Arsenal Thread

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I just praying we dont lose to Wigan in the FA cup or i will kill myself..... ;-)

It would be interesting to get a poll if we won the FA cup but came 5th if people would say it was a improvement over last season?
 
Better keep our mouths shut cause we might well end up with bare hands.
With this lack of attitude and desire we won't beat Wigan, let alone a Premiership side in case we are lucky enough to reach the final.

I looks like Wenger really lost that dressing room. He's not feared, maybe not respected by some of the players and he can't lift them up. He looks like a broken man and many players are reflecting that.

I really wished it wouldn't end this way, but I do think Wenger is done.
 
I think you are going over the top with the dressing room stuff.

Its a run of bad form that every team goes through, we have alot of key players injured.

Its shit and Wenger has alot to answer for, but losing the dressing room etc is just bollocks imo.
 
They get tons of money each week and have the cheek to play shit and give excuses. Brats. Hey i'll play instead and take the money. I can play shit too you know!
 
I really don't think it is that far fetched that he might be losing the dressing room.

Of course a run of horrible form as this will make things worse, but the mistakes the players have been making aren't being amended. The atmosphere in the dressing room must be terrible. A team must keep that togetherness also when losing, but today we saw Sczcesny and Monreal nearly losing their minds, Arteta being pushed to the ground by that little crook Barkley and no teammates to put that prick in his place.
And to me, what's more telling, is that the players aren't working their socks off for their manager. Pretty fucking far from it! Once again we were massacred and the players had that pedestrian attitude we're becoming accustommed to see.

Giroud looks like a player who wouldn't get into Brighton's first 11 - I guess he'd been shagging someone at 4am again. He looks so off the pace, even Mertesacker would have taken that dodgy back pass by the Everton defence, rounded the keeper and scored.
I can almost see Podolski and Szczesby giggling together at tweet pics and memes in the dressing room after this defeat. No selfie this time, I'm afraid.

In short, many of our players are looking like a bunch of cunts who don't give a shit.
I know we have a handful of our best players missing, but we still have been fielding 11 very well paid senior players (most of them internationals) who could at the very least show some fight in them.

It was too easy for Everton, as it was for Chelsea and Liverpool and City at their ground.
Watching this feels like getting kicked in the bollocks.
 
I think Wenger might really be off in the summer. Klopp will take over.

Arsenal can't afford to lose him to Utd when Moyes inevitably gets sacked
 
Why the fuck Wenger doesn't get out? Arsenal is getting worse and worse! He can't stay with this results!
 
Still think you'll finish 4th. You've got a piss easy run in and I can't see Everton getting 6 points from the City and Utd games.
 
What do fellow gunners think of this?

I said very simply early season, it's a fluke, it's a luck of easier runs of games and some form and a lack of injuries(at the time). Luck can't hold out for an entire season, even more so when Wenger rides it. When you have no injures and are lucky in that regard some managers would protect the players, instead Wenger runs them in to the ground.

I had NO doubts in the slightest that our season would derail and descend into a top 4 fight, and frankly that is only this late in the season because Utd completely ruined their own season. If Utd hadn't gotten so much worse we'd be fighting for 5th, not 4th right now.

Nothing changed, so I didn't see why our season or our trends wouldn't continue. Sometimes you get easier games and put in a nice run of form, conversely that means a harder run of games at another time we'd do worse in. Wenger hasn't fixed or attempted to improve our system, set pieces, telling fullbacks to just occasionally play in full back positions, get a real striker, buy some physical players, buy top notch players.

Things he HAD 15 years ago, ability to spot talent(ready to go talent and genuinely top class players), full on attacking attitude, some defensive cohesiveness and maybe most importantly.... guts/balls/ruthless. I keep going back to, he sold Overmars and Petit to get good value from them and to buy Pires, a better player. That was ruthless as hell, cutting someone helping you win things for someone you deem even better.

