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By DC
Arsenal – Everybody has an opinion!
After we drew at Tottenham, the following evening I happened to find myself at a dinner that had drawn a wide variety of people. Somebody, whom I later discovered was a Spurs fan, asked whether anybody had seen the match the evening before. A couple of people said no, but they had seen the score and read match reports, others said no and what was the result, others said they didn’t have any interest in football etc. There were a widespread number of comments covering most positions.
I have learned to stay quiet at times like this and see whether I need to defend a fellow Gooner besieged by opponents or whether I can launch a final attack on some outrageous comments made by, generally, a Spurs fan(s). Surprisingly, I managed to stay quiet during the whole of the following discussion.
The thing that really astonished me – I have got used to unbelievable statements by Spurs fans – was that everybody, and I include the non-football liking people in this statement, had an opinion about us. To listen to somebody whom five minutes earlier was admitting he was a self-confessed, card-carrying football hater, suddenly start to tell the assembled crowd what was wrong with Arsenal Football Club was a thing to behold. This spawned a plethora of comments about Arsène Wenger, foreign players, mental strength, pretty football and just about everything else as to why our club was at the root cause of all that was bad in the game today. But at some point during the discussion, the Spurs fan excluded, practically everybody admitted that we played great football and if they noticed AFC on the TV, they would watch the game.
People love the way we play football.
This started me thinking why we have become the club everybody loves to criticise.
Historically Arsenal has always been a kind of neutrals club. They have always been associated with the more middle class of our society and it is not unusual to find yourself speaking to an older person whose only knowledge of football is Arsenal. This gets passed down the generations. Grandfather says Arsenal, grandson remembers, even if he plays rugby.
However, if you read the very excellent “Englischer Fussball: A German View of Our Beautiful Game”, you will be aware of how the English are brought up to view football. Arsenal causes a dilemma. On the one hand there is a lot of the ‘he isn’t that sort of player’, while on the other there is the ‘that is a classic Arsenal goal’. Fed by a manic media and a hysterical contingent of Arsenal fans that believe we have some divine right to win trophies, the person in the street becomes as fanatical as the most diehard supporter.
In short, we will never live up to expectations. People love the way we play and expect us to win trophies. But we are up against a mental attitude, something that sits deep within our psyche, of how the English game should be played – and we don’t play like that. And this contradiction prompts all sorts of mixed messages within the fans, football lovers, football haters, the media and everybody else who isn’t included in the list!
There is more expectation of Arsenal Football Club than any other team in the country, perhaps even the world. If it is extreme with the person on the street, it becomes intense by the time it reaches the Arsenal supporter. Is it any wonder we squabble and bicker more than any other?
To finish, I would just like to say that the Spurs fan did himself proud with such statements as, “we deserved to win”, “Champions League place is in the bag” and “Harry is the most positive manager in club football”.
We may have expectations, but at least we aren’t deluded!
History of Arsenal including the series on the failures of Herbert Chapman
Making the Arsenal – the book of Arsenal death and rebirth
lol great piece
Expectations of Arsenal is always to be on top, bcoz we are the only team in English History to be playing on the top for a number of generations. We’ve have consistently won trophies in every decade.
The criticism we see now a days seems more just bcoz we have the internet which is an easy way of expressing your opinions to anyone in this world. Just look at the number of Arsenal blogs there are!! Every blog has its opinion, and they do influence like the media does. Today even an Arsenal fan in far away countries is exposed to the criticism Wenger faces in English media bcoz every criticism is openly discussed in the internet.
Just think what would happen if there was no internet. Then the criticism would have very limited.
I think the above article goes a little way to explain why Wenger has been so frustrated lately. Appy Arry is praised as being some sort of messiah while Wenger is constantly slagged off but Wenger’s has achieved far more and is leaving a legacy. The only legacy ever left by Redknapp is the knock on the door by the administrators. Already Redknapp is making noises in the press about spending even if they don’t make 4th, making sure that the fans and media are all onside to support his irresponsible spending habits. Wenger on the other hand, despite having years of consistent CL qualification and far greater income from other sources is maintaining the leave within our means mantra. And Wenger’s supposed to be the bad guy?
Brilliant read as per usual…
If the TV, the radio talk shows, the newspapers, spent as much time examining why England have lost at every World Cup since 1966, why England have never won the European Nations Cup at all, then there might be some honesty on the table.
King Diver Dalglish led the charge against Eduardo the ‘diver’ and the dirty foreigners diving and poisoning the English game because he knows the rules – the foreigner is to blame.
You can’t have honesty on the table so talk about the foreigner instead. Keep the myths going.
If you say something often enough people begin to believe it, As I have said time and time again People treat opinions as FACTS, It is said because I cant Watch MOTD any more mainly because I know exactly what is going to be spouted out of their mouth.
I am proud of most Untold readers yesterday there wasn’t some massive over reaction, We have been kicked while we are down but I think the Messiah will have the last laugh.
Arsenal producing a team on a tiny budget, playing the most attractive football the premiership has ever seen and being so close to success (DOESNT SELL NEWSPAPERS, it doesn’t attract Tv audiences, it doesnt make News) BUT arsenal in crisis, Wenger Cracking up, Not winning a trophy in 6 years Now that gets headlines, that will sell out a paper quicker then you can say “winning mentality”. Dont trust the media guys their agenda is making money by getting audiences, ALSO dont trust negative Arsenal Blogs they have taken this stance because they weant website traffic and they realise they get more traffic if they write something BAD about arsenal. Before you believe peoples Opinions always question their motives ask them what they get out of it, How much traffic does Le Grove get out of writing Negative things.
YOU KNOW WHAT i was really annoyed yesterday, not because we lost the game but just the reaction we got from our OWN fans, I am seriously thinking of canceling my sports package I would rather listen in French or even Mandarin then hear people like Ray wilkins, Kevin Phillips, Fat Sam talk about Arsenal, there is dark forces at work
Dark forces indeed – seems now the chattering classes have joined in!
Don’t forget St Georges day was just a couple days ago – at this time of year, we have to remember we are far superior to these Frenchies, Spaniards, Dutch, and everyone else don’t you know! Especially in football as our recent record proves beyond doubt.
Great article BTW
One reason the neutrals I know are so opinionated is that it is so obvious how close we are to having a come first team – and to be honest I can’t disagree. However I have always been guided by a universal uber truth – opinions are like assholes, everyone has got one!
BTW at the end of this long exhausting roller coaster if a season, I know only read your blog boys. I just wish more people in “power” read and acted on Walters incredible efforts on behalf of fairness and compentence and lack thereof in our referees.
