From behind. And then he turns his back and runs.Quote:
Originally Posted by Munchies
So both brave and classy.
Printable View
From behind. And then he turns his back and runs.Quote:
Originally Posted by Munchies
So both brave and classy.
If any of these journos had a pair, they'd ask him "but Jose, why did you gouge a cancer patient in the eye? that must be something you regret?" i bet you he wont know what to say, the prick.
We've just devoted 4 pages on slagging off "The chosen one" - he would love it. Don't give a fuck about the handshake & what they think of each other - our manager has been embarrassing on many occasions & you have to ask yourselves why he tends to prefer the managers he regularly beats as opposed to Mourinho & Pullis.
Back to the thread - always good to beat the top teams, in any game. Defensively, we stood up well but we needed to after backing off at 1-0. This is where I think our problem lies this year. Trying to hold on to a lead seemed to rear its head so much last year. Can't remember a Wenger side being like that previously. We have to put games to bed, we were the better team up until the goal, so why if you go 1-0 up do we feel we need to be negative. Then to make matters worse, we have the unbelievable substitutions that also seemed to start last year. Taking off your most threatening players & replace with defensive minded ones. All this does is create more pressure in our goal mouth as the ball will keep coming back. Eventually, no matter how many defenders you have on the pitch something will drop for the opposition in the box.
Taking Theo, Ox & Ozi off when you are playing on the counter attack is beyond belief. Having to put Gibbs into CM to inject a bit of pace is ludicrous.
Its also clear that Wenger is unsure about who is our main striker next year. How can that be? How many of the other top teams in England or Europe start a season without a striker they know can do the business.
I'm afraid the joy was short lived for me, I see this year being the same as usual, the team doing as well as they can in spite of Wenger, not because of him.
Sounds like it was non-existent.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dein-machine
Still haven't seen the game but I'm hoping we're smarter with our sub choices this year.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dein-machine
Not far off to be fair - Just don't see things changing for the better under Wenger. Last year tells us that beating the title winners in the Charity Shield doesn't mean anything in relation to the league. The last 2 games of last season gave me a bit of hope, thinking that Wenger had finally realised that attacking teams, going for the 2nd. 3rd & 4th goals to kill teams off will result in more points than sitting back & defending. Our play on Sunday just looks like we'll be setting up to defend leads again - we're not good enough defensively to do this.Quote:
Originally Posted by Letters
They already have changed for the better.
We've won 2 trophies in 2 years, signed several world class players.
We need to challenge properly for the league this year, IMO we're good enough to now.
The positives FAR outweigh the negatives right now. Like it seriously isn't even close.
We're spending on the right players, the results are good, silverware in the cabinet.
There are no obvious weaknesses in the first team. It would take a genuine worldie to really improve us right now. Looking forward to this season.
Maybe no obvious weaknesses to you but the rest of the football world are aware that we need a proven goal-scorer - one of the most important positions on the pitch & our manager doesn't know who to play there. Personally, I regard that as a weakness.Quote:
Originally Posted by Douglas Reynholm
Yeah but you're an idiot.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dein-machine
I actually agree that is a weakness, but we've got plenty of players who can score goals, we haven't got a 30 goal a season player but we've got several 20 goal a season players.
IMO any of last season's top 4 could credibly win it this year but we've got as good a chance as any IMO and we've started to show a bit more steel in big games so there's no reason we can't hold our nerve if we're in the mix at the business end.
I know Dougie, we can't all be a football expert like you - no weakness :haha:Quote:
Originally Posted by Douglas Reynholm
I don't think they could, I think United as they currently are, are as far away from winning the title as they were last yearQuote:
Originally Posted by Letters
I don't think it can be said that City have meaningfully strengthened either, like United they are in dire need of a centre half.
I think City look the worst of the top 4 to be honest.
City are contenders if they can be arsed, they're poorly managed - with their resources they should be right up there.Quote:
Originally Posted by Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie
Utd - it depends how the new signings do.
