Match Reaction vs Napoli (Champions League).

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Another great win. :bow:

[LDG]

Great performance. Bloody good stuff.

We looked like we could go and get one at any time if we wanted too, but nice to see us be sensible in the second half and do less running.

Jack looked a bit sharper again coming on. He's getting there slowly. And when he gets full pelt, he'll be fucking awesome.

Rambo, özil and flams bossed their asses in the first half. Abley assisted by sagna, rosicky, merts and giroud.

Excellent stuff :scarf:

[GP]

We're actually quite good, aren't we?

[milla]

WTF is wrong with Sky? Fat bint in tight pink one piece? :wwf:

[fakeyank]

Brilliant win!! :bow:

Ozil is awesome :cloud9:

[GP]

WTF is wrong with Sky? Fat bint in tight pink one piece? :wwf:

Pics or GTFO.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Arteta's head was quite badly cut up. :sick:

Hoddle in with the +1, we have problems if Giroud gets injured. :rolleyes:

[JonasTC]

Amazing game :dancingman:

Should this be our new tactic? Cazorla > Rosicky and when Wilshere decides to play barca-ball again he can take over for Arteta. But i really liked how it worked out for us reversing the triangle in midfield.

[The Ogg Monster]

Quite simply, it was a masterclass.


Wenger out.

[Xhaka Can’t]

Brilliant win!! :bow:

Ozil is awesome :cloud9:

If you come anywhere near London, I kill you.

[milla]

Pics or GTFO.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CPSep1r-quA/UYt0lhlZKVI/AAAAAAAACR0/hzcpfKKEvZU/s1600/_MG_6761_2.jpg

[Munchies]

WTF is wrong with Sky? Fat bint in tight pink one piece? :wwf:

She's the best they've got !

http://img005.lazygirls.info/people/hayley_mcqueen/hayley_mcqueen_sky_sports_news_hd_1st_february_201 2__7ZA3Ymt.sized.jpg

[GP]

Hawt.

[milla]

She's the best they've got !

http://img005.lazygirls.info/people/hayley_mcqueen/hayley_mcqueen_sky_sports_news_hd_1st_february_201 2__7ZA3Ymt.sized.jpg

That pic was like 2-3 years ago, now she is all fat, flab and love handle. :coffee:

[Munchies]

http://i.imgur.com/WKCzJ8Y.jpg

Great Show, Great Night, Perfect Position in the Group Stage ;) congrats to the team. #afc #arsenal #championsleague #giroud #özil #bfg #carzorla #lukaspodolski #podolski #poldi #aha

[milla]

http://i.imgur.com/WKCzJ8Y.jpg

Great Show, Great Night, Perfect Position in the Group Stage ;) congrats to the team. #afc #arsenal #championsleague #giroud #özil #bfg #carzorla #lukaspodolski #podolski #poldi #aha

Go Gunners :blow: :dancingman: :clap: :title:

[Munchies]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BVhSmTsCUAArmfE.jpg

[Munchies]

Also think MO said he went to this, he needs to go to more games :bow:

[Ollie the Optimist]

since we lost to villa, played ten games. won ten games. Arsene's getting that mojo back. i love this team right now. bring everyone on, we fear no one right now.

[I_Killed_Kenny]

That pic was like 2-3 years ago, now she is all fat, flab and love handle. :coffee:

Tbf she looks like a willing bird!

I wud for sure!

Bit of cushion for the pushin n all that

[I_Killed_Kenny]

Also think MO said he went to this, he needs to go to more games :bow:

Mans need to chip in for his season ticket

[Ollie the Optimist]

also who was that pundit who said we didnt need Ozil?


because he clearly is a fucking idiot

[Edinburgh Gooner]

Did ches make a save at all?

We were fucking awesome first half. Little bit amazing to say the least.

On we go to West Brom. Keep the wins coming boys.

[adzzzbatch]

also who was that pundit who said we didnt need Ozil?


because he clearly is a fucking idiot

That would be jamie redknapp, he thought he'd be better at man unitshite.

[milla]

On we go to West Brom. Keep the wins coming boys.

West Brom away would be tough especially after they won away at OT, and they wouldn't want a repeat of COC home defeat few days ago. :coffee:

[Özil's Panoramic View]

Didn't get to see game, but from all reports, we were bloody hell awesome.

