Ten games to win the league. But can we do it?

Well said mate, whilst I fully expect us to capitulate when things get difficult, we’ve just been handed a huge advantage (cl draw), so maybe our luck is just about to change for the better. C’mon You Gunners!

The WBA game is huge now, with Chelsea & United playing each other three more times before the end of the season & United’s defence being in almost as bad shape as ours, we’ve still got a huge chance.

I think it could all hinge on the WBA game. If we can get 3 points there, it’s another home game for Utd gone without us falling behind & after the international break we should get Song, Fabregas & Walcott back

REad this comment from Lawro: ” The Gunners undoubtedly have great ability but there’s no mental strength or leadership. Arsene Wenger says captain Cesc Fabregas is a great leader. No. Fabregas is a great player but he’s not a leader and I don’t think he ever will be. When things are going wrong it’s the leaders who come to the fore and Arsenal don’t have any. ”

Never really agree with this muppet but for once I think he is spot on.

I think that for the next 10 games I’m going to just forget – or rather put on hold – everything that happened this season so far. I’m going to forget about that game against Newcastle, I’m going to forget about the Carling Final, the Barca 2nd tie display of our team, I’m going to forget every little stept we made in the EPL. And I think the players should do the same, it’s all here, only here. Denilson and Rosicky should forget about their bad shape and man up, look ahead, there’s 10 games to prove they are top players and that we should believe in them. It’s all clear now, it’s like we start from scratch. Like Andy says, no midweek games, international breaks, nothing else to distract us. I expect we drop some points in the process, I just hope not too many and we will need at least a draw against Man Utd when they come on Emirates. If they beat us there, it’s all over. But first thing first, WBA, tomorrow, payback. GO GUNNERS!

To be blunt not a hope! Too inconsistent.

@Ian Botannic Gooner
We’ve actually been very consistent in the league..

@Andrew
I’m suprised at your overly cautious optimism.. Whatever happened to the brash Aussie spirit? 🙂

I agree about there being no excuses for the FA Cup loss. But I actually think that our players want the league and will be more focussed and more determined.. I’m actually saying we’ll win it, even with Koscielny and Squillacci at the back (provided they don’t go and get injured now).. As you rightly point out the timing of the international break is convenient. Of course, we have the WBA game to win first, It begins with that. I would say we have 10 cup finals left, but perhaps best to avoid that feeling in the players 🙂 Come on you Gunners

I think i have stop believing in wenger and his boys, they are good yes, entertaining yes, winning mentality no. how best can you explain bendtner last minute miss against barc. What can you say of kocy and scin mess in carling cup final. what can you say of a team that gave a way 4 goals lead in less than 30 mins.They always to deliver when it matter most. Consistency is the name. Arsenal need winners who can motivate these guys. Wenger should stop his gambling and buy when it is necessary. just to central defenders to prosecute 10 league games will not work. He should have gotten a defender in January when he had the chance.

I still love this team and continue to support them. Gunners for real!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@Shard I take your point but those home losses, WBA, Newcastle and Spurs and the 0-0 with Man City may cost us dearly. Still too many players in the squad who just aren’t good enough. Denilson, Bendtner and Squillaci should all be released at the end of the season. Arsene’s claims that this is the best squad of players he has worked with is rubbish, why doesn’t he just swallow his pride, admit project Wenger hasn’t entirely worked and buy the world class and experienced players we need to win the league and other trophies?

@Ian Botannic Gooner

Those losses did cost us dear. But Wenger did point out that we have to improve our home form, and it has happened. We’re quite strong at home now, and fans have had, and still have a part to play in that too. The ManCity draw, I’m not too disappointed about. Probably points to a shortage in quality finishers at the club though.

Actually, this squad is very good, and quite deep. But certain players have not performed to the level they can, and should, when called upon. Some of them should be sold. I think of the 3 you mention, Squillaci will stay. He’s not done too badly (though he did for a while) but keeping in mind that it was his first season in England, I think we’ll struggle to find a better 4th choice CB. Denilson, unless he steps it up big time, I think should and will go. Bendtner is the tricky one. I think he’ll lave on his own because he’s not had chances to play in the central striker role. I don’t think he’s necessarily merited that role, but his chances have been fewer than he would like. I think he will go because he wants regular chances, and because he’s not appreciated by the fans anyway. I think we’ll regret that in a few years though. I think he has the tools to be very very good.

I don’t think pride has anything to do with his decision making in that regard. If it did, i would be the first to say that his judgment is compromised, and that he should be overruled or even sacked. But I honestly see no reason to believe that.

I definitely think we can win the league, but the the real problem is in our heads. This is a great team for many reasons and I love being a Gooner. But not for this: it’s been said ad nauseum but it’s the simple truth that despite our technical skill and aesthetically pleasing style we any killer instinct whatsoever.

The top teams claw and fight and struggle. Manchester United were just pipped to the title last year and despite their recent lack of form and injuries they are STILL the team to beat again this year. Chelsea’s demise has been greatly exaggerated. A win against Man City on Sunday and they’re right back nipping at our heels in 3rd place. Liverpool slowly but surely has crawled back to a respectable 6th.

Money can buy technical quality but it can’t buy attitude and mindset (Balotelli is an extreme and obvious example). Where do we get that?

