We’ve Passed This Way Before
Feb 4th, 2017 by 'holic
Arsene Wenger went with the ten fit players who battered Chelsea at the Grove sixteen League matches ago with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain occupying the midfield berth vacated by Santi Cazorla. Lucas, surprisingly, did not make the bench as Arsene opted for two defenders, midfielders, and forwards. What would follow would define our Premier League challenge this season.
Arsenal started brightly and with less than two minutes on the clock Alex Iwobi’s drive from just outside the box was deflected away for an unproductive corner. The Gunners early on were pressing high up the pitch, a tactic which proved so successful in the last meeting of the sides. We also looked to have started in a 4-3-3 formation with Alex Iwobi on the left of midfield and Mesut Ozil deployed on the left wing.
Importantly Skhodran Mustafi and Laurent Koscielny won their first battles with Costa as the Gunners defence settled into their task. Chelsea’s first opportunity came in the eleventh minute when Cahill met a cross in front of goal but bounced his header over the top. A warning to the Gunners? Indeed it was. Costa’s header against the bar rebounded into play and Alonso, leading with a flying elbow into Bellerin’s jaw, headed home the opener in the thirteenth minute past a static Cech.
Temporarily reduced ten men, Arsenal had to send on Gabriel for their concussed right-back. Costa engineered an opening on the right side of the box but smashed his hopeful effort into the side-netting at Petr Cech’s near post. When Hazard galloped clear down the left Mustafi took a yellow card for the team to deny the Belgian. Over an hour against Costa with a yellow card would test the defender’s discipline.
In the wake of the goal we appeared to revert to 4-2-3-1 with Ozil returning to the centre and Iwobi pushing on down the left flank. As the half hour mark arrived Costa’s selfishness enabled us to deal with a rapid counter attack. He had two colleagues unmarked to his right and had he used them we could have been in deeper trouble. Nacho Monreal was floored by first Moses, and then a nasty looking challenge from Azpilicueta.
Arsenal’s early promise had been dampened by the goal. The pressing was less enthusiastic now. On the break Ozil tried to put Theo Walcott through but his first touch was heavy and the chance was gone. From a pair of corners we threatened to level matters, but Gabriel’s header and Coquelin’s deflected shot were comfortably saved by Courtois. Gabriel in particular will have been frustrated. It was a big chance.
Costa went through Coquelin who admirably didn’t react. He is maturing, his self-control not always having been a strong point. In the second of four added minutes Coquelin teed up Ozil but Courtois was equal to his near-post effort. The sounding of the half-time whistle did for the ‘holic pound. Arsenal, used to improving in the second-half these days, had time to regroup at the break just a disputed goal behind.
At the start of the second-half Koscielny had to be alert to deny Hazard an opportunity to go clear, but generally Chelsea dropped deep, perhaps expecting Arsenal to up their tempo again. They were comfortable playing on the break. A misplaced pass under pressure from the skipper ended with Hazard firing one way over the crossbar. Another warning.
Coquelin’s careless backheel in the Chelsea half was picked off. The ball was played to Hazard who simply out-muscled the Frenchman on a mesmeric, mazy run that ended with him slipping the ball past Cech. It was a wonderful goal, but woeful defending from the Arsenal. The inertia in the aftermath was worrying. Where was the arrival of at least Danny Welbeck, if not also Olivier Giroud. We needed an immediate response. Nero fiddled while Rome burned.
Finally, eleven minutes after going two down, Olivier Giroud was sent on. The withdrawal of Coquelin was surely a fitness thing? Our midfield base was now a horribly exposed Ox and Iwobi. Danny Welbeck followed a few minutes later in a footballing equivalent of a ‘hail Mary’. Theo Walcott trudged unhappily to the sideline. Matic immediately drew a yellow for a Xhaka-like challenge on Danny which drew ironic cheers from the travelling faithful.
Azpilicueta took out Alexis and again escaped caution. Chelsea were breaking the game up, and we didn’t need Gabriel to ease into Hazard with an elbow, also unpunished. We were playing into their hands. Conte screamed “compact” at his team, and they obeyed his orders to concentrate on stifling the game.
The lively Welbeck found Giroud but the big man couldn’t turn quickly enough and Chelsea smothered the ball out for a corner. Arsenal sensed something. Courtois had to dive full length to deny Welbeck, and Mustafi thumped a header from the ensuing corner just off target. Conte responded by sending on Willian and Fabregas for Pedro and the outstanding Hazard.
Unbelievably Cech chipped a ball straight to Fabregas and the ex-Gunner chipped it into the gaping goal. With that horror moment another title chase was tamely surrendered. Giroud’s header from Monreal’s cross was little consolation. It always feels the same, and Gary Neville summed it up.
“Not strong enough, not resilient enough, and ultimately not good enough.”
When you have been used to steak it is sickening to be served sausages every meal.
186 Responses to “We’ve Passed This Way Before”
No sizzle.
Sausages? We’d be lucky.
We’ve had sausages for ten years, we’re now down to dry toast with not even a glass of water to help it down
As I said after the chevrons descended in double-quick time on the last drinks, that third goal epitomised our infallible ability to kill even the faintest glimmer of hope by shooting our selves in the foot.
I had a mango at half time. They really are a yummy fruit.
UTA.
I have been a supporter for nearly 12 years …. Supporting from afar …. Have hardly missed a handful of matches all these years ….. In front of the Tele at ungodly time ….”THIS IS PAINFUL ”
Serious question … Where are we going with this journey ?
Too many balls gifted away in mid0field. Horrendous defending errors. Wellbeck’s arrival added some urgency and drive, but the game was essentially over by then. Well written. The culinary notes add extra interest – as does the try that team in blue has just scored in Edinburgh.
Keep your chin up.
So..who’s the new manager?
Still hoping for a minor miracle in the Champions League.
😀
We were well beaten by a team better than us all over the park and fortunate not to have been beaten by more. No handbrake on today – just not very good.
Cech, Mustafi, Kos, Coq and Ozil all poor. Walcott and Sanchez invisible.
Ox and Iwobi worked hard all game and put the others to shame.
With Chavs and Spuds both going well I’m starting to think an absence from Europe may be a blessing in disguise.
UTA.
Minor miracle in the Champions League.
A third rising of Jesus Christ and second half appearance from the Lord himself is more likely…
‘Holics,
Let’s not descend into the pity-party doldrums. Let’s not delve into invective and vituperative discourse. We support a magnificent club. Troubled? Yes, but magnificent nonetheless.
Top 4 finish, FA Cup win, Champions League semifinals….I’ll take that.
Then let’s get some shite fixed over the summer. Might be time to break out the “farewell tour” language…I dunno. Just be of good cheer and treat each other nicely.
Here’s hoping the Arsenal find a way. There’s always Trump to really give one the heebies…
Be well, ‘Holics.
BMBD
I aint surprised the gunners have lost and believe me it wont be the last with games against Pool,Spuds,MC and Mu to come. Wenger has really lost the plot with the attacking part.
