I still feel pretty naffed off after the lacklustre display our team put out in the semi-final of the Carling Cup. No doubt the ‘real’ Arsenal fans feel the same.
Arsene Wenger has blamed fatigue for our loss, which is outrageous bearing in mind how many of those who played had been rested but at least he also recognised that we were well off the pace too:
Ipswich were sharper than us and we made a defensive mistake which they took advantage of. We were certainly not sharp enough to win the game tonight and the good thing is we play at home in the second leg and that we can make a difference.
I still feel confident, of course, and we will not always be as lacking creativity as we were tonight. We had a lot of the ball but didn’t create many chances. Ipswich defended well and we were caught on the counter-attack, which they looked for.
But Cesc, these are his comments which I think are way off the mark:
I don’t know it if it is long ball or it is a rugby kick, but it worked for them. In England, a lot of teams play like that and it works for them, they create chances like that and it is their football. We just have to put the ball on the floor and try to play football, that is what we do.
I can only remember two opportunities for them, but it was from a long, long ball because playing football they could not really get behind us or attack us. It is a bit disappointing because I think we were the much better team.
Credit to them because they played well but Arsenal made the football, the other team refused to play football, they were lucky to score with a long ball.But it was one of those nights and now we have to make it at the Emirates in two weeks. It is a 1-0, and of course we did not want to lose, but it is not a 3-0 or 4-0 so we are confident at home we can make it back. It is not the same to play at Stamford Bridge as it is to come here.
Here they play in front of their fans, they are more motivated, the pitch is not as good as Stamford Bridge, so they play their game. They know how to do it and did it very well, so credit to them. Now we will see how they cope at the Emirates against us. We are confident we can do it there.
The Premier League is the priority for us, it will be a difficult game because West Ham always play well against us, so we will have to be at our best.
Sour Grapes??
Cesc needs to realise, this is the Carling Cup, every side wants to win a trophy and that includes us. Why makes excuses, anyone could see that Cesc and the rest were not in the right frame of mind, they lost the game, it had nothing to do with the tactics of the opposition. Ipswich are having a rotten season in the league and this cup gives them hope and I don’t recall anything in the game that resembled ‘Rugby like’, I don’t recall them really playing the ‘long ball’ too often either. So what if they did!
What Ipswich did was play football with desire and passion and the drive to win and win they did. They wanted that result and they deserved it, we didn’t and we got what we deserved.
To read/hear that from our Captain is wrong, so very very wrong. He’s just burying his head in the sand!
We were just shocking and that had nothing to do with the opposition!
Have a good day all…..
Morning all, new post up
Will, and Denislon…..
Night…
Guys, I am done for the day
Catch you all tommorrow….
Thanks for another good day…
Nighty all…
maybe Thierry can take Nik B back with him.
Well for the short time he’s training with us, let’s hope some of his attitude rubs off on AA etc….. Maybe bendtner can give a couple tips to take back to the US, hehe!
You are right Colin we do, his attitude more than anything.
Consider them forgotten.
Just looked at the pictures of Thierry training on A.F.C.com……how we miss him!!!!!!!
Colin, neither can i, get this club back on track… hopefully….
Will, just let them be as they are, don’t waste you energy worrying about them…. lets keep it arsenal….
Roll on tomorrow can,t wait for the game
I just think it is funny that even when they try to follow us, they can’t do it right.
colin, i take that as a massive compliment, thank you…
HH isn’t bad, for a girl 😉
No more Tiny Totts talk, please Will 😉
Anyone think of any names for them?
Tottenham could be forced to change the club’s name should they make the move to the Olympic Stadium in Stratford, east London. Local MP David Lammy is seeking legal advice over whether retaining the name while moving out of the borough would represent a breach of intellectual property rights.
Full story: the Guardian
tbh honest there’s alot of sh1t sites on newsnow…2 i always read are this one and his one, some of the negative stuff on other sites written by kids really p1sses me off!!
colin – wrighty’s site is really good – and he’s a top guy on the blogs – tells it as he feels….
Yeah Wright7 funny as anything…
Ah, i think AA did one aswell afterwards….
Wrighty7 – good guy 🙂
colin
wrighty by any chance??? love that bloke
I was reading a spoof article the other day, Messi on his way to the Arsenal…in our strip and Arsenal being in his DNA…..nice to give them some of their own medicine!!!!
