Ozil The Provider On A Tough Night
Feb 10th, 2015 by 'holic
This was supposed to be the bounce back night from the weekend, and at the end of the day one has to say the end justifies the means. However this was yet another game of two halves, without doubt.
Arsene made some significant changes to the starting line-up in attacking areas. Sensibly, I originally thought, he stuck with what is currently our strongest fit back four ahead of David Ospina, understandably our custodian of the moment. Hindsight can do one. Let’s not be revisionist about this.
Tomas Rosicky got the box to box gig ahead of Aaron Ramsey, again a popular call at the moment. Olivier Giroud was benched and there was a tiki-taka look to the front four. Theo Walcott, Santi Cazorla, Mesut Ozil, and Alexis Sanchez conjured up some magical first-half moments.
It wasn’t all one way however, and the lively Mahrez went close a couple of times early on. Gradually though the imperious Ozil got to work. He freed Walcott for one of those “Oh Theo” moments, and not for the last time.
The lead was secured when Mesut was denied a cheeky effort by Schwarzer. From the resulting corner Laurent Koscielny got a step ahead of Morgan and converted at the near post. Surely this would calm the nerves?
If I am honest although we were clearly the dominant side in the first-half there were always moments where Leicester broke with purpose. The second goal, when it arrived, was more than welcome. Ozil’s fierce strike was parried into the path of Theo who finished emphatically. Half-time must have been a relaxed experience for those around where I would normally have been, and indeed around the stadium.
The second-half, however, was a difficult watch on a dodgy stream. What on earth must it have been like in the stadium? It started brightly enough, and it is hard to understand why we did not have a penalty for a Simpson handball, given what the referee would adjudge a yellow card offence outside the area by Tomas Rosicky later on.
Leicester, dangerous on the break early on, came more and more into the contest. What would prove to be just a consolation goal came when Cambiasso, clearly obstructing the ball, set up the play from which the impressive Kramaric drilled one home. The visitors deserved at least that.
Half an hour remained, and chances were traded. Thankfully the points had already been decided, little did we know, but there was a sting in the tail, and so typically Arsenal. Aaron Ramsey, rested at the start, came on for Theo in the 73rd minute, but ten minutes later made a sad farewell to the proceedings with yet another injury. He was on his way back to full fitness, and this will be a nervous time for him, and us, as the medics determine the extent of the latest knock.
And so we held on to secure the points, and for at least twenty-four hours a place in the top four. There remains a frustration that the points should have been so laboured tonight. It was fabulous to see Alexis, Santi, Mesut, and Alexis in tandem, particularly in the first half, but look back at the performance overall, and you realise how difficult it is for Arsene to select the right eleven for any given contest.
We will get it right!
139 Responses to “Ozil The Provider On A Tough Night”
K oscillator!
Cheers guv. That’s the stuff. Really excellent report.
Two Alexises?
Seems about right…
Just got home from the game. A win is a win I guess but it was a pretty lacklustre display. The only one that seemed to play with any energy was Tommy R.
I’m not going to pass comment on the ref. All I will say is that whatever people think of his display, he was in no way responsible for that poor performance. We looked disjointed and at times as if none of them had played together before.
Two highlights for me. Seeing Paulista warm up to the singing of….. (To the tune of the Poldi song).
He’s called Paulista, Paulista, Paulista
He looks like Keown’s sister, his sister, his sister.
Wo oh wo oh wooooooo etc.
Highlight number 2 was Lee Dixon and Ian Wright at half time. Wrighty was just different class. If just a fraction of his attitude and emotion could rub off on some of those playing tonight then the world would be a better place.
Very good write up H. Hope you are on the mend sir.
Great report Maestro.
A little shout out for Nacho if I may. Thought he was his usual imperceptible steady-self again tonight. This season has been the making of him at the club I feel.
One other shout out by way of a comment made earlier by Tim Stillman: Is it no coincidence that in a year which has arguably given us the most deplorable standards of refereeing in living memory that it has come when Mike Reilly is supposed to be the “commander in chief”…?
I have also just returned home from a game that was as unenjoyable as I can remember for some time. There were pockets of good play in the first half but the second half was an awful watch if you were a Gooner. While Martin has a good point about the ref if he had punished Simpson’s clear handball and we had scored the penalty we would have probably won fairly comfortably.
Sadly this team looks as if it can concede at any moment. Only Nacho is playing at his best and save for one great BFG clearance in the first half the defence was never convincing.Ospina is a capable shot- stopper but hasn’t given the level of assurance I would have hoped. In fairness Leicester were extremely strong and fit and looked a much more capable side than Villa, Newcastle or Stoke did here recently.
Frustratingly the fragile Ramsey is injured again. Almost certainly a Ramsey injury is four or six weeks out, in fact knowing his bad luck he will be out for the season. Wenger needs to factor his huge absences into next season’s planning.
On the train home we were debating our MOTM? Ozil was so awful in the second half his first half quality was tarnished. I thought it was possibly Monreal or Rosicky but neither would have rated much more than 6.5
Alexis sadly was lacking sharpness.
Sunday will be a very tough game. I hope our rotation is limited and our attitude is better.
Monreal was solid as he has been for us for the most part, his attacking forays could have flourished a bit more if Alexis didn’t pick up that knock early on.
Martin @ 3: I disagree with your observation about refereeing having no impact on the appearance of poor performance. Our playing well depends on being able to work the triangles and we were physically moved out of the game by one unpunished foul after another. The baffling yellow card to TR7 and the idiotic one to Giroud had given the players enough hint that any retaliation from them will meet with yellow. Even after Giroud came on, him and Ozil had a few good exchanges where either of them were stopped by any means. They were awarded a foul when Giroud received an elbow on the neck, and there was no call when Giroud put Ozil through clear and he was butchered down. This happened a few times. Everytime Santi worked his magic in a small space he was hacked down from the back. We have seen enough of these incompetent/biased refereeing performances — please don’t say that there is no ‘bias’ in football refereeing, there often is when the referee instead of playing the situation plays a preconceived narrative in his mind — down the years that throttled the game.
Oskar — Forget defensive responsibilities, other than the goal Theo’s contribution was 6 successful passes, of attempted only 9. In a sixty plus minutes spell as a forward with us having 50%+ possession that is abysmal, showing someone not willing to take responsibility for team’s collective play. He surely needs to get better at this aspect of the game in today’s football. There are no fox-in-the-box-and-nothing-else players anymore simply because the technical and physical level of football have moved on.
My mate’s daughter works for McDonald’s and spent Monday with Martin Keiwn who is an Ambassador for their academy. She could not soeak highly enough of him. He was pleasant to everyone, highly intelligent and very professional . Glad to see his sister is now following him into our back four!
I support your limited rotation, Ttg, I thought the starting XI were just about our best XI period, give or take Debuchy at RB and OG for TR7. Certainly good enough to cruise through Leicester. Sadly they seemed to think the same thing.
But I can’t see the same attitude prevailing in The Cup. Should be comfortable enough at home.
Öskar
Doctor F
Totally with you on this ref. he was quite pathetic. He missed a serious hack at Ozil and a clear foul on Giroud when through as well as missing an obvious penalty and the farcical decisions for offences against Schwarzer at the end made me wonder if Comic Relief had started. Also agree about Theo. he took his goal well but he is peripheral and so rarely creates from wide. There is a lot of pressure on young
Hector at right back with such a lackadaisical winger in front of him.
TTG @ 11 — thanks. I think once Ox is back and he gets a couple of games on the right wing in place of Theo we’ll see what Bellerin and a hard-working, technically strong, fast winger can do together.