The gunners need time and space to play their type of game and if these two are denied ,they are ripe for the sucker punch as proven by Hazards’s goal.Sanchex was annonymous.So much for his proud boast after the 5-0 win.Chelsea are a different proposition.
If he doesn’t leave ,the board shd axe him. Wenger wont win another epl believe me.He is tactically naïve and still believe s it will come off.Alas year after year its the sos (Same old story/shit)
Arsenal shd take a gamble.There is everything to lose with the fm around.
So..who’s the new manager?
I’m reminded of that scene in The Thing, where they find the little saucer Blair is making under the tool shed, that’s intended to take him “any place but here”
Oh
Dear
https://twitter.com/paddypower/status/826760097388961792
A friend texted me from the Bus Stop saying there had been a nasty fight between Arsenal supporters. The atmosphere is poisonous now and the problem was that this was almost exactly what I expected to happen.
We were so tactically naive and sadly despite the best efforts of Iwobi, Ox and Welbeck our big players were poor. Credit Cesc for showing some class when he scored.
We can’t make a change until the summer but I’m afraid I feel that is the time to do it
Games are won or lost in the midfield. We didn’t have one today and therefore had no semblance of control over the game despite our possession dominance. Xhaka’s red card seems really costly now.
All three goals conceded were really disappointing. Every goal can be prevented in hindsight and after the benefit of slow motion replays but Coq, Theo and Iwobi could have done so much more at three different occasions in the build up to the first goal. Alonso and Theo were in line when the ball bounced about 20 feet in the air. While Alonso busted a gut to win the header ahead of Bellerin (leading with a dreadful elbow ofcourse), Theo just jogged about towards our goal as if he was in a park!! I would not play Theo in a big game ever again. He has done this way too many times in big games.
For the second goal I just cannot understand what Coq was trying to do!! The angle he was at against Hazard’s body, he would never have won the ball. He just needed to stay on his feet or else taken him out with a hack from behind. Instead he conspired to make himself go down in absolute comedy fashion. Kos tried to keep hazard away from goal but even he could have risked a tackle outside the box instead of allowing hazard to dribble into the box. There was a hint of hazard hitting hazard scoffing his shot into the ground which kind of helps it go above the outstretched hands of Cech. When you’re having this sort of a day that’s what happens….
The third goal is an absolute gift from Cech. Even top goal keepers make howlers once in a while but it has to be said that Cech has been fairly average this season. This is just the sort of game where you want your keeper to be on top form which Courtouis was and Cech wasn’t.
The Theea
The league is gone, groundhog day revisited and spirits dampened almost to a point of despair. I don’t think Wenger will stay now that we have failed to fight for the league into the deep end of the season. He has refused to put pen to paper for this and this reason only. I don’t think he needs to prove himself anymore, certainly not to a support base which stands divided now. Certainly not when morons put up stupid banners on opposition turf. And all those who are eager to discredit him today by saying ‘oh we haven’t had steak since the invincibles…’ – fuck off you lot. Back to back FA Cups were fantastic and the football quality attractive most of the time. It’s very easy to just shrug off everything as bad but that is not the case at all.
As always Wenger is up against it now for the rest of the season. He has to ensure that the last two games don’t result in a meltdown. The team has to be answerable as well and not just the manager. Even if he goes, many of them will still be here next season and will have to be better in the big games whoever is incharge. Also they must ensure to give it their absolute all in the Cup games now. If not for themselves then for the man who is going to take all of the flak in the next few days.
Theo was poor on the goal (and overall) but he wasn’t the only one. I think it’s Iwobi who just stands still gawping as the action unfolds in front of him (it might have been Coq but think it was Iwobi)
But this is just details anyway, the big picture was of a men against boys match and a complete failure of coaching and tactics, combined with brainless and gutless players.
I’d like to distance myself from some of the piffle ( and worse) written on here this afternoon. Wenger is a truly great man who we have been massively fortunate to have at the club for twenty years. His time has come but let him depart with the thanks and appreciation ringing in his ears.
Desi Gooner speaks for me on this one
Good stuff Lonestar@12.
I see the key to the padded room has been given to the inmates.
And they’ve swallowed it after locking themselves in
All going well for Fat Sam.
Measured analysis Guvna.
I sense a watershed.
I hope those who have been calling for change for so long are able to control their bile during the forthcoming inevitable period of instability.
Would anybody be surprised if he signed an extension though? It has been clear for a long time that he should have gone, but every time it looks like he will, he stays.
I can’t see him going anywhere if they offer him a deal and I can’t really see a situation where they fail to do so.
m’lud 16
cesc not celebrating
dunno if that was class or embarrassment
.
dollop of both maybe
Guys, calm down. I am not in support of all these vile words been written here about the manager. I have wanted him to call it quit years ago but please don’t go as far as wanting him shot.. really? Calm the fuck down people. It’s not that serious. I think he should have announced at the beginning of the season that this will be his last. Now the club is really in disarray because we simply don’t have people up there that know what the fuck they are doing. Wenger can’t be the only one leaving, Gazidis for one, needs to follow suit too.
@ cynic there lies the problem. I hope Wenger don’t start acting like a Dictator. Accept that you have done your part in the history of this great club and just leave with dignity. How hard can that be? If he signs a new deal then he is a very selfish man. If he loves this club like he says he does he won’t sign a new deal.
And good stuff desi’ @17.
Even Ox wants Wenger gone:
http://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/news/alex-oxlade-chamberlain-amazing-wenger-12557073
SAG @29, he was never going to pre-announce his departure. He saw how that killed a whole season at Manure when Ferguson did it before changing his mind. Ferguson announced his ‘second’ and final retirement around Easter if I recall correctly. I suspect there will be similar timing here.
Completely disagree with your point of view Cynic when you write – ‘everytime it seems he would go he signs an extension’. The last time such a scenario arose was in 2014, and Wenger has publicly admitted that if we hadn’t turned around the FA Cup final that day – he would not have signed an extension. The monkey on his back at that stage was not winning a trophy for 10 years and he delivered one that day and only then did he sign an extension. Most of the fanbase after that FA Cup win were in favour of that extension. His next challenge was going to be to deliver a league win and he has not delivered that and therefore I fully expect him not to sign an extension this time around.
As I mentioned in my earlier comment also, it is very easy on a day like this to completely discredit the man. That’s exactly what the lazy, half-wit television pundits and tabloid journalists are going to do. But our own fans doing it does seem a bit of a cruel betrayal of a man who has probably been most responsible for them having the high expectations they have of the club.
What I am very certain about is that we may find another manager who will be more successful in terms of trophies(even that will be difficult) but it will take an absolute miracle to ever find a manager who will be as genuine, as sophisticated and as visionary as him. A top top top man. One who comes along once in many many decades. And the direction in which football and the world in general is heading sadly, chances are even more miniscule.
I’m shutting the bar for an hour or two so the truly stupid move elsewhere with their abuse of Arsenal individuals.
Grow up and pick up a book and start educating yourselves, you numbskulls.
desi @31, you excel yourself, sir.
Right, let’s try again, shall we.