Was reading the other day a spoof article about Messi coming to The Arsenal, in his DNA an all that…..funny to give them some of their own medicine!!! Haha
good point, well made jj 😉
oh yes rico
arent most rumours 😉
He’s only played three games – that tells me that rumour is b***x….
Traore must be doing pretty well for them to want to buy him??
I don’t want him too right now jj, i do however want him to retire from the dutch team….
hes at juve on loan, will..
I didn’t think Traore was still with us.
rvp wont leave arsenal
hes here for life hes one of those players..
But, RVP going to Real, Inter or Barca? Never, in a month of Sundays….
I’d take the AA and Traore deal for Melo jj but aren’t juve still broke?
i read a juventus one the other day that juve were going to offer us cash plus melo for both AA and traore
but juve do still owe us money on paddy..
jj, no more french, please – unless its benzema 😉
I hope this makes you all laugh, it did me and i don’t know why i read it really, it’s tosh… This is from one of those ‘rumour sites’, you know, my mate knows the cleaners cleaner…
Arsenal Rumours
There are a couple of big deals waiting to be finalised.
I met a member of the coaching staff and he reckoned that Gael Clichy was as good as gone, with Juventus he’s likely destination, we in turn are after Chellini & Giovinci. As Juve STILL owe us money for Vieira, a swap and cash adjustment could be on the cards.
Another big bid for Pepe Riena is also expected to be accepted this time around.
There was no mention of Hazard, Benzema, Cahill or any of the others on peoples wish lists/in the media.
The other big deal/s involves RVP going to Real, Inter or Barca. Once that is sorted, Arsene’s will go for a player currently playing at one of the big 2 in Spain, who has lost his way a bit. You have to take this on faith, it would a signing of Bergkamp/Henry – esq stature.
theres a couple of good up and coming players in the french league right now who i would love for wenger to work his french connection..
one is mousso sissoko and the other is yann mvilla
both technical and both physical defensive minded mids
as far as im aware m’villa is gaining the rep of a ‘tacle assissin’
dont think we need to speak french to figure our what that means 😉
What does Wenger see in these players that we don’t?
Ah, he’s from Lyon, Gerrard Houllier’s old club, that makes sense…
Will, i preferred the ‘kiss’ version 😉
I don’t know much about to be honest, DM isnt he? Surely he better than Denilson, in fact I think I am and I retired 15 years ago 😉
At least my passes found a team mate…..
Kill not kiss.
ive always been unsure about makoun
Half full glass sat night!!
Yes he was but his ability would kiss Denilson’s and Wenger wouldn’t do that.
Jean Makoun is signing for Villa, wasn’t he linked with us once?
Will, it would just what the doctor ordered but…
i think we could see Miquel make his debut tomorrow…
1-0 would do me too tomorrow, i don’t even care if Chesney scores it from a goal kick either – mind you he won’t he can’t kick straight… yet 😉
Wouldn’t a confident clean sheet be amazing?
here here jj, i’m sick of wasting typing energy of a crap side who will never reach the heights of us…..
i say smash but in actuall fact il be happy with a one nil 😉
3 points is three points
I have been thinking that Colin, just those three games.
if we smash west ham tomorrow its all back on..
weve gone through a blip but its a blip that hasnt done any real damage..
we are still in all the comps lets hope tomorrow we bounce back and show the blip is over..
its all about tomorrow
9 points dropped against Newcastle Albion and the filth… we’d be sitting pretty!!
pomme de terres pomme de terres pomme de terres 😉
yeah lets knock the spurs talk off now who gives a shit about them anyway…forever living in the shadow forever arsenal.. no matter how fucking annoying we can be sometimes.. 😉
Now is the time for Wenger to be strong, get in the players we ALL know we need and them dominate when the new financial rules come into play.
I think i am going to put all words associated with the TT’s into spam 😆
We’ve heard enough about them…….
Hi SD, i get the point 😉
lol we cant help what spurs do to. we can only concentrate on us and so far so good in the league..
thats like utd fans saying that citeh should have never been allowed to get that close 😉
Yeah big win!!
I agree JJ but it should never of been allowed to get this close.
