Bayern comes to town
Arsenal are in low spirits as the Bayern juggernaut comes rolling into town.
A tough week
It has, it goes without saying, been a tough week for us Arsenal fans.
Whether a pessimist, optimist or realist ye be (or a pirate), Saturday’s FA Cup loss to Blackburn — a team I had completely forgotten has been relegated to the Championship (!) — was a shocker.
Aside from being knocked out of the last competition that we could realistically win — the Champions League seems so unlikely — the thing that really hurt was that we failed to learn from the Bradford lesson. It makes claims by Monsieur Wenger of improvement and learning, things we cling to as a team that seems trapped in perpetual transition, seem rather silly.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
I do think statements that the manager treated the competition with disrespect by resting Santi, Theo and Jack others were wide of the mark though. This was a team that should have won and with Bayern Munich just around the corner it was a fair decision to rest certain players. Yet the defeat means Wenger and his team move into tonight’s clash with the German juggernaut beaten down, low on confidence and with a media shit-storm invading their personal space.
Cautiously optimistic
Despite this, I’m cautiously optimistic about our chances. Perhaps not over two legs but certainly this evening. I’m feeling an overwhelming sense of déjà vu from two years ago, when we produced a magnificent performance to defeat Barcelona in our finest night at the Emirates, before falling short in the return leg. If you’re a betting man then that would be my tip to you.
With Laurent Koscielny reportedly injured and none of our left-backs available our defence is likely to be rather patched-up. Not Aaron-Ramsey-at-right-back patched-up but still a little bit creative. Vermaelen, Mertesacker, Sagna and Jenkinson will all play but our final combination remains a mystery. Will Giroud start? What about Podolski?
Two players who will be vital to our overall performance are Jack Wilshere and Mikel Arteta. Both are experts at maintaining control under intense pressure and their influence will likely be the difference between us getting a firm grip on the game or being outplayed.
Devastating in spurts
Bayern are a top team but perhaps not in the way that most people perceive. They don’t dominate games in the same manner as a Barcelona or Real Madrid. They attack in devastating spurts, like a soldier firing off machine gun rounds before retreating to safe ground to rest and reload.
Their reaction to last season’s Champions League final defeat to Chelsea — a barely-believable result made possible by incredible German inefficiency in front of goal — was to become über-efficient, an attitude brought in by key figures at the head of the club and particularly manager Jupp Heynckes. This season they have destroyed all before them in the Bundesliga, conceding just seven goals in 22 matches. Oh, and they’ve scored 57.
These are of course unbelievable figures, yet there’s no reason for us to be scared of Bayern. If Saturday’s loss to Blackburn was symptomatic of our biggest flaw as a club these days — failing to respect and turn up against smaller opposition — it simply doesn’t apply against a ‘bigger’ team like Bayern. For better or worse, our team will turn up tonight and put in the sort of application and effort we wish they would every week.
Too chaotic
In the end there are too many variables to consider and Arsenal are too chaotic a team to feel comfortable making predictions. It should be a game that fascinates and any sort of result that keeps us in the tie for the return leg in Munich should be considered a good one.сондажи
Wuuuu Huu!!
Fresh blog and first in! Thanks Drew.
Well to say we have no chance in this two-sided tie would be too harsh if true.
To say we have little chance however, is about right. With that in mind the pressure should be off of us except we got bounced from the FA Cup by the mighty,mighty Rovers and so now we have only one cup to compete for.
No worries for we will not win this or anything else this year. I will endeavor never-the- less to enjoy this Champion League experience for we may not be back I fear for some time.
Would it be too much to ask for a low scoring draw?
Let’s Go you Gunners, show heart!
I think it will be a thrilling encounter like we had with Newcastle. Not sure on the results though, but expect our team to put out all negatives and with self belief, also believing in arsene’s style wholeheartedly should put up a display of their life to take advantage.
Arsenal – Schalke 0 : 2 Bayern – Schalke 4 : 0
I’m sorry, but i think you don’t have a whiff of a Chance ….
When we were playing Schalke we never played as a team. A lot has changed now. Even last season we were not that great comparing milan but a spirited performance with discipline makes a lot of difference.
Bili you seem to be right. I just can’t see any magic in these guys but on the whole i have rescinded my earlier decision of not watching the game. It’s too big a game to miss and fail to critic where necessary as am sure there are going to be many talking points. I hope Podolski plays like he is possessed against his former employers. I expect Walcott to stretch Bayern. Good luck boys.
Invincible Formula
1) Mentally strong players,it reflected in physical too , never die attitude
2) Players with lot of self belief
3) Unselfish play , but that doesn’t surpassed their hungry for goals and they always want to give a whack within their radar.
4) Ready to take on one or more players, anytime to drive or defend or free space for his companion.
5) Strong belief in arsene wengers’ style of play.
6) Ability to score comfortably from 25 yards, they always don’t wait to pass the ball to net.
7) Rectify the mistakes ,forget the moment it happened on pitch and make sure it never happen again – strong determination.
The same formula is used by Chelsea following Di Mateo style instead of arsene’s.
@Volley-gun
My understanding is that using the “Di Mateo methode” Di Mateo was fired.
As a template for long term success this must be looked on as somewhat dubious at best.
If theres one thing Iv learned since weve moved to the Emirates about big Euro nights its to enjoy the build-up.
Its two hours before kick off and one of the big boys are coming to town. Im enjoying the ‘what ifs?’, the anticipation of what my team can do if it all comes together, the feeling that ‘yeah, maybe they are better’ but this could be our night to upset the applecart.
Iv learned to enjoy this prematch ritual of hope and daydream and have such a great appreciation of it because I know, if Im honest with myself, whats coming in reality bears no resemblence, the feeling of hope far outways what this Arsenal team and manager have the capacity to deliver.
But like I say, still another hour and fifty mins of daydreaming left to enjoy.
@shambo couldn’t have said it better
enjoy the moment
@Andy – Sweet and refreshing.
Lets hope we bash those german scum. Yeahhhhhhhhhh
LET NO-ONE SAY RACIST THIS oR RACIST THAT…….
Thank you
So far Wenger looks a very sorry IDIOT.
2 goals down…..lets see how the 2nd half pans out
Can u hear the fat lady sing, nooooooo oh noooooo oh, I cant hear a f___ing thing
Vermaelen looks lost and Wilshere is invisible.
I can barely blame the players though they have been charged with an impossible task.
Is there a transfer window for managers?
2-0 down 40 mins gone how many shots on target??
Impotent in every department.
Bayern look like the home team.
Like I said the enjoyment of following this team is in the build up, but thats even a joke now because you know your in for a let down.
Where are the idiots who labelled us doom and gloomers???
We simply told you what was coming, its 7 years coming and now we are here at last after a couple of near misses.
We are now a middle of the road football team with little scope for improvement and a senile manager who once again stated in his pre match comments that we would approach the game like we always do.
Well guess what Wenger, your gonna get thhe same result, AGAIN!
Song SOLDDDDDDDD
RVP SOLDDDDDDDDD
Wenger Signs New Contract……He Alone Stayssssssssss
Who is foolish? Us fansssssssssssssssss
We are idiots for taking all this
Shame on all of us
2-1 now, but?
But? We need atleast two more goals to make any meaning to this
Rosicky the saviour…………
With Cazorla and Wilshere in midfield, we have left the wings empty,but can we utilize the middle properly?
Fat lady on her way.
Like I always say, Wilshere is not in the class of Rosicky and Cazorla. The latter two should be the ones in front with Wilshere helping Arteta at the back. Anything else is pure chaos.
Now, we conceed a third. Pure stupidity and a BLATANT lack of organization, we are that vulnerable. This is the REAL Arsenal we have been complaining about, the one with no shots on goal etc
There is just something amiss.& unfortunately Wenger cant give it to them. Better the devil you know?
…and off he runs away down the tunnel. Classic Wenger, no wonder his teams hide on the field.
TGooners, any sign on a Wenger interview.
@shambo, what now mate. Where do u go now?
Ice,
Theres nowhere to go now.
Now he has to reap what he has sewn.
He is selling our best for the last ten years and waffling about City and Chelsea and other ckubs wanting extornionate amounts of money for their players, yet he earns 175,000 a week and the tickets prices are being snubbed by away fans let alone season ticket holders and regulars.
He has been defended by those blaming the board but he has told some whopping lies and is a monumental hypocrite and slave to his own stubborn ideals.
Why were Chelsea able to get Mata from under our noses?
We cannot attract now the players we need to propel us upward with this manager who has lumbered us with Denilson, Santos, Bentdner, Squillachi, Arshavin, Gervinho…whilst Vermaelen, Koscielny, Mertesacker and Sagna lose their value with every game.
There is nowhere left to go.
Wenger can run down the tunnel, he can collect that proposterously inflated salary, he may even get PSG to carry him into retirement, but I beg him to please go in the summer.
And take Hillwood and Gazidis with you.
Stan Kroenke. Maybe an even bigger liar that Wenger.
How much money has been taken by the board/ Kroenke and Wenger that could have went into the team.
Someone find an answer to that and you really see anger at the Emirates.
*Emirates– the place Arsenal fans were told we were moving to so that we could offer our big players contracts to rival big clubs whilst also enticing the big names to us.
What a whopper.
Can u believe it when I tell u that on Monday night I saw Asnl loose 2/4 to.Everton in the FA Youth cup @ the Barnet football ground. They out passed Everton but could not defend the counter attack. Brady was also old news & needed to go. There was boooos there as the Emirates. Packed support too.
Like I mentioned on twitter, there are giant killers and I was hoping we would be one of them however, giant killers have heart and give that extra 20%. Then there are quality teams like the Bayern team we just saw, they have quality and are synchronised in the play. At this point, we have little of none.
Wilshere is a wonder-kid but then the rumours of Barca wanting him are beginning to filter in and as we have seen, Arsenal WILL sell for the right price. Wenger buys ‘near quality’ players and MD’s rather than mature DF’s with high concentration and clinical strikers with cunning and discipline.
I think we would have lost the came even if Judas-is-RvP was on the pitch with us. We need to go back to the drawing table. Wenger is a great manager but his one flaw is not knowing when he has to agree that some of the choices he’s made are wrong.
I meant to say clinical strikers with cunning and good finishing skills.
We looked good for seven minutes.
The rest of the season is going to be hard going.
Massive clear out required.
It was much better when I was optimistic (deluded). Now it’s just no fun at all. Too many mediocre players and a refusal to address the defensive side of the game for four years. Depressingly familiar and no end in sight.
This game was men against boys, Bayern had a very easy game at the Emirates. As I have been saying for a long time we lack quality .
What infuriates me is Wenger and the board treated the fans like we are stupid. Before every transfer deadline when the team is struggling , they leak to the press that they will buy … We win 1 or 2 games and Wenger tells us we don’t to buy anymore.
David Villa has let it known that he wants to come to Arsenal , he would add some quality to our team.
We are the 6th biggest revenue generating football club in the world , but we have a team full of average players.
Disappointment again . It was like a race between hare and tortoise, and obviously hare won as it refused to sleep anytime.The fact is we looked way beyond them .
@leftcoastgooner
The formula fits to our invincible team too. But the same formula has been used by Di mateo with negative tactics .
And Roman Abramovich is an owner who will sack even if you win all cups in same season ,because of his habit.
Rosicky seems to be the only player who can get past with the ball. Still Cazorla and Wilshere seems to be understudy to him.
Guys am again short of words. To be honest Bayern were far superior than i even saw against Barcelona. First 55 minutes without a shot on target and at home explains it all. How do you expect to get a week’s salary with such a display. I had vowed not to watch but for evaluation’s sake i again saw a baptism of fire.
What was the essence of Wenger resting players against Blackburn only to be humiliated in Europe at home. All our good images in Europe have vanished in one single season.
What hurts most is he is never willing to employ the tried and tested classical 4-4-2 system. It was just common sense that we couldn’t match Bayern pound for pound. The 4-3-3 system has brought us misery since 2006 and it shall not stop unless Wenger is out of Arsenal.
