All good until your team sheet featured Santos . Who clearly is not a defender. Would switch vermaelen to full back as he is having a shocked at centre and play koscielny next to BFG
i agree at old trafford the only time he showed ambition and drive was to get van persies shirt lol,january he must go and we must get another LB seriously….
The result against Manyoo was disappointing, but the game itself against Manyoo was utterly limp wristed, and a down right disgrace!
OK, we had plenty of possession but it was totally ineffective and clueless, partly because our opponents put a man (Rooney) onto Santi which stifled him, and Jack stills needs more game time!
Wow Wiggy
That’s the best review of the game that I have yet read.
You have rightly pointed out our biggest problem (toothlessness in attack caused by our lack of adequate support for OG) but you have not gone over the top and written off the whole team.
Excellent stuff and a fine sense of perspective.
One thing I would add is that ManUre helped stifle us by putting Rooney on Arteta (not on Santi – sorry Redders ) and that made it much harder for us to play our way out of defence.
And AW needs to make a decision about Vermaelen. His head doesn’t seem right at the moment.
I put Santos in purely because Gibbs is not currently fit. We could use that formation tomorrow night. Naturally I’d rather have Gibbs than Santos if fit.
THAT’S GOOD ANALYSIS. I HAVE ALWAYS ADVOCATED FOR A 4-2-2 SET-UP FOR A LONG TIME. THAT’S THE SYSTEM THAT BROUGHT US TROPHIES DURING THE TIMES OF HENRY, VIERA, PIRES ETC.
WENGER SHOULD SWITCH TO PLAYING TWO STRIKERS IMMEDIATELY. THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH HIM, IS THAT HE NEVER FOLLOWS ADVICE AND THINKS HE IS A GENIOUS IN FOOTBALL. HE IS NOT!
LET HIM TRY TO PAIR GIROUD AND PODOLSKI OR WALCOTT AND WE SEE HOW THE TEAM WILL PERFORM. PODOLSKI IS BEING WASTED ON THE WING AND EVER SINCE HE CAME TO ARSENAL, I’M SUPRISED HE HAS NEVER COMPLETED A FULL GAME. WHY? WHY? WHY?. WENGER ANSWER OUR QUERRIES.
Frederick
Back in the days of Bergkamp, Henry and Vieira we could have played 4-2-2 and still beaten everybody
Apparently Podolski has been carrying an injury he picked up with Germany during the internationals. Which begs the question of why keep playing him? Why not give Gnabry a chance, or play Santos wide left with Miquel at LB?
I think the answer to your questions Rocky is simple, Arsene is terrified of this Arsenal side. It loses games it should win, it wins games at the death when it should lose and it fights when he expects it to crumble.
In short, Arsene isn’t in control of this side at the moment. The understanding between the offensive players is at an all-time low, but I think that might be symptomatic of isolation rather than communication. Podolski and Giroud seem to be isolated in games. Poldi is wasted on the wing and he can’t influence a game like he can through the middle. He gets stuck trying to defend to help Santos and that isn’t where you want your Winger to be…you want him getting at the opposition full-back.
It is a difficult situation, but one that is easily sorted. Play 4-3-3 if you must, but tell your wingers (who really should be inside-forwards and not back-tracking all the time) to stay up there keeping the pressure on and task two of your centre-mids to cover the full-backs when required.
Well…that’s my opinion based on years of Football Manager and Championship Manager before that
Just an addition…if you keep 3 players up front, that is at least 3 players the opposition has to keep in their half to mark you.
Also, if they’re quick, then the opposition might double-up, then you’re really cooking with Gas. I like to call it intelligent football. Also, it offers the option of fast counter-attacking on the break. Something we haven’t seen for years.
great analysis i completely agree tha our wing play was pitiful slow and clueless i remember thinking that we so dont have a plan b that other teams could defend against us blindfolded if we keep pressing this 4-3-3 than the midfield and defence need to close down players higher up the pitch only that would be similar to what barca or lets say rather enviously dortmund play
I was so disappointed and for the first time I was ashamed of supporting Arsenal.
I still love this club — nothing can change that.
