Ratings and post-match discussion vs Sunderland

[redwhiteAustrian]

Song was great last season in his role as a classic holding player. There've been rarely poor performances from him.
In fact we've always looked even more shaky at the back without him protecting it from midfield.

This season is different, he's playing too high up the pitch whereas his strenghts don't help him anymore.

Is he limited as a player?
Probably, but even limited players are decent as long as they aren't forced to play out of their position.

 

[Humble Rex]

The problem to me seems more to be that Song ISN´T a limited player. He is not bad when he goes forward. He just shouldn´t do it for the greater good of the team IMO.

 

[Nela]

The problem to me seems more to be that Song ISN´T a limited player. He is not bad when he goes forward. He just shouldn´t do it for the greater good of the team IMO.

Exactly how I feel.

 

[Gonner_88]

Yh he needs to be disciplined in his position as he is the most defensive out of the rest of the midfield. He needs to stay and contribute from the back.

It's okay to sometimes go forward but he needs to have someone covering his position before he attacks with the ball.

 

[ricky1985]

Almunia - 7.5. Did what he had to well. Caught some good crosses.

Sagna - 8. Another great performance. Didn't get beaten once and don't think he allowed a cross in all day.

Squillaci - 8. Is it possible to come straight into this league and play this well?

Koscielny - 9. A Goliath.

Clichy - 4. Woeful player when forced onto the back foot and asked to defend. Just doesn't have the strength or reading of the game to cope. His in-box defending is quite simply atrocious. Kieran Gibbs is the better player, I'd argue that with anyone. Once Kieran gets his chance, and he will get his chance, Gael is finished here.

Song - 5. Clumsy, lazy and rash. Gave the pitiful referee an excuse.

Wilshere - 7. Was not able to rise above the chaos in the first half, we've seen even Fabregas struggle repeatedly in the same situation in the past, but Jack was very good second half.

Fabregas - No real rating, but I thought he was just as poor as everyone else whilst he was on.

Nasri - 7. Poor first half, but brilliant second.

Arshavin - Again, no real rating - but I felt he offered nothing really whilst he was on. A liability in games like this, and another player who can't play for this team when we're not flowing freely. Please don't mention Anfield as an example that he can, he scored goals that night, but did little to help us get a foothold in the game, to play our football and control the game. He too easily accepts being a passenger.

Chamakh - 6. Horrible game to play up front on your own, he worked hard, but tired badly late on. Missed a big chance to kill the game. If we had more height in the team we probably would have brought on Vela to replace him, that's how tired he was, but it would have crucified us at set-pieces.

Subs

Rosicky - 6. Impressed in the second half when we established a control in the game - Sunderland slowed down a little and we showed a bit of calmness/composure. Big miss on the penalty, but unlike Arshavin, Rosicky actually contributes and plays for us when the chips are down and we need more than just your technical skill.

Denilson - 5. A couple of really poor moments. A poor header back to Almunia, and then immediately followed by a **** give away 30 yards from our goal. Made some good passes otherwise, but never, ever should have shot when he did at the end. Stupidity or inexperience, call it what you will, it should never have happened.

 

[Bossa]

Song should watch Mikel more often. Now thats a limited player but very disciplined. Song shouldnt be so reckless and just stay the **** back and let the real AM's do the job. And he's not exactly Xabi Alonso either. I think that his passing and decision making is rather poor. He always looks slow on the ball.

 

[truth_hurts]

Now i've calmed down.

Al- 7 Good all round game
Sagna-7 Typical reliable Sagna
Squid- 7.5 Dealt with the threats well. Solid.
Kos- 8 Best i've seen him so far.
Clichy-5 Becoming a liability

Song-4.5 Poor performance. Dumb Sending off.
Fab-6 little impact before injury
Wilshere- 6.5 moved the ball nice

Nas-6.5 better after the sending off
Shava-5.5 Not his game
Chamack-7 Worked tirelessly

Subs

Rozza- 7 Good play. **** Peno.
Denilson-7 Good cameo

A point isn't a bad result away to Sunderland but the manner of it hurt.

 

[ricky1985]

Missing the target from a pen is unforgivable. But Nasri bottling is a lot worse. I'm a fan of Nasri and thought he was excellent when we went down to 10 men. But come on being a man for ***** sake. I'm absolutely gutted.

