I am not even going to try to claim that the two late goals which won the Champions League game against Anderlecht in Brussels last night were just rewards for the team’s efforts. For most of the match, the Gunners just could not make things happen, even though we did control the ball for large periods.
But as Arsene Wenger alluded to after the game, Arsenal have been dominant in most of our games this season and been creating a lot more than we did last night, while not getting the results. And the Frenchman suggested that this was getting to the players and causing them to try and force the issue, leading to less creativity in our performance, not more.
Arsenal needed a spark, a bit of luck, something to drag us out of the rut we were getting into and I think that the strike by Kieran Gibbs in the last minute of normal time could turn out to be just that. Not only did it get us back on terms, it gave the rest of the team the impetus to push on for Podolski’s winner. It also reminded the players that our luck is not always bad and that never giving up does get rewards.
And it was not just the timing of the strike either, because the quality of both the cross from Chambers and the clinical and cool finish from the left back should give Arsenal some of our swagger back and remind the team that we are one of the biggest clubs in the world and there are top quality players throughout the squad.
Only time will tell, of course, but I think we could be able to look back on that goal from Gibbs and see it as a pivotal point in our season. What do you think Gooners?
sanchez’s belter against city would’ve been the biggest goal of the season if our defense were a bit tighter.
sorry but your comment makes no sense.. if n but= pointless comment
@toptoptopgun, “The rock says…”
@Vjgunner, yeah, that Sanchez’ goal was fantastic and he really went far by taking off his shirt in celebrating it, only for a defence led by the German ostrich to jeopardise his efforts.
Sanchez is already the player of the season for me. That guy’s wages should be doubled. He never let his frustration take over, even though his smash was cancelled out due to some of our lousy players, against city.
Football is his life, and he plays every game like a final cup match. On the other hand some of our players have a stroll in the park.
Sanchez didn’t deserve this! Just not.
4 times he’s given us the lead in 4 different games this season and we couldn’t defend that lead. Sanchez’s work rate is second to none, can’t wait to see sanchez and theo on the same pitch!
Can’t agree with this article. We have been struggling to create chances all season. The only thing we are able to do is keep possession. And the reason we drop so many points is because of our weak defense. All a team needs to do is create one or two decent counterattacks and we concede. We’ll never win matches with such a weak focus on defense. Just don’t get why our manager changed everything that was good about us last season…
Hull=4 shots on target- 2 goals
Anderlecht= 3 shots on target- 1 goal
Unacceptable stats, especially considering I’m pretty sure both these teams scored with their first attempts at goal as well.
Get real Wenger. I am sick of your butter coated post match views. Accept that we suck and are at best good enough for 4th place. You are paid 7mil a year to tell us the truth and not mislead us. This club is not your fu#king property. You are a servant here and your job is to give us real answers. Otherwise just GTFO. Even my grandma would be an upgrade on you right now. Just leave us you parasite.
@Invincibles49, go easy bro!!! Mind how u talk about a god to whom special temples have been dedicated for worship. Wenger is god, he can do no wrong.
I worship u, oh great Wenger, I worship you!!!
The Anderlecht players were even doing little bit showboating in the dying minutes to the delight of their fans, LoL. They forgot we’re the mighty Arsenal, by far the (*coughs*) greatest team the world has ever seen 😀
One of their players actually said in the interview that we are nowhere near class of BVB. They felt they were a better team throughout and did not feel threatened at any moment. They felt unlucky to lose. That is how our so called mighty Arsenal has come to.
That’s what we said after the Chelsea game. Didn’t do much good for us but it gave the points to Chelsea. In the end of the day people will remember only the score.
@Budd
Exactly…
That’s true that result rule at the end of the day.
But we should not let it cloud the fact that we played very badly yesterday, especially the 10 mins after they score the goal. Big team should respond immediately after going behind. Even average EPL teams wont be as tolerable. We have to up our game quickly, especially in defence. Hope Kos fit to play on Sat (not being rushed back to play)
@ethangooner
So right. We dodged a bullet, which we should take a serious lesson from and rectify asap…
@ADMIN Can you please do something about the formatting of the league table to my right? It’s not looking professional 🙁
Aston Villa, Stoke and Spuds have more wins than us :/
@Twig, have u not been asked before to direct such complaints to the one and only person that can do that, AW?
What really ruins my day is the passing through the net. No shoots, no run behind the defense, no proper corner, you know all that stuff a proper football team does. I loathe when I see Wilshere or Cazorla at the edge of the box doing THAT extra pass to receive it back for a shoot. What is wrong with shooting in the first place? Why the fu ck not taking that shot? Are we really that bad in firing that ball to the goal?
I can live with the repeated passes in the middle but for me the killer is the pass instead of the shot especially when they are in a proper position to do that.
I am getting tired of it. You people say it’s tikki takka but it is worst than that. It signals the other that we have no idea, no guts to go for the throat. I think it sits deep in their heads and they can shake it off only with some mental miracle. I hope Sanchez is the one to put their minds in order because all of our team looks gutless.
Cazorla used to do the shooting thing in his first season with us. A few found their way to the back of the net actually. Sadly, he doesn’t do those anymore.
He tricks the opposition players before taking a shot.
