Has been great. Our defence really is a class above recent times. Just need to work out our set pieces (defending and attacking) and we are a genuine top of the table contender.

Agree, Gibbs has been immense so far this season. More so in attack than in defence but his dramatic slide tackling is second to none.

The balance of him and Podolski on the left was perfect earlier in the season. Allowing Podolski to play as a shadow striker with Gibbs providing the width as our defence often turns into a back three.
I think Lucas has played a bit less centrally and has been quieter the last couple of games though.


As frustrating as Gervinho can be infront of goals, he keeps scoring and was definitely man of the match against Olympiakos.

Thought Olivier did well too. Annoying how people keep saying he's playing poorly and comparing him to Fernando Torres. He's always been playing well, just missing the goals.
I think he has 3 assists in his short time on the pitch?

Mannone, Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Ramsey, Arteta, Gervinho, Cazorla, Podolski, Giroud.

Subs: Martinez, Koscielny, Santos, Coquelin, Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Arshavin

Edited by sydneycroatia58: 7/10/2012 01:40:19 AM

1-1 ht giroud with his first league goal. good assist poldi

Was a well worked goal all around. Great pass by Giroud out to Poldi and then great cross and great work from Giroud to get into the box and on the end of it.

So happy with that performance last night. The team and kind of game we always struggle in so good to get the win. Apart from a few nervy moments I always felt like we would get the win in the end.

So good to see Giroud get his first goal and what a game he had. His best so far. A goal and an assist. Great cameo by Theo off the bench, what finish for his first goal and then set up Santi for the 3rd. Speaking of Santi, he just continues to amaze. What a fucking player. What I was really impressed with in this game was how little he got pushed off the ball, for a small bloke he can hold his own, but of course the highlight was his incredible goal. Podolski was solid once again, as was Gervinho I thought. The defence was decent enough, although a bit dissapointing to see Gibbo go off injured but going into the international break is probably the best time for it if it's not serious. Jenkinson was excellent once again, and until tonight I didn't realise just how quick he was when he outpaced Jarvis.

Was interesting to see us go 3 at the back towards the end, I seem to remember someone talking about Arsenal trying 3 at the back so was interesting to see it last night.

Was interesting when Arsene was talking about some of the decisions in the game that he didn't mention that Diame should've been sent off in the first half were it not for that useless fat prick Phil Dowd.

Was surprised at how well Ramsey-Arteta held the midfield together, Mikel at his usual best and Ramsey was top notch for me.

Podolski's workrate is just ridiculous, closed down into our own half many many times- successfully as well.

Giroud- Great game. Gets into great positions, and thoroughly deserved his goal.

Santi- Just fucking wow.

Gervinho- Why the fuck does he still get a game? Cant pass, cant cross, was never in the box and dribbled around in circles too many times.

Yepp, ridiculous decision. How it was not a yellow I'll never know.

A thoroughly professional performance.
Some general comments:
Good to see Giroud get a return that's four assists and two goals, very solid. I was a little worried at times, I felt that at some stages we didn't deal with balls in the box and Mannone was scary at times in that regard. Mertesacker was quality again, he had Andy Carroll in his pocket for the second half although he caused problems in the first.

Arteta was absolutely brilliant and has been for some time. On the midfield, I think we're finally beginning to see the form that Ramsey exhibited before Shawc*nt mullered him. He really did look good out there, his passes were crisp and his workrate top draw. Last season he seemed a bit ineffectual but now we're seeing him influence the game. He's an intelligent player.

Gervinho isn't a winger is he? I think he works best up front, preferably with someone else with him. Walcott however is a winger and his goalscoring ambitions can be satisfied out wide.

Other small notes, did anyone notice that we were man-to-man for some of the set pieces? Sometimes I question who we pick to mark whom but I do think that a bit of zonal and man-to-man is the way forward.

PS. Loved seeing the Arsenal in yellow away kits!

So pissed off I thought this game was tonight not last night :(
Didn't even record it.
Sounds like it was a great game with some huge positives. Hopefully that continues after the break.


Might have been me a few posts up :)

It was a very George Graham sort of three at the back. Big Mertesacker in the middle with Verm and Kos to the left and right respectively. It was a narrow three with two 'wing-backs', Santos and Jenkinson got up and down a lot but they still provided a lot of cover so at times it was more like 5 at the back.

I think this is Steve Bould's doing. Not a bad tactic to have in your locker, it certainly won a lot of difficult games in the old days. Arsenal are at their best when the philosophies of George Graham and Arsene Wenger acted together in Wenger's early days. Steve Bould seems to be bringing it back.

:lol: Pretty funny story from the Mirror about us going for Falcao in January.

Heard you'll be given around 35m in January...

Also walcott works much better through the centre! He's not a winger IMO!

Saw that, the beeb were reporting it on their gossip column.

Yeah had some quotes from PHW in there about how if Arsene wants to strengthen in January he can because of the good financial results. Don't quite know where they got the Falcao link from though :lol:

Looked pretty good last night as a winger.

Who cares? I'd take him in an instant!

That would be ridiculous.... [-o<

If theres any player in the world that we could have I think most Gunners including myself would choose Falcao.
By that very fact it means we have no chance. ](*,)

I'd take Fabregas... or Messi.

Think we are likely to use these apparent funds on a defensive midfielder tbh. Would love someone like Fellaini.

Fellaini isn't a defensive midfielder. If I had to pick a midfielder I would rather us go for someone like Cabaye.

Edited by sydneycroatia58: 7/10/2012 10:58:55 PM

Just watching the highlights from last night and still can't help but laugh at Theo's celebration for his goal. Starts out all calm and subdued and then all of a sudden turns around and just goes nuts and over to the away fans :lol:

Can't believe you can get booked for that, the fun is being sucked out of this game.

My favorite chant has to be "Is there a fire drill?"

Fuck embeds

Is there a fire drill? At shite fart lane

Edited by KenGooner_GCU: 8/10/2012 07:05:07 PM

Jack, Frimpong and Sagna all set to play for the U21's tonight against Reading.

Do the U21s play during the international break?

:lol: Arsene wasn't kidding when he said that with Santi you're not sure which is his stronger foot. Of the 41 goals Santi has scored in the top flight 24 have been with his right and 17 with his left.

Nope tonight's game against Reading is the last game for 2 weeks until the 22nd when they play Everton.

Also a huge congratulations to the Arsenal Ladies who won their 2nd WSL title, going the season undefeated after a 1-1 draw with Birmingham. They now have the cup final against Birmingham coming up this Wednesday.