By Walter Broeckx
Alexis and Özil starting again and also Coquelin back in the team after his one match suspension.
Starting team: Ospina, Chambers, Mertesacker, Gabriel, Gibbs, Elneny, Coquelin, Campbell, Özil, Alexis, Giroud
On the beach: Macey, Bellerin, Monreal, Flamini, Iwobi, Walcott, Welbeck.
Arsenal with most of the ball in the opening minutes. Alexis to Giroud who was inches offside judged the assistant and the opening goal from Arsenal was cancelled.
Ref Marriner calls a foul against Gabriel, the one that is never given when Giroud or more specific Ozil is at the receiving end. At the other end a low cross from Gibbs but a defender just before Campbell on the ball. A low cross from Chambers but Pantillon can cut out the danger.
Arsenal with the possession and Watford speculating on the counter. Per with a few good interceptions to prevent Watford from getting really dangerous. Gabriel and Treeney both going in with 200 % commitment for a 50/50 ball, lucky noone really harmed. Elneny alone in front of Pantimillon but he shoots wild over the crossbar. A pass to 3 team mates in space might have been a better option.
Elneny with another shooting attempt but the ball takes a big deflection and ends up in the arms of the Watford keeper. A Watford player leaning all over Özil and this time no foul for the ref…. come one this is getting a bit ridiculous you know. Giroud again being called back for being just offside. Özil with some very fancy footwork past two defenders, to Campbell who lays it off to Elneny but again the Egyptian his shot is off target. Özil to Campbell but his lob goes over the Watford goal. We should have been well in front by now. Pantilimon gets a yellow card for time wasting in the 43th minute. Arsenal by far the better team but no score in the first half.
A header from Giroud but just over the crossbar after a corner from Özil. A throw in for Watford end up in front of the feet if Ighalo who turns and shoots past Ospina. 0-1 to Watford after 50 minutes. Against the run of play but football is about scoring.
Ighalo with another shot but over the goal this time. A shot from Elneny but directly at the keeper. Giroud being pulled back clearly but the ref ignores it… but not when an Arsenal player uses his arms of course. Nothing against a good call but why so one sided at times? Giroud can be fouled without anything being called now. Ighalo again dangerous on a Watford counter but he just can’t get to the ball. Watford being allowed to handle the ball but luckily Ighalo spills the ball. Campbell with a cross and Giroud pokes it it but against the Watford keeper who can catch the rebound.
What looked a foul on Özil in midfield, not given of course, Watford can counter. Deeney lays it off to who Guediora who hammers it in the top of the goal. 0-2 for Watford after 64 minutes.
At the other end it was more a matter of just not. Campbell witha low cross but Giroud can’t put it over the line and it goes in to a corner. Giroud then misses his volley after the corner.
Changes for Arsenal Elneny, Campbell and Giroud going off and Welbeck, Walcott and Iwobi coming on. Pantimilon first on the ball just before Walcott. Özil having enough of the falls on himself not being called and goes in hard and then the ref calls a foul and gives him a yellow card.
Gibbs with a header but to close to the Watford keeper. Time for more time wasting from Watford with players falling down all over the pitch. A shot from Chambers goes just wide. It seems that only the assistants call fouls on Arsenal players now. The passing just not good enough at times from Arsenal. Coquelin with a an error almost giving Watford a third goal but lucky Ospina could stop the cross. A deflected shot from Alexis goes just wide. Özil with a backheel to Welbeck who finally scores a goal for Arsenal. 1-2 after 88 minutes. Iwobi with a shot that hits the post, the rebound falls to Walcott who gives it to Welbeck…who misses the open goal. Welbeck then with another chance Pantimilon saves and the ref… gives a goal kick…
Only 4 minutes extra time after all that time wasting???? And more time wasting …. with players falling down for nothing.
Arsenal lose because they didn’t take their chances in the first half, Watford did score from their first chance. Playing against a team that is save in the league and for which the FA cup is their really only chance on a trophy proved very difficult. Again the ref refused to give fouls on Özil in particular and if Özil ever leaves Arsenal or the PL it will be because he is sick of the treatment he gets from the refs. The time wasting was once again over the top and wasn’t punished by the ref at all. And in the end when missed again the chances to get at least a replay.
Oh, this is the day that the FA cup is now again a real trophy…. watch out for it….
We were way, way beyond poor. Glad I didn’t go. Nothing positive to say about it.
same cheating different day drifter ref
Steve Claridge:
Ex-Portsmouth striker on BBC Radio 5 live
Posted at 16:30
“You can sum Arsenal’s last 10 years up in that game – start well, fall behind when on top and end strongly.”
