Morning all.
That match will go down in history and for all the wrong reasons. Knocked out at this stage of the FA Cup for the first time since Arsene Wenger became the manager. We, the record and current holders of this competition are out. Out having been thumped by a Championship side who totally deserved their victory.
Invincibles against invincibles although a good few years apart. In the main it was youth against youth but their youth were hungry, very hungry. I’m not knocking our youth players as they weren’t the reason for our downfall, not entirely anyway. Our problem was our so called experienced players who should be ashamed of themselves, they really should. In fact if it were down to me, not one of those senior players would play for Arsenal football club ever again. Walcott, Welbeck and Elneny should have taken control of the game but they didn’t. Iwobi and Holding are no strangers to first team football but both were terrible. In fact Arsenal were terrible from start to finish.
Jon Moss was shocking too for many reasons but he didn’t lose us that game. The first penalty he awarded was an easy decision but the second was cruel as Mathieu Debuchy got the ball but hey, let’s not take anything away from Notts Forest, They wanted it and their want was far greater than ours so well done to them, they got just what they deserved.
For Arsene Wenger, he got what he deserved too. His nonchalant approach was reflected in his team selection, a team selection which I thought showed very little respect to yesterdays opponents. It shouted out ‘we only have to turn up to win’ I thought. Well how wrong was he. Arrogant, that was what yesterday was about too. My kids are better than your kids, we’ll thanks to him they are not. This was a very young Notts Forest team with the exception of a few and one of those was Armand Traoré who Wenger discarded years ago yet he was part of a squad which battered us good and proper.
Forest would have scored more but for a couple decent saves from Ospina although when he tweaked his thumb, I was hoping to see a Macey replace him. Perhaps he might have saved a penalty or got to the ball before Eric Lichaj headed home Forests first. After all, none of our defenders looked interested in doing so!
We equalised soon after but then Lichaj seemed to be given all the time in the world to chest down the ball a fire his volley past Ospina. 2-1 became 3-1 after Holding, who had a dreadful game, gifted them a penalty. Welbeck pulled one back and it looked like we might snatch a draw but Moss adjudged Debuchy to have fouled Traoré in the box but replays showed the Frenchman got the ball first. 4-2 and we were out..
After the game the Frenchman had the audacity to lump the blame on his players:
“I knew before coming here, it would be a tricky place to go. “You know when you come back it was important not to make a mistake again – that’s why it’s disappointing because during the game, we repeated the same mistakes and that’s where we were guilty today. Once, twice, three times, and at that level, you cannot afford that.
“We were not good enough anywhere, not at the front, not in the middle, not at the back, and we paid for it. They looked sharper, had more chances, and that’s all I can say. They had an outstanding performance and I couldn’t fault any of their individual performances.
How wrong is that eh? It’s his squad, his team selection, his tactics, his pre match and halftime talk, his coaching, his choice! He might be right about making the same mistakes because we’ve been making them game after game and season after season but he’s the one who has done bugger all to rectify our errors. Not Stan Kroenke, not Ivan Gazidis but him and his little yes men who surround him.
This morning, Arsene Wenger should be asked questions, he should be on his knees begging for forgiveness for such a terrible team selection and dreadful performance. And if anyone thinks it would have been any different had Wenger been sat in the dugout, think again.
This club needs change and fast and that will only take place once Wenger realises that his job is too big for him. The club is too big for him and the challenge to win trophies is far too big for him. Turning our younger players into the players many of believe they can be is also too big for him.
One question. Would that young Forest side played so well had Wenger been their manager?
No, I don’t think so either…
I just hope the reports about the clause in Wenger’s contract are true because if the board and him sit down in May and look back at this season, so far it’s being nothing short of a disaster. The performances have been awful, as have the results.
Surely he won’t get away with it again…..
Morning Rico. That’s a good summation. I have long noticed that Wenger’s tactic of castigating his own players rarely includes himself in the equation. We have been poor for a number of seasons now and the club
Oops. Sorry.
The club is just about on its knees. Get him out now and use the rest of the season to start the enormous task of rebuilding. There is only one man left who thinks he can turn this around.
Morning Adam, that’s his way isn’t it…
Agree, out now and who knows, even Alexis might stay..
Rico. The way I see it at the moment is that it seems clear that this season is heading toward disaster through bad planning, coaching etc, etc. Wenger has been storing up the problems, somehow hoping that his genius and 35 years in the game (as he keeps repeating ad effing nauseam) would miraculously see us alright. If he really imagined that this squad was up to competing on 4 fronts, then he was – and is – clearly delusional. What we are seeing are the results of rank bad management. The club has grown enormously since he was successful and one man, especially one approaching 70 years of age, cannot run it all. This is clearly evident.
