Topic: Arsenal

[Ashburton]

It is difficult as Santi is such a character, always smiling, never slags off any other team and does his talking with his feet on the pitch.  World class player and it isn't looking good for him whatsoever on the playing front.  We're badly missing someone like him this season to take control of games (and indeed, we needed that all last season), and you're absolutely right that it isn't worth crippling yourself for life over trying to get back early.  He's out for the season at this point, yet again.

[[new username under construction]]

To be honest, as hard as it is for him, maybe he would be better off retiring because by the sounds of that article, it could make things very difficult for him in the future in terms of even walking around.  Only have to read the Agger interviews to realise its not always the best thing to keep on playing when your body isn't up to it. 

There is a life after football these guys still have to lead.

He's not retiring from £100,000 a week

[Xxavi]

Santi is/was a great player. Feel for him. Best wishes, Santi!

[Groundskeeper Willie]

It was a penalty, it was ridiculous defending.

Dyche said in his Monday press conference that it was "highly unlikely it wasn't going to be given".  I don't think you can puts your arms on someone like that in the box and expect to always get away with it. 

https://streamable.com/ea733

Good to see the man back, always enjoyed the contributions from PoP.  I don't remember who wrote the original post about Rodgers fitness training, but there has been an interesting swing in fortunes between Arsenal and Liverpool which has been due to the 'most important' period in the season moving from December to August with the Champions' League qualifier. It was theorised for many years that Arsenal's fitness regimen was designed to focus on getting the squad to high fitness for a highly competitive CL qualifier due to how lucrative it was, both to keep players/sign new ones and the huge amount of income you get for (likely) qualifying from a group (£40-50m at current rates I believe).

Now that the club is in the Europa (and playing an entirely different second string) you don't need to be in peak physical fitness for August, and instead can focus on achieving this for the most important stage of the season when the games are most frequent, the Christmas period.  We'll see where we end up by January after the flurry of Xmas games, but it will be interesting to see if Liverpool & Tottenham's energy levels recover or whether the intensity of travel and playing twice a week will prove a handicap unless the squad is rotated more than either manager may be comfortable with. 

It's a very strange appointment, Brady has been a coach for years at the club and was replaced with Jonker, the former assistant manager of VfL Wolfsburg, which as far as I'm aware has been considered a failure.  City and Chelsea's academy setup has several years (and many millions) head-start, and Jonker was intended to 'turn it around' and make the u17s more competitive as a way to bring some of the highly touted talent in to the first team.  The problem with Jonker is he was too strict, direct and borderline rude, fundamentally not grasping that the players and parents (even at 15 years old) have the power, and by not massaging their egos a little and insisting on strict 'achievement based' contracts in the youth squad, he was giving the most talented of them an easy route out of the club.

With Jonker now gone, perhaps Mertesacker is seen as someone who has the blessing of the club, both as a hugely experienced international and as club captain.  How he will be in the day-to-day administration is yet to be seen, but perhaps Jonker's failure was a reminder that even highly touted individuals aren't guaranteed to succeed, especially when they don't fit with the culture of the club.

So someone gets a light half-hug from behind (arms don't even go around him) and he jumps forward like a swimmer at the start.

Soft penalty.

[ElCapo]

Feel bad for Santi, he was such a cool player.   Big loss for Arsenal!

[Welshred]

Per Mertesacker, with that world-famous reputation for developing players

I dont think he will make the difference, but maybe he can be part of a new system that takes our youth set up/scouting network in the right direction. Its an odd appointment, unless it ties into a bigger plan where other personnel are involved.

The Academy manager role is largely administrative anyway, he'll make a difference if he just sorts the recruitment of academy players out because that's a shambles at the moment - some very, very, very average players in the lower age groups. All hope isn't lost though as the U13s and U14s were national cup champions last season.

[ScottishGoon]

So Lacazette out of the Man Utd game (& for a few weeks after it seems). Typical as he probably just gave his best 45mins for us before getting injured.

Be interesting to see if Wenger plays Giroud or Welbeck in his place. Tough call actually. 

