Arsenal

[wev]

It must be fairly distracting watching someone fall down constantly.

Also, I'm definitely one of the people that said Diaby should be put out to pasture. Keeping him on was the morally correct thing to do, but I think we should have got rid of him years ago if you ignore that slightly sentimental side. It's got to be said though, the 3 of Arteta/Diaby/Cazorla is working brilliantly already. It's completely amazing and so much less infuriating than Song waltzing in and out of position all the time.

I still think we needed a couple more signings for the sake of squad depth, but I love this first 11.

and to think we haven't had Koscielny properly fit yet.

[The Fox]

I'm just glad Arsenal didn't fuck up my 30th birthday.

[Rev]

and to think we haven't had Koscielny properly fit yet.

Indeed. Although that'll be slightly sad when it happens as Mertesacker has really come on over the summer and it'll inevitably be him that gets dropped.

[hercules]

I think it will be more likely that the Cb's will be rotated, I like the three of them and they all work well together. ATM i dunno if it should be changed as it is working, so Kos may have to remain patient. Jenkinson has looked better but again i put this down to Bould. This team looks very strong and have a good togetherness. I actually liked the fact that Gibbs had a go at Giroud, it shows he cares and is willing to take responsibility. Giroud is obv feeling under pressure but his movement off the ball is pretty good and we haven't exactly been creating alot for him. The team is much more rounded now so i think the goals will be shared out alot more.

[Gotters]

I thought a few players who have had stick came very good yesterday, Mertesacker really read the game well and showcased the qualities he does possess (granted liverpool played in front of him and didn't have the pace to turn and stress him).

I've always said to my son that Diaby is an unfit Viera in waiting, just hope like the rest he can stay fit and actually prove to us all whether he is or not. I've also placed similar faith in Gervinho who I still believe with come good out wide cutting in.

I think Jenkinson is great, he's so wholehearted and you can see he's a fan of the club, I'd rather see somebody like him learning the game for us than simply pay a fortune for foreign mercenary tat like Maicon.

I hold my hands up to getting Arteta wrong, I didn't want him and took me most of last season to admit he's not just a good un but brilliant, stats zone is pretty revealing on him and I am really impressed how he's settled into the holder role and how disciplined he stays in a position that isn't natural to him. It was always too easy for teams to get onto our back 4 last year, he's making it a little more difficult.

Finally Giroud, he looks a horrible player to me, I haven't seen him in France but from the first moment in pre season I saw him for us he looked a poor player to me, no touch, not that quick and profligate. Early doors yes but I have little hope in him coming good, I just don't think he's good enough and suspect another Chamakh or Bendtner.

Brilliant day though and yes, you can see the man love in Wenger's eyes when talking about his new midget gem in midfield. Special mention for watch fans for Wenger's new lovely looking wristwatch, I'm calling a £12k IWC Portuguese Yacht Club, lovely looking thing.

[carlito]

Chill out mate.

That one did fly out a bit hot didn't it? Couldn't not bite at a surprise "Cunts like you" on Sunday night I'm afraid.

hey carlito, is this a new mental breakdown, or a continuation of the last one?

Great chat SeanR.

[humdrum]

I hold my hands up to getting Arteta wrong, I didn't want him and took me most of last season to admit he's not just a good un but brilliant, stats zone is pretty revealing on him and I am really impressed how he's settled into the holder role and how disciplined he stays in a position that isn't natural to him. It was always too easy for teams to get onto our back 4 last year, he's making it a little more difficult.

Finally Giroud, he looks a horrible player to me, I haven't seen him in France but from the first moment in pre season I saw him for us he looked a poor player to me, no touch, not that quick and profligate. Early doors yes but I have little hope in him coming good, I just don't think he's good enough and suspect another Chamakh or Bendtner.

Hopefully going on your track record with Arteta, by the end of the season Giroud will be top scoring in the league and you'll be in proper man crush territory

[Daley]

I fucking love clean sheets.

[The Fox]

Hopefully going on your track record with Arteta, by the end of the season Giroud will be top scoring in the league and you'll be in proper man crush territory

I think his movement looks good but yeah his touch does looks decidedly donkey-ish at the moment. I'm sure it'll come though because I was impressed in the couple of games I saw of him at Montpellier.

[Steve007]

I wondered where this thread went. I didn't realise we had a 'sport' folder!

Great win yesterday. After two disappointing draws it was a much needed and very well deserved 3 points.

Considering what other clubs have been shelling out on very ordinary players, Cazola look like the bargain of the summer and a great bit of business. Giroud just needs a bit of time. He looks a little rusty but he's getting himself in the right positions so surely the goals will come. It's just a shame after a great win like that we have a two week break which ruins the momentum.

[Daley]

Wright, Henry and Bergkamp (and some other Dutch geezer that moved to Manchester or something) all scored their first goal against Southampton.

Arsenal play Southampton next at home...

