Morning all.
We didn’t create many chances. We had some dangerous situations and we didn’t make enough of our corners. We had good situations on corners where we didn’t do very well on the delivery. With the players we had on the pitch, we should have made more of these opportunities because Liverpool are vulnerable from corners.
Sorry but I just don’t get why anyone would leave Alexis Sanchez out of our starting eleven, not after having such an extended break. I get what he means about making much more from our corners though as they really are poor, as is our crossing in general so expecting that to suddenly change yesterday was perhaps a tad naive…
Rumours have it that once Liverpool saw our starting eleven, their hopes of a victory lifted and I’m not at all surprised.
Another selection which was questionable to say the least was Alex Iwobi and why oh why, no Lucas Perez on a day when a speedy front three would have kept Liverpool on the back foot….. Perez, Welbeck and Alexis imo, would have been the perfect way to have a go at Liverpool. Three players who are pretty quick on their feet, three players who would have defended from the front too. When Arsenal are at their best, the football is about speed, width, snappy passing, not hit and hope.
We fans wanted change in the team, but heck, not the kind of changes we saw yesterday and it truly bit Arsene Wenger on his skinny backside.
By the time half-time came, we were 2-0 down thanks to some comical defending so Arsene Wenger decided to take off Francis Coquelin and bring on Alexis Sanchez and it wasn’t long before he grabbed an assist. Just his presence on the pitch seemed to have an impact on Liverpool who went from being all over us, to a team which looked like it often has, nervous and out of sorts. We on the other hand finally looked dangerous, well, just for a while. The Chilean was involved in our only goal with a ball through to Welbeck which the Englishman finished in style. His reward for scoring was to be substituted along with Giroud as Wenger went for broke by bringing on Walcott and Perez for the final fifteen minutes but it didn’t work, not this time. In fact it was Liverpool who had the final say with a third goal just before the final whistle.
An odd team selection, a really insipid performance and a predictable ending.
It’s all part of the ongoing saga which is Arsene Wenger and his ‘style’ of football but the terribly sad thing is, there isn’t much style about the way we play anymore. Invariably, we know how these matches will start and more often than not, we know how they’ll end because there seems to be only one way and that’s the tired old Arsene way.
Our club has a group of top quality players in it, but these days they look like they’ve just met for the first time in the pub at lunchtime and decided to get together for a kick about. They look disorganised, lost and all out of ideas…
And that is unlikely to change all the time the Frenchman remains at the club. There’s little point in writing anything more really as it’s all been said before….
Still, a few more days like yesterday and perhaps the idea of changing the manager might actually sink into the manager himself….
Finally, The Express suggest that Max Allegri has been locked in talks with Arsenal since the end of last year and has now emerged as the man who will take over if Arsene Wenger stands down. The Juventus head coach is now waiting for Wenger to make up his mind if he wants to sign a two-year extension to his contract that is on the table.
Please don’t sign it Arsene, you know your time is up……
Liverpool lost 3-1 at Leicester after a 16-day gap between fixtures. We lost 3-1 at Liverpool after a 17-day gap between fixtures.
OK, it was actually 12 days between our win at Sutton and our defeat at Anfield but, for eight of our line-up, their last start was against Bayern Munich on February 15.
Arsène Wenger suspected it would hit us hard and so it did. Liverpool took advantage of our slow start to race into a 2-0 half-time lead – and effectively take the points.
“Yes, it was exactly the same [as Liverpool’s game at Leicester],” Wenger told Arsenal Player.
“It’s similar, we haven’t played for a long time and then it’s always difficult to get into the rhythm of the game again. But still the regret we suffered in the first half is that I feel the first goal was really avoidable.
“From a direct long ball from the goalkeeper we conceded a goal. I don’t want that, even if we must say that Liverpool in the first half were better than us. I believe, as well, in the second half we were better.
“I think we missed our first half and I feel more for a lack of pace and rhythm in the game. Collectively we were not at the races. In the second half we responded very well. It was a game of two halves. Unfortunately we couldn’t come back to 2-2. but overall we had a strong response and we have to focus on that and take out for our next games.”
Read more at http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20170304/-we-suffered-like-liverpool-suffered-#ILSyaIZu86hr2pdp.99
‘Lack of pace’ – Errr, you picked the side Arsene…
He has plenty of pace in this squad, so why play Giroud?
Morning and thanks Rico…………………………you know what ?…………I was thinking the otherday and didn`t post the thought !…….Wenger will blame us having too much time off if we lose and had we played in mid-week, he would have blamed fatigue !
You summed him up in one word on the last post………..Stubborn !
I prefer the other rumour of Koeman being lined up, but we`re in a race with Barca !…………….sunny but windy here……feeling the diminishing effects of storm Arsene down here !
