin falls off a la Vieira or Keane. Wenger has lost the plot and needs to buy good players if Arsenal want to move on. If he doesn't, get a top end manager who does and put AW in charge of youth development. You need to make business decisions and the UEFA cup is not a place Arsenal can afford to be.
Finally, going down. West Brom - nice football, shame that the Prem teams like to play against nice football and are better at it. Pompey - Adams is a dribbling 'tard as a Manager and has proved it. I'm undecided who else wants to go down, the bottom 10 are all having a good go.
Can't we just put that down to the players being jet lagged after their recent trip. It was always going to be tough having an away game so soon after that and I think the only important thing is the result on occasions like this
Yeah and I maybe being overly harsh on the performance. I think what annoyed me was for all the possesion we seemed devoid of ideas. in and around the box. It's a drum that is often well banged but I think Berbatov really has unsettled the make up of the team. Rooney and Tevez were almost telepathic last year in the balls played to each other and the positions they took up. Now they look almost like two strangers who haven't played together.
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I'd rate Clichy and Sagna as two of the best fullbacks in the country and I don't even support Arsenal.
Caporegime
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I see they've given Sbragia the Sunderland job.
Watch them get tonked every week now.
Watch them get tonked every week now.
Well i was at the pub all day yesterday and before the match was it just me or did the whole Sky team seem as if they were absolutely steaming?
Lots of shouting and talking with eyes closed, made me laugh considerably!Anyhoo that bin list is maybe 50/50. I believe Gallas is playing decent enough this may be because of the pressure being lifted from him or possibly even the other way round, who knows.
Eboue, yep he can go, decent enough but not good enough for us to be honest, he belongs to a mid table club.
Alexandre Song. I was slating him to everyone who would listen today before the match. But in honesty i thought he was possibly our best midfielder for the first half today!
Looked pretty solid but he lacks experience - For example last week attacking Liverpool when it was 2 on 3 i belive he just looked so lost - poss send on loan or just be done and sell him.Denilson is a decent enough player and i totally agree with another guy who posts on here (The one everyone calls the Arsenal troll), he's being hampered because he doesn't strike me as a defensive minded player at all, going forward he looks full of confidence and generally plays well. IMO he's the guy who should be given the chance to play Fabrageezers position whilst he is injured.
Diaby is a harder one to call. I remember reading Wenger said he could even play as a striker (didn't he show it today
) which would lead you to believe he is also an attack minded player. But his build would suggest he could develop into a fairly decent DM?Toure - BIN????? Are you actually insane??!
You where a little harsh in your first post I think, always thought jetlag would be a bit of an issue. But you are spot on above about devoid of ideas around the box (was not dis-similar before we went away at Spurs)
R & T WHERE telepathatic last season and it was fantastic - and maybe some of our isssues are related to trying to squeeze Berba into the team (and badly) however not all the blame can be at his feet (not saying you inparticular where trying to do this) as the void of ideas was present this season before Berba arrived also
Both Rooney and Tevez have played well in patches this season - but not in the same game(s) .....admittedly its been a while when they have had a run of games together, but it definitely wasnt working at the start of the season
Im glad he didnt, but Rooney definitely deserved the red even without any connection, but Im pretty sure a few more Stoke players could have been sent off also for repeated fouls (Ronaldo should have got a yellow for the petulant kick also)
Carrick should have played at least 30 minutes of the game also, the midfield ticks so much better when he is on the field.
Was a fantastic game, but for me the Arsenal 4 - 4 Spurs game was better, just for the drama!
So glad that we've already had 2 very good football matches this season.
On a side note, Sagna was brilliant yesterday. I do genuinely believe him to be the best RB in the EPL right now. I only saw him make one mistake all match where he only got half a clearance in around the 80th minute. When that's the only mistake you make then you know he's a great player. Arsenal are lucky to have him and I'd take him at United in a shot.
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Completely agree on both accounts.
I thought Sagna was head and shoulders above every other right back last season (amazing considering it was his first season) but to be totally fair and honest, this season he hasn't been anywhere near as good and at times has been as bad as anyone. Picked up lately though, and as you say, totally immense yesterday.
Why do you even bother posting after matches?
It's the same thing EVERY week. Eboue is brilliant, Denilson, Song and Ade are useless and Wenger is a moron. It really is.
As usual plenty of rubbish in your post.
Eboue didn't do much wrong and did plenty right? No. He was average. His part in Diaby's goal was about the only thing he did worthy of note, and there were plenty of awful passes and decision making.
Song actually had a decent game before going off, and is showing he can be very effective in that role in a 5 man midfield. Denilson doesn't belong at this club? Maybe not, but why say that after yesterday's game in which he was one of our best players and scored. That was his second best game of the season. If one player doesn't belong at our club, funnily enough, it's your hero Eboue.
You clearly didn't see the Villa/Arsenal game at the Emirates Nokkon, Ashley Young absolutely destroyed him - you would even of taken Gary Neville instead after that massacre.
You are right about the first point - but no-one (in their right mind) would take GN these days over anyone at all - even his experience counts for **** as he is sooooo slow