He has not got his tactics right ever since 2006 and that shows you that he is a lazy coach not willing to go an extra mile to ensure the team grinds a result. How could a young inexperienced Di’mateo master a win at all cost and a man who has stayed in the job for close to 18 years can’t think beyond his nose for the team. I don’t blame the players at all ,But Wenger is senile ,weak worth retirement but his arrogance is making him believe he can go further. Everything is just hopeless and i realistically don’t think we shall beat Spurs for the top four finish which am now wishing for as i think it will be the catalyst for Wengers sacking or promotion to the Board.
Agree Delano , it is one thing to be poor against Norwich, Blackburn, Swansea, Manure, Chelsea…but another to be humiliated at home when the whole world is watching !
Agree the worst that could happen to us, would be to finish in the top 4 , then very little will change next year .
Wenger is incapable of rebuilding this team. We need a younger , ambitious manager who is hungry for success.
If someone at Arsenal knew what they were doing, we could have had Guardiola for next year…we should cast a wide net across Europe to find our next manager.
The fans from now until the end of te season need to demand change. It won’t happen if we keep quiet .
Getting eliminated from the CL will only benefit Arsenal interms of finishing 4.
And i think they will, because i don’t think Everton has the depth, and Spurs may go very far in the Europa league which will hamper their push for the coveted 4th place.
So all in all wenger is more than likely to finish 4th again.
Cant understsnd why Wenger cant see that having 4 or 5 smallish creative players across the mid field is offensively good but defensively suicidal. Take a look @ a player like Newcastles Sissoco (not sure of spelling) . He is the exact type of physical stature the team needs & the fuc_er can play too. Wenger has no idea of defensive systems, a 1 trick pony but…….when that trick comes off it hooks u into a false sense of security even when u know u have experienced it so many times before. Arsene its time to go.
Can there b a turn around in Germany? Shut the fu_k up Ice!
In the last 8 yrs Arsenal have had the opportunity of winning 51 cup competition (still 2nd leg of CL) they have not taken 1 of those opportunities. Does the Emirates cup count?
Well i agree with the disappointment and lack of results this season and a rollercoaster was expected. But i believe wenger deserves one more season to prove his worth with money at his disposal. He has been so loyal towards the club and carried it with guaranteed Champions league spot with restricted finances, why we fans owe him one more season for his loyalty. Why not give him one more season with money and see if he can atleast get us one cup(be it anything) and secure a place in champions league.
After departure of Fab and co , we have a new team which needs time to gel ,grow and not the best to judge this season.Of course he promised seasons of dominance and silverware , which has been lost in players loyalty , Why for once we give him the chance for his loyalty he showed.
I see wenger making lot of mistakes, but on the other side i believe current circumstances will bring the best out of him , given a chance.
Just consider our matches with swansea , we were totally outclassed ,then we matched their performance and finally we outclassed them. I believe this team needed the learning time .Even if he doesn’t finishes fourth , i believe wenger deserves one more season.
boom, boom, boom,
Another cup bites the dust
boom, boom, boom,
Another cup bites the dust
And another year gone, and another year gone
Another cup bites the dust
Hey, I’m gonna get you too
Another cup bites the dust!
@ Volley gun. I just hope you are joking. There is a saying”litigation must come to an end ” at any one time.The era for Wenger must come to an end.I have been an arsenal fan for close to 16 years now and after close scrutiny of WENGER i concluded even if he had the money to buy ,he would still not win any trophy simply because he is one dimensional tactician who never does his home work to study the opponent.
Am watching AC Millan totally dominated by Barcelona but they have the lead and are defending superbly.I look at such performances and wonder how and why Wenger still has a job at Arsenal.Millan have just packed the bus but are so good on counters. Vermaleen risks becomming the worst Captain to have worn our armband. In all faireness he has been a joke whether in central defense or right back and he shamelessly comes out to defend this French Moroon.
AC Millan 2 ,Barcelona 0. This Millan side only has young inexperienced players but they are far talented compared to arsenal crap players. They are making Barca chase shadows and in the 85th minute.
Voley_gun, who av got to be kidding mate. Do u truely believe Wenger would do anything different? He will continue doing what he knows which is pass & move on a limited “spending” budget. He will not want to recognise that there are two sides to football, offence & defence. He wont purchase proper defensive players across the middle of the park, he beleives in 10 creative outfield players on the pitch @ once. 1 cup after 8 years is no answer to getting 8 more. He must gooooooooo.
@Delano, I ve been watching AC all season, there league is stronger than ours now. They r a very good team with pase, strength, teckers, & drive. I know for sure they like young Jack and will bid next year.
Arsenal are too slow. This is why they have trouble breaking down defences. As good as Wilshere and Arteta are, they spend far too much time on the turn or controlling it before releasing, by which time, players have gotten back into their positions and runs are being tracked. The old Arsenal played one touch stuff and broke quickly, thus players couldn’t get back in time and the likes of Pires and Henry ran riot.
* The problem of the goalkeeper is what has hindered Arsenal over the last seven seasons. Almunia was not the best, whilst Fabianski, Mannone and Scziezncy are not yet of required physique or mentality to keep goal for a club challenging for serious honours. In other areas of the pitch, they are not too bad, but Wenger should have spent c.£20M on a quality left winger aged around 28 or so to deliver consistently whilst the likes of Walcott and the Ox are/were learning their trade. Before you say ‘Arshavin’ and ‘Reyes’ – both were never genuine wingers, but maybe Wenger should have persisted. Take Bayern last night as a good example. Lahm, Kroos and Muller – all youth products at one stage – are balanced out with high-peak performers such as Robben, Ribery and Gomez. Why was this approach not taken at Arsenal? Great youth prospects but not matched by peak career professionals at the high end of the quality scale. They should have the cash from Champions League participation, league revenue, TV rights and matchday income to offset this despite the cost of a colossally brilliant stadium.
* Faith in below-par players, probably as a result of their salaries, has stagnated the playing squad. Wenger’s faith has been one of his best qualities, but Ferguson also possesses this trait. The key difference is that if Fergie deems you not good enough, or not putting in the required effort or performance level, you are quickly shown the door. This ensures a high level of commitment from United players which manifests itself in better sequences of results. This does not seem to be the case at Arsenal whereby players either leave due to the perceived notion of not winning anything, or they quietly have a few seasons of loan moves as they unwilling to part from lucrative contracts so easily.
* Not offering Ashley Cole an extra £5K per week could have been the biggest mistake in Wenger’s career. As much as I hate the idea, and how morally repugnant it was at the time, he should have kept him. That way, Arsenal would have retained the services of the best left-back in world football over the past decade, would have had a long-standing club captain, and most importantly, would have signalled their intent to keep their best players on their terms. Vieira, Pires and Henry were allowed to leave for high transfer fees in the wane of their careers to other leagues. Cole’s case was different as he was only around 24 (I think) at the time and was sold to a divisional rival. As much as I agree with Wenger about the unsustainability of the likes of City and Chelsea whose entire squads are full of players earning c.£100K plus per week, realistically, Arsenal may only need to attract around four of these players, which should be achievable if you cut the dead wood from the squad and therefore the weekly wage bill. The status of this club both on and off the pitch should guarantee to attract the top talent, so why has this not been implemented?
yep!!! Ac Milan are a young team BUT that’s no excuse to not turn up, look at what they have done.
It just goes to show what a little tactics and organization can do, simply remarkable.
A manager should never, never, never let the players or the club think that second best(in this case 4ht best) is good enough because when that gets engraved in the players and the club its going to take decades to get it out
@voley_gun
You should stop smoking!!!!!
All over the net people are saying its wenger’s last season and that he will get fired in the summer, i just laugh, because they don’t know Arsenal.
Wenger will see out his contract am very sure, as a matter of fact i think the board may have offered to renew it already BUT he declined Because he knows the fans and press will have a field day and also deep down he knows he doesn’t deserve it.
I honestly don’t know what’s going to happen when his contact ends because i don’t know wenger anymore, BUT for some reason i think he will renew his contact. The BOD will never let him go he has to make that choice.
@
Regarding AC Milan: fair play to them but would you honestly want to pay money to watch that kind of tactic? Call me old fashioned but I still see football as entertainment and I would rather watch paint dry than see my team play like that. Give Wenger his dues, he has brought the most exciting brand of football (I know I know, not lately) and for that deserves credit. We were horse shit before he came along! Now we are just shit. And he has to take his share of responsibility for that.
http://www.talksport.co.uk/radio/kickoff/130220/fynn-wengers-time-arsenal-will-only-be-when-he-decides-192089
Kel, thanks for posting that link, really interesting view from someone with a sense of balance and perspective. Pretty rare in the media! I guess you can read it from two ways – Wenger is a single minded control freak who does not like to be questioned, or he has been left isolated by a weak, spineless board and left to do their dirty work and take all the flak. The truth no doubt is somewhere in the middle. But I certainly don’t buy the view held by some that he is simply a dictator and a mercenary just in it for the money and has not got a care for the club and its long term interests. Whether or not he deserves that pay packet in this day and age and based on the recent track record is another matter and no doubt many will think not.
I guess I am of the view we need a change and a fresh start. I think we need a complete overhaul of our playing squad, a change in management and a more transparent board with a vision. But I also hope that Wenger can stay on in an ambassadorial role like Bobby Charlton at Manure (who I seem to recall had a brief but disastrous go at managing but is still held in high regard in the club). Oh yeah and bring back Dein!
@ terry, please mate watch Italian league footy on ESPN, its betta than prem& AC only played like that for this game cause the young manager had the tactical intelligence to recognise what was necessary to win. They usually play with pace and skill.
Actually AC Milan has everything we lack: pace, strength , work rate , very individual technical skills.
Giroud,Gervinho, Ramsey, Arteta they almost ways lose the 50-50 balls. We do not have a winger who consistently deliver accurate passes.
Boateng was languishing with Portsmith right under our noses. He is the type of player , we needed to balance out all the soft, weak , delicate , gutless payers we have in our squad.
@Gunfeast, there not gutless, they just lack the tools for the job or jobs they are given. There is not enough balance. Its not a case of money but a lack of balance in the team of which Wenger does not beleive in. Take a look @ Wengers physical frame, thats what he demands of & for his players. Makes no difference what height they are.
Just found out that Bayern Munchen wage bill is 17000£ less than ours a season. The price for the ticket for the Arsenal vs Bayern game was 97£ at the Emirates while Bayern Munchen season tickets are about 97£
Bayern Munchen moved to their new stadium in 2005 and Arsenal 2006, Yet we moan about not being able t0o compete!!!!!!!!!
I ment 17 mill
The difference in crowds & ticket prices prem/bundes liga r unbelievable. Their product is far better
@theicehammer, fair enough , but when I watched the game against united , I saw players who looked intimidated , they looked scared!
Agree Wenger does not believe in balance, but when we were winning trophies, we had Henry, Lanu, Berkamp, but also Viera, Petit, Campbell…
Well wage bill concerns, that’s why i want to scrap of that socialistic wage structure, it is no longer needed.
The link from kel clearly indicates wenger is not able to hold down to his key players , which again makes wenger situation worse and might be the reason for his duality in comments when holding players.
Wenger is probably overloaded and stressed out after departure of Dein, which makes him make the worst mistakes and clubbed with his stubbornness makes him more worse .
I believe he might leave at the end of his present contract , with an accomplishment that he is giving out the club in good financial position .
@gunfest, as I & others have said, was that down to dein. Wenger has been doing it he’s own way for some time without sucess. The cupboard is empty. Do vou think Wenger will spend 70mil on a different type of player.
Did you guys read wenger’s interview Yesterday??? this part is the biggest JOKE of all
“Financially we can live with it (not qualifying for Champions League), but on the sporting front, no, and the sporting front is the priority,” Wenger said.
Really wenger!?!? Really???!!!!
Well your action really does not show that @ all, when you sell your best players every year, how could you come and say this now?? your a liar.
Wenger if you tell me to stop i would rather through myself off a cliff, because i can’t trust anything you say.
That whole interview yesterday by wenger was put together to get fans to renew. He mad a raucous in the press about people trying to crate trouble by saying he’s going to renew his contract YET since then there have been
news about wenger having a 70mil windfall to spend in the summer which I am sure is a total lie, so why doesn’t he come out and say that people are trying to cause trouble??? Its only when it suits his agenda that he gets agitated.
Kel – how many times and for how many years , we have heard that he has 70mil to spend? I do not trust him anymore like you , I am tired of his mind games.
