Forget Damascus, This Is The Road To Hell
Nov 23rd, 2010 by 'holic
A terrific debate followed the preview, dominated as it was by my downbeat reflections on a dark weekend. Those dark thoughts will surface in a grotesque distortion in the usual places after this latest humiliation.
I know the majority, if not all of you, will have seen the game. I don’t need to give a report. Neither do I need to point out that nobody emerged from that farce tonight with much credit.
Yes, we were diabolical. Bodies were rested, and allegedly players were punished for their contribution, or lack of it, to Saturday’s defeat. It was a gamble. It backfired. However, as far as the surrender of three points was concerned there were mitigating circumstances. They do not take away from the paucity of creation we produced despite dominating the football, as usual. I would accept however that this was no new nightmare, rather the continuation of one that started in the second-half on Saturday.
If the visitors have any defence tonight it lay in the incompetence (I pray in years to come we don’t discover it was more sinister than that) of the match officials. Grievances totted up, maybe petty to some, as Eboue, Denilson, and Djourou collected yellow cards for winning the ball, and Rosicky followed suit, victim of one of countless dives by the niggling hosts. Worst of all though the one shown to Vela when he was clearly upended for what should have been a penalty that would surely have changed the outcome.
None of that changes the fact that a side shorn of confidence didn’t deserve more than a point. If you were looking for a reaction to Saturday, you would be disappointed. The fabled intelligence and mental-strength that Arsene attributes to this side is conspicuous by it’s absence at present. Tippy-tappy with no end product is draining not only confidence, but initiative too.
If I look for positives I would find maybe two. Djourou was outstanding, I thought, and Wilshere never hid once, constantly demanding to be fed although his distribution was not up to what we have come to expect. On the other side of the coin the recurrence of Cesc’s hamstring problem, even if it is the other leg, suggests he should be sent off to the sunshine to recover fully. He is no used to us like this. Nasri and Wilshere will relish the opportunity to come out from under his shadow, I’m sure.
I’m not inclined to get more negative than that. We expect the team to show some spirit and emerge from what is a very rocky patch with a show of character. Perhaps we should do something similar. I would love to see the team engage in the sort of meeting that followed a five goal battering at Stoke in the 1970-71 season. Home truths were told, reputations were ripped to shreds, but those players forged a siege mentality that drove them to the second double of modern times. One can’t help but feel that this pampered lot would benefit from similar peer pressure.
Maybe the fans too can use the hostility and confrontation that is sure to follow in the next day or two to get four square behind a club that badly needs supporting right now.
189 Responses to “Forget Damascus, This Is The Road To Hell”
Fisrt!
Denilson is useless!!
Sobering week….
Ouch …
To make matters worse, my HD channel wasn’t working … had to watch in old standard-definition. Seeing Denilson take one in the swingers was still painful though
Only one word to describe this one…..
Sad.
Did anyone look as if they wanted to be on the pitch?
And yes, that was a penalty against Vela. All you need to do is simply crumple, instead of adding a Greg Louganis flourish….
there are lots of problems with the current squad, but one thing i will say with 100% certainty is that denilson should never appear in public in an arsenal shirt again.
Thought Gibbs did ok too.
The ref was definatley on a back hander.
Can’t wait for Ramsey to return and kick lazy Denilson out of the team.
Mine was a Hampshire Cider (which was on special offer in Tescos) but its as flat as arseholes, its like drinking a pint of cheap plonk so I’m back on the Porter. Cheers.
PS Don’t expect any crisis talks unless we are eliminated out of the CL or drop out of the top 4 over Christmas. Then you might see a panic buy ala Arshavin/Suker or the appointment of Keown to coach a make shift back four.
Cheers anyway
PPS Thought Walcott was unlucky to be subbed but NB was toothless. Not that he’s a bad player, just does not suit Arsenal’s style of play at the moment.
I’d say rather it is the fan’s duty to continue to point out the continually unaddressed weaknesses of this team, it’s all we can do if we’re to hope for any change.
It would be great, but the idea of this bunch forging a siege mentality… they wouldn’t begin to grasp the concept.
Right, time to set the tone for the team meeting. Cunto at number two has gone, but the ip and message have been forwarded.
William Hill can go fuck themselves as well. Consider my account closed you cunts.
These players are just not capable. They were bought by a board and manager with no balls or heart themselves.
That is why the team cannot close down the opposition, why there is no leadership, why the drive is not there, why the team has no soul. When you buy any player in the world this is what you have to start with. Balls and soul.
Any great team has these requisites first and foremost. Just witness the All Blacks when they do the Haka before going out to destroy each team. |Front up first and destroy. Then turn on the creative stuff. Arsenal at the moment………. more all yellow.
Crap match, crap ref, crap result, ho hum. ๐
Saying goodbye to November can’t come quick enough.
match officials were fucking ridiculous got played by the home crowd . and if anyone deserved the yellow for simulation it was the whole fucking Braga team
1 minute before the cunt booked Vela for being fouled clearly in the box i texted my brother that the ref was bribed didnt really change my mind after that decision. You simply cant be that bad .. Braga fouled us more than wolves , blackburn have done together every oppurtunity they could foul .. they did. UEFA is a fucking joke. Still im dissapointed to see we werent better than this.
I disagree with most in the last drinks apologies but I do….
Reasons…
1. From the start we played nice football perhaps no the best but we could take our chances we did’n do that…
2. We were kicked left right and center….REF did fuck all to aknowlegde this
3. Cesc was runnig the show until his Hammy, Nasri came on didn’t do any better….
4. Vela foul penalty….second fould another penalty
Need I say more?
Now we are going through some tought times lets get behind the lads they needs are now more than ever!
Cant say I am surprised with this, There seems to be no motivation within this squad to achieve anything , They were embrassed on saturday and tonight was their response,The only players who showed some desire for me were Djourou and gibbs. Cesc looks totally uninterested and Im sure was glad to get off the pitch, if rumours that inter are willing to offer 50million are true I would snap there hands off.
Arthur, you will know better than most it is perfectly ok not to agree here as long as you are literate in your arguments. Your belief and passion is welcome. I will never claim to be right. Just putting honestly-held opinions out there. I reckon that’s what blogs are for. We are not journalists offering impartial and professional news reporting. We are followers of the cause with all of the bias and emotion that involves.
You stick to your guns mate!
To the person @ #11
2 things:
1 – Don’t kick a man when he’s down
2 – Are you Tottnum in disguise?
The team is officially in a crisis… :/
We were blunt going forward, but I’d be amazed if that referee isn’t in someone’s pocket. The most incompetent, one-sided officiating I’ve seen in years
Hang on.. If we beat Aston Villa on Saturday lunchtime we will feel on top the world again. Or on top of the league at least. Then again, if we lose….
Maybe the players think they are on a mid-season break?
Another Guinness please Holic.
At least this defeat was not as heart-breaking, gut wrenching as the one on Saturday.
Yep..that’s about the only positive I can take from this game…
‘Holic @ #10
It must be a girl’s response to being terrorised by a 70 year-old warhorse who’s got more balls than most.
Yes, F*ck you William!
Cheers ArthurTheGooner, I agree.
But still there were players who didnโt perform – especially Bendtner and Denilson (second half) – and we just canโt continue carrying blind passengers!
Here’s another positive.
If Shaktar beat Braga at home in the last match, it matters diddly squat our result against Partizan, we go through.
Shaktar being at home of course
Holic and all Holics aplogies perhaps I have seen the game form a different point of view…..
A
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Arthur, I disagree with you @ 15 and totally agree with you @ 16.
Holic @ 18 – this is why this blog is so superior to the others – there is decent honest debate. Please never let it turn into another ACLF where you are not allowed to offer an alternative opinion to the Fascists who dominate that site.
Shit on the villa come Saturday and all will be well with the world again.
Easy zico. Of all the other Arsenal blogs I thought you might take issue with, ACLF is one of the last. Quality writing in my opinion, but what do I know ๐
The ref was a absolute joke but not a very funny one at that !
That still dose not let the team off of a very poor showing against a team that would get relegated in the PL.
