Morning all.
Another game the manager and many players thought they’d win with ease?
Five changes were made from the weekend. A team which scored five goals and were looking darn good was torn apart for last night’s match. Gibbs in for Monreal, odd. Gabriel in for Mertesacker, understandable. Coquelin in for Flamini, a must even when Flamini is fit. Oxlade-Chamberlain in for Ramsey, understandable. Ospina in for Cech, what!!!
When was the last time that Arsene Wenger selected his number two goalkeeper for the Champions League group fixtures apart from this season or when we’ve already qualified? Why, and especially knowing last night’s match was a ‘must win’ game, was Petr Cech left on the bench? One of the most experienced keepers in Europe, one who has actually won this competition and he’s left out. Madness imo.
A top class keeper, and that’s not me knocking David Ospina, gives confidence to those ahead of him but last night, when we were defending the attacking moves Olympiacos offered, we looked all at sea. Four shots on goal for the opposition, three goals. Disgraceful and I don’t just mean by the back five.
As Wenger said, what happened to Ospina for one of the goals could have happened to Cech but he’s taller, stronger in the air and somehow I doubt it would have. He’s more decisive too and certainly makes it clear when he’s coming for the ball, something which I don’t think Ospina is or does. Didn’t we concede against Spurs after he failed to take control of a situation where the ball should have been his?
1-0 down, Walcott equalised, 2-1 down after a howler, Alexis equalised with a stunning header after a good cross. Game on, we could win this. But no, we switched off and no sooner had Olymipacos kicked the game off, they were ahead again. School boy stuff…
Up the other end and especially in the last 20/30 minutes of the game, we did all we could to score an equaliser and then a winner but an in form keeper together with an organised defensive group, kept us out. We didn’t have that same discipline or organisation. And clearly, we don’t have a true leader, a proper captain on the pitch. We haven’t for a long long time.
Before the game I suggested that all this squad lacks is 2/3 Ray Parlours and didn’t last night prove how much we do.
Alexis Sanchez can hold his head high, the man is incredible and not once did he shirk his duties. How many other players can feel the same this morning I wonder.. Walcott was at least trying and really should have scored at least two on the night but when the left side of the goal was gaping, he chose to cut into the middle and a great chance had gone.
Going into the game having lost our opener, where was the passion for the shirt these boys were playing for, where was the commitment, energy and cohesion we have so often heard of from the manager? In fact where was the manager when needed, where were the changes when it was clear certain players were either not on form or just weren’t prepared to chase that darn ball like their lives depended on it?
Looking at the bench though, who really could have changed that game around. Aaron Ramsey tried and to be honest, we looked more of a threat after he came on but even that wasn’t enough, it never would be all the time we defend like a Sunday pub side. Expecting Joel Campbell to make a difference in such a short time was really clutching at straws, in fact expecting him to make a difference at all is odd as how many minutes has he played this season? But then what other options has Arsene Wenger left himself with Giroud suspended and Welbeck injured?
Just thinking outside the box – Dare I suggest Monreal on, Gibbs on the wing and play Alexis in the middle? What about Debuchy on, push Bellerin up and get those crosses into the feet of our attacking players? It wasn’t working for Ozil, why leave him on? Wasn’t Gabriel once a striker? Chambers was on the bench for cover…..
We’ve played just two games in this competition so far and we’ve been embarrassed by a Dinamo Zagreb side who hadn’t won a Champions League game since 1999 and now an Olympiacos side who up until last night had never won a game on English soil.
Arsene Wenger insists we can still qualify from the group and with twelve points up for grabs he’s right but the reality is, six of those points will be won or lost against Bayern Munich and I just can’t see us getting anything from either game. But as our last two matches have proved, football is a funny old game and if we can beat Bayern at home and sneak a point away, qualification could still be on.
Remember the 2003/04 season and a trip to the San Siro?
One thing I do hope though and that’s that we don’t end up watching Thursday/Sunday football as that would be awful.
Maybe as others have said previously, the best thing to happen would be the Premier League losing the 4th place spot which usually secures Champions League football because then the bar set by Kroenke and his cronies might be higher, the transfer windows might be more productive and standard of football might vastly improve because the silent American would surely hate to be deprived of the money this competition brings with qualification.
