A convincing win over West Ham, the third time in four games we’ve won 3-1, takes us temporarily back to fourth in the table. Here’s how the players rated.
Feel free to add your own comments, although as always, be mindful of the comment policy.
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Sunday, December 22, 2024
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If Poldi makes more runs off the ball and returns to defend when needed I can easily see him playing 90 minutes regularly. His performance today shows just how great he is at finishing given the right opportunity.
i totally agreed with you!!!!!!!! his defensive aspect of the game is what is making him not to be a regular
Poldi’s performance today shows what he can do with more of a stay-at-home left back behind him. Good fluidity between him and. Giroud too. When he plays, the left back needs to adjust and do more defending than attacking, and it can work well.
King of mastication…lol.
his face is impossibly big.
it barely fits on his head, which is rather large and airy.
King of Masturbation?!
I chuckled heh
Very impressed with Arteta. Looks like he actually responded to criticism. Not only passed forward but also drove foward, winning tackles and battling. All round top performance.
I think it helped with Kallstrom taking up the defensive role because frankly, he’s shocking at it.
I’m actually being really unfair to him here, Arteta is a class act I just don’t think we’re using him in the proper position.
I prefer it when he’s pushed up the pitch a bit more and someone (Flamini) sits.
I can not, for the love of god, understand why your post has so many likes. He was fine today, but they way he plays as a DM is so detrimental to our attacking play it is not even funny. And I can’t understand how do people not notice this. He has a good passing range and a terrific vision, but his movement is non-existent. All I see is him passing the ball sideways and despite there being a sexy pocket of space served on a silver platter for him to move on he just stays put, thus putting us… Read more »
So who cleans up then when he goes forward and we lose possession? Remember Alex Song and our defensive woes of the constantly exposed back four?
Have you ever played football? It’s not as if you make the run and then stand there for a while. You make the run create the space, and then work your ass into another pocket of space, and if you happen to be a DM then you work your ass back into a more defensive space, but for the game that we try to play, it is entirely vital that the DM makes those runs and creates that space. I think this type of actions are exactly what are the cause of our huge losses to Chelsea and Liverpool and… Read more »
Heh. Yeah, Chelsea, City, Liverpool, all killed us on the counter because our DM wasn’t far enough forward out of position.
Played plenty of ball, and know well enough it makes no sense to bomb your DM forward against a top half team set up to counter.
The reason for no goals is no movement in front of the DM, and cutting through the opponents back line playing off Giroud or making runs for Ozil.
He did play well, but I wouldn’t give any credit to the screaming mobb. Arteta is always dedicated. He did have more zip tonight, which may well have come from he and Kallstrom working well together. Neither was the sole DM, and they both got chances to push forward. I thought he deserved a much higher rating because he played out of his skin after 120 min on The weekend. Warrior.
10/10 for Giroud’s first touch on his goal (much needed after the “oh ffs, use your right foot”/10 on the sitter he missed)
And another 10/10 for his class celebration. I’m sure all Gooners’ thoughts are with the families of the 96.
Who the hell would thumb that down? There’s not single word there that anyone could disagree with.
First touch on the goal – definitely 10/10
The missed sitter – couldn’t be anything other than “oh ffs, use your right foot”/10
The class celebration – 10/10, nothing else
And how could our thoughts not be with the families of the Hillsborough 96 today, of all days?
Really. Someone needs to give their head a shake.
It could be a mistake maybe. I tried to thumbs up a comment once on my phone but it somehow managed to thumbs down and you can’t even change it.
Or it’s just that someone (probably a Spurs fan) downvoting comments. I’ve seen almost every good comment (even the ones that have nothing to be against) have at least a downvote or 2.
those thumb down are gunners haters that do not want the team to succeed. strikers do not score all the chances created for them and giroud has played over 50 games and rally need a rest
Giroud isnt good enough, Arsenal need a striker whose going to get 20 goals
😉 fair play you sexuality question inducing bastard
He’s got 20 goals……
Giroud alway seems to do rather well, occasionally amazing, when he’s acting on pure instict.. so there’s certainly technical ability there…
.. it’s just that when’s allowed time enough to consider he seems to cock up rather massivly way to often. I think he needs better mental stats 🙂
They had some RED BULL at half time me thinks
They were quality in the second half
Bravo fellas
Full moon
Always win
I thought we were rubbish in the first half, could barely watch it. Second half was better but still not Arsenal
Disagree. The first half was mostly a case of inventive play juuuust not quite clicking. In the second half we were very good. Overall, we showed more spirit, more drive, and more intention than in the last three league matches put together.
Agreed for most part, but last 3 league games put together? We showed a lot of passion and determination in the City game though, infact we were unlucky not to win that day!