We faced a keeper far worse than any and I mean any keeper we have, and he had little or nothing to do !
If you are struggling to break a team down why not bring on another striker not just replace one. NB 52 was all over the place but never in the place you wanted him to be.
Surely NB crossing to Wilshere is not the way forward I would bet the other way around may be a better idea.
Djourou did have the guts to say it is just not good enough and the team needs to wake up. But the boss comes out and blames the officials for a inept performance. The officials were not the ones playing one touch football but refusing to pull the trigger again on a keeper they they know put the D in dodgy.
Thought the whole Back 4 and Fabianski did well until Eboue went off and things got ragged at the back. The midfield had a good first 15 but after that – maybe cos of the constant kicking and diving – they couldn’t string 4 passes together, and Wilshere (however much he showed for the ball) was by far the worst offender in terms of giving it away. Walcott and Bendtner were well below par. Still, it was probably a better performance than Zagreb away when we won or Shakhtar away when we deserved to lose. So – as someone said – Ho-Hum. As for the referee being bent, I think he was just shit, although I’d have liked to see the whole team surrounding him after the Vela decision
It may be simplistic to say. But we were down to 10 men and that hasn’t been talked about much. Cescless, without our most senior players and orthodox right back I think there are mitigating circumstances. That and the ref letting their players get away with murder.
Ah, what Joe said^^
Zico
Thanks mate perhaps I was wrong but I try to voice my reaction to everyone and I still think the REF did it all for us.
Arthur. I enjoy your posts and enjoy debating matters.
1) What did we actually create???? Don’t really remember one good save.
2) Ref was shite. He was shite all game. A real homer and not good enough. That did not cost us the game though.
3) No one was running the show. It was a poor game. No one got to grips with it. Cesc, along with the others created very little.
4) Vela pen? Most definitely. Would it have changed the game? Who knows? But we created bugger all else.
Over all we were again shocking. I can take little comfort in what I have seen tonight. If it was a one off then I could cope, but it isn’t is it? It all stems from points we have all raised at various times over the last year or two. Where were the leaders when we needed them? Where were those who actually wanted it. I am getting exceedingly bored at being turned over by vastly inferior sides just because they want it that bit more.
The cracks have been appearing now for sometime. You have tonight, spuds, WBA, Geordies, Donetsk plus games like Blackburn and Wigan at the end of last season. We have no leaders and at times look clueless.
Yet again we had no width. Why does Theo stop when he has gone round someone? Why do we still make unbelievably basic errors at the back? How many goals have we conceded this season due to errors???
I am incredibly pissed off and frustrated. And do you know what the worst part of all this is? The Spuds get a result tomorrow then they qualify whilst we go into the final round needing a result. Fucking embarrassing.
We are The Arsenal. The Mighty Arsenal. North London is ours. Perhaps someone wants to remind some of those one trick show ponies who parade their bodies for vast sums of cash each week of that fact. It might just be a job to some of them. To some of us it is a lot lot lot more than that. Quite frankly, if they can not see that then all I can say is please close the door on your way out.
Ale please holic. Good old fashioned British ale from a rock solid Oak barrel. Fucking gallons of the stuff please.
71, Fair points, but the refereeing was a contributory factor. If he gets his performance right we may just escape with something we didn’t deserve.
Joe, yes, Jack’s distribution was pants, but for a kid that age to keep demanding the ball back and always showing in the midst of a diabolical team performance like that was special, I thought.
Here’s what the lads need:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZJcAeJ8YRo
What have we learned?
I hear you Steve T. I hear someone who cares hurting. Love the sane arguments though. I’m half with you, and half agin!
Bloody splinters I’m getting from this fence ๐
Nasri would have banged it in. But the fact remains we didn’t deserve to win. Villa is now massive. I’m hoping Bobby’s gonna shoe his true loyalty and score an own goal. He drives to training 250 miles from highbury!
I’d be more likely to pick out Rosicky as a plus than Wilshere, whose passing was not sharp at all this game. Other than the terrible bit of defending at the end, Gibbs had some nice moments.
Steve T
How would that game pan out would that penalty got awarded?
Your arse must be in tatters holic? And I am not talking about an overdose of the black stuff…….
I just do not think we have a heart. I do not think we have leaders. I want players who will grab hold of games like that and start firing a few fucks into those that deserve it. I hate to use this analogy but just like Ade did when he came on at the shit hole in that Beer Cup semi a few years ago.
Well said ‘holic
Well said
Arthur. I answered that in my original post. You will never know. It may well have changed the game. We may have gone on to win the game. It might have meant that we lost 2 – 1 having been one up. We will never know. Point I was trying to make was that we created nothing else. I do not remember their keeper making a save of note. Then we are undone by 2 ridiculous errors that I would not expect my lad’s team to make in his under 8’s game on Saturday morning.
As I said, if it was a one off then I could take it on the chin. But sadly it is not.
I thought we should have gone 442 when it was obvious they were happy to pack their centre. This would have drawn them out a bit and Bendtner could have stayed in the centre. Wenger needs to get more tactical. Cannot remember the last decent game changing decision he made. Credit where it’s due, he sets out his stall like a French farmers market, and sells only what he has, even if the customers are not buying.
Something short and strong. I have an early start tomorrow.
Usual old bolllocks, Jackster, but I won’t see this lot take more stick than is necessary. It’s a sticky patch, and a bad one, but we have come through them before, and we will come through this fucker.
There are arguments to be had, but for much later in the season, by my reckoning.
Arthur,
Many congrats on being FISRT! by the way…..
Genius Snail. You have been missed ๐
Ok here it comes….
The Europe is improving look at what happened to Citeh at Poznan look what we did in the friendly against LW?
The world is improving perhaps we need a winter break as well???
I come from a little town of Poland called Bytom we have a team onsite called Polonia Bytom in the Polish premier Leage…..
http://www.poloniabytom.com.pl/index.php?PHPSESSID=un8oo0dein4ac20sn4tgg8i702
They struggle to have the money to keep their lives in that league my cousin is the chairman and everytime they loose they dont go on bragging like we do lets have get behind them now the world is changing!
Wenger is blaming bad luck and the ref. He also says 8 or 9 times out of 10 we would have won the game. Does he mean that line up, playing like that? Denial, denial, denial.
Yes the ref was awful but he’s got to focus inwardly on himself and his players and what needs to change. We all can see what the problems are with the way the team is set up and the mentality.
Not a great performance but the ref had clearly been given a handful of ยฃ9 notes with Redknapp’s twitching face on. Fair last ditch tackles and the most blatant penalty you’ll ever see “rewarded” with yellows.
Shocking.
Hey I thought that the guy in comment #11 was spot on….no balls in this side. This is not an Arsenal squad, just a bunch of cheap buys put together with some kids who pull on the Arsenal shirt. If you want to see guys with passion for the club go back just to Henry, Keown, Vieira, Parlour, Bergkamp, Wright, Adams, Dixon, Winterburn, Bould and before etc.,
I hate to say it…. but it does cross my mind that Cesc may now have more than his hamstring on his mind… maybe he senses that this side has not got what it takes to win trophies and he is dwelling on his “nearly” move to Barca?
Sure you can blame the ref who was crap….but that was not the root of the problem….once again we get done because of our defencive problems…we should still have come away with a draw at least!
Realistically, hand on heart guys do you honestly believe that the likes of Denilson, Eboue, Bendtner, Walcott, Diaby, Chamakh, Squillachi, Koscielny, Vela, Song Edmonson etc., are really good enough to win us either the EPL or CL??? And add Arshavins performances to this which are at best average…. this is the weakest most average squad we have had in a dozen years.
Will anything change…….I doubt it Wenger and the board have not improved things in 5/6 years so what hope is there under the current management setup?? I will now wait for all the AKB’s to shout how great Wenger HAS BEEN for the club…… but that is just it he WAS good until 2004…..since then he has done nothing to improve things…..it’s been going downhill or at best stagnating! And yes I get behind the side every week, but hey there comes a time when you say ” hey I am doing my but, why aren’t the guys who pull on my clubs shirts and who are getting paid loads more than me for playing football???””
