Arsenal 2-0 Stoke - Match Reaction

[Power n Glory]

I wouldn't make a sweeping statement when the other areas of a players game so utterly detracts from their negatives. Theo on the other hand is a wondering question mark, a player who has still to prove what the point of his professional career has been so far, so every area of his game is up for questioning. There is nothing to detract from his faults when his supposed positives appear so sporadically, when he actually makes it onto the pitch that is.

In your mind maybe. You've quickly forgotten the season where he was our top goal scorer and top with the assists. But that's another argument and I don't think you'll see past the negatives in Theo's case regardless which explains a lot.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

We've created the most chances in the BLitW and have goal difference of +2...just saying...

The point is (though I suspect you realised) if you don't want to play Chelsea now, when do you want to play them? Their poor form is great but it would be naive to believe it will continue indefinitely or that their record of conceding the most goals in the league will remain.

Of course we would avoid playing them all together if we could but we have to play them. And of course in an ideal world we'd simply be good enough to beat them even on the top of their game.

[fakeyank]

And hat's off again to Letters. He is our Coquelin. A one man battering ram sacrificing himself for the greater cause of GW. In fact, there are glorious shades of Wumger in his play too. It's a beautifully staged tragedy. One of the greatest trolls we'll ever witness. He is keeping this place alive with his counter arguments. Keeping the debate section ticking over after a win that means our complaints are at their least potent. There have been subtle changes his stance that means he is in danger of giving the game away if he's not careful, but so far he's playing a blinder. Our days would be lost without his subterfuge .

Cant agree more. One of the best modding jobs on any forum ever.

These days I dont even feel like debating him because he is just doing such a spectacular job keeping this place ticking. He needs to be given the Noble Prize tbf..

[Kano]

In your mind maybe. You've quickly forgotten the season where he was our top goal scorer and top with the assists. But that's another argument and I don't think you'll see past the negatives in Theo's case regardless which explains a lot.

We're already talking about Theo as if he's retired. Do you remember that season when he scored and assisted? Yeah that was good, I remember those good ole days. For a player in his mid-twenties that says it all.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Encouraging performance from Theo, I thought? First time I've seen him play CF where he's looked constantly involved and threatening. Should have smashed about 9, of course, but the chances he was getting on the end of looked varied, and I was pleased to see our playmakers starting to pick him out with some regularity - if that understanding is finally starting to develop, then it bodes well for us.

Is it just me, or is he starting to look a little bit more stocky? And is his first-touch starting to look half-decent too? I'm not sure I'd go as far as saying it makes him a strong dribbler or anything, but if it's getting good enough to control the ball under pressure, and create space for himself to shoot, then that might be enough?

One of the latter questions on today's Arseblog extra was 'Does the amount of Chances Theo had against Stoke, prove that he is capable of being a forward'. I found the question interesting and even Arseblog who hates Theo found the evidence for compelling and at least thought provoking. I sometimes get the feeling that the argument against him shifts from 'oh he can't hold it up' to 'oh he couldn't finish his wife's dinner never mind a chance' as per the whim of his naysayers arguments. Which is it though? If he is missing so many chances then surely the first stand point of not being able to hold it up increasingly becomes moot?...after all...he's getting the chances and himself in the positions.

If it is about him holding the ball up....why is that such an issue if he himself is getting so many chances? If it is about his lack of finishing.....do we believe Giroud's is generally any better? How many honestly believe that Theo could or would go several games WITHOUT scoring as Giroud did last season (that is a wide spread of different teams to face)? If we don't believe he would then why shouldn't we allow him the run of games up front he has never had whilst we have the options we have and why are we so against it if the alternative leaves a lot to be desired when it most matters?

Some are almost arguing the case from the position of having a world class forward amongst our selection that we don't actually have? We didn't actually buy Benzema, but I'd swear some people think we did.

The only interesting deviation is the prospect of playing Sanchez at CF...... Wenger tried this very early on in Alexis' career here and Alexis wasn't his typical effective self, yet nobody completely wrote off his prospect of being able to do it, though some have with Theo. That was inspite of Wenger shortly moving Sanchez to the left which he then went on to flourish from. This is also almost moot point though because it is clear that Wenger is choosing from Giroud and Theo in that central position not from Theo, Giroud and Sanchez and even if he does use Sanchez.....we give ourselves a void to fill from wide.

[Power n Glory]

We're already talking about Theo as if he's retired. Do you remember that season when he scored and assisted? Yeah that was good, I remember those good ole days. For a player in his mid-twenties that says it all.

11 goals in 11 starts if we want to talk recent games. But you're just proving my point. It explains it all.

[Niall_Quinn]

For me the frustration with Theo is based on potential that hasn't been realised. He's been blighted with injury, that's unlucky but it is what it is and he hasn't been able to get on the pitch consistently. Sometimes he looks a world beater, the rest of the time he's inconsistent and varies between okay to awful to anonymous. But still, on those occasions where he looks genuinely dangerous and is on top of his game it just reminds you to be even more frustrated when he goes off the boil. In the end I suppose the acid test was wanting him to stay or thinking about the prospect of him flying down the wing in a chav or gyps or scouser shirt. Better he stayed. He has to stay injury free though and he has to put in a solid run of performances whether in the middle or out wide. No more of those games where he goes missing.

[Niall_Quinn]

11 goals in 11 starts if we want to talk recent games. But you're just proving my point. It explains it all.

How were the 11 distributed though and against which opponents. That type of stat, 11 in 11, doesn't really prove much without examining the finer details. Rooney got to be the top goalscorer for England by beating up on the San Marinos and Uzbekistans.

[AFC Leveller]

If we had proper box to box CMs like Vieira and petit, then we'd be able to play both Giroud and Theo up front and i think that would be a handfull for defenders. However, Wenger is intent on playing a lone striker no matter what and we find ourselves debating who is better than the other.

They both offer different options for us but long term, i think Theo would get more goals for us.

[Niall_Quinn]

If we had proper box to box CMs like Vieira and petit, then we'd be able to play both Giroud and Theo up front and i think that would be a handfull for defenders. However, Wenger is intent on playing a lone striker no matter what and we find ourselves debating who is better than the other.

They both offer different options for us but long term, i think Theo would get more goals for us.

There are no quality midfielders available. It is impossible to get them for £28mill and £90kpw wages.