Arsenal V Montpellier| Champions League 21/11/2012

[Zedie]

Giroud so far (EPL, CL and LC):

1125 minuts or 12.5 games
7 goals
5 assists

Delighted for him. I was always confident he'd come good for us, even when he was struggling at the start of the season. Hopefully plenty of fans have been ready to eat humble pie and see what a good player he is for us.

I think people were getting on his back because of the rvp situation, our lack of goals to begin with and our general play (ie not all pointing the finger at him because of this, but the general negativity resulting from it).

Tbf to the lad, he's really getting on, it's been ages since we've had a proper target man to aim at. All of a sudden, our crossing doesn't look as hopeless as it used to and we are starting to win first time balls in the attacking third, with all the others feeding off him.

I noticed that there were a few occassions where we didn't have anyone beyond him to receive the second ball, Probably because they've never had a chance at it, but it's something we can do now just like long ball teams do week in week out.

I'm not saying it should be the main route of attack, but it can defo be used to mix things up. Things are still looking disjointed atm in midfield, but I recon it'll take time for relationships to be forged between ie sagna/Jenks and Theo/Ox but all over the pitch until people start to naturally clock where their partner is going to be early.

Squad rotation out of necessity or luxury keeps players fresh but it doesn't helP with on the pitch bounds as much and consistency in personnel is something aw does have to look at.

I get the feeling that if we can keep players fit, hold off selling key mofos and keep at it, we stand an outside chance of actually doing something properly positive this season.

[Callum]

Giroud so far (EPL, CL and LC):

1125 minuts or 12.5 games
7 goals
5 assists

Delighted for him. I was always confident he'd come good for us, even when he was struggling at the start of the season. Hopefully plenty of fans have been ready to eat humble pie and see what a good player he is for us.

I think people were getting on his back because of the rvp situation, our lack of goals to begin with and our general play (ie not all pointing the finger at him because of this, but the general negativity resulting from it).

Tbf to the lad, he's really getting on, it's been ages since we've had a proper target man to aim at. All of a sudden, our crossing doesn't look as hopeless as it used to and we are starting to win first time balls in the attacking third, with all the others feeding off him.

I noticed that there were a few occassions where we didn't have anyone beyond him to receive the second ball, Probably because they've never had a chance at it, but it's something we can do now just like long ball teams do week in week out.

I'm not saying it should be the main route of attack, but it can defo be used to mix things up. Things are still looking disjointed atm in midfield, but I recon it'll take time for relationships to be forged between ie sagna/Jenks and Theo/Ox but all over the pitch until people start to naturally clock where their partner is going to be early.

Squad rotation out of necessity or luxury keeps players fresh but it doesn't helP with on the pitch bounds as much and consistency in personnel is something aw does have to look at.

I get the feeling that if we can keep players fit, hold off selling key mofos and keep at it, we stand an outside chance of actually doing something properly positive this season.

That's what I like to hear.

Am I right in saying Giroud and Podolski have scored as many this season as van Persie did last year at the same stage? There seems to be a lot more variety in our attacking play - crosses to Giroud, threaded passes past the defense, screamers from Cazorla - and although we're inevitably going to miss van Persie's finishing ability, we seem to have a far more eclectic way of scoring goals. We're even looking dangerous from corners, which we rarely have done in seasons gone by.

This team has the potential to become a formidable side but, as you said, it'll need a little more time for the new guys to settle further, the injured ones to get back to full match fitness and the defense to solidify a little more. Rome wasn't built in a day.

[Goonerfromafrica]

Missed seeing the game but had a commentary stream, was it an improvement?

[Callum]

Missed seeing the game but had a commentary stream, was it an improvement?

We looked lacklustre in the first half - never really in danger of conceding but struggled to make things happen around the box. Once we got the goal just after half-time we controlled the game and did what we had to in order to get the win. It was a good performance all-in-all, if not the most impressive. The most important thing was that we kept up the momentum from the derby win and look good going into the Villa match.

