View Full Version : What the Liverpool result showed us
1. We are not credible title defenders - everyone thought we had this kind of result in us despite being at the top for a while, and they were right
2. Why Wenger wanted Kallstrom (why we signed him when he was injured is a different matter)
3. We remain vulnerable to tactical managers who have the players to match ours
4. Ozil was not what this team needed
5. A proper front 3 will always be a greater threat than a team that relies on midfield for goals
6. Giroud has been over-used and is not enough for a title winning team
7. This result, against a top team away, has been coming, and (scoreline aside) there's noone who is really surprised by our vulnerability
8. Our manager can do top 4, but his methods are unlikely to bring us much more than that
Am I wrong?
Power n Glory
09-02-2014, 08:00 PM
I disagree with point 7. I never once thought we'd take such a hammering. A loss, yes, but not not a complete beating where we failed to turn up. The defence have been consistent all season but that was a shocker from them.
But other than that you're right.
I disagree with point 7. I never once thought we'd take such a hammering. A loss, yes, but not not a complete beating where we failed to turn up. The defence have been consistent all season but that was a shocker from them.
But other than that you're right.
Yeah - like I say, the scoreline surprised us - but IMHO anyone who was surprised by our capitulation is in denial regarding our performances this season. What's worrying is that Wenger seems blind to his frailties. We have addressed some areas this season, yes. But I have said all along that there's been no fundamental step change in this team, And deep down, we, and everyone else, knows this.
Power n Glory
09-02-2014, 08:33 PM
After seeing what we did in the transfer window, a complete capitulation wouldn't surprise me either. All the hard work we've put in early in the season may just go to waste. One or two key signing would have given us a mental lift but Wenger has decided once again to ignore the obvious. I don't know what's wrong with him.
After seeing what we did in the transfer window, a complete capitulation wouldn't surprise me either. All the hard work we've put in early in the season may just go to waste. One or two key signing would have given us a mental lift but Wenger has decided once again to ignore the obvious. I don't know what's wrong with him.
....and THAT is why Gooners have been restless despite riding high in the league. The Wenger blind spot is the most frustrating part of being a Gooner!
Power n Glory
09-02-2014, 08:43 PM
It's like 2008 all over again. Unbelievable.
That every dog can have its day :shrug:
Ollie the Optimist
09-02-2014, 08:45 PM
the fact you don't think mesut ozil was what this team needed means you don't understand Mesut Ozil. he gave this team a huge lift, and is a genuine world class player who's movement, passes and vision brings out the best in his team mates.
We play the wrong game for Ozil, unless we change our style of play to pacier attacking we'll never make the most of his talents.
That every dog can have its day :shrug:
the fact you don't think mesut ozil was what this team needed means you don't understand Mesut Ozil. he gave this team a huge lift, and is a genuine world class player who's movement, passes and vision brings out the best in his team mates.
Quite right.
Munchies
09-02-2014, 09:21 PM
the fact you don't think mesut ozil was what this team needed means you don't understand Mesut Ozil. he gave this team a huge lift, and is a genuine world class player who's movement, passes and vision brings out the best in his team mates.
I was giving Ozil a chance, but he's playing shit for a while now. Watch him play, all he's doing is the odd laboured passes here and there. He's not running at defenders, he's not running into space. Look at the home game against Napoli, that's the best I've seen Ozil play for us where he did both. Yes he has a sack of shit in Giroud up front, but he doesn't look up for it right now. When he loses the ball, he doesn't even bother getting it back. Yesterday, he barely got touched by Henderson and fell on his arse which cost us a goal, and then he misplaced a pass for another.
Drop him for a few games and put Rosicky in place.
Niall_Quinn
09-02-2014, 09:45 PM
It shouldn't be allowed - any of it. It's a disgrace.
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon
09-02-2014, 09:59 PM
The Liverpool result showed us that we'll be lucky to stay up this season. If we do then we need to get Mcleish in ASAP
KSE Comedy Club
09-02-2014, 10:29 PM
I disagree with point 1.
It should read 'contenders'
We cant really defend something we haven't won for quite a while.
