While thoroughly enjoying the result last night, i couldnt help but worry that AW would use this as a response to those calling for a bit of spending during January and what do i find on Arsenal.com this morning, exactly that!
Lets put this result into perspective, we played a bloody awful scouse side last night aided by the fact that Benitez didnt have a clue what he was doing, why the hell didnt he put Crouch on as soon as they got their 3rd?
Anyhow, this result shouldnt be allowed to cover the cracks that so often appear in the league. If AW has any faith whatsoever in Baptista then he should start him week in week out with Thierry & Adebayor when fit up front and him slotting in behind them.
Aliadiere showed he can perform against average players but has still to produce in the top flight so please guys, whilst enjoying this great result for the "kids" lets not lose sight of the fact that we still have problems in the first 11!
Roll on another chance to stuff the Scum
Cheer up Stevie Gerrard, oh what can it mean..............................
Lets not get carried away.........
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Gooneroonie
- Posts: 257
- Joined: Thu Sep 14, 2006 4:33 pm
- Location: Islington / Dublin
Mate, I was as worried as you about Arsene's proposed lack of spending but last night did give me hope.
They are not an awful Liverpool side... most full strength teams would have got turned over last night... but we did make them look awful.
It was nice to see players who have a lot to prove clearly still relaxed enough to enjoy themselves and let the football flow... maybe we get too serious about things in the premiership and should smile a bit more!!
Anyway, bring on the ****
They are not an awful Liverpool side... most full strength teams would have got turned over last night... but we did make them look awful.
It was nice to see players who have a lot to prove clearly still relaxed enough to enjoy themselves and let the football flow... maybe we get too serious about things in the premiership and should smile a bit more!!
Anyway, bring on the ****
Totally agree dont forget how we played at Sheffield 10days ago.This season we have been superb against the top teams its against rubbish teams like West Ham,Man City,Shefffield Utd and Middlesboro we have been poor.Wengers team can beat anyone in the world but it cant put a consistant run together.The big test is how we perform against Blackburn on saturday a team we should be beating.The two results versus Liverpool cannot take away that it has been another poor league season.
We really dont need to spend!!
We have an adequate team and squad now as it is - it is just finding form!! They have the quality to win things.
What are you going to achieve by spending now?? Buying a continental forward who wont settle in until May!?
Unless they are sold - then remember we have Lauren to come back, Ljungberg (the spare tool) to come back, Gallas to come back, Abou Diaby to find his feet again.
We have Henry back again, a confident Adebayor and now hopefullya confident and potentially explosive Baptista and an Aliadiere who is on a mission to prove himself (if last night is anything to go by).
This season is about Wenger's 3rd generation team finding form. Even if we bought Ronaldinho and Adriano, I doubt it would make much difference to the results we are having right now.
We have an adequate team and squad now as it is - it is just finding form!! They have the quality to win things.
What are you going to achieve by spending now?? Buying a continental forward who wont settle in until May!?
Unless they are sold - then remember we have Lauren to come back, Ljungberg (the spare tool) to come back, Gallas to come back, Abou Diaby to find his feet again.
We have Henry back again, a confident Adebayor and now hopefullya confident and potentially explosive Baptista and an Aliadiere who is on a mission to prove himself (if last night is anything to go by).
This season is about Wenger's 3rd generation team finding form. Even if we bought Ronaldinho and Adriano, I doubt it would make much difference to the results we are having right now.
