Match Reaction v Marseille

[Xhaka Can’t]

I can't believe the yapping in this thread. Some of it by people who complained when we'd rip teams apart but somehow still contrive not to get a result.

Yesterday, we were professional, players worked hard, and they never gave up. For this, they were rewarded with 3 points, and this was a reward they deserved.

I've long since come to terms with the fact we don't have the likes of Pires, Henry and Campbell anymore. The one thing I never come to terms with or excuse is a lack of work ethic, and that was there last night.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

It was good to see us changing the game up, Had we just passed passed that final ball like normal we may not have scored. so it was good to see the ball for JD, lets hope for more in the future.

im happy this season we are learing to mix and match our play.

[Japan Shaking All Over]

FY has the final stages of ZD. Symptoms include moaning when we win and brain death.

FY

May Allah protect his soul. . . .

[Letters]

I can't believe the yapping in this thread. Some of it by people who complained when we'd rip teams apart but somehow still contrive not to get a result.

Are you new here?

How do you do the TM thing on this place?

[server too busy!]

Good result. Kossa was awesome, he reminds me a bit of Vermaelen when he plays well..similar kind of defending style.

Walcott looked awful, just can't hold the ball up and gets disposessed too easily. Same can be said of Arshavin, they need to hold the ball up and try to be a bit more inventive. If Walcott has someone close to him he basically panicks and passes back or loses the ball, needs to make more runs behind. Gervinho needs to start, he offers exactly what Walcott doesn't, holds up the ball, takes people on and adds that bit of threat we need in the wide areas. Walcott can only play in a 4-4-2 I fear.

Arteta was also disappointing, there were several occassions he had the chance to play a ball over the top for RvP or an early pass and just delayed it causing the opportunity to go or the player to run offside. He needs to increase his confidence in the final third to become effective. Maybe that will come in time.

Great result though and people are forgetting we are only the second English team ever to win in Marseille!

[LDG]

Great result!

Koscielny was absolutely superb. Almost single-handedly got us that clean sheet.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Good result. Kossa was awesome, he reminds me a bit of Vermaelen when he plays well..similar kind of defending style.Walcott looked awful, just can't hold the ball up and gets disposessed too easily. Same can be said of Arshavin, they need to hold the ball up and try to be a bit more inventive. If Walcott has someone close to him he basically panicks and passes back or loses the ball, needs to make more runs behind. Gervinho needs to start, he offers exactly what Walcott doesn't, holds up the ball, takes people on and adds that bit of threat we need in the wide areas. Walcott can only play in a 4-4-2 I fear.

Arteta was also disappointing, there were several occassions he had the chance to play a ball over the top for RvP or an early pass and just delayed it causing the opportunity to go or the player to run offside. He needs to increase his confidence in the final third to become effective. Maybe that will come in time.

Great result though and people are forgetting we are only the second English team ever to win in Marseille!

This, it seems like he was a big fish in a small pond at everton, he deffo needs help in the middle of the park hopefull when Jack comes back or if a replacement for cesc and nasri are bought he may look better.

As for Kos he was superb, it seems Europe suits him more then the EPL. good to have him as back up i suppsose. Lets hope he can keep on doing it and give AW a headache of who to pick even when TV 5 comes back.

[LDG]

FWIW, Arteta is not playing in his ideal position. Nothing to do with his ability.

He's being played deep, and not in the role that Fabregas occupied further up the pitch.

Wenger sets up his midfield to have a sitter, a link player, and more forward playing midfielder. It was Song, Denilson, Fabregas. Right now, it's Song, Arteta, Rosicky.

Arteta is more potent further forward, and is more of a threat in and around the box (see Everton). For now, it seems Wenger has him playing the link role, and therefore some of his attacking threat is nulified.

He's clearly better than Denilson at the job though. He doesn't lose possession so frequently, and certainly adds more defensively....people who said he was shit last night, should see how much he was working to cover off their attacking midfielders, and how many times he broke up their play.

But I wouldn't expect the moaners to see that, tbh.

[server too busy!]

No but he was renowned for having a creative spark. No doubt he is covering defensively and doesn't give the ball away, but he isn't adding anything in attack. He doesn't seem to have the confidence to play a little dinked ball over the top or an early throughball when he does get the opportunity. At the moment his game seems to be maintaining possession... which is fine until we need that little bit of craft. Also this type of game all falls apart when he passes it out to Walcott or Arshavin who then give the ball away.

He's playing within himself, I'd like to see a bit more creativity on his behalf. A couple of Fabregas QB passes wouldn't go amiss.

[LDG]

No but he was renowned for having a creative spark. No doubt he is covering defensively and doesn't give the ball away, but he isn't adding anything in attack. He doesn't seem to have the confidence to play a little dinked ball over the top or an early throughball when he does get the opportunity. At the moment his game seems to be maintaining possession... which is fine until we need that little bit of craft. Also this type of game all falls apart when he passes it out to Walcott or Arshavin who then give the ball away.

He's playing within himself, I'd like to see a bit more creativity on his behalf. A couple of Fabregas QB passes wouldn't go amiss.

The whole team are playing within themselves mate.

A lot of this is down to confidence. Right now, it's about getting results. Fuck the pretty football. That can come later.

A lot of the danger we face, comes from NOT have the ball, and therefore, a bit of patience, keeping possession and hard work to grind out results is much more preferable for the time being. The hollywood shit can come later.

He did a superb job last night. How much threat came down the middle from them?? Not very much. And they have some quality players....games like last night are about getting results. Arteta will grow into it...it's only his fifth game or so, don't forget....and look how much better Mertesecker was last night...it takes time.