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.
Three new points After 20 minutes i thoguht we were going to win 7-0 Not good to let Sunderland in to the game, but when it ended like it did, I`m satisfied. Good performance by walcott Last year we would not have won a game like this, so it proves we are much better than last year
Well done Sunderland, rode their luck certainly but once they pulled a goal back, they were hard to break down and caused us all sorts of trouble in a very good game, we deserved to win it but only just. Almunia made some good saves but felt he could have done better for the goals, our defending was awful and we let the game escape from us, very glad that we won.
It looked as though we were going to get double figures,fair play to Sunderland for giving us a game a lot of teams would've caved in.I think Diaby's 'goal' should've stood i think if it did then we would've won more convincingly,still happy with the three points and back on top!!
While Diaby was onside, Ade was offside in the build up and as he set up the player who crossed it, it shouldn't have stood anyway. I suspect that is why Diaby was flagged, linesmen trying to make up for the error
I too was expecting a bit of thumping especially after the start. However the good thing is that although we let Sunderland in we kept going and got back in the lead to win. Well done to them for not giving up and giving us a bit of a match. This time last season all we could do was draw at home.
Diaby was unlucky re the goal(s) but I thought his performance wasn't too good overall. He's got a great shot on him (we now know) but he really is a CM player, not a winger. An old chestnut I know, but his performance today underlined the lack of left-sided options in the squad.
Hleb was the only one in red who looked really on top of his game today. Walcott did well when he came on, but that sitter he missed, bloody hell!
Sagna and Clichy, as in Bucharest, didn't look as good as they have done this season, and Fabregas and Flamini lacked energy. Toure and Senderos did ok. Almunia wasn't great, and looked at fault for at least one of Sunderland's goals.
RvP's free-kick was superb, one of the best free-kick goals I've ever seen, and his winner was sharply taken, but he didn't impose himself generally. Ade had a very mediocre game.
Sunderland played very well, held their shape and their nerve, and often outplayed us in midfield. I was impressed with Yorke's performance in particular - he gave shape to the whole side, and most of their good stuff started with him. And I felt very sorry for McShane at the end - there's no way that was a red. It was a foul, and perhaps robust enough for a yellow card, but no way was that a straight red. But then that ref has always been a bit of a prick.
yes i concur, i thought if we had that third we would have run away with it, but we got complacent - defensively we were poor today and sunderland def played extremely well. i havent seen much of that kenwyne jones but he's impressed me no end since coming into the premiership; big, strong, good in the air, with his feet, looks similar to adebayor but he outmuscled clichy to set up the first.
I didnt think almunia did too much wrong, but i think a goalkeeper like cech was possibly have saved it. yes sagna started brightly got worse, clichy was ok and toure and senderos average. Thought flamini again was solid and did well, cesc wasnt at his best distributing quite a few wayward passes. Think hlebs becoming a more important player for us, as is diaby although again he drifted in and out of spells of playin well. Adebayor was ok, again like amny others started well and just slowly got worse whilst van persie showed glimpses of his former self from last season, and walcott is slowly improving; he jsut needs a goal to build that confidence up: personally i think we should only play him at home for the mo cos the crwod really get behind him and give him support. overall, a game we poss wouldnt have won last season, and its good to see that we didnt panic when we lost our lead. well done lads!!
26may1989 wrote:I am probably being a bit harsh on Almunia but I think Lehmann would have got the Sunderland equaliser away.
I will have to agree with you on that one, Lehmann would have saved us for both goals. I don`t think Almunia places himself right, and his not convincing coming out for crosses. I know this goalkeeper discussion is neverending but 2 early season blunders by Jens does not make Almunia better.
At the end of the day a win is a win.Thought Sanga and Clichy both had poor games.Also Ade look knackered after 15 mins.But RVP was top class what a free kick. The sign of a good team is to win when you dont play well
After 20 minutes i thoguht we were going to win 7-0 
Not good to let Sunderland in to the game, but when it ended like it did, I`m satisfied. Good performance by walcott 