@Gooner80 – great idea, if you can put a dish up and get reception, much cheaper and none of the bias Sky indulge in.
thats the trouble, thousands have opinions, very few have the responsibility.
“Arsene is losing the plot”
“Spurs are a breath of fresh air”
Dont they come out with some unsubstantiated silly cliches that mean so little.
Unfortunately with Wenger bashing, a lot comes down to good old fashioned Xenophobia. A Frenchman trying to improve the English game and bring it into this century – can never be allowed to happen.
They need to remember England have gone a lot longer than Wenger without a trophy
Living in the US, I access quite a few European newspapers/blogs to get my daily dose. You can always get the gist of the article by the time you read 2 sentences when the topic of Arsenal comes up! And they are repeated ad nauseum.
The 2 comments that get me: Arsenal have not “won anything” in 6 years; Arsenal needs an English spine. But they have oblivious to the fact that most clubs have not anything in 10-60 years! If the so-called English spine is so important, why has England not won the WC in 44 years, or the European Cup in…? Afterall, they have all the English spine (and limbs and heads) with some to spare.
The most annoying aspect is that a lot of Arsenal fans are now repeating the pablum.
They also neglect the fact we have Jack Wilshere who will be part of the English spine for years to come. Maybe Frimpong too one day?
A great article.I no longer listen to talk shit,(pervert Collymore lecturing me)or other radio stations,i do not read newspapers,and only watch Arsenalsmatches with the sound turned down.I did watch the Sunday Supplement on sunday(Sky Sports).They did talk about us,and in fairness the reporters on it said AW was the fairest Manager when he gave press interviews.So WHY is it that we get the bad press.Some of the questions AW is asked is a disgrace.They would not dare ask Ferguson the same.
I do think AW was going to change things next season,even before this poor run of form.Once a player lets him down,he can be ruthless!.
The best site by far.
Great article DC. And great comments.
The way the media work are sometimes really crazy. An example totaly not related to football. In Belgium around this time of the year we have an average temperature of around 10-12°C. The last 10 days we had temperatures of something between 24-27 and it looked like summer.
Now from thursday on it will get a bit colder. The media predict temperatures of around 17°C. So still a lot warmer than usual.
But the media talk about it as if we will be hit by a massive disaster. And people feel as if it will be a disaster.
And I think : Great, we still have 5° more than usual so this is great.
I think this is just the way the media bring news these days. Create a disaster feeling because it will sell.
Who remembers how much press coverage the Gallas challenge got when the MEDIA was trying to prove arsenal make bad tackles too, who remembers that Eduardo was the first player to have ever dived.
I nearly put the tv on mute when Nasri was through one on one with the keeper and he smashed his shot as hard as he can then Kevin Phillips utters ” he should have placed that” and I know for a fact if he placed it they would have been saying a good english centre forward would have smashed that,
Every challenge arsenal makes yes that’s a penalty our player get clattered in the box ah “he went down a bit too easy” Bloody Foreigners. Now they want our english players to be the saviours of england win International football comes around but all year round they are rubbish
dont get me started on gareth Bale, Im not saying Nasri should have got player of the year but when they were both in form it was some time ago, at least Nasri took us to a cup final and did anyone see how well nasri played in that final, I would even think Bale hasnt even been spurs best player. Theo gets slated by the Media.
spurs got battered by Madrid and they come out with more plaudits then arsenal when we was winning until RVP got sent off, we scored as many goals as them, all spurs did was beat two crap italian sides and it was inevitable that as soon as they come up against the elite they was going to be found out, but they are a “breath of fresh air” Well I would rather bloody choke.
And when we are talking about deficiencies how crap have chelsea been they spend £75 million when they were saving the pennies and get knocked out of all competitions but this doesnt get hardly as much press,Man city spend which is apparently the answer to all arsenals problems, £18 million gareth barry, £29 million milner £18 million lescott great buys, Man city have spent over a 1/4 billion pound and come to ems and play like Blackburn
Man u get thrashed by west ham Carling cup get knocked out by Man city who totally deserved it ( it was just Rio distracting everyone) they were talking about a famous treble, I hope they get knocked out of the champions league and if Chelsea do pip them to the title that is embarrassing and will clearly showing how much of a bottler they are.
Ive stopped buying what they are selling
Great article, well thought out and put together.
Sadly I don’t have anything more to add than that 😛 Great work DC
Gooner80
Bale has scored 11 goals and has 3 assists in the entire season
Walcott has 12 goals and 9 assists.
Exactly Shard, he has had some good games and runs at a few players?? Everyone at arsenal does this.
RVP has broken a record this season and the minutes he has been on the pitch has been outstanding, Even Hernandez has been good. playing well for a few games doesn’t make you player of the year. A few people express an opinion and then all of a sudden it is fact
I am seriously Mediacidal, Im unplugging
Great article DC. We must be the most talked about team in England. Maybe, just maybe, unwittingly and unknowingly, they are only adding to our fanbase with their constant barbs? Once we just cross that line and start winning I’m sure a few people will develop a mild interest, if not complete involvement with our matches.
Great article, but one major problem is how people really don’t use their brains anymore. I just read an article where the title states that wenger says the fans are also to blame, and in that article there is no speak of blaming anyone. There were about 30 hate comments about wenger and I was left speechless. People just don’t think and use the mind god gave them. It’s bloody ridiculous that people fall for something like this. I should just start posting inaccurately positive articles about arsenal and maybe people will fall for it like the sheep they are
Barcelona who spent 6 years not winning anything, and who produced homegrown players and try to pass the ball into the net are hailed as the greatest ever,obviously there is differences but surely we are the same blue print that has not been fully executed yet.
we have been trophy less Yes but we have been there or there abouts, cant people see that it is a long term plan. I am racking my brain to think of one player in premiership history who was bought for over £30 million and was worth every penny, Money doesnt buy you titles chelsea won the title because they bought in a good man manager. The Blue print is there, there were spells in this season where I thought arsenal are going to dominate England.
A few years ago spurs won the carling cup, but what matters more the carling cup or fourth place to spuds??? Shiny bit of silver are for mag pies, the two trophies that matter is champions league and Premiership
Growing a team takes skill and patience, most specifically patience on the part of the fans. One of the currencies one sees when you grow a team, is loyalty. Sol Campbell didn’t have to come back last year to help with the injuries in the back 4, and Jen Lehmann didn’t have to come back to help when we had a crisis at goaltender. And having Thiery Henry show up for a while to practice with the guys helps as well. I think most owners of teams undervalue loyalty. I seen this “locally”, when Peter Pocklington sold Wayne Gretsky (I used to live in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada). Edmonton was (and is) a “small market” team. It cannot afford to pay what bigger cities pay. And I think loyalty helps there. Arsenal is not a small market team, but I am sure that loyalty has paid dividends, and will continue to pay dividends.
