The Vital Arsenal Forum Review

It`s a busy time on the forums as we reach the seasons end and hopes and regrets are expressed and successes and failures analysed. Current themes have explored concerns about players leaving, defensive strength, player awards, captaincy, motivation, reserves progress and gooner views of the team of the season.

As the defense has creaked somewhat at the back end of the season prompted by Adams` declaration that 'the best back four wins the league` Lou the Gunneress carries out a close inspection which concludes that goal difference is key and that the team with the best attack has won the PL title more often than the best defence `Out of the 16 PL champions, 10 are best in attack, 7 are best in defence, of course goal difference is more relevant with 12 champions ranking No.1 in GD`.

Professor Calculus questions whether we are attaching too big a silver lining to the cloud of the slump which has effectively ended our strong title challenge:There's an episode of the Simpsons which perfectly exposes this desperation to rationalise: The Simpsons have had all of their belongings stolen from their house and Marge says 'Well at least we still have each other' then Lisa replies 'We had each other anyway'.

While taking some satisfaction from the Derby win Puregold cautions that there is still work to be done in his thread 'Six against Derby, but the cracks must be filled`. Many of the issues raised are also embraced elsewhere with Gallas` captaincy receiving a lot of comment. Big Danny asserts 'He has too many ups and downs and is not consistent enough for me.` Most support for Gallas` seems qualified with Prits claiming 'Although this is not a criticism of Gallas, I feel he could have done more recently, as captain.` and Goofle 'To be fair to Gallas, he has been our best center back ……. but you have to look at the age of the players and who is better for Arsenal in the long term`. Villa does give him firm endorsement 'I am confident that Gallas is the top candidate for captain, he is the strongest, most experienced and most influential.` . Given that Wenger has said he will make a decision on captaincy before next season gets underway this is a debate that should continue through the summer. Plenty of time and room for more opinion.

Issues of players coming or going are covered in threads in both Debate & Analysis and Transfers forums. Puregold sparked an orgy of transfer speculation last summer with his thread on tantalising transfers. Undeterred he promises more of the same with part 2 in the transfer forum.

Flaminis contract prevarication should be concluded one way or the other pretty soon but there has been plenty to say with Professor Calculus examining the motivational aspect '…either way you look at it, Flamini will find everything a footballer could possibly want at Arsenal with Wenger as manager. There is no better football being played in Europe outside of the club he currently plays for. So his motivation can only be financial or he just wants a different challenge. In both cases I can't defend or admire him. Firstly a new challenge is always available playing for a club like Arsenal, if a player is bored then they lack self motivation and vision, and secondly the financial reasons are just depressingly familiar`. Others consider the impact of Flamini`s departure with Regiboy contributing perhaps the pithiest comment 'Is he a great player who had a good season? Or a good player who had a great season?` A point for chin scratching pondering.

You can share your views on these topics or raise your own in the forums.





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