Do NOT abuse the manager or the players. You are wasting your time because it will be deleted.
You are entitled to your opinions but not to make vile threats from a veil of anonymity. The offending IPs have been logged.
Testing times!
Right, where were we?
Oh yeah… third… 🙁
Can’t believe Boro didn’t go for the 0-5 that would have put us up to second…
We’re just lucky that Liverpool are still shit, otherwise we’d in the poopoo
plus be
Firstly well played Chelsea, thats about as well as i’ve seen any team play against us for a while.
For me the big difference between the teams was how well they played as a unit, with the back three being very well protected by their midfield and Arsenal finding no space to thread passes.
In retrospect maybe we should have done a Morinho and just played for a draw and tried to hit them on the break …
Critics will say we lack tactical flexibility, but I think an even bigger problem is the lack of energy/belief in some of our players. I still feel for a team that wants to win the league our players don’t track back enough and defend as a unit. Our style of play wins us quite a few games, but we saw an example from Chelsea today that showed whats needed to go the next step and win the premier league. They were able to have the centre of gravity of their team conservatively positioned , defend very well while we had the ball, but still look the more threatening team to score on the break.
How much of all this is down to the players vs the coach ?- probably equally culpable.
I think its daft using a game like that as a reason to call for Wenger to be out, Chelsea would probably have beaten anyone today . But much as I have admired our manager , I have to agree we may be better off with someone else introducing new ideas & motivating the team from next season.
Having said that, I still think we have a reasonably good chance of going deep in the champions league – Bayern are not unbeatable. For this to happen though we need to keep supporting the team and the manager today . Now is not the right time to be calling for any changes..
COYG.
Not sure why everyone’s losing there heads the league was gone pre today – As for abusing the Manager fuck that, Going to Hull to catch up with some old friends and hopefully to see us get back on track ! Arsenal champions league winners 2017 has a nice ring to it does it not 😉 It’s a funny old game !!
Thanks for an excellent preview and match report, Holic.
I’ll return tomorrow after a bit of time to let it all sink in.
A predictable score. Our Merse gave this exact score. If you value our manager and what he has done for the club you can rescue him by getting rid of Kroenke. It’s football before profit… he has gone to the dark side… and we need to bring back to the bright side of the road.
fair play pullin down the shutters big man
a fine bar indeed
.
future wise
do it smallscale please though
when quite clearly
someone hoves into view
fulla shite from many lands
embarrassment for to have
.
ya fucker !
?
(i’ll never live any o this shite down)
now
WHO SAID BLACK SABBATH WERE SHITE ?
what a lotta shites
*shutters clunk downwards*
We were beaten by a very good side and didn’t do ourselves justice. Too many players failed to turn up and let the Club and the fans down badly.
Sadly we have a number of idiots in our own fan base who would have been better off staying at home. The air was poisonous in the upper tier bar at half time.
We may well have seen the beginning of the end of Arsene’s tenure of the manager’s seat at the Emirates. His response to the TV interviewer at the end of the game was that of a defeated man.You get the feeling that his world is collapsing around him.
There is no certainty of positive results against Hull, Sutton or Bayern and I have a feeling of dread that things are going to get much worse before they get better. Apart from the game Gooner Malcolm and I had a great day out !!
look !
even delia is multiposting
place has turned de shite !
wagner ahhhtttttt !!!!!!
Heh cba 🙂
Delia, don’t apologise. I will remove the duplicate. So sorry you had to witness those scenes today. I have heard there were a number of ‘internal’ scuffles, so sad. Yes, the better team on the day won. We have to accept that and move on.
cba
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qf5o-8eZdag
*rides the punches*
H – When you have idiots turning up for games with a protest notice in their pocket, just in case, when things haven’t been THAT bad this season* it really is the end of the affair.
*Even though it’s Groundhog Day all over again, six wins a draw and a loss in all competitions since Christmas is hardly hanging form.
let it be known
cynic is dead to me
and don’t you try and fuckin hide down the back
steve T
i fuckin see ye !
Never a huge Sabbath fan, cba, although I like their stuff. I was into Bolan and T.Rex when Sabbath were fresh to market, thanks to my brother.
Later on I preferred the likes of Saxon (I know) and Maiden, because they were new and Sabbath was Ozzyless.
Loved Ozzy’s solo work though. Discovered Sabbath properly later but still preferred Dio in Rainbow.
He shat all over that utter wanker Zippy 😀
All drinks for cba’s attention are being channeled through Doris Stokes.
Then Derek Acorah.
Black Sabbath?
Horse shite.
This on the other hand….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvRNRiA_h34
Cynic, spot on about taking a banner to the game just in case you get an opportunity to make yourself look an utter cunt on Sky…
The thing that concerns me most, and I did mention it during the game, is Hector Bellerin.
That moustache has got to go.
I do owe West Stand Tone for thinking of Reggie Kray every time I see him. Perhaps the moustache is an attempt at disassociation. ?
I always think of Martina Navratilova before she defected.
And now I’m off to watch a DVD of this… ah The Lovely Aimi MacDonald…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1m0QGhVuBU
It comes to something that my first thought this morning was depression at the upcoming games. It wasn’t nerves but I just couldn’t see a team set up as we had to having a chance at Chelsea and the game unfolded exactly as I feared it would. We were unlucky with the first goal. In this day and age that sort of challenge is usually penalised but I think it was a fair attempt to play the ball but that a stray elbow clearly fouled Bellerin. If we’d gone one up it might have been possible to get something but one down without Hector was impossible.
Every season seems to unravel like this although we have plenty to play for. I hope we can see a united club work to the end of a season that ends in FA Cup glory and a decent Champions League performance and then I hope the great man departs and a new era can begin. I can’t stand the thought of another season where the club is divided like the Leave and Remain camps and nobody has any real hope that we can be champions again.
I still doubt this board will get the message about how the game is changing and the sort of manager and players we will need to succeed but looking at the shape and style of today’s Chelsea side might give them a clue.
I would turn up to see a team of stuffed dummies if they represented Arsenal. The trouble is occasionally a few of the players take me literally on that. Now it’s forward to Hull and the chance to get into winning mood before we play Bayern
Having been a fan of wengers glory days it no longer pains me and my friends to say that he has now passed by his best before date by a good many years. If he loves the club dearly then he needs to step aside or go upstairs by the end of the season LATEST. Like a dictator he has his minions surrounding his palace and a disgruntled public baying. When would he realise self respect has eroded away. Why overstay your welcome. You lived on your achievements of first 5 years.
Some think we have done some dodgy stuff to get into top four because we have just not been good enough to get to it but had the rub of the green through favours or whatever.
Well whatever the truth thank you Wenger, Gazidis and Kroenke. God Bless!
zico
dead to me
TTG. What you said mate. What you said.
déjà vécu not just déjà vu
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Déjà_vu
Sausages would have ben tasty, ‘holic, compared to the wurst served up in midfield anyway. Another game where the fish god scaled the depths.
And another game where Alexis gauged his team-mates unworthy of passing the ball to and tried to do it all himself.
