With all the furore we forgot Song...

[DB10GOONER]

...and the fact that he played quite well again last night. His passing has deffo improved for the moment but his tracking back is still very poor.

I still don't think he is good enough to be in the starting line up. But credit where it's due, he played well.

Will he do that for most of the games left? Will he carry it on into next season? I personally doubt it but it would be great if he could.

[Fabby is a Foot (Leg-end)]

A couple of silly, pointless and potentially dangers niggly fouls conceded. He is playing much better agreed but still needs improvement.

[Boomer]

...and the fact that he played quite well again last night. His passing has deffo improved for the moment but his tracking back is still very poor.

I still don't think he is good enough to be in the starting line up. But credit where it's due, he played well.

Will he do that for most of the games left? Will he carry it on into next season? I personally doubt it but it would be great if he could.

I thought he was better then Diaby, who himself is now in his prefered position. Diaby as the inability to make a decent pass and more so slows the tempo of the game down.

We can't counter with him.

[Fabby is a Foot (Leg-end)]

...and the fact that he played quite well again last night. His passing has deffo improved for the moment but his tracking back is still very poor.

I still don't think he is good enough to be in the starting line up. But credit where it's due, he played well.

Will he do that for most of the games left? Will he carry it on into next season? I personally doubt it but it would be great if he could.

I thought he was better then Diaby, who himself is now in his prefered position. Diaby as the inability to make a decent pass and more so slows the tempo of the game down.

We can't counter with him.

I agree - Diaby can make those penetrating runs but is very wasteful with the ball several times lost the ball in dangerous positions

[SPUDMASHER]

I thought Song was fairly decent again last night and I have to agree with Boomer about Diaby.
One thing that annoyed me last night was our lack of a 'second wave'. Quite often when a ball was played into the box from a wing, we had three in the box. Once it was cleared to just outside the D it always fell to a Hull player because our midfield had not followed the play in. This took a lot of pressure off them as the nearest Arsenal player was back on the halfway line. It was only in the last 8 minutes or so that they began to venture forward a bit more.
We need to apply more pressure when attacking and our midfielders should be looking for the scraps that come back out so they can throw them straight back in.
With the exception of Song, the one thing we have in abundance is pace so getting back for a break is manageable for us. Soaking up the kind of pressure that more support would provide, is less manageable for our opponents. Let's play to our strengths.

[DB10GOONER]

I thought Song was fairly decent again last night and I have to agree with Boomer about Diaby.
One thing that annoyed me last night was our lack of a 'second wave'. Quite often when a ball was played into the box from a wing, we had three in the box. Once it was cleared to just outside the D it always fell to a Hull player because our midfield had not followed the play in. This took a lot of pressure off them as the nearest Arsenal player was back on the halfway line. It was only in the last 8 minutes or so that they began to venture forward a bit more.
We need to apply more pressure when attacking and our midfielders should be looking for the scraps that come back out so they can throw them straight back in.
With the exception of Song, the one thing we have in abundance is pace so getting back for a break is manageable for us. Soaking up the kind of pressure that more support would provide, is less manageable for our opponents. Let's play to our strengths.

Agreed. It may be that the midfield isn't confident in our ability to retain possession high up the pitch and are afraid of getting done on the break. But would agree we have enough pace in it to handle that. Hopefully it will come soon.

[Newb_Russ]

I didnt think Song was that great last night, mainly based on i cant remember anything memorable that he did. Probably just and ok match for him.
Diaby on the other hand was beginning to annoy me slowing things down and misplacing a good few passes in the mid pitch area. Yet when i focussed on him because of this i noticed some good defensive tackles close to our own area coupled with one or two decentish runs. Perhaps we should see him take a more defensive role.

[QuartzGooner]

Second wave?

Agreed, where was it?

Too often we lacked a first wave too.

Few times Arshavin and Walcott would look to play a ball into the box but no one to play it to.

Hope Eduardo can change that.

[Newb_Russ]

And im obviously even slower than Song in my replies!!!!!

[Nice_Guy]

I didnt think Song was that great last night.

How good does Arshavin look already

If he carries on like this he will be a double figures scorer next season

[Gunnersaurus]

Yeah agree, his third decent game in a row for me.

I was quite stunned with one pass (in the first half) that didn't go sideways and instead went diagonaly on the floor completely taking out a defender and perfectly weighted into Arshavin's stride.


Diaby on the other hand, cor, why does he do so much good work and then mess it up with his distribution or by getting caught because he holds the ball too long?

Some of the touches and turns really look good but then he completely balls it up with his final pass.

[o2ba_gooner]

Maybe Song has started to metally put all the pieces together?
Maybe the spectre of Cesc and Tommy's (god willing ) returns has concentrated the young mans mind?
Maybe if we can be a little more patient with him, his improvement will continue or even speed up?
Maybe at the fairly tender age of 21 Song is starting to mature as a person and it is showing in his game?
Maybe Arsene Wenger does know what he is doing afterall? and
Maybe some folks can find enough charity in their hearts to cut him a little slack?

Arsenal for life

[augie]

Some of song's passing last night was truely appaling but he was streets ahead of diaby who holds the ball way too long and his passing too was shocking Amazing that I even find myself saying this but I would have left song on and taken off diaby actually but to be honest that is more of a reflection on diaby than it is on song Let us not forget that while song was in dreamland the ex scum player barmby ran off the back of him to score the goal and song wasnt within 10 yards of him

[DB10GOONER]

Some of song's passing last night was truely appaling but he was streets ahead of diaby who holds the ball way too long and his passing too was shocking Amazing that I even find myself saying this but I would have left song on and taken off diaby actually but to be honest that is more of a reflection on diaby than it is on song Let us not forget that while song was in dreamland the ex scum player barmby ran off the back of him to score the goal and song wasnt within 10 yards of him

Not defending Song here but I would say Djourou was equally close and didn't come across until waaaaay too late...

Also, for the few people that are jupming in with how great Song was - I didn't say that. I said he played quite well; I probably should have qualified it by adding "for him..."

[augie]

Djouru had an absolute 'mare in my book - got destroyed in the air, was hesitant in going for the ball and looked totally uneasy with the ball at his feet