Arsenal Mania: Brace Yourselves

[Raees]

It's showing no sings of changing. Losing only 1-0 against the worst Chelsea side in the last decade is no measure of progress.

A highly motivated Chelsea side who has their number. The reigning champions no less. Costa was huge for them today as was Fabregas.. both were instrumental in them becoming champions last year and both were missing against us.. that duo if highly motivated are incredibly dangerous.

Then you had an Arsenal side which was missing first choice DM in Coquelin, their best winger Sanchez from the start..(in a tactical sense, probably their most useful players and in terms of balls, the two players who can give Arsenal bit of grit) - oh and Cazorla, considering that, I do not think they played too badly compared to Arsenal performances of old which were tepid, boring and going absolutely nowhere on the ball.

 

[Traub]

Is it? I mean does anyone really dread playing Sunderland?

I think Bournemouth and Sunderland may be difficult due to the timing i.e. they may need to save themselves from relegation. On paper though, those two games aren't too tough.

 

[Triple.Threat]

Made to be even a bigger idiot.

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[Vialli_92]

Although I always expect Wenger to bottle it and am never, ever surprised every time he inevitably does...

... if Wenger can't win this league this year, he's never going to win it again will he?

Fixed for you mate

Wenger is the problem, he's too stubborn to spend money.

It would actually be scary if Wenger actually went out and spent £100 million to improve the team.

 

[Eboue]

You pick out Sunderland but 5 of those 7 games are against Man Utd, Spurs, Everton, West Ham and Man City. Yes, it's tough.

Leicester has Man City, Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Man United, Chelsea, Sunderland

Man City has Sunderland, Chelsea, Southampton, Swansea, Bournemouth

Tottenham has Man City, West Ham, Liverpool, Chelsea, Stoke

I mean, it's mostly pretty balanced. You can make lists like that for every team.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Leicester has Man City, Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Man United, Chelsea, Sunderland

Man City has Sunderland, Chelsea, Southampton, Swansea, Bournemouth

Tottenham has Man City, West Ham, Liverpool, Chelsea, Stoke

I mean, it's mostly pretty balanced. You can make lists like that for every team.

City's is comfortably the easiest out of that lot.

 

[Damien]

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[Tyrion]

You pick out Sunderland but 5 of those 7 games are against Man Utd, Spurs, Everton, West Ham and Man City. Yes, it's tough.

Normally after tough runs like that, they've been thrown out of every competition so it'll be progress if they are still a few points off the top of the league at the end of that run.

 

[Zoo]

 

[izec]

 

[Kentonio]

It's showing no sings of changing. Losing only 1-0 against the worst Chelsea side in the last decade is no measure of progress.

This isn't nearly the worst Chelsea side in the last decade, its just a Chelsea side who had lost their heads and their way, and are now slowly recovering. This side is considerably better than the one that won us the Champions League.

 

[Snow]

Absolutely. LVG is mainly at fault but if we are going to compete for trophies we have to admit some players are not good enough. Rojo, Blind, Herrera, Mata, Darmian, Schneiderlin spring to mind.

You say these players aren't good enough but Ox, Bellerin, Coq and Ramsey would improve us? Can't agree with that at all despite you naming mostly first team players in a fully fit Arsenal squad.

 

[Skills]

 

[Mciahel Goodman]

Absolutely. LVG is mainly at fault but if we are going to compete for trophies we have to admit some players are not good enough. Rojo, Blind, Herrera, Mata, Darmian, Schneiderlin spring to mind.

Rojo has hardly played. Blind is good enough. Herrera, yeah, too inconsistent, I agree there. Mata, meh. Darmian, too early to tell. Schneiderlin can be good enough.

 

[Sammyjunn]

Think they're quite average tbf (whole league is), I've seen better and more dominant Arsenal sides in recent years, even though they have a better squad at the moment. City are favourites for me, and would orefer them to win over Arsenal, I absolutely hate Arsenal fans and have never heard a Man City fan..

 

[TrustInJanuzaj]

If you can't see how a team which now has Sanchez and Cech and Bellerin is an improvement on their sides a few years back with Skizzo in goal, Sagna and relying on Walcott as their main wide threat isn't getting better, you must be blind. Not to mention, Ozil actually looks a threat in tough physical games now.

There are still some deep flaws in this team, but objectively they are definitely getting better regardless if the likes of Chelsea have declined in space of 5 months.

But is this Arsenal side really better than the side with Van Persie, Fabrigas, Nasri etc... The answer is 100% no and the fact that people don't see that shows how far English football has declined over the last decade.

 

[Gentleman Jim]

I just think Arsenal will do it this year.
I'm going against the grain and dismissing Leicester, Tottenham will lose too many 6 pointers and City will not get Kompany back in A1 condition so will leak too many goals in tight games.

Predictions at the moment

PL 1 Arsenal 2 City 3 Spurs 4 Leicester
FAC Chelsea
C1C City
CL Barca

Boat Race Oxford.

 

[Gentleman Jim]

But is this Arsenal side really better than the side with Van Persie, Fabrigas, Nasri etc... The answer is 100% no and the fact that people don't see that shows how far English football has declined over the last decade.

Right that Arsenal team is slightly inferior to that of 5 years ago but the middling teams in PL are now harder to beat as squads are bigger and players they can sign are better.

 

[montpelier]

I think this Arse team is strong apart from the central defence of Kos & Per - who always get done over by quality opposition. And they need a dominant DM, better than Coquelin even - who I don't rate meself, but there we are.

