Arsenal Banter Archive August 03 2015

 

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03 Aug 2015 23:26:31
My girlfriend said she won't marry me unless I quit my obsession with The Muppets.

I had to let her go, I wasn't ready for that kind of Kermitment.

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{Ed018's Note - oh man, I don't know if I'm laughing because this is funny or down right awful}

04 Aug 2015 00:15:22
the general consensus here is every dags joke is bound to be awful at a minimum, and terrible at their best
you either laugh or cry Ed, laugh or cry..

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04 Aug 2015 00:41:17
You know you love it Ed :-)

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04 Aug 2015 07:43:16
Love it PdotY :-)

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04 Aug 2015 13:16:52
Trust you dags lol

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04 Aug 2015 14:18:08
hi DG:)
loved that one, keep the jokes coming!:)
personally I think they are very good.
COYG andi

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04 Aug 2015 15:12:24
Andi,

Respect :-)

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03 Aug 2015 21:25:35
So to be honest I think we got the upper hand for the start of the season if Costa doesn't get fit. Just for the sake of my argument let's say that is the case.
Both, Remy and Falcao have offert close to nothing to suggest they can fit the gap left by Costa. Of course there is Hazard but apart of him Chelsea do not have to many goalscoring options. Let's also say we start the mayority of our games with Giroud to lead our line. Flawed as he might be he still get's us a lot more goals than what can be expected from Remy or Falcao. Also our midfielders seem to be capabale of scoring more goals than the Chelsea midfielders. With Cech in goal we'll concede less which will for obvious reasons be a great help.
Last but not least with Alexis back our Arsenal (pun intended) will be as dangerous as it can be.
So Costa comes back after round 5 they might be trailling us by let's say 3 points (not a lot but it can be the decisive edge at the end of the season)
I don't see United getting a great start just because their new players have to click first.
Also City for me might just make the top 4. Don't see Pelligrini to inspire any believe with everybody expecting him to leave no matter the outcome of the season and their signings don't make me shiver at all. Granted they scored the most goals last season but given how they looked at the end of the season I see nothing to suggest they are better than we are.
I might be tripping and am open to other views as always.

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03 Aug 2015 21:47:10
City's performances will depend almost entirely on Aguero's fitness. No great reason to be fearful, but people probably thought that about RVP for years...

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03 Aug 2015 23:13:19
City will be there or there about because of Aguero.

I think Costa will struggle this season.
Defenders will get tighter to him and try to wind him up.
He will miss more games than he plays because of his dodgy hams.

Stop Hazard, stop Chelsea.

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03 Aug 2015 20:55:15
Now were linked with zlatan lol how many more we going to be linked wirh

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03 Aug 2015 21:32:57
Absolute class, but 33 years of age.

Hhmmm...Charlie is 26.

Just saying, just saying.

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03 Aug 2015 22:07:25
Thanks for that mystic vg. don't give up the day job just yet though.

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03 Aug 2015 23:39:31
Sorry this was meant for the post above doh!

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03 Aug 2015 23:36:43
That's what I'm reading

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04 Aug 2015 00:43:37
You are forgiven Steve :-)

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03 Aug 2015 20:17:59
Defending a title is always a very difficult thing to do but Chelsea are a very good side with a very good manager who has been there done that, can they be stopped?
I don't think city will be up to it with Pelgrini merely holding the fort until Gardiola or Ancelotti are available its going to be difficult to maintain discipline and momentum.
Utd are still trying to find the missing pieces to the jigsaw puzzle that Fergie left them with and so far they've mainly discovered a lot more pieces that don't fit than ones thaf do.
For me if anyone is going to stop Chelsea retaining the title it will be us, although there's still places we most probably need to improve to be able to think we should finish top of the pile come May anyone other than Chelsea finishing above us would be very very disappointing.

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03 Aug 2015 20:54:17
Player for player, we match them.

Well, maybe not Costa.

For us to win title, Wenger has to outwit Mourinho.

Love him or hate him, he gets the job done.

Over to you Arsene.

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03 Aug 2015 21:13:34
It's difficult to believe that City with the great spine to their team and the additions of at least Sterling and quite possibly De Bruyne won't be up there but Chelsea as Champions are the ones to beat.

Momentum will be key in conjunction with a great start, we can't afford another game of catch up.

Six games in, Chelsea away will potentially tell us a lot.

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03 Aug 2015 21:39:58
Evening all

You omitted my lot G62 I think you've forgotten the Brendan factor, at present its factor 40.

