Been really busy at work last few days. Thought I’d just snatch a bit of time to put up a short preview in case someone doesnt beat me to it. [Editor's note - nope, you're the first, thanks as always for the preview.]
Anyway, in short the internationals have been unkind to us and Hleb and the Flamster go out and with Cesc suspended as well which means that Diarra and Denilson get a chance to show what they are made up of, though I won’t be surprised to see Theo get a go either. RVP is still out so the squad is going to be:
Almunia
Sagna Toure Gallas Clichy
Theo Diarra Denilson Rosicky
Ade Eduardo
I cant imagine he will play Rosicky in the hole though and Gilberto in the centre…that will be horrible and send out all the wrong signals to Eduardo. Lastly it looks like its the end for Gilberto with Juve sniffing around as well…sad but it probably was on the cards.
Anyway, I’m struggling to see where the goals are going to come from unless Rosicky plays a blinder and Denilson manages to create at least 60 percent of what Cesc does…
Still I’ll go with a Arsenal 2 - Wigan 0…coz Wigan are in absolute shambles right now…and we should have too much for them even with the injuries.
104 Responses to “Arsenal - Wigan Preview”
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November 23rd, 2007 at 5:32 pm
Seems like they got things squared away with Steve Bruce’s image rights problem, so he’ll take over Wigan…but not until Monday. Have no idea who the caretaker manager is for Saturday.
By the way, I’ll stick by my opinion that Bolton’s crest is the worst in the league, but this might be a close second. I’m pretty sure I saw something like this monstrosity about 25 years ago, the last time I ever played Dungeons and Dragons.
November 23rd, 2007 at 5:34 pm
yo is anyone going to boston to phoenix landing for the arsenal match tomorrow?
November 23rd, 2007 at 6:36 pm
I actually hoping that Rosicky plays in CM, which is his natural position, as opposed to LM, with Ade and Dudu upfront. Given the offensive limitations of our adversary , I hope AW adopts a formation that is heavily tilted offensively, maybe playing Eboue and Walcott on the right flank to give us more pace and corssing ability, but thats probably not going to happen. Anyways, this is my projected line up
Almunia
Sagna Toure Gallas Clichy
Eboue Diarra Rosicky Walcott
Adebayor Eduardo
Lehman
Sendeross
Song
Denilson
Bendtner
November 23rd, 2007 at 6:39 pm
Anybody know where I can catch this game live in Honolulu Hawaii ?
November 23rd, 2007 at 7:34 pm
The one thing Wigan won’t be doing on their match day with Arsenal and that is “Progressing with Unity”.
Arsenal 2 - Wigan 0
November 23rd, 2007 at 8:40 pm
Wigan, along with Derby and Boro, are one of the teams I predicted to go down in the pre-season. Even with the injuries we should still be too strong for Wigan. My main concern is will we be strong enough for Sevilla but I’ll save that for Tuesday. Wigan have a few descent players, to include Heskey returning, so we need to keep a clean sheet. We need to put them away early like Chelsea did a few weeks back. They’ll be relaxed because, on paper, it’s not a game that they’re supposed to win. But with our injuries they may believe they have a chance so we must proceed with caution.
Bottom line, they won’t be able to cope with Adebayor. I’m hoping for Denilson to play wide and Rosicky to play central. If we can still boss the game and Tomas can create then it should be 4-0.
November 23rd, 2007 at 10:57 pm
perhaps Steve Bruce simply being smart enough, not wanting to face Arsenal at his first game in charge. u always wanna kick start your career with a new club with a win!
I don’t worry much of our injury problem. if anything, i bet those who finally get a chance to start, Denilson and Diarra alike, would only want to play their heart out to grab the chance to stay in the first team lineup. If either of them play well, Flamini may have a hard time to regain the starter place back. That’s the way AW operated this season, if he dared to drop Jens and Gilberto, surely none of the first team regulars would feel too secure of their place, apart from Cesc maybe.
November 24th, 2007 at 12:07 am
My concern is the same as Joshuad’s. We should beat Wigan even with all the injuries, but the loss of Hleb will affect us in the Seville game and the away games after that - Villa, Newcastle and Boro. Unless Rosicky can finally start producing.
November 24th, 2007 at 10:41 am
Theo starts today….Dudu on the bench..Gilberto completely ruled out…that is IT for big Bert IMO.. lets see what Diarra and Denilson do today…I’ll be watching very closely…
November 24th, 2007 at 10:45 am
Time for Diarra and Denilson to produce the goods.
November 24th, 2007 at 10:46 am
Liverpool thrashed Newcastle. Hope their bad form continues till we visit them in 10 days time.
November 24th, 2007 at 11:50 am
In keeping with the international hangover and the fact that Cesc and Hleb are missing, it’s been a poor first half. Let’s hope we can improve in the second half.
November 24th, 2007 at 12:01 pm
If we get a win here I’ll be seriously surprised. I know we played a similar first against Bolton but this will be harder. I can see Wigan nicking one as well.
November 24th, 2007 at 12:03 pm
Nothing to bring on except strikers in Eduardo and Bendtner. So the midfield has to improve.
November 24th, 2007 at 12:55 pm
All is well that ends well. We win and ManU lose. 3 points lead with a game in hand.
November 24th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
A typical post international hangover game. Took more than a half to get going because of the absence of Cesc and Hleb. Diarra was good. Denilson was below par. Rosicky showed glimpes of what he can and should be doing.
November 24th, 2007 at 12:59 pm
Now that’s what u want from your CAPTAIN!!! well done Gallas!
and i m so damn happy we beat Wigan. those dirty bastard. hope Theo’s injury isn’t serious. Heskey didn’t even earn another yellow card with a tackle from behind like that. there is a very fine line between aggressiveness and dirtiness.
November 24th, 2007 at 1:07 pm
This is what champions do.
November 24th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
3pts. Clear with a game in hand! Thank you Niklas Anelka!
November 24th, 2007 at 1:16 pm
Another result! This team has such confidence going forward past the 75th minute! It almost kept me from having a heart attack. Almost.
Gallas is pure class and brilliance. All wishes for Theo’s injury not being serious.
November 24th, 2007 at 1:31 pm
Look at the irony. All game long our crossing was aweful and then the goal.
November 24th, 2007 at 1:34 pm
Sagna is raking in the assists. It’s his 4th this season making him third best after Cesc and Hleb. What a signing he has been.
November 24th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
Martin Tyler said that we have scored 13 of our 27 goals in the last quarter of the game. That was before this game. Now it’s 15 out of 29. What a record!!!
