Chelsea vs Arsenal.

[OwlsFan]

Unexciting to say the least. Chelsea seem to have the knack like Arsenal of old of getting 1-0 wins with the commentators saying they're not playing as well as expected (heard that numerous times last season). Although it pains me to say it, if I had a choice of watching Man U or Chelsea, I'd plump for the former.

Very few runs from Duff but amazingly he got 90 minutes for a change.Glad to see that.

[Aldini98]

It was like watching paint.



(no not as interesting as watching paint dry)

[ColinR]

first ten minutes were excellent, and then it just seemed to go into a tactical battle.

arsenal very unlucky. cole should have had a penalty, maybe poll remembered his dive against united at highbury. overall i thought arsenal were the better team, if henry had have turned up they would probably have won.

chelsea seem to have continued from last year - grind out wins when they dont deserve it (and i'm sure when they hit form they will trash a few sides). 6 points out of six, yet it could (should) easily be 1 from 6

[pete]

I had it on in the background but couldn't bring myself to watch for more than few minutes at a time. Drogba goal summed up the game.

I know ist off topic a bit but Everton v Bolton showed all that is bad about the Premiership! :eek:

[Tony Montana]

Both games were really poor,Arsenal need to stop trying to score the perfect goal all the time.Henry is a quality player but doesnt get into the positions you'd want from a centre forward sometimes.Never makes late runs into 6 yard box etc.

[Peadar]

Henry is a quality player but doesnt get into the positions you'd want from a centre forward sometimes.

Henry isn't a centre forward. Never has been and never will be.
I think the usual pressure that Henry places on himself to perform has been intensified by his new role as captain.

If I were Mr. Wenger, I'd play Henry on the left, van Persie up front and Bergkamp in the hole. If Ljungberg is out for a while he could start with Pires or Fabregas on the right.

I'll be heading along to the Fulham game tomorrow night now and will be hoping for a marked improvement.

[OwlsFan]

Bergkamp: a has-been for the past 2 years with the odd occasional flicker of his previous genius. A mirthless drip of a personality with a vicious streak. I'm surprised Wenger still persists with him.

Chelsea: if you don't concede, you'll win games. Premiership has been a non event so far. Even Alan Parry only used the word "brilliant" 4 times at the game. Normally I count about 15/20 a game.

[Peadar]

Bergkamp: a has-been for the past 2 years with the odd occasional flicker of his previous genius. A mirthless drip of a personality with a vicious streak. I'm surprised Wenger still persists with him.

He persists with him because he knows a hell of a lot more about football and footballers than you. I've seen a lot of Arsenal and Bergkamp is still seriously fit. He may not be good for 90 minutes but his presence on the pitch is invaluable. Stick to watching Wednesday, the slow pace is easier for you to watch.

[NeilMcD]

Unexciting to say the least. Chelsea seem to have the knack like Arsenal of old of getting 1-0 wins with the commentators saying they're not playing as well as expected (heard that numerous times last season). Although it pains me to say it, if I had a choice of watching Man U or Chelsea, I'd plump for the former.

Very few runs from Duff but amazingly he got 90 minutes for a change.Glad to see that.


Why does it pain you to say it you are a Sheff Wed Supporter. Man Utd are much better to watch than Chelsea so dont see were the hardship or pain is there.

[Aldini98]

He persists with him because he knows a hell of a lot more about football and footballers than you. I've seen a lot of Arsenal and Bergkamp is still seriously fit. He may not be good for 90 minutes but his presence on the pitch is invaluable. Stick to watching Wednesday, the slow pace is easier for you to watch.

Hear Hear !!!!

Well answered mate.

[OwlsFan]

He persists with him because he knows a hell of a lot more about football and footballers than you. I've seen a lot of Arsenal and Bergkamp is still seriously fit. He may not be good for 90 minutes but his presence on the pitch is invaluable. Stick to watching Wednesday, the slow pace is easier for you to watch.


Touchy touchy. Whenever I've seen him play (Arsenal are on the box just about every week) I've seen very little of the player he once was. The occasional flash but only the occasional.

Didn't realise Wenger's judgement was unimpeachable. I suspect I see a lot more of what goes on on the pitch than Wenger because whenever he's asked to comment on some controversial incident, he says "I did not see it" :p I usually have seen it.


Why does it pain you to say it you are a Sheff Wed Supporter. Man Utd are much better to watch than Chelsea so dont see were the hardship or pain is there.

