How do you shut up the doubters at Arsenal? You have an absolute cracker on your home debut for the club.
That’s exactly what Laurent Koscielny did today, in the club’s 1-1 draw with Milan in The Emirates Cup.
People think he’s lightweight, and I say that ability is much more important. This isn’t the 70s when centre backs are there to be kicked. This is 2010, footballers are finely tuned athletes.
Yes, he will come against a bruiser like Didier Drogba and possibly get out-muscled, but name me one centre-back who hasn’t been beaten for strength from the Chelsea striker?
We won’t be facing Drogba every week. You don’t need to be a good old-fashioned centre-back to handle the likes of Torres, Rooney, Bent, Defoe, Anelka, etc.
The boy looked good. Let’s hope he turns out to be our new Vermaelen, not another Cygan or Stepanovs. Most of the time, Mr Wenger get’s it right.
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But the same flaws are apparent in this current team,they create loads of chances ,have all the possession in the world but get punished,now where have i heard that story before,it is almost as if this team refuses to face the fact that things will have to be done in a different way for us to succeed.Wenger will never adapt to the fact that every joe bob now knows how to neutralise Arsenal.How about making Arsenal capable of defending set pieces.How about teaching his players how crucial it is to be clinical in front of goal and not waste great chances and then shrug your shoulders as if it didnt matter ?
So far so good. He looks impressive, seems to have a great reading of situations. Intercepts like Gael Clichy and Coquelin.
24 years of age and appears to have a good balance with Vermaelen.
Obviously we need to see him come up against the best of the Premier League.
Torres is coming up very soon.
My only worry is he gets very tight very quickly, might just be nerves but overall had a sound game
Mean Lean, after seeing Koscielny play, I definitely feel more comfortable going up against Torres in a couple of weeks.
Danish Gooner, I do hear you buddy. I wish I had the answer
His reading of the game looked amazing, and he looks like a replica of Vermaelen! Can two similar players play together? I don’t see why not!
Good call on Koscielny. His distribution looks very good too. Let’s hope he can form a bond with the Verminator. He looks very fit and has speed to burn.
A big word of praise must also go out to Frimpong. I’ve watched all the pre season stuff and he’s been tremendous. His work rate is superb. He looks to have progressed beyond Craig Eastmond and looks set for the squad in DM.
rubbish
Let’s hope Frimpong can fill in when Song is out. He could end up saving us a few million quid.
Another gooner living in dreamland. Doesn’t matter who plays at the back when everytime a ball is flung in the box it’s complete chaos. If Wenger doesn’t sort out the defending from set pieces he should be fucking sacked. 4 YEARS we’ve been letting in these stupid goals and the dopey French twat has done absolutely nothing on the training ground!!! He’s barking fucking mad and will never win another trophy for as long as he is at the club until the stubborn idiot wakes up.
Wilshire & Frimpong matched against a very physical Flamini, Gattuso and Seedorf and they did not look at all intimidated. Some perspective is good but that was an astonishing performance from a couple of kids.
Exit Gattuso and Young Jack had the freedom of the park.
There are a lot of parts still in storage but today showed me we have strength in depth for the run of the mill games in the Premiership. Rather impressive.
Number 6 looked smart and aggressive without the ball and poised with it.
He will make a couple of howlers this year so lets try not to slaughter him.
Vela showed some fitness and hustle. He has obviously been told what is expected of him.
This is a good group, lets get behind them
Gooner0609, I totally agree with you. The youngsters looked good today.
Danish, change the bleedin’ record mate. All you do is whine, whine, whine. When we signed Kos, you went on numerous blogs bemoaning the signing of a player with only one year of experience in the top flight in France. The boy has a blinder of a game, and instead of admitting you may have been too hasty to condemn him, you’re whining about faults. Is there one team that doesn’t concede goals from set plays? Nope, they all do. Is there any team that scores every chance it creates? No, there isn’t. Even modified players in your favourite footie games miss open goals.
If you can’t even enjoy what is no more than a pre-season kickabout, I suggest you head for the nearest bridge.
@ James, fuck off!
