UCL: Arsenal v AZ Alkmaar, 04/11/09, 19:45

[famous no 10]

Sabre, I'm not sure you've watched much of Arshavin before he came here...basically, apart from not looking 100% match fit, he hasn't changed.

He is a bit of a luxury player, but one of the best luxury players in the World...before he came here he could work his arse off all game, and the next be almost totally anonymous and disinterested for most of the game...but even then, just like Henry used to frustrate at times,he could perform a few seconds of magic and the games changed.

...and, he just hasn't been playing that bad anyway, far from it...other defences are terrified of him, and his workrate yesterday was very good...he really isn't going to change much, Wenger has identified him as a player we need to fit the system, and I think he's right, and I think he does. Could very well find that his best "bio time" is February/March/April, or something.

Aside from all that, the guy is mustard anyway...I've wanted him at Arsenal for a few years now and to me, he's always looked like an Arsenal player.

 

[famous no 10]

If Shavva was simply following instructions, Wenger wouldn't have got so frustrated as to throw his blazer.

I could be wrong, but I thought Arsène threw his blazer because of Eduardo's miss.

Possibly. We all see it differently, but I thought he was getting annoyed at our workrate dropping off up front...he said himself that he was angry that the players were not "hearing" his instructions.

 

[famous no 10]

Look, you don't drop a player like Arshavin. You get down on your knees, thank the good lord he plays for us, and play him every single meaningful game he's fit.

This.

 

[AnthonyG]

If Shavva was simply following instructions, Wenger wouldn't have got so frustrated as to throw his blazer.

I could be wrong, but I thought Arsène threw his blazer because of Eduardo's miss.

Possibly. We all see it differently, but I thought he was getting annoyed at our workrate dropping off up front...he said himself that he was angry that the players were not "hearing" his instructions.

Or, as some have speculated, Diaby not dropping back in cover.

Whatever the reason it was good to see it in a game we were bossing. Contrast that with wax-face who was slumped in his seat for pretty much the entire match (after the goals at least).

 

[MAK 14]

If Shavva was simply following instructions, Wenger wouldn't have got so frustrated as to throw his blazer.

I could be wrong, but I thought Arsène threw his blazer because of Eduardo's miss.

Possibly. We all see it differently, but I thought he was getting annoyed at our workrate dropping off up front...he said himself that he was angry that the players were not "hearing" his instructions.

Yeah - Wenger said, although he might of been joking, (hard to pick up a joking tone when reading) that he was frustrated because the players couldn't hear his instructions because of the noise in the ground.

 

[Klaus Daimler]

I know people won't agree with it, but I would play Coquelin instead of Song in this game if the decision was down to me. Song is quickly establishing himself as one of our most important players and he needs a breather right now. Coquelin shouldn't be starting for the first team in an ideal world, but he is definitely good enough to do it. No doubt whatsoever. He's at least as good in midfield as Gibbs is on the left back.

Of course, Wenger will play Diaby instead in the holding role if he decides to rest Song. I wouldn't, though.

 

[Gurgen]

If Shavva was simply following instructions, Wenger wouldn't have got so frustrated as to throw his blazer.

I could be wrong, but I thought Arsène threw his blazer because of Eduardo's miss.

I thought it was because RvP decided to shoot from 70 yards, but no-one can say for sure.

 

[Del Boy]

Wenger said he threw his jacket because he couldn't communicate with the players, in paticular Diaby, because the atmosphere was so loud.

 

[ricky1985]

Wenger went ballistic, definitely 100% because he couldn't get Abou Diaby to follow his instruction to sit deep next to Song once we were 3-0 up. You could see Pat Rice pointing at Diaby and pressing both his hands down towards the ground to signal the instruction to sit, with Wenger jumping up and down alongside him. I even saw Diaby acknowledge him like a naughty school boy.

If you watch it on the TV you can actually see Wenger saying to Pat Rice "it is UNBELIEVABLE!", as Diaby strode forward once again, completley oblivious to his previous instructions.

 

[Clrnc]

Interesting.

If it costed us, you could be sure Diaby will be dropped. AW wanted that cleansheet so dearly

 

[kamikaze80]

Or, as some have speculated, Diaby not dropping back in cover.

i'm sure he was pissed about eduardo's miss (i was, too, i mean the guy literally had enough time to do 3 or 4 keepy uppies before lobbing it over gomes into the goal), but judging by the hand gestures he was making, i think he wanted our midfield to be more compact and not stretch forward.

 

[Armor for Sleep]

Wenger really shouldn't have to tell the players everything though. When you've got a lead in a game you should make sure that you attack with some caution, not everyone pushing on as if we were chasing the game. It's one of our biggest weaknesses and if we don't get the balance right then we will have more games like the one at West Ham.

Considering Wenger is such a fan of players with intelligence, its suprising that he almosts has to have a fit before Diaby realises what he needs to do. When we take a lead in future, i hope the midfielders learn to pick their moments better and make sure that a simple lump upfield isn't going to allow the opposition to get at our defence straight away.

 

[Nela]

I can't see Wenger getting so frustrated just because of an Eduardo miss. The gesticulating showed that he was clearly trying to get something tactical across to the players.

I think Wenger was frustrated with Diaby because he wanted him to sit next to Song in front of the back four. You could see he was furious when he was talking to Pat Rice who was shouting and gesticulating towards the midfield.

I was just happy to see him passionate and shouting at the players when they weren't doing as told.

 

[qs]

I think we should approach this game as if it was the first in the group. Qualification is yet to secured so I don't want us getting ahead of ourselves. That said I do think we can expect to win and I think we should go some of our more attacking options. So I'd like to see Eboue at RB, Nasri in the middle with Cesc and Song if he's fit enough and Eduardo in the front 3 with Robin and Shava.

On the Shava debate I think is the sort of game he can do well in as his quick feet and constant harassing of defenders works better in Europe than in the league IMO.

 

[Iloveyouarsenewenger]

Look, you don't drop a player like Arshavin. You get down on your knees, thank the good lord he plays for us, and play him every single meaningful game he's fit.

Basically, you can rest Arshavin for the AZ game so that Eduardo or Vela gets a chance to start and Arshavin is fully charged up for the next league encounter.

Dropping Arshavin is out of question.

 

[truth_hurts]

As long as Diaby and Shavva are dropped* and we punish AZ for the last result, I'll be cool!

*Rested

 

[alboots101]

fools....drop one of our best players for a lesser light..and Alkmaar get a lucky goal, you`ll all be ****ting bricks and calling Wenger the biggest ****** walking...you qualify first, then you **** about 1 bad result here might be the difference between first and second.

 

[truth_hurts]

as the yanks say 'if it aint broke, why fix it?' We should go full strength and that means Arsh and Abou both start. When we get a lead then we can make changes in the second half. Hoping Eduardo starts for Nik and we line up the same as saturday elsewhere.

 

[Gurgen]

Look, you don't drop a player like Arshavin. You get down on your knees, thank the good lord he plays for us, and play him every single meaningful game he's fit.

Basically, you can rest Arshavin for the AZ game so that Eduardo or Vela gets a chance to start and Arshavin is fully charged up for the next league encounter.

Dropping Arshavin is out of question.

Why would we rest anyone for this game? We need to win and qualify asap. Our schedule around the last two group games is much harder.

 

[otfgoon]

If Shavva was simply following instructions, Wenger wouldn't have got so frustrated as to throw his blazer.

Taking an incident and baselessly using it to fit your opinion? Classic Sabre