Because I don't like Man Utd, the team of the glory hunters. However, unlike Wenger who does not see things that he doesn't like, I acknowledge they are a more entertaining team than Chelsea, at the moment anyway.

[Peadar]

(Arsenal are on the box just about every week)

I suspect I see a lot more of what goes on on the pitch than Wenger...

I suspect you see very little of what goes on on the pitch since you're stuck in your armchair or on a barstool.
I've been to 3 games this season, going to the Fulham game tomorrow night and I've been to training sessions. Bergkamp is the consummate professional and still has a major contribution to make to the Premiership.

Arsene Wenger has already proved that he's not sentimental when it comes to getting rid of players so you can rest assured Denis Bergkamp is there on merit.

[NeilMcD]

Because I don't like Man Utd, the team of the glory hunters. However, unlike Wenger who does not see things that he doesn't like, I acknowledge they are a more entertaining team than Chelsea, at the moment anyway.[/QUOTE]


Did Man Utd not have the highest attendances in England during the 70's when they spend their time in the 2nd Division. It would be unheard of now of a team in the Championship having the hightest average attendances in England. Although they do have fans they have jumped on the band wagon, just as Liverpool did in the 80's they do have a large fan base that has been there through thick and thin. In fact that fan based is bigger than Sheff Wednesday's.

[OwlsFan]

I suspect you see very little of what goes on on the pitch since you're stuck in your armchair or on a barstool.

No matter where I am (not barstools though - bad for my back), I still frequently see more than Wenger who suffers from selective myopia. No manager's judgement is infallible, not even Wenger's.

Man U's fanbase - was covered before. No point going into it again here. They were still the team to support when I was at school which wasn't today or yesterday. Nothing has changed there.

[Peadar]

I still frequently see more than Wenger who suffers from selective myopia. No manager's judgement is infallible, not even Wenger's.

Grow up!
Wenger has a policy of not criticising his players in public.
He misses nothing that happens on the pitch.
He's entitled to avoid media questions on contentious issues.

[tiktok]

Anyone who ever knocks the entertainment value of the EL compared to the Premiership should be made to watch this game again and again and again. From the Premiership's top two, one of them the most expensive squad's ever assembled.

Snoozefest :rolleyes:

[Peadar]

Anyone who ever knocks the entertainment value of the EL compared to the Premiership should be made to watch this game again and again and again.

To be fair, the live games so far this season have been rubbish.
Liverpool v Middlesboro'
Arsenal v Newcastle
Man U v Everton
Chelsea were rubbish against Wigan.

A lot of what I've seen on Match of the Day has been rubbish too.

[tiktok]

I agree completely Peadar, the football on display this season has been awful (with the possible exception of Charlton :eek: )but given the hype and the build-up that the Sky Machine threw at the Chelsea -v- Arsenal match, it was a complete let-down.

[Karlos]

No matter where I am (not barstools though - bad for my back), I still frequently see more than Wenger who suffers from selective myopia. No manager's judgement is infallible, not even Wenger's.


Wenger suffers no more from selective myopia than the idiots who interview him. Arsenal get a player sent off and they ask him about his 50-something red card and discipline probelms that don't exist - you never hear the conversation start with 'so you HAVE had the best behaved team in the premiership for two consequtive years Arsene, what did you think of today's sending off'. If the interviewer wants to be selective about facts then they don't deserve a proper answer. I think it's easier for him to avoid fines from the FA by not answering controversial questions that often bear little or no importance to the situation without having time to measure the answer carefully. Anyone working in PR would actually recognise that as a great skill to have.


Those of us how read and watch post game 'press conferences' would also recognise that he happily discusses controversial incidents once he has viewed them, but I wouldn't expect anyone to notice that - much easier to go the 'sky sports' route! :rolleyes:


Had i been interviewed directly after the Newcastle - Arsenal game, I'd have told you that Jenas was right to be sent off. I'd have been wrong and I understand why Wenger doesn't answer those questions directly after the games from Sky Dirt Diggers!


On a side issue, It's actually a running joke with the arsenal coaching staff notably Pat Rice who once mentioned at a reserve game that staff take turns in answering Wenger's questions with 'i didn't see it' just to wind him up! ;) :D

[OwlsFan]

He misses nothing that happens on the pitch.
He's entitled to avoid media questions on contentious issues.


If he sees everything and then says he doesn't, he's a liar then. Fair enough. I just thought he was God the way you were talking about him.

