Arsene Wenger is right for once. Worst Arsenal record since 1998/99.

Morning all.

A club close to relegation last season, employed a new manager in the summer and spent less than Wenger has done over the last two transfer windows to assemble a good squad. A squad which ripped Man City apart on their own turf! Leicester aren’t a big club, not when it comes to finances but what they have done, is spend what money they do have, wisely. Who’d have though Robert Huth would be one of their defensive heroes? Or a very cheap Le Havre player called Riyad Mahrez would now be on every big clubs wishlist?

The tinker man, old in years, but young in mind. He has a squad full of players both old and young with one thing in common. They want to play football for themselves, each other, the manager and the club! Good attacking football, ‘proper football’, mixed in with solid, defensive discipline.

Priceless and working wonders.

Perhaps the biggest test for them will be in the summer when the ‘big clubs’ come calling for their stand out players. Will they be strong enough to turn down big offers. I hope so, I really do. Good luck to them I say and if we can’t win the League, I really hope Leicester do because they have taught the rest of football, certainly Arsenal, a huge footballing lesson. Arsene reckons everyone wants to see Leicester win the league and I reckon he’s right, unless your’e a City, Totts or Arsenal fan.

They have no distractions either, it’s just the league they are competing for and maybe that was Ranieri’s goal all along, just one shot at the big one and build from there.

Meanwhile, Arsenal are chasing three trophies, well, more like they are still involved in three competitions but I doubt it’ll be too long before three becomes two. If we don’t win today, I’d say that two would pretty much become one as I can’t see Leicester dropping too many points unless they suffer injuries to key players, let alone us managing to chase them down or even beating them next weekend.

Today it’s Bournemouth, a team which Arsenal should be beating but I don’t have an ounce of confidence in them ahead of the lunchtime fixture.

Arsenal have the players, but do those players have the right level of commitment and passion to chase down the points deficit, do they have the ‘togetherness’ that Arsene bleats on about so often? Do they have it in them to turn up and fight from the off on a cold winters day? Do they care, I mean really care about their performance, their mates, the fans and the club? A few do I’m sure as you can see it on their faces but not all, of that I’m convinced.

What about Arsene, if a 64 year old Ranieri can work out how to get is players performing each week, why can’t the 66 year old Frenchman whose been there, done it and won the league during his early days?

Arsenal are on a dreadful run, the goals have dried up and this season we have managed just 37 goals from 24 games, the fewest after 24 matches since 1998/99.

Something has to change and having gone from believing this could be our season, I’m starting to believe Arsenal have blown it. Perhaps I’ll be proved wrong but time is seriously running out…

As is any belief I had that Arsene Wenger could win the league one more time….

197 thoughts on “Arsene Wenger is right for once. Worst Arsenal record since 1998/99.

  1. Leon Kingsford says:

    Why has Arsenal and its board not realised that Wenger is incapable of winning the big trophies?
    To not be able to motivate your players when such a huge opportunity presents itself is incompetence.
    But then again the accumulation of money is the only thing Arsenal are interested in – being successful does not come into it…

  2. rico says:

    Because they are toothless Leon and as you say, care only about the money coming in..

    But this team should be performing a lot better and there’s far too many players taking it easy. Wenger needs to stick a rocket up their jacksies but I don’t think he knows how to.

  3. scottfromoz says:

    Leon, 2 FA Cups in a row.
    Next time, so your homework before taking absolute crap.
    Morning all.
    Rico, Leicester taught us a lesson?
    5-2 Is what I remember 🙂 🙂 🙂
    I reckon it’s more about their individuals teaching our individuals a lesson.
    Imagine Theo putting in the effort Vardy does??
    That’s just one example.
    Our guys need to start earning their overinflated wages.

  4. rico says:

    Scott, steady on old chap, not sure Leon deserves that…

    5-2 🙂 But that was before they hit their rhythm and when we were doing well… lol

  5. rico says:

    I doubt he’ll be the last Adam, the difference is that when others do, an owner/board reacts…

    Ours doesn’t… Which is why most of my blame sits at their door….

  6. richhudsonsmith says:

    We’ve blown it. This year was our chance & we’ve absolutely blown it. Anyone who supports anyone other than Leicester City, but, says that they want Leicester City to win it doesn’t support their club at all. I’m sick of this. I never thought I would get angry about football again, but, I’ve been angry ever since we’ve blown it. If anyone other than Arsenal win it everyone involved at Arsenal will have failed us.