He manipulates the fans, like a man who promises a girl a ring …just wait , very soon I will buy you that ring , but it never happens…
Let me put it this way for Wenger to spend 70 mil in 1 transfer season, we would have to send him to Guantanamo bay and be waterboarded and tortured for 30 days before that happens!
@GunFest – “Wenger to spend 70 mil in 1 transfer season, we would have to send him to Guantanamo bay and be waterboarded and tortured for 30 days before that happens!”
I really like that.LOL
If wenger is truly honest , he should not sign any contract or agreement. Should prove it on the stage for fans and take it up with pride next season.Otherwise Guantanmao bay is the right choice.
Totally into the Guantanamo thing. Its all becoming more mental.
When Song was sold, how many of us fans shouted and screamed against it?
Why did we sell RVP and not REPLACE him appropriately? Falcao anyone?
We shot ourselves on the foot and majority of our SILLY fans backed the idea to sell. Why are those same fans calling for the managers head now? He wants Dein back, cos he knows he CANT make signings. He now seems to want to SPEND 70mill of our MONEY now.
Why should he desire to spend after all this Humiliation for the past 8 years. What am sure of even if this moron decides to spend he will buy average players and as long as Frimpong & Diaby and now Ramsey are being retained to replace Patrick Viera and Gilberto Silver we shall not buy players in the Summer. This is plain logic that Wenger and the club are trying to mitigate the rot and shame the press and fans have so far piled on the club.Otherwise the best they can do will be to look for about two average cheap players in the summer and that will be it.
I have some faint hope that we could nick in for the top four if we vacate Europe early .I just hope wenger is not stubborn enough to keep on hoping.
But like i said again much as am happy we qualify for Europe it will be our undoing again as this sturbon moron will be awarded another contract and all will be dejavu again. 4th spot is indeed a blessing in disguise. Other wise nice win though i didn’t watch the game but followed commentary on sky sports.
enjoyed watching
Well it’s a win , but i don’t think a performance like that will deserve a fourth spot for sure.The team looks totally out of sorts , though managed to win this.
I felt there is a discontent among the players and wenger’s problems are piling up.
In terms of attendance , arsenal site displays it as 0, probably they don’t want to give the numbers, but surely would be 1/3rd less than bayern somewhere around 40,000 or even less for sure, as i felt there were too many empty seats.
The only positive is that we managed a secure a win . I will try to be optimistic with it and not get carried away by negatives till next game unless wenger opens his mouth again about buying a top, top, top quality player.
All you guys are calling for Wenger’s head but I will tell you one thing for sure, the players are responsible 100% for this !
There is no drive among this group at all, no desire to improve or work harder (this is a lack of leadership on the field).. Player can do what they want on the field and no one is held accountable (ex.. run out of postion, successive careless passes, I will shoot when I want, pass when I feel like it – this is mayhem – Complete non- care of the Arsenal Crest!!
Here’s my argument why the players are simply just showing up to get their paychecks..(Correct me if the following statements are wrong)
Lets compare position by position against an elite team like Mant utd per say:
Is Carrick better than Wilshere?
is Nani better than Carzola?
is Giggs better than Podolski?
is Valencia better than Walcott?
is Rafael better than Sagna?
is Evra better than Gibbs?
is Welbeck better than Giroud?
No, no, no, no, and no!!!!
So we can see that quality wise we may not be top notch but pound for pound, we are there to win vs the smaller teams at least!! loosing to Bayern – I’ll take that.. but Bradford, BlackBurn, this lucky win vs Villa AT HOME I MAY ADD!!.. With the players metionned above.??? do u even need to someone to manage a team to win vs these sub par relegated teams????!!
How can this be on Wenger? (sure he didnt buy the big signings we all want but on the other hand, the current players need to man up and take the blame for these lousy performances? Someone among that group need to step up , and it s not Wenger’s fault ..I can tell you that much.. Players on this squad are spending time tweeting, facebooking.. what about fighting for your job, no drive at all!!
Enough said!
How you play at this time of the season is irrelevant, whats important is to win your games, 3 points.
@ Lil_Weezy
So let me get this straight according to you we have 7 players in our starting 11 that’s better that MAU players YET we’re 20+ points behind them.
That to me makes no sense, you can talk all you want about being a good players But at the end of the day you have to show it on the pitch and am afraid the boys at MAU have done that, we haven’t.
wenger Buys the players and coaches them too so ultimately he’s MOSTLY to blame, you can put a spin on that all you want that’s a fact
I don’t think wenger wants to leave especially with the fifa fairplay system coming in that will hurt da big spenders,that’s exactly what gazikis and wenger are waiting to do,that arrogant bastard should rather go and been that pundit on french tv sports
@Lilweezy- players play as a team and they need a manager who finds faults and correct them,wenger managerial behaviour have been just awful for da past seven seasons,there is just no getting pass that whateva way u look at it
Nice try lil_wheezy…
Carrick is a better defensive midfielder than Wilshere of course who is better going forward.
Evra is a better crosser, passer, scorer than Sagna
Valencia is a much better winger than Walcott,Walcott is a better finisher .
Welbeck is not as technically gifted as Giroud , but his speed and strength give more to the team .
Add to that RVP and Rooney who are 2 of best forward/strikers in the EPL that’ s why we are 21 points behind united.
I have said for a long time these players are not good enough, but the manager is responsible for the squad.
Playing with a striker who needs crosses and not having 2 quality wingers or wingbacks, not having a defensive midfield player. Aside from Walcott there is a lack of speed , we are very predictable. Against poor team like Villa , how many shots we got on target ? Very few .
Finishing fourth has become a curse for Arsenal.
I would never pick Carrick over Wilshere, and Evra is a left back (which is compared to Gibbs).
Anywho, the point I am trying to make is – yes we do not have Rooney or RVP but come on.. Surely some blame must go out to the players ! It’s ridiculous how no one is going after the players ( We all know the wrongs Wenger has done – fine i wont disagree..but at the end of the day.. We can’t even beat a championship team at home??!! That is driving me crazy.. Plain and simple – The players are failing the fans and we need to hold them accountable!
If it means that players are not doing their best. Then change the captain and drop people without attitude .This has to be from wenger i guess.Well vermaelen is not able to cope up with the task , so give it to Arteta and make wilshere or Walcott as the vice.
If we fans go to slate the players, wenger comes out to protect them . So if they want the stick let it come from wenger and obviously we have to give it to wenger.
The boys r trying 4 u gooners, still 0/0
Just got back from Upton Park and what a game it was. Sorry but we had not the tallente to keep Bale out, its up to u Gooners. Time 4 Big Sam to move on.
Ice,
Watched the game.
Allerdyce hasnt a clue…Matty Taylor is shocking and unfit and was first sub..cole was exhausted and he took Diame off?? That Pogatetz looks unfit and was roasted when he came on.
Gary o Niell??? Whats his purpose, hes your Arteta..backways passing for the sake of it with no creativity or penetration..
Plus side is Jarvis, Cole and Reid at cb……I know why you want Sam out.theres a certain fiery Italian whos recently put himself on the breadline …surely that wont happen……
Ice – Benitez to West Ham. You know it makes sense! That assumes that Allardyce takes up the Real Madrid post when Jose leaves in the summer…
icehammer-its very upsetting to see west ham gave that goal away so cheaply,but who am i to judge coming in another 4days arsenal could well do da same
your goalie was very impressive should of won da man of the match,had it neva been for bale.
i came on this website to urgent fans not to get all excited about wenger and what all he going to do with the recent profits becoz we all now where thats going and pretty much dont give a rat ass about how much pressure wenger is under becoz of all da profits to be spent, as far as i am concern if wenger stays he would think christian benteke equals falcoa/cavani or even messi becoz benteke is da new arsenal talk thats if of new rivals spurs dont get a hold of him. i say new rival becoz we are no competiton to da man’s
Just in case all your wenger lovers think we get hold of 4th place, becoz of mr wenger u are still wrong why
rafeal benitez – chelsea team dont want to play for him da results had be seen
spurs – as good as they are history is not on there side
everton- everton just dont have da quality except for david moyes
Well Bale needs some advice from Wenger. “You should not shoot when you are that far. You have to play the game and shoot only inside the box”.
@ voley_gun
Very funny(-: !!!!!!!!!
I can’t believe that Some Arsenal fans are calling Spurs a one man team, shocking!!!!!!!!!!
@terry, love it my man, Not sure if the board could deal with the firey Italian when things go wrong.
Would Bale have been as dangerous if Wenger managed to purchase im! Remember he was originally a left back.Wuold Theo have excelled earlier if he had gone to Spurs?
In a fit of pique and as a result of too many late nights/early mornings watching our games and the associated negative impact on my state of mental health, I got rid of our cable tv swearing i would not watch another game until next season! Now of course I am regretting the decision and need to find a reliable livestream for the game against Gareth Bale and ten other pricks. Anyone got any good tips?
Predictions for Sunday (or Monday morning 3am if you are in the Antipodes)…?
The heart says 3-1 to the Arse. The head says 2-0 to Gareth Bale and my liver says another bottle of shiraz please.
This French moron is at it again. So arrogant and stupid. He says the team must focus on its passing game and not the strength of the opponent.This is the exact reason we have not won anything in 8 years and still going. Past players would decide on what style to play in face of opposition. These young players due to low talent can’t question his tactics.I hope the team gets its tactics right on Sunday.
@Terry
Good to have you back on board Mr. T.
If you cough up two bucks you can get a 24 hour pass for the Arsenal Player at the official website. Watch the pregame show, get a live commentary and try lshunter.tv for a video feed.Then later the game will be on the player along with every other game they’ve played in the last 2 years.
Cheers mate.
COYG!!!
well!!!!!! derby day and i honestly hope that MR wenger has a plan and some tactics for this match because if we don’t, were screwed!!!!!!!
go Arsenal!!!!!!!!
Fucking come on boys!
Until Wilshere learns to pass accurately, he should not be the one in the centre of our midfield. Until we play Cazorla there more consistently, we will not improve as a team……
I dont want what happened to Arshavin to be the case with Cazorla. He is our ONLY maestro.
All this talk about our defensive record being the third best in the league is total fuckery
Arsenal can’t defend on fuck….
You have to earn the right to impose and play YOUR style on any football game. This increases ten fold in a derby. You cant kerp going put saying your gonna just play your way Wenger. We used to win the battle first, then the game. Now we play for 20 mins then drop our level, concede and huff and puff until the fourth official puts up the board and we realise weve only three mins left.
Name one Arsenal player, other than the consistant pedestrian Ramsey, that broke asweat today, actually find one that had a spec of dirt on his jersey!
Cazorla played out of position on the wing. 100,000 man Walcott nowhere to be found. Giroud? What is his purpose other than displaying forty different types of contipation faces per game.
Wenger incompetent and powerless to influence the game again once tje damage had been done.
Wenger aim! 4th place to justify da trophy cabinet and da fools will say wenger deserves his job if he gets it,if wenger did his job in da first place we wouldn’t be sitting here in 5th place, giroud and just about every1 had a shit game,so there’s no individuals thats left out.
Wenger leave with dignity while u still can!
For how long will Wenger consistently make these silly childish mistakes. You remove one of the best out lets in Jenkins and bring on Rosicky. You let Ramsey play 90 minutes yet already booked. You leave Podolski on the bench for crying out loud. You sell Song the best anchor man second to Yaya Toure only to replace him with 30+ Arteta. That’s the reason we are conceeding silly goals for fan. It was a catastrophe in the making to give Vermaleen the arm band. He is the worst Arsenal Captain i have seen in a while.He can’t command his compatriots to pull back and play from the back. How could we conceed similar goals in the same fashion and manner. About Giroud.Stupid players cost you games . Giroud has been good at that. I saw him do the at Chelsea missing sitters in the first twenty minutes of a game only arsenal to go ahead and loose. It is this shit of a coach that buys such bull shit.We are just doomed with this French moron. He is so lazy to do any home work for the team and the best that could happen to Arsenal fc and himself is resigning. I don’t think we are even good for Europa unless we thump Bayern Munich which equates to the unthinkable.
Every time i see Vertonghen he looks better and better, notice i didn’t say world class as some arsenal fans like to brand people after a few good games BUT am almost sure that he is better than all the defenders we have, so how come we didn’t secure his signature???