Letters
09-02-2014, 10:37 PM
I don't think it showed us that much tbh, it was just a freak result. As poor as we were and as good as Liverpool were to concede 4 goals that quickly happens extremely rarely. On another day we may still have lost but more narrowly and I don't think a narrow defeat would have led to as much hand wringing.
Wednesday's game will tell us more. If we can't pick ourselves up and win against a poor Utd side at home then I fear for us.
I don't think it showed us that much tbh, it was just a freak result. As poor as we were and as good as Liverpool were to concede 4 goals that quickly happens extremely rarely. On another day we may still have lost but more narrowly and I don't think a narrow defeat would have led to as much hand wringing.
Wednesday's game will tell us more. If we can't pick ourselves up and win against a poor Utd side at home then I fear for us.
Yep, I agree, this game wasn't really representative of the qualities of either side.
I don't think it showed us that much tbh, it was just a freak result. As poor as we were and as good as Liverpool were to concede 4 goals that quickly happens extremely rarely. On another day we may still have lost but more narrowly and I don't think a narrow defeat would have led to as much hand wringing.
Wednesday's game will tell us more. If we can't pick ourselves up and win against a poor Utd side at home then I fear for us.
One another day we'd have lost 8-1, to be honest if you look at Liverpools chances we should have because they missed some real sitters on the way.
Freak result, perhaps, but we've not been playing well for a while and have gotten away with results we didn't necessarily deserve after only turning up for half an hour of matches in some cases.
The Liverpool result also showed us what having two decent strikers does, it gets you goals something we've found a bit harder to come by this season.
Our team has looked tired since December (I find that odd to be honest), with that in mind we should have added some numbers in January given our injuries rather than adding to our injury list.
Letters
09-02-2014, 10:46 PM
We haven't been playing well for a while but we have responded well to setbacks so far this season so let's hope we do on Wednesday. 5-1 actually flattered us but it was just a freak game, I"m not reading too much into it. The panic button will be well and truly pressed if we lose on Wednesday though.
Munchies
09-02-2014, 10:47 PM
One another day we'd have lost 8-1, to be honest if you look at Liverpools chances we should have because they missed some real sitters on the way.
Freak result, perhaps, but we've not been playing well for a while and have gotten away with results we didn't necessarily deserve after only turning up for half an hour of matches in some cases.
The Liverpool result also showed us what having two decent strikers does, it gets you goals something we've found a bit harder to come by this season.
Our team has looked tired since December (I find that odd to be honest), with that in mind we should have added some numbers in January given our injuries rather than adding to our injury list.
:gp:
The defeat just highlighted the deficiency of the team, the midfield and striking area mostly which Wenger time and time again keeps failing to address. The defence did as well as they could do really, and aren't to blame. Liverpool dominated us, and also showed that Wenger was very slow in actually even doing anything about the team. Why wait until we're dead and buried in the second half to finally make changes ? They should've happened before we went 3 down, and we might have had a chance in changing the game around.
Maureen would've been on his touchline, changing everything around. Wenger just let them continue on.
We haven't been playing well for a while but we have responded well to setbacks so far this season so let's hope we do on Wednesday. 5-1 actually flattered us but it was just a freak game, I"m not reading too much into it. The panic button will be well and truly pressed if we lose on Wednesday though.
Man U really are awful so we may get a result on Wednesday, our tough matches come after that and in March IMO.
Letters
09-02-2014, 10:52 PM
Man U really are awful so we may get a result on Wednesday, our tough matches come after that and in March IMO.
Well played. Now you can dismiss a good result and moan about a bad one.
Nice :good:
:gp:
The defeat just highlighted the deficiency of the team, the midfield and striking area mostly which Wenger time and time again keeps failing to address. The defence did as well as they could do really, and aren't to blame. Liverpool dominated us, and also showed that Wenger was very slow in actually even doing anything about the team. Why wait until we're dead and buried in the second half to finally make changes ? They should've happened before we went 3 down, and we might have had a chance in changing the game around.
Maureen would've been on his touchline, changing everything around. Wenger just let them continue on.
Yeah I agree, he's obsessed with ball playing midfielders and there's no real balance, he tries to convert players into DM when we should really just sign one and be done with it.
