Arsenal Banter Archive August 23 2014

23 Aug 2014 23:41:09
Interesting stat that Banbury posted earlier.

Giroud has scored more headed goals since start of last season's Prem.

Got me thinking.
Are headed goal's a thing of the past?

How many does Sturridge, Rooney, Aguero, Suarez, (last season), Negredo, Saldado, RVP, Lukaku, Torres, Ba, Eto'o, Benteke, Agbonlahar, etc etc score with their head?

Compare the above to the likes of Shearer and James Beattie.

Interesting heh?

Or am I just bored?

Did it really matter how many goals suarez or henry for that matter (didnt he get 1) score with their heads. It matters you take your chances at the right time and can cope with pressure.

Some would say the game is more techinal now

24 Aug 2014 09:46:50
Steve,

Why so glum :-)

Steve

Giroud did take his chance at the right time 90th minute.

The first one. no chance, a ball travelling at pass coming over his head, it would have been goal of the last two centuries.

The one he dragged wide, the only place for the ball to go was to Howards left post, Jagielka slid across OG to block the other side of the goal.

23 Aug 2014 23:05:14
Jack Wilshere and Mark Nobble, parallel lives?
Both tipped for big things both fans favorites neither looks close to ever becoming what they promised to be when teenagers

I have to say JW really has gone back in years, he is contributing absolutely nothing at the moment

23 Aug 2014 23:31:34
Let's give him time boys.

To be fair apart from Chambers none of our players have started well but I do fear Jack is done and dusted as potential top player.
This season was always going to be massive for him and I hoped he'd prove us all wrong but I think the game might be up for jack if he doesn't put together some very good performances very soon

Well said

24 Aug 2014 00:47:30
Harsh to say he's contributing nothing

24 Aug 2014 03:33:42
Bit early, isn't it?

24 Aug 2014 04:40:32
Gunner62. You mustn't say that. Tut! tut!
:-)

YYC. Bit early? In what way mate? The games moved on so have the top players on to another level completely.

Bit early? I'm including last season in that comment.


Oh no, he scored against Norwich, forgive me :)

We are carrying Jack, sorry but it is there for all to see, he needs to contribute like Ramsey, Ramsey's passing and shooting was all over the shop yet he still popped up with a vital goal

We will do very well not to lose him in a few years, a top top player

He's over rated and I'd sell him in a heart beat for 10/15 m

24 Aug 2014 12:13:24
Golds: a bit early in the season, not a bit early in his career. I posted earlier that when Ramsey finally put his game together and went to the next level, he had 5-6 months of a continuous run of games to integrate his game. And he was dire for more than a few of those games. I reckon jack will need the same, a good long uninterrupted run of games before we can see what he's got.

He's trying too hard right now, holding the ball too long and not keeping it simple like he used to.

I reckon we won know until after Xmas whether he has the potential to improve. I still believe he will come good.

23 Aug 2014 23:02:45
Hearing there's a chance Vidal could come to Arsenal? Any help eds?

{Ed002's Note - Twitter?}

23 Aug 2014 23:24:20
Yeah, I could do with a decent haircut.

I would say soon dags. Bum bum.

23 Aug 2014 22:58:49
GB

Sorry mate but you don't 'try' formation's out away to Everton in the PL.

What are pre season friendlies for .

Sorry mate it wasn't and isn't a good time to try something new.

Madness in fact, it is also a confidence killer for a new player

24 Aug 2014 00:01:11
Agree,

While we are trying out new formations, the other team were racing into a 2 goal lead.

23 Aug 2014 22:34:48
Well, what can you say about today?

Firstly, let's give some credit to Everton.

IMO, the hardest teams to play against in the Prem.

In Coleman, Distin, Jags and Baines, they have the best, and most organised back 4 in the League.

They are probably the hardest working team we will face this season, and in Barry and McCarthy, they have the best defensive pairing.

I posted last week that we need to give the boy's at least 4 or 5 games to get match fit, but today was poor.

Make no mistake, Everton were by far the better team, in every department.

