Daily Bits and Bobs

What a load of rubbish! Stop looking for excuses Arsene, it’s down to you.

Posted on by rico

Morning all.

In the last two weeks unfortunately we are losing points after a bad start. I felt the Manchester United game played a bit of a part in the head of our defenders. They were a bit apprehensive to start well again and that’s why it is sometimes not good to talk about the problem because you create a bigger one.

I felt at first that we rushed our game in the final 15 minutes of the first half and started to lose balls in the middle of their goal. We needed to play the way we wanted to play, defend quicker when we lose the ball and to put the ball under much more pressure. In the second half I felt it was one-way traffic, it was very difficult to create clear-cut chances

I’m not happy with the point because I wanted three, but if you cannot win it, don’t lose it. We kept going, we were relentless. After a difficult start we were caught cold and overall it was a windy, rainy afternoon against a team who played well and were quick on the counter-attack. It was important not to concede a second goal and in the end Olivier Giroud helped us at least rescue a point. Considering the quality of the team we faced, it is not so bad.

Poppycock. The problem is Arsene Wenger, nothing or no one else and certainly not the weather as it was the same for both sides. His style of play is boring, slow and tippy tappy. We don’t shoot enough, we create very few clear cut chances and yet again, our defence was all at sea from the off which for the second game running, caused us to go behind but don’t blame Merts, blame the man who went into the season with not enough experienced central defenders. Blame the guy who coaches the way we defend, blame the guy who for years now have failed to build a midfield which can protect it’s back line, not leave them exposed.

For all the possession we had, it meant nothing because for some reason, Arsene Wenger clearly believes that having the majority of our players In and around the box playing little sideways and backwards passes to each other is acceptable yet this is the same man who once, albeit a long time ago, believed in pace, width crisp one touch football.

Oliver Giroud came on to nick us a point towards the end of the game, a point I don’t think we deserved. Southampton, with a squad which no doubt cost far less than ours to assemble, knew how to play against us and deserved all the points imo. Charlie Austin, hardly a player who makes one stand up and take note, was outstanding I thought and unlucky not to have scored more.

Yes, we should have been awarded a penalty after Lacazette took a nasty one on his ankle but there’s no guarantee we would have scored. We’ll never know now that’s for sure.

A friend said to me yesterday, how can Wenger moan to the fourth official about the opposition time wasting when the way he likes us to play wastes so much time during a game? So many passes in and around the box which get us nowhere. I don’t think there’s another football manager who would choose to play the way Wenger gets us to.

I really cannot wait for him to step away from our club so a new guy can start again. Anyone has to be better than Arsene Wenger and yes, I really mean that. I watched Big Sam send his team out at Anfield with a plan. Yes they were awarded a penalty which Rooney converted but Everton looked a very different team to the one Koeman managed. West Ham under David Moyes too who defeated Chelsea. We don’t have a bad squad, we just have a bad manager. I’m not suggesting for one minute that either Moyes or Big Sam are the answer, I’m just saying that change can be good and for us, I’m sure it’ll be very good.

I’ve never been so bored watching Arsenal play football as I am these days.

Anyway, it’s the Europa League Draw today and we can draw any of the unseeded sides as you already know and they are:

AEK Athens (GRE), Astana (KAZ), Celtic* (SCO), Crvena zvezda (SRB), Dortmund* (GER), FCSB (ROU), København (DEN), Ludogorets (BUL), Lyon (FRA), Marseille (FRA), Napoli* (ITA), Nice (FRA), Östersund (SWE), Partizan (SRB), Real Sociedad (ESP), Spartak Moscow* (RUS)

I’d love to see Atletico Madrid draw Napoli because out of all the teams, I reckon they’re the strongest. But knowing our luck, we’ll probably get drawn against the Italian side, or perhaps Dortmund and if we do, I fear our Europa journey could very well be over.

See you in the comments…i

rico

157 thoughts on “What a load of rubbish! Stop looking for excuses Arsene, it’s down to you.”

  1. Adam says:

    Well said Rico. In a league where most teams are moving sideways rather than up there is no reinvention at Arsenal. You are never going to win the PL title when you have taken so little care with assembling your defence as we have. Entering a crucial Christmas period with one of your mainstay CB’s out with a mysterious injury shouldn’t be a problem for one of the richest clubs in World football should it? So how come we are limited to Per? Lovely bloke that I believe he is.
    Having sold Gabriel in the summer, Arsene was, if you believe the rumour, prepared to cash in on Mustafi too. Whether he had another CB I mind, who knows? Kos looks shot to me and it’s not hard to believe that he has peaked and is on the way down. At one point on the second half yesterday I believe he gave the ball away three times in just a few seconds and I kept seeing him stride forward and continue his run into Southampton’s penalty area. Talk about leaving the stable door unbolted. Or rather, leaving the key with Bellerin, who himself has looked remarkably average for about a season now, or a virtually static bemused-looking Per. You’re never going to challenge, over a season, with a defence as porous as ours. We look fragile back there and incredibly lightweight through the midfield though I think Mesut put the effort in yesterday.
    Gawd knows what is going through Sanchez’ mind.

