Before we even discuss Sunday afternoon’s events, may I take the opportunity to wish all readers a Happy Easter.
The weather in Lancashire looked beautiful, and it has been a warm, pretty day here in the Metro DC area.
The task was evident as we lined up at the Reebok – scene of some previous gruesome moments in recent Arsenal history – today. With Man United and Chelsea winning yesterday, we found ourselves nine and three points, respectively, adrift; with only fifteen possible points to make up.
As with recent matches, we found ourselves to be mostly full strength: Nik Bendtner was apparently ruled out through injury this morning, but other than long-term absentees Vermaelen and Fabianski, we had plenty of options to choose from.
Arsene went with Szczesny, Clichy, JD, Kos, Sagna, Song, Cesc, Jack, Theo, Robin, and Samir.
Jens, Gibbs, Squil, Eboue, Ramsey, Arsh and Chamakh made up the bench.
Fit players such as Al, Denilson and Rosicky could not even make the bench.
As down in the dumps as our team have been, Bolton did not exactly come into the match on the back of a positive result. The late, great Nat Lofthouse scored twice in the 1958 FA Cup final, as Bolton beat Manchester United. Lofthouse passed away in January, and this Bolton side hoped to honor his memory by lifting that particular cup once again.
Last Sunday, a few hours before we drew with Liverpool, Bolton were destroyed 5-0 by Stoke City in the FA Cup Semi-Final; not only was the dream killed, it was shattered in the most comprehensive, ruthless fashion. Surely, on the back of that result, we would be able to heap more misery on them and help our faltering title bid out?
If only…As with Wednesday at the Lane, we started quickly through Theo. Just a couple of minutes in, he forced Jaaskelainen to parry a shot, with Cahill blocking again as Samir tried to tuck the rebound home. Bolton, however, gave warning that they were not simply going to capitulate, with Lee floating a cross in which had our defence scrambling.
We made most of the early running, but other than a low Cesc shot which Jaaskelainen had to tip around the post, we failed to really pressure the Bolton defence.
Indeed, Bolton should have taken the lead 25 minutes; Sturridge split our defence, sending Lee through; when the shot was on, however, he tried to feed K. Davies, and Song was able to clear.
We have seen Arsenal players do this plenty – go through and try and set a team-mate up instead of taking the shot themselves – in recent weeks, so it was a bit of a relief to see another team do it. Nevertheless, the move appeared to unsettle our team, with JD looking particularly nervous and sloppy, and we conceded a series of free-kicks.
Bolton duly opened the scoring with just over five minutes remaining in the half. Sturridge once again set Lee up, only for Szczesny to make a fine block from the South Korean’s close range shot, Kos putting the ball out of play for a corner before Bolton could put the rebound away.
Not for the first – or last – time this season, we were undone by a set-piece. Lee took the corner and picked out Cahill, who sent a firm header in. Samir blocked on – or perhaps over – the line, but Sturridge was on hand to head the rebound into the empty net. It was a good delivery from Lee – far; far better than anything we were able to send in from our nine corners; but Cahill should never have been allowed such a good header from it.
As it was, Bolton earned only three corners the entire match. They scored on two of them…
We tried to respond, and with just a minute of regulation left, Cesc hit the post with a low drive, and saw his follow-up blocked – again. Where we continually failed to get enough bodies into position to mop rebounds up, Bolton always had someone on hand to get in front a cross/pass/shot. This has been a hallmark of our recent unbeaten run, and one of many reasons why we haven’t scored that many goals and dropped so.
So we found ourselves 1-0 down at the half, despite dominating possession and large portions of play. Arsene made no changes at the half, and within a minute of the restart, Bolton had the opportunity to double their lead from the spot. Sturridge got the better of JD all too easily and went down under the latter’s challenge in the box. The penalty looked soft, but it was poor, poor defending from JD to get himself into trouble and give Sturridge the opportunity to get a whistle. Fortunately, K. Davies let us off the hook, taking a weak, frankly terrible penalty which Szczesny easily saved.
Could we capitalize on that new lease on the life? It took only a minute, but we finally did. Robin and Cesc played a great one-two on the edge of the area, with Robin firing low into the left hand corner. The sense of relief was evident, and players looked instantly more encouraged as they looked to move in front for the first time. Yet we were unable to fashion any really great chances in the next ten minutes, and Bolton tried to hit us on the break. Song and Jack both received yellows for fouls on Lee, who continued to cause us problems, and JD gave Bolton half-chances with a couple of more clumsy fouls.
I thought Song had a poor game – his form since injury has not been very good – and he was the first to make way, with Arsene bringing Chamakh on in the 65th minute. Robin shot wide from our next move, but Elmander then set Lee up, but the latter couldn’t capitalize. Chamakh then had a glorious chance, but instead of shooting, he chose to pass to Samir, and the chance was lost. Then with 20 minutes remaining, Robin sent Samir clear through, but the latter shot too close to Jaaskelainen, allowing the latter to block – the rebound came out to Samir, but then Cahill blocked the follow-up.
And so it went, Arsenal pressure; Bolton defend. We made chances, but we were either an instant from applying the finish, or a pass too many from creating a real, quality chance. Arsh replaced Theo with 18 remaining and Ramsey replaced Jack with six to go. In between these two subs, we kept the pressure on with a couple of corners and a couple of shots which were – surprise – blocked.
As this pattern continued, Bolton remained dangerous on the break, and we were finally undone in the last-minute of regulation. JD’s errant header put Elmander through and the latter drove in a shot which Szczesny had to tip around the post. Taylor put the corner in and Cohen – literally just on as a sub for Sturridge – got ahead of JD way too easily and headed Bolton back into the lead. This was a poignant moment for Cohen, who revealed a t-shirt paying tribute to his recently departed (former Liverpool player) father, Avi.
For Arsenal, it was much, much worse, heads immediately dropped and the players looked like they knew the game was up. Referee Jones signaled five minutes stoppage time, but we did not create a single quality chance, and slumped tamely to defeat – our first league reverse after a run of sixteen unbeaten league matches – the defeat the almost certainly puts paid to our already-remote title hopes. Our side has not been the same since the Carling Cup Final, and this performance and loss encapsulated the worst of it all in a single match…
Arsene admitted the title is almost certainly off for this season. Visibly deflated in the post-match, he conceded our title chances are “minimal.” While praising the players “outstanding attitude”, he also conceded that “we have not been stable enough defensively” and that “We still lack something called maturity, experience, or calmness in important situations.” These are Arsene’s words, not those of a supporter or media hack…
Encouragingly, he did not harp on the officials, when there were at least a couple of debatable things, such as an early penalty shout for Theo, and referee Jones’ unwillingness to book K. Davies until a minute from time, despite several dirty and late challenges earlier. Nevertheless, the time for pointing the finger at officials is long past – we squandered the chances and we conceded the set-piece goals, not the officials…
When asked directly about the players’ “mental strength”, Arsene chose to give an answer in the context of their “outstanding attitude”. For me, this is telling, because I do not think they are one and the same. I see mental strength as the determination to keep going and turn things around regardless of what obstacles exist. I see “outstanding attitude” as the ability to keep trying hard and persisting – while not necessarily believing in the ability to actually turn things around.
Perhaps the players do have mental strength in abundance, as Arsene has maintained for so long; the problem is that they rarely show it when the chips are down. There seems to be a tacit admission that, seven weeks on, the players are still not over the Carling Cup Final. The recent performances certainly seem to support this, and such an inability to rebound is not something many of us would associate with “mental strength”.