Holic, I hear what you say @49 and I do take your point. I would just argue that this is more than a sticky patch. We have lost in Europe to two sides that we have scored 5 and 6 against at home. That I would suggest is not a sticky patch. Losing games at home to inferior oposition on 3 occasions is not a sticky patch. There are problems that we to need address and we need to address them now. None of us should fall for this “if we win at Villa we go top” stuff. That for me would just paper over the cracks. My opinion is we need to take our heads out of the sands and deal with what is in front of us. We need to do it now before it becomes to late. If we don’t then your much later in the season might be a lot closer than we all hoped.
That by the way is not me being negative, it is me trying to deal with what I see as the issues we have.
Even though we didn’t get the penalty, we were still useless. We’re struggling to beat the less ‘gifted’ teams. West Brom, Newcastle (two newly promoted clubs). Arsenal has focused so much on attacking, that it’s forgotten how to defend or to close a game out. The team only knows how to go forward. Surely Wenger has to realize that this squad is not going to win anything until we have some real leadership and balls on the field. Too many similar players, too many luxury players, nobody in the team giving others an earful when they slack. Its all too easy…its all to nice and civil. I don’t think Wenger is far off from having a great squad, but he needs to seriously wake up. Some of ‘his’ players are seriously letting him down, and in return Wenger is letting the fans down!
The problem is not personnel but system and organisation which simply comes from the management. Forget the pen, we have had many given to us recently which have been generous to say the least. We lost due to schoolboy defensive errors. 3 defenders a yard inside our half playing 1 guy onside. Wenger must get defensive organisation installed he needs help in this regard. Remember last season Gallas and Verm prob the 2 best centre halfs in the division yet we couldnt keep a clean sheet, the same the prev season with Gallas and Toure. We wouldnt swap any defenders for the ones at Stoke or Bolton or Birmingham yet as a group these teams defend far better than us. Time to wise up Arsene its just not good enough
Arthur.
Polonia Bytom will now officailly become my third team on the strength of your post. I sympathise with their plight. But we must always remember that we are The Arsenal. We are the Mighty Arsena,l and we should never ever lose sight of that.
‘Holic @ 49. Just when are we to make those arguments? and to what effect? I know I am grousing – and maybe I’m not as rational as those of you who have supported The Arsenal as a young’un, but sometimes it seems we are a bit too lenient. I swear, there are some stadia in the US where lackadaisical performances are booed lustily – and US fans don’t sing their teams praises in the stadium when things are going well. And, guess what, it comes down to coaching and personnel acquisition decisions. Last I checked – that was down to one man.
I’ll go one further. Anyone who reverses and begins to sing “Happy Days Are Here Again” once we win at Villa (you see I am – and will always be Gunner), still doesn’t get it. This team not only needs a string of wins, but a few ugly draws where and observer can say, this team gets it, dammit. They won’t be bullied, they won’t go braindead, and they won’t MAIL IT IN. Do that through March and I’ll feel better (regardless of the result).
What have we learned? (I’m playing Cato the Elder here)
I hear you, Steve, but there is nothing we can do this side of January to address the issue of inconsistency and lack of leadership. Therefore I would urge all to get behind what we have, and then plead with Arsene to add the backbone to the squad that we both need, and can afford.
Andy
The penalty chnages the whole game they have to open up
C’mon Arthur, are we still fretting over the referee? Really?
If ifs were a fifth, we’d all be drunk.
Sorry, what have we learned?
LG to me worng deciosns cost points weren’t that the REASON TONIGHT?
‘Holic, I honestly admire your unceasing ability to look for a positive response to disappointment and even, in this particular week, to humiliation.
I too would like to think the players would hold a no-holds-barred meeting to thrash out exactly what the reasons are for our ineptitude every time we have a real chance to win.
Do you think they really care enough to bother though ?
I know you don’t like to pick on individuals, and tonight it would be hard to choose our two worst performers. Some tried and were constantly fouled and found themselves, anyway, woefully out of form. Others did not.
You would have thought after his public complaints of lack of opportunity, that Bendtner would have been busting a gut to score or, at the very least, make a good impression. What did he do ?
Constantly miscontrolled the ball (does he ever actually PRACTICE?), pinged it back into our defence, or fannied around on the touchlines so that, if our wingless wingers ever looked up to cross the ball, our tall central striker was nowhere in fucking sight.
My other selection for the week – and I know this will upset BtM – has to be Denilson. What is the point of him ?
He passes 5 yards sideways or backwards or falls over at the faintest brush of a contact. On the rare occasions he passes the ball forwards, he usually gives it away.
His attempts to defend Braga’s first goal tonight were typical. Despite being left precisely to cover the counter attack, he had no idea their forward was running past him. His attempts to make up ground and challenge the attacker were not even pitiful.
The bloke does not sense danger. He does not track runners. He has no pace to catch anyone, even if he ever tried. Despite his physique he is physically weak on the ball .
Please don’t quote his 99% pass completion rate at me – even I can kick a ball 3 yards sideways when under no pressure.
If anyone wants to argue about Denilson, please think back to Man Utd at The Grove when Rooney ran 80 yards and sprinted into our box to score. The player who completely failed to even see him was our defensive midfielder – Denilson.
Final insult of the night – Djourou, who actually did very well, again, said in his post match interview – “we must now concentrate”. Really ?
A shame it was Djourou who had to say it as he has done very well every time he has played this season.
I do believe that if that penalty got awarded we would all be in a different prespective tonight!
We’ve won fuck all since the last of the old guard (Keown) left. We badly miss the natural leaders Arsene inherited.
I sat in a pub full of Gooners earlier watching the game. Not one person was surprised at the result. I think that tells a story. In fact the most surprised guy I thought was the Braga coach. I don’t think he could believe the 2nd goal went in.
Oh for a commanding centre back. How much have we got in the bank account again?
Pint of NightNurse please.
Dear Gooner Holic. Like most spuds I am new to this champs league marlarky. If we win our group and you come 2nd in yours do get a chance to turn you over again? ๐ ๐
Yum
the beast
I think that was known well before the game tonight….
Yet again in defence I will not allow anyone to say shyte about our team do you know why?
Well look at the score with the Top Guns in the team!
PSV rings a bell @?…………….bell???????????????????
Cusop I appreciate yuo Banter but can you please go away?
Or softly fuck off!????
Obviously cus, as in all things football, you don’t have a fucking clue ๐
We cannot meet until the quarter-final. You won’t get that far.
Be at the Lane when we humiliate you and enjoy another golden anniversary celebration ๐
Holic I like your style!
Apologies for tonight I still thing we were robbed!
Never say sorry, Arthur. Your friends don’t need it, and the other cunts don’t believe it.
It’s really hard to say something positive after alll that has been said but I do believe we do not appreaciate this in one form or the other……
I dont know what it is perhaps I should speak to Wojtek?
A
Holic and others, I think we can do something about it. There are things we can do on the training ground. Certain players need to deliver and need to know what it means to play for our great club. I do not see a problem with bringing in the likes of Keown, nutty and others to inject a bit of spirit into the training. Mr Henry was at the game on Saturady. The MLS season has finished. Now, are you thinking what I am thinking?????????
Good point Steve T plese elaborate?
As I mentioned after the spurs game, nasty November strikes again;
out of 6 games played 4 losses!
that is relegation form, this happens every year at this time and it’s getting ridiculous.
Wenger needs to pull his head out of Pat Rice’s hole because he can’t see what is happening in front of his very eyes any more.
The fact that the most reasonable and pro Wenger blogs are starting to turn is just the beginning of the inevitable end.
Regularly this season the grove is 4/5ths full and we still get the “todays attendance is 60,121 bollocks.
I really can’t believe what is happening that the directive of the club I love has forsaken all the values that we all love for pure greed.
I hark back to the Plymouth Argylle fixture a few seasons back when they filled a 1/4 of our HOME ground for a league cup game. Our club preferred to sell their fans full price tickets than sell to their own fans at a reduced rate to fill the ground.
Wenger has been stuck tactically since Mourinho showed him up time and time again. It is so obvious Wenger went from 4-4-2 to Jose’s 4-5-1 and then when Jose beat that with his 4-3-3 Wenger has been trying to emulate that!