[Est83]

They were quick. Always looked like they could counter, which made us a little hesitant I think, although never really created much. We struggled to create chances in the first but kicked on in the second.

We're getting our tempo back up and deserved the win. Great goals, another win, looking good.

[CrimsonGunner11]

Just saw the game.

*Wilshere on the scoresheet
*Podolski's wondergoal
*clean sheet
*Gibbs and Gervinho back from injury
*qualified from the group stages early
*Rafa Benitez appointed as Chelsea's new manager

What more could you ask for. Things are looking up for us

[Callum]

Mertesacker did shave his beard though.

[Arsenal Tone]

Any gifs of mert's bit of skill yet?

[greengoonerie]

I can't see this fixation with wanting Podolski to play through the middle. He's scored plenty from the left wing and works well with Giroud. Lets say we move to a 4-4-2 with Olivier and Poldi working through the middle. Which of Arteta, Wilshere and Cazorla do we drop from the centre of midfield? Can Walcott, Gervinho or Arshavin do a job in a more defensive wide role?

I don't think a 4-4-2 is a valid option with our current squad.

Because he scores more goals through the middle than Giroud will. Pod, if given teh number of chances that Giroud gets every game, would score a hat-trick every match!

Giroud is a fine footballer and will improve wtih players of Pods and Cazorlas ability around him..

Podolski is a proven world class goalscorer over many years.

Goalscorers should be put where they can effect maximum damage - in the middle!! how many headers are scored "out on the left" ???

[Massa]

how many headers are scored from podolski?

[yosifun]

Giroud so far (EPL, CL and LC):

1125 minuts or 12.5 games
7 goals
5 assists

Same stats without LC?

Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using Tapatalk 2

[billie86]

We should play a League CUp Team vs Olympiakos Jenkinson, Djourou, Coquelin, Eisfeld, Arshavin, Chamakh etc should get a run out

Just play the capital one cup squad, swap walcott for gnabry. Get some youngsters a bit of experience for the future, the game is somewhat irrrelevant so no point risking anyone first teamers. Wether we come 1st or 2nd in the group to win the competition you have to beat the best so if thats the aim then it doesn't matter who we get in the next round, mourinho was saying yesterday both times he has won the CL his team (inter,porto) finished 2nd in their groups, hopefully its a good omen

[Angelito]

... And, Ramsey doesn't start this TOO and we win! I said it before... THAT is the catch.

Take a bow, son. Lukas Podolski: He scores when he shoots.

Delighted.

The KO stages will be tricky because we could end up facing anyone from Shaktar, Juventus, Bayern, PSG/Porto, Dortmund, and Barcelona--if we ended up runners-up of the group. If we top the group, we could face Madrid, Valencia, PSG/Porto, and Juve/Shaktar. These are the so called "tough" oppositions. It's not as straight forward as previous season but I can't help and assume that even if we top the group, we'd get Madrid; if we finish runners-up, we might get our usual Camp Nou trip.

[Zenith]

Giroud so far (EPL, CL and LC):

1125 minuts or 12.5 games
7 goals
5 assists

Same stats without LC?

Those were the stats before his two assists yesterday.


His current stats (EPL, CL and LC):

1208 minuts or 13,4 games
7 goals
7 assists
=involved in 14 goals out of 13,4 games



Without LC (as you requested EPL, CL only):

1078 minuts or ~12 games (11.97)
5 goals
6 assists
=involved in 11 goals out of 12 games

[Goonerfromafrica]

Missed seeing the game but had a commentary stream, was it an improvement?

We looked lacklustre in the first half - never really in danger of conceding but struggled to make things happen around the box. Once we got the goal just after half-time we controlled the game and did what we had to in order to get the win. It was a good performance all-in-all, if not the most impressive. The most important thing was that we kept up the momentum from the derby win and look good going into the Villa match.

Thanks mate