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Gooneroonie
- Posts: 257
- Joined: Thu Sep 14, 2006 4:33 pm
- Location: Islington / Dublin
Certainly don't think we need to buy any strikers thats for sure
Midfield concerns me a little, theo walcott at the minute is only an impact player, for me in 90 mins he gievs the ball away cheaply sometimse with solo runs that go nowhere and doesnt get back and defend enough, rosicky and hleb are gerat when the confidence is high, gilberto i can never make my mind up on, smoetimes i think underrated unsung hero, other times he just isnt world class for me, loving the goals this season though he is always good for a late winner! Alex song is strong but i want to see more proof same as Diaby and then there is always the terrier that is our flamini, would perhaps like to see a real proven midfielder but we have to try and give diaby a run first now he is fit, maybe a winger because freddy doesnt cut it anymore for me as much as it hutrs me to say that. If we got 6 mill for him i think we should take it in a second
Defence could do with strengthening if we lose lauren, would be great to have him and eboue if we can keep them both happy, senderos is too inconsistent for me but the argument would be thats because he is young, toure and gallas are phenominal, best pairing in the league in my humble opinion, only really go djourio and hoyte for me still have a lot to prove and i think traore is simply not good enough. Clichy i have faith in, few mistakes but will get better
So in conclusion, i can definately see where Mr. Wenger is coming from as its very difficult to pick holes that desperately need filling, if i was going to buy one player though it would be a Defender who can play left and centre, preferably an experienced one that clichy can continue to learn from in training
anyone got any suggestions for one?
Midfield concerns me a little, theo walcott at the minute is only an impact player, for me in 90 mins he gievs the ball away cheaply sometimse with solo runs that go nowhere and doesnt get back and defend enough, rosicky and hleb are gerat when the confidence is high, gilberto i can never make my mind up on, smoetimes i think underrated unsung hero, other times he just isnt world class for me, loving the goals this season though he is always good for a late winner! Alex song is strong but i want to see more proof same as Diaby and then there is always the terrier that is our flamini, would perhaps like to see a real proven midfielder but we have to try and give diaby a run first now he is fit, maybe a winger because freddy doesnt cut it anymore for me as much as it hutrs me to say that. If we got 6 mill for him i think we should take it in a second
Defence could do with strengthening if we lose lauren, would be great to have him and eboue if we can keep them both happy, senderos is too inconsistent for me but the argument would be thats because he is young, toure and gallas are phenominal, best pairing in the league in my humble opinion, only really go djourio and hoyte for me still have a lot to prove and i think traore is simply not good enough. Clichy i have faith in, few mistakes but will get better
So in conclusion, i can definately see where Mr. Wenger is coming from as its very difficult to pick holes that desperately need filling, if i was going to buy one player though it would be a Defender who can play left and centre, preferably an experienced one that clichy can continue to learn from in training
anyone got any suggestions for one?
If it was up to me, id do what I could to sell Freddie in Jan (sorry but lets face it, what has he done in the past two seasons???) and go for Reo-Coker. Already experienced in the Premiership, good player, got a good future in the right team and is also a gooner!!
As a defensive minded player, would give Fabregas more of a chance to make forward runs - even though Reo-Coker makes them himself given the chance.
Mmmmmmaybe we could go for a left back but again got Gallas who could play there if worst comes to the worst.
Think about the players we have out on loan people - Bentdner (striker - making a very good impression), Muamba (defensive midfielder - making a good impression), Larsson (midfielder - going I think tho), Lupoli (going I think tho) and Gilbert (rightback) - who I want to be given a chance as im not fully confident with Eboue yet...above all he cant take throw-ons! lol
As a defensive minded player, would give Fabregas more of a chance to make forward runs - even though Reo-Coker makes them himself given the chance.
Mmmmmmaybe we could go for a left back but again got Gallas who could play there if worst comes to the worst.
Think about the players we have out on loan people - Bentdner (striker - making a very good impression), Muamba (defensive midfielder - making a good impression), Larsson (midfielder - going I think tho), Lupoli (going I think tho) and Gilbert (rightback) - who I want to be given a chance as im not fully confident with Eboue yet...above all he cant take throw-ons! lol
the liverpool team fielded was stronger than the team fielded by sheff utd and the team the arse put out against liverpool was weaker than the one agianst sheff utd so whilst not getting carried away it was a fucking immense result. i think everyone just needs to be patient with the team and squad as i have no doubt that wenger is going to turn them into champions and also in a way that will be looked on in years as the most amazing team ever
maybe i'm being too hopeful and i know people will say we need to be challenging for the title now which i do agree with, but it be a small price to pay if wenger does pull off his 3rd and most unbelievebale masterstoke.
keep the faith
maybe i'm being too hopeful and i know people will say we need to be challenging for the title now which i do agree with, but it be a small price to pay if wenger does pull off his 3rd and most unbelievebale masterstoke.
keep the faith
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clockender1
- Posts: 6257
- Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2006 5:53 pm
liverpool are a football team not cloggers, and they let us play and gave the front two plenty of space - any team that does that against is punished.
we punished them in the same way we have punished Inter, Juve, and Real Madrid ( read that and weep chelski and ****), and the same way we did it on Saturday.