Today Wenger refuses to get rid of Diaby, really think about that. He won't get rid of Diaby after like 6-7 years who has done nothing but take money out of the team and isn't actually good when he plays, but when we won things he got rid of two of the better players in the team because he saw room for improvement.

The man has been a completely different type of manager, and if I had to pinpoint it, 49 game unbeaten run. He took that loss badly, 4-5-1 was unheard of, not attacking everyone balls out. We lost some big games by big scores before then but never stopped or changed our style. After that we gradually went from balls out attack to 4-5-1 away from home at say top 6, to 4-5-1 away from home mostly, to adding 4-5-1 at home to bigger teams, then ultimately became a 4-5-1/4-3-3 team. But Wenger has never ever won anything or looked close to winning anything since changing system. He is not a 4-5-1/4-3-3 manager, the system has NEVER worked well, it's never been tactically cohesive, it always falls apart at important moments. He's fundamentally a 4-4-2 all out attack manager trying to use a system he isn't good at using and we've been unable to compete since he switched.

He should have walked 5 years ago and been fired or no contract renewed at the worst 4 years ago. It's a joke he's still at the club
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also. klopp to arsenal?

http://www.caughtoffside.com/2014/0...arsenal-to-replace-arsene-wenger-this-summer/
 
In retrospect it is very easy to write "i told you so"-kind of articles.
Frankly, i'm surprised it took you so long to post something similar.
Four monts ago you were 100% pro Wenger. A year before that you were 100% against him.

Football has changed since Petit, Overmars and Pires played. He might as well talk about the team that beat Anderlecht for the UEFA Cup in the 70's....
 
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Exactly i told you so's and Wenger out articles and fickleness its becoming an Arsenal supporters brand now.

Its frustrating and embarrasing at times with our away form against the better teams, but i can see alot more positives this season than last and a good basis for the team going forward to next season.

Anyway im used to it by now, let the Wenger bashing continue :DD
 
Wengers finished if we don't get top 4 . always said that if we don't get top 4 he should go. Simple. It's amazing how much u back Wenger Bobby. I bet u won't if we don't make top 4 and win the FA Cup. At this stage it doesn't even look as if Wenger believes himself.
 
Wenger is one of the top managers no doubt, but it's not up to the fans whether he stays or not. You have to think of the board's expectations and what they want him achieving. Maybe to them he's the perfect man. He's ticking off all their checklist.
 
gerd said:
In retrospect it is very easy to write "i told you so"-kind of articles.
Frankly, i'm surprised it took you so long to post something similar.
Four monts ago you were 100% pro Wenger. A year before that you were 100% against him.

Football has changed since Petit, Overmars and Pires played. He might as well talk about the team that beat Anderlecht for the UEFA Cup in the 70's....
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Exactly this. Players like Pires, Henry and Vieira were bargains at that time, but football has changed a teams immediately ask 15m + for a half-decent player. I still believe Wenger is the right manager for us, but the point of criticsm I hold against him is that he appears to be living in the past. He still thinks he can gradually develop players like Sanogo and Giroud to turn out good in a few years time. The reality is that it isn't possible. City, Chelsea and other teams spend so much money because they almost never buy unproven players like Wenger does. I love Arsenal and Wenger for the philosophy, but it needs changed. It is possible to develop young players like Wenger does, but apart from that big signings are necessary.