Arsene also said “It there is someone to blame, it is me.” I am not interested in playing the blame game, never have been. The manager and players will be judged on results at the end of the season; that is how it usually works in this business. Once the season is completed, wherever we finish up, all I ask is that Arsene takes a hard, critical, and objective look at things and take action where he sees it is necessary.
As recently as the third week in February, the season promised everything; now we are more or less fighting to hold our current position. There are clearly some major problems, problems that are still holding us back from taking the next step…
While we are on the subject of Arsene, I am more than a bit concerned about him. Previous comments have indicated that he feels the players have been “victimized” throughout the season, and his sideline demeanor this afternoon suggested he still feels that way.
As we huffed and puffed in the second half, there he was, kicking water bottles in frustration, grimacing and stamping his feet when a decision went against us, bending the officials ears…Many of our supporters have blamed a toxic atmosphere – particularly at home matches – amongst a clearly polarized body of supporters for much of our problems. I would suggest that Arsene’s histrionics don’t help our players very much either. They are nervous and scared of losing a lead?
Could Arsene looking like a man who has lost control on the sidelines have something to do with it? Robin had a good overall match – scoring yet again – but his play had an undercurrent of petulance and strop, as he lobbied for bookings, and remonstrated with Bolton players on more than one occasion.
Does he see Arsene do it and feel he needs to do the same on the pitch? I don’t know. What I do know is that I have seen lots and lots of negative energy from Arsene in recent weeks, and I cannot see any way the players can draw positive encouragement from it…
Oh well…If I knew the answers to all these, perhaps I would have a job with Arsenal FC right now.
I don’t and I don’t, so I will continue to support as best as I can. Arsene conceded the title is almost gone; should Man United win at the Ems on Sunday, both slim and none will have left town – we will then be mathematically eliminated.Red Nose has been bragging about doing just that on May Day.
Surely our players have to pick themselves up and not allow that to happen. We have been waiting for a signature win coming into this season – we got two of them, beating both Chelsea and Barcelona at home. Let’s make it a hat trick and make United wait a bit longer for that 19th title. They are ordinary on the road, so beating them is not “mission impossible” in any way, shape or form.
For several weeks, I have been waiting for our players to get pissed off at all the criticism, to do something about how Arsene is hung out to dry again and again after keeping their back, and just decide to make someone else suffer for how our season has gone. I’m still waiting…
Third is still in our hands – it is painful saying that, but it’s the situation that we find ourselves in. Let’s at least not slip any further down the table. It will almost certainly be too little, too late – but if we can win our last four matches in style, then at least we can finish the season on a winning note.
That has to count for something…
Written by Oliver
Morning all, early one today as i have to go out in a bit…
It is sad to see Arsene Wenger looking the way he does, he is broken. No matter who he picks, no matter who we play, somthing is not right and the team can’t ‘just do it’.
Thank you oliver for the report, another tough one to write, especially as all seems lost at Arsenal….
And why oh Why did we not buy Gary Cahill when we had the chance, he was outstanding yesterday…
Oh and Arsene..
“We still lack something called maturity, experience, or calmness’
We have all been telling you tahe for several seasons now….
the only problem with wenger is to know the mistakes n not correcting them for 3-4 seasons it is the same thing!there are millons of fans who have stood by the team but now im seeing some of them falling apart!n there is one man to blame wenger!get the porto man please
maturity, experience, calmess..
thats what you get when the squads 23 mate..
arsenal fan, we haven’t seen wenger like this before, give him this summer to ring the changes, for once he didn’t blame everyone else – i’m still not convinced its all his own fault, i think the board have also played their part..
Give Stan and Wenger this summer and then if all the same, we need changes, that’s if Wenger doesn’t walk away before…
hi jj, how good was Cahill??
We must get him, offer Coyle Vela, Denilson and Eboue in exchange – and 10M…
goalkeeper centre back holding midfielder then just maybe
wenger needs prozac..
hes broken
hes stubborn and hes proud and his ego from his first 7 years has made him blind and neglectful to what we need..
and hes finally realising it..
i dont think he realised we were never good enough and hes starting to realise he was wrong..
and its tearing him apart saying it cos he always thought he was right..
Some things I noticed in the game.
We have lost the 30 yard slide pass that splits a defence. Everyone (including Cesc) looks for the safe sideways pass as we slowly creep towards the opposition goal.
Once again ref’s allow teams to kick us with impunity. I know this is not an excuse for losing and that we were plainly not good enough but ask yourself this. If you were playing a parks game and opposition players kicked lumps out of you and all the ref gave were free kicks, would you want to get stuck into tackles and hold onto the ball?
We lack a calm head that can take the game by the scruff of the neck and drag us forward. Good to hear Wenger say this at last, maybe we can rectify it in the summer.
We need a brutal bastard in the centre of defence.
we need to change this style of play. forget about formations or players, it is the style of play that kills us. Anyone remember this. Adams or Vieira getting the ball, Bergkamp coming deep, getting the ball, turning and bam, the ball was away for a rampaging Ljungberg, Pires, Cole or Henry for a one on one? How many one on one’s can you remember this season?
Song is not a defensive midfielder, Nasri is not a winger.
Sell and get in £20m add £50m and get:
Experienced keeper who Ches can learn from.
Experienced centre half who can head and organise the defence as well as keeping the defence calm when the balls are coming in like artillery shells.
A proper defensive midfielder. Not a new Vieira or new anyone. Someone who can intercept when needed and put a crunching tackle in when needed. Someone who can own the midfield and protect the more skilled players around him.
A striker who can actually get the ball on target. Someone who can run behind the defence and stretch them, maybe give Theo a chance to play off of Van p.
A manager who comes out and asks the FA what opposition players need to do to get sent off or even booked. As much as I hate him, Fergie will come out and question officials. I am not saying go on an insane rant and call them cheats but bring video evidence to the interview and ask why several tackles a game are let go against us.
I for one would love to know why Wilshere was booked but Davies wasn’t for a far worse tackle (if you can call the Davies assault a tackle).
Ok, enough from me.
Morning all,
nice one Oliver. Must admit I still feel a bit down from yesterdays abysmal game, saw the highlights on motd if i had been a neutral i would have believed it was us struggling to survive. We are a spent unit, even our good players are run of the mill. If you were a football manager who out of our team would you want in your team, I must admit I would look elsewhere. Wenger has now admitted that its not the players fault, and if we want to blame somebody then blame him. Mr Wenger don’t kid yourself everybody blames you, and have done for quite awhile. I expect the board will back you for the next season, so a bit more of what we have had for a bit longer then, Christ I just can’t wait.
i though both zat knight and cahill were excellent yesterday
goobub, and a proper goal scorer…
Morning Will, spot on mate, i have noticed for some time now that the tackling from opposition teams have gone against us, Your right its not an excuse for a loss but it definitely has an effect on the results. This is not just recently, this has been the case for a considerably long time, funny how commentators never comment on it.
Hi Will and Steve…
I’ll be back later, family stuff this morning….
Laters…
and a winger
Steve, I wrote on my facebook yesterday: Out-muscled, robust, meaty tackle, industrial, old fashioned English tackle and full blooded
All commentator words for common assault. Wenger needs to come out and highlight this so the ref’s can’t continue letting our players get battered week in week out. In some quarters we are seen as a French team and maybe this is a way to get rid, I don’t know but something has to be done.
at rico actually want to give him this summer when i saw his face when chamakh headed the ball towards nasri n nasri missed his face was no words for the description jst looked like wenger would fall apart!
he loves club for sure more than all of us!want to give him a chance
pls wenger we still have faith in you
It does not matter who we get in at the back the problem is the sysytem where by they are always out of position to defend. The penalty we conceded to spurs was a joke. how many times do we use are keeper as the last line of defense! Having to rush out to clear the lines because we’ve pushed up the pitch looking for a fourth goal with 15 mins left and we are 3-2 up? I suppose if we could defend properly we would’nt have to do that. This go out there and express yourselves doo doo is wearing thin.
