Arsenal v Aston Villa All-in-one Thread (Match #272) (Post-match #993)

[Grande Pablo]

I really detest BBC WM, but had to listen in whilst driving around tile showrooms with Mrs Pablo.  Regan & Peter Withe bought a tear to my eye with their totally biased commentary around Luna's goal.  It bought back memories of Chris Price vs Arsenal.

[PeterWithesShin]

I'd hate to be an Arsenal fan.  In order to improve they need to seemingly get rid of the thing that has made them great anyway.

He's coming on like a slightly more exotic O'Neill.

Spunking money on average players, paying them well above their value in wages and having no tactical plan b.

I agree with this.  I don't think he knows how to improve them from here.  The team he had which had some success was built around a strong defense, to defensive midfielders and a genius or 2 up front.  He can't replicate it because he doesn't seem to want to associate with the type of football they played with Vieria and Petit in there and he hasn't found anyone close to Henry or Bergkamp except for Van Persie but he was injured so often whilst he was there they never got enough out of him.

I've said to the Arsenal fan at work (who I watched the game with) I really wouldn't be surprised if Wenger leaves during the season.  They've let him stay there 2-3 years too long already and everyone needs to move on now.

Has he ever signed a decent keeper or defender? That is another of their big problems, he had the defence in place when he took over but has struggled to replace any of them. Cole (youth team) for a while and Campbell are about his best efforts that I can think of.

[rob_bridge]

Gus Ceasar, Don Howe, Ian Allison, Sammy Nelson, Bob Wilson, Colin Pates, Chris Kiwomya, Glen Helder, Willie Young, Francis Jeffers, Alan Davies, Ainsley Harriott, the ugly bird from Grange Hill / Eastenders, arrogant cock Plum Morgan and subset of nouveaus over th world, your boys took one helluva beating.

[PeterWithesShin]

Gus Ceasar, Don Howe, Ian Allison, Sammy Nelson, Bob Wilson, Colin Pates, Chris Kiwomya, Glen Helder, Willie Young, Francis Jeffers, Alan Davies, Ainsley Harriott, the ugly bird from Grange Hill / Eastenders, arrogant cock Plum Morgan and subset of nouveaus over th world, your boys took one helluva beating.

You forgot Nick Hornby.

[rob_bridge]

Gus Ceasar, Don Howe, Ian Allison, Sammy Nelson, Bob Wilson, Colin Pates, Chris Kiwomya, Glen Helder, Willie Young, Francis Jeffers, Alan Davies, Ainsley Harriott, the ugly bird from Grange Hill / Eastenders, arrogant cock Plum Morgan and subset of nouveaus over th world, your boys took one helluva beating.

You forgot Nick Hornby.

Deliberately and probably slightly more credible than others listed.

[eric woolban woolban]

First opening away game win since Newcastle in 1999. Before that it was the infamous Sheffield Wednesday game.

[rob_bridge]

I'd hate to be an Arsenal fan.  In order to improve they need to seemingly get rid of the thing that has made them great anyway.

He's coming on like a slightly more exotic O'Neill.

Spunking money on average players, paying them well above their value in wages and having no tactical plan b.

I agree with this.  I don't think he knows how to improve them from here.  The team he had which had some success was built around a strong defense, to defensive midfielders and a genius or 2 up front.  He can't replicate it because he doesn't seem to want to associate with the type of football they played with Vieria and Petit in there and he hasn't found anyone close to Henry or Bergkamp except for Van Persie but he was injured so often whilst he was there they never got enough out of him.

I've said to the Arsenal fan at work (who I watched the game with) I really wouldn't be surprised if Wenger leaves during the season.  They've let him stay there 2-3 years too long already and everyone needs to move on now.

Has he ever signed a decent keeper or defender? That is another of their big problems, he had the defence in place when he took over but has struggled to replace any of them. Cole (youth team) for a while and Campbell are about his best efforts that I can think of.

To be fair Lehman was a very good keeper, Kolo Toure was very good and Lauren was converted to a RB and was very effective for a couple of years. Other than that, not too many I grant you. Still only 4-5 in best part of 2 decades

[danlanza]

Didn't we do well. To be honest it should have been 5-1 to us. Bring on Chelsea and then the Bindippers. No fear. UTV.
What a save by Guzan btw.

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

Happy Happy Place tonight. Me and the Missus are raising a glass of Guinness to Villa fans everywhere especially those who were at the Emirates today. You were magnificant today - noisy as hell on Radio5live. What a bunch of spoilt tossers the Gooners have become.

