Soul Searching The Order Of The Day
Mar 25th, 2014 by 'holic
At the final whistle I tweeted the line from Fever Pitch that is probably more applicable today than it was back in 1989. No, bollocks to probably. That is a superfluous word.
“After a while, it all gets mixed up in your head, and you can’t remember whether life’s shit because Arsenal are shit or the other way around.”
As the season has moved into the eighth of nine months we have surrendered what had promised for so long to be a title challenge that would see us involved to the final week or two. In four simply awful days. Arsenal, as Nick Hornby might tell you today, have thrown undying affection back in the faces of those who can care for no other. Not for the first time we have to deal with it and move on.
The love between supporter and club is binding and there is now some serious soul searching going on. The situation is complicated because the Arsenal has many devoted suitors who seek different solutions to what ails us and all are convinced they are right. There is barely concealed confrontation on a number of fronts. At the heart of the debate now is the question of a new contract for a man who has been indelibly imprinted on the club’s history.
Now I don’t know Arsene at all. I did have the good fortune to shake his hand at the Highbury farewell and thank him for what he had done. It seems so many with blogs and on social media sites know him much better from the stuff I read. I do however chat with some who certainly have greater access to him and there is a growing feeling that he is considering his future long and hard. On that basis I wonder if the events of recent days will have influenced whatever decision he arrives at when the time for signing the contract or not is reached?
At Chelsea we were left with the impression, rightly or wrongly, that the team he sent out did not perform for the man celebrating his one thousandth match in charge of our heritage. For much of tonight it felt different. There was more application, more effort, but nonetheless a shortage of guile and, somewhat surprisingly, leadership. Santi Cazorla and Tomas Rosicky provided energy and graft, but not enough final product. Bacary Sagna once again forced himself forward at every opportunity, only to cross to a box devoid of an attacking colleague, or to receive the ball in a cul-de-sac.
We were behind from the eleventh minute when Bony got head and shoulders above the skipper to head home the nervous visitors first chance. They were nervous no more. By the end of the half I suspect the manager and coaching staff were desperate to get everybody together in the dressing room to resolve whatever was going on. Swansea were worth the advantage. Surely from the restart our desire for the points allied to our greater quality would see a turnaround?
It didn’t. Just twelve minutes into the second half Lukas Podolski was summoned from the bench, somewhat surprisingly for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and that could have proved to be the masterstroke. Kieran Gibbs set up Poldi to equalise, and little more than a minute later we were ahead as scorer turned provider. The beneficiary was Olivier Giroud, and hopefully that will restore a chunk of the confidence so lacking in him to that point. We need him to come good again, and had he notched the winner then that may have been the case.
Sadly that golden 66 seconds was to prove the highlight of the evening. For most of this season the Arsenal have demonstrated an ability to see out matches like that. The law of sod dictates that when you need it most, that talent deserts you, and the equaliser was about as cruel as it gets. Mathieu Flamini, sorely missed from the start at Stamford Bridge, deserved better than to be the one who inadvertently deflected the ball into his own net as the clock passed ninety minutes.
Now I don’t buy the line that the title was lost tonight. The Premier League was surrendered on Saturday, and tamely so. However we should still be targeting the top three in a World Cup summer, and what tonight has done has thrown into some doubt even the prospect of a top four berth and a Champions League qualifier in August. Manchester City at home and Everton away in the next two fixtures represent a challenge that must be met head on. Then comes Wembley.
That is the light at the end of the tunnel. Get these next two Premier League weekends out of the way and the picture looks rosier, potentially. Hopefully by the time Wigan are on the horizon we will have Laurent Koscielny, Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil, at least, back in the reckoning. The league fixtures that follow the FA Cup semi-final do not look daunting, on paper (I know, don’t say it now!). The prospect of an FA Cup Final against the Tigers or the Blades remains a tease.
That prospect, however, seems a long way off tonight. So much promise. It seemed so different. How the fuckity fuck did it all go so horribly wrong? (With apologies, but I’m sure you understand.)
364 Responses to “Soul Searching The Order Of The Day”
Well in Holic, a very fair summary.
1st?
The season isn’t lost, by any means, but fuck me it’s been a dark four days. And likely to get worse come the weekend.
Ok 2nd now to read the post
Horrible just horrible.
BtM, from the last set of drinks.
You can do better to be honest 🙂
I don’t give a shyt about United as Arsenal is all that matter to me.
On other hand, the image pf the little boy RvP, siting on the sofa injured and watching the 0-3 trashing of his team, on their own ground, by the most hatred enemy, knowing for sure that he will play in the group of death with CSKA Sofia, Sheriff and Cluj in UEFA League on Thursdays …
Off to read the post
Fine analysis, H.
Join me in the bottom of the bottle of Ardbeg, why don’t you? The spirit’s warm and lovely.
I can’t wait until Saturday
Flat track bullies?
I suspect Wembley will put that one to bed for us.
Not in a good way, obviously.
I have to add that Probert did us a very big favour when he blew the whistle. That looked like being a 1 on 1 with Szcz. A very big favour there.
As they used to say in the olden days
Win Lose or Draw
Let’s have a couple of pints
Great post Holic nothing to add and subtract for that matter!
It’s a real shame but reality bites you on theatres and kicks hard the more you come to think of it the harder!
Wisniowka on the bar fellas 😉
Had Flamini actually tracked his man, something he fails to do in every game he plays, the situation that lead to the own goal wouldn’t have happened.
Rarely has someone played so poorly and been so heralded over a season. Shows how lacking we are in any kind of personality in this side that someone so bereft of ability and contributing so little can be talked of so glowingly.
All PASSION and GRIT though isn’t he? Look at his short sleeves and him shouting at our good players? What a LAD!
More than a couple of pints Saturday, neighbour.
Who the fuck made Man City a late kick off?
See you in the pub at 11? 😉
Tone, please God we’ll be fine at Wembley?
Oh alright 🙁
bath, are you excavating on Saturday? Wait, Ardbeg did you say? Hell yeah 🙂
Arthur, lurky, N7, thanks to you. Our day will come.
Written like a true gooner, ‘holic. Well done.
Öskar
Just an addition to the last drinks for H2H…
Poldi has only started 13 of Arsenal’s 47 games so far this season, and taken off early at least once as in the chavs game where he was sacrificed for TV5 after the red card. He’s sat on the bench unused as often as he’s been called into a game. So clearly less of an impact sub than a last resort for AW.
Öskar
I’ve arrived back from a very flat and frustrated Emirates after a very in memorable performance. I wonder if an opposition goalkeeper has had as little to do as Vorm had tonight and yet we got into a winning position and blew it. There are plenty of players performing well below par. Arteta was very pedestrian , Cazorla as Holic says produced very little( as is increasingly the case) and only the arrival of two very effective substitutes in Poldi and Kallstrom who looked very decent, and a great run from Gibbs lifted us.
You hear a lot of rubbish at games but there was a sensible discussion on the train home about where we stand. If we lose our next two games we are in a real dogfight although we have a great record at Goodison. Citeh will start as big favourites on Saturday and Id bite your hand off for a draw.
Tactically I’m not really sure what Arsene is doing at present. We lack natural width and it only comes when we flog the full backs to death. We lack pace going forward and at the back and we played two holding midfielders at home to Swansea but not away to Chelsea! We have a slow passing rhythm without Ozil( if anyone ever wondered what he does tonight would have told you- he moves the ball quickly and intelligently ) and we still looked very exposed even with three holding midfielders in at the death. In fact Lee Probert’s whistle possibly spared us further embarrassment at the end. A perplexing night well described by Holic as usual and it really does feel like Arsene may decide to call it a day if the season ends on a very flat note.
Laters fellow Holics off to bed and some oozing time.
Hope dies the last 🙂
Fever Pitch always has been a piece of hope for me through the darkest hours of my Arsenal supporting years. A real genuine story of the football club I love, where, after many obstacles, misfortunes and bad luck, in the very end the principle of good finally wins against the principle of bad in the final happy end, just like in old good fairytales.
After nine years of struggling against the forces of evil, misery, humiliation from other club fans, many times in temptation to quit being Arsenal fan, I stood out and was really hoping that this year could be my Fever Pitch year.
Today I am sure that it will not be the case and that I will have to wait a year more. Disappointed, dashed, shattered, and broken as I am tonight, am I ready to wait another year to fulfill my dream?
You bet I am.
A fine report Holic. Fuckity fuck indeed. How apt an own goal…all of our own making with another inept performance – Groundhog Day 2014. Aahh the disappointments are hard to swallow unlike a fine malt with the promise of better times to follow. In the passage of time we always remember the good times easier than the bad.
Now we are in a real battle for top 4….have we got the bottle?? The future of some will depend on it. Onwards to Saturday…let’s grease our palms courtesy of the oilers. Onwards and upwards (in hope).
How did it all go so wrong??????? It’s quite simple, the squad isn’t good enough. It’s nowhere near the quality of others. We have sold our best players and not replaced them. We brought in shite that were on vast wages. Only recently have we relinquished some of that burden. We have quality but in nowhere near enough depth. We have millions and milions sitting idle in the Highbury coffers that for some bizarre reason we have failed to use to strengthen in the areas we clearly need to strengthen in and we are now seeing the result. Giroud has been flogged to death. We have no width and no pace. The midfield lacks balance and up front we lack penetration. So many look absolutely shattered and running That for me is the tip of the iceberg with where it went wrong.
Tonight was poor. We looked tired and lacklustre. Our passing was poor and our movement non existent. No one from midfield bust a gut to get up and support the striker.
Poldi made a positive impact when he came on. Kallstrom looked exactly what he is. A 30 something journeyman who is clearly short of matches. Sanogo???? I’m still far from convinced he has a future here. Time will tell and I’m more than willing to see what happens. But to have him as our only other striker is just something I will never get.
Bath is spot on. The ref may well have saved us from a total embarrassment.
Why we have not turned up today is beyond me. Why we have yet again not made an opposition keeper work again I will not understand. We need one massive wake up call or this could all be rapidly heading down the pan.
The problem is, you cannot see where a solution will come from. Confidence will be on the floor, and when you look at the bench, it seems incredibly light compared with our main rivals. The City game is looking more and more like it will be another total humilliation, but last night saw the leagues cock up kings at their very best.
There seems to be little or no intelligent thought in picking the starting eleven. Arsene reacted to the criticizm of not playing Flamini against Chelsea by starting him tonight. Poldi was ineffectual in that game, and so was omitted yesterday, yet despite this he remains our best finisher, as he proved. One thing we lack is pace, so why not start with Gnabry, who would have provided that, and also a certain physicality that some of the players lack.
I`m afraid it could get rather grim, with another disaster looming at the weekend, a future visit to Everton to whet the appetite, and the prospect of us having to win every other game to preserve our PL status.
Poldi was ineffectual against the chavs, Bbum, because all the early play was down the other end and he was sacrificed early for a defender when the red card came. As usual Poldi was the first player subbed by AW who clearly has a problem I don’t see with him, while being blind to the overrated Cazorla who cannot make an accurate pass to save his life.
Öskar
Very well written, ‘holic, the voice of reason as always.
I read comments from some people and I seriously wonder how they get through life. Most people just set unrealistic targets for Arsenal and then become upset when those targets are not achieved. How many people looked at the Chelsea, Arsenal and City squads at the beginning of the season and still rationally expected Arsenal to win the league? The fact, in my opinion, is that Chelsea and City possess deeper squads, quality and number wise, than us and usually the deeper(quality and quantity wise) the squad the higher their chances of winning games, points, and inevitably, trophies over the course of the season. If we win the league this season(it is still mathematically possible) it would be the exception and not the norm. So please let’s try not to land ourselves in the hospital because Arsenal might not win the league this season because frankly it was almost never in the offing even though our feelings won’t allow us see that early.
Now I hear you say things like “but we were top of the league in february, if we managed our top players better they would be fit now and we’d still be top now” well, I’m sorry to break it to you but it looks to me like clubs have two options, either you play your best players in every game until they get injured and you then have to replace them(and lose points if you replace them with inferior players) or rest them regularly (and lose points if you replace them with inferior players) either way, you CAN’T be able to have your 1st eleven performing at their best for 100 percent of the season and the consistency of your team depends on how deep the quality you have in your squad is, if you can replace a 10/10 player with a 10/10 player then you have better chances of winning more consistently than a team who replaces a 10/10 player with a 9/10 player.
Based on the above premise(if you agreed with it) getting angry that we might not win the league this year is like been angry with yourself because you couldn’t afford to buy the latest private jet Warren Buffet bought for his family, except of course you’re Bill Gates. Then again you could win the lottery tomorrow and buy that jet but what are your chances of winning the lottery tomorrow?
There’s really one huge problem here. The XI we are putting on the pitch has a hard time creating chances because its shorn of too many of its best players. No Ozil, Ramsey, Walcott and Wilshere means we are depending on Cazorla, Rosicky, and Chamberlain (before he came off) as our primary creators, with only Giroud and Poldi as natural finishers. That isn’t good enough to chase the game, as we basically learned the hard way. We were very fortunate to score 2 goals, the second especially was a gift.
Lets be fair to Arsenal – how would Liverpool look without say Suarez, Sturridge and Allen (a reasonable comparison to our 4 attacking absences)? Its not the number of injuries that we have right now thats the problem, its that it happens to be to all of our best players who are injured.
Scary to say it, but for the critical next 2 matches we really need Kim Kallstrom to step up. He showed some potential as a deep creator in central midfield; if he can build on that it adds an important dimension back to Arsenal’s counterattack.
Unfortunately our defense isn’t the same with Vermaelen around instead of Koscielny. Frankly I’m too scared of him to be willing to discuss it any further, lets just move on.
Pretty nervous but there’s nothing to do but go forward. All the kvetching out there is pointless. UTA.
A nice write up Holic, as you said we had a golden 66 seconds in which we levelled and took the lead. Other than that I found the game very hard to watch, despite all our possession we never looked like scoring until Poldi came on. There was a like of cutting edge, pace and real hunger. I thought we looked exactly like a team who had just been beaten 6-0, no confidence.
These things always happen as it is football and they seem to happen to us more often than not. It’s harder to take this season after enjoying a chunk of the season in pole position. It looked like this could be our season.
Not very optimistic right now, but FA cup and fourth is still very much on. Fourth really wouldn’t represent progress compared to last season, but an FA cup would.
Said earlier this season when we were top of the league that it hinged on keeping our good players healthy for a change. We’re staring right now at several of our key players out, some with surprisingly long injury spells, but at the beginning of the season we weren’t any luckier really. Ox, Cazorla, Arteta, Theo at least were all out for long periods at the beginning of the season.
Our squad is not as deep as some of the others at the top, but we could have finished well if we only could figure out our injury problems. We’ve had injury problems for years now, and it’s probably cost us the league at least once, certainly if we are including the Eduardo, Ramsey, and Diaby injuries, which saw two careers ruined. Two weeks ago we had 10 players injured if you looked at physio.com, and the average league team had 4.2 players injured so we’re 3 standard deviations from the mean. Now, it’s not exactly comparing apples to apples since we play more games than say Aston Villa, but the other big teams, United, Liverpool, Citeh, Chelsea had only a few injuries and only a couple to key players, like Aguero.
So some of the injury trouble is just bad luck, but when some of the players move on and seem to improve their injury situations, it just starts to look suspicious. To me this is and has been at the heart of the club’s failures for the last 10 years. Now, it’s hard to say if it’s over training, over playing, bad luck, bad treatment, something else, or a combination of all of these things, which it probably is, but with our record and the statistics I’ve seen it does seem to suggest that we are doing something wrong. It doesn’t really seem as though we rotate our squad less than the others, our fitness tracking and analysis should be as good as any in the world.
Please, please, please, we need to figure it out. If we have to find a new fitness director, revamp our training or rotate just a bit more we need to try it. This, to me, seems like the best place to start an inquest into our club’s current performance woes.
We have no depth and our best players are all injured . In the next week or so , some will come back and we will be better ,apres la pluie , il y a toujours le beau temps .
I hope we make the top four. , good night !
Matt @ 31: I think one of the attitude problems is that in good times there is a tendency to simplify the injury concerns as merely anecdotal and statistically at par with other big clubs. Which I think is a fallacious and somewhat superficial statistical analysis. If we look beyond the ‘first order’ numbers but try to establish correlation between relative drop of points with injury occurrence we would definitely find a very strong correlation vis-a-vis other big clubs.
In other words we suffer more in impact from our injuries because
(a) it is always our momentum-building/sustaining players for that season who get injured AND/OR
(b) we do not do adequate worst case analysis going into the season and at different milestones in the season
Cent@28: Great points about squad depth etc., but I think the dilemma that you had portrayed between not playing your best players to ground and lose points and playing your best players to ground and lose point due to injuries is a bit of a false one.
The trick is to rotate a bit proactively within the context of a team in a good run, reduce the probability (NOT possibility, freak injuries a la Theo are of course always possible) of injuries on your good players by resting them judiciously while the team is in a good run. In those times someone stepping in always would be fresher, less burdened, more motivated to stake claim, more inspired and the team would be less worried. And much less likelier to drop points compared to the scenario where you actually lose those momentum building players through injury for a longer, much longer, run.
Not only the injuries, just the fatigue that kicks in from overplaying key positions have severely detrimental effect on our players and as a result the ‘beautiful football’ suffers as well. Giroud is getting shit from many nowadays, but remember how bright and confident and full of movements he started this season. He can’t even sprint to the near post for a trademark early season goal now. To ask your center forward to play match after match the hold-up role in a physical league as PL without any break whatsoever is really not a good preparation for the run-in. Maybe we could have tweaked the strategies around a bit and use Poldi more centrally to give Giroud a rest?
While the going is good, just like us ourselves, our beloved club feels a little bit invincible and parties into the early morning hours, and then the flu sets in…
The arsenal supporters and the arsenal players have been very respectful and patient to Arsene based on his previous successful history for the club as a whole.
Arsene is well remunerated for his role, he has world class facilities available to him, he has world class funds available to him to build a top squad and have the best support staff behind him and he has had the full support of the owner and the board who also give him full control over the squad and his team who also have his full respect.
given all that is available to Arsene, you have to ask yourself would any other football manager regardless of playing philosophy or experience, seriously be able to have the team moral, team injury list and and squad depth in any worse shape then we are now.
Lurkey @22 sums up my feelings .
I have followed the Arsenal since the early 1960’s and i have seen high and lows(more lows until the late 1980″s to be frank).
Yes 9 years is along time ,but in that time the Gunners have played some the best football i have ever seen.
The year befores with the invincables etc had to be seen to be believed and we are all privaleged to have witnessed that team.
At the end of the day would you want to support any other team than Arsenal.
We will have highs and lows every season, but the joy we get far outweighs the occcasional kick in the guts we are feeling now.
Image you could have become a spuds fan!!!!!
Sorry, but blaming injuries to Rambo, Theo, Jack and Özilla for our current poor form doesn’t wash. We had two of the three for the Pool game but lost 5-1, and three of them played against City when well beaten 6-3. On that basis, if we’d had a couple or three of our injured available for the chavs game perhaps we might have scored, but there’s no evidence to suggest we wouldn’t have been thrashed anyway.
The evidence that we would have struggled has been there to see for most of the season. Yes we won a lot of games, but there were very few convincing wins among them. Most involved a lot of angst late in the game.
