Morning all,
Well congratulations to Olivier Giroud on reaching 100 goals for Arsenal and one game quicker than Rvp did it…! Takes a lot of stick does Ollie and i have to admit he’s not one of my favourites but the bloke has done a good job for us, I have always said he is a great squad player and there are games he should always start and some always be on the bench. I think he has suffered just because Arsenal have needed a striker the next level up to him that’s all but well done Mr Giroud.
Thought last nights game was a good run out for the younger players and the older head who needed games. We looked pretty decent going forward and pretty average at the back. I suppose we could say that most weeks. If i am to be fair to the back three, when the two so called wing backs are natural wingers/attackers it’s hardly a surprise the back three were left a little exposed on numerous occasions. The flip side is that it’s great experience for the younger players and hopefully they have learnt a bit about positional play despite many of us saying the young ones should not be played out of position.
I thought Willock played pretty well in the midfield and definitely shows promise, he will only benefit from playing games like that. Nelson showed a few glimpses of why so many rave about him and the boy is a box of tricks but also keeps the game simple and uses the ball well. Ainsley MN was also pretty solid and like the other two will am sure benefit from playing at this level more ad more but again what’s his best position?
It was good to see Jack have a good game, what we all know is that we need to see him consistently perform like that week in week out but again his fitness will improve and when called upon for more first team games he will be ready and improve even more. If we see him play like last night weekly and avoid injury then we may all the the Jack we’d hoped for 3/4 years ago. I thought his role last nigh suited his game, he didn’t have to make rash challenges he didn’t have to run around like a lunatic just let the ball do the work which is what he did and am pleased for him.
It was a game that could of been a cricket score, we hit the post twice, we looked like every time we went forward we could score but then the also had plenty of chances as well. I suppose it’s all about the result first and foremost, not picking up injuries, allowing youngsters to get valuable experience and taking this europa league one game at a time. If good squad rotation is utilized it really could be a blessing in disguise, fringe players benefit and youngsters get to play in an environment that’s not ultra pressurised and they able to express themselves.
Now we can focus on Sunday, key players have been rested and there are no excuses about being tired or fatigued.
Have a good day.
I’m quite surprised, because that was actually a good post, we’ll done Wath, you’re definitely on the right track…
Morning All.
It makes you wonder if Eddie Howe and his coaches had a positive effect on Jack and how he plays the game, as pointed out on TV last night, Jack doesn’t run with ball as much now but 2/3 touches and he moves it on leaving a smaller almost impossible window for thugs to clobber him.
Def/mid was like an invitation to destroy his ankles, now he’s more effective in the attacking third all he needs to do is to start scoring a few goals.
Really pleased for Holding, you could see how delighted he was to score, I really like the lad.
Willock is a big unit, wait until he fills out, by the time he’s 21 we might have, dare I say it, a proper defensive midfielder on our hands.
I’m not sure that a 2nd year being our cup goalkeeper is doing Ospina any favours, he should have saved BATE’s first goal and could have done a lot better with their 2nd goal, interspersed between those he did also make some pretty good saves, but he doesn’t seem as safe as in previous seasons.
Kev, the difference is that Arsene just picked him to play in a different position… If he played further back would he still try and run the game and not play 2/3 touch..? that’s the tell tale for me..! Has he learnt or is it just a positional change that’s seen him keeping it simple where as in midfield he over elaborates and hold on to the ball way to much. The flip side of that is if there is movement for him he could/can release the ball quicker..!
WIllock already uses his body well Kev, he get’s himself between ball and player very well, as you say when he fill outs a little he gonna be another proposition entirely but he isn’t just defensive at all and like the way he tries to go forward, he makes space and hits the areas other teams don’t want you attacking..! huge promise there for sure. I believe Rick said years ago that out of all the Willocks that the youngest one Joe was the one that he thought was the best, seems we’ve managed to keep the best one after all.
Morning. Well, apparently Prof was well up for it last night. At one point, he stood up and SPAT in his technical area! ‘Ave that!?
Lol?
Morning all.
I’ve always thought Wenger struggled to get the best out of Jack, and never quite found the right way to play him.
Maybe Howe did have an influence, maybe Jacks learning his game but either way, its fantastic for him, and the club.
Throw in the expectation levels Scott and the fact Arsene relied on Jack way to much due to not buying other quality midfielders and Jack had way to much on his shoulders way to early and way to soon.
