EPL – Arsenal vs Norwich - 12:45 - 05/05/12 - Arsenal Player

[Dave_Ja_Vu]

Also worth noting that Rosicky has recaptured his 4 year pre-Tottenham form.

I'm still scratching my head, wondering how 3/4 good performances back in March managed to earn him a new contract and a reprive from the majority of fans.

 

[Hunta]

I can't remember Rosicky doing anything today, i can't believe he played the full 90. Also i thought Gibbs was poor again today, i really don't like the look of our LB situation going into next season, just one of the many problems the manager needs to sort out.

 

[Vela]

Very poor performance from Arsenal today, Norwich played very well IMO. We shouldn't be conceding three goals at home, especially to a promoted side. Everyone agree all of the goals were down to simple mistakes? We didn't deserve a victory, a draw IMO was a fair result. I know we should be beating teams like Norwich at home.

 

[AnthonyG]

Everyone agree all of the goals were down to simple mistakes?

Yes, they were all very soft and I'm not going to single anyone out. I really thought we would nick it when we went up 3-2, but even then we didn't look likely to hold out. Just a very disappointing defensive effort all around.

 

[SomGooner]

Until this pattern of every bloody average opposition donkey looking like Maradona against us is broken these kind of heartbreaking results will keep on occuring because we lack the heart to stand up to the bullies and every team in the league knows that which is why the likes of Zamora, Drogba, Barton, Carroll, Crouch, N'gog, Holt and Morison end up looking like world beaters every time they're playing against us.

 

[dyeruz]

To be fair Hoult has been scoring goals in the premiership, I still can't make sense of defending where you keep backing up and backing up and when the player hits the ball you stick a leg out where it might get a deflection

 

[Mastadon]

Pure stupidity is what it was. We took the lead with 10 minutes left and got caught on the counter 5 mintues later. Why did we need to commit so many players forward in search of that 4th goal? Reminds me of the 4-4 draw we had against Sp**s when we were leading 4-2 with minutes left and we kept on going for the 5th goal, ended up conceding 2 more goals and drawing the game.

This is a team which is capable of dominating possession esp against a team like Norwich we could have just held it up for the last 10 mins instead of going all out for the 4th goal.

 

[Anzac]

The other thing I note is how narrow we are playing - no genuine width off the ball at all & no effort to stretch the play to open up the channels.

Norwich are attacking.

Not for long they haven't been - they've just intercepted Song's long ball out from deep to no one so the basic shape on the field hasn't had long enough to change significantly (that would require more urgency off the ball by the team as a whole than we saw all game).

The series of pics sees Norwich playing the ball forward immediately after the interception & Song moving forward to challenge but failing to either win the ball OR hold up play. Song stepping up with the FBs already ahead of the ball meant that there was a huge gap on our left from where Song came from - our defensive positioning/awareness is negligable.

It seems that the only way Song is capable of providing defence is to foul - I don't recall a genuine defensive performance from him this season other than in the 2nd half A v Dortmund when he sat in the hole & kept his passing simple. By no means should this be taken as just picking on Song - apart from TV's failure to track runners off the ball Kos was doubly lucky in regards to the penalty shout re both the shirt pull and then having his foot up in a very messy attempt to win the ball.

 

[dyeruz]

Pure stupidity is what it was. We took the lead with 10 minutes left and got caught on the counter 5 mintues later. Why did we need to commit so many players forward in search of that 4th goal? Reminds me of the 4-4 draw we had against Sp**s when we were leading 4-2 with minutes left and we kept on going for the 5th goal, ended up conceding 2 more goals and drawing the game.

This is a team which is capable of dominating possession esp against a team like Norwich we could have just held it up for the last 10 mins instead of going all out for the 4th goal.

Dude thats the thing, the norwich goal wasn't a counter attack at all, we were struggling to pass the ball, and were doing that thing where we almost seem to try and gift the opposition the ball, coquelin instead of heading the ball out headed it towards goal and almost lead a norwich player in, the the ball goes to Song who dallies then decides to pass to know one in particular, all the while the other players are haring upfield leaving our defence rather f*cked, which in time it was.

