Fixtures March 31st - Manchester City - Etihad Stadium - 3:30 Pm

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Post #517921  Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2020 2:32 pm 
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Rich wrote:
socrates wrote:
Football is so crazy these days. Plenty of fans already questioning Arteta despite him having the highest win rate of any Arsenal manager.

Must admit I'm not totally convinced. I think he sets us up better defensively against the best teams but against the lesser sides we look bang average.

I don’t really like the over thinking of players positions and switching up tactics quite so drastically between games. It could be hard for players to find their rhythm. Square pegs in square holes.

We’ve also lost the intensity and high press from our game. I would urge anyone to watch Leeds from the start of matches to see what an organised highly motivated high intensity team looks like.

Actually looking forward to the away match against Leeds on 22 Nov. As so far they're a running, well oiled machine. They're in 5th place so far. They could stay up.

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Post #517922  Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2020 2:33 pm 
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Rich wrote:
Man U haven't won their last 5 home games in the league. You just know what is happening this weekend....

Sure. OGS will grab a stunner.

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Post #517923  Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2020 2:49 pm 
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old man of hoy wrote:
Rich wrote:
News today is Mustafi has rejected Arsenal's offer of a contract extension. I think he's a free agent at the end of the season and he obviously fancies a move.
As far away as possible from Vardy, one assumes?

Not that he was anywhere near him on yesterday ... :1cry: That was awful.

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Post #517924  Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2020 2:52 pm 
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Zed wrote:
Actually looking forward to the away match against Leeds on 22 Nov. As so far they're a running, well oiled machine. They're in 5th place so far. They could stay up.

I’ll be very surprised if Leeds go down. I’ll be equally surprised if Fulham stay up. I can see WBA going. I think Sheffield United have enough to survive. I’m less confident for Burnley and Brighton to be honest. As things stand, my guess would be Fulham and West Brom, with Burnley and Brighton fighting it out to avoid being the others joining them.

Aston Villa are looking much improved so my money would be on them being okay. It was vital for them to keep Grealish, which they did. Can’t see Southampton having too many problems.


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Post #517925  Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2020 2:52 pm 
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Goonie wrote:
gooner7 wrote:
Such a flat performance from us. We badly need a creative midfielder. Ceballos gives us nothing in this area.


So far Arteta's experiments have not worked - Aubameyang on the right; Willian in the middle... Xhaka, Partey and Ceballos in midfield may need more time.

Lacazette is off form yet our top scorer. Three goals in three games, got dropped and now low on confidence? The consolation I suppose is that he gets into those positions to miss chances... with better luck he would have added two goals to his name against Leicester.

Hi Goonie,
Whatever so-called experiments MA is doing in training appear not to transition succinctly to match days sufficiently. MA's tactics, shuffling player positions and rotation, is done in training one would assume. Thus, given the opponent on match days, MA would/should be ready and well aware of what he's dealing with.

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Post #517926  Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2020 3:07 pm 
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Goonie wrote:
Lacazette is off form yet our top scorer. Three goals in three games, got dropped and now low on confidence? The consolation I suppose is that he gets into those positions to miss chances... with better luck he would have added two goals to his name against Leicester.

Nothing to do with bad luck. We can moan about Mustafi’s positioning for Vardy’s goal all we like but for me, Lacazette not getting to Tierney’s cross was rank cowardice because a defender somewhere close to him raised his foot. And I see that as even worse.

Without wishing to sound politically incorrect in my use of language, I’d have expected a cripple in a wheelchair to make more effort to get his head to Tierney’s cross than Lacazette did.


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Post #517927  Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2020 4:08 pm 
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Rich wrote:
News today is Mustafi has rejected Arsenal's offer of a contract extension. I think he's a free agent at the end of the season and he obviously fancies a move.


Trump using the FBi to take over AG's computer "This has got to be fake news". :icon_mrgreen:

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Post #517928  Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2020 4:12 pm 
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Rich wrote:
News today is Mustafi has rejected Arsenal's offer of a contract extension.


At least theres a little bit of good news then :laughing7:


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Post #517929  Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2020 6:01 pm 
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:42laughter:

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Post #517930  Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2020 7:29 pm 
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Rich wrote:
News today is Mustafi has rejected Arsenal's offer of a contract extension. I think he's a free agent at the end of the season and he obviously fancies a move.

Apparently Mustafi wants a move to Italy. Something to do with being near his Albanian-Swiss wife's family in Switzerland.