It appears to me Will that, anybody who is not Arsenal are quite happy with the way it is, they see nothing wrong with it.
As I said to my mate yesterday, if ref’s are going to continue to allow tackles like Davies’ yesterday, we might as well employ 11 cage fighters for certain games. It is not football and I can not nor will accept that media drivel of allowing teams to be over physical with us as it is the only way to compete. Sorry, you allow leg breakers because the player is not as skilful? In what other sport can you see that being allowed as justification for assault?
Its like when we play Utd every time our forwards receive the ball they get hit in the back Kneed or climbed over and the refs wave play on, but when we do it free kicks on the edge of our box
Do you remember the free kick given against us where it was a quick one in our box and the ref took the ball away from our player and gave it to the opposition and allowed them to play it straight away, dont see any more quick free kicks do you
im scared for this season hope ts wrong but
arsenal 1-3 manu
stoke 2-1 arsenal
arsenal 3-1 villa
fulham 1- 1 arsenal
i hope thsese arent the kind of results we see till the end if we lose to man u the fans will go mad for sure!
Will
I have been saying the same thing for years, guess who started the ball rolling on this tactic against us.
Yes it was that Manc scumbag who told all and sundry to get in our faces, they talk like football is a war yet never fight against the Mancs.
How was there no penalty given for the foul on Walcott yet they gave one for a nothing challenge on Sturridge.
We have also given away 3 pens in a row and they have all been questionable. Not saying they weren’t Pens just the fact that they wouldn’t have been given against the Mancs or the Chavs.
References to Rugby from Cesc and Co. Is misinterpreted and the mobs laugh at us, yet without getting into trouble it is these strong arm tactics he is trying to describe.
Arsenal fan, I don’t believe we can have many more disappointments this year that will get us more down than what we are at the moment.
Appears to me, that the champions league have almost paid for our stadium now, so if we were to miss a couple so what.
I know what you mean Steve, we seem to be held to a different standard to other teams. Just once I would love to see Jack take a player out and then point like the ref does and say “there, there, there, there, what’s the difference between what I just did and what has been happening to us all game”.
And I agree, how many free kicks do we get when our strikers are used as walls compared to the number given when our players do it.
You have no idea how many times I scream “WHAT’S THE FUCKING DIFFERENCE”? when one of our players gets pulled up for doing exactly what the opposition are getting away with.
The fact is we have lost leads to two penalties in our past three games, we had decisions against us in the Newcastle away match that were staggering, Blackburn home and Sunderland at home were the same.
Fuck we are the only big team who get decisions against us on our own turf.
We get called a pansy team but seem to give more fouls and receive more cards than the others. How does this work?
I am fed up with football in this country and Rico will tell you I have felt like this for years. We don’t want to encourage good football in England as it’s entertaining to see Northern cloggers boot players all over the place and call real players Jessies.
We see thugs getting lauded and as for MOTD they spoke about Bolton deserving to beat us.
How can getting statistically getting thumped mean you deserve to win a game?
Can you imagine the Spanish being happy to see Barca or Real get lumped by a lower team only for them to say it was deserved.
I hope England and the Northerners never get to see Engerland win a WC even if our Jack is the star. Unless the attitude to football changes of course.
I heard a commentator call Scholes dirty for the first time the other week. My first thought was what bollocks he is retiring in a couple of weeks and NOW you call him dirty.
This thug has been doing this for years and they say poor Scholesy he isn’t very good at tackling, like it’s an excuse. vieira wasn’t very good at tackling either then eh.
He has got away with murder for all his career and they say he is a brilliant player yet I have never seen him do anything with a rucksack ( Opposition player) on his back. I can spray passes all over the park if nobody bothered to challenge me and I am not a football player.
Total crap and two faced. It’s ok for him to maim people but Jack gets booked for putting effort in.
Still remember Campbell saying in his book. I played for Tottenham for ten years and rarely got booked yet six weeks at The Arsenal and I get sent off regularly.
Some say our boys don’t look like they are trying, well I say if you try to hard the Officials will punish us.
El Tel, I could have written that.
I know this will sound like sour grapes but, The Arsenal in any game whether its English or foreign matches we get some really bad decisions against us, can you believe you would ever see a Messi or a Rooney sent off for what RVP did never in a month of Sundays, and hardly a word was spoken about it. And they wanted to punish us
We get so many decisions against us now that supporters rarely moan about it any more, perhaps that’s what’s wrong
Morning all.
Morning KT, hope your well
wouldn’t surprise me to learn that perhaps it is that we have a French Manager and players that they don’t think much of us, when we had Scotch men and Irish I don’t remember these kind of decisions can you.
This is what I am saying, I would love Wenger to come out with a video of the game and ask why certain decisions when against us.
Wenger is broken.he must know by now things need to change.as difficult as this period has been it may actually change things in the long term.
the ref was shit yesterday
totally shit
but wenger still blamed himself???
good times ahead this summer???
Who here would have loved wenger to come out and ask the difference between the Wilshere and Davies’ tackles?
Hopefully though, Wenger now see’s what we all see and gets in the needed players.
http://www.arsenalnews.co.uk/the-untold-ref-review-bolton-ndash-arsenal/link/75158/ Have a look at this link, if you haven’t read it all ready
We are so used to bent ref decisions against us that i don’t complain anymore.
Fantastic Steve, this should be sent to The Arsenal and have them asked to do something with this info.
How the hell was rvp’s goal at the spuds offside?
How were any of the last three pen’s against us actually pen’s?
Will there is no need to complain anymore.even Arsene doesn’t.we receive lots of abuse and contempt from the media when we do.they find it amusing when it happens to us.
Why is there so much hatred for us?
Its because Wenger has gone against what they believe in and has been successfull.i really want Aw to win against the grain.hopefully a few signings will push us closer to the finish line.
I know I am biased but some of the media reports on us really seem to enjoy digging the knife in.
Anyway, that was pretty much a full strength side. Who would you keep?
I’ll tell you who i won’t keep:rosicky,denilson,diaby,squilli,almunia,bendtner and chamakh.
I like the optimism Oliver , but for me i wrote this team off in their last three games before the Tutts.
Then i said bye to the premiership when we could not beat the Tutts to take advantage of Man Utd’s draw.
So when you are saying that this season could still be rescued by winning our last 4 games, i will say i dont care about this team and Wenger should dispose of 60 percent of the team.
i blame this season on Wenger and only Wenger , instead of doing business and scouting for players , he toke a job in the world cup wasting time while his coach mates were buying players.
He was left to with only 1month to find players, he lost gallas and Sole Campell(players with experience and winning mentality ) but he bought mediocre players in Squillaci and Kosceny to appease the fans .
HE WENGER, HAS FAILED BIG TIME .
morning all…little enthusiasm to even discuss things. the final whistle at fulham cannot come soon enough for me.
This season has been brought to you by the number 4.
Hi Folks,
Love to see the way this site has started to discuss the real issues, rather than allow ourselves to be bullied into anti-Wenger negativity…
As for why the rest of them hate us… simple.
Wenger makes the English mafia feel inferior, and like all school bullies they respond to feelings of inadequacy by banding together and becoming agressive.
Yes, there are players who haven’t made the grade, year in and year out, and K-T got the list pretty much spot on, but to achieve what we have achieved over the last six-years in the face of financial constraint and so much vitriol and jealousy is something to be very proud of.
