Arsenal v West Ham - 13:30 Sun 9th Aug

[Stevencc]

And the boos are ringing out already.

 

[Renegade]

Arsenal are just not allowed to have good keepers. Arsenal were awful.

 

[Jackinky]

What a performance, what a team, Zarate and Payet are both class as is Oxford,shows Souness and Carragher up for their irritating negativity.

 

[JimJams]

ArsenalfanTV is going to go into meltdown.

Ox played well throughout and Arsenal were so much better going forward once Sanchez was on. Gonna be huge to keep him fit for he season.

Payet was quality, Oxford did well in a midfield role and defensively they weree very good, plenty of bodies behind the ball but their job made so much easier by Arsenal only ever really having Giroud in the box being marked by 3 or 4 players.

 

[The Paranoid Pineapple]

Oh Arsenal Truly the gift that keeps on giving!

 

[liu]

Although it is a very disappointing start for Arsenal when many people believe this season can be different, this is far from their worst performance. The finishing was poor but at least they created some chances.
West Ham played really well today.

 

[JimJams]

On a more serious note though, when Giroud and Tomkins clashed heads it was clear that Giroud was out cold for a moment or two, and by the letter of the law he has to go off. Maybe Tomkins too, but the camera stuck on Giroud being rolled over by a teammate. I wonder if there'll be anything said about this by the FA. Not much point bringing in a rule for player safety if nobody bothers implementing it.

 

[Tilbury]

News flash:

If you for some reason or other think that Cech is shit, one game does not make you right. And for those laughing at Arsenal fans being excited about Cech joining, one game does not make their excitement unjustified.

Of course he isn't. It was just the way in which the gooners were holding him up as some kinda invincible, so the crash down to reality is fairly amusing. I feel bad for him, it's the same feeling as watching England; first priority is your own players not to fuck up.

 

[Mustard]

On a more serious note though, when Giroud and Tomkins clashed heads it was clear that Giroud was out cold for a moment or two, and by the letter of the law he has to go off. Maybe Tomkins too, but the camera stuck on Giroud being rolled over by a teammate. I wonder if there'll be anything said about this by the FA. Not much point bringing in a rule for player safety if nobody bothers implementing it.

I thought the ruling was the the doctor's word is final. Would be particularly surprising seeing as the Arsenal club doctor was one of the team the review the rules.

 

[Master D]

Booed off after day 1, absolutely pathetic that.

 

[Mustard]

Arrogant performance, never looked like we wanted to win the match, only that we expected to. Just dreadful. Move on.

 

[Cardsfan]

Booed off after day 1, absolutely pathetic that.

Stadium was half empty by that point anyway.

 

[JimJams]

I thought the ruling was the the doctor's word is final. Would be particularly surprising seeing as the Arsenal club doctor was one of the team the review the rules.

I thought that was on head injuries, not actually losing consciousness. Can't see the ruling on it though. A google search comes up with a Guardian piece with the opening paragraph:
Players who lose consciousness in English top-flight matches next season will not be allowed to return to the field of play under new rules introduced by the Premier League and Football Association to limit the risks associated with head injuries. Players who have not lost consciousness will still have to undergo an on-field or touchline assessment before being allowed to continue.
So I dunno.

 

[Murphy]

I enjoyed that. Even if Arsenal were under par West Ham looked efficient and Payet looks like a diamond.

 

[Jackinky]

Oxford is going to be a class player, had the best successful passing record of any player and looked in such control, for once we've actually got a decent squad who is capable of something.

 

[Sideshow Bob]

Oh, Arsenal....

Deserved win for West ham. Luckily we are only 1 point off our main title challengers Chelsea.

 

[Christian Slater]

Oxford couldn't wait for his GCSE results next week and took an A today.

 

[Avatar]

ahhh... i missed this. Bit of nostalgia. *muah* Classic Arsenal.

 

[JoeJoeJoeJoe]

Arrogant performance, never looked like we wanted to win the match, only that we expected to. Just dreadful. Move on.

The team just didn't *puts on sunglasses* cut the mustard

 

[Tilbury]

Cech has lost more home league games under Wenger than Mourinho.

 

[Stevencc]

Yeah but he's also got two trophies in three games or something, there wasn't even trophy riding on this so Petr couldn't get himself up for it.

 

[Tilbury]

Three you mean, not sure how you could forget the famous win in the Barclays Asia cup.

 

[smat]

When do we receive the league winners' medals, exactly?

 

[Ginola14]

Poor Ty....

 

[Nilsson]

https://vine.co/v/ew2jp2muFOu

 

[JimJams]

Ty was bound to get a slap sooner or later because he's an insulting little shit.

 

[Ginola14]

 

[JimJams]

Are supporters morons? What did Giroud do wrong? It's not as though he had easy chances that he fluffed, Benzema playing up front wouldn't have done shit because he would have been the only man in the box when the ball went in. Even when Giroud got the ball out wide and crossed it himself there was no one in there. But of course, it's all his fault.

 

[mistermagic]

So Ty wears a winter coat and hat in August...

No wonder he gets slapped.

 

[mistermagic]

Are supporters morons? What did Giroud do wrong? It's not as though he had easy chances that he fluffed, Benzema playing up front wouldn't have done shit because he would have been the only man in the box when the ball went in. Even when Giroud got the ball out wide and crossed it himself there was no one in there. But of course, it's all his fault.

Yep. Arsenal were basically nullified by West Ham defensive attitude strongly marshalled by Oxford just in front of the back 4. Kouyaté also had a good game. Arsenal's big problem was penetration. Ramsey looked invisible, Coquelin was making stupid Hollywood passes (there's only one Charlie Adam) and Cazorla was being played out of position. I think this is probably the first time that I question Wenger's team selection. I know Sanchez had zero rest this summer but put a winger on the wing not Cazorla or even worse Ramsey. I wouldn't mind sticking Gibbs there. Could have worked especially against a make-shift RB like Tomkins.