I think that sums it up rather well for me. We were the better team, our finishing was terrible whole 90 minutes in fact, then suddenly out of nothing the opposition scores and we fall apart for a few minutes and then finish strong again but too little too late this time.
ClockEndrider.
No we wasn’t.
May a blessing in disguise.
Walter.
I can take that analogy at a pinch but that suggests that we have to play well for the whole 90 minutes and that rarely happens to any team.
I thought we played pretty well and despite some dangerous breakaways we defended them ok.
Ok the first goal was a poor goal to give away but the 2nd goal was a freak. He’ll never hit another like that in his life.
In the mean time I thought we looked like we could score at any moment for just about the entire match.
The fact we didn’t was down to good defending, some poor finishing and a bit of bad luck.
Again, despite everything just a bit of luck would have seen us at least draw and probably win this match.
Gutted, but I will NOT turn on my team for what I saw today.
Nice early start on Saturday for the TV after a Wednesday trip to Barcelona. Send the kids out, the senior players need to give everything to beat Everton, or the season really is over (although Arsenal may end up in a struggle to beat West Ham for the 4th CL spot at this rate).
Poor? Where did u see it as poor? We were unlucky? Yes…wasteful? Yes….. Made stupid mistake? Yes…but poor? Hell no!
And they say why are Arsenal players low on confidence? I say check out their fans…
Another poor game. It took Wenger 60 minutes and 2 goals down to realize that his formation & strategy didn’t work. Then he took Elneny (who’s been effective in flowing the ball forward), not Coquelin, out. That’s when i knew that we’re not gonna win the match. I know that anything could happen in football, but i don’t see that we will get any point in Goodison Park next week. About the visit to Camp Nou,ah…..let’s just hope that we’ll not get butchered by Barcelona.
Sometimes it’s so hard to be an Arsenal’s fan, but how could we throw away the love that runs so deep in our vein? In the end, no matter what, Arsenal will always be our only love. COYG
@Jambug
Actually, we were poor.
A lot of pundits will point a finger at Ozil or Cazorla as the key players of our team and, to certain extent, they are right. But, in matches like these, we miss three players:
-Koscielny, to keep Ighalo at bay,
-Bellerin, to give width to our attack against teams like Watford,
-Monreal, ditto, plus far more committed in defence than Gibbs.
Also, this season is going South for two reasons: 1) PGMO and 2) lack of a top-drawer striker. We simply don’t score goals.
In the last season with Van Persie in the right shirt, we scored 74 goals. Since his departure we haven’t reached those digits and we have Ozil, Cazorla and Alexis.
In order to reach 74 goals this season, we need over three goals per game in the remaining nine matches. In a season where we have failed to find the net 7 times in the league, I highly doubt that’s possible. Most certainly not with either Giroud or Walcott in our attack.
The FA Cup has always been a real trophy and remains one. Fans want it. For those Watford fans it makes their season to be remembered. No different from the fans of other clubs except those at the top of the Premiership.
If you have a section of the fans who do not want it, then you cannot expect the players to want it.
Watford wanted to go to Wembley for the Cup.
Our finishing was poor. But we created enough chances to win this match
I think we took it way to easy until watford scored, it’s plain complacency again, we have to take lower teams seriously as if they were a top team. So disappointed that we couldn’t convert the chances we have, once Watford scored the second goal the team tried very hard, why can’t they just do that at start then relax. Sorry, normally I’m not so vocal about the team but I’m so frustrated and disappointed especially because now it gives the WOBs more ammunition. I really wanted AW and the team to prove all the critics wrong, now it’s so hard to defend.
josif
You’re entitled to your opinion but I don’t agree.
A bit od advice. I would avoid quoting ‘Pundits’ as a source of knowledge josif because that’s the equivalent saying that your understanding of Nuclear physics is acquired from the cast of TOWIE.
Walter
Fair summary. Even given that, a bit of luck would of seen us at least draw.
@Zedsaunt
Players are paid professionals and they have to want it because the club wants it, most of the fans (at least sane ones) want it and, most importantly, their manager wants it. Why I stress out the manager part? Well, most of them would have never been playing at this level had he hadn’t faith in them. Why player D repays the belief and player T doesn’t is a story for May.
Yes, stupid comments of the stupid fans don’t make them feel comfortable but they should rise above. If you know that certain places on the Internet stink, don’t visit them.
