Things Need To Start Changing - And Quick…
How Can Arsenal Change The Way They Play?
In every home game this season Arsenal have conceded the first goal - Aston Villa, Dinamo Zagreb and now Middlesbrough.
Take about making things hard for yourselves!
We drew against Villa, only just beat Zagreb now drawn against Boro - not forgetting the away game against Manchester City.
The problem we have is that in all of the games we have played this season, Arsenal have looked tired and no-where near sharp enough. We play an intricate passing game which doesn’t come off unless every single player is in tune - unfortunately we’re way off that at the moment.
Our excuses will include players being tired from the World Cup, the disruptive International break, fitness and injury worries - but a lot of teams have these problems but still get wins on the board.
When was the last time you saw Arsenal 4th from bottom after 4 games?!
Alright, we have a game in hand but a total of 2 points after 3 games is pretty worrying - especially when our next league game is against the in-form and seemingly devastating Manchester United - at Old Trafford!
In our failings to beat Boro, City and Villa were the same signs - lack of urgency, lack of a Plan B and our fear of actually shooting from distance!
The equalising goal today came from Thierry Henry - via a penalty!
I’ve seen all three league games now and I haven’t felt that we could score a goal. The play in front of teams and all the opposition have to do is play as deep as possible - and unfortunately for us it works.
We don’t seem to have any killer instinct and seem content to pass the ball around waiting for an opening.
And I don’t know how many times Arsenal had the ball in wide positions and how many corners we had, but without the ability to cross the ball we’re never going to score from there!
Bobby Pires would have been perfect this afternoon wide on the left because when he has the ball in that position he has the ability to pick out a killer pass and make things happen.
I am still hopeful for the midweek Champions League game and The Premiership match against Manchester United but things need to change - and quick.
September 9th, 2006 at 5:54 pm
Wenger will not change anything because he will look at stats like amount of posession & say we are just lacking a little at the moment but that it will all come right, however the reason we are having so much of the ball is because other teams let us knowing full well we will do nothing with it. Youre right we dont look like scoring at any point, its just hopeful chances all the time not real clear cut chances.
I think games like today would have been perfect for walcott but wenger decided not to even put him on the bench, despite the fact that he certainly wont play him against either hamburg or man utd next week. He said he was tired but of course he is because the poor kid isnt getting any playing time so he is not match fit.
Forget the title man utd will be 13 points clear of us by next weekend, the worrying thing is that other teams like portsmouth, chelsea, everton & liverpool etc will get too far away for us to even make fourth place. We have just played 3 of the easiest premiership games you can have & have managed just 2 points, thats relegation form.
September 9th, 2006 at 5:57 pm
Arsenal seem to play an intricate passing game.God knows how many passes were made bf a shot was made.On this form Arsenal could be sitting ducks for the rd who are swift on the counter attack.
The commentators have said Arsenal play one dimensional game with no plan B.I’m afraid they are right because Arsenal dont seem to score goals from corners.These maybe early days but it applies to all teams.You never know. It could be the pitch.
All I know is a team with a poor run will stop it somewhere.That is why when Boro were beaten 4-0 last week I was 99.9% sure they won’t concede another 4 goals.
Let’s hope Arsenal break the poor run with a win at OT.Football is a funny old game.Nobody would have expected Everton to win and by three goals.
September 9th, 2006 at 6:02 pm
I know this is the gunner fans website. I saw the pool game on tv.
The commentator said Pool shd have been awarde a penalty for handball.
Now I hope gunners fans can enlighten me on what happens to referees whose performance is not satisfactory.
To me the same referees still umpire matches even when errors were made by them.
September 9th, 2006 at 6:09 pm
I think the article is spot on, but football is an unpredictable sport and with United having a 100% record and Arsenal only getting 2 points so far it wouldn’t surprise me if we pulled it out of the bag and shocked everyone! But it’s looking increasingly unlikely the way we are playing.
The Premiership is a high tempo league but so far I’ve seen Arsenal get up the pitch and then for some reason we just try and pass the ball through the middle which is impossible because teams will just play deep against us!!
Arsene will slate people and other teams for playing negatively but why should they attack us if they know we can’t get through? Possession doesn’t mean goals so teams as poor as Boro & Villa (and they are poor) are more than happy to sit on the 0-0 scoreline and know that if they practice their set-pieces they have a chance.
If Arsenal could be more dangerous from set-pieces then teams would open up more but if you’re playing a team like Arsenal who never score headers then you’re happy to give away the ball in wide positions and corners aren’t you?
September 9th, 2006 at 6:15 pm
James, referees make loads of mistakes just look at diaby being crippled at sunderland last season, dan smith got a yellow. The same ref was also the culprit who gave thatcher a yellow when he almost killed mendez. I would not hold my breath expecting refs to be dropped.
