Morning all.
Around eighty eight minutes on the clock, the referee took a tumble after being caught by one of the Ostersunds players. No fuss though, no extra tumble or three, just a graceful return to his feet. I like things like that, they make me smile. The highlight of the game I thought.
As for the rest of the ninety odd minutes, well what’s there to say which hadn’t been said before? It seems each time we play, it feels like our worst performance but in reality, this is Arsenal right here, right now.
I know it would be easy and perhaps right to heap some praise on the Swedish minnows but let’s be honest, we were dire. In fact so poor, I reckon a Sunday Pub team would have given us a run for our money. The second half was marginally better than the first but that wasn’t difficult really. I don’t think one player could have walked off the pitch at halftime truly believing they’d done their best. As Jack Wilshere said after the game, the performance was simply not good enough, he also agreed that it was possible that the players approached the game with a bit of complacency.
To think that complacency is an approach anywhere near an Arsenal team is an absolute disgrace. On the 27th February 2011, Arsene Wenger and his team approached a match in a similar fashion. They weren’t starting that match with a 3-0 head start though but just like last night, they lost. That Cup Final was a big deal seven years ago as trophies were hard to come by but losing last night didn’t cost the club anything. Other than pride and ridicule that is. When Jack was asked what positives could be taken from the match his answer was simple, ‘we’re through.’
He’s right obviously, we are through and as much as that’s what’ll matter to Wenger, the way we got through the two legs will hardly put the fear into other teams left in the competition. I’d go as far to say that any team right now would love for Arsenal to be drawn against them at lunchtime today. Ostersunds have sent out a message, Arsenal have sent out one too and it’s not that we’re a team to be feared. It’s that we’re a team to be beaten. I say that based on the team selection last night. Perhaps though Arsene Wenger will play a stronger team next round as hell not be thinking about another League Cup Final looming.
Regardless though, whatever group of players he selects, there’s little to nothing to get excited about as we play the same way ands it’s far from being good. We’re no longer a club fighting to be league champions, those days are over for now. To be honest, I’m surprised we’re as high up in the league as we are because the kind of football Wenger dishes up wouldn’t look out of place in a relegation battle. Saying that, I don’t think our lot would be up for that kind of fight. Everything we witness is a reflection of the pink and fluffy Frenchman.
On a night when the likes of Welbeck, Chambers, Holding, Wilshere, Elneny, Iwobi etc etc should have been proving to not only Wenger but their international managers too, that they are good enough to be starting for their respective teams, they failed big time. If they can’t boss a team like Ostersunds, then what chance have they got against a better team? Where was the effort? Mkhitaryan was awful, Wilshere, AMN and Elneny we’re simply over run. Holding, Chambers and Kolasinac were all at sea, especially in the first half and Bellerin, well he was just Bellerin. Welbeck tried, but he too failed, just like the others.
As Martin Keown said after the game, there’s a lot of players who are fighting for their Arsenal career but you wouldn’t think that watching them last night.
In isolation, that kind of performance could be forgiven as it happens to the best but this is an ongoing problem. The demise of our Arsenal didn’t begin last night but a number of years ago. It’s time to end the farce that is Arsenal FC. It’s time to get some dignity back and it’s certainly time to get some pride back and there’s only one way to do that. Wenger has to go and a number of players have to join him in the departure lounge. I’m sure I’m not alone in saying that if I was the person who could make that happen, I would do this morning. The club have little to lose by telling the Frenchman to pack his bags and leave today as we aren’t going to win the League Cup and we aren’t going to win the Europa Cup either so start now. Appoint Ancelotti and give him three months to work with the players we have, three months for him to decide who is good enough to stay at Arsenal. Then let the rebuilding of our great club begin.
Its unlikely that that’ll happen though, however, perhaps a roasting by Man City might put the final nail in Wenger’s Arsenal’s coffin and I thought that’s what would happen, bring it on….
That’s a post that could have been written innumerable times now Rico. Last night’s performance was shockingly awful, pathetic and an absolute disgrace to Arsenal Football Club. I felt sick to my stomach watching it. Yet all I hear is that Wenger has never walked away from a contract in his life and he won’t start now. Well, he is doing his job so badly that it should be taken out of his hands. Who cares about his personal situation? Think about the people who have stumped up a lot in terms of money and time to commit to watching the shite he is serving up now. Where is his sense of personal pride? It’s broken on the rocks of his total inadequacy as a manager. Or it’s residing in a bank vault alongside the tens of millions he has had from Arsenal for doing nothing except getting badly beaten and bleating about how poor the players have been. The club offered him a new contract, despite there being a lot of opposition within the management, because they didn’t have a plan for his succession. He was dumb or greedy enough to take it and as a result, where we are now is nowhere. Drifting along on the back of past achievements and a big stadium, unable to raise our game against teams like last night’s opponents. There’s no thinking going on either on the field or off it from what I can see. Games are drifting by and ghastly performances are being tolerated on the back of Wenger’s million games in charge and a lack of will and determination to change things. Now!