November 24th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
easy with our players. don’t forget some of them had just come back from a long journey. I think Adebayor just came back from Africa right? Many of them have just come back from the international duty.
look Man U, they had to rest Ronaldo. And Denilson and Diarra have not been playing regular first team football for Arsenal, it’s always tough for them.
Important thing is regardless of circumstance, our boys didn’t give up, didn’t drop their heads. And we got 3 points. That’s what it matters.
November 24th, 2007 at 1:50 pm
By the way, Gerrard earned a lot of plaudits for his performance at Newcastle. I guess it’s easy to shine when surrounded by foreign players.
November 24th, 2007 at 1:53 pm
Also surprised to see both Capello and Klinsmann openly express their interest in the England coach’s job. Let’s see if the FA still screws up the appointment.
November 24th, 2007 at 2:12 pm
SAF’s gamble by giving Ronaldo the weekend off backfired….Lovely.
I thought Diarra had a great game, particularly since he hasn’r played regularly; Bendtner and Eduardo looked very good for the few minutes they played. I am still unsure of Almunia; he makes me nervous. But he is better than the mouthy Lehmann.
Really the only thing that matters is that we got the 3 points; well done lads.
You can tell Gallas is loving every minute of playing for The Arsenal. We clearly got the better of that deal (Cole).
Bacary is a work horse; And a very smart one. He is pretty awesome. Clichy got in some great positions, but his last second decision making left a bit (Ok, a lot) to be desired; he will improve no doubt.
Let’s hope Theo’s injury isn’t serious; we need everyone healthy going into the busy holiday season…..
Over the years, November hasn’t been kind to us and we managed to come out of this year’s pretty unscathed; hope it continues into December and next year.
All in all, very well done….Now for a couple of tough/tricky away matches to Sevilla and Villa Park….
November 24th, 2007 at 2:20 pm
I hope this game can help put away the Gallas hater club. Can’t really call for his Swiss replacement after his show today. Once again he takes the team on his shoulders and holds the back line while still getting involved in the goal scoring. He’s made a fantastic transition into Wengers style, and he’s showing now why he was made captain dispite all our grumblings.
November 24th, 2007 at 2:20 pm
I was cruising the ManUre board and amongst all the crying and fire SAF bullshit I find this jem.
Headlines in Jan08: Man Utd snaps up Le Sulk from Bolton.
Another case of if you can’t beat em BUY em! Maybe if they buy every striker they can find they will miraculously fix their back line. That team has a complete lack of balls.
N
November 24th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
#14: If we get a win here I’ll be seriously surprised. I know we played a similar first against Bolton but this will be harder. I can see Wigan nicking one as well.
Oops … that didnt quite work out .. did it?????
November 24th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
I agree with you L_D_E, Mazza, you always take the pessimistic side. Are you afraid to trust the boys, lest you be let down?
November 24th, 2007 at 2:56 pm
On Arsenal.com:
“Tempers flared after dangerous challenges on Denilson and Walcott; the latter was stretchered off with 10 minutes remaining but his injury is not as bad as first feared.”
I really hope so. Walcott didn’t move at all and things looked grim.
Damn glad that we beat them. And Captain comes up big again. I love how he pointed towards his captain armband to the ref regarding the Brown challenge. He has full right to do so.
Few years ago, most teams figured out they could stop Arsenal by packing the midfield and adopting a physical approach. These late winners will not only lift the Arsenal players belief but shatter the belief that Arsenal can be stopped in an easy proven manner. Also, was impressed with some of the strength showed by Sagna to shrug off players and get past some tackles.
Great to see Anelka helping out. Wonder what Owen H. has to say about beautiful football now.
November 24th, 2007 at 2:56 pm
This just off the Arsenal.com Match Report. Let’s hope it’s correct.
“Tempers flared after dangerous challenges on Denilson and Walcott; the latter was stretchered off with 10 minutes remaining but his injury is not as bad as first feared.”
November 24th, 2007 at 3:03 pm
An excellent result and if we win our game in hand(IF) — it means we are 6 points clear…so we are on course to do something good here..and I repeat again…We WILL WIN the league this time….
Almunia had nothing to do all game. Did they have a shot on target at all?
Toure and Gallas were brilliant all game apart from 1 little misunderstanding where they left it to each other and Marcus Bent got through. Their recovery pace though is such that they were able to snuff the danger out.
The day Gael Clichy improves his decision making in the final third he will be the most dangerous left back in the world or thereabouts. Coz he has everything except the fact that he is blank in the final third. A good game none the less and he is probably as quick as Cole at his peak or dare I say even quicker.
Bacary Sagna has not put a foot wrong since he arrived; apart from that Sunderland game where he forgot his hair extensions. A brilliant buy yet again from the transfer market magician ; buying a right back when everyone thought that was the least of our worries. If he continues this form he is on target to be the right back of the year.
Eboue: Still hot n cold. He is very direct and there’s a sense of anticipation(atleast with me) when he is on the ball and he is running but too often I’m left disappointed by the final ball. Still he is very different to what we have and I guess that is why he is at AFC. A decent game without any great moments..If he stop trying to go past people by poking it past them with the outside of his right boot and tries to go the other way once in a way he would improve I feel.
Diarra n Denilson: Solid with no creativity. Diarra seemed to be a bit further forward than Denilson who was not “SLACK” at all. Diarra seems to have a good engine on him and can turn with the ball. But really I haven’t seen anything so wonderful that make him Michael Essien part 2. He is a decent compat defensive midfielder so far…I thought Denilson looked very solid though and so far he is doing more defensive rather than offensive work — so if Cesc gets injured and he is given a run of games .. can he create something? Maybe but time will tell. His set pieces though have deteriorated IMO, from the time he first came in. Still he has a great engine and runs and tackles a lot. Good game.
Mozart: MOTM for me just coz he took the game by the scruff of its neck in the second half and injected a bit of urgency into our play. I think AW switched to a 4-4-1-1 with Rosicky in the hole second half..and while the formation was flexible it allowed Mozart to roam where he is at his best.
Theo: An excellent game and his touch seems to have improved so much!!! Is it just coz he was playing up front? Or has the confidence finally come in that he can do a job? Hope his injury isnt serious.
Ade: a 50-50 game but he offers so much pace and tireless running that as DannyT said once. “I don’t see how anyone can slate debayor” . yes he passed when he should have shot and shot when he should have passed… but he is probably Theo’s ideal partner up front.
All in all..a game in which we had good posession but created little and still did enough to win the game. Over to Sevilla on Tuesday and here’s hoping we win there as well and Rosicky stays fit somehow till Hleb comes back.
