To say that the disaster against Fulham realised all our worst fears is nonsense. It was a terrible display – rather similar to watching Arsenal in the 1960s – but that doesn’t mean its all over for the season, and we can write everything off now.
The same players as we saw at Fulham have put in much better performances in the pre-season games, and we have to remember that what we saw was not just a dreadful display from Denilson, and a modestly ok performance from Eboue – it was far worse than that. We also saw a very poor showing from Van Persie, Nasri, Gallas… even our full backs had an off time. Those who weren’t actually off, were average.
It happens in all fields. Talk to musicians and actors and they will tell you, even at the top of their professions they get collective off-days. The only thing that can turn such a day around would be a sensational display by one player – but Cesc wasn’t there, and Adebayor hit the post. Had that shot gone in we might have been saying, “we were rubbish but we got away with it”.
So the good news is…
a) With a bit of luck we got our one dreadful game of the season out of the way straight off. (Remember Man Bankrupt last season – two points from the first three games – oh how we laughed… until they started winning).
b) This injury run can’t go on forever – ultimately the injuries that destroyed us last year will stop.
c) Carlos Vela must stop playing for Mexico sometime or other and be available.
d) Nasri will ultimately adjust – the problem is that it could take a while. Pires, who I always rate as the man who made Henry the great player he became, was ordinary in year one, and an utter master in year two.
e) Wenger might well buy someone else.
f) Cesc will come back, and Song is now looking better and better.
g) Gallas and Toure must get back eventually on speaking terms and know where each other is.
i) No one doubts the full backs, and they will return to sparkling form eventually.
j) Denilson is not rubbish. Just as Song had a dreadful time at Fulham a year back, so he’s had it this time. That does not mean the end.
k) Either Wenger will ultimately be proven correct over Eboue or else he will let him go.
l) Jack Wilshere gets a day older every day, and with that comes strength and ability.
I could go on to z but no one would read on. The fact is, it was a collective disaster – kick the ball up field and hope. Lob it in from the sidelines and hope.
Of course if they play like this again, then there is cause for concern. But if it was our one off disaster, fine… let’s start the season again.
well said mate. fans act like headless chickens sometimes, but you gotta keep the faith. plus, we could be tottenham
a..we have been dreadful in every competstive game this season….
b…injurys happen, when rosicky becomes fit, sagna may get injured…someone is always injured, at every club, you hae to be able to deal with it
c..when carlos stops playing fo mexico, he then needs to adapt, and will probably only be a sub
d…i agree about nasri…he may be a great for the club
e..he may buy someone…but doesnt like buying 28 yearolds as they have no resale value…pity that, as they are the ones who win you trophies
f…i agree
g…kolo and gallas are not good enough in the same back four
h…you left h out
i… agree
j…denilson has never ever showed he is good enough to be a 1st team player
k….eboue should never be allowed to play, unless sagna is injured
l…theres no guarantee wilshire will make it, though it does look probable….if he does, we will be waiting for 3-4 years until he is good enough to win us trophies
Oh come on lads, “keep the faith”…don’t be so naive. I’m not having a knee-jerk reaction before you think that. This is the accumulation of four long summers of poor signings and a failed footballing mantra. It was brave, it was promising and may be salvagable but Wenger must buy, if not he’s is doing it at his peril!!!
This is the only article I could bear to read about it – just looking at the various headlines on newsnow was too depressing. It’s better if we get our stinker out the way early in the season and hopefully that will give the team the wake up call it needs. Also, given that the bulk of the team were away on international duty in the week, they’ve hardly had time to train together and some players who probably needed a breather couldn’t have one because of all the injuries. However, I still believe in this team and I refuse to let the negativity get me down. As Cesc said today, we have to stick together against those who would put us down and write us off. We can’t do the Daily Mail’s job for them.
That’s a noble sentiment Dont believe the hype but unfortunately, you are departed from reality. Cescy shouldn’t be asked to save our season, how unfair is that on a young lad? Plus, who’ll defend him in the middle of the park? Denilson? Looked clueless and is not fulfilling his potential. Diaby? Constantly injured and unreliable although he is quality WHEN fit. Song? Too inexperienced. Ramsey? Same as Song. Bischoff? Don’t make me laugh…this is getting desperate now. Touré? Wenger says he’s not a central midfielder. Djourou? Could be off to Rennes on loan (WTF Wenger???). From that quick summary it’s obvious that the only option is Emmanuel Eboué! So you guys from the ‘Arsene knows best’ society can have your wet dreams over Wenger’s prudence in the transfer market and watch team after team bully Cescy and Eboué…you guys make me laugh! It’s PATHETIC!!!
It isn’t wrong to give Wenger constructive criticism, he tried his buying young experiment and newsflash…it FAILED, so get back to reality, stop smoking whatever Le Boss is on and start calling for some much needed new faces!!!
P.S. That sounded a tad threatening in that last bit lol, almost as if a useless “or ELSE!!!” was needed haha. Sorry lads, Wenger’s making me lose my mind!!!
Dan, I have no problem with you criticising Wenger, that is your right. But in my view we have not had a great pre-season preparation like we did before last season, due to the Euro’s and the injuries to key first team players. Thus we have not got off to a flying start. Maybe Arsene is too optimistic in believing in the players he has already got, but since I am not close to the team or the players, I have no way of knowing different. He has been saying for a while that he wants another body in the midfield and clearly he has been trying to get someone in. The difference is that I’m willing to give him a chance to do so. I also see the bigger picture in that we have several top quality players out at the moment and I know that the players who played so badly yesterday are capable of better than that. I understand that if several key team members all have an off day at the same time, results like yesterday can follow. This does not mean that I have to write the team off. They are human beings, not robots or characters on a play station game. If they played like that for several games in a row, I might start to worry, but I see my role as a supporter being about giving them my backing in order to motivate them to do better. Slagging them off will not achieve that. I’m sure they’ve been told in no uncertain terms by Arsene Wenger and as professionals they will look back on their performances and lift themselves to do better. They are more likely to achieve that with the backing of their supporters than with negativity and lack of belief. It’s one thing to be written off by the media, who all have their own axes to grind, but to be written off by your own fans, seems inappropriate to me.
Dan that’s so true what you wrote… totally agree. Arsene’s been great but he is digging our grave by arrogantly sticking to this youth policy.