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.
He's improved since last season, he was really poor and really negative. In the first few games of the season he was a lot more attacking, and has carried that on today. Didn't look like he was recovering from a long term injury.
Saying that, no-one was particularly bad tonight, Standard were shite.
Denilson, goal apart, was just the usual pre-injury Denilson; very average. There was some good, some bad and some indifferent in both his passing and tackling. Ironic as it may seem on the back of his goal (which their keeper really should have saved ), I'm not sure he offers us enough in the attacking third to play in a midfield 3 when Song is also in the side.
However, I can actually see him next to Song in a different formation where we might need to play 2 defensive minded midfielders (much in the style of the current Brazil side) in tough away games. That would leave the other 4 attacking forward players (along with the over-lapping full-backs) to concentrate on creating chances.
I Hate Hleb wrote:
However, I can actually see him next to Song in a different formation where we might need to play 2 defensive minded midfielders (much in the style of the current Brazil side) in tough away games. That would leave the other 4 attacking forward players (along with the over-lapping full-backs) to concentrate on creating chances.
that seems to me to be what Denilson and Diaby is used for, as a second dm alongside Song.
Agreed with brazilianGOONER on this one, apart from the shot. It wasn't a bad effort and worth a go but wasn't particularly praiseworthy. Felt Denilson defended well and we looked a lot better on the ball with him around, spraying passes and setting us on our way for yet another attack
can't agree with the 'spraying passes' and 'setting us on another attack' comments at all. By his standards Denilson was better than usual last night. Not anywhere near as guilty of his negative style as he was earlier in the season but still nowhere near good enough to hold a regular place in the first 11. He has Rosicky, Nasri and Ramsey to contend with for that position and personally I would put him behind all three. The test is to think of our strongest 11 we could put out and ask if he is in it. I'll bet that less than 1% of this forum would be starting him.
against that opposition it wasnt hard to look good to be fair..
nice goal and i dont want to knock the lad too much but i dont think he is the right player for the middle, i still believe we need someone stronger but if he can do well on sunday then he might get a few more supporters on his side.
Spudmasher, I don't consider the three you listed as dm's. I consider our best interceptor and one of our best tacklers, according to the stats, as our best option alongside Song
I'm not going to go OTT with him but I realised his importance to the team last night, there was no flashyness or running into trouble, he kept it nice and simple and worked hard, the midfield felt less fragile, if you compare him to Diaby then there is no contest at who should be playing as you know Wenger will play one of them no matter what.
Magic Hat wrote:Spudmasher, I don't consider the three you listed as dm's. I consider our best interceptor and one of our best tacklers, according to the stats, as our best option alongside Song
but Song is our DM. We're talking about the position playing alongside Cesc. That isn't a DM role is it!
Denilson should be way back in the pecking order for that role and should primarily be used as a back up to Song.
Magic Hat wrote:Spudmasher, I don't consider the three you listed as dm's. I consider our best interceptor and one of our best tacklers, according to the stats, as our best option alongside Song
but Song is our DM. We're talking about the position playing alongside Cesc. That isn't a DM role is it!
Denilson should be way back in the pecking order for that role and should primarily be used as a back up to Song.
You say that but play Ramsey in there and people complain that he gets in the way of Cesc.
SPUDMASHER wrote:
but Song is our DM. We're talking about the position playing alongside Cesc. That isn't a DM role is it!
Denilson should be way back in the pecking order for that role and should primarily be used as a back up to Song.
We tend to play with two dm's though and they allow Cesc to push up, with one breaking forward to support him.
Sometimes I wonder do people watch games at all... Denilson was very average last night and against a very shit team.
Don't get me wrong, I like Denilson - he is not flash and always running to the press etc - but he is (on current evidence) not a great player. He had a few bad passes last night (one two yards behind his intended target and out of play, under no pressure) but he also made a few good interceptions.
His goal was mostly down to very poor goalkeeping but at least he had the confidence to hit the shot. A better keeper would have saved it though.
What concerned me more last night was the fact that such a shit team as Liege could have beaten us 3-2. Our defence is woeful.
), I'm not sure he offers us enough in the attacking third to play in a midfield 3 when Song is also in the side. 