Dags

The answers to your questions are as follows

1 Only in ugliness
2 Definitely
3 Park the Articulate Laureate , then become him
4 Bob the Builder

Over to you

YNWA

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03 Aug 2015 21:52:46
Sorry Mick I forgot all about the Europa league places :-)
Would love to see you or Everton pip utd into 4th mate, Arsenal 1st utd 10th mmmm has a nice ring to it :-)

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03 Aug 2015 22:07:32
Evening Mick.

Love the Bob the builder analogy.

Mate, if you can feed Benteke, you might make top 6..

Maybe, just maybe.😊

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03 Aug 2015 20:10:48
Anyone know what is planned for Gnarbry, Wellington, and Joel Campbell?

Thanks

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03 Aug 2015 21:08:15
I think Campbell could be on his way to Palermo (Seria A) for approx £9m.

Wellington Silva has been loaned out to Spanish league, but now has a Spanish passport, so can play for Arsenal, should Wenger decide to keep him.

Not sure about Gnabry. He's back from injury and recently played for U-21's.
Worth keeping and not loaning out.

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03 Aug 2015 21:14:52
Cheers!

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03 Aug 2015 18:15:24
I really would like to believe that we are going to sign a top drawer striker and rumours, no matter how little truth in them, suggest Benzema may be sold by Madrid and Lewandowski may not fit into Guardiola's playing style thus may also be available. Another striker also talked about is Lacazette although, again is there any truth in them, rumours suggest he may stay a Lyon for another year.

Wenger when asked yesterday said there was no truth in the Benzema rumours and suggested it was made up by the Spanish press.

I think we all want a better striker but I was reading about the Invincibles yesterday and in the 38 games they played, in which Henry played all 38, we scored 73 and conceded 26. Not a huge goal tally to win the title with 90pts.

Another thing that surprised me was that Bergkamp only started 21 of the games and came on as a sub in 7 others. Vieira and Gilberto also only started 29 games each with Parlour and Edu as their back up mids.

Just a little something spooky, but that summer we signed Jens Lehman and Vieira and Pires signed new contracts, see Cech, Walcott and Cazorla. Is this a sign? Lol.

I jest, I don't think we are about to emulate the Invincibles.

My point really is I think we have a midfield up there or maybe better than the Invincibles in respect of attacking talent, depth and goal threat so in the absence of a top class striker do we, if players like Ramsey, Cazorla, Ozil, The Ox and Walcott add to what Sanchez and Giroud are capable of producing have enough goals in the team.

Wenger used to say he wasn't worried if we went 1 nil down as Henry had not scored yet. Can he now again not be worried because it's a case of WE have not scored yet.

With our much improved defensive set up could we actually do it, win the league that is, without one of the best leading the line?

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03 Aug 2015 19:25:47
Spot on Hugo. I'd much rather spread goals around the team than rely on one player to provide the majority, especially with the constant threat of injury. It's also healthier for the balance of the side and confidence in each other. We have several players capable of scoring 10-15 goals a season not counting the main goal threats of Giroud and Sanchez.
If we don't sign a striker I for one won't be worried and I'd prefer to wait until the right one comes along as opposed to signing one for the sake of it or throwing ludicrous amounts of money around to obtain a 'world
class' number nine.

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03 Aug 2015 20:00:49
I agree with 99% of your post fella the only thing I will say is though, people used to say about arsenal that if we weren't playing brilliantly or were up against it there was always Henry that could bail you out, that's the type of striker we need, someone who can step up in the big game, tied at 0-0 with perhaps the only big chance in the game that's when your big man up front shows why he leads your line. I love giroud but there has been many times when we've really needed him and he's failed to deliver, that's where I believe Benzema or lewondowski(forgive the misspelling) we deliver for us. As I said though I agree with everything else you said.

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03 Aug 2015 20:08:19
you can say we have many players capable of getting 10-15 goals a season, but in the PL giroud and sanchez have both got 16 once, walcott has got 14 once santi has got 12 once and ramsey has got 10 once no one else in the squad has ever scored more than 9

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03 Aug 2015 20:48:17
Very true Eden but that could all easily change. A big factor in those low scoring numbers is injuries, which plagued many players, but hopefully we've now sorted that issue and muscular injuries will become few and far between. Obviously with players playing more games and building up a head of steam the goals should start to flow.

Another factor is also the increased experience of players such as the Ox, Walcott and Ramsey. They have to step up to the mark and contribute more goals, something that I'm sure we'll see this season.

Also the team is becoming increasingly cohesive so more opportunities to score will arise, we just have to take our chances.

