Match Reaction vs Stoke City (home).

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Mostly a horrendous display really, everything NQ talks about for the first 60 minutes.

Mustafi did a lot of good things so a shocker against CSKA is surely due.

Three set piece goals cementing what we have become.

[Letters]

First back to back wins since November :lol:
:ilt:

Meh. I'll take it, I guess.

[WMUG]

First back to back wins since November :lol:
:ilt:


Fuck me, seriously?

God that was dire at points. Just lucky Stoke were even worse than we were today.

[Letters]

Fuck me, seriously?

Haven't checked but that's what the BBC were claiming. Someone (MO?) said on here our best winning run all season is one run of 3 games.
It's been pretty pathetic all round this year. Mostly because of the away form, home form is right up there.

[Niall_Quinn]

Wenger going negative at home vs Stoke and stinking the place out with his prize turds Welbeck, Ramsey and Elneny leading the piss up.

Ozil tried for a while but realised how hopeless it all was and gave up.

Lacazette, who obviously would have started under any sane manager, finally given a chance to add a bit of bite to an attack utterly hobbled by the mega fucks ups that are Welbeck and Bellerin. Laca did well and opened things up to the point we finally looked like we had at least a hint of purpose. Which all probably means Welbeck will start against the Russians.

Defence useless as usual but not as useless as a pathetic Stoke who came for a 0-0 and got exactly what they deserved. The Sky team trying to make out it all hinged on the penalty - you know, the one where the defender got a foot to it to play Ozil in and then took Ozil out, you know, the blatant pen over which there was no question whatsoever, absolute bullshit guys. Stoke deserved nothing from that game. What a bunch of shitkickers they are. Hopefully going down.

Welbeck needs to be sold, preferably to a rival, in the summer.

The midfield was so shit I was actually hoping for Xhaka to come on. Jack looked interested now and again, but Ramsey and Elneny were a disaster. And then Ramset ends up with MOTM when Auba netted twice? Sour grapes or what?

Glad to see the empyish stadium, that was the real result. I suppose they'll say most of our fans converted to Christianity.

Wenger out. Look at the table. How the fuck is he still here?

[Marc Overmars]

Why didn’t Auba go for the hattrick? Weird.

5th place cup is on!

Empty seats. :bow:

[Penguin]

Why didn’t Auba go for the hattrick? Weird.

5th place cup is on!

Empty seats. :bow:

I thought that was quite selfish of Lacazette to take it, unless Aubameyang was the one who told him to go for it.

[Power n Glory]

I thought that was quite selfish of Lacazette to take it, unless Aubameyang was the one who told him to go for it.

Aubameyang told Lacazette to take the penalty. He wanted his teammate to get his confidence up.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/pierre-emerick-aubameyang-allowed-alexandre-12287140

See the bigger picture. We need both strikers to be on form and confident. Nothing weird or selfish about it. Not sure why it's being questioned. It should be obvious why he let Lacazette take it.

[Özim]

Won the game but took a lucky penalty which probably wasn't to get us going (that's life sometimes they go for you sometimes they go against you), good news that the strikers are getting goals, they're one of the few top quality players in our squad along with the likes of Ozil, Lacazette is crucial to our chances in the Europa.

[Marc Overmars]

Aubameyang told Lacazette to take the penalty. He wanted his teammate to get his confidence up.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/pierre-emerick-aubameyang-allowed-alexandre-12287140

See the bigger picture. We need both strikers to be on form and confident. Nothing weird or selfish about it. Not sure why it's being questioned. It should be obvious why he let Lacazette take it.

I don't really care, it's just not often you see a striker passing on the chance to score a hattrick.

[Niall_Quinn]

Lacazette and Aubameyang are both class players and once we get rid of that shit Wenger we're going to have a very effective front line when you add Ozil and Mkhitaryan. It's good that both strikers have a desire to work well together. We need to get rid of Wenger fast, before he can ruin that. The season can't end fast enough. Every minute Wenger remains we slip further away from being able to rescue the squad. Hattricks are unimportant. Having two strikers who can start to build a partnership is very important. They are doing this despite Wenger fucking around with Lacazette's career. This can only be good news in the long run. It's a small encouragement that has forced its way through the Wenger misery.

