Blackburn Rovers v Arsenal - EPL- 28/08/10 - 12:45pm - SS2

[ricky1985]

Actually although Shearer got a few things right he also made some very dull comments. A bit like Hansen last week really.

Just look at Shearer making the point that Hansen was wrong and Theo does know what to do when he has loads of time on the ball by showing his goal today. What a ridiculous example to use to prove a point (which was one of Hansen's criticisms that was completely valid btw). Not only that, was it my imagination or did Alan Shearer actually count how long Theo had on the ball when it was a slow motion replay!?! He's a *****.

Theo clearly didn't have plenty of time on the ball, the movement from out to in he could do in his sleep and it was a terrific finish.

Having too much time on the ball is when he's received the ball at walking pace facing a packed defence, and it is then Walcott struggles. So far this season we haven't seen this side of him at all and I'm hoping that's because he is learning how to move and receive the ball when he's in deeper positions.

He did, he was also counting when the ball was moving from Robin to Theo, which was about 4 of those 5 slow motion seconds.

What I was pleased about was the examples of Theo's intelligent movement. It's something I've always banged on about. I think it's truly exceptional, the best part of his game, but it so easily goes unnoticed, and he rarely gets proper recognition for it. His awareness of space and the timing of of his runs are as good as it gets, in my view, as good as anyone else I've seen in the League in recent times.

 

[True Gooner]

Walcott is the best finisher at the club which is why I think it's a complete waste to play him anywhere but upfront facing the goal.

He's got a better chance of facing goal in the position he's playing in at the moment.

 

[Anzac]

If Theo continues on this run of form, Nasri's going to be a bench player.

You must be pleased, Outlaw, after your worries about our wide players - that's 6 goals in two games from them (Theo and Arshavin). Not bad at all really, and we look generally much more threatening in the wide positions too.

Yeah, the wide threat has gone up a few notches, and unsurprisingly, so has our offense. Other then the keeper, that was the biggest problem for me, and I'm so glad that both of them look alot better. I think we'll win the league if they retain that level of productivity, combined with van Persie and Chamakh doing their job through the middle. The funny thing is that given Walcott's current form from a wide position, I'm even more inclined to use him centrally.

Simple = play a flat front 3 in attack with the brief to attack the goal.

 

[Anzac]

This is why I am going to blaspheme and say I actually think Rosicky in Cesc position is better for us being direct he seems to be able to bring Walcott into the game more than any other playmaker , he also switches responsibilities with Arshavin bring arshavin more into the game . of course this is blaphemy .

                   ICR

Sagna     Koscielny     Vermaelen      Clichy

              Song
                       Cesc
                
                Rosicky
     Walcott                   Arshavin
                van Persie

Is that what you had in mind?

NOOOOOOO!!!!!!
Don't split / stagger the CM into 3 seperate roles FFS, and don't play the attacking role from the AM line - 433 NOT 4231, because every game we see it become 411121 & we become too central attacking the front of the area.

If the CMs provided width the WFs wouldn't need to provide cover to the FBs that every one blasts them for not doing = since when should an attacking forward need to provide defensive cover to unproductive overlapping FBs? Either change the players to those better suited, or change the bloody patterns to better suit the players. Far too much about our game is based upon compromise in this failed search for attaining 'Total Football'.

 

[AnthonyG]

NOOOOOOO!!!!!!
Don't split / stagger the CM into 3 seperate roles FFS, and don't play the attacking role from the AM line - 433 NOT 4231, because every game we see it become 411121 & we become too central attacking the front of the area.

Chill man, you'll get an ulcer.

Do you have nightmares about formations?

 

[Zico]

1. Diaby had a few good tackles, was strong in midfield, and had a great quaterback pass Arshavin.

2. Walcott has been our best players in our 3 games. Little to fault today. Perfectly taken goal. Showed good movement on the goal and another through ball where he let the ball go past him and his defender.

3. We were generally sloppy, particularly under pressure. Fabregas especially looked off the pace, but Chamakh, Diaby, and Arshavin all had a few moments of needlessly giving the ball away. It's still only 3rd game of season though, so not stressed.

4. Is Samba human? He looks like a mutant. How I wish we had someone like him next to Vermaelen, to give us a bit more in set pieces.

5. Almunia looked comfortable against these brutes. That should be commended.

6. Hopefully Chamakh settles quickly. I officially give up on RVP.

 

[Anzac]

NOOOOOOO!!!!!!
Don't split / stagger the CM into 3 seperate roles FFS, and don't play the attacking role from the AM line - 433 NOT 4231, because every game we see it become 411121 & we become too central attacking the front of the area.

