Pre-Season 2014/15

chambers if fking solid, such a great back up option. if we buy another CB, our 4th and 3rd CB option will be sorted!

schalke losing to newcastle lol wtf

what on earth is 'newcastle', anyone here can tell me?

@ RG, MJ
Yeah I'm back for good. Just needed a big rest from a lot of things, including the forums

@performance

Front 3 not clicking is an obvious issue but the most worrying thing is our midfield.

You just look at a guy like Arteta, who's great in his own way yet falls short of so many things against a bull like Kondogbia.

Why do refs just absolutely hate giving us penalties ?

Chuba-Chubs
Really encouraging for a 18 year old. Think he could make it.

its worrying other rivals really looks ahead of us in preparation and fitness levels

Well most teams don't have WC players coming back in groups. Madrid don't look good either and they have the same problem as us.

It will be sorted soon. 2 more weeks to go. The problem will be our German trio coming in late. Because Mertesacker is essential in our defence. While Ozil is the key to the system.

alexis in the middle,was much better playing upfront on his own. i think he is wasted out wide. thank god, giroud got subbed.

attack vs city:

flamini-ramsey
cazorla

OX/campbell-alexis-rosicky

this is our best front line available atm and i think wenger knows it.

Sina wrote:its worrying other rivals really looks ahead of us in preparation and fitness levels

Chelsea just lost 3-0 against Bremen so ...

Robbed of our own trophy.

Crap officiating aside, it was an annoying game for us. First half we were out-muscled in midfield and just didn't get anything going offensively, partly down to the lack of sharpness that Giroud and Alexis had, but also partly down to Ramsey, Wilshere and Cazorla not being able to get in behind Monaco's midfield and run at their defence. Only way we were able to go forward was by direct balls that bypassed midfield altogether.

It was a poor goal to concede, too. You can't let anyone unmarked in the centre of your box, nevermind a striker like Falcao. All three of the goals we've conceded this pre-season have come from set-pieces; clearly this is something Arsenal still need to do a bit more work on.

We were better in the second half offensively but couldn't create one decent chance on goal. Alexis looked good down the middle and Chamberlain gave us more of an outlet on the right hand side, but I thought we needed to take a bit more care with the final ball. Monaco were also annoyingly solid, especially their midfield screen of Bakayoko and Kondogbia.

In fact, Monaco being stronger than we were was a feature throughout the game. The amount of times Wilshere, Arteta and Ramsey were just run off the ball was worrying, even in a pre-season game. Players like Dirar and Carrasco as well looked to be quicker and stronger than Monreal and Cazorla down that left hand side.

Ultimately it was a frustrating game but I don't think the result or performance are much to worry over. Arsenal didn't concede many, if any, clear chances on their goal in open play. The bigger problem was creating chances but you've got to remember that not everyone is fully fit and the new signings haven't had enough time to gel with the squad. Debuchy has trained with Chamberlain for a few days and with Alexis once, so he's obviously not going to have that understanding down the right hand side yet. Giroud looks sluggish when he's fully fit, so with only a week's training behind him it was inevitable he'd look way off the pace. Alexis had one day of training and 20 minutes behind him.

What's important is that Koscielny and Debuchy got 90 mins and the opportunity to play with each other and Chambers ahead of the Community Shield; that Alexis got a solid 70 minutes and that nobody got injured. Rosicky, Campbell and Sanogo were rested, and they're being extra careful with Diaby (Wenger confirmed that he's not injured, just left out). We're getting there.

The squad will now have a good week to build up more fitness before the Community Shield which is, for all intents and purposes, another friendly game, and then another week before the season starts. So two more weeks for the team to gel more and to build up more fitness.

I am really worried about Arteta.

He looks even more slower and sluggish than last year. And he has been in training for 3 weeks now so doesn't have the excuse our other players have.

Arsene won't buy a DM unless the situation is ideal for him in terms of money,wages etc. So to be on the safe side, we have to assume Arteta is our no 1 DM again. Which is going to be a problem.

