Morning all.
Days like yesterday really cheese me off. Well, not the day itself but the 94 minutes of football we witnessed.
Out of the blocks with one thing in mind, take the game to Stoke, don’t let them settle and break the awful run we’d been on against them and Mark Hughes.
Our boys were to nearly every ball in the first half, they either won the tackle of forced Stoke into making mistakes. They were good, very good. And bearing in mind our previous displays and results at The Britannia, or should I say the Bet365 ground, the ‘it was only Stoke’ is poppycock.
But for all the possession we had, it wasn’t until the 42nd minute that we broke the deadlock. Ollie had hardly been involved in the game, mostly down to our inability to get a decent cross in and some awful corners from Mesut Ozil, but when the chance came, he took it well. Francis Coquelin, who I thought had his best game in a long long time, played the ball out wide to Bellerin. The little Spaniard then produced a wonderful ball to the big striker. Nothing more than we deserved, in fact had it not been for a super save from Jack Butland earlier in the game, that goal would have been our second of the day.
Half-time came and went and we didn’t have to wait long before 1-0 became 2-0 and what a stunner it was too. Ozil to Alexis and off the German went on his little run into the box. Alexis waited, waited some more and then played a perfectly weighted ball back to the German. Mesut Ozil then did what we all know he can do but doesn’t often enough, clipped the ball over the English keeper. That goal was simply class from start to finish.
Stoke tried to rough us up a bit after we’d gone 2-0 up and referee Mike Dean, was happy to let them. Hughes brought on Crouch and Berahinho and they made a bit of difference. For the only spell of the game, a short one I hasten to add, we looked a bit disorganised as Stoke won a series of corners on the trot but without any success. Then the home team halved the deficit when Crouch scored with his hand. Monreal spotted it, but no one else did.
With twenty minutes on the clock, the biggest question was would a Arsenal collapse as they’ve done so often. The answer was simple, no. Sanchez had already signalled to the bench that he needed to come off and he did, but not before giving us a two goal advantage again and before the final whistle blew, Ollie got a second. This time Ramsey was the provider after showing some grit and determination to get the ball back in the box and cross to the Frenchman.
The cameras focused on the Arsenal bench, Alexis Sanchez in particular and there he sat, laughing, smiling and clearly happy. That’s what you get from him when everyone works hard.
Game over and now we are level with Liverpool on goals scored. We still need them to drop a point or two though if that fourth spot is to be ours. Either that or City lose their two final fixtures but we still have to beat Sunderland and Everton.
What annoys me though is where has that kind of performance been all season? Why is it that only when a top four place is seriously under threat, can Arsene Wenger get his team organised and motivated to play as well as they did yesterday? Why couldn’t he do the same away at West Brom, Crystal Palace, Liverpool, Tottenham etc etc?
Why can’t he and his players produce that kind of performance or similar throughout an entire season, not just in fits and starts or when they all feel like it?
If they could, we’d all accept the odd blip in form or draw/loss occasionally because sometimes it doesn’t matter how well we play, the opposition can be just that little better on the day. But to watch this team walk out onto the pitch and within minutes of the game starting know they are not up for it, it’s darn frustrating. No, infuriating!
And that’s where Arsene Wenger comes in. It’s his job to make sure every player is well rehearsed on what their role is, what the tactics on the day are and to make sure they are ready to give their all for the club.
But it just doesn’t happen, certainly not often enough and that’s why we saw a plane flying over the ground with an ‘out means out’ banner, one which the manager denied seeing and when asked about the fans protest, he replied:
“When you say fans, who do you mean? The rich ones!”
Clearly taking a swipe at those who can afford to fund the hiring of a plane which carried the banner.
He also denied reports from L’Equipe who had suggested he’d agreed a one-year contract extension:
“There is no information about that. Nothing.”