Even if the scousers would have had a full team out we would have beaten them but not by so much. The youngsters at the back (waletta ?) and Dudek had a 'mare which definately helped.
I do think we have a big enough squad, as i said before we had 9 out at sheff utd, but i hope this win gives Hoyte, Djourou and the Beast some confidence especially the latter who maybe should start alongside TH against Blackburn to see if he can do it again.
lets hope so.
we punished them in the same way we have punished Inter, Juve, and Real Madrid ( read that and weep chelski and ****), and the same way we did it on Saturday.
Even if the scousers would have had a full team out we would have beaten them but not by so much. The youngsters at the back (waletta ?) and Dudek had a 'mare which definately helped.
I do think we have a big enough squad, as i said before we had 9 out at sheff utd, but i hope this win gives Hoyte, Djourou and the Beast some confidence especially the latter who maybe should start alongside TH against Blackburn to see if he can do it again.
lets hope so.
Lets see what happens on Saturday at Blackburn. Clockender has it spot on. We have all the players we need to beat teams who come out and play against us, but not necessarily the right players to stand up to the Boltons of this world. Anyone remember the game last season before we got kicked off the park at Blackburn? It was away to Real Madrid where we played them off the park. Then back to a tough physical away game in the League and we were a distant second. This Saturday will show if we have learnt anything over the past 12 months.
Picking up on N13Gooners point about no point buying now as players won't settle until May, I think that's why we should by now. For me it was clear early in the season that we'd be some way short of the title, so this season was all about getting the squad built ready and the tactics/formation sorted for next season and a strong title push from day 1. If we buy players now they will be settled and ready for next season. Buy in the summer and you're potentially looking at Christmas before they start contributing.
I certainly don't think we need to buy lots of players - the main pieces of the jigsaw are in place but we now need the finishing touches which could mean the difference between a title and being also rans again. I'd love to see the addition of a combative midfielder to give us the extra needed bite away from home in certain games. Scott Parker would be great but I can't see it. I also feel we have a midfield full off great passers but not really anyone who runs at players. OK Theo does it when given a game but we need that extra option on a regular basis. Ribery fits that bill. He looked ok at the World Cup, not great but you could see he had something and Monsieur Wenger would be the man to get it out of him. I'd love to see us buy him as it would give the squad more variety.
As for Freddie, sad to say it but I think his day has come and if we got £5m plus I think we should bite the buyers hand off. He's not the player he was, his legs have gone and he doesn't really contribute anything anymore. But thanks for the memories Freddie.
I'd also hate to see Lauren go. As some have you have already expressed I also have concerns about both our full backs. Both good footballers but both poor defenders right now. Yes I know they are young and will improve but if you want to challenge for the title you can't afford to have two full backs both making mistakes on a regular basis. Lauren's experience and physical presence still have a place in my opinion.
Picking up on N13Gooners point about no point buying now as players won't settle until May, I think that's why we should by now. For me it was clear early in the season that we'd be some way short of the title, so this season was all about getting the squad built ready and the tactics/formation sorted for next season and a strong title push from day 1. If we buy players now they will be settled and ready for next season. Buy in the summer and you're potentially looking at Christmas before they start contributing.
I certainly don't think we need to buy lots of players - the main pieces of the jigsaw are in place but we now need the finishing touches which could mean the difference between a title and being also rans again. I'd love to see the addition of a combative midfielder to give us the extra needed bite away from home in certain games. Scott Parker would be great but I can't see it. I also feel we have a midfield full off great passers but not really anyone who runs at players. OK Theo does it when given a game but we need that extra option on a regular basis. Ribery fits that bill. He looked ok at the World Cup, not great but you could see he had something and Monsieur Wenger would be the man to get it out of him. I'd love to see us buy him as it would give the squad more variety.
