The Guv

Keep proving these habitual naysayers wrong lad.

....so that proves that what i said about wenger having a track record of developing talent is false??? How convininient to forget about Anelka, Henry, Adebayor, Van Persie, Pires, Vieira, Petit, Flamini, Fabregas, Ashley cole, cliche, Song, Overmars (although already decent at Ajax...became Great under wenger), Toure and Ljunberg.... Jack Wilshere, ramsey and Kieran Gibbs look promising too. I would say Merida looks like a talent, so i don't know why he's in your list. ...perhaps worthy of a mention too is Diaby Bendnar and Sagna, who have arguably been developed into internationals

Agree with that! Thats a fair critisms that everyone should agreee with, probably why benitez uses him sparingly yet doesn't want to sell him! My only gripe is with the stupid posts that say hes S*** and not worth £3m lol. He's very inconsistent but with a little faith I think he can be great. he's shown that in the past - our young player of the season, u21 player of tournament, and I'm sure we didnt spend £10m on a workhorse in the first place. It's worth remembering that not every player made it as a proffessional footballer with the harrassing style of Kuyt. In my football team, we understand the strenghts and limitations of flair players because allowing them to play their natural game offers the team so much more, rather than coaching them into a certain player. Each natural style compliments a team. It seems to me that Benitez prefers a defence and midfield of a certiain type, that babel doesn't fit. I think he came here a young promising player and hasn't developed under benitez' management - whosever fault that is. Like many of my arsenal mates at yday's game with me, I think he'd have been better going to Wenger's team who has a proven record of developing talent like his. I wish the best for him, even if it means him leaving for a lessor team where the manager and fans have faith in him. Just my opinion, eveyone is entitled to theirs....but some here are just angry, unbalanced and rubbish. Leo you make some good points though

Fair comment. But what many of the posters in this thread appear to be ignorant of, is that it is not often in the teams best interest for the lone stiker in a 10 man team to be bombing up and down the oppositions back line harrasing the ball. What will happen is one quick past from full back to center back eliminates that striker immediatly and exposes the midfield. If, however, the lone striker positions himself correctly without chasing down (as babel appear to do to me) ...the 4-4-1 formation becomes more structured and therefore resistent to the short passing of their defence. maybe, just MAYBE, benitez actually asked exactly that of babel...to be mindful of his positioning rather than running like a headless chicken, or "runnign around quickly" as you put it because the fans would like to see so called "comittment". Perhaps, also this conservation of energy will allow him to explode and break quickly as he attemted to do with the offside decision. All I'm saying is that it's a possibility benitez or the coaches instructed this, and from my personal experiences playing with 10 men doesn't help when players are darting out of position closing down immediatly - rather makes the team more vulnerable. Some of the posts in the later pages labeling babel a lazy c*** seem exsessive to say the least.

Absolute rubbish. Alonso and Masch were excellent today.

Aurelio is better than Dossena. Kuyt should only play as a striker. Reira is needed. Babel may be more effective RM.

I do prefer the midfield selection in this one, but the Reira transfer is looking more likely at the moment.

lol

......................................................................Torres ......................................................Keane ............................................................................................Babel ...................................Reira ..........................................................................Gerrard ..........................................................Masc ...................................Dossena..............................................Carra ..........................................................Agger..........Skrtel ....................................................................Reina

Because of a build delay? ...and a revision of finance caused largely by global economic concerns? Say it aint so.

How? Excuse my ignorance.

What do you blame them for exactly?

Agree.

The continuous "Justice for the 96" chant v Arsenal seemed to distract our players slightly. Before and during halftime - fine, but prolonged chants during the match that are not directly in support of the team are counter productive imo, whether for a worthy cause or not.

2 - 0 - Crouch, Babel.