 

[arsmile]

we were horrendous all over

ramsey, snez, vermaelen, song in particular had absolute abominations.

i think it is about instructions though- vermaelen and song are good players who just keep putting in indisciplined performances. At least they have some redeeming features to their games overall- but they need to get the picture that they are defensive players primarily.

ramsey has no redeeming features to any part of his game at all at the moment.

but...we are just very poorly drilled in what to do.

any team can lose a lead- any team can have a terrible half and find themselves behind. good teams can get the lead back... but how we contrived to not win that game from the 3-2 position is beyond me, what a bunch of stupid lazy mugs.

 

[kopzilla]

Wow...I didn't see their first goal.

Chez with a shocking blunder...almost as if he was on the training ground.

 

[dysphoria]

is it true that we've been awarded 0 penalties at home this season? Wenger said something along those lines, i know we were piss poor and have been so in parts of the season but was wondering if that stat is true? Surely it can't be, surely we've had at least 1 pen at home, can't remember any of the top of my head at the moment..

 

[AnthonyG]

Yes, it's true dys; we've had three away, RvP made 2, missed 1. None at home. This is my source:

http://www.football-lineups.com/tourn/FA_Premier_League_2011-2012/Stats/Penalties/

 

[kopzilla]

Well I just watched the extended highlights and we should have had 2-3 penalties.

One of them was for the push on Robin, the other was a possible handball by a Norwich player during the 73rd min when he tried to block Ox's cross.

The third one could have been a penalty when Holt grabbed hold of Koscielny while trying to score a header from a long cross.

But Norwich could have had 2 penos as well..

Seriously what a ridiculous match...people with heart problems should avoid watching such games...

We had about 3-4 good chances to score even after 3-3...

Norwich missed 3 sitters after 1-2!

Amazing game for a neutral..only wish we had nicked it..

 

[kenkbc2]

We always seem to provide entertainment for the neutrals. Too bad its entertainement along comedic lines...

And first thing I have to see this morning when switching the telly on is to see Terry lifting the F.A Cup...again!! Geez..

 

[celestis]

Sad thing about the draw , it masks the fact we looked really good as a 4-4-2. It's been awhile since we created that many clear cut chances .

 

[Rain Dance]

I can't remember Rosicky doing anything today, i can't believe he played the full 90. Also i thought Gibbs was poor again today, i really don't like the look of our LB situation going into next season, just one of the many problems the manager needs to sort out.

at 0-0 made a simple pass to Benayoun who scored,
at 1-2 made a clean through ball to Benayoun who failed to control,
his FK found Benny who head right at Ruddy,
at 2-2 made a chipped pass at RvP who shot right at Ruddy, the rebound was headed slightly wide by Camakh,
dribbled past 3 players only to find the player receiving his pass can't score.
found AOC who accidently made a pass to RvP for 3-2

Yup, he didn't do anything

 

[kenkbc2]

Sad thing about the draw , it masks the fact we looked really good as a 4-4-2. It's been awhile since we created that many clear cut chances .

Offensively, yes. Defensively, some question marks. But overall, yes we did look better.

But in spite of that, watch Arsène revert us back to 4-3-3 against WBA.

 

[dreamLord]

Also worth noting that Rosicky has recaptured his 4 year pre-Tottenham form.

I'm still scratching my head, wondering how 3/4 good performances back in March managed to earn him a new contract and a reprive from the majority of fans.

Knee jerk. He's been our best attacker for two months now. Our attack isn't very good to begin with though.

 

[kenkbc2]

Sad thing about the draw , it masks the fact we looked really good as a 4-4-2. It's been awhile since we created that many clear cut chances .

Offensively, yes. Defensively, some question marks. But overall, yes we did look better.

But in spite of that, watch Arsène revert us back to 4-3-3 against WBA.