Big away win tomorrow then 🙂
will
ifs and buts mate
the fact is they are not above us nor are they level they are 4 points behind
a couple of dodgy performances in the domestics doesnt mean spurs are catching us up in the league
A couple of things.
JJ, It matters nothing for the last 14 years mate, it is all about bragging rights and if they finish above us, do you think their fans will give a damn about 2003?
Ian, good post, just a small bone of contention. Sticking 9 men behind the ball is not great defending. It annoyed me when I heard Man City being praised for their defending. I am sorry, great defending is intercepting a pass on the half way line and it one second starting at attack. Great defending is a tackle that is also a pass, great defending is not putting 9 players in the box and kicking it away.
Also, surely by definition, a 20 yard lob into space over the defence is a long ball?
P.M.A…get with the programme!!Too much negativity…couple of shit performances, which we can put right!!
who is this Colin person, i am liking you positivity right now because it is brightening my Friday .
YES RICO WE CAN WIN ALL!!!!!! 🙂
I don’t believe a word Wenger speaks….
things will remain the same…as long as the accountant is in charge, we want the manager back!
Just read, wenger has said, he is not nearing any signings at the moment, and players wages is not their fault, who pays the players wages.
ive had a bit of a love hate relationship with nikki
when he first came on the scene i thought he was shit
then he started to work his sox off and i thought not bad for a back up striker its worth keeping hold of him
but now hes back to the nikki of old, without achieving anything..and its not good enough
jj, if him arriving means just that, then go get him…
i have never rated Nik and never will….
You in a coma Col
i was frustrated when i heard the news we were after chamberlain..why are we after another young striker??
but after thinking about it it might be the end for nikki ‘il just walk aroung the pitch chewing my gum being shit’ bendtner
so maybe its not a bad thing
Steve, was just wishful thinking….i think we’ll win at the hammers on sat and i think we’ll win the cc and also i’ve got a strange feeling we’ll knock barca out of c.l….
you won’t be alone jj… anyway, enough of this tiny totts talk……
i don’t for sure Colin but he lives just outside Bournemouth, i’m quietly confident that he’ll manage England though….
spurs work has just begun if they finish outside top 4 vdv bale and modric will be open to the vultures cos players like that want to be in cl every year
their blip is just around the corner..
they are on the crest of a wave nothing more..
the media are only kissing their arse at the minute because they want arry in charge of england..
it will be over for them before they know it and i will piss myself when it happens
Colin, we have to try and stay positive, i know things look grim, but they cannot play as bad as that, again can they
you know that Rico…hopefully spuds will be left in a sh1t financial state like all his other clubs!!!
the two town supporters seem to think we’ll turn them over easily at our place…i’m not so convinced!!
Ian, if your still about, i would also like to offer congrats, your team done you proud mate, although they didn’t have a lot to beat on the night.
Then after England he’ll finish his managerial career at bournemouth, his home…..
cahill melo suarez please
Hi Ian, good to see you here thanks for your comment and good luck to your team too, apart from our second leg of course 😉
harry will be offered the england drop the spuds like a hot potato….
afternoon all…
i’m with jj, arry will leave them in deep depths of doo when he accepts the england job…
im just hoping these last few weeks have been our ‘slump’
im preying our slump is over and we are still in all 4 comps
the game tomoz is a biggy if we can spank the bubble blowers things wont be as bad as they first seemed..we will be back in the saddle after a little slip up
JJ,
wouldn’t argue with you there.
if we dont own it who does??
yeah wengers a bit of a minimal risk kinda guy
sometimes i wish he’d give his head a shake and sign a player or two that will ruffle a few feathers in the squad cos the comfort zone of some of them is unblelievable
a few more risks please monsieur wenger, a few more top quality players..
Hi..another Town fan here…as per Alex,s post…I must admit surprised by Cesc,s comment,s as a whole..Town took advantage of the way you play really…we had a little terrier against Arshavin , and put young Wickham against Walcott where his size and pace gave him the edge..Does Cesc really think a team of town standing is going to keep it on the deck for 90 min and play nice football..of course not you would have killed us..we defended well and used the break to attack your defence that was so high..the goal came from a (maybe) 20 yard lob over the defence not a random long ball. As most of you state sometimes you just “play” to much with little effect..I am sure you will turn us over at your place..but for town fans we just wanted a performance and not to get a tanking as we have been so poor of late..but we played well and got what i think was a deserved win..And just to add here..I love watching your team over any other (besides town) good crowds , watchable football , and a team in the top 12 in Europe..hope you beat Man U / Chelski to the title..just not the cup against us..
