EPL – Arsenal vs Norwich - 12:45 - 05/05/12 - Arsenal Player

[KY]

Also worth noting that Rosicky has recaptured his 4 year pre-Tottenham form.

I'm still scratching my head, wondering how 3/4 good performances back in March managed to earn him a new contract and a reprive from the majority of fans.

Knee jerk. He's been our best attacker for two months now. Our attack isn't very good to begin with though.

He was actually pretty decent today i thought. bringing the ball forward and laying it off, albeit usually to the simplest option. Wasn't flashy but did well.

I actually thought Gervinho had a good game compared to previous games, driving at his defender, and playing it pretty direct. A lof of his runs paid off...although it lacked end product...

 

[Herbas]

Until this pattern of every bloody average opposition donkey looking like Maradona against us is broken these kind of heartbreaking results will keep on occuring because we lack the heart to stand up to the bullies and every team in the league knows that which is why the likes of Zamora, Drogba, Barton, Carroll, Crouch, N'gog, Holt and Morison end up looking like world beaters every time they're playing against us.

Probably no team gives them so much space in the final third as us. Every player looks better when he has lots of space and competes against 1 player only.

 

[Hunta]

I can't remember Rosicky doing anything today, i can't believe he played the full 90. Also i thought Gibbs was poor again today, i really don't like the look of our LB situation going into next season, just one of the many problems the manager needs to sort out.

at 0-0 made a simple pass to Benayoun who scored,
at 1-2 made a clean through ball to Benayoun who failed to control,
his FK found Benny who head right at Ruddy,
at 2-2 made a chipped pass at RvP who shot right at Ruddy, the rebound was headed slightly wide by Camakh,
dribbled past 3 players only to find the player receiving his pass can't score.
found AOC who accidently made a pass to RvP for 3-2

Yup, he didn't do anything

He also runied a few attacks as well, an example being when he had 10 yards of space to have a shot on goal just outside the box but decided to play a poor ball to Vermaelen who could only hit and hope into the box. He wasn't the worst on the pitch, but it was a poor game by him.

Gervinho was by miles our best player in the second half.

 

[Enfield]

Until this pattern of every bloody average opposition donkey looking like Maradona against us is broken these kind of heartbreaking results will keep on occuring because we lack the heart to stand up to the bullies and every team in the league knows that which is why the likes of Zamora, Drogba, Barton, Carroll, Crouch, N'gog, Holt and Morison end up looking like world beaters every time they're playing against us.

Probably no team gives them so much space in the final third as us. Every player looks better when he has lots of space and competes against 1 player only.

Spot on. Opposition teams are allowed run riot against us because we don't believe in preparing our players to do their job and stop the oppsition.

Is anyone else proper pissed at the petulance and poor sporting behaviour of Wenger after we drop points. I want our club to have more class than that, would it not be more in his line to try and figure out how and why his charges were so poor in such a vital game. Then he blames the fact we don't get penalties as a poor excuse for a terribly inept performance

 

[Vinci]

For the first goal, Vermaelen covers Hoolahan, he knows where he is and keep his eye on him. He is in doubt about whether to help Koscielny out with Jackson or get closer to Hoolahan.

He moves further back, expecting Song or Ramsey to cover Hoolahan. Makes sense, and the defence looks pretty good having covered their strikers well, but Song and Ramsey do a half-heartedly job and Hoolahan has all the room in the world to score. Poor job by Szczęsny, but that aside he should have never been given this much freedom.

Midfield mainly at fault for not covering Hoolahan. Vermaelen at fault? I don't know, in the second picture he is in a good position to defend any incoming cross, it's just that the midfield defend poorly.

Second goal is even worse, Hoolahan in acres of space, no midfielder except Song tracking back. Song does so half-heartedly as well. Vermaelen nowhere to be seen, but you would expect Song to cover for him when he bombs forward.

I didn't watch the entire game, only seen the highlights, but Hoolahan scored and assisted once, not because he is such a great player, but because he is given acres of space.

His goal was a poor attempt and his assist was pretty straightforward as it was 3 vs 2. It's easy to blame Vermaelen, because he went wandering off again, but you would expect someone to cover him. At least there should be some general sense on what to do when Vermaelen goes forward, someone to drop back. Would make sense since you would be outnumbered, like for the the second goal.

