Match Reaction vs Newcastle (home).

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Really poor performance but sod it, another win and we stay top.

:scarf:

Koscielny and Cech were brilliant. The rest...oh dear.

[Letters]

No pressure on this one. 2 points clear. Wenger out.

[hobson's choice]

Great result, central midfield is such a liability.

[Marc Overmars]

Quite disappointed we didn't put them to the sword but given Leicester dropped points this is a very valuable win.

Trip to Anfield next in the league. :popcorn:

[LDG]

Win is a win.

Top.

On we go :scarf:

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

We need a few players back asap......we are almost out of fortune but well done to them for pulling through.

[LDG]

No pressure on this one. 2 points clear. Wenger out.

Don't judge him too soon.

[GP]

Lots of pressure in the first 70 mins but luckily none in the final 20 which allowed us to get the win.

[LDG]

Careful. Liverpool are coming.

[fakeyank]

Ramsey has no idea what it means to defend. Shouldve been subbed off for Chambers much earlier.

[hobson's choice]

Ramsey has no idea what it means to defend. Shouldve been subbed off for Chambers much earlier.

He's basically become Cesc, he may have started out as CM, but he really doesnt seem to have the discipline to play the position. Flamini is basically going at it in the middle on his own.

[Master Splinter]

3 points :bow:.

Clean sheet :bow:.

Top of the league :bow:.

Wenger :bow:.

Tony Gale :haha:.

[Letters]

Lots of pressure in the first 70 mins but luckily none in the final 20 which allowed us to get the win.

:lol:

[Dein-machine]

Absolutely piss poor football which is what we are regularly seeing now. Last time we played anything like decent football was the Ist half an hour against Man Utd. Look at the recent results & who we've played. Is that what the new stadium brings or would we not be expecting to be playing better football if we were still at Highbury.
Whatever we saw today, it will be exactly the same next week against Sunderland. Wenger has no tactical nous to open up defensive teams with the players he has.

[hobson's choice]

Absolutely piss poor football which is what we are regularly seeing now. Last time we played anything like decent football was the Ist half an hour against Man Utd. Look at the recent results & who we've played. Is that what the new stadium brings or would we not be expecting to be playing better football if we were still at Highbury.
Whatever we saw today, it will be exactly the same next week against Sunderland. Wenger has no tactical nous to open up defensive teams with the players he has.

Heh, its not about tactical nous here, who exactly is available at the moment?

[Static]

Absolutely piss poor football which is what we are regularly seeing now. Last time we played anything like decent football was the Ist half an hour against Man Utd. Look at the recent results & who we've played. Is that what the new stadium brings or would we not be expecting to be playing better football if we were still at Highbury.
Whatever we saw today, it will be exactly the same next week against Sunderland. Wenger has no tactical nous to open up defensive teams with the players he has.

Cheer up buddy, we might drop points at Anfield.

[Kano]

Absolutely piss poor football which is what we are regularly seeing now. Last time we played anything like decent football was the Ist half an hour against Man Utd. Look at the recent results & who we've played. Is that what the new stadium brings or would we not be expecting to be playing better football if we were still at Highbury.
Whatever we saw today, it will be exactly the same next week against Sunderland. Wenger has no tactical nous to open up defensive teams with the players he has.

Why does it always feel like it's pissing it down outside whenever you post?

[Letters]

Absolutely piss poor football which is what we are regularly seeing now. Last time we played anything like decent football was the Ist half an hour against Man Utd.
City game?

Anyway, shut up whining FFS. We just went top of the table by 2 points.

[fakeyank]

Ozil absolutely needs to be rested or at least benched for the FA Cup game.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

We were so poor and lucky to come away with three points.

The Ramsey Flamini midfield pairing is horrible ....... there's zero control or discipline between them. Frankly until Santi comes back we probably won't be able to dictate a game again. Giroud and the attackers had no service and you could see the likes of him and Ozil growing increasingly frustrated with the wayward passing and movement.

I know the cliche is that "it's the sign of champions, playing badly and winning", however that is precipitated on actually playing well in other games and to be honest, apart from City at home, we haven't looked at our free flowing best since we lost Carzola and Coquelin.

Worryingly as well, our run of fixtures now until the end of Februray are horrible starting of with a trip to Liverpool and then Stoke. Good news though is that we'll hopefully have Alexis back and the current setup is probably better suited to putting men behind the ball and countering (see City at home) rather than bossing a game through possession and passing.

[Kano]

Given we've lost three nailed on starters we've coped incredibly well, especially when you consider the panic sweeping through the ranks of Arsenal fans a month or so ago. No-one has consistency in the league and there is no reason to think anyone is going to find it this season given how far into it we are now. I don't see a problem with that fixture list apart from Stoke - Liverpool are average, Chelsea are shit, Southampton we will do at home, Bournemouth is not a game we should be concerned about beforehand, Leceister will have woken up by then to reality and Man Utd are average too. Of course we won't win them all but I don't look at that list and feel worried. We can scrape a win against Bournemouth and batter Stoke away for all we know but given the level of the league as a whole, there is no point looking at the previous reputations of these clubs as anything meaningful.

[Chippy]

Cheer up buddy, we might drop points at Anfield.
Dein Machine is being honest! That was a dreadful performance. With this team, we will get spit roasted at Anfield, OT and Shite Hart Lane. We need to buy, or City or the Scum will win the league. The latter being unthinkable😟

[Dein-machine]

Heh, its not about tactical nous here, who exactly is available at the moment?