The problem up front again seems to be linked to the midfield and his expecation that goals should come from these players, why not just sign a goalscorer as well, it gives you another dimension.
As for his performance on the touchline, that was shocking for me, we were getting slaughtered and he just sat their doing nothing, he didn't shout instructions to his players, change tactics or make any substitutions, he watched us being dismantled, Liverpool looked like they were going to score everytime the came forward and he just watched, that's inexplicable as I thought it was his job to make changes and organise his team particularly when things are going wrong.
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon
09-02-2014, 10:54 PM
Mikel Arteta: "I've never seen Arsčne Wenger angrier than at Anfield." (Guardian)
Arsene :bow:
Marc Overmars
09-02-2014, 10:55 PM
Liverpool have dished out plenty of pumpings this season, there was always a risk of getting a beat down if we didn't turn up.
Well played. Now you can dismiss a good result and moan about a bad one.
Nice :good:
Not really they drew with Fulham who are absolutely sh*t and have been losing loads of games, it's not well played at all it's fact. Beating Man U wouldn't be a good result, it should be an expected result given how bad they are.
Liverpool have dished out plenty of pumpings this season, there was always a risk of getting a beat down if we didn't turn up.
Yeah they have, people were writing them off before our match, but the fact is they have a very potent attack and are capable of taking teams apart. Kinda highlights the merits of a quality forward line.
Mikel Arteta: "I've never seen Arsčne Wenger angrier than at Anfield." (Guardian)
Arsene :bow:
Arteta has a guardian, explains a lot tbf.
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon
09-02-2014, 10:58 PM
Not really they drew with Fulham who are absolutely sh*t and have been losing loads of games, it's not well played at all it's fact. Beating Man U wouldn't be a good result, it should be an expected result given how bad they are.
:haha:
:haha:
What's funny, don't you think we should be beating Man U given the state they're in?
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon
09-02-2014, 10:59 PM
What's funny, don't you think we should be beating Man U given the state they're in?
I think you're funny. I thought it would be hard to replace Cripps but you're doing a brilliant job. Keep it up.
Marc Overmars
09-02-2014, 11:00 PM
Of course beating United would be a good result Zim. We rarely do it, so even though they're pretty shit now they're still more than capable of causing us trouble.
I think you're funny. I thought it would be hard to replace Cripps but you're doing a brilliant job. Keep it up.
Right :unsure:
Munchies
09-02-2014, 11:04 PM
I think you're funny. I thought it would be hard to replace Cripps but you're doing a brilliant job. Keep it up.
Don't really disagree with him, he's making good points.
United are shite right now. Only thing holding us back is that our players freeze against them as a team.
They've lost to teams like West Brom, Newcastle, Swansea this season.
Of course beating United would be a good result Zim. We rarely do it, so even though they're pretty shit now they're still more than capable of causing us trouble.
That's due to our inadequacies though, right now they're an awful side, just look at some of their results, the fact we struggle to beat them shouldn't detract from that.
It would only be a good result in context of how poor we have been against them in recent times, but in reality given the position of both sides and the state of each club it wouldn't be.
I agree they can cause us trouble but again that's because they have a decent forward line and goals win matches, once again it shows the merit of having decent forwards over a midfield you expect to score goals.
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon
09-02-2014, 11:07 PM
Don't really disagree with him, he's making good points.
United are shite right now. Only thing holding us back is that our players freeze against them as a team.
They've lost to teams like West Brom, Newcastle, Swansea this season.
Munchie they are the reigning champions. We hardly ever beat them.
How would beating them not be a good result?
Munchies
09-02-2014, 11:09 PM
Munchie they are the reigning champions. We hardly ever beat them.
How would beating them not be a good result?
It'd be a good result, I'm not saying it wouldn't.
I'm just saying that it should be an expected result.
Only thing which will hold us back is our players freezing because of their name. Nothing else. Time to put these fuckers away.
Munchie they are the reigning champions. We hardly ever beat them.
How would beating them not be a good result?
The fact they are champions is kinda irrelevant, that was with Ferguson in charge and they guy worked miracles given how average his squad was, but then he was once of the world's best ever managers.
