Neil

So erm... didn't see any of it but did that game bring anything new? Can we conclude that Man Utd are shockingly a better side? Any positives?

Wouldn't want to make Ryan Taylor more sad than he currently looks.

Re: Anichebe, I seem to remember rumours of you coming in for him on loan earlier in the summer. I could see it happening. I hope it doesn't though because we're wheeling him out in a few weeks to exact some revenge on Nolan.

Literally just put SSN on and they're talking about Rooney and showing that goal.

Bit of a lose-lose situation. Hughton goes with 2 up top and has a go, he's left the team wide open; and get 10 men behind the ball and he's just being pessimistic. 2-0. Good luck.

Bring back Grimandi.

What is the crack with the lack of any major investment Ash? Is the money there? The board's stance is Arsene Wenger has never been denied funds for a player and never will. The club is loaded, could easily go and spend £60m and it not be in any way detrimental to the clubs finances but it's not Arsene's way is it. There was a very fitting quote from Arsene Wenger once where he said something like "If i was given £100m[to buy players] i'd give it straight back' He's an accountant, he's a money man, it's all about self-sustaining for him. But there's surely a limit to how much you can plan for the future. He's been going down the "this is a young team" line for too long now IMO. His persistence in putting this attitude, even an ego perhaps, above anything else is a major flaw of his and has become more and more obvious in the past few years.

I am very surprised they haven't made any really big moves this summer, although I'm not completely up to speed on their financial situation. For me it was at the point where Wenger really had to splash a bit of money and really beef up the core of his team with a top-class striker (target-man style, which Chamakh may prove to be I suppose) and a defender/'keeper of a similar reputation/stature (again two dominant types). Song is good enough to do this sort of role in the midfield. They are still the best footballing side in the league at a canter but can be incredibly one-dimensional (sounds a mental accusation to level at them) in their style of play. Beefing things up would have helped them out a great deal and at least enabled them to compete with the physically tougher sides. The "Invincible" (cough) team was so good because it had all the technique and grace of the current squad allied with some real physical power throughout the core of the team in the likes of Campbell, Toure, Vieira, Gilberto Silva, Bergkamp and Henry that allowed them to steam-roll teams. Gilberto Silva, what a player he was btw. I'd also agree with your one-dimensional comment. It's so frustrating watching them at times - they seem to lack someone who can suddenly speed the game up with some quick passing which seems odd to say of such a good passing side but today just underlined a one-paced nature that is prevalent when they come up against a solid, well-drilled defence and midfield.

The only way I can see them having a good chance is if they avoid any significant injuries, and Man Utd and Chelsea get knacked by a few. I would really like to see Arsenal do it but as I say, I don't see anything that has changed which would result in anything different to the previous 3/4 years, i.e. a challenge early on and falling away.

I can see nothing other than another season of battering poorer sides and struggling against better ones. 3rd.

Simply not a title-winning squad. Title-challenging for part of the season probably, as per usual.

Damn you're delusional. Almost as bad as Harry.

Will a new CB come in? Wenger's (up to now) lack of buying a quality goalkeeper has been criminal. Very strange for such a good manager.

Admittedly it could have easily looked like the directors were blind drunk when they compiled that montage and just hoyed in any clip they could get their hands on.

Opening day crackers compilation.

Was it just me or was MOTD2 shite? Seemed to be thrown together haphazardly.

one stat that amazes me, is that he scored more goals at St James' Park than Kieron Dyer did So what, Shola Ameobi has scored more in the Champions League than the entirety of the Premier league Bar, Man U, arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea. It's a pretty unimpressive statistic, really.[/pedantic]

Do tell.

Bastards. How on earth can't he be given the points for that!? In which case, none of the 4 players I had in that game did anything useful, apart from turning up.

Can't you see the table? Blackpool are one of our best teams and you didn't include them.

I don't know how you can post on here at the moment. If I was an Everton fan I wouldn't be able to type for laughing. I'm in no position to laugh at goalkeeping errors this weekend. Actually, fuck it. That was brilliant, Pepe.

2 debut red cards. Super.

lol

Not sure anyone wanted that diabolical scenario to actually play out; more just noting he could qualify.

I'm expecting a good season from him. He was playing for a lot of last season on empty due to not having a break for something like 14/15 months, but he didn't have any WC commitments this summer so he should be recharged and being in the thick of it this year. I'd start him in most games and I'd expect him to be doing well. Only thing I would say is, I wouldn't say he's a stonewall starter as Arteta is, for example. It's just I'd be surprised if he didn't play a lot. Hope that, err, helps.