Monaco at home

[Bradywasking]

. Added to that is the fact that the caterers are so bloody slow most people enter late, leave for half time early , leave early. I am just not interested in attending anymore. complete waste of time.

Rob , doesn't that in a way sum up the atmosphere problem in the Stadium, I know at evening games people may be coming from work and haven't had a chance to eat, but in general the food and beer outlets are part of the "experience" and Stan thanks the customers for their money. But at £60 plus a ticket why would anyone queue for food at half time in the knowledge they will probably miss part of the game. ?

[BFG4]

Has anyone else noticed how Wenger goes over the top whenever Giroud puts in a decent performance(usually against bottom half teams or championship teams), and talks about Giroud being world class, and how much he brings to the team. Its as though if Wenger hypes Giroud enough, then no one will question why we dont have a decent striker. Funny how Wenger had fuck all faith in Giroud on Wednesday night, and hauled him off after he had missed some decent chances.

[Henry Norris 1913]

giroud is a bit like andy caroll in that sense. it doesn't take much for people to get carried away and hit out at their respective critics, but consistently poor showing against top sides and poor finishing is easily forgiven. if giroud was still 22 I would cut him slack, he is 28 and this is is peak ffs. I like him because he works hard and really loves the club, but he hasn't got the talent or the right mentality.

giroud could be defined by his consolation goal v the mancs this season. 2-1, 5 minutes to go, it's all to late really but a top player would run back to the centre circle to get play back under way. instead he milks the applause and waves to the crowd. typical modern Arsenal, reminds me a bit of theo. He never seems to actually understand the situation, he's always got a cheeky look on his face when he misses a sitter, like "oh well, I'll get another chance". he never seems to ask much of himself, it's not like he compares himself with sturridge or kane, he's just happy to be here, totally oblivious to the in match pressures. totally wrong attitudes, they should both have their heads down about the way they have performed for us over the course of their careers but they think they're doing well. fuck it, they think mediocrity is more than good enough at Arsenal, I wonder where they get that from

[TheCook]

. Added to that is the fact that the caterers are so bloody slow most people enter late, leave for half time early , leave early. I am just not interested in attending anymore. complete waste of time.

Rob , doesn't that in a way sum up the atmosphere problem in the Stadium, I know at evening games people may be coming from work and haven't had a chance to eat, but in general the food and beer outlets are part of the "experience" and Stan thanks the customers for their money. But at £60 plus a ticket why would anyone queue for food at half time in the knowledge they will probably miss part of the game. ?

It's a fair point, but then there are also thousands who choose to leave every match before the end to as not to get too inconvenienced by queues for the tube etc, so they are also pissing away some of their £60+ through choice.

[officepest]

I imagine we'll come away from Monaco with an honourable 2-0 win; thus allowing Wenger to blame the away goals rule.

[SPARKSY]

Has anyone else noticed how Wenger goes over the top whenever Giroud puts in a decent performance(usually against bottom half teams or championship teams), and talks about Giroud being world class, and how much he brings to the team. Its as though if Wenger hypes Giroud enough, then no one will question why we dont have a decent striker. Funny how Wenger had fuck all faith in Giroud on Wednesday night, and hauled him off after he had missed some decent chances.

Giroud is a back up striker at best, at a club like Arsenal. If we want to challenge for the top honours and compete with the best, he's not the man. But saying that, it could be aimed at a number of other players as well.

[Supagoon]

Has anyone else noticed how Wenger goes over the top whenever Giroud puts in a decent performance(usually against bottom half teams or championship teams), and talks about Giroud being world class, and how much he brings to the team. Its as though if Wenger hypes Giroud enough, then no one will question why we dont have a decent striker. Funny how Wenger had fuck all faith in Giroud on Wednesday night, and hauled him off after he had missed some decent chances.

yep, notice he doesn't ***** off over sanchez. It's because Giroud has confidence issues in his footballing ability, it has been mentioned in French media and he has implied it himself. It's understandable, imagine if he has to look in the mirror every morning and say, "I am world class player, I am a world class player"

He and Welbeck are mere PL class players, certainly not CL or PL winning class. Despite our god awful defending, Giroud's mare in front of goal cost us a CL QF place.

[Theoperator]

. Added to that is the fact that the caterers are so bloody slow most people enter late, leave for half time early , leave early. I am just not interested in attending anymore. complete waste of time.

Rob , doesn't that in a way sum up the atmosphere problem in the Stadium, I know at evening games people may be coming from work and haven't had a chance to eat, but in general the food and beer outlets are part of the "experience" and Stan thanks the customers for their money. But at £60 plus a ticket why would anyone queue for food at half time in the knowledge they will probably miss part of the game. ?

It's a fair point, but then there are also thousands who choose to leave every match before the end to as not to get too inconvenienced by queues for the tube etc, so they are also pissing away some of their £60+ through choice.

