Morning all.
The Press Conference dished up a few odd responses from Arsene Wenger yesterday but despite being prepared to write scathing comments about him and his teams performance on Sunday, they didn’t push him, not far enough anyway. Arsene Wenger doesn’t seem to be accountable to anyone at the club, nor does he appear to give two hoots about us fans either so the only people in with a chance to push him for answers is possibly the Press..
“We are in that kind of situation where you want to focus on the next game,” he said.
“I don’t ask if your position is reviewed at the end of the season. “My job is to perform and it is for other people to evaluate.”
“Will it stop you sleeping, that my position might not be certain or is certain? No.
“What is interesting in football is the performance, it is the game you will see on Thursday night. All the rest maybe makes headlines but it is not really interesting.
“I am amazed I have to answer about things that are exactly the same – I am here for 21 years and turned the world down to respect my contract.”
“We have to live with criticism. That is part of the modern game,” he said.
“People who comment, their job is to comment. What is important is how we respond – analyse well and respond together in a united way.”
“I’m quite amazed at how people analyse.” (Wembley Final) “It looks like we lost against a team in Division Five, we lost against a team that dominates English football at the moment. We have to take a bit of perspective.
“We are very disappointed because we lost an important game. I felt it was a very tight game until 2-0. Manchester City had three shots on target and we had two.
“We need to play with more freedom, we played a bit apprehensive.”
We don’t need to be rocket scientists to work out what the questions were. Arsene is clever though, he’s learned how to deflect pressure on him by often answering a question with a question, certainly the awkward ones surrounding his future. Around this time last year, similar questions were being put to him but back then, his contract was on the verge of expiring. Now though, he has another year to go but I’d say that never before has the pressure on him been so intense. We’re way of the pace in the league, we suffered a humiliating defeat to a championship club in the FA Cup, a competition which has pretty much kept him at the club of late, and most recently, the debacle that was on show last weekend. How Arsene Wenger believed that match was a closely contested one simply amazes me. As said though, it’s his way of deflecting the issues going on, certainly on the pitch.
The Mirror report that the board have had enough, they’ve finally seen enough too and they’ve turned. They want the Frenchman gone and so do a number of players within the squad as they know the day has come for change. As usual though, there’s absolutely no evidence within the article which supports their theory. I strongly suspect someone has leaked this to the media and there’s some kind of truth in it but if so, no one is prepared to put their name to it.
On the other hand though, this story could just as easily be made up in an attempt to get fans hopes raised. To believe change is imminent and as the months leading up to season ticket renewal time pass by, fans don’t decide to walk away.
I still think he’s going and that day gets closer the worse things get. Time will tell of course but I simply can’t see how things are going to improve under his management.
At the time of writing, the game tonight goes ahead which is a shame really because if Arsenal fans don’t turn out after the weekends pathetic performance, Wenger has a ready made excuse for the empty seats. Snow and freezing cold temperatures.
I hope that was taken after watching ten re runs of the league final and some stern words! No, I don’t think so either.
Anyway, if you’re going tonight, be safe and keep warm. Personally, I think the best way to watch the match is in front of a log fire with a nice cup of tea.
At least then you can change channels after City score their second goal…
Good post Rico, again! The old wrinkly one is a master of deflection, massaging the truth and changing it into, as you rightly say, a question of his own. He is the master of obsfucation and self delusion! However, it would seem that at long last a few fairly important folk have seen through his kind words and 21 years of experience, and finally realised that it all counts for nothing but current abject failure.
The weather has given him a bit of breathing space. If the game is called off tomorrow will have no accusations of continued failure and his inability to prepare the team properly in order to avoid defeat, etc etc. The Brighton game if called off too, will give him an even longer breathing space, more awkward questions he can duck and weave his way through. The current level of discontent will probably dissipate and fade into the ether. As Goonie says, he’s Teflon, nothing ever sticks!
Meanwhile the club’s situation becomes more perilous as each day passes! I doubt he will go before the end of the season but if as reported the discontent has reached the dressing room, something I thought had happened last season, but seems to have regained a new impetus, this may well lead to his ultimate demise. I think Sanchez was blamed for all the upsets last year, so having rid themselves of the ‘rotten apple’ they now find they have half a barrel full of equally rotten apples! It would be reasonable that the manager is the cause for this unsatisfactory state of affairs.
The saga continues but, not for much longer I hope.
Morning all. Still snowing here and more forecast to come!
