Time To Rely On The E's To Lift The Spirits, Arsene.
Apr 17th, 2010 by 'holic
Another preview, another injury. Whilst the title may have slipped from our grasp on the pitch, there is no question that we only need an injured goalkeeper to boast the best team in the world currently off it!
The week that tested the faith is in the past and we have four matches left. All need to be won and let’s see where that leaves us. I doubt Chelsea will engage in a bench-clearing mass brawl that sees them docked points in the remaining four weekends, but let us put ourselves in the second place if we can.
There is not much speculation as to the nature of the side. With Denilson a doubt the question for Arsene is does he try to cover the absence of a holding player by putting Diaby in there and playing Eboue as the carrier between Diaby and Nasri, or does he promote the lad who has been doing the job in the reserves. I rather fancy that Craig Eastmond deserves his chance, and his selection will cause least disruption.
It will also enable Eboue to drop to right-back behind Walcott in an attacking formation. We need to be pushing forward as much as possible to lessen the burden on our only two central defenders. Sol Campbell will have aches in places he didn’t know existed after his fantastic performance at the Lane, and beside him Mikael Silvestre will get the opportunity to showcase his ability to prospective pension providers.
Wigan have blown hot and cold this season. At their best they represent a stiff test, as Liverpool have already discovered, but the pie-munchers still need points to ensure Premiership survival. There is a reason for that and we have to hope we unearth that reason with a quality performance at the DW stadium.
A pound currently belonging to ‘holic is placed on a 3-0 win to the visitors. Shop around to get 11 or 12/1 on that scoreline. That would be a wonderful tonic at the end of a horrible couple of weeks, and reward the sell-out crowd of travelling Gooners.
Have a good one ‘holics. Rely on the E’s, Eastmond and Eboue, to make you feel good.
Win the next match.
129 Responses to “Time To Rely On The E's To Lift The Spirits, Arsene.”
Cheers for the weekend boost ‘Holic, Hopefully 2nd is still within our grasp, A diet Dr Pepper please
2 disprin and a glass of water please Holic. Eastmond should get a run today, hopefully RVP too. Looking forward to getting back to winning ways. 4-1 I reckon
I think if we can nail second Wenger should consider tossing the man city game to kill spuds CL hopes.
Now imagine ,both the other scums losing 2 games and we winning the rest of our games ,if that happens then what are the chances of Arsenal winning the league??
Bench clearing match brawl you say….
Tell me more.
There’s four games left, that’s potentially another four injuries.
We should effectively buy another two teams worth of players to keep ahead
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I’d go for Eastmond all day & also have a punt on young Kyle Bartley if he’s not injured that is as he had a fair game when he came-in early season & he can’t be any worse then Silvestre, who has just been nowhere near the pace all season when asked so what’s the point in another outing for him.
Sorry Silvestre thanks but no-thanks…
Bartley’s still on loan at Sheff Utd unfortunately – and on the bench at that. Strange to think that if he, Wilshere and Emmanuel-Thomas weren’t on loan, they’d all stand a decent chance of playing, though I guess if we thought like that, we’d never let any of them go on loan.
As for Cesc’s question at 10:49, I had a vision of the Chavs losing to Spu*rs and Liverpool and us going into the last game against a reserve Fulham side (they’ll be playing in the Europa League final the following week) needing a 12-0 win to catch the Chavs on goal difference! Now that would be worth a punt!
A reserve Fulham side with no love for Chelsea at that!
Oh I knew about the other two but had no idea young Kyle was off plying his trade elsewhere, as you say Joe this loan policy seems to not be working too well @ the moment either we have a big squad or we don’t?
AW seems to have missed to boat a little to the end of this season in his decision making i.e. we have ended-up a little short in key areas of late…………
I want Wenger to give Merida a chance. The kid has something in him and if he doesnt get his chances he will leave. Having said that, he might leave anyways, but at least Wenger neednt feel guilty of not giving him chances.
In the words of Mr certain Holic, A pound currently belonging to Lee goes on Merida leaving @ the end of the season, but it’s a bloody shame….
Wouldn’t mind a 3-0 win but not sure it will do enough to cheer me up so without putting any money on it mind you I’m going for a 5-0. Just the prediction is enough to cheer me up. (You see how little it takes). Last minute goal sinks Citeh giving Spurs more reason to hope but Drogba should finish them off later.
THERE IS NO WAY IN THE WORLD WE WOULD DEFEAT WIGAN.
THOSE BOYS ARE ON A LOSING STREAK NOW.
The atomic number of Beryllium, (bond girl next door who’s a cutie).
It’s a $ when I hold down shift. A Quattro when my Audi’s spinning. The second square number and a scouse boy band from the Cavern, unquestionably Fab. It’s Captain Cesc who puts the Fab in Catalan and he’s not square. It’s the Apocalyptic Horsemen – War (Old Purple Snitch) – Famine (Fat Sam) – Pestilence (Hawwy Wedknapp) – Death (The Brown Stain). It’s the number of legs on a horse called Foinavon who caused more of a stir than the legs on Cyd Charisse and Ginger Rogers combined. It’s the homonym for death for my Chinese Assistant who’s not predicting a win.
