Daily Bits and Bobs

Finally we have a 'powerful' squad! Where it all goes wrong…….

Posted on by rico

Morning all,

I am not knocking the way we fought back from 2-0 down against Liverpool, neither am I complaining about a 1-0 victory over Stoke City at the weekend. That game in particular was tough in the physical sense and I thought we’d showed a lot character against a side which had one intention, that of course being to kick us off the park.

Those performances, together with the 5-1 victory against West Ham has convinced Arsene Wenger that things are on the up:

What is more important is the quality of our performances is there, the spirit is there and the target to be in the top four is very important now because we have strengthened our belief and confidence.

This for me is where it all goes wrong.

Conceding two goals against a very average Liverpool side in the fashion we did was awful. Yes the fight back came but that was a game we should have won in front of the home fans. Stoke City, well i’m not sure Pullis had any intention of attacking our goal. They were so defensive they barely crossed the half way line, let alone test our keeper so had we conceded against them, it would have been a disaster.

I’m sure there isn’t an Arsenal fan anywhere who truly wants us to finish outside the top four. We all want to see us playing in the Champions League next season and of course, that would pretty much mean we have finished above the neighbours again, something which is a bit more important in my eyes. However, until we can beat sides who sit around us, or until we are on a really good run of results, maybe it’s best that the manager and his players keep quiet and let their football do the talking.

Mikel Arteta has been talking about Sunday’s game too, praising the depth of our squad:

You have to do that [rotate], I think Santi’s played a lot of games, as I did before I got injured. The last thing you want is him injured for a few weeks, [especially] now important games are coming up.

He [Wenger] decided to leave him on the bench. He came on to help us win the game and that shows that the players can be changed, that we can rotate the team, and that we have a powerful squad.

Having Arteta and Diaby back has made a difference, signing Monreal has also made a difference as we now have a proper left back playing his proper position and that’s rare under Wenger and of course, rotation is key, especially as we enter another very busy time with the Champions League later this month.

I don’t agree with Arteta though, I don’t believe our squad is powerful enough, it still lacks 2/3 quality players.

Big test ahead for Arsene Wenger though, knowing who to rest and when to rest them will play a huge part in how we finish this season.

That’s about it for today, have a good one….

rico

0 thoughts on “Finally we have a 'powerful' squad! Where it all goes wrong…….”

  4. southyorkshiregunner says:

    Morning Rico, WATH

    I was going to say something but Mr. Supercilious said it before me …

    Why Le Grove made me laugh this morning
    By Myles Palmer

    I haven’t read Peter for weeks but I see that he was wound up by exactly the same thing that made me mad yesterday.

    Wenger’s comment.

    As you probably realise by now, I don’t read Wenger’s comments(ecept by accident), don’t comment on his comments, and have never before quoted anyone commenting on a remark by your esteemed Spin Doctor.

    But this classic was too good to ignore and Le Grove could not ignore it:

    “In the Africa Cup of Nations, the best player is Gervinho. It`s simple. Why should we go there when the best player is Gervinho? We already have Gervinho.’

    INCREDIBLE! Gervinho is a player who boasts pretty shoddy technique and the inability to stand up when running in a straight line. He’s really not a great player. He’s a bit of a scatter brain. Does Wenger really think saying things like that are going to do anything else other than lead to Gervinho getting ripped by his team mates? Because that’s what footballers will do. It’ll also reflect badly with the rest of the Arsenal squad.

  5. rico says:

    Morning Syg.

    We had a few things to say on that comment here too. Joke eh!!

    Mind you, if it causes a few laughs amongst the players, including Gerv, could take the pressure off of him a bit…

  6. W.A.T.H says:

    Morning all…………..

    Gervinho…………… Hmmmm the best break dancer ever to grace a football pitch.

  8. devilgunner says:

    Morning all………Ozzies included. That is three of them now. Hopefully they will all play a strong part in our ever increasing strong line up. 😉 Hope they turn up in time for the games and articles.:)

    If Gervinho is the best player in the ACON the rest must be pretty awful then.

  9. southyorkshiregunner says:

    Your comment of “However, until we can beat sides who sit around us, or until we are on a really good run of results, maybe it’s best that the manager and his players keep quiet and let their football do the talking….” is VERY spot on….