We really need to drill our defence and midfield.

 

[Bossa]

Its very easy. When teams play 442 with a attacking midfielder behind the two strikers. The CB's are left 2v2 against the forwards. The opponents AM plays behind the two strikers which means that Song or Ramsey MUST cover and mark the player. Song and Ramsey neglect their defensive jobs so that means that we are left 2v3. Our fullbacks are nowhere to be seen because they are playing up in the field next to our two wingers.

This system that we play is flawed and Wenger is a ***** for not seeing this. Mourinho plays with the same system and I never see Khedira and Alonso getting exposed as our two CM's.

 

[dyeruz]

For the first goal, Vermaelen covers Hoolahan, he knows where he is and keep his eye on him. He is in doubt about whether to help Koscielny out with Jackson or get closer to Hoolahan.

He moves further back, expecting Song or Ramsey to cover Hoolahan. Makes sense, and the defence looks pretty good having covered their strikers well, but Song and Ramsey do a half-heartedly job and Hoolahan has all the room in the world to score. Poor job by Szczęsny, but that aside he should have never been given this much freedom.

Midfield mainly at fault for not covering Hoolahan. Vermaelen at fault? I don't know, in the second picture he is in a good position to defend any incoming cross, it's just that the midfield defend poorly.

Second goal is even worse, Hoolahan in acres of space, no midfielder except Song tracking back. Song does so half-heartedly as well. Vermaelen nowhere to be seen, but you would expect Song to cover for him when he bombs forward.

I didn't watch the entire game, only seen the highlights, but Hoolahan scored and assisted once, not because he is such a great player, but because he is given acres of space.

His goal was a poor attempt and his assist was pretty straightforward as it was 3 vs 2. It's easy to blame Vermaelen, because he went wandering off again, but you would expect someone to cover him. At least there should be some general sense on what to do when Vermaelen goes forward, someone to drop back. Would make sense since you would be outnumbered, like for the the second goal.

We really need to drill our defence and midfield.

These problems have been self evidence for the past three years, heck even longer, if this players scouted 1 billion times because of their "football intelligence", their ability to play the ball still can't get it into their heads that 3-2 up, you need to defend a lead or that Song, if you have no one to pass to then don't pass it, kick it out and look like a chump but at least you're not dropping your team in it, then there is no hope.

 

[tactica442]

Horror show at their third goal:

We have to defend our 3-2 lead with just 5 minutes to play and just look how high everyone except Kos, TV and Song is positioned. Virtually it is already 3vs3at this point.

And once a pass is made it is 2vs2 or more like 2vs1 with TV being completely static.

Looks at our fullbacks too why they are too high we were 3-2 5min left till the end of the game why you playing so high and verms was really really bad.

right before those images Song had the ball and played a terrible pass.. We really need to be a lot smarter in the last minutes of a game when we are protecting a lead.. There's no need to play high risk pass that can easily be intercepted.

Agreed. To me, the team's mentality switched off when losing possession. The FBs were spreading because the team was trying to build up from the back. When Song played the loose pass, the back four were doing the right thing by going a bit high up and spreading. Then Song's loose pass caught all the teammates in that zone unexpected, including Song himself. Benayong then Song failed to dispossess the Norwich player making final ball.

When Norwich played that final pass, Kos was holding the offside line and TV held his position. I don't think Kos made wrong decision, neither did TV. If there's anything to blame TV, perhaps he should have stayed tighter with Morisson before the final pass was made. On the goalline, Chez really should've done better than that. He made the scoring Morrison looks like Alves.

 

[Lazaq]

If I have to see Aaron Ramsey ****ing JOGGING back like a pub player even ONCE next week, I will pop an artery! Couldn't believe what I was seeing!

 

[Accomplished]

Gervinho was by miles our best player in the second half.

Thought Rosicky and Gervinho were equally good yesterday and our best players. Rosicky was ****ing everywhere.

