Arsenal v Newcastle United

[@yourservice 67]

A season of 'positives'? that's nee good is it.

[aimaad22 4222]

I honestly canot see Ashley sacking Pardew. I dont think Ba will go either.

 

Hope you are right on both accounts

 

A season of 'positives'? that's nee good is it.

 

Clutching at straws perhaps but the way Bigi, Marveaux and Anita have progressed recently we'll be a much stronger squad on the whole when the big boys return. Heck even Squiddy has been decent recently. You'd like to think this baptism of fire some of our second string have had will benefit us in the long term. Now just to make sure that long term future is not in the Championship

[Tom 14013]

They're athletes not robots - of course tiredness effects them. We played our bollocks off at old trafford while they were resting. Cries of 'man up' hardly dispel the simple science of the matter.

[Monroe Transfer 0]

So were saying that professional footballers, i.e professional athletes cannot play two games of football in 3 days of each other. Bless, they deserve all the money they get. Makes you sick.

 

Who said they can't?

 

If you can't appreciate that Arsenal benefitted by having no Boxing Day fixture, and that we suffered a bit because we did (even more so because of the performance at Old Trafford), then you're being too harsh.

[Monroe Transfer 0]

They're athletes not robots - of course tiredness effects them. We played our bollocks off at old trafford while they were resting. Cries of 'man up' hardly dispel the simple science of the matter.

 

Yeah. I'm not sure why how much they're paid has anything to do with it, as if a high wage will make you less tired on a football pitch.

[Monroe Transfer 0]

Tiote is obviously playing for a move. No players form can drop so badly without a good reason and his passing has suddenly become woeful.

 

Surely if a player is playing for a move their form should suddenly get better, not worse? Tiote's form is going to put off suitors, not encourage them.

[wykikitoon 20742]

Why didnt Arsenal play on Boxing day btw?

[Monroe Transfer 0]

Why didnt Arsenal play on Boxing day btw?

 

London Underground strike.

[Banshee 0]

We last played 3 days prior at Old Trafford. Arsenal last played 7 days prior at Wigan. Of course it had a bearing on the outcome man, fucking hell.

 

All things have a bearing on the game ........... Arsenal looked 'rusty' and struggled to get into their stride in the first half, presumably because they haven't played for a week.

Yes, we were tired but some of the players took that as a very convenient excuse to give a half-arsed display.

 

 

We have 4 days til we play again ....... is that enough?

Or will the players use Pardews excuses as their excuse?

He seems to be handing them excuses and they, and some of our fans, are swallowing them whole.

[Banshee 0]

Surely if a player is playing for a move their form should suddenly get better, not worse? Tiote's form is going to put off suitors, not encourage them.

 

His talent is what would attract another club.

Talent is permanent, form is temporary ...... two different things mate.

Edited December 30, 2012 by Banshee

[Monroe Transfer 0]

All things have a bearing on the game ........... Arsenal looked 'rusty' and struggled to get into their stride in the first half, presumably because they haven't played for a week.

Yes, we were tired but some of the players took that as a very convenient excuse to give a half-arsed display.

 

 

We have 4 days til we play again ....... is that enough?

Or will the players use Pardews excuses as their excuse?

He seems to be handing them excuses and they, and some of our fans, are swallowing them whole.

 

It as an excuse, though. A totally legitimate one. It's not the only reason we lost 7-3 though, and Pardew knows that. I've not read his post-match comments but if he was laying most of the blame on fatigue then there's probably a bit of man-management in there - he's not having a go at no doubt very disappointed players. He'll make them feel better about themselves.

 

Again, of course it played a factor. Not the only one, by a long shot but it didn't help.

[Chronic the Drug Wasp 6]

We have 4 days til we play again ....... is that enough?

 

Yes - it's "enough" because our opponents won't have had more than twice the rest we have.

[Monroe Transfer 0]

Still 'only' 5 points between us and the top half. We'll find some form soon enough and get out of this mess.

 

Sounds like Debuchy might actually be a goer too, although I won't get too excited just yet.

[aimaad22 4222]

Three winnable league games in January. A good month and a couple of signings and all will be well again. Not ever as simple as that with us though is it.