Thanks Wavy. I too hope the game is postponed to a warm Spring evening after the clocks go forward and see who turns out then although another hefty defeat wouldn’t do Wenger any good at all.
I reckon there’s some truth in the players losing faith, especially after hearing wha5 th3 likes of Walcott said after leaving. Things are Štāle, too comfy forv5hem and I doubt this is what Auba or Mikki thought they were signing up to.
Amazes me that Ozil chose to stay but then he seems to like a comfy life where he doesn’t have to work too hard.
We have certainly had more than our share of whimpering snowflakes like Walcot. The longer all this stuff rolls on, the more embarrassing it will be for Wenger and the club.
The press love it of course and the TV pundits will be happy to let us know their opinion for a price.
It goes back much further than the present malaise , the list of players that spoke out and left goes back to Cesc ,RVP and others, but it’s not just the players . Remember Liam Brady when he went and Terry Murphy , coaches that were not happy went too but the ones that toed the line stayed ..This has been a long time coming , a slow burner so to speak but the embers have been there for some time .
The fans are disrespected by the board but really so what ! If the team are performing , the board are immaterial nobody would care. To us it’s the pitch but as the club announce a load of new sponsors coming on board see
http://www.aclfarsenal.co.uk/2018/02/28/rebirth-arsenals-partnerships/. what happens on the pitch seems to be far away from their thoughts .
Until they realise that The Arsenal is a football club , it isn’t going to change much.
I’m sure Neville will have a lot to say later Adam.
People here in the Uk are like Wenger, everyone has been told the conditions are bad, but they carry on regardless and then wonder why they come unstuck…
Stay at home for gawds sake…
Very true Potter.
Great post Rico, I guess I’m one of the last fans to finally turn as I was hoping AW will leave quietly feigning illness or something .He shouldn’t even handle tonight’s match he doesn’t have the required skill to do so. I’m done hoping he’ll change.
I notice, when talking about tv that 2 of the EPL tv packages remain unsold. Is this the beginning of the end?
I think we all know this hyper inflated football market will not last for ever but I think the first jottings are on the wall for the greedy elements, from players, their agents to owners and shareholders plus all the other leeches who derive a spurious and dubious living from all the soccer franchises! Perhaps the fan base, always loyal and always ready to put their hands in their pockets will suddenly and somewhat mysteriously become a new flavour or favour to be embraced by the cynical owners etc. Perhaps they’ll have to rely on more of what goes in, in earned terms, rather than relying on tv handouts.
What goes round, eh?
I wonder what Kronke will do when he realises that his shares in the club are no longer desirable and he is facing a substantial loss in his pet project? Will he sell up or will hang on in there for the long haul to…….bankruptcy?
We’re a long way off until that point is reached I think but the whole enterprise could come crashing down in a trice if the right or rather wrong circumstances are encountered. Eg Berings Bank or Carillion or Toys r us? Or countless other big business failures.
We’re all doomed…..doomed!
Wenger out!
Still snowing here and the wind’s up.
Good afternoon rico and all…
Are we playing tonight? It certainly feels like the end of the season already.
rico I loved Neville football analysis and observations. .until he called that fan an idiot on live TV. .he never apologised despite having many opportunities to do so ..and now he is saying everything at the club is a disgrace ..
I don’t know what he has been watching for the last 5 years but think he just saying these things now to get all the headlines, I doubt it he genuinely wants us to improve or progress. .
He also said he never liked our defending or leadership on the pitch nor our frail mentality ,but he liked the football we use to play which has now gone!!
Yet he bollox a fan holding a polite banner says enough is enough time for change!..
Wavy, I was talking to a Sky engineer the other day, apparently most sports are heading back to them. Looks like BT Sport might handing back the footie and Cricket…
Afternoon Kk, agree re Neville. He was a prat for slating the protesting Arsenal fans, especially as he’s been knocking us for years… Penny dropped maybe..
Pitch cleared and lines painted blue !!!!
Looks like the match is on….
Hi BT. It feels tad milder in London at the moment so, as long as those who go don’t catch a snowstorm it should ok.
Hi Adam, wish it was milder here, have to go out before 7pm,,,
Hopefully i’ll not to much of the first half…
Didn’t Totts pain theirs blue and had to redo them white?
Hi Bt, Adam.
Glad it’s getting milder, floods will be next.. 😉
Something to do with VAR, Rico
Off out, imagine paying to play football..BRRR…lol
Later
Ah yes, thanks Bt. Not applicable tonight..
