A nice way to get back into some goalscoring form and some individual displays that will surely give Arsene Wenger something to think about in the week coming up to the FA Cup final.
Here’s how the players rated.
A nice way to get back into some goalscoring form and some individual displays that will surely give Arsene Wenger something to think about in the week coming up to the FA Cup final.
Here’s how the players rated.
from utter rubbish last week to breathtaking brilliance.
the ups and downs in the life of a football fan.
we weren’t that bad last week – we were playing a team desperate for a point to stay in the premier league!
No no no, we were utter shite, ozil and Sanchez are a waste of space, villa have the perfect blue print to destroy us in the final, we need to sell giroud and replace him with God knows who. Etc etc.
We were shit last week, no amount of sarcasm can deny that
Shit, of course, being a relative term in that we completely dicked on them but couldn’t manage a goal…a shit game for another team might be an 8-0 loss…
Yes it was shit for Arsenal and thats all that matters
West Brom certainly didn’t put up much of a fight and really look disinterested early. Great way to end the season, but hard to read too much into the performance against a team with nothing to play for.
Bonus Rating 2: Brendan Rodgers
What are they smoking over at Anfield? 😉
They are smoking the money they got for selling Suarez.
Smoking the money laced with sour grape juice and mixed full of their own words.
Stems and seeds, mostly.
They wish they were smoking our Coq.
Brendan gets a 1 out of 6 from me.
I would give him 0.5 not for his tactics, but he does make me smile with his crap excuses
Surprised Alexis and Ozil stayed on for the full 90 minutes. Was expecting them to get a break ahead of the FA Cup final. Either way, good to see Walcott grab a treble in his first start in what seems like an age. Real headaches for Wenger ahead of the Final, which can only be a good thing.
And no sighting of Rosicky either.
Wenger really needs to start giving both Alexis and Ozil breaks. He can’t do this every time next season, surely?
Özil had a few months’ break earlier in the season, but I can’t believe Alexis wasn’t rested for the second half today at 4-0 up.
He probably point blank refused to come off!
Giroud has not scored for 7 games now. Bench him for the final. Theo adds pace along with Sanchez. Big pitch villa will have a go and there will be space. Unfortunately Giroud slows us down as does Ramsey on the wing. I pray Wenger don’t start with Giroud and Ramsey as part of front three. If he does it will be tight affair.
I have nothing against Giroud and I think he’s been largely excellent when fit this season, but football is all about momentum, so he has to give way to Walcott in the final.
Not to be negative on such a day, but is it crazy to suggest replacing both keepers in the summer?
Ospina will do as back up. Don’t know of any goalkeepers that are great and we would be able to get?
Lloris? Cech? And that’s about it!
Still say it would be a huge mistake to get rid of Szczesny. Szczesny is young and I still think he’s going to be a top-flight goalkeeper in the BPL. Despite popular opinion I still think he is better than Ospina. I would rather see Szczesny with Cech on Arsenal.
I agree. My first choice is Bernd Leno.
Leno, Cech, Diego Lopez, Handanovic, possibly even Lloris (if news about buyout clause is true.) are all reporte to be availble, all fantastic keepers.
Add to that list De Gea, and Casillas/Navas, and a few other keepers that might be going elsewhere. (not saying they’re coming here or we should go for them).. This looks like a big transfer window for keepers, we should make sure we grab a good keeper so we don’t have to have the ‘no one is available’ problem if we don’t.
I’m beginning to believe there was more to the sczczny story than the smoking incident. The initial story was that he was involved in a shouting match with either Wenger or Bould after the Southampton loss. And that he’ll not play for arsenal again. We all dismissed it as nonsense then but now it’s becoming clear that it could well be the case.
Only he has played for Arsenal again, in the FA cup and he’ll probably be starting for us next weekend. Tabloid fodder is just that, a simple case of bad form and behavior on his part and good form on the part of Ospina thats kept him out of the team.