Let’s face it, there is no passion in this present administration. The manyooo team that battered (I call it batter because we were toothless) has nothing so great to have dealt with use in such manner.
Imagine RIO+Evans stopped us from hitting the back of the net for 90mins.
I have watched matches of Viera vs Keane in the past, it used to be clash of the titans each time. It’s sad to say, but it’s true that Manyooo against Arsenal has turned into a game of ‘Men’ against ‘Boys’.
So where does the problem lies?
With Wenger? The Team? The Board? Definitely not with us (fans)
The truth of the matter is the administration compares finishing fourth and of course above spurds to winning trophies. And at the end of each season they put the players who helped us finish in the fourth position on market. This makes me want to say that our joy as gunners should be buying a player for $1m and sell him at $40m. So pathetic.
I stopped having anything against VP on Saturday since we couldn’t prove it to his face that he was wrong to leave us. The poor guy is growing old and he can’t afford to build mansions in the sky.
I’ll just stop here forcefully, because the rage in me will not let me stop.
I hope for a team with a winning mentality and that will live to the true meaning of that word — gunner.
Whatever they do now will not make me stop loving this club. Afterall, its the crest I love.
Santos and Vermaelen are two players who belong on the bench , at best . I dont think Santos belongs in the premiership at all . Koscielny should be given a chance to find his form from last year and cover the centre next to Per who is rock solid . Podolski has not impressed in a while , and Ramsey is useless up there . Wenger actually should have started Walcott and Arshavin in the wings – who thought I would say this a month ago . Cazorla and Arteta are rays of light in this team , we all know that . Jack needs a bit more time . But we need a scorer and its high time for all fans to admit that . At best , we can again hope for 4th place . That is what we have become .
All good until your team sheet featured Santos . Who clearly is not a defender. Would switch vermaelen to full back as he is having a shocked at centre and play koscielny next to BFG
Agree. Santos keeps giving everybody hi-blood pressure !!
i agree at old trafford the only time he showed ambition and drive was to get van persies shirt lol,january he must go and we must get another LB seriously….
Hi WG,
The result against Manyoo was disappointing, but the game itself against Manyoo was utterly limp wristed, and a down right disgrace!
OK, we had plenty of possession but it was totally ineffective and clueless, partly because our opponents put a man (Rooney) onto Santi which stifled him, and Jack stills needs more game time!
Wow Wiggy
That’s the best review of the game that I have yet read.
You have rightly pointed out our biggest problem (toothlessness in attack caused by our lack of adequate support for OG) but you have not gone over the top and written off the whole team.
Excellent stuff and a fine sense of perspective.
One thing I would add is that ManUre helped stifle us by putting Rooney on Arteta (not on Santi – sorry Redders
) and that made it much harder for us to play our way out of defence.
And AW needs to make a decision about Vermaelen. His head doesn’t seem right at the moment.
Blimey, Thanks Rocky, you make me feel very humble indeed!! Thank you
WG
Good piece/lovely write-up, but wld Wenger ever consider this tactics? Thenn Gibbs in place of Santos is certainly better option for us.
Hi,
I put Santos in purely because Gibbs is not currently fit. We could use that formation tomorrow night. Naturally I’d rather have Gibbs than Santos if fit.
WG
THAT’S GOOD ANALYSIS. I HAVE ALWAYS ADVOCATED FOR A 4-2-2 SET-UP FOR A LONG TIME. THAT’S THE SYSTEM THAT BROUGHT US TROPHIES DURING THE TIMES OF HENRY, VIERA, PIRES ETC.
WENGER SHOULD SWITCH TO PLAYING TWO STRIKERS IMMEDIATELY. THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH HIM, IS THAT HE NEVER FOLLOWS ADVICE AND THINKS HE IS A GENIOUS IN FOOTBALL. HE IS NOT!
LET HIM TRY TO PAIR GIROUD AND PODOLSKI OR WALCOTT AND WE SEE HOW THE TEAM WILL PERFORM. PODOLSKI IS BEING WASTED ON THE WING AND EVER SINCE HE CAME TO ARSENAL, I’M SUPRISED HE HAS NEVER COMPLETED A FULL GAME. WHY? WHY? WHY?. WENGER ANSWER OUR QUERRIES.
