EPL Season

which part ?

Still, you can't tell me you are not looking forward to having Sagna back, to step over and help close down the middle.
 
originally posted by .sasha:
which part ?

Still, you can't tell me you are not looking forward to having Sagna back, to step over and help close down the middle.

My general tactical nous, really. Sagna is preferable to Eboue, but the right side really isn't the issue.

Koscielny was excellent today and Wilshire, well, word is he's headed to Madrid.
 
The middle needed to be closed down with more than two guys. Where the additional guys come from depends on the play, could be Song, Wilshire or either full back. Eboue did make it over but didn't really know what to do once he got there. Very lucky to allow only one in the first half. Agree on Koscielny, but individual skill of any defender won't do the trick against Barca away, need much better organization. Clichy needs to step up as well.

Amazing what Cesc can contribute, even when he is having a below average game.
 
originally posted by VLM:
originally posted by .sasha:
which part ?

Still, you can't tell me you are not looking forward to having Sagna back, to step over and help close down the middle.

Koscielny was excellent today and Wilshire, well, word is he's headed to Madrid.

Koscielny kept them in the game, along with Messi missing a chip shot he usually converts. Djourou had another good game, and Wilshere had a great game. Madrid? Let's hope that's one of those faux agent-created rumors. 19 years old?
 
originally posted by .sasha:
The middle needed to be closed down with more than two guys. Where the additional guys come from depends on the play, could be Song, Wilshire or either full back. Eboue did make it over but didn't really know what to do once he got there. Very lucky to allow only one in the first half. Agree on Koscielny, but individual skill of any defender won't do the trick against Barca away, need much better organization. Clichy needs to step up as well.

Amazing what Cesc can contribute, even when he is having a below average game.

Eboue is the one who cleared the ball during the mad scramble at the end. The man has his weaknesses, but his teammates love him, he plays hard, and he will do whatever Wenger asks. Sort of his Phil Neville (or Grimandi, part deux).

What I love about this team is that we have a four players able to pull out a flash of individual brilliance to win a match even on an off day: Cesc, van Persie, Nasri, Arshavin. Hopefully, we can add Theo and Jacky to that list soon. I was hoping Vela would be there too. I have some sort of attachment to him I can't explain. I want to badly to see him succeed and I don't know why.

I thought we were pretty well organized for 75% of the game. It's hard to keep to a tactical shape with the movement of Barca. I think it is a mistake to try if you are not a team that plays with those sorts of tactics. Maybe a Mourihno or Benitez managed team, but not Wenger.

I thought Song did a good job of covering (and if his yellow was deserved, which it was, Pique should have been carded a minute earlier). What I like is that his feet are never set, they are always moving, which is the only way to deal with Xavi. Did you see how he turned Jacky over and over again? That's because he sees (senses) when you set your feet and turns away from you. He is my favorite player in the world to watch.

We were unlucky not to get one in the first half. Football is a cruel game.
 
Not only are those four guys gifted individually, but we also got a rare glimpse of them playing together with Walcott still on the pitch. They were brilliant together; never crowded, and while Cesc was officially playing deeper from that point on, he and Nasri rotated beautifully a couple of times.
 
i had low hopes for the gunners seeing how barça controlled the game in the first half. it would be unfair to say van persie's goal was a lucky punch, but it's rare you get the ball in from such an angle. still, the gunners didn't steal the match. was impressive to see how arsenal made the winner in barça-stile. it was a great match to watch, especially regarding CL standards.
hope they will achieve a better outcome at the camp nou this time.
it's nice too be able to watch a game emotionally relaxed, when you support both teams.
wasn't like that the day before with berlusconi's team playing. but thankfully, crouch and the spurs saved the day.
 
there are two teams that I support who are still in this competition, Anders, and if by some miracle they end up playing each other, "emotionally relaxed" is hardly what comes to mind at the moment
 
great, now wenger wants to win the quadruple.

oy.

i'll settle for getting out of league cup final without any broken legs, for now.
 
what's the difference between the second label bottlings from the emirates and old trafford? it's certainly not talent.
 
originally posted by .sasha:
Is it just me or should Cesc not play on Sunday, full stop ?

Personally, I'd rest him. But if Wenger does, and we lose, then something dumb might happen.

I don't give a shit about second-tier silverware. The UCL and the EPL, in that order, are all that matter to me.

We should be able to beat Birmingham without Cesc.

Sagna-Djourou-Koscielny-Clichy/Gibbs
Song-Wilshire
Bendtner-Nasri-Arshavin
Van Persie

I might even start with Chamahk. I'm really worried about RvP picking up an injury before the Barca game.

I might also throw Diaby in there for Arshavin or Bendtner, if he is fit.

On a side note, I can't wait for Ramsey to get back in action.
 
Agree emphatically on all counts. I'd get the team committed, organized and motivated to play without Cesc sooner than later, not 12 hours before the game.

Except for one minor detail. For this particular game, I would like to see
Song Diaby/Denilson
AA23 Wilshire Nasri
Chamakh/RvP

Do you see where I am coming from ?
 
originally posted by .sasha:
Agree emphatically on all counts. I'd get the team committed, organized and motivated to play without Cesc sooner than later, not 12 hours before the game.

Except for one minor detail. For this particular game, I would like to see
Song Diaby/Denilson
AA23 Wilshire Nasri
Chamakh/RvP

Do you see where I am coming from ?

I do, but you can't trust Diaby to mind his chores. He's a Llundberg in a Vieira body.

I like Wilshire where he is for us tactically, because he can serve as our Pirlo. Nasri does well in that central position. And frankly they'll all wander around anyway.

I'd put Denilson there before Diaby, he's more committed to that position as well as disciplined. His form is daunting right now, to say the least. He was at least active against Leyton Orient.
 
I was just thinking that the team tends to fall asleep once in a while, which translates into lots of aimless possession against less gifted opponents. This is not to say that they haven't fallen asleep with Cesc on the picth - they have, but he has a tendency of doing brilliant things in his sleep :)
Having said that, if there is one person who tends to take the game to the opposition, it's Wilshire. If they show up with a B+ game but still dictate the proceedings, it should be good enough.
If you think Wilshire can have this kind of influence from a deeper position - OK with me.
 
originally posted by .sasha:
I was just thinking that the team tends to fall asleep once in a while, which translates into lots of aimless possession against less gifted opponents. This is not to say that they haven't fallen asleep with Cesc on the picth - they have, but he has a tendency of doing brilliant things in his sleep :)
Having said that, if there is one person who tends to take the game to the opposition, it's Wilshire. If they show up with a B+ game but still dictate the proceedings, it should be good enough.
If you think Wilshire can have this kind of influence from a deeper position - OK with me.

Can and does. Provides discipline and balance.

Looking forward to Sunday.
 
I can't find a thread on the main page about Carling Cup wine selections though. Weird.
 
originally posted by VLM:

I might even start with Chamahk. I'm really worried about RvP picking up an injury before the Barca game.

Good call.

And, imagine, Arsenal being plagued by a weak central defense and either weak or inexperienced players in goal.

Ouch. Painful.
 
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