Winning the league

[selassie]

Still not having it about Utd, Selass.

A year ago they were second and a point off Leicester with 27 points.

Not 6th, 6 points off fourth!

They are not getting top four again this season.

Kano, Aye United are not in the race this season...

As nuts as this sounds (because we are only 3 points adrift), I don't feel like we are in the race either...it's our performances that are really worrying me.

[Power n Glory]

True but the experienced seasoned winners like Adams, Wright, Keown weren't exactly prospering themselves at the time Wenger came to the club. There is absolutely no doubt that their character and experience was invaluable to Wenger but i don't think we want to go down the road of saying his impact in winning what we did under him was negligible.

Wenger if you were writing his eulogy you would say was a very good manager in terms of both the football he brought and the consistency as well, however fell short of being a great manager because of a lack of success on the continent and inability to cement Arsenal dominance in the early 00s.

Kept us going well during the transition period moving to the new stadium (the idea behind which was sound enough before being blown out of the water by big money). Stayed in the job too long, incapable of adapting his methods, a spotter of great talent rather than a tactical master.

Well, as I said to Letters, it was a perfect match. Wenger introduced the flair and technical side but they had the tough mentality that wouldn't allow players heads just to drop. They trained hard and it was a good blend of cultures. We're missing that in the squad now. Over the last 3 games, you can definitely see there is something wrong with how we've prepared for the game. I heard in our last visit to Old Trafford, Ozil said we were going out there to have fun and to enjoy our football. We still lost and I guess Wenger thinks the reason we lose is because we're too tense but it doesn't sound like the right way to approach a game.

[Kano]

Kano, Aye United are not in the race this season...

As nuts as this sounds (because we are only 3 points adrift), I don't feel like we are in the race either...it's our performances that are really worrying me.

We are and we aren't. For me, we can analyse it all to death but I've no interest in that. There is also a positive that we aren't losing games like this, when in the past we definitely would've. There is clearly a resilience to this team that hasn't been there for quite some time. Performances have been patchy but results still good enough to keep us in the mix - for now. We got through November without it being a points and injury disaster, which is a plus. Looking at Pool, City, Spuds and Chelsea, I can see enough problems with their inconsistencies too to allow me to keep being hopeful for now. I didn't expect to win the title pre-season, so it won't be too much of a surprise if we don't. I can live with being unbeaten in 18, winning 12 and drawing 6 of them. Nothing worth having a heart attack over right now.

[Power n Glory]

The difference between those names and Henry and Vieira was that they were pivotal players. Mustafi, Per, Podolski, and to an extent Cesc and Cazorla were nowhere near as pivotal for their sides like Henry, Vieira, and Özil were for theirs.

Henry and Vieira weren't first team starters for France 98. They didn't even start in the final from what I remember. I think it was Euro 2000 when Henry starting scoring for France.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Well, as I said to Letters, it was a perfect match. Wenger introduced the flair and technical side but they had the tough mentality that wouldn't allow players heads just to drop. They trained hard and it was a good blend of cultures. We're missing that in the squad now. Over the last 3 games, you can definitely see there is something wrong with how we've prepared for the game. I heard in our last visit to Old Trafford, Ozil said we were going out there to have fun and to enjoy our football. We still lost and I guess Wenger thinks the reason we lose is because we're too tense but it doesn't sound like the right way to approach a game.

Go and have fun? in a crucial game?.....Gordon Bennett

[Power n Glory]

Go and have fun? in a crucial game?.....Gordon Bennett

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footba...l-pour-2716538

“We are going to Old Trafford to have fun — and that is why we are going to win.

“The plan is not to go to United and settle for a draw. If we are going to achieve the target of our coach, then we go to win.

“Of course it’s going to be difficult," he told the Sun. "United are a high-quality team. But I’m sure they also respect us because we can beat anyone, home or away.”

Just seems like the pep talks they get is all about messaging the ego and trying to get them relaxed and to be confident. It seems like we don't have the players in the dressing room to point out another players mistake and talk. Henry did say that's missing from the game today so might not be just an Arsenal thing. But you saw the reaction when we came out to that second half after that scramble with Cavani. It's like we were fired up an played better.

[mastermind84]

Henry and Vieira weren't first team starters for France 98. They didn't even start in the final from what I remember. I think it was Euro 2000 when Henry starting scoring for France.

Henry scored 4 goals for France in 1998.

Vieira didn't start the final but he set up the final goal and Played in another match.

My whole point is they were around winners independent of Arsenal.

[Power n Glory]

Henry scored 4 goals for France in 1998.

Vieira didn't start the final but he set up the final goal and Played in another match.

My whole point is they were around winners independent of Arsenal.

I'm not taking anything away from those guys but performing for Internationals is different from a league challenge and title. When you have the right atmosphere in the changing room, things can happen. But as we've seen over the years, we have league winners and international cup winners in the squad now and seasons before but we have the same problems.

[Chippy]

I think we will do it this year. We seem to be having a bit of luck on our side... penalty against Southampton or Leicester cant remember which, draw against United when we didn't play well, draw against Spuds when again we didn't play well.

Also against Sunderland and United we showed that we do have a bit of fight in the belly and don't give up attitude. Giroud on the bench does provide something different as well, Walcott is playing like a footballer again. Sanchez and Ozil are the business. So I do think we will do it this year.... or at least get past the first knock out round in the CL.

Then Wenger will sign a new contract and all will be rosy in the garden of Arsenal, Brexit will be reversed and a recount shows Trump lost.

Cazorla out for three months. Game over.