Us. :bow:

[AKBapologist]

VENGERBÄLL™

[Ollie the Optimist]

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-B-ECbrM1_KE/UktIm9uekcI/AAAAAAAAAeI/97gMIQxEGoc/w506-h281/wengercelebration.gif

his celebration to Ozil's goal. what a man, jsut look at that passion. hes got his mojo back.


Arsene :bow:

[Transplanted Gooner]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21653074

[Marc Overmars]

Cracking win. The performance of a team at complete peace and full of confidence.

We are playing in little bursts at the moment, doing the damage quickly then defending very effectively. I can't get over how solid the back 4 are at the moment, it's as strong as it's ever been under Wenget IMO.

Flamini did a great job on Hamsik as well.

Atmosphere was great too, the Emirates is a much nicer place to be these days.

Arsenal. :bow:

[AKBapologist]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/piebury-corner-restaurant-near-arsenals-2328697?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
cunts

[Dein-machine]

In an awesome 1st half we could still afford Arteta & Rosicky going nowhere & giving the ball away. Just imagine Jack & Santi in there instead.
Best 45 mins as a gooner for ages.

[BOBN]

In an awesome 1st half we could still afford Arteta & Rosicky going nowhere & giving the ball away. Just imagine Jack & Santi in there instead.
Best 45 mins as a gooner for ages.
This is getting silly now.

Wilshere could have been selected, he wasnt. That boy has not played better in the last few years than Arteta and Rosicky did today.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

I think the manager has to force Jack to train and only allow him to pass or shoot with his right foot. I rate him above most but by golly does he avoid using his right foot at times!:wacko:

Rosicky was well off the pace. His passing was all over the place and his shooting was striaght out of the Gervais skool (I know he's playing well for Roma).

Wilshere is getting better without the pressure and I like not having to rely on him because ultimately I do believe he is the most talented of our British legion.

Ozil had possibly his best game. Until now I have got the feeling we've only seen his brilliance in flashes really.

[Chuck Felsea]

Two absolutely beautiful goals. Great match!

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Think BBC Sport summed up our performance succinctly as "accomplished", during periods of the first half it was definitely the most fluid we have played all season and for 75 minutes we were happy to soak up pressure and put in a mature performance to hold what we have and not go gung-ho in trying to extend our lead still further.
I found myself looking at the clock at the Emirates quite a lot counting down towards full time, because I nervously expected an onslaught from the away side but it was an onslaught that never came....and i honestly believe even with Higuain playing that it would not have made a difference to the result as he would have been starved of service just as much as Goran Pandev had been.

[Nayan]

90% us being awesome, 10% napoli being very shit indeed.

shit fans too - wooooo smashing up a pie shop for fucks sake.

wankers

[selassie]

That first half was a joy to watch, we were awesome for the first half an hour or so, tore them to shreads.

The team is looking so balanced, steady back four, Midfield functions very well and everybody is aware of their roles.

Everybody played well yesterday, special mentions to Ozil who was sublime in the first half and Ramsey who again was outstanding, I thought Giroud had a very good game too.

Things are starting to look very promising with this team, really pleased with the progress.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

90% us being awesome, 10% napoli being very shit indeed.

shit fans too - wooooo smashing up a pie shop for fucks sake.

wankers

Are we absolutely sure it wasn't maorigooner?

[Power n Glory]

Amazing game. Fast paced and the best we've played in years. Arteta and Rosicky coming into the squad made a huge impact. One touch passing. When was the last time we've one touched it all over the place like that? Fantastic stuff. I can't wait for Cazorla to get in on the act.

[AFC Leveller]

It makes a huge difference having a solid defense that you know will keep it tight and steady. I dont wana jinx anybody by saying we have turned a defensive corner but you can see we are more mature, more balanced and less error prone. Noone out there panicked when the ball came long or when crosses came in and Napoli resorted to long shots that never looked liked going in.

Ozil again behind it all. what makes him such a great player is that his passes tend to go straight to their man and he rarely passes or crosses for the sake of it, really classy player.

[I am invisible]

Just caught the highlights - been a while since I've seen an Arsenal team looking this confident and disciplined at the same time. Good stuff.

I mentioned this on AHFC before it closed, but I'm loving the number of different ways we can use our midfield options at the moment - pick any 3 out of Flamini, Arteta, Wilshere, Ramsey, Rosicky, Cazorla and Özil and you're looking at a pretty solid, creative central trio, and a number of different ways you can shape the side to suit any given opponents. Really can't wait to get Cazorla back now - I have a feeling him an Özil are going to really benefit from playing each other.

