EPL| Arsenal v Blackburn Rovers (H), 2/4, 17.30, ESPN

[SA Gunner]

regarding wengers comments about the energy of our players, he has a very good point. We have had a 2 week break since our last game, sure some of our players had international games, but the majority of them didnt. (song, cesc theo, rvp, etc) It speaks volumes when arguably the most busy player in the international break was our most energetic and fresh looking player today, Wilshere.

Cesc Theo and Song were coming back from injuries so I didn't expect too much from them, however it's a weak excuse. At this stage of the season moreso than any other, it's up to Wenger to get the best out of what we have.

Which is where the question of manager experience comes to the fore. Wenger should have anticipated the lack of match fitness of the returning players and planned accordingly. Its no suprise we threatened far more when we brought on three tall CF's and we then brought true purpose to the ball over midfield and from wide into the box.

It all comes back to the question of tactics, the deep questioning of the stubborn single minded approach for the greater good. The fact that Wenger refuses to make sufficient adjustments as soon as they are needed is the true question here and perhaps even values a look into his on pitch tactical credentials these days.

 

[Y va marquer]

I think the introduction of Fabregas, and Blackburn being reduced to ten men, had as much to do with increasing our attacking threat as the introduction of Chamakh and Bendtner.

I for one would have been horrified if we'd started without Nasri, Theo and Arshavin.

 

[Eirico]

Thats why I wouldnt mind if Clichy leaves. Replace the guy with a player who can attack like Coentrao. A fullback who has the engine and pace to get to the back line and make a cut back or give a good cross. Clichy is a donkey on the ball and I absolutely hate they way he plays. Sagna is a solid defender so I dont really mind that he's poor offensively, plus his crossing his much better than Clichy's.

Backward step for me, why lose a guy with so much premiership experience? The surgery needs to happen in the middle for me, Squillaci shouldn't even be 9th center, outrageous lack of pace. Our defense to be honest is not that far off to be honest, say Djourou/Verms in the middle, two more center backs with premiership experience and mist importantly height, not the identi-kit Wenger ball playing defenders because that's what gets us into trouble, defenders trying to play the ball out instead of just damn defending And a proper DM shielding the back four. But I fear we'll get none of that, just Frimpong/Coquelin..Bartley/Ignasi good players but the same old blood the youngsters nonsense we've been having these few years

We've conceded less than Man Utd this season. It's offensively that we're struggling. Even though we play the "prittiest football in the league" and Man Utd "haven't impressed anybody this season and are relying on their defence", they score more goals than us. Particulary at home. We are offensively overhyped. We don't have good enough offensive players and our system makes it even harder for the players to perform.

 

[dyeruz]

I think the introduction of Fabregas, and Blackburn being reduced to ten men, had as much to do with increasing our attacking threat as the introduction of Chamakh and Bendtner.

I for one would have been horrified if we'd started without Nasri, Theo and Arshavin.

Agreed but you also saw more crosses into the box, we had added height, the two van persie headers and the Bendtner headers. We can compete with most teams on this front yet we limit ourselves to trying the through the middle approach always, yet other teams batter us using the long ball/crosses into the box. We have the pardon the pun..the arsenal to vary our game, why dont we use it?

 

[Humble Rex]

We would have killed West Brom, Sunderland and Blackburn had we played with Bendtner and Chamakh stationary in the box and bombarded the box with crosses. It is an "easier" game plan, we wouldn´t have to commit as many people forward,(which means we would be less vulnerable on the break). If we are going to use Bendtner and Chamakh ANYWAY - why not play to their strengths?

Not the Arsenal way though is it!

 

[sabret00the]

I see quite a few angry faces talking about how headers missed cost us the game. To be fair, that's bullshit. What cost us the game was failing to play our football. This notion that we can push everything onto the fullbacks to cross the ball is the bullshit that's killing us. We failed to drive into the box with any intent. Every drive we did make into the box was wide and clearly designed for a cutback. There just wasn't a player out there that wanted a goal and that's what cost us. Wenger cost us by not forcing the wing-forwards to take responsibility. And cost us by failure to motivate the strikers to want goals badly enough. We played like it was just another game and we should've played like it was a chance to seal a trophy.