Anyway, the great Champions League escape is on, all it needs is for West Ham to beat Liverpool later today…
Finally, Sead Kolasinac seems to have made an emotional farewell to his clubs home supporters. Is widely expected for him to leave Schalke this summer for free and yesterday, rumours hotted up about him heading our way. Reports in Germany suggest he’s already signed a five year contract with us although with Man City and Juventus sniffing around, who knows. Wikki already shows him as being an Arsenal player, but we all know anyone can interfere with that website.
It won’t be long before we find out though as this time next week, the season comes to an end and thank goodness for that.
Great stuff Rico and thanks !
So far hot and sunny here so will take the oppurtunity to finish off my gardening whilst I have no time for gym work due to semi whip lash and pulled calf muscle, will peep at the `ammers game later with anxious excitement, if they help us (and aeven a draw will put it in our control) can we actually get CL spot against what seemed to be an imposibility after the W Brom/Palace/Spud results ?……………..keeps the interest going at least !.
Thanks Lc.. I might sit and watch the match with fingers crossed all game. lol.
Back in !…………………..got me mowers/strimmers ready and it started to pee down !………doesn`t look promising ! 🙁
I might have a relaxing day and hope that the ‘Ammers can do us a solid.
Morning All
Morning Rico, great post, I haven’t read it yet, but I just sense that it’s gonna be great… ?
Nice comments Potter/Cocker, about your saucepan lids and grandkids.
When my boys were little, I could introduce them gradually to the mixed pleasure/pain of being a Gooner via weekend trips to Highbury to see the Stiffs and Youths. Popping into the Arsenal Chippie afterwards in Blackstock Road with their Grandad was all part of the ritual. The game and English football seemed so much more simpler in those days, the obsession with finance never crossed our minds, it was all about silverware.
It was a great read Rico, honest… ?
The question I have is, will Wenger go into next season with the same three at the back system, and how will that effect recruitment in the summer?
The point you made Rico, about the way we’ve played recently says a lot about Wengers ability to motivate imo…
There’s no doubt in my mind that the prospect of missing out on the top four has fully focused his mind onto his coaching and that’s had a beneficial effect on the team.
It maybe brings into a sharper focus the need for Wenger to concentrate on that side of his job more fully and to delegate a lot of the stuff he involves himself in unnecessarily.
He has maybe made more of a case for Gazides and conto hire a DoF and maybe bring in a few more experts in those other areas where the club has seen its standards slip, like recruitment, academy, contract negotiations etc…
Morning Kev, you are a hoot . 😉
I think the mere fact he can get these players up for the CL fight shows just how hit and miss Wenger is. Why he can’t be consistent is anyone’s guess..
Looks like Hull City are to be the final club relegated..
yes, I’ve watched the game and I said the same: was a handball, but was not easy to see
Probably Hull yes. Two down at half time
He`s too slow, Rico, everything is after the horse has bolted !
Too slow for signing the top talent he missed out on, but weirdly confirms all the one`s we failed to get as though it`s a plus in his favour !.
Too slow to change the tactics/formation when it mattered……..months ago !…………..now he will think he`s some kind of revolutionary tactitian after copying Conte………….the irony that Conte did it during a game against us and look where they are now !
If we want him to go, we should really be hoping for a Bindipper win today and a Chav double !…………………………………I have no doubt top 4 and CL will see him extend contract, but I cant want the previous said to happen ! hahaha
I`d prefer Hull stayed up as they are usually a guarenteed 3 points for us !………………….think with head people ! hahaha
Sun`s back !……………………….and forecast to stay, so I`ll get the equipment out again !
🙂
I know re Wenger Lc. We’ve all been saying it for a while now. I like the way we beat Stoke yesterday, I really did but it’s all too little too late..
Don’t you keep a diary for your daily events Lc? 😉
Thought the deflection off of Shawcross was the highlight of the game….until Holding gained revenge on Arnuatavic for busting Debuchy”s shoulder the other year.Brilliant. Would only have. Been topped if Giroud had stamped on Charlie Adam and Rambo had finished Shawcross career!
Loved the Holding one Bob. Broke his arm I read…
Shame Jm, I’d have like Big Sam out of the PL
Broke his arm, is that right Rico?
Now that really is justice.
