Oh! We need a Dee ehM….
ARSENAL 13.
The season has begun. After the 1st round of games we are placed 3rd, behind Chelsea and ManCity (champions elect). As per predictions we have no chance of the league title. The reason, well, we don’t have a DM. Or rather a beast of a DM.
Now the TW is still open. 10 days before it slams shut. So there will be new additions to the squads all around us and as Mr Wenger said he will, we can add ARSENAL to that list too.
ARSENAL have silenced the spend brigade with some early, expectations shattering, business. But have failed to silence the ‘oh we need a DM’ group. And the media, this season has latched on to this as the reason for our impending doom. And their new mantra: 10 years since ARSENAL last won the league.
Since this mythical DM is the answer to all the problems at ARSENAL now. And since this issue has been sorted out by our rivals, let’s look at who these players are…
First ManCity. They have Fernandinho and the new recruit Fernando (Don’t they look similar). Chelsea have Mikel and Matic. Liverpool has Lucas. And the teams that pundits hope will finish above us, ManUtd has Carrick (is he a DM?). They also have Jones.
Everton has Barry (hehehe). And the tiny totts have Sandro and Bentaleb (that stamping *******) and Capoue. And us, we have none.
What is a DM? Well, defensive midfielder. A midfielder deployed in a defensive role in the midfield. The main role of such a player is to position himself in front of the back 4 and break up offensive play by the opponents. And in some cases man mark the playmaker.
In summary people want a Vieira or Makelele. Its not possible is it? There will never be another Pele. Never another Messi. Never another Vieira. Never another Bergkamp.
The game is constantly evolving. You will never know if Makelele would’ve been as effective in today’s game. Or Vieira. So instead of searching for the new xyz, why not look at what we have and enjoy their game when we can.
Players** we have in that role at ARSENAL. Arteta. Flamini. Then we have Rambo, Jack and Ox who can play there.
Flamini is considered a DM but the rest are not. But his game time is limited, compared to Arteta. Since the game has evolved, there’s a need to change the definition.
The way we play, we don’t need a player positioned in front of the back 4 all the time. Its a waste of resource. And since we are ARSENAL we can’t have a player, a beast*, who out-muscles the opponents as every little contact will be called foul (thanks to you know who).
Physical intimidation can work in a few games. But league is about consistency. We need players in that position with highly accurate passing. A wrong/stray pass can lead to conceding of goals.
So we need players there, who not just attempt a tackle but also does it successfully. A wrongly judged tackle can lead to free kick in dangerous position. We need players there who are very good at reading the game as it unfolds. And we need players who can consistently do that. Wait a minute…… We need?? We have them, don’t we!
Arteta and Ramsey are among the top, if not the best when it comes to passing accuracy. Ramsey has been among the top in tackles and interceptions, and that having missed a few months through injury last season. And consistency, Arteta and Ramsey are among the most consistent performers in the league.
Meanwhile Jack and Ox have the potential to do the Ramsey. They are technically sound. Consistency is what they need. That will come with games.
Oh! We have DM, Disciplined Midfielders, we have a few.
PS: 1.*whoz the best DM in the world right now? Xabi Alonso. Not a beast is he??
2. **Chambers is too good a center back to play midfield.
- Besiktas – Arsenal an entertaining 0-0
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- Why don’t the refs call “obvious” penalties?
- Where can we improve?
- $h!t That Arsenal Fans Say: Chronicles of the Fickle
- The missing camerawork
Wenger has totally lost the plot, same team as last year with the exception of Sanchez, full back to replace Sagna – no better,
a 19 year old with hardly any experience of the premiership – no improvement, a goal keeper no one has heard of – no better than what we have got. Where are all these world class signings Wenger was supposed to be making. After watching last nights game, with a donkey as CF, there is not chance we are going to win anything for another 9 years
Hi! Im from Portugal. Im a Porto supporter and an Arsenal fan. I just love Wenger because i think he is unique but i can´t understand some decisions. Im so sorry but Giroud is absolutely shit and Jackson Martinez is far way better than him. I think he must buy somenone or change the tatics because Arsenal is playing awful at the moment. I would choose Joel Campbell and Chamberlain rather than Cazorla or Giroud. Im sure they can´t do worse. I also think Monreal is very weak and we will see that on Saturday. Every single one can see that we need a defensive midfield. Diaby is very good, but not (will he ever be?) fit so we have to buy. Is so simple and clear.