September 9th, 2006 at 6:22 pm
Was that the same ref?! Jesus - he’s just a pathetic referee!
September 9th, 2006 at 6:22 pm
was dermot gallagher
September 9th, 2006 at 7:07 pm
Dermot Gallagher is a twat. but refs are beyond any reproach and thats what pisses me off.
Arsenal have played pretty well but we keep on going behind. cant work out it out. boro had one chance today and I think between villa and man city these 3 teams have had no more than 4 or 5 chances between them over 3 matches.
Arsenal are not getting the ball forward quickly enough. we want control of the ball at feet the whole time, but by the time we put a couple of square passes together the opposition get 11 men behind the ball, then its almost impossible to score.
so we need to get the ball wide and forward far quicker and take more risks instead of playing it safe all the time. other than that I cant really fault us. we certainly have quality all over the pitch.
to be honest, a bit more luck and we could have won all 3 games. we said that last season a lot too, so there must be something more to it.
September 9th, 2006 at 7:08 pm
As a life long supporter I have to say Wenger is not up to the final job.He can organize teams to keep possesion but not to attack.I feel Wallcote made a bad decission in joining Arsenal or rather Wenger this boy has what it takes NOW (may be not for 90mins) but without question should be given the chance to prove it.Gallas should be allowed to play in the centre and Flamini at left back(automaticaly) he deserves to.Baptista should have been on from the start(for v.Persie)with 20mins to go when fresh he VP can beat ANY defense as they tire.Arsen you have the players learn NOW how to use them and quick or the stadium will look bare, you will be GONE.I have faith still you will gey it right(just)and hope that will not be an option.
September 9th, 2006 at 7:24 pm
have to say I was surprised to see walcott omitted, and rosicky not starting. Hleb looks like the player not quite on form to me. give him a couple of games off.
the last 3 games for us are like spot the difference. ie outplay the opposition in terms of passing, possession, shots and corners but concede a goal and then struggle to break down a 10 man defence. we need some luck!
Bendtner scored again for Birmingham.
September 9th, 2006 at 7:35 pm
I agree with wholm, we do not move forward quick enough. we get so far and 99/100 the balll moves back. having said that we should still have won all 3 games. all we need is a few fat frank deflections and we will be away
September 9th, 2006 at 7:48 pm
dont blame the ref. we were not good enough and that’s the bottom line. for the past 2 years, the only tactic to twart out attacking game was by suffocating us from the midfield with 5 physical midfielders & practice a lot set pieces to stand a chance of winning. Teams like bolton, man u, liverpool, chelsea etc had used this tactic to great effect. Now it seems that that’s another easier plan. since we are not treathening anymore from the flank and are only effective with our blistering counter-attack, why allow us to counter at all? let us have the ball, go wherever we want except through the heart of the defence. very simple. we rarely score from direct freekick, we do not score from 20 yards in open play, we do not score form crosses, we do not score form headers & we do not score from coners. The only way we hope to score is from counter attacks and that’s also always through the middle. I expect teams that are least physical to use the same tactic against us for the rest of the season & teams that are more physical to try to win by pressing us from the midfield. another few performance like that, we may only have intertoto cup to look forward to the next season & that may only come through fair play.
September 9th, 2006 at 8:07 pm
Thats one of the reasons I dont understand wenger, rosicky had two superb international matches but was dropped to the bench. Hleb had two poor international matches & plays, then you have ljungberg who at present cannot play three games in such quick succession otherwise he becomes less effective & more injury prone. He should have played traore at left back, he is nearly 17 & the kid can play now. He certainly wouldnt last a whole season & no-one would suggest otherwise but clichy should be back in around 5 weeks & he is more than capable of playing until then, which would also give him good experience. Our lack of goals is a real concern & I think wenger should now play with the midfield 5, especially now we have baptista who can break forward at anytime to support henry. If he wants to continue with a front two then walcott needs to be given a chance. He has scored in both u21 matches where he plays as a striker & has done everything possible to prove he is worth a punt in the first team.
September 9th, 2006 at 8:43 pm
at the moment arsene wenger doesn’t realise he’s holding the team back, alot of player are not being allowed to play in their natural roles. with players like fabragas, rosicky, hleb and ljungberg all natural central players….we need to be now playing 4-3-3, not 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 because u need wingers for those formations, with glberto & flamini fighting for the holding role we have the perfect quartet to fight for 2 spots ahead of them, this would allow rosicky/hleb to play in his natural role, this leaves the strikers to fight for the remaining places has anybody wondered why van basten seems to get the best out of van persie but wenger can’t, it’s because van basten plays him in his natural role on the right side of 3 coming onto his left foot from wide areas and either swinging balls into the area or better still into the back of the net, adebayor is not the plan b, he’s not even a great centre forward, he doesn’t naturally score goals, he’s tall but not particularly good at heading the ball, but he is quick and he does have good feet, infact if u watch him u’d see he gets more freedom when he drifts out wide, so make him a wide man option in a 3 upfront left/right along with walcott.
that leaves henry, baptista and bendtner (when he’s back in january) as the central sriker options, we all know henry’s the main man and can be central or out wide no problem and baptista has the strength and power to play as the central striker or attacking midfield player and when bendtner comes can back challenege them for that place, we wont resembele chelsea and their borring football but more likely barcelona and holland is that such a bad thing? it’s inevitable, it has to happen untill then we struggle.
