By Walter Broeckx
Did we all jinx it this week? We probably did. Talking about a record of being unbeaten when Per and Kos are on the field for 90 minutes is tempting fate. Arsenal did it, I did it. And as was said in one of the comments: this doesn’t fill me with confidence. As we all know each run will come to an end. And today it did. It has lasted for more than 2 years. So time to start a new run.
I really wonder what our players have eaten before the match. And if it could be checked to see if it contained some sleeping pills. Because that is how we looked in the first half hour. As if we were reacting in slow motion to the Liverpool players. Only after 4 wake up calls we seemed to suddenly realise that we were on a football field and not in a dream. A nightmare it was by that moment.
Two goals from set pieces. The first a bit lucky as the deflection on Koscielny bounced in from the knee of Skrtel. The second goal was also not really great defending as Skrtel once again found too much space to head it in over the head of Oxlade-Chamberlain. 2-0 behind and 10 minutes played.
The players were shell shocked and the team fell completely apart. No pressure on the Liverpool midfielders, no running back, no tracking back. This was leaving the back four on their own completely and with players as fast as Suarez, Sturridge and Sterling you are asking for more trouble.
That is what we got minutes later when Sterling could tap in too easy and minutes later when Özil lost the ball on the midfield line and again nobody covering and Sturridge could make it 4-0 after 20 minutes.
No second balls were won by Arsenal, players making the wrong decisions most of the time. This must have been the poorest Arsenal first half this season.
Wenger gave the players the chance to make up for their bad performance but again it was Liverpool that scored a goal. This time Sterling had to take the rebound after Szczesny stopped his first attempt.
Wenger then took off Özil, Monreal and Giroud and indicated that he had given up this game. I think most of us had done this already a long time before. Rosicky, Gibbs and Podolski came on. The last half hour was much better as the team seemed to work harder.
When Oxlade-Chamberlain was fouled in the penalty area we got a penalty and Arteta scored a consolation goal. I was happy to see no Arsenal player even putting their hands up. No need to celebrate that goal. Oxlade-Chamberlain who had been invisible with the rest of the midfielders in the first hour came to live and made a few things happen. But I doubt many will have watched on with hopes on getting something from the game.
I can imagine the moaners will have a field day. But is the duo Per – Kos suddenly bad? Hell no. Such things happen. And hopefully we have done all what can be done wrong in this game and now will stop with being so sloppy at the start of the game.
Are our players suddenly bad? Hell no. It can happen. It’s not amusing to lose 5-1 but maybe it will bring the team back to the ground and will make sure that they work even harder than they did before. It is in such a game you also pay the price for silly red cards like Flamini took at Southampton. I think that he would have been the one to close down spaces in such a game.
The last time we lost a game was almost 2 months ago. Another painful defeat at Manchester City. Another early kick off by the way. Maybe we don’t like it to play that early?
After that the team went on a run of 2 months without defeat. The team now just has to pick themselves up and do the same. As I write this minutes after the final whistle we can feel down. Losing is not what we want.
But we only lost 3 points today. And that bit of pride means nothing in fact. This will be forgotten when we play the next match and win it. The good thing is that both Manchester City and Chelsea also have to go to Liverpool later on in the season. We can only hope that they put in the same performance as they did today and also take points off those two teams. When the Liverpool attack is on fire it can cause a lot of damage as we found out today.
This defeat means that Manchester City and Chelsea could overtake us in the league. We need a bit of help from Newcastle and Norwich today to remain top. But even if they would win it we are only one point behind them. And got it all to play for. But it would be nice to have no more such off days like this for the rest of the season.
A WARNING: I have just noticed that the same people was using multiple email addresses to abuse Arsenal, manager and players. You will be kicked out for doing this. Or better said : you are kicked out for doing this.
We never turned up. On to Wednesday, it is good we have a game so quickly and the players will be hurting. Three points against United would be the perfect tonic and then the players get the chance to show Liverpool who they really are again in the cup.
What is the matter with these people? They need serious psychiatric help.
Thanks for keeping this site a sane one, Walter.
Yes those 20 minutes were really shocking! I think it was as bad as the first half vs Southampton. One can see a pattern in recent games where Arsenal were turning up only after the second half. I dont think we can afford to do that anymore at least not this month.
Either way all we can do is keep our chins up and cheer the team in what promises to be a really testing month!
Go Give it your all Gooners!
WE LOST! End of discussion.
just a little bit sad about the score line. keep the faith friends. COYG.
Thanks Walter , you’ve pointed our failings today clearly and thanks for keeping out those AAAA creeps .
For some reason , I’m not as disappointed tonight as I was for those losses against Villa & ManShitty ,where we were poorly treated by the respective referees.
We just have to pick ourselves for the next game and get some momentum going again .
I didn’t post any abusive comment and it still isn’t showing up 🙁
Its the mentality, all of it there….
Everybody believe they got a chance against us, while they dont believe so when facing City or Chelsea… Plus we have a problem too, we were top of the league ( hope we stay) where is our confidence,why do we crumble that much?
We need to realize we are better than what we think, and that starts from fans… Whenever any time we go 1 goal behind, we just have a problem staying in the game. But as you said, its Wednesday, this could be good in disguise, or as they say.
First foul wasn’t and Skirtle was off side. PGMOL working in sets!! Ozil was fouled when he lost the ball. Official had selective vision. Bad loss but Arsenal wasn’t beaten by Liverpool without PGMOL help.
Arsenal still played football and got fouled several times without protection. Liverpool players were celebrating getting away with some foul tactics.
Not a big issue as our quality will shine through.
For those who are not able to sleep (its almost 12 midnight here), take a look at this article – I’ve highlighted some salient points .
http://hellogiggles.com/am-i-in-horseville-cos-im-surrounded-by-naysayers
You know the type: that one person who makes it his or her personal mission to tear the people around them down
No matter that it’s got nothing to do with them – to the naysayer, absolutely everything has to do with them and their opinion is so important (despite being uncalled for and generally unconstructive) that you just have to hear it.
If you’re a person that’s generally good-natured and finds pleasure in the small things, chances are you’ll want to share those things with the people around you.
What it comes down to can be summarised in a single word: jealousy.
Jealousy is the least useful emotion, because there is no way it can be used to accomplish something positive.
It skews your true desires for your own life and instead focuses your energies externally – pretty far from where they should be.
Be honest with yourself and others, be genuine and positive, care for yourself and others and cut things out which don’t fit that criteria. It’s that simple.
Conversely, if you know a naysayer (or three), your instructions are similarly easy: ignore them.
Recognise that those who would criticise you do so with the intention of having the power over you that results from you giving in and taking it to heart.
You run your life, you make your choices. …….. Don’t ever let a naysayer tell you otherwise.
The starting slowly pattern has come to bite us.