November 24th, 2007 at 3:09 pm
#21: GunnerDC..agree totally.. when its 75 and beyond.. I start relaxing coz I know the inevitable in one form or the other is round the corner
#25: Who’s Ande2 ???? .. the name looks very familiar
November 24th, 2007 at 3:17 pm
It’s William Gallas’s performance today and of recent weeks that justifies why fans have their “favourites” and give leeway to players whose previous contributions in football demand such a stance. I remember a couple of months ago Gallas having a poor game and LDE saying something about how everyone on AA would be giving Senderos severe criticism if he had played like Gallas, but because it was Gallas we were giving him a free ride. I hope LDE has realised over the last few weeks why special players like Gallas are treated differently to unproven liabilities like Senderos and learnt to understand the game a bit better.
And boy are we lucky to have Gallas in our ranks. My half-time prediction(apart from Wigan goal) would have been absolutely spot-on if it wasn’t for Gallas’ brilliance and steely nerve. We didn’t look like scoring in a month of Sunday’s and had too many players on the pitch blessed in a physical, athletic sense but seriously lacking in the brains and composure department.
Diarra was a positive and so was Rosicky but the rest of the midfielders and attackers were powder-puff. Hleb is an absolutely huge loss and today’s three points and Man United’s defeat is vital considering our tough schedule ahead.
Also, the character of our players is amazing.
November 24th, 2007 at 3:37 pm
@#37: “I hope LDE has realised over the last few weeks why special players like Gallas are treated differently to unproven liabilities like Senderos and learnt to understand the game a bit better.”
Oh absolutely…I have learnt a lot from this site ; without a doubt. And I don’t remember saying that Sendy was better than Gallas at anytime. All I said that he needed to be treated unbiasedly which you have twisted around to make sound otherwise. As for Gallas being a free ride I stick by that..yapping in public about the manager not buying players and having had a mediocre first season which BTW contributed to us winning nothing did warrant that he got strick as well. He was inspirational today NO DOUBT and probably deserves more patience because he is that type of person. However let me ask you one thing: If Gallas came out and blabbed that he was the best in every game he played well and the team succeeding was down to him … would you accept that and keep kissing his feet because he “needs to be treated differently”? No..you play well you are rewarded..it is as simple as that, instead of rating a person based on mistakes gone by and ignoring good performances thereafter.
As for your prediction…here’s one from me…If Jens Lehmann hadn’t got sent off we’d have won the Champions league. We had 10 brilliant players on the field but were just lacking one player. There…how’s that???
Thats how games are won Mazza — steely nerve when you’re not playing well. Gallas was there in the right place at the right time..that goal was an excellent build up with an excellent cross which Gallas converted very well. Would he have scored if Sagna hadn’t bombed forward or Ade not held the ball up well or Bendtner not made th correct choice to pass? Nope. Its a team game so instead of giving credit to one individual only — learn to give credit to the players who made th move possible as well.
Reminds me of a line AW said albeit in a different sense after that ManU RVN penalty miss… “Maybe Patrick should not have reacted the way he did…but as is so often the case it is the consequence that is punished instead of the source of the problem”
Gallas scored..he gets the plaudits..and rightly so..but it would not have been possible without the others. That doesn’t make him an untouchable or excuse petulant behaviour.
November 24th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
Arsenal.com did a piece where they asked a few journalists from all over what is the difference between Arsenal this year as opposed to last. They all said the usual stuff about taking chances and Fabregas finding his scoring form. But for me the biggest difference is the back four. Toure’s in his best form during his very solid career at Arsenal. Clichy is improving daily. Even if he takes a step back from time to time, he is steadily progressing, especially on the defensive side. But most importantly, the two gentlemen that created the winner today. Nothing more can be said about Sagna that hasn’t already been said on this space. He is a special player. Better than Lauren or Winterburn at their finest. And a healthy William Gallas. He is a match winner at both ends. His tackle on Gerrard at the end of the Liverpool match. His goals against ManU and now Wigan. He organizes, defends and gets forward when needed. He is truly world class. And I love that both Gallas and Sagna have not been afraid to get in opponent’s faces. Sagna in the Tottenham match against Huddlestone. And Gallas today. Both times they have really lit a fire under their teammates. Well done boys.
November 24th, 2007 at 6:03 pm
I’m with Mazza here - I couldn’t see where the first goal was going to come from. We started slow. We overplayed or lacked that vital aggressive thrust, or sent crosses and pot shots way over.
But hats off - this is a team that doesn’t drop its head and a captain’s drive did the job, while the Rosicky goal was a freebie. Like I’ve posted before, this is a team that doesn’t let you down.
With Hleb out for 3 weeks, Rosicky should move into the hole as he did in the second half. He is the most quick-witted and creative of our other midfielders not called Cesc, especially as he looks to be regaining his form. Diarra is strong and positive, while Denilson has composure, but both need more nurturing to release their creativity.
I think Wenger sees Denilson as a playmaker in the long run, but I can’t quite see it yet (which is why he’s a prescient genius and I’m not.)
FYI Gilberto was rested today because he only got back from Brazil duties on Friday. However, if he doesn’t make the team for Seville with Flamini suffering a knock, then that will probably be that.
Then in the last 15 mins we really got going.
November 24th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
as i have said all along … ALL the big teams are reliant on just a few select players….ManU without Ronaldo and Rooney are a shadow.
That is exactly why I never slate the rotational players like Diaby, Denilson, Song, Hoyte and co. On the raw, shitty nights I dont really expect much from them…but if they do something little I am very happy.
However the main players like Toure, Gallas, Fabregas, Hleb, Rosicky and RvP should be called out if their performance dips because the team rests SQUARELY on them. The same holds for Chelsea, Man U and Liverpool.
November 24th, 2007 at 7:11 pm
by the way, i see bolton did a job on evra…….they wisely spotted that those his runs will kill them………and fergie was really mad about that…………well tough luck …i remember him doing the same to reyes.
November 24th, 2007 at 7:38 pm
Fred @ 42… my thots exactly. Man USA gave Reyes the exact same treatment and Sir Fat Nose thot did it was ok then and terrible now that his player received similar treatment. Surely he is high on some cheap over-the-counter drugs
On the side, is it pressure from foreign owners or what? the other day it was our friend from ‘pool sounding like a spoilt over-pampered 5 year old at a press conference and recently fergie’s really been wagging his tongue (and uttering rubbish) at the least provocation. No body has to remind us of the artist formerly known as the ’special one’ from CSKA London
November 24th, 2007 at 7:57 pm
Yes, Gallas did well in standing up as captain and my stock in him has increased. To bad he had to be carded for his legitimate argument.
This is indeed what champions do: keep trying and trying until you pop the cherry. Little energizer bunnies with minds and not just a machine.
I just love things that run on batteries.
November 24th, 2007 at 8:11 pm
After the next four games we will have a clear idea of where we stand - three away games up north followed by Chelsea at home. Poor Michael Essien will miss that game after he was caught waving his elbows around again.