I have never believed that the actual problems with the Arsenal team within the last 3-4 years has never been the lack of quality in comparison to other big teams….look at us against Barcelona in the first leg..players like Diaby when concentrating walked his way through the Barcelona defence only to go on a non concentrating period…same goes for alot of other players in the side….I firmly believe that if Wenger is able to fine tune these mental problems out of the players we could EASILY challenge on all fronts in every competition….just look at it like this .. how do teams like ourselves Man Utd and Liverpool lose to teams such as Hull, Stoke etc…some people say it’s their physical power but i believe it’s their determination to win which often leads to aggression and this often scares the other team….i know wenger doesn’t like this in players but Vieira was a box to box lunatic general in midfield but often kept the game ticking and from auto biographies (namely Anelka’s lol) he striked fear into his team mates which motivated them to play well…just my tuppence for the day
I thought the team looked very good. Although, there was a miscommunication on the set piece from which Milan scored. It must be pointed out that those kind of set pieces are virtually impossible to defend.
Look at some of you nutters. Going crazy over Wilshere and Frimpong, playing against an old team that has done nothing for 3 months and is playing only its second friendly. And still Arsenal let in a set piece goal. Next season will be the saaaaammmmeeee oldddd shitttt!!! Smashed by the big teams, beat the crappy teams, drop stupid points willy nilly from set pieces and next season wenger will say the same old bollocks as he always does. None of you have any ambition, you are damaging Arsenal with your pathetic support of a pathetically deluded manager who has completely lost the plot. Today was another glowing example why Arsenal will be nowhere for a 6th season running.
Koscielny reminds me of Dave O’Leary, a fine reader of the game with a bit of aggression added in. As for the complaint about conceeding from set plays, chelsea conceeded more from set plays last season than Arsenal. Its the breakaway goals that kill us
Vermaelen should be full time captain!! He looks the part!! And he’s a f**king GENERAL!!!!
eduardo, great shout mate.
hnic, I agree. He’s captain material.
too James. they are called the spuds, you are a natural fit, now go fuck of up the road and join them.
The only pathetic support around here, James, is your deluded self. Kindly fuck off back to a spuds blog where you belong.
where was the ”general” when pato latched onto that header.
I propose that Arsenal fans World wide post letters once a week for the next four weeks to UEFA & FIFA complaining about Barcelona FC’s ‘tapping up’ of Cesc Fabregas. Also post a letter just once to Arsenal FC requesting that they formally complain to UEFA & FIFA. I have drawn up 3 template letters that I will email to willing participants. All you need to do is type in your own Name & Address before printing off & posting. Momentum will be boosted by you forwarding the email to every one of your Arsenal FC fan family & friends, encouraging them to participate.
The aim of repetitive letters is to create an Admin headache for UEFA & FIFA with thousands of letters received from all over the world & display the strength of feeling from Arsenal FC fans. The purpose of the single letter to Arsenal FC is again to display the strength of feeling from us fans.
My email address for this campaign from where I will email you the letter templates is …….. ArsenalFansHateBarcelonaFC@gmail.com
people don’t like to hear the truth.
b.b.k, you’re right, Vermaelen got beat in the air for the goal. Nobody is hiding from that. But he did have a good game, and he’s a top class player.
Good to know there are people out there that still believe.
I am up to my head with “some” Arsenal fans and their obtusity and lack of vision: the awareness of the genius of Wenger’s work is extremely low.
Time and time again I’ve seen Arsenal fans drag down the team with their negativity and lack of positive UNCONDITIONAL support. Boo this Boo that… picking on players used to play for us sold to the point they play their hearts out and have a hell of a game, even run 200 meters to taunt us.
Even worse… they jump the gun on our players.. Diaby for example after the own goal against ManU. Then when he had a good run of games they went back onto Denilson (whom became a replacement for hating on Bendtner a couple of seasons ago.)
The point is.. stand behind your team. It’s a really good group. Including Denilson, and I can’t wait to see him play and see how he’s improved.
Go Arsenal!!
On the wires this morning, guys.
ARSENAL SIGN INTERNATIONAL KEEPER
(AP- MOLDOVA – Aug 1) Arsenal are set to sign the talented Moldovan international goalkeeper Nilain Levroji this week in a bid to solve their ongoing goalkeeping crisis.
The 23-year-old from Iskra-Stal Ribnita will join the Gunners in a €5million deal to be completed on Tuesday.
Levroji has played twice for the Moldovan national team but has been rated as one of the top young keepers in European football.
News of his transfer to Arsenal was confirmed on Moldovan TV yesterday (Sunday).