@Brickfields Gunners.
Same here.
I have always said that I have no problem taking a defeat on the chin, especially when the other side played as well as Liverpool did.
With them playing so well and us, yet again, not turning up for the first 20 minutes it was all over in a flash.
As you say, what really grates is when you feel robbed by the officials.
I know there was a couple of dodgy decisions but to whinge too much about them on a day like today would come across as ungracious in the extreme and would undermine the genuine gripes they we do have.
On a day like today it’s best to put your hands up and move on.
It always hurts when we lose but losing today! As I can only watch the game online, I am not in a position to comment on how the team played. We all have ‘off’ days lets hope it was just such a day for the team.
Well the players owe us a performance for sure. No excuse for slipping when challenging for title. And they know that performance like this is not acceptable. We were losing so many duels today. Got to say Liverpool wanted it more. Hope this spurs players up more than demoralizes them. This team has given good response to bad results this season.
That was a horrible performance from start to finish. Unfortunately it has happened again in a big game and we can’t really complain about being branded a club that can not win the big matches.
I would not be too hard on Merts and Kos though – they have been brilliant this season. Today they were offered no protection. Wenger has said many times that he focuses on how Arsenal play and does not really worry about the opposition. For us to be successful, he has to change that approach in my opinion.
A loss today would not have been too damaging, but a thrashing is not what we needed. The confidence in these big matches can not be that high and we have many more coming up.
The game against Manchester Utd is now even bigger. We simply must win.
About jinxing it I will make up for it by writing we don’t score enough goals
You cannot blame, Kos and Per for that loss. When we keep giving the ball away in midfield it is almost impossible to defend against a good countering side like Liverpool. Exactly the same happened against Man City. My main concern is that it again were Øzil that gave the ball away poorly 3-4 times and it resulted in 3 goals against. He will learn but he has to and learn quick.
Gunnerholic the players don’t owe us anything, it’s a sport no one in their right mind expects to win all the time.
I agree totally with Menance Liverpool won the game but were aided by the ref…
let’s put this game to bed and stand squarely behind the Manager and team that has bought us so much pleasure over the years. COYG.
No need to panic. At the start of the season if you told me that with 13 games to play, We at worst would be one point from the top of the table, I would have gladly taken it. Don’t forget the last 2 seasons when we had to fight to the end to make the Champions league. I said that I wanted to see us improve and we have. I would be happy if with four or five games remaining we are still in contention for the title. Let us be right there and let the chips fall where they may. I for one wouldn’t think its a wasted year if weren’t crowned league champions. The world wont implode if we don’t win a trophy this year. I am satisfied that we are making large strides in getting better and next season we will be even better. I am not writing off the year, We can still win some silverware. I am just saying to look at the big picture. A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Keep the faith and don’t forget that it aint over til it’s over. One loss is not the end of everything. It is only a stumble on the path where we want to be. Onward and upward.
In fairness, think Wenger and Bould do put in more preparation on the opposition these days Jayram, and quite often in the last year, it has been shown.
Just a very bad start and a very bad day at the office.Liverpool usually start like that at home, visiting teams need to try and weather the storm, as we did not.
As Walter says, Flam was a huge loss – this team needs to depend on a player like that and for whatever reason (injury?)Arteta did not do it today,nor did most of the mf.
we do seem prone to the odd horror show – just seems in the DNA of recent teams, but this one has the ability to get over them more than previous versions. At times, we seemed to go back to the bad old days of defending, but on the evidence of this year, this will be a blip
The only thing that really worries me is how much we miss Ramsey and Theo, but I will stop there, because that gets me onto the subject of our injuries, and that is not for the best.
Thanks for the report Walter, I get the feeling though the lads will bounce back in mid-week against Manure, and I think we will beat Liverpool in the cup.
Did Liverpool play really well or were we just scheiße? It all seemed to be some bizarre repeat of the Citeh game, -for me this was our worst performance this season.One things for sure thats not the Arsenal I know.
However, it aint over yet, and it could be worse, we could all be followers of the Chickens.
What a nice impartial chappie that Michael Owen fellow is, I cant remember who he used to play for, wasnt it Stjoke City?
Chins up Untolders!
COYG! Aha and Amen.
Mandy Dodd
I think Theo’s the big lose because without him we lose pace. Nobody else has enough to worry defences so they can press us really high with no fear of being caught on the brake.
Our modus operandi is to keep position, tyre teams out, and play our way through. (stating the bleeding obvious I know).
When you fail to keep position for no more than 3 passes (due to bad play and good pressing from the opposition) the plan quickly falls apart.
This is the only sane place in all the internet now, arsenal wise I mean!
Thank you
there’s no such things as big or small games.
it was just a game. against good team.
there’s no bad teams in PL. and boys will bounce back.
it’s not for the first time this season.
On the plus side, we beat Chelsea at home – if you allow for standard refereeing, we lost to MU when players were ill, we don’t know the real score at MC, but we may have scored as many goals as MC on an even playing field.
Today we don’t know how fit players were. Arteta looked under a cloud, so if he was unfit, that would make things slightly less bad.
Anyhow, many games in a season, no point getting anal about this one.
‘Possession and ‘tire’ I meant.
Oh well, the defeats obviously affected me more than I thought because I can’t spell even with ‘spell check’ !!
I need to lie down for a while !!
Bletch!
We are like an expensive racing car. It takes all the parts in working order to be able to perform to such a high level, whereas a clunker or mid-range econo car can function reasonably well with only 2/3 of its parts working.
We supporters just half to shake our heads and be ready for ManU. I have trust in this side. They will be more upset than we are and will play much better on Wednesday.
Someone mentioned earlier that Liverpool trashed Arsenal 4-0 back in 1998. I’d like to set the record straight that this happened after Arsenal had won the title
At least Norwich did us a favour…
This is the game I will never forget, and it’s really funny cause I didn’t watch it completely
I just came back home and took shower in such confindence that I won’t lose much, maybe few mins of the start, I turned on the tv, found the game and man!!! It was 4 nil to liv!
I just couldn’t’t believe my eyes, I thiught it’s a history game, maybe for preparation befor the real game, but it was real, I couldn’t simply believe that
But all these things are not important to mention here, the important part is that: I was not sad! Maybe I was shocked but I was not sad not because of the shock or optimism to predict that we can turn the page and change the result
I just found myself protecting me from such huge depression subconsciously, by denial, and it is funny because you can’t do that by insight!
It was a huge moment in my life as a fan, it was the time that I rememberd all my sufferings during suppporting a football team, the days I even needed to take medication when we lost ( players and results )
And some one deep inside me pulled me back to this new place were all those people who don’t care about football leave
I stopped following the game and watched an episode of “homeland”
Something to distract me completely off the Anfield
The flu ( at Man U), stuck in traffic ( at Southampton), bullying ( against Everton) and unfavorable scheduling ( at City) were just some of the reasons thrown around in a way of explaining Arsenals’ notorious slow starts to important games. Add ” my dog ate my homework ” to that list and it might resemble more excuses made by high school students rather than people associated with a world class football club.