  7. rico says:

    Who is saying they wan Leicester to win rather than their own club Rich? Certainly no-one on here so not sure what you are on about really…

  8. rico says:

    Wenger in The Mirror:

    “The whole country wants Leicester to win it, of course. And it is natural, it is normal,” he said. “The advantage they have until the end of the season – apart from our fans, the Manchester City and Tottenham fans – is that the rest of the country is behind Leicester.”

    And in his own way, Wenger too is delighted at the success enjoyed by Claudio Ranieri and his men.

    He believes they are an example of excellent housekeeping, with the two stars of the show – Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez – costing the Midlands club a mere £1.35million in transfer fees.

    And he used that to defend his own policies.

    “You reproach me about not buying big names but you support the team who has no big names,” said Wenger.

    Leicester heroes Mahrez and Vardy cost less than £2m combined

    “Leicester is a fantastic example that football is not only about just spending the money. It is the quality of work. Leicester is a very good example for our league.”

    Totally agree, but where is our ‘quality of work’ Arsene??

  9. George says:

    Afternoon all

    Scott, bit harsh on Leon…

    If we don’t win it , as long as we finish above Spurs i am content. As for Leicester they play good stuff and are a like-able club top to bottom. Wenger is right there. Leicester is everyone’s 2nd team.

    As for Afobe, he will definitely score against us, only hope we get the 3 points at the end of the day. I would take a 2-1 right now as we haven’t been performing and they are strong at Home.

  10. Iceman says:

    @scott – two FA Cups is nice – but a team as big as us, with a bank busting budget to match should be champions. Take this season – if we had the balls to spend we would be well on the way to the title. Sadly, AW is past it. We need new blood, with new ideas. We need to kick ‘project Theo’ out, along with many other older or lazy players. As for Theo mirroring Vardy – IF ONLY!

  11. Mark says:

    Yeah the Leicester comparison is a very good one winger is no comparison he doesn’t have anywhere to hide . Ranieri a much better manager more tactically astute . Reacts to what’s happening during the game. Substitutions based on real time events as opposed to ” Oh 69 mins I better sub someone . Then take off players who should probably stay on. Never an under performing twat who needs the bench till they raise their game!
    Afobe would just be doing his job & owes us nothing. Totally understand if he shows us what we had & gave up cheaply! Whilst keeping da nogoal . Just another example of his shite judgement. He would have got rid of Coquelin How could he not see that he was what we needed in midfield??

    Crap in the transfer window. The list goes on &on.

    We have no chance of winning EPL till he goes.

  12. rico says:

    Hi George

    From the position we have been in, I’d be gutted to miss out on the PL this season and tbh, we still can win it if Wenger can get this crop of players to work a lot harder..

    I really hope Afobe doesn’t leave AW with egg on his face having let him go without really giving him a chance…

  13. rico says:

    Iceman, let’s see Walcott play central again before giving him the boot. I still say that a different manager would equal a different Theo..

    Mark, you sound as fed up as me.. lol

  14. rico says:

    ARSENAL TEAM NEWS

    Team to play Bournemouth: Cech, Bellerin, Gabriel, Koscielny, Monreal, Flamini, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil, Sanchez, Giroud.

    Subs: Gibbs, Mertesacker, Ospina, Walcott, Campbell, Coquelin, Iwobi.

  15. George says:

    Hi Rico,

    I would be gutted too, but like others have mentioned a lot of our players are under performing an Arsene’s loyalty to them has been tested. I want to see our manager grow a set and play players in form and on merit and not on what they are paid or cost, If they haven’t lived up to their price tag or havent earnt their wages, we should be looking to cut our losses.

    Theo needs a big game, Ramsey as well and Chamberlain needs to remind us why we shelled out 15m for him.

    Afobe is a typical example of all big clubs tat make the mistake and not look internally first. Andy Cole was at Arsenal, and look how well he did. There will always be one that slips the net, but 9/10 he has got it more right than not. Jay Simpson for example will move onto the championship, but he was never going to be picked ahead of Veal Van Persie etc..

  16. Iceman says:

    Rico – yeah, well fed up! I, like many other Gooners, want Theo to do well, but how much longer before it is obvious that he just isn’t what we thought/wished for? Surely every game we all say that he needs to have a big game today? Far short of injecting him with Wrighty’s aggression, I really don’t see him cutting it.

  17. rico says:

    It’s not just Theo though Iceman, we have a few, too many, who just aren’t pulling their weight. Especially the man in the big puffa jacket…

  18. George says:

    Bournemouth have a pacy side, so dropping Merts makes sense.