Credit to Hazard for his goal. I suspect that if Sanchez had been in his position he would have gone to ground for sure claiming a free or a pen. For mine Hazard had ‘Arsenal’ written all over him in his time at Lille, and I wonder why AW didn’t try harder to sign him (either him or Eriksen who was attracting similar attention at Ajax). Instead he went to the Chavs and we ended up with Özil the following season, with Eriksen up the road. Things could have been so different…
Theo invisible? In fact he made a number of intelligent runs only to be ignored by the man with the ball, or the pass to him was inaccurate, or too slow finding him offside. He was the only one of ours who looked in danger of threatening the Chavs in the first half, but even Messi can’t do it without the ball!
…and of course we should have started OG.
“Morecambe is a mess at the moment.”
http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/38855359
Looking on the positive side, at least everybody seems to be unified around the idea that the club are a mess. Not to mention the alliterative accomplishment of the headline writer.
Awesome.
…and of course we should have started OG.
Ummm… no.
when them that’s
dead to you
are them as ye’d bullshit to
.
“Frippery and lazy handed twaddle”
.
cba
dead to me
CBA
Black Sabbath are proper shite.
Mods Rule.
End of.
No hiding required.
You can have your ‘lovely Aimi MacDonald’, Cynic (#62), I’ll stick with my lovely Amy Macdonald … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Iu0FhRmoZE
So much moxie from so tiny a package.
Another one … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rA0VQ30vQ4
I’ll hold your biker jacket, cba.
Fucking hell, I HATE that Leonard Cohen shite.
I’d rather listen to this Leonard …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGF5ROpjRAU
[cept for cynic]
smartarse eternocunt
???
moooooooooooooooooooooo
.
gonna sit down for this one though
*stifles boke*
i like a scottish person too
.
boutros times two , me
Having just got in from a very long day at work, my plan was to watch the full game with a couple of beers. Having listened to the radio commentary and reading the fall out I decided that the motd highlights would be more than sufficient. Whilst shorter in length they were hardly less painful.
Today was another shambles. A side with little shape or balance. Devoid of leaders and with little quality. I’m not going to argue whether the first goal was a foul or not. Instead I would want to know why Hector was left to challenge not once but twice in the air in areas where a centre back should be? The second goal was quality from Hazard but again, awful defending to a man. The third a disaster.
I obviously missed the shite that went on here earlier. Some just really do act like spoilt kids. Whatever people may or may not think of AW, no one deserves some of the crap being spouted by some who purport to be Gooners. Perhaps some need to take a deep breath and look st what Arsene has done for this club and what he has achieved. Whatever happens, whatever your views, he deserves respect for that. One or two need to remember their manners.
this is a happy bar
full of joy
?
fuckin mods
a fuckin shower
*distracts steve as he irons a seam in his soul*
“Paul Weller is a big girl’s blouse”
(general consensus plc)
steve
desi G at 31
fuckin wrote a cracker drink
brilliant stuff
can mods read ?
?
i remember a one of you
eighties
driving around on his hair dryer
the union jack transposed to green white and orange
a target the same
back of his parka
I dunno
.
moddy paddys
dead to me
why isn’t there a seaside resort
where me an steve can dook it out
*combs sideburns*
sort it out
lazy ‘hol
The problems that we had today, like some have said above, are not new. This has been in the making for several seasons now. However, these are not just of the managers making. For many years now I have expressed my displeasure at Silent Stan and the board. They are great at running a business but dreadful at running a football team.
I still maintain that as a club, we have never been the same since David Dein left. The day he left Arsene lost his friend and his right hand man. Gazidis was hardly an adequate replacement. As a result, not only has Arsene suffered, but the club as a whole.
Our dealings in the transfer market in recent years has been shambolic in my opinion. For me, the loss of Dein is felt most at this juncture. Arsene this week demonstrates why yet again. He stated that the very best young players are playing first team football at 18/19. Yet we still persist with NBT’s well after that. Perhaps more telling were his comments about Kante. Arsene admitted that he tried to sign him twice but alluded to the fact that Kante had moved clubs for financial reasons. Now I accept that we won’t compete with The Chavs money wise, but if we were gazzumped by Leicester then we really do have issues.
We need change at the club, but for me it has to be at the very top. I would love to see Dein back to support Wenger. I would love to see Silent Stab and his merry bunch of money grabbers just disappear, and disappear for good. If that means that Usmanov takes over then right now, I would take it. Perhaps then Arsene would get the support and opportunity he deserves. Then, he might actually get the chance to decide when he leaves and get the opportunity to leave on a high.
Removes Parka.
Chucks CBA into the sea.
Fishes him out.
Buys him a beer.
Plays him a tune from the revival days. Enjoy
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FhkFdlmnhrk
awww fer fucks sake
i have to pretend i like my hero cynic
and
a fuckin scottish good feeler
and
an english mod
.
I dunno
i just don’t fuckin know anymore
.
*manages only a mini moooooooooooooooooooooo*
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhTnpURzs4Y
Why thank you CBA. You will love this one
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=M_OrfoBUFqQ
give that man a haircut
https://www.google.co.uk/url?q=http://www.whatsontv.co.uk/news/fay-ripley-i-hope-the-cold-feet-revival-isnt-rubbish-176529/&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwimta3Y4PfRAhWmB8AKHShsCowQwW4IFjAA&sig2=1m-gV7enR-EMsp3PRObqlA&usg=AFQjCNGUwvr6vJpkwiAzmhpNnDcaZYJjUg
I hope there was a Fay Ripley pic in there
[nudge nudge
wink wink ]
that’s how The Weller moves around
.
both !
Same Room ?
MY ARSE !
*shutters crank and sputter*
at the minute
i’m nursing a near dead fire
i am speaking lowly
and feeding it
like a hungry chick
pieces of coal
by hand
.
yeah
chick
coal
ha ha
We really weren’t good enough, end of.
As to the fuckwits that have no true allegiance to the club, we all get what we deserve. Once the great man is gone we are going to be in for some serious shit.
Pardon my French.
The Cold Feet revival was rubbish, cba. I blame James Nesbitt and the lack of Helen Baxendale.
…and OG should have been in it, aye.
never saw cold feet
ceptin the row of seventeen urchins
glad grumpy mr be arsed
just got the fire going
i say urchins
apparently
i gave them names along the way
the needy fuckers
daddy this
granda that
fuckin weirdos
You may be right, Solid G, but the sooner we take the medicine the sooner the pain will go away. There’s little point in enduring endless agony like someone with toothache scared of the dentist.
well
hello
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttMt9SHRwsM
I am the business
*combs feet , sedates relatives for Da Prize Giving *
the big one Oh Oh , eh ?
.
“First of all i’d like to thank the man above “
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyfaJXHQCIc
i dunno
i dunno
i love here
proper fuckin gooners
proper landlord
hey
daddio
i don’t wanna go
down to the basement
like a door to door knocking door
evangelista
i really do not understand
WHY
the world did not buy
.