I actually don’t think it is beyond Theo to push his game forward and become a better collective player, positionally as well as in possession. There is no longer as much of a demand on him to score the goals.
As I said in the previous drinks, Dr F, Theo continually made runs to move behind their back 3 only for the anticipated pass to be delayed too long so he had to pull back again. He can’t pass the ball to himself. Not without receiving it in the first place anyway.
Öskar
Lackadaisical, Ttg? The whole team was effin’ lackadaisical for most of the game. And the lack of goals when we really have to score is exactly why we need Theo ahead of the wasteful (in front of goal) Danny or the energetic, but far less skilled, Ox.
Theo hasn’t yet played a full game since missing a year and has to be persevered with – especially when he’s scored in every game he’s started this season!
Öskar
It’s infuriating to see Walcott, a young man with undoubted ability, fail to use his ‘legendary’ pace to actually move – when off the ball. He seems so static as he waits for balls, rather than make a move and crest a pass.
Ozil and Santi struggle with the physical game when it involves unpunished fouls. They’ll both need to adapt when necessary.
A win is a win, and Leicester were not a bad team. Nice write up, thanks.
*create, not ‘crest’.
As I said, Dangerfield, Theo continually made moves off the ball only for the anticipated passes not to come. It was the awareness of others that was lacking, imo.
I sometimes wonder if I’m watching the same game as others here. 🙁
Öskar
Oskar — Theo is a good player in certain situations and positions, and has become a reliable scorer when presented with chances in the penalty box, but he is not that superlative genius that the entire team needs to play for his runs. The passing channels have become much tighter in today’s football, defenders anticipate much better and technically and physically much sharper. Theo, when put through doesn’t always take his chances (meaning even an attempted shot). He messed up one from Ozil today, he messed up a superb through ball from TR7 in the weekend, today he waved to Coquelin for a overhead pass and then when Coquelin delivered it he stopped running.
There will be time when his runs will be spotted and used and there will be times when the creative players will use other channels and then Theo’s job would be to offer support by dragging out defenders — a task that Giroud does very very well — or offer protection against counters if that other move breaks down or wait for the second ball (which he does well, that is how he got his goal today). But not to offer anything else in the game except for those runs and around 20% finishing efficiency — that is, hitting the target with 1 through ball in five, if not necessarily scoring — doesn’t a league winning player make anymore.
Look at his top level equivalents everywhere (excluding Ronaldo): Alexis, Pedro, Bale, Reus, Gotze, Mueller, Hazard, even Sterling in ‘Pool, our own Ox (too young to get his finishing polished but at 21 is twice the player Theo was at that age) … look at what they offer in team’s collective play and what Theo offers.
Theo I think is a very intelligent player and I am sure he will see Alexis, Ox and the attitude and directness they bring to their game and would make that necessary forward step.
Dr F. The ref tonight was poor. But he was not responsible for our sub standard performance.
Our shape tonight was not good. Passes went astray and there were far too many below par performances. We were beaten on Saturday by a side who wanted it more and played with more desire. Tonight I saw very little difference in our attitude. Far too many just did not seem that interested.
Leicester are not a good side. They were not good tonight. We should have been home and hosed long before the end.
I’ve not had the benefit of seeing any television clips as yet, but from my seat, we could not really blame anyone but ourselves for that sub standsrd performance. I know that was the view shared by the vast majority that sit near me.
Nice write up H.
Just back from the game.
We sparked fitfully in the first half and probably just deserved our two goal half time lead.
We were terribly lethargic in the second half and Leicester deserved their goal. It was painful hanging on to our lead in the last ten against the bottom team in the league.
I thought Feo was extremely out of touch. Barring his goal he contributed nothing to the game. Frankly the whole team were below par (barring Monreal who was our top defender by a mile) but if Feo hadn’t scored that goal and missed the earlier one on one I would not have believed he was on the pitch.
Here’s hoping Aaron isn’t out for another 4-6 weeks.
Seems like a win, but it’s not.
It’s just 3 points.
Next stop – same old grove and stinkin’ Boro.
Waaaaaay more then 3 ugly ones.
I have to agree with MW that we looked lacklustre this evening. Fortunately, Leicester were worse than us for the most part. And the ref worst of all. The Giroud yellow was a farce and Alexis, Ozil and Santi were all hacked down with impunity. Alexis was clearly badly hurt after he was kicked up in the air and came down the long way. Theo seemed anonymous for most of the time he was on the pitch, save for the shot Schwartzer saved and the goal. I do wonder if he has lost half a yard of pace. He doesn’t seem to get clear of defenders as he once did. Or is he still just ring rusty? Nacho put in another more than decent shift and Bellerin looked back on track after a so-so day out at the Swamp. Ozil was like the curate’s proverbial egg. Santi was more his old self and Rosicky his usual bundle of energy. But the performance added up to considerably less tha. The sum of its parts. Still, three points is three points, whether they are or shiny ones.
Er… Three points are three points whether they are dull or shiny ones.
“he waved to Coquelin for a overhead pass and then when Coquelin delivered it he stopped running” – Dr F #18
Exactly my point, Dr F. The time it took Coq-au-vin to deliver the pass meant it was too late and the chance was gone. There were a number of similar occasions when the midfield didn’t seem to be on the same wavelength as Theo. One of his principal assets is speed and if you don’t take advantage of it of course the guy is going to look like he’s doing nothing. Watch the game again and watch his movement.
Öskar
“Er… Three points are three points whether they are dull or shiny ones.”
…Ergo, there are dull and shiny.
Like Heidegger would say – To dwell is to garden.
Oskar @ 24 — I guess it is a fundamental difference in footballing philosophy between us. You think it is more than enough to be able to make some darting runs using speed and take 1 in 5 chances to be able to shoot when put through, and have 9 passes in a match playing for 60 minutes in the right wing, and the entire team must have to follow all of his runs and always get the ball exactly where he wants. And I think it is hardly the qualification of a top level footballer any more. More well-rounded and multi-dimensional performances are demanded, and players of his likes who are no slouches when it comes to speed deliver that seasons in and seasons out. In the last few interview of Arsene I had read that is one constant theme — the need of modern day footballers to be multi-dimensional and hard working irrespective of the position.
His movements are good, but nothing special. It is not even in the class of Mueller or Pedro or Gotze — he is older than Gotze, younger than Pedro and the same age as Mueller — and I am not sure how you are going to win CL with Theo manning the right flank against teams where their left wingers will work their socks off in addition to playing quality football. But if you think we shouldn’t expect any more evolution from Theo’s football and this is it, I think then we shouldn’t be surprised when he is replaced by players who offer more. However I don’t think that will be the case and he will take the necessary step.
There will be days when the through balls won’t work exactly the way he wants — especially with a 5 man back-line and two banks — and at least in those days Theo would have to be able to offer something more to the team.
In the last year or so Ox, Giroud, Santi all have added newer elements to their game, and by recent showing Ozil — Santi was never a deep defending central midfielder but he has learnt to use and enjoy his excellent close control for defensive purposes as well — and people who refuse to make that effort have been moved out (Poldi). It is Theo who will decide which category he would fall into. If there is even a hint of complacency that he cannot be improved upon, I am sure Arsene will surprise him.
We looked tired against Leicester, just as we did against Spurs. There come a few moments in the season when every club hits the wall and the manager must inject some life into the players. A few weeks ago Wenger did exactly that by putting Bellerin, Ospina and Coquelin into the team and suddenly we had renewed energy and a heightened awareness of competition for places. The next such moment seems to be upon us. With an upcoming FA Cup home match this weekend the timing could be right to go with any of Szczesny, Gabriel, Chambers, or Gibbs at the back, and Bielik, Gnabry or Akpom farther forward. Arsenal having splashed the cash I would love to see our two new players make an appearance this weekend to give us a fresh outlook. Certainly all seven of those players would have seen our last two games and thought they had more to contribute than the players who were in the team.