[Banshee 0]

Yes - it's "enough" because our opponents won't have had more than twice the rest we have.

 

Well the Everton players should be knackered, after playing today, having only a couple of days break.

We'll have more rest time so the result's in the bag.

I just think that Pardew is handing the players a 'get out' clause every time he blames tiredness, injuries, suspensions etc.

I don't like the manager and never have, he got a bit lucky last season and now believes he's a master tactician as last nights subs proved.

[Monroe Transfer 0]

He put on a striker for a CM as we were a goal down - what's so awful about that? Yes, it didn't work out, in retrospect he could have done something else.

 

Of course he's handing them an excuse. Like I just said, it's a man management thing. Criticising hem directly after every match won't help them.

 

Not sure why you're struggling to understand the effects fatigue can have on players. Especially if the team is ravaged by injuries, put in a lot of effort on a heavy pitch against Man Utd, and played against a team who have a bigger squad and had more time off. Also a team who sat back and didn't exert themselves for the first hal of the match.

 

As for Pardew - are you another one who attributes all he's achieved as being down to luck, yet will happily attribute all the team's problems to the man? Great, welcome to the forum.

Edited December 30, 2012 by Monroe Transfer

[Banshee 0]

He put on a striker for a CM as we were a goal down - what's so awful about that? Yes, it didn't work out, in retrospect he could have done something else.

 

Of course he's handing them an excuse. Like I just said, it's a man management thing. Criticising hem directly after every match won't help them.

 

Not sure why you're struggling to understand the effects fatigue can have on players. Especially if the team is ravaged by injuries, put in a lot of effort on a heavy pitch against Man Utd, and played against a team who have a bigger squad and had more time off. Also a team who sat back and didn't exert themselves for the first hal of the match.

 

As for Pardew - are you another one who attributes all he's achieved as being down to luck, yet will happily attribute all the team's problems to the man? Great, welcome to the forum.

 

 

You must be the only person I've spoken to who thinks the subs were a good idea, even Pardew said they weren't right.

 

As for being 'a man management thing', it is, but it's bad management and players need few excuses these days.

 

I'm not struggling to understand anything, I know the players were tired but that doesn't stop them taking up the right positions or marking the opposition.

Tiredness didn't make Simo throw the ball to Arsenal did it?

 

By the way, I don't need you to welcome me to the board, I'm as entitled to my opinion as anyone including the big heads on here.

Edited December 30, 2012 by Banshee

[Monroe Transfer 0]

You must be the only person I've spoken to who thinks the subs were a good idea, even Pardew said they weren't right.

 

As for being 'a man management thing', it is, but it's bad management and players need few excuses these days.

 

I'm not struggling to understand anything, I know the players were tired but that doesn't stop them taking up the right positions or marking the opposition.

Tiredness didn't make Simo throw the ball to Arsenal did it?

 

By the way, I don't need you to welcome me to the board, I'm as entitled to my opinion as anyone including the big heads on here.

 

I didn't say the subs were a good idea. In fact the next sentence has me telling you that in my opinion they "didn't work out". I just meant at the time I could sort of see why they were made, so they weren't completely 100% pointless subs as some seem to think.

 

I'm not that bothered about what Pardew says about the players to the press. What I care about is what he tells them behind closed doors. No idea what he said but I doubt he just went "it's alright, lads, I'll let you off because you worked so hard at Old Trafford".

 

You're right, fatigue doesn't excuse stupid mistakes. Like I said, it's just one reason we lost, but a perfectly legitimate one. Perhaps if Ashley had invested more in the squad, we'd have more to choose from when injuries weaken the squad.

Edited December 30, 2012 by Monroe Transfer

[Christmas Tree 4834]

He put on a striker for a CM as we were a goal down - what's so awful about that?

 

He didn't just do that though, he also swapped around about 60 / 70% of the team leaving us totally disjointed.

 

At that stage the right tactic would have been Shola for Cisse.

[Christmas Tree 4834]

 

By the way, I don't need you to welcome me to the board, I'm as entitled to my opinion as anyone including the big heads on here.

 

 

Go on, name them!