1NTTA

Forget it !!!! it wont happen,there is a bigger chance that i will pull Cameron Diaz or Jessica Biel then Arsenal winning the league,Wengers bottlers are already gonna slip up at WBA and are certain to lose at Shite hart lane and at the Emirates against Manure and come unstuck at craven cottage,we will finish 3 or 4 mark my words.I predicted that it wouldnt be easy against Brum and that we would crash out to Barca and Manure so i am a bit like Nostradamus.

@realistic_gooner

As opposed to the hymn sheet you’re singing from now?

1)We haven’t won a trophy in 6 years

2) We haven’t won a trophy in 6 years

3)We haven’t won a trophy in 6 years

4) We haven’t won a trophy in 6 years

5) Denilson is useless, Squilaci is useless, Diaby is useless, Cesc loves barcelona, we haven’t won anything in 6 years

6) We’ll never win anything while Wenger the Stubborn is in charge because we haven’t won a trophy in 6 years.

And for proof that this is the hit song that will rule the charts and sell a billion gazillion copies and define the voice of a generation, just listen to it again..and again…and again..and again..Until you like it, or you ‘prove’ yourself to have no ear for music.

Sigh…Leftcoastgooner..If you’re still around..I agree.. Broken ankles to the bandwagon jumpers.

@kel

LOL..I think you were referring to the earlier post..

@Shard

I said IF we bottle the league (never insinuated we will bottle it), I can (fore)see these excuses being trotted out. Why? Because I’ve heard them so often I know what’s coming.

And yes, anti-Wenger fans have been singing from that hymn sheet, except that the number of years trophyless has been increasing year after year. It may not be 6 trophyless years but 15 or 20 if Wenger’s not held to proper account in due course. And their hymn sheet is at least as valid as the one Wenger and the board’s been singing from.

I also wholeheartedly agree; broken ankles to the bandwagon jumpers. Except I’m not one of them, in case you happen to think so. If I were, I’d have sod off and support Man U or Chelsea long ago. If fans who question Wenger and his pet project and excuses (or ‘valid reasons’ if it sounds better to you) are bandwagon jumpers, then fans who make excuses for him and wholeheartedly believes everything he throws at them are mindless sheep with wool over their eyes.

@Nijia Bloke – “A game in hand, just three points behind, international break, our injured players would be back, no distractions” – I wouldn’t look at these things as bad excuses or blind optimism, even though they can be interpreted that way. I would just call them facts 🙂 And I agree, we spoke about them before, as we did when we were in 4 competitions, and that was a fact too. I think at any point the team’s task is to maximize their advantages, as is the case now. If they manage to do this – at least now, it would be the damn time – they could achieve something.

@kel

I do think there will be changes to the squad in the summer. Some of our reserves and players on loan are I think at the stage that they are ready to be included in the first team squad, and as a result some existing players will either have to make way, or fall even further down the pecking order.

Bendtner has a poor first touch and his finishing can be very bad at times. What he does have is physical attributes, and a belief in himself. However misplaced you think that belief is, it is a very important quality. Some of the goals that Bendtner has scored have been very good. I’m not suggesting he’s top quality..YET… As I said, I don’t think he’s necessarily merited a regular place in the side, but the chances he has been given in his favoured role, have been very few. You are judging a player that has been played out of position mostly. He’s still 23 (or 24).. Do not think of him as a world class player like Messi, who was tearing up the world at 19. Think of him more like a Drogba, who had no first touch, and horrible finishing when he came to the Premier League. I think Drogba at Bendtner’s age was playing in the Ligue 2 in France. And yet, Drogba became the most feared striker in the league. Whether Bendtner will be as good remains to be seen. But in my opinion he CAN be.

You refer to very mediocre players being referred to as top class. I’d like to see who you rate top class at our club, and which players are just a notch below the top class ones.. Which would leave the mediocre and useless ones as ones you probably think should not stay at the club.

I would say there is no excuse to not give everything in every match remaining, and to play to the best of our abilities. Whether we can, or will even have to, excuse not winning the league will depend on how things go from here.

As for throwing out Wenger’s project (I still think Wenger gets far too much credit/blame for it), and that it should have been done way before, please try and expand on it, because I strongly disagree.

@Shard

I understand where you’re coming from. But there were points made in my ‘posts of frustration’, albeit made in a implicit fashion. And there was nothing satirical about ‘hymn sheet’ or ‘bottle’, because I call a spade a spade and thats exactly what they are.

Points are:

1) I’m ambitious. I love the club unconditionally whether they win things or not, but Im far from content about the way things are at the moment. If you guys truly believe finishing 4th each year is a huge achievement, then good for you cos in all likelihood, you’re in sync with the board’s ambitions and Wenger’s been the man for you these past 5 yrs.

2) Throwing away games and leads from time to time is one thing, but to have the same collapse happen year after year, and in very familiar circumstances (failing to win key games, injury issues, getting knocked out of a few competitions in a matter of days) is RIDICULOUS. For me, it speaks volumes about the manager’s ability to motivate his team when it really matters.

3) Failure to strengthen when it matters: In Jan, Wenger said he expected Vermaelen to be fit so he didnt sign any cover. In Mar, upon news that Vermaelen willl be out for the whole season, Wenger said he never expected Vermaelen to be fit again this season. Self contradictory? And its not the first time he failed to strengthen either. For me, thats gross negligence. Which brings me to the ‘hymn sheet’ point….

