EPL:Arsenal v Bolton Wanderers | Sat, Jan 10, 2009 15:00

[GaelForce22]

I'd agree on most of that. He is very composed, and cool in possession (sometimes bordering on casual), he is very hard working, and has proven catergorically he has a great engine.
Notice how you didn't list tracking of runners, tackling, positioning, or defensive awareness, qs, and that is the problem I have with him. Denilson is playing perhaps the most vital role in our team, the position of defensive midfielder is fundemntal to how we function as a team, and he can't successfully carry out the defensive side of his position.

I do feel he is good enough going forward, and it is more of an attitude of mind (he has in his head to just keep it simple) as opposed to a lack of tecnical ability.

The fact is Denilson's defensive ineptitude is costing the team big time at the moment, and the fact that he doesn't really contribute an amazing amount going forward, isn't making up for it.

Let me just say I think Denilson has the potential to be a very good midfielder one day. When he learns a bit more about the game.

That's exactly what I think about Denilson. Playing in the position he has been this season, his lack of defensive ability is costing us time and time again. But that's not the say that he's not a good player and wont become a good player, he is just not ready to start for us.

 

[kamikaze80]

too many unintelligent players in midfield. denilson, song and diaby have to go back to the bench.

when confronted with two banks of four, you have to try to get to the goalline and make them defend even deeper. force them to concede corners or take them on inside the box, which is always a defender's nightmare because the slightest mistake can result in a penalty. at least try some forceful runs off the ball into the box to unsettle the defenders. we always seem to back off and just hoof in an aimless cross or our wannabe playmakers expect the defence to suddenly part like the red sea. it's pathetic and i'm sick of watching it. i dont understand how this is all they do in their lives and theyre still so ****ing clueless.

van persie's setup is exactly what i'm talking about. get to the goalline and float a dangerous ball to the far post and bendtner had the right idea to make that run off the ball. good finish, too, it was not an easy chance. no one else in our midfield wouldve made that run because they dont have the slightest clue how to score goals.

clueless, mediocre, static, dumb, ineffective, spineless. that's our midfield.

 

[James]

77% possession. Again, it speaks volumes about everything that's wrong with this side. No movement, creativity, or intelligence (besides Robin and Samir).

 

[General]

Some shocking sideways passes too. It was like they've never heard of through balls.

 

[James]

Agreed. It's difficult though when there's no movement infront of the ball (again).

 

[famous no 10]

Some shocking sideways passes too. It was like they've never heard of through balls.

I thought some of Nasri's passes were excellent.

All in all, we were not that bad, and any year in any season we've had frustrating teams that put 10 men behind the ball...I'll agree that we didn't have enough movement off the ball, but Nasri and RVP looked good imo, and I think Diaby and Denilson are improving, actually.

BUT, of course we're not good enough with that midfield, we wasn't at the start of the season with Cesc in it, and we're certainly not without him...2 midfielders please, Arsène.

 

[hujja]

Samir needs to take more intiative. Too often it looks like he holds back. He and Robin are one of the few players on the team who can get shots on target from distance. It was excruciating watching us dilly-dally around the box. Someone needs to let rip.

 

[dbig]

All in all, we were not that bad, and any year in any season we've had frustrating teams that put 10 men behind the ball..

True this. And it's also why the other big 4 have continued to drop points this seasons. At least we controlled the game reasonably well today and didn't give them too many chances to breakaway and counter.

Sure, we could do with more creativity but even with Henry, Bergkamp, Pires, Vieira, et al. we had trouble breaking down teams which came to park the bus.

 

[kamikaze80]

He and Robin are one of the few players on the team who can get shots on target from distance. It was excruciating watching us dilly-dally around the box. Someone needs to let rip.

it's not just about letting it rip. theres no point if you have four defenders plus a keeper in front of you. we have to spread play wider more often, which in turn spreads the defence and gives us more room to take a potshot if its there and hope for a rebound or deflection, or to give us more space to play one-twos into the box or dribble penetrate.

everything feeds off of intelligent movement and quick, crisp passing but this midfield just doesnt get it.

 

[kel varnsen]

Tell me what you believe Denilson's strengths are then please mate.

Well firstly I think he's a very intelligent player, he's almost always composed and he does things quickly.

you're wrong. he doesn't do things quickly. cesc does things quickly. cesc takes one touch and then immediately makes the right decision on the ball, denilson takes at least three touches before panicking and then passes the ball to first and closest arsenal player he sees...

he's useless. simple as that.

 

[kel varnsen]

77% possession. Again, it speaks volumes about everything that's wrong with this side. No movement, creativity, or intelligence (besides Robin and Samir).

exactly how is rvp "creative"? his pass and move game is at best poor. though, compared to the rest of the players out there he might seem decent...

 

[Galahad]

JGooner already pointed out one of my main points...we play unbelievably boring stuff...65 minutes without any real goal chance, the game patterns out to be this: We have the ball, pass it around where Bolton is not even trying to get it and we dont give a damn about going forward. Nothing happens and its plain boring. -AND it isnt nice football...I cant believe how commentators are STILL saying we can play eye catching football...because we obviously cant.

I thought Denilson wasnt too bad today, but he didnt do too much either. Eboue I thought has played quite a decent first half and then, like every of his teammates, had a period of non-existance from minute 45- 65.

I thought Bendtner didnt make it easy for himself after attempting various pass and executed them all so very poorly and sloppy that you had to feel he either wasnt up for it or he didnt care. Good goal though and Im happy he got it.

 

[progman07]

77% possession. Again, it speaks volumes about everything that's wrong with this side. No movement, creativity, or intelligence (besides Robin and Samir).

exactly how is rvp "creative"? his pass and move game is at best poor. though, compared to the rest of the players out there he might seem decent...