If only all those idiot bloggers would go “support” some other team!
OMG the positivity of most of these posts is so depressing. You are all a bunch of losers, like this Arsenal team, if you think that having your heart in your mouth every time the opposition has a corner or a free kick is “really attractive exciting football”
WE CAN’T DEFEND!!! FACE IT.
Pretty triangles in midfiled is not great football, it’s not even what Barca do, they have amazing penetration and a solid defence. Comparison with them is ridiculous.
We will finish fourth and be lucky to do so. I used to pay to watch games but not anymore. I wouldn’t give this bunch of pansy prima donnas the steam off my piss.
Urm Tone Barca are a finished product we have the same blue print the plan is not finished, but your short termism cant see that can it??
I have a suggestion Pull that string in your back and utter another contrived Cliche about arsenal
Hahah Gooner80 that is brilliant, pull the string in your back… haha brilliant.
We have the same blue print as Barca! Really? You are joking aren’t you?
Tell me by the way do go to the Emirates? Do you pay to watch games? Or do you watch from some comfy armchair in front of the telly?
This and Young Guns are the only two Arsenal blogs i am going to read from now on!
A briliant blog, keep up the good work guys!
Could you please write an article about how in actual fact the Arsenal players are trying. It seems to be a common belief that none of our players try and that’s why we don’t win games.
No one seems to understand that to concede a goal in the 102nd minute after only 8 were added, and then go to Tottenham 3 days later and play them off the park for 60 mins is an achievement. No one thinks that having Bolton have 11 men behind the ball for 45 minutes is an achievement.
Annalysis on this would be greatly appreciated!
Barca have loads of talent grown players, but they buy QUALITY in those areas they dont have their own that are ready or dood enough….thinking that Almuni will one day be great or buying a silvestre after he is spent at man u aint NO BLUEPRINT for either progress or success
ok so there may be loads of over used cliches and negative comments about arsenal and it annoys me when people who don’t really know anything just repeat the same old crap over and over again but I don’t think you can deny that our team has a serious lack of organisation defensively, they lack motivation and we try to play the same way regardless of who the opposition is.
And of course everyone seems to love to see arsenal fail, because we have mostly foriegn players who don’t go round shagging prostitutes, assaulting people in nightclubs or other dispicable behaviour that several england captians indulge in. I suppose all that must be a good thing because everyone loves a ‘lad’. Lets hope JW doesn’t learn from his international colleagues.
Arsenal is microns close, to having a team which will take England and Europe. Working well in Europe is easier, in that there is a lack of idiots who tackle in such a way that it is likely that they seriously injure the person they are tackling. I am not saying this idiocy doesn’t happen in Europe (or anywhere else), but the English leagues somehow seem proud to have someone on their roster who does reduce talented players to rubble (maybe they play again, maybe they don’t).
Does Arsenal need a player who is not part of play, but solely looks to break the leg of idiots like Shawcross, who haven’t a clue as to how to tackle?
Is that what all the “bloggers” want? Personally, I would rather see the officiating pick things up, and not make it necessary for teams to have a player skilled at “retribution”.
The game is about skill. Not being how easily I can make the skilled player on the opposition into a paraplegic?
There,s no doubt of the press/media Anti Arsenal stance, Is there an agenda ? YES What Is this agenda ? I have some suggestions feel free to add yours.(1) The press/media love Wenger so mush they want him ‘sacked so he can take over the England Job. (2) They love the way Arsenal players ,always put their limbs at Risk with all that ball dribbling & Passing. (3) Arsenal players are great fun they always get knocked down in the penalty area & don’t complain.(4)The Arsenal Manager must be grazy Just look at the fun he has on the side line jumping up & down. (5) The Arsenal players love pushing over the opposition players In their own Penalty Area,especially In the last minutes of the match this always means they share the points around. (6) The referee’s Really Love The Arsenal team as they always hand them out Red & yellow greeting cards. Top Tip don,t Boycott all Anti Arsenal TV,Radio, Blogs let them earn money of you !
Arsenal are the greatest side in the country, and Wenger is faultless. It’s just the league table that’s got an anti-arsenal bias.
” Opinions are like assholes, everybody`s got one” quote Dirty Harry.
Hi
This is from a foreigner fan based out of England. I follow Arsenal only because of Arsene. If ever he leaves Arsenal not only will a few players leave Arsenal many johnny foriegners like us will also leave it.
How can someone not see that its Arsene who has made Arsenal a global brand and he symbolises everything that Arsenal is all about. If you guys think Arsenal will be a global brand without him you are seriously deluded.
The only major problem worrying me is that Wenger looks lost and hopeless as never before.If he is a top manager, he’ll come out of it stronger.
But if he’s not, then you wonder what would happen.
I’ve always loved the calm & composed Arsene but the changed Arsene is the one which I’m starting to hate.
That certainly affects the players who seem to be trying too hard at the moment.
Check my Arsenal blog:
http://delhigunner.wordpress.com/2011/04/25/a-spot-to-fill-which-players-should-arsene-wenger-buy/
@Abhishek,
But they don’t want foreigners like us to cheer for Arsenal. They want this team to be “English”. Play like “Blackburn” or “Stoke”. The only brand of football they can relate to.
Take a distance from all these people. Just listen to them and you know why “England” hasn’t won anything in nearly half a century. When will these people get a clue? The “England” team is such a joke. But then what would you expect with players like “Shawcross” and “Kevin Davies” honoring a national team? Someone like Scott Parker is a dime a dozen in other parts of the world. But in England, you become the best player on the land. Bodes well for the pathetic state of English “talents” doesn’t it?
I truely wish, now a days more than ever, that Arsenal were playing in some other league.
In Arsene We Trust.
Go GUNNERS.
Shouldn’t it be that many have an opinion but is it just an opinion based on what they are told to believe by the media with their agenda?
But it still is not an excuse as we all have our own brain and we should be using it to see for ourselves if there is something more than the eyecathing oneliner.
@Walter
Yes we have a brain, but do you think big companies spend billions on advertising for nothing??? If you keep Drumming something into someone they do begin to believe it you are conditioning them. That why they keep repeating the same statements they want the fans to turn on the manager.
it reminds me of an analogy
in parts of the world they take a baby elephant and they chain it up with the thickest chain possible, every time it tries to escape they beat it, eventually they condition the animal enough that they can tie a thin piece of string on the elephant and it wont escape, conditioning works , the enemies of Arsene have been waiting for their time, they are still annoyed that we went unbeaten when they mocked him.
