Arsenal
Gunners Down Rafa's Best Eleven - Theo Criticism Unfair
Arshavin Again
By Boris Mellor
December 14 2009
No doubt about it for 45 minutes Liverpool played their best football of the season. They were fast slick and a goal ahead. It was also Liverpool's best line-up. Torres and Gerrard started, as I said in my match preview without these two Liverpool are a mediocrity.
Phil Thompson declared before the game that Arsenal are a two man team (Fabregas and RvP), well its better than being a no man team eh Phil? But in fact Arsenal, unable to field their best team, exposed Liverpool as not good enough.
As I have already written Liverpool dominated the first half, but a match is played over 90 minutes. At half-time I felt confident that Arsenal would get back into this game; one because they were only 1-0 down, and two Liverpool had put far more into the first half than the Gunners, and three I knew Wenger would give them a dressing down (I lied about the third). It meant that Arsenal were the fresher of the two teams after the interval.
Over the entire 90 minutes, Arsenal had more possession, won more tackles and had more shots on and off target. However there weren't a great number of shots in total for either team. Some Liverpool fans are ringing 606 as I write saying Arsenal had only one shot. They are dreaming, the stats show that the Gunners had seven shots to Liverpool's five. If Liverpool dominated the first half they weren't at the races for the second.
If Glen Johnson's own goal was a gift, so was the Kuyt goal that came about due to Almunia's flapping. Nonetheless the play that led to Arsenal's first goal came from slick passing that led to a brilliant cross from Nasri that caused mayhem in the Liverpool area.
The second goal was spectacular; Arshavin delivered a rocket into the top corner from a Fabregas pass. It's hard to describe in writing, but it was better than any of the four goals he scored at last year.
This was very different to last season's game, then Liverpool had over 20 shots, and Arsenal only five. The difference this time was that Vermaelen gave the defence a touch of steel. Every time Arsenal went ahead last year they would concede a few minutes later. Maybe Arsenal couldn't keep a clean sheet this time either, but they did keep a clean sheet for 45 minutes, and they kept it when it mattered.
Theo Criticism Unfair
There have been some mutterings about Theo in this game, but I believe they are wrong. In the first half everyone, apart from the back four, was rubbish, so why pick on him. In the second half he played a key role in both goals. For the first his presence caused Johnson to panic, the box was hardly full of Gunners, but at least Theo was there. For the second his challenge for Fabregas's cross meant that Liverpool's defence failed to clear the ball, hence it dropped to Arshavin for his moment of wizardry. He might not be the sorcerer but as an apprentice he gave the Russian good service.
Arsenal are the first team to go a goal down at Anfield and come back and win for six years. The last team to do that? You guessed right. Arsenal
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009:12:15:20:13:17 by Padre Pio.
Aurielo had Theo in his pocket for the whole fo 1st half, ahrdly givign him space to turn and run, dragging and tripping him whenever Theo wa son the verge of flying passed him.
A MAster of "Intelligent Foul".
Similarly, Carra-Agger-MAsherano-Luca were quicker and a step faster than Cesc and Arshavin, closing both down before Cesc-Arsh had that split-second to control and move the ball to the "passing channel".
Benitez read Wenger's 4-3-3 "pass & move' liek a book and effectively coutnered it by swift tackling, kicking and fouling.
But Liveprool ran out of steam in 2nd half - and no thanks to Mascherano being kicked out of the game as well...
3 unfit key player son the pitch - gerrard, Torres and Aquiliana - and it is suicidal to play against a TEAM well-drilled in WenegrBall to run for 95 minutes and more.
Remember 2007/08 season where we usually ran opponents off the feet and then finished them off after 80th minute with a goal or two?
Wenegr recognised that and his yougnsters need motivation to overcome their "inferiority complex". he did that.
More improtantly, he changed the shape of the team:
1 - Nasri moved to right to open up Liveprool defence.
2 - Theo moved centrally to occupy Carra-Agger with his pace.
3 - Arshavin reverted to free role to avoid man-marking.
best of all, benitez's fatal error was to deploy Johnson (their fastest player?) to keep an eye on Theo.
1st Goal:
When we counter-attack, Johnson was 10 yard ahead of Theo.
But watched Theo (at Desi Gunner website) overtaken Johnson in the box - after a 50-60 yard run!!!
All-in-all, I will say that it is tiem to rotate Theo back to centre...and let him develop the knack of cutting in from flank to centre...by learning at the centre.
I.e. the reverse - how to cut from centre to flank and back to centre to avoid man-marking and how to hold the ball up....
As much as Wenegr would liek to brign Hleb back, my perception si that Wenegr felt that it will hamper the development of bendtner, Nasri and Theo at the right flank as central striekr in a 4-3-3.
When all are fit - Van Persie, bendtner, Walcott, nasri and even Arshavin and Rosicky - we are spoilt for chocie at the right flank.
Oops.. I forgot..Eboue,...Wilshere...
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.
Surely, you are having a laugh about Theo holding the ball up? If you believe Theo has the stature, physique and skill to hold the ball up then you must be one be drinking the Theo coke. I have said this before and I will say it again. If Theo wasn't English, he will not be playing in the first team. Theo can run. No doubt about that. But this is football not Athletics. How many passes did Theo complete in the whole Pool game? He can't dribble, he can't head, he can't shoot, zero ball control, low pass completion rate, 7 goals in 4 years and you want him to play centre? Yeah right. We will win the treble this year with Theo scoring 35 goals...and pigs will fly.
Quote:Gooner_4_eva
I.e. the reverse - how to cut from centre to flank and back to centre to avoid man-marking and how to hold the ball up....
Surely, you are having a laugh about Theo holding the ball up? If you believe Theo has the stature, physique and skill to hold the ball up then you must be one be drinking the Theo coke. I have said this before and I will say it again. If Theo wasn't English, he will not be playing in the first team. Theo can run. No doubt about that. But this is football not Athletics. How many passes did Theo complete in the whole Pool game? He can't dribble, he can't head, he can't shoot, zero ball control, low pass completion rate, 7 goals in 4 years and you want him to play centre? Yeah right. We will win the treble this year with Theo scoring 35 goals...and pigs will fly.
If Theo can't dribble, how did he set up that goal for Adebayor at Anfield? If he can't shoot, how did he score a hat-trick against Croatia? Do you really think Wenger plays him because he's English? I would think that would be a disadvantage given the number of French-speakers in the team.
[www.360football.co.uk]
Theodore roosevelt - In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.
Truss me paps, for every one moment of goodness, there are dozens and dozens of terribleness.
Did he contribute to Arsenal's victory on Sunday, yes or no?
Remember, before you judge, its football not strictly come dancing.
Did he play a key role in two goals or not? Not the only role, but a part nonetheless.
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.
Did he take anybody on at pace? Or do something significant, that you wouldn't expect as the bum basic of a footballer?
I don't think Theo is a player who needs to get into the gtoove, he usually comes back into the swing of things right away, its his actual ability that lets him down, not his lack of game time.
The question is did he, or did he not make an impact on the two goals. Yes or no Tom.
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.
Him being involved in those goals changes nothing.
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.
Had he done something significant he would have had an impact, here, he was just part of the goal.
Quote:Tom14
If he can dribble, how come he can't take on Aurelio?
Who did he take on here?
video: [url][/url]
He is good, but if we sold him for the inflated price he would command, we could sign a much better player in an instance.
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.
Diaby, Denilson,Song Eboue and Nik have beeen given stick on here,sometimes rightly and others not,by myself also,Walcott compared to any of them is consistently poor.
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