Morning all.
Arsenal fans can leave the ‘Wenger Out’ banners at home according to Mark Lawrenson on the BBC website as he expects us to win this evening, so clearly he’s another man who really can’t grasp why so many of us want the Frenchman to depart this summer.
It’s not about today’s result or last weeks victory or even the scrap for top four it’s about too many seasons of playing the same way. And by that I mean everything from team selection to the predictable changes which take pace by the clock and not what’s happening during the game. It’s not even about having not winning the PL for years or CL for me, it’s about not being a serious challenge in either..
Leicester travel to Man City today and anything could happen in that game. If City drop points, it makes a victory at Stoke crucial. It is anyway to be fair if Arsene Wenger wants top four but bearing in mind his record against not only Stoke, but Mark Hughes away from home then I wouldn’t bank on us coming back to London with all three points in the bag. The last six matches have seen three losses and three draws which is really poor for a club who should be fighting for the league title but that’s what we do and have done for a while now. The last time we won up there was a horrid day in 2010 when Aaron Ramsey suffered a horrid leg break thanks to the ghastly Ryan Shawcross.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could return tonight as could Laurent Koscienly having missed the win against Southampton, a club we’d also not beaten on the road for a while.
That result turned out alright though so maybe later we’ll finally get to beat Stoke on the road too….
There will be no director of football because the last thing a dictator wants is someone to question his methods.
There will be no return for players like Henry because, again he won’t have anyone who could possibly question his methods or undermine his power.
The “catalyst for change” will come from him – the one person who has led Arsenal to the cusp of mid table mediocrity
The very worst thing that could happen is happening and that after two reasonable results the sheep are flocking back to the shepherd thinking things have changed.
The only way things will change is if he goes. If he stays everything that has transpired for the last thirteen years will be repeated for however long he remains in post.
Trouble is there are too many that think a stubborn, arrogant 67 year old who has been allowed to do precisely what he wants can change – the more realistic of us no otherwise..
Sorry know otherwise…
Signing a new contract could backfire. The pressure on him next season, if he does, will be immense. A few bad losses and it will all kick off again. It’s a fluid situation and he’d be an idiot not to see the pitfalls.
Agree Me, he’s a control freak and a dictator.
Adam, I agree. I know I said yesterday about putting a tenner on him to be sacked, but unless he seeks help, he will be…
Massive mistake if we allow him to sign a new deal. Get Leonardo Jardim, Younes and Dolberg from Ajax, Keita and Forsberg from Leipzig and James from Madrid. Show some intent as Juventus did last summer. Make a statement that you are going to win the league/ECL. Time for change is NOW.
Unless Tottenham suffer because of Wembley, they together with City, Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea and even Everton will all improve next season. We though will continue to decline under Wenger.
Even Pulis seems to be improving West Brom.
I listened to one of Pulis ex players yesterday and he said he leaves no stone un-turned in preparation for a game. Monday to Wednesday is all about fitness in training, Thursday and Friday are tactics only and they work, work and work on how to play the team they face at the weekend.
I wonder what Wenger does?
It’s a sad state of affairs when Pulis seems a better option that who we have…
Morning Rico and All
The Banners and protests around the world
have helped the team..I think.
The players ain’t mugs,
social media highlights most stuff these days.
It must get to them.
What we have been seeing the last 11 years
has all come from the training ground..End Of.
It looks like Gazza could be offered a top job
with MLS if Arsene gets his way.
Talk about control freak..
Arsene reminds me of that joke..About The Swiss Army Wife.
Db, did you see the article in The Telegraph? Wenger chooses his own future.
Scott may have had a strange and perhaps sometimes hostile way of putting his view across, but he’s right in a way. Until Kroenke and the rest of the board get together and act as one against removing Wenger, nothing is likely to change.
Morning Fred.
I think the protests have woken up Wenger, well, a bit. Shame old old fool couldn’t have woken up ten years ago, he might have enjoyed more success…
Yes Rico – evidence of a mad dictator completely out of control!!!
Sure is Db, but I do wonder who leaks this stuff to the media as it’s not the kind of thing to be made up imo.
I still think there’s a huge divide on the board and his future is yet to be decided. If so, and it’s based on a top 4 place. I hope we lose tonight and that pains me to say big time.
I hope he hasn’t bought time rico.