Here they come…
@Jambug
That’s why I stated my own opinion that doesn’t match the one of the pundits.
For me, our main strength this season have been full-backs – excellent in defence, excellent going forward. Make the pitch wider when we attack, protect the central defence when we defend. Kudos to Spanish football school.
As you might have noticed, I used statistics to back up my opinion.
The worrying trend has been there since the beginning – our conversion rate hasn’t been good enough from the very beginning, especially against teams that put out a well-disciplined defence (West Ham, Chelsea, Southampton). That means that the basics of the team are more than good enough to win the title but there is the final touch that goes missing week in and out.
josif.
Fair enough.
But I still think we ‘played’ well enough to deserve a win, or at least a draw today.
Poor finishing does not necessarily mean playing poorly.
Not sure what Topanlesmana on about? The substitution almost draw the match. The starting lineup should have won the match except for poor finishing. We were just complacent. Remember there’s 3 tough matches to play in short time, so rotation was necessary.
The players need to convert the chances when playing against teams who park the bus and counter. This need to improve as many of the matches left in PL the opposition will do the same thing.
After Barca match, we will be on even match play with Leicester and Spurs, hope we put all efforts to win the league and not be disappointed with the UCL or FA Cup results.
We were too predictable, too lethargic, sideways backwards passes. We need to mix it a bit. They just sat back breaking up all the passes. It felt like the players knew the goal would be gifted to them. Again shocking defence for the 1st goal. Why the hell do u need 2 defenders sticking to the attackers arse is anyone’s guess!!! Its only when we made the 3 changes that there seemed to be some sort of urgency.
Thinking about it, we may be spared the real AAA torrent of abuse we might normally expect as it would be a tad hypocritical to claim a cup meant nothing one minute, then whinge about getting knocked out of it the next.
But then again whens a touch of hypocrisy ever stopped them ?
We lost this match because Watford scored with the strike of the season and Welbeck didn’t score with the miss of the season.
Quite simple really.
Obviously Wengers fault.
Not sure about you guys, is this zone marking defense good? I rarely see our players put their bodies to block the balls like the lower teams. It’s my opinion but I keep noticing our players fall back into a line and each person take care of their space, could this be changed to man marking? The second goal for Watford was good but our defender stood at a spot and when shot happened, the defender turn to avoid shot. I see a lot of the goals conceded this season because of that. Should they just be brave and run towards or don’t turn to block the ball?
One win in seven games.
All down to bad luck and poor refereeing.
Absolutely nothing to do with Wenger setting up the team in such a predictable style that any half decent manager can work out how to defend against it and then score on the break.
He’s managed to make Ozil and Sanchez look ordinary with his obvious game plan.
If you’re content watching this consistently moribund football then I pity you.
We played well but did not take are chance’s and for me that is the biggest worry of all. Their is no doubt we have hit a bad patch but the game is over and we have to move on and give this team all the support we can. I won’t sat that I’m not gutted because I am but I know a man who will be even more gutted that me and the rest of the Arsenal supporters and I have a feeling if we don’t win anything he will go. I don’t want him to but when he said if we did not beat Hull he would have gone then I just have that gut feeling. Finishing was poor and we need to get that back and fast and if we can manage that then I know we have a real chance of winning this league. It’s time to look forward because what’s done is done but I love my club and will be behind them all the way and Arsene Wenger because that is what I do and will continue to do till the last ball of this season is kicked.
I don’t think the criticism is warranted to be honest. As Walter said now all of a sudden the FA Cup has become a trophy because the Arsenal are out. I think the media have a agenda and will stir up immense hatred between the fans and the manager.
However poor our performance and in particular our finishing, a few key facts which could have been decisive to the result should be observed:
Watford allowed to foul Giroud and Ozil repeatedly, inclusing in run-up to second goal.
Watford keeper persistently wasted enough time to have been given a second yellow.
At least 3 corners for Arsenal mistakenly given as goal-kicks.
Added time nowhere near a reflection of second half, plus added delays in added mi nutes themselves.
The Giroud offside “goal” and the 2 possible penalties are matters for argument rather than facts. However, I would bet that all 3 would have been given against Arsenal.
I find it sickening that people can swallow and regurgitate the media crap and take delight in an Arsenal loss as an excuse to spout their anti-Wenger agenda.
As this season is more or less over, is it time to talk about next year?
I think Wenger is due one last throw of the dice after this season. He will have to spend big though, there is quite a lot of ‘dead wood’ to get rid of, and all the deficiencies of this (and the last few seasons) need to be addressed.
