I just finished seeing -Liverpool Vs Juventus. As a casual observer,I tend to understand the game much better seeing it this way.
And I am surprised to see liverpool,go through.I agree that Juventus played badly,but to see a team which we have been dominating for sometime now,got me to think.
I mean they are under a new coach,a squad weaker then our’s and with there top players missing.How did liverpool reach to the semi finals of the champions league,something which we have not achieved, even in our best of forms.
Having said that,I am not going totally belittle our players and our performances.I mean yes we have made mistakes,but come on-A team will always fall after the pinnacle of what we achieved last year.
I am going to write solely from the perspective of doing well in champions league.I find these points important.
First.CONFIDENCE.I mean we have pretty much achieved everything domestically. We now look towards Europe.But something always goes wrong. I seem to think,that it is our lack of self belief.Instead of taking pride in our performances domestically,we tend to put pressure on ourselves cause of our failures in europe. And pressure effects our performances. Some people rise up to it,most fall.
Second.TACTICS. Champions League is no EPL.You almost never get to dominate a game totally. And it is not as if,the other teams do not have the resources and strengths to counter your attacks.
It is a constant evolution of defence,attack,role play and positional intelligence.
I mean we face top teams from Europe.Who have there own tactics, self belief and success.They are not going to sit and wait for us to do dominate them.They will always try to do something different,hone there own gameplay.
AND it is here,I agree with one criticism of Arsenal. That though our playing style is successful domestically and beautiful to watch,we somehow tend to falter when we are stopped from doing it.
Teams sometimes want the wins.They do not care how good theylooked while they were getting there.Look at Italians.They won this thing so many times, by sometimes playing the most boring games ever recorded.
Third.DEFENCE AND SET PIECES.They are two parts of the same coin.If we can defend well, aganist them we can score through them too.Just that for the past few years we have been focussing on the defensive part not the offensive part.
We could probably have fewer injuries, if we can 10% more goals through set pieces cause our players would not be fouled as much(strictly comparative)because off the extra movement they have to commit themselves.
See even the most skeletal clubs start from Free Kicks.You basically require quality from two to three players.One who kicks the balls and the other who heads it.We cannot be lax there.
Defense-Two Lines.Two Mistakes in a home game, leading to two goals.Your team is pretty much out of the competition.Concentration for all the ninety minutes(or more) is essential here.
Fourth. ROLE PLAY. I think I am putting myself on the line here. I have long ago understood the fact that we play differently from other teams. But does it some way limit the importance of the conventional play??
When was the last time, we saw VIERA score a goal through a free kick .Is it not,that attacking midfielders are supposed to score goal through them. Maybe what i am trying to say is that we need more options, more variety.
Suppose henry is having a bad day(he rarely does but still),he will miss the free kicks too.Do we have an other viable goal scoring alternative in free kicks.Suppose,they cover our flanks, then how good is our through ball and crosses.A case of too many eggs,in very few baskets.
One rebuttal is that our midfielders have scored the maximum of goals in the EPL (It is brilliant though!) But it was still from the same style,i mean except henry, it was a case of who got to the end of the final ball.
Fifth.MIX AND MATCH.As of today,I think the current young players are among the best in the world.I am proud of them.But look at players in teams like ac, juventus, real madrid, these people are in there 30’s and most of them have class. you need confidence in your ability to perform against the best, which you get after some years while playing at the highest level.
So, they are a bit inexperienced and will have major lows too. It is but natural. And sometimes they will not know how to deal with situations. We would need more experienced players then.
And I might be killed for saying this. Is it mere coincidence that mourinho with so less money(fc porto),lyon,psv can reach so high in the cup, and we cannot. Nobody is perfect.And certainly not Sir Arsene,though he is close to it.
But don’t you think some where down the line, he is getting something wrong. I mean, he is way too smarter then all of us on the entire site combined, but still there has to be some reason for our lack of success. Though it is a different matter that the reasons can be varied. Hope he knows and can rectify it quickly.
Other then that,what do you think of our chances at Stamford Bridge.I love arsenal, and that is why i wrote all this.But,I do not intend too belittle our achievements.At the end of the day, I love it no matter what.
29 Responses to “MIX AND MATCH”
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April 16th, 2005 at 6:06 am
Factors such as lucj are ignored by “expert”, but crucial for a cup competition like CL.
both Chelski and pool could have been defeated before 1/2.
Frankly I am bored with all the CL talks and why we “fail”.
We don’t fail because Pool or Chelski are better result.
Better team than Chelski or Liverpool are out.
I don’t feel we are missing in Europe. We are doing fine.
Our record in Europe is quite good except for people who only appreciate win in sport.
