Champions League 2014/15

[Ryan 188]

What annoys me is Giroud's body language. If he f*cks up once he gets the hump straight away then just tries less and less. He doesn't pick himself up and soldier on like he should do. Someone on twitter just said it will be better next week when Özil's playing so he can create space and more chances, but it will still be Giroud up front squandering those chances. What pisses me off the most? Giroud will probably have a blinding next game, then a shocker after that, and so on.

[Guest Boyo]

It's all well and good saying Arsenal need to spend money on a striker, I agree we should do that, but there have only really been six major striker signings this summer if I recall? Suarez, Sanchez, Costa, Morata, Lewendowski and Lukaku. Arsenal have probably got the second best out of the bunch, (although that's open to discussion) so in terms of overall striker transfers, we've done phenomenally well to land who we have.

 

Sure, I can list you strikers like Cavani, Falcao, Benzema, Mandzukic and Higuain, but none seem to be available, or available at a fair price. Look, we've just landed a brilliant striker, the only striker better than him we bid for last year and it forced Liverpool to re-negotiate his contract after they decided to breach his previous one, and he's banned for biting someone for a third time as well.

 

I'm actually salivating at the thought of Sanchez, Walcott, Ramsey and Ozil. Once that lot is up-n-running I doubt Giroud will start all that often anyway. He'll also become the "plan b" we don't have, that people decry.

 

It's not that Arsenal don't have a plan b, it's just that plan b was our plan a :lol. Now we have both.

 

Some people are never satisfied.

 

Cheers!

[Ryan 188]

What I don't get is why have Özil, Podolski and Per had so long off? All the other Germans are back for their clubs and playing already.

[Guest John Hancock]

Were they in Arsenal's pre-season friendlies?

[Guest Boyo]

Dunno, but it's telling that this summer we've headhunted the German national team fitness coach, Shad Forsythe, and I can only imagine he's advised the extra rest time. Who are we to argue, huh? :)

 

Cheers!

[Guest Boyo]

Were they in Arsenal's pre-season friendlies?

Nope, they haven't played at all.

 

Cheers!

[Guest John Hancock]

It's better than Arsenal's usual training strategy of hitting their players with mallets or whatever they get up to to rack up so many injuries.

[Guest Drake]

Boyo, are you serious that you probably signed "the 2nd best" one?

 

Alexis ain't a central striker and that's what you need. And in that central striker role, out of the ones you mentioned were signed this summer: Suarez, Costa and Lewandowski are better than Alexis. Hell, you could argue Lukaku is better than Alexis in that specific role. Morata is garbage though.

[Evil Gringo 279]

Atletico got Super Mario for around, if reports are true, €22m, which is give or take £18m. For a player that is one of the top scorers in Germany and scored goals in Europe as well, winning a shed load of silverware along the way and the CL and helping his country qualify for the world cup, that seems like a steal.

 

He is the sort of player Arsenal should and could have got as well as Sanchez.

 

Plus as others have said Sanchez is not a striker, he is a winger or a support striker, like I said he is the guy to partner the striker. Hell you could have got Hernandez for Vermaelen, whilst not uber world class he is still a proven PL goal scorer, sniffer of chances, quick on the ground and neat of touch.

 

Just sayin'

[Ryan 188]

[quote=Boyo;1293188 Some people are never satisfied.

 

Cheers!

 

Are you? Honesty are you satisfied with Giroud as our main striker? Because he will be. I don't for one second believe Walcott will play up front with Alexis on the wing. Giroud will start more games than not unless we buy a better replacement.

[Guest Boyo]

You're asking two questions there, Ryan, and also replying to things that no-one has said:

 

1. Am I satisfied with Giroud as our main striker? No, I'm not. But then again I've never said Giroud is our main striker.

2. Do I believe Walcott will play up front with Sanchez on the wing? No, and I've never said that's how we'll play.

 

However...

 

3. Am I satisfied with Giroud as our main striker NOW? Walcott's injured, so yes I am satisfied, as Giroud is our plan b, and we're playing with plan b because we cannot play our plan a.

 

If you think that, allowing for the occasional squad rotation caveat, we're going to play Giroud up front in the majority of the games whilst one of Ramsey, Ozil, Sanchez or Walcott stays on the bench then you are actually mental. the front four is going to be - largely - Ozil, Walcott, Sanchez and Ramsey. Giroud, Chamberlain, Campbell, etc.. will be on the bench. In fact, in my opinion, here's my "strongest Arsenal XI":

 

Szczesny

 

Debuchy -- Mertesacker -- Koscielny -- Gibbs

 

Arteta -- Wilshere

Ramsey

 

Walcott -- Sanchez -- Ozil

 

The formation may be a bit wonky, but that's probably the personnel.

 

Cheers!

[GENE 86]

So are Celtic the first team to get knocked out of the Champions league twice in one season?

[BRM 220]

Leeds got knocked out twice in 1992/93.

 

Once by Stuttgart who fielded a ineligible player, they then had a play-off in Barcelona which Leeds won.

 

 

They then went and got knocked out by Rangers in the next round. That was the first season that it was branded the Champions League.

[Guest Boyo]

Famous last words, but despite the panicky scare-mongers, I'm confident (and comfortable in my confidence) that Arsenal will get past Besiktas tonight. Interesting to see the line-up tonight though! If I could pick it, it'll be something like this:

 

Szczesny

Debuchy -- Chambers -- Mertersacker -- Monreal

 

Wilshere -- Flamini

 

Campbell -- Ozil -- Sanchez -- Chamberlain

 

Crude formation, yes, but those personnel. Although I might be tempted to have Rosicky for Wilshere and Podolski for Chamberlain.

 

Cheers!

[Guest Magic]

Whats up with Koscielny? Has he been unfit or has Wenger (and yourself based on that) just been prefering Chambers at centre half?