Well it was a good result last night and for many an unexpected result myself included but we did show a better discipline we did defend better and we took an early chance when it really mattered.
There were positives and also still many questions unanswered but the win was vitally important.
I think we looked decent going forward, for me the full backs were again going forward to much and that needs to be looked at as it’s then that we are left with the two centre backs completely left all alone at the back and only Arteta as cover. I thought Dortmund were very average last night but that’s also due to us doing a lot of things right.
We played with a decent tempo we used the width of the pitch and we defended from the front much better. It’s a shame Arteta isn’t 23, a few inches taller and a bit quicker as the fella is a top footballer, we will miss him now that he is out yet again as he has the discipline to sit and the nous to play the defensive role even though it’s not his best position by a long shot. Sanogo also picked up an injury and is it because he was thrown into a game after no real competitive football since his last injury, yes he played U21’s fro France but he’s hardly had a decent run has he.
Yet more injuries but we’re not out of the CL just yet and least no dreaded Thursday night footie to waste everyone’s time.
I thought young Martinez did well in goal and looked quite assured and composed. I would keep him in goal and see how he goes, I think Chez needs a wake up call and need a huge kick up the backside as he seems to think he way better than he is presently and he needs to be shown he is not automatic first choice he needs to work for it, if he throws a tantrum tough titty…!
I think over the next few games as many have said we need squad rotation, we need the fringe payers to come in and get games, Wenger needs to show some faith in his squad he is so good at saying is quality….. Play Bellerin, play Campbell, play Rosicky and Poldi so others can rest and recoup and hopefully not pick us injuries related to being overplayed and tiredness.
If we can take last night attitude and focus into the next few games and improve yet more on the defensive discipline and shape we may yet turn things around. We have Kos coming back to fitness but he needs to be given game time but not thrown into a full game just yet. Lets hope our new fitness Guru can make sure Wenger brings him back slowly along with Debuchy when available.
We have a talented group no doubt about that and that’s never been in question the problem is getting the best out of them and getting them to play as a unit and to attack and defend as one, if we can get that balance sorted then we can only improve so lets hope the Boss gets it right over the next few weeks and lets hope the more senior players tell him it’s something that needs to happen.
Lastly very sad news regarding Phil Hughes, to die playing the sport you love is so sad and such a young man… RIP
Morning u lot…..
I loved every single thing we did yesterday. We hazzled, hunted, got dirty, and did everything totally un-Arsenal. When you play your best game of the season, you don’t lose, you win. That was our best game yet, and it can only get better. Arteta’s was my man of the match, and his injury shows, yet again, that we need a DM. Arte’s not getting any younger. 4 injuries already this season. I pray he gets well soon.
Morning all,
I missed most of the game but when I did get a chance to go to the bar, Cazorla was doing some amazing things.
So no matter how much Ramsey talks about full fitness and coming to form, he still doesn’t want to do the donkey work anymore.
For me Sanchez needs a rest. Coming up to that time where he used to get a winter break plus was never a regular starter for Barca.
Morning people , A much more cohesive performance last night , the team followed a pattern and kept to it when it mattered. We will miss Arteta now and with Jack out too there is a great gaping hole that we have no-one to fill. Good to see Santi get a run in his proper position , funny how he suddenly looked like the player that he was once before . He controlled the wide players and used them really well and kept stretching Dortmund’s defence. Shame that just as an answer smacked Wenger in the face it gets taken straight away through yet more injuries.
Thanks Wath, credit where its due really eh. Very sad on Phil Hughs… RIP
Good morning Squeezers and Geezers.
Good post Wath. Much better than our win yesterday.
I am bored today. I feel like I want to beat the shit out of someone.
no spuddie has crossed my path yet……..grrrrrrrr
Potter, Santi also put in a really good shift last night, he tracked back and although doesnt really tackle least he was getting goal side… Now we need to get Ox doing that more as well and that will make us harder to break down and get past…!
Agreed Roger, team deserves a bit of credit they did well… now to improve yet more and we could yet turn things round, we crying out for a physical player in central midfield though, if only Wenger decided to implement a plan and use maybe Chambers there with Bellerin at RB with Kos back in the middle with the BFG, could Monreal play the Arteta role, he reads the game well enough.
