Club football discussions

[Jango]

What a comeback. Absolutely class.

Although I didn't watch the match live, and had to be content with highlights so no ratings, but man oh man.

Theo should have had a hattrick, ball clearly over the line.

Giroud completely changed the game after he came on, with some really good headers, Esfeild being really clever, Theo , Arshavin and Chamakh coming back from their hibernation period, Jenkinson being good, what a game.

The defence was pretty poor though, and conceded goals from crosses, this wouldn't be good against Utd, who rely on their wingers to get balls in for the strikers.

 

[Jango]

A little preview of Man Utd vs Arsenal from a Arsenal perspective.

This is a mammoth tie for Arsenal, winning it would be a big signal to the rest of the teams and a great morale booster. We have Gibbs, Szczesny and Diaby out injured. Wilshere is back so expect him to start. The COC game went into extra time so alot of players would be really tired.

A big problem would be the full backs, especially as Santos is very prone to defensive lapses at LB and also lacks any pace. Valencia will be having a field day against him so either Podolski has to virtually act as a second LB or another player should be played. Other options are Miquel, Vermaelen, Jenkinson and Coquelin. Miquel isn't really a god choice and so is not Coquelin. Vermaelen has been going on with a good partnership with Mertesacker in the middle so no need to disrupt that. My choice would be to switch Sagna to the left and play Jenkinson on the right. Jenkinson has been absolutely massive this season at RB, defending well and all. But he played the whole game in the COC and so might be tired. Sagna on the left will give much needed defensive stability.

The attack picks itself really. Giroud and Podoslski starting with Ramsey or Oxlade Chamberlain on the right. Walcott will not get a start because he played the full game at Reading and I don't think he would recover in time. Anyway, he would be much better as a super sub at the 55th minute or so. Oxlade Chamberlain is also a wild card, and might get a start or some decent minutes.

A midfield of Arteta, Wilshere and Cazorla would be giving some real problems to the Utd central midfield, but the lack of pace in Arteta might get exposed. So, perhaps Coquelin in midfield could be needed to shore up the LB position if indeed Santos starts.

My team:

Mannone

Jenkinson-Per-Vermaelen-Sagna

Arteta
Wilshere - Cazorla

Ramsey Giroud Podolski.

What I think Wenger will play is Santos at LB, Sagna at RB. Ramsey or Oxlade Chamberlain will be a choice Wenger will make, because Ramsey has been pretty ineffectual playing out wide.

My prediction, with some arsenal bias of course

2-3

What I am expecting

2-1 To Utd.

 

[Arabian Legend]

Keep calm and love Real Madrid.

e las glorias deportivas, que campean por Espana
va el Madrid con su bandera, limpia y blanca que no empana.
Club castizo y generoso, todo nervio y corazon,
veteranos y noveles, veteranos y noveles,
miran siempre sus laureles con respeto y emocion.

Hala Madrid!, Hala Madrid!
Noble y bélico adalid, caballero del honor.
Hala Madrid!, Hala Madrid!
A triunfar en buena lid, defendiendo tu color
Hala Madrid!,Hala Madrid!;Hala Madrid!

Enemigo en la contienda, cuando pierde da la mano
sin envidias ni rencores, como bueno y fiel hermano.
Los domingos por la tarde, caminando a Chamartin,
las mocitas madrilenas, las mocitas madrilenas
van alegres y risuenas porque hoy juega su Madrid

Hala Madrid!Hala Madrid!
Noble y bélico adalid, caballero del honor.
Hala Madrid!Hala Madrid!
A triunfar en buena lid, defendiendo tu color
Hala Madrid!, Hala Madrid!Hala Madrid!​

Viva Real Madrid 010 to all others

 

[Jango]

Well I am really depressed right now, but here it goes!

Mannone- 8 - the best player for arsenal

Sagna- 7 - solid as ever

Mertesacker- 6.5, tempted to give him a seven. Was excellent in his last challenges and interceptions.

Vermaelen- 6- Nothing much. Atrocious clearance in the 2nd minute gave away a cheap goal. Things might have been very different.

Santos- 4- One word, dreadful.

Arteta- 6- Decent, average.

Cazorla-7- Plus one for the goal and the general effort he made.

Wilshere- 6.5- Nothing too extra ordinary. That should never have been a red card, he was not going in reckless, and it wasn't the follow through either, and on top of that, he got the ball as well. (Van Persie should have gotten a red then, so should have Cleverley)

Podolski- 5- Anonymous

Giroud- 6- Should have scored from that Theo cross.

