Arsenal v Chelsea (Clash of the Twatons)

Maitland-Niles did really well tonight too. He was at fault for not stopping the cross that led to Alonso's goal, but he's playing out of position at LB. Overall he did a good job tonight.

 

Yep defensively we are so weak. We almost lost this game right at the end.

Thought we've been really unlucky to draw the games that we have, we could have won this game tonight with a bit more organisation at the back and the WBA result was a ****ing travesty. The game against Utd was suicide, and again one that we probably would have won on another day.

 

We could have won it, but as you also say, we could have very easily lost it. Morata missed 3 blatant one-on-one chances and Hazard also fluffed his lines. The first 10 minutes against United effed us over. And although we were unlucky to concede a penalty against WBA, that performance was appalling.

At the end of the day though, we can always say we are unlucky or say that we deserved more. Fact of the matter is, we aren't winning enough games at the moment. 11 points from 24 is a dreadful return.

Need to start grinding out wins now, draws are useless for us.

 

Yep. Also don't want to see any **** moaning if we do grind out some scrappy 1-0's

 

I expect we will probably sign a Top Class DM and a CB. Then we will have our defence sorted but we wont be bale to score to save our lives.

It's always this way with Wenger. We either defend well and cant put the ball in the net or our attack is great but our defence is non-existent.

The last time we had both.... 2005.

 

but which top class DM and CB do you think we will get? I seriously dont know anyone available that I can think of.

 

Maitland Niles as a DM?

Looks like Vidal's time in Bayern Munich is over. Maybe him?

Kondogbia from Valencia?

Problem is that we will loose our attackers and replacing them is expensive. So once again, our defence will probably neglected. Unless we change coach of course.

 

Maitland Niles as DM would be continuing what weve been doing for the last 13 years, so I hope that doesnt happen.
Vidal is 30 already - Im not sure I would want him either
Kondogbia I would take in a heartbeat - its actually a good shout as hes on loan from Inter and out of favor there.

 

If we won the next 5 games 1-0, I will take that every single day of the week. I know we've got enough flair and attacking quality to score against most teams, but I want to see if we can get a cohesive defence now.

We have had recent seasons where, in the first 18 games, any team can score against us at will. But in the second half of the season, the team has been shored up and we look like a solid unit that is difficult to break down. I would like to see us be more resolute for the remainder of the season.

Neutrals may talk up how much of a pleasure it is to watch us play and how we're easy on the eye, but we don't get the points we need playing like this.

Go back to basics and let's build from the back.

I don't expect this to happen, but I think it's what we should do.

 

Agreed. To be fair tonight was always going to be nerve wracking at the back with no Koscielny or Monreal

 

yeah, he played really well, stopped a few good attacks, didn't really put a foot wrong except for when zappacosta twisted him. He is super composed on the ball though, definitely 1 for the future. Not sure about how good he is with eye of the needle passes and taking people on but in terms of holding the ball and passing it under pressure, he's got that talent sorted and athletically he's powerful (maybe he could go in the centre with those attributes).

5 years back maybe, and you have some dazzling stars like ozil and sanchez however not sure you guys are that great to watch anymore. Every now and again theres a flowing move but since cazorla has been down and out your CM has been a travesty and it's pretty much passing amongst themselves and the CBs before sanchez tries something and ineivitably loses it or scores a screamer

 

Still think Maitland-Niles will become a DM personally. He's got that all round presence and awareness that would be brilliant in the middle of the park. Obviously he still needs to learn his trade, but the early signs are really promising. He got done for that cross for your 2nd goal, but overall he had a really good game and he's done really well since he's come into the first team. We've got a couple of other exciting young English players on the fringes of the first team too. Riess Nelson (winger) and Eddie Nketiah (striker, who came from Chelsea) are going to burst onto the scene in the next 12 months too.

 

Agreed. Arsenal and United are two of dullest football teams to watch most of the time when you offset the expectation of what could be watched on the pitch with the finances available to them and the technical quality that SHOULD be on show. For us, it's no surprise why when you look at the entire team apart from the front three last night... The other 8 would look at home playing at a club like West Brom.

 

Bit harsh, Bellerin would walk into most starting 11's and Wilshere has been looking great as of late.

 

Generally, I do agree that we have suffered without Santi and our midfield is not as balanced as it should be. I also agree that we're not as fun to watch as we were. However, you simply can't deny that three of the most entertaining games this season have involved us.

Arsenal 1-3 Manchester United
Arsenal 3-3 Liverpool
Arsenal 2-2 Chelsea

I know we've put in a lot of drab performances (moreso away from home) and can't defend to save our lives, but we can turn it on at certain points in matches. You can point to Alexis and Ozil as being our catalysts, but prior to the last few games, they were both not performing consistently, especially the former who seemed totally disinterested.

We're not as aesthetically pleasing as we were 5-6 years ago for sure, however, we are still capable of putting in some decent attacking displays, even if they are far less frequent.

 

You say this, but I feel like it is hard to understand how good/bad the players are because I'm not sure they're getting the right standard of coaching/management for their progression, both as individuals and as a team.

If Klopp/Poch/Conte/Guardiola were in charge of these group of players, do you honestly think they wouldn't be performing any better? I somehow doubt it.

I'm not disputing that we need some serious revamping to the squad, but I do feel we would be higher up the table and playing better football with any of the aforementioned managers in charge.