[CollegeTillIDie]

On Newstalk 106 last night Ken Early announced that he was convinced that the Premiersh!t has lost it's soul. Ken get with the program. It lost it back in 1992. Now it is underperforming on the entertainment stakes as well.

Let's hope the saddos who believe it has lost it's soul will turn their attention to our League and start attending EL which is not completely corrupted by ridiculous money.

[Peadar]

It lost it back in 1992. Now it is underperforming on the entertainment stakes as well..

I think the major problem is that the cost of tickets is so high now people are expecting to be entertained. When that doesn't happen, they feel robbed, and rightly so.

The game is being pushed further away from the working class people who were the passion, life and soul of the terraces. That will eventually be the downfall of the Premiership.

[NeilMcD]

[QUOTE=KarlosIRL]Wenger suffers no more from selective myopia than the idiots who interview him. Arsenal get a player sent off and they ask him about his 50-something red card and discipline probelms that don't exist - you never hear the conversation start with 'so you HAVE had the best behaved team in the premiership for two consequtive years Arsene, what did you think of today's sending off'.



Arsenal did have a terrible discipline problem under Wenger for the first 400 games in charge so I dont know why you are saying it does not exist. However you are right that they have cleaned up their act in the last couple of years and now very rarely get their players in trouble. That willbe aided this year with Viera having left to go to Juventus. Man Utd had a discipline problems when they first starting winning titles in the 1990's also. It does not to your argument any service by saying the problems dont exist.

[Karlos]

Arsenal did have a terrible discipline problem under Wenger for the first 400 games in charge so I dont know why you are saying it does not exist. However you are right that they have cleaned up their act in the last couple of years and now very rarely get their players in trouble. That willbe aided this year with Viera having left to go to Juventus. Man Utd had a discipline problems when they first starting winning titles in the 1990's also. It does not to your argument any service by saying the problems dont exist.

You've taken me up wrong I'm afraid. No doubt the descipline problems existed at Arsenal up to 3 seasons ago. For 2 seasons running now Arsenal have been top of the fair play league with the current squad of players. What relevance do disiplinary issues have from October 1996 - 2001 have to a whole new batch of players now playing at the club? I'll tell ya, absolutely none and that's why sky reporter questions about discipline problems are badly researched and inaccurate for the currant squad and desereve the answer Wenger usually gives.

As for Vieira, if i'm not mistaken he's not been sent off in the league since September 2003 (8 sending offs in 9 seasons I believe, one more than Roy Keane overall) and has had an exlempary disiplinary record for the best part of two full seasons. He's gone and suddenly you believe the displine will be aided? What's this based on? :rolleyes:

[ColinR]

an awful lot has been made about arsenal's disciplinary record. on the field for the last two years they have been very good, but their reaction to the two matches at old trafford is what people generally remember, and arsenal come out looking very poor because of it.

also the fair play award takes into account style of play as a factor - big advantage to arsenal, as their football is very easy on the eye - unless a team pack their defence a la chelsea ;)

[Karlos]

also the fair play award takes into account style of play as a factor - big advantage to arsenal, as their football is very easy on the eye - unless a team pack their defence a la chelsea ;)


Indeed the fair play table is calculated based on Red & Yellow cards, Respect towards Opponents, Respect towards Referees, positive play & behaviour of officials.

Interesting enough Arsenal only scored 5 more points than Chelsea last year in the positive play section - You'd have thought it would be higher.

Given the history between United & Arsenal it's also interesting to see that United where in the bottom 5 clubs in with regard to 'Behaviour of Officials' last year and finished 14th overall to Arsenal's 1st. Despite both bad incidents at old Trafford, Arsenal still came out top of the fair play table 2 years running. Not everything you read in the papers is true!!! :) ;) :)

[Peadar]

Bergkamp: a has-been for the past 2 years with the odd occasional flicker of his previous genius. A mirthless drip of a personality with a vicious streak. I'm surprised Wenger still persists with him.


Thought of this tripe last night as I sat watching the master show his worth.
His skill, his positional sense, his sheer pressence!
What a legend!
Worth the admission fee alone.

[Karlos]

Thought of this tripe last night as I sat watching the master show his worth.
His skill, his positional sense, his sheer pressence!
What a legend!
Worth the admission fee alone.

Yes, indeed, you'd pay double the price to see Denis in full glory like last night although I must concede he was very lucky not be sent off for his tug at the linesman's flag. It's a fine line between violent conduct and dissent and might have gone with another ref. His football however was truley magnificent to watch.

