When we signed William Gallas as part of the Ashley Cole deal I was amazed. I was amazed because it was surprising that Chelsea would let him go. One thing for certain was Jose Mourinho didn't want him to leave Stamford Bridge despite getting the signature of Ashley Cole.
Jose Mourinho rated Gallas very highly and saw not just one player but three due to Gallas' versatility across the back line. I was very happy about the deal and to this day I still am. Gallas hasn't become a bad player overnight though if you listen to some Gooners you would think he is one of the worst players in the world of football!
I believe that the stigma attached to Gallas being an ex-Chelsea player goes against him. Some Gooners hate Chelsea so much that every little wrong doing on Gallas' part is held against him because of this. He can't change his past, he played for Chelsea but he doesn't anymore. He plays for our club and is our captain.
I think Gallas is our best centre back and is the right man to be Arsenal skipper. A lot of Gooners blame him for our defensive frailty's but its not just him at the back, there are three others. Kolo Toure is probably our weakest link at the back in his present form. The problem is we all love Kolo and rightly so, but this love leads to us being blind to his mistakes and believe me at the moment Kolo is making more errors than William Gallas.
Gallas is the most experienced player in the Arsenal side and highly respected in the dressing room by all the players. The players look up to him as the senior figure in the squad and you can the influence he has over them in the pre-match speech that he gives.
Gallas is far from perfect but is still one of the best defenders in the world. I'm happy that we have him here at the Emirates despite plenty of Gooners thinking otherwise.
Keep it Goonerish...........
38 comments:
i agree. gallas is the most experienced at the club but this wengers fault.
NO NO NO. He's cost us goals and points this season and as captain he has to take responsibility for that. On the plus side it's good that he's aware of his lack of form and isn't trying to brush it under the carpet but as I've mentioned before I think there's an element of complacency in his game. He knows he's going to play every week no matter how badly he plays the week before.However, you could also say that we're not set up to get the best out of Gallas, or Toure for that matter. Both of them prefer to play alongside a more traditional, physical centre-half and I don't think it's any coincidence that Gallas's best form at the club coincided with a run in the team beside Philippe Senderos. We've seen Kolo thrive beside both Senderos and Sol Campbell and Gallas at Chelsea was better at centre half because he had Terry as his partner.
To me that's the fundamental issue and until we do something about it we're always going to be vulnerable at the back.
your forgeting the baby stint he did at birmingham! i don't believe he is the right captain for us! he did that at st.andrews and ruined the season for us! since he is the captain he should be going in and raising confidence after games not cyring in the middle of the field! and he cant mark players for shit!
Three very unrelated thoughts:
a) Its great Gallas has admitted there is a problem, but we need to consider all the defensive unit, its not just down to him. Perhaps some old fashioned Graham type drills in training. Kneown could help.
b)Arsenal have a tendency to give away ball 20-30 ywards from goal, by not being aware of the risks this has happened to denilson ( who flicks the ball to the opposition) and Song who just gave it away last week. This causes pressure.
c) I do like the way people in Arsenal think about football issues but there is a tendence to be too critical and too up and down.
You've constantly sprouted rubbish as to how World class Gallas is - which he isnt and never was - and at least now the player himself has come out to admit he's been pants.
He looked great at Chelsea because he had a warrior like Terry winning all the high balls and getting stuck in while he looked pretty sweeping up the rest.
Gallas has been a disaster for Arsenal. his positioning, heading and leadership has been rubbish. He's not brave - when have you ever seen him throw himself in front of the ball a la Keown, Campbell, Bould etc., amd when has he ever roused the team when we're up against it.
He's a petulant, overrated, average player. Senderos did many things wrong, but as a defender he was braver, stronger and a million times better in the air than this gallic catastrophe. The reason Senderos is at milan is because last year at the San siro he was an absolute Giant and had them in his pocket. when have we ever said that gallas has bossed a game. NEVER!
Well said again. Gallas is our best defender Kolo is the one who rampages up the pitch and out of position. By getting Gallas we definaltley got the better of the cashley deal. I think he is the best man for the job he is honest and aside from the episode at St Andrews he has not put a foot wrong. Going back to St Andrews at least his actions showed he cares and is commited to the cause. I think a bit of rotation is needed Djourou deserves a run in the team at the expense of Kolo and if Gallas or Djorou dont perform Kolo or Silvestre can come in and establish themselves.
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Gallas is a class act, he used to mark strikers like henry out of the game when he was at chelsea. As defenders go he his one of the best in the league and at 31 he is just reaching his peak as a defender. When the ball is on the ground he's like a wall. How many goals have we conceeded by through balls and dribbling runs? exactly. We have conceeded from the high balls and 30 yard screamers. Gallas is world class but he is not a ball winner in the air, he needs a terry type defender to play next to. I dont believe he is captain material though. He is too tempremental to be a captain and he is admitting he is off form because the pressure is getting to him. I cant believe so many arsenal players are hated at the minute. Eboue Denilson Song Adebayor and Gallas. Thats almost half the team. How do we expect to win anything when half the squad know their own fans dont like them.