  2. rico says:

    Thanks Adam.

    I thought Ozil was good too, nice to see him tracking back at times but then had we had a perfectly drilled team and some kind of plan, he may not have had to. Imo, too many players are regressing for it to be their problem, it has to be the coaching and lack of direction from Wenger.

    I like Xhaka but right now he looks like a rabbit in headlights. He doesn’t seem to know when to defend, when to attack or when to shoot which when he first arrived, he did the latter often.

    As for Alexis, well i bet he can’t wait to get as far away from Wenger as he possibly can. I know that’s how I’d feel.

  4. Adam says:

    Yes, there seems to be nothing but confusion around the club at the moment Rico. I am not Giroud’s biggest fan as you know but surely, if you are going to play him, you need to provide him with the service he needs. It’s pointless playing balls inside the full back for him to run onto. He needs good, old fashioned balls into the box. Yesterday we didn’t do this except for the one time Alexis managed to achieve it and guess what? We scored. I see no problem with going direct at times. Get the ball into Giroud and get Lacazette to play off him. That will at least ask the opposing defence some questions that out turgid sideways passing won’t. Defences love it when everything is played in front of them and we oblige them without fail, week in, week out. Mix it up a bit. Get Ollie in there and put the ball in. It’s almost as if Wenger sees this as beneath him.
    Mind you, that would require some better crosses than we seem capable of from our wing backs at the moment. 🙂

  6. rico says:

    He’ll be gone soon Patrick. I wouldn’t say he’s past it though, far from it, just fed up being part of the mess Wenger has created more like…

  7. rico says:

    Agree re Giroud Adam. He’s not my kind of player either really but he will score with the right service, as will Lacazette but there always seems to be too many players in the box and they get in each other’s way. Do they not realise that if they move, they’ll take defenders with them which in turn will create more space..

  8. Adam says:

    Agreed again Rico.
    I had a laugh reading about the post-match brawl at the Manchester derby. How on Earth we lost to Mourinho’s bang average team…I was going to say “I’ll never know”. But we all do don’t we? 🙂

  10. Adam says:

    Apparently the £90 million Lukaku (seriously?) threw a bottle which struck Arteta above the eye, resulting in a cut.
    His hair though remained miraculously intact and as immaculate as always.

  13. potter says:

    When you reach the stage where a match like yesterdays doesn’t drive you apoplectic then you know the games up.However it’s like being the ice cream lady at the Bijou when you have seen the film so many times before. There was a little group of of us on the NorthBank two years ago that would stand and call the next player to get the ball passed to him. it got boring when we started getting it right most of the time . We could see it from block 10. Nothings changed an Arsenal quick break only goes so far , when you get past the centre line and approach the edge of the box , the elastic runs out and it is obligatory to look inside for Alexis or Ozil , taking on a fullback is out of the question. It’s all boring and repetitive.

  18. kelsey says:

    Ostersunds is in Sweden ground capacity 8400. Ostersund were founded AFTER Wenger took control of Arsenal in 1996 .How many tickets will we get and how many will want to go.?
    Sorry rico, had enough of repeating myself time and time again.It’s sunk in we made exactly the same start yesterday as against United and he gets 8.5 million a year plus bonuses .Nice work if you can get it.Oh Mertesacker nice chap but needs to be let go to graze.
    Stats say we have the smallet defence in the PL.

  20. potter says:

    Apparently it’s the Biathlon centre of Scandinavia , not much there and with beer at £ 8 a pint , I don’t think the usual crews will travel.. Anyway there will hardly be any daylight so , cold , dark and miserable apparently . Kind of like the Emirates with the lights out.

  23. potter says:

    You would think ! however by the time mid February comes round our league future should be much clearer and of course the january window ins and outs will have been settled.

  25. potter says:

    Kind of like the attitude of their chairman . Imagine Sir Chips sayuing this : – “Our method is to win every game, and the consequences of that should be that you are top of the table,” he said. “I will not be satisfied until we are champions. All results before that are rubbish. If you aim for midtable, that means you’ve admitted to yourselves that it’s OK to lose a football game. It’s not.”

