We’ve scored eight goals fewer than Manchester Bankrupt this season.
That’s right – despite what everyone is saying about how awful the attack is, we are a mere eight goals behind the team that claims to be going for a quadruped (or something like that).
It just shows how the defense minded EPL has taken over and is affecting all clubs.
It is also interesting that we have sorted out what was deemed to be our big problem. The defense. We don’t have an English spine to the team, so we are bound to fail. The defenders can’t get on with each other, we are bound to fail. And in fact they have let in, oh let me see, two goals in the last seven games. Put another way, 12 league games unbeaten since the horrors of Manchester Arab.
Clearly what happened is that the Lord Wenger sorted out the major problems that existed that day and put a new defensive order in place. But without the normal midfield, and with two first team strikers missing he has had to improvise like mad.
But the defense has got itself together, and the attack, although faltering because it is not getting service from the midfield, is still not that far behind Manchester B in terms of achievement.
Of course I would have preferred to see some goals recently, but within the context of the impeding return of Theo, Tomas, Cesc, and Eduardo plus the emergence of more youngsters I would be worried if the defence had not been sorted.
But Arsenal supporters want everything – now. Fair enough – but all things considered I am so glad we are not in Liverpool Insolvency’s position. Although there will undoubtedly be some sort of rescue of that disgraceful and disgraced club at the 11th hour from another Arab sheik I still prefer the stability and sense that we have.
The goals will come – and probably when we are least expecting it. (And besides if some of those people who boo at the final whistle give up their Gold and Silver memberships that will make way for supporters who really do value what they are getting, rather than just treating it as a right.
Last thought: Aston “Hold your head” Villa put up a very weak team so they could get knocked out of Europe, so that they could focus on the league so that they could get into… er… Europe. Strange goings on. Apparently “Hold Your Head” O’Neill is going to buy the travelling Villa support (that’s the group who caused the nearest thing we have ever seen to a riot at the Ems by singing a celebration of Birmingham’s attack on Eduardo) a meal in compensation for a wasted trip. How sweet.
(c) Tony Attwood 2009
Its seems this business of wanting everything NOW is the modern disease. Talksport was getting in on the act last night, with Stan (I did nothing worthwhile) Collymore asking Arsenal fans why Arsenal don’t spend the money like other clubs and whether it was time for Wenger to go as he has “Failed”. Unfortunately, knee jerk reactions are all too commonplace nowadays, every weekend its the same. Just look at what happens with Rafa “The Gambler”, during the week he was the Messiah then come the weekend he’s an idiot once more. There is not a lot wrong with Arsenal as far as I can see, confidence is the key and once we get that back we will march on. My one complaint is that when things aren’t going well certain players stop trying, Denilson was guilty of this yesterday. If your form is off on a particular game you need to try harder to compensate and run and run, Denilson ambled yesterday and it was frustrating to say the least. Fulham should not come to the Emirates and boss the midfield.
I think we have a really good team and hopefully, if we progress a bit farther in the Champions league, we will see our true quality when some of the missing players return. I actually believe we can win it this year and that we will have a very strong team for next season. Surely the injuries have to end at some point then we’ll see the fickle minded Stan (who gives an arse what you think) Collymore turning around like some of the fair weather fans.
I for one wasn’t stoo happy having Eboue played but he has really been strong in the last two games, and so has Diaby. If Wenger has trust in these guys, they deserve their chance. Arsene knows way more than any fan sitting in the stadium once a week and getting all judgmental off one or two viewings.
You put things in perspective in your own unique way, Tony.
This season has been a long learning curve and has been even more difficult than I expected.
What has been happening is so typical of previous generations of Arsenal teams developed with a core of young unfinished players. The 1971 double team, the Brady & then the Rocky/ Adams teams.
I firmly believe this current team can be the best ever in my time. The danger is too many of the support have to have it now, in spite of the examples set by the likes of the Spuds & Newcastle, who do follow the crowd to failure, by just not sticking at it.
Our current players are not up to the DB10, PV4, TH14 true elite status yet but several will be before too long. Against that we have high quality players in all positions. Enough quality players that if they were all fit we could put out 3 teams that could compete with virtually anyone. We have never had that depth before.
I hope the players & enough fans can have the patience to see this through. Nothing is guaranteed of course but it is so much more fulfilling to see Arsenal, in these much changed times, still doing it the traditional way but at a higher level.
Bobby
I couldn’t agree more, apart from the reference to Denilson, who I thought had to carry Diaby, on Saturday.
If it wasn’t so frustrating that was actually a competitive game for a change. We didn’t play well but full marks to Fulham, on this occasion.
It’s time to hold our nerve and keep behind the team.
All I could hear as I left the ground were people saying that we had blown the chance of fourth place.
After being 2-0 up with three minutes to go, then throwing it away, I bet half the Villa fans were saying exactly the same thing yesterday. There’s still a long way to go.
