Match Reaction vs The 'Ammers (away).

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Ironically Reus is probably the only player over Dortmund more unattainable than Lewandowski.....

To say he is a hell of a lot better than Cazorla, Ozil or Podolski on the left is a huge over statement imo.

[Penguin]

Podolski has been poor to say the least the few times he played CF. Walcott has been good in some games and completely ineffective in others, which is what you would expect from a player of his skills in that position. I'm not even going to mention the Dane.

I would really like the stat on how many games Cazorla played wide left last season to be public knowledge. I don't have it unfortunately. I fundamentally disagree with your view on him and Ozil though as I've intimated.

I think if you go back to Narsi's purple patch and note down the number of good games he had from the left you will be surprised. It is a myth in my opinion that he played better in that period in midfield. I acutely remember his best games coming when he started left.

Messi is one of a kind. There is no precedent for what many are suggesting Reus could do simply because it doesn't work effectively in practice. People are using players completely unlike him to build a case and that is because players like him don't play CF in a 433 in the prem imo. The fact you have to mention Messi at all does not help your argument. Reus is certainly no Messi and if he was I would be totally with you.

I know height is not the ball all end all of having power, which is why I used the examples of Tevez and Aguero who both have power. It's not about being lightweight or a powerhouse. You can be somewhere in between, but if you are, you have to have enough to avoid being dominated against big burly CB's in the prem. I'm not convinced Reus does or that his skills and talents are best served trying to give it back to centre halves over 90 minutes.

As a short guy being hard to knock off the ball (which is what I was talking about rather than ability), Messi isn't a one of a kind. There are tons of them around including Gotze, Iniesta and Ribery. They're skinny midgets but they can make players like Essien look silly when they hold them off and shield the ball so effortlessly. Reus has that in his locker and has the ball control to boot.

Reus isn't even short at 5'11 and can handle the physical side of the game. Shorter strikers have succeeded in the Premier League like Owen, Defoe, Robbie Keane and even Wrighty. You dont have to be built like a tank.

Ironically Reus is probably the only player over Dortmund more unattainable than Lewandowski.....

To say he is a hell of a lot better than Cazorla, Ozil or Podolski on the left is a huge over statement imo.

He has a buy out clause so he is attainable, as long as he wants to leave.

[LDG]

Yesterday's game is a case in point that we need another striker who can consistently finish off the chances we create.

Against sides like West Ham, it's fine as we will (as a general rule) create enough chances to win the game. But our goals to chances ratio is horrendous (I have no idea of the actual stat, but I assume I'm correct).

In the big games vs Chelsea etc, you only get a couple of chances, and you have to bury them of drop points. Early season we had that knack, but the last 6 games or so, we have really suffered for not having more finishing ability.

Hopefully Theo and Pod can provide more support to the out of form (in the scoring department) Giroud, but a striker is an absolute must on 1st January.

[Grebbo]

I thought we played well yesterday, first time in a while that I thought we played good football. I guess playing against a shit team helps!

Created loads of chances with some great moves, could've scored 6 if we were more clinical up front.

[GP]

West Ham can't be that shit, they put 3 past Spurs...

[Power n Glory]

Giroud needs to be rested. You can see the frustration with all the misses. The first shot he hit well wide was telling and the look on Wenger's face says it all. He has decisions to make and he has to be ruthless with the team selection or we'll suffer. He doesn't want to shake up the core too much but we've had a few players underperforming for a while now. The timing of Pod and Walcott's return is perfect.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

As a short guy being hard to knock off the ball (which is what I was talking about rather than ability), Messi isn't a one of a kind. There are tons of them around including Gotze, Iniesta and Ribery. They're skinny midgets but they can make players like Essien look silly when they hold them off and shield the ball so effortlessly. Reus has that in his locker and has the ball control to boot.

Reus isn't even short at 5'11 and can handle the physical side of the game. Shorter strikers have succeeded in the Premier League like Owen, Defoe, Robbie Keane and even Wrighty. You dont have to be built like a tank.

He has a buy out clause so he is attainable, as long as he wants to leave.

Messi plays the false 9 role. His starting position is never anywhere the CB's.....anyone who has watched Barca in the last several years would know that. Is Reus to do the same? Come deep or start from the area our midfield will be? Would he congest an already congested area with our players who look to cut in or come in field anyway? We do not play the ball anywhere near as quickly or fluidly as Barca. Much of this season we have been happy for the opposition to have the ball whilst we bide our time. The absence of a forward presence near the CB, means we would have no focal point up top or anyone to play it off like Giroud has been doing. That means a entire change of dynamics to our play. It is a vastly different way to play...which frankly is not the concern....the concern would be whether a player like Reus can make that work and changing our whole way of playing for a player who there's little evidence for being able to play there.

On the basis of the argument seemingly forged here I cold suggest any player with decent body strength and speed should play CF for the Arsenal, Ribery, Robben, what about draxler? He's quick, skilful with an eye for goal? But that would be a gross over simplification of what it takes to play there in the premier league imo. Nobody in German football has played him there.....have they simply been overlooking something all this time?

Michael Owen flourished before the regular use of the 433 in a 442. If you go back and check the climate of football at the time you will find that to be true. The same goes for Keane, Wright and Defoe who ironically is seldom trusted to played as the lone striker role these days in spite of Spurs being desperate for goals and him having a proven goal scoring record. It is also different when your football education has come from here where you naturally learn how to play against the sort of opposition you find here.

Have you heard Wright talk or seen him play. He would kick you in the nuts if you asked him to take a corner free kick or drop deep into the field for the build up play. The man saw the goal at all times and his every breath was in accordance to putting the ball in the back of the net. You're not telling me Reus is that kind of player?

Pretty much every player has a buyout clause and if not they have a price. That doesn't mean he is attainable in the sphere of reality. Messi has a buyout clause. Nobody thinks he is actually attainable. Wenger is never going to pay 40 million or whatever people say his clause is whilst he has Podolski, Santi and Ozil to play wide left. Never.

To the person who suggested we sign both Reus and Costa that might conceivably cost us 80 million? Whilst Wenger surprised me with the Ozil signing, I don't think it is exactly going to become the norm.