Zagreb 2 - Arsenal 1 Match Reaction Thread

[Power n Glory]

This is Dynamo Zagreb we shouldn't have to worry about the team we put out against them, this is not West Ham complacency, because half the premier league teams are better than the dross that qualifies for that competition.

Plus if half these players weren't strangers borne out of Wenger previously not rotating it wouldn't have been an issue.

It was a shame to see Ramsey left at home, means that he will play against Chelsea.

It was too much rotation and it was just to keep the players sidelined happy. It would have made more sense to give Sanchez and Ozil a break. Sanchez especially because he’s had a very long run and been thrust back into action. But the keeper, Monreal, Bellerin and Coquelin are fresh. We’re coming off an International break and they didn’t feature in the games. But either way, we should have had enough to win the game. But at the same time, I’m not writing them off because they’re strong at home and have a long unbeaten record. It boils down to motivation because there is no way the players selected should have put out such a tame performance considering their fighting for their places. So I agree with you on that part.

[Niall_Quinn]

I agree, we'll definitely qualify. We have to qualify to gloriously fail in the next round. But you know, maybe if we pick up a striker and an authoritative midfielder in the 2016 transfer window we can really compete in this competition when we finish 3rd or 4th in the PL this season and qualify for it. We couldn't do that this summer because it was impossible. But maybe it will be possible next summer. Or the summer after.

[mastermind84]

Oxlade-Chamberlain is not a good footballer. I wish we offered him to Liverpool this summer for Sterling.

[AFC Leveller]

I agree, we'll definitely qualify. We have to qualify to gloriously fail in the next round. But you know, maybe if we pick up a striker and an authoritative midfielder in the 2016 transfer window we can really compete in this competition when we finish 3rd or 4th in the PL this season and qualify for it. We couldn't do that this summer because it was impossible. But maybe it will be possible next summer. Or the summer after.

It must have been frustrating for Ozil last night,m every time he picked the ball up and looked up, there was a static statue wearing a number 12 shirt. The guy makes no runs, has no movement or clever turns. He can be sp shite at times.

[Power n Glory]

Big misconception about Giroud holding the ball up. We looked a lot better with 10 men to be honest. Wenger should have started with Theo up front. He needs to grow in confidence up front. Luckily he scored last night so he can go into the Chelsea game feeling a little more confident. Giroud’s confidence must be shot to shit right now. Wenger needs to send him away on holiday for a week or so.

[rodders]

Just unlucky says Arsene

[PGFC]

Oxlade-Chamberlain is not a good footballer. I wish we offered him to Liverpool this summer for Sterling.

Wow, I know GW is full of shit when we lose but ffs there's no need for that.

[IBK]

I'm not saying the opposite at all

Ultimately results are the main thing, obviously. What I was saying before is people seem to be moaning right now whatever we do.
People were moaning about the result on the opening day - understandably so.
But then when we won games, somewhat scrappily, they then moaned about the performance.

I get so much flak on here because almost no-one else seems to think that logically and a lot tend to resort to WUMming or abuse when they can't engage with my position which is constantly caricatured - a key example being your last paragraph. A lazy response would be "and if we win 3-1 you'll just moan we conceded a goal and that shows our defence isn't good enough to win the title".

I've said consistently we need to compete for the biggest prizes this season. I've said consistently how important I see the Chelsea game being. I won't cut myself if we lose but it would be the biggest indication yet that we're not good enough to complete. Until now there have been doubts but only City have started significantly better than us so I don't see any need to throw in the towel right now as lots seem to have.

I don't think you understand peoples' beef, Letters. There's a saying in football (and elsewhere) that its a results business, and to a certain extent, this is true. Football is a business, and there is a direct correlation between league (CL) position and income. Even from a fans' point of view, I get that if you win silverware, noone cares much about performances. But without trophies - of course people are entitled to, and will assess a team's performance - more importantly a team's progression.

That is what I see most Gooners disillusioned about. We may have won two FA Cups, and I was one of those both last season and the one before who hoped against hope that this would provide a mental springboard to give our team the impetus to progress. But it hasn't. Was winning the cups really indicative of progression? Without other evidence I would argue not. We were fortunate in both years by key competitors being knocked out, and (Liverpool in 2014 being perhaps the only exception) we did nothing in getting to the final that vastly exceeded where we should have been as a team.

And the reason why so many feel justified in making judgments so early in the season is that we have seen it all before. Promising players stagnating or going backwards; tactical naivety; lack of investment in needed players; even the excitement of 'world class' players being brought in in recent times who either disappoint/are not used effectively (Ozil) or perform but make little substantive difference to Arsenal's level because the rest of the team fail to make progress (Sanchez). This is emphatically not WUMming; its not reactionary and its not short-sighted. It is a logical conclusion to observations about Wenger's teams going back YEARS. Right thinking Gooners are not plastic fans craving silverware, they may even be nervous about what happens after Wenger. But while you are entitled to your view that we should cut the manager more slack, it is patently obvious that this team is simply not progressing, and ultimately there can only be one person to blame for this.

[Power n Glory]

Wow, I know GW is full of shit when we lose but ffs there's no need for that.

Yeah totally agree. Ox is just raw. He'll be inconsistent. He's only 21.

[IBK]

It was too much rotation and it was just to keep the players sidelined happy. It would have made more sense to give Sanchez and Ozil a break. Sanchez especially because he’s had a very long run and been thrust back into action. But the keeper, Monreal, Bellerin and Coquelin are fresh. We’re coming off an International break and they didn’t feature in the games. But either way, we should have had enough to win the game. But at the same time, I’m not writing them off because they’re strong at home and have a long unbeaten record. It boils down to motivation because there is no way the players selected should have put out such a tame performance considering their fighting for their places. So I agree with you on that part.

I think you make a good point (highlighted). While you could make a case for any single player coming in last night if they were tested and match fit, giving the likes of Debuchy; Arteta and Ospina a CL match when they have played so litttle in recent times smacked of the manager trying to mollify players' feelings than giving us the best chance of winning the match.