  33. potter says:

    Swedish Seasons run from late March or early April to the beginning of November, with the 16 clubs all meeting each other twice, resulting in a 30-match season,. As our matches are to be played in February it means that we have no chance to watch them in a competitive match. No doubt this will not worry Wenger because he only plans what he does not what the other team might but first match on a plastic pitch against unknown opposition . It’s all set up for another Wenger fuck up.

  39. Le Coq Monster says:

    Good post and nothing to diagree with.

    Love what the Swedish chairman said, but then again he`s probably not an old pompous Etonian !…………………..not that all Etonians are pompous and neither are all the Oxbridgers ( thought I`d get that in so no one gets upset)…………..just the ones that are in power and Government who lie and cheat to the public, I mean look at Sir Chips, you just know that his like would rather have the minor shareholders rounded up and shot at the Arsenal shareholders meetings…………or hunted, same atitude as racists and I bet Sir Chips would bring back the Slavery Trade if he could, probably has a butler or manservant to wipe his arse, we all know how he treated people at the AGM.

    See that Gooner B has been about on loan from AA !…………….I met him once at The Arsenal Tavern and he`s dead ringer for Tony Cottee, although much younger, so when he writes about tactics he knows what he`s talking about just because he looks like Cottee, although he only knows about West Ham and Everton tactics !………….he also wears an Etonian looking suit, so beware of being sold to an aristocrat !

    I looked like Charlie Nicholas, so I know nothing about football, but look great in a kilt and I`m probably the greatest caber tosser in Cornwall !………………………I`m sure the missus used the word caber when she told me that !

    The swedish outfit will play us 6 weeks before their season starts, so will probably resemble a team of overworked obese Santa`s`to knackered after emptying their sacks……….last 16 here we come !

    https://twitter.com/ofk_1996/status/940208503528017920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.co.uk%2Ffootball%2Fblog%2Fthe-toe-poke%2F65%2Fpost%2F3307362%2Fostersunds-mock-arsene-wenger-coat-woes-after-europa-league-draw

  40. Le Coq Monster says:

    Lets be honest !………………………………….we are suffering the same shit as we have year after year since we last won the league, the same old ground hog day and as much as we complain and have our opinions nothing is going to change on the title front until both Wenger andddddddddddddddddd Kroenke are gone, if anyone thinks that we are going to challenge the wealth of the Big 3 when Wenger goes and Kroenke is still about is in my opinion and it`s only an opinion………………….. clearly believes in fairies !

    I would like to add that I do not believe in fairies, although some people I meet delivering sure are doing a great job of trying to convince me that they are !…………………as I said in my previous comment I am a great tosser …….of the caber !.

    God willing , I will look back at this comment in ten years time and I can guarentee you that the only winners of the EPL will be either Mansour City, Manshafter or Chavs !………………………………apart from the Leicester anomaly and counting this current season which has already been won by MC, them 3 are the winners since 2004…………………………..anyone really think we can win the league when Wenger goes without considerable investment ?………………………….whilst you think about it I will look for some fairie dust ………………………….and where the fcuk did I miss lay that caber !

    😆

  41. micko says:

    Seem to remember Vieira letting the world know how we would go on to dominate English football for the next decade back in 2000, a lot can happen in 10 years !

  42. Le Coq Monster says:

    True !…………………….maybe another few teams will join the elite 3 and their wealth, it will take a lot of investment ie…..money !……………….you know the stuff, what the Big 3 have !…………………..the Big 3 who win all the titles !………………………..It`s not out of the extraordinary for it to happen to a lesser team as lets face it both MC and Chavs were lesser teams before they got rich, so yes anything can happen in 10 years !…………………………………..I`m going to go out on a limb here and say we wont be one of those teams to break the Big 3 in ten years or longer, well not whilst we have an owner who so far has put £0 into the club…………the facts of trophies won and money dont lie !.

    Like a few on here I`ve said another manager ………..even Fat Sam…………would make us more disciplined and possibly harder to beat and a manager with the tactical brilliance of Pep would make us possibly better, but they would still need to buy as big as the real Pep, but we dont spend £180m net like Pep !………………………..between MC and Chavs they have spent over £2B on players, facilities etc` etc and whether it`s as loans or any other loop hole the fact is they have spent it……………………………….Kroenke £0 !…………………………………no one on here will ever convince me it`s not the money which has made the Big 3 win so many trophies, even down to the money which has got them the best managers !…………it`s all about the money like every thing in ths life !

