Article: Arsenal vs Swansea City Match Preview & Thread | Football, Arsenal, Swansea

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Scottswan said:
Oof. I keep hearing great things about Szczesny, and I had heard about last night... was he really that good? Sounds like you're landed for the next 10 or 15 years if he's as good as he's been looking. Hopefully we'll hang onto Vorm and he'll continue to impress.

You guys are odds on favourites for a reason. Both teams play to 100% and you should win... but football is a funny old sport eh.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7Wle6z8z7c
It's truly an incredible performance...with very annoying music.

I hear your possession game is being bigged up. Is it really that good?
 
rannaramshere said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7Wle6z8z7c
It's truly an incredible performance...with very annoying music.

I hear your possession game is being bigged up. Is it really that good?
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Realistically, we're probably better at it than a lot of Premiership teams, while, granted, not being as deadly going forward. We've completed 1300+ passes already this season, and if we can hold onto the ball it'll help us no end! If we can or not is another matter...
 
Scottswan said:
Realistically, we're probably better at it than a lot of Premiership teams, while, granted, not being as deadly going forward. We've completed 1300+ passes already this season, and if we can hold onto the ball it'll help us no end! If we can or not is another matter...
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The thing is, you don't win at Arsenal with that style of play. Not even Barcelona has managed it in recent years. Not saying you shouldn't, because it makes for a great match but I don't think you will win. We will be too hungry for it.
 
This is my concern to be honest. We need to really get at teams more in this division, and, in effect, play more like Arsenal! The style of football we play has progressed as we've changed managers (Martinez - Spanish style - All out attack/Sousa - Italian style - all out defence/Rodgers - mix of the two) but now we should be looking to use the clever passing to get in behind teams more often, as opposed to retaining possession at all costs.
 
Not to disrespect Swansea City FC, but Arsenal need to win with high merging of goals.

Van persie, Walcott, Arteta and Ju park on target.
 
I think the England vs Wales game last night demonstrated perfectly that predicting big wins either way is hard to do without disrespecting someone ;) I'm not saying you're not going to give us a tonking, and I more than acknowledge that it's a possibility... in fact it's probably in a lot of our fans minds, and will be, going into quite a few games this season. Having said that, we're in this league for a reason and I expect us to be competetive.
 
Scottswan said:
I think the England vs Wales game last night demonstrated perfectly that predicting big wins either way is hard to do without disrespecting someone ;) I'm not saying you're not going to give us a tonking, and I more than acknowledge that it's a possibility... in fact it's probably in a lot of our fans minds, and will be, going into quite a few games this season. Having said that, we're in this league for a reason and I expect us to be competetive.
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If your looking for some encouragement,don't forget we lost at home to both WBA and Newcastle last season
 
I don't think the Jack Army needs encouragement! I think a few on here might come across as grumpy and negative but on the whole everyone is so chuffed we're in the Premiership we fancy our chances against anyone. Let's be honest, to stay in this league you have to!
 
It will be a massive surprise if we come away with a win but not impossible, we both play football the same way and we have been called the Arsenal of the lower leagues for a number of years that was a great honour for us, there is no doubt about it that we are a small team in a big pond and there is no bigger team to play against than the Arsenal,,I know for certain that we will give you a good game but i also know that Arsenal will treat the swans with respect and will more than likely be to strong for us with your experienced better players, As you re at home and you need to kick start your season after a uncharacteristic start to the season i will go for a home win..
 
Scottswan said:
I don't think the Jack Army needs encouragement! I think a few on here might come across as grumpy and negative but on the whole everyone is so chuffed we're in the Premiership we fancy our chances against anyone. Let's be honest, to stay in this league you have to!
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I went to Blackpool away last season and when having a beer with some of there fans,they were saying that they were just enjoying the adventure of going to Anfield,The Emirates,Old Trafford etc.etc.
 
I can totally appreciate that, and no doubt that's in the minds of lots of fans, but as much as we should be "enjoying the ride" I think that detracts from the importance of becoming an established Premiership team. I think if you have the attitude whereby every game is a cup final then on the one hand, you're enjoying every game, but on the other hand you're viewing every game as a game where you're expected to lose. I'm hoping the novelty wears off in the next game or two (I'm sure it already has for the players) and the boys make a statement of intent with a win and a few goals, showing we've not to be afraid of anybody in this league.