Liverpool played high tempo , hard pressing game in a very compact shape while Arsenal were slow and stretched .
I think it’s high time to ask questions of Mr Wenger regarding Arsenal’s first halves’ lethargy .
After Man U game , his first reaction was that he felt sorry for our players and only weeks later admitted that the slow start to such an important game was disappointing and unacceptable.
Is it lack of proper motivation or rather execution . I’m afraid we won’t know , as Mr Wenger is notoriously overprotective of his players.
Ozil had the worst game of his life and should’ve been subbed off much sooner. The only player who showed any heart and willingness to fight for the cause was Wilshere .
I don’t think we had a shot on goal in the first half witch really says it all.
Man U game is a must win now.
Meanwhile Norwich held MC to a draw. That sure is a nice push in the back. Thank you Canaries.
Very bad day at the office. Shame about the result & fair play to Liverpool. We do need to bounce back. But it is just one game. One loss does not a bad season make.
Norwhich 0-0 Man City
This is why we should not go overboard with our emotions. We are still ahead of the ‘great’ Man City despite our worst result of the season! If Newcastle could keep it together later tonight, we could finish game 25 series as the leaders.
It was the ref…
Don’t you feel pathetic to spout the same drivel over and over again whenever Arsenal are beaten? (and that Liverpool attack that was stopped by the referee ???)
And still ignoring the massive elephant in the room.
Arsenal is a stagnant club under Arsene Wenger who has no new ideas to push the club forward and he is only interest in his massive wages. Complacent loser.
It’s top 4 trophy for you again and it’ll be that way as long as Wenger remains managing Arsenal.
The likes of Mourinho knew that without Ferguson and with Pelegrini adapting to a new league it would be easy for him. Wenger is still the same mentally weak manager and this reflects on his teams. No accountability. No pressure to win trophies, Guardiola was spot on.
The space Arteta (who has been poor for a couple of years) and Wilshere gifted Liverpool was embarrassing. Monreal was helpless.Add all that to the lack of firepower in the final third than you have the recipe for failure.
I told you days before the lack of athleticism in this team is a problem. A problem Wenger has chosen to ignore. This is not La Liga. Pace and power can make the difference but Wenger is a fool. He never addressed this last summer and in January the same ridiculous approach was taken: do nothing, just sit on his hand and pray everything goes well.
Arsenal need a proactive manager with fresh ideas, not someone who can even make his job properly being reactive (new striker anyone ?) and forever hides behind lame excuses.
Ah and the board… It really hurts the club that ‘not football’ people are in place. They are business men who only care about money but when football is concern they are as backwards as a group of old buffoons.
BTW, why can’t Man City win against these poor teams?
WHY?????
If it was another day, in the past, I would never abodon the ship, I would never leave my team there to suffer alone
I would watch the game all to the end with such masokhism and everything, but it was not another day in the past, today was the first day I stopped wathcing the annoying defet
Help me with this guys, anything like this happened to you before?
Sperez,
if you knew it all before then why do you still follow?
fuck I’m feeding the troll
The rats are out, my cue to step out for a bit of late afternoon shopping. Later, fellow gooners
Missed Chelsea’s result over Newcastle: 3-0.
We are trailing in 2nd place by a point.
Let’s make Tom our new manager. He is clearly better than Arsene Wenger.
TOM
Oh dear, here they come !!!
And there’s so many other places they’d be much more at home.
Why come here, what with City going into meltdown (That’s what it would be if WE’D just had there last 2 results wouldn’t it Tom !) I was thinking, it REALLY wasn’t such a bad day after all.
But now Toms arrived I’m sure I’ll soon be slitting my wrists !!
AL,
I’ll join you in stepping out and leave this place for the Monday morning quarterbacks. Taking my girls to the arcade.
Bootoomee out!
Walter.
Please do us all a favour and ditch the prick.
Somebody said on the net earlier in the season that Arsene Wenger will be the cause if we fail to win the league this season and it happen today with his selection by opting to play A Rosicky from the bench who love to play in big game do well and even Podolski on the bench and can not even stand up from his sit and talk to the boys after the second goal went in ,infact he got it wrong today. He is too predictable and no PLAN B and he need to also work on the weaknesses of his opponent and exploit it like Mourinho did vs Man city.We hope for the best this season and lets keep the faith.
Jambug,
“It really wasn’t such a bad day after all ”
I would suggest you leave the jokes up to Brickfields . His are much funnier:)
Mutiu jimoh
yep, and we’re one point behind £500 Million spending Chelsea and one in front of £500 Million spending City because Wenger hasn’t got a clue what he’s doing.
Honestly !
Hello Tom.
I was just reading your first whinge over on the other thread. I’m so pleased you’ve popped over to this one to lighten the mood.
You’re such a joy to have around the place.
Walter, I hope you have a great game whenever it is this weekend, I’ll have the ref preview for the midweek game with you on Monday. I’m going back to knocking holes in my walls for new power points. Far more producing and therapeutic after today’s performance. Oh mad an early night, I can already hear the MOTD gloating and don’t want to have to see it as well.
Groundhog day. Big game and we dont show up. 150 million in the bank and one slow striker thats all we got. It will not change until Wenger moves up, makes way for a new manager who actually puts a team out spot on and ready for the battle out there. He is responsible for the team performance and he has lost it. Seen enough of it now and wont care until Wenger is gone. TY for everything but show some balls and resign. You can serve the Club well from a directors position.
My mistake Tom, it was the fountain of joy that is Rupert Cook I was admiring over there.
Still you’re so Omni present it’s quite freaky
Tom
Sperez
Rupert
All in the room. Deep joy !!!!!
Oops, I forgot Marchand.
Stinking the place out like 4 turds in a phone box.
I think I’m still managing to stay happier and remain more positive today than they manage after a win.
I really really just don’t understand why they bother !!
@jambug, I know you’re fed up because we’re always right. I don’t bother having a go at Wenger much on here because I know it’s pointless and anyway dear old Wenger he never lets me down. Every year since about 2007 Arsenal have crumbled in crucial games. Nothing’s changed.
What I don’t understand is why Wenger suddenly changed a successful recipe, that is a strong tall pacey team to one that is slow and passes the ball around endlessly trying to mimic Barcelona. Not a bad team to copy but if you want to be like that you have to have a team full of technically gifted players and having Messi helps too. Another thing that Barca do well is press the opposition tirelessly which is something we are not proficient in. So the former model won us lots of trophies and the latter has won us nothing. I mean I know it’s worth persisting in what you believe in but surely common sense tells you that if it doesn’t work try fixing it.