[Petrousgyre]

With the whole Diaby/Cazorla/Arteta love in there's not been nearly enough Podolski chat up in here. I thought he was excellent yesterday - he made and then finished the first goal (a great finish at the end of a lung-busting run too) then set up the second for Santi. Not only that he got himself back and defended really well throughout the game. He didn't start that well this season but if he keeps up the level of performance he had yesterday he's going to be a big player for us.

[mop]

Yeah, his tracking back and tackling had me mad hard throughout the game yesterday.

[Rev]

Yeah, on that front he's a world apart from Gervinho/Arshavin/Walcott. You can more or less taste the international experience he's got coming through.

[One Eye]

Those three famously having never played international football of course.

[Rev]

He's only 38 caps short of all 3 of them put together.

[Liamness]

I hold my hands up to getting Arteta wrong, I didn't want him and took me most of last season to admit he's not just a good un but brilliant, stats zone is pretty revealing on him and I am really impressed how he's settled into the holder role and how disciplined he stays in a position that isn't natural to him. It was always too easy for teams to get onto our back 4 last year, he's making it a little more difficult.

I thought Arteta was originally seen as a defensive player, before Everton converted him into an attacking midfielder? Which was probably because they already had good defensive players, and it was more important to use his creative talents. At Arsenal the opposite is true, so he's kind of just reverted to type really.

[One Eye]

Caps count for fuck all. International football is not the top level of the game. Podolski could of retired early, played for some footballing backwater or just been like Arteta and had several players ahead of him for his national team and it wouldn't have made any difference to his ability to track back better than Walcott, gervinho and Arshavin.

[SeanR]

[One Eye]

I thought Arteta was originally seen as a defensive player, before Everton converted him into an attacking midfielder? Which was probably because they already had good defensive players, and it was more important to use his creative talents. At Arsenal the opposite is true, so he's kind of just reverted to type really.

He's Pirlo/Modric esque isn't he, in that he can play (depending on the team) at the tip or base of the midfield comfortably.

[Daley]

He also has amazing hair.

[Rev]

Caps count for fuck all. International football is not the top level of the game. Podolski could of retired early, played for some footballing backwater or just been like Arteta and had several players ahead of him for his national team and it wouldn't have made any difference to his ability to track back better than Walcott, gervinho and Arshavin.

He didn't retire early. He doesn't play for a footballing backwater. He's stayed ahead of the rest of Germany for 8 years. That's an amazing achievement, by anyone's standards - especially for the 2012 tournament. A player that manages to do that is a player that's willing and determined to do his best in his team and coincidentally that's exactly the sort of player that tracks back and works hard.

Dismissing 101 German caps as inconsequential is a very strange position to take.

[Petrousgyre]

He also has amazing hair.

That's an important point, and it is a magnificent bouffant. I can't imagine how much that hair intimidates the opposition. How does Rooney with his half plucked chicken thing going on even look Arteta in the eye?

[Daley]

That's an important point, and it is a magnificent bouffant. I can't imagine how much that hair intimidates the opposition. How does Rooney with his half plucked chicken thing going on even look Arteta in the eye?

I saw someone on Twitter earlier refer to Arteta's hair as Lego hair, which seemed to hit the mark. I don't think it moves.

[KRP]

dude has got ABS as well

[Petrousgyre]

In his car?

[Daley]

Jesus, that hair.

[One Eye]

He didn't retire early. He doesn't play for a footballing backwater. He's stayed ahead of the rest of Germany for 8 years. That's an amazing achievement, by anyone's standards - especially for the 2012 tournament. A player that manages to do that is a player that's willing and determined to do his best in his team and coincidentally that's exactly the sort of player that tracks back and works hard.

Dismissing 101 German caps as inconsequential is a very strange position to take.

They're not inconsequential but those skills got him the caps, the caps didn't teach him the skills. Playing for England has not improved Walcott one jot. Suppose I just don't like the notion that international football is the peak of the game. It's nowhere near certainly the CL and most top leagues. Being 'international class' is meaningless you get some real dross players and teams even in tournaments and especially in qualification.

[Rev]

I know what you're saying - the odd situation that used to be really, really frequent of random kids getting 1 cap for Brazil just to push their value up. But when it's that many appearances for a team that takes it as seriously as Germany do (they're not going to field someone sub-standard) I think you need to have more than ability, it becomes something a bit deeper than that. Lots of players wouldn't have bounced back from the failed Bayern transfer as well. I just think it all adds up and affects how he approaches each game.

[One Eye]

I know what you're saying - the odd situation that used to be really, really frequent of random kids getting 1 cap for Brazil just to push their value up. But when it's that many appearances for a team that takes it as seriously as Germany do (they're not going to field someone sub-standard) I think you need to have more than ability, it becomes something a bit deeper than that. Lots of players wouldn't have bounced back from the failed Bayern transfer as well. I just think it all adds up and affects how he approaches each game.

Yea you can def use it as an indicator of his class, but you'd get more info just by watching him. Probably does give an insight into the resilience of his character which may have been called into question after Bayern. I think he'll do well for you especially as you seem to be defending deeper then looking to counter a bit more - he can be pleasingly direct.