Random Thoughts On PSG And Art Of Football Tee Winners
Nov 24th, 2016 by 'holic
Twenty-four hours on and it has been interesting seeing the different takes that people have on the performance of the team and certain individuals against PSG. Of course that isn’t a surprise. Why would we all agree? The only thing that most could sign up to was the fact that this was another uninspiring start to a big match by this Arsenal squad.
However my glass is, as most of you know, half-full. Much was made of our early November schedule. It is fair to say that we haven’t really turned up against Tottenham, United, and PSG and yet in recent seasons we would probably have lost those games. There is something about the squad this season. We are digging out draws when nowhere near our best. That is keeping us in a reasonable position for now and hopefully we will recover our mojo in the upcoming fixtures.
Having said that our performance against PSG, particularly in the first-half, was disappointing in the extreme. I agree with the oft-expressed view that we do most certainly miss Santi Cazorla when he is out. We do have to find a way of compensating for his absence, and quickly, for he turns 32 in three weeks time.
Aaron Ramsey drew perhaps the most wide-ranging opinions on his performance in the Cazorla position. He is clearly a different type of player and for me he showed a lot of positional discipline. On his rare forays forward he looked the likeliest of our midfielders to score. I wouldn’t rule him out of a further appearance or two in the role and on match day six if Santi is not back that may be the opportunity to play Rambo with Xhaka or Elneny as Coquelin is suspended.
I will offer rare praise to a player who I would not have started, and especially not behind Alex Iwobi. Kieran Gibbs was given an opportunity because consistency has, hopefully temporarily, deserted Nacho Monreal. Monreal has rightly made the position his own in the last couple of seasons and Kieran has always looked a player in the Clichy mould with an error or two never far away. I thought him the pick of the defence on Wednesday. Could that be a turning point for him, a performance that he can build form and confidence on. Let’s see.
Bring on Bournemouth.
Art of Football competition winners
The winners of the excellent Art of Football teeshirts were John Deasey and ‘one of our own’, Esso. Seeing as eighty percent of the entries were from ‘holic regulars one of you was bound to be successful. Congratulations both. You will love the presentation of the shirts when you receive them.
Thank you to those who entered. If you weren’t a winner you can still buy the tee of your choice from Art of Football (click here) and on Black Friday you can use the code BF20 to claim a very tidy twenty percent discount FOR ONE DAY ONLY.
Thanks to all at Art of Football for collaborating with us once again.
48 Responses to “Random Thoughts On PSG And Art Of Football Tee Winners”
Random first?
And congrats, Esso, and John Deasey, too.
Picking up on Esso’s link in the last drinks to Tim Stillman’s column, the interesting idea therein is that Ramsey is being warehoused as a replacement No 10 should Ozil not renew his contract. Jack might fit that bill, too.
A Ramsey-Xhaka midfield must be tried at some point, even though it would be Ram-Xhak. Of course, a Ram-Coq would put the wind up someone…
Naughty Ned 🙂
A Ram/Xhakle midfield? Sounds good to me. I think Coq has shown improvement this season, but surely Xhaka is the better player?
And when, ffs, am I going to see Theo and OG playing together consistently for the first time in years? AW seems to play every combo but!
Ramsey or Wilshere replacing Ozil would be a bloody awful mess of Chris Evans on Top Gear proportions. They’re nowhere near his league, and I say that as someone who is not exactly enamoured of the Baron Greenback eyed maestro.
Some interesting points made above Holic.
I’ve never been much of a Gibbs’ fan, too much backwards and sideways, but his performances recently have been much improved.
None of Iwobi, Ramsey or Alexis provide much help or cover defensively on the left which is part of why Monreal is often isolated.
I wonder if Monreal and a more adventurous Gibbs in front of him might not be worth a look as a starting option. More solid defensively and two left footers providing more natural width. It couldn’t be worse that the other options we’ve been using.
Given our last two performances, with hindsight I think we got our team selection the wrong way around. We should have played Giroud from the start against Utd. and Alexis in that role against PSG.
We needed the outlet more at Utd. and the mobility more against PSG’s more accomplished midfield.
Finally, on Cavani, I know he missed quite a few against us across the two games but he also got a couple and his movement off the ball was excellent. We should have bought him when we had the chance, imo of course.
UTA.