 

[Rain Dance]

I can't remember Rosicky doing anything today, i can't believe he played the full 90. Also i thought Gibbs was poor again today, i really don't like the look of our LB situation going into next season, just one of the many problems the manager needs to sort out.

at 0-0 made a simple pass to Benayoun who scored,
at 1-2 made a clean through ball to Benayoun who failed to control,
his FK found Benny who head right at Ruddy,
at 2-2 made a chipped pass at RvP who shot right at Ruddy, the rebound was headed slightly wide by Camakh,
dribbled past 3 players only to find the player receiving his pass can't score.
found AOC who accidently made a pass to RvP for 3-2

Yup, he didn't do anything

He also runied a few attacks as well, an example being when he had 10 yards of space to have a shot on goal just outside the box but decided to play a poor ball to Vermaelen who could only hit and hope into the box. He wasn't the worst on the pitch, but it was a poor game by him.

Gervinho was by miles our best player in the second half.

So now, it's changed from didn't do anything to wasn't the worst...

If Benny's header and RvP shot didn't get saved by Ruddy he would have got an assist hattrick ffs.
And for his mistakes, you should give a better example... that one is not a big deal

If that's a poor game, :shock: wow please tell me just how good is Rosicky on a good game? 6 assist minimum?

 

[Hunta]

Nope not changed anything, think you need gigs pal. A few fancy passes doesn't change anything for me, he wasn't as good as you make out and 6 assists for Rosicky is a good season never mind a game!

 

[Rain Dance]

If you read your own post, your the one who suggested he wasn't good enough with 3 assist chances he got last night...
yeah so tell me, how is a good game for Rosicky according to you?

No need for word game

 

[Hunta]

One where he does it for 90 minutes and doesn't go missing for the majority of the game, people go on about Ramsey and Song (and rightfully so) and how bad they were in the first half yesterday, Rosicky was just as bad but in his case it was more doing nothing and giving the ball away than not tracking back.

As was mentioned in here during the game, Robin had no service in that first half, Rosicky was no where.

 

[fabo]

I thought Rosicky did some positive things driving us on second half, started a number of attacks by ghosting past players. He cannot get up and down for 90 minutes though, runs out of steam. Our midfield was non-existent in a defensive sense.

 

[Irish_Owen]

End of the season, and with a real lack of rotation this year, some players look like there running on empty.

I think yesterday was up there with the one of the worst defensive performances I've seen from Alex Song, and the fact he was playing along side the abysmal Ramsey only further highlighted his errors. Gibbs looks like he's picked up a couple of bad habits from Clichy, and his errors have cost us too many times this season, during his short spell in the side.

Vermaelen and Koscielny were both strangely poor yesterday, and the fact that both full backs pushed forward, along with Vermaelen, left us way too exposed at the back, especially given the fact Song also relieved himself of all defensive responsibilities yesterday.

I don't know why Chamberlain isn't getting games, it really boggles the mind why Ramsey was preferred yesterday. It's rumored it's related to some sort of add-on clause based on appearances that we may have to pay Charlton, which if true would make my blood boil, but far from shock me in the slightest. He has to start the final game of the season, for sure.

Yesterday epitomized are failings this season, at are last game of the season at the Emirates. But onwards and upwards, bring on WBA and next year.

 

[SomGooner]

I swear being a Gooner is the most addictive dope you can find anywhere in the world, I bet even the Bolivians and the Colombians can't come anywhere near the rush you get by watching Arsenal...I Love it.


P.S Thank God Sp*ds are as bottlers as we've ever been.

 

[Rain Dance]

you are asking a very hard things there, cause that's either play the best game of your life or else, you aren't doing anything worthy
Are you a friend of Mussolini?

I'd say it's time to agree to disagree....

 

[redwhiteAustrian]

Kos really wasn't poor, if any, he's the only defender who's played close to his best yesterday.
The midfield has been ****, same with both FBs and Verms. Our attack didn't do much either, only in the second half once Ramsey came off for Ox and Gerv switched to the left, we've looked more likely to score and did create tons of chances.

The second half attacking performance has been good, but everything else was **** and our defending was poor throughout the game.

 

[SomGooner]

No player in Arsenal jersey had anywhere near a good game yesterday and as long as we delude ourselves by excusing the poor performances of 'our favourite' players then we will never be able to fairly analyse/discuss why player A isn't giving his all like player B.


PS. RWA my comment isn't aimed at you mate in case you might think so. :wink: