I got no faith in Djourou with his play the last 3 months. Christ. That was just pathetic. Vermaelen helps immensely but one of the other 2 need to step up next year or it's gonna be same shit come March.
This was 1 game I could actually get behind Wenger as he actually changed the tactics. We weren't sharp but the tactics were good 2nd half Still though the best performance all season from a center half I see was Vermaelen vs Man U reserves and it's not close. If you want to win, you play Vermaelen. Djourou was just pathetic today. Beyond pathetic and needs to step his game up big time. I think he has the right mindset though which is good, he knows he needs to get better. Not like some. Gibbs need to go on loan or be moved to left mid. These last 2 performances by him were beyond pathetic. He cost us the Man U FA Cup game and then today.
on conceding another goal from a set-piece… We [have] conceded, I think, 21 from set-pieces and only 17 in open play. Less than anybody else in open play [but] we have been caught on set-pieces. Today, [Kenwyne] Jones didn’t even need to jump to head the ball in. That is something we have to correct. It is the easiest thing to correct in the game but you still must understand the flight of the ball and want to be first to the ball. I feel we are sometimes a bit naïve. Fucking fix it. Just so stupid. We actually started out today fine and looked good then boom that stupid set piece goal which was pathetic by Gibbs. You bench and pull players if they can't mark their man on set pieces. It's gotta be a team effort and it's the whole club. Reserves and U16s have the same problem. Go get someone that can come in and teach these players to do it. It's a stupid problem to have but that's Arsenal.
It was about the same bullshit of the last 5 seasons. Great play at the beginning of the year, fully in contention in most competitions and then the defense unravels and the team picks up some injuries and the team isn't mentally strong enough to win tough games down the stretch. Same shit every year. Get some players with the belief and quality to achieve in March-May. I see Jack-Song-Sagna-Vermaelen-RVP(if healthy) as the only players I trust at this point. Nasri some but not fully. Theo needs help on his side, he is a bit player. Needs to start some games and come off the bench in others. Fabregas hasn't been healthy once in March in 4 years. We need quality. At least 3 signings to go along with the loanees coming back.
IMO if Fabregas wants to go, sell him for 45+ million pounds .. put Nasri in the middle (that's where he was at his best earlier this season when Fabregas was out), get a legit winger on the left .. 2 defenders at the very least who're physical, game ready and good in the fucking air .. maybe a goal keeper like Manuel Neuer (highly doubtful) ...
Rumors today were Benzema for 25mil- Vertonghen who is quoted as saying he wants to move to England and follow a path similar to TV5 Samba saying he wants a move and was close to Arsenal in January Bendtner to Fulham and a few others. Arsenal are also lining up a partnership with Anderlecht like what we just set up with Feyennord. They get our loanees and we take their talent at good prices it sounds like. Of course the players involved have to agree.
I hope the japanese kid, ryo miyaichi, gets 1 more year under his belt at Feyenoord and gets his permit .. the kid is super talented and a natural left winger .. we haven't had those in forever ..
Obviously he is struggling in this game, but I think Hangeland would be great for you guys. He's very skilled on the ball for a big man, and he's excellent in the air on set pieces. I like Samba but Hangeland offers more imo. Plus he's got that whole American thing working for him.
want samba... leadership and he is a silverback gorilla straight out of the congo that wouldnt be soft like half of our D
Not mobile enough or good with people running at him. We already got big and clumsy Djourou. Samba is aggressive and strong. Vertonghen is great in the air, good tackler, ball skills, and fits 2 positions. I'd just much rather have those 2. It's really not our center backs that are the problem on set pieces although we could use a Vidic type that wins half the balls that come in. It's other players just being pussies and losing their men and nobody being vocal. It's a club problem more than our center backs although with Vermaelen back we'll have our vocal leader. Sczezesny, Djourou, Koscielny didn't comprehend that is was their job to be the leaders on set pieces and point out where certain people need to go and who to defend.
Djorou can't do ass .. his best game this season was against Chelsea ... Samba with Vermaelaen is probably the best back pair we could have for many a few years past ...
Djourou has played well at times but he is clumsy and doesn't tackle well or close players out. I like him as a backup unless he improves. I think another year and Koscielny will improve even more. No more mistakes though. Samba or Vertonghen would be fine by me but I'd take Vertonghen due to his versatility. Either way we SIGNIFICANTLY improve with Vermaelen back.