Come on Gooners get behind your team for fuck sake. Lets give them until the end of the season before you start slagging them all off. Then if we still win nothing then we can complain. The attitude of the players and the manager has been called into question over recent weeks, but many of the fans should look at their own attitudes.
Confidence is essential in any sport. How can the arsenal win anything when the fans are constantly booing and writing shit about the players looking for scapegoats and expecting us to win every game 5-0. Gallas costs us goals but he has scored a few too to help us out of the shit.. What we need is a partner for gallas and toure isnt that man as much as i love him he hasnt been in top form since tha ACN last year and Gallas is sufering for it.
Lay off him, get behind him and the team. Iv heard some gooners even giving Cesc grief. Do you want to drive them all away???
I admit players like Ade deserve the shit he gets but leave it til the end of the season. If he doesnt score 30 goals we can give him all the shit we want. Eboues a mystery to me but he works his bollox off and at a time when the team is being ridiculed for team ethic eboue is standing up and being counted.
Wrighty you are spot on. Gallas isnt that bad. The team arent that bad. We just need a spark to kick start us into life.
Weve played terrible so far really and we are still fourth and top of our euro league. And i hope your reading White hart warrior cos i believe that spark will come when we muller the spuds in the derby. 6-0, my shit football club supporting friend. Gooners take heart, look on the bright side, look at spurs.
You barcoders need to fuck off. You racsist set of inbred, beerbellied, sister fucking, fat bastard cave men.
Your accent is dire like your football and your going down with the spuds.
To be honest, i stuck up for gallas through the end to last season and over the summer when there was a load of crap going round about how he should be dropped as captain (loads of aspects to that but i won't go into it). I've just felt that as one of the most experienced players in our team and as the captain, he has a responsability to the team which means that he can't switch off during corners like he has been doing a fair few times this season so far. I rate him as a great player but he has obviously been having a few issues recently which need sorting out.
Ok, so gallas isn't that bad, but the whole team is definitely below grade and we need about 3-4 world class players to win anything. We may well go far in the champs league but in the week in week out grind of the epl were done and dusted and yeah it's early but it's over for us in the epl. For anyone who thinks spuds should be a measuring stick for us you are worse than useless. That we can have fans who are fine with our players as long as we are one point above spurds is indeed tragic.
gallas is very good dender but what you have understand there diferent types of defenders are there big powerful denders and there quick mobile defenders and gallas is very quick mobile defender,very good at open play but so good on long balls set plays, but thats the same for toure,the reason why cambell/toure and gallas/terry worked is because terry and cambel are very comanding defenders but there are not that mobile thats why it worked,and its not our defenders are not good enough is that wenger has sacrifised the big powerful defenders and gone for quick mobile defenders and can go farward,i hate to badmind hear i am glad is injured so he can give silvester and dijouro a shot,also once diaby is back i think will be given a chance to centrel defence.
i would never sell gallas because he is far to good
anon 19:28 we arnt 1 point above spurs are we stupid. Who says Spurs are being used as a measuring stick. we are 7 games in, still havent hit top form and are still in the top four and everyones saying our season is over. its only just started.
Spurs are in trouble. A fucked up management system, all their players that kept them up last season have gone, theyve got no structure and have 2 points in oct. Theres no comparison. If arsenal fans arent happy with the start, you should fuck off and support spurs. Fucking hell they need it.
You support your club through thick and thin not when it suits you.
Or did you start supporting us from the days of the invinsibles.
to the anon who said that at 31 Gallas is "reaching his peak" --- what kind of moron are you? You peak at 26-27. By 29 you are fading fast. Look at Henry, Shevchenko, Ronaldinho, Vieira etc.,
Get Gallas out, bring in Djourou!
anon 19:52 what kind of moron are you? Defenders peak between 30 and 32. All the players you mentioned are strikers and mids. Let me enlighten you.Bobby moore was over 30 when he peaked. Adams keown bould all played better after 30, cannavaro won world player of the year after 30.
Defenders dont do as much running around as the rest of the team. The career of a defender lasts longer than that of any other outfield player.
Is the only football you watch on fifa 09?
Get djourou in for toure you idiot. Gallas is our best defender. Do you actually go to any games or are you a sofa fan.
believe you??? why should i believe you...kolo is much better than gallas and you can see that on the field..its quite obvious. Fabregas is the one to lead arsenal..
Fanner said.. Toure played during the invincible time, Toure was part of it and 1 of the reason why we still hold the best defensive record in the champion league. Gallas constantly errors cost both us and France. For your information Gallas was not Moanhino first chose of centre back, he was used most of the time as a left back. Gallas would only be a centre back when caveravio or terry was injured. GALLAS IS NEVER A FIRST CHOICE IN CHELSEA TOO !!
It's true that Gallas and Toure play better alongside a commanding centre back. I've said that before.
I will defend Gallas all day long. We are better off with him than without him.
We haven't seen the best of him I'll admit but how often do you get a world class centre half who if needed can cover ANYWHERE along the back?
I love Toure as much as the next Gooner but out of the two, I'd say Gallas has given a better account of himself recently.
We need a big strong centre half, maybe Silvestre can be that man but I believe that Djourou is more than ready and capable.
We forget that we were praising Gallas as a great captain when we were doing well last season and rightly so.
People have different opinions on him after the Birmingham incident. Yes it was a strange reaction but IMO it showed how much he cared.
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WRIGHT7I HAVE TO SAY AS A GOOD DEFENDER GALLAS ,I DONT LIKE HIS LEADASHIP SKILLS HE JUST YELLS AT HIS PLAYERS NOTHING MORE,ARSENAL NEED TO CHANGE THE PARTNERSHIP AND QUITE FRANKLY HE IS NOT IN THE BEST OF FORM, I FEEL ITS TIME TO DIJOURO A CHANCE HE WAS PLAYING WELL AND AS SOON TOURE WAS HEALTHY HE JUST PUT TOURE BACK IN.
caveravio lol
either i'm missing some joke or that's meant to be carvalho?
For those who think Gllas was great at Chelsea only because he had Terry as a partner, let me tell you that Toure was in the same situation. Toure was look great only because Campbell was his partner.
Don't be double standard.
For those who still accuse Gallas for the St. Andrews incident, do you remember Adams was a drinking and fighting c**t before?
To Anon the moron - you know who you are because you are the only moron on here!
BOBBY MOORE? you're using Bobby Moore as an example??? HELLO? The game is a little bit faster now you mug!
Let me ask you you a question... Was Sol Campbell's best years at Arsenal the final 2 seasons aged 30-31 - or the previous seasons when he first joined between 26-29? Think hard now... Were the likes of Hyypia, Silvestre, the Nevilles, Roberto Carlos, Mexes, Desailly, Thuram, Kouman, etc better players in their 30's than they were in their mid-20's? What planet are you on?
But the simple question is this. Is Gallas a better player - or even the SAME player since he joined Arsenal than when he joined Chelsea. Of course not. Defenders DONT get better in their 30's - what are they Wine?
Now go make yourself a nice cup o'cocoa and put on your 1966 video and relive those good ol'days, Granny!
1. Wrighty - dont think anyone was praising Gallas as a captain. all i recall is everyone being pissed off he got the armband without earning it.
2. Adams might've been a drunk - but on the pitch he was a Number One leader who would stand n front of bullets. Gallas doesn't want to stand in front of a free-kick!
3. Gallas could leave in January. I've a hunch if he misses 2-3 games he won't get back in - like Lehmann last season.
Fanner... good news!!! Gallas is injured!! horray ~~~ our problem is gone !!!
i am not really happy about gallas being injured(that is if he really is coz it might be a way to give himself a break given his recent comments-not saying hes a liar though)..anyway i cant believe that gooners actually want silvestre to replace him..i for one think he is a goal conceding machine and can he even cope with our pace..djourou is better albeit inexperienced..n gallas will only go downhill as far his arsenal form is concerned..arsenal defenders need to track back very fast n work the offside trap very fast n 30+ isn't the age to do that..i might be wrong about that..considering i live in india and have never seen arsenal play for real...of course you can more than compensate for that by positional sense, hard tackling and getting stuck in but gallas isn't that kind of player.. toure might not be in the form of his life but he has age on his side more or less...sorry to bring this up but i would also like to comment on the 4-5-1 we implemented for sunderland..changing formation for hard away games didn't work for lpool and will not work for us..arsenal should only play 4-4-2 and its variants ie 4-4-1-1 4-1-2-1-2..
Anon 06:45.
Mate you truly are an idiot. either you have been on the wine or you cant read.
You play too much champ manager you know nothing about football, let me enlighten you again.
Mexes aint even 30 yet, the nevilles and carlos are full backs not centre halves, thuram played FB most his career.
Desailly, thuram, carlos all gained over 100 caps for their countries, and all won world cups in their 30's.
Hypia won a CL with lpool, campbell had personal issues but is still a giant at portsmouth and silvestre has been crocked.
No1 said defenders got better in their 30's, read it again, THEY HIT THEIR PEAK.
Bobby moore was a colosus. he would fit into any team in any era he was the ultimate centre half. He won a world cup for fuck sake. Rio ferdinand was tipped to be the next booby moore and never quite done it. he was the ultimate sweeper.