[Xabi Gerrard]

So Lacazette out of the Man Utd game (& for a few weeks after it seems). Typical as he probably just gave his best 45mins for us before getting injured.

Be interesting to see if Wenger plays Giroud or Welbeck in his place. Tough call actually. 

How many weeks are we talking? I don't suppose he'd still be out on, say, the 22nd December? Asking for a friend.

[Phil M]

Shame about Cazorla. Cracking player who I'd have loved us to sign. Wish him well.


Is he still under contract now or is there a Santi Clause? 

[Johns_Barn]

There is something so pathetic about Arsenal that would annoy the shit out of me, if, I were a fan. Their defending against the mancs was sooooo typical. Gave themselves a mountain to climb before the game kicked off. It wasn't as though the opposition played great stuff either!


::shakes head::

[Ashburton]

I did think whilst watching the game how many times we've been here before - Arsenal huffing and puffing then losing the game in the first 15 minutes thanks to goals given to a side which looked average on the day.  The response was solid, however, and only De Gea's heroics kept them in the lead for most of the game; as well as Marriner who might as well been running around with a United shirt on.

xG was 4.55 - 2.11, not including the two pens we should have had, so some days you just have to put your hands up.  Not even annoyed.

I mean if you aren't getting  pens like these, you know it ain't your day...

[Crosby Nick]

Still London’s second best side and clear of Spurs so not all bad today.

[ElCapo]

I did think whilst watching the game how many times we've been here before - Arsenal huffing and puffing then losing the game in the first 15 minutes thanks to goals given to a side which looked average on the day.  The response was solid, however, and only De Gea's heroics kept them in the lead for most of the game; as well as Marriner who might as well been running around with a United shirt on.

xG was 4.55 - 2.11, not including the two pens we should have had, so some days you just have to put your hands up.  Not even annoyed.

I mean if you aren't getting  pens like these, you know it ain't your day...

I wouldn't look much into the xG differential to be honest mate.  ManU were winning 2:0 and playing on the counter, clearly Arsenal were going to rack up chances.  I think the real shortcoming of the team is that large periods and 1:2 and 1:3 but playing a man up, Arsenal didn't crank the pressure and make the momentum count.   

I thought Oli G would have caused problems to the United backline, surprised he came in so late into the game.

[El Lobo]

Quite want to take the piss, but honestly that was just such a ridiculous game. The annoying thing is it’ll get built as some shitcoat masterclass when it was purely De Gea Vs Arsenal.

[Flaccido Dongingo]

Arsenal were as profligate as DeGea was good, they really are their own worst enemy

[Chris~]

De Gea made something like 14 saves. You don't have to look at xg to know that isn't how Mourinho teams usually defend leads. They defended really badly and no way will Mourinho be happy about that. This wasn't the usual Arsenal performrnce against him where they dont create anything when dominating the ball and then are done on the counter.

[vagabond]

I wouldn't look much into the xG differential to be honest mate.  ManU were winning 2:0 and playing on the counter, clearly Arsenal were going to rack up chances.

How many teams 'rack up chances' against a Jose drilled defense regardless of the score?

[ElCapo]

How many teams 'rack up chances' against a Jose drilled defense regardless of the score?

Quite honestly, ManU defended badly, especially in the first half.   Very poor clearing the ball for example or defenders not taking charge.

[ElCapo]

Also, thought Ozil played well today.  Was constantly on the ball or asking for it and trying to drive at United.

Alexis on the other hand was on the beach.   No World Cup and nothing to play for at Arsenal, means this season is a write-off for him.  He needs to be sold in January, otherwise I see more of these performances to come. 

[PhaseOfPlay]

Steve Bould is stealing a living from this lot.

[jooneyisdagod]

Having seen the highlights, I thought they should have had a pen. And De Gea has made his customary string of saves to keep the Mancs in it again. And Arsenal barely helped them with some awful 1v1 defending. Usually, Koscielny is good in those situations but to be turned the way he was by Pogba was really quite amateurish.