And speaking of Cazorla, wasn't he saying he was hoping to be back for the Napoli game? What happened there?

On the defensive side of things, it's good to see everyone maintaining the same humility and work rate that's been a characteristic of this side since March - I know that should be a given at all times, but I've seen enough recent Arsenal sides who look like like they get it one week, and then get carried completely away with their own good form the next, and start shirking the donkey-work, that I find myself grateful to see it each week. This is going to be key to our season - we're on an amazing run right now, but we can't start thinking that we're so good that we can start relying on just the GK, CBs and DM to sit back and do all the work, while everyone else swans off up front all game.

Is it just me or does Giroud look a little more agile(?) this year? I mean, he's never going to be fast, or skin defenders for speed, but he looks a little bit lighter on his toes this year, and his reactions that little bit faster...

[Dein-machine]

This is getting silly now.

Wilshere could have been selected, he wasnt. That boy has not played better in the last few years than Arteta and Rosicky did today.

Jack played well against Swansea & gives us a presence going forward. With Flamster & Arteta starting we need players of quality & drive in the final 3rd. Rosicky was shit yesterday which is why he was taken off very early for a Wumger substitution.
Playing against a team that gave us few problems in attack & were defensively shit, do we really need Arteta playing backwards passes

[Power n Glory]

Jack played well against Swansea & gives us a presence going forward. With Flamster & Arteta starting we need players of quality & drive in the final 3rd. Rosicky was shit yesterday which is why he was taken off very early for a Wumger substitution.
Playing against a team that gave us few problems in attack & were defensively shit, do we really need Arteta playing backwards passes

Arteta and Rosicky weren't shit. When was the last time we played with such speed and pace? A few missed placed passes shouldn't disguise the fact that we looked like a totally different team compared to last weeks performance. One touch football, fluid movement and hard pressing.

[Power n Glory]

For the first time in ages, I saw the core trio in the middle working close together. No massive gaps between the DM and other central players. Not many occasions where someone is on the ball struggling to find a passing option because a teammate has wondered too far up field leaving the other isolated. Just good movement and positioning.

[Dein-machine]

Arteta and Rosicky weren't shit. When was the last time we played with such speed and pace? A few missed placed passes shouldn't disguise the fact that we looked like a totally different team compared to last weeks performance. One touch football, fluid movement and hard pressing.

We did but surely your not suggesting Rosicky & Arteta are helping with our speed & pace, Arteta sends it backwards & Rosicky was passing to them. A few missed placed passes isn't good enough with the time they were given on the ball yesterday, Rosicky offered us a bit of midfield spark at the end of last season & he played well but we have that spark in abundance now with the likes of Rambo, Ozil & Santi. They are all far more consistant than Rosicky with a better end result.
Arteta was doing a job as a DM which is not how I remember him at Eveton. His quality around the box used to set up a lot of their goals & he scored a few himself. He is not strong or fast enough & is the worst tackler in the team, not an ideal DM but he was given the job because we had no one else after Song left. Now we have Flamini & thats his role. Therefore unless Arteta starts going forward more & being a bit more ambitious then he's bench bound.

[Power n Glory]

http://www.zonalmarking.net/2013/10/01/arsenal-2-0-napoli-arsenal-win-the-game-early-by-attacking-down-the-right-flank/

Good piece from Zonal Marking as well.

Playing Ozil and Cazorla out wide might work.

[Power n Glory]

We did but surely your not suggesting Rosicky & Arteta are helping with our speed & pace, Arteta sends it backwards & Rosicky was passing to them. A few missed placed passes isn't good enough with the time they were given on the ball yesterday, Rosicky offered us a bit of midfield spark at the end of last season & he played well but we have that spark in abundance now with the likes of Rambo, Ozil & Santi. They are all far more consistant than Rosicky with a better end result.
Arteta was doing a job as a DM which is not how I remember him at Eveton. His quality around the box used to set up a lot of their goals & he scored a few himself. He is not strong or fast enough & is the worst tackler in the team, not an ideal DM but he was given the job because we had no one else after Song left. Now we have Flamini & thats his role. Therefore unless Arteta starts going forward more & being a bit more ambitious then he's bench bound.