And now, my head’s a tetrahedron and I have a tetraheadache. So, it’s “four fish suppers to go please, a pickled onion and a bottle of Advil”. It’s Wigwam away, so take your medicine, man. Enjoy a pause from your squaws, be braves and don’t quiver as Arsenal mount their own Last Stand in Greater Manchester, progress through the next four stages of enlightenment, and strive for 4 minus the square root of a quartet. SECONDO!
So let’s take a gamble and gambol around the JJB quadrangle with all wheels in Quattro and the handbrake back home with most of the rest of the squad. Let’s see Merida, let’s see Eastmond, let’s see if our Polish sausage can out-catch our Spanish Tapas-it into the net. Let’s not fall of the Pier, the water in the Canal is chilly on April Sundays. The dice predict only one outcome. It’s a 2 and a 2, but they’ve been as accurate as Wee Lulu MacS so far, so we’ll ignore them as we ignore the wee bauchle himself.
A quartet of wins, with a quartet of goals and a quarter of the squad still standing with four furlongs to the finish would be a real Grand Stand. Can Arsene and his weary wanderers flex their quadrilaterals and stuff the pie eaters without another leg-break before the ball trundles over the boundary – or are they on a sticky wicket?
Time will tell, ‘Holics. I’ll be glued to my Corona and my slingbox (it’s spluttering at 250kbps, so some of the game will be one frame at a time). Robin’s hat-trick, courtesy of two crosses from Theo and a peach of a through ball from Merida will look great in 4-D, freeze frame quadraphonic. Ah, The Real Me.
A George Orwell and Canal Water with a fricasseed water rat on the side please, Baldrick.
Do you know, sometimes i have absolutely know idea if btm is in full possession of his faulties? I have absolutely no idea what any of that means?
Regardless of all that i am going for a rip roaring goal fest at the jjb. 28 nil to the gunners. With rvp back then anything is possible.
Anyway, the new weller cd has arrived two days early and the cricket season has started.
Up the gunners. Keep the faith.
Question, would you rather see United or Chelsea win the title?
Its like Sophie’s choice but its a fact we will have to deal with for yet another season.
Personally, cannot stand Mancs win a 4th title in a row..
Hehe,
It was the slingbox that did it, wasn’t it Steve. 🙂
Chris (THA) – The Hawking Arse here, ‘Holics.
I’m right with you Steve T. I’m convinced btm is as faultie as the Towers Hotel in Brighton, mate. Every time he turns up on my site I nuke him instantaneously. Holic should do the same. The man’s a menace! His point of view is always contrary to mine! We CAN’T have that now, can we?
Just because I’ve been preaching “Play Vela in every game” and praying that Denilson will be injured, permanently (by the way, the Good Lord ArseHawker heard me on Friday night), btm seems to fink I ‘ain’t got a clue what I’m talking about.
I DON’T. But that doesn’t matter, ’cause I’m only in it for the clicks, see. I’m a one man, know nothing, Dot.Com, get rich at any stoopid gooners expense, merchant.
Something rich and slimy for me Mr Holic, please.
Looks like the Spuds are in the driving seat, they are 2:0 up at half time. They yet may do us a favour I reckon, I think they have just found form maybe.
Sajit to be honest with you I want neither to win the EPL I hate both as much! So if any of them will win I will just ignore the whole thing and pretend it never happened.
the strangest season in years continues…wanting the tiny totts to win…and they are doing so….hoping a brawl results in red cards…its on the boil.
I feel like I’m selling my soul watching this…
Tim
Same here mate what a season this has been so far ! 😉
as someone pointed out the other day; The thought of Captain Chav lifting a double….. Play Up Pompey!!!! FFS. WTNM
Terry just got a red, yeah baby bring it on !
Jesus what is going on…. I LOVE IT!
And he´s off! Is that just the one game ban or three?
@Catalan: one game.
Am I the only one who is actually worried about us not making third place? Our remaining games are not at all guaranteed wins considering what remains of our squad and the fact that we know that several players are playing through pains and are serious question marks for every game. We are not only down to the bare bones, it’s even worse than that. Winning against Wigan tomorrow is absolutely vital to keep the pressure from below away from us but I am far from confident that we will.
yes!!we are right in it now!!!!!!
keep the faith? why not
bloody strange season….
can spurs beat the mancs next?
what’s going on…must be the volcano
Lars
Sorry but I have noticed that you have completely lost your faithful?
Yes we have tough games but we also had tough games against Liverpool, Stoke, Hull and managed to beat those teams I reckon we need to play the best we can and you never know what is around the corner.
Tim
Volcanic dust must have done the trick…and I think they can certainly get a result up there who knows.
As for both the Mancs and Chelski still to play Stoke who to me are a banana skin games we yet may witness a very strange finish to the season.
Let’s get behind the boys and stop making ill judgments already.
Win the Next Game @ Wigan
Come on You Almighty Reds!
Well we did it .. Chavs are History.. You can win tommorow and still be in with a chance. But you must beat Citeh next weekend as well can you do it have you got in you.
Super Spurs Super Spurs!!
I may even drive out to swindon for drink if we get CL
@Arthur: I haven’t really lost faith, it’s just that playing games requires that we have at least eleven players to put out there…
Sorry for the pessimism, fellow drinkers… just had to get it off my chest, hopefully I’ll feel better tomorrow!