My proposal for this transfer-window:

In:
Top striker (50m)
Top defensive midfielder (30m)
Josip Drmic (2,5m or 6m, depends on if Nürnberg relegate or not)
Serge Aurier (6m)
Antoine Griezmann (20m)
Alex McCarthy (5m)
Young defender (+- 5m or promote one player from the u-21 team)
promote Dejan Iliev or Damían Martínez as third goalkeeper

Out:
Lukasz Fabianski (Would like to keep him, but wants to leave himself)
Bacary Sagna (Small chance he'll sign a new contract)
Kim Källström (Loaned)
Francis Coquelin
Park Chu-Young
Ignasi Miquel
Emiliano Viviano (Loaned)
Nicklas Bendtner (Will definitely leave)
Yaya Sanogo (On loan)


That would be 122m euros spent, which is reported to be about the 'war chest' we have available. It would improve our squad and replace players leaving (Sagna, Fabianski and Viviano). I'm just not certain which players we could get for the striker and defensive midfielder and defender positions. Also, we'd have plenty of depth. Midfield is already stacked when fit, we'd have the choice of a new CF, Giroud, Drmic, Walcott and Griezmann for the striker positions. Defenders would be Mertesacker, Koscielny Aurier, Jenkinson, Gibbs, Monreal and one young defender.

Knowing Wenger though, this will never happen and he'll probably promote Akpom, Hayden, Olsson and Bellerin, have Campbell back from Olympiakos and get some unknown goalkeeper on the cheap.
 
Lami said:
Wenger is one of the top managers no doubt, but it's not up to the fans whether he stays or not. You have to think of the board's expectations and what they want him achieving. Maybe to them he's the perfect man. He's ticking off all their checklist.
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not anymore . even martinez is out doing wenger.
 
This season, We drew at home and lost away. We beat Everton convincingly for the home match FaCup. Sometimes a club will get real close to the top and the very next season... they goes missing. Every season we can have 5 different clubs in the last 5 seasons. Excluding-Spurs they're the only club that remains towards the top...Everton to me are just that.
 
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Wenger: 'We must get back to basics'

Dear Arsenal supporter,

Everton were better than us on Sunday and they deserved to win the game.

Our performance was not convincing, defensively or offensively. It was a very disappointing result and a very disappointing performance - the two go together. Now we have to regroup, get back to basics and prepare for our next game.

We are in a fight for a top-four place and Everton are now in a strong position. We have experience of this situation but it is vital that we respond to such a disappointing performance at Goodison Park.

We have struggled away from home in recent games and yet before that we were strong on our travels - we had the best record in the Premier League. Psychologically we have lost a bit of confidence and we are not as dangerous when we have the ball as we were before.

All we can concentrate on now is the quality of our performances. We must improve and only then can we think about where we might finish in the Premier League.

I wouldn't question the spirit of my players. They are focused, they want to do well. I just feel they have lost confidence and you could see that on Sunday. We looked a little bit disjointed when we had to chase the game.
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Thoses are words of we knew Wenger didn't have what we needed to win the league. I think he knew that w/ Theo falling off was like driving on low fuel . Also, he really notion that the league has (2) title runs :( .
 
To write 'I told you so, I knew it' kind of articles is just stupid indeed. Now it's very easy to do so.

Even with my cautious and pessimistic nature, I was thinking something really good could happen this season and we could be in the fight until the very last round in May.

But there are some irritating patterns that repeat themselves every season: injury crisis and severe dip in form.
There are also things that bother me and I have always said them here:
a) A team that opens itself too much to attack in a way that is too predictable (especially for the biggest teams with stronger defenses), with nowhere near enough efforts at goal and an uncanny lack of directness;
b) Wenger's tactical naivité when facing those stronger teams - not adapting to opponents flaws and strengths, not acknowledging when they're stronger than us and insisting in attacking all suicidal-like, while leaving our back 4 seriously exposed (Mourinho and Brendan Rodgers have never had an easier life against a big club);
c) Not strengthening the squad in the areas that are needed - by January we had a feel for our flaws and injury woes, we knew Walcott was done for the season and that Bendtner and Sanogo wouldn't be decent enough as backup for Giroud - and yet we've only signed an injured player on loan who has played only a few mins in one match, while running Giroud's ass to the ground (and let's face it, even a rested and fresh Giroud isn't good enough for Arsenal, let alone a knackered one).

