General Arsenal Discussion.

[Rick Cave]

Ramsey's free kick.



I don't care that it didn't go in.

[Don Eduardo]

Since Keane's become a manager he's been nothing short of awesome. Couldn't agree with him anymore on those views.

[Nam Tsao]

"I wouldn't trust them to walk my dog"...Genius!

[Rick Cave]

Chris...Eli...take a knee.

My birthday was last Thursday. And I always choose the closest Arsenal match as my birthday match. This one being Hull away. I've had a damn near perfect record with these.
Do you two do the same?

If anyone else does this I'd like to hear.
I can't be the only one.
Usually I go out for a steak dinner with friends but one of my best is laid up with a slipped disc. So it will have to wait. Because who is there is more important then the day you're celebrating.

[Rick Cave]

This place needs a condemned sign hung from its tits.

[Don Eduardo]

You seem emotional, Rick. Everything good, apart from having to watch Bendtner on your team every week?

[Rick Cave]

Bendtner plays about 10 minutes a match and scores goals.
Yes, he disgusts me personally.

How you?

I can't lie. I like Bendtner.

[Don Eduardo]

Maybe that's Toast-ois who hates him. I can't keep track.

Yeah, the tennis is on, Hewitt lost in the first round and Tottenham got to Wembley again (cough). Hard to complain about much.

[Rick Cave]

I'm not sure if Toast like any current Arsenal player.
He's a tough man to please.

Believe me...I've tried.

[Nam Tsao]

I like Wiltshire, Ramsey, Fabregas, Djourou, Van Persie, Rosicky, Nasri, Gallas, Toure...actually the hate list is shorter:

Adebayor, Bendtner, Clichy.

[Mr John]

I usually have a gooner in my fantasy team, but their back four are like swiss cheese this year. Stuck Denilson in, he gets games in the centre and occasionally on the wing where we gets assists, which makes up for having paint-on hair.

[Rick Cave]

What are your thoughts on Eboue?

[Nam Tsao]

Eboue. Not outstanding, doesn't pretend to be.

[Rick Cave]

I think he's better when he's off the field.
At Hull he came off and we scored two goals.

[Nam Tsao]

The two goals had no bearing on the position Eboue played or the influence of his replacement. The only thing Eboue lacks right now is comnfidence and passing and the latter will improve with the former. Eboue's skill on the ball saw us earn to excellent free-kick positions and Van Persie as usually since 2007 failed to finmd the net where his contemporaries at other clubs would have nailed at least one of the dozen or so he's had on the edge of the box and to the left (his favoured strike position for a free kick) over the last two seasons (of course he missed most of last season, but he's been regular this season). Eboue's running has been more penetrative than Walcott has, though the odd exception like the Liverpool run would naturally spring to mind since Walcott finished the move, where Eboue, who is the best crosser of the ball at Arsenal can't seem to pass on the floor and seems frightened to do so and even more afraid of letting the ball leave the ground.

I am more alarmed with Clichy's casualness. He's a fit boy, but mentally he's prone to lapses of concentration, costly lapses....and on the counter attack, Clichy will not enter the box. I've seen him 1 on 1 and stop dead and lose the ball while looking for "daddy" to take the ball off him and score. Ashley Cole the boy aint, as much as we pretend that he's the ideal replacement. Until he grows some balls, keeps awake and believing in himself he's a greater liability than Eboue. I'd like to see Traore recalled and tested a bit more. I am a little frightened that it appears that Wenger seems to prefer the defensively shit Gibbs over Traore.

[Rick Cave]

Bendtner came on for Eboue. Then he scored.

You hit the nail on the head with Clichy.
He freezes up when he's anywhere near the opposition's penalty box.
It saddens me.

[Nam Tsao]

Diaby was his replacement. Bendtner didn't play right wing. Same as when Song came on when Adebayor went off, Song didn't play striker.

[Rick Cave]

I know it wasn't a like for like substitution.
But the fact remains. Eboue off = goals.

[Don Eduardo]

I'm with Rick here. Eboue has drive and heart, but just isn't good enough for where Arsenal wants to be. Kind of like Malouda with Chelsea. I know what you mean by him being a "confidence-player", but in the position Arsenal finds itself right now behind Villa for that fourth spot, it's probably a little too risky putting guys like that on the pitch when points and clean sheets are so crucial. Until you get some sureheads like Fabregas or Rosicky back Eboue just shouldn't be out there.

Having said that, I felt very sorry for him when he was booed off the field no matter how many dives or knees and elbows into the back he's been guilty of. Fans shouldn't turn of their own unless they pull a Joey Barton or Pascal Chimbonda at the Cup Final (sorry, but I'm still raging about this one).

[joey5001]

We are catching up.

[Nam Tsao]

I know it wasn't a like for like substitution.
But the fact remains. Eboue off = goals.

Rubbish. By that very rational, yesterday Eboue came on and we scored.

Eboue on = goals. Bollocks.

Would I play Eboue? Never. Not unless I had a championship side.

[Rick Cave]

I liked the way that rationale worked better when I used it.

I'm a bit disappointed Wenger didn't sell him to Atletico when he had the chance.

[Nam Tsao]

Can we "buy" goals instead. Seems like it might be the way forward.

[joey5001]

[Eviltoastman]

If Wenger plugs a second pad in and selects it as player two and holds down Y their keeper will keep rushing out and we can score easy.