Bendtner's Big Chance

[EastBelfast_Cannon]

When do you ever see Arshavin actually 'finish', though. He hardly ever picks his spot or hits the ball with his instep. He always strikes at goal by putting his foot through the ball. When you're trying to hit the ball hard there's always more chance of it going wrong. In a way it's a testament to his power and technique that he scores so many while always looking to smack the leather off the ball.

I agree, unlike most in that position who would make it number 1 that they hit the target whether it came off the foot, shin, knee or a beachball, its as if arshavin not only goes for the drilling and accuracy knowing he can well and truly do it on his day. The miss against Hull I first blamed on pitch but knowing Arshavins ability I wouldnt be suprised he was aiming to drill that straight into top corner. Things cant be too easy with arshavin and that includes empty nets and **** defenders lol

 

[True Gooner]

But all 3 of them did take a bobble if you noticed

Not enough to excuse Arshavin from hitting the target.

 

[Jockanese Gooner]

But all 3 of them did take a bobble if you noticed

Not enough to excuse Arshavin from hitting the target.

If theres a bobble its out of your hands, regardless of how good you are?

 

[True Gooner]

I don't remember there being much of a bobble at the Emirates either?

 

[USArsenal]

maybe not at the Emirates, but there certainly was at the KC.. i watched the one kick where Theo cut the ball back in and Nasri missed it, rolling right to AA, and then jumped up shin-height right as he was swinging his leg into the ball..

that said, if he was over the ball, he probably "could have" directed the ball downward and we would have had a better shot.. but oh well..

 

[otfgoon]

Even if they did bobble there was absolutely no composure in those shots, they looked like wild swings.

I actually think he's lacking in confidence which may sound strage considering he's been quite effective. But there are several parts of his game that seem rusty.

 

[USArsenal]

i cant understand how a player could be "rusty" after playing for 5 months... and he scored earlier in the game, how could he be low on confidence? (maybe Nik should give him some of his - he has plenty to spare)..

 

[otfgoon]

I said parts of his game seem rusty, as in it could use a bit of oil to be a little more smooth.

Like I said, the confidence thing may sound strange considering how effective he has been recently, but players know when they're not playing as well as they can be. I'm sure if frustrates Andrey as much as anyone else when he gives the ball away cheaply or misses a few golden chances which he's been doing a fair bit recently.

 

[EastBelfast_Cannon]

Think we have to be careful we dont look too deeply into it in relation arshavin. Unlike the past when we had players who we could rely on week in week out for your bog standard chances and passes yet come the big games dissapear quicker than leeds whereas I am happy that we have found a big game man and if it means that we dont see what he is capable of week in week out we always know come the big moments he has the ability to single handedly change a game or produce a peice of magic. What a wonderful world it would be if the guy buried everything week in week out.

 

[yuvken]

I'm not sure if this explains all of it, or solves the bobble issue, etc. I think some would not even agree with this at all. But it was always my impression Arsha is a type of "reverse not big game player". There are those who don't seem to handle big games (but are good in others). And there are those who are good in big games, and normally also in "small time" stuff. But if I'm right about Arsha, he's only ever interested in the big games, and is not in full focus when "routine time" is on. It's not hard to point at his being a big game player. But still some would say that doesn't prove my strange point: is it not a big game when we don't win at Hull after 90 minutes? or the miss against porto? I'm not saying this is nothing. But when you think it is possible a player is a "big time state of mind" player, and is sort of "turned off" when the heat is not on, it is possible. you can't expect him to be totally turned on for Hull; but he still managed to start the game on f***ng fire (I watched that goal several times; how many people in the world would manage to do that - go the other way, and find the ball in that split second, right to the corner); then he went one level down in concentration. He made the first two against porto (the second with unbelievable skill) and the big miss was when we were already 2:0 up (Yeah, I know; the big time is not officially over yet).
I know this is a bit far fetched. But i always expect him to be fully there for big games. He normally delivers.

 

[otfgoon]

I don't agree with that at all. You're essentially suggesting he missed those chances because he's not interested which is just ridiculous. He was also working his arse off and barking instructions to Theo when he came on, that doesn't seem like the attitude of someone who isn't "turned on".

 

[Gurgen]

When do you ever see Arshavin actually 'finish', though. He hardly ever picks his spot or hits the ball with his instep. He always strikes at goal by putting his foot through the ball. When you're trying to hit the ball hard there's always more chance of it going wrong. In a way it's a testament to his power and technique that he scores so many while always looking to smack the leather off the ball.