The chickens have been circling for a while, friends, and now they’re coming home to roost.
Öskar
Apres la pluie, Montreal? C’est après le deluge, je pense. Not so easy to get a foothold when the ground under your feet has been so thoroughly washed away. 😉
Öskar
Dr. F, I believe by now we all know how Podolski performs in that central role, if Giroud is a 7 in that role then Poldi is like a 4. Take City for example who have 3, players who can play that role as good as Giroud, 2 of those 3(if not all 3) can play better than him. We can play Podolski upfront but it drops the possibility of us getting a goal considerably, if City rests 2 first choice strikers their chances of scoring goals will only ‘drop’ to the levels of that of our first choice attack.
Their is only so far as momentum can get a team, Barcelona can play me upfront against Barnsley and win the game 9 times out of ten but if they play me against Madrid they will get mauled 9 times out of ten.
A question for you; if this was 2003 and Arsenal had 2 games against a title rivals in a space of 7 days would Henry play 90 minutes against a team of Swansea’s status in between?
Oh dear. If Steve is relapsing, something must be wrong. 😉
I hope the squad will give us all something to smile about soon.
7 games + 1 (possibly 2)
Remember- the pressure is at the top.;)
COYG’s
Did anyone notice that my last wink messed up because it was too close to the full stop?
Could the nerves be kicking in? 😉
Scholes and Neville’s analysis was gut wrenchingly accurate. The only player I would exempt from their criticism is Ramsey.
Morning. On my way into work and feel no better today.
What I forgot to say yesterday was that H, top quality balanced report. I would clearly have been nowhere near such rational thought.
You raise an interesting point re AW and his tenure at the club. I have always very much been in the school of thought that thinks he should be given the opportunity to build another top side. I have always thought he has earned that rite. But for me both he and the club have had the opportunity to do so and have failed miserably re this aspect. I never thought I would ever say this but for the first time I am asking myself, does AW really have what it takes to build another top side?
I look at the side that Amy Lawrence picked as Wenger’s best. Only Shezza made it on to the bench. That tells you as much about how good previous sides have been as it does about the deficiencies in the current squad in my opinion.
People point to injuries. Of course the loss of the likes of Theo and Aaron are big losses. But many for some time now have raised eyebrows at training methods and treatment regimes when it comes to the injury total. Some are just bad luck but certainly not all of them.
Citeh loom at the weekend and I won’t be the only one to say that I’m far from confident. I will look at their support team and see Paddy sit there and wonder why on earth he is not in our ranks.
I think we really do need to have a good look at ourselves and what we have. I will believe it when I see it re players returning. Until then we need to focus on what we have and try and work out how we can get something on Saturday and away at Everton.
One of your best in the circumstances, Holic. Really well done. No need for any fucking apologies per your last line. The dog’s been kicked, a bottle’s been thrown through the telly and there’s a big red stain on Her Nellieness’ lounge wall where the Chateau LaFite Rothschild glass hit the wall when the ball hit the net off Flamini’s shin. I think I understand your frustration.
How the fuckity fuck did it all go wrong?
Despite views to the contrary from the antipodes, it started to go wrong on December 16 when Ramsey, at that stage our top scorer, the league’s outstanding player and a revelation in red, damaged his thigh. One player doesn’t make a team? Tell that to last season’s champion’s who, absent RvC would have finished mid-table or Brendan the Red absent Luis Suarez. Multiple more examples are prevalent but I won’t elaborate.
I think we might have been able to withstand Aaron’s absence if it hadn’t then been compounded progressively by the disappearances of Walcott, Ozil, Wilshere, Koscielny interspersed by the frequent long term unavailability of Vermaelen, Gibbs and Monreal.
I note views to the contrary on the absence of these players, suggesting it to be the equivalent of a mere flesh wound that 1) the team should have been able to run off or 2) we should have spent our unconstrained millions to correct.
Ozil, Walcott, Wilshere, Ramsey, Koscielny are at the pinnacle and will/would all have started for their nations in the coming World Cup (had they been fit/Wales qualified). Absent any ONE, their national teams will/would be weaker. And Arsenal are expected to run off the flesh wound when all five are out. Really?
Why didn’t we spend the “gazillions” rotting in RBS vaults? Simply because other clubs didn’t want to sell the players that would move the needle and
who would actually have a future at Arsenal as opposed to sitting on the bench in the style of Squidlacci? We could, of-course, also have replicated the example set by the neighbours and poured 100M down the gurgler. “We’ve got money and we’re damned well going to spend it whether or not there’s anyone worth buying, by God!” Include me out of the lobby in favour of that approach. Please.
Only one team in Europe could sustain an equivalent talent cull and compete in their domestic (but not European) competitions. Not Barca or Madrid, not Bayern or Dortmund, not PSG, not Chel$ki and as for Manure, Ha!!
Only Manchester City could (arguably).
And why’s that? Unconstrained ability to spend absent of financial consequence. To ignore the simple fact that success and financial are inextricably linked is to contend that the sun rises in the West. Which is why Manchester, England and, in time Europe will bask under a long term Blue Moon until Abu Dhabi’s oil runs out or The Milk Sheik gets bored. But don’t get me started on that!
It’s a magnificent day in the Kingdom. Ladybank golf course is basking in brilliant sunlight. It’s time to pick up my three balls, one each with a portrait of Mourinho, Slur Alex and RvC and give them 30 whacks each over 18 holes. Life’s great.
See you at the usual place pre-match on Saturday. I’m bring the lucky bunnet and so anticipating a home win and a holic pound prediction of 2-1 to the good guys 🙂
Spot on Maestro, again.
I had the ‘privilege’ of being at The Bus Stop and last night’s game. I’ve not seen us play like this since the start of the 11/12 season.
We’re completely one-paced, utterly devoid of movement at times, prone to a bit of calamity defending and many look like they’e running through treacle.
Swansea were gash for much of the game, we had a real opportunity to give them a lesson in football. Unfortunately, we’re closer to their level at the moment as opposed to City’s or Chel$ea’s.
Let’s hope this is the darkest bit of the night before dawn breaks but with City and Everton to play back-to-back, I’m unconvinced that it is.
Much of the talk last night was of the manager’s future. The tide seems to be turning in favour of change once again. At least that issue can be ignored until May but is unlikely to be.
UTA!
Another measured post Holic as always.
I felt like I should have been angry last night but I couldn’t even manufacture the emotion. Performances like that seem to always lurk under the surface in this club, and the missing ingredient was conspicuous by its absence.
Belief.
They can’t see themselves winning something because it’s too far outside their realm of consciousness. If the title was ever on it was given up against Chelsea, but what was on show last night was a reversion to type. They clicked into a learned behaviour after the first goal went in; they’ve practised this psychological routine repeatedly and it will take some serious un-learning.
Then when you need someone to come off the bench and put the frighteners on the opposition, you have KK and Sanogo, both of whom don’t just sum up the expression’you get what you pay for’ they roll up their sleeves and ram it down your throat with vim.
Mentality and squad depth. They might just be related.
I agree with the above balanced approaches.
The finish line is looming. The media are now doing their ‘did we do that?’ act and all we have is us.
Last night’s result was better than last Saturday’s controversial circus of events.
I ask myself questions at times like this. Do we play city to win, or do we play city not to lose?
There is no doubt in my mind that city are a very strong side, but they also have weaknesses. Let’s not forget, whether it was a Mourniho tactic or not, that Chelsea left the Ems with one point earlier this season. We were a side brimming with confidence at the time, whereas now it’s slightly different. The pressure is back on us on this Saturday, where we will need our Focus, discipline and guile to be 100%.
We need to regain our confidence! Let’s look at Saturday as being one of those results we have to grind out! We’ve done it before so let’s do it again! Things are going to get harder, so we just need to keep our heads down and our feet to the grindstone!
Me tinks! 😉
I suppose we could take comfort by looking at the league table from this time last year. We were 4 points behind Spurs, and only 2 ahead of Everton. That turned out alright.
We may just have to grit out teeth until the Wigan game on April 12th, hopefully we’ll have a few lads back in action by then. The Wigan game is followed by another winnable (argh) home match vs West Ham. Hopefully the fresh legs of Ramsey, Ozil & Co will send us sprinting, rather than limping, over the finish line.
Spelled my own name wrong. These really are bad times.
Porco @ 46
You are bang on about the belief.
We need to go win the cup this season. It’s essential. Get that monkey off our back, give the lads a taste for silverware and show them that they’re capable of it, that they’re not cursed.
Do that, make the right tweaks and avoid another injurypocalypse and we will have a real shot next term. It was never on this season, despite our early season form.
Main thing now is that they don’t allow the whole campaign down the gurgler – there is still plenty to fight for, and plenty of time to fight for it.
As ever, I’ll hold the autopsy in May when all the data is in. Until then it’s eyes front, back the team and fuck the rest.
Remember who you are and what you represent: that goes for the players, and for us.
It is as mysterious as the Malaysian airline , the team fades away at the end of the season , year after year and nobody can come up with a good explanation .
My explanation is the team has no depth and AW has to play the best players to exhaustion which result in injuries .
MG – The last I heard, the airline crashed. Or did it sink? When did it stop? Where did it stop?
One thing’s for sure. We are being told that it’s missing. 😉
Blaming injuries all the time makes no sense even though they are players who are impossible to replace, but which team dint have injuries, you need to create the right back up strength and when you see an drained out giroud replaced by sanogo, you know that has not happened.
We cannot shield ourselves by saying its unfortunate, not its not, plain fact is we dont seem to have answers when pushed, we dont have a damn plan b,c or z.If swansea can show us how poor we are, then chelsea showed us where we are in every sense.
Arsenal need to have a squad and not just a team, even the first 11 i think only 6 can be considered as regulars, rest are there to manage, i mean we cant keep managing things. In this i think Wenger needs to take the blame, he over estimates certain players ability and it has hurt him and us way often.
ex- striker we all know we needed and yet we dint buy, either at the start or atleast in jan, anyone who could have come and lifted the team up, why not try a remy/ he would have come right.
With so many injuries and with theo out, we went for draxler throughout a month than get a far more feasible option, anyone i mean someone who can refresh the squad, we dint.
I can go on and on but fact is we could have won the league this time, apart from city everyone else were average, this could have been ours if we were wise, now we are struggling and running empty, we cant keep blaming the players, but some of them are nowhere near the need we have, cazorla as much as i love him has had a poor season, jack poor, tv5 enough said, but thats the problem right, we cannot do anything on these players, can we drop santi or jack/ no, why because everyone loves them.
The season is been carried by players, ramsey and ozil first half, rozza and the defense later on, what are the others doing? we keep waiting for the return of ozil/ramsey but they are human they cant do it all, always, this truly hurts, i mean how can we do this
As lurky said the fever pitch moment was what i was thinking it will be this season, 10 years of waiting for the league, 10 fucking years and the wait will go on, of course come next season i again believe we can win it but belief is one reality is another.Sorry i may have been a bit over the top but the pain is excruciating.
“At 2-1 we became too conservative because of what happened on Saturday,” Wenger told BBC Sport.
“And instead of continuing to attack we were more worried to keep the score.”
That’s how you win games when you go ahead late on. You get in front then you hold your shape and see it through. I thought he’d learnt that last season, when results were gained through reigning in the headless chicken charge forward and I thought we’d learned what was a good result and to accept it.
We got knocked out of the CL because of that approach, conceding a late second because the centre back thought he could just charge up the pitch with just a minute or two left to play, instead of taking the 0-1.
Still… FA Cup to win. If we don’t win that with the teams left in it, it’s time for a change.
That was cruel, cruel, cruel. After a nervous first half, in the crowd and on the pitch, we did pick up 2nd half, initially without reward, and then that marvelous minute when we scored two goals. On the North Bank we started singing properly again. A fantastic breaking out of the Santi Cazorla chant, not when he wandered over to take a corner, as is usual, but in mid play, spontaneously, after he taken a ball down in mid air, wriggled free, beat four men and sprayed out a wide pass to the wing. 49, 49 undefeated got an airing or two. But with 36 seconds showing on the match clock, at the Clock End, it felt like the Carling Cup final revisited as players’ limbs seemed to go in all directions, the ball took on a mind of its own and trickled agonisingly over the line. Total silence seemed to fall, apart from a distant buzz of sheep shagger shouting. I have never heard the crowd at the Emirates so completely quiet in that moment, as the hopes and fears of the season were, in order, dashed and fulfilled. Utter despair (but not anger) as everyone trooped out of the stadium and down the Hornsey Road. Heads down and shaking heads on the platform waiting for the train home. We were at Hitchin, 30 minutes into our journey, before my son and I felt strong enough to start discussing the game. I won’t revisit the many arguments above – I agree with some and not with others. But that was a steel toe capped boot to the wedding tackle last night.
We have to accept our season has fallen apart for reasons expressed here and in many other friendly media outlets.
I have never felt so flat at one of our games, as I did at last night’s turgid display. I went with the intention of singing my heart out but finished up sitting in silence for much of the game, unheard of as far as I’m concerned.
We are a spent force in need of inspiration and fresh minds and legs. The cupboard is bare and we all know where the fault lies. I’m dreading Saturday.
COYRs
Thanks for popping by countryman. Felt that post.
Delia, I’m with you on Saturday. Lots of Dutch courage needed beforehand, methinks.
Have a good day all.
Cent@28
You claim that some people have a tendency to overreact because their targets are not achieved. While I agree with that, I don’t agree with the rest of your post.
It is not the fans title expectations that is the problem at the moment, the way I see it.
If anyone has lowered their expectations trough the years it is us, the Arsenal fans. At least the Arsenal fans that are frequent in this bar, the Holic’s.
I really don’t remember anyone here expecting we fight for the title when this season started. I even don’t remember anyone here expecting it even when we beat the Tots in the third match day and signed Ozil the day after.
Well, apart from Snir and maybe BtM, correct me if I am wrong.
All we wanted at the start of the season is to be the better side from the one that finished last competitive year, or to put it in Steve T words- be the best you can be.
First time in many years we did not have to sell our best player, first time in years we had the resources to buy quality, first time in years we had a real spine of the team, first time in years we had stability.
And yet, are we better than we were from last year? I’ll leave that to your judgement.
I’ve based mine mainly on several key factors.
Are we better positioned than last year. Yes, at the moment we are, but only at the moment. Did we gained more points than this period last year. Haven’t checked it but I guess the answer is no. And I am sorry to say it, but I don’t expect more than 1 point in the next two games. Hope to be pleasantly surprised of course. So, no improvement on the points tally from last year.
Champions League. No improvement. Same old.
Playing style, tactics, debatable starting line ups, late substitutions or lack of them. The same story. No Improvement.
Tendency to change, experiment, try something new. It was the case last season and it kept us alive. No improvement this year. In fact it is worse. No creativity, no idea. Stagnation.
Transfer activity. No improvement. Worse than last year and the year before.
Injury list -worse than last year. Same problems. No improvement.
FA Cup is the only improvement from the last year and thanks to the other big teams that had failed to qualify in the semis, that is where the most of our hopes will be based till the end of the season.
Looking at the opponents that are still in the competition, I expect us to win it, as majority of the fans here I guess. As you expect us to win it, I guess.
But if we fail to do it, please, don’t come here in May, claiming that the fans are wrong because they had wrong attitude and high expectations.
Great review, ‘holic and some heart-felt posts above. The only one I don’t really understand is Montreal’s “the team fades away at the end of the season , year after year and nobody can come up with a good explanation”.
Last season? The team faded away last season? The team had a fantastic run-in last season, second to none.
The mystery here is where these myths spring from – do people really have such short memories?
Me – despite the match looming on Saturday, I’m still pretty confident about CL qualification (3rd or 4th – “frankly, my dears, I don’t give a damn”) and the FA Cup. We may not have as many points as at this stage last season but we have a bigger positive gap. The pressure is on the other teams too and there are many twists to come down the final straight. Don’t underrate our squad and overrate the others. They’re looking tired, a bit forlorn maybe, but they’ll do it.
@ Lurky
“Transfer activity. No improvement. Worse than last year and the year before.”
We signed a world class player for nearly three times our transfer record.
We made a serious attempt to sign the best player in the country.
Our transfer record has been far from perfect this season, but you don’t see any signs of improvement?
Our performance vs last season.
2014 – 31 games in, 63 points.
2013 – 30 games in, 53 points.
Can’t find the 2013 stats for 31 games, but draw your own conclusions. We can lose the next two and there will still have been (slight) improvement.
I don’t understand how anyone can look at the season so far and not detect slight improvement. We’ve been in the title race until late March. We are in the FA Cup semi final. We have more points. We’ve signed a better player and showed we have some cash and will spend it.
We’ve been fucking shocking the last two games and been humped three times. We’re not going to win the league. Cry me a river.
Why do we have to make mountains out of molehills? And before anyone says it, no I’m not minimising the paucity of the last 5 days. I just don’t understand why 5 shit days get blown up into a shit year.
The season’s not over yet – the real judgement will come in May.
56 points from first 31 games last season, N7G.
N7
Whilst I would certainly acknowledge that we have improved since last season, I think that being in the title race until late March was helped by the circumstances of the other teams usually involved in it.
Arsenal & Liverpool are the only teams in the top 7 that are under the same management since last May. For the others, you could argue they’ve been under a “transitional period” for most of this season. But it’s wearing off now. They are finding their feet, whilst we are losing ours.
Like I said at #48, grit our teeth until Wembley, hope for a few returns from injury, sprint over the finish line, and voila, top 4 and a trophy. Who wouldn’t have taken that after the Villa defeat?
N7, I love your style. Sometimes I think your me in disguise 🙂
GREAT golf in the Kingdom this morning. Do you play by any chance?
Cynic @ 54
I’m surprised Arsene said that because that’s not what I saw at all. I didn’t see a team ‘trying to keep the score’, I saw a bunch of dudes sprinting about in a panic not really knowing what they were doing, while Swansea fed off that fear and took full advantage of it.
Well said N7@61. Perspective is what we need right now.
Thank you for your balanced post ‘holic, you are a far better man then I, as I was in hissy fit mode last night and I left this wonderful bar for fear of letting out a knee jerking, toy throwing all out bitch rant that was bubbling inside me after watching that pile of poo. I’d like to report that I’m feeling a bit better now, but that would be a lie, because I still can’t get my head around what a lackluster performance that was.
A lot of level headed ‘holics here have also vented their concerns and it’s hard to disagree with many. Last night simply wasn’t good enough on so many levels that it was scary. From confidence, to leadership, to drive, to desire, to quality, to ideas, to guile, to plain common sense, we lacked them all. There was a two/three minute period in which our goals came and the bit of Santi magic that C100 refered to, but that was about it, the rest just didn’t cut it and that is unacceptable for a team that has harboured title aspirations for so long, especialy against a team that has been flirting with the drop zone for the best part of the season.
Cent/Lurky.
I believe that lurky answers pretty well, behalf from the bits N7 corrected, but basically I agree with him because, Cent, not many of us here said we should be winning the title. we know that we can’t really compete with the Fossil Fueled fucks, but using the same logic surely we should expect more against teams like Swansea? People are angry and rightly so. I’m not talking about the serial moaners who would bitch no matter what, but there are a lot of optimists, “sunny siders” for complete lack of a better term, who are feeling that the jam has been half inched from their doughnut. The last few days have the hallmarks of a complete meltdown and it’s mostly of our own doing and that, at this moment in time, is a little hard to swallow.
ps Cent, The fact, in my opinion……. That’s very Rafa Benitez of you. 😉
Uncle Charle (sic 😉 )
I suppose we could take comfort by looking at the league table from this time last year. We were 4 points behind Spurs, and only 2 ahead of Everton. That turned out alright.