Things like these just confirm to me that wenger has lost it, and i say that not because i hate wenger BUT simply based on evidences these last 5 years, he’s done, dusted, finished as a top class manager, and anyone who says otherwise
deserves to be shot.
Kel,
Quite right, and you can throw holtby and dembele in aswel. And Ba. And Mata. Oh yeah and Scott Parker who went for peanuts when we had nobody in midfield. And berbatov who we cud have got for a penny as part of van persie deal.
Shezny is fast becoming the new bendtner doing more talking than walking. Hes a loose cannon.
The good news this summer is we only havd one asset left that anyone else wants, and he wont go.
The bad news is the rest would struggle in the championship.
http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/premier-league/130303/arsene-wenger-dismisses-claims-arsenal-dont-work-defending-192854
The boys will soon put a run together& Chelski will Raffa up again.
Sorry to be so quiet. I’m still in a state of denial. I mean intellectually I know we lost because I watched it and it looked so much like us.
But other than that what it really means is just starting to steep.
It’s hard to remain balanced and upbeat.
Oh well,nothing a trip to Germany won’t fix.
Our defense is totally blinded on diagonal passes. Yesterday major threat from spurs were all created from diagonal passes. Swansea did it earlier to us and now spurs.
Problem with arsenal is when they fail to press for the ball , they concede. That’s why we are always looking better at second half this season.
Voley_gun, whats Bold up to then? I mean he is the defence coach…is ent he. Why arnt the 2 CH covering each other, why r they so flat.
G’day Leftie. Wish things were different and we were toasting another win over the SPuds. Sadly things are not all well in Goonerland are they? Hard to fathom how we have lost our way so badly but I guess we have been on a downward trajectory for three or four years now and there are few signs that it is going to end anytime soon. But hey, things could be worse. We could be like the Aussie cricket team! They can’t even make the top four of an eight team comp!
More than Bould it is other teams tactics to exploit our weakness is giving them the edge over us to win games .Though we command possession and dominate the game we are hit hard ,sharp and clinical in goals by other teams.
Terry,
Sorry mate i actually thought of posting this link to you.Hope this helps in future. I once watched the game in this stream and hope will help you too.
http://www.samistream.com/
Watch ESPN,Star Sports or ESPN HD for premier league and for champions league TenSports, Ten Action if available.
Mostly arsenal games will be telecast live in ESPN.
You know the more i read about some of the goings-on at Arsenal the more i feel less sorry for wenger,
Tony Adams said last nite before the game:
“Wenger makes no special arrangements for opposition tactics or how to deal with certain players.”
And I remember distinctly cesc saying somethings around the same line, now these two players had a big impact on Arsenal, both were very good players, “WORLD CLASS” if you Please, and both were club captains. So i would take what they say in high regard. That being the case really does let one see that the reason we have been so unsuccessful on the pitch these last 8 years is not coincidence, BUT all our own doing or should i say wenger’s doing.
How could a manager is this day and age not plan or have tactics in place to neutralize the opposition’s strength, its a disgrace to management.
This to me explains why very average teams with young and inexperience managers can consistently beat us AND it surly explains why we have not won the coveted CL not once in the last 16 years we have featured.
Wenger i know your not BUT you should be ashamed, what world are you living in??? are you senile???
This behavior alone is a sackable offense.
But all is not lost people are writing us off BUT there is still 30 points to play for, its when the games get to single digit that the task will look daunting.
The game against swansea is the most important for the club, if we loose that and the people around us win then i think its really curtains for us.
@Gunnerboss. u’r so lost nowadays.Any ways i always said it .It’s not about the quality of the players but the laziness of the coach to deserve his salary. He is paid to act in the best interest of the club but this idiot will and shall not do so. He is so lazy that it’s a mountain for him to drill his players in a counter attacking formation. How could the defense be caught flat footed yet even a championship side can,t concede such goals and you shamelessly consider your self a top flight manager. The board must surely be joking.All his decisions are highly questionable and i suspect he must be investigated for match fixing. Its just difficult to accept that he is rewarded weekly for inexcusable decisions.Giroud wouldn’t start in any of the top four teams i guess. Which sensible manager would play Ramsey ahead of Podolski!!
Bayern is one of the best organized teams in the world. Everything is on its place. Structure of ownership is the best you can imagine in modern football, board is compuond by former club legends who are not dump, they earn and spend very carefully, staff is brilliant and true fans can come to the game cause price is set to be fair. In golden years Arsenal was very similar to Bayern because of everything above. The most significant difference between us and them that I saw in that crushing defeat was tactical superiority of Bayern players. You have Mandžukić who is a regular striker, nothing special, he moves with and without ball better than every our player except Jack. Well that is so sad.
Well this season turning point is the match to play against bayern. It is not in terms of winning or losing but in terms of gaining confidence or losing it for our most crucial run in the last 10 matches.
A thrashing from Bayern with a scoreline around 8-1 will put us down to 7th or 8th in the league, while a respectable draw or a decent lose of 3-1 will keep us in 5th or 6th , and a victory will boost us to secure a place in last 3rd or 4th with a confidence of retaining the 5th spot
I honestly would like the team to retain the 5th spot and not go down.
@Anaohi- Ur a big idiot. “Except Jack”? Ur an embarrassment to football, u talk as if ur sensible and then u end up exposing the fact that ur an idiot. Ramsey actually runs more than Jack(in terms of effort).
Problem I have with these two guys is the fact that they are nowhere near the required 70percent pass accuracy required to be functional or effective/efficient in this level. Giroud does not take his chances seriously at all. He does not deserve to be anywhere near our top striker, why Wenger refuses to try Podolski as CF is still down to his usual FAVOURITISM. Why? Podolski will score and will score authoritatively too. If he wants to stick with Walcott as CF, let him do so cos its very hard to play two positions while progressing/learning. I like Walcott cos of his pace, he is always gonna be a threat.
The MAIN reason we have not won anything for the past three/four years? 80 percent of the players are mediocre.
@Delano – I think Ramsey did excellently in his first game at right back for us, should be the league game we had the red card, but still won.
Since then, Wenger tactically plays Ramsey so he ends up as a RB. This is our tactical achievement. This is what he drills the players to do against Bayern….everything boils down to when he decides to swap Ramsey for Jenkinson…then, BOOM! We nail them, our tactics come to light and they crumble just because of the awesomeness of our superior tactical switch.
How does this guy ever justify playing a younger, faster and left footed Wilshere in the middle(where speed IS NOT a priority), but shifts a more gifted, older, but slower Cazorla to waste on the flank chasing lost balls and using up all his (dribbling/passing/shooting) energy? Wilshere was the unofficial direct (behind the CF) support striker……………Its such a shame.
When it is crunch time, you need all the experienced and in-form players.
Anyone knows what has happened to the Ox? Giroud!
He plays a wastefull Giroud in Cf, shifts Walcott to probably waste on the right(no Podolski on the left) but keeps the Ox on the bench(classic Wenger).
Quiz time: which is the only EPL team left in the Champions League?! LoL
Enjoy it while it lasts lads…
@Terry – Don’t let wenger read this , otherwise he will give out a statement that arsenal are too good and staying in champions league longer than other english clubs is a kind of achievement.
It’s kind of like a trophy isn’t it?!
Check this out amazing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7cUPno_i88
U guys have got to be kidding………
The last of the Mohicans, right?
Hello, is anyone there, there, there, there! HELLO, hello, hello. Last one out switch out the light.
Good news guys. We have rested for almost 2 weeks and with no injuries at all. What does this mean.We have a fighting chance for our pride like we did against ACMillan.We are likely to win the game but loose the tie. I wouldn’t mind if that would translate into thumping Swansea which is equally a massive task.
For all those bored bloggers, lets meet on Goal.com. Its so active.
Wilshere is injured.Arsene Wenger is doomed.
liverpool have had a piss poor season YET they’re 2 points off us (but played more) if both them and Everton win and we loose they will both overtake us.
Arsenal have the easiest run in compared to the other 5 teams competing for the the champions league places, BUT the thing is when i look back at our record over the last 8 years when it comes to the last 10 games of the season we have not done well as we could/should 2007/08 comes to mind when we should have won the title.
Here are a detailed rundown of the points Arsenal have collected from the last 10 games of the season for the last 8 seasons.
Starting from 2004/05
25
23
13
18
23
17
11
18
That’s an average of 18.5 points per last 10 games per season over a 8 year period.
O honestly don’t think that will be enough this season, it’s not one team its now five teams so it’s look very nasty, through jack into that and you have a mess.
Jack am sure has been in the red zone for weeks yet we continued to play him??? why?? because the rest are very very average, the manager is to blame he should have bought someone in BUT as usual no one was available.
HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!! WHAT A Laugh!!!!!!
I hope if the worst happens he doesn’t say he did not have his best player available because that would be an excuse BUT it would be one he crated himself by being naive.
Wenger your the worst gambler i’v ever seem, you never learn, and it seemjs that your luck is about to run out, you can blame noone else BUT yourself for this situation
Anybody out there think we have a chance to overturn the deficit on Bayern Tomorrow?
Dutch,Terry, Retsub?
Come on Retsub pipe up! Tell us the stickman has the plan.
I’ll tell you this, the people who gave us the Hamburger and the Frankfurter may be about to reveal a new fast food sensation, Stickman on a stick.
But not so fast. Remeber the AC Milan fightback last year?
Maybe we’ll come close before losing. There’s no advancement in it but it’s better that the boys show a little fight.
COYG!
Well wenger’s idea to let Szczensy rest , doesn’t look like to give him rest ,but instead protect him from the humiliation if we concede many.He will involve arshavin too on the pitch to favour one more of his player i guess.
Every season there used to be a match post which the team feels drained and drop points.This season this will be the one.
Honestly this is one to forget. But a resurgence is theoretically possible if Rosicky,Walcott,Giroud,Cazorla,Arshavin/Gervinho and Arteta can put out best performance of their life.
Boys can Wenger ever play Ice Hockey football like what Barca & Fucking Messssssiiiiiii did last night. Shambo what needs to happen?
@Voley_gun is it true Arsene’s fielding a second string, if so he’s chucked in the towel, waved the white flag. How r we ment to back the lads out there.
If i were the coach. I wouldn’t dare Bayern cause it is a foregone conclusions.It will be foolhardy to think about illusions of an up set. I would rest some of my good players against Bayern if that gave me a chance of beating Swansea at the weekend. We need those points and three points against Bayern will be useless if we shall not go through. I would therefore play second eleven players and a few fringe players in preparation for Swan- Barca. Top four is a real dog fight now and it is the most important for us. But i would equally be happy missing it if it mean’t Wenger leaving the club. I was watching my previous games including the Invincibles yesterday for consolation and in surely got shocked how wenger used to celebrate goals .The size and speed of the players on the pitch was just a nightmare to many average teams and i realized anything could be done on the pitch by the players we had. Walcott had devastating clips during his time with remnants of the invincibles.V.persie was just a star in the making.
I asked my self a question what really could have happened. We have rubbish all over the pitch and the same but now old coach is embracing what he has at his disposal. He had a taste for size in his hay days nowadays we have small body useless irritating players to watch. The system was a strict 4-4-3 but in the attack it looked a 4-3-3 as goals came from all over the pitch. Nowadays it is Giroud charged with the duty of scoring. At this rate i would rather have Carlos Vela and Bendtner back than this pile of rubbish we have at our disposal.
It’s just shocking that you can loan a premiership tested player with a some unknown from the French league just in his first season. Arteta was a good player but not to a team of Arsenal’s stature. He has fluffed around in Defensive midfield for so long this season and we have really paid heavily.
It is a joke that a one game player per season like Diaby can still be entertained at Arsenal and the fans are paying heavily for this punk.What is his contract situation like because he should surely be among those leaving next summer. It is this position which has particulary been our affected this season. Its now time for a fundamental change and the fans have a big role to do in this .
The decisions of the coach have not helped the team at all and his responsible for incompetent decisions he has made through out. You cannot simply blame the board for all this rubbish. He is an accomplice to everything. It is not the board that picks the players on the pitch,it is not the board that provides the tactics on the pitch,it is not the board spots talent for Wenger it is him who first admires and inquires. Even the size of the players is left to the coach. It is all Wengers fault and us the fans for supporting his mediocrity with our hard earned cash. The quicker we get rid of this sinking ship the better we avoid a relegation dog fight next season.
