Manchester city vs Arsenal EPL | 15:00pm | 12-09-09

[hesham]

Taking Song off was a huge factor in why we lost the game even at 2-1 we still looked like(and had time) to come back. Song went off, we lost all shape and disipline in midfield. Right now his importance to our team is the same as cesc.


We really are f*d if he gets injured or ACN time...

The shape went because we moved to an extreme formation; there's not much to be extrapolated from that instance.

sure there is. They go hand in hand. the exteme formation was because AW threw on everything he had at the expense of mifield stability, like he always does when he panics... when Song went off it became a rush fest we had no one defending in the middle and city looked like they would score with every attack

This team needs a constant dm at all times, our fullback are rubbish positionally and Song is the only one who knows how to defend in midfield.

 

[lee1001]

Agree on Van Persie out wide though for the points you mentioned. He'll also get less attention out there, and more space to work with than in the crowded central area. As he isn't the focal point, he'd also be a bit more free in where he can move around to. Wenger just isn't going to play him there though, which is a shame.

RVP has a great cross on him. Bendtner is a great header of the ball.

Square pegs in round holes anyone? Why doesn't Wenger play the players to their strengths?

 

[kamikaze80]

just watched the match. i kinda feel like almunia should've gotten a finger to the first goal, but i sort of feel like he had a long way to go and it was just bad luck as well. his hair alone should get him benched, though - worst hair i've ever seen on an arsenal player.

2nd and 3rd goals are what happens when we lose the ball in bad areas and get our defence stretched out of shape. vermaelen was nowhere near ade and no one was marking bellamy.

fourth goal was 100% rosicky's fault. started off 10 yards in front of swp and then somehow ended up 20 yards behind him, deciding that he couldnt be bothered tracking back and letting clichy try to catch up with him instead.

wenger's subs were awful. how diaby stayed on the pitch, i don't know. the eduardo/song sub was just bizarre - you can play 10 CFs, it wouldn't help you score, it would just be too many chefs in the kitchen and no one to defend.

 

[Captain]

Taking Song off was a huge factor in why we lost the game even at 2-1 we still looked like(and had time) to come back. Song went off, we lost all shape and disipline in midfield. Right now his importance to our team is the same as cesc.


We really are f*d if he gets injured or ACN time...

The shape went because we moved to an extreme formation; there's not much to be extrapolated from that instance.

sure there is. They go hand in hand. the exteme formation was because AW threw on everything he had at the expense of mifield stability, like he always does when he panics... when Song went off it became a rush fest we had no one defending in the middle and city looked like they would score with every attack

This team needs a constant dm at all times, our fullback are rubbish positionally and Song is the only one who knows how to defend in midfield.

You have made the conclusion that the midfield is ****ed if Song doesn't play based upon the evidence that when we had six (may as well say seven as Eboue was on) non-defensive players on the pitch at the same time we looked porous. Surely you can see the lack of logic in that reasoning?

 

[hesham]

Im critisizing the formation/shape as much as anything else... My conclusion is that our midfield is ****ed without a Dm, something i have said all of last season... the only player we have who can play that position is Song. So as you said having 6 non-defensive players on the pitch at the same time was a big mistake, which happened because Song went off.....

 

[AFCFan4Ever]

Just watched the game...

Results like this absolutely killed me...it's why football can be downright infuriating at times. We were the better side and dominated large portions of the game but sadly the scoreline will not show that.

Credit to City, they took the counter attacks well. Almunia is a clown, I wonder if we'll ever win a big trophy with him in goal...wish Wenger would just buy a proper GK but he won't.

Clattenburg got it wrong...Adebayor stamps on Cesc, stamps on Robin, and then nearly instigates a riot and all he winds up with is a yellow...truly hilarious. Oh not to mention the obvious handball he missed because he was 40 ****ing yards away from the play.

As for Adebayor, I will make this short and sweet....an absolutely vile and classless ****.

I would just like to say that I'm extremely pissed at our players for letting him do what he did to the supporters and to RvP and Cesc. No retribution, no message sent, NOTHING...it's really ridiculous IMO. The old guard of Arsenal players would've never let that crap happen, not in a million years. I can't believe some of them actually shook his hand and hugged him after the game...vomit inducing.

 

[Captain]

Im critisizing the formation/shape as much as anything else... My conclusion is that our midfield is f*d without a Dm, something i have said all of last season... the only player we have who can play that position is Song. So as you said having 6 non-defensive players on the pitch at the same time was a big mistake, which happened because Song went off.....