That’s one way of looking at it, but honestly, comparing our position to last year is what scares me the most. The roles are now reversed. Last year we had upward momentum and were full of confidence, this year we are nervously looking over shoulder and confidence is in the crapper. Like I said last night, we are looking at the very real possibility of going to Goodison knowing that a defeat would knock us out of the top four, because with the state we are now in, the last opponents you’d want to meet would be high flying, petro dollar powered Citeh, but that is who were up against in a few short days.
Now is the time for Arsene and the players to step up, it may not be the last chance saloon, but the chubby broad sure as shit is in the dressing room having a gargle and a honey based tea.
Good post, ‘Holic. Didn’t get to see the game. Was only able to check the score three times: 0-1, 2-1 and 2-2. Two WTF moments out of three. But looking at goal-highlights video, the first one underlined why Kos and Per are the first choice centre-back pairing while the own goal looked like one that only happens to teams stuck in a rut. We need fresh minds on the pitch as much if not more than fresh legs.
Good level headed stuff, as always, N7.
I think the major dissapointment with many is because of what I will call the “what might of been” factor.
It just seems that inspite of doing really well in most of the season, we are destined to make the same mistakes again, plus the lack of investment in the squad (again) has come back to bite us in the arse.
I really don’t buy the “there was no one available” line because surely there must be some striker, DM, even the stoppiest of stop gap options that could of came in and done a job!?
That’s enough bitching from me, as it really isn’t in my nature. I’ll go back into support mode.
Arsenal til I die!!!
Well some of us don’t knock small balls around a big green field.
Me, I’m royally pissed-off. 😯
A classic concluding sentence, H2H
(@ 67)
Lurky @58, I believe N7 has answered most of your queries so I will just touch on a few more things;
“the FA cup is the only improvement thanks to other top teams who didn’t qualify for the Semis” I wonder why those top teams didn’t qualify into the Semis, they must have thought “poor old Arsenal almost going ten years without a trophy” and so laid on their backsides while we tickled their tummies and sneaked into the Semis. Here goes my thanks to all the teams like Everton, Liverpool, and of course our lovely neighbours who we can’t smile without, who made it possible for us to be going to Wembley, I appreciate your kindness.
“And if we fail to win it, please, don’t come here in may claiming the fans are wrong because they have the wrong attitude and high expectations”
Sorry to disappoint you but so long as the Governor doesn’t throw me out, and I won’t intentionally provoke him, I will come here anytime my circumstances permit me to, and post anything I think is appropriate, in anyway I feel best expresses my thoughts.
Cheers for the fine report ‘H.
Another brutal night. Just not good enough I’m afraid, with all the familiar failings of this team once again on show.
From my seat high up in the gods at the Clock End (cheers Dr Z), I was afforded a view that clinically exposed the lack of that most ephemeral of qualities, confidence, that currently infects the group, with all the resultant loss of movement and speed of thought that that entails.
Arteta doesn’t have the legs to play as the defensive wall in front of the back four. Quite how, then, Arsene imagines that he will have the legs to play box to box is beyond me. Stripped of energy, speed and stamina, his speed of thought has also disappeared down the swanny. Time and again last night Santi ,(whose own performance improved I thought as the game went on after a very slow start), extricated himself from trouble to play Arteta in with space in front to run into. The result? Time and again Mikel took an age before playing a simple ball back to a heavily marked Santi which put him back into the trouble from which he had just emerged. It all spoke of a man who has been so shaken by his own recent performances that he no longer trusts his own instincts.
It is far too early to make any definitive judgement on Kallstrom, but I thought he enjoyed a tidy little cameo for 15 minutes. He should be fresh and doesn’t have the weight of recent results weighing him down. Play him Arsene.
Up front I would say that Giroud’s movement was poor but I can’t. It was worse than that. It didn’t exist. Even on days when he has looked at his most cumbersome in front of goal, we could at least rely on the fact that we had a player prepared to run the channels, to close down defenders and to fight for every ball, qualities that persuaded many (including myself) to turn a blind eye to his failings. Last night these qualities were noticeable by their absence, and all we were left with was a half-hearted poseur who appeared to think that gestures of annoyance at every futile attempt to hold the ball up was enough to show his commitment to the cause. It wasn’t. Sanogo showed more pace, energy and interest(!) in five minutes than Giroud had all game. Play him Arsene.
The game cried out for pace, and not just the physical but the cerebral. Move the ball on quickly. I couldn’t agree more with Ttg’s assessment that without Ozil, we have no-one (the excellent TR7 aside), prepared to take the initiative and look for openings. Rosicky did his best. One superb interchange of passing almost led to a goal in the first half but even his noted commitment and willingness to run himself to a standstill must have been severely tested when halfway through the second half a fine run took him past two defenders, only for him to look up to find that the only support he had with him was a completely static Giroud.
Ox had a poor game. Though his substitution was understandable, I disagreed with it at the time. With his pace at least he provided an outlet of sorts, and though his execution was distinctly wayward, at least he was prepared to try things to get the team on the front foot. With Santi’s first instinct to come inside, and the Ox struggling, it was left to the two full backs to provide any kind of width. Both full backs coped admirably with their workload, but it is a strain (both offensively and defensively) that is unlikely to yield much of a return in the long run.
All the while a young man sat on the bench who offers pace, width and commitment and who has let no-one down whenever he has had the opportunity, It must be time to give Gnabry another run. Play him Arsene.
Defensively there was a nervousness that I suppose was an inevitable hangover from the weekend drubbing. The way Vermaelen was beaten all ends up by Bony for their first and again late in the second half when thankfully Bony’s header was straight at Sczcz is a huge worry with the City forward line and Lukaku at Everton on the horizon. Who the fuck plays up front for Wigan these days? That I am even worrying about that tells it’s own story.
Individual failings can however at least be understood if not excused. What is beyond the pale is the collective lack of defensive responsibility or organisation shown. First half, we have a corner. Swansea bring everyone back. How do we line up? Gibbs is our deepest defender. He is at most 35 yards out. Flamini is a couple of yards advanced of him. Everybody else floods the box. The result? A simple clearance and suddenly it’s 4 on 2. Luckily Swansea made a right pigs ear of the opportunity and you would have thought lessons would be learned (not least because we conceded to Villa in that fashion on the opening day). Not a bit of it. Next corner exactly the same. I cannot have been alone in thinking that the spate of corners we had towards the end of the first half presented a greater threat to our goal than to theirs.
Poldi’s rather fortuitous first and excellent ball for the second in one crazy minute offered us an unlikely get out, but such was the paucity of the performance that it always felt that there would be a sting in the tail. We immediately dropped twenty yards and at once handed any initiative to a Swansea side with nothing to lose. At home (!) … to Swansea (!) … for fucks sake.
The inherent comedy of their equaliser merely added to the gloom and fatalistic resignation that hung over the Emirates last night. As Countryman has said there was no anger at the final whistle, merely a wistful and collective introspection.
Back at the Tollie and amongst familiar faces, it has been interesting to observe the changes of mood in recent weeks – the pub atmosphere as good a barometer as any other to test the prevailing spirit. Exuberance after Everton and Liverpool, anger after Man Utd, quiet satisfaction after Sunderland, and raging disappointment after Bayern.
Last night there was nothing, just stoic deflation and tired acceptance. Talk turned inevitably to the position of the Manager. This was however a conversation without fire. None of the usual battlelines were drawn. No-one had the energy or the will. Instead, a weary acknowledgement permeated all that familiar failings of the recent past have once again reared their head, and that rather like a second attack of mumps or chicken pox, it feels much much worse when it returns after you thought you’d got rid of it, not least because the consequences might be much more far-reaching this time around.
This is a team, a Manager, and a fanbase running on empty.
Fucking hell. Arsenal, bloody Arsenal.
“Blaming injuries all the time makes no sense even though they are players who are impossible to replace”
That’s a classic Vinay! We had a poet called McGonagall up here who used to write quality poetry along the very lines of your logic 🙂
Slightly amusing;
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/random-moyes-excuse-generator-david-6877533
Excellent stuff, TaBS.
@70 – Fabulous game. Be happy to introduce you anytime. Emirates on Saturday next?
Top shelf that, tabs.
Definetly saw the same highly frustrating 90 odd minutes. Was interesting hearing the perspective from the battle cruiser. Cheers.
H2H, I fully agree that yesterday’s performance was not Anywhere near the kind befitting of Arsenal or a side that has ambitions of winning the title, all I’m saying is that looking at the resources at our disposal it’s clear to me that performances like that will happen quite a few times during the course of a season, we will still grind out results on some occasions but on some other occasions we will fall short like we did yesterday. It doesn’t lessen the pains of witnessing the likes of yesterday’s performance but it helps in dealing with the disappointment.
Heh @ my Benitez moment, what I meant to write is closer to “the fact, as I see it” than what actually came out.
takeabowson – superb post. I agree 100% with your analysis and also with your lyrical description of the mood. All the things I was trying to say, you just said with style.
“This is a team, a Manager, and a fanbase running on empty”. Truth.
This pub has some class …..
Nice piece TaBS.
Great article Tabs.
Highlights many of the concerns – especially our “familiar failings” which as you say, we thought were finally addressed.
I also feel we should be prepared to play some of the younger players to inject pace.
Were in a real dogfight to secure CL footie so consolidation and support is most important.
tabs @ 74: Excellent post. And fully agree with the observations, especially about poor Mikel…kind of sad to see such a gifted and tactically sharp player to realize that he is no energy or pace left and hence despite anticipating passes. moves and positions has no chance of doing anything about them.
It is quite ironic how a few months or so back we were discussing whether this is the deepest Arsenal MF squad strength in recent years and now we have no top level option for either a DM or a box-to-box or a genuine no.10 (even though TR7 comes close with his inimitable style).
However the injury that makes me most concerned is that of Kos, especially the way Bony gave TV5 a rather hard time yesterday, exposing our captain’s well known failings of going in too early for challenges and tackles and tendency to lose the defensive line.
Cent, about squad depth and injuries etc., I think what probably hurts many supporters like us who are not pessimists and who are for the most part admire, respect and value Arsene immensely is that there has been a lack of foresight displayed about team composition. Yes spending wise we had no business being on top of the PL on Jan 1, but there we were, and that in itself was a great chance. The signs were there that the DM and box-to-box would become a problem with Arteta showing legginess as early as the Christmas period, Rambo injured. It was a firmly established fact that Theo would be out for the rest of the season and we needed someone capable of stretching the game down the flanks and score a few goals. Just like we got Kallstrom on loan — who I think will turn out to be an useful signing by look of things — we really should have made sure that there is enough cover and options for these positions, even if some or all of those are short-terms. We had a very good chance at the title, and we didn’t commit ourselves fully to that challenge. Instead of erring on the side of options and caution we gambled in terms of team composition.
I also feel we should be prepared to play some of the younger players to inject pace.
I’m not going to disagree with you there Joe, but the problem is, if AW chucks in the kids and it backfires, that’s just another stick to beat him with.
In the situation we are in, he’s fucked if he does and he’s fucked if he doesn’t.
It’s all very precarious, we need a string of good results and we need them now, perception is everything.
TTG gets the award for the word of the day to describe the match:
“Pedestrian”. Especially in most recent seasons, when things come apart for this side, particularly against teams you should beat handily, Arsenal are totally pedestrian and predictable, and simple to defend against. And make no mistake — even if Arsenal held on yesterday, that would have been a 66 second smash and grab…vs. Swansea….at home…..
What’s missing? To these eyes, it’s another p word–“Power”. Divide the Wenger era into roughly halves: in the first half, the profile of the players in the team oozed it — personality, pace, but mostly physicality. In the second half, it’s easy to note that the players, who are arguably as technically skilled and talented overall as those earlier sides, with as many internationals in the squad, are just not as physically powerful. It’s a small-in-stature/muscle side generally, and they will be forced off the ball more easily, will wear down more readily over time, and injure more easily than other quality teams.
Why AW has not addressed that is a mystery. Perhaps he put most of his reliance on Song, Diaby, Frimpong and to some extent Ramsey to provide it, and that just hasn’t worked out. And long term, I’m not going to trot out the usual “get one enforcer DM type” and all the problems would go away. I think that you need to introduce power throughout the squad (in at least one FB slot, up front, central defender, and other midfield) to really be able to effectively compete in all competitions).
Et tu Bacary?
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/mar/26/manchester-city-offer-bacary-sagna-arsenal-three-year-deal?CMP=twt_gu
@NBN
Cheers for the info.
@BtM
Sadly not a golfer – family and work means I never get the time. It’s all I can do to play football once a week.
Kudos right back at you for your posts – beacon of positivity when the going gets tough.
@H2H
The thing is, he DID buy the stoppiest of stop gap options in DM in January… and he got massively coated off for it! Our complaint seems to be “there must be SOMEONE he could buy”, and then when he adds a Kallstrom “who the FUCK is this no hoper”?
The lesson is: we need to do our business in the summer, when there’s business to be done.
@Tabs
Absolutely bang on description of our failings.
The sad thing is that with the players we have we ought to be beating Swansea. The problem is that the likes of Giroud, Poldi and Cazorla are way off form, the centre of our midfield has been filleted and looks on its last legs and what pace we have is either too callow to be trusted or too young to carry the weight of expectation.
I agree with all your suggested changes.
My only hope is that the team can find a way to kick it up a notch. It’s only a few weeks since an Arsenal B side beat Liverpool at home.
I actually feel our biggest loss in recent weeks has been Ozil. How anyone can watch the last three games and not see what he brings the side is beyond me. Our tempo without him is fucked – we cannot hold onto the ball, we do not drive forward and we look so utterly unsure. He’s a player who makes those around him better, in addition to being an assists machine. Get well soon Mesut, old son – you’re needed back urgently.
Every word, TaBS.
The medical team seem unable to offer the manager a correct diagnosis and management/ recovery schedule.
He then rolls off two weeks and then has to update us that due to a setback blah blah blah.
These are highly skilled experienced professionals. How/ why they don’t appear competent in assessing a players injury and rehab time is a huge concern and is costing us season after season.
The manager doesn’t seem willing our able to revert back to employing players that can compete and endure the rigours of this league. The current crop seem all a little too precious and break way too easily. Men vs boys I guess, but that’s been our problem for years.
Barca-lite hasn’t yielded us anything since its inception and perhaps a move back to Wenger dynasty one is what’s needed.
I have to say, I would LOVE to see us move back to a counter-attacking style based on rock solid defence and pacy attack.
There have been signs of it in the last year, and Ozil’s presence means we have the tools, just a couple of smart signings and a shift in focus needed.
I think the problem we have is that injuries have rendered that style all but impossible for the time being.
That said the I’ll admit we do have the FA cup carrot dangling so very close.
I just hope the lads don’t choke on it…
Pace and Power wrapped in a silk glove.
Where do we find our Henry, Vieira, Pires, Gilberto, and Cesc (if Ozil is Cesc then where do we find Dennis?)
Draxler. Loic Remy. Lars Bender. A replacement right back, if required.
Pace and power across the front line.
A genius at the tip of midfield pulling the strings.
A top notch DM next to a perpetual motion Welshman and then a defence that has already shown it can do the job if properly protected.
Sit deeper, hit harder.
Make it happen, Arsene.
Horrible, rancid stuff from the team last night. It all started up front with Giroud, or the vortex where he should have been/was swallowed up. The decision not to strengthen in the last 2 windows – after chasing Higuain and Suarez for so long – looks to be a meek disgrace on a par with the Chavski hiding now.
How did our manager let our striking options dwindle to Giroud, the ever-so-raw Sonogo, and an ostracised out of contract Bendtner? (Is it negligence?)
Only Flamini, Sagna, Rosicky, and Cazorla deserved any credit out of that for me. (Despite the latter two creating the arse end of nothing for no-one.) The keeper should be dropped post-haste. Giroud deserves Ebola.
Where is the pace?
Where is the power?
What does Arteta do?
Sonogo and the delightful Flamini look weak additions now, especially given our cash. Stop-gaps, but for what?
These are dark times.
UTA
Tabs@74: Spot on.
@78
Waste of a good walk.
I said walk.
😎
Had to make do with the commentary on Arsenal Player last night so great thanks ( very late when I stirred ) to Holic for the report.
Thanks, Tabs, too for that excellent write-up. Other very good and indisputable stuff from Steve T, ttg and countryman.
Zico has taken a somewhat shorter approach – “i’m royally pissed off” – and I have to say that does it for me too.
Not pissed off in a stompy, growling, door kicking kind of way. Like the crowd afterwards, and Porco here, I just felt exhausted – I mean, you can only get really angry about exactly the same thing so many times, can’t you ?
In the end, it’s like a child who refuses to change it’s stupid, errant behaviour – you just can’t keep harming yourself with all the anger.
Tabs has perfectly highlighted all the issues. We have all seen the same mistakes repeated countless times over a number of years.
We have all seen the definition of insanity as being the repeating of the same mistakes while expecting different results.
Not very amusing any more, is it ?
Long cross to the back post…
BANG!!!
Must admit I don’t share the enthusiasm for Loic Remy. The only plus points for me are that he has PL experience and would probably be available.
But in the summer, surely we can do better than Loic Effing Remy?
Well in H2H
Heh @ Trev
“In the end, it’s like a child who refuses to change it’s stupid, errant behaviour – you just can’t keep harming yourself with all the anger.”
Spot on
@dkg
He’s not top, top class, but he has the things we lack – pace, mobility and a nose for goal.
I don’t see many top class strikers hitting the market this summer, and if that’s the case I’d like to see us pick up a bargain alternative (his clause is £8m, so he’ll cost us £8,000,001!) and spend the real cash on Draxler and a top notch DM.
The world class striker can wait a little longer.
So, let me get this right. What we are now saying is that the squad need strengthening and we should have added the necessary quality in one of the transfer window??????? Blimey, and to think of those that slaughtered me for expressing those views only months ago.
I agree totally re Gnabry. You know what my views are on pace and width. The game was too narrow and too laboured.
Tabs, excellent overview. Sorry I missed you in the pub. Zico, Trev, couldn’t agree more. BTM, golf is the most boring game on the planet bar none.
Sad to say but I’m really fearful for Saturday. I hope that we can discover something that will make us tick. At the end of the game last night we looked, tired, lacklustre and rudderless.
‘holic, couldn’t have put it all any better myself! Spot on!
Spot on too Tabs!
Spot on too Steve T!
I’ve been incredidibly pissed off with the Chelsea result since Saturday afternoon and throughout the day today, the Swansea result has been that final straw in terms of empathy and understanding I have left to give. I now found myself honestly asking, “Is Arsene really the right man now to move this squad forward?” “Have his revolutionary methods of the late 90’s now been optimised and surpassed by other coaches and he’s now been left far behind and will never ever be able to catch up again?” Seriously I’m now answering “no” to the first question and “yes” to the second. I’m still feckin’ fuming as I scribe this and unless Citeh win the league (if it’s not us) and we finish at least third with the FA Cup under our belt, a change at the top has to be made for next term! It’s sad that it’s come to this but I don’t think I would want to trust Arsene with a huge transfer budget in the summer to make amends!
