Arsenal vs Olympiakos

get in!!!!!!!!!!!!!

gerv is having another great game...can i say that? lol

haha everytime i criticize a player, we score the next min.!

ralph avedikian wrote:haha everytime i criticize a player, we score the next min.!

keep going!!! lol

crude tackle on the ox...

unlucky kos!!

I would take off cazorla now for ramsey..

Things could be worse. To illustrate this:

I just changed channels to see what was happening in the City-Dortmund game. Apparently Mancini went three at the back with Gael Clichy at LCB. They promptly conceded. That is all. Sacked in the morning?

The reaper strikes....who's everybody's money on to snuff it? Lol

Well it's another 3 points almost there...

Kony or Bashar al Assad will die tomorrow. Very good second half from the guys. Poldi and Gervais worked their socks off and did very well I thought. Santi had moments of brilliance and Walcott's introduction certainly made no harm. Coquelin was a bit meh and our fullbacks are starting to be very reliable these days. Oh and what a nice assist and nice finish by Mr. Sexy and Ramsey at the end there.

I've noticed that Gervinho does that brush off the shoulder thing celebration that Van Persie used to do, wonder why he does that cunt's celebration.

Very similar games to last seasons champions league games. Just doing enough to get the points. As a positive, we are showing experience to get points when not playing that well. But we did make hard work of it. Dominated possession, but gave them too many chances.

While I hated us conceding, that sort of goal is very hard to defend. A great cross and header, and while he was marked, he got in front of Kos.

I heard Coquelin was sick for the Chelsea game, and that's why he was not on the bench. He is usually full of energy. Maybe he is still recovering from whatever it was.

It looked like Cazorla needed a rest. Ramsey on for him could have been a good move.

Great to see Ramsey, Gervinho and Podolski score. Can only help confidence for all 3. we need them playing well when called upon!

Yep, we want to avoid playing Cazorla into the ground.

Lovely finish by Ramsey, makes me wonder why he can't do that more often!

Jason Morrison wrote:I've noticed that Gervinho does that brush off the shoulder thing celebration that Van Persie used to do, wonder why he does that cunt's celebration.

Probably to give robin the brush off....





The cunt.

This is the first time I've seen a match thread only be 2 pages long. Weird, this place seems to be almost dead these days.

Anyway, it was a pretty mediocre display, but who cares as long as we get the result. I love Podolski, Gervinho will always drive me mental, and Giroud looks like a simply excellent football player who's only negative is the lack of goals. As far as I'm concerned the criticism of him is ludicrous, all you have to do is look at the assist for Ramsey to see what he can offer.

I don't need to say anything about Santi now, do I? It's also great having fullbacks who can attack as well as defend. Overall, a pretty good night, despite it not being a memorable performance.

Really unconvincing display, especially in the first half but we came out with three points which is the most important thing. Scoreline doesn't reflect the nature of the game because for most parts, Olympiakos were the better team. One thing that annoyed me was seeing Vermaelen going on his forward runs when the score was still 2-1 and Olympiakos were threatening to score. All it could have taken is a misplaced pass and we could've been facing a counter attack with only Koscielny at CB.

Montpellier fought back from two goals down to draw with Schalke so we are two points clear at the top.

Assan Touray wrote:Really unconvincing display, especially in the first half but we came out with three points which is the most important thing. Scoreline doesn't reflect the nature of the game because for most parts, Olympiakos were the better team. One thing that annoyed me was seeing Vermaelen going on his forward runs when the score was still 2-1 and Olympiakos were threatening to score. All it could have taken is a misplaced pass and we could've been facing a counter attack with only Koscielny at CB.

Montpellier fought back from two goals down to draw with Schalke so we are two points clear at the top.

Olympiakos were never the better team, at any stage. They could hardly keep the ball for more than 2 passes! They did create a few chances on the counter attack, but that's it.

I am a bit torn about Vermaelen gunning forward. I'm sure players will cover for him (Arteta, Coqeulin), but it is risky when already leading by 1 goal. It does add urgency to the team though.

Giroud was desperately unlucky, got on the end of Theo's cross nicely and had a nice shot blocked out for a corner. Fantastic flick on to Rambo for the 3rd goal. He will come good, I have no doubt.

I thought Coquelin did pretty well actually, not as tenacious as he usually is, but won some good tackles and put himself about. MOTM for me either Gervinho or Arteta, he did really well ticking it over and breaking up play. Per usual.

Honstly.....I think a lot of people including the media are making out this game was a disaster for us......

Olympiakos were Allways going to put up a fight it was a game that signaled if they were to remain in the champions league even this early on...they crashed in the first game and needed to get points on the board and also banish their abysmal record of playing in England...two huge statements by their team was needed...they were lacking in depth as they have a bigger Injurie list than we do so the players coming in were gong to give it 110%

And its exactly what they did.....they hassled us,closed us down stopped us playing and finding the passes for clumps of the match....them finding the net with a very well executed cross and header fulled them even more and did more damage considering we had just taken the lead moments before....

From what I had seen of the first half (22) mins we lacked a bit of organization mainly to do with the way Olympiakos were battling from all angles..it's expected in matches when the oppisition have nothing to lose...they we're hitting us hard in tackles and sometimes abit rash...once we had a goal we dropped in discipline drastically and it allowed them to grab back the goal...

On the other hand we played for much of the second have with more a directive speed and accuracy....can only assume that we were told to hold them in the middle of the park and gain yards back,this gave the front two who I must say gervinho for one had more room to move than the previous half out wide....a slight difference I would have had walcott on from the start to stretch out the back four with gervinho doing the same on the left allowing our boys in the middle to gain more room to move and pick passes and shut down the Olympiakos threat which mainly started through the middle...

