PL: Wigan Athletic vs Arsenal | 19/11/05

[fatalfury]

I think this game really highlighted our strengths and flaws. We're great going forward but defensively we're lacking. I wonder what has happened to the previously indominable CB pairing of Campbell and Toure. Their confidence seems to be really shattered.

It might be time to consider bringing a good defender in January instead of more strikers. Cesc was really good during this game but I think that we should start playing Hleb in this position when he gets back as he's looking a little jaded.

 

[celestis]

It is not easy to defend when you are covering two positions at once , talking aobut campbell. I am sure that Arsène would have told Campbell to help cygan out . One of the tackles Campbell made was up the field near the touch line . Cygan was nowhere near and he was also nowhere when Bullard scored his 2nd goal.

 

[whoztheman]

Henry asked Graeme Poll if he could take it quickly. Poll, always idiosyncratic in such matters, told him to wait. The referee paused the game to allow John Filan to line up a painstaking wall. Henry simply whipped the ball over it and away from Wigan's keeper and, spinning like a gyroscope, it smacked off the inside of the near post and into the net. Henry turned to Poll and asked, deadpan: "Is that good enough?"

 

[celestis]

Have to say, considering all the players that make our left deadly were missing that was a pretty darn good attacking performance. We are basically operating at 50 percent as far as players are concerned and still performing well I would have to say when everyone is back then we will be a force and not only in the premiership.

 

[patrick42uk]

fabregas showed a lot more energy than he has for a long time. whatever he did in the international break seems to have helped. rvp as always is a goal threat but still takes one too many touches in midfield positions.

its amazing how we barely score from open play when henry is out, but score for fun when he returns. i dont think it encessarily makes us a one man team. although it reflects very badly on the options we have upfront.

i think henry will leave, but i also think he's replacable. Arsène will need to find a pacy forward who is clinical, confident, intelligent and hardworking. he'll have to spend and spend big to find a player with all these ingredients. i have nightmares about Arsène thinking reyes can fill the void.

 

[_scorpion_]

fabregas showed a lot more energy than he has for a long time. whatever he did in the international break seems to have helped. rvp as always is a goal threat but still takes one too many touches in midfield positions.

its amazing how we barely score from open play when henry is out, but score for fun when he returns. i dont think it encessarily makes us a one man team. although it reflects very badly on the options we have upfront.

i think henry will leave, but i also think he's replacable. Arsène will need to find a pacy forward who is clinical, confident, intelligent and hardworking. he'll have to spend and spend big to find a player with all these ingredients. i have nightmares about Arsène thinking reyes can fill the void.

Patrick, I agree with what your saying. I too think Henry will leave.
What are your thoughts on Eto'o? I think Wenger could do worse than ask for Eto'o in return.

With Messi looking like a superstar, I doubt Barcelona could accomodate Henry and Eto'o.

 

[asajoseph]

I am by no means a Cygan apologist. I don't think he's a particularly good player, and I think he's slow and incredibly lumbering (in the sense that he actually looks awkward when he moves). My perspective on the game yesterday comes from being in the imperfect position of watching it from the stands, and I haven't had the benefit of a TV replay. However, I was behind the goal for both the Wigan scores, and sometimes not having the TV camera focus your attention gives you a better idea of the bigger picture

But to blame Cygan alone for both the goals yesterday is incredibly dishonest in my oppinion. The reason for Campbell's poor performance certainly had nothing to do with 'covering for Cygan' either. True, Roberts had a good game, but it was he who was caught out of position and dove into tackles all too often - Cygan was poor too in the first half, but not nearly the most culpable player.

In the second half however, he was probably our best defender - he gave the ball away on one occasion, but made a number of excellent tackles when Wigan surged forward looking for the equaliser, and distributed the ball extremely well for a defender. Admittedly he was down the other end of the pitch that half, but that's certainly the impression that I and everyone else around me got.

 

[tgr]

with iceman retiring, titi-rvp can be our reliable attacking team. we will have no 2nd striker.so i agree that we shall have something of AMC to support both strikers. Cesc has the potential of a great AMC,and hleb is born for the position. But le boss need to bring some competition to Gil cos we need a stable great DMC to cover the midfield n protect our back four

 

[tgr]

Patrick, I agree with what your saying. I too think Henry will leave.
What are your thoughts on Eto'o? I think Wenger could do worse than ask for Eto'o in return.

With Messi looking like a superstar, I doubt Barcelona could accomodate Henry and Eto'o.

i donot expect henry's leaving.
henry is a little annoyed and lonely since players around him are no longer his old friends and beautiful one-touch football is missing. the squad seems less competitive.

but the team is growing, rvp is an ideal striker partner for henry and henry is glad for that. cesc also shows his potential of a new PV4.he has fulfilled several assists for henry. i think rvp-cesc is a great replace for berg-pv4. if reyes can show his ability of replacing pires, our front half will be lined as : henry-rvp-reyes-cesc-freddie, and we also have backups like hleb,pires,quincy,eboue. i think our team will regain competitive advantages. we will play beautiful football again and henry will no longer lonely or annoyed.

btw, we should go to the transfer market in jan.

 

[Kum_Arsenal]

arsenal was lucky to win this game. happy to see the first away win.
hope this winning streak continues till the end. that what the fans wanted and nothing else.

 

[nadia]

Do any of you whinging *****es ever just enjoy a great game of football?

Doesn't look like it!

Yes we were crap at the back but that was a hugely enjoyable game - Wigan are great to watch! I can't remember seeing a newly promoted team playing with so little fear. They just keep on going.

