I cannot believe why Arsenal were defending the whole game,they were playing with a defensive formation and a single striker (Henry) and he's always wide!!
Bergkamp dropping in midfield is a good idea but he can't find anybody to feed up front..Overmars playing in a strange position..i think if Arsenal had started with 2 out and out strikers they may had been able to win...anyways congratulations for the Turks and good luck for Arsenal next year!


Cheers

As a Turk, i can say the difference in this game was the managers......Fatih Terim was the real difference in this game......

I've echoed this many times before, and will again. Bergie's a quitter, he gives up too early(in case you didn't understand the quitter statement), not prepared to get stuck in and battle things out. Now look at Kanu when he came on, he was hounded ( Fouled ! ) by sometimes up to three gala players, yet managed to get passes away. Bergie still has flashes of brilliance, but that's all it is, flashes. Kanu is a magician( anybody want a replay of the goal he put past the Lens keeper by dancing around the ball ??), he's the best we have and we use him as a sub, stupid I'd say.
Shez, no chance of us having two out and out strikers, that has not happened since we had wrighty and hartson playing for us. With Vieira and Petit in midfield you need someone to fill the gap between them and the main striker. The times we've played well was when either or both Vieira and Petit made strides forward and filled the gap themselves.

Christos, I can't see how you can back that claim up. The real difference was Taffarel who made some good saves, the brilliant penalties taken by all the galatasaray players, and the lack of quality finishing from Arsenal. How many tame and scuffed shots did Arsenal have ?

well that doesn't make sense to me...
arsenal play the wrong formation in the wrong circumanstances to keep Viera And Petit playing together?
i think one of them had to make way for Kanu from the beginning hen Bergkamp can then drop in midfield..
then u'll have a winger in mark overmars..a speedy striker..Henry..A target man Kanu..and a play maker in Bergkamp..that way u can be a champion then!

Shez et alia,

I really don't understand your criticism. It sounds more like you don't like Berkgamp, period. Bergkamp is a striker. It is true he plays deep, but he certainly does not do all the work a typical attacking midfielder does. "Shadow" striker, is a good term for his style.

As for target forwards, the only real target forward they have is Suker (and he only played for six minutes!) Kanu much prefers to run at defenders with his bag of tricks. As for Henry, he just runs like hell!! But if you have read any of the football literature and watched Henry's progression, you will notice that he is becoming much more comfortable in the center channel as an out and out goal scorer - the results over the last six weeks have been phenomenal. Though in the Cup final, he did seem to be attacking wide - probably force of habit.

Anyway, I am probably boring the hell out of everyone (especially Shez.) Still, I think Arsenal plays one of the more classic 4-4-2's in the game - it's not that hard to figure out. (Whoever commented on the "defensive" nature of their Viera-Petit centrocampista was right on the money. I think midfield destroyers are dominating the game these days. Playmakers like Zidane and Veron are a rare breed indeed.)

Bergkamp is a great player,not doubt about that,and i have nothing against him or anybody.
i was just wondering if he's playing in the right position, cause i saw him in the final dropping too deep where he's not dangerous at all,and he's been like that for the last 2 seasons!
i believe Arsenal should rely on wingers from now on as they can go with Viera and Petit holding the midfield with Overmars and Henry on the flanks with Bergkamp and Kanu upfront this way they'll have more than 3 styles of play in one team...Speedy Wingers...Target man in Kanu...creative low passes relying on Bergkamp..also now that Pires is arriving that'd add a new right midfielder that can provide crosses for sure...
cheers

Totally agree with you christos http://www.soccergaming.com/ubb/wink.gif

FAplfm2000, now if that came from CM3 99/00, I would reluctantly accept, but FAPLFM ??
Thanks Duke, as an Arsenal fan it's hard not to notice how my team and especially our midfield plays. I just wish that both Petit and Vieira would push up a bit, help create some goals and perhaps score a few, pushing up alternatively though, always leaving the DM player there.
And I can't see the logic in signing Pires, if they do. Parlour was by far the outstanding player for Arsenal in the final, we've got Ljungberg waiting in the wings who is equally brilliant. The only reasoning behind this possible signing is that Overmars might leave.
Shez, bergkamp has played there for quite a long time, and look how he blossomed in his partnership with the brat anelka. But as I said, he's quitting, he's not trying to win even 60-40 balls, and when somebody touches him he thinks he's been fouled. I liked the Bergie who got stuck in and fought for it, even though his discplinary record was poor then.
And in Kanu Arsenal have a man that can turn matches for us, something Bergie hasn't looked like doing in ages.