I would be astonished to see him finish this contract, but logic and common sense it seems are in very short supply at the club and the fans are being cheated on a daily basis. Where we go from here is anyone’s guess as Wenger seems to blame the players who, themselves, admit they were too complacent. What is the point of running through the performances of this bunch of big-headed, arrogant wannabees again.
Ivan, the ball is in your court and if you really do have the club in your heart you will use everything in your power to get this bloke out as soon as possible.
Morning Rico. You are right in every sentence you’ve written this morning. An excellent summation of all arsenal’s woes.
Are the players good enough? Are they coached correctly? Are they properly prepared? Is the manager and his accolites capable of coaching the right techniques, skills tactical awareness and the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition in order to nullify them? NO, NO, NO, NO AND NO!
Question. When the club is faced with such demonstrable incompetence do they persist in not doing anything to rectify these multiple failures? In any other walk of life, at any other football club in the country or even the world, would have severed all ties with the current incumbents and moved on. Why can’t we just say enough is enough and tell the old pensioner to fcuk off and take his staff with him. Sadly where they end up ultimately is of no interest to me or any other supporter, but what happens next at the club I feel will be crucial but essential.
I’m absolutely sick of writing negative and damning posts about the Arsenal. Please give me a break and give me something to be optimistic about……a new manager would be a very good start!
White over this morning a little like the shade of Wenger’s hair and as cold as my feelings about him at presently! And it’s getting colder!
I think it has Adam, if not by me then by the regulars on here. The football Wenger is playing is simply awful and when people say a pub team would give us a run, I really believe that. I’ve seen better football played on a Sunday morning than last nights pathetic showing. At least a Sunday league team would be up for the game…
Any other club/board/owners would have sacked him long before now and I’m at a loss to understand why they haven’t.
If May doesn’t bring a change then gawd only knows what’ll it’ll take..
Good posts from everyone. Unfortunately, you are too logic in your thinking on what should be done. Remember, we are overachieving and there is no candidate out there better than Wenger.
I didn’t watch the game and enjoyed watching Waco. The parallels were quite apt. The Branch Davidians were a religious cult led by a man who thought that he was the Lamb of God. They ended up getting getting it from all sides in the end and decided that hubris was the best way forward rather than face reality.
I could be talking about Wenger and the current day Arsenal there.
Depressing. Thats all.
(morning rico, good summing up, not easy)
Morning Wavy, thanks.
The logic in me says it’s not so much about the players. Yes, some of them aren’t good enough to be playing for Arsenal but because there are far too many of them failing each week, the problem runs much deeper imo. Most of the players we watch in an Arsenal shirt are internationals who when away with their country do well but stick them in an Arsenal shirt and they flop.
We are where we are because of Wenger’s coaching, tactics, approach and many other things. As Potter said yesterday or before, challenge Wenger and they are out the door. It’s his way or the highway but for yonks now, his way is seriously failing.
He’s an old man in a young mans job, his ideas are stale, his whole attitude stinks and that’s reflected on the pitch.
Morning Andrew, thanks.
Sad times…
Morning All
Nice post Rico, you must be bored to death with this blogging lark, what pleasure is there in coming on here and being negative all the time, but what alternative do we have.
I was hoping that a few of the young players would start yesterday evening, I’d at least find something positive in that. But watching Elneny, his voluptuous hair flowing in the breeze as he races around and studiously avoids anything like a tackle or Iwobi as he tries his many bag of step over tricks before giving the ball away or Jack resplendent in his geezer cropped haircut giving us an example of his ineffective Bournemouth form and finally the guy with the devil may care haircut that looks like he has a shrub growing out of his head, Ainsley Maitland-Niles playing as if he’s been smoking weed. That was our midfield and a quite a hopeless bunch they were, no wonder our defence was again left exposed which is always going to happen when your coach encourages both full backs to push on and leave acres of space behind them.
Wenger had to introduce three at the back last season, because his coaching is shit and he couldn’t rectify the issues the team had in defending.
Has anything changed since then?
