The Arsenal FC-Related News & Developments for 2016/2017

[anikulapo]

We as fans might want to be in the league title race - but our players keep by their performances letting us know they ain't 'bout that life. Pressure to this crew is human rights abuse.

A point at Chelsea will be a result - we cannot win over there!!!

Don't bet against that, there are 2 Arsenals.....the one with Giroud and the one without.

The fluid attacking Arsenal team minus Giroud can beat any team in the Country, anywhere.

No Ramsey is a likely plus as well.

Not all about Giroud. Why is he always a scapegoat? If Giroud had Bellerin, Santi and a Theo starting, a different game. Why? Different tactics, he gets the pass earlier and in space, lays off for runners from deep. His presence does not slow down our game.

Without Santi and Xhaka, teams push up, compress it and make very difficult. Not Giroud's fault we concede stupid avoidable goals like we did tonight.

Is it Giroud's fault Ramsey turned away from the ball and the ball hits his calf muscle for the deflection for their first goal? Or is it his fault Gabriel throws into the danger zone to a Ramsey who was under pressure and has a suspect first touch.

So you are blaming Ramshyt? Ok

[tolahs]

We as fans might want to be in the league title race - but our players keep by their performances letting us know they ain't 'bout that life. Pressure to this crew is human rights abuse.

A point at Chelsea will be a result - we cannot win over there!!!

Don't bet against that, there are 2 Arsenals.....the one with Giroud and the one without.

The fluid attacking Arsenal team minus Giroud can beat any team in the Country, anywhere.

No Ramsey is a likely plus as well.

Not all about Giroud. Why is he always a scapegoat? If Giroud had Bellerin, Santi and a Theo starting, a different game. Why? Different tactics, he gets the pass earlier and in space, lays off for runners from deep. His presence does not slow down our game.

Without Santi and Xhaka, teams push up, compress it and make very difficult. Not Giroud's fault we concede stupid avoidable goals like we did tonight.

Is it Giroud's fault Ramsey turned away from the ball and the ball hits his calf muscle for the deflection for their first goal? Or is it his fault Gabriel throws into the danger zone to a Ramsey who was under pressure and has a suspect first touch.

He was passive, got bossed by a geezer who played 48hrs earlier. He was meant to set the tone - not complaining from the start to the ref - he was mentally absent from the pitch.
The last few times we overloaded Hector & TW post injuries - they soon went back on the list. We lost today cos of our attitude - you play with who you have more so when you got fresher legs vs a small team at your manor.
The attitude of Giroud & Ramsey was real poor from the start!!!

[Skylolo]

We as fans might want to be in the league title race - but our players keep by their performances letting us know they ain't 'bout that life. Pressure to this crew is human rights abuse.

A point at Chelsea will be a result - we cannot win over there!!!

Don't bet against that, there are 2 Arsenals.....the one with Giroud and the one without.

The fluid attacking Arsenal team minus Giroud can beat any team in the Country, anywhere.

No Ramsey is a likely plus as well.

Not all about Giroud. Why is he always a scapegoat? If Giroud had Bellerin, Santi and a Theo starting, a different game. Why? Different tactics, he gets the pass earlier and in space, lays off for runners from deep. His presence does not slow down our game.

Without Santi and Xhaka, teams push up, compress it and make very difficult. Not Giroud's fault we concede stupid avoidable goals like we did tonight.

Is it Giroud's fault Ramsey turned away from the ball and the ball hits his calf muscle for the deflection for their first goal? Or is it his fault Gabriel throws into the danger zone to a Ramsey who was under pressure and has a suspect first touch. Just look at the goals we gave away.

Waffi I hear you, not scapegoating Giroud at all the likes of Ramsey, Mustafi and co were poor as well infact the whole team was.....but there is a tendency for Arsenal to play without purpose and direction like this when Giroud is leading the line....do you really think it is coincidence that we score more goals on average when Giroud is not playing??!

IT is telling that when the team realised we were in a desperate situation 2-0 down, Giroud was subbed off. What that tells you is that his presence on the pitch does not represent the optimal set up to score lots of goals to put the opposition away.

That is my point.

[tolahs]

N’Golo Kante dominates Liverpool 1 – Chelsea 1

Kante was an absolute monster against Liverpool on Tuesday night, winning the ball back on his own and re-starting Chelsea attacks by breaking down the home side’s possession.....Kante won the ball back more than any other player on the pitch, by a significant margin......
------------------------------------------------------------------------
@SaturdayOnCouch
In the second half alone, Kante was 12/12 on tackles including 7 in the Liverpool half
-------------------------------------
http://www.101greatgoals.com/news/ngolo ... chelsea-1/
---------------------------------------------------

We'll need to defend as a team - set up well and be compact - cos Chelsea feel like they owe us!!!

Gotta match their formation - ease the trackback load of wide players:

WelBeck
Alexis Ozil
Gibbs Coq Ox Hector
Kos Mustafi Gabo
Cech

We must double up & make one on ones scarce - one touch quick pass - Alexis doesn't come deep unless we've a setplay to defend - we're obligated as Gooners to ask the Chelsea backline more questions than any team has this season. Ox must choose when to break forward - i'll advise whenever Kante is out of position.
If Ox who looked to be injured stays wounded - then Maitland-Niles partners Coq - not running to their box tryna be all world - just shield the backline. AW has to show he can bring about a tactical scheme to get the needed points at the Bridge. One!!!

[kajifu]

Confident of Arsenal win but by no means expecting an easy game. The Arsenal don't do easy in the mortuary errrrrr...in the Emirates.

Please Arsenal is not a team you can be so sure to win when you expect them to win.

[Tunisian Gooner]

Confident of Arsenal win but by no means expecting an easy game. The Arsenal don't do easy in the mortuary errrrrr...in the Emirates.

Please Arsenal is not a team you can be so sure to win when you expect them to win.

I said confident, no mention of being sure Arsenal would win. I knew this would a tough game, Arsenal don't do easy.

[Waffiman]

We as fans might want to be in the league title race - but our players keep by their performances letting us know they ain't 'bout that life. Pressure to this crew is human rights abuse.

A point at Chelsea will be a result - we cannot win over there!!!

Don't bet against that, there are 2 Arsenals.....the one with Giroud and the one without.

The fluid attacking Arsenal team minus Giroud can beat any team in the Country, anywhere.

No Ramsey is a likely plus as well.

Not all about Giroud. Why is he always a scapegoat? If Giroud had Bellerin, Santi and a Theo starting, a different game. Why? Different tactics, he gets the pass earlier and in space, lays off for runners from deep. His presence does not slow down our game.

Without Santi and Xhaka, teams push up, compress it and make very difficult. Not Giroud's fault we concede stupid avoidable goals like we did tonight.

Is it Giroud's fault Ramsey turned away from the ball and the ball hits his calf muscle for the deflection for their first goal? Or is it his fault Gabriel throws into the danger zone to a Ramsey who was under pressure and has a suspect first touch. Just look at the goals we gave away.

Waffi I hear you, not scapegoating Giroud at all the likes of Ramsey, Mustafi and co were poor as well infact the whole team was.....but there is a tendency for Arsenal to play without purpose and direction like this when Giroud is leading the line....do you really think it is coincidence that we score more goals on average when Giroud is not playing??!

IT is telling that when the team realised we were in a desperate situation 2-0 down, Giroud was subbed off. What that tells you is that his presence on the pitch does not represent the optimal set up to score lots of goals to put the opposition away.

That is my point.

Incorrect. We score as many goals when Giroud plays with Santi, who picks him with first time passes to a Giroud who has lost his markers dropping deep. We score as many with Sanchez, Ozil, Theo and Bellerin. When we lack pace and Santi, we play differently and Giroud then gets more involved with battles with CDs because we are looking to hit him with passes when tightly marked because of our slow build up. I actually put the goal stats here showing we focus score Justin's many when Giroud has these players in the team with him.

Giroud being subbed off when he was, tells you Wenger played him to keep him happy. Why play Giroud without a Bellerin? Wenger decided to keep faith with players who gave done well of recent. But the warning signs were there, he did not take heed.

The one player we missed in the 2nd half was Xhaka. His red card cost us today.

[Waffiman]

Confident of Arsenal win but by no means expecting an easy game. The Arsenal don't do easy in the mortuary errrrrr...in the Emirates.

Please Arsenal is not a team you can be so sure to win when you expect them to win.

I said confident, no mention of being sure Arsenal would win. I knew this would a tough game, Arsenal don't do easy.

Very disappointing.

[Skylolo]

So Waffi will you start Giroud vs. Chelsea......

[Waffiman]

So Waffi will you start Giroud vs. Chelsea......

Nope. I would not have started him today.

[kajifu]

Yesterday: Wenger said "This is the best Squad I've ever had after we beat Soton"

Today: Arsenal loose at home to Watford

[tolahs]

Wenger: "It was not good in the first half. In the first 20 minutes, we were beaten in the duels. They were sharper than us."
(Giroud & Ramsey - white flag carriers - seemed to despise the rain)
Wenger: "It was obvious we were not sharp enough. It looked more mentally that we were not ready for the challenges."
(yep, we were casual w/o required intensity - therefore lost initiative to assert ourselves from the onset)

@afcstuff :
Wenger: "We exaggerate a bit with our individual game and I feel we wanted too much to be the saviour."
(Definite & necessary shade towards Alexis - ignores easy open passes for I_will_ safe-us mission - use the help, he's got your jersey on dawg)

The continuous inability to start matches with requisite focus or intensity is past alarming - what part of goals to winning doesn't this team understand. If our team disposition is that we're overwhelmed with nerves when important matches come up then we need to start changes from the top next season. this has happened enough times for us to appreciate notions of learning from mistakes don't work with this gang. Our guys including the gaffer face manageable flack allowing them to murder on national TV.

[platinum]

Bielik goes away on loan

[danfo driver]

Bielik goes away on loan

Do you guys remember when Waffiman promised us that this kid was going to be Vieira and boss the midfield for Arsenal?

[danfo driver]

Seeing the likes of Tranikuladunce and Nkumess in pain really dey sweet my belle. Bad things happen to bad people!

[amafolas]

We as fans might want to be in the league title race - but our players keep by their performances letting us know they ain't 'bout that life. Pressure to this crew is human rights abuse.

A point at Chelsea will be a result - we cannot win over there!!!

Don't bet against that, there are 2 Arsenals.....the one with Giroud and the one without.

The fluid attacking Arsenal team minus Giroud can beat any team in the Country, anywhere.

No Ramsey is a likely plus as well.

Not all about Giroud. Why is he always a scapegoat? If Giroud had Bellerin, Santi and a Theo starting, a different game. Why? Different tactics, he gets the pass earlier and in space, lays off for runners from deep. His presence does not slow down our game.

Without Santi and Xhaka, teams push up, compress it and make very difficult. Not Giroud's fault we concede stupid avoidable goals like we did tonight.

Is it Giroud's fault Ramsey turned away from the ball and the ball hits his calf muscle for the deflection for their first goal? Or is it his fault Gabriel throws into the danger zone to a Ramsey who was under pressure and has a suspect first touch. Just look at the goals we gave away.

Waffi I hear you, not scapegoating Giroud at all the likes of Ramsey, Mustafi and co were poor as well infact the whole team was.....but there is a tendency for Arsenal to play without purpose and direction like this when Giroud is leading the line....do you really think it is coincidence that we score more goals on average when Giroud is not playing??!

IT is telling that when the team realised we were in a desperate situation 2-0 down, Giroud was subbed off. What that tells you is that his presence on the pitch does not represent the optimal set up to score lots of goals to put the opposition away.

That is my point.

when I pointed this out earlier this season, that even rudimentary stats back up what my own korokoro eyes see, some hinted like I was talking nonsense.

[amafolas]

We as fans might want to be in the league title race - but our players keep by their performances letting us know they ain't 'bout that life. Pressure to this crew is human rights abuse.

