Arsenal V Manchester City | Premier League 13/01/2013

[greengoonerie]

Well, what is there to say?.

Lots!

Koscielny is a very talented player, but he is not a player you want for a big, high-pressure game. He is too rash with his tackling and panics in the penalty box which has cost us a trophy two years ago and has cost us 6 points this season. I like him a lot, but until he is more composed and learns how to stand his ground better, he simply needs to be dropped. .

Agreed but with whom do you replace him. Verm and Mert make as many errors, so who do we go with in defence.

Add to this the luncay of Zonal marking which is as failed a project at Arsenal as the Project Youth previously. we need a completely new approach to defending at Arsenal. This will not happen under Arsene.

Wilshere was amazing, but I do worry over us overplaying him. Also the longer we go on without silverware and the longer we stagnate, the interest in him will magnify. I fear that it is only a matter of time before we build him up only to sell the finished article to City or United in the next two years. .

Wilshere is world class. We have him on a contract. The board will see this. They will sell him. Have a look at Arsenes recent comments on selling RVP to Man U, accepting that it will help Utd win the prem. Nuff said.

Ramsey played well too, he worked hard, retained possession and threaded some nice balls, in particular the one to Walcott where Lescott cleared off the line..

Best game for Aaron for about a season, as a sub for 30 mins. I don't think hes good enough to play for Arsenal at present, but with others competely underperforming at the moment, his chance may have arrived!

Cazorla has been crap since the Reading game - he has been played a lot this season, but he is misplacing a lot of simple passes and he doesn't play as many incisive, through balls to carve defences open anymore. We should be having Arshavin or Rosicky to fill in for him while Cazorla gets some rest, but they probably slept with Wenger's daughter because that's the only rational explanation for their exclusions from the squad, assuming both are fit..

Partly fatigue, partly being double marked when the ball gets to him. He's been given no space -watch what happens off the ball when he doesn't have it. Or else Arsene has told him to stop beating opponents!!

Sagna has been better than he was in the last 3 games, but I still think he has lost a yard of pace and his awareness and positioning is off - he was one of the best right backs in the world a few seasons ago, but the two leg breaks have clearly affected him. We need to be in the market for another RB..

Very disappointing loss of form by Sagna recently, and was quite up for the game - was it because he was facing Clichy who used to be his teammate that we saw a pretty invigorated Bacary on Sunday. Hopefully this passion from him wil continue during the season.

Podolski was one of our best players yesterday and I was really hacked off Wenger subbed him off around the 61st minute for Giroud, who I feel has flattered to deceive this season, despite his 9 goals and 8 assists thus far. He was crap yesterday as well, very underwhelming..

Get used to it. Pod is the new sacrifical lamb for Theo and Giroud. Doesn't matter that we were 2-nil down - Arsene brings off a striker for a striker, then 5 mins later brings off Diaby - appalling substitution management by Arsene again. He has either lost it, or just doesn't give a monkeys any more.

Vermaelen seems to switch off too often and he loses focus easily - it was his lack of focus and poor positioning that led to the opener (good finish from Milner though)..

See my point on Koc above - with whom do we replace him. as a start, i'd take the captaincy off him. No coincidence that his form has disappeared since being given the armband. Leadership doesnt sit well with some players - Vermaelen is one such player.

I said yesterday that playing Walcott against City's defence as a lone striker will not work because he does not have the poise, strength, agility and ability to hold-up the ball. He tried to play off the shoulder of the CB's and Kompany read him like a book. Bad decision from Wenger..

It was pathetic by Arsene to play Theo there. It looked like your 5 year old son playing against his two grown up uncles, such was the difference in size, physicality and ability. Frankly embarrassing to watch, especially as Pod was being wasted out on the left. Arsene knows....

It was a spirited second half performance, but we still lacked a cutting edge and really, City had done their job in the first half. .