@Delano
You’re on the right track but Bentdner and Vela are a bit extreme.
Maybe Reyes and Kanu.
@icehammer – We already lost Sagna,Podolski,Wilshere and in addition to it Szczesny rested. I am not sure of other changes , but i think wenger will not risk playing Gervinho or Ox ahead of arshavin ,as thrashing from ManU had massive effect on Ox and obviously wenger likes to protect Gervinho.
Well i honestly don’t know what’s running on wenger’s mind.
If he chooses Arshavin ,Coquelin,Rosicky and Diaby ahead of Ox, Cazorla,Arteta ,Ramsey and walcott. Then i am pretty sure wenger is fielding a second string.
Sorry that Rosicky is included in the second string list because wenger considers Ramsey always ahead of him.
So let me get this straight, wenger wants arsenal to go for it, because he feels we can win, now i know we have some injury problems and that’s understood BUT how do you leave you best goal keeper at home in favor of a person who has not played in god’s knows how long???????
When i tell you guys wenger has lost the plot you all must think i don’t like him BUT its decisions like this that really make me F*cking mad.
Shock start on a nice Walcott-Giroud hook-up.
Already we are looking shaky at the back though.
Still one more goal would put them under real pressure.
Oh God I forgot we have Fumblehandski in goal.
Nerevrmind.
A goal by 3rd minute is something great. Our defense has improved a mile.Well we always put up a very good second half performance. Let me hope a resurgence is on his way ,boys are holding the ball better and their passing with physical ability is very good. Two sharp goals and a solid defense is all it is required to put the tide our way.
arsenal need one more goal , to truly put doubts in the minds of bayern. Their defense looks too good and also they have raised their tempo of the play.arsenal need to pep up. Final passes should be sharp and need to be more physical.
second goal. wow. One more goal to go
only 2 minutes left for 90 minutes , an injury time goal from arsenal will seal it up.
Yep, a second very scruffy goal by Kos.
No matter what happens now a clean sheet here would auger very well for the run-in.
COYG!!
3 minutes of stoppage time
game ends but arsenal’s dignity restored .
Brave effort against a lazy arrogant bayern. Why Arteta was over that free il never know but those are the fractions. Actually his lack of composure and brain in the last 3mins was criminal.
Again a first leg of tactical laziness from the manager kills the team.
Kudos to the boys . They for once played with heart and made us proud.Am confused is this the Bayern that out played us at Emirates or it is Arsenal that was so good today.Either it is the tactical incompetence of the manager that has always seen us entertain while we go out.Imagine if we had’nt lost our first ties in two consecutive seasons. Either way no one expected this and surely we went out with a fight. I hope the players are in good mood to obliterate Swansea as we start the dog fight for top four.
Bayern need a rest like Arsenal had. As i’ve said in the past, I expect a good run for two to three games but the slip ups will return. Short & sharp cant be maintained by so many light weight players.
@shambo is the team betta wid or widout Jack. I think it looked tighter in the middle.
Great to see the team fight back . Nothing has changed the team is too unbalanced to win a major trophy.
Giroud scored a tap- in today, but did he win a one on one or 50/50 ball today? Can he hold the ball?
We need a world class striker , Giroud can only be a complimentary striker not good enough .
COULD SOMEBODY PLEASE GET THIS EMAIL TO THE BOARD OR ARSENAL SUPPORTERS ASSOCIATON ASAP!
The true solution is that Arsenal do NOT have to spend a lot of money!
The fans frustration does not stem from the lack of silverware over the last 8 years, but from the failure to compete ON THE PITCH with the likes of Man.U, Chelsea, Man.C and of late – Spurs!
It would be better for the long run if Wenger disposed of the (majority) players he has, and using the cash from the sales in addition to the funds available to him, he should inject new enthusiasm into his team… How?
I have recently looked around the net for very talented and reasonably priced players who Arsenal could and should purchase, to enhance their current plight and compete at the highest level again – not only in the premier league but Europe also.
Note – KEEP Wilshere and make him captain and Oxlade-Chamberlain needs to stay. The squad would be ideal for Mr.Wenger because most of them are an unknown quantity!
These are the players Arsenal should look to bring in over the summer…
GK – TER STEGEN (B MOENCHENGLADBACH) or GIEFER (F DUSSELDORF) – 1ST CHOICE.
BIALKOWSKI (NOTTS CO) or FORSTER (CELTIC) – 2ND CHOICE.
DEF/C-BACKS – D.FEREIRA (PARMA) , OGBONNA (TORINO) , OKORE (NORDSJAELLAND) , SUMAILA (EBUSUA DWARFS)
W-BACKS – CAPOUE (TOULOUSE) , FER (FC TWENTE) , INAN (GALATASARAY) , GUARDADO (VALENCIA)
MID – LAMELA (ROMA) , COUTINHO (LIVERPOOL) , MUNAIN (A BILBAO)
FOR – BENTEKE (A VILLA) , GUIDETTI (MAN.CITY) , BONY (V ARNHEM) , JENNINGS (B MUNICH)
Ghanchi, I agree with yr first statement about cash spending, but dont give money to Wenger cause he will waste it again on same type of players. Its also a joke that Wenger links Prem leagues failures with his own. Other top 4/5 prem & below have wan silverware over last 8 years. Deflecting failure as usual. Wenger would not talk about Euro catching up prem if he was still in qtr. Final. Tvpical Arsese!
@icehammer – agree with you on wenger’s tactics to deflect prem league failure with his own.
I don’t understand why performances like Bayern,Milan and Barca happens once in a year .
Does this sign wenger is concentrating on the team only when they are about to fall in crisis.
As usual when there is no pressure we produce, i hope the fans that went to germany had a good nite out they deserve it.
I get the feeling that Arsenal are always satisfied to win the battle but loose the war. The germans were terrible last nite and yet we couldn’t take them out, Just as last season when we should have eliminated milan.
We got an early goal and that should have given us the impetus to go on BUT as usual as soon as the we get a sign of pressure we crack/fold
Last season again milan we had them 3 down after the first half and could not find a single goal in the second to tie the match, after the match our great coach said that we gave everything in the first so had nomore to give in the second. Its a sad thing BUT the mentality of this club to settle for second best is like a blood disease its spreads all over the body.
Any team worth there salt last nite would have gone through bayern were terrible and we let them slip away, IO guess all that matters to some is we won this game.
Arsenal has the ability to replicate what it did last night even if Wenger is not in charge. A more astute coach would have won this tie right from the start at the Emirates. It has been obvious all season that Vermaleen was the weak link in the first leg and we paid heavily.It was possible to mitigate this damage right away but he agonizingly failed to do that.The earlier he leaves the club the better. Did any of you realise how much a hero Gervinho would have been had that tap in gone in. It is shocking that we have condoned these near failures and content with respect. We pay the highest ticket and we must be paid in equal measure not Wenger’s mediocrity. I guess if we had better players on the pitch in Munich the tie would have been history. I don,t see how a Henry type of player couldn’t have produced magic on such an inviting tie. We fallen short because season in season out we lack special players when the going gets tough. We self destruct in the beginning and we can’t remedy when we need to. Sacking the coach is the best solution. No excuses.
Spurs still in then
I think we tried, but……………………….
We shouldve scored two in the first half. What was the Ox doing on the bench? What was the cow Giroud doing on that pitch? This is the game Walcott shouldve started at CF or on the left and the Ox on the right. It amazes me we still left their RB with so much room to run into after all what he did last game.
Our coach has proved yet again he CANNOT field a decent eleven from this pack unless injuries force him to. He needs decent players like every other good coach does. We are where we are because we feel Wenger is a magician. Until we realise this, we will continue to go downhill…………………….
Sad, sad truth
Haven’t you heard best one yet, WEnger says that because no English team is in the CL 1/4 finals , it should be a wake up call. Really le professeur? As a manager of team which has not won zero trophy in 8 years , did you get a wake up call? Were you sleep walking when you sold our best players year after year?
Tell me Wenger ,did you learn from your failed experiment with Denilson ? So why then are you trying to turn Arteta and Ramsey into defensive midfielders?
Except for 1 or 2 players none of our players could start for the 3 team in the EPL…can you spell Mediocrity in French?!
where are you guys.Any one there
Am watching the game but Diaby is becoming so wasteful .Its a shock that he hasn’t improved at all. Swansea have missed sitters so far. Giroud has no short on goal and Ox is our best player on the pitch so far. I hope we snatch the 3 points as this is all we have to play for. otherwise Everton has won and we are 6th .
I just hope Diaby scores the winning goal. Otherwise he must be slaughtered.It is just embarrassing that this boy is paid a salary to play for arsenal.Absolute rubbish and an insult to the fans.
At last we won but after Diaby going off the pitch.
Boy arsenal really want 4th didn’t see the match But its a big win none the less how you play at this point is of no significance, all that matters is 3 points….
Yes a big win and they played well overall.
@ Delano, yes Diaby has not improved, how much are we paying him per week? A waste of money! I always thought his first couple years , he should have been sent on loan where they would break his bad habits.
The Bayern performance MUST be our least level from now on…….that has got to be the benchmark…..
Ramsey did well, but for me the Ox would’ve complemented Arteta, Rosicky and Cazorla more…..both in going forwards and backtracking. We needed goals, still, the whole effort would’ve been wasted if we did not allow it rub off on our league form. So far it has and it is clearly keeping us in the hunt for a top four finish.
When will Diaby stop being sloppy? Again, good to know we did not forget how we beat Bayern, but our resources, our personnel must improve next season. Our coach is clearly Tinkerbell…..
I thinks the tactics i talked about earlier here are now being implemented by wenger. If you are observant you notice that ever since the Spurs game, the gap between defense and midfield has been deliberately closed and now the defense looks abit protected and doing well.You notice we are no longer enjoying alot of possession but we are solid behind. It is no coincidence that Bayern and Swansea which are by all standards good attacking teams have failed to get a clear cut chance in open play at our goal. That is what was missing ever since we last won at Anfield earlier this season. Change of tactics is all we needed but its too late and i hope we keep on the heat and we are of the sudden looking favourites for top four now.Lets wait for a Spurs thumping again.
That is what was missing ever since 2005!!!!!!! Oh thats alright then. C u guys next season when it all starts again. IN WENGER U TRUST, oh me oh mt.
Oh my!
Though an interesting win by Arsenal and even arsene did his homework on the defense to keep intact. I don’t think the jargon in arsene we trust holds anymore and arsene may be in due for his last season if he fails to win a trophy next year , especially with a list of interesting coaches at their 40′s .On the long run i do think wenger has to face competition from two generations behind and the new one’s are too sharp in details and tactics, which possibly is a reason now, top teams are not able to dominate and guarantee a win .
On the long run forward wenger and the board should think about having a new manger in place , wenger had great eye for players and making them stars ,can he make one in
coaching too
We are winning again, welcome to the quiet blog.
http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/koscielny-commits-arsenal-3877801#.UUpCshdvN3V
Arsenal win two games when there is no pressure and we have been transformed, Stupes!!!!!! Give me a break
Did you guys read what Szczęsny snr said????? But you know what most of it is true. God bless us.
All of it
Szczsny snr is right by all standards. Its the coach who made the keeper look a joke for almost half of the season. Attacking was the order of the day leaving the keeper so exposed.Its the improved 4-4-2 that has made Flapianski now look the new kid on the block.Its all about the coach’s stupidity in the past that the defense has been a laughing stock.
Nothing happens cos we keep winning……………
Not praying for us to lose so we can have the chorus discussions, but Ramsey is certainly finding some form. Gervinho looks like he has the right BRAIN on his skull too. Good for us.
Another victory and edging close to spurs .Let’s bite their tails and ram them everytime till they break and look out of sorts in the chase.
We are winning again. We played very well against Reading , our best passing game of the year. Is it too late ?we shall see .
Diaby is out for 8 to 9 months again! But don’t worry when he comes back , he will be like a brand new signing!