William Carvalho is really good and my first choice. If not possible i would go for Witsel. Fernando (Man City) and Matic (Chelsea) two of the best in the world. Why Wenger? Why?
Go gunners.
Wrote an article a year or so ago about how/why we play with Arteta, unfortunately I was not motivated to publish it so it’s sitting somewhere on my laptop. This article captures the essence of that one easily in a few sweet sentences. At times I feel like pundits repeat the same old mantras until they are shown something new. I suppose an article on training methods and improving players isn’t as glamorous as one on signings £30m player.The problem with the defence, for example, (when we had the “Arsenal need world class CB” phase) was that they didn’t work as a unit and the midfield left them exposed so they looked worse than they actually were.
Now the problem with the midfield isn’t that we need a younger stronger Flamini; rather when we attack we split the midfielders, they drift into pockets to add more penetration to often congested defences. This leaves huge gaps behind the midfield–don’t believe me, watch Arsenal attack. Ramsey drifts up, Ozil moves into support of one of the two channels (depending on where the ball is) to add penetration–these two rotate who supports the wings or striker. At any given time 3 options should be available for a player in attack. Now if the opposition captures the ball with most of our players bunched up in some corner and they have a bit of passing sharpness it’s easy to circumnavigate Arteta, or for that matter, ANY SINGLE individual who is standing about waiting to restart the attack. Arteta’s role is to slow down counters, yes, BUT more important he is there to restart the attack. When fans call for signings in some ways they are correct but not as clear cut as they imagine. There is no guarantee that signing a new DM will help us (Khedira is more of a box to box in my eyes anyway).
Untold is full of sensible articles. Please keep it up!
what arsenal need right now is a classic center forward say Falcao, Cavani. if they sign Manolas, then Chambers can play the DM role and another thing. sorry to say but santi have been so poor in recent times…
Filipe I guess it is because Giroud in year 1 and 2 was as good at scoring as Henry in year 1 and 2
Would be nice with another versatile Song:esque type of player to provide some cover. I think we are a bit short number wise. For sure we are not short on quality. But I don’t like that for us to be succesful, we can’t afford bad luck when it comes to injuries.
Steve – you have a great sense of humour!
With all respect Tony, but when you play all the games you are close to score and with Ramsey, Ozil, Wilshere, Cazorla, even more. If you don´t play any game, you can´t score. Try Campbell up front and you will see the diference. Giroud is always complaining. Henry created chances alone and gave us amizing displays! Giroud can´t drible and he actually doesn´t care, that´s the main problem. He makes a good game in five or sixe games. If that is okay to you…
Pete,
I see you are using “sense of humour” as interchangeable with “massive lobotomy”.
giroud….
This post has been cut. Actually I can’t see why we even have to say it in the first place, but it has been said, we don’t publish abuse, or posts that promote harm to a player – or anyone else.
In one sense it is very strange, not just that a person should think that way – that’s just a sickness, but that they should think that there is some sort of benefit in coming onto a blog and promoting the notion that it would be good if a player was injured.
But then that’s the AAA for you.
Whoa Steve. The incoming right back is probably as good as Sanga (he did manage to keep him out of France’s WC team), the “19 year old’ is far better and more versatile than Jenkinson, and the goalkeeper is an international who was admired by most observers at the WC. Who said we were going to buy world Class players anyway? Some might consider Sanchez world class, and the transfer window is open for a while yet.
When Fabregas is better than any midfielder we have and we don’t buy him, when Giroud is clearly a journeyman only and we don’t strenghten that position, when Flamini is a yellow card addict and Arteta is too old, when we have no cover in defence the madness is abroad…..doing the same thing over and over expecting a different outcome…..the battle for fourth is on!