You have to guard your thoughts.
@Tone
I dont go to away games and only go to a few games at the ems, and yes I watch a fair amount on Tv, I would rip someones arm off for a season ticket, but this is irrelevant, if someone spends more money on arsenal than me doesn’t mean they care more than me, you have a choice if you don’t like spending your hard earned money, the point I was making was about the media, Dont be shepeople see things for how they are
@Chowdhury Funny thing is, you don’t even have to be English to want this team to be “English” or play like Blackburn or Stoke. In Sweden (where I live) the papers are full of such statements from fans all the time. Not just fans of other teams but from Arsenal fans as well. SWEDISH people who want the team to be “less froggy” and more hard working English. Can you believe that?
One thing the more blind fans forget is the issues the media discusses. I admit that they do tend to go overboard. But what they say does have some sense of truth in it. You cant say that the media doesn’t know anything. The opinions of other fans though are enraged further by the media. It may not be ethical but its not completly false. The topics discussed by the media like lack of mentality or lack of physicality are not false.
@DP
the best lies have an element of truth that is why they are believable
The “English ” way of playing is in its dying days, Platini will see to that and a host of other what he considers vices affecting English football.
I do not especially like the bloke, but he does despise some aspects of English football and the EPL for some very good reasons. Look at the kind of player he was, the power he will soon have, I am sure our refs will be very soon be under the spotlight to cut out vicious tackles as they are on the continent…or else…
However, I am not saying he is fair, even handed and not perpared to turn a blind eye to the excesses of certain continental clubs.
The Stokes of this world will soon have to change their ways, it is only their blatant sucking up to the refs master that keeps them going as they are. As was posted yesterday, this unholy alliance is fighting for all they are worth in a battle they dare not lose, unfortunately at the moment , we are on the receiving end of much of it.
On another note, read an interview with BFS – he was blaming his current lack of work on a manager who put out what he called “false” perceptions on him as a hoof merchant and encouraging dirty football….wonder who he can mean? Maybe Wenger has more clout than he is given credit for. Big Sam failed to mention that he was sacked from his latest job, not due to Wenger complaining, but by horrified new owners, for turning up to roll over at OT, losing 7-1. They may only be chicken franchise people, but they read Sam right at OT.
Gooner80- isn’t it ironic that many fans and media have been saying that our team lacks maturity and some of the overly optimistic fans deny whatever they say but eventually Wenger himself comes out to admit it eventually??
‘Gooner80
April 25th, 2011 at 10:27 pm
Barcelona who spent 6 years not winning anything, and who produced homegrown players and try to pass the ball into the net are hailed as the greatest ever,obviously there is differences but surely we are the same blue print that has not been fully executed yet.’
Excuse me, you need to get your facts straight.
1. Did Barcelona ‘produce’ Samuel Eto’o? Like heck they did, they bought him for LOTS OF MONEY.
2. Was Henrik Larsson some 18 year old when he helped them win in Paris? Like heck he was. He was a mature player with years of experience.
3. Was David Villa nurtured at Barcelona? Like heck he was, he was bought from Sevilla last summer for one hell of a lot of money.
4. Was Yaya Toure nurtured at Barcelona? Like heck he was. He played a few places first and you know it.
5. What about Victor Valdes?
6. What about Dani Alves?
You need to look in the mirror and realise what shit you’re talking out of your arse.
All those players were experienced internationals when they joined the club.
No-one’s saying Barca didn’t groom Messi, Iniesta, Xavi, Puyol. No-one’s saying that La Masia didn’t provide Arsenal with Fabregas and Utd with whatshisface, who went back home when he was experienced enough to get into the first team.
But if you think Barca didn’t go buy quite a few experienced internationals in the past seven or eight years you’re being as twisting, as distorting and as INACCURATE as you claim the media are.
Now grow up the lot of you and deal in facts and truth.
And no, I’m not saying fire Wenger.
I’m saying get your facts straight………
DP
I generally value your comments because you always have valid points, I think everyone here knows that Arsenal and Arsene arent perfect and I believe the biggest mistake Arsene made was dismantling the greatest team the Prem has ever seen.
I have taken the following stance: I know my girlfriend aint perfect but I love her, and when I hear people slagging her off and constantly pointing out all her faults, I find myself defending her inspire of her imperfections, because the statements coming out of most critics and media are contrived cliches, I know what they are going to say and even when they have a point like in the example of my girlfriend does that mean I am going to stop loving her. I believe Arsene and arsenal players need our support, I believe the fans are to blame for our home form this season. I believe arsene isnt ignorant he may have his ways but he does adapt. If you look at the bigger picture there is tweaking no doubt that needs to be done but it is not as bad as what people are making out.
I suspect a lot of premiership managers are annoyed they cant flog their players to arsene at extortionate prices, the same with agents, you would think we havent been close in these 6 years, we have been very close. So I find myself defending Wenger because I cant see a better man for the Job
Rhys, most of the players you mentioned are the passenger types. They come and go.
But the heart of the team is being groomed in Barcelona in their youth system.
Rhys
you would have a fight in a empty house. Do you want me to respond because I am not a person for getting into online arguments because they are stupid, so are you telling me Arsene hasn’t bought any experienced internationals????? Im not saying they are good internationals but it is you twisting facts to suit your opinion.
if you read my comments I said it is a similar blue print there is differences, Walter is right I dont know what planet you are on sometimes you just seem to read things the way you choose to. Arsenal are never going to have exactly the same plan because we dont want to be in massive debt you really are making yourself like silly my friend, I have work to do but if you want I can respond in great detail later
Gooner80- in case of the example of the girlfriend, yes its true that you dont stop loving your girlfriend bcoz she has faults. But its doesn’t mean that the faults are ‘imaginary’. The faults are true. The cliches that the media uses, though exaggerated, but still has a basic element of truth.
Also nobody says that we have stop loving Arsenal or Wenger or any other Arsenal fan. But we should not be blind or ignore the problems which is existing. Yes i admit that the media tries to humiliate us by exaggerating them, but just bcoz they speak about it doesn’t mean that its not for real.
@anatra
It doesn’t suprise me really. Swedish football evolved from the same English football mentality. I mean the English took the game everywhere obviously, but Sweden till very recently hadn’t really put it’s own indelible stamp on the game. The likes of Larrsson and Ljungberg may have changed that a little, but in my view (albeit very limited view) the football culture in the country is similar to England.
Personally, I am at a loss to how these same players can win some tough games home and away earlier in the season but crumble when it really counts. I recently talked about how our 4-5-1 formation and lack of adapting per game and during games affects – something relatively surprising in itself, especially from such an experienced manager… But more recently, I have begun to think it’s something much deeper.