September 9th, 2006 at 8:50 pm
have to agree with much of whats been said, and I dont normally like to go against wengers decisions, so lets give him the benefit of the doubt and believe he has real reasons why he has made these team selections. on another note, I am going to bet that we beat manu next as I think we will be right up for it….. COME ON YOU GUNNERS !!!!
September 9th, 2006 at 9:03 pm
When you hear wenger say that he is concerned about the team you know its time to worry. Will also be interesting to see where Gallas plays on wednesday night against hamburg, wenger admitted that he is not comfortable at left back so its silly keeping him there. Let Toure & Gallas become used to each other in central defence & try something different at left back. He could either try traore as I said earlier or he could put flamini back there, even though he doesnt want to play there I am sure he would do it for a few weeks.
Wouldnt Rvp be better used on the left wing where he started his career as that would give us some natural width, as opposed to him playing right side & making everything narrow. With baptista in the side we need someone putting crosses into the box as he will break forward & get onto them. Also using the width will drag defenders out of the centre & leave space for players like rosicky to shoot from distance.
September 9th, 2006 at 9:09 pm
CANT REMEMBER The last time we had someone shoot from distance, think it was parlour and before him silvinho
September 9th, 2006 at 9:53 pm
and b4 silvinho,winterburn and b4 him Charlie George in the FA cup!!!
September 9th, 2006 at 10:48 pm
not much discussion on our defensive organization yet–but i think allowing 3 goals on about a total of 5 attempts so far is def. cause for worry. all 3 goals allowed have also been due to individual error, not on “good” play from the opposition team–with the upcoming man u game wenger needs to ditch his stupid “kids have worked hard so they deserve their spot” stance and build the strongest back line (and midfield)–eboue, toure, gallas, and flamini.
September 9th, 2006 at 11:14 pm
I have my own theory to this rather strange start, I call it strange because I believe that we should have easily have won all the games we drew and lost.
The theory is simple, we miss Sanderos. Well champoins league final and so on, I think that buying Gallas might make our defence better but it will definately not make our attack better like Cole or Clichy would. We miss Sanderos because we are playing Djourou. Well to be honest I have not been convinced by any of his performances and he does not give the confidence Sanderos or even Traore would well the ball comes close to him. Eboue is a class art when it comes to that, he just fantastic when the ball is around him and absolutely the opposite when it comes to Djourou.
Up front there is absolutely no problem, Henry is getting better and better with each game and you know know Van Persie just needs a break in the premiership and the goals will start pouring and with Henry well 35 goals this season without a doubt. In Midfield our best player has being Fabrigas, his touch, control and vision. I would not be suprise if multiply his goal tally by 5. Giberto has done very well.
Our attack from the wings has being to problem to be honest. Ljunberg is quite happy hold his own wings but Hleb keeps drifting to the centre everytime. He is a good player but sometimes I feels that he should try his luck on the flanks more so that Eboue will even be further to his right freeing space for our striking to get a clean strike at goal. Hleb can go to the centre but he should go to the right flank as much as he goes to the centre.
Maybe he should be bench for a game and he will be more disciplined. Baptista all of a sudden does make a huge difference to this situation (home) but will be fantastic away from home.
A win away and at home then we can begin to talk about securing Champions League spot but for now we have to fight our way out of relegation battle. Yes relegation battle. We have to take game by game, it will be a very loooooooooooooooooooooooong season.
Gallas for me should be at the centre of defence, flamini at left back until we get our first team players to take thier position. It might be one shot on goal but if you have your best defence which we don’t have right now(Sanderos/Clichy).
Jens
Eboue Toure Gallas Flamini
Walcott Giberto Cesc Ljunberg
Henry RVP
Are the team playing like this to get into the CL final again????????
September 9th, 2006 at 11:25 pm
I have my own theory to this rather strange start, I call it strange because I believe that we should have easily have won all the games we drew and lost.
The theory is simple, we miss Sanderos. Well champoins league final and so on, I think that buying Gallas might make our defence better but it will definately not make our attack better like Cole or Clichy would. We miss Sanderos because we are playing Djourou. Well to be honest I have not been convinced by any of his performances and he does not give the confidence Sanderos or even Traore would when the ball comes close to him. Eboue is a class art when it comes to that, he is just fantastic when the ball is around him and absolutely the opposite when it comes to Djourou.
