Arsenal Banter Archive September 09 2014

09 Sep 2014 20:38:56
So even after an international week, a lot of our players haven't played much if at all. Players like Cazorla didn't even get a kick for Spain and other players like Poldi and Wilshere didn't play a full game. Alexis Sanchez has a late game Weds morning (1am GMT) for Chile; whilst Ramsey is currently playing for Wales.

Players like Arteta, Gibbs and Walcott are nearing first team returns and Mertesacker & Ozil haven't gone away at all and will benefit from some more fitness training.

Finally, Danny "we all love him now he's a Gooner" Welbeck has come back off the back of two goals against Switzerland.

Bring on Man City! Let's stir things up!

09 Sep 2014 21:22:21
Sounds like a Battlecry to me Doc.

Totally agree Greeny. I have a feeling we will win it 2-1

09 Sep 2014 16:04:33
Lots of negativity towards AW and his signings, so will add my opinion for what it's worth.

Letting TV5 go: I think we had no option he is not the player he used to be and with his contract running down we got top money for him which was invested in Chambers who has proved a comfortable CB but can also play RB as well.

Sanchez: Can play anywhere accross the front and is world class, much harder working than most in his position and can finish too.

Debuchy: Looks like the real deal, runs forever and would be just as comfortable as a winger if needed.

Welbeck: Was probably only made available at the last minute but could prove to be a top striker if given the chance, also works harder than any other striker I've seen and is very quick.

DM: I think AW's theory is that if we have the ball for most of the game a DM was not needed, we may get caught out on occassions but we have pacey attacking midfielders now who have obviously been told to win back the ball as well as attack (santi looks like a different player).

We managed to keep podolski and campbell as well as few of the other classy youngsters deserve to get a chance occasionally or they will move on.

I am happy to 'suck it and see' but I think we will see a very different arsenal this season.

09 Sep 2014 17:08:32
Agree,

But if we could have got a Carvalho/Schneiderlin I would have felt a bit more comfortable.

09 Sep 2014 17:28:42
I'm the first to admit I wasn't happy when we were linked with Welbeck.

He has just given himself a huge confidence boost with two goals for England and United fans are now saying they're glad they got rid of their fourth choice striker! simply because they hope he doesn't turn out to be a great buy.

He has the physical attributes and has shown he can score great goals during his time with United and his tracking back, winning the ball back and ability from defensive corners isn't in question. It's consistently putting the ball in the back of the net, so the proof is doing it to the point of 25+ goals a season.

Only time will tell and Arsene actually playing him week in week out in that role.

I won't be referring to him as the new TH14 because those are some serious boots to fill.

All the others are fantastic buys and for a World Class forward Sanchez has some work ethic.

Also hoping Debuchy rubs off on a few more of our guys, in relation to taking no prisoners!

DAGS we have far too many midfielders

09 Sep 2014 18:09:37
Bambam,

We don't have a 'if you go near my penalty box I will bite your head off and crap down your neck, than kick your dog, than snap the wing mirrors off your car, than nick your grannies walking stick' kind of midfield player.

Flamini is OK, Arteta is about as scary as Louie Spence holding a kitten.

Where is our 'rottweiler patrolling a scrapyard' kind of midfielder?

We have made some good signings no doubt, and unlike other windows we have not had anyone major leave and knowone were not expecting to leave. Sagna and Fabianski both replaced quickly with argubly better upgrades, and added a real game winner in Sanchez and eventually acted on when Giroud was injuired with Wellbeck.

We still have not address the main issue of lack of a real decent DM, we have also left ourselves short now on defensive numbers. I don't think there were may decent defenders available in the market but Wenger did not help the situation then by allowing Jenkinson to be loaned out. That may well come back to haunt us.

we look in pretty good shape going forward especially when Walcott comes back soon, but still vunrable defensivly in midfield and are only a couple of injuires away from a back 4 with Monreal as CB, scary.We have to warp Kos and Mert in cotton wool really.

Valid Dags

But my point is, .some have to go before others come in

where's your money

Possession is no answer to the lack of DM, we've tried that time and time again and more often than not pay the price against the big boys.
Some of our best results last season came in games where we had less than 50% of the ball.
As I said earlier win Saturday and we will all believe but get mauled again and fingers will quite rightly be pointed at the man who still hasn't addressed the problems of last season
The proof of the pudding is in the eating and Saturday is a big taste test.
Let's hope I'm wrong to be concerned and Arsene is toast of the town come Saturday night.

09 Sep 2014 21:01:36
Bambam,

I think Wenger should be more ruthless.

I'm not saying get rid of Arteta, but he certainly needed replacing as a first choice DM.
And possibly Flamini too.

Look at Mourinho. He had no problem outing Eto'o, Ba and Torres and replacing them with Costa.

Arteta vs Schneiderlin? No contest.

09 Sep 2014 23:06:36
I don't think we even need a cdm. Some might strongly disagree, but if our full backs were more disciplined it wouldn't be such a noticeable problem. Arteta is good at his job, which is keeping play ticking over and retaining possesion. When we replace him I think Lars Bender would be perfect as he has those qualities, plus more strenght and mobility.