The formation and personnel was good enough to get us into the position to win the league in the first place, so there must be more to it than that – and in addition it does put the manager’s lack of changing it into perspective.
Against Bolton our line up was our strongest team – Szcznesy, Sagna, Djourou, Koscielny, Clichy, Jack, Song, Cesc, Theo, Van Persie and Nasri. On paper, an unstoppable force capable of beating anyone. Personally I think Arsene is a little bewildered that despite our injuries getting better and us finally being able to field our first team, the results have been so bad. In fact, the more players we get back from injury, the worse our form gets!
Questions do come to mind…
Has the manager not been able to motivate the players?
To have such a talented group of players who have shown how good they are previously – but yet not be up for it when it counts – does that cite a lack of motivation? If playing good football and finishing in the top four good enough for the club, and the manager constantly repeats such a statement in the press – then does this filter to the players? Do they get demotivated by lack of the club’s ambition? When our players play badly but our manager backs them and continues to play them – we become a club and a team that accepts mediocrity.
Have the players let down the manager?
It’s clear to see that these players have the ability to play better – we all know that these players have other lives – the reason Niklas Bendtner was omitted from a crucial game in the run in was due to injury – but he’s out partying and clubbing. Cesc is too busy worrying about his twitter follower count and putting his want to play Barcelona ahead of himself keeping fit.
When called upon to deputise our second string has been woeful – not being able to beat the likes of Leyton Orient or Huddersfield is simply not good enough.
We have a massive wage bill, players on long term contracts and well looked after. In my opinion, they have let the manager down big time. They’ve cruised the recent games and in some games, they not tried hard enough. We have a big squad of under performers. It’s down to youth – but despite youth, you’d expect more from the players.
Is the squad simply not good enough?
Surely the biggest question. The fans have believed that the likes of the team that played against Bolton to be good enough to win titles. Last season’s excuse was injuries during the run in – but this season’s excuse is…
I have learnt that our first XI is simply not good enough – partially down to some of the formations and tactics but mentally and technically they are not the team that we think they are. Our first team is a big factor of experience away from being there – and our reserve players, the likes of Eboue, Denilson, Diaby, Bendtner and Chamakh aren’t good enough for the Arsenal. Before you say that I’m being harsh – the question to ask is whether any of the aforementioned list of players would get into United, Chelsea’s or even City’s first XI – the answer is hell no!
So where does that leave us next season? First, is Cesc staying? If not, replace him. Build a team with the rest of the first XI. Go back to 442. Get in a good number 2 – get in a world class striker and centre back. Get rid of the overpaid fringe players and make them hungry for success.
We are close to something, but we’ve got to figure out what that something is before we can make it happen!
good post Steven
As I sit here at my laptop nearly 24 hours after the latest Arsenal debacle, I’ve been trying to think about the state of play at Arsenal FC and have come up with two major reasons for this season ending trophyless again. For me, two factors are having a huge affect on the side and I thought that I’d offer them up for debate;
LACK OF LEADERSHIP ON THE FIELD; Quite simply, there is no real leader on the field. You look at our rivals Man Utd and Chelsea and there are leaders all over the field. As good as Fabregas is as a player (and I think he’s probably one of the best I’ve ever seen in an Arsenal shirt) he is no natural leader. Very often, a captain who leads by example is backed up by other leaders on the field. You look around the side that played against Bolton and there simply is nobody. The only player vaguely close to the term leader in this squad is Vermaelen and he’s obviously been crocked for most of the season. Question – how can the manager allow such a situation to develop? If you sell off all of your experienced players (eg; Toure and Gallas) that’s fine but surely you have to realise that with them goes umpteen years worth of experience. This includes experience of what it takes to WIN cups and titles. You can have a side bursting with youth but without experience and leadership the side will remain rudderless.
THE MOVE TO THE EMIRATES; I’ve been thinking about this a lot recently and have come to the conclusion that the move away from Highbury, although completely understandable from a commercial and developmental angle, has been a complete disaster from a footballing perspective and I’ll tell you why. This may stoke some mixed reaction; At Highbury, we sat 38,000 fans. Okay, there were less of us but I would say that the vast majority of those fans were Arsenal born and bred. A vast majority of those who sat around us in the East Stand and even the ‘new’ North Bank were real fans. They’d seen the highs and the lows, they’d seen the barren years and some great years but they knew the team, knew the game and knew what Arsenal Football Club was about.
Fast forward ten years and what do we have? Well we have 30-odd thousand extra seats but roughly the same amount extra of absolute muppets who know nothing about football let alone Arsenal. As it happens, I had to give up my season tickets at the Emirates a couple of years ago as I’ve moved down here to South Africa but once or twice a year I go to a home game when I’m back in the UK and I literally CAN NOT BELIEVE WHAT I’M SEEING OR HEARING from my fellow Arsenal fans. On the two occasions I have been to a home game in the last year I have seen supporters PHYSICALLY FIGHTING amongst themselves. I have seen fellow ‘supporters’ verbally assualting each other during the games. On both of the occasions I was there these so-called fans were completely and utterly clueless about the game that was going on around them. ‘SHOOT”! they screamed as Nasri received the ball on his left (wrong) foot facing away from goal 35 yards out. These fans were physically fighting in the aisles. What the f**k is goin on.?! You can ask around and I am sure you will find many examples of Arsenal fans at the Emirates witnessing the same thing in recent years. My point is that this extreme negative energy which begins in the stands does, eventually, find its way onto the field. Just look at our home record – it’s a shambles. I am utterly convinced that filling our stadium with these 20-30,000 extra clueless muppets has had a direct negative effect on the team on the field.
When I look at the squad and the wealth of talent we have, I’m of the firm opinion that we really are not that far off being succesful again. I don’t believe in these wholesale changes being demanded by many fans. It looks like we may have started to solve the goalkeeping issue. The young Pole looks like a great prospect and I’d stick with him. So really, we are in great need of a world-class centre-back and perhaps a physical centre midfielder with experience who can assist Fabregas. Yaya Toure wuld have been perfect. Perhaps we can lure Keita away from Barca but I doubt that would happen. So all this call for a fire-sale is nonsense.
I’m a great believer in Arsene Wenger. Do I think he should be sacked? No. Do I think he should resign? No. But I do really think that Arsene needs to take a long hard look at himself and his squad in the summer. One or two tweaks and I firmly believe that his story will have the glorious ending that befits the greatest manager in our history. The reality of the situation is that were he to go, we don’t have the resources at the moment to attract the likes of Mourinho and Guardiola.
