Arsenal Banter Archive January 25 2016

25 Jan 2016 13:38:11
What do we really think of Theo Walcott? Since his injury or even since his contract negotiations he has been rubbish.
To get the best out of him carzola, Sanchez and ozil need to be playing.
Nothing sticks to him and I feel nervous watching him play, he is indecisive.

I wish we saved used him to get sterling.
Bench player that is all.

25 Jan 2016 14:07:18
The very fact he was Capt just disgusts me his spent more time in treatment room than on pitch and really has achieved very little he was useless yesterday and without his pace he has nothing to offer would happily see him go . We have no steel in the team and I worry how our season is going finish up we should be walking the league this year yet we are starting to struggle going be very embarrassing if spuds finish above us which doesn't look unrealistic unless we win the next few games.

25 Jan 2016 14:15:48
My opinion is that sadly, he just isn't good enough at the top level. He adds nothing going forward, and can't defend for toffee. Someone once said that he doesn't have a footballing brain, and they pretty much hit the nail on the head for me. He would be the worst blackjack player in the world if based on his match positioning, as he sticks when he should hit and vice versa! Constantly when he should play on the last shoulder he comes deep, and when he should come to support the ball he tries to run behind. I think if he went to a team at a lower level, he wouldn't stick out, and we would realize that we made him look a better player than he really is. It would probably help him to go to a team that looked to get the best of him, say a team that always looked to play the ball over the top or behind the last defender, but we just don't play that sort of game, so being part of a team that expects close control, he just isn't good enough.

25 Jan 2016 14:45:56
If you go back three or four months he and we were flying after a poor start. He was playing down the middle and terrorising defences and giving us a new dimension. Now he's back on the wing, one minute left then right. I've said it before wenger tries to fit square pegs in round holes, don't blame theo. he's just another player in the team playing in his less effective position. Theo links with ozil up top brilliantly, giroud doesn't, theo and giroud were scoring regularly, theo starting games and giroud coming on, the fact we could go long towards the end of the game worked for both players.
Yesterday was not lost because of theo, to make him a scape goat for others is wrong.

25 Jan 2016 15:47:19
He done nothing yesterday regardless of having ten men falling to control the ball is not exceptable and he should never have been Capt wenger is to sentimental it's embarrassing . we was once again made a laughing stock by a poor Chelsea side we now have to dig deep but unfortunately don't think we have the manager or players our form in recent matches and tactics have been shocking.

25 Jan 2016 15:52:15
Do not think the whole captain armband is a embarrassment at our club the way it's run? Our captain can't get in the side and our vice is past it and it gets handed round like a hot potato if he thinks so little of it maybe they should just do away with it! When Adams was Capt he would have decked wenger if he told him he was going give it to a player for the day as he done 10yrs (8 in treatment room) wtf a complete shambles yesterday regardless of sending off!

25 Jan 2016 16:11:42
Steve, yes I agree theo in the begining was good but he had service from carzola as well as ozil.

He is out of form and offers nothing for first 11. We have to disagree as I feel giroud and ozils link play is 1st class, and against terry and zooma he should have played especially as we did not have the control of the midfield with Ramsey and flamini not breaking play.

Theo is a bench player. That's all I am saying really. Come on, for what we pay in salary do you think he is worth it Stevie?

25 Jan 2016 17:11:25
Nothing How, that's a joke and some serious embellishing, the guy has scored and and will continue to score. He also scares the other side with his pace opening things up for others. If we win the title he is definitely going to have something to say about it.

Theo offers something and as Steve said he is a solid contributor when used right.

25 Jan 2016 17:11:25
Nothing How, that's a joke and some serious embellishing, the guy has scored and and will continue to score. He also scares the other side with his pace opening things up for others. If we win the title he is definitely going to have something to say about it.

Theo offers something and as Steve said he is a solid contributor when used right.

25 Jan 2016 17:33:53
How my point is theo down the middle was amazing for us on the wing its a different story. Ozil could see theos runs giroud doesn't make runs.

25 Jan 2016 17:44:48
How to reply to your last point, on the wing I think he is limited and we should have someone better suited. Down the middle he can be electric and for me we have a chance of winning the league, he terryfies defenders and his runs are as good as anyone. The rest of the team as far as position in the game benefits that.
Theo has to repay us a lot and he will down the middle, until we sign, the total package. On the wings theo is and has been frustrating and he will always be, it not his natural position, just because he's fast doesn't mean he's a wide player.

{Ed025's Note - just because he is fast does not make him a striker either steve, he is very wasteful and his finishing is bordering on pathetic for me mate, i see him as a perennial under achiever who has bags of talent, but unfortunately has the brains of a chocolate mouse..

25 Jan 2016 18:30:07
Tough night for theo on here. I still like him and think he is a game breaker from time to time and can really contribute when used right. Like to see more of it obviously.

25 Jan 2016 20:10:47
He was playing down the middle and terrorising defences and giving us a new dimension

Steve areyou for real?

So he is a front man creating havoc. his stats so don't suggest that mate Theo has scored 3 in the PL and 2 in the CL

Sorry mate, and people give Giroud stick.

