Morning all.
Have to laugh at the serial chokers who yet again lost an FA Cup semi-final yesterday. Despite having an advantage after playing their home games at the national stadium all season and taking an early lead, they flunked big time. I detest both clubs but out of the two, there could only be one winner, if only for Alexis Sanchez. Funny though isn’t it how the FA Cup has suddenly become an important competition, one which Spurz really needed to win and the only silverware both Chelsea or Utd can win to save them having a poor season? I’d so laugh if Southampton end up with their name on the Cup in May and I hope they do.
Enough about them, what about us?
The tributes to Arsene Wenger continue to pour out after Fridays big news. I get it, he changed football when he first arrived, he had a lot to do with the move to The Emirates and other changes within the club but the club aren’t losing a manager who has his team playing wonderful football. Arsenal haven’t been playing the likes of Barcelona, Bayern, Madrid or even the top four sides in England, off the park with great football. This is a manager who over recent years has taken us to places like Swansea, Stoke, Southampton, Crystal Palace, Brighton, Newcastle etc, and watched his team play badly and lose. Not just this season either. The only reason sadness is being expressed by so many can only be based on his longevity. It certainly can’t be for his success because not since 2004, fourteen years ago, has he truly challenged for the Premier League title. Not since 2006 has one of his teams challenged for the Champions League. He’s not even managed a League Cup Final victory either. The FA Cup has been his saviour but this season, our exit at the hands of Notts Forest was just one in a long list of dreadful performances away from home.
All I keep reading/hearing is how replacing Arsene Wenger will be difficult, but why? Such comments are from the same people who week after week and season after season have been slating him, his tactics, his coaching, his player signings….etc etc, the list is endless, yet now, Arsenal are set to struggle. What absolute bollox I say, hypocrisy at its highest.
Arsenal needed change and have done so for a number of years and now it’s coming. A new manager who will bring with him new coaches, new ideas and new football. Get with it I say and get over it.
Anyway, today is the beginning of that Wenger ending as far as the fixtures go and it’s David Moyes and his West Ham team who get the pleasure of facing us at The Emirates for the first match since the big announcement.
The players looked to be enjoying themselves in training yesterday as it was all smiles as handshakes were exchanged between Wenger and the players. Mkhitaryan was back in training as rumours suggest his return could come as early as Thursday which I reckon is a big boost to the squad. Ramsey and Wilshere are slight doubts with the Welshman being the most likely to be declared fit. It’ll be a strong team apparently as they need game time ahead of Thursdays big match.
I think today’s match will make interesting viewing. Suddenly, each and every one of the first team squad will know that their comfort zone is about to have a massive hole blown right through the middle of it. Mistakes which cost the team points could very well cost them their place in the team next season. Some of them might very well be wondering this morning whether they’ll be at the club next season, let alone in the first team because they’ve hardly covered themselves in glory all season. If those certain players suddenly step their game up, then it’ll tell it’s very own story.
Many of us, I know I do, believe our squad is better than our league position suggests. It’s slightly unbalanced and missing in certain positions but what it lacks most is direction, discipline and confidence.
Anway, it’s match one of seven, possibly eight, before The Arsenal enter into a new era but for now, let’s just laugh at Spurz, a club who might be sat above us in the league but for yet another season, many more than us, have won bugger all. Best team in North London my a….!!
Enjoy the match guys and gals…
Good Morning, and good it is. I haven’t posted on here (or anywhere else) for about five years. I got so fed up with the way Wenger was running (that word is very lose to “ruining” isn’t it?) Arsenal that I took a step or two back. I read the daily posts and the comments but kept my cool. I stopped going to games and stopped watching on TV. I used to get so angry at what I saw that I was worried about my health, having had a heart problem for a while. But now I have a great feeling of relief and I have hope again. I haven’t subscribed to any of these “be careful what you wish for theories, look what happened at Man U” etc. The fact is we haven’t been even challenging for the title for years whereas old red nose had won it the year before. We have been in decline for some time. Most real supporters could see it. It’s been accepted on HH for years that he should go. No manager under consideration for this job should be worried about taking it on. Even (pauses to spit) Rodgers would bring better results. The club is ripe for improvement and believe me, it will happen. 60 years after I first went to Highbury I find myself getting excited about going to watch Arsenal again. I will, of course, wait till next season for that.
