Arsenal Banter Archive December 09 2013

09 Dec 2013 20:32:04
Agree with G62 about Giroud - he does a lot of other stuff and mbrings others onto the scoresheet - but I think he will score a lot more goals when we get Theo match fit and starting.

Lets hope so Exiled, but Giroud is a top boy

He sure is daggers - man u have 3 supposedly top strikers and they are taking lots of breaks on the physio table- Ollie is a real man.
a proper gooner.

Absolutely mate, totally agree.

09 Dec 2013 17:12:09
A question for all you boffins out there.
What happens if we lose 2-0 to Napoli, bearing in mind we beat them 2-0 at the Emirates?

{Ed007's Note - If two or more teams are equal on points on completion of the group matches, the following criteria are applied to determine the rankings (in descending order):

a) higher number of points obtained in the group matches played among the teams in question;
b) superior goal difference from the group matches played among the teams in question;
c) higher number of goals scored in the group matches played among the
teams in question;
d) higher number of goals scored away from home in the group matches
played among the teams in question;
e) if, after having applied criteria a) to d), two teams still have an equal
ranking, criteria a) to d) are reapplied to determine the final ranking of the two teams.

If this procedure does not lead to a decision, criteria f) to h)
apply;
f) superior goal difference from all group matches played;
g) higher number of goals scored from all group matches played;
h) higher number of coefficient points accumulated by the club in question, as well as its association, over the previous five seasons

Thanks a lot for that ED007, that makes things so much easier lol (smiles)
ED, let's just hope we win heh? lol

We will score DG and then they need 4, good luck with that

Lets hope so G62

Stopping us scoring is a job for any one from 0 0, at 2 0 Down against this current Arsenal side? Just ain't going to happen.
If they can score 4 past us I will happily buy Benitez book on how to mend unbroken things and read the first 50,000 pages

Dont tempt fate G62 lol

09 Dec 2013 16:40:08
Wenger's biggest mistake of his tenure is letting Flamini leave for Milan

We should have paid him

You see what we have been missing all along

He is our true field General since Vieira

He was in 07 last time we almost won league, and he's back doing it again this year

If healthy, he has to start every match

I don't see many or any def mids in Europe w his work rate. Which makes sense, because according to Cesc, there aren't any, unless you're Aaron Ramsey

Totally agree US Gooner but if memory serves me right he was playing second fiddle to Gilberto Silva at the time and wanted regular first team football.
Just glad to have him back though and his form makes a mockery of the fact we got for as a freebie.

Agree once again.
He's nothing spectacular in the ball, but the first half yesterday was a clear case where we had 5 midfielders none of which were taking charge.
Flamini reads the game like an eagle from above, he knows everyone's position and the space they should be in, and he has the stones to tell people where they should be.
Arteta is a decent player and a fine one to have to fill in, but were simply a better machine when flaminis at the controls.

Dagz, he and Cesc were our midfield starters

I think you could be right USG but it took him a long time to displace Gilberto silva and I think even than he was in and out of the team, more in than out though I believe.
I must confess my memory is not what it use to be lol

09 Dec 2013 15:35:47
I have read a few comments now arguing that Giroud, for all his commitment and hard work, is not good enough to lead the line for Arsenal.

Now, I am completely against bashing our players and especially the hard working ones, but US Gooner and others, I have to admit that I do see your point. Although I do admire his work ethic and dedication, I think we could improve in that position and have Giroud as a second rotational striker.

The big question is: does this happen in January? Because besides Suarez, I can't think of many world class strikers that are not cup-tied with their respective teams, and I cannot see Liverpool selling him to us, athough money does talk.

What do Gooners think will happen? Upgrade in January? or just get a short term second striker to replace Bendtner till the end of the season and wait until the summer to buy?

And who do you think we can realistically get?

Cheers everyone,
Trinidad-Gooner

Dream scenerio for me is Lewandowski in January or the summer. However, I am not niave enough to think that would actually happen.

Suarez after the last few months will start the bidding at £60m easily. Real Madrid will be all over that in the summer.

Then we start looking at Benteke who can't hit the side of a house currently.

In my opinion I never considered Giroud a prolific goal scorer. however I still think he is world class and deserves to start. and i'm not just talking about he's work rate. its his hold up play, the 1 2s that all others can play off him. the fact that he is so essential when it comes to defending set pieces. to me he is like drogba, he was never a prolific goal scorer, I think he only scored 20+ goals once in the league yet he was regarded world class because the effect he had with his strength, with giroud its his link up play, and we will never know how important it is what he does until we miss him.
I would love a striker like aguero/suarez/benzema to come in they will provide a different dimension to our attack. but I think with their addition, some of our midfielders would become inefficient.
for me and I've been saying this for some time, our main priority should be a young future almost there striker and a goal scoring left winger. reus/draxler fit the bill. someone who runs in behind the defence, can make diagonal runs, can run with the ball and scores plenty of goals.