Stood right next to them and they were giving us massive, smuggy, shitty comments from the off, esp when they went one-up. When we gave it back stewards were a bit OTT. Though they did hoik 2 Gooner guys out who seemed to fighting between themselves.
We applauded.
The only decent thing for a gentleman to do!
Proud to be amongst a great group of Villa fans, as always!
UTV!

[UK Redsox]

A few thoughts before having seen the highlights.

Did Tekkers deliberately miss so that he wouldn't have "(Pen)" after his first goal of the season ?

Delph continues to improve. He was very unlucky with that shot. However, his tackling still scares me.

KEH played well after his early, "after you Claude" mistake that lead to the Arse goal.

Is there a more fragile big bloke in football than Nathan Baker ?

The worst tackle of the day, early on by Rosicky, went unpunished and yet Koscielny was booked for the best tackle of the day.

Great ball from Andi to send Tony Moon through on goal and a composed finish as well.

A couple of excellent saves from Brad when it looked like Arse might get back in the game.

[UK Redsox]

Gus Ceasar, Don Howe, Ian Allison, Sammy Nelson, Bob Wilson, Colin Pates, Chris Kiwomya, Glen Helder, Willie Young, Francis Jeffers, Alan Davies, Ainsley Harriott, the ugly bird from Grange Hill / Eastenders, arrogant cock Plum Morgan and subset of nouveaus over th world, your boys took one helluva beating.

You forgot Nick Hornby.

And Tom Watt, but he actually seems like a good bloke.

[paul_e]

I'd hate to be an Arsenal fan.  In order to improve they need to seemingly get rid of the thing that has made them great anyway.

He's coming on like a slightly more exotic O'Neill.

Spunking money on average players, paying them well above their value in wages and having no tactical plan b.

I agree with this.  I don't think he knows how to improve them from here.  The team he had which had some success was built around a strong defense, to defensive midfielders and a genius or 2 up front.  He can't replicate it because he doesn't seem to want to associate with the type of football they played with Vieria and Petit in there and he hasn't found anyone close to Henry or Bergkamp except for Van Persie but he was injured so often whilst he was there they never got enough out of him.

I've said to the Arsenal fan at work (who I watched the game with) I really wouldn't be surprised if Wenger leaves during the season.  They've let him stay there 2-3 years too long already and everyone needs to move on now.

Has he ever signed a decent keeper or defender? That is another of their big problems, he had the defence in place when he took over but has struggled to replace any of them. Cole (youth team) for a while and Campbell are about his best efforts that I can think of.

the midfield is the bigger problem I think, the team he actually won stuff with had 2 centre mids who fought for everything and were primarily both destroyers in there.  He's never put 2 midfielders like that together since and they've declined.  I know the game has changed but I don't get why he's never looked at what they did well in the past and tried to bring some of those elements into the current side.

As for them being dirty now, I don't think that's quite right, I think the club has a collective 'little man syndrome'.  They've had a rep for being bullied for a while and I think they all want to get a few kicks in early to show that they can mix it.  The issue is they're all a bunch of tarts when you challenge them back.  Wilshere is a great example.  There was 1 where he went to ground under a challenge from gabby that was a perfectly fair shoulder to shoulder, but he ust went to ground with no thought of any other option.  I think Gabby even got booked for it.  Seeing Wilshere trying to square up to Vlaar was a bit silly as well.

[Mortimer's Bear]

Bloody marvellous!

[dave.woodhall]

Gus Ceasar, Don Howe, Ian Allison, Sammy Nelson, Bob Wilson, Colin Pates, Chris Kiwomya, Glen Helder, Willie Young, Francis Jeffers, Alan Davies, Ainsley Harriott, the ugly bird from Grange Hill / Eastenders, arrogant cock Plum Morgan and subset of nouveaus over th world, your boys took one helluva beating.

You forgot Nick Hornby.

And Tom Watt, but he actually seems like a good bloke.

He is, and goes to the Villa a lot. I've seen him at a NextGen game.

[rob_bridge]

Happy Happy Place tonight. Me and the Missus are raising a glass of Guinness to Villa fans everywhere especially those who were at the Emirates today. You were magnificant today - noisy as hell on Radio5live. What a bunch of spoilt tossers the Gooners have become.

Stood right next to them and they were giving us massive, smuggy, shitty comments from the off, esp when they went one-up. When we gave it back stewards were a bit OTT. Though they did hoik 2 Gooner guys out who seemed to fighting between themselves.
We applauded.
The only decent thing for a gentleman to do!
Proud to be amongst a great group of Villa fans, as always!
UTV!

Respect Frankyboy.