@Dapper DanC
You’d sack the manager if he finished fourth and won the FA Cup?
We do keep having the same discussions over and over in this fine establishment, and there’s almost universal agreement that every year we’re 2-3 players short of a serious challenge.
Just putting it out there guys, but barring a couple of decent ones, the transfer business in the past few years has sucked. We’ve seen more than one deadline day desperate dash that nobody is convinced was anything other than panic buying of ‘anyone to flesh out the squad a bit’.
And the repetitive theme is always thinking in summer ‘they won’t repeat the mistakes of last year, will they?’ And still people like Sanogo get signed when the world and his wife knew we needed a quality, senior striker.
Dapper, you wouldn’t give the man a chance to utilise the “huge transfer budget” the product of the genius work done by him and the board over these years?
I believe that you are pissed indeed.
Let’s keep it civil please. Everybody is hurting to one degree or another.
Cheers all.
N7, yes I would, I’d respectfully move him upstairs and have him mentor a younger, more contemporary prodigy to take over the reigns in developing the new, and inevitable, dynasty. All the EPL & Englisgmh media bullshit week after week and year after year is now beneath his status; he’s too dignified for all this now!
@DapperDan
Fair enough.
Personally, I’d say (as I’d have said in August) that would be a very good season’s return, and a terrific platform to build from.
Anyone trust the board to appoint the manager’s replacement?
Grav Lens, I really don’t think that giving Arsene the “huge transfer budget” will ease the pressure on him but may well add to it further. The addition of Ozil was seen as game-changing but now many are saying that the side is not balanced. I still have alot of faith in Arsene as a manager of the club but as a tactical coach and man-manager of modern senior professional footballers, I’m now having my doubts!
TaBS @74 – awesome.
Every word, mate.
N7, with Arsene upstairs, I’m sure he’d have a say in the new manager and I trust him to make the right decision!
That is he’d influence the Board to make the right decision.
Hi All
Excellent write up barman and I’m sure every fan felt your pain as you wrote it.
Not 24 hours ago I had no concerns that the boss would sign another contract and lead his team for another 2 years. As I sit here now I no longer think that is the case and that grieves me badly. I do not know the reason why for sure but in my opinion I feel he thinks he can no longer get the most out of these players. Everyone one in the squad owe AW the biggest debt of gratitude, some more that others but his face gave away more that I have seen before. He looks like someone who cannot bang his head against a brick wall no longer.
I also come to this conclusion based on reactions from the players all who need to be held accountable for the simple lack of desire to go the extra mile for the shirt they wear. Aw has said in the past its a honour to wear the shirt and I don’t believe the players either see that or believe that, lets be frank the past 2 months and maybe longer his players have failed him.
He may be thinking I can no longer take this team forward as they are not willing to fight all the way as AW is. I think we have the 2nd biggest wage bill for a team not filled world class talent and that again is down to the boss for rewarding and believing in them. We have some very average squad players on 60-80K which they would not receive any were else and that’s for sure and this is the thanks he gets.
I really hope the above is pure drivel and the boss is just to busy to dot the I and cross the T`s on his contract but do you know, I don’t think that is the case and that really worries me.
Cheers
N7,
“Loic Remy has a nose for goal” ……
That’s fine as long as he’s got the feet as well. Crosses are gonna have to be incredibly accurate otherwise ….. 😉
Anyone trust the board to appoint the manager’s replacement?
Nope !! And that’s what worries me more than Arsene staying or going – With the right appointment I think we’d move forward faster with a new man but with the wrong one it could all go really pear shaped really quickly See Moyes lol
That’s why I’m still in the middle ground and I ain’t for budging 🙂
Terrific reportage and comments by Tabs, Bayonne Jean et al. Trev is not to be envied in his current predicament but at least he didn’t have to struggle up to the ground to see that shite.
I like N7’s incomings except we need two strikers. Remy is very mobile but I’d like us to have someone like Costa or Balotelli ( that was a joke) or Soldado ( that was too!) or Mandzukic. I fear if Arsene stays he will add Kalou to Remy to save cash! The top teams especially Citeh have options upfront and we need to be able to put very different formations together especially when chasing or trying to win games. Last night our lack of options was terrifying.
Ozil would look superb with top class movement upfront . Walcott out wide I think would be highly potent and Ramsey freed from defensive duties by Bender would be very effective.
But let’s get into third place first because if we don’t qualify for the CL no bugger will join us and we will offer TGSTEL another contract- he’s worth £100k a week you know!
He is, and more Power to his pants, ttg. 😉
I’m as resolute as Chippy and I’m not backing down. 🙂
I’ worry about what will happen if Wenger leaves, I worry about what will happen if he stays. I worry about injuries, I worry about strikers, right backs, contracts, play offs, 3rd 4th. I worry about the FA Cup. But mostly I worry about playing City in a few days time with half our team injured. We are going to have to fight very hard indeed.
Join us comrades 🙂
All jokes aside just spent some time back drinking and I’ll tell you something for nothing id happily chew the fat with 99% of posters on this site – Yes people are hurting and with good reason but the comments are tip top and show a True Love for the club that you hardly see in other places without someone being shouted down with a stupid acronym (spelling) Ladies and Gentleman the next rounds on me 🙂
I am not ready to say goodbye to Wenger unless he is ready to call it a day himself. In my experience there comes a point in your profession when the aggravation associated with the daily grind outweighs both the pleasure and the rewards. That rather than any strategic planning is what determines the moment when one says, “That’s enough, I’m off.”
I think Wenger has been let down by everyone who wore the shirt on Saturday and most who played last night. To some extent it is a result of his own decision to ‘wing it’ with a threadbare squad and hang on until this summer to bring in the talent we need up front and in defensive midfield.
If he stays and we have a summer like the last one, then even my patience is exhausted.
As for Saturday, he needs to find his inner ‘Big Sam’ and set up like we did in the FA Cup Final 2005.
Chins up Gooners.
Quality quaffing in here today.
Cheers all around. Even to those with whom I don’t particularly agree.
N7 – some quality posts. A double for you.
Moyes has been a spectacularly poor choice to succeeded SAF. I was drinking with a United fan yesterday afternoon. He is a season- ticket holder who wasn’t going yesterday and he told me that Ferguson’s request to support the new manager had been supported by the fans very solidly. But it was clearly becoming an issue and the humiliation by City might be the tipping point.
So our very risk- averse board know what they have with Wenger and that looks much better than what United currently have with Moyes. If we won the FA Cup their FA Cup would runneth over. It would take a very ambitious aggressive guy , someone like David Dein was 18 years ago , to want go kill the golden goose that is Wenger. Where is that person on this board ? Josh Kroenke is probably a chip off the old block.
So if we part with Wenger it will be because he wants to go . He is such an honourable man this parting may come at the end of the season but it will be on his terms and because he feels he is not able to take the club on any further. And given what he has done for the club I don’t think it should be any other way.
So I think the succession will hopefully look after itself. If I was a betting man I think he will renew for two years and look to promote Bouldy to replace him but what do I know?
For what it’s worth I’d take Klopp in a heartbeat,rebuilt Dortmund seems to like being in things for the long haul and has experience of the German market which is fast becoming the hotbed of top top talent a bit like France was when a wenger arrived.Im sure we wouldn’t be his only option mind if he did leave, obvious choice I know and not grounbreaking in any sense but to me would be a great fit.
This is the first time I’ve ever doubted Wenger is the right man for the job, but you can’t keep making the same mistakes over and over and over.
This season is ending in a putrid collapse like so many in the last 5/6 years. Then within this season we have totally collapsed in so many big games, humiliating defeats of historic proportions.
I’d like to see Arsene get another summer to fix this, one where he can really spend. He deserves at least that. At the moment though I’m really sceptical he can make the choices we need to be made. Anyone who goes into a season with Giroud, Sonogo, and Bendtner as his strikers needs to be seriously questioned.
(What a mess those strikers are, Sonogo is soooo raw; Giroud is dogging pre-match, looks lost mentally and is painful to watch he is so shit; Bendtner is Bendtner.)
Great post and comments on here as usual, in particular Steve T and Tabs. How does a club gets its joie de la vie back? Is there a physiatrist in the house..
Or a physiciatrist even!
What?…stop that
Pires being very, very diplomatic here: http://news.arseblog.com/2014/03/pires-priority-must-be-a-new-striker/?utm_source=feedburner.com%2Farseblognews&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+arseblognews+%28Arseblog+News+-+the+Arsenal+news+site%29
We need to get Giroud a place on the sub’s bench asap.
There has been spectacular analysis today – as there ever is, when we take a good hiding and follow it up with a performance from a team like last night – one that had been stripped of its confidence.
I wonder what the reaction would have been if we won?
Would the usual obituaries be written about the manager?
And how people can criticise the man who has delivered 17 years of European football, new stadium, trophies and some mesmerising football (even when we havn’t been winning trophies)…….is just beyond me.
I am asmdisappointed as others, but now is not the time for “I told you so” – “we should have strengthened”………. I mean really, WHF do we know about the ins and outs of actually running a institution like AFC and the pressures that comes with that job? And what about the evidence that is there to suggest that we spent the summer trying to buy some of the best players in the world ffs as opposed to the calibre of players we HAD to make do with in the past?
Wenger has my unilateral trust. And I don’t have faith in many things in life, but I have faith in Wenger to do what he thinks is right for the club as I believe he’s always has done.
Bath’s point, that “there comes a point in your profession when the aggravation associated with the daily grind outweighs both the pleasure and the rewards” just about sums up what would be the tipping point for many. But not for Wenger from where I sit. Because for the last number of years, I think he’s been under immense pressure to deliver profits as well as to compete against teams who post enormous losses. Now I don’t know about you, but I don’t think there’s necessarily alot of enjoyment to be taken from that – considering the vile and putrid abuse he takes on any given Saturday from the baying mob that comprises of both the rival team and sometimes, the home supporters too! Why does he really continue to do this? The man is coined beyond all his future requirements. Could it be, that he just loves the club and believes that he might be able to deliver a 4th team that is capable of winning trophies again and come full circle to how he started?
Maybe if “Scholesy” tried to have a little respect for the people who have done so much for the game, he might, just might become as good a pundit as he was a player. But for all his medals, he’ll never have the credentials to judge Wenger as a manager. Something Roy Keane now appreciates, having had a go at management himself.
“I mean really, WHF do we know about the ins and outs of actually running a institution like AFC and the pressures that comes with that job?”
Really Joe? Bit like saying “I know nothing about running a country, so better agree with whatever the PM says.”
I don’t know how to do Arsene’s job. I do know we lost last night. Got ruined last Saturday. And that Giroud is absolutely awful.
Don’t need to know how to fix it to know it needs fixing. AW needs to get this sorted – for the how many summers running? – or this should be his last chance to get it sorted.
You seem to be contradicting yourself Puno.
At first you disagree with my contention that because most fans have no experience or knowledge in running a football club, that we should sit their and accept it (by using an entirely unrelated analogy).
You then readily admit the fact that you don’t know how to do Arsene’s job.
And finally you make the point that, you do “know we lost last night”. I thought it was a draw?
Finally, that Giroud is awful? Well he scored 19 goals last season and so far this season has scored 21. That’s not so bad is it?
Nice to see Noel73 back in the bar.
Did you know it was a Wake? 😉
Joe @ 136: Giroud I think have 17 goals last season and is on 19 this season, with 9 assists. The team no longer plays to his strengths, however technically limited they are, and not having midfield runners and speedy wingers the link-up play of his looks absolutely ineffective. He is also running on fumes …
Paul Scholes is a bellend who should worry less about us and more about his own basket case of a club.
Joe@134: BTW, as one of Arsene’s biggest admirer I see no inconsistency in criticizing him respectfully for what seems to me from my perspective mistakes or failings. He has been an extraordinary manager in many ways, many of us around the globe have become a Gunner simply because of what he has done, and you are absolutely correct that he has to balance too many differing demands and has done that with grace and good humor despite the abuse he took from ‘friends’ and enemies alike.
However, at the end of the day to a football fan and the club supporter the thing that matters most (most, but NOT only) is the football on pitch and the results. And when they tend to drop I think it is fair to criticize the manager — just as he deserves all the plaudits for the great victories and remarkably consistent runs — for the failings and poor shows on the footballing side. A criticism doesn’t necessarily mean that someone or something must be immediately jettisoned or doesn’t deserve the accolades, just that better is expected.
In that sense, you can say Arsene is a victim of his own success. Yes, absolutely. But that is the way of the world.
@134 – I’m sold, Joe. Good to see you getting stuck in.
“I think he’s been under immense pressure to deliver profits as well as to compete against teams who post enormous losses”
You bet. Citeh lost 700million pounds in the season they won (bought) the league but in the eyes of most that’s OK and a GREAT accomplishment. Anyone can buy it, all you need is a pet billionaire (Better they spend their money on the BPL than funding invasion of Crimea or Lithuania).
FFP won’t cure it. Etihad (owned by the Milk Sheik of Abbly Dabbly) has “sponsored” Citeh for 400M, well above market rate, and that appears OK too. I see a Blue Moon Rising (to the tones of Creedence Clearwater Revival).
@127 – Your usual top quality stuff. With you right up until the last line, ttg. I can’t see Bouldy moving one seat to his left though.
@139 N7 : Bellend indeed. The OT natives are restless. They think Moyes is the issue. They don’t believe that the Blue Moon is anything other blue cheese.The next decade will help them see differently and Surrey will adopt a distinctly blue tinge which will not be a consequence of an increasing Conservative majority in those parts. Read and chuckle.
http://redrants.com/tide-turning-against-moyes/
Doctor Faustus @140
Agree. Every. Word.
Joe@134. Are you saying that AW is bomb proof and beyond any form of criticism?
Never be afraid to ask the question. It does not make you disloyal, anti Arsenal or anti Wenger. It shows you care enough that you just want the best. The day you are unable to ask questions is the day that it turns into a dictatorship.
BtM – I do think that Shitteh will feel the effect of FFP. Platini has them in his sights.
I agree that Bouldy will not be Arsene’s successor.
Check out this short clip of Ronaldinho. My understanding has always been that we came very close to signing him. We could not get a work permit so he ended up at PSG. The rest is history. This is only a few seconds long but just watch the touch and skill. I defy anyone not to be impressed.
https://vine.co/v/hrvIH7bOnYi
Fully agree Dr F @140.
I will be amazed if FFP ever properly kicks in. If you can throw money around like the oil boys do then my guess is that it buys legal brains far bigger than Platini’s.
You underestimate Platini’s determination and the bureaucrats of UEFA. Having said that, they may all be susceptible to bribery as the Qatar World Cup demonstrates.
Steve T on the ball as always and it’s not a round one. Are you available on Saturday or are you on the links? 🙂 Hope to see you.
I won’t make the pub BTM I’m afraid. I will be pushing it to make kick off on time to be honest.
A financial adviser friend provides advice to the board and senior execs at Chelsea. He tells me they are extremely keen to comply with FFP. I laughed out loud because I see the circumvention of the rules by obscenely rich men as part and parcel of the culture that seeps into clubs where money is the most important aspect of their being. He assures me that Chelsea believe it will bite and they need to get their house in order.
If that is the case can UEFA tolerate turning debt into equity as a legitimate response to FFP? It is what Abramovich has done to reduce the debt and it is an easy option for any oligarch. I just don’t think when push comes to legal challenge UEFA or a corrupt FIFA will have the balls to confront people with massive influence and bottomless pockets
On a completely different point Liverpool ended up hanging on tonight against a poor Sunderland team. These last eight games take a lot of winning because of the desperation factor on both sides and no game is easy . That’s worth noting when fixtures appear to be very easy. Everton have some humdinger a in their last few
howdy ‘hol
fair play to ye fella
another top read
considerin
the dirty big hoor
of a time
of recent
we’ve all had
and
cheers
for gatherin
a terrific bunch of reprobates
who
wax just as lyrical
.
mind you
you get the odd twonk
in
.
😉
Qatar is exactly the reason Bath. I just can’t see UEFA kicking any of the big boys out of the champs lge. I don’t think their sponsors will let them. My view is that there will be too many too briefs that will constantly find loop holes.
All of that said, I would not be happier to be more wrong.
BtM, ever the optimist! Third place and the FA Cup at least!
Steve T, Ronaldinho = Genius! IMHO, the most entertaining player I’ve ever had the privilege to watch in person!
some amazing drinks in this session of the bar, none less than DrF and Tabs.. hats off and a crown lager on the tab for you both.
one of the most enjoyable and learned back drinks ever.
seems one of the positive things to come out of this tough period is the divide in views from half glass full to half glass empty is a bit more balanced both ways.
one thing I have learnt from the recent few days drinking is I guess there is no more important time to pull on my ozill11 home jersey and wear it to the office along with the holic yesterday wearing his arsenal beanie in the office during the match…
well done holic for setting up this fine establishment where all our welcome to pull up a stool and share their views on all things arsenal, football, medicinal remedies, both medical and non-medial, dogs, knees, surgical procedure’s, golf, cricket and even erectile dysfunction….
bloody marvellous stuff all round
go the gunners
We owe AW more than any of us would have thought possible 18 years ago. He came to a club struggling to balance its history with recent form and transformed it into a club that made history with a new brand of football. A brand many are now copying.
Sadly a number of clubs have added an extra financial dimension to Wengerball that we have been unable to match, and taken it up a further notch. And try as he may AW has been unable to follow suit with a more minimal budget.
The question is whether, even with a fatter budget, he still has it in him to drag Arsenal back into contention. And whether the players he believes could do that will want to join a club that has fallen from grace … not fallen that far, but far enough that we are not going to be first choice for the stars we really need. As we saw in the summer with rejections from a number of players including, most notably, LS.
Whether he goes or stays it’s going to be a struggle and a gamble. Whether we go the Moyes way or the Morewhineio way (and yes, I see him as currently the best manager in the premiership).
My conclusion, for better or worse, is better the devil you know. If only because the only managers I see as adequate replacements – Mourinho, Pep and possibly Rudi Garcia – are busy elsewhere and the last thing we need is a Wenger-style compromise signing.
But if he has to go, why not the guy AW himself has suggested as his successor, Dragan Stojkovic? A no-nonsense footballer, one of my all-time favourite players to watch, and a proven manager at Nagoya Grampus where AW came from.
Öskar
@SteveT
After Messi and Thierry, Ronaldinho is the best player I ever had the privilege to see in the flesh. At his peak, the guy was from another planet. One of the all time greats.
N7, I have to throw DB10 into the lists. Best player I ever saw in an Arsenal shirt – better than TH14 imho. However Messi is a class above.
Ronaldinho was a special talent. To think how close we came to signing him??? Just makes you wonder.
I had the privilege to play in a charity game once with George Best. That was quite an experience. It was also against Emlyn Hughes. What an absolute gent that man was in the flesh.
Respect, Steve T.
Steve T
Are you fit for Saturday?
I always thought Ronaldinho was never as good as he thought he was, and prone to make wrong decisions more often than a top player should. Not in the class of Messi, Ronaldo (Cristiano), Zidane or even TH14 and DB10 of recent memory, imo. Or players from earlier generations most here wouldn’t have seen.
Öskar
Faustus,
In relation to Giroud, I included the goals he scored for France which I believe is also indicative of his seasonal form. I agree withthe points you make in relation to the quality of service he’s not getting and how tired he must be.