  45. allezkev says:

    Potter you would imagine that Arsenal already have artificial playing surfaces at their training ground, so you would sensibly imagine that Wenger will do a few days work on that kind of surface before we fly off towards the artic circle.

    We have a couple of months to prepare, but the spectre of Winterslag casts a long shadow and nobody fcuks up quite like Arsenal.

    Although to be fair to Wenger he’s been pretty good in his 20 years at avoiding too many Walsall’s, Tranmere’s, Swindon’s, Luton’s, Rotherham’s, York’s, Wrexham’s etc etc etc.

    BT, there is only one Mr Vape!

  46. jeff wright says:

    It’s not all just about the money le coq that is too much of a simplification.If it were all about money we would not be just a point ahead of Burnley who are hardly big hitters in the financial stakes Also no getting away from the Leicester title win and Wenger finishing 15 points behind them in second spot when all the stars were aligned in heaven in his favour to win the title with just 10 left to play. I reckon that any half decent manager would have won the title that season from the position that we were in with 10 to play but Inspector Clueless somehow managed to cock it all up and that was nothing to do with Silent Stan and his personal nil investment in AFC.So that theory doesn’t fly .Of course money helps but you also need a manager who uses it properly and that brings us back to Wenger and the fact that he wastes it .He would have wasted the millions that Pep spent as well because Wenger is just not a big club manager and never has been he Would not have lasted long at Real Madrid that’s for sure where finishing second for 20 years is not considered a success and that is why he never joined them when he had the chance preferring instead the comfy zone of AFC where any excuse for failure will do provided the mythical 4th place trophy is won.

  47. Wavy says:

    So true Keff, so true. Couldn’t have put it better myself.

    I remain firmly of the belief, now, WENGER OUT!

    Bright blue skies here, absolutely f…ing freezing!

  50. Le Coq Monster says:

    hahaha Micko……………………………you know what mate, I`ve done a lot of things in the past that I`m ashamed of and deserving of my missus to turf me out on to the streets to become a playboy tramp, but the only time she really was pissed off with me and threatening me with divorce was when I turned up one day sporting a scouse perm !…………you know……. the Kevin Keagan Terry McDermott look !………………………being only young I found it hard to grow a matching tash so wore a false one, I was arrested several times for hub cap theft before finally succombing to the miracle of hair straighteners !……………………

    So Jeff, you fell into my trap of mentioning the anomaly of Leicester when I have consistantly said dont mention Leicester !

    🙂

    …………….that was a freak show, it`ll take another 100 years for it to happen again…………….the other winners since we last won the title dont lie and neither does the money they have more than us,………………………………only Manshafter Std would have won more trophies without the owners like MC and Chavs have had for just for being the biggest club in the world.
    If MC and Chavs had not been bought by their owners and everything had stayed the same owner wise since 2004, we may have won some more titles, so it`s the money of other clubs which have played a massive part in our slip to 4th biggest EPL club !……….and I dont even consider that just an opinion, it`s fact in my eyes !.
    As for Burnley, it doesn`t matter because at the moment everyone is a light year away from Mansour City and like Scott keeps banging on about………………I/we know Wenger`s a big problem and needs to go, but the bigger picture is Kroenke and his lack of investment !

    PS…………………GG, it was Charlie Nick, not Charlie George !

    🙂

  51. jeff wright says:

    Le Coq ,Wenger himself has said recently that money was an issue at one time but is not so now. So if he says that money is not the problem regarding winning or even competing for titles then we have to accept that this is so .I personally never believed that a lack of money was the reason for Wenger’s failure to compete for titles or to get past the firstr KO round in the Champions League anyway. Leicester managed to win their KO first Champs League tie in their only excursion in the tournament. Wenger’s poor management is the reason why he fails at top level both the spuds and Liverpool have lower wage bills than us and our one is similar to Chelsea’s yet Wenger finished behind both the spuds and Liverpool last term .We only play City twice a season in the Prem anyway so the problem is Wenger’s inability to win enough points overall from all of the other sides out of which he has a bigger financial advantage over most . Our away results are the problem because no one fears playing predictable Arsene’s sides these days and no amount of spin about City spending money changes that fact.One point more than Burnley same played for us says it all . We are underachieving due to Wenger’s ineptness.

  52. Le Coq Monster says:

    Jeff……………………I`ve no argument on the Wenger debate, he needs to go asap !
    Although your quoting of Wenger in your 1st sentence says you agree with him !……….not like you, but obviously what he is saying ties into what you believe . I should imagine you could bring up a lot more of his quotes which you are less agreeable with, so do we have to accept them so ?