JJ,
I understand what your saying, that wasn’t the point, we don’t own our own stadium yet, but we are in a time warp, and until we pull our finger out of our arse, we will stay in it
arry is proven to be a short term success manager
he doesnt build teams he buys them for silly money with silly wages and gels them all together but he leaves them in the shit when his work is done…
spurs have a sudar daddy
lewis has spent over 500mil on players and wages in the last few years. ud sort of expect them to be up there but that doesnt mean they will stay there
history tells us when arry leaves the club practically goes under and get relegated so watch this space..
hes next england manager
2012
then what for spurs??
steve
i know we are all upset but spurs need to finish in in top 4 and play in CL for 14 years on the trot before they catch us up
and if they move to the olympic stadium then thats more fool them becuase they WILL NOT OWN that ground..they will have to split the gate reciepts
spurs have finished in the top 4 once…ONCE…
once
i cant remember the last time the won a league title
for all spurs good work this season and last they are no where near catching us up. never mind over taken us
szczesny is comfirmed to start tomorrow afternoon at upton park.
Mark my words Tottenham, will do United, and will pass us by. The worst scenario is that they will go on and be successful, and end up with a new 60.000 capacity stadium at the expense of West Ham, all because Wenger’s inability to change. i for one couldn’t handle that, could you?
The way to make any board of directors listen, is to take action, if supporters feel strongly enough,it is important to hit the public eye, the way to do that is an empty stadium, can you believe the response that would create, not just in the premier league but right across the world. Supporters have you had enough of the management plans, that Wenger and his silent side kick, for not pushing Arsenal to where we know they belong, the only way is for united support, and show that supporters are how the club got to be one of the best clubs in England. We were in the top league when he came so nothing he has done will be changed, we need a change now, and now is the time, if he wont change, he will have to be pushed.
Off for a bit, catch up later this afternoon….
I’d settle for that Will but would he listen??
A second is charge who will stand up to Wenger and his vision.
Someone that will say “Actually Arsene, player A, B and C are not of Arsenal standard and we need to buy that standard”.
an adjustment to our club’s strategic vision…
And a new assistant manager, Steve Bould….
or Martin Keown….
A new manager…. 😉
Do you know who Arsenal need the most?
ok oliver, more silly…
i am staying positive that we will see one CH in before the end of the window, I am not positive about him being a great player though…
Upson or a cheap Mexes kind of signing although I’d settle for Samba right now..
There is a report suggesting Wenger wants the Ajax pair in the summer…..
rico….”make himself look rather silly…”
he’s never done that before, has he??
we’ll see sagna or song line up at least once at cb before this season is done…watch…
I hope not too Will, but…
oliver, i honestly expect him to buy this time, he’s said all along that this season JD has to be treated with kid gloves so he cannot play every game – if he doesn’t buy then he will make himself look rather silly….
You just know that. There will be no signing, TV will break down for the season and JD will get a 4 week injury and we will go from a challenging team to Liverpool in a month.
did we expect anything different? nobody is coming in this window. he will say that we couldn’t find the “right fit” and besides, we are happy with our internal solutions. and then we will see djourou go down with an injury…
I hope not, Upson is a squad player at best.
re the ‘no closer’ to a defender..
does that suggest, he can’t say now because we play west ham, after the game we will announce we have signed Upson….
Fabregas is the only one who speaks out at the team. Not even wenger does.
From afc.com
Fabianski out, Szczesny to start. Nasri, Van Persie back
Wenger says he’s no closer to signing a new defender
Hi oliver, my thoughts exactly, cesc has the finest teacher in how to bury heads and sweep bad performances under the carpet…..
Hi Alex, welcome and thanks for your comments…
I’d love Arsenal to have a player like Priskin in our side, he didn’t give up and took his goal well. His overhead was quality, thankfully well offside 😉
I am less confident than you about the second leg but I hope Jewell can sort your league position out but I do hope it goes wrong for him in the CC 🙂
Good luck…
Great Point Will. Im sure the likes of Vieira, Ljungberg etc were inspired by Keown, Adams and co. And given a bollicking when necessary. That was the foundation of our most successful era.