8 mile run should blow the cobwebs off and with my glory hunting Manc neighbour…..actually, his teams failure to beat aten man Bournemouth with half a game left is a worse result than ours as we knew we were going to lose once team sheet was out !………………………wonder if he`s after Maureens head ?……………….. lets face it, with their spending and power of it, shouldn`t they expected to win the league !……………………….somewhere along the line though they will get it right, too much money wasting away in their pockets.
🙂
That’s the $64.00 question, Rico.
I’m just amazed he didn’t see the need for speed in this game.
Oh well, Bayern next-it just gets better lol
He’s always an excuse somewhere up his sleeve Lc, but he’d spot the obvious problem if he looked in the mirror…
I’m not convinced on Koeman…
Thank fcuk we have the FA Cup game to salvage some pride in with a certain win !
🙂
Really Scott? I’m not, it’s Arsene all over. Just because he thinks they are weak on set pieces he picks Giroud, but as said in the post, we can’t cross a ball for toffee…
Alls well after we beat Lincoln though Scott!
Must be depressing having to write that post rico. Well done anyway.
Honestly Wenger is underwhelming. He is now just disappointing and a disgrace really to watch. Every time he selects the wrong starting eleven and wrong tactics. Each time before the game we sit here and pick what would be the right eleven for the game but to find Wenger chooses the exact opposite as if to spite us.
I do hold a view that at times Wenger chooses a team to spite fans and pundits alike only for it to backfire. Ten long years ten very long. It’s ridiculous and I truly hope Allegri comes through end of the season. This is madness from Wenger
Rico, as he’s the manager of a League club, I am amazed.
How could he get it so wrong?!?
It’s a mystery.
Lol Andrew.
Can’t assume anything these days 🙂
You reckon we’ll win that one then Lc? 😉
Andrew, surprisingly, writing it was quite easy, I’m used to losing ones now… lol
I woudl have thought that a more credible scenario is that Sanchez has indicated his desire to leave and he wanted to make a point as to who’s boss so left him on the bench.
Adam, maybe Arsene said he can go and that’s why he was smiling so much lol
Cracking interview..
https://twitter.com/mrjakehumphrey/status/838075731007705088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
That’s my thought too Adam. Same with Ozil, I bet he hasn’t got the flu…
Here’s a better clip of the interview.
http://sport.bt.com/exclusive-arsene-wenger-sits-down-with-bt-sport-to-discuss-his-future-91364161551157
Rico, it left us none the wiser though.
Bugger lol
At least the gent asked hard questions and did so respectfully.
Hats off to him.
Funny how he justifies what he’s doing now by looking back on the years before he arrived…
Football is a very different organisation nowadays…
He looked stressed in that interview…
Rico, did I watch the full interview?
Clip I saw was 2 minutes 40 seconds-I’m thinking that wasnt it.
The second link Scott..
How he has the audacity to reel of his pathetic excuses is beyond me!
The reason we are shit is because you’re finished as a top flight manager…. look in the fucking mirror there’s the reason!!
He’s spent over £200m over the last few seasons and we’re worse off, the constant is Wenger!
Please make this repetitive cycle stop!
Wrighty commented on how wound-up he looked.
Good morning Rico and all ….
Even if we won there is no joy anymore as lt is only the battle for top 4.
This team has no midfield that one can talk.It is just a mixture of sort of so called midfielders.I dont see no technicality at all bar Santi.They are just specialist in left right and back passes.No one is there able to retain the ball and do some dribble go forward.
Forget about Liverpool worry about the remaining games because Ramsey again will be added to the fold.
The benching of the only able Sanchez is just another nail to le prof coffin.
For the bigger benefit lets have more of this and the departure of dictator will be soon.
He was, very flustered when the tricky questions were asked…
Rico. The only fun these days is anticipating the excuses that Untold Arsenal will come up with to justify “The Lord Wenger”, as they call him. Today I anticipate everything from the ref to the length of the grass, not forgetting the undisclosed brilliance of the Lord Coquelin and the French stallion Giroud. 🙂
That explains it, Rico 🙂
I can’t open the second one, though I figured there had to be more than I saw.
Everything is over for this year, we have to think about next year!
Arsenal fc must change all staffs
Manager alegri or atletico boss
Defense 4 players from italiy cosloniy , mustafi and holding bench
Defensive midfielder from monaco and psg rabiot . Xaka bench cogloni and eleni drop in garbage
Midfider ox , iwobi, from napoli, lazio benifica and artero vidal . Goodbye ozil , cazorola and rambo wedont have space for us
Striker. Alexis, from porto , morata, lovandowiki and welbek . Sorry theo, geroud
Goalkeeper, from milan and Germany
Totally arsenal need 14 new players
The one thing I did see was how defensive Wenger was when he discussed how he had to explain and/or justify himself to the media all the time.
He takes that personally but the reason he and players are so well paid is down to the fact that they’re in the public eye, so he has to accept that.
Morning Alex.