I’ve been watching AFC since the late 70’s and well remember the “boring, boring, 1-0 to the Arsenal” brand of football that usually saw us finish 6th / 7th in the league. Wenger most certainly is a victim of his own success. But I don’t consider that to be the way of the world. While Football is results based, what constitutes results, needs to be taken with some perspective considering the football landscape we now live in.
BTM,
If Wenger spent 700m and didn’t up winning the league there would be riots in the streets..! As it is, he only has to make a profit, run the club sustainably, compete with oil barons while at the same time appease an ever demanding fanbase.
I will be at the Tollie on Saturday and will happily buy you a pint if your about. If you can convince Holic to come to Ireland, I’ll take you both to some glorious golf courses..!
Steve,
We all want the best for the club. But the only dictatorship I see of late is from fans whose expectations are largely based on the blanket of success he has given to the club combined with a lack of knowledge or detail in relation to the circumstances he’s had to work in. And he gave an indication of that recently when he said that he had to make profit while others made huge losses and compared it to being asked to run against Usain Bolt and being expected to win.
You say, “Be the best we can be”.
And I say, 17 years of CL footie, proven track record of success, new stadium….all on a shoestring and now new commerical deals, beginning to make big signings, great chance of winning the cup this year……
Its a pretty awesome legacy given the people and budgets we have to compete with of late.
Show me another manager who could have done better than that Steve ? Be the best we can be? The mans a genius if you ask me.
The quality of the discussion in here is outstanding, given what I have seen elsewhere. I owe you all, and fuck, don’t I know it.
Thank you.
Joe. If you read what I say on a regular basis you will know a few things. I have and always will be a massive fan of AW. Whatever happens I will always be eternally grateful for what he has done for this football club. But as a club I do not think we are anywhere near what we could actually be. I personally think we could be in far better shape. I said earlier in this set of drinks that my opinion was that the Arsene has earned the rite to have another chance of building a side capable of challenging. But times have changed since he first came to this club. When quite obvious weaknesses go season upon season without being addressed then I feel you are entitled to ask questions both of the club and the manager.
None of that means I want a managerial change. What it means is that I would like some kind off assurances that with the resources available that we have plans in place to address the deficiencies within the squad.
As I said, when the day arrives when you are not able to ask questions then it will rapidly become a very sad day.
TTG. I reckon I’m good for 20 minutes and as many would testify, would provide ample width.
😀
You’re welcome, ‘holic. although the credit belongs at least equally to your inspirational and intelligently moderated leadership without which we’d have nothing to respond to, outstandingly or otherwise.
Öskar
‘Holic, without someone holding the ring, there’d be no ring. Massive props to you.
One of the Chavs and the oil men of Eastlands won’t win the league. So will that be a vindication or condemnation of doshaloosa football?
It will be justice, Ned. The hope is that not being guaranteed winning everything, one or more of the oligarab playboys will toss their toys out of the pram and look for something more satisfying … arms trading or organised crime perhaps.
Öskar
Drinking all the way back to 74…..
I give him the keys to the kingdom, and do I get a report of drink, drugs and debauchery? And a kebab?
No, apparently there was football on……
I meant to say, nice work mate 😉
I adore Wenger and anyone who is a true fan will do the same because the man has made this club better and for me thats all you can ask from anyone, people need to understand that making something or someone better needs a great man and patience, Wenger has had that both.
Yet the question arises now, is Wenger swimming against the tide too long and now is exhausted????, the look at times is more a resigned acceptance than that of i can do better, that hurts seeing the man who loved a challenge and who went head on into it, nowadays just offer apologies
Enough is Enough banners supposedly on the way to Wembley for the semi finals, nice fans these are who are doing this, please ask them not to say that they are Arsenal fans, they are a disgrace, the biggest game of the season and when the team and the manager needs the encouragement, what do they do? enough is enough, bollocks.I say enough of such fans, they are a disgrace.
Wenger should be given one more season and no more, he needs to identify the successor ans groom him this upcoming season, no it doesnt mean he has failed, it means everyone has an expiry date and that date is near for the great man, go on a high boss, you deserve a lot of respect for what you have done for us, i wonder if we do win the fa cup and finish top 4 if he chooses that moment to say i am done, from what i have read he has said he will leave the moment the fan support goes, well looks like some fans are making sure its over, sad end to the great man, tearssssssssss.
Joe – You can see why I easily put down yesterday as a lose, as painful as the end was, insipid as the performance was over 90 minutes, and how it ruined our title chances in the meekest of fashion at home, right?
As for Giroud, just look at last night. That exposes the lie that simple goal stats contain. He was missing for all but 2 seconds of his 88 minutes. He couldn’t control, create, win headers, offer options, stretch the defence, not even harry defenders in possession. He was a waste of space. Last night, as most of the season and all of it since he was exposed for letting the team down pre-match at 3am, he diminished the team performance. That he scored a 4 yard one-touch tap-in that a blind goat would struggle to miss is hardly cause to hide those glaring failings. It is all he offers. He is a tap-in merchant playing in front of a ridiculously talented set of creative midfielders. It would be impossible not to score some goals.
I haven’t met anyone who doesn’t think we need a serious upgrade at striker. Most say we need 2 goal-scorers, given how Walcott’s injury has destroyed our attack. We are desperate for some pace. If Giroud can keep his head together and strippers out of the team hotel then he would make a fine squad player, ideally with a new ‘super quality’ striker and a genuine youth prospect to bring along. (Sonogo is charming, but he needs to be playing regularly out on loan next season if he has any future at The Arsenal.)
Given our resources and ambitions, our current striking options are verging on the disgraceful. (Our 2 main rivals this season added Eto’o and Negredo, so players were available, better ones than Giroud.)
If I see any wanker at wembley with an “enough is enough” banner it will end up so far rammed up their arse that it will come out of their mouth. It will be swiftly followed by their match ticket of which they will clearly have no need. I will then advise them in a polite and courteous manner that they should show a tad more grace, dignity and humility when turning up to such an auspicious occasion before suggesting that they fuck off pronto and take their bile to a suitable latrine situated on the seven sisters road.
Morning.
It is not the result, or overall league placing that upsets me, it is the performances that have got us here that have turned me of for the first time ever.
In the same way that the Cesc teams deserved so much credit for their lovely football, this team has pummelled the senses with drab match after drab match since November, with the odd spectacular implosion thrown in. The lack of guile, craft, or basic joy in our play is not what I associate with Arsene Wenger. This might be the lowest 4th place finish yet 🙁
El Puno. You will struggle to find anyone on here more vocal when it comes to calling for quality additions to the forward line, but your criticism of Guroud is very wrong. He has been poor recently but he has been flogged to death. He has soldiered manfully all season, most if it on his own and most of it without a break. Of course we need a top quality acquisitions but it’s not that long ago when we were flying high that all the talk was of how well he was playing and how much trouble we would be in if he got injured.
He has had lumps kicked out of him every week and until recently has still managed to chase for 90 minutes. He doesn’t have pace and never will have. It’s hardly his fault that we have not added the quality that we should have is it? If you look over the whole season you may just want to look elsewhere to find the real problems and deficiencies. I can assure you, they do not rest with him.
Sam Allardyce may be just a Walrus to some. But this is what he had to say after West Hams match yesterday, which may interest some in the bar:
“Fans affect players. We don’t need them on players’ backs when we are coming off three defeats. They have to stay and help them win.”
“At half-time, the players were talking more about fans booing them than the game. I had to make sure they kept focused on the field.”
Make of it what you will. Have a good day folks! 😉
Morning all,
Steve T on fire !!! 😉
Well our fans are well heard nowadays, afterall they boo for everything, criticise all and sundry, crucify wenger and then they say we love you Arsenal, perfect fans they are.
Steve T smashing it in these drinks.
I see the boundaries are being quickly redrawn this week so that a top four finish and an FA Cup will not be considered a success this season. What a total crock of shit.
Any of us would have had your arm off for the above in August. Does that make it a perfect season, or mean mistakes weren’t made? Of course not. Does it mean we don’t need to fix holes in the squad this summer? Don’t be daft.
What it betrays is that there exists a faction, both in the press and (tragically) our own support, who are actively willing the club to fail. If it looks like they are in any danger of succeeding (and make no mistake the success I’m talking about is still far from assured this season) they will quickly move the goalposts. Well, I call bullshit on that.
As for the manager, I think he should be offered two more years, and I hope that once the new deal is signed (and, again, I think that outcome is far from assured) he will reinforce.
Why do I think he should get two more years? Partly because – absent a real, proper failure of the sort I don’t yet think we’ve experienced – I think he’s earned the right to choose his own time of leaving. Partly because I detect signs of improvement in the last year (albeit it doesn’t feel that way this week). Partly because he has lead us through the years of parsimony and should now be the man who spends the money he enabled us to accrue. Partly because I look at the managers who are actually likely to be available this summer and they don’t fill me with any confidence. Partly because I look at the likely scrap for a top four spot next season and it does not strike me as a moment to roll the dice. Partly because I look at Utd and think “there but for the grace of Dennis go we”.
What says it all to me is that, whatever they might say right now, the day Arsene leaves the fans of our rivals will celebrate. Not a fucking one of them will quake in their boots and think “Shit. Now they might appoint Roberto Martinez”.
Does that mean we have to keep him on forever? No. Does that mean he’s perfect? No.
What it means is that there’s a moment to stick and a moment to twist, and this is a moment to stick. Doubly so if we end the season with the FA Cup – you’d have to be a fucking loony to want to sack the manager immediately after he delivers our first silverware in nearly a decade (and assuming he also delivers top four).
Don’t let anyone tell you that what was a success in August is a failure in May. The stick they’ve beaten us with is that we’ve won nothing in 8 years – if we put that right this season then be sure to shove that stick right up them, with interest.
Great chat in here these last couple of days. Totally fair assessment of our recent weaknesses without spilling over into “woe is me, all is lost” cry-babyism. This place is an online oasis of sanity in a sea of churning bollocks. Kudos.
COYG
Some folks were talking about FFP in the drinks yesterday.
Coincidentally, this was happening last night –
The Scene: UEFA Headquarters, Nyon, Switzerland.
The worried heads of Europe’s financially doped clubs are meeting to try to find ways of continuing to operate under the regulations of Financial Fair Play.
The meeting is chaired by Bendt Splatter, continuing in the family profession established by his uncle nearly 150 years ago, and newly elected to the UEFA Chair by a select committee of sheiks from a number of unnamed Middle East states.
Splatter fondles an enormous jewel encrusted Rolex watch as he stares at the documents in front of him marked “FFP – What It Means To You”.
“I know exactly what it means to me”, he says, leaning to check on the sparkling Rolls Royce parked beneath his office window, ” but how are you gentlemen going to be able to carry on if all of this is ever imp–”
“Not now girls !!!” Splatter interrupts himself as a group of micro-mini skirted girls in skyscraper heels totter, giggling into the room –
– as they are leaving, an older, rather unkempt, brown overalled man brushes past them and addresses himself to Splatter –
“We’ve, er, got a bit of bother, sir”.
“And who exactly are you ?”.
“Jan, Sir. Jan Itter – I look after the bogs, and they’re all blocked up, Sir. Well, I was told there was likely to be a lot of shit around this weekend and, well, we can hardly carry on if they’re all blocked up now, can we, sir ?”
Somewhat exasperated, Splatter mops his brow with a fine silk ‘kerchief embossed in one corner with a rather squiggly letter he doesn’t understand.
“Well what do you want ME to do about it ?” he shouts at Jan, “I’ve got enough trouble here already !” He slams a fist down onto the table and painfully pinches a bit of skin in a huge 24 carat gold, diamond ring sitting on his little finger.
“Loo Poles, Sir”, answers Jan, “Loo Poles. Clean ’em all out they will, sir, but I’m going to need a lot of ’em !”
“Aahh! Loo Poles”, considers Splatter, as he strokes his chin with a newly manicured hand,
“funny you should mention them ……….”
N7 Gooner , I read and enjoy every word of your posting .
Only one club , and not two , will win the EPL this year , usually the club which can spend the money left and right , in the many hundreds of millions , and that is .
Arsenal does have the millions but not the hundreds of millions , any manager including AW will have to work within those constraints .
Arsenal is stronger this year than last year and reasonably we can expect an improvement next year , whether the team can win any thing next year is an another story .
EPL is no longer an english league , it is a global league with fans all around the world . With all these brands money , it will be harder and harder to win .
N7 knows @181
and Trev in top form @182 😀
N7 @ 181….top post.
Trev @ 182…big hehs. 🙂 Glad the quacks didn’t mess up and install a humour by-pass in error. Trust you are now on the mend and will be ready for the start of the next season.
I truly thought we would go much better than a lagging fourth place this season. Put beacoup bucks on it at 17/1 and 20/1. I still fancied us to rally on Tuesday morning and had a bit of 55/1 feeling quite cocky about the value in that.
FA Cup and fourth is a par score to me. The way we have collapsed has made it taste worse than that.
The fact that with what was clearly a great chance to challenge we sat on 100 million quid and chose to roll with Giroud, Sonogo, Bendtner is eating me up inside.
I love Arsenal. I love Arsene. I truly hope he signs his new deal, but I am more than a little heartbroken at the lack of ambition – or possibly just incompetence – in our transfer policy. We clearly needed to add more and had we done so we would have strolled this league. Tough to take, built on top of 2/3 years of iffy transfer business.
(We bottled a stare down with the Scousers over Suarez when we were in the right. It doesn’t bear thinking about really. Farcical and devastating in hindsight. Ouch.)
Top post, N7G.
And Trev proving he’s no busted flush….
Steve – 177: I just cannot agree with that. Yes, you can’t blame Giroud for not being good enough, that is the managers fault for thinking he might have been.
However, that he is desperately poor is just a fact. That he has experienced a total nosedive in what form he had after getting caught shagging about at gone 3am in the team hotel the night before a match is entirely his fault. He was rested for Sonogo against Liverpool and Bayern and it made no difference.
He is a passenger. One of a series of bang average players who have regressed as the season progressed. He should be a back-up next season. (I’d add Arteta in with that.)
It is chicken and egg arguing if the problem is him being a concrete footed waster, or Wenger for playing him. Key thing is that we get someone else in.
n7 and trev
a right pair
o’gooduns
top stuff
Trev @182. Brilliant!!! Inspired!!!
By what drugs, I am not sure. 😉
Hi All
On a day that seems a little brighter than it did yeaterday for no other reason than the world has continued to spin. I have had enough of self pitty regarding my team and the situation surrounding our manager. I dearly want him to sign a new contract because i believe in him but if he no longer has the energy or the cliche of I cannot take the team any further then I want to thank him from the bottom of my heart and wish him all the very best in any position he takes up or either enjoy your retirement.
For sanity reasons I wish Aw would let the fans know his future plans as searching for a new manager mid WC would be nothing short of a disaster and the possabliity of signing new players would also be more difficult and more costly depending on how well they did in the world cup.
I know AW is a very honourable man and has always seen out his contracts and this wont be the first time he held out on signing a contract as he has said in the past the board know his intensions and a new contract doesnt change that. However this time around do the board know his intensions ? Does anyone ?
Aw also seems to be a man who wouldnt leave us in the learch so maybe we may get our answer before the final ball is kicked. As most of us i have to work with some very limited so called football fans who make statments like “Arsenal have thrown it all away again” Yes the urge to punch them is very over whelming somtimes but restriant is my middle name. But Aw has done another fantastic job this year and yes please some more of the same next year so in closing wouldnt it be great if we could get a speedy resolution to this situation please Arsenal.
Cheers
Good to see you back in the bar post op, Dr.T.
How’s that bionic knee of yours settling in?
Re: last Saturday. Obviously the result that you would have heard about was merely a morphine induced hallucination. It didn’t happen and we shall never speak of it again.
I once knew a girl called Lucy Nation, she was a dream…
UTA!
190
too true
.
write a book hopalong
chop chop
.
:),
I honestly can’t face going to another game this season. Got my wonderful c**t of a little brother haggling me down from starting offer of 80% of face value for Saturday’s match. He’s looked me in the eye and knows the score, sticks to his guns and I will cave and just give it to him to avoid having to sit through another afternoon at the ground. Back of dead pub with whiskey the only way I can get through 90 minutes from here on out… It had gone so, so well for 999 games 🙁
194
get a grip
and
get to the game
195 – No way. I’m broken and I can’t stand another thrashing, it would be too much to bear.
I’m reduced to praying we clunk past a couple of lower league standard teams to get the FA Cup, watching from behind a sofa somewhere with my mind absorbed by what the summer will hold for us.
It wasn’t supposed to be like this.
Flamini stats contained here are shocking: http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/mar/27/the-question-lost-art-of-defending-football-tactics-premier-league
Dennis only knows why he wasn’t playing against Chavski. What a terrible error that was, entirely inexplicable.
UTA
Time to man up, Gooners!
We are the Arsenal.
We can beat anyone.
It’s 11 vs 11.
Remember we got twatted 5-1 by Liverpool and then we knocked them out of the cup.
If the team man up as well, we can beat $hitteh!.
We need to end this season on a high.
Flamini should have played vs Chelsea.
However, here are the stats in the article:
Arsenal in Premier League games in which Flamini has played more than 45 minutes this season: W12 D 2 L 1; in which he hasn’t: W7 D4 L5.
Worth bearing in mind that Wenger rarely starts him in the big games, and this season when we’ve lost it’s tended to be in the big games.
Of the smaller games we’ve lost, one was before he was available (Villa), and the other was Stoke, which I’m guessing is the single “L” in the 45 mins and more column.
196 see 195
199 – The real oddity to me is that we played Arteta and Flamini against a woeful Manure team there for the taking, then produced a disgusting attacking display, but went with only Arteta against a well in form Chav team and were brutalised at the back. He’s got it wrong a few times, although I’m not sure either really has much of a future at the club beyond experienced squad cover.
Hate to say it, but our rivals added Negredo, Schrulle, and Matic for 2/3rds of our cash reserves this season. Imagine if you plugged them in to this squad…?
It just gets worse and worse 🙁
oooohhh
the two tonner
*sammy nelsons in celebration*
Negredo hasn’t scored in ten games and has less goals than Giroud.
We can all play the game of looking at transfers that have worked and asking why we didn’t buy them. It’s not how life works.
We might just as easily say thank god we didn’t buy Jovetic or Soldado.
I don’t think we’ll ever spend the kind of money the oil clubs do, and I certainly don’t think we’re in any danger of edging them out for their first choice players – Negredo probably earns more to sit on the bench at City than Ozil does to run our midfield.
None of which is to say that our summer couldn’t have been better handled, but still….
Blind goats with advanced diphtheria have watched Negredo and Giroud play this season and not a single one thinks Giroud is anywhere near as good a player, in spite of the odd one touch flick pass or 4 yard tap-in he conjures.
And yet…. no goals in 10 games.
If we’re going to judge players on current form, probably best we judge both of them on current form, eh?
Gunners are coming to NY!!! Yesssss!!!!!
Prem and Champs League:
Giroud 36 starts = 15 Goals
Negredo 23 starts 11 sub = 14 goals (at a FAR better goals per minute rate.)
Take your pick.
(All appearances 2013/14 Giroud 21 in 42 starts, Negredo 30 in 33 starts and 11 subs. Neither are Suarez, but one is clearly better.)
