BR.
18 years ago
3 years ago
1,896
Rodgers has had a nightmare against Villa at home since he went to Liverpool. One draw and two defeats.
George14brfc
13 years ago
4 years ago
3,912
Baker was brilliant in that game. Headed away virtually every cross that came in

I agree!

Kev Leitch: I don't often criticise Paul Lambert but starting Nathan Baker over Jores Okore is pretty much the same as giving Liverpool a goal before kickoff.

That is what an Aston Villa fan said before kick off on BBC sport made me laugh when got man of the match!
Tommo.
13 years ago
6 months ago
2,272
I agree!

Kev Leitch: I don't often criticise Paul Lambert but starting Nathan Baker over Jores Okore is pretty much the same as giving Liverpool a goal before kickoff.

That is what an Aston Villa fan said before kick off on BBC sport made me laugh when got man of the match!


Went to look for him on twitter to see if he posted anything more :L Unluckily his account is private
Based Jorge
11 years ago
4 years ago
1,399
You're assuming Pellegrini will stick with the 4-2-2-2 all the time, there's no guarantee of that at all. We are definitely light in central midfield though, I suspect we'll make a rare January purchase for a new centre-mid.


You can have Flamini for £1mill if you want.

Plz.
Telegram Sam
16 years ago
3 months ago
5,082
Premium
A big fuck you to everyone who says Wilshere is a nothing player or is overrated - that's what he can do when given the freedom to play. He's wasted as a defensive midfielder and scintillating when utilized properly.
Crane
15 years ago
1 month ago
2,434
Premium
Aye, one good game means he isn't overrated, and makes the countless crap performances invalid.
Based Jorge
11 years ago
4 years ago
1,399
Unfortunately for us this formation brings the best out of him whilst sacrificing the best of Ramsey and Özil. On current form if we went back to the 4231 you'd have to drop Ramsey and play Wilshere alongside Arteta.
George14brfc
13 years ago
4 years ago
3,912
Went to look for him on twitter to see if he posted anything more :L Unluckily his account is private

ha ha yeah. He looks very stupid now anyway.
Telegram Sam
16 years ago
3 months ago
5,082
Premium
Aye, one good game means he isn't overrated, and makes the countless crap performances invalid.

The thing is he's had plenty of good games that are completely ignored whilst one bad game leads to him being slaughtered by the media and opposition fans. Today he was just incredible but he's had plenty of good games for us in recent months.
Telegram Sam
16 years ago
3 months ago
5,082
Premium
Unfortunately for us this formation brings the best out of him whilst sacrificing the best of Ramsey and Özil. On current form if we went back to the 4231 you'd have to drop Ramsey and play Wilshere alongside Arteta.

I'd sooner drop Ozil or Ramsey than Wilshere right now.
Based Jorge
11 years ago
4 years ago
1,399
I'd sooner drop Ozil or Ramsey than Wilshere right now.


Ramsey's had a full pre-season and has been just as bad than Özil and he hasn't been forced out wide. Özil behind the striker should be the first decision on the teamsheet.
Telegram Sam
16 years ago
3 months ago
5,082
Premium
Ramsey's had a full pre-season and has been just as bad than Özil and he hasn't been forced out wide. Özil behind the striker should be the first decision on the teamsheet.

If we maintain this 4-1-4-1 nonsense then really Ozil doesn't have a place in the team. He won't be dropped though.
Shola
16 years ago
6 years ago
2,708
Didn't watch the game, but well done to Wilshere. Lovely goal.
Number 1
17 years ago
1 year ago
3,650
Both of Arsenal's goals were really good. Though how they contrived to give Man City a gift and then almost gave them another on 3 occasions afterwards is a bit much.
.verse
13 years ago
1 year ago
871
The thing is he's had plenty of good games that are completely ignored whilst one bad game leads to him being slaughtered by the media and opposition fans. Today he was just incredible but he's had plenty of good games for us in recent months.

That's probably more to do with the fact his good games aren't actually that good in comparison to say, Ramsey, or other EPL midfielders. And that's Wilshere's issue, he doesn't put in consistent performances of a standard that is deemed "good". He'll have a good patch, then be quiet/poor, then he'll pop up again for a portion of a game and then disappear. Naturally, injuries and positional changes doesn't help, but he's at some point going to need to be that consistent and reliable focal point if he's going to make it to that next level.

As it stands, he's a solid player with talent but blows hot and cold far too often.
K3V0
16 years ago
1 year ago
5,966
Wilshere wasn't that great before scoring his goal today and after that it was like he went to another level.

In fairness though he's only 22 and still got another 5-6 years until his prime so plenty of time to improve.
.verse
13 years ago
1 year ago
871
Wilshere wasn't that great before scoring his goal today and after that it was like he went to another level.

In fairness though he's only 22 and still got another 5-6 years until his prime so plenty of time to improve.

You don't get 5-6 years in a side that should ultimately be wanting to challenge for the title. Arsenal are obviously different and he'll probably get that as long as Wenger remains, but he's certainly going to need to lift his output level and maintain that over a consistent period of time.
K3V0
16 years ago
1 year ago
5,966
You don't get 5-6 years in a side that should ultimately be wanting to challenge for the title. Arsenal are obviously different and he'll probably get that as long as Wenger remains, but he's certainly going to need to lift his output level and maintain that over a consistent period of time.