As for Freddie, sad to say it but I think his day has come and if we got £5m plus I think we should bite the buyers hand off. He's not the player he was, his legs have gone and he doesn't really contribute anything anymore. But thanks for the memories Freddie.
I'd also hate to see Lauren go. As some have you have already expressed I also have concerns about both our full backs. Both good footballers but both poor defenders right now. Yes I know they are young and will improve but if you want to challenge for the title you can't afford to have two full backs both making mistakes on a regular basis. Lauren's experience and physical presence still have a place in my opinion.
Agree with most of that. If we keep Lauren and Freddie then we dont need to buy, except possibly one central midfielder to take pressure of Cesc. We should keep L and F because for some matches we need hardened experienced pros, even if they arent going to score 6 goals for us, they can help to stop the opposition scoring when we have scored 1.
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clockender1
- Posts: 6257
- Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2006 5:53 pm
I think we'll be crazy to let Lauren go! he can be fantastic for us, i thought he'd never get replaced when he got injured, thankfully eboue has turned into another great player.
I think its been so long since we saw Lauren we've simlpy forgotten how damn good he was! to let him go without giving him a chance to see how he plays post injury would be crazy, someone is gettign an amazing bargain there if they catch him on a freebie in the summer
Have to agree with everyone on Freddie though as much as it hurts to say it, he's been an amazing servent and i'd love to have him as a squad player but anything over £5 mill and we have to take it, wouldn't let him go for less that 4.5 though
Hopefully Diaby can be our combatitive midfielder but thats for the future I agree we could do with one now as much as I hate him if Ballack dosent settle at Chelsea soon which he isn't.....ok ok i'm sorry
I think its been so long since we saw Lauren we've simlpy forgotten how damn good he was! to let him go without giving him a chance to see how he plays post injury would be crazy, someone is gettign an amazing bargain there if they catch him on a freebie in the summer
Have to agree with everyone on Freddie though as much as it hurts to say it, he's been an amazing servent and i'd love to have him as a squad player but anything over £5 mill and we have to take it, wouldn't let him go for less that 4.5 though
Hopefully Diaby can be our combatitive midfielder but thats for the future I agree we could do with one now as much as I hate him if Ballack dosent settle at Chelsea soon which he isn't.....ok ok i'm sorry
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highburyJD
- Posts: 4982
- Joined: Thu Jan 04, 2007 6:36 pm
- Location: Highbury
if we buy we have to sell
GK: madJens, almunia, poom
Jens hasn't impressed as much this season as last (inevitable I guess he was one of the best on the world last term) but Almunia has improved his handling v 'Pool was good in both games. I've always rated Poom buy Obv he's yet to play.
RB: Eboue, Hoyte, Ralph(4now), Gilbert
FOUR rightbacks is overkill - maybe we'll sell another as well as the probably on his way Lauren (cheers Ralph). I'd r8 Kerrea Gilbert ahead of Hoyte who is a gr8 athlete but a more limited footballer. Ebuoue has easily enough talent but very dodgy temprament - wenger has publically criticised him already + subbed him v Pool 4faking injury, he must be running out of chances.
LB: Clichy, Traore
despite being weak at LB both our lefties are young and we have WilleG +know Flamini can play there at a push. Clichy still hasn't found his pre-inury Cole clone form but is improving. Traore loves a tackle and hasd impressed every1.