THe team tried their best. Arsene didn't help things with his clueless team selection and substitutions 2nd half. TBH, City scored 2, mised a peno, had a chance cleared off the goalline by Jack, missed a header from 4 yards early 2nd half, a great save from Szec in the one-on-one with Tevez - it was a stroll for City. It could have been 6 or 7.

The game on Sunday reminded me of the recent Man U game, which we lost 2-1 but only a fool could have described it as any way close. We were 2nd best all day. when we DID have possession 2nd half, we lumped it aerially to .....theo...or Giroud (can't figure who is worse in the air !!) - Giroud missed another sitter from 5 yards (a la Swansea) with his head/shoulder. meanwhile goal machine Pod is warming the bench..

The thing is there is a strategy to play with 10 men that can lead to a team getting a result from the game, but because we can't defend for shit and because we lack the mental attributes of a confident side, I knew we were screwed once we were down to 10 men. You could see that the players were feeling sorry for themselves and Wenger had a defeatist body language. He just sat there in his chair hoping we didn't get slaughtered, not the body language I wanted to see from the gaffer.

Whilst we're on the topic of the gaffer, I think he needs to go. He gets paid £8m a year - more than any football manager in Europe - for achieving the bare minimum expected of us. He is not performing miracles at all, as some suggest and we need change. I hope he steps down at the end of the season. He was one of the best things to happen to the English game, but it's clear as day his time is up.

i think he knows his time is up, but tehre are 7 million reasons why he will stay at Arsenal. Why would any person leave a job with that kind of salary and no measures of success attached to the post? Even if Arsenal fail to qualify for the CL next season, Arsene will still be manager. He is doing what the board wants - making money for them in whatever way is possible - at present via selling the best players.

Expect more of the same with this board/manager until we finish mid-table, whcih might be sooner rather than later.

NO club is too big to fail, when mismanaged.

[EvAMY-CRAIGLEEAFC]

Game to totally forget. Any hope we had was blown away early on. The result was obvious. I am just glad we did not concede a pan full. The lads tried hard in the 2nd half. Big credit to them for that. Just move on to Swansea in a different comp.

[Lee71*98*02]

Kompany's red card overturned by FA.

[Apollo]

Well, what is there to say?

Koscielny is a very talented player, but he is not a player you want for a big, high-pressure game. He is too rash with his tackling and panics in the penalty box which has cost us a trophy two years ago and has cost us 6 points this season. I like him a lot, but until he is more composed and learns how to stand his ground better, he simply needs to be dropped.

Wilshere was amazing, but I do worry over us overplaying him. Also the longer we go on without silverware and the longer we stagnate, the interest in him will magnify. I fear that it is only a matter of time before we build him up only to sell the finished article to City or United in the next two years.

Ramsey played well too, he worked hard, retained possession and threaded some nice balls, in particular the one to Walcott where Lescott cleared off the line.

Cazorla has been crap since the Reading game - he has been played a lot this season, but he is misplacing a lot of simple passes and he doesn't play as many incisive, through balls to carve defences open anymore. We should be having Arshavin or Rosicky to fill in for him while Cazorla gets some rest, but they probably slept with Wenger's daughter because that's the only rational explanation for their exclusions from the squad, assuming both are fit.

Sagna has been better than he was in the last 3 games, but I still think he has lost a yard of pace and his awareness and positioning is off - he was one of the best right backs in the world a few seasons ago, but the two leg breaks have clearly affected him. We need to be in the market for another RB.

Podolski was one of our best players yesterday and I was really hacked off Wenger subbed him off around the 61st minute for Giroud, who I feel has flattered to deceive this season, despite his 9 goals and 8 assists thus far. He was crap yesterday as well, very underwhelming.

Vermaelen seems to switch off too often and he loses focus easily - it was his lack of focus and poor positioning that led to the opener (good finish from Milner though).

