Match Reaction vs. Sunderland

[Power n Glory]

Two things have done this group of players the world of good, in my opinion: having to do without a player like that back-stabbing, dutch b-----d for a year, who could bail us out of a tight spot with a moment of magic; and the gradual phasing out / selling off of all the players who really weren't up to it or pulling their weight (or both). It's put out the right message about what is expected if you want to stay in this side, and also chucked a few of these guys into an uncomfortable, sink-or-swim situation, where we really couldn't absorb any passengers in any of our games. It's a situation that could have very easily blown up in our collective faces, but luckily, by the end of the season, they'd decided to swim.

What you say about feeling close to the team is a really important point that often gets overlooked - I don't think anyone's kidding themselves into thinking that this team couldn't be improved on, and they certainly give us our fair share of frantic, heart-in-your-mouth moments, but seeing a group of players out there who actually look like they give a crap makes up for a lot. I like this group, and it's been a while since I've been able to say that about almost every player...

When we phased out Vieira, Pires, Ljunberg and finally Henry....the same sentiments were expressed about that group of players. A bit of investment in quality here and there would have solved a lot of problems back then. If we didn't buy Ozil this summer, I suspect we'd have had a crop of new disgruntled players on the rise.

[Ollie the Optimist]

When we phased out Vieira, Pires, Ljunberg and finally Henry....the same sentiments were expressed about that group of players. A bit of investment in quality here and there would have solved a lot of problems back then. If we didn't buy Ozil this summer, I suspect we'd have had a crop of new disgruntled players on the rise.

thats irrevlant though now because we did buy ozil. and the whole place, fans players etc was on (and still is) a massive high. no point speculating what might have been because we wont ever know, and frankly it doesnt matter.

this team seems to care, there is a refusal to lose. people are loving some of hte players ebcause they are genunie characters. BFG, Podolski to name two. im loving this team right now, not hte prettiest to watch but its spirit, desire and never get give up spirit is what i love to see.

[Power n Glory]

thats irrevlant though now because we did buy ozil. and the whole place, fans players etc was on (and still is) a massive high. no point speculating what might have been because we wont ever know, and frankly it doesnt matter.

this team seems to care, there is a refusal to lose. people are loving some of hte players ebcause they are genunie characters. BFG, Podolski to name two. im loving this team right now, not hte prettiest to watch but its spirit, desire and never get give up spirit is what i love to see.

It's not irrelevant. As said time and time again, buying one or two really good players really lifts the fans and players. I don't think it's accurate to say there wasn't a buzz about the club 5/6 years ago when we had our young team putting Prem teams to the sword in the Carling Cup. If anything, the last few years of selling our best players and investing cheaply sucked the life out of us. I used to love watching us play each week.

[I am invisible]

When we phased out Vieira, Pires, Ljunberg and finally Henry....the same sentiments were expressed about that group of players. A bit of investment in quality here and there would have solved a lot of problems back then. If we didn't buy Ozil this summer, I suspect we'd have had a crop of new disgruntled players on the rise.

Yeah, I agree - let's hope the way that last team disintegrated will have stung everyone at the top enough to make sure it doesn't happen again...

[Ollie the Optimist]

It's not irrelevant. As said time and time again, buying one or two really good players really lifts the fans and players. I don't think it's accurate to say there wasn't a buzz about the club 5/6 years ago when we had our young team putting Prem teams to the sword in the Carling Cup. If anything, the last few years of selling our best players and investing cheaply sucked the life out of us. I used to love watching us play each week.

when i was talking baout hte buzz, i was talking about the ozil buzz. not from five years ago

[Power n Glory]

when i was talking baout hte buzz, i was talking about the ozil buzz. not from five years ago

And you don't think we could have had a similar buzz some years back? This is why it's not irrelevant. Remember when we signed Rosicky. The other window where we got Theo, Diaby and Ade....

[Ollie the Optimist]

And you don't think we could have had a similar buzz some years back? This is why it's not irrelevant. Remember when we signed Rosicky. The other window where we got Theo, Diaby and Ade....

well yes, but thats not my point. you said what would happen if we didnt sign ozil this summer. i was saying that its an irrelvant point to make, because we did sign ozil. its like saying, what would happen if we didn't win a trophy if we had just won a trophy. its irrevlant

[Syn]

Buzz and expectations are different things. There has been an even greater expectation to win things a few years ago. But our expectations in recent years have been downgraded. Wenger Abu Nazir'd us - depriving us of everything but bread and water for a few years so that when he unveiled his shiny new Ozil, we go mental. Can't remember such a buzz - to go from dreading to watch your side play to not being able to wait to watch them (as it was in the recent international break).

[Özim]

The Ozil signing was fantastic and I'm really pleased with that, I do however think we should in the 3 months available to us have signed one or two players more as our squad looks a little bare at the moment.

There's a buzz around the club due to this big signing, but I'm also a little nervous about any injuries at the moment as we really don't have cover for certain areas.

[Power n Glory]

Buzz and expectations are different things. There has been an even greater expectation to win things a few years ago. But our expectations in recent years have been downgraded. Wenger Abu Nazir'd us - depriving us of everything but bread and water for a few years so that when he unveiled his shiny new Ozil, we go mental. Can't remember such a buzz - to go from dreading to watch your side play to not being able to wait to watch them (as it was in the recent international break).

Good one.