SOCCER SPORT !

[movet22]

I'm a gooner...

[movet22]

I can't help but agree with a lot of the criticism of the team. I do agree that Wenger is holding them back (I lust after Klopp), and I think they have a set of excellent players, but many whose styles cannot compliment one another. For example, and I'll start with the back four. I love Kosc and Mertesacker, but modern football is too fast for them (looking at you, Per). I have already seen enough of Gabriel to know that I want him in there now learning from Kosc and Cech. He is young, talented and quick. He could be a sensational defender, and that is what we really need. I think that just using him as depth is a waste of his talent. Bellerin could be a star in the making and I love watching him play. Our other flank is a bit of a mess, but Monreal doesn't kill me too much.

The midfield is an area that I have very strong feelings about. I am one of the few people on this planet that thinks Mesut Ozil is worth his fee. I can hardly blame him for struggling to put up the same numbers he did with Ronaldo, Bale and Benzema with the likes of Giroud, Welbeck, Ox, ect. The problem with a guy like Ozil is that if no one is making the runs that he sees, then he just has to make the check-down pass and move on (of which, quick aside, this team floundered under real pressure when he was out. One of the things he does that no one notices is he is CONSTANTLY bailing guys out off the ball when they are approached by a few defenders. He always seems to pop up in space for a quick pass to safety before moving the play forward and finding more space. Very underrated quality). Further, with Mesut, I think the display he put on with Alexis when he returned from his injury last season is proof of what kind of plays he can make if the link of the other end is a quality one. The two were sublime.

[Controversial Statement Alert] I personally think we should be selling high on Cazorla. I think if this team has aspirations of winning the league and making a push deep in the Champions League, you need to stop trying to force Cazorla in the starting XI. Is he talented? Yes. Did he fill in wonderfully for Ozil? Yes. Does he have fantastic chemistry with guys like Giroud, Ox and the like? Yes. But that last part is the problem. A core of Giroud, Cazorla and guys like Ox/Wilshere is a great core of talent... for 3rd and 4th place. It's time up upgrade.

Coquelin (small sample, yes) and Ramsey can be a superb duo in the holding mid positions, with Ramsey having the talent to create through that deep lying mid slot as well. Ozil should sit at the 10 and the forwards should be Alexis (because, obviously), and two forwards that need to be purchased. World class forwards. Guys like Benzema, Cavani, Lacazette, Reus, Draxler (debatable), Gotze, Higuain, Lewandowski, ect. Guys who can do what Alexis does: receive and hold the ball while play develops around them. With real attacking forwards, Ozil can just ping passes for 90 minutes to talents that can actually finish them. It would be amazing.

And yet it won't be, because Wenger is stubborn, and all of this continually falls on def ears. If we stand pat this season and lead the charge with Giroud, Walcott, Ox, Welbeck and that crew at forward, we are in for another 3rd/4th finish. No matter what miracles Mr. Cech (seemingly can't) pull out of his socks.

[movet22]

Hmm, thinking about it, here are the Arsenal players I'd like at Liverpool:
Olivier Giroud
Alexis Sanchez
Laurent Koscielny

I think those three can start with some regularity at Liverpool. Furthermore, for the bench, I wouldn't mind:
Aaron Ramsey
Santi Cazorla
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
David Ospina
Mesut Ozil
Theo Walcott

That's 9 players I think could strengthen Liverpool. And yet, the whole at Arsenal seems less than the sum of its parts. And I think that's Wenger's fault.

From Chelsea, all I'd want are Oscar, Hazard, Willian, and maybe Remy. City has Silva, Aguero, Toure, Hart, and maybe Kolarov. When they had Dzeko and Jovetic, I'd have been all over them too. United has Chicharito, Mata, and maybe Schneiderlin.

You can have Giroud.

Raza, you're from Philly, I don't know if you are/were a baseball fan, but Giroud is like Mike Schmidt. The main criticism is that all of his numbers came against bad teams and when the stakes weren't high enough (with some exceptions, naturally). He'd be a banger on a mid table team, but isn't enough for a top four team.

[OTGabe]

Great insight, movet22.

[Raza]

You can have Giroud.

Raza, you're from Philly, I don't know if you are/were a baseball fan, but Giroud is like Mike Schmidt. The main criticism is that all of his numbers came against bad teams and when the stakes weren't high enough (with some exceptions, naturally). He'd be a banger on a mid table team, but isn't enough for a top four team.