Chill man, you'll get an ulcer.

Do you have nightmares about formations?

Lol - read my last post in the triangle/pyramid thread & you'll get what I mean. :wink:

 

[Nela]

Just saw the bit where Almunia is squaring up to Diouf forhead to forhead.

 

[DanielVale]

Just saw the bit where Almunia is squaring up to Diouf forhead to forhead.

He sort of has a spasm of his neck doesn't he...I have no idea what that was about, but Diouf would probably own him anyway

 

[DanielVale]

Oh and I would love to know how Samba got praised for doing absolutely fk all today...apart from been given space to start off the Blackburn goal...all Blackburn did was hoof the ball up the pitch and try to get as many set pieces as possible.

 

[The Escaped Ape]

Just saw the bit where Almunia is squaring up to Diouf forhead to forhead.

I wondered when I saw that whether it was a deliberate Blackburn tactic to unsettle the goalkeeper. Was pleased to see Almunia going head to head, literally. He needs to get a bit nasty. If he's going to be a Spanish waiter, let him be the sort that starts fights with the customers, not Manuel out of Fawlty Towers.

 

[mo50]

1. Diaby had a few good tackles, was strong in midfield, and had a great quaterback pass Arshavin.

2. Walcott has been our best players in our 3 games. Little to fault today. Perfectly taken goal. Showed good movement on the goal and another through ball where he let the ball go past him and his defender.

3. We were generally sloppy, particularly under pressure. Fabregas especially looked off the pace, but Chamakh, Diaby, and Arshavin all had a few moments of needlessly giving the ball away. It's still only 3rd game of season though, so not stressed.

4. Is Samba human? He looks like a mutant. How I wish we had someone like him next to Vermaelen, to give us a bit more in set pieces.

5. Almunia looked comfortable against these brutes. That should be commended.

6. Hopefully Chamakh settles quickly. I officially give up on RVP.

It's makes me sad to admit it, but I do too. Every little tackle/nudge he goes down for ages. His ankles were also heavily bandaged before the game, so I wonder why he was made to start when we have Chamakh available.

It's a shame, he's a wonderful player, but we should not be in a position to be relying on him at all. Whenever he's in the squad, I'll look at it as a bonus.

 

[Zico]

I'm just thankful that we have 7 points in 3 games even though Fabregas and van Persie have largely been irrelevant. Yes, RvP has the assist, but he has done little else. We can clearly produce against the run of the mill teams without these 2 and Nasri - arguably are three best attacking players - and Bendtner, who was immense for 3 months last year.

The big difference is this Walcott streak. If Arshavin can find shape, and Chamakh form, then I will be comfortable that we can survive most injury crises.

 

[IBL]

Not only that, was it my imagination or did Alan Shearer actually count how long Theo had on the ball when it was a slow motion replay!?! He's a *****.

Oh dear.

Was thinking the same, what sort of time-warping world does Shearer live in? other than that he got everything else spot on. Was great to see Hansen squirm.

And Almunia going to head-to-head with that vile Diouf, best bit of goalkeeping I've ever seen from him!

 

[Legend#1]

Fantastic result, at a place very difficult to win points.

That's all.

 

[USArsenal]

Fantastic result, at a place very difficult to win points.

That's all.

this..

for a team that is clearly not at its best, and early in the season, with their 2 best players not fit and off the pace (or injured again, in RvP's case), we shouldn't be complaining too much

3 points, end of.. you dont always have to win pretty, just win

 

[Godsend_Gooner]

To be fair to Shearer, he was counting those seconds in slow mo as well. Yea but he was getting nowhere with that stupid exercise anyways.

 

[Godsend_Gooner]

One or two macro observations I made was that we were really getting stuck in, on the Blackburn players in those 50-50's and did not give up the ball easily even though harried by two opposition players. Especially Diaby and Song.

Additionally, though Song gave away the ball a few times, there were about three or four times when the Blackburn player tried beating him one on one and failed miserably.

And IMO, we fought hard and earned the victory which makes it all the more sweet.

An extra observation is that Vermaelen is beyond awesome.

 

[ricky1985]

Watched the game again this morning. After the discussions yesterday, thought it would be interesting to keep an eye on a few things. So I jotted down the Blackburn chances throughout the match and who was at fault;

1st Half

7 (minute) - Short throw. Diaby switches off and moves out the box leaving Samba, Grella easily beats Fabregas and crosses to the back post, Clichy poorly positioned, leaves Song with Samba and M.Diouf to mark on the back post. Samba nods the ball down and Koscielny heads clear.