Picking on Giroud again! This is nuts! And its as nuts as the mighty Tony Attwood comparing Henry stats with Giroud. Tony is showing his human touch.
Come fella’s lets back our boys or we will be under the hangman’s noose.
Filipe
Please bear in mind that unlike the specialist in signing players who are signed to Mendes (average spend of of many many tens of millions every season for many many years now), Arsenal FC does not have a special relationship with special agent Mendes.
Until Arsenal play a DM they are D**Med!
Utd have had a midfield of Carrick and not much else for far too long but we’ll just ignore that and the composition of the midfield of all the leading clubs like Munchen (Schweiny started out as an attacking midfielder), Madrid and all the others.
Should I ignore all that and dream of Scotty Parker? Or should I remember that during the crucial 1-1 at Newcastle that enabled the club to go on to sign Özil and the rest that it was Chambo (Mk I) who came into midfield alongside Ramsey I think.
Chambo was also England’s best midfielder in Brazil, his 45 minutes during summer of 2013 was better then anything this summer. Shame he wasn’t fit for the WC. English football fans can thank the game management techniques of PGMOB for that.
Jeezes if you read some people you would say we are in last place in the league, lost every match so far this season and will be relegated come May.
Did anyone of them noticed we won the last 2 trophies you could win in the last 3 months? Oh that’s right we didn’t win yesterday so melt down it is… alert alert melt down alert alert alert Arsenal fans in meltdown condition…
finsbury,
I agree, its true what you said. Im only trying to give my opinion. I don´t blame Giroud, I blame who choose Giroud. Because there are many fowards in the world better than him. The transfer window is still open so I want Arsenal to sign a good striker, if not i will support Giroud. But all fo you have to admit that we trust in playres that aren´t good enough like Giroud and Sanogo and then we pay that. Just imagine that i can´t do my job and my boss keeps insisting on me and there are many peopel who would love to take my job and do so much better than me. Is unfair. But life´s unfair anyway. I just want Arsenal to win the title.
Filipino
Like you too I do not blame Giroud for out muscling and out jumping two of the giant Palace CBs at the weekend all by his lonesome as he set up Arsenal’s winner against Palace. A bit like he did when they played Dortmund. And other games.
When not fatigued or not in pre-season as he proved last season he can do a job. Same as most players then.
Like all the self-declared Redzone™ Experts out there I note that yesterday was his first ninety minutes. *holds breath*
I also liked his fouls (those that were real and not made up by the ref) after Arteta got taken out yesterday!
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20140819/the-arsenal-legend-that-could-have-been
Clock End Rider – I might be…
It always amazes me how carried away people get after just one match. If Giroud gets a hat-trick on Saturday would he immediately become the greatest thing since sliced bread as opposed to cr*p? As ever, the truth is somewhere in between. Judgement on players should only be made after an extended period. Clearly, Giroud is not in the best of form at the moment – the guy has had a limited pre-season after the World Cup and is clearly not at peak fitness yet and his touch isn’t there. But give him a chance!
Cesc has one great game for Chelsea. Oh my lordy – why on earth did we not sign him?
Chambers has had a couple of good games. He is the next Tony Adams.
Cazorla didn’t have the best of games last night (the state of the pitch didn’t help him at all). Get him out of the team immediately!
This is nuts. Have patience people. A good player doesn’t become a bad player overnight. And vice-versa. The time to judge our players will be in December – and even then a run of poor form doesn’t necessarily mean a player will never play well again.
We should be supporting all our players in order to help them play as close to their potential as possible.
I taped the Napoli v. Athletic game and watched it last night and it was interesting to hear the pundits who called the game fawning over Higuin. I believe both Giroud and Higuin scored 22 goals in all competitions last year and in the league and champions league (I couldn’t find domestic cup stats) Giroud had 9 assits and 30 key passes while Higuin had 9 assists and 22 key passes. According to some one player is crap and the other is world class. Hmmmm.