Song and Denilson went off and we went to an exremely offensive formation.

Your original ascertion was that if Song (alone) goes to the ACN we are ruined. As I said, you can't extrapolate that conclusion from the given scenario.

 

[hesham]

ok. well what Denilson offers us defensively is very little compared to what Song does imo. Denilson came off before Song and we were still relatively stable as the substitution was somewhat like for like, then the double subs happened (striker for dm) and **** hit the fan.

Regardless. my comment about Song to the ACN is not something I have concluded from this game. I have said it from the beg of season and why everyone in football has said we needed to sign a new dm..

 

[Illusion]

Almunia is our weakest link by far.

 

[banduan]

My main gripes with this match:

1) Ade escaping blatant yellows/reds- no need for further explanation

2) Diaby moment early in the second half, Denilson moment in the first (i think): Someone misplaces a pass to Diaby, it's not that far from him. He's ballwatching. They break. He jogs. Denilson's case is less clearcut. He might have just been off the pace. But Diaby's burns me up.

3) Clichy not learning from his mistakes. Ugh.

 

[General]

This game (and the outcome) hasn't at all surprised me because it's just one in a long list of disasters that captured everything that is wrong with this Arsenal team. It’s funny the counter attacking style we once executed to devastating effect now looks to be the best strategy against us and it works perfectly. Just let this Arsenal team have the ball because chances are when they lose it you will almost certainly be given a free run somewhere on the pitch with no one bothering to get tight, pressure the ball or at the very minimum hold position. And if you’re lucky enough to come across our mate Almunia in one of his generous moods (not a rarity these days) then you are surely in for a treat. Only one word best describes our vulnerability when we don’t have the ball – shocking.

 

[Anzac]

LOL - we've gone from being called 'Lucky Arsenal', to now calling ourselves 'Unlucky'...........because the boot is now on the other foot.

 

[AshburtonGhost]

No pace, power and directness in this team anymore, General.

 

[algunner]

We had no pace at all with Denilson Song Fab Bentdner Diaby and RVP. That outfield players have no pace and only 2 can pass well no wonder we got punished in the counter attacking. I am sure Wenger has given them a good talking especially with Diaby..played 90 min didn't do sh*t....He was the only one and Clichy that had no min during Int. break and yet they were the most inept with Almunia. One more thing the fixtures looks good from now onwards.... and I expect all wins....NO draws ALL wins is must until Feb when we have the crazy back to back against big 4 team. One more thing can't wait for April when City come to visit Emirates.... OMG...just say let he be available to play because that stadium will be 'made in Turkey' !!!

 

[arsenalsocks]

LOL - we've gone from being called 'Lucky Arsenal', to now calling ourselves 'Unlucky'...........because the boot is now on the other foot.

Villa choking last season was pretty lucky.

 

[xcdude24]

 

[Unforgiven]

Kolo and Craig Bellamy thinking ahead to the next fixture at the emirates where they might have their lives spared unlike someone else.

 

[USArsenal]

LOL - we've gone from being called 'Lucky Arsenal', to now calling ourselves 'Unlucky'...........because the boot is now on the other foot.

Villa choking last season was pretty lucky.

actually, i would say that was more "predictable" than lucky..

 

[Anzac]

Just mentioned this in the CL thread but it belongs in here.

In all the reaction to a certain former player I forgot to vent how dismayed/disgusted I was to see Diaby start & play 90 mins after OT, and moreso when Eboue came on after his f*cking diving act in the same f*cking game!!!!!

No wonder these players never f*cking learn anything when they f*ck it up as there are no repercussions - the club may fine them behind closed doors but then they get their match/appearance fees/bonuses back in the very next fixture FFS!!!

 

[kooldawg]

Just mentioned this in the CL thread but it belongs in here.

In all the reaction to a certain former player I forgot to vent how dismayed/disgusted I was to see Diaby start & play 90 mins after OT, and moreso when Eboue came on after his f*cking diving act in the same f*cking game!!!!!

No wonder these players never f*cking learn anything when they f*ck it up as there are no repercussions - the club may fine them behind closed doors but then they get their match/appearance fees/bonuses back in the very next fixture FFS!!!

I think this is Diaby's last season with us, he is certainly not good enough for us and all his negatives outweigh is positives to such an extent as to make him useless for us for the most part. he might come back occasionally with a goal or two but his overall gameplay is certainly not Arsenal quality.