Wath, Jack isn’t and never was a def/mid, he is far too talented to be stuck in front of our box when should be utilising his skills at the other end of the pitch. I don’t wanna see him again in a defensive role, he certainly wasn’t used there by Howe last season and if last night proved anything, it’s that if he can stay fit then we have Ozil s replacement already on our hands.
Yep, get what you say about Willock and yes Wath, Rick did indeed predict big things about him as he also did about McGuane.
Jack is still only 25, he seems to have been around forever but I guess that comes from getting your full debut at 17, being a regular at 18 and overplayed at 19.
I agree, Wath.
It wasn’t just Arsene that relied on Jack-he was England’s future, as well at one point.
Let’s hope he gets there.
Kev, totally agree about Jack not being a defensive midfielder and that goes back to what I said about who he had around him as well, If Jack can replace Ozil as the number 10 what about Ramsey and Nelson and a few others who ALL want to be the number 10..!
We’ve seen a few to many youngsters show promising signs Kev then just fall away so not getting to carried away with Joe or Reiss at the moment but lets hope they carry on progressing and improving… If they do then we’ll have something to be excited about for sure. AMN also coming along well and Nketiah could also be another little gem of a player.
TW disappear on the 2nd Half
Wilshere is not fit for playing the whole game. Or never bee. He sould be replace always during the second half. If not, we lost our reference in the midfield and open a big gap in the midfield.
Maitlnd-Nilles must play in his right position
congratulations to Giroud, in spite of the penalty was’t penalty.
JM, Jack hasn’t played hence he needs to play to get fit, as in match fit. We’ve all been saying Reiss and Ainsley MN need to be playing in their preferred positions but Arsene dos what he wants as we all know. I also thought Arsene should of replaces a cpl of the youngsters a bit earlier you could see at 65/70mins they were looking tired. This will however as said all benefit them in the long run
JM, we all know Theo vanishes in games, misses sitters, can’t pick a pass etc etc but he still scored two goals…. Theo is Theo and as much as we all find fault with him and he still do he again managed to put the ball in the net. He does my head in at times but as said he scored twice.
Wath, I reckon that Reiss Nelson can do a couple of seasons as a right winger until he matures a bit more, AMN is not and never will be a wing-back, he is a centre/mid and the last time I saw him play there, he did ok, he has pace to burn and that’s a real asset because he has a habit of getting caught out of position, hopefully he’ll learn.
Full back is a bit of a problem for us this season, that’s an area where we need to do some transfer business, especially if Bellerin pushes to leave in the future.
Either that or hope that a couple of decent players come through the Academy.
I know RIck says Reiss is a number 10 but like you i’d like to see him right wing for the next 12/18 months..! he has the speed and brain and his crossing and shooting are both seemingly very good. I think the problem as you point out Kev is that AMN ad Reiss are both being played as wing backs currently so are being caught out of position purely because it’s not their natural position and the tendency is to be way more attacking hence the defensive side is neglected and they leave spaces like last night.
Hello….where is Rico ? ??
Is ok ?
Thanks
Rico is on holiday Alex, all is well..!
Not anymore sadly Wath, I’m back to grafting for a living…
Thanks for your concern Alex..
Afternoon guys and gals….
Welcome back Rico.
Hi Rico, welcome back, how was St Tropez..?
Thanks Adam, Kev and a big hello to you too…
Naked Kev, naked….
Evenng all and thanks Wath.
We were awesome in the first 25 mins………….took the game to them, pressed high……or maybe they just sat back ?……………………they then started to press and we saw a different Arsenal, one that had me nibbling my knuckles !..we sat back and invited them, still good result and some positive displays.
WB doesn`t suit Maitland-Niles, but suits Nelson better, the latter for the first 25 mins was more winger than WB.
Even though Holding scored, he wasn`t as comfortable and still seems to be less confident……….needs games to get back to where we were singing his praises.
Theo looked dangerous and Jack had a stonking 1st half !………….anyway, more important things to get teeth into……………………….the rumour of Kroenke trying to buy Uzzy out !……………………only an opinion, but we will be well and truly shafted for the future if that happens, probably the end of my Arsenal interest as what will be the point !
Welcome back El Rico co co co co co co…………………not to be nosey , but where the fcuk you been ? hahaha
Cant wait `till Sunday to see the Arsenal rack up a record EPL score !……………………….probably be a really tight game where we edge it 7-0………………….taking the missus with me, but I usually like to hug and kiss the person next to me when we score whoever they may be !………..fcuk !……………I may have to disregard tradition and shake her hand ! hahaha
Thanks Lc, Dorset.
