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The league is ours.
Don't think they are completely there attacking-wise yet. But there was progression today. If Podolski can keep finding those positions from the left, he will have many chances to score. The midfield is more than good enough to provide.
Its in the name if you ask me!Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie the Gooner
Only caught the 2nd half, but really impressed. Apart from maybe the last 10 mins we completely controlled it.
After all the negativity in the last few days its nice just to enjoy an Arsenal win..
Not worried about Giroud yet. I think he's clearly got more about him than he's showing now. You can just tell from the technique, movement, hold-up play that he is a good striker, but he needs to start sticking them away. The goals have to be a team effort. We're not going to have a striker like Van Persie getting 30+ in the league, so midfield and wide-forwards have to chip in a lot. Reckon Theo's in for a few goals this season but I get the feeling he won't play much until his future is sorted out.
How it generally works with the tippy-tappys (the proper ones) is that they don't need an 'adjustment period'. Cazorla looks like he's been playing in this league for years. The midfield balance looked very good (and it has in the previous 2 matches too, in fairness). Diaby's running power is exactly the reason I think we have badly needed a more dynamic player in there because Song and Arteta simply couldn't cover enough ground. But not convinced by Diaby yet - needs to stay fit and play this good all the time. I would keep Oxlade in midfield too if one of the other 3 are out, and if Wilshere's back soon and half as good as he was, we'll have a solid midfield.
Pretty muchQuote:
Originally Posted by Japan Shaking All Over
Wums :bow:
I don't know what team was playing in Purple today, but it wasn't Arsenal
This imposter team could defend from set pieces, man marked a striker out of the game, every player tracked back to help out the defence, drew fouls from the opposition to help break up attacking spells....got stuck in, in midfield and were reasonably clinical.
If anyone knows where the real Arsenal has got to, make sure it stays where it is!
Conceded 10 goals after three games last season. :lol: :doh:
Wenger :bow:
What?
Very pleasing today. Didn't expect that. Defence is looking solid. Mannone saved well a couple of times but flapped a bit too, will be happier when Chez is back. Midfield looks good. Nice to see Podolski and Carzola get off the mark - with new players it can take a while, we needed them to get going quickly. Giroud is a worry but he's getting in the right positions so hopefully he'll come good. All in all - best performance for a long time. Think we're going to be OK this year. Not champions, but I fancy us for another top 4 trophy.
:scarf:
:gp:Quote:
Originally Posted by Letters
Thats how we should be playing instead of worrying about possession all the time.
LOL at goonerswebbers, and this isn't a wum. The swing between the persistent moaning to the we are world beaters in 2 hours is why I cba with forums anymore.
Diaby, Jenkinson and Mannone are Like New Signings.
Diaby was brilliant. Even defensively. Injured on international duty?
Jenkinson, Vermaelen and Mertesacker were superb. Gibbs was out of position a few times, but was a good outlet again and much like Diaby, a run of games shows he can be a top, top, top player. Mannone did well too.
Arteta is just fantastic and has been for most of his Arsenal career so far. No-one can be questioning what he brings to the team. Keeps play flowing, rarely misplaces a pass, sets up attacks, cooly intercepts and with his tackling looks like the best defensive midfielder we never had.
With the space afforded against a team who actually tried to play football, Podolski and Cazorla showed what they can do. It's hard to express yourself fully against the 10-man defences of Sunderland and Stoke. Podolski was also hard-working all over the pitch again. Actually, most of the team were. Strange to see an Arsenal team working hard throughout a game.
Giroud missed a couple of chances again, but if he keeps getting into the right positions as he has done, the goals will definitely come.
With Szczesny, Sagna, Wilshere and Rosicky to come back, the options should be decent. At least until November when they all start dropping like flies that drop little bit physically.
Who has said (seriously) that we're suddenly world beaters?Quote:
Originally Posted by north bank nutter
Some have whined so much that they can't bear to praise the team but most are just pleased with the result and performance.
What's wrong with that?
People have praised an impressive performance and result, that's all.Quote:
Originally Posted by north bank nutter
Letters old bean, its more the sentiment that we are world beaters and the swing from the whining that I am getting at. As you would expect I am very happy we got a result.Quote:
Originally Posted by Letters
Sometimes you can get caught up in a vacuum on here. There are things fundamentally wrong with Arsenal at the moment but a lot of posters go way over the top, thats all I am saying.
Tara
:wave:
People certainly do kneejerk a lot but I haven't seen too much of it on this thread.
That term and any reference to it appears a grand total of once in this thread. :coffee:Quote:
Originally Posted by north bank nutter
Don't let the metaphorical door hit you on your metaphorical ass on the way out.
Do not forget we also have Cripps who can WUM here.Quote:
Originally Posted by GB.