Tonight all I saw was Liverpool style hoof it up to Chamakh at the end which pissed me off no end.
Ref this, ref that, come on people it doesn’t matter, we should be great enough to overcome that!
Plus Vela has already had 4 stonewall penalties turned down since he has been with us, he needs lessons from Eboue!
Wenger needs to go with a 4-4-1-1 against Villa with Arshavin in the hole, the guy is wasted out wide but Wenger on’t play him in the one place where he can do damage!
Come on you gooners!
Sorry for the rant but, I feel these points all have their merit whether they are hard to injest or not.
Good night and I think I have had enough barman!
My opinion is that we let players leave far too early. They may be at an age where 45 games a season is not realsitic. But surely some of these players have a part to play in making some of the younger players aware of who they are playing for and what it means? The fact that the likes of Thierry and Dennis have boxes at the ground tells me all I need to know. I want players who understand what it is like to play for the club. I think that some of these true Arsenal giants can actually install some of the required pride needed. Install something that makes players want to fight for the club.
My belief is that much of the problem is mental. We need players that beleive. Believe in what they are doing and believe in the club.
For me, I really do not think we are that far away from being something special. That is what frustrates me about nights like tonight.
HOW MANY POINT DO WE NEED TO QUALIFY FROM THE GROUP STAGES? PLEASE REALLY NEED TO KNOW. WILL 1 POINT DO? OR IS IT A MUST WIN??
Steve T – Keown was at the club and coached Eboue Senderos Toure and Flamini to a CL defensive record.
He wanted to stay but wanted his authority confirmed by way of a proper appointment.
It was not offered, so he left.
As an idea though, I think you are spot on.
Y – time to go now, nurse is waiting.
err Y, I don’t think someone who supports a team that produces DVD’s after draws with their (ahem) rivals can call another teams fans deluded.
Thanks for your views but, I don’t think many of us trawl your blogs after you loose at 1am to call you names.
I am not deluded but then I have seen my team win a meaningful title in my lifetime, several in fact.
On our way down maybe, to your depths never!
Y.
I love it. An English team in Europe with no Englishmen????????? You are not counting Gibbs, Walcott and Wilshere then????? One more Englishman than you had starting on Saturday?????
You are gift wrapped and opportunity to take the piss. The first time in absolutely years. You pluck up the courage after a few bravery pills, take to the stage and then fuck it up massively.
Thicker than a whale omelette. That is why I love people like you. Just when I think it really has sunk that low, up pops a spuddie with comments that make me realise how lucky I am.
Are you aged under 50???
Thank you.
Y – the minimum requirement for paticipating on this blog is 2 brain cells. You appear to be be deficient to the tune of 2.
Now be a good boy and fuck off !
And the gretaest footaball stat ever???????
Arsenal have won the league at Shite Fart Lane more than the Spuds……
How good is that????
Well, the real positive today was that Aaron Ramsey completed 45 minutes of football.
Screw the first team!
I think we need to spend like a big club and start using cash. David Dein said that he feared that if we did not get a rich owner in we would be in problem. The problem maybe wenger now. He is stubborn and wont admit that the youth gambling dont work. But we should have 2 times the spending power of the spuds. There is something fishy. Is it only Wenger or do we have a problem with the board of directors. Are they holding him back from buying?
@Steve T, That stat doesn’t make up for the last few days, but it did give me a smile.
We have spent 15 million + got a striker on free this season.
We did not lose any major players in summer. We have seen the emergence of one of the brightest English talents this season.
Doubt its a problem with the quality,
Yes I agree we have spent 15 million but at the same time we have sold Toure, Adebayor and Flamini went. We have a pretty good squad but I think we would be so much better if we went the extra mile. When was the last time we bought a proven talent at the back? The last real deal we bought in my opinion was Sol campbell.
Of course I knew Hahahaha bye but like all good windups this one will come to an end. Lane yep we will be there
Holding on to the fact that Ramsey played 45 minutes and was fine. Not that he’s going to come and change the world. But that’s the best news from the Arsenal this week!
Our performances, our form… This too shall pass. Get a team psychologist, get em all down on a couch and show them ink blots, get an exorcism done, whatever works – we can’t really mean it when we say the players are shite, they’re not, really, you know. Perform to potential and they can beat anybody. Whatever is wrong in their heads needs to be sorted out. That’s all. There’s gotta be a way to do that. Though I was seriously disappointed in NB. You talk the talk, you gotta walk the walk. Not the best response to being ‘rested’ in the last match.
‘Hols,
I hope I haven’t pissed you (and the other regulars) off while in my depressed frame of mind. The Arsenal are really the first team that I have chosen to give my allegiance on my own. I inherited my following of the Cowboys. I support the Longhorns because that is where I went to school. Being a Gooner was my own choice…so these past few years – and this November in particular is pretty tough. (especially when my brother-in-law is a manx)
I just want us to thrive and kick arse. As upset as I am right now, part of me feels this is the set up to a glorious league/CL season. You know kind of like a Phoenix… or in Bloodsport where JCVD has to hit his lowest point before he becomes a master. We’ll see…
What have we learned?
No problem LG, we all need to let some steam off. We lost 2 games but it feels like we fell from the top to the bottom.
I’m with Gooner Forever @98 though. At this point for me it’s only a matter of tuning a few things and it looks like not much is needed. I hope that among other things playing Nasri in the forward midfield position and getting RvP back in the team will give us the impulse we need.
So Arsenal ahve signed the next Ronaldo and another
talented Brazilian will be on his way in January blah,blah.It should be back to the present and to the future.
I aint surprised the gunners were beaten. The goals conceded are exactly the types scored by Spurs/Chelsea/Mu etc.Why?The gunners keep pressing and for all the chances created,are unable to score.The thing is thee contrive to bring their own downfall.
I know Vela should have been given a penalty but if it is not given,you carry on from there.I am afraid Wenger has lost it tactically.
It’s no use blaming match officials,players etc. The finger should be pointed at him.The gunners one dimensional approach is easy to counter.There is no variation and to be frank with AV/Chelsea/MU lurking, it can only get worse.
“The fabled intelligence and mental-strength that Arsene attributes to this side is conspicuous by itโs absence at present.”
Ha! Fabled.
Hear, hear on some R&R for Cesc.
LISTEN UP ‘HOLICS
The Y word is a no-no here, even if you are looking to respond to an intellectually-challenged dwarf from the swamp (or even Hertfordshire, you deluded thick cunt).
Apart from offending good people on both sides of the divide generally, it offends one of our own deeply, so please do not use it. It will be edited or deleted. Thanks
This article is a good read and sums things up better than I could,
But Nicholas refused to allow Arsenal any excuses for such a poor result.
“I don’t often disagree with Arsene but this team needs a serious kick up the backside, and there’s four or five of them who have been doing it too often for too long and getting away with it,” said Nicholas on Sky Sports News.
“If Arsenal continue like this, they will falter big style.
“It’s not just individual mistakes. It’s like Bob Charles and Orville at the back, it’s like nobody speaks to one another or they don’t understand what each other is saying.
“These guys look as if they’re unaware of where the danger is.
“It’s an absolute embarrassment, it’s schoolboy stuff. The first one, Matheus goes through, and he’s not even quick. But there’s no-one near him for 20 yards.
“The second one, Arsenal pitch in a free-kick and it’s headed clear. All of a sudden, Matheus is against three Arsenal players and he’s managed to get through and bullet it into the net.”
Nicholas also rejected any argument that Arsenal had been unlucky having dominated most of the game.
“You can stick your 64 per cent possession,” he added. “You could tell me that Denilson has touched the ball 200 times tonight. Give me a guy who touches it 20 times and makes a telling contribution. I’ll have him before Denilson every time.
“I’m not singling out Denilson – too many players hide behind the stats. The only thing that counts is winning football matches.
“Again I have to say about Theo Walcott, he’s got all the pace and all the ability. But he played rigid right.
“He needs to get into places that hurt people. If he doesn’t think the experienced players are helping him out, then go and do something about it.
