Premier League 2/3/4 March 2013

Sheffield gunner wrote:You think? Although we pressed well in the early stages, I'd say there are more similarities between Spurs and Bayern than us. We had more possession in both games and did fuck all with it, against an opponent who were happy to stay compact and keep their shape, and then had far more quality to pick us off on the break and created good chances with regularity as they exploited our space and defensive indiscipline.

Yeah I think so, we ended up having more possession than Bayern because they sat deeper in the 2nd half and were looking to play on the break. They outclassed us in the 1st half; pressed us high up the pitch, I don't think we passed from defence through midfield to attack in the 1st half, Wilshere who was in attacking midfield didn't see the ball in the 1st half.

Spurs had similar troubles today, we harried and pressed them well, they struggled to play from the back, their goal was totally against the run of play mate. We were comfortably the better team at that point.

'The run of play' is a bit of a nebulous concept with Arsenal. There are clear times when everything clicks and we are attacking and incisive and sharp, but the rest of the time what does it mean? We pressed well for most of the first half, and did a decent job then, but did we really trouble Spurs? Did we create chances? I don't think we did, especially after the first ten minutes when we seemed to be practising Wenger's 'sterile domination' more than anything. It matters not that we were playing a bit better than Spurs (and I don't think it was a one-sided half by any means) because teams don't need to be playing well to score against us, all they need is some fluidity and incision in individual moments or to exploits the ridiculous flaws in our defensive structure. It's far too common to see our defence unlocked 'out of nothing' for the run of play to be a worthwhile measure of our games. Frankly we seem to be as vulnerable from our corners and our attacks (if the whole team are involved) as we are a threat to the opposition - especially against teams that have pace and quality. It's not as if teams build up tremendous pressure on us all the time and we finally relent, it's as likely as anything to come from their first attack for 20 minutes because we've over-committed or switched off, or someone is way out of position, and that's because it's a dreadfully managed team.

You can't really big up your pressing when it led to two enormous holes in your defence which both Parker and Siggurdsson had an age inwhich to pass into. At least can't compare it to what Bayern did to you.



I agree that you were the 'better' team up until that first goal, but it was never a masterclasd, we just hadn't really got going. We were the better team also for the opening periods in the last two NLDs at Emirates and look how that turned out.

The Professor wrote:High-line with no pressure on the ball, where have seen that one before?

Spurs were truly outclassed in the 1st half, we made them look average with our pressing, passing and positional game. However this game just reinforces my view that we should ditch this dominant/attacking style for a more reactionary game(compact, deeper defensive lines, less of the ball, more vertical passes, looking to punish any mistakes by the opposition). We simply lack top quality match winners to justify such a high risked game. We did to them exactly what Bayern did to us, with only difference being, Bayern had the players to make their dominance count, how many times did we trouble Lloris with all our dominance in the 1st half? he hardly had anything to do. And with the lack of sufficient quality in the team, we are always liable to switch off in defensive phases and that's exactly what happened; one moment when we didn't press well + a high defensive line(consisting of a positionally suspect defender and another one with the turning circle of an oil tanker) = disaster! bang! goal!

Can't see us making the CL this season. Congrats to Spurs
I normally don't wish them any good but they are a very ambitious and a well run club, so I think they deserve to be in the CL.

If by 1st half you mean first 15 minutes.

But I agree, Arsenal at their best were a fast counter-attacking team, Wenger has spent the last few years trying to be Spain and it's never going to work.

Did you see the assist from PARKER SELECCÍON today, gentlemen?

I always said he was excellent.

Why does everything have to be made to so complicated are Arsenal fans with a CB denial in the same position Spurs pairing played bettering defence why does their game come down to the way the rest of the Arsenal side plays still need to build confidence from the back yes you may require more decisive finishing and end product with Wenger he clearly does not put that much importance of having the central defenders reading the game and controlling the teams defensive effect.

Gaucho Spur wrote:Did you see the assist from PARKER SELECCÍON today, gentlemen?

I always said he was excellent.

Good stuff Gaucho.

