Morning all.
When Arsene Wenger said that Crystal Palace probably needed a couple more points in order to avoid relegation, who’d have thought it would have been Arsenal to gift them one of them?
Yes, me too….
Yesterday’s performance summed up Arsenal’s season and not only this one as the steady decline has been apparent for a number of years now but it’s at it’s worst, right here, and right now and it’s not going to get better any time soon, not under Arsene Wenger.
If the Frenchman had it in him to change his approach, his style of football and his managerial ways, he’d have done so long before now but he hasn’t. He can’t. The thought of him staying on three more years after his current contract expires doesn’t really bear thinking about. He could go into the summer transfer window and spend loads of money on top players but the really sad thing is, I don’t think he knows what to do with them, not any more.
Look at the quality of players we already have. Alexis, Cech, Koscielny, Ozil, Coquelin, Elneny… the list goes on but they are not playing at all well together as a team. Where is the guidance, the motivation, the organisation, the inner belief? Gone, it’s all gone.
And until Arsene Wenger has gone, nothing will change…
Until Kroenke demands success, nothing will change either but right now, the Silent One might lose out on his big Champions League money and that would serve him right although he might tighten the purse strings even more with less revenue coming in. If he can’t see that Arsene Wenger isn’t the manager he once was, then he really shouldn’t be involved in football. He, the board, Wenger, all of them together as one are ruining the club we all love….
But the really sad thing about all of it is, we Arsenal fans have come to accept that most times on the pitch, dropping points is inevitable. It’s just the number we never really know until the final whistle blows…
Arsene Wenger:
After today I’m not in that kind of mood to dream about the Premier League title. I’m more in a mood to repair the mental damage and prepare for the next game. It is much more about that and looking behind us because we need to play well and win games. For us, we need to fight until the end to get the place in the top four. If we can do more, we will do more but lets not dream and focus on the next game.
I’m very disappointed. It is one of those days where you don’t like to do a press conference after because it is not pleasant. I felt that we had possession 70 per cent of the time and we lacked a bit of accuracy with our final ball, a change of pace or have enough men forward. In the end, we got caught by a unique shot on goal by Crystal Palace. They played deep and defended well. They got us on the break and that is the story of the game. It is very frustrating.
What did he expect Palace to do, defend like a bunch of clowns and let Arsenal rip them to shreds? Hitting us on the break, well that’s nothing new either, just as having so much possession but doing nothing with isn’t.
As for being frustrated, why not try doing something about it instead Arsene?
But he can’t, can he because as said earlier, he doesn’t know how to…
Time’s up old fella, do the right thing in the summer….
Good post Rico. I too doubt that he can do anything else to move the club and the team forward. This has been going on for a long, long time too. The idea of another three years of this nonsense will mean that it could be a long way back. He really must be locked in his own world if he can’t see what is happening and if it does continue, it is going to get ugly as the fans (at the games) really have had enough and those who comment on the sites seem to have run out of excuses for him.
If he could he would have by now Adam. As we all know it’s not always about who you buy, it’s what you do with them which matters and Wenger hasn’t got a clue these days…
Or for a while really.
Such a sad state of affairs when things could have been so very different.
Morning HH.
Adam – The Emirates won’t ever get ugly. The worst that I have ever seen it was some chanting, but the place was full. Banners will be confiscated by stewards. What will most likely happen, people just won’t turn up, like yesterday.
He won’t go. It is simple as that. His wife left him, so he exists in a football bubble. He will go kicking and screaming.
I’ll be really annoyed if he leaves in the summer simply because we could have seen this coming AND have tied up the Guardiola deal!
I can us finishing 4th, Liverpool winning the Europa league and them taking our spot so we effectively finish 5th. Hope I’m wrong but I can’t see Ozil and Sanchez licking their lips at that prospect OR having another p*ss poor season.
all these people can not be wrong, when will you listen? at least anwser your critics put your notice in writing. things are going to get worse.
Begeegs, you’d think with football being all he has in life, he’d know a lot more about the game than he clearly does…
Unbeaten, don’t forget Wenger is going to spend big in the summer, so all will be rosy… 😉
Rico – I think that he must just watch the players rather than the tactical side. He certainly wouldn’t be a good Chess player.