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03 Aug 2015 21:08:31
That's what I've been picking up from the team loose, they've grown together and seem to be loving their football. I know you can never say they'll all go on great scoring sprees but the way they have played over the last few months it just seems a possibility.

Sanchez is the kind of player that can score from nothing as the 2nd goal in the final showed. They are just such a great attacking threat in combination and I would never say no to that leathel finisher but it's just the difficulty in getting the right one.

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03 Aug 2015 21:41:12
Agree with Essex 100 percent (well we Essex boys have to stick together!) we're get lots of goals around the team this year, and let's be honest, we're going to spank some teams this season. However, that's the issue with goals across the team, they tend to come a plenty when things are going well where we end up winning 3 or 4 nil. Therefore we don't need a top CF when playing most teams, especially at home. What we already have is more than capable in scoring in most of our games. However I still think we need that top CF for the big games, and where a team comes and parks the bus, like Sunderland late last season. This is where I don't see us scoring consistently and think a top CF could make all the difference in those tight games.

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{Ed025's Note - i agree epping..

04 Aug 2015 08:27:43
Essex boys unite! :-)

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03 Aug 2015 15:50:27
I loved Le Coqs excellent vision and speed of thought with his slightly over hit pass to Mesut yesterday that came so close to changing defence into a one on one with their keeper in an instant, the look the two gave each other and exchange of thumb's up said it all, " this time next week I'll get the weight of my pass spot on' and Mesut thinking " this time next week I'd have caught it anyway "

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03 Aug 2015 19:19:00
Another thing I've noticed g62, ozil seems to have played further forward in the last few games.

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03 Aug 2015 19:47:07
Totally agree MgM mate he does but I think that may change a bit when Sanchez is back, but to me he looks the happiest I've seen him since he arrived.
The smile he has when he first arrived is back and he seems to be enjoying his game again which can only be good news for everyone at Arsenal :-) I've always been a big Ozil fan so maybe a little biased but I really think this season he will deliver big style for us.

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03 Aug 2015 20:33:49
I've always said, Ozick is class and that coq is coming to the he where he will start to feel more composed on the ball and as. Result, his passing will become more accurate and his passing range will Increase naturally.

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03 Aug 2015 15:30:15
Option 1 Olly and his team contribution and hold up play ect
Option 2 Theo and his pace
Option 3 in the absence of getting a very top striker this window, (hang on while I put my crash helmet and shin pads on) Balotelli on loan until January with an option to buy for 7 million :-)
More pace than Olly better hold up play than Theo and under Arsenes wing?
OK let the kicking commomence and don't hold back lads, I know its for my own good in the long run.

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03 Aug 2015 15:59:02
I don't believe you're being serious g62, noones that daft!

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{Ed025's Note - well..maybe dags.. :)

03 Aug 2015 17:03:23
I know Lemon mate its worrying but unfortunately for me I think a 5 month loan for him in the absence of us signing this elusive mystery super striker could prove a good move for both him and us. We'd have little to lose to have him as back up and he'd have a lot to potentially gain with one more last chance under Wenger.
I know, I'm not a well man am! :-)

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03 Aug 2015 17:06:48
G62,

Really?

And again. Really?

One more for dramatic effect. Really?

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03 Aug 2015 17:50:47
And thanks Ed :-)

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03 Aug 2015 17:55:54
Dags trust me I know its a ridiculous suggestion, I think the last time I read anything anywhere near as outrageous was last December time when some brain surgeon posted the suggestion of bringing back Le Coq from Charlton to be our DM :-)
OK no one actually posted that but if they had it would have been nearly as stupid as my Balotelli idea :-)

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03 Aug 2015 20:32:20
just buy austin job done lol

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03 Aug 2015 20:58:53
G62,stop trying to wiggle yourself out of quicksand :-)

Stephen, you da man.

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03 Aug 2015 22:10:42
Worst is Dags I didn't fall in or even get pushed in I dived willingly head first :-)

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03 Aug 2015 13:02:04
I don't often say this but I think Arsene got his tactics for the match yesterday spot on.

Recently when we have played against Chelsea (and the other top teams) they have held a very high defensive lines against us, squeezing the midfield, stifling our creativity and preventing us from really getting into the game. They can do this because they are not afraid of Giroud's pace, they aren't scared of a ball in behind for him to run onto or that they will get too tight and he will turn them and use his pace run away from them.

Playing Walcott was inspired, as the pundits love saying, what all CB's hate is defending against real pace, they have to sit far deeper to prevent a ball over the top, and are wary of leaving their defensive partner isolated with a fast player on their shoulder for fear of the player turning them and being one on one with the keeper. Chelsea's CB's obliged perfectly, sat far deeper and were unable to press the ball high up the pitch and squeeze out our midfield.

