Daily Bits and Bobs

Bad day at the office, or the exposure of a weak squad?

Posted on by rico

Morning all.

What on earth is that kit about? Why didn’t the team wear red and white bearing in mind Sheffield Wednesday were wearing a pretty dark coloured kit? Odd!

During the day, Tony Pulis had said Serge Gnabry was not good enough to play for his West Brom side, before the day was over, a number of Arsenal players showed that perhaps they aren’t good enough either. Certainly not for a club like ours.

Last night highlighted that when the big boys are missing, we really are quite weak. Arsenal’s cause was not helped by Oxlade-Chamberlain going off so early in the game and when his replacement left the pitch soon after coming on, perhaps it just wasn’t going to be our night. Hopefully, both Theo and Alex won’t be out for very long, if at all.

I thought we were awful. No shape, no discipline and no good. Sheffield Wednesday were the opposite and totally embarrassed us.

The back four were shocking. Gibbs ducking out of a header was a disgrace. Flamini and Campbell were equally as bad and as for the youngsters, well I think they were let down by the wealth of experience around them.

Again we had a lot of possession but to be honest, we never really looked like we’d score, not really. Ollie wasn’t in the game as the service to him was non existent. Campbell was passing into an empty space or to an opposition player, Flamini, for all his experience was either outfought or simply lost the ball by hoofing it forward to no-one.

Shocking!

The biggest concern for me though is what happens when/if more key players in the first team suffer injury? I really don’t fancy watching Debuchy instead of Bellerin or even Gibbs instead of Monreal but at some stage, we all know that will happen. What about Flamini replacing Coquelin? That doesn’t bear thinking about does it?

The squad on paper is deep but to be honest, it’s just not strong enough. It hasn’t been for a while now and with January not too far away, the manager really does need to make a couple of additions if he wants to win the league. Then in the summer, have a good clear out.

Arsene Wenger said last night was ‘a bad day at the office’ and it certainly was but if I was him, I’d be wondering why I have stood by a few of the senior players for so long, as a number of them proved last night that they are simply not good enough, not any more….

Swansea up next, the big boys return and I’m sure we’ll get right back on track.

Have a good day guys…

rico

139 thoughts on “Bad day at the office, or the exposure of a weak squad?”

  3. Joaquim Moreira says:

    good morning
    Poor performance yesterday,
    The squad is not deep and the subs are milles away the first choces.
    The injuries are consequences of the many games played in a short time.
    Those two next months are very important, with very inportant games and Christhmas,

  4. andrewh1313 says:

    Spot on post rico, morning.

    Didn’t get carried away with our recent great spell because always at the back of my mind was how long would it be, before it was said. And last night he said it.

    “We are short now with the injuries. It is a big blow for us.”

    What a surprise, just how was it allowed to happen? Our top 13-14 players are a match for anyone, such a waste YET AGAIN, if lack of investment again stops our chances.

  5. rico says:

    And another International break Jm… More miles for Alexis…

    Andrew, you are spot on too re the 13/14 players, after those we are very average. Just hope we don’t ever have to use more than one or two at any one time…. And none against the sides around us..

  6. Joaquim Moreira says:

    But, whem we must call some of these players what will be happen?
    Therefore, mostly of them are normally sitting in our bench.
    Whitout this cup, they only can play in The League (hope not), in the champions League (probably we will be out soon and hope not) and in the Fa Cup (hope not)

  7. rico says:

    If we go out of the Champions League, I can’t see many of the squad players getting much playing time as AW will probably go all out to get the FA Cup as well as the league….

    Just pray for no more injuries, and a couple of Jan signings..

  9. Wavy says:

    Morning all. Very wet here not good for the soul!

    Poor though they all were last night, the children he played certainly looked out of their depth but, I reckon if one or two were required and had all the regulars around them they would all do ok. However, they were given the task of taking on the seasoned pros and were found wanting. Shame, they’ll come again, some of them but it may not be for a while!
    The real disappointments came with the injuries to Ox and especially Theo. We must hope that neither will be out for long. I’m sure I lip read what TW14 said to Lewin when he was down, “my teg popped”, doesn’t sound good to me. Strains or pulls take a long time to heal as do hamstring pulls, so Xmas for both of them before we see them in a 10 minute cameo when returning to fitness over the New Year!!
    Not good, not good at all.