Good post Rico.cyou, unlike Wenger are in touch with box pop! The wizened one has actually lost the plot, if there ever was one? A great deal of Arsenal’s problems lie in the fact that, “Arsene knows best,” after 30 years in management he will be told by no one about anything about football because he knows it all! Except he doesn’t. His reluctance to allow his younger coaches to coach is his greatest blind spot. He insists on doing it all but his new ideas the sharp perceptions he had even 20 years ago, have long since passed, but will he seek help? The hell he will. He is an obstinate, blinkered rather selfish fool. Like Lear, he will not take advice, he will not change his ways, on the grounds that, it worked OK in 2003 so why wouldn’t his tactics work now?
The world has moved on but Wenger is stuck in his own footballing time warp. I think he has had enough rope its time for change and the time is now! I can’t see anything altering over the summer and we will be dished up more of the same old crab football sadly the crab has had both its pincers removed so no goals will lead to our poor showing….again! Well not none, but like yesterday side to side, back again, side to side, back again, a wall pass to the half way line and back again,! So much patience but absolutely no progression. Going forward the play is so predictable and so defendable. It comes to something when with 70% possession the team can only carve out 4 shots on goal, the first of which took until the 43rd minute to arrive. Where’s the entertainment? Why would folk pay mega bucks to watch this shite? Empty seats tells its own story. The whole franchise is in decline and the manager is the chief culprit!
After much soul searching I have reached the conclusion, like many, that Wenger has passed his sell by date, by at least a couple of years. Time to go, time to find another man ager, who knows even more about modern football than Wenger. Time of or the old boy to retire to his mansion and share stories of his past glories with his neighbour, David Dein!
Gloomy here today as it was at 6.00pm yesterday. I’m looking forward to a bright and sunny summer with some new sights to behold and new visionary men in charge? (In my dreams, I know!)
Begeegs. I dunno about that. The mass booing at the end of the game yesterday was ugly I thought. It was a clear sign of the fans showing what they thought and it simply must get through to the players.
49 Unbeaten. Completely agree re Pep.
Good Morning Boss and Peeps.
That is a good post boss. I wish he reads HH articles and posts. Then again…..between us all combined we don’t add up to the same total of games he has managed so we know nothing of football.
I am jealous of Barca and Real Madrid. They get to elect their board members, change presidents and make themselves heard.
On the other hand we end up being just a number.
I haven’t a clue what he does any more Begeegs, if he had any sense, and if he is so desperate to stay, why not get a different coach in to help him out. Surround himself by more knowledgeable people and listen the them…
Begeegs I think you are right , he won’t go until he is ready to do so and the Kroenke family and the nodding dogs on the board won’t force the issue. They of course have a similar if not the same problem , they don’t know what to do if Arsene doesn’t tell them. We are in a cleft stick with a double dilemma . The board doesn’t understand things on the pitch so they stay silent and Wenger is set in his ways and is now out of date. It’s a sad state of affairs but we as supporters must accept that when the change eventually happens the decline is likely to continue at least until the new manager gets to weed out the problems and installs a bright new shiny outfit to take us forward again. The stagnation of the last five or six years has enabled our immediate competitors to catch us up and they are all about to get stronger and advance as we do the opposite. Perhaps that will force Kroenke’s hand if he sees his L.A Rams bail out fund disappearing.
Vox pop not box pop.
Well said Wavy…
Arteta – get Arteta involved now….
Morning Devil. That comment from AW shows just how little he cares about football fans. Many, me included believe the man deserves respect, but that goes two ways….
Adam – booing is just booing. I have been there when that happens and that alone won’t get rid of Wenger. People at the bowl still support him although it is probably dwindling. You are more likely to get it at away games because their banners won’t get confiscated. The stewards at the Emirates are akin to the SS these days, although if it is a pro-Wenger sentiment, no problems.
I think that the only way to get rid of Wenger is for people to just not turn up and for the games to not sell out when on General Sale. I can’t see that happening for a bit although it is starting.
Does not mean that if AFC supporters tell him to go they lack respect. Yes I agree, it goes both ways and the longer he does not accept that the longer AFC will suffer. Even if he goes out fighting and screaming he will still be remembered as the man who won us cups and made the transition to the EMS a smooth one whereas other clubs suffer.
Its like Scott says though……..I have respect for AW. But no respect for Stan and the board. A board with balls who want success will tell him kindly that he will be replaced.