4) Trotting out the same excuses year after year without doing anything noteworthy to remedy the situation! I don’t see an improvement in the injuries list (Get to the root of the problem for goodness sake! Is it training regime, persistence in buying crocked players on the cheap, medical team or what??) Many of the players who are supposed to mature never do or do not do so fast enough. And if they cant mature fast enough, what are they doing in the 1st team??

5) Now I understand there’s got to be a transition period, but how long is long enough? 6 yrs? 15 yrs? 20 yrs? Ok maybe some of you are prepared to give Wenger 20 yrs (I’ll still be a gooner even if they win nothing after 20 yrs but I’ll definitely not sing ‘Arsene Knows’), in which case I have nothing to say. I personally feel we’ve waited long enough and what with all the season ticket price hikes, I do feel we fans deserve more than what we’re getting from this team. And finally….

6) We should be making our concerns heard. I’m not expecting wholesale changes, just some very necessary tweaks (get a hairdryer, I think many times, our players need it. A good tactical coach will be useful too) that will put us in a better stead to challenge for honours. For me, if Wenger can’t or refuses to do that, then he should not be the man to take us forward anymore.

7) And finally… Ok I promise this time… The above scenarios only apply IF we bottle it again. A very winnable league this season, we play our cards right, we should come through. If we don’t, then serious questions have to be asked.

@realistic_gooner

Your proof of being right, is that you call a spade a spade. So we have always bottled it in the past only because you say so? I have said that it is my contention that a team can lose even without ‘bottling it’. Tell me when all we have bottled it, and why, not winning this league will only be because we’re bottlers.

1) I’m ambitious too, and love this club. I’m not content at our position in the trophy count. I want us to win, and to do better. In my view finishing 4th in the circumstances that we have had has not only been an achievement, it’s been an over achievement. But I still want more. The real question is, what do you want done about it? What changes do you want made?

2) Or the players’ ability to motivate themselves. I’m with you here. Certain weaknesses have persisted for too long. And maybe if I was a bit more reactionary I would call it ridiculous too. But again, what do you want done about it? I personally would like to see some players get kicked into a performance (the hairdryer you mention somewhere in your post). But that may be happening already. If it is, and the players are still not responding I would like them gone. But with finances restricted, who do you bring in as replacement? With the players still being young there is a chance they might learn and improve. Taking both factors together, it isn’t unreasonable that they stayed.

3) I KNEW someone would bring up the Vermaelen (non)issue today. I just knew it. Have you watched that press conference? You do know what you’re alleging right? You are saying that Wenger deliberately threw the chance at the league.. If you haven’t watched it, then please do. Wenger was asked when Vermaelen would be back. He said out for the season. The reporter asked him if he was suprised, and Wenger said that he never expected him to play anyway. So your argument hinges on the word never. And you already feel Wenger isn’t right for Arsenal so you attach a sinister meaning to it. What exactly does never mean? Since time immemorial? Since Vermaelen was born? Since he was bought? Since he was injured in September? Or since his latest setback? So Wenger upon hearing of his setback (which was in March itself) did not expect him to feature this season. Shock, Horror!!

That aside, the Gross negligence that you allege, I remember that we didn’t strengthen the striking department last year. I disagreed with that. Despite the logic that I see behind waiting 6 months for Chamakh and the difficulties of bringing in a player, I still disagree with that. Please remind me when else we have shown ‘gross negligence’.

4) I’m sorry. I struggle to make sense of this point. It’s really not one point at all. All I understood was the injuries (which you mentioned once in an earlier point too) Regarding injuries I have explained to you in our conversations a few times before why it isn’t as simplistic as you say. And while i agree that they should sort it out, what do you expect them to do without knowing the cause. Also, while we see injuries as being a consistent problem, that is all post facto.. When they first occured it was considered a freak occurence. To even recognise it as an issue means that it has to have happened consistently. And hence the investigative process is delayed.

5) What defines a transition period according to you? I’d say if it’s only the financial side which represents transition then we would be in deep trouble now. Because finances will not be completely free for near that 20 year mark you put. (the stadium bonds are I think for 10 more years) But what makes and has made our transition easier is the forethought of bringing in the youngsters (like cesc, Djourou, etc) from 2003 itself (which has given us a core of the team now). And also bringing in the 9-10 year olds that now form our reserves at around the same time. (who form our future core) And with periodic additions both to the first team, and the youth and reserves, it has meant that we haven’t dropped out of the top 4 at any point, and barring some bad luck (or maybe getting some good luck) would have won some of the trophies that we have challenged for during that time. (and we have CHALLENGED) I really think the scale of the transition, and how excellently it has been managed is completely overlooked now, in the overwhelming obsession for a trophy.

6)We should be making our concerns heard. the club, the manager, the players are kept on their toes if supporters are voicing concerns. Voicing concerns is a little different from what has been happening of late though. Besides, at THIS point, when the team is at a low point having faced a number of bad (and unfortunate) results, but are still in with a shout for the title, to ‘voice concerns’ is nothing but counter-productive. If anything all you are doing are covering all bases. If we win, you get to celebrate the triumph. If we lose, you knew it anyway and were proved right. I’m sorry. That doesn’t cut it with me. Either back them to the hilt and then claim disappointment at being proved wrong, or disown them now and give up claims on any victory.

