Arsenal CL First Leg match thread

[Paul]

Rash, without getting into man for man comparisons (which are largely worthless in a team game, anway) Arsenal play the sort of game that we find hardest to cope with: fast, aggressively attacking possession football. In my opinion, despite their comparative lack of match winners, they're more dangerous than Barca because of their lightening pace all over the pitch.

[Rashid]

Rash, without getting into man for man comparisons (which are largely worthless in a team game, anway) Arsenal play the sort of game that we find hardest to cope with: fast, aggressively attacking possession football. In my opinion, despite their comparative lack of match winners, they're more dangerous than Barca because of their lightening pace all over the pitch.

 

I can agree with that but I don't think they have the overall individual quality to hurt us like say a Barcelona - I thought we were comfortable yesterday. If we imposed ourselves more, we would hammer Arsenal.

[rondeco]

No it isn't.

 

Think about their midfield - Hleb - Fabregas - Flamini - Eboue - must be the worst quartet we have ever faced with regards to the "greatest teams in Europe". That lot are man for man against us far enferior. Then look at the attack - Van Persie and Adebayour v Torres and Gerrard - no contest.

 

When our lads took to the field yesterday I saw Mascherano, Reina, Carragher, Gerrard, Torres and Alonso and thought bloody hell I wouldn't want to face that lot. I feel Wenger has got them playing above their collective parts as a team hence why they are such a good side. They are also encouraged to play with a carefree attitude and express themselves so they look good. But they are nowhere near the best side we have faced, and Wenger is no match for Rafa under these conditions either.

 

We will beat Arsenal Paul because our manager is tactically better in these conditions and most of our players are better than theirs too. The league is a different kettle of fish as their manager is obviously better eqipped than Rafa in this league (he won the league right from his first few years here and gone a whole season and a half unbeaten) and seems to get his teams playing a very good brand of football (with far less money than us) regularly in a league full of dogs of war who won't allow you to play.

 

In short, Rafa is better at these type of games than Wenger - we will win.

 

Did you not call Hleb world class recently on this site?

Its not like you to post the opposite of something you said recently, is it?

[Dirk]

Did you not call Hleb world class recently on this site?

Its not like you to post the opposite of something you said recently, is it?

 

A number of Arsenal fans think he has been their best player this season.

[wiiksie]

Did you not call Hleb world class recently on this site?

Its not like you to post the opposite of something you said recently, is it?

haha he did, good spot Deco.

 

Bentley is NO WAY as good as Hleb.. put that one to bed lads.. Hleb is world class.

[Brownie]

I thought Hleb was very good last night. When he got the ball I was a bit worried, which is always the sign of a good player.

 

He's really difficult to dispossess because he moves the ball really quickly, and to either side.

 

He's not very strong but it doesn't become an issue because he uses his skill to counter-act it.

[Captain]

They showed stats towards the end of the game that showed tha Xabi had covered the most ground of all our players. Kuyt was 3rd, behind Gerrard

 

That stat made me laught out loud when it showed up on the screen. Commentator Stokke had been waxing lyrical about how no-one runs as much for the team as Kuyt does, and how he's not appreciated for it.

 

He went absolutely fucking mute when that stat was shown.

[Unrighteous]

I thought Hleb was very good last night. When he got the ball I was a bit worried, which is always the sign of a good player.

 

He's really difficult to dispossess because he moves the ball really quickly, and to either side.

 

He's not very strong but it doesn't become an issue because he uses his skill to counter-act it.

 

 

What?! Hleb was invisible untill right before the Penalty shout, IMO. I forgot he was playing by halftime.

[RoboRiise]

Did you not call Hleb world class recently on this site?

Its not like you to post the opposite of something you said recently, is it?

 

On top of that, if Hleb is world class Fabregas could probably represent the Milky Way in an All-Universe knock-out tournament. Alongside Gerrard, obviously. I wouldn't say he's "far inferior" to any CM I've seen recently to be honest, let alone to any his age.

 

 

 

I agree that we have a fine group of central midfield players in Gerrard, Mascherano and Alonso (although Xabi's form has been patchy this season) but much of Babel's talent is yet to reveal itself completely or consistently, also are we considering him and Dirk as wide attacking midfield players or forwards for the purposes of this comparison?*

 

Other than them, we have Lucas who is very much a work in progress, Benayoun (a decent squad player) Pennant (gash) and Kewell (even more gash).

 

We looked like we were playing in the traffic for large parts of the second half last night, traffic that was one way and heading directly for our goal like a Dutch lorry driver with a knackered sat nav. I shudder to think what they would have done with a decent midfield, we'd probably be looking at scoring six at Anfield to go through. Although there is Senderos to consider; I always feel Arsenal's opponents have a goal in them as long as he's on the pitch.

