It is really hard to know what to say about a performance and result like that.
In short, it just wasn’t good enough.
Collectively we didn’t work hard enough, individually several players let the team down and we were far too disorganised to fight out a contest that was as fierce and fiery.
But you know what? I don’t really care.
It’s half-time in this Carling Cup semi-final and we still have 90 minutes to turn it all around. In other words, it’s hardly the end of the world.
Plus, with my family in Brisbane dealing with the flood situation right now, I’ve got more important things to worry about.
Thoughts?
Have your say on Arsenal’s 1-0 loss to Ipswich by leaving a comment.
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The players don’t care either. That’s the problem.
tallking the bullshit to papers is what they do best.. talking like the game against Leeds gave them a lesson and they will approach the Ipswich game differently.. yep, they did, they were even more crappy, with no desire, no spirit, no care at all.. that was the only difference.. they thought they can only show up to there take a win there.. even the captain was elswhere in his mind than in the game itself..
that is not the way we should fight for the wembley final..
last 270min – one goal from the spot.. that sucks..
To arsenal fans world wide!
Do you really think we can win the league or a cup this year…..Or next year…..Or the year after? Really! Do you think we have a team that has got a great future ahead of it?
Well if you do…….you might won’t to think about check yourself in the NUT-house! You and that great talent scout you call a manger!
Oh no here they come, the “love Wenger or die tribe”…..F Wenger!!! Everyone knows what’s wrong with Arsenal bar that D!ck-head! For 5 years Wenger lovers have been acting as if we could never get other manager that could bring success to Arsenal, like as if when Wenger dies Arsenal football club dies with him!!! Then Wenger lovers say “what manger has done more for Arsenal?” well I can’t speak about the past but on the other hand I’ll guess we will never get to know about the future because Wenger lovers refuse to ever believe in the fact that there is a future without this man you all call……. (((((((Wenger the Christ))))))! But don’t let me stop you Wenger lovers! you keep on thinking that you can’t love Arsenal football club if you don’t love (((((((Wenger the Christ))))))!.
I can’t wait for next season’s lack of buys and strengthening of the squad!
I can’t wait to see Mr. Run-out-of-Gas run home to Barcelona!….wouldn’t you if you were at Arsenal?
I can’t wait to see the money from the Mr. Run-out-of-Gas deal to Barcelona being spent on players that are not EPL quality!
I really really really can’t wait to hear for the 6th year Wengers lovers say out loud “this year is our year…. you wait and see?”
It’s so much fun being an Arsenal because every game you never know what’s really going to happen!…..but one thing you do know is there will a lot to talk about.
To the Arsenal fans that still use logic………I am with you though these dark times!
To the Wenger lovers I wish you all the best on you slow road to insanity!
Morning fellow posters, trust to see that idiot terry on here gloating. here’s my 2cents for what its worth. the pitch was terrible but who cares
there’s no excuse for how bad we were
the worst thing was it actually looked like we were trying
to quote a certain movie ‘it was the sh*tness’ that was our prob
and they shut the station hotel bar post match so I couldn’t even drown my sorrows on carlsberg in plastic and buy burger bun with some manky fried oven chips for £2.50 (which I was genuinely planning to do- because that blonde barmaid was relatively saucy and gave me a wink). So instead I got to stand on my, packed delhi style, £35 one hour train…joke
denilson was actually one of our better players which is as damning an indictment of our performance as I’ve given for a while
as is now the norm half our away support wr out of their minds on gack, this was exacerbated by the struggle we all faced getting booze that wasnt 70% water which would at least have levelled out all the amphetamines (big cubicle queues easy urinal access) – dont understand how these teenagers hearts can take that shite coupled with our performances. The twitchy paranoia was palpably kicking in all around me after about ten mins (that said the twitchy paranoia on the pitch came not long after)
saw fights nearly kicking off between gooners several times. it was a microcosm of this message board.