7) THIS is actually what I have said about you, and why I feel your argument lacks strength and context. You say all the above applies only if we don’t win. Why? Either there are issues with the running of the club or there aren’t. So basically all you are arguing about is a lack of trophies. As long as you have that, you’ll accept everything that, in your view, is wrong with the club. The ticket prices, the ridiculousness of giving up leads, trotting out of excuses, the lies about Vermaelen’s injury status..ALL of it would be forgotten if we win the league? And you hold that a virtue??

I’ll say this now without any doubt. You are arguing what direction the club should take ONLY on the basis of a lack of trophies. You do not care about the context of our last few years. You do not care about our achievements both off and on the field these last few years. You do not care about anything in fact, other than winning trophies. In effect, the obsession with the shiny glory that trophies bring, have blinded you to all that is RIGHT with our club. And without appreciating the rights, you cannot argue the wrongs.

@ Shard, Sorry, Denilson should have read Rosicky. You got me wrong though. What l said was the input made by us in the last ten minutes if applied from the moment RVP was sent off wud have made the result different. Our boys esp Jack pressed the opposition as best they cud in those last ten minutes ans cud hav qualified if B52 had taken that glorious chance. If you recall, almost the same thing happened against Newcastle. At 4-2 our boys sat back and decided to soak up pressure (again smthg we aint too good at) until it was 4-4. At that point they came out to play the Arsenal game and also almost scored but like in the Nou Camp it was too late. You don’t chnage a tactic for the sake of it , u use your comparative advantage and Arsenal’s is to attack the opposition.
On RVP’s sending off, one thing Arsenal fans fail to address is his first yellow card. Why did he have to earn such a cheap first yellow? It was avoidable by all standards. Now the second yellow is a question of the ref’s discretion. I personally felt the ref shud hv been lenient but that doznt take away the fact that an offence was commited. RVP saying he cudnt hav heard the whistle is debatable and truth is ONLY him knows the truth. But based on the rules of the game, it was a bookable offence!

@nija bloke

For the second yellow, you say the ref should have been lenient, but that an offense was committed, based on the rules of the game. Messi did the exact same thing a little later. No yellow card. Messi committed an intentional handball. No yellow card. the rules of the game were not so strictly enforced throughout the game. (as evidenced by the link above too)

Besides, the rules, or laws, are not just what they state. Jurisprudence requires the rules to be applied in letter AND in spirit. The referee failed in his duty as an arbiter of the game by giving that yellow card. And the fact that it was totally out of character with the rest of his performance, shows that this was not a discretion that was fairly practiced, nor that can be anticipated. Especially as the ‘offense’ itself came one second after the whistle, with the ball once kicked rebounding off the advertisement boards almost into the GK’s hands.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CA41zz2WGc

Plus Barcelona have done THIS before.. So why should any striker stop while he has a chance at goal to confirm whether the flag is raised??

@Shard,
Your erudite and informed posts beg the question, why don’t you have your own blog? Or perhaps you do? I can’t defend RvP on this one, though. He’s one of the best strikers in the world on one of the very best teams on the planet and just ought to know better. I had a few straight reds in my playing days and plenty of yellows, but I was NEVER booked for a 2nd transgression. Not once. A yellow is a warning. Suck it up or your guys are down to 10. I found other ways to let down my team, but that’s a whole other subject!
It’s that lack of mental fortitude and discipline that’s killing us right now. We need what Wilshire and Fabregas have x 11. Until we approach that level we will never fulfill our potential. Let’s see what the next 10 games bring.

1NTTA

@Ian Botannic Gooner
Mate what do you grow in your garden? Will it lead me to the double rainbow………….
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Having said a whole load of those ‘negative, hateful’ things, let me just qualify by saying we should support the team unequivocally, like what Shard, Nijia Bloke and others have mentioned. Esp now that we’re in with a genuine chance of winning the league. Those points i threw out earlier are just food for thought for every gooner. Playing devil’s advocate if you like. COYG!

@realistic_gooner

I do not think your comments are ‘hateful’. In fact they are not even overly ‘negative’. I just think that you fail to put them in a proper context. And hence fail to see the larger picture if you will.

You say we consistently throw away games from a good position. I do not know how much of that is actually true. It’s mostly your ‘feeling’. Again. I do not say that it doesn’t happen. But when you in the earlier posts gave examples of a farcical display, you listed 5 examples of matches. Of which I agreed with 3. Now if you add a lack of bottle into that same argument, I could maybe agree with 4. (though a more accurate description of it would be the ‘deviation’ as you call it)

Go back and read my point. I did not say we are overachieving. I said we have overachieved in the past. When the likes of Cesc, Denilson, Song etc were all a few years younger, it was an overachievement to finish 4th. Nothing to feel very happy about, but still an overachievement. Our stadium debt also peaked in 2008 (i think). the year that we challenged for the trophy and at the end of which the likes of Flamini couldn’t agree a new contract and Hleb liked his ice cream a little too much.. Coupled with Rosicky’s injury that meant that at a time when our debts were at their highest level, we had to basically rebuild our entire midfield. As for us being peasants, we certainly aren’t. But we do have to manage our finances (while competing with clubs who either don’t have to, or simply don’t)
Cash being available doesn’t mean you spend it on what is an asset that in accounting terms will only depreciate. In a sense, players aren’t really assets at all. They are liabilities. They cost you money to buy, and even more money to keep, and contracts running down only means their value depreciates, and they can pretty much up sticks and leave when they feel like, contracts notwithstanding. On top of that bringing in a player, no matter how expensive or how talented, is no guarantee of improvement in the team’s performance. What I’m detailing here, are the inherent risks that are there in running a football club. Finances are not an excuse. They are the basis of a club’s existence. No matter how mundane or hypothetical they may seem. Football does not exist only on the pitch. Do you really think ManU would have won all those titles in the 90s if they did not have a financial advantage over the rest of the pack?