Fair play to you cus. You were the better side today as well, which must have made a nice change for you 😉
I may even buy you that drink if you do the business at Old Trafford…
No worries Lars chin up mate I was really down since wednesday night but I think we still need to have a go at this.
We have nothing left esle to be honest with you.
Keep the faith and Win the Next Game @ Wigan
Good shout ‘Holic I will join you if that happens and buy him a pint of Wisniowka 😉
Arthur, thanks for trying to cheer me up 🙂 If Robin plays tomorrow I will feel very much more optimistic, that much I can say.
And you are absolutely right about us having a go at it. Win The Next Match!
Heh! Steve T – there’s a simple explanation to the musings of BTM. He’s got himself some goodshit and rolled a ‘big fat one’. Or is he the son of Stuart Hall?
If the former is true BTM then you have to ‘pass the dutchee pon dee left hand side’. 😉
I wish you hadn’t mentioned that tonight, Arthur. First night of my week off the spirits, and you have me drooling already 😉
Ok my weekend got a whole lot worse! now it looks like United are heading towards their 19th title and itll be unbearable arrogance that I have to put up with.
I dont know the situation in England but outside United have a big fan following (most of them post 2007) – dont know squat about the club or its history but claim to be United fans!
Listening to their constant jabbering will be quite unbearable.
@ sajit.. I know mate.. India is polluted with ’em!!
Spurs and Sunderland beat United.
Stoke and Liverpool beat Chelsea.
We win the League.
This is, without exception, the weirdest, most absurd season in memory. Whose world am I living in, and what have they done with mine?
But you know what? Despite the last week, it’s been a hell of a lot of fun.
WTNM.
Hey AFC1974- puff, puff, pass, Star! Honestly, it’s almost so crazy right now that we actually could pull off a title. ‘Cept you’d think we’d be left with Van Persie, Eastmond, Almunia, and Cesc’s niece to hold ’em off in the last game, eh?
Barman, got any zig-zags and matches?
Gooner. I am sorry to say my opportunity to obtain free tickets to your hole in the wall near Finsbury will end next year..Never used the to be honest.
But I feel a result is in the offing next week, The chavs proved less of a threat then you did. But the evil nature of the Spuds life is for us to make a complete bollox of ourselves against Bolton and Burnley and screw ourselves out of a place.
That young man Bale is proving to be quite the talent, is run and goal against you lot was very Malbranque like and his goal today was outstanding. Mr (Im to small for the Prem) Modric had an awesome game. Its odd I found myself willing the Mancs today and I am now hopeful you guys get a result tomorrow, just to keep your spirits up.
This may be the most exciting Prem end in years..
Lovely to see El Tel get his marching orders, he shoud play for you lot cos he is rotten cheat .. Almost on a Van Persil level
Toddle PIP
Cusop
I’m in the windies, ’74. Just need to sleep at night with the window open to the breeze and your good to the next morning. Her Nellieness is out there at the moment communing with a cormorant (she was nearer the window than me last night).
Chris. THA. Why in all honesty would you actually want any player permanently injured? Especially one of ours? Do not get that at all. And why should vela actually start? He has not shown anywhere near enough in his time this season for me.
“Good to go” even…..
….just like Fran Merida who now appears “officially” to be going to Atletico…..so, I’m not expecting to see much of him over the next four games, unless of-course the injury curse strikes four more times (by when, AW will be playing centre-half, Pat Rice at left-back and Goonerholic partnering Bendy up front – “Bendy and Staightman fight a fine line to the finish” – I can hear it now).
Frankly, Steve T, I don’t know! I don’t claim to know anything. I’m only in it for the clicks.
Have you seen my most recent cunning little wheeze? Every day, I go to Arsenal.com, nick some of the quotes off the players and post them as a headline! The clicks come rolling in from lazy gooners and so do the big advertising bucks.
I ain’t stoopid like Old Goonerholic who does this stuff for free. I’m only in it for the money. I’ve never played the game, I haven’t a clue what’s happening BUT, I still claim to know more than Wenger. And no one can convince me that I don’t. Brilliant!
Keep clicking my way if ever you’re looking for a Hawking Arse.
BTM – that sounds divine. Today the weather in Blighty has been most spring-like. Clear skies, a gentle breeze and sunshine. Sounds like the good lady is being well looked after. Work or pleasure?
As opposed to Wednesday, today it looked like Spurs shoulda been 5-1 ahead. On Wednesday we almost tied the game when RvP came on, Chelsea were absolutely awful and Roman Pavlyuchenko had a Bentdner Burnley game!!!
A win tomorrow and we’re 3 points off the title again :).
How about we call for a draw between Chelsea and Stoke? If Bolton can almost do it, Stoke can most certainly do it, maybe with a Delap throw :).
We keep hearing about how we were outplayed against Chelsea and Man Utd but people don’t consider who we missed (in this case it is an excuse cause it changed the style of play not just the personnel). Had we had Bendtner in against Vidic, Ferdinand, Carvalho and Terry and not Arshavin helpless against them, I’m sure we would do much better than 3-1 and 2-0!
Up the Arsenal!