At last we are in the coveted top Four and a top three finish is highly feasible once again. Gareth bale is injured and Chelsea has the FA Cup and Europa to mind about
As long as we keep winning? Wow, life can be so so ironic
we are playing well and we are getting results in Jack Wilshere’s absence just like we did at the beginning of the season where we also didn’t have Jack, is this just a coincidence or is the team better off without Jack. i don’t know which one’s which but I do know that Rosicky never deserved to sit on the bench this season, he played an important role in us finishing in the top 4 last season and right now he’s playing a crucial role once again to help us finish in the top 4. Ramsey is getting better and better.
Yes, game time is definitely helping the Ram improve. He seems to have caught something from Wilshers game. But, goodness me……………ROSICKYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
I will take every win, the game against Everton will be massive. I still think that we have a very soft underbelly, in our latest unbeaten we have beaten any of the top4 teams.
We have to finish in the top 4 and we are well positioned to do so…I can’t help but think is this our new lot in life at Arsenal, Scrapping to finish in the top 4 every season?!
Wenger was right when he said top 4 is like a Trophy. United is miles ahead and the realistic trophy would be to overhaul Manchester City which is next to impossible.Either way Everton are the hardest team to beat in my opinion. It took an exceptional Player in Persie to beat them. We seem to be so nervy at home than playing away. I strike with fear whenever i see Vermaleen in the defense and i think the recent goals we are conceeding some are due to the absence of Metasacker. He calms the defense and i think the goal we conceeded wouldn’t have gone in cheaply had he been on the pitch. It will be very difficult for Vermaleen to mark the gangly Fellaini who is back in full swing and Jovetic are all physical top forwards. If we win the game in hand then there is no question it will be a comfortable run in for us.How long is Metasacker out cause the Everton game would suit him than Vermaleen.
Boy this blog is dead, What the hell is going on here, a new post please andy.
As i said earlier how you play now does not matter its the points that do having said that people are saying that Arsenal look so great and I don’t agree, we’ve rode our luck in these last five games, so to say that were bang on form is total craziness.
Regardless of where we finish i still want wenger gone he’s not a good manager anymore.
Agree Kel, look at who we have have beaten lately .. Some fairly weak teams. If we were to play against Manure or city this week , we would be humiliated once again.
Like at the beginning of the season , we were winning games until we had to face the big boys and got found out . It is all smoke and mirrors as they say. Next season , we will end up in the same rot, struggling to finish fourth (our new trophy)!
Gunfest i am very sure your tone will have changed if we are smart winners of 6 points by the end of this week. I feel the squad is strong enough to do that with Metasacker in the bark. We must focus on the defensive part of our game first.
Am sure Wenger now understands the essence of buying a quality striker like Lewondwoski or Suarez. Giroud could have won us this game only for mediocrity to be resounded again. Am wondering what we have in offer for Manchester United. We dont seem to win games with Wilshere on the pitch.
Wilshere is poop…………..
Duno whats wrong with Wenger playing him,its really annoying. His game is going down. This will be the classic case of more game time killing him.
How come Rosicky develops a mysterious illness once Jack is a bit ready?
read on guys
The problem is as I have been saying from the beginning of the season : our best 11 is not good enough .We may win a few games against weak teams , but as soon as we face a well organized opposition , we can see our limitations.
Do you think that Manure would tolerate Fergie not winning trophies for 8 years and say finishing 4th is like winning a trophy? The difference is that they demand excellence not our fans and board!
We are living in the past , many are so afraid if Wenger leaves … Look at the job that M. Laudraup is doing with Swansea ,they are a smaller club with a smaller budget , they bought well, they have a great manager and they play a more brand football than Arsenal this season.
1-nil Man$ity at the half.
If Tottenham fail to qualify for the CL thanks to the goal from the chinless twat it will be the best turn of fucked-up fate since the hand of God goal.
But of course, i will gladly take it.
Nasri, who’d-a-thunk-it?
SORRY SPURS TURNED ON THE HIT. WE SHALL HAVE TO DO IT OURSELVES BY THUMPING THE CHAMPIONS UNITED WITH NO EXCUSES. WE MUST WIN THE GAME AT ALL COSTS EVEN IF IT MEAN’T US GOING TO OLD TRAFFORD.
I HOPE V.PERSIE IS IN ITS RIGHT SENSES NOT TO PUNISH US FOR HIS SELFISH EGO OF THE GOLDEN BOAT.
Lol Delano you are funny! I am not sure if I should laugh or cry… Should we beg Van Persie for mercy? It has the making of a Greek tragedy. I hope that as already champions Manure take-off their feet of our throat…
Isn’t Wenger so brilliant?! selling our best player to one of our biggest rivals…imagine Mancini selling Aguerro or Yayah to MAnunited…never would happen
Van Persie wins the Prem da 1st season he leaves the Emirates stadium. Im sure his preference would have been 4th spot silverware. C u all nex season. Up Big Sam’s Ammers.
When we play MAU this weekend i think the guard of honor should be give by the board Members including IVAN, STAN, and most of all Mr wenger, because they handed them the title.
Now we have to scrap for 4th and 3rd, really shocking, and you know hats worst, wenger ent going to change and he ent going no where.
Yes Kel , indeed we will be having the same conversation next year, nothing change.
Arsenal was done a good job againts Bayern..
just not lucky lose with aggregat..
wenger says that Arsenal are not as far as people think from us, BUT yet last season it was 15 now this season 20 how are we close??????
Wenger your a real piece of work and i really hope you have some pride and leave at the end of your contract our time has come
Failure to beat United today means top 4 is not in our hands.
Mediocre players could only afford a draw at a hapless United who had nothing to fight for.
We let the standards we beat Bayern with slip immediately we introduced Wilshere in…………..
From the last game we drew before the Fulham win, we showed how quickly we can forget to remember how to play well…….
We should be sorry for ourselves, wasted chance after chance after chance first half………..how does Gervinho become the CF when he comes on? I think Wenger is sick again
I actually put down my top four worries apart and enjoyed the game . I liked the way Rosicky ,Cazorla and Ramsey combined to produce stunning displays and always threatened to shoot, making life of united tough.
Wilshere and Ox played too direct and never had the menacing long shots or much deceived penetration . Even after certain brilliant moves the team mostly lost the final pass or couldn’t find the player in the box who can shoot a pass.
For me it’s an overall good display and let me hope a place exist for us in top four.
http://www.foxsportsasia.com/football/premier-league/news/detail/item966534/BPL-points-gap-can-be-deceiving,-says-Wenger/
when i look at dormund i get more angry at wenger because the fact is they have been able to so much with very little, really begs the question, what is arsenal and wenger doing?????
wenger can talk all he wants as long as he stays we will never challenge for the title again.
there is talk about psg wanting wenger well good luck to them a man who has not won a trophy in almost a decade, haaaaaaaa!!!!
No other club with ambition will put up with wenger and his shit.
And just to mention this if dormund win the champions league and i firmly think they will win it, that will make 2 times in 9 seasons of participating while we boast 16 straight years and not one ucl crown to show, utterly shameful.
I felt the same way when I watched Dortmund . Their technical ability, power, speed, passing they have a balance team. I envy Dortmund , their manager would better than Wenger at least fire in his belly.
I do not see Wenger managing Psg although I am hoping he goes there. PSG has a lot superstars, Wenger hates managing them. He is likes young unproven players.
Wenger’s first 5 years with Arsenal were an anomaly if you look closely at his managing career prior to coming to arsenal in France , he was happy being in the top 5 every year. Challenging for a title every year is not a great drive for Wenger.
He would be perfect for teams like Everton or Fulham were expectation is not to win titles, but to be in the top 10.
Kel & Gunfest you are spot on Dortmund are the real model of a team managed on fewer resources.When it comes to buying young talent in the real sence it must be talent. The culture must be inculcated in the team other than the stupid ideology of how Football should be played by Wenger. He has bought so many promsing young players yet so inferior in quality and not modeled to be the sleek but ambitious game. Players like Ramsey,Arteta,giroud are in no fashion modeled to the attacking style Wenger professes to have. God help us that the rumour of PSG comes out to be true. He has forcefully made us believe top four is good enough and am sure he will not impress any of those big clubs.
Just look at the balance in that Borusia dortmund team and only Carzola can fit in that squad. I say this mindful of the fact that thesame team beat either of the two finalists convincingly.
Wenger came to arsenal in the 1996/97 season and if we make it to the CL this season we will be celebrating 17 straight years in the CL under wenger, an astonishing record.
The shocking thing is we have not one it yet and only played in 1 final, how could that be??????
I made comparisons on this very blog comparing Arsenal to Dortmund and i was taken to task by one [shard} who has vanished since then, BUT he made excuse of all kind and type and saying we were not the same. I compared how a club on very limited budget can still compete and even topple the money rich boys, if and only if the people incharge of the club know what there doing. Dortmund competed against money rich clubs like bayern, schalke, hamburge, these clubs are well run and very rich BUT yet Dortmund was able to win the league back to back with a squad costing less than 40£ mil, quit remarkable, and look now, the CL final where i think that they will win it.
Dortmund have been in the CL 9 time since 1995/96 season, they have won it once and are on the crusp of winning it again, we boast 16 years and have not won it once. That tells me that the management at Arsenal don’t know what they are doing and that’s also the reason we have not won a trophy since god knows how long and if any of you feel that this is going to change next season you need to have your head examine.
Until wenger leaves then we’re not going to compete wenger has set this club up not to finish higher than 3rd we’re setup to fail and not win the CL or the league only to make money.
There is talk about him leaving, why would he??? you get paid a lot of money, nobody challenges you, you buy who you want(mostly RUBBISH or 4th and 5th rate players) its paradise, why would he leave???? No other top club would allow there manager to go almost a decade without a trophy, never.
Wenger may renew his contract when it ends and what that will do is only show everyone that he was the one behind the goings on at Arsenal, people blame the board BUT wenger is the one most at fault, he refuse money to build his master plan a plan which has failed miserably and will continue to fail unless we get rid of Arsene wenger, his time as a top manager is done.
Heymen Kel! The frustrating part of all of this… I have never managed a club , I played the game and continue to do so… But Some of us could see for many years that a lot of players were not up to the standard we need. How come a manager who is paid millions fail to recognize that!
@Gunfest
Totally true man, spot on the money
well well well this CL qualification is really interesting, Chelsea has the capability to win all their remaining games for sure because they have a fantastic blend of youth and experience, BUT sours have done really well against the big teams this season and i think they will beat Chelsea and if they do i think wenger’s dogs are dead.
Its going to go to wire the last game of the season for sure,BUT that new castle game has banana skin written up all over it and to boot were away from home
The moment of truth is on now.Chelsea won the un likely game. Am under no illusion Spurs may equally win at Stamford bridge and that will be the end of the 17 year stupid reign by Wenger of CL football.Both Spurs and Chelsea have superior teams and they need the chance to prove it .We shall have a change once we don’t have CL. football.
Spurs are still in contention because of that Bale , who rockets atleast one past 70 minutes when the game is almost in our favour.Wenger please train him before he plays the next game otherwise he keeps shooting outside the box.
Don’t worry Spurs will draw with Chelsea and also with either Stoke or Sunderland, while we win one among the next two games to pip them on goal difference, a lovely way to smile against Spurs like last year.
@ voley_gun
What are you willing to bet on that??????
please god please god!!!!! let wenger do like sir alex and leave, But don’t go upstairs either, go back to france
Bloody pity about this site. I feel like I’m losing a friend or maybe two.
Well any result except an outright S***s win will do.
Keeping my fingers crossed. And oh yeah there a small matter of winning our two remaining fixtures. I’m cautiously optimistic but if it doesn’t come off our way and we end up in the Europa league it’s what we deserve and no less. Anyway here’s hoping to two points shared between our bitter London rivals one apiece please.
COYG!!!!
What site do you usually blog on to nowdays leftcoastgooner, arseblog have been refreshing their site everyday with quite interesting news and funny thoughts and beliefs! Indian premier league have got me glue on when coming home as da fixtures have dried up.
With Fergie leaving this could be da shining light that arsenal having been looking for only if arsenal spend next season,I stil have high hopes that some team will take wenger away so he can talk the new club board to death with his budget tactics!
@12 TH MAN(black scarfs)
Hola dutch,
I don’t really have a regular blog anymore. I check here every couple of weeks or so to see if something new is up which there has not been since February.