I don’t think it’s asking too much at all, Dr F, to have players deliver passes to their strikers where they are most effective. And in Theo’s case it is into a gap behind the defence so he can run on to it.
The problem comes when the timing is off between Theo and whoever is delivering the ball. Or, in the extreme case you mentioned, when Theo has to wave – which makes it already too late because the defence has been alerted to what Theo wants to do.
There was a time when Cesc would deliver that perfect pass to Theo automatically because he definitely was on the same wavelength, but Cesc is now delivering that pass to Costa … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzSUb9Qe2OA … which goes a long way to explaining why Cesc has practically twice as many assists to his name than anyone else in the Prem and Costa has scored the most goals.
We aren’t going to agree about the value of a genuine goal-scorer, Dr F, I understand that, but the barman has a bottle of HP18 with my name on it under the counter and you are welcome to a double anyway. 😉
Öskar
Gotta love how you can give away drinks in this bar without the barman billing you for them. You’re missing a trick there, ‘holic!
Öskar
Theo has the touch and pass of a rampaging rhinoceros.
Unless the ball is played 10 metres in front of him and he doesn’t have to Dribble the ball other than a clear and unrestricted straight line, he usually fluffs it and looks clumsy almost.
Now that we have seen the level of skill and touch of Alexis, ozil and santi, it is very clear how effective these players are against the majority of teams we now play who are bus parkers.
Unfortunately theo has taken so long to come good, his style of forward play with only straight line speed is almost extinct.
BTW, I am enjoying Oskar’s persistence, loyalty and perennial patience with Rambo and Theo and I suspect that list would also include jack, whilst poor old mesut gets no room for error of any kind.
Now it seems Ozil doesn’t pass straight or direct enough to feed Theo, who seems to need the ball handed to him on a platter.
Give me Ozil any day of the week over the now ever aging kids who are basically only reliable for a handful of games between them per season, based on their regular and ever increasing recurring injuries.
seriously ?
Oskar @ 28: Accepting your drink with many thanks, even though not much of a scotch drinker. 🙂
A “genuine goalscorer” is exactly what I would not call Theo, despite his remarkable improvement in that area in the last couple of seasons. In 130+71 appearances in PL he has only 47 goals (less than 1 goal in 4 games), and altogether in his Arsenal career he has 72 goals in 189+101 appearances (less than 1 goal in 4 games). Even the much-maligned, “slow”, “no finishing” Giroud has altogether 47 goals in 90+25 matches, which is better 1 goal in 2.5 matches.
Cesc-Theo combination scored a few eye catching goals now and then, but Theo was never the efficient, ruthless striker you are making him out to be. Against a deep defense with no space to run into he still looks a hapless player after all these years.
If the ability to run behind defenses and latch onto through passes to score with his improved finishing is the only trick he is planning to sustain his career by, he will have a rude awakening. He used to be occasionally a good assist provider and had started to form a partnership with Giroud after RVP left (RVP-Theo used to play very well off each other), but there too he is terribly inconsistent.
I am sure Theo knows what his limitations are and at 25 would be the right time to take his career to the next level.
#31 … That’s incorrect Aussie (with respect). To understand Theo’s role you have to understand how AW wants him to play, which isn’t how some here would have.
Theo is a poacher, yes, but not the classic kind. He plays in AW’s reinvented poaching style – the WIDE poacher, a player who spearheads the attack but, instead of sitting tight up against defenders centrally, positions himself out wide and cuts in. And where there used to be one central poacher Wenger uses two wide ones. Henry was of course the best of the breed.
The major drawback to the system is the additional exposure it creates for fullbacks – exposure Theo gets wrongly criticised for. Curiously Özilla, the left-hand wide poacher in the system (a role he at last seems to be getting the hang of) gets let off all the time. For wide poaching to work it requires really strong fullbacks and in the absence of Debuchy we have been rather experimenting with tyros lately. It is also dependant on creative No 10s, and with persistent injuries to Rambo, Jack and now Alexis the service simply isn’t being provided regularly enough for it to work smoothly. Not to forget Theo’s lengthy absence and the need fro him to get back up to speed.
Öskar
Theo’s whole career has been marred by injuries of one kind or another, Dr F, and perhaps he never will reach his potential. But I think he deserves more than three games back after a year-long absence to prove himself. Last time he had a real run in the team he scored more than 20 goals in the season, in a pretty average Arsenal side.
Öskar
Theo was poor last night.
Weighed against that, he has just come back from fully a year out of the game, and has immediately started scoring goals again. If Alexis injury proves remotely serious then Theo’s goals could become essential for the run in.
I say give him a bit of time and patience. He’s always been a frustrating player, even at his best, and it may take a few months for him to get there, as with any player in these circumstances. Comparisons to Thomas Mueller at this stage are grossly unfair and the two players aren’t remotely similar in style anyway.
What I will say is that I think there’s an unresolved issue over Theo’s position. He clearly wants to be a central striker, and is drifting inside accordingly. The formation we played last night positively invited him to do so. We need him to balance that with being out wide right to spread the play, pin back the full back and help protect young Bellerin. Hopefully this will have been addressed by the time we go to Palace.
Beyond that, three points is three points. We’re at a stage of the season where winning ugly is just fine by me and last night reminded me of two years ago, when a side powered by Theo’s goals won a series of very tight, very drab games by the odd goal to edge out the LWCs from the top four.
COYG
N7 – I posted this about Theo late last night just after the cut-off by Holic from the previous thread. I don’t want you to think that this post is in response specifically to yours @ 35. It merely offers a different viewpoint in some respects, but also agrees with the some of the points you make in others.
But for me, I really can’t understand all the sympathy for Walcott.
This is his 10th season at the club and for 9 of those seasons – he has been consistently poor.
In his last 3 appearances including tonight, he has scored 2 goals. Not a bad statistic on its own. But to anyone who has watched him play in those games, I don’t think its unfair to say that his general play has been seriously lacking. And I really don’t buy the thinking that this is all down to him being “rusty” on account of his recent return from injury. Walcott consistently makes the same mistakes over and over again each and every year. For every single chance he takes (and in fairness, his finishing is very impressive at times) he will spurn so many other team opportunities whether its strikes that end up in row Z or basic passes that he will mistime, misplace or miscue. But the biggest impediment seems to be his natural sense of righteous expectation at this level despite not being remotely prepared to put in the hard defensive yards that other players are now prepared to do (thanks largely to the wonderful additions of both Sanchez and Welbz). For me, Sanchez, Welbeck, Oxlade & Rosicky are all competing for 2 places on the wing and they are all ahead of Theo for a first team place imo. And if you really want to see where Wengers mindset is on Theo, I think it was evidenced most recently when he was benched against the Spuds – a game of real substance and magnitude. Not only was he benched – he wasn’t even the first substitution off the bench.
So if 4 other players are ahead of him in team selection and if we’re likely to go to the market in the summer where we will most probably purchase more attacking options – it all begins to look a little ominous for Theo I feel. Furthermore, I don’t think you can legitimise letting a finisher of the calibre of Poldi go and not be prepared to apply the same standard of thinking to Walcott. Both are very similar situations I feel. Something also tells me his greed during his previous contractual negotiations have done him no favours at all this time round. Neither has his insistence on being played up front through the centre. Like Poldi, he neither has the technical ability, the physical presence or the workrate to justify such a move. So I think he will be sold this summer. And if we do sell him, I would wish him the very best. I just think there are far better team players we can get for the same wages.
