CL: Hamburg vs Arsenal | 13/09/06

[chinaboy]

Not seen this game yet.
But the lads well done

 

[USArsenal]

so i'm not the only one who got that feeling.

anyway, yes its 3 points but IMO it was a worrying performance. great strike from rosicky but i think its worrying that we depended on that to be the winner. defensively we lost concentration (again) in the first and second half. offensively, we dont even look a force. we still havent scored a proper goal post zagreb which makes you wonder what exactly we are doing in training. this game was set up perfectly to justify why we play the way we do. we are supposed to be an ofensive passing team yet we depend on a low% 25 yarder to win a game? plan a is failing us spectacularly.

What exactly where you expecting in this game? We got a goal early, they went down to 10 men. We controlled the tempo of the game..adn didn't look like we wanted to burn too much energy adn rigthly so. We do have a game on Sunday. These guys chased and chased.come second half they were tired bar the last 5 minutes. Are you suggesting we should only be scoring those 2 yard tapins?

does it not concern you that our passing gam isnt being prodcutive against a ten man team who actually came out and attacked us? so what hope is there of it being productive against negative teams like boro and villa. i hate the way people bury their heads in the sand and only want to recognise problems when we lose.

we won.. what more needs to be said.. we dominated play, passed it around nice, scored 2 goals and got 3 points in Europe and are tops in the group (for now)... after our EPL matches lately, this is more than we got out of them.. and we were without Henry, Toure (for most of the match), Freddie, etc...

i consider this match a positive step...

 

[gun4glory]

So Gilberto's Brazilian! Who knew!

 

[Mbaki Mutahaba]

does it not concern you that our passing gam isnt being prodcutive against a ten man team who actually came out and attacked us? so what hope is there of it being productive against negative teams like boro and villa. i hate the way people bury their heads in the sand and only want to recognise problems when we lose.

They came at us from the get go and we punished them early with the counter attack that resulted to a goal and a keeper sent off. What else would you want? There really was no point of commitimg more numbers upfront searching for a second goal.

Productivity of the passing game does not necessarily equate to a lot of goals. I think our passing game was very good today(63% possession), just as it was good against Boro, Villa or City. We just did not take our chances during those games. We had more opportunities to score in that game than today.

At the same time you can not expect the same mentality playing CL football as EPL. Why do we have such short memories? That is what used to kill us back then in the CL when we were smoking all the EPL teams.

BTW am not claiming we don't have any problems cos we won..they are there..but its work in progress. Step by step.

 

[awooga83]

I'm definatly happy with the result and for the moment thats what matters we needed something to get a bit of confidence in the team. However the lack of incisiveness in the final third is quite concerning. For all our dominance there were few clear cut chances RvP penalty and Gilberto spring to mind but little else. We should really be creating better opportunities.

But thats for the next few games let focus on United and try to get something there.

 

[MsianGonners (Erwan)]

Good performance from Arsenal...Aw keeping faith on the passing game that we used to...But i think players should improve on their off the ball movement and to up their tempo a little bit...Good to see them take a strike from distance rather than pasing the ball among themselve all the way to the goal...A win finally!

 

[Hruotland]

Hello from Hamburg.

I congratulate you for your victory about us. This was the first time, that i have seen a complete match from Arsenal London. The speed, the fast passes at all was very impressive! Your players can bridgeover the midfield in a few seconds. Rosickys goal from a distance was amazing. Amazing again^^. Whether he plays for Dortmund or Arsenal - everytime he shoot such a wonder-goal in Hamburg. It is astounding.
It wondering me, why so much write so negative postings about van Persie. The question "was it a foul or not in the 10th minute" interested in a couple of days no one. Ok I knows that Englishmen are differently minded about divers as Germans, but in my eyes has our GK Kirschstein made the failure. His arms should be on his body and not on van Persies right foot. So its normal that van Persie falls down and the referee gives a penalty. The red card was to hard. A yellow card would be adequate.
At this time Arsenal dominates the game. My team tried to come back to the game over the fight, but Arsenal was to clarified. Up to the 85th minute we had a few chances to made a goal, but Arsenal had more and considerably better chances. It is a little wonder, that only Rosicky mades a goal.
For us its good, that we get an honour goal in the last 5 miutes of the game . I read that some critize your defence about that. But in my eyes it is normal, that an offensive opposing-team get some chances. That is about 90 minutes not to avert. And our striker Sanogo is a good goalgetter.
This is our 7th game in order without a victory. I hope that we can avoid a crisis. The headlines from the German newspapers sounds bad. "HSV get a training unit from Arsenal" and "Hamburg are the weakest German Championsleague team ever"^^
Nevertheless, we will see us again in Old Trafford. I hope that both teams will be in best form. Arsenal with Thierry Henry and we are with van der Vaart, Sorin and Atouba. I wish you in our Championsleague group good speed against Abramowitschs russian branch ZSKA Moskau (i dont like this oil milliardaire).