I MEANT 4-4-2 NOT 4-2-2 SYSTEM. SORRY TO ARSENAL FANS
Frederick
Back in the days of Bergkamp, Henry and Vieira we could have played 4-2-2 and still beaten everybody
Apparently Podolski has been carrying an injury he picked up with Germany during the internationals. Which begs the question of why keep playing him? Why not give Gnabry a chance, or play Santos wide left with Miquel at LB?
Hi Rocky,
I think the answer to your questions Rocky is simple, Arsene is terrified of this Arsenal side. It loses games it should win, it wins games at the death when it should lose and it fights when he expects it to crumble.
In short, Arsene isn’t in control of this side at the moment. The understanding between the offensive players is at an all-time low, but I think that might be symptomatic of isolation rather than communication. Podolski and Giroud seem to be isolated in games. Poldi is wasted on the wing and he can’t influence a game like he can through the middle. He gets stuck trying to defend to help Santos and that isn’t where you want your Winger to be…you want him getting at the opposition full-back.
It is a difficult situation, but one that is easily sorted. Play 4-3-3 if you must, but tell your wingers (who really should be inside-forwards and not back-tracking all the time) to stay up there keeping the pressure on and task two of your centre-mids to cover the full-backs when required.
Well…that’s my opinion based on years of Football Manager and Championship Manager before that
WG
Just an addition…if you keep 3 players up front, that is at least 3 players the opposition has to keep in their half to mark you.
Also, if they’re quick, then the opposition might double-up, then you’re really cooking with Gas. I like to call it intelligent football. Also, it offers the option of fast counter-attacking on the break. Something we haven’t seen for years.
WG
Good points Wiggy.
I think the Theo contract issue is skewing the decision making.
I’m sure if he was signed up he would have played against ManUre.
great analysis i completely agree tha our wing play was pitiful slow and clueless i remember thinking that we so dont have a plan b that other teams could defend against us blindfolded if we keep pressing this 4-3-3 than the midfield and defence need to close down players higher up the pitch only that would be similar to what barca or lets say rather enviously dortmund play
Decent analysis.
I was so disappointed and for the first time I was ashamed of supporting Arsenal.
I still love this club — nothing can change that.
Let’s face it, there is no passion in this present administration. The manyooo team that battered (I call it batter because we were toothless) has nothing so great to have dealt with use in such manner.
Imagine RIO+Evans stopped us from hitting the back of the net for 90mins.
I have watched matches of Viera vs Keane in the past, it used to be clash of the titans each time. It’s sad to say, but it’s true that Manyooo against Arsenal has turned into a game of ‘Men’ against ‘Boys’.
So where does the problem lies?
With Wenger? The Team? The Board? Definitely not with us (fans)
The truth of the matter is the administration compares finishing fourth and of course above spurds to winning trophies. And at the end of each season they put the players who helped us finish in the fourth position on market. This makes me want to say that our joy as gunners should be buying a player for $1m and sell him at $40m. So pathetic.
I stopped having anything against VP on Saturday since we couldn’t prove it to his face that he was wrong to leave us. The poor guy is growing old and he can’t afford to build mansions in the sky.
I’ll just stop here forcefully, because the rage in me will not let me stop.
I hope for a team with a winning mentality and that will live to the true meaning of that word — gunner.
Whatever they do now will not make me stop loving this club. Afterall, its the crest I love.
Santos and Vermaelen are two players who belong on the bench , at best . I dont think Santos belongs in the premiership at all . Koscielny should be given a chance to find his form from last year and cover the centre next to Per who is rock solid . Podolski has not impressed in a while , and Ramsey is useless up there . Wenger actually should have started Walcott and Arshavin in the wings – who thought I would say this a month ago . Cazorla and Arteta are rays of light in this team , we all know that . Jack needs a bit more time . But we need a scorer and its high time for all fans to admit that . At best , we can again hope for 4th place . That is what we have become .