Arsenal FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 10/11

Fursttimer

finty wrote: »

Has anyone stats about when Arsenal concede goals this season.

It seems that as soon as our defence comes under any pressure they just melt and give away needless goals.

Arsenal have actually the fewest shot on target against in the Premier League this season.

The defence is simply too nervous. Mediocre central defenders with little Premier League experience pitched together in the deep end.

A proven Premier League performer (hangeland for instance) should have been drafted in last summer.

greendom

Fursttimer wrote: »

Arsenal have actually the fewest shot on target against in the Premier League this season.

The defence is simply too nervous. Mediocre central defenders with little Premier League experience pitched together in the deep end.

A proven Premier League performer (hangeland for instance) should have been drafted in last summer.

The stat seems to disprove your post ? If they are so nervous, mediocre and inexperienced, how have they managed to stop the opposition from shooting more than any other team ?

shano_88

greendom wrote: »

Tiote or M'Villa would both be great additions to the squad. As for Baines vs Clichy - not convinced - sometimes the grass is greener in the other field.

Ive actually watched a good bit of Everton this year and he would definitely be a step up. Very good going forward, excellent crossing, very strong in tackle. Im not sure how he would get on playing a high line as we have lately though.


Im sick of Clichy. He has some qualities but he has too many weaknesses and is often exploited. Hes a liabilty and has dis improved over the last few years. I had such high hopes for him a few years ago aswell.

KeithAFC

greendom wrote: »

The stat seems to disprove your post ? If they are so nervous, mediocre and inexperienced, how have they managed to stop the opposition from shooting more than any other team ?

Teams have less shots against us because we keep the ball better than most, still not enough for imo.

kronsington

cant describe the sickness i feel after that match. but it wasnt unexpected. i knew they would somehow **** up like they so often do.

absolutely. no bottle. whatsoever.

fabregas out.

shano_88

kronsington wrote: »

cant describe the sickness i feel after that match. but it wasnt unexpected. i knew they would somehow **** up like they so often do.

absolutely. no bottle. whatsoever.

fabregas out.

Tom_Brady

Tom_Brady wrote: »

Just sent a tweet to Sczczszczezny.

"Emmanuel Eboue - best defender ever!!"

Ah come on I was only responding to Rio's 'Best referee ever' tweet after Arsenal v Barca. That was quitsies

Fursttimer

greendom wrote: »

The stat seems to disprove your post ? If they are so nervous, mediocre and inexperienced, how have they managed to stop the opposition from shooting more than any other team ?

The statistic is fact. As it stands, the figure is 102 shots.

As commented already, our ball retention plays a major part.

greendom

Fursttimer wrote: »

The statistic is fact. As it stands, the figure is 102 shots.

As commented already, our ball retention plays a major part.

I wasn't disputing the fact - just your analysis of how poor our defenders are. They are doing a pretty good job at the moment. Not as good as Adams, Keown etc, but better than they're given credit for. Our recent results suggest the problems are further forward.

Fursttimer

greendom wrote: »

I wasn't disputing the fact - just your analysis of how poor our defenders are. They are doing a pretty good job at the moment. Not as good as Adams, Keown etc, but better than they're given credit for. Our recent results suggest the problems are further forward.

I didn't say that.

I said they our central defenders were mediocre performers who are nervous because they have little experience of the english game. I think that's a pretty fair and broad assessment of them.

They've been shown up in each and every match.

yahoo_moe

th3 s1aught3r wrote: »

Sometimes it seems that if Arsenal cant score a perfect goal with loads of passing and moving, they arent that fussed if they score at all

Do you really believe this? It seems like every time we have a bad result, people come crawling out of the woodwork spouting all kinds of sh*te. By all means question the way they play and weigh up the pros and cons - but this "they only want to score perfect goals" thing is nonsense.

The other myth is that our season tickets are the most expensive in the league, as if Utd fans were watching their team play for £10 a game. Arsenal season tickets include the first 7 home CL/FA Cup games each season too, whereas other clubs charge extra for these. I can't find it again now but I read recently that they compare well in a like-for-like comparison.

Lastly, I'd also agree that the Arsenal support has big problems. There's no point citing a CL semi against Utd or the home ties against Barca - they're extraordinary nights and it reflects poorly on Arsenal crowds that they're generally extremely negative and are often outsung by away fans. Is that a factor in the difference between our home and away records this year? Maybe, maybe not... but there are posters here that seem to revel in Arsenal draws and losses but are never here to praise the good. Likewise, I've sat near people in the Emirates who seem to have come purely to abuse Fabianski, Diaby or Denilson or whoever. It really baffles me sometimes that someone would pour so much hate into 'supporting' a team.

