The Arsenal Society VIII

He won't look good throughout because he's not very good with the ball at his feet. But that doesn't make him a bad player because a lot of the time he's wasting opportunities that have only come about because of his runs. He might get in behind 10 times and only create 2 goals but that's better than another player who gets in behind 3 times and only creates 1 goal. People focus on his final ball too much assuming you could just replace him with someone with a better delivery and they'd create much more. They wouldn't get in half the positions Theo gets in, he makes good runs and not just because of his pace

Arshavin is a good footballer but you will rarely ever see him look good throughout these days

The way you smile to the thought of Walcott is sickening. Apart from a hat trick against Blackpool, a goal against Chelsea and one other somewhere he has done absolutely nothing. And I am not one of those people that judges a player by their goals, but when Walcott is the subject who is so destructive towards Arsenals progression as a footballing team then there is nothing else to judge him by. Woeful first touch, woeful ball control and dribbling, woeful passes, woeful player. Give him time to continuously disappoint, his performance against Man City was an abomination for one.
If you think a player putting on good displays by scoring a hat trick against a newly promoted team that conceded 6 on the day, by admitting to dive today and by getting in behind a defence that has kept 2 clean sheets in 15 games to score a goal that we all know would not happen under normal circumstances with an in form Chelsea team, then so be it, by your reckoning he is "" worthy.
Come the end of the season it will be the same old talk of how useless he is, getting booed off the pitch, and being left out of the national team again as he deserved in the World Cup.

He won't look good throughout because he's not very good with the ball at his feet. But that doesn't make him a bad player because a lot of the time he's wasting opportunities that have only come about because of his runs. He might get in behind 10 times and only create 2 goals but that's better than another player who gets in behind 3 times and only creates 1 goal. People focus on his final ball too much assuming you could just replace him with someone with a better delivery and they'd create much more. They wouldn't get in half the positions Theo gets in, he makes good runs and not just because of his pace

Arshavin is a good footballer but you will rarely ever see him look good throughout these days

Dude, just chill out man. It's just a smiley.

First of all I disagree with your opinion that Walcott makes good runs. I think he has no football brain and is completely unable to read the game.
You talk about him being statistically better than other players due to the quantity of chances he gets outnumbering the quality of chances another player might get. I think this is outrageous. Nasri may only get 5 chances in a game but he will create more from these 5 than Walcott will with his 15 chances if Nasri was to play in Walcott's position. Pires was twice the player of Walcott with half the speed. When you put Walcott up against someone else that is quick and technical like Gareth Bale, we can see the daylight between the two players.

The problem with Walcott is that he thinks he is better than he is. He scored a goal against someone a few years ago and in the post match interview he said, "I know you pundits are going to compare me to Thierry after that..." in an arrogant manner. He then says just before the World Cup something like, "This time round I will be going to the World Cup based on proven quality..." or something like that, then revealing when he was told he was dropped for the World Cup that he first thought it was a wind up. The other day he looked shocked he was getting subbed off while Arsenal were still drawing 0-0. His attitude sucks, but thankfully his ability is much worse so I don't have to hate him just for his attitude.

The 1st paragraphs sums up why he made that Thierry comment, you've just compared him to one of the best players to grace Arsenal and the premiership and arguably the best player in the premiership this season ala the pundits wrt Henry. So Walcott isnt Henry, Pires or Nasri, that doesn't make him ****.

His attitude is brilliant, he gets his head down and works hard despite people constantly slating him. Would you rather he mopped off like he didn't give a **** v City? He had a right to be frustrated as we was causing City/Zabaleta as much bother as anyone else in our team. It's not just AA's **** form that's caused him to be dropped, it's a reflection of the decent performance Walcott has put in this season

The 1st paragraphs sums up why he made that Thierry comment, you've just compared him to one of the best players to grace Arsenal and the premiership and arguably the best player in the premiership this season ala the pundits wrt Henry. So Walcott isnt Henry, Pires or Nasri, that doesn't make him ****.

His attitude is brilliant, he gets his head down and works hard despite people constantly slating him. Would you rather he mopped off like he didn't give a **** v City? He had a right to be frustrated as we was causing City/Zabaleta as much bother as anyone else in our team. It's not just AA's **** form that's caused him to be dropped, it's a reflection of the decent performance Walcott has put in this season

The other factor with Walcott is that teams fear him. Often he will end up with 2 or 3 defenders having to mark him which creates spaces for others in itself. His finishing has also improved, and at 20, his crossing will no doubt improve.