I said yesterday that any win would do me, but I had hoped it would be a bit easier than this…
Anyway, we got the points, moved above Totnum again and will be fourth until ManU have battered a disillusioned and quite frankly rather weak Burnley tonight.
As for the referee, I think Faustus has a very good point@8 about Mike Jones allowing Leicester to almost literally get away with murder. Prime example: http://imgur.com/T4ry0kk
That wasn’t even a free kick.
Also, Mark Schwarzer was wasting time from the first minute and Jones didn’t even so much as signal to him to hurry things along. Add the ridiculous booking for Rosicky (shouldn’t even have been a free kick) and the lack of cards until late in the game for Leicester and it gets a lot harder to get things going for us.
As for the Theo debate, my view is that apart from the goal he had a stinker last night. Doesn’t mean he’s all of a sudden become a shit player, it means he had a poor game which is only to be expected after a year out as N7 points out. He can and, I’m quite sure, will do better in other games.
And again, three points was the main objective and we got them. Let us also not forget that Leicester came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at Anfield and came back from 1-0 down to win at Shite Fart Lane in the cup – not to mention coming back from 3-1 down to win 5-3 at home to ManU – so we were playing a team who, on their day, can cause problems for even top(ish) sides. In addition to that, I am quite sure there was an element of “let’s do this for the gaffer” after the is-he-or-isn’t-he-fired farce of the weekend.
We didn’t play as well as I would have liked us to, but we did win and at this point three points, by hook or by crook, is all that matters.
Cup of rosie, please Mr Barman. Can’t drink alcohol at the moment, need to get some work done 🙂
@Joe
All makes sense.
I understand the frustration with Theo. He’s always been an immensely frustrating player, right from day one.
Last night he was clearly not at it. That’s beyond debate. But he’s had less than half a dozen starts since a very long injury and I think that’s simply too early to properly judge where he’s heading. I’m struggling to think of a player in recent years who has been out for a spell of that length, come back in and hit their level immediately.
That said, you’re right that some of Theo’s issues are long term and predate the injury. I guess the question is whether we want a winger who will cover his full back more than we want a winger who will quite probably score 20 goals a season, as Walcott did the last time he stayed fit (he’s 3 in 3 starts just now, by the way). Right now, I expect the boss to edge towards the former, as we have a promising kid at right back who needs a bit of protecting. But I still think Theo has an important role, and I certainly value him over Welbeck just now. I also think that the Ox, who is probably the most promising of the lot, often gets a pass off the support when he has a stinker – it tends to go unnoticed. I guess that’s the benefit of still being young.
Anyway, this isn’t about favourites and scapegoats, and I don’t for a minute suggest that Theo played particularly well last night. I just think some of the opprobrium that’s been heaped on him overnight (not specifically on here) is a little harsh, not to mention premature. It’s far too early to be writing him off.
Top posts by Dr Faustus @26 and Joe@36 leavened with a little patience from N7@38.
Frankly I would sell him this summer. We can do a lot better. Swap for Sterling (who is playing hardball with the Dippers over his contract) with a cash adjustment?
Whilst not saying that we played well in any way as a team, we have got to take into account that Alexis was kicked out of the game.. he was effectively nullified the moment Upton (if I am not mistaken) upended him with that tackle.
That certainly changed the dynamics of the game, we did not press as much, as Alexis was no longer making penetrating offensive runs and cover due to his injury (for the life of me, not sure why he was even let out in the 2nd half!)
And to add to that, the miserable excuse of a referee did no one any favours and indeed did us a huge disservice by allowing orc-ish like behaviour so synonymous with stoke of old that culminated with an avoidable injury (not serious hopefully!) to our key player and bruises aplenty(especially to Santi!) to many more in our squad.
There should seriously be a review of the so called officials of the game if the league in general is to be improved further. No one wants to see rugby like tactics (irony is they would be sent to the sin bin if they tried what half of those orcs did) prevail in football!
Apart from that, we did win which was crucial and with any luck we’ll be third if MU lose or draw and Southampton lose by 3 or more. By far this is one of the most competitive seasons of late and every point now is crucial if we are to better our position in the league.
Up The Arse!
😀
I agree with some points about theo that he does not practice the football we went for him, poor add in the game, not many balls or passes, only 2 or 3 flash in the game, apart from his recent goals, we feel him very quiet.
But I think theo has not find the level he had before his injury last year, he was very interesting before, scoring goals, participation in defensive tasks, always available offensively, he was for sure in our starting eleven when fit. We want him to do same, to be that man and even more.
Dr F was right he is at an age where he has to take his career in hand, to prove england needs hims for the EURO tournament. The OX has much weight on the balance when he is on the pitch but he has to improve in front of the goal, he has to be more decisive, more sharper but he’s young so we accept that, Theo cannot always be the hope (I don’t know if we can tell that), Ox is the hope (same remark).
Let’s give theo some time again before judge him like Oskar said, and let’s not forget that he played last night at n 9 where he’s not used to, but one thing is for sure, Theo has to improve his game, his contribution, offensively and defensively because some people are knocking at the door for this place.
Mehdi
Regarding Walcott. After such a long time out he needs games before he can be fairly criticised IMO. Give him half a dozen starts on the spin and if he’s still playing badly in the sixth, then you can look at leaving him out.
Unless he’s still scoring goals that is.
he does not practice the football we want for him (sorry)
Upton=Upson!
🙂
Good report. Some great comments. Not my most enjoyable night in the ground last night.
Theo is way off his best at the moment and I could have done all that he did last night (well, I might have scored in-off the post rather than straight in, but they all count 🙂 ). Rustiness is completely understandable. So is the deep fear of physical contact that a tackle would represent. I do hope he can remedy both. Ox and Gnabry, when fully fit, will present real challenges for that wide bearth which Theo may find difficult to overcome.
Theo has never really tackled though, it’s not like he used to be Vieira and is suddenly gun shy. Wide right is a bit of a dilemma that may be solved by playing Alexis out there again with Welbeck left and Giroud up the middle. There’s goals in all three, you get hard work from the wide players at least and there should be no lack of pace either, but it might all be a bit too much in front of the back four.
N7,
I have to admit that I have never really taken to Theo, and as such, I have deliberately held back on commentating about him many times in the past.
But I don’t think I’m being premature. Did you know that Theo has approximately 300 appearances at a senior level for AFC?
In terms of comparisons between Theo and Welbz:
Theo delivers an average of .24 goals per appearance and .19 assists over his career appearances of 311 between both AFC & Southampton (excludes this season). Welbeck has 191 appearances between both Man U & Sunderland (on loan) and delivers .22 goals per game and .13 assists.
So there really isn’t all that much in their respective contributions in the “goals scored” and “assists provided” between two players of similar age. But there is a serious difference when it comes to the number of opportunities that Theo has had to play first team football by comparison to Welbz. And there is also a serious difference in what Welbeck brings to the table outside of that. Welbeck brings a no-bullshit solid work rate to his play. He also has increased positional flexibility and greater physical presence. His overall attitude is better. And I don’t think you’ll find that Danny will be making outrageous wage demands or insisting that he be played in a certain position to advance his own interests ahead of what the manager feels the team might need.
We all wax lyrically about the influence of Alexis and his workrate. But it would be wrong to discount what Welbeck has also brought to the table. He has been immense. And both of them have brought a complete sea-change to whats now expected from players up front. Notice how Oxlade has adjusted his game and now puts in a shift everytime he plays. And notice how Theo still doesn’t!
Which is why I won’t be surprised if he goes in the summer.
Great post Joe. Theo frustrates the hell out of me and everyone I sit nearby.
