Succinct PM :
Up against it against a better organised and balanced side.
Arsene, play your best balanced and strongest 11 not just put your 11 best individual (or most favourite) players out there.
Play a proper HM to protect the back 4 not an attackingy type CM in this position…..and not 2 of them to make up for this as it wastes a valuable player elsewhere in the line up.
Get some width in the team and / or instruct certain players to give us that width at the right times. Tell them when this is most important.
Get more support to the striker so he is not isolated with 2 CD’s on him.
Go win game.
Cheers, simples.
GoonerB
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
FIRST !
Cheers, GoonerB.
Nice tactical suggestions for the boss.
Football is basically an exceedingly simple game complicated by over-qualified orangutans.
Haha, I never expected you to use it Chas. It was expected to be a bit tongue in cheek.
That’s a bit harsh Chas, your description of AW. I would never take it that far 🙂
Warning, look away those of a nervous disposition (and not wanting to contract narcolepsy), over-qualified orangutan analysis incoming shortly 🙂
GoonerB
I wasn’t going to use it but when Micky professed his thanks, it seemed the logical thing to do.
(especially as his crypto skype call had overrun by 45 minutes 🙂 )
How many ‘comments’ can we post before GoonerB finishes typing up his ‘analysis’?
Yeah well, we need lefties cutting in from the right and righties cutting in from the left, plus a big ‘un through the middle, just for Micky.
Just play people in their preferred positions.
Two centrebacks, six number 10s and three wingers in plimsolls.
I think with City it is easy to just play extra midfielders in an attempt to contain their attacking prowess but I believe it just invites Guardiolas teams onto you more and pretty soon it is almost 90 minutes of 1 way traffic. You will probably lose then anyway but with the added negative that you submitted to them without ever trying to really win the game.
I feel we need to look at how we can get forwards and hurt them and mount periods of attacking pressure on them ourselves while not over-exposing ourselves too much. We have to be brave but not foolhardy.
Micky asked who would be the HM. The ideal solution is probably a new recruit and we don’t really have the ideal solution in our ranks but the next best option is to actually play a defensive player in front of the back 4. With Monreal injured I would make that 1 more defensive decision and place Chambers there, but with instructions to hold and protect that area and not to drop into a back 3 position too much.
Jack goes into CM as his main partner due to his defensive work but also ability to control the central midfield area both in deeper and more advanced positions.
Then a 3 of Welbeck, Miki and Ozil behind Aube. Welbeck for me looks better at wide left than as a striker or support striker so he would be instructed to provide a more specific role and give us that width to expose the space behind Walker as one of our first go to options on counter-attacks.
Mesut and Miki get more licence to roam but with Mesut asked at times to give us width on the right (as he has often done for Germany) and Miki to ensure he gets in support of Aube more frequently.
Team orangutan set up and ready to go.
No shoehorning and coach the flippin defence properly.
Bingo GB
Right up my street that post. Thank you. Saved me bullshitting 🙂
Just to clear something up, I never called Arsene an orangutan, I said an orangutan could do the job of a football manager and I genuinely believe that
..Chambers Wilshere
Micki Mesut Welbz
………Auba
WOW
Micky
It was GoonerB who called AW an orangutan at 10:22.
Oh gosh, another game of football ……… really???? Thank you GB for your thoughts and no mention of money 🙂
Whoever plays, I just them to want to play for each other, for the team and for their own self respect. Is that really too much to ask, they’re bloody footballers after all. Even my baby spuds reckon they’re just not trying hard enough ……….. imagine having to put up with that every night!!!!!!! I know, my fault for taking them in.
Anyway I hope they find an orange ball to play with because that yellow one used last night was too difficult to follow in the snow.
The game should never have been scheduled for tonight in the first place, both teams have the next FA cup weekend free so it should have been tucked in then.
My two penneth.
I’ve had some of the best laughs reading through the last few posts.
Chas’s first comment/vid on the previous post was brilliant.
Micky response to No good post
And again Chas with the above 10:46
Great stuff
in amongst it all, I agree with the 10 point comment recommending ZZ for our next coach. With any other I have doubts but I’m all in for ZZ
Let us look at our best players:
Ramsey Wilshere
Ozil Mikhy
Auba
Wilshere and Mikhy can handle the defensive workload but the rest is neither keen nor capable over 90 mins
What does that mean? We need to change our set-up to give them the space to perform. In a nutshell, we have to play 4-2-3-1 and Ramsey, Ozil and Mihky change positions in the front 3 midfielders during the game
We also need to get a sold HM that can get the ball back and move it fast rhough passing or running a bit like Kante
GK – Bello, CB, CB, LB – HM, Wilshere – Rambo, Ozil, Mhiky – Auba
If we get a strong LB and HM – we should be ok
Brilliant GB … you’ve got the job.