How can you show that you are a ‘passionate’ and ‘knowledgeable’ Arsenal ‘fan’ if you are not shitting on Giroud? Calling Giroud names is the favourite pastime of most of those non-existent AAA. It is always his fault whatever goes wrong with the team.
Every time I see Ollie play for Arsenal, I know that there some miserable bastards somewhere wanting to hang themselves; until he scores when they then burst into the song: “na na na na Giroud”.
Fickle fuckers!
DevilDriver,
Imagine anyone comparing Henry’s stats with Wright’s after his second season, eh? I am pretty sure that you weren’t deifying Henry after his 2nd season as I don’t know anyone who was. The jury was still clearly out about him and I recall how many bad-mouth him in comparison to Trezeguet.
The uproar that always follows any mention or comparison of Ollie and Titi’s season by season records is very shallow in my opinion. It is not ‘nuts’ to compare players season by season no matter how phenomenal one later become.
Giroud can score an hat-trick but that would be the notice. If Diego Costa, Aguero, Studrrige score an hat-trick that would be normal. I can´t understand, its always ok for you guys. I understand that all of you support our team and defend our players but Arsenal must be a top team. Arsenal should be on the same level as Chelsea, City, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético. You can say whateaver you want, i think Giroud is too slowly and a poor finisher. Yes he score some goals but don´t you think our main striker has to do better? True supporters are behind the team and the players but sould also identify our team weaknesses because we have to improve. Fans who are always behind the players and are always saying everything is okay, they are just resigned. Support the team as a whole, not the players. They just want money (few exceptions are loyal). A defensive midfielder and a striker are needed. I think we are playing terrible at the moment so i only can wait things get better.
When people come here and say the same things over and over again without any evidence, proof or back up and ignore counter arguments that have been made many times and say the same things over and over again as if it will make any difference to anyone, we know the AAA is back and kicking.
Filipe
How can what you refer to as “true support” have any bearing upon whether a club has a special relationship with, for example using the specific examples that you have provided, with Special Agent Mendes? Please clarify if possible, thanks. Because everyone knows AFCs methodology, which is unchanged since before AWs time.
Certainly ignorance of a club’s policies and the values the club preaches (please refer to the recent multi-million pound advertising campaign involing AFC and Puma) can be no excuse for any “true supporter”.
@bootoome.
“How can you show that you are a ‘passionate’ and ‘knowledgeable’ Arsenal ‘fan’ if you are not shitting on Giroud?”
Hahahahahahahaha…. How true.
I don’t understand what they expect from Giroud.
Show me one striker in world football who is capable of doing what Giroud does. And congrats if you find 3 names.
I won’t repeat myself too much or this will be another saga like barber and I often have about Flamini v Arteta! Firstly, as I said, Barcelona presumably still owe some of Cesc’s fee, so let’s say we would have needed to pay £15-20m max? Simple, sell Cazorla and most of that would have been recouped. Secondly, he’s better than what we have here and unquestionably would have galvanized the club as he did when he carried it for much of the time played for us. Thirdly,I was aghast when Wenger decided not to go for him and came here straightaway to voice my anger. I haven’t crowned him player of he year based on the Burnley game but on his time with us previously. Now as for Arteta,why he is still here is beyond me! Flamini is combustible but with Arteta in the team, plus Cazorla and Giroud, we’re going into every match handicapped. Where is Campbell and why on earth is the Ox still being used as a bit part player? I’m just furious that,yet again. Wenger has failed to address the problem areas in the team and makes ludicrous team selections. How will we do this season- top four again at best- nothing more.Is that being negative or realistic?
https://mobile.twitter.com/AsTallAsHerEyes/status/502131741923237889/photo/1
I find it sickening that following a very difficult match in a hostile arena against a very physical side and with a totally incompetent/biased ref our team return home to be backstabbed by an alleged section of our so called fan base.
Such so-called fans are nothing more than self centered attention seekers – and totally worthless.
@bjtgooner
‘Such so-called fans are nothing more than self centered attention seekers – and totally worthless.’
I couldn’t agree more bjt.
Are you by any chance referring to the obnoxious pratt mika, who on the previous thread rejoiced at the fact Arteta got injured last night, and I quote….