Rupert Cook.
Of course you are.
Jambug
Perhaps you forgot but most of my posts are actually very complementary to Mr Wenger and Arsenal players , especially when they put in the effort.
If you see something factually incorrect in my original post , I will be more than happy to acknowledge it.
So go ahead , read it again and get back to me later on , perhaps when you turn fourteen 🙂
@jambug, I was joking when I said I was always right but forgot to add a smiley.
Oh lord the same moaners are back!!!
Well beaten today, take on the chin and move on.
What’s all the whining about? Its 3 points dropped, that’s all….it isn’t any of the following:
1) The end of our season,and title hopes,
2) Wenger’s fault,Kroenke’s fault, the Board’s fault …just the players’ fault,
3) Typical of the gunners so far this season,
4) Proof that we are pretenders,
5) Proof that the AAA, represented by Marchand,Rupert,Tom or any other troll are right,
6) We are desperately in need of a new manager,
7) Bound for relegation,
8) Lack depth,
9) Lack British steel,
10)Will never recover from this terrible blow,
11)Need a complete new team,
12)Should have bought a new striker in the TW….
I challenge ANY AAA cretin to debate any true UA Gooner on the above or any other AFC topic they think they know something about, basing their arguments on facts not knee-jerk whines and joyfully dire apocalyptic hyperbole devoid of any real content. I rarely try to predict our next few games but I am willing to bet that we will see a very motivated, driven, committed performance in our next few games and we can thank Liverpool for that kick up the ass we need to ensure we over-perform.
Here is what this game really means:
1)City just dropped 2 points, Chelsea won today so we are still in it big time,
2)The players were shite, it happens, but lets move on to our next win,
3)thge gunners have been the most consistent team and top of the league for most of the season,
4)We are NOT pretenders, we are potential championsand now is our chance to prove it,
5)The AAA will always be shite, petty minded little losers even when we win,
6)We have the best manager right now and had better hope he stays,
7)We are now in 2nd place…..no risk of relegation,
8)We have 5 key players out injured…they might have made a difference today, they did when we beat this same team 2-90 at the Emirates,
9)Our steel turned to rubber today, but it is still British,
10)This is the stepping stone to better and greater things for those who believe in the Arsenal,
11)We are fine with what we have, we’ll need to bring a better attitude and workrate next game, that’s all,
12)There were no reasonable options in the TW, it is now history…we move on.
Watch what happens over the next few games…that will say more than anything else about who we are…..
Oops, meant 2-0 at the Emirates!
Somebody posted earlier that we were leading the league in 2008 when suddenly everything came falling down. Hence, my comment about the downward spiral. I’m sure our manager knows and will respond this coming Wednesday. Best of luck to us!!
@OMG Arsenal slight over reaction don’t you think? Oh and when does it become the manager’s fault? I mean he picked the team so I guess he picked the wrong one or is he absolved of all blame?
Well I fully expect us to be motivated after a 5-1 thrashing and our gk saying how embarrassing our performance was. It’s a shame though that we weren’t motivated before the game.
Anyway I found a £2.50 record today that’s worth £60 so I ain’t too bothered. There’s more to life than football.
You can also be over motivated going in to a game. And when then the first ball goes in from the opponents it can cause a huge decompression. Maybe that is what happened to us.
I remember also before the match was the main talking point: stop Suarez. And maybe the focus was too much on Suarez and in a way we can say we stopped him as he didn’t score. But on the other had we forgot to mark the others and Skrtel took advantage of that twice in the opening 10 minutes leaving us in trouble.
Want to say the untold is a site i really like for its anylyses and features. So i keep coming back but i stick by my opinion that by all the good things happening at the club there is something horribly wrong when it comes to a winning attitude. Now to the football. If u remember the great afc teams under wenger. The had speed and power plus skill. Now we have the slowest defender in the league with BFG, the slowest striker in the league, and Arteta probably teh slowest player in the whole league, Carzola is not quick and Sagna is not getting faster either.But at least we got 150 million in the bank. btw have no clue why monreal is ahead of gibbs.
Because Arsene Wenger is a coach and i am not, i will concede to his belief that the Arsenal squad is strong and doesn’t need addition. But i Must quickly note that Arsene Wenger is a bloody bloody bloody Liar. Quality strikers were available to be bought in the winter window. At least Fulham got Mitroglou, who we were linked with earlier in the window, Babartov was available. Yes these players are not the top top quality players but they can add something to our squad at least in the meantime.
Now from wengers belief something tells me that if this squad is as perfect as he says, then his TACTICS is the main problem followed closely by his stubbornness. Again I am not a coach but i will outline a couple of things Wenger got wrong in this game and the previous game against Man City.
1. As great as the Mert-Kos defensive partnership is, it will ALWAYS crumble against teams with pace, and intelligent coaches can exploit it to our detriment as Brendan Rodgers did against us today. Arsenal should have started with Vermaleen instead of Arteta in the Midfield. Don’t forget our full backs plays more of midfield roles than Defensive roles, they are more of wing backs and we end up most times with just the two defenders at the back. Now that works for teams that are not as potent attacking wise, but can NEVER and will NEVER curtail teams with the pace and fire power of Liverpool and City. Play Vermaleen in the Defensive Midfield role and let him join up with the two other Central Backs when we are defending to compensate for Par’s lack of pace. That way the devastating effect of our wing backs foray upfront will be minimised as there will be an extra man at the back. We won’t be the first, Chelsea does it with David Luiz, United with Phil Jones, City with Demicheles and so forth. We keep the back tight and thereby frustrate their attacking players, who will eventually tire out anyways, towards the end of the game you can replace vermaleen or any other tiring defender with a proper midfielder hoping the opponents strikers will be tired and we can dominate for the rest of the game. Vermaleen is an Arsenal player and he is not as bad as we make him out to be. Any player who is been left on the bench for a while will definitely have to battle with loss of confidence and there is no better way to re integrate Vermaleen into the team than playing him in a role where he can play without handbrakes and fear as he will realise there are still players behind him to clean up his mess, if any.