    Would we have won more trophies with the money MC and Chavs have spent even with Wenger as manager ?……………………..imo, possibly so as we may have got over that always being two players short cliche !

    Would MC and Chavs won all the trophies they have gained since 2005 without the money invested ?…………….only an opinion, but no way !…………………………………….paint it anyway you like and add glistening glittery balls and bells to your opinion, but it`s all down to the money imo.

    We are the 4th richest club in the EPL and as Gazidis said, when we get higher than 4th, we are puching above our weight !………………….I agree with him as it`s a mathematical equation !……………………….now a lot of other clubs would be happy with that, but I`m greedy and want more and for that to happen we need to spend more and for that to happen we need an owner who will dip into his own pocket !………..there ls the problem and it`s a maths one……………………Kroenke investment £0……………………………….MC and Chav investment everything fom player buying to the tea lady and all tyhe facilities in between………………well over £2B !

    I dont know this for sure ,but other than bindippers who run their club like ours in self sustainability has any of the other clubs owners not put a penny in like Kroenke?

  55. rico says:

    Surely the money issue is irrelevant? Aren’t we cash rich? Couldn’t we have afforded most of the players Pep bought?

    Reality is, it doesn’t matter how much Wenger spends or doesn’t spend, he still dishes up rubbish football most weeks.

    Imo, blaming lack of money is just an excuse….

  56. Adam says:

    I would agree Rico. Obviously money is important, but buying the players you need and managing and motivating them is something else. Keeping them on a competitive edge where they know what they are doing and believe in the managers vision is even more difficult. With so much money in the game it will get harder as well I reckon. You could see Pep’s delight, not only in the victory, but it seemed more in the way his players stuck to his principles.

  58. Adam says:

    It’s been like that for ages though Rico hasn’t it? We always seem to just a couple of players away. Even allowing for fan’s tendencies toward pessimism. 🙂
    A gross simplification I know but, being absolutely honest, when was the last season when you went into it really believing that we had the squad to win a PL title.
    Something we have discussed before I know.

  62. Le Coq Monster says:

    We will all see when Wenger is gone in 18 months time whether it was Wenger or Kroenke holding the club back !………………….obviously by the last few comments not including mine we will be title contenders again with a new manager who will have limitless funds !……………………………………I wish you could see how much I am pissing myself now ! hahahaha

    Anyway I think everyone has taken their eye off the real issue of the day in what is p[robably the greatest medical breakthrough in history !…………………………………….Man Flu is a fact !……………………Men have worse symptons than women which last longer and are more likely to have ManFluers in hospital with possibility of death !……………………………………more chance of men dying from manflu than women dying from giving birth !………………………also from a survey of 500,000 men, woman would only have an idea of what pain a man goes through with man flu if they gave birth to twin elephants whilst being sat on by the twins father !………………………………………………….Ok , I made the last sentence up !……………………….but yes it was all over the news today Man Flu is real !

    😆

  63. rico says:

    I’ve always said the same. Change the manager and we’ll see how good, or more likely, how bad the board are. But the reality is, they might be dreadful for the club, but Wenger is dreadful for the squad and how we play.

  64. Le Coq Monster says:

    No problem with any Wenger out comments, Rico, but I`d like your take on the new ManFlu break through !

    😆

    I`ve been on facebook today and not one of my female friends have mentioned it !………………….not even my missus, but then again I did unfriend her months ago ! hahaha

  73. Le Coq Monster says:

    Morning all.

    Being an EastEnder I have a soft spot for West Ham for a few reasons………..1) They won the World Cup for us………………………2) After us they probably hate Tottnumb more than any other club do !………………………….3) Most my family who are actually interested in football are Hammers and as in number 2, we take the piss together out of the Spuds on FaceBook and blogs etc`……………………………4) My first ever fooptball shirt was a West Ham one !, this was because my West Ham loving brother went and bought me one even though he knew I was a Gooner !………………….I thanked and promptly went back to Piggots( I`m sure that`s what it was called) near Liverpoopl Street Station and swapped for an Arsenal one……………….nice try Bruv`, but as a young boy you would have been better off trying to bribe me with some Sherbet Styrawberry`s !

    😆

  74. rico says:

    Spooky Lc, a friend of mine was telling me only yesterday about how much the West Ham fans hate Tottenham. I didn’t really know that until then.. Certainly not how much they hated them anyway..