  10. Thulani says:

    Its unfortunate our manager takes advice from nobody. Our squad is not strong nor of good quality enough. The team need reinforcement with quality players. We have too much of mediocres that’s not good for a club as big as Arsenal. As much as we beat Bayern but you saw how much we were chasing shadows. The problem with AW is that he wants to always prove people wrong because he is sensitive to criticism and claims to be the only person who knows what our team need.

  11. Malaga gooner says:

    Afternoon Rico and the house

    We never bought any one and its coming back to haunt us.

    Great first 11,but the rest of them are either injury prone or just shit

    And i bet he buys no 1 in January

    Same old shit

  13. a says:

    last night was awful to watch but highlighted several issues for us.

    1. debuchy was pants again , but he needs game time to get some form, we need it over the busy period coming up. he needs it otherwise he wont be going to euro’s
    2. chambers needs game time – in games we are comfortably winning he should come on for the last 20 25 minutes
    3 gibbs needs to buckle up his ideas. you know what to expect from him.
    4. Even though we have more money these days you still see the gap between our fringe players and those at city and chelsea’s bench
    5. these youngsters have potential but they are far away from the first team , they wouldnt get into sheff wednesday team. These players need loan but at a PL team – but that wont happen because of this TV deal- clubs dont need to go to top 4 teams and take there players, they can go and buy players who have experience and can chuck money at them.
    6. Beilik looks a real talent – a loan to a team like wednesday just for a few months would do wonders, can tackle, wants the ball, not shy of long passes. The reason i say wednesday is because their manager ad them playing some good football, if he had better players they would be around the top of the championship

  14. Shanice says:

    Why r u upset at this lost ceriously ??????? The only issue should be is Theo injury ox injury is only a concern because Ramsey is out. Arsenal always struggle at this time when ccup starts so best we drop out from now.

  15. Kel says:

    Did Arsenal just lose their chance of winning the PL last night.?

    Next 4 league games 3 are away…
    Home to spurs on the 8th I dont think Alexis will be available for that one either as chile play on the 9th.

  17. Shanice says:

    As far as I’m concern this lost help arsenal going forward plus I hope the international break is two weeks .. It would give Ramsey a chance to recover. Plus signings in January won’t come from outside .. Welbeck and your beloved Wilshire will be back plus I believe gnarby should have stayed at arsenal he is good enough to me.

  20. rico says:

    Shanice, not sure why you think anyone is really upset by last nights result… It’s the way so many experienced players performed and the injuries that cheeses me off…

  26. Malaga gooner says:

    It gives me no pleasure saying i want a new manager, but he is making the same mistakes year after year

  32. rico says:

    Only because I don’t want him to be sacked Adam. 😉

    Let him go when his contract expires or if he’s had enough.. Not long to wait…. lol

  34. Kel says:

    And Gnabry ain’t good enough for West Brom.. fuck me is the youth players that shit. Or are they so used to playing a certain way they can’t adopt.

  35. Adam says:

    Rico. It’s all result dependent isn’t it? Lose the next 4 games and it’ll be out for many people. The wind blows and the corn sways, as my 3rd wife used to say. 🙂

  38. Kel says:

    Enough of that wenger out carryon rico/Adam.. 😉 lol oj.

    The swans game is really gonna be tough they done the double over us last yr.

  39. Wavy says:

    Not sure about Crowley, but I am sure about Barnsley. They are absolute shite! They’ve hardly won a game this season! Given the players around him are poor he has to be tarred with the same brush, presumably. You could probably employ the same argument for Gnarbry, he’s surrounded by puligistic thugs and he’s not that kind of chap! He just doesn’t fit the Pulis mould! Bring him, them home and show them some appreciation. I suppose you could ask what these to borrowers have done to our players, that has sent them backwards?

  40. Marinello says:

    Hi Rico,

    Good post again.

    It was men against boys, in a nut shell last night. Wednesday had some experienced old pros out on the pitch mixed in with a bit of young talent. We were awful and Wednesday took full advantage of the situation.
    In the past we had reserves playing in the Football Combination league, whereby youngsters were bloodied against senior pros and injured first teamers used the matches to regain match fitness. Now what we have is an under 21 league where you can play a couple of over aged players. Not the same, in my opinion.

    Its not the losing that I cannot stand, its the way we lost.

