Chelsea Vs Arsenal | FA Cup Semi Final 18/04/09

[goonerkas]

no ones mentioned that walcott completly faded out of the game

Didnt have the service.

[Fabrestuta]

Song shouldnt have played. Song is not good at marking players. Denilson's job today was clearly to keep an eye on lampard, like he did against totti. He did it well in the first half but fatigue hindered his efforts second half.

Say thats true, what was the reasoning behind Diaby being on the pitch for 90 minutes? The man is a useless ****. We had a 6 month debate over whether he was a AMF or just a MF when we should have been arguing over who we should off load him to.

Diaby is more physically capable than nasri or arshavin thats why he played.

He may be more physically capable but he rarely shows it. How many times did he dick around and give the ball away? He does it every single time I see him play. He has talent but talent isn't always enough. I shudder every time I see him in the line up.

EDIT: It still doesn't explain why Wenger kept him on.

[waisman]

no ones mentioned that walcott completly faded out of the game

Didnt have the service.

I thought he played well, he didn't have any link up play with eboue or fabregas because of the way the team was laid out, and Chelski kept him well covered.

[waisman]

Song shouldnt have played. Song is not good at marking players. Denilson's job today was clearly to keep an eye on lampard, like he did against totti. He did it well in the first half but fatigue hindered his efforts second half.

Say thats true, what was the reasoning behind Diaby being on the pitch for 90 minutes? The man is a useless ****. We had a 6 month debate over whether he was a AMF or just a MF when we should have been arguing over who we should off load him to.

Diaby is more physically capable than nasri or arshavin thats why he played.

He may be more physically capable but he rarely shows it. How many times did he dick around and give the ball away? He does it every single time I see him play. He has talent but talent isn't always enough. I shudder every time I see him in the line up.

EDIT: It still doesn't explain why Wenger kept him on.

I agree about Diaby, as good as he can be 10% of the time the other %90 he's usually poor, and I think he's a strange one for someone like AW to pick when he values all around ability in most of his other players

[jbruin]

Theo was great today the only thing is his crossing, I've noticed he just knocks the ball in before looking up and a lot of the time, because he's so quick, nobody is there because they can't keep up.

[the real gooner]

imo it was a valiant display from a boys team against a mens team. We were out muscled all over the pitch. They had a team of winners people who have played in countless big games for club and country winners. I thought the substitutions were weird as was the starting selection. We are nearly great but imo unless we buy in some experience and steel some quality we will continue to be nearly.....

[goonerkas]

Song shouldnt have played. Song is not good at marking players. Denilson's job today was clearly to keep an eye on lampard, like he did against totti. He did it well in the first half but fatigue hindered his efforts second half.

Say thats true, what was the reasoning behind Diaby being on the pitch for 90 minutes? The man is a useless ****. We had a 6 month debate over whether he was a AMF or just a MF when we should have been arguing over who we should off load him to.

Diaby is more physically capable than nasri or arshavin thats why he played.

He may be more physically capable but he rarely shows it. How many times did he dick around and give the ball away? He does it every single time I see him play. He has talent but talent isn't always enough. I shudder every time I see him in the line up.

EDIT: It still doesn't explain why Wenger kept him on.

Who else is he going to bring on to play that position?

[liam_cork]

but everyones getting on diaby's case, i felt denilson was worse, iv said it since last season he seriously lacks a sense of urgency he strolls around between the box an centre circle with the ball waiting for the opposition to take it off him, or might try a run witch is useless cos he has no speed in him at all

[jgaugust]

This one really hurts. No two ways about it. I've only followed the club since 2006, so no trophies for me in my time as a Gunner fan, and I don't know if I've ever been this upset about a single loss since the Lakers lost in the NBA Finals last year after having a 24-point lead.

Just gutted. Going to go lay down for a while and try not to think about this.

[Rockin' Robin]

I was praying for him to take Diaby off for Nasri, but instead Denilson, who I though didn't actually have as bad a game as people are saying. It's a lot of overreacting if I'm honest, although I completely understand that I've calmed down now and I'm just saying what I think.
I also think the referee had a good first half but then seemed to give a lot of soft fouls, especially the cesc on t***y one which cesc was understandably p****ed off by, as was i.