I still love him and will always hope he does well in games and he will in most home games but when it comes to the away games like last season. We will suffer in that regard.

that Chambers kid was also bought with DM in mind, no?

It's interesting because Wenger told Canal + of France that Diaby had an injury and they were making sure that it didn't become serious... so he's telling two different stories

Like last year, Arsenal lacks muscle in the midfield and that will come back to haunt the team every time they play one of the better sides... because all those sides are strong in the midfield. Arteta, Wilshere, Ramsey and Flamini just can't match up physically despite how hard they try.

This, and replacing Vermaelen, is what Wenger needs to really address. Monaco didn't even play Toulalan, who is actually better than either of the two that played tonight.

Also, Cazorla/Ozil can't work. I'll say it again. Neither plays any defense and then you also have the CF. You need your base defense to have a shape with 8 guys unless you have a bunch of goats in defense and midfield.

Wenger's comments post-game:

"We have made a demonstration that in 24 hours, a lot change in football"

"Congratulations to Monaco, they were sharper than us today and we deserved to lose the game"

"It is a good warning to us that we are not completely ready on the physical front yet"

"@Alex_OxChambo gave us something extra in the second half and we were much more dominant when he played"

"We played with one holding midfielder today with @aaronramsey and @JackWilshere pushing on. Wilshere needs more game time"

"Giroud was not ready today - I don't know if I will play him in the Community Shield"

"Giroud had only three weeks' rest and he will be back, he is working very hard in training but needs more time"

on @CalumChambers95: "He played very well over the two games and he is not phased by the top opponents"

I think the word is "fazed"

team to play next week

really depends on fitness
would start Alexis behind Sanogo
wanted to say Jack wide but remembered last time he played there vs City   

Team is too attack heavy. Will see a midfielder in Wilshere/Cazorla in place of Joel/Oxlade.

Think one of Rosicky or Jack will start as a ten, Alexis will probably play wide.

The team that would be best for the Community Shield should be:

Scz, Debuchy, Chambers, Kos, Gibbs, Flamini, Ramsey, Rosicky, Ox, Sanchez, Sanogo (Giroud should play a part in the match, whether coming on as a sub or a starter who is subbed off)

With the team of Flamini, Ramsey and Rosicky in midfield, Rosicky and Flamini did all the dirty work and running, leaving Ramsey to do whatever he felt like, just like the Benfica game, they just clicked.

Whenever Arteta plays, Ramsey's work is doubled for no reason and stifles him. With Yaya and fernandiho or fernando, Arteta is going to have a horrible game if he starts, I guarendamntee this.

Ox and Sanchez on the wings are our best options, they can help cover the fullbacks and will give more of a hassle than Cazorla. With they constantly changing sides, it allows Ox to torment the fullbacks with his power running (which is really exciting at times), leaving Sanchez to become the 'freelance hellraiser' upfront, running around the place.

We are dead sure to win it if we play this team.

yeah i forgot about sanogo, should start v city.

Sina wrote:team to play next week

--------------Szczensy-------------
Debuchy---Chambz---Kos---Gibbo
---------Arteta-------Ramsey------
alexis-------rosicky-----------AOC
--------------Sanogo--------------

 

this will be the side.

I love Arteta but he should be rotated this season, I don't think that's in question or unfair to say.

He's 32 and playing a very physically demanding position that was never one he was naturally suited to.

So to have options to relieve him and to have options for Giroud as well will make a big difference this season and probably get them to perform even better when they're played rather than start them through their good/bad sharp/fatigued patches.

Giroud sticks out like a sore thumb in this team. Its so funny to watch, ive never seen a team with such an exciting selection of attackers being effed up like this by one individual who happens to have a pivotal role

i just understand why wenger brought him tbh, good player, not an arsenal player

Emirates Cup is a cursed, glad we didn't win it.