No wonder Chambers and Holding looked like they were on MDMA as they were left totally exposed by our midfield and full backs…
Wenger criticised the players, well they’re yours players, you coach them, you pick the team, you decide the tactics, you do the motivational talk before kick off and at half time, you have the authority to make tactical changes and substitutions, so look in the bloody mirror you old ‘has been’….
As for Mkhitaryan, it’s still early days but he’s already looking a typical Wenger coached midfielder. You know what I mean.
The parallels between The Arsenal and the Eu and our government are plain to see , no coherent planning or policy ,hoping for the best and sleepwalking to an inevitable conclusion and getting screwed by Europe on the way.
Morning Kev, thanks.
Great comment and totally spot on imo. Maitland-Niles looked really good I thought when he first started for the first team, but now, he’s just one of a number being ruined by the old man…
Wenger would probably be better at sorting Brexit than he is Arsenal. He’d be hopeless at that too imo.
Rico, Wenger would definitely keep us in the Customs Union.
Kev, he certainly would..
AC Milan in the next round then. That’s us out…
Probably but they are 7th in Serie A . one place above Atalanta who drew with Dortmund and had a 1-0 home win ovewr Ludogorets last night. So with our top team out who knows we might just have a chance , if they bother to turn up.
Key this got me shrieking in laughter “watching elneny,his voluptuous hair flowing in the breeze as his races around and studiously avoids anything like a tackle” that got me kev hahahahahahahahah?????God arsenal is coming relief these days aren’t we??? Afternoon Rico great post but the referee falling over his ass wasn’t the highlight for me it was watching Graham potter (an unknown entity) make look Wenger look amateurish. Heck hire potter and he ‘ll sooner have these lot play better footie. Watch out for that young Englishman Rico he ‘ll go places.
Good so it’s AC Milan then…The luck of arsene Wenger continues??? he ‘ll stagger all the way to the Europa league final and win on penalties. Watch out guys. He ‘ll earn that new contract one way or the other ?
Well guys, here I am, not afraid to come out of the woodwork. Time to reappear, if only to patronise and wind Stanley up, which I appear to do quite well. Btw Rico, how do I go about changing my moniker to meercnut anyway? I rather like it.
I’m like the old Spice Girls, about to grace us with their return (Posh spice must be getting short of designer handbags) and who just won’t go away, lol.
Seriously folks, I am as we speak, nibbling away at some Humble Pie. Very tasty, not!
I really thought that we did OK in the January transfer window, and that things were on the up. Wrong!
After watching safely from my armchair, and emitting enough expletives to make my dog slope out of the room with a guilty look on his face, thinking he’d broken wind or something, I turned to my equally dismayed husband, who had said more than once ‘do you have to keep swearing?’, and actually said the words ‘ he needs to go. Now. Either resign immediately or they should sack him.’
So there you go peeps, you were all right after all. Christ, you’ll be pleased to know this pie is choking me, there is so much of it.
I’m still a wind-up merchant at times and will never get on with the most vitriolic, rude posters on here, but for what it’s worth, my apologies for defending the indefensible. Something needs to happen, and soon.
The whole team of so called coaches and management should be shipped off to a Twilight Home For The Bewildered.
Please Simeone, come and sort these little Goonettes out. They dance well, but the footie is shite. If not you, then a temporary stopgap like Carlos, who can start the ball rolling. No pun intended.
Ps Good opening post Rico. Said it all really.??? more questions than answers though, lol.
Afternoon Rico and All
Looking like most of us are right..But
we knew that already come Jan/Feb.
What happens now with our lot is
any ones guess.
One thing I do know.
Arsene after a while will once again
blame the fans.
That’s about all we can hope for.
Would like to add more to the reply’s
But….Rico,Adam Wavy and Kev
have more or less summed it all up.
Finally meerkat you see what I saw all those years ago. Trust me we weren’t all like this. I was a Wenger disciple as hard core as it gets. Nobody(which includes Rico lee kev Adam wavy potter micko etc) likes moaning constantly. If only he ‘ll accept that he’s past it and hire some hands to help then maybe we ‘ll all get behind him. Like it or not he delivered the invincibles we are eternally grateful for that but you can’t just keep ruining the club just because you think we owe you something. Change the back room staff, change the tactics to a more direct approach. Let bouldy and keown drill these prima donas on how to defend and just maybe we ‘ll be a great team again and I also want to apologize for all those nasty things I said to you. Forgive me ma’am. Mama didn’t raise me that way. Wenger got the best of me I guess. Am sorry meerkat.
Ah Meerkat, you’ve finally seen the light then. I knew you’d get there in the end, we’ve all been through it but get there eventually.