I think there has been too much unfair criticism of Walcott's performance, he isn't a big slow CF who has to hold the ball up for the CAM's to join the attack because he hasn't got the pace to turn his man and run away from his defender, he is a fast mobile striker who looks to make runs in behind the defense, at 5' 9" he is never going to be great at receiving a long ball at head height with his back to goal whilst trying to hold off a 6' 2" defender who has a running jump on him, get over it. His job was to keep the defenders pinned back and he made run after run keeping them honest and worried about leaving too much space in behind them, this allowed our all important midfield the room to get a rhythm and be creative in attack. Now don't get me wrong I think Theo can improve his hold up play but he needs different balls into to him, to feet, where he has a chance to control it and use his pace to keep his body between defenders and the ball dragging them out wide whilst letting the CAM's catch up with play rather than expecting him to use muscle to hold off a far bigger man.

Giroud is a different type of player to Walcott, I love the way he holds the ball up against physically strong and tall CB's, is great at link up play and brings the CAM into the game but he is not the answer in all tactical situations. Good defenses are not scared of him because of his lack of pace, they are more than happy to press high and for him to get the ball near the half way line and hold it up for the Arsenal Mid's to join in because their own Mid's can also easily get back in position to stifle the ball in the center of the park because the game is so compacted. In matches where bottom half teams are parking the bus he can be very effective in attack competing physically at set plays and is always good defending against them. He can be very good in the box and at the near post but misses a bit too many to be considered in the same breath as the elite 25+ goals a season strikers.

Neither he nor Walcott is likely to produce a goal out of nothing with a great bit of skill to turn a match around like a Messi, Costa, Aguero or Henry. I think if we really want to challenge for the League we still need that super 30 goal a season striker that has pace, strength, skill and guile.

If we don't get that elusive wonder striker (that unfortunately are so few and far between) we will have to make do with what we have but will need to accept that they will be played in different tactical ways to counter different opposition without criticizing the way they play because they don't play in the same way that another player does, that is what tactics are all about. If Olly is playing look for long balls and link up play with more goals from midfield and at the near post, if Theo does hope the creative players learn to play to his strengths with early balls in behind and over the top to make the most of the runs he makes delivering more one on ones with the keeper, or breakaways with added goals from the wings.

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03 Aug 2015 14:09:59
I'm with you Gunny Theo gives us a different options down the middle and that much demanded seldom seen plan B in games, because him and Giroud are complete opposites it makes us much less predictable for other teams to prepare for.
Having a player who has it all pace strength lethal finishing good in the air and fantastic hold up play would be ideal but getting him at a price Arsene will pay is looking impossible.
For me Theo is an OK winger who is either exceptional or atrocious but down the middle his pace will always make him a threat and make teams less likely to push too high against us.

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{Ed025's Note - theo is a winger G62 simple as, he may have aspirations to be a CF but to be honest his finishing is woeful and besides raw pace there is not much else about him imo mate..

03 Aug 2015 14:12:16
Excellent post. Nail on head

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03 Aug 2015 14:25:55
Great post gunny, you've perfectly explained what a lot of people miss that simply having Walcott on the pitch does for the team as a whole in these type of games.

You can imagine in some games we'll have Sanchez left, the Ox right and Theo down the middle, that is scary pace.

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{Ed025's Note - having theo down the middle does sound scary hugo, but for different reasons than you think mate.. :)

03 Aug 2015 15:09:48
Nice one ed, I like Walcott and those 3 must be up their when it comes to speed merchants but I'd truly love to see Benzema in an Arsenal shirt. Let's just get it done. ;-)

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03 Aug 2015 15:31:14
I'm with you ed he isn't good enough all round to be a cf. Granted we can deploy him there as a change of tactic depending on how we fair and how other teams set up. But giroud is a better all round CF but in saying that there are better out there. Wenger get Benzema and have done with it please

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03 Aug 2015 15:18:22
Fair comment Ed matemate I do see where yoûr coming from but personally I think given a run he may well grow into the role more and more and is an excellent different option from Olly.
This time last year if you asked the question of 100 people what is the best way to stop Arsenal 99 would have given the same answer and the same when it came to how to beat us, but with Le Coq and Theo down the middle other teams have much more to think about and work on in training in the week leading up to facing us.
We are not 100% there yet by any means but we are 150% less of a one trick pony than for years

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{Ed025's Note - he is certainly a different option to giroud G62..olivier is a centre forward and although his scoring rate should be higher brings others into play and holds the ball up well...theo is a speedy winger who unfortunately could not hit a bulls arse with a banjo..so your right, they are different options mate..