With Ozil missing yesterday, I’m surprised Ramsey didn’t play..
🙂 Adam. And don’t forget Can should have been sent off and had he, we’d have won… 😉
That’s a very good point Rico. 🙂
Morning All
Morning Rico
Just watched MotD, our midfield is a joke, and as for our defence, do they actually talk to each other as there is no organisation, nobody reminding teammates of their responsibilities, I like Koscielny but he is no captain. I know most on here don’t rate Mertesaker but at least he organised things, he was a proper captain. As it stands I’d drop Mustafi after the Bayern game (because we’re gonna lose) and I’d give Holding a run in the back four. I’d also bring in Maitland-Niles and give him a run in centre-midfield because the rest of our midfielders look shot of confidence. Wenger might as well gonfor broke because this season is falling apart…
Wenger, these days, tends to look at everything that is happening to the club today through a weirdly historical perspective that seems be self-justifying at every level. The reality lies in the points column surely. A thoroughly uncomfortable interview with little nourishment for Arsenal fans.
Kev, yes, Per talks and doesn’t play favourites-he proves that when tearing shreds off Ozil one day.
Can we find a cross between he and Kozzer?!
Morning Kev.
Funny how when Mustafi was a shouter and organiser when he first arrived, now though he just like the rest…
Have you notice as well that our great defender once he is out of sorts.Koscielny is having it light in my opinion for not been criticised.
The way he defened against Hazard ?
And yesterday he was high up in the field he misses the ball and that the capitulation started.
Hmmmm
Adam, 9.37, that was the reason I gave to my wife, who is not a football fan, as to how Wenger could drop Sanchez. My answer was something along the lines of, ‘they’ve had a bit of a row and Wenger is exacting his revenge, to prove that he’s the boss and the team are just as good, maybe better without the Chilean’s drive, determination , commitment and ability.’
Wenger has become a rather silly old man, imo. I found this quote from the old man’s mouth:
“But I am strong enough and lucid enough to analyse the impact.”
It’s the sort of language you would expect to hear from a doctor of dementia using when talking to his/her client! I really want do believe that old Arsene has been diagnosed with something debilitating and yesterday’s bizarre team selection was both a symptom and an outcome of his muddle headed thinking. No matter what the provocation.
And lastly another little quote from some wise old man, “there’s no fool like an old fool.”
Sadly we seem to now have an old fool in charge and no one knows how to tell him, gently, that his day is done.
In my opinion he has totally lost it. Totally!?
Morning all. Dull and showery here, proper rain forecast later. Oh joy!
Interesting interview, with Wenger waffling and the interviewer ignoring it and asking some difficult questions that Wenger avoided, in fact he didn’t answer one of those questions, he just waffled around them. You can see why nobody questions him because he ignores anything difficult and gets irritated when you persist. No wonder he surrounds himself with ‘yes men’…
He is leaving chaps, not if he can hang on, we need to finish outside of the top four for sure.
And wtf is the next level he keeps on going on about?
20 years ffs, what a croc of shit.
Interesting he should remind us of Arsenal’s failure in the European Cup, well he’s had 20 goes and fcuked up in most of them…
Isn’t leaving, that should say…
Alex, bit harsh having a crack at him for two errors over a few games when we have guys making a lot more than that every game.
Defenders and keepers mistakes are highlighted because they usually end up in goals, where forwards always get another chance.
He ain’t perfect, But he’s the best we have and he’s often under extra pressure due to our midfield being missing in action…..Coquelin was stood up by Hazard and should’ve taken him out, but Kozzer could hardly make a decent challenge in the box as we know how good that guy is at winning a penalty lol
I’m changing my mind all the time on Wenger staying or going, Kev, because I really have no idea lol
The longer it goes without an announcement, though, the more convinced I’ll be of him staying.
@Scot
All i am saying his form has declined.
Coquelin has been flying in the air WHERE almost near the center of the pitch.
Koscielny he keep on retreating and retreating all the way to box with no attempt to tackle.
Though Coq is crap and absolutely his mistake but equally Koscielny had enough time and space to tackle him out side the box.This his mistake .
That ‘next level’ comment made me laugh Kev, as did his fluttering when Jake asked him what that ‘next level’ is….
The only next level I can see, is further downwards…
Fair enough, Alex, but he doesn’t make many errors, imo.
Rico, the snippet I saw included that “next level” thing.
All I could think is WTF???
Ditto Scott…
Re Kos, I think he’s a bit of a lightweight….
Interesting video, Rico.
To be honest I felt sorry for him and when you think of the money he has been up against in our league, then he has done a good job, but we all want more that`s our human nature .
As much as I feel sorry for him …………………and yes even on his massive salary !……………..I dont think he can do anymore, yet he is confident in his ability that he can and say`s such thing`s in the interview as……………It is a demanding job, but it gets the best out of me !…………and……………good oppurtunity to for me to improve………..re-invent myself……………….this club needs to go the next level and win titles and CL……………..I can go to next level………………………..I hope to do that !.