Just can’t see Szczesny starting the final without being given even so much as the second half today. Semi-final was six weeks before the final and he hasn’t played since – that’s some gap and would be a huge gamble to throw him back in now.
Leno will also be one of my top choices. Loris, Begovich, chec in that order. If we go for Chec, then I’ll like to see us keep Sczczny. He’ll be mature enough to be the #1 by the time Chec leaves
Think Leno is world class, but still think we need to give Ospina a full season.
A little crazy, but I’d say it is hopelessly unnecessary. We’ve got Iliev (apologies if wrongly spelt), Martinez and Huddart coming through. It would be contrary to what we do here if we were to bring someone in and hamper their development, unless someone was to leave. Of the two senior players, I think Ospina’s done enough to at the very least merit a bench place. You don’t have to wholly credit him for the amazing run we went on, but he does deserve SOME credit. Made a couple of huge saves against Sunderland too. I think he’s improved since… Read more »
Szczęsny could still become good – there must be sth more serious than ‘the smoke’ incident going on though
5 is a bit harsh on ospina.
don’t see how it was harsh. cost us the only goal we gave up and bottled the other one that hit off the bar. almost directly cost us 2.
I could give Ospina 11 and somebody would suggest it’s harsh.
Any excuse to give Ospina a kick, eh?
Should have been a 12, I know.
You gave SZCZ a 6 for the semi-final against Reading after he cost us a goal that he most definitely could have stopped. If Ospina stays on his line today, does he even save the header?
It’s a half point better than the readers’ rating.
Shad Forsythe has the magic touch.
Santi is everyone’s friend
I guess arseblog surely has to chill on the subliminal anti-Theo campaign now after today and his most recent performances.
Maybe we should…,you know, judge a player on more playing rather than on 10 minutes here and there where he feels like he’s snatching at chances in desperation to do something in the limited time he has.
I gave him 9/10 and praised his performance to the hilt, and you go on about a subliminal agenda.
Grow up.
But you use such confusing words – ‘genuinely outstanding’, ‘first class’ and ‘impressive’.
haha
I was actually mad at you for not giving Walcott a ’10’!
I can’t believe you get any criticism considering what an amazing site you run. I checked out to the best blogs from other teams because I was curious and nothing even came close to the majestic comedy and information we are presented on this wonderful site.
Thank you for your great efforts Arseblog!
True. Blogs’ approach was so heavily nuanced as to be unclear.
“You throwing too many big words at me… ok now, because I don’t understand what you’re saying, ‘imma take it as disrespect”
Kevin Hart, 40 Year Old Virgin
Arseblog is no Jose Mourinho
Mr. Blogs you are in very bad mood tonight. Bad case of Irish weather?
I’m not in a bad mood at all 😉
Well said @ stillmatic. Absolutely love the site blogs but the anti Theo vibe does wear thin sometimes. We forget, Theo was bought as a forward and played as a forward at Southampton. Wenger’s winger-to-striker conversion took longer than the promised two to three years. He was NEVER a winger. Even St Totterinham Redknapp played him mostly as a striker and said that was his best position. Sven took him to the 06 World Cup coz he was the best finisher in a half pitch match at the Colney, when he came to check out super Sol. Theo….bruv….sign da ting!
I wasn’t anti-Walcott today!
I love you Blogs but most days, not today though you’re anti-Walcott and very very very pro-Giroud. This might be strange but Theo is my favourite arsenal player, ahead of Ozil and Sanchez.
I’d like to see Theo get a run of games where he is our starting striker. When he’s played up front my memory says he’s been really good, better than he is as a wing. Theo seems best suited to start as a striker against teams that press and hold a high defensive line. He can use his pace and predatory instincts in these circumstances. Substituting him as the striker when we are searching for a goal at the end of a game is, well, desperate. Toward the end of games teams tend to park one or more buses. Theo’s… Read more »
Theo has never been consistent. Whilst he is capable of performances that make him look world class, there are players that have a better all round game and can contribute in different situations.
Funny thing is it takes just 1 games of theo fading away from this same crowd to turn on him.