Another super important anti-Wenger measure is for those fans to continue to stay away. If that can be maintained until the end of the season we might just get rid of the cunt. But if we win the Europa League all the good work could be undone. Unfortunately, we have to lose that. The bigger picture demands that every avenue for Wenger to remain is closed off.

[Globalgunner]

The hattrick is inconsequential especially given that it was against those utterly garbage Orcs. Auba sensed that Laca needed the boost especially just after coming back from injury. We were 2-0 up with about 5 mins to go. No big deal. Kudos to Auba for not being a selfish cunt like Shearer was boasting he would be in the same situation and props to Laca for taking it. You can only imagine how how would have felt, seeing it go in. We have 2 world class strikers. The anchor is the dotard manager.

[Niall_Quinn]

And they both slotted away the pens confidently. Another plus. Two of our players stepped up. We should be happy with that. We should be doubly happy considering they did it in the middle of another Wenger shitshow. The weak link here is torturously obvious. The only thing any sensible observer of Arsenal should be discussing is the dickhead who has run the club into mid table medicrity. But, for some strange reason, they avoid that issue as if all is suddenly okay and a couple of matches can wipe the slate clean. Fortunately fewer fans are buying it and they are voting with their feet. For the first time in a long time we are seeing some developments that might actually make a difference.

[Gooner23]

The empty seats have to continue for any chance of Wenger to be given the boot in the summer. I think thats more damaging than a few fans waving home made Wenger Out banners.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

The empty seats have to continue for any chance of Wenger to be given the boot in the summer. I think thats more damaging than a few fans waving home made Wenger Out banners.

Definitely. We've got the kit sponsor renewal to do next year and those empty seats are damaging when it comes to renewing them. Tickets for CSKA were still available last I heard as well which is yet another noticeable damning indictment to the board/Ivan/Kroenke of the apathy that's been bred.

With Josh Kroenke being around first hand for this, he should realise that change is needed. I'm the most optimistic I've been for a while that it's finally going to be it this summer and the old goat will be gradually eased out.

[GP]

Change is definitely within sight now.

There's zero chance he gets a new contract, so it's one more year at most.

I think he's gone in the summer.

[Özim]

With Wenger you really can't predict when he'll leave, the guy has already told us he never breaks contract and doesn't want to leave, personally think he'll be around next season, he couldn't care less what the fans think.

After that, we'll who knows, if he got top 4 next season another contract could be in the offing with this club.

[Gooner23]

He won't leave of his own accord. But I do think the chances of him being sacked have gone from zero to possible.

[Globalgunner]

I think top 4 is dead and buried. There are 5 superior teams above us jostling for 4 places. We will never get a sniff again with Wenger at the helm. Instead we will be looking over our shoulder at teams like Leicester and Everton(if they ever find a decent manager) chasing us for 6th place. Wenger has put this clubs dreams on ice cold deep freeze.

Has anyone an answer for what happens if we lose to Athleti in the Europa final and they already have a CL berth due to LaLiga qualification?

[Cripps]

He's going nowhere.

He'll win the Europa League, get back into the champions league then sign another extension.

[dostoy]

Has anyone an answer for what happens if we lose to Athleti in the Europa final and they already have a CL berth due to LaLiga qualification?

I wondered exactly the same thing.

I doubt it would mean that Arsenal would get into the CL next season.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

I think it's possible Josh (Stan's too preoccupied with the LA Rams to get involved) & Ivan have already made their decision and they'll wait till after the last game of the season to have the conversation with him.

He may resist at first but I think he'll ultimately accept it. This would be the first time the CEO & owner would have directly told him he needs to step down (it was a stealth campaign by Ivan last year) which should really bring home the untenability of his position. Out of respect it'll be spun as Wenger choosing to retire though and he may even be offered Lord Peckham or Ken Friar's position on the board so that he goes quietly.



Has anyone an answer for what happens if we lose to Athleti in the Europa final and they already have a CL berth due to LaLiga qualification?

It means we get no CL football which would seriously start impacting our finances as well as the chance of getting a decent kit sponsorship deal next year.

[selassie]

I think top 4 is dead and buried. There are 5 superior teams above us jostling for 4 places. We will never get a sniff again with Wenger at the helm. Instead we will be looking over our shoulder at teams like Leicester and Everton(if they ever find a decent manager) chasing us for 6th place. Wenger has put this clubs dreams on ice cold deep freeze.