Pellegrini gave RM a record points in the Primera liga…..he got sacked.
Ancellotti won them the CL…..he got sacked.
That is why I am jealous of RM, Barca. Simply because the supporters run the club. And in Germany no one is allowed to own more than 49% of shares.
That is the way a club should be run. Not in the same manner as ours is.
I have no respect for any of them really, perhaps Gazidis if what he says is real… When I say respect, I mean name calling and all that kind of stuff but I can see why he gets abuse and it’s all of his own doing…
I’d agree with Rico. Wenger would have a lot more respect if he actually owned up to things and stopped talking bollocks like ‘built this club’, ‘no one better than what we have’.
I don’t understand the abuse for Gazidis. The commercial side is doing quite well, but what happens on the pitch doesn’t reflect the financial power – is that his fault?
Kroenke is another matter. Because of his latest statements, he has started to dig himself a hole. However, with Arsenal fans being very lemming-like, they will keep renewing their ST, so there is really no forum to voice any sort of displeasure.
Begeegs. We’ll agree to differ on that one. For me, booing the manager and the players at every game cannot be sustained. Personally, I feel sick to my stomach when the booing starts. As for not showing up? I’ll wait and see, but, at the price the club demand for season tickets? As for people supporting him at the Emirates? Not where I sit. His support has dwindled to nothing from what I can see. I don’t see it as a matter of respect, just practicality. He is doing his job very badly and the team is going backwards. He says it is moving forwards. Where is the evidence of that?
I could perhaps see that, if 20,000 walked out at half time or didn’t arrive until then it would cause a lot of unwanted attention in the press, Worldwide. Whether this would make anything happen, I don’t honestly know.
Devil, the best thing about the Bundesliga is nobody can purchase shares in a club unless they’ve been a financial member for 10 years.
Morning all.
The clubs have sold their soul.
Players do the same.
Player agents have no soul.
Owners have never heard the word before.
Hi all
Amy Lawrence’s book on The Invincibles tells you all you need to know about Arsene’s tactics. The players all said that there were no tactics but he lets the players sort it out for themselves! That may have worked with such world class talent and experience as we had back then coming up against the Danny Mills type of headbangers of the day but things have moved on so much. These days even the worst of teams are tactically well set up and we are plainly unable to adapt unless the opposition roll over to have their tummies tickled!
Bob, I’ve said that for ages…..Wenger never as good at tactics.
He was ahead of the game in all other facets and that got him by.
Afternoon All
Afternoon Rico, good post and some interesting comments today…
I’ve seen many managers depart since Bertie Mee retired in 1976, and I’ve seen some desperate times, but I cannot recall so much discord among the fan base in all those past years…
Football has changed a lot since the late 1960’s and so had the average fan…
The cost of tickets has risen to levels beyond the average working man, but so have the expectations of those fans that make, and struggle to make, the financial and emotional investment in ‘their’ club…
Fans fighting among themselves, banners calling for the manager to go, social media driving the agenda whilst the Press/Media follow.
It’s a different world and one that I’m becoming more disillusioned with…
Those that run ‘our’ club seem completely out of touch with the regular fans.
We want silverware, they want millions in the bank.
We want glory (memories), they want a lush bottom line (profit)…
Kroenke is like a virus, eating away at the club’s soul…
The Board are a bunch of no marks, yes men with no real authority…
Our CEO is hamstrung.
Our manager is living in the past.
It’s all so desperately depressing, and sadly avoidable. But I can see blood on the carpet and the kind of fan base division that may never be repaired…
It only gets worse….
Next season’s Emirates Cup has been cancelled… ☹️
Good comment Kev and spot on imo…,
Afternoon to you and all…
Why Kev, have they said?
Ignore my last, just seen…
Hello All:
Let’s put things in perspective for a moment. Have we ever consider that maybe Arsene was never that good to begin with? I have said for years that the INVISIBLE selected themselves. The team was stack in every position with hardened men with exceptional LEADERSHIP qualities on the pitch – anyone of the starting 11 could’ve captained that team. Then when we fast-forward, the argument that Arsene always finished in the top 4 is overrated. Traditionally there were only 4 good teams really because City and Chelsea were not good team at the same time until the monies came in and when they became good Loser-pool declined. Now that there are possibly 6 good teams at the same time and the lower level teams have also improved, Arsene deficiencies is grossly showing; it was always there, look at his record in Europe, hence the reason for always losing in the quarter-finals.