Of course we’re down; who wouldn’t be, but lets use that disappointment as motivation for constructive criticism and improvement, not wholesale wailing and gnashing of teeth, and indiscriminate villifying of a man who has made this club the envy of the world, (and all with an annual spend budget that would have disappointed Ian Holloway).
And when we start to draw up the list of those who deserve to be stood up against the wall, let’s remember that the team needs squad players too; not just superstars.
I would humbly suggest three out and three in… we need to fine-tune the squad, not commit Hari-Kari.
Well said Mike.
Like I said yesterday, for referee criteria (who knows what it is…), Muamba must be sent off.
I have said and the same article says that the relationship AW-team is not the best or at least, that transpires.
I do not understand, because when AW leaves the stage to run, without congratulating the players, not lead them to acknowledge the support of our fans.
I remember some good examples: Villas-Boas (Porto coach), noticing that the revolt was in the team for several events over the past season which was composed almost the same players, among others, showed, once the presentation, a poster with the conclusion League Benfica, asking “You want is to return it to happen again?”.
Guardiola, before the Champions League final in Rome, did spend parts of the movie “Gladiator” to his players.
There are many more cases than you could count. since Mourinho Scollari, etc..
Three in three out Mike means your keeping at least a dozen players nowhere near good enough to play for Arsenal ! we have youngsters coming through who will make up the squad young players on loan who will never make the grade and players in the squad earning fortunes for doing nothing and showing nothing. Make it 13 out and 4 in and you’d be about right, the 4 in top quality plus youngsters to supplement the ones leaving and the squad then doesnt suffer. A squad of 60 pro’s we def need to sell far more than 3…!
No one needs to bully us into anti-wenger negativity Mike the bloke has lost the plot and we been saying that for years thing is we not gonna hang him from the lamptost like some we’d rather do it in a constructive way. For me it’s last chance saloon and thats if he actually deserves a last chance, financial constraits are a smoke screen for the board to line their pockets and sell up and he bought into that as well so where does the blame lie…. Solely with wenger…! Simple.
WATH,
You, and, I have to concede, many like you have your opinions, I have mine, and we couldn’t be farther apart.
Hysteria never was my game; I guess that’s why I stopped writing articles for websites.
You just reminded me why I did.
I wish you well, as I’m sure we both have Arsenal’s interest at heart, just different ways of best serving it.
I think two major myths have been exposed in the past few month
Our pretty football is just that, petty football,its predictable to slow and far to often has no end product what so ever.
Our mental strength that the myopic one keeps on talking about….. in the ten games since the cup final defeat to Birmingham we have won two and thats against the mighty Orient & Blackpool. This to me seems like a team that has lost faith in its manager, forgotten how to win & is suffering from a severe lack of mental strength thats if they had any to start off with. The above stats are more like the form of a team in a relegation battle than one good enough for the title and lets be honest if we were anywhere near the relegation battle would you have any faith in this lot grinding out results to stay up..? I wouldn’t. His Captain has thrown the towel in highlighted by his magazine comments last week and most of the players are not far behind the captain it seems in giving up.
Wengers insistance on kissing the arses of his overpaid prima donnas is so they don’t give up completely, he has brought then into the club backed them and hyped them up and it’s failed dismally. The fact that he says they are the best he was worked with is an insult to every member of the 98,2002 & 2004 playing staff & every Arsenal fan that has paid a penny to see the team this season. The have no passion no spitit and very very little commitment. He know’s this but chooses to ignore it and would rather call the fans stupid.
I don’t think I want him to spend any of our money in the summer, I think i want the money saved for the next Arsenal manager who isn’t some blinkered old stubborn dictator that is more worried about his ego and that of his players than he is with the Arsenal fans that turn up week in week out and who keep the club running.
Over the years I have been a Wenger fan, liked his ideas and his mindset, although I still believe in a lot of his ideas, I also like winning, I don’t think it was much to ask for reinforcements along the way, you may shop in the cheapest shops to save a few bob, but you also go in the better shops for special items.That is where he has gone wrong in my mind.Its not going against your principles if its best for the club, at any given time, and that’s why i want him gone, I want somebody with new sayings somebody with defensive ideas i want somebody that can be ruthless when needed and somebody that will highlight the injustices that the media and officials dish out, am I asking to much?
In my mind leaving your head buried in the sand and carrying on regardless, is not a solution
I don’t think concern is hysteria Mike but obviously your happy with mediocrity and happy to suffer wengers excuses. As you say opinions always differ but I think the excuses are at an end for wenger and its time for action rather than taking fans for idiots and for granted.
Wath and what manager would you get in?
Give Wenger another year, and you will be on here next season feeling the same way you feel now. look at it like this we all believe we need players the amount doesn’t matter because you know in your heart that if we need six we will probably get two bargain buys which in turn is buy one and get one free, you know at the end of the season where all managers are looking for quality players and there won’t be that many, we don’t stand a chance with anyone as we will not pay the price, yes we will be listed as interested and in the mix but we wont get them, we will end up with nobodies from some where and that’s about it
WATH,
when you give an opinion I am happy to listen, but when you do so please do not put words into my mouth, or presume to guess at my feelings or beliefs.
I am not happy with mediocrity, but then I don’t consider Arsenal to be mediocre. I consider them special, and have done so for over fifty years.
This year they lost out to one great team, and a few foolish and rash moments; nothing more. To suggest anything else is hysterical nonsense.
Wenger this year has made just to many mistakes to give him another chance. not buying is his biggest mistake, but eight and nine changes to a winning team has to be second. His one trap that worked and has got to be commended was the guise to field all youngsters against Spurs in the cc only to field a stronger side than them, clever but Twitcher has got back at him and wont be fooled by that again.
Will at the moment a new manager isn’t a concern in my mind, firstly we need to sort wenger, will the board tell wenger to buy ?? if Pat Rice does retire who will wenger want as his No2, will it be a yes man or someone to challenge him and question him? will he finally admit that these players that he has stuck with for 5 yrs are not good enough and need moved on…? will he buy the 3/4 quality players that we need to make us competative and give us a fighting mentality..? If he can’t answer these questions or isn’t prepared to do the above then he def needs to move on in my eyes, he can’t motivate teh team his decisions are mind boggling at times and as for a replacement I’d look at that as and when the above happens Will, there are a few with teh right attitde and characteristics. The club won’t fall down with no wenger or no cesc thats for sure it never has done and never will fail becasue a player or a manager has left. It’s about a new man coming in and to start with making sure his players are behind him 100% and they all know and appreciate the Club they represent and will fight for that Red n White shirt.
Well Mike I consider an Arsenal team pretty mediocre when they have shown the kind of performances they have the last few months and shown no backbone or spine what so ever, even when I watched utterly crap teams over the Arsenal none gave up like this lot if you think we’ve lost out due to rash moments and nothing more I think you should look a little closer..! The most average of manc teams is going to win the league so what exactly does that make us ??
I will agree on one thing with you Mike, Arsenal are indeed very special its just a shame this current team is way off being anywhere near special.
Will, i think you know as well as I that the board are behind the Manager 100% we know he will not be going anywhere, and he will be our figurehead for as long as the Board want him. His integrity should tell him to move on, as he has been a six year failure, and you should not be rewarded for failure, The sixty odd thousand that pack out the stadium, should be treated better, to turn up and watch a pathetic team is hardly incentive for the future.
My opinion is: The life cycle of some of these players in the Arsenal team, with this system ended. Put the following assumptions: 1) Keep the coach, I’ll get some players, others come out and keep the same game system, adapting the new players 2) Same as above, but the coach implements different philosophy of game 3) Coach makes specific changes but changes the philosophy of game 4) I change the coach, and coach new builds and shapes his team in his image 5) Leave to stand as is, hoping that the year is going to be 6) AW takes other functions at the club and another coach is now the coach of the field.