But there are different forms of creativity. RvP can't play mind-bogging through balls and sometimes his passing game (when he comes back to the midfield) can be a bit awkward, but his creativity lies in doing tricks and flicks that surprise the opponent and work. Yesterday before he hit the post he turned around brilliantly, someone like Ade wouldn't have done that. Choosing the unlikely, but more effective option regularly in situations, I call that creativity, too.

 

[Double_H]

just so the game since i missed it yesterday

when teams Park the bus ( most of the teams ) you need alot of creative players to break them down .
last season we had Rosicky,Hleb,Fab and RVP Whom can produce somthing with a bit of skill

this season we Fab, samir, and RVP .
We do need another creative player ( Arseshavin ) This will make it easy on our defence

no matter how good you are if you are 24/7 on pressure you will do silly mistakes and thats the problem we have in our defence

Denilson was good because he didnt have much presure on him today


The Best thing out of this match is the players seemed happy at the end and they do care

i hope the cary it to the next few matches and build from there

 

[James]

77% possession. Again, it speaks volumes about everything that's wrong with this side. No movement, creativity, or intelligence (besides Robin and Samir).

exactly how is rvp "creative"? his pass and move game is at best poor. though, compared to the rest of the players out there he might seem decent...

Take the goal, for example. I don't think anybody else on that pitch could have picked out that pass. True, i wouldn't call him a creative player, but he still showed he has the intelligence and vision on more than one occasion yesterday.

 

[King Puck Paddy]

Just a couple of points about the game Yesterday

1 - We need to play we more urgency,Wenger always points out the importance of the first goal,so we should be piling on the pressure from the start to try and score straight away.Most of the games we play against the lesser sides we seem to asleep during the first half and it takes a goal scored against us or the frustration of the crowd to wake us up.

2 - Vela should be playing for us on the wing while Fabregas is injured,Nasri should be more central and Denilson should sit his arse on the bench.Without doing a whole lot I was impressed with Carlos Vela,he is much more direct when it comes to attacking and he plays with a higher tempo than the likes of Nasri.Nasri seems to try a lot of long range passing when he is on the wing,most of which don't come off.Move Nasri more central and he can feed the ball along the ground like the one he put on a plate for Adebayor,he has the vision to make a defence splitting pass unlike Denilson.

3 - Give Jack Wilshere a chance,I mean he can't be worse than Eboue.The game was crying out for a player like Jack against Bolton,Eboue wasn't that bad but he just doesn't have the attacking prowess of a natural winger.Whats the point of having Wilshere on the bench if he never brings him on ?

3 - Give Bendtner a break,so what if his first two passes where to the opposition.He nearly scored within five seconds of coming on and he eventually scored the winning goal.Does he need to hear the sarcastic hooray when he gets his first pass right ? Straight after he scored he was pumping the air with his fists,I thing 50% of that was due to sheer joy at breaking Boltons stubborn defence but the other 50% was a f**k off towards our own fans.Understandable IMO

4 - Adebayor really needs to be told to stay inside the box,why does he persist in popping up on the left and right wing ? I'm sorry Ade but you will never be Thierry Henry.

5 - Almunia really needs to be told to stay in his box,twice Yesterday he came flying out for two balls that he hadn't a hope of getting.We got off the hook on both occasions,I know that he can be good at rushing out when confronted with a one on one occasion but FFS stay in goal when we have defenders back.

 

[General]

Nasri seems to try a lot of long range passing when he is on the wing,most of which don't come off.Move Nasri more central and he can feed the ball along the ground like the one he put on a plate for Adebayor,he has the vision to make a defence splitting pass unlike Denilson.

As much as I like Nasri and think he's done well, he plays a static game at times and this makes it very easy to defend against him. He was more effective when he moved centrally but before that was quite simply flattering to deceive. So many times Clichy looked prepared to make the width count but Nasri just put the brakes on. Not his fault though as he's still coming to grips with the English game, but like Hleb, he's clearly more of an AM than an out and out winger. Both lack the direct pace to hurt the opposition.

 

[AFCG7]

Our play is much too slow nowadays - teams have more than enough time to sort their defensive line when we gain possession.
Why isnt Vela starting games? We need someone more direct like him running at defenders , not turning around and passing back all the time.

 

[Macho]

I don't really rate Van Persie for his creativity/intelligence at all. His vision looks very limited to me and he offers close to nothing when it comes to movement. He is definately improving though.

He does create chances but he is not a creative player. If he is, then we might aswell call Theo a creative player aswell.

Why isn't Vela playing? maybe he isn't as good as we all think he is? Its a weird one- he really should have stayed at Osasuna or wherever he was.

 

[Clrnc]

Nasri seems to try a lot of long range passing when he is on the wing,most of which don't come off.Move Nasri more central and he can feed the ball along the ground like the one he put on a plate for Adebayor,he has the vision to make a defence splitting pass unlike Denilson.

As much as I like Nasri and think he's done well, he plays a static game at times and this makes it very easy to defend against him. He was more effective when he moved centrally but before that was quite simply flattering to deceive. So many times Clichy looked prepared to make the width count but Nasri just put the brakes on. Not his fault though as he's still coming to grips with the English game, but like Hleb, he's clearly more of an AM than an out and out winger. Both lack the direct pace to hurt the opposition.

Hleb has more pace and skills to get past players to create chances on the wings, something Nasri lack as like you said, alot of his plays are very very one dimensional.

Its very dangerous to play him in CM though. One thing is playing him in CM means nobody outwide, and he is abit suspect defensively. Only when we chasing game, then playing him there makes sense