Galvasean

yahoo_moe wrote: »

Do you really believe this? It seems like every time we have a bad result, people come crawling out of the woodwork spouting all kinds of sh*te. By all means question the way they play and weigh up the pros and cons - but this "they only want to score perfect goals" thing is nonsense.

It's a kop out excuse created by lazy pundits. Yeah we are often the victims of over-elaboration, but not exclusively. Some of our best chances today, including when we hit the woodwork, where from crosses and/or set pieces. that's hardly trying to walk the ball into the back of the net...

Fursttimer

yahoo_moe wrote: »

The other myth is that our season tickets are the most expensive in the league, as if Utd fans were watching their team play for £10 a game. Arsenal season tickets include the first 7 home CL/FA Cup games each season too, whereas other clubs charge extra for these. I can't find it again now but I read recently that they compare well in a like-for-like comparison.

Our season-tickets are the most expensive but yes they do include the Champions League and FA Cup. However we play a reserve side in the FA Cup so we should not be paying full whack for an FA Cup match. But, we don't have the choice because it's included already.

It's also in the pipeline that there will be 6.5% added to our season tickets for 2011/2012. The increase of people sharing their season-ticket (me included) over the last couple of years is huge and I expect that to continue for the coming years.

Ardennes1944

Galvasean wrote: »

It's a kop out excuse created by lazy pundits. Yeah we are often the victims of over-elaboration, but not exclusively. Some of our best chances today, including when we hit the woodwork, where from crosses and/or set pieces. that's hardly trying to walk the ball into the back of the net...

ah come on now, what were they supposed to do from the corner, take it down, pass about amongst the liverpool players in the 6yard box? we got a corner, it was taken, and we had a good header hit the crossbar. a good chance yes, but its not as if we had other choices of what to do. still tippy tappy way too much, and its not even good football like it was in the old days a few seasons ago.

Fursttimer

yahoo_moe wrote: »

Lastly, I'd also agree that the Arsenal support has big problems. There's no point citing a CL semi against Utd or the home ties against Barca - they're extraordinary nights and it reflects poorly on Arsenal crowds that they're generally extremely negative and are often outsung by away fans. Is that a factor in the difference between our home and away records this year? Maybe, maybe not... but there are posters here that seem to revel in Arsenal draws and losses but are never here to praise the good. Likewise, I've sat near people in the Emirates who seem to have come purely to abuse Fabianski, Diaby or Denilson or whoever. It really baffles me sometimes that someone would pour so much hate into 'supporting' a team.

99.99% of home fans in the Premier League are outsung by away fans. With regards to the Arsenal, the hardcore, working class fan can't afford to go to a home game. Away tickets are far cheaper and a much better atmosphere and craic on the day.

The Grove is littered with tourists and 30,000 people who are too embarrassed to voice their support. Away days with the Arsenal are fast becoming a must attend for all concerned. The passionate support is there but certain criteria's in place at the emirates halt any real buzz. First and foremost, they must start giving season ticket holders in the upper tier the option of sitting (standing) in both the north bank and clock end lower. As it stands they aren't really budging. One person here and there.

Fursttimer

It also didn't help today that one of our most influential, and our most passionate player, Jack Wilshere, got substituted. Foolish move on Wenger's behalf. His mid-match tactics this season have been mind boggling at times.

Ardennes1944

Fursttimer wrote: »

It also didn't help today that one of our most influential, and our most passionate player, Jack Wilshere, got substituted. Foolish move on Wenger's behalf. His mid-match tactics this season have been mind boggling at times.

wilshere was quite poor today though, did you not think? i know he tries his heart out and can pop up with magic but if its not his day no amount of huffing and puffing will do. he had to change something

yahoo_moe

Fursttimer wrote: »

The statistic is fact. As it stands, the figure is 102 shots.

As commented already, our ball retention plays a major part.

Yeah but I'm with greendom in not really seeing how this reflects badly on our defence.

What it shows is that we might have goalkeeping issues - either concentration or ability. At one stage early last season, for instance, Almunia had conceded 8 goals while having only made 9 saves. This year, our 4 league keepers have collectively made a total of 73 saves, while conceding 31 goals. So that's a save rate of 70.2% in total, with Szcezsny at 75.8%, Fabianski at 70.2% and 62.5%.

For comparison, Foster has 77%, Hart has 76%, Cech has 76%, Van der Sar has 70%, Reina has 70.5%. So we could be better but could be worse.

Also, for whoever asked about final 15 minutes stats: on the first halves only of games, we'd be in 2nd place, 7 points behind Utd. Second halves only, we're 2nd behind Chelsea, 1 point behind them and 3 ahead of Utd (source for stats before this week's games). By mid-March last year, we'd conceded 7 goals in the final 10 minutes and lost 2 points as a result.

EDIT: 14 goals conceded at 75 minutes or later this season, 9 in the league. Those 9 include 3 away vs Newcastle and have cost us 9 points in total. So a more costly situation than last year...

Fursttimer

Deutschlandfürimmer7 wrote: »

wilshere was quite poor today though, did you not think? i know he tries his heart out and can pop up with magic but if its not his day no amount of huffing and puffing will do. he had to change something

I don't think he was quite poor. He played okay in my opinion. We all know he's a passionate boy and we need those characters on the field especially towards the end of important games. He's a hard worker and has the quality to create a goal scoring chance. His replacement, Bendtner was dreadful. Nasri filled in for a time in Jack's role. Nasri was very poor today, and in recent performances.

Unlike most, I find it hard to oppose Wenger but his decision making this season has been very poor.

Fursttimer

yahoo_moe wrote: »

Yeah but I'm with greendom in not really seeing how this reflects badly on our defence.

You've the wrong end of the stick. This statistics makes out our defence is good, which we (most of us) know it isn't.

My comment was about our central defence which is nervous, error prone and lacking in premier league experience. They have suffered at the hands of some average Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup players.

amacachi

Don't want to look at or thing about football for at least a week. Going to have to pay a mate for the repairs for the hole I busted in his wall earlier, that's enough worry.

Souless

Every bloody troller in the world seems to be out for blood on the Arsenal-Liverpool match thread, is actually hilarious how so many people can be such 'gracious' winners

Happy to hear Jack won best young player of the year. Finally cooled down enough to talk about earlier. Was an awful way to lose 2 points but pretty much agree with the general concesus here that our defence and even more generally our team don't seem to have any leadership/cop on/ bottle at the moment, best time of the year to realise this of couse Hopefully there will be some spending and strengthening in numerous areas and shipping out of the squad players that are just not going to cut it.

amiable

As a Liverpool fan watching the game today i couldn't believe how poor Cesc was.

I'm not in here to thrash him. I think hes an amazing talent.
He just didn't seem at the races today. Granted he won the penalty but he was poor in general imo.

Well done young Wilshere on PFA award.

KeithAFC

amiable wrote: »

As a Liverpool fan watching the game today i couldn't believe how poor Cesc was.

I'm not in here to thrash him. I think hes an amazing talent.
He just didn't seem at the races today. Granted he won the penalty but he was poor in general imo.

Well done young Wilshere on PFA award.

He was dreadful mate. One of his worst performances in an Arsenal shirt. Perhaps we would be better selling on in the summer.

OPENROAD

KeithAFC wrote: »

He was dreadful mate. One of his worst performances in an Arsenal shirt. Perhaps we would be better selling on in the summer.

Think he has been poor all season imo, get as much for him as possible in the summer and he can go imo.

amiable

OPENROAD wrote: »

Think he has been poor all season imo, get as much for him as possible in the summer and he can go imo.

How much are Arsenal fans thinking is a fair price?

amacachi

amiable wrote: »

How much are Arsenal fans thinking is a fair price?

Lahm

OPENROAD wrote: »

Think he has been poor all season imo, get as much for him as possible in the summer and he can go imo.

These players usually are uncooperative when they are about to move away or are being looked at by someone else.

Charlie Adams is the same for Blackpool.

Fabregas doesn't want to be at Arsenal anymore because they win nothing and footballers want to win.

Fursttimer

Harsh comments regarding Fabregas.

Every man and his dog knows that he has played pretty much every game with one injury or another. He's the Arsenal captain and wants to play every match. It's hard for the manager to question his fitness when he's so keen to play.

He has under performed more than usual this season but he is a tremendous footballer and clearly an asset when on the field of play. Despite his lack of enthusiam at times and seemingly poor displays he's the heartbeat of the side.

I suspect we'll see another year or two of him in a gunners shirt.

wandatowell

Fromvert wrote: »

A lot of the Arsenal fans have to be some of the worst in the PL, they give their team zero backing if they're not winning. Booing and moaning with every bad pass is not going to help the team.

Don't deserve to support a team who play some of the best football in the league.

They give them ZERO backing? Really????

what are you on pal?