The thing is, he cant !
A top quality coach might take us a bit further, but for how long as at the end of the day the bigger money teams will spend more to beat us and I`m afraid that brings me to the old chesnut of our non-spending owner…………….Kroenke !
We can blame Wenger, we can blame Kroenke, but basically it`s like the chicken and egg scenario !
I honestly feel sorry for Arsene, but he has to go and in an ideal world he and Stan would run off together and run the worlds greatest syrup farm.
I`m still flabbergasted that he benched Alexis !…………………….no way will Alexis be here next season after that………………….. unless we get a manager who has a great impression on him !……………..farewell Arsene and more sad…….farewell Alexis !.
Me too Rico. Needs a stronger partner
Not the old Kroenke debate Lc, as said, we all know he’s a useless owner as he knows nothing about football but I’m still sure that had Wenger demanded more money he’d have got it. Why? Because the board told us so.
But, regardless of who Wenger signs, imo, he ruins them these days…
Or Mustafi needs a stronger partner Adam…..
What I find kind of exciting, Rico, is the thought of what will another manager get out of the same players and different tactics………..could be exciting times ahead as long as Arsene does the right thing !
🙂
That’s how I see it too Lc. Look at Leicester now… 😉
Then again, the excitement could turn to angst if any new manager is worst than Wenger, although whoever it is should be given what ? a minimum of 2 years ?……………if we were the Chavs that would be the most a year ! 🙂
Lets face it, had Conte not turned it around after our 3-0 beating of them he would probably be gone now, but the fact that he had the tactical knowledge to change it around proves that a top coach with more than a plan B can make a difference !…………………………………..we did not do to well at taking our corners according to Wenger,……………really !…………….since when has corners been our strength and when has corners been some new kind of total football visionary stuff ! …………..that`s what pub teams talk about ! hahaha
As far as the actual football goes, surely it can’t get worse with a new manager…
Arsene makes it sound like we should be doing a lap of honour when we get a corner these days !
Read a little bit on Allegri the other day, he’s 49, has led Juve to back to back doubles, is taking English lessons and intends to retire at 55, there’s just one stumbling block of course.
And that’s a big stumbling block Micko.
Forgot to say it also mentioned he’d love a crack at the Italian National team in his time left so it’s probably too good to be true !
Three years would do – get us back on track…
Absolutely rico, we’d the Europa Cup by storm.
I reckon we might be in it next season Micko.
Totts 2 up
Arsenal has 6 lost now; last seasons at the end, we had 7.
One month and half before, we were at the top of the league.
No team can win with so many points dropped against the big opponents.
changes is needed!
Just six, it feels like a lot more…
Feels like we’ve lost 6 in the past month.
Sure does…
Afternoon all
Well after Bayern I am guessing we might beat the mighty Lincoln City and that means in the space of two weeks we will have beaten Sutton and Lincoln which we will be told is some sort of record, which showed mental strength,leadership and a 100% focus and quality
I heard today directly from the guy who brokered the deal when we bought Elnery.He has a 25K bonus written into his contract if he plays a full game and we win and 12500K if he comes on as a sub.
Now all the rest of the poorly paid squad want the same.
Ah but your man said Wenger was going Kelsey…. lol
Oh, and that re Elneny seems a bit far fetched imo…..
By that account, Kelsey……………….Perez must have a written in clause that he gets £1M for any league game he starts !…………….
He has to go Rico, surely !……………………only a BM turn around, an FA Cup Final win and top 4 will save him !…………………and if he could manage that then he deserves to stay judging by our latest form !…………………………….Lincoln will be a breeze, it`s what`s left for the semi`s that`s scary……………….more likely to be…….Spuds, Man C and Chav/ManU…………they would all beat us badly given current form !
Well Lc, we’ll get whipped by Bayern, struggle against Lincoln and finish 6th… That’s actually how I see things unfolding. And regardless of whether we beat Lincoln- the next team will beat us in any case… imo of course…
Cant argue there, Rico !…………………although like many would love an FA Cup final win, out of top 4 and Arsene gone and an interesting time ahead !
Notice I didn`t mention BM !………………….more chance me being a surrogate mother to one of Stan`s syrup`s than us beating BM 4-0 !………………………….I do have a specially made cot just in case though and will go on syrup feeding classes if needed !…………….ahhh my cute baby syrup,,,,,come to mummy ! hahaha
Oh I’d love another FA cup Lc, I really would…
Hi Rico and the House.
We’re sort of stuck in a place where the pratagonists among us are desperate to be proved wrong, but sadly are being proved over-whelmingly right.
Was that the most arrogant example of mis-management ever?
Wenger thought he could get away with resting his only world class player away at Anfield?
It’s almost like ‘throwing the game’, surrendering before a ball was kicked.
