Barbara

even more reason why he should give it a try, it worked well against Barcelona in the first half.

but you keep hinting ours isn't... that's why I asked.

and we don't? they're better than us? Yeah, the table from last season supports this idea.

wow I even forgot Cuadrado is part of the squad, that's how bad he is I still wouldn't worry about attacking players now. The defense and especially CM worries me though.

we shouldn't let one match Remy was bad to shadow how good he was for us last season, against teams all sizes. He has a bad history against Arsenal, it's a bad matchup for him, so as long as Costa can play Arsenal in the league, that wouldn't be a problem. I do worry about Costa's absence though because even if Remy is good and Falcao will probably improve (right now he's the same as DD for me, and that's after a summer competition, limited rest and a landing in a new team - so whatever much he improves from now on is already an improvement over DD), but Costa is one of the best strikers in the world. He was way off form in preseason, but I trust him to play well in the regular competition. He's probably one of those guys who can't really bring himself to play his best in friendlies because his fuel is competitiveness and hunger to win, things that aren't really at stake for real in friendlies.

I don't get this idea that this was a big game either. Surely, Mourinho made his big game move of benching Oscar... and changed his mind very early in the second half - something he normally doesn't do in a big game. Mourinho doesn't like to lose, and set up the team in the best way he thought would win him the match, but the quick reaction in HT and then 6 minutes into the second, showed he still treated this as a friendly. Cesc was very poor in the first, but he improved a lot when Oscar came in the second. He started doing his magic and he was miss and hit in the set pieces. I still believe it makes no sense for people to judge the team's or the players' prospect of a season based on this match. I don't get why so much importance has been given to this. YES, it sucks to lose to Arsenal and I wish - like all - we have won, but first, we played better imo, second, it's worth nothing, third, our season starts next Sunday and for that match I think we're ready. We showed to be good enough to beat Swansea at home. That's all that matters now.

I CM yes, but I don't see the need for an AM... Willian showed to carry on from where he stopped last season and he had even less time for pre-season, which is a great positive. Hazard is a bit of a slow starter, but still he can do things like the goal against Barça. Then with Oscar, Moses and even Traoré as options for the other position, I don't think we're that bad. It's much worse in defense and CM imo... I don't see us bring another attacker and I honestly don't have it as a concern. What worries me now is Costa injured. Remy doesn't usually do well against Arsenal, so I think he can do a job against Swansea if Costa is out. The problem is if Costa is out a big part of the season. If with 3 pre-season matches he got injured, what are we supposed to wait for the regular season? I'm still backing up the medical department, but it's still worrying. Falcao didn't impress me, but it definitely isn't worse than DD last season, so it's even. I just wish we could have Costa more present this season, not even less.

wouldn't dream of doing it. We had a few bad patches, but it's been long forgotten and forgiven. Definitely wouldn't do it for content motives, you're still one of the best posters around here it's a rather long one, but I assure you I'm not missing out anything.

people in this place love to moan... it became unbearable. It doesn't matter if it's a glorified friendly or not. If we lose or even draw depending against who, they come full force to say all the shit that suits them. If we play well or win, the post-match threads are quiet as funerals. I have most of them on ignore, so except reading one poster or other answering to their never ending complaints, I'm relieved to know I filter out most of it.

better than nothing, yes, but still way less than they should be winning or at least seriously contending for based on the players they have. When was the last time they really a shot winning anything but the domestic cups? They haven't been runners up in the league in ages, never close to really winning it, they're out in Europe normally at R16. I don't think a club with their investment should be happy that now they're winning domestic cups instead of nothing as they were for many years. They became such a big joke, that the standards went to the ground, but if we don't take their recent history into account, winning a couple of FA Cups and having nothing else within reach, is really poor.

are you kidding me? I think he had much more difficult saves than Cech. Cech did playbook saves, nothing out of the norm, even for Ospina or their other keeper I can't spell (loaned to Roma now). Courtois had a couple of world class saves there imo, against Cazorla and Arteta or whoever was that he saved with his legs (both in the second). Also, I don't get people blaming this result on Cech, I repeat, he did not do any outstanding save, not even for Oscar's FK. It was a good FK, it was a difficult ball for Cech, but not the point where people could assume other keepers wouldn't do it. Many would.

don't forget the Emirates Cup. They finally won their own trophy after five years. We should all be afraid of this new Arsenal. World beaters. Top of Europe

I think we played well after we conceded. We went progressing and actually played well in the second. Arsenal parked the bus, gave up playing until they brought Giroud, but all in all, we're still far from being match sharp, so I don't get why people are making statements about the season when this isn't a good parameter. They're sharper than us because they've been training for longer. They weren't superior, they took what they like to call the coward way to win matches, they defended for their lives after they got the lead. Which is ironic... that's the only concerning thing imo. Last season Wenger showed a little bit of this when playing us at the Bridge. If he learns how to give up their style for the benefit of winning, then they're probably going up a few steps. I'm not worried, I'm not even pissed. Of course, would have loved if we won, but I'm not that disappointed or sad. I think we're ready to play Swansea and win, we still have the Fiorentina game to sharpen even more. Not sure if we're ready for City in two weeks, but then again, it doesn't seem like they've been all that sharp either from what I've heard.

it's actually perfect. I hate losing for Arsenal no matter what, but if I have to choose, I have no doubt, it's better in the community shield... this is a glorified friendly... we can even make six subs

we didn't play CS last year. He says whenever we lose CS we end up winning nothing in the upcoming season

new season... a girl can hope (even if it's against Mourinho's stubbornness)

I'm in awe of Zouma... dat cross!!!!! Seriously, what this boy can't do?

I know it sounds biased - and maybe I am, but with Oscar for Ramires we look so much better and neater in the attack. It's not his direct contribution, it's how Hazard, Cesc were played in the match. They have a good chemistry and with Arsenal giving us the ball, this combo is the best we have for possession. It's like we have a better understanding in the midfield, we look more solid, more comfortable and sharper. Or maybe I'm biased, in that case, I'm sorry, lol

Zouma crossing, that was funny lol

WTF MOURINHO? lol

Willian has showed amazing ability to keep the ball under pressure - something not many players can do for us. He's a nailed starter for us imo. The growth he showed this year seems to carry on. In love with him

they gave up playing football - which is ironic - so I don't think we're under that risk

wtf Eden? Also Cesc is playing now

Oscar to come in, it if was on merit, Cesc should be subbed off, but Rami is off. I wish Mou was this pro-active in real matches, not only friendlies... one thing that bothered me last season was how he took so long to react with subs. Arsenal decided to give us the ball, they're playing our way now, lol

no extra time, straight to pens if it's a draw