I am not quite sure what to make of verminators runs at the moment I feel he could do with getting back to doing what he should be sitting back and organizing our defence its not like we are short of attacking minded players..the last two games have been a very big slip in defence compared to previous games where abit we conceded goals we looked better defensively....a rest should be on the cards for cazorla last night he looked shattered all be it coming off early...we have 3 easy games (should be) coming up...maybe rest the guys that need it and allow the players like Ramsey,ox,giroud to get some decent game time..Rambo still looks like he can be hit and miss and 3 games should by rites against lower teams could do him good...giroud still needs to find his feet which I am sure he will can benefit from these games and a little progressive work from ox won't go a miss....

To sum it up a decent performance against a team that won't lay down,some small problems still need looking at but it's still early days in the season..if we can get done what we need to do then this season will look very promising...

And just to add...where is everybody these days....this forum is like a ghost town at the mo!!!

By David Ornstein BBC Sport

Arsenal recovered from an unconvincing first-half performance to see off Olympiakos at Emirates Stadium and move top of Champions League Group B.

Gervinho opened the scoring with a low finish from outside the box near the end of a disjointed opening 45 minutes

Olympiakos deservedly hit straight back through Kostas Mitroglou's superb header on the stroke of half-time.

But Lukas Podolski rifled the Gunners back in front and Aaron Ramsey came off the bench to flick a third.

The result ensures Arsenal go clear at the head of their group on six points after Schalke drew 2-2 with Montpellier.

It was a laboured display but boss Arsene Wenger will hardly worry if his side continue to collect points while not at their best.

Wenger admitted before the match "the players are still down" from Saturday's defeat by Chelsea - and it was evident in the first half.

Undone by some poor defending against the Blues, there was little to suggest lessons had been learned as possession was relinquished cheaply and alarming errors were made at the back.

Only five minutes had been played when Vito Mannone's attempted pass to Thomas Vermaelen missed its target and prompted panic.

Arsenal soon created their first chance - Santi Cazorla's free-kick tipped to safety - but that was a rare opening for the hosts.

Captain Vermaelen and centre-back partner Laurent Koscielny - at fault for both Chelsea goals and possibly retaining his place because of Per Mertesacker's illness - were particularly unconvincing.

Koscielny was cautioned for a reckless challenge on Paulo Machado before Vermaelen's poor clearance led to Mitroglou drawing a fine save from Mannone.

Central defence was again vacant as Machado met a Giannis Maniatis cross from the right, only to somehow put a half-volley over the bar.

Arsenal's concerns were eased shortly before the break when Gervinho stepped past an opponent and he drilled the opener following neat work from Podolski and Cazorla on the left.

However, they immediately switched off and Mitroglou outjumped Vermaelen to glance a brilliant header past Mannone from Leandro Greco's left-wing cross.

Serving the second match of a three-game touchline ban, Wenger looked far from happy as he watched on from the stands.

But his team came out for the second half with a greater sense of purpose, Gervinho cutting back for Cazorla to side-foot wide.

The pressure was mounting and it swiftly told as the tireless Gervinho fed Podolski and he fired powerfully through Megyeri's legs.

Wenger introduced Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud, and the England winger crossed for the France striker to volley at Balazs Magyeri.

Olympiakos were missing almost half of their usual first team through injury, and it began to show as Arsenal piled forward.

Giroud's first-time strike was blocked by Dimitris Siovas's shoulder before Ramsey, another substitute, latched on to the Frenchman's flick, outpaced Maniatis and dinked a fine finish past Magyeri.

Arsenal assistant manager Steve Bould praised the contribution of Gervinho after the striker's fine form continued in Wednesday's victory over Olympiakos.

The 25-year-old, who scored one and created another in Arsenal's 3-1 win, has already hit more goals this season than he did in the 2011-12 campaign.

"He is scoring goals so his confidence is sky high," said Bould, in charge as Arsene Wenger served a touchline ban.

"He is a danger with his pace and movement - he could be a top player."

Gervinho put Arsenal ahead against the Greek champions with a low finish from just outside the penalty area on 42 minutes.

It was his fifth goal in seven matches, one more than he managed in his first season in English football.

The former Lille forward was deployed on the wing last term but five of his appearances this time round have come as the lead striker.

It is similar path to that taken by Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, who scored 228 goals in two spells with the club.

"Well, if he gets anywhere near Thierry Henry we'll take that all day long," said Bould.

"He is learning his trade there [centre forward]. I don't think he has played there an awful lot.

"His link play is gradually improving. I think he has set Santi [Cazorla] up quite a few times over the last few games.

"Good players can play anywhere - left, right, centre forward. He is scoring goals and improving with every game."

Was at the game, first half was pretty disjointed and pretty scrappy. We improved 2nd half, but there was still a spark missing. At the end of the day, the three points are all that matter and we move on.

Gibbs was excellent, Kos and TV looked like an accident waiting to happen, Mert seems to give us more balance in there. Gervinho has quietly gone about his business with people more worried about Giroud's troubles to realise he has got 5 goals this season. Great to see Rambo get his scoring boots on early, said last season that if he learnt how to finish he'll end on 15-20 goals a season and still think that is the case.

On a side note, bit worried about Santi and Poldi, both coming into a more intense league, we may need to protect them a little to save them burn out by xmas. Wilshere coming back should help and the interlull might be coming at the right time for Diaby.

Kos and TV need a few games together to get solid. Where as Mertersacker immediately brings calm and organisation.