Hey,
Just some quick thoughts about the match. I was all over the place, entire time. As the match went longer without a goal I became really anxious. Of course, then came time to sub and my anxiety skyrocketed. Said fuck a few times, yelled at specific players, and then I had to get a hold of myself and focus on the reason for my angst. Wenger.
Overall, there is a lot to look forward to with this squad. There may even be some late additions. Of course, Jack will be back at some point, and he's like a new signing. But I think we all know that. We have a good first XI and a bench to challenge for silver. My issue is not the players. It hasn't been the players. Hell, I even liked Eboue. At right back. His actual position. With that mentioned, we've had really top talent and marginally great talent. Wenger got a lot out of the players for the last decade, but I just personally feel that if he had deployed some in different ways, or tinkered with formations to fit the opposition, his youth plan may have worked. It is the man himself who shortchanged his own vision. I worry that now that he has this really great squad that he is going to blow it again. I think it is perfectly okay to disagree with him, and question his decisions. I don't have to be right. But some of the decisions he makes, or doesn't make, blows my mind. At this level. Sometimes I wonder if he overlooks some things because he just doesn't know, or because he's a pompous OG. I really don't know. Anyway, back to those quick thoughts...
I was okay with pretty much the whole match. Giroud missing a "sitter", whatever the fuck that means. A sitter? There is no such thing. You've seen the YouTube videos with dudes missing point blank. That shit happens. On Twitter people were jabbering about how Giroud would have scored the one Robin-the-hearts-of-Goooners missed versus Milan. His proverbial sitter. He missed, but oh, boy, what a miss! I yelled at that one.
And then the subs. My nemesis. The chess part of the match. You set your pieces and jockey for first 60min+ and then you get in it. I hated our subs today. I usually hate our subs. I hate them. Most of the time Wenger's sub make no sense. Mostly none at all.
Wenger took off Podolski. I thought he should have taken off Walcott. Theo was shit. His first touch was poor, and then his passes were off. He really hurt us. And he did so for 77min. If he had been off first, we would have had 27min to work with his replacement, Arshavin. 27min vs 13min. I think Arshavin could have gone hard for 27min and won us the game. He was influential today, but I think his little engine needs more time to rev up. So, that's one seemingly minor issue, but these build up.
And then Diaby came off for Ramsey. Enough said? no, really. I just can't help but think this sub was for precautionary reasons. And that chickenshit football pisses me off. You're either fit, or not. At this level you can either go for the 90 or you cannot. And, yes, he's been out of play for ages but, again, you can either go for 90 or not. And if he cannot do it, at that moment and you have to pull him out...then I'm not sure what to say. I think it's a detriment.
Ramsey came in and went to the right. He goes to the right because he doesn't have a left foot. I gave a good think about this today and unless he develops a left foot, and soon, I want him out and Coquelin in. Watching him just run around, working hard, without any apparent navigation is infuriating. Misplaced passes or loss of ball due to a failed sweet-move moment also drives me mad. And Wenger put him in. It was supposed to change the match?
And then Walcott came out last for Arshavin and I just didn't think he had enough time to get into the match. And that's a shame as I really do think 3pts was possible with the right tinkering. I really think Podolski should have gone 90. I haven't heard the inevitable excuse from Wenger yet, but I sure hope it isn't that he isn't fit just yet or that it was too hot today. Dude has been out since Euros ended. Weeks and weeks and weeks ago. Olympics were 2 weeks. How much time does he think he needs to be fully fit? That's some bollocks right there.
I think keeping Podolski on, taking Walcott off and putting in Giroud would have given a two-striker look instead of a having Podolski hold up ball like a big center striker that he is not. Giroud could have done that FOR Podolski. Giroud could have settled crosses and passes right to Podolski to cue up and smack. You and I both know this is a good idea.
I am thinking Wenger may have made the right decision on taking off Diaby. I would have just given him more time on the pitch, for my reasons above. I think he could have worked something up with a Podolski-Giroud combination. Throw in an Arshavin a bit earlier and I think a goal, maybe two would have been possible.
This is my angst. But I'm still optimistic for the season, even with Wenger doing these types of things. I do know that he can pick the best XI most of the time. And even if I feel he is off on one or two selections the depth of the team this year gives me confidence that each player can individually recover. With Song gone today we need a real holding midfielder. I think we will pay for M'Vila. I really don't know too much of Sahin but I do know that M'Vila has more meat to him and power of that nature will benefit us greatly in the Premiership. Power plus his ability to stay at home, roam, and protect penetration through the back four. He can do that well, and our Goals Against will improve and we will fight for silverware.
Time will tell. Free pass for Wenger till September 1st. I did have a bit of a mental episode about this today, and many tried to calm me down. But I've seen this pattern before, blogged about it, and it's not getting better. I know, first game. But I can't help but feel it is here to stay. I was greatly disappointed and that is worse than anger. So damaging.
I was hoping Wenger would change but I simply do not see how his decisions are helping the team. Anyone can make a decision, but the manager absolutely must be the 12th man and help the team. This 12th man can also hurt the team. And at this level the slightest ill-decision can cause such massive damage. Everyone has to be at their very best and on it always. These tactical judgments must be questioned.