Arsenal had been expected to sign Australian international goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer from fellow London team Fulham but the deal has fallen through with the West London club demanding €4million for the 37-year-old.
ends
ends
Kos had a nice game at the back read things very well he needs to baulk up but other han that he looked good Need to see more thoughwe seem to faulter in the last 10 games of the season s we will see how he does when it gets crucial, chamakh excited me but we still need a cb a grea gk and probs a utility player!!!
Not so good game for rosicky7..if after new year there is no improvent for little mozart maybe AW should sold him..and I think djourou also a flop..get jagielka and micah richard for back up..kochielny(forgot the spelling) had a good game last night hope its continue..and AW should get world class GK who can concentrate fo 90 minutes or maybe 120 minutes..please..great game for chamakh and kochcielny
Arsene’s soccer philophy is well known. It is attack all the way.There is no other wayfor him..He shd beware the rfc has his measure and so has the Chelsea boss. They know how to neutralise Arsenal.Yet the Frenchman insists on playing the game his way .
I know the game against Ac may not reflect how the new season will unfold for the gunners but I am afraid the goal conceded is a carry over from last season.
H e shd note if the gunners struggle again this time there will be no ifs and buts.
A manager is only as good as the next game .Past glory is not good enough. Unless the manager improvises and innovates, he won’t be able to survive.Tomorrow’s game is not won with the past management.
@ thelaw you’re a total prick !!!!!!
Yes we did play well in parts, but the defending at set pieces is a joke and wenger has not addressed this for years now….
‘fuck off down the kane where you belong’ ? Hmm bet you’ve never been tl the away end there you tv watching armchair cunt! Let people have their say and opinion or we will all be assholes like you al brigade!
Btw the website the law is called ‘arsenal opinion’ get it !!!!!!
Kudos, maybe you should shack up with James in the basement he plays football manager in. Cheerio.
Trevor Kelly, what wires?
Did you even check the AP site?
AJ youre a total prick too, dont ever dare to critcise AW for anything no!!
I dont play childish games i have a real life, maybe you should get out of that pikey pub you drink in and stop watching us play on some dodgey channel and pay some money to watch us in real life.
So you are totaly happy with our defending at set pieces are you????. Well please stick around on here over the season im looking forward to putting you right !
It has f*ck all to do with whether or not the French defender is good enough. It has to do with the fact that we still need another Central defender (probably 2 seeing that JD is a perennial crock) and an experienced keeper to steady the ship until Sczezny is ready to step in. As for “The Law” telling Danish Gooner to change the record; you are a clown mate if you cant see that what he says is spot on, it will be the same failings this season (as it has been the last 5 years) which will cause us to scrape through to 4th spot (even then, thats in no way a certainty). But its the deluded mob with members such as yourself which will give Arsene yet another year to flop. IF he buys what we need then we can reassess this but until then its going to be another long season. Thank god for Wilshere and Ramsay’s return because we will have nothing to cheer about this season (although Chamakh looked promising).
Law. You stoll my thunder. James needs to grow up and use respectfull language regarding our manager. Wenger has done more than enough to deserve my respect for ever, even if he wins nothing from now onwards. It does not mean that I will be happy for not winning trophies. So please James, do constructive criticism and take part in civilized discussion.
My other point is that this season will be different. Wenger has very cleverly introduces the competition ( in form of English players) in the team to force the lazy french players to concentrate in crucial games rather than dose around. We now have Kieran Gibbs for left back, Wilshire for Nasri, Frimpong for Diaby, Chamakh for Bentener, and he still trying to do the same for CB and GK. So Wenger is trying but James please don’t hang yourself if Man City wins the title, because we don’t have God given right to win. Injuries will play major part this season.
Although James is a little too dismissive of Wenger and the team he does have a couple of valid points.
Our defending since 03/04 has not been up to standard and has cost us at least three trophies. I remember Wenger at a fans forum after the 07/08 season stating that the ball over the top was a problem that needs addressing and to my mind it is still a massive problem. The team do not defend as a unit and are far too sceptial to counter attacks, something I hope has been worked on during pre-season.
Our lack of a quality goalkeeper is well known and a quality signing must be made in the next week.
There was a very interesting article with Van Persie (If I remember correctly) that stated that before games, Wenger hardly works on looking at other teams weaknesses and only pays attention to our team. Now, I am not a football coach but focusing on the opposition must come into pre-match playing and I cannot see someone like Mourinho not paying this much attention.
