Middlesbrough Vs Arsenal | Premiership 09/12/07

[absolutely_fabregas]

Player Ratings

Almunia - 5 (saveable pen, 2nd goal could have parried it outa th pitch thats being ultra critical tho)

Clichy - 4 (last cpl of games he is starting too lose it a bit)

Toure - 3 (his worst game of season, end of)

Gallas - 5 (nothing that bad, but as captain he should have gee'd up the team to raise their game)

Sagna - 5 (could do a lot better, but was one of our "better" ones today)

Eboue- 4 (immature slap could have been sent off, poor game)

Gilberto - 3 (out run, out tackled, out of sorts!!)

Diarra - 3 (wasnt in it at all)

Rosicky - 3/4 (passing was woeful, when he runs at players he was ok, nice finish)

Eduardo - 2 (did nothing)

Adebayor - 3 ( one (maybe) 2 succesful control pass in th 1st half, he was woeful, marked tightly but still could have contributed slightly)

walcott, denilson& bendtner would all get 6 as they actually looked as they were really up for it

[arseman]

Its just one loss, but if we continue to play this badly Chelsea are going to tear us to shreds next week.

I doubt we'll be that bad if the injured players are back (at least midfielders who can pass the ball)

[arseman]

Clichy - 4 (last cpl of games he is starting too lose it a bit)

He's played pretty much every minute this season and looked quite knackered at one stage today. I'd like to see him given a bit of a rest, esp in the two midweek games I've mentioned. Having said that, you can probably forgive him for a poor performance, unlike Eboue or Gilberto.

[rachel83]

Its just one loss, but if we continue to play this badly Chelsea are going to tear us to shreds next week.

I doubt we'll be that bad if the injured players are back (at least midfielders who can pass the ball)

That's what worries me:

As for the injured, he said: “Van Persie could come back next week into full training, and then I will have to assess him. Diaby will certainly come back into full training next week, but Fabregas certainly not, Hleb no and so there are still a lot of players out.”

From today's match preview on arsenal.com

[SE13]

And to rub salt into the wounds, Middlesex are a goal to the good against Man City.

Great!

[rodney]

That was absolutely f***ing awful. I haven't seen us play that bad since probably Bolton away a couple of years ago. Every single player bar maybe Clichy was shit. I can't believe how awful they were, but credit to Boro as shit as they are today they played well. Aliadiere decided to have the game of his life and work his nuts off. Tuncay played well and that inbred Wheater was very strong at the back. The most disappointing thing was that we created f**k all. We were up against a third choice keeper who didn't look like he was the most agile. I would be suprised if we played that badly again this season.

Wenger got his line up very wrong. I said after the Newcastle game that by playing two defensive midfielders in Diarra and Gilberto we lacked someone who could create something with a killer pass, or just set up play. Denilson should have started ahead of Gilberto who was shit against Sevilla, Villa and Newcastle. He was completely hopeless again today. His passing is so bad it beggers belief. There were so many 5 yard passes that he gave away I was going mental I just can't believe how a professional footballer cannot manage to pass a ball 5-10 yards without giving it away. Theo should also have started ahead of Eduardo who was nowhere. He just isn't ready for EPL football at all and why Wenger didn't play Theo or Bendtner and then play Eduardo on Wednesday in a game that would have suited him a lot better. Every manager makes wrong decisions every now and then and Wenger has done that today. Hopefully he has learnt from that now and he won't make those same tactical mistakes again.

Again I am going to complain about Eboue. There was a moment in the match where he shoved Pogatez in the face whoi was just doing very well to close him down. He could have easily been sent off for that and in big games we can't afford his attitude to cost us. He kicked out at Downing with an awful studded lunge on Downing again worthy of a red card. He was on the ground for most of the game and he is not good enough to play in this Arsenal team. Wenger needs to bring in someone that can play on either flank to cover for Hleb or Rosicky, as playing Eboue simply isn't a good enough option.

We got off to an awful start when Almunia who should have been out and taking that ball hesitated, Aliadiere got there first and Toure brought him down. Definite penalty and Downing put it away, questions could be asked of Almunia but it was a poor tackle from Kolo who should never have put in a tackle like that. Kolo is usually so reliable and solid and today was just awful. He gave the ball away with long passes so many times it was beyond ridiculous. He hasn't been that bad since that awful night in Munich. Sagna was poor today his passing was all over the place and he just didn't work well at all with Eboue today. Boro took the game to us and we just simply couldn't match them. We were second place all over the pitch.

Second half I really expected Wenger to give them a right rollocking. The players should have been told how important the 3 points are and that this was a Boro team who hadn't won in 11 f***ing games. He brought Eduardo off, but he should never have started in the first place. Bendtner wasn't given much support at all because Adebayor was horrendus today. Every ball played into him he lost it with a poor touch, or simply being out muscled by the inbreds at the back. How hard is it to go to the ball and then he wouldn't have someone up his ass the second he touched it.