I know there has been a lot of anti Giroud comments this week, but I think Wenger should have played him, let him play his way to match fitness as he is still our best, and possibly only, outright centre forward.

Alexis, at present, is not a centre forward.
Yes, he scored 22 goals last season for Barca, but that was playing wide right, not striker.

Now is not the time for experiments.

Ozil is wasted out on the left.
If you pay a club record £42m, at least play him in his best position.
He is a 'Denis Bergkamp' not a 'Robert Pires'.

Cazorla should have been out on the left, but even that is not his normal position, but Podolski didn't travel and maybe its too early to play Joel Campbell on a regular basis.

Our midfield is misfiring.
Where was the support to the strikers?
How many chances did they create?
If they are not getting forward, than why are they not defending the back 4 better.
More questions than answers.

We all know it, we need, and I mean desperately need, a DM.
A dedicated DM who will sit and cover. Somebody in the mould of Manu Petit or Gilberto Silva.
Have said it many times, Schneiderlin is the man but it won't happen

23 Aug 2014 22:47:45
Completely agree, especially with the comments about Ozil. There's not room in a game like this to accomodate Ozil, Ramsey and Wilshere. Ozil is creatively less effective from wide and also he is defensively a liability at LW.

Dags good post and agree to most of your views. Wengers tactics are appallingl

Completely agree with the post Dags.

A sensible, well thought out post.

24 Aug 2014 08:16:22
Agree this side will come good, patience gooners. Not every game is a cert 3pts

23 Aug 2014 22:04:35
Witty just remind me, why do they call you witty?
I guess its an irony thing

23 Aug 2014 22:36:54
Because the S and H button's on his keyboard don't work, but the W does.

Only joking Witty. :-)

Many a true word said in jest Dags

23 Aug 2014 22:58:06
Well worked out Bambam, lol.

Cool gang out in force tonite

24 Aug 2014 00:02:58
Hehe Whitty,

Mate, you are part of the cool gang, I promise.

Notwitty I thought you would pop in with a reply :)

23 Aug 2014 21:52:32
A point is a good point when your staring at a 2-0 defeat.

A point is a good point when you score an injury time leveler

A point is a good point when its one more than you achieved in the same fixture last year

A point is a good point when your playing a very good side away from home.

onwards and upwards

COYG

23 Aug 2014 22:38:14
Pardon the pun Ulster, but you make a good point.

23 Aug 2014 22:51:09
Funny because I said something similar earlier

A pint is a good point when your staring at a 2-0 defeat.

A pint is a good point when you score an injury time leveler

A pint is a good point when its one more than you achieved in the same fixture last year

A pint is a good point when your playing a very good side away from home.

:P

23 Aug 2014 23:19:45
Lol Sheeny,

I'll drink to that. :-)

23 Aug 2014 21:31:49
Evening eds, reading on caught offside that we are entering negotiations with juve for a cash plus player deal for Vidal. The player is believed to be podolski. Any truth in this?? Thanks

{Ed002's Note - They are probably teasing you Tom.}

23 Aug 2014 20:43:38
A few early somewhat "heat of the moment" comments within an hour of the game finishing.
Irrespective of today's performance I'd ask everyone this question.

Before the season started knowing we start with Palace at home and then Everton away. Would you have taken 4 points?

Are u happy with the way we have struggled the last 3 games

In a heartbeat. There is a lot of room for improvement, however.

23 Aug 2014 21:07:26
Obviously I would like 6. However people need to see that it is an improvement. We have 1 more point against the top 5 than last season away already. And we haven't won there in a while so let's take the positives. Plus let's be honest we have hit nowhere near the level we should. So imagine what we are going to be like in a few weeks. Let's be positive and get behind our manager and team.

Yes from me all day long. I wish we play with as much passion as they do.

Yes. I'd have liked to have seen improved performances in both games though.

Its not that Rocky is it the performances, yes 4 points is a good start

We should have won this game. Not only was the ref absolute rubbish but our finishing was league one level at best.