And there is always a silver lining – thanks David Bentley for the biggest laugh of the weekend. No fixture congestion for the Spurs next year.
Numbers (goals versus goal attempts) will eventually turn around. I’d be more concerned if they were not generating the attempts on goal. It is just the finishing which is badly amiss at the moment, and that cannot last. Arshavin had some excellent moments, and once he gains full fitness and acclimatises to the league looks to be a major addition.
Yes, Denilson was not as strong as usual (only 1 successful tackle) but he put in 7 pass intercepts which is exceptional. I guess people have no real appreciation of his role as the more defensive midfielder. That people continue to say that he is poor and does not have any positional sense is contradicted by the numbers. He has more tackles than all the top DM’s (Mascherano, Barry, Alonso, etc) and is only bettered by players from low in the league who have much less possession than Arsenal. He has more pass intercepts than anyone.
He also figures prominently in the “fouls won” category, only just behind Ronaldo! But I guess that is why people say he is too lightweight (ie he goes down when fouled, or kicked). Like most Sth American players!
We were playing a 4 – 5 – 1 for most of the match and we were still getting run ragged by a 4 – 4 – 2 with Murphy and Etuhu in the center of Fulham’s midfield. 2 guys beating the crap out of 3 guys. What a joke. For the amount of talent everybody keeps raving about in the Arsenal team, we’re consistently being belittled by lesser men with lesser quality.
It’s just mind-boggling.
Diaby and Denilson today were absolutely pathetic. So were Nasri, Vela and VanPersie, in the final third. Arshavin nearly died after the first half, he looked completely out of stamina. I was hoping super-sub Bendtner would finally break the deadlock but no luck there either.
Fulham were clearly the better side throughout, with some minor exceptions when we did manage to get a shot on goal after creating a move. But Fulham played amazing football. Sometimes their passing was so good it reminded me of the best Arsenal side and their passing.
We absolutely stink. Can someone please teach the jackasses in our club how to shoot ?!
I get all excited before an Arsenal match, and every time I finish watching it, my mood has gone from excitement to anger. I think I’m going to have to stop watching Arsenal. They just piss me off.
I think it’s allowed to be frustrated at this point in time, I am myself, but I think we should wait until the end of the season to judge the team. When we were winning games, it was all good, when we lost, it was all bad, and now that we’re losing, it’s all horrible. When we get back to winning ways, not IF, it’d still be with the same squad we’ve got. The season’s not over yet, and our fortunes could change in an instant. But then, we’ve got to stop the ’slide’ quickly one way or the other, but I think we can, with the squad we’ve got.
The pressure’s definitely mounting, and I think someone’s due a hiding, even though I feel that way every game! We’re not scoring goals because of lack of confidence, but you get confidence from scoring goals, which makes it a very tricky position to be in. But I feel as if once we do manage to find the back of the net in open play, the goals will come thick and fast- touchwood! I definitely haven’t lost all hope or faith in this team, but it’s understandable if some of you have. But I’ll give it to the end of the season. We play again on Tuesday (which I’m sure wouldn’t come too soon for the boys!), and hopefully the players will do something magical to win you lot over once again
I’m still in the belief that Aston Villa are beginning to hit a rough patch but it doesn’t mean a thing unless Arsenal take advantage of the situation.
In my opinion Aston Villa are feeling the pressure of being in fourth place. Its a situation they are not used to being in. Arsenal, on the other hand, have experience of competing for the Champions League places.
You could argue that Arsenal are cracking up too. Whilst we have been on a long unbeaten run recent draws with Sunderland and Fulham have not been good enough. We were handed a reprieve by Villa dropping points; means that we are very lucky indeed. I’d say that now we are in last chance saloon. We are running out of games and desperately need to start turning these draws into wins. If we don’t then it could be Europa Cup football for us next season.
In the past I’ve suggested that Aston Villa have been very lucky this season. I still believe that is the case but maybe I haven’t given them the credit they deserve.
Their position in the league table doesn’t lie and it can’t all be down to just luck. They deserve their lofty place in the league.
Its going to be a very tight race for the Champions League place and it will go the wire. I still believe we will pip Aston villa to fourth spot. Just.
Well Flint, it looks like that patience that you ask for isn’t yet forthcoming from everyone. Even on here and ACLF which are bastions of sensible thought, the ‘want it all and want it now’ brigade pop up .
This team is close, so close to being something special. I watched the tots holding up the ‘great manu yesterday’. That side is overated, not the tots obviously. How many 1-0 games for them this season compared to our 0-0’s? If things had gone just a little differently…
having read some of the comments, i had to find some musical inspiration before i replied. Hold your position – UB40. now i’m not advocating the team holding their position, it’s the fans, the bloggers, us. we have to stand firm.
whingeing and whineing? isn’t going to change the direction of the season. Any major upheaveal? at this or any stage wont help. Slagging and blaming the boss wont help either.
Stand firm, hold our poisition, we know we’re gonna be better off in the long run.