Have only seen highlights so far so can’t really comment on the performance. Bendtner appeared to make a difference when he came on so that is good. The reputation for late goals is going to help us down the road. Teams will no longer be able to say get them to seventy minutes and wait for them to get frustrated. The crowd will pick up on it too and won’t get restless.
December is a big month for us.
As for Fergie, he wasn’t complaining last year about Bolton when they beat them 4-0.
November 24th, 2007 at 10:27 pm
everything has been said with regards to this game and i agree with most of the comments posted here, especially the most important thing: getting the 3 points against a team we should be getting all 3 points from.
here are my two cents: bendtner! he changed the game as soon as he came on, gave us the spark we needed and was heavily involved in both goals. this guy should never leave arsenal, and i hope he gets his run of games and that arsene will keep him happy; i would love to see him next to RvP in the next few months whenever Ade gets his break.
well done to the gunners, top of the league!!!!!!!
November 24th, 2007 at 10:58 pm
Well I agree with my fellow Dallas Gooner Naaman in #30…ManUre has no guts, no cajones, to match their (purchased) skill. Arsenal has guts, pride, and even without three of our midfielders, the cajones to step up and take the three points by force in a potential let-down match.
I didn’t see the match thanks to the weather in Texas knocking out my satellite. But I am proud of the boys and will catch the replay Monday.
And thank God the miserable international break is over. I love club football.
December will make or break our title shot. I think we have the guts and talent to shock the pundits and the haters. And I think RvP coming back and Rosicky’s health and form just might be the key. We know Cesc is a rock, and the ever-solidifying back 4 will do their jobs. We must have creativity from the midfield, and ruthless strikers up front if we want to see our dreams come true.
As it has been said here before: Kiss the Crest, boys…Believe!
November 24th, 2007 at 11:41 pm
Excellent point #42, Fred. I just saw the ManU game highlights and Bolton certainly dished it out. We can enjoy it now but let’s not forget that we will face the same when we go there. Actually, I expect it to happen in 10 days time when we face Fat Sam (who is under severe pressure).
November 24th, 2007 at 11:43 pm
In the coming games, Hleb will be missed but RvP will be back. If Rosicky can continue his good form and remain fit, we should be fine.
November 24th, 2007 at 11:59 pm
Message to Fergie about his complaints that Evra was singled out. It’s called karma, c***hole.
For the past two years ago, I would not have relished the muddy physical kickfests up north. But with this team, I can’t wait to get stuck into the tattie-hoofing likes of Bolton and meet them with brawn and skill. Teach ‘em a lesson.
I remember Steve Williams as the team’s cool-headed appointed enforcer, following on from Peter Storey and Sammy Nelson. After any rough tackle by the opposition, we’d sing, “Stevie’s gonna getcha, Stevie’s gonna getcha.” Not quite sure we have anyone in that mould, but I do like that Sagna, Cesc, Flamini & Clichy can artfully dish it out when needed.
November 25th, 2007 at 12:04 am
Fred @ 41, well said.
Even with FM, there are “Key” players in every team whom u may struggle a bit without them. There are “rotation” players as well. We can possibly expect the “rotation” players have as big an impact in a game as the “Key” players. Otherwise, the rotation players themselves would have been the key players.
Diarra, Denilson did not set the world alight, but they did ok. As LDE rightly analysised so, SOLID enough, though lack of a bit creative spark like Cesc. But then again, there is really only one Cesc Fabregas!
I disagree with Mazza once again, Gallas is the only one who made the difference. The important of the match is - the team, none of the players on the pitch, looked like they were giving up. As they had shown all season, they are ready to fight till the last minute.
With this attitude, it’s a matter of time goals will come. The POWER OF BELIEF. And u gotta believe that. As Arsenal this season had done it again and again and again and again scoring the all so important late goal. This just shown how much character this Arsenal side got.
November 25th, 2007 at 12:22 am
We had enough chances before the goal actually game
- Ade hitting Pollitt on the leg
- Eboue kicking thin air when put through by Walcott
- Ade setting up Walcott whose shot was blocked
- Ade crossing tamely from 5 yards when he should have blasted at the goal
- Clichy passing to a miles offside Ade when he should be shooting
The thing with the current team is that unless the ball falls to RvP or Cesc, we are not sure they will score. But as long as someone keeps scoring, we are getting along.
November 25th, 2007 at 12:23 am
This team is the complete opposite of the invincibles. That team swept past their opponents in the first 15 min. This team does it in the last 15.
November 25th, 2007 at 12:28 am
About Bendtner, he does make a difference when he comes on. It’s easy for me to say that he should be starting some games ahead of Ade, but it would be nice to see him come on a little earlier than the 80th min.
November 25th, 2007 at 12:31 am
@nip: And the last 15 is definitely better than the first 15 MO. Previously u used to fell that if we didn’t score early the players and crowd would be frustrated and though we would score later…it would be tough and even the fans had hardly any belief that we would score late.
Now even at 0-0 in the 90th miute I’m calm and confident although a bit nervous that we will not give up at all.
November 25th, 2007 at 12:53 am
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11670_2917366,00.html
Van der Vaart is a player I have a taken a real liking to (like Fred). Hope he can make it here, although it does look unlikely.
November 25th, 2007 at 1:05 am
Fergie is a big hypocrite. Wasn’t it too long ago he said he had no problems with the physical approach of teams and that teams shouldn’t moan? Wasn’t teh same Fergie guilty of using the cunty Neville brothers to kick JAR around? What goes around ..almost always spookily comes around….
November 25th, 2007 at 1:15 am
@LDE, oh yeah, after that account expire thing, i didn’t bother to shift back to my old account!
November 25th, 2007 at 1:19 am
“Now even at 0-0 in the 90th miute I’m calm and confident although a bit nervous that we will not give up at all.”
Me too to be honest. Particular after that Man U match when we conceded with 7 mins to go and we still found a way to equalize. That just gave u so much confidence. I bet not only to fans, to the players as well.
with less than 10 mins to go Vs Wigan, I looked at the clock and thought to myself “well, we still got 10 mins left, plenty time to unlock their defence”. that’s not being tounge in cheek, simply that more late goals we scored, u just naturally thought to urself if we could do it in the last minute against Man U, no reason we wouldn’t be able to do it again. And we did. time and time again.