Arguably, he has been let down badly by Walcott and Giroud – although equally, perhaps he was naive to rely on them so much. On the same basis, he has been let down by the slowness, age and frailty of the cover for Coquelin, and (at times) by Coquelin’s youthful inexperience. But these are things I would argue that he should have predicted. Sanchez’s injury could not have come at a worse time, but he has struggled since coming back.
On a positive note there are a number of players (Iwobe, Campbell, Bellerin, Coquelin) who are only going to get better, so there is a solid foundation to build upon. I also think he has improved Danny Welbeck, who is just moving to the age where we might see the best of him. If Arsenal can hang on to Ozil and Sanchez, and do the business in transfers, Arsenal will definitely be in with a shout in the league.
We lost to watford because the starts that started the game were not the right starts the Boss should have started for the match. The starts the Boss started for this FA Cup match against Watford are the starts he will start for the Ucl game against Barca. And now he has tired them. I hope they will still be fresh & strong enough to knockout Barca from the competition on Wed’ night at Camp Nou.
I want to repeat the starts&bench the Boss should have started for the Watford game which I’ve started and posted them at Untold Arsenal & Justarsenal.com.
My Starts:
Macey.
ChambersRhino’DeAbreuGibbs.
ElnenyFlamini.
CampbellIwobiAdelaide.
Willock.
Bench:
OspinaBellerinMonrealCoquelinWalcottGiroudAlexis.
Every game has it own complexion. And the complexion of the Watford game is Watford will play a burdenless game against Arsenal, because they have nothing to lose if they lost to Arsenal. The Watford manager won’t be sacked because Watford lost to Arsenal. Therefore, the Boss should have played a mixure of some 6 young Gunners of, Macey, Willock, Adelaide, Iwobi,(used) Campbell, Elneny(used) added to some 5 senior Gunners to start the match. Those 6 young Gunners supported by the 5 senior Gunners are vibrant, hungry and ready to unleash terror on Watford and send them into capitulation.
Predictable Mail headline: “Arsenal bottle it” also sub headline “Gabriel makes horror tackle.
Flores is a good young ( and likable) manager who we may be seeing a bit more regularly in a couple of season’s time.
He’s kept Watford in a comfortable position in the league and are looking for a Europa spot and all on a low budget. They’re not unlike Leicester in some respects. Hope they go on to win the FA Cup.
I didn’t come here to praise Watford but to point out that when Arsene retires Flores could be considered as a replacement. I know it’s easy to say this when a team beats us in this manner ( Rogers, Martinez etc.), but there’s something classy about this guy.
Wenger will retire soon, I’m wondering if the club are looking now, and at whom?
serge
I’ve always had the feeling it would be Slaven Bilic.
The finishing was poor and the end result of a move is that we take it one step too far and lose the ball.
Besides that there was promise in the movements, but which again are too easy readable by others. Some good performances individualy.
I can’t help feeling they let us run around and hoped we did not score, and “that bald head man” gave a few offsides too when we may have/scored.
It is not good enough to dominate and then not take our chances, that is usually folly, as seen tonight.
Anyway, Barca up next. 🙂
They will perish if they take us too lightly.
@Jambug
Slaven Bilic made a rather disrespectful comment on Wenger while praising Mourinho. “You can’t lose charisma, especially not him,” he said. “You are writing about him every day and you are asking me questions about him. We played Man City before and we played Arsenal before that, we played Palace a week ago and nobody asked me so many questions about Wenger or all those things. But you are asking me about Mourinho.”
https://mobile.twitter.com/seangooner/status/709036637163024385/video/1
found this, no way is this Walcott.
Josif
The vast majority of footballers playing that we get to see on TV screens are professionals. Teams still win or lose or draw. Being a professional, in itself, does not guarantee hunger, the drive to win 50:50 balls, the drive to play out of your skin.
Being a professional is a job. How do players doping a job get motivated? Winning a trophy, for the huge percentage of football fans, never happens, or happens so infrequently people remember it for decades. A team playing the Cup holders are always going to be hungrier. Watford will be a great place tonight.
There is a second problem for Arsenal – Arsenal on their day can just about beat anybody, and play good football doing it. Teams therefore see beating Arsenal as their Cup Final, they will, and do, play above themselves to get a memorable result. Msemorable – something to be remembered.
Throw in the antics of the PGMO and you have a huge wall.