Who do we have now that will speak up and tell someone they are under performing!
Part of me wants them to so they can’t get our record but a lot of me wants a draw.
morning all, good discussion…the only thing i will say is that this is not cesc’s finest hour…arsene has been known for similar deflections of accountability, so i don’t think it too difficult to see where cesc may have learned this from…
Town fan in peace,
just to say thanks for this article, and it’s great to see an Gooner lose gracefully.
We know you’ll destroy us at the Emirates and it’s fine, but it’s been really disappointing some of the comments read trying to take away the one thing we’ve had to smile about for 5 years (aside from Norwich’s relegation to League 1)!
We created several chances, Priskin could have had a hat trick and his overhead kick was brilliant, and passed the ball around on the floor too. Our goal was from a long pass granted, but that doesn’t equate to us playing rugby for 90 minutes!
So it’s great to see a Gooner acknowledge that we played some good stuff! Look forward to the 2nd leg, I’m sure you’ll win and go on to win the final, but it’s awesome that at least our team has done us proud for now.
Good luck in the league too!
They wouldn’t read it, let alone respond….
Anyone believe that the Mancs will lose their first fixture this weekend….
We should right a letter to Arsenal.
I’ll second that Will and that’s what we have in abundance….
I have said that forever. Top class players don’t hinder youth, they inspire them. It is the mediocre who are constantly picked ahead of them who hinder the youth.
Alan, spot on re JET and Lansbury, they won’t wait for ever for their chance and if I were them I wouldn’t be happy watching rubbish like that blocking my path at the team I love…
Also, I would just like to say that even though I’ve given Denilson a lot of stick here, i think he would be a very good player in either Spain or Italy, where the tempo is slower and the game isn’t as physical.
I just dont think he has the presence or mobility to dominate midfield, which is a necessity to be a success in England.
Will, we have needed those three players for the last 3/4 seasons – I like Chamakh but Nikki is no better than a Championship player, Song is very very good but his back up, Denilson is not good enough… As for the CH, we needed one more before TV got injured, now we are in the poop if wenger doesn’t buy at least one this month….
Will,
I agree with you about the Spuds, they have a good defence and are capable of changing shape i would not be surprised at them going above us, and claiming our spot, they have a manager who will take chances and risks putting their finances in the shit, but he is a wheeler dealer, and has only one intention, our man has a different agenda but i scratch my head to know what it is
Spot on Will, look at Liverpool in the early 90’s and how it went downhill! I hope were not still here in 20 years going on about the Invincible era…. Scary thought that!!
There does seem to be a lot of dead wood at the club right now, but if you were being over paid for under performing….. why on earth would you look to leave??? Do we really think the reserves like Denilson/Eboue etc are banging on Wengers door looking for a ‘chance’ – HELL NO. They are quite happy to go along with the flow!
Wenger often cites buying a new player would ‘block’ or harm the development of the more junior players….. But surely playing the likes of Denilson and Bendtner is harming the progress of Lansbury and JET!!
I am not saying we need to do a City but imagine a top class CB/DM and Striker in the team.
Just looked out on my garden and noticed that the spring bulbs are pushing through, i think i’ll nip out for a couple of hours and weed out some of the weak, and buy a few to make a good show, i wonder if Wenger is listening.
I see your point Steve but there is a distinct lack of quality in the “rest” and the truth is, players are like sheep, they will go where the best players are. If we are not seen going for the best players, other top class players will not look at us and then teh slide really starts.
hey, who knows, they may even wake up for that one….
Right now i’d rather we wipe barca out of our season and concentrate on the domestic league and cups – wenger should field a second string against the spanish side, keeping the big boys fit to fight for realistic targets….
AS, good fighting statement that,
I’m with you on that.
I did Will, just pulling your leg,
I’d let AA go….
Will,
everybody’s opinion differs, but i like to think by the names you have put up, that they could all have their purpose in winning games for us, i believe that we have what Wenger never gets tired of saying, Quality in depth, but they need to be shown what their best Quality is, and nurtured in the right way. City and Chelsea have proved that by buying the best players out there is a way of building for the future, Chelsea have shown that buying older experienced players has a time limit, and they will have to spend the same amount for their next attack at the top, clever management will bring success, i only hope that one day it will be us with the cleverest leader
Easily done Rico, he’s been sorely missed this season.
