lexalove wrote:What has changed? You say past Arsenal teams have played with more urgency and purpose, and I agree, so why do you think we are not doing the same now?
This is down to a large number of factors, it's a case of many problems adding up to a gigantic problem.
Biggest thing is obviously the quality of our team is far away from yesteryear. But not just that, infact more importantly but it's the type of players we are buying really don't suit the possession orientated build-up.
Gervinho is the best example, he's a counter attacker who likes things at fast pace, where he doesn't have to think much, just dribble and try to score or assist in behind the backline of the opposition. I'm not excusing some of his diabolical performances this season, he should be doing more, however if we played a more direct game we will see him doing far better than he is now.
Podolski has done well but what I actually like about him, he says, f**k this passing, and gets on with it. He like Gervinho favours playing on the break, playing at a fast tempo. This is a reason why he seems to drift out of games, although this seems to be a fitness thing more than anything. It's a similar story with OX and Theo who favour the counter than the possession play.
These players do not have the vision of a attacking mid like we used to see.
Take our teams from 2002-2011, We constantly had attacking midfielders play out on the wings, so this favoured possession play, Pires, Edu, Rosicky, Hleb, Mercenasri, Arshavin. all possession orientated passers, some with a eye for a goal or two, even Ljungberg and Reyes had a lot more vision and creativity compared to our current players . These teams where built with more assurance than what we saw last season and this season. Wenger got exactly who he wanted, now Wenger is getting players in on a budget or just bargain players who where available. many of these names just don't fit into his vision.
Also the 'lacklustre' mentality has been going for a very long time, pretty much since Tony Adams left. Just our amazing invicibles where so good they can do what this team certainly cannot which was win while having a off day. I remember distinctly back in 2004, the media on our backs criticizing our attitude and mentality, our team was amazing but they did have a point really.
Again, this inability to win without playing well and with inferior players to previous years doesn't help confidence and consistently with our play.
