IntenseDebate - aidangibson23

14 years ago @ The Backwards Gooner - The Galactico Counter · 1 reply · +1 points

Really similar to Arsenal earlier in the 2000s...
Interesting to see what would happen if Real had been in the Premier League. Would teams like Bolton, for example, sit deeper against them to negate counter attack?

14 years ago @ The Backwards Gooner - Stoke 3-1 Arsenal: Cha... · 1 reply · +2 points

Good post, and agree with Brain above, with regards to Walcott, which is a reason why I hope we can replace Rosicky with another tricky wide player.

With regards to Arsenal's lack of interceptions in the Stoke midfield and half, it did seem to me that Arsenal weren't pressing as a team, that just van Persie and Walcott, and occasionally Gibbs (who seemed to be, at times, the left winger with Arshavin deeper) false pressing and leaving a large gap between the defence and forwards, and giving Stoke the chance to play the ball over the top, which they seemed to do quite a few times, especially down the left hand side, where Walters dropped off.

14 years ago @ totalBarca - Analysis: The reasons ... · 0 replies · -3 points

Or respected journalist Sid Lowe, right?

14 years ago @ totalBarca - Analysis: The reasons ... · 4 replies · -6 points

Ok, what about Barcelona's claims that they had signed a deal with Cesc Fabregas? That's technically tapping up, isn't it?

14 years ago @ totalBarca - Analysis: The reasons ... · 1 reply · -5 points

Overmars left after 2004, 2 years before the Champions League. He won nothing at Barcelona, while Cesc has an FA Cup.
Fran got some first team experience, in the League Cup, which is the same path Cesc took. He made some sub appearances, and maybe quite foolishly left Arsenal, as he's only 20. He was, though, desperate to play, and saw Diaby and Ramsey ahead of him, not to mention Wilshere. However, he could've stayed and gotten more playing time this year.

As for Cesc, we gave him a place in the first XI of one of the best teams in Europe when he was 17. He wouldn't have gotten that opportunity at Barcelona with Xavi and Iniesta ahead of him, (Thiago hasn't gotten a place for Barca at age 19, and he's supposed to be the next Xavi), and quite possibly wouldn't have become the world class player that he is without Arsenal. His experience in the Premier League has made him a better player in my opinion, and a different player to Xavi. He's always looking forward while Barcelona's passing is sometimes square or backwards. That, really, is the difference in the styles of football between Arsenal and Barcelona. We're more direct and go forward more, not attaining the 70% possession that Barcelona does by retaining the ball.

14 years ago @ totalBarca - Analysis: The reasons ... · 0 replies · -2 points

Aliadiere was signed by Arsenal at age 16, after he was at Clairefontaine, which as you know, isn't a club, but an academy. Unfortunately, despite some promise, he had loads of injuries, and never made it, but we spent relatively little on him, compared with a nice £32m on Overmars and Petit.
If you mean Sol Campbell, it's a hilariously stupid question. Sol won 2 leagues and 3 cups at Arsenal, something that never would've happened for him at Spurs. He was an integral part of the Invincibles.

14 years ago @ totalBarca - Transfer talk: Jon Miq... · 0 replies · -1 points

Why is Cesc a Barca player? He left at 16, under free will, because he felt he'd have a better opportunity to play at Arsenal rather than at Barca. We made him the player he is, from 16 to 23, he's been an Arsenal player and as such has developed a different style to Xavi and Iniesta.
A reasonable fee, for one of the best midfielders in the world, entering the prime of his career is £50m plus. If Barcelona really want Cesc, they should pay the £50m; otherwise, they don't really want him, and are just trying to unsettle him so they get him on the cheap.
Which, by the way, is illegal. Signing players who are technically not under contract isn't illegal. It might not be moral, but it isn't against FIFA laws

14 years ago @ totalBarca - Analysis: The reasons ... · 18 replies · -17 points

Only because Barcelona tapped them up.
By the way, how did that Overmars and Petit deal work out?
And Hleb?

15 years ago @ The Backwards Gooner - Contact · 1 reply · +3 points

What happened to your twitter account?
Still around, MrRenoog?

15 years ago @ The Backwards Gooner - Mid-season analysis: W... · 1 reply · +3 points

Great analysis.
Interesting about Djourou and Squillaci allowing the most shots but the least amount of goals.
I thinking back to some of the games they've played in, Man City and Wolves, without some excellent keeping it could've been a different story, but, although Fabianski made several excellent saves, they weren't impossible for a decent shot stopper. What I'm trying to get here is that Djoruou and Squillaci concede shots that aren't hard to save, but that Koscielny and Squillaci, because of aerial weaknesses and errors, concede shots from close range that are hard to save.
Or maybe I'm overanalyzing.

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