Maybe you should sit down with a cuppa and watch some vids cos your knowledge of the game is crap. Or are you too busy playing champ manager, fifa 09 and supporting any team that wins a trophy,
Anonymus 20:23/ Fanner
It is not proper to speak so much without verifying your facts. take note of the following points:
1. The invincibles DID NOT have the best defensive record in the CL. That record came in 2006 where the invincibles were almost eroded from the first team. In the defence, Lauren had lost his place to Eboue, Ashley Cole was out for most of the season and was replaced with Mathieu Flamini, Campbell had suffered a loss of form and was out between february and april missing some games for Phillipe Senderos, Martin Keown had retired from football.
2. Gallas WAS first choice CB but was constantly being shifted to the left because Chelsea had a LB problem and he was the only person that was good enough to fill in. His main grouse was that his playing LB was making him give up his favourite CB position. Remember that Mourinho actually asked to have Carvalho's IQ examined because he could not understand why HE (Carvalho)was not a regular in the team
3. Kolo Toure WAS NOT a defender in the 2003-2004 invincibles season. He was more of a utility guy and played in various positions
4. Let's face it. Toure is no longer at his best. He can still get back there, but the fact that we keep slagging off his partner even when Kolo stretches him by losing his own marker cannot be helpful.
5. The pairing is week because of their similar styles but you cannot argue that Kolo has been the weaker partner this season and even since January 2008
Corrections on point 5:
The pairing is weak because of their similar styles but you cannot argue that Kolo has NOT been the weaker partner this season and even since January 2008
Correction to the correction.
Toure is the weaker of the 2.
He hasnt been the same since the ACN and then had malaria and never had a preseason and it shows and gallas is being made the bad guy.
A couple of the goals were kolos fault. it was his man that got away, gallas tried to cover but got left to take the blame.
i love kolo but i love the club more and you win games on form not sentiment
The JD/Gallas pairing has to be reinstated, it looked solid at the start and kolo should of had to fight for his place back.
To blame gallas is wrong. it is a team game and if the strikers could finish half the chances we wouldnt even be talking about our defence.
Many fans have double standards. you cannot cry out for experience then say drop the most experienced player.
he may not be the best captain but he is still our best defender.
9jagunner, I, Fanner said the invincible team Toure was part of it. I did not say he was a permanent CB. As for CL, toure partner senderous who is consider poor, and yet they have the best defensive record, to the merits of Toure. You got it? horray Gallas in injured and hope it prolong and bring Djou in !!
Why won't you believe gallas when he a has owned up to responsibility. I have always said that Toure is better than Gallas this season. Toure tracks his marker better than gallas and is more in tune with the other defenders than Gallas. I understand you have posted a comment calling for toure to be replaced and I feel this is a case of someone not admitting their wrong.
Gallas was at fault for the goal against Fulham and the second goal against Hull. Rodriguez would have scored a goal for porto against us if it hadn't been for Toure's pressure he put him under.
wegunnerbekings. toure was at fault for the goals at hull and bolton. gallas tried to cover. the goal scorers were toures men and we would have lost in kiev if it wasnt for gallas goal..toure gets caught out of position too many times and gallas is left marking two men. toures form is dragging gallas down too. toure is a good recoverer cos of his pace and tracks back well but he puts himself in that position as cant tackle in one or ones. Gallas rarely loses his man and is excellent in one on one situations, his positioning is top class and he needs another partner until toure regains form.
toure was out of sorts last year too and has taken that into this season.
you are letting the fact toure is toure blind your judgement. watch the defence carefully the next time we play. gallas looks solid most of the game. but spends most of it trying to cover ground where toure should be. toures game is all over the place. gallas may of said he is out of sorts but as captain he is taking the blame for the team. kolo came out and said he was scared to play hull and that says it all. he runs around like a headless chicken all game and has lost his confidence.
(fanner) Well said, Gallas has admitted he is poor too. Even Keown said Gallas is at fault. Are you guys doubting Keown's judgement as ad defender? What the fuss about Toure saying he felt the pressure playing the so call weaker teams?
The position that cousin got into for hull to score that goal was gallas' responsibility. Watch the replays and u can see he is caught ball watching that is a rookie mistake. It is one of many examples of the mistakes he has made this season.
I defended gallas a couple of weeks ago because he does get important goals for the team. But a defender's responsibility is suppose to be stopping goals being scored. In fact, their last responsiblity is scoring goals.
I've been the most fickle fan in the world when it comes to William Gallas! I honestly believe he is a fantastic defender and a great player to have at the club, but there is no doubt he is to blame for 4 of our goals this season.
I think the main problem is that he is too similar to Toure, and we need to sign someone to complement either player. Not sure who is available right now though!!
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