Chris,
You just exaclty posted the same thing twice plus you are starting to be rude and frankly I don’t like it. Here we are having a good old chat and you start off wityh BTM the you seem to have gathered that Steve said you don’t know shit. Jesus are you ok my son?
‘Holic sounds like a plan then cos have had any in a while now 😉
oops that should have said:
‘Holic sounds like a plan then cos have not had any in a while now 😉 and spirits that is 😉
I’m pretty sure that guy masquerading as Chris is taking the piss out of The Gunning Hawk website.
I have no idea who Chris is. Just think that the points made are quite sad. And it is all for money? The ethos of the common prostitute.
Looking forward to wigan. I stick to my original prediction.
Keep the faith.
That is exactly my spirit Steve….
WIN THE NEXT MATCH!!!
Well Things are getting intresting again it’s a shame we don’t have a solid defence so we better just hope for one more goal than the oppo.
Glass of water for the mrs so I can knock it over acidentley as per usual. Night night gooners I’m just going to mull over btm posts using my 386 processer of a brain.
Chris is the guy who runs the Gunning Hawk website. The chap leaving comments on here isn’t Chris, it’s some guy taking the piss out of Chris by sarcastically making ridiculous comments.
Anyhoo, RvP hat-trick tomorrow anyone?
Then Chris lies like a cheap suit.
Sky sports just reporting that one paper says that AW will have 60 million to spend? Could get interesting.
Is it true that Fran signed for Athletico Madrid today?
Steve
Thats is certainly interesting but for now we have Silvestre 🙁
One very small sip of whatever BtM is on please.
And PLEASE let RvP be “1” fit, and “2” allowed to start at Wigan.
Considering nothing else changed when he came on at Sp*rs, the difference he made to the entire team was unbelievable.
The Wigan game is certainly looking a lot bigger than it did yesterday. Win the next game and we are 3 points closer to where we want to be, it’s that simple so let’s give it the effort it deserves.
Dear Lord,
Just stay out of our way!
P.S. Up the Arse!
I’m back from Full Media Lock-Down, Holics. Have now read through the last few blog updates and the drinks. Feels a tad better now. A tad.
Ready for the game today and hopefully some more RvP (or did he suffer some ill effect during the last game? As I said, Media Blackout here)
Up the Arsenal! Let’s get second!
Welcome back Toby.
Itching to see the team news now. Hope Denilson makes it, but all the above holds if not. Eastmond to start and keep the teams shape please, Arsene.
I saw the rumours that maybe Eduardo is on his way out. I wouldn’t mind seeing him leave on a full season loan, maybe to Dinamo Zagreb (I think that’s the club he signed from). A year playing as a first choice striker and (hopefully) scoring plenty of goals might give him the confidence that he can do it again. Would hate to see the pre-break Eduardo lost forever.
Morning Holic & Holic`s
Well yesterday brought a few surprises to the twist and turns of this season. Chelski beaten by the spuds didnt see that to tell you the truth but a welcome result none the less. This has just put the closed door ajar again and we can now see into the other room, the champions room. I know its a huge ask with 226 of our players out injured but a life line has been thrown or way all we need to do is grab it with 2 hands and not let go.
Im sure the boss has told certain players that their performance at the lane was unacepptable and to follow such examples like Sol. Arseblog yesterday was a fantastic read about the passion and what it means to put that shirt on and if Sol can instill that into a few of our players then a extension to his contract would already be worth it regardless to if he even plays.
So we have just got a 4th bite of the cherry, so many times we have fought back when the usual so called pundits have written us off along with the rest of the footballing world. Now can the lads step up to the mark ? I for one believe we can even with a thread bare team who will be playing out of position and being asked to do somthing that they normally dont do. Wether or not we win the league its not in our hands so if we fight to the end,and who knows ?
If we show some desire and comitment we can do it, the lads really have to give a 100% and go for it. Every player out there should be accountable if they give anything less, as so many of the wise people who post on this blog and myself will accept bad form but we will not accept lazy players who show no comitment. Many have called for the youth to be called up for this game and i am with you on that and why ? because you can be sure they will play their socks off just for the opurtunity to walk out in that shirt we all love and follow. We have had to many players just breezing through games and waiting for pay day and what a large pay day they wait for. So come on the cherry is nearly gone and it has our name on it.
I Believe
Eastmond in.
Follow the ‘holic!
Fabianski makes me more nervous than Almunia.
Me too 😉
There’s still time for Arsene (quick, are you listening?) to change his mind and go with Mannone
Heh, well done ‘Holic. And thanks for the welcome. Feels good to be back in my favorite virtual bar.
The thing to notice I guess is Almunia not being on the bench. Probably the right way to go. Henderson is on the bench on the other hand, but my guess is that we won’t see him on. Merida is our other midfielder there, and will probably get the nod ahead of Connor.
Today, I’m just hoping for a two goal win, just so the team gets some “it doesn’t have to be all that tight”-feeling and a goal for Robin. That would make my day. 1-3 and Bendts, Walcott and RvP to get the goals. Fabianski to get a crucial save when we’re up 2-1.
See you all after the game!
Oh, and Steve T, the new Weller any good?
Come on you Almighty REDS….