Theo is consistent in patches.
i gotta confess: fickle me. Theo should stay. 5 year contract and hope shad is up to the task
The problem is that life is not that simple. Nearly all Arsenal fans would like Theo to stay, Wenger included, even outside the context of this match. But the problem is, as always, money. There is wage ceiling above which Walcott is dispensible, simply because he is not worth that wage at the moment.
I do hope that the club takes their time in the summer to size things up, as there are a couple of players that need to be moved on before Theo.
Move Poldi on, give Walcott some of his salary and there will still be enough left for some others to get a pay rise.
Or give him his current salary plus big bonuses for goals and assists.
If he played like this every week he’d be worth a top salary. The problem is you don’t know which Theo is going to turn up on any given match day.
Outstanding performance today though.
What I don’t get is blogs pls explain. Theos is on 5 mill a year. X3 years ( 15m) theo wants 6.5mill. £130k a week X3. So a that 1.5 x3. = 4.5m. Or even if he wants 5 years. 7.5 million. We can’t replace theo for that. So it cost us more To buy a player to replace him, 20 million thirty million hope he is good in Arsenal team ( in prem if from abroad) and pay him what Theo wants probably. So it is a more much expensive option or gamble to fp this than give theo… Read more »
Yes but what the club thinks a player is worth and what a player thinks he’s worth (and the knock-on effects of that) are factors too.
Lovely headline picture
Note the artistry involved in Ozil’s assist for Wiltshire’s superb goal. Ozil played the ball to bounce so that Wiltshire was able to hit it on the up, and scream into the net. Classy.
It was Gabriel, wasn’t it?
Gabriel, you mean?
off topic, i came across this on espnfc
Brendan Rodgers: “Judge me after 3 years.”
3 years later,
FT: Stoke City 6-1 Liverpool. lolololol
I think you’ve won the Internet for today with that observation. Fucking brilliant!
I think to get the most out of Theo on a consistent basis Arsene should sign him to one month contracts, that way he’s always in ‘negotiation’ form.
Pace and balance, that’s what we had today with good players with different qualities all in their right roles.
Not sure right wing is Wilshere’s correct position, but he was great nonetheless.
We need Petr Cech. Sorry, but we do.
I disagree. When Szczesny had a stable defence before him he became the best keeper of the league (check out whoscored.com’s last year statistics). I think, if he would manage to improve his concentration he would easily be among the best keepers. But even if we sign somebody else I think it would be much better to sign somebody who is not attached to one of our main rivals. OK there is Welbeck or there was Sol Campbell but when we signed them the prime of their career was before them – so they were full of ambition. There are… Read more »
Sign it, Theo.
Sincerely,
The Arsenal fans.
Surely Wenger will play Szczes on Saturday now. This punishment has gone on long enough. Despite a couple of dodgy FA cup performances he is a world class keeper who will get back into via rhythm once he’s had some proper playing time. Ospina is fine, but he’s a number two. Shez up.
Surely he was always going to play him on Saturday anyway…
I mean, was here ever a doubt????
10/10 for the kids. I love me a lap of appreciation.
I wish i could thumb that up twice, was a great touch.
Bonus rating: Shad 10/10.
We know what Theo and Jack think…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VyUZyE5Hms
Interesting – Shad video.
That wasn’t Shad it was Declan Lynch, first team physio who’s leaving to join a rugby team
10/10 Stoke for sending Steeevie Gee off the USA with a good hiding, saving us yet more mawkish drivel in the media.
I don’t think any player has left a club after scoring a hatrick in his last match.
Jermaine Pennant
Down votes for a fact?
They must watch Fox News
Oh, but apparently not actually a fact… http://www.arsenal.com/history/profiles/536/jermaine-pennant
This felt like a dress rehearsehall for the F.A final. And seeing as Burnley almost relegated Villa, assuming Steve Bruce had nose-poked a goal for Hull, am confident we’ll win the final….
