Arsenal in crisis

[Stevencc]

They do if you "put a shift in" while demonstrating it. These effortless genius Berba/Ozil types always get unwarranted stick purely because of their style of play.

 

[Bilo]

They do if you "put a shift in" while demonstrating it. These effortless genius Berba/Ozil types always get unwarranted stick purely because of their style of play.

Well I'd rather have a talented player that puts a shift in, than a talented player that doesn't. One lazy fucker can kill an entire wave of pressure off the ball. Coutinho had a tendency to not do his jobb in the first sequences of our pressure after losing the ball, but he's improved a lot, as has Sterling. But Moreno for example, who runs a shitload, has some way to go even though he covers more ground per game than anyone I've seen in a Liverpool shirt since Dirk Kuyt.

I forgot what my point was. Shit.

 

[G.B]

I'd rather have Pirlo, me. And I've literally never seen that swagtastic muhfucker sprint in my life.

I definitely miss the days when a lot of clubs would have a "luxory player" in their side pulling the strings. There's a lot more work horsies about nowadays.

 

[NiallQuinnDiscoPants]

Arsenal are utterly predictable.

They'll come back and win their next few league games.
They'll lose in the FA Cup at Old Trafford offering not much fight
They'll bravely beat Monaco away in the 2nd leg, but still exit the competition.

1 down, 2 to go

 

[Avatar]

CHANGE THREAD TITLE: WERE GONNA WIN THE LEAGUE

 

[BlueBee]

An FA Cup win for Arsenal should not be seen as a successful season for the gooners.....especially the ones who dream of becoming the force they once were. This has been another poor season from Arsenal, make no mistake.

 

[NiallQuinnDiscoPants]

1 down, 2 to go

I'm happy to be wrong

 

[Whitechapel]

An FA Cup win for Arsenal should not be seen as a successful season for the gooners.....especially the ones who dream of becoming the force they once were. This has been another poor season from Arsenal, make no mistake.

Come on now, you used to do so much better. I'm a little disappointed in you.

I'll give you a second shot, this time add just a pinch more subtlety.

 

[BlueBee]

I'm not even looking for a reaction. I genuinely don't believe Arsenal can class a replica of last season as a success. If you were challenging for the league and won the cup then you could say there was some progression at least.

 

[smat]

I agree with BlueBee.

Well, as far as the league goes. We are in a very familiar position and there's no excuse really, we should have progressed from last season.

Winning a trophy can't ever be classed as an unsuccessful season. If we don't win it (and imho Liverpool are the favourites of the teams left in, the form they're in) then this season will have been a big bag of shit.

 

[Destruction]

Du du du du Danny Welbeck.

 

[smat]

Ah, current status: NOT IN CRISIS

 

[thespus]

Meh, it's certainly not a failure of a season if we finish 3rd and win another cup. It's nothing to revel in, but we'll have established ourselves as having the most success apart from Manchester City and Chelsea over the past two seasons. We've now won in our last two trips to Manchester which should establish confidence in our current core. I am happy, if not blown away, with our season if we can retain the FA Cup. We will have met my expectations for the season, with a few setbacks encountered. I think our squad, when healthy, is improved upon, too.

A 3-0 win in Monaco would be most welcome.

 

[Whitechapel]

Snip

 

[smat]

Not in crisis.

 

[G-Dragon]

What Crisis? They are on course for another top 4 finish this season, and their annual European tour is coming to end in usual time.

Like I said.