One final point – the last team to win 3 FA Cups in succession did so in the nineteenth century. No team has won more than twice in succession. Someone needs to present a plausible analysis why it has been so difficult for teams to win the FA Cup three times in succession.
Jambug
Yeah! Bilic too. I hope I’m not starting a WOB thing here. Not my intention, but boss will be leaving at the end of his contract I suppose.
Josif
Thanks for putting me right, I didn’t hear that. I always thought Wenger had a good relationship with Bilic.
Don’t know where I got that from then.
A disappointing result, but let’s give the team some deserved praise for effort – they tried right to the last whistle.
Our finishing was poor & that cost us the match, it is something which needs sorted – and quickly.
Our play overall was quite good (apart from finishing) – despite the PGMO representative allowing our build up play to be disrupted by constant fouling (unpunished) on Giroud, Ozil and Sanchez etc.
But, we are Arsenal supporters (apart from the aaaa slugs who no doubt will soon crawl out from under some stones) so – win, lose or draw – we support the team, manager and club!
I have a booked a table for me and Mrs bignose on Wednesday night in a nice curry house
@Jambug
It’s not your fault. I was disappointed with Bilic as well. Then again, he is a weird mix of different ideas and one of rare footballers who managed to graduate during his playing career (he is a lawyer).
Any team that played like us today would have had at least 2 penalties awarded, and Watford should have finished the match with 10 players at most. Pantilimon wasted time to no end in the second half, and the ref “managed the game” by ignoring the second bookable offences. Giroud was shirt-pulled again and again all over the field, including in the box, and Gabriel was pushed in the box when jumping for the crossed ball.
I often try imagine how I would feel about a particular game if I could remove all the context/background/bullshit from it.
Or, as the most extreme act of imagination, if I was actually a genuine neutral, who just liked football and had no preference for either team but wanted an enjoyable game of football. Simply watching- which players have done well, how has each team played,etc.
It’s an impossible exercise (and one I only attempt after a bad day and with a heavy heart) to complete properly, but the attempt is the thing; and i don’t see how anyone who did so and did a half decent job could think we were awful today, or not see that the luck really wasn’t with us.
That said, context does have many legitimate claims, in football and everywhere : it matters whether the person who calls in sick is doing so for the first or tenth time this year,etc.
Still, though, I think the most important thing, if it is worth analysing any one game, is to try and…analyse that game.
Anyway, if you were that (genuine) neutral :
an impressive start to the match, culminating in a very dangerous situation; the pattern emerges of the away team being totally committed to defending and playing long balls for the counter; pretty good defending; some nice play for the attacking team leading to a number of good situations on the right, none of which exploited well; a lucky escape for the home team as replays reveal a tackle which should have been red; a few dangerous breaks for away side let down by final ball; a few more good situations on right for home side; two good chances; two poor shots.
2nd half : away side start looking bright soon after half time; home side don’t deal with pressure and concede a poor goal. New shape to game with away side galvanised and looking very dangerous on break. Couple of good chances for away side. Home side trying everything but no lucky breaks and no moment of perfect execution. Oh, and away side get second somewhere in there with a fantastic shot. Home side keep trying. Plenty of decent football but all up against the familiar challenge of breaking down massed ranks. Fair amount of decent build up play, thwarted again and again by blocks. No lucky breaks.
A goal. An amazing chance immediately afterwards following a shot against the post. Denied by a combination of a poor finish, or…maybe just bad luck again, the ball being millimetres wrong for the first touch, then millimetres wrong again to take the shot. Messi, Suarez, etc would, you suspect, have got a goal in that situation, but…there are good players then there are those players (we do not have one of those players to score the goals presently).
Another great chance following good play from the centre forward. A cynical player would have used the opportunity to create a penalty, but ours didn’t, perhaps because he doesn’t play for a manager who coaches him to, perhaps because the referees have trained him out of trying. A good chance, but not to be.
An incredible end to the match and a shame the home team and the (hypothetical, authentic) neutrals denied the extra 3-5 minutes there should have been to see if the home side could keep pressing and force an incredible conclusion to the game. Oh well.
I’ll wait for the “experts” in the media tomorrow morning before forming an opinion.
Over the final third today we were simply not good enough.
So our custody of the FA Cup comes to an end.
Watford took the only two chances which came their way while we could not follow suit.
On Wednesday we have a chance of beating Barcelona on their patch, although progressing further in the CL is, I think, probably beyond us.
We have the opportunity though of restoring some vestige of pride by a fighting performance.