Notice a lot of big teams don't bother with a CDM, just a midfield lynchpin if you will. Liverpool have Gerrard, Juve have Pirlo, Bayern have Lahm/Schwiensteiger and Real have Kroos.

09 Sep 2014 13:28:15
Just want to say thanks to all the Eds who put up with our sh!t throughout the Transfer Window, I don't know what we would do without you.

Job well done and as always, very much appreciated.

Have a great day all,
Trinidad-Gooner

{Ed001's Note - thank you mate, I will pass it on to those more deserving than I, such as Ed025, and those less deserving too ....... such as Ed007 ;o)}

09 Sep 2014 14:09:42
Trinidad,

You have stars and superstars.

Cars and super cars.

Class players and super class players.

We don't have Eds, we have super Eds.

If Carlsberg, well you get my point :-)

Dags u happy with welbeck. he is good buy for uses as long as used play him as st not lm he will score 10 plus goals

09 Sep 2014 17:13:23
Hi Bretto,

I agree but I'm going to see your 10 goals and raise it to 16 league goals, which I think will be very decent in his 'first' season.

10 Sep 2014 08:37:28
I see your 16 dags and raise you to 22

Yeh I was thinking 10 15 but wenger play giroud I love myself when he comes back

09 Sep 2014 06:42:29
Perhaps, fellow gooners will learn to trust Wenger, who had a quality transfer window, making 5 excellent signings. Yes, we need another central defender and in time a defensive midfield player, but 5 signings in one window is about the maximum in order to integrate the new players. Hopefully, in the January window we will make the two necessary signings. Looking forward to seeing Welbeck with Sanchez & Walcott either side of him.

Let's see how it goes on Saturday and against chavski before we praise Arsene's genius Robbie.
5"signings is a lot for us I'm not saying it isn't but I am still worried we bought some lovely curtains and carpets but our front door is still hanging off its hinges.
Beat city and I think we can dream, lose especially if its another total meltdown against a top team and all fingers will be very firmly pointed at Arsene once more.

Gunner62, I don't really understand your point I'm afraid. Sounds a bit like youve decided that a loss against citeh will reflect upon Wenger, and his transfer window, no matter how it comes? Man City had a great result against Liverpool, and a bad one against Stoke. If we win we shouldn't get too excited about Welbeck, just as if we lose it won't necessarily be because we didn't sign Schneiderlin.

After last season I'm pretty nervous about these games against the top teams aswell, they're capable of making the most out of any weakness, and unfortunately Arsene will never be pragmatic. However what I get behind is that Wenger believes in his teams playing to a standard that could win the league, not survive game to game. I think we'll get stronger and stronger this season, even if we don't get a result this weekend. The boss is building his last great team, I honestly believe. The reasons we've been short for a decade are well discussed, but having financial power again still doesn't guarantee us our targets. I think its a good sign that we haven't compromised this window with Santos or Squillaci. Getting the better of Chelsea or Man City is going to be a chess game, I think we're going about it in a proper way. Another thrashing Saturday would be awful, but we don't really see that happening do we? I'm buzzing for the game to start!

By January it could well be too late to rescue the season. An injury to Koscielny and we are in trouble and it will highlight the clubs failure to sign defensive cover. Especially after letting vermaelen leave and Wenger himself said he WOULD sign another CB if vermaelen left.

09 Sep 2014 13:12:59
G62 has expressed it perfectly. And it's not so much transfer business, but injuries, team selection and tactics that have me a bit concerned. If Arsenal were a sports car it would have a phenomenal handbrake and Lucas Electronics.

@Rocky and Gunner62, why so negative? We're three games in for goodness sake

09 Sep 2014 13:51:58
"I am still worried, we have bought some lovely curtains and carpets, but the front door is still hanging off the hinges".

G62, that is the best "football" quote I have ever heard, and alas, possibly true.

Well done you.

Day
I'm not being negative. I'm being honest. I'm pleased with the players we have signed but we are weaker defensivly based on numbers. And I don't think I'm wrong that if koscielny gets injured for a lengh of time we become far weaker and incredibly vulnerable to pacey attackers.
I'm looking forward to Saturday but at the same time nervous. It was these games against the top teams we struggled in last season and shipped too many goals in. And there's no hiding from the fact we are no stronger defensivly than last season.

09 Sep 2014 15:51:52
Just to clarify AW signed very good but versatile players which can cover more than one position, Chambers has shown he is a very capable CB and RB too, TV5 was no better for the last year or two since his injury.

Sanchez can play anywhere across the front and is world class, Debuchy is looking a bargain and would be just as comfortable on the wing as at RB.

Sanchez can't play anywhere across the front, he will be no good with his back to goal against the big boys, even the foxes showed that, he is better with width and running at players .

Hi Ned I'm not saying if we loose Saturday its all Arsene's fault however it comes about that would silly, what I am saying IF yet again We pay the price for no quality DM then that is very much Arsene's fault.
I'm delighted with all out now signings its the one we didn't buy that's concerning me greatly as I think I was by far the most needed

Gunner I couldn't have put it better myself and I don't think you are being negative, just realistic.