03 Aug 2015 16:08:05
Must admit Ed thier finishing ability is the only similar thing they share :-) love Olly to bits and think he is very under rated by many people his work rate is on par with Sanchez but just in a different style of play.
Just can't see us winning the title with Theo playing outwide for 30 plus games he's far to invisible far too often but down the middle? Maybe!

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{Ed025's Note - but its the same as asking a joiner to plaster your celing G62..

03 Aug 2015 17:25:11
sanchez can play striker when needed, Welbeck, Theo, ox, Ganbry?, are all wingers - so I am pretty sure Wenger likes his options

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03 Aug 2015 17:16:45
Good analogy that Ed :-) but we know he's pretty hit and miss with a wood chisel but with a trowels and a lightweight mixing drill he might turn into a slap it all over Henry Cooper plasterer aposed to a Thierry Henry master craftsman. Its got to be better than mixing it with Stuart Dowwning Ashley Young and other nearly men of winger would us be

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03 Aug 2015 11:11:30
Really looking forward to Sunday and getting our season underway and equally excited about the transfer window closing just wish it was this Friday so we could get on with enjoying reality and not constantly getting dragged into tabloid fantasy world.
I know Benzema would improve us and be a great signing but I really hope he goes to Russia or somewhere equally obscure and isn't herd of for days if not weeks, I'm not sure I could handle him signing for us now as my therapist says my NHS funding is running out and I will have to pay for my own anti Benzemaitis infections soon :-(

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03 Aug 2015 11:35:03
That made me laugh 😃

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03 Aug 2015 12:19:18
so i see you suffer from changnesia? hahah...i love that word.

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03 Aug 2015 10:00:38
Ed's will probably know why I'm asking this but how reliable are Spanish newspaper AS? I know you can't really fully trust any newspaper but there are more reliable ones than others, thanks.

On another note, over the moon with the result yesterday :) I thought we defended pretty well, they had chances but they were bound too, finally getting one over JM was very nice :) think it was pretty disrespectful for him to throw his medal into the crowd, he didn't do that as a gesture, he was annoyed. Oh well, let's use this pre-season as a stepping stone for the league, loved cech putting 3 fingers up the fans :) love it!

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03 Aug 2015 10:42:29
Mourinho is constantly trying to win 24/7 and shaking our players hands isn't about respect for us its to hurt his own players and show them only winners get respect.
Throwing the medal to the lad is exactly the same its not ment to be disrespectful to anyone but his own team by saying runners up medals are worthless and not worth having.
I don't think for a minute the bloke dislikes Arsene I think he just wants to get him in his pocket so he can manipulate his mood and influence his decisions and to achieve this they are few depths he's not prepared to sink.
The little lad has a wonderful momento from the game and even if it was done for less than the right reasons the little gooners beaming face was lovely to see.

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03 Aug 2015 09:23:47
Le-Coq's reaction to the goal, abs amazing thiers your fighting spirit.

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03 Aug 2015 00:42:13
Brilliant win for the team today, now it's just about replicating that result over the next 38 premier league games!

I was a bit worried by Theo's performance up front, his hold up/ link up play is not anywhere near the same level as any of the other top clubs strikers and today he just did not look like he believed he could win the ball of any of Chelsea's back four. I know link up play and closing down are not the primary reasons you would choose Theo up front, but if he wants to nail down a starting spot in his "preferred position" then I think he has some real work to do over the course of the season.

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03 Aug 2015 06:21:40
It didn't look like he wanted to win the ball at all, no fight. Just allowed the Chelsea defenders to jump over him. The difference when giroud came on was enormous. I felt like we played quite a few long balls though, and with Theo that just isn't going to work

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03 Aug 2015 09:32:48
This is why giroud is perfect..he holds the ball up, takes pressure from the defense and let's the team push up.

we need benzema badly...he can do what giroud does, can finish better and is superior in every facet.

id take lewandowski too, same calibre and quality of player as benzema.

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{Ed025's Note - benzema could make the difference to winning the prem or finishing runner up lakes...break the bank and get him i say mate..

03 Aug 2015 12:18:06
to be fair ed if they want 50-60 mill for him i think arsenal will do a deal, i just think madrid won't sell until they have a backup striker or get a striker they want if ronaldo is playing upfront.

they only sell players when they no longer need them.

i would say we are trying to sign him, but i'm not sure how successful we will be in landing him.

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