Yes, I'm totally suggesting that.

[Dein-machine]

Yes, I'm totally suggesting that.

Where did all the damage get done yesterday. Where was all the clever link up play at pace. Down the right side. Rambo was playing right of Ozil with Rosicky on the left. Nothing happened on the left whatsoever. What the hell did Rosicky do apart from pass to them.

[BOBN]

Where did all the damage get done yesterday. Where was all the clever link up play at pace. Down the right side. Rambo was playing right of Ozil with Rosicky on the left. Nothing happened on the left whatsoever. What the hell did Rosicky do apart from pass to them.
Cool, just say you cant wait till Cazorla is back. Stop trying to sneak Wilshere in on that. He played in the second half. We were superior in the first.

[Power n Glory]

Take them out of the equation and you'll soon see. It was fluid movement all over the pitch. What enabled that? Dismiss Arteta and Rosicky all you want but I'd say they bring a better balance to the team. When fully fit and shaking off that rust, I expect more.

Ozil hardly saw the ball in the last game. Why was that?

[Dein-machine]

Swansea didn't allow him space & they had the ball more than us

[Power n Glory]

Swansea didn't allow him space & they had the ball more than us

Why did they have the ball more than us?

[Dein-machine]

Cool, just say you cant wait till Cazorla is back. Stop trying to sneak Wilshere in on that. He played in the second half. We were superior in the first.

My original thread said Santi & Jack in for Arteat & Rosicky, so how am I sneaking Wilshere in? Jack did more in 30 mins than Rosicky did all game. It doesn't matter when Santi's back Rosicky is back to being a bench warmer - I thought we were building a new team for future success - Arteta & Rosicky - really!

[PGFC]

Why did they have the ball more than us?

They were at home :good:

[Dein-machine]

Why did they have the ball more than us?

Because we play counter attacking football away from home & we let them have it to try & draw them out - Rambo's words after the match.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

the chant is back



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j71Dj7fyvSs


love the huge flags being waived around behind the goal when we enter the pitch and after we score too. Really have made the Emirates ours. It finally feels like home and it's purely down to performances on the pitch.

[Marc Overmars]

I was in the Clock End. The back and forth chant went on for a good 4-5 mins. :d

The atmosphere was great, the normally vociferous Italian fans couldn't get a word in.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

Was it all 4 corners of the stadium or just 2 stands?

[Marc Overmars]

At its loudest it was just between the North Bank and Clock End. I didn't realise the East Stand were involved as well until seeing that video.

[Power n Glory]

Because we play counter attacking football away from home & we let them have it to try & draw them out - Rambo's words after the match.

Plenty of games to go but we'll see what the team looks like in the coming games.

What about last season? Wilshere and Ramsey have no partnership. It just doesn't work.

Plenty of games to go and this is by far the best we've played in years. I'd keep the same line up for the next game and see what happens.

[Özim]

Great win last night, missed both goals sadly as I didn't get in until about 25 minutes of the match had gone but saw the reply, Ozil's was excellent and so was Girouds.

Must say Ozil is having a big impact already and I think he's helping some of the others raise their game, like Ramsey and Giroud. If we can win out two remaining home games then we should be through meaning we can relax for the tough away games at Dortmund and Napoli (they'll be more of a threat at home of course and with Higuain back).

[selassie]

Plenty of games to go but we'll see what the team looks like in the coming games.

What about last season? Wilshere and Ramsey have no partnership. It just doesn't work.

Plenty of games to go and this is by far the best we've played in years. I'd keep the same line up for the next game and see what happens.

I love Jack, but he wouldn't feature in my Strongest XI. Right now I like the Ramsey & Flamini partnership with Ozil playing behind Giroud. I would pick Theo & Cazorla for the flanks. Arteta & Rosicky would miss out too, as would Podolski. When everybody is fit we have great depth & quality in Central Midfield and on the Flanks.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

Jack's having a season where he's finding his feet. A kind of adjustment period. One player usually goes through this every season and this year it's Jack.

We can rest him in the league and play Arteta, Flamini, Ramsey and Ozil to make sure Jack doesn't exhaust himself the way he has done in the past. That doesn't mean he'll never play, it just means he wouldn't be in my starting XI right now. He can come off the bench in the latter parts of the game like he did last night when we want to control the game, and there will be inevitable injuries between now and the end of the season where he can claim a starting spot again. We can also play him in the cup games where he can be the heart and soul of us reaching a final this year, meaning we can rest the big guns for the league.