However, from Thursday, we have to regroup, with our minimum target being 4th place in the EPL and qualification in next season’s CL.
The real action for the future will occur when the Summer Transfer Window opens.
We simply have to strengthen the squad in a number of positions.
Negotiations for new blood have to be conducted with far more militancy than in the past, particularly by paying over the odds if necessary in order to sign the right players. Other clubs do this and it’s about time we accepted the reality that inflationary valuations are a evil that is with us for some time to come.
The Arsenal way of only paying the Club’s own valuation for a player must be cast aside in the immediate future because our need is too great.
“Gabriel and Treeney both going in with 200 % commitment for a 50/50 ball, lucky noone really harmed. ”
Lucky Deeney’ wasn’t harmed to be fair….
With respect, ..so just…nothing to see here?
Marriner is known for his incompetence and I suspect had it been Gabriel on the receiving end of that ugly challenge , we would be rightfully calling for a red, and wondering how Marriner a few yards a away in view, didn’t even call for a foul..
If you haven’t seen the replay or stills then fine, no problem. But It was rash. Players still have a responsibility not to be reckless in 50/50 situations , Gabriel’s challenge was reckless. He left the ground with two feet, studs both up, and makes contact with Deeney’s leg who got there fractionally first. It’s a red all day.. And even if disagreed, it is an incident that clearly deserves a bit more analysis than provided, and a level of analysis that would be typical of such an incident, especially if it didn’t go in our favor, and especially for this ref. At least I think so.
I guess this highlights part of my issue with stating the bias free nature of ref reviews and offering them as almost purely statistical analysis…there’s still a degree of interpretation required, and once that is there one can never eliminate the possibility of bias entering the analysis.
Because I honestly don’t know how anyone could look back at Gabriel’s challenge objectively, and interpret the ref was correct in not even given a foul against him, much less the red (or at very very lenient best yellow)the challenge clearly deserved.
Oh wow, the
yobswobs are really out in force, 11 dislikes, that’s a record. Wondering what match did they look at.No lack of effort, or chances, but some aspects of our game were poor.
Sadly, I think injuries have seriously disrupted our season…..again.
We were also unlucky, the ref did us few favours, but we should have been out of sight before he could have had any effect.
I also think they are trying too hard especially at home. Not relaxed. Snatching at things.
And on the subject of luck, that was woodwork number 20 for this season.
But that said, we still have a lot to play for…..in the league if maybe soon, not the Champions league.
Not a lot of fun being an Arsenal supporter at the moment, but times like this seperate true supporters from cry babies…..and as for the cry babies, as the article says, they long stopped regarding the FA Cup as a trophy so nothing for them to moan about today.
JoJo
To be fair to Walter he watches the match on a poor quality stream and has probably not had a chance to see the challenge properly yet. It was a certain red card and I an sure he will see it as such when he does his proper ref review.
Mandy
I thought one of the favours Marriner did us was not sending Gabriel off for that awful studs up, but he could have given a second yellow to their keeper for continued timewasting. Also I thought that Giroud was onside when he scored that early “goal”, but Josef says his knee was offside. Apart from these I didn’t note any game changing incidents missed; it was a cup game after all.
What’s becoming a farce isn’t the reaction to losing a game, it’s losing so many games.
Mandy, I dont think fans are cry babies. They are passionate supporters paying top dollar to watch their team play with the manager getting paid top bucks to do exactly what? You can’t keep making the same excuses over and over again. The manager is in grave danger of losing touch with reality, which is a bit like some of the support on here.
If you honestly think on this recent showing we have what it takes to win the league then I think you need some help.
It is actually a exclusively excellent ploy by the media to estrange the fans for the manager, he’s now causing serious danger to the team and must be banished. All the good work he’s done is fizzled out and when arseblog turns you know the final nails in the coffin can’t be far.
@Serge,
There was also the missed penalty call, when the defender went through Ozil to hit the ball in the penalty area (a few minutes after the Gabriel call). The commentator Robbie something said that’s two major calls missed (Gabriel red the other)
Put yourself in ozil’s shoes. You are at the absolute top of your game,creating half a dozen chances every game. Your teammates keep hitting the balls everywhere except in the net.
Your reward for being absolutely excellent this season. A Top 4 finish. How does it feel?
Hary,
You manage to contradict yourself. “It is actually a exclusively excellent ploy by the media to estrange the fans for the manager” – absolutely correct. The thing is, your immediately next assertion is total bull – “he’s now causing serious danger to the team and must be banished”. If you are clever enough to go half way, what makes you turn around like that? Plus, what relevance does Arseblog have over Arsenal’s internal business?
