Arsenal Thread 2013/14

[supercrystal7]

That was a serious tonking and a lesson in how to beat arsenal.

Get in their faces and press press press. Don't allow them time to think let alone play.

We did the same to them and got 6.

They have the softest centre of all the top teams.

Unfortunately for them Bayern Munich are the absolute kings at the pressing and smothering game.

Next week v utd has got rvp written all over it.

The start of one big fucking crumble if you ask me.

Mourinho and Ferguson perfected the art of beating Arsenal. Like you said, get in their faces and press aggressively. But I think it's mostly about pressing once they get into your half of the pitch. You get in their faces, win the ball, and then counterattack quickly. Against Bayern they won't have the possession so that might actually work in their favor (they won't be as vulnerable against counterattacks).

The worst thing about it all is that its been almost 10 years now and we still have the same faults.

We lack physical presence, we lack runners, we lack energy and harassment that the top teams have.

We are too pedestrian in midfield and upfront at times, with too many similar types of players.

All the best teams have a mix. We don't have that mix yet!

The thing is you do have a decent mix at the club you just refuse to play them. Podolski and Walcott (though injured) are runners and can get back. Ozil can run too, though he will be finished by 75 mins. Then actually play a defensive midfielder with legs and start Rosicky.

I have no idea why Monreal starting against City and Liverpool.

Part of the reason Ozil has gone off the boil is not only because he is tired, but because you have no runners. Ozil is the master of playing through balls for other players to run onto. He is not the master of one touch passing. He is closer to Mata than he is Silva let alone Iniesta.

 

[GHoddle]

That was a serious tonking and a lesson in how to beat arsenal.

Get in their faces and press press press. Don't allow them time to think let alone play.

We did the same to them and got 6.

They have the softest centre of all the top teams.

Unfortunately for them Bayern Munich are the absolute kings at the pressing and smothering game.

Next week v utd has got rvp written all over it.

The start of one big fucking crumble if you ask me.

Mourinho and Ferguson perfected the art of beating Arsenal. Like you said, get in their faces and press aggressively. But I think it's mostly about pressing once they get into your half of the pitch. You get in their faces, win the ball, and then counterattack quickly. Against Bayern they won't have the possession so that might actually work in their favor (they won't be as vulnerable against counterattacks).

The worst thing about it all is that its been almost 10 years now and we still have the same faults.

We lack physical presence, we lack runners, we lack energy and harassment that the top teams have.

We are too pedestrian in midfield and upfront at times, with too many similar types of players.

All the best teams have a mix. We don't have that mix yet!

True though to be fair a midfield of Ramsey and Flamini has a bit more physical presence and defensive quality than Arteta and Wilshere.

 

[GunnerGer]

Mourinho and Ferguson perfected the art of beating Arsenal. Like you said, get in their faces and press aggressively. But I think it's mostly about pressing once they get into your half of the pitch. You get in their faces, win the ball, and then counterattack quickly. Against Bayern they won't have the possession so that might actually work in their favor (they won't be as vulnerable against counterattacks).

The worst thing about it all is that its been almost 10 years now and we still have the same faults.

We lack physical presence, we lack runners, we lack energy and harassment that the top teams have.

We are too pedestrian in midfield and upfront at times, with too many similar types of players.

All the best teams have a mix. We don't have that mix yet!

The thing is you do have a decent mix at the club you just refuse to play them. Podolski and Walcott (though injured) are runners and can get back. Ozil can run too, though he will be finished by 75 mins. Then actually play a defensive midfielder with legs and start Rosicky.

I have no idea why Monreal starting against City and Liverpool.

Part of the reason Ozil has gone off the boil is not only because he is tired, but because you have no runners. Ozil is the master of playing through balls for other players to run onto. He is not the master of one touch passing. He is closer to Mata than he is Silva let alone Iniesta.

Ive no idea why Monreal started either, truly mental decision...Liverpool have genuine pace, lets leave Gibbs on the bench.....

It's a good point about Ozil, the guy isn't a playmaker like Fabregas, he won't dominate games in that way, he needs runners and I'm afraid Giroud and Cazorla aren't that. I'm not sure Podolski is either. Walcott is a big miss in the forward line, I think they've only played about 5 games together this season.

True though to be fair a midfield of Ramsey and Flamini has a bit more physical presence and defensive quality than Arteta and Wilshere.

True, there's no doubt we missed them both today. Arteta seems to have lost his legs, and Wilshere has no defensive discipline at all just now it seems. I worry where he'll fit in long term, I don't know if its when the attack is toothless and he feels he needs to help out, or he's lost awareness or what, but our midfield often gets swamped with him in it.

The only positive I can take from the game, is that after a big defeat like that, we often go back to basics and get more focused next game. I can I only hope that's the case again.

 

[malg]

Any media attention on Wilshere rolling around like a girl after not being hit in the face?

 

[AwayDay]

We are still paying the price of changing philosophy and moving away from fast athletic players to diminutive passers of the ball, does not work over a season in England that. Got hammered yesterday and its been coming, we have hardly played well this season, yet somehow we are where we are, another tough game out of the way and still just 1 point off the pace. I don't understand how we are ahead of Manchester city still, its been a very strange season. It seems no one wants to storm this title race, whoever makes the least mistakes will win it. It wont be us, severe lack of quality in certain areas. Chelsea looking the most likely team now.

 

[Marvin]

Arsenal missing Ramsey. He's been their best player this season.

They will come again, and I'd back them to beat Liverpool and Man Utd

 

[Hamann Pineapple]

 

[jimharri]

 

[supercrystal7]

The stat about hhow much they have spent on players is especially stupid. Arsenal have made a profit in terms of players they have bought and sold during that time. During that time period they have lost RVP, Nasri, Adebayor, Kolo, Song, Fabregas, Henry, Hleb and Cole. Wenger in recent years has actually done a very good job keeping them in the top 4.

Where he has messed up in the early years was getting rid of all the experience. If they had the likes of Gilberto, Campbell and Pires they may have snuck the league in 08 and had the strength to win a cup. In recent years they have just not been good enough.

 

[Newman Noggs]

The stat about hhow much they have spent on players is especially stupid. .

Er..no it isn't. Money spent improving the team still counts even if you sell players while you are building. The "net spend" argument beloved of Arsenal and their ilk is fatuous where you are comparing teams moving on high-value players to bring in other high-value players with teams who start from a position where they are selling players with zero value to replace them with high value players.