7 - Long throw. Really poor clearing header from Diaby, straight to Jones, Fabregas not switched on to the second ball and then can't stop the cross from coming in, Vermaelen heads out for a corner at the back post.

8 - Corner. Poor header away from van Persie at the near post, towards the penalty spot, Song switches off and loses Nelsen whose header towards the top corner is cleared off the line by Fabregas.

9 - Long throw. Diaby beaten in the air by Samba, whose flick-on towards the far post is tipped away by Almunia. The ball comes to E.Diouf, Song tackles him well and passes the ball riskily inside the box to Clichy, his clearance is really poor, straight at Jones, Vermaelen hacks clear.

15 - Corner. Samba out jumps Diaby inside the six yard box, but his header goes a yard over the bar.

18 - Long ball. Nelsen is given an eternity on the ball to pick his pass by van Persie, he plays a ball from left to right looking for E.Diouf, Clichy unnecessarily goes to challenge Kalinic in the air, the ball sails over his head and E.Diouf has time to pick his cross, Vermaelen clears for a throw.

26 - Blackburn goal. Arshavin's attempted through ball is cut out by Samba, who strides forward, van Persie and Song fail to close him down, and he plays the ball in behind a poorly positioned Sagna and a covering Koscileny, towards E.Diouf. Koscielny tries to win the ball early and fails, E.Diouf cuts inside towards goal, Vermaelen tries to close him down whilst also trying to cut off the pass to Kalinic, Almunia commits himself early, Clichy lets M.Diouf run off him 5 yards from goal, E.Diouf passes to M.Diouf who taps it into the empty net.

35 - Long free-kick. Clichy beaten in the air by Grella, easy save for Almunia.

39 - Long Ball. Grella hits a high ball out to the right wing, Clichy is poorly positoned and allows M.Diouf to whip a dangerous cross into the box unchallenged. Sagna clears.

45 - Counter. M.Diouf gets away from Song on the left wing and drills a low cross into the box. Koscielny clears low to Sagna, who then plays a dangerous pass back to and under pressure Song in the box, his clearance is poor and straight to Pedersen, who crosses towards the back post where Clichy is poorly positioned allowing E.Diouf too much space, he manages to get tight to E.Diouf, but is then beaten easily allowing E.Diouf the shot at goal. He blazes over the bar.

2nd Half

55 - Long ball. Jones hits a hopeful ball forward, Vermaelen tries to pass it to Koscielny rather than clear it and gets it wrong, gifting Kalinic the chance to shoot on goal. He blazes over.

60 - Long throw. Almunia with a really poor punch under pressure, straight to Salgado, Arshavin and Fabregas not switched on, both standing off Salgado, Salgado shoots, Song blocks and clears well.

74 - Counter. Poor free-kick from Walcott, cleared by Pedersen to E.Diouf, hit long towards M.Diouf, who easily holds off Clichy and then plays it back to E.Diouf, who Song has let run off him, who crosses for M.Diouf, Sagna comes across on the cover and clears.

81 - Long ball. Hoofed forward by Salgado, at first Koscielny and Sagna leave it to each other, Koscielny then panics and makes a mess when trying to deal with it, Dunn gets a lucky bounce which takes past an unbalanced Koscielny, Vermaelen hurls himself at the ball and the shot goes tamely at Almunia.

82 - Long throw. Diaby with a poor headed clearance straight into Samba, the ball drops to Salgado who fires over the bar from an acute angle. Arshavin ball watching allowing Salgado to get away from him.

87 - Long ball. Nelsen hits a long ball up towards Pedersen, Sagna wins the header, but the ball drops to Olsson, Walcott has switched off and let Olsson run off him, leaving Sagna facing a 2-on-1. Sagna closes down Olsson who plays it to Pedersen in space, who crosses towards the back post, where Clichy nervously chests the ball out of play under no pressure.

88 - Corner. Pedersen whips it in near post, Diaby with a great header away, some head tennis and then the ball drops to Clichy whose attempted clearance is blocked, it drops to Wilshere on the edge of the box, his touch is good but he looses the ball when he tries to dribble clear of the challenge, and Dunn floats in a cross towards the back post, Samba beats Vermaelen in the air and the knock down falls to Givet, whose weak shot is blocked by Song, who then clears.

90 - Long throw. Well cleared by Song, the balls is crossed back in and hits Song awkwardly, the ball rebounds to E.Diouf who gets momentarily the wrong side of Koscielny, Song tackles E.Diouf and Diaby clears.

 

[celestis]

There was also where Vermaelen tries to deal with a long ball by trying to lay it off to Kos unfortunately he lays it of to a blackburn player coulda been the equaliser right there .