Arsenal Banter Archive August 16 2014

16 Aug 2014 23:40:43
Hi All really fed up with Szchesny constantly putting our defence in trouble with his risky passing.It will cost us dearly sometime!

17 Aug 2014 00:00:56
I don't think he likes kicking the ball too far upfield.

I think its a long way.

He thinks its a long way too, Tipperary.

OMG, did you see what I did there?

Honestly, I'm going to start charging you lot for my jokes and witty comments.

:-)

I always worry that he may cost us big goals. He really needs to step it up or Ospina will have his spot.

17 Aug 2014 00:36:07
Harsh.

I have been following football for over 40 years and have never seen a keeper who doesn't make mistakes.

{Ed007's Note - You were in your 40s when you started following football?}

Can't argue with the Santi comment, he was absolutely woeful today. would of lost us the game against a more clinical opponent. Slightly unfair on Sanchez though, first game of the season I think we should cut him a bit of slack! For me it's the DM and ST that are crucial, although with theo coming back DM is more pressing for me. Happy with the 3 points though and let's hope the team find a bit of cohesion before Tuesday!

Must say though, Chambers is looking like he's been here years!

Come on you Gooners!

On their last corner he was madness personified, he will probably end up losing his place to ospina when fit. Needs a kick in the pants.

17 Aug 2014 00:55:01
Don't be cheeky Ed, lol.

I'm 47 but been following Arsenal for 40 years.

They have a banning order against me for stalking but I have many disguises :-)

16 Aug 2014 22:25:44
Is anybody else in Reet's fantasy football?

How do you check your team/points?

Ehh by clicking on Points after you login, it will show you your GW points

16 Aug 2014 23:55:15
Thank you Aman

17 Aug 2014 00:08:14
You can compare after all games have been finished. The current points should show up but surely can't be finished with much more to play tomorrow.

Anyways, congrats on the late dramatics today fellas. Had a pinch of our seasons start last year to it. Thought Alexis got a good taste of what he's in for. Still think he will get better and better.

Still upset with mr wenger for not starting giroud. Really hurt my fantasy team! Ramsey and koscielny sure didn't though! Thanks for joining those of you who did.

17 Aug 2014 00:38:06
Lol pleasure TJ.

Good luck against Liverpool reserve's tomorrow. :-)

16 Aug 2014 22:45:18
Harsh but true assessment.
-We still need another centre back, despite Chambers being a revelation while playing there.
-Gibbs is excellent, but can't trust his injuries, and I really don't want Monreal playing as our first choice. Never going to happen, but in a ideal world we'd get another left back.
-We need big, nasty midfield general, nothing new there.
-More than any other position we need a striker. Really harsh but does anyone think Giroud or Sanogo are good enough to spearhead a title challenge? Or will Sanchez play there, if so, we could do with another wide player. Cavani or Reus for me.

LG

Please don't take this as a threat.

How do you say Giroud isn't good enough? his time at Arsenal has been spent playing upfront on his own his goal returns and assists are excellent, the midfield need to contribute more with goals.

Giroud does more than his fair share, yes we need anther striker but not because Giroud isn't good enough.

In case you missed it, it was his header that set the winner up

17 Aug 2014 00:04:08
17 first season.

22 in second.

Isn't that an improvement?

His style of play suits us.

17 Aug 2014 00:21:37
If you think Giroud is good enough to lead a title challenge then fair enough, but very few will agree.
Would he get in any other of the 'Big 7' sides? Probably just Spurs. (maybe Everton? but not for me.)
I like Giroud by the way and think he's a very valuable player in our team, but leading side with only unproven Sanogo and Campbell as out and out competition?

This logic of getting into the top sides is flawed for me. Teams are all built different, some have focus on striker, some mids and some the back. Some have stars and some have baalanced teams. Giroud is perfect for us to let the stars play.

17 Aug 2014 01:10:21
I like Giroud I think he's very good at what he does but I'm with LG in that we need better.

17 and 22 in all competitions aren't bad returns but they are also not great returns.

He may score even more this year but I honestly don't think he'll ever be a 30+ striker. And I see him topping out at 18 Prem goals. I don't think that's enough from a main striker to win the league.

Sanchez I believe can reach Suarez levels but he won't bag 25 Prem goals his first season I don't think.

17 Aug 2014 01:13:46
Benzema averages 18 goals per season, and he plays for?

Oh yeah, Real Madrid, I think they are one of the 'Big7'.

17 Aug 2014 01:21:30
Benzema is way overrated Dags. You've made that point for me :P

17 Aug 2014 01:51:24
It's who he gets them against as well, never really does anything in the games against teams in and around us.
Sheeny has covered pretty much everything there is to say.