    I am a bit surpised Flaminin and Ramsey keep their places and Campbell Coquelin are not starting Rico…

  19. Lewis says:

    Good day all.

    I’ll be expecting the same tired set up from arsene today.

    Anything else is a bonus at this point.

  20. rico says:

    You and me both re Flamini George, seems odd when Coquelin is fit and the new signing is nowhere to be seen again… Money well spent there then.

  21. Lee says:

    No Elneny again? Must be injured maybe a broken back, Le Fraud has history of buying crocks!

    Two back to back FA Cups doesn’t do it for me over the last 11yrs!!

    You know who’s going to score the winner today don’t you? It’s written in the stars!!!

  22. andrewh1313 says:

    Good post Rico, really is crunch time. Three points from 12? If its not Nine from Eighteen, its all over and a scrap for CL places.

    Elneny became a dad last night I believe.

  23. allezkev says:

    Afternoon All….

    Afternoon Rico, thought provoking post…

    Leicester looked superb from the highlights I saw on MotD this morning. Dynamic, energetic, sacrificing their own game for the benefit of the team, no egos….

    Vardy, what a wonderful player, shoots on sight, takes his shots early just as Ian Wright used to, and never stops working…

    Are you watching Theo?

  24. Rick says:

    Afternoon Rico and the house.
    an hour ago Elneny tweeted
    New baby thanks allah.

    Maybe he was at the birth???

  25. allezkev says:

    What Wenger doesn’t get, and maybe he deliberately does that, is that the expectations at Leicester are lower.
    Arsenal are one of the richest clubs in football, they remain the only club of that stature to have failed to win the Champions League, and that, after 20 years at the top, as Arsene said, and 20 years under the same manager….

    Whose fault is that Arsene?

  26. Silky says:

    Morning Rico and indeed all great post really enjoyed it! I also fall into that bracket of if we can’t win the league I hope Leicester do!
    Regarding Afobe I think it’s a pity he didn’t get his chance especially at a time when we were faffing about with Sanogo and Poldi! He was tearing it up with MK Dons and also tore Manure a new one in the cup last year!
    He was a striker on form and form is transferable to a different league currently he looks like a functioning Franny “Fox in the box” Jeffers ? (Gotta love alliteration).

    Also on the MK Dons point, was nobody keeping an eye on him during this time? The reason I say this is because Alli should surely have been deemed worth a punt. He’s gonna b an absolute superstar n now he’s with the crowd up the road n we will never get him now!

    Sunday’s without a hangover are strange and rather not worth the abstinence.

  27. allezkev says:

    Ox and Theo are serial offenders….

    To much gobbling off and not enough end product on the pitch…

    I’m very pissed off with the lot of them….

  28. allezkev says:

    Campbell doesn’t score enough either….

    But he’s not had the amount of chances of the other undynamic duo

  29. rico says:

    Hi Silky. The quick decision to let Afobe go was all rather odd to me, same with Aneke but tbh, majority of the Arsenal fans probably didn’t care much at the time. Akpom will be next I suspect…

  30. allezkev says:

    Chubs Akpom has scored 7 goals in 27 games…..

    Not outstanding but he has more to his game than Afobe who was just a goal scorer, but a very good goal scorer, who really deserved a chance…

    Wenger signing Sanogo pretty much buggered Afobes chances…
    Cheers postie….

  31. Silky says:

    Rico I think the real thing that baffles me is the amount of chances the likes of Sanogo and Bendtner got!

    Damn it give the kid a chance!

    But is that the issue I wonder , age, I mean when he was sold he was 21ish (open to correction there). And when he was sold the Coq at 22ish (again open to correction) was only breaking into the team, so was he deemed an also ran?

    Is the quest to find wonder kids capable of doing it at 17/18 hindering the opportunities given to late bloomers?

  32. rico says:

    I’m surprise we didn’t have a buy back clause for Afobe Silky, all he needed was time to get fit and strong after injury and he showed he’d done that and proved it on loan…

  33. Silky says:

    The ref should b d only one to stop a game!

    Arsenal play on and all shout for it to b put out, BM (not B Munich) win it back and play on bs

  34. rico says:

    If Kronke wanted to win the CL, he’d employ a manager who could. But clearly he’s happy just getting the money a place in the competition brings him…

  35. Silky says:

    Strange carry on

    Ooooiooiooooo ox u dancing queen

    I’ll b back later not seeing the game at all typing lol!