Opinions?
we need a change in the summer
for a start we need to sell the shit
replace them with better players
at lest one mega signing
change in coaching staff…
if all these things happen wenger can stay if they dont and we spend another summer giving everyone new contracts and ignoring the transfer market while the other teams but up the players then theres no point wenger signing a new contract…
Maturity, Experience, Calmness.
You cannot have these “3” if you do not have a team, i.e. playing as a TEAM.
SInce February, have we ever played as a TEAM?
SO mnay misplaced passes, so many passes and crosses into empty space with no Arsenal players, so many runs expecting a return a one-two pass which never happened?
Have we ever seen a ‘Bergy” visionary thru’ ball or “blind side runnin” a la Pires or Freddy?
How many times are are os called “visionary thru’ balls’ and “one-two” telegraphed and utterly predictable to defenders, so easily anticipated and intercepted?
First step is go back to basic – play as a TEAM, then “maturity, experience and calmness” will emerge naturally.
– a new goalie,
– make-shift CB pairing,
– new mdifield trio,
– new Front Trio.
And all of ’em playing together for the first tiem this seasona nd new get a consistent run going due to injuries and “Sick Notes”.
What we have is a hotch-potch and patched-up team since 2004/05 season with too many injury-prone players that Arsene Wenger cna’t even field an unchanged side playing regularly for 20 consecutive matches to develop that “telegraphic understanding” so vital in Arsene Wenger Attacking 4-3-3…
Lastly, when did we ever seen that “one-touch one-pass breathe-taking” Football, counter-attacking at pace that within 5 passes, Arsenal player will be shooting at goal and invaribaly scored?
This is the glaring failure for 2010/11 season.
NO pacy counter-attack play with on off-form Arshavin and a blind alley runner in Theo.
ok, but for selling must someone have interesting in them or they are in the end of contract.
However, the philosophy of the team is the some? if we are agree of wenger’s philosophy, who was the some since a few years ago, it’s not dificult to buy players for repalcing those eventualy out.
For me, more important than buying players is to define and characterize the type of game. AW If want to keep his model, should seek players that “fit”in his model and not players who do not adapt. Moreover, it seems to me that this model is worn. Triumphed, “balanced”and is seen. Have not added anything new. Opponents already know how to deal with it, they know the solutions to counter this, the players’ characteristics, predictability of it. Buy players to “fit “the model will bring something new? That will happen as in recent years: a large initial euphoria, good games, goals, nice football, good for the show and to television, but after the first defeat and with the arrival of the overload of games, injuries, etc., misses the “initial gas” and gradually moves to the gulf of euphoria through the uneasiness and dissatisfaction.
Will not do more of it?
Afternoon peoples…
JM, very valid and interesting points…! I think the much vaunted 4-3-3 attacking formation is a phallacy it’s nothing more than a 4-5-1 which is actually negative, we don’t have proper wingers and as you say JM we need players to play that formation OR wenger needs to change the formation to suit players that he needs to bring in. We need players with passion adn fight who also have good technique who do not give up the minute we are 1-0 down… we need players with character and fire in the belly and this is what this current squad are sadly lacking. We are slow in counter attack we do not defend as a unit and we do not get stuck in when it matters either.
Merlin, I think whats lacking in the words used “Maturity, Experience, Calmness” is the fact I’d also of added “Quality” to that as well.
Did you make lunch 4 the family Rico…? Hope you stuck a nice bit of rabbit stew on the fire 😉
waths got it
the 433 is and never has been..
its a 451 or a 4231. designed cos weve got fuck all wingers and not enough proper strikers but about 100 midfielders…
it works for a while but once you figure it out its easy to stop cos we play one way..
even when we bring more strikers on the formation stays the same when it should really go to 442 but that doesnt work either when youve got no widemen to play the wide positions…
No chance WATH, not on either account – they can all get their own… 😉
jj, square pegs in round holes, that has been wengers way since the day we lost freddie and pires …
and they weren’t true wingers, they were both just bloody good at what they did….
Exactly JJ, its a system used purely to give all the attacking midfielders games, attacking midfielders who for the best part can’t really defend but who as you say are also not wingers so when we are forced inside we are clueless cos we play 500 passes 2 yards and go backwards and sidewards and then give the ball away trying to pass through the eye of a needle inside the opposition penalty box…!
and when we do cross it goes in the stands and if it doesnt theres nobody in the box waiting for the tap in cos none of them are finishers..
its ok having one striker whos a false nine but when that false nine drops deep whos in the box??
W.A.T.H….TEAM-work cna overcome “quality” as demonstrated by Greece in winning European Nation Cup…and Japan and South Korea in reaching WC2002 qtr-finals and semi-finals.
Plus Turkey, 3rd in WC2002.
We have quality player but played like eleven strangers….and of course, Barca shown us up “no team-work” that we can’t even string 3 passes together plus having no shot at goal.
Wenger’s training method is an intensive 5-on-5 on one quadrant of the pitch, emphasing on ball retention and short passes.
What happened this season on ball retention and accurate short passes that can find its man in final third of pitch?
Plus our attacks are so predictable with defenders awared of Fabregas’ long passing game such that any manager can nullify Arsenal attacks by studying video and pin-point the passing channels and closing them by compressing the midfield into final “thrid of the pitch” inviting Arsenal to attack around the box, knowing exactly when the final ball will arrive?
You can have 22 quality players like ManCity. But where is the TEAM-work that should be murdering Chelski, Arsenal, Liverpool and fighting with ManU for the title?
WHy did Bolton, Newcastle and WBA beat us, where player for player, Arsenal players’ quality are beyond reproach?
TEAM-work isn’t it?
The only time I came across where 11 individual players won a tournament is that magnificent Danish team that came in as a last minute replacement (all of ’em were recalled at he last minute from their summer holidays then) for Yugoslavia and went on to win the European Nation Cup.
That is QUALITY.
And yes, certainly, comes summer, we really need to buy a few quality players and “leaders” to replace those bottlers, and those not willing to play for teh badge no more.
I think top of the shopping list should be an experienced English CB, plus a fighter like Scott Parker. I don’t mind buying 30-year old injury-proned Parker on a 2-year contract as he is better value for money than Diaby, Denilson and Squillaci.
WIth squad rotation of WIlshere, Ramsey, Song, Lansbury, Scott Parker is that “maturiy, expereince, calmness’ that is missing in the MIDFIELD plus that “defensive shield” that is missing in front of Back-4 when we are playing a high-line, breaking-up plays and an “old and calm” head organising defence against set-pieces and corners.
JJ..nobody in the box since departure of Eduardo.
And even Chamakh is playing deep and nowhere in the box where crosses were swung in from the flanks.
I was advocating that time for Theo to rotate to centre and revert to his natural central striker role.
As demosntrated by the first goal against S*CUMS last week, his off-the-shoulder running and diagonal running from the centre is superb as he got more space and his quickness will give him that split second to run clear or create that half-a-yard to shoot.
Gerd Mueller, Michael Owen and Bellamy are small guy but they are predator and quick and need only a split second to create a shooting chance.
If Wenger is too stubborn to rotate Theo back to centre, certainly, I will see a frustrated Theo will leave Arsenal and will slot in superbly in any English team as a quick-silver central striker like Michael Owen or Bellamy.
Theo is not, and will never be, a right winger that cna cross accurately and consistently even to save his life. He does not possess that skills like Nani, Giggs, Beckham or Valencia.
Theo is simply a natural quick-silver central striker.
For me, with the players we have, I would play
Ches
Sagna TV JD Clichy
Cesc Jack
Nasri AA
Van P
Theo.