“It’s seriously disappointing, and embarrassing defensively. I bet Aston Villa [who play Arsenal on Saturday] and [Villa manager] Gerard Houllier are sitting there tonight and thinking ‘oh, I think we could give them a problem or two’.”
I think it’s pretty clear that we need a bigold lump at the back. Not Franz fkin Beckenbaur but someone who will put their head in where it hurts. Scream at denilson for not tracking back, organise the team at corners. We MUST sign Gary Cahill in January. I’ve watched him a few times now and he is, IMO, the next England captain.
How do you do it Holic? Been reading your blog for quite a while and your ability to stay calm is almost saintly. I hope I can stay as cool when I’ve been supporting Arsenal for as long, If this team doesn’t kill me first. Jeez..
Our defense just saddens me. It doesn’t anger me, its beyond that now.. We really need Keown back. As for this match, I was watching, getting more and more frustrated with the referee. We should have been good enough to rise above it but it certainly doesn’t help when everything you do is punished and your opponents have a free ride. Seriously, can a bunch of officials be that bad? What use is it having those blind badgers behind the goal line?
None of that is an excuse. Wenger’s not wrong when he blames the officiating, he’s just not telling the whole story. I just hope he tells it to the players though. Time to get ruthless with this bunch.
Arthur,
completely agree that it would not have been the same if the penalty had indeed been awarded.
but the incident was at 0-0. It was still 0-0 AFTER the incident.
Who let it become 2-0 from 0-0? The ineptness of the “team” did.
Holic @ 32 and my post from 31 in the drinks last night
I apologise for naming the specific site – I should have said “other sites” – I actually like the blog and agree that YW is a fine writer – but I stand by my comments about many of the regulars who frequent that site and just don’t tolerate anything that is even mildly critical of Wenger and Arsenal.
Chippy @ 101 – he (and you) are spot on.
The backlash needs to start here and now – what is French for hair dryer anyway?
Morning,
first time post for me on this site after reading it for a long time with interest……………….
you may disagree with me with my following comments,but sum up my feelings on our Club/team at the moment.Before I start-I do go to watch our team,alas only 5/6 times a season due to other factors,and like most on this site I suspect,I sign up to rip-off Sky each and every month to watch the boys when we’re on,and ESPN etc,etc………………….an aside with regard to them….their anti-Arsenal is a fucking disgrace,no-one expects everyone else to wax lyrical about us ,but lets draw the line at that can we?Jon Champion…………..FUCK OFF !
Now,my points-in no particular order:
Nikky B talks a good talk,but,when given a chance………..well,you tell me!He was shocking.Chamakh wasn’t good on Saturday,he’s got no bottle to shoot when clean through-TH14 would have got 4 against the Spuds-but when he came on,he showed NB52 how to hold the ball up(and how to knock it down -ala Vela).
Denilson-master of the sideways pass.Are we sure he’s Brazilian.
Cesc-his head and heart aren’t in it anymore-its clear to see.His demeanour is like that of Kevin the teenager.
Very,very telling that TR7 wasn’t handed the armband when Cesc left the field-it went straight to Sammy.This is my next point-there’s our next Club captain-Wenger has already identified that,you can see it.He may not have the ability of Cesc just yet-granted,but he,along with Tommy V has the heart of the old Arsenal team that went unbeaten.He never gives up,he takes no shit from anyone,and I genuinely believe he loves the Club.
Wenger should do what he did to Gallas,and take the Captaincy away from Cesc,he’s just like Henry in his last season-a non trying sulker.When he gets his move to his beloved Barca,you’ll read all the stories about how he still loves the Club,and how they’ll be forever in his heart blah,blah,blah………..fuck off Cesc.
Gibbs is showing Mr Clichy what he’s doing to win the left back spot,I thought he had a good game -up until the last minute howler when all three defending players were on the same side of the attacker!!!!!!!!!!!
Big JD I thought was very good-should have played against the idiots up the road on Saturday,outcome may have been a lot different.
We’ve got this far this season with only one tidy striker.NB52 has been injured,VP has also been crocked and the new boy has done it on his own.Can you imagine how we’d have done with a strong,injury free centre-forward.Fuck me,even Sylvain Wiltord-who I really liked by the way-would’ve thrived in this team.
Can’t think of much else,but-in a nutshell,up front we’re average,in the middle (with a full team)we’re unmatched,in defense we’re average.
Hurry up back Ramsey,we miss you -him,along with Jack and Sammy are genuinely the future of this wonderful,but extremely frustrating Club.
It’s gonna kill me to see Bobby Pires in another teams colours-he is one of the true Arsenal greats,him and DB10 from the modern era.
Wenger – sort it out.
Morning Holics
My head hurts today apologies for my silly posts last I hope I didn’t insult anyone?
I just don’t know where this team is heading though, frankly I believe the REF made meal of it.
Catalan Gunner
I will join you on that one kids come first this weekend, I’m gonna have a heart attack by the age of 34.
I always like to take the positives but it is very difficult this morning.
Djourou – did well I thought
Gibbs – also tried hard but is rusty from not playing much.
Chamakh – did well when he came on
Vela – also did quite well I thought and should have had a penalty which he might have done if he hadn’t embellished his fall, but maybe he was just trying to avoid getting kicked/a broken leg?
Rosicky – seemed to be trying hard but couldn’t get into the game for some reason.
Wilshere – again tried hard but nothing went right for him (it happens).
That’s about it I reckon.
The manager must shoulder his share of the blame – he signed and coaches the players. He also picks the team and sets the shape of it and tactics, but don’t be too hard on him and don’t be abusive. If we are all hurting from what has happened in a number of games already this season just think how he must feel for this team he has built and believed in so much to let him down so badly so many times before the year is even out. The players must share the blame – if they don’t perform on the pitch there is bugger all the manager can do until half time/after the game/on the training pitch. Perhaps this is where things have gone wrong recently? I don’t know.
Wenger looks tired to me, is the strain beginning to tell? It is hard even when you’re winning and with recent results it must be draining in the extreme and constantly trying to lift a team after such poor performances and disappointing results must be draining in the extreme. Perhaps a top class defensive coach to help and take some of the responsibility might be a good move? I don’t want to see Wenger destroyed and humiliated after all the good and positive things he has done for our beloved Arsenal. Make no mistake about it Arsene Wenger is the best thing that has happened to this club in decades and we all owe him an enormous debt of gratitude and he should not be insulted and pilloried because it’s gone tits-up at the moment. I just hope that he still has the necessary strength to look at the situation, admit his mistakes and put it right one way or the other.
Don’t think you are saying anything that a lot of other people aren’t thinking, Jonny. Whilst you may be right I don’t agree with all of it you are welcome to express it as calmly and sensibly as that.
I would say that there is a danger we are taking the last 135 minutes of football in isolation and not perhaps seeing the bigger picture.
The Cesc debate sadly won’t go away. I don’t agree at all that his heart isn’t in it. This is how he was two years ago after the Euros. We need to pack him off to the sun for five or six weeks. A bit of r&r will set him up for the second-half of the season, when we really will need him.
It’s very hard to see what’s bugging this team. It’s hard to think that we fans were so optimistic just a few days back abt what this team can achieve this season.
Some injury concerns mounting too. We have to wake up.
The fact is as soon as Cesc left the field we conceded!
Sometimes reality hits you in the face. On Sunday morning, my father-in-law passed away so, naturally, this has for the time being put footie quite far down my list of priorities and I watched the game last night feeling quite detached from it all.
And maybe this is why I don’t think we played nearly as bad as many seem to think. I saw the game in a completely different light, and I think we approached it in the right way up until the last 10 minutes or so (we were patient, kept our positions etc) when we lost our organization after Eboue had to be stretchered off. Also, while we have not been brilliant in any way in the past few games we have had very, very little luck with the refereeing decisions. It was never a free-kick on Modric and Song should have had a penalty on Saturday, and last night Braga got away with murder and how he could not give Vela a penalty can only be explained by the suitcase full of cash I’m sure you would find in his home today were you to do a search.
