re: Arsenal 2014/15 Season Long Thread

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Going to be difficult to finish in the top 4 if we're dropping points in winnable matches like the Leicester game.

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Definitely agree with this, although the way it looks early on, every top team other than Chelsea look as though they are going to be dropping their fair share of points against the "lesser" teams. At least Arsenal haven't lost a game to this point and have really shown some great fight like we've not seen for many a year. If we keep that going, we'll pick up points along the way that we might not have taken in years past.

I see Liverpool as being the team that will be on the outside looking in at the end of the year. I do not really consider Spurs or Everton in my thinking, because well, you can't really consider them unless they are in some sort of position late in the year.

I've watched all 4 of Liverpool's games this year, and they are really lucky not to be stuck on 3 points to this point. They were outplayed by Southampton at Anfield to open the season, and were very fortunate not to lose the game outright, much less come away with a win. They've gone on to lost to Man City and Aston Villa, and looked poor in both games. Liverpool just look like they are laboring so much more going forward this year than if Suarez was still in the lineup. You've heard Reds fans keep saying time and again that they won't miss a beat without Suarez because of all these players they bought, they've got Rodgers, etc., but they don't look very good right now to be totally honest. You might not realize it, but Arsenal (7) have actually scored more goals than Liverpool (6) to this point while playing a much tougher stretch to open the season.

I just think that Arsenal have so much more overall quality than a team like Liverpool, even if we are lacking a bit defensively, that it will be difficult for them to sustain it over the course of a 38-game season. With Manchester United strengthening well at the end of the window and Chelsea and Man City being the teams likely fighting it out for the title, I just feel that Liverpool will be one and done in the Champions League this year.

We tend to be a little too reactionary for a game that can be decided by one play. Yea Demichelis was open 12 yards out for a header, not good. But probably 8/10 times he heads that over or heads it right at Szczesny. Bad play by us, but good play by city. Same thing on the first goal, fluky bounce on a 50/50 ball goes right to navas, and then Kos makes a menal error not to close down navas when that right footed cross is his whole game.

There's just too much doom and gloom. Yea we have issues and Wenger has made questionable decisions, but so does every team and so has every manager except Chelsea. People were saying at the end of the transfer window we'd get killed by top teams bc we didn't get a DM, well we just outplayed city and the tying goal we gave up had nothing to do with a DM

Look, we aren't as good or deep as City. Same result as last season at home. Just need to have the same when we travel. The points are going to be tough, and we have the spine this season.

I though Wilshere had his best game since perhaps the UCL home tie against Barcelona in 2011. He was great.

i thought it was an awful day. that's the weakest title contending side we'll face all year and we drew and lost a major contributor for 2 months. we mostly dominated proceedings in the first half with extremely little threat. our only goals were magical (and fun as hell to watch) but we can't create anything simply. until we start creating simple chances, i'm going to be strongly opposed to this formation.

didn't think jack was playing that well prior to his goal, honestly. then he was amazing over the stretch in between that and our second goal. then everyone pretty much disappeared. if i had to pick between sticking with this formation to help jack and moving back to the 4231 to help rambo and ozil, i think that's a no-brainer.

for a formation set up to counter, everyone sucked today at breaking on the counter. everyone, jack, alexis, welbeck, ozil, rambo, blew really great chances to carve them up.

i don't think city's overly physical play affected us, it just got them into card trouble and put our players at risk. clattenburg was never going to give any of them a second yellow apparently. very mourinho-esque managerial performance from pelligrini.

nacho is a very good player but is exposed in open matches. doesn't have the pace or 1v1 defensive ability of gibbs.

zonal marking has just as many problems as man to man marking on corners, but it amazes me we continue to struggle with something we've had implemented for decades.

we're pretty much screwed defensively. bellerin *has* to start. we can't afford to start our only backup CB for 2mos. add onto that kos has an ongoing achilles issue (and was hobbling yesterday at the end of the match), i think we're in deep shite. hope we can tread water for the next two months.

Do you think once Theo is fit we will play Ozil centrally? You've got to think that Welbeck will be up top with Sanchez and Walcott on the wings. At that point Ozil would have to play centrally as the AM and Wenger might not force Wilshere into the side and would instead have Ramsey and Arteta out there.

probably not. most don't allow for immediate recall. with a premier league club especially. he's likely locked in there for the whole season.

Is there any chance Zelalem gets a loan?

Source me bro.

Remember that time Jack made Nasri his bitch?