Bring on hull city!!
not arsenal? What does that mean? Sure, not the best performance of the season but given the context of a very poor string of performances (to say the least) it was an encouraging display in the end and something the team needs with players coming back as well.
I thought you could have done a little better for the Verminator who had an excellent game, and for the Little Mozart who was his usual energetic self. On the other hand you were far too generous with Giroud. Granted, he scored, but his first half was was mind-numbing exercise in futility
Watch that goal again. The strength, technique and finish were all top drawer. When he labours, he’s frustrating but that was a beautiful, and important, goal
Giroud was all over the fucking pitch putting in a double shift. He worked hard and gave it today. Put away the scripted Giroud hating agenda for the day. He played well.
Sublime control and finish from Giroud!
For me, Podolski still needs to do more. We all know that he’ll convert chances more often than anyone else in our team, but I feel like the LW in our team needs to do more. When it’s Cazorla, Rosicky, even Wilshere, you have the technical ability for build up play, and when it’s Ox or Walcott on the other side it’s that positive driving play, at the defense, from the deep. Podolski will do the job when others around him work for him, which is nothing to be scoffed at, but I still feel like he doesn’t quite fit… Read more »
I would have rated Pod today, even without the goals scored. He looked like a man on a mission. Put 11 of those on a pitch, and you’ll have a team that wins football matches. In regulation time.
Lukas Podolski:
13 goals in 22 appearances in all comps this season.
46 goals in 112 appearances for Germany.
He’s only exposed, at times, because we don’t have a proper defensive midfielder.
When he plays he scores goals.
I think you’re so right, I wish more people would see it that way other than “play poldi more”. Some people need to see that just goals isn’t the best contribution to the team, granted, still a good one. I’d like to know how many of his goals have been from where he’s been holding a central position for a few seconds then banged it in, don’t feel like many are him coming from wide. Feel if he played possibly as a second striker taking second balls off of Giroud, he’d benefit more possibly? Then, however, that does unbalance the… Read more »
The problem is this: We have no-one else to score the goals. If we had alternatives, people who could both be clinical and contribute in many ways, that would be great. We don’t. Or rather, we do, but they’re usually injured (Ramsey and Walcott). The others, such as Rosicky, Cazorla, Flamini and Arteta, are just occasional goal scorers. They’re not reliable ones.
So yes, we should play Poldi more, because otherwise we’ll just pass the ball around for 90 minutes and then miss the chances we get.
Poldi can do this when the fullback isn’t constantly higher up the pitch than he is. Do we want our DM to be in the back left corner all the time? If Poldi plays on the wing the fullback stays home more, problem solved!
10/10 for Matt Jarvis not taking the fall? Pretty grateful for that.
Really professional win tonight, and good to see some players proving their doubters wrong. Vermaelen was solid, and in fact made many great runs which were sadly not spotted by the midfielders quick enough. Arteta was solid, got out of a number of tight scenarios with quick passing and turns. Giroud and Poldi also seemed to have a lot more energy tonight, and their qualities shone through when they made that extra effort.
Really enjoyed the pace of the passing and movement in the second half.
You’re right enough about Jarvis–definitely a class act. If that had been Suarez, he’d have been down with his periscope up.
It was a pleasant surprise to see Jarvis keep his feet. Ashley Young would have gone down so fast and so far he’d have to come back via the tube.
That said, it probably cost West Ham for him to do that. Sagna played none of the ball and all of Jarvis’ shin. Even without Jarvis going down, I thought it should have been a penalty. We got a little lucky there.
Well I mean, the referee was a ‘Friend’ after all. (Kevin Friend)
So if anyone can pass me my coat.. 😛
I certainly won’t complain that there was no penalty called, but the reality is, if the ref would have called it if he went down, then the ref should have called it even though he did not. If this were the case, there would be a lot less diving or going down super softly because the ref will either call it or not. The double standard just encourages everyone to go down, which is so disappointing. We need to encourage all players to fight until the whistle and trust that if there is a foul the whistle will be blown.… Read more »
Woke up early to watch the game this morning, we looked nervy at the beginning but showed our qualidee….hope we can build on this and win all our remaining games ^^
Very happy with the victory after such an energy-sapping, mentally challenging, 120 mins game barely 72 hrs before. Therefore quite surprise with Arterta contribution as well. We actually have super fit athletes in the team…even above 30!! Podolski was clearly disappointed to be sub on Sat…now he knows why…wenger wants to play him full game today. But dont think he knows it, which is good, so makes him work hard to show the boss…two goals for the team…and wenger cant drop him nxt game. Gd move…from manager & player. We miss a proper LB coz Vermalaen is not 100% a… Read more »
I thought Vermaelen was excellent today. He might not have been perfect cause he was out of position a bit here and there, but overall he was excellent.
