Let's start with today's game because we did get a positive result and it was an important win for us from a psychological stand point. I am enjoying this victory because we had a bunch of players rested and we pulled off a great result. But i can't close my eyes to the fact that with a little bit more composure in front of goal, Liverpool could have put up a similar scoreline to the one they beat us at Anfield with. Sturridge should have scored twice in the first 15 minutes and this game would have had a completely different outcome. We did press well and we were moving the ball nicely in the first half, so the goal we got was somewhat deserved. What troubles me though, is how many times our defense got opened up so easily throughout the match! And the pattern was always the same: long ball from Gerrard or Coutinho and our high defensive line is easily beaten - allowing 1 on 1 opportunities for their forwards. Luckily for us both Sturridge and Suarez could not find the goal today and Fabianski had the game of his life. I repeat, Fabianski had a solid game! That happens to him on average: once in every 40 games. But the reality is that teams that are on their game, will punish us big time if we allow opportunities like that. I hope Wenger realizes that and i think he does, he just doesn't know what to do about it!
There was a 100% second penalty against Suarez and if he hadn't done the worm dance after he got fouled maybe they would have given it to him. He overreacted so much, that i guess Webb was like "after this theatrical shit, i can't give you a penalty dude, that's just embarrassing". Oxlade was our best player today, he is very positive with his runs and he is not afraid to shoot. We just need him to stay healthy! I also can't believe Wenger took him out in the 76th minute, if anybody should have been taken out, it should have been Sanogo who had not played a competitive match in 5 months. Instead he played 87 minutes - another "genius" decision from the Professor. Sanogo seems an interesting prospect, he didn't impress me with his first touch or his dribbling, but he has good size and a big stride, i need to see him play more to get a better impression. Podolski keeps proving that he needs to be playing more regularly, except for the stupid penalty he gave away, he had a solid game and scored a great goal. He is always a threat and he should be starting on the left almost every game. I still don't think Arteta and Flamini should be playing at the same time even though today they did OK.
There was a 100% second penalty against Suarez and if he hadn't done the worm dance after he got fouled maybe they would have given it to him. He overreacted so much, that i guess Webb was like "after this theatrical shit, i can't give you a penalty dude, that's just embarrassing". Oxlade was our best player today, he is very positive with his runs and he is not afraid to shoot. We just need him to stay healthy! I also can't believe Wenger took him out in the 76th minute, if anybody should have been taken out, it should have been Sanogo who had not played a competitive match in 5 months. Instead he played 87 minutes - another "genius" decision from the Professor. Sanogo seems an interesting prospect, he didn't impress me with his first touch or his dribbling, but he has good size and a big stride, i need to see him play more to get a better impression. Podolski keeps proving that he needs to be playing more regularly, except for the stupid penalty he gave away, he had a solid game and scored a great goal. He is always a threat and he should be starting on the left almost every game. I still don't think Arteta and Flamini should be playing at the same time even though today they did OK.
Ozil had finally woken up against Man Utd, but today he was back to being mediocre. He did give a great pass to Oxlade who set up Podolski for the second goal, but i expect much more from him and the game against Man U was a step in the right direction, but he needs to keep his level up every game. So, good win for us today but very troubling signs defensively and i don't think we will get so lucky the next time a team has so many chances against us.
ARSENAL vs MANCHESTER UTD 0-0
I thought we responded very well after the defeat to Liverpool, the team was playing with great hustle and desire, but if i can sum up the Man U game with one word, the word i would use is ineffective. We were pressing up the pitch like crazy and everyone was hustling but we weren't organized enough while doing that! We had 2,3 players pressing the same guy with the ball, instead of covering the players they were responsible for. So we would expand a lot of energy with very little end product. We still controlled the game though, but real chances were tough to come by and when they did, we wasted them with ease. I felt, that was one of the weakest Man Utd teams we have faced in the last few years, not so much the players they had on the pitch, but the confidence they played with - they were ours for the taking and we just didn't have enough quality at the final third to take advantage of that. 0-0 was a fair result in the end, considering "the traitor" Van Persie would have scored in the 2nd minute, had he not slipped before he kicked the ball. And then Szczesny denied him with a great save in the second half. I also feel that Ferdinand coming in for Rafael was bad for us, because him and Vidic as a pair, are one of the best central defending pairings in the EPL (no clue why Moyes doesn't start them every game). Ozil finally had a good game, he was fighting for the ball and was taking people on trying to shoot or pass. That's the player he should be in every game. Unfortunately for us, he rarely shows that much desire or fight game after game. Because of the Chelsea stumble at West Brom, we are only one point away from them, but i really feel that defending the way we do (allowing too many chances for opposing teams), we will really need A LOT of luck to win the title. The only plus for us is that there are so many good teams fighting for the top spot that we will have a chance no matter what.
The last thing i want to mention is the team i think Wenger should be playing on regular basis: Szczesny at goal. Sagna, Mertesacker (rotated with Vermaelen against speedy teams), Koscielny, Gibbs. Monreal can rotate with Gibbs when needed, but Gibbs should be the starter. Arteta OR Flamini as defending midfielder, NOT both at the same time. In front of him Ozil and Cazorla as central midfielders with Podolski on the left, Oxlade on the right and Giroud in the middle. Wilshere and Rosicky can be rotated with either Ozil or Cazorla, Gnarby can be rotated with Oxlade and Sanogo with Giroud. The bottom line is that we have a lot of quality but we need to put our players at the right spots for them. Playing Cazorla on the left and Podolski on the bench is not ideal for either player, yet Wenger continues to do it all the time.
We have a big game against Bayern on Tuesday and if Wenger has any brain left, he should make sure we don't go forward like morons, instead be patient and defend well. We can't go back to Munich with a bad result like last year, even 0-0 will be a good result because we are capable of scoring anywhere. But if we go out and try to attack non stop, i am pretty sure our shaky back line will be punished badly. C'mon You Gunners!
The last thing i want to mention is the team i think Wenger should be playing on regular basis: Szczesny at goal. Sagna, Mertesacker (rotated with Vermaelen against speedy teams), Koscielny, Gibbs. Monreal can rotate with Gibbs when needed, but Gibbs should be the starter. Arteta OR Flamini as defending midfielder, NOT both at the same time. In front of him Ozil and Cazorla as central midfielders with Podolski on the left, Oxlade on the right and Giroud in the middle. Wilshere and Rosicky can be rotated with either Ozil or Cazorla, Gnarby can be rotated with Oxlade and Sanogo with Giroud. The bottom line is that we have a lot of quality but we need to put our players at the right spots for them. Playing Cazorla on the left and Podolski on the bench is not ideal for either player, yet Wenger continues to do it all the time.
We have a big game against Bayern on Tuesday and if Wenger has any brain left, he should make sure we don't go forward like morons, instead be patient and defend well. We can't go back to Munich with a bad result like last year, even 0-0 will be a good result because we are capable of scoring anywhere. But if we go out and try to attack non stop, i am pretty sure our shaky back line will be punished badly. C'mon You Gunners!
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