He's been at Arsenal since 2001, I really doubt he'll ever leave, especially not whilst Wenger is there. He's still very young and hasn't had more than one proper full season playing football. Becoming consistent is another skill learned, he'll pick it up as he goes along. He strikes me as a confidence player and his second half performance today will have done him the world of good.
.verse
13 years ago
1 year ago
871
He's been at Arsenal since 2001, I really doubt he'll ever leave, especially not whilst Wenger is there. He's still very young and hasn't had more than one proper full season playing football. Becoming consistent is another skill learned, he'll pick it up as he goes along. He strikes me as a confidence player and his second half performance today will have done him the world of good.

That's the point I was trying to make. He's 22, giving him another 5-6 years to find his feet isn't going to be a realistic possibility if Arsenal are wanting to challenge for silverware. There will come a point in the next couple of years where he's going to be needing to produce the sort of performances he does have in him, on a far more regular basis. He can't expect to be carried by his team mates in all those other games where he's virtually having minimal influence on the pitch. Certainly couldn't see other top sides persisting with him in the long term on the basis of potential alone.
Ninja
15 years ago
7 years ago
5,341
I think you're being typically overly-harsh about a rival player verse. He's not a bad player, in fact he's a very good one and would get into almost every side in the league at centre midfield, barring City and Chelsea where he would undoubtedly be a frequent feature at least if not in either sides best XI.

He's clearly been hampered by injuries that have set his development back, perhaps by as much as 2 or 3 years and he'll never make it if continues to miss as much football as he has, but if he can get on the pitch regularly theres no reason to assume he won't be a very important player for Arsenal in the coming seasons.

Certainly, he's far closer to being one of the best in the league than Ramsey was 2 years ago when he was pretty much a figure of ridicule before it all clicked for him. I get the impression that a lot of people don't like him, he seems a cocky twat and has been caught smoking a lot, and confuse that with not thinking he's any good, but as long as his character doesn't stop him from putting in the work then it doesn't really matter if he's a nice person or not.
Telegram Sam
16 years ago
3 months ago
5,082
Premium
I think you're being typically overly-harsh about a rival player verse. He's not a bad player, in fact he's a very good one and would get into almost every side in the league at centre midfield, barring City and Chelsea where he would undoubtedly be a frequent feature at least if not in either sides best XI.

He's clearly been hampered by injuries that have set his development back, perhaps by as much as 2 or 3 years and he'll never make it if continues to miss as much football as he has, but if he can get on the pitch regularly theres no reason to assume he won't be a very important player for Arsenal in the coming seasons.

Certainly, he's far closer to being one of the best in the league than Ramsey was 2 years ago when he was pretty much a figure of ridicule before it all clicked for him. I get the impression that a lot of people don't like him, he seems a cocky twat and has been caught smoking a lot, and confuse that with not thinking he's any good, but as long as his character doesn't stop him from putting in the work then it doesn't really matter if he's a nice person or not.

Tooks the words right out of my mouth Ninja. Great post.
Crane
15 years ago
1 month ago
2,434
Premium
All you're talking about is potential. As you said he has been injured a lot and that will hamper development, but at the moment he's average.

I think a lot of people don't like him because of his attitude on the pitch, he's a complete prima donna, not because he was caught smoking once or twice.
.verse
13 years ago
1 year ago
871
I think you're being typically overly-harsh about a rival player verse. He's not a bad player, in fact he's a very good one and would get into almost every side in the league at centre midfield, barring City and Chelsea where he would undoubtedly be a frequent feature at least if not in either sides best XI.

He's clearly been hampered by injuries that have set his development back, perhaps by as much as 2 or 3 years and he'll never make it if continues to miss as much football as he has, but if he can get on the pitch regularly theres no reason to assume he won't be a very important player for Arsenal in the coming seasons.

Certainly, he's far closer to being one of the best in the league than Ramsey was 2 years ago when he was pretty much a figure of ridicule before it all clicked for him. I get the impression that a lot of people don't like him, he seems a cocky twat and has been caught smoking a lot, and confuse that with not thinking he's any good, but as long as his character doesn't stop him from putting in the work then it doesn't really matter if he's a nice person or not.

I genuinely couldn't care less about what he's like outside of football, it doesn't really define him as a player on the pitch, which is where my discussion is aimed at. Don't get me wrong, he isn't terrible but he's also far from being one of the elite central midfield players too. He's clearly got talent, but as I've mentioned, it only takes you so far and there comes a point where one has to deliver on that talent, taking the next step in their career. I'm not saying Wilshire cannot do that, he still has time on his side, but he needs to get a move on within the next couple of seasons.

In a way, I liken him to Oscar a little. Talented, shows glimpse, but struggles to string the level of consistency out over a number of games. Showing up for 20-30 minutes a game doesn't cut it- which is what Wilshere does need to work on himself. There's no doubt he'd start for most EPL sides, and be in a solid rotation for Man City and Chelsea- but neither side would also give him a further 5-6 years to build that top level consistency. He's lucky that he's at Arsenal and under Wenger, where there probably isn't quite that demand in performance, yet. That won't last forever though.
Carroll.
15 years ago
4 years ago
3,361
Wilshare is overated by Arsenal fans
Ninja
15 years ago
7 years ago
5,341
Back four today. Thank the lord.
SpinSwimScream
14 years ago
1 month ago
1,598
yeah looks like we're playing with a diamond of Blind, Herrera/Di Maria and Mata. Liking the sound of it and can't wait to see Falcao come on
VP.
14 years ago
3 months ago
25,271
Couldn't have a much easier game for the new players, it'll be an easy win and people will probably already believe that Utd are 'back'.
SpinSwimScream
14 years ago
1 month ago
1,598
I don't say this very often but having Rafael back at RB/RWB is great.
Ninja
15 years ago
7 years ago
5,341
K3V0
16 years ago
1 year ago
5,966
Di Maria ❤❤

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