That was easily Parker's best game of the season. Still needs to operate in a close contained 3, leaves too many gaps despite some excellent pressing and tackling. However, he stood up to the task for the most part today after first 15minutes. Hopefully the sign he can continue to improve his form- this is his last season for sure as a first team starter (sandros injury) so may aswell go out getting us into 4th and become a HASHTAG LEGEND. We could build a bronze statue of him outside the new stadium. Has become fashionable in North London these days. Already put 20quid on Arsenal building one of Szseszny next to Bergkamp, Henry and Sylvain Wiltord within the next 10 years

if Spurs sold Bale to Man Utd they would be just as shit as Arsenal.

The Professor wrote:High-line with no pressure on the ball, where have seen that one before?

Spurs were truly outclassed in the 1st half, we made them look average with our pressing, passing and positional game. However this game just reinforces my view that we should ditch this dominant/attacking style for a more reactionary game(compact, deeper defensive lines, less of the ball, more vertical passes, looking to punish any mistakes by the opposition). We simply lack top quality match winners to justify such a high risked game. We did to them exactly what Bayern did to us, with only difference being, Bayern had the players to make their dominance count, how many times did we trouble Lloris with all our dominance in the 1st half? he hardly had anything to do. And with the lack of sufficient quality in the team, we are always liable to switch off in defensive phases and that's exactly what happened; one moment when we didn't press well + a high defensive line(consisting of a positionally suspect defender and another one with the turning circle of an oil tanker) = disaster! bang! goal!

Can't see us making the CL this season. Congrats to Spurs
I normally don't wish them any good but they are a very ambitious and a well run club, so I think they deserve to be in the CL.

PROGRESS!!!

Sheffield gunner wrote:You think? Although we pressed well in the early stages, I'd say there are more similarities between Spurs and Bayern than us. We had more possession in both games and did fuck all with it, against an opponent who were happy to stay compact and keep their shape, and then had far more quality to pick us off on the break and created good chances with regularity as they exploited our space and defensive indiscipline.

Wenger makes some mealy-mouthed platitudes rather than come up with his usual complete bullshit this time. Makes no difference, he's the one most responsible for this. Perhaps in the future he might consider preparing the team against our opposition's strengths can be helpful, and at the least, do something other than set up in the most accommodating manner for them.

But that is exactly what he is totally averse to doing. So far as he is concerned, we lose because we 'don't play our way'. We could get away with that while we had a good MF and attacking front; what we have now aren't anywhere near that and we get punished time and again, but AW will never be shaken from that pigheaded conviction. That's why he should not be in charge for the next transfer window. He'll just buy more small tiki-takking MFs and 'footballing' defenders.

Kimbo wrote:

But I agree, Arsenal at their best were a fast counter-attacking team, Wenger has spent the last few years trying to be Spain and it's never going to work.

Been saying it for ages.

They should've signed Sissoko and told Wiltshire to fuck off.

Are Spurs really that good or are they suffering from the so called "Bremen-syndrome" which is about a certain team profiting from the failing of direct competitors for a certain spot on the ranking.

Questions....

Fey wrote:Are Spurs really that good or are they suffering from the so called "Bremen-syndrome" which is about a certain team profiting from the failing of direct competitors for a certain spot on the ranking.

Questions....

You think it's Newcastle's fault they're doing so well?

Well not just Newcastle an sich. But fact is Arsenal have their worst squad in 20 years and thus Spurs are finally able to end higher then them. Coincidence? I think not...

I don't think Fey quite appreciates how massive the gap was between the clubs a decade ago.

Arsenal 2-1 Spurs on 08/11/03 :

J Lehmann, Lauren (D Bergkamp, 61), S Campbell, K Toure, A Cole, F Ljungberg, R Parlour , G Silva (P Cygan, 61), R Pires, N Kanu (Edu, 82), T Henry

Subs not used: G Stack, J Hoyte

-----------------------------------------------------

K Keller, S Carr, A Gardner, D Richards , M Taricco , S Dalmat (B Zamora, 82), D Anderton , L King, P Konchesky (M Mabizela, 73), H Postiga (R Ricketts, 82), R Keane

Subs not used: R Burch, G Doherty

Yeah they've regressed but we've also had to improve. We finished 45 points behind Arsenal that season, having finished 38 behind the year before.

that's a bit misleading, Tottenham also had Kanoute, Defoe, Redknapp, Ziege, Manucho and Dean Marney. They've also been splooshing nutloads of cash on players every season, while Arsenal's net spend in this time wouldn't even get you half a Chimbonda.