Sorry Merlin my use of the “quality” word was in the fact that its also missing as apposed to needing it as well as the other three attributes. Totally agree that as a unit we’re pretty crap as I’ve said above, we don’t hunt in packs we don’t attack or defend as a unit.
Will, is that the team you want for next season or the team you’d play now if they were all fit..?
with the players we have i would play
ches
sagna jd koz tv
nasri song cesc jack
theo rvp
The players I would play now.
Thanx Will you had me worried for a sec 😀
I see where your coming from JJ but for me TV is wasted at left back just to cover a left back who isn’t good enough.
Is Alex Song really good enough right now??
How many passes go astray?
How many silly free kicks does he give away in really dangerous areas?
I’m a massive fan of his but ……
I would have Cesc and Jack in the centre.
Song has been shit since Feb.
‘as a unit we’re pretty crap as I’ve said above, we don’t hunt in packs we don’t attack or defend as a unit’.
Wild Beasts hunt in packs, and we have no beasts in our squad right now….
So have Arsenal Kt?
Does that explain our demise??
Cesc and jack in the middle isn’t the best idea.id prefer some power and height in there or else we’ll lose most 50/50 challenges.
i cant see us buying a cb and a lb
i think wenger has seen the light now and there will be changes but i cant see him going out and buying half a team..3-4 players the most..
and to be honest its all we need but they have to be good players and if we buy half a new defence i cant see us getting the shit hot winger and striker we need as well..
Rico Song is a very underrated player.when he has been absent in the league we only won 1 PL game at Blackpool.when he is off form we look very shaky at the back.
Re Jack
My view is he has been very much over played this season, he said himself that he expected to play 20-25 games, he’s played 45+
he’s too young and the last few games has shown he is burned out..
Too much expection and pressure put on player so young, why? because he is one of the best we have and for me that shows the lack of faith wenger has in those below him (ramsey apart)
parker
hazard
benzema
i think we can get away without buying a cb if we promote steve bould and get him to drill the defence..
but id buy a new cb anyway just so i could move TV to LB 😉
Iker Muniain.
I don’t think he is underated Kt, i just think when he is bad he is dreadful, when he is on form, he is darn good…
songs a massive player for us but hes been shit recently..
iker muniain ktr..
Thats my point jj, he has been poor for a while and so have the team – is he the right man to hold our midfield together or do we need to buy a player for that role??
When he is on form, my answer to that would be no, especially with Frimpong coming along, but when Song is all over the place, we are cack and i thn think, go get a ‘Melo’…
Its a tough one..
JJ have you ever seen Lavezzi play?
18 years old and 5′ 6″ jj, i thought we needed experience 😉
imho, we won’t get a winger, we have two on loan who will stop wenger buying, i still believe he will get a CH, Striker and maybe a LB….
We need to give song backup or buy another player to be our 1st choice dm.even song is knackered by now.
Frimpong Kt, i can’t see wenger not getting him involved next season – he would have been this season but fore his injury…
Get rid of chamakh and bendtner.promote vela/theo and buy a striker who won’t cut back when through on goal.
Rico as much as i like frimpong we need an experienced midfielder in there to exert authority/calmness in high pressure sitiuations.
Remember when wenger broke the bank for Reyes?Wouldn’t it be nice if it were to happen again?
KT, so would I but I’m kind of looking at it like Wenger will, if he hasn’t got loads of money. My own view is that a organiser at the back, an experienced goal keeper with just a couple of seasons leaft at the top of his game and a goal scorer will be more important in his view..
However, if he has the clearout we all hope for then we could see changes beyond that…
Only my little humble view though 😉
Not if he leaves as quick as Reyes did Kt 😉
I so wish Reyes had stayed, he would heve been awesome for us…
The provision tactics can not be rigid. This is what happens in most English teams, which use shock, physical force, shot and run. Even MU little different. The difference is that it has better players like Nani, Berbatov and Rooney. Chelsea ran away with this traditional form of the game with different trainers over the years. Spurs, made her always the traditional difference. Liverpool is trying to do it in the past and had great players who made the difference. Arsenal for years, that does not use this type of football. Bet on the technical quality of their players in exchange for passes contained in the possession of a soccer ball and supported. For me the issue is not that enhances their skills. This is not adjusting his game as the opponent. Not having the flexibility of tactical scheme, it becomes an attractive football, but repetitive and knowledge of the adversary. This, recognizing its inferiority plays on easy: defend well and hard, bet on the opponent’s error in the set pieces (free, songs, etc.) and kick forward and the area, to the shock, the air, penalties, etc..
Reyes had limitless potential.he was so damn good and it hurts to see how he never fulfilled his potential.
Here’s an example: Real Madrid. Not won anything for years. Every year had new coaches with success (eg Capello). Madrid bought the “best” players. Madrid built a team? No. Built a dream team. was the coach who bought them and made the team? No. Madrid gave them the players and had to put them to play. A team, in my opinion, is not this. A football team is a group that has to find in its many virtues and differences, a balanced, cohesive, united, with ambition and desire to win. And it’s the coach who has to make the team, the maximum power it and make it aggressive and ambitious. You do not have to buy Messi, Ronaldo, Nani, the Fabregas. You must choose those that are assembled, give cohesion in defense and attack and the necessary stability, ambition to be considered in any game library.
What did Madrid? Mourinho fetched because 1) the one who had managed to win at Barcelona (eliminated him from the Champions League) 2) Mourinho and he only agreed to build the team and with the money usually spent buying star established a team at your mode.
And what does that mean? 1)-Have a strong defense 2) have several solutions depending on the opponent 3) Realize that if a time period of the misses a major player ) Realize that if a time period of the misses a major player (Higuain) has to be quickly replaced (Adebayor) 4) Have the “spotlight” on him always, protecting the team, defending team, creating friction with the group but work, fans, newspapers and comentator team, united in the same goals 5) Very important: to have ambitious players, wanting to win trophies to show value.
He managed a title already this season. already entered the history of Madrid. 3 months ago, a Madrid-Barcelona game in the Champions who supported the victory of Madrid? And now? 50-50?
And note the interventions about Barcelona: “end the domination of Barcelona? What dominatio? is Barcelona the European champion? No. Intercontinental Champion? No. ..”
Advocates group and psychologically prepares the group. AW doubt it does. Mourinho never leaves the stage before greeting his players all want to win or lose. Abandon, previously, at the hour of victory.
JM, I would hate for Arsenal to become a side that changed it’s manager each year, hate for them to become a side who’s manager was told who to buy and who to play…
It’s happening at Chelsea and it’s happened at other clubs too – it’s so wrong….
KT, i recall Reyes coming off the bench for real, scored two late goals and won them the league….
That was one player Henry could not take too….
Great comment JM.I fully agree with all that.
That is to say: if it is to keep AW, AW has to create a solid team built backwards, ready to take each game as a different game, depending on the opponent.
From back to front must have a reliable goalkeeper and the team leader, a solid defense to ensure cohesion and security, but with different solutions. The League must be win with solid defense and non-permeable or unsafe. From midfield to forward, players of different features that will make the team as the opponent in order aproporcionarem different solutions.
But fundamental to build the team from goalkeeper to forward in a structured and not random acquisitions.
I was a very big fan of reyes rico.he was a damn good player.he won them the league but still ended up leaving.talent alone isn’t enough to become a top class player.
Mourinho once said that the key ingridients for a winning team is a world class GK and a setpiece specialist.he builds his team from there.Szczesny is showing lots of promise.on the other hand our setpieces bar rvp deliveries are often subpar.this year we have only scored from 1 direct freekick and it was deflected.