Boro could easily have had a second when Tuncay so nearly put the ball past Almunia for a deserved second. Still we didn't get going and when Wenger brought Diarra off who at least was giving a 100% effort instead of the awful Gilberto I knew that was it. Boro got their second goal a really good save from Almunia, but Boro were first to react which sumed up the game and Tuncay put in the top corner to seal the win. Well done to Boro as they fully deserved the win and if they can put in a performance like that consistently then they won't be near the bottom for long.

We got a late goal from the player who pissed me off the most today, Thomas Rosicky. Now I know this guy has the ability to be an amazing player for us and he has the ability to win matches for us. But today he was simply awful and if Gilberto wasn't as awful as he was Rosicky would have claimed the worst player on the pitch by a mile. His passing was all over the place and I doubt he completed over half of his passes today. He offered no flair, no inspiration, no attacking edge that I know he can add to our game. Wenger really needs to sort him out and discover the class player that is in there, otherwise we need to replace him and replace him soon as performances like that simply aren't good enough.

I didn't agree that we would remain the whole season unbeaten, but I am gutted and so disappointed that we have lost today at a team that I really expect us to beat no matter how well they play. This is now a massive test as next week we have Chelsea at home which we have to win. We need some of our big players and if they are then I am more than confident that come the end of next Sunday we will still sit top of the Premier League.

[Fabrestuta]

Its just one loss, but if we continue to play this badly Chelsea are going to tear us to shreds next week.

I doubt we'll be that bad if the injured players are back (at least midfielders who can pass the ball)

I hope so man, but I think the warning signs have been there for a while and we could be in for a bad run.

[Inchpräctice]

I agree with your assessment of the game Rodney, apart from the bit about Rosicky.
I thought he was one of our better players today.
He was one of the very few players who actually caused Boro some problems.
We had very very few chances on goal today but without him we would've had even less.
Take him out the equation and you're left with Eboue, Gilberto and Diarra in the midfield - all defensive players.
He was our only creative midfielder today but he can't do it all on his own.
Don't forget he did get us a consolation goal which made me feel a bit better at least.

On a different note today was the first crap game that Toure had all season and we lost. More than a coincidence......?

[rodney]

I agree with your assessment of the game Rodney, apart from the bit about Rosicky.
I thought he was one of our better players today.
He was one of the very few players who actually caused Boro some problems.
We had very very few chances on goal today but without him we would've had even less.
Take him out the equation and you're left with Eboue, Gilberto and Diarra in the midfield - all defensive players.
He was our only creative midfielder today but he can't do it all on his own.
Don't forget he did get us a consolation goal which made me feel a bit better at least.

On a different note today was the first crap game that Toure had all season and we lost. More than a coincidence......?

He did offer some creativity I agree, but we had our one and only shot on target in the 94th minute of the match which even for teams like Derby is unacceptable let alone for a team currently sitting top of the league. Imo he can offer a lot more than what he does and there is the potential for a world class player in there.

Couldn't agree more about Kolo. We all know how great Kolo has been and everyone is allowed a bad game every now and then. It is the job of the rest of the players to take up the baton and ensure even with a star player like Toure not playing well we still pick up a victory.

[arseman]

I still think Rosicky would be better off playing in the center or on the right, it's frustrating the way he cuts inside on his stronger right foot all the time, when playing on the left, which most of the time, breaks down the attacks. I know people said Pires used to do the same, but it's not really working with Tomas.

[Inchpräctice]

I still think Rosicky would be better off playing in the center or on the right, it's frustrating the way he cuts inside on his stronger right foot all the time, when playing on the left, which most of the time, breaks down the attacks. I know people said Pires used to do the same, but it's not really working with Tomas.

Good point.
Like I said in the other thread we have too many CMs playing out of position.

[Trina]

Hmm, just been left this comment

i cud see it comin,once it gets a bit chilly or wet we cant play..better sort it out before next week!

[Cheese]

Poor Jeremie Aliadiere, no matter how well he playes he still don't get the credit he deserves

Player Ratings

[CLS]

to be beaten like that againt shit like boro i was embarassed, we coludnt string to passes together and no player was up for it or wanted the ball, if flamini and cesc aint back next week we are going to get raped by chelsea

[absolutely_fabregas]

Poor Jeremie Aliadiere, no matter how well he playes he still don't get the credit he deserves

Player Ratings

those ratings are bollocks

gilberto 6??

ps alliadierre did put a shift in, and his pace caused us problems, but if it wasnt for him being an ex gooner he wouldnt have stood out in the slightest