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.
bang goes the 0-0 draw wrote:Signed a new contract today. Fair play to the lad been one of our most consistent players this year
He's come a long way considering some of the posts at this point last year at the start of the thread (not that I disagreed with any of them!)
You're not suggesting that posters on here rush to judge new players are you??!!
Quite. A certain Joel Campbell springs to mind
TBH I still have massive doubts about him. Limited pace, poor decision making, average shooting at best, responds rather than anticipates, terrible first touch (on a par with Welbeck for the old ball bouncing 2 yards off his shin) and what the fuck is going on with his fitness and pacing? He seems to stop every 10 minutes and gasp for air and by 70 minutes he's blowing hard!
Still he has improved in recent games and can't fault his effort at all. But I still think he's going to end up at Palace within the next 3 years...
bang goes the 0-0 draw wrote:Signed a new contract today. Fair play to the lad been one of our most consistent players this year
He's come a long way considering some of the posts at this point last year at the start of the thread (not that I disagreed with any of them!)
You're not suggesting that posters on here rush to judge new players are you??!!
Quite. A certain Joel Campbell springs to mind
TBH I still have massive doubts about him. Limited pace, poor decision making, average shooting at best, responds rather than anticipates, terrible first touch (on a par with Welbeck for the old ball bouncing 2 yards off his shin) and what the fuck is going on with his fitness and pacing? He seems to stop every 10 minutes and gasp for air and by 70 minutes he's blowing hard!
Still he has improved in recent games and can't fault his effort at all. But I still think he's going to end up at Palace within the next 3 years...
You do know that Sparsky was the founder member of the short lived Chris Wreh fan club, don't you?!
Robin_L wrote:"Nacho Monreal says his positive relationship with the Arsenal fans was a key factor in his decision to sign a new contract with the club".
Not the money then Nacho, or the fact you're playing at the top level you're ever going to reach in your career. No it's the fans
Robin_L wrote:"Nacho Monreal says his positive relationship with the Arsenal fans was a key factor in his decision to sign a new contract with the club".
Not the money then Nacho, or the fact you're playing at the top level you're ever going to reach in your career. No it's the fans
Still, I'm happy about it. One of our most consistent players now for a long time and on the quiet he's one of the better full backs around.
You're trying too hard to fit in, Robin! If you are going to take the piss out of or slate a player don't aim it at the only consistent performer on the team!!
Redarmy wrote:Really pleased he has signed a long term contract not that it means that much
Think he is one of the best left backs in the premiership, week in week out puts in consistently good performances
He deserves his money
Agree, always puts in a shift, works hard, and has improved on his tackling and ariel challenges which used to be a weak point.
The biggest recent plus is his crossing when he gets into the opposition danger area - he looks up, picks a player and puts in a decent ball unlike, Gibbs, Walcott, etc
Fair play to the guy - he was dog shit when he arrived but this season he has probably been our most consistent performer and it looks like Gibbs will need to get used to life on the bench
If anyone wants to know why Monreal has appeared more defensively sound these past few months, it was summed up by his piss poor defending for the cross that led to Chelsea's goal. So frightened has he become of being roasted by every wide player in the league that he just chooses to lay off them and give them all the space and time they could possibly need to get the ball into a dangerous area rather than close them down to stop a cross coming in (like full-backs used to do!!).
I Hate Hleb wrote:If anyone wants to know why Monreal has appeared more defensively sound these past few months, it was summed up by his piss poor defending for the cross that led to Chelsea's goal. So frightened has he become of being roasted by every wide player in the league that he just chooses to lay off them and give them all the space and time they could possibly need to get the ball into a dangerous area rather than close them down to stop a cross coming in (like full-backs used to do!!).
I have noticed the hypocrisy of many of our forum members today - he turned his back when ivanovic was crossing the ball for the chav goal, and if the bfg did it, he would have been absolutely slated for his cowardice I have commended monreal for his improved perfrormances (even though I still believe we could and should have better in the position) but the fact is that he was very poor on the goal and that fact has been largely ignored by most on here
I Hate Hleb wrote:If anyone wants to know why Monreal has appeared more defensively sound these past few months, it was summed up by his piss poor defending for the cross that led to Chelsea's goal. So frightened has he become of being roasted by every wide player in the league that he just chooses to lay off them and give them all the space and time they could possibly need to get the ball into a dangerous area rather than close them down to stop a cross coming in (like full-backs used to do!!).
I have noticed the hypocrisy of many of our forum members today - he turned his back when ivanovic was crossing the ball for the chav goal, and if the bfg did it, he would have been absolutely slated for his cowardice I have commended monreal for his improved perfrormances (even though I still believe we could and should have better in the position) but the fact is that he was very poor on the goal and that fact has been largely ignored by most on here
It seems you and I are two of only a few fair, unbiased voices of reason on here augie. Although I am not certain if that is a good thing for my reputation.
Monreal did turn his back. Not getting tight enough for fear of getting skinned is something he used to do regularly and I pray it doesn't creep back into his game. Getting roasted is an occupational hazard for any full back and to be fair Monreal is not a bad tackler etc.
I also thought that Koscielny and Flamini escaped a lot of criticism for the goal. Both of them set up to screen the front post area (only needed one to start with) and both stood and watched as a ball came in low into the six yard box. One of them should have been cutting that out given how wide Ivanovic was and that neither of them were marking anyone.
Gabriel gave Costa half a yard but with a striker of his ability that is what happens. Get ridiculously tight and he will spin you or peel away as he is always going to have the reaction time advantage. Reality is ball should never have gotten to that area with only one man to target.
Just another example of Koscielnys woeful decision making at times, along with him trying to give away one of the stupidest penalties in PL history on Fabregas by intentionally charging him to the ground for no apparent reason. Add this to him gifting Sunderland a goal and his bizarre behaviour against Newcastle where he repeatedly charged forward and gave the ball away leaving us hugely exposed - I understand he was trying to push the tempo but it was bordering idiocy. As long as he keeps having these lapses of concentration and making rash judgements he is never going to be the defender his ability could merit.
The truth northbank123 is that Kos is only rated as our best defender due to the sheer defensive weakness of the other 3. Perhaps next to another, more experienced and dominant C.H.in the mode of an Adams, Campbell or Keown he might be better but, as you point out, he makes way too many mistakes to be considered top quality.