-this is the worst arsenal team ever
-I dont think so
-eff off you c-u-next-tuesday u will be gone when wenger leaves
-actually I’ve been going for 60 years and seen far worse teams tis you who is a feckwit who should eff off and support chelski etc etc
I was too dispirited and knackered to even get involved. (my 2 year old has an ear infection so I’ve not slept for 3 nights)
djourou was actually decent till he fell to bits 60 mins in
kos and denilson undermined decent performances by throwing in horrific unnaceptable errors every 20 mins. Arshavin had his standard mare, did Bendtner play? Poor Gibbs, who’s the only one our crowd excused for his mistakes – made a hell of a lot of them. Actually who cares about the match review, everyone was pretty much rubbish (Song OK off the bench I guess). We failed to get the ball to walcott who was nearly decent when he did get it I suppose. wilshere couldnt deal with the plowed pitch.
every champ team has terrorised this lot – their pitch is pants but champ teams just play 4-4-2 and push them back. Wengers tactics were as bad as any players performance. 2 def mids wtf WHY?
everytime either team punted the ball long the other side looked in loads of trouble. was a low quality embarrasment.
the only positive I can drag out of this week is
– last friday if you wr offered 1 win 1 draw and 1 defeat from the next 3 we would have delivered the 1st 2 results so far…
just to cheer everyone up the tube will be fecked home from shitty east london on Sat. I’m seriously thinking about getting a motorbike taxi back to Islington, will be about £40.
we’re still in with a genuine shot in 4 competitions. it could be a lost worse
we could be scousers (or worse those gloryhunters old enough to pick ‘Pool rather than ManUre)
Well London Jones you are the saddest Obssesive Ive ever seen in my 68 years of Gunner Support. Arsene has made some costly errors every year bur sadly for jokes like you he still has us 3rd in the table , he still has us in a semi final , he still has us in the Euro cup, he still has us in the FA cup…how long, who knows? BUT that is all about being a Gunner not writing a sick in the head diatribe about the greatest manager since Chapman (he also dragged an average club side up to another level and rebuilt a stadium). If you want someone who buys non stop success…then go and support Manshitty, or Chelski, or Manure…they do it all the time and would suit your young brain. As for me….I just want a full first team just for a few months to actually see how good we are. You…well I think a GP is your first port of call mate!
After yesterday’s performance & result, I reached the conclusion that the single most important player in the squad (if I have to pick one) is Samir Nasri.
Unless we have him in the team (& a fit again RvP), believe me we aren’t good enough to contest for any honor.
The team was collectively disappointing but none more than Cesc; he was completely lost – physically & mentally. ( Otherwise, B52 & AA23 were their usual selves – just pathetic).
Denilson was awful. Wasteful and slow in posession which almost cost us at several occasions. Eboue and Gibbs were to put it mildly off their game. Arshavin was also off his game but actually worked hard for the team. Bendtner was a complete disaster you could instantly see the difference when Chamakh came on. I wonder if Bendtner even knows what position he is supposed to play in?
@ tgffvf6 Some of these players are contant rubbish, but not the club. If u don’t like/hate the club bugger off.
@ Andy 1.)Sorry for u and your family mate. 2.)As a supporter I do care. First because I love the club. Second because as a Londoner the Spud shites and other supporters will take the mick out of me. I know they mean fun and I will not die from this, still football is taken very seriously in England (they feel the same when they lose). For many people if their team loses it spoils the day and the day after (before recovery).
I think the players have qualities, our style of play is good, we were just not good enough. I think the main issue is we have a full squad, which didn’t happen for a long time. Actually, everyone was used to play “a little” because of injuries. For the first time in years, almost everybody is available, and and “natural” first XI has emerged. And mentally, some players have to go past that mind-hurdle saying “your a substitute, really not the first choice”.
Let’s remember that last year, Denilson was almost a starter. Of course, he was benched sometimes, but when he was on the starting XI, he wasn’t like “an alternative”. Bendtner had no competition up front, there was no strikers. Arshavin, he was “the spark” of the team, etc. I think what we have lacked against both Ipswich and Leeds is a level of concentration and assurance. Those playing were like, you know how we are before a final exam at school, like the situation is binary: “you fail to impress or you succed in it”. Nope, it should be “you have to play the game, and just win it”.
And what is amaeing in football, is that everything is contagious. A player a good mood can be contagious to the rest of the team. Tonight, it was the inverse situation. The likes of Arshavin, Delison and Nicklas were contagious to the rest of the team. So what can Arsene do about that? I don’t know? Here, start a new work for him. But definitely we have to win this cup. It’s like a natural step. If we win it, for sure it will be the beginning of something huge.
I was at portman rd last night had a day off work (cost bundles) no real captain on the pitch can’t keep giving the job to the best player (like kids teams) to keep them @ the club viera /henry/cesc not captains like adams /keown/bould/mclintock etc they would have had someone against the wall @h/t.
just a point london jones do you have to write the shit on every blog sad wanker
@ paul – You’re right. We really do have to win this cup. It would be great for morale, I think.
The desire to win is lacked sometimes by Arsenal players.