What a blog to spend time on, with good gooner fans and on top of that plenty of Weller fans too boot fantastic. All we need is the Mod father to be a gooner too.
Just before Walcott’s goal I was thinking he was looking dangerous on inside runs and glad he wasn’t giving it to the overlapping Sagna every time. His goal showed he can be strong on his feet and use both feet. Come on Arsenal!
Sol, you mark Fabianski now, Gael you cover Silvestre, Robin two goals in half an hour please. My pocket is itching!
Nice work, Theo. Look at what happens when you stop thinking so hard about it.
Eastmond is doing quite well, isn’t he?
Eastmond is a keeper. I mean a DM.
‘Holic, Maybe your pocket was itching because you had a feeling Silvestre was gonna score a goal.
Fabianski looks up for it here in the 2nd half. Keep on going my Polish friend!
I’m the biggest Wenger sycophant I know, but…I don’t know how I can defend some of the late tactics.
Shocking absolutely shocking!
Well that’s another day ruined then. Regular visitors will know I have a positive outlook on things most of the time but it’s hard to be positive after this. For almost the first time this season I’m fucking angry at the team. Some draws and losses have been unnecessary, but acceptable as “things that happen during a season” but this is beyond words. Another week away from newspapers then…
That was speaking too soon I’m sad to say. Between Fabianki’s booboos against Wigan and Porto I don’t know how many more chances Wenger is or should be going to give him. Our attack completely fizzled out in the 2nd half. What a capitulation and why did it happen??
Just re-read what I wrote and noticed that even now that I profess myself to be fuming it just doesn’t sound like it. Still the old semi-diplomatic me. Just to clarify – I’m fucking fuming.
Team just folded in the second half and we allowed Wigan to play their game where they should be chasing us ofr the ball.
I’m sorry but this was a shocking display and when you play like this you can never ever win anything. What the fuck happened there I don’t know.
I was certainly on the up for this game and my mood was just detroyed this afternoon.
How can you be 2 nil up and give it away like this, it’s SHOCKING!
I’m quite positive 95% of the time…..but Fabianski must never play for our club again. Mannone was not brilliant but he was reasonable, why not play him. He’s 25 years old, he’s not going to make it at this level.
Just disgusted today, disgusted. That was Wigan…for ***** sake.
Sorry. But Wenger’s time is up. Not bringing Van Persie on with 20 mins to go……Why? This was the lowest point.
Mourinho will be available this summer. Get him.
One thing to add
Van Persie should have been put after an hour why sit such a tallent on the bench for chrsit sake!
Arsenal will never win another league title until they get a goalkeeper. He’s just useless. “Paul Merson post match”
I just need to know why RVP didn’t come on after an hour?
Poor Fabianski – it’s his birthday today as well!
I think he needs to be playing regularly to iron out some of his errors – perhaps a season long loan?
He’s young for a goalie and I would disagree with those above who think he is past it – if anything he is in a bit of a viscous circle at the moment as in he is trying too hard whcih means he makes a mistake then tries even harder – he just needs to get his confidence back.
One thing that bemused me were Wenger’s substitutiosn which seemed to hand the intiative back to Wigan?
I agree that there may be players who are either past it or still learning but Wenger has much to answer for.
Surely we could have signed a better centre half than Silvestre who has clearly lost the pace needed to defend in the premiership?
He goes on about the youth we have but lacks the belief to play players outside a smallish group. He even appears to play players who are injured/recovering from injury rather than regularly blood the junior players.
That is a disgrace. A complete and utter disgrace. How we managed to throw that away god only knows. They should be made to fucking walk back after that. As for fabianski, can anyone actually remember the last game he played in and did not gift a goal? He deserves fucking shooting.
Arsene DOESN’T fu***ng know: clearly.
2 nil and we fuck it up!
And please, please don’t just blame Fabianski the first goal should have never been allowed to start with that’s where the issue is.
Our players were simply shit.
@jar
All goalies make mistakes…it’s just that Fabianski seems to do so in EVERY game he plays. We can’t possibly persevere with him if we seek to win things – sorry but that’s how I see it. Loan? Perhaps…but we’re not a proving ground for younger keepers – we need established proven players in certain positions – markedly GK, Striker and Central Midfield.
he should have stopped the first goal too….although (Clichy?) was in front and had a bizarre swipe at it…I should just shut up….too annoyed to offer much sense
C’mon please all you Wenger is a genius followers.
How badly did he stage manage a 2-0 win to a 3-2 defeat, Bringing on Merida when he clearly does not rate him enough at any other stage of the season to rate some games, when RVP has an amazing cameo against Spurs.
Bringing off Theo and Tomas (both of whom I have criticised for lacklustre performances lately) when they were still keeping Wigan at bay stunned me.
This is an absolute new low for Arsenal, an Arsenal lest we forget given an amazing boost by Chelski losing yesterday, for 35 minutes we looked a little slow but after the Spurs game acceptable, and even though we were poor in the 2nd half we were still keeping Wigan under control until Wengers managerial masterclass.
And lastly……..bringing on RVP in stoppage time was a desperation act fueled by his own ineptitude.
I’m glad he constantly questions his ability……HE SHOULD!!!!!
Fair play to Wigan. I’ll make no secret of the fact that they’re one of the teams I’m happy to see stay up. Better them taking points off of us than Stoke or Blackburn.