However, this does not mean I don’t agree with most of the criticism expressed by many in this bar. There is a distinct lack of leadership in the team, Cesc tries but struggles too much with his own form (and no, I still don’t agree that his heart is not in it, and don’t forget that despite his poor form he set up Chamakh v Wolves, scored the second v Everton and set up Nasri with a brilliant pass v Sp*rs) and Cesc is not the kind of player that can lead through sheer determination and hard work. Vermaelen is sorely missed in this regard, and I don’t think it is a coincidence that all occasions where we have imploded have been when Vermaelen has not been there to drive the team on.
Moreover, with the players we had out there today – why not play 4-4-2? Put Bendter and Walcott up front and Rosicky-Cesc-Denilson-Wilshere in midfield. Braga were never going to attack us in any other way than on the counter-attack so why would we want to pack the midfield? Put two up front playing as proper attackers, that would have made Braga have to work much harder in defense. Cesc and Denilson would have handled the central midfield and Rosicky and Wilshere could have taken on the Pires/Ljungberg roles of days gone by, swapping positions with each other every now and then and so forth.
Maybe the Up for Grabs lads put the finger on the whole thing in the lastest cast, if you haven’t heard it they were wondering if maybe there are too few people at the club who dare to challenge anything Arsene says and they may well be right. I have often wondered exactly what the point of Pat Rice is other than to hand out bottles of water and go and fetch whichever of the subs is going to be put on. He never seems to do much other than that during games, anyway.
This team has got so much talent, but is missing that final piece to achieve great things. Can Wenger find it and install it? I have to admit I am starting to have my doubts.
Lars condolences mate.
Not sure I agree about being all right until the last 10 minutes – Braga had 2 decent chances to score before we had the penalty appeal.
We are not good enough defensively and we are not capable of outscoring any opposition at the moment.
Hopefully AA will bring some much needed creativity back at the weekend. And for what it is worth, Cesc has obviously not been fit and it won’t be the worst thing if he recuperates over the next month.
Lars @112 Arsenal, like most top sides, plays a short-passing, possession and pressing game. You need to line up 4-2-3-1 or in a fluid 4-3-3 to create the passing triangles that style of play requires. And to play attacking football. 4-4-2 is a much more defensive formation, especially as the midfield bank of four has to sit deep so there isn’t space between it and the back four for opponents to exploit. On the attack, the back four have to play high for the same reason, and press high when the team loses possession, which leaves open space behind them and so makes the system vulnerable to counterattack — and we seem to be vulnerable enough to that as it is.
Could not agree more with you Holic, Vela’s was a pen but he tried to make it look more of one throwing his left leg out , which the ” ref ” didn’t like . Denilson gives up chasing before the player shoots, passes or miss hits the ball WHY he did against Rooney last year , Bale saturday and did nothing when they broke last night, nice tidy LITTLE player but thats all . send Cesc off to the sun for 5 weeks ,and let the others take over Ramsey,along with Jack and Sammy are the future the have the heart, and will to win , and the will, not to get beat easy. and what Holic said about the Stoke 5 goal defeat in 1971 could happen again wouldn’t that be nice !!!
@jony and Holic: All these factors (niggling injuries, poor form after international competitions and Barca sirens) contribute at various levels but whatever the exact reason it’s obvious that Cesc does not have the same winner’s attitude since he came back and that has a big impact on the team. If Cesc was playing like last year we’d be flying far above everyone else in the table.
2 years ago the team has been built around him, he was moved to a forward midfield position as the engine of our attack whose flip-side is that almost all our attacking moves start from or flow through him. Unfortunately when he hits a dip in form this doesn’t leave enough options for other in-form players to build our usual sustained pressure an attack for the others to be effective. He’s also become the undisputed leader whom everyone else in the team looks up to which works well when he is beaming but adversely when he is frustrated.
I don’t pretend to know what needs to be done and how long it will take for last year’s Cesc to resurface, anyhow that’s surely one of Arsene’s priorities. But as you said `Holic, if we’re in for a rerun of the post-Euro season we won’t be able to count on him too much.
And I concur totally with Jonny about Nasri. He’s been the revelation and our best player this season which his quite a feat considering he’s played in 5 or 6 different positions this season and has had surgery on his knee. He’s got the right attitude and looks like the real deal for Arsenal. I agree is not yet on par with an in-form Cesc but he’s been more influential that Cesc since his return. Quit moving him around and give him a handful of games as FM to see what he’s capable of (it took quite a few games there for Cesc to shine there), that’s the most attractive option for us at the moment.
Something I feel would also help a lot: revert Song to a pure DM role. I understand how beneficial it would be if he morphed into an Essien/PV type of player but both play alongside a DM. I thought initially that it was a good move but it turns out it makes the 2 other midfielders cover for him and leaves them much less freedom to orchestrate the attack. Definitively an interesting experiment but which has failed so far. Song was doing very well last season and would surely benefit from a more focused role too. With a bit more experience and team confidence it will be worth to be tried again but not now anymore.
Finally I think Jonny is a bit harsh on our defense, our second string CMs are a giant improvement over Sol/Silvestre, Sagna is world-class and Clichy and Gibbs are both decent in different ways. Fix the problems in front of them and they will shine.
Sorry to learn that Lars.
And great post, I too am curious on how 442 could work but I can’t see Arsene changing our formation in the middle of the season, too much of a risk.
We have all doubts but let’s just not forget that had we won even only one of the WBA/Newcastle/Spuds games the players would be heroes and Arsene a genius.
Bad luck on our part. The lads must have been suffering from post-Spud loss syndrome.
Matt: As I said in the drinks after the Spurs game, Cesc looked to be carrying an injury that is preventing him playing full out, which the Braga game has confirmed. That strikes me as more of a reason for his dip in form than his state of mind (though nagging injuries nag at the mind, of course). He needs to be got fit. Nasri and Wilshere have shown already this season that they can be the creative force in his absence.
Lars I’m really sorry to hear this my deepest condolences.
Sorry to hear your news Lars. Thinking of you.
Anyone for quick drink at lunchtime?
Bentner no good
Denilson no good
Vela no good
….
lousy team , no hard work , no discipline , just lousy
Condolences, Lars.
ATG, what the heck! Count me in.
Whatever RVP’s right foot wants please barman!
I don’t know what to feel at the very moment, getting more stick from those LWC about last night as well…
We will have our moment oh yes we will!
So we’re looking at 3-4 weeks for Cesc is going to be available for the Mancs? I don’t think he will make somehow.
Lars – sorry to hear that!
Arthur – Dec will be a tough month without Cesc and Verminator!
We need to find the spirit from 2008/9 when we went unbeaten in Cescโs absence!
We need to soldier on guys!
I think we should go back to 442 as well with two strikers up front, what do you think guys?
Arthur – I thought we were going to play Van P and Chamakh together in a 4-4-2 before the season started.
Re: Cesc – you don’t have to be a mind reader to understand he doesn’t want to play for Arsenal any more…he said so himself, out loud. Now he’s showing it on the pitch. Further I think he realizes that this summer might have been the last chance for a Barca move as it becomesclear their balance sheet is worse than Greece’s. What does it do for the heart of a team when the captain obviously is playing for the team under duress?
Pictures of Le Boss picking grass blades are bluetaced to my screens
That’s why we hate those LWC! They have no class!
Thanks for all the kind words, I really appreciate it.
Good evening ‘Holic & ‘Holics
Well, it’s been a hell of a few days and just to add insult to injury this happened:
http://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/fire_at_arsenal_s_emirates_stadium_1_735897
I see there’s still a nasty, lingering smell of Spud about the place. Shocking, truly shocking.
I also picked-up on this which I assume is nothing but a wind-up but quite funny, nevertheless. Arthur, maybe you can verify the (BS) translation it is from talkshite after all?
http://www.talksport.co.uk/magazine/translator/2010-11-24/arsenals-lukasz-fabianski-talks-about-dressing-room-bust-arsene-wenger
I’m going back to my bunker for a while but will continue to keep the faith and hope that we can answer some critics on Saturday.
Like most in here I do feel that something needs to change and pronto. Right now, I’m trying to avoid the doom and gloomers almost as much as the LWCs.