(my post has been totally blown out of proportion, just saying what a few people have said on here tonight about needing a new striker. In no way am I hating on Giroud)

16 Aug 2014 21:51:00
Tuesdays match will be much different from todays, they need to try and bring a lead to the Emirates so will be much more open to being hit on the break.
I'm sure they're aware of that but what choice do they have but to take us on at home?

16 Aug 2014 22:27:56
Would be happy with a score draw mate.

17 Aug 2014 01:20:24
Not always the case G62. If the home team in the first leg is the underdog then scoreless draw is well worth playing for in the hopes of knicking an away goal in the second leg.

As for how we should do, I recognize the difficulties of playing far afield but we should be looking to take it 5-1 or 2 on agg.

At the end of the day that's what contenders should be expecting of themselves. Not worrying if they qualify or not. So where do we rank among contenders?

16 Aug 2014 21:00:18
Interesting fact.

That was our 100th Prem League home win at The Emirates.

Sorry Greeny, I just stole your thunder.:-)

16 Aug 2014 20:39:13
Should also had it is mad that our first 3pm Saturday kick off isn't until September 20th, away at Villa.

Our first home game on a Saturday with a 3pm kick off isn't until 18th October.

16 Aug 2014 20:58:34
The powers of TV scheduling mate.

Indeed

Bit old fashioned me lol

16 Aug 2014 20:34:14
So is everyone happy that we struggled against a place team and I'd like to ask the eds y don't my post get posted

{Ed002's Note - Most are entirely incoherent.}

16 Aug 2014 20:52:47
nice one ed
for Ww - very happy, we played poorly bit like a rolls Royce with the points dirty.
BUT we got the points

I suppose you were expecting a 24-0 win.

16 Aug 2014 20:57:28
Really Witty?

Amazing and not in a good way.

You're such a person.

Yes I'm happy. We got three points of the first day of the season. First games are rarely free flowing good games. Stick to FIFA.

So Ull be happy to play Chelsea and liverpo like that bcos I wont

I don't think it'd be possible to play either of them like that as they'd play a completely different system

16 Aug 2014 22:30:43
We didn't play Chelsea or Liverpool though did we?

One game at a time mate.

We played, we scored, we won, we got 3 points.

Oh dear, so you believe every game plays out the same?

Is this your first time watching football.

Is this one of your jokes in secret dags?

WW, we struggled against a pulis team. no he wasnt at the game but he set them up and trained them in preseason/last season.
We ALWAYS stuggle vs pulis, he is tactically astute and we hate physical teams who are organised.

What Iam saying numb nuts is if we okay like that we will get stuffed Iam well aweare who we played

16 Aug 2014 20:11:42
Zonal marking?

Not for me, thank you.

Players like Hangeland will pick your pocket all day long.

Let's go back to man for man, stay with your runner, and a man on each post please.

Have lost count of the times Messrs Sansom, Sammy Nelson, Dixon and Winterburn have hacked the ball off the line and saved a certain goal.

Man for man. Tried and tested.

Zonal marking. Lottery.

I had posted something similar Dags, you watch throughout the season how many times goals are scored when there isn't a man on the posts. Get a man on each post and then man to man mark, clearly Bouldy is being over ruled.

Dixon on one post Winterburne on the other it ain't rocket science. If we had done that today goal could have been prevented
Sagalout

If agree if just about every top team in Europe hadn't adopted zonal marking. I kinda think they must know more than I do. And though we all have our opinions, I think they know a bit more than any of us.

16 Aug 2014 20:56:33
If two of the team are marking posts, how can the other 9 mark man for man (that is man for man marking dags, not as in dags for loic.

Whatever system we use we always seem weak on defending set pieces mate, mind you Hangaland is 9 foot and Sanchez 6 inches

16 Aug 2014 21:54:46
Zonal marking works as long as you do it properly - players fell asleep and we conceded, just the same if we sleep man marking. .
Did Palace man mark or zonal? They conceded at a set piece also.

16 Aug 2014 22:01:43
Sagalout,

But if Dixon and Winterburn were on the post today, we would have had 13 players on the pitch.

Your argument has holes in it, lol.

16 Aug 2014 22:03:48
Exiled,

You know what I mean.

Stop being padantic lol

Zonal can work but You need your best header of a ball just to go and attack the incoming ball to clear it no matter weather it is near central or far post.

Man to man is easier in a way to organise but downside to it is players blocking you off when trying to stay with your man.

Zonal is just clear the ball in area, you occupy so as such you not following men around with the chance to get blocked off.

The problem is a lot of time it ends up being 50/50 and a bit of both and that is where the problem lies.


And for me weather Zonal or Man to Man you always must have one man on each post as you will save so many certain goals like that. Clear the keeper area in front of goal from defenders fro the keeper he should command that small area easily.

It has been proved via stats that through zonal marking you eventually conceed less. End of story

We had a guy on the front post didn't we?

I think it was debutant Debuchy who was missing from the back post.