@Bradywasking- Theres beer and bovril mate,folk get thirsty after 190 minutes, the queues for the loos are no better either. IMHO the queues are terrible it is almost impossible to get a drink as the half time whistle blows and get back into the ground for the start of the second half. Completely unacceptable. You have to push in, leave early or get back in late. The club should look at grounds like Cardiff, the queue was far far faster, beers already pulled, number of hot drink dispensers far greater than at the Grove, and can you believe it, there is ONE queue ONLY that accepts card payment in the upper stands, appalling (Unless its better this season). At the grove there is just insufficient care to fans needs.

@TheCook- I am mystified, previous exchanges with me suggested that you didnt feel queing for the tube post match was a problem and there wasnt anything could be done about it. As with the queues for drinks food loos, its an unacceptable issue at our ground, if it was acceptable all would generally stay to half time be back sitting at the start of the second half and leave when the team have waved to us all

[BFG4]

Has anyone else noticed how Wenger goes over the top whenever Giroud puts in a decent performance(usually against bottom half teams or championship teams), and talks about Giroud being world class, and how much he brings to the team. Its as though if Wenger hypes Giroud enough, then no one will question why we dont have a decent striker. Funny how Wenger had fuck all faith in Giroud on Wednesday night, and hauled him off after he had missed some decent chances.

Giroud is a back up striker at best, at a club like Arsenal. If we want to challenge for the top honours and compete with the best, he's not the man. But saying that, it could be aimed at a number of other players as well.

When it comes to Giroud, Wenger is in a fantasy land, in which Giroud is a top striker. Ive mentioned this before, but go over the last 25 years, and the level of strikers we have had. We have had the likes of Smith, Wright, Henry, Bergkamp, and even Anelka was quality before he fucked off, and then compare Giroud to any of these, and he is majorly inferior. If Wenger does fuck off soon, then his replacement will get rid of Giroud soon after.

[Theoperator]

No I think he would keep Giroud but as has been said as a squad player. He does have his moments but he isnt reliable enough, doesnt have the killer instinct in the way you desribe other strikers had, though TBH its a bit like chalk and cheese, One up front is a v different challenge to playing 2 up, though the second needs to be better than Welbz too.

[Leyton Gooner]

Berbatov has effectively admitted they cheated by analysing our weaknesses then exploiting them. I ask you what is the game coming to. Uefa need to seriously look at such foul play to stop it happening again

[StuartL]

Berbatov has effectively admitted they cheated by analysing our weaknesses then exploiting them. I ask you what is the game coming to. Uefa need to seriously look at such foul play to stop it happening again

I will quote something that I have posted on the forum a couple of times already, sorry if it is getting boring.

It comes from when I did a training session viewing a few years back.

We were watching the first team do a keep ball pass. pass, pass, pass session when I asked Sean (the training ground manager) if we would adapt out approach as our next opponents were Stoke (away)

His response (I imagine straight from Wenker himself) was
"NO, we are Arsenal, we let the other team worry about us"

Which they clearly do, to great effect.

Enough is Enough time for a change (better late than never)
Wenker Out

[Ray C]

ran out of ideas, we didn't start at the right tempo and giroud proved yet again he isn't good enough for a CL team. no matter what db10 and the other giroud apologists say he is not a top striker, not even close. but theres no point getting aggravated over the weaknesses of the squad when we haven't even got a manager. no leadership from the clueless one yet again.

And if you took a moment's pause in your haste to just childishly have a jab and actually read what I (or anyone else) has said about Giroud you would see no one has said he is a top striker. We've all said the opposite in fact. He is not a top striker. But he is an average to good striker (depending on the day) that has moments of brilliance and moments of utter shitness. But hey - don't let the facts get in your way huh, mate!

Anyway, to the game. The entire team the other night were shite.

The worst for me was obviously the Giant Fucking Coward at the back. Turned side on to deflect the ball into his own net because owie getting hit by the ball might hurt! OWIE! Then made the schoolboy error of stepping up at the runner instead of tracking him. Surprise surprise the runner just dropped the shoulder and bye bye he's gone. A child would know to turn early and run with him, try push him wide. Those trying to defend the Massive Cowardly Pussy by saying he couldn't have run with him because he has no pace are missing the point; he didn't need to race him all the way back to the box, he only needed to run him wide long enough for other faster players to get back to help. The Big Scared Vadge has to be dropped and got rid of now.

Welbeck I'm sorry is bang average on a good day, pure shite on a bad one. His first touch is shocking. Ball just bounces a yard or two off his foot. The myth about his pace is often exposed. He wins NOTHING in the air, and that's on the odd occasion when he bothers to challenge for anything in the air. Simply not good enough.

Gibbs still cannot cross a ball to save his life. Bellerin looks like he has potential but he was all over the place, constantly caught out of position.

Walcott and the Ox seemed like a good idea but apart from a couple of good runs and one chance he jumped out of Walcott had no impact really. The Ox scored a beauty and then went from hero to zero by giving the ball away so cheaply for their third. Felt really sorry for him.

Giroud was utter dogshit. He'll probably score a 30 yard screamer in the next game. But ultimately he is a squad player or a striker that should be played alongside a striker than can hit 20+ PL goals every season in a 4-4-2. He is not a lone striker in a 4-5-1. My 9 year old son can see that.

Ozil, Sanchez and Santi were all guilty of overplaying everything. Ozil is a fantastically gifted player. He has vision, deftness of touch, passing brilliance and top top technique. But I don't think he'll make it with us. Particularly in the pacey PL. We either build a system around him and his ability or we get rid.

Watching Wenger sit there with his hands in his pockets whilst Monaco's manager was up on the sideline actually managing his team and managing the game was just pathetic.

Bizarrely, I think we might turn this one round.

No, seriously - don't laugh!! I have a feeling we will win 3-0 over there or more likely 3-1 and scrape it on pennos. Cue Arsene then talking about how that was the greatest achievement of his career and how this is the best group of players he's ever assembled and blah blah fucking blah before the standard raping at the hands of a proper top team in the next round.

Someone was watching the same game as me !!!

[VAVAVOOM 14]

Berbatov has effectively admitted they cheated by analysing our weaknesses then exploiting them. I ask you what is the game coming to. Uefa need to seriously look at such foul play to stop it happening again

[augie]

ran out of ideas, we didn't start at the right tempo and giroud proved yet again he isn't good enough for a CL team. no matter what db10 and the other giroud apologists say he is not a top striker, not even close. but theres no point getting aggravated over the weaknesses of the squad when we haven't even got a manager. no leadership from the clueless one yet again.

And if you took a moment's pause in your haste to just childishly have a jab and actually read what I (or anyone else) has said about Giroud you would see no one has said he is a top striker. We've all said the opposite in fact. He is not a top striker. But he is an average to good striker (depending on the day) that has moments of brilliance and moments of utter shitness. But hey - don't let the facts get in your way huh, mate!

Anyway, to the game. The entire team the other night were shite.

The worst for me was obviously the Giant Fucking Coward at the back. Turned side on to deflect the ball into his own net because owie getting hit by the ball might hurt! OWIE! Then made the schoolboy error of stepping up at the runner instead of tracking him. Surprise surprise the runner just dropped the shoulder and bye bye he's gone. A child would know to turn early and run with him, try push him wide. Those trying to defend the Massive Cowardly Pussy by saying he couldn't have run with him because he has no pace are missing the point; he didn't need to race him all the way back to the box, he only needed to run him wide long enough for other faster players to get back to help. The Big Scared Vadge has to be dropped and got rid of now.

Welbeck I'm sorry is bang average on a good day, pure shite on a bad one. His first touch is shocking. Ball just bounces a yard or two off his foot. The myth about his pace is often exposed. He wins NOTHING in the air, and that's on the odd occasion when he bothers to challenge for anything in the air. Simply not good enough.

Gibbs still cannot cross a ball to save his life. Bellerin looks like he has potential but he was all over the place, constantly caught out of position.

Walcott and the Ox seemed like a good idea but apart from a couple of good runs and one chance he jumped out of Walcott had no impact really. The Ox scored a beauty and then went from hero to zero by giving the ball away so cheaply for their third. Felt really sorry for him.

Giroud was utter dogshit. He'll probably score a 30 yard screamer in the next game. But ultimately he is a squad player or a striker that should be played alongside a striker than can hit 20+ PL goals every season in a 4-4-2. He is not a lone striker in a 4-5-1. My 9 year old son can see that.

Ozil, Sanchez and Santi were all guilty of overplaying everything. Ozil is a fantastically gifted player. He has vision, deftness of touch, passing brilliance and top top technique. But I don't think he'll make it with us. Particularly in the pacey PL. We either build a system around him and his ability or we get rid.

Watching Wenger sit there with his hands in his pockets whilst Monaco's manager was up on the sideline actually managing his team and managing the game was just pathetic.

Bizarrely, I think we might turn this one round.

No, seriously - don't laugh!! I have a feeling we will win 3-0 over there or more likely 3-1 and scrape it on pennos. Cue Arsene then talking about how that was the greatest achievement of his career and how this is the best group of players he's ever assembled and blah blah fucking blah before the standard raping at the hands of a proper top team in the next round.

Someone was watching the same game as me !!!

But those runs were more than wellshit, ozil and sanchez contributed in the whole game Nobody said that wally had a great game, but I stand over my belief that he was an improvement on the other shit around him