He can’t always do that from the wing since he isn’t quick enough. Play him in the center and you’ll see him shoot.
@Adienl
The luxury of being “2 footed” He makes it work for him…
@twig He tricks the opposition players before taking a shot.
He can’t always do that from the wing since he isn’t quick enough. Play him in the center and you’ll see him shoot.
Long shot is double edges. It gave us more chance to score, on the other end we concede possession when already managing moving the ball to good position.
There are a number of problem with our playing style
– It can be easily stopped when the opponent make nigging fouls and kick our players.
– It is very demanding that the whole must be in sync to make it happen.
The good things IF (a very big IF) it ‘click’ like during the Invincible
– We have load of possession. Possession alone does not win us game, yes. But it also means that our opponent see less ball and have less chance. Our defence is so bad this season which cloud the fact that we have less shots on goal comparing to last season.
– This is the playing style that help us dominate the opponent and win big titles. Barca, Dortmund, Bayern then Real manage to get to CL final adopting not same but similar approach. Man City and Liverpool last season as well.
Until Wilsheres, Chamberlain, Ramsey and even Ozil up their game, we will continue to struggle. A top top DM is clearly needed to stop conceding cheap goals form the rare counter attack of the opponent.
It’s funny how for all our domination of possession in games,we always find a way to concede avoidable goals…our last 4games have been testament to this ugly trend.
As for the Anderlecht game,I think motherluck finally smiled on us for once.It was beauty of a goal and I feel without luck,9 out of 10 times most strikers wont hit the target with such technique let alone a defender…but then again,we just must agree that we are stuck on the repeat button (as Goal.com puts it) with Wenger as the boss.
10 years back Sunderland would be terrifies at the prospect of facing us after just getting raped 8-0 as they need redemption. But presently they would be feeling elated that this ia the perfect chance to make amends. I would not be a little bit surprised to lose this match to be honest. Even drws feel like victory nowadays. LOL.
Pal, some folks consider it a great achievement when we come off with just one point against clubs like Sunderland. I was very saddened by some of the comments I read after our game with Leicester. Some went as far as saying “we were lucky to come off with a point against a tough side like that”. Just so terrible.
Well, I won’t say Wenger is the fault, he is the fault but I won’t say it.
To those that thought we had a chance with Marco Rues-
Since his release clause kicks in next summer-£25 Million- which is £15 million less than his current valuation, the player is ready to ply his trade for a club who pays in the region of €230,000 a week after tax.
Barcelona can easily match that demand. The debt will go through the roof but why does it matter. The whole Spanish economy is ruined by debt, why not piling up more. My take is that Bayern will pay the clause and pay the amount in a heartbeat. This is how they deal in the intern competition : buy the most talented players form the opposition, create a 30 points gap by boxing day and then concentrate on UCL.
In order to do that though, Bayern Munchen spent about 10 years to put all their finance in order so that they can run a huge profit year in year out. Now they are the most healthy club in the world financially wise. Props to them, what can I say.
Bayern Munich have confirmed their interest in bringing Manchester United target Marco Reus in from their feeder club Borussia Dortmund, although not quite as enthusiastically as some headline writers would have you believe. “If a German international has an exit clause and his contract is running out, Bayern is obliged to think about him,” said club mouthpiece Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who is well aware that Reus has a €25m release clause in his contract that several clubs would be delighted to activate next summer. The player himself is believed to be after wages of €230,000 per week and publicly, at least, Rummenigge was fairly non-committal about Bayern’s determination to get him. “Whether we deal with it, I cannot seriously predict,” he said. “We’ve talked too little internally about the subject.”
-The Guardian
Brayen looks like the more likely to get him.
Even ManU at the moment will pay ridiculously high wages. They are paying 350,000+ a week to Falcao, Rooney and RvP.
Admin my comments are vanishing in thin internet air. Help the poor boy.
Probably because they’re BS
@goonerretic, not becuz they are BS. If the contained expletives, they’d appear but u’d see they’ve been subjected to moderation.
But not o in this case and I have experience it countless times. I complained but admin never replied. I guess admin to has no idea as to why that happens.
The worst part of this is how Arsenal doesn’t even bring fear into the weaker teams anymore. Everybody knows how we play and how to counter us. The most mind boggling thing is that our midfielders REFUSE to shoot and Wilshere is the worst. How many times has he been right in front of the box with time and space but instead looked for that pass that will make it to someone 1/20 times and just give the ball away… Even Chambers attempted more long range shots than most our midfielders! It’s simple, whenever you are closed down and can’t make your tikki takka passes simply go for goal! It’s football 101. It’s like our players lack all the confidence in the world
@ras911
A teams standing on the EPL table does not mean they are automatic winners or losers. The teams at the bottom rung are fighting just as hard to stay up as the teams at the top are to maintain their positions.
No team is to be taken for granted. Our job is not to instill fear in teams. Our job is to not lose to em…
Gibbo’s goal was different gravy.
I’m not happy about us getting into these situations but I’m happy we seem to be developing a habit of squeezing out some sort of result. Belief is a precious thing. If only we had it against the big teams!
My ideal starting line up for the Sunderland game:
Woj
Bellerin Callum Kos Gibbs
Ramsey Diaby
Cambel Carzola Sanchez
Welbeck