For the first time in ages rosicky has made us exciting to watch. I used to love watching bergkamp, henry and (in particular) pires. They were just so great to watch play. Then we didnt really have anyone you would tune in to watch for a while. Rosicky fits that mould though. A brilliant player who is just amazing to watch play Rosicky>Modric + any spud player
Spot on It is players returning from injury and regaining form, which is feeding the confidence of the team. The reason Walcott's game has improved is because Sagna is back in the team, not because Wenger listened to HotHead's rants to play him in the middle. And anyone who listens to Pat Rice during a game will understand that the instructions from the bench are always about pressing and going to meet the ball.
The players have settled after a very bad start - which was the fault of Wenger and the board for being so reckless in the transfer window. Here are the changes we have made: 1) Song is playing deeper - earlier in the season he could regularly be seen in the opponents box. No longer. 2) The defence are playing 5-10 yards deeper and have cut out the glaring weakness of balls over the top. 3) We are playing quicker and more direct in midfield - this is due to personnel change, mixed with confidence - Rosicky has made a huge difference but had to sit on the bench whilst Wenger persisted with Ramsey. 4) Song, by virtue of going forward less, is playing closer to the back four, making it more difficult for opposing #10's to find space. 5) Arshavin has been dumped - as we all said he should be (and yet Wenger kept faith in him for too long) 6) Our full backs are overlapping more - this may be the one area where injuries really hit us. 7) Squillaci has been well and truly dumped - rarely seeing any game time 8) Wenger has stopped 'resting' players - he learned his lesson when trying to rest RVP earlier in the season and seems to now realise that it was a dumb approach - and completely unnecessary. Nothing to do with the fact that we are no longer playing in several competitions - he actually stopped the 'resting' BS whilst we were still in 3 competitions and RVP played up to 3 games a week. If you go back further than this season - most of the issues in the team were years old - the major change is that several players that we all knew were not good enough (yet Wenger had persisted with) have been dumped. The changes made mean we are more cohesive as a team - and thus concede less goals and less possession in dangerous areas. Confidence will play a part, but it is underpinned by significant changes in the way we set up and play.
1.Did you watch the Milan game? Song still goes forward but with Arteta back, we have not been exposed as before. 2. We still play the high line. We caught Everton out many times with it. Thankfully the linesman got an offside call wrong in the one time we got caught out for it. Also we are pressing a lot and that is also down to the fact the defence push up and not allow other forwards to get space and time. We did this brilliantly against Demba Ba when he got it to feet. 3. Agree. 4. See, point 2. He still goes forward. No more or less then he did before this run. One of the other reasons we have not been caught out it by is because we have Sagna back. If Song does go forward, Sagna will not be as exposed as say Djourou was when we had no full backs. Sagna is a brilliant defender and he does what he does. Also in the bad run, of Fulhum to Man Utd, Arteta and Song only played in one of those game. Hence, Song got exposed more often. It was really bad in the Swansea game. 5. Who is to say Arshavin, did not go to Wenger and say I want to leave? He needs game time before the Euro's. Also I see no reason why Arshavin leaving has made us better? Wenger kept faith, because Arshavin until this season did produce an end product. In fact, before he left he produced a great assist for Henry in the Sunderland game. 6. Agree. To have two full backs out would be bad, but to have all four out was just a freak and hopefully a one off. 7) We play less games. That's why he is not getting any games. 8) Again, we are playing less games and Wenger does not need to rest anyone. Why was resting RVP a dumb approach? It did not that hurt us in the league. Wenger rested him for a CL game. In the end we finished top of our group. It did zero damage. RVP is still fresh and fit. One of the reason for that could be Wenger resting him well.
Sorry, but Song goes forward far less these days We play the high line occasionally - but rarely - the drop off of the CB's is teh biggest defensive change we have made and has helped our full backs defend properly (previously they were continually caught further back than the CB's - a basic error) Wenger kept faith in Arshavin for the same reason he kept faith in players like Denilson - he is stubborn. Not having Arshavin around has helped OXO and Walcott. We were not playing less games when Wenger ditched the 'resting' BS.
Watching a different game, then. I have seen no huge difference in that. In the Villa game Song was nearly through on goal at one point. Arteta being back has meant he did not get as exposed. Like I said, it was really bad in the Swansea game and also even the United game when Johan had no help. We played the high line against Milan at home a LOT. Also we did against Everton as well. On Arshavin, you can't say he did not produce an end product before this season. After the season started Wenger could not get rid in until the Jan window. Wenger had a reason to keep faith in Arshavin. The guy can always make something happen. God knows, how vital his assist against Sunderland could be come end of the season. You do need to rest players. It's vital. Van Persie has the Euro's to come and it was important that Wenger managed him. RVP was sent to Dubai in January I think for a mini-break.
I'm in favour of resting players. Too many games = injury issues. I'm concerned RvP's recent dip in goalscoring could be fatigue related, maybe Chamakh should start against QPR and Wolves, as they are poorer sides with defensive frailties. Maybe play the Barca system, and not have a recognised striker, just let Theo, Gerv and the Ox alternate.
He is getting a rest now in between the games. This is a bigger worry going forward. We really need to get better back-ups for RVP.
So you want a worn out side incapable of playing then? OK, fair do's, don't cry when we get hammered.
With our new more direct high tempo style, players will get worn out. They are people, they may train a huge amount, but when push comes to shove there is only so much a human body can take. Not resting players is foolish, imagine if we hadn't rested people earlier in the season, The Ox would be plying his trade with the reserves, Ramsey would be starting, and Gibbs (who's been quietly excellent) would be on the bench.
One of the greatest managers ever (Fergie) is a master at it. Neville recently came out and said that Fergie plans a few games ahead always gives rest accordingly. If it good enough for him, think it's good enough for me. Wenger rested RVP perfectly. In the CL, RVP started 3 out of the 6 games in the group. In the end, we finished top and did the business and RVP did his work in the league. That is what you call good management. Rest is key.
No proof at all. It's a relatively new thing and is in my view used as an excuse far too often. There are several players - including players like Barnes, Parlour who have stated it's BS and all in the mind. During a game they never even considered the notion of being tired.
Like I said, Fergie always rotates his squad. He has all the relevant stats and knows how the players feel. And that man loves to rotate.
It's obvious when a player is tired, their 1st touch becomes looser, the shoulders sag, and motivation fades. If you've never seen a tired player, you've never watched a football match.
Teams records on a week-end, when they have played in Europe speaks for itself on this one. You even have teams like Wolves changing teams wholesale to save players for important games coming a few days later. I didn't see Barnes or Parlours comments, but just because they didn't consider the notion, doesn't mean that they weren't playing like crap because they were tired. Surprised about Barnes though, I would have thought he would latch on to every excuse he could find.
