Arsenal 2-0 Stoke - Match Reaction

[Niall_Quinn]

Unfortunately I have to leave for the airport otherwise I would reply along those lines. Will do so later though

Which would lead me to point out another inconvenient truth you simply won't acknowledge. We could have finished above one of those oil cheats last season but we collapsed. Nevertheless, it showed we can indeed compete with the oil cheats when we need to qualify for the CL, so it's not just a case of the money. The question is, why can't we compete when the primary objective has been achieved (qualification for the CL)? Regardless, the money cheat excuse was laid bare last season.

[Alpha]

What you are saying is all true, I don't disagree with any of it. Which is why Wenger has to go. We've had his decade of experimentation and make do and mend and even though he's pulled off some excellent transformations, can't deny it, we need to get on with the business of competing for titles now. We don't have another decade for him to play his games. And it's not just the striker role, it's every crucial position on the pitch. His experiments with keepers, his outrageous patch-up jobs in the centre of defence, his round pegs in square holes in the middle, his banishment of players to the wings. It's all interesting as a theoretical experiment but in the end it has resulted on us being off the pace every season. Even if we sacrifice this season for Theo, we still need that midfielder. When does that happen, the season after? How many more seasons until we get the balanced team that can challenge?

Arsenal isn't Wenger's pet project, or at least it shouldn't be. Let's get a proper manager now and get on with the business of challenging for the top spot. That's what this stadium and the sponsorship deals and all the wrangling in the boardroom was supposed to achieve, so let's do that.

I'm not against him quitting but we need a proper replacement . Someone who could take us to a higher level straight away . We don't really need to experiment managers until we find a better one the way Wenger experiments his players . We might end up miles behind Spurs and might start begging Wenger to come bak " all being forgiven "

[Power n Glory]

And if he doesn't show up? Do we stick with him in the hope he eventually gets it together and his long history of injury (unfortunate and unlucky as it is) doesn't come back to bite him? Is he a viable long term option?

If the alternative is Giroud, then I’d stick with him. In 7 appearances, Giroud has never scored against Chelsea. The thing with Giroud, we know his full capacity. We know his strengths, weaknesses and it doesn’t look like he has another level to his game. With Theo, we don’t know. I’d take rather take that risk.

We shouldn’t be in this position. I’ve said for a long time now that Theo should be developing as a striker and plying his trade there. The decisions he makes in the centre and challenges he’ll face with different opponents is totally different from what he faces in the right wing so I don’t understand what Wenger had in mind for this guy when we signed him. The original idea was that he developed into a striker like Henry but he’s a totally different player. We should have been thinking more Ian Wright. Sharpen up his shooting technique and how to negotiate around the box. He’s wasted years of development on crossing the ball, trying to learn how to dribble like Robben when he’s totally incapable of that and that’s something you won’t develop late in the game. But he can develop as a striker. He may have a Daniel Sturridge moment in him but he needs a run there and the manager needs to back him or sell him. I think Wenger has made a complete hash of his development.

[I am invisible]

It really was a beautiful touch. Controlled it so it took the ball out of the defenders path and closer to his stronger foot so he could shoot. I like when we plays CF because he can have games where he's just a constant threat like against West Brom, Newcastle and the FA Cup final. Just wave after wave of attack. But he needs to relax a bit and not rush his chances. That should come. But he also needs to a big performance against a major club. If he gets a nod against Chelsea, he has to show up.

Yeah, I'm not so worried about his finishing - we know he's got a shot on him, and , s others have said, with a consistent run of games he should start to relax into the role, and stop over-thinking his choice of finish. He just needs to work on that kind of relentless effort across 90 minutes - keep moving and probing, and working your markers, even if things aren't coming off.

What I'd really love to see from him, is the kind of off-the-ball, defensive shift that Alexis puts in - I don't want to see him tracking back for miles, or anything like that, but imagine using that pace of his to chase down and press oppo defenders when they're trying to play from the back? That could be a real weapon for us (especially with ALexis doing it too!), and it's the sort of thing that starts to chip away at your markers' confidence and composure after a while...

[I am invisible]

And if he doesn't show up? Do we stick with him in the hope he eventually gets it together and his long history of injury (unfortunate and unlucky as it is) doesn't come back to bite him? Is he a viable long term option?

Does it really matter at this point? Until we get to the next window, there's really not that many alternatives...

[Niall_Quinn]

I'm not against him quitting but we need a proper replacement . Someone who could take us to a higher level straight away . We don't really need to experiment managers until we find a better one the way Wenger experiments his players . We might end up miles behind Spurs and might start begging Wenger to come bak " all being forgiven "

Yes I agree, a proper replacement. We should be looking NOW, with a view to having somebody commit by the end of 2016 and starting to get involved as early as possible while Wenger winds out his current contract. Unfortunately we are hearing the opposite from the board, it sounds like they want Wenger to stay forever. And why not? He ticks every box for them. I believe everything would calm down and there would be much greater unity if it was made clear Wenger definitely is leaving in 2017. Everyone could live with that I think, and the search for a replacement could begin nice and early in order to get the very best result.

[Niall_Quinn]

Does it really matter at this point? Until we get to the next window, there's really not that many alternatives...

Probably doesn't matter even for that reason. Theo or Bif will probably get injured long term anyway and settle the issue.

Or both. More likely both.

[Penguin]

Chelsea have conceded the most goals this season.....just saying....

And yet Theo didn't test Courtois once in the community shield. As far as I can remember he couldn't even manage to have a shot on goal. Unfortunately Mourinho knows how to defend against Wenger's teams and Wenger doesn't know how to adapt his tactics to the opponents.

This isn't about Chelsea though, it's about how effective Theo can be against organised teams that sit deep and don't give Theo the space he thrives on in behind. I don't think he's been tested in that respect yet, but we'll have to wait and see how he deals with it.

[selassie]

From the match reaction thread - and this is just from the first couple of pages









Really? After 1 game?!

And no, we shouldn't have lost it but the above is a ridiculous over-reaction to how a season will go 1 game in.

The bottom quote is mine, I am happy to admit that and I stick by my predicition that we will finish 3rd or 4th this season. If I am proven wrong in a positive way then I'll be delighted.

Any team who harbours ambitions of winning the league doesn't get turned over by West Ham at home with a 16 year old schoolboy running the show. We move on, but I personally think there could be more "banana" skins like that for us this season, I remain unconvinced about the team and the way it has been set up.

[Power n Glory]

Yeah, I'm not so worried about his finishing - we know he's got a shot on him, and , s others have said, with a consistent run of games he should start to relax into the role, and stop over-thinking his choice of finish. He just needs to work on that kind of relentless effort across 90 minutes - keep moving and probing, and working your markers, even if things aren't coming off.

What I'd really love to see from him, is the kind of off-the-ball, defensive shift that Alexis puts in - I don't want to see him tracking back for miles, or anything like that, but imagine using that pace of his to chase down and press oppo defenders when they're trying to play from the back? That could be a real weapon for us (especially with ALexis doing it too!), and it's the sort of thing that starts to chip away at your markers' confidence and composure after a while...

Yeah, Theo needs to work on pressing teams high up the pitch. I think the team need to work on their pressing game overall. That goal we scored came from winning the ball back and it's exactly the type of goal we were scoring during the Invincible days. Win the ball back then attack quickly.