 

 

 

* In fact I see Gerrard isn't a midfielder either for the purposes of the comparison, so that's Xabi and Mascherano that are better than Arsenal's midfield. Mmmkay.

[Rashid]

haha he did, good spot Deco.

 

I think Hleb is world class but as a collective in that Arsenal midfield, he is part of something much worse than what we have in there.

[George Costanza]

Thought we got very lucky last night. Apart from the work rate of a number of the lads I though our general play was poor. Gerrard and Torres were largely anonomous, Babel was garbage and a lot of Kuyt's best work was done back tracking and as per worling hard. Again just like the united game we got done by a few longer staright balls over the top, fucking school boy stuff and not the usual well drilled machine. Carra looked uneasy at right back, Aurelio shat his pants when Walcott came on.

 

Yet........ apart from a couple of big scares Arsenal didn't threaten a great deal. We seemingly always have this knack in europe. A good result without playing well, its still finely balanced though IMO.

 

I was absolutely battered last night, even despite london prices a good time was had by most.

[Brownie]

What?! Hleb was invisible untill right before the Penalty shout, IMO. I forgot he was playing by halftime.

 

I'm not saying he was dominating the game or anything, just that I was impressed by his close control and his ability to keep the ball.

 

T'isall.

[Dirk]

Next Wednesday is going to be seat of our pants stuff, again. I'm not confident in out ability to stop them scoring. We must keep it down to one and ensure we score first. I'm bricking it already.

[Rashid]

We need to go after them in the first half while the crowd are pumped up and they are getting used to the atmosphere. A two goal cushion will be got and then we can sit back and let the Kop carry us home.

[Paul]

I'm not saying he was dominating the game or anything, just that I was impressed by his close control and his ability to keep the ball.

 

T'isall.

 

He never loses the ball or gets knocked off it. He's a very, very good player, in my opinion.

[stringvest]

He never loses the ball or gets knocked off it. He's a very, very good player, in my opinion.

 

I really rate him. He's a very 'sophisticated', thinking player. Imagine if we had someone as good as that on our flanks? A lot of what he does is invisible to the untrained eye, but he's always available to receive a pass, will often play it simple, but knows when to hold on to the ball to allow colleagues to get into position. Most importantly, he maintains the momentum of a move - our wide players often miscontrol it, which stops any momentum immediately.

[spider-neil]

arsenal observations

 

they have lightining fast defenders across their entire back line, and they trust their ability to hold a high line even against equally lightning quick attackers such as babel and torres.

 

their fullbacks showed exactly why we need to pursue fullbacks with pace and attacking intent

 

their one twos are incredibly well excuted, the way they drew skrtal out of defense in one move was amazing, they ran towards him at pace, skrtal now HAS to go to the player a quick interchange later they are behind him and if the pass were better weighted they'd be in on goal. fantastic movement by their attacking players.

 

addi qives them another dimension in the air they can now play the ball long as well along the floor.

 

flam is far better than people give credit for.

 

walcott's introduction caused huge problems, the only impact player we have of such ilk is babel but in all honesty I'd rather he started games than ended games.

 

lastly there was a 10 minute period after we equalised that we put arsenal under the cosh had we taken the lead I think we could have controlled the game similar to how we did barca away, their heads would have dropped and memories of their run of dropped points would come flooding back.

[aws]

arsenal observations

 

they have lightining fast defenders across their entire back line, and they trust their ability to hold a high line even against equally lightning quick attackers such as babel and torres.

 

their fullbacks showed exactly why we need to pursue fullbacks with pace and attacking intent

 

their one twos are incredibly well excuted, the way they drew skrtal out of defense in one move was amazing, they ran towards him at pace, skrtal now HAS to go to the player a quick interchange later they are behind him and if the pass were better weighted they'd be in on goal. fantastic movement by their attacking players.

 

addi qives them another dimension in the air they can now play the ball long as well along the floor.

 

flam is far better than people give credit for.

 

walcott's introduction caused huge problems, the only impact player we have of such ilk is babel but in all honesty I'd rather he started games than ended games.

 

lastly there was a 10 minute period after we equalised that we put arsenal under the cosh had we taken the lead I think we could have controlled the game similar to how we did barca away, their heads would have dropped and memories of their run of dropped points would come flooding back.

 

They also work incredibly hard moving into the right position to receive passes.

[silverlining]

I'm not saying he was dominating the game or anything, just that I was impressed by his close control and his ability to keep the ball.

 

T'isall.

 

That ability to keep the ball is one of his biggest problems. It's only this season that the malnourished little weasel has actually learned how to release it.

[Paul]

That ability to keep the ball is one of his biggest problems. It's only this season that the malnourished little weasel has actually learned how to release it.

 

Ha, ha!!! Quality. Your genius for the put down grows by the day.