As chas says, football is a simple game … all you need is 11 blokes .. preferably in possession of some bollox 🙂
I don’t expect the game to be played, but when it does I expect a far better performance than on Sunday. All this stuff about that performance being the best we can expect for the money can then be dismissed.
We’ve seen similar Arsenal 11s put on really good displays … nowhere near often enough, but we know they can do it.
As peaches says, if they don’t want to play for the manager … for the shirt … then FFS play for their own self respect.
Those last few minutes on Sunday when Ospina and the centre backs couldn’t get the ball forward were the most embarrassing … and it was because no one wanted the ball … that can’t happen again.
I’d give M-N a go at DM … but I know Arsene doesn’t see the need for one.
Thank you GoonerB. 🙂
COYG. I agree with Chas description. 🙂
Sorry, knot ear, snowed under. But here goes:
Our back up team then is
GK – RB, Mustafi, Holding, Koli – Xhaka, HM, El Neny – MN, Iwobi, Wellbeck – Laca
Our best DM is actually Monreal but no one wants to test him there
Rasp, I would also give AMN the HM role but it doesn’t seem to be forthcoming so I went for an alternative option.
RC, you are right in your list of our best players in your 11.13 but I am struggling to see how to include them all and have sacrificed Ramsey from your list to get more balance.
Many, I know, would include him at another players expense (likely Jack) but I sometimes feel Ramsey can be a bit of a luxury player in the tougher games, and if he is not getting into goal-scoring positions enough, other players are more suited.
In CM I feel Jack brings greater control of possession than Ramsey against the better opposition, and will be a better support midfielder to any HM and the defence both in helping out defensively and as an option to receive the ball and bring us forwards.
Welbeck isn’t as good as Ramsey on a one to one basis but can give us pace and width in a wide area that Ramsey can’t, which we have been sorely lacking with play going too central and narrow.
Although Ramsey can score goals at times Miki still looks the more natural 2nd striker with better pace and understanding of how to support Aube in attack.
Ozil has to play as our main creator, so the likes of Ramsey, Xhaka and Elneny are riding the pine so that we can have a more balanced looking side in both defence and attack.
Could all be large orange monkey bollix though 🙂
Chas, haven’t you and Ant started the road trip yet?
oh dear, things are getting from bad to worse. Spring has regressed, the team is in decline, no managerial changes announced at 10:30 and most AAers are frozen. Dismal state of affairs indeed. I am not even going to mention Barnier and The Sun wanted him sacked.
I don’t want to watch the game, I am too old to have my nervous system battered twice in a week, have to protect me.
Is there any reality show on the telly tonight?
Game still on it seems. Isn’t it snowing London way?
I cannot wait to see another Everton style performance and by style I mean the Mesut, Mikki, Auba threesome
I read the first sentence of that very nice Post, and knew without seeing the author was the
‘orribleequally nice GB — mucho gratias. 😀Incidentally I was very taken with the expression ‘an analysis by over-qualified oranges’ — we could squeeze a lot out of them.
Ahhh The American, what a pleasant surprise. How are we?
To pre-empt a polite one, I’m rapidly getting snowed in, thank you
If Chas is en route to the Emirates with Ant, he is a better man than me, as I had an offer for a ticket for the game, but trains out of Manchester are a touch unreliable today, and getting back tonight is pretty much impossible – so I had to pass.
Speaking of which, it was the the easy going banter of the drinking duo that drew me back today!
I have been short-changed! (I will have to resort to winding up the wormer instead!!)
Easy going banter eh?
More like a rather over casual, laissez-faire attitude towards anything remotely serious
Although, like you it appears, to be admired
Hi ya Micky,
I am well thank you, sir, and I trust you are too. 😀
Snowed in? It will get worserererer in your neck of the woods tomorrow — and it has been snowing a lot here in Mancunia too.
So I thought a swift call to Wichita would put things into perspective, as snow there is the real deal!! Oddly enough, it is wall to wall sun there, and the temp is on its way to 20C by Sunday. Doh!!