Your solutions of shipping out the overrated dross ignores the fact that if they are such dross, then who would buy them. It also doesn’t say which these players who are fit to wear the shirt will come from and on what basis will they be considered more fit without having played for us. And Wenger trumping up players is not an indication that he is blind to their flaws and deficiencies. There is a difference between public statements and true beliefs, and no, that does not constitute lying. If Wenger had said that our players aren’t good enough for the title yet, and that we’ll need time, what motivation would the players have to perform at all? We wouldn’t even have finished 4th. Keeping the faith in certain players has been misplaced, and very much the opposite in others. He wasn’t right about all of them, but to focus on only the ones that he hasn’t been proved right about, is churlish and ignores his limitations to act. The same financial restrictions that you malign as an excuse. Address the points about how to offload the players, and on what basis would you identify the players who will be better, and how they will be payed for, and you will have presented a valid, irrefutable argument. Though you STILL would not have shown how Wenger should have known for a fact that these players would not develop like some of the others have.

As for the stinginess about a couple of pounds. I believe I have addressed that before. If you pay 20 m for a player who’s real worth is 10m. You pay 10m extra which you can afford. So no biggie right? Except now, whenever you go in for any player, that is the comparative scale you will be judged on. If so and so was worth 20m, our player is worth at least 15m, and so on. You’ll lose those 10m or near about on EVERY transfer. Which you cannot afford. (the same logic applies to player contracts as well)

Phew…and that was just in response to the 1)

2) I do say certain weaknesses have persisted too long (not 4 or 5 seasons as you allege though) Now I would look back and think back and try and refute that but I can’t make that effort really, especially because I think it is incumbent on you to say what weaknesses have been there for that long, and give me examples of it being a repetitive and persistent issue. And the keeping faith in players part has already been addressed by me above. As has been the clearing out the deadwood/dross and the financial restriction bit.

3)You agree about the Vermaelen bit, and then you raise a different issue which you have already raised in both the points above. So no comment on this one.

4) The point about injuries and nuclear science both being complicated. What does that mean apart from an attempt to be witty? There is absolutely no correlation. As for the rest, I tried finding a record of our injuries over the last few seasons, but couldn’t. I do not believe that it’s been 5 seasons of it being the same. As I recall this would be the 3rd season that we have seen an extraordinarily high number of injuries. The first season can be put off as a freak occurence (especially when you consider the broken legs, a small squad, and other players having to cover in their absence and hence being overworked) The second season is when it became apparent that this was an issue. The club did start examining training regimes, diet and such stuff. At the start of this season we put those GPS trackers on the players to monitor the level of stresses they go through in training. At the time, the club did say that this won’t be a quick fix because data needs to be compiled on each player and their specific response to stress. Anyway, if you think that the same level of injury problems have been there for 5 seasons then please tell me how. I do not believe that is the case though.

5) I have addressed this point before. Not just in this post but throughout in my conversations with you.

6+7) It was not MY assertion that you’d forgive all those issues if we won the league. That was all you.. As for the ‘it is possible for the league to be won in spite of him rather than because of him’…HA!.. Theoretically anything is possible. But if the players are such dross as you like to point out, then over a 38 game season, pray tell me how it can be in spite of the manager?

At this point you change YOUR previous assertion about the points applying only if we don’t win the league. You’ll say to Wenger to not repeat the same mistakes as the past 5 seasons, by which presumably you mean the ones on the ‘hymn sheet’, which the ‘minority’ like myself follow like ‘mindless sheep’. You really think this lends weight to your arguments? Again, I have tried to not refute, but present to you an environment in which your points exist. Your contention of all of that just being excuses, a hymn sheet etc, actually weakens your arguments.
I do not presume to know anything about you. In fact I do not doubt that you are a true Arsenal fan, and will be a lifelong supporter. I did not cast aspersions on you personally, only on the basis of your arguments. You have certain valid points. You however fail to look at the other side of the coin, as evidenced by your repetition of the same points you hold, while referring to the opposed points as simply excuses. Try and look at the merits and demerits of both sides of the argument and only then do you get the complete picture. You could still contend that Wenger’s faults override his achievements. But at this moment, the only overriding factor in your mind is the lack of a trophy, which blinds you to the rest, and prevents you from presenting your case in its proper context, in a reasoned or logical manner. There are gaps in your theory which you fill at your convenience. I do not believe I will change your mind in this regard, simply because I feel that even despite your attempts to be reasonable and logical, your world view, as regards Arsenal, is limited to the trophy cabinet at this moment.

I DO think this thing with Vermaelen is an important one. Most teams would think they would like to try to recruit some of our offensive players, even the one’s who rarely play like Vela, but our defensive players except for the first-teamers are not very sought after. Wenger has an unbalanced team with too much emphasis on offensive players. It’s obvious we really struggle without Song, Vermaelen and now Djourou is out too. Now our title hopes rest on Ramsey or Denilson stepping up and Squillaci becoming consistent.