Do. Not. Forget.
A good result in a match reaction thread is likely to get an....erm...good reaction.Quote:
Originally Posted by Letters
What a performance. The team was outstanding in particular Diaby who looked like an absolute monster in midfield.
I think I love Cazorla.
:rolleyes:Quote:
Wayne Rooney @WayneRooney
Diaby is a player don't know why he doesn't play more games
Quote:
Bacary Sagna @Sagnaofficial
Hey!!!! Abou !!!!!!! Everyone already knew he was very good..for the ones who still wonder...he answered properly to your questions lool
Same old GB, goonerswebbers recruiter extraodinaire. Or do you like your own voice in a closed shop rather than at the emirates. Oppps WUM offence, lifetime ban.Quote:
Originally Posted by GB.
That was a very different game for us. More open and against an attacking oppenent. It's rare to see us counter like that.
Which is what we need to do instead of pass pass and worry about possession.Quote:
Originally Posted by Power_n_Glory
I missed most of the match, but really enjoyed the replay of our first goal. We used to be blessed with goal after goal after goal like that.
Hopefully there is more to come.
I don't think the situation changes, to me we still look very light in terms of personnel up front, and lose our talismanic striker as well as seeing him score goals for your hated rivals is a very painful blow and won't be set right overnight.....today's result was a very nice tonic though
Giroud's movement is good but his finishing is scary.
great defending tho, Jenks, Verms, Merts, Gibbs, and Mikel were excellent in defense. As was Podolski in tracking back and defending 1v1.
Diaby was immaculate, best player on the pitch.
Didn't watch it, don't care if we won, lost or drew. Kroenke out, that's what it's all about.
A disciplined performance where everyone worked hard as a team on and off the ball for most of the game. Diaby showing us the potential he has again in driving a midfield, just needs to stay fit and be consistent. Cazorla pulling the strings, Podolski linking up well and playing in a very determined style again. His workrate is really good, getting back to defend and cover gibbs, you can see why he’s picked on the left for away games, he adds some steel to the side. Jenkinson and Gibbs again were solid, although Gibbs needs to be careful when he leaves gaps running forward, timing his runs better.
Arteta’s defense and discipline is very classy, he’s like Gilberto, sitting deep and intercepting, then keeping the ball and distributing it well. Shape off the ball was again good as well as the organization of the back four, although in the last 15 minutes we started to drop off a bit and allow Liverpool to hem us in, still an impressive performance.
:lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by Niall_Quinn
Cheer up NQQuote:
Originally Posted by Niall_Quinn
"Your girlfriend left you for another man
Don`t worry, Be happy
The council came to tow your van
Don`t worry, Be happy"
etc.....
Quote:
Originally Posted by Power_n_Glory
Perception. Perhaps Fat Sam was right about it.Quote:
Orbinho @Orbinho
Arsenal scored a divisional-high nine goals from counter attacks in the Premier League last season
It was less tippy tappy and Liverpool had a large chunk of possession. Against teams set up to defend, as seen with our first two games, we won't get to counter as much.Quote:
Originally Posted by Master Splinter
Agreed, this was more reminiscent of past teams. Not that I am suggesting we are anywhere near the competency of those teams - it is just a comment on the style.
The point is that we are supposedly terrible at counter-attacking these days, but this shows that we are joint-best in the League at it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Power_n_Glory
You can't counter against teams like Sunderland who barely venture out of their own box.
MS, I genuinely can't remember one counter-attacking goal we scored last season. Maybe their definition of 'counter attack' is a Song dink and a Van Persie volley?
I think the only solution to opening up the '10 men behind the ball' teams is filling the midfield and attack with tekkers. If many of Cathedral, Wheelshare, Oxlade, Pod are injured, we'll struggle.
Which is exactly the point I'm making, which is why i said it was a different game and that it's rare because most teams will sit deep against us. I didn't say we were rubbish at it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Master Splinter
Yeah, I think this sort of game would have been perfect for Theo. Poldoski did well today too but we need to come upQuote:
Originally Posted by Syn
with a system for the teams that park the bus. Diaby was also perfect for this sort of open game. He's able to turn on the ball quickly and make great powerful runs on the ball. It was really impressive. Grew in confidence as the came went on.
You said it was rare. Which it perhaps is. But it seems rare for most teams these days.Quote:
Originally Posted by Power_n_Glory
And it's often said on here how we can't and never do score on the counter.
The blinding brilliance of the Henry-Pires-Bergkamp-Ljunberg axis often warps people's memories so that everything then was perfect and everything now is deficient.
Off the top of my head, I can recall three RVC counter-attacking goals against Dortmund, Chelsea and United.Quote:
Originally Posted by Syn
I'm sure Maccy can help out with some others.