EPL: Arsenal vs. Leicester - Sunday 14.02.2016 - 12:00

[Penn_]

The confidence in the thread shows you what a name alone can do. If you kept everything the same but changed Leicester City to Manchester City, Man Utd or Chelsea people would be a lot more pessimistic.

The arrogance is rather surprising given the fans moan about the players having such an attitude.

 

[Aevi]

The confidence in the thread shows you what a name alone can do. If you kept everything the same but changed Leicester City to Manchester City, Man Utd or Chelsea people would be a lot more pessimistic.

The arrogance is rather surprising given the fans moan about the players having such an attitude.

What are you in about?

Most on here aren't too confident about this game.

 

[Sweggeh]

The confidence in the thread shows you what a name alone can do. If you kept everything the same but changed Leicester City to Manchester City, Man Utd or Chelsea people would be a lot more pessimistic.

The arrogance is rather surprising given the fans moan about the players having such an attitude.

Yeah, how dare we be confident about beating a team that we smashed 5-2 in their own yard just a few months ago. With Arteta in the middle no less.

If we don't beat Leicester, it will be because we didn't play to the best of our ability. Simple as. Our best is miles above Leicester's best.

 

[Bearded Toaster]

They've beaten pretty much everyone in the league apart from us @ their place so I think its right not to be too confident in this game. Anything less than a win will be critical damage against us winning the league. Bascially we need to win every game from now until the end of the season in my honest opinion.

 

[Penn_]

Yeah, how dare we be confident about beating a team that we smashed 5-2 in their own yard just a few months ago. With Arteta in the middle no less.

If we don't beat Leicester, it will be because we didn't play to the best of our ability. Simple as. Our best is miles above Leicester's best.

Different setup for both teams.

Monreal is also hitting some poor form, which doesn't bode well trying to contain Mahrez.

Our best might be better than Leicester's but we've only seen it in a handful of games.

 

[redwhiteAustrian]

At home I doubt we'll suffer a crushing defeat, the game will be tight and nervy though - that aside, I don't think Leicester will keep us out, it's just a question whether we can keep a clean sheet here, which I doubt.

 

[Penn_]

My confidence will go up if I see Coq, Kos and Gabriel in the starting line up. Not the most easily countered.

 

[Gooner Zig]

To be fair, if we didn't have Sanchez scoring in that game we wouldn't have won. Theo and Sanchez tore them apart. It'd be naive to start with Giroud in this match, despite his goal threat if the game is going to be open warfare like City.

What kind of argument is that? If Vardy didn't play then they wouldn't have scored.

I remember that game clearly and especially in the second half, every time we went forward we looked like scoring, it was our best offensive performance of the season, aside form the United game at home.

 

[FreeGlennHelder]

Its the masters of losing the ball after a bout of aimless sideways passing vs the masters of nicking the ball and launching a devastating lightning quick counterattack.

2 tactics come to mind
1) Play like Wimbledon on the late 80s
2) Start the game like we did against ManUtd

Either is good.

 

[Rimaal]

I'm numb towards this match. For my sanity, I'm taking the que sera, sera approach.

 

[Jasard]

Orbinho ‏@Orbinho 8m8 minutes ago
Martin Atkinson will officiate Arsenal v Leicester. The Gunners have won one and lost five of the last seven he has refereed.

Yay..

 

[SuperGoon]

I'm so excited for this match. Excited and terrified.

You just know neither side will keep a clean sheet. The team that has the better defense will be the one that walks away with the points.

 

[SuperGoon]

Orbinho ‏@Orbinho 8m8 minutes ago
Martin Atkinson will officiate Arsenal v Leicester. The Gunners have won one and lost five of the last seven he has refereed.

Yay..

Oh **** off.

 

[SuperGoon]

What kind of argument is that? If Vardy didn't play then they wouldn't have scored.

I remember that game clearly and especially in the second half, every time we went forward we looked like scoring, it was our best offensive performance of the season, aside form the United game at home.

The thing is, Vardy is in form. Sanchez is not. We need Sanchez to have a 10/10 game. This isn't the same Leicester side we played a few months ago. They won't make the same mistakes.

 

[redwhiteAustrian]

Orbinho ‏@Orbinho 8m8 minutes ago
Martin Atkinson will officiate Arsenal v Leicester. The Gunners have won one and lost five of the last seven he has refereed.

Yay..

At least there's one win in there, imagine that idiot Dean being ref for this.

 

[SA Gunner]

Sorry, but with our new style of play i am not confident. I just hate this type of football we have invented.. No control in midfield with or without Cazorla, we just get overrun time and time again by any half decent team.

Can anyone please explain to me what style of football we have adapted for the past few seasons? It's not counter attacking nor is possession football, every player looks so clueless out of possssion, just jogging and strolling about. We don't press but instead just jog about hoping the opposition misplaces a pass then we can gain possession etc. We lack fight and energy compared to other teams, spuds and Leicester play a high energy game which scares me a lot, we struggle against teams like that..

You are asking all the right questions mate.

Our form of play doesnt have a proper shape at all, our lack of positioning on and off the ball leaves a lot to be desired. We are still very prone to be pulled out of shape and have ball watchers on the pitch.

Our performances on the field still suggests that Wenger does not instill a team approach to the game, namely positional awareness, collective pressing and the respect of diminishing spaces as the opposition transitions back into their defensive formation. Instead I see a dedication to self expression trump all other philosophies and that hurts us ultimately. We stroll on the pitch with opposition defenders running backwards, pass backwards when the opposition is reforming and also we see lack of numbers in the box for the pullback from the byline.