2. Wilshere had no business starting in this game. Arsenal had something great going from our last game against Crystal Palace and thats the form Alex Oxlade Chamberlain was showing in a central midfield position. This guy makes our game tick anytime he plays there. I still remember the AC Milan game with nostalgia. The Ox playing in central midfield scored a goal, assisted another and was brought down for a penalty which resulted in the third goal. He got injured in the second half and we stopped scoring. He was thereafter never played in that position again till the last game of last season, when he replaced the injured Arteta and in my opinion did better than Arteta could have done. The Ox is brilliant on the ball, very disciplined and with great pace. I rate him better than Wilshere on form for that position at the moment and he should have started there against Liverpool this afternoon and hold the position till the return of Ramsey who is by far our best player in the role at the moment. Lets give the Ox a string of games in the central midfield position and see how it goes. Playing him there would have definitely made a difference today. We practically had NO midfield whatsoever today. Arteta and Wilshere were absent. Arteta lacks the pace and right behind him is per who is also not one of the fastest defenders, that was a recipe for disaster in a team that has Suarez, Coutino, Sturridge and Sterling – All extremely pacey players. If Arsenal had started with the Ox in the centre that would have created a space for Podolski or even Gnabry to start. At least these are two guys who can create something out of nothing and guess what? they were BOTH watching FROM THE BENCH. Giroud is a decent striker but his style of play require there be a more lethal finisher play slightly in front of him. Podolski is our ONLY option at the moment in this role. The reason he has not being successful in the role is because he plays too deep in the midfield to be useful upfront and he’s also not a very pact midfielder. He plays deep in the midfield because there is no Giroud to hold up play and set him up. He is not a Suarez that can take the ball from the midfield and set himself up. Again i agree completely with Wenger that we have a crop of decent players that can do the Job but that then makes me to question his astuteness and formation when the Job doesn’t get done, which IS ALWAYS the case against big teams.
3. Our problem today was not due to a lack of strikers > i make bold to say that a Falcao or Cavani or Costa could not have made much difference in the Arsenal set up today. Because we barely created anything, we just always held the ball up until they get it from us and move on again. We created practically nothing in this game for any striker of note that make any meaningful impact. The base of creativity lies with the ability of the two holding midfielders to dominate the game and control it. Their ability to put us in the drivers seat for a good part of the game, a la Yaya Toure for city. Have you noticed that we have not been winning big games since Arteta took over as our deepest lying holding midfielder? and to think he is now on the other side of 30 call to question the judgement of most Arsenal fans about our greatest need in this team. We will not win any big game until we have the right personnel to dominate the midfield play in those games.
4. Arsenal have lost our attacking edge in the process of finding defensive solidity. We now have a tradition of starting the game very defensively and try to win in the second half. But do you notice that against city and Liverpool they came in and put the game past us before the end of the first half. There is a need for a balance. Mourinho’s edge over Wenger is the fact that he is a master at fielding the best players in his squad to do the Job at hand. Left to Wenger he will play the same 11 players and same formation week in week out irrespective of the opponent. I consider that less intelligent. We need to find a balance asap.
Finally, i don’t think the most critical requirement in this Arsenal squad is an addition, but i think an overall change of strategy by Arsene Wenger. Now that we can’t add any player anymore for now, he needs to get more creative and change his strategy especially when we play against the big teams. If not it will be eventually clear to everyone that his ways and tactics is the issue and not the players we have or don’t have.
The amazing human quality of wanting to be right, regardless of the cost.
Can’t just everybody be sad about the result and the way it all turned out? I mean – practically everything worked for the radio thieves, taking nothing away from their 250% output; like Walter said, we were less than 100% for the first half, for sure; we need to be honest and admit that it could’ve been worse with the 2 sure misses Liverpool had in the first half. But for an Arsenal fan to bask in this defeat is just silly.
I mean do you all realize how this sounds? Whenever we win, the untold regulars go “I told you so” with the pessimistic dudes; and then we have a crappy game all of the pessimos feel the urge to “I told you so” the optimos; It’s a cycle of vicious violence ! Well maybe I went overboard here.
AND YES I feel like the top jinx ranting before that I get upset about the team not giving 100% but to be honest (BJT this is for you matey :-D) I didn’t get upset at the team today because it was like a nightmare, something unreal, and I think that this is how the players reacted to it, to. They didn’t believe and didn’t snap out of it. We played Liverpool and better teams than Liverpool this season, and this shouldn’t have happened and I am sure it will not happen again. On of those days.
On to Wednesday, to a positive result, we ARE 1 point adrift of the KGB, who WILL lose points. Fear not, despair not my brothers, nothing is lost until the fat lady sings. COYG
Sidenote: the way the commentators were just loving it, made me sick, sounded like their are bloody w***ing each other off. Appaling.
I am confident we will respond at home against manure on Wednesday. Judging by the players reaction on social media no extra motivation will be needed. Four games in a row at home to come now- exciting (and expensive) times! Commiserations to those fans who traveled in that weather today, you did the club proud
GO,
Vermaelen is still out injured so he couldn’t play him like you proposed. Mind you I wouldn’t mind it trying it out even once.
Walter,
In your experience as a referee, was Gerrard kindly treated by not receiving a red or yellow card after the penalty?
For goodness sake, why can’t we all just agree that Liverpool played well today and we had a bad day rather than going on listing myriads of reasons in overly long analysis of why the team has lost for the 4th time in 25 matches? All of a sudden everybody is an expert on defending and Arsene Wenger is a novice.
We had a bad day and our opponents had a glorious one. It happens. Let it go.
Onward to the next game.
Bad day at the office. Simple as. This was the exception and not the rule.
Who have had the worst two weeks?
Man City = 1 pt out of 6 or Arsenal = 3 pts out of 6?
Just saying. Wouldn’t want to distort any perspective or anything like that.
No blame can be put on any one Arsenal player today. It looks to me like there was NO preparation for this game at all. We were completely ineffective, as Walter said, like we were on sleeping tablets, (maybe Pool’s away team refreshments should be checked? OK, OK.)
Anyway, i do not feel as bad now as i thought i would at half-time.
I hope this is the proverbial KICK up the butt, that we need, to CONCENTRATE and not to let the GOAL slip away.
So, looking forward to Wed.
@ GO
“Finally, i don’t think the most critical requirement in this Arsenal squad is an addition, but i think an overall change of strategy by Arsene Wenger. Now that we can’t add any player anymore for now, he needs to get more creative and change his strategy especially when we play against the big teams. If not it will be eventually clear to everyone that his ways and tactics is the issue and not the players we have or don’t have.”
Sadly this is a fact, AW is not a tactical manager, and i can’t see him changing now, this is why i say we did not prepare for this game, or any game really. This is the manager we have and we have to accept it, it took me a while too. Tactical changes were needed at 3.0 and they did not come, so we lost, and heavy.
All i want is to thrash, YES thrash Manu on Wed. We need to hand out a thrashing now. OK, it’s a personal wish.
The self hammers are out in force, on talk ins and social media, howling in their self pity,seeking therapy, seeking justification, living their lives and their clear shortcomings through a football club. Desperate for a trophy, not so much for the enjoyment that may bring, but for some a trophy is clearly some sort of penis substitute. A statement of their own adequacy that they can only achieve through bragging rights. Pathetic. And they call wenger a whinger…..and the players mentally weak.
And no more lunchtime kick offs please!
This team will turn things around this week, as they have done before in the last year.