A point at Chelsea will be a result - we cannot win over there!!!

Don't bet against that, there are 2 Arsenals.....the one with Giroud and the one without.

The fluid attacking Arsenal team minus Giroud can beat any team in the Country, anywhere.

No Ramsey is a likely plus as well.

Not all about Giroud. Why is he always a scapegoat? If Giroud had Bellerin, Santi and a Theo starting, a different game. Why? Different tactics, he gets the pass earlier and in space, lays off for runners from deep. His presence does not slow down our game.

Without Santi and Xhaka, teams push up, compress it and make very difficult. Not Giroud's fault we concede stupid avoidable goals like we did tonight.

Is it Giroud's fault Ramsey turned away from the ball and the ball hits his calf muscle for the deflection for their first goal? Or is it his fault Gabriel throws into the danger zone to a Ramsey who was under pressure and has a suspect first touch. Just look at the goals we gave away.

Waffi I hear you, not scapegoating Giroud at all the likes of Ramsey, Mustafi and co were poor as well infact the whole team was.....but there is a tendency for Arsenal to play without purpose and direction like this when Giroud is leading the line....do you really think it is coincidence that we score more goals on average when Giroud is not playing??!

IT is telling that when the team realised we were in a desperate situation 2-0 down, Giroud was subbed off. What that tells you is that his presence on the pitch does not represent the optimal set up to score lots of goals to put the opposition away.

That is my point.

Incorrect. We score as many goals when Giroud plays with Santi, who picks him with first time passes to a Giroud who has lost his markers dropping deep. We score as many with Sanchez, Ozil, Theo and Bellerin. When we lack pace and Santi, we play differently and Giroud then gets more involved with battles with CDs because we are looking to hit him with passes when tightly marked because of our slow build up. I actually put the goal stats here showing we focus score Justin's many when Giroud has these players in the team with him.

Giroud being subbed off when he was, tells you Wenger played him to keep him happy. Why play Giroud without a Bellerin? Wenger decided to keep faith with players who gave done well of recent. But the warning signs were there, he did not take heed.

The one player we missed in the 2nd half was Xhaka. His red card cost us today.

okay oh. well since Cazorla is out, can we now please park Giroud on the bench and only bring him in if we are still needing goals at the 70 minute mark.

[amafolas]

Bielik goes away on loan

Do you guys remember when Waffiman promised us that this kid was going to be Vieira and boss the midfield for Arsenal?

kid can still become a monster defender. Too big and slow to play in the midfield though.

[wanaj0]

Watford I guess is financially doped or it must be the EPL Referee who do not like Arsenal! Or how do you explain Wenger's best 'team' losing at home to Watford???

Whatever happens, Wenger is winning the EPL. He has a complete team with players who want to play for Wenger alone!

[Waffiman]

We as fans might want to be in the league title race - but our players keep by their performances letting us know they ain't 'bout that life. Pressure to this crew is human rights abuse.

A point at Chelsea will be a result - we cannot win over there!!!

Don't bet against that, there are 2 Arsenals.....the one with Giroud and the one without.

The fluid attacking Arsenal team minus Giroud can beat any team in the Country, anywhere.

No Ramsey is a likely plus as well.

Not all about Giroud. Why is he always a scapegoat? If Giroud had Bellerin, Santi and a Theo starting, a different game. Why? Different tactics, he gets the pass earlier and in space, lays off for runners from deep. His presence does not slow down our game.

Without Santi and Xhaka, teams push up, compress it and make very difficult. Not Giroud's fault we concede stupid avoidable goals like we did tonight.

Is it Giroud's fault Ramsey turned away from the ball and the ball hits his calf muscle for the deflection for their first goal? Or is it his fault Gabriel throws into the danger zone to a Ramsey who was under pressure and has a suspect first touch.

He was passive, got bossed by a geezer who played 48hrs earlier. He was meant to set the tone - not complaining from the start to the ref - he was mentally absent from the pitch.
The last few times we overloaded Hector & TW post injuries - they soon went back on the list. We lost today cos of our attitude - you play with who you have more so when you got fresher legs vs a small team at your manor.
The attitude of Giroud & Ramsey was real poor from the start!!!