November 25th, 2007 at 1:26 am
@Andez: R u also one of those who r stuck to the computer in all your waking moments??.. like me
November 25th, 2007 at 2:06 am
LDE, my work needs me to facing the computer all the time, makes me dazed! God, wish i could be a footballer! when i read those footballers complaining this and that, and in Cashley’s case, not being happy get paid a few thousands pound weekly, or moaned about feeling insecured with no English players in the dressroom back in his Arsenal days…. it really made me laugh. Boy, those spoilt rats don’t know how lucky they are. Earning a fortune “playing a game” we all love. I can’t see any job in the world better than this!
November 25th, 2007 at 8:36 am
It’s a great time to be a gooner.
Like nipuna #54, I’d relish seeing Bendtner earlier. The way that AW has stocked this squad with young developing talent, it’s a joy to see who will emerge next. Imagine being a fan of an ‘old’ team like Inter or Milan — it’s not like Figo is going to show you something new.
Looking forward to Sevilla in 3 days. Kind of a surprising loss at home to Mallorca. They’re mired in 13th, I think. Too much talent on that squad for such poor results. Perhaps the loss of Juande Ramos is really hurting them.
November 25th, 2007 at 9:49 am
LDE, of course Denilson is doing more defensive work. It’s because he is a holding midfield player. I’ve explained ad nausuem on this site that people are living in cuckoo land when they keep comparing Denilson to Cesc or say he is the closest thing we have to him. He’s quite obviously not. He is a Xabi Alonso type player; a player who threatens to actually do something offensively but never does, and a player who may put in the odd tackle but will get pulled out of position easily by a decent attacking team. Diarra was clearly the more dynamic force yesterday.
November 25th, 2007 at 9:55 am
Good win for us yesterday
Wasn’t the usual high paced that we’ve been used to…but considering the number of players we were missing…it was still a job well done.
I was not a particularly big fan of Gallas when he came into the squad…but Wenger has got another decision right here based on Gallas’s recent performances…Especially when that Bent Challenge on Denilson happened..was happy to see Gallas all charged up…and then the tempo of our play went up a notch.
Some of the decisions Wenger has made even in the face of huge criticism…and the way they have played out in the future….sometimes its scary
…
Still remember the stick he got for sticking with the team of youngsters couple of years back…and all the while he kept saying…they will come good…at that time it was difficult to believe him…but looking at this team ..i have to say…What a manager!
Bendtner came on and made a difference…and cool passing for the first goal….and good assist for the second…..will be glad to see some more starts from him.
Looking forward to Sevilla
Cheers
November 25th, 2007 at 10:21 am
That’s the thing Mazza…U can compare two people when given a relatively equal number of oppurtunities. Denilson plays ONLY when Cesc is out..but then again Cesc is a freakishly talented player. Apart from Messi and Kaka I cant think of anyone with such natural talent.. Yes he has it all to do for sure…and he’s done nothing yet but you can see it straight away. Name one player in the premiership who is close to Cesc right now? Gerrard Lampard Anderson Koumas Cahill Huddlestone Dunn???? Who Mazza is close to Cesc…???
Look inside ur team who is closest to Cesc…Denilson is the player who takes Cesc’s spot when Cesc doesn’t play and he is not as rubbish as you say he is. It is just that Cesc is so freakishly good that all comparisons seem ridiculous.
As for Diarra yeah he went forward more than Denilson yesterday..maybe that’s what he was told to do and Denilson supposed to sit back more. There is talent for sure — but saying he was the best player on the park is not true. And no one is living in cuckoo land as you put it…everyone has “opinions” which go WRONG at times.. me and YOU included ; so there’s no need to go on the “I TOLD YOU SO” path.. If I started pointing out the number of people who have got egg on their face after eac prediction…again YOU and I included… this would become a stuffy place very soon IMO.
November 25th, 2007 at 10:42 am
Well I knew after two games what type of player Denilson was so it’s not my fault I’m more advanced in that sense. I’m not gonna dumb myself down to wait for people like you to catch up. When I explained a few months ago what type of player Denilson was and why he will never play like Cesc, I got quite a bit of stick so when you described Denilson’s best work as defensive I was like “I told you that would months ago!”. ;^)
Predictions are a crapshoot most of the time. But some more than others. Results are the hardest to predict, but stuff like the quality and eventual fortunes of our youngsters are less so. It is possible to make an assessment fairly easily with lots of our youngsters.
Arsenal so far have proved me wrong this season but I’ve seen enough to realise my original bleak prognosis could have very easily been a reality if a few things like Toure’s fortunate penalty against Fulham had not been given.
Such a fine line between success and failure in football. Cliche’ but very true.
November 25th, 2007 at 10:55 am
There isn’t any “dumbing down” required. There’s no one who has said ” Denilson is a Cesc replacement”. It is jus that there is no on else in the team or anywhere who can play like Cesc does; so really there’s no “dumbing down” here at all and Denilson is/was earmarked to do that job. Still fair enough if you feel you called it before most — well done.
Anyway I wont even argue with ur predictions thing. As I said before … there is NO PROOF whatsoever about an prediction and arguing about if’s and buts is as pointless as reminiscing of what might have been had Lehmann not got sent off. Plus there was nothing fortunate about the Toure penalty either — anyway I guess its just a waste of time so I’ll shut up about this now.
November 25th, 2007 at 11:04 am
u r being ridaculous here Mazza.
Arsenal has have the BEST START of the season in our entire history. And u r picking out something like “Toure’s fortunate penalty against Fulham had not been given…..” to make a point that you could have proved to be right that Arsenal wouldn’t have done well?
What the hell are u talking about? Let’s face it - no one give a damn who’s gonna be proven right comes the end of the season, everyone over here wants and hopes Arsenal will do well.
If Arsenal fails come the end of the season, and you have been proved right…. SO WHAT?? u think anyone cares that you are the only one who have predicted we aren’t going to do well mid way of the season?
And you can tell after TWO games that a certain player doesn’t get what it take to be a good player?
come on, if you are so good, why not apply to be an Arsenal scout?
sorry if i overrated, but opinion is one thing, I absoutely hate this kind of tone u been using.
Personally, this current Arsenal side, as a team, is almost as perfect as any fan could have wished for. They not only got talent, not only playing great football, unlike the previous generation, they would dig deep and battle and fight until the last minute.
What else more a fan can ask for?
November 25th, 2007 at 11:33 am
lol@Andez: The Gallas effect has rubbed off on you as well
and ur never online on Gmail 
November 25th, 2007 at 12:23 pm
Sorry about the “dumbing down bit”. Just realised it had nothing to do with discussion.
Andez, once again you come tearing into a discussion talking out of your arse and taking everything out of context. Of course Arsenal have had a great start and they deserve alot of credit, but the players will be the first to admit how important that Fulham game was. We were still a bit big fragile mentally then and a defeat against Fulham at home on the first day could have really set us back(of course it’s all conjecture) especially with Blackburn away coming up. We were fortunate with the penalty because many referees would have decreed that Toure has just run into Fulham player and the ball was going to the Warner. That gave us the vital momentum for Hleb to score the winner.