While I respect OTD’s loyalty and forthrightness Theo is the last player in the club I would build a style of play around. His best game for us ever I think was the Spurs cup game when he played centrally but I would never play him regularly there because he is a powederpuff player. But he is becoming a super finisher. Joe’s point is that you need so much more. The flavour of the month, ex-Gooner Harry Kane is a case in point as is Alexis. T
hey work their socks off.
@Joe
I like Welbeck a lot, and I think he’s a valuable addition to the squad, but there is no way he’s as much of a goal threat as Theo. He works harder and he’s a far better all-rounder, but he’s never scored goals in the volume that Walcott is capable of, and quite possibly never will.
So far this season, Welbeck has 7 goals in 20 starts for Arsenal, many of them at centre forward. Walcott, who is returning from a major injury and way off his best form, has 3 goals in 4 starts.
Anyway, stats can be misleading – Theo’s starts this season have been against Brighton, Villa, Leicester, etc, whereas Welbeck’s include Dortmund and City. But the same equally applies to the stats you cite above – how many career appearances were as sub, who were they playing, were they at centre forward or out on the wing, etc.
I think criticism of Walcott for last night’s performance is entirely fair, but I would encourage people not to go overboard. He has his weaknesses, but his goal contribution is not one of them, whereas it remains a point of weakness for Welbeck. Walcott was our top scorer two seasons ago and topped 20 goals. Welbeck has never topped 12 goals in any season and two years ago scored 2 in 40 appearances for Man Utd. I will repeat: I really like Welbeck, but goalscoring is not, at present, his forte, whereas conversely it is the principle advantage offered by Walcott.
Personally, I think there’s room for both in our squad – it’s good to have different options and there will be games where we want someone to work hard up and down the flank, and others where we want someone to run in behind and finish. It’s a squad game these days.
I should add to the above that I’ve spent many an afternoon at the Emirates with my head in my hands watching Walcott run simple passes directly out of play. He is far and away the most frustrating player to wear the shirt in the last ten years, bar maybe Arshavin. I can fully understand how anyone might lose their rag with him.
But the fact remains that he does score goals. If you could somehow meld him and Welbeck into a single player you would have one hell of a centre forward on your hands, because each has what the other is lacking.
Horses for courses.
If you want hard work and defending wide you don’t pick Theo. If you want to carry a proper goal threat and get in behind the opposition, you do.
N7,
I agree with you that there is room for both players in the squad – so I don’t think its an either or situation. I’d gladly have them both too. But for me, Theo is only a squad player and would not ordinarily make a first 11 now especially against the tougher and tighter teams. And I’m delighted to see that because I think its a sign of real progression. I just don’t think Theo will be happy with that. I think he obviously has a high opinion of himself hence the protracted contractual negotiations and insistence on playing through the centre. Even Wenger has alluded to the difficulty in coming to agreement with Theo recently.
As for the stats I gave you those stats are calculated and based on both of their entire appearances for their clubs in their careers to date. Specifically 311 performances from Theo (290 for AFC and 21 for Southampton) and 191 performances for Welbs (142 for Manu, 28 for Sunderland and 21 for AFC). And I did that deliberately so as not to attain a particular skew or slant but as much for my own curiosity in case I was being unfair.
Fair play, Joe. I think we’ll see in due course how it all shakes down.
The good news is that between Theo, Ox and Gnabry (I’d say Welbeck is generally a little happier on the left) there’s some really strong competition for that right-sided berth, and you have to hope that will lead to a raising of games. I think all three of those players have enormous potential.
Our next step is to foster similar depth in the middle of the park, where an injury to Ramsey has once again left us looking sparse. At least one extra body is needed in there over the summer, and maybe a replacement for Diaby as well.
N7, With Ramsey, Wilshere, Rosicky and exceptionally Cazorla and OX, the area is full of possibilities. It will be dangerous to bring someone else, if there is not enough turnover, you take the risk to demotivate some players, if there is too much turnover, the players will not improve. We should trust in our player like Ramsey and wilshere.
Fairly not judging Theo on his performance last night, I’d say gibe him some time and he’ll surely give arsenal a cutting edge over others.
He was tipped for greatness and he was driving towards his best when he scored 20+ goals the season before but again injury marred his form.
Now that we have ox to compliment him with welbz hanging down on that side, we’ll surely have some good performances to watch from each of the three.
For me, let’s play ox as a box to box. for those who have seen him and observed him play in that pos. know what in talking about.
Theo on the right while Alexis on the left
giru CF
Watch out then.
Ramsey out for at least a month apparently.
Arghhhh! So Ramsey’s out for a month, hope OX and Wilshere will be back soon!
Any news on Alexis? Is he out as well?
Frustrating when you do not have your first team players together for a proper run…..!
🙁
Nothing on Alexis, the thing regarding Ramsey was in a breaking news ticker on a newspaper website, so it could be arsebiscuits*.
*No, it’s his hamstring.
FWIW, John Cross from the mirror (I know, I know) saying Ramsey out until mid March, Alexis could be back at the weekend.
I want a news ticker…. everyone’s got a ticker for news these days…!
😀
Wouldn’t that be more “corpulent” rather than “more” sophisticated? Oh wait, I forgot Van Gaal. 😉
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/31394625
A German view of Van Gaal.
http://img01.lachschon.de/images/89955_van_gaal.jpg
Poor old Aaron. Like Diaby and Eduardo the severity of his injury seems to have had long-term effects on his physical alignment, although I will defer to Trev in these matters. But all three were much more fragile after their very serious broken legs. That Ramsey had his stellar season last season is tribute to his capacity for recovery but this season has been a disaster in almost every sense. He has not played well in any game other than the Gala game that I can remember. You may remember after that game w here he came off at half time he seemed unconcerned by his injury.i think he lost six weeks after that ‘ minor ‘ strain. He will sadly get injured three or four times a season. Theo , will, if he plays through February get injured in March and the only reason Gibbs isn’t injured is that he isn’t playing. Fragile players, given that special care that only the Arsenal medics can , never seem to toughen up. Spurs have a complete squad available at present and have played several more games than us.
Still we’ve done injuries before. Never mind Wishere will be back soon …for about four games.
Those around me last night were disbelieving when Koscielny s ores that we are the set piece specialists in the PL now with 14 goals. Just shows how strange stas can be doesnt it!?
I need some tips. Due to an unforeseen fixture pile up in the TTG diary I have accepted an invitation to Twickenham on Saturday and will of course be at the Home of Football on Sunday afternoon. How can I sweeten the pill for Mrs TTG , who I am deserting on Valentine’s Day? I’m hoping my absence itself will not be a pill- sweetener. Is it flowers, chocolates and a romantic dinner on another occasion or shall I just bring in a takeaway?
@TTG
Take her out the following night. Inform her that since everyone is effectively forced to do something romantic on Valentine’s day it is, officially, the least romantic day of the year.
Using the same logic, the day after Valentine’s day is the most romantic day of the year to do something together, since you’ll be in a tiny minority and there is only a minimum of obligation.
Worth a go. I’ve used the above before and it’s worked, but you may need a bit of salesmanship to close the deal. Alternatively, you could always bring back an Alexis Sanchez calendar from the Armoury – I gather this can also work a certain magic.
Play up Burnley!
Thanks N7. My problem is that the day after Valentine’s Day I am at the Boro game so I may use the !onday night is the best night to get a table ploy and try that!
The Alexis Sanchez calendar might also be worth a try and I could try to see if some item of Atsenal leisurewear might do the trick but I am dubious. I am taking her to Toronto at the end of next week so I may have scope to repair things there!
Good stuff, TTG. Trip to Toronto sounds a pretty decent sweetener.