So we lost against ManUre, ManCity, Liverpool and drew against maureen;thats already 11 points lost to so-called ‘big teams’. By some people’s estimation we should have been out of the title chase. But we are still in the race and only a one point off at that against two well stocked and in-form team.
I blame mr wenger for this defeat due to a failure to set up appropriate tactics to slow down big opponent in the field, why Arsenal doesn’t have plan B ? the fantasy attacking football and ball possession are the only powers we have to win the games, so what about defend and counterattack? what about good pressing? like a kids playing PES we just enjoy to attack and attack and more attack, you need to play chess some time mr wenger like mourinho did last week, for god sake teach your team to defend with 10 man in some essential part of the game, thats why we have conceded hell of a goals facing big four. fantasy football needs 10 box to box untiring player which i think we have 2 or 3, fantasy football needs natural born striker that we lost two season ago, with podolsky giroud and bendtner we are not gonna win the trophy. so lets be realistic about our powers and manage it.
Thanks Walter, OMG and others for helpful points.
On to the next match!
I forget we are not allowed to criticise the players, the club or the manager and if you do then u r not allowed to comment on this site b’coz that is the democracy of this website. or u are a troll. Amazing how stuck up some of you are:
1) Are you ready to accept that we should have taken at least 1 risk/gamble in the Jan TW?;
2) That when it really really matters, Wenger is a lame duck; and
3) We can forget any sucess this season – no silverware. NO PROBLEM. We like it like that.
Ridiculous…….
What a game of HUGE consequence is the WEDNESDAY nighter….
Wenger is probably nonplused whilist slurping his Pinot Noir and the players will prbably go out on the razz a’ la last week after the Palace game for an all night drinks bender to celebrate Carl Jenkinson’s b’day.
So much for being desparate to win the title.
Seems to me people forgetting that it is the same players bar Ramsey that we bit soundly at home. And because the score line is embarrassing it doesn’t mean everything was wrong on tactics or preparation.
Fact is our midfielders they were not fighting for they life.They were very slow in attack, duels, ball possession everything or anything I can remember.
The manager prepare the players as always and I don’t see what he suppose to do when we are two goal down in few minutes at the start of the game.
I do see some people picking on Arteta.True is slow but we won games too with him.Beside that I can’t remember anything that Arteta did wrong individually. Sterling was to hot for the BFG.
The entire team was abnormally slow bar the Ox.
The good thing is I am so happy that we draw with Liverpool (FA) because I am sure we are going to slaughter them with the same players but determined ones .
See you then you great keyboard managers
I think you have to say it how it is ashamed at the performance today
And I think all of the. Team needs to take a long hard look at themselves
Something is not right and mr. Wenger needs to sort it quickly
Otherwise the season could be over before we know it.
The first half against Southampton was on the same scale we were lucky not to be 3-0 down in that game .
Just seen Alan shearer have the most unpleasant media orgasm on motd. Very unsavoury
And did they really have to show a shot of Arsene Wenger falling over at the station, giving Gary Lineker the opportunity to say, ‘How are the mighty fallen!’? Pretty low stuff.
The media scent blood, when not indulging in the Jose wankfest that is.
We are not finished yet.
@Go, good post.
@Para, well you won’t get far against the best teams without being flexible with tactics. Much as I loathe Mourinho he knows how to outwit opponents changing formation when it’s needed.
You’re right Mandy. Alan shearer has got such a beautiful punch face. MOTD no class at all. I can’t watch it anymore. Michael Owen must be having multiple orgasms. Alan hensen must have money shot himself… My phone was full of text of abuse… Ahhhh!
You cannot play the same way against every team..end of. I think we are very fortunate to have Arsene Wenger as a manager and he has put the club on an extremely sound financial and playing footing BUT tactically????
Yesterday was a bad day in office and as always shit happens.
But i would like to be on @GO’s side slightly,really if Varmaleen is not injured we should bring him in with such matches.
Le Prof have to change tactfully and if we need to be back we need changes,Giroud is good but we need some one faster and tricky up front if we need to get back on track,this was a good wake up call for us,a stitch in time……..
Bootoomee
“Why can’t Man City win against these poor teams”
It’s actually very simple. Man City are a very dynamic team who play a direct style of football and are ill suited to breaking down teams that “Park the bus”.
Arsenal on the other hand , play a positional passing game with a lot of interchanging midfielders , who are very hard to keep track of when on their game.
Man City flourish in transition when other teams go forward leaving their back line unprotected. Games against Man U , Tottenham and Arsenal prime examples.
Arsenal struggle against high tempo , high pressing teams like Southampton for example , who could’ve done a “Liverpool “on us in the first 20 minutes if they had taken their chances .
On the balance of things , there are more teams in PL that tend to “park the bus” than play high pressing high tempo football , so Arsenal should have a greater chance of success than Man City even with all their fire power.
That’s why , if you remember , I picked Arsenal to win the title this year and even though we lost our best offensive player in Walcott , I still believe we can . Don’t tell that to that thick friend of yours Jambug. I wouldn’t want to ruin his image of me 🙂
You see , this is when you and I agree. Consistency is what is going to win the league in the end , and normally losing to Liverpool away wouldn’t be a big deal but not like this.
This was embarrassing and Mr Wenger and the players now it. A loss like that could be detrimental to our players’ confidence in future matches.
As to your other comment suggesting I should take over for Mr Wenger, I’m flattered .Let me look at my schedule and see if I’m available.
No! Sorry Im busy .
“Giroud is good but we need some one faster and tricky up front if we need to get back on track,this was a good wake up call for us,a stitch in time…”
Kampala Gun,
Very true, but, imo, the time for that stitch has been since August. I value a lot of what Giroud does, and he does have a track record of endurance in other league – though less physical leagues than EPL. My feeling is that we’ve also needed that complementary (not replacement) striker for Ozil to maximize the killer ball dimension of his game which, methinks, also needs the pace of someone who – that would be Theo – can get behind defenses to receive that masterly through pass.
I am calm … as we are just one point behind the leader.
Last 14 games:
10 wins 2 draws 2 losses = 30 + 2 + 0 = 32 points;
55 + 32 = 87 points? Enough to win the title?
Then it is up to our lads to bounce back and win the next game.
Points will be dropped by all four Top-4 teams.
And for the last 2 seasons, we finished strongly and remain unbeaten for the last 12 games or so.
Losing at Anfield may be just a blip … like we lost 2-1 at WHL last season; and then beat Bayern Munich and went on an unbeaten run.
Come what may; win, lose or draw, I will like to see our lads went down swinging, fighting with every breathe in their bodies, instead of rolling over in this closed title race.
“Arsene has always analysed the game of every player so as to bring him to reflection and progress,” says Thuram. “He remains a formateur, an educator. Coaches sometimes forget that they are there to shape.”
Simon Kuper (2011) “Soccer Men”
We lost the game……I don’t know what happened. First 30 mins it was not Arsenal. We as a team were culpable for that. Helped by a ref in a small way…..
Players should take responsibility for such a poor performance. And I have seen enough in this team that they will. And they will make amendments as early as Wednesday…..
Good thing is that we don’t have to live with this AAA and Media crap.
Go gunners bounce back…..
@Merlion96, have you abandoned AT? You are selling snakeoil on here.
@Tom, very good. I would go further though. It’s been said by ex Arsenal players that Wenger doesn’t study the opposition. Now you can get away with this when your team is stuffed with talent like the 98 team was or the Invincibles. And you can also get away with it when your team is packed with players who have won trophies and have that extra self-belief that that imbues. This Arsenal side is inferior to those previous sides and has no experience of winning any trophy.
If you are a general in a war you don’t beat the opposing army by ignoring its strengths especially when that army is superior to yours or, as plainly obvious yesterday, employs a game plan that counteracts your team’s approach.
If Arsenal want to beat Chelsea, and I strongly believe that we have to, Wenger needs to become a tactician. Chelsea are a superior team and the way to beat them is to be smart with tactics, not just play the same way because Mourinho knows our game inside out.
The one thing about our team is it thrives on possession. Liverpool knew this and harried and harassed our players. What we appear to do badly is learn how to cope without the ball. We do not intimidate opponents enough when we don’t have the ball. Liverpool often had three players attacking one Arsenal player and too many of our players like to dwell on the ball. The lack of desire when we didn’t have the ball was shameful.
Unless Wenger decides to employ cunning rather than blind belief in his style of football they’ll be no reward at Stamford Bridge.
@OMG addressing some of your second list of 12 points.
6. Disagree.
7. Ridiculous comment. Even if Redknapp was in charge we wouldn’t get relegated. No Arsenal fan, whether he fawns over Wenger or thinks he’s a busted flush ever thinks we’ll be relegated.
8. Which five key players are injured? Ramsey and Walcott are two. Which other three? Diaby, who has been an injury problem for years and that should have been addressed. Vermaelen, who blows hot and cold. And Sanogo who has barely played one half. Maybe I’ve forgotten someone.
12. Really, you know this do you? I strongly suspect that if we were five or sixth points off fourth we’d have found a couple of players because one thing we’re good at is being reactive. But complacency sets in when we’re doing well. We have huge financial resources and could have found someone if we were desperate. Berbatov was available for one thing and poor old Giroud could do with a little help up front.
I hate to loose, not by 5 goals. But look @ it this way, we have manure next game. Maybe this is a blessing in disguise? Bouldy will give a good kicking up the players arse to get their act together. We need to win the next game. End off!
Walter,
May I have your comments on my 7.50p.m. of yesterday?
Chelsea showed how to beat Man City..Liverpool showed how to beat Arsenal. This run of fixtures was always going to be the real test. Not a great start but any team with ambition to win the premiership has to bounce back. Did anyone notice yesterday that Liverpool played with two skilfull, mobile forwards, backed up with pace on the flanks. The back four pushed up into our midfield and stopped our passing game. We only got time and space when they were four goals in front. What did we do differently? to combat this pretty predictable event. If Man U, Chelsea, Bayern and Man City play this way against us what tactical changes will Wenger make? Let our eyes be our guide on Wednesday
Is it possible that like mourinho against city, that rodgers got his tactics spot on? Many on here were ecstatic city had been picked apart because it played into our hands, now we are on the recieving end, the Gallantry with which we saluted mourinho seems to have evaporated without a trace.
A sound thrashing every so often is good for the soul (non catholics may disagree but i will brook no argument on the matter from the ruling classes!), it should bring us down a peg or two, i remember most of last week the club and the press (even Walter was at it) were lauding the Kos – Merte pairing, how fitting then that we ship 5 goals before the week was out.
It is often said that if you wanna make God Laugh, tell him your plans. There will be other heavy defeats, there will be good times too, just remember not to count your chickens, remember Bradford? always remember Bradford.
Right off to Arsenal Player to get my second dose of the liverpool “discipline” (in catholicism, a discipline is the whip you use to scourge your own or a loved one’s back).
@OMGArsenal
Now if you would just cut out the silly AAA name calling I would agree with most of what you write!
Nicky,
didn’t see the question. Coming late in the challenge it was a yellow card. Not a red one as there was no immediate scoring chance or it was not done with excessive force. But it sure should have been a yellow card.
I pray that something good comes out of the Liverpool loss, i.e, relieving us of a little pressure. Better to go under the radah a bit, until such a time when we have played all the big games and suddenly people realise we are back on top, with only a few games left. I pray!
@ AAA Cook,
Chelsea have beaten the “big” sides, which Arsenal fails to do; plus their manager seems to do “tactics”, which is something Wenger can’t grasp. Why don’t you go support them (if you don’t already?), as they seem to meet your criteria, and stop trolling this site.
Also, you mumbled your way through explaining why Bayern and Borussia aren’t “big”, in your view. You make all this noise after yesterday’s result, yet I can’t seem to recall your comments when we played Liverpool off the park at the emirates.
Again, we know you! You’ve been posting “positive”, albeit sarcastic, comments when we win, in order to build up some fake credibility, for us to tolerate your anti-Arsenal bullshit every time we have these fluke results.
Tom. (And others of a like mind)
It’s not that you don’t make some valid points because you do. It’s that, Like Rupert, Sperez and others of the same ilk, no matter what happens you always, always put a negative spin on things. When we have great results you either disappear or at best give scant praise. When we ‘scrape a win’ you find the negatives to highlight. When we lose narrowly, it’s importance is blown out of all proportion. When we get stuffed you have a wank fest.
That’s why I don’t like your views.
Any valid point you do make is lost in the fog of contempt and dislike you have for Wenger. It shines through in every visit you make to this site.
You may think my posts are tainted with the same ‘fog’ of admiration and trust for Wenger. It probably is. Which is why I stick to this site.
This sights mantra is for people like me, that take a positive overall view on Wenger and Arsenal. As a rule we always want to give them the benefit of the doubt.
It doesn’t mean we think everything’s right but we would much rather focus on the good points than accentuate the bad. That’s just the way we are.
We have trust. You don’t.
I visit this site because I enjoy and agree with it’s pro Wenger stance.
The question is why do you when you most certainly don’t ?
There’s other sights that your views would be welcomed with open arms. So why don’t you go there, then you wouldn’t have to put up with 13 year old idiots like me?
I don’t go there because I want to chat with like minded people and not people with entrenched polar opposite views.
It’s like Jazz fans going to a take that gig. I mean WHATS THE POINT !!!