I'm very pissed off at our players who, as I said before, aren't working hard for their manager (who's clearly under fire). But I can't deny that most of this team's problems are of Wenger's own making.

Bobby said there are positives that make this season better than the last, but it's still early days. Last season we had our collapse around Feb, but from late March until May we picked close to 95% of our points. Whereas now, we're having our collapse late, at the business end of the season with a stronger-than-before Everton breathing down our necks.

I'll only agree this season was better if we win the FA Cup and get 4th place. If we fuck up the FA Cup and still get 4th (even with more points than last year) I say it's a step back. The team was at least more solid defensively last season. Getting hammered an alarming number of times like we did this season is NOT normal and it shows the team deteriorated in a few areas.

A few things I can tell right away: Vermaelen is done at Arsenal, Arteta can't cope with being our most defensive midfielder anymore (age catching up with him and he was never a proper DMF to begin with) and Giroud has blown his chance at a big club (a proper striker will be signed and Giroud will either leave or be used as backup/plan B striker at best).

Arsenal's problems are deeper than just spending on players though. As a matter of fact I'd be pissed off if we spend 50m on most any striker when we could have gotten Luis Suarez for this figure last summer. He is hands down one of the best in the world right now and his value has just increased. Any other striker below his level wouldn't be worth the 50m.

I'm not saying it would be the answer for our problems, but signing a striker like Benteke or Remi would be a good start. Lukaku would be perfect, but I can't see it happening.

But let's wait and see, cause I have a feeling this will be Wenger's last season.
I only hope this current bunch of players have the dignity of playing the remainder of the league and the FA Cup with passion and real desire for their manager's sake.
The last thing I'd want to see is Wenger leaving without a last piece of silverware. This FA Cup is the chance to restore some of Wenger's dignity and a way for him to leave on a high note, should he choose to step down from the job.
 
The positives for me are that we are in the Semi's of the FA cup and favourites after defeating Spurs, Liverpool and Everton.

I think we have a great core of our team with some of the best young (youngish ;)) ) British talent.

I think Kos and Merts partnership together is great and is finally showing signs of the sort of defence we need to go forward.

I think Giroud is a good player and has done reasonably well, but he has been overplayed, which I think is the main problem.

If we get a top class striker in the Summer with Giroud as back up/sharing games I will be pleased.

I think we are the team that has been at the top of the league longer than any other this season? which is a big difference from last season.

We have a great home record this season and we did have one of the best Away records until recently :PP and one of the best defensive records...until recently....

But I do agree the same things keep happening over and over and it is tough to bare it all.

The one player we need is a beast in that defensive midfielder role, which we have been crying out for (For years!) and that Flamini is doing a good job at, but we need someone bigger and more commanding.

Wengers biggest failure this season was not getting in that top quality striker to take the burden off of Giroud imo.

I think we have a great mix of youth and experienced players to really push on next season and with Ozil getting used to the Premier league, next season should be better from him, with Cazorla, Ramsey, Wilshere, we have great options in that midfield that can last for years.

I think Szcz is much better, which is great to see.

It has been shit the last couple of months, but to completely go off on one, talk about losing the dressing room, Wenger out etc, for me it is just really annoying, but not unnexpected (Especially from Jonney :PP)

We have more money to play with now to really strengthen the team in the summer, which is exciting and I think we will strengthen.
 
I still think it isn't an exaggeration to state that Wenger may be losing his grip on his players. Yesterday's display was one of disheartened players, with no desire, resigned... those guys didn't look like they want to save the manager's skin, did they?

The thing is the 'Wenger out' shouts aren't coming only from the angry fans who wanted Wenger out years ago. Some optimistic fans and Wenger enthusiasts alike are also turning against him.