Nice reports and comments all round H. Many thanks as ever and always interesting as usual. I also found some time in the late hours to listen in to the Alex Fynn interview too.
In terms of team selection, I believe Wenger should have stayed with Sanchez leading the line. When Sanchez leads the line, we are far more dynamic and fluid as an overall team proposition. We have the capability of playing a brand of football that is now enshrined in our DNA. Giroud is a wonderful squad player, but he is not a solution to lead the line as he lacks mobility and does not bring other players into the game in the same way that Sanchez does. Can you imagine how difficult it is going to be trying to find a player to replace Sanchez if he leaves?
I would also question our depth in certain key positions. Outside of Bellerin, you would think that we ought to have adequate cover between Jenks and Debauchy on paper at right back? But that doesn’t appear to be the case at all. Jenks, looks so far out of his depth at this level that it was scary to watch. I would love to think that this is down to his “rustiness” but I’m afraid I don’t think so. Truth be told, I have never seen him play in a competent manner against top class competition. I actually even thought Oxlade looked far more solid and threatening at right back for his 10 min cameo towards the end.
In relation to Rambo: for me he lacks discipline. And this is a real issue with Wenger and his vision in how the game is played. I can see Rambo ending up in the exact same way as Fabregas has unravelled. Once he leaves AFC, and realises that modern football at a club like Barca, RM, Bayern etc – is in effect ALL ABOUT DISCIPLINE. These are clubs who are used to winning at a European level regularly, and dishearteningly, from where I sat last night, I felt we were as close to winning it this year, as we were 20 years ago. It just felt at times like I was watching a re-run of past games, same mistakes, same errors, we-never-seem-to-learn vibe to it all. We were lucky to get 2 draws against PSG. We should have been beaten on both occasions if we’re honest with ourselves.
Sorry if I sound a little negative. As positive as last nights result was, I deliberately won’t even begin to offer an opinion of what happened at Manu. Its a long time since I watched a game of football involving Arsenal and felt that we thoroughly deserved to loose against a side that showed real spirit, cohesion and determination. Manu possessed everything that we lacked on the night.
from primordial tech muck
i have wriggled free
i got a fire stick
dootsie turf run tv cast off notwithstanding
I AM NOW SMART
now
smaRt
.
RIGHT !!!!!!
WHO’S FER A FIGHT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(stand down esso )
?
.
[ma momma din raise no foo]
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any road up
we lost 2 all
‘hol
called it fer me
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so
bunch up ya daisies
.
*readies deadlies*
typical
‘holic massive innit
.
etc
.
[note to goonerholic]
three c rule
.
caring
catering
for
seas with three stars
fuck off
not apologizing
eternally grateful to say hello
ya buncha over analysin shites ?
.
REAL FUCKIN GOONERS LIVE HERE
proper
UP THE ARSENAL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGOEUo_sLxY
(only Arsenal record i own)
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great place
cheers ‘holic
helps me along it does
big thanks for here
i fancy a celebratory shuffle
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ah fuck off
if ye don’t like it
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no use
fuckin calendars !
.
RIGHT !
how many times do i love charlie George
mmmmm
let me count my face
‘holic slaps hand to forehead
tomorrow morning
but
FUCK IT
eh
WE’RE THE ARSENAL
.
an
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I dunno but I been told
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Cheers H!
Its a Fix! What, oh…
Morning Esso, heh!
Never change, cba. ?
Scapegoat after theo is ramsey?? please not that, atleast not here. Ramsey has been average after that one season of 2013-14 and if saying that aloud is wrong, then i am sorry it cannot be hidden. Wenger wants to fit him in the team somewhere or the other is hampering the balance. He should not have played against united, definitely not the entire game. He was outplayed against PSG and though i agree that Coquelin should have given him more support, Ramsey’s defensive discipline lacks. He is not defensive enough to play in the pivot. Is he a bad player, of course not, he is very good but he needs to play as per the team requirements than the way he feels like. Sorry this is what i feel.
Wenger’s acid test is now. This season is again going on the lines like the previous ones and he needs to arrest it now. The team is being found out without plan B and the Plan A is insipid. He also needs to be stern on players who are not performing, even if it means the best one( Ozil). Arsenal need to show that we indeed can mix it up when needed. If not smooth even solid will get us results. We need leaders on the pitch who start grabbing games by the scruff of the neck than wait for things to happen.
