Given the awesomeness of our first half display I have decided rate the two halves separately . Scores out of 10.
First Half:
Ospina. Didn’t touch the ball, hence a perfect performance. 11
Bellerin. A constant threat in attack and defended from the half way line. 11
Mustafi. Magnificent 11
Koscielny. Equally magnificent. 11
Montreal. See Bellerin. 11
Xhaka. A metronome of timing and accuracy. 11
Cazorla. Perhaps his best ever AFC performance. 11
Iwobi. The future is bright, the future is Iwobi. 11
Sanchez. Noe-stop energy allied to amazing balance allied to amazing spirit and talent. 11
Walcott. Never better. 11
Ozil. A magician on top form. 11
Second Half:
Not quite a good, so everyone deserves just the 10.
Except the subs who get a 9 for effort (a bit like getting a mark for correctly spelling your name on an exam paper).
Another wonderful evening to be a Gooner.
written by BR
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Excellent, thanks Raddy ……. Match report – 11
Once again it was a complete team performance (as demonstrated by the parity of the ratings 🙂 )
We can beat anybody when every player is playing at such a high level – the home game against PSG may well be to decide who tops the group, we hadn’t been at this level in the away fixture so that will be a good benchmark for our improvement.
The only thing I would have changed would have been to give Lucas 20 minutes as he really needs game time to build understanding and confidence.
Ole~
Surely theo was a 12 in the first half
Very impressive performance again last night. We will have much more difficult tests in future but there is no doubt we are playing very well at the moment. We play Burnley away followed by 4 home games, so this is an important period where we have a real chance to cement our position in the top 2 of the league and qualify early for the knockout stages of the CL. It will also give the team the opportunity to make the fans believe and get them fully behind the team for the tough games that are to come.
For the first time in a long time we have a real direction in our play and a clear game plan that we want to execute. We also dont look 1 injury away from complete meltdown (touchwood!). If last season was our best chance at winning something big because of other teams failures, then this season we have a chance because of what our own team is capable of. That’s exciting.
Good points FGG. I also think that by having a more mobile No.9 who interchanges with the wide strikers, we are now getting the ball forward much more quickly instead of constantly recycling play through the CB’s. The pace of Walcott, Bellerin and Alexis will be a problem to any defence.
Thanks for the ratings, BR, they’re bang on 🙂
So many good passes, so many good runs, such movement in that first half, it was a joy to watch.
The future is Iwobi. 🙂
Dangerous territory i know but i’m starting to feel optimistic, verging on enthusiastic, again. 🙂
I reckon Granit was nicking Taulant’s porridge when they were younger.
The last two games have shown us a very different Arsenal, they were the type of performances that make you sit back in awe of the abundance of skill augmented with speed. Both Chelsea’s and Basel’s defenses were run ragged by Iwobi, Walcott and Alexis.
I never want this bubble to burst, in this sort of form we look unbeatable. The only other teams that have exhibited the same level of skill are the various versions of Barcelona.
I hope that the “expert” Wenger “know it all’s” are chocking on their opinions.
Long may it last………………………
Well I guess that in order to stay on theme the Wenger “experts” will be complaining that we only took advantage of 2 of the multiple scoring chances…………………..
I agree Chas, I also thought Xhaka was the eldest
GN5
In fairness to the “experts”, it did take Arsene rather a long time to work out that Ollie was the problem.
In the nicest possible way, of course 🙂
Talking of diplomacy, anyone read the Danny Willet brother’s rant?
Eeeks.
Ok, here’s a gentle extract. Ryder Cup should be extra spicy if you like spicy things
Of American golf fans on the course he described them as “obnoxious dads, with their shiny teeth, Lego man hair, medicated ex-wives, and resentful children. Squeezed into their cargo shorts and boating shoes, they’ll bellow ‘get in the hole’ whilst high-fiving all the other members of the Dentists’ Big Game Hunt Society”
From now on, I demand Erik deploy this kind of thing in his PM’s 🙂
Eleven, eleven, I didn’t know the ratings went up that high 🙂
LB
You gave 10’s, and some here thought you were being harsh
Maybe they believed it was out of 20
Dunno 🙂
ps hope you’ve ironed out problems from earlier
Micky, in fairness to AW he lost Welbeck and tried Walcott before Alexis, you cannot create a striker overnight. But, as usual, I will always come to AW’s defense.