My pals in London tell me there is little reason for calling off the match as it is grey, cold and windy in the capital, so perhaps an AAer could confirm that — my reservation is the Health and Safety tarts will find a reason – you know – the wrong type of snow; too cold to sit in the stands without a cardie; happy snowy faces sitting near miserable, moany types could result in health issues – black eyes -and the like. 🙂
Agree about the Health and Safety brigade. I took one glance at that terrifyingly slippery looking bridge Chas published earlier and thought ‘that’s that then’
Where in the States is Wichita apart from La Residence of your pony 🙂
Got it. Bang in the midde
Yup, Micky,
Wichita is a city in Kansas — but just think cowboys and Indians with John Wayne moving the cows along the Chisholm trail in many movies – and having difficulties with the plains Indians!! 😀
Most folks I know work in the aircraft industry – as for Hieronymus – sadly he is no longer with us. 😦
Sorry to hear about H.
Do they have the pointy rocks/mountains and cactuses?
Right, now to try and find the glow sticks for a scaaaary snowman
Micky,
Where I lived is close to the Arkansas river, and if you imagine rolling plains (basically flat) with the dips and rises you see in cowboy films (no joke this time) then that is how it is — growing up we just thought of the plains all around, altho there are hills too.
I had not thought about describing it until you asked. But there is a lot of it!! 😀
Well using a different route, Chas, you have probably gathered, I did come to the same conclusion, altho my form of transport was to be the train and there was no way I could use that back after the game.
But I had to get back for work tomorrow, so it just was not possible to show up and support the boys.
I cannot help wondering if the Vines would bother if we were the better team and had a good chance of winnig 3 or 4 nil. Would they mind the weather and heavy traffic? We will never know
Sorry wasn’t around yesterday to join in discussion, had very busy day in the snow.
Today I have secured tickets for me and G in Family Enclosure for Stoke game on 1 April. Planning to get down early and enjoy a beer with anyone who is going.
Hi, GIE, 🙂
George is obviously well on the road to being every bit as big a Gooner as his dad.
I would like to meet up with some AA’ers, after all this time, but cannot promise – but you never know.
Hope you and the family are all keeping well – and that your business is keeping you busy, even without the snow!! 🙂
MAN CITY TEAM NEWS
Team to play Arsenal: Ederson, Walker, Kompany, Otamendi, Danilo, Gundogan, D Silva, De Bruyne, B Silva, Aguero, Sane.
Subs: Bravo, Stones, Laporte, Jesus, Zinchenko, Toure, Foden.
ARSENAL TEAM NEWS
Team to play Man City: Cech, Bellerin, Koscielny, Mustafi, Kolasinac, Xhaka, Ramsey, Mkhitaryan, Ozil, Welbeck, Aubameyang.
Subs: Ospina, Holding, Iwobi, Chambers, Maitland-Niles, Elneny, Nketiah
very excited now. so much rather be playing a team like City, and if anything, Sunday’s defeat adds spice
Come on you reds …. make us proud of you …. shut Jamie Carragher up 😡
Where is Jack? What have I missed?
Must be an injury, Exile. Not even on the bench. Shame, he’s a 100% man
I’m surprised to see Ramsey playing, I had assumed he wasn’t fit on Sunday, he produced a fraction of his normal work rate
Lets hope its not a cold weather affecting a dodgy joint or something.
Maybe he has to play because Jack is injured. That makes two playing through the pain if you include Kozzer
I’m surprised Merts isn’t on the bench … we could do with an FA Cup Final level performance from him
That’s Ramsey for you, Rasp. Bit wet sometimes.
Just hope to see some of that Miki Auba telepathy
GIE:
This is from AW talking to Sky Sports
“Jack Wilshere is not available. He’s just played two games in four days. He gave a lot in those two games and he was a bit short in training but he should be back on Sunday.”
What on earth was Arsene saying to Guardiola …. it didn’t look like a particularly friendly exchange?
This could be a really really good game
Much better from our guys already
Should have kept my mouth shut 😳 …. shit defending by us again
Yikes. That was a great goal
Sane was £37m.
What’s scary is we are actually playing well and are 2-0 down. City are so good and far superior than we are.
Didn’t Xhaka also cost £37m?
We used to look like that.
Now we know what it must’ve felt like to be fans of a team getting destroyed by the Invincibles. I actually think we have played ok but we just don’t have the talent or confidence that they have. It’s a tough pill.
A combined 11 would be the City team.
I agree City are awesome. We’re a lot better than Sunday …. unfortunately so are they 😳
We’ve been good this half. Ramsey has been very good, Özil has looked busy and tried to create, and our passing has been decent. Even Xhaka has looked ok. We’ve worked very hard without the ball and the boos are uncalled for.
The frustration shouldnt be with the team, but with the circumstances at the club.
Sounds daft but I think if we got a goal we could get back in it. Pleased with the performance but obviously frustrated by the score line.
Agree with you all. City are quite good 😦
wow. Just pathetic at the moment. Zero determination + zero confidence = why even bother. I’ve seen jellyfish show more heart
Can we win the second half? Can we come out of the dressing room at half time inspired and brave?