That stat at 204 is interesting N7 because the way the pundits were salivating over him at the start of the season, anyone would have thought some of them had placed their houses on it. 😉
Nowhere have I argued that Negredo is a worse player than Giroud. I watch one every week and the other on highlights, so it’s not a call I’d want to make with any certainty.
What I will say is that:
(a) you are damning Giroud based on his current form, while handily ignoring Negredo’s goal drought and the fact he barely gets on the pitch for City right now, even absent Aguero;
(b) Negredo plays for a team that scores more goals, usually with another (world class) striker next to him, and still has less goals in the key competitions; and
(c) the whole argument is daft because we had absolutely no chance whatsoever of signing Negredo last summer.
If your complaint is that we should sign the players that City and Chelsea do then I’m afraid you’re in for a very disappointing life. Absent an oil money enema, we are in no position to compete with them for transfer fees and wages.
@210 Goonertown
Other clubs get the benefit of their star signings blowing hot and cold without any real press focus.
Only with Arsenal is there a national inquest if a new lad has a couple of quiet games.
Of course, it is worth pointing out that Negredo is not the best striker at his club, he is the back-up. You wouldn’t pick Giroud over either of Utd’s top 2 (or 3?) strikers. Not Liverpool either. Not as good as an on his last legs Eto’o, better than Torres even?
You throw the best 2 strikers from last years and this years top 4 clubs in a hat and draw them randomly, you would want at least 7 of the non-Arsenal 8 out before Giroud. Just look at how out of place Sonogo is on that list. Urgh.
How did we get here?
Afternoon all,
Thanks for the kind ones all. Great contributions from all on a terrific backdrink. As N7 has said, whatever your views, this place is an oasis of sanity.
N7 – Completely agree with you on Mesut. His speed of thought and execution is mssed every bit as much as Theo’s speed of movement, and Ramsey’s endeavour and all round excellence. Great stuff @181 and elsewhere.
Holic – Cheers Squire, and what Oskar and Ned said. This place would not be possible without the tone being set from the top.
SteveT – Sorry i missed you on tuesday mate. I didn’t make the Pub beforehand but was in afterwards. That Ronaldinho bit of skill? Pfft. I’ll show you how to do that whilst balancing two pints of Beer on Saturday! 😉
Noel – Cheers mate and good to see you back in here.
Still in Joe’s, Bath’s and many others’ camp re the Manager. If he still wants to do it (far from a given), then he will get my support. Just a guess, but I think he’ll only stay if he manages to combine both a top four finish with the Cup. If we finish outside of the top four, I think he himself will look on that as a failure, and will probably walk. Winning the Cup would at least allow him to walk off into the distance amidst celebrations. Finish inside the top four but go out the Cup? I fear that if we lost to any of Wigan, Hull or Sheff Utd, the firestorm would be such that he would no longer consider it worth all the aggravation.
Trev – Good to see you up(?) and about mate. Hope things are getting a little easier for you. Massive heh @182
And well in Cba!! 🙂
That’s right N7! 😉
Wonderful job, Trev and N7. *applauds you both*
@El Puno
Torres? Eto’o? Both have less league goals than OG this season. Rooney is on the same number. Van Persie has less.
I agree that the HFB is giving us far too little at the moment, and that he’s the square root of useless in the big games, but your argument goes too far. He’s not the worst player who ever lived, he’s just not quite as good as we need him to be.
As for how we got into this situation: we didn’t manage to sign a striker in the summer, for well documented reasons.
Chelsea are in the same boat, which is why they are playing strikers who score even less than Giroud.
Oh, and if you want a striker who we missed out on last summer – Loic Remy. Available on a loan deal, is the league’s fourth highest scoring striker (Giroud is third) has the pace we lacked and went elsewhere while we dicked about trying to spend big money.
There are things we can legitimately moan about. Failure to sign Negredo and Matic is not one of them.
211- Negredo is just an example, but it shows that players better than what we have up-front have been available since that c**t Persie left and at eminently affordable prices. You could pick Balotelli who switched for under £20mil instead, for example.
(Eto’o. Sturridge. Michu. Reuss. Mandzukic. Llorente. Tevez. Remy or Benteke even. Lukaku had we acted early. These are just biggish names of course, AW used to find players like Suarez or Diego Costa before they were known, but I guess it is too soon to judge Sonogo.)
Dr Z @172 – Haha, cheers mate. I did get roped into necking one of those Jagerbomb thingies whilst I was getting down with the kids. Is that any good? 😉
Yep … what N7 said.
A must read here. This damning stats analysis of Giroud was written on Jan 1st, before his form totally plummeted – possibly related to his dogging, possibly not:
http://www.statsbomb.com/2014/01/premier-league-shooting-report-arsenal/
“For a team with aspirations of winning the league Arsenal are in the unfortunate position of having to rely on a striker that is clearly not elite at doing what he is paid to do – put the ball in the net.”
“One poor season could be forgiven, but the image below is from last season and Giroud’s red dot is in almost the same place again. His 11 goals underperformed our scoring expectation by about 6 goals last year.”
Again, that was written before his collapse. Gutting stuff.
El Puno — Your continuous slating of Giroud is only an emotional reaction to the current lack of form (or rather fitness) and team’s dropping points. At the early season he was, along with Rambo and Kos, our very best players. Not only he scored goals he was key in bringing our MF into play and once Theo was back from the stomach muscle operation it was just starting to look like a formidable attacking formation in Ozil-Giroud-Theo-Rambo. Not only that he had shown a tremendous defensive working rate which was also instrumental in giving us such a good record in set-pieces. Innumerable times he was the man making headed clearances in the defensive line up, and then slow though he is compared to the very fast strikers he would burst his guts to go up the pitch and hold up/link up. He has been kicked relentlessly from the very first match by PL defenders and at this time of the season, with no real break, he just has nothing left physically and mentally.
He is not the most accomplished technical player you will find, but he is not really that bad (go back and take a look at his pre-season goal agains City, or his away goal at Villa) and at his best he does what he is supposed to do very well. And he is more than an useful player for the way we have set ourselves to play. The problem is that cannot be the only solution on pitch and he cannot be the only striker.
217 – Agree with that basically. Never said he was the worst player who ever lived, more that he is a loooong way from the standard we need as a first choice.
As for Eto’o, he is a 33 year old stop-gap who has managed 11 goals in 19 PL and CL starts. Giroud has 15 in 36. Rather disingenuous to suggest he scores less, rather he scores more regularly and plays less. Even for an old man, he would have outscored Giroud in our team no doubt.
Just look at Giroud’s miss on Saturday, on his stronger (je-je) foot and compare with Eto’o’s curler after a neat touch onto his weaker foot. Giroud never scored a goal that good for us in 2 seasons that I can think, certainly none this year.
223 – When your main striker’s best attribute is defending corners you have a problem.
@ El Puno
Go ahead with the miserabilism and know yourself out, but you’re properly overstating the case against Giroud.
The lad is on poor form right now, and clearly cream crackered, but he’s not the total disaster you’re making him out to be.
Only two strikers have scored more league goals than him this season. Only three strikers have more assists (and one of them is Rickie Lambert).
Your article above is a fascinating attempt to predict in December how many goals he will score this season – well, I’m giving you a much more valuable stat: how many goals he has ACTUALLY scored heading into April, measured against his peers.
I hope and expect that we will sign a better striker this summer, and I thought that he was fcuking awful in midweek and last weekend (along with most of the rest of the team). But what you’re saying above goes way beyond that, and makes him sound like the second coming of Chamakh.
There’s legit concern, and then there’s wallowing. I’ll leave it to you to decide which is which.
Oh, and get yourself to the bloody game this weekend.
Dr F @ 223
Word.
Dr F knows too.
El Puno @ 222 — Actually that is a bit fallacious as Giroud is paid NOT only to “put the ball in the net.”
Arsene has been looking for a player like that for a while because he realized that really top level strikers are harder and harder to get (an interesting evolution in European football, not many great Strikers from Europe and the very best are primarily Latin Americans) and the very best are becoming prohibitively expensive (just see how many small African nation’s GDP would be sinked into Diego Costa next summer). He already has highly talented midfielders and a winger or two who can score freely (he has always said he sees Theo transitioning as a serious goalscoring threat and that transition has already happened). So he needs someone who is very good at link-up play, who is good in the air and can run the channels, bring midfielders into play and most importantly has the discipline to learn to take part in intricate build-up through the center.
He tried to convert Bendy to that player. He brought in Chamakh. But none had either the discipline or the appetite to play such a role (somewhat thankless as well). With Giroud we have that player and if Theo and Rambo were around we would have really scored many more goals.
After the summer transfer window closed (when we should really have gone for another striker), the problem in this season was to NOT replace Theo (assuming the duration of Rambo’s absence could not be foreseen) in any shape and form in January. Theo you can argue is our main goal scoring threat, and if we play in the same formation with Giroud centrally, Theo on the right and Ozil pulling the strings you would see between Giroud and Theo a formidable scoring partnership.
The Spurs FA Cup match was also a great indication that we would see Theo more and more centrally agains high defensive lines.
Some give the juke box a nudge, there’s a broken record droning on and on and on.
One final stat on Giroud. Combined league goals and assists this season:
Suarez – 39 (oh, for that clause to have worked)
Sturridge – 27
Rooney – 23
Giroud – 20
Aguero – 20
Van Persie – 14
Benteke – 13
Negredo – 12
Eto’o – 11
Torres – doesn’t appear in the top 20 on either chart, so no stats.
226 – You are probably right. I am taking out my misery on Giroud because it is far less painful than looking at why he was left as our only striking option for 2 straight seasons. I love Arsene too much to go down that road. It is what it is. For me, right now, Giroud can do one. Roll on the summer.
UTA 🙂
231 – You need to adjust for minutes played there to get a true picture mate.
@233
Jesus wept.
234 – Not at all. You want a decent statistical picture, look at that stats bomb piece I linked to earlier. Raw goal stats like feeding players Mars bars before kick-off dude, it can be done better now.
El Puno @ 225: If you are looking for cheap shots look at the classifieds for a down-at-luck photographer or two. I don’t play that game.
I am sure you were one of those know-it-alls who were all over Rambo in last season.
N7@226 has really said it all.
Support your players. See them for what they are. Criticize but don’t throw tantrums.
@ El Puno
I am rapidly losing the will to live here.
The stats bomb article doesn’t support the “Giroud is shit” claim you are making here. It very clearly states that he is “not at the elite level”, which is a statement absolutely no one in this bar would disagree with.
The hell with goals per minute. If someone can’t stay fit they can’t stay fit. One of the better attributes of Girioud, particularly in the context of an Arsenal squad where no fucker can play more than 3 games without breaking their vagina, is that the geezer is ALWAYS fit (in every sense of that term).
He has also laid more this season than any of his immediate rivals. Calculated by the minute or otherwise.
This discussion is clearly futile. You think he’s shit. So shit that you’re going to ignore all evidence to the contrary (mine) and misconstrue any evidence that suggests he’s not shit, but just not world class (your article).
That’s your prerogative, and I’m sure a few of us were tempted to join you as we watched him stroll around on Tuesday night, but it’s quite simply not born out by stats, which have seen him perform about as well as any of us could have hoped back in August.
That’s my final word on the subject, because I sense that this is probably boring the shit out of the rest of the bar.
Have a drink on me, strap on a pair of bollocks and get yourself to the Emirates good and early on Saturday. Time to cowboy up.
COYG
Afternoon all. The shiteness of your players takes its rightful place in your priorities when you hear an old work colleague and golf partner has shuffled off this mortal coil too young. Reminder, far from necessary, that we are mere mortals.
just noticed 165
‘hol
iffin’ you’re in
the appreciative chair
.
pint of green spot
and
a wee nip of stout
😉
.
oops
bad timing
was typing
‘pologies
Sorry to hear that, Holic – always a jolt.
Sorry for your loss ‘H.
Agh – sorry to hear that, Holic.
Thanks all, and cba, worry not. Chuckle button definitely needs pressing, and nobody is better at doing that.
apologies again ‘hol
was back drinkin
when you must have posted
I feckin did it again
jeez
Bummer, ‘Holic.
A reminder of more important things. No real point in building angst over ‘Maya’.
GH, Sorry to hear about the passing of your friend.
gentleman ‘holic
as always
.
my condolences
Thanks again all. Think the no drink rule shall not apply this Thursday. Now, more importantly, time to cheer up and look forward to the weekend.
What?
Citeh? Oh…
its allowed
and
understandable ‘hol
swally ’til yer eyebrows are floatin’
.
all the best fella
@N7 @ various posts,
Why would attaining only a preliminary CL qualification spot in World Cup year now be considered par for the course at this late stage of the season? Aside from the financially-doped sides, are Liverpool genuinely a side that deserve automatic qualification ahead of Arsene’s side this year? Yes Liverpool have played some good stuff this term but they’re not wholely worthy of automatic qualification after being absent from Europe’s elite competition for so long. Preliminary qualification should suitably be for them and not for perennial attendees like Arsenal.
Sorry to hear that, H.
@Dapper Dan
If Liverpool finish in the top three then they deserve automatic qualification.
Condolences ‘Holic. The great leveler’s visit is always a humble reminder to be fair and kind to others in this lifetime.
This is really getting crazy http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/26762899 — the question should be asked if UEFA is really on the verge of killing the goose…
@N7, and so should Arsenal for all that they achieved this year in three competitions whilst Liverpool only have achieved anything significant in one.
@Dapper Dan
Good luck with making that case to UEFA!
Great debate from the usual suspects.
Ha Ha Trev.
Would love to join in on various subjects, but pressed for time all day and it’d darts night …:)
Next round’s on me. Catch up with y’all tomorrow.
@N7, we’ll just have to agree to disagree on what we each classify as a holistically successful season for this season’s squad! May 11th will reveal all as night follows day!
So NY gets to see Arsenal play the Red Bulls this summer, while we here in Seattle are stuck seeing Tottenham play the Sounders. Not fair!
N7 – you could sell sand to the Arabs, mate.
If onky some of our squad had half your vim and vinegar!
Evening Dr z. Hope all ok…
Top stuff in the back drinks and the Giroud debate is fascinating. I gave him pelters last season but I’m aware of his deficiencies now.
I have a theory ( which like most of my theories is probably crap )
that Giroud is a super sub. Note his effectiveness v Everton and when he came off the bench against Newcastle last season. I’m not being facetious when I say that his lack of pace is not so noticeable later in games when everyone is knackered and he is fresh. Even his finishing looks better .
The other point is that he contributes more when people run off or beyond him like Walcott or Ramsey. Those two have been a grievous loss. Wenger bears the responsibility for letting us go into a season with Giroud as our spearhead. If he’d nabbed Remy for example who can play as a spearhead, has pace and could play off Giroud we would have had so many more options. We could have bought him for £8 million.
So I think I’m saying that we have flogged Giroud to death but he’s now not only running on empty but has the wrong players around him. But if we flogged him for a world class striker who was a real upgrade I wouldn’t shed too many tears.
Trev,
You’re clearly coming back into form rapidly. Great stuff!
I seriously considered not going on Saturday. I fear we may get another stuffing. But Ive watched MUCH worse teams than this in red and white and turned up regardless so I will be there. But sadly I really have a bad feeling about Saturday.
I’ve had this feeling three times before this season- you’ve guessed. City away, Liverpool away and Chelsea last week. Please God may I be wrong this time.
And we are still not getting injured players back.
All good here ‘H
Sorry to hear your news.
Fine analysis by Tim Stillman on Arseblog. Read it and weep. 🙁
Hangover is over…now.
When Arsenal is not good, so am I and I try to hurt many people around me, mates, wife (not physically) when I’m pissed.
I am sorry.
My anger is still on, though.
Someone should point finger(s) on guilty person(s). And it’s probably not just Arsene. Someone must.
I want Him to go out in style.
But he is not Arsenal. I am and you are.
Again, I apologize for my drunken escapades.
237 – N7, thanks for that, cheered me up. Pulling myself together now. You can’t really blame Giroud he is a useful squad player being over-worked in the absence of a start forward he should be supporting. The blame lies elsewhere and it isn’t fair to scapegoat him. Time to look forward to next season.
263 – completely agree, would make a fine sub option and decent rotation player is coming in fresh. His physicality and defensive attributes would be particularly handy away with the right players around him.
Fine analysis, Bath? It is perfect. I feel honored to support the same team that Stillman, Holic and Blogs support. I’ll stop right there with compliments because my English is not good enough to express my gratitude towards them and my joy reading their posts trough the years.
I am also happy for myself, because I’ve slightly improved my basic knowledge in English over this couple of years visiting this bar, only because of the need to debate with fellow gunners. I still struggle to declare myself many times, so apologies to all that have a hard time understanding me sometimes.
SSY is right, Arsenal is all of us, and there is a bright future for this club as long as there are people like Tim and Holic to care and write about the club we all love, and I feel I’ve kind of taken their posts for granted.
So I want to thank you Holic, once again.
Bit early, but here is my summer wish list:
1) Arsenal figure out who they want and get some business done early. Waiting to the end bit us badly last summer, especially the Bendtner/Ba fiasco, time to learn and move quickly especially in a World Cup year.
2) We need to add some pace and power. The Invincibles married these attributes beautifully with their technical mastery, they are long gone. We are one paced outside Walcott, can’t counter-attack, and lack real physical power like you saw from the two German teams who payed the European cup final last year, or, gulp, those hideous chavs. It is an athletes game and we have too few.
3) A striker. “Super quality.”
4) A winger with pace and creativity in the mould of Di Maria, Hazard, or that stain Robben.
5) A set of balls in midfield. Needn’t be the new Vieira, but a new Gilberto would transform this team. Sorely missed in my opinion. Arteta isn’t that and is waning, legs look shot and Flamini isn’t the answer, more a very good squad option. (I miss the days of two solid midfielders providing a genuine platform for our attackers to express themselves. Parlour, Edu, Petit could all do a fine job in this side.)
6) Another striker. Someone for AW to develop, young and fast would be my taste.
7) An attacking right-back. If we are going to bomb them forward, we should have some purpose out wide. Gibb’s assist on Tuesday was sublime, we need that from both sides.
Easy-peasy. Over to you Arsene.
UTA
Zico @ 261
They can have all the sand they want, so long as they keep their hands off Sagna.
@ SSY
Top man, well played.
@ El Puno
Well done old son – that’s the spirit!
Read the Stillman piece, but really don’t agree the $$$ clubs are that far ahead. No reason we should be finishing 4th every season, especially with money unspent this season. We have missed out by not being aggressive or decisive, not because others could out-muscle us.
Reading the accounts you see Swiss Ramble put up, the numbers just don’t say we should be fourth now we have renegotiated our commercial deals. Not by a long stretch.
Sadly, I get the impression that Arsene has also fallen into the trap of thinking the prudence and pragmatism that the stadium used to dictate remains.
Higuain has gone for 19 goals, 11 assists in 33 league and European games this season. Factor in the improvement in Giroud with some rest…
Could paying 5, or even 10 million more than we thought was value have won us the league? It is a false economy. Most importantly, it was unnecessary and the refusal to gamble on that winning us a title smacks of defeatism and small time thinking.
Last one before bed:
The most worrying memory for me from this season was how much physically fitter than us Dortmund looked, especially at our place.
Not sure if this is recruitment or training, but I would really, really love to see us be able to match the pressing of them, or Barca, or Bayern, but we just don’t have the legs.