Of all the top clubs in Europe, we and Chelsea are the only ones without a consistent bona ride world class striker

I locate the best non cup-tied ones

Suarez or Falcao should be Gunners in Jan

Pay the money

League leaders. Legit shot at going far in CL. If we pay, no reason for them to say no

Otherwise Lewandowski is the bargain to go after if cup-tied isn't an issue like it wasn't for the Arshavin buy

I genuinely cannot see us signing any major players in January, ie Lewandoski or Suarez, mainly because their respective clubs won't release them mid season.
I think Arsene's train of thought is keep fingers crossed Olly doesn't get injured or lose form and if this happens he can shift Theo or The Pod up front as emergency strikers.
The only person we may sign is Karin Benzema (yes please) but I cannot see RM letting him go without signing somebody as a replacement first.

Facsinating stuff guys! I really do enjoy reading everyones' opinions on these matters.

Signing Benzema would be awesome wouldn't it? Even though he couldn't help us in UCL, that signing would be immense.

With Suarez's ridiculous current form and because he's not cup-tied I think he's easily the most tempting, but I just can't see Liverpool selling him to us after that disrespectful comment from John Henry in the summer.

Great stuff though! Can't wait to see what plays out!

Take away Girouds work rate and we lose goals from others, .
Hesky's record for goals was awful but if you check the records both England and Liverpool scored and won more when he played.
Its why Liverpool tried to resign him and england HAD to recall him.
Giroud is triple the player Hesky' was but teams performed better when he played

Totally agree Trinidad

09 Dec 2013 18:43:59
I love Olly Giroud. He has immense passing, touch and all round link up play which is essential in allowing our midfield mavericks to flourish. He is superb at aerial battles and his holding up of the ball is as good as any other striker in the Premiership. He may not score 30+ goals a season but he does chip in with a decent amount. 17 in his debut season is nothing to snarl at and he already has 10(?) or so this season.

However, I do agree that perhaps if we aspire to be title contenders we need more than this. We don't have a player that will create a chance out of nothing and score when we aren't playing well. No Suarez, Aguero, Rooney, Bale etc. I know we have Ozil but he doesn't score from 30 yards or beat 3-4 players to score.

I worry if we buy a lethal striker in January itll balls up our system at a crucial time in the season. Podolski is a great back up til summer comes around. At the moment what strikers could we get/afford? I know there aren't too and there are the obvious names being throw around such as Suarez or Benzema. But here are two surprise ones I think will do it.

Diego Costa - £24m buy out clause, very similar to Giroud, superb link up play, work rate, physically strong etc. However he has an edge, he is an absolute monster and is banging them in for fun on La Liga. 13 goals in 14 games or somthinf to that affect.

Rooney - £30m+ Why the hell not? Already PL capable, probably still wants to leave and will be able to link up and play with our midfield. Rooney is special, and when on form he is as good as any Suarez, Falcao or Ibra.

Just my take.

I totally agree with all of the above, good points from Waq1, g62 and detroit.

09 Dec 2013 08:17:07
Once we get Wednesday out the way we can concentrate on the league for a couple of months.
Things are looking great and Mert and Kos are outstanding at the back in a team that has so many outstanding players this season
Carzola and Theo need to get up to speed and we need to get Poldolski back for us to really be be able to rotate seemlessly.
We are doing brilliantly now and we might even be able to move up a gear yet.
Been a long time coming but WOW we're good :-)

G62, good post.
We have set the pace so we just have to keep things going. We are going to need the goals from Santi, Pod and Theo that they scored last season, add to that the form/goals from Rambo and we should be ok.
JW10 seems to be adding goals to his all round play and we need a massive season from Olly Giroud to sustain our play and form.
If Ozil keeps chipping in with goals and assists that will help us bigtime, and Per/Kos etc keeping things nice and tidy, with Flamflam/Mikel tidying up in front of them we should be sweet.

09 Dec 2013 01:06:50
have to say Giroud's touch, Technique and Shot was BEAST!!

Wish he did that the other 92 minutes and we wouldn't need that goal

Have not see a striker more averse to shooting at goal since Chamakh

You can see our guys sometimes looking to cross in and wondering just what the hell Giroud is doing

Have said it all along, we need a true world class striker

Work rate doesn't make you Arsenal class

US Gooner I couldn't agree more.
As hard as Giroud works, he just isn't good enough to lead the line for Arsenal. he barely averages 1 in 2 - for a lone striker with the likes of Ozil, Rosicky, Cazorla, Ramsey and Walcott giving you ball a top striker should get at least 2 in 3.

The guys too slow and lacks composure. I like him, i'd definately say he's good enough as an alternative up front, but if we fall away this year it will be because of a lack of stand-out quality up front.