Arsenal
Running out of goals and games - don't blame the defence
Here Samir
By Boris Mellor
March 27 2010
Yes an individual error probably cost us the three points, and no doubt it will feel like a defeat to the team. It certainly feels like a defeat to supporters, it has most probably seen Arsenal's slight chance of winning the league gone for this season.
In the overall scheme of things it is not a bad result, Chelsea and Man U also drew at Birmingham; City is a fortress and has been so since 26th September. The idea that Arsenal have an easy run in has always been garbage and there are still quite a few tough away games to come. Unfortunately a draw just isn't enough at this stage of the title race.
Don't blame the defence
Most of us didn't expect the Gunners to be this close to the top at this stage of the season, after the Chelsea defeat we seemed to be out of it. For those who want to knock the defence they should remember that Arsenal have only conceded 4 goals in the last 7 premiership games with three clean sheets. Almunia made an error, but last week he won us the game, has he really gone from hero to zero in seven days?
Also Arsenal had to complete this difficult fixture with both first choice CBs not available. In fact even the third choice CB was not available. The problem wasn't the defence but the failure to kill off the game.
Wenger's team selection not main reason
There is more logic in criticising Wenger's team selection, why not start Arshavin? Last week Arshavin struggled and complained of losing his breath. He made no impact on the game. Maybe my assessment is wrong but the Guardian gave him five out of ten.
Did Wenger have his mind on Barca on Wednesday, of course he did, he would be mad not to. But I don't think he overdid it, after all he played Campbell and Fabregas. This wasn't a Carling team, if Walcott and Rosicky aren't capable of delivering at Birmingham then perhaps they should go now, not that I am arguing that.
Does anyone seriously expect Wenger not to try and keep something in reserve for Wednesday? The argument that we will lose anyway is crass, some may well think that, but can you expect Wenger to think that. That his preparation for Barca will be we are going to lose anyway.
True Nasri and Arshavin were on the bench, but they were brought on with over 20 minutes to play, and Nasri did have great effect, scoring an opening wonder goal. Unfortunately he passed to Arshavin when he should have taken the shot himself. If that goal had been scored we wouldn't be discussing the defence or the team selection. The team could have won the game, but they didn't, but neither selection nor defence is the key issue.
The real problem - struggling to score - striker needed
If either Chelsea or Man U win the league it will be because they still play with class strikers. Arsenal have conceded four in 7 games, but only scored 14 in the same time. Chelsea and Man U scored eleven goals today between them, that's a month of goals for Arsenal.
The team is now struggling to score; against West Ham it took a late penalty to kill the game, at Stoke it took a last minute penalty to win the game, and at Hull a 90 minute goal settled it.
True it show great team spirit, but your luck will always run out one day, sheer will power cannot cover up for a lack of a striker for ever. I believe Wenger will pay for the failure to have bought a striker at Xmas, but I hope I am wrong. Defence is important, but this year the title will go to a high scoring team, for a while that was a free scoring Arsenal, now the Gunners rivals are the ones netting the ball for fun.
Six wins and one draw in last seven games is pretty good, it's no use ripping into individuals if we fail, winning all of the last 7 games was always a pretty tall order. It's easier to win the CL, which is why Liverpool did it without ever winning the Premiership.
No doubt Wenger will refuse to give up on either, but without a top class striker (Nick is work in progress) he will probably miss out on both. The closer it is the worse it may well feel to the true fan.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:03:30:20:12:35 by Padre Pio.
The midfield has carried the team as far as goals are concerned.
At the start of the season I said that we were going into the season with an injury prone forward 4 with very very few goals between them. I haven't been wrong.
People are amazingly forgiving towards Bendnter and Eduardo, and amazingly critical towards midfielders whose job is not to score 20 goals a season (look at the nonsense about Arshavin today).
Look at United, Berbatov has just been effortlessly banging goals in with the outside of his foot in a 4-0 romp. Chelsea scored 7. At this stage of the season, the 30 million pound men come to the fore, and we dont have many of them.
sounds like he is disappointed at the players for not scoring the 2nd goal and not keeping the ball in the corner flag during injury time
But considering the squad he has its a case of over achievement. it will be interesting to see how the team reacts to this setback.
"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.
Quote:celine dion
.....
People are amazingly forgiving towards Bendnter and Eduardo, ......
Not really. Bendtler was poor today with 0 attempts at goal and 0 assist. He was on a rich vein of form but like all young players, they are highly inconsistent. I think Eduardo is no longer the same player as before his injury.
attacking quality that the Chavs and Manu have.
It was obvious to most that we needed a striker
in January, mainly because of our average defence.
Drogba, Rooney, we don't have a striker of that
calibre.
Notwithstanding that look at the depth of squad the
Chavs have. They have injuries to key players and
yet they still massacre Villa.
Manu's squad may only be slightly better than ours
but they have a belief which has been formed by
winning things consistently.
We have had nothing to celebrate for five years.
It's a cliche but success breeds success.
Instead of having masses of young and average players we would be better with more quality and less quantity.
