Aston Villa: The Day After
Yesterday’s defeat to Villa is about as refreshing as a pot of boiling water thrown maliciously into your lap. After watching the media and gooners alike fall over themselves in the wake of the wins to Manchester United and Wigan, it seemed as if the good times were back at the Emirates. It appears the prospect of our first team having consistency is about as realistic as a bottle-inhabiting genie taking residence in your house.
With each passing week, it is getting harder to refrain from trite sayings from bitter and pessimistic fans, but as the saying goes, if you can’t beat them then join them.
This team is about as motivated in the smallish games as a thug is at a meeting of nuns. They have the urgency of a sloth. Why they do not find urgency in their passing is both a question that evokes confusion as well as disgust. The game yesterday starkly reveals some changes that need to be made in the first team
1. Manuel Almunia is not the answer
Buffon would have saved the second goal. So would have Casillas, Frey, Cech, hell probably even Lehmann. Manuel Almunia simply is not a world-class keeper, nor would he ever be. If Wenger is so hell-bent on producing a team full of youngsters, then drop the bleached wannabe-rockstar keeper and put in a player who can be world-class- Lukasz Fabianski. He has shown that he can make blinding saves. He has undoubted potential and the only way he will realize his potential is to be played. The worst he can do is allow goals like yesterday to happen. He would be nothing but an improvement.
2. Cesc is not an Arsenal player anymore
What’s that you say, he’s not one of ours? To that, I say in his mind he no longer wants to be on the field. If he still desires to serve Arsenal Football Club, it certainly is not as a footballer, perhaps he could become a janitor? Our once lauded, once world-class young prodigy clearly has his mind elsewhere. It does not take a seasoned fan to realize that. To think that he is simply tired or distrusting of Denilson is wishful thinking. Replay his close-range shot at Friedel which was barely tipped over the bar. Notice his reaction- it is not one of annoyance or the oft-seen grimace because he knows he should have scored, it is of a player who really cannot be bothered anymore.
3. Bendtner is not an Arsenal player
Nicklas Bendnter is a digression in progress. He gets worse by the game. I would much rather have Jay Simpson in the team than this guy. He is never going to make it here. Wenger should make the hard decision now and get rid of him. He will eventually stunt the growth of another up-and-coming striker, be it Simpson or someone else. He was pathetic today. He would not get in this Villa team, let alone ours. Then again, who’s to say we’re better than them anymore?
I’m an optimist, I believe in trust and support. I believe in Wenger and trust his judgement. I do not, however, believe in this collection of players. Nasri, although not fully adjusted to the premier league, is a winner and fighter. So is Clichy, Sagna, Vela, Walcott, Ramsey, Toure, Wilshere, and even Gallas. Diaby is not. Fabregas, right now, is not. Almunia is so far from being a fighter he should take up interpretive dance. I have faith in Wenger that he will eventually pull a clever rabbit out the hat, not this motley assortment of half-arsed overpaid wannabe winners. They will never win anything until some real changes are made.
1. What did Almunia do wrong yesterday? Top keeper and his commanding ability is one of the best in the world and has stopped many chances and indeed goals.
2. Cesc Fabregas- He seems frustrated at the lack of quality in front of him and that he isn’t making enough of an impact hence why he is playing higher up this season and Wenger has said he is trying harder than ever.
(He used to play deeper at the start but not now). It is absolutely false to claim such thing that he doesn’t care; he is all Arsenal.
3. Bendtner has all the makings but definitely not ready yet.
4. I’m tired of all these so-called experts who don’t understand real football. You need to understand the psychology as well and stop playing your Football Manager game.
agree with u on fabregas
i have some faith in bendtner but hes terribly inconsistent and has no confidence right now- might have something to do with the abuse tho
id like to see something said about walcott tho – he shouldnt be in the first team
hes an excellent sub but when starting hes too selfish, doesnt track back, and too often makes the wrong decision
look at wilshere’s decision-making for a comparison
he dribbles a lot but doesnt give the ball away often cos he knows when not to dribble and hel pass when someones in a better position
walcott has been way overhyped and im disgusted hes being rewarded with such a huge contract already
completely agree. is it just me or do you always feel in a game that we might concede? i never feel comfortable and i always think the opposition might score. Almunia is not world-class by any means and bendtner will never be..hes just a donkey in disguise. its annoys me so very much that ‘the professor’ cannot see that with players like bendtner, almunia and denilson (as a DM) that we wont win anything yet again…
Pretty Biased I would say.
totally agree with the statement!