What a disappointment. I’m generally really, really, really hesitant to criticize Wenger, but the whole second half felt like we were playing scared. Rafa style, playing not to lose rather than to win. Merida and Eboue for Rosicky and Theo weren’t positive subs. Our best defense isn’t our shambolic back four but rather keeping possession moving forward. I don’t know if it was fear of injury or fear of conceding that made Wenger so hesitant to put Robin in, but he should have been called on as soon as Wigan started to look alive, before the first goal. The disappointing thing over the past week or so hasn’t been the results, but the lack of effort and concentration. Doesn’t matter who we bring in this summer, that’s something that needs to be remedied if we really want to compete.
We need all hands on deck for the last three matches. The thought of Sp*rs overtaking us for 3rd isn’t one I’d like to entertain, and if we don’t put something together it’s not out of the question.
two late goals vs west ham, a game that was in the bag for us… bad luck there.
freakish injury time equaliser vs brum. two more points dropped…we were very unlucky.
but 3 goals in last 10 minutes against wigan??? sorry… as much as i love this team, i find that hard to swallow…
anything for me barman… anything…
@Tim 100,
I think he did Ok for the majority of the game but obviously fumbled the ball for their winning goal.
“Shit happens” but that aside I thought he commanded his area well came for crosses and looked to break quickly (more so than most of his team mates).
I thought we were let down by Wenger’s team selection (very defensive considering we were playing a team who were short on confidence) and his ill timed and poor substitutions.
Why bring on a creative midfielder like Merida when you are defending a lead? Rosicky was doing a sterling job of defending our left wing.
Does anyone know why Merida came on at all when he is rumoured to be off to Spain any time soon? Surely 10 minutes aren’t going to change his mind?
@jar0909
Pretty much the same thing I said in my post 🙁
Fair play to Wigan though they didn’t give up and I would rather they stayed up rather than Hull! (If only Stoke were down there as well ;))
A big shout out to the travelling supporters who were once again top class and could be heard giving their all throughout the game!
sorry Jar….just really annoyed. If it was his first flap at a cross I’d be okay with it.
2nd half was just so frustrating…we should have have pushed on for another goal.
Considering just how limited our team choices were being 2 up was quite promising – but we simply can’t throw that away. Agreed Rosicky had his best game in a while.
The team look in shock (and short of confidence for the last few games) at the moment I just hope they can pull themselves out of it and finish on a high to justifiably cap what I think has been a great season overall.
The one thing I think they need to work on in the off-season is the transition from attack to defence and visa versa. We were doing this really well at the start but lost it some where along the way.
Wenger needs to use his whole squad to ensure we retain the freshness throughout the season to ensure we can play our game as we want to.
I think Barca are our blue print although Wenger perhaps needs to be more willing to change formations to match the opposition rather than play 4-3-3 all the time!;)
Sorry when I said Barca as our blue print I should have made clear that it was in relation to their excellent defendign and harring as a team.
Absolute disgrace. The reason we lost is the same reason we lost against the spuds….they wanted it more than us. The way some of the players coasted through that second half was disgusting and shows that they really dont know or care what is means to wear the arsenal shirt. I just hope Wenger actually highlights this in his interview and does try and find something to blame. Also RVP not coming on with 20-30 mins to go was a joke. And is it a requirement that to be Arsenal keeper you must be unable to catch a football!
I didn’t rant after we got turned over by the heebs but today was utterly shambolic, the only keeper at the club over the age of 18 who can do marvellous things like catch a ball is out on loan and as fir some of them outfield players they should pack there bags and fuck of to a mid table side where they won’t have to worry about the pressure I’ve never in my life seen an Arsenal side with less grit or backbone when we concede a goal we turn into the dog and duck absolutley shocking and as for Wengers subs today well he must have spent the weekend in Amsterdam getting high as a kite ad I’m fucked if I could understand em, I said earlier in the season certain players haven’t got it in them to play at a club fighting for major honours and the last week has backed this up Wenger really needs to bite the bullet this summer and spend what’s necessary,We need a keeper, top class centrehalf 2 if gallas leaved, a centre mid with bite a leadership qualities and finally a forwad with pace could do with an out and out wide man as well but that would be stretching it 🙂
sorry to be so downbeat but that was gutless and the final straw!
“Why bring on a creative midfielder like Merida when you are defending a lead? ”
To retain possession? Something we gave a horrible example of doing almost all of the second half.
I don’t know though. I don’t know why Robin wasn’t on around the 60 or 70 minute mark because going forward, we were doing nothing and he can hold up the ball really well.
@ Ivan 113 – I thought Rosicky was doing that quite well.
We definately lacked the fitness/desire/team cohension/confidence to play our normal game.
I agree with your comment re Van P. he should have been on a much earlier and we should have switched to 442 or even 451.
Sometimes I get the sense that Wenger tries too hard to prove us/ the media wrong by sticking to certain formations and/or players and the positions he asks them to play because he is convinced that only he knows whats right and will (eventually ;)) prove us wrong.
Oh well there’s always the Emirates cup:)!