GN5
I thought you might 🙂
Tell you what, we’re inching ever closer to yet another Theo post.
This time, along the lines of, “Ah ha, this is why you signed da ting”
Micky, regardless of a few trophy-less seasons and AW being the “experts” village idiot he appears to finally have 52 cards in his deck.
But I have to ask – have you ever seen two better back to back performances?
Well, I can barely remember last week, so the chances are slim.
However, apart from winning the cl before I snuff it, I don’t care about trophies. Nice, but short term stuff. I like good, fast, attacking football with goals, so to answer your question, it doesn’t get better than the last few games.
Micky.
I simply never envisaged that Theo could be today’s Theo. I seriously believe that playing with and watching Alexis has made him realize just what it takes to become a “super star”.
If the striking team continue with this form they will be unstoppable.
In short, if we’re scoring two or three goals a game, we’ll win most games. However, I like and always have, Wenger the man, but I didn’t like what I saw with a succession of Bendtners, Chamakhs and Girouds. Not just the quality, but the style of player.
The way things are right now, Arsene can stay forever.
It’s the football, and I love it.
“I seriously believe that playing with and watching Alexis has made him realize just what it takes to become a “super star”.”
There is very little doubt if any at all in my mind that this is the case.
LB, let’s hope it’s contagious and the rest of the squad read and learn from his playbook.
It seems ages until Sunday afternoon
GN5
In my mind I was compiling a little list of why I think Theo has changed so much
Competition
Sanchez
Missing out on England
No dream move as a striker
A serious chat from Arsene
I was wondering what ratings would be given to players. 11 for all is too high, it was only Basel we were playing and they were shit. Except for the goalie none of their players deserves a mention.
we played exceptionally well against Basel and Chavs now. Can we do it against the next worthy opponent, ie red manc in November? We have 6 weeks to practice on minnows, so hopefully we will smashed them ba**ds to pieces, there jose here is the payback. Yeah, I’d love that
micky – you is a fickle as me 🙂 yep, Wenger can stay
But before he signs the new contract I want to know what happened this season? Why are we playing so well now? Apart from Mustafi, Iwobi and Xhaka it is the same team that put time after time an average performance last season and was often lucky to scrape 1 nil. What is the secret??
Micky – you forgot one –
a good kick up his arsenal.
Eddie,
I believe that the secret is 1) the newly found desire and
2) competition for places that was previously missing.
GN5
That was the “serious chat” with Arsene 🙂
Oh, and, maybe Jack getting the heeve ho
Eddie
I am not fickle at all. Very consistent with my inconsistencies thank you very much 🙂
I only said I’d “Arsene Out” and “storm the box” if he persisted in starting Ollie
The threat remains high and real 🙂
one way or another I am glad DidIt sorted it all out and we can enjoy style of play we expect from the top club.
Jack being sent on loan was a stern warning for Theo and Ox, I’d say. No more fecking about, this is a multi million pound business and if you are not up to it – good bye.
Ollie has been retired, me thinks. Pity, I grew to like him. But no place for sentiments of that sort at the Ems. We have the league to win this season.
you all know how I feel about dogs. Today I heard on the radio that a man let his 3 dogs cooked to death in 40degrees temperatures in his car while he went to a gym. I was so upset I became quite ill, those dogs probably adored that bastard. He escaped jail, how is that possible??!!
I like your thinking Eddie
When I said “Jack getting the heeve ho”, I do think it was a loud and clear message.
You can be gunner blood, and very talented, but if your atty stinks, it’s see ya later
why pay a useless player say £50k+ a week? Most people in this country earn less than that a year
How do you get rid of a player that is useless though? Can a club force transfer? sitting him on a bench is not an answer as you are still paying his wages.
Make him wear a snowman outfit during training
Entry Level Humiliation.