  10. W.A.T.H says:

    Exactly what I said the other day Dev, shows how poor the quality is at the ACON…. if he the best he’s found his level…! crap defenders make him look good.

  11. GoonerPeople says:

    morning all…Gerv is not great BUT…
    Victor Moses has played 9 minutes less than Gerv for a sum total of 1 goal…

    in the league, Antonio Valencia has played in about 23 matches for ManU this season and is yet to score

    Same cases with Ashley young.. Milner who plays in the similar roles for city is making impression only recently

    COMPARE THIS TO GERV and stop hating. Support the players we have coz Chav and Mancs “fans” do not hate as Ars “fans” do.

  13. rico says:

    Morning devil… Drogba isn’t bad though ..

    We hear it every season Syg, just like all other comments, keep them to themselves. Our last three results are hardly anything to brag about….

    Let them be what they are, and that’s baby steps towards building towards a good run. I hope….

  15. devilgunner says:

    Drogba is another issue Rico. He has played in the EPL. Milito and Villa have not. Nacho is at a good age…….he can adapt and give us 4 quality years.

  17. rico says:

    Tongue in cheek re Drog devil…..

    I’d have loved us to sign Villa though, no reason to think he wouldn’t have slotted in just fine…

    He’s got two good seasons in him, great player to have around the squad too imho…

    I guess it depends on what is in-store for Afobe, Campbell etc….

    Not sure Afobe is in Wenger’s thoughts right now…

  18. devilgunner says:

    Just hopped over to LG. They say that the fixed European match is the Liverpool-Debrecen one. I am not sure about that. Its not like the Dippers aint it? ‘They are not that sort of club!’ 😉

  22. W.A.T.H says:

    Don’t forget Rico it’s not about both teams being complicit in a result it’s the one who have decided to let in 5 goals or to miss a pen so not going to be about both teams being guilty and in 99% of games it will only be about certain players within one team.

  23. rico says:

    The keeper only Wath, he was supposed to let in more than three goals – he only managed one

    They should have borrowed Almunia for the night….

  28. Sunnypa de gunners says:

    With the corent players we can dominate europe and the world if wenger dont formble.he should not be starting diaby and convert ramsey asw defencive midfielder and let arteta play atacking midfielder.the formation should be 4.3.3 and he should be like this…..szecyny…..
    sagna…….kosieny……vamaelin……monreal
    ……. ramsey……
    wilshare…… …….arteta
    worcut……. giroud……. podolski
    with dis formation we can dominate world and europe.go gunners go.gunners till i die

  31. rico says:

    Hi Sunnypa…

    Not sure that team would dominate the Championship!

    Thanks for that Lee. Can’t see Gerv changing that statistic 😉

  37. devilgunner says:

    You are building a team of Aussies Scott. Where are you starting from…………the back or in the attack???

  40. devilgunner says:

    Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud accepts that he is down the pecking order behind Karim Benzema when it comes to France coach Didier Deschamps’ choice of who to lead the line for Les Bleus.

    Benzema is currently the number one striking option for France and appears to have his spot firmly locked down, something which Giroud accepts.

    However, the former Montpellier man feels being at Arsenal will help his case and make him better prepared to step up to the plate when required.

    “I am a second option behind Karim Benzema”, Giroud told French daily Le Parisien.

    “I do not lack ambition, but I am realistic”, he continued.

    Do not worry mate……we would prefer you to play 2nd fiddle to the Benz…….so that you would not get injured.

  41. devilgunner says:

    I guess we all would like to dedicate this to the lady of the House…. 😉

    Reg Presley has died. I used to like this song……in the early to mid eighties.

  45. devilgunner says:

    Felix Baumgartner fell faster than we thought: supersonic skydiver hit Mach 1.25……..Felix Baumgartner fell to Earth faster than he or anyone else thought during his record-setting jump last October from 24 miles up.

    I wonder at what speed Suarez and Bale fall to the ground????

  47. rico says:

    But the Womens World Cup cricket is on Wath and England are through to the quarters having battered the Windies 🙂

  48. devilgunner says:

    I do not know lady. Maybe you can tell us more whether you are wild or not. 😉

    We would like to know. 🙂

  52. Lawrence says:

    To be honest this squad is lacking quality in depth. It wont change unless there is a disaster with the current regime.

    Am I jealous, envious I dont know but I love Arsenal and I want to see the worlds stars playing in red & white. I have in the pass paid my hard earned money and now there are plenty more doing it. We should all be demanding the cream of football playing in red & white.

    If we finish in the top four AW will say mission accomplished, a star or two will be sold in the summer and will be replaced by crap. Yet another season of struggle to Finish 4th or 3rd maybe even 2nd but never 1st in any competition.

    Dont get me wrong we have some really good players but we dont have eleven now. To win things we need 22.

    Anyway I am one who would see misery by not being in the champions league if it meant change to club policy.

  54. rico says:

    Lawrence.

    If I truly believed that missing out on top 4 would see change at the club then I’m all for finishing outside it.

    IF Sk is the one not giving AW money then that won’t change as there will be even less.

    However, if the one to blame for the squad we have is down to Wenger alone then SK can always sack him for not getting us the kind of squad our club deserves…

  55. Lawrence says:

    True Rico, but you know me I am also Pro Usmanov and would love SK to pack up and leave and take Ivan the terrible with him.

  57. devilgunner says:

    I want both SK and AU to bugger off. I want AFC to be run in the same way as Barca, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are run, that is by the supporters who own the shares and who get elected every two years. We do not need a club to have a sugar daddy or one who can drain our resources. The German bundesliga have passed a rule stating that no share holder can own more than 45% of shares in any club. That means that the minimum number of major shareholders a club can have is three. I believe that in the long term this is more beneficial to the clubs. If the EPL manage to pass such a law I can assure you that everyone will be on a level playing field.

  59. devilgunner says:

    yes they are Adam………but at least they fight for their club and only want the best for the team. Not for their pocket but for the team. Both the current AFC board and the clubs mentioned above are run by dickheads……….but I know which ones to prefer.

  60. devilgunner says:

    At the end of the day it is the success of the club which counts. Much as we like AFC I think we would prefer ours to be run by dickheads knowing that we have won the Champions lge 9 times, the EPL for about 30 times, the FA Cup around 20 times and a couple of World Club Cups.

  61. Adam says:

    We could end up with Piers Morgan as chairman though my vote goes to Lee.
    The future lies with Jabba although, regardless of the transfer kitty, if the manager refuses to spend it, you’ll be up shit creek anyway.

  63. Lawrence says:

    Devil I dont think the EPL can introduce such a system now, who will reimburse Mr Chelski for 55% of his club? Is he really going to get a good price for floating a piece of sh*t.

  64. devilgunner says:

    As it is we have been run by dickheads ever since I have known AFC to exist, we are the third most successful EPL club there is behind the Dippers and the Manures and we struggle to dominate the league for more than three or four years at a stretch.

    Something was and is wrong.

    And do not tell me about the strength of the EPL. It is not. It is simply overhyped and physical. Is the Spanish Liga inferior to the EPL? Not when two of its clubs have won the Champions lge for a combined total of 13 times. EPL teams have only won it for a total of 8 times.

    World wide coverage the EPL is in a stronger position. But trophy wise at international level it surely is behind other countries.

  65. rico says:

    The difference with AU though Adam is he wouldn’t let any manager behave in such a way. He’s an Arsenal fan. But you know that 😉

    I’m all for AU too….

  66. devilgunner says:

    on your 12.52 comment I am totally with you Adam.

    Righto……….off to pick the little prince from his class.

    Later on my Gunner mates.

  69. nigel tufnel says:

    Great points by goonerpeople about gervihno stats comparison. Funny that no gerv haters had anything to say about it. Hhmmm

  73. southyorkshiregunner says:

    I said in summer you can bend statistics however you want to bend them. On Gervais …….

    This is true
    Woman:
    35 years old…
    Owns her own business…
    Drives a top of the range fcuk off new white Mercedes with private reg
    Owns a detached 4-bed bungalow
    Her mum and dad own 5-bed villa in Spain – with big pool
    She’s blonde with bob-style haircut
    5ft3
    Fairly attractive

    It sounds a good proposition Nigel Tufnel? Maybe a date in the offing?

    But it’s me twisting the statistic to suit……..

    In reality she’s a fcukng great fridge raider and weighs in at 18 stone, has feet like pigs trotters and is that fat she walks like a fcukng teddy bear … oh and she has a shit personality ….

    Gervinho

    How many failed passes
    How many failed runs
    How many times has he fell on his arse when in possession
    How many sitters has he missed
    How many nazi sulutes has he done
    How high is his forehead
    How many times does he flash his choppers when he bollockses up
    What’s his success rate with penalties

    FRANCIS JEFFERS WAS THE MOST POTENT OF ANY ENGLAND PLAYERS… He must be …. Statistics prove that he scored 2 goals per every 90 minutes he ever played….

    ARSENAL HAVE THE MOST SHITTEST SUPPORTERS OF ANY TOP TIER ENGLISH CLUB … They must have … Statistics prove that only 4,554 turned up to see them in a title chasing game for Leeds Utd …. The lowest ever top tier attendance ….ever

    I could go on for ever …. STATISTICS CAN BE MADE TO MAKE OUT WHATEVER YOU WANT…

    You’ll be saying the Pat Rice was our best ever right back next ….

  75. Will XL says:

    If Gervinho would stop thinking and just play simply and to his strengths, he could create a ton of goals.

    Get to the by line and put the damn ball in the box. No more mating dances with the defenders. He is allowed to cut in and shoot occasionally but just stop killing the momentum on the flanks! That’s such an easy instruction to give.

  77. allezkev says:

    The best right-back I’ve seen playing for Arsenal….?

    Now there’s a ggd question?!!!

    Viv Anderson was a top quality, all round defender, but a great right-back…

    John Devine looked the bollocks when he first broke into the team. Not really sure what happened to him…?

    Bacary Sagna, prior to his leg breaks, was arguably one of the best in the world.

    Lauren was a very solid, dependable and tough hombre…

    Lee Dixon, 500+ games, says it all…

    Pat Rice, Peter Storey and potentially Carl Jenkinson…
    All very very good players… All internationals…

  80. allezkev says:

    I never saw him play (although I think Wath did) but Eddie Hapgood was probably the best of the best Wavy…

  83. allezkev says:

    Yes SYG, I believe he did… Think he missed most of the following season as well…

    Arsenal finished the 52 final with about 8 fit players.

  87. W.A.T.H says:

    AK we’ve had some top notch full backs over the years thats for sure, for me it has to be Dicko, he had a bit of everything but first and foremost we has a defender and thats what you what is your defender to defend first not think about storming down the wing…!

    Viv Anderson was a good right back shame he also done the dirty on us to join the Mancs.
    I also did love Lauren and especially when having the Neville sister by the neck…!

  88. Wavy says:

    This could be a never ending story……….but I admired Bob McNab, then again he was aleft back. To his credit though he was the fastest recoverer I have ever seen. He used to go sliding into a tackle, miss everything ball,layer and turf, but before you could say, bite yer legs, he was up and infront of the player he had just missed maiming. Marvellous!

    Post script Wally Barnes was way before my time, although I do remember his match reports for the BBC, Grandstand, maybe?

  89. southyorkshiregunner says:

    The sight of Lee Dixon running to Ray Parlour in the 98 cup final after he scored was BRILLIANT … His own goal versus Coventry wasn’t a bad one either … Didn’t he once do a diving header own goal too??????

    Lauren was a great player for us. It seems a shame that in between having a pair of “great” right backs in Lauren and Sagna, we had the enigma that is Eboue – the flailing drama queen….

    Viv Anderson was sound too…. It’s strange that in the mid eighties we had a great looking team on paper (like NOW)…. yet we did nothing apart from lose semi finals and quarter finals…. Maybe WATH, Adam or Kev can enlighten us

    ANDRESON & SANSOM – Englands full backs
    O’LEARY – possibly the best Centre back in the league and Eire international
    CATON – Up and coming Centre back and England 21 captain
    RIX, TALBOT & PAUL DAVIS two England internationals and one of the best Arsenal players that have never been capped…..
    WOODCOCK, MARINER and NICHOLAS all internationals

  90. devilgunner says:

    The best two full backs for me were Dixon and Winterburn. Maybe Cashley should be up there but his dirty tricks leave a sour taste. I liked that pair for the simple reason that first and foremost they were great defenders, but helped in the attack also. The two which remind me of them are Jenkinson and Nacho. Similar styles to the former two. Defend first, bomb forward second.