 

[thespus]

I'm optimistic about next season. Wins at Old Trafford, the Ethiad, and Monaco combined with the Liverpool thrashing should inspire confidence in our core. Add a second FA cup to that and finish 2nd and we will have had two seasons in a row with relative improvements to be positive about. The likes of Szczesney, Rosicky (sadly), and Flamini will move on. Walcott situation will be interesting - we should sell and make a bid for Dybala/Lacazette if he refuses to sign. I'd like to keep him, but Welbeck, Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Gnabry is god attacking depth to complement Giroud, Alexis, Özil, and Cazorla. If Walcott goes, go all out for Dybala. He's young enough he won't be unhappy having to compete with Giroud, but has proven enough quality to being the starting CF if Giroud is injured. Lacazette would be incredible, too, but I think he'll end up at at a club he's guaranteed to be first choice. Reus is my dream, but he's going to be Real's replacement for Bale.

I would be interested in selling Wilshere to City for a big price if they do come calling. He's good, but I think his style of dribbling leaves him susceptible to injury and his anger issues are too easily provoked in big matches. Cazorla can shine in the deeper role when Ramsey is out and Oxlade-Chamberlain can play there as well. Crowley and Zelalem will get chances in cups next season and there will still be Arteta, too.

Cech and Schneiderlin/Kondogbia should be primary targets. Selling Mertesacker to Germany and signing an experienced upgrade to partner Koscielny would be nice. I can see the likes of Godin, Subotic, Otamendi, and Höwedes being experienced CB's highly sought after this summer. Hummels is brilliant, and would be a good partner for Koscielny, but he will only leave BVB for a massive fee. I'd prefer we avoided being in that bidding, as much as I'd love to see his incredible distribution from the back improve the speed of our transitions.

 

[Storzy]

I'm optimistic about next season.

You naive fool you!

Also we shouldn't sell Wilshere and certainly not to a rival like Man City. He's a quality player, with a great range of passing. He's not the only player that gets injured and we have to make sure we're well stocked as next season will be the same again. Everyone will get an injury at some point, we're Arsenal.

 

[thespus]

He's not getting in our starting XI bar injuries, and we will have Özil/Cazorla/Ramsey/Arteta/Oxlade-Chamberlain to play in the two spots Wilshere is likely to play. Coquelin's emergence demonstrates why we have needed a combative player in the midfield three - not a Ramsey and Wilshere partnership.

We should be after Cech and Schneiderlin regardless of outgoings, but if the right offers are there for Walcott and Wilshere, we can combine the sums and use it to take the next step. If selling those two means signing one of Dybala/Lacazette/Sterling, I think we should do it.

 

[JimJams]

You should fuck him off as soon as humanly possible.
Aside from the obvious injury issues, he's actually not good enough for your best 11 and probably wouldn't make your strongest bench, depending on your formation I guess. He's a player everybody wanted to come good, but he's just not going to do it, not at Arsenal anyway. Your club has too much riding on each game if you want to really challenge for honours to play someone for sentimentalities sake. That's not to say he isn't a decent asset for your squad IF he's fit, but not being one of your very best players combined with the fact his fitness can't be relied upon, I'd say you take anything you can get for him if a club like City come in for him. Hell, even a club like Everton.

I expect a lot of Arseanl fans would disagree, but I think that's down to the fact that this is a homegrown English player that looked to have a lot of potential when first coming through, and people want the lad to pull a Ramsey. I just think they're expecting something that won't happen. if the lad wasn't a walking (hobbling) injury, then by all means keep him, but it's probably a better idea to cut your losses.

Saying all that, I fully expect Wenger to keep faith with him with that same Ramsey hope in mind. After all he's kept Diaby for a fucking age.

 

[Storzy]

I'd have said Wilshere actually surpassed Ramsey before getting injured. Ramsey has come back and is starting to play much better now, but I don't see either Ramsey or Cazorla as insurmountable for Wilshere to replace in a deeper midfield role. There is too much talent there for us to cut our losses.

 

[Sideshow Bob]

It would be madness to let Wilshere go to a rival. Even if we go along with the thought that he's not going to fulfil that original potential, he's still a great squad option with the ability to change a game (see the cup final last year).

He's 23 and the likes of Arteta, Flamini, Diaby, Cazorla, Rosicky aren't going to be around long term. I also prefer Chamberlain as more of a forward player than in central midfield.