Ramsey- 6- Nothing.

Subs:

Walcott- Brought on much needed pace, and did a couple of things that could have turned into goals.

Arshavin- N/A

My comments:

First half was poor. We were lucky to get away 1-0 at halftime, the penalty miss by Rooney was welcome. Second half was much better. There was a high tempo and a spell for 15-20 minutes at the start of the second half and Arsenal were looking to get a goal, and would have got it. But then the Wilshere red and subsequently the goal totally took it away. Giroud had a golden chance from that Theo cross, and then things would have been different. Cazorla got a goal in the end.

Special mention, Away fans. 11/10. They kept singing against 65000 Utd fans for the last 20 mins, with Arsenal 1-0 and a man down. BIG credit to them.

It wasn't a great performance, but a draw could have been carved out of it. Wilshere red was a bit harsh IMO, and Van Persie and Cleverley should have also gotten a red by the same criteria.

EDIT: On second thought, I think Wilshere did deserve a red. Tackle was a bit high, but Cleverley should have got a red as well.

SAF took off Cleverley, Wenger should have as well. Move Ramsey to the middle, and bring in Walcott for Wilshere, especially when he got the red in the start of the game, and was playing his second BPL game after injury.

 

[Jango]

This is so frustrating. But here it goes again

Mannone- 6- Nothing much. Should have done better for the second Fulham goal.

Sagna-6-Solid as ever. Made some good runs and crosses, offered himself for support

Mert-6- Good reading of the game. Got outrun by Berbatov a few times but excellent positioning to recover.

Koscielny-7- When the defence concedes 3 goals, it isn't good, but he was among the solid performers yesterday. That 75th minute double tackle on Berbatov was match winning, and absolutely beautiful to watch.

Vermaelen-5- Less said the better. He is horribly off form.

Arteta-5-Got caught in possession a couple of times in the second half, and then the penalty miss.

Cazorla-6.5-Still looks a bit fatigued, played a few good passes, and got himself into some dangerous positions.

Coquelin-6- Average

Walcott-7-His better games. Was lively throughout and his partnership with Giroud was for everyone to see. Excellent crosses from the flank on most occasions, and then made the run with a clever one two with Giroud, in the end, shot going a few feet wide.

Giroud-8.5- Absolute beast in the air. Got two goals with excellent movement, especially for the corner. Won almost every long ball, and chested it down and a calm side foot pass, excellent game. But I still don't get it why did he duck from that theo cross when he was free. He said he got a call from behind.

Podolski-6- Average, nothing much, except the goal. With Gibbs out injured, he has to put a big shift in defence.

Subs:

Ramsey-4-Awful, gave the ball away, and didn't do anything else.

Arshavin-6- Was lively, a few crosses, and won the penalty.

AOC- N/A

 

[Backbencher]

Man city VS Spurs about to kick off

VoVo vo goal.com says that Silva is playing

 

[Jango]

Arsenal vs Spuds.
5 - 2

Szczesny-8- Not much to do, got called out a couple of times. +1 for the time wasting, loved that. Kept on holding the ball at his feet!

Sagna-7.5- Absolute monster that side with Theo. Kept on making 2v1 situations, and was solid in defence,

Mertesacker-7.5- Usual solid performance. Made a mistake to let off Defoe for the spurs goal, tried to play a offside, but what a goal that was at the other end. Terrific power and precision on it.

Koscielny-7- Good game. Made alot of crucial interceptions and tackles.

Vermaelen-7- Good game. Got forward on alot of occasions, making runs into the box. Defended well.

Arteta- 7- Kept the game ticking.

Wilshere-8- Fantastic performance. His passion, drive, intelligence, passes everything.

Cazorla-9- MOTM today. Great stuff. Movement, passing, dribbles, everything was flawless. His assist for the third goal was excellent.

Podolski-7- Put in a good shift, defended and attacked. Got a well taken goal, and the assist for the Cazorla goal was very well put.

Giroud-7- Good game.

Walcott-8- Disappeared early on, but grew into the game later on. Beastly performance on that side. Mkaing very good runs, good control, crosses etc. Got the assist for the first goal after some good work down that right hand side.

Subs:

Ramsey-6- Decent

Santos-5- Let's not talk about him

Ox-7- Did well for the time he was on, and got an assist as well.