[ToonMarshy 2]

Agree with monroes assessment of the subs. I could see why they were made, it was almost keeganesque in my opinion but we just didnt have the defenseive cover to fall back on. Shit or bust, all or nothing 1 goal behind with not long to go - lets throw on another striker and take the game to them cavaliers ahoy!!!!!

 

Admirable in spirit and if we had a reliable back four we may still have been able to pull level - or even ahead.

 

But they didn't work out, it just left us even more vulnerable and they had a field day with it - no lesson was learnt because pardew knew it was a gamble, a roll of the dice. If it comes off then it was a ballsy gut check and the players stepped up. If it doesnt then it was a desperate act to try and rescue a point that backfired. we got the latter.

 

Taking bigi off was a mistake, most of our attacking presence was coming from the left hand side where obertan kept having wonderful balls sprayed up to him from the centre of the pitch over the top, all placed there by bigi. Bringing another striker on is understandable, doing it at the expense of the only bloke seeming to be able to get the ball into the final third is not.

Simpson coming off? meh. In all honesty i didnt really see the young un after he came on, dont really think he had much of a chance to show that he was any better or worse than simpson because it all went to shit at about the same time - though if we had any kind of depth in simpson should have been off exactly before or directly after he decided to throw the ball to an arsenal player on the edge of our area for the 2nd goal.

His retardation knows no bounds.

 

Yeah theres a couple of shitty things about the game and things outside it that kind of annoy me - them skiving off and getting a weeks break whilst we were grinding out an all or nothing game against the league leaders 3 days earlier is a bit of a shitter. The fact that despite any angle that has currently been shown i STILL cant see santon playing walcott onside for their first goal (may be me at fault there) is also a bit of a shitter - but i'd be loathe to fall on them as excuses, sure they had an impact on the match but should not be used as a get out of jail free card to excuse the shambolic defence.

 

What does it the most for me however is the scoreline - just the fucking scoreline.

Spent all day today with cuntish gooner lads who didnt even watch the game chatting bollocks all day at work about how it was a thrashing and a demolition and all the usual bollocks that goes with a big scoreline.

You know what, chelsea villa was a demolishment. that was a rout, that was a 'rape' as our manager likes to express.

 

Last night was far far removed from that - it was 85 minutes of two teams fairly well balanced (would give us the tip of play in the first half as the better team) and conceding only by little defensive undoings. it was 85 minutes of neck and neck to me-to you football with any team likely to produce the winner.

Then 5 minutes of something barely even resembling football.

 

Those subs and the defense falling apart is something we've seen repeatedly this season - fulham and stoke for example. it's just not something we've usually seen when a team has brought on a fresh and determined attacking power at the same time - and against man utd and to a greater extent, arsenal - we see what happens. but we've already covered how the defense problem needs solving, it isn't worth a repeat.

 

But yeah, the thing that's making me cringe is that for once - the high scoring result does not tell the game, it doesnt explain how on the edge it was for both teams, and it makes us seem like we rolled over and died for arsenal from the get go. we didnt, until the 86th minute anyway. After that? the game ended 4-3 in my opinion, anything else after that just wasnt important - not until goal difference becomes necessary if we are in relegation come 4 months time anyway.

Edited December 30, 2012 by ToonMarshy

[BigWalrus 0]

It's all about comparisons with Arsenal. Two sets of players pushing themselves to the limit. One who sat at home with their feet up on boxing day and the other who chased Man Utd on a soggy, heavy pitch.

 

It's patently obvious that we were going to run out of steam before them. The level of their salaries is completely irrelevant.

[BigWalrus 0]

I too can't see the sense in the subs, but Pardew isn't stupid and must have had his reasons.

[Banshee 0]

 

Last night was far far removed from that - it was 85 minutes of two teams fairly well balanced (would give us the tip of play in the first half as the better team)

 

 

Are you serious?

[ToonMarshy 2]

Are you serious?

 

well yeah - both teams had defensive lapses that led to the two goals, but especially towards the end of the first half we definitely looked like the more dangerous intent side. They were struggling to move around with any kind of patience and organisation and resorted to a few counter hits on the break, only one of which led to anything. Whereas we had more than a couple of well built up plays that whilst didnt result in any more goals, showed a lot more discipline than we have for a while - going forward at least, the back was still a shambles!