Steve, i couldn’t agree with you more mate. Our problem is though that our ‘basics’ are heavily reliant on fast flowing one/two touch football with lots of movement. Its like a fine tuned machine…. when its works, its amazing, fluent and devastating, however if one or two parts aren’t functioning as they should then the whole thing breaks down.
Like you said Steve, if we have all the parts doing what they should be doing, then we are back on the right track! Lets just hope that starts again on Saturday!! With Nasri and Song back in the side, i think it will.
Again, harping back to my original point (or rant) about some players attitudes, we need players who WANT to wear the jersey, players who, when on the fringes will bust a gut to perform and show the boss that they should be in the first team…. DESIRE, COMMITMENT, BELIEF. These are essential if we are to a) get ourselves into the next stages of both domestic cup competitions, b) have a crack at winning the league instead of falling away by March (again) and c) put up a fight against Barca.
You get what I mean Rico
I agree on the young talent thing. We need to start winning again before we are also-rans and scrubbing around the basement.
Look at the Spuds, they have paid big money and moved up, if we had, they would not be anywhere near us.
young talent… he needs to be looking at old talent….
I’d say only Chesney was a ‘keeper’ out of those you list Will 😉
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/865368/arsenal-boss-arsene-wenger-rules-out-player-sales?&cc=5739
http://www.sport.co.uk/news/Football/49153/Wenger_stations_scout_in_hot-bed_for_European_talent.aspx?
Who would you say are keepers?
For me:
Chesney
Sagna
Gibbbs
TV
JD
Cesc
Nasri
Jack
Just below as squad players:
Walcott
Song
Arshavin
Chamakh
Van Persie.
Players who can leave for free:
The rest.
We go on about trophies we go on about success its not hard to win a game its not hard to win trophies, the art of winning is to put a better team out on the day, when i say that, i mean your best team, and if you lose, see where it all went wrong if you have a weakness then buy somebody that will cure that problem. We are one of the finest clubs ever to have pulled a shirt on we are financially better off than most, with what we have behind us we should be at the top in every department but were not and why because the two Jokers that keep two seats warm at the Emirates are not doing their jobs right the only solution is clear
I think there is more to the Cesc already signed report for Barca than some like to think…
Alan, i forgot TV 🙁
AS,
All good points, but the most important thing is to get back to basics, players have to defend their positions first, their positions are their responsibility not somebody Else’s, when they can do that effectively, they can branch out.
I can see Cesc leaving in the summer for that exact reason Alan.
Thats exactly it….I would add Vermalaen to that list of Sagna/Song/Jack. I remember his first game against Everton @ Goodison last year, we were 6-0 up in the last minute or so and he was throwing himself in front of everything. He gained a massive amount of respect in my book that day! Also, when Saha got a late consolation a few mins later you could tell he was absolutely gutted.
thats the type of player you need to win the league, the likes of Denilson/Eboue who just jog up and down the pitch, get muscled off the ball too easily, fall about the place and give away silly pens just can’t grasp that and should be sold off! That would take about 80 Grand off the pay-list for a quality CB or defensive MF!!
There is a culture problem at the club, it rewards medicority… not success…. and this needs to be addressed. carrying the afore mentioned Eboue and Denilson, along with Bendtner, Almunia (I could add Arshavin on recent form – but he has proven quality, so will leave him off the list for now – although he should be given a few weeks to get his head right) is just too much for the rest of the team to carry!
Cesc’s back (and spirit) has been broken by playing alongside these players, he doesn’t accept medicroty, HE WANTS TO WIN…. and that’s why he wants to, and will eventually, leave.
Year = yard.
Fair enough Rico.
Steve as I said, we need to move the ball quicker and have players making runs off the ball.
Watch the next time we play, every player drops off a year so they can pick the ball up at feet. How many diagonal balls do you see played behind the fullbacks?