I pray the big fella says no…
Morning all.
I hope you enjoyed your getaway, and you’re nice and refreshed, Rico-it’s a long season ahead of us 🙂
LC, Stan buying out Usmanov would be the end for a lot of supporters, I reckon.
He’s one thick skinned bastard, is Stan.
Either that or he’s just so ibseased with making money, nothing else matters.
What a sad way to live!!!
I did thanks Scott. If Kroenke gets Usmanov shares, he’ll have nowhere to hide. He’ll know that too. Perhaps only then will we see what he’s about. Perhaps then, ‘most’ or ‘many’ of his haters will have to eat humble pie…. who knows eh…
But me personally, I hope Usmanov says no….
But if Kroenke does manage to get Usmanvovs shares, I do think the only fans the club will lose is those who think Kroenke is the main reason for our clubs decline. Those who believe, or rather those who are quietly confident that Wenger is the biggest problem, perhaps won’t be too fazed….
Naked, good heavens, St Tropez for me next year… ?
Arsenal have given Norwich a further 3,600 tickets on top of the 5,200 they’ve already sold out for our League Cup tie…
That’s kind of Arsenal, really sporting of them…
And it’s got nothing to do with the lowest ever Emirates crowd of 44,000 in the previous round… ?
Stan is obviously a really successful business man, I don’t get the hate, is it because he gave the washed up one a new contract? Jealousy perhaps …almost as bad as the few pathetic Wenger apologists that are happy with Arsenal’s form of late. We are way off the pace with Europes big guns but some fans seem happy with it…bizarre!
Give another manager that’s got half a clue a crack, you never know we may start doing a bit better. For example the WBA game the other night is about our bloody level under Wenger, a very flattering score line at home to a second/third tier team.
I read that Delia’s mob were getting a bigger allocation Kev, well the stadium looks three quarters full most games these days!
Kev good news re “U” in London!! Fuckers…
Saw Micky Flanagan last night at the O2 if you get a chance well worth the effort!!
Very funny…
So Lee, was you out?
Or out out?
The only winner from Uzzy selling his shares to Kroenke would be Everton !
I see a Kosovan has named his baby.Arsenal !………………………I will name my next child after some connection with Arsenal and having already three children I cant wait to have a kick around in the garden with 4th place trophy !………..although their will be irrelavent if the first line of my post happens !……………..”Dad !……………..why you changing my name to Europa ?”
I have one question to make you “Kroenke Lovers” 🙂
see the light !…………………………………………Hands up how many think Mansour City and Chavs would have won their trophies of the last few years under Stan Kroenke ?
I`ll ask another just to cover myself !………………………………….Hands up how many think Wenger would have lasted more than one season at said clubs without winning a trophy under their current owners ?
I think that covers it all and rest my case. 😆
Lee, I have to laugh when the apologists, like Theresa May for example, say that TfL are putting 40,000 mini-cab drivers out of work. Many U drivers are bus drivers doing a bit of moonlighting, so if your bus driver falls asleep at the wheel, then that’s the reason why?
Those 40,000, a bit of an exaggeration, still have their Private Hire licenses, even if their documentation is a bit doubtful, but they can still work, there’s hundreds of mini-cab firms around who’d find them work, so the apologists are talking bullshit.
Not only that Lee, but unlike U, those minicab firms actually pay their VAT, so the taxpayer gains, the only people who lose are those parasites like Blackrock and Osborne.
Rant over ?
LC I’m definitely not a Stan lover, I just don’t get why he gets the full blame for the decline at Arsenal… yes he gave Wenger a two year deal when he definitely shouldn’t of but he also gives Wenger adequate tools to do far better than he does!
Give another manager a shot before chastising Stan all the time, don’t keep deflecting Wenger’s long list of short comings onto the owner…it’s like Wenger has some sort of mystical hold of some supporters, let it go things may turn out for the better.
There was an Arsenal before Wenger and there will definitely be one after him…
Fancy being a Stan apologist.
Sensational hahahaha
Morning all.
Giving Wenger another two years is a sackable offence, what Wenger fails to do each summer, winter and through the last few seasons is even a bigger sackable offence. I don’t like Kroenke but until Wenger is gone, no one really knows what kind of an owner he is.
But I doubt Kroenke is the reason Gazidis handed in his resignation, nor was it his fault we lost at Stoke and Anfield..
Still, been there time and time again.. Roll on the end of May… Not Teresa though Kev.. ?
Morning all..
New post is up now..