So you think we need more options than what we have to beat a bottom 3 team!
If your right it's down to a weak squad - who's fault is that?

[Master Splinter]

Liverpool do tend to save their best performances for the big (in status and previous reputation) teams, so they'll probably be the biggest test.

And yes, buy, buy, buy is the answer. As United, Liverpool and Citeh are showing currently.

It would be useful having reliable, non-brittle options as cover for our crocks, but it's the mentality going into the game that's the biggest hurdle. It won't always come off, but starting the matches aggressively and positively generally pays off. Or having a clear gameplan and sticking to it from back to front as we did against Citeh. We just created about 4000 chances against Bournemouth on Monday and then played like drunkards today. Sometimes, you can acknowledge the opposition's hard work in stopping your team playing well, but with Arsenal it does usually seem to be about the mentality and attitude. We rarely play well when we start sluggishly.

Anyway, Tony Gale :haha:.

[Kano]

Dein Machine is being honest! That was a dreadful performance. With this team, we will get spit roasted at Anfield, OT and Shite Hart Lane. We need to buy, or City or the Scum will win the league. The latter being unthinkable��

Yes because all of those teams are giants of the league this year right?

[Dein-machine]

Why does it always feel like it's pissing it down outside whenever you post?

Because it is pissing down - as real as how piss poor we were today. You can already see how these performances have cost us at least 10 points in winable games recently - today very lucky that another couple of points weren't dropped. I'd ever a new signing was needed to give us more options it's now - until we can get rid of Inspector Clueless that is.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Name calling?

[Kano]

Because it is pissing down - as real as how piss poor we were today. You can already see how these performances have cost us at least 10 points in winable games recently - today very lucky that another couple of points weren't dropped. I'd ever a new signing was needed to give us more options it's now - until we can get rid of Inspector Clueless that is.

As you can see, the majestic Man City are doing far better than ourselves. We've done appallingly to get to this position. Everyone else has been so much better.

[LDG]

For some reason, every cunt that was supposed to be better than us. Every manager. Every multi-million pound cunt. Every whizz kid we should have bought, every wrong turn.....has us top of the league.

We're NOT great, but we are top, and that makes us better than anyone else at this point in time. And I take great fucking pleasure in it. Because we are, fuckin top!

The manager now needs to make sure we stay there.

Buy a couple of players to breed confidence, and add quality. It is a big thing for the squad to know we have extra man powe when it comes to the final few months.

So far, it's not been pretty. But we're top. Top of the league.

Ours to lose.

Come on the arse.

[Gooner23]

City 1-0 down to Watford, it really is there for the taking this season. Didn't see game today but important 3 points. Need Alexis back asap and hopefully Coquelin too.

[LDG]

Spoiler!

[alexander]

Im literally have no idea what some people on here want.

We are down to bare bones in midfield, thats not Wengers fault at all, if there is one area we are overstocked its the midfield! We have just been very unlucky with injuries. Does it not say a lot about the team that are down to the last few players, and look knackered, that are struggling, that we are winning games and are top, and clear by 2 points? It looks like we are gearing up to buy players we need in the window too.

Some moan that we are top by 2 points, they moan when we win, they moan when we consistantly get top four finishes, moan the FA Cup isnt enough... blah blah blah. If we win, its nothing to do with Wenger and the players ignored his tactics and won. If we won its nothing to do with the players because they are shit and dont try and we only won because the other team are worse, and nothing to do with Wenger.

Some on here are like spoilt little brats.
I for one am very pleased at this point. Top by two points, players due to return, signings on the horizon.

I remember through the mid 90s losing to Wrexham. Ive known it much worse than now. So cheer the f` up.

[Maestro]

Another three points, another clean sheet ....brilliant result albeit poor performance

I couldn't care less how we get the points this season, just bring home the title AT ALL COSTS and yes, even at the cost of good football. Right now with the way the league is panning out, playing good football is a luxury I couldn't give a fuck about right now ...especially considering we haven't seen the title for over a decade.

A couple of signings this month to give us a boost and cover injuries would be nice, but we desperately need to win this title ....by any means necessary.

Believe

[alexander]

For some reason, every cunt that was supposed to be better than us. Every manager. Every multi-million pound cunt. Every whizz kid we should have bought, every wrong turn.....has us top of the league.

We're NOT great, but we are top, and that makes us better than anyone else at this point in time. And I take great fucking pleasure in it. Because we are, fuckin top!

The manager now needs to make sure we stay there.

Buy a couple of players to breed confidence, and add quality. It is a big thing for the squad to know we have extra man powe when it comes to the final few months.

So far, it's not been pretty. But we're top. Top of the league.

Ours to lose.

Come on the arse.

true :patrice:

[Maestro]

For some reason, every cunt that was supposed to be better than us. Every manager. Every multi-million pound cunt. Every whizz kid we should have bought, every wrong turn.....has us top of the league.

We're NOT great, but we are top, and that makes us better than anyone else at this point in time. And I take great fucking pleasure in it. Because we are, fuckin top!

The manager now needs to make sure we stay there.

Buy a couple of players to breed confidence, and add quality. It is a big thing for the squad to know we have extra man powe when it comes to the final few months.

So far, it's not been pretty. But we're top. Top of the league.

Ours to lose.

Come on the arse.

This, Nuff Said! :gp:

[Chippy]

Im literally have no idea what some people on here want.