[Igmalian]

I feel sorry for Gibbs cos he was excellent and Walcott too, Cesc was too quiet, RVP and Ade were annonymous, Denilsen and Diaby got caught dwelling on the ball too many times, Eboue was at fault for the first goal and Fabianski just had a bad day at the office but the person I blame the most is Arsene, Song is full of confidense atm so should've played and Arshavin or Nasri should've started too.

I just hope Arsene doesn't make the same mistake against Man Utd in the Champions League!

[goonerkas]

I feel sorry for Gibbs cos he was excellent and Walcott too, Cesc was too quiet, RVP and Ade were annonymous, Denilsen and Diaby got caught dwelling on the ball too many times, Eboue was at fault for the first goal and Fabianski just had a bad day at the office but the person I blame the most is Arsene, Song is full of confidense atm so should've played and Arshavin or Nasri should've started too.

I just hope Arsene doesn't make the same mistake against Man Utd in the Champions League!

If song played the midfield would have been overun. Essien,ballack,lampard all have very stong attacking potential. Denilson was marking lampard,song would not have been able to do that.

[Fabrestuta]

Song shouldnt have played. Song is not good at marking players. Denilson's job today was clearly to keep an eye on lampard, like he did against totti. He did it well in the first half but fatigue hindered his efforts second half.

Say thats true, what was the reasoning behind Diaby being on the pitch for 90 minutes? The man is a useless ****. We had a 6 month debate over whether he was a AMF or just a MF when we should have been arguing over who we should off load him to.

Diaby is more physically capable than nasri or arshavin thats why he played.

He may be more physically capable but he rarely shows it. How many times did he dick around and give the ball away? He does it every single time I see him play. He has talent but talent isn't always enough. I shudder every time I see him in the line up.

EDIT: It still doesn't explain why Wenger kept him on.

Who else is he going to bring on to play that position?

We didn't have to play that formation, we could, and should have gone to a 4-4-2 since it was obvious that nothing was working. Our midfield was rubbish for the most part, you can't say "we need a player with Diaby's presence" when he was ineffectual (and I'm being kind saying that)
Something might look good on paper but if its not working during the game then its obviously time to change it. There is absolutely no excuse for keeping Diaby on.

[Younggooner08]

If song played the midfield would have been overun. Essien,ballack,lampard all have very stong attacking potential. Denilson was marking lampard,song would not have been able to do that.

I really cant agree with you there, if we was the team playing well then they would have to be worrying, how often do you see chelsea playin Essien and Mikel because they are worried about the other teams attacking potential, i cant think of any times. When Chelsea have a good spell Song will be under pressure and Fabregas/Walcott/Arshavin even Van Persie would have to help him but when we are on the attack Essien will be under pressure and Lampard/Ballack will have to help him out.

[goonerkas]

Song shouldnt have played. Song is not good at marking players. Denilson's job today was clearly to keep an eye on lampard, like he did against totti. He did it well in the first half but fatigue hindered his efforts second half.

Say thats true, what was the reasoning behind Diaby being on the pitch for 90 minutes? The man is a useless ****. We had a 6 month debate over whether he was a AMF or just a MF when we should have been arguing over who we should off load him to.

Diaby is more physically capable than nasri or arshavin thats why he played.

He may be more physically capable but he rarely shows it. How many times did he dick around and give the ball away? He does it every single time I see him play. He has talent but talent isn't always enough. I shudder every time I see him in the line up.

EDIT: It still doesn't explain why Wenger kept him on.

Who else is he going to bring on to play that position?

We didn't have to play that formation, we could, and should have gone to a 4-4-2 since it was obvious that nothing was working. Our midfield was rubbish for the most part, you can't say "we need a player with Diaby's presence" when he was ineffectual (and I'm being kind saying that)
Something might look good on paper but if its not working during the game then its obviously time to change it. There is absolutely no excuse for keeping Diaby on.

Play a 4-4-2 with song and fabregas. Song cant handle essien,lampard,. Fabregas is moderate in defence. Song is up and coming. I have no doubt that there would have been more goals had song played.