Even Derby exposed Arsenal’s central defence (3/5)

[gooner.ed]

http://www.onlinegooner.com/exclusive/index.php?id=617

usual thread starter… there are a number of things that can be pointed at as being responsible for the team’s failure to deliver a trophy this season. Undoubtedly, the lack of ability to put poor teams out of sight has exposed the fact that our defence is not good enough. So a 6-2 against Derby is ok, but when we don’t score as many as we should, you get a 2-2 with Birmingham. The centre back issue really needs addressing though. And maybe the keeper too. We need to hold onto leads with confidence and authority. As for left footers, will the reserves get promoted? They usually don’t…

[stixx]

You are 100% right, and apart from posts that I have written this week on the subject, you are one of the few other gooners who saw the massive flaw in our performance against Derby on Monday.

Apart from the woeful finishing (which is another story ) letting in 2 goals against Derby, the team who will rightfully hold the title as the worst team in Premiership history is an embarrasement, and if Wenger thinks that the only reason we lost the Premiership was due bad luck and losing the ManU game then he is continuing to talk out of his Arse* and that IS an embarrasment.

Sort it Arsene!!

[timao]

i agree with you abut the centre-backs - what happened to the idea of Martin Keown coaching our defence does anyone know? left-footers though, we got RVP and eduardo and Rosicky is pretty good with both feet (i think, it's bee a whle though) and young JW has a cracking left-foot supposedly getting a look in next year.

[proudtosaythatname]

As someone who bet on 0-6 and 1-6 at 90-1 you can guess how I feel. Mind you, I put the bets on before I knew Fabianski was playing and he must take some of the blame. Keown would make a brilliant coach for central defence. Even Tony Adams might be 'up for grabs' after the Cup Final.

[Magic Hat]

While Derby's attack isn't as bad as people make it, Villa, Lewis, that Australian bloke are good players but when they had early dominance, how encouraged must they have been at our defence? Twice I breathed a sigh of relief as first Villa miskicked and then a shot whistled wide of the post, we looked like we could be breached.

Had our defence, in the first five minutes, looked like a wall of steel, I think Derby's performance would have quickly petered out. Instead there was always that weakness to exploit even at 1-0 down

[bigreddave]

Wenger needs to buy in badly this summer, personally i'd buy one for each position, new keeper as jens is off and both almunia and fabianski I think will always be suspect between the sticks, new big solid centre half to command the shambles at the back, new top class winger to replace the ever unreliable eboue and forever injured rosicky, and new top striker to show adebayor how to finish a half chance. not much needed eh? wenger, get the cheque book out!

[QuartzGooner]

I agree with the article, a few of us made that point on the Forum on Monday night.

What is the point of putting 6 past Derby if we concede 2?

I can accept letting in a goal..it happens, but really there must be more tightness in defence.

I know that in theory two shorter centre backs can work, such as our 1971 team, but the practice has been that it is not working.

We need a tall strong experienced centre back added to the squad this summer.

[bigreddave]

Any suggestions on a new winger next year? Personally I think we really need some natural width and with rosicky almost constantly missing i'd like to see a consistent top class winger next year.

[The Goner]

The names that were being mentioned earlier in the season,Malouda,Riberry, Downing of course never happened. We all know if a winger turns up he will be young and up and coming and of course none of us will have heard of him. The defence is the main problem as we all know and yes against Derby we let in two bad goals. I thought big Darren in their defence was a joke but our two didnt look that good did they!! Having said that i do have a liking for Song, i thin he will get better but maybe not in that position. As for kids coming through we have Rodgers and Nordtveit in the reserves who are playing well but its rare that a reserve comes through is it ?. Going back to wingers i have been watching Traore playing up for the reserves and he is a revelation down the left. He is lightning quick and would pose a few problems if he is given a chance.Young Jack Wilshire also looks promising , the goal he scored last week was a peach straight out of the Bergkamp book.But he is another one that is on the small side and needs building up . We never seem to sign big kids do we ?