25 Jan 2016 20:11:13
He's awful all he has is pace, and hardly uses it the last two games I've been watching him very close and dosnt make enough runs, like yesterday giroud had the ball and Theo was just jogging in front of him shocking I'd play Campbell before him all day.

25 Jan 2016 21:09:36
You rate giroud I dont. I rate theo you dont, nothing to do with real, its opinion. Giroud has his strengths and theo his, for me to move this team forward it might not involve either, but for now I prefer theo.

25 Jan 2016 21:29:38
In eleven starts as striker he scored 9 goals for arsenal and his poor strike rate is 1 in 2 from striker before he was injured. Yes crap, we need better I know.

25 Jan 2016 18:44:04
Ed you haven't ever rated theo and that's your opinion, but when he wa playing down the middle you were warming to him a little in how you spoke about theo. I agree speed isn't everything but his runs off the ball up top are brilliant. I've had this debate with you before, theos coversion rate is a lot better than people give him credit for, down the middle it improved to 1 in 3, which is very good.

{Ed025's Note - he frustrates the life out of me steve, he is very talented but just seems to fall short of what i expect of him all the time, im not on his case or anything mate its just my opinion, if the 1 in 3 stat is true thats quite impressive..

25 Jan 2016 18:46:20
Ed I also think ee are all on here hankering after a hero striker of the like we all used to love.

{Ed025's Note - your right there steve..oh for an henry, bergcamp, RVP or even a wrighty...the league would be over now mate..

25 Jan 2016 23:23:15
My opinion of Walcott is definitely not based on yesterday's performance as although I wanted him to be sacrificed for Gabriel in the end I thought he was ok, and in fact he offered as much as anyone else. However I just don't think our style suits him, we don't use his pace, which is his best attribute. I just don't see defenders dreding playing against him, as long as you don't get too close, he won't control the ball and take it pass you, all so very easy for a top full back or centre half.

26 Jan 2016 00:18:43
Like Steve R Mentioned he has been messed around too much b Wenger moving him between out wide and up top. He now needs to used centrally now or not atall so as to learn his craft more as centre forward, he is not a young player no more that you can expirement with he should be in his prime of is career now in his known best position.

The problem is were are possession based high line side not a counter attack based side so we need that physical focal point like Giroud that can hold onto the ball with his back to goal. Walcott is dangerous in the right system and style of play with space to run into (pure full on pace is still a valuble commodity) but for us I just feel he is a useful bench option rather than key to our success or not. He has not really progressed under Wenger ad blows hot and cold. yes he can play out wide but has not got the tricks and guile required to play there often being too fast for is on good on the ball and running into dead ends.

25 Jan 2016 09:33:38
Just a few things I wanted to give me opinion on;
1. squad depth; how can you say this squad is weak, when we are still competing at the top of the league without having a huge chunk of our teams core missing a large amount of games? As well as the majority of the players who would be on the bench. Why is it ok to say city are not at the top because they are missing kompany because he is so important to them. Aren't coquelin and cazorla and Sanchez just as important to us? If not the why? All teams have their injuries and being close to the top proves we can cope now.
2. Strength of teams; read somewhere that they don't believe that other teams have become stronger. Really? The fact there are teams like Everton, who haven't been big spenders, bought a striker for close to £30mil clearly indicates the improvement of other teams. Teams are spending more, have larger squads and more hunger this season. It cannot be denied.
3. Arsenals best chance; I agree it's a very good opportunity for Arsenal to win the league. But I don't believe it's because the rivals are poor or haven't added to their squads. City bought one of the best midfielders, a World Cup finalist CB, a promising winger. Spending over £100mil. Chelsea bought, United bought, Liverpool bought, Tottenham bought. All the teams have added to their squads. Yet none have have pulled ahead of Arsenal. So what's to say they will leave us behind if they buy again?
4. Signings; in particular a Striker; we all want a striker but who is available? Some have said make them available by throwing money at the clubs, so why weren't city able to get their striker target? Or Chelsea? Or Manu? It's not as easy as some think.
5. Comparison to 13/ 14 season; the difference from then to now, other than having fewer points, is that at that time in the first half of the season, we had most of our main players fit. This time obviously we missed quite a few. Also this time we've got Sanchez, who I'm 100% confident will be on fire this half of the season and help us to the title
6. No reason to predict anything matches or final positions this season, because no one is dominant. All we can do is take it game by game, and hit mini spurts of wins. As no one seems to be able to win 4/ 5 games in a row. This will be a season to remember.

25 Jan 2016 07:43:34
{Ed's Note - We have posted a new article entitled, Roma Midfielder Instructed On How To Hide Future Racial Abuse, While Neville Remains Positive Plus More

25 Jan 2016 02:07:29
Ed, is that true that Leicester will win the EPL?

{Ed001's Note - wouldn't that be great? Well maybe you might disagree if you are Louis van Gaal, Mauricio Pellegrini or Arsene Wenger, who are being shown up a bit, but you would have to say that if it can't be your team Leicester would be great. Well maybe Derby County and Nottingham Forest fans would disagree thinking about it.}

25 Jan 2016 18:14:25
I would love Leicester to win the league. Proper fairytale stuff that.

{Ed025's Note - me too chris..