Morning all.
Another lunchtime kick off, another really awful performance at the Old Toilet.
But I’m not sure what shocked me most, Mourinho sending his players out to actually try and play football, or Oliver Girouds stunning header late in the game. Oh, or the superb cross from our new right-back, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Nice!
It wasn’t a great performance from the boys and as much as they huffed and puffed all match, one man looked on and let it all continue. Utd clearly thought Carl Jenkinson was our weakness as they targeted our right hand-side early on but in the main, they got little joy so well done to the Englishman. Over on the other flank though, it was not quite so easy for Nacho Monreal who was getting roasted time and time again by Valencia. To be fair to him, he didn’t get a lot of protection from anyone ahead of him and Arsene Wenger was happy to sit and let it continue. Meanwhile, Kieran Gibbs was sat on the bench, a player who when Arsene tries to shut up shop, comes on to secure our left side.
Utd went 1-0 from yet another attack down our left side. Theo Walcott said after the game that Mata was his man to mark, he let him get away which proved costly and as said yesterday, I bet he doesn’t do that again.
Eventually, but too late imo, Arsene made changes, not the ones I expected but they paid off. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain breezed past Rashford, fired in an excellent cross and Ollie timed his run to perfection. A super header from our big French striker. With just minutes left in the game, we held on for what really should be considered as a good point.
There was a time we’d have lost a game like that yesterday and as much as we lacked ideas going forward, defensively we weren’t so bad, apart from our left side. Mustafi had a very good game imo, as did Koscielny, especially in the second half. Cech made a couple of great saves too.
Of course we’d have all liked to have seen a much better performance and a victory but to snatch a draw in a game we perhaps didn’t deserve too, shows this group of players aren’t prepared to accept defeat. And how cheesed off will Mourinho be as yet again, he failed to win at home. That alone gives me great pleasure.
At worst, we are likely to be three points of the leaders if Chelsea win their match in hand which all in all, isn’t so bad, especially as it’s November but Arsene Wenger needs to do a lot more from his comfy seat in the dugout. He has to react when certain areas are being exploited by the opposition and Utd’s goal could have been prevented had he done so yesterday. Nearly 70 minutes were on the clock when they scored and soon after, he did make changes and as he said after the game, they made a big difference.
The players who came on made a massive difference today. When you are 1-0 down and come back to 1-1 of course you have to feel happy.
The mind boggling question for me though is why on earth didn’t he make the changes earlier?
I’ve not mentioned the penalty shout, nor the sending off which didn’t happen but should have. I’ll leave that for the comments section…
Finally, according to The Mirror, Santi Cazorla has travelled to Spain to see Barcelona-based Dr Ramon Cugat as he looks for a cure of his Achilles tendon problems.
Dr Cugat is well respected by Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola as whilst in charge of Barcelona, Guardiola was impressed with the success rate of Cugat when treating his players.
I thought we had the medical genius……
Rico. The ball is firmly in Arsene’s court right now and I think that his future is being decided in his head at the same time. Can he muster the right words, tactics and attitude to bring success to this season?
I’m not sure he can Adam but unless we finish outside the top four, I still believe he’ll stay on for a couple more years…
Possibly, but the pressure will ramp up unless things improve and we have seen how negative that can get.
always the same: only reactive, not the perfect and adequate team for the game (in my opinion), a tactic with many defensive requirements but with players who do not defend and do not like, which requires an overload of effort for others, lucky and without a central forward. If Giroud, Perez, Aikcom and Wellbeck are fit, we don’t play with a central forward?
Very true Adam, it won’t take long either…
Agree Jm re a certain few who don’t defend very well…
Another problem yesterday was Alexis dropping far too deep to get the ball…
Morning All
Morning Rico, a very good post…
Morning Mr Adam.
Looking at our fixtures between now and New Year’s Day, the match at Man City on 18th Dec is the only game that I can see, where we could lose and not be too surprised…
As far as the rest are concerned and not taking anything for granted of course, with games at West Ham and Koemans Everton, this current Arsenal squad should really win all these games and definitely remain unbeaten.
Where that would leave us at close of play on January 1st is anyone’s guess…
Morning Kev, thanks..
We’ll need to up our game to get anything at West Ham and Everton imo…
I wonder if AW will be signing anyone in January…
Morning All
Pos/Neg debate again
Passionate Gooner
We play crap and win..Great
We play super and win..Great
We play crap and draw..Rubbish
We play crap and lose..Rubbish
Donkeys years ago 1point for a draw was good
But now..It’s 2 points dropped.
So if you are happy with a draw..Good luck to you
Because over the last 10/11 years our Arsene
see’s a last minute draw as a result.
He sit’s waiting for the first Hour to go by
then semi wakes up..
Steve whats the score……Are we winning..