@andy – yes but do the players actually care?
Sorry to hear about your family, Andrew. It puts football in perspective.
Let’s hope last night works as a wake-up call to everyone at Arsenal. A narrow defeat in a first leg Carlin Cup game is not the end of the world and if it motivates the team to win the next few games (at least) then it’s worth it, considering we can win the home tie.
Maybe it will even motivate Arsene to strengthen the defence/ defensive midfield.
Graham Arnold had put things brilliantly into perspective following the Mariners/Roar game on Wednesday.
Something along the lines of : ‘football isn’t what’s important now, it’s only a game’.
To all those Non-Australians wanting to help out, please donate what you can at the below link :
http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/donate.html
To give people an idea of what we’re talking about, this is the home ground of the Brisbane Roar :
http://images.triplem.com.au/2011/01/12/516250/Suncorp-flood-blog.jpg
http://www.onehd.com.au/onehd/images/S-729126_page.jpg
Its very unfortunate to note that Arsenal FC is no consistent in terms of results. I just hope it will be short lived and get back to winning ways, irrespective of the class and calibre of the opposition. Guyyyyyzzzzzzzz, wake up.
After stemming on the result for the past seventeen hours,it isn’t bothering me all that much. The cliche “every team has their off days” waffs in and out of my mind, but the reality is exactly as Andrew put it, we’re only at half time. With the second half played on our turf – without the potholes.
Arsene is rare to publicly denounce the teams performance, so in turn I think today’s slight media-rant may be the proverbial kick up the backside the team needs. The reality is :
* We’re third in the league, and in contention for the title.
* We’re ninety minutes away from a Cup final.
* We’re in the finals for another Cup.
* We’re playing in the finals of the ECL for a record breaking consecutive year.
* For once, there is only one first eleven player suffering from a long term injury.
The positives outweigh the negatives in my opinion. But, each to their own.
the performance was below par yesterday. no penetrative passes, all we saw were passes sideways(Denilson) and backward(Eboue). These two disrupted all imaginative moves by AA23 and other forwardliners. Each time they move into space to receive passes, these two passed sideways or backward and disrupted the known Arsenal pattern. Those two are not fit towear Arsenal shirt.
Here’s my ‘dream purchase’ for January :
http://www.givemefootball.com/premier-league/serie-a-giants-set-to-steal-liverpool-and-chelseas
When you are playing in the b side and you are given a chance to shine ( even if it’s against Ipswich) and you f@ck up, whose fault is it when you get forever relegated to the bench ?
If I showed the same consistency (or lack thereof) in my job, I’d have been sacked long ago. Is the this the same team that defeated Chelsea and Birmingham? We haven’t scored from open play in ages. What gives? 1NTTA
The team is an army out to do battle. We have a good general with good vision. He does not pump billions into warfare like Bush & Blair for the ultimate prize – oil in this case – because there is no ‘taxpayer’ (chelski, shitty) to fall back on and you maybe win a battle this way, but you won’t win the war.
The problem is that we need a drill sergeant to kick slack troops up the arse (McLeish, Ferguson etc), as without this the army will collaps and the battles would be lost, like last night (and throwing a water bottle does not count). To me Wenger looks to be too diplomatic and soft on his playes. They must be shat on from a dizzy height for bad performances (individually and as a team) – extra fitness at 7am!!
The team respects Wenger but do not fear him. C’mon Arsene, grow some gonads.
Sometime last season, Wenger did lose it and gave the team a half time bollocking and it worked.
paul, am so sorry abt your family and what is going on over there, i pray that the lord be with them all…. now back to our club, i still don’t understand what is really going on with the players or is it the manger…. arsene should have really talked to is players on the importance of this game…. cause the way the where behaving on the field shows that they don’t even care if they loose or win…. what i think we can do now is to start looking for new players that will beef up the squard, fab is going and arshavin is no where near is best, VP is no where and d midfield is still shakky…. we really need to get players in that is my own belive
If arsenal ddnt win carling cup,i will never 4give arsene wenger @ his young boys.wait! i wonder if dis boys are going 2 mature.if AA26,BNT52,CLCHY,NASR,FABRGAS are kids,wat are wilsher,walcot…e.t.c?
@Andy: Sorry for your family and to all the victims there….
About yesterday’s match, I think we have far more important times to look forward to rather than cry about yesterday’s result [including carling cup semis 2nd leg]. Let us just wait and see and back our team in times of crisis..
