Sunderland vs. Arsenal (14th September)

[Eboue-Why?]

Olivier Giroud ‏@_OlivierGiroud_ 1m
My knee is ok don't worry! Thanks for your support!


Phew

Only just seen this thank Christ.

Yes but the bad news is that he's been told it's ok by our medical team!!

[wilko49er]

Good result but as always Kos an accident waiting too happen Well done Rambo the boy done good.

[topgoon]

MOTM Ramsey again. I hope he keeps it up. Definite starter over jack or arteta for the same position.
Flamini is a 100% starter for me. Beast mode.
Ozil looked world class, so smooth, never gives the ball away.
Giroud good performance again, passing and shooting.
Walcott almost cost us 3 points.
Sagna and Kos I though played reasonably well. That was a soft pen, watch the replay.
Wilshire played well in the first half, worse in the 2nd.



Let's cross fingers and hope Giroud is okay. Champions league game looks iffy.


And FUCK zonal marking. Absolute shit.

That's because delivery from set pieces are always aimed at the big fella called Zonal, so he needs to be marked before really obvious targets like say 6'++ Diakite,6'++ Wickham,6' Dozy Altidore..need I go on.

[Ryanswannell]

Olivier Giroud ‏@_OlivierGiroud_ 1m
My knee is ok don't worry! Thanks for your support!


Phew

Only just seen this thank Christ.

Yes but the bad news is that he's been told it's ok by our medical team!!

Yeah, he's probably got a sudden ankle problem now.

[1989]

I thought this game really showed why BFG is so crucial for us. We're a shambles at the back without him and 10 times as susceptible from set pieces as well.

[Wengerball]

Some nice football today- Ozil oozes quality and will be an incredible creative force for us. I dont know what Ramsey has been eating over the summer but I'll have some of that please, he has been outstanding.

[I Hate Hleb]

I actually rate Koscielny but even though it was a dive he makes the most stupid decisions..

he was caught out in two minds after the clearance was pinged back in.

its the zonal marking, TV can't do it either.

coaches fault imho when you choose a system that only one of your three CB's can play

Nothing at all to do with the system - it's all about 'decision making' and Koscielny seems to lack the ability to make good ones when it comes to tackling in the area!! There was absolutely no need for him to make that challenge - especially as Johnson was going wide of the goal and Gibbs was alongside him and would most probably have blocked any shot/cross that Johnson put in!! Indeed, when you think about it I would say that most of the penalties Kos has given away were due to him making a rash tackle when he didn't really need to make a tackle and it is a major fault of his play.

[g88ner]

I actually rate Koscielny but even though it was a dive he makes the most stupid decisions..

he was caught out in two minds after the clearance was pinged back in.

its the zonal marking, TV can't do it either.

coaches fault imho when you choose a system that only one of your three CB's can play

Nothing at all to do with the system - it's all about 'decision making' and Koscielny seems to lack the ability to make good ones when it comes to tackling in the area!! There was absolutely no need for him to make that challenge - especially as Johnson was going wide of the goal and Gibbs was alongside him and would most probably have blocked any shot/cross that Johnson put in!! Indeed, when you think about it I would say that most of the penalties Kos has given away were due to him making a rash tackle when he didn't really need to make a tackle and it is a major fault of his play.

Indeed. Along with Vermaelen, I wonder how many of their brain farts have cost us needless goals?

[Midz]

Some nice football today- Ozil oozes quality and will be an incredible creative force for us. I dont know what Ramsey has been eating over the summer but I'll have some of that please, he has been outstanding.

Absolutely, he gets my vote for most improved player.

[StuartL]

http://www.vine.co/v/hnJIXrrUZwn

It wasn't allowed as a goal because the ref clearly blew his whistle for a foul by Sagna - the fact that it ended up over the line some 4/5 seconds later is irrelevant.

He should have played advantage, but didn't - mistake by the ref. It has happened before and will no doubt happen again.

Sunderland did well to come back on the 2nd half after we (wally) were wasteful in the first half when we could have been 3/4 up. Good game to watch - feel a little sorry for the mackems as they could easily got a different result.

[wibble]

http://www.vine.co/v/hnJIXrrUZwn

It wasn't allowed as a goal because the ref clearly blew his whistle for a foul by Sagna - the fact that it ended up over the line some 4/5 seconds later is irrelevant.

He should have played advantage, but didn't - mistake by the ref. It has happened before and will no doubt happen again.

Sunderland did well to come back on the 2nd half after we (wally) were wasteful in the first half when we could have been 3/4 up. Good game to watch - feel a little sorry for the mackems as they could easily got a different result.

Yeah just watched highlights after being at game and it could have been a lot worse for us. (hadn't realised what a good finish it was for Ramseys first or how bad theo's first miss was!)

Delighted with the 3 points and Ozil had good debut. Was worried that our trend of dominating games without taking our chances was going to strike again and we're fortunate it didn't as defence were all over the place after the equaliser and woodwork and ref both came to our rescue!

Happy with result and our first XI look good, just a shame we have no squad depth.