Morning rico. Signings?, we will have many ‘new signings’. Merts, Perez, Welbeck ……….
Fred, I’m happy with the draw this morning but only because who dreadful we were but before the game, I really thought we should be going there and coming back with all three points.
I seriously worry about the lack of motivation in the camp, the lack of ideas too… As for the manager, well he’s so redundant all too often…
Morning Andrew. The one area I hope he’s thinking of is in midfield as without Santi, we really struggle and if he remains injured for a long period of time, we’ll continue to struggle. imo of course..
But yes, all those out now will be ‘new signings’ when they return..
Good morning !
With age we all know that things slow and if one expects this manager to chanfe is just a wishfull thinking.Monreal was roasted not for the first time this season by powerfull runners but three times.
As any decent manager would anticipate that and do something about it way before the game started.Is long long time that i dont rate Wenger.I am not afraid to see ANY manager.Out out wenger.
OZIL
If i had a nice robust peasant stick and had i been near to him when he was floored.I would have give one of those he will not forget for his entire life.
They are shoving and challenging you moron stand up and fight grrrrrrrrrrrr ….what is this sitting thing and not reacting like man let alone a warrior.
For every measured pass/assist or goal that fill me with joy is gone in that second.
RAMSEY
Arsene pet that is all.This guy has nothing to offer as a footballer .Technichian ? No.Presence ? No
What he does except bursting his lung ?
I am still boiling with anger because we make this Manure that is been battered by Watford some kind of Barcelona.
With this man in charge nothing changes and i think it is going beyond joke for many of us.
Rico
We got a point..We had that before the game started.
The manc’s had a weak back four.
That’s when you attack a team.that moment has gone
Arsene looked smug when asked about snatching a draw.
When he catch phrased “I did not see it”..
I thought he was Joking.
Fred, they did last season too as we said the other day but for some stupid reason, Arsene always plays into their hands. Like I said, I’m glad we got the point but the football we are playing is seriously average at best,
Wenger said he picked his starting eleven as he did because he went for experience and players who would stand up and fight, or something like that, but there was little/no fight in far too many of them during the match…
Alex, who would you like to see takeover from Arsene?
I have no many names but do prefer someone young like the Bournemouth one.
One who is eager to prove and willing to give his all.
Definetly not Henry….good player but cant see him as manager .Good pundit though.
Tempted with Viera in a way but looking aback his likes Roy Keane ……hmmmm not sure.Strong personality yes but that is not all.
By the way the vice of Wenger what is he like ..look like Emontionless body guard from outside.
Me thinks
Rico
Do you want Wenger to stay beyond this season ?
Who would you like to be replaced with ?
Thanks
To be fair rico
I have a go at Arsene about his nous
for the game..He could be right on team selection.
But the smug smile..As if to say
Ain’t I clever
I brought on Ox and Quiff and nicked a point
right at the end.
When all along we could all see we had no bit
up top’s..
Is to me a little After the Lord Mayor’s show.
Alex, no I don’t. I hope he retires after winning something at the end of the season…
I’ve little idea re who to replace him as all the proven good managers are settled at their respected clubs…
I didn’t think there was much wrong with the side he picked either Fred, but it didn’t work and it’s his inability to change things during a game which really irks me…
Ramsey, who was having a stinker, should imo have been the first one off and early in the second half, if not before…
Probably to extend his moribond life may be lucky to win FA or something but not any major….time has proved it is him.
For me he has to go …simple as that
Rico/Fred, I also didn’t think there was much wrong with the starting XI, they needed to be more aggressive from the off, and that’s up to Wenger to send them out motivated…
Of course, in the past we’ve had the players wound up and ended up getting a red card, so you can’t really win can you?
We still seem to be on the receiving end of more physicality than other clubs, without any protection from the referees.
You could argue that ManUre should have been down to 10 men early in the game, but that’s a slice of luck we rarely enjoy…
He probably won’t though Alex..
Kev, you’d think between Bould and Wenger, they could get them better motivated.
Agree re the ten men and their physicality which I don’t mind really but when we do the same, we usually get punished at the first opportunity…
This positive/negative debate will run and run and run I guess…
Funny thing is, probably the most enjoyable cup final I’ve been to was 2005…
Arsenal for 120+ minutes were simply awful, I don’t think we had a meaningful effort on goal, with Bergkamp up front and Van Persia in the hole. Vieira played, we had a decent team out, but we were pants on the day.
Reyes got sent off, ManUre hit the woodwork 3 or 4 times.
Lehman was our star man, he had a great game, saving everything…
We stumbled into a penalty shoot-out and beat the bastards…
It was fcuking brilliant.