  43. rico says:

    Well said Wavy…

    Hi Marinello. Same here, it’s the way we failed to turn up again against a ‘lesser’ side who wanted to win…

  44. rico says:

    Kel, Swansea have won just two matches this season, Utd back in August and then Villa last weekend. We’ll have too much for them this time imo…

  46. potter says:

    Marinello :- You been reading my mind ? I have been saying this for years , from the time that the South East Counties league and the football combination in the south , the northern premier and Central leagues oop north disappeared true player development stopped . All this youth stuff is well and good but there comes a time when a youngster has to go out into the big bad world. Some will sink , others will swim . Last night’s lot were not ready for the physicality of Wednesday’s game and after the two early injuries they all ducked out of everything and let the game go by. We complain about the lack of leadership in the first team but last night was parlous.

  50. George says:

    Having watched last nighs game, i must applaud Wednesday for the way the yharrid and contrlled the game. We were totally pants. The back four were pathetic , midfield had the tenacity of a fart, and there was no desire or will from anyone, but Campbell and Iwobi.

    Not saying Campbell was good, his passing and crossing into empty areas, but at least him and Iwobi were putting in a tackle and actually ran a bit. I didnt see Giroud even jup for a cross or make a 10 yard sprint till the 80th minute.

    If we had our strongest team out there last night, we still would have lost. They were up for it and in our pathetic 3rd choice kit we were not bothered.

    What I will say is this, in regards to who we have out on loan: Akpom, Jenkinson,Hayden, Maitland-Niles and even that carthorse Sanogo would have put up better resistance.

    Must agree with most HH’ers, Debuchy is looking like he’s past it. We all know the Flamster will leave end of next season.

    The kids we had out there should be on loan, not ready by a mile. As for Gnabry and Crowley, i say bring them back and let them play in the reserves till they show something special.

  51. Dublingunner says:

    Afternoon, I,m not disappointed that we lost, I,m disappointed that we didn,t take the match or Cup serious, Therefore we got what we deserved.
    Actually I think any team that does not take a cup serious should be knocked out, sooner the better.

  52. Marshall says:

    Well yesterday showed just how shallow our depth is. Fringe players are still fringe and the lads were bleugh. We can say the other prospects are being polished on loan but honestly our reserve team is shockingly poor.

    Tony Pulis isn;t being forced to keep Gnabry over there. Can’t the club recall him especially now we are short (Wenger just woke up to that one) and he might turn out to be another coq-like pleasant suprise.

  53. allezkev says:

    Not sure if this is a wind-up, but the Telegraph are reporting that Walcott is out for next three games…

  54. rico says:

    Evening all..

    Hope that’s a wind up Kev…

    Marshall, I too would get Gnabry back asap – prior to his injury he looked good. Chuck him in with the reserves to get his confidence up and see where it goes from there… I reckon Pulis is being a knob!

    Dublin, agree re your earlier comment…

  57. Wavy says:

    Yep, BBC reports the Ox and Feeo to miss the next three games and then it’s Interlul week(s)? So they are sidelined for at least six weeks. As I claimed yesterday, I reckon we’ll see them playing again in the New Year, if we’re lucky!!
    Yes, yes, rinse and repeat, treat, wash, rinse and repeat!
    Who’s next for Diaby’s Second Home as the label states on the sick bay door!

  68. Wavy says:

    So no goals is on the ferry back? Oh joy! WheresnAkpom when you,need him?
    Well that’s depth of our squad revealed! And all in one fifteen minute period,of,play.
    Pah!

  73. Jeevi says:

    Krystian Bielik looked a real find and i think he should start against Swansea on the right considering the only other option is flamini or possibly gibbs.

  74. Joe says:

    After seeing the draw I am glad we are out it would have been Stoke that would have been a whole lot of pain for the players ?

  75. Madhav - Indian Gunner says:

    Good Morning all…
    Not long before Ajax was gonna send back Sanogo. Then Tony Pulis said Gnabry isn’t ready for Premier league yet. Now, Crowley is sent back from Barnsley by cutting his loan short, stating that “he struggles to make an impact at the club”.

    What is happening to our youth set up… Those who played well (Even we saw them play well and quite promising), went on loan and returning back like this… I couldn’t understand what is the problem…

  76. scottfromoz says:

    Adam, your 12.52 is spot on.
    I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again…..the word fickle does not do Arsenal fans justice lol.
    Seriously.
    Everyone all should read back today’s comments, then go back a week and read the same people’s posts after Bayern.
    Its a great read lol

  77. Lee says:

    I’m definitely not fickle I’m realistic….we go from scintillating football to total shit football.
    The squad gets decimated by injuries, like that’s a big surprise (shad has changed fuck all about our injury situation)
    And Wenger chooses not to buy a single outfield player, not a fucking single one!
    We’ll hopefully have a good FA cup run and we’ll be there or there abouts in the league but just come up short!
    I mean it’s not like we’ve been there before is it??
    Oh and in January there won’t be any players available to strengthen the squad….