To be honest Wenger is quite confident when he is addressing the press but he is also stubborn and narrow-minded, refusing to even consider the possibility that he or his players are not the best. And during games he is a bundle of nerves.
When things go badly the blame is always placed somewhere else, never on himself or his players. On the pitch we see a stubborn, narrow-minded team with just one objective — maintain possession until the ball is passed into the net. It is quite obvious that the players are lacking in confidence because almost every fast break becomes a slow break as the forward player holds the ball up or passes backward instead of shooting toward goal. And the players are undisciplined because they work for a man who does not believe in discipline, a man who sees no need to impose discipline, because in his eyes the players can do no wrong.
New players are not the answer. Wenger needs to look in the mirror, acknowledge his faults, and hire a new assistant manager who has a good measure of the qualities that he lacks: humility, flexibility, and discipline.
@Dan – you living in a time warp? 24 hours have elapsed after the Bolton game – bit more than that mate 😉
I have to say, I’ve never seen Wenger like this. The past couple of weeks the frustration he’s shown has been terrifying. I still belive he’s the best coatch out there for us, but you can’t deny that 2-3 highend signings would change things around for us. We’re playing with 2 centrebacks who can both carry the ball and speed things up in attack, but none of them with the defencive capabilities or leadership that a defence needs. Djourou or Kos would be brilliant along side a leader like Toure. Why we ever chose Gallas over Toure is still such a mess to me. I think Wenger is starting to realize this, took him long enaugh, and it surely can’t be easy on him. But the last time he did’nt make any changes ahead of a season we went unbeated through it.. So you can see why he’s of that persuation. And he did get a lot of stick from the supporters for not making any real changes then to.. But the situation is different now, because we know the team has the quality to take charge in the Premier League and get in a good position. But under pressure it all collapses. If that tells us anything its that we have world class quality(RvP, fab, etc.) but not enaugh to go all the way. Someone who’s rock solid.. And god knows we’ve had them in the past. Adams, Bould, Keown, Campbell, Toure, and also Vieira in the midfield. But who’s to claim that position in the defence.. I’m out of ideas honestly. The players we want we probably could’nt get, and the players we can get are probably not much better then the ones we have.
@ DC – everybody is entitled to an opinion. I think we shouldn’t really care about the opinions of people who don’t follow football. They are irrelevant as most of the crap printed out is irrelevant. The problem is not there – it’s to try and understand whether those opinions lack any foundation, and I fear they aren’t.
As Steven Dan Green said, I don’t think that the problem is our squad. We need not “BUY” anyone in particular. It simply refuse to believe that a team that looked as good as we looked throughout the whole year, started looking like the one we are seeing after the Carling Cup defeat.
And no, I’m not buying into this conspiracy theory, UFO, Kennedy Killer “refs’ decision cost us the title”. It’s (a) speculative (b) unfounded and (c) a very biased thesis. I would say that this year has actually been a year where Fergie crossed the line of bullying the refs into submission and as a result Manure got a lot of unfavorable decisions. We also had a few wrong decisions going our way, and to sum it up, I don’t think there were matches were we played to our best or even 80% of our best, where the refs cost us points. We have to be honest about that: when we lost points, we were light years away from playing our best.
So what is it? How can it be that about two thirds of the season, we looked hungry, energetic, up for it, having Nasri’s best season, Jack emerging as the next best thing, Chamakh giving us the “Plan B” thing with a back-to-the-goal, header scoring abilities; Our problems in the beginning of the year were mostly around the constant changes with the CBs – which satbilized after JD was back; and in goal, which stabilized after we got Fabianski (and then Sczeny) between the posts.
So what went wrong? It has to be something that has to do with metality. The loss @ the Carling Cup was devastiting, but I think that even before that – and after that, as well – we showed that the Mentality department was where we were lacking, and buying some “quality” players will not change that.
Unfortunately, in my opinion, it is not something that will get better next year. There needs to be some sort of change with the way Arsene and his staff communicate with the players. Something is not being handled right. It can’t be that some half arsed managers like Tony Pulis can motivate their team of carpenters into beating Bolton 5-0, and we can’t win against the same team after 4 days (and they show up with all the pazzaz of someone who has actually something to gain from that match…).
I risk saying that from my perspective, complacency, lack of desire and care were all evident @ the beginning – Cesc and Robin were injured, and the one showing lack of care was Arshavin, but he was quite alone there. And as soon as Cesc came back, at least from the way it looks to me, instead of lifting the guys up, he looked disinterested in some way, or distant, and it infected the rest of them. The only one who seems to care, all the time 100%, is Robin.
So how to solve this?
I have no clue.
why he puts himself through this torture is the biggest mistery of our time. He has the funds, and he certainly has the ambition. Now he stands in shame, with no proper reason why he didnt assess at minimum our central defence alert. He is not only frustrating us fans, he is also waisting the good years of the world class players we got. Instead of building strong collective winner mentality, he is doing the opposite, it shows in the reactions of our players, they get scared and paralyzed at times, surely haunted by old ghosts. These players have a few years to make it. That is why Cesc would leave, and who can fault him, he is not obliged to stay loayal to AWs fairytales.
It is strange that everyone seems to believe that Wenger is copying Barka. Perhaps his vision is his own and Barka are similar but not the same.
To villify him for not copying Barka is strange, he has a long term project, and I believe we are nearing the end.
Quick fix costs money and he is not going to spend..
x
I don’t think that our central defense cost us the title, nor our goalkeeper. It was those matches played without any creativaty and spark; to be honest, there were matches where we didn’t look like we were playing “the Arsenal way”. I can remember times we didn’t get all points, but I was happy because it was due to not converting 25 chances. It was frustrating, but we were playing the arsenal way and it was a joy to watch. This year, however, in the matches where we looked out of place, out of context and out of desire, we couldn’t create. Couldnt’ breakdown a crappy Loserpool side or 10 men Blackburn, or Sunderland … or ManU @ the FA cup semi. Those were the matches where I couldn’t really understand why we look so drawn out of energy.
Just want to say that when people compare us to Barca:
(a) When barca went barren for 6 years they changed 4 managers – ferrer, van gaal (2nd term), de la cruz, antic and then rijkaard.
(b) Like others said, Barca spend, and spend BIG. You don’t get to owe 200 million Euros to the banks without a lot of spending.
(c) Barca are truly a great team to watch but they have their own thing and their own system, and we (should) have ours. The model Arsenal in my opinion should be a much more athletic, strong, squad – like the one in 2004 and like the one that looked like we’re having @ the beginning of this year.
Everyone has an opinion about us because even the non -followers of football think they know about what’s going on generally picked up from a media village that are fascinated by what they see as a club that is somehow different to any other.