How many of todays XI were in the team pre-Redknapp? 3?

Yeah, Spurs have spent so much cash we're basically Chelsea, just a place higher

not really, Chelsea won titles and the CL. Tottenham have spent 300m just to get into the big 4, and only to find that being in the big 4 isn't cool anymore.

And I'm certain that no other non-CL regular spent as much as Spurs in that time.

Anyway, it's odd to talk about that team of 2003 when 2 seasons later Tottenham began their habit of finishing 5th, or at least being seen as the 5th seed while I don't think Arsenal won a trophy since. So rather than Fey misunderstanding how big the gulf was, perhaps it's more TS misunderstanding how small the gap has seemed to everyone else for quite some time.

Chelsea have also spent billions, not millions, and rarely had to sell to balance the books, nor worry about piddly wage caps.

Of course Fey is talking bollocks - this hasn't just occurred because others are falling away, yes Arsenal are on the slide but then Man City and Chelsea are now here to stay when they weren't a decade ago.

Anyway, same could be said of Feyenoord: had Ajax continued to dominate as they used to, no one would have even heard of the Rotterdam c**ts

Brian2468 wrote:

Kroos wrote:funny, its unthinkable in die Bundesliga, there is simply no resistence in midfield, from both sides

I have no idea what you are talking about up until the two goals both goalkeepers had nothing to do all the resistance was in midfield yes you could say the midfield started to break down it is the Centre Backs that should control how the midfield plays in front of them defensively.

i only watched the 2nd half

so maybe both teams where going for the goal (after mertes equalizer) and did not care that much anymore, i have just seen fack shit many long balls, and lennon running down the line with the cross not finding his target, it was great to watch, EPL football

Wenger has to be fired, whats wrong with this club, arsenal has no plan, and no organisation

tottenhams unbeaten run is impressive, they deserve the CL

i like the 6 min extra time, i think the refs have become instructions from sky, because everyone likes drama, and the tension in this 6 min will be unmatched, the EPL is simply genius in terms of marketing

Fey wrote:Are Spurs really that good or are they suffering from the so called "Bremen-syndrome" which is about a certain team profiting from the failing of direct competitors for a certain spot on the ranking.

You mean the club that is still #2 in the all time table of the league that just celebrated it's 50th birthday this year, still ahead of your beloved HiV despite having spent a season less in the top flight? Guess we profited half a century then...

If anything, it's the other way around. The likes of Leverkusen, Hannover and Gladbach, not even mentioning the one season wonders Frankfurt and Freiburg, are only up there these days because we are so shit. There never has been a truer story told my Hochwasser Hosen wearing, pink and green coloured shirts flashing, Clogg dancing, Bitterball munching, Heineken piss drinking friend.

Kroos wrote:

Brian2468 wrote:

Kroos wrote:funny, its unthinkable in die Bundesliga, there is simply no resistence in midfield, from both sides

I have no idea what you are talking about up until the two goals both goalkeepers had nothing to do all the resistance was in midfield yes you could say the midfield started to break down it is the Centre Backs that should control how the midfield plays in front of them defensively.

i only watched the 2nd half

so maybe both teams where going for the goal (after mertes equalizer) and did not care that much anymore, i have just seen fack shit many long balls, and lennon running down the line with the cross not finding his target, it was great to watch, EPL football

Wenger has to be fired, whats wrong with this club, arsenal has no plan, and no organisation

tottenhams unbeaten run is impressive, they deserve the CL

i like the 6 min extra time, i think the refs have become instructions from sky, because everyone likes drama, and the tension in this 6 min will be unmatched, the EPL is simply genius in terms of marketing

Spurs do deserve CL. I don't remember that many long balls. More arsenal controlling the middle, and spurs the wings. Both adebayor and giroud were shite.