I for one have many words of praise about Wenger, as a man who has Arsenal's best interests at heart, guided us through a difficult time sporting and financially wise, while I consider he's brilliant at the part of coaching that ensures a team has a pattern of play. The idea of moulding young players into playing the new 'Arsenal way' with beautiful possession football has paid dividends by keeping us qualifying for Champions League every season even during the hard times - times when Arsenal's spending power had been at an all time low compared to the previous glory years, while coexisting in a domestic league which features teams with limitless funds such as Chelsea and Man City, alongside the ever powerful Man Utd and other emerging powers such as Tottenham (who's been spending more than Arsenal all these years). If we consider all this, I think Wenger did an explendid job at more or less retaining Arsenal's status. We may not be as feared as before, but the transition from Highbury to the new stadium and all the debt that ensued was as smooth as it could be IMO.

But now that Arsenal is getting back to a position where we can spend, I see very little signs that Wenger renewing his contract is the way forward.

From a purely tactical point of view the man seems obsolete compared to his opposite numbers. It's sad for me to acknowledge that, but I can't help agreeing with this. Whenever he faces a tactically astute manager he gets found out (Mourinho, Martinez, Rodgers). I even remember Martinez beating us at the Emirates 2 seasons ago with Wigan with a game plan that I admit was a brilliant one.

Yesterday his inaction was telling. Everton played us out of the park for the full first 45 minutes, and the team badly needed some changes. However, the changes only came around the 65-70th minute as always is the case. You can set a clock to Wenger's substitutions.

This, coupled with the fact that he can just sit there without doing nothing through an avalanche of identical Liverpool attacks against our high defensive line for instance, or the Maverick attacking display away against a stronger Chelsea side. These are the kind of things for which I have no ways of defending Arsene Wenger.
Transfer window periods are equally marred by inaction from Wenger.

In the end, these recurring problems of ours (including the yearly collapse) have in Wenger a common denominator. There's no escaping this.
The players piss me off for gutless performances like yesterday's, but in the end, they're Wenger's responsibility too. It's not as if he inherited a few rotten apples - he's been at the helm for 17 years, and all Arsenal players have been signed by him without exception.

In short, the buck stops with the manager and Wenger has to be held responsible.

If we win the FA Cup it will go a long way to appeasing everybody I think, but make no mistake, the recurring problems are still there and are likely to stay there due to Wenger's stubborness/inaction. These problems are like a living thing that won't go away as long as Wenger is the manager, I'm afraid. It's up to us to put up with them while he's with us, and try to appreciate the good sides of having Wenger.

On the other hand, if we fail to win the FA Cup I think his position will become untenable. It's no exaggeration to think that Wenger's reign might well be one match away from ending, in case of FA Cup failure.

This was unthinkable before, but now it's a very real possibility. His contract is sitting there on his desk still unsigned.

I'd like us to win the FA Cup and preferrably stay at 4th place, so that it buys Wenger some time, maybe 2 more years. After all the lean times, I think Wenger deserved a shot at trying to right his wrongs and reap the rewards for all these years of hardships. It would be fair if he gets to spend the money on this platform that he set up himself.

But this is damn close to not fulfilling. Those players better play for their lives from now til the end of the season. Let's see what happens.
 
Godotelli said:
Still think you'll finish 4th. You've got a piss easy run in and I can't see Everton getting 6 points from the City and Utd games.
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I can.

City terrible away from home and Moyes doesnt beat teams around him in the league.

Hope everton finish 4th.

Liverpool deserve title.

Arsenal need new manager and soon, Wenger's days are up and he's too stubborn and tactically inept these days.
 
Steak Bake said:
I can.

City terrible away from home and Moyes doesnt beat teams around him in the league.

Hope everton finish 4th.

Liverpool deserve title.

Arsenal need new manager and soon, Wenger's days are up and he's too stubborn and tactically inept these days.
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How is 2013? City have drawn 2 and won all other away games since the first week of December and are unbeaten away since mid november. Utd also have the best away record. I don't doubt Everton will get something but I doubt it'll be enough to secure 4th.
 
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