Great to finally see so many shots at goal - could really feel the crowd urging them to shoot and it paid off. It's one of my biggest critisicms of the team is the amount of shots from range. The variety it introduces to our game is fantastic and causes opposition a lot of problems. So many positives from the game including sorting the corners out and actually crossing the ball more than 6 times! ;)

Speaking of things worth the admission fee, Pascal Cygan, not once but twice!!!! :D

[Peadar]

although I must concede he was very lucky not be sent off for his tug at the linesman's flag.

It was done in jest and the linesman had a laugh about it afterwards.
He genuinely looked surprised that the ref booked Bergkamp but what did he expect when he went crying to ref about it.


Great to finally see so many shots at goal - could really feel the crowd urging them to shoot and it paid off.

I think Hleb will get more confident and have more shots from range as the season goes on.
Gilberto will also chip in with a few.


Speaking of things worth the admission fee, Pascal Cygan, not once but twice!!!! :D

Were you there?
He's such a liability that even after scoring 2 goals I still found it hard to cheer him. Good night though and good to see the positives you mentioned above.

[Karlos]

It was done in jest and the linesman had a laugh about it afterwards.
He genuinely looked surprised that the ref booked Bergkamp but what did he expect when he went crying to ref about it. .


To be honest Peadar, it didn't think it looked in jest on the tv replays last night. Initially I thought he just tugged the flag but he actually pulled it out of his hand. Not a clever thing to do and the booking IMO was correct. I know it can be fustrating out there but I expect better self control from Dennis. Saying that the man's a genius and who am I to preach to him! ;)




I think Hleb will get more confident and have more shots from range as the season goes on.
Gilberto will also chip in with a few. .

Hleb seems to be settling in nicely and I was delighted with the efforts from range of Fabregas & gilberto last night. Reyes was a little live wire again as well - he seems have a nasty tackle magnet lodged somewhere in his leg! :D



Were you there?
He's such a liability that even after scoring 2 goals I still found it hard to cheer him. Good night though and good to see the positives you mentioned above.

Sadly I wasn't there and problably won't make it to too many more this season before I head off in October. Missus picked a great year for us to emmigrate!! I'd have argued but she's a black belt inb Tae-kwon-do!! :eek: On the plus side, my 6 year old nephew is making the most of his trips to Highbury now! :)

[Peadar]

To be honest Peadar, it didn't think it looked in jest on the tv replays last night. Initially I thought he just tugged the flag but he actually pulled it out of his hand.

The thing was, the linesman gave a goal kick when that was clearly the correct decision. Denis knew that so he couldn't have been angry about anything which would have made him lose his temper.
I was about 5m away from him and there didn't seem to be any malice.

I have no complaint about the booking though.

The next game that I definitely have tickets for is Everton at home next month but am on a promise of others.

[Karlos]

The next game that I definitely have tickets for is Everton at home next month but am on a promise of others.

Amazingly the Evrton game is going on general sale this week, first time for a league game in I don't know how long. The lack of new signings appears to have kept some of the 'fly-by-night' fans away whichis a good thing or maybe it's just the monday night is more awkward although it hasn't been a problem before :)

[CollegeTillIDie]

I think the major problem is that the cost of tickets is so high now people are expecting to be entertained. When that doesn't happen, they feel robbed, and rightly so.

The game is being pushed further away from the working class people who were the passion, life and soul of the terraces. That will eventually be the downfall of the Premiership.

If I were living in England I would probably be a non-League fan or more than Likely I would follow Arsenal's Women's team :D

[Peadar]

or maybe it's just the monday night is more awkward although it hasn't been a problem before :)

"School night" games often tend to be easier to get tickets for. Everton were never a crowd puller anyway. A big chunk of the seats available are in the "Away" section of the West Stand. They probably wont bring many fans down with them.

[Macy]

On Newstalk 106 last night Ken Early announced that he was convinced that the Premiersh!t has lost it's soul. Ken get with the program. It lost it back in 1992. Now it is underperforming on the entertainment stakes as well.
Well done Ken Early - another bandwagon jumped :rolleyes:


Let's hope the saddos who believe it has lost it's soul will turn their attention to our League and start attending EL which is not completely corrupted by ridiculous money.
I doubt it, once it's on the tele. Afterall, even £20 on the cost of their once a season trip means fook all.