Couldn’t happen to a more deserving club.
Apparently so Kev..
My heart bleeds… ?
Mine too… lol
Broken Arm. Karma!
West Ham looking awful
Europa league it is i think… west ham can barely string a pass together and now 1-0 down…
Ah well it’s a true reflection of where we are as a club… 5th/6th Europa level.
Sure is karma.
Shame re West Ham but where we are is all of own doing….
Ayew misses from 1 yard lol twice… idiot
Ayew just missed an open goal from two yards out
Let’s hope not missed one or two again…
Europa for Arsenal it is then… Can’t see West Ham coming back from 2-0
Game set and match boys and girls…
Sure is as the Dippers will batter Boro on the final day…
As much as I wanted west ham to get a result in the end of the day the only people who benefit from top 4 is kronke and Wenger.. we get destroyed every year in the champions league.
Yes I’m disappointed it’s a reality ive came to terms with months ago as i thought top 4 was gonna be missed of couese the Akbs disagreed with me. Well now they have to face facts which will be a good thing in the end.
Same goes for journalists like the ones on sky this morning talking the same old shite that Arsenal might do a utd if Wenger leaves… do they not see we already have lol.
We are supposedly a big club… well now is the time to show it…
Fuck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is done!!!! ARSENAL to the europa league! How are we ever going to attract players now?? Well, this is the best time to rebrand, and re-strategize our football….Wenger needs to go now….Now or never
It’s their own silly fault, I hope paart of their salary is dependent on Champion s league qualification.
Similar here, I wanted West Ham to win as I detest the dippers but CL football is pointless until we have a squad fit to challenge for it…
Don’t they get a bonus for top four?
Heart pissed off……….Head delighted !…………………although the trouble now is because EL offers the winners CL, Wenger will play full strength teams in it and we will be back to square one with the “fatigue ” shit when we have another groundhog day in the EPL !………………EL is now same as CL in that excuses will be made, to win EPL we need to be out of Europe full stop and I`m not talking Brexit !
Although the AKB`s will have you believe that Mansour City could lose at home to WBA and away to Watford…………………………….and maybe Bindippers will lose heavily to Boro at home,it`s a tough game !
Only one game matters now………………The FA Cup Final………..magical !……….love it !……….the best FA Cup team ever Vs MoneyBags ! 🙂
A broken arm for Arnautovich is truly Karma
Karma is…………playing the last ever game at Shite Fart Pain and eventually moving to a new stadium which is still in a shit hole ghetto area !…………..like a shiny new stadium is going to make Haringay a great area to live…………………….it`s a fcuking dive !
Sorry if I may have upset any HHers who may actually live in Haringay, but seriously, you have to move ! hahaha
I’d rather he played a second string in Europa because we won’t win that in any case. Wenger and European football don’t work…
Im sure Stans share price will in turn drop with no
More champions league I’m fuckin glad. ?
it really is sink or swim time now for Arsenal as a club… invest in new management with a solid budget, invest in scouting bring new idea’s and involve former players behind the scenes to help.
Do this and the club will at least be heading in the right direction they may not win but at least the fans will see a vision of the club trying.
Wenger has finally been beat at poker as Sanchez and Ozil hold all the cards now pay them what they want or they’re off…
http://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/transfer-news/sead-kolasinac-arsenal-transfer-confirmed-13032942
There’s a headline on NN which suggests Alexis has agreed a Bayern move……
I’ll believe it when it’s official Lc, I remember when Vertonghen was a ‘done deal’, he was but for the neighbours….
Never knew Vertonghen was a done deal, Rico !…….how close where we on the Wengerometer ?
🙂
I’m pretty sure that was the story doing the round Lc, nothing official though and he’s not one Wenger has said he nearly signed…. lol
https://twitter.com/ThrowbackAFC/status/863704829222375424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mirror.co.uk%2Fsport%2Ffootball%2Fnews%2Farsenal-fans-destroy-tottenham-hilarious-10422308
https://twitter.com/BarryArsenal7/status/863742008103497729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mirror.co.uk%2Fsport%2Ffootball%2Fnews%2Farsenal-fans-destroy-tottenham-hilarious-10422308
I’m fairly unperturbed by the prospect of Arsenal in the Europa, we’re never winning the CL under Wenger anyway, so why worry about it, and not attracting the top players because we’re out of the CL is overrated. If there’s enough money on the table it isn’t an issue.
