As we're unlikely to see terraces again at football, this is the virtual equivalent where you can chat to your hearts content about all football matters and, obviously, Arsenal in particular. This forum encourages all Gooners to visit and contribute so please keep it respectful, clean and topical.
Post-mortem: Long ball comment from Wenger angers O'Neill, really
Written by Damian Thursday, 28 January 2010 09:13
It would be easy to focus on the comments made by Arsene Wenger and the reaction from Martin O'Neill but I would simply be digging myself a hole as I agree with Mr Wenger; we do play long ball football. Okay, you can call it counter attacking football if you want, but it is long ball football nevertheless.
Arsene Wenger is also not the first manager to comment on this about our team. Zico talked about it last season as did Tony Mowbray when he was at West Brom. Football pundits have also called us one dimensional and well, turning to a faithful friend, the statistics don't lie either.
Arsenal made 350 passes last night and we made 288. We were unsuccessful with 74 while Arsenal we unsuccessful with 77. Now, don't get me wrong, these numbers are better than it has been this season, but our game does very much focus on everyone working hard, closing down other teams, then on the counter attack, hitting the ball long. You don't need to have worked in football for 15 years to see this.
It is what we have got and what we accept and it is what O'Neill did at Leicester and to some extent Celtic too - it is his style and we can call it something else if we want, but it is what it is.
Seems maybe Wenger's comments - which in fairness were misreported to O'Neill by the media exactly so they could get a story about a rift - weren't that out of step after all.
Fellaz from my corner we head only one weak link in this game and that was: R A M S E Y.
Yep i know hi is good for his age but he should be replaced at half time...