I said yesterday that playing Walcott against City's defence as a lone striker will not work because he does not have the poise, strength, agility and ability to hold-up the ball. He tried to play off the shoulder of the CB's and Kompany read him like a book. Bad decision from Wenger.

It was a spirited second half performance, but we still lacked a cutting edge and really, City had done their job in the first half.

The thing is there is a strategy to play with 10 men that can lead to a team getting a result from the game, but because we can't defend for shit and because we lack the mental attributes of a confident side, I knew we were screwed once we were down to 10 men. You could see that the players were feeling sorry for themselves and Wenger had a defeatist body language. He just sat there in his chair hoping we didn't get slaughtered, not the body language I wanted to see from the gaffer.

Whilst we're on the topic of the gaffer, I think he needs to go. He gets paid £8m a year - more than any football manager in Europe - for achieving the bare minimum expected of us. He is not performing miracles at all, as some suggest and we need change. I hope he steps down at the end of the season. He was one of the best things to happen to the English game, but it's clear as day his time is up.

Strong first post

[Swan]

Kompany's red card overturned by FA.

not surprised..

[StLGooner]

Kompany's red card overturned by FA.

As it should be.

[Zenith]

Kompany's red card overturned by FA.

As it should be.

[Ammaar]

Well, what is there to say?

Koscielny is a very talented player, but he is not a player you want for a big, high-pressure game. He is too rash with his tackling and panics in the penalty box which has cost us a trophy two years ago and has cost us 6 points this season. I like him a lot, but until he is more composed and learns how to stand his ground better, he simply needs to be dropped.

Wilshere was amazing, but I do worry over us overplaying him. Also the longer we go on without silverware and the longer we stagnate, the interest in him will magnify. I fear that it is only a matter of time before we build him up only to sell the finished article to City or United in the next two years.

Ramsey played well too, he worked hard, retained possession and threaded some nice balls, in particular the one to Walcott where Lescott cleared off the line.

Cazorla has been crap since the Reading game - he has been played a lot this season, but he is misplacing a lot of simple passes and he doesn't play as many incisive, through balls to carve defences open anymore. We should be having Arshavin or Rosicky to fill in for him while Cazorla gets some rest, but they probably slept with Wenger's daughter because that's the only rational explanation for their exclusions from the squad, assuming both are fit.

Sagna has been better than he was in the last 3 games, but I still think he has lost a yard of pace and his awareness and positioning is off - he was one of the best right backs in the world a few seasons ago, but the two leg breaks have clearly affected him. We need to be in the market for another RB.

Podolski was one of our best players yesterday and I was really hacked off Wenger subbed him off around the 61st minute for Giroud, who I feel has flattered to deceive this season, despite his 9 goals and 8 assists thus far. He was crap yesterday as well, very underwhelming.

Vermaelen seems to switch off too often and he loses focus easily - it was his lack of focus and poor positioning that led to the opener (good finish from Milner though).

I said yesterday that playing Walcott against City's defence as a lone striker will not work because he does not have the poise, strength, agility and ability to hold-up the ball. He tried to play off the shoulder of the CB's and Kompany read him like a book. Bad decision from Wenger.

It was a spirited second half performance, but we still lacked a cutting edge and really, City had done their job in the first half.

The thing is there is a strategy to play with 10 men that can lead to a team getting a result from the game, but because we can't defend for shit and because we lack the mental attributes of a confident side, I knew we were screwed once we were down to 10 men. You could see that the players were feeling sorry for themselves and Wenger had a defeatist body language. He just sat there in his chair hoping we didn't get slaughtered, not the body language I wanted to see from the gaffer.

Whilst we're on the topic of the gaffer, I think he needs to go. He gets paid £8m a year - more than any football manager in Europe - for achieving the bare minimum expected of us. He is not performing miracles at all, as some suggest and we need change. I hope he steps down at the end of the season. He was one of the best things to happen to the English game, but it's clear as day his time is up.

Strong first post

Hehe, I'm a long time reader, first time poster.