RAMONES
.m
they are the greatest band of all time
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhoZGanA_Lc
but
what does that spanner know
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbxp1hC8vts
more than the biggest spanner
is geniii the plural
sorry ‘hol
*bouncers flex*
Lou Reed was a fuckin genius
an original
and
David Bowie bought his records
?
cheerio
am summoned
my good lady wife
by
.
cheerio
UP THE ARSENAL
Just want to give my two cents.
Blaming Kroenke and the board for losing the title again is off the mark in my opinion. Should we have had enough to edge off Leicester and win the title last season? I say yes, and it sure wasn’t the board’s fault. Did the board back Wenger to spend big last summer and sign several marquee players? Again yes. This is Wenger’s team that he assembled expensively over the past years. Mustafi, Xhaka, Sanchez, Ozil, Santi, Giroud, the list goes on.
Having watched the Chelsea game on TV, it is clear that the first goal was a foul on Bellerin. I had a sinking feeling after the goal that our team wouldn’t be able to bounce back and deflate instead. This is where team mentality is key – after conceding, the team had a choice to deflate or come back fighting like mad to salvage their season. That we chose the former simply isn’t a surprise anymore to me.
Yes, individually our players didn’t perform. And yes, losing Bellerin really stunted our attacking play too. But my overall impression is that the team knew they would probably lose after conceding the goal. And for this, I think the manager is responsible. I love Arsene, and this is exactly why it pains me to see him like this right now, the fanbase divided behind him. Arsene is simply unable to motivate and instill belief for the team to win the PL. The question is whether or not he can accept this and let someone else take charge at the helm. Joachim Low maybe?
Lastly, we still have the Fa cup and CL to play for, so I hope we can unite as a club to push Arsene to yet another title at the twilight of his Arsenal journey.
Looking on the bright side, we did not wait till the last few weeks of the season to capitulate. Although playing for 4th so early on in the year will be really tough. Cant blame the fans for not caring anymore even if there is still a lot to play for.
I feel very let down. This season since the start I have finally put distance with the club I adore. its even put me off football in general. cant get myself interested in watching any match that’s not Arsenal related.
Chris – after the abject performance the other day, where he was subbed at half time (and I don’t buy the tale of an injury causing his withdrawal if he was also supposedly fit to start yesterday) Giroud should never have been picked to play this game.
Saying he should have played sounds like a perfect of example of 20/20 team selection to me. We were rubbish so obviously it was a mistake not to pick him? Don’t think so.
I am not surprised by the customary calls for Arsene to go every time we have a disappointing result. I think I see things differently. In the twenty years he has been with us, I think we have underachieved just once in terms of league position, 2003, when we finished second to United . Every other season we have fulfilled expectation or overachieved, something no other manager anywhere has done. This season, Chelsea unfortunately have been magnificent and should get well over 90 points and may even set a points record. In terms of squad strength and financial clout, we are still about fourth in the country, with the two Manchester clubs and Chelsea ahead of us and very likely to stay that way, as long as Abramovitch and the oil sheikhs are ahead. Don’t forget Chelsea and City achieved bugger all before they were bankrolled.
Changing manager won’t change this and will probably make the situation far worse. If winning the league is what it’s all about, then our club also needs its oil billionaire. Do we want that? I don’t. I still find that kind of financial doping, as Arsene once called it, repulsive and terribly sleazy. I am incredibly proud of my club, something I would really struggle to be, if I were a City or Chelsea supporter. In many ways it is because of Arsene and the backing he has had from the board, that I continue to feel the way I do. As long as he is fit and well enough physically and mentally, I sincerely hope he will continue to lead our club. I suspect the league will be won by the other three clubs for years to come, but maybe one year we can do what Leicester did last year. We still have the FA Cup to fight for. The Champions League, I’m afraid, is like the Prem, and money will tell there too. By the way, I’m not a pessimist, just a realist.
oil sheikhs are around, not ‘ ahead’.
If not winning the league for 12 years after winning it five times in the previous 15 is living up to or exceeding expectations, expectations are pretty low.
They key to a happier life.
Have low expectations.
😀
Cynic, it is not about having low expectations but about looking at the reality of the situation. When we won the title in 1989 and 1991 there was only one other main contender, i.e. Liverpool. Equally, from 1998 until 2004, the only serious rival was Man U. Then Abramovitch came along and bought Chelsea the title and several more, coinciding with us having to pay for a new stadium, with restrictions on how much we could spend and losing our best but greedy players every season. Then in 2009 along came the oil sheikhs at City.
Don’t get me wrong, I want Arsenal to win the league every season and every summer I start the season thinking we have a chance, and I will again next season. However, I know now City, United and Chelsea will outspend us and the odds will be stacked against us and every other team. Hopefully though we will defy the odds, have few and insignificant injuries and win the league.
Money is largely irrelevant if you spend it well. We haven’t for over ten years.
We appear to be at a watershed moment now.
I have never been a “Wenger out” merchant but for the first time ever I have some serious doubts about where he can take us…
I know you have got to be careful what you wish for (remember all the Gooner s who wanted Moyes ?) but I do like the cut of Koeman’s jib – experience, mentality and dare I say it a touch of class/humour…
Those first six Black Sabbath albums were genius btw. Very slim pickings after that though.
For the first time as an Arsenal fan, I expected a 4-0 drubbing but got a 3-1. I don’t even feel a game was lost, I just feel, we all got it like it was already planned.
Am really just expecting the other scripts to play out and we end up 3rd/4th. While Wenger is really respected and loved, it’s clear he lacks it at this moment in not just English football but European football. He could do well in other continents, I don’t know.
Greetings to the Gunnerverse.
I completely understand Devon Stu’s view. It is unfair how Wenger has been criticized for “only ” finishing inline, ( or above), our position in the money league.
However , there’s still a strong argument for change at the top . Even we Wengerites have to admit that it is hard to imagine him being able to motivate the team for a sustained title challenge next season..
Just seen Llorente yellow carded in the Citi area for leading with his arm/elbow, Mike Dean officiating. The commentator thought it a correct decision, how Sky hate us.
Still smarting from yesterday’s game but have been reflecting on my comments a couple of weeks back when I said Granit’s red card would cost us points. In our last 2 games the mid-field was completely over run with both Rambo against Watford and Le Coq yesterday failing to stop runners for the second goals, would Xhaka have done any better?
Let’s see if Mo is fit and plays tonight. If Egypt win he would be expected to return home for the celebrations, so the chances of him being available in those circumstances are iffy.
Swansea have just equalised so something is going in our favour.
COYRs
Lukasz back to his flappy best
Derrick. You are missing the point. I blame Stanley and the board for 10 years plus of stagnation. To them the business comes first and foremost. The football side, although obviously related, is very much secondary. If you think that Stan and the board have any intentions of putting maximising our potential as a club before profit then in my opinion you are sadly mistaken. There are many things wrong within the hierarchy of this club and it all emanates from a ranch in Texas.
A lot of great comments on here, I’m
impressed how level headed people
are despite the disappointment we
all feel.