At the start of the season he was very much first choice and playing well, his talent is not in question. The amount of time he spends injured is a problem, but now that we have a deeper squad and are not relying upon him with Cazorla stepping up in his absense hopefully he can eased back slowly and get a decent preseason under his belt.

 

[JimJams]

I'd say Wilshere was a better player before his injury problems than Ramsey was before his own. However I also believe that Ramsey has hit greater heights than Wilshere ever has, and is the proven better player of the two, despite the idea that Wilshere may have a higher ceiling. I also don't see either Wilshere or Ramsey at their best as a deep mid, Cazorla seems to be able to curtail his attacking instincts when he's there and dictates play, whereas Wilshere in the times he's been played deep is positionally poor as it's his prerogative to attack and drive forward. He racks dis-a-prin.

 

[Storzy]

Wilshere certainly needs to learn a bit more discipline, both positionally and in general.

However he's not really had a chance to play next to Le Coq, something that may have helped Cazorla's transition to a deeper sitting midfielder.

Also I think Ramsey is better suited to a deeper starting position as it makes best use of his athleticism and workrate. Wilshere too at the moment, his range of passing is easier to showcase a bit deeper than in the crowd that often sits in front of the oppositions 18 yard box.

 

[Skinner]

Wilshere commits himself too much for a holding man

 

[Storzy]

I don't think anyone is saying he should play there? Arsenal play Coquelin there and one other midfielder that gets forward.

 

[Skinner]

I have no idea why I wrote that

 

[smat]

I'm optimistic about next season. Wins at Old Trafford, the Ethiad, and Monaco combined with the Liverpool thrashing should inspire confidence in our core. Add a second FA cup to that and finish 2nd and we will have had two seasons in a row with relative improvements to be positive about. The likes of Szczesney, Rosicky (sadly), and Flamini will move on. Walcott situation will be interesting - we should sell and make a bid for Dybala/Lacazette if he refuses to sign. I'd like to keep him, but Welbeck, Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Gnabry is god attacking depth to complement Giroud, Alexis, Özil, and Cazorla. If Walcott goes, go all out for Dybala. He's young enough he won't be unhappy having to compete with Giroud, but has proven enough quality to being the starting CF if Giroud is injured. Lacazette would be incredible, too, but I think he'll end up at at a club he's guaranteed to be first choice. Reus is my dream, but he's going to be Real's replacement for Bale.

I would be interested in selling Wilshere to City for a big price if they do come calling. He's good, but I think his style of dribbling leaves him susceptible to injury and his anger issues are too easily provoked in big matches. Cazorla can shine in the deeper role when Ramsey is out and Oxlade-Chamberlain can play there as well. Crowley and Zelalem will get chances in cups next season and there will still be Arteta, too.

Cech and Schneiderlin/Kondogbia should be primary targets. Selling Mertesacker to Germany and signing an experienced upgrade to partner Koscielny would be nice. I can see the likes of Godin, Subotic, Otamendi, and Höwedes being experienced CB's highly sought after this summer. Hummels is brilliant, and would be a good partner for Koscielny, but he will only leave BVB for a massive fee. I'd prefer we avoided being in that bidding, as much as I'd love to see his incredible distribution from the back improve the speed of our transitions.

Is Cech any good still, though? If Chelsea are willing to let him go to us then I imagine not. Would rather keep Szczesny. Still think he's got a future at Arsenal.

 

[merseyboyred]

https://twitter.com/OptaJoe/status/585421062285975554

@OptaJoe
63 - Arsenal have exactly the same record after 31 PL games this season as they did last season (W19 D6 L6 Pts 63). Revolution.

 

[SC49]

I'm not having any of this Wilshere being sold stuff, he's Arsenal through and through and he's always willing to put his body on the line for this club. I know he's injured most of the time but he'll come good, eventually. Fucking love Jack.