What they don’t understand is how a club that plays the best football and which has an image of being very rich can fail to win everything in sight. If, of course, we did win everything in sight there would be mass complaints that we were dominant for all the wrong reasons e.g. too rich, foreign players etc.
Too a lrge extent that same level of ignorance exists within football followers as well – even Arsenal fans.
You only have to sit in the stadium as I do for every match to witness the almost total ignorance of tactics and what is actually going on on the pitch. Thousands of people calling for a player to shoot when 30 yards out faced with a wall of defenders is just one of the many examples of this niaivety.
The constant repetition of the trite comments that are heard from ‘pundits’ in the media. The latest one this season is the ‘no one will stand up to be counted’ rubbish that, translated, probably means no one is kicking the shit out of the opposition and becoming some sort of warped hero in the process.
I long ago gave up believing that all publicity is good publicity – an ‘truth’ put about by PR companies anxious to be paid whatever story got out. But the fact is that football is far bigger news than it deserves to be (relative to its size as a business)and Arsenal are the biggest news especially when things aren’t going quite as well as people think they should.
The end result is that other clubs who crave publicity in order to sell tickets are kept from the media and its Arsenal that do the best business at the box office.
As the rules tighten and those clubs which have headed off that potential dominance by spending someone elses money find that route cut off we will see how things pan out. But be prepared for the the other old truth that only bad news sells papers to remain in place.
Its obvious wengers time is nearing the end. His persistence @ playing imbueds like denilson and co will not do. Go now man and leave with some dignity
More nonsense, when was the last time Denilson played?? Thats the kind of lazy ignorant attitude that doesn’t make sense if your an arsenal fan. Lazy!
I think it is some 5 or 6 games that Denilson played for Arsenal and still people are blaming him. For those ignorants: Denilson didn’t play against Liverpool, Spuds or Bolton.
And I’m not saying Denilson had a great season, far from as I think he hasn’t developed from last year for whatever reason (injury?) but please have the decency not to blame players who are even not even close to the team.
Many people trot out the old one ‘ if he had bought 2 0r 3 in Jan it would have defined our season’ BOLLOCKS! These people seem to coveniently forget the 25 man squad rule for a start. If the right people are available ( before city etc get a whiff of course) Arsene would get them he’s the best in the business at judging footballers. But every tansfer is painstackingly researched with Arsenal these days, because we haven’t been able to afford flops, or people like like Hleb / Adebayor/ Flamini Who will just up sticks and go when things get difficult. Yes some of the players Arsene has stuck by from a young age arent as good as we would hope but the fact is that they understand the club and how we play,the benefits of that are not recognised by too many people. Imo this togetherness has kept us in the top 4 whilst our budget was severely limited due to the stadium move. Whilst teams like Villa ,Totts and many others have spent miles more than us on recognised big players but could not get more points in the season, no matter how many times all the experts ( aka tossers ) suggested otherwise. There’re not too many managers around who could heve held all that together , now its time for phase 2 when we tweak/invest in the squad to make the next step. I’m sure there are more funds becoming available but were never going to be able to match chelsea mancs and city for money so have to be canny with our deals , and continue build the team spirit through continuity ( this one of the reason the wages are so high, to keep the group players developing together is imperitive ). You can’t buy that. Look at scholes, gigss etc. Thats what Arsene wants to leave us with
Last night, I watched a rerun of a Barca game. The usual 20-30 passes before the final kill etc. The whole football world is buzzed with this titi-kaka or whatever F**k you want to call it. Personally, and I know a lot of people will disagree with me, I am utterly bored by this extreme ball-passing game. 2010 WC is another example of Spain being one of the boring teams.
When people compared or liken us to Barca, I just shrugged. Many fans liked it, but I don’t. Now just pull out the Invincible Years compilation and watch them again. Did you notice a difference? The excitement and free flowing football?
Arsenal used to possess a winning formula that excites and thrills the fans worldwide. That free flowing football is way way better that freaking titi-kaka stuff a lot of people said we are trying to mimic. Only Barca can perfect that boring stuff.
Difficult when teams park the bus.
On the season review they only show the goals right? So they skip all the sideways and posession football the invincibles would play
Not only the highlights. Even when teams park the bus, we have trickery on the flanks and of course Bergkamp and Henry to break through. And the defensive steel to counter any breaks
Prior to Wenger, we were famed for our ultra-defensive traits. Wenger added creativity and speed to our play after he came, with the right fix of players.
The new owners will be reviewing every aspect of our performance as a club- and I am sure they will look at the way AW and the team have handled the run in and why. They are not going to just throw money around- even if they were able to do so.
The time to assess the season is at the end of the season not before. It isn’t a complete failure yet- but admittedly we don’t look too flash just now. May be a win against the manure is just what the doctor ordered.
I think one of the things that Wenger is not doing right is to give some players the impression that they got an automatic starting slot whether they are up to it or not. It was obvious that both RvP and Fabregas were not fit enough for the match against Barca at the Nou Camp. This would not make for a good sub bench as the fit player would have felt slighted.
Looking back to the beginning of the season, Chamakh got great review for his work rate goals. He held the line well enough in the absence of RvP. But the moment RvP returned to the team, Chamakh was made to look like he was an unwanted part of the team. Wenger came up with the filmsy excuse of him needing a rest so as not to precipitate a burn out aftet about 20 matches. How come Wiltshere has played more than 40 matches now and he is not been completely rested? There was even the report then that RvP had an altercation with Chamakh during training reminding him (Chamakh) that Arsenal is his (RvP) crib. That led to the loss of confidence on the part of Chamakh.
Football is not about being Mr Nice, there must be a healthy rivalry with some bit of friction otherwise there would not be that extra impetus required for the final home run at the business end of the season. True that the officiating might not have been the best that we could get but I strongly believe that we already knew this before the first ball was kicked this season as it has been an age long development.
As it is, question would be asked of Wenger if he has not lost the plot.
He also got the same type of players all over the pitch which does not make it any easy for him to employ a plan B. He is always looking for players with a low back lift, whatever that is supposed to mean but I think it reflects in the players being all alike in their style of play and attitude towards the game.
What is Dan Green going on about – I suggest he goes and supports them other lot up the road in Stratford Sh*te Hart Lane
Line by line its nonsense
As I sit here at my laptop nearly 24 hours after the latest Arsenal debacle – being in 4 competitions and failing just in 4 competitions is a debacle ?????
, I’ve been trying to think about the state of play at Arsenal FC and have come up with two major reasons for this season ending trophyless again. For me, two factors are having a huge affect on the side and I thought that I’d offer them up for debate;
LACK OF LEADERSHIP ON THE FIELD; – This is just nonsense – every player has their own performance to think of – its not ‘leadership’ that wins matches, it is scoring goals and not letting them in. That has nothing to do with leadership – that is down to how good your team is. I don’t understand how anyone thinks that Arsenal, who spend just above Wolverhampton Wanderers each year, as a net spend, are expected to buy the same quality as say, Surarseface at ManUre – who spends 4 times what we spend each year or Chelski who spend 8 times what we spend each year and Saudi City who spend 12 times. So is that great ‘leadership’ quality we miss the reason – no it seems we do well enough despite it. The simple truth is that Chelski & ManUre & Saudi City & Liverhoofball & Stratford Spurs & Newcastle & others spend far more money and therefore should have better players and therefore should do much better than us – BUT THEY DONT !!!!!
THE MOVE TO THE EMIRATES; – What utter tosh – This is a laugh of an argument I hear week in week out from all those with very selective memory.
I can say, having been to both the Emirates and Highbury which was known for many years as The Library on account of the no sing policy of fans that there is much more noise from the fans at Emirates than there ever was at Highbury. Everyone seems to have rose tinted glasses when they think of Highbury but the reality is that it was sometimes so quiet that you could often hear 1 fan screaming ‘Come on you Arsenal’ every 10 minutes because the fans went so quiet. Now you dont get that at all. So all those people who think that Highbury was so much better as a supported of the team – WAKE UP – ITS NOT TRUE
The additional fans are those who wanted to watch Arsenal but couldn’t because of fans who had been going for 40 odd years and who thought it better to sit there and chat about all kinds of nonsense and not bother to support the team. Some of those fans didnt renew, some went into ‘the trough’ and some renewed around the ground but the influx of new fans has certainly upped the atmos.
For all those nostaligic morons – Its not a new thing fans not singing for Arsenal & I go home and away and the fans sing all the time when away – its just that there seems to be and has been for many years, both pre Wenger and pre Emirates, an expectation by the fans that we should naturally win a match at home just by turning up and the silence at Highbury was just breathtaking at times – how could 38,000 fans be so silent – it was a joke and you never get that now at Emirates, yes it is quiet at times but not as quiet as it got at Highbury the Library.
Is that down to (a) Wenger (no because we were quiet at Highbury when he was manager) or (b) the team (no because we were winning things at Highbury or (c) The ground and new fans (yes)
So to blame the new ground is just nonsense – yes Highbury was a purists football ground and Emirates is a big bowl – but that didnt stop the fans from being very quiet and, in all honesty, with the quiet fans we had at Highbury, only a change of ground would have brought a change in noise levels that quickly. So not only was it a commercially sensible it was also reinvigorating and brought in a new set of younger, louder fans that has improved the atmos – so a great move not a backward one.
As it happens, I had to give up my season tickets at the Emirates a couple of years ago as I’ve moved down here to South Africa – So you dont even go and see the team.
On the two occasions I have been to a home game in the last year I have seen supporters PHYSICALLY FIGHTING amongst themselves – I think you will find that it is AWAY fans sitting in home seats that causes that problem
I have seen fellow ‘supporters’ verbally assualting each other during the games – DITTO
On both of the occasions I was there these so-called fans were completely and utterly clueless about the game that was going on around them. ‘SHOOT”! they screamed as Nasri received the ball on his left (wrong) foot facing away from goal 35 yards out.- Oh for the football purist who sits there and applauds quietly when Arsenal score their 5th and who only gives a quiet shout of ‘bravo’ at the end of the game – is that passionate football – NOT
Just look at our home record – it’s a shambles – NO ITS NOT – it is better than every club in the except 2. To be no.3 after ManUre & Chelski is no mean feat when taking into account the fact that they have built teams costing over a billion, whilst we have done it spending under £ 100m – wake up to reality you idiot.
When I look at the squad and the wealth of talent we have, I’m of the firm opinion that we really are not that far off being successful again.- WOT – it was all doom and gloom and now its WOW factor.
I don’t believe in these wholesale changes being demanded by many fans – they are not fans they are idiots.
So really, we are in great need of a world-class centre-back – WHO – its no good saying we need this position or that position – who are these players who are available – THE TRUTH IS THEY DONT EXIST.
perhaps a physical centre midfielder with experience who can assist Fabregas. Yaya Toure wuld have been perfect -Oh of course a player is going to come to Arsenal having been offered £ 200K per week by Saudi City – get real.
Perhaps we can lure Keita away from Barca – WHY – Diaby is better and I wouldn’t put him in the category of being able to radically changing our fortunes.
I’m a great believer in Arsene Wenger. Do I think he should be sacked? No. Do I think he should resign? No. But I do really think that Arsene needs to take a long hard look at himself and his squad in the summer. One or two tweaks and I firmly believe that his story will have the glorious ending that befits the greatest manager in our history. The reality of the situation is that were he to go, we don’t have the resources at the moment to attract the likes of Mourinho and Guardiola.
The final comment is the joke of it all – (1) Does anyone think that AW doesn’t see the issues he has with the squad – the squad is young and is improving – it is 4-5 years before it will reach its prime – which other club in the top 10 can say that – we will get better, all the other teams will have to buy just to keep up with us.
As to Guardiola & Mourhino – what have they got to do with anything if the idea is to let AW continue – Guardiola took over a Barca squad that included Messi, Iniesta, Xavi, Puyol, Pique, Alves, Abidal, Etoo, Ibrahimavic etc. – but half of them came through the Barca youth system and half cost £ 75m. Those 4 players who were bought cost more than our current whole squad. If anything, they are under performing considering the amount of money they are spending or should we just all accept that, under AW Arsenal are massively over performing.
Mourhino – dont make me laugh – I could win the Premiership spending £ 300m in 2 years. He couldnt even win anything decent at Real having spent a further £ 300m and look at the football he is forcing those talented players to play.
So don’t talk nonsense and wake up – the reality is that the ground is the best ground in the world and something to be proud of – it has more noise than Highbury.
The squad is probably the best squad we have had since the unbeatables was disbanded and is young and improving.
We were close in 4 competitions this year and nobody seems to remember that in 2007 we came 4th and won nothing with the vast majority of the unbeatables playing.
I just hate it when a clueless idiot makes a big noise spouting rubbish
Oh & 1 further point
I have been saying all season our achilles heel is not defending or lack of leadership or any of that nonsense, it is being clinical in front of goal. – There is one stat that proves this –
If every team had scored a goal instead of hitting the woodwork – Arsenal, by beating ManUre at the weekend, would have been crowned Champions of the Premiership !!!
Says it all !!!!