So Leeds at home in the cup. Pretty happy with that tbh.

Squad we're taking to Greece:


Andrey Arshavin
Yossi Benayoun
Marouane Chamakh
Francis Coquelin
Johan Djourou
Craig Eastmond
Lukasz Fabianski
Emmanuel Frimpong
Vito Mannone
Ignasi Miquel
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Oguzhan Ozyakup
Ju Young Park
Tomas Rosicky
Andre Santos
Sebastien Squillaci
Thomas Vermaelen
Nico Yennaris

Thought we'd see a few more of the 'kids' in that squad.

Hope we'll see



We really need to get another LB in January to provide backup to Santos, I've all but given up hope on Gibbs, the guy is made of glass.

Play Arshavin in his preferred postion please Wenger, get some confidence into the guy, I dont think we have seen the last of him.



Also, anyone know how Bartley is going on his loan? I have big hopes for that lad.

Depends on what your expectations are... If you want to finish top 4 then yeah, we're nearly back on track but I'd want more from my team. After 7 years of noting I want us to return to the winners circle and from that perspective I think Arsenal still flatter to decieve at times. If you think about it even some of our best wins are often with an element of luck - and in the CL we've been very lucky (the wonder goal to draw v Dortmund in game 1 aside).

My assessment is based on my opinion that our defending is still well short of where it needs to be to be to be a legitimate contender - and the whole teams confidence comes from the stability at the back. Only Vermaelen would be a 7/10 or better across our back four... some (like Kos) have played some great games but still are not yet consistent enough to convince me that Arsenal could seriously push on in any of the reainitng three comps. Mertesacker has been a failure thus far - but perhaps its a little too early to tell. In the midfield the most consistent player has been Song, all of our attacking mids have been up and down... and finally when we need a goal and RvP isn't finding the net where will they come from... Gervinho, Walcott, Arshavin, Park, Chamakh...none of them will threaten some of the meanest defences across Europe the way other teams do. We're too reliant on our midfield having a great game or RvP scoring.

Don't get me wrong I'm breathing much better now than I was in September but the nervousness and consistency of performance is not yet fully back in the team. We play Man City in a couple of weeks - that's the big test we need to show where were at.

Arsenal have too long been optimists (the kids will be stars etc) - I'm a realist and we're not yet playing with full verve and confidence like the title winning Gunners of old.

Edited by quichefc: 6/12/2011 12:12:26 PM

I stopped reading at the bold. Just :lol:

I pretty much agree but I'd go like this.



Only change I would make would be maybe Park upfront, and maybe Rosicky into the midfield with Coquelin going to RB.

Fabianski, Djourou, Vermaelen, Squillaci, Santos, Frimpong, Coquelin, Benayoun, Arshavin, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Chamakh.

Subs: Mannone, Miquel, Yennaris, Eastmond, Ozyakup, Rosicky, Park

Well that was hopeless :lol:

Didn't really learn anything ground breaking. Mannone is hopeless, and a comedian it seems. Arshavin should leave the club as quickly as possible. Yossi is all class. Miquel is really settling into the first team.

Apart from that nothing really. Some horrible defensive mistakes from Squillaci. Horrible first half performance, no intensity, but that's to be expected really. 2nd half was a bit better and the introduction of Rosicky really changed the game I think, as well as Yossi coming into the middle and getting a lot more of the ball.

Seriously - would Koscielny get a game at Utd, City... or RM or Barca? Compared to the best of Europe we are still too weak at the back.

He'd get into the City side easily, and I'd have him in the United side as well, although no United fan will admit it. He also wouldn't be far away from Real or Barca.

You're argument was that he hasn't been consistent enough which is a load of shit. He has been consistently excellent all season and has easily been our best defender.

Edited by sydneycroatia58: 7/12/2011 09:32:23 AM

Where exactly would he fit into the United backline? Ahead of Vidic or Ferdinand? :lol:



Edited by sleel6: 7/12/2011 10:57:03 AM

I'd have him ahead of Ferdinand every day of the week. Same with City, I'd have him ahead of Lescott easily.

I'd have Agger ahead of both of Vidic too, but I'm not going to say he's a better defender because I'm clearly biased :lol:

Need to be watching more of the Arsenal mate, Kos has been our most consistent and strong defender. No complaints about his performances this season. I think he's become a fantastic player and fast becoming a favourite for me. A remarkable turn around for a self confessed Kos-hater.

Probably would get a game ahead of Lescott, Ferdinand (who has been diabolical this season) and yes, here it is I'm going to say it just to incur the wrath of United fans: Phil Jones. I'd pick Vermaelan over those three as well actually. But certainly not Mertesacker.


Didn't get to watch the game this morning but I've heard the score, doesn't really matter because we've topped the group anyway, how'd the young'ns go? Who was rubbish?

Basically to sum it all up.

Good: Ox in patches. Yossi was excellent in the 2nd half. Miquel was great when he came on and TV was his usual great self.

Bad: Squillaci. Arshavin, who as far as I'm concerned can just go and get lost in Siberia somewhere. Chamakh didn't play excellently but unlike Arshavin, Chamakh at least tries. There was a lot of criticism for Fabianski, which I thought was unfair. Nothing he could really do about the first goal and wasn't horrible. Vito on the other hand, dear god. If you haven't seen Olympiakos' 2nd I suggest you do. You'll find it very hard to laugh that much again this season :lol:

Apart from that everyone else was just meh really. You could tell they didn't really care.

Cheers mate, it's disappointing to hear about Arshavin. He has so much ability and could easily force himself into the Arsenal team if he just gave it a go.

Really leaning towards letting him go. Fabianski and Andre Santos were injured apparently, which may mean that Vito Mannone (who's only young in fairness) may be in goal if Chesney is unavailable for some reason. Andre Santos is a pressing concern. Vermaelan's gonna have to play left back and we'll see another back 4 of centre halves on the weekend.

Squillaci is always bad, Kos made him look good against City!

People were saying this morning that there's no way back for Arshavin or Chamakh. While I don't think there is anyway back for Arshavin anymore, I do still think there is for Chamakh. If a team comes in for Arshavin in January we should just let him.

Yeah I'd assume it would be a back 4 of Djourou-Kos-Per-TV on the weekend.

Dat 2nd goal :lol: :lol:

Quality entertainment :lol:

Titi and TA much deserved, only change I would make would be Frank McLintock instead of Chapman, only because he's already got a bust. Also think Cliff Bastin would've been a good shout.

This was interesting. Never happen, but interesting nonetheless.

Yeah he's a bit of an enigma with media sometimes, choosing his words carefully, never saying anything without a reason then he occasionally throws something out which you have to assume is meaningless (otherwise he'd have kept it to himself), but you cant help but wonder what he's playing it and if its part of some larger plan

Playing Santos and Vermaelen in that game was silly. Not sure why we did?

Oh when it comes to transfers I've learnt to take everything Arsene says with a grain of salt. He's a big wind up merchant when it comes to transfer stories and the media.

Always up for a little bit of Eboue.

[youtube]txdjuss2kfo#![/youtube]

2nd game in a row Eboue has scored for Gala after scoring the winner on the weekend.

Edited by sydneycroatia58: 8/12/2011 09:27:14 AM

Nice goal.

Vela out on loan
[youtube]d4DMAgbOCuw[/youtube]

Edited by Hinderz: 8/12/2011 11:14:11 AM

Decent goal. I am a bit disappointed it wasn't a chip though :P

In my mind every goal Vela scores is a chip :lol:

Edited by sydneycroatia58: 8/12/2011 12:01:23 PM

Apparently Bendtner said in an interview that he still could be recalled by us. So don't be surprised to see that happen once Chamakh is off to the ACN