Should that miraculously happen, who knows, we might even have enough to win the darn thing!
Anyway, last night was an awful night for all of us and to top if off, Laurent Koscielny limped off with what appeared to be a hamstring injury and is a major doubt for Sunday’s showdown with Utd…
Oh happy days…..
Good morning all, i’m very sorry for Ospina, he got to deal with the criticism because he made a bad mistake. But on the other hand, Gibbs, Ox, BFG and Ozil could have done better on the other goals. We can sit and blame all the but the blame lies at AW feet, AW is finished and is finding it hard to step aside. Why loan Gnabry and keep Ox? What’s Ramsey best position? Why is SC playing CM? Why is Gibbs, JC, MA, MF and TR still playing for Arsenal? How longer is he going to wait on JW and AR to perform consistently? What was his expectations for this lot? Their is too much unanswered questions and it has been like this for years. Having faith in players who will never be good enough. Whats happening now might be a blessing in disguise, changes are needed for the club to move forward. I’m tired of hearing about invincibles and stadium, AW needs to leave.
Very good read.
Not sold on Cech is mistake fre though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7qmnJ7BkbM
Nice post rico…
Scott he’s not to blame for Ospina dropping the ball he’s to blame for playing his no.2 in a must win CL game… I really can’t explain it anymore for you.
We all called for rotation yes, I honestly don’t think most fans would have included the no.1 keeper in that, we were talking about Ramsey, Alexis, Ozil, kos.. All Being played to the point of injury or in the red zone as it was put.
Ts, no-one is suggesting Cech is mistake free but look at the circumstances, a taller Cech would have caught that ball without falling backwards and needing to drop the ball in fear he was going to go back into the net with it.
But I sure has heck don’t blame him for the defeat, the defence, which I again believe Cech keeps better organised, fell asleep, as did those in front of them…
Nothing is wrong in playing Ospina yesterday, if its a risk playing Ospina against that garbage team, its best for him to play elsewhere because he simply is not good enough.
You have a valid point Rico.
Dna- Sc19 was always a CM before he joined us…
I just don’t think the likes of Coquelin, Ox are tactically aware to play in UCL at the moment…
Sege is just coming back from a long term injury and is not match fit. he has only been playing 20 minutes max for WBA…
It’s time Aw walks; maybe the truth shall be known then…; so far as its not Klopp coming in after AW.
That is a matter of opion Gdna. Not fact.
Ts… If wenger walks, how long do you give a new manager?
Why would Arsene Wenger walk right now?
Rico, where did i say its fact? You are saying Cech should have played instead of Ospina, how can you be sure the result would have been different?
Agree with gdna.If Klopp becomes manager he would play attacking soccer but made the defence strong.Wenger doesn’t bother about defence.
Arsenal 5 Boro 3,Arsenal 5 Spurs 4. Though they conceded many goals at least they won back in those days.Since then the defence has been given less priority by Wenger.He has loaded the team,imho with too many attack minded players even among the defenders.
Yes he has 30 coaching experience but he doesn’t seem to learn or bother despite the regular defeats to MU and Chelsea. Another defeat to MU will be the final straw.
wenger wont walk rico, because there is no 1 at the club that has much pull as him
harry redknapp said on irish tv last night that he knows wenger is the top man at the club
It’s just the way you comment Gdna, as if everything you say Gospel.
Like why does the blame lie totally at the feet of AW, that side last night should have beaten Olympicacos but certain players just didn’t play well enough….
i have said it before, when wenger leaves kroenke will sell his stake in the club
time to give usmanov a chance
Exactly Mg, and until Kroenke grows a pair, we are stuck with AW so everyone can type the ‘Wenger out’ stuff all they like but nothing will change…
What ts is saying rico is that if wenger walks now then we’ll most likely finish outside of the top 4 or as ts puts it maybe the truth shall be known.
I would like a new manager in the summer when he can use the transfer market like most proactive managers do and then judge him from that point. I don’t think right now would be in the best interests of the club… just my opinion.
