EPL: Arsenal v Liverpool- 24/08/15, 20:00. [SS1]

[Rex Stone]

Lets see cute boy Özil play as a CM from now and we can then compare, Özil being moved slightly to the left of his so called No10 position makes all his groupies cry and filled with excuses. How many goals / assists, solid and match winning performances has Özil given us since moving here. Let's compare that to Cazorla.

Lol he looks likes an extra from the Hills have Eyes.

Anyway I'm not saying Özil's a CM and he probably hasn't outperformed Santi you're right. The question is who does Wenger want to build this side around, Mezut or Santi? Long term it will be Özil.

Restoring Ramsey to CM and putting wingers either side of Özil should help his game more, dropping Özil and restoring Santi is the other way we can go but I think that'd be a very poor move for morale.

 

[Artisan]

Rodgers in first. On Ramsey's disallowed goal: "I've seen a replay, his shirt looks offside. Great decision by the linesman."

wtf?

 

[Coolin]

Bellerin isn't ready yet. He's so shaky up against players that can run with the ball. Play him in Europe and it might end up costing us. I'm not sure he's even that great going forward either.

Özil was awful in the first half. But better in the second. He probably created 10 clear cut chances that we all missed though. So it's fine. Another "world class" performance.

And to anyone that still thinks Ramsey plays out wide to offer us "balance" and protection for Bellerin ... stfu. Ramsey on the right leaves us as unbalanced as we can get.

 

[Stillmatic]

Yes, Ox should be started on the right, but Theo is useless up top honestly, probably one of the worst striking performances I had seen against Chelsea and every other glimpse we have seen this season, he has done literally nothing.

Oh the game against Chelsea where Theo got an assist and it's the only time we have EVER beaten Mourinho. It was also our FIRST goal against Chelsea since Theo scored against them in Jan 2013!!!

We have failed to score in 5 of the last 6 home games, the only match we scored was when Theo started and got a hatrick. Wilshere also played.

 

[Artisan]

Is personnel the issue though? We have great talents, arguably Sanchez-Özil-Cazorla-Ramsey is better than the equivalents Liverpool and West Ham have.

Until Ox came on, we did not have a right wing. We often had 5-6 players on our left side trying to out-pass Liverpool in very tight areas, rather than stretching the pitch. We also could not capitalise on the space behind their defense in the first half.

For me it seems like this bunch of players could achieve more with a different approach (starting with rotation according to form and opponent).

Giroud missed the easiest chance possible, Alexis fluffed a really easy chance as well because he was on his wrong foot. When you realistically should come away from the game with 3 goals, I don't think the formation can be blamed too much. That's not even including a lot of other chances we could have had if we had better players up top.

Would I like to see us go back to a simple 4-2-3-1 or some other common variation that seems to work for every other top team in Europe? Obviously.

But we tried that before and top team just blew past us, where as with our current formation at least we tend to be defensively solid. Though obviously not today because we had the u21 playing cb and rb. And more often than not, we create enough chance to at least score a couple. We just happen to have the worst striker out of the top 6 teams in PL. So it's just harder for us.

 

[onetowatch]

That was a good point. Poor quality but exciting match.

The first half was somewhat understandable given the new CB pairing and Calum will learn from that. Thought Gabriel had a decent game, he's ****ing quick.

The disappointing thing though in the first half was the Hollywood passes and the overkill with the one touch passing, back heels etc that contributed to us conceding so many chances. It was clear that we were struggling defensively and you'd expect a mature team to keep things simple and ride out the poor phase but this is where we lack leaders and have done so for years. Our captain is a bench warmer FFS.

We need to make room for Ox. He makes things happen and offers something different from the legion of 5' 8" tiki taka wannabes.

Looking at the team now, you'd have to say it's a season of same old tbf. Especially as we haven't strengthened. Even Cech couldn't muster up any enthusiasm in his post match interview with Sky. A point against Pool at home isn't bad. The West Ham game was telling, however.

Cech back to zero now

 

[redanddread]

Well, the preverbal game of 2 halves tonight!

We made Liverpool look good in the 1st half by playing some of the sloppiest football (out from the back) that I've seen in a very long time. Poor Chambers was having a NUGHTMARE! How we weren't a goal or two down only Cech knows. Cech earn't his pay tonight for his 1st half performance.

2nd half was much better but once again not enough magic up front to make the difference.

Let me say that to turn the game around so much as we did in the 2nd half showed great composure and determination, however, it also showed how much we need a truly WC CF who can make things happen on his own.

