Player Ratings - CL: Arsenal vs Ajax | 07/12/05

[longrufus]

is this arsenal or asa mania? just kiddin

cant agree more, doesnt leave me much to say then, other than hows the rankings going?

 

[asajoseph]

is this arsenal or asa mania? just kiddin

cant agree more, doesnt leave me much to say then, other than hows the rankings going?

Meh, well, I respect Gurgen and Canuck's oppinions greatly, so if they can be bothered to read and respond to my nonsense, even if they disagree with it, I feel compelled to return the favour

 

[Gurgen]

Well, I agree on one thing. He definitely isn't good enough to start for us now. But the sad part is that for me Cesc and Gilberto aren't good enough at the moment either. I have yet to understand why we are playing an 18-year-old every week, instead of buying another decent midfielder and rotating them. The kid will be jaded at the end of the season, Arsène is risking him becoming an Owen.

 

[sabret00the]

Well, I agree on one thing. He definitely isn't good enough to start for us now. But the sad part is that for me Cesc and Gilberto aren't good enough at the moment either. I have yet to understand why we are playing an 18-year-old every week, instead of buying another decent midfielder and rotating them. The kid will be jaded at the end of the season, Arsène is risking him becoming an Owen.

the reason we have to play Cesc is because he's the best we've got, if Wengers got the conviction, he'll buy someone in and play Hleb-New Guy in the centre for most of the end of the season run-in.

 

[asajoseph]

Well, I agree on one thing. He definitely isn't good enough to start for us now. But the sad part is that for me Cesc and Gilberto aren't good enough at the moment either. I have yet to understand why we are playing an 18-year-old every week, instead of buying another decent midfielder and rotating them. The kid will be jaded at the end of the season, Arsène is risking him becoming an Owen.

I more or less agree with that - Gilberto's not justifying his selection on form at the moment, but by the lack of available options in the middle we're forced to keep playing him. I do think that, used more sparingly, and with the right supporting cast, Cesc CAN play a significant role for the first team this year. As it is though, we're running the risk of some serious burnout, unless the guy gets the opportunity to have a week or two off. I'm still far from convinced that Hleb is ready to play in the middle, and I don't believe Wenger is either, but why he saw fit to start the season with our current midfield does mystify me. It's all very well waiting for that 'exceptional player' but if the rest of the team disappears in the meantime, we'll be left with our **** in our hand come next may.

 

[tactica442]

I am very dissapointed with Quincy's perfromance. I bet Bandfield would feel the same way, too.

Larsson worked hard but a bit direction-less. His off-ball runnning was impressive but he should support more around the halfway line, not on the edge of the box.