RIP Phil Hughes…
Decent performance last night against a lacklustre Dortmund side.
AOC and Sanchz very good, as was chambers.
Morning All,
That’s how you play football Mr Wenger,
we got everybody back behind the ball,when we lost it.
Simple Simple……………………..very good team display,
if only we done that Saturday,we now have the get out card,
He may be small,but he plays like a giant..Sanchez
I cannot say anything about Phil Hughes as I do not follow cricket. but I can understand your feelings when you say he died playing the game he loved.
I have had a similiar experience in football. It happened while I was watching a game at under 13 level and one of the boys just fell and died on the spot. Heart attack. What made it worse was that his father was watching as well and when he went out on the pitch to my horror I realized that he used to be in the same class as me.
Dont know about Monreal playing there Wath. I see where you are coming from. But its a no starter. simply because if AW put him there, even if Monreal played the games of his life the vitriol from the supporters who have not managed 2000 games in their life would be horrendous.
Spot on Fred, When you defend and attack as a unit it makes things way more simpler…! Hardly rocket science is it.
As for Sanchez the fella is a very very special footballer… size doesn’t matter when your fearless, he tackles he gets back and helps out the defence, he has great vision can pick a pass and buy can he attack…! If others in the squad cannot learn from him they playing the wrong game.
Life can be f’kin cruel Dev….!
Dev, I hear ya but all things being equal he has done a very good job next to the BFG, he reads the game well, is comfy on the ball and decent in the tackle, he won’t go galivanting forward and for me it’s worth a punt to have him sitting in front of Kos and the BGF as I just can’t see Wenger playign Bellerin at RB and playing Chambers central mid, he obviously doesnt rate any of the fringe players otherwise he would play them. He is scared to play them so sticks to what he thinks won’t let him down.
I concur with you Wath on Monreal. TBH….I like the look of him at CB as well, and in the last two games he did all that was required efficiently. But the vitriol that came down on him left me speechless. I am happy for the guy to get his chance and impress. and all that you said about him was right.
But I am afraid that those supporters who have blinkers on will not see anything other than a bad player……and the vitriol they will throw I am afraid it might destroy him.
And Chambers should no longer be considered a fringe player. He has played CB and RB in nearly every game. Plus he has played for the national team. So imo he should be considered as one of the top pool of 15 players……if we have that number of fit players by the weekend.
lol
In all honesty Dev, Monreal next to a quicker centre back and he would even look very good, Vitriol from fans with blinkers is pathetic, not his fault he been thrown into the deep end blame the manager and yet he’s done very well. He seems to of got on with it and the fans in the ground not given him any stick at all so I reckon he well worth a run in the middle of midfield with no Arteta, he’ll give us more than Flamini that’s for sure as he way better on the ball and reads the game very well. he’s also quicker than Arteta lol
Idiots that slag off a player for no reason really should shut the fcuk up…!
I also don’t look at Chambers as a fringe player Dev, I was more referring to Bellerin who is a RB yet Wenger won’t play him….! He won’t get any experience Arsene less you play him and give him a chance to impress.
Obviously some very good calls for replacing/supporting an aging Arteta with a DM. We all know it.
But one thing – if you try to bench Sanchez for a rest he will be absolutely furious. The guy is a machine and from what I read wants to win every game in training or on the pitch. He wont stop even if you chain him to the bench! As for being overplayed, well his energy levels are consistently top so its not showing. Players are supposedly monitored for muscle fatigue, and every player is different in that respect.
Roger, I think the best thing with Alexis is not to even bench him, he is just told he has the weekend off…! total break not even have him on the bench, you tell him long hard season we want him fresh we want to try make sure he is as fresh as possible and the injuries have not allowed him to be rested and it’s the best for the long term that he has the odd complete break…! That’s why you have a manger to explain properly why a player will be rested.
Well Wath, you know he deserves it more than anyone 🙂
Roger and Wath….I seem to recollect a player with that attitude who would have been furious if he had been benched. And though he did not have Alexis’ skill on the ball he would have snapped and harried his way through fiercely. lol
I doubt that AW would even try to play Monreal as a DM although I see your point.