Look at last season. If we had beaten Villa at home on the first day instead of getting a deflating draw we might have gone on to do something very similar this season. Probably unlikely but it is not out of the question.
Again Andez, the discussion was predictions and was I just referring to my pre-season prognosis the season for discussions sake. No need to go OTT and take it out of context.
November 25th, 2007 at 1:49 pm
“Predictions are a crap-shoot most of the time. But some more than others. Results are the hardest to predict,..” Mazza #66
If that were indeed true, then why do you make them and how come they are often so dismal, leaving many of us feeling so forlorn at your outcomes
Just now the lads on on top and not bent over backwards. I think that that is just fine because when the lads are on top it gives me an orgasm and I’m a very happy hooker. So why not celebrate instead of looking for the cloud in the silver lining?
I’m not saying we should have our head in the clouds either, the bad will come on it’s own without us provoking it. So when it looks like rain we’ll put on our raincoats. Dennilson did his job!
Seeing that you’re fixated on the “I told you so…” I thought I’d pipe in (I love pipes when they are in). #6 I told you so.
Saliciously yours.
November 25th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
Mazza, your comments are nonsensical. You can apply your conjectures to any team, any season or any game, and what will be the result? You claim you know football, but you are using silly what if’s to buttress your point, how stupid
November 25th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
Mazza is the new Stag!
November 25th, 2007 at 2:13 pm
Stag was here a while back…and he seemed real positive about the team. Wonder why he vanished again though.
November 25th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
It was a “what if” discussion to illustrate how easily football can be a success or failure. Of course it is conjecture -based argument. If you find that nonsensical then your a bit stupid.
November 25th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
And why are you going to great pains to make the bleeping obvious point (that in football as in life, there’s a thin line between success and failure), That you go to such pains demonstrates that you are either very young, hence immature and as such does not realize that most of the people here, are analyze football from a certain critical level that you cannot appreciate. Either way you don’t know what you are talking about.
November 25th, 2007 at 3:17 pm
hehe… i liked this forum!
November 25th, 2007 at 3:23 pm
Actually Mazza’s key point about this team is a very fair one. Only Wenger truly believed in this squad - and he felt the same way in the past two seasons, which basically came to naught in the premiership. So the main missing ingredients were self-belief and guts, while the new players coming in offered no guarantees of slotting in straightaway. Indeed, only Sagna has really done that. Even Gallas needed a season to hit his current purple patch.
So, based on the available evidence, getting that penalty against Fulham was absolutely crucial to launching this team’s self-belief. If we had lost that game, you can imagine the tonnage of negative press against us - no life after Henry etc - adding to the underperformance of the past two years.
Having passed the ManUre and L’Pool tests, our next test is how we respond when we lose. I have to say every week, I feel more encouraged.
November 25th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
If if’s and but’s were pretzels and nuts, we’d have Christmas every day.
Match vs Wigan showed that belief (in the system) + perseverence = victory.
November 25th, 2007 at 3:27 pm
75 min and no goal, I’m calm. 80min and no goal and I’m still calm. Then BAM! two zip and now we’re three points clear with a game in hand. I’m ecstatic.
I’m please to be one of those who supported Wenger’s choice for captain. Anger when properly channeled is a wonderful thing. Wenger knows psychology.
I went on two ManU blogs and left my condolences about having two foreigners (French no less) take 5 out of 6 points from them in two games. The “best squad ever” I believe Ferguson boasted. Can’t get those quotas in place quick enough, hey. Next thing you know, Ferguson will be calling for a quota on referees who need seeing eye dogs.
Essien got a straight red and will miss our game on Dec 16th.
Sevilla got beat by a 10 man Mallorca team and Alves is out injured.
November 25th, 2007 at 3:43 pm
Well I wouldn’t have to go to “great pains” if you didn’t get involved and add to the tedium. The point I was making was obvious but pertinent. Anyway, if you thought it was so hum-drum why did you feel compelled to chip in with the most obvious and uninformative post of the day?
P.S: You can take that rhetorically, as I doubt you will reply with anything worthwhile.
November 25th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
As an impartial observer to this ‘ruckus’, I have to say that I think the team has surprised everyone this season, including Arsene Wenger probably. Mazza, and myself, probably had similar views at the start of the season, but now I am much more optimistic, whereas Mazza still seems to think that what Arsenal are achieving is a happy accident.
It is NOT an accident that Arsenal are top. Before the ‘unbeatables’ season, many people shared the same views as before this season - that Arsenal would do f*ck all. The club only bought Jens Lehmann that summer if I remember correctly, and there was no real sign that what would happen would happen.
So, I don’t really see what the point of this negativity is Mazza, other than you being afraid to be wrong about something or other. I didn’t think Arsenal would do anything this season, I thought the team needed another year under its belts. I’m quite happy to admit I was wrong whether we win anything or not this year.
I don’t think Arsenal are going to collapse - I think the team is too good now. There may be setbacks, but when you can wear an ultra-defensive team down like Arsenal did yesterday without Van Persie, Hleb or Fabregas - then I think that shows plenty of strength in depth and an iron determination that is here for keeps. Long-term it can only get better too.
As for this weeks game against Sevilla, had my eye on this a while, I’m almost certain Wenger will rest too many players and we’ll lose this game. For me, after a great run, this has defeat written all over it. Hope the team can surprise me yet again.
November 25th, 2007 at 5:05 pm
Amen, DannyT on all points.
November 25th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
Well, the season before the invincible season we had the title in our hands until April so, although I get your point, the situation was significantly different compared to this pre-season. I do remember everyone writing us off though and mocking Wenger’s decision to play Toure centre-back.
As for this season, I’m not negative at all in regards to the table position. I can’t believe we’re 3 points clear with a game in hand, and in a situation we can afford to drop points in a congested December. Just because I’m a bit down on a player like Denilson doesn’t mean I’m down on Arsenal. I’m just always looking for the next contentious issue- I can’t help it- and I suppose it’s a sign of how well we’re doing that my main bone of contention is a 19 year old Brazilian who is fourth or fifth choice.
It would be good though if we could find a way to end games a bit sooner at the Emirates. At the moment we’re like a feather-fisted boxer with great skills that eventually overwhelmes the opponent; and that’s even with Fabregas and Hleb. Over the course of a long season it’s asking alot for a team to keep going to the well in every home game, especially with the schedule increasing as the season progresses. The good thing is that we seem to be developing a poker-faced resilience which dispirits pragmatic opposition rather than sustaining them.
