Arsenal

[Petrousgyre]

...or fill in when RVP shatters one of his glass ankles again.

[Lucas]

As much as I admire RvP terrific ability and spiteful streak, can we really expect to him to manage a full season given his injury record?

Perhaps Chamakh is a long term RvP replacement?

[Lucky]

maybe?

Arshavin----------RVP

----------Chamakh

[SeanR]

maybe?

Arshavin----------RVP

----------Chamakh

with theo in midfield?

or is he going to be sold?

3-1-3-3

RB CB LB

SWEEPER

RMF CMF LMF

RVP CH ARSH

eboue as the sweeper

Cesc in the middle, with theo and diaby(?)

sagna (the good version) at RB

BUILD THE TEAM AROUND EBOUE AND THEY WILL COME.

What I mean is, if he continues to give his all at the back, BUT can rely on cesc to "take the ball upfield" then he can rest easy, you know?

[cale]

Perhaps. Although personally I'd prefer Nasri to play ahead of Arshavin, certainly unless the latter pulls his finger out before too long.

I'm interested to know how Chamakh is currently deployed for Bordeaux. I'm loathe to see yet another player played in an unfamiliar role like we've seen many times before. Or more accurately one who is older than a player who can reasonably benefit from being played out of position for educational reasons.

[SeanR]

they can get 7/8 back behind the ball quickly

the counter-attack is still an option

the overlaps still there

that's what I'm saying. it's like a 4-3-3 and its like a 3-5-2

at the same time.

[The Fox]

I'm interested to know how Chamakh is currently deployed for Bordeaux. I'm loathe to see yet another player played in an unfamiliar role like we've seen many times before. Or more accurately one who is older than a player who can reasonably benefit from being played out of position for educational reasons.

He's a centre forward target man who is good in the air and excellent at holding the ball up.

[wev]

The addition of Chamakh means we have strength in depth in attacking positions. With RVP, Chamakh, Bendtner, Eduardo and possibly even Walcott if he ever gets put up front, we at least have options there. However its at the other end of the pitch that we need to make additions now.

[SeanR]

Perhaps. Although personally I'd prefer Nasri to play ahead of Arshavin, certainly unless the latter pulls his finger out before too long.

I'm interested to know how Chamakh is currently deployed for Bordeaux. I'm loathe to see yet another player played in an unfamiliar role like we've seen many times before. Or more accurately one who is older than a player who can reasonably benefit from being played out of position for educational reasons.

what you want is a system where you have 2 or 3 squad players per "position" who can drop in or out and bring the same work rate, without unbalancing the team. Not to the point where they don't bring an individual flair, or higher quality "football brain" obv.

for example, there's no point theo running up the wing when there's no-one to cross to.

but he if "knew" that RVP or nasri or bendtner or whoever WILL be in the right place, because they all WANT to be there, at the right time...

[The Fox]

Speculating on formations and so on is probably a bit pointless at this point, as we don't know what other personnel is coming in.

[wev]

Bendtner & Denilson (both groin), Djourou & Song (both knee), Fabregas & Ramsey (both broken leg), Gallas & Vermaelen (both calf), Rosicky (ankle)

Denilson, Song, Fabregas and Rosicky missing from midfield...

Gallas and Vermaelen in defence and Bendtner up front, thats 7 of our regular players unavailable for Sunday, what a way to end the season.

[SeanR]

Speculating on formations and so on is probably a bit pointless at this point, as we don't know what other personnel is coming in.

I just meant that if the players were all in, you still need to find a way to play them all, together, in the right system.

[mop]

So, the season's about to come to a close and we still have something to play. Not the league title but third. More importantly, to stop Spurs finishing in 3rd and ahead of us. Jesus...

It's been a fairly intresting season. I remember that nike video I posted in here at the start of the season and that got me mad excited and optimistic about the upcoming league campain. Then we hopped the fuck off Everton 6 - 1. I remember watching that game with my Everton friend. God, it were bliss watching him throw up a little bit each time we scored. And we were scoring from set pieces which drove me wild, I thought it was the best news ever for some reason.

Vermaelen was looking awesome in his first game, even going so far as to score, the little legend.

The seaon seemed to keep getting better and we were looking good for putting up a proper challange for the title. Then, shit slowly went wrong...maybe not went wrong, more what was wrong with the team became more and more apparent. What was that? As a few of the blogs are saying this morning, our fucking defensive frailties.

That's all, in my opinion is wrong with this team. Fix that, properly, with a new goal keeper and a centre back or two I think we might have a better season come august.

