Arsenal Banter Archive August 10 2015

10 Aug 2015 20:33:38
Watching silva play is a joy to watch the ball is like a magnet to his feet he's great 1 touch passes in around the opposition half is class I was hoping when we signed Ozil he would have a similar effect but sadly he's been average at best

10 Aug 2015 22:38:15
C'mon, let's not start player bashing after 1 game.

Yesterday's defeat, whilst being a kick in the minerals, is just a slight blip.

It takes 4/5 games for the players to gain fitness, sharpness and cohesion.

That said, if we lose to Palace I would start worrying.

10 Aug 2015 23:53:34
I'm worried now dags

11 Aug 2015 01:11:31
Yh it was only the Fist game but my point is Ozil is not good as silva

11 Aug 2015 02:05:42
Not an excuse at all dags... That's what pre season is for. We will end up falling short and everyone will be saying we need to start well next time.... AGAIN!!

11 Aug 2015 07:25:10
Fair points but West Ham was always going to be awkward because they are already 6/7 games into their season.

Imired, agree Silva v Ozil.

11 Aug 2015 08:59:06
Özil is every bit as good as Silva, as he showed in the tail end of last season.

Part of Özils problem, is that not all our players are on his level.
If you actually watch Mesut during a match, the passes he plays are superb.

He created more chances in the West Ham game than any of our other players, we just didn't have anyone to put them away.

It was a shock to lose on Sunday, but it's down to the team to come out guns blazing at Palace, which, won't be as easy as people think, seen as they've bought well and Pardew has them well drilled.

11 Aug 2015 09:33:32
I remember us starting really well a few years back at Everton and finishing was it 3rd or 4th that season?
Utd got hammered at Vila on the opening day prompting the famous Alan Hanson "you win nothing with kids" and went on to have a great season.
Whether it's the 1st 21st or last game of the season a defeat is never good but they do happen to every team, well! accept one of course :-)

11 Aug 2015 15:44:16
Hmm I feel silva is more effective than Ozil and a better player

10 Aug 2015 15:11:08
What's happening with Wellington silva

10 Aug 2015 16:03:45
Probably the same as myachi and cambell in the end. don't think he will be our new superstar.

10 Aug 2015 11:07:37
I think blaming Giroud and Cech for yesterdays embarrasment is a bit harsh.

The two goals could've been avoided if the defending was sharper. The only reason cech rushed out on the first goal was the terrible marking. We simply cannot allow players getting that much space.

The second goal Zarate had no preassure what so ever. He got the ball as result of clumsy defending and no communication. When we got Olly on top, we can clear the ball more often. But seems we always try to play out of defence. Even though we got a big ass frenchman on top, that can do something with a long ball.

Our attack is too slow, and does not suit Giroud. He is good when he has quick players around him looking for space behind the oppositions defence. He is brilliant at making space for others, but with a slow attacking play, by the time ball reaches him the opposition defence is back and organised.

We need more variation in our attack to make the most of the XI players out there. Also we need to be more cynical defending. Get that ball the fu*k up field sometimes!

10 Aug 2015 19:28:36
when a striker is missing chances who should we blame? so giroud will score 16 goals, against opposition that he can bully, but he is playing for arsenal...we are trying to be contenders if we end up 4th again, are we still going to say let's go again next year?

why can't we buy a striker who is capable to win us the league?

wenger won't over pay? well let him not..but if he can't deliver the title this year its time to move upstairs and stop wasting our time.

fans want progress and not stand still. if he won't the epl and in a couple of years the champions league and the team went through transition its understandable but not winning and making excuses is poor. i don't expect half hearted attempts...at work or life either you do it or dont...and bare the consequences both ways.

10 Aug 2015 20:36:48
Regardless of your opinions of Giroud, he was absolutely not to blame for Sunday. If you stick Benzema upfront in that game, the result would still be the same. You can't put in a team performance like that and then blame the centre forward. Giroud wasn't missing chances because we didn't create any.

10 Aug 2015 23:58:22
The whole team was shocking apart from ox the rest wernt even out of bed let alone on the pitch and I think we will lose to palace as well

10 Aug 2015 10:07:09
Am i the only one who thinks we need new CB as much as a Striker?

The big german tower is far to passive in my opinion. Doesn't meet the oponent. Everyone can make an easy cross or shot on target if Per is in front..

