Olympiacos Vs Arsenal | Champions League 06/12/2011

[friedslice]

I love the way some fans are moaning at Wenger for resting players whilst some are moaning at Wenger for risking the first team players who eventually got injured.
Just goes to show people will ALWAYS moan.

What I saw today was the same as I've seen all CL campaign and most of the league season. an off the pace lacklustre performance, lacking in penetration or quality spark and full of defensive errors. Fortunately we've had a bit of quality (namlely RVP, Gervinho etc) to take us over the line in matches, but obviously, with this B team we didn't. But the problems were exactly the same as the first team. We simply can't be training defending and the formation is horribly flawed without having the quality to fluke it.

That has to have been the worst defense EVER fielded in an Arsenal match, EVER....Fabianski, Mannone, Djourou, Squillaci, Santos and then a Yoof team centre back coming on at full back. Worst collective group of defenders I've seen, worse than that United mauling (the original) with cygan & stepanovs.

Oh and Frimpong is so unbelievably overated on here, he was abysmal, utterly terrible.

Mannone and Fabianski are a collective pair of clowns, if I were a conspiracy theorist I'd claim match fixing...

[VCC]

we actualy started that game with two first team defenders.just shows how fast defenders can lose confidence when ya have the type of keepers we had.

[friedslice]

I did say that at the time, that it shows how much difference a GK can make. But Santos is dog shit and fucks up at least 6 times a match anyway, first teamer or not.

[Bristol_Gunner]

The main negative of the Santos injury is that we have to have that f***ing clown Djourou at right back. Would rather have Miguel at LB and Koscielny at RB with Verm and Mertesacker in the middle.

[Dejan]

just LOL.

Kinda sad for olympiacos though, really liked that team. Especially in the first match against us, they played very well. They dominated us in the first half. And this match they deserved to win too.

[CynicalGooner]

Ok, yup, either your girl loves him and your jealous or you hate a guy who likes him.

Even in his prime he never got the credit he deserved, let alone now, he's changed his game but people just hate on him becaue he dosen't score with petty, double standard crap. OMG he missed a few passes. shoot him! He's a central midfielder, not a striker. This 'scapegoat' mentallity gets people nowhere.

f**k sake, get a grip, just seen the highlights, the team was playing like shit, yet he created some chances and got us moving when everyone around him was nowhere.

He's probably or most consistent mature player apart from RVP, dosent do anything silly, loves the dirty work and getting our midfield going. Never gives up, great tackler, fantastic passer, great movement off the ball, real as usual understated asset to the team. If only he didn't get injured so dam easily!

So what he looks like a heorin addict?

f***ing hell you get a grip. Every time anyone criticises him, however deserved said criticism is (for example his absolute joke of a performance in the CC final) you jump to his defence, waving your banner and frothing at the mouth. Do you know how transparent you are? It's hilarious. If he isn't your boyfriend then you have a not-so secret mad obsession with him.

All of the senior players were shit, and so they all deserve criticism. If Arshavin was shit, so was was Rosicky. If Chamakh was shit, so was Rosicky. No exceptions, I don't care if you fancy TR7's pants off.

Missed a few passes, not a striker, so what what it doesn't matter then? What the f**k are you talking about, a central midfielder's main job is to pass the ball properly

[Yorkyblue]

I'm just guessing but maybe he didn't want to disrespect the other teams in the group by fielding an entire team of kids.
Let's face it if they'd thrashed us 5-0 we probably would've been fined by UEFA and the other teams in the group that didn't get through would be livid.

This.

It's always a tough one at the end of the group stage with the outcome of the game being important to other teams. If your lot went out due to another team fielding a weakened side you would be livid. I don't agree with playing weakened sides when you have qualified but at the same time I couldn't blame Arsenal for doing it, or City if we were ever in that position.

[gooner_7890]

Overall our performance last night was very disappointing. Some of our defending was very calamitous at times and there weren't any positives to come out of this game. I think we underestimated Olympiacos, they pressed up the pitch and put pressure on our players which resulted in our players making mistakes.

I'm sure the likes of Chamberlain, Frimpong and Coquelin all learned a lot last night but when will Wenger learn that the likes of Chamakh, Arshavin and Squillaci aren't good enough.

[elkanofan]

Ok, yup, either your girl loves him and your jealous or you hate a guy who likes him.

Even in his prime he never got the credit he deserved, let alone now, he's changed his game but people just hate on him becaue he dosen't score with petty, double standard crap. OMG he missed a few passes. shoot him! He's a central midfielder, not a striker. This 'scapegoat' mentallity gets people nowhere.

f**k sake, get a grip, just seen the highlights, the team was playing like shit, yet he created some chances and got us moving when everyone around him was nowhere.

