Arsenal 3 - 1 Olympiakos: Not the best display, but a good win in the end

This is what I had to put up with for 90 minutes

Kos + Vermae this combination is just not secure enough...
We really need Mertesacker's height and excellent positioning to defense crossing.

It is just not acceptable to me to see they two defensing one attacker but still get scored...

Raptorgunner wrote:

MJGunner wrote:I don't see how Gervinho can be left out of the starting XI now. He's been on point all season. I'd take a few frustrating moments a game for his goals and assists.

I dont think anyone wants Gervinho out, I just want us to have a proper striker.

Theo and Giroud.

I agree. To get the best out of our front line and forward midfield I think that we need a striker that can hold the ball up with his back to the goal. Then make a decision to pass to someone making a run or turn and shoot. Kind of like rvp last year only with the huge upgrades of Podolski and Cazorla. Giroud is really the only option when anyone else plays the defense compresses the center of the field and if he is in there they tend to be a little less compressed. Probably because they see him as a threat when the wingers go down the side and cross the ball. Have not seen one team yet scared of us crossing when he is out.

Lex nice pics and video.

King of Arsenal

urbaNRoots wrote:

King of Arsenal

In the Country of the blind, the one eyed man is a king!

Raptorgunner wrote:

In the Country of the blind, the one eyed man is a king!

We have Podolski and Cazorla and we're in the land of the cyclops's? -_____-

MJGunner wrote:

Raptorgunner wrote:

In the Country of the blind, the one eyed man is a king!

We have Podolski and Cazorla and we're in the land of the cyclops's? -_____-

Well said.

Btw where is Sri? miss his posts.

Raptorgunner wrote:

MJGunner wrote:

Raptorgunner wrote:

In the Country of the blind, the one eyed man is a king!

We have Podolski and Cazorla and we're in the land of the cyclops's? -_____-

Well said.

Btw where is Sri? miss his posts.

lol, nice sig quote.

Last I heard he had gone back to Germany and I'd assume he'd need a few days to readjust or something but that was more than a week ago.

MJGunner wrote:

Raptorgunner wrote:

MJGunner wrote:

Raptorgunner wrote:

In the Country of the blind, the one eyed man is a king!

We have Podolski and Cazorla and we're in the land of the cyclops's? -_____-

Well said.

Btw where is Sri? miss his posts.

lol, nice sig quote.

Last I heard he had gone back to Germany and I'd assume he'd need a few days to readjust or something but that was more than a week ago.

I hope he is doing well and comes back soon to GL.

I'll pass that along to him!

Partyed the whole week so obviously didn't have time to watch this game, but half my consciousness was with Arsenal all the time.

By watching the highlights, I can only presume the first half was anything but a walk in the park. Olympiakos had their fair share of chances, and if they were a team with a bit more experience, let's say like Schalke, we might have not nicked the 3 points yesterday.

Here's hoping Giroud starts the game vs West Ham, he brings something different to this team, even though Gervinho's on fire atm.

We should pick up some momentum before the Schalke game by destroying some scrubs in the league.

I don't really mind who starts: Giroud or Gervinho... aslong as they don't both start.

I still think Giroud is the better answer long term for Striker, with Gervinho coming off the bench for him.

I know Gervinho has been playing well and has been scoring goals... But his decision making.. I can't get over it and it is unforgivably bad at times. I feel like he kills chances for other players on our team because too frequently he doesn't know what to do with the ball. He just charges at brick walls of defenders instead of laying off and giving it to someone else who might have a shot at breaking through.

For me, Giroud while he hasn't been scoring, has been doing the right things, just not executing. He makes good decisions but just chokes because of the pressure and the adjustment of playing in a totally different league on a different stage. He is great in the air, is strong, defends well, and can win balls off of set pieces. He offers a lot of what this team desperately needs. He just needs actual starts to get going. 10-20 minute appearances isnt going to help him develop

Wenger: "Olympiacos' goal against us? They have been champions in 14 of the last 16 years, but we're not happy with the goal. People underrate performances in Europe. Last year we took 4 points off Dortmund, people acted as if it was normal."

Samuelj29060 wrote:Wenger: "Olympiacos' goal against us? They have been champions in 14 of the last 16 years, but we're not happy with the goal. People underrate performances in Europe. Last year we took 4 points off Dortmund, people acted as if it was normal."

Wenger.

VendettaRed07 wrote:I still think Giroud is the better answer long term for Striker, with Gervinho coming off the bench for him.

I know Gervinho has been playing well and has been scoring goals... But his decision making.. I can't get over it and it is unforgivably bad at times. I feel like he kills chances for other players on our team because too frequently he doesn't know what to do with the ball. He just charges at brick walls of defenders instead of laying off and giving it to someone else who might have a shot at breaking through.

For me, Giroud while he hasn't been scoring, has been doing the right things, just not executing. He makes good decisions but just chokes because of the pressure and the adjustment of playing in a totally different league on a different stage. He is great in the air, is strong, defends well, and can win balls off of set pieces. He offers a lot of what this team desperately needs. He just needs actual starts to get going. 10-20 minute appearances isnt going to help him develop

While I think Giroud needs to be starting to actually find form and consistency, Gervinho's form in front of goals makes him undroppable at the moment. You can't just tell a player who has five goals in his last five games that he's going to sit on the bench.

Sure, you might boost Giroud's confidence by starting him, but you'd run a huge risk of damaging Gervinho's.

For now, as unfortunate for Giroud as this is, Gervinho needs to continue starting games. Not only is he scoring goals, but he's being clinical - 3 goals from 3 shots on target, I think the stat was.

This wont be a problem lol. Sooner or later, probably sooner, no one will be arguing to keep gervinho in the team.

Even if there's a small chance I would try playing a kind of 4-4-2 :

Of course it wouldn't be a flat 4 ala Tottenham but a formation which compliments our off the ball movement and interchanging between positions.

Cazorla a wide midfielder helping Arteta and co. out while Poldi providing some width and maybe changing with Gervinho from time to time to confuse defenses.

I'm not implying this could 100% work but trying this against some of our up coming games against smaller teams could be a way to break down sturdier defenses.