Otd@29: Don’t let the Guv’nor see this:
http://www.niemanlab.org/2015/02/troll-toll-tablet-is-now-charging-its-readers-for-the-right-to-comment/
Joe@47: Well said.
N7G@49: So we need a Welcott or a Walbeck
~@67: If I ever see you coming towards me with an offer of a bridge in New York, remind me to run a mile.
Also, anyone any thoughts on my @22 question, has Theo lost half a yard of pace?
Thanks for the report ‘holic.
Not the best performance by any means, truth be told the second half bordered on pathetic, but three points were what we needed and three points is what we got.
In the second half most of the team were poor, Theo was awful. He may very well be ring rusty, but that doesn’t excuse him hiding during the game, he was for all intencive purposes a bystander, a passenger. He’s always been one of the most frustrating players I’ve known, his stats seem to contridict what you know your eyes have just seen. He really needs to step it up, add a bit of steel to his game. Yes, he got the (eventual) winning goal, but he is also one of our highest earners and needs to put in more effort.
MW.
I agree with most of your points us being poor and the ref being pants are not necessarily connected, but it sure didn’t help.
With all the squillions the PL will make on the new TV deal let’s hope that some of that dosh is invested in inventing some kind of Refbot/drone, preferbly one that’s armed and programed to destroy Chavs.
H2H last line- YES PLEASE!!!
Just seen Adrian’s sending off for WHU tonight. Very odd.
In as far as refs go- absolutely abysmal is now the norm.
Perhaps we were lucky Gironde was not sent off for having a ball kicked at him. Well chucked, Spiller…
GSD, that was indeed some brainfart by Adrian. Still, West Ham did somehow manage a draw despite effectively being down to nine for the last 10 or so minutes when Andy Carroll was injured and pretty much ust stood there in the centre circle.
ust = just
TTG, tell her you love her every day of the year so don’t follow the Valentine’s bollocks spread by greetings card companies. Buy her a fish supper on Friday night and chuck in a wally 😉
Contrary to popular opinion, romance is not in fact dead. ^^^^^
Nice one Holic, one of the last true romantics.
::)
How’s it hingin’, cba?
cant be doin with this
sobriety
.
goin on too long
.
🙁
alternative shorter
cba, reminds me of the old joke about the attendee at an AA meeting, who, when it is his turn to speak, gets up, introduces himself and says, “139 days without a drink — not consecutively, of course…”
🙂 ned
.
water wagon for me
for the foreseeable
.
boozin
over twice
not boozin
brings unwelcome rewards
.
flags half mast at me nearly
not remotely
up the long road
local
.
oh and 😉
Q. .77 bath
.
.
A.. low an lazy
This is a Paddy Power thing, but mildly amusing. Olivier Giroud accepts his award as the hottest man in the Premier League…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RhreBgoHls
Holic
Thanks for the advice. Fish supper and wally it is.
Sounds like the voice of experience!
paddy power !
always makes me laugh
unlikely ginger superheroes
TTG – Get her some roses. Just make sure you nick all the Hazel Whirls before you hand them over though.
Podolski looks like he is already surplus to requirements at Inter. Looks like a very ill- considered move from his perspective but he is clearly not showing much on the training ground. Given that Gnabry is now fit and we have Welbeck,Walcott, Giroud, Sanchez , Ox and Akpom for the forward positions I suspect he wouldn’t have got a look- in with us. How has a mighty talent fallen
Thanks Cynic. She doesn’t like Hazelnuts so I’m Ok!
According to the Lancashire Telegraph a panel of American women has elected a “Hot XI” of Premier League players including Olivier Giroud as “Most Hot” or something of that sort; but more interestingly for you and me (I assume of course), is their election of this “Not Hot XI”:
Gerhard Tremmel, Ritchie De Laet, James Collins, Joleon Lescott, Aly Cissokho, Angel Di Maria, Cheick Tiote, Stephen Quinn, Saido Mane, Mario Balotelli, Marouane Chamakh.
Of course, if you for some reason WERE interested in the “Hot XI” you could look here:
http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/burnley/11785954._/?
Theo may be “the last player you would build a style of play around”, Ttg (#48), but he’s one of the first AW chooses apparently. I’m surprised no-one has picked up on the ‘wide poacher’ system AW introduced and uses consistently, and which Theo is specifically picked to play (#33). It explains exactly why Theo plays the way he does which so many choose to criticise, and what Özilla, his left-hand side counterpart, does similarly with barely a word of criticism.
Özil may be performing the better of the two currently, but both are scoring, which is what poachers are supposed to do. In fact the wide poacher system makes no mention of defensive duties, it’s all about scoring the goals which win matches.
Öskar
How many of the available arsenal players would have scored the goal Theo scored given the chance> I see none. a nice volley to the far post! Welbeck would have hoofed it it the stands. Only Rosicky maybe.
and the aston villa goal was a beauty-intercepting a pass not meant for him, running across a defender and curling it. Not many in this team can do that. most would probably have hit it direct at the keeper and the inevitable save.
Oskar – Ozil doesn’t lose or give the ball away 99 out of 100 times. He always protect holds and uses the ball wisely for the next play.
Theo on the other hand loses the ball 9 out of every 10 touches but he does manage to score on the 10 th. His one decent touch out of 10 has given him a career.
As for the ” wide poacher ” theory.
Mmmm ?
I am not sure this is Theo’s mission or more necessary as his way of simply giving himself space as he has very average close ball control.
If Thierry Henry was a ” wide poacher” as you suggest in earlier drinks, han he was a very good one at that. I find it hard to comprehend your theory on theo being anything like Henry.
Chalk and cheese IMHO
I don’t recall anyone bitching about a lack of defensive work when he scored 20 goals the season before his injury.
I think people have reinvented the guy in his absence and are expecting him to have magically morphed into Alexis. Nobody works like Alexis does in this entire team, which is why we get performances like Man City so very rarely and games like Spurs more often.
If Theo had played the Spurs game, by the way, do you think they would have been so keen to get at us the way they did? They may have done, but they may also have been a bit more wary of getting caught.
Has Ramsey had his wisdom teeth out by the way? That’s the usual Wenger “cure” for someone with persistent muscle injuries. If he’s already had them out, he must shit himself in fear every time he goes in the fetlocks in case the dentist is waiting to turn him into Gummy McNoteeth. He goes to the treatment room every morning and asks “Is it safe?” before he dares to enter.
Read that Wilshere could be back this weekend in FA cup, it will be very good news. Read that sanchez could play too.
It will be good if wenger gives an hour of game to Jack to afford him the possibility to be back to his level ahead of the Champions league fixture.
For sanchez, even if he feels good, maybe with the possibilities we have up front, Wenger can give him a secure rest for his knee.
gummy mcnoteeth
🙂
The Witch of the Week award goes to ….
Theo Walcott.
The Witch Hunter of the Week award goes to ….
To many nominees to mention.
TOO many nominees, actually.
Witch hunter or not, my two-penneth (?).
In the stadium it is possible to watch Theo’s contribution very carefully.
I take Cynic’s point about his fear of physical contact on the injury site, especially as one who has had many, various injuries and 9 operations on the same knee.
However, I was not playing top level professional football. If Theo is that concerned about his ability to stand up to the physical demands of the game, he should tell the manager and drop out until his confidence is restored through more full training and reserve games.
At the moment he is hiding. When Bellerin is looking for an out ball on the right wing, Theo runs inside behind defenders, often to stand and watch the play around him.
He will make a token run to challenge an opponent, but slows over the last few paces as he clearly has no intention of attempting any sort of tackle.
Even in attack, runs towards the ball are half-hearted, never getting stuck in and really fighting to win the ball.
