Anyone Else Concerned

SteveO 35 · Post by **SteveO 35** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 8:59 pm

I don't think our start would have influenced Arsene one way or the other to be honest.

If we'd lost at Everton and / or Celtic it would have been to due injuries, international duty before big games and the stubborn nature would have taken over.

As it happens we've started well and so Arsene can claim that he was right all along and we just needed to be patient.

There has been little if anything to criticise so far but its 2 games. Personally I think the realists amongst us know that with this squad's level of injury prone players we could be down to the bones in all of the key positions in the field at some point or another this season.

Still a midfielder and reliable back up centre half short IMO

SteveO 35 · Post by **SteveO 35** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 8:59 pm

I don't think our start would have influenced Arsene one way or the other to be honest.

If we'd lost at Everton and / or Celtic it would have been to due injuries, international duty before big games and the stubborn nature would have taken over.

As it happens we've started well and so Arsene can claim that he was right all along and we just needed to be patient.

There has been little if anything to criticise so far but its 2 games. Personally I think the realists amongst us know that with this squad's level of injury prone players we could be down to the bones in all of the key positions in the field at some point or another this season.

Still a midfielder and reliable back up centre half short IMO

Bergkamp-Genius · Post by **Bergkamp-Genius** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 9:30 pm

DB10GOONER wrote:I would say the first 11 looks good but the squad is poor. My fear is that Wenger will believe that this current team can A) play at that level for a whole season and B) stay injury free.

If the last 4 seasons have shown us anything it is that A) we cannot play at a high level for a whole season and B) we cannot stay injury free.

And this is what annoys me the most. We have the nucleus of a good team but we haven't strengthened it enough to compete for a full season and cover injuries and individual players' dips in form. We are a geehair away from disaster at any given time.

2 or 3 good signings at this stage can be the diference between 4th/5th and Champions.

Yea spot on DB

, you took the words right out of my mouth.

(Not the way Meatloaf suggested though

)

littlefire · Post by **littlefire** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 11:24 pm

Besides the very valid concerns aired above I am actually a little concerned about Gael Clichy...

Bergkamp-Genius · Post by **Bergkamp-Genius** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 11:31 pm

littlefire wrote:Besides the very valid concerns aired above I am actually a little concerned about Gael Clichy...

Concerned about what ?

littlefire · Post by **littlefire** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 11:34 pm

Bergkamp-Genius wrote:
littlefire wrote:Besides the very valid concerns aired above I am actually a little concerned about Gael Clichy...
Concerned about what ?

His defending.

And I'm a fan.

Bergkamp-Genius · Post by **Bergkamp-Genius** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 11:53 pm

littlefire wrote:
Bergkamp-Genius wrote:
littlefire wrote:Besides the very valid concerns aired above I am actually a little concerned about Gael Clichy...
Concerned about what ?

His defending. And I'm a fan.

Tbh he looked out of sorts last season, i assumed it was just a blip, a loss of confidence, caused by a general decline in the team, but your right he seems still not to have found any where near his superb form of 2007-8.

I'm prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt until the season is in full swing if he still looks out of sorts 10-12 games in i wouldn't be too worried, i'd be confident as a replacment Gibbs would be up to the job.

MM99 · Post by **MM99** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 12:04 am

regarding clichy is that during the 07/08 season he was playing a more attacking role, this brought him into the game a lot more and as a result he was able to properly establish himself in games and his confidence grew. not to mention that getting forward added something extra to the team and brought about many of our goals. however, last season he hasnt been getting forward half as much as he used to and has been very quiet in games, im actually surprised that wenger didnt recognise that clichy was a vital part in our attack in the 07/08 season and didnt tell him to continue that tactic last season.

Bergkamp-Genius · Post by **Bergkamp-Genius** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 12:20 am

Is it down to Wenger, i'm not so sure, when Gibbs deputised for Gael last season he certainly wasn't holding back, so i would find it strange if Clichy was under any kind of instruction to not go forward so much.

littlefire · Post by **littlefire** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 6:09 am

Bergkamp-Genius wrote: I'm prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt until the season is in full swing if he still looks out of sorts 10-12 games in i wouldn't be too worried, i'd be confident as a replacment Gibbs would be up to the job.

Spot on.

GunnerDude · Post by **GunnerDude** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 9:49 am

Its a shame people still question Clichy's abilty over 1 below par season but is it any different from Cesc last year. Fact is Clichy will get into any top side in europe and has put in solid performances against the likes of Ronaldo.
In the end having a partner like Silvestre doesnt help