I thought we actually gained a lot from Vermaelen a left back today that we wouldn’t normally have. He’s better in the air than both Gibbs and Monreal and it came in handy when Jarvis put in a couple of balls towards Carroll at the back post. Although he still managed to get up and down now and then i think Vermaelen not always providing an overlap, like we would expect of Sagna and Gibbs, and staying at the back meant Poldi didnt have to do as much defensive work as would normally be expected of him, meaning he could… Read more »
Did anyone else see Kim doing some running? Like, down the channels? In doing so, helping Podolski on the left without overly exposing Vermaelen on the left?
I was also very much encouraged by his distribution (i.e. long balls) from low in our half. It was almost like it woke players like Cazorla up. Move into space and you just might get the ball….
No, I didn’t notice. Kalstrom looked pretty ordinary to me.
Not sure if being sarcastic or just stupid.
Well played Podolski. Not much of a celebration though. He seems to have the hump at being substituted all the time. He’s not always effective defensively or positionally but he scores you goals.
11/10 for the cheeky sp*rs joke at the end.
“Guilt” edged??
Yeah, I laughed at that.
Taking into account this was Kallstrom’s first start (and competitive 90 minutes) since November I was pretty impressed
A few loose passes as anyone should expect having never started and played a full 90 with the team, but the recoveries, clearances, and just being there reliably was impressive. He and Mikel worked hard.
Giroud for his goal looked a total different player to the one that missed the earlier sitter. He actually thumped it in with his right foot but for the missed sitter i swear he only had one leg.
Frustrating and cannot be depended on, Giroud should be no more than a 70thmin sub/backup that is if we really want to move forward otherwise if we want to keep slipping back and scrapping for 4th then he fits the mould. Over to you Arsene.
Giroud played well today and worked his Arse off. At least save it for when he doesn’t. You’ll seem less bitter.
Indeed, the issue is not having anyone else, not having Giroud.
He didn’t really control the ball… it just stopped to admire his ABS!!!1!
You called?
podolski should be played as the teams cf we wast him on lw
Giroud did well in the second half but with a better striker, we could have had two goals in the first half. He missed getting to the ball from that Poldi’s delicious cross in the first. All he had to do was put a foot in and he would’ve had a goal. And he had no excuse not to score from that Cazorla’s pass.
First priority signing next season must be a World Class Striker.
So agree. The space is there take it. That right there is a big part of our scoring problem.
In contrast to the earlier comment I thought Kallstrom had quite a good game. A couple of ambitious misplaced passes shouldn’t take away from his work rate, which was good.
If he’s happy to be a squad player, I’d like to see him stay next season as well because he brings a wealth of experience to the squad
Giroud blew two chances in the first half that should have at least been on target, if not goals, by refusing to use his right foot. Yes, he had a great goal with his right foot, but I do think he got a bit lucky on the touch to control Vermaelen’s long ball. The thing that drives me crazy with him (aside from his lack of mobility and inability to dribble) is that he is constantly doing this one touch flicks that rarely work because it is all he does around the box, very easy to defend. He never tries… Read more »
First and probably only game i’ll get to see live this season, happy to get a win! Kallstrom: alright, but nowt spesh in my opinion. A number of raking crosses to podolski which suggested he’s convinced poldi’s 9 foot high. But otherwise alright. Arteta looked much improved. Good in the tackle, distribution better. Let’s hope this continues against the glut of weak teams we’re facing. Poldi: note from Tom about “it’s not all about getting goals”: at the moment we’re struggling to get a goal. He always gets them. For me? End of conversation. Sure it’s frustrating that he’s not… Read more »
Just a quick point i noticed was that Arteta was especially improved. Defensively and with the ball. One of his best games for a while i thought. He read the game really well throughout and looked like the real Arteta. I wonder if this has anything to do with the movement ahead of him. When he got the ball tonight there were runs, people dropping to receive the ball etc. When teams sit deep against us this movement off the ball is completely crucial and today, for the most part it was much improved. I feel sorry for Mikel as,… Read more »
… was reading this daily mail guy Ashton Neil or something like that , I think is the chief sport editor there or some big shot but really his writing is sooooooo full of poison and bitterness about our victory that u can sense the HATE … and then, the SKY commentators were making sarcastic remarks and bitter comments proper from opposition clubs fans not as independent and ethics journalist … As I live here in USA and I don’t see London TV or Newspapers on a daily basis, I really wonder, it is me or the media there hates… Read more »
Unfortunately, our fanbase is so good at knickertwisting that it’s easy money to just stick out a shitty Arsenal story, or prolong the ‘Arsenal are crap until they spend more money and/or get in a manager who isn’t French’ narrative, and to keep that up the good sides need to be dismissed as much as the negatives accentuated.
0/10 for Fifa, Uefa, and the Fa for not introducing a retroactive punishment for diving.