We are down to bare bones in midfield, thats not Wengers fault at all, if there is one area we are overstocked its the midfield! We have just been very unlucky with injuries. Does it not say a lot about the team that are down to the last few players, and look knackered, that are struggling, that we are winning games and are top, and clear by 2 points? It looks like we are gearing up to buy players we need in the window too.

Some moan that we are top by 2 points, they moan when we win, they moan when we consistantly get top four finishes, moan the FA Cup isnt enough... blah blah blah. If we win, its nothing to do with Wenger and the players ignored his tactics and won. If we won its nothing to do with the players because they are shit and dont try and we only won because the other team are worse, and nothing to do with Wenger.

Some on here are like spoilt little brats.
I for one am very pleased at this point. Top by two points, players due to return, signings on the horizon.

I remember through the mid 90s losing to Wrexham. Ive known it much worse than now. So cheer the f` up.
I had a season ticket when Terry Neil was Manager so I concur. However, if Wenger had added some quality, we would not be "Pubbing" wins against the likes of Newcastle.

[Marc Overmars]

I think we deserve credit for how we've dealt with the injuries, look at how City have wobbled without Silva, Aguero and Kompany at various points this season. Yet it is accepted that they have the stronger squad and therefore the edge.

[Dein-machine]

Im literally have no idea what some people on here want.

We are down to bare bones in midfield, thats not Wengers fault at all, if there is one area we are overstocked its the midfield! We have just been very unlucky with injuries. Does it not say a lot about the team that are down to the last few players, and look knackered, that are struggling, that we are winning games and are top, and clear by 2 points? It looks like we are gearing up to buy players we need in the window too.

Some moan that we are top by 2 points, they moan when we win, they moan when we consistantly get top four finishes, moan the FA Cup isnt enough... blah blah blah. If we win, its nothing to do with Wenger and the players ignored his tactics and won. If we won its nothing to do with the players because they are shit and dont try and we only won because the other team are worse, and nothing to do with Wenger.

Some on here are like spoilt little brats.
I for one am very pleased at this point. Top by two points, players due to return, signings on the horizon.

I remember through the mid 90s losing to Wrexham. Ive known it much worse than now. So cheer the f` up.

Injuries aren't Wengers fault - who played Sanchez when injured, who played Ozil last year when he had a hole in his knee bone?
We are short in DM area. We all said that at the start of the season. Who did nothing about it in the summer.
Wenger never learns. The reason he kills players like Ozil & Sanchez is because we don't have quality like for like replacements. Who's fault is that.

[LDG]

NQ appears to be drowning his sorrows with Zimm.

What a fucking party that must be.

[Maestro]

I think we deserve credit for how we've dealt with the injuries, look at how City have wobbled without Silva, Aguero and Kompany at various points this season. Yet it is accepted that they have the stronger squad and therefore the edge.

MO no one will give us any credit, they're all haters ...we even have some in our own ranks. Let's give ourselves credit and cheer the team on to hopefully a first title in over a decade. We've done well so far, it gets tougher now and the pressure gets cranked up but we're still in it. COYG

[Maestro]

Come on Watford

[Kano]

I'd feel much better about life if Wenger could offer the three points to Newcastle as compensation. I'm not up to the moral dilemma of playing badly and winning.

[LDG]

Stop that COYG shit

COYG is what spuds do. Albeit with the G replaced by the Knob.

Come on you rip roaring fucking gunners! Is the way to go.

[alexander]

Injuries aren't Wengers fault - who played Sanchez when injured, who played Ozil last year when he had a hole in his knee bone?
We are short in DM area. We all said that at the start of the season. Who did nothing about it in the summer.
Wenger never learns. The reason he kills players like Ozil & Sanchez is because we don't have quality like for like replacements. Who's fault is that.

If he didnt play them people would moan, we had artea and Wilshere whom can both play Coqs position, but they have suffered long term injuries.

IF (big if) we win the league, would you be happy? Genuine question, I respect you opinion, we all have different views.

Personally, I dont think this team is as good as the team that went unbeaten (that team imo is the best ever premier league team, they were very special) but I will take the Premier league however it comes to us. If we pub every game from now till the end of the season, then so be it. The records we will show us top.

[Maestro]

Stop that COYG shit

COYG is what spuds do. Albeit with the G replaced by the Knob.

Come on you rip roaring fucking gunners! Is the way to go.

Okay then .........Come On You Rip Roaring Fucking Gunners!!!!!!!

felt good that did actually

where's NQ and Zimm having their party btw? there must be a lot of liquor there ...i mean, a lot.

[Kano]

Stop that COYG shit

COYG is what spuds do. Albeit with the G replaced by the Knob.

Come on you rip roaring fucking gunners! Is the way to go.
You've gone and fucked it up at Watford now. Nice work.

[LDG]

You've gone and fucked it up at Watford now. Nice work.

It was all good til you showed up with your spoiler.

[Kano]

It was all good til you showed up with your spoiler.

Rip roaring fucking gunners?? Ffs. Where's the rope. I'm joining NQ and Zim.

[LDG]

Rip roaring fucking gunners?? Ffs. Where's the rope. I'm joining NQ and Zim.

Thought so.

Any excuse.

Spliter.

[Letters]

NQ appears to be drowning his sorrows with Zimm.

What a fucking party that must be.