‘but I think Arteta getting injured could be a good thing and hopefully it’s for more than just a few weeks.’
This cretin claims to be a supporter.
Mika,
Chamberlain is coming back from an injury. And Wenger has been known to ease players back…and for good reason. I suspect if not for the nature of the games he would play even less. Both Crystal Palace and (Any Turkish team away)Besiktas are difficult games.
@general
Personally I like Giroud, first season he only ran to the far post. Second season: he ran near post more often and got a few good goals (Tots @ Emirates) and then later started varying his runs–yes he was fatigued later on (and recently Wenger said his runs are too honest–so I’m expecting more from him here). Now I admit, he doesn’t APPEAR to be effective, but if you play him alongside someone who runs in behind the defence or plays close to him(Ramsey OR Theo, not both),things when we were lacking in both games, then he’s a very good player (a different player to what we are used to) but a good one. His finishing could use some work but I feel like he learns well and he will learn.
Wenger out ! Martinez in, Klopp in!Hulk in!The Thing in!
Boo,some comments proving how spot on you were yesterday.All thats missing in Darth Robson and the Grand Moff Morgan to start putting in a bit of early welly.
Calling Brickfields! calling Brickfields!
@Mick
Yes mika and a few others.
We had a milder version of the same mentality earlier when there seemed to be a semi enjoyment condemning Wilshere for getting injured. The sickies conveniently forgot the rotational fouling he was subjected to – and lets not forget the Agger incident.
The way some of the so-called fans have turned on Giroud is also sickening.
I would suspect most of these self nominated experts have not kicked a football after primary school days – but even if they did would they have the balls to play against Besiktas – I don’t think so.
@bjtgooner
I have listened to Talkshit quite a lot today and Giroud has been given an absolute hammering, it’s a bloody disgrace. However I can just about make a case in the defence of Talkshit insofar as they are trying to entice idiots like mika to phone in to the show, that is how they make their money I suppose. But how does a turd like mika who is presumably a supporter justify coming out with the sort of crap that he has on this site.
The definition of insanity is, of course, doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. How many more times will we expect Giroud to produce a result different from the one he’s produced time and time again?
Joe, in that case, all of the AAA are insane, endlessly writing in here over and over again telling us that Giroud is no good, and finding that all they get back is the analysis of Henry’s figures in his first two years, and then Girouds.
But then I think we knew that.
finsbury,
Im not dicussing Arsenal’s management and i get your point. I agree with you but try to understand what am i saying. I will always support Arsenal, actually if i can´t find a job here in Portugal, my first choice is trying in London just to watch Arsenal games. I don´t blame Giroud. No. I only say that he can´t do much better. I look at Chambers and i see talent. Alexis is pure talent. Ozil is amazing. Wenger can develop players but only if they have the tools. I think he hasn´t and it´s just my opinon. I can´t understand why you can´t accept that. I would like to see another player and Joel Campbell is my first choice at the moment. Im sorry if i hurt some fans here.
@Mick
You are right about Talkshite. I never listen to it, even when traveling when the opportunity is there to do so.
If the AAA come out after a draw away in Turkey in the CL, it’s scary to contemplate what the consequences would be were we to lose to a lowly PL side (never mind that that will be a pgmob-assisted win for the lowly side).
As for Giroud…., ok, Wenger hasn’t got a clue, nor does the French manager for continuing to pick him. My late dad (may his soul rest in peace) used to say ‘son, if I tried to tell you how to do your job (IT professional) then that’s sufficient evidence I have lost my mind’. My guess is all these people who come here and have a go at the manager, calling him clueless, must have been successful managers of some clubs somewhere(wonder why we never have their names thrown into the hat where managerial vacancies in football arise, such as the current one at Palace). Either they’ve been successful managers or they’re [put whatever you like here].
@AL
It looks as if the AAAA (I prefer the Brickfields version!) and who ever is pulling their strings have been gnashing their teeth since the FA Cup final and have been bursting to cause some harm ever since.
