Per Mertesacker says that Arsenal are used to pressure in the Premier League, and showed they can cope well, with the win over Villa last night.
There was heat during the game, on top of the fact that the Gunners had to win to go back to the top of the table, and although they let the home side back into the game, Arsenal’s staunch defence held out.
“There was a bit of pressure, the team could feel that, but we responded. I think everyone was expecting that we may drop points.
“That was very important, to let the other teams see that Arsenal are alive and that we can respond.
“We look at ourselves and think we are good enough to respond to any challenge they give us. It was a strong one, they gave us a good task, but we gave them a little idea of what can happen.
“We are really happy with the fighting performance and how resilient we are.”
The partnership between Mertesacker and Koscielny is a key factor in this current season (see graphic), and it’s one has Arsene Wenger perring purring.
Referring to last night’s victory, the manager said, “I would say our centre backs, our defence, kept us through that difficult period and they did extremely well.
“I am very pleased with that, when we are under pressure we can respond.”
Give them both a Big Fucking Contract.
My current favorite Arsenal player by a distance…Big Per!!
Well I have Big Fucking Love for Mertescielny Axis
Rosicky is my favourite, but Per is definitely sitting at number 2.
Per for Arsenal manager one day
They’re so good it’s unreal.
Understated brick wall.
Long may it last.
If we win the title this season, BFG is going to be viewed as such a tremendous player of this club. IMO he should be the one who lifts the trophy..not Verma and Arteta.
Two things:
1. BFG already is viewed as a tremendous player of this club, at least by the people that matter most (i.e. everyone involved with Arsenal).
2. If we do win a trophy this season AND TV5’s current playing situation doesn’t change, I have a feeling that he’ll probably share/give the honour of lifting said trophy to one or both of our playing captains. He just seems like that sort of bloke.
You should read Merts tribute to TV5. Tells you a lot how good they are with each other. Mertesacker says Vermaelen is a role model for everyone at Arsenal which I think is a BFCompliment.
I’d say we let Theo do it.
Och He’s rubbish!
He’s slow, and turns like an articulated lorry.
Arsenal Can’t win the premiership.
You win nothing with ki….. ooh bugger. Shearer, hold me!
Love the reaction from Per when we concede the goal, he is absolutely furious at his team.
Does anyone have a GIF of Mertesacker’s reaction at Cazorla? Been searching all morning.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=253323328166567&set=vb.177684349063799&type=2&theater
http://goo.gl/P9e08S
As much as Santi’s carelessness in possession led to the goal, it has to be said that Per could’ve done better with Benteke there.
It’s hard to defend, when your team is in possesion in one second, and in the blink of the eye opposite team puts a perfect cross. When you’re centre defender you’re trying to push the offside line forward while you’re in possesion. Santi careless led to situation where both defenders got cought between defending and pushing line forward, I would not blame them.
Perfect cross if the big man had got his foot to it then it would have probably been an OG.
I think with Per being more vocal at the back and Flamini being the bulldog in the middle we have 2 leaders in the squad. Shame about TV5 being kept out but the results speak for themselves, I’d like to see one with 90mins completed with BFG and TV5 and see the comparison. Per is looking like more of a captain in the games, you can’t under estimate mikel though.
Yeah, there’s a difference between being a good shouter i.e. Per who is trying to help everybody, or you Rio Ferdinands and Joe Harts who are f-bombs trying to distract from their shite performances.
We have leaders all over the pitch. You’re right about Per and Flamini, but Arteta is vice-captain for a reason. His experience and calm presence is so important to the side. Rosicky is a constant example to young players (I thought it was great seeing him with his arm around Gnabry, talking to him and coaching him during the derby last week). If we do manage to win a trophy this year, regardless of who lifts it first, the whole team will lift it together.
I also love that he is so passionate
As good as that partnership is, strong defences are never built by one or two individual but rather the collective team effort.
Mert and Kos deserved a lot of praise for their performances, but to discount the team effort will be churlish.
This. We seem to have reverted to the ancient Arsenal way: Enjoying defending.
Did our indestructible centre back partnership make team of the year? Er no so it proves last nights award ceremony was a complete load of bollock’s.
We’re well on the way with the only awards that matter.
The cunts at FIFA can drown in their own piss for all I care.