Even his most ardent supporters must surely have realised that he is finished and that the club is much more important than Arsene Wenger. If he goes at the end of the season it is going to be very difficult for the new managerial regime to impose themselves, especially with the World Cup. I would seriously suggest that he must go now. For the sake of the club and it’s loyal supporters who are currently being asked to fork out crippling prices to watch a bang-average team and the club sink toward irrelevance. If the Arsenal board have anything about them, they should be spelling this out to Kroenke in brutal terms. Get Ancelotti in, give him some money for a couple of decent, experienced defenders and there might be a chance of saving next season. Leave it to Wenger and you will have a Nottingham Forest-style debacle within the club and this might well mean writing off next season too.
Agree wholeheartedly Adam. The board really can’t be happy with the way things are going. If they act now, at least we’d be able to make those defensive signings. Add to that a guy who can change our approach mentally and physically and we might just scrape top four. Then, have a summer of sorting the squad out and preparing for better things ahead.
Morning Rico. Well said! You’ve covered yesterday very well and apportioned blame in entirely the right places.
Wenger out,…..NOW.
Why wait until the end of the season? The only progress we will make under his tenure, from this point on is; we will make mistakes at the back, mistakes in the middle and mistakes up front, in fact we will be poor all over the pitch! His words (mostly) not mine.
Time for your Horlicks Arsene, the men in white coats are here to administer your medicine!
Just another nail in the coffin. Wednesday’s game at Chelsea will be interesting. Firstly, I don’t think we’ve got a cat’s hope in hell of beating Chelsea even over two legs and secondly, I wonder how many Wenger OUT placards we will see bandied about by the supporters of our fine old club?
Unlike my mood, it’s bright and sunny here.
I couldn’t agree more Adam. A simple solution, almost flawless. Appoint Ancelotti let him sort the playing staff out, both in and outs. Let him re-think the defensive horrors we’ve grown into and let him actually ‘coach’ and plan our team back into playing decently!
Win, win, I think.
Morning Rico and All
Other than the team selection for yesterday
what about the bench.Arsene must be kidding
whats happened to the Big Squad he told us
about at the start of the season.
I could have this all wrong..But
Was Arsene playing a different game yesterday,
we all know he picked that squad..Don’t we.
Was he afraid Bouldy would win with him
up in the stands.
Because if I was Bouldy..No way in a million
years would I have turned with that squad
away from home.
Great post Rico…
I have to be honest I literally laughed yesterday and weirdly it didn’t even affect my mood.
i watched most of the game and to me it just showed how poor Arsenal’s 2nd string is it also showed me just how far this club has and is falling.
the only left to change the current downward course we are on is change manager, just because Wenger done great thing’s in the past doesn’t give him a free pass forever ffs and it’s high time someone up above called it a day.
Morning all :- Adam your comment ” Leave it to Wenger and you will have a Nottingham Forest-style debacle within the club and this might well mean writing off next season too.” A little optimistic I think. Look at Forest’s record since they were relegated in 1972. They have been as low as the old div 2 , a yoyo club coming up and going down 4 times and have been the Championship since 2008.
Wenger needs to go now before that sort of blight hits us. I know that our board rarely look past their glass of brandy , their complacency pervades the whole club but someone needs to shake the whole place up.
Potter. I agree, but the financial potential (and hopefully our ultimate salvation), within Arsenal is enormous. My point is simply that Wenger is lurching, like a drunk, from one crisis to another. We’ve been awful for quite a while now, seasons in fact and while it may be tempting for the board and owner to leave it for Wenger to sort out, we can surely see that it has all gone way beyond that now. His explanations have become embarrassing and I ask, not for the first time, who is taking responsibilyy for where we are and where we are heading? I understand there is a big difference of opinion within the hierarchy as to the wisdom of this latest contract for him and the board really should have drawn a line under his reign a long time ago. But, we are where we are and it isn’t a great place at all.
The board should remove him for one simple reason and that is that he isn’t a very good manager anymore and the club has no future under him. All this “Management is like a drug” nonsense he comes out with alongside the tedious and constant references to his length of time in the game is his schtick. It has nothing to do with planning and achieving success on the field whatsoever.
Adam we are beating the same drum. And although I agree that he should go now the board need to be very careful about who they appoint to sort out the mess. Ancellotti is a good bet , so would be Rafa Benitez both capable of looking at a bigger picture . I think it will take more than a couple of years to rid ourselves of Wenger’s legacy.
Thanks Wavy, afternoon to you, Fred and all.. Bloody internet is about as good as Wenger’s management…
Has he been sacked yet? No, didn’t think so.
Wake up Arsenal board, wake up..