And re your 8:38pm comment, that is nothing short of inflammatory. You talk like Ozil were the only one working for the team – which is obvious for anyone not wearing horse eye patches that it’s not true, the players work their socks off in conditions that are more adverse than of any other team in the league. I would strongly suggest taking a deep breath, because you’re letting your anger get the better of you.
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
Hary, take a look at Arsenal Fan TV. Cry babies…..who cannot cope,when the going gets a little tough, with no sense of irony that they accuse the players of the very same
Those who want the team to lose in the hope of being rid of a manager they despise…..worse than cry babies.
Piers Morgan…..cry baby…..but crying over a tournament he said means nothing.
But they will be crying for a long time, as Wenger is not a quitter…..unlike some of these fans.
They should show a bit of mental strength and back the team……but some can’t because we all know what they are.
Unfortunately for the WOB, they won’t be getting Owen Coyle or Michael Laudrup in any time yet
@Mandy
“Those who want the team to lose in the hope of being rid of a manager they despise…..worse than cry babies.”
Spot on. I think there is a serious logical meltdown in those heads.
It’s one thing to want a new manager. You can always make your lists PRO ET CONTRA, it’s absolutely fine by me.
But, here is an issue that you have tackled:
“I WANT ARSENAL TO LOSE!”
“But you are an Arsenal fan, why would you want your club to lose?!”
“SO THAT FINALLY THAT _______ (insert an insult) LEAVES!”
“And why do you want him to leave?”
“BECAUSE HE HAS LOST GAMES.”
“So, basically, you want him to leave because he lost games and you want him to lose another one? Isn’t that…a bit insane?”
“F..K YOU, WENGER OUT!”
There is an example in the previous post where moderators have published an insulting post for educational purposes only.
You said it Josif…Insane is the word!
oh well…..just let them dream of Gary Monk or Martinez …coming in for Wenger I guess…
I never liked Arsenal Fan TV the views of the supporters is always of one end of the extreme. Clause is super negative and Moh is super positive. The host held up the banner during the Hull game.
Florian, the dislikes on your comment says it all. We shall see how long your messiah lasts. Shouldn’t be too long now.
I am not angry, why should I be? The end is in sight for your beloved wenger and that is why the defeats are most welcome.
Jambug
If they want Arsenal to lose why do they get so angry when they do lose? Surely they should be happy?
More than today’s defeat , what is more worrying is the lecture given by Mr Kroenke at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference in Boston. He made it quite clear that his policy is to withhold cash for players and that he didn’t buy Arsenal stake to win trophies. Under these circumstances perhaps he should be the target rather than the manager . However he did go on to say that Wenger is complicit with the policy.
Wenger obviously isn’t taking any responsibility for it. No wonder none of the player seem to do so on the pitch…
its always someone else’s fault, or Arab money, or that the opponents team has many expensive players, or we didn’t deserve to lose, or that we dominated but were unlucky that the opponent scored with their one and only chance ( has been happening for 10years+ now.)
Whatever…I’m tired…sooner he’s out the better.
Hary I can’t find it in me to want The Arsenal to lose , however that does not mean that I am surprised when they do playing the way they did today.
Lol but what if Welbecks chance at the very end went in? I mean it was like inches wide. Regarding Wenger and everyone blaming him.. I sometimes feel the saying ‘you can take a horse to water but you can’t make it drink’. Wenger sets up his teams generally really well but our finishing has been poor and not good enough.
The thoughts of Kroenke … don’t expect any big signings anytime soon
http://www.cityam.com/236568/stan-kroenke-lifts-lid-on-why-arsenal-prioritise-business-foundations-over-spending-big-on-transfers
@Hary are you joking? He always takes full responsibilty and always protects his players. Other managers would have thrown certain players under the bus season and with good reasons, but Wenger always takes ALL of the heat. Especially from short-sighted, ungrateful (possibly new) fans like you.
@col you’ve just read the headline of some random article; and then regurgitated the headline onto this page as some sort of factual statement. wow. thank you. very enlightening.
Walter you’ve nailed it so much- The Day the FA Cup became a real trophy again. Wow. This is so true. We were in a lose-lose situation because for a lot of haters the FA Cup was suddenly worthless while we were the holders. Cue the return of the ‘Magic of the Cup’. Amusing.