Easily the best trip back from Cardiff for me…
I’d been to Wembley/Cardiff before that, seen Arsenal outplay Luton, Liverpool, Tottenham, Swindon, West Ham and lose…
I know what I prefer…
That really was a great day, wish I’d been there. Giggs missed an open goal didn’t he…
That’s it Rico, it’s happened to us many times at OT, Stamford Bridge, Anfield, where you can get caught up in the atmosphere and lose a player…
There is no shortage of negativity around but Wenger will make his own decision.
Yeah Rico, it was a scream…
I’d seen Arsenal lose to both Valencia and Galatasaray in penalty shoot outs, so I buggered off to the concourse and listened to the cheering. The people on the refreshment stalls must have thought I was a lunatic as I went through every emotion possible then sprinted off back to my seat to join in the bedlam after Patrick scored the winner…
What a party… ?
Exactly Kev…
I’m just chatting to my friend in Barca online. Even she says Wenger must go… 🙂
He certainly will Adam, regardless of what the fans want. I’m pretty sure if Kroenke/the board have offered him a new deal, he’ll take it…
🙂 Kev, that’s funny. Scholes missing his penalty was nearly as good as Paddy sealing the victory… He was one player I really couldn’t stand….
He might have already signed it, maybe that’s what Ozil & co are waiting for?
Rico, the game was terrible, but it was a fabulous day, that’s how contradictory football can be…
I reckon it might be too. Mind you, if he stays, will they? 😉
Awful game Kev, we were awful….
Kev
On the red card man up stuff
Coaching men to get tight is easy
if you look at the passionate coaches
bombing up and down the touch line
screaming at the players to “close the gap
and compete”
Why has it got to be a red.
I thought that Arsenal just weren’t up for the game and as a result didn’t win any loose balls. Then I watched Liverpool play and thought their 100 miles an hour pressing game would swamp Southampton and when they didn’t I understood what Wenger said about being a manager and that was basically whatever you do it’s up to the players on the day on the field. Whichever players you have, however they are motivated, however many leaders there are on the team some days it just doesn’t happen.
Btw did anyone see JM post game confrence. the guy is so classless. Afterwards he’s walking away yelling, ” it feels like a lost. I guess u gave finally lost to Arsenal. I am going home knowing I lost to Arsene today”.
Scott, of course it’s not always doom and gloom. At least we got a point. Imho this is the best team we have assembled in 10 yrs. And to watch managerial decision bottled it up is upstting.
Rico. I said that the site would get busier after a few indifferent performances. 🙂
With Arsenal you are only ever a game or two from a crisis.
Dick, but it happens so often at Arsenal, if we knew it was just a blip every once in a while, then fine, but it’s not…
Obi, I saw it, he was classless indeed. How many times did he say how fantastic his team were….
Yes Adam, you did. Sad though isn’t it. When things were looking good, and I don’t think all is that bad yet, we don’t seem to want to continually praise the manager and players anywhere near as much as we like to moan about them every day when we are poor…
True, but I know people who never stopped moaning right through the unbeaten season too. The whole thing with Wenger has an almost unique momentum of its own probably because of the length of his time at the club.
Seriously? Back then I never ever believed we would lose a game. I may have had a moan about Cygan though.. 😉
If he was still winning things every now and again, it wouldn’t quite so bad him staying for so long, but unlike with Fergie over his long reign, he hasn’t…
Fred, if Walcott and even Elneny had made a bit more of an effort, they could have closed down Mata and prevented the goal.
But who knows what goes on between the ears of a modern day footballer?
Even Mourinho hasn’t all the answers, that’s why he isn’t the Chelsea manager anymore…
Still, next season Lionel Messi will be earning £500,000 per week at Man City.
Isn’t it exciting…? ?
Have you seen that advert with the cat
and the bell round hit’s neck
That what I think Arsene should put around
Walnuts neck.
Pascal Cygan? Yeah, he was always good for a moan. 🙂
Kev we had 1 go at goal….
I`m still mystified why we are struggling…..yes, we may not be losing but one point draws are closer to losing than winning three points !……………..our team and bench were very strong yesterday, yet we play shit !………….Boro one point and shit…………..Spuds one point and shit…………….Manshafter one point and shit………..where has that 1st half Chav performance disappeared to ?
Adam That’s one thing you
don’t have in spain..Moaning
You just wave a white Hanky.
So civilised
Is the struggle all down to not having Santi available….?
Hi Fred. In Spain I believe they are more merciless. I blame Franco. 🙂
Rico. Is Jack on a season-long loan do you know?
Is it wrong to think Boro have two players who could improve Arsenal…. lol
Yes, I believe so Adam.
Chambers up against Costa will be interesting to watch.
I see that we are rumoured to be interested in Reus £30M if Alexis doesn`t get his £200K per week !…………….This may sound silly, but why dont we give Alexis what he wants and buy Reus as well !……………….you see Guys and Girl, this is what you would get with me as manager…………..spending all the money on the quality players you dream of !
