Arsenal Lobby

SamuelJayC wrote:Hey guys.

Hope you are all well.

After 6 years on the forum (I believe I first joined in August 2009), I have decided to end my time on the forum.

This is simply down to time constraints. With work and twitter duties, I have less and less time to appear on the forum. This means I've been unable to carry out my normal duties, such as writing the previews, updating the injury section etc!

It's been a pleasure to speak to each and every single one of you over the past 6 years. Arsenal have come quite a long way since my preview, too. Though we defeated Everton 6-1 at the start of the 2009/10 campaign, Bendtner & Denilson were in our starting XI. Ha.

Anyway, if you want to follow me on twitter, I'm @samuelJayC.

I may return in the future, but for now, all the best!

COME ON ARSENAL

imo

Spoiler:

Sam thank you for everything, enjoyed all your posts and wish you all the best.

All the best Sam

Damn man

It was great reading your previews and posts over the years.

At least we are still on twitter

Twitter duties?
lol Anyway brah, you have contributed massively throughout these years, thanks and all the best.

Cheers Sam! Appreciate what you've done for our section, drop by sometimes. I remember the old goal forum Sam, it's difficult time for us gunner fans.

So who's on preview duty now? Just RG?

I guess so

I am open for anyone willing to give a hand (not you Jay since you do post-match breakdown).

I'll just start doing write ups for big games and just threads for smaller games though.

I can do previews.

I won't be able to sometimes due to my Instagram duties though.

Just let me know which games I should do.

I can also help when needed as long as the timing doesn't interfere with my duties towards Urban's Instagram duties.

I wouldn't mind doing some previews also.

urbaNRoots wrote:I can do previews.

I won't be able to sometimes due to my Instagram duties though.

Just let me know which games I should do.

I will do our Premier League games every Friday night/afternoon (including Liverpool) if it pleases everyone. You other scrubs can do CL/Cup/Championship play-off games.

Fine with me


I'll do some PL ones as well though. On thursdays, so you will know.

We can just have lots on Lobby? Who ever is free and up for it before each game, say I and do it 1-2 days in advance.

Yea that's a good idea

Mertesacker interview; talks about life in England, future plans and whether his son could represent England in the future:

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/aug/22/arsenal-per-mertesacker-interview-germany?CMP=share_btn_tw

GoonerJay29 wrote:Mertesacker interview; talks about life in England, future plans and whether his son could represent England in the future:

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/aug/22/arsenal-per-mertesacker-interview-germany?CMP=share_btn_tw

Nah,he won't be able to represent if he's as slow as his dad.Coz apparently only speed matters for defenders and not positional sense.

Anyways,very sensible interview from Per.Would love see as a coach at Arsenal but I don't think he's interested.

Seems like the perfect guy to have in the dressing room.

Wenger on our midfield:

Arsène Wenger says managing his midfield has become a delicate balancing act.

Arsenal arguably have the strongest set of options in the centre of the park of any side in the Premier League.

However, Wenger admits that can bring its own problems in terms of keeping everyone happy over the course of the season.

“It’s an impossible job but that’s why I tell you I always get asked two questions, ‘Why don’t you buy more players, and how do you keep them all happy now?’” he said.

“I believe that competition is part of our job. On the other hand you have to get the number right - too many players in the squad goes against competition.

“If you have a certain number of players who think they never have a chance to play, they killed something. Not enough players creates too much of a comfort zone.”

Wenger also has to consider the make-up of his midfield, most recently where to place Santi Cazorla - in the centre or out on the left flank.

“It is tricky, because he is an important player in the build-up of our game,” the manager said. “He is naturally a guy who brings fluidity, and gets you out of tight situations.

“My thinking [putting him out wide] was more about physical power in the centre of the park, to win the ball back and be capable of winning challenges. Santi is a more technical player. And also to get him higher up, next to Ozil, to play through the lines, find those two, and combine in the final third.

“It worked sometimes, and sometimes not. The first goal in these games is vital. But anyway, against West Ham, I changed in the second half and brought Cazorla back to central midfield.”

Arsenal lost their opening game of the season against West Ham at Emirates Stadium, but Wenger does not expect a repeat performance against Liverpool on Monday night.

“[We must] play at the level we played at Crystal Palace, with good pace,” he said. “I think Liverpool will be a different game than West Ham. Against West Ham, we conceded a set-piece and after that another goal, just before half time. After that it was difficult.

“But if you look well, and you have to analyse the game well, against West Ham we didn’t give chances away. You play this game 20 times, you win it 19 because they had very, very, very few chances. Their goals came from our mistakes. That’s why we had to look at ourselves.”

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20150821/wenger-my-midfield-selection-dilemma

Champions League Group stage draw on Thursday 17:00 GMT

thought it was still few weeks away lol

give us Barcelona or Bayern tbh
then easier from other pots

Thought this was an excellent read on Arsenal's defensive midfield problems:

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/premier-league-arsenal-arsene-wenger-francis-coquelin-defensive-midfield/?ex_cid=story-twitter

Basic gist: Arsenal's system leaves so much space that any DM will find it difficult, let alone one as limited as Coquelin.

The issue, then, isn’t Coquelin; it’s that being a defensive midfielder for Arsenal is a completely thankless and impossible job. Given how much space Arsenal can leave for its opponents, it’s hard to think of anyone who could do the job properly.

The truth has been spoken.

Since I'm not home all day tomorrow, the Newcastle preview thread will be up tonight.

As it should be. 2 days before the match.

I can do it if you want Urby

@jay

https://twitter.com/_AFC49/status/636979598417338368