CB: Toure + Gallas = world class. Senderos + Djourou= top prospects. No point in signing any centrebacks
centremid: Gilberto, Cesc, Flamini, Diaby, Song, denilson, muamba. tons of centre-mids all bar Silva very young. flamini is very useful as he's so versatile. none of us rated song but wenger knows - v 'pool he looked like Jean Tigana ffs! diaby is a stronglad - vieiraesque and denilson is very highly r8d in brasil. Brum are trying to buy Muamba so he may go anyway.
wide-mid: rosicky, hleb, walcott, freddy. No left footers (well I suppose reyes is anotherplayer on loan but I'd be surprised 2c him in red again) we've played RVP and denilson wide left but rosicky is still our best bet, and our best left wingers are always rightfooted anyway! baptista didn't look happy out there when tried. If walcott can play well out there he'll be str8 in the england team! prob our weakest position in terms of depth but several of our strikers can fill in - we still need Freddy!.
forwards: henry, rvp, adebayor, baptista, aliadiere, bendtner
titi+robin are obv first choice. bendtner was r8d above stokes and lupoli but aliadiere's VanBastenesque performance v Liverpool mus push him way up the pecking order
the run of cup games coming up gives almunia a chance to push jens - almunia's nightmare game at highbury v manure is hard to forget but since his gr8 performance in the fa cup v Sheff U he has been consistently solid. also MadJens histrionics can motiv8 opposition fans and players.
apart from some reservations about the keepers (would love ShavenGay at the arsenal) why would we buy anyone? we have a very deep squad.
bring on the spuds in the reserve team cup
vManure v tintytotts
jens almunia
ebuoue hoyte
clichy traore
toure gallas
senderos djourou
cesc diaby
flamini song
rosicky walcott
hleb aliadiere
rvp baptista
henry adebayor
GK: madJens, almunia, poom
Jens hasn't impressed as much this season as last (inevitable I guess he was one of the best on the world last term) but Almunia has improved his handling v 'Pool was good in both games. I've always rated Poom buy Obv he's yet to play.
RB: Eboue, Hoyte, Ralph(4now), Gilbert
FOUR rightbacks is overkill - maybe we'll sell another as well as the probably on his way Lauren (cheers Ralph). I'd r8 Kerrea Gilbert ahead of Hoyte who is a gr8 athlete but a more limited footballer. Ebuoue has easily enough talent but very dodgy temprament - wenger has publically criticised him already + subbed him v Pool 4faking injury, he must be running out of chances.
LB: Clichy, Traore
despite being weak at LB both our lefties are young and we have WilleG +know Flamini can play there at a push. Clichy still hasn't found his pre-inury Cole clone form but is improving. Traore loves a tackle and hasd impressed every1.
CB: Toure + Gallas = world class. Senderos + Djourou= top prospects. No point in signing any centrebacks
centremid: Gilberto, Cesc, Flamini, Diaby, Song, denilson, muamba. tons of centre-mids all bar Silva very young. flamini is very useful as he's so versatile. none of us rated song but wenger knows - v 'pool he looked like Jean Tigana ffs! diaby is a stronglad - vieiraesque and denilson is very highly r8d in brasil. Brum are trying to buy Muamba so he may go anyway.
wide-mid: rosicky, hleb, walcott, freddy. No left footers (well I suppose reyes is anotherplayer on loan but I'd be surprised 2c him in red again) we've played RVP and denilson wide left but rosicky is still our best bet, and our best left wingers are always rightfooted anyway! baptista didn't look happy out there when tried. If walcott can play well out there he'll be str8 in the england team! prob our weakest position in terms of depth but several of our strikers can fill in - we still need Freddy!.
forwards: henry, rvp, adebayor, baptista, aliadiere, bendtner
titi+robin are obv first choice. bendtner was r8d above stokes and lupoli but aliadiere's VanBastenesque performance v Liverpool mus push him way up the pecking order
the run of cup games coming up gives almunia a chance to push jens - almunia's nightmare game at highbury v manure is hard to forget but since his gr8 performance in the fa cup v Sheff U he has been consistently solid. also MadJens histrionics can motiv8 opposition fans and players.
apart from some reservations about the keepers (would love ShavenGay at the arsenal) why would we buy anyone? we have a very deep squad.
bring on the spuds in the reserve team cup
vManure v tintytotts
jens almunia
ebuoue hoyte
clichy traore
toure gallas
senderos djourou
cesc diaby
flamini song
rosicky walcott
hleb aliadiere
rvp baptista
henry adebayor