Morning Rico, all. The hypocrisy huh. Suddenly the FA is a massive trophy – when we won it back to back they said it was against inferior teams, then we beat Chelsea.
Can’t wait to see players working their butts off all in the name of fighting for Arsene yet we know they’ll be fighting for a spot next season.
Wenger leaving won’t destabilize Arsenal. IG and the board had planned for his exit in the past two seasons, so I believe.
Welcome back Billy. How fitting the sun is shining on the day the beginning of the end kicks off.
Arsenal are a sleeping giant imo, one which is more than ready to wake from its slumber. Although I don’t wish my life away, for the first time in a long time, I’m looking forward to next season…
Thank you Rico. I couldn’t agree more.
Morning Marshall.
I reckon you’re right..
The importance of the FA Cup is ironic eh…
Morning Rico and All
Was it jump before I get pushed?
Was it Gazza breathing down his neck?
Was it Little Josh.Popping up everywhere?
Was it No Europe next year?
Was it No F,A Cup this year?
Was it The realisation that I aint any good?
Was it the Magic hat…. gone missing?
Was it the new back-room guy’s?
My bet it the was..
All the Gooners who gave up going,reducing the
home gate to 30/40,000 the last few weeks.
Arsene’s face when he walked out the tunnel the
last few weeks,not daring to look up to the stands
is for all to see.
Arsene never a monkeys,
when The Arsenal fans
were beating each other up every week.
Arsene never gave a monkeys,
when all the ex-players were telling him to leave.
Arsene never gave a monkeys,
when we lost out on the top four.
Arsene never gave a monkeys,
when he gave our best player away for free.
Arsene never gave a monkeys..Full Stop.did he.
So for me we got him out in the end….
That was the only way he was going,he has
the last 10 years of huge paypackets to retire on.
I expect to see all the Gooners back in they seats
for the next home game and give Arsene a good
send off..
You never know we could now have a chance of
winning that cup now.
Fred, I wouldn’t mind getting my hands on his swag bag !
Micko..
Can’t see him lining up outside the post-office
monday mornings mate.
Hi Fred.
I see Wrighty reckons he was sacked…
Any important news?
What is the line up for today?
I want to prepare next season soon is possible
Empty seats for me Rico
Afternoon Rico and the house team Ospina Bellerin, Kossy, Mustafi, Monreal Elneny, Xhata, Ramsy, Iwobi, Wellbeckand Lakazet.
T
Subs. Macy,BFG, Holdin, Chambers,Niles, Nelson Auba,
No Auba and can’t play Thursday ?
Nice pride of north london banner
Certainly think empty seats had a big factor Fred, but I think the board deserve a bit more credit perhaps and they’ve made the decision based also on football.
The announcement might be recent, but I think this has been coming for a while and I also think the club has a replacement ready to be announced as soon as Europa is over.
Listening to the debate between the pundits is interesting. Henry has refused to say whether or or he’ll be involved in the new management team or not.
Hi Rick.
Prediction!
65th minute, substitution:
Lacazette for number 14 Aubameyang.
Nailed on.
A little later, Welbeck for Nelson.
One more needed, unpredictable, whoever gets injured……Ramsey then!
Afternoon all. Great post Rico. But I’m not over excited about today’s game. I think it’ll just be more of the same boring shite. How can it be any different? We are where we are and real change won’t occur until the new coach infects the squad he has, come the beginning of next season! Hope I’m wrong though.
10 years to late then Rico.