How fcuking funny would it be to win the league at their new stadium in it`s first season !………………………please make it so God !………………………….that`s after we win the league at Wembley next season !………………………..come on God, you know it makes sense !
🙂
Exactly Kev !………………..didn`t stop Manshafter getting Pogba/Mkhityran/Ibro` did it !………………and I will confidently predict that if Manshafter lose to Ajax in the EL Final……….Moronho will spend over £100M in the next Transfer Window and that`s a conservative estimate…………..probably nearer £200M !……………………………….and they dont even have that in the bank as surplus like we do !
Agree Kev, Chelsea and Utd didn’t struggle, nor Liverpool… lol
The Durrells and Granchester for me now…
Night all..
And me!
I like watching real stuff like WWE Raw !………………..I recorded it and was watching a while ago when I realised it was in London !………….no word of a lie, I said to my missus….”I wonder if we`ll see a Wenger Out sign”…… low and behold a few minutes later there it was ……a….Wenger Out sign ! hahaha
It`s near the end of the last bout if you watch on catch up !………..I`m always looking in the crowd in the show as it`s quite often you see an Arsenal shirt !.
WWE Raw on Sunday is roughly a week behind so it must have been this one !…………………..
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/wrestling/wwe-fans-chant-wenger-out-10384069
Rico, your post says it all “why is it that only when a top four place is seriously under threat, can Arsene wenger get his team organised and motivated to play as well as they did yesterday”, how true….
Nothing focuses Arsenal quite like the battle for top four, well it seems Wenger,s luck may have finally run out
Kel, Re, 3.51 and 5.41 comments spot on, the only beneficiaries from scraping top 4 is Kroenke and Wenger.
50 million for Kroenke and a rise and new contract for A.W. fuck the two of them….
Gunajja Re, your 3.58 “europa league, How are we ever going to attract players now”.?
Wenger has a job persuading his best players to stay, nevermind getting the best players to join.
Hi Rico and HH’ers.
There’s no confusion over Arsenal’s recent good form, Rico.
It’s a combination of having absolutely nothing to play for in the PL, so the shackles are off and they can play without pressure, plus a large slice of good fortune.
Wenger’s ‘revolutionary tactical tweak’, forced upon him out of pure desperation, hasn’t really been examined enough, and is very much a work in progress.
Better, more clinical finishing would have seen City beat us at Wembley, relegated Middlesbrough, who hardly ever score, scored against us and gave us a game, Leicester were a cruel deflection and minutes away from holding us to 0-0 at the Emirates Tottenham dispatched us with consumate ease.
United treated the Arsenal game like a training exercise and made no effort to win, and but for smart goalkeeping from Cech, Arsenal would have been 2-0 down at half-time against Southampton on Wednesday.
Saturday, was a very un-Stoke like Stoke. They’re 14th on 41pts, and the usual passionate bruising they reserve just for Arsenal wasn’t there. They practically waved the white-flag and allowed Arsenal to dominate them. After a poor, completely under-whelming season but with their immediate PL future secured, Stoke are on the beach. If I were Stoke, I’d be looking for Sparky’s replacement.
Wenger can’t fool anyone anymore, certainly not me. He spends his whole time at Arsenal papering over cracks of deeper problems that he created, and now he’s in no-man’s land having ripped up his tactical blue-print. It’s only a matter of time before it unravels
The French really know how to mock and belittle us.
I can’t wait until he has gone.
Morning Herb, all.
You have a point Herb and one which I agree on, well, apart from Cech v Stoke, after all, that’s his job. Yes Stoke created opportunities, as did City but they still have to take them but they didn’t. However, when we had ours, we did and that was the difference in both games.