Main disappointent of the day was no strippers!!

[safcftm]

Yeah just watched highlights after being at game and it could have been a lot worse for us. (hadn't realised what a good finish it was for Ramseys first or how bad theo's first miss was!)

Delighted with the 3 points and Ozil had good debut. Was worried that our trend of dominating games without taking our chances was going to strike again and we're fortunate it didn't as defence were all over the place after the equaliser and woodwork and ref both came to our rescue!

Happy with result and our first XI look good, just a shame we have no squad depth.

Main disappointent of the day was no strippers!!

yeah we should really have gone to Passion instead of Greens where it was too packed to get served properly.

Haven't seen the highlights as I've just got back but overall the better team won. You can't really expect to get anything against Arsenal if you only turn up for about 25 minutes. That being said the ref is a *word censored* for not allowing advantage for Altidore and, much though I'm sure people here will disagree, I think once he's fucked up and called it back he should be sending Sagna off, it was quite blatantly a clear goalscoring chance since, with his very next touch, he was putting the ball into the net, but like I say even had he allowed it to go in there's no guarantee we'd have got anything and you just have to accept that refs will be shite from time to time.

For Arsenal Ozil looked quality, hardly lost the ball and obviously Ramsey made a hell of a difference. Jenkinson and Flamini also did a good job. Theo was very wasteful and, having been impressed with his composure when finishing last season to the point where I was starting to think that a centre forward position might be his before long, he looked back to being too inconsistent with it.

I couldn't really hear the Arsenal fans as I was at the other side of the ground (no doubt the Arsenal fans couldn't hear us in the south stand either, moving the away fans has definitely spoilt the atmosphere a bit imo) but those who were in the north stand were saying it was a good turnout and a good bit of noise. Overall it was a good enough day and, for Sunderland, there were signs that we are capable of looking like a half decent side, just need to start doing it for longer periods and capitalising when we play weaker sides than Arsenal. Hopefully Arsenal's good start to the season continues, we'll just get on with backing Di Canio and hoping to avoid the drop, twas ever thus!

[augie]

Yeah just watched highlights after being at game and it could have been a lot worse for us. (hadn't realised what a good finish it was for Ramseys first or how bad theo's first miss was!)

Delighted with the 3 points and Ozil had good debut. Was worried that our trend of dominating games without taking our chances was going to strike again and we're fortunate it didn't as defence were all over the place after the equaliser and woodwork and ref both came to our rescue!

Happy with result and our first XI look good, just a shame we have no squad depth.

Main disappointent of the day was no strippers!!

yeah we should really have gone to Passion instead of Greens where it was too packed to get served properly.

Haven't seen the highlights as I've just got back but overall the better team won. You can't really expect to get anything against Arsenal if you only turn up for about 25 minutes. That being said the ref is a *word censored* for not allowing advantage for Altidore and, much though I'm sure people here will disagree, I think once he's fucked up and called it back he should be sending Sagna off, it was quite blatantly a clear goalscoring chance since, with his very next touch, he was putting the ball into the net, but like I say even had he allowed it to go in there's no guarantee we'd have got anything and you just have to accept that refs will be shite from time to time.

For Arsenal Ozil looked quality, hardly lost the ball and obviously Ramsey made a hell of a difference. Jenkinson and Flamini also did a good job. Theo was very wasteful and, having been impressed with his composure when finishing last season to the point where I was starting to think that a centre forward position might be his before long, he looked back to being too inconsistent with it.

I couldn't really hear the Arsenal fans as I was at the other side of the ground (no doubt the Arsenal fans couldn't hear us in the south stand either, moving the away fans has definitely spoilt the atmosphere a bit imo) but those who were in the north stand were saying it was a good turnout and a good bit of noise. Overall it was a good enough day and, for Sunderland, there were signs that we are capable of looking like a half decent side, just need to start doing it for longer periods and capitalising when we play weaker sides than Arsenal. Hopefully Arsenal's good start to the season continues, we'll just get on with backing Di Canio and hoping to avoid the drop, twas ever thus!

I could never understand the clamour for Wally being played at centre forward - time and time again he has shown he lacks the finishing abilities to play there Yes I know that some will point to a few of his good finishes last season but being centre forward at a big club like ours requires a player to be a consistent finisher of chances and his conversion ratio is not and never will be good enough.

[northbank123]

Couldn't watch the game but I've seen the goals - ours were all quite impressive in their different ways I think.

Another strong moment for potential best defender in the league Koscielny mind.

[SteveO 35]

Only seen the highlights but the movement of Ozil and the assist for the first goal remind me very much of what I saw of him playing for Germany terrorising all and sundry at the last World Cup - bloody fantastic. The finish from Giroud was quality too - credit to the lad, he has been a different player to what he was at this stage last year. Still won't back him to score away from home against the top CL and PL opposition but at least he's knocking over shite like Sunderland and the Spuds

Another rash challenge from The New Tony Adams nearly cost us something but good to see them bounce back from the set back. Fantastic move for the last goal