But at last somethinks happened
Thanks Wavy, to be honest, I’m not fussed about today’s game or result, the only fixtures that I care about now are the the two against Atletico.
No arguing with that Fred.
Afternoon Rico, yes, I agree, my focus is on Thursday, the Wenger stuff can either act as a motivation to the players or a distraction, hopefully it’ll be the former….
It all came down to the empty seats. It’s not an appealing sight. The club had to find a way to bring fans back to the stadium cause they know they’re nothing without us.
The tickets were moving slowly, the long-time fans were getting fed up.
Waiting to see how we’ll do our transfer. The next guy has already been selected and he’s doing his homework on reinforcement.
Afternoon Kev, by the way we’ve started, I think the players are too.. ?
50,000 I’m hearing, for a London derby, I guess the London Marathon is a distraction today.
Either that, or sitting in the garden with a cold beer….
Painful viewing again…
Excruciating
So much of a send off performance from the players!
Most of them days at arsenal should surely be numbered. .
Crowd is silent as well..
What did I say earlier, boring old shite! Wasn’t wrong, was l?
Nice Post Rico Hard but Fair. Onward and Upwards. I am excited for the first time with Arsenal in years Cheers
Good old monreal. .
Iowbi is Gervinio in the making. .what a tool..
No one is passing to lacazette. .he must be very unpopular!
Thanks Arsenal117, Just get sick of listening to so many keep going on about how the club are going to struggle now. There’s more to football and Arsenal FC than a manager who is long past his best…
Allegri for Me. He has been learning English in past year. Tactical Genius and demands respect
Bit to soon for PV4 needs more experience
Gervinho wasn’t ‘that’ bad Kk.. ?
What a strike!
Rico You did commendable job with blog during the clubs quagmire last couple years. When it was clear your heart was with Arsenal but not AW like many of us. Cheers
a117, you confused me there.. lol
Good to see you back, Allegri for me too.
Thanks a117, it’s been tough for all of us but at least now we can look forward to something different..
Kk 2.53, I’d say the 1st thing the new manager has to do when he arrives is introduce the players to each other !
I know micko he should start a what’s app group as well!
Good win at the end. .that’s it really!
Result needed as new manager doesn’t need extra Europa games if we ended up behind Burnley. Will still be sorting out a squad. Why so slow a start though, never changes? Ramsey said it was a bit hot!
Laca a confidence boost. Hardly a chance until late ones and he took them well.
Same old same old, really. 4-1 was very flattering. Still a win’s a win. But that game typifies everything that’s wrong with the arsenal. Far too predictable far too slow and pedestrian, too often careless in possession and passing abysmal good finishing though, eventually.
Nearly time for the new chapter. I’m looking forward to it!
Roll on Thursday!
Ollie has just put Chelsea ahead..
He might be glad of the practice Andrew… lol
Stoke shity relegated. .
The good news just keep coming. .
Our ex players are doing the business in the FA cup..
Kk, is that confirmed about Stoke? If so, great news.
Ramsey will celebrate… ?
I thought they were rico. .but not yet unfortunately. .they managed a draw against Burnley today. .they should however join the other Pulis thugs really soon. .here’s hoping!
Wenger: I was not tired. I believe that this club is respected all over the world, much more than in England. Our fans didn’t give the image of unity I want at the club. That was hurtful.
hmm..
Afternoon all and thanks Rico.
No, The Orcs are not officially relegated yet, they still have 9 points to play for !……….I do hope they go down though !.
I love the FA Cup, my favourite comp`, so the Forest loss really effected me and probably pushed me over the edge with regards to Wenger…….a tipping point where I didn`t care if I started to abuse him whereas before I didn`t, but now it`s over and I`ll remember him for the good he done and look forward with excitement at a new beginning, although I still cannot see us competing with CFG, Manshafter and to a less extent The Chavs as we will never spend like they do.