In other words, we have some depth and options. It feels fucking good for once.

[Power n Glory]

I love Jack, but he wouldn't feature in my Strongest XI. Right now I like the Ramsey & Flamini partnership with Ozil playing behind Giroud. I would pick Theo & Cazorla for the flanks. Arteta & Rosicky would miss out too, as would Podolski. When everybody is fit we have great depth & quality in Central Midfield and on the Flanks.

I usually support Theo but he'd be on the bench for me. Impact sub to stretch the game if needed. Hanging on the back of a defender and looking for service all game won't cut it. In the long term, he's going to have a short career when his pace has gone.

I'd play Cazorla and Ozil out wide. Flam, Arteta and Ramsey in the middle.

[Nayan]

Are we absolutely sure it wasn't maorigooner?
not unless he divided himself into a dozen masked chaps wearing napoli stuff and swinging belts at people

[BOBN]

I usually support Theo but he'd be on the bench for me. Impact sub to stretch the game if needed. Hanging on the back of a defender and looking for service all game won't cut it. In the long term, he's going to have a short career when his pace has gone.

I'd play Cazorla and Ozil out wide. Flam, Arteta and Ramsey in the middle.
I repeat, you play your best player(s) down the middle. As good as Ramsey has been I see nothing that makes him worthy of effectively superseeding Ozil and shunting him out wide.

[Power n Glory]

I repeat, you play your best player(s) down the middle. As good as Ramsey has been I see nothing that makes him worthy of effectively superseeding Ozil and shunting him out wide.

Ozil drifts and doesn't stay in the middle of the field and it's the same for Cazorla. They're intelligent enough to interchange.

[PGFC]

Are we absolutely sure it wasn't maorigooner?


not unless he divided himself into a dozen masked chaps wearing napoli stuff and swinging belts at people

Maori wouldn't have left any evidence, or pies.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Just caught the highlights - been a while since I've seen an Arsenal team looking this confident and disciplined at the same time. Good stuff.
Is it just me or does Giroud look a little more agile(?) this year? I mean, he's never going to be fast, or skin defenders for speed, but he looks a little bit lighter on his toes this year, and his reactions that little bit faster...

Giroud mos def has a spring in his step mate.

[BOBN]

Ozil drifts and doesn't stay in the middle of the field and it's the same for Cazorla. They're intelligent enough to interchange.
And they will, when Cazorla returns to the left. It would be surreal to start our two best players who would both prefer to be central, on the periphery for the sake of a young boy coming through who hasnt shown playmaking ability.

[Power n Glory]

And they will, when Cazorla returns to the left. It would be surreal to start our two best players who would both prefer to be central, on the periphery for the sake of a young boy coming through who hasnt shown playmaking ability.

It's not for the sake of Ramsey. I'd usually agree with you on this but from what I've seen of Ozil and what I've read about his positioning, he floats deep, floats to wide spaces and sometimes pops up behind the striker. Wasn't that evident from last night?

[Power n Glory]

A another piece on Ozil and positioning.

http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/tacticsandanalysis/id/1828?cc=5739


In modern football, the vast majority of top-class European clubs agree on the basic principles of attacking play. It's extremely rare to see a half-decent side knock a long ball from defence, and it's become increasingly uncommon to witness relentless crossing from wide.

Instead, top-level football is about short passing, through-balls, and exploiting pockets of space either side of the opposition defence. There are certain qualities you unquestionably require to play this way: patient midfield passers to initiate the buildup, incisive creators capable of penetration and quick forwards who can sprint beyond defences.

However, you also want intelligent movement, in order for players to locate space for themselves and create space for teammates. Movement remains the most underrated quality in attacking play -- it's less obvious than raw speed, less quantifiable than reliable or incisive passing, but it can be equally important. Oscar was Chelsea's best player against Hull on the opening weekend of the season because of his contribution without the ball, rather than his (considerable) quality in possession.

- Palmer: Papering over cracks
- McAleer: Creative kingpin

A friend of mine -- a statistics-obsessive who fancies himself as football's answer to Billy Beane -- is convinced that football's widely available stats, based around contributions in possession, offer only a small insight into the quality of attacking play. He remains convinced that the game-changing metric will be about space and movement, a measure that continually tracks the distance between an attacker and his nearest opponent, then produces an average figure assessing how much space he enjoys when his side are in possession.