  78. bradster says:

    Morning all,

    Perhaps it is better that we get some of the loanies back. We definitely can use Gnabry on the right.
    I’m pretty sure everyone is highlighting that the second string seniors are not staking a claim to be first teamers based on this performance.
    I’m sure Giroud was thinking what we all were, that this is a nothing cup and mustn’t get injured because here’s his chance at been number 1 striker again.

  79. Kel says:

    He said, she said… Zzzzzz boring…

    Bradster I to would recall Gnabry, I liked what I’d seen of him before.

    Giroud is the main man now, fingers crossed he can carry us for the next few league games.

  83. Kel says:

    I was at the Everton game on sat rico, Gabriel Managed him well. Although he came close to scoring twice. He can be right handful at times.

  86. Kel says:

    All depends on the money though. .. I’d say the toffees would be looking 30m for him.

    I can see spurs going for him.

  88. Lee says:

    Don’t know Rico but it’s fucking terrible reading, I guess Arsene never saw us getting our annual squad decimation……

  90. rico says:

    AW wouldn’t pay £30m – he’d offer £10m.. 😉

    Sure is dreadful reading Lee, any more and we’ll be right up the creek without a paddle…

  91. scottfromoz says:

    Morning all.
    Lee, you’re consistent, no question….some are, but plenty aren’t.
    Lukaku?
    No way.
    If we are buying a striker, it must be an improvement on what we have else why bother?
    Sell Debuchy and get Jenks back.
    Debuchy is a good player but lack of game time is killing him.
    Jenks is good enough back up for Bellerin.

  92. Kel says:

    Danny, Theo, Ox, Ramsey.. All Being injured at the same time is a major blow no doubt.

    Take martial, mata, depay, herrera outta utd

    Take de bryune, navas, Sterling, silva Outta city

    They’d both struggle and drop points imo it’s gonna be very tough for the boys over the next 3 games.

  93. scottfromoz says:

    I’ll add this…..why people are suddenly stressing about a single result is beyond me.
    Panic has set in over a cup tie that we really are better off losing anyway.
    Now if we lose to Swansea on the weekend, then fine, but if we win, and we should, then we are back on track.

  94. rico says:

    Morning Scott..

    I doubt Jenks would settle for being a backup, not when he’s number one for the Hammers…

    I don’t think the stressing is about the loss, it’s about the performance, injuries and lack of squad depth to cover…

  95. scottfromoz says:

    Rico, but we all knew we lacked squad depth, so it shouldn’t be any surprise to us this could happen.
    I was done stressing over a lack of signings the day the TW closed, but it’ll be back come January 1st 🙂 🙂

  96. scottfromoz says:

    You Could be right on Jenks, as well, Rico.
    Does anyone know of any big name players down to their last year of their contract?
    Someone Wenger may be trying to snap up cheap??
    Damn I hope so, because, even though it’s not really a legitimate reason not to buy a few months back, at least there may be SOME method to his madness.

  97. Adam says:

    Morning Rico and all. Squad depth, at this moment, looks as if it might well prove a critical factor. Just like it has for many, many years now.

  98. rico says:

    Arsene Wenger was cost Arsenal the signings of Morgan Schneiderlin and Son Heung-min, the Secret Footballer has revealed.

    The anonymous footballer, who writes an online blog, has told of a meeting he has with one of Arsenal’s scouts – who was quick to blame Wenger for the lack of summer signings.

    The scout reportedly showed the Secret Footballer a scout report on Spurs star Son, which read that he would be the perfect player for the Gunners.

    “It’s Arsene,” the Secret Footballer reportedly revealed that the scout said.

    “He’s so indecisive it’s frightening. We had [Morgan] Schneiderlin done and dusted last January and, by the summer, the gaffer had changed his mind. Son was 100 per cent perfect for us.”

  99. rico says:

    Scott, we did know but does that make it right?

    AW seriously mucked up last summer and it’s coming back to haunt him yet again. If we start losing, he’ll be back in the headlines, the booing at the Ems will start all over again and I will have little/no sympathy for him.

    Just hope it doesn’t come to that and if we don’t suffer any more injuries, it shouldn’t….

  101. Lee says:

    Scott – “If we are buying a striker, it must be an improvement on what we have else why bother?”
    I totally agree with this!