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Post #517931  Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2020 7:35 pm 
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Bernard wrote:
Zed wrote:
Actually looking forward to the away match against Leeds on 22 Nov. As so far they're a running, well oiled machine. They're in 5th place so far. They could stay up.

I’ll be very surprised if Leeds go down. I’ll be equally surprised if Fulham stay up. I can see WBA going. I think Sheffield United have enough to survive. I’m less confident for Burnley and Brighton to be honest. As things stand, my guess would be Fulham and West Brom, with Burnley and Brighton fighting it out to avoid being the others joining them.

Aston Villa are looking much improved so my money would be on them being okay. It was vital for them to keep Grealish, which they did. Can’t see Southampton having too many problems.

Hi Bernard,
That's all a possibility for those clubs going down. AV are lucky Grealish signed on for another 5 years, as he had a few offers recently. He has improved them.

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Post #517932  Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2020 8:18 pm 
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Zed wrote:
Rich wrote:
News today is Mustafi has rejected Arsenal's offer of a contract extension. I think he's a free agent at the end of the season and he obviously fancies a move.

Apparently Mustafi wants a move to Italy. Something to do with being near his Albanian-Swiss wife's family in Switzerland.

I’m just glad the club offered Mustafi a new contract. At least they tried to keep him, as he doesn’t deserve half the criticism he’s had from some people. Especially one person in particular.


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Post #517933  Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2020 8:24 pm 
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Zed wrote:
Rich wrote:
News today is Mustafi has rejected Arsenal's offer of a contract extension. I think he's a free agent at the end of the season and he obviously fancies a move.

Apparently Mustafi wants a move to Italy. Something to do with being near his Albanian-Swiss wife's family in Switzerland.


I have good news and bad news.
What's the good news? Mustafi won't sign a contract extension.
Okay, what's the bad news? No one wants him.

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Post #517934  Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2020 9:08 pm 
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Bernard wrote:
Zed wrote:
Apparently Mustafi wants a move to Italy. Something to do with being near his Albanian-Swiss wife's family in Switzerland.

I’m just glad the club offered Mustafi a new contract. At least they tried to keep him, as he doesn’t deserve half the criticism he’s had from some people. Especially one person in particular.

Arteta seems happy with him. MA's a bit short of defenders now. Saw that Mustafi's had an offer from Lazio. He's ok, but not stellar.

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Post #517935  Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2020 9:47 pm 
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https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/26/spor ... china.html


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Post #517936  Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2020 9:49 pm 
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Zed wrote:
Bernard wrote:
I’m just glad the club offered Mustafi a new contract. At least they tried to keep him, as he doesn’t deserve half the criticism he’s had from some people. Especially one person in particular.

Arteta seems happy with him. MA's a bit short of defenders now. Saw that Mustafi's had an offer from Lazio. He's ok, but not stellar.

Hopefully a poster will see that Lazio want him, as it will save him from imagining nobody will want him.

See Tottenham are 0-1 up. If they hold on it’s us down to 11th.


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Post #517937  Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2020 9:57 pm 
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Bernard wrote:
Zed wrote:
Arteta seems happy with him. MA's a bit short of defenders now. Saw that Mustafi's had an offer from Lazio. He's ok, but not stellar.

Hopefully a poster will see that Lazio want him, as it will save him from imagining nobody will want him.

See Tottenham are 0-1 up. If they hold on it’s us down to 11th.

We are down to 11th. Spurs one point off top 4 now.

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Post #517938  Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2020 11:40 pm 
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Bernard wrote:
Goonie wrote:
Lacazette is off form yet our top scorer. Three goals in three games, got dropped and now low on confidence? The consolation I suppose is that he gets into those positions to miss chances... with better luck he would have added two goals to his name against Leicester.

Nothing to do with bad luck. We can moan about Mustafi’s positioning for Vardy’s goal all we like but for me, Lacazette not getting to Tierney’s cross was rank cowardice because a defender somewhere close to him raised his foot. And I see that as even worse.

Without wishing to sound politically incorrect in my use of language, I’d have expected a cripple in a wheelchair to make more effort to get his head to Tierney’s cross than Lacazette did.


He was definitely unlucky with the header that was ruled offside. He did everything right with that one.


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Post #517939  Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2020 11:49 pm 
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Zed wrote:
Goonie wrote:

So far Arteta's experiments have not worked - Aubameyang on the right; Willian in the middle... Xhaka, Partey and Ceballos in midfield may need more time.