AW – tick tock tick tock.. The Clock End alarm has to go off soon. Enough is enough. Rested players vs Zagreb after a couple of weeks of the season. Lost. Rests our only signing – 10mil keeper. lost. I could go on and cover the previous six years but nah. thats been covered for years now. Go now before I invade the pitch with your p45. The north bank don’t sing your name for last four years. Ever wondered why? ta-ra.
rico if you could choose the next manager,, who would it be?
ancelloti for me
I’m off guys have a good day.
And you know that how Mg re Stan Kroenke selling?
just a feeling rico
Exactly Mg but you make it sound itk, I wish it were true though….
Rico- if Aw wants then we can become like the other clubs.
Chop and change to make fans happy. At least it will appear we are ambitious. 🙂
Wilfred- klopp making defence strong? lol.
The same klopp who played 2.5 years with only 3 CBs’ and never signed a proper CDM?
The klopp on Tuesday/Wednesday night is vastly different to the Klopp on Saturday and Syndays’. Tactical ineptness that even AW can’t compete with.
I was there last night and it was just poor. Other than a couple of good chances which Ox should have put us 1 up early on, they soon seemed to wise up and we ended up playing sideways football. And how we shut off after making it 2-2 is just mind boggling.
And re Cech. Sure Ospina made a mistake it happens, i feel for him, but i cannot understand dropping Cech for a must in CL game?
We are stuck with AW until Kroenke grows a pair is a easy way to look at it, but if AW could find an ounce of pride and walk away that might be a better solution, Kroenke keeps copping blame when its obvious that he didn’t prevent the club from spending to improve the playing staff. Lets all see if he can cope health wise, with result like yesterday and constant criticism. He created all this mess he deserve all that come with it. imo
Ts, I sure hope we don’t become a club like that….
Kroenke may not have prevented AW from spending money, no-one knows for sure, whether he sets big targets or not is unknown too, did Kroenke push AW to spend, no-one knows that either…
In fact there are very few people who know what goes on behind the scenes but all too many like to guess…
Walk out on £9 million a year when perhaps you are achieving all what is asked of you. Would you? I sure wouldn’t…..
Dragging AW’s health into it, what are you implying Gdna?
It seems like shit performance from the team yesterday, not improving the playing staff adequately and sticking with shit players who constantly let the club down are requirements from Stan for 9 mil per year. Lord help us. lol.
Or simply top 4, CL money and he’s happy…
Rico, I wasn’t implying anything, the word health was used in the under-mentioned sentence.
“Lets all see if he can cope health wise, with result like yesterday and constant criticism”
Thank goodness Gdna….
Catch up later….
Arsene’s excuses are now becoming a boredom like Mourinho. Abject performances one after another same story different day. You think the team has learnt and turned a corner but they keep repeating the same mistake over and over again. Arsene is not ruthless enough and that is why we will continue to fail. Must win match and Cech is sitting on the bench. Ozil has no biz being on the pitch after 50mins he was that bad. That is where as a manager you need to be ruthless not wait until the 70min to make changes. Stupid decision to sub Coquelin when ozil should have been taken off. Push santi into the 10 role and play Coq and Ramsey as the pivot. If Mertasacker is still an arsenal player next season I give up. He should be binned, his slow pace is costing us big time. He could have done better for the 3rd goal but his pace couldn’t carry him quick enough to the olympiakos scorer. Lucky to have won at Leicester as his indecision and slow pace allowed vardy in on goal for the 1st and partly responsible for the 2nd(Leicester).
Press Double Standards….
Mourinho made more salient changes than Wenger…
Chelsea lose again…
No criticism.
Funny that!
I didn’t see the game, only the goals…
The first Greek goal was lucky, but who was closing down the shot?
We have too many millionaires in our team, more worried about their £50 haircuts, than doing their fecking job…
You can blame Wenger for making the changes…
You can also blame him for buying the players.
Or not buying them, as the case may be.
But the players have to accept responsibility…
The mistake Ospina made was Hackney Marshes…
Is that Wengers fault?
Ospina was excellent last season, so he isn’t a bad goalkeeper, but last night, on that occasion, he was a berk.
Gibbs has been criticised as well, not sure what he didn’t do tbh…
But he needs to play.