  76. jeff wright says:

    I have east London connections le coq my wife is from Stratford and her mum still lives there although she is knocking on a bit now . The wife has no interest in football though so no visits to the London Stadium for her but she does like to pop into West World with our daughter and that gaff is even pricier than the ‘appy’ammers new one! Speaking of the Hammers they look to have hit form at just the wrong time for our visit .We will certainly have to play a lot better than we did on Sunday, what an awful indictment of Wenger’s tippy tappy that was, if we are to get anything out of the game. Moyes has chucked a spanner in the works before against Arsene and will be doing hist to do so again. Anyway,I note that Burnley are above in the league despite only spending coat buttons on their squad and getting back to yesterday’s discussion about City spending big impacting on Arsene’s chances of winning the league it should be pointed out that if City having more money than anyone else was just the main factor regarding winning titles then they would win the Prem EVERY SEASON, however, they don’t do. The owners have along with Chelsea changed managers frequently and in the modern game this is now the norm to try and freshen things up when staleness creeps in. No manager wl get the sort of slack cut him at AFC once Wenger ( yawn) finally depart.It really has become ludicrous with him embarrassingly clinging on to his control freak job that he ca’t let go of and using any means to do so.

  77. Alex says:

    Hello Rico
    DAILYMAIL is linking us with Nzonzi…
    35M …..

    Xaka 35…..Mustafi 35
    both very mediocre for my like.

    And now this .When he was playing with Stoke hardly 5M .So he must have improved in tones …lol

  78. rico says:

    Totally agree re the spending Jeff and agree re the Hammers. Just goes to show what changes can do.

    Hi Alex. I wouldn’t mind N’zonzi, him and Xhaka in our midfield could work well. If Ozil goes, push Ramsey up because regardless of wherever he plays, he always ends up in the box…

  82. rico says:

    Everybody passes sideways and backwards because that’s the Wenger way. If there was more movement ahead of midfield, there’d be more space. I’d rather go to the likes of OT or the Etihad with N’zonzi and Xhaka than Ramsey and Xhaka.

  83. Le Coq Monster says:

    Yes Rico, all my nephews, cousins etc etc are West Ham and they believe or not poke more fun out of Tottnumb than anyone on facebook, even more than Millwall who they hate and it`s not just because Tottnumb tried to steal West Ham`s new ground in the bidding process even though West Ham`s new ground is in the Hammers own borough !

    Jeff, I have always maintened it`s the Big 3 with the money not just MC, even though they probably dwarf the other two and I have consistantly said it was the Big 3 that have won all (dont mention Leicester) the titles but one since we last won it and remember (hope this is right) the last team before we were battling ManU for honours was Blackburn !……………………guess what they did to win it ?……………………..you know anyway, some rich man bought Shearer and co…………..although what was thought to be a lot of money in them days is probably peanuts compared to Championship teams..even League One !……………………………………..was it Jack Shepard ?……………….have to look !

  84. Le Coq Monster says:

    Jack Walker !

    I have previously said that when watching Arsenal I always look(scout) at other teams players, seeing who I think would improve us, but on the cheap side !………………..I always thought N`Zonsi looked the other teams best player when with Blackburn and Stoke, but at £35M and age ?

    Lats one of other team who impressed me and I did say it on here was Harry Maguire when at Hull and after I said it Keown then said he thought he was the best english defender !…………………………………..Leicester……..sorry I mentioned them !…………………..got him for £17M and we sold Gabriel !………………………well done Arsene !.

  85. Le Coq Monster says:

    £17M !………bargain !……………..although I know nothing I think I can safely say Maguire is a better central defender than Mert`s ( who I love as a human being), Elneny, Monreal……………………….he`s a decent footballing CB who likes to bring the ball out, a nailed down Wenger signing !…………………………..maybe he didn`t like Keown praising him up and recomending him !

  86. Le Coq Monster says:

    Mis-read it, it was £12M, rising to £17M with add ons etc ……………………..was worth a punt imo .

  87. Le Coq Monster says:

    I think this would be a great bit of business !…………………………….Arteta to replace Wenger, it ticks all the right boxes, he knows the club, he`s young and up and coming and the most important thing which we will all like ……..especially Adam, he knows all of Pep`s training methods and tactics !

    He could come in and tell Kroenke that he needs X amount of money for say 3 years to buy the right kind of players to play the Mikel System ( Peps really)……………………..Kroenke will undoubtably let him spend £200M net each season to get us competing with the Big 3 again !

    Think of the money rolling in from the armoury for Arteta Lego Hair pieces !………………..it may even inspire Stan to wear an Arteta Lego Hairpiece !………………………………..”Why Stanley, you look 30 years younger !”…………………………Thank you my darling Ann !

    https://talksport.com/football/listen-tony-cascarino-explains-why-man-city-coach-mikel-arteta-should-be-arsenals-next

  90. Le Coq Monster says:

    True Rico……………………….so if we can get the likes of Messi and Ronaldo for nothing (summising Mikel wants them and are in his plans for the Mikel System (formerly Peps) ), then Mikel`s your uncle !