A good thing though is that if we are to believe the empty seats were a bearing on Wenger`s demise then I believe it may also work the same with Kroenke if we still manage to not compete with a new manager coming in…….yes exciting times ahead, but nice to know we the fans may have a say in our future if it doesn`t get any better and bloody typical that just after I stopped my Red Membership that Arsene resigns !………………..oh well I can always renew it, I`ll give it a while first incase we get someone shit !
Needless to say I love all the shit The Spuds are taking now…………their greatest ever team since 1961 under Pocketdildo and still yet to win a trophy and believe me they will not win fcuk all as they cannot surely keep all their best players when CFG and co will be spending £200M again in the next transfer window !………………………….that`s how you accumulate trophies, dont sit on your laurels admiring your last trophy, spend even more money to make your team better !…………………..anyway, Werngger going and the next target is Kroenke !……does anyone think he will spend more than his current total investment of £0 ?…………………….unless he does we will still not be winning EPL……………..time will tell !
Great goal by Olly !
🙂
I hope so too Kk..
Lc, if Kroenke/the board don’t match the new managers ambition, he’s certainly going to get some stick. Either that or jump ship.
Not sure it’s a case of the board not matching the new manaager’s ambition . More the case of them not matching that of the fans. A low key appointment to keep the ship steady is likely to create a riot on both sides of the Wenger debate.
Perhaps a low key appointment and Kroenke will be forced out too. And won’t Gazidis look silly too if that happens..
I did mean to mention the fans too…
Kk, I’m sure he was hurt, but he had plenty of years to improve things didn’t he. Certainly a lot longer than any other manager has been given..
Yes rico. .he said he didn’t want to talk about it now, but one day he will..
It’s gonna be the best seller of all time I guess ?
I watched some of the Atletico game vs Betis ..it was a bore fest I can tell you that…
0/0 final score. .could well be their rehearsal game for Thursday. .
It was nice to see our own campbell playing though..
I know it’s no reflection on the team or how they play, but Wenger still looks the dogs. It has to be said, so I will say it, even in just his grey cardie, shirt and slacks, he is the epitome of good taste, compared to any other managers, and the club has been lucky enough to have him. Class is something you either have or you haven’t.
He set the tone for all the changes for the better in English football, and I think that is why he is receiving so many eulogies. Would any other manager have got together a team that went unbeaten for a whole season? Would any other manager have achieved a top four place every year, while saving money for a move to the Emirates?
Where it all came unstuck, was when he fell in love with Arsenal and never wanted a new challenge elsewhere, as most managers do after three or four seasons ( if they are lucky enough to last that long). That love affair was his undoing. It made him want to balance the books every year, not get into debt, so no longer really competing with the elite that grew from foreign money. His signings were or appeared to be ‘bargain basement’. Yet for all that until this last couple of seasons he still got us top four. Admittedly, we didn’t last five minutes in Europe.
He would never have reneged, or ended his love affair with the club, by choice. He was definately pushed.
I know that not many on here like Ramsey, but I always have, and he will probably leave, as will Ozil and Jack. Mustafi and Xhaka will be up the road, so, we should see a new team next season, along with Brendan Rogers as manager. He will probably look to bring a few sweaty socks down to prove they really aren’t good enough for the EPL.
Let’s all hope we do well in the ropey cup, at least getting us in by the back door next year. It was good enough for Napoleon.
We were dire today in defence, Iwobi was crap as usual, Danny was as clumsy as ever, but works so hard.
Ospina is a woos who always looks like he want to go off injured. No, overall Arsene is not leaving much of a team IMO, especially with Ramsey, Jack and Ozil likely to be gone.
It will be interesting if nothing else.
Morning all.
Kk, I can’t wait to read it and it’s already on my Christmas list… ?
Meerkat, do you mean he looks like an old stray who needs a good meal and a haircut? After yesterday’s comments, he’s gone even further down in my estimation..