I’m not concern in next window transfers because if we don’t change or style of playing, AW will try to find players for improve the same style.
This is logic and normal but the fans must ask if this style is not dead and isn’t a solution for anything.
The core in my opinion, is this: The way we play, is worn, predictable, squeezed maximum without secrets and attentive opponents have discovered long ago the antidote against it. They may fail, we can win, but will always be the feeling that dominated the game in terms of statistics but we are unproductive.
And boring Arsenal, it is what we do not want to hear (or imagine that the fans and not the fans think that …)
Obi, but he was good at spotting talent back in his day… And signing them.
Agree Jm, and other sides have worked out how to nullify the way we play. Shame Arsene Wenger has worked out how to beat other clubs…
Rico, team scouting outfits were not as extensive as it it now. The competition is much more fierce; unlike before several teams are now scouting the “new” whoever, and the players have choices. So again Arsene deficiencies, such as indecision and cheapness is costing us.
Or a scouting issue Obi, perhaps they all need sacking…
Evening Rico and the House
Jack and Gnabry playing for the U21’s tonight.
Tomas is not in the squade maybe being saved for thurs.
The real reason there is no Emirates Cup this year is
we are playing in the US of A on the 26th and 31st july and we cannot fit it in.
Rico at this rate maybe……..
Evening Rick, maybe Tomas is injured…
Obi, do we have any scouts? Lol
It’ll be weird going to a game on a Thursday evening this week. Might be good practice though. 🙂
🙂 Adam, I had to write a preview so I could earn a few pounds, I wrote something very similar… Lol
Bad start 1 down on 5 mins.
Jack is looking good Jeff and Gnabry missed good chances
Great minds Rico. 🙂
Not good Rick..
Indeed Adam, or…. 😉
Rico. 🙂
Wonder if Stoke can do us a favour….
Mmmm,….
I don’t think so either….
I feel a bit done-in with all the Arsenal stuff at the moment Rico.
H/T still 1-0 to the Rugby team
Gatting playing Gnabry as a C/F its not working.
Me too Adam, bored stiff with it to be honest..
Rico Adam just seen your last comments so I will say Goodnight.
Hi Rick. No, it was just a general comment about the first team. No offence mate.
Same here Rick, just bored with Arsenal…
I’m off for the evening. Night Rico and Rick.
Night Adam..
Totts already 1-0 up….
I’m off so night Rick and all.
Hope the under 21s can get the right result…
What was the score of the umder 21s?
Why those teams like Stoke, only play and shot well well against us?
0-2 now
Rico, who will be the champion?
What i’ve posted two weeks ago?
Gotta give it to spurs a proper team. And pretty good to watch, unlike the snorefest that is Arsenal these days…
Could you just imagine Arsenal going to Stoke tonight in the hunt for a title.. lol
i think with the vardy suspension spurs will just clinch the title fs..
Good post today rico. 🙂
JM They lost 2-1 and Derby win the League.
We are at home to Blackburn in the play offs.
Both WBA goals were Goal keeper mistakes
Jack Wilshere had a good game and scored his first goal in 11months.
Leicester will fall, IMO.
For a few weeks I’ve thought they needed a 5 point gap at least heading into their last 3 games and it’s down to that already, plus no diving little shit so no penalties next game 🙂
Still, I really hope I’m wrong and they do hang on……I was predicting/hoping it’d be us within 5 points.
Rick, you’d be better off being a leper than a Gooner these days, can’t believe the way rico and Adam just brushed you off earlier…..fair weather supporters eh….makes you sick.
Tottenham win the league and that’s me finished, I’m deadly serious !
Kel, man up ffs !!! Stiff upper lip ole boy.
Nite Gooners.
You finished Mick, get a grip man, you know you’re hooked for life…
It’s in your DNA, or something like that…
Ask Adam, he knows…
Morning all..
If the Totts win the league, would Arsene Wenger walk I wonder?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/04/18/arsenal-players-baffled-by-arsene-wengers-bizarre-decisions-and/
Morning Rico, a good read, but quite worrying.
Morning Kev. Not sure Matt Law will know what players think but yes, if true, it’s worrying…
But not surprising I might add….
Morning Rico and all. The fuel that Arsenal’s tumble has provided for the press has been greeted with glee I see. Trawling through the Arsenal sites makes for sobering and rather sad reading at the moment.