@ Joakim Löf – I actually like the fact that team is a bit unbalanced towards the attack rather than the other way – I know it may sound weird at this point. I just love the way we play forward when the game works. What I am worried regarding defence is not necessarily the quality of the players, but the team’s strategy and tactical movement at times. For example in the last game against Man Utd there wasn’t any sort of cover on the flanks and Sagna was going forward way too often. I agree that it’s necessary in order to put pressure on the other team but a good counterattack will break us to pieces.

Another concern I have is with our second choice for attack, namely Bendtner and Chamack who don’t step up to fully take Van Persie’s role when he isn’t there. It’s all a personal opinion, but I think the best defense is attack and that it’s a play style that fits us quite well, that would justify the imbalance. Of course it doesn’t mean we should forget about defending, but if we would be as sharp as we – or Wenger wants – attacking, then our defensive weaknesses wouldn’t come up front so easily.

@ delano – One of the things that bugged me this whole season was that I couldn’t really find a reason for Rosicky not finding his shape. He started really well, I remember that because I watched him carefully, he was one of my favourite players in the squad and it seemed that he would really make a difference this season. And then I just don’t know what happened, maybe he was sidelined a few consecutive matches, he just didn’t get back really. I may sound like an incurable optimist here, but I still have some faith left, I feel that our Little Mozart is still there somewhere and I would be one of the happiest fans to see him shine again.

As for Denilson, I’ve criticised him for a couple of months I think and I said to myself that I will stop doing that in what could be considered a hateful manner. As for Diaby being like Wenger’s son, I think I could understand at times why. On a good day he is really great, I was amazed not this season, but the last one, of how good his controll over the ball was, he had vision, he was a really good dribbler (I hope this is the right word to use), there is a ton of potential there, the way I see it – and not only I, as far as I could see on the comments on this blog. Unfortunately, he will need time to get over those injuries, he will need to constantly play so as far as these next 10 matches go, I fear using him will be a gamble. We’ll gamble with a lot of things though, so heck, it might be inevitable.

Agree with you totally except that we got defeated due to a decision crisis with Barcelona rather than lack of commitment to push or die for the winning situation.I pray to God that some bit of luck or spell to happen in the team to make them win premier league.This team desperately needs a confidence of a cup to step up for the next level.Our boys should start thinking professionally , that results matter at the end.

Last time I looked we were losing to WBA – again! How can the above bloggers keep hoping that we can ever win anything with this bunch of losers. I won’t even bother to watch the rest; i know how it will end with another loss but AW praising his players for trying (!!) so hard and being unlucky. Time to move on, Wenger – you have wasted too much of our hopes already!

The rooskey scores.
Not quite going for the billfold.
But I know where it is.
One thing I have in common with the gloom & doomers
Squillaci,Denilson and almunia must go!

A draw . One down 9 to go. Same old story of no silverware this season has started to haunt

Does this mean every team that beat us at home we will draw with away?

Now, no one should come on here and tell me crap about this match being of one point gained. Just look @ Man U; with a man down they still end up increasing the lead. Why can’t our boys have such dogged spirit. Well, yesterday it was ten matches to go. Today its just nine and pliz spare me the “game in hand” song cos until the match is played and won it counts for little or nothing at this rate. End of rant

If this draw means that we see the back of Denilson,Squillacci and Almunia it would be a well dropped 2 points.
But if it means we go on with the same non-achievers, I don’t know.
I guess it could have been worse.
But did you notice ManU(re) won with 10?
THAT”S the difference between us & them.
Come on gunners,close-up,move on.
@Jet and Maltagooner, I’m a hopeful person and never give up type I guess.
It’s really the only way to be when things aren’t going particularly well…
…like now, for instance. Did anyone notice if Le Boss took notice?

Points dropped against SUNDERLAND= 4, WBA= 5 & NEWCASTLE= 5. Total lost = 14. With just a little effort in these games, we would have been out of sight by now!

I didn’t see the game, but this team blows. Yes, I am a gunner fan.

@shard

First, don’t assume I don’t look at the big picture, or weigh the merits vs demerits because I do. However, I just do not come to the same conclusions as you. Not sure many Gooners do. Was having a discussion with some Gooners during the WBA game, and many agreed that Wenger should be sacked if the team bottles the league this season. You say it shows in the way I constantly repeat my points, guess what? So do you. LOL

You also said I fail to ‘present my points in a reasoned and logical manner’ and that there are ‘gaps in my theory’. On whose basis? Yours? Care to enlighten me on what the gaps on my theory might be? Ok fair enough, it may seem that way to you. You’re entitled to your opinion. But I don’t recall having made any condescending remarks towards any of your posts or points; instead I have tried to address your points the best I could. So I don’t really see why you need to do that.

Also, please stop assuming that my world view is limited only to the trophy cabinet. I find that extremely insulting btw. Again, have I ever painted you as a diehard AKB who bends over backwards to give excuses for Wenger? No. I have my personal opinion on that but I’ll let others judge for themselves. Look, trophies are one thing, but what I see as mismanagement is another. I can live without trophies but what I cannot tolerate are players not giving their all for the shirt, players who have no motivation and fighting spirit, and above all, a manager who allows all these to happen time after time, and sometimes even rewarding the aforementioned undeserving players with starts and new contracts.

