^^ Arsenal won the game - that's the bottom line. 3 points is what you gain against any team in the league - no more no less - in case you've forgotten.

Only a naive person would expect a team fighting for its survival in the league to come to the Emirates and lie down, forgetting this same Leicester beat Man Utd 5-3.

Leicester played very well and gave Arsenal a hard time - the key issue is winning games, even if you're not performing at your best.

**********************************************************************************************************************

Injury news - Sanchez not too bad (kick on the knee) Ramsey more serious (muscular)

On to the next one - Boro in the FA cup.

Mr Pikaboo are you still hating on Theo or have you eased off the haterade?

Good to see injured players returning to form and delivering good performances.

Best news of this window for me is Chuba Akpom getting a new contract - that boy will do big things in the red and white.

When assessed together, I'd say the last two transfer windows are the best we've had for 4/5 seasons.

1 point off third place, still in the UCL and FA cup. . . .this season may yet deliver tangible improvement over last. Competition for places almost in every position in the squad and hungry players looking to make up for lost time. It's poised very nicely for the rest of the season.

Pazienza: Arsene only makes changes after 80th minute

Debosky: Shows 4 consecutive games with subs before 80th minute

Pazienza: Goes off on another mindless rant and grins.

Emotional garbage and lack of basic reading comprehension.

Walcott compared the strike force (not solely himself) of 2006 with that of 2015 and this is what you can come up with.

I hope you've ordered your Brighter Grammar as your new month resolution for February.

pazienza:



Debosky, I don tire for this circular argument with you.

Ah yes the old chestnut - when faced with facts contradicting your rants you back off. You and peekaboo make a great team.

pickabeau1:
^^^ this guy is just a wenger lover


Henrycame back on loan in 2012 or so
He still had a lot to teach this Walcott that just jogs around the pitch

I put it to you
Henry in 2015 is better than Walcott not to talk of 2006

Gradual descent into lunacy.

Henry having a lot to teach Walcott isn't/was never the issue - the strike force combined output is the comparison. The 2006 strike force was comparable in terms of output with the one today - unfortunately simple folk like you can't differentiate past performance from current performance. Complete lack of perspective.

Nothing wrong in what Walcott has said - he said he thinks this squad beats it, but has to prove it.

His thinking may be proved wrong or right - time will tell.

Oh and one thing - he was talking about those guys at the time he joined i.e. in 2006, not when they were at their best in 2004.

Of course a lot of y'all are ready to swallow some diced up comments without getting context first.

pazienza:

Football has evolved, tactically superior managers know that a substitute mustn't be made at 80 mins and above.

Against Chelsea, Pardew dictated a loophole in Chelsea's play, he didn't wait for 80 mins, he made the call immediately, bringing on Cisse, and Cisse scored twice to win the game. To an ordinary observer, it would seem like luck, but it wasn't, it was a calculated guess. Sometimes, that's what it takes to win big matches in the modern game. Little wonder your prof with a better squad struggles against big teams, he is too predictable, no element of surprise from him, he surprised the world yesterday, by doing something different, and look at the outcome.

This is pure BS and you know it - how many substitutions before 80 mins or 70 mins do you need me to bring out to prove you're talking utter nonsense? Repeating the same rubbish on a regular basis doesn't make it fact.

Against Stoke subs at 68 and 73 mins - which of those was after 80?
Against Hull the first sub was at 75 mins - was that also after 80?
Against Southampton away first sub was at 60 mins

So in the last 4 games Arsene has not waited till the 80th minute to make subs and I should accept your bunkum that he always waits till 80 mins?

Now tell me - when did Jose make his first sub yesterday?

^^ More like all of it is BS.

On the issue of form players, name one player that's been rewarded with 'unnecessary favouritism' and let's discuss.

On the issue of 85th minute subs, show me your analysis that proves that 85th minute isn't the 'right time' to make subs, or that Wenger always waits till the 85th minute.

Let's take those two and we'll see how well they hold true.

^^ I called out pazienza on his BS well before the game so clearly this isn't about the result. I'll continue to do so if he makes more statements that hold no water.

PS - try enjoying the game instead of looking for the next failure to say 'I told you so'. It might make your life more enjoyable.

^^ And we all know that a manager's salary is the best correlator for league performance not the strength of the squad.

Bitterness has so permeated some souls here that everything that Wenger does is simply to maintain 4th place.

They can't even enjoy a good performance by their team without linking it firmly to their beef for the manager. Sad really.

pazienza:
Things Wenger got right today, the same thing the whole world has been crying for him to do since ages.

2. Allow wingers to be wingers and midfielders be midfielders, no playing Ozil/Carzola on the wings as they offer no protection to the back four and offer little in attack. Stop silly experiments.

Oh? He did it today? I guess Cazorla played on the wing against Stoke and Hull too?

3. Reward players that are in form with matches and stop showing unnecessary favouritism, Coquelin, Ospina, Bellerin, Were rewarded for their performances against Stoke, Roscisky should have started ahead of Ramsey. Szczeny duly punished for his stupidity.