:haha:

[fakeyank]

We are down to bare bones in midfield, thats not Wengers fault at all

I dont understand much of the negativity after the win, but what you posted there is wrong. Wenger chose to put faith in Rosicky, Wilshere, Arteta and Flamini, when pretty much everyone could see a mile away that we needed a back up CDM. What was the point of renewing Rosicky's contract? Wilshere got injured in pre-season and yet no one was purchased. Elneny cant come soon enough, and frankly I dont think he'll be that good either... but I'll take anyone with a pair of legs in midfield now.

[Chippy]

Injuries aren't Wengers fault - who played Sanchez when injured, who played Ozil last year when he had a hole in his knee bone?
We are short in DM area. We all said that at the start of the season. Who did nothing about it in the summer.
Wenger never learns. The reason he kills players like Ozil & Sanchez is because we don't have quality like for like replacements. Who's fault is that.

:gp:

[Power n Glory]

It's 3 points and it keeps us top. I'll catch the highlights. It sounds like Ramsey in the middle isn't working. We need Cazorla and this has to be Rosicky's last contract. Ramsey really isn't good at passing and keeping the flow going. It always seems to break down when he's in the middle.

[Chippy]

It's 3 points and it keeps us top. I'll catch the highlights. It sounds like Ramsey in the middle isn't working. We need Cazorla and this has to be Rosicky's last contract. Ramsey really isn't good at passing and keeping the flow going. It always seems to break down when he's in the middle.
Where the fuck is Rosicky?
We need to rest our big players for the FA Cup match next week to avoid further injuries. Also, Ozil needs a break before he gets injured.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Credit is a commodity Leicester fans crave and want because ultimately they deep down know they won't win the title.

We should want the title, forget credit. We have been admirable in the absence of several players but I do fear our fortune is bound to change....particularly with the games we have this month.

[fakeyank]

Where the fuck is Rosicky?
We need to rest our big players for the FA Cup match next week to avoid further injuries. Also, Ozil needs a break before he gets injured.

Rosicky is 3 weeks away. So probably play in April.

[Power n Glory]

No idea what Rosicky's problem is but he can't get a new contract after this season. I was in favour of him staying on because he really is a good at that CM role. Like Cazorla, his style just changes the way we attack. He's better at the role in fact. He's just a damn crock.

Ramsey has to learn how to play this role if he wants a future here. Anytime he plays that role he has really slowed us down. He just needs to keep things simple but I don't know if he has it in him.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

I think it's more a case of finding him the right partner..... as I don't see that he is ever going to be the kind to control the ebb and flow of a game.

When he got forward more towards the end he looked a lot better.

[tpyo]

Stop that COYG shit

COYG is what spuds do. Albeit with the G replaced by the Knob.

Come on you rip roaring fucking gunners! Is the way to go.

Well said.

[Özim]

:haha:

:haha:

[Power n Glory]

I think it's more a case of finding him the right partner..... as I don't see that he is ever going to be the kind to control the ebb and flow of a game.

When he got forward more towards the end he looked a lot better.

That's a problem. Do we have a DM that can do that in the squad? Also, what do we do if that DM is unavailable as we're seeing now?

[Özim]

Decent result, didn't see the match but it seems it wasn't a good performance from what people say, it's the away games where we're more likely to struggle however.

[Özim]

NQ appears to be drowning his sorrows with Zimm.

What a fucking party that must be.

You couldn't be more wrong, we've just had a big laugh at Wenger and his cronies, it was a blast!

We saw Wenger on his way to the bottle bank....

[LDG]

You couldn't be more wrong, we've just had a big laugh at Wenger and his cronies, it was a blast!

We saw Wenger on his way to the bottle bank....

Classic

[Niall_Quinn]

Theo has had his chance and he hasn't taken it. He was so poor today it was painful to watch. Almost as painful as Ox. And Bellerin's defensive displays are becoming a real concern.

Good stuff from Bif today, he had to fight for everything on his own because the two in the middle did fuck all for him and Ox and Theo were nowhere. Ozil way too good for this bunch, seems to be the only player who can retain the ball. Kos was okay too, having to do his job and Mertesacker's.

Wenger outclassed tactically by Schteve, embarrassing. When's he going to find some balls and lay down the law to Ramsey? Ramsey wanted a start in the middle, he has it and now he wants to be Ozil. Time for him to buckle down and work for the team.

Cech won us a game in which we were second best for most of the 90. At home. Against Newcastle.

We pubbed the 3 points but this team, with its lack or organisation and continuing failure to appreciate the opposition and react based on in-game events, is always one slip away from a Southampton style calamity. Fortunately we're the least shit team in the league this season.

Some very, very poor performances out there today, the ref for one. But Theo sticks in the mind.

Can we continue to slog our way to a title? Looking at the opposition, we could. It won't be pretty and it's a shame because we are all aware how well this team can play.

[Niall_Quinn]

Oh, and Letters has started the year with a bang. Two threads and both his initial contributions designed to start arguments.

[Letters]

Oh, and Letters has started the year with a bang. Two threads and both his initial contributions designed to start arguments.

Sorry. I forgot that's your job.

[GP]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V7zbWNznbs

[I am invisible]

It's 3 points and it keeps us top. I'll catch the highlights. It sounds like Ramsey in the middle isn't working. We need Cazorla and this has to be Rosicky's last contract. Ramsey really isn't good at passing and keeping the flow going. It always seems to break down when he's in the middle.
Yeah, you get the feeling that Wenger only plays Ramsey in CM reluctantly - looks a long way from sold on that option.