The fact we hardly beat them is again due to our inadequacies, it doesn't reflect how good they are (not this season anyway). If you look at how poor they have been this season and they're results in even the most recent times they are not a good side.
If you're basing it on our psychological block and their past achievements under a previous manager then yes it's a good result, if you're basing it on their side this season and their performances however it isn't, it's a result people should expect.
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon
09-02-2014, 11:15 PM
The fact they are champions is kinda irrelevant, that was with Ferguson in charge and they guy worked miracles given how average his squad was, but then he was once of the world's best ever managers.
The fact we hardly beat them is again due to our inadequacies, it doesn't reflect how good they are (not this season anyway). If you look at how poor they have been this season and they're results in even the most recent times they are not a good side.
If you're basing it on our psychological block and their past achievements under a previous manager then yes it's a good result, if you're basing it on their side this season and their performances however it isn't, it's a result people should expect.
Yeah apart from the fact we've already lost to them this season.
Beating them would be a brilliant achievement.
Yeah apart from the fact we've already lost to them this season.
Beating them would be a brilliant achievement.
Well yes we lost to them this season, but again we failed to turn up, had we played like we can we'd have won because look at how many poor results they've had this season. The irony is they didn't even play well in that match, we got done by a striker who can score goals (always a risk when teams have goalscorers).
It would be great to beat them, I don't think it would have quite the same meaning as it would have had when Ferguson was in charge however.
Letters
10-02-2014, 07:50 AM
Not really they drew with Fulham who are absolutely sh*t and have been losing loads of games, it's not well played at all it's fact. Beating Man U wouldn't be a good result, it should be an expected result given how bad they are.
Chelsea drew with West Ham who are shit but Mourinho is the bestest westest manager ever.
See? I can cherry pick results too.
Chelsea drew with West Ham who are shit but Mourinho is the bestest westest manager ever.
See? I can cherry pick results too.
Cherry pick this, Man U's games this year:
Won 3 (one against Sunderland in the cup which they ended up getting knocked out of at the end of that match), drawn 1, lost 5.
But by all means don't let that stop you, carry on WUMming :lol:
I don't think it showed us that much tbh, it was just a freak result. As poor as we were and as good as Liverpool were to concede 4 goals that quickly happens extremely rarely. On another day we may still have lost but more narrowly and I don't think a narrow defeat would have led to as much hand wringing.
Wednesday's game will tell us more. If we can't pick ourselves up and win against a poor Utd side at home then I fear for us.
It's not really the scoreline that I'm interested in - but the manner in which a team that on the season's results so far should have had real title aspirations performed. Saturday felt like a sea change in the title race for good reason. It highlighted our vulnerability to superior tacticians; our inability to maintain focus and team work rate; and the flaws in our match preparation. It highlighted also the basic imbalance of our team when put under real pressure (and by this I mean a team prepared to come at us at pace and expose our full backs' high line - which most teams are too scared to do). This would have been the case had the match stayed at 2-0).
Liverpool have been a force at home - but we beat them at the Emirates and we should have been on the front foot here - an Arsenal team lauded for its attacking play exposing their dodgy defence. Instead, we started sluggishly and without focus - like we did against Southampton - and paid for it. Zim's right when he points out that we have been putting in mediocre performances for a while now. We have been winning games by playing for 10 to 15 minutes - in a way doing the minimum to get the result. Thisis fine against teams that we can control (ie those nervous about committing to attack) - but won't cut it against the better teams.
The other factor of our recent run of games is that our wins have tended to rely heavily on one particular player having a purple patch - rather than an outstanding team performance like we saw from Liverpool yesterday, or Chelsea against Citeh. This has been fine - because different players have stepped up - but relying on individual brilliance worries me - because it leaves us vulnerable. Let's not kid ourselves - we have better players than all but the other 4 top teams in the country and therefore should be beating most. But how effective have we been when taking on our 'equals'. For all the psychological issues we have with Manure - player wise they are not at present our equals, and this is why a home game against Moyes' flounderers will tell me less than Saturday did.