    Schneiderlin hasn’t exactly ripped any trees up at manure has he?

    Isco isn’t getting any game time…..

    Strange isn’t it people moaning that we’ve only won 2 FA cups in the last 10yrs and then moaning that we get knocked out of the milk cup!

    Nowt that’s queer as folk!!

  103. scottfromoz says:

    Lee, I’d take Isco any day.
    Schneiderlin……Ginge was the first I know to spot him, but also says he’s not been at his best for quite a long time now….maybe a decent option as back up though.
    Rico, it’ll bite us on the arse as it always does.
    I hope he spends up in January, I really do…..
    None of us will ever understand his ideas on transfers.
    Not that I’m saying we should get him, but I saw some highlights of the Chinese league where a certain Demba Ba was ripping it up.
    What happened to him?
    I started wondering if there’s any other forgotten gems around the traps somewhere.

  104. scottfromoz says:

    Rico, we’d take any trophy win but let’s face it, if we went on and won it, yet finished 4th in the League, we all be filthy and rightly so.
    That’s the point I’m dancing around…..if we sacrificed that to give us a decent shot at the League then seriously, I’m that’s smart, under the circumstances-circumstances that shouldn’t have been in play, mind you.

  105. rico says:

    Let’s hope not Scott. Jack, Welbeck and Rosicky back in the new year will help us…

    But there’s no-one quite like Coquelin although Bielik looked promising…

  106. bradster says:

    I always wanted us to sign Cabaye when he came available rather than Schneiderlin. Schneiderlin is lucky he plays for united, he’d be suspended a few times if he fouled like he does for us.

  107. rico says:

    Scott, I don’t think AW wanted us to go further in the CO Cup, not one bit… Hindsight is great isn’t it as I bet he wishes he’d left Walcott to watch the match at home…

  108. bradster says:

    agreed, I would love for us to get Isco.I thought Chicorito was a pretty good finisher with prem experience or Dzeko but those ones were just passed over.

  110. scottfromoz says:

    Dzeko….I can not believe we didn’t have a crack for him.
    We are set up now to play with that type of CF, and as much as I like Giroud, this guy is a step up.
    Rico, did he play Theo and Ox do keep the FA happy?
    What I mean is do we need to be seen to be playing a compretive side?

  111. Adam says:

    This is Wenger’s year to get it right and the Summer has drifted by disastrously where new players are concerned. Arsene himself realised the other evening that none of our young players are anywhere near, a fact I found worrying. Even our established, experienced reserve players are nonsense at the moment.
    As for the Secret Footballer? I have never known a scout be involved at anything like the level where this person claims to have been. I would imagine it is bullshit, a commodity that the game has in abundance.
    He simply has to do it right now because the excuses will fall on deaf ears if he doesn’t. He has the experience, the infrastructure, the money and the kudos. The board will stick by him no matter what as they must be trembling at the thought of signing a new manager and what he would want from them.

  114. rico says:

    Adam, spot on re the board/owner. I bet Kroenke comes out in hives every time he thinks about replacing AW, after all, I strongly suspect any new guy will demand a lot of money for transfers…

    Just why I suspect there’s some truth to the AW contract extension…

  122. allezkev says:

    Modeste, another French wonder boy…

    When in doubt, go French…

    Morning Rico

    Morning All

    Some good comments on here today.

  126. rico says:

    Interesting comments from Brian McDermott on Sky Sports this morning..

    He scouted De Bryne (spelling) back in the summer and reckons that his City move will prove to be cheap…

    Wonder if Arsenal wouldn’t pay the price required….

  131. Adam says:

    Brudder. I am glad you remember my words of wisdom. 🙂
    Yes Rico. You are right. A new manager would want some serious money but that’s why you build a huge stadium and pay massive wages surely. To establish a very strong squad and win titles at home and abroad.
    In my personal opinion I still say that this is our year to push hard for the PL. if we drop short by a couple of points due to Man City being better, then so be it. But if we are decimated by injuries, especially in key positions where we have no cover? That’s a different story. We’ve had a first hand glance at what’s waiting in the wings now and it’s enough to freak anyone out.

  133. rico says:

    Adam, I get all of that and that’s what we were fed when making the move but sadly, the money hasn’t been invested enough in matching the grand stadium with players. But then we’ve been there so many times haven’t we…

    I though that name would wake you up… 😉

  135. Lee says:

    Maybe the mandate is to stockpile a load of cash (not by Kev’s standard but…) just in time for the new manager….

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