You can only be here with one purpose, to be a wind up. Unless, as I’ve said before, you think your on some kind of mission to enlighten us poor deluded soles.
Well that’s very kind of you but I’d rather you went off to chat with like minded souls. I’m sure you’d be happier. I know I would !!
Walter et al….
What’s your tale on my points from last night please?
Tom,
Your attempt to be reasonable and find common ground got lost the moment you deviate to insult my friend,jambug. Your whole comment has nothing to do with him but your inability to write without calling one of the smartest commenters on Untold “thick” says more about you than him.
My comment about Man city not being able to beat smaller team was tongue in cheek. Of course they beat smaller teams but they fail far more than Arsenal to beat smaller teams just as Arsenal fails more than them to beat bigger teams. In the end it does not really matter as all points lost, irrespective of opposition, count for the same.
You called our loss yesterday embarrassing but what is really embarrassing is the reaction of folks like you to the team’s bizarre 18 minutes performance. It happens and I’m sure that in your personal life you would have been there before. I couldn’t help but laugh at the high number of tactical experts providing unsolicited advice on what AW should have done. Talk about about hubris! If these experts know so much about football tactics how come they aren’t managing a team but can only rant on the Internet?
Arsenal had a bad day, Liverpool had a great one. Let it go and just support the team.
Pierce Holt,
first : you comment appeared even when you said it wouldn’t.
1) Are you ready to accept that we should have taken at least 1 risk/gamble in the Jan TW? WHO?
2) That when it really really matters, Wenger is a lame duck. Is that a fact or what? Or just a cheap shot Wenger?
3) We can forget any sucess this season – no silverware. NO PROBLEM. We like it like that. SO YOU GIVE UP ALREADY? Your obviously not used to any set backs in being a supporter.
Pierce,
in fact my complete answer is in the next article: Man up and get behind the team.
Fair dinkum?
@Walter,
Thanks for that.
@Wengerson, now now little child get back into your cot and sup on your mummy’s nipple, you need a little comfort diddums.
I’ll tell how I see it and it ain’t changed in years. Arsenal fail every time they are asked the hard questions. The one constant in all this is one man.
Jambug
Your assessment of my postings after wins ,draws or losses is factually incorrect ( I suggest you check the archives) and therefore anything you say afterwards is meaningless .
As for why I’m on here ? ,… you see it’s like this . I provide a very valuable service to people like you who are very angry with Arsenal players and Mr Wenger for getting embarrassed by Liverpool but aren’t honest enough to admit it, and my honest and factual comments provide a release valve for your anger and frustration so you don’t go out and shoot up a movie theater or a shopping mall 🙂
AAA Cook
Trust me, we know how you see it.
You seem to ignore this “hard question” though:
“Why don’t you go support them (if you don’t already?), as they seem to meet your criteria, and stop trolling this site?”
Oh, and if yesterday, against Liverpool, was a “hard question”, I wonder where you’d categorize the 2-0 at the emirates…
Tom
Of course not Tom. You’re a constant source of positivity and Joy.
Jambug, Your comment at 11:26 was spot on. Certain assholes are just too negative for my tastes also. This is a pro-Wenger site, But they feel the need to bash him at every opportunity. I don’t understand it, No team is gonna win each and every match. There were some morons who complained that the Invincibles drew too many matches. Imagine that. A team goes 26 wins and 12 draws and they are not satisfied. We are in 2nd place and 1 point behind the team ahead of us and they are pissed the fuck out of all hell. One loss and the sky is falling down as chicken little once said. If these cretins are gonna act like chickens, there is another team in North London they should support.
Rupert Cook
February 9, 2014 at 7:17 am
@Merlion96, have you abandoned AT? You are selling snakeoil on here.
Yes, I had abandoned AT … permanently.
Jambug they are trolls. Einstein theory: weak people revenge (AAA) strong people forgive (me) intelligent people ignore (Jambug). You’re better Than that (Thing Rupert sperez Tom of the same body).
Come on guys. Liverpool are just happens to be a much better team that day. Everything happens for them. Genius tactical manoeuvre from Rogers. Arsenal were poor in fact very poor. Nevertheless, a chance to learn and improve in the next game. At least the fans know how important is Flamini and Ramsey in midfield. Realy feel for Arteta. Im sure he tried his best but age realy caught up with him. The whole team just went against the best team in EPL based on form. A bad day in office. Just remember whenever we as individuals go through the same bad patch in life, what do we need the most in the dark period? Support and encouragement. If we truly believe this team, we should not give up at all. Im sure the players will response at Man Utd game. I wonder how the fans will response. Please, and I beg you people, please support the team unconditionally and stick with them all the way. At least leave your comments and judgement at the end of the season. Go gunners!
Walter,
I can see one thing in common with the defeats and poor showings:
The players seem to be hesitating; granted that the boss selects intelligent players, they occasionally look like they are trying to process too much “internal” and ‘external” information. I do like what Bould has brought to the first team, but it looks like we have recently lacked fluency in our offensive movement. AW is notorious for asking his players to play at their natural best, but they were over-thinking their movement during the game. Ozil in particular looks like he is over-analyzing some of his game; the illustration was that lobbed pass from Giroud that he was late to react to while he was in prime position.
Gibbs could have been a better fit than Monreal, but we do not know if he was fully recovered to the point that he could go for the full ninety. Vermaelen could have been an option, with per getting some rest, but he failed to make the bench. Midfield selections were more or less unavoidable, as some of the players on the bench were not 100%. Yet, the players who started failed to react to an unjust goal: a very soft foul call followed by an offside goal. usually, when these things happen, Per would yell at some player, and the team would rally; Per did probably utter some Teutonic expletives to him self, but we lacked the public shouting to get the wake up call. Again, we lost the game for multiple reasons, but taking charge did not happen.
The boss must be dismayed, but failing to rally led to the other goals. Next Sunday, we have the opportunity to send the sneaky Mugmashers back home after a clinical 2-0. COYG.
Whenever so many people come and say Bould is the reason we have suddenly found defensive stability whenever we go on a run of conceding 1 goal in 5 or a similar run, let me tell them after the last 3 games we have conceded 7 , so now I’ll say bould is the reason we are conceding too many. If he gets the credit for conceding less goals he should also be given the stick when we concede more, especially 4 in 20 mins.
r.iris,
Good point. Reminds me of early last season when our defence was tight and we were told it’s Bould’s doing. Then we started conceding and we were told it’s because AW, out of spiteful jealousy, had taken the defensive coaching responsibilities off Bould. Then the defence got tight again (after Kos and Per have gelled) and we were told that AW had seen the error of his ways and has put Bould back in charge.
To the Wenger haters, Bould can’t lose and Arsene can’t win. But it is always good when folks like you notice their flip-flopping.
My biggest disappointment, is the form of Ozil.