Lacazette is off form yet our top scorer. Three goals in three games, got dropped and now low on confidence? The consolation I suppose is that he gets into those positions to miss chances... with better luck he would have added two goals to his name against Leicester.

Hi Goonie,
Whatever so-called experiments MA is doing in training appear not to transition succinctly to match days sufficiently. MA's tactics, shuffling player positions and rotation, is done in training one would assume. Thus, given the opponent on match days, MA would/should be ready and well aware of what he's dealing with.


Hi Zed. Arteta need to tinker less. The original tinkerman, Ranieri reaped rewards with Leicester by basically having a settled first 11. He got 8 or 9 players starting at least 30 games that season they won the league.

I understand MA hasn't found the right balance yet. But constant chopping and changes not good for the team either.


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Post #517940  Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2020 6:23 am 
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Zed wrote:
We are down to 11th. Spurs one point off top 4 now.


C'mon Zed, grow a pair, all of you panicking....joking dude...its 6 games in. We aren't going tot stay 11th. We had a fairly rough first 6 matches. We are much better than we were under Emery. Had Emery stayed the manager, likely no FA Cup, we'd be lucky to get a point or two from the games so far.

We will move up, Villa will move down. Sperz will hover near their present place. City are 13th. Man Utd are 15th. Does anyone think either of those sides will stay there.

Don't worry son. I 'guarantee' we'll move up. :58big-emoticons:

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Post #517941  Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2020 7:29 am 
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Goonie wrote:
Bernard wrote:
Nothing to do with bad luck. We can moan about Mustafi’s positioning for Vardy’s goal all we like but for me, Lacazette not getting to Tierney’s cross was rank cowardice because a defender somewhere close to him raised his foot. And I see that as even worse.

Without wishing to sound politically incorrect in my use of language, I’d have expected a cripple in a wheelchair to make more effort to get his head to Tierney’s cross than Lacazette did.

He was definitely unlucky with the header that was ruled offside. He did everything right with that one.

I suppose my thought process was that the one you’re talking of wasn’t really a chance. I’m not even sure if he would have seen what he did as an attempt on goal. Could it have been a flick on into the goal area, the sort of thing Bould did many times?

But the chance from Tierney’s cross was close to a sitter that he should have easily got his head to in order to guide it in. Sorry, I found his feeble effort with that one so disappointing.


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Post #517942  Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2020 7:47 am 
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American, perhaps you should have seen it as a factual observation rather than a prediction of where we’ll finish. At this moment in time, we are 11th.


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Post #517943  Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2020 8:04 am 
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I thought that was a very pertinent question that Soc asked the other day and one I was asking myself during our match v Leicester.
Leicester are trusting their young centre half Fofana who they signed from St Etienne.
Why are we not trusting our own in Saliba.
I know his problems and injuries are well documented but this boy was doing very well in the top league in France last season
Why dont we show some faith in him.
Rather see him in the team than Mustafi to be honest and are you telling me we cant even trust the boy to start in the europa league and cup games. I sincerely hope his career with us is not over before its started and that Artera does believe in him and that something detrimental is not going on behind the scenes.


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Post #517944  Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2020 8:10 am 
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david.d wrote:
I thought that was a very pertinent question that Soc asked the other day and one I was asking myself during our match v Leicester.
Leicester are trusting their young centre half Fofana who they signed from St Etienne.
Why are we not trusting our own in Saliba.
I know his problems and injuries are well documented but this boy was doing very well in the top league in France last season
Why dont we show some faith in him.
Rather see him in the team than Mustafi to be honest and are you telling me we cant even trust the boy to start in the europa league and cup games. I sincerely hope his career with us is not over before its started and that Artera does believe in him and that something detrimental is not going on behind the scenes.

I think there are important differences between Saliba and Fofana. There is the off field issue of Saliba's mother recently passing away (I think I read), but also playing for Leicester is different to playing for Arsenal. One is clearly under more scrutiny for any mistake made, also Leicester play a much deeper defence which is much easier for a defender to come in and 'just' defend. Arsenal play a higher line, expecting their defenders to go 1 v 1 against attackers and be the starting point of attacks.
I agree it would have been nice to see Saliba and I think it is a missed opportunity to not have him in the Europa squad especially with the extra subs we can name and bring on and the easier games we face in the group stage. Saliba could have started 4 of these games pretty comfortably


