Arsenal CL First Leg match thread

[philyhamann]

Why is playing for a 1-1 away from home justification for bringing some fat championship player on for Torres? I can still criticise the manager, we could've nicked one at the end if he kept Torres on.

[Unrighteous]

Strachan & Souness having handbags over Zonal.

 

Which is why they have so many managerial offers on the board.

[Paul]

True. But when the balls reached him he knew fuck all what to do with them and it's a problem. Can't say Benayoun did any better though. However, Ryan needs to calm down and his teammate must show support, not just run off and await the cross - that's not Babels game. Fill in, be ready for the the short one, and move.

 

Mate, he was playing away from home in the quarter final of the Champions' League against a far superior team who had nearly all the ball at the age of 19. Give him a break, eh.

[Hazel Motes]

Why is playing for a 1-1 away from home justification for bringing some fat championship player on for Torres? I can still criticise the manager, we could've nicked one at the end if he kept Torres on.

 

C'mon. That's too cheap.

[coop]

I can see what Souness is trying to say though in the fact Hyypia can see whats in front of him and he should have attacked the ball from the corner.

 

You can be too critical and although i do think Sami should have towards the ball you also have to say it was a good leap from Adebayor.

[zigackly]

Why is playing for a 1-1 away from home justification for bringing some fat championship player on for Torres? I can still criticise the manager, we could've nicked one at the end if he kept Torres on.

 

Don't think so, we weren't finding him and we weren't going to have time to come back with a goal if they scored. He brought Torres off to protect him and it worked, you pay your money and take your choice and Rafa is a good gambler for the most part. Bringing Benayoun on was to try to keep the ball more, with mixed results but he was no worse than Babel tonight.

[DJLJ]

What is your problem with Kuyt? All you focus on is the negatives, how about the novel approach of supporting the players or is that beyond you. He ran is arse off tonight. So what he was involved in a penalty incident, did it scare you? Deal with it. You have a go at me for going on about how good he is, well take a look at yourself and realise that all you've done on this thread is bitch about Kuyt.

 

What a great result by the way, not over by any means but considering the pressure we were under in the second half we've done well to come away with a score draw. Proud of them all.

 

He was interviewed on Sky and said it wasn't a penalty, I say he is wrong it is/was a penalty.

 

For the record, I bitch about him in 1 thread, saying he shouldn't try and give away a penalty, but in the post you quote, I even says he played well.

 

Now go back, look at the bitching I have done about kuyt, in 1 thread, then compare to each post you put in 100's of threads about how he is the greatest in world.

 

deal with it.

[Unrighteous]

it was a good leap from Adebayor.

 

You can say that again... He can get up there for sure.

[philyhamann]

C'mon. That's too cheap.

 

It isn't though, his subs were a bit strange tonight apart from Lucas for Alonso. He just seemed to put two lightweight players on, and fat boy.

[zigackly]

I can see what Souness is trying to say though in the fact Hyypia can see whats in front of him and he should have attacked the ball from the corner.

 

Quite right, so it's not a fault with the system.

[philyhamann]

Don't think so, we weren't finding him and we weren't going to have time to come back with a goal if they scored. He brought Torres off to protect him and it worked, you pay your money and take your choice and Rafa is a good gambler for the most part. Bringing Benayoun on was to try to keep the ball more, with mixed results but he was no worse than Babel tonight.

 

Doesn't matter if we were finding him or not, he has that touch of class. We bring Voronin on? Fuck off. I wouldn't mind if it were Crouch, but Voronin? :wallbutt:

 

Thought his subs were just bizarre tonight.

[King Emlyn]

Great result that. Eat my shit Wenger you fucking paedo.

Absolutely pathetic post.

[Hazel Motes]

Mate, he was playing away from home in the quarter final of the Champions' League against a far superior team who had nearly all the ball at the age of 19. Give him a break, eh.

 

Exactly my point. He's got far to much responsibility. Stevie should know this, and fill in, offer options. As should Masch. Problem is they all await some cross from the far edge of the penalty are. That's not gonna happen. I don't blame Babel, but his teammates. They should help him out, he's no Messi, he won't get past Eboue.