Oh? This is the first time Wenger is rewarding players in form time too? Interesting - and if Rozzi was crocked due to being overplayed you'll be the first to complain about why a player pushing 35 is being worked into the ground.

4. Make substitutions at the right time, don't wait for 85 mins.

Oh really? What time did Walcott come on against Stoke? Was it 85 mins? Nah, like I said - don't let your need to rant get in the way of facts.

Handwashing. Chai now that's what I call luxury!

Washed, ironed and starched even...razor sharp gators.

Just beware: I remember the washman and house maid always insulting each other and then it descends into the most crude sexual insults I've ever heard.

pickabeau1:
injuries have been a major factor yes
I think this team can make it to the Quaters..after that ...

Last summer was good..yes

But we have departures i think (Flamini, Arteta, Campbell?)

What is your outlook for the top 4 positions... can u hazard a guess

Summer's too far away but I can tell you Arteta is going nowhere. Wenger is probably waiting for him to return from injury before announcing the extension.

Top 4? It might go down to the wire and only the top 2 can be considered safe.

pickabeau1:
so debosky what is your mid season assessment

- 1st to 4th

Performance been below par, primarily due to injuries.

- Performance in the UCL

Performance as expected.

- Any sales/purchases in the summer (a bit early though)

I'd rather talk about the previous summer not next - it was a reasonably good summer by Arsenal standards - no major departures (bar Sagna - a big miss) and significant strengthening. Clearly another CB should've come in but didn't - that's the main failing.

pazienza:


Midway through last season, it was obvious that Chelsea and Mourinho needed a world class striker, a dependable DM,and a creative midfielder. There was equally a little case of looking for a quality understudy for Azpilicueta who had displaced Ashley cole in the first team.

What did mourinho do? He brought in Matic, Fabregas,Costa and Felipe luiz, no penny pinching, just direct business. What is the result? Chelsea tops the EPL. This is how ambitious managers think.


Arsenal was a world class striker,DM and central defender short of winning the EPL,

Let me just stop you there and point out your bollocks - Chelski were short of 3 players and came second and you're stating Arsenal were also short of just 3 players and came 4th? What are you smoking?

Bought a rookie tennager, Chambers, bought Welbeck, and brought in no replacement for Vermaelen.

Result: Arsenal would still finish 4th,exactly where we were before the arrival of Ozil and Sanchez.

So where is the improvement?

Chelski has squad players (not first team players) like Will.I.Am that cost £30m. How many of those does Arsenal have? Oh, conveniently you've forgotten Courtois also joined back from loan? How much does the Chelski squad cost and how much does the Arsenal squad cost? You're insulting Welbeck eh? How much did Salah cost Chelski? £11m? Or wasn't he bought from your imaginary 'from the middle of last season' timeline?

Maybe you expect Arsenal to spend more than it earns in order to prove to you they are a 'serious club'.

Whether Arsenal finish 4th or not, only a mad man would claim the squad isn't better with the additions from the past 2 summers compared to where we were.

pickabeau1:
ok..

You missed the whole point of the discourse

I said yaya is the closest player now to Pato

Do you agree or not

No I disagree - Yaya is lazy defensively and a liability in the DM position hence the need to buy TWO DMs to cover his failings.

Yaya is not the closest, neither is he a DM.

Na so so revisionism - from no DM has been signed to Vieira, to saying Vieira = Matic, etc. Very soon you go change name again.

pazienza:
Sanchez was only bought because he became available,following Suarez arrival to Barca. If Sanchez was well settled at Barca and he was what we needed,do you see Wenger breaking bank to bring him?

Now you're going to ridiculous lengths to justify your baseless statement. Sanchez became available and so was signed? Before nko? Is it unavailable players that you sign? Were Henry, Bergkamp and Vieira 'well settled' in their clubs before Arsenal bought them?

Were we given Sanchez for free or did we pay money for him? You claim Wenger doesn't like to buy expensive players yet he bought Sanchez and you go into a song and dance about 'being available'?

Can't you admit your initial statement has no basis in fact?

Look at Benatia, Dante declined in form and totally capitulated at Brazil 2014, Bayern knew they needed a new world class defender, they(Guardiola and Bayern) identified Benatia,twisted Roma's hand, paid what ever it cost and bought him. Same with Lewandowski.
That's how serious clubs with ambitious managers work.

What is this 'whatever it cost' rubbish? Benatia was sold because Roma needed money - what hand twisting bollocks are you on about? And in what world is Benatia now 'world class'?

Arsenal needed a goal keeper and went and signed a highly rated goal keeper that performed well at the world cup - or wait, Ospina was unsettled too. Arsenal needed a RB to replace the excellent Sagna and went in for Debuchy - or wait, Debuchy was injured too and cost nothing even though he was bought for £12m showing Wenger doesn't like to spend.

pickabeau1:


Yaya used to seat in the early days before Fernando n dinho

Remember when they used to bring Barry in to let him rove forward

He also used to seat in Barca


Who r the DMs...that Arsenal have had


Quality ones

Denilson? .
Puhleeze..


