Arsene confirms still in market for Defender

[Bendtners Drinking Buddy]

Mis-read poor individual performances as being by the club

Agree, the quality of the oppo makes no differance to Almunia's performances. An unerring ability to be complete shit against everyone.

So what would make you happy? Sack most of the first team squad and start again?

We were chellenging for the title until late in the season, we were not good enough but we were not shite either. As said above, with a few quality signings we are not far away - you just seem to disregard everything as "shit" because we didnt win anything.

Good point about late in the season fatigue above, good point, although i think we are a fit side, it was losing Song, Fabregas and VP in one hit for a long period - the spine of the system that also contributed to its downfall at times. But that is a squad issue, not a system issue.

Also, Bendtner was being used wide on the right as an outlet for cross field balls without resorting to hoofing to a lone striker - i didnt see the logic at the start but it did work for the team if not for him personally - a "plan B" we lost when VP was injured.

These may be passed off as minor points but collectively they did harm our bid - injuries are part of football - just wish we wouldnt have so bloody many!

[DB10GOONER]

Agree to a certain extent with BDB (I know, I feel dirty too ) it takes more than individual errors to fuck a season, it is a combination of errors, bad luck, physical elements (like injuries and loss of form) but for me these things only go further to questioning Wenger's lack of proper investment in a decent squad. A decent squad can cope with most of the aforementioned problems by replacing individuals with equal quality when need be. It takes out those elements we can control.

[selsdon]

So what would make you happy? Sack most of the first team squad and start again?

Not quite.

I'd get rid of Almunia, Flappy, Diaby, Theo, Denilson, Bendtner, Eduardo, Silvestre and Vela, replace that lot and we may be back in business.

Please spare me the injuries line and for goodness sake don't pretend we were ever in with a serious shout of last season's title.

[flash gunner]

What worries me is Wenger saying he 'is in the market for a defender' this is obviously management speak set up line for in 2 months being able to say i tried but failed

[Bendtners Drinking Buddy]

Agree to a certain extent with BDB (I know, I feel dirty too ) it takes more than individual errors to fuck a season, it is a combination of errors, bad luck, physical elements (like injuries and loss of form) but for me these things only go further to questioning Wenger's lack of proper investment in a decent squad. A decent squad can cope with most of the aforementioned problems by replacing individuals with equal quality when need be. It takes out those elements we can control.

Yep, i agree - had we had players to come in to play in one of the three "key positions" ie Song, Cesc, VP we might well have pushed on. We scored a lot of late goals because we are such a fit side and powerful going forward, its just the steel at the back that was lacking - starting with the GK, and this was exposed on the break - but i think that was more of a "gung ho" attitude and a lack of organisation in defence which would be apparent in any formation, rather than the 4-3-3.

Id still keep the 4-3-3 next season, but maybe switch it to a 4-5-1 a little more often. But this is Arsenal, 1-0 in the 89th minute and the Centre Backs are usually bombing forward!

[Boomer]

What worries me is Wenger saying he 'is in the market for a defender' this is obviously management speak set up line for in 2 months being able to say i tried but failed

Did he actually say that?

[flash gunner]

What worries me is Wenger saying he 'is in the market for a defender' this is obviously management speak set up line for in 2 months being able to say i tried but failed

Did he actually say that?

A quote from pravda would suggest he did

"We are still on the market for another defensive player."

[Boomer]

Agree to a certain extent with BDB (I know, I feel dirty too ) it takes more than individual errors to fuck a season, it is a combination of errors, bad luck, physical elements (like injuries and loss of form) but for me these things only go further to questioning Wenger's lack of proper investment in a decent squad. A decent squad can cope with most of the aforementioned problems by replacing individuals with equal quality when need be. It takes out those elements we can control.

Yep, i agree - had we had players to come in to play in one of the three "key positions" ie Song, Cesc, VP we might well have pushed on. We scored a lot of late goals because we are such a fit side and powerful going forward, its just the steel at the back that was lacking - starting with the GK, and this was exposed on the break - but i think that was more of a "gung ho" attitude and a lack of organisation in defence which would be apparent in any formation, rather than the 4-3-3.