Arsenal XI: Cech, Bellerin, Koscielny, Mustafi, Kolasinac, Ramsey, Xhaka, Mkhitaryan, Ozil, Welbeck, Aubameyang
Bench: Ospina, Chambers, Holding, Elneny, Maitland-Niles, Iwobi, Nketiah
Read more at https://www.arsenal.com/live#!timeline#OeWqxEYG8Xk2v7WR.99
Read more at https://www.arsenal.com/live#!timeline#pKLykRMU16D0CKva.99
Fire alight, logs burning nicely, bottle of wine outside in the snow ,wind blowing a gale , TV on , fully expect a power cut just as we kick off.
What are you planning to watch Potter? ?
Fred Karno’s army aka our defence
Watch the wheels fall off. Fucking clueless.
AW never learns anything ..
Too easy for man city
Weak and naive.
What’s left for him to learn kk. He’s managed 20 million games. Fucking arrogant prick that he is.
Shambolic lewis ..I would say another nail in his coffin. .but at this stage it’s all nails and no coffin left..
Kolasinac being hung out to dry. Ball getting passed inside him for runners with no midfield cover. Makes look bad but he has two or three running at him.
I’m really glad I’ve watched the first half and seen the 3 goals. They reminded me of a team I once knew!
To be fair I don’t think the Arsenal have played that badly, at least not as bad as their recent offerings but they just can’t compete with the style of football that they used to turn on week after week. It’s so disappointingly! Wenger has forgotten how to play fast football. Reason, he has slowed down so much himself, because he’s got old and feeble, that he just can’t coach it any more, he’s forgotten how!
Time to go Arsene, time to go.
We have Ramsey, Ozil, welbeck, miki and auba on. Basically 5 players with zero defensive qualities against one of the best attacking teams I’ve ever seen.
Well done Arsene, well done!
You were right Potter.
Might be a half empty stadium but the booing was loud..
I’m almost glad I’m stuck in Ipswich Hospital recovering from an operation on my broken ankle!
Sorry to hear about your ankle Bob… It’s really hard viewing yet again…
Though Auba would have put his foot through that pen….
Do we even have a midfield anymore?
Rico. It doesn’t matter which striker we sign, they all turn into a combination of Yaya Sanogo and Kaba Diawara! Gerd Muller and Jimmy Greaves would have lost there scoring touch in an Arsenal shirt!
Bob, I reckon you’re right..
No Lewis, we haven’t got much really..
Not one change made by Wenger, yet a few could have done with replacing.
Says it all really…
I think he just forgot he had subs. It happens when you get older, you tend to become a little forgetful?
Has he resigned yet?
Bellend got roasted and ozil didn’t show up..
Auba was weak ..
Miki and welbz tried but they lack quality. .
Midfield of Ramsey and xhaka left our already shaky defence open again..
Only one arsene wenger though. .
Get well soon Bob….
Cheers KK
Bob. Sorry to hear that news. I wish you well mate.
Well, what a load of old rubbish. Too slow, too weak, and two down within half an hour.
6-0 over the two games. The empty seats and boo’s told the story.
The team seem mentally not even bothered, and I am afraid to say, that’s down to one person.
Sorry Arsene, it doesn’t matter how many games, how many years, how many other jobs you’ve turned down, you are now the main problem with this team. Half the team are not good enough for a start, that was painfully clear. The others just give up.
It is going to be a messy bloodletting when he is forced out of the door, but he must be I’m afraid.
The rot began years ago, but we were brainwashed into thinking it was a sacrifice to be made in order to have the new stadium. I wish we were still at Highbury, instead of this soulless place. All about money and profits.
Well Kroenke, let’s see how the value of your shares drop.
I felt physically sick tonight, watching a team that cannot play, instead of slow, slow, quick quick slow, it was just slow and laboured with players that can’t run, and players that can, but didn’t, and Donkeys ( Kolasinac, Mustafi and Xhaka) every time the ball went backward to Cech, I thought he was going to lose it. No confidence in any section of the team from defence, to midfield and to the forwards.
We were spanked and taught a footballing lesson over the two games. Let’s hope they learned how to play as a team. If not, the only way is down.
Morning all.
What a disappointment- we were promised snow and lots of it but not a flake fell overnight.
Oh, and the football was rubbish too.
New post up now.
Hi Bondex, don’t know why but your comment went into spam. You’re out now though..