By 1970's Gooner
There are of course mitigating circumstances for that defeat in Zagreb.
Firstly, the number of changes Wenger made were to keep those players happy having been out of first team action for so long. He may have promised them that (especialy to Ospina). He was also resting key players for the Chelsea game.
As a result there was no homogeneity in the team and the players played as though they hardly knew each other.
Secondly the full backs were not really match fit. Debuchy allowed the scorer too much space (and the Ox failed to track back). And Gibbs was too tired to jump for that corner!!
Thirdly Giroud and the ref were too stupid. It meant that the chance to get back in the game was gone.
And lastly Arteta was non existent! How did Wenger think that he could be Coquelin's cover, in case he is absent at any point in time, is beyond me.
We simply had no defensive cover throughout the game. It reminded me when Arteta was first choice a couple of seasons ago and our midfield was like a sink riddled with holes where the water met no resistance going through.
It became so obvious that when Coquelin came on we suddenly started pressing hard in midfield, winning the ball and setting on the attacks again. And all this WITH TEN MEN. In fact we were better with 10 than 11!
Is this the reason Wenger rejected Schneiderlin? To keep Arteta as a cover for Coquelin?!!!!
Bad decision Mr Wenger.
Thursday, September 17, 2015
Monday, September 14, 2015
Arsenal are title contenders
By 1970's Gooner
There are three important reasons why Arsenal are real challengers for the title.
Firstly Manchester City cannot improve further.
They have reached their peak too fast and too early. The only direction is downwards as they cannot keep up winning performances game after game. They have also finished with their transfer business so cannot improve the squad any further.
Secondly Arsenal are slowly but surely improving with every game and the room for improvement is very evident. Let's be more specific.
The team has improved their defensive performance with Cech reaching his best form and the back four, with Gabriel now installed at the heart of it, having only let in 3 goals in 5 games with none conceded in 3 of those.
This is a very important statistic that should not be overlooked. It means that instead of loosing a game we will be drawing it and instead of drawing a game we will be winning it.
Similarly in attack we have been creating chance after chance after chance and when the finishing begins to improve then we will be racking 3s and 4s per game.
That's why there is a lot of room for improvement because when our forwards find the form of last season then all of Arsenal's areas on the pitch will be as efficient as you can get.
And of course Arsenal have the cash and are willing to spend it, if needed, on a player who will be able to improve the team, like Ozil and Sanchez for example.
The third reason is that a major title contender, Chelsea, seem to be out of it already, leaving room for Man Utd and Arsenal to contest the title between themselves and City.
I consider Man Utd as capable to challenge if and only if Rooney finds form which is doubtful at the moment as he seems to be getting past it. They can of course rectify that in the next window but it may be too late for them by then.
There are three important reasons why Arsenal are real challengers for the title.
Firstly Manchester City cannot improve further.
They have reached their peak too fast and too early. The only direction is downwards as they cannot keep up winning performances game after game. They have also finished with their transfer business so cannot improve the squad any further.
Secondly Arsenal are slowly but surely improving with every game and the room for improvement is very evident. Let's be more specific.
The team has improved their defensive performance with Cech reaching his best form and the back four, with Gabriel now installed at the heart of it, having only let in 3 goals in 5 games with none conceded in 3 of those.
This is a very important statistic that should not be overlooked. It means that instead of loosing a game we will be drawing it and instead of drawing a game we will be winning it.
Similarly in attack we have been creating chance after chance after chance and when the finishing begins to improve then we will be racking 3s and 4s per game.
That's why there is a lot of room for improvement because when our forwards find the form of last season then all of Arsenal's areas on the pitch will be as efficient as you can get.
And of course Arsenal have the cash and are willing to spend it, if needed, on a player who will be able to improve the team, like Ozil and Sanchez for example.
The third reason is that a major title contender, Chelsea, seem to be out of it already, leaving room for Man Utd and Arsenal to contest the title between themselves and City.
I consider Man Utd as capable to challenge if and only if Rooney finds form which is doubtful at the moment as he seems to be getting past it. They can of course rectify that in the next window but it may be too late for them by then.
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Giroud and Gabriel to start against Stoke
By 1970's Gooner
Stoke are Arsenal's next opponents at the Emirates. They got a thorough thrashing last season and in fact they have not beaten us in London for a very very long time.
On the other hand Arsenal have not scored in their two games at the Emirates this season. Well in fact we did score and would have won comfortably against Liverpool had it not been wrongly ruled for offside.
I expect that on this occasion Arsenal's play will fall into place perfectly and we will give them another thrashing. I expect a high scoring game of as high as three goals for and none conceded.
Arsene Wenger has said that there are no new injury concerns and that Koscienly and the BFG are now fit.
So the only real decisions to be made are at centre back and centre forward.
Mertesacker is now back in training but I expect that this game has come too early for him not allowing enough time to regain top fitness levels after illness. Wenger is very likely to continue giving Gabriel more games after he really impressed in his last two outings. In fact in my opinion Gabriel should now be the first choice centre back.
The second decision to be made is who to play up front. Walcott was given his chance against Newcastle but fluffed his lines failing to hold the ball as a centre forward should do and also to score when he had the whole goal at his mercy.
Which brings me to Giroud. He has also failed to impress this season but I think Arsene Wenger may make the decision to play Giroud in the home games simply because teams visiting the Emirates tend to play defensively without coming out too much.
This will tend to squeeze the space not allowing Walcott to use his best attribute which is his speed. He will be better utilised in the away games when the home teams are likely to come out more.
Giroud on the other hand will offer you the option of being a real threat when crosses come in and also can use his physical strength to better use inside the opponents box.
Cech
Bellerin Gabriel Koscienly Monreal
Coquelin Cazorla
Ramsey Ozil Sanchez
Giroud
Prediction: Arsenal 3 Stoke 0
Stoke are Arsenal's next opponents at the Emirates. They got a thorough thrashing last season and in fact they have not beaten us in London for a very very long time.
On the other hand Arsenal have not scored in their two games at the Emirates this season. Well in fact we did score and would have won comfortably against Liverpool had it not been wrongly ruled for offside.
I expect that on this occasion Arsenal's play will fall into place perfectly and we will give them another thrashing. I expect a high scoring game of as high as three goals for and none conceded.
Arsene Wenger has said that there are no new injury concerns and that Koscienly and the BFG are now fit.
So the only real decisions to be made are at centre back and centre forward.
Mertesacker is now back in training but I expect that this game has come too early for him not allowing enough time to regain top fitness levels after illness. Wenger is very likely to continue giving Gabriel more games after he really impressed in his last two outings. In fact in my opinion Gabriel should now be the first choice centre back.
The second decision to be made is who to play up front. Walcott was given his chance against Newcastle but fluffed his lines failing to hold the ball as a centre forward should do and also to score when he had the whole goal at his mercy.
Which brings me to Giroud. He has also failed to impress this season but I think Arsene Wenger may make the decision to play Giroud in the home games simply because teams visiting the Emirates tend to play defensively without coming out too much.
This will tend to squeeze the space not allowing Walcott to use his best attribute which is his speed. He will be better utilised in the away games when the home teams are likely to come out more.
Giroud on the other hand will offer you the option of being a real threat when crosses come in and also can use his physical strength to better use inside the opponents box.
Cech
Bellerin Gabriel Koscienly Monreal
Coquelin Cazorla
Ramsey Ozil Sanchez
Giroud
Prediction: Arsenal 3 Stoke 0
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