Everton v Arsenal. 23rd Aug at 17.30.

[TGW89]

I know mate, we should have closed it out. As I said, our legs going were key to that as well as average defending. We get our fitness fully up and we'll slot teams for fun. Very frustrating that we've dropped four points though

Depending on the presence or lack of an injury crisis, the Europa league will either be a godsend or the end of us. I think it's far too much of a coincidence that in 2007, we were unplayable in the league during those group games.

I remember how insanely fallible we were before the Clat derby and Larissa and I believe we were the last of the 20 PL teams to keep a cleanie that year (even Derby flaming County managed to keep one before we did!!). The midweek games sharpened us up and winning all of them gave an added bonus of extra confidence.

Conversley in 2009, when half our squad was out for about 700 Millenia, it proved an unwelcome distraction that saw us in the bottom six over Christmas.

 

[toffeejack]

You know better than I do that players don't develop simply by sitting on the bench, this isn't FIFA.

Wenger believes that Wilshere will eventually play the Arteta role for us.

well if he thinks like that he's a moron. wilshere is so easy to wind up and gets bullied by any midfielder worth their salt. arteta's not exactly a great option either, you're choosing two players there to play the deep role and neither can really tackle.

 

[CahillsCornerFlag]

It wouldn't surprise me if we took a step back this year and came 7th/8th and then pushed on again next year when the expectations were lower. Our preseason or lack thereof, Ross's injury and the two draws where we should've comfortably had 6 points just strikes me as foreboding.

 

[roydo]

I could say something similar about Lukaku, "£30M for Lukaku? We got Giroud for almost a third of that price and his stats are just as good"

You obviously didn't watch us very often last season then.

Yeah, you could.

I have a rule, which is that I always take the views of a regular watcher of another team over mine. Every time. Naismith is a far better player than you give him credit for, and I am happy to concede your points earlier about Ozil missing support due to injuries to other players.

Just feel that Wenger was bounced into the Ozil transfer a bit. Put it this way, from what I do see of Arsenal, (against Everton, 8 mins on MOTD, and CL/FAC), you miss players like Ramsey, Ox, Wiltshire, maybe more than him maybe?

 

[Bobby P]

Theres a whole different issue about potential though isn't there. Not one and the same. We ran rings around you for 70minutes then faded away. Still should have won as we were the better side

Ran rings? Please, you capitalized on our left side falling asleep for the first goal and 2 outrageous decisions by the officials in the buildup to the second goal which should never have been.

 

[marty mcfly]

God help you then

Why that's his best position. He just needs to be a bit smarter with his positioning and not dive into so many tackles. I'm surprised he's not already playing there especially against the weaker teams.

btw - This is regarding Wilshere

 

[Darth Toffeeman]

The way I hope it pans out is, realistically we are not going to win the league sadly. Top 4 is a huge ask.
But winning the Europa League is a very real possibility.
Winning that trophy and guaranteed CL football is surely the no1 objective.
That is the only crumb of comfort I can take from seeing us not fully ready yet.

 

[Eric Djemba-Djemba]

I'd be proper fuming if I was Naismith, McCarthy, Barry, Lukaku or Mirallas and had busted a fcking gut for 83 minutes only for the centre backs to throw the game away.

 

[Toffeelover]

Hey lads have a look in the Alehouse and the Stones vid for Stupid Girl I just put on. The vid should cheer you up a bit and put a smile on your face. This is all part of GOT's anti depressant drive.

 

[toffeejack]

Ran rings? Please, you capitalized on our left side falling asleep for the first goal and 2 outrageous decisions by the officials in the buildup to the second goal which should never have been.

doesn't matter, wenger wouldn't have seen them

....oh wait, he did this time - funny how it works out like that for him.

 

[Bobby P]

I watched you quite a bit last season. Missing that penalty in the CL. Frequent lack of defensive effort. He has hardly lived up to his price tag.

Because nobody misses a penalty?

I do agree with the lack of defensive effort however, part of the reason why we seem to have switched to a 4141 with Ozil on the wing instead of the middle so as to provide us with more solidarity through the middle.

 

[TheBigIguana]

Why that's his best position. He just needs to be a bit smarter with his positioning and not dive into so many tackles. I'm surprised he's not already playing there especially against the weaker teams.

He's not playing there because it would expose your backline. The problem is positioning and tackling are two of the bigger necessities for that position and he's bad at both

 

[Kiwi]

Ran rings? Please, you capitalized on our left side falling asleep for the first goal and 2 outrageous decisions by the officials in the buildup to the second goal which should never have been.

could/should have had two penalties, and the tit wilshere should have been sent off. Two feet studs up and late thats a red all day

 

[marty mcfly]

Yeah, you could.

I have a rule, which is that I always take the views of a regular watcher of another team over mine. Every time. Naismith is a far better player than you give him credit for, and I am happy to concede your points earlier about Ozil missing support due to injuries to other players.

Just feel that Wenger was bounced into the Ozil transfer a bit. Put it this way, from what I do see of Arsenal, (against Everton, 8 mins on MOTD, and CL/FAC), you miss players like Ramsey, Ox, Wiltshire, maybe more than him maybe?

Ozil always looks awful and then makes a pass that leads to a goal. He's also crap defensively but in a team that accounts for his weaknesses he's a real asset as he wins you matches.

 

[Fat Stan]

Is it just me or have we got the 5hittest fans in the world? Seriously, Goodson park sounded like a [Poor language removed] funeral. The players were woeful second half but our fans were even worse the whole way through. Looks like everyone's not really arsed anymore