After seeing how some of our less
rational supporters have behaved
it’s reassuring the reasoned centre
is still trying to hold (unlike the
centre of our midfield sadly).
After Flappy’s flap i’m hoping Leicester
can provide a little cheer on a grim day.
And thanks Holic for an excellent
post.
All meaningful comments are now reserved until after the Bayern CL tie. ?
Looks like Tony Conte’s going to be a PL champion in his first season. Impressive Man-Manager and tactician with ‘what he’s got”. Kanté is a wonder to watch. The living embodiment of what every fan wants their own players to be. Oh well….
Arsenal Football Club Only Forever.
Juan mata just pulled off a Xhaka and get away with it…consistency please…
@OsakaMatt: That is why we all love this bar…
Always felt that this season would find a “reversion to the norm” take place in the league, with Chelsea having the multiple benefits of being rid of the odious one, with a solid new manager coming in, and with no Europe to cope with. And with Guardiola heading to Citeh, figured that a fight to be third or fourth might just be where the Arsenal would land.
I do think it is last season’s outcomes that have been more impactful on the combustible atmosphere that’s prevailing now. Losing out a championship to a side that may get relegated this season, when all of the traditional powers were falling apart, was galling. Not as bad, but pretty annoying, was the 1-2 capitulation to Watford at the Emirates in the FA Cup run. An unprecedented modern-day threepeat in the cup — and there’s little doubt that Arsenal would have taken out Palace and United at Wembley — might have provided AW more credit going forward.
Not looking forward to the Hull match; if Arsenal doesn’t get off to a fast start, the atmosphere at the Emirates will be particularly toxic.
And Leicester are now at 0-3 against Manure. Makes things feel much worse.
Ok, just grim then for this week.
Apart from Liverpoo, let’s hope Hull
are complacent now.
And that we show we’re The Arsenal.
Miracle that after losing two on the trot we are still fourth. Things will get dicey if we don’t get back to winning ways in the league as Manure are improving fast and the fight for fourth place will be fiercer this season.
Wenger has to give some thought to defensive organization. We are being overrun even by teams like Watford. If we continue to be as woeful in defence we along with Liverpool will drop into Europa places.
After looking at teams like Chelsea and Manure who have big strong players we can see why we fail year after year. Compare Alonso’s athleticism, strength and approach to that of Bellerin, Walcott, Ozil or Monreal and it is clear why we are bullied in almost every match. Wenger for some reason seems to dislike or is uncomfortable with the big physical type of player. He is happy to surround himself with softies and this Arsenal team is packed with them and, therfore, lacks fight. Other teams like Chelsea get big strong players who are also technically good which helps them take the physical challenge of the league head on. I am sure we won’t get to see a physically strong team during Wenger’s reign. Long for the likes of Keown, Lauren, Viera, Adams, Campbell etc. That team would have kicked the present Chelsea into submission.
Fascinating and very measured comments in the drinks from a variety of contributors. I’m very much with Steve T re Kroenke. Devon Stu makes his point very well but with a more ambitious owner who might look at the potential of owning the biggest club in one of the biggest cities in the world in the most competitive and lucrative league it might be us able to compete financially with United and the two clubs who have come from virtually nowhere to become successful.
There is also another point. Citeh were lucky today and I have to say I think Guardiola has made a bollocks of his first season especially after a dream start. My Liverpool mates who travel to Anfield each week and watch them away feel the jury is very much out on Klopp and Conte has completely outperformed everyone in the Premier League, without spending much money. Wenger has his obvious faults but he has performed no worse this season than Pep or Klopp. The loss of Cazorla has hit us very hard two years in a row.
As I write Leicester are getting stuffed by United and it seems to be written that they will go down the season after winning the league. Maybe Ranieri sold his soul to the devil for one great season but what happened last year defied description. Only Kante looks like a proper player from that side and we dodged expensive bullets in Vardy and Mahrez. If that happened in racing there would be a serious stewards enquiry. Last year was the freakiest of freaks and we came second!
I’m with those who suggest Wenger deserves massive credit for his achievements but I think we all feel he will never be a big winner again. Wenger may go but unless Kroenke does we may look on last season in years to come as a high water mark.
Ksn
Lauren, Campbell , Petit, Vieira and Toure were all signed by Wenger and when he brought Vieira in everybody marvelled at a midfielder of that size with that skill. Even the first goalkeeper he signed was a serious nutter and Adams and Keown served him with distinction for many years.
It is only in recent years we have seen a move towards the sort of small technical players that made the Barca model so successful. Wenger carved the template for power teams with breathtaking pace
@ksn 133, do fans still care about top four. I for one don’t understand this infatuation with top four. What have we achieved from being in the top four all these years apart from the finances aspect. In the past five years or so, I believe Chelsea has dropped out of the top four a couple of times, but they have won the league at least twice within those years too. Maybe focusing on the PL and actually trying to win it might suits us better than qualifying for the champions league year in year out and get bounced out in the second round. Do you really see us winning the champions league any time soon. We have not won the premier league in 13 years, think about that for a minute. If someone told me we wont win the league for another 13 maybe 15 years after 2004 I would have told them they were on something. Something has to change, different views on what that should be.
TTG – You’ve probably seen the article on The Mirror website from club mouthpiece John Cross, which says the board is mystified about why the fans are upset. Which in itself speaks volumes about the culture at this club.
If it’s correct that Wenger has been offered a two year extension, as discussed on Sky Sorts at the moment, I despair. I’m not surprised, but I despair.
Steward’s enquiry rather than Spanish inquisition? This is a genteel group indeed. 😉
Some excellent comments above on all sides of the argument.
Thanks folks – still can’t decide who was most at fault for yesterday……
On a positive note, Elneny is healthy and just scored the opening goal for Egypt in the AFCON final. Roofed it after nice move into the box.
TTG
It hardly matters who signed Keown, Viera, Adams, Campbell, Lauren, Petit etc. Wenger had something which was working marvelously well for us. Other teams were scared of our pace, power and physicality and we were winning the league consistently. Why change the template? Maybe Wenger wanted us to play like Barca and dominate the English League. That obviously didn’t work (except in the year Eduardo had his leg broken; we would have won the league that year but for that cruel incident) but Wenger did not revert to the old formula that had served us so well. I have never understood why.
That Wenger wants to get hold of that Egyptian midfielder who’s just scored in the AFCON final ….you say what ….oh?
Cynic
I haven’t but I’ve met Sir Chips and I just get the feeling he may not be on quite the same wavelength as many of us Holics. David Dein on the other hand is a Gooner through and through
If i had to make judgement call now,based on form,which we all know can be down to many things,i would have to say my top 4 at season end would be Chelsea/Spurs/City/Utd.
3 of those 4 because they have the best defensive records by a comfortable margin,if you are not winning,you are at least getting a point,and the other because they have more game changers than us and Pool.
Notwithstanding involvement in Euro Comps from next week,with Chelsea home and hosed for the Title,i cannot see Utd/Spurs,with CL qualification the holy grail for both of them,fielding anywhere near full strength teams in the Europa league.