The first half was a proper rollercoaster, with Henry and Van Persie looking more deadly than we've seen a strike duo here for years.

Cygan was awful and Gilberto, Pires and Freddie weren't much better, but it was a cracking game.

thank you!

 

[Feis-al]

Well, I can't say I wasn't entertained by this game and as for me, I'll not even mention Cygan since he knows how to get the best and worst out of his own supporters. Wigan were indeed impressive but that first goal, I still can't understand how Sol, Gilberto Cygan and someone else, In otherwords FOUR gunners and none failed to head the ball only for the Wigan I think it was De Zeuw or someone whoned it for Kamara to score. I remember someone saying that when he sees Flamini on, His screen starts flickering, Headless Chiken all the time, This time, my screen did that alot on the leftback.

I'm Glad Poll didn't give them Red cards especially Roberts because I want to see that team again against the Mancs, Pool and Stalin.

And by the way, That Henry robotic celebration after scoring, apparently it was meant for Poll because he stopped him from taking a quickie and after the goal, It was meant to sound I think like This"Now thats me even when F''K with my sysem"

 

[Chips&CurrySauce]

Credit has to be given to Wigan.. They are a verypowerful and effective team and it is no fluke they are where they are.. It was quite a sloppy performance by us as we really should have controlled the game particulalrly as we had a 2 goal lead twice.. Both goals we conceded were shocking!!

I thought we had a few good performnces.. Pires and Lauren were tidy and the right look solid all game.. Van Persie was a threat all game, though really should have scored a second gaol, Thierry as alwyas was a class act but special mention must go to Cesc who was our most committed player and also a very dangerouns player going forward..

Unfortunately there were some dire performances out there.. Cygan for obvious reasons, but I thought Freddie did him no favours at all.. He was picked on the left to offer him protection, but he was very lazy all game.. Didn't even notice him in the first half.. If Reyes put in a performance like that he would have been slated on here for weeks!! Gilberto was also piss poor, but as with Cygan I don't expect anything more from this over rated sloppy player.. I actually can't believe a couple of people on here thought he had a good game..

 

[Feis-al]

i think henry will leave, but i also think he's replacable. Arsène will need to find a pacy forward who is clinical, confident, intelligent and hardworking. he'll have to spend and spend big to find a player with all these ingredients. i have nightmares about Arsène thinking reyes can fill the void.

Patrick, I agree with what your saying. I too think Henry will leave.
What are your thoughts on Eto'o? I think Wenger could do worse than ask for Eto'o in return.

With Messi looking like a superstar, I doubt Barcelona could accomodate Henry and Eto'o.

Well, It's hard to know what Henry is thinking and if he watch the Real-Barca game, Everyone would worry but if he was to insist on going, I would prefer Messi and money ahead of Eto. He is good pals with Cesc and young who's attitude can be modified to suit us than have Eto's ego and attitude.

 

[sabret00the]

Henry asked Graeme Poll if he could take it quickly. Poll, always idiosyncratic in such matters, told him to wait. The referee paused the game to allow John Filan to line up a painstaking wall. Henry simply whipped the ball over it and away from Wigan's keeper and, spinning like a gyroscope, it smacked off the inside of the near post and into the net. Henry turned to Poll and asked, deadpan: "Is that good enough?"

he actually asked "long enough?"

with iceman retiring, titi-rvp can be our reliable attacking team. we will have no 2nd striker.so i agree that we shall have something of AMC to support both strikers. Cesc has the potential of a great AMC,and hleb is born for the position. But le boss need to bring some competition to Gil cos we need a stable great DMC to cover the midfield n protect our back four

what on earth are you on about? if you're on about us needing someone to play in the hole you're incredibly wrong.

but I thought Freddie did him no favours at all.. He was picked on the left to offer him protection, but he was very lazy all game.. Didn't even notice him in the first half.. If Reyes put in a performance like that he would have been slated on here for weeks!!

i thought both wingers were attrocious.

 

[gun4glory]

Do any of you whinging *****es ever just enjoy a great game of football?

Doesn't look like it!

Yes we were crap at the back but that was a hugely enjoyable game - Wigan are great to watch! I can't remember seeing a newly promoted team playing with so little fear. They just keep on going.

The first half was a proper rollercoaster, with Henry and Van Persie looking more deadly than we've seen a strike duo here for years.

Cygan was awful and Gilberto, Pires and Freddie weren't much better, but it was a cracking game.

thank you!

I honestly havent seen a game that good for too long...
But i gotta say Cheers to Wigan as well... great preformance by them, could have beaten almost an other prem team by a cpl of goals if they always play like that...
I really hope they finish high in the table, myb even uefa cup...

 

[Uri]

can any of you post links to the goals from this match ?

 

[Anonymous]

By some of the comments here, you'd think we lost. :roll: :roll: :roll:

Move on.

 

[qs]

It was a great result and IMO a damn good performance. We scored 3 against the best defence in the premiership before the game. Wigan are a very good side on an amazing run. We'd a ****ing terrible away record. We'd no one to play at LB. And we still won. Yes there were problems it was mostly because of the LB situation. Its gonna be tough till Ash is back but we proved we're up to it.

Look on the bright side, imagine when Ash and Hleb are fit again how strong we'll be. RVP has found himself and Reyes is tireless and always involved. We've been waiting for this time, when these 2 start to hit their potential and theyve both even more to come.

I predict good times ahead. ;D

 

[Freddie_the_kid]

does anyone know any sites with photo galleries of the game ? bbc and soccernet only have photo gallery of the weekends games in general.