Listening to Tottenham today was dreadfully painful, because they’re everything we should be, on a much lower budget.
If we compare Tottenham’s player purchase with ours it is absolutely astounding at the mess Wenger has created with the money he’s spent.
You only need to look at the two defences to see the gulf in the two set-ups.
They have four quality full-backs, we have one who has great potential.
They are comfortable playing three or four at the back, we can only play a four, and even that is an absolute shambles.
And I’m sorry to say this, but I’d have Alderwiereld and Vertonghen over Mustafi and Koscielny all day long.
Dele Alli and Erikssen cost them a combined £17m.
That’s how you do transfer business on a budget, and it seriously exposes Wenger’s flawed philosophy.
He is doing at Arsenal what he got sacked for at Monaco, and getting away with it because no-one regulates it.
We are an absolute f****** train-wreck, and Wenger is stinking the place out.
Sorry Herb only kept you waiting in moderation 5 mins 🙂
No probs, Wath 🙂
Just so drained with the crap that Wenger continually serves up
Afternoon Herb.
When we are suggesting the neighbours players and set up is better than ours, doesn’t it tell us just how bad things really are. But you are right.. And it bloody hurts to admit that.
However, I do wonder what a different manager would do with our players, look at 2006 when we got to the CL final, as there’s a strong suggestion that it wasn’t Wenger who got us there, but Keown….
True or not, I don’t know….
I said to a friend of mine after about 5 mins of yesterday’s game that we are a complete shambles from front to back and top to bottom….!
We’re clueless gutless and lacking in ideas again from top to bottom and back to front.
We have some good players who look lost and pathetic and we have staff on the bench all with that gormless what the fuck do we do look or resignation.
I absolutely detest watching my team play like shit yet resigned to the fact that’s exactly what will be dished up week in week out.
We have a board who have zero guts or balls to act in getting in a new manager and why would they…. why rock the boat it’s all so comfy they get pissed and lord it up every other Saturday in their suave surroundings of the directors box so why actually tell the owner that the manager ain’t got a scooby any more..?
I think the way this team is now a new manager is gonna struggle and then we’ll have all the Wenger lovers saying “look now” yet the truth would be that Wenger has caused this shit and will a decent manager be able to rectify or will be need a massive overhaul…! answers on a postcard pleeeeze..!
Better than me though Wath… lol
Herb, it’s draining, annoying, frustrating and so many other adjectives but no matter how I try to separate myself from knowing we shit and we gonna lose and not show up and not get stuck in and and and it still fucking hurts deeply…… Wenger, the board and the owner are ruining MY/OUR fucking club and it hurts more and more every week..!
I agree with that Wath, but I truly believe a new man, new coaches will soon knock our lot into shape, I really do…
I think we would be a lot better than what we are now Rico with a new manager for sure but we still lack a ‘LOT’ of quality in key areas….!
I am still of the opinion he’ll sign for another 2 years merely due to the gutless cnuts on the board..!
Yes Rico, Martin Keown worked with the defence that year, and we created a CL record for going the longest period of time without conceding a goal.
Why didn’t Wenger keep him on? I can only think it was down to Wenger’s ego.
I met Tony Adams briefly in 2014, and he told me he wasn’t even welcome at the Emirates despite having a statue at the ground.
Arsenal are becoming everything I despise about football. They are insulting their supporters and they’re insulting the very ethos of competitive sport.
I’m not so sure Wath, he’s more agitated every time he’s interviewed- even he can’t be that thick skinned.
Finish outside the top 5 and the board might wake up from their slumber.
It could take years to un-Wengerise Arsenal.
Has to have been his ego Herb, as why on earth would he not have kept Keown on board. Yet Bould, who appears to be yet another yes man, carries on in silence..
Adams is another Keown, a big character who would no doubt challenge Wengers decisions so there’s no chance he’d be welcome, yet he gave so much for and to our club.
If the stubborn one had listened to either, or both, we wouldn’t be where we are today imo…..
Why though? It shouldn’t take that long, not when it comes to playing the game. Look what Conte did after we battered his side. Away from the pitch it may take longer but I’m sure it’ll be fine. Maybe the staff will enjoy their days a lot more…. lol
un-wengerised………… years it could well be and as well to un-yankerise..!
My mate said we been shit for years and not a proper club, I said we ceased to be a proper Club in 2006 when we sold our soul and left Highbury, we then just became a sporting franchise.
Agree completely, Wath.
But what if once Wenger goes, the performances improve, the squad is sorted out and the new man gets money each transfer window?
Herb, you have to get a new email account my friend, to stop all this moderation stuff – it must be annoying for you….
Ever wonder why most Arsenal players are better somewhere but turn shitty at Arsenal after few months? Simple! Coaching and organization. We can blame a player for lack of effort, but blaming a player for the lack of preparation, orgainization and tactics by a manager is lunacy.