As i said in my contribution yesterday and last week and last month and last year, Wenger has purchased and promoted to many of the same type of players.
Weather small or just above normal height they are to light weight, not physically or mentally strong enough for a long Prem season. Many of them are silky in style of play with quick feet high energy and reflexes and good at playing in tight positions with the ball. The problem is when they dont have the ball and need to dig in there are not enough players equiped with the natrual attributes necessary. They are capable of producing this attribute for one or two games but when under constant pressure they run out of energy and flag. I thought it was a very bad idea to have such a light weight midfield against such a team. To many were watching one another hoping they would do the dirty work. Theo was a prime example. Arsenal have to many offensive players in the starting 11 who can look good going forward and creating chances but not as good when doing basic defending. Aresne is trying to make them all strong of mind but after a while the body gets to tired. They need an introduction of a different type of player to help them. Jack is skillful but he needs some strength beside him. Wenger is to blame. Why he wont change it slightly i will never know. The team is weak during 2 games in five.
Andrew, I pray for you and your family hoping all is fine.
Andy,
Thinking and praying for your friends and family mate.
@ice,
We couldnt contain a championship team who have lost 9 out of the last 11 and were playing ONE striker on his own, it was the second championship team weve played in 4 days and both attacking displays were inept, we could only beat the leeds keeper from the spot…….its just not good enough and whats really scary is that these guys were talking before the game and did exactly what they said they WOULDNT DO, so frustrating, Bendtner is so awkward its not even funny anymore.
@Nonny,
And you think Im bad did you check out that London Jones guy up there, now thats a disgrace.
@ weber
You need to create a website where arsenal fan can go to after games like last nite and curse obscene language, i need to curse some.
The team lastnite had a whole lot of experience players, how the hell could they loose this match.
And on the back of that arsenal fans are making excuses for the sh*t performance.
STOP MAKING EXCUSES!!! STOP MAKING EXCUSES!!!
Also most people are blaming the players for bad performance, I want to ask a question,
Now i respect wenger, but should he not shoulder most of the blame for the crap performances and lack of trophies. How could people blame the players and not blame wenger ? this is totally ridiculous. Wenger has blinded most of you, WAKE UP ARSENAL FANS.
AS much as sir alex has won @ MANU if they go 3 years without a trophy he will be fired, am dam sure.
We have not won a single trophy in five years and we blame the players, and not wenger.
The leeds game we played crap, this match the same something is wrong.
The emirates has been a bad place for us this year, and we are having real problems scoring goals, this second leg will be very interesting, cause if ipswich do there home work they can stop us from scoring, this arsenal attack is blunt blunt blunt
Some arsenal fans may boast that we beat chelsea, SO WHAT , who hasn’t. they have won 3 titles in 6 years
BUT i must be frank Arsene wenger it hurts my heart to say this but its becoming more evident every year that your a crap manager, and you should be fired.
You’ve run out of ideas and chances, arsenal are becoming a joke under your management
Am fed up with your excuses……………
I’m not sure if it was directed at me but if so, why the fuck would you be expecting me to be on here gloating Anthony? Unless there is another Terry…
Crap game, crap performance. Move on. Hammers up this weekend and we really need a strong performance from our team. Not sure where the goals are going to come from – we need nasri back and Chamakh probably due a game.
Hope your family are OK Andrew. What a country we live in – bushfires one year, floods the next.
So glad we don’t have fox soccer plus here in puerto Rico(have 168 other channels) so I didn’t get to watch Leeds or first leg Ipswich. Saw my first live Arsenal game at Highbury in 1971 and been loyal ever since. Both of the cup runs can be redeemed with solid wins in the return legs, but big improvement is needed. Should not be that tough against Championship sides, but there seems to be no indication that we will show up. Among the front 6, the only ones that ever show any saltiness are Song and Wilshere. Love Nasri’s calm and Fab can be solid, but goals are needed early and often. When we score first, we are formidable. When we don’t, everything gets dicey. Even the reverse fixture Saturday v Wigan makes me nervous. Nevertheless, I will never desert the gooners. Have to confess a great admiration for Ian Holloway and Blackpool.
Andy, hope your family is okay. Sport is only a diversion and hope all is well.
It’s true folks we weren’t very good. I love The Arsenal and feel in my heart we will be champions again; but this generation will have to pass away I,m afraid. In the meanwhile let us be of stout will and resolute.Perhaps the team can take it’s lead from us. And above all let’s not act like Liverpool supporters.