Up front there is absolutely no problem, Henry is getting better and better with each game and you know know Van Persie just needs a break in the premiership and the goals will start pouring and with Henry well 35 goals this season without a doubt. In Midfield our best player has being Fabregas, his touch, control and vision. I would not be suprise if multiply his goal tally by 5. Giberto has done very well.
Our attack from the wings has being the problem to be honest. Ljungberg is quite happy holding his own wings but Hleb keeps drifting to the centre everytime. He is a good player but sometimes I feels that he should try his luck on the flanks more so that Eboue will even be further to his right freeing space for our strikers to get a clean strike at goal. Hleb can go to the centre but he should go to the right flank as much as he goes to the centre.
Maybe he should be bench for a game and he get his game together. Baptista all of a sudden does make a huge difference to this situation (home) but will be fantastic away from home.
A win away and at home then we can begin to talk about securing Champions League spot but for now we have to fight our way out of relegation battle. Yes relegation battle. We have to take it game by game, it will be a very loooooooooooooooooooooooong season.
Gallas for me should be at the centre of defence, flamini at left back until we get our first team players to take their position (Senderos & Clichy). It might be one shot on goal but if you have your best defence which we don’t have right now(Senderos/Clichy).
Jens
Eboue Toure Gallas Flamini
Walcott Giberto Cesc Ljunberg
Henry RVP
Are the team playing like this to get into the CL final again????????
September 10th, 2006 at 1:19 am
Fistly we have to stop conceding the first goal. We have a defence that should be able to cope with Villa and Boro. I can also understand the excuse that we are rusty, but our 3 premiership games were there to iron out the flaws and have us ready for CL and ManU. Yet instead, we find ourselves struggling. I don’t want to point fingers at any individual players, but rather at Wenger. I think he (like most supporters) is not sure who/what the first team should be. For example, I’m not sure about Freddie’s contribution. He lacks pace and can no longer score. Helb and Rosicky are both central midfielders and as such, the tend to drift inside rather than use the flanks. Its gonna take time for Wenger to figure out how to best utilise the players for the new stadium. Stange how the best chances came from eboue getting behind the defence. I
I find it hard to belive that I’m still awaiting our first win of the season!
September 10th, 2006 at 3:04 am
We play great stuff but it’s all too one-dimensional and teams can suss us out before the game! Why have a go at Arsenal if they’re going to destroy you on the counter-attack?
We can’t keep complaining about teams being negative, boring, etc - it’s up to us to find a way of winning matches! And having a plan b would help!
I watched the highlights on MOTD and every other team in the league play direct, high-tempo football. They play down the middle AND score from crosses. We just play down the middle and when we can’t get through just pass the ball some more - it’s starting to be overkill!
September 10th, 2006 at 9:02 am
OK so the arguement that we dont shoot enough seems a bit lightweight when you consider we had shots on target yesterday into the teens, 13 or something with 20 in total. And as for a plan b - 3 subs that made us more direct and channeled thr play differently seem like a different tactic. Things will get better once the goals go in for us. Thats all thats lacking really. We seem to be geting punished rather harshly when it comes to opposition attempts. Boro had 1 on target and that went in. That seems to be the story of the season so far. We get punished for 1 lapse in concentration whereas the opposition seem to get away with it. Once we get sharper in front of goal and a bit of luck runs with the defence(which looked good yesterday, better when Gallas moves to CB and Clichy to LB). Its frustrating as we all wanted the new stadium to kick off with a bang but its very early days yet. Yeah im disappointed with the results so far but looking at the squad we have we will get things right soon.
September 10th, 2006 at 3:43 pm
We are the only ‘top 4′ team that seem to dominate without looking like scoring - 3 poor results against 3 poor teams is proof in itself. Can you see Liverpool, United, Chelscum (and even Pompy now) pick up 2 points from 3 games with Boro, Villa and City? No chance!
Arsenal do shoot, but from only one area - from about 10 yards out when the opposition are piled behind the ball. We don’t score from wide positions, crosses, corners or headers - can you honestly say that Mark Schwarzer, Nicky Weaver and Thomas Sorenson made outstanding saves against us? Neither can I!
Chelscum always look like they can score and the same goes for United and Liverpool. Even when Liverpool lost 3-0 yesterday the shaved the post 5/6 times and on another day could have easily won - we can’t even get the ball past the keeper! Liverpool had a bad day at the office and they won’t be that unluckly much this season, but Arsenal have been ‘unlucky’ in EVERY game this season.
September 11th, 2006 at 12:47 pm
I might be being stupid or naive here but when it comes to the old pitch debate can we not just alter the dimensions of the pitch by painting the lines slightly narrower!?!Or do the club have to submit there dimensions at the start of the season and stick by them all year??Was just wondering whilst sitting next to the moaning man on Saturday, he didnt know!!