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Saturday, February 08, 2014

Wenger's tactics fail again, Ozil out and we will perform against United

By 1970's Gooner

What a shambles. The players did not turn up at all. Collectively everyone played like a Sunday League player. What an earth possessed them? Did they think that by just turning up they would have come through ok?

Arteta had one of his worst games. He offered no protection for the defence who themselves had one of their off days. Monreal is not up to it in the big games. He failed miserably against City and he failed again today.

Ozil was again non existent. Kept giving the ball away. He needs to up his game and become more physical. Maybe he will do it on a more consistent basis next season. But he needs to be dropped for the game against United. We can't afford to play with 10 men.

But I doubt if Wenger can bring himself to drop him. Rosicky deserves to start as he is more direct and quickens the pace. Podolski should replace the Ox and Gibbs should come in for Monreal.

Giroud was not given the service he deserved. He had a poor game because of this and because there was no support from his fellow players.

The Ox tried in the second half and won a penalty. But he was non existent in the first. The same with Cazorla.

Only Wilshere had a reasonable game but when everyone else is mediocre what do you expect?

The reality is that Wenger's tactics were wrong. He gets the tactics wrong against the big teams. He likes to play a passing game which implies a slow build up aiming to control the ball and thus the flow of the game.

This works very well against the smaller teams who, suffering from an inferiority complex, set up defensively conceding possession. That is why Arsenal usually score in the second half when the opponents are worn out defending all the time.

And that is why Wenger does not encourage a very quick passing game in the first half wanting to tire them out, giving the opponents a false sense of security as they feel that since they have not conceded they must be doing well.

But as with Southampton away in the 2 2 draw when the opponents come out strong and push up at our defenders refusing to concede possession the whole plan goes out of the window. Add to this the fact that Liverpool WANTED to win every ball, WANTED to force the game, WANTED to win, and you have a heavy defeat.

Just as it happened with Man City away.

But Wenger does not change his tactics. He is a stubborn man.

What he needs to do of course is to make sure that the player's heads do not drop now. It will be a pity if an implosion happens again and we throw away everything that we have worked so hard to attain.

I am sure we will see a very different Arsenal on Wednesday, firing on all cylinders and getting the win that will be the stepping stone to propel us to the top of the League.




26 comments:

Anonymous said...

özil has to be dropped! He´s so weak and not only in this game. He´s NOT good and tough enough against the top teams. United will be tough, put the Real ballerina on the bench.

Anonymous said...

Ozil who, does anyone see Ozil on the field. Currently he has to be the worse performing midfielder we have this season! All the hype, all the money Arsenal spent and what do we get....

Anonymous said...

We were outplayed in every department against LVP... Title contenders, wake up! Arteta, Giroud, Ozil all were pathetic today.

Anonymous said...

I think you have got the wrong end of the stick. The worst player was Giroud. His lack of hold up play and threat allows opposing CBs to step up compressing the space where Ozil/Santi operate. Its very hard to hold possession when there is no space to play in. That in turns allows opposing midfield to press high instead of protecting their back 4.

Did you see what happened to Spurs in the FA Cup when they tried the same tactics? Walcott tore them a new one with movement up front and we dominated and won the game.

All our problems stem from a very poor striker who doesn't present anything to turn around the opposition and push them back.

Anonymous said...

Man Utd on Wednesday why don't we start with Rosicky, Podolski, Gibbs and even Bendtner it can't get any worse!

Mashombe said...

Some Arsenal fans were so myopic to see that this season is not Arsenal's year for silverware they were obsessed with Arsenal's topping the table for a good part. But others like Morgan knew it that it was just cosmetic.

Anonymous said...

Ozil looked like a 42 mil carthorse.

Anonymous said...

You all got it wrong. One bad day in the office is not neceesarily the end even your Liverpool that you are now praising had witnessed many bad days. Let us get behind the team and support them to do better

Nafiu Adegbite said...

Giroud is the problem for arsenal, all the midfielder are trying, bt Giroud always lose the ball. During big games Wenger should try to correct the defense tactics

abbey oniyide said...

Why all blaming Ozil.Arsenal setback do starts aroud feb.check our last 5seasons.Wenger knew all dis yet he refused to add to d qualities we av.wenger is d problem,stop blaming Ozil.

Anonymous said...

You guys keep blaming players each tym aresnal looses we all make a big show out of it den if chelsea losses dey will say its just a bad day or bad officiating common ozil is good bring in suarez or falcao or cavani or even RVp yu will see dat ozil carzola is good they feed giroud d ball but giroud instead looks to assist instead of to score. We just need a good finisher and dat will be in d summer I pray we get one..and also a good DM and LB den squad depth..

Stanley said...

Wenger killed the team today. And i think we av all seen that Ozil is brilliant but a lazy player and less pushy or threatening. He and a few others including wenger caused arsenal the game, even against man city. Ozil wants to be fine and and slick and give a fine floating non-rushing cross or pass and epl players dont give you time for that composure. It is a fast physical league that needs ginger and fast thinking. Gibbs is for the big games not monreal. Monreal is not for teams with fast player and teams that play with width. Giroud was ok, just need others to show forth. Against big teams i think we should start rosicky and gibbs and podolski. Till ramsey returns, here is my team for the next games, shockingly, bendtner in those years saved us from thrashin and helped us from deafet in last minutes and was a lil multivating. i think he needs more games now and he can show against some of this bigg teams. Giroud/bendtner, pod, carzola, rosicky, wilshere, arteta/vermelene "morinho style"(depending on the opposition), Gibbs, sagna, per and kos. This team will beat anyone. Havent you ever wondered y we avnt scored more goals like last season? its cos ozil wants to play fine and slows the game down and and we dont run at people no more.