Condolences to Melneny. Great goal but ultimately not enough. Hope he returns hungry for silverware.
I think that is a very reasonable prediction looking at current form, Clive. Hopefully we can confound the logic.
Cynic (#114) … Not 20/20 vision at all, I expressed my preference before the game in the previous drinks. Nor would I have subbed him against Watford. I’d have subbed Özil. 😉
I have been waiting for several seasons now to see OG and Theo playing together, but AW conspires against me continually. Before Theo’s injuries they were a very dangerous duo, but now it’s only ever one or the other. It pisses me off!
Oh No!
Wenger conspiring against Chris!
Outrage!
Chris
You are a brave minority. I really don’t think the future is Theo and OG. Theo is not a consistent enough crosser and if we play two up front my preferred two at present would be Alexis and Welbeck. Giroud is a fantastic Plan B and I’m not sure Yheo isn’t either .
It was instructive to see how few touches in the penalty area Alexis has against the top teams which may be s commentary on him, our ability to set up chances against the better teams or both.
I think Clive is sadly spot- on with his top four other than the fact that just as we implode, S***s implode even worse. If they get three serious injuries they’re scuppered
Owners won’t sell so no point talking about them until we can properly convey the message that we will not in fact accept our great old club getting dragged through the mud like this with a fanbase torn apart and all our classy old traditions debased. We are now a million miles away from both victory and harmony. Why should the fans show any class if the club doesn’t anymore ? I don’t condone it, but I understand it. Recent political events have shown us that common people have little enough to cheer themselves with these days and vent this in all kids of ways. Football matters to people and they should be allowed to express themselves. Wenger is snookered here but I don’t feel sorry for him. This season was a last chance saloon. He wanted the new stadium, he’s now spent shed loads on players (only after the market had repriced but well after we had free cash flowing again). He subscribes 100% to the owner’s business plan and coins in the filthy lucre himself. I do believe he could sign a new deal today if he wanted to (pay rise to £ 10 mill my good fellow ?) Truly, he must accept that’s just sick. I think he should announce immediately that he will resign at the end of the season but do his absolute best to salvage something in the remaining months. Whatever my thoughts on the man now, I do believe he still cares deeply enough to help our transition in this way. On the edge with you guv’nor here with this one perhaps, but so be it. COYG.
If I thought that a boycott of season tickets until Kroenke sells would work I’d seriously consider it. Sadly I don’t think it would because the Board feel the stadium will sell out even if the season ticket- holder lists turn over. I’m not sure long- standing loyalty and love for the club is something that our off- field management factors into their thinking.
The expansion of corporate seats and an influx of higher net worth customers is much more their scene.
The stupefaction that the Board have that Arsenal fans could be discontented is a sign that they are much less interested in trophies than bottom line and capital growth. That’s not a huge surprise . How we change that situation without creating a situation that damages our onfield performance is a real concern and one that I’d rather we didn’t have to deal with.
2nd – 4th, 5th 10th makes the grand sum of fuck all difference – Only thing that matters is coming first, The new TV cash deal makes the Champions league almost redundant on the cash front and we are further away from winning that now than when we first entered – So whats the point, Im not even that fussed if that lot finish above us, We are Arsenal for Fucks sake we should be worried about winning titles not over whether we finish a place above that lot of LWCs, its the never ending cycle of the same problems affecting us that has caused my complete apathy,
Cannot abuse but how does it help even if we do so? I think majority including me knew we will lose the game and so we did. This predictability is what is killing me and a lot here. For once why can we not surprise everyone and put in a performance worth its weight. We just seem to follow the script to the T and what unfolds is the same drama.
Who is to blame for this? cannot just be the boss though it is easy to attach it to him. Surely he take a part of the blame for having a bunch of kids who are getting bullied out over and over again. What is the board doing out there? happy with the money and immune to the discord and disappointment attached towards the football club?
Arsenal need a refresh button pressed now and hard. We have become stale and predictable. The players lack in everything there is to the game apart from a bit of skill. If Ozil and Alexis are “demanding”things, tell them to take a fly f–k for after such pathetic performances individually from them, they should be apologizing in the first instance.
The league is done and by the end of feb so will the other interests barring miracles.
lastly the Arsenal fan Tv and other so called fans who berate the boss and the players in public and abuse them should simply cease to exist for they have made the club a mockery.
@ Vinay its not the fans that’s making the club a mockery. its the damn club management that’s making the club a fucking mockery. What do you expect the fans to do? come out of a game like that and be all smiling and happy. Cant put any of these shit on the fans. There is so much fans can take no matter how classy we claim to be as fans of the once almighty Arsenal football club. Am not saying they should be wishing death/sickness on the boss. They surely have a right to vent in a respectful way. Maybe the top management should respect the fans too and not talk about extending contract to a coach that has not won the league in 12 plus years. What other top European club will tolerate such ineptitude? I don’t think so.
Sack the board!
Used to ring out at Newcastle and other such venues.
Whilst appreciating the current malaise within supporters ranks I do feel, however considered people feel their views are, calling the Board and Owners ‘classless’ is extremely unfair.
In case people had n’t noticed Football is, and has been for a while, a business. The current board have run that business pretty well and the only reason other clubs (not vanity purchase clubs) have caught up with our model is because of the untold increase in TV revenue riches, which no one foresaw.
Arsenal FC remain a classy club indeed, and to denigrate the overall standing of the club because of difficulties in winning trophies.is misguided. “….. other top European club…..” Again, far be it from me to state the bleeding obvious, but failing to make the last 8 of the premier European competition for the last 6 seasons, plus never having won that competition and appeared in only 1 final, means quite simply we are not, nor ever have been a ‘top European club’.
Chicken say hello to egg.
Esso
You make some great points as usual but I think there is one issue which is tied up with this issue of a classless board. I agree that you can’t call a blue chip board like ours classless. We’ve probably got more class on our board than most but I think Sir Chips and Lord Harris et al provide a nice smokescreen for Stan and Josh who have considerably less class .
The Kroenkes ( not to be confused with the Krankies- or perhaps they are ) aren’t cut from the same cloth as the Hill- Woods and Bracewell Smiths. They were gentlemen and understand the DNA of the club. Arsenal has always been a class act but it’s also been, in almost every era , a successful football club and from 1930- 53 ( aside from the war) , 1969- 1973, 1986-1994 and 1996 to now a high achieving club. Compare us with almost anyone in this country domestically and we come out very well. Compare us in Europe and we have seriously underachieved as you say
I don’t think in the eras I mentioned until about 2007 we compromised onfield success for profits . Now I suspect the profitability matters much more to the owner where it doesn’t matter in the same way to Citeh and the Chavs. The stakes are much higher but so is the profit potential .
When Wenger steps down it will be a huge decision as to who replaces him. I think we need a hard man ,excellent modern tactician and someone with a big reputation. I’m only thinking that of those we might get only Simeone, Allegri and Low fill the bill. Of those Low is probably the most suitable candidate as far as the board is concerned but I fear they will go for someone like Eddie Howe or Martinez
A look at the emails of John Henry will give you an insight into Kroenke’s mind, I reckon.