Koss is constantly under pressure because AW continues to select a disjointed midfield with guys that are afraid to tackle and wingers that don’t track back. Mustafi and Koss are both excellent defender but how long can they be on an Island. I remember last season when I said Iwobi is “crap” because of his decision making and defensive awareness, others thought was being harsh. I said several times playing Alexis as a striker weakens the team because Monreal has no help, Alexis scoores 2 but we give up 4.. I am absolutely convinced, if Allegri is given this squad he will be 10-12 points better.
Look at how he uses his squad; game by game tactics and his In Game Management. Mandžukić has primarily been a lone striker, even at Bayern, but he use him as a target man still with Huguian next to him and Dybala behind both, and at anytime he can switch. His use of Alex Sandro going forward and defending, even using him as winger. Why can we use Bellerin the same way? When we have wingers that don’t track back. The examples are endless. Tactically, Allegri, imho, is better than Pep, Jose, Klop, Koeman or Pochettino. Some point to Milan, but I think it’s for that reason, he’s perfect for the job. Maybe many of the Arsenal players need to be shipped out just as he did in Milan and he still got them back up.
That is some statement, Obi, that Allegri is better than those you have mentioned .
I`m more cautious and the reason I give is quite simple to me, managers as Pep, Jose, Conte, Allegri have been at the best clubs in their respective leagues and had no money problems, had best players etc etc…………how they would get on at Arsenal is a different matter, yes we aparrently have money, but it`s never as much as the big hitters . If they want to prove theriselves they should take a job at smaller clubs and prove they can still do it.
That`s why I prefer the likes of Simeone, Koeman and Spuddy Poch`…..if they can transform lesser teams than Arsenal ( read Herb`s point about Spuds ) then they are the one`s to take us further !……………….we wont get Spuddyman, but surely Koeman and Simeone are possibilities…………money will talk !.
Haven’t we all identified the weakness when Alexis plays central Obi? I feel for monreal because now he’s taking so much stick yet he’s been left so exposed…
Night guys…
I (and I`m not the only one ) said Alexis should play central before Wenger did, yet Wenger takes the credit !…………………..it wouldn`t be a problem if we had 4 decent wing backs…………obviously 2 either side ! hahaha…………………………it`s not Alexis`s fault that we have no one(2) decent to play on the left instead of him !…………………..I reckon you could park a bus in front of Monreal as cover and he`d still get exposed and roasted by an OAP coming off the bus with their zimmer frame !………………good footballer Monreal, but he doesn`t meet my criteria of having blistering pace……………Iwobi isn`t the quickest either !
Night Rico !…………………you need to rest before our biggest game of the season…….on Saturday !
🙂
Alexis central, no dramas, but play Gibbs in front of Nacho.
Reading your post Le Coq is a re run with my son who sees things as you do and bases most of his arguments on spread sheets and his logic is flawless. However we can’t agree.He is just into his 40’s and me in my 70’s. We just see things differently, he will argue that we are about where we should be on money spent and I counter that despite he being right the only way to go forward is to talk to players and tell them where they are making mistakes and work to eradicate them . If Monreal is being exposed then we have to impress on those in front of him that it’s their duty to drop and protect. Same in the middle , Kos and Mustaphi are left alone with nothing in front of them , that’s down to the central midfielders . Someone has to tell them and it appears that it has not been Wenger doing that .
Wenger is an attraction to certain players , he is capable of running a tight ship which really is two thirds of his responsibility. It’s the final third now that lets him down.
I don’t listen to him anymore as I have heard it all before and I am sure so have the players and they don’t listen either.
Evening Rico and All
We can talk about this player and that player
till the cow’s come home.
I’m goner sound arrogant I know..But
I have played managed and coached for
nearly as many year’s as Arsene has.
This man has not got any idea of what
basic team set-up is all about..
No surprise to most….
But what we all found out yesterday was
the dressing room.
Dropping the best player we have in front
of the team without a reason…
Was saying to all..I’m the Boss.
What rico said about Leicester
is spot on.
A lot our player’s could be the player’s
we all thought they would be before
Arsene got his hands on them.
All emotion aside for a minute-do people believe Alexis is an a Arsenal type player?
Is he suited to our quick passing game?
I’d say no and no, that’s not a criticism of him.
I guess that I’ve had a decent crack at him of late but maybe we need more players like him and get away from this sideways passing game that’s getting us nowhere.
Either go all in, or not at all, else what’s the point?
Good evening !
To drop Sanchez is nothing but dictators mentality.
Sanchez is more popular than Wenger…is loved by the fans also players respect him for his unrelentless effort.
His popularity is not boding well with le prof.
Immediately after the humiliation at Bayern Le prof has singled out the Chilean and was lucid on the interview that he do not like his performance.
So the bullshit he is making now about playing Giroud/Welbeck thing as a first plan is just plain lie.