I said the same thing in the Elneny thread, but I wouldn't be surprised if that turned out to be the first of a couple of moves in a bit of a central midfield rebuild? I can't see Arteta, Flamini and Rosicky lasting beyond the end of this season, I don't think Wenger likes playing Ramsey there, Wilshere is becoming little more than a bonus when he's fit, but is no one you can count on, and Cazorla is in his 30s and has just ruptured his knee ligaments - that doesn't mean he's finished, but it's something we may have to manage from this point on? Bringing Mo in is a start, but I can see us needing a second addition in CM before that start of next season...

[I am invisible]

I think it's more a case of finding him the right partner..... as I don't see that he is ever going to be the kind to control the ebb and flow of a game.

When he got forward more towards the end he looked a lot better.
Or the right formation? He'd probably work a lot better in a 433 than a 4231.

In the current formation, I'd be tempted to play Ramsey behind Giroud and give Özil a rest - we'd lose a playmaker, but hopefully gain a half-midfielder half-striker? But to do that we'd need another fit central midfielder!

[Marc Overmars]

We haven't bought a new CM in years, it's an area of the team WUMger likes to shoehorn players into. The Egyptian is a step in the right direction if he's more specialised for the role.

[Power n Glory]

Yeah, you get the feeling that Wenger only plays Ramsey in CM reluctantly - looks a long way from sold on that option.

I said the same thing in the Elneny thread, but I wouldn't be surprised if that turned out to be the first of a couple of moves in a bit of a central midfield rebuild? I can't see Arteta, Flamini and Rosicky lasting beyond the end of this season, I don't think Wenger likes playing Ramsey there, Wilshere is becoming little more than a bonus when he's fit, but is no one you can count on, and Cazorla is in his 30s and has just ruptured his knee ligaments - that doesn't mean he's finished, but it's something we may have to manage from this point on? Bringing Mo in is a start, but I can see us needing a second addition in CM before that start of next season...

I haven't seen this Mo fella play but if he can distribute the ball well we may solve this CM problem. I'm not convinced Ramsey has the chops for the role. He really has to find that beast mode form or we just have to bypass him. We always seem to suffer from a lack of cohesion and fluidity when he plays there. It's only until he's replaced by Rosicky or Cazorla that we start to find our attacking stride again. It's just a shame about Cazorla and Rosicky. I'm hoping Wilshere can takeover of he ever stays fit. But we can't afford to wait on him to see if he takes to the role.

[Letters]

Just saw some Cech highlights from yesterday. Couple of important saves again.
The points he's getting us this year really are adding up, we wouldn't be in the title race without him.

[Chippy]

Just saw some Cech highlights from yesterday. Couple of important saves again.
The points he's getting us this year really are adding up, we wouldn't be in the title race without him.
Spot on Letters! Wenger was putting up with average keepers like Fab and Ches when we should have gone for quality! I would be very happy with a decent midfielder and a decent CB in this window. We have no voice on the pitch at the moment, we got out of jail yesterday.

[AFC Leveller]

A question for you guys regarding the ox.

This is his 5th season and he has never scored more than 2 PL goals in a season. I know he has been injured a lot but that's a terrible record for an attacking midfielder

[GP]

A question for you guys regarding the ox.

This is his 5th season and he has never scored more than 2 PL goals in a season. I know he has been injured a lot but that's a terrible record for an attacking midfielder

Sorry what was your question?

[Marc Overmars]

Campbell has shown him up really. Maybe a loan somewhere could do Oxlade some good.

[Kano]

Sorry what was your question?

:lol:

[Chippy]

Sorry what was your question?
Why is the now so shit! :)

[Chippy]

Why is the Ox now so shit! :)
Why is the Ox now so shit! :)[/QUOTE]

[Kano]

Why is the now so shit! :)

The future can make things better for you bud. We're here to help.

[Chippy]

The future can make things better for you bud. We're here to help.
Thank you :(

[Grebbo]

Re the Ox.... sometimes it just takes time. Who'd have thought Coq would have become one of the best DM's in the Prem? Look how long it took him. Ox is only 22 so still very young. If he's still a bit crap by 25/26 then you can probably write him off.

[Dein-machine]

Re the Ox.... sometimes it just takes time. Who'd have thought Coq would have become one of the best DM's in the Prem? Look how long it took him. Ox is only 22 so still very young. If he's still a bit crap by 25/26 then you can probably write him off.

NO - this is exactly what we have been doing with far too many players during the last 10 years. Like Theo, OX is brain-dead. He has pace & power but no end product due to a lack of footballing nous. 22 is not young for a quality footballer, most of the best players around were International regulars by then & performing consistently for their clubs. Ox always had raw potential but will fall away & not even be a regular at lower teams. Theo gets away with it because he occasionally get a few goals ( in amongst the 25 chances he misses ). Wenger seemed to want to turn Ox into a central midfielder which was a disastrous idea due to his ball control & passing ability. He is nothing more than a mediocre player & we have enough of them. We need proven quality & consistency if we are going to start to win the big trophies.

[Grebbo]

NO - this is exactly what we have been doing with far too many players during the last 10 years. Like Theo, OX is brain-dead. He has pace & power but no end product due to a lack of footballing nous. 22 is not young for a quality footballer, most of the best players around were International regulars by then & performing consistently for their clubs. Ox always had raw potential but will fall away & not even be a regular at lower teams. Theo gets away with it because he occasionally get a few goals ( in amongst the 25 chances he misses ). Wenger seemed to want to turn Ox into a central midfielder which was a disastrous idea due to his ball control & passing ability. He is nothing more than a mediocre player & we have enough of them. We need proven quality & consistency if we are going to start to win the big trophies.

