08 Feb 2014 17:50:31
I'm not one for knee-jerk posts and I'm not going to start now, but

I'm not going to point the finger at any of the players (well almost), but I think Wenger is to blame.

The team has played heroically this season, thus far, but we needed to freshen up in January window. Why didn't Wenger strengthen? We have lost 2 players who give us a lot of goals, Theo and Ramsey, so why didn't we buy?

I love Giroud but he will not win us the league. I have posted many times before that he is good for the type of game we play, he holds the ball up very well and leads the line for our mids to run past him but until he scores 25/30 per season we won't win anything, except maybe one of the cups.

Ozil. I love the guy and he's a good player but he is not, I repeat, he is not world class.
Ronaldo, Messi, David Silva, Suarez, Aguero are all world class. Why? because they change games, they win you games, they constantly influence games, they win you points from a losing situation. Ozil doesn't do that. I'm not talking about the odd brilliant performance away to Stoke or at home to Crystal Palace, I'm talking game after game after game.

A world class price-tag doesn't mean you are a world class player, and for me, he is not, but hopefully next season.

Positives?

Man City drew and we are 2nd behind Chelsea, so we are still in a healthy position but we have to start performing against the big times and stop bottling like we have done for the past 4 years.

1.) 08 Feb 2014
DG I respect your opinions mate but I think your wrong about Ozil he is world class mate and we will see that next season.
January? Yes we could have done with some class signings and I have to believe we tried to get them but along with others found it difficult to get players mid season, no way would Chelski have sold us Matta.
As for a striker of course we need a top class finisher but who mid season could we have got realistically.
We are all disappointed by today and a bit worried about the coming weeks but hey ho we have always known top 3 would be an improvement to build on I the summer

2.) 08 Feb 2014
Liverpool fan here. I think your spot on with ozil. Don't think he can change a game on his own. It's ok him having the highest assists in last 3 years but look at the players he had to assist. Arsenal don't have the strike force to take the chances. Centre forward needed big time. Unfortunately, think your season is about to unravel, best today, think you will draw against utd. Get beat by us again and if think Bauer will beat you 3 zip in CL which will mean tie over. Might be a nearly season for you guys again. Could be wrong but that's my opinion.

3.) 08 Feb 2014
DG I understand what you're saying about not signing players in the jan win, but (see a reply below to a post by TG).

I can appreciate what you're saying about Ozil also, but I don't fully agree.

Ozil's strength's are his vision, creativity, intelligence, ball control, etc. He can at times be inconsistent, yes go missing and doesn't posses great physical strength. BUT

to quote Mourinho:

"There is no copy of him – not even a bad one. He is the best number 10 in the world. He makes things very easy for his team-mates with his football vision and the decisions he makes".

But I think his strengths rely on other players, particularly players with pace and off the ball movement, etc., (imo). So he is not going to have the same type of impact of the players you mention.

But that doesn't mean he isn't "world class" at what he does best, does it? (in much the same way a player considered world class in these positions gk, cb, def mid, etc that may save you points and influence a game, etc but they might not change a game either in the same way the players you mention can- but can they still be considered world class in where their strengths lay?).

I think Ozil is just another piece of the puzzle and we are still a few pieces missing. I also think he is still adapting to the PL and our system (some players do take longer).

I think we haven't seen the best of him tbh.

4.) 08 Feb 2014
G62 and LG1,

You are probably correct Gents. Guess i'm just pi55ed off about today's result.