The back four with two attacking fullbacks
and two flimseys in the middle could never
work over the season.
We have slagged the pro’s off on TV..But
That lot have been telling him that…..for years
As do I Fred, as do I…
Charlie Nic, who always seems sensible with his views, has certainly been saying that for yonks…
Seems the more people criticise his, the more stubborn he gets…
Still, he’s going to buy lots of great players in the summer.
Of course Adam. Mbappe being the first…
Or Adam, he had the opportunity to buy…………???? The list is almost endless. The reality is small and mostly little better than journeymen in the professional game.
New signings that cost or are already ‘stars’ aren’t in Wenger’s ambit! Cheap and cheerful cost just about effective and ordinary, like Sanogo are the order of his transfer dealings. How on earth he thinks the Arsenal will be competitive next year defies reason.
He is ‘Fagin’ only French. An old skinflint. A tight wad. AND he is past it!
He needs to be encouraged to go to a new pasture where the grass is sweet and not suitable for football. He should find a comfortable old chaise and sit and ponder his successes and more especially his recent failures and rejoice that ‘the day job’ is now completed!
Grey day here and I believe citeh are winning 2-0. Sorry can’t be bothered to watch. I blame Wenger for killing my joy in football. In fact I blame Wenger for every I’ll I’ve suffered in the last year! And, at the moment the prospect is looking even more bleak!
Ill or unwell! Ffs
So you don’t want Wenger to stay on then Wavy? 😉
Lucky lucky City.
Afternoon all and thanks Rico.
Due to our management………………………… the games are playing havoc with my mind in that unlike normal conditions when both my head and heart want us to win it`s now a case of head wants loss tonight and heart wants win !.
Not too long ago I was trying the theory about pitch sizes and how they may influence clubs style of play and tactics etc`………I did point out that we may have levelled the playing field……pun intended……….in our Cup Final match with Chavs in that we play on a pitch close to the size of Wembley and that our pitch is 240M2 bigger than Chavs pitch !………………………………it also may help in understanding why we do shit at Stokes ground !…………….they have the smallest pitch in the EPL at 6400M2 ……………….740M2 smaller than our pitch(7140M2) !……………………it is widely regarded by the boffins that smaller pitches are more of an advantage to defensive teams, so there is my theory why we cant win at Stoke !…………………..to change our luck there we need to change tactics and I dont know whether the new formation helps this or not, but to counter Stoke`s supremacy over us at their ground maybe we need to defend first and foremost and counter attack them !……………………………….not bad from a Van Driver ! hahaha
Lets be honest, they have been for a long time an average football team and to have such a great record against us up there must mean there is some veracity in my theory of smaller pitch as by even the law of averages we would have tonked them at least once in a blue moon !
Beautifull Hot sunny day and the ride-on is beckoning me !…………….I shall be cutting something bigger than Stoke`s pitch !
yesterday games, show us how difficult was won matches against WBA away and Watford home. I’ve watched WBA-Chelsea. WBA was played the same way then versus us.
Concentrates the players in the middle and gives the sides to the opponents. These, convinced of “facilities” play predominantly in crossings. With high defenses, strong and always in numerical advantage, they always have an advantage. Then, throw the ball to the Rondón or another Randóm and try to create danger, or preferentially, to gain near fouls of the area and corners. The corners and these faults are all studied. That was against Arsenal and against Chelsea. Against Arsenal it was easy prey: without enough players in the area and without fighting the defenses / midfield, the Arsenal players ran in the extreme, were worn out, put themselves down, gave up corners and made fouls constantly near the area. Tactics wins and game wins.
With Chelsea it did not work. Probably because Conte studies the opponent and sees the games (unlike AW). They realized how they were going to attack and had their lesson studied so they would not do any corner and for faults at the foot of the area (have you see the rebuke that Bashulay took of Diego Costa when he entered, made a foul at the entrance of the area?).
Thats way why Chelsea won the League. With the same tactics, some were manipulated (Arsenal) and the other (Chelsea) domineering and always over the top.
Werner (Leipzig) to Arsenal!!!!
AW out!
Giroud and Coquelin start tonight……
Jm, is that re Werner being said in Portugal?
If only Bellerin had a trick to go outside and centre .
Sanchez coming to deep imo…
And if only Ozil could take a decent corner..
Stoke are just starting to get into the game.
