Football 2015/16

[eFestivals]

Am loving the arsenal/Bayern match

[kingcrawler]

I really enjoyed that game. Thought Arsenal were great defensively, didn't get why Owen Hargreaves kept criticising their shape. Giroud made a huge difference when he came on (even outwith the goal) but before that I thought Walcott did well despite not having much service. Bayern's subs didn't work at all and looked a poorer team after Vidal and Alonso went off.

The sheer confusion in the last minute from the commentator when Arsenal scored their 2nd was great too

[TheGayTent]

Lots of talk that the Qataris are soon to be adding to their many investments in London in recent years. This one would not be far from the Olympic village - most of which they already own. 

[mjsell]

Great game of football last night - from my biased point of view. That was the best I've seen Arsenal defend in a very long time - Cech is already proving his class, and as was suggested preseason looking like probably the best value signing of the summer.

Also got to say I was hugely impressed with Monreal who kept Muller extremely quiet. Quickly become one of the first names on the team sheet.

Am also loving the Walcott/ Giroud dynamic at the moment. Really suits Giroud to come off the bench with 30 to play after Walcott has been stretching defences for the first hour - gives him that added bit of time that he needs, and as Ferdinand said after the game last night, its extremely difficult for centre backs to change the focus of their play mid match.

Hopefully this will be a good springboard for the next few weeks.

[TheGayTent]

Cech is already proving his class, and as was suggested preseason looking like probably the best value signing of the summer.

 

It was a good game of football and your excitement at beating a very good Bayern side is understandable. However, bearing in mind the £10m transfer fee and the fact he's only played 10 games thus far, I think it's far too early to be suggesting he's the value signing of the summer. 

[eFestivals]

It was a good game of football and your excitement at beating a very good Bayern side is understandable. However, bearing in mind the £10m transfer fee and the fact he's only played 10 games thus far, I think it's far too early to be suggesting he's the value signing of the summer. 

whatever the value against that price, he's an upgrade on the previous goalies.

While Bayern didn't have anything like as many good chances as Arsenal did last night, some of them were still pretty good and Cech made some great saves.

I've got to admire Arsenal tho, getting more shots and better shots with such a small amount of possession. That's pretty damned impressive against a great team, and validates the tactics Wenger is starting to use against the better teams.

 

 

[mjsell]

It was a good game of football and your excitement at beating a very good Bayern side is understandable. However, bearing in mind the £10m transfer fee and the fact he's only played 10 games thus far, I think it's far too early to be suggesting he's the value signing of the summer. 

You are right that I'm obviously getting slightly carried away. I should have added a 'so far' to the end of my sentence. If he continues to keep us in games like he did last night then £10m is a bargain.

It does make a mockery of the fact that he didn't play in the first two CL games. We would more than likely be looking at competing for top spot at this point had he played.

 That's pretty damned impressive against a great team, and validates the tactics Wenger is starting to use against the better teams.

For all his good he has done at arsenal over he last 20 years, his stubborn lack of tactical change has been his huge negative. It's nice to see this changing ever so slightly. We should play like that in all big PL away games at the very least, and mix it up with high energy/ high press in games like United a couple of weeks ago.

[The Nal]

Hammers for Europe!

[thetime]

Hammers for Europe!

Chelsea for relegation

[TheGayTent]

Exactly, a top 4 club beating a relegation threatened side at home. Nothing to see here. 

[thetime]

That's the best I've seen ozil play for arsenal.

[WS_Jack_III]

Nervous for tomorrow, need to stop the rot and avoid it becoming 6 in a row to Sunderland. Would take an away draw!

[LondonTom]

Hammers for Europe!

Title Contenders!

So glad the big man got on the scoresheet!

I love this photo, spot Jose

 

Edited October 24, 2015 by LondonTom

[TheSilence]

Arsenal are looking fantastic at the moment. Was disappointed to see them beat us yesterday but I've got a soft spot for Arsenal. Always find myself rooting for them. 

[WS_Jack_III]

What a rediculous result. Newcastle the better team even with 10 men.

 

A shoulder barge is not a foul!

[kaosmark2]

Fucking c**ting shitting fucktards.

[luckysalt]

Thank god Sherwood is gone.

You know I dunno what it is with managers who come into Villa they seem to lose their identity. 

Lambert before him was an attacking manager at Norwich but when he came to Villa he was scared stiff of losing and when defensive.

Sherwood last season seemed to know what he was doing when he came in, but at the end of the season we we battered by Southampton, played dire v Burnley who were already down in our last home game and lost 0-1 and then were battered by Arsenal in the cup final. 

This season he hasn't had a clue since day one, dropping his best players, saying every signing was his choice then a month later saying he didn't want the players, saying they are inexperienced, mate, YOU'RE inexperienced, but we gave you a chance, he got himself fired. Needs to go lower down, I see he's linked with going straight back into management at Swindon. Good for him, I hope he does, he could still be a great manager, but he's learning and you don't get time to learn in Prem unless you're doing something right. He was doing EVERYTHING wrong. Monk has done wonders learning at Swansea, although I will say they were garbage yesterday and we gifted them that match. 

Looks like the favourites are Moyes and Garde. I dunno which I would prefere, Moyes because he's proven in the prem, did wonders with Everton, but did the Man U job shake his confidence, last thing we need is another manager coming in scared to fail. 

Garde on the other hand I think wouldn't fear the job and just try to play the best football and would get the best out of the French players especially but doesn't have a lot of experience either. Even though he probably would be a coup to attract to Villa, but him bottling Newcastle job was a worry.

Whatever happens, I'd still like John Gregory to come in and work on the board, he bleeds Villa and would help give the club some identity back. 

[WS_Jack_III]

"If the ball is within playing distance, the player may be fairly charged by an opponent."

 

FA rule on shoulder charges. Shouldn't have been a penalty then.

[Gucci Piggy]

That's the best I've seen ozil play for arsenal.

He's on fire at the moment, seems to be able to spot everything on the pitch.

In reality he's been absolutely brilliant since he came back from injury earlier this year. Definitely approaching his Real Madrid form.

[luckysalt]

Well, looks like its defo Garde in at Villa.

[mrtourette]

Bit of a step down from Jurgen Klopp

You've mentioned getting Villa's identity back, but what was it? I've been watching football for 30 years and I've never really noticed one, other than being a pretty friendly and harmless club, which I'm guessing is not what you're referring to. By identity do you mean passion? I think it's very dangerous suggesting that someone like John Gregory who 'bleeds Villa' is going to solve any problems, Tim Sherwood was a daft appointment from the start and shows that putting passion ahead of actual talent can be dangerous.

Edited October 26, 2015 by mrtourette

[TheGayTent]

Looking from the outside in it appears a complete shambles. 

Sherwood took over a poor squad in a lowly position, then had his best two players sold. These were replaced with worse calibre players that weren't even his choice. 

Whilst Sherwood himself has to take some responsibility it's pretty mad to think simply changing the manager will make everything in the garden rosy. 

[thetime]

 

Whilst Sherwood himself has to take some responsibility it's pretty mad to think simply changing the manager will make everything in the garden rosy. 

not done West Ham any harm.

Edited October 26, 2015 by thetime

[mrtourette]

That was my thought, an upturn in results with the same c**ts owning the club. Although saying that I remember the West Ham fans circlejerking this time last year after a good start and that tailed off.

Edited October 26, 2015 by mrtourette

[TheGayTent]

not done West Ham any harm.

The big difference of course being Bilic hasn't had his 2 best players sold from under him and he's been allowed to add to the squad with the players he wanted