Don’t get me wrong though, I’m not in any way defending Wenger as I know his better days are ten years behind him at least and the only way the club will move forward is without him and like you, I can’t wait until that day.
Southampton Rico.
Apparently both Ward-Prowse and Redmond came close to scoring in the first-half at St.Mary’s, and Cech had to make a couple of WC saves, they were by far the better side.
But yeah, you’re right, that is his job.
Morning all.
Well according to the Met Office I`m going to have to wait until Thursday before it actually stops raining let alone see some sun !……………………bloody miserable here just like most of Arsene`s last 10 years !
Has he gone yet ?……….or is he clinging on to the hope of Bindippers and Mansour City choking so that he can have an open top bus parade of a new contract ? 🙂
Oops, Southampton… lol
Makes a change for us to be able to say an Arsenal keeper has made a few WC saves Herb…
I don’t think he’s going regardless Lc..
😀
Szczesny has been in good form on loan at Roma this year, Rico, so we’ll have him Cech and Martinez fighting to be number 1 next season.
Hi Cornwall,
Nice to see that even through your hatred of Kroenke, you can still acknowledge what a piss-poor manager we’ve got 😀
How on earth can he stay if we only get EL and God forbid……….lose the FA Cup Final ?…………………………….I shall write to my MP !
Because he’s a stubborn buffoon who can’t see it’s him holding the club back. And of course those above him allow him far to much freedom and control..
Herb, I read somewhere that Szczesny doesn’t want to come back if Wenger stays.. True or not I don’t know but considering he’s had a good season, why would he want a return to play behind a dodgy defensive unit…
And I’m not blaming the personnel for that.
Totally agree , we are stuck with him as long as he wants to stay. The power struggle if there ever was one is over ,we are to be treated to that smirk for a few months more yet.
Herb is quite correct in his assessment that the defensive change has worked more by luck than judgement. Despite having the extra centre back with the wing backs pushing forward we still leave large gaps at the back and decent sides will expose that .
Strong rumours that Gazidis is returning to the MLS and hopes of the changes we want will probably go with him.
If Ivan returns to the USA, we are royally stuffed!
If the defensive change was all part of him being proactive, he’d have tried it ages ago so totally agree, pure luck but it’s still far from working as well as it could.
Morning Rico and all. As the season draws to a close my feelings about the club are conflicted. Whether we play 3 at the back or one up front is of less interest to me than the general feeling of apathy and negativity that has engulfed Wenger for a while now. When every result seemed to scream that he is well past his best, he somehow has managed to hang on. I believe his decision to stay or go should have been made public weeks and weeks ago. He damaged his credibility with that one for sure and this late surge has been as frustrating as it has been surprising but there will be those who will point to it as a sign that he still has ‘it’ whatever that means. He might be staying, but on what parameters that has been decided I can only guess.
It seems we won’t be in the CL next season and I am fine with that as I don’t think we deserve to be. That’s a competition that looks further away from Wenger as the years have passed.
I think that what is happening at Arsenal is sad and I can see that the contract situations of some of our more serious players are going to chip away at his authority and sense of management once the season closes. His claim that Sanchez won’t be sold no matter what is just plain dumb. If Alexis wants out then the astronomical costs to hold an uncommitted player to a contract will surely be too high. Ozil too, but perhaps to a lesser extent.
There is a huge cloud of negativity over the Emirates and whatever way it goes, the pressure on Wenger, if he stays for another one or two seasons, is going to be absolutely huge and I can only see that widening the rift between the supporters and indeed, the supporters and the club as every result, positive or negative, will add fuel to the different fires.
A new broom could get away with sweeping clean and would start with the fan’s support. Everything would have to change and if the club see that as too big an upheaval then they are surely a cowardly bunch as they should have been planning for this eventuality for a long time now.
If he stays, as most believe he will, what is he going to come up with to win the PL next year?
I really cannot imagine as even putting mega money in his hands seems risky to me.
Morning Adam, can i nick that? 😉
New post up now..