We know what player power can do to managers.
Sanchez has to held his head high .He want every single minute to play.
Wenger is suffering from age.Finito he has nothing to offer except eloquent words infront of camera.
The other sad thing is flanked by absolutely crap people all they care is their wage basically.
Look at his assistant not even one day comes out of exitment or anger during games.Completly emontionless weirdo.Shout motivate go up and down ….no…..he barely clap his hands even whe we score.This are the culprit that needs to be weeded out altogheter with that old dummies
Potter 7.55, “capable of running a tight ship”…Arsene always had a steady hand on the tiller, a scrooge with the purse strings, they was once his strengths, sadly now an achilles heel !
As shitty weekends go this has to be up there with the best of them results wise.
According to ‘a source close to the trading field’ Alexis is supposed to have had an argument during a practice session and so serious was it, he stomped off the pitch and returned to the dressing room. When the rest of players and presumably the coaches and manager arrived the row restarted! As a consequence Mr Wenger ‘dropped’ Sanchez to the bench, essentially to teach the player a lesson!
You can draw your own conclusions as to how this is all going to end. From my point of view I think Wenger was the object of Alexis ire, for whatever reason, and would not back down. Wenger for his part was merely demonstrating his position of power over the player and instead of trying to mend the rift, for the benefit of the team and its performance at the dippers who took what he saw as appropriate action and dropped our best player!
Hi Potter………….I think we are not too far away in opinion.
It is true I think that realisticaly that Wenger with the 4th biggest wage bill gets us 4th/3rd and 2nd which is level and above, but I also know that he hasnt the tools to make us better and that a proper tactically aware coach could make us punch ultimately above our weight with the title by getting players to play as a disciplined tactically aware outfit.
Even though I love attacking football at it`s best I have always understood and said that title contenders need to be defensive minded first…..be hard to beat !
Apart from the odd anomaly most champions have a great defense first and foremost and I hear that Simeone is of that type !……………….Wenger has one way of playing and I dont think eradicating our defensive mistakes is top of the list, it`s probably more about outscoring than being a tight organised disciplined unit at the back and just in front of it !.
LC, defending is definitely not a priority, yet even our best sides were built on that platform.
Strange.
Truth is Wavy, we’ll never get to the bottom of it, more chance of breaking into the White House.
Scott, you having a crack at Alexis, carry on and it’s just a matter of time before you get knocked off your surf board lol.
Nite Gooners.
Micko, I don’t have the sun bleached hair, nor the physique to be a surfer hahahahahahaha
I hope he stays, gets the right crew around him, and plays for them.
If he wants out though, I doubt anything will change his mind.
I do wonder if Wenger leaving would be enough……..it may well be.
Afternoon to the night shift,
Arsene Wenger playing possum on his contract extension is really starting to give me the tom tits. He’s self indulgent except when it comes to blame.
LC
Hobart, our capital, is like Gibraltar, it has a big rock towering over it, though instead of having spoon fed monkeys, it has spoon fed public servants (civil servants) 🙂
GG, the club play possum as well-heaven forbid they let ST holders know what’s happening until after they commit.
Morning all, it has been evident Wenger doesn’t know how to deal with strong characters. It was madness on his treatment of Sanchez. For a second I was wishing Sanchez would react like Tevez when Mancini sideline him – good thing Sanchez is a bigger man and he got immeasurable love for the game.
I didn’t watch the game – am no longer watching this bunch of wimps.
This’ the second ‘flu’ Ozil has had in 3 months. I hate how the club misinform their fans. I’ll never let go the “Welbeck is two weeks to training”. It’s just a circus, and Wenger is the main clown.
Morning Marshall, Scott and all…
I don’t believe Ozil had the flu either, he’s been dumped, same as Alexis but leaving both at home would have looked dodgy. We are fed utter garbage week after week by the club and especially around the transfer window periods..
The board tell us we afford anyone, Wenger tells us he’ll only sign a player better than who he has and yet we see the name Sanogo is the squad.
It’s a joke really, but not many of us are laughing…
Morning Rico.
I’m laughing but only because otherwise I’d cry at at what seems to be happening.
Morning Adam. Good point… What a shambles our club is right now and yet it shouldn’t be..
Once the fans have lost confidence in the manager it’s a long way back. If the players have too, then it’s all over.
Good morning all,
Having waded through the 111 comments at the start, I only found one that got close to the real problem with Arsenal at the moment, as so many concentrated on the Sanchez issue. Which, however fascinating that might be, does not alter the fact that we have not been playing well even when Alexis has started, and especially so against top 6 sides?
Obi (@6:53) pointed out the disjointed midfield, and the way that has a knock on effect in defence, and the need to pull our attackers back to defend.
There is another area that comes about from positional compensation for the lack of a proper defensive partnership in midfield. That is our weakness to defend the quick switch of play by our opponents to the open space vacated by our full backs.