16 Aug 2014 19:48:20
We said last weekend after city we'd take a 1 0 scrappy 3 pts today, well 3 pts is 3pts.
Players on both sides were off the pace regards timing's of runs/tackles and passes over /under hit its easy to see why our German boys weren't rushed back.
Felt Puncheon was very unlucky as like many other on both sides was a case of bad timing.
Much better start and better performances will come thick and fast once everyone's up to speed

16 Aug 2014 21:08:54
Onwards and upwards mate.

Or as my Grandad use to say, "Onwards and upwards mate".

16 Aug 2014 19:36:22
Scruffy win but it'll do.

Main points I personally took from the game were:

a) 100% going to need a new defensive midfielder against better teams.
b) In real need for another forward.
c) A left back who can stay fit. Gibbs very injury prone and Monreal loses all ability to defend when someone runs at him.

I'd argue we need a new commanding CB as well but I personally think those 3 are more important, especially with Chambers form.

We really need those additions to have a proper go and the title and champions league.

Agree although I seriously doubt another LB is on Wenger's transfer Radar. Maybe a Left sided CB that can play LB, yeah kind of like TV really is needed.

Sanogo is not up to the job sorry as decent competition for Giroud. We need another Physical Up top striker to challenge Giroud's position and allow us to rest and Rotate the CF's there without losing too much in process. Sanogo not really involved atall despite us dominating possession and terroity.

Like you say Arteta / Flamini are fine against the likes of CP but in the big games we need a better more physical DM for sur.e

Positive notes in Both Sanchez and Chambers played pretty well in first real competitive game.

16 Aug 2014 20:40:09
Agree with you on all your points there G95, I just don't see a DM coming in after Arteta being given the armband.
He's not dropping Arteta, Jacks always in his plans so I can't see who's making way for a DM.
He's already got a big headache heading his way if/when we have a fully for midfield as it is.
Arteta should have been sold and a DM brought in, just can't see it happening now tbh

I don't believe at all a dm would have changed anything in this game, so I'm not sure why you'd come to that assumption from today's performance. If anything I think having a player in there who was more of a ball winner and less of a distributer would have been more of a hindrance than anything else.

On the few times they broke out they ran past Arteta. We need a new DM for, as stated, the big games.

I don't agree really. I think the ball was passed to get around Arteta. On the counter attack when you're isolated that's going to happen to any player. When a player has two options, and you can obly be between the ball and one option, if the player can make decisions then you can't get the ball. I think Arteta had as good a game as anyone else. I think we need a new dm. But didn't see anything in that game that would have been at all benefitted by having a proper one. In fact in games like that starting with an out and out dm is a waste of a player.

16 Aug 2014 19:29:53
Ramsey to the Rescue after what looked like a it was going to be frustrating draw.

Our Defending from Set pieces is a concern. In my book you should always have two players on the posts as that goal would have been easily stopped then. Other than that not really worried defensivly.


Up top Sonago not really up to the job for me he was never in the game much despite us dominating possesion. We need another quality Orthodox CF to challenge Giroud for that central position.

Onwards and Upwards anyway

16 Aug 2014 20:57:47
Our defending from set pieces has always been a concern to me Ryan mate. It's always been our downfall when we least needed it. Don't know why but its so frustrating because you know when the clock is ticking and the other team gets a corner or free kick it could be the nail in our coffin.

16 Aug 2014 19:25:57
All I have to say is. I'LL TAKE IT! COYG

16 Aug 2014 18:59:46
Shall we bet on who will pull most faces this season.

Olly Giroud or Alexis Sanchez. :-)

16 Aug 2014 18:00:27
the 7-0 looks unlikely guys :)

16 Aug 2014 16:42:21
Sanogo starts ahead of Giroud. Any thoughts, chaps?

16 Aug 2014 17:36:34
Let's see what happens mate.

Personally, I don't think Giroud is match fit.

Giroud is being rested for the CL game for sure

I'd rather have a 70% fit Giroud start

16 Aug 2014 16:12:11
Welcome to the Premiership Louis

16 Aug 2014 17:50:48
You mean Louis WTF have I just done Van Gaal?

17 Aug 2014 01:34:50
I like it

L"WTF"VG

He hath been annointed!

16 Aug 2014 12:16:49
Just looking through the big transfers so far this window and did you know that Lalanna and Shaw £52m cost more than Sanchez and Chambers £51m.
Arsene has done well indeed

16 Aug 2014 15:40:37
I know what pair I prefer.

And they belong to Kelly Brook, lol.

16 Aug 2014 10:46:02
If we can ever go another season undefeated, what would we name the squad? The Invincibles part 2? I would say the Unbeatables!

I'd say those who weren't partial to a defeat that particular season.

16 Aug 2014 11:15:25
The lads who knew no loss

{Ed025's Note - the incredibles?..

16 Aug 2014 11:40:23
Ooops,we did it again!

A tribute act

16 Aug 2014 12:24:18
The magnificent 11?

The dogs H*******

We no lose

16 Aug 2014 15:41:47
Great answer's, especially Vikings. :-)

The absolutely fabulous bang tidy beat ya didn't we you couldn't beat us and we wernt even trying because we are just too cool for school if I were you i'd give up now because your team is pants and on that note my dad can beat your dad in a fight and your mums so fat her belt size is the equator so choke on this mofos yeeehaww we're amazeballs thank you jesus thank you lord they said it couldn't be done again BUT WE JUST DID squad!

Wouldn't like to try and get that printed on the back of a shirt though

16 Aug 2014 17:28:50
That is brilliant Ulster :-)

16 Aug 2014 17:39:17
Ulster,

For sake of pronounceability, shall we just go with 'invincables 2'?

Just a thought :-)

Incredibles counds just right ed025

16 Aug 2014 10:22:10
The debate over whether Rosicky and Arteta even Jack should or shouldn't be in our starting line up is fantastic, what strength in depth plus Mesut will be back soon and we may well have a Danger Mouse added yo our ranks very soon plus the Ox and Theo are certainly not a pair of bench warmers, Midfield competition doesn't get tougher than this

{Ed025's Note - im a sucker for a positive post G62...well done mate..

16 Aug 2014 09:27:15
A little picture about Premier League club crests just to make you all smile!

So excited that the Premier League starts today and will be watching the match live.

Bring on a smashing!

Hah great pic mate.
Have a great time and make some bloody noize.
Can't wait for the game

16 Aug 2014 09:21:43
Hi guys. I do believe we will have a squad capable of winning the league this season. But last season we had many injuries and it wasn't completely down to luck or wrong training methods.

Wenger didn't rotate the squad enough.

That's my only concern about this season. Özil, Ramsey, Walcott. All were out for large periods (Walcott is still out) and for me the reason for their injuries was they weren't allowed enough rest.

This season, we have to manage Ramsey's, Özil's, Sanchez's and Giroud's playing time better. Play them in the big matches and rest them against some lesser opponents. They will be more likely to stay injury-free and they won't suffer dips in form.

Another thing, Wenger has to keep the fringe player's form up. Last season, Monreal didn't play enough until Gibbs' injury and when he had to play he clearly lacked form. This season we need to give more playing time for Monreal, Wilshere, Sanogo, Campbell, Podolski, Ospina, Flamini, Chambers etc so that when they have to come on (in case of injury, suspension) to start a couple of games in a row, they're up for it. It may be tough task as Wenger doesn't want to change too many players between games but it has to be done better than last season.

Perhaps he didn't have enough choices last season. This season should be different.

16 Aug 2014 07:45:12
After reading everyone's arsenal team selection I find it bizarre that rosicky doesn't get a start in anyone's team, I believe he has to start most games when fit, I love everything about this guy directness, determination, experience, I think he makes things tick over nicely in the middle when he is on the pitch, I would even prefer him to arteta in the holding role if god forbid we do not address the problem before the window closes, does anyone else agree?

{Ed025's Note - he is a good player jc7...but never a DM in a million years mate..

16 Aug 2014 08:23:37
I agree Ed025 , I still feel he would be better than arteta

{Ed025's Note - arteta seems to be everyones fall guy jc7, he is not a natural DM but always gives 100% mate..

16 Aug 2014 09:16:19
Rosicky best position in is attacking mid, there's no one better at ball distribution (including ozil) at arsenal.

16 Aug 2014 09:51:54
That's my point MGM , he should be a starter IMO

16 Aug 2014 08:42:07
I would also agree there ed , I don't dislike the guy , he's a great pro , never complains, he is being played out of position and unfortunately there are better players in his true position , it's a she because there are other teams which could really benefit from him still.

{Ed025's Note - and what great hair jc7...dont forget about that mate..

16 Aug 2014 10:16:22
Over Ozil? Love Rosicky but never happen obviously. Might start today tho

16 Aug 2014 11:13:59
Maybe we could do do a statue of his hair ed025 , immortalise it forever haha, I go to the barbers where arteta and a couple of the lads go , they love him in there

{Ed025's Note - we could make a wig and stick it on the TH statue as a double tribute jc7..

16 Aug 2014 11:22:59
Haha great shout ed

16 Aug 2014 00:05:40
So what do we think about the situation with palace. is this a potential banana skin?. As I see it, pulis in general has made us battle hard for a win whenever we played against him. Therefore I think we could really batter this team and get some momentum for the cl qualifiers

Is it 3 years now in a row we have lost our first game of the season.

To be honest i'm thinking we will concede but will win 3 - 1 and expecting sanchez to cause panic to palace.

Looking forward to 3 pts today

Pulis has resigned