i'll have some of what this guy's smoking.
he'll be on about footballing philosophies and arsenal and barca having it right in an aesthetic game next.
English League Football [6th - 10th Feb 2010] **spoilers**
- Thread starter red11
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i'll have some of what this guy's smoking.
he'll be on about footballing philosophies and arsenal and barca having it right in an aesthetic game next.
Lol, Arsenal mugged by CA's hit & run tactics!
In other words, CA said a while ago that the way to beat Arsenal was on the break, his tactics were spot on today.
They had the majority of the possesion, which *never* happens at SB, but we were set up to kill them when they flooded forward and it worked, niiice
it's a simple blueprint to beat them, let them have plenty of possession soak up the pressure at around25 yards and hit them on the break.
Caporegime
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Yup, I was thinking that during the game CA said BEFORE THE GAME what he was going to do to beat us, and Wenger, or Song, completely ignored it. Chelsea have used this tactic many times, like against Barca when they were honestly very unlucky to lose the game right at the end. Encourage the other team to break shape, lose discipline and push more forwards then hit them on the break.
Despite being literally told by our opposition exactly what they planned(which worked earlier this season to devestating effect), either Wenger didn't tell Song, or Song didn't listen as he kept going fowards and that cost us. Rather than hold our midfield encourage THEM forward to give us some space to attack, we just slowly ambled forward with very little real threat and the second we get out of shape and over commited they worked us hard.
But look at the numbers, we've scored exactly the same as Chelsea now, but conceded, 50% more goals than them, do we really think a striker or lack of goals is our problem?
Rather than scoring more, if we'd simply not conceded against both Utd and Chelsea in both games, rather than both teams getting 6 points each. If neither of us scored and we got 4 draws, we'd have 4 more points than we do now, and they'd have 4 less each. Which meant we'd be neck a neck with both Utd and Chelsea now.
Simply drawing by having a better defence, which would largely be DM for us a decent one and keeping the ball better upfront so we get caught on the break less, would mean we'd be right in the hunt for the title.
It really doesn't take a genius to look at the past 2 seasons and see us finish with identical goals scord, as both Utd and Chelsea last year, but dramatically more conceded, and pretend somehow its goals we need.
As last year, its goals conceded, and exactly as last year, it was the lack of cover, the utter vunerability to the counter attack, the entire lack of pace in our defensive midfield players and their incredibly stupidity that has cost us time and time and time again.
This would be entirely shocking, if I hadn't been saying the exact same thing from pre-season last year.
Thing of it is thats laughable is Verm and Gallas are both world class, Clichy and Sagna "were" at one point, yet we blame them and not the inept midfield. Considering Arsenal fans were right up Denilson's behind ALL last season for doing the same useless job Song is doing this year in exactly the same fashion with exactly all the same weakness, while everyone was on Song's back for playing crap for most of last season.
DM's, and a keeper, and we'd win the title. We have options at DM right now, we don't really have keeper options though, at 3.25mil Begovic was a ridiculous deal to let slip by us.
Despite being literally told by our opposition exactly what they planned(which worked earlier this season to devestating effect), either Wenger didn't tell Song, or Song didn't listen as he kept going fowards and that cost us. Rather than hold our midfield encourage THEM forward to give us some space to attack, we just slowly ambled forward with very little real threat and the second we get out of shape and over commited they worked us hard.
But look at the numbers, we've scored exactly the same as Chelsea now, but conceded, 50% more goals than them, do we really think a striker or lack of goals is our problem?
Rather than scoring more, if we'd simply not conceded against both Utd and Chelsea in both games, rather than both teams getting 6 points each. If neither of us scored and we got 4 draws, we'd have 4 more points than we do now, and they'd have 4 less each. Which meant we'd be neck a neck with both Utd and Chelsea now.
Simply drawing by having a better defence, which would largely be DM for us a decent one and keeping the ball better upfront so we get caught on the break less, would mean we'd be right in the hunt for the title.
It really doesn't take a genius to look at the past 2 seasons and see us finish with identical goals scord, as both Utd and Chelsea last year, but dramatically more conceded, and pretend somehow its goals we need.
As last year, its goals conceded, and exactly as last year, it was the lack of cover, the utter vunerability to the counter attack, the entire lack of pace in our defensive midfield players and their incredibly stupidity that has cost us time and time and time again.
This would be entirely shocking, if I hadn't been saying the exact same thing from pre-season last year.
Thing of it is thats laughable is Verm and Gallas are both world class, Clichy and Sagna "were" at one point, yet we blame them and not the inept midfield. Considering Arsenal fans were right up Denilson's behind ALL last season for doing the same useless job Song is doing this year in exactly the same fashion with exactly all the same weakness, while everyone was on Song's back for playing crap for most of last season.
DM's, and a keeper, and we'd win the title. We have options at DM right now, we don't really have keeper options though, at 3.25mil Begovic was a ridiculous deal to let slip by us.
Lol, Arsenal mugged by CA's hit & run tactics!
In other words, CA said a while ago that the way to beat Arsenal was on the break, his tactics were spot on today.