Until these issues are are sorted the I am afraid we will continue to stumble along, and losing games we shouldn’t, given the quality of the players involved.
Unfortunately, it has been obligatory for most blog writers and their followers to single out players to blame. Indeed I was tempted to write this comment somewhere else and what the reaction would be …
‘That fecking Ozil was sh*t against Liverpool, he was bloody invisible! … Just to see if any were that blind they would agree?
Instead,it was the ‘usual suspects’ ….
There is another problem that revolves around the striking options. I would have agreed with AW if he had dropped Alexis in order to play Giroud for tactical reasons. But! If you are going to start with Giroud it means playing to his strengths. That means having wide players putting in crosses. It does not mean that the full backs should be the ‘only’ option for that, for all the reasons outlined in the second paragraph. Which probably means we have not got the right personnel in the squad, short of playing Gibbs in front of Monreal, and Debuchy behind Bellerin?
For all that, we should beat Lincoln if we revert back to a variation of the team that beat Southampton in the earlier round, and similar in the last round. The emphasis on ‘team’ though.
The Xhaka Maitland-Niles pairing worked well, as did Ox in the central playmaker role. Another who does better in the middle is Iwobi, but if it is Welbeck and Perez are up front he might face competition Alexis or Ozil, and that will probably depend on selections against BM?
Cheers,
Gerry
In which case, I think it’s all over…
Hi Gerry, we’ve been saying that about our midfield for yonks now though. Wenger has plenty of midfielders but none are able to do what is required apart from Santi, Ox (of late) and perhaps Elneny.
But we still lack that Mr organiser in there, someone who together with his mates will protect the back five when needed. And someone who will turn defence into attack in a flash…
Iwobi needs a break imo, before he breaks…
To me though, AW has assembled a group of players, not a group which contains players for specific positions. It always seems like he just fits players in, rather than to have a plan. Shoddy really.
In the BT interview, Wenger had no answer to why he hasn’t taken the team to the next level NOW instead of focusing on the ‘future’.
Rico, arsenal players have no positional organisation. As it is mostly put out, we are disjointed. You’d find 2-3 players in one area all blocking each other from receiving a pass or taking a shot. Nobody can tell what type of football we are playing any-more.
We’ve lost our identity as a football team. That’s squarely on the coach.
Morning All
Morning Rico
Interesting points from Gerry…
The thing is it isn’t the playing staff or their qualities that is the issue, we have a talented squad, it’s how they are utilised, the tactics employed, how players seem to change when they are signed, that all comes from the direction of the manager and how he sets out the team, how he employs his players to counter the different opposition we face.
I could go on, but tbh the subject is becoming tedious.
We need a new voice on the training ground, in the dressing room and until that problem is addressed we’ll be beating ourselves up…
Amazing how the mirror are doing a great PR job for AFC is trying to focus attention away from the shitfest that is the manager staff and players and concentrating on that trouble maker Alexis who has the audacity to get upset when we lose and chastise other players for lack of effort and going through the motions… Maybe, just maybe the media should focus on the other players for not pulling their weight and on the coaches, staff and manager for not assembling a team who want to get stuck in and compete like Sanchez does…!
Agree Marshall. Funny how the tricky questions seemed to un-nerve him.. Probably because he hasn’t a clue what the next level is…
Morning Kev.
They lost a lost bunch don’t they…
All the back pages are running the same story Wath. I’d have ten more Alexis in the squad if I had my way. He’s a winner and is clearly cheesed off with a whole load of things….
And who can blame him.
As is the norm as we’ve seen many times before when a player dare question Wenger or others his ego kicks in and he show’s who’s boss….! Now the AFC pr kicks in to give the media snippets to say Alexis has been a naughty boy, shame they not so quick to say why we so shit and when the manager is getting told to decide on a contract that should have been retracted by now…! Another prime example of a gutless board and club that merely churns out specific PR to keep the franchise running and abortion blame away from the manager and staff.
Sums up our Club Rico, those poor little petals are upset cos a fellow player dare rattle their feathers for being such wimps and laying down and dying way to often and yet now he is the problem….! You couldn’t make it up…!
Adam said earlier he thinks Wenger has lost t players, I actually don’t think he has, they love the bloke, he takes all the flak for their inept performances, he wraps them in cotton wool and they are never held accountable… what I think they see though is a team that isn’t good enough, poor preparation poor tactics all the normal stuff we been saying for years yet they happy to just poodle along cos it’s kushy…..
If it’s true of course Wath… 😉
I reckon there’s two types of players at the club. Those who want to win, and others who are just there for the easy ride. And if Wenger stays, imo we will see those who ant to win, depart.
Anyway, talking of PR – the new post is up now…
Ozil was apparently sent home from training my the day before the game so perhaps he was legitimately ill.
I wasn’t there so can’t confirm it 🙂 🙂
Morning all.