PS: My English is not so good. I hope you can understand my text.

 

[awooga83]

Your is English is very good mate, it was certainly an interesting match. For the penalty i think you are maybe being a bit harsh on your keepr didn't really feel it was a penalty and certainly not a red card but i won't complain.

Your team certainly showed heart and kept going untill the end when they finally got a reward. I don't now about crisis but you have definatly got a great chance in the chanpions league group. 11 against 11 it could have been a different game and maybe you would have got something out of it.

I didn't think Hamburg played that poorely considering they had 10 men, play that way against the other Porto and Moscow and you'll be alright.

 

[MsianGonners (Erwan)]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story ... 72&cc=4716


Wenger quote:


He said: 'I have not seen a replay, but from the outside it looked a penalty.

Classic statement from Mr Wenger!

 

[patrick42uk]

does it not concern you that our passing gam isnt being prodcutive against a ten man team who actually came out and attacked us? so what hope is there of it being productive against negative teams like boro and villa. i hate the way people bury their heads in the sand and only want to recognise problems when we lose.

They came at us from the get go and we punished them early with the counter attack that resulted to a goal and a keeper sent off. What else would you want? There really was no point of commitimg more numbers upfront searching for a second goal.

Productivity of the passing game does not necessarily equate to a lot of goals. I think our passing game was very good today(63% possession), just as it was good against Boro, Villa or City. We just did not take our chances during those games. We had more opportunities to score in that game than today.

At the same time you can not expect the same mentality playing CL football as EPL. Why do we have such short memories? That is what used to kill us back then in the CL when we were smoking all the EPL teams.

BTW am not claiming we don't have any problems cos we won..they are there..but its work in progress. Step by step.

no point commiting players forward to get the second? i think the goal they scored at the end suggests there was.

i guess it depends what your definition of 'opportunities' is. for instance against boro i recall one opportunity, hlebs chance which was saved. the rest were hopeful punts and not clear cut chances. remember that wenger said the passing game is supposed to be efficient in that we should create high perentage chances. this is clearly not happening. city away in teh first half is the only case were the not taking chances argument is justified.

there cannot be any other way to judge the productivity of our passing game but goals, particularly as we claim to be an offensive team. if we were like the valencia of old who played for 1-0 where possession was part of their defensive tactics then fair enough.

for me there is no distinction between cl style and prem style where arsenal is concerend. we play teh same way in both compeitions and at this moment in time, that system has some glaring weaknesses.

 

[viennacoup]

so i'm not the only one who got that feeling.

anyway, yes its 3 points but IMO it was a worrying performance. great strike from rosicky but i think its worrying that we depended on that to be the winner. defensively we lost concentration (again) in the first and second half. offensively, we dont even look a force. we still havent scored a proper goal post zagreb which makes you wonder what exactly we are doing in training. this game was set up perfectly to justify why we play the way we do. we are supposed to be an ofensive passing team yet we depend on a low% 25 yarder to win a game? plan a is failing us spectacularly.

What exactly where you expecting in this game? We got a goal early, they went down to 10 men. We controlled the tempo of the game..adn didn't look like we wanted to burn too much energy adn rigthly so. We do have a game on Sunday. These guys chased and chased.come second half they were tired bar the last 5 minutes. Are you suggesting we should only be scoring those 2 yard tapins?

does it not concern you that our passing gam isnt being prodcutive against a ten man team who actually came out and attacked us? so what hope is there of it being productive against negative teams like boro and villa. i hate the way people bury their heads in the sand and only want to recognise problems when we lose.

I just think a lot of supporters, especially the new ones, are still suffering hangovers from the unbeaten season. At the time, we had some amazing players who were at their peak, Viera/Berkemp/Pires. Players like these are amongst the best not just in their generation, but probably only come around once in a few lifetimes. Can we replace anyone of them easily? Of course not. Can Real replace Zindane from 3 years ago easily, I don't think so. Berkemp has retired and the other two, even if they are still here are not even close to what they were 2 seasons ago. Yes, we are trying to rebuild the team as in Wenger MK III. May be Cesc will become the next midfield icon soon. But our fans want to see an immediate Arsenal MK III as good if not better than the MK II one from the unbeaten season. No one in Arsenal now can do what Berkemp can do then? Well, who in modern football today can? Not only did we ran through a whole season unbeaten, we also did it by playing beautiful football. How do you match that? Our opponents are dissecting our game, and countering them with defence, defence, defence and using the physical game. We are regrouping, but I am tired of the delusion that you can just rejig the team and replace those great players instantly.

 

[zerofeel]

A win in the Cl...well done lads...the team looks sharper and much hungrier than in the first few matches in the EPL..they are playing again as a unit and i think as the season goes on,we will see more quality coming through.

And i reckon some of the players will follow the example of Rosicky from his superb long range shot...brilliant!