As for Ozil - I think people are being blinded by his reputation rather than what they are seeing on the pitch. He gave us a lift when he came for sure, and we saw some flashes of brilliance, but he has looked disinterested for a while now, and anyone who thinks he is playing to his massive potential is in la la land. Sure, people will point out that he doesn't have the runners for his passing skills, or that he's not a game changer in the mould of a Rooney a Suarez or a (Ya Ya) Toure. But whether he's the wrong fit for our team, or whether he is not up for the challenge - he simply isn't justifying his rep or his price tag at present. Look to a certain attacking MF in South West London to see what we should be entitled to expect from Ozil.
selassie
10-02-2014, 02:43 PM
It's not really the scoreline that I'm interested in - but the manner in which a team that on the season's results so far should have had real title aspirations performed. Saturday felt like a sea change in the title race for good reason. It highlighted our vulnerability to superior tacticians; our inability to maintain focus and team work rate; and the flaws in our match preparation. It highlighted also the basic imbalance of our team when put under real pressure (and by this I mean a team prepared to come at us at pace and expose our full backs' high line - which most teams are too scared to do). This would have been the case had the match stayed at 2-0).
Liverpool have been a force at home - but we beat them at the Emirates and we should have been on the front foot here - an Arsenal team lauded for its attacking play exposing their dodgy defence. Instead, we started sluggishly and without focus - like we did against Southampton - and paid for it. Zim's right when he points out that we have been putting in mediocre performances for a while now. We have been winning games by playing for 10 to 15 minutes - in a way doing the minimum to get the result. Thisis fine against teams that we can control (ie those nervous about committing to attack) - but won't cut it against the better teams.
The other factor of our recent run of games is that our wins have tended to rely heavily on one particular player having a purple patch - rather than an outstanding team performance like we saw from Liverpool yesterday, or Chelsea against Citeh. This has been fine - because different players have stepped up - but relying on individual brilliance worries me - because it leaves us vulnerable. Let's not kid ourselves - we have better players than all but the other 4 top teams in the country and therefore should be beating most. But how effective have we been when taking on our 'equals'. For all the psychological issues we have with Manure - player wise they are not at present our equals, and this is why a home game against Moyes' flounderers will tell me less than Saturday did.
As for Ozil - I think people are being blinded by his reputation rather than what they are seeing on the pitch. He gave us a lift when he came for sure, and we saw some flashes of brilliance, but he has looked disinterested for a while now, and anyone who thinks he is playing to his massive potential is in la la land. Sure, people will point out that he doesn't have the runners for his passing skills, or that he's not a game changer in the mould of a Rooney a Suarez or a (Ya Ya) Toure. But whether he's the wrong fit for our team, or whether he is not up for the challenge - he simply isn't justifying his rep or his price tag at present. Look to a certain attacking MF in South West London to see what we should be entitled to expect from Ozil.
:gp:
Globalgunner
10-02-2014, 06:20 PM
Ozil gave us a lift, but in reality, the main reason why we are in a position to even think about maybe challenging was the first 3 months performance of Ramsey. If this season's Ramsey had been the turgid player of last season, we would be 10 points behind Chelsea, fighting it out with the Spuds like we usually do. I doubt we will see a purple patch from a player like that for ages again.
I'd agree with you there. I am not on an anti Ozil crusade, but it a fair question to ask whether, with Rosicky and Cazorla both players in his position, he was the best way to spend 42M. If he was pulling up trees like Hazard the question would not be asked. But he's not. As Blink points out on the other thread - the Ozil signing does question what the manager's big plan is - or whether there really is one?
Marc Overmars
10-02-2014, 06:49 PM
I'd agree with you there. I am not on an anti Ozil crusade, but it a fair question to ask whether, with Rosicky and Cazorla both players in his position, he was the best way to spend 42M. If he was pulling up trees like Hazard the question would not be asked. But he's not. As Blink points out on the other thread - the Ozil signing does question what the manager's big plan is - or whether there really is one?