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Post #517945  Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2020 8:15 am 
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I'm still right behind Arteta.
He is the man for us and I love how much more solid we are.
But he has to find a way to make us more pacy and creative in attack.
He has to start playing Aubameyang through the middle and have Saka on one wing and Pépé/Willian on the other.
The slow methodical build up is not doing it for me
Attack with pace and not be so cautious.
Surely this is not how Arteta wants to play having being around Pep for years.
Utd haven't won a league game at home in 5 attempts I think. I think we all worry that that sequence will come to an end on sunday.
Teams always seem to end their negative runs against us and I fear the worst to be honest.
Then Villa Wolves Leeds and Spurs follow after that. Very difficult run of games where it's hard to see where wins are coming from if we play like we did in the 2nd half v leicester.
I hope Arteta has some ideas and answers how we move forward attacking wise.


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Post #517946  Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2020 8:20 am 
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Rich wrote:
david.d wrote:
I thought that was a very pertinent question that Soc asked the other day and one I was asking myself during our match v Leicester.
Leicester are trusting their young centre half Fofana who they signed from St Etienne.
Why are we not trusting our own in Saliba.
I know his problems and injuries are well documented but this boy was doing very well in the top league in France last season
Why dont we show some faith in him.
Rather see him in the team than Mustafi to be honest and are you telling me we cant even trust the boy to start in the europa league and cup games. I sincerely hope his career with us is not over before its started and that Artera does believe in him and that something detrimental is not going on behind the scenes.

I think there are important differences between Saliba and Fofana. There is the off field issue of Saliba's mother recently passing away (I think I read), but also playing for Leicester is different to playing for Arsenal. One is clearly under more scrutiny for any mistake made, also Leicester play a much deeper defence which is much easier for a defender to come in and 'just' defend. Arsenal play a higher line, expecting their defenders to go 1 v 1 against attackers and be the starting point of attacks.
I agree it would have been nice to see Saliba and I think it is a missed opportunity to not have him in the Europa squad especially with the extra subs we can name and bring on and the easier games we face in the group stage. Saliba could have started 4 of these games pretty comfortably

Morning Rich.
For sure he could have played in the Europa league games.
I really hope Arteta is putting his arms round him and telling him how much he believes in him.
The boy is a talent.


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Post #517947  Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2020 9:17 am 
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Roastbeef wrote:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/26/sports/soccer/mesut-ozil-arsenal-china.html


That's a good read, Roastie - balanced and objective as is allowed by NYT's position of detachment.

Neither club nor player come out of it particularly well.


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Post #517948  Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2020 9:32 am 
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Next summer we can get rid of Özil, Sokratis, Luiz, Mustafi but we won't get any transfer fees in for any of them. I worry how quickly our rebuilding project can work when finances are tight, and even tighter due to no revenue from fans in the stadium, and our inability to generate any fees from our players.
Putting aside the January window, next summer the team will likely need another back-up GK (I think we might go back for Raya), a right-sided CB, possibly 2 central midfielders (because Ceballos will be off) and at least 1 striker.
Other than the 4 mentioned above we have a glut of players still who are simply not good enough to get us in to the top 4, chambers, holding, Cédric, elneny, xhaka, willock, nketiah, nelson, lacazette. That may seem harsh on some of those who haven't played much but there is a reason for that, and there are others in that list who have been with us a long time but we've never got in the top 4 with them in the team. There are still question marks on whether Pépé and Willian can turn us in to a top 4 team.

Once again timing has been the absolute enemy of Arsenal - 3 examples I can think of.
1) We decide to build the new stadium relatively safe in the knowledge we're well established top 2 team with not much threat from below. Then Chelsea get all their money, hoover up transfer targets and shove us down. I'm not saying we couldn't have done better - just that the timing was awful for us
2) We get through the lean years and now have a stadium that is pulling in huge amounts of money, more than all but a handful of clubs in europe. TV money goes bananas and suddenly match day money is a drop in the ocean compared to what the TV money brings in, so the difference between having a 60,000 stadium and a 40,000 stadium is nothing
3) Arsenal need a total rebuild, lots of players need to leave and lots need to come in. Finances are tight but if we can be smart we can negotiate a turnaround in the team. A global pandemic hits when we're at our lowest, restricts our finances even further and strangles the market so much that we can't achieve anything like the business we wanted to achieve. The global pandemic was perfect for those clubs with a settled squad and strangely Chelsea who had been forced to hoard their money the previous season due to a transfer ban, now they were super rich even in comparison to very rich clubs who needed to tighten the belt.