UTA 🙂
Two close seasons ago we bought Podolski, Giroud and Cazorla. We were as happy as pigs in shite. Then we lost the Dutch skunk and Song. But we had at least done some reasonable business in advance.
Last season we lost no one of note but waited until the final day of the window to spend any money and brought in Ozil . Now what was different between the two?
Two seasons ago we were third and assured of a CL place. Last season we had to beat Galatasaray before we would spend. So what happens if we finish fourth this season? Will we wait until we qualify to spend as El,Puno suggests? Or will we feel the sponsorship money allows us to spend more freely than previously?
The nightmare scenario is if we miss CL completely. What would we do then? Would we strain every financial sinew to get back next season or would we take the risk averse view we have so often and fail to sign big players, even if we could? I dread that scenario. The Europa League is a crick of shit that ruins your season playing meaningless games on Thursday and League games on Sundays. Spurs have had 18 Sunday games already and they didn’t even get into the closing stages.
I know we need to sign players early in the window . We needed a striker early in this latest window to ease the strain on Giroud. But we ended up an hour before the window chasing Papiss Cisse, Kalou and Di Natale. That’s poor planning and an amateurish response to a problem that a big club like Arsenal should not face.
But I’m not expecting any early signings based on recent evidence . Especially with Arsene at the World Cup with his TV analysts ‘s hat on.
All true, TTG.
The only comfort I can offer is that the club have had precisely one summer transfer window in recent years where they’ve had actual money to spend – last summer, when our net outlay was a little over £30m, where normally we’ve broken even.
Mistakes were made, and hopefully lessons have been learned – we certainly tried for players early in the window, before the qualifier (Higuain, Suarez), we just couldn’t close.
I have no idea what we’ll do this time, but I’m looking forward to finding out. I would love us to finish third, but I don’t see it happening – Liverpool have covered less ground than us this season and it shows.
Hopefully, we’ll have a shiny tin pot in the cabinet to save our having to fret too much over the summer.
Just to add, my forecast is that we’ll not finish higher than fourth, but that we’ll win the cup.
I think the Wigan game is key. I think we can afford to lose the next two league games and still seal top four by the skin of our teeth. If we lose to Wigan, however, the wheels are likely to come off completely, knowing this team.
Beat Wigan and we start to get players back for an OK looking run in, and by the cup final we should be strong again.
It might end up being a bit of a stumble across the finish line, but I don’t much care. Top four and the FA Cup. That will do me. Build on it over the summer, qualifier or not.
COYG
Oh, and I think we’re going to get spanked on Saturday. Still, you never know.
N7- very good points all. Let’s hope you’re right about the tin pot. We may get the Charity Shield as well!
While I’m doing lots of posts – the transfer market moved late in summer 2013 because of Levy dragging out the Bale deal. Suspect we’d have had Ozil earlier but for that. Hopefully not a similar deal this time.
Heh N7, “cry-babyism” – nice word.
Results aside, we are blessed with a really unique manager. He is cultured, urbane and dignified, traits which are sadly underappreciated these days.
What, would you (the complainers, not you N7) rather have Maureen, a needy, immature man-child who conducts himself like a perfect boor; a grown man who would poke you in the eye (but lacks the balls to lamp you properly); who will stoop as low as humanly possible in his efforts at self-aggrandizement? It says a lot about journalists and the general public that his ‘specialist in failure’ comment has been picked up and reused so much, and meanwhile our manager just rises above it with a gentlemanly but much more cutting repartee.
The cry-babyists care only about getting those trophies, but me, I like having a manager who’s genuinely a good guy (even if he is clueless about beating the oil clubs). Wenger IN.
Ttg, I agree. Transfer strategy is the front where our club must improve, along with better dealing with injuries. Those two fronts are clearly stagnating for the last couple of years and no improvement his been made.
Sometimes the club is acting like there is no idea what sort of players we need, and even if there is any idea they often fail to realize it.
For example, we fail to bring a striker for a third transfer period in a row. And in contrary to many, I feel that there were adequate strikers we could have benefited with that changed clubs since the summer. And cheep ones, too. David Villa, Tevez, Sevilla’s Bacca. Some not that cheap, like Bony. Some expensive like Negredo. Previous season we missed on Sturrigde, Mandzukic for less then 10m. There are many more, those just came to mind at the moment.
DM position, identical situation.
We seems to lack good transfer strategy and planning. For years there is just no improvement on that front as there is no improvement on injury from either.
Signing Ozil for all his quality and glamour, was never a planned one. Some of us tend to forget but it was Di Maria from the same Real Madrid we were after, just two weeks before transfer dead line. If Angeloti did not decided that he wanted to keep him instead of Ozil, the German was never going to be an Arsenal player. Credit to Arsene for moving fast and spending big but I will also thank Angeloti on his decision. I wonder what would have been if he decided the opposite.
I can only hope, for once, that whatever position we finish this season, the transfer targets are already identified and they are players we really need, a striker, DM, RB if Sagna leaves us and back up CB. However, it is the same hope I have every year, and almost nothing particularly changes, like they say, it is the hope that kills you.
I pray and hope that fans going to this weekend game have a good functioning heart, because it’s not going to be fun. I am not even looking forward to this weekend. How we went from competing for the title, to fighting for our now usual 4th spot is beyond me. Same old stuff year in year out. COYG!!!!!
Have to agree with the pro-Giroudistes here. His contribution has been massive, imo, not as an out and out striker but as one half of an ideal strike-force. The one who wins the ball in the air and lays it off to his partner or to an attacking midfielder. The obvious shortcoming to his play is not having that partner, except for a brief period when Theo looked the part, or when Poldi was on form.
I simply cannot imagine how dangerous Suarez could have been for us with Giroud beside him and Rambo, Özil and Santi also benefiting from OG’s presence. It is grossly unfair to expect Giroud to do his job PLUS that of the non-existent strike-partner, as El Puno would have.
Öskar
The danger of finishing 4th, Ttg, is that prospective signees will not want to sign until after we have qualified for the CL proper. And that means compromising any transfer strategy we might have. Some clubs can afford to buy early, and then buy again if something better comes along. Arsenal can not. We either have to wait for our ideal fit or buy someone of lesser quality prepared to sign without a CL guarantee. Which I guess had a lot to do with last summer’s fiasco.
It’s going to be very difficult to finish above 4th from where we are, even if Pool lose both big games at Anfield. I believe they have an excellent chance of winning both and going on to win the title, which would leave one of the chavs or oilers to get past. Can’t see it somehow. In fact I’ll be relieved if we hang on to 4th right now.
Öskar
Top notch stuff from many on here,but a lot of despondency as well.
There has been some serious spleen venting since saturday’s carnage and the poor performance and comedy of errors at the death on Tuesday.
This of course is when a Club finds out who the true fans are,going through a dodgy spell,missing key players,others worn out,
[ Ramsey is ” out for a few more weeks ” according to the Boss ]
no word on Ozil or Willy,at his presser today.
I was watching the back end of the Utd – City game yesterday and half the seats were empty,same at Villa Park last Saturday,when they were getting flogged at home by Stoke.[The ground was chokkers the week before when they beat Chelsea.!! ]
But then the TV camera panned around the grounds at both those matches and there they were,the TRUE supporters,still cheering and singing even though their teams were really really struggling.
The ‘ Followers ‘ had all decamped en masse,the bitter taste of defeat all too much for them.
The idea of staying till the final whistle and giving the players some moral support,totally beyond their ken of course.
Whatever we think of AW’s team selections,tactics et al,the team still deserve to be encouraged from start to finish regardless of performance.
Yes the players know their effort at the Bridge on Saturday was unacceptable,but they don’t need us ramming it down their throats ad nauseam.
To be brutally frank,the majority of our players are probably in the 2nd/3rd tier of the technical excellence required to succeed at the highest level.
There would not be one single Holic who before the season kicked off,would have said we could win the Title or even challenge for it.
We are all incurable optimists when it comes to our beloved Club,but title challenging.?? A bridge too far.
So to say we have punched above our weight this season,would be an understatement.
The fact it has almost ended in tears,is grist to the mill for those that love a good moan.
I cannot remember an Arsenal side suffering 2 sixes and a 5 goal defeat in any one season for decades,does that mean we have regressed as a Club.?? are our players mentally weaker this season,?? i don’t have the answer to that.But like many on here,it does drive me to despair.
But regardless,i soldier on,waiting for the next game,eternally patient,still loyal to the Club i have followed since ’54.
After all,what else am i am going to do.??
Cheers
The Sweeper
Suffer like the rest of us, Clive. 😉 Tomorrow is another day, as Scarlett once said.
Öskar
True that on Giroud, Oskar.
For all his weaknesses, I struggle to think of a striker playing in a similar role with similar attributes, who is actually a lot better then him.
Lukaku has a tendency to be one in the near future, Ibra is better for sure and Negredo or Mandzukic maybe, but I would not change Giroud for the likes of Dzeko, Ba, Andy Carroll, Llorente, Benteke, Lambert, Crouch.
No, Giroud is the man. He just needs a partner, pacey dribbler who can create something from nothing and with whom Giroud can form a long lasting partnership.
Clive … you say that “the majority of our players are probably in the 2nd/3rd tier of the technical excellence required to succeed at the highest level”? Most of them are internationals who will play for their countries at the WC later this year. And all of them would find regular berths in most premiership sides. The only level where I agree most would, and have, struggled is CL, but then so will, and do, most of the players in losing sides in that comp.
With respect I think your ‘highest level’ is a tad narrow. Although I agree we have no more than a couple of players of genuine CL-winning class.
Öskar
Oscar
i would take issue with you on the comment about most of them playing at the World Cup.
Sagna is back up full back,Gibbs has fallen to 3rd choice left back.
Cazorla is a back up,as are Podolski and Giroud.
Rosicky and Woj aren’t going,nor is Arteta.
At best Ozil and Mert might play for Germany,but neither is guaranteed a first team place.
Englad are in poor shape if a very raw Ox and a regressed Wilshere get starting berths,so that doesn’t leave much to hang your hat on.
Contrast that with the Invincibles era where virtually every player was one of the first names on their Countries team sheets.
We have had to cut our cloth accordingly over the past few seasons in player purchases,and the fact we have been feeding off the middle tier of the talentpool,is now glaringly obvious.
Point taken, Clive. Even so all those mentioned are full internationals and I was trying to look on the bright side. 🙁
Öskar
Sweeper – you make an interesting point above about the majority of our team being tier 2 and 3 in world football and therefore our expectations should be more moderate at best.
I for one did obviously have overly high expectations at the start of the season more based on the Ozil signing as a clear sign of intent and change for the better.
I assumed we would clearly add a world class $40+ mil striker later in the seAson to compliment giroud who is a loyal work horse, but should not be the main man.
Your comments go a long way too explain the frustrations with this team could be more about over expectations from the start.
A few good games into the season and I felt we were on for the treble.
Foolish dreaming I guess.
But the FA cup hopefully is not a foolish dream.
Hi Aussie
Hopefully with serious funds available this summer,we will be able to feed at the top table for a change,and purchase some heavyweight talent more in keeping with the Club’s and our aspirations.
Here’s a punt….and he probably wouldn’t come back….but Carlos Vela continues to do exceptionally in La Liga for the 3rd year on the trot. 12 goals and 9 assists this season in 29 games.
He’s 25 now and heading towards even better things, nor does he play internationally as his long running dispute with Mexico continues.
cheers to some “heavyweight talent”GS54
we can live in hope
Tim, always liked Carlos vela along with Fran Merida.
If I remember rightly they both partied their way out of arsenes circle of trust and sadly out the back door.
Am I reading all of this right??? Poor transfer policy? Need to strengthen? Need to do business early?????? Don’t tell me you’ve all moved to the dark side???? Are people starting to get it at last????? Blimey, wonders will never cease. That said, if 19 goals and 10 assists makes you shit then the board really do have there work cut out???
🙂
Holic, sorry to hear your news.
Clive above. Spot on dear fellow.
Its always easy to look at a perspective when things arent going well but when it is, all is rosy and nice, we need a balanced outlook and we havent done that at all this season.
This season to be honest we had a team punching above their weight and topping the league at various stages, thanks mainly to momentum, players in good form, other teams not upto the mark and the feel good factor that no one gave us a chance and lets play with no pressure on us. When the results started going well, suddenly everyone stood up and noticed and felt ok this team is really good, everything is rosy and heck the drought will be over, then came the meltdown, players started going off form, fixture pileup, injuries, other teams bucking up and the frailties of the team which were hidden raised its ugly head.Now its a crescendo of abuse, vile and desperation.
So the perspective is simple, we have a good team not great, we have an attitude which is good not resolute, we have a manager who is great not open to change, worst of all we have fans and a majority of them who are fickle, shit chameleons.
How many were happy when we signed flamini? not a lot but when he started playing decent, showed a fighting attitude then suddenly everyone were like he could be the missing link to the team, fact was he was never the answer, he was the plaster to the glaring crack in the holding midfielder role.
Did we not know Arteta has lost the pace and the guile needed, obviously when you make him play deeper and deeper and ask him to act as a shield for the center backs, you cant suddenly ask him to play a 30 yard screamer of a pass or a one two with ozil and move the ball quicker, its not like he cant do it but he just is not allowed to do it because its a safety first approach.
Giroud was not the striker who would suit the midfield, he has done very well within his limited capabilities and abusing him is ridiculous, because if we remember in dec, we all wanted him wrapped in silk fearing an injury, the man is running empty now and you cant kill him for that, he is human.
Wenger made a glaring mistake in jan, he should have bought atleast 3 players and we would have won the league, Remy, a holding midfielder and a left winger, instead he put all the eggs in one basket and tried for draxler knowing it was a very tough one to pull off, did he not realize the mistake that happened when we lost higuain trying to get suarez, come on boss.
This season hurts, we could have won the league,it was between us and city and for me an even more glaring fact is some players dint step up when needed as well, cazorla, jack, arteta have all been poor, we cant say it aloud because they are fan favourites but you expect these players to take the game by the scruff of the neck and make it their own, they have not done it and thats what i mean by saying we dont have a game changer, we have players who can play well if they have everything going well but when things arent going well no one steps up, we need a yaya toure, ronaldo, suarez type of players in the team, not ones who shy away from such scenarios. We may not get the same names but we need characters in this team, every season we cry out for the same and we dont get any answers, thats my grouse against the boss and more so the board, i am tired with the same complaints, give us a new reason please hahha, on a serious note why o why do we have the same issues always, everyone knows the issue but no one gets it sorted out, a cup win and a 4th place doesnt solve a deep rooted problem which is why are we not addressing what is in front of us, who can be held accountable for this?
Good blog, but can’t understand your surprise at the lack of leadership shown on Tuesday. Time and time again, this has been a central issue with us. The big players have not shown up when needed. City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Stoke… No one grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck. Wenger tends to steer away from players of that calibre. We are badly in need of a player like viera or keane – players who will drive the team forward. Ensure the younger players keep the heads up when the goings tough. Scholes got it right – willshere has not developed much since 17. Having a strong enforcer type midfielder would undoubtly have helped in recent years.
Until this is addressed sadly, it will be the same old story year in, year out
Bang.
Giroudesque…….
Some serious revisionism going on around here.
We absolutely were good enough to win the league this year, lots and lots people said it across various mediums – new managers at all 3 traditional challengers and none looking superb in both attack and defence presented a real chance.
If you doubt that now it has all fallen apart, just have a gander at the Liverpool team sheet. They can win the league at home vs chavs and city with a team containing a series of long running jokes: Henderson, Stirling, legless Gerrard, Skrtel, a collection of no-name ugly full-backs. If you can say with a straight face that squad has more talent than ours I suggest you take up a career in politics.
I think the point made above about our players being 2nd/3rd tier of the top level is excellent. Wenger has changed our level competition. We are no longer playing in a 20 team Prem, or at the top of 92 English league clubs.
Arsenal is competing against 5, maybe 6 clubs domestically and another 10 in Europe. Based on that, we are lagging. It just is not true that this is entirely a financial issue. Juve, Atletico, Dortmund have all done more with less recently. Utd’s debts diminish their revenue advantage, they aren’t spending oil sums, but they were winning.
Recent investments are starting to look worse and worse to: Poldi, Giroud, Arteta’s legs look gone. It goes on. Is they anything coming through anymore?
El Puno.
So our one and only striker is absolutely shit, but we still absolutely had the ability to win the league??????????
You will forgive me if I say that you really are massively confusing me here??????
@El Puno
No revisionism whatsoever.
Feel free to go back over the last nine months of posts from YT (and there have been plenty) and find one saying we were going to/should win the league. It’s a tall order, and has been the whole time. Even when we were flying we had a list of injuries that always seemed likely to take it out of our legs before we hit the final corner.
Liverpool are being used as a stick to beat the manager with. I have news for you; absent a big slice of luck they’re not going to win the league either. And that’s despite having no European football and far less injuries. They’ve also, of course, benefited from having by far the league’s outstanding player. Why don’t we try to buy a player like that, eh?
The fact is that, come May, it’s quite possible that of ourselves, Liverpool and Chelsea only one club will be left holding a trophy. Remember those – trophies? Those things we were told it was all about, that we never won and we must be desperate for? Funny how we get within sniffing distance of one and suddenly it’s not about “trophies” it’s just about the title.
It is still absolutely all to play for. We have an opportunity to end the season in a position only the terminally daft would have turned down in August, when we were being widely predicted to do sweet cock all this season.
We remain a club with the fourth highest wage bill in the land, and a net transfer spend in the division’s nether regions. We are, right now, a club for whom a cup is a very good season and a title would be outstanding.
Perhaps that will change in years to come, but right now that’s the bottom line.
If only we could be more like plucky little Juventus, and thank god we don’t operate with the terrible financial restraints of Man Utd.
Have a look at Dortmund in their league table. 20 points off the top. And that’s with Klopp the genius who would solve all our problems.
303 – We got a decent 4 months out of Giroud when surrounded by in form, fit super quality attacking midfielders who put it on a plate for him. The disgusting run of form he is on and the effect it has had on our club seems to be an indictment of both our january transfer policy and probably his shagging habits. We had amble chance to get him genuine support at least, or preferably upgrade.
304 – Not talking about specific people. Things like “We have an opportunity to end the season in a position only the terminally daft would have turned down in August” is a gross distortion though.
Firstly, with the window still open everyone was expecting us to add more than 1 player. That we failed in our striking pursuit is not bad luck. We made a mess of Suarez even though there was a clause and he agitated for a move. It was gross incompetence of the highest order and someone should be sacked for it frankly, Gazidis or Law, whoever is in charge of those details. Getting tooled up on Bemba Ba by Maureen goes in that level of slapstick fuckwittery also.
Second, there was more than enough talent in our squad to make a run. Injuries hurt us, but Ramsey and Walcott, the two major ones, both happened when we could have responded. (Look at the Matic signing for the chavs, a smart response to a weakness. We have none of that.)
Third, we went in to Tuesday’s home game with Swansea with the chance to close to 4 points of first. We blew it. No excuses there, we put out the better players, by far, and they couldn’t do it and the manager couldn’t get them to do it. It was indicative of our season. With the leagues best defence we have made a habit of crumbling and rarely played to our strengths.