The end of an era is seldom handled with much decorum though. Fergie got it right.
I predict the pain will go on for some time. All of a sudden Thursday’s game takes on extra importance and I would expect a few managers to voice their support over the coming days. They want Arsene to stay.
Morning!
rico, I’ve posted that before: in my opinion, the reaction for the fans about AW it will be quite different if Totts win the League and/or they finish above us, then no one of them happens.
Besides, last words from AW something like “don’t worry if Totts finish above us”, not fall well in our minds and proud.
Morning Adam. I’d want AW to stay if I was a PL manager. Points on the board eh….
Morning JM, they are definitely going to finish above us now, of that I’m sure but if they win the PL, it could get rather ugly for AW…
Morning all.
Has he lost the plot? Obviously! However, it rather depends upon whether there ever was a ‘plot’ to begin with!
He doesn’t do tactics, he doesn’t have a plan to neutralise the opposition, he doesn’t seek help, he doesn’t value the players contributions. He’s about to let Arteta move on, probably because he sees him as some kind of threa to his authority, etc. Etc.
And can someone explain to me why, when the team is winning 1-0 he takes off both holding midfielders? And why he sticks Walcott on when he is so palpably out of form! Bizarre!
Sadly I really do think he has lost it! And that he may even have lost the dressing room. A parless state, he may have lost his mind too.
A plea from the heart: resign man, you’ve had your day, let someone else come in and take up the reins. You just can’t do it any more.
Morning Wavy. I really believe he’s lost the dressing room and I don’t think the players want to play for him any more, despite what they might say publicly.
I think what is happening at Arsenal is similar to what happened with Mourinho….
Sorry, parlous, the iPad didn’t recognise the word and auto correct is wrong. A bit like Wenger!
Rico. I think the depression around the club is compounded by the fact that we can’t see any change on the horizon. Somehow you knew, when it all went bad for Mourinho, that Abramovich would act.
So, despite the imminent end of the season being the natural time for big change, the fear is that it won’t happen.
Adam. That was mentioned when things were going wrong for Mourinho, we all knew Abramovich wouldn’t put up with things the way they were and this is just why I dislike Kroenke so much, he sits by and does nothing.
I hadn’t really made the link, Mourhino and Wenger both suffering from the same autocratic approach to players and playing. But, yes I can understand the comparison has considerable legs!
Wenger is held in such high regard by his peers, no one dare speak out against him, often. The few that do are dealt with summarily, sacked, sidelined deposited in the ‘out tray’.
I’m quite convinced he has lost the changing room as well as the coaches room! However, the wig wearing yank is blissfully unaware of what is happening this side of the pond and he could care less. His franchise is still intact, for now!
Time to go and the time is now!
“Judge me in May”, well I have, and your cards are on the table, he should collect them and any outstanding cash owed to him and head for the hills of the Alsace!
Rico. Perhaps there is something in your point but I think we have known for ages that Wenger will make the decision. Last week’s press conference was disastrous PR for Arsenal fans for him and it’s not the first time. I believe that the fans would appreciate some honesty regardless of where it comes from. The club is sinking and has become a magnet for bad news and bad vibes. If Arsene really can’t see that, then that’s even more reason for him to step aside. I imagine that Gazidis sees the situation clearly but has relied on Wenger’s judgement for so long that an impasse has developed.
It really is the classic ‘Emperor’s new clothes’ situation.
🙂 Wavy.
New post up now.
Morning, A sorry state of affairs, reading through the websites, never seen it more anti Wenger,
Sad to see but he,has made his bed, words to effect of our T,W business will be limited and it doesn,t matter if we finish below Spurs, certainly hasn,t helped his cause, , it,s definitely having a negative reaction from the fans.
Imagine what Sanchez, Ozil, Cech must be feeling when their hearing Wenger say Arsenal’s summer transfer activity will be limited
Morning guys. .
The pressure is certainly building for Thursdays game now, the writing is on the wall everyone can see that his time is up. You’d like to think that someone at Arsenal’s PR team reports the current moods etc of the fan base to Ivan. Ffs something has to be done this can’t go on.
Adam 9.43… that’s exactly what I think m8 the depression around the club is because we can’t see any change on the horizon.
Wavy I think you’re right about Arteta.