He's probably or most consistent mature player apart from RVP, dosent do anything silly, loves the dirty work and getting our midfield going. Never gives up, great tackler, fantastic passer, great movement off the ball, real as usual understated asset to the team. If only he didn't get injured so dam easily!

So what he looks like a heorin addict?

f***ing hell you get a grip. Every time anyone criticises him, however deserved said criticism is (for example his absolute joke of a performance in the CC final) you jump to his defence, waving your banner and frothing at the mouth.

When he's shit, i say he's shit, was i prasing him after the CC final, or after the everton game at home or after old trafford away? No, he wasan't great in those games. Get your facts straight. I defend him mainly because when he does do really well, nobody gives a shit because he didn't score.

Stop getting so angry, it's a sign of fear and weakness. You should be able to convey your point with calm conviction. Anger won't make you right!

Do you know how transparent you are? It's hilarious. If he isn't your boyfriend then you have a not-so secret mad obsession with him.

What do you expect when he was probably my favorite player even before joining Arsenal. Due to my soft spot of the Czech nation and football team as a whole. You think thats an insult or something ? We all have our favorites or players we support more than others. I'm as fair as anyone when I rate players on my team. I stand by that! When I’m not fair, I make that fully clear like my extremely harsh criticism of RVP earlier this year.

All of the senior players were shit, and so they all deserve criticism. If Arshavin was shit, so was was Rosicky. If Chamakh was shit, so was Rosicky. No exceptions, I don't care if you fancy TR7's pants off.

Missed a few passes, not a striker, so what what it doesn't matter then? What the f**k are you talking about, a central midfielder's main job is to pass the ball properly

Come on man, i saw your views in the Rosicky thread, everyone could see this season he's been very good for us apart from you. People are finally starting to come round to the fact he's changed his game. Seriously what do you expect from him, do give me this about him not being able to pass since he's probably the best passer we have (thats his main job).

Tomas did ok yesterday but, oh no, he looks like a drug addict, he must be critizized!

[StLGooner]

I am no huge fan of Wenger's slection policies but tbf he got the team just about right . Injuries
happen to the fittest of the guys at the most inopportune times . People slate Wenger when he
picks a weak team, yet same people criticize him for starting a couple of first team regulars with
9 kids/back-benchers. I was so eagerly waiting for this inconsequential match cos i wanted to see
our bench tested throughly in a proper competitive European tie . The kids let down the manger
today . Wenger must be gutted to see Fabianski , Mannone , Frimpong , Djorou ,Chamakh,Arshavin,
Squillaci making school boy errors all over the park . I wanted to see some of our kids grab this
opportunity by the scruff of its neck and put in a display which would make Wenger think twice
before dropping them in the next competitive tie .AOC disappointed me big time . I was especially
looking for him to start and had picked him to the first goal-scorer for us . He was more keen on
doing his Maradona type solo runs than trying to get himself involved in the game in a more
constructive manner . I feel for Wenger today with the kind of dire display the kids have put up cos we
were like headless chickens running all over the park. The kids let the manger down big time yesterday.

I do not see and will never see how playing the only fit FB in a game he didnt need to play much less the result matter happen.we now go into league matches one shortly with Man c with no fit FB's crazy.

I tend to agree VCC. Of course hindsight is 20/20 as they say and if Santo's didn't get injured we probably wouldn't be complaining much, but he did get injured and if you're going to make 9 changes in a meaningless game, why not just go ahead and make 11? Especially when you have only one fit FB. To those saying that we shouldn't play someone out of position, well AW has made a career of playing players out of position, so why would it be a big deal in a meaningless game? So now, until one of our FB's gets back, we will be playing a player out of position in a more meaningful game or even games.

[She_Gunner_Wales]

Last night has to be up there with the most boring of games ive ever watched, felt like we were only there to make up the numbers, watching paint dry is more exciting!
Only positive i can take from that match is Miguel.
oh & not a bad goal from Yossi, little consolation but at least we scored even if they scored 2 more than us, gave the kids that played a taster, just hope they learn from it, we knew before KO that this wasnt going to be the most exciting game especially with having already qualified as group winners.

Gutted about Santos, wtf is going to play at left back now? Brislen-Hall at this rate!!!

Arshavin & Chamahk need to GO!

[Futuo]

Cant Vermalen play at LB?

Not sure how basically the same team do so well against City and then so crap last night

[StLGooner]

Yeah Verm can play LB of course, but then that will make us have to play Djourou or Squill, or an inexperienced Miquel somewhere, which of course isn't ideal.

[Massa]

Yeah Verm can play LB of course, but then that will make us have to play Djourou or Squill, or an inexperienced Miquel somewhere, which of course isn't ideal.

Djourou Mertesacker Koscielny Vermaelen

doesn't look too bad. can play the stoke way with 4 centrebacks

[She_Gunner_Wales]

Not sure how basically the same team do so well against City and then so crap last night

because last night, realisticly there wasnt anything to play for.