Come off it Rico, we all know the board go into hibernation during the winter months! Currently they are enjoying intravenously fed Napolean Brandy from one of the many vintage years that accumulated in the Highbury cellar So! Far too busy to consider the running of a football club! Or its management style or even its personnel.
The place is a shambles from top to bottom imo.
Wavy, wasn’t Ivan sat not too far away from Wenger last night? He couldn’t have been too impressed…
I’m not sure that sacking Wenger is going to change anything, the Board made their decision and personally I think that they have to stick to it. But that doesn’t stop them telling Wenger, that at the end of this season that they intended to pay up the remaining year of his contract but will also dispense with his services, and tell him now, start negotiating for his replacement and whatever happens, whether he wins the League Cup and/or UEFA Cup, that that is it, fin, au revoir.
Apparently Kev, there’s a clause in his contract which allows the club to part ways with him if this season is a disaster…
Rico i ‘ll dance naked in times square if that’s true but that cnut is too shrewd to sign a contract like that. I doubt it. He ‘ll be here till the end of his contract and maybe longer if kroenke decides to leave him at the helm. Evening all….hey Adam where are you mate am in home, Arnhem that is ????
Stupid phone meant “am home ” sorry guys
Hahahahaha Rico your 2.08 almost made me fall off my bed. Hahahahahaha omg????
Palace and West Ham want Coquelin according to reports. If I was him, I’d go..
Don’t care what anyone says but I ‘ll hate to see lecoq go. He’s one of the few players that plays for the badge and shirt. He always have his all. A crunching tackle here and there puts a smile on my face. I blame his stagnation on Wenger’s ineptitude. Poor bugger.
Goonster.
Stan, I don’t go to Arnhem any more unfortunately. I’ve become more of an Amsterdam man.
I hope you are well.
A different manager and maybe just maybe we might have a beast of a player on our hands. So many players just stagnated and others turned shit once Wenger got his jammy hands on them. Such a shame Rambo Wilshire AOC the list goes on. Can’t wait to see the end of this useless sack of shit.
Adamant ?
I am fabulous Adam Brianna loves it here. Mama is teaching her a few Dutch words. Might stay longer than I planned. How’s Mrs A?
Pah more of an Amsterdam man he says??? Amsterdam is too cosmopolitan. Come to Arnhem and I ‘ll show you a good time. Lol
I’d go though Goonster, he seldom plays and is still young enough to enjoy a career elsewhere and under a manager who will use him.
I know Rico boy do I know but it’s such a shame. This man has ran our dear club into the ground. We ‘re no longer a laughing stock but a pitiful sight. My spuds mate don’t even banter with me anymore. They feel sorry for me!!!!
I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s true goonster..
At 18 jack was the future of not only arsenal but England fast forward a few years later and he’s still not fulfilling his huge potential. This is the same kid that dominated the best barca team of all time. God I hate Wenger.
Goonster. She’s well thanks and sends her regards.
Good to hear from you sir. Happy New Year ?
I know goonster, he should have gone yonks ago. We’re a laughing stock these days.
Rico when I look at our current side it’s still not a bad squad. A team that has Sanchez ozil xhaka kolasinac jack Wilshire and heck even lacasette shouldn’t be 15 to 20 points behind man city. A different manager and watch these same players we condemn every day play out of their skin. Can’t believe this is the same xhaka I wanted us to sign all those years even while still at basle.
At this rate we ‘ll concede 50 premier league goals this season. We can’t keep a clean sheet to save our lives. Shame.
Been saying similar goonster, I’d say there’s a few players who need moving on but our squad is far better than our performances and results are.. Wenger, it’s down to him.
How do you justify spending 55m on a player and yet subs him at the 70th minute. Poor sod must be sick of it already.
The look on his face after he got subbed at west brom says it all. He must be kicking himself for not signing for atheltco.
Just one of Wenger’s many odd decisions these days. That’s being polite.
I want leonardo jardim he has a good track record of bringing youths through. A fee years and reiss neison and the willock brothers might be our own very version of mbappe and lemar.
*few
Evening all and thank you Rico.
I`m still angry !
1 Bravo
3 Danilo
5 Stones
30 Otamendi
35 Zinchenko Substituted for Walker at 72’minutes
8 Gündogan Substituted for De Bruyne at 76’minutes
25 Fernandinho
21 Silva
7 Sterling
10 Agüero Substituted for Bernardo Silva at 79’minutes
19 Sané
I could have put any of Manshafter/Chavs/Bindippers or Spuds team/squad up,from the FA Cup games……….they all had strong ones and are involved in CL, yet we play a fringe/youth squad, it tells me the man has lost the plot.