Don't throw accusations like that around lightly. We don't have a clue what the situation was, perhaps Rosicky is the designated penalty taker, perhaps he wasn't - the point is we don't know.

 

[outlaw_member]

Arshavin was easily the worst player on the pitch. Didn't offer anything.

 

[TheLoneFalcon]

Arshavin was easily the worst player on the pitch. Didn't offer anything.

Agree that he was rubbish, but he did orchestrate Chamakh's chance to a degree and delivered a great cross with Song should have buried.

 

[Humble Rex]

Yh he needs to be disciplined in his position as he is the most defensive out of the rest of the midfield. He needs to stay and contribute from the back.

It's okay to sometimes go forward but he needs to have someone covering his position before he attacks with the ball.

Don´t think those are the instructions to the team. Seems like there are no fixed positions in midfield at all since Song and Cesc came back.

 

[Invincible]

Ricky's ratings are spot on.

I was also impressed with Koscielny. Didn't put a foot wrong. For me, Seba was the better of the two though. Looks a top, top CB.

 

[Gonner_88]

Yh he needs to be disciplined in his position as he is the most defensive out of the rest of the midfield. He needs to stay and contribute from the back.

It's okay to sometimes go forward but he needs to have someone covering his position before he attacks with the ball.

Don´t think those are the instructions to the team. Seems like there are no fixed positions in midfield at all since Song and Cesc came back.

He's the DM in midfield and should play like one. It's frustrating when he bombs forward and loses the ball which then leaves a lot of space for the opposition to counter.

 

[Rorz]

If someone had offered me a point before the game I would have taken, I'm just glad we didn't lose. However we need to be holding on for wins in games like these if we want to be winning the league any time soon. I'm praying Gibbs puts in a barnstorming performance against Sp**s, because I don't want to see Clichy near the first team for a long time.

 

[otfgoon]

Song's positioning wasn't the problem, he constantly dwelt on the ball and gave it away rather than doing the simple thing and moving it on, that was the issue today and one of the reasons why we could not keep the ball for more than a few seconds. Jack was guilty of the same thing now and then, but at least he didn't get himself sent off, and isn't a senior member of the side.

Arshavin was really dissapointing. Clichy needs to be dropped.

On the plus side, Kos and Squilacci were awesome, and Al looked solid again.

 

[bazza_afc]

Missing the target from a pen is unforgivable. But Nasri bottling is a lot worse. I'm a fan of Nasri and thought he was excellent when we went down to 10 men. But come on being a man for ***** sake. I'm absolutely gutted.

Don't throw accusations like that around lightly. We don't have a clue what the situation was, perhaps Rosicky is the designated penalty taker, perhaps he wasn't - the point is we don't know.

Wenger said after the game Nasri was supposed to take it.

 

[Klaus Daimler]

Since someone apparently updated the poll all the old votes are gone.

 

[ricky1985]

Yeah, Bazza, I've since seen that. Still don't know the exact details, but I'm disappointed in Nasri, if it's as straightforward as it appears.

Also disappointed in Wenger for making information like that public. Must have been pretty angry.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

well lets see

almunia 7 good game so far today you save us alot of times today hope you keep up

Kos 9 a class preformance today not lose a one ball in air great game well done and keep going

squi 8 the same this about kos very good player with strong body glad to see we have a great central backs

sagna 7 good game your side was very good

clichy 5 sorry to be harsh but you look so poor today all sunderland attacks come from your side you made sunderland goal so for me you are the worse player today

song 5 you was not in the mood and you forget the defense job you going foword to score the goals but you forget the defense job i want see the old song

wilshere 6 well he take alot of knocks today poor 1st half good 2nd half

nasri 6 well made some nice passes

cesc 6 nice goal but your injury hope you ok and you can back to chelsea game

arsha 5 really lazy miss 2 great chances

chamakh 6 he have very nice control the ball but i want see more from you chamakh espically in away games

subs

rozza 5 the pen no words but made nice passes

dede 6 i want see the same dede in spuds game

 

[jay-d]

Yeah, Bazza, I've since seen that. Still don't know the exact details, but I'm disappointed in Nasri, if it's as straightforward as it appears.

Also disappointed in Wenger for making information like that public. Must have been pretty angry.

As I mentioned in another thread, nobody moaned at Henry when he would do exactly the same thing if he was the one fouled and Wenger would even defend him over this, so shame on Wenger for coming out and saying what he said about it should have been Nasri.