Well there might have been a plan initially with Higuain or Suarez (players for a position we badly needed) but after they failed it was a case of just doing something, anything, to appease the fans who were at their wits end. A lot of our recent signings have been opportunistic and born out of circumstance - Ozil hinging on the Bale deal, punt on Flamini who just happened to be training with us, Cazorla and Monreal from cash strapped Malaga, you could even include Henry in 2012, and of course going further back the deadline day rush in 2011 after the squad was decimated.
Wenger is a great manager at working with what he's got but I'm not convinced he has a grip on things in the transfer market.
Niall_Quinn
10-02-2014, 07:24 PM
They could have appeased the fans for a lot less than 42mill quid. Most would have settled for pretty much anything at such a late stage in the window. It doesn't make any sense at all for a club notorious for hanging onto the cash to suddenly splash 42mill on one player just to keep the fans happy. A decade of pissing us off in the transfer window and we still come back for more. Besides, if Ozil thought he was some sort of token signing why would he come her at all? Ozil's the first of a few big names or else his signing is a complete waste of the money.
They could have appeased the fans for a lot less than 42mill quid. Most would have settled for pretty much anything at such a late stage in the window. It doesn't make any sense at all for a club notorious for hanging onto the cash to suddenly splash 42mill on one player just to keep the fans happy. A decade of pissing us off in the transfer window and we still come back for more. Besides, if Ozil thought he was some sort of token signing why would he come her at all? Ozil's the first of a few big names or else his signing is a complete waste of the money.
It does when there's little time left in the transfer window and barely anyone available, he was high profile and he became available. I rate him very highly, however looking at it from a purely logical perspective, we didn't particularly need a player in his position.
Great signing, but not in a position you would have considered us weak in.
Hazard has been terrific though, but it has taken him a bit of time to get that good and I don't think we'll see the best of Ozil until next season. Still think we need to adapt our style of play to suit him, it wouldn't be a bad thing though, I think our slow paced football is dull as dishwater at times and an injection of pace would ramp up the excitement considerably.
I was giving Ozil a chance, but he's playing shit for a while now. Watch him play, all he's doing is the odd laboured passes here and there. He's not running at defenders, he's not running into space. Look at the home game against Napoli, that's the best I've seen Ozil play for us where he did both. Yes he has a sack of shit in Giroud up front, but he doesn't look up for it right now. When he loses the ball, he doesn't even bother getting it back. Yesterday, he barely got touched by Henderson and fell on his arse which cost us a goal, and then he misplaced a pass for another.
Drop him for a few games and put Rosicky in place.
Dont worry pal, people want to close their eyes when its certain players. I remember getting stuck into that Arshavin early, but unluckily for me he was still in one of the fan favourite untouchable types so of course it was because I was blind, didnt understand him etc
Tbf I was glad when we signed Ozil but all that nonsense about him being the best player in the league or best player to arrive in the league is dead. Hes about 2 months of more shytness away from being our Fernando Torres.
We learnt against liverpool that speed kills in this league. In England, a rookie like Sterling is a better and more dangerous player than seasoned internationals like Podolski, Giroud and even Ozil. Sooner we get away with this feeble tiki-taka rubbish and get some athletes in the better.
We also learnt Wilshere cant cut it in CM (and maybe even anywhere). Experiment over.
Power n Glory
10-02-2014, 10:02 PM
It does when there's little time left in the transfer window and barely anyone available, he was high profile and he became available. I rate him very highly, however looking at it from a purely logical perspective, we didn't particularly need a player in his position.
Great signing, but not in a position you would have considered us weak in.
Hazard has been terrific though, but it has taken him a bit of time to get that good and I don't think we'll see the best of Ozil until next season. Still think we need to adapt our style of play to suit him, it wouldn't be a bad thing though, I think our slow paced football is dull as dishwater at times and an injection of pace would ramp up the excitement considerably.
I was under the impression he'd improve the other players around him but now it's looking like we'll need a lot more to get the best of him. Or maybe he just needs time to adjust. Our style of play keeps changing and it's hard to pin down what exactly it is we're doing. We've stopped pressing defensively, it looked like we played a higher line against Liverpool and the passing and movement has become more labored. We're not breaking quickly enough for counters and it's an old Wenger cliche but we lack sharpness.
