Post match thank you Bendtner thread

[Marky]

Decent result, no more, no less.

Still big, big work to be done to reach the semi's.

[MattB]

Tsk. Typo.

Sitting here laughing at my own 'joke'. Sad really

[Nick77]

This Zonal marking is bollox.

The problem is there are too many defenders in the box when we defend set-pieces & the players tend to get in each others way a lot. I wish we would leave just 1 player at the edge of the circle in our half when we defend set-pieces!

[Guest]

Decent result, no more, no less.

Still big, big work to be done to each the semi's.

Tis an excellent result and certainly the way we played. Was nothing compared to the match against manure. Great great away performance against a great team.

[El Jefecito]

I understand the optimism here and I don’t think we will allow them to dominate possession like that again, but I am sure that they will score at Anfield so we will be required to get at least 2. All this talk about a great performance is wrong in my opinion we got our away goal and clung on for dear life. Arsenal will be disappointed by the result but will also be confident about getting at least a 1-1 draw at Anfield.

1-1 away in europe is a decent result but by the response on here I would think we had won 2-0.

I am by no means a pessimist but I think people are getting a bit ahead of themselves. I believe this result puts us in a very difficult position, if we had been playing a foreign team I would be more optimistic but I think Arsenal will come to Anfield confident of getting the away goal to cancel out ours and that they will get another one.

I am pleased with the result but to say we were fantastic is deluded in my opinion, which is backed up by the match statistics. I do not think we managed to stamp any authority on the game and were more reliant on them wasting chances than anything else.

Agree

But consider we did this with SG, Xabi and Torres not being involved in the game. As long as Rafa can tweak to get those involved we will be OK.

[Shanks]

The problem is there are too many defenders in the box when we defend set-pieces & the players tend to get in each others way a lot. I wish we would leave just 1 player at the edge of the circle in our half when we defend set-pieces!

Agree with you there mate.

My term "bollox" was probably a bit harsh as there is obviously some good that can come of it.

I think the number of players in the box depends on the number of opposition players in the box only in man-marking, not in zonal marking.

In a zonal marking system, each player is given a specific zone to mark, and not a specific man to mark.

This is why you always see us defending with all our 11 players, irrespective of the number of opposing players in there.


Can be a bit frustrating to watch though.

[Angry Dan]

Don't get me wrong the result is far better than the performance, I also think we will be far better at Anfield but this is a funny game and I would expect Arsenal to get at least one. If we were playing someone from another country I think the result would be better, but we are playing Arsenal and our recent performances against them at Anfield will not cause them too much concern.

I am just trying not to get carried away, which I think some people are, not thaty I care at the minute but I also fully expect Chelsea to score at least 2 at Stamford Bridge (I hope I am wrong).

[MattB]

Don't get me wrong the result is far better than the performance, I also think we will be far better at Anfield but this is a funny game and I would expect Arsenal to get at least one. If we were playing someone from another country I think the result would be better, but we are playing Arsenal and our recent performances against them at Anfield will not cause them too much concern.

I am just trying not to get carried away, which I think some people are, not thaty I care at the minute but I also fully expect Chelsea to score at least 2 at Stamford Bridge (I hope I am wrong).

I think you're nit picking mate. Realisitcally, over the two results, it's been a near perfect night for us

[Woobus]

I understand the optimism here and I don’t think we will allow them to dominate possession like that again, but I am sure that they will score at Anfield so we will be required to get at least 2. All this talk about a great performance is wrong in my opinion we got our away goal and

We held a team we were expected to be beat by away and without having to go into full gear. We both had periods but did they really scare us that much? Was a great away performance, and a 1-1 away draw has seen us cheer about it before so why not against a team from the same country.
A hell of a lot to do but that should give the team a hell of alot of confidence, and Rafas rotation should help now. Its been clear in the league the Gunners havent has the squad to compete and once again looked tired today.
I think Rafa has the squad to change it for the weekend then back a again for Tuesday nite. Do Arsenal have a squad to play so many important matches in a row?

[Vermilion]

Aye, lets hope Santa brings us a deadball specialist over Summer. Mebbe we should resign Superdan?

Yep, we could do with one of them, i was wondering about that the other day, we need a player who takes every single free kick in range, but more than that, he needs to be of such quality that when he steps up to take them, we all have the feeling he has a great chance of scoring.

Desperate for a player like that, but he needs to be a 1st 11 with a great game, not just a free kick wiz.

PS. Any fights in the stands.....or nearer the directors box.

[MattB]

when he steps up to take them, we all have the feeling he has a great chance of scoring.

For me that's the nub of it. I just don't think our players believe we can score from an indirect set piece. Not enough anyway

[FatTony]

Season before last we conceded less goals from set pieces than anyone else, and by a fair margin too. Not sure what the problem is at the moment but it is not zonal marking, seems more like concentration issues.

I think it is zonal marking, but only due to the fact that we are chopping and changing the back 4 too much for my liking. Commentators keep harpin on about it, but we have had one of the best defences in the league using the zonal system since Rafa took over.

Zonal is good, very good, but at this moment in time its not working out too well because Rafa is moving things about too much.

[ohhh_yeah]

[QUOTE=AFII;1008357]Thank you very much Bendtner

[QUOTE]

[El Jefecito]

I think it is zonal marking, but only due to the fact that we are chopping and changing the back 4 too much for my liking. Commentators keep harpin on about it, but we have had one of the best defences in the league using the zonal system since Rafa took over.

Zonal is good, very good, but at this moment in time its not working out too well because Rafa is moving things about too much.

There's probably a grain of truth in what you say.

[Angry Dan]

We held a team we were expected to be beat by away and without having to go into full gear. We both had periods but did they really scare us that much? Was a great away performance, and a 1-1 away draw has seen us cheer about it before so why not against a team from the same country.
A hell of a lot to do but that should give the team a hell of alot of confidence, and Rafas rotation should help now. Its been clear in the league the Gunners havent has the squad to compete and once again looked tired today.
I think Rafa has the squad to change it for the weekend then back a again for Tuesday nite. Do Arsenal have a squad to play so many important matches in a row?

I honestly hope you are right and I am wrong, I just have an uneasy feeling that is all. I also think people are confusing the result with the performance, as the thread title points out Bendtner should have scored as should V Persie.

If Kuyt had missed the chances they had people would be calling for his head about now.