Up the Arse! Goons Thread

[NTRabbit]

He plays in the tightest area on the pitch, of course some of his passes aren't going to come off - he doesn't have the luxury of the open spaces in midfield to knock low pressure balls about like some do, which is the thing that confuses most people who don't really understand that there are other ways to be a great passer than as a slide rule perfectionist #10

 

[HODGEYROAD]

Middlesbrough at home in the next round fellas, can't really complain with a Championship side at home. Man Utd can potentially make the quarters without playing anyone higher than a league 1 side.

 

[Smyth94]

He plays in the tightest area on the pitch, of course some of his passes aren't going to come off - he doesn't have the luxury of the open spaces in midfield to knock low pressure balls about like some do, which is the thing that confuses most people who don't really understand that there are other ways to be a great passer than as a slide rule perfectionist #10

Giroud misplaces passes in the middle of the pitch - he does drop deep quite a bit. It's moot to me anyway, I'm not saying he's s**t, just he's not unbelievable. He's impressed me a lot this season.

 

[glenferry23]

Yep that's a decent draw indeed.

 

[Crow-eater]

 

[glenferry23]

The medical is a formality - and only for $129.95!

 

[Genesis67]

Which leads me back to my initial question, how would you feel if he got injured last night?

Would it have been ok if Aaron Ramsey's leg had been broken at Stamford Bridge or OT, instead of against Stoke?? Of course not.

If BHA had scored a third, would you be wanting Alexis on the pitch?

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. But I don't buy into the whole 'what if' argument. What if he slipped over getting off the bus on the way home from BHA, and dislocated his ankle, without having played? Would we be saying "why was he even there?" Probably. Would it make any more sense than "what if he got injured?". No, of course not.

You can't work with precognitive information. It doesn't exist. And if you want to risk minimise, then don't play at all. You can only work with what you've got. BHA had scored once, and were showing solid signs of pushing back into the game. Wenger bought his best player on. Sanchez, as we've all seen, would have been champing at the bit.

If you want to question one of the subs at that moment, you're better off questioning Akpom coming on, and I think personally that that was Wenger putting some more energy to chase up front.

 

[Smyth94]

Complaining that Sanchez came on for 20 minutes is really clutching at straws. At the moment we've got 7 days between games.

 

[Benno_900]

Well, we aren't losing which is boring for some.

 

[PendlePie]

Lol, the irony in Arsenal conducting a medical shouldn't be forgotten. That said, should be the final process as the work permit has been granted according to reports

Links to Großkreutz also growing stronger by the day. A move for another defender could indicate where Chamber's long-term position lies. Wouldn't be surprised if to see Chambers played more/predominantly as a DM if so.

 

[happy_eagle]

Would Gabriel be a walk up start to our back 4 when(if) Debuchy, Pert, Koscielny and Gibbs are all fit

 

[Benno_900]

Not sure why we're targeting him. A LB would make more sense considering Gibbs is always injured.

It appears we're leaving a DM for the summer. Disappointing.

 

[Cruyff14]

Grosskreutz, Benno_900?

He is a LB.

 

[PendlePie]

Not sure why we're targeting him. A LB would make more sense considering Gibbs is always injured.

It appears we're leaving a DM for the summer. Disappointing.

I've read 'kreutz can play either RB or LB. The lack of DM is disappointing but Wenger could have his eyes on an Illarramendi or Schneiderlin in summer which is somewhat understandable. Time will tell.

 

[PendlePie]

Would Gabriel be a walk up start to our back 4 when(if) Debuchy, Pert, Koscielny and Gibbs are all fit

Hard to say but I'm sure the player would've been bought as rotation and injury-cover in the short-term (i.e. while he adapts and while the CBs are fit), but definitely with a view to overtaking one of Kos (29yo) or Merte (30yo) in the not too distant future.

 

[Benno_900]

Never seen him play but I'd still start him ahead of Per.

He has been okay of late but his season overall has been infuriating.

Grosskreutz, Benno_900?

He is a LB.

No, he's a RB.

Either way, it probably spells the end of Jenko at Arsenal.

 

[PendlePie]

There's been heaps of talk regarding the similarities between Kos and Paulista, which makes it hard for Paulista to replace the only replaceable CB (Merte). We've seen how poor the partnership of Kos and Vermaelen was, so Kos and Paulista wouldn't necessarily be an improved combination.

We should've headed the queue for Laporte last summer

 

[Cruyff14]

Jenko was never good enough for Arsenal.

 

[Genesis67]

Jenko was never good enough for Arsenal.

Agreed. Caught in that horrible middle ground between being a good player for non Champions League sides and not good enough for CL teams.

Pity. I like Jenkinson.

 

[Genesis67]

I've read 'kreutz can play either RB or LB. The lack of DM is disappointing but Wenger could have his eyes on an Illarramendi or Schneiderlin in summer which is somewhat understandable. Time will tell.

Coquelin has certainly bought us some short term relief at DM. Can he keep it up? Only time will tell. But I think we'll see Coquelin and Chambers platoon DM.

Can we retire Mathieu now?

And I can't imagine Southampton would want to sell Schneiderlin now unless it's well overs. You get the feeling that their fantastic season is one bad break from derailing.

 

[PendlePie]

Coquelin has certainly bought us some short term relief at DM. Can he keep it up? Only time will tell. But I think we'll see Coquelin and Chambers platoon DM.

Can we retire Mathieu now?

And I can't imagine Southampton would want to sell Schneiderlin now unless it's well overs. You get the feeling that their fantastic season is one bad break from derailing.

Thinking about it now, I don't think its Soton unwilling to sell Schneiderlin (he'll most likely end up Utd or Spurs if we don't sign him anyway) - it's probably more because we have Coquelin now (if he re-signs) and Chambers who Wenger has said will ideally end up a DM. I don't agree with not signing an experienced DM but you can see the rationale behind it if he doesn't. A CB was a non-negotiable though, as is another defender.

And Mathieu? I think every Arsenal supporter would be happy to see the back of that hack

 

[glenferry23]

I think hack is a harsh description of Flamini.

Limited is how I would describe him. He was signed on a free as a short term / stop gap solution, I doubt even foresaw the reliance that would end up being placed on him. But such is the way at Arsenal at times.

It never should've been like this, but our deficiency in DM goes way back before Flamini.

 

[PendlePie]

He was always limited though. Even in 07/08 the only thing he was renowned for was passing sideways a helluvalotta times to Cesc. But agreed, he's been the victim of the team and manager as much as his own deficiencies.

That said, the time has well and truly come for him to be moved on. He's been a workhorse but has nowhere near the physical attributes required.

 

[Benno_900]

Bit harsh.

He was an absolute beast in 07/08.

 

[glenferry23]

Yes I thought he was quite good that season. We had a very good squad that year. Came so close.

He's not the player he once was. Like Arteta, his best football is behind him.

This was a good trip down memory lane. A summary of our Brazilian players over the last decade or so.

http://www1.skysports.com/transfer/...best-and-worst-of-arsenals-brazilian-signings