Im not interested in my theory being proven right, neither do I take pleasure when the team fails just so I can say “There I told you so”. Far from it. What I’m only interested in is getting rid of bad practises and fixing the problems we have at the moment, so that THE CLUB CAN PROGRESS TO GREATER HEIGHTS.

Anyway, as i’ve said before, you’re entitled to your opinions, and I to mine. Lets just agree to disagree from henceforth.

Just came back from seeing the game; cracking game it was but the result was disappointing.

My thoughts:

1) What in the world was Almunia doing for that second goal???

2) Thought Chamakh had a great game, we looked much more threatening when he came on. Good pass that set up Arshavin to make it 2-1.

3) What a good goal by the Owl. He’s been getting some stick but I always maintain Arshavin is a world class player who has the innate abiity to conjure up magic.He played well and I truly hope he can replicate the form he showed when he first came. Really miss those long range thunderbolts he scored against Pool and Man U.

3) Denilson, as usual was dire, but I found it interesting that Wenger saw it fit to sub him at half time. He usually waits about the 60+ min mark to make his changes. Couple that with throwing on Bendtner for Rambo (has he ever used all 3 strikers at once before??) shows you how important a game it was to him.

4) Ramsey did ok but was clearly not 100% fit. So glad to see he’s back and running. Gotta love his courage and spirit to recover from that awful injury. He’ll be an important player for us in years to come.

I stil think that our big problem remains in defense , not mutch experience.

@baltazar
Spot-on mate. but you forgot All moonia and squidiki
See, it pays to watch.

How is struggling to draw a winnable game a show of mental strength? Or has the meaning been changed without our knowledge? Red nose team is down to 10, and they win. They lack key players, and they win. Weird.

Ah! Wengelese. Good one leftcoastgooner. This in addition to the five languages he already speaks!

where is GUNNERBOSS? Where has he disappeared? He whopromised that Arsenal will win something more then just THE EMIRATES CUP….i told u guys i’ll have the last laugh didn’t i?

Wenger: “Mathematically, we [have] lost two points but psychologically we have won a point because when you are 2-0 down with 20 minutes to go, you are not to unhappy to come back.”
Now, I may be defending Wenger from time to time, but this is just crap. You have to be realistical about this, I understand the need to encourage the players, but for 70 minutes we didn’t play a damn thing and our goals were thanks to Chamack and Arshavin’s individual skill and, to quote leftcoastgunner for the second one, “a wonderful,scrappy,shitty goal!”. And if overall the manger gets to the conclusion that after a game like that he is “proud of the spirit we have shown'” then to me it’s not ok. I hope he’s not telling them the same thing in the locker room. I would’ve been proud of this team’s spirit if it was 3-0 for us, we’re second in the league and they are – or were – near relegation zone.

If Almunia and Squillaci aren’t on Manure’s payroll then they fucking might as well be. You can add Denilson to the list as well. How many cock ups do we have to have? Our defence without Djourou and Vermeulen is a complete joke. And without Fabregas we seem to be totally lacking in creativiity and speed of thought and play. I am feeling thoroughly depressed. Nine games to go and I can see us being caught by Man$ity and Chelski unless there is a major turn around. I don’t want Wenger to go but I do want him to face up to the inadequacies in our squad. We all know what they are – it’s not fucking rocket science.

@shard

No worries mate. We may have differing viewpoints but we both want the best for the club. Now over to the game…

Agree with you that we tend to coast leisurely at the start of games. Why do these players all decide to wait till the 70th min mark to start showing some real urgency to their play? This is something that we must address, and soon, if we want the title.

Also the defence will surely come in for much stick after the 2 goals conceded last night, but I actually felt we did well for most part except for the slack marking on the first goal, and of course, Almunia’s antics for the 2nd goal. I thought the much criticised Squillaci actually had a decent game alongside Kos. We really need Song back soon to screen our defence. At the moment, I don’t see anyone really filling his role to great effect. We all know about Denilson (I think he’s lacking in motivation and probably has his heart on leaving the club), Diaby’s not really suited to that role either.

There’s still plenty to play for however, and with a bit more consistency and mental fortitude, luck, coupled with the fact that Man U will now play Chelsea two more times in the CL (hopefully these games will really drain them), we may yet bring the title to the Emirates for the first time.

