SUNDERLAND HOME

[GranadaJoe]

It's like AW looked at the videos of the WBrom game and thought, "That worked well. We'll try it again."

Midfielders who like three or four touches on the ball before rolling a pass five yards and then stand there and admire it.

All of them, plus Sanchez continually turn back infield where the opposition are strongest.

Movement is really poor. Rosicky showed that pass and move can work (why hasn't he been playing?) but pass and stand there doesn't. Midfielders have got to work harder and get in the box more regularly.

Also, I agree with the above comments on Giroud. If he was in FM he'd rate 2 or 3 for anticipation and positioning, which allied to his carthorse pace makes him very ineffective, too often. A top striker has got to be our priority.

[augie]

It was a better game than the bore draw against the mancs on sunday. Well done to sunderland who threw everything in front of the ball, and again a goalkeeper who had a match winning performance, Ospina.

Progress is being made we lost a game exactly like this one just last week.

Giroud again proved he is too slow in thought and pace. He was never anywhere near to the ball when crosses were pulled back from the byline which gibbs and bellerin did on quite a few occasions. He never pulls back around the penalty spot which is the area most strikers would eat up chances. Since Henry criticised him he hasn't scored.

Sarcasm ??

I hope so because last week we lost a game like this to a mid table side whilst last night we drew with a team hanging on to top flight status by their finger nails No comparison between the mackems and swansea. I know their keeper made a couple of saves last night but he wasnt tested at anywhere near the same level that flaps was last week

[Gunner Rob]

i went last night
first visit for 3 months
nothing has changed - we are still shit, the players have been run into the ground by the clueless one.

the fact that we will finish 3rd is a sad indictment of the PL.
most depressing thing last night was the lack of atmosphere (at kick off I wondered whether I had turned up to a reserve game by mistake there were so few people in).
most worrying thing was the lack of engagement from supporters. there is no anti Wenger feeling at all, just a resignation that this is what we now pay £40+ for. a shrug of the shoulders, we are 3rd so it doesnt really matter.

if someone paid me to go on Sunday I would refuse. complete and utter waste of time

[Nuggets]

Dicky boy is crying Bless

He is crying with laughter he just got £500 grand for keeping them in the prem.

[Ray C]

It's like AW looked at the videos of the WBrom game and thought, "That worked well. We'll try it again."

Midfielders who like three or four touches on the ball before rolling a pass five yards and then stand there and admire it.

All of them, plus Sanchez continually turn back infield where the opposition are strongest.

Movement is really poor. Rosicky showed that pass and move can work (why hasn't he been playing?) but pass and stand there doesn't. Midfielders have got to work harder and get in the box more regularly.

Also, I agree with the above comments on Giroud. If he was in FM he'd rate 2 or 3 for anticipation and positioning, which allied to his carthorse pace makes him very ineffective, too often. A top striker has got to be our priority.

I agree. We didn't have a clue how to break down a retreating double 4 defence. Maybe get the ball out wide a cross the bloody thing in behind the last defender with blokes pushing into the box ? Nah - that will never work !!. Nice to finish 3rd anyway.

[augie]

We, and I include myself in that, have often bemoaned the fact that giroud needs wingers to maximise his strengths, but I think last night's performance blew that theory out of the water - his anticipation and movement was woeful and far too often he was on his heels when the ball came into the box One of the things that I have always tried to preach to my kids is that no matter whether its football gaa basketball or whatever sport they play, the need to be on their toes is vital for speed of reaction, and it appears that giroud is found wanting on that aspect

[DB10GOONER]

Firstly, congrats to Sunderland - I'm delighted for our Mackem mate on here. And fair dues to them too, they defended very well, really gritty and professional, in a good way. Also they looked better than us when they broke, they were quick, direct and tried to get the shot off. When we broke we stopped about 20 yards out, went flat 8 across the midfield and resorted to tippy tappy.

Sanchez, Ozil, Ramsey, Jack and Santi - our creative midfield - were all shocking. Some looked tired, others not bothered and all were off the pace and very sloppy in possession. Why has Wenger played obviously off form players constantly? Why wasn't Rosicky started over the last couple of games? Surely that's why you have a squad?

It was terrible to watch, not because of Sunderland but because of our lazy inept approach and lack of real ideas. I don't blame Giroud for last night - that's too easy. Yeah we all know he's no world beater, but the "service" to him last night was appalling. No striker would excel trying to feed off scraps like that.

Villa have nothing to lose now. The FA Cup final is a huge bonus at the end of a very hard season for them. If we turn up like we did against the manc and last night and Swansea, Villa will fuck us good.

[DB10GOONER]

We, and I include myself in that, have often bemoaned the fact that giroud needs wingers to maximise his strengths, but I think last night's performance blew that theory out of the water - his anticipation and movement was woeful and far too often he was on his heels when the ball came into the box One of the things that I have always tried to preach to my kids is that no matter whether its football gaa basketball or whatever sport they play, the need to be on their toes is vital for speed of reaction, and it appears that giroud is found wanting on that aspect

I've always felt Giroud needs another (better) striker beside him more than anything tbh as he is a good link up forward but obviously he is not a top striker. If we persist with him then why not try and get the best from him? Why continue to use him in a role that doesn't play to his (few) strengths? Oh yeah - Arsene Wenger.

