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--------------------------Cech--------------------------
Bellerin---------Mustafi--------Boss----------Monreal
--------------Elneny----------Coquelin----------------
-----------------------Xhaka---------------------------
Perez-----------------------------------------Sanchez
----------------------Iwobi----------------------------
.....I can but dream can't I :sleep:
You seem to have missed out our best player there chief.Quote:
Originally Posted by Maestro
No I didn't miss him out "chief", just gave him a sit down for this one. Pragmatic, ugly, contra attacking football and just get the three points. Put the hardest running and most physical team out there.Quote:
Originally Posted by Douglas Reynholm
Can't see WUMger tinkering for a fixture like this anyway, it will likely be the same team that beat Hull.
Doubt it very much as well, let's hope those on the pitch man up and smack down Chelsea.Quote:
Originally Posted by Marc Overmars
Swap Perez around with Iwobi or I'd be tempted to start Walcott up front with Iwobi wide. Would be interesting to see if Iwobi can play through the middle though. I already think he could make a good number 10.Quote:
Originally Posted by Maestro
Like the rest of the league, we've been doing the ugly part for quite a while tbh. But it you want effective counter attaching football, Xhaka would be best served deeper than that to maximise his full range. You're going for a Liverpool style, false 9 thingamajig but Iwobi is too raw to trust as the spearhead in a game like this I think. I reckon Alexis will keep his place upfront anyway. 4 goals in his last 4 in that position can't all be bad (ok PSG the shape changed before he scored but he was in a strikers position when it counted).Quote:
Originally Posted by Maestro
Cech, Gibbs, Koscielny, Mustafi, Bellerin, Eleny, Xhaka, Ozil, Iwobi, Sanchez, Perez
We don't need him :sulk:Quote:
Originally Posted by Douglas Reynholm
Said no one ever.Quote:
Originally Posted by Letters
:lol: You guys!
I find it odd that Coquelin and Cazorla are under such scrutiny in the midfield and question marks hang over Sanchez, Theo and Ox's place in the squad yet nobody questions a man that has 0 assists and 1 goal out of 5 games. He needs a big game on Saturday.
The difference is Ozil despite your opinion has good credit, by far our most consistent performer last season. And Coq and Cazorla were injured for significant parts of last season, and their partnership currently looks like it's leaving our defence too exposed.
Don't get me wrong, it's not to say Ozil doesn't need to up his game, he blatantly does but it's my opinion in that sense he'd need to form a qeue where Monreal, Coquelin, Cazorla are all in front of him.
And actually I'm amazed this isn't being discussed, Monreal has been a total liability for us for most of 2016 he's slow and gets turned so easily....if I was Chelsea manager I'd look to target us down our left side
He's not as his best but I don't think it's a coincidence that Ox and Iwobi have been there when he's having problems either.
last season he was fine.
What's the alternative, play Gibbs? I think he's done OK considering we've had Iwobi and Ox playing there as Kano said.
In regards to the defence being exposed because of Cazorla and Coquelin, what's the alternative? I think it's exposed because of our flawed game plan. Zero pressing and unorganised. Until we take a serious hiding, Wenger won't adopt a more cautious approach with our defending. It's a pattern and until get a beating, he won't set us up to not concede goals. I suspect he still feels we're losing out on titles because of the lack of goals and is trying to get the midfield to play higher up the pitch.
As for Ozil and last season, he checked out after the New Year. It's a concern that his game hasn't picked up and especially since we're playing without Giroud who took a large part of the blame for Ozil's game drying up last season. If it turns out that Ozil can't play with a striker that tends to drop deep, but Iwobi and Theo are able to thrive off the space Sanchez is leaving, what's the options left on the table? Perez up front?
He was the EPL's top assister last season and has a long impressive assist stat history, it would be a bit weird to suddenly start questioning him after a few poor games.Quote:
Originally Posted by Power_n_Glory
You didn't hear the stat about Coqzorla amassing 89 points for us over their last 38 games for us? Easily our best duo in the midfield from last season. A bit off this season but we haven't lost with them in the side just yet and they've only played 3 games together. But anyway, if people are comfortable calling that duo into question considering their history, why is it nuts to question Ozil especially when this is a very underwhelming start to the season.Quote:
Originally Posted by Letters
Does he not need a big performance on Saturday?
It has already been explained why Ozil's stats fell away last season. It was down to the cowardice of one man and his lack of ambition. If we rid ourselves of this man then not only Ozil but all our players will benefit immensely. Until then, there is hardly any point discussing individual players when the elephant in still stampeding around the room. If we lose to the chavs again it will be down to the usual reasons. Disorganisation, fear, a lack of bottle. The usual stuff that is the hallmark of Wenger. Can he try something different this time? Can he shake his fear and his deep desire to play it safe and send his team out there to compete? Doubtful. But if he relents then we have all seen what this team and the individual players can do. The players are more than good enough to beat these ordinary chavs. Whether they can beat Wenger too, well that's always the challenge.Quote:
Originally Posted by Power_n_Glory
We already know that stat is entirely misleading because we've ended up with fuck all while amassing those 89 points. Which basically means we don't win when it really matters. All we really need to know is that something is preventing this team competing until the end, season after season. We know what that something is and it has absolutely nothing to do with Cazorla OR Ozil for that matter. It hasn't mattered which players have been brought in, the result has been consistent failure. It is surprising that 12 seasons after this rather obvious flaw materialised many fans still struggle to identify it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Power_n_Glory
NQ, all the above is as much as a cop out as those that try to excuse Wenger's faults and pin all the blame on the Board.