He often does Kel, he’s so keen.
My worry here is I don’t think we can play much better and we haven’t got the goal we need.. and stoke can’t play much worse… ?
We really do lack a creative midfielder imo.
Nice goal.. was just about to say Ollie is getting no service…
I have to say le coq is having a good game!
That pass to Belerin was ozilic!
Evening all..
We look more secure with 3 at the back..
Monreal is way better wing back than gibbsy
Need better striking option though
Agree re Coquelin Kk, although if Stoke start to find some form I hope he doesn’t get so far forward..
Playing well so far.
Agree rico. .
I think mark hughs will put Walter and crouch on for the 2nd half and things can get physical.
Cracking goal..
Agree Adam, especially considering our history against this lot..
Not yet though Kk… lol
Wenger out of his seat for that goal…
Stoke reverted to type up the physical and we fall apart.
Cheat Crouch!
Dean reverts to type too.!!
Mike dean at his best!!
We’ve gone to rats…
We deserved that. And with an injured thigh…
Justice!!!!!!
That’s a relief. Holding showing his Bolton training.
Great stuff. Perseverance from Ramsey paid off.
Goal difference is important now.
Well done boys put them Scumbags to the sword
We’re level with Liverpool now Potter…
Stoke are armless! UP THE ARSE!!!!
Goal difference could be a massive factor this yr in the fight for 4th….
Stop the flicks Ramsey!
Hopefully we’ll knock a few past Sunderland on Tuesday… ?
Aaron being fuckin silly again in midfield
1 point behind I think rico
The hammers to get anything tomorrow and it’s game on for sure
I was talking goals Gg. Need the Hammers to do us a favour tomorrow
Yes rico, Hammer Time & plenty of bubbles?
Have to say I think the plane and banner was overkill today..
Fingers crossed Gg.
Why Kel?
Excellent performance and attitude. A bit late but welcome nonetheless.
Agree there Adam. Where’s that kind of approach been all season…?
On that happy note.
Night all…
Night Rico.
Well that was very satisfying…
Mike Dean is absolutely hopeless.
How that fool gets any games is a total mystery
No rico, but will be a good option.
The referee was awfull!
How can Stoke finish with only one yellow card (and probably it wasn’t …)?
Bellerin is out of form
Tomorrow I will be a hammer and maybe a Tott.ashamed …. but only on the outside and disguised.
I think Bellerin is just going through a growth crisis! He’s just growing up! Too many tats, too much hair braiding, too many spots! He’ll grow out of it. I think, eventually. May take a while!
Form is temporary, class is permanent! Usually
,
JM
How can Stoke finish with a goal next to it’s name, Crouch fisted the ball in the back of the net. The A League has video referee, they need it in the PL immediately.
Potter, apologies, just noticed your last comment from yesterday’s post.
My Granddaughter is 2yrs 3mths, fortunately my son spent the day with me as well.
She’s full of energy, loves chattering and has a stare that says ‘ don’t mess with me pal’. ?
I`ll tell you why Stoke finish with a goal next to it`s name GG, it`s because of this…………………..
https://twitter.com/iamwojtek/status/863460409700909056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Farsenalarsenal.net%2F2017%2F05%2F13%2Farsenal-stoke-away-today%2F
Morning all. Come on you Hammers !……………heart speaking ! 🙂
Morning all.
I suspect it’ll be a quiet day here today… 😉
Wonder if Mike Dean will be at Shite Fart Pain today amongst all their other legends for the last game there ?
Morning Rico. Good win yesterday evening with some excellent performances. Seems the team have decided to play a bit.
Nice of them.
Looks like we have a similar situation , ours is 3 yrs 8 months and is already going on 14 , runs us ragged.
Great fun though.
My Grandson is 4 and I kitted him out in an Arsenal kit , he`s only allowed to wear it around here as his Dads an Argyle fan !……………….cant wait to take him to the Ems at some point, it will be one of the greatest days of my life to take my Grandson there, just like it was when I took my Son !……………..unbelievable bonding experience !.
Took my son to Highbury for the first time for Pat Jennings testimonial , As we stood at the top of the North Bank I just said to him ” Look at the pitch and take it in ” I can still see the shivers as he got hooked . ( poor sod )
Morning Adam. Shame it’s a bit late eh…
Ha ha Potter. Does he blame you still today?
New post up now.