Match Reaction v Scrotes

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Just dying would be fine by me, I'm not greedy like them.

Which is what you have been saying for ages, but then you get accuse of being a racist who hates Arab's.

[Power n Glory]

Over the years we have relentlessly sold all the players that had the required talent to play the game at the higher pace that destroys the opposition's shape and opens up gaps to exploit. Plus you need intelligent players - we have Diaby. Gervinho. Walcott, Bendtner, Chamakh. Along with decent enough players who nevertheless are one step below the requirement, like Gibbs, Vermaelen, Koscielny, Rosicky, name them all. Good players but second string. Wilshere, Ox, Arshavin - these are the only real talents we have left. Two kids learning the trade, one guy who has given up. Haven't seen Carzola play but it sounds like he might be in the same class, therefore too good for us and wasted.

We try to play at a level above the ability of our players. We should be playing like Aston Villa and Everton and Newcastle. This is the level we are at and we'd be more effective and it would be more entertaining if we played less possession, more hustle and bustle, a more direct - it would suit our average players much better. But the pretence prevails. I don't think it fools anyone in reality, but the media and most of the players still do the "Arsenal style football" speech. They're talking about history, not the present. If you keep selling the genuine parts and replacing with fakes then the machine will grind to a halt. You can hear the gears grinding when you watch Arsenal play. The smooth purr and effortless acceleration replaced by clanking and misfires and a horrible smell.

Last season, the team lacked cohesion and you could tell straight away. The three players that had any sort of understanding between each other were RVP, Walcott and Song. They could anticipate each others runs, know how they wanted the pass to be delivered...now two of them are gone and we're back to building from scratch. Only on rare occasions did we play that cutting style where everyone seemed to be on the right wavelength and we were creating chances for fun last season. We never really got into that groove. Hard to see if it we'll be able to find that fluidity this season so early on. Maybe once Rosicky is fit, we'll look a better side because he made a huge difference last season. Or Wilshere if Wilshere ever gets fit.

[Cripps_orig]

Which is what you have been saying for ages, but then you get accuse of being a racist who hates Arab's.

We dont have any Arabs on the board

[Ollie the Optimist]

can we focus on a posistive for once. how much of a good job has steve bould already seemed to ahve done? nullified stoke, i didnt feel scared at all when they came at us with long balls etc, defence looked solid, disiciplined and strong.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

We dont have any Arabs on the board

But City do.

[GP]

can we focus on a posistive for once. how much of a good job has steve bould already seemed to ahve done? nullified stoke, i didnt feel scared at all when they came at us with long balls etc, defence looked solid, disiciplined and strong.

Far more positives than negatives at the moment.

[Niall_Quinn]

i have to disagree....we create the chances, we just cannot produce in the final third.

You only have to look at the premium of players like Messi, Ronaldo etc as they are guys who can be the difference.

Henry used to do that for us all the time as a recent example, as did RVP last season.

We need to give Giroud a chance, as he was very good today in all aspects except in the final third. However it is hard to be placid when we are screaming out for a goal.

Carzola was immense and looks like a proper player, next to Wilshire and Podolski that will be exiting to see.

Where i agree with you is the quality of some of out players...eg Gervhinio is just pants, yet Wenger persists with him.

The big big problem we have is who can we bring in who can replace 30 league goals...anyone who can do that potentially is going to cost a shit load more than the £25m or whatever it was we got for RVP.

We are two world class signings away from competing, DM and striker, i hope Wenger knows that, but tbf i dont know who is left on the market of that calibre and for a reasonable price.

The end product is what marks out the exceptional from the mediocre. That's why certain players used to get the big wages, because they made the big difference in the big games. Now every fucker who can kick a ball is hyped and on big bucks. It makes it confusing, you see the hype, the wages and you think, "Surely this guy can shoot straight, sure he can keep his head in front of goal, surely he can take a corner...", but no, he can't, he can't do any of those things. Not at a sufficient quality and in enough quantity to maintain a title challenge. Not being able to produce in the final third is scandalous. What's the point if you can't produce in the final third? We had the players who could, we sold them and replaced them with players who can't. Not just this year but every year, always a little less talent, drip, drip, drip.

That's why I say we should get real and maximise what we do have and forget about what we pretend to have. We will never spend the money to build a top quality team, so the leeches upstairs need to come clean and re-state the club's ambitions. Stop treating the fans as mugs. You can see it yourself on the pitch, you know what this club is all about now. I suppose it is the pretence that's most annoying. You see shit served up as caviare and everyone says, "Look at the caviare" And you think you are going mad because you can see the shit, smell it and they are telling you to eat it.

[Ollie the Optimist]

Far more positives than negatives at the moment.

dexactly, last year, we had rvp, adn still drew at stoke away while looking dodgy at the back, this year, we draw but completely nulifiy their threat.

[gooners]

we didn't concede against stoke? Huuuuuu--fuking---ray!

bould

[Cripps_orig]

But City do.

What has that got to do with anything?