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Post #517949  Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2020 12:51 pm 
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Mike Dean is the ref for our game vs Man U. The ref who loves to give a penalty and the team who can't stop being given them.

36 pens for Man U vs 9 for us since Solskjaer took over. I get that their style may lead to more pens (although there were also stats about touches in the box per pen and Man U were way out in front on that) but Man U just always get every shout they have, there's never one not given if they go down in the box - all the more frustrating when you see so many of our claims turned down.


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Post #517950  Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2020 1:35 pm 
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I saw an article looking at the Son+Kane partnership because they have now assisted+scored asa duo 29 times, only behind Drogba/Lampard. The article seriously asked 'where do they rank in the all time prem duos, are they the best ever?' I suppose it would be asking too much for these articles on Spurs to mention the need to actually win something to be regarded at the top of these sorts of lists.


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Post #517951  Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2020 1:44 pm 
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Rich wrote:
I saw an article looking at the Son+Kane partnership because they have now assisted+scored asa duo 29 times, only behind Drogba/Lampard. The article seriously asked 'where do they rank in the all time prem duos, are they the best ever?' I suppose it would be asking too much for these articles on Spurs to mention the need to actually win something to be regarded at the top of these sorts of lists.

Tempting fate there Rich. In this season where it looks to be wide open they could well do it, if the above two stay fit. But for a ludicrous VAR decision against Newcastle and an insane comeback from West Ham they'd be two points clear at the top now. I'm sorry to say they look in much better shape than we do right now.

Hopefully that's jinxed them :1laughter:


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Post #517952  Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2020 1:52 pm 
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Yorke/Cole

Henry/Bergkamp or Pires

Heskey/Owens wasn't too bad either

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Post #517953  Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2020 3:55 pm 
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Goonie wrote:
Zed wrote:
Hi Goonie,
Whatever so-called experiments MA is doing in training appear not to transition succinctly to match days sufficiently. MA's tactics, shuffling player positions and rotation, is done in training one would assume. Thus, given the opponent on match days, MA would/should be ready and well aware of what he's dealing with.


Hi Zed. Arteta need to tinker less. The original tinkerman, Ranieri reaped rewards with Leicester by basically having a settled first 11. He got 8 or 9 players starting at least 30 games that season they won the league.

I understand MA hasn't found the right balance yet. But constant chopping and changes not good for the team either.

Hi Goonie,
Cohesion as a team is necessary. But, must allow for adjustments occasionally if it means getting ahead. Ah, the Tinkerman, what a league win that was.

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Post #517954  Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2020 4:06 pm 
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[quote="AmericanGooner"][quote="Zed"]
We are down to 11th. Spurs one point off top 4 now.[/quote]

C'mon Zed, grow a pair, all of you panicking....joking dude...its 6 games in. We aren't going tot stay 11th. We had a fairly rough first 6 matches. We are much better than we were under Emery. Had Emery stayed the manager, likely no FA Cup, we'd be lucky to get a point or two from the games so far.

We will move up, Villa will move down. Sperz will hover near their present place. City are 13th. Man Utd are 15th. Does anyone think either of those sides will stay there.

Don't worry son. I 'guarantee' we'll move up. :58big-emoticons:[/quote]
AG,
There isn't a single side in the PL no matter where they are in the table once the season starts, that doesn't strive to reach top 4, let alone avoid relegation. We're 11th, but that could change obviously by Nov 1 for both sides. The other being 15th. Same applies to Spurs, etc. Table shuffles.

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Post #517955  Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2020 4:22 pm 
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Rich wrote:
Next summer we can get rid of Özil, Sokratis, Luiz, Mustafi but we won't get any transfer fees in for any of them. I worry how quickly our rebuilding project can work when finances are tight, and even tighter due to no revenue from fans in the stadium, and our inability to generate any fees from our players.
Putting aside the January window, next summer the team will likely need another back-up GK (I think we might go back for Raya), a right-sided CB, possibly 2 central midfielders (because Ceballos will be off) and at least 1 striker.
Other than the 4 mentioned above we have a glut of players still who are simply not good enough to get us in to the top 4, chambers, holding, Cédric, elneny, xhaka, willock, nketiah, nelson, lacazette. That may seem harsh on some of those who haven't played much but there is a reason for that, and there are others in that list who have been with us a long time but we've never got in the top 4 with them in the team. There are still question marks on whether Pépé and Willian can turn us in to a top 4 team.