Man utd land di maria and maybe Vidal
Liverpool end up spending nearly 120 mill
Man city strengthen and Chelsea complete squad.

Leaves us short at cdm we maybe a striker down already, and we have a.crucial game Wed. Khedira, Carvalho or pogba are absolutely necessary. If we can't land cavani or falcao, we need to go all out and try for reus, we can't stand still it's not.going to help us fix.the team by magic

Yes. We've played terribly in the first two league games but have dug out a last minute victory against Palace and dug out a point against a very good Everton team.

We're showing that fight and spirit to grind out results against teams when playing poorly. Something we've not been able to do in recent years.

Always look on the bright side of life.

I can't help but think though that if Everton had pushed a little bit harder they could have had 4 or more before half time. Nothing appears to have changed. If we play like that away to Liverpool, Man City or Chelsea we will again concede 5 or 6 in each game this season. We still need a spine in this team. Was pleased for Giroud though, made a massive difference. No point in playing a small fast CF if we just don't play in that style.

To all those who have responded thanks. To those who still complained about the performance re read my original post. I did ask Irrespective of today's performance.

I'm not blind I did see it. It was poor. The point is we have 4 points and we have everything in our hands with regards to Wednesday night.

Things can change quickly. It wasn't long ago 99% of this room were slating Aaron Ramsey, me included. Now he's virtually irreplaceable.

We've turned a corner this summer with respect of spending money and attracting players like Sanchez. We can't expect instant telemetry amongst them.

Last season Man City lost Away to Cardiff in their 2nd game of the season. They eventually bounced back. It wasn't immediate but it happened.
And after a shocker of a first game last season we didn't do too bad either.

I just think now is a time for calm. I strongly believe it will be 10 games into the season before we see how the land truly lies across the whole league.

Excellent post Rocky we'd have swapped some very good performances in the past that came to nothing for a hard won point.
But it has be be said there are some real concerns for the season ahead dispite a decent points return.

23 Aug 2014 22:41:18
I would have taken 4.

I would have taken 4. But for the future, the points are great but the signs at the moment arent. People say there are no easy games in the prem. that's not strickly true, there are but we are making hard work of all of ours.

23 Aug 2014 20:06:06
2-2! Whew! That was close! I think og12 made the difference today- MOTM for me! Once he came on our attack was more direct and oriented! Ozil is wasted on the wings. Ox looked lively. Jw10 and Ramsey were average! Chambers n debuchy were good. And mert should really stop tripping and falling on his own feet! Although I still feel Wenger shouldn't have experimented against such a tough opposition in an away game!

23 Aug 2014 19:53:57
This will be a long post so bare with me.

We nicked a point today, no doubt about that. The tactics were awful, the formation was awful, we were just plain awful. Ozil on the left just epitomises how wrong AW got it today!

If you look at out squad there are glaring gaps. We have not bought the two players we craved for last season in a defensive midfielder and a striker. That is very disappointing. Add to that there is a glaring need for a top notch CB in that team and a top LB. Sanchez is a good signing but for me must start from the wider positions. Add to that if Theo is out for longer than expected ( it's our medical team. ) then we are short in the wide areas again if Podolski goes. We had to go into this summer with a plan and we haven't yet again.

We had a chance to go and buy a top GK this summer. Yet again we opted for a back up.

We had the chance to go a take a top CB. I'll get stick for this comment but I honestly feel that Koscielny makes Per look better than he is. Why we let Vermaelen go without having a replacement lined up I'll never know.

We had the chance to go and take a top DM to shield our back four from the counter attack. We haven't done so. Arteta is done and Flamini is way too rash for that role.

We took a top winger which I'm pleased about. We could be doing with another.

Most importantly, we had the chance to take a top ST that can win the game on his own but we haven't. Olly Giroud is good but be can't win a game by himself. That last person we had that could do that was Van Persie.

If you go into the summer with a plan, you'll get the players you want. Even if you don't get your first choice target, you have a plan B target.

I appreciate there is a week to go but we have failed again in this window in my opinion.