There was a point in the season where I was really happy with Djourou's play and confident that he would start over Koscielny with Vermalean next year. Needless to say the latter part of the season has changed my mind about that happening, but I guess you could say that about a lot of the team.
Not much on the wire today City supposedly joining the chase for Vertonghen. They better stay the fuck away. Bendtner set for showdown talks with Wenger. Yesterday Nasri's agent pretty much confirmed he'd re-sign.
City supposedly joining the chase for Vertonghen. They better stay the fuck away. Bendtner set for showdown talks with Wenger. Yesterday Nasri's agent pretty much confirmed he'd re-sign.
Legend!!! hah .. him and Wilshere and Armand Traore (who was arrested at White Hart Lane for carrying concealed brass knuckles!)
News Mancini says give me Cesc and I'll win the title. Wenger tracking Rondon of Malaga. -Damn good player. Certain upgrade from Bendtner. Some Vertonghen stuff. Arsenal target but City are definitely tracking him. Bayern want Bacary.
Afobe for Huddersfield this year. Some nice highlights. Natural talent is ridiculous, he needs a few years for sure. Probably a championship loan then EPL loan and he'll be good to go. BENIK AFOBE (Something Big)
Arsene Wenger is plotting a double raid on French club Lorient to launch his summer rebuilding plans. Arsenal have made an offer to midfielder Morgan Amalfitano – a free agent – and also fancies promising French international striker Kevin Gameiro, 23. Wenger signed defender Laurent Koscielny from Lorient last July, developing close links with the club in Brittany. Amalfitano, 26, has also been chased by Aston Villa and Sevilla and would be seen as good business on a free transfer. Gameiro will be available at around £12million, having made it clear he wants to join a club in the Champions League. Arsenal are likely to offload a striker, with Nicklas Bendtner interesting Bayern Munich. Bayern’s incoming coach Jupp Heynckes has urged the Germans to forget about Chelsea’s Jose Bosingwa and pursue Bacary Sagna, but the Gunners full-back's agent insists he is happy at the Emirates Stadium. Wenger is also anxious to tie down Samir Nasri on a five-year contract. Read more: http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Transfer-news-Arsenal-plot-double-raid-on-French-side-Lorient-for-striker-Kevin-Gameiro-and-midfielder-Morgan-Amalfitano-while-Bayern-Munich-are-interested-in-Gunners-duo-Nicklas-Bendtner-and-Bacary-Sagna-article734882.html#ixzz1MD8awXCY Sign up for MirrorFootball's Morning Spy newsletter Register here
I'm hoping Samir gets that Henry commitment to Arsenal. He's so good. We need heart. Cesc doesn't have it. Jack, Tommy, RVP, Bacary have it. We need more.
Wenger also revealed he is very hopeful Samir Nasri, who is a doubt for Sunday's match against Aston Villa with a hamstring injury, will sign a new contract later this month. The 23-year-old’s current deal expires in June 2012, but Wenger said: ‘We will do it end of the season. I will do anything possible to make him stay.’
YoungGunsBlog Jamie Sanderson Arsène Wenger: "I expect Pat Rice will continue for one more year. He has told me. I am happy he will go on." Seriously WTF. The guy is shit. Sure we'll have the same problems with set piece defense next year.
gonna miss the game tomorrow to play a free round of golf any way I would be able to watch it online somewhere after the match? dont get fsc plus so I cant dvr it
so Rice was set to retire, but Arsene talked him into returning the similarities to Bowden/Mickey Andrews make me kinda sick to my stomach
all the arsenal media people say rice is not a yes man and talk very highly of him, why the animosity towards him here... obviously i have no idea how to tell how much influence an assistant has so not picking a side, just wondering
He was a legendary Arsenal defender. My animosity is our defense has sucked monkey dick for 5 years and we don't seem to work on free kick defending and the players aren't held accountable. United bring in young players, they step up. We bring in young players besides a few, they fuck up. All about leadership and Arsenal don't have much. TV5 will help but we need more. We need Vertonghen, Gameiro, players like that who great players and wanna win. As I've said, we have 4 players right now I think wanna win. RVP, Wilshere, TV5, Sagna. Nobody else has stepped up when it has counted. United got 15 players like that.
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2011/05/15/2487520/bayern-munich-set-to-offer-30million-to-land-arsenal-winger