I think I’m going to try and contact Andy about writing next year so as to save this spot if at all possible.
I know my anti-Wenger stance is not very popular with all visitors here but we’ll all be better off if we have a place to argue at.
Anyway Wenger isn’t going anywhere even if Sir Alex is so we just have to hunker down and hope for the best despite.
What have you been up to?
Just awesome leftcoast great to see you keeping your fingers on the board and stretching your arm with the mouse!
leftcoastgooner -just da same, same old! went on a ship cruise early febs only to be spoilt by watching arsenal awful defeat to munich at le grove but i would guess that the allianz arena win was da highlight of arsenal campaign this season.
I wanted to ask you of your assessment of oliver giroud and whether he would be replace by someone else with pace next season or should he play up front with walcott feeding off him .
I believe wigan should fall not because they are in arsenal 50% way of reaching champion league, but due too continue seasonal failer of pulling away from the bottom strugglers, i am probably suggesting martinez too everton, and last reason of wigan only filling the stadium half full mostly every match.
Leftcoast, I felt we allowed fergie to escape ,off getting da best of us over da last five years, can only remember one win with bendtner or chamakh as our striker 2-1 i think,it will be little bit hard to hate manu without fergie there then again my fellow dutch skunk rvp will fill his shoes.
leftcoast i dont know if da members are still checking in this blog, so you can write but too who(the number) will be the issue! let hope new and old will join da blog again!
Lefty
I hadn’t intended to post here anymore, it seems the blog is dead and all that is left is just the odd negative posts. However I admire your fortitude and if you are willing to put some effort in, I would certainly try to help out. If this blog is to survive it needs input from both ends of the spectrum .
I have been to a number of games at the Emirates recently and while it hasn’t always been pretty, I can see a team beginning to build and an very hopefully for next season.
Not sure if you have seen it, but the,y have just signed a huge deal with Puma. For the first time for a long time, Wenger will have a decent transfer budget to play with.
If you do look around the blogs you will come across many of the old crowd. In order to tempt anyone back, we’ll need regular posts and diversity.
Dutch in answer to your question on Giroud. In my opinion he has done pretty well for a first season. We have certainly missed him the last few games. He’s not the quickest, but if he gets a good service he’s very good at holding up the ball and pretty sharp at the front post. Unfortunately, Sagna who is a quality defender, doesn’t possess great crossing ability, so the service from the right side is limited. I think Giroud and Theo might work, but no doubt further support is needed.
Can’t understand what’s happening with Podolski. Undoubtably a talented player, but I don’t believe he has played a complete game yet and he has looked poor recently
Great to see Ramsey doing so well… Player of the month. I knew the boy had it in him. When you consider his leg was nearly amputated.. The boys done good
Another ‘deadwood’ who came good is Fabianski who did really well before he got injured
Not much chance for Squillaci or Chamakh though
@12th man &Retsub,
First Giroud, I think he’s good not great but a hard worker and someone who competes whole heartedly. He’s a real asset and I believe had he not been suspended he would have bagged 20 goals in all competitions needing only 3 more but spilled milk now.
Retsub the team is a great improvement since the near Munich miracle. And at the back 7 goals conceded in our last 12 is the kind of ratio that will allow the team to win even when we don’t have a a preponderance of either possession or chances.
Don’t get me wrong I’m not advocating negative tactics but on those days where we are not the potent free-flowing side we can be (and this does happen) we can still get the points.
I wanna ask you two guys something. Doesn’t it bother you at all that WE of all teams sold Manu(re) they title?
I mean it just rankles the shit outta me. I guess the deal is done at some point I will have to make peace with it and move on but right now I’m still on the boil. Oh well my problem I guess. How many of the guys out there who demanded I burn my Adebayor jersey have put the torch to their Van Persie or Fabregas Kits?
Sure it rankles, I haven’t got over Frank Stapleton yet!
In my opinion not getting RVP on a longer contract earlier in the process caused the problem. When you consider he played 8 seasons for us and only one injury free, you could argue that United took a big gamble on him… Which worked. On the other hand didn’t we get a. Similar sum for Adebayor which in retrospect is great business.
Feel really sorry for Wigan. Having to play the biggest game in their history in the middle of. -a relegation fight. City on the other hand are comfortably placed and can relax
Lefty, I am not over selling RVP to Manure. Selling to our enemy is almost like telling united…it is ok you can have our best player , we are not your equal any more.
It makes sick, thinking about …this was criminal !
I like Giroud ,a good striker but for a club like us we need a great striker who is hungry for goals every second he is on the pitch. Simply he is a good complementary striker not a main top 4 striker.
well well well!!!!! the pressure is squarely on the shoulders on Arsenal now.
wenger must be wetting his pants eh!!!!!!!
If wigan play anything like they did against Mancity and press us then am almost certain we will not get all three points.
Warn your money wenger…..
Especially if we reproduce the effort that we saw against QPR , we will be in deep s..t !
@Kel
I don’t think this Wigan thing will be easy but if you look closely you’ll noticed that we’ve conceded only 2 goals in our last 5 premiership outings.
To my thinking this means we need to score twice for all three points.
Having said that though it would be two more goals than Man$ity managed for all their wealth. BTW: the chinless one sucked out loud and should have come off at half. Oh and not to get too far ahead but we need all 3 @Newcastle too!
I hope we sent Wigan a truck load of champagne after their cup win and they go on a 36 hour bender before the game!
I have not looked at the site for ages – seems like Andrew has karked it or gone to the South Pole or something. Good to see you die hards still around. Lefty if you can do something to resurrect the site I am right behind you!
Squeaky Bum time! I remain optimistic that we can snatch 3rd place! Chelski face Everton in David Moyes’s last game and they can get a draw at least. We just need to get past Wigan and hope Newcastle have switched off now they are safe. I know, we’ll probably f#ck it up on Wednesday but a man can dream can’t he?
And btw did anyone see Almunia’s penalty save and the follow up for Watford? He was a nightmare for us but I really hope he makes it back to the topflight. I have always had a soft spot for Watford and Zola must be the only Chelski player past or present that I genuinely like!
TERRY- I had no idea that was alumnia that pull that save off,last time he had an awesume match was da barc 2-2 draw if u remember, he pull off sum brillant saves
Leftcoastgooner- it does kind can of annoy me rvp left but you must remember manu was still winning when rvp went on da goal drought
BUT ON A FUNNY NOTE WE DIDN’T HAND THEM ANY OTHER TROPHIES with rvp struggling to score against madrid and so on,rvp shot so many blanks that u really felt so sorry 4 once important rooney on da bench
Leftcoast once fergie leaves I have no doubt da manu empire will start to fall maybe with wins that they usually scrap pass to win last minutes.
Can’t find the link now, but if you go on the bbc sport we page, there is a headline watforD 3 Leicester 1 commentators go crazy. Very funny and worth a listen
Hey retsub.
I missed your shout out to me the other day (been busy), and just happened to come across it now. Thought I might find you here. Actually, a few days ago, I visited this site. Don’t know why, but wanted to look around the old place. Saw everyone was still at it despite our Spanish Fry disappearing. How’s everyone doing?
Oh and WENGER OUT!!!
Nahhhh..I’m just messing with you all
Hey Shard
Good to hear from you. Always felt you were the most interesting poster. Lefty is trying to reinvigorate the site, it would be great if you could drop by now and again.
Lefty did you approach Andrew. I wonder if we could have a crack at writing posts. I would be happy to have a go
I was looking through my Arsenal memorabilia the other day and thought I could put a piece together on famous Arsenal quotes.
My all time favourite was the Partick Thistle manager, when hearing his centre forward was concussed and didn’t know who he was ” tell him he is Pele and send him back on”
And two interesting questions from a quiz night the other week. Which British team has the most letters in it (clue
Which English team has the least letters
Should read clue Scottish
COYG
and wenger is @ it again, signing another young player from league 2 in France.
Change my Ass……
As long as Arsenal fans are content with finishing in the top 4 , there won’t be any significant changes . Even the score against Wigan was flattering , after we score the 1st goal, we were pathetic. Next year another battle to finish in the top 4!
@ Gunfest
Here’s my problem, even if we shop in FRANCE why shop at the lowers ebb, league 2 if you please!!!! why not buy the best in the league. wenger’s always looking to buy raw players, a policy which clearly, clearly has failed, noone in their right mind can say otherwise, wenger has failed, not totally BUT in the main. MAU has rebuilt about 5 teams in the last 10 years an won a boat load of silverware, and wenger has not, so he’s failed.
WHO DA HELL IS YAYA SANOGO?
Are u happy Wenger lovers? There no change with wenger same old same old! Only the media and fans knows what arsenal needs as they thought Gonzalo Higuain was the perfect fit! This Yaya is another injury prone player playing for france u21 team, just what we didn’t need!if anyone to blame its Mr Wenger
Dutch
Am very happy. next season is going to be great for the followiing reasons
1 The stadium debt is largely behind us, for the first time for a long time, Weenger will be able to spend sensibly
2 the Puma shirt deal will add to the coffers
3 Players who have been written off as deadwood are now flourishing. Anyone who gave Ramsey such a hard time… take another look. the keeper is looking good as well.
4 other than possibly Sagna, we will not have any high profile departures this time around
5 Alll of the top 3 will have new managers
6 and before all the Doomers pitch in, take a look at this time last year. I seem to remember Newcastle getting lots of praise in comparison to arsenal.. we should learn from them etc…. hmmmm maybe not
7 most of the deadwood.. arshavin. Bendtner. Squillaci, Chamakh will all be released
Dutch, love him or hate him Wenger has spotted and cultivated talent at this levell before, Anelka, Petit and Pires , Ljunberg and Henry took huge upward steps when Arsene signed them. I’m sure Yaya is one for the future
Restub- you are living in a fantasy world but dont you think wenger in living in the late 90′s salary wise? Your 7 reasons as too why arsenal could make an impact next season two of them seems to be highlighting arsene wenger errors number 3 and 7,at what cost has ramsey been from past seasons, lets face it with only wenger 4th spot trophy up for grabs from two months ago ramsey has lifted his game performance but struggled when we where in cup competitions with league in between. Dont let me get start on denilson and co, but if the gooners want wenger to stay then i cant do anything to stop that but look at the five reasons and somehow they will work out,yaya will workout if his in the same calibre as yaya from man city.
Restub it doesnt mean things are changing that there nothing wrong with wenger, steve bould got a more stronger influence on the team now then he did at the start of the season with the defence, while wenger was continuing to attack the referee and the opposition instead of getting to scream at his players average performances on the pitch, restub how many times have we seen arsenal play better in the second half,because that the only time wenger wants to chat during half time.
pires, ljunberg, petit and anelka hmmmmm!! where are they loyalty and wenger trust in them,restub i am not seeing a lampard, giggs or a scholes
Still fighting the good, but alas useless, fight, Retsub?
I, usually, am not able to stay as patient anymore, but then I don’t get as involved either. It’s like some folk will keep focusing on an itch and keep scratching at it and scratching at it until it bleeds and then festers, and then they’ll say,”see, it was a serious wound all along. I knew it!”
Kudos for your patience in dealing with people who are only out to prove a point rather than examine the evidence and weight it up. The conclusion that they draw, I have less of a problem with. The process of arriving at that conclusion is what gets me.
Anyway. This was just to say hi to you and rattle the cages a bit. I’ve got work to do.
Is this blog ever starting up again??
Thanks Shard always good to get a voice of reason. That said if we didn’t have two camps there wouldn’t be a debate
Lefty did you approach Andy?
ANDY are you reading these posts? Is there anything we can do to resurrect the blog?
If we are wasting.. our time it would be good to know
26 points out of the last 30 pretty good stuff. Well done lads am proud of you..
Bit like golf really the more you practise the luckier you get
Gary .neville just said
Wenger has spent a net £9 million over the past 10 years. They have built a new stadium and all but paid off the debt. If they can kick on next year this will be seen as the greatest managerial performance of all time.
Now who did Neville play for?
The questions is will Wenger spend money to add to this team? The reality is players like Arteta, Ramsey have been crucial to finishing in the top4 . They are not good enough to win a title to challenge in the CL.