April 16th, 2005 at 6:19 am
i agree with a lot of things you say, i think confidence is the single largest factor. i think the first 3 or so yrs it was down to bad luck and timing tht we went out but now it hangs like an albatross around the neck. they think we’re never gonna win in europe no matter what we do, i really thgt last seasons loss to chelsea did our aspirations a lot of harm. They were playing the best football of their lives and prob will never have such a good chance in europe and 45 minutes of football blew tht out of the water. This year i dont think they tried all that hard, when you draw pana home and away you really dont deserve to go very far. Until this confidence issue is settled (possibly by bringing in players who have been there and won it in europe, our when our younger lot finally mature) i dont think we will do that well in europe.
April 16th, 2005 at 7:52 am
Right on.It has been repeated time and time again that we need a few matchwinners who’ve been there and done that in Europe.Granted, we can do it by ourselves, but there is no harm in getting one or two 28,29,30 year olds to really push us up there.
It’s one thing to win the EPL with kids, but no team has ever won the UCL with kids, and even Ajax in 1995 had the vastly experienced Aaron Winter in their midst.Bergkamp cannot fly and his age is showing..Can Henry and Vieira alone lead the team?What if they are injured?
Nowit leas to somewhere..Arsenal did not have a bad season, but to have a great season, the chips must be in the right place.
Let’s look forward to the closing season at Highbury.Claret shirts and history in the air might just be what we need to conjure up something magical and bring the European Cup home.
Here’s what I think the squad should be next season
Squad(assuming no new names)
GK : Lehmann, Taylor
LB : Cole, Clichy
CB : Campbell
CB : Senderos, (to be bought and must be able to cover for Campbell as well)
RB : Toure, Hoyte
LM : Pires, Cole ( if Clichy plays LB or for European games)
AM : Vieira, Fabregas ( Fabregas for European away games)
DM : Gilberto, Flamini
RM : Ljungberg, (a winger needed to cover for Pires in the long term)
CF : Henry ( A forward needed who can play deep and move up, Kalou?)
CF : Reyes ( Quincy or Lupoli)
April 16th, 2005 at 9:00 am
I’d put Quincy as that winger for long term cover for Pires & slot in Aliadiere behind Reyes (or even in front of, he’s tearing it up in the reserves, something like 8 goals in 5 or 6 games since his return from injury)
April 16th, 2005 at 9:01 am
Oh & Van Persie in front of Lupoli. Lupoli is still a few years away from 1st team football
April 16th, 2005 at 9:14 am
What more can I say?
April 16th, 2005 at 9:36 am
fantastic performance from many players.
Who’s your man of the match.
I know who mine is, and I’d love to hear some folks on this site ADMIT how good he was today.
Let’s hear it people. We’ve been waiting for a long time for the return of form of this player… let’s give out the kudos today.
GREAT MATCH.
I will need to pontificate a nice long post about this match later on, as I have so many positives spinning in my head. But I need to go out and enjoy the day now. Big Smile.
WE ARE BACK!
April 16th, 2005 at 9:39 am
excellent win without henry and sol
bodes really well for next season
van persie he has a lot of skill doesnt he!!!! : ))
think reyes had a decent game lack of good finishing seems to be troubling him of late, though friedel did make a great save against him.
maybe van P’s brilliance will convince AW to think of him as the future up front and reyes more of a left winger..which could suit reyes more
April 16th, 2005 at 9:42 am
Do reyes and Van P not feature in our future?
April 16th, 2005 at 9:48 am
Paddy.
April 16th, 2005 at 9:49 am
I picked him by halftime, Stag. No doubt. He was the very heart today. I’ll tell you what I noticed today that had everything to do with his form, and something I think will see us finish the season unbeaten, if not victorious in every game.
Withstanding the pressure, possession, slowly pushing up, keeping the ball bouncing back into their defensive third, little by little, then POP. A chance. This is not the Arsenal of a year ago anymore that went flying at teams. We’ve learned what to do with the pressure, and it isn’t route 1 or crossing into the box. We’re still playing our one touch, but we’re being patient with it. That comes with confidence in the back four, and that has a LOT to do with Senderos and Gilberto. Paddy only needed to general his squad and win the ball instead of cover and “over”join the attack. Once things warmed up, it was over. Our center line is looking the best again.
So its either him or Robin van Bergkamp. He sure had Friedel’s number, huh? Three goals against him in how many minutes? That last finish just about outclassed his charge into the box clinical finish. Hope his jaw’s alright.