Its the Arsenal fans who are paying the crazy ticket prices to watch the team win. They have every right to boo if they want. Who are you to slag them off for reacting the way they do. All fans boo their team when they are playing ****e.

Do you really think its just Arsnal fans who moan at bad passes and boo at the final whistle????

Wake up will ya


But on another note, well done Jack and Sagna

Galvasean

wandatowell wrote: »

But on another note, well done Jack and Sagna

And Nasri!

spiralism

Right, i'm a Man United fan but watched this game with my arsenal supporting brother and cousin, the main thing i noticed about this arsenal team is the mentality or lack thereof. No leader, nobody to rally or settle the troops, it just gives a sense of something bad being about to happen at any given moment.

I recall looking at the screen and seeing 89 ish minutes on the clock yet Arsenal were playing the same old slow tippy tappy play with not a bit of urgency or a care in the world. Unreal, the closest they've been to Utd this late on in a season in years and in a monumentally huge match for their title chances they're strolling around tapping the ball from left to right with time expiring? Not a bit of urgency, couldn't get over it. Any other big team at all and they would try anything for that late goal, tons of pressure up the pitch at a high pace, whereas arsenal gave the impression that that whole craic would be tedious nonsense and that the goal will come as opposed to them taking it, just keep rolling the ball from left to right and sure it'll be grand.

Just what i think anyways lads, sorry if that doesn't go down too well.

Galvasean

spiralism wrote: »

Right, i'm a Man United fan but watched this game with my arsenal supporting brother and cousin, the main thing i noticed about this arsenal team is the mentality or lack thereof. No leader, nobody to rally or settle the troops, it just gives a sense of something bad being about to happen at any given moment.

I recall looking at the screen and seeing 89 ish minutes on the clock yet arsenal were playing the same old slow tippy tappy play with not a bit of urgency or a care in the world. unreal, the closest they've been to Utd this late on in a season in years and in a monumentally huge match for their title chances they're strolling around tapping the ball from left to right with time expiring? Not a bit of urgency, couldn't get over it. Any other big team at all and they would try anything for that late goal, tons of pressure up the pitch at a high pace, whereas arsenal gave the impression that that whole craic would be tedious nonsense and that the goal will come as opposed to them taking it, just keep rolling the ball from left to right and sure it'll be grand.

Just what i think anyways lads, sorry if that doesn't go down too well.

You've just said what the vast majority of Arsenal fans are thinking / saying. It's a very valid obseration.

SDTimeout

I can't believe people are whinging at Wenger and calling the players bottlers. Wojscez kicked the ball out and Pool attacked again. Eboue saw red and made a stupid stupid stupid decision.

That wasn't a bottling moment, that was pure bad luck and lack of concentration.

People just looking for a cop out excuse at the moment tbh.

KeithAFC

SDTimeout wrote: »

I can't believe people are whinging at Wenger and calling the players bottlers. Wojscez kicked the ball out and Pool attacked again. Eboue saw red and made a stupid stupid stupid decision.

That wasn't a bottling moment, that was pure bad luck and lack of concentration.

People just looking for a cop out excuse at the moment tbh.

Shows we still need an experienced goal keeper imo. Can't make such a stupid 'error'. Just hold onto it.

Galvasean

KeithAFC wrote: »

Shows we still need an experienced goal keeper imo. Can't make such a stupid 'error'. Just hold onto it.

Would not saddle any blame on Woj at all for conceding today. I was shocked, literally shocked that the ref didn't blow for full time after Woj saved from Liverpool's tip-off effort.

Fromvert

wandatowell wrote: »

They give them ZERO backing? Really????

what are you on pal?

Its the Arsenal fans who are paying the crazy ticket prices to watch the team win. They have every right to boo if they want. Who are you to slag them off for reacting the way they do. All fans boo their team when they are playing ****e.

Do you really think its just Arsnal fans who moan at bad passes and boo at the final whistle????

Wake up will ya


But on another note, well done Jack and Sagna

Yes, if yous aren't winning the fans give no backing to the team, they seem to enjoy moaning at misplaced passes then getting behind them and trying to give them a lift.

Of course they have every right to boo but it's hardly going to do the team any favours, is it?

Did I say it was only Arsenal fans? No I didn't but this season, especially at home, yous seem to be the worst for it.

KeithAFC

Galvasean wrote: »

Would not saddle any blame on Woj at all for conceding today. I was shocked, literally shocked that the ref didn't blow for full time after Woj saved from Liverpool's tip-off effort.