  36. Obi says:

    Bill Wash legendary coach for San Francisco , Ameerican Football, was asked by a reporter when he resigned… Why is he leaving? His answer, ” I believe that a coach should not coach one club for more than 10yrs” because even if you are winning you need new ideas, strategies n personalities. This I believe it’s the problem at Arsenal. Most top managers play Arsenal the same way n Arsene rarely adjust because he rely on the same players.

  37. Kel says:

    Great post Rico, sums up what I’ve been thinking lately..

    Flamini a lucky boy earlier referee could have easily red carded him.

    2-0 up against Bournemouth and im still not convinced we are gonna win.. lol

    We need that 3rd.

    COYG

  38. Kel says:

    Coquelin for flamini at half time rico that imo would be the sensible move.

    Great to see the Ox get a goal he could be like a new signing for us 😛

  39. scottfromoz says:

    Solid start.
    Rico/Adam, the comment that Wenger is incapable of winning big trophies was crap.
    Since when was the FA cup not big?
    Since we started winning it, I guess.
    Hell, 3 years ago, we all thought it was huge.
    Silly, factually incorrect comment.

  40. rico says:

    No it wasn’t Scott, we all know big trophies mean the pl and CL….

    The FA cup was big because we’d won Bugger all for so long. Not knocking us winning it, but the PL is the biggest in England…

  41. Hell Raising Devil says:

    Good Afternoon Lovelies and Hunkies.

    Scott…..If AW wins the EPL…there will be those who will complain that he has never won the CL. If he goes on to win the CL there will still be those who will complain that he has never won the League Cup.

  42. Hell Raising Devil says:

    Some stats……

    We have had less attacks than Bournemouth
    We have had less attempts on goal than them.
    We have 55% possession
    We have scored 2 and still a clean sheet. Hope we manage to keep the clean sheet and score a bit more.

  43. scottfromoz says:

    Rico,
    Plenty said we wouldn’t win ANY trophy under Wenger, then once we won the 2014 cup, it instantly became insignificant.
    Not big??
    Maybe not the biggest, but not big?
    On to today’s game, we aren’t playing that well, and certainly no better than of late, but a few shots hit the target, finally.
    Damn, it makes a difference 🙂

  44. Adam says:

    You really have to ask yourself wtf was Flamini thinking? Important game, lots of pressure and he commits a red card offence? I know he is short on skill but such a lack of professionalism is really unforgivable. Friend will be told at half time that she should have gone and will be looking for him. A shrewd manager would take him off at half time and consider himself lucky.

  45. andrewh1313 says:

    I think two big trophies in England, Premier league and Fa Cup. Less important the League Cup. Little bit harsh on a personal opinion though Scott 🙂

    Pundits unanimous Flam should have gone. I thought yellow at time , his second foot following first, and on ground. There again, we don’t get many decisions!

  46. allezkev says:

    I think that the FACup is a big trophy….

    But the top clubs are judged on their league titles and CL’s

  47. Kel says:

    Agree scott play like this against Leicester next wk and we concede 4 ffs.

    cazorla is a huge miss imo we just don’t control games without him.

  48. Lee says:

    Isco would of helped us out massively, if only Le Stubborn One thought the same way during the last window?!?!?

  49. Kel says:

    I’ll be delighted if we get the 3 pts today.. but it has to said we don’t look like a very threatening side, we look bang average tbh and we most definitely don’t look like potential champions imo.

  50. scottfromoz says:

    Devil, I just think we match up well v Leicester, so regardless of positions on the table, I’d be confident of handling them.
    This match is purely about 3 very important points.

  51. allezkev says:

    Just seen the goals.
    Giroud, good knock down for first goal
    Nice finish by Ox for 2nd goal.

    Flaming tackle?
    We’re on the receiving end of that kind of tackle all the time.
    And nothing happens.

    He won the ball, but deco no red card for me.
    Unlucky to get a yellow imo

  52. Kel says:

    It is adam but needs are a must lol I just dont wanna be getting pipped to a champions league spot by utd…

    Sorry kev that was a red all day long imo.

  53. andrewh1313 says:

    Kel, if we got pipped by Unt we will have had such a slump we won’t deserve it!
    Don’t !mind Chelsea having as good run now Mour gone, just to finish short and just miss out :-). That be nice.

  54. Silky says:

    Good clean sheet!
    2 good goals!
    Not a great performance!
    All in all a good 3 points!
    I was impressed with Afobe’s hold up play thought he linked well didn’t get too many chances!
    I would think when tryin to protect a 2-0 lead maybe Theo on the shoulder of the last man would keep the opposition honest! Gibbs coming on always screams were gonna concede luckily today we didn’t!