I am liking football less and less these days with all the cheating. Thankful Jarvis didn’t go down, but for fuck sake, it was a clear penalty.
Cunts like A.Young, Ramirez get away with it constantly, Jarvis stays on his feet (like Henry vs Lundekvam all those years ago) and gets nothing.
It’s pathetic how they can give a yellow card for removing a shirt, yet we endorse outright CHEATING. They need their fucking heads caved in!!! Cunts ruining my sport!!!
A very welcome result. I thought Giroud’s and Podolski’s 2nd were impeccable “Arsenal” goals
Had to get up at 01.45 to watch this game and then up at 6.20 for work, worth it. Although slightly worried that the remaining league games will become exponentially more tense.
Glad Poldi played his part tonight. He needs to keep it up.
Lord Lukas Hammersbane of Islington, the first of his name, Warden of the Left Wing
the comments section used to be more fun. you lot are willy wonka.
Perhaps you’d like to contribute more than just a useless complaint and enlighten us all.
Very generous for Arteta. Did not play well at all. Not his fault. He is just getting old now. He is the number one reason for our slump. How man times have you seen opposition midfielders charging down our center? Diame ran all over him. We need more energy in the middle….
Rubbish.
He was critical for us in the middle today.
He has also been played quite a bit and just come off a 120minute blinder.
But he made a number of good tackles and distributed the ball very well for us.
Just typical asinine comment by people who forget the sterling work he has done for us all season when we were in the lead.
No offense but you are out of depth here.:)
Fans like you are the number one reason for our slump
I don’t think having stupid fans is ever responsible for lack of success…look at United for the last 20 years, for example.
Goes to show getting that win over wigan brought confidence into the players which now we will take with us into the final fixtures
RIP The 96
“first time he played the full 90 mins since spurs won the title”
ahhahh hahahahahahahaha
I laughed out loud at work on that one…
Podolski against west ham AGAIN!!!
#Aha
Sorry but I don’t understand the rating sometimes. Arseblog, you are giving Poldi a nine because of his 2 goals but you are giving Vermaelen seven because the goal was on his side and he was sometimes out of position… when I look at Poldis defensive working rate and his positioning and then take positives that he scored two goals then it must be a 7.5 if I follow your rating system. Or Vermaelen has to have 8.5. Honestly I don’t know why people are playing down the good game of a player. The goal was on his flank, was… Read more »
Plus an overrated Giroud as always. Good touch for the goal but THAT miss could have cost us the game yet again (remember Chelsea?). He completely missed the ball for a tap in because he wanted to smash it (another wrong decision that no one seems to mention). He has completely stopped winning headers like he used to do and send our midfield forward. Summa summarum there is a great sense of lethargy in the team and I can’t help but thing his ineffectiveness in front of goal has a huge influence for that. Yes, he has scored 20 goals… Read more »
best arteta display in a long time
verm better than monreal at lb
1) Giroud – Someone give him a yard more pace and he would be a f@cking lethal player! As it is 20 goals this season isn’t shabby and that piece on control was sublime. Should shut all the moaners up but we know their kind. Takes nothing away of course from the fact we could do with one more quality striker but to suggest Giroud is cack as I’ve been seeing posted around the web recently is just simply asinine. 2) Vermaelen – Great game by the captain. Does he have a role for us at LB? thought he did… Read more »
I looked it up and Vermaelen doesn’t play as a lb for his national team, he plays central next to Kompany. It’s actually that cunt Vertonghen from down the road who plays at LB.
Giroud did something sooo sweet with his left that his right stump went on STRIKE. That foot isn`t even aware that the owner is a footballer.
I’ve been giving Giroud 2s and 3s of late but tonight (that early miss apart) he was immense. Yes that goal was superb but it was his hold up play that really got me excited. He outmuscled the opposition all night.
Kim had a bright game. His hooked clearances from our box reached the half way line and gave us some respite. Having Ramsey run through the lines was the highlight last night. Great to have our Rambo back.
Next up we face another fattie managed team. COYG!
Duuur Arseblog. Podolski wasn’t even born when sP*rz last win the title. Wait… That can’t be right can it…?
Cazorla was massive yesterday, played very well. COYG!
Us Arsenal fans sure have a sense of humour.
How else can one explain Jenkinson being rated by Arseblog readers, as the 3rd best performer of the day?
Hah.
Vermaelen had a solid game today. we really should do everything to keep him. same goes for sagna. arteta was great too and i sense he’s going to be massively important for the remainder of the season. As for Poldi, he starts the next game for me. Poldi on the left, cazorla on the right and ozil behind giroud. I think we’ll have the arsenal of last year back very soon. COYG
Vermaelen looked much more convincing than Monreal has of late. Would make him second choice left back