They (and the string puller) still want to undermine everything connected with Arsenal.
Filipe
If you are discussing transfers then I a afraid you are involving the management. Because they set the policy. And the budget. And all the rest. Sorry.
JC may be your first choice, he may be mine, he might not. But unfortunately in the estimation of the new AFC physio team he’s not ready for a start just yet. Maybe next week, who knows, not me as I don’t have access to his bleep test results. However anyone watching him in the WC could spot that one area for improvement was in stamina. Well, almost anyone…
–
Same as Chambo who also is just a little bit behind in his pre-season. Although that won’t stop the Redzone™ experts from groaning. Was obvious weeks ago that he’d only be ready for a start by probably next week following those well publicised summer injuries. Not rocket science, not even anatomy. Simply common sense. Too much sense for some?
Cuedos, Joe, Brilliant, the first definition of insanity quotes of the year. Never heard that one before! Shame the trolls don’t realise what dick heads they make themselves look.
Still they have no trophy drought, so reduced to trolling over nil nils away…..Jose would probably have been called a tactical genuis if it was him and Chelsea last night!
Speaking of trolls, anyone else thought of using Linz as a betting tool……because everything he says and predicts comes out wrong…..money to be made there, lovely jubbly
Filipe
Good luck with that job hunt!
Agree with that bjtgooner. It looks like that FA win didn’t go down well with some of our so-called fans. One wonders why though…
@Mandy
The medical profession might have a prior claim on Linz – lots of material there.
Joe, that’s your definition of insanity,fine. How about this, why don’t you go to your gp’s tomorrow and try and tell him how to go on about his job. Then come back here and tell us all what he says about you.
finsbury,
Thank you, a lot.
You look a really good guy. Good luck to you in your life and good luck to all here. I won´t comment again, i just gave my opinion, but arrogant people can´t understand that.
Thank you, finsbury, good to see some gunners are good people 🙂
Thinking of the aforementioned Joel Campbell, I’m sure we all remember the grief the groaning experts gave to the club when they signed up this exciting talent.
Filipe,
Thanks, these others you must be referring to must be the AAA :), plenty of evidence above and elsewhere.
People generally ignore them but they keep coming back for some reason. After a defeat, but I can’t recall after a victory. These days they are so desperate a draw will do. The placard that says “village idiot” is usually a good giveaway and a helpful guide if you want to avoid them!
Giroud’s performance was awful last night – not just because everything he touched went wrong, but because I failed to see the effort I would expect in such a game. Whilst you can compare his stats to Henry in seasons 1 and 2, it is not really sensible to use that as an argument to support Giroud. Henry needed to do more and he did it (well more than more if you know what I mean!). Giroud has a LOT to prove. Too many performances like last nights and he will be dropped and got the way of Bendtner – out the door.
jayramfootball,
Your type of comment is why we Arsenal fans are called fickle. So Giroud’s performance yesterday is all that he is ever about? I guess you’ve never had a bad day or a set of bad days in your profession.
About Henry, I hope those of you deifying the guy (who I have absolute respect for) realise that he did not play for us in the 1930s, he played in an era where we have live television and there are full recordings of his games and not just some edited clips. Henry had his fair share of bad games for which there were criticisms by Arsenal fans like you back in his first 2 seasons and indeed all through his Arsenal career. We lost the 2006 Champions’ league because he failed to take 2 solid chances when we most needed him to.
Enough of the “how dare you compare Giroud to Henry” nonsense. After his first 2 season NOBODY was predicting that he would end up an Arsenal legend. Absolutely no one. Can we cut the crap about his deification please? I love Henry but he is a mortal with his fair share of weaknesses so comparing other players to him is not sacrilege.
I agree with you that Giroud had a poor game yesterday and indeed since pre-season but that does not turn him to a pinata for fans to start beating up. Henry had his spells of bad games too in which he missed sitters like those referenced above. Giroud has nothing to prove to anyone but if he has to prove himself, it will be to his manager and not some anonymous commenter on the Internet.