Well said crying out for a cb dm winger and st struggle for 4th again

23 Aug 2014 19:31:55
I see the score but find it hard to believe. I'm happy that we never lost. Apart from that it was a dire performance up to the 2 goals we pulled back. We seem to be all over the place.
Arsene seemed to be a bit desperate towards the end slinging everyone on. The set piece is a big concern for me. Time, time and time again we get caught out with it. I think it was right to start Sanchez up front today. I'm hoping he wasn't injured and Arsene is saving him for Wednesday.we will soon know.

Sorry GB, how was it right to start Sanchez up front against Distan? You don't experiment in this sort of fixture. I think you would be saying something different if we had lost.

Sorry mate

He made changes that changed the game. You call it desperate, some might call it good management.

Different players same probs points to a tactics problem. To me the same as the 1st half of the cup final. It's the system that's wrong

23 Aug 2014 21:45:36
Banbury. I said that because I think Wengers plan is to use Sanchez as our CF and put Walcott on the wing. So I suppose he had to start with him at sometime and this was as good a time as any to put it into practice. That's why I said that. As it turned out we all know that Giroud came on and made the difference. But I think we will see Wenger doing this again before long. I don't think he bought Sanchez as a winger mate and he definitely is no midfielder. But only time will tell I suppose. :-)

23 Aug 2014 21:49:07
Sagalout. I don't mean desperate in the sense of doesn't know what he is doing. I meant desperate in the fact that time was running out and he needed to make a quick change of plan. I probably never explained myself properly.

23 Aug 2014 18:09:59
I keep banging the same drum we just don't have enough midfielders who know how to score

Not looking good:( same old same old. COYG andi

23 Aug 2014 17:05:01
My biggest fear this season is that Chelsea find the one thing they have been missing since Drogba left.

It's looks like they have found their missing piece in Mr Diego Costa.

2 games, 2 goals.

It's official, they should be feared.

My biggest fear is that we continue our awful away form against teams around us

23 Aug 2014 18:16:08
Every team in the league are a threat, this has to be the worst period I have ever seen of arsenal, we are crap.

Chelsea would have out 4 into us by now.

23 Aug 2014 18:32:40
I don't think we are anywhere near as crap as we have been andylat but if we genuinely want to challenge we definitely need a world class striker, dm, cb and in my opinion a left back as Monreal is crap and Gibbs I only rate as a back up

My thoughts exactly Banbury. You only have to worry about other teams if you're not good enough.

23 Aug 2014 14:44:08
Heared pods is having talks with juve let's see if he's in the squad later got to ask for Pogba if it's true

Podolski hasn't traveled with squad and Pogba is on the verge of signing a new deal at Juventus.

Pods is going then gutted

Havnt juve said that one can leave though but not both

23 Aug 2014 16:29:31
I'll be gutted if he's sold and we keep Giroud.

AW won't sell both

23 Aug 2014 17:19:18
My own opinion, Sanchez giroud Campbell Walcott are all my choices before pod

23 Aug 2014 13:01:55
A thought for one of my friends. He has been travelling for the last 4 years and returned to England with Malaria, Ebola, Berberi, and Alopecia.
They have put him in an isolation ward and he is only allowed to eat Jacobs Cream Crackers and 3 Pizzas a day for his treatment.
When I asked the doctors if this diet will help his recovery?
They said "No but it's the only things we can slide under the door "

23 Aug 2014 13:33:30
OMG, do you and Dags both have a copy of Bob Monkhouses joke book?

I went to the doctors earlier and said " i'm a wigwam, no i'm a teepee, no i'm a wigwam, no i'm a teepee.

The doctor said " calm down you're too tents"

23 Aug 2014 16:37:20
Dag's.

Often copied, never imitated.

You boys can be the warm up.

Lol.

23 Aug 2014 13:04:06
Everybody i'm sure has seen the Giroud + €40 mil for Cavani. Anybody think why the hell PSG would want Giroud :/ if this was fifa, PSG would be like "Unfortunately we have no interest in the player offered but we are willing to take a cash sum of €60 Mil"

Maybe they are aware of Giroud's record in France, as he played a huge part in Montpellier's title win a few years back.