[newterp]

definitely 1 penalty at least. classic and easy to call. by the way - raise your hand if you think Yernited appeal the Pogbart red and say there was nothing he could do to stop....except he also stepped on Bellerin with the OTHER leg.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

definitely 1 penalty at least. classic and easy to call. by the way - raise your hand if you think Yernited appeal the Pogbart red and say there was nothing he could do to stop....except he also stepped on Bellerin with the OTHER leg.

He should have been sent off 4 times for that challenge

[The North Bank]

I thought we played well, we had a similar match against them a few years back under Van Gaal, we were far too open at the back but you could see why we won 12 on the spin at home, we do create at will.
Defeat doesnt hurt too much in that the title was long gone and the top 4 race will be as tedious as ever. Does bode well for the cups we are in, we normally get better luck/are more clinical in those.

[PhaseOfPlay]

I thought we played well, we had a similar match against them a few years back under Van Gaal, we were far too open at the back but you could see why we won 12 on the spin at home, we do create at will.
Defeat doesnt hurt too much in that the title was long gone and the top 4 race will be as tedious as ever. Does bode well for the cups we are in, we normally get better luck/are more clinical in those.

What do you think of Steve Bould, NB? I argued here years ago, under Rodgers, that the concept of a "defensive coach" as a specialist coach on staff doesn't exist, because the defence is indelibly linked to attack in football. But Bould is an ex-defender, and an influential coach on the staff - but Arsenal defend very badly at times. What do you reckon to his part in it all?

[Ravishing Rick Dude]

Without DeGea they would have same points as Everton. c*nts

[The North Bank]

What do you think of Steve Bould, NB? I argued here years ago, under Rodgers, that the concept of a "defensive coach" as a specialist coach on staff doesn't exist, because the defence is indelibly linked to attack in football. But Bould is an ex-defender, and an influential coach on the staff - but Arsenal defend very badly at times. What do you reckon to his part in it all?

Totally agree. I dont think you can have a Steve Bould working with Arsene Wenger, we needed a coach to compliment Wenger's philosophies, Bould could be useful with a Pulis or Allardyce. He never played in a back 3 (apart from a handful of games), he played in a back 4 where the full backs never went past the half way line, and half his defensive work was about catching opponents offside in a way that wont work now.
I dont think he actually does anything beyond handing out the bibs and carrying some cones.

[Redshadow]

De Gea made something like 14 saves. You don't have to look at xg to know that isn't how Mourinho teams usually defend leads. They defended really badly and no way will Mourinho be happy about that. This wasn't the usual Arsenal performrnce against him where they dont create anything when dominating the ball and then are done on the counter.

But it was the usual Wenger-Moanrinho result. No matter how one paints it, it's a pathetic result.

[PaulF]

What do you think of Steve Bould, NB? I argued here years ago, under Rodgers, that the concept of a "defensive coach" as a specialist coach on staff doesn't exist, because the defence is indelibly linked to attack in football. But Bould is an ex-defender, and an influential coach on the staff - but Arsenal defend very badly at times. What do you reckon to his part in it all?

Do you hin Rogers, wenger and maybe klopp dont fully aopreciate the art of defending? They maybe need soneone in the camp that will organise how players set themselves up and defend without compromising on attacking principles. For individual mistakes, a coach needs to work on that, but if they are basic ones we can see then klopp can coach it, if he has time, if with coaching a player is still making the mistakes they need to be moved on. For me morenos improvement suggests klopp at least is addressing the issues.

[LovelyCushionedHeader]

Do you hin Rogers, wenger and maybe klopp dont fully aopreciate the art of defending? They maybe need soneone in the camp that will organise how players set themselves up and defend without compromising on attacking principles. For individual mistakes, a coach needs to work on that, but if they are basic ones we can see then klopp can coach it, if he has time, if with coaching a player is still making the mistakes they need to be moved on. For me morenos improvement suggests klopp at least is addressing the issues.

I’m sure that Klopp, a centre back, appreciates the art of defending.

[ScottishGoon]

But it was the usual Wenger-Moanrinho result. No matter how one paints it, it's a pathetic result.