Giroud has:
– Ligue 1 winner medal
– Ligue 1 highest goal scorer award
– FA cup winner medal
– Community Shield winner medal
– Been to and scored at the World cup; amongst other career achievements.
What have you got?
readin sum post on here, i can’t stop wonderin abt d thot patern of sum so calld fan, esp those who worship oda team players ad condemn there own, mayb it jst me since i was brought up 2 always appreciat wat i av regadles of wat my neighbor owns.
Tony,
Why is my comment of 9.57pm in moderation? It has no links and it contains nothing offensive. Are there words and terms that we need to avoid to prevent going into moderation?
Great article btw Arsenal 13, agree with your assessment on all things DM. Keep getting told we need to sign someone like Matic…..take it the people telling me this have never seen him, or arsenal play. If we ever played a so called beast, with the refs we get, he would last about three minutes before a red card.
Think the work Giroud does in helping out the MF can also go a bit un noticed, especially at the moment where his fitness levels are not quite there and he is having trouble moving from MF and defensive covering duties to attack…..and let’s face it, Sanchez is not easy to keep up with!
On another subject,Just wondering, what happened to Sperez? Haven’t seen him since we started winning trophies? Thought he may have been sufficiently hate filled , yet desperate enough to come and goad a nil nil away?
I know I’ve quoted this before but it seems appropriate – Arsene Wenger says Giroud comes off the pitch after every match having waged 100 battles.
Onward and upward, Giroud! And all the team! And the manager! Three games unbeaten – only 46 to go!
You’re right Mandy/Bootoomee/Pat and others; Giroud brings much more onto the table not a lot of our players manage. He offers us physicality, gives as good as he gets and gone are the days (circa 2010-11) where the pundits used to mock us for lacking a stomach for fight. Before they used to say Arsenal miss the type of player who refuses to be bullied, the Keown/Vieira type. This was the mantra during the days of fabregas and van pursey, where we’d come back from places like Blackburn or Stoke battered and bruised,broken legs and what not. We’d hear them say Arsenal need the type of player who will say I’ll have none of that, who gives them some steel. Giroud gives us that, the kicking still goes on but certainly not to the level it was at before.
I went blind with rage when Barton and Nolan ganged up on Diaby, with the ref sending him off when he dared fight back. And twice as mad when Barton roughed up Gervinho. How many times has anyone seen Giroud get bullied like that? I haven’t, and am very confident Barton would never have tried what he did to Gervinho with Giroud. He may not be combative like Vieira was, but in terms of contesting for the ball and refusing to be out-muscled you cannot fault the guy. Many a defender hate playing against him, and that is a fact.
In terms of overall value to the team Giroud might even be more important than Thierry was. How many goals would we be conceding on set pieces if he wasn’t there? I recall dreading every corner or free kick against the likes of Blackburn, where thugs like Samba would just bulldoze their way through whoever was marking them and bundle the ball in. Or those Rory Delap throw ins where our keeper and defender would get shoved into the net with the ball. We now have some solidity at defending set pieces, partly thanks to Giroud. Wenger is right that he fights 100 battles every match. All this and he contributes a healthy goal return on top of giving us stability.
Just for fun I decided to look up the word support and supporter in the dictionary. Here are some of the things I found.
Be actively interested in and concerned for the success of.
Comfort and emotional help offered to someone in distress.
Approval and encouragement.
A person who approves of and encourages someone or something.
Maybe some people need to find a new word for what they are in relation to Arsenal FC.
We look exactly the same as last year…We had a refit, but ultimately, the style and formation is exactly the same. It hasn’t clicked for us yet, but to be honest, even when it does, I’m not quite sure how that’s going to pan out. Mainly because the same things that slowed us down last year are still slowing us this season.o anyone in this forum then tell me how we have improved from last season?
Giroud…He took a hammering online yesterday and rightly so. He’s a very average player, as stats showed on this site last year, easily the weakest first team striker in the top 8 by a margin. Firstly, he has no pace or mobility so you have to play into feet with him if you want to counter. Then you have to take into account his control is embarrassingly wayward for an international player. The there’s his finishing… I mean, jeez, what is Wenger looking at when he continues on without another striker.I said back at the start of the summer, Diego Costa was the best available striker in Europe and we didn’t even compete for him… and he had a buyout clause. Now we’re left with Mario or Reus (who Arsene reckons could be converted to a striker). Not the best really.