He is sole responsible for the squad he picked and has made us a laughing stock and all my feelings fot the man have gone out the window………fcuk him !…….because The FA Cup was my only pleasure to look forward to in this shit season where we were in best position to take advantage of our rivals CL exploits…………….respect is nil……..he`s dead to me !
PS…………….can you tell I`m pissed off !………hahaha
Haven’t we only got one Willock now?
I have to deliver to a few chefs who are AKB`s and tomorrow I will jsut say to them and mind my french…………..are you still supporting that cupid stunt !
Yes I`ve finally been baptised into the world of Wenger Outism !…………….I`ve seen the light !
💡
Only one Pillock as well Rico !
Oh shoot you ‘re right ma’am we lost one to sporting Lisbon too. Bummer.
Dreadful team selection Lc, the bench was nothing short of insulting of Forest.
As I said last night Rico, insulting Forrest was the best way to get them fired up.
If Forrest would have played Robin Hood, Will Scarlet, Little John, Fryer Tuck and the rest of the merry men, then we may have stood a chance whilst Wenger Maid Marion !……………………………what a knob !…………………I`m fcukoing livid !……………………I`m about to call the Samaritans, but I have a fear of someone answering in a french accent and telling me to call on my inner mental strength !
Said the same in the post Lc…
It was a case of pure arrogance by Wenger imo………………………………..I feel sorry for the almost youth cup looking bench who should be gradually intergrated into the team, a few at a time in such a competition.
Carabao Cup, yes, play loads of them like he did in the past, but FA Cup !…………….the greatest cup comp` in the world !……………….arrogant beyond belief !
All my hard work in diet and gym work for a six pack and I`m so pissed off I`m going to eat a full tub of ice cream !……………………….If I now turn into an obese lump I will blame you Wenger !
If only I knew how to do an emogy with saliva dribbling over my ice cream ……hahaha
You wait and see him pick a strong team for the egg cup on Wednesday…
Catch up tomorrow guys..
Nighty..
Is that true about Wenger’s contract Rico, it needs to be?
I’ve felt for awhile that this is his last year, I don’t think I’m alone on that one.
Next summer is going to be massive, a massive rebuilding job, for the new man, I hope that Kroenke is going to be fully supportive from a financial perspective?
Morning Kev, all.
If John Cross and others are to be believed then yes, it’s true… I’m certainly hoping it is…
Morning everyone has Wenger been sacked yet?
Apparently he still has a huge number of fans still backing him. Have you read untold lately? Those guys make my stomach churn and not in a good way. Still regard him as “Lord wenger”. God help us all!
Ah your back , smote the gremlins have you.
Wouldn’t worry about Untold and their sychophants , I read it regularly and they really have only about a dozen regular posters most of whom don’t live here. They will discuss any thing that supports Wenger or denegrates referees but do not understand talking about the actual football .
HH crashed last night Potter, yesterday’s post and comments went with it…
Morning all..
I know , I spent a long insomniac night with very little to do . I even posted on Untold just to wind the natives up a bit.
Ha ha, did it work?
Yeah, I thought it was me Rico.
Glad you’re back.
Was it the Spectre virus?
Morning All, is everybody Up for the Cup?
I can’t wait to see the team Wenger picks.
#Dead man walking
No
I thought it was just me yesterday evening too Kev.
Nope re the Cup. I’m not up for any game which Wenger is the manager of.
I can see us getting a hiding…
Morning all.
There’s a sort of parallel here between us and Stoke city’s game with Newcastle. Both clubs Field a weakened team the weekend before a ‘crucial’ game in midweek. Get sparked at the weekend, not surprisingly and then, lose the game you were saving your ‘big’ players for. The ultimate double whammy! However, once this scenario has played out can Wenger look forward to the same job prospects as Hughes? I really hope so……….it couldn’t happen, could it? Lose tonight and pack your bags tomorrow. Oh how I wish………!
With you again on this Rico, can see us taking a pasting, with or without VAR. on the team selection, I don’t think we’ll be seeing Iwobi, so we may be marginally better off, then again God knows who the old geezer will pick, names in a hat and first eleven out in positions of their own choice. A bit like Mrs May’s cabinet decisions, oh plus a few youngsters, for good measure!
Wet here today, marginally better than the mist of the last couple of days, but not a lot.
Didn’t Wenger do something similar last season Wavy, saved a few for the FA Cup and then got battered in Munich..
I’d have thought being the record holders, the FA Cup would have taken precedence over the league cup. Just have to hope Conte rotates heavily tonight, although I doubt he will.
Newsnow has a few headlines which suggest Wenger is off in the summer and Ancelotti will replace him…
Please be true…
New post up now.