Agreed, even then, the moment the ball hits the wall, blow up. I hate the refs in the Premier league. Idiots.

Fromvert

KeithAFC wrote: »

Agreed, even then, the moment the ball hits the wall, blow up. I hate the refs in the Premier league. Idiots.

The ref did nothing wrong, they are instructed not to blow up while the ball is in the box.

KeithAFC

Fromvert wrote: »

The ref did nothing wrong, they are instructed not to blow up while the ball is in the box.

What? The ball hit the wall though. It should of been the last kick of the game. For me, that is a clearance. Liverpool failed to score directly from it. Blow the whistle.

Fromvert

KeithAFC wrote: »

What? The ball hit the wall though. It should of been the last kick of the game. For me, that is a clearance. Liverpool failed to score directly from it. Blow the whistle.

It doesn't work like that, the ref should take no blame for that decision, he got it spot on.

It was a lack of concentration and a rash decision by Eboue that cost yous the three points.

KeithAFC

As far as im concerned, the rules in terms of keeping time need to be looked at and changed. And the moment the time say 3 minutes of stoppage time is up, thats it. The moment it hits 3, blow the whistle. Regardless. Its the same in basketball.

Fromvert

KeithAFC wrote: »

As far as im concerned, the rules in terms of keeping time need to be looked at and changed. And the moment the time say 3 minutes of stoppage time is up, thats it. The moment it hits 3, blow the whistle. Regardless. Its the same in basketball.

The added time is a minimum.

Do you think no extra time should be added on for the time taken to take Arsenal's peno, the time taken for the celebration, the time taken for the free to be taken?

KeithAFC

Fromvert wrote: »

The added time is a minimum.

Do you think no extra time should be added on for the time taken to take Arsenal's peno, the time taken for the celebration, the time taken for the free to be taken?

IMO, no time should be added for a penalty.

Fromvert

KeithAFC wrote: »

IMO, no time should be added for a penalty.

Why not?

If that was the case, if one was awarded in added time, the team winning could waste time by taking their time to take it.

They can take up to a minute and more for them to be taken, with arguing and calling for cards etc.

jank

Pains me to say this but... I think Wengers best is behind him. The last few seasons where Arsenal cave under any little bit of pressure has his finger print all over it He should move up stairs while a new young coach should be brought in.

This is one of the poorest Arsenal teams I have seen. No passion, no urgency no drive.

It wont happen though. Wenger will buy nobody in the summer, half our defense will get injured in pre-season and Wenger will go on talking about self-belief....

I think most fans though in the last year has recognised that the problem is with Wenger. He has to change or go. It has all gotten too stale.

Frisbee

Absolutely no surprise at what happened yesterday. After we scored the peno I said we'd still find a way to try and bottle it and my faith in this team came good.

Disregarding the Pool penalty we were awful yesterday and Cesc really looked like he couldn't give a shít. Again.

AnCapaillMor

Just when i thought eboue finally got some sense he goes off and gives away the most moronic penalty ever and then complains about it. Wengers reaction to the peno embarassed me. It was stonewall peno, it was just a stupid peno.

And did Chamakh knock up Wengers wife r something, it can be the only thing that explains the absense. The game was crying out for him when tippy tappy was going nowhere, he'd knock a few down, there was a few crosses into the box that were meant for him. don't even get me started with Bendtner on the right putting in crosses for van persie.

keano_afc

AnCapaillMor wrote: »

Just when i thought eboue finally got some sense he goes off and gives away the most moronic penalty ever and then complains about it. Wengers reaction to the peno embarassed me. It was stonewall peno, it was just a stupid peno.

And did Chamakh knock up Wengers wife r something, it can be the only thing that explains the absense. The game was crying out for him when tippy tappy was going nowhere, he'd knock a few down, there was a few crosses into the box that were meant for him. don't even get me started with Bendtner on the right putting in crosses for van persie.

See, this is the side of Wengers game I dont get. Tippy tappy wasnt working, he sends on our tallest player and puts him wide right? Should have went to 4-4-2, Arshavin and Nasri wide and Cesc/Song in the middle. The lack of urgency yet again from tihs team is getting embarrassing. Something seriously wrong there.

amiable

keano_afc wrote: »

See, this is the side of Wengers game I dont get. Tippy tappy wasnt working, he sends on our tallest player and puts him wide right? Should have went to 4-4-2, Arshavin and Nasri wide and Cesc/Song in the middle. The lack of urgency yet again from tihs team is getting embarrassing. Something seriously wrong there.

The league wasn't just lost yesterday though. I know where you are coming from though.