April 16th, 2005 at 9:50 am
Three wishes:
1. That van P’s teeth are OK and he can enjoy his lunch.
2. That Blackburn are relegated.
3 That all their players, plus the fat ref, are lined up on the pitch and Arsene is allowed to kick them as hard as he likes.
April 16th, 2005 at 9:55 am
1.IN THE FINALS AGAIN!!!
2.Clean Sheet 1 goal in 8 games keep em coming
3.Confidence: bring on the russians
4.Without Henry
5.Van is the Man: can get a lot of confidence and thats what players need, will he start against chelsea??????
6.Decent game from reyes
7.Senderos another one for the big guy
8.Gilberto is back
9.Kolo:great assist, confidence again, should sol start against chelsea????
April 16th, 2005 at 9:58 am
love the last one
April 16th, 2005 at 10:01 am
Blackburn are the new scum, that’s for sure. The fat-head in black kept them in it just long enough to threaten a few careers. Unforgivable, and lets hope, punished severely.
What did impress me was how we withstood it and managed to play our game in spite of it. Wenger knows that if we can stuff the pressure of teams with this kind of game plan, we can wear them out and take advantage of the cracks that will start to open. All of our strikes today were smart. Many here have criticized our refusal to take the occasional pot luck 25 yarder, and I think that’s fair. But the fact remains that if your defense is healthy and quality, we can find the net our way.
April 16th, 2005 at 10:06 am
I put Reyes in the CF.
April 16th, 2005 at 10:09 am
Dear me.. i left RVP out.* slams head*
April 16th, 2005 at 10:24 am
also i think jens had a good game and chalk another one up for pires
April 16th, 2005 at 10:53 am
No question - PV4. With Gilberto back sweeping, Viera was able to initiate a number of attacks resulting in the first 2 goals. Another clean sheet with Sendoros & Toure in the middle. Lehmann also played well. Hope van Persie is ok.
April 16th, 2005 at 10:55 am
If van Persie continues to play well for the rest of the season, this could be the last season for Bergkamp.
April 16th, 2005 at 10:59 am
Nah. There is only 1 scum and that is Manure. Blackburn are a poor resemblence without the likes of Keano, Neville sisters & van Diver.
April 16th, 2005 at 11:44 am
Scum pretenders?
Bolton in disguise?
April 16th, 2005 at 11:59 am
Agree, Scotty, it was incredibly impressive. Pires never fails us in the Cup, does he? A fourth wish: that there’s an afterlife, a heaven (naturally for us) and a hell in which Blackburn and the Manure have to play each other for ever.
April 16th, 2005 at 12:05 pm
I think it should be. I think it would be good for Dennis to retire after his testimonial. He’s been great for us, really the best, so I’d like him to go now, on a comparative high, rather than staggering on playing an increasingly minimal role for another season. I’d also like van P to get chance to play regularly with Henry as soon as possible to see if that partnership looks like it will work.
April 16th, 2005 at 12:06 pm
The Kolo-Senderos combination is definitely OK
April 16th, 2005 at 1:12 pm
What is going on with Reyes? I thought he had another terrible game and I am now wondering how Wiltord got so much stick and yet Jose manages to ponce about week after week and yet the fans seem to forgive.
After reading the Lauren quotes in The Guardian this morning and watching TH14’s reactions on the pitch it seems like the players are running out of patience. If we are going to try and offload him in the summer the price must be going down every week.
On the plus side, I thought Lehmann was very solid. Without being busy he still managed to hold on to a couple of shots and took crosses well. PV was brilliant and VanPersie deserves to start against chelsea on weds.
April 16th, 2005 at 3:39 pm
I think it is a clear thing here. Even I dont care about it, and maybe thats why I like Arsenal; Lack of English players.
I beleive this is the one of the huge reason why we are not reaching far in CL.
How can you represent the EPL and you have one english player… since Sol missed most of the games !
Liverpool, Chelsea, PSV, all have at least 4 players from the county they belong to !
Sometimes I feel that Arsenal did well last year in the CL when they had 3-4 english player (Ray Palour) with Pennant some times.
One good cheap solution, Keep Pennant… Let Justin Hoyte play more (when he recovers form Injury). Let Taylor play more .
But at least this international team is the most fun to watch, and they are a great club … never slipped under the second place for yeaaaaaaars. How better can it get ..finish unbeaten every year !
April 16th, 2005 at 6:23 pm
Whatever.
I don’t give a rats ass if we have ZERO British players. Irrelevant.
April 17th, 2005 at 5:16 pm
luck is really important.i accept that.
and if u read the article carefully,i have written it in a fair manner,not just too enforce my point.
i am grateful for what we have,just that frustation is immense,when i know we have the potential to do really well in cl,then what we are currently achieving.