Giroud also did well this season , but we need an upgrade in the centre forward position if we want to challenge for anything beside the FA cup or Carling cup.
We need a winger with pace, we do not create enough scoring chances against very good teams. Carzola has to play in the middle not on the wings.
Walcott has matured and he has technically improved. He has probably become among the top 5 pure scorer in the league.
Fergie went and bought the best young British prospect when he bought Rooney. He went and bought the best player in the EPL from Arsenal. Fergie did buy mediocre or unproven young talent and hoped they will come through.
Talk is cheap we’ve heard too often, we need to see action. Wishing that we become a title contender or hoping that our rivals implode is not a strategy for success!
fertility clinics these days are very advanced and of course this can only mean higher success rates on birth;
Great result securing a top four finish, it was crucial that we secured it so that we can attract quality and more importantly, ambitious players.
The PL season can be viewed as a positive since weve galvanised and gone on a great run since February.
Less impressive is the results and performances vs the big sides, it just wasnt good enough and needs to be rectified next season.
Also the manner of the cup exits left a bad taste and all three were reminiscent of previous years failings.
Bradford shudnt be beating us.
A clapped out Blackburn in managerial dissarray shouldnt be beatjng us in the most prestigious cup at home.
Munich are a class act, but we bottled it in the first leg just like we did vs AC Milan the previius year and the tie was over at halfway.
Like I said, weve done amazing to get fourth ahead of the scum, but theres still a massive job on to get this group to the level required to win any trophy.
And certainly the injury prone prodigy Sanogo isnt the answer…Im quite sure Joel Campbell, Ryo, Eisfield and Gnabry are all better players and they arent featuring so what will a league two french kid bring to the table.
Get some quality in please Wenger.
@Shambo, will Wenger spend money on recognised quality players nex season.
Retsub, will Wenger spend money on recognised quality players nex season in order to stand. a REALISTIC chance of bringing home silverware. Do u agree wid Wenger that “this grup of players r special”.
shambo welcome back, hopefully we can resurrect some activity on this blog. we havent always agreed but I resoect youe opinions
Ice also welcome back (although you have tried to stir interest before.
In answer to your questions
1 do I think they are special yes I do
2 are they special enough, probably not, but inching closer
My view on the team is as follows
Keeper
I think Szs and Fabianski have matured and unless an exceptional keeper was available i think they will do a good job
full backs
pretty good. hope Bac stays and learns to cross a ball
the centre backs have finall gelled. if TV cant find his form we need another
I still think we need a strong defensive midfielder in the Vieira mould. Arteta has done well but hes aging
With Santi settled after a great 1st season, Ramsey getting his pre injury form back and hopefully Jack staying fit we should be in good shape. Tomas has been great but not getting any younger. I would add one creaative player
Up front I just dont know about Podolski, not sure he has played a full game
I think Giroud is going to get better, but we need a top notch striker
With arshavin, Gervinho? Bendtner, Squiallaci, Chamakh etc off the wage bill and other financial activity, we are in a position where we can afford to invest. Problem is United, Citu, and Chelsea will be doing the same
Hope we dont get Rooney
Well well !!!!! Arsenal confirm 4th place, AGAIN!!!!! I must take my hat off to the manager for achieving this when it look impossible at some points in the season, having said that, this summer will for once and all confirm what wenger had in mind these last 8 or 9 seasons. The stage is set for Arsenal to make a statement or do a (JUST AS YOU ARE) All the top teams will have new managers, BUT to be frank the only one am afraid of is Mourinho, cause if he gets hold of that squad that chelsea has and you add falco to it then winning this league will really be tough, BUT not impossible, we have the money lets do our business early and see where we are.
This season wenger has not a single excuse to fall back on and will only have himself to blame if we end up in this very position fighting for 4th next season.
Finally wenger secured the top 4, but still this team won’t go too far next season without improvements from the players and without good additions .
Hope we don’t have another nail-biting season fighting for fourth and wenger does his homework and follows the same principle of picking his players on form , more than favoritism.
Any blind faith again from him on this squad will make him sit outside the dressing room for another 25 minutes.
With Ageing Arteta and Rosicky we surely need one creative head there.
While Giroud or Podolski has to step up or need a goal scoring and defender mesmerizing striker to fill the void.
Guys reduce the burden of expectation now or else come August you still be grinning again.Nothing new is gona happen soon.Prepare for the same old story. But on the positive Kudos to Wenger.It really takes real Heart to relegate your Captain to the BENCH but he did. Until he did that we never realised Vermaleen was always out of position and we conceeded goals for fan.
Now that the defense is relatively sorted,i would expect him to buttress that area with a real proven DM.On the striking options Benteke is available for the taking. The guy loves and breeds Arsenal .He is technically better and faster than Giroud with an eye for goal. He would fit in our wage bill and is premierleague tested than a Certain Jovetic or Higuain who would need to adapt to the league. The guy has made it public and if we add Isco in the manttle of our midfield then we are good to go. Just about four sensible signings would see us challenge on all fronts instead of engaging in Top Four Dog Fights with Spurs.
Delano, I really like the Benteke option. There is a consensus with many fans of what we need going forward.
The question is Wenger and his highly paid staff will go out and aggressively get what we need?!Is Wenger willing to say goodbye to some of his “special” players?! If Manure and Chelsea make significant signings ahead of us….I will scream!
Retsub,
The blog is dying unfortunately but the fact that we all still come here knowing Andy hasnt had the time to update it provesit is a blog worth saving and we need to keep it this way for when his workload decreases.
Hey Ice, On the squad.
Well really I would only keep Schezney, who needs to talk to the press less, Monreal, Kos, BFG, Gibbs, Jenks, Verm, Walcott, Arteta for his exp but will be his last season, Ox, Jack and Ramsey who should be a squad player really if you are contesting a league.
Rosicky is winding down so i would say hell go to germany.
The rest I would happily see go.
Podolski, great finisher but the Newcastle game showed me he lacks the fitness and energy for the PL, which surprised me as when he arrived he bombed up and down the left, maybe he lacks motivation and hasnt applied himself as much since but he certainly isnt fit.
Gervinho, headless chicken.
Giroud will stay but I honestly I dont know what to make of the man. Great for defending set pieces though.
Bentdner, overdue exit.
Denilson, see above.
Aeshavin, see above.
Squillachi, see above.
Djourou, see above.
Sagna should be sold.. his first two seasons were excellent and his reputation has been living off the ghost of those early years for a long time. Be honest I know he was liked and wholehearted to the team, but he was error prone long before this season defensively and going forward is the worst crossing rb in world football and never overlaps to the byline, ever…even Eboue could do that, instead he always slowed down and then dwelt in possesion and we either lose the ball or pass back again and again…..compare that with Jenkinsons runs down the right!!
Diaby is like a girlfriend youv broken up with that wont leave, yeah shes pretty but the relationship has no future, move on.
Am I forgetting anyone?
Eisfield, Gnabry and our ex Barce RB will all be promoted into the first team squad, Im unsure about Joel Campbells permit situation and je and Ryo shouldnt be far away.
Incomings?
A new keeper who I imagine will be Patricio.
A Cb who could be Williams as whoever it will be will only be cover anyway for cups so we wont be spending a fortune there.
DCM- Cabella or Wanyama. Either would be fine.
A goalscorer. God knows who but I doubt it will be Jovetic or Higuain, or anyone of their ability.
You see the problem now isnt the lack of funds. Its the clubs ability to draw big names and also win a battle for a signature vs the Juves, Utds, Chelseas, etc etc who will no doubt contest signings like the Mata deal.
No big name is going to choose a far away fourth PL team ahead of a championship winning side or side with several superstars and big ambition.
Wenger is now reaping what he has sewn and I honestly dont know what top class talent there is available that would choose us over a rival club….Benteke is not an option simply because hes only had one season and that doesnt mean hes worth 20m+.
@ shambo
Listen mate as usaully nice post BUT you said what you would like to happen
The question is, What do you think will really happen this summer, will Arsenal (wenger) really make a statement or will he do as he did before??? I can not for one instance see wenger doing anything too different from before, the man totally wants to win his way even if it has failed for so long.
Am sure now that he is convince that this team is good enough to win the league next season on the back of the last 10 games of the season, so why would he want to add players to block the ones he has??? thats the way he thinks.
We all thought that this summer would be it, Yet low and behold he signs a young kid from france who is injury prone apparently to booth, the total total opposite of what we thought he would do, most of these cheap signing has not worked out YET he continues to do them. I just don’t know what to make of it anymore, i’v totally lost faith in wenger to make this team a top class side, and his actions justify my thinking. You mentioned Campbel, I remember we spent almost the whole summer trying to sign him when we knew it would be hard for him to get a work permit and we needed other players BUT look at where our priorities were, i’v seen him play in spain, and the kid has got some touches nothing too special though BUT to be honest i don’t think he’ll make it in England BUT that’s just me. As delano am not going to hold my breath for any significant change
Shambo
Have been on other blogs (have seen you around as well ). But most of them are pretty cliquey and this in general is a pretty friendly blog. Some of the others are also either very positive or the reverse. If you go against the grain the whole blog attacks,…small blog that this is, it does have diversity.
Nice post I pretty much agree with you. I really like Sagna, but so many attacks break down because he can’t cross a ball.. I think Giroud will do well this year. Podolski I have no idea
I would keep Rosicky as an impact player
If I am honest I don’t know enough about the European strikers to make a judgement, but the big three above us will also be flexing financial muscle. I don’t see Spurs as a threat next season because they are ground building and will struggle to keep Bale.
I see us as a comfortable 4th and better dependent on transfer activity.
I am sure some of us could write articles for the blog. It may not be up to Andys standard but at least it would introduce new subjects?..
Shard I am sure you could put together something interesting and Shambo as well
Andy….. Would that work?
,
Kel,
I enjoy your posts, probably one of the most passionate fans around, and your posts are informed and fact based which is as it should be, but weve done the whole Wenger&Board leading us a merry dance thing bro. We called it years ago.
We were on the brink of missing out on CL this year which would have put the club back years.
But I really believe Wenger has learned his lesson this time. His contract is running down, if he doesnt want to actively pursue some silverware and go out on a high, well lets just say it would really damage the reputation he has built.
I know where your coming from about the lies and hearing it all before but he has amassed so much deadwood now that he has no choice but to recruit, the fact is i really dont know what top player would come to Arsenal now.
Kel heres a good one for ya….Chamakhs wages were 95,000 a week. Remember I asked here if he hadnt been a freebie would Wenger be trying to sign him as Adebayours replacement and everyone said he was steal…he cost us 1m per goal!!
Retsub,
Yeah I browsed around other blogs dude but theres no comparison, good writers but Andys a different class and your bang on about the different opinions and personalities here, like weve said its a blog worth keeping around.
Id be happy for you, Shard or Leftcoast to write…and Kel and Delano for balance!..bit Im toofond of my own opinion to write an unbiased piece!
@ shambo
How come we don’t go down to south America and look for players, there must be someone who is big and strong, pacy, and skillful that we can sign for around 20m, Instead of buying in france, or saying that the pool of strikers is small, because if we can buy this player from France who is young and inexperience, why can we buy from south America, there must be someone there..
Kel, I just dont know.
France, or Ferench based players, have always been the one stop shop.
Grimandi. Remi Garde. Vieira. Petit.
Wiltord, Diawara, SYLVESTRE, SQUILLACHI,
Gallas, Cygan, Diarra, Diaby, Clichy, Traore, Anelka, Alieadiere, Nasri, Coquelin, Giroud, Pires, Henry, Koscielny, Sagna,…..im sure theres more.
Its quite an imbalance even though 2 or 3 became legends.
In recent years we bought Galindo, Bolivean, and Wellington Silva, Brazilian. Ricky Alverez snubbed us.
Either we dont cast our nets wide enough or Wenger doesnt value what the scout comes back with.
You wont be happy to hear papertalk of CB Ramis from Valencia either.
Gilberto was a super signing from Mineiro but Denilson flopped so who knows with tje uber cautious Wenger.
They do say the French do think that everything French is better!
I think he’s gone Spanish
Moreso German retsub!
Argentina produces strong, skillfull players: Aguerro, Tevez, Zaballeta. Benfica is able to uncover every year some Brazilian gems.