If there was a reason it would be to significantly reduce their wage bill.

I like him to be honest, decent Striker, will come good.

23 Aug 2014 16:28:41
Let's not question it let's just hope it happens

I wouldn't want arsenal to spend that much on cavani. His wages are ridiculous. Basically £12million a year.

23 Aug 2014 12:38:22
Except in defense I feel we have good depth this time. Imagine we have a decent squad even if we choose not to play the German trio! Wow! Anyway expecting a tight and cracking game today! Who scores first will have the upper hand. And I hope our passing has become more accurate and fluid than the last 2 games! 3.2 to the gunners! COYG😃

1-0 to the Arsenal? I'd take it

I'm going for 1 1 today so on the grounds I've predicted two comfortable wins in our first two games I'll be well wrong a again and we might get all 3pts

23 Aug 2014 09:56:24
Early result just in, week one of my 5/2 diet I've lost 3lb :-)
I'm a bit pleased with that and just wanted to share it

Great stuff G62, keep it up mate :D

23 Aug 2014 10:36:54
Well done G62!

I lost 5 pound last year, but it's ok I found it down the back of the sofa :-p

23 Aug 2014 10:54:04
Good job g62! Have a pie for a job well done :P

Thanks lads your support really is much appreciated, the nice thing is I only have to do Tuesdays and Thursday's so can celebrate with a few pints and more over the weekend and not worry about it :-) happy days

{Ed002's Note - You will of course know that many football fans turn to me for health and dietary advice - particularly as they get older and need to shake off the standard football fan image (SHLSPBTKDO as I have come to refer to him as). I will give you the same advice to you as I do to others:

- Treat yourself to a Vitamix Bar Boss. Get yourself down to the local farm shop and pick up some fresh fruit and vegetables and get blending. Be creative, this machine will make you drinks, soups if you leave it on long enough, and ice cream if you through some slim-line cream and ice in. Note that cabbage makes simply awful ice cream - Carrot ice cream works if mixed with blueberries.
- Stop eating potatoes entirely. If you don't you will begin to look like one.
- Stop eating bread.
- For solids follow the G-BOMBS path of greens, beans, onions, mushrooms, berries and seeds.
- Get some exercise - get yourself a heavy old fashioned bike with one gear. You don't need to ride it, just push it around all day.
- Cut down drinking beer - tell your chums you have the clap and start drinking water at the pub. No loss of face.
- Look to achieve inner cleanliness as well - Taoism is a good starting place for Arsenal fans I find
- Grow a beard and groom it in to different shapes each week. This will make you attractive to women - particularly as you will no longer be a SHLSPBTKDO. }

Ed002 that's brilliant advice mate thank you, but I think I'll stick with this 5/2 thing for now as two tough days and 5 normal ones seem to be the limits of my abilities, I'm strictly southern conference league standard of the diet/exercise world dispite at 52 still believing I will get that elusive England call up one day

Carbs are the enemy!

Spurs! spurs ARE THE ENEMY! ;)

23 Aug 2014 13:38:40
NOOOOOOO Nasri and RVP are the enemy!

I can't think of anything worse than eating to get healthy. There's only one reason to eat and it's flavour, and that my friends only comes with full fat. Then again as my hero Homer says, my lifestyle is my pension!

Spurs THEN, ALWAYS!

23 Aug 2014 16:48:11
Well done G62,

Keep going, and you too, can have a body like mine, lol.

Great advice Ed, impressive dietary lifestyle.

I'm wondering if anyone actually read eds tongue in cheek advice.

{Ed002's Note - It is actually very good advice.}

Trained as. Chef many yrs ago so know me food science just give up wheat in any form keep starch to a minimum no sugar & this is the best bit loads of meat. The weight will drop off & stay off. Mate try it 5-2 can cause probs.