Anonymous said...

Very true my friend, Giroud do not posed any treat to defenders, he doesn't turn around or take defenders on.

Anonymous said...

As an LFC fan, I would say to all the Gooners, Chin Up.

Remember the game at the Emirates. Giroud won you that game with his hold up play. I still think once Ramsey comes back you have the best midfield in the League. What you need, and everyone knows this, is a standout striker.

I just shudder to think if you had got Suarez in the summer...

Anonymous said...

You are so right about the small sides playing defensively. The problem is the gunners style is so one sided:attack all the way leaving gaps at the back. That is why Ronaldo/Rrooney/Drogba were scoring bagfuls of goal.
When the gunners play MC/Chelsea/MU /Pool and others their cavalier style leaves gaps which are quickly exploited.The opposition don't waste time passing .They hit along ball and bang the ball is in the net.
Wenger wants the buildup to be slow and patient.
By then the opposition has massed enough players to stifle the gunners.The latter pass happily until they lose the ball. Two passes and the gunners concede a goal.
That's how NU recovered from 4 goals down to draw. Arsene will be the only manager who will let such things to happen.
If Arsenal are predictable and engage in short passing and don't shoot until a perfect pass is made,they will lose.
Mark my words.

Anonymous said...

The problem is the striker. Arsenal lack a potent front men to threaten the opposition defences in most of the games esp in big matches. Giroud is not up to Arsenal standard. He keeps frustrating Arsenal creative forces for clear cut goals chances and there not good enought target man. This give Arsenals abandant creative players no focal points of attack. Its the reason our goal are coming from mid field players. Arsenal leads in chances created this season with inferior goal diffrence just coz of poor Giroud. Unless the front man problems is sorted out, a goal poacher, fierce and threatening striker that keeps opposition defenders arround him. Arsenal will rarely thrive in big games. Conclusively, it was generally a poor show by the team with only good work from Wilshere who became a man to be destructed by oppositions yet he just came back from injury.

Anonymous said...

They did exactly the sane against Everton in the first half and ripped them to shreds. Everton are hardly second rate

Anonymous said...

As always everyone mainly looks at and blames the players when quite clearly the big problem is the manager!
He is not a good tactician, his choice of players against big sides is invariably wrong as is his extraordinary lack of the ability to adjust the style of play when it's needed. He is also the least inspirational man I have ever seen on the touchline, wanting more and more to sit in his seat or moan at the 4th official rather than do something about the team if things are going wrong! One thing about the team I would say is that Koscielny showed today that he is still a goal waiting to happen, his marking and ability today was very poor! But that doesn't excuse the team being sent out totally ill equipped and unprepared, that is down to AW!!

Anonymous said...

Has Arsenal learnt anything from this trashing? No! Wenger in his stubbornness thinks he has come to save football from denigration. He has to do the 'right' things for the preservation of the game. Arsenal plays in a slow motion. There is no bite in their attack, no ruggedness. And AW has the same tactics of 'don't dirty' football for all teams. That's why Ozil and Giroud are key to him. He prefers the passes to the goals. Even when matches are going awry, you would wonder why he wouldn't make the right changes and in good time. The team needs a real striker. Someone who will cost some money! Plus some rugged midfielders.

enendu said...

I think d publisher said it all. Its about arsenal style of play. Any team that can hold d ball like arsenal will always win arsenal cos arsenal can't get d passing game anymore. And I don't think arsenal players are fit enough for big games. With d schedules of games btw feb & march, am not expecting good result 4rm arsenal if they didn't step up there game.

Anonymous said...

typical game with Throphyless.... wenger..

Anonymous said...

Oh yea of little faith,arsenal needed to lose so they can get the necessary push that will propel them to the silver ware come end of May. This loss is a push similar to that one we got at Munich in March of last year,and because of that,look how strong we have been. Fellow Gooners don't lose Faith,the boys need so more than before. You are all familiar with the old adage,that a phoenix rises from its ashes,the loss to LPF is our ash. I was not heart broken after the game, infact I was relief. You only appreciate victory once you know what defeats tastes like. We are the Gooners and this,this is The Arsenal we all Love.

Anonymous said...

i m very disappointed with wenger tactic. I think wenger is not a tactician as morihno masterclass. wenger got only one system no plan b when it goes wrong. He need to introduce varminator as holding midfielder in order to protect the back 4 in tough game as morihno to david luis.

Anonymous said...

I dont know if this counts as a good omen, but the last time Liverpool beat us by a 4 goal margin at Anfield, we won the double.

Anonymous said...

Your all pathetic! 1 defeat and its sack the manager, dump Giroud, Ozil is sh..! Get a life, were 2nd in the table, life goes on. I bet all of you were on bobby piers back during his 1st year at Arsenal. The premier league takes some getting used to, he will be brilliant next year and all you lot will be pretending you always loved him. It's no wonder other fans think we're fickle, your all sad people.

Anonymous said...

Cazorla and Ozil offer very little in defence. Wenger should drop both and replace them with podolski and Rosicky. Gibbs should also be back to the starting line up. Then, Arsenal will give hard time for man utd.