The problem is our reserve strikers have no confidence at the moment (apart from Bendtner who is just useless right now). But we can't give them a run of games as they aren't producing.

Arshavin needs to just stick to simple passes at times. He constantly tries overly fancy passes or long range shots, which when he is on form is excellent, but not when we need a goal or to capiltalise on possession we have.

Squillaci seems useless aswell. No pace and a general liability when he plays. Djourou was excellent today, however it depends whether he can form a partnership with TV when he returns. Denilson has potential but needs a loan spell to get some first team football. Preferably at somewhere like Bolton to toughen up.

Absolutely agreed.

ZizAli, where does this "lack of a footballing brain" term come from? Is it Alan Hansen? Because I can tell you, it's nonsense. He may not have the technical insight and ability to pick out through balls like many of our players do. But a"footballing brain", whatever that means exactly, is not absent in him. If we recall that football is, ultimately, about putting the ball in the back in the net, then how can you say that Theo lacks the brain to play it? His finishing is very good, he creates chances for his teammates, and he always poses massive danger to his full back because of his pace. And he's 20. About 0.0001% of humans are going to turn into a Wilshere or a Fabregas; doesn't mean they can't necessarily be great football players.

Our second string looks piss-poor, tbh. We gave the ball away so, so much. Idk what is wrong with Bendtner because at the end of last season, when he had consistent gametime, he was looking pleasingly good. Denilson is ok it's just that he is a pussy; he could do with some lessons from Song on controlling the midfield and tackling. Arshavin is a lazy ****er, but you can't help but love him again as soon he he scores or makes a ridiculous comment on the internet.

Djourou looked flawless today, on a positive note.

However, with you, this is the most garbage I've ever heard on this site. I don't need Alan Hansen to tell me anything, I have my own opinion and have played football to a high enough level to make my opinions. If you are going to credit Theo Walcott with a footballing brain then there is no hope in trying to communicate with you, you're a lost soul...

Tell me what a footballing brain is, in your opinion.

All I'm saying is that if you can put the ball in the back of the net and create goalscoring opportunities for your team, then you don't need to be a Fabregas. How can you dispute that? At least point out where the logic is missing in my post, rather than coming out with this "I have played football at a high level" nonsense. I play as well, but I don't feel the need to wave it around in arguments, because it isn't too relevant to the point here.

First of all I've never mentioned anything about my personal footballing career before because like you said it's irrelevant for the most part, but when you accuse me of listening to Alan Hansen instead of relying on my own judgement then I have to justify it somehow.

To have a footballing brain you have to understand the game. To understand the game requires many things including positioning, tactical awareness, vision, how quickly you can calculate the situation around you etc. Walcott looks completely lost on the pitch, he hasn't got a clue. When he scores it's more often then not being in the right place at the right time but for the wrong reasons. Van Nistlerooy was legendary at doing that but for the right reason, when Walcott gets there its down to luck and fortune. His lack of footballing brain matched with his lack of technique makes him woeful, however his pace is one of a kind which is the only reason he plays, and it is for that reason I am disappointed with Wenger.

Footballing brain is the stupidest term around, people should be shot for using it. They are professional players, how can you claim they don't have this so called brain?

Technical ability is the issue when it comes to crossing etc. Everyone knows what the right thing to do would be, executing it well is the difference.

Do you really accumulate footballing brain to be wishing to execute things well?

Of coarse footballers vary in terms of footballing brain. You wouldn't dare say Zidane and and Denilson have the same football brain.

This is why nerds should never be given a voice when it comes to football, you're a disgrace.

Only read the last couple of posts but since we're on the topic of "footballing brain" I can only assume we're talking about Walcott. He didn't have a good game yesterday -- and he usually doesn't when he doesn't start. But we would be out the FA Cup if it wasn't for him so it didn't work out too badly. He'll be a very effective player who'll continue to get a lot of goals if he starts. He's not very talented but his pace makes him dangerous. Not sure what else there is to say that hasn't already been said.

Cesc should've started and that would've won us the game. Another poor team selection by Wenger and an extra game that we should've avoided. The worry is that he'll play a weakened team in the replay too.

Bendtner and Chamakh can GTFO. Chamakh's decline from very useful to utterly pointless in a matter of months has been quite something.