23 Aug 2014 09:34:29
It's been rightly pointed out on here that Khedira is a box to box central midfielder, not a DM.
Do folk on here think he can't change his style, to suit instructions from Wenger to shield the back 4?
He certainly had all the physical attributes to play DM, plus a great eye for a pass, which suits the Gunners style. He also has great timing on his runs when pushing forward, hopefully meaning, when he does go forward, he doesn't leave his side exposed at the back.
I completely agree that he is not a true DM, but I think he would suit our side perfectly, bringing physicality to our centre without compromising our attacking, passing game.

I think what khedira does like toure and alonso, he controls the midfield so if you have a strong influence like that you don't necessarily need him to be a strick defensive mid. His presence and strength is a weapon in itself and he rarely gets caught out of position tactically.

23 Aug 2014 11:01:46
As long as Rambo works as a DM partner then it could work.

23 Aug 2014 11:15:32
Viera and petite spring to mind!

Neither was a DM but what a partnership

Just get him here and let's look forward to having a real go at top trophies

I feel the Viera/Petit partnership worked so well mainly because Petit was the old head and had so much tactical awareness, that allowed Paddy to push forward whenever he wanted knowing Petit was aware of the gap he'd left and was more than capable of plugging the gap if the move broke down.
I'm sure Paddy would admit how much Petit taught him in his younger days.
Petit was class, let's get some more of his class in to teach some of the younger boys how to read the game with the calmness that is needed in the big games.

23 Aug 2014 13:50:33
Gotta love Paddy V and Manny Small

All my posts lately have been about Khediria. I think I am developing a Dags like Remy man crush on him! Anyway, as I have previously said I think that despite the fact that he is not a DM he still offers a level of physicality that we currently don't have. Also he is a big game player, and of the players linked to us this summer I would be very happy with him lining up for us in the big games against the Chelski, s etc. then we still have plenty of cover to rest him in the 'easier' games.

23 Aug 2014 16:54:35
Worried about you Epping mate.

You are giving us Essex Boy's a bad name :-)

Dags I think Essex gives us a bad name already! I present Towie as evidence! Braintree Gooner feel free to step in and defend Essex's reputation!

23 Aug 2014 09:05:52
I never thought that I would say that I am glad there is an international break.After next weekend it will be 2 weeks before we play again.This will mean that all our injured players will be back.

Or for even more to get injured from internationals.

23 Aug 2014 08:05:29
Ordered a 12 inch pizza last night, told them to only cut it into four pieces as I d never manage six :)

Nice one CG, I phoned my local pizza shop last night and said do ya daliver, he said "yes of course we daliver
I said "brilliant can I have a 14 inch with liver bacon and onions please "
That didn't turn up
So I called another fast food place and said "do you do take away's " they said yes of course so I asked them what 1745 minus 472 was

23 Aug 2014 00:10:43
I was in the bank today and the woman behind the counter started singing "Downtown".
I thought to myself " What a peculiar Clerk".


I always refused to believe that my Dad would steal from his job as a road worker.
But when I got home, all the signs were there.


I'm an only child.
Which really annoys my sister.

Dags, I think your avatar should be Jimmy Tarbuck mate. x

23 Aug 2014 10:42:05
Have you found Bob Monkhouse's joke book dags?

{Ed025's Note - more like the chuckle brothers 337..

2 muffins are cooking in an oven.

first muffin: 'cor, its getting a bit hot in here eh?'

second muffin: 'holy cow! a talking muffin!'

23 Aug 2014 13:41:28
to me, to you!

The chuckle brothers were actually funny

Two squid swimming along and one groans to the other " I really don't feel very well". A few minutes later they run into a great white shark, and the 2nd squid says hi Mr Sharkie I am so glad I bumped into you today, I have that sick squid I owe you.

22 Aug 2014 22:30:29
some rumours of Winston reid, thoughts everyone? good age at 26, EPL experience, in last year of contract so won't cost a lot?

23 Aug 2014 00:16:41
I have a few 'Hammers' as mates and they reckon he is top draw.

Why not.

Would much prefer him to Manolas, especially considering my kiwi roots. I think he's good enough to start for us domestically and give Koscielny time to sort out his Achilles.