Yes, he scored on Tuesday but that was nowhere near enough in terms of a contribution to the match.
I will support any player who gives 100% even though lacking ability. Theo is not. If it is an issue still related to his injury then he is not, in my mind, fit to play.
By the way, there was no physical challenge when he ruptured his ACL. He was running and stopped awkwardly so fear of contact is not necessarily the issue.
Spot on, Trev.
While there was no contact when he did his ACL, it’s difficult to believe that getting hurt in a tackle isn’t the root cause of his ‘hiding’
I suspect Gnabry will show him how the post-recuperation re-entry phase should be managed. I don’t expect o see him hide.
Bing!
Badda-bing!
Oh testes.
Your badda binged you off there Cynic.
I don’t think I said Theo shirks contact because of the injury, I was saying he’s never been one to throw himself into tackles and he’s unlikely to suddenly start doing so, as that’s not his game.
I wish he would though, I’m not excusing his lack of weight-throwaboutability*
*Coaching term 😀
@Mehdi
Good news indeed although a return for LJW just brings forward the date when he will be off injured again. Sorry to be cynical but the Arsenal British nucleus are as fragile as porcelain. Sanchez and Cazorla get kicked from pillar to post and run all over the pitch and are ready to play every week.
On another note the Standard today says that White Hart Lane is known ( quite fairly) as ‘ the shit hole’ on Google Maps. Is this Google’s work or is it the creation of nasty Gooners?
Those of an older age will remember the least physical player possibly of all time, Alan Hinton of Derby. Great left foot but the biggest pansy on a football field I have ever seen. He wore white boots when they were very avant garde. If he was playing today his pink boots would have daisies or teddy bears on. But he won a couple of titles. On the other hand little Geordie Armstrong was as brave as a lion though relatively slight of stature. But generally if you are going to have players who prefer to avoid the rough stuff they play wide. I spoke to a Spurs fan today about Theo’s stats on Tuesday and he said that Aaron Lennon would take three games to compile that many touches
On the wide poacher idea and Henry.
Henry was a striker who drifted wide. We still played with a left midfielder. The position we sometimes left unfilled was the conventional forward position. This did not weaken us defensively.
Theo is a winger who drifts into the striking position. When he does this we still have Giroud up top but no-one on the wing. This does weaken us defensively.
It is a bit disingenuous to compare the two in that sense.
Also worth noting that when Ozil drifts over from the left it usually reflects the play, in that when we have the ball down our right he moves infield to give himself the chance of getting on the end of it. See his goal v Spuds.
Theo drifts regardless of where the ball is. Monreal has many more opportunities to pass to Ozil than Bellerby (copyright spill chucker) does to Theo.
I made the point recently that Theo has not changed his style of play- Cynic, I don’t think people are re-inventing him. I also made the point that his style of play was good enough/more suitable for the team he left but not for the one he has returned to. I rarely re-post thoughts like that but it seems relevant to many posts that have gone since.
We are trying to play a different game to the one we played when he was so effective. I do not think the ‘old’ Theo is a starter in this team. More an impact sub when you need pace and finishing against tired legs. Blogs posted his passing graph from the last game. If he does not tackle and manages 9 passes in 70 minutes (only 6 of which go to a guy in red)I think it reasonable to wonder where he fits in any team.
Especially when the guy on the opposite wing does everything good in the world (bar sorting world peace) and will still comfortably outscore Theo’s best season out of 9 in his first year in the country.
This is what all the gnashing of teeth is all about: http://www.bbc.com/news/business-31436660 . Long may this continue for the “red devils”.
Oskar: Henry and Ozil are wide poachers? Henry used to sometimes position himself on the flank before cutting in, a habit he had acquired growing up as a winger, but he was neither a wide player for us nor a “poacher”. Henry for most of his Arsenal career played as one of the two upfront in 4-4-2, flanked on the left by Pires who was more closer to the inside-left position you are alluding to. And Henry was anything but an opportunistic scorer, his best goals are wonderfully creative efforts, often taking on a whole defense on his own — Inter, Liverpool — or creating out of nothing (ManU) not only using technique but also vision. The problem with Theo is that he always have to be put through behind the defense, he is almost never going to be able to score if faced with quality defenders in front of him and in that case the frustration is he rarely makes an excellent pass when under pressure in such situations. He is an excellent one-trick pony, but he is an one-trick pony nonetheless…the likes of which are becoming distinct in modern day football.
Ozil has been one of the greatest assist-makers in world football in the last 3-4 years, and irrespective of wherever he plays his pass, through ball, assist, possession and running stats are so ahead in a different league that calling him a “wide poacher” is totally off the mark. Is Iniesta a wide poacher too because he starts on the left on the team sheet?
I think we all like Theo. He is an immensely likable and a very popular figure — and also very marketable, the most marketable of Arsenal’s British core — and against a certain kind of opposition defense he can be a frighteningly effective player, but it is that very one-dimensionalness that go against him in many other matches.
There are one-dimensional great players in history of football: Garincha (before my time so I am going by what people say), or in our times Robben. But it is their efficiency — Robben is highly predictable and yet highly efficient, but equally importantly dominates the patch of grass where he hovers, instead of shying away from responsibility — that sets them apart. Theo’s efficiency needs to move up a couple of degrees to be considered an invaluable one-dimensional player.
I think there is a key role for him in the squad, which needs variations and depth to win PL and CL. But unless he takes the next step forward he will find others taking up his starting berth very soon. Otherwise a fit Ox who has learned to polish his finishing would become an automatic choice ahead of him — before he eventually moves centrally I suppose — because of the versatility.
I would also like to throw out one more possibility. It is just a thought experiment, so not saying that this is something we ought to do etc., but what if? What if we have say a Pedro instead of Theo in our first eleven? He has 97 goals in 299 appearance for Barca, a much better rate than Theo and like Alexis in Barca color playing the hard-working second fiddle role to the headline catchers in Messi and now Neymar. But look at his all-round play. Would it be fair to demand of Theo to raise his game to that level? Or is this it? And we are supposed to accept that because he is Theo?
Theo is no worse.
But the standard required is higher. If we want to win things this must be a good thing.
And if Theo scores the winner in the Champs League final I’ll shout myself hoarse with the rest of you. But I will be amazed if he is one of the real core group of players that gets us there…
Cross post Doc. Well put.
Cross-post even. You didn’t seem angry…
@111: I am never angry.
Unless we lose a game. Then I break a vase. 🙂
HAHAHAHAHA!
I was going to make a joke about the most one dimensional player ever being Little Jacky Paper, but checking my facts on dimensions took me up a philosophical and scientific dark alley, where Stephen Hawking was waiting to Dalek voice me into wetting my pants, so I won’t do it.
I’ll just go home and curl up under a duvet and cry myself to sleep in fear of blokes with protruding bottom teeth who say things like “The past, like the future, is indefinite and exists only as a spectrum of possibilities” in a voice like one of those blokes who smokes through a hole in his neck
🙁
Cynic @ 114: Or you can reach for that Marcuse on your bookshelf, given that we are talking about a man and not a vibrating string in Planck scale of space. 🙂
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
http://tinyurl.com/q2kp4y8
Cheers H! Hope to see you (and the neighbour) Sunday if only briefly.
Cynic, remember Arsene Wenger Hawkins from the early Arsecasts? Fucking genius!
The question of English language usage, in connection with the Arsenal defense, has come up in recent weeks, the most recent being in Tim Stillman’s column today about David Ospina in which he mentions that Ospina is still not fluent in English.