    🙂

    Anyway, we`ve all been craving for Pep, so to get his apprentice would be OK ?…yes ?…………even without the money to spend, as we wont need it if Mikel has stolen all Peps coaching manuals !

    Wenger Out !

    Mikel In !

  93. Le Coq Monster says:

    Joking aside, Rico, I honestly think Arteta could be an ideal Wenger replacement. I`ve always said why cant every team play like Barca or Pep`s teams as it cant be a secret to how they train as players move from clubs to clubs and people speak, but if it was a secret, then who better than Pep`s assistant to join us and let us into the Pep philosophy !……………………………….Mikel could be the next big thing, worth a punt imo as you know my thoughts that it`s about the money, but if I`m wrong and it`s about the managing/coaching, then get us Mikel !.

  94. rico says:

    But didn’t you say Pep was all about spending money Lc?

    Personally, I think with the resources Wenger has available to him, he should be doing a whole lot better but he’s stuck in a weird world of his own and it’s nots going to get any better any time soon..

  95. Le Coq Monster says:

    Yes Rico……………….as I said in last comment…….”you know my thoughts that it`s about the money, but if I`m wrong and it`s about the managing/coaching, then get us Mikel !”…………………………….I will always think that the Big 3 money teams will win all the titles and most cups as has been proved since we last won the title, but coupling Man C`s wealth with the brilliance of Guardiola really makes it a tough nut to crack, their start to the season of one draw and all other wins is phenomenal, someone might beat them but I think they will get a record points haul whatever happens, no one will catch them, the bookies might as well pay out now !.

  98. rico says:

    I disagree Lc, winning the league is about being smart, knowing your opposition and knowing how to beat them. Money doesn’t buy that but a smart manager does… I can’t stand Kroenke or the board but they don’t keep our ageing coaches and they don’t have anything to do with the football we play..

  100. Le Coq Monster says:

    We will soon know in 18 months time, Rico, as long as we get a decent manager/coach and like I said, if I`m wrong about it being all about the money then someone like Arteta sucking all the knowledge out of Peps brain will be as good as way to go as any !………………………….dont want to waste my life away, but I cant wait for Wenger`s 18 months to come and go , although I know you think it will be sooner, hope you`re right !.

  104. Kk says:

    Evening Rico and all..
    Big game tonight. .
    Mitlands starting is interesting. .can’t be worse than kolasniac last couple of matches or bellarina for the whole year!

    Re the money debate. .surely we could have afforded better than sanogo or that bloke with broken back. .nuf said.

  109. Kk says:

    Defense is all over the place
    What position nacho is playing!? He is currently a midfielder!
    Noticed nobody wants to pass to hector. .he must be low in confidence.
    Giroud is static as expected and no crosses so far. .

  112. Alex says:

    is just dead footy ……defensively panic button ready…….Attacking not even a shot on target ……midfield…no penetration waht so ever just endless sideway passing………….definetly midtable stuff

  121. Alex says:

    Absolutely jaded players….immagine had they played twice a week.
    Bellerin does not give any of note going forward…….high time to be replaced by Debuchy
    Ozil…where was he all night specially the first half ? Another flat tyre

    In fairness it is exactly where we deserve on the table.

  122. Kel says:

    if this club had an ounce of sense they’d fuck Wenger out on his ear tomorrow and start a rebuild in Jan.. this season is already a write off….

  123. Obi says:

    Anyone that doesn’t think AW should go should’ve watched how easily Leicester City handled Southampton today versus how Arsenal struggled against them on Sunday ….. it really explains a lot.

  127. Joaquim Moreira says:

    Ozil and Iwoby at the same time… two more dropped points.
    Aw never learns!
    The way we play, it’s exhausted!

  128. allezkev says:

    Looking for positives from this game is enormously difficult, but I thought that Maitland-Niles did ok on his full EPL debut, Wilshere had a steady game and should have won it near the end.

    What is the point of playing Giroud if you don’t cross the fcuking ball, our players are so brainwashed into playing short, intricate, pointless and safe passing that nobody had the wherewithal to try something different, like a cross!

    Xhaka tried a couple of shots during the game and will probably be fined a weeks wages for having the audacity not to pass sideways, I thought he had a decent game overall.