😆 Steve, simples…
Football is a very easy game, very easy, its the people that make ir hard, the best tactic to use for a club like ours is simple, what ever the position that you play in, stay there, the reason for that is that there are others playing in differant positions. Four across the back, defenders not forward, name me the amount of goals these guys have scored, name me how many times they have assisted with a goal, so now we know where they should be, midfield, att and def, the defending midfield should support the defence and stay there the attacking midfield should support the forwards and stay there the forwards need lessons because they cant kick cant head and most cant run lose them, as i said an easy game.
Song is in the ‘die for the shirt’ list, not for getting in the 04 team Will…
Right now Song, Sagna and Jack, Nasri, JD are the toughies, Cesc when he feels like it 😉
Song over VieiraEduGilbertoCescJack?
I worry that it will be Upson we buy, he’s only 6′ 1″ – i really hoping for Samba now, Coyle has all but confirmed Cahill is going nowhere this month…
It goes downhill rapidly…..
We can’t defend high balls.
Spot the difference
Adams/Keown/Campbell
JD/Kos/Squil
I’d add Jack to Sagna and Song too….
Will, I’d add Sagna to that list and Jack
Steve, right now we don’t have the defence to sit back, and one goal is no longer enough, i know that will draw sides out but if they equalise then its start all over again….
look at the game against the TT’s
‘sometimes it seems you Arsenal fans care more about the game than the guys wearing the jersey’…..
You mate is spot on Alan, the likes of Rocky, Adams, Keown, Parlour, Merse etc etc would have put their body on the line for our club, how many of this current crop do that???
I watched Song, can’t remember which game is was now but i think he scored, the next minute he was back defending with any part of his body to stop anything going goal bound…..
Name another other than Sagna??
I have to agree with that. I know I bang on about these but how many of the current squad would have made the ’04 squad?
Chesney
Cesc
Van Persie
Walcott
Nasri
and maybe Arshavin.
rico,
everybody knows that we go for an early goal, get that and we can sit back and make the opposition come out and try and score, which gives us the opportunity to exploit, its not rocket science, but when we don’t score, we plough more men forward and leave the space at the back, i can see that,why cant the dabble brothers
I just get sick and tired of listening to excuse after excuse from players and wenger after we lose or draw, the facts are simple, we don’t have enough quality players in our side….
we have some but not enough….
clockend, i appreciate your view but why not just accept we lost because they exploited our weaknesses, if cecs cannot accept that, keep quiet…
i wish wenger could go look up the word tactics and try changing his to play the side we face on the day, maybe then we’d start winning more….
Spot on mate. i cringed when i read that. Why can’t they man-up and accept that they were well off the pace on Wednesday night and need to up their commitment levels considerably if they want to win a trophy this year.
There is far too much of a comfort-zone around these players, where success is achieved by finishing top-4 and playing beautiful football…. NOT GRINDING OUT RESULTS AND WINNING THINGS!!!!
I assumed the Leeds game was the wake up call we needed…. As a Man U supporting mate of mine said before, ‘sometimes it seems you Arsenal fans care more about the game than the guys wearing the jersey’…..
Steve, thats what i am saying, we play the same old same old play regardless of who we are up against…
Will,
I believe we can overturn this defeat i feel in my heart that we can win the Carling Cup, but until Wenger goes, or he finds a new way to play, the rest of the season will be a disappointment, A leopard doesn’t change his spots overnight and Wenger and His chair sitting mate are wasteing our time and our money, and our enthusiasm
Clcokend, it is more that it looks like sour grapes. Why say anything about their style of play?
Defending lesson number one: Don’t let the ball bounce.
The only team that annoyed me by parking the bus was Man City. That was disgusting and I expect better of a title chasing team but, saying that, Man Utd do it to us as well.
I can tell you what these players need to do and it really is simple.
A) Move the ball quicker
B) Get players making off the ball, forward runs into the box.
Watch the ’04 team, that is all the did.
I think the author needs to develop some critical faculties rather than being led by the latest Sky or Daily Fail led constructed story. What Fabregas said is factually correct. Essentially, kicking distance for position is a rugby tactic and Ipswich did it. Yes we should have dealt with it better but let’s not start slating our best player simply because he doesn’t fall in line with crass media led views of “English” football as being in any way skill or talent based. It isn’t and hasn’t been for quite some time. The fact is the media like to throw out this kind of stuff becasue they know it will be picked up on and amplified by the supine, malleable, not terribly bright mass of people who make up most football supporters and hey presto it becomes received opinion. You only need to look at the ridiculous media led attack on Walcott for admitting that he dived, strangely never picked up on when arch English divers like Gerrard and Rooney do it (with no admittance of guilt but plenty of supporting video evidence), and the subsequent focus on this in all forms of media over the last week or so to get the picture.