@ jar0909: “I just hope they can pull themselves out of it and finish on a high to justifiably cap what I think has been a great season overall”
spot on. the season’s been great, we were hanging in there with a shout for the title against all odds. we need to win the last 3 games and rethink our options for the next season. maybe have a backup squad who take their chances when provided to them by digging in and stand up to be counted.
we have an excellent first team – provided everyone is fit. but the lives of players like cesc, tv, song, rvp will be a lot easier (and injury-free) if there is a back up squad who can see off the hard work put in by the cesc & co.
I just cannot understand this group of players !!!
I would pay anything to bring back Vieira, henry & the likes JUST for a season to teach this KIDS what the fuck to do and at what point !!!
Yo ‘Holic and mates,
I sense the dark cloud of the BBB gathering… and, for once, I might be seduced by the darkside myself. I have seen retreats, I have seen capitulations, and I have seen out and out laydowns before, but nothing compares to this side’s performance lo the past three weeks.
Before I became a lawyer, I spent eight years as an officer in the US Army. I even commanded over 1000 soldiers, so I know a bit about leading and motivating men. One thing about being in command, the commander is responsible for EVERYTHING that does or DOES NOT happen. Any unit that performed the same way this team performed today would have its commander fired/sacked on the spot.
You listening Wenger?
@Lonestar I assume from your post that you considered yourself a good leader.
We don’t have access to what Wenger does and says to the players in private; the financial constraints that he has had to contend with since the move to Ashburton Grove.
What do you think he lacks as a leader?
He obvioulsy has the conviction, is he too much of an idealist? Is he too stubborn? Is he too soft on his players? Does he try to do too much? Does he need better managing himself? Has he become too big an influence on the club becasue of his previous successes?
Jar, I’m sorry but how as this been a great season? We’ve ben hammered by Chelsea,united and barca which is fair enough been tonked by Stoke in the facup whacked by city In the carling cup and have lost in the league for the first time In 10 years against the scum? A great season normally means adding a nice shiny thing to the clubs list of honours! Personally I’d say we’ve failed and it’s been an ok season as it looks like we’ve qualified for the champs league again,saying that the way we are playing that’s not a given!
Lone Star – that’s a bit extreme…I’m sure he had his reasons for the tactics and I honestly believe that these weren’t entirely at fault.
Sure, Arsene’s responsible for the squad and the team he put out but you can’t expect him to run out onto the pitch and hold their hands. He put his faith in them by giving them a chance and some, for instance Diaby and Fabianski today, were just pathetic at key moments. I don’t see how that’s Arsene’s fault. We all know what Diaby can do, but he didn’t put in his best performance. Nor did a lot of the team.
That is something he needs to look into.
With tactics…again, I’m not sure what was going on. Maybe the press conference will tell us more. Or you’re free to call into Arsenal and put in a question at one of their post-match shows and get an answer.
Have you seen a worse keeper at the club than Fabianski? I suppose if anything good comes out of this, it will be the realisation from the manager that Fabianski is not good enough to be number two for Arsenal, let alone number one. But it still wouldn’t surprise me to see him promoted to the first team next season; it’s what our manager does after all…
It’s not even as though he’s that young. He’s 25. I know keepers play on way past 30 so 25 is young for a keeper, but he’s making fundamental, schoolboy, mistakes again and again. Go away, Lukas.
Very very angry. Not by losing. I’m old enough to know that happens.
What pisses me off time and time again is that it’s the SAME mistakes: Goalkeeping errors, not finishing off teams, crumbling when one goal is pulled back…
And here’s the thing; we can blame the players on the pitch (correctly) BUT it’s the same mistakes whoever the players (Kolo, Ade, even Henry etc). So the only constant is how they are being taught / coached…… Believe me, I don’t want anyone (management) out. I just want the lessons to be addressed once and for all. If that means admitting a mistake or tweaking your philosophy so be it….
..Fucking Wigan! (no disrespect intended!)
@Chippy 120
I suppose it depends on how you measure success.
I agree we haven’t won a trophy but we have been there or there abouts in most of the cups/ the league and the CL.
From memory I recall a CL final, two semis, a CC final, qrts/semis in the FA cup. Hardly a poorly performing team!
And we have done this without exposing our club to the vagaries of vast loans (which I am sure will bite back at the clubs who have used this approach) and have managed to put in place excellent training facilities and regimes for future teams.
We have also moved to a brand new super standium which offers us hugely increased match day revenues. (Although I feel its only this season that it has started to feel like home).
Plus we usually (not always) play a brand of football that is enjoyed by our fans and admired throughout the world.
Toby I believed you the first time but it’s worth saying again anyway.
This has been a SHOCKING season for us. 8 league defeats (to date), humiliated home and away by Chelsea/Man U (check last season’s comparable record), humiliated home and away by Barca (Espanyol got a 0-0 draw this weekend BTW), beaten with ease by the Scum on Wednesday, humiliated by Wigan today (yes, WIGAN)…Arsenal fans need to get their heads out of the clouds. This club is currently on a downward spiral. It’s only the generally poor overall standard in the Premier League that leaves us in a CL placing (maybe 3rd, possibly 4th). There has been NO IMPROVEMENT this season. Stop kidding yourselves and start looking for real answers, ie the management team.