I knew the fluidity of our play had taken a knock since losing Cesc and I'd say the quick and efficient play was a result of us not being able to string together endless passes like we used to. I wouldn't say it was a tactic to sit deep and then break. Not intentionally. When Ozil, Rosicky, Ramsey and Cazorla were on there game, that fluency came back and the players kept interchanging. It was more like the total football we used to play. But since the Christmas break that has gone out the window and we're struggling to string passes together and open teams up. We may need to go back to basics and focus on defence because I think that period of playing champagne football may have gone to the players heads and they're trying to replicate it all the time.
I was under the impression he'd improve the other players around him but now it's looking like we'll need a lot more to get the best of him. Or maybe he just needs time to adjust. Our style of play keeps changing and it's hard to pin down what exactly it is we're doing. We've stopped pressing defensively, it looked like we played a higher line against Liverpool and the passing and movement has become more labored. We're not breaking quickly enough for counters and it's an old Wenger cliche but we lack sharpness.
I knew the fluidity of our play had taken a knock since losing Cesc and I'd say the quick and efficient play was a result of us not being able to string together endless passes like we used to. I wouldn't say it was a tactic to sit deep and then break. Not intentionally. When Ozil, Rosicky, Ramsey and Cazorla were on there game, that fluency came back and the players kept interchanging. It was more like the total football we used to play. But since the Christmas break that has gone out the window and we're struggling to string passes together and open teams up. We may need to go back to basics and focus on defence because I think that period of playing champagne football may have gone to the players heads and they're trying to replicate it all the time.
Well said. Whether its because of fatigue; complacency or other managers simply getting better at working us out (and here, I would mention the 'lesser' teams that have worked us out tactically and fustrated us even though we've won), playing a high line is leaving us vulnerable rather than giving us a consistent scoring platform. If we're going to adopt a 'play for 15/20 minutes approach' - which is what we've been doing - then why the fuck don't we hold back and compress the space in behind, and defend as a team - then looking to exploit when the opposition tires in the second half?
As for Ozil - I get that he might need time to adjust; that the Spanish league isn't as physical; that many of Wenger's successes have been gradual rather than instant. But 42M is a lot to spunk on a player that needs a season to improve - in other words a prospect rather than someone who can do the business right now. How good would we be, for example, if we'd shelled out 8M more and landed Suarez (IMO 50M would have got Suarez in the Summer, with his ban still hanging over him) - or even Higuain? Seems to me that Ozil was bought because he was a Wenger laminate and available, rather than the product of any proper plan to make us function better as a team this season. In any event, when you consider Wenger's most expensive signings - after Ozil they are Cazorla; Arshavin; Nasri; Wiltord and Reyes - he ain't great at spending money!
In any event - when you look at some of Ozil's work at the beginning of the season and at Southampton, for example - where he shows that he can battle and run when he wants to. Its hard to avoid the impression that he's not giving us 100% - which is unforgivable given his cost - if true.
Power n Glory
11-02-2014, 02:19 PM
I know the Spanish league isn't all that physical but we've seen players like Torres, Augero, Silva and Toure slot right in after playing in La Liga. Cazorla had no problems in his first season with the physical side of things. Even little Robinho was able to pull off some magic when he could be bothered. It's a tough league but I would have thought fatigue would have been more of problem and we'd see his performance level drop after 60 minutes or something like that.
I really surprised at how he's playing. It's all pass and move from him with very few attempts to take on his man to create space. I wouldn't mind if he wanted to play that sort of style by dropping deeper to help build attacks but I really can't stand to see players not attempt to shake their marker and just attempt ball into feet with the odd through ball all day when in the final third. It's lazy. Someone has to step up the pace and we've seen it recently when Cazorla scored two goals and then Ox against Palace. More purpose and drive. I'm hoping to see that against Man Utd because Ozil has it in his locker.
AFC Leveller
11-02-2014, 03:10 PM
It showed us that our worst nightmare, ie the old Arsenal of recent years, can manisfest itself at any given match against the big boys (and Southampton, Villa and West Brom).
Tomorrow night is HUGE, a win would set up nicely for the weekend game but a loss or even draw would represent a step back after taking 2 or 3 this season.
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