I think some of the bloggers here should make themselves available in the transfer market, beg Arsene buy them and let them play in Turkey on that terrible pitch. Then we can read how bad the referee was and how brutal was Besikas players were. The day people who does not even play football talk about football like their patent rights is the day I stop listening to moaners and b****es. Like a pet cat who watches TV and complains how long it took a tiger to bring down a buffalo. ‘Outstanding’.
@Micheal Ram, you have a pet cat that talks. I hope he’s not a black cat because if he is there’s going to be one hell of a shouting match when we play Sunderland.
@bootoomee re-read my post – I was talking about last night’s performance. I did not say ‘last nights performance is all he is ever about’.
Call me fickle if you like – when it comes to players I am. I don’t care who plays so long as they play well. If they play poorly they deserve to be called out in my view. If they play poorly consistently, I would like them gone. I have absolutely zero interest in a player other than what he can do right now to help Arsenal win. If he can’t, then I could not care less whether he gets dropped, leaves, or rots in the reserves.
I care about Arsenal being successful on and off the pitch, not individual players (or managers for that matter). That is just the way I see football in this day and age. There is no loyalty from players at all left in football so I take the same view towards players.
Great work as ever but some old dust mites in the form of the aaa seem to be back. Tut tut oxygen wasters.
@mie: Giroud frustrates the crap out of me but, in my less emotional moments, I lay the blame squarely at Wenger’s feet. Because it’s either Wenger really believes that this guy is what we need and will take us where we want to go OR, as people have said, he’s mainly an auxiliary conduit through which our midfielders can score. Fair enough… But I don’t see too many scoring midfielders except Ramsey. Walcott as well when he’s back, I suppose. To make that work, you need to have goalscoring threats from wide areas and from deep. Case in point – the goal distribution within the Real Madrid team. So, either way, it’s his fault. Wenger should either get us a worthy striker (my personal preference – at the end of the day, I want to look to one person for hope when we’re desperate for a goal) and keep the midfield as it is, or load the midfield with goal threats and keep Giroud up there… after teaching him to complete passes to his teammates! Everyone gives Sanogo crap, but that kid is 5yrs+ behind Giroud, and there really isn’t much between them! Honestly – a pro striker that can barely finish and can’t even complete short passes leads the line for AFC… PS: I’m sorry – I still expect a little bit more from a 12m player that is supposedly at his peak at 27/28. Watch Tadic for So’ton this season, who they paid less than 11m for. Bony cost 12m for crying out loud!
@ Kenneth Widmerpool – August 20, 2014 at 7:17 pm – Was not able to read the articles till now and was having a good laugh at the AAAA , as well as with the regulars swatting them !
Here’s to kicking back with a glass and watching the fools chase their own tails .They will one day contort themselves sufficiently and bite themselves in the arses !
Hilarious Moments With Wine
People are often funnier after having a glass of wine.
http://www.ba-bamail.com/Content.aspx?emailid=11729&memberid=763708#.U_a9QKNlNE8
@ bjtgooner – August 20, 2014 at 8:34 pm – I have no cause to downgrade them vermin from their AAAA status , and am ever mindful of the repetitive crap they spew . Some have infiltrated , but are so pathetically obvious that I again I can only laugh at them .
These rankings are especially brought to you by Moodys & Standard so Poor !
Cheers Bricks!Keep on swatting on!
COYG! Aha and Amen!
Brickfield,
I need wine to forget about these AAAA types who whine all the time.
About Giroud:
His best bit in the WC was the sprint on the left wing and his superb assist to Valbuena.
I thought he was faster then Walcott and even Bellerin on that one, but I am very biased.
Arteta is unbelievable at the DM role, especially as he was Everton’s most creative player.
Get off his back and appreciate what a wonderful player and captain he is.