Nah I thought arteta played a good game.
We have zero width in the team without Walcott. People can criticize him all they want but without him we are a team full of midfielders who all like playing through the midfield
Hard to disagree.
I just said on another thread, that the midfield started the game as though it was a kick-about, a training game.
Dortmund pressed EVERYTHING! Arsenal didn't.
Over the 90 minutes it was fairly even. Dortmund shaded the first-half, Arsenal were the better team in the 2nd.
But yes, with specific regard to this post, this game and ESPECIALLY the first 45 minutes showed how important Flamini has been to Arsenal so far this season.
Apart from tenacity and his obvious desire to press and win the ball back, he adds an urgency that against a side the calibre of Dortmund you really want from the get-go!
"We have zero width in the team without Walcott. People can criticize him all they want but without him we are a team full of midfielders who all like playing through the midfield"
Exactly. I thought Arteta did well in Flamini's absence, and there wasn't really a problem in the centre of the park.
But with Walcott and Chamberlain injured, our team was bereft of pace and width.
Arteta was half decent but he isn't really a defensive pivot, whereas Flamini is a dedicated defensive player who lives to break down attacks.
We missed Flamini brutally, but when you look at the impact Cazorla made, we could have done with him on the pitch for longer too.
Arteta played well. I'm not sure what Dortmund did tonight centrally to suggest we were either overran or outplayed in that area. The problem, as suggested already, was the lack of outlet and lack of width. Without it Dotmud had an easy time defending against the very little we created. Hummels is a mess of a centre back and should have been pulled all ver the place by the movement from the Arsenal forwards; however, because of the lack of variety among them and without Walcott's pace opening up gaps and space for them, everything was easy to defend against as it was all played in front of him and Subotic.
We didn't deserve to lose tonight, but I don;t think we did anywhere near enough to deserve victory either. Very sloppy display from a lot of players and poorly coached game from Wenger.
Arteta played well. But the midfield lacked tempo, especially in the first half. Flamini is the catalyst, winning balls and getting rid of the ball accurately and quickly. And most importantly, he PRESSES the opposition. There were long spells where Arsenal stood off of Dortmund and against a team of that quality, that's often asking for trouble.
Arteta had a good game, by Arteta's standards in that role. It's not his best/preferred role. A good game for Arteta is a poor one for Flamini. Tonight was the first time we really looked like the same team from last season. We have to have an out and out CDM on the pitch. Not so much for defensive purposes since, as itr's been mentioned Arteta's job tonight was adequate defensively.
Our attack suffered though. Not because the midfielders we have can't create and do their thing without width. But because every single one of them had one eye on defending because they were aware that Arteta was at CDM therefore they couldn't play freely.
They all know he's no Flamini
Tonight was the first time we really looked like the same team from last season.
------
Totally agree.
At times, without playing especially poorly, it was all a bit pedestrian by Arsenal's standards (this season).
Flamini was a big miss and I did fear that might be the case. Also, Cazorla coming on changed things, he makes a BIG difference!
Sometimes a result like tonight is not a bad thing. A bit of a wake up call. You have to up your game and be 100% on the ball and focussed. Probably over the 90 minutes Arsenal were possibly the better team (very marginally), but at this level, that guarantees you nothing!
Tonight was the first time we really looked like the same team from last season.
you are talking from my heart. Especially in the first half.
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The midfield was our problem tonight
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posted on 22/10/13
Nah I thought arteta played a good game.
We have zero width in the team without Walcott. People can criticize him all they want but without him we are a team full of midfielders who all like playing through the midfield
posted on 22/10/13
Hard to disagree.
I just said on another thread, that the midfield started the game as though it was a kick-about, a training game.
Dortmund pressed EVERYTHING! Arsenal didn't.
Over the 90 minutes it was fairly even. Dortmund shaded the first-half, Arsenal were the better team in the 2nd.
But yes, with specific regard to this post, this game and ESPECIALLY the first 45 minutes showed how important Flamini has been to Arsenal so far this season.
Apart from tenacity and his obvious desire to press and win the ball back, he adds an urgency that against a side the calibre of Dortmund you really want from the get-go!
posted on 22/10/13
"We have zero width in the team without Walcott. People can criticize him all they want but without him we are a team full of midfielders who all like playing through the midfield"
Exactly. I thought Arteta did well in Flamini's absence, and there wasn't really a problem in the centre of the park.
But with Walcott and Chamberlain injured, our team was bereft of pace and width.
posted on 22/10/13
Arteta was half decent but he isn't really a defensive pivot, whereas Flamini is a dedicated defensive player who lives to break down attacks.
We missed Flamini brutally, but when you look at the impact Cazorla made, we could have done with him on the pitch for longer too.
posted on 22/10/13
Arteta played well. I'm not sure what Dortmund did tonight centrally to suggest we were either overran or outplayed in that area. The problem, as suggested already, was the lack of outlet and lack of width. Without it Dotmud had an easy time defending against the very little we created. Hummels is a mess of a centre back and should have been pulled all ver the place by the movement from the Arsenal forwards; however, because of the lack of variety among them and without Walcott's pace opening up gaps and space for them, everything was easy to defend against as it was all played in front of him and Subotic.
We didn't deserve to lose tonight, but I don;t think we did anywhere near enough to deserve victory either. Very sloppy display from a lot of players and poorly coached game from Wenger.
posted on 22/10/13
Arteta played well. But the midfield lacked tempo, especially in the first half. Flamini is the catalyst, winning balls and getting rid of the ball accurately and quickly. And most importantly, he PRESSES the opposition. There were long spells where Arsenal stood off of Dortmund and against a team of that quality, that's often asking for trouble.
posted on 22/10/13
Arteta had a good game, by Arteta's standards in that role. It's not his best/preferred role. A good game for Arteta is a poor one for Flamini. Tonight was the first time we really looked like the same team from last season. We have to have an out and out CDM on the pitch. Not so much for defensive purposes since, as itr's been mentioned Arteta's job tonight was adequate defensively.
Our attack suffered though. Not because the midfielders we have can't create and do their thing without width. But because every single one of them had one eye on defending because they were aware that Arteta was at CDM therefore they couldn't play freely.
They all know he's no Flamini
posted on 22/10/13
Tonight was the first time we really looked like the same team from last season.
------
Totally agree.
At times, without playing especially poorly, it was all a bit pedestrian by Arsenal's standards (this season).
Flamini was a big miss and I did fear that might be the case. Also, Cazorla coming on changed things, he makes a BIG difference!
Sometimes a result like tonight is not a bad thing. A bit of a wake up call. You have to up your game and be 100% on the ball and focussed. Probably over the 90 minutes Arsenal were possibly the better team (very marginally), but at this level, that guarantees you nothing!
posted on 22/10/13
Tonight was the first time we really looked like the same team from last season.
you are talking from my heart. Especially in the first half.
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