November 25th, 2007 at 6:28 pm
if we get 84+ posts when we win i wonder how many we will get if we lose lol.
all in all, scoring half your goals in the last 15 minutes is always a good thing…infact its a champion’s quality. though we should be dispatching the lower quality ones earlier to conserve energy.
as i said before in the article….there is zero point slating the “skeleton” or “main-frame” players. every team has them, every team NEEDS them. only very, very, very few players will determine our championship fate…in my view…those players are fabregas, hleb and gallas.
so yes, lets slate clichy, sagna, adebayor, flamini and whoever when they have played badly in the previous game….and ofcourse lets slate denilson, diaby - who dont have much of a run - when they do play bad…..but there is no need to make it a mantra.
and mazza, NO there is no way u can tell if a player is that good or that bad within 2 games. am sorry u are wrong in that.
afterall denilson recently got a longterm contract renewal in the last 2 or 3 weeks…so wenger definitely has some faith in him. i will be very worried if u can see a player is useless withing 2 games while wenger cant see it at all and rewards the same player with a 5 year extension.
November 25th, 2007 at 6:36 pm
its now obvious that the captaincy decision was always down to toure or gallas…..gilberto might not even have been considered. and AW was right in his thinking.
as for the sevilla match, i agree that it does look like a match we might lose. i hope we can just eke out a draw over there….another boring 0-0 draw will be awesome.
as for. we should go for defensive solidity especially as our next 3 games are away…in the proverbial “up north”. lol.
i say:
almunia
diarra, toure, gallas, flamini
eboue, fabregas, gilberto, diaby
bendtner, eduardo
this gives a rest to sagna, clichy and adebayor while giving games to cesc, diaby, gilberto, bendtner and eduardo. and looks fairly solid defensively….with the hope of some fabregas magic even winning the game.
November 25th, 2007 at 7:42 pm
Almunia
Hoyte-Toure/Gallas-Senderos-Clichy
Eboue-Diarra-Gilberto-Denilson
Bendtner-Eduardo
Sub: Lehmann-Fabregas-Rosicky-Walcott-Song-Sagna-Adebayor
I assume that only Gilberto and Fabregas will be available from those missing.
Even if Mazza is right, it may mean he is completely wrong. He argues that there is a fine line between success and failure in football. If that is the case, Wenger’s record suggests that the team, even in a bad time, is no more than a fine line away from success. Should be no need to criticise or complain if that is true.
I am sure that Wenger agrees about fine lines. He probably thinks that this team is unlucky not to be going for five-in-a-row. If Abramovich hadn’t got interested in soccer, and English soccer at that……..who knows? We can all do what ifs. The main thing is to live in the now and enjoy what this young team is doing!
November 25th, 2007 at 10:23 pm
IF Henry scored that late one on one against Barca, we would have won the Champions League….
IF Michael Thomas bottled that last minute goal against Liverpool back in 1989, we might not have a George Graham revival….
IF Arsenal did not hire Arsene Wenger, under Bruce Rioch, we may be celebrated a 4th place finish….
IF Herbert Chapman did not take over Arsenal, we might have still been playing in the Championship (old 2nd division)….
And hell, IF the dinosaurs still alive today, GunnerSaur may be wearing the number 10 shirt and be our star striker…..
IF.
November 25th, 2007 at 10:40 pm
“And hell, IF the dinosaurs still alive today, GunnerSaur may be wearing the number 10 shirt and be our star striker…..”
LMAO! that is great
November 25th, 2007 at 11:39 pm
I think Denilson is the focal point of debate because everyone accepts that Gilberto, Flamini and Diarra are defensive midfielders and hence only Denilson is the logical backup for Cesc. If Denilson is also a defensive minded player, I think the balance of the team is wrong. It could be that Wenger depends on Hleb and Rosicky to be the creative hubs when Cesc is missing but can they do it from the wide areas? Y’day, Rosicky had to move in to make an impact.
November 25th, 2007 at 11:40 pm
About the Seville game, interesting to see who Wenger rests (as he said he will). I still think we can grind out a draw. Seville are not in top form and we are yet to concede in Europe.
November 26th, 2007 at 12:45 am
Newbie here, I have been watching this team for 15 years and I just wonder what all the crap here is about. If you can’t recognize (recognise LOL) this current team as one of the best in the world right now maybe you should take up watching golf…..
GO GUNNERS
November 26th, 2007 at 2:04 am
The points you make today show how naive you are:
1. You comments infer you have some unique insight into the prospects of our budding youngsters, which if not an ignorant statement, is criminally naive.
2. Your applications of what ifs and happenstance situations to any argument underscores your ignorance and naivete in having any sophisticated argument. Because I like said “you were stating the bleeping obvious”
3. If you understand anything about football history, you will not be going on any limb making stupid predictions about the prospects of any budding talent, becaused you will end up with an egg on your face.
4. Like someone said in this forum, if you that good you should be a scout for the big teams which obviously you are not. So shut your trap
November 26th, 2007 at 6:01 am
Thrilled with the win on Saturday. We showed guile against determined opposition and were able to collect all three points. Sagna’s ball to Gallas was inch-perfect and it was a dynamite run from the captain. I told someone in the preseason that I expected at least ten goals from our CB’s and we’re on our way. Gallas has scored two very important goals this season.
I thought Diarra and Denilson were very lively. Diarra reminds me of Makelele at Real Madird. Sometimes he tries a bit too hard to impress but he doesn’t give the ball away. I watched him play for France and Arsenal last week and he’s a very solid player. Flamini’s on borrowed time. Denilson shows fabulous poise and sense of awareness for being only nineteen. He makes very good decisions and has a wide range of passes.
Entering the Denilson debate, last week there was a thread on which youngsters will leave and why and I said that Denilson wasn’t stellar in attack or defense but being so young already showed incredible maturity. At 18 he was bossing EPL midfielders in the CC last year and he’s getting better. He has the awareness and passing range that rivals Fabregas and Wenger just needs to nurture the attacking instinct. We’ve already seen progress this season as he has two goals.
The bottom line is you’ve got to give an 18 year old kid more than two games before you can pass judgement. While I was less than impressed with his defense on Blackburn’s goal earlier this season, he’s still young and learning. The best is obviously yet to come. Unlike Diaby, this guy doesn’t give the ball away and looks like he’ll get better.
November 26th, 2007 at 6:16 am
LDE made a fine point - because of the brilliance of Fabregas, whoever comes in (when Cesc is rested) is bounded to look bad. U’d start to wonder - why Arsenal’s midfield does not look as fluent with who and who in CM than when Cesc was there?
it’s simple - because Fabregas, despite at the age of 20, is already closed to being world class. It’s like France with or without Zidane, of course there is a difference. Yet by no mean the replacements are crap because they can’t live up to Cesc’s standard.