Might as well get a swift goal and see what happens, eh
Well, obviously he’s missed.
Sums it up at the moment. Shame, because I think we could’ve got back in this. Heads will drop now I imagine.
Ozil pushes Otamendi into path of Edison, no replays….doesn’t fit agenda about being too nice or soft (especially for Ozil)
We moan as fans that we don’t play football anymore, then the fans are booing because we work a corner short which nearly ends in a goal.
GiE,
It was naughty from Özil. He had a little look before he did it. Could’ve been a bad injury for Otamendi or Ederson.
A very good 60 minutes from arsenal imo. Xhaka and Ramsey have dominated and we’ve created problems, but this City team have had the moments of sheer class.
The stats show us having more possession, more shots, more passes, more corners and more tackles
All worthy stats Rasp if we had a couple of goals too.
Eddie/Rasp the price of Sane is relative, heres the question, he was bought at the same time as Xhaka.
Sane was 20 when they signed him with 1 international appearance, and one and a half seasons in Bundesliga
Xhaka was 23 with 3 and a half seasons in Bundesliga, and 50 international appearances (albeit for Switzerland rather than Germany like Sane).
Point being doubt the board would sanction that kind of money for that level of experience for Sane. Same as when we all questioned the money City spent on Sterling at age 20 with one good season behind him they bashed out £40m.
It seems our board only want to spend money on players with proven track records, maybe applying strict Moneyball stats, problem being it is hard to assess young players with Moneyball stats, when money is no object they (City) can gamble more.
Rasp the stats should be quite worrying, 4 shots on goal today, 3 goals, 3 shots on goal on Sunday 3 goals.
We need a keeper who might save more than he lets in when they are on target. (I know that goes against Mickey’s purist theories) 🙂
Hi peaches …. that was kinda my point 😂
I see what you’re saying GiE …. but surely the suitability of the players style in relation to improving the team is also a consideration?
I’m right with you on the keeper situation GiE. Cech has already been our No.1 for one season too many … are we going to have to watch his decline from greatness too?
Fantasies rather than theories, Exile 🙂
Faulting Cech for these goals is silly. Not that he couldn’t be replaced but…
Down 3-0 those stats are meaningless. They’re sitting back, watching the clock.
Unfortunately Rasp I think recent purchases would say that money is not being gambled anymore, the signing of PEA is a case in point, especially as we had only just signed Lacazette. Aged 28 and 26 respectively, with good goal stats. But having watched both I am not sure either are really suited to the EPL or our style of play, but my guess is their stats probably get a Moneyball statistician all excited.
Thats not to say there isn’t a place for those Moneyball statisticians, but I think they work better for teams working on a really tight budget rather than a team capable of paying big money.
That’s an interesting angle GiE, that aspect never crossed my mind. You may well be right … I just like the ethos that football is a simple game that some over complicate. If the team needs a DM or a keeper, just send your scouts out and buy the best available at the price you’re willing to pay …. don’t buy another player because he appears to be a bargain.
I don’t think moneyball applies to our signings these days.
Big contracts for Özil (29), Mkhitaryan (29), Aubameyang (28), Lacazette (26). Big transfers for a couple of those as well. Are we going to see much in return financially or are we looking for instant success?
Oh well, pretty sure the title is out of reach now 🙂
Nite all
Nite Micky
FGG don’t think Moneyball is all about financial returns, it’s about using your budget to get highest rewards.
And it works in certain sports baseball where it emanated from being prime example, team has Wage budget x. To win championship some stats man would have calculated how many RBIs they need, how many strike outs etc etc, so they go about finding players to fit that bill and wage budget.
In the past our Moneyball stats would have included age and sell on values as that was the business model at the time. I think the funding of club now is such that we can spend a little bit more to acquire the stats we need and budget is bigger, so if PEA is going to get us 90 goals in 3 seasons they would factor in initial cost and wages and decide good deal. Same with Ozil and wages as his assists stats are higher than anyone’s.
Not sure it works in football full stop though GiE.
Baseball is a pretty simple game. If you are good at batting then you can do that anywhere. In football, you may do well in certain countries or against certain defences, but that doesn’t mean you can carry that over into the Arsenal team and that you will suit our system. Plus, you have to factor in what the opposition are doing and how the decisions of your team mates and the referee affect the performance.
I think something has changed in our transfer strategy recently. We obviously needed to replace Sanchez and Walcott, but the age of the players coming in has altered to those who should be at their peak. We are paying decent wages and transfers too. It will be interesting to see if that continues.