A note for Lars: My condolences too. I had a similar occurrence earlier in the year with a much loved step-mum. Let me know when you’re ready for a Boddies and I’ll see you in the drinks some time soon.
Cheers all!
@128 ATG: Yeah, playing 4-4-2 sometimes isn’t a bad idea at all in my book. I certainly don’t buy this notion that it’s a dead formation, like some would have us believe. There are still a few teams around that manage to do it successfully, dare I say it, Spurs have made it work in recent times, as have United. We have the personnel to make it work in my opinion, why not give it a real go? It might even get the best out of certain players; Bendtner, for example, seems to thrive best when he’s got a partner upfront with him. I remember seeing him and Vela together during CC matches and they looked like a real good partnership.
I’d also love to see it being implemented during a game when things aren’t going our way and a tactical shuffle is needed. We don’t really seem to switch things around mid-game too much, rather we have our gameplan and stick to it and sometimes I find this approach a bit too rigid. Don’t get me wrong, I like our 4-3-3 and when it works, it works really well but sometimes I’d love to see the manager be that little bit more inventive and bold in terms of his tactical approach.
Yet another great post ‘holic, a doff of the cap to you sir! And seen as we could all use a little pick-me-up I’ll take a Sailor Jerry’s and ginger, and a round for the bar! THE MILKEY BARS ARE ON ME!!!
TS
That’s total shite he’s talking about the Legia Warsaw friendly and that we conceded too many goals etc. Arsene wasn’t happy obviously that we let so many in. Totalshite just made fun out of it as usual, there are also some strange farting noises as well. Bunch of Hansens!
My condolences to you, Lars. I believe a toast in honor of your father-in-law is in order.
Joshua
Good shout everyone raise your glasses
Here Here.
My best to you and yours Lars.
‘Holics,
Comraderie like this is another reason I love this club. Whenever I travel on business, on my return leg, I always wear the club’c colors. Invariably, be it New York, D.C., San Diego, or Hawai’i, some Gooner will see me in the Arsenal strip and will engage me in pleasant conversation. Can’t imagine the same being true for Chel$ki, ManUre, or (especially) Spuds.
Happy Thanksgiving to all my Stateside Gooners. Best regards to by bretheren across the pond.
Macallan 18 all around kind ‘keep.
Condolances Lars.
————-
As for the game last night, well, eeerrrr, well…… I’m afraid we got what we deserved, nothing.
Yes, the ref was a disgrace and yes we were down to ten men, but lets be honest lads, we weren’t much cop, were we?
I’m not one for slating individual members of our team, but I will say that I still think that Theo is a lot more effective when he comes off the bench in the latter part of a game, he seems a bit lost when he’s on from the start and after all his chatting to the tabloids I expected a lot more from young Nik.
The most frustrating thing (I believe) for us all, is that we are so so close and yet we are still so far away. Like I said in the last drinks, this team lacks a killer instinct, I don’t think we should have to rely on one or two players to “take the game by the scruff of the neck”, we need that kind of mentality running through the whole team. We need players who hate to lose, a total change of attitude is required. We have the players, we have the squad, all we lack is the mentality to be the best.
Vodka shot for me please sir and change for the pool table.
Cheers.
I am truly amazed by the warmth directed at me. This establishment truly is a class above most other places. Again, thanks to each and every one of you!
Storey, I’ll be happy to accept that Boddie and join you and everyone else in here in a raising of our glasses in honour of not just my father-in-law, but to all those each and everyone of us have loved and lost. As long as we remember them they are still with us.
condolences Lars
regarding your comments 4-4-2 maybe a good idea, but not with NB and TW they are playing, and not with a midfield that cannot see forwards ready to make a run
As Woody @134 says , it can do as a Plan B, but AW doesnt seem to like changing tactics when we cannot break thru solid defences…..
I think we need to mix it up a bit, other teams have already worked it out and defend well against us. Wenger needs to change tactitcs if things are now working out druing a game.
I can’t bear to watch any football tonight, everything reminds me of those two losses we have just suffered.
Barman a pint of peach ice tea for me please!
Condolences Lars, there’s nothing worse than the loss of close ones.
As I said in the previous drinks after the game, the whole group – from management/coaches to players – need to take stock of what’s happening and get back to basics.
Get some sort of defensive strategy (as a team) and work at it, the rest will come from the work they do. Remember who they represent, what’s at stake and what it means to those in and around the club.
If the players can match the level of support our way fans will give them on Saturday, they’ll be coming back down the M6 with 3 points. Never mind about being top of the league, that doesn’t matter right now. Get on an unbeaten run, see the fruits of your labours and then being top will really matter.
An extra cold Guinness please barkeep and one for Lars.
Thank you, ‘holics. You’ve made me very proud today.
Lars, I wish I could offer you more than a virtual beer. If we ever attend the same game I will gladly stand you a pint, fella.
Generally I think supporters have been largely constructive today in their criticism, with a few obvious exceptions. I’m sensing a willingness to get behind the boys if they can shake off the temporary lethargy that seems to affect them on occasion.
We all want the same things, even if we don’t share a confidence or vision of it happening quite yet. Let’s do our bit before chucking the baby out with the bath water.
Please accept my condolences Lars —
Here here guys I think mixing it should work. Wenger used Chamakh and Van P together during v Blackpool. However it was as an experiment and then Van P got injured after. But saying that it is not too late and it remains to be seen if we can mix it up as a plan B.
After Spuds and Manure (how’s that for a match made in agricultural heaven?) qualification tonight I’m trying to think of a positive spin for our own campaign.
How about this: I’d rather we scraped thru’ the group stages and really came strong in the knock-out than the other way round, which we have tended to do in the past couple of years.
Does that make any of you feel even 1% better?
A toast to classy Gooner-Holics past, present and future.
I have an inkling that Villa are really gonna get it on Saturday *keeps all fingers and toes firmly crossed*
TS
I didn’t even watch any games tonight I usually do but I felt dejected all day about football. Twitter was my only escape and few work things that needed to be done after hours if you know what I mean.
I need to see it first with my own eyes ‘Villa’ that is, we need to show some balls up there, I will be a tough game yet again.
LWC’s winning tonight will give them even more of a reason to slag us off again tomorrow, no doubt I will be reminded again sometime during the day!
We started off our group with record goalscoring then we lost to Shakhtar and Braga, a must win game against Partizan.
I’m also off to the CC game against Wigan next week, anyone going?
@North Bank Ned: Turns out Glenn Hoddle agrees with you too:
“Once you have a hamstring [problem] on the left-hand side you can also do your right one. You compensate. You think you’re over the injury and sometimes you’re not and you just compensate and can end up getting [a further] injury, whether it be another hamstring or an achilles [problem] on the other side of the body. That’s what I’ve experienced over the years. He’s going to be in trouble because the difference with hamstrings is that you’ve got to clear it up and this has been going on for too long. How do you clear it up? Time.”
Let’s hope he will not be rushed back again.
Matt, unfortunately the club is already talking according to the Guardian about targeting Dec. 13 Man U away game for Cesc’s return. I’d rather they take this more seriously and get it right. He has had four or five hamstring injuries in the last couple of years and we need him down the stretch.
‘Holic, apologies for any offence caused by inclusion of the Y word.
It was purely as a back reference to the moron who was posting all kinds of bile on here late last night, as that is what he called himself. Which comments I note you have deleted.
I know that Trev. No worries. All sorted hopefully.
Hi holics,
Excellent post jersey. That’s what the players have to do.
Denilson has come out apologising for the performance in the last two games. Fair enough. He has to start doing a lot more on the pitch to woo back the Brazilian beauties in the stands I think ๐
Agree with all on Fabregas. We have to wait till he is completely fit even if it means he misses the visit to the mancs.
Yes 442 is very good option in games where we are struggling to break open teams -Braga,Newcastle,West ham
I’m waiting ro see RVP in full swing because he is a class player. May be he’ll play at Villa.
A Guiness for me and one for Lars too.
Cheers
Thoughts at Lars and his family ….. Great comments section on this post. Holic , you’ve got the best blog on the net.