Reyes is more of a promise deferred. Not changed anything. Everywhere they went, never sailed. Must be a bad professional, little worker, perhaps even confrontational. Now on A. Madid before in Benfica. Not a team player.
I am no foofballing coach, nor am i ever likely to be but, i see what you are saying JM, Wenger plays the Wenger way regardlees of who we play and i agree…
The only real change he ever makes is to include Diaby ‘for height’…
Surely his tactics are based upon who he can play and then it all comes back to one thing – he has little choice because after our first 12/13 players, what does he really have at his disposal…
nothing….
foofballing = footballing… i think 😉
Talent is the easiest thing to have in sport, it’s the heart, passion and desire to be the best that needs searching for…
And you either have it or you don’t….
That takes us right back to Arsenal Football Club doesn’t it….
Songs crap sell him…………….!!
Back where he ‘started’ then – together with Merida, another player who will soon realise he should have stayed…
Oh Hello 😉
If wenger has very little at his disposal after the first 12/13 as u put it Rico, why do we have over 50 paid pro’s on our books…???
Kt,
Arsene Wenger also said to be a great team you have to have a world class keeper – he just never bought one…
Maybe I shouldn’t make comments like that it’s hysterical nonsense 😀
Ah, but if I was Wenger WATH, we wouldn’t!
Arsene Wenger has also said man with hole in pocket feel cocky all day…!
But your not Rico, so why do we have so many….??
Ah, i read that, but three in and out is not even half…
At least 10 out (squad/youth) and four in would do me, anything after that just makes us even better….
Don’t go getting all hysterical now Rico….. 😉
Genius is 1% talent and 99% hardwork…
JJ, KT, Rico. would you sell Chamakh…? If we got offered 8mill would you flog him..?
Because, the club is too bloody tight to buy proper players and they just make up the numbers to try and fool fans who think its fine…
its all b***x…..
Yes Rico, and there is perhaps something that should be substantially improved. AW never make substitutions if they are forced to only 10 -12 minutes from time. Always playing the same way if the outcome is not favorable, only empowers those who argue that gains confidence, it is physically cooler (much less tired because the runs with the ball, etc.) and realizes that he can win the game. How many games and points lost in the last 10-15 minutes?
Agreed the markings, if allowed to continue always in the same way to play with the same players, only makes the opponent. As stated above, in the last 30 minutes, fresher, with more confidence, feel they can win the game. is usually in the last 15 minutes that opponents make the substitutions. It usually is not a defense on the other. Often exchange of advanced or strengthen the midfield. Why? simple: fresher, harder, they can win in the clash in the 2nd s balls, corners in the air, the faults in speed. Ask a question instead? As a coach ride the team to play Arsenal comm? Would play an equal? apergunta they should do is to AW. Football is a bit like chess. We should not just think in our game. We must also think as the aversion
I think the majority dont think it’s fine at all Rico and def not fooled by it….!
Rico thats why i respect CR7 so much.he probably doesn’t have messi’s talent but look at how hard he is working to keep up.i remember the frail one-trick pony winger that went to the mancs and compare him to the player he is now you’ll see just how hard he has worked.he has over 70+ goals in almost the same number of appearances.he lit up the PL too when he was here.Mourinho and red nose say he is first to arrive in training and last to leave and you can see the results.
a pergunta= a question…
Wath id sell chamakh in a heartbeat.
Me too KT……….. A striker who now don’t shoot don’t play up front anymore and passes when through on goal anyway…!
‘Transfers are always on my mind…’it wouldn’t surprise me if wenger was talking about bank transfers.
Now a question about the players, many have relied on Henry, Vieira, Petit, Pires, Wiltord …
I think it is time to stop and think. The great majority of French players at Arsenal now, played at the most powerful of the France: European champion and runner-up champion of the world. He spent a decade. A generation of players. Today, though, and remember, France was in financial trouble to ascertain whether the pair left the world and their selection to be a top selection of the world. On the other hand, the French football at club level, has appeared only sporadically in the quarterfinals of the two major European competitions. Even so, we must remember that the French teams are to be composed of many players of African origin.
Today a team based in France players give him a middle / upper class is not a very high class.
Moreover, the comparisons become obvious and the traditional friction French and British may not be healthy at all levels, for a team that relies on French players and with a French coach.
Look at Liverpool. Coaches replaced the Spanish / French by Dalglish (who is not a coach …) and see the comments of the press, the partisanship of the press.
WATH – my comment was slight tongue in cheek to the few who think its ok to keep on hanging on in there and think we just need to be patient, 2024 will see us improve….
Messi v The winker – tough call Kt, but i see what you are saying, if Wenger bought one of them, which one??
WATH, re Chamakh – a few weeks ago i would have said no, now yes and he can take nikki b with him….
Wath id prefer us to have a false nine (rvp),an drogba-type battering ram and a tricky and pacy forward like suarez (vela?) to our collection of forwards.if we add theo we are sorted there.
Watching messi is like watching Bergkamp/zola;its like art.he makes the game look easy and beautiful at the same time.he however has physical limitations.Ronaldo on the other hand is like a machine;very effective with no physical limitations.he is like a prototype for what future footballers will look like.to choose you’ll have to choose between beauty or the beast.artful messi or clinical ronaldo?its difficult to say who but i choose…
Kt, i just want a proper goal scorer…..
I have mentioned those different types of forwards so as to give us options to have different combinations to use against different kinds of opposition.
I just think with all our chances Kt, we ned a Dudu kind, or a Drogba kind – maybe the ;latter more so as he is just an beast in the air…
Evening Gooners. A sombre mood on here today. Btw Rico, how do you play foofball?
Rico, did you get the feeling that Mr Cahill was trying to impress possible future employers yesterday?
AK stop being so cheeky 😉
Hey, hiya Wath. Glad to see you’re a bit more cheerfull amigo. A lot of morose commenting on here today.
No chance AK.
Well that depends if your hysterical or not or just being sensible with future thoughts and ideas… 😉
‘Ere Wath, have a read:
http://legendaire.wordpress.com/2011/04/25/a-spurs-fan-just-emailed-me-this/
Just a different perspective.
Hi kev, bloody hope so re Chaill…
10M + Vela, Denislon, Rosiky, Eboue 🙂
Hi KT, see that Rui Fonte is at Espanyol. They must be desperate.
KT, out the two i’d take Messi all day long, have yet to see him vanish in a game, Have seen CR vanish before, he doesnt sulk like he used to but he still does it. Messi for me…! The complete player.
Foofball, it’s the ladies side of the game… no foofing around 😉
Rico, you could probably add a couple more to that list.
spooky kev, just read that, what a load of b***x …. no way would a swampie send that in….
😆 kev
David Villa over those two, he’s just what we need 🙂
Wath even messi disappears but not as frequently as Ronaldo.
AK, Sounds like a typical AKB comment….!
Rico, I think your being far to generous, how about Cahil for 10mil + Vela and add Miguel n Bartley on season long loans…?? 😉
For a little dwarf Messi’s workrate is outstanding many of ours could take a lesson in that part of his game.
Bugger off WATH, I want that lot gone – how about Vela on loan for a season but they can have Denilson, Rosicky, Eboue and Nik 😆
Bartley is leaving unless he is assured of a part in next season….
I can’t stand the winker so messi for me too….
I’m off fine folk, catch up tomorrow,
Be good and enjoy the rest of your day,
Nighty night… 😉
Rico stop being a drama queen that lot can go somewhere else I like Coyle adn want him to teach Miguel n Bartley so we cant give him shit players, Vela would be ok there. Let Birmingham have Denilson they suited to each other. Bendy to krautland for as much as we can possibly get Rosicky to sicknote utd and of course Ebooooie to Clown FC in Katmandu…!
