Both players are young and have their respective qualities . Ox showed flashes of brilliance last year. This year - not so much. In my opinion, neither has enough for top class football. Campbell is more technically gifted.
Isn't saying that they want to reach the QF the same as saying "taking it one game at a time?" We reach QF means we've done better than previous year, an improvement. Once we're there, the goal is then to reach the SF. Pretty sure that's how that works. RE: Campbell, I think he might be a bit like Monreal where he needs a run of games to really get going.
Exactly. It also really is a matter of which opponent you get in the R16. If they get Barca/Real/Atletico and lose in the R16 or advance to the quarters by beating Zenit/Wolfsburg only to eventually lose to one of the top 8 sides in Europe then it's progress but only to a certain degree. When is the last time Arsenal actually eliminated one of Europe's top sides? It's hard to consider them anything but a good team until they do so. The question is whether Arsenal has progressed to the point where they can eliminate the likes of Barca, Bayern, Atletico, PSG, Juve, or even City (to a lesser degree since they need to prove the same) over two legs or not? If they do, it would be a major accomplishment whether it happens in the R16 or quarters.
Anyone but Barca. I think we're at least 50/50 with the rest. Despite some recent strong results, Real are in turmoil right now (by their standards) and could enter meltdown mode at any moment. Hit them with a couple early punches and they will fold. I think we handle Wolfsburg or Zenit without much trouble. Atletico probably a coin flip. Sooner or later we've gotta break out R16 curse. My recollection is that we have shot ourselves in the foot a few times with poor results in the first leg the last few years. Hopefully we can come out of the gate with a strong opening game this time around.
Nacho was top class as well.. Great performance all around. I would have loved to be on that plane on the way back!
Ox seems to have regressed while JC is improving by the game. I like his work ethic, he does not make silly mistakes a la Ox either in our own side and box. Let's hope it is for real. He will be an interesting option on both wings.
Couple of reactions: Rio: "For me, Koscielny is the best defender in the league. Kompany isn't fit or consistent enough. You don't want to play against this guy" Gerrard: "Giroud will get all the headlines but for me Koscielny was man of the match tonight; last-ditch tackles, big headers.
I poo-poo your debunking of my superstition ...and can now explain to you the ONLY REASONS we won in that kit. 1. I parked my car behind the pub, instead of in front of it. 2. I did not wear any Arsenal related underwear or socks. 3. I drank my first beer from the bottle, instead of my Arsenal pint glass. 4. I wore my Arsenal America shirt to the pub for the first time (on a match-day) So there....those are the only reasons we won You're welcome !!!
they do an "unclassic commentary" with players on the channel. from the look of it, it's one of those.
as a defensive midfielder/holder, flamini is definitely a solid goalscoring threat. i just wish he could do that defending, retrieving the ball, and passing the ball thing.
That defense was terrible before Nacho, Per and Kos. Only useful player then from midfield onwards was Yossi. Anyway, Great game from both defensive and offensive fronts. Campbell great game, but let's not bank on him in the long run to contend for starter. Same for Ox. Giroud continues his fine form. Happy on many accounts!
What a win that was. Must confess I really didn't expect it, but I didn't want to end up in Europa league. Hope you guys are all well
Understand the pessimism, but we've beaten Bayern this year. Took a BS call for Barca to knock us out and a stupid fishing from TGSTEL. We can hang in a two leg tie, but we can't make it hard on ourselves by having a big deficit going into the second leg or going down to ten men. We can beat any team in a one game setup, we just have to make sure we're still in the tie after the first leg.
Kos was massive, but we had to have two+ goals and those came from giroud so for me giroud deserves the headlines. Cech was great as well--what a signing. Like the enthusiasm from ozil.
I read it. Still doesn't seem relevant for individuals. As a team it merely is a strong correlation to winning--which is no surprise that on average the team that has the most-best scoring chances wins. I just don't see what insight it gives for individuals when not placed into context. You might see a player with 10 expected goals and think, he's great. But if he only has 3 actual goals what does that say? To me it says he's shooting too much and should pass to a better finisher and should not be applauded. Expected assists is good for rating playmakers because it takes poor finishing out of the equation.
OG got the final touch, which is not for nothing considering the duds we've had at striker in the recent past. But equal shout outs to the squad. It's a good game, when IMO Bellerin probably contributed least. Cech, Mertescielny, Un-real, Flamsey, Giroud, Ozil all had a solid outing.
THIS. I didn't take it that way; he did say "as far as we can" and "AT LEAST" the QFs. I think they are saying that just making it out of the group stage isn't good enough. YMMV.
That's almost inevitable considering Ramsey is hitting his peak years, and Santi ages into an experienced squad player. Cazorla is out pretty much for most of the rest of the season anyway. It'll mostly come down to how well Ramsey takes his chance, and if Wenger finds a proper right-winger. Walcott doesn't want to play there, Ox has regressed and Joel still needs to show he can do it week in week out.
Yeah, I'd stick Joel out there for now over Ox. I'm eating so much crow from Joel, good for him, and it might be a situation where if his teammates like him out there then it's an issue of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. He may not be Eden Hazard but if he's delivering the performances, then who gives a rats ass?
I dont think Oxlade-Chamberlain has regressed at all. He is the exact same player he was at 19. There has been no progress and he is at an age where you would think he should step up. He hasnt. Im just not convinced by him at all.
Well, no one can really tell where they end up. People gave up on Rambo and Coq and Theo (maybe not definitively yet on Theo). When Giroud and Kos first got here, very few thought they'd be good. Same with Monreal, who is having his first great season for us at 29. For me, all Ox has to fix is his propensity for giving the ball away and a lack of urgency in defending. He's got the technical qualities now it's thinking problems.