All best thoughts to Lars, naturally. But just a word of warning ‘Holic – before you buy him that well deserved real world pint, you do realise that you’ll have to loosen the border control measures that you yourself put in place to delay him entering the country?
The tide is turning but will anyone have the nerve to sack Wenger?
Everybody @ Arsenal, Wenger has had a say in their employment from the top (Gazidis who loves his vision!) to the bottom. Heโs actually accomplished what Benitez failed to do @ Liverpool!
Don’t worry lads, all will come right – the team looks top class in the making
On a lighter note as everyone feeling down. Ideas for a football menu?
Bacary la-sagna?
Pat Rice Pudding?
Shaun Wright fillets?!
any more ideas? http://www.postmatchpint.com article “The Didier Drogbar – It’s a dive” great stuff!
Good luck Arsenal
p.s love the site! keep it up
I am completely anti any idea of sacking Wenger. That would be suicidal, but it would be nice to have his successor being groomed at the club a la Boot Room of Liverpool (when they were good!).
Steve Bould perhaps…? This would guarantee smooth progression, and should the time come for change then it would not be so potentially traumatic.
Catalan – I don’t think many of us want Wenger sacked – but he has to change something.
He could start by refusing to blame luck, referees and “lack of focus” and addressing what seems obvious to most people who post on this and other blogs.
And as a club, we need to make the most of the resources available to us (copyright to Steve T). Its galling to think that the balance sheet might be more important than the trophy cabinet.
And I totally agree about grooming a successor.
Steve Bould would be good!
What about an ex-Arsenal player who is not currently working at the club?
… with the non-flying God as head coach / assistant! Dream dream dream……
Just want to know what direction we are going in in the years beyond AW, which I hope to be some way off.
@Zico – agree, tired of excuses. No doubt you’ll be happy with the Aussies today?!
@ Catalan
This Aussie side has the ability to implode and collapse in the fashion that previous England sides have specialised in. I think your boys will never have a better chance and it remains to be seen whether 260 is under par. Tomorrow’s (tonights?) first session will be all important.
I think we should get back to footy chat before we both get barred ๐
Have a drink on me mate.
Berkamp perhaps?
@Goonertown
He was my non-flying God!
Then we could recruit Theirry and Le Bob for style classes…. seems to me young Jack could do with a little je ne sais quoi in the style department!
Zico – talk of imploding gets us right back on track with the Arse chat! I’ll take that pint, thanks!
Catalan – It seems as though it’s an unconfirmed fact that Henry will re-join us in some back room capacity.
As Berkamp has his badges etc, he would make a good understudy at some point. His vision for the game is undisputed.
@ Goonertown – re Henry – really? I’m not sure he’s a backroom kind of guy, but fantastic if true. Front of house keeping girls, sponsors and TV happy.. yes!
I’d go for a Bergkamp / Bould mix in some way. But whoever.. the point would be to get them all working in the system now. Then they can grow into the role.
Interesting stuff.
Cricket chat is positively encouraged by the landlord here. Did you not see the banter flying on Twitter last night?
Well played Aussies though. First blood to you ๐
Catalan – Lol!
I get it, the Gillette commercial is just the tip of the iceberg!
Yeah Berkies vision would work wonders.
I could see Cesc as a good future Coach.
@Holic. Good to see you’re a fan! Like the egg shaped ball comment re Swann!
Talking of Twitter – anyone seen that JET is on now? I wouldn’t bother following….
Sage advice, Catalan ๐
Holic @ 168
Good to know that cricket chat is not discouraged but I’ll leave the twits to twitter ๐
There are 2 things that this Scotsman (that’s Scotsman Catalan not “sweaty”) is eternally grateful to England for and that is
The Arsenal
and the great game of cricket.
One is holding my interest more than the other at the moment (unfortunately).
Pints of John Smiths to anyone in the bar wearing whites Barman please.
And an extra one for my friend from Catalonia who is obviously just a Top Geezer ๐
Cheers Catalan !
Heh! That one went down swiftly Zico – next one’s on me. A Scotsman *sigh* appreciating cricket – whatever next?
And one for my other afternoon companion in “what if land”, Goonertown please!
Have to stay up until 1am here in Catalunya to watch the first ball… but I fancy we’ll make an early breakthrough today. Get rid of Watson for a start…
Hi holics,
Read on BBC news that Ramsey has been signed by Nottingham forest on loan till January.
It’s good that he might get some playing time there.
Cheers.
The world is one mixed up place eh Catalan?
Harsha – Ramsey? Surely not?
Zico
Tis true, it’s on pravda.com now
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/ramsey-joins-nottingham-forest-on-loan
Could be a wise move all-round. Fingers-crossed he doesn’t get “Shawcrossed” in The Championship
Time for Nasri, Wilshere, Denilson, Song and Rosicky to shine until the New Year.
…interesting that JET remains at London Colney. Will we be seeing more of him in November and December? If so in what role? With Cesc out for a while it’s a chance to mix things up a little. May be no bad thing. The match at Manure will be a good litmus test.
We have a possible new year midlfield of Cesc, Ramsey and Wilshere to look forward to. That’s a very exciting prospect. ๐
Barman? I’d like to buy a round please for all in the bar and one for yourself as usual. Cheers!
Catalan
Too right on JET, he just twitted this recently:
“Hi… How Da Bodi” di bodi ffiinnee .. Wetin ye de doo ?? #Lmao.. Memories Loool!” Good times”
I have tried to make somtheing out of it…but failed misreably.
I have to admit I’m not a big cricket fan, to be honest I have lived here for so long and never understood any of those rules, firends have tried to explain but I was never really into it. More of an ice hockey fan or bastketball for that matter.
So is it 1 nil to the aussies right? ๐
Now Ramsey’s loan move has really made me think guys, I would have thought he needed to be under close medical supervision and that we woudn’t risk him getting injured straight away, especially in the The Championship (but what do I know ah?). I hope they made all the correct arrangments with Nottingham Forest and he will be well looked after there, if he comes through I suppose we will all know that he’s ready for 1st team action.
TS
Time for Nasri, Wilshere, Denilson, Song and Rosicky to do the business at Villa Park starting from 12:45 Saturday afternoon.
Arthur re Ramsay – these were my thoughts exactly. Close supervision for Ramsay – I don’t see how he can get that farmed out on loan.
I understand he needs game time, but given our track record with nasty injuries (Eduardo in particular) I would have thought that we would want to keep Rambo close. Hopefully this is not another Wenger gamble (he’s already admitted gambling with Fabregas on Tuesday).
Ramsay is one player I have great hopes for. I don’t claim to know all the ins and outs of what is agreed when a player goes on loan, but my gut instinct is that is fraught with danger. How do we know that the interest of Arsenal will be considered above the immediate interests of Nottingham Forest?
Maybe I’m just in a perpetual state of fright when it comes down to injuries these days – I didn’t seem to worry about these things when we had tough nuts like Paddy and Lauren in the team. ๐
Catalan –
I’ll have a Apple & Blackcurrant J2O please!
Trust me, what if’s are curing my post week-defeat hang-ups!Lol!
I agree with you Zico & Arthur-
I reckon the loan time will help to speed up Rambo’s mental recovery, as eddie’s progression was quite slow!
Goonertown, I think you just disagreed with me, but whatever – I may be looking at this from the bottom of this half empty glass (hint, hint)
๐
I think its a great move. He needs some time away from Arsenal, in a less pressurized environment.
His recovery is going to be slow and painful and last thign he needs is to be at a place like Arsenal.
Now only, if we had loaned Eduardo instead of selling him..
Zico –
I’m agreeing that we have to be over protective with Rambo, as well as getting him recovered!
Barman – a refill for my good friend Zico please!
Goonertown, cheers mate.
Time will tell whether this was the right thing to do – here’s hoping this will speed his recovery back into the first team as he was really looking the part just before he got “Shawcrossed”.
Sorry, didn’t get round to giving the nod to Lars… best wishes mate {{hugs}}
No probs Zico –
I’m agreeing again, Ramsey is the future of Arsenal. I told him that myself when I signed his well wishes book.