Afternoon Fred. The boos were loud last night and it’s only going to get worse I reckon. I wonder how many Arsenal fans, proper ones I mean, are going to Wembley. A pasting by City could be uncomfortable for Arsene Wenger.
Great post rico and some excellent comments as well..
What more can be said really?
Every time you think we hit rock bottom, we find ourselves digging and slipping deeper in a bottomless hole.
Can’t wait for this nightmare to end!
Meerkat, it’s good to see youve come to your senses and good sportsmanship from you goonster.
Hopefully all that nastiness and devision among the arsenal fans go away once we get rid of this wenger cult.
On a lighter note, I found out yesterday that my Nan’s Cousin, Jack Tresadern who played for West Ham in 1923 Cup Final, also managed The Spuds. In an interview in the 1950’s he said the following:
”They were my unhappiest years in football, and I always kicked myself that I gave up an enjoyable job at Crystal Palace to move to Spurs The players were set in their ways and did not want to take on new ideas, and the directors did not really need me there because they wanted to manage the team themselves. It was clear they were getting ready to sack me, and so I saved them the trouble and resigned. Not a time I like to reflect on.”
Top man!
Speak for yourself Goonie ,I love moaning.But it’s getting a bit wearing moaning about the same thing all the time. If he is blaming the players then he is admitting he no longer can control them which means that either they should go or he does.
Thanks to all who welcomed me back.
I still look at Wenger and think where did it all go wrong. He isn’t a nasty person, just deluded.
I don’t think hiring any more staff is the answer, Wenger has to go, along with his troupe of failures, Bould for a start.They have lost it big time, to the point of no return for them.
No a good kick up the proverbial is needed, and a new hard talking coach is required, to get the goonettes dancing to his tune.
But, big BUT has any of those in the old gits club, got the balls to call it.
I’m dreading the cup final. Not that city are unbeatable, they are, just not by us. Our Arsenal ladies would stand a better chance, but not the girlies in our first team.
Thanks Kk, it’s funny really as each week I think we can’t play any worse yet wham, the next game we often are.
As you say, until the Wenger reign is over, the club/team won’t move forwards.
Afternoon all and thanks Rico.
Moved into one of the annexes and cant get internet at moment, so have to pop in once a day to main dwelling to look at HH……………………never wanted to see M`kat go in the first place……or Scott ……………or GG………………………and never thought of any of them as hard core AKB`s in the first place………………………anyway, beaten by Eskimo`s !……………………….you should never pump up the opposition by disrespecting them like putting up a weak team against Forest and like last night, refusing to rub noses after the coin toss !……….no wonder Eskimoderrand were livid !
We`ll beat AC/DC Milan no problem, just dont wind them up before kick off by refusing to take an S&M magazine souveneer !.
Wenger Out !…………of his head !
By any reasoned judgement Wenger is currently doing a really atrocious job at Arsenal, especially considering the resources he has had at his disposal. For years he spent his time lowering the fan’s expectations by pleading poverty and now that he has some money he has cocked up royally. Other managers are making him look a mug, even the bloke last night. There is really only one way to judge a manager dispassionately and that’s through results and performances.
Wenger is not only failing on the pitch, he is doing absolutely nothing to improve things. Every team can have a stinker performance but Arsenal have them with a regularity that is absolutely embarrassing. Every time I think things can’t get any worse, they do and the same stuff just happens time and time again. Yet still Iwobi runs along, arms flailing, bizarre step overs all over the place before falling over and giving the ball away. A CB takes the ball from him and launches it over the top. Our CBs are still not back from a corner some moments before and their striker of 5 feet 6 outmuscles our sole defender and has a shot.
Oh dear. Surely even the board members must have noticed that it’s not working. At all.
Show off Lc. Lol
They’d have to be blind not to see what’s right in front of their eyes Adam. There’s absolutely nothing logical in him staying for his second year of contract.
Not unless Kroenke wants his club to start heading north more rapidly than it already is. As said before, imo there’s more to Josh being around the club than just finding out how it’s run as I’d imagine his father has already informed him of that.
Thanks Goonster, never expected your apology, but it is appreciated.
Wotchoo talkin’ about LCM? What annexe?
Thanks for your constant support btw.?
Adam it is difficult to be dispassionate when your blood pressure is hitting the roof, but I know what you mean. If you view each game on its own merits or lack thereof, it makes things clearer.
Why oh why oh why oh why didn’t he go after the FA cup success last season?
Christ only knows what he thought he could do to better than that. Clearly he was wrong. Sad but true. Hasn’t he any friends who could whisper to him ‘BO’ (bugger off)?
