On the train home (unlucky Sanj, we're at Paddington already bud!). Positives: Merts looked good for most of the game, good goals for Sanchez & Ox. Negatives: Defense was generally poor - even in the first half. Chambers was exploited continually down the right. Severe lack of movement at times, too many players wanting ball-to-feet. As soon as 3-0 hit the players relaxed and the mood of the game changed, far before Arteta went off. The game at 3-1 was crying out for subs, yet none came. Pod was a poor, poor choice, as was Flamini, who CANNOT play on large pitches. Put Rosicky on for Cazorla and have a MF 3 of him, Arteta, Ramsey to shut up shop. Put Theo on for Welbeck and have a front 3 with pace of Ox, Theo, Sanchez that tracks back and helps defend. The game had turned and never went back due to complacency and attrocious subs - 80mins before Pod & Rosicky came on.
Leverkusen and Porto could end up group winners, so if we're lucky we will get one of those 2, , but I'm already calling it, we will get R. Madrid.
Everyone knows I am a critic of Wenger, but goodness me these players don't make it easy for him? For all they're talk of how much they love Wenger, they keep letting him down and he will be put through the grinder again because of their incompetence at being unable to hold a 3-0 lead. Wenger does indeed take some blame as Monreal should never be at CB, and we should have a better player than Flamini, but still, at 3-0 up at home against Anderlecht who aren't exactly world beaters, you should win.
Yep, Wenger needs to take accountability for playing Monreal at CB, but on the night it's up to the players on the pitch and at 3-0 it's ****ing unforgivable to throw away a lead like that at home.
Well at least it will become clearer as to who doesn't deserve to play for us, Podolski, I'd start giving Campbell a try ahead of him, I like Podolski a lot, but on the pitch his defending is atrocious, and when he's come on in the last 10 mins, and is fresh compared to the opposing players and still doesn't properly track back, then what's the point of him?
I am mad pissed off, but the thing is I know we will qualify so it's a contained pissed off, if this was the EPL, the rage meter would be much higher. We don't lose much today, I don't think we were ever gonna end up top even if we did win today.
Podolski does very little else other than offer a hammer left foot shot. That's fine, but not in the last 10 mins when we're trying to see out a game. We could have brought on Roz and Walcott, pushed Ramsey, Cazorla and Rosicky back into CM and left Sanchez and Walcott up front. Sanchez was chasing down players all game and would have been perfect to press the man on the ball whilst the rest of the team fell back into two banks of four. One ball over the top to Walcott could have killed this game. It's ****ing annoying seeing our players bombing forward trying to score when we've already conceded two by leaving ourselves open.
When is Kos back ? Because surely Wenger can't entertain playing Monreal at CB again ? Put chambers in there and Bellerin at RB until Kos is back.
Podolski is pathetic, I have lambasted him so many times because it annoys me how he has somehow managed to make himself popular through social media. Even today, when we were coming back from the game, there was a Podolski chant going around. The guy is lazy as **** and barely moves off the ball. On the positives, the OX was brilliant. Power, pace, skill and today the end product. He rightly got a standing ovation when he went off.
There seems like a lot more posters started posting on this thread after we fell apart than for the rest of the game...
Uh but what a load of nonsense i said about Wenger right... We were leading 3-0 then right... Some of that mental fortitude Wenger has yet to instill in Sanchez like the regulars...
One look at our manager shaking with an "almost about to burst in tears" look should inspire a lot of confidence.
Why post this? You're adding nothing to the football debate and once again trying to stir up problems amongst supporters. Mods, please have a word. This has been the most harmonious match thread for a while and comments like this will not help.
Good blog here, I agree with all of it. Explains the problems and asks why they weren't rectified - a lot down to poor defending, poor choices of substitutions and a lack of leadership both on and off the pitch: www.arseblog.com/2014/11/arsenal-3-3-anderlecht-arsenal-make-a-complete-arsenal-of-it/