They had the majority of the possesion, which *never* happens at SB, but we were set up to kill them when they flooded forward and it worked, niiice
Its exactly what killed us against Man Utd the other week too...shamefully Wenger just doesnt get his head out of his backside and rectify the problem ie buying out and out goal scorers...its all well and fine making chances and god knows how many lovely chances we make but just like last season and the seasons before...we lack the killer instinct...we should have scored a few today and even last week against Man Utd but the fact of the matter is that we dont and cant seem to score when we have our chances...sure we have scored plenty of goals this season but they have been against sides that havent been very good...up against better sides we struggle and struggle hard.
I really dont expect us to get a result from Wed either so now we end up with Tottenham, Man City and Liverspuds to get to 3rd or 4th....we drop far too many points against quality sides...even against AV a few weeks ago we dropped points...its verging on ridiculous and if Wenger thinks fans are happy with 3rd or 4th then hes sadly mistaken...
As much as DM talks rubbish...some of his points are glaringly correct...for the past few seasons its been Chelski and Man Utd and no one else.
Soldato
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Hate to say it, DM has a point. The defense has been shocking in the past two games and we also got tanked by Chelsea 3-0 earlier in the season and slipped two stupid goals at the Emirates vs Utd. Song was at least partially at fault for the first goal and the second goal was just embarassing.
All in all it's been a pretty depressing couple of weeks for Arsenal fans. Dumped out of the cup, dropping points at Villa and being totally outclassed by Utd and beaten fairly comfortably by Chelsea. This passage of games was always going to the true test of the side and they've failed miserably
All in all it's been a pretty depressing couple of weeks for Arsenal fans. Dumped out of the cup, dropping points at Villa and being totally outclassed by Utd and beaten fairly comfortably by Chelsea. This passage of games was always going to the true test of the side and they've failed miserably
You dont concede goals like the first one today if you have two world class center backs.
Gallas and Vermaelen are like laurel and Hardy against quality sides.
And the reasons Wenger keeps picking Walcott over Eboue?
A: Because Eboue is ******* rubbish.
B: Wenger blew 12 odd million quid on another expensive dud and is too proud to play him up front, where he is slightly less awful, or dump him and ship him out.
Soldato
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Disappointing Arsenal performance, yet again.
What annoys me is we are making the same mistakes! What are our defense players doing? - not their job is what! They are all over the place in a panic especially when there is a counter offense going on. They let themselves be over ran countless times and were next to useless at marking and filling in gaps. GET BACK AND STAY BACK! Three matches all pretty much lost because of the same reason.
The first half was dreadful to watch.. even though we had the most possesion it ment nothing with the silly passes from Arsenal kept being intercepted, and not being able to pull off a finish.
Second half was much better from Arsenal, better pace and drive. Dare I say if we would have played like we did in the second half straight off the bat the results may of been different.. but again when you have defenders making the same mistakes...
Change needs to come at Arsenal.
What annoys me is we are making the same mistakes! What are our defense players doing? - not their job is what! They are all over the place in a panic especially when there is a counter offense going on. They let themselves be over ran countless times and were next to useless at marking and filling in gaps. GET BACK AND STAY BACK! Three matches all pretty much lost because of the same reason.
The first half was dreadful to watch.. even though we had the most possesion it ment nothing with the silly passes from Arsenal kept being intercepted, and not being able to pull off a finish.
Second half was much better from Arsenal, better pace and drive. Dare I say if we would have played like we did in the second half straight off the bat the results may of been different.. but again when you have defenders making the same mistakes...
Change needs to come at Arsenal.
Caporegime
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Firstly, neither Gallas nor Verm were marking Drogba, Verm was marking Terry, who made a smart run, Diaby paying no attention ignored the run and Vermaelen trying to go with him and blocked Vermaelen off from it, neither Gallas nor Verm did anything wrong there. Song merely needed to actually physically LOOK at the player HE was marking, thats it, and move 1 metre, he would have been infront of Drogba and well, being Song, likely put it in his own net, at least he would have tried though. Unfortunately you couldn't be more wrong. Carvalho and Terry are world class defenders, so I guess they've never conceded from a corner, correct? Nonsense, the team would concede less from set pieces if there weren't only two decent headers against what, 6-7 very capable headers Chelsea had in the box.
I'd like to see Terry and Alex, or Rio and Vidic, or, any of the two best centre backs in the world on their own, mark 6 great headers in the box at the same time, with no help, the very simple reality is in the same situation no two CB's no matter how good they are, can prevent goals like that happening, even if it was just 2 decent players they had to mark, sometimes you'll concede goals, to hold them responsible when its 2 vs Terry, Carvalho, Ivanovic, ballack, Drogba and Anelka, is petty, or flat out stupid.
We've conceded lots of goals in the past two years because Song makes zero attempt to mark runs into the box in open play and in the box at corners, he simply doesn't do it.
