And We're Off!!!
Thank God! The season has finally started - and it wasn't a bad start as 3 points were secured at home to the Geordies.Two late goals from Titi (pen) and RVP secured the victory, but as you all know the match was not without controversy.
I'm not gonna sit here and type a match report - 'cos we all know what happened and who did what etc. but on the whole I thought we looked OK. Newcastle came for a draw. They packed out the midfield and tried to frustrate us but in my opinion we always looked like scoring.
In other news Freddie is a doubt for Sweden's friendly against the Czech Republic.
"I got a kick on my calf after four minutes in Sunday's Premiership game with Newcastle and now the calf is like a dead leg," Freddie told Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet.
"I must wait and see. I will not risk anything if I'm not 100% fit."
Good. I'd rather none of our boys play and risk injury in these pointless friendlies, but what do I know?!?
posted by NyssietheGooner at 5:35 PM
11 Comments:
Anybody else hope that Pires and Bergkamp are dropped from the starting 11 against Chelsea?
Bergkamp or RvP is a no brainer for me. I also think that Reyes ( is he injured ) is much fresher than Pires these days and Hleb looks awesome whenever he gets a chance.
Maybe Wenger is just being cautious and going for stability and experience but in my opinion RvP isn´t going to get any better on the bench, he´s ready to become a part of the starting line-up.
I think we looked pretty poor on Sunday and were slightly fortunate to get the result. I know its only first game of the season, but we looked devoid of ideas and lacked fluency. Yesterday was exactly the sort of game we may have 10-15 times at Highbury this year, where teams come and sit for a 0-0 and we have to break them down. To do that, with the squad as it is, we have to play perfect football or get a lucky break. Yesterday we got the latter.
Our flowing football was played with a lack of cohesion and fluency and we needed a slightly dodgy penalty to break down a stubborn Newcastle. It is in these types of games that we need a PLAN B so we can be more direct. Howvere, as we do not have anyone who can head a ball we cant be direct, nor can we score from set pieces. Not only becuase the deliuvery is mostly dreadful, but also because we hagve no aerial threat at all. Chelsea pick up lots of goals through being direct and knicking 'easy' or 'cheap' goals, we do not.
It was nice to see Hleb and RVP have an influence. I believe Hleb has been totally overhyped and thought he was fairly poor in the Community Shield when some gunners thrived on praising him. That said he produced some lovely deft touches yesterday and does look very promising.
Was also good to see the defence play solidly, and i thought Lauren and Toure in particular excelled. Was interesting to see our right side causing more damage than our left. Pires and Cole were hardly in the game. I agree that Bergy struggled, but he will have games like that at his age. He can still produce moments of utter magic, which is why i think he SHOULD start at Chelsea. Henry on the other hand is worrying me. In the 4 games i have seen since he's been captain hes been a non entity. The goal he did get was undeserved as he was totally periforal. If being skipper restricts him then i say give it to someone else, we need him at his best!
All in all, i was glad to see us win having played with such mediocrity, but my pessimistic, or realistic view as i see it, remains and i cannot see us challenging for the title with the squad in its current state. Pray for no injuries!
I agree making Henri captain is a big mistake as is the case with Shearer at Newcastle. Perhaps it is a sop to help persuade him to sign a new contract as was the case with Vieira. Henri is our best player and we want him to concetrate entirely on creating goals or assists not coming back into midfield to try and win the ball or get involved in disputes between our players and the referee.I think Wenger should have given the captain's armband to either Toure or Gilberto.
Hleb looks good but his first touch is dodgy for a 10 million player
Van Persie should definatley be startin ahead of Bergkamp. He is much more likely to score
Overall it was a dissapointing performance and the team still has the same problems as last year. I thought Wenger would of brought in players to vary our play in the summer
Our set pieces are ridiculous
We looked average but I wouldnt read much in a season opener. We actually got the 3 pts and thats all that matters. However, we were Lightweight in midfield, we had no plan B, and our set pieces are simply pathetic. I really dont know who is coaching the team on set pieces but he needs to get sacked promptly. Hleb and RvP do actually provide a plan B. They can both shoot from a distance and RvP is a good header of the ball.
I'd probably go for dropping Pires for Hleb and DB10 for RvP. RP7 and DB10 got no pace and they are static to death. Pires, due to his lack of pace, always gets caught out and stuck in a front of a defender on the left flank, and since he cant dribble or run, he simply gives the ball backways. DB10 is excellent for the killer pass when the flow is going, but is pretty much useless these days with teams playing 10 men behind the ball.
Our defence looked solid. Toure and Lauren were particularly excellent.