You lost me at Theo, I think he's quality.

[Niall_Quinn]

Theo has been pretty crap during this latest spell between injuries. 500 chances needed to get 1 goal. He's not raising his game the way I thought he would. Same with Ox. Plenty of talent there and his willingness to take on players is a plus, but he's not taking it to the next level. Still time and there's definitely a ton of potential there but he needs to take his chances when he gets them. Ramsey is the same, a gear lower than he could be. Don't know what's up with them, hopefully they are getting ready to peak at the business end of the season.

[Dein-machine]

You lost me at Theo, I think he's quality.

He's quality at running fast. So can Jordan Rhodes at Blackburn but he's a better finisher. If we all want our club to have the success that we were promised with the stadium move, we all need to demand more than the mediocre players & team that Wenger has given us. Merts, Flamini, Arteta, Gibbs, Giroud, Ox, Rosicky, Campbell, Ospina, Debauchy - all far too mediocre or too old for us to progress & taking valuable places in the squad. Clearout & put the money raised towards actual quality.

[Letters]

we all need to demand more than the mediocre players & team that Wenger has given us.
We're top of the league you silly sod.
Whether we stay there or not, we're hardly mediocre.

[Niall_Quinn]

He's quality at running fast. So can Jordan Rhodes at Blackburn but he's a better finisher. If we all want our club to have the success that we were promised with the stadium move, we all need to demand more than the mediocre players & team that Wenger has given us. Merts, Flamini, Arteta, Gibbs, Giroud, Ox, Rosicky, Campbell, Ospina, Debauchy - all far too mediocre or too old for us to progress & taking valuable places in the squad. Clearout & put the money raised towards actual quality.

Trouble is, actual quality is getting hard to find. So much hype surrounding so many mediocre players just because they have a ludicrous transfer fee attached or are English and average (therefore the next big wonderkid thing). Some of the names thrown about, I doubt they'd make much difference to Arteta or Flamini. So difficult to cut through the hype and take a proper look at a player and try to figure if he would fit in and improve the team. Easy enough if you are talking Suarez and Aguero level, tougher when you take a step down. That's why I was pissed we let Vidal pass without raising an eyebrow. He would have improved us, he didn't cost the earth and his wages were moderate by current loony standards. Got to watch out for crocks too. A lot of these marquee players spend half their time injured which makes them twice as expensive in practical terms. And they'd be even more injured if they joined us. Then you have the problem of availability in January. The mistakes were made in the summer. No cover for Coquelin. Everyone knew that was a crazy risk that had almost no chance of paying off. Now we'll see if we can get by with second stringers. Wenger's way.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

Not everyone is a Messi or Ronaldo. Bale only started to blossoming around this age, likewise Alexis.

I do however agree with some of the "brainless" comments regarding Ox's play. He just has no idea what to do to postively contribute to the team. He's either running down blind alleys or trying some ridicolous pass which ends up losing the ball. However that's probably why we should still keep the faith in the Ox as that's easier to rectify than technical defiencies in his game.

[Dein-machine]

We're top of the league you silly sod.
Whether we stay there or not, we're hardly mediocre.

When you struggle to beat relegation fodder like Newcastle, Sunderland & Villa whilst getting beaten recently by WBA & thrashed by a Southampton team that everyone else seems to be beating - what do you call it if that's not medoicre - do you think we're playing well. Are we playing better football than 5 or 6 years ago - why do we need to pay Wenger £8 mill a year to achieve results that most other managers could get us.
Being top of a very average league this year may seen wonderful to you but we are a bad weekend away from 3rd place & Wenger doesnt have the ability to stop a Southampton scenario happening again soon. We haven't played well since the 1st half against Utd & thats simply not good enough with the time Wenger has had & the resources he has.

[Letters]

We haven't played well since the 1st half against Utd.
We've won 11 games out of 16 since then, we can't have been that bad.
City at home, Bayen at home, Olympiacos away were all after that and those were all good performances, I'm sure there were others.

[selassie]

Trouble is, actual quality is getting hard to find. So much hype surrounding so many mediocre players just because they have a ludicrous transfer fee attached or are English and average (therefore the next big wonderkid thing). Some of the names thrown about, I doubt they'd make much difference to Arteta or Flamini. So difficult to cut through the hype and take a proper look at a player and try to figure if he would fit in and improve the team. Easy enough if you are talking Suarez and Aguero level, tougher when you take a step down. That's why I was pissed we let Vidal pass without raising an eyebrow. He would have improved us, he didn't cost the earth and his wages were moderate by current loony standards. Got to watch out for crocks too. A lot of these marquee players spend half their time injured which makes them twice as expensive in practical terms. And they'd be even more injured if they joined us. Then you have the problem of availability in January. The mistakes were made in the summer. No cover for Coquelin. Everyone knew that was a crazy risk that had almost no chance of paying off. Now we'll see if we can get by with second stringers. Wenger's way.

I think there is enough quality in the market for us to significantly improve our squad and definitely upgrade Arteta and Flams, I think if we were super ambitious we could have even replaced Giroud with a better striker...we just need to pay the market valuation, the market is the market, it's not going to change for Arsenal or Wenger! We either pay the market rate or refuse and stagnate.