Once again timing has been the absolute enemy of Arsenal - 3 examples I can think of.
1) We decide to build the new stadium relatively safe in the knowledge we're well established top 2 team with not much threat from below. Then Chelsea get all their money, hoover up transfer targets and shove us down. I'm not saying we couldn't have done better - just that the timing was awful for us
2) We get through the lean years and now have a stadium that is pulling in huge amounts of money, more than all but a handful of clubs in europe. TV money goes bananas and suddenly match day money is a drop in the ocean compared to what the TV money brings in, so the difference between having a 60,000 stadium and a 40,000 stadium is nothing
3) Arsenal need a total rebuild, lots of players need to leave and lots need to come in. Finances are tight but if we can be smart we can negotiate a turnaround in the team. A global pandemic hits when we're at our lowest, restricts our finances even further and strangles the market so much that we can't achieve anything like the business we wanted to achieve. The global pandemic was perfect for those clubs with a settled squad and strangely Chelsea who had been forced to hoard their money the previous season due to a transfer ban, now they were super rich even in comparison to very rich clubs who needed to tighten the belt.


I wouldn't mind seeing another youth project again. Invest in the best young players the club can afford and augment with reliable established pros. Go back to the "we don't buy superstars, we make them" approach. We might not win trophies but it would be a fun ride.


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Post #517956  Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2020 4:44 pm 
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tomc wrote:
Rich wrote:
I saw an article looking at the Son+Kane partnership because they have now assisted+scored asa duo 29 times, only behind Drogba/Lampard. The article seriously asked 'where do they rank in the all time prem duos, are they the best ever?' I suppose it would be asking too much for these articles on Spurs to mention the need to actually win something to be regarded at the top of these sorts of lists.

Tempting fate there Rich. In this season where it looks to be wide open they could well do it, if the above two stay fit. But for a ludicrous VAR decision against Newcastle and an insane comeback from West Ham they'd be two points clear at the top now. I'm sorry to say they look in much better shape than we do right now.

Hopefully that's jinxed them :1laughter:

They certainly do, but they've also been lucky in some games. A ludicrous red card v Man U handed them the win there and Southampton's baffling high line tactics when Saints were well on top in that game. They've also had 3 or so extra games from the Europa qualfiers to get up to speed and have ahead start on match fitness on the rest.
Spurs got very lucky with the covid, Son and Kane were both ruled out for the season last year, covid hit, halted football for 3 months and they're both back to finish the season. Those two are very good but beyond that Spurs are average, City and Liverpool have far more in the tank.


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Post #517957  Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2020 4:48 pm 
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Goonie wrote:
I wouldn't mind seeing another youth project again. Invest in the best young players the club can afford and augment with reliable established pros. Go back to the "we don't buy superstars, we make them" approach. We might not win trophies but it would be a fun ride.

If we do it then we need to accept that they will all be cherry picked by bigger sides in a few years and we need to ensure we get huge money for them. I don't think it is necessary to go down a full project youth mode. But a quick look at the business model of Dortmund or even Leicester shows that good recruitment or young talent and selling at the right time can push a team on - we've got more money to invest than either of those so we could do what they do with an extra level added on top.
We've got to get some players who are sellable assets first, which will take a while because we are probably faced with losing most players we don't want for free or very low fees, we need to stop handing massive contracts to these players, make them earn it.


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Post #517958  Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2020 4:52 pm 
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Another thing to take from the Leicester game. Leicester finished the game with 5 players on yellow cards. The entire back 3 and their central mid. 3 of them played virtually the whole 2nd half on a yellow, yet it was Bellerin who was closest to getting a red diving in at a player who made him commit himself to a tackle (and he probably should have gone) At any point did we run at them to make them think twice about making a tackle? Did we 'do a Jose' and act like a bunch of **** with a bit of gamesmanship targeting those players and putting pressure on the ref to think about giving 2nd yellow cards?


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Post #517959  Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2020 5:05 pm 
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Bendtner thinking that maybe he could have done better

https://www.skysports.com/share/12112295

Shame really. I had high hopes for him when he was emerging.

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Post #517960  Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2020 8:09 pm 
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long time gooner wrote:
Bendtner thinking that maybe he could have done better

https://www.skysports.com/share/12112295

Shame really. I had high hopes for him when he was emerging.

Carling Cup, 2008 a 5-1 loss at WHL to Spurs. Won't forget that scrap Bendtner and Adebayor got into then.


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