If and when such a statistic becomes available, you can be assured Mesut Ozil will come out looking rather good. The first time I watched him play for Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, I was struck by his spatial awareness and his inventive movement -- how he consistently makes untracked runs away from opponents, but also away from teammates.

There are certain features you only appreciate fully when watching a top-class footballer in the flesh. The extent of Cristiano Ronaldo's superhuman leap. Andres Iniesta's amazing change of direction in possession, combined with his quick right-left-right slalom past opponents. Frank Lampard's seamless ability to let lateral passes from the left flank run across his body with his back to goal, before turning and charging into space on his right foot. Falcao's amazing knack of always moving in the exact opposite direction to everyone else in the penalty box, inevitably reaching rebounds quicker than others. Lionel Messi's ludicrous capability to be sprinting at full pelt, charging past opponents on his way into the penalty box, desperate to get himself into a goal-scoring position, before coming to a sudden, brilliantly-timed stop to find room to shoot.

Ozil's spatial awareness is in that category. It is more impressive when you can view the whole pitch at once, when you can properly assess the gaps and the channels and the pockets of space, when you're following the ball but have to turn your head to track Ozil's movement in the opposite direction. Opponents never seem comfortable with Ozil's positioning -- he can find the space between them all, he helps attacks flow on with the ball, and without the ball.

"There are lots of thick footballers out there," former Manchester United defender Gary Neville wrote in his autobiography. "Players with huge talent when the ball is at their feet, but no real understanding of where to move or how best to link with their teammates."

Neville's example of the opposite was Zinedine Zidane, the man who Ozil considered his idol. "For me, he was the perfect player," says the German. When Ozil was a kid, "everyone tried out Zinedine Zidane's tricks but I found I could do them quite easily." Clearly, the admiration didn't run both ways, considering Zidane is now Real's sporting director, and must have had some level of influence in Ozil's departure.

Mesut Ozil touches heat mapOther / ESPNA heat map showing Mesut Ozil's touches in La Liga during his three seasons at Real Madrid.

Football has changed in the decade since Zidane's peak; it's simultaneously faster and more structured. Teams have become more compact without the ball, protecting their defence more keenly -- especially in central positions, where managers are determined not to allow opponents freedom in the "red zone," that dangerous square of space between the two centre-backs and the two central midfielders. Number tens are forced to be more inventive with their movement, drifting from flank to flank, then up to the striker, then back into the midfield.

Ozil specialises in his drifts out wide, partly because of the tactical situation at his previous two clubs. At Werder Bremen, as Raphael Honigstein put it in the Guardian back in 2009, "Operating behind the strikers, he's both a playmaker and an auxiliary winger; his intelligent runs provide the width that should be missing in Thomas Schaaf's diamond formation."

That is quite a task, but Ozil did something similar at Real Madrid. There, he played in a team featuring two wingers who wanted to cut inside: Cristiano Ronaldo from the left onto his right foot, Angel Di Maria from the right onto his left. Ozil made unusual, arcing runs around the outside, to maintain the balance. "My team-mates know me as a player who is not selfish," says Ozil.

At Arsenal, he'll probably drift both ways again -- Santi Cazorla always drifts inside from the left, and should interchange positions regularly with Ozil, while right-sided attacker Theo Walcott increasingly makes direct runs into a centre-forward position, giving Arsenal pace in behind but leaving the right flank bare. Ozil can drift across to cover.

That lateral balance is particularly important, not merely for stretching the play when trying to break down opponents, but for remaining in a good defensive shape, even in possession. At Barcelona, Pep Guardiola insisted upon his attackers making a reverse run to compensate for the movement of a team-mate, ensuring the side was evenly-distributed in order to press quickly. It prevents the opposition from immediately charging into an obvious gap on the break, something Arsenal can be vulnerable to, particularly in the space behind Walcott, a contributing factor in Bacary Sagna's recent struggles.

Put simply, Ozil might be the best 'off-the-ball' player in world football. Complementing an attacker's ability out of possession is often regarded as damning them with faint praise, the equivalent of teenage boys sniggering that their mate's new girlfriend 'has got a great personality', the way Elvis Costello once wryly observed that Morrissey 'writes great song titles'.