The teams current lack of effort that we've seen in the past few games had better be gone today. I what to see us fucking rip Fulham to fucking little bloody raped shreds today. Also, seeing as I'm hungover to fuck today I will not be able to handle the unthinkable...oh god, the though, it makes me fucking shudder.

COME ON YOU FUKING GUNNERSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111one

[Shoes]

We're playing some gorgeous stuff. We've arrived at last! No need for any big-spending, guys. The loss of Silvestre will be like a new signing anyway.

[toythatkills]

I'm not ruling out losing 4-3!

[carlito]

Lansbury looks to have matured quite a bit, he's quite a big lad now isn't he?

[Mars]

Lovely finish.

[Shoes]

Carlos Vela, king of the chips. I'm glad he scored.

[toythatkills]

Carlos Vela, king of the chips. I'm glad he scored.

Nice to see him finally do something, it only took all season.

More lols from Fabianski earlier too

[BlinkyBear]

Nice to see him finally do something, it only took all season.

More lols from Fabianski earlier too

Don't watch it but had a good lol at Mark Bright's twitter updates-fans chanting for Flappyhandski to be sent off for his handball.

[Art Vandelay]

Wenger's quotes after the game yesterday were pretty worrying. 'What the fans want is unlikely' with regards to signings. Don't like sound of that noise one bit. Gallas replaced and the striker I can't spell in and that's it I reckon. Eduardo out on loan and Silvestre put out to pasture.

[toythatkills]

I can't imagine Eduardo going anywhere on loan, it's selling him or nothing. Wenger's most worrying quotes were re: Fabianski.

I believe you want the fans to be positive but you feel there is enough quality there to be exceptional keeper and he responded well and had a quality game. It is not easy to play at such a young age under such pressure. In the last three weeks he is already a different player to three weeks ago. There is a massive talent there.

So, number 1 next season?

Also, Arsenal can't possibly be after SWP, can they?

[Mars]

Guys, it's ok - qualifying for the Champion's League is the second biggest trophy in England!

[cale]

Well, that's that. A season which promised so much at times has seen us finish where, if we're honest, we deserve to be and no higher - we are the third best team in the league right now. Injuries played their part, sure but I believe that post-the home and away defeats to Chelsea and United it would've been a bit off for us to have won the league anyway - it was more down to their inability to leave us in the dust that kept it interesting, more than anything else. A bit of naivety when in winning positions, individual errors and inconsistency in our approach to games are what cost us. I don't want to get started on the games where we didn't show any fight (mainly at the back end of the season, post-Birmingham) as that's completely unacceptable, not to mention disrespectful.

It wasn't all bad news. There were plenty of highlights too but it's hard to see them right now when you think what might've been.

I don't think we're far away from being genuine contenders but unless something happens in regards to our mentality against top opposition (partially linked to the right kind of new acquisitions) then this is where we'll be staying, sadly.

[The Fox]

Well I guess we'll have a better idea by the time the World Cup starts, seeing as I think Wenger said he wanted to get any deals tied up by then.

Looking forward to another season of rubbish keepers, makeshift geriatric back lines, and Diaby and Denilson being key components of our midfield!

[wev]

Wenger's quotes after the game yesterday were pretty worrying. 'What the fans want is unlikely' with regards to signings. Don't like sound of that noise one bit. Gallas replaced and the striker I can't spell in and that's it I reckon. Eduardo out on loan and Silvestre put out to pasture.

I think its more to do with the fact that some fans are constantly linking us with Melo, Villa and other big names.

[The Fox]

To be fair Melo has had a shocker at Juve and they might be willing to sell him. The problem is that they paid way too much for him in the first place and they'd want to recoup most of that, which would still make him too expensive for us surely.

[wev]

Thats what I've been hearing from more sensible fans. Its just not Wengers way to go for someone high profile really.

[Art Vandelay]

I think most fans would be happy with a few sensible signings and there's very few who expect nothing less than blockbuster, bankrupting names. It's obvious he has some do-re-me so he may as well blow it now because if he doesn't compete again he probably won't be given another chance.

[The Fox]

You'd think Wenger might realise that, while most sensible fans see regular CL qualification as a fine achievement given the constraints of the last few seasons, they're not going to be of the opinion that it constitutes actually winning something worthwhile.

Describing it as "the second-biggest trophy in England" is all well and good, because let's be honest, we'd surely rather take fourth place in the league than fifth and the FA Cup. But it doesn't matter all that much when everyone wants the first-biggest prize, and that's what you've been promising to people.