Also, we know the man is deeply flawed but we can't go as far as saying everything he does is flawed. I've seen games where we've made the correct team selection, played at the right pace but have somehow come out with the wrong result. Sometimes the players have to take responsibility. Considering we're trying out new players in different positions, it's worth sitting back and looking at how this all pans out without immediately blasting Wenger. If he makes obvious selection gaffs, fair enough but when we're taking about a pacy front 3 with Ozil behind, I don't know how to explain the lack of assists even with Wenger's flaws.
I've heard the stat on two podcasts already!Quote:
Originally Posted by The Emirates Gallactico
Let's hope you never wake up then! :dQuote:
Originally Posted by Maestro
I'm not saying the players are all perfect. Far from it. But they are a minor sideshow compared to the main fuck-up. Work the big problem first and then see if you can fix up the symptoms. Yes, I know. The bloke is going nowhere. But that doesn't mean the problem is solved, it just means it intensifies. It is hardly a cop-out to get to the heart of the matter as opposed to playing around the periphery.Quote:
Originally Posted by Power_n_Glory
Preaching to the choir. There aren't many here that don't see Wenger as the big problem. It's been done to death on here. But we can still discuss football on here, can't we? Does it always have to boil down to this point especially when discussing hypothetical set ups for the next game? This place is dying a slow death but if we keep hammering away at the same topic, remember to turn off the lights if you're the last one to leave. :lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by Niall_Quinn
Yes, fair enough. We can discuss football. But fuck me, it's not as much fun when you know the outcome in advance - for the 12th year running. And it's very hard to judge players when they are being asked to perform in such a shitty system. It can be discussed but there's always that huge proviso hanging over everything that relegates the significance of any other conclusion.Quote:
Originally Posted by Power_n_Glory
If Wenger still thinks he can pass his way through Chelsea`s defence to win the game with an Italian at the helm then we might as well pray for the draw. However we all know that Chelsea will score at some point but we are not guaranteed to. If Wumgers strategy is more of the same, then the result will be more of the same, a home defeat.
We need to find a way to score and score first. If Chelsea score first we will be on to another hiding. I would keep Gabriel out of this, put Perez left with instructions to assist Monreal. Iwobi top with Sanchez right. If Coq plays, he will need to be on his best behaviour, if he picks up a yellow in the first half then sub him soon after. It all depends on the ref too. Lets hope they choose a good one. Thank God, most of the cunts have retired.
I hope we score more in their goal than they do in ours.
Michael Oliver is refereeing the game this time.
Good choiceQuote:
Originally Posted by Kano
Just means we will have no-one to blame but ourselves if we lose
I would have checked out for this season if he'd have decided on trying Giroud with Ozil up front again. I'll post something up about that partnership in another thread. But since it's a new season and we're trying something new with different players, it will take some time to really judge Wenger. For this season, not overall. If we still have a dysfunctional system and under utilized players midway through the season, it just proves again Wenger has got it wrong but until then, I'm just watching to see how this all pans out.Quote:
Originally Posted by Niall_Quinn
In all honesty I tuned out years ago
Certain defeats still have the ability to make me cross, but at no time last season did I ever feel like we were going to win the title.
I actually enjoyed the 14/15 season more because at times our football became good to watch again. When we stuffed Liverpool 4-1 last April it was probably the best id seen us play in years, we were suspect at the back for sure but going forward there was so much pace and purpose even when we had Aaron Ramsey and Giroud in the side.
Used to be I'd make any excuse under the sun and miss any event no matter how significant to ensure I got my football fix. So I guess by comparison I have tuned out too. If I miss a game, and it's still rare because of habit mostly, then I tut and move on. No big deal. The boring cunts managing and playing the game today, "playing" being a euphemism for destroying, aren't worth planning for. It'll take 2 more seasons of this shit for me to let it slide entirely. I suspect the same is true for many fans who remembers football as it used to be and can't stand the shit that's being served up now so a bunch of talentless fucks can get super rich.
I can name you a handful of games i have watched live in the last year or so....partly because i cancelled Sky Subscription....partly because i can't be botheredQuote:
Originally Posted by Niall_Quinn
If I'm at home and MrsL is working and I'm not doing anything else I might try and find a stream - that was the combination last Saturday so I did see most of that one.
Otherwise, meh. Will tend to watch the goals if we've won.
I am a Sky subscriber but will never, never, never pay for their sports channels. It was that money which started all this bullshit, or definitely accelerated it.
I cancelled Sky ages ago but get BT sport bundled with my broadband.
I don't think I'd pay for Sky again. It's well over 70 quid a month if you want sports and movies. Fuck that.
I pay 70-something but that's with phone and broadband. And that's 20% off. I'm not very good at the "I'm leaving" "How about this deal?" dance so I took 20% and ran.
I should probably get rid of Sky Sports, I don't watch non-Arsenal football anywhere near as much as I used to. I know I'm getting ripped off but I guess I just like having the option of being able to watch it on the days I fancy it.
Still enjoy going to games when I do though, I doubt that buzz will truly ever go. It's like an addiction where every so often you need a fix.
The last time I cancelled they called me and offered me 20% off. I said they'd have to offer me 60% off and £100 credit before I'd even think about it. They said okay :lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by Letters
Yeah. As discussed I am crap at this sort of thing :lol:
You can do it on the live chat thing on the website. Saves the confrontation.