Morning Rico and all. The interregnum was always going to be a strange time. I missed the post match press conference but caught up with it in its entirety on You Tube last night. I thought it to be balanced and reasonable and that Arsene looked more relaxed than he has done for a while. On the other hand I found Gary Neville’s comments pre-match to be rather pompous and self-important. Almost demanding to know who the next manager would be, he seems like an odd weasel-like man caught up in the mirage of his own self-importance.
I wonder if Sarri has merited any consideration in the search for a new manager?
Sad that in blaming the fans for his unseating at Arsenal he has kind of highlighted the problem. Football fans are many things from all walks of life but in the main they know what they see and they share the frustrations that go with them.
Wenger’s problem always was that whatever the situation he knew best. He bought into the labelling of “Le Professuer ” propagated it and ultimately believed it himself.
Certain sections of the support grew frustrated during the stadium years , the period of austerity , the selling to survive and the gradual decline of the standard and quality of the squad. Others myself included were more pragmatic and looked at the players at his disposal and yearned to see adaptions to the system of play to get the most out of these players.
Even yesterday when we were chasing the game and had three central forwards on the pitch the reluctance to play the ball into them drew groans from the crowd in the stadium and I am sure I was not alone at barking at the television when a more positive attitude was not adopted.
We won 4 -1 in the end , a flattering score line but not a true reflection of the game . It could in fact have been more as West Ham melted and collapsed in the final minutes.
For too long we have been an unbalanced team on the pitch concentrating on one style of play whilst neglecting basic principals that win matches .We have adapted 5 a side football on a larger scale , a system where everyone can join in the pass and move , but where everyone gets drawn to the ball and like a kids game neglect the spaces behind and get caught out when the other team break on us after one pass too many goes astray .
We have all seen it , we have all complained about it but ultimately creating the organisation to prevent it comes down on one man. It’s a shame that it is ending this way with acrimony but the man will not publically accept his part in the drama , perhaps if he spends some time away and reflects on it he will see that he was just as culpable as anyone.
Chances are though that Le Professeur will be snapped up elsewhere and his reflections will not be publicised until that chapter closer.
closes should be.
Morning Adam, Potter.
Sorry Adam, I shut my eyes and went back to sleep… lol
Good morning all..
I thought his words were a bit condescending and resentful towards arsenal fans. .he is somehow blaming the negative image surrounding the club on fans division and inpatience. . not the serial humiliation of results or the crap football his team been offering lately.
The kids in Africa and Asia would rather follow the likes of Mane, Salah and song than our Gervinhos, iwobes and Parks. .
I am not angry at him anymore, but I thought he would show more class and humility.
Good comment Potter and totally agree. I thought his comments about the fans were below the belt…
Me too Kk, for years those fans he’s slating kept him in a job..
New post up now.
Morning all.
By blaming the fans it is his get out clause. The Teflon King strikes back! Clearly it was not his fault nor the team’s failure to win away from home since Christmas. No, it was all the fans fault that he got levered out from behind his comfy desk. And thereby hangs the real problem he has lost his vision. His one eyed view of how to play the game may have worked 20 years ago, even 10 but not today. He was the author of contemporary football but now his accolites have all caught up and overtaken him! He should be flattered. What’s more he should have retired 4 years ago.
It’s hard, the aging process. It has a tendency to skew ones views of the world and even ones place in it. Wenger, I think has rejected the fact that he is approaching old age and, rather than embracing it and letting his life move on, he has deluded himself into the false world of fantasy youth!
We said on here that he had lost his mojo some years ago, I have seen no sign of its resurrection this side of 2010!
Sadly he’s passed it, it happens but, of course it is much easier to blame others than admit to ones own failures.
Dull here and much cooler.
Thanks Wavy, it certainly seems that way. Deflecting all that has gone on on the pitch to the fans is wrong imo. He’d be more respected if he stood up and admitted results and performances haven’t been good enough etc etc…