Is there anybody out there who still believes?

[augie]

I'm not exactly an Almunia fan
but EVERYONE except Wenger knew Song and Diaby weren't good enough

mmmmmmmm, quite the sweeping statement.

They weren't good enough.

Certainly not Diaby continually lining up on the left of a 4-4-2 and Song as part of a two man midfield with such an attack minded player.

To combat the deficiencies of Song and accomodate Diaby into a more natural position Wenger has had to radically alter the way the team lines up week after week. I'm sure had he not made those changes this season we would have seen barely an improvement in either. So he gets credit for that.

For me it's more if you think back a season or so, Wenger claiming that we could still challenge at the very top by having these types of players essentially learning as they went along. You just have to look at the two players Fabregas began his career with, Vieira and Gilberto, to see that whilst they assumed the bulk of the responsibility game to game he would be free to just play. So it's more a case of not them not being good enough, but not good enough to be a solid element of a team looking to really compete year in year out.

After all that's what we were promised by the board and the manager. Something they really have failed to deliver recently whilst we watch players who are not ready getting waay to much game time and having no one to really learn from.

Firstly number 5 I wouldnt have bothered responding to his original post cos he was either trying to be funny/sarcastic or he is just another outsider piss taking in an Arsenal forum (nowadays it is hard to tell the difference)
However I will agree 100% that the system used by wenger nowadays has helped song and diaby and I have always felt that the system should be built around the players available and not the other way around but I would also argue that this same system is hindering the likes of arshavin and is also contributing to our defensive frailties as at times it looks like we play a 4-1-5 formation and other times a 4-0-6 formation I still believe that neither song nor diaby is good enough to play in a two man central midfield but seeing as we no longer play that system it is a moot point I guess

[Number 5]

Firstly number 5 I wouldnt have bothered responding to his original post cos he was either trying to be funny/sarcastic or he is just another outsider piss taking in an Arsenal forum (nowadays it is hard to tell the difference)
However I will agree 100% that the system used by wenger nowadays has helped song and diaby and I have always felt that the system should be built around the players available and not the other way around but I would also argue that this same system is hindering the likes of arshavin and is also contributing to our defensive frailties as at times it looks like we play a 4-1-5 formation and other times a 4-0-6 formation I still believe that neither song nor diaby is good enough to play in a two man central midfield but seeing as we no longer play that system it is a moot point I guess

Shit sometimes it a 2-0-8 when the fullbacks bomb forward.

With Arshavin, I don't think even in a traditional 4-4-2 he'd get one of the two central spots. He'd be playing from the left no matter what. Wenger has tried a variety of right footed players on that side in an effort to replicate the success Pires had but it's never really worked. Arshavin has all the qualities for it and it's not like he's being asked to hug the touchline out there. He's pretty much free reign to wander. He just seems so disinterested at times and I wonder if it is because we send so much of our play through Fabregas he gets bored waiting.

On the defensive side, whilst I've been happy to acknowledge some of the improvement in Song he still has major flaws in his game. As the supposed holding player of the midfield three he gets caught ahead of the ball much to much for my liking. And sometimes really early in the game. He needs to add a certain degree of discipline to his game if he is to reaaly step up to the next level.

[highburyJD]

mmmmmmmm, quite the sweeping statement.

They weren't good enough.

Certainly not Diaby continually lining up on the left of a 4-4-2 and Song as part of a two man midfield with such an attack minded player.

To combat the deficiencies of Song and accomodate Diaby into a more natural position Wenger has had to radically alter the way the team lines up week after week. I'm sure had he not made those changes this season we would have seen barely an improvement in either. So he gets credit for that.

For me it's more if you think back a season or so, Wenger claiming that we could still challenge at the very top by having these types of players essentially learning as they went along. You just have to look at the two players Fabregas began his career with, Vieira and Gilberto, to see that whilst they assumed the bulk of the responsibility game to game he would be free to just play. So it's more a case of not them not being good enough, but not good enough to be a solid element of a team looking to really compete year in year out.

After all that's what we were promised by the board and the manager. Something they really have failed to deliver recently whilst we watch players who are not ready getting waay to much game time and having no one to really learn from.

a few things

no they weren't and every said they therefore never would be
just as people are now saying about manuel - I am not in a give almunia another season camp (I think keeper is a uniquely important position and errors are carried more easily everywhere else on the pitch) but I do accept that I've been wrong about other players and hope almunia is able to change my mind as well

the 4-3-3 is to combat SONG'S deficiencies? I have to say I don't see it like that at all. I think it's a setup designed to maximise Cescs attacking threat.
In fact I think Song and Diaby would be an excellent partnership in a 4-4-2 (I agree that Diaby hasn't been at his best coming from the left but I'm sure Wenger saw that as part of his learning process.

my memory is when fabregas first broke into the team vieira was injured
when vieira came back gilberto was dropped
so he didn't begin his career with them as a two it was one or the other
and tbf cesc looked dynamite from his first 1st team game, the '05 charity shield, onwards

also we were promised by the board and manager we would compete WE HAVE
this time every year we are in at least two competitions we could win
that's competing

[Eboue-Why?]

Well, all it'll take is 5 wins from us, a draw for the Chavs with The Spuds and The Scousers and ManUre to draw at City and the title is ours.
Still believe?!?!?!

[greatgooner]

Well, all it'll take is 5 wins from us, a draw for the Chavs with The Spuds and The Scousers and ManUre to draw at City and the title is ours.
Still believe?!?!?!

[jamjc64]

I bloody believe. maybe we should all try it together. could end in a top day out v Fulham

[Eboue-Why?]

I bloody believe. maybe we should all try it together. could end in a top day out v Fulham

500 posts eh Jamie? 498 of them total bollocks!!!!
Have a great trip to Barca and if Eboue scores the winner I'll buy you 500 bottles of sangria!!

[storrmin571]

I have some belief left.

[Exiled-Gooner]

Only if the chav's drop a few points as well as manure but think after Brum game it took it out of our hands.

[greatgooner]

I bloody believe. maybe we should all try it together. could end in a top day out v Fulham

500 posts eh Jamie? 498 of them total bollocks!!!!
Have a great trip to Barca and if Eboue scores the winner I'll buy you 500 bottles of sangria!!

Got quite a way to catch up with me on the bollox front then

[franksav63]

Only if the chav's drop a few points as well as manure but think after Brum game it took it out of our hands.

Yup, I fear those drop points, thanks to Al, are going to come back to haunt us, but whilst there's still a chance, I believe (a bit anyway)

[sycicsid]

It is hard to be a Gooner! Too much drama for one week

A well organised team like Wolves ought nonetheless to have been beaten in the first half but Arsenal, although they show excellent fitness and character, have consistently failed to do that because the team lacks firepower.
Walcott awesome for 20 minutes on wednesday was back to his usual infuriating self.
It was probably not a sending off but no one seems to criticise Barcalona for staying down when touched.
A new goalkeeper and , replacements for Rosicky and Denilson, and 2 new strikers are a minimum. Eduado sadly is not going to make it.Nor Vela.
But Bendner, as many fans have been saying has got prescence, a bit of good fortune and an iron clad ego to sustain the self belief which every top striker needs.
Along with Song he is the biggest improver of th season and you would not be totally surprised if he went to Spain next week and scored an improbable winner, Barcelona had better be prepared for a late night on Tuesday.

[TeeCee]

My biggest concern is who will he sign if he does go for another keeper......pretty much all the names we've been linked with have been unknowns, reserves or at best, up and coming. Yet again if we would only go for an established top quality keeper.....it could earn us another 5-10 points a season!

[Only One Tony Adams]

Our run in don't look so easy now, it's going to but tough for us i think we need to win the lot, i can see the chavs and the mancs drop dropping points but the main problem is that i can see us dropping points as well . So hang on to your hats it's gonig to be a bumpy ride for the last five games.