But I did like the fact that he has done a good job even though I was reluctant to accept it at first. My fear is that after all the good work he has done he will be cast aside when Deboucy and Koscielny return. I might be mistaken though.
That’s for sure Roger, If he is told that he won’t get the Xmas break like he used to and with the jet lag from South America to keep him fresh for the season it’s important he gets the odd weekend off to keep him at his very best for the whole season. That also needs we have to have Theo fully fit and Giroud..! Akpom also surely deserves a chance, big strong very quick and also not scared to put himself about.
I think your spot on Dev, you just know Monreal will be benched when Kos n Debuchy fit. Where does that leave Chambers and Monreal. Both could do a job in midfield if needed and I think having seen how well Monreal adapts he would also offer plenty playing in front of Gibbs or at left back with Gibbs playing ahead of him. Wenger doesn’t ever look at trying these things he is sooooooooooo one dimensional and predictable it’s why we are so easy to beat. It’s his way or no way..!
Just a question mates…….is DW23 injured??? Why didn’t Theo feature yesterday??? Will they be available next weekend???
Imagine this…….
Ches
Debouchy, Per, Kos, Gibbs.
Chambers, Monreal
Theo,Ozil, Sanchez
Giroud
Subs……Martinez, Flamini, Arteta, Podolski, Cazorla, Welbeck, Ox
Welbeck has a knee problem Dev and Theo has a tight groin that he got while away training with England, no time scale on either been given.
Dev, for me not sure if Chez is my 1st choice can’t stand his attitude of late and his decision making is bloody awful….!
I went for Ches simply because he is our present first choice.
I like the look of Martinez. Quiet but effective.
He is coming in on the blind side. And if he continues to impress he will eventually take the number 1 spot.
JW out for three months..
So Jack is out for three months, that means the rest of the season then effectively…!
I thought he was assured and confident last night Dev, quiet yet composed and did everything that was asked for. A few good games and he’ll improve more and more and control the defence and command the box even more. He a good size yet seems quite agile.
With that team you picked think I’d start Welbeck instead of Giroud just for pure pace and link up play and then you have Giroud to come on with 20mins to go…!
The team you have picked would do a job as well if you swap Santi for Ozil and Ox for Theo, gives us options even with the injuries..! Throw in Campbell n Rosicky on the bench and it’s not so bad is it and lets be honest if they work their socks off should beat most teams..!
Problem is Dev, Chambers n Monreal in central holding midfield and no Ramsey in the starting 11…. never gonna happen in a month of sundays…!
haha…..I left him out on purpose to see if anyone notices.
not even on the subs bench. lol…..a very BIG LOL
I did that to show that even without Aaron and Jack we should still be able to field a strong team. So imagine they are fit enough……..put them instead of Arteta and Flamini.
but for the love of God……AW should rotate them. there are enough players to rotate.
Thing is Dev, playing a team like that is about playing players who would do a good job yet god forbid we may get accused of not being so attractive BUT there are still plenty technical players for us to be attractive and play good football but it makes us solid in front of the back four, what is so wrong with that… Nothing. It’s called adapting the side to make the best of what we have.
You could play Aaron in place of Ozil in that side as well with Chambers and Monreal behind him, he can bomb forward and not worry so much about having to protect the back four.
Just shows the possibilities if Wenger was a tad more flexible and prepared to try different things… We all know he isnt and thats also the route of all evil..!
I love all the opinions and permeations of what Wenger could do. But whenever Wenger does something different and it doesnt come off, a whole lot of people on HH bag Wenger for playing people out of position ‘ruining them’. When he rotates (not lately with the injuries) he gets blasted for weakening the team, when he doesnt a lack of rotation is blamed for injuries. And in the papers Mourinio is praised for repeatedly playing a settled 11.
http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/man-united-fans-celebrate-paddy-mcnair-on-twitter-after-injuring-jack-wilshere-for-3-months/
As I said yesterday , late and studs up . Totally missed by Dean . Somebody somewhere has to start getting to grips with this.
Evening all…
I enjoyed watching that game last night…
Gutted for Arteta….