Id still keep the 4-3-3 next season, but maybe switch it to a 4-5-1 a little more often. But this is Arsenal, 1-0 in the 89th minute and the Centre Backs are usually bombing forward!

Also think how many times we conceeded first. Fix that problem and those draw could/should be turned into 3 points.

[marcengels]

Agree to a certain extent with BDB (I know, I feel dirty too ) it takes more than individual errors to fuck a season, it is a combination of errors, bad luck, physical elements (like injuries and loss of form) but for me these things only go further to questioning Wenger's lack of proper investment in a decent squad. A decent squad can cope with most of the aforementioned problems by replacing individuals with equal quality when need be. It takes out those elements we can control.

Yep, i agree - had we had players to come in to play in one of the three "key positions" ie Song, Cesc, VP we might well have pushed on. We scored a lot of late goals because we are such a fit side and powerful going forward, its just the steel at the back that was lacking - starting with the GK, and this was exposed on the break - but i think that was more of a "gung ho" attitude and a lack of organisation in defence which would be apparent in any formation, rather than the 4-3-3.

Id still keep the 4-3-3 next season, but maybe switch it to a 4-5-1 a little more often. But this is Arsenal, 1-0 in the 89th minute and the Centre Backs are usually bombing forward!

I think a major problem is the overall attitude and capability of the team to defend as a team. To ignore this, and concentrate just on new faces at the back, will lead to the same results next season as this.

And the formation question is a bit of a red herring BDB...we don't really have the players capable of doing this - as lunjberg and Parlour figures in this team are hard to come by, and Nasri/Arshavin can't really be trusted (not that Diaby or Denilson produce much more)

[Boomer]

What worries me is Wenger saying he 'is in the market for a defender' this is obviously management speak set up line for in 2 months being able to say i tried but failed

Did he actually say that?

A quote from pravda would suggest he did

"We are still on the market for another defensive player."

That's why you need to read Wengers comments.
He could have meant a Defensive midfielder or even a goalkeeper. Didn't specifically say a central defender.

He'd technically get you on that one!

[BT]

Is it good news or is it fucking obvious given that 4 central defenders - FOUR - have had their contracts expire this summer?

Sorry to be gloomy but this has got 'sell Flamini, Gilberto, Diarra, replace with Song' written all over it...

Is it me or is BT getting more aggressive in her old age? Last couple of posts have contained the Gordon Ramsay word and it's not very lady like!

Since when was throwing a chair not aggressive?

Who the fuck is old?!

[flash gunner]

What worries me is Wenger saying he 'is in the market for a defender' this is obviously management speak set up line for in 2 months being able to say i tried but failed

Did he actually say that?

A quote from pravda would suggest he did

"We are still on the market for another defensive player."

That's why you need to read Wengers comments.
He could have meant a Defensive midfielder or even a goalkeeper. Didn't specifically say a central defender.

He'd technically get you on that one!

Suggesting that i was right it is management speak or bullshit to the normal person

[GunnerDude]

Slowly turning into another classic formation thread. I will sit back for this one

[brazilianGOONER]

Slowly turning into another classic formation thread. I will sit back for this one

now that you mention it, don't you think we should swap the current 4-1-2-2-1 to a more effienct 3-1-2-1-2-1?

[Boomer]

What worries me is Wenger saying he 'is in the market for a defender' this is obviously management speak set up line for in 2 months being able to say i tried but failed

Did he actually say that?

A quote from pravda would suggest he did

"We are still on the market for another defensive player."

That's why you need to read Wengers comments.
He could have meant a Defensive midfielder or even a goalkeeper. Didn't specifically say a central defender.

He'd technically get you on that one!

Suggesting that i was right it is management speak or bullshit to the normal person

I just don't want you to get your hopes up like others when a central defender as 'promised' but a another left back was fans start to moan.

Wenger didn't lie to us.