Anyone else watch that game last night and think we played really well? I thought our effort in getting the ball back was high and we created some decent opportunities. I just think the lack of form is inhibiting our style of play.
I thought Ramsey was excellent.
Typical of City though that we kept De Bruyne pretty quiet and Sane pops up to tear us to shreds. They have so many weapons going forward.
If we play with that effort we will win a high percentage of our remaining fixtures.
Arsenal FC public announcement officer:
“Oh God noooo, do I really have to read that out? Tonight’s attendance 58,540. Seriously? Everyone will ROLF at me”
Indeed FGG, and unfortunately I agree on all parts.
Something has definitely changed in transfer strategy and I’m not sure for the better. Buying world class players like Ozil is a no brainier but I can’t put PEA or Lacazette in that category, I’d rather add youngsters with potential, but the problem is the club is between a rock and a hard place, by players like Xhaka, or even Holding and Chambers and fans make snap decisions without seeing their development, especially if they end up being needed due to injuries earlier than expected.
But by same token some talents like PEA and Lacazette arrive with great fanfare but high expectations due to price paid, and when they don’t gel instantly they also get judged.
Micky silly isn’t it, because of a historic thing HMRevenue want that info and they can compare it to gate receipts, and as we all know it’s based on tickets sold not actual people in ground.
Exile
Yes that’s right, but you have to feel sorry for the bloke with the mic.
Imagine him going into his local after the game 🙂
Confession Exile
One day I know I’m going to crack and admit we need to spend on a defender, or worse a goal keeper, but until that fateful day arrives, I’m holding firm 🙂
didit – if you crack even further and start saying that we are 2-3 players short to be genuine contenders call 116 123.
Martin Keown joined Righty telling Wenger to go. I feel very sorry for Arsene, but it is his fault, he should have left in glory at least 3 seasons ago. Fergie did, clever bastard.
.
Proper Gooner
Morning all. I agree that was a much better performance last night. I still think we could be a better team if we changed the emphasis of our playing style.
“Broadsword calling ducky buoy…”
I get it, chas doesn’t want to talk about footy. I wonder why?
you see, that is why some of us were moaning for several years now. The time to strengthen the squad by 2-3 players has passed, we missed the boat. When others were rebuilding we were stuck with Walcott. Arsene showed no vision
ha ha ha
Eddie, this is not the time to turn on one another. I hope no one comes out with an “I told you so” this is not a state of affairs that any supporter would want to revel in. I agree with FGG, all we can do is to try our best for the rest of the season, try to climb the league, secure a top 6 finish and hope that Lacazette can get back in time to help us in the EL.
secure a top 6
In other words, can we stay ahead of Burnley 🙂
I do agree about the EL bit, but really ought to be resting our superstars in the league. Bless the little darlings. Awfully demanding that nasty league business 🙂
https://twitter.com/CyclingHubTV/status/969201075516530688
Actually Rasp, turning on each other could really give the blog some focus and much needed umph
rasp – do you know what?? It is your phrase ‘I told you so’. I hate being patronised, it is sooooooo annoying
Who did I turn on? Didit? He enjoys it, that’s why I am doing it
Piss off micky 🙂
you cannot even swear properly, tell him to fuck off and make his day
🙂 Eddie, this turning on one another thing is going to be fun (as long as we don’t apply it to the football) … don’t take any notice of me ….. WTF do I know any way 🙃
I thought the football chat was over this morning at 7:17 as the serious commenters had left, leaving only Eddie to bask in her glory.
That was why I started posting the usual morning bollix.
Apologies to Rasp for masking his 7:47 comment.
I can just imagine Kelsey saying this morning, ‘I’ve been saying this was going to happen since two thousand and seven’. 🙂
Anyone got any match feelings or similar?
Luckily I was otherwise detained during the first half and only caught the bit after the penalty miss.
Piss off Micky
ha ha ha ha ha
Yesss, that’s way more up my street
I am a serious commenter.
Morning
Chas(8.33), wishful thinking on your part.
Eddie, we are only 2-3 players short
BTW, bollocks to the lot of you
Might do something, Chas
If your going to do something Micky keep it clean, and legal
Looking at that game in isolation we played pretty well and the score-line didn’t really reflect how both teams generally played. I have said before though that Man City can expose any chinks in another teams armour and we have 2-3 chinks, even when playing well, so they are a team capable of creating a score-line that looks like a pasting even when it wasn’t what was generally witnessed.
Guardiola has ensured that their team has no weakness in any department, while we retain 2-3 at all times (and have for many seasons) even in our better games, and that is all it takes to get this result against that team, even when we have played pretty decently. As someone said we used to be like this
very optional-to-use post sent 😦
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