They say our senior team only get themselves up for the big matches... and the kids love to work hard and impress in any match they play and as evidenced today are superior to teams like Wigan... Therefore, i suggest to Arsene Wenger, that when Arsenal play a team in the bottom half of the table we play the kids, and when its top half of the table we play the seniors. End result is about 25 different players starting a match at one point or another, and another undefeated season
The enthusiasm and effort produced by the kids today has been lacking in alot of matches in the senior squad, today was really a breath of fresh air.
In some of the matches I'm sure nerves and poor decision making will undo all the good that these kids can do, which is why I'm still not convinced about a full scale rotation. Maybe easing Vela, Wilshere and Ramsey will help, and I'm really high on Vela. This guy's a beast just waiting to mature and set the world alight.
Agree 100%. I fear if the reserves were to play week in week out then they would not produce anywhere near on the same level. It's a motivational thing too, they know they only get this one opptunity every month to play in the massive stadium with a full capacity live on TV, hence why when they get the chance they are all foaming at the mouth to proove something.
I know this thread may be a little tongue and cheek but just a quick question, in those league cup matches - do those opponents also field full strength teams? Just something to consider because they may be a slightly different proposition in the premiership.
I posted basically the same idea in the match thread, and while I was being somewhat facetious (can't speak for And_Roos on that) the real point is that the first team seem to think that they just have to show up and the lower table teams will give way in awe at the mighty Arsenal. The kids, though, work hard for every minute they get, and play with spirit and desire every time out. If the seniors could learn that lesson we wouldn't have dropped 13 points already this year to teams that will finish in the bottom regions of the prem.
You have to think about the readiness of the kids, whether they're ready to play week in week out. If right now the current first team players can't close out a game, can't maintain their concentration and desire week in week out, what guarantee is there for the likes of Wilshere and Ramsey? Plus, with rotation, chemistry is sacrificed. Just look at the poor starts that Liverpool have always had to endure prior to this year, chopping and changing doesn't help the Arsenal way of play football, where short passing and chemistry is very important.
I think this is a negative byproduct of us having a smaller squad. While it is apparently clear that we are short 1 or 2 people as evidenced by our collapse last year and our numerous injury problems every season. It is easy for people to get complacent, i dont care if you are a desk jockey making 30 grand a year or a professional footy player making 30 grand a week. Another point too is we are not nearly as ruthless as 4 years ago. Teams did fear us, we simply overpower teams mentally and most games were won before the ball was ever kicked. We never looked like dropping points to anyone but the other big 3. Im sure a lot of you will disagree with that but it was clearly apparent in a lot of games. Other manages had no idea where to start to try to nullify us, let alone to try and win games against us. Now you see teams playing bunker defense and very aggressive against us. Not to sound super negative as i think our current Arsenal squad is good and is just a shade from achieving good things but it is a shadow of our team 4 years ago, physically, mentally, and technically.
Wigan fielded the same team vs. our youngsters that they did in the Premiership match vs. Stoke over the weekend. A team like that would benefit from lifting ANY silverware, so they're throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks. It really shows the class of our youth and reserves to perform that well. I think Ramsey, Wilshere, Simpson, and Vela should be getting some first-team action. They hustle, bust ass and shoot the ball, all of which we don't see enough of with the first team.
These matches may also serve to light a bit of fire under the arse of the first team players. They need to step up for every match because there is a class of talented kids waiting to take their spots. The kids aren't all ready for the first XI, but as mentioned by others, there are some that are nearly there and could use the experience. I'd like to see Vela, Ramsey, and Wilshire get a bit more time on the pitch vs. the lower Prem sides and in the FA Cup.
I'd just like to point out that in MARCH of 03, United were 8 points adrift of us, had embarrassed themselves early on in the season (a bad loss to Citeh at Maine Road, for example, or a loss to crap Bolton) but still managed to win the title that year, beating us by 5 points. I don't expect that we'll win it all, but we certainly can. We are, you must remember, only a third of the way through the season at this point.
In the 2002/2003 season, to which Schu was referring, Ronaldo wasn't playing for United, IIRC. He signed with them that summer. That season, we imploded.....but credit where it's due....United did not lose a match after New Year's that season.
I am not sure about that. With Arsenal already having four losses and at least one draw, they cannot afford many, if any, more dropped points from now onwards. I am just hoping we can get through the rest of November without a loss.
That season we lost five matches by the end of December. The big change though was that Roy Keane returned from his injury/suspension and van Nistelrooy got into strong goalscoring form. Also that "eight point lead" was, in fairness to Arsenal, with a game in hand for us (we played in the League Cup final that day). The caveat though is that we finished with 83 points, which recently hasn't been enough to win the title. That total nowadays might be good for second or third. It used to be a lot easier to start off poorly in the season and come from behind to win, but now it seems more often teams are leading early on and not giving up an inch.
QFT. Arsenal had a soft schedule to start the season and we dropped points like it was going out of style. At this point, we have a better chance to fall out of a CL position than we do win the Prem.
I'm aware of all the differences between United's 02-03 season and our current campaign. Nonetheless, I'll continue to be hopeful until we are well and truly out of it....20 points back in April, perhaps?