Good to see Lulu get his first goal. Diaby played much better today and even jenkinson didn't look like shit.
He looked serviceable at defending but his distribution from the back was some of the worst I've ever seen.
Jenkinson was awful in the beginning but he settled in. He has better positional awareness than Gibbs who had a rough game. Thrilled with the points, Diaby and Podolski. A lot of things to improve but did a lot of things well. TV5 and Kos should be a great CB pair. Per had his worst game but still a great start to the season for him.
Wenger KnowsBest @wengerknowsbest I must say, today we were offensively offensive, defensively defensive and, overall, consistently consistent.
Poldi and Arteta were constantly tracking really far back to cover Gibbs. He needs to keep a more defensive responsibility if he hopes to remain a starter. Per was up and down but I expect that from him given his physical limitations.
GoonRambler Love this picture of Cazorla celebrating his goal with Arteta and Vermaelen (via @arseblog) http://t.co/gJzwHv01 9/2/12 11:36 AM
he's out for intls and magically 100% the day after the Belgium match(es) are finished same with Ox and whoever else
I watched the match half drunk this morning, pleased again with the defense, Steve Bould is already a effin legend. Per, Jenks and Gibbs being 3/4 of a back line that hasn't given up a goal is awesome to me. I would not be against Bould being the next manager. Santi and Lulu played very well together and I thought Giroud put in the proper work, Diaby also played well but I'm still not a believer of him 1) doing it consistently and 2) staying healthy. Still think it is a mistake by Wenger to consider him a replacement for Song. Liverpool are fucking woeful but anytime you get three points at Anfield, it's an A+ performance.
Furthermore, if Bould isn't offered a Premier League job next summer, other clubs are doing it wrong.
Well said. Bould has definitely had a positive influence so far but also think Arteta's organization is key. Hopefully he can work with Gibbs on his positioning, he's either out of the play or right next to Vermaelen leaving the whole wing open. Our youth teams shipped plenty of terrible goals, maybe adults listen to Bould more . Still not convinced about our defense but looks as good as there is in the premier league right now. TV5 is playing great, hoping we see a run of him and Kos and Sagna gets back soon. Can't wait for Skinhead Jack, Wenger said a month so should be back in full training soon. for no major injuries during intl break. Love that Arteta has no team.
Obviously pleased with the result but god damn it was terrifying to see Vermaelen go forward with Per and Arteta on yellows and Suarez ready to go with his snorkel and fins. I don't think Arteta will be able to pull that off against the better teams, but I'm praying Jack will have the athleticism to play furthest back (also because Arteta's talents are wasted in his current position).
I don't think anyone is sold on Diaby yet, but a few things to consider. First time he has been able to play three games in a row in who knows how long. Second thing to consider is the style of game this was. When the game is more open and the D is not dry humping each other in their own end he can definitely still create. My hope is that when we get back to dryhumpville, he will be more comfortable in making the correct pass and a lot more quickly. Also, I wonder why Wanger sat Theo? To prove a point or just rest?
No idea about Theo, not really buying the style of the game as to why Diaby excelled. He was just crisp, he was moving well, he was covering runs, his passes were precise, and he saw the field well. Part of his attacking success was because of extra space but everything else was much, much better than the first 2 games where he wasn't exactly pressured into making quick decisions. Saw a good understanding between Arteta-Diaby-Cazorla after 3 games which is great to see. Podolski-Cazorla are great together. Need to get that with Jack and Rosicky when they get back and Ox, Theo, Gervinho out wide. I like what Giroud is doing outside the finishing, all in all I loved what I saw attacking wise today. If we had a major weak spot it was getting the ball out of defense. Didn't link well today, most of it was on just sloppy passing though. Ox didn't have his best game either, sensational talent but has a lot to learn.
I wouldn't mind a mild re-invention of this team as a less open, more controlled kind of team. Diaby has always had games where he flashes or even totally controls, but the question will always be his health/consistency. Still hate the depth situation, if Verm misses any time we are dangerously close to a Per-Djourou combo platter, with Jenk/Gibbs on the outside. I really like Arteta as the deepest of our mids, his ability to stay focused/disciplined makes him effective as a holding player even if he isn't a great tackler or all that mobile. Giroud's passing was pretty crap, along with the finishing, but he puts in a good, strong effort for a Frenchie. Will have to hope that it's just a matter of settling for the finishing/passing to improve. Lulu has exceeded expectations and Cathorla is just exactly what he was supposed to be. The key, as it has been for the last few years, will be consistency and health. Have not been able to maintain a consistent squad and haven't been able to avoid injuries to key personnel. Have to get Sagna back soon and keep Kos/Verm healthy. The most important 2 will be Diaby and Arteta, as we have no replacements for either until the boy comes back. 4th place still seems like the best case and the most likely scenario, but maybe Arsenal can make a run at the FA cup or something.
I'm trying not to get too excited, but for some reason (maybe the improved stability of the backline), I'm really liking this squad (maybe it's just due to chemistry). Can't look at our squad and see a player that would potentially want out (lol Theo). Seems like a closer-knit group and I, for one, hope getting rid of Song improves us in the long run. But maybe it's the bourbon giving me courage, idk.
Just saw the game since i had to DVR it, but you guys pretty much covered it all. At first seeing Jenks, i was like, "oohhh great.." but everything went better than expected. Got a lil nervous seeing Suarez step on TV5. And please to see Diaby have a good game. Other than that, gonna be a tough run of matches after the break.
He is my first choice to play next to Arteta (with jack moving to cam) He runs for 90, good tackler, goes past people with the dribble, good vision, etc Basically the same things he does at cam, but he provides no goal scoring threat so move him back
Really like Cazorla playing in the center behind the striker and Podolski on the left right now. There are going to be a shit load of combinations though this season, just hope Rosicky and Jack come back soon.
raphael honigstein @honigstein v.g. friend of mine had dinner with Arsene Wenger 2-3 years ago. asked him which player he rated most highly in his squad. answer: Diaby The man loves him some Diaby.
I don't disagree, just trying to find a link without false pretense. I totally disagree with Arteta comment here. With the passing the from the back four, there is no one else I want back there as an outlet more than him. It's not a traditional DM the way Arsenal play, should not even be called that.
They obviously need someone to link the back four with the attackers, but he has to play so far back that he has very little influence in the attacking area in his current position. With Cazorla playing well, that's not a huge concern, but he is going to be a turnstile against teams with better attacking mids.
It's like the Andrea Pirlo or Paul Scholes role. They sit deepest as well but aren't out there for their defense per se.
That is the first time I can ever say that I thought someone played better than a highlight tape showed.
I had been searching for one all over youtube and my thought was 'hey, it's longer than a few minutes so it should be legit'. I'm sorry I have failed you, my dear.