I hate to say it, but a better job of management, both in our transfer dealings, in our approach to games tactically, and in our attitude could have seen us stroll this league. It was there for the taking and many, many people saw it last summer. It was even clearer after 3 months of the season, but we never really kicked on, either in strengthening or performance. A total lack of pragmatism in all facets. Urgh. Another season of brain-dead capitulation in August in hindsight, but it certainly did not have to be this way.
305 – Burying your head in the sand mate. People who say we can’t compete because of finances are wrong. Dortmund just won the league and bossed it to the Champ League final. Juve play in a 40,000 stadium and will do a league and european double this year.
Atletico are tiny in the finances department, but are top of Spain, last 8 in Europe and have got european and domestic pots recently. Amazing what some smart recruitment and good management will do eh?
Having ground out a 1-0 at the shit-hole, everyone I spoke to said that we cold go on a run to the title, but we would need to rely on our defence. Just like we did late last season. Injuries made it tougher, but it was all still there for us.
Given what had happened at City and the bin-dippers, how on earth could we leave Flamini out for a midfield of AOC, Arteta and Santi against what was soooooo obviously going to be 2 huge holding players and hazard, oscar, etc buzzing around in front of them? Brain-dead.
@El Puno
Juve are and have always been one of Europe’s largest clubs. They operate in a league in which they are currently by far the largest and richest operator. They are paying Carlos Tevez more than any Arsenal player has ever earned. They play in a 40,000 seater stadium because they’ve not been fortunate enough to have a manager with the skill and fortitude to see them through the shitstorm of moving to larger digs.
Athletico, I take my hat off to. Great season.
Dortmund haven’t “just” won the league. They won it two years ago and have been nowhere it since. They’re also the second biggest club in Germany, historically and financially. You have to be some sort of genius to slag off our failure to win the title this season and then point at a club who are even further off winning their own.
I don’t really understand what the above examples do for you. There will always be some other team having a good season somewhere. None of the examples you cite, bar Juve, have actually won anything yet this season, and it’s quite possible that we will end up with as many trophies, if not more, than all of them.
Right.
Just read the bit about how with better management we’d have “strolled the league”.
I think that’s me done. Enjoy the rest of the season, hope you can pick up the Sky Sports signal from whatever planet you’re on.
COYG
Morning all,
Vinay,
Please mate, if you’re going to present us with such long posts, could you think your way through them a bit more ?
Just when I think I disagree with you, I find you disagree with yourself. What am I supposed to do then ?
And is it possibly a tiny bit presumptious to tell all of us quite what kind of fans we are, and what we think, and when we think it.
I’m more tired than Giroud with the argument going on about, well, Giroud. Can’t people express differing opinions without one of them being battered into submission and having to change their own view ?
Sorry Holic, et al, maybe it’s me being presumptious now.
I’ll get back on the morphine.
Juve had a bigger stadium of 80000 seats. The famous Delle Alpi, that they deliberately ruined to build ultra modern new stadium. Nothing to do with having a skilfull manager there. That was their plan and they accomplished it.
Dortmund, haven’t won the league last year, true. However there was a small matter of them playing in the CL final.They have twice more titles in their last four years than we have in our last ten. With twice less resources, selling their best players year after year. But here they are, in the CL quarters once again, and second in Germany.
Add to that Wigan, won the llast year FA Cup with far less resources that their opponent in the final.
And remember, gents, we still haven’t won anything this year, stop acting like we had.
@ Lurky
Good call on the stadium – I’d forgotten about that.
Dortmund, like Juve, are better placed than us in their domestic division, hence the extra trophies. They’re basically precisely where we would have been but for the oil cash at Chelsea and City.
Believe me, I make no assumption that we’ll win the cup, but in a conversation where someone points out that Juve are going to win the double I feel it’s fair to point out that we’re at least as well placed for a domestic trophy as they are for the Europa.
Off topic. Sorry people.
Some disturbing comments from Premier League supremo Richard Scudamore on Beeb website today;
Manchester United’s troubled defence of their Premier League title is harming the English top flight’s worldwide brand, says the competition’s chief executive Richard Scudamore.
“It’s a double-edged sword,” said Scudamore. “When your most popular club isn’t doing as well, that costs you interest and audience in some places.”
“There are lots of fans around the world who wish Manchester United were winning it again,” Scudamore told Bloomberg.
“But you have to balance that off against, generally, we’re in the business of putting on a competition and competition means people can compete.”
Sounds very unhealthy to Me.
Tasos, tells you everything you need to know on the leniency shown towards them by the referees during the years; or the reason behind the apparent favouritism towards the perceived bigger clubs in the CL as well.
@ Tasos 314
Wow – scary stuff.
N7 Gooner
I have long held an opinion that Man Utd have been “guided” towards a good few Premier League championships in recent seasons.
However I still find Richard Scudamores comments disturbing to say the least.
@ Tasos
I don’t know what’s scarier: that Scudamore actually thinks in those terms, or that he think it’s appropriate to voice such a view publicly.
I suppose he’s not alone: the same corners of the media that have celebrated any minor stumble by the Arsenal have also made it clear that they regard an under-performance by Utd as an issue of deep concern for us all.
@trev, i defended Giroud where i need to and i dint where i need not. In terms of fans i dint mean anyone here or somewhere else, i meant generally there are fans who change colors than stick to the facts, these set of fans are what damage the overall impression about others, one they influence a lot who allow themselves to be influenced, 2 the social media is a weapon nowadays than just a tool
Diaby back in full training on April1, and it is not even a fools day joke.
I miss poor old About so much.
Arsenal bloody Arsenal!
😉
😆
A little tune for everyone in the bar, to sum up the last seven days…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wycjnCCgUes&feature=kp
Top assessment ‘holic and some great discussions going on here over the past few days. As someone alluded to previously, Blogs, Tim Stillman and ‘holic lessen the burden of results like we’ve witnessed this past week or so — so thank you ‘holic.
I’m resigned to a less than favourable result tomorrow: I’m usually ridiculously optimistic, but with our threadbare, over-tired and confidence-sapped squad, we can’t really hope for very much. That won’t stop me watching and cheering of course and for those of you at the game, sing your hearts out please!
Mark Lawrenson, of all people, expressed an opinion on the BBC website today, that I totally concur with (for once):
“No disrespect to Sheffield United, Hull or Wigan but I’d like Arsenal to win the FA Cup. I think Arsene Wenger is a very good manager and everyone is sick of hearing the stats about their wait for a trophy. It would shut them up.”
Quite f*c*ing right too!
El Puno@307: the Swiss Ramble once called Atletico “one of the worst run clubs in Europe” despite historically being the third biggest club in Spain. Heavy debt, at Real, Barca levels, and in deep trouble with the taxman. Has had to sell its best players season after season. 17 managers since it last won the Spanish league in 1996 before Diego Simeone came along a couple of seasons back. He has clearly made the team competitive but the way the club has been run is not much of a model for anything.
http://swissramble.blogspot.com/search/label/Atletico%20Madrid
@ 325
Interesting article.
I’ve watched quite a bit of Athletico this season and what they are right now is a superbly motivated team. Simeone is a club legend, and he has clearly got them massively fired up. Their recent derby against Real – I don’t remember ever seeing a team so totally pumped.
They’re having a brilliant season, but I will be very surprised if they are able to sustain this level over the next year or two. I also don’t think there’s any guarantee that Simeone could achieve the same at a club to which he has no prior ties.
Good points, N7G. One does wonder if the players can sustain that level of motivation if they are not repeatedly winning titles, which is tough in a league that contains Barca and Real.
Thank you Matt, indeed all of you. Trust me you lift me more than the other way round.
325 – The point on Atletico was that you can win with less resources than your rivals if you are well run in terms of both player recruitment and coaching. That they used to be run by a convicted crook has little bearing on that.
For example, they sold Aguerro and reinvested instantly in Falcao which was a masterstroke. Then they sold Falcao and had Costa ready to step, also a masterstroke, but in completely the opposite style.
Hate to say it, but compare that to how we dealt with RVP leaving. Had no ready replacement, then paid less than half on for Giroud. (No surprise our attack has regressed since the days of Cesc and RVP.)
I love Arsene and want to see him get this right, but as we stagger over the line with £100 million in the bank and a string of busted chases – Suarez, Higuain, Draxler – showing we knew there were holes to fill it is very hard not to think this season has been a almighty administrative fuck-up. That we can go out and ship 17 goals in 3 away games withou any appreciable response in our approach says a lot about how things have gone on the training ground. Either AW is sleepwalking, or the players have stopped listening.
I hope we turn a corner, but this is several years of uneven performance throughout a season that winds up in the same things: 4th, a tough CL draw we can’t compete in because we finished 2nd in our group and prefer to sit on our cash than compete for the top players. AW did wonderfully to alter the infrastructure and ambition of our club, but now he is struggling to live up to that.
Afternoon all.
Holic, sorry to hear about your loss. Condolances.
===
Good for you SSY, people will always make mistakes and sometimes say things they don’t really mean in the heat of the moment. It shows great charachter to admit and attone for your transgressions.
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Lurky, your English is fine mate, I have no problem undestanding the points you are trying to put across.
===
Still gotta lotta catching up to do…………..
‘Holic, just backdrunk, thanks to H2H, to learn of the loss of your friend. My condolences. A sobering reminder that football is only the most important of the least important things.
El Puno@329: Thanks for the clarification of your earlier post. I initially read it more in terms of financial than team management, but see now what your were getting at. I can certainly agree that Atletico has been more adept (or lucky?) than us in managing the revolving door of top strikers. We seem to bring in or up young forwards — Sanogo, Campbell, Miyaichi, Wellington, Akpom, Afobe — who are always a couple of years work-in-progress away from the first team.
Wow, that was a long slog. Interesting enough points and views, a bit repatative though, battle lines seem well and truly drawn and neither side willing to budge. Personaly I see merits in both sides of the arguement. N7, as eloquant as ever, makes some excellent points and backs them up with facts and stats. El Puno, whilst I don’t agree with many of his stances does make a few good points, which N7 himself has agread with, even if El Puno doesn’t recognise it as such.
On the Giroud discussion, I think tabs summed it up perfectly (way) above, to quote him;
Up front I would say that Giroud’s movement was poor but I can’t. It was worse than that. It didn’t exist. Even on days when he has looked at his most cumbersome in front of goal, we could at least rely on the fact that we had a player prepared to run the channels, to close down defenders and to fight for every ball, qualities that persuaded many (including myself) to turn a blind eye to his failings.
Pretty much nail on head stuff for me. He has tried valliently, worked tirelesly, but is now a spent force, nothing I blame him for, he’s been overused and run into the ground, but that’s been discussed before. TTG suggested that he may be better suited as an impact sub, an option I championed myself in the drinks less then a month ago, due to his cameos in the FA cup. He may not be 100% what we need to lead the line, but I still feel he has a bright future with us, because what he lacks in technique he more then makes up for effort (when he’s not half dead). We defenitly missed a trick not bringing in a replacement/back up, but more on that in my next post…
Athletico ???? Fucking hell a couple of wins in a competition that we’re too good to ‘qualify’ for and they’re being held up as some kind of example to follow as a Club that achieves more on lesser resources? Jesus wept … seriously.
‘I love Arsene but …” seems quite the common refrain. Who needs enemies eh …
Done with the navel-gazing. U21s are down at the swamp tonight. A few pints and a bit of lwc-baiting sounds good to me.
Come on you Gunners!
Can I recommend that everyone take a quick look at this web page:
http://www.redcafe.net/threads/new-banner-for-the-villa-game.387360/page-13
Puts our woes in perspective.
What Tabs said. Have I missed Atlético Madrid winning La Liga then? No. Thought not.
Warms the cockles N7!
Cheers H2H 😉
And SSY, fair play for the apology.
In my experience its never a good idea to go rucking when you’re pissed. You invariably end up getting hurt yourself.
great posts above, steve, tabs, h2h, n7, and others…y’all say it better than I, but thanks. holic, sorry for your loss, keep his memories alive with every drink and every swipe at the little white ball.
enjoy the game, hope they play to the top of their abilities. win as a team lose as a team. we’re off to Hawaii for ten days, don’t know how much I will be here for the games, but GO YOU GUNNERS!!
Are you going tonight Tabs? As I understand it there’s a few meeting up in the 12 Pins beforehand. Would love to be there. Remember the days of taking 12,000 up there for Testimonial games and never taking a backward step. Now most seem to want to have it with other Gooners? *shakes head sadly*
Esso – Yes mate, meeting up with Lars and the Arsenal Sweden crowd in the City with Snowy and Joe. Should be a good turn out to see the young uns hand the young neighbours their arse on a plate! 😉
Heh, fellas,
Sounds like a good night. Have fun ! 😉
Enjoy mate, say hello to the Sweedish massive and the top man from me.
And enjoy your trip Joe.
Have a great night all going to the swamp. See you all tomorrow.
and don’t forget your shots. 😉
Haha cheers all. Will do!
Just lining up the first … 🙂
Re: N7 @323. It may feel like we only go backwards but I have high hopes that is only a sensory illusion.
Re: Lurky @320. Surely we should delay Diaby’s return by one day so as to miss April Fool’s Day? This kind of thing should be obvious to an efficiently managed club.
bt8b – I suspect Arsene is so logical and rational that superstition such as that is actively eschewed.
It was on 1 April 1948 that the NHS was inaugurated – similar logic.
Enjoy tabs. COYG
8ball, delaying Diaby’s return?!?!?! For one day?!?!?!! Are you out of your mind, to delay the return of such an important player this seas… Oh wait…
On a serious note, imagine Ramsey and Diaby playing both in midfield in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Ozil in the hole, Cazorla and Walcott on the wings.
Or, if we need a more counterattacking approach, Flamini as a pivot, with both Ramsey and Diaby in a slightly advanced role, in a 4-1-4-1, with no classic number 10, but with pacey wingers, Walcott and Ox. Delicious.
Out squad is far more balanced with Abou in it.
Arsenal FC @Arsenal · 3m
.@Arsenal Under-21s team to Play Spurs: Macey, Siemann, Ajayi, Hayden, Ormonde-Ottewill, Iwobi, Zelalem, Kamara, Eisfeld, Toral, Lipman
No Akpom?
Arsenal FC @Arsenal · 9m
#Arsenal subs: Huddart, Jebb, Smith, Mugabo, Ansah
Pretty sure he’s injured N7. And Bellerin is in first team squad for tomorrow.
N7 – aye see tweets below;
Jez Box @esso260589 · 1m
@jeorgebird Is Akpom injured tonight?
Jeorge Bird @jeorgebird · 34s
@esso260589 yes. He’s not playing but don’t think it’s a major problem.
By the way if you do Twitter @joergebird is the man to follow for all the youth news; really knows his stuff.
Young Toral was very impressive against Barcelona last week, one to watch.
Bath. If Wenger is all logic and rationality could our next manager use more of the human emotion of Dr. McCoy? The controlled anger of the captain?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zwbSDpROm8
Not relying on Diaby anymore Lurky but I am nervously anticipating the emergence of Diaby2. 🙂
Heh @359
Do we have enough dilithium crystals for tomorrow?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
This is the second part of a post from previous;
I believe it was N7 who posted above, that only the terminaly daft wouldn’t have bit your hand off if you offered them to be where we are now at the begining of the season, a very good point, however, it’s all about relevance, and circumstances can change perception rapidly.
After the cluster fuck that was last summers transfer dealings I would indeed have been gnawing towards your elbow, because let’s face it, it was a mess from the moment that Gazidis made the bold statement in June that there would be something for Arsenal fans to get excited about within two weeks. The 14 days passed and nothing, Sanogo and the Flam came in for free and the fan base, for once pretty united in their rancure, were all but ready to explode. In fact right up until the last hour of the transfer window it was a farce, it all changed when the announcement was made that we had signed Ozil. This signing appeased the rioting rabble, fackles were distinguished and pitchforks neatly tucked away under their beds.
All of a sudden there was some belief again that Arsenal mattered and we were heading in the right direction, a signing that made a real statement of intent and, by golly, it was indeed. The doom and gloom lifted and the top four was again seen as a realistic target. At the time, I was still extreamly dissapointed that we didn’t get a striker, but non the less was excited about the prospect of the Ozil effect.
As the season progresed towards, and beyond, the festive period Arsenal were looking good value for their top spot and I can honestly say that I thought we could go all the way, I really did and I don’t think I was alone. Maybe that’s why so many are royaly pissed at this moment. Our expectations were raised, it wasn’t that long ago that all and sundry had us “nailed on” for a top three finish. Ofcourse the “experts” were telling us why would fail but week after week we kept proving them wrong, there was a real spirit in the camp and it was plain to see on the field, we were contenders!!
Ramsey’s injury was, although it didn’t seem like it at the time, the start of our descent. The prognosis was he would be out for three weeks, pfft, we shoulda known better. He was quickly joined on the treatment table by Feo, who mocked the visiting swampies with a two nil hand gesture and a cheshire cat grin, a classic moment, but none of us were laughing when we heard he’d be out for the rest of the campaign. There was a cushion available to soften this double blow, the January transfer window had just opened, no superstars were going to be available, most of us accepted that much, but surely this was a chance to bring in some solid reinforcements to aid us in our bid for the title, a midfielder or two, plus a striker to share the load with the HFB.
Once again the transfer deadline edged ever closer with no news, until finally on the last hour of the last day we captured a player, a solid journeyman, nothing fancy, but someone who may of been able to do a job, unfortunatly we still haven’t found out if this is true as he arrived broken in the packaging. WTF, this was so bad it made the summers dealings seem competent. It has now come back to bite us in the arse at this the pointy end of the season.
“Are we being the best we can be?”
The question that Steve T has been asking for as long as I can remember, this season has proved beyond any reasonable doubt that we as a club are not.
I prefer to try to stay positive, but I fully understand the ire from large sections of the fanbase, how can you really blame them for being annoyed, dissapointed or disillousioned after the last few transfer windows? Once again we are down to the barebones, our season looking to go into meltdown, it’s a damn shame and it was all so avoidable.
I’d like to go on record to say I don’t fully blame Wenger for our current failings. But as El Puno pointed out, someone really should be held accountable and that individual shoud be relieved of his duties. Last summer Arsene recognised the need to bring in a top striker, delegates were dispatched, they came back empty handed. That’s unacceptable. If I charge one of my staff with the responsibility of getting in enough beer for the weekend but it is unavailable at the local brewery, he sure as shit better get it from somewhere else or he’d be getting the ol spanish archer.
Wenger has been briliant for us and I hope he stays, he deserves the chance to build another team around the very capable squad he already has, however I vermently disagree with those who think he is above criticism due to his past achievements. That said, I don’t think there’s a manager in the PL, that is judged and analysied as much as AW, it’s truly unbelievable. The perception of him changes weekly, almost after every game, he’s a master one week, a disaster the next, still going strong or past it, a success or a failure. I really can’t think of any manager that is debated so much or is under as much scrutiny as he is, well except Moyes, but the general feeling is that he’s pooh and that’s pretty much non debatable.
Our next three games are of paramount importance for the rest of this season and our future. If we manage to get some points on the board in the PL games things will look a lot rosier, a positive result in the semi final will also give us a light at the end of the trophy less tunnel. With a (percieved) easy run in, players coming back and a chance to get that wretched monkey off our backs there’s still all to play for and the chance to call this season a success.
Arsenal Bloody Arsenal.
Many jokes going around on Twitter following rumours that Sherwood has decked one of his own players.