Eduardo seems to be damaged good, unfortunately he may never be that goalscorer again, but I dont get it, when he first got back from his leg break, did he not score one of the hardest goals technically ive ever seen on the volley with the outside of his foot? What happened?
RVP, well when he's fit its all dandy, its the 364 other days of the year when hes injured that grates me. If hes not fit after this layoff, its time to say adios, I dont like how he has just @#$%& off abroad for so long, when Cesc is injured he is always on the bench, congratulating the players after the game, it shows a lack of respect from RVP, as much as I like him, my favourite player on the pitch on his day.
Other than that, weres the youngsters we've been banging on about, where is the star striker risen up through the youths to take over Henry's reign. Nowere, we just dont have that striker amongst the upcomers, the youth policy has been a major dissapointment, who has come up through the ranks in recent times and really grasped the bit between their teeth for a first team spot?
The balance isn't right and Wenger should address this early in the summer before pre season begins. But as ever, he wont, and the cycle continues, we were "almost" there, but ultimately, one or two players short, that will be my assesment of next season.
amazing that people are still just accepting the opinions of commentators as fact. bendtner couldn't have headed that cross in a million years. replays showed the defender got a flick on it. no way he could have possibly readjusted in time
if it's good goals you're after how about the shot against blackburn earlier in the season?
he creates chances for others as well
he's also 22. drogba was struggling in league 2 in france at that age. ian wright was burgling houses
he's going to be a quality player for us
from the best stats i could put together, in all competitions
bendtner has 9 goals and 5 assists in 22 matches
arsh has 11 goals and 7 assists in 35 matches
now, given the fact that arshavin is our record signing, an experienced player and obviously a much better footballer than bendtner i don't think nic stacks up too badly
15 goals last season, looking to be double figures this season. not too shabby for a 22 year old squad player. certainly @#$%& on ricardo fuller
Quote:Gooner_Mike
When I slate Bendter I get called a commentator brown noser, when celine does it he gets a valid response, I don't know why I bother.
i was talking about a specific incident
you said brown noser not me
i don't know why you bother either
only joking
Anyone see Wenger's comments on Eduardo and why he is not playing more games, basically said he is only now close to full recovery from the leg break, and that it has to be remembered he had another major operation on his leg last summer(think he had metal plate removed that origanally was ment to be left in for ever) to help him get his speed back and that it is only in the last few weeks that Eduardo has in training looked something like the pre-injury Eduardo
Strange how we hear gooners complain about players who leave us as being grass is always greener, yet suffer from same problem when assessing our players and who they'd replace them with, Carlton Cole a case in point, seen somewhere his best ever return is 12 goals, and to think Nik's 15 mean he is a second rater and CC should take over from him.
Man Utd and Chelsea have two top class strikers, that's what you have to have to compete with them,
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.
he doesnt always score but as Arshavin says it helps all the midgets play better (well he didnt say midgets).
The shape of the team is better with Nik, now if RvP ever comes back for more than a fortnight than Nik should be second choice
"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.
Quote:karsene16
Bendtner's always been average and useful(headers height etc) as a player but not any where near a match winner.
i can think of a few matches he's won us in the last month
since being signed for 30 million pounds dimitar berbatov has scored ...
2
more goals than bendtner
Can We Now Trust The Process 🤔🤷🏿♀️ or Should We Still Remain Cautious 🙇🏿♀️
Quote:your motherQuote:karsene16
Bendtner's always been average and useful(headers height etc) as a player but not any where near a match winner.
i can think of a few matches he's won us in the last month
on the basis of picking up the ball himself, going past a defender and scoring, not latching on to loose balls.
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.
he's on the bench for chelsea - comes on and we lose
starts against liverpool we win
starts against porto we lose
SCORES against sunderland we win
SCORES quality equaliser against stoke we win
MISSES about 100 sitters against burnley but we win
SCORES hatrick as we hammer porto 5-0
SCORES last minute winner to beat hull
subbed off against west ham due to a knock
plays in draw against birmingham - sets up the easiest chance of the match with excellent play
That's 9 matches and 1 sub appearance
Six goals including some crucial ones
7 wins, 1 draw, the only loss (excluding sub appearance) is in a 2 leg match that we win
We'd all be hailing David Villa as an automatic arsenal hero like we did with Arshavin last year
Now obviously I'm not trying to compare the two but I don't see how we can knock Bendtner for his effort and impact since returning from injury
Same could be said for Walcott, he looked World Class vs Burnley but when needed in a bigger game was back to usual.
If Bendtner keeps scoring or keeps assisting he'll be given respect.
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.
He is a decent attacking player, I really like the guy, Ive NEVER once asked for him to be sold, its just long term, he should be a squad player not out main source of attack, which is why we needed a new striker in january, he wasnt going to get the goals that won us games at crucial times.
Quote:Gooner_Mike
When I slate Bendter I get called a commentator brown noser, when celine does it he gets a valid response, I don't know why I bother.
Now you know how I feel.
You are negative in a different way to celine.
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