City match thread

[Theoperator]

At the beginning of the season I reckon 90% of gooners would have taken 4th and the FA cup.

We're right on track in my opinion, I think people need to calm down.

We're right on the same track we've been for years - good enough to scrape 4th.

I agree, but the trouble is that the track is a rut, and thats what we seem to be stuck in.

[augie]

At the beginning of the season I reckon 90% of gooners would have taken 4th and the FA cup.

We're right on track in my opinion, I think people need to calm down.

We're right on the same track we've been for years - good enough to scrape 4th.

I agree, but the trouble is that the track is a rut, and thats what we seem to be stuck in.

But the wenker sheep will tell you that we've improved this season so how are we still battling for 4th ?? Defensively we have improved but as a team we are not one bit better and it is just as well that manure are shit this season cos otherwise the virtual trophy dream would be over by now

[Theoperator]

Its a quirk of the fixtures Aug me old mucker, we will be third at the end of the Norwich match with The Chavs capitulating to 4th, justifying progress has occurred in the most glorious of all projects

[DB10GOONER]

Giroud did ok on Saturday. Playing as a first striker (which he is not equipped to be), isolated up front, with not much quality supply, game after game after game - it's a miracle the fucker even bothers at all anymore. Anyone that says he did fuck all on Saturday obviously watched the highlights and not the whole game. He won nearly every ball in the air, unfortunately as usual there was no one running in off him to pick up his knock downs. But still, credit where it's due he kept showing for them and winning them mostly. Having said that, we need a proper first striker, someone that can hit 20+ in the PL and Giroud is not that player.

I thought we pushed Citeh well late on and if Wenger hadn't brought on Sanogo, we might even have nicked a winner. Not blaming Sanogo really as such, but he won absolutely fuck all balls and the tiny bit of threat we had with Giroud winning balls disappeared with him. The Citeh defense looked increasingly uncomfortable and were just hoofing it clear late on.

Santi and Rosicky impressed me with their creativity and work rate. Ox was brought on too late to have a real impact and I agree with others it makes no sense to bring on one player with pace as it's too easy to nullify with man marking or by putting two on him. Should have brought Gnabry on as well.

Have to say, Flamoney was very good as well. Kept his head ( ) and finished superbly for his goal. Calamity Chesney is still not good enough to be an unchallenged first choice keeper IMHO. That fucking cocky smile after each unforced error... grrr...

Sagna and Gibbs are still the worst crossers of a ball I have ever seen. Yeah, great, Sagna managed to whip in 2 good ones. But 2 out of 10 or 12 attempts? That is still fucking shit. And his absolute refusal to take anyone on is starting to really piss me off.

Anyballs, a good result, but far too little too late.

[Herd]

I thought Sagna had a great game, it’s also not his fault that he has to bang in crosses to nonexistent players in the box because we never commit enough in the penalty area, preferring instead to loiter outside with no real intent .
But we left Gibbs on his own again in the first half and if City hadn’t been playing with the handbrake on they could
Have punished us just as they and many others have before .
Giroud works hard but he did have chances which he couldnt convert........again !
Chezney simply isnt good enough !

[northbank123]

DB10 I agree that we place a huge expectation on the striker in our system, and although they can pilfer a lot of easy goals the rest of the time it is a phenomenally challenging role. Giroud is also generally the best option we currently have if we are insistent on this system.

But in any event winning the majority of flick-ons is hardly a huge positive unless you are operating a system like Stoke or Sam Allardyce. Giroud's hold-up play is nowhere near the level it should be for somebody of his size and deficiencies elsewhere. He's not a battering ram like a Drogba or Benteke where players just bounce off them, but watching Bony last week it struck me how much better his hold-up play was than Giroud. His lack of pace and predictable movement make it easy for defenders to get tight and his touch is not good enough. Bony for example was keeping our CBs on their toes with his movement, and when he got the ball with his back to goal was practically holding them off at arm's length whilst waiting for support (which was just as slow in arriving as ours has been recently) and then comfortably being able to lay the ball off.

[Supagoon]

Considering our injuries and who the opposition was, I thought we were fantastic.

Some of this is correct. I never saw us getting a point from this game, the boys did brilliant. But why are so many of our injuries so long term Sanogo off the bench is down to Wenger buying total crap.

"Sanogo can make a huge contribution for the rest of the season because he hasn't played many games," Wenger said.

"He played a part in my decision not to sign a striker."

Nice one Arsene

please don't tell me he said that.

So once again it's player development >> Arsenal FC.

Can somebody please tell Arsene to take his player development projects and shove em up his *****. Arsenal FC does not exist for this, just another personal ridiculous ego exercise.

This is what I hate Arsene Wenger for, i'll never forget Sanogo skying that last chance against stoke, where a competent striker would have had the experience or the ability to keep it down.