Was watching the video of Aston Villa – Arsenal 2008/09 . 2-2. We went 2-0 up and they scored twice.. Defence was Almunia , Gallas and Kolo and Clichy. [The Sagna overhead on the line save game]
Headless chicken act! (barring bac of course)
Just consider myself lucky these days. Additionally, we had a midfield of Eboue & Denilson.. *shudders*
I agree in some ways, but for me it’s also about plain character. We joke now, but the Arsenal side of 2008/09 was pretty good: Sagna, Cesc, Diaby, Nasri, van Persie, Adebayor, Clichy, Gallas, Kolo, Arshavin. Some guys may dislike those guys but they were quality players, better than the likes of Everton have now. But these guys today are not the kind to crumple under pressure (Clichy) or sulk when times are tough (Gallas, van Persie). When van Persie complained about our fortunes before he left the club, I thought, “why is is worse for you?. Everybody else in… Read more »
We need to tie him down to a big contract! ‘Gulliver’s travels’ style!
yep.. that was Tony Adams right there… captain and all…fu*cking BFG!!
Funny how everyone in the media is ignoring the fact that these two are now in the top 10 of world best defenders. I wonder what value they would put on them if they were playing elsewhere. Again ignoring the fact the criticism Arsene was getting for not having world classs players and how Messut Ozil was the messiah because he cost £42 million.
Looking forward I urge all gooners to stick with Arsene and ignore all those buffons in the media who think they actually know anything about football.
In Arsene, we trust.
COYGs
Mertesacker is a fucking hero, a commanding respectable figure that the team needs and can look up to, in a literal and metaphorical sense.
Also Julian Draxler now 2/1 to join before end of transfer window, people think this is going to happen?
no.
pretty please?
I don’t know Draxler.
Probably in the summer
I’ve said over the years Arsenal has never had enough players in it’s squad that are Arsenal supporters too so there has been a lack of passion. Last night Per proved that he IS one of them players.
These are the type of players that will win us trophys coz you can see he hates to lose.
Per Mertesacker is a fucking Boss! Delighted for all the naysayers and people who said he was rubbish and too slow. Out and out defending, he is the best in the league!!
If Per is a Boss then what is Kos?
A bear
Just on a slight tangent, ironic that we brought in Monreal last season as Gibbs was injured around this time. I guess we have Flamini now. Just to clarify, is he actually a competent LB? I know we had that run in the champs league but that was pretty desperate measures. Still not convinced he could comfortably slot in if something were to happen to Gibbs. Shaw is only £30m as well, bargain.
Flamini is decent as a left back, but mostly when it comes to actual defending. Monreal and Gibbs are (obviously) much more complete LBs, given how they can contribute both ways.
“Only £30M” and you call that a bargain for a 20 or so yr old LB.. Your username should be GreedTragedy!
I know this is crazy, but he might have been sarcastic there.
Ejor thinks Sarcasm is a Belgian midfielder
Wow, had no idea raising a slight concern as to whether or not a holding midfielder can do a job at left back in the most important run in for quite some time would be so controversial and abhorred. And yes of course it was sarcasm. I’m sorry my subtle nuisances led to me being mistaken. Will be 100% literal from now on for those who cannot read between the huge, gaping lines. Apologies.
“Will be 100% literal from now on for those who cannot read between the huge, gaping lines”
…, figuratively speaking.
Do you forget that we still have TV5?
some fucking stat that one!
This guy is such a badass mofo he’s like some freaking Gandalf with Kos his apprentice of defensive arts.
Absolutely astounding reading their defensive stats over the last 2 years, absolutely love this arsenal team to death, there isn’t bad one in the bunch <3
Per can play for us for years. He doesn’t have any pace to lose anyway, as long as he stays clear of Sunderland bog pitches.
How long has it been since we saw teammates totally disgusted with another’s mistake, and letting them know? Speaks for a very healthy sense of mutual accountability in the dressing room, and a healthy set of egos. Per has been surprising in his expressiveness with Ozil and yesterday with Cazorla. More of the same, please, enough of being nice to each other. On a separate note, I am waiting to see Ozil and Cazorla combine, the visionary-passer with the dribbler-visionary. I think Cazorla is still reconciling himself to Ozil’s arrival. Don’t get mad at me, just seems they are yet… Read more »
For me, there has to be huge question marks about Ozil. When you bear in mind that this guy cost 42 million quid, the overall quality of his performances so far this season leaves much to be desired. For that massive transfer fee this guy should be running the team and making a decisive impact in every game: instead we’ve seen too many mediocre and disappointing games from him already.
The star performers so far this season have been the back four, Flamini and Ramsey. Ozil has been average.