But Ozil has recorded more assists than any other footballer in Europe's major five leagues over the past half-decade -- his off-the-ball ability can hardly be masking any shortcomings in possession when he's Europe's most prolific deliverer of the final pass. Arsenal have signed an exceptional footballer.

[Syn]

Our attacking play in the first half yesterday:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BVlXpVRCAAAqyOo.png

The Ozil-Ramsey show out on the right.

[Munchies]

Napoli midfielder Marek Hamsik hails Arsenal display


Napoli midfielder Marek Hamsik admitted there was a gulf between his side and high-flying opponents Arsenal on Tuesday.

The Italians gave away two goals in the opening 15 minutes to lose 2-0 at Emirates Stadium in their Champions League Group F game.

The result was Napoli's first defeat of the campaign, and Hamsik told Sky Italia: "We have to compliment Arsenal. They deserved the win.

"When you come up against a team like this one, there are differences.

"We knew of Arsenal's quality, how they enjoy to control possession and you can only beat them if you play in the same way."

Hamsik believes his team should have done better, especially early on.

"You cannot start a game in the manner that we did," the Slovakia international said.

"We gifted them with 15 minutes and two goals.

"After that, it becomes difficult to take a positive result against a team like Arsenal.

"They were just devastating early on and we were terrible."


Napoli were hindered by the absence of Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain, who failed a last-minute fitness test.

"Higuain is an important player," Hamsik said.

"But there are others who filled in and we should have done better.

"We can certainly learn and improve from this."

Napoli, who are third in the group, three points adrift of leaders Arsenal, travel to France to face Marseille on October 22.

[JonasTC]

Our attacking play in the first half yesterday:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BVlXpVRCAAAqyOo.png

The Ozil-Ramsey show out on the right.

Doesnt surprise me, we attacked that side. Zuniga is naturaly a right midfielder/wingback played out of position (left back) and insigne isnt really known for his defensive skills.

[Maestro]

"Put simply, Ozil might be the best 'off-the-ball' player in world football. Complementing an attacker's ability out of possession is often regarded as damning them with faint praise, the equivalent of teenage boys sniggering that their mate's new girlfriend 'has got a great personality', the way Elvis Costello once wryly observed that Morrissey 'writes great song titles'.

But Ozil has recorded more assists than any other footballer in Europe's major five leagues over the past half-decade -- his off-the-ball ability can hardly be masking any shortcomings in possession when he's Europe's most prolific deliverer of the final pass. Arsenal have signed an exceptional footballer."

[Maestro]

"It is Ozil that makes the side play, and his appreciation of space is incredible. He has a phenomenal ability to drift between the lines and find himself free. So often you could pause the game and draw a triangle or a square around the three or four players closest to him; Ozil would be precisely in the center. It's a difficult thing to quantify, difficult to outline why being five yards from the midfield and five yards from the defense is significantly better to being, say, seven yards from the midfield and three yards from the defence, but at this level, margins like that matter.
His thinking in such situations doesn't stop there. When one of the opposing players realizes Ozil is free and moves toward him, Ozil recognizes he's now being tracked and replicates his opponent's movement to keep a good distance between himself and his marker. There's two effects of that. First, the other opposition players see he's being tracked by a teammate so don't bother picking him up, despite the fact that the defender is never in control of the situation. Second, the opponent becomes dragged out of position to leave a gap for someone else to exploit. It sounds simple enough on paper, but it's more difficult to combine this constant movement with the actual concept of playing football -- getting the ball, creating chances. He's not just playing tag."

:haha: :bow::bow::bow:


http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/news/_/id/7454124/outlining-mesut-%C3%96zil-importance-real-madrid-michael-cox

[Xhaka Can’t]

I thought it was a piss-take when we were after Suarez - yet now we have Ozil.

I still can't fricken believe it.

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

I thought it was a piss-take when we were after Suarez - yet now we have Ozil.

I still can't fricken believe it.

*looks for post where I agreed with you to delete it*

[BOBN]

It's not for the sake of Ramsey. I'd usually agree with you on this but from what I've seen of Ozil and what I've read about his positioning, he floats deep, floats to wide spaces and sometimes pops up behind the striker. Wasn't that evident from last night?
I know he drifts but there shouldnt be any unnecessary restrictions placed on him. Positions are more about what happens when he dont have the ball afterall.

Let one of the lesser players "chase full backs" as Mourinho puts it. Next to Ozil they are all lesser players.