    I’ve tried to see what Iwobi brings to the team, but I really cannot see anything, he brings very little to the party. As for Ozil and Alexis, they didn’t do enough for me.

    Insipid and lacking in imagination, just like the manager.

    This season cannot come to an end quick enough for me, because I’m really hoping that we get a managerial change next summer.

  129. Le Coq Monster says:

    We have to be the shittest team ever to be only one point off of 4th place !

    19 points behind MC in top spot and 18 points above Swansea in bottom place !………….almost perfectly average !

    I can understand resting Lacazette because of his groin problem, but AMN instead of a recoqnised FB !

    All the CL teams above us when we were supposed to be the fresher team from resting players !…………………..what will be Wenger`s excuse for that as he said Chavs had an advantage last year by not being in CL, yet he`s saying we lacked freshness and sharpness tonight !

    I`d like to hear Lee`s calm take on it !

    😆

  132. Adam says:

    Morning Rico. I do wonder just how long this can be allowed to drag on. Two rather dreary points from the last three games is just nowhere near good enough in this league and Wenger must know that. He can give all the bizarre reasons he wants and make excuse after excuse but the awful performances and the pathetic dullness of the Arsenal teams he is sending out speaks for itself. The team is turgid, unadventurous and negative. Their football is dull and archaic and the pall of negativity that hangs over the club is stinking North London out at the moment.
    What is the man doing that could possibly convince anyone that he is capable of taking us back to the top?
    Arsenal, in competitive footballing terms are nothing less than a joke right now. It is very depressing and if Wenger starts his “I always see out my contact” schtick again……
    Please Arsene, just walk away before you damage the club any more because what you doing is simply not good enough.

  133. Kel says:

    Arsenal need to think about Arsenal now not arsene.. as the club is dying under him contract or no contract sorry arsene you’re sacked.

    The rebuild should start now bring in Ancelotti with a few former players to work behind the scenes.

    make 2 decent signings in January and with a fresh approach and different tactics the team and support will improve.

    The only hope now is the hope of change.

  136. Kel says:

    morning adam… yes it certainly is time for stan to act… but Wenger should know Scott he should know his time is up…

    Ivan should be sorting this out anyhow he needs to lay it on the table for stan as stan hasn’t a clue about football that the club is failing the team is under performing and the manager isn’t capable of fixing it. lay the blame were it’s due right at wengers door.

  137. rico says:

    Morning Adam and all.

    What is there to say that hasn’t already been said?

    Well, I hope things get worse, I really do because I believe they have to before it sinks in to Wenger’s thick head that he’s past it.

  143. ScottfromOz says:

    Kel, I agree Arsene should have left, but clearly, he’s shown he won’t make that decision, so it must be taken out of his hands.
    Adam/Rico,
    Do the board or owner care, though?

  145. rico says:

    Sure was Adam. Clarified a lot though for many I’d imagine, it certainly did me. This club of ours is rudderless from top to bottom..

  146. rico says:

    Scott, from the outside, I’d say no. As I’ve often suggested, they seem to be dancing to Wenger’s tune, just like so many of the players.

  147. ScottfromOz says:

    I know we’ve all asked this before, but how is such a massive club allowed to fall for into such a rut?

  148. ScottfromOz says:

    Rico, I dare say plenty of the players dance to their own tune-seems there is no leadership or direction.

  149. Le Coq Monster says:

    Morning all

    The headline of this post doesn`t need changing, it`s appropriate for last nights game as well !.

    Arsene is saying he wont give up for the title !……………….that`s what we need, belief and mental strength !

    😆
    😆
    😆

  151. Le Coq Monster says:

    If only Arsene could have a head transplant swap with Pep ……………

    My next statement probably hits the nail on the head totally !………………………Kroenke is a multi billionaire and wears a syrup, now if you had his money you would have a hair transplant for sure, agree ?……………………well this tells you that if he`s not willing to spend a few thousand on a hair transplant for himself then what chance is he ever going to invest in Arsenal !……………………………………..oops !……………………..I`ve just realised that Usmanov hasn`t even bought a syrup, so that blasts my theory out of the water straightaway !…..hahaha

  152. ScottfromOz says:

    Rico, I agree but as Wenger has no direction, blame those above him.
    It all starts at the very top and as I said earlier, he’s shown he won’t leave so we need someone to make the call.

  153. ScottfromOz says:

    You know, it doesn’t really matter who it is, but anyone at the club showing leadership would help-even a player!!!

  154. rico says:

    We know those above him are toothless Scott but as manager, he’s the only one responsible for the way we play.

    I’d love Kroenke to sell up, but until life is made difficult for him, he’s not going to.

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