AS for Eboue, no matter how crap you think Eboue is, he's still better than Walcott. His first two posessions on the ball within a minute of him coming on resulted in more attacking play, forward momentum and got the ball into the box both times. Thats more than Sagna and Walcott put together in the entire game, he proceeded to make a few tackles on Drogba, won a couple freekicks by running the ball up the field quickly and going around players. Sorry but if you think he's worse than Walcott or Sagna, you're simply wrong. Its quantifiably provable he did more today than either of those two, he's simply better than both. He might not be Ronaldo, but you'd still pick Eboue over Walcott without question. Hence it was a ridiculous decision to start Walcott, whose just a pathetic excuse for a footballer.
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In all 4 games Rooney and Drogba have been pretty much the difference between the teams (last week Man Utd were much better admittedly). Same with many games this season for Man Utd. If he had got injured for 6 months then Man Utd would have missed him as much as Arsenal miss Van Persie. In only a few months he had 7 goals and 7 assists in the league and was playing brilliantly, him, Fabregas and Arshavin were creating a great cohesion up front and then it all .. stopped, now Arsenal's attack is far less potent and they look less of a threat. They miss RvP as he makes goals out of nothing just like Rooney and Drogba with either an excellent touch, pass or bit of movement. Arshavin is good but no replacement. I'm not trying to say he would have made the difference today in the game we saw, because the games with him involved were different, he added a different threat to any other forward in the team and subsequently Arsenal attack very differently without him, and in my opinion, less effectively
Added to all that, with RvP fit, Arshavin can actually play in position, so rendering him a bigger threat too. It sounds petty but those things matter.
Edit - The talk of Arsenal slipping is a bit knee-jerk. After Wednesday Arsenal will have played Everton, Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool and Villa, that's all the tough games out of the way besides Man City. Most teams around Arsenal have to play each other and so somebody is bound to lose points in the future where Arsenal can try and grind out wins vs the lower teams which they did very effectively in the first half of the season (only losing to Sunderland besides Man Utd/Chelsk/Man City)
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Caporegime
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As does having your entire defence out? Every team has had injury problems in different areas, Arsenal have had it now worse than the rest. In the end it's Arsenals fault for relying on one injury prone striker of top quality.
I agree, but Man Utd have coped well, they've exactly been slipping 3 and 4 goals every week, it hasn't really effected their play too badly. Credit to the defensive coaching and depth
You 2 should talk
LOL well i agree with him on the better defence..we do need a stronger defence but im more concerned about us not putting away our chances...thats whats been costing us games plus our shoddy defence.
Manchester United are a cut above Arsenal, and every other team in the league.
Arsenal are a good footballing side, but fall down against the top teams.
They need to spend some money on a handful of players to improve and start to challenge for things, they won't keep Fab / Arseshaving otherwise.
Edit, Manchester United and Chelsea are a cut above haha just forgot to type Chelsea
Arsenal are a good footballing side, but fall down against the top teams.
They need to spend some money on a handful of players to improve and start to challenge for things, they won't keep Fab / Arseshaving otherwise.
Edit, Manchester United and Chelsea are a cut above haha just forgot to type Chelsea
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I'm bound to say this but I agree
Whilst consistency will obviously be the key to winning the league between now and May having seen how we completely dominated Arsenal last week and how Arsenal in turn completely bossed possession today against Chelsea I have no doubt that should we play the home game with Chelsea next week we'd dispatch of them with relative ease
We've definitely hit form just at the right time and if we maintain it I really cant see past us for the title this season tbh
I disagree with branding MU a cut above everyone else in the league, for starters Chelsea are above them in the table and it's hard to spot any weaknesses in their side:
-Good manager
-Good keeper, even if he has wobbled a couple of times.
-Very solid and organised defence, they've shut out Arsenal in both games this season
-Monstrous midfield
-Decent strikeforce
-Good backup players (you could maybe say they could do with a top class proven striker on the bench I suppose - maybe they should bring in Pato or Villa in the summer now the ban's been lifted)
-Very physical
-Good at set pieces
-Large coffers
Now I'm not saying MU don't have good points but I certainly wouldn't put them as a 'cut above' Chelsea whilst banding them in with the rest of the league.
-Good manager
-Good keeper, even if he has wobbled a couple of times.
-Very solid and organised defence, they've shut out Arsenal in both games this season
-Monstrous midfield
-Decent strikeforce
-Good backup players (you could maybe say they could do with a top class proven striker on the bench I suppose - maybe they should bring in Pato or Villa in the summer now the ban's been lifted)
-Very physical
-Good at set pieces
-Large coffers
Now I'm not saying MU don't have good points but I certainly wouldn't put them as a 'cut above' Chelsea whilst banding them in with the rest of the league.
Im a big fan of Man Utd. Even I must admit that I believe that Chelsea, at this moment in time, are the better side.
If they play each other 10 times on neutral grounds, I think Chelsea would win more games than they lose.
Of course, the best side doesnt necessarily always win the title, so I do feel the title is definitely up for grabs for either side.
If they play each other 10 times on neutral grounds, I think Chelsea would win more games than they lose.
Of course, the best side doesnt necessarily always win the title, so I do feel the title is definitely up for grabs for either side.