It will be a very interesting match against the Man.City without Cesc. I was never a huge Cesc-fan, but I know his quality. I believe in the team, and not in Fabregas. If Cesc can’t do the same performance as last year, we should sell him. But unfortunately Wenger would spend that money on a cheap, French and young player. I think this is a ‘make-or-break’ season. I think it would be good a fresh air for Arsenal, like at Chelsea now.
I know everyone is entitled to their opinions but you don’t arf chat some crap.
Almunia has shown nothing but 100%
Bendtner never really gets a run.
Cesc has had his head turned by Barcelona – hopefully now he’s suspended he may just get a week off.
I’m in agreement with The Brain – stick to your football manager!
I think Almunia is a great keeper. Bendtner? Oh my God. This wasn’t his first match. Vela is a bit overrated, because (altough his performance excellent in the Carling Cup) he didn’t make any difference on the pitch in the PL. Adebayor takes on the 80000 pound every week, and he doesn’t make anything. And he is conceited. van Persie is in the queue as well, for the pay-rise, but his performance is horrible, as well. Why doesn’t Theo play as striker?
On the midfield, I can’t pick up a player, except perhaps Nasri and Walcott. He was a good buying. But what has happened with Cesc? He was excellent at the start of last year. And now? It’s nothing, I waited more from him. Denilson is too young.
We have nothing to lose, I would try something new. I would play Theo and Adebayor as strikers, on midfields I’d choose Ramsey-Diaby-Denilson-Nasri, and at the defensive row: Toure-Gallas-Djourou-Silvestre. And Almunia.
To those morons booing Bendtner yesterday ( still a youngster, for God’s sake!) I would like to point out that the player they cheered onto the pitch, Adebayor, was just as bad and also offside. And, lest we forget, Adebayor did not want to know at Stoke.
I also agree with these statements.
But I really hate it that people with another opinion say “You have no idea of real football” and “Stop playing football manager”.
What’s that?
Everybody could see that Cesc and Bendtner made a crucial game yesterday, it was not different for someone who play football manager, I mean.
Most of the people have enough intelligence to make differences between the virtual and the real world. But people with no better arguments for their opinion often use this one to blame others. D’you mean that’s an expression of competence? I mean not, it’s more a weak argumentation, than anything else.
Well Adebayor had two chances one hit the post. Top player he is. Walcott + Adebayor partnership incidently was played against Villa last year and although the guy has improved not ready yet.
Van Persie is good link player and is needed. Vela still yet to have a proper crack in PL.
Almunia could have saved the Agbonlahor shot but it came slightly awkward height and he was backtracking.
Cesc was excellent at the start but the players in front are not doing enough and he is trying to do so much.
Lose Ade & Gallas. Put Djourou in for Gallas (teamed with Silvestre) and take your pick of who can replace Ade. And like everyone said at the start of the season, buy a gawd-damn holding midfield player Wenger so Fabregas doesn’t have to keep babysitting Denilson. Pressure seriously needs to be lifted off Fabs having to track back all the time.
No offense intended to Denilson. He’s shown moments of sheer magic and will be a great player someday soon capable of holding his own, but, regarding the here and now, we still have yet to have found fully comparable replacements for Flamini and Silva.
Fabianski deserves his shot in goal too. Almunia’s got chronic PMS at the moment Im beginning to think.
AF_STar – what I’m trying to say is that these are blind statements made by Cade Roberts, especially the first two. Just read them and also he wants to replace a potential class player in Fabianksi but doen’t acknowledge Bendtner is one (though I agree his is not ready).
How he came to the conclusion Fabregas’ mind is not on Arsenal is beyond me and the kind of stuff tabloids make up. Wenger said he is trying too hard and it makes sense. Just watch his performances.
i think its wrong to say cesc isnt trying..i just think nothing is really going for him at the moment. im not blaming denilson but cesc has now got to share some of the defensive work and so cannot express himself as much as last year as he knew flamini always had his back. but there may also be a bit of the barca factor..theyre playing really well and his old mates hleb and thierry are there
I’d like to leave you guys with this comment by Wenger on his style of play and see what you think about it, regarding this season:
“I like to have one behind the striker, and one or two on the flanks who come inside. I always feel that if you have players who can deliver the decisive ball in all areas of the pitch, you have many more chances of being creative. If it’s only focused on one central part, where it’s usually more concentrated, you have more space on the flanks to create.”