One fullback goes forward the other tucks in to make a line at the back. When the fullback goes past his midfielder he should get to a position covering the angle to the space the back has left. Elementary basic coaching .
Another thing if the centre backs go up for a corner/set piece at least one back and a midfielder drop to the halfway line and another goes halfway between them and the box.
It’s so simple but beyond Arsene.
Whatever George Graham would have done at half time I dread to think and TA4’s contribution would have been interesting.
BTW nice to see Meerkat posting again. Differing views are the lifeblood of any forum ( something certain Bristol students need to learn.) And we have lost a few too many already.
I agree. Welcome back Meerkat.
Same here Meerkat and I’m sure LCM doesn’t mind you blowing smoke up his arse lol.
Whatever you have rico, it’s definately worth bottling.
Must be onions Micko…
Different views are healthy and as long as they come without abuse, they’ll always be welcome on here…
Thank you rico, Wegner may come in for a lot of stick on here but I can still remember back to the dark ole days when we used to get turned over by teams like Walsall, York, Wrexham, Oxford and Luton, I’m sure Lee will back me up when I say life under Wegner ain’t half as bad as some make out !
Thanks guys. But Potter, I don’t have differing views now, lol. I’m sure I will come up with some before too long, just to keep it interesting.
I still think Stan the man Kroenke is the main villain, he just needs to twirl hs moustache at the ends, and all will be convinced. Why couldn’t he be like most other owners, and at least actually want success. He’s just happy the money keeps rolling in.
Well if we sink much further, many of our next generation of supporters will just be off. Kids today are fickle and easily swayed by success, something Arsenal can’t offer them neither recently, now or in the near future.
The club will lose thousands to the top clubs. Ooooh, it hurts to say that, like admitting, out loud that your club is an also ran.
Jack may have had an off day, but he is by far the best player out there when he is on fire, IMO. He also cares and loves the club.
I’m concerned that he may not be staying though, whereas Welbeck who is just not good enough will be.
Bless him, he tries, but it must be like kicking the ball against a flint wall passing to him, it just ricochets off at all angles.
For the cup final, we need everyone playing out of their skins, and for City to have a mare. How likely is that?
Le Coq, on a score of 1 to 10 how would you rate Carbis Bay, my nephew has just bought a house down there, I’ve an open invitation to visit this summer, it’s just the logistical operations I have to get my head around lol !!!
Life under Wenger ?. Yes it could be worse but also it could be better.It is beyond argument that as a,club we are stagnating. There are many reasons from the owner to the board to the management to the players and most supporters understand the effects of moving stadiums.. but really they are not our concern we pay our money to see the team play and what takes place on the pitch is paramount to us and what goes on is down to one man and frankly it could be better.
I talk to the people around my position in the ground and there are many different opinions based on a variety of different circumstances but all can see,the faults in players and their merits.Unfortunately those merits are in short supply and the same faults are repeated time and time again.
We have a squad of good players that often play as if they have never met. They need to be moulded together , they need to take responsibility for their actions and they need leadership
None of this appears to be in Wenger’s remit .Which is why so many feel his time is up.
Potter, can’t argue with ya, your part of the furniture but why not go the extra mile and introduce the new players to their team mates, there’s bound to come a time when they’re gonna have to pass the ball to each other, maybe I’m just get getting to carried away, what do I know.
Nite Goonners.
Don’t forget Swindon Micko… lol
Morning all. Nice to see the sunshine, perhaps it’ll shine over us tomorrow.. Then again..
Wenger is a divisive old goat isn’t he? All true fans want is Arsenal a o be playing that invincible kind of football, an absolute joy to watch….I now miss odd games (unheard of a few seasons ago!) The stark reality is Wenger hasn’t been able to produce that kind of football consistently for over ten years. Some could see it some couldn’t but we all want The Arsenal to be great again but it won’t be under Wenger (fingers crossed we win the Zenith data windshield milk cup tomorrow )
Hats off to you Meerkat, let’s hoe the old French goat has Guardiola’s number on Sunday!?!
Peace to all Gooners, life’s too short!!! ❤️
Ducking predictive text!!! For your information I never fucking want to say ducking!!! ?
If Wenger beats Pep tomorrow I’ll eat my hat…
Beret compote for one? I bloody hope so as do you Rico but….
Smaller one than that Lee, too much chewing…
I think we can beat them, I really do and we have the players to do so imo. It’s all down to Wenger, who he selects and how he motivates them. On paper, the way City play should suit us down to the ground.
New post up now
Be careful what you wish for….