We keep on about buying players and having a deep squad.
Well what’s the point if they don’t fecking play?
Gibbs isn’t a bad player, and he was good enough for last evenings game…
The defence, as a whole, didn’t perform…
That ‘can’ be pinned on Wengers door, because he coaches them…
Either that or we have too many players that are simply thick…
Lmao
Very very true Kev.
According to the press and pundits, Arsenal finishing first is not good enough and AW should be sacked to show to the fans that we have ambition.
A few hundred miles up the A6 and M6, it appears it is acceptable for the bin-dippers to aspire to finish in the top 4.
As usual, we played poorly in the 1st half and much better in the second. But overall, it seems that we did not play that bad. We made mistakes and did not score. So, we lose. Some notes:
a) I spoke of a Portuguese coach. the main issue is that studies and opponents. The corners were not marked by chance. Look at the first goal and the movement of players to release the Pardo. Arsenal went on to defend this way the corner kicks. Ozil, who should “watch” who would shoot, failed (again). On the 3º goal, Mets was very soft.
b) Second corner: direct corner. The other alternative. Poor positioning of the keeper and doubts that came not just direct. Then tremendous error of Ospina.
c) The team must rotate. One can question this or other substitution, but the reality is that the load of games these players, fitness levels, mental, agility, strength and motivation to play, are not the same. Unlike the opposition, which has nothing to lose and is “eager” to play.
d) This is only possible with a deeper squad and who is scaled to play is a 90-100%. and not with players who know they will have to be fit to play at the end of next week, knowing that it is more exciting play against MU than against Olympiakos.
Wenger is finished…. bad luck he blamed last night on! No mirrors at chez Wenger?
Hey guys. Lol Gabriel ahead? That got me chuckling. The club doesn’t care. Let’s all sulk in this and many more miseries to come until AW is gone.
Waiting to see how Sanchez will hold up come summer. Lad deserves half dedicated team mates. Not theses spoilt selfie loving…oops let me cut off there.
Good day!
http://twitter.com/19rodders71/status/649131101089366016/photo/1
ha, sums it up
JM from what I’ve heard, and I did not see the game tbf, Arsenal started really well and just couldn’t get a breakthrough…
We could have done with a heavily deflected goal, but that’s the story of our season so far…
Rico, you know I agree wholeheartedly wth your 12.16, it nails the issue, IMO.
Kel, I might be missing yur point, but I know you are missing mine, so best we agree to disagree.
Morning all.
What’s coming next??
Which Arsenal will show up on the weekend?
It’s never dull 🙂
Chelsea lost at a very good european side we lost to the equivalent of Burton FC in Europe that is.
Funny how Van Gaal, according to the media, was a total moron…
And now he’s a genius…
Well as long as ManUre are top of the EPL.
Danish, not making excuses for our shower of shite last nite but apart from Porto no other team has been beaten more often in the Champions League than Olympiacos !
rico, without looking it up do you think the Bavarians rested Neurer last nite for their game against Zagreb……nah they’re too busy taking the competition seriously.
Don’t think I need to look that up either Micko, nah, he’d have played regardless….
Evening guys…
Kev, are you demonstrating with the other cabbies? Uber and out! Lol, good luck hope you, the cabbie fraternity win. The old ways are still the best! What happens when ‘new’ technology ceases to work? Well all be in the soft and smelly!
Sorry nothing to do with ‘soccer’ I’m pissed off with it all today. Back to moaning properly, tomorrow!
Afternoon all!
We were stale first half and defensively i have a few points to stress.
Yes Ospina, very poor mistake. Ox deflecting their 1st goal , yes no one closing quick enough, Ospina’s passing and positioning? Super poor. Gabriel’s lack of english? well, colombians speak spanish and Ospina apparently can speak english, so why not shout out to bellerin, to keep the line and track back, since ox was offering little protection + on the subject of Spanish, shout to Gabriel to leave it to Koscielny rather than have 2 of them run into each other.