The Brain-
This is to your first posting:
1. If his commanding ability is so good, why did he allow Stoke to score 2 goals via long throws? You surely have to be joking about this. Manuel Almunia is not a world-class keeper, nor does he have any singular world-class attributes.
2. I did not say he does not care, I said he neither desires to play right now, and he cannot be bothered to play. Why? Of course, you can say I am following the tabloids opinion that he wants to move to Barcelona. It could be that, something else. It is incredibly hard to say. Whatever it is, fatigue does not cause him to missplace many passes. Fatigue does not take away your vision or awareness.
3. Bendtner has gotten worse. He is a shadow of his former self. I understand he is inconsistent, but even his best performances are not of Arsenal quality. Compare his impact to that of Adebayor’s: as soon as he came on, Adebayor had an instant impact. He held the ball up well and brought others into the attack. That is what a target man does; Bendtner never did that.
4. I never called myself an expert. I have an opinion as well as you. I do not nor ever have played Football Manager. I dare say I understand the psychology behind the game as well as you. At the end of the day, neither you nor I are in the dressing room. We can only guess. Until the day comes in which he find ourselves being a fly on the wall, please refrain from making unsubstantiated claims. I respect your opinion but not your accusations.
I think fabianski is a better goalkeeper than almunia yes but i still think almunia is a good goalkeeper. With fabregas that is a load of old bollocks he just needs a rest he hasn’t had a rest for ages with spain and everything.
I completely agree with bendtner i just don’t think he is good enough for arsenal maybe a premiership striker but not a top ten club striker sorry he just isn’t vela is streaks ahed of him and so is simpson. but we shouldn’t moan its just the team going through that rough patch it happens to everyone.
I think the team needs a little bit of tweaking. We just need more balance. I think if we put song in to partner fabregas it would help give fabregas the license to go forward more. Denilson is a great player, but he and Fabregas are not compatible. You can tell both players don’t work to well together. Djorou should also get a run out in defense, he has the height to defend against lofted balls and set pieces, he is equally mobile. As for the wings Nasri and Walcot are both necessary to our success, they give the team width and pace.
4-4-2- Gk Almunia; Defense; Clichy,Djorou,Silvestre,Sagna
Midfield; Nasri,Song,Fabregas,Walcot
Forwards Adebayor and Van Persie
You don’t have to attack the writer to disagree with his points. His opinion is just a valid as yours, asshole.
WHY ARE MAN U AND CHELSEA’S REJECTS OUR BEST CENTER BACKS???
GALLAS AND BENDTNAR ARE USELESS,THE SQUAD IS RUBBISH, FLAMINI HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED,WHERE IS THE MONEY?????????I’D RATHER BE AT HIGHBURY WITH A GREAT SQUAD THAN AT THE EMIRATES- LOOK AT MILLWALL.
I THINK WENGERS HANDS ARE TIED.LET US BE IN DEBT LIKE CHELSEA, AT LEAST WE’D HAVE A FEW LEAGUE TITLES TO GO WITH IT.
PLAY THE KIDS,THEY WANT IT MORE.
I think you lot seems to forgte what Arsene Wenger has done for Arsenal. I would rather be at the Emirates than Highbury as we need bigger gate receipts to compete, what a stupid statement. Do you not know economics or something 60,000 x £45 is far more than 38,000 x £45. Our academy is fantastic and our young players will save us on transfer fees. I think Wenger realises that we need a holding midfielder and centre back. Personally, I would bring in Djourou at the back as he is far quicker than Silvestre. In fact stick Toure who is arsenal through and through beside him. Denilson is not a bad player he just cannot do what flamini did. I would bring in Wilshere and Ramsey gently into the team as they will be first teamers soon. Wilshere is class and would create something out of nothing, far more than walcott could. Walcott is fantastic at many things but has in no way the balls skills of ramsey and wilshere. We need to get better at the back and in midfield. Our strikers are fine they just need more commitment behind them. Wenger will sort it, why? because he knows he will have to. Have faith, Arsenal should aim even to win the carling cup as success at any level breeds more.
djorou should start regularly now…in his last 6 games, arsenal haven’t lost..send gallas to the bench…or perhaps to france..
Okay Mr. Roberts I take back what I said about Football Manager, you are probably a very smart guy just a bit of emotions. I think players need to improve but IMO you’ve selected the wrong ones except Bendtner.
Walcott required that confidence to show his true ability, maybe the same for Bendtner. Here at GoonerTalk he was player of the month for Sept or October.
I still think Almunia is a quality keeper and so is Fabianski but the guy is not fully ready yet but that will come from games.