Roger, I get what your saying re out of position and the fact is having to play Monrela at centre back is a joke, totally Wengers fault. When we have injuries that rules out 3/4 players not just one then it’s not his fault. Seeing that Monreal reads the game well and is composed and isn’t gung ho yes central midfield isn’t his position but i think he could do a job there and same with Chambers and for Chambers not so out of position at all as he played defensive midfield when he first joined Southampton. I think playing out of position because you failed to buy correctly is one thing playing a player out of position due to freak injuries in a certain position is a risk that fans would accept and a huge difference between the two.
Agree Potter the tackle was late and as usual missed by Dean but as said when does Dean ever give us anything…! he hates us and loves stitching us up at every opportunity..
That stinks Potter, what horrid people live in this world……
Come on Pele, you can pull through….
I get back on here and you lot all go… Might as well go back to bed….. lol
You mean you got up….Rico..
Sorry Rico, had to do some work……… and you should be wrapped up in bed anyway getting better.
I did Bt…
I’m off back there now Wath… 😉
Get well soon Rico ppl are sick of reading my shit posts lol 😀
🙂 Wath, I doubt that…..
You sick Rico??? did not know.
so get well soon boss
Just a cold Devil, no big deal… But thank you…
I’m off now so nighty folks…..
Night Guv……
Port and Brandy , hot bed and sweat it out.
Night Bt..
Potter, that mix would finish me for good.. lol
Gone now….
Good night boss.
and take care.
cu tomorrow my friends.
A piece of early morning reading:
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/nov/27/terry-burton-arsenal-chelsea-youth-development
Alexis Sanchez article from Daily Fail:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2852398/Arsenal-s-Alexis-Sanchez-gone-boy-living-desert-dust-bowl-one-man-Arsene-Wenger-rely-on.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490
Morning all….
Poor old Terry…. Strange that AW says he had no say in the matter…
Morning Rico and the House .
Team news for tomorrow.
Chessny has not tained Mikal and Sonogo out and Wellbeck
will be checked. He had a swollen knee.
Re the Terry article.Like a number of H/H readers I was very happy when Jonker joined us, but I am starting to have seconed thoughts and I feel
that things are going wrong in the acadamy.
How rude of me how are you feelin now Rico?
See you later
Morning you lot…. You still spreading germs Rico or feeling better…?
Morning Rick and Wath…
Seems there is a problem with HH, a few people can’t get on…
Still spreading them Wath lol
A lot better thanks Rick…
Some more news Kossy is fit to play Theo is not.
Debuchy and Hayden “about” two weeks away from playing.
Thanks Rick, forced rotation may not be a bad thing….
Which browser do you use lease as you, Wath and I seem to be the only ones able to get onto HH..
Bonjour Tweety birds and Sylvester Cats.
How are you Boss??? Still swimming in germs and mites???
I read the Burton opinion and for me it is just an opinion. A sour grapes one maybe???
First of all I do not agree with those who say Jonker appointment was a mistake. Too early to say so. Burton himself has said that we will see the results in 5 years time. So how come there are some who are having second thoughts???
In a way Burton is contradicting himself. First he says that Jonker was a mistake, then he says results will be seen in 5 years. Yes he did know the academy from top to bottom, but if the academy had fallen behind he was part of it falling behind. And secondly, it will not take Jonker only two days to put a house, which had been falling down, back in order.
Believe me……to put an academy in order you will need to work around the clock for the first 2 to 3 years to begin seeing the first fruits. And to get a whole philosophy across you need more than a few weeks like Jonker has been allowed till now.
We should give him at least one or two seasons to begin talking whether it was good or bad.
In the meantime we should observe and watch. We wait and see.
Rico I use Firfox on my PC and have no probleme posting.
Have just tried to post on my Samsung Tablet and cannot open H/H
Thanks Rick…
Google chrome for me, morning all….
I use my brain to get into HH. Faster than everything else. 😛
Google chrome for me 2 Rico…..!
Morning Dev, Rick m Bt….
Morning Bt and Devil.
Chrome for me too and all ok…
Much better thanks Devil… I too think Burton has perhaps spoken out feeling all bitter and twisted..
As you say, early days re Jonker…
New post up now….