Can’t see people getting mad- perfectly valid point. Seen a few people (and maybe Blogs too, can’t remember) noting that until this year a large part of Ozil’s game was just getting the ball to Ronaldo in a good position who would then more often than not score. Now he has a far greater responsbility on an individual level, and probably will take some time getting used to that.
Agree that it hasn’t happened with him and Cazorla to the level that their ability would suggest it could, but Christ when it does..
that sky fact is incorrect!!!
we lost to villa start of season and both played whole 90 mins???????
Koscielny got sent off therefore he didn’t complete the 90.
I’m so glad Per is finally being appreciated by all the idiot pundits. They finally understand how well he reads the game and how good is positioning is. He just needed the right man alongside him and he and Koscielny are perfect together. They know where each other is because they communicate so well, they know when one has to cover the other. It’s so good to see. I do feel sorry for Vermaelen that he has fallen behind because he was our defensive rock a few seasons ago. I’d never have imagined not having him in the starting 11… Read more »
I could probably be in that starting eleven at midfield, and we would still win.
Vermaelen’s gaffes still rankles fresh with me.
I love Per. So important for us. I have thought for a while that something I’d like to see the club doing is bring through the next Per (if thats possible). Not sure if there is a junior Centre back at the club that is being shaped for the first team, but I think thats sometthing the club should be looking at. Blogg’s has said for a while that he wants another centre back at the club and I agree, but signing a proven player may cause more problems than it solves as we can only play 2 Centre backs… Read more »
So many people thought he wouldn’t cut it in the prem. LOL. Glad he’s continuing to show us all that pace isn’t everything. Big up the BFG!
Wenger is trying to force Poldi out. i am now sure of it. He’s never been one to do this so im very surprised.
The only way he can get in his dream boy Draxler is if one of our wingers makes way and he has settled on Poldi. and as much as i friggin love poldi he’s not going to help us from the bench is he? so Wenger do what u must and be get in Draxler at least we know he’ll play him.
I really don’t get why everyone thinks Wenger has some huge issue with poldi. There is no conspiracy. We have a lot of good players and th manager picks the best eleven for the night. We won three points right? That’s all that matters. Maybe he felt that getting premiership minutes for both gnabry and the ox st this stage in their careers (and our season) was more important than giving poldi some playing time. The guy is a proven international who can come on and do the job we all know that. Maybe his injury is taking longer to… Read more »
Ask thomas vermaelen? When kos or mert is injured verm is brought to CB thats how it works right?. but the other day a fresher, fitter poldi left on the bench and ox came on, now how would that make you feel. This scenario would be same if either of per or mert gets injured while verm is on the bench, then wenger pushes sagna from RB to CB and brings on Jenko for sagna. a clear indication that he doesn’t trust vermaelen. Remember when ramsey came off at WHU and wenger brought on poldi?, now the same happens with… Read more »
I completely agree and I feel it too, that aw is forcing poldi out. Not only with not putting him in later in the game, but not putting him from the beginning. He put in Gnabry, which is an indication. Gnabry is 18, still such a raw talent, against Poldi who is 28 and has more than 100 caps for Germany and rocked against WH on left wing. Ozil and Cazorla would be on right and centre then, any way he put them they could play. I am also concerned since I thought aw would not do this, push a… Read more »
0.5 goals per game
27 games
13.5 goals?? Maybe I’m stupid but that doesn’t seem to make sense.
13 goals in 27 games = 0.481… goals per game
14 goals etc. = 0.518… goals per game
When you round those numbers off to one decimal place you get 0.5.
I wonder how much Steve Bould had to do with our defense improving so much since he became Assistant manager. Tony Adams allways was best with coordinating those around him to create an impenetrable wall, and he hated one on one’s which is why he allways made sure everyone at the back covered eachother so no individual mistake would be fatal, cause someone Else was allways in position to cover. He was a master of organizing the defense. And now we are seeing a similar ideology in our defense with Per taking the role of the organizer. Coincidence? I really… Read more »
Hey guys, will join soon 😀
Do they ever say, “poor second half performance by the team. Let opposition back into the game. Careless mistake by Carzola etc” The only fighting they had to do there was self inflicted. Carzola in particular has been guilty of that carelessness repeatedly this season. May be if people just tell it like it is, that he is the cause of the second trouble, may be, just may be he might stop the giving away the ball disease. He is a senior player you know. Even Wilshere is graduating from that…