Why not put Sagna-Djourou-Silvestre-Clichy at the back. Move Touré forward to right midfield/winger (he can break apart defenses with his aggressive runs) AND he’s backed up by Sagna so that’s two defensive roles who also attack. Then throw Diaby in centre midfield along with Fabregas-Denilson/Nasri-Walcott. Even Song would fit in great for a defensive midfield role too. And stick Adebayor or Eduardo when he’s back up front. With Fabregas playing in behind. Its gives more of a chance for him to play on the offense and create some nasty threw balls. I think Wenger needs a re-shake is all. Shuffle the team – there’s no doubting we have the talent. This whole consistency thing is a whole mental/attitude thing. It’ll help reinvigorate the team.
agreed on bendtner offen a poor final pass, poor finisher doesnt sweet blood for the team therefore not an arsenal player, apart from that the team does not need much repair, apart from a rock solid centre mid to free cesc, rosicky and nasri to support rvp playing in behind dudu
Our team for Man City should be something like:
Fabianski
Eboue
Djourou/Toure
Gallas (c)
Clichy
van Persie/Walcott
Song/Denilson/Toure
Diaby
Nasri (NOT Denilson on either wing)
Vela/van Persie
Adebayor
Match-winning team
Silvestre is nothing
P.S. Just look at what a little tanned South American (ignoring Dudu’s Croatian citizenship) left-footed striker did to Shitty at Eastlands last year!!!
Vela to start.
What makes Vela and Wilshere fighters? The fact that you like them?
There are players that have not worked this season, it was probably the flip of a coin for Denilson and Bendtner but they can’t seem to do three things right in a game. It’s sad but it’s true. Would we have started the season this badly if Diaby wasn’t injured? I don’t think we would have.
If you wanted a list of players I don’t think are good enough for Arsenal, I’d start with van Persie and end with Denilson.
Van Persie? Thats completely off mark. He’s one of the most creative players on the team (easily second to only maybe Fabregas) and he has a terrific left-foot shot when he nails it. Deadly at free kicks too.
They could all work on their set-pieces. We seem to blow so many of them at -both- ends of the pitch…
does anyone here remember liverpools spice boys?
i dont. but i read about them in jamie carraghers book. among his many critisisms were that, while there was lots of style, there was no grit and no desire to fight. this bit liverpool in the ass when chelsea FOUGHT back from 2-0 down in an fa cup game to win 4-2. a game in which liverpool took 40 minutes to buckle and surrender.
england is not like other countries, and im glad its not in this case. you have to have skill and determination, the grit and the stamina. i think arsenal may well be lacking.
%0
Tego-
Because Vela and wilshire do not have size to their advantage, however do you seem them allow themselves to get pushed off the ball? Wilshire makes tackles and holds his grounds, and Vela makes chips running at full speed, shoulder-to-shoulder with Titus Bramble, who is not weak. They have desire to win and fight. They are fighters. And yes, I do “like them.” Do you not?
Spaz its nothing to do with skill, stamina, grit or determination. I agree the latter two will do from time to time but that affects EVERY player on EVERY squad depending on circumstances. Its confidence issues and team selection thats the real problem. Wenger has to find the right chemistry depending on these type of circumstances. Arsenal have the talent.
For instance look at how Anelka has turned around at Chelsea. He’s become a world class goal poacher and oozes the confidence these days. And a lot of his recent success has been due to the attitude of the players feeding him these goals. I’ll be hung by a lot of people on here, but I haven’t enjoyed watching Chelsea this much in , well, since probably never. Although I didn’t catch that Burnley game ha. But hey that’s a whole different ballpark of issues now isn’t it?… And here we all thought there was a recession on.
let me put this right
fabregas has been world class ever since hes stepped onto the field.i agree hes lost his form but the fact is hes been playing the most no of games 4 arsenal 4 the last 3 seasons and thus quite simply deserves sme rest.
i saw smebody wrote that he needs sme time on the ball.welllllllll MR get a check up 4 ur eyes……..coz when people say hed got great vision it means,he sees that visionary ball thru defenses the EARLIEST(watch the game against porto)
coming to arsene wenger.he has been saying 4 the last 3 years that arsenal r in a transitional period.now coming out of d traansitional period mean retaining sme of ur best young players for those years and gradually nurturing their talent,,,,,,,,but if wenger keeps selling such players then arsenal will b in such a period for mayb 100 years!!!…….message is “wenger must b a strong enough character 2 retain players like flamini hleb…………otherwise its beter he leaves”………….i request all gooners to respond to this