Fabregas was not particularly brilliant but played simple and efficient as always, keeping the flow going in midfield.
I really would like RvP and Hleb to start against chelsea. That in my opinion is out strongest team.
I still think that we do need a solid CB and an experienced Holding CM.
i'd like to see Reyes on left (instead of Robbie P) and RVP alongside TH14. Sadly, i thought DB10 has started looking his age, the touches are still there, but he just aint got the legs any more.
Cant see us losing on sunday tho, they couldnt beat us in either game last season when we missed Paddy V @ home & TH14 at there place.
I agree with Gilio really. We certainly will not crack europe this year with our current squad. Maybe AW has kissed that goodbye for another year. He did try to give us something different with Baptista and it is a real shame we missed out on him. He could have changed the way the side plays in an instance.
Oh well, the last season at Highbury will probably end in disappointment, its a shame.
"Pires, due to his LACK OF PACE, ALWAYS gets caught out and stuck in front of a defender on the left flank, and since he CAN'T DRIBBLE or RUN, he simply gives the ball BACKWAYS" - surely one of the most stupid comments ever posted on this forum ????
I think I will have to go watch the DVD of last season just to workout how a player that has no pace, can't run or dribble, who always gets stuck in front of defenders and simply gives the ball backways (?)did actually manage to score 17 premiership goals last season !!
No he didn't have a good game on Sunday, but fuck me there is nothing like judging a player on isolated performances is there !!!
I agree that the squad needs some bolstering, but a 2-0 win against a team that firstly packed the midfield and then the edge of the box, who showed no attacking ambition at all in the 2nd half and who's season is already up and running due to their participation in the Intertoto Cup !! Now was it the win, the 3 points or the clean sheet that pissed you off the most ?
I know this is gonna come as a shock to some of the johnny come lately fans but you don't actually get an Everton style performance every time you go to the football !!
I can barely wait to visit this site when we do actually lose a game !! I guess we could always hope to go the entire season unbeaten again - but don't let that bit of history cloud your judgement when you're busy slating the manager and his transfer dealings.
KS
KS @ 11:35. Calm down mate, am sure there were "worse" comments made on this website. Pires is getting old, cant run, cant tackle and cant dribble. In fact he got worse and worse since his injury. Now thats a fact. Having said that, he is an intelligent player and an excellent poacher at that so I'd rather we keep him in the squad.
These forums are meant for the fans to voice their views, cheers and concerns. I am as happy as u are with the 3 pts and the clean sheet but that doesnt meant am totally satisfied with the current squad and their performances.
The way I see it is that Reyes or Hleb will soon setp up and relegate Pires to the Bench. No disrespect to Pires, He served the team very well over the years but thats just the natural evolution of things.
"Pires, due to his LACK OF PACE, ALWAYS gets caught out and stuck in front of a defender on the left flank, and since he CAN'T DRIBBLE or RUN, he simply gives the ball BACKWAYS" - this is one of the most thoughtless coments presented here.i wonder which player is that this fan watches.Bobby didnt have a good game but sayin that is more than just thoughtless but being crude and following agame on Radio comentation especaily by some spurs comentator like Redknap.I do agree Hleb should start,but if he and RVP played we would neva have plan B.DB10 sh'd start on sunday he is stil the best partner to Henry on a big game like that of Sunday.I
I cant also wait to be at this blog after we loose agame,people like those that gave the above comments would be asking 4 AW's head even after Hleb and RVP started.
Keep your non thought comments to your head.dont show us all hear that you dont even watch games on Television,but hear from Spurs commentators on Spurs radio if any exists b'se actually i havent bothered to know because they are cunts.
"Pires, due to his LACK OF PACE, ALWAYS gets caught out and stuck in front of a defender on the left flank, and since he CAN'T DRIBBLE or RUN, he simply gives the ball BACKWAYS" - this is one of the most thoughtless coments presented here.i wonder which player is that this fan watches.Bobby didnt have a good game but sayin that is more than just thoughtless but being crude and following agame on Radio comentation especaily by some spurs comentator like Redknap.I do agree Hleb should start,but if he and RVP played we would neva have plan B.DB10 sh'd start on sunday he is stil the best partner to Henry on a big game like that of Sunday.I
I cant also wait to be at this blog after we loose agame,people like those that gave the above comments would be asking 4 AW's head even after Hleb and RVP started.
Keep your non thought comments to your head.dont show us all hear that you dont even watch games on Television,but hear from Spurs commentators on Spurs radio if any exists b'se actually i havent bothered to know because they are cunts.
Post a Comment
<< Home