  91. Wavy says:

    I’d go with Dixon and Winterburn as the best pair, although the latter never received the recognition his effort and skill deserved.

  93. devilgunner says:

    Wavy…….LD and NW were the best full back combination I have ever seen. They complemented each other and were solid.

  94. W.A.T.H says:

    SYG, we won the semi’s that mattered mate and that was 1987….!
    That was up there in my top three Arsenal experiences… Unbelievable…!

    That team on paper was a very good side SYG, never lived up to it’s potential and I think we lacked depth…. Sound familiar..? We could trun over anyone on our day but those days were few and far between. Early 80’s always felt much like now that we were a couple of players short of being a really good side.

    Best pairing has to be Dicko and our Nige…. Nige would run through a brick wall for you and thats what’s lacking now a few more like him.

    Top players, top attitudes and would die for the shirt..!

  95. nigel tufnel says:

    Yeah gerv can be frustrating at times, but he does track back to help, works hard and could also be a great sub against tired teams, unfortunately we dont sub hardly at all, and he doesnt get regular playing time.

  96. allezkev says:

    Wavy, from a technical prospective, Kenny Sansom was probably the most skill full Arsenal have had in modern times.
    But if I was picking my all time Arsenal XI, I would have Winterburn at left-back.
    After Charlie, he is my all-time favourite Arsenal player.
    Great attacker, great crosser, great defender, never gave up, cleared many lost causes off of the line, a true warrior and Arsenal great in my opinion.

  99. W.A.T.H says:

    All good here Kev, Am out training daily mate in the snow ice wind sleet and rain……… My right arm nearly as good as my left now…! 😀

  100. allezkev says:

    Coach, Ashley Cole was a great full-back, and but for that fat turd Hill-Wood, would have been an Arsenal great and an Arsenal captain…
    But I’d still have Winterburn in front of him…

  101. allezkev says:

    Blimey Wath, ambidextrous, (thank God for the spell checker 😀 )…
    I gotta step up my training. Lata mate

  102. W.A.T.H says:

    Am with you AK, as good as Cashley was/is…. Nige was better…!

    Better sort that training out Kev otherwise your getting left behind mate…! Don’t worry I’ll organise a cab for you to keep up 😀

  105. W.A.T.H says:

    It’s pretty user friendly though Lee….. Just very mobile friendly as well…! That’s what it looks set up for!?!?

  112. Adam says:

    It certainly is Rico, though a few degrees lower in the sticks where you are I should imagine. I see another razor sharp piece on the BR today.

  113. rico says:

    I got so so cold out with Fido earlier. My fingers went numb Adam 🙁

    I haven’t seen the BR, do I dare go and read?

  114. Adam says:

    No, don’t bother. It is complete and utter nonsense of the type we have come to expect from 18 year old unshaven Americans who just “lurve” English soccer.

  121. allezkev says:

    Serge Gnabry looks like he could be quite a player…

    He could be ‘The’ surprise package next season…

    No doubt Syrup is already getting a hard-on thinking about how much he can sting Shitty for in 3 years time, when Gnabry is flogged off…

  126. devilgunner says:

    I can assure you that out of the present lot in the reserve and youths only one maybe two will make the final step.

  128. rico says:

    It has been the same for a while devil. And we wonder why Brady wants out, he must feel awful watching his players leave without being given a chance…..

    Gone now….

  130. Gonerjoe says:

    Devilgunner
    Just a point on your post @ 12.56 English teams have won the CL or it’s previous incarnations 12 times at least. Just tought you like to have the correct facts.

  132. Lee says:

    Arsenal moved to Highbury from Plumstead in 1913, and it is exactly 100 years ago today that the decision to move was revealed in the Islington Gazette. See http://www.blog.woolwicharsenal.co.uk/archives/5334

    On Thursday, 100 Arsenal fans will be celebrating Arsenal’s 100 years in Islington at a special reception organised by AISA and hosted by Islington North MP, Jeremy Corbyn. Many of the supporters attending have unique and special stories, including one fan whose great-grandfather was at the very first match played at Highbury v. Leicester Fosse!

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