My feelings about Giroud are well documented. Everyone at Arsenal thinks you need Benzema to succeed, but that's a false pretense. Sure, a different type of striker is needed to change up attacks, but Giroud is very underrated.

If you've got beef with Welbeck, that I understand. He sucks. Can't finish, can't play as a central striker, can't play wide. He's about as useful as a clown at a funeral.

And Mike Schmidt is one of the all time greats!

[Steppy]

You can have Giroud.

Raza, you're from Philly, I don't know if you are/were a baseball fan, but Giroud is like Mike Schmidt. The main criticism is that all of his numbers came against bad teams and when the stakes weren't high enough (with some exceptions, naturally). He'd be a banger on a mid table team, but isn't enough for a top four team.

Theres a cricket term for the kind of player Giroud is. "A flat track bully"


Someone who dominates against inferior opposition but is shown to be wanting against the better opponents (in cricketing terms, meaning the bowler is only useful against poor batsmen, Ie the tail end)

[OTGabe]

Theres a cricket term for the kind of player Giroud is. "A flat track bully"


Someone who dominates against inferior opposition but is shown to be wanting against the better opponents (in cricketing terms, meaning the bowler is only useful against poor batsmen, Ie the tail end)

Garbage time player in the US fantasy parlance. Racks up loads of stats in games against poor opponents or late in games when the score doesn't matter.

[movet22]

My feelings about Giroud are well documented. Everyone at Arsenal thinks you need Benzema to succeed, but that's a false pretense. Sure, a different type of striker is needed to change up attacks, but Giroud is very underrated.

If you've got beef with Welbeck, that I understand. He sucks. Can't finish, can't play as a central striker, can't play wide. He's about as useful as a clown at a funeral.

And Mike Schmidt is one of the all time greats!

I respect your opinion as a man of the sport of soccer longer than I have been. But I have to say, this past week alone was a great illustration of his inability to put them away when we need goals most. Two chances- one on his foot and one on his brow- should have been drilled home. Both failed and one missed the target completely. Also, Giroud spent the majority of the second half floating out to the wing and blindly kicking in crosses when no one was there... and he is the one supposed to be in the middle anyways (!!!). I like him as a depth/change of pace guy. But kicking in crosses for headers is just not doing the talent on the rest of this team justice.

Welbeck scored his goal against MU to move us along the FA cup, he has done his job, he may go now.

I also don't think Benzema is the best option out there, but he is better for this team by magnitudes of ten. If I had my druthers I'd throw zillions of GBP at Dortmund for Reus. I think Alexis was better than Hazard last year (Homer alert), and I think that Reus makes Sanchez look chaotic, if that helps summarize my feelings toward the German at all.

[tribe125]

Goalkeeper's amazing backheel equaliser in injury time -


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33880100

[93EXCivic]

Hmm, thinking about it, here are the Arsenal players I'd like at Liverpool:
Olivier Giroud
Alexis Sanchez
Laurent Koscielny

I think those three can start with some regularity at Liverpool. Furthermore, for the bench, I wouldn't mind:
Aaron Ramsey
Santi Cazorla
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
David Ospina
Mesut Ozil
Theo Walcott

That's 9 players I think could strengthen Liverpool. And yet, the whole at Arsenal seems less than the sum of its parts. And I think that's Wenger's fault.

From Chelsea, all I'd want are Oscar, Hazard, Willian, and maybe Remy. City has Silva, Aguero, Toure, Hart, and maybe Kolarov. When they had Dzeko and Jovetic, I'd have been all over them too. United has Chicharito, Mata, and maybe Schneiderlin.

We sure differ. Remy over Costa? None of Chelsea's excellent defense? No Matic? No De Gea or Courtois?

Costa, most of Chelsea's defense, Matic and De Gea would be my some of my top choices for my dream team out of EPL players

I still don't think Arsenal is as strong a team as Chelsea. I think in terms of talent Chelsea still has the best starting roster. Their defense is probably the best. Matic is the best defensive midfielder in the EPL. Hazard is one of the best players in the league and Costa is one of the best strikers (a lot better then Giroud). I'd say only Aguero is better. Also they have one of the two or three best goalkeepers in the league. Honestly if I was picking players from the the top four only, Arsenal would probably be the team I'd take the fewest players from Sanchez and Ramsey. They have a lot of attacking midfielders, a good goalie and a passable defense. I still think Arsenal can push Chelsea hardest unless Man City sorts out it's defensive problems.

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