Turn the clock back, when AW sold Vieira, Fabregas first took over, there were many questions raised on whether Cesc got “what it takes” to replace Vieira as well.
bottom line is - with Denilson or Diarra, or even Diaby as our second tier to cover the first teamers, we are blessed. I know i’ll take Denilson, Diarra over Michael Carrack the likes anytime.
November 26th, 2007 at 6:38 am
Denilson needs time to develop, like most players his age do. Cesc is a freak. His vision is similar to Bergkamp’s - his footballing brain is partly uncoached, it’s a natural talent. It’s unfair to compare anyone to Fabregas, no matter what age.
Hopefully Denilson will turn out like Edu - defensive, but intelligent and able to make a killer pass every now and then, plus score 7 or 8 goals a season. A very important squad player. Was Edu as good as Denilson at 19? Questionable.
I think you have to have patience with a player like Denilson, either you think he’s going to get better and stick with him, or you sell him and buy a ready made replacement. But what’s the point when that player will not get in the team ahead of Cesc/Diarra/Flamini anyway? Even Gilberto can’t get in. So yeah, it has to be a young player, and Denilson is a good young player to have.
November 26th, 2007 at 7:11 am
Agree with both LDE and Danny T’s assessment of Denilson….There’s no way that anyone can predict how good a player is going to be based on a couple of starts. Let Denilson get a continuous run of games and then we can probably start drawing conclusions on what type of player he can become.
As one of the commentator’s was pointing out during the Wigan game…..Arsenal have been playing so well lately..that the fans have been completly spoiled with the football on display…so in the event that the team is even slightly off key (never mind losing 6 first teamers) ..people are going to start complaining.
Regarding the Sevilla game….I’ll actually be happy to see Wenger ring in the changes and give the fringe players a start…even at the risk of a loss…Call me naive..but I don’ think there is going to be that much of a difference whether Arsenal finish 1st or 2nd in the group.
Win or lose….the experience gained by the fringe players at a place like Sevilla will be invaluable ..especially during the latter stages of the tournament..when a couple of injuries to key players could easily destroy our chances.
Cheers
November 26th, 2007 at 8:19 am
I’ve heard many people say that it doesn’t matter if we finish 1st or 2nd in the group. I say it does matter. Look at the two groups below
1 - Porto, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Milan, Barca, ManU, Inter
2 - Marseille, Rosenborg, Lazio/Olympiakos, Shaktar/Celtic, Rangers/Lyon, Roma, Fenerbache
Only Lyon/Roma possess a true threat from group 2. From group 1, everyone does.
November 26th, 2007 at 8:22 am
“Some players will be rested for Sevilla,” Wenger said. “I will rotate and it will be maybe a similar side to that against Slavia.”
Looks like we are setting ourselves up for a defeat. I don’t understand why.
November 26th, 2007 at 8:40 am
@Nipuna..Here goes my line of reasoning
Granted..that the current teams in group 1…on “reputation” resemble a greater threat ..but then the UCL is a knockout from the next stage onwards…if we avoid them in the first stage..we are going to come up against them in later stages ….I’d say we rather meet them early on..and gain some confidence by beating “bigger” teams.
An additional line of reasoning in support of finishing 1st could include..that just may be ..one of the lower ranked teams could get lucky and dispose off one of the big names..leaving the way clear for us…but hey..oen of the big teams to get knocked out early ..could easily be our team as well..as it happened with PSV last year…
I’ve said it earlier as well..the only possible advantage that a club can have in going one round higher and then going out (as opposed to winning the tournament) would be the extra revenue coming in from the match day income…but that’s about it.
I’d rather that our key players are rested for more important matches like Villa away in the EPL rather than going all out in a possibly inconsequential match and losing the next game.
But then..all of us are entitled to our opinions..so let’s just wait and watch how it plays out
Cheers
November 26th, 2007 at 8:49 am
Groovehouse, you really are the master of saying alot but in reflection, saying nothing at all.
And as you remember well Andez, I was always a firm believer in Fabregas. When he was looking waif-like in the maroon kit in early 2005, I had faith when many others had grave concerns. Although most people on here had recognised his talent, I spent a lot time defending the young catalan.
November 26th, 2007 at 9:52 am
of cos i remember Mazza. my point is with young players we gotta be patient. if players like denilson had a run of 20 games or so and fail to perform, then fair enough. but the kid hardly get to play at all, and only put on every now and then, it’s just impossible for him to show his true worth. i m sure had Wenger not sold Vieira, and Fabregas only got to come on every here and then, he could not possibly improved as rapidly as he had. I guess that’s the reason AW decided to sell Paddy at the first place.
Denilson, on the other hand, does not have that fortune as Cesc. He’s not being an understudy of an old guy, but a young midfield, along with lot of competition from other flinge midfield teammates as well, so it’s not easy for the kid.
basically i don’t have any particular favourite player with this current Arsenal side, i defended Flamini, Senderos, Denilson, Diaby, Adebyoar the likes based on only one principle - if they are not good enough, AW would not have kept them. And with young players, u gotta give them time to grow. This current side is majority the same set of players from the past 3 seasons. not as if we had bought in a superstar or something, but we can all see the improvement, individually and collectively they made over the years.
November 26th, 2007 at 10:25 am
The Denilson argument is ridiculous. Only now is 23-year-old Flamini showing his true worth - after 3 years at the club and 84 starts he is finally showing potential when given a decent run of games in his natural position. To criticise Denilson - who is 5 years younger - after literally a handful of starts is pointless and there’s no way you can read any significant meaning into it. Just drop it.
November 26th, 2007 at 11:46 am
Damn DannyT, you sound like my dad.
I agree totally with nipuna in we need to win the group. If for no other reason, because we’re the best team in the group. The real reason is if we have to play Barcelona then I’d like to have Eboue and Toure back. I don’t want to play against Barcelona with those guys possibly still in Africa.
Give me Rosenborg or Olympiacos for the next round. Bring on Milan or Barcelona when we have our African boys back. The idea of Senderos trying to keep up with Messi or Henry is just scary.
November 26th, 2007 at 12:04 pm
Clearly, we rely on the creativity of Cesc, Hleb and Rosicky to drive us and when you lose 2/3 of them against a team determined to sit deep, it is very difficult.
Denilson is fine. An 18 year old that can skip around challenges in midfield, control the ball and distribute it is a very good base to start with.
I like Bendtner. He definitely has an eye for a good pass. He set up Eduardo with a beautiful cross field pass in the CC cup, laid it off perfectly for Sagna to deliver his cross to Gallas, and created Rosicky’s goal. I hope he gets more chances cuz he definitely has upside.