For the 6 mins injury time, I think there was a long injury break when dembele bent his knee and ankle in the wrong direction. I remember thinking at the time that was his season over, but then he wanted to come back on after he had been substituted.

Super Mourinho wrote:

The Professor wrote:High-line with no pressure on the ball, where have seen that one before?

Spurs were truly outclassed in the 1st half, we made them look average with our pressing, passing and positional game. However this game just reinforces my view that we should ditch this dominant/attacking style for a more reactionary game(compact, deeper defensive lines, less of the ball, more vertical passes, looking to punish any mistakes by the opposition). We simply lack top quality match winners to justify such a high risked game. We did to them exactly what Bayern did to us, with only difference being, Bayern had the players to make their dominance count, how many times did we trouble Lloris with all our dominance in the 1st half? he hardly had anything to do. And with the lack of sufficient quality in the team, we are always liable to switch off in defensive phases and that's exactly what happened; one moment when we didn't press well + a high defensive line(consisting of a positionally suspect defender and another one with the turning circle of an oil tanker) = disaster! bang! goal!

Can't see us making the CL this season. Congrats to Spurs
I normally don't wish them any good but they are a very ambitious and a well run club, so I think they deserve to be in the CL.

PROGRESS!!!

What upsets me more than anything is that this result doesn't hurt anywhere near as much as it should do.

But yeah, i'm with Prof. Super knows i've been TEAM PROGRESS since the back end of last year. I'd much prefer to be a reactive side, where you're compact and can look to hit on the counter. Swansea under Laudrup are the perfect example.

Wenger and the board need to go

Kimbo wrote:They should've signed Sissoko and told Wiltshire to fuck off.

Nope.

Sign Sissoko and tell Arteta to fuck off

Sir Alex Ferguson on what Manchester need to do to defeat Real Madrid: "If you're preparing for a game of football at our level you have to pay respect to the strengths of the other team which we do for every team - the shape, tactics, who the best players are, etc."

Wenger: "We concentrate on our own game."

Hasn't Arteta been once of the better performers over the last year? Get rid of Ramsey.

Arteta has one gear. He isn't overly creative, doesn't score huge amounts either. We have enough players who can recycle posession. It'd allow us to move Wilshere deeper again and play him alongside a destroyer (Capoue preferably)

Ramsey doesn't need to start but he's more dynamic and versatile than Arteta for me.

I know we were warned about it, but it's still shocking how bad Adebayor is currently. At fault for their goal losing Mertesacker, generally putting in about as much physical effort as Stephen Hawking. As a fellow Spurs fan put it: makes my blood boil knowing he is on more money than Bale and the rest of the squad.

Annoyingly he is still integral to our plans: without a fit, motivated Adebayor, we lack the focal point of attack to build from. Our best football last year revolved around him. Defoe is obviously a hashtag legend, but without being able to hold the ball up we lack that ability to build up attacks from further up the pitch.

The fact that we are still in the Europa League and won 3 on the trot in the league despite pretty much playing with 10 men is all the more impressive.

However, as much as I don't paeticularly like the bloke currently, not sure wishing he died in the Togo bus shooting is wholly necessary, as some away Arsenal fans suggested yesterday. Each to their own I suppose

Disco Benny wrote:I know we were warned about it, but it's still shocking how bad Adebayor is currently. At fault for their goal losing Mertesacker, generally putting in about as much physical effort as Stephen Hawking. As a fellow Spurs fan put it: makes my blood boil knowing he is on more money than Bale and the rest of the squad.

Annoyingly he is still integral to our plans: without a fit, motivated Adebayor, we lack the focal point of attack to build from. Our best football last year revolved around him. Defoe is obviously a hashtag legend, but without being able to hold the ball up we lack that ability to build up attacks from further up the pitch.

The fact that we are still in the Europa League and won 3 on the trot in the league despite pretty much playing with 10 men is all the more impressive.

However, as much as I don't paeticularly like the bloke currently, not sure wishing he died in the Togo bus shooting is wholly necessary, as some away Arsenal fans suggested yesterday. Each to their own I suppose

this Adebayor slump makes me worried you're the club most likely to be after Benteke in the summer