 

[redwhiteAustrian]

We failed to win the game, because we didn't convert our chances into goals.
Missed headers are part of that as well.

 

[AshburtonGhost]

Thats why I wouldnt mind if Clichy leaves. Replace the guy with a player who can attack like Coentrao. A fullback who has the engine and pace to get to the back line and make a cut back or give a good cross. Clichy is a donkey on the ball and I absolutely hate they way he plays. Sagna is a solid defender so I dont really mind that he's poor offensively, plus his crossing his much better than Clichy's.

Backward step for me, why lose a guy with so much premiership experience? The surgery needs to happen in the middle for me, Squillaci shouldn't even be 9th center, outrageous lack of pace. Our defense to be honest is not that far off to be honest, say Djourou/Verms in the middle, two more center backs with premiership experience and mist importantly height, not the identi-kit Wenger ball playing defenders because that's what gets us into trouble, defenders trying to play the ball out instead of just damn defending And a proper DM shielding the back four. But I fear we'll get none of that, just Frimpong/Coquelin..Bartley/Ignasi good players but the same old blood the youngsters nonsense we've been having these few years

We've conceded less than Man Utd this season. It's offensively that we're struggling. Even though we play the "prittiest football in the league" and Man Utd "haven't impressed anybody this season and are relying on their defence", they score more goals than us. Particulary at home. We are offensively overhyped. We don't have good enough offensive players and our system makes it even harder for the players to perform.

Man Utd play basic football that their whole squad can execute without much trouble. We are the complete opposite, unfortunately.

 

[SA Gunner]

I see quite a few angry faces talking about how headers missed cost us the game. To be fair, that's bullshit. What cost us the game was failing to play our football. This notion that we can push everything onto the fullbacks to cross the ball is the bullshit that's killing us. We failed to drive into the box with any intent. Every drive we did make into the box was wide and clearly designed for a cutback. There just wasn't a player out there that wanted a goal and that's what cost us. Wenger cost us by not forcing the wing-forwards to take responsibility. And cost us by failure to motivate the strikers to want goals badly enough. We played like it was just another game and we should've played like it was a chance to seal a trophy.

In all honesty, how different is what you describe here from any game that we play?

The reason we seem so amazing, and rout to big wins is because we are able to convert at least one of the tons of chances we create. The issue of the so called lack of responsibility by our attackers is there in every match and in most cases its an issue of us converting one of them to change the opposition tactic.

Im surprised the likes of Sp**s and Liverpool have not jumped on this successful bandwagon. Humble Rex made an amusing yet very true point recently about us facing relegation if Ferguson coached all 19 teams in the league. Amusing to think about but true with reflection, and a comment like that shows how one dimensional and predictable we are as a general footie playing unit.

 

[Big Poppa]

Automatic CL qualification is a MUST. I fear the title has gone. Man City and Chelsea will both be much better teams next year, so it is an opportunity missed as I see it.

 

[progman07]

I see quite a few angry faces talking about how headers missed cost us the game. To be fair, that's bullshit. What cost us the game was failing to play our football. This notion that we can push everything onto the fullbacks to cross the ball is the bullshit that's killing us. We failed to drive into the box with any intent. Every drive we did make into the box was wide and clearly designed for a cutback. There just wasn't a player out there that wanted a goal and that's what cost us. Wenger cost us by not forcing the wing-forwards to take responsibility. And cost us by failure to motivate the strikers to want goals badly enough. We played like it was just another game and we should've played like it was a chance to seal a trophy.

Story of the last years. The players fail to realise, that passing is only the tool, and why we are passing in the first place.

 

[est]

True.