Walcott is typical of the Wenger modern era. He’s a player who has lost 2 years due to an ACL injury and a mental battle over his best position, but luckily for him he has a manager who gives a s**t about more than just the performance a player puts in at the weekend. Wenger is often criticised for holding on to players too long and putting too much faith in them, and when it doesn’t come off it can be very frustrating. With Walcott though, we are seeing a player who knows he owes a lot to his managers patience and trust, and we are seeing a player who looks ready to repay his debt.
Think Ox should have gone on loan in stead of Joel
FGG
Great point. The Theo conscience. Nice work
Fred
I was surprised when Joel went as well
fattie!!!! don’t you bother reading any comments??
you were told very specifically to keep your observations to yourself, collect a few and publish a post!
they are too goo to drop them randomly on often absent audience
Eddie
I have an idea for a post. From you
Ten points. Title…
“Eddie says: What makes a Great Arsenal Manager”
I put it a tad more sensitively. lol
Actually I think Wenger walked into training one morning with a handful of Bournemouth estate agent brochures, handing them to Theo he said — your choice.
micky 🙂
LB 🙂
Eddie off to bed smiling broadly, rare, very rare occurance
thank you
LB – did you notice I told fattie to publish his comments in a post, just as you suggested ?
It made me laugh, I wrote my 8.37 after reading your comment.
Dear God, I never thanked Erik for bothering
Thank you Erik for bothering
’tilldawn
gnite
I only read yours Eddie. 😉
Surely an Eddie swingometer would be better than the GiE one. Last time I was on the blog Perez was shite, Wenger was useless, and Theo was Stepanovs. Now it’s Perez is ok, Wenger is ok, and Theo is Ljungberg! What’s happened!? 😂
Morning All,
chas. I wouldn’t have you as a Telegraph reader
Erik
I would have you as a Guardian reader 🙄
BR
I’m not, unless they have an interesting article, of course.
One of the advantages of twitter is that others post stuff they think is worth reading and you can sift through it easily.
The only news feeds I follow are the BBC and the Guardian. 😆
What we need is a post of a footbally technical nature
(Im not saying I’m remotely interested in that crap, or even more commenters 🙂 , but rather the common good and shit 🙂 )
Micky looks at the Mail, the Express, the Financial Times and Sea Lion weekly.
Maybe TA could write a guest post.
His were always excellent.
Looks at 🙂
I’m watching a Netflix series called Bloodline at the moment.
There was a scene about filleting a fish in the last episode.
I’d forgotten the Americans say ‘fillaying’ instead of using a hard ‘t’.
Yet another reason to beat them in the Ryder Cup. 🙂
I’m always quite surprised The Express still exists
I get who reads the others, but no idea what reads that one
“what” made me laugh.
ha ha ha
Bloody cargo short wearing boating shoers
BR excellent write-up and ratings.
Chas the Telegraph article was an interesting read.
We are very fortunate to have such a manager. He embodies my son’s school motto “man for others”.
And the games are amazing, long may it continue…
Cheers, VP.
I realise I post a lot of trivial nonsense on here, but occasionally something worthwhile turns up. 🙂
“Man for others”
Bloody well hope that’s an all boys school, or the unshaven women will be up in arms
Fattie – I am a woman and it is my prerogative to change my mind, often 🙂 However, I did say that it is too early to fall in love with Wenger again. We had great results of late, 2 superb performances against shite teams. I would like to see this team going through the season playing like we did on Saturday. Wednesday was great too, but too many shots didn’t meet the target, that was wasteful.
I am much happier now when it comes to football, but the jury is still out.
Looks at 😀
Micky. Am I so obvious? You are correct – Grauniad and BBC for me.
chas. What a brilliant film that was. I would be one of the ditherers
On the contrary, I’d put you as Henry Fonda to Eddie’s Lee J. Cobb. 😆
hahahahahahahahaha
lovely:
Southampton assistant manager Eric Black gave undercover reporters advice on how to bribe officials at other clubs, the Daily Telegraph has claimed.
chas. Probably true, I can be stubborn (according to Mrs R)
Shall I pen a quickie for today?
Anyone around to push buttons?
I’m just going to swim but I can sort it after if no-one else has. Thanks micky
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