 

[Chrome9]

Hey what were peoples thoughts on yesterday's champs league match - UTD vs Real Madrid? I was there at Old trafford and the atmosphere was absolutely insane! I think I can speak for the 75,000 people + that no one was expecting that Red card. I guess Real responded and got two in 3 minutes with the modric one being an absolute stunner. It was immense when SAF raised his arms and the four corners of Old Trafford responded! UTD showed alot of character and it was a shame that the REF ruined the game. What was everyone elses thoughts?

 

[F86 Saber]

Why blame the REF why not blame Nani for being stupid. If you are going in a challenge with studs showing 9/10 times it is a straight red. In addition to that, his boot was very high and his studs were pointed at and hit Arbeloa's chest.

A Red card was shown to Nigel De Jong in the 2010 world cup final for a similar foul on Xabi Alonso. Not to forget the red card shown to Pepe for a studs up challenge on Dani Alves during the champions league semi final 2 years ago although contact in that case was a lot lower.

Fact of the matter is, Man Utd couldn't score from open play during the whole 180 minutes and couldn't even score a goal at home while playing 11 v 11 for 56 minutes. They had to rely on parking the bus to stop Real's attacks so if anyone deserved to go through this tie it was Real Madrid.

 

[A.Rafay]

Where is the American football thread?

 

[Chrome9]

Why blame the REF why not blame Nani for being stupid. If you are going in a challenge with studs showing 9/10 times it is a straight red. In addition to that, his boot was very high and his studs were pointed at and hit Arbeloa's chest.

A Red card was shown to Nigel De Jong in the 2010 world cup final for a similar foul on Xabi Alonso. Not to forget the red card shown to Pepe for a studs up challenge on Dani Alves during the champions league semi final 2 years ago although contact in that case was a lot lower.

Fact of the matter is, Man Utd couldn't score from open play during the whole 180 minutes and couldn't even score a goal at home while playing 11 v 11 for 56 minutes. They had to rely on parking the bus to stop Real's attacks so if anyone deserved to go through this tie it was Real Madrid.

OOh Madrid fan - well I can tell you at the ground no one was expecting that red - not the managers/players/supporters anyone. He went with high studs but their was no malice and no intention to tackle - My point of view he got the ball and arbeola ran into his foot. A yellow card was to suffice - now for all that rubbish about UTD not performing - Jose Mourinho said him self - "the best team lost" should be more than enough for you "saber"

 

[Kambojaric]

Was just shocked when the red card came out. I understand the refs point of view but really the red was just too harsh. Its clear that Nanis intent was to control the ball and not kick Arbeloa whom emerged from behind far too late for Nani to try and pull down his legs.

 

[F86 Saber]

OOh Madrid fan - well I can tell you at the ground no one was expecting that red - not the managers/players/supporters anyone. He went with high studs but their was no malice and no intention to tackle - My point of view he got the ball and arbeola ran into his foot. A yellow card was to suffice - now for all that rubbish about UTD not performing - Jose Mourinho said him self - "the best team lost" should be more than enough for you "saber"

Well obviously no one at the ground was expecting a red, you were at Old Trafford remember. I can assure you however that the away fans were delighted to see it .

2ndly, intent or no intent, if a foul brings your opponent in physical harms way than it is a straight red. Even contact doesn't matter as we have seen red cards shown for studs up sliding tackles where there was minimal or no contact.


Regarding Mou, he is obviously looking for opportunities to win over Man utd fans and he fancies Fergie's job next season. The "Best" team that couldn't even score a goal from open play during the whole match deserved to loose.

 

[Chrome9]

Well obviously no one at the ground was expecting a red, you were at Old Trafford remember. I can assure you however that the away fans were delighted to see it .

2ndly, intent or no intent, if a foul brings your opponent in physical harms way than it is a straight red. Even contact doesn't matter as we have seen red cards shown for studs up sliding tackles where there was minimal or no contact.


Regarding Mou, he is obviously looking for opportunities to win over Man utd fans and he fancies Fergie's job next season. The "Best" team that couldn't even score a goal from open play during the whole match deserved to loose.

This can go on forever, best thing is to accept the red card and move ob - its part of football - we scored the first goal from open play and were in a commanding position - the red changed the game - Madrid had 10 minutes of class when we were down to 10 men - thereafter they were holding on - UTD played with character. Anyways, will be an interesting champs league now.

 

[Neptune]

Fuvck American football!

Sounds like it became an habbit for us to kick European a$$ we got 1-0 at Czech republic. If we win the next match at our home we guarantee to be in Final 8 at UEFA Europe League