I'm awake....can I say the same..?

I guess Gilberto was a centre back or was bought before Vieira. Like I said, wake up!

Yaya Toure does not play as a DM now end of story. Who cares what he did in the 'early days'? Kieren Gibbs was a winger when he first made his Emirates Cup appearance so does that make him a winger now?

Now you're being exposed you're shifting to 'quality' ones eh? Try harder.

coogar:


we miss your analysis in this part of the world.

in a short prognosis, where do you think arsënal, man utd & southampton will finish by may?

3rd, 4th and 5th in that order.

pickabeau1:


The closest guy now to him is yaya

Please show me the defending Yaya does when Fernando and Fernandinho were bought to do the dirty work for him.

I thought you knew better.

No DM since Vieira eh? What next? No CB since Campbell? No winger since Pires?

Wake up!

pazienza:

Ozil was a panic buy after the loss to Aston villa. It wasn't like he was exactly what Arsenal needed, he just happened to be available at a time the fans were calling for wenger's head. If he wasn't unsettled at Madrid by Isco's arrival, Arsenal wouldn't have gotten him. What we needed that season was a world class striker and DM. Wenger ignored our need and was set into panic buy by Aston Villa.
With Ozil,Arsenal finished 4th,without him the previous season,we still finished 4th.

LOL so which is it? He likes buying expensive players or he doesn't?

Ozil was a panic buy eh? Okay, was Santi a panic buy? Was Sanchez a panic buy? What was the panic when Wenger was chasing Suarez prior to the Ozil buy?

Keep digging bro.

Dunno why you have to wed yourself to a theory that simply doesn't hold water.

coogar:


d-ebola?
you are still alive? goodness gracious, where the heck have you been?

In quarantine.

pazienza:

Wenger himself is a greedy arrogant fox, for a man who hates spending money on quality players, he has no problem with the club paying him a staggering 8milla per annum, while managers of teams with expensive squads earns lower. Wenger won't leave Arsenal anytime soon, he made it clear that he wasn't elected by the fans,and can't be bothered by their criticisms.

If the above is true, who signed Ozil for £42m and Alexis for £35m? Who signed Santi Cazorla?

Besides, which football coach is 'elected' by the fans?

Don't let facts get in the way of a good rant.

pickabeau1:

OK..

So is this team competitive

How come this team has seemingly strengthened yet is worse off than the same time last year

Do you think Wenger is still the man for the club

No two seasons are the same, but it doesn't take a sooth sayer to see that injuries in general have robbed the first team of the consistency they had up to this point last year. It's also no surprise that the top team with the fewest injuries happens to be leading the pack right now.

Whether Wenger is the man for the club is the wrong question - the club as a whole/its owner needs to state its aims and aspirations and then assess the manager's performance against them.

^^ You're learning from 'he whose word we must confirm by checking if he says it's morning' (c) asewo

Nihilist:


And they're in 3rd place, only 10 points from the top. As we all saw last season, the guys who were 12 points clear in January ended up finishing 4th

Heavens to Grundo!!!

Which team was 12 points clear in January? I would've said hyperbole but you're just straight up lying now.

pickabeau1:

there is a measure of guile and pace with Sanchez yes but no power like the Invincibles

Even you cant push that

Look at that team

Pires
Henry
Pato
Ljungberg
Ray P
Bergkamp
Kanu


Look at the class of 2014...

Na you dey do comparison not me. I'm not looking for 'the team of 2004'. All I want is a team that can be competitive considering today's realities given the resources available to Arsenal Football Club.

You're in dreamland if you think there will ever be a repeat of the time when Arsenal picked up three players of the calibre of Henry, Bergkamp and Vieira for peanuts because they were disillusioned in Italy.

^^ Oritsebuntu in the house

E be like say shekpe/Orijin/Opa Eyin don begin circulate for your system abi?

pickabeau1:

read for Vieira - Matic
Bergkamp - Cesc
Henry - Hazard

Matic in two life times can never lace Vieira's boots - these comparisons are way off base.

Wenger has left guile and pace eh? One would think it was George Graham that signed Alexis or tried to sign Suarez.

proudlysports:

Not really a surprise after Szczesny's antics last week. Actually my source for the news mentioned that one of Bould/AW actually said WS1 will not stand in goal for the first team again. I took it as words said in anger but now, I believe Ospina will need to have a really bad run for Szczesny to get back in the team. Good for the team

Well if that's the case it seems Ospina's already popular with the fans - every time he went to take a goal kick the crowd went 'ooooooooo' then shouted 'spina' after he kicked the ball.

He wasn't tested tbh and only made 2 saves I think
Seemed to communicate well and calm down the defence.

Per needs to spend time in kicking practice though. His clearances were just terrible.

Good win and a special dedication to our Arsenal fan still in the closet. This should be your tune in 2015