I do agree with your post though, Wenger massively messed up in the summer.

[IBK]

Re the Ox.... sometimes it just takes time. Who'd have thought Coq would have become one of the best DM's in the Prem? Look how long it took him. Ox is only 22 so still very young. If he's still a bit crap by 25/26 then you can probably write him off.

While I agree that the Ox has suffered from the lack of a decent, uniniterrupted spell in the team, I think the problem with him is that he does not seem like the type of player who instinctively knows how to play with maximum effectiveness for us. By all accounts, Coquelin realised that he needed to, and was best at doing the unflashy, simple stuff - and he has honed these skills first and foremost. Oxlade-Chamberlain does not seem to have this self awareness. A similar player was/is Ramsey. When Ramsey had his stand out season he cut out the flashy stuff and concentrated on his running into space and making simple passes (unfortunately, Ramsey now seems to have reverted a bit to trying to force the game).

Some players have talent but not the best football brains. The Ox seems to fit this mould, and I worry a bit about these players under a manager who is well known for allowing his players to express themselves rather than being more regimented with tactical instructions. I can see the Ox thriving more under a Klopp or a Pochettino - managers who play attacking football with more of a rigid and coached system than Wenger. We may just have to accept ultimately that the Ox won't work in our team. But if we want to win things, I would agree that we cannot afford to let him ride for too long. Problem is that ATM he is often the only potential game changer on the pitch.

[IBK]

I think there is enough quality in the market for us to significantly improve our squad and definitely upgrade Arteta and Flams, I think if we were super ambitious we could have even replaced Giroud with a better striker...we just need to pay the market valuation, the market is the market, it's not going to change for Arsenal or Wenger! We either pay the market rate or refuse and stagnate.

I do agree with your post though, Wenger massively messed up in the summer.

Is it my imagination or was Wenger talking a few weeks ago about being very active in the transfer market, but seems now to have flip-flopped?

[Grebbo]

I do agree with your post though, Wenger massively messed up in the summer.

Massively messed up, we're only top of the league.

[selassie]

Is it my imagination or was Wenger talking a few weeks ago about being very active in the transfer market, but seems now to have flip-flopped?

Hey IBK, Not your imagination, it's how I have interpreted the situation too. Wenger seemed very open and bullish about transfers a few weeks back and now he's more or less reverted to type and come out with the "we will only add if we find super quality", I'm sure I read a statement the other day where he was pretty much mocking people for suggesting we make transfers, that statement was along the lines of "players don't grow on trees and land at Arsenal"......

[Dein-machine]

We've won 11 games out of 16 since then, we can't have been that bad.
City at home, Bayen at home, Olympiacos away were all after that and those were all good performances, I'm sure there were others.

City at home seems like a good performance simply because it was City but truth is we were no better against them than we were against Bournemouth & in fact Bournemouth offered more of a threat than City. It was another game where we decided to stop playing at half time, sit back & wait for Yaya to shoot. We actually did the same against Utd after a storming 1st half. Utd were in bits at half time, we could & should have absolutley murdered them. Its the way Wenger wants to play now - get a lead a defend it. Not very Barca is it. When do you see Barca with a 1-0 lead against EL Donkey Utd, 20 minutes left, take Messi off for a terd of a left back playing in midfield & then spend the rest of the game defending in their own area.
85% of goals are scored in the area - if we continue to back off to pub wins better teams than Newcastle will take the chances that come & we will concede goals & drop points.
Yeh Bayern & Olympiacos were decent performances but the lack of consistency under Wenger is proved when I ask you what were the other scores against Bayern & Olypmpiacos.

Too many on here are getting carried away with the top of the league scenario in the same way that you get carried away with the FA cup wins to suggest we're getting better under Wenger. Poor Wenger teams 5 or 6 years ago would have got better results than we have got lately against relegation fodder. If you think we can win a league when we struggling to create chances or score goals against the likes of Newcastle, Sunderland & Villa then you are as delusional as a Leicester fan thinking they can win it. Goals win leagues which is why City will win in this year.

[Heisenberg]

El Burro Unido are no mugs, they're like 4th in La Liga

[Letters]

No-one is getting carried away.
But we're top of the league, we've been a bit patchy but overall we've got results more often than not and deserve to be where we are. Things really aren't that bad, we are NOT a mediocre side.
Whether we stay top remains to be seen but there's no need to start cutting ourselves at how terrible things are.
It seems like you're going to spend your life comparing us to The Invincibles. Look forward to a lifetime of disappointment if so.
You say City will win the league, I agree they are the main rivals but their last 10 league games have been W5 D2 L3, hardly the stuff of Champions elect.
And one of those draws was away at Villa where they failed to score against surely the worst PL side in PL history. Even our 'mediocre' lot won there.

[selassie]

Massively messed up, we're only top of the league.

Sure, we are top and have done very well so far but we're clinging on IMO and are about to face what I would call a real acid test for our title credentials, we have a brutal January Schedule with games against Stoke & Liverpool away as well as a resurgent Chelsea at home.

I'm more than happy to be proved wrong, I want us to win just as much as you do...I just worry we'll fall short due to lack of bodies...we have a pretty major injury list right now....and many of them aren't back until mid next month.

FWIW and I won't change my opinion because you see things differently, Wenger should have added to the squad in the summer, I think we should have bought a DM and a Striker.