Rico,
They will play exactly the same way on the return leg, will we learn anything from Wednesdays abysmal performance,, or still keep knocking on that door.
Saturday will be a different game West Ham can play a bit of football, will our defenders defend or will they be out of position, my guess is we will win because the game will be more open, but will we concede, i think yes.
Will, i don’t think many do already…
Morning Steve
I don’t know why players/fans blame the opposition for ‘parking the bus’, ‘playing the long ball’ etc etc, for me that means they are setting a plan no to lose and sometimes that is all that counts for sides…
We are dodgy at the back and like Will said earlier, other sides know that and exploit it…
I think thats good management and good tactics, as we all know, we don’t seem to change ours, we just play the same old way regardless and thats why we lose….
Tactics, yes, thats Wengers role….
As I said yesterday (I think) If we don’t buy a couple of top class, ready made players now, there will be no future. The best players are concerned with winning and if we are not winning or even challenging, we will not attract top class players.
Morning rico, and all,
Lets face it we knew what kind of game Wednesday night was going to be, lets not kid ourselves. other teams and their managers know how to stop us playing. we always prefer to attack down the middle we don’t change, any moron that has watched us knows that, we get caught over and over with the long ball that is our weakness but does he change it no, Koshelney is maybe not the greatest defender in the world, but the help he gets certainly doesn’t help, over and over he was on his own, this guy given good disciplined defenders will turn out to be quality, he knows his position and stays there, for all you JD supporters, yes he got back and made a clearance he also nearly put it in his own net, but he had to chase back he was not in position, you may think i am ranting on but until the players play in their positions, and stay there, we will not improve, Eboue, took Theo’s space he kept coming inside because every body else is there, not allowing the only player that showed promise any room. Eboue is not a Sagna i don’t think he can even cover for him. Arsene is at fault, not the players, he did not have an idea how to change the squad to combat them, and thats worrying.
Lardybayor could be off to Real Madrid and if he does Benzema could be heading on loan to Aston Villa…. mme…
i agree, £5M on another one for the future… why aren’t we putting that with another £5M and getting a player to boost our side now not in 2015….
Rico, enuff with the kids, just a cycle developmt, injury, failure/sales
Fabianski may not be fit to play tomorrow… 50/50
i remember that game, Roberts i think it was towards the end 🙁
For those who believe in jinxes, a mate of mine stated that we are playing ipswich the same day (or day after) we lost out to wigan(another Paul Jewell side) in the FA cup some years back. wigan won 1-0 and lost 2-1 away but went thru on away goals. hope this aint de javu
looks like we are going after this Southampton kid after all and reports are we’ve done a deal….
where there’s a chance there’s hope didee
Alex, blaming others tactics which see them win, is that really good? I bit of honesty about our own performance would sit better surely….
Rico, like i said i cant beat my chest but there is a chance
Will, we made it very easy for them, i think it’s embarrassing when our players come out and go on about how we were the better side when we lose… we can retain all the possession we like but if we don’t score we don’t win…
If they can’t say something honest, why say anything….
Still don’t see what Cesc said that was embarrassing. He said the truth, and he gave them credit for it. What’s wrong with that?
“I can only remember two opportunities for them, but it was from a long, long ball because playing football they could not really get behind us or attacking. It is a bit disappointing because I think we were the much better team.’
Were we the better team??
Morning Will….
Misqouote Cesc was praising Ipswich. http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/fabregas-direct-style-worked-for-ipswich
The only started playing long ball once they realised our defenders didn’t know how to defend against it.
you reckon we will turn it around at the emirates didee?
You just cant beat your chest on this team anymore about throw away our best chance for a silverware
morning didee, you sound fed up with our performances too, i can understand the the odd off day but to play the way we did and then blame the oppo, well, i kind of smacks desperation…
not the best thing our captain has ever said…
Oh to be a gooner
Morning Rico, I am tired of bitching about the team nowadays i just watch the games because i cant watch any other team
morning….