Hary,
The dislikes on my comment only demonstrate that the
yobswobs must have been enjoying the protection provided by the anonymity of that button push. Funny how they crawl back in the sewer they came out of every time we win a match. I fully look forward to your comments then.The WOBbles , trolls, and Spuds, Mancs and Chavs who disguise themselves online as Arsenal fans are wasting their time….Wenger has a contract and he is not one for breaking contracts. And Kroenke is not going to sack him. Arsenal, unlike some I could mention do not do knee jerk reactions…..
May as well just back the team, and let’s see what happens this season.
Some absolute arseholes on here after another selective vision officiated match. Wenger is staying for another 10 years. So get back into your caves. Cheating was so obvious.
I’m getting the feeling that AW won’t sign another contract after next season, reason being is that some fans who were once either supportive of AW or neutrals are beginning to side with the WOBs. I’m comparing polls done on the Internet, last season there was a poll asking do you have faith in AW and the result was about 70% yes, but same question this year and the result was 51% no.
It’s very sad and I hope our finishing improve because I think it’s not fair on AW to cop all the stick. He can only show the players what to do and it’s up to the players to perform. I am still holding hope that we can still win the PL this season.
@Josif,
I think Arsene Wenger had the best response to those fans you mentioned in the 946 post:
“Supporters stand behind the club and we want to fight until the end of the season for every single game.”
The translation for those negative fans that only show up after a loss/draw:
If you’re a supporter get behind this team, if not, don’t let the door hit you where the good lord split you on the way out.
Man , it was a real bummer to lose . But then again it WAS a worthless non trophy after all. Was shouting at them to shoot .We we very slow in the build ups .
Hope the guys get over it pronto and play well against Barca . And get back on track against Everton .
Hary,
Stop copy pasting from Arseblog for God sake
All,
I just want to remind you, bar yesterday`s game, most of the games we lost this season, we were the better team, couldn`t finish our chances (maybe pressure on players from media/fans), OR THE REF DECIDED WHICH WAY THE GAME SHOULD GO.
Of coarse everyone will forget the last part and still blame Wenger for it. Will an answer to why is it that the refs cheat us so obviously and still get away with it, will its Wenger fault.
Poor finishing? Giroud scored a good goal but poor finishing raised a flag. All of you who think that Wenger should go don’t know jack shit about football. Who would you suggest as a relacemnt? Riley? He is managing the EPL & FA to victory.
Menace, mandy…. Same old script executed again. Let’s wait for the end of the season bla bla bla.
Poor finishing since the beginning of 2016? I don’t somehow think so.
Florain, I am actually surprised when we win nowadays. I have come to accept these losers will only get what they deserve and that’s a loss. No spirit, predictable and lethargic play which even a pub team can pick up on.
I’m really keen on reading arseblog this morning. Let’s see how positive he remains.
hahahahahahaha….this is getting hilarious,
A cup that was not so important becomes that much more important now when we are out of it!!
Arsenal 13
When did our supporters consider the FA Cup “not so important”? We have a history of success in this competition and I’ve not heard any supporters put it down. The media people don’t think much of it, but the Arsenal blogoshere has been very positive and recognised this as our most likely chance of a trophy this season.
Perhaps when you’re 14 you’ll understand the Arsenal culture a bit more.
Erm…..think most on here are strong enough to form their own opinions without the aid of Arseblog
Again the ref refused to give fouls on Özil in particular and if Özil ever leaves Arsenal or the PL it will be because he is sick of the treatment he gets from the refs.
Id say its more like he will leave due to players he has to play with half of them wouldnt get starts playing for chelsea, city, utd never mind the big teams in europe.
Has to be one of the hardest days I can remember as a supporter the last 10 or more was ok we had good enough reasons no money etc but this is way beyond that.
Serge, plenty of our supporters, sorry fans, didn’t think the FA cup was good enough to be considered as a real trophy. Mind you, they usually don’t make it up to the site in the end as it usually was followed by abuse and swearing….
Harry, on top of your surprise at victory I hope you find time to be happy as well.
Having read all the comments I cannot recall one that mentioned how ordinary our ability to cross the ball has been recently. For me it is the most obvious reason for our lack of goals. This is supplemented by the apparent right of any defender to put their arms around Giroud when ever there is a cross that beats the first defender, I know it happens in all matches but not to the same level as our opponents are allowed by the referees.
Sorry to anyone who has mentioned the poor crossing!
Poor crossing and hopeless hit the first man corners.
So nothing further on Gabriel’s challenge on Deeney? Interesting.