Napoli v Arsenal match reaction - let the bed wetting begin!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Power_n_Glory

Good post. Agree with the striker position. The Higuain goal is what I'd love to see Giroud do but he hasn't go the feet or agility even though he has the size and build to hold the ball up in that sort of position.

The flicks and stuff won't be much use to us if their not going to players that aren't great finishers.

---

Higuain is a class finisher, that goal was superb, the touch the turn, the finish. I agree Giroud is good at holding the ball and flicking it on but he's not one of these players who's going to produce these kind of finishes, he's score a few goals but without being deadly in front of goal.

A deadly finisher would make a huge difference.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Syn

But where they have a top striker, we do not. After a good opening few games, Giroud is not looking capable as a striker for a team with title ambitions. Don't want to be singling him out - Gibbs and the midfield were also off their game. In Giroud's case, he's obviously trying his best and he's a key player for us to compete physically. But while a few Bergkamp-esque touches in the first few games raised everyone's hopes, there's a reason why he can only do good things through one touch (and lately even that has been off); his lack of agility is a problem. Things are going well - and they can continue to go well, but surely the easiest position to improve on is upfront.

Hope the away support get back safe. Napoli fans seemed quite content at the final whistle - maybe feeling as we did when we nearly turned around the deficit against Milan and Bayern Munich...but with my immense street knowledge I would guess gang mentality won't be too affected by that.

---

Giroud is hitting his ceiling IMO, still a bloody good striker but we better than good. Find someone with pace, Benteke or Pato would help a lot.

If the rumor about Real Madrid is ready to sell Di Maria this winter, we must take him. A real wide forward with pace would also not a bad option, at least he can latch on to Ozil/Cazorla through balls. :coffee:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Özim

Higuain is a class finisher, that goal was superb, the touch the turn, the finish. I agree Giroud is good at holding the ball and flicking it on but he's not one of these players who's going to produce these kind of finishes, he's score a few goals but without being deadly in front of goal.

A deadly finisher would make a huge difference.

---

I think he's brilliant for the team but he needs service, as mentioned he's not a particularly inventive striker, like someone who can pounce on half chances and create something from nothing. Most of the goals he scores are in and around the 6 yard box from a clever run or something.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Maestro

I worry we are not ruthless or direct enough, and I fear that will be our undoing eventually.

Done well so far this season, but can't help but see this scenario playing out.

---

Agree in terms of attacking play and said so after the cardiff game, with a scoreline that made us look better than we were. Its been a pattern for some time despite how well we're doing this season.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Özim

So why have we never won it if it's easier, please explain, you can't get unlucky 17 years running.

CL is the ultimate club prize, there's no doubt about it, league is very prestigious but 2nd to that.

---

We've never won the League Cup either. (to be clear - under Wenger)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MOëL

I think he's brilliant for the team but he needs service, as mentioned he's not a particularly inventive striker, like someone who can pounce on half chances and create something from nothing. Most of the goals he scores are in and around the 6 yard box from a clever run or something.

---

Yeah I agree but sometimes when your team isn't playing well an instinctive finisher can help turn it around by changing the flow of the game. Giroud works incredibly hard, fights for every ball, holds up the ball and wins headers but if the team isn't playing from an offensive point of view he seems pretty ineffective.

Shame we missed out on Higuain really, I think I'd be much more confident about our title chances if we had that goalscorer we could fall back on.

To be fair Steve, Wenger's only really been throwing caution to the wind in the league cup the last few years and we have been in the semi's and spectacularly lost a final which we really should have won.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Steve French

We've never won the League Cup either.

---

Actually we have, when it had a different name and we bothered to put a good team out, in the CL we play our best team.

Wenger hasn't won it, but then he plays a weakened side most of the time.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Blink 1nce Quince 2wice

To be fair Steve, Wenger's only really been throwing caution to the wind in the league cup the last few years and we have been in the semi's and spectacularly lost a final which we really should have won.

---

It was hardly aserious post.

The whole whats tougher/better arguement on League and CL is stupid. Both titles are prestegious and both take different attributes in order to be successful. The League requires resilience with room for error, the CL is a competition (certainly from ko stages onwards) where there is far less room for error, but you can get very far in it without actually facing anyone of note. Which incidentally is why some people here are freaking out about finishing 2nd and who we'll likely face.

If someone offered me either of these comps at theexpense of the other, I'd take it and be fricken delerious.

My bad.