Seeing as two of our three goalkeepers speak Spanish as their native language, as do three (Bellerin, Monreal, Gabriel) of eight senior defenders. Of the eight defenders there are two French speakers (Koscielny, Debuchy), two English speakers (Gibbs, Chambers) and one German speaker (Mertesacker). By majority rule, shouldn’t we change to Spanish? Arteta, Cazorla and Alexis would appreciate it, I’m sure. 🙂
I do, Esso. I’ve not listened to a Friday Arsecast for years though.
Tim Stillman’s take on Szczesny-Ospina debate: http://arseblog.com/2015/02/ospina-and-szczesny-keep-the-debate-going/ … hopefully this relegation to bench was the last bit of kick that the Pole would ever need to motivate himself.
Came across this as well: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B9n6ncRIMAAcZdD.jpg . Quite unbelievable that Ivanovich didn’t see a red card for that…another example of shocking refereeing standard in PL.
Doctor Faustus. Looking closely at that picture of Abramovich strangling opposition player, it appears the referee and John Terry are both berating the strangled one as if to say “And you deserve exactly that treatment.”
Rumors floating around the internet at present saying Szczesny and Gabriel could be in the team against Middlesborough. If that is the case they most certainly should not try to communicate in English. I suggest either Portuguese, Polish or Esperanto. 🙂
Chioma appears to have everything. Name, game, and smile.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20150212/arsenal-ladies-sign-chioma-ubogagu
The issue with Theo is that he doesn’t work hard enough, simple as that. That’s what winds people up about him and that’s what made his performance the other night so infuriating. Trev’s post above is totally on point in this regard.
Not sure why there’s a need to expand the issue to try to find other things wrong with the player. It’s patently untrue to say he only scores one sort of goal and needs to be played in behind: only one of his last three goals fits this description and it isn’t hard to think of numerous other counter examples (the last time we won at Stamford bridge, for instance). He also lead the side for assists three seasons ago, so it’s not as if all he’s capable of is hanging around on the shoulder of the last man (although he’s been doing a little too much of that since his comeback).
Walcott isn’t a one dimensional player. He’s just a player who isn’t doing his share of the running, and who can occasionally be sloppy in possession while at other times conjuring magic.
Theo – meh. It wouldn’t bother me if he never made the team again although I also once said the same about Rambo. Not sure if that supports or contradicts my argument.
Cynic – currently I’m happy with Ospina. As of yet he hasn’t rushed out of his goal to try and kill someone, he hasn’t tried the Cruyff turn on anyone and nearly conceded a goal and he doesn’t throw the ball five yards to a defender who is under pressure from an attacking player.
Now I just need somebody to remind young Hector that playing right back means you need to defend the right hand side more often than the centre and my week will be complete.
UTA.
So… Woj in goal on Sunday, Gabriel a possible, Ramsey out and Alexis doubtful.
As expected then.
I have seen a couple of the recent interviews with Coquelin. I really love the way he comes across. Humble, grounded, positive but with that understated bit of steel that shows a toughness in his character to match his tackling. And he has that self-deprecating half smile that reminds me of another Gallic Gooner Wenger saw potential in… I hope he continues to do well, for him, as well as for Arsenal.
bt8b@122: What few people realise is that when Woj flaps at crosses he is really just trying to communicate with his fellow defenders using hand semaphore.
N7 @ 124: And that solo goal from corner against Newcastle. I agree I was being a bit unfair, Theo’s finishing from different angles and different situations have improved so much that it is incorrect to characterize him as much of an one-dimensional player (even though his propensity to not see things around him can be infuriating). It was an argument I myself had put forward in favor of Theo when he was in that protracted contract negotiations.
All that said, I still think he is too unwilling to improve upon his work rate — by signs on the pitch, I have no idea what he shows in trainings, of course — and already with a somewhat limited set of technical abilities and a degree of predictability to his game he doesn’t appear to me an automatic first choice RW in a CL winning team. High standards, I know, but I think he is intelligent enough to be able to make that next step.
For majority of his career he was superbly compensated for his defensive lack by Sagna at his very peak. He is not going to get that kind of tireless work down the flank and covering from Bellerin or even Debuchy. That is something worth keeping in mind as well.
Anyway, I simply hope and wish that by his performance alone he would make these discussions redundant.
GSD @ 127: That is because he has been around a bit and not only within the protected environs of Arsenal family: a loan spell at Freiburg when nothing went in his favor probably taught him more about the value of humility and taking his chances than anything.
Good to see one from the youth team showing all the right signs. When you think of players as talented as Bendy who was given so many opportunities to establish himself fail because of poor attitude … if he can eventually make a career for himself with us despite being on the margin for a long time it would be an excellent example for other youngsters to follow and be inspired by.
@Dr F
I think your point about the full backs is spot on. Theo can afford to be a little slack when he has a Sagna or a Debuchy behind him, but not a youngster, and I think that’s why he started on the bench at WHL (not that it worked).
I’d certainly think long and hard before starting Bellerin and Walcott on the right flank together in a big game, but at home against weaker sides it’s a scary looking combination going forward, and speed to burn. As Cynic said earlier: horses for courses.
Right now, I’d have Walcott and the Ox (his main competitor for the right wing berth) at about the same level. Theo’s work rate is poor, but the Ox is still extremely uneven in his distribution, and could do with adding a few more goals. It’ll come for him with age, I’m quite sure, but it’s still not there yet.
If Walcott can stay fit then I’ll be interested to see what his perfomance levels look like by the end of the season. There were signs before his injury that our long wait for him might be about to pay off, and that he could be turning into a really dangerous player – the goals and assists I’ve mentioned above, but also the game he was injured in, where he finally looked like he might even be able to play centre forward. He’s still only 25, and I would expect a player of his type to peak in the next 2 or 3 years.
In the mean time, I hope he’s spent the last few days being booted up the arse and told to put a proper shift in, potential or no potential.
8 ball @ 121: Your substitution of “Ivanovich” by “Abrahamovich” , whether intentional or an unconscious slip, captured the entire situation superbly. 🙂
just watched two contestants
bbc1 quiz
if i sound like them
then
pluck out my tongue
fry it in despair
and stick it in a big bap
for justifiable haters
.
sqwawk sqwawk sqwawk
awww sqwawk hi
dead on
sqwawk so it is
.
anyhoo
howdy ‘hol an ‘hols
.
.
*dribbles*
*burbles*
I ll also suggest that maybe, just maybe, if welbeck did a lot less running around and defending for the team, he might just get a few more goals for himself. Tired legs and all…
Not too optimistic about Theo’s future at this club. Owen was always a good finisher even when he lost half a yard of his pace, but it wasn’t enough for him too.
I’m taking names. Hmm. You think you know my son.
Out for a year. Why that’s 10 years equivalent, in other professions!
Don’t you count him out (unless you enjoy eating your hat!) 😉
Wot’s he got to do, injure himself like poor Aaron (they have Tea together, by the way xx) by over extending himself, too soon!
Nasri: Triste, Theo. First Woj’s father gets involved and now your mum 🙁
Theo: Hey Sammy, how’s it hanging? (Theo has a sense of humor!)
Nasri: Mon Dieu, Theo!
Steven Gerrard: Hey comrades
😉 So few real fans left. Theo, I feel your pain 🙁
Yaya Toure: Let them eat cake, just not mine!
Harry Kane: Just gushing. In the company of greatness 🙂
Get him to kick a few people up in the air from now to the end of the season (not too hard*) and everybody will love him. He can’t get banned, there’s a yellow card amnesty now unless he reaches ten cards. 😉
*Unless playing rivals for a top four slot
I’ve got an IQ of around 150, eat your hearts out, gooners!
Hey fellow footballers @ 136. Party at my digs, tomorrow. Plenty of cake! Jack and Woj, no contraband, please 😉
Lesson: Football should be FUN!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>