Fisrt things first.
Gunner_realist,
I actually couldnt agree more with your points, you have managed to put across the way I feel in a much better manner than I am capable of, without frustation or over emotion, you my friend are spot on.
Andy,
Agree wholeheartedly with your article and it says something when a diehard optimist and true Arsenal fan such as yourself is resigned to an all to familiar fate. I think we all feel that way, I for one do not have the same energy or enthusiasm of late, I cant even be bothered to argue with idiot, generic Utd fans anymore when we go 1 down away to west brom, when we went 2-0 they didnt even seem bothered anymore either, they dont respect us, they EXCPECT us to bottle it.
On the game, well I dont wanna go over old ground on the Almunias, Denilsons or Squillachis, I would though like to point out, with no satisfaction, that when I said these guys would cost us (and got berated for not being a true Arsenal fan) that I was right, now it doesnt mean Im right on everything else I give out about but maybe some of you should start asking more of the players and manager now and stop labelling fans doom and gloomers when the points being made are, and always have been, valid ones. Maybe you should question your own outlook and ask what is it you want for your team, and before you say it trophies are not what Im talking about.
What I wanted used to be consistancy, now Iv re-evaluated where we are I just want to see progression, we are now outside the top 10 teams in Europe, and I may be being kind there, so I want to see the club, board AND manager make the changes to get us back to the level we should be at, these changes should have been made years ago but for the managers obsession with proving everyman and his dog wrong that this group are good enough.
What are we to do if these changes arent introduced, are we to be left simmering with rage when a player like Gael Clichy who is firmly in the bracket of ‘give them time to mature’ is reluctant to sign a new contract after all he owes the club and especially the faitful and patient man in the stands, serioulsy how can any Arsenal fan not want to pull his hair out, Flamini, Nordveit and Merida are others, we are told when we fail to achieve that they are kids and need time to reach their peak, fat lot of good they are to us though if we lose them before they get there, we groomed Flamini for Milan, were grooming Fabregas for Barcelona, you have Diaby and Nasri talkin about wanting to play for Barce before the second leg, as we had with Adebayour also, we have players like Gallas and Toure leaving for rivals telling anyone who will listen that we have no heart or togetherness, we have a goalkeeper who cant goalkeep questioning the teams heart aganst Barce and then he goes and does that yesterday, we have a manager who uses the same ingedients every year but thinks the outcome will be different this time (true sign of madness by the way), his answer to our problems from last year were Sebastien Squillachi for 8M, and we have now asked a 43 year old ex player who hates Almunia to be our back up keeper….I could go on all day with the many things that are not right.
But I will tell you the biggest thing that is wrong with Arsenal football club right now, from board to manager to players to coaches to fan.
We all want teams to slip up for us the achieve, thats not success, the Bergkamps, Adams and Vieiras didnt cross their fingers and hope bolton would do us an unlikely favour at Old Trafford, they went out and won, they set targets and achieved.
This has been the worst PL in years and its like no one wants to win it,a quite average Man Utd team are walking it because no one will fight them.
We could still win it, but quite frankly I would be embarrassed after some of the results weve had this year, especially against the relegation battlers and newly promoted teams and if Im honest I think the far more realistic outcome is that Chelsea beat us to second.

@Terry Alumunia,Denilson and Squdiki Heretofore to be referred to as “Axis of Feeble”
are actually on loan from ManU(re) This clever but discrete arrangement allows them to get valuable first team experience while we pay their wages.
@shambogunner good to hear from you. But Jens is 41 and could chew the nails from inside his casket, claw his way to the surface and perform a better service as a goalkeeper than Almunia even if he were 141 and had been dead for a number of trophy-less decades.

just saw chks beat city the new defender they bought look topdraw ,you get what u pay fir by the way chls are 2 points behind us now am sure were go ing to finish 3rd

Later dude, good luck.
Why don’t you hook up with Chelsea or ManU you can always come back if they have a bad spell. (it could happen ya know).
Cheers.

Looking at the remaining fixtures I don’t think we have a prayer. The way we have played our last few games (in all comps) I am not confident that we can get three points against Spurs, Manure or Liverpool, and am not even confident we can beat Blackburn/pool. I hope I am wrong but the sense of deja vu is almost overwhelming. Still, on the positive front, I hoep Chelski and Manure kick the crap out of each other over two legs and extra time, Spuds get totally Ronaldoh’h and Man$ity can bore Manure to death in the Cup semi! It’s the dersion about our defensive cock ups that I find hard to take. How old is Martin Keown? Maybe he could pull the boots on again…

I’ve coated myself in cotton wool, ready for the barrage from my Man-Poo supporting mates, and the wave of disappointment that will wash over me if we ultimately are not successful.

This cotton wool isn’t permanent though, it can easily be ripped off if Cesc raises the trophy in nine games time 🙂

faith lost after i saw the wba game and then the fixture list.

frankly when almunia is in goal you can expect something to go wrong with his decision making. lehmann’s form is in doubtful. squilaci reminds me of stepanovs. denilson is a round peg in a square hole, same for diaby BUT WHO ELSE DO WE HAVE? fabregas and song aren’t back, rosicky isn’t fit, ramsey is coming back, wilshere himself can’t do everything.

without our 1st choice XI 4-3-3 becomes terribly ineffective. without song and fabregas we shouldn’t rely on the 4-3-3 passing game which our current central trios simply can’t play. against wba wenger quickly changed to 4-4-2 after the break, credit to him, but the new problems are:

1) we do not have a right winger when nasri is moved centrally, which is where he plays better. rosicky can put in great crosses but would naturally shift infield and no longer has the pace; eboue has a lot of pace but he drifts infield and doesn’t cross well; bendtner offers no pace, tries too hard to beat people, doesn’t hold the ball well and doesn’t cover for the fullback well enough.

2) playing 4-4-2 we have no steel in central midfield. we were overrun against wba and almost lost a goal from a left-wing cross, if you still remember. denilson and diaby have some strength but little else, and neither are disciplined enough.

and then i saw the fixture list. assuming that big teams drop points against each other, we have the likes of blackburn, bolton and stokes, none inspiring confidence when we look at our central defence.

enough moaning. is there anyone who can ease my worries?

What i dont understand is the majority of the English Knitwits and your media are discounting Chelsea as Title contenders??

Im a gunners fan and I see Chelsea as being a major contender still. They will likely win all their games from here till the end of the season. Arsenal and Man U will not.