  55. allezkev says:

    I’ve got a horrible feeling that ManUre are going to unveil Mourinho as their new manager in the summer…

    Maybe to try and usurp all the Guardiola frenzy that’s going to swamp us all…

  56. Kel says:

    Andrew. Not really m8 if they win today they’re 5 pts behind us and play us in 2 wks..

    Fingers crossed for a Chelsea win or draw Imo.

  57. Kel says:

    Lol andrew, a Chelsea win with costa sent off would be nice 😉 I know we can still win the league and you’re probably wondering why I’m worried about 4th lol basically I’m a glass half empty kinda guy.

  58. Lewis says:

    Yes Rico. Last minute tickets. Good day out.

    Much quicker journey getting home from B’mouth compared to the ems.

  59. Lewis says:

    Wasn’t great. Pretty much the same rubbish we’ve had to endure the last couple of months but two quick goals were a welcome surprise.

  60. rico says:

    Neither can I re Flamini, just beggars belief really. Hopefully Coquelin will be back starting soon and Elneny will show us all why AW signed him. He should be a happy daddy… Lol

    A huge surprise but so pleasing eh…

  61. scottfromoz says:

    I’m not sure exactly how the rules are written, but how would Flaminis tackle be a red, yellow, or even a foul?
    He won the ball so clearly, the contact was in fact forced by the opponent who was never going to be involved in the challenge unless he was, in fact, making a late challenge……making a late challenge used to be the foul.
    He’s put himself in the position of potential danger.
    Flamini attacks the ball, wins it quite easily, and any contact was incidental.
    What is this game turning into if that’s deemed a possible send off offence??

  62. Hell Raising Devil says:

    Good Evening Lovelies and Hunkies.

    If Flamini’s tackle was worth a card I am the world’s sexiest man alive. Clean interception of the ball with the bournemouth player KNOWING he was going to loose the ball and putting his foot in a place where he KNEW contact would be made.

    Sorry for those who think it warranted a red…..it did not even warrant a yellow.

    We had far worse fouls against us without even the ref whistling for the foul and waving play on.

    I saw the foul from many angles with slow motion and Scott and Kev were right…..it did not even warrant a card.

  63. Hell Raising Devil says:

    When contact was made with the opposing player Flamini’s left foot was touching the ground.

    Seconds earlier both feet were off but before contact was made Flamini’s right foot touched the ball away and his left foot was touching the ground. Had Flamini’s left foot been off the ground the Bournemouth player would have been wriggling and screaming more than Zouma did

  64. Micko says:

    Love it…..keep those rose tinted glasses on lads, I hate seeing Wanyama getting away with the same thing as Flamini week after week lol, life’s a bitch.

    Kev, if that’s a body bag you’ve got I reckon we could come to some sort of agreement if you know what I mean……..you can get my contact details off rico if your interested.

    Nite Gooners.

  65. allezkev says:

    Having seen MotD, and seen the Flamini tackle from different angles, I have to admit that it was a red card….

    Mick it isn’t a body bag, but it’s contents would take you on an out of body experience…

    I can’t say anymore in case Lee is listening…

  66. allezkev says:

    Sorry Scott and Coach, I can see where you are coming from and a few years ago a tackle like that would have been normal, but two-footed tackles are outlawed now.
    Initially I thought the tackle seemed fair in as much as Flamini was intent on winning the ball and the fact that he did win it probably saved him from a red card.

    Luckily the Bournemouth player didn’t make a fuss or over dramatise, in a Diego Costa fashion.

    I can imagine a few referees who would have brandished a red, but did you notice that Eddie Howe didn’t complain afterwards?
    Probably because they saw it as more a lack of judgement than malicious and that’s probably why Flamini only got a yellow.
    Flamini actually did quite well avoiding anymore controversy.

    The referee actually handled the situation well, because a red card that early would have ruined the game.
    And wasn’t it about time that Arsenal enjoyed some good fortune from the refereeing fraternity…

  67. allezkev says:

    We need to be finishing this month, two points behind Leicester, then we’ll be in the mix…

    I actually think we’ll beat Leicester on Valentine’s Day…

  68. rico says:

    Morning Adam.

    I’m hoping the result yesterday will kick us on Kev. Not convinced the Mancs can’t be beaten at OT if everyone is on their game..

    This is the time of season we pick up isn’t it… 😉

    Any idea when Santi is expected to return?

Leave your comment.

Discover more from Highbury House

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading