Arsenal Banter Archive May 18 2015

18 May 2015 23:38:28
Is Raheem sterling a target for arsenal this summer?

18 May 2015 22:12:19
Micah Richards on a free anyone? Fullback centreback DM cover all in one!
Surely a great squad addition whose already won a PL title and 26 years old.

{Ed001's Note - last in and first out of training, struggling to get in a very poor side and injury prone. Not to mention a dreadful attitude. You really wouldn't want him, even if he was good enough to get in the team.}

18 May 2015 23:23:27
Let's sign him.

He can keep Diarby company :-)

19 May 2015 08:12:44
DIABY ffs dags :-)

19 May 2015 08:43:00
Haha, I knew that would bring you back 337.

Anyway, do you think Carzola is having a good season? Lol

18 May 2015 16:56:19
I think Wenger likes too much the way the team are playing now, and I suspect that he will not hire any player for the next season.
What do you think Ed?

{Ed001's Note - you really believe that Wenger will not sign even one player?}

18 May 2015 13:39:18
What I want next season - more consistency from our team. Performance wise, uniformity, creativity, defensively and in attack.

This season we have seen the best and worst of our team. I always feel there is the potential of a Monaco result in us but also a Napoli performance in us. I feel we can beat ANYONE but that we can also get beat by ANYONE.

The same can't be said for Chelsea or the invincibles. I always thought we would win back then.

Consistency and professionalism while still playing Wengerball football

We eally are only 3 or 4 players away from being great - you have to seize the moment as you only get one shot, one opportunity or the clock runs out.....

come on Wenger, use the money and brand you have helped develop to bring in the quality needed to make the step up.

His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy but he ain't choking now and the crowds going to get loud...

18 May 2015 16:11:22
Is that you Marshall(Eminem)? :)

18 May 2015 16:32:29
I think that's just football mate, you can beat or be beat by anyone. But I agree we are 2 or 3 players away from having a side that will get more wins against the average teams. Like when we drew 1-1 at Leicester, 2-2 with Hull or lost 2-1 to Swansea. A bit of extra quality in finishing or steel in a midfield battle will help us see out and win these games.

Love the Eminem reference btw. The recovery is over and I hope we don't relapse back to the team we were for the past 6/7 seasons.

18 May 2015 10:41:35
In response to DAGS Below -:

Let me put it this way.

Chelsea -- City -- 2 Draws
Chelsea -- Arsenal -- 1W 1D
Chelsea -- Utd -- 1W, 1D === 2 wins

City -- Chelsea -- 2 Draws.
City -- Arsenal -- 1D 1L
City -- Utd -- 1W 1L == 1 win.

Arsenal we know -- 1 Win.

Utd -- Chelsea -- 1L, 1D
Utd -- City -- 1L, 1W
Utd -- Arsenal -- 1W, 1D -- 2wins.

How do you see this as much as a difference with just 1 extra win for Utd and chelsea, its just 3 points end of the day. We have fallen of the title because of our early season form, Losses to Swans, SH, Stoke, Spurs, draw to Hull, Spurs, draw to Liverpool when we were wining, draw to city when we were winning. These are the games that have costed us the title, not against t the top 4. We have done better than last season, which was all away games LLLL, concceding some 15 goals.

18 May 2015 11:48:45
Excellent post Hood.

A win at the Britannia or the Etihad both get you 3 points. No top 4 team has been dominant in fixtures vs eachother.

We have done much better than last season (3 draws and 3 losses). With two of those being a 6-0 and 6-3. This season we beat City at the Etihad and shouldn't of drew at the emirates, we should of held on. Also outplayed United at the emirates and were very unlucky to lose.

18 May 2015 12:26:39
Thanks Detroit, those games which i pointed out really were frustrating. But hey its pretty much done top 3, 2nd would have been an overkill.

18 May 2015 15:20:45
Thanks Hood,

Appreciate the effort you put in.

So, its not as bad as what I thought, although I still maintain 1 win in 6 against our rivals needs improving.

Thanks again mate.

18 May 2015 02:14:21
Today's game has to have made Wenger realise that Walcott NEEDS to start from now on. He changed the game the moment he set foot on the pitch.

You have to admire Wenger for picking what has been our strongest starting XI week in, week out, in the league, but the system itself is once again starting to fail because of a fundamental rookie mistake Wenger makes in his current team selection: The abundant lack of width.

Sure, we've not done too to badly with the current setup, one winger and and central midfielder out wide, it just isn't enough. Sanchez, as good as he's been, loves to cut inside, and with Ramsey or Ozil doing the same on the other side, we end up just playing with no width at all. All though Ozil has found himself receiving the ball in some excellent positions out wide.

The thing that has made Hazard so good, is in no small part due to his ability to just stay wide and make himself available to receive the ball in those areas to create chances. Something at which Theo also excels!

We've seen what impact he makes when Wenger actually gives him time on the pitch, so surely he's fit enough now to start. I'd have to have him in place of Cazorla, who is the weakest link in a strong midfield, don't get me wrong, he's exceeded all expectations in his new, deeper role, but he's passing has been below par and he's always a liability just because of his stature. So I can't be the only one who would rather have Ramsey there and Theo on the wing. Ramsey has the engine and ability to fulfil and exceed that role, and will have more freedom to make the runs beyond the striker that make him so dangerous going forward. It makes more sense, the team has better balance, we have better width, and pace, for which there is no substitute in football.

Anyone else agree?

18 May 2015 09:39:56
i think ramsey is critical for ozils game, and he is also critical for theos game.

ramsey sitting with schneiderlin would be the ideal scenario for next season.

Sanchez, ozil and? are the ideal creative front line.

giroud has once again proven when under pressure or marked one v one, he struggles to muster anything of note and misses crucial chances.

even gomis is looking better in finishing one off chances.

Cech, Schneiderlin, and a winger are a must.

i do not see why we cannot play with sanchez up top. yes he does not have the height, but he makes up for it with all his attributes.

stick ox on one wing, and if we are smart or lucky, we should get sterling, dybala, reus, one of those who can give us that added pace and firepower.

lets see what the summer brings.

18 May 2015 13:28:54
Ramsey out wide, just doesn't sit right, he is always looking to come inside to get the ball, then looks right and finds no one there. Ramsey alongside le coq and Walcott or ox wide for me. Much better balance.

{Ed001's Note - more to the point he provides no cover for Bellerin at all. At times yesterday Bellerin had Fellaini pulling out wide onto him, while Young and Rojo had absolutely no one covering them at all.}

18 May 2015 16:00:10
For me it wasn't Walcott coming on that turned the game, it was moving Ramsey central, which is his best position IMO. His distribution was terrific, and his runs into the box are better made centrally. Also I think if we do encourage Walcott or the Ox to play more like a traditional winger and stay wide, which is a good plan b when needed, then we will need a more dynamic striker who will hit the front or back post more decisively than Giroud can. I am afraid he just isn't quick enough at that crucial moment where he needs to be muscling past the defender. Case in point in yesterday match. Watch Theo's goal, and see where Giroud was...behind the defender. If the cross hadn't of been deflected in, there was no way Giroud was getting to that ball first....we need someone through the middle who will cause more problems for CD's at that crucial moment...

18 May 2015 16:51:52
It wasn't so much that Theo played all that well, but rather than his pace forced United to sit deeper and provide space for our creative players in between the lines. In the first half with no pace and no width they were able to press us really tightly, I was disappointed that we started with Ramsey on the wing instead of Theo personally.
But it's not like this is Arsenes preference, if we had the Ox fit he would have been on the wing and it would have been a very different game!