 

[montpelier]

Disappointed to report that they seem quite sensible to me (match thread now they've calmed down, maybe) and are calmly swapping some quite decent points tbf.

However, there is this little gem of a rant.

Our team are a bunch of small time losers, bar Sanchez, who will probs be off in the summer.
Games like this make you remember why Özil still gets slated by some pundits. Need him to f*cking step up and dominate a massive game this with his AMAZING quality against a top side, rather than just acting like a neat and tidy pansy.

Was close to tears tbh in the immediate aftermath, it's the bloody hope that kills you with arsenal; every year they let you down in an increasingly soul destroying and painful way than they did the previous year. Just not fair.

Theo simply needs to f*ck off, 320 games you're having a laugh. He's achieved sh*t all in his career and has not improved one bit. He's an appalling player, and if we ever want to progress to the next level we HAVE to be ruthless in offloading players with piss poor technical ability.

Devastated.

 

[Raees]

But is this Arsenal side really better than the side with Van Persie, Fabrigas, Nasri etc... The answer is 100% no and the fact that people don't see that shows how far English football has declined over the last decade.

Fair point.

 

[SteveJ]

I want to throw my phone at this f***ing projector screen in front of me...

Me too. I was so angry that I repeatedly launched my champagne glass at my diamond-covered home cinema screen until people finally noticed that I had a diamond-covered home cinema screen. Then I came here to post about my diamond-covered home cinema screen.

 

[Archie Leach]

But is this Arsenal side really better than the side with Van Persie, Fabrigas, Nasri etc... The answer is 100% no and the fact that people don't see that shows how far English football has declined over the last decade.

Bit misleading naming those three players. RVPs only top class years were after the other two had left and yeah we had one bumper season in 08 when we got 83 points but basically the same team was fairly average either side of that. Shoddy defence been the main issue. Nasri gave us about six good months. I'd say our current team compares.

 

[Ryan7]

Is it just me or does Claude call Robbie 'Blobby' at 3:41?

 

[Red Dreams]

Bit misleading naming those three players. RVPs only top class years were after the other two had left and yeah we had one bumper season in 08 when we got 83 points but basically the same team was fairly average either side of that. Shoddy defence been the main issue. Nasri gave us about six good months. I'd say our current team compares.

your midfield has been dodgy. think Wenger is trying to strengthen there. The title is really between Arsenal and City. Lots of games to go.

 

[Mciahel Goodman]

I only enter these meltdown threads for Angry Claude's rantings. "Wenger needs to be sacked" -- they win, "Wenger needs to stay forever".

 

[Archie Leach]

your midfield has been dodgy. think Wenger is trying to strengthen there. The title is really between Arsenal and City. Lots of games to go.

Too much reliance on Coquelin for balance. Elneny is supposed to offer an alternative so will have to see how that plays out. Interestingly it was Flamini who did that job in 07/08 when we came close to winning it.

 

[Red Dreams]

Too much reliance on Coquelin for balance. Elneny is supposed to offer an alternative so will have to see how that plays out. Interestingly it was Flamini who did that job in 07/08 when we came close to winning it.

Flamini missed a golden opportunity this match. Here is some comfort. You lot play a lot better football atm than us. Yes. I heard this new lad is pretty good.

 

[Archie Leach]

Flamini missed a golden opportunity this match. Here is some comfort. You lot play a lot better football atm than us. Yes. I heard this new lad is pretty good.

Considering many of your fans consider your play to be the worst in the league, that is no comfort.

 

[Loon]

Seeing Claude and the explosion in the merchandise shop fella (is in hovering in this one?) all the time must be tedious for Arsenal fans.

Do they head straight for the cameras at full-time?

 

[Red Dreams]

Considering many of your fans consider your play to be the worst in the league, that is no comfort.

fair point

 

[Skizzo]

If you can't see how a team which now has Sanchez and Cech and Bellerin is an improvement on their sides a few years back with Skizzo in goal,

Why don't I remember this?

 

[kouroux]

Seeing Claude and the explosion in the merchandise shop fella (is in hovering in this one?) all the time must be tedious for Arsenal fans.

Do they head straight for the cameras at full-time?

It's a bit staged obviously.

 

[Castia]

Their away fixtures are tough. City will start to run away with it come March.

 

[Rooney in Paris]

Disappointed to report that they seem quite sensible to me (match thread now they've calmed down, maybe) and are calmly swapping some quite decent points tbf.

However, there is this little gem of a rant.

Sure it's a rant, but he's got a point. Özil had the type of game which highlights the weaknesses many have been pointing out for ages (both pundits and fans) and Walcott is absolutely useless. Ramsey also was very poor.

 

[diarm]

Arsenal's problem is the same as Arsenal's problem has been since the likes of Dixon, Adams, Campbell and Stone fecked off. Their defence is shite yet they insist on sending their fullbacks tearing up the field at every given opportunity.

I would say that in my lifetime, there hasn't been a side so consistently vulnerable to the exact same counterattack as Arsenal have been for the last 10 years. The red card yesterday was just another example of the same thing. Slow, average centre backs expected to cope with breakaways while their fullbacks are 40 yards up the field.

 

[thepolice123]

 

[LeChuck]

That is amazing.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Ffs, I love this channel.

Such great entertainment.

 

[CLARiiON]

Someone mentioned Walcott is now the captain!?