A very good win last night, and a very nice surprise in Paris. Let's hope the draw is kind to us and gives us the rewards first place deserves.
Now my thoughts on the team.
Very encouraging performance from Lucas Perez. Aside from his goals I thought he looked up to the pace and style of our game, so quickly after injury.
With Oxlade Chamberlain becoming a more effective player thus far and the usual goal and assist output from a fit Walcott, our options in wide attack look good going into the festive period.
Iwobi should sit out a few, he is on a dip in form but we shouldn't be discouraged - he has shown quality already.
Hopefully Xhaka will now be allowed to push on in the first XI. He has had a bit of a settling in period, but is beginning to look the part more consistantly. For me Coquelin is the best partner for him, but Elneny and Ramsey have shown they can offer an alternative. Interesting to see what partnership evolves into first choice in Cazorlas absence.
A pleasing aspect of last night, for me, was Holdings performance for most of the match. He looked calm and assured and formed a solid looking partnership with Koscielny. A little bit of complacency late on, though, but I don't think he was the only one to take the foot off the gas. Considering he has barely played this season, I think we can forgive him.
Gabriel is also getting valuable game time, albeit in an unfamiliar role.
Left back is beginning to evolve into a battle. Gibbs performance last night should have Wenger thinking. Certainly when Gabriel is at RB I think Gibbs is the better option for team balance over Monreal.
Not a lot needs to be said about Alexis or Ozil, tbf, and Ospina once again is proving more than good enough back up to Cech.
.
Next up is Stoke at home, which is traditionally one of our easiest fixtures of the season. Hopefully we can keep the momentum up for what looks a tricky couple of games before a run of "should wins" into the new year and beyond.
Thoughts on the team...
posted on 7/12/16
^as many hatricks as Giroud isnt it?
posted on 7/12/16
comment by Just Awful (U3245)
posted 14 seconds ago
Ramsey had another good game.
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probably for the same reason Xhaka had a good game? slower game. not PL standard team etc...
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My comments about his defensive contribution apply to the PL as well. You obviously havnt noticed it. Try concentrating on the game more.
posted on 7/12/16
Lucas was actually uncomfortable on the right because he was having to come back on his left foot. He was played there because Iwobi can't play on the right. Don't confuse clinical finishes with actual gameplay. Lucas was actually not very involved in the game at all but took his goals well because lets face it he is a striker.
Lucas should be played on the left. Wenger is choosing to play an extra midfielder in the forward positions at the moment. He really needs to combine Lucas/Walcott/Alexis together because Alexis is out of the box too often and teams double Theo on the right. That leaves a huge scope for someone like Lucas to exploit the space created in the middle.
Wenger was willing to play Giroud, Theo and Alexis together for that reason. There is absolutely no reason why Lucas, Alexis and Theo shouldn't be combined together.
posted on 7/12/16
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 7/12/16
Basel are not PL quality so last nights win while good was not unreasonable to expect. As we have seen with Granit Xhaka who has not had the easiest settling in period in the PL shows, their slower game makes it easier for us.
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Unreasonable to expect?
Except that the last 3 PL teams (chelsea, United and Liverpool) to play them at their stadium came back with zero points, all of them.
It is time to stop pretending that the PL standard is above any other league.
posted on 7/12/16
Wenger always likes to balance a direct player on one flank with a better creator/ball-retainer on the other. Think Overmars/Parlour, Ljungberg/Pires, Walcott/Rosicky, Walcott/Nasri etc. That's why Iwobi will continue to get a lot of game time, unless Lucas shows he can play that role. That's partly why Wenger played Alexis wide left for so long and has tried Cazorla and Ozil out there and Ramsey on the right. I still think he would like to get in a quality wide forward like a Reus or a Draxler (well wouldn't we all?)
posted on 7/12/16
comment by Ramsey playing with a broken toe since 2008! (U10012)
posted 1 minute ago
Basel are not PL quality so last nights win while good was not unreasonable to expect. As we have seen with Granit Xhaka who has not had the easiest settling in period in the PL shows, their slower game makes it easier for us.
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Unreasonable to expect?
Except that the last 3 PL teams (chelsea, United and Liverpool) to play them at their stadium came back with zero points, all of them.
It is time to stop pretending that the PL standard is above any other league.
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Didnt know that, but how strong where the teams they fielded? And I dont think the PL is better than any other, but the Swiss league is not one of the best and they are a small country, their population is less than London.
posted on 7/12/16
comment by I am gooner now (U16927)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Ramsey playing with a broken toe since 2008! (U10012)
posted 1 minute ago
Basel are not PL quality so last nights win while good was not unreasonable to expect. As we have seen with Granit Xhaka who has not had the easiest settling in period in the PL shows, their slower game makes it easier for us.
==============
Unreasonable to expect?
Except that the last 3 PL teams (chelsea, United and Liverpool) to play them at their stadium came back with zero points, all of them.
It is time to stop pretending that the PL standard is above any other league.
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Didnt know that, but how strong where the teams they fielded? And I dont think the PL is better than any other, but the Swiss league is not one of the best and they are a small country, their population is less than London.
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Basel would beat the majority of the PL sides
posted on 7/12/16
comment by TheSkins (U3865)
posted 3 minutes ago
Wenger always likes to balance a direct player on one flank with a better creator/ball-retainer on the other. Think Overmars/Parlour, Ljungberg/Pires, Walcott/Rosicky, Walcott/Nasri etc. That's why Iwobi will continue to get a lot of game time, unless Lucas shows he can play that role. That's partly why Wenger played Alexis wide left for so long and has tried Cazorla and Ozil out there and Ramsey on the right. I still think he would like to get in a quality wide forward like a Reus or a Draxler (well wouldn't we all?)
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I agree thats what he used to do in principle. Freddie balanced with a more creative Pires.
However that was with Bergkamp in the middle whose goal output was far greater than Ozil's will ever be. Similar with RVP. I read somewhere Wenger being critical of Ozil not getting enough goals. I don't think that will ever change because he prefers to take up positions outside the box.
So if you are still going with combinational plays of the past, then Wenger always has 2 creatives' and two attackers of the front 4. But if you go back to Overmars, Wiltord, Bergkamp, Anelka then I think its easier to compare with what we have now.
Essentially Alexis is out of the box too often and is very creative player. So he is not a direct comparison to Henry. In my view Alexis is a more prolific version of Bergkamp. People comparing him to Suarez is quite apt. Suarez was great at Liverpool with Sterling and Sturridge. Which is why I think Alexis would work well with Walcott and Lucas.
posted on 7/12/16
Basle have in the last few season taken care of Spurs, Pool, Chelsea and United. They are a good team capable of taking out good teams.