Wenger has a real conundrum on his hand as the introduction of The Ox immediately showed that having another dangerous wide player can make things happen. How does he get Ramsey, Cazorla, Özil & Le Coq all in the game and still maintain enough threat up front.

He needs to push the boat out on Cavani, if that's his last option. Giroud's good but as many have said he ain't going to win you the league.

BTW, Coutinho is looking a great wee player-had a wonderful 1st half for Liverpool.

Cech redeemed himself big time but YET again we were (easily) stymied on our own home turf. What to do???

Edit: Gabriel is a proper CB - the lads a great player imo and ready to fill the breach!

 

[Taylor Gang Gunners]

I thought Alexis was poor today, what saves him though is his unreal workrate. Loved when he lost the ball to Moreno and sprinted to try and retrieve it so late on. Alexis will sharpen up though, the goals will start flowing too.

 

[Rex Stone]

I thought Alexis was poor today, what saves him though is his unreal workrate. Loved when he lost the ball to Moreno and sprinted to try and retrieve it so late on. Alexis will sharpen up though, the goals will start flowing too.

I thought him and Özil had some good link up play. It was promising, should be building around him, Özil and Ramsey and supplementing with Welbz and Theo.

 

[onetowatch]

City will walk this league like Chelsea did last year. They're on a different planet attacking wise and will again out score every other team. And they've strengthened defensively.

 

[redanddread]

as exciting a 0-0 as you'll find. Arsenal vs Liverpool is NEVER a dull game!!

 

[redanddread]

City get to the byline and behind defenses from a wide position better than any team in the league-it's an area that we desperately need to improve on if we want to break down packed defenses. This constant attempt to pierce the centre of the oppo's defense ain't working and hasn't for a while-get it wide, stretch the defense and cut the ball back.

 

[Hunta]

City don't play Nasri CM next to Fernandinho, with Toure on the wing and Dzeko up front.

That's why they're brilliant going forward.

 

[Stoneh]

[QUOTE="progman07, post: 3837611, member:

Until Ox came on, we did not have a right wing. We often had 5-6 players on our left side trying to out-pass Liverpool in very tight areas, rather than stretching the pitch. We also could not capitalise on the space behind their defense in the first half.

For me it seems like this bunch of players could achieve more with a different approach (starting with rotation according to form and opponent).[/QUOTE]

You are correct.. many agree but why cant Wenger realise we have **** all on the right side, which effectively gives teams an extra man

 

[juice man]

Missed the game. Read a few pages of reviews, feel like I understand who played well for us.

How were Liverpool's players? Benteke, Coutinho and Firmino, specifically?

 

[Dennis_Bergkamp_10]

City don't play Nasri CM next to Fernandinho, with Toure on the wing and Dzeko up front.

That's why they're brilliant going forward.

I was about to say the exact same thing. We can do that too, we just choose not to.

 

[Dennis_Bergkamp_10]

Missed the game. Read a few pages of reviews, feel like I understand who played well for us.

How were Liverpool's players? Benteke, Coutinho and Firmino, specifically?

Benteke was lively, Chambers had a terrible game. Gabriel was too much for him most of the time though. He should've scored but Cech saved it amazingly. Didn't see much from Firmino but thought that Coutinho was very good the first half, hit the woodwork twice.

 

[RandyMarsh]

City don't play Nasri CM next to Fernandinho, with Toure on the wing and Dzeko up front.

That's why they're brilliant going forward.

haha so true.

They play a balanced team, full of pace, directness, power and technical ability. They literally have all the ingredients and are set up perfectly.

 

[Batman]

City get to the byline and behind defenses from a wide position better than any team in the league-it's an area that we desperately need to improve on if we want to break down packed defenses. This constant attempt to pierce the centre of the oppo's defense ain't working and hasn't for a while-get it wide, stretch the defense and cut the ball back.

The sad thing is that we have a player who does that at will and he rots on the bench until it's too late. Ox might have the greatest combination of pace and strength in the PL and yet he's relegated to the bench so that the manager can cater to his playmaker fetish. Every time Ox gets the ball and runs at a defender you can see the fear because they know they've no real chance at stopping him. Something good happens literally ever single time Ox gets the ball on the wing. There isn't a fullback in the league with the physical tools to mark him yet we play right into opposition hands by forcing Ramsey out there. It's criminal. We could easily acquire another good wide man and play a very similar game to city but the manager is too stubborn to do it.

 

[IchirotoV2]

The only players good enough tonight was Coq and Cech.