Im usually 1 of the first on here calling a spade a spade, showing disappointments in results and performances, but that's probably the strangest game I can recall. At the end of the game I wasn't overly hurt or disappointed for some reason. Sure, I was frustrated as feck at the manner of the goals conceded, but I don't think I've ever seen us dominate Utd in the manner that we did last night.

I don't think it be classed as a typical Mourinho masterclass against Wenger, or that we collectively shit the bed. Individual errors gifted them the opening 2 goals, & from then on we were obviously going to have to throw everything at it.

I think this time I'm more inclined to chalk it down to "1 of those games" rather than moan about our collective shiteness.

[SerbianScouser]

I was really, really impressed with Arsenal yesterday.

They don't necessarily score more per game than last season when Giroud played a lot but my eye test tells me they're a much bigger threat now with Lacazette who's mobility is allowing them to create more chances.

Yes they lost convincingly at home but with any other keeper than DDG Arsenal wins this comfortably. To create that many chances against one of the best defensive teams in Europe sitting on a 2-0 lead and defending deep was really impressive. If they somehow continue playing like this they'll be big favorites for the 2nd place however this is Wenger's team we're talking about and there will be a patch at one point of the season where their season goes off the rails completely.

[Xabi Gerrard]

I was really, really impressed with Arsenal yesterday.

They don't necessarily score more per game than last season when Giroud played a lot but my eye test tells me they're a much bigger threat now with Lacazette who's mobility is allowing them to create more chances.

Yes they lost convincingly at home but with any other keeper than DDG Arsenal wins this comfortably. To create that many chances against one of the best defensive teams in Europe sitting on a 2-0 lead and defending deep was really impressive. If they somehow continue playing like this they'll be big favorites for the 2nd place however this is Wenger's team we're talking about and there will be a patch at one point of the season where their season goes off the rails completely.

They'll need to massively improve their finishing first, it was shocking yesterday. De Gea made 2 good saves (from Lukaku and the 1st part of the double save). Everything else was terrible finishing from Arsenal rather than De Gea brilliance.

BTW, did Ramsey mean that assist?

[SwordInYourGut]

What do you think of Steve Bould, NB? I argued here years ago, under Rodgers, that the concept of a "defensive coach" as a specialist coach on staff doesn't exist, because the defence is indelibly linked to attack in football. But Bould is an ex-defender, and an influential coach on the staff - but Arsenal defend very badly at times. What do you reckon to his part in it all?

Not for teams that concede a majority of their goals from set pieces and second/third phase of play from set pieces

[TepidT2O]

“Arrogant little prick innit blud, innit fam’




Fuk ing Hell, Arsenal fan TV is brilliant.  Has there ever been a better description of Mourinho...?

They are one of the best things in football, not always intentionally, but it’s a better place for having them...

[Dim Glas]

I’m sure that Klopp, a centre back, appreciates the art of defending.

he was a striker, and then a full-back later in his career.

But yes, of course he appreciates it. His whole philosophy followed Wolfgang Franks' new at the time way of defending, it was a huge thing then, cos all the German teams used a sweeper, and he changed that completely at Mainz and Kloppo was very serious about following that philosophy and style.

It's funny to me the very wrong reputation he has here with the gormless media as a coach who simply either doesn't want his teams to defend well, or can't set up a defence.

[elsewhere]

https://twitter.com/NOT_MOTD/status/937015646331817984
 

[RyanBabel19]

Having seen the highlights, I thought they should have had a pen. And De Gea has made his customary string of saves to keep the Mancs in it again. And Arsenal barely helped them with some awful 1v1 defending. Usually, Koscielny is good in those situations but to be turned the way he was by Pogba was really quite amateurish.

Was a stonewall penalty Arsenal should have had in that game, blatant chop in the box

[BeautifulGame91]

After all the hype about how Kolasinac was a great signing to Arsenal and how stupid of us we missed out on him, he has already been dropped from Arsenal XI and replaced with a 20 year old.

[Dim Glas]

I was wondering what the deal was with Kolasinac. I thought he was injured, but then saw he was on the bench the last 2 games, and starting tonight in what is a reserve team.