Nite Rico sleep tight, don’t forget get the aircon on b4 you go up them apples…! 😉
Night Rico, and no foofing before you go to bed…
Apart from his workrate its also his versatility.he can play as a lone forward,trequartista,wing forward even deep in midfield without a drop in quality of perfomance.he is also a real team player unlike ronaldo.
AK, she foof’s all the time its a nightmare…!
Thats what makes him special KT….!
WATH, ok, ok – you win, both with the players to Bolton and the air con, just bloody turn it down when you finally get off of here…. 😉
kev, don’t make him any worse 😉
The rise and fall of the foofa = an aerated duvet
😳
def off now – don’t be long WATH 😉
Yes dear…………….. 😀
Messi has already scored 50 goals this season.
Night rico.
Its a hover duvet in ur case not sure about airated 😉
50 goals KT and what 6/8 games still to play…? Amazing when you think abt it, ok well seeing as we won’t be getting him lets move on………..!
Messi in the Premier league could only make a game …. then if the first was against Stoke, he could only play fifteen minutes.
If Eboue out, we have to find a side, preferably one that can play both sides.
With Ronaldo, De Villa is not necessary at all. Today, Ronaldo plays in the middle. It is no longer the winger it was. Its body has changed. It is stronger, less agile and owns a strong kick. 90 minutes to catch the ball, kicks off with strength and finishes off with greater force. Reminds me Eusebio.
Chamack as I have to say, works like a “pine”. Attempts to tie the defenses, but does not make a shot on goal except the head.
Come on Rovers!
JM, Chamakh looks like a man who is now scared to play football….!.
Gameiro scored again yesterday.
Falcao: 28 games – 30 goals
this young central back of Rovers is good
JM, i like Gameiro, he’s in the final year of his contract after this summer, and AFC’s relationship with Lorient is good, so a part-ex incld Sunu could be a possibility?
City 1-0 🙁
Chamack low level of confidence Change Chamack from Szeko !
Strange Wath, how Chamakh has totally ‘lost it’ since RVP came back, wonder why?
Are you talking about Phil Jones at Blackburn JM….?
Gameiro looks the real deal, is he strong enough for the prem lge…?
Chamakh has gone backwards AK, amazing the way he has transformed…! It’s like i said months back Aliens stole him and we got left with his crappy twin brother.
Looks like Dzeko’s goal should have been disallowed. Seems as if there’s a referees plot to stitch Arse up.
You know there’s definately an anti-Arsenal [foreigner] vibe going around, from those Press tossers [of course] the Media, FA, Referee’s, ex-pro’s where ever you look. It’s as if it’s a case of ‘We’ve gotta stop those foreign bastards from winning our good old honest EPL at all costs’…
AK your not wrong with the anti Arsenal stuff but it’s nothing new and to be honest not an excuse for our team or the way we play/fall apart/collaspe etc etc…! It didnt stop the 98 or the 02 or 04 sides winning did it…? they were just as bias then as well.
Even at Bolton. If the official’s had done their jobs Walcott would have got a penalty and Muamba would have been sent-off. So then we’re looking at a different scenario, winning 1-0 and Bolton down to 10 men… Our officials are absolute shite, and i usedto referee, so i’ve got no axe to grind, our refs/linos are total crap. And is it any wonder with that Manc kiss-arse Riley in charge? Rant over…
Mancini like AW?…. At the 90th minute a replace. A defender, Villa out (is not a defender at all). Have you seen AW doing that? never! He broke the match a little bit, claim the team for the been concentrate until the end and defend the advantage!
yes, Phil Jones
Ah yeah, i accept that Wath, those teams were physically stronger, but what a sad comment on the total crap we have to put up with in this country and the effin dinosaurs who run our game. Win the World/Euro Cup with that attitude, ha ha fcukin ha, no chance, not until technical foofball is encouraged in this backward looking island..
Man City win their game in hand and the gaps down to two points… oh joy.
JM, we have been linked with Phil Jones before….!
Totally agree AK, the ppl that run the game are a joke, no consistency what so ever and a rule for one and a rule for their favs…..! It still doesnt excuse the pathetic way in which we have capitulated but as fans we see it week in week out and if we say anything its all about sour grapes. The time to do it when your winning but unfortunately we not in that position so anything we bring up is merely classed as having a whinge cos we crap.
AK as crap as we’ve been if you look at the goals that AA scored against Sunderland and RVP against the yids both given wrongly offside, decisions that have gone against us all season that have cost us points and you won’t need to be a rocket scientist to know we’d be top or even clear BUT does that then again not cover up the cracks that are still so obvious in this team..?.
i know Wath, it just pisses me off every couple of years eg losing 4-1 to the Jerries, all the hand-wringing from those clots [wanted to say something else] and then a few weeks later it’s ‘Kevin Davies for England’ good honest pro blah blah blah.
Yeah, i know, no excuses, but it always seems that Arsenal are handicapped by ‘The Powers That Be’ in whatever guise, in order to stop us at any cost. There’s almost a racist element to it, or is that me being paranoid?
You even see it in the way players are treated re: cautions/dismssals, remember how Petit was picked on by ‘our’ officials. Usually Manu would be reacting to an earlier foul the ref ignored.
For example, if RVP scythed down a Bolton player a la K.Davies imagine what the refs response would have been? I’m sick of the double standards….
No mate I don’t think its paranoid i think it’s spot on but for me it will never change as its never been any different so we just need to be that bit extra special and better so when one is dis-allowed we bang in 2 more so stick their cheating up their arses but this lot aint good enough to do that unfortunately.
U could always bet Petit, Vieira, Keown,Adams or Bergy would always be missing?suspender for a “big” game…… BUT we still won…. we still overcame the odds….! It was down to them against us mentality and the attitude to get stuck in and not let them get the better of us….! You don’t see that from this lot they to busy sulking and gave up long ago…!
Well they were good enough up to February. Yeah i accept all you say, but we’ve had a lot, and i mean a shedload of poor decisions, bad luck etc. That would affect anyone mate.
But in the end, we just need 3 or 4 stronger players, both mentally and physically. Will ‘he’ do it? Will he spend? I bloody well hope so because that monks habit is looking quite attractive…
Righto, i’m off to do some foofing. Don’t forget the air-con Wath. See ya mate
The aircon stays on mate…… 😉 what they dont know or feel dont hurt em…. 😀
Chat 2moro mate.
Let’s make a shock bid for Drogba with a 2-year contract and challenge him to transform this bunch of bottlers into a title-winning outfit.
We kenw that Van Persie will be out injured for 10-15 games minimum per season.
We knew that Drogba is that catalyst we need to lead the line with the likes of Theo, Vela and Benik feeding off him…as well as those youngsters learning their trade with Drogba on the training pitch.
Look at the way that Drogba is playing as a “senior citizen” bringing the forward line into play, creating chances and taking freekicks.
We need him to put the finishing touch to Theo, Vela (if he is still around) and mentoring young Benik.
Buy Drogba like what Ferguson transformed his Fergie Fledgings by buying Cantona.
I would say buying these players will provide that misisng ingredient of “Maturity, Experience and Calmness”:
Defence – Gary Cahill or Jagkiela
Midfield – Scott Parker and Micha Richards as well??
Attack – Drogba and Ashley Young as well?
40-mil will do nicely to buy these “catalysts” to transform bottlers, french poodles and pretty boys into a title-winning sides.
And Micah Richards and Ashley Young are Arsenal fans too.
We need to buy players where Arsenal is their “hoemgrown club” instead of mercenaries whoa re only good for 3 to 4 years and then scampered back to their European “hometown clubs”.
Morning all.
New Post up