We weren't good enough last year (and were quite a way behind, regardless of how were ended up being this far behind we were) and we've only added one player whilst others seemingly have brought in more.Quote:
Originally Posted by Letters
Last season you didn't think we were good enough, so has it just taken one signing to change that?
I'm not convinced, I think up front we're far too wasteful and we lack steel in the middle and did have some shocking games last season too where old habits reared their head, we also have a tactically naive manager who just doesn't make changes when they need to be made.
With a couple more quality signings, I'd have said yes, but as it is we'll fall away when the pressure is on as we demonstrated when we played Monaco and got knocked out and when we fell from 2nd to 3rd, we just don't have the staying power and don't have a striker who will get us free points when we're not playing well.
The forward options we have should allow us to continue to finish top 3 or 4. We can score goals from other positions which is just as well otherwise we'd be competing for Europa places. In Europe, we are hoping to compete agaisnt the likes of Barca, Madrid & Bayern. Forgetting the Spanish attacking riches for the moment, Bayern can score goals through Ribbery & Robben but also have Lewandowski & Muller in the same starting 11. If we say Sanchez & Walcott can be our Ribbery & Robben, who is our Lewandowski & Muller?Quote:
Originally Posted by Letters
Spotted the problem here.Quote:
Originally Posted by Douglas Reynholm
yep - if Dougie "thinks" something - go for the opposite. They'll win it now.
It's not just about the signing although I do think that will help. Having a proper, world class 'keeper has to help the defence and that can only be a good thing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Özim
I would have preferred us to do more in the window but Wenger has always valued stability - probably too much, but I think he's got a point right now. I do think we were good enough last year, we just got off to an awful start which made our task impossible almost as soon as the season started. We can't make that mistake again and I don't think we will. It is not valid to suggest that the same squad will perform the same from one season to the next just because they're the same players. The dynamic of a squad change over time, players get better understanding, get older and better (if they're on the upward curve and not getting on, which most of ours are)
It's interesting how your definition of pressure is 'games we lose'.Quote:
we'll fall away when the pressure is on as we demonstrated when we played Monaco and got knocked out and when we fell from 2nd to 3rd
Was there no pressure on us in the quarter final at Old Trafford? Or the semi-final or final?
There is no great pressure on whether we finish 2nd or 3rd. Both qualify you for the CL, neither wins you a trophy.
We had a Cup Final to worry about, City didn't. We took our foot off the gas a bit when the title was gone (and only then, till it was mathematically impossible we kept going) but we picked up and did the business when it counted in the final, I can live with that.
There does seem to be something different about this squad, they've won 2 trophies in a row, they've been sweeping all before them in pre-season and while that doesn't necessarily translate into a good season it's always a good thing to be in a winning habit. They've shown they can go on long winning runs, they've shown they can turn up in the high pressure games - you can point to counter examples, you can do that with any team, but we won games last season we would not have won a few years ago. We've got enough world class players, and the mentality, to seriously challenge this year.
I wouldn't put us at Bayern's level (or Barca or Real, while we're here) but I wouldn't put any English club in that bracket.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dein-machine
Only City significantly outscored us last year and that was with quite long term injuries to Walcott and Giroud.
I would be happier with a top striker but IMO there's plenty of goals in this team.
Well - not long to go now, lets wait & see.Quote:
Originally Posted by Letters
I'm pretty sure Utd and Chelsea see themselves as competitors to the best in Europe and we should be too if we actually want to compete for the CL. Otherwise what's the point of buying in the best players, moving to a huge stadium and rolling in the cash? Just hoping to fluke it one day? Realistically, in terms of personnel the teams here aren't comparable but we also weren't when English teams were regularly getting to semi's/finals of the CL. The aim of the big clubs here has to be to match the teams on the continent.
Pretty much :lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by Dein-machine