Stoke v Arsenal match thread

[kiwomya]

BTW v disappointed to hear a chorus of "only one arsehole wanker" yesterday.

I don't understand how you can be disappointed. Surely you want the team to be supported away from home, especially as the season has only just started.

[LDB]

What dismays me is everyone saying the defence is looking better and assuming that Steve Bould is responsible.

Bould has been with the club during the recent years of crap defending - last year it shipped more goals than ever.

So why hasn't Wenger looked for help before?

Also lets be honest, we've played Sunderland at home who barely have a striker and showed zero interest in trying to score a goal after a couple of early counter attacks. And Stoke away who were the lowest scorers in the league last season and will most likely be near the bottom of the pile come may in that regard.

Yes we did a good job on Stoke, we denied them getting any corners and with Song out of the team we only conceded a few free kicks in dangerous areas and no delap throws were a big plus. But I think I'll give it a few more games before I declare steve bould the Messiah, we've started seasons looking decent defensively before and standards have slipped every time.

[augie]

BTW v disappointed to hear a chorus of "only one arsehole wanker" yesterday.

I don't understand how you can be disappointed. Surely you want the team to be supported away from home, especially as the season has only just started.

Team yes. Manager not so much Too much blind faith like that just feeds into his ego and tells him and the board that he has the complete backing of the fans which perpetuates the cycle of wengers mismanagement

[LDB]

BTW v disappointed to hear a chorus of "only one arsehole wanker" yesterday.

Normally I would be but I wasn't on sunday on account of the abuse the stoke fans were giving him. Against inbreds like that we should back our man. For all Wenger's faults nobody at that shithole abortion of a club can get near what he has achieved in the game

[flash gunner]

BTW v disappointed to hear a chorus of "only one arsehole wanker" yesterday.

Normally I would be but I wasn't on sunday on account of the abuse the stoke fans were giving him. Against inbreds like that we should back our man. For all Wenger's faults nobody at that shithole abortion of a club can get near what he has achieved in the game

Agree with this

[kiwomya]

For the benefit of the slow: I'm not judging Giroud on the basis of two games.
I'm judging him based on years of watching him in French football (including watching comical performances at Tours)
He's crap. It's not hard, it really is that simple.
He might score a couple against Reading and West Ham but then afaik, Chamakh started off well against Wolves and Blackpool

Giroud is rubbish but let's revisit this convo in May 2012, when I'm sure, like Chamakh, he will "need a year of adaptation"

Funny how players like Hazard and Kagawa don't need a whole year to look quality eh?

Think you will find that hazard and kagawa have joined two stronger clubs than our players have - those guys will be given time to bed in whereas some c**ts expect our new signings to carry the team on their backs already

Alas Augie, you clearly expect too much!
Nah mate I'm aware Giroud couldn't carry an empty briefcase, so with me going on about how rubbish he is etc; it's kinda contradiction to claim in expecting him to "carry" Arsenal innit!
No no. I'd expect a Bergkamp or Zidane to carry Arsenal.

Giroud? All I expect is that when gifted a gilt-edged sitter in a platter, that you at least hit the target from 2 yards out. Note, I didn't say score! Yes better players have missed easy chances (eg RVP) but then again, they've made up for that with subsequent incredible goals (RVP v Charlton, RVP v Everton, RVP v Manure, see where I'm going yet?); or they've made up for it with exceptional play, assists etc.

Giroud can't dribble, and when he has a man running completely free in acres of space; he tries a ridiculous shot from 45 yards out, when the previous week he couldn't score from 2!!! Seems even Arsene agrees with me here, it's pathetic play from a striker of his experience to have NO idea or awareness of runners right alongside him.

He isn't 17 years old you know.
So I expect nothing of Giroud except to score sitters when presented, that's it.
If he does it then fair play, he'll be effective as Chamakh was for a half season. If he doesn't though then, fail to see the point sorry

Fucking hell. Why do you follow French football if the top scorer for last season is so crap? doesn't say much about the league does it?

Can't you just enjoy a bit of football without having to try your hardest to predict everything?

[flash gunner]

For the benefit of the slow: I'm not judging Giroud on the basis of two games.
I'm judging him based on years of watching him in French football (including watching comical performances at Tours)
He's crap. It's not hard, it really is that simple.
He might score a couple against Reading and West Ham but then afaik, Chamakh started off well against Wolves and Blackpool

Giroud is rubbish but let's revisit this convo in May 2012, when I'm sure, like Chamakh, he will "need a year of adaptation"

Funny how players like Hazard and Kagawa don't need a whole year to look quality eh?

Think you will find that hazard and kagawa have joined two stronger clubs than our players have - those guys will be given time to bed in whereas some c**ts expect our new signings to carry the team on their backs already

Alas Augie, you clearly expect too much!
Nah mate I'm aware Giroud couldn't carry an empty briefcase, so with me going on about how rubbish he is etc; it's kinda contradiction to claim in expecting him to "carry" Arsenal innit!
No no. I'd expect a Bergkamp or Zidane to carry Arsenal.

Giroud? All I expect is that when gifted a gilt-edged sitter in a platter, that you at least hit the target from 2 yards out. Note, I didn't say score! Yes better players have missed easy chances (eg RVP) but then again, they've made up for that with subsequent incredible goals (RVP v Charlton, RVP v Everton, RVP v Manure, see where I'm going yet?); or they've made up for it with exceptional play, assists etc.

Giroud can't dribble, and when he has a man running completely free in acres of space; he tries a ridiculous shot from 45 yards out, when the previous week he couldn't score from 2!!! Seems even Arsene agrees with me here, it's pathetic play from a striker of his experience to have NO idea or awareness of runners right alongside him.

He isn't 17 years old you know.
So I expect nothing of Giroud except to score sitters when presented, that's it.
If he does it then fair play, he'll be effective as Chamakh was for a half season. If he doesn't though then, fail to see the point sorry

Fucking hell. Why do you follow French football if the top scorer for last season is so crap? doesn't say much about the league does it?

Can't you just enjoy a bit of football without having to try your hardest to predict everything?

I wouldnt mind so much but his predictions are normally shit!!!

[kiwomya]

The Spurs ones were my favourites.

[Gunnersaurus]

My favourite one is how amazing Mata is for winning a world Cup even though he couldn't get into the team behind some of Europe's best midfielders but he then states that Giroud is pants because he can't get into the French team behind one of the best strikers in Europe.

Flawed Genius.

[arseofacrow]

I think you all want to be F d by baba

[mcdowell42]

Like The prediction we would finish at the bottom of our cl group last season and Dortmund would top the group

[Herd]

I think you all want to be F d by baba

Not really ,is he any good though ?

[Red Member]

Baba should have waited until this season.
His views are making sense now.

Last season he came across as a right who knew nothing about football.

[Top Londoner]

Song for RvP at Stoke


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNvDU9KtQVc

[topcat]

just looking at people arguing with baba about giroud....and as much as i hate babatundes attidude on this i do agree with him, i wasn't annoyed about him taking a shot, why the hell not!! but i can tell my his all around game that he is going to me another chamakh or bentdner, u can spot a top class footballer straight away by their movement, awereness, skill and control...for me he dosn't seem to have much going for him and will not turn out to be a great buy.