This is wrong, Giroud especially should not be criticised because he hardly got proper service. Ramsey's role in the 2 goals means he is justly criticised. But the team played their poorest this season in that 1st half and I put this down to the Manager and the team, not two individuals.

They were all not sharp enough in that 1st half. How can you single out two players? It is a team game, Watford came to get in our faces, they applied pressure and our players were all poor physically and with their passing. Watford will not let us pass out from deep, so we needed to solve this problem by passing it faster or waiting on Ozil to deep up help out. We needed to keep the ball and settle down, instead we made mistakes, that cost us two goals, giving Watford confidence.

You can argue Mustafi's foul, leading to the goal was soft. But why did he take that unnecessary risk? Why did Ramsey turn his back on a free kick and the ball ended up hitting him in the he calf for the goal. Why the an experienced player like Gabriel throw a ball into the middle of the pitch to an under pressure Ramsey, instead of down the line?

You cannot blame Giroud for all of this, these were the moments that cost us the game. Did we create a chance in the 1st half? We did not have a shot on target. This is a team failing, not Giroud's.

[amafolas]

Wanajo, make we talk true. That ref was crappy

[amafolas]

We as fans might want to be in the league title race - but our players keep by their performances letting us know they ain't 'bout that life. Pressure to this crew is human rights abuse.

A point at Chelsea will be a result - we cannot win over there!!!

Don't bet against that, there are 2 Arsenals.....the one with Giroud and the one without.

The fluid attacking Arsenal team minus Giroud can beat any team in the Country, anywhere.

No Ramsey is a likely plus as well.

Not all about Giroud. Why is he always a scapegoat? If Giroud had Bellerin, Santi and a Theo starting, a different game. Why? Different tactics, he gets the pass earlier and in space, lays off for runners from deep. His presence does not slow down our game.

Without Santi and Xhaka, teams push up, compress it and make very difficult. Not Giroud's fault we concede stupid avoidable goals like we did tonight.

Is it Giroud's fault Ramsey turned away from the ball and the ball hits his calf muscle for the deflection for their first goal? Or is it his fault Gabriel throws into the danger zone to a Ramsey who was under pressure and has a suspect first touch.

He was passive, got bossed by a geezer who played 48hrs earlier. He was meant to set the tone - not complaining from the start to the ref - he was mentally absent from the pitch.
The last few times we overloaded Hector & TW post injuries - they soon went back on the list. We lost today cos of our attitude - you play with who you have more so when you got fresher legs vs a small team at your manor.
The attitude of Giroud & Ramsey was real poor from the start!!!

This is wrong, Giroud especially should not be criticised because he hardly got proper service. Ramsey's role in the 2 goals means he is justly criticised. But the team played their poorest this season in that 1st half and I put this down to the Manager and the team, not two individuals.

They were all not sharp enough in that 1st half. How can you single out two players? It is a team game, Watford came to get in our faces, they applied pressure and our players were all poor physically and with their passing. Watford will not let us pass out from deep, so we needed to solve this problem by passing it faster or waiting on Ozil to deep up help out. We needed to keep the ball and settle down, instead we made mistakes, that cost us two goals, giving Watford confidence.

You can argue Mustafi's foul, leading to the goal was soft. But why did he take that unnecessary risk? Why did Ramsey turn his back on a free kick and the ball ended up hitting him in the he calf for the goal. Why the an experienced player like Gabriel throw a ball into the middle of the pitch to an under pressure Ramsey, instead of down the line?

You cannot blame Giroud for all of this, these were the moments that cost us the game. Did we create a chance in the 1st half? We did not have a shot on target. This is a team failing, not Giroud's.

I disagree with the last sentence of the part in bold. I still maintain Giroud is a big part of why our attack was toothless. I agree with the rest of your write-up. There was silly play all around from midfield down punctuated by individual mistakes.

[wanaj0]

Wanajo, make we talk true. That ref was crappy

Exactly why 'we' lost Same crappy referees denied us from winning the CL after numerous attempts