Burnley didn’t nearly relegate Villa, they were safe before today. And football doesn’t work like that i’m afraid. I’m sure Villa will have a different mindset next week. Please don’t jinx me beloved Arsenal
Well, that was a delicious feast of football.
Cech, please.
i see what you did there!
Haha it was terribly subtle after all 🙂 Have a good one buddy!
Nice goals.
I hope Ospina starts the final.
We need a world class goalkeeper.
I for one still have faith in Szczesny, he’s only 25 and can only get better. Sure, it could be argued that perhaps he should be further along than he is now, but nevertheless this is a guy that won the Golden Glove last season, and the only thing that’s really gone wrong this season seems like a drop in confidence.
…and a pretty major disciplinary matter. But I agree with you – he will be a world class goalkeeper and I would hate for that to happen elsewhere.
I’d, for one, be very surprised to see the Pole with us for next season. In hindsight, I think starting Fabianski in the FA Cup final was a signal of things to come. It is very strange that a manager who has always looked to the future and takes pride in developing young players, would pick his second string keeper for the final match of the season, thus ending Sczsczesny’s hope for claiming the golden glove as his own, and then in the very important FA Cup final. And I needn’t remind people the pressure Wenger was under to win… Read more »
We still need a top keeper , DMF and a stricker I know Theo was very good today but can he play to a similar level every week, if he still with us and not injured.
Yes he can Bob. You will see – he’s going to be the next Henry as CF.
Great way to end the season but let’s also remember, first flag west brom simply didn’t turn up. Couple of great strikes from Walcott, Wilshere but now want to see them do it in a game that matters, against opponents who give a shit.
Not sure about the negativity re Ospina either. Had a good enough game for me, bit picky from narrator I believe.
Now it’s all about next week at Wembley, lucky enough to be going for 2nd year running and believe we will win. Very confident actually.
Ospina had a good game?
You guys would have slaughtered Scz for messing up a routine corner and a routine long shot. I dont get this hate towards Szczesny. He has saved our asses many a times in the past(last season’s saves) and doesnt deserve all this hate. For all the heat attack inducing things that he does, I doubt he has cost more than 1 or 2 games. Hopefully he will stay and become the goalie he has the talent to be
Is smoking the heart attack inducing thing you are referring to?
In my heart, the Fa cup is already in the bag. Sez is a good keeper. I rate him higher than Ospina, really. Bad publicity and one moment being himself makes people judge him. That Golden Glove was earned, and it doesn’t go to any run of the mill goalie
Im satisfied with the goalies we have.
Except for a few moments, Ospina has been very good. Szcz is also very good, but needs to grow up.
Both are better keepers than Fabianski, and Fab has been one of the best goalies in the PL this season..
Remember Chessers only got back into the team because Fabianski got injured.Fabianski was doing an Ospina and keeping Chessers out.
Very fine line being a keeper.Lose your place and the replacement does well and it’s difficult to get back.
Bring back Sczsczesny
After a number of performances where Walcott would come in and hardly tough the ball or when he did the ball would get away from him was great to see him so confident and active to get the ball. There was a big different in our offensive movement with so many quick, versatile players out there vs previous weeks where Giroud was more of a statue against packed back defenses. Of course WBA wasn’t putting up much of a fight defensively so hard to tell how much of a difference Walcott’s movement made vs their laying off so much. Wenger… Read more »
If sczs plays in the final we will need 3 goals to win it.
Mark my words
I thought Theo’s days were numbered, (and they could well still be for all we know!!?) but what a statement of intent from the lad. He could be finally ready to lead the line as our central stiker more regularly. No doubt his agents will advise him to request 500k a week after that hatrick now!….
If he does it each week, that’s fine by us!
I’ve never seen so many responses from blogs, I like.
Keep Ospina on goal. Although not playing great, consistency is better than changing keepers on a final.
what formation does arsenal play on this game? is it 4-2-31 or 4-3-3? ozil played behind walcott or alongside cazorla and coquelin? i’m confused.