 

[MUTERI]

Happy with the result and satisfied with the performance.

3 points from a difficult away trip to Hamburg, you can't ask for more.

Apart from late scary seconds, we were comfortable and in control for most of the game against 10 men so we didn't need to work hard as we have an eye on Sunday, 3 points with the less possible effort and fewer injuries was the job and it is well done .

Gilberto for MOTM.

 

[MUTERI]

Now, 3 European games, 3 wins, 2 of them are away, showing some good signs like killing off the opponents (3-0 at Zagreb) and coming from behind (2-1 in the 2nd leg).

while after 3 PL matches, 2 of them are at home, against much weaker sides , no wins, no comings from behind to win, and yet to score first let a lone killing the game.

well, this season could be a copy of the last one.

 

[Mbaki Mutahaba]

no point commiting players forward to get the second? i think the goal they scored at the end suggests there was.

i guess it depends what your definition of 'opportunities' is. for instance against boro i recall one opportunity, hlebs chance which was saved. the rest were hopeful punts and not clear cut chances. remember that wenger said the passing game is supposed to be efficient in that we should create high perentage chances. this is clearly not happening. city away in teh first half is the only case were the not taking chances argument is justified.

there cannot be any other way to judge the productivity of our passing game but goals, particularly as we claim to be an offensive team. if we were like the valencia of old who played for 1-0 where possession was part of their defensive tactics then fair enough.

for me there is no distinction between cl style and prem style where arsenal is concerend. we play teh same way in both compeitions and at this moment in time, that system has some glaring weaknesses.

Not every team that keeps possession do it for defensive purposes. Remember when we go the footballing lesson from Deportivo some years back? If you have the other guys will have to chase it. Simple effective tactic not just for defending..

I don't know if you noticed but the urgency to push forward after we scored today was not there and it wasn't because they had 10 people at the back. It was just us being cautious and rightly so. With time a second goal would have come and it did. I am sure if it was the EPL and we had scored first we would not be as cautious as were today. That is the difference.

You are right, we play the same way. But the current football we play is better suited for CL then for EPL. The current football we used to play duringthe unbeaten season was better suited for the EPL than for the CL. Personally, I prefer this one because if it works..it can still be effective in the EPL..but the former one would never have been as effective in the CL.

 

[Reyes no.11]

Lehmann : 7 solid
Eboue: 7 good again. needs to watch those overlaps though
Gallas: 7 good
djourou:7 best game in arsenal shirt
Hoyte:7 best game in arsenal shirt

Hleb: 5 hes been rubbish all season
Fabregas: 7 usual stuff, although alot cleaner than premiership
Gilberto: 8 great game
Rosicky: 8 great game. think LM is good spot for him

VanPersie: 7 done everything but score now.
Adebayor: 7 good game. did his job well.

subs:
Flamini - 7 looks like a decent RM
Baptista - 5 need time to adapt

 

[Nyingmeh]

Hey guys, could someone just give a brief description of how this game went on ? Now I can get a feel of you folks who can't watch Arsenal games on TV. I moved all night within Dubai, club after club, restaurant after restaurant in desperate search for a channel that would show the game ... alas nothing. I was however glad that I met a whole lot of FLY EMERATES T-Shirts , red with white sleeves. Great support huh ?

 

[ap]

Now, 3 European games, 3 wins, 2 of them are away, showing some good signs like killing off the opponents (3-0 at Zagreb) and coming from behind (2-1 in the 2nd leg).

while after 3 PL matches, 2 of them are at home, against much weaker sides , no wins, no comings from behind to win, and yet to score first let a lone killing the game.

well, this season could be a copy of the last one.

i dont mind repeating the last season as long as we qualify for the next CL.
give the young guys a bit more time. we are in a transitional period although wenger always say no

 

[zievad]

A couple of thoughts, it wasn't a penalty and the red card is ridiculous. I felt so sorry for the poor lad, can you imagine. They've really got to sort that rule out, it's a bit ridiculous.

I was happy with our passing but felt that the team had a sort of sunday afternoon stroll pace about them. Hamburg would attack, we'd dispossess them and just sort of amble towards their direction. I remember a few years back when we'd dispossess a team and there'd be 4 or 5 arsenal players flying past the ball carrier. This worries me, intensely.

One thing I liked is that it seems our full backs are giving us a bit more width, now we only need to teach them how to cross.

I was pretty impressed with Flamini when he came on and the corner he placed on Bert's head was an excellent delivery. I haven't seen that much of him in wide positions, can he do this often because that was a great delivery.

Overall, I am trying enthusiastic, as ever but feel that hunger/ruthlessness is missing and we need to get it back, quickly.

 

[Allyboy]

Im not too worried about performances in the group stages, you just have to do what you have to do to get through. This was a good win and sets us up nicely for the remaining five games.

Now if only we could win a bloody game in the league..... :wink: