As we're unlikely to see terraces again at football, this is the virtual equivalent where you can chat to your hearts content about all football matters and, obviously, Arsenal in particular. This forum encourages all Gooners to visit and contribute so please keep it respectful, clean and topical.
I Hate Hleb wrote:If anyone wants to know why Monreal has appeared more defensively sound these past few months, it was summed up by his piss poor defending for the cross that led to Chelsea's goal. So frightened has he become of being roasted by every wide player in the league that he just chooses to lay off them and give them all the space and time they could possibly need to get the ball into a dangerous area rather than close them down to stop a cross coming in (like full-backs used to do!!).
I have noticed the hypocrisy of many of our forum members today - he turned his back when ivanovic was crossing the ball for the chav goal, and if the bfg did it, he would have been absolutely slated for his cowardice I have commended monreal for his improved perfrormances (even though I still believe we could and should have better in the position) but the fact is that he was very poor on the goal and that fact has been largely ignored by most on here
Sorry lads - but with all due respect, that's bollocks. You are both grasping at straws here and you both know it! Well, maybe Junkie Hlebby doesn't know it because let's be fair, he doesn't know what day it is most days!
Anyway, you are both talking with mouthfuls of testes. Yes, Nacho turned his back, and should be criticised for it. But the Big German Vagina turns his back on every second shot he faces. The Big Poon even pulls his leg back away from hard shots in fear. You can't compare a player that does it once with one that does it nearly every game! You can forgive one mistake or act of cowardice but you cannot forgive repeated cowardice.
Also, as a related aside, I think Captain Stupid Flamoney hasn't been slated near enough on here for his part in the goal. El Capitano Stupido was very culpable as well. Watch his movement; he ran like a headless chicken across the front of the box without trying to block or tackle and then ran back through everyone just as stupidly before planting himself in front of Kos (and even waving a hand to push Kos out of position slightly) thus blocking everyone's view behind him.
I Hate Hleb wrote:The truth northbank123 is that Kos is only rated as our best defender due to the sheer defensive weakness of the other 3. Perhaps next to another, more experienced and dominant C.H.in the mode of an Adams, Campbell or Keown he might be better but, as you point out, he makes way too many mistakes to be considered top quality.
TBH I think his recent rating by many many pundits as "currently the best CH in the PL" is probably reasonably accurate, but is also indicative of the dearth of truly top class CH's in the PL.
I Hate Hleb wrote:If anyone wants to know why Monreal has appeared more defensively sound these past few months, it was summed up by his piss poor defending for the cross that led to Chelsea's goal. So frightened has he become of being roasted by every wide player in the league that he just chooses to lay off them and give them all the space and time they could possibly need to get the ball into a dangerous area rather than close them down to stop a cross coming in (like full-backs used to do!!).
I have noticed the hypocrisy of many of our forum members today - he turned his back when ivanovic was crossing the ball for the chav goal, and if the bfg did it, he would have been absolutely slated for his cowardice I have commended monreal for his improved perfrormances (even though I still believe we could and should have better in the position) but the fact is that he was very poor on the goal and that fact has been largely ignored by most on here
Sorry lads - but with all due respect, that's bollocks. You are both grasping at straws here and you both know it! Well, maybe Junkie Hlebby doesn't know it because let's be fair, he doesn't know what day it is most days!
Anyway, you are both talking with mouthfuls of testes. Yes, Nacho turned his back, and should be criticised for it. But the Big German Vagina turns his back on every second shot he faces. The Big Poon even pulls his leg back away from hard shots in fear. You can't compare a player that does it once with one that does it nearly every game! You can forgive one mistake or act of cowardice but you cannot forgive repeated cowardice.
Also, as a related aside, I think Captain Stupid Flamoney hasn't been slated near enough on here for his part in the goal. El Capitano Stupido was very culpable as well. Watch his movement; he ran like a headless chicken across the front of the box without trying to block or tackle and then ran back through everyone just as stupidly before planting himself in front of Kos (and even waving a hand to push Kos out of position slightly) thus blocking everyone's view behind him.
It's hardly bollox though DB is it ? Either what he did was cowardly or it wasn't ? When (not if) the bfg turns his back, many (inc you) slate him for his cowardice and I have never defended him for it cos by and large I agree with you - my point is that if it was the bfg that turned his back on the cross, many of you would have pounced on him straight away, but ye have largely ignored monreal's same act and to me it isn't the amount of times that he does it cos it was either cowardly or it isn't
Re the mercenary French dick in midfield, you don't have to convince me cos I was never happy about him coming back - I am delighted that sky totally highlighted his lack of defensive position discipline, and the fact that he spends most of his time pointing at everyone else. It was also pleasing to hear them slate him for his backing off of willian as he put costa through for the red card tackle. I have never understood the love in some Gooners have with him
I Hate Hleb wrote:If anyone wants to know why Monreal has appeared more defensively sound these past few months, it was summed up by his piss poor defending for the cross that led to Chelsea's goal. So frightened has he become of being roasted by every wide player in the league that he just chooses to lay off them and give them all the space and time they could possibly need to get the ball into a dangerous area rather than close them down to stop a cross coming in (like full-backs used to do!!).
I have noticed the hypocrisy of many of our forum members today - he turned his back when ivanovic was crossing the ball for the chav goal, and if the bfg did it, he would have been absolutely slated for his cowardice I have commended monreal for his improved perfrormances (even though I still believe we could and should have better in the position) but the fact is that he was very poor on the goal and that fact has been largely ignored by most on here
Sorry lads - but with all due respect, that's bollocks. You are both grasping at straws here and you both know it! Well, maybe Junkie Hlebby doesn't know it because let's be fair, he doesn't know what day it is most days!
Anyway, you are both talking with mouthfuls of testes. Yes, Nacho turned his back, and should be criticised for it. But the Big German Vagina turns his back on every second shot he faces. The Big Poon even pulls his leg back away from hard shots in fear. You can't compare a player that does it once with one that does it nearly every game! You can forgive one mistake or act of cowardice but you cannot forgive repeated cowardice.
Also, as a related aside, I think Captain Stupid Flamoney hasn't been slated near enough on here for his part in the goal. El Capitano Stupido was very culpable as well. Watch his movement; he ran like a headless chicken across the front of the box without trying to block or tackle and then ran back through everyone just as stupidly before planting himself in front of Kos (and even waving a hand to push Kos out of position slightly) thus blocking everyone's view behind him.
It's hardly bollox though DB is it ? Either what he did was cowardly or it wasn't ? When (not if) the bfg turns his back, many (inc you) slate him for his cowardice and I have never defended him for it cos by and large I agree with you - my point is that if it was the bfg that turned his back on the cross, many of you would have pounced on him straight away, but ye have largely ignored monreal's same act and to me it isn't the amount of times that he does it cos it was either cowardly or it isn't
Re the mercenary French dick in midfield, you don't have to convince me cos I was never happy about him coming back - I am delighted that sky totally highlighted his lack of defensive position discipline, and the fact that he spends most of his time pointing at everyone else. It was also pleasing to hear them slate him for his backing off of willian as he put costa through for the red card tackle. I have never understood the love in some Gooners have with him
Agreed RE El Stupido.
RE Mert and Nacho, I agree what Nacho did was cowardly. But my point is that people on here (me included) are probably cutting him some slack as it was a first offence by a player that has been very consistent and hasn't done anything like that before so they are maybe more willing to forgive it than they would be with BFG because he does it so often. With Nacho, it seems it was an error of judgement, a momentary moral weakness. With BFG it seems to be indicative of a more general cowardice as that is his natural reaction as proven by how regularly he cowers away or turns his back.
I wasn't absolving BFG from criticism DB10 and it is not to do with their cowardice as far as I am concerned - it is just the rank bad defending from both Monreal and BFG that really gets on my tits. Now as someone who played Left Back most of my career (and was a damn good one at that!!) I always take a special interest in our defending and especially that of our Left Backs.
Trust me, that was not the first time Nacho has done that and like I claimed earlier, it is the main reason why it 'appears' as if he was defending much better the latter part of last season and most of this season. Yes, there has been a slight improvement but he is still not good enough because he doesn't do the basics well enough as far as I am concerned.
When you consider we also have the slow BFG, the inconsistent and often rash Kos and the 'good going forward but hardly knows how to defend' Bellerin, we all know that our defending is at times laughable and that we give up way too many chances due to it - Monreal included!
I Hate Hleb wrote:The truth northbank123 is that Kos is only rated as our best defender due to the sheer defensive weakness of the other 3. Perhaps next to another, more experienced and dominant C.H.in the mode of an Adams, Campbell or Keown he might be better but, as you point out, he makes way too many mistakes to be considered top quality.
TBH I think his recent rating by many many pundits as "currently the best CH in the PL" is probably reasonably accurate, but is also indicative of the dearth of truly top class CH's in the PL.
Probably true - there's not many I would swap him for certainly. The frustrating thing with Koscielny is it's not a case of his ability being limited (aside from being too easy to beat in the air) and it's not even necessarily 'decision-making' per se - it's just concentration and focus which is absolutely basic.
None of the CBs around now would hold a candle to the likes of Vidic or Kompany in their prime (as recent examples).
I Hate Hleb wrote:The truth northbank123 is that Kos is only rated as our best defender due to the sheer defensive weakness of the other 3. Perhaps next to another, more experienced and dominant C.H.in the mode of an Adams, Campbell or Keown he might be better but, as you point out, he makes way too many mistakes to be considered top quality.
TBH I think his recent rating by many many pundits as "currently the best CH in the PL" is probably reasonably accurate, but is also indicative of the dearth of truly top class CH's in the PL.
Probably true - there's not many I would swap him for certainly. The frustrating thing with Koscielny is it's not a case of his ability being limited (aside from being too easy to beat in the air) and it's not even necessarily 'decision-making' per se - it's just concentration and focus which is absolutely basic.
None of the CBs around now would hold a candle to the likes of Vidic or Kompany in their prime (as recent examples).
That’s the problem right there. One can get by as an average tackler; or a relatively poor header of the ball, but if you a prone to brainfarts you’ll never be top-drawer. Concentration is absolutely key for CBs and ‘keepers.
Considering he came in as a mid-field player - He has done well -okay so glass leggs gibbs isn't much competition - But Monreal is the best left back we've had since cashley sold out to the chavs...
I Hate Hleb wrote: Now as someone who played Left Back most of my career (and was a damn good one at that!!)
Career? How'd you pass the drug test?
Do they drug test drug mules? Sounds mental to me.
Well I did have a reputation for being stubborn!!
Anyway, to pass any test you need to do is some research. The fact that my research was 'practical' rather than 'theoretical' made everything rather blurry and happy...
Well, maybe Junkie Hlebby doesn't know it because let's be fair, he doesn't know what day it is most days! 
How'd you pass the drug test?