Perhaps the coaching side needs a full time defense coach and a tactician who evalutes the oppositon, hardly ground breaking suggestions I know but something this should be looked at.
I was at the Emirates yesterday and concur that the new signings impressed, but realistically, without three quality additons (GK,CB,DM) we will not win any of the top prizes. Taking into account the way we played and conceded yesterday, not much has changes from last season, and that is the most worrying thing.
This season is perhaps the most pressure Wenger has been under in 16 years, it will be interesting to see if he is prepared to invest significant money into new signings before the new season starts, or invest his faith in youngsters like Frimpong & Nordvelt. No trophy this season will add to the growing discontent.
Up The Gunners!
(whatever happened to that?)
In Arsene we trust!!!!
Truth is if arsene wenger left, we’d probably get some idiot manager who wouldnt know how to deal with the financial situation we have, buy stupidly priced players, fuck up, get sacked, and run the club into worse debt.
Also most of our players would leave.
That is not to say arsene wenger is perfect, he does need to improve the defence issues we have, we definately need 2 more cb and a keeper.
To who ever defended Denilson, I have to admit he has scored some crucial goals for us, but he is shit, I dont understand what his stength is, he is neither a defensive, attacking or creative player, he just seems to play football. How he got more games than merida is beyond me.
You’re the truth James. Don’t let these deluded fools shoot you down.
With this squad, the best we can hope for is 3rd place and an FA Cup win (that’s if Wenger values the Cup this year).
Hi!
Gunners fan in peace.
James and other people here are entitled to their opinion.
I just don’t get it. Why abuse other?
Because they say that the king is naked?
Wenger hasn’t won a trophy since 2005 and many think that he is the best.
If he leave we won’t end up like Leeds, we are Arsenal. There are many quality managers here( Low, Hiddink, etc).
For some of you Arsene is like some sort of God.
he is a human being, and he needs help. He needs Dein and a strong nr 2. Pat Rice adds nothing.
If we fail to bring some silverwere to the Emirates, he should go.
Peace. And please don’t abuse other even though they have different opinion.
ave a nice Sunday!
Ladley king has drog in his pocket every time(my spud m8s tell me he has NEVER scored vrs spuds from open play when ledley plays)I know kings are hard to come bye but we need 1 more centre half(must be 6.3 ) but it won’t happen.rio reads vidic cleans out,terry cleans out carvalio mops up,Dawson wins every header,king sweeps up,T.V still needs a partner
Criticism is part of having an opinion. People should not be vilified for this. The blogsite’s title is “Arsenal-opinion”. Now here is mine…….”In Arsene we rust”.
Exactly. It’s opinions.
Watching both Milan games. What a big loss Flamini was.
I agree, you dont need to way 90 kilos to be a physichal defender. If you are cleaver, you can win the ball in more than 1 way.,
To all you muppets talking about this is so and so’s opinion leave him alone, dont abuse him etc.
It is my opinion that you are a cunt.
Just my opinion, if you can have one, and should not be vilified for it, then let me have mine and not be vilified for it.
What makes me laugh is I nor the others have asked wenger to leave far from it, but why get so angry and arsey when all people say us without another cb and gk the best we can get is. 4th. Let’s get those and challenge….. But wait I’ve expresssed we need players……….. Here comes the 14 yr olds ” fuck off down the lane” rants !
Let’s go out and buy lot’s of new experienced players, then we can win things.
And add 350 million to our debt like Barcelona.
Cunts like James are really just clueless idiots, who probably started supporting this club when Wenger won his first double.
I wish the moaning cunts would fuck off up the road where they belong.
I rest my case…… Harry the retarded prick
Kudos, kudos mate. As I’ve said before some will shout madly supporting anything red and white even if it’s dog waste painted red and white. What’s needed is a balanced approach and it seems wenger is determined to say one thing at the start of the window and then do the opposite, repeatedly.
Cesc, Flam, Hleb, Gilberto weren’t exactly impressed with the direction of the club and I can’t say I am either. Adams, Keown, Bergkamp, Vieira, Wright, Parlour, etc have all raised their brows at what’s been going on, I believe they have a point.
These players who left before the end of their careers may not have gone on to greater glory elsewhere but they did leave and there was a reason, Arsenal failed to be the most attractive option. If that is viewed to be a mistake, consider that Arsenal hasn’t won anything either and appears to be moving further away from winning anything.
My cousin recommended this blog and she was totally right keep up the fantastic work!