2nd half in, Ozil has offered nothing, Coq, not risking his knee, and Ox offering little. We needed to make the changes quicker. Keeping Ozil on, though he came alive the last 10 minutes was pathetic. Cazorla was very queit too. I would have hauled both off in the 60th minute and given campbell a chance alongside his south american colleague up front, putting theo on the right for the confidence lacking Ox.
Why we have players on loan that could do a job now beats me..
We were arrogant and Olympiacos , however rubbish people say they are , actually played very well last night. Their back line was superb, and their goalie did pull off a few blinders.
We are conceding too many from set pieces and scoring too many own goals. TTHehe fault here lies with Bouldy.
There was no pace in that Olympiacos side, so Merts should not have been troubled when coming on for their 3rd. Cazorla as captain should have roused up the lads from the 2-2 at the centre of the pitch, not smile away high fives. that 5 seconds lapse of concentration has really left us with a mountain to climb.
THis is Arsenal, and we love to do things the hard way, so never say never and expec the unexpected. We could still qualify, but last night was sad to watch.
allez, we played well the first 15-20 minutes. On the second half, the team was much more concentrate and try to finished above.
George, I thought they were very organised at the back, the Greeks, not us… ?
Night all..
No worries Scott, look we just disagree no big deal we’re still gooners 😉
I think emotions were just running high earlier, but the fan base is fractured mate and these disagreements will happen again.
George, do you remember the equaliser for Palace at Selhurst Park earlier this season, Kozzer turning his back on the ball, hate seeing that, you’d like to think he got a right rollocking for it at half-time but truth is he most likely didn’t or why would Ozil have done the exactly same thing for their opener last nite, hate seeing that, comes across as cowardly, whatever happened to players putting their bodies on the line !!! Shooting offence in Bouldy’s day I might add, hard to fathom.
Micko I remember …we are not committed enough and defend like pansies…
kev is right we have too many worrying about their fifty quid haircuts
Soho has a lot to answer for George, nite mate, nite Gooners, Kev, you can’t go around calling our players berks and expect to get away with it even if your right, nite matey.
Morning Wavy, thanks for that mate…
Uber are just another predatory American giant who rides into town & pays no tax…
But the CEO at Uber in the UK and David Cameron are personal friends, so go figure eh?
Like many politicians, Cameron knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.
Everything is up for sale mate…
Just ask the Chinese…
I know Mick, maybe berk was a bit too harsh….
What if I just called him, ah never mind, I can’t be arsed… 😉
Hey Lee; a pinch and a punch, for the first of the month, and no return…
Cheers Kev! White rabbits!
Micko yeah good call about Pep not dropping Neuer versus Zagreb…………. Arsene knows best, my fucking arse!
Morning all…
White Rabbits and all that jazz..
The new post will go up around 11am, I’m off out for the day….
Catch up later…
Are you collecting horse droppings, Rico?
Have a good day, make sure your erection is solid and sound! Sand castle that is.
Kev, we seem to live in an age where cash is king and nothing else seems to matter, past, present or future! It will all come to a sticky end, with much weeping and gnashing of teeth!
And, football is the most avaricious and greedy of them all! Imo, of course
Happy new October to you all!
Joe hart’s performance last night is exactly why you play your no.1 in the Champions league.
Morning Rico and all..
Kev, sound your horn hard Sir.
All those ‘palm greasing’ taking place at dinner parties by our 1% whilst they tell us we are in it together…
Boris the cretin must be loving this, judging by his nature.
And those Manchester clubs penalties?? hmm?
Morning All…
Morning Wavy/Ginge and Rico…
Bielik has been getting some good write ups, playing at centre-back in the U21’s…
The few times he’s turned out at def/mid, he’s been impressive…
So we could have a really quality player coming along, who can do both jobs and who might get a few run-outs before this season is out…
Maybe in the Europa League… 😉
Fingers crossed Kev.
Comments from an acquaintance who has seen him play a couple of times say his distribution is very good but struggles in his decision making.
Maybe reason he is being played in CM.
In the meantime Russia defiles the west is making the headlines…
We must be the moral police… 😉
Morning all.
Kel, I think Hart has been overlooked a few times this season 🙂
Ginge, Putin won’t muck around, that’s for sure.
Maybe a bit of that is what’s needed ATM.