Wenger Out !
Me In !
I do it for nothing as well, as long as I get to bed Sagna`s missus !……………….he still plays for us doesn`t he ?………..who cares if he doesn`t……….. I`ll buy Mrs Sagna and share her with you lot after I`ve finished with her…………and you probably wont have long to wait ! hahaha
Reus, no chance imo….
I’m off guys, night all..
Night Rico
We are struggling because we haven’t got anyone that can do what Santi does, when he’s injured.
He gets us moving forward.
Which other midfielder does?
Whether Wenger stays or goes, we need to find a replacement as Santi isn’t 22.
Any neutral observer would surely laugh at the negativity of Arsenal fans, seeing as though we’ve lost one game this season, and are sitting near the top of the table.
It’s ok to have high expectations, we should have them, but IMO, plenty aren’t realistic or even fair minded due to their opinion that Wenger must go.
He’s at the helm, whether we like it or not and yes, I believe his lack of action at and just after half time cost us yesterday.
Losing one game isn`t that great a fact………….. spuds haven`t lost a game and are below us…………Chavs have lost two and sit top !……………………To many draws !…………….it`s a fact you could go the whole season unbeaten and get relegated !………38 games drawn and you go down !…………..winning is what counts not being unbeaten.
We need to get back on track and beat Bournemouth in the next important game………fcuk the CL one, we`ve already qualified and can do with out unprovoked injury opportunities it brings……..EPL is what counts !
Bournemouth is a MWG and they should be annilhilated,……………..alright, a 1-0 will do, but anything less will not be accepted, we cant afford to drop points against the lesser teams and this is what is happening, it`s all to Arsenal like, bring back the Chav performance wherever you are !.
Le Coq M…….I’ll join you with Mrs Sagna. 😉
Kev
Ditto A132 A 127
Only thing good about them they take you away from Basildon Canvy and Soufend
LC, points when playing badly are a bonus, and it is points that decides the title.
We hear it all the time-it’s the games that are not lost that often win the League.
I’ll add this-I’m prepared to wager if we don’t lose another game, we will win the League.
Are you game 🙂 /)
That’s it Rick…
Basildon is good for its shops.
Southend is good for its fish n chips.
Canvey is good for something, I just ain’t worked it out yet…
Hahaha Scott………………………………..I`ve already got a wager with a Spud customer that they wont get top 4 if they go the season unbeaten !
Funniest thing would be to see them draw all their remaining games and get relegated……………the deranged deluded retards would still make a DVD about their unbeaten season !………….The Alternative Invincibles. 🙂
Scott @6:41 re your point about Santi. I think AW should try Zalelem, granted he’s not fully ready yet, but he had his moments at Rangers last year. He has the Santi like skills that we lack. AW can also go for Gomez at Atalanta or Raffael at Gladbach because as u said Santi is not 22, and even with JW back we would still be lacking.
Every time I see Zelalem I can’t help feeling that he is too fragile. Where Cazorla has a low centre of gravity Zelalem is pushed off of the ball too easily, Santi can twist and turn and with his quick feet is a different proposition altogether. Trouble is that players that have an eye for going forward quickly like Santi and Rosicky don’t grow on trees and are extremely hard to find.
Morning Rico and all. Was disappointed over the performance but I’ll take the result. We converted a loss into a draw, that is the arsenal we’ve all been yearning for. Let’s just stop this drawing streak.
Can’t help but feel sorry for Giroud. His body language after scoring showed it all. Wenger really need to get his tactics right. It seems United players knows what it means to play Arsenal…and we don’t. Again Theo talks too much
Our left side is clearly our major weak link. We’ve been conceding goals from that side. As usual Wenger won’t drop Monreal cause he doesn’t want to damage his ‘mental’ strength. Ramsey is no winger and will never be. He looks lost and lack of ideas. Think it’s time for Gibbs to play. Or play Gibbs as a winger and Monreal behind him in games where we are facing pacy wingers….but Wenger doesn’t do tacts though.
Totally agree re our left side Marshall.
Morning to you and all…
Morning Rico and all. Seems like we are in for a period of Wenger abuse unless the team, on the field, can turn things around.
Morning Adam. It’ll all be ok after we beat Psg and top the group… 😉
Rico. I wonder. 🙂
What, if we’ll beat them Adam? 😉
Rico. That and the club’s future. 🙂
I do worry about the latter Adam.
Who could blame you? Whatever happens, Arsene can only be the short-term future.
One would like to think so Adam…
Annoyingly though, many alternative managerial options have now slipped away from the club…
True. But there are a few Germans who might fit the bill if he decides to call it a day.
That’s the big ‘If’…. 😉
It’s a matter of the big When?
As you know, I hope it’s the end of May 2017.
In the meantime, I hope Ivan and his motley crew are finding someone else…
New post up now.