I'm not expecting three points today, but wait until you're down in Fortress Liberty ;)
 
Scottswan said:
I can totally appreciate that, and no doubt that's in the minds of lots of fans, but as much as we should be "enjoying the ride" I think that detracts from the importance of becoming an established Premiership team. I think if you have the attitude whereby every game is a cup final then on the one hand, you're enjoying every game, but on the other hand you're viewing every game as a game where you're expected to lose. I'm hoping the novelty wears off in the next game or two (I'm sure it already has for the players) and the boys make a statement of intent with a win and a few goals, showing we've not to be afraid of anybody in this league.

I'm not expecting three points today, but wait until you're down in Fortress Liberty ;)
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We're not playing until Saturday <laugh>
I'm looking to going to the Liberty,i only went to the Vetch once and that was in 1981 Swansea beat Notts County 3-2
 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/stevewilson/2011/09/can_swansea_pass_the_premier_l.html

It's not too often that as a commentator you get the time or the inclination to shout "Shoot!" in the way that a fan might when supporting their team from behind the goal; but watching Arsenal sometimes has that effect on me - and, for the record, I am not a Gunners fan.

It's often been said that Arsene Wenger's team seem to strive for the perfect goal rather than just any old finish; as if a fluky ricochet off some lumbering striker's backside doesn't really count. Arsenal's forwards have tended to work the angles around the opposition box like a couple of Olympic table-tennis champions attempting the world's longest rally.

The time for such luxuries at Emirates Stadium has surely gone after their terrible start to the season and the priority against Swansea City on Saturday has to be to stick the ball in the old onion bag as often as possible by any means possible - even it's more Frimpong than ping-pong. (Sorry - couldn't resist it!)

How appropriate, then, that the side credited with playing some of the prettiest football ever seen on these shores should face, in their moment of crisis, a side which are arguably even less direct in their approach.

Swansea City really are something else. Some promoted teams have sought to stay in the top flight by being ultra-negative, others by being ultra-physical, and a few by being ultra-attacking. I cannot think of a side that has approached the task of staying in the Premier League by trying to simply out-pass their opposition and dominate possession.

It's a style that was first instilled in them by current Wigan Roberto Martinez. The Swans were often described as a kind of Barcelona lite, as they won the League One title in 2008 playing a style of football rarely seen in the third tier. Under current boss Brendan Rodgers they have stuck to those principles all the way to the top - but can they now stay there?

Just how tough it will be for them to avoid relegation was made clear when Martinez's current side became the first Premier League visitors to the Liberty Stadium. Wigan sat back and let Swansea have the ball for much of the first hour of the game, backing themselves to cover and smother the threat of Nathan Dyer and Scott Sinclair on the flanks, in the process restricting the flow of opportunities for striker Danny Graham.

Once Swansea had begun to run out of ideas Wigan became more ambitious, and but for a missed penalty and two efforts which hit the woodwork they would have won. On BBC TV's Final Score, Martin Keown compared it to Mohammed Ali's famous 'rope-a-dope' strategy against George Foreman in the so called Rumble in the Jungle.

Swansea's problem is that if Wigan can nullify their threat, then so can most of the Premier League. I feel they are really missing Fabio Borini who was such a success on loan from Chelsea last season, but who decided to join Parma rather than shift permanently to south Wales.

The Swans are three games into their Premier League existence but have yet to score. It suggest that they need Sinclair, Dyer and most of all Graham, who joined from Watford in the summer, to adjust quickly to the demands of the top flight.

Indeed, the only time Swansea have found the net this season was when Shane Candell-Sherriff scored an own goal in their Carling Cup defeat at Shrewsbury. Rodgers' much-changed side for that game suggests that the manager will not have cried too many tears over defeat in that competition, but it also indicates that his fringe players aren't exactly hammering on the door for selection in the league.

Rodgers won't be panicking yet though; new keeper Michael Vorm looks a real find, in midfield Kemy Augustien has looked accomplished and comfortable, and you would never guess that Ashley Williams was playing at the back for Hednesford Town only eight years ago.

Swansea should be congratulated for sticking to their guns, but whether they can stick one on the Gunners remains to be seen.
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Pretty much echoes what we all think really, I think anyway. We are great in possession but need to be more clinical. Saturday should be an excellent test of how far away we are from staying up... do you think it would be fair to say that if we DO become more clinical and direct, we would end up playing more like Arsenal?
 
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