Coquelin makes a massive difference because he allows us a chance to stay high up the pitch for longer, and disrupts the opposition attacking us through the middle, long enough for a recovery. It, in a way masks the playing frailties that have always been evident in our game.

I so wish we can get in a proper strategist at number 2. Someone who can identify and address this type of mindset within the squad.

Simple attention to things like collective pressing, awareness of player positioning and dedication to exploit reforming defenses will turn us into a different animal. We have the tools to do such right now and thats the real tragedy for me.

We play football with a crutch, and its Arsène Wenger unfortunately who is that crutch. We are good enough to compete for this title, but we are not playing at our maximum level under the manager, that's for certain. We will always give opposition a chance with him at the helm.

 

[Gooner Zig]

The thing is, Vardy is in form. Sanchez is not. We need Sanchez to have a 10/10 game. This isn't the same Leicester side we played a few months ago. They won't make the same mistakes.

Well coming into that game Alexis wasn't exactly lighting it up either, neither was Theo - they both had break out games that day.

It is the same Leicester side - they've fielded pretty much the same XI almost all season. In fact, there's an argument to say that the situations leading into the game are almost identical - we also were in a scoring rut leading up to that game, the OG jokes were flying in thick and fast whilst Leicester were the major surprise packet and scoring for fun.

 

[Gooner Zig]

Orbinho ‏@Orbinho 8m8 minutes ago
Martin Atkinson will officiate Arsenal v Leicester. The Gunners have won one and lost five of the last seven he has refereed.

Yay..

It doesn't mean much...we have an outstanding record with Clattenburg but it didn't stop us losing to Chelsea

 

[Rex Stone]

I hated it when Atletico was hipsters choice a few years back. I'm not on an English language Atletico forum so it wasn't so bad an issue.

But whenever you were out in the UK you'd see some numpty wearing a newly pressed Falcao shirt.

He'd put away his Gotze Dortmund shirt from the year before and would move onto his Morata Juve shirt the year after. Bellends of the highest order, usually hang round Shoreditch and appreciate the game on a different level to plebs like us.

 

[Truebl956]

Well coming into that game Alexis wasn't exactly lighting it up either, neither was Theo - they both had break out games that day.

It is the same Leicester side - they've fielded pretty much the same XI almost all season. In fact, there's an argument to say that the situations leading into the game are almost identical - we also were in a scoring rut leading up to that game, the OG jokes were flying in thick and fast whilst Leicester were the major surprise packet and scoring for fun.

Except both right back and left back have been changed - a huge difference to our defensive record

 

[Gooner Zig]

Except both right back and left back have been changed - a huge difference to our defensive record

I should have worded it a bit better - ostensibly very close to the same team as last time.

 

[Gooner n Proud]

You are asking all the right questions mate.

Our form of play doesnt have a proper shape at all, our lack of positioning on and off the ball leaves a lot to be desired. We are still very prone to be pulled out of shape and have ball watchers on the pitch.

Our performances on the field still suggests that Wenger does not instill a team approach to the game, namely positional awareness, collective pressing and the respect of diminishing spaces as the opposition transitions back into their defensive formation. Instead I see a dedication to self expression trump all other philosophies and that hurts us ultimately. We stroll on the pitch with opposition defenders running backwards, pass backwards when the opposition is reforming and also we see lack of numbers in the box for the pullback from the byline.

Coquelin makes a massive difference because he allows us a chance to stay high up the pitch for longer, and disrupts the opposition attacking us through the middle, long enough for a recovery. It, in a way masks the playing frailties that have always been evident in our game.

I so wish we can get in a proper strategist at number 2. Someone who can identify and address this type of mindset within the squad.

Simple attention to things like collective pressing, awareness of player positioning and dedication to exploit reforming defenses will turn us into a different animal. We have the tools to do such right now and thats the real tragedy for me.

We play football with a crutch, and its Arsène Wenger unfortunately who is that crutch. We are good enough to compete for this title, but we are not playing at our maximum level under the manager, that's for certain. We will always give opposition a chance with him at the helm.

Its also difficult to form combinations and overall cohesion in the teams play if we are constantly missing 7-8 players simultanously. Earlier this campaign the team looked great with Theo leading the line, Cazorla-Coquelin midfield and Ramsey on the right; there was more fluidity and sharpness to our play as Cazorla often controlled the tempo from the dlp role and would transition us quickly from defence to offence. Our problems in recent weeks are mainly caused by neither Flamini or Ramsey capable of contributing what Santi does. Its funny everyone criticizes Arsène for not purchasing a backup for Coquelin, which was required, but looking at the current situation a back up player of Cazorla's style was also a necessity if we're to continue playing the same way.

 

[Dave]

Its also difficult to form combinations and overall cohesion in the teams play if we are constantly missing 7-8 players simultanously. Earlier this campaign the team looked great with Theo leading the line, Cazorla-Coquelin midfield and Ramsey on the right; there was more fluidity and sharpness to our play as Cazorla often controlled the tempo from the dlp role and would transition us quickly from defence to offence. Our problems in recent weeks are mainly caused by neither Flamini or Ramsey capable of contributing what Santi does. Its funny everyone criticizes Arsène for not purchasing a backup for Coquelin, which was required, but looking at the current situation a back up player of Cazorla's style was also a necessity if we're to continue playing the same way.

Wilshere is supposed to do that job if Cazorla is out but is never fit himself...

 

[How Soon Is Now]

Having read through this thread now, I think I have the gist. We want a spine of Per, Flamini and Giroud? If there's one thing we need against Leicester, it's a distinct lack of speed and a midfield lacking discipline. I hope you're reading Wenger!