Jar,
I get your points but we’ve won nowt,zilch,zip the club can glamour it up anyway they like but the proofs in the pudding this squad is nowhere near good enough to win a meaningful competion they’ve got the heart and fighting ability of the italain army,
And even this so called wonderfull football is a falacy,since the break up of the invincables we play pretty football with hardly any end product, you say cash restraints of which I agree with to a certain extent but this summer we sold 2 players for 40 mill and yet again did not re invest that is verging on neglect.
There are no excuses for this loss.
None whatsoever.
I can’t bring myself to read all the drinks just yet, so I may well just be re-iterating some points. But I just have to get things off my chest.
I have been a staunch supporter of Wenger and the youth approach. But my patience is wearing VERY thin now. If he doesn’t address the goal-keeping situation during the summer, he has gone beyond being determined into being… I don’t know, unwilling to admit failure or someting. But in any case our keepers are not fit to play at this level. Not even close.
And for the first time since, well, maybe ever, I lay the blame for this loss mostly at the hands of Wenger. Diaby and Rosicky were having absolute stinkers, Rosicky couldn’t hold on to the ball if his life depended on it an Diaby simply didn’t look that bothered at all. I would have taken at least one of them off at half-time. I think it is not just strange not to do it from our point of view, it actually makes me wonder wether Arsene actually respects some of our opponents and to me disrespecting an opponent is absolutely unacceptable. You can’t expect a team who is fighting to avoid relegation to just roll over in awe of the mighty Arsenal, we are a bloody good team when we work for it but we are fucking atrocious when some of our players (like Diaby and for the most part Rosicky today) wander around the midfield not being bothered to track back or take that extra step to get the ball. Nicklas Bendtner worked his socks off trying to put pressure on the Wigan back-four but Rosicky and Theo gave him no support at all. Diaby lost the ball in midfield so many times you couldn’t even count them. Etc etc.
I am also, while we are on the subject, growing increasingly tired of Diaby. He just doesn’t have what it takes at this level. He hasn’t got the attitude, and he is approaching 25 really fast. If he hasn’t got it now, he most likely never will. I’m sorry, but that’s just the way it is.
And why the FUCK do you bring on Merida, who by all accounts will not be at the club next season, on at that stage of the game? Absolutely unbelievable. Bring on Robin van Persie for fuck’s sake, we needed to hold on to the ball and kill their momentum after their first goal. Eboue for Walcott I can fully understand and agree with, but not Merida. Not in a million years.
And why persist in pushing players forward? When in Rome do as the romans – play two lines of four in front of the box and punt it towards some fast runner up top but noooo, let’s push everyone forward and let the team chasing the game counter-attack on us! Why should we always be some kind of guardians of “the beautifult game” (whatever the fuck that is?) and never defend a lead properly?
I know being upset about football is a luxury problem, but I invest time, emotions and a considerable amount of money (just going to see one game at the Emirates costs me several hundreds of punds) into following this team and I the only thing I ask for is players who will fight for the badge on their shirts – not just a bunch of ignorant fuckers who doesn’t understand that you have to work your socks off if you want to win.
Nicklas Bendtner worked his socks off today. He is a rather limited player, but he gave it his best. So did Eastmond, so did Clichy. But what the fuck was Rosicky, Diaby and Sagna up to? Not playing a premiership game anyway, that’s for bloody sure.
I would also like to remind you all of what I said earlier, third is NOT guaranteed yet. Not even fourth is. Yes, we are seven points ahead of the spuds and nine ahead of ManCity – but they both have a game in hand and that game is ManC-Tottenham, so if City win it they’ll be six points behind (and they can get even closer by beating us next Saturday) and if the spuds win it they’ll be just four points behind with three games to go. A secure lead? Well, I guess you can all do the math. And the only game I feel even remotely confident we’ll win is Fulham at home in the last game, City at home will be hell and Blackburn away is a more difficult game than the one we had today. We desperately need both City and the spuds to drop points from now on, take my word for it. We are NOT safe in third place yet, far from it. Too many of our players seem to have switched off, and once you’ve done that it is EXTREMELY difficult to switch back on again. They are in severe danger of undoing all they have done so well earlier in the season.
Sorry for the rant, but I just had to say these things.
@ jar119/ivan 121,
I was, and still am, a damned fine leader. My unit accomplished every mission handed to it and never lost a soul. My point is this, nobody makes you become a coach, a boss, or a commander – you do it because that is what you want to do – and there are no excuses when your unit, section, or team performs abysmally.
Listen, I’m weary of all the “it’s not HIS fault if the players don’t execute. or What, do you want HIM to go out on the field?” These are all excuses. Napoleon never got his tactics wrong – neither did Hannibal. But history only cares about results … we Gooners need to get in the same frame of mind.
It’s not acceptable to surrender 3 goals in 10 minutes. It’s not acceptable to have goalies who get their wages from the opposing squad (this has to be the explanation – I’m only partially sarcastic). It’s not acceptable to have a physio staff who couldn’t keep Secretariat healthy in a meadow of alfalfa grass and running water (Hell, even Arseblogger reported that neither RVP not Arshavin have confidence in the medical staff).
I, too want to see what Le Boss does with more money, but I still stand by my point that, if AW were wearing an Army uniform – he would have been dismissed today. Period.