[zigackly]

Doesn't matter if we were finding him or not, he has that touch of class. We bring Voronin on? Fuck off. I wouldn't mind if it were Crouch, but Voronin? :wallbutt:

 

Thought his subs were just bizarre tonight.

 

You're entitled to your opinion, but I happen to disagree. Crouch would have been dead weight because we were playing too deep. You might say Voronin was dead weight as well, and that's fair comment, but in principle it was the right sub.

[Dan Vito Corleone]

Fantastic result. We rode our luck with the penalty decision but other than that I thought we did brilliantly tonight. Torres led the line superbly, Kuyt was absolutely immense and Gerrard stood tall for us and did us proud.

 

The defending was top drawer, Carragher in particular played superbly. We'll need to go on the attack at Anfield but we've given ourselves a good chance. We now just need to take it.

[Rashid]

I knew we would do these.. we rule in Europe.

[Lapskaus]

Torres should have stayed on. for sure

 

DELIGHTED though, good result

[Hazel Motes]

It isn't though, his subs were a bit strange tonight apart from Lucas for Alonso. He just seemed to put two lightweight players on, and fat boy.

 

But he put FIT players on. Alonso had covered a lot of miles, and Torres was nearly crying.

That's the whole point.

[Unrighteous]

Giving Torres a ten minute break and letting him hear the cheers for him wasn't exactly a bad call...

 

So the logical choice is putting on Voronin. Crouch is slow as shite and wouldn't be able to hit them on a counter.

 

You can call Voronin fat all you want but he was still our paciest forward on the pitch at the final whistle. He also hasn't played in a while and, unlike Crouch, can operate in our three up top system which would mean him likely to get a long cameo against Arsenal(League match).

 

Benayuon seemed a bit of a funny sub... Yossi has shown some brilliance at times but he really gets physically pushed out of matches. I don't really think he an option except to throw Voronin on for Babel who can operate in that position.(edit: I expected Pennant on the bench instead of Yossi tonight, to be honest)

[Guest TK-421]

He was interviewed on Sky and said it wasn't a penalty, I say he is wrong it is/was a penalty.

 

For the record, I bitch about him in 1 thread, saying he shouldn't try and give away a penalty, but in the post you quote, I even says he played well.

 

Now go back, look at the bitching I have done about kuyt, in 1 thread, then compare to each post you put in 100's of threads about how he is the greatest in world.

 

deal with it.

 

I've said fuck all about him apart from cheering the goal tonight since you made that comment, even though dickheads continue to slate him and argue that he should be sold/dropped/shot at dawn. I think I've shown remarkable restraint. Over and out.

[Ted]

Absolutely pathetic post.

 

What?

[ratcatcher]

Would have taken a 1-1 at the start so great result. But feck me, shyte zonal marking yet again (oh yes it is!) and talk about backs to the wall.

 

Well in Kuyt after all the stick he gets for not scoring. Torres should have stayed on his feet a little more but he ran himself silly for the cause too.

[zigackly]

On the penalty decision, I think the ref shat it a bit. Inexperienced refs often won't give them in such a big game unless it's a clear goalscoring chance. Facts are he shouldn't have been reffing this game and I'm glad he was.

[Anubis]

You played your big expansive game, of big expansive football, with big expansive passing, on your big expansive pitch, in your big expansive stadium. And you have NO advantage.

 

A tight narrow pitch, players with more heart and fight in thier little toenails than you have in your entire bodies, and a crowd that will make you shit bricks. THIS IS ANFIELD!

 

And anyone who criticises Kuyt tonight is a total retard. He was fucking immense.

[philyhamann]

But he put FIT players on. Alonso had covered a lot of miles, and Torres was nearly crying.

That's the whole point.

 

I wouldn't call Voronin anywhere fit, and I didn't mind the Alonso sub. I think we should've just left Torres on, he can score from anywhere around the area. It wouldn't have been as bad if it was Crouch who came on, but it wasn't.