Buy a brand that is good value (or steal it at the price, as Henry says) and keep it stable, then watch the money roll in. What happens on the field is irrelevant, the value is in the brand and how cheap you can get it, the rest is gravy. You don’t have to do well, just well enough.
What is maddening to me is that I think Wenger has become accepting of that, first through circumstance with the stadium and now, with the shackles off, he’s still in the mindset that he’s doing a great job because he is doing well enough.
The on field mindset at Arsenal is in the same unambitious rut as the off field thinking.
As most know only to well I’m not the biggest fan of the board and certainly not of the owners but in their defence this summer they sanctioned spending on a scale we’ve not seen before – For once we can’t blame them that yet again the on field issues that have plagued us for years are still far to apparent,
What a twat
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/arsenal-fan-branded-idiot-gary-9768344
With all do respect I’m on the Chippy account!
Same old same old same old………………..
Same old same old same old same old…………………….
we are not not we used to be…………………
That berk with the banner and his “I’m entitled” shite is typical of young people today. When I want to hear your opinion old bean, I’ll give it to you 😉
Or…
http://www.tubechop.com/watch/8852918
Reduced to watching La Liga on a Monday night. Drat you, Sky.
I’m entitled to English football on a Monday! (spoilt brat)
Cynic
Come of course you are so everyone of us!
I for one dont think it will end up well!
The Good ship Arsenal has struck an Iceberg.
It is listing badly.
The lifeboats are being readied.
Please observe protocol.
Women and Children first,followed by the aged and infirm.
If,as seems distinctly possible,the Board and management go down with the ship,we will remember them fondly for past achievements.
RIP
Gus Hiddink made the Chelsea team of this term by clearing up the mess Mourinho created last season. Conte inherited a functioning, winning team. Hiddink is the sort of interim manager we need once AW decides to go to avoid the shambles of a post-Ferguson interregnum.
Clive: all is not lost!
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2012/04/early_news_reports_tell_differ.html
WUN ‘UNDRED AND SEVENTY!!!
(Typical Arsenal, always satisfied with not quite making it) 😉
Aha Ned. Reminds me of when Lincoln was assassinated and the news reached London three weeks later … compared to when Reagan was shot and the news reached a UK journo two blocks from the incident who heard about it in a phone call from his editor in London two minutes after it happened.
Either way the good ship Arsenal isn’t quite sunk yet. We may have been listing badly and in fear of foundering for a decade, but we’re still afloat and still regulalrly finishing among the place-getters in the fleet. Or would you rather be a Leicester supporter? Their plight suggests that perhaps we should be more grateful for the captain and crew which have kept us at the races regardless.
Point to consider while this lull continues:
Had Bellerin elbowed Alonso instead of vice-versa, would Atkinson have awarded a penalty? I know what I believe!
Is that this year’s Top 6 mini league headed by Liverpool, who are below us in the actual Prem?
Or last season’s Top 6 mini league won by Leicester, who are where exactly now?
And you think this mini league has meaning?
Chief, I am confused. Your logic implies that the teams that fail to beat lower sides are better than those that don’t.
Some excellent posts on whether we have indeed seen the club’s aura and class compromised, really good reading on a back swig. I would add, without trying to sound a smart ass, that Kroenke wouldn’t actually complain if we won the Prem or advanced beyond the best or last 16 in European football. There aren’t sanctions for only reaching the above targets but Wenger hardly has clear instructions only to achieve Top 4/last 16, unless I’m wrong about that ? Also, if our traditions and “class” have indeed been undermined, an owner (or owners) who invest their own resources becomes the more appealing model, still not ideal and unsavoury in other ways, but a more coherent and unifying approach. Especially if that owner truly understands the football club and comes with a genuine passion for the game. Largely hypothetical jibberish but perhaps men like Dein and Usmanov are mulling all this too.
Culling of posts renders the 170 “joke” null and void.
🙁
To be honest I’ve never much cared about the
Board over the years, I was fine with them
being mostly silent and the manager running
the club. It’s delivered some good times over
the years but it seems times have changed
and inevitably we will have to change too.
Not our values i hope, but our structure doesn’t
seem to fit the modern game.
Anyway, change will come whether i will it or
not, so for now I just hope we can play with
heart and pride in the league and challenge
for the cups. The old saying is i think ‘the night
is darkest just before the dawn’ and a shiny
cup would certainly brighten things up. Defeat is
never inevitable and hope has never killed me
so COYGs.
@SanAntonioGUnner, fans can express their feelings but when you know the world is laughing at us and saying look your own fans are abusing you, then it is wrong. Agreed there is no particular forum to vent it out but the bit of respect that they need to accord the club is forgotten in the vent out. As you also say some calling wenger as cancer etc is fairly sick.
Gary Neville’s defense of Arsene made great sense. He speaks of fans getting bored of Wenger and what he achieves is testimony to what he has consistently done. Is that enough? not exactly but it is not bad either.
Arsene needs to go, for the very fans who adored him have turned against him. The sense is ,he is not going to change his tried and tested ways even if it means the end result is not what is expected.
If the players have some shame, can they come out now and show some steel and beat bayern? can there be a reaction atleast now when we are again plummeting to known lows.
Chippy –
hitting a few nails on heads up there. And yes, we did spend some money in the summer – quite a lot in fact – so how odd that our reserve right back turns out to be our third or fourth choice centre half. ?
TTG – my heartfelts, old boy !
We have spent money but 5 years too late. With the increase in TV money anyone with half a brain could have seen that transfer fees would rocket. It’s basic economics. Because we did not address the problems we had several years ago we are now paying the price. In more ways than one unfortunately. A £10 million player 5 years ago is now the best part of £30 million.
Steve, It is not so easy to predict what prices will be in five years’ time, as I imagine you would probably admit. Many factors can go into the equation. But if you really do know, what will be the value of that 30 million investment five years from now?
The spending this summer was so Arsenal of recent years.
Xhaka identified and bought early. Then we have the Vardy clusterfuck. It’s quite clear that not only do we need a top striker but we are obviously in the market for one. Well, a striker anyway. So we wait until the final week and spend the best part of £20 on a 28 year old that has now made 2 premier league starts. He is now struggling to get in the squad???
Then there’s Mustsfi. Another late arrival. Do you honestly think he would be an Arsenal player if Pet had not got injured??? I don’t.
That is why I have little confidence in those at the top.
Per even……
Trev’s spellchucker again.
Nzonzi is now at Sevilla but I always liked him as a player when he was at Blackburn and Stoke. Now there are rumors that Manchester City, Chelsea and Barcelona want to sign him. A few years ago I would have put a £10 million (or a few more) investment on him. As for Lucas Perez, he might be worth the amount of money Arsenal spent on him, but can we say Arsenal have to this point given him the chance to prove it?
We have spent money but 5 years too late.
And too much of it on players who are nowhere near worth the fees. Or wages that go with a big fee.
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