Has anyone an answer for what happens if we lose to Athleti in the Europa final and they already have a CL berth due to LaLiga qualification?

I doubt we will even make it that far. Mind you...I am sure Wenger already has his list of excuses already lined up.

[selassie]

I think it's possible Josh (Stan's too preoccupied with the LA Rams to get involved) & Ivan have already made their decision and they'll wait till after the last game of the season to have the conversation with him.

He may resist at first but I think he'll ultimately accept it. This would be the first time the CEO & owner would have directly told him he needs to step down (it was a stealth campaign by Ivan last year) which should really bring home the untenability of his position. Out of respect it'll be spun as Wenger choosing to retire though and he may even be offered Lord Peckham or Ken Friar's position on the board so that he goes quietly.



It means we get no CL football which would seriously start impacting our finances as well as the chance of getting a decent kit sponsorship deal next year.

I hope so, but the fact that Wenger went grovelling to Stan last year begging for a contract extension doesn't bode well.

Who is to stop Wenger doing it again this summer?

[The Emirates Gallactico]

I hope so, but the fact that Wenger went grovelling to Stan last year begging for a contract extension doesn't bode well.

Who is to stop Wenger doing it again this summer?

I think he'll defer to his son's judgement over Wenger's - I think that's one of the reasons he sent him over in the first place - to make a decision.

That and even he wouldn't be oblivious to the worsening of our status the past year - revenues took a hit because of no CL football, dwindling crowd attendances and worse results/league position.

Also, and this is a point that Arseblog makes a lot but with Raul & Sven in place as well as the other backroom hires, we're in a much better place now to cope with Wenger leaving than we were last summer. A point I'm sure both Ivan & Josh will convey forcefully to Stan.

[selassie]

I think he'll defer to his son's judgement over Wenger's - I think that's one of the reasons he sent him over in the first place - to make a decision.

That and even he wouldn't be oblivious to the worsening of our status the past year - revenues took a hit because of no CL football, dwindling crowd attendances and worse results/league position.

Also, and this is a point that Arseblog makes a lot but with Raul & Sven in place as well as the other backroom hires, we're in a much better place now to cope with Wenger leaving than we were last summer. A point I'm sure both Ivan & Josh will convey forcefully to Stan.

Aye, I can't argue with any of that TBH. I am desperate for Wenger to be shown the door now, absolutely desperate. I would even take another season like this with an interim appointment if it means change....

[dostoy]

He's going nowhere.

He'll win the Europa League, get back into the champions league then sign another extension.

Allegri will be the new Chelsea manager and Arsenal will stick with Wenger, regardless of whether they win the Europa League this season.

I would love Conte at Arsenal if Chelsea do get rid of him but the chances are zero.

[Cripps]

Yep another top manager will move to a rival and we'll be stuck with the old goat

:rose:

[Gooner23]

Aye, I can't argue with any of that TBH. I am desperate for Wenger to be shown the door now, absolutely desperate. I would even take another season like this with an interim appointment if it means change....

It's quite incredible that not only did he weasel his way to a new contract, it was for two years!

A one year extension and I think the decision to part company would have been quite straightforward, but to have to actually sack him this summer puts more pressure on the board. Just hope they do the right thing for the club.

[Penguin]

Aubameyang told Lacazette to take the penalty. He wanted his teammate to get his confidence up.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/pierre-emerick-aubameyang-allowed-alexandre-12287140

See the bigger picture. We need both strikers to be on form and confident. Nothing weird or selfish about it. Not sure why it's being questioned. It should be obvious why he let Lacazette take it.

Well I did say 'unless Aubameyang told him he could take it' so fair enough I guess. Even if that is the case I still think Lacazette should have given the ball back to him. Hattricks don't come around every week.

[Power n Glory]

Well I did say 'unless Aubameyang told him he could take it' so fair enough I guess. Even if that is the case I still think Lacazette should have given the ball back to him. Hattricks don't come around every week.

Is a hat trick more important than another players confidence, especially if we're counting on Lacazette to be in good form for Europe? Whatever helps the guy. I think you're missing the bigger picture. It's good to see Laca and Auba showing some teamwork.