@ Damn, Shambo, I thought London Jones was you under another nic! 😀
Seriously though, although I didn’t witness the Ipswich abortion, I agree, and often have previously, with those that say we’re lacking a leader on the pitch. After all, who do the players turn to when it’s not going their way? Fab4 is an inspirational player but he doesn’t rally the troops does he? On the bench – Pat Rice, god bless him, is dreaming of his retirement and The Great Man himself is slumped into his puffa jacket or with his head in his hands. Where’s the direction coming from? Who’s screaming ‘Wake up!’ at Denilson? We haven’t had a proper captain on the pitch since Paddy Viera. Is it a coincidence that he was the last Arsenal captain to lift a trophy for the Gunners?
Come on Arsenal! Let’s hope we can get stuck into the Hammers so that we can get our hopes up again and have them cruelly dashed once more in the next fiasco.
At least we all know that if we don’t have our best two strikers that is v.Persie and Walcott we cant score goals. The truth is that we have been pathetic ever since we failed to score against Money city. It is so scaring that we played almost our first eleven against Championship sides and we could only afford a 90th minute penalty on all fronts. Some fools think Arsenal is the prototype of Barcelona in England. That is absolute rubbish. Arsenal kids rotate the ball in the opposition box which always gives the defending teams chance to reorganize.That is our greatest problem. None of the players is ruthless in front of goal. I just cant imagine how deplorable Arshavin has got to . He is ageing so first and becoming a shadow of himself.B52 and Chamak are all crap players there is nothing they are adding to the team at the moment. They have both failed to score against two championship teams.I feel C. Vela is better than either of these two morons.I just cant wait to see lovely V.persie and Nasri back tomorrow. But in all fairness fans Denilson played his heart out and so far our best. Eboue and Arshavin were by far the most casual players on the pitch.
I think that we might need to infuse a little more tempo and directness in our attack. It must be terribly hard to try and pass through a 8 or 9 man defensive shield, especially when they are given the time to organize and correctly position themselves.
I would like to see more through balls to Theo. That guy has pace for days and if Bendter or Chamakh is making a decent run to the front or far post, i have faith that Theo can supply the crosses. anyways c’mon you gooners.
Yes. I agree with comments of delano and Bill above (except the part about Bendtner & Chamackh being crap). I thought it was odd hearing Fab criticising the Ipswich players for playing long ball. Surely if the pitch is no good for a passing game that’s what you do? After 45 minutes, or even half an hour, of it not working, wouldn’t you think, let’s change tactics? Let’s punt some high stuff into Bendtner or let’s have a crack from outside the area. What annoys me is that with only Ipswich and then West Ham or Brum to beat this is by far the best chance to finally get the ‘can’t win anything’ monkey off the team’s back, and so far they’ve ballsed it up in a completely pathetic way.
Personally I don’t think criticism of individual’s is the right response. As far as I’ve read (as I say I didn’t see the match) Fab was possibly our worst performer on the day. Dithering on the ball, over-elaborating, fluffing chances, passes astray etc. Yet nobody’s saying ‘Fabregas is no good. Sell him!’ When the team play well they generally all play well. As for those getting the biggest hammering –
Bendtner I like a lot. Strikers of much greater renown than he have had goal droughts – Mr Rooney for instance. I believe in him.
Chamackh is excellent and, when he first came in, was a more direct player. he seems to have picked up some of Arsenal’s bad habits though and perhaps should think himself back to where he was.
Denilson is an extremely talented player but I think is low on confidence. Unusual trait in a Brazillain footballer but it takes all sorts. A goal would probably do him the world of good.
Eboue is a make-weight as far as I’m concerned and always has been. I’m not bothered either way what happens to him. He’s always been like he is and is just useful because he can play all over. Jack of all trades – master of none.
Arshavin – is a genius and therefore does have to be treated differently. Anyone who doubts that and wants to sell him should remember the 4 he scored at Anfield and other gems. That’s not luck. I don’t actually think he’s lazy I think it’s just not in his game to do the other stuff. I also think he struggles to keep up with the pace of the Prem. He’s puffing and blowing after 10 minutes. He’s probably caning it in the evenings. I’d say use him as a super-sub at the moment because at this stage in the season I don’t think we can afford to take chances anymore…
I think the players were not too concerned either.
They lost against a team which they honestly could have destroyed 5-0.
However, Arsenal seem to have a different approach.
Instead of creating the planet in 6 days and resting on 7th day.
We tend to rest for 6 days and create it all on the 7th.
@Nonny – If Chamakh was excellent, then ur just silly