[arseofacrow]

Firstly, congrats to Sunderland - I'm delighted for our Mackem mate on here. And fair dues to them too, they defended very well, really gritty and professional, in a good way. Also they looked better than us when they broke, they were quick, direct and tried to get the shot off. When we broke we stopped about 20 yards out, went flat 8 across the midfield and resorted to tippy tappy.

Sanchez, Ozil, Ramsey, Jack and Santi - our creative midfield - were all shocking. Some looked tired, others not bothered and all were off the pace and very sloppy in possession. Why has Wenger played obviously off form players constantly? Why wasn't Rosicky started over the last couple of games? Surely that's why you have a squad?

It was terrible to watch, not because of Sunderland but because of our lazy inept approach and lack of real ideas. I don't blame Giroud for last night - that's too easy. Yeah we all know he's no world beater, but the "service" to him last night was appalling. No striker would excel trying to feed off scraps like that.

Villa have nothing to lose now. The FA Cup final is a huge bonus at the end of a very hard season for them. If we turn up like we did against the manc and last night and Swansea, Villa will fuck us good.

You don't have to blame Giroud mate but he was as shit as half the rest of the team.

The back heels on show by all last night were excrutiatingly Arsenal.

[DB10GOONER]

Firstly, congrats to Sunderland - I'm delighted for our Mackem mate on here. And fair dues to them too, they defended very well, really gritty and professional, in a good way. Also they looked better than us when they broke, they were quick, direct and tried to get the shot off. When we broke we stopped about 20 yards out, went flat 8 across the midfield and resorted to tippy tappy.

Sanchez, Ozil, Ramsey, Jack and Santi - our creative midfield - were all shocking. Some looked tired, others not bothered and all were off the pace and very sloppy in possession. Why has Wenger played obviously off form players constantly? Why wasn't Rosicky started over the last couple of games? Surely that's why you have a squad?

It was terrible to watch, not because of Sunderland but because of our lazy inept approach and lack of real ideas. I don't blame Giroud for last night - that's too easy. Yeah we all know he's no world beater, but the "service" to him last night was appalling. No striker would excel trying to feed off scraps like that.

Villa have nothing to lose now. The FA Cup final is a huge bonus at the end of a very hard season for them. If we turn up like we did against the manc and last night and Swansea, Villa will fuck us good.

You don't have to blame Giroud mate but he was as shit as half the rest of the team.

The back heels on show by all last night were excrutiatingly Arsenal.

Oh, I agree, he was absolute shite. And has been for weeks now. But that single striker role is a hard one for even a top striker. How some people can expect a limited player like Giroud to excel when the supply is so bad is beyond me.

[officepest]

Giroud doesn’t have the pace to latch on to through balls, so we can’t bring the oppo onto us high up the pitch and then attempt to break the offside trap.

So we either have to tap it to feet or break for the byline and try and hit crosses which, in the case of the former, we overdo and in the latter example, we stink at.

He’s a good striker at the wrong club or an average striker for a ‘top’ club.

[I Hate Hleb]

Good on Sunderland - have to admit I was happy for them at the end seeing how joyous they were and how they embraced their manager - and how emotional he got. Good on them!

We've lost our rhythm since Wilshere and Walcott have reappeared.

Sorry Swifty but what utter bollocks!! Wilshere gave energy and fast passing to an otherwise satuesque team against Man Utd and played decent last night. Walcott came on last night and for the first time we actually looked dangerous. It's your hero Wenger that is the problem - playing obviously tired or out of form players every week!!!

[IW8Goalmachine]

Good on Sunderland - have to admit I was happy for them at the end seeing how joyous they were and how they embraced their manager - and how emotional he got. Good on them!

We've lost our rhythm since Wilshere and Walcott have reappeared.

Sorry Swifty but what utter bollocks!! Wilshere gave energy and fast passing to an otherwise satuesque team against Man Utd and played decent last night. Walcott came on last night and for the first time we actually looked dangerous. It's your hero Wenger that is the problem - playing obviously tired or out of form players every week!!!

Spot on

[SPARKSY]

Giroud doesn’t have the pace to latch on to through balls, so we can’t bring the oppo onto us high up the pitch and then attempt to break the offside trap.

So we either have to tap it to feet or break for the byline and try and hit crosses which, in the case of the former, we overdo and in the latter example, we stink at.

He’s a good striker at the wrong club or an average striker for a ‘top’ club.

Spot on. Giroud is a back up striker at best. Someone to bring off the bench to give us a different option. He is not the striker needed to get the best out of Ozil and Cazorla. Much to slow and nowhere near mobile enough.
He'd be better off at somewhere like Newcastle.

[Gunnersaurus]

Reading this thread is depressing because it's hard to argue against it, I think the players and support have given up, there were gaps everywhere and the atmosphere was one of couldn't be arsed,even the famous 'singing section' seemed more quiet than normal.

Complete dejection and the performance is not even worth talking about as it's already been said.

Really am dreading the final.