He's too clumpsy for a title contender..

10 Aug 2015 10:36:50
Agreed never been a fan of mertesacker as he only looks good in games were everyone around him is playing well , kos constantly covers for him when he should just be worrying about his own job , I'd be a happy man if I saw chambers or Gabriel come in for him this season.

10 Aug 2015 10:43:31
Been saying this since he's been here he no leader! He takes a few minutes just to pass the ball he's too slow and is always makes me nervous watching him Gabriel needs to start

10 Aug 2015 10:59:59
Personally I'd have paid up his contract and got rid of him the night of the Stoke game and the Liverpool game wouldn't even exist as far as he is concerned but I have to say his last two competitive games have been two of his best.
The cup final he was brilliant and yesterday in the first half especially I thought he looked good, I would definitely play Gabriel ahead of him because I think Gab/Kos partnership could become the best partnership in the league but yesterday alone their were many many worse than MerterDUCKER.

10 Aug 2015 11:17:14
Mertesacker is our leader in all senses at the back. Am absolutely fine player

10 Aug 2015 11:50:57
I love Per, he's had some good times with us and to say he's not a leader is a bit off the mark, all you have to do is look to the day he berated Ozil for not staying after the city game.

That said, I think it is time to move on from the BFG.
But Wenger won't, he has too much loyalty to our players.
Sometimes that's great, but you need a ruthless mentality.
You think Jose wouldn't drop terry if he had 2-3 poor games?
Zouma would be in like a shot.

Per's marking isn't great, he's poor in the air considering he's 6'6 and above all, he's just too slow.

Our fullbacks consistently bomb forward, but none more so than Hector, and on that right side, it leaves Per open.
Yes Coquelin covers now, but he can only do so much.
And Koscielny covering Per distracts him from his duties.
We do need a new centre half, there've been links with Alessio Romagnoli, who's going to be a great defender in my eyes, regardless of where he ends up.

But even if we don't sign a centre half, at least chuck Gabriel in the mix.
When he's played, he's been alert, strong and generally impressive.
A few errors but he has a bit of acceleration that can help him when he gets into trouble, like Koscielny.

I still think we'll have a strong season, but it could be dependant on a signing or two and a tactical tweaking.

10 Aug 2015 07:31:14
I wouldn't quite say it's panic stations but a few things I noted from yesterdays game;

1 - Debuchy is absolutely not in the same league as Bellerin. It's unfortunate HB picked up an injury, hopefully he is not out for long because Debuchy at RB for a prolonged period is a worry. I appreciate it was his first game back in a while but he was terrible.

2 - Ramsay is not Zidane, he needs to keep doing the simple things right and he rest will follow, trying to hard and putting to much pressure on himself.

3 - Ox is going to be a beast this season if he can stay fit. I'm sure we'll stick 4-2-3-1 so assuming Ox - Ozil - Sanchez..........where do Walcott and his bumper contract play because he won't be up top week in week out.

10 Aug 2015 08:58:22
Hmmm, I'm not sure Debuchy's an issue mate.
Whilst he's not as good going forward as Hector, he's better defensively.

Our left side has great balance.
Monreal is good in the attack, but he's also great defending (usually) this allows Alexis to bomb on and not have to worry about tracking back (although he will anyways)

On the right its a bit trickier.
Walcott can't defend.
He occasionally tracks back, but provides little use doing so.
In that case, someone who's more defensive at right back. Is a better fit.

AoC, as we've seen, can be a monster going forward, but because he's bulkier and stronger than Theo, he's more use tracking back.
So we can afford to have Hector bombing on.


I agree that Bellerin has been much better than Debuchy, but we have two good fullbacks there!


As for Ramsey, he needs to be dropped.
Now, gimme a second before y'all point fingers at me.

He's a cracking player, who'd get into most EPL teams, BUT, we simply can't fit him in.

He just doesn't work out wide, Theo, Alexis and Aoc should be the only people considered for wide positions right now (you could argue, that with theo wanting to play wide and AoC apparently becoming a central player, we could do with a winger!)