I agree, unlike most in that position who would make it number 1 that they hit the target whether it came off the foot, shin, knee or a beachball, its as if arshavin not only goes for the drilling and accuracy knowing he can well and truly do it on his day. The miss against Hull I first blamed on pitch but knowing Arshavins ability I wouldnt be suprised he was aiming to drill that straight into top corner. Things cant be too easy with arshavin and that includes empty nets and s**t defenders lol

He hit that shot with the inside of his foot actually. His body was leaning backwards though which is why it went out of the stadium.

 

[Clrnc]

maybe not at the Emirates, but there certainly was at the KC.. i watched the one kick where Theo cut the ball back in and Nasri missed it, rolling right to AA, and then jumped up shin-height right as he was swinging his leg into the ball..

that said, if he was over the ball, he probably "could have" directed the ball downward and we would have had a better shot.. but oh well..

I couldn't believe he missed that open goal against Porto so I examined it clearly and there was indeed a bobble.

Unlucky or what, I dont know, but the way he sidesfoot a ball, it was always going to be either slammed into the net or skied high up

 

[yuvken]

Otf - I don't think it's an easy thought, but it's a bit more subtle than just "turn on". It's more like to be prepared for a big game. But as I mentioned, it's not something I expected to be popular. It's a thought (I don't think it's a ridiculous one, at any rate). Either it helps, or it doesn't.

 

[EastBelfast_Cannon]

When do you ever see Arshavin actually 'finish', though. He hardly ever picks his spot or hits the ball with his instep. He always strikes at goal by putting his foot through the ball. When you're trying to hit the ball hard there's always more chance of it going wrong. In a way it's a testament to his power and technique that he scores so many while always looking to smack the leather off the ball.

I agree, unlike most in that position who would make it number 1 that they hit the target whether it came off the foot, shin, knee or a beachball, its as if arshavin not only goes for the drilling and accuracy knowing he can well and truly do it on his day. The miss against Hull I first blamed on pitch but knowing Arshavins ability I wouldnt be suprised he was aiming to drill that straight into top corner. Things cant be too easy with arshavin and that includes empty nets and s**t defenders lol

He hit that shot with the inside of his foot actually. His body was leaning backwards though which is why it went out of the stadium.

the one against hull? when nasri poked the ball just behind him he took a few steps back and took a wild swing at it, there was no intent for placing it anywhere, he was putting his foot right through it in the hope of hammering it into the net.

The one that got me was when arshavin did well to hold the ball and bring it to edge of 18 before feeding theo who gavie it to Nik who waited and waited before attempting a shot, was as if he froze for a second and struggled to get it out of his feet. Anyways who cares 2-1. lets start worrying if it costs us, in the meantime hope prayers and faith.

 

[Captain]

His 'finishing' is very casual right now, that header he had recently summed it up; didn't try to generate power or anything, just literally let the ball bounce off of his head. You can't even say that his conviction is waning because he has scored during this period. I don't know what it is but he needs to concentrate and finish these chances; especially in the champions league, you aren't going to get many chances and you have to make it count.

 

[Meatwad]

maybe it's a russian thing, because their casualness is why they aren't going to the world cup this summer.

 

[MDGoonah41]

At Zenit, his numbers in all competitions were

281 Appearances
71 goals (1 every 3.96 games)
109 assists (1 every 2.58 games)

For Arsenal

48 Appearances
17 Goals (1 every 2.82 games)
18 Assists (1 every 2.67 games)

He's actually been more prolific at Arsenal than at Zenit in terms of goal scoring. His single best total at Zenit was 15 in 46 games in 2007, and he also had 27 assists that year. He then moved to a much tougher league, and yet his production has increased. I think maybe our expectations of him were a bit unrealistic, or our perceptions about his level of finishing before he got here were wrong. Because he's been as good or better here than he was at Zenit, and its in a much tougher league.

 

[dutchMasta]

His 'finishing' is very casual right now, that header he had recently summed it up; didn't try to generate power or anything, just literally let the ball bounce off of his head. You can't even say that his conviction is waning because he has scored during this period. I don't know what it is but he needs to concentrate and finish these chances; especially in the champions league, you aren't going to get many chances and you have to make it count.

If you're talking about that header against Porto, then it's a crap example. Tight angle, ball had pace, he put more than enough power into it.

Otherwise, I'd say his missed chances recently were a mixture of bad concentration and a **** pitch (Hull). He needs to especially sort out those shots which come towards him from the right. Those aren't easy, but hitting the target is minimum for some of the chances he had.

 

[Captain]

mdgoonah, why is that relevant mate?

Dutchie, it was a simple chance which he didn't make the most of, like so many more recently.