[Letters]

I think it remains to be seen whether Wenger messed up last summer.
My take on last summer is that he didn't feel he could sign any striker who would push us on (either because they weren't available or they didn't want to come or whatever) so he didn't sign anyone.
I'm OK with that, do we need more Danny Welbecks sitting on the bench? Would it really improve us?
But we are creaking somewhat right now, we only have a few really world class players and it's debatable whether that's enough. It has been so far but we will need Sanchez back during this nasty run.

We have been here before so I understand people's scepticism but we've never had players like Cech, Ozil and Sanchez before. They could drag us kicking and screaming to the title if they stay fit.

[Kano]

I think it remains to be seen whether Wenger messed up last summer.
My take on last summer is that he didn't feel he could sign any striker who would push us on (either because they weren't available or they didn't want to come or whatever) so he didn't sign anyone.
I'm OK with that, do we need more Danny Welbecks sitting on the bench? Would it really improve us?
But we are creaking somewhat right now, we only have a few really world class players and it's debatable whether that's enough. It has been so far but we will need Sanchez back during this nasty run.

We have been here before so I understand people's scepticism but we've never had players like Cech, Ozil and Sanchez before. They could drag us kicking and screaming to the title if they stay fit.

As positive as I am about our current situation, it is obvious Wenger made a mistake in the summer. If he signs Elneny as cover, then he realises it was a mistake too.

Several times you’ve made this claim about having more Welbeck’s on the bench when it comes to striker, overlooking the fact that buying in another striker at Giroud’s level should not have been impossible. Getting in the top-tier, premium strikers was harder because they were so few and far between but Giroud is not in that bracket and buying a striker than can supply 10+ league goals should’ve been possible. Instead, Wenger banked on Walcott, despite his horrendous injury record that once again took him out of the side for months and because of the usual plague of injuries we suffer, he is being used on the left-wing rather than upfront, where Giroud is definitely looking fatigued at the moment.

We’re doing well right now and plaudits go to the team and manager for that but it has to be recognised that he made mistakes too.

[Letters]

Look!
Wenger is infallible.
Now let's hear no more about it.
:sulk:

[Xhaka Can’t]

Not everyone is a Messi or Ronaldo. Bale only started to blossoming around this age, likewise Alexis.

I do however agree with some of the "brainless" comments regarding Ox's play. He just has no idea what to do to postively contribute to the team. He's either running down blind alleys or trying some ridicolous pass which ends up losing the ball. However that's probably why we should still keep the faith in the Ox as that's easier to rectify than technical defiencies in his game.

Some people can instinctively read a game, others need to learn how. Ox has no instinct and there is no-one at the Club who can coach it into him. The talent is there, but it may be best for both us and Ox if he were to move on.

[fakeyank]

Tbh, I see a lot of talent in Ox. He just needs some grooming. He has brilliant pace and has great technique... he just needs a brain.

[Power n Glory]

Some people can instinctively read a game, others need to learn how. Ox has no instinct and there is no-one at the Club who can coach it into him. The talent is there, but it may be best for both us and Ox if he were to move on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcMsABSfAms

Worth listening to Henry talking about the challenges with coaching in the Henry/Cesc Q&A. Around the 15min mark.

You might be right about the instinct thing. I think Ox has some sort of instinct but he's not a natural winger so it will take a lot longer for him to get up to par. We forget that he came from Southampton as a CM and Gerrard was his favorite player. His instincts are all off and he hasn't worked out how to be more than just an energetic winger that occasionally beats his man and works the flank to being an actual useful weapon. Playing on the wing and getting goals isn't easy and I think we're in danger of doing a botch job on his career. It's similar to Theo and Ramsey being played wide and I'm guessing it's difficult for a player to ignore old habits and instincts learned to develop new ones. We really should be honing in on what these guys had learned when young, sharpening it up and bringing them up to world class level.

[selassie]

I think it remains to be seen whether Wenger messed up last summer.
My take on last summer is that he didn't feel he could sign any striker who would push us on (either because they weren't available or they didn't want to come or whatever) so he didn't sign anyone.
I'm OK with that, do we need more Danny Welbecks sitting on the bench? Would it really improve us?
But we are creaking somewhat right now, we only have a few really world class players and it's debatable whether that's enough. It has been so far but we will need Sanchez back during this nasty run.

We have been here before so I understand people's scepticism but we've never had players like Cech, Ozil and Sanchez before. They could drag us kicking and screaming to the title if they stay fit.

Wenger has quite clearly been after a forward since the failed pursuits of Higuian (sp) and Suarez. He has had 3 windows now to address the Centre Forward position, how much time does he actually need?

I'm not asking for anymore Welbecks and I agree that players at that level wouldn't improve us, however I think we've come to a point now where Wenger is going to have to spend big regardless, players like Martial now trade for 36million, so if Wenger is in the market for an improvement on Giroud or for someone with "World Class Potential" at a very young age like Martial then he's going to need to spend big, this is what worries me because I am not so sure Wenger is prepard to do that.

Ah well..we've been here before many times, I am desperate to be proved wrong and I want us to win the league just as much as anyone.

I do agree with you re: Cech, Ozil and Sanchez.

[Niall_Quinn]

Tbh, I see a lot of talent in Ox. He just needs some grooming. He has brilliant pace and has great technique... he just needs a brain.

I can do the grooming.

[Dein-machine]

I can do the grooming.

What - now that you finished with Letters!!