Arsenal can at times make teams such as United, Man City, and Chelsea look silly. Arsenal always dominate those teams (home and away) and that is the fact!. If Arsenal added reliable defenders that know how to defend, then they would be dominating this league. Because we all know even our second-string team's passes can unlock any defensive side.
However, we do not know where the problem lie when it comes to improving the squad, whether it is the manager who does not want to compete with these teams anymore or the club's board, which does not want to give the manager more money to improve the squad.
Arsene Wenger adapted a same excuse for every press conference whenever he is asked "when will you sign some players so your team can challenge United, Chelsea and Man City"?
Well, you know we have to compete with teams that have more resources than us. Who is saying you cannot compete with them? Deep down, we know Arsene Wenger is not trying anymore to win anything. Arsenal fans only want two newer faces and one more if Fabregas joins Barcelona.
Arsene Wenger is a great manager, and i would not swap with any manager, but I have never seen an Arsenal side so woeful at defending as we were last season and until now, Wenger did not solve this issue.
I am sorry we cannot start the season with this problem if we have any chance of winning the Premier League, FA Cup or The Champions League.
United's spending this year could reach £90m if Sneijder joins them in which i think would be the best deal so far in this transfer window. I do not rate Jones and Young so it is a good sign that United has not still added their squad a world-class player other than the probability signing of Sniejder.
United will also feel the loss of Van Der Sar to retirement, since they employed inexperienced keeper Dea Gea as his replacement. However, Sneijder will be a success if he joins them.
I think United could finish first or second but if Arsenal sign a top-class centre half and left back they have a very good chance winning the league, until then i expect them to finish second or third.
Liverpool wasted money, so i do not see them a threat to any of the top four teams. Man City could struggle to finish third so fourth position is the best option with their current squad. Chelsea is still an aging side, as a result i expect them to try but to fail since they cannot keep at the pace of the Premier League anymore .
http://www.skysports.com/video/inline/0,26691,16429_7075839,00.html
KEEPING THE BALL MAKES ARSENAL GREAT
posted on 1/8/11
It is clear, and has been for the entire last season that defensivley we are not equipped to challenge for top honours. That said, our defence is the same as the entire arsenal squad, bundles of potential and talent, but inconsistent in realising it. I was at the emirates when we beat barca 2-1, and that was one of the most impressive defensive displays, especially from Koscielny who was a man mountain that night, Messi was in his pocket all night, he was phenomenal, yet he can then make mistakes against Birmingham in the Carling cup. Djourou should be the answer to our problems at set pieces, 6ft4 yet he's no where near physical enough to dominate the box in the same way that Vidic does. The defence is a huge problem, and in that problem lies the solution that, when fixed, will take Arsenal to a whole new level. When you're constructing a building, you have to start with the foundations, and if you get those right, then the rest of the build will run smoothly. The same rule applies to football, you sort out your defence (the foundations) so that the midfield and attackers have full confidence in the back 4 behind them, it will allow them to create and attack even more freely. Arsenal are arguably the best attacking team in the prem on their day, and at times we have looked unstoppable going forward, Blackpool at home, West Ham away, to some extent Chelsea at home, and Newcastle at St. James', and this is the perfect example of what i'm talking about, we were 4-0 within 40 minutes away from home, it was like a training exercise, but our defence capitualted in the 2nd half and down to ten men we let slip a 4-0 lead to walk away with a single point. If we were to have a rock solid back four, Fabregas and Nasri (if they stay) as well as Arshavin, Walcott, RVP can run riot in the opposition half. A new brute of a CB is all that is needed IMO, someone who will put their foot in, solid in the air, with a never say die attitude. of the names touted, personally it would be Samba as he brings his leadership qualities with him. But why not go to Europe, Subotic or Hummels would be fanatstic and would fit into the buy em young attitude of wenger. Sakho, although now unlikely. If we bought Samba and Vertonghen and no one else, i would be optimistic for next season. I fully believe that when we solidify our back four, which really is back 3 as Sagna is a top player, and have cover with Vertonghen for CB,LB and CDM with Kos, TV5, Djo and Samaba gunning for CB spots, we will be far more solid at the back, conceeding half the goals we did last season, and our attacking game will be taken to a whole new, unstoppable level
posted on 1/8/11
SuperGoon
posted on 1/8/11
comment by SuperGoon (U8455)
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Sorry but recently you've not been capable of doing much more than prancing round the middle of the park, that's not running rings round anyone if it leads to nothing, or leads to you getting picked off on the break.
I'm now genuinely shocked when you beat any of the top 5 or 6 teams which wasn't the way 7 or 8 years ago
posted on 1/8/11
The OPs original comment was that we can still make teams look silly.
By making them stand around like statues as we pass the ball around them is something we CAN do, and STILL do, against pretty much any team we face (bar Barcelona) - thus making them "look silly".
The DIFFERENCE that I highlight is that the Arsenal team of 7 years ago would score the goal, and triumphantly urinate over the opposition goalkeeper, whereas now, we do sweet **** all.
posted on 1/8/11
If you put seventy passes together and get nowhere and the other team put 4 together and score who really "looks silly"?
posted on 1/8/11
Well, I think this differs on our interpretation of what the OP meant.
I like looking silly, mind.
posted on 1/8/11
How can you not rate Jones? He's easily better than all your defenders (barring TV) and he's still in his teens.
posted on 1/8/11
Pound-for-pound, I think Wenger is the best buyer in the Premier League personally. He just needs to push things more.
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'Supergoon'..............Managers at all levels buy 'better' players to improve the squad. Managers at the 'top end' buy players to win trophies. AW turning cheap players into winners would substantiate your opinion. But he has'nt therefore he can't be.
Your thinking is flawed.
posted on 1/8/11
But it is my thinking. Which is exactly what I said - "personally".
"AW turning cheap players into winners would substantiate your opinion. But he has'nt therefore he can't be."
Oh yeah, he's never done that...silly me.
posted on 1/8/11
Not for a long while now bud. All the best for the season though