ArsenaLos
Just some quick thoughts about the match. I was all over the place, entire time. As the match went longer without a goal I became really anxious. Of course, then came time to sub and my anxiety skyrocketed. Said fuck a few times, yelled at specific players, and then I had to get a hold of myself and focus on the reason for my angst. Wenger.
Overall, there is a lot to look forward to with this squad. There may even be some late additions. Of course, Jack will be back at some point, and he's like a new signing. But I think we all know that. We have a good first XI and a bench to challenge for silver. My issue is not the players. It hasn't been the players. Hell, I even liked Eboue. At right back. His actual position. With that mentioned, we've had really top talent and marginally great talent. Wenger got a lot out of the players for the last decade, but I just personally feel that if he had deployed some in different ways, or tinkered with formations to fit the opposition, his youth plan may have worked. It is the man himself who shortchanged his own vision. I worry that now that he has this really great squad that he is going to blow it again. I think it is perfectly okay to disagree with him, and question his decisions. I don't have to be right. But some of the decisions he makes, or doesn't make, blows my mind. At this level. Sometimes I wonder if he overlooks some things because he just doesn't know, or because he's a pompous OG. I really don't know. Anyway, back to those quick thoughts...
I was okay with pretty much the whole match. Giroud missing a "sitter", whatever the fuck that means. A sitter? There is no such thing. You've seen the YouTube videos with dudes missing point blank. That shit happens. On Twitter people were jabbering about how Giroud would have scored the one Robin-the-hearts-of-Goooners missed versus Milan. His proverbial sitter. He missed, but oh, boy, what a miss! I yelled at that one.
And then the subs. My nemesis. The chess part of the match. You set your pieces and jockey for first 60min+ and then you get in it. I hated our subs today. I usually hate our subs. I hate them. Most of the time Wenger's sub make no sense. Mostly none at all.
Wenger took off Podolski. I thought he should have taken off Walcott. Theo was shit. His first touch was poor, and then his passes were off. He really hurt us. And he did so for 77min. If he had been off first, we would have had 27min to work with his replacement, Arshavin. 27min vs 13min. I think Arshavin could have gone hard for 27min and won us the game. He was influential today, but I think his little engine needs more time to rev up. So, that's one seemingly minor issue, but these build up.
And then Diaby came off for Ramsey. Enough said? no, really. I just can't help but think this sub was for precautionary reasons. And that chickenshit football pisses me off. You're either fit, or not. At this level you can either go for the 90 or you cannot. And, yes, he's been out of play for ages but, again, you can either go for 90 or not. And if he cannot do it, at that moment and you have to pull him out...then I'm not sure what to say. I think it's a detriment.
Ramsey came in and went to the right. He goes to the right because he doesn't have a left foot. I gave a good think about this today and unless he develops a left foot, and soon, I want him out and Coquelin in. Watching him just run around, working hard, without any apparent navigation is infuriating. Misplaced passes or loss of ball due to a failed sweet-move moment also drives me mad. And Wenger put him in. It was supposed to change the match?
And then Walcott came out last for Arshavin and I just didn't think he had enough time to get into the match. And that's a shame as I really do think 3pts was possible with the right tinkering. I really think Podolski should have gone 90. I haven't heard the inevitable excuse from Wenger yet, but I sure hope it isn't that he isn't fit just yet or that it was too hot today. Dude has been out since Euros ended. Weeks and weeks and weeks ago. Olympics were 2 weeks. How much time does he think he needs to be fully fit? That's some bollocks right there.
I think keeping Podolski on, taking Walcott off and putting in Giroud would have given a two-striker look instead of a having Podolski hold up ball like a big center striker that he is not. Giroud could have done that FOR Podolski. Giroud could have settled crosses and passes right to Podolski to cue up and smack. You and I both know this is a good idea.
I am thinking Wenger may have made the right decision on taking off Diaby. I would have just given him more time on the pitch, for my reasons above. I think he could have worked something up with a Podolski-Giroud combination. Throw in an Arshavin a bit earlier and I think a goal, maybe two would have been possible.
This is my angst. But I'm still optimistic for the season, even with Wenger doing these types of things. I do know that he can pick the best XI most of the time. And even if I feel he is off on one or two selections the depth of the team this year gives me confidence that each player can individually recover. With Song gone today we need a real holding midfielder. I think we will pay for M'Vila. I really don't know too much of Sahin but I do know that M'Vila has more meat to him and power of that nature will benefit us greatly in the Premiership. Power plus his ability to stay at home, roam, and protect penetration through the back four. He can do that well, and our Goals Against will improve and we will fight for silverware.
Time will tell. Free pass for Wenger till September 1st. I did have a bit of a mental episode about this today, and many tried to calm me down. But I've seen this pattern before, blogged about it, and it's not getting better. I know, first game. But I can't help but feel it is here to stay. I was greatly disappointed and that is worse than anger. So damaging.
I was hoping Wenger would change but I simply do not see how his decisions are helping the team. Anyone can make a decision, but the manager absolutely must be the 12th man and help the team. This 12th man can also hurt the team. And at this level the slightest ill-decision can cause such massive damage. Everyone has to be at their very best and on it always. These tactical judgments must be questioned.
ArsenaLos
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