Well that killed it stone dead. ☹
The stones can speak, H. 🙂
My gall stones can. And they say “Get me OUUUUUUUUT!”
There’s a bar in Minehead called Stones. Its OK.
Good contributions from Jo, Cynic and Vinay. This is not really a bar that lays into Arsenal players but part of the game is the debate about the best team. With the range of options we have in this squad that becomes more intense and opinions more varied.
I’m conscious that my view of home games is affected by where I sit. A. Outlet of people around me are very negative but my neighbours are very constructive and know the game.
At the moment we know our best defence but it isn’t quite as secure as I’d like it to be. The midfield is full of options hence the debate but my ideal mix is Santi and Xhaka and I think Sanchez starts up front with Theo on one side of Ozil and the other place up for grabs. I’m not sure when they are fit Welbeck or Perez might not be the best options . It would seem that Ox has other things on his mind at present #little mix❤️
Spillchucker again! I meant to write that A couple of people around where I sit are negative , the rest constructive and knowledgeable but opinions on selection still vary !
Lansbury hat-trick for Forest tonight. He’s looking very Sinbad thesedays.
A replacement for Alexis, Joe? I watched the Leipzig game this morning (NZ time) and had a good look at the Swede Emil Forsberg, and if he isn’t a superstar in the making I’m a Dutchman. Wonderful ball control and vision, and much of the reason Leipzig are doing a Leicester in the Bundesliga. Also looks tough and gets stuck right in. He’ll be big money before long if I’m a judge.
Forsberg would be ideal on the left with your set-up too Ttg, although I believe OG should start with Alexis on the wing. Forsberg for Mesut in my team. 😀
i love here and i love the Arsenal
Moooooooooooooooooooooo
roast chicken is good too
Joe @8 – completely agree.
Good stuff too from Cynic and TTG.
I don’t think there is any Ramsey hate in here. I do think he lacks discipline. He only tracks back as far as the edge of the box and then lets opponents go. He is not really a player who can be given any defensive responsibility, because he is rarely in a position to carry it out.
When he plays centrally as one of our two deeper lying midfielders, there is always an ocean of room in front of our back four which is a major cause of our last line losing it’s shape so often. He also almost never opts for the simple first time ball but has to take two or three twisty turns before making a sideways or backwards pass. Too many forward passes are too delayed and too ambitious which results in giving the ball away. He is not a winger, as he simply doesn’t have the pace and trickery to play there.
So that really leaves the number ten role which he plays for Wales. There, against lesser iternational teams, he earns rave reviews. At Arsenal he has Mesut Ozil for competition – one that he is not going to win.
For me, the ideal solution would be to rotate Ozil and Ramsey. That would allow both of them to play their strongest position and get some rest when nearing the famous ‘red zone’. Unfortunately for Ramsey, that would mean Ozil starting the biggest and most important games (amongst others).
That is not Ramsey hate or scapegoating but observation based on years of watching him play. I have huge admiration for him in the way he came back from that horrendous injury, and the enormous restraint and dignity with which he conducted himself following it, and before which he was looking like the player he has sadly been unable to become.
Like ANY Arsenal player, I hope he still succeeds – he certainly seems to enjoy the manager’s confidence. For me though, sadly, the frustrations currently outweigh the positives.
Forsberg, Chris ?
Never heard of him but sounds like a hybrid lager to me ?
I feel that we have yet to see the best of Aaron Ramsey, principally due to the effects of the leg break from the assault by that arch-orc Shawcrass and in part due to the constraints imposed on him by our system and the positions he has been asked to play.
I agree with Trev on his unsuitability for the ‘holding’ role but I do believe that we will see Rambo make a huge contribution to a successful 2016-17 season for the Arsenal.
Nice analysis Trev, frank appraisal without vindictiveness. I remember the first time I saw him live in the League Cup against Wigan and he was superb in the box to box role.
He did get back after that injury because in the second half of 2013 he was the best player in the league. But sadly he has reverted to the player we saw all too often in the two years before that. I do hope Bath’s optimism is correct because I would love to see him succeed.
Mind-bender at the Liberty.
Where the hell is Flamini?
Totts dreams of an invincible season are over.
Spudtastic result!
😀
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