At least we got our Perse back

[gzagee]

I thought he was class from the moment he came on tonight.

He showed exactly what we missed over the last 5 months.

I only hope he doesn't get injured again playing for Holland and misses most of next season... *touches wood*

[Inchpräctice]

Too little too late sadly.

Even if he'd only come back four weeks ago we'd be in a very different position now.

[NYg00ner11]

Spot on. He improved our play as soon as he came on.

[CynicalGooner]

Take note Wenger, it's called world class

[tkmullan]

like I said in the match thread, with van persie fit for the whole season, we'd most likely have the league this season.

[Inchpräctice]

Take note Wenger, it's called world class

What does he need to take note of?
He called him World Class in the pre-match conference.

[Massa]

Means f**k all, we got nothing.

[CynicalGooner]

Take note Wenger, it's called world class

What does he need to take note of?
He called him World Class in the pre-match conference.

The complete lack of it in our squad. Cesc and RVP, thats it.

[ozgooner]

pity we played like a whole team of PURSES

[mg86]

Take note Wenger, it's called world class

What does he need to take note of?
He called him World Class in the pre-match conference.

The complete lack of it in our squad. Cesc and RVP, thats it.

Nasri is world class dude.

[Gooner Girl]

Nasri is not world class - he may be in the future but definitely not yet.

[tkmullan]

Take note Wenger, it's called world class

What does he need to take note of?
He called him World Class in the pre-match conference.

The complete lack of it in our squad. Cesc and RVP, thats it.

Nasri is world class dude.

the term world class is thrown around too much these days (i say these days, maybe it was used the same way 20 years ago, I have no idea).

players like nasri, rosicky, arshavin et al perhaps show world class potential on their day, but can they do this consistently? I'm yet to see it, though I think Nasri especially will be big for us in the coming years.

Fabregas and van Persie (in spite of his injuries) have played consistently at a top level for us for the last few years, and they are the only two you can really consider world class (although even then, would either regularly start for Barcelona right now?)

[CynicalGooner]

Nasri is world class dude.

No

[Est83]

A far as holding midfielders and centre backs go, after this season you would have to say that Song and Vermaelen are world class. Song would definitely have made an impact on this game.

The term does get thrown about, but it also usually only gets used when discussing attacking players. Our fullbacks are better than Alves, Maicon, Abidol etc. There aren't many better that's for sure. Looking a the whole team:

Almunia - WANK!
Sagna and Clichy - Two of the best, Cashley Cole can f##k off!
Gallas and Vermaelen - World Class
Song - World Class (with Cesc out for large periods of last season, it was Song's presence in midfield that made the difference)
Diaby - That word again... "potential"! Far from world class.
Cesc - The best creative midfielder in the world (yes, better than Iniesta and Snjinder)
Nasri - not far, but still one of the best
Arshavin - always had my doubts personally but he's still top notch and scares fullbacks.
RVP - Legend!

If ther's still a debate about Nasri and Arshavin, look at is like this; to win the league you have to be better than Cheslki and ManUre... Nasri and Arshavin could walk into both teams.

[Leody]

I could get excited about seeing a team with...

TV, Song, Cesc and RVP... All healthy all playing together... but when has that ever happened this year?

Take that core and add a true world class keeper and then we can afford some "lesser" talents in the other positions. Problem is, this year we've had maybe two of them on the pitch at one time and never for a long consistent run of games and the replacements while good enough to win many games they are not good enough to win the hardware.

We must add a world class keeper this summer. Truly world class. And if that core can stay healthy we'll be much more successful next campaign. But in the same breath we need to be better prepared for their absence if they do get hurt.

The problem with players like Nasri, Arshavin, Sagna, Clichy and the others isn't that they aren't good enough it is that they aren't consistent enough. With Cesc, TV, RVP and Song you know what you're going to get every match and even their off matches are better than most. The others on the team are capable of putting in some really quality performances at times, but they don't do it frequently enough. And this year we've relied on them to heavily and they came up just short. No fault of their own, just the facts.