That leaves the 2 cm roles and the attacking mid position.
Now, I know some people would say bench Ozil and play santi at no.10 and it'd be hard to disagree, even me as a staunch Özil backer can admit he struggles more often than I'd like.
But in our best spell last season, we had Cazorla and Coquelin behind Özil and we were fantastic.
Yes. I know we played Santi on the left because Alexis isn't fit (although he'd beg to differ) but unless we're adding a new signing in midfield, that trio has to be Özil, Cazorla, Coquelin, until one of them drops form or can't do the job.

Sticking Ramsey out wide just has too many negatives. He gets isolated, he loses confidence and that leads to him playing poorly.

As for Walcott, I think he'll play mostly as a sub if Ox stays fit and stays wide.
As Wenger thinks Ox will be a central player though, I'd expect to see him play centrally a bit this year and see Walcott playing wide.

Unless we do sign a striker, Walcott will play a fair few up top too.

10 Aug 2015 10:00:10
Ozil without Sanchez?
I'm a massive Mesut fan and Rambo and Olly too but maybe we need to change the recipe when we don't always have all the ingredients available.
V Palace if Sanchez starts I'd go
Le Coq Caz
Ox Mesut Sanchez
Olly
I know Giroud has a massive? Above his head but at the moment he is our only recognised striker.
If Sanchez doesn't start I'd put Mesut on the bench and go
Rambo Le Coq Caz
Ox Theo
Olly.

10 Aug 2015 10:44:45
I'd put Ozil on the bench regardless

10 Aug 2015 11:05:23
Ozil is the best No10 on the planet, he's a luxury player who's sole remit is to create opportunities for other players; he is not there to defend and chase back, he will never be that type of player. He is the first name on the team sheet for me (or joint first with Sanchez).

I read an article this morning about not playing Le Coq against the smaller teams, playing Cazorla and Ramsey as the 2 in a 4321 which made some sense, even though Le Coq has been great for us.

I guess it's same old same, lacking in the Plan B dept......Sure it'll come right though as I've never seen Arsenal being so vocal wrt their confidence going into a new season, particularly Wenger. As another poster said, this result was a wake up call, not an alarm bell. Payet looks a player though huh!

10 Aug 2015 11:07:55
I'm a massive Rambo fan but I'd bench him before ozil at the moment. Ozil had some good moments before the first goal, driving forward always looking for the forward pass. Rambo was far too cavalier, was playing way too far up for a box to box midfielder, and was trying to hard to be the star of the show rather than just do the simple thing which he can do so well.

On his day he'd walk into most sides in Europe, but he needs to get his head sorted and realise that he needs to play more for the team before trying to recapture his old form, which will surely follow after a few decent games.

10 Aug 2015 00:05:24
Dags where is Benz then

10 Aug 2015 08:15:05
Ahh, oh yes, about that.

(Sound of somebody running away and a door slamming shut).

10 Aug 2015 10:21:56
( sound of angry fans of this site marching to your front door more like ), dags! Pitchforks at the ready people we have to vent our frustrations at yesterday's result on someone!

10 Aug 2015 10:44:41
Lol I am only winding dags up lol

10 Aug 2015 12:32:16
Lol, cheers Gents.

Actually, I did hear a....

09 Aug 2015 23:28:08
Problems for me today was naive defending again, ball watching and not sensing danger, who do we blame for that. We have a massive problem going forward, with the exception of giroud, who are the players with height who can get in the box from wide areas, caz, ozil, ramsey, ox or walcott, no none of them are that type of player, so we play one way and one way only, when it doesn't work we go round in circles with said players looking to pass pass. I've said it before these young managers with tactical awareness no how to nullyfy the one dimensional approach. We have more number 10s shoehorned in than any team in the world. Sancez does give us a different type of surge but we need height in attacking areas/ players. I've said it before and i will say it again the squad is
good but not great and its lacking balance and
diversity. Plus the style of play of intricate short passing is susceptible to break down more easily than other styles. If it isn't moved quick enough it becomes bogged down and if one or two cogs aren't working it fails easier. At the moment i don't expect a proper title challenge. Same old same old. Talented players not able to express themselves properly due to the tippy tappy style.

10 Aug 2015 07:47:09
That one was always going to be difficult.

People forget the hammers have already played a few competitive games and while they've rotated their team they are ahead of others on match fitness

I'm not panicking,bad start yep, but far from trend of the hopes we all have