Sp*rs match reaction

[Niall_Quinn]

Not having beaten a supposed rival away from home since 2015 is the stat that sticks with me. How can you even pretend to be a title challenger with a record like that? And when it goes on for so long without anybody taking action to rectify the main problem, then you know the goal of this club is not to compete at the top. The record tells the truth. Our European records also tell us we aren't serious about competing there either. All we want to do is quality, the coveted Top 4 Trophy. Because that's what gets the money. Look at the pressure Conte is under compared to Wenger. The former will get the chop, the latter will inform us nearer the time whether he has decided to extend his own contract or not.

[HCZ]

Bitter, bitter consensus. Because the one guy who can do anything about this - won't. He won't even listen to moderate and constructive criticism from club legends.

The only good advice he can follow is go. His reputation is already damaged. The only way to even partially salvage it is to disappear and let water flow under a few bridges.

Take up Golf, shack up in Paris with Sonia Tatar, live on an island somewhere with some other young chocolate face girl he’s taken a fancy to. Get the money come in from pundit appearances on French sports channel, run a football academy in Guadeloupe for young boys with malaria and aids. Do something as long as it’s away from Islington.

[HCZ]

Not having beaten a supposed rival away from home since 2015 is the stat that sticks with me. How can you even pretend to be a title challenger with a record like that? And when it goes on for so long without anybody taking action to rectify the main problem, then you know the goal of this club is not to compete at the top. The record tells the truth. Our European records also tell us we aren't serious about competing there either. All we want to do is quality, the coveted Top 4 Trophy. Because that's what gets the money. Look at the pressure Conte is under compared to Wenger. The former will get the chop, the latter will inform us nearer the time whether he has decided to extend his own contract or not.

Absolutely right, but the stats I highlight mark the difference between being an also ran and having relegation form away from home. Title challenging would require more clean sheets but any manager needs to fix the shit Wenger has left us in before even thinking of a title challenge

[selassie]

I think it’s also lacking the physical strength or the desire to do anything other than the easy short pass

We definitely lack pace in the midfield generally. None of our central midfielders can sprint. Whilst you don’t need everyone to sprint you need someone who can

Aye, we are a complete mess in Central Midfield. As you and others have rightly stated we lack pace and strength, two things that are pretty much essential for gaining control of midfield in PL. What makes it worse is that aside from Wilshere, our Central Midfielders aren't even that technical. Sure Ramsey and Xhaka can on occasions both pick out a pass but they are both extremely inconsistent and pretty wasteful at times too.

I don't get what Wenger is trying to do with Central Midfield because it clearly isn't working and hasn't worked since Santi has been crocked.

[Power n Glory]

cant argue with that, Xhaka is a left footed Denilson (who also, incidentally, stunk up the place for a lot longer than he should before being sold) and is costing us points every other game, esp away from home. Liverpool targeted him back in August and got a lot of joy, other teams have also marked him as our weak link.

He is slow on the ball, slow without the ball and i cannot remember seeing him sprint during a game.

Slow off the ball so it's hard for anyone to find him in the middle when we need to zip the ball about quickly. Slow on the ball and with it at his feet so when he comes under pressure he panics. So one footed he can't receive the ball on his right foot or pass it on his right so he's always having to swivel on to his stronger foot for any move....

Worst purchase we could have made for the midfield. He embodies the weaknesses of every central midfield player we've had recently 10x and offers none of their strengths.

[Power n Glory]

Aye, we are a complete mess in Central Midfield. As you and others have rightly stated we lack pace and strength, two things that are pretty much essential for gaining control of midfield in PL. What makes it worse is that aside from Wilshere, our Central Midfielders aren't even that technical. Sure Ramsey and Xhaka can on occasions both pick out a pass but they are both extremely inconsistent and pretty wasteful at times too.

I don't get what Wenger is trying to do with Central Midfield because it clearly isn't working and hasn't worked since Santi has been crocked.

Just to add, he has ruined Elneny. Totally different player compared to when we signed him.

[selassie]

Slow off the ball so it's hard for anyone to find him in the middle when we need to zip the ball about quickly. Slow on the ball and with it at his feet so when he comes under pressure he panics. So one footed he can't receive the ball on his right foot or pass it on his right so he's always having to swivel on to his stronger foot for any move....

Worst purchase we could have made for the midfield. He embodies the weaknesses of every central midfield player we've had recently 10x and offers none of their strengths.

Agreed. The sad thing is he is Wenger's "Vanity Purchase" so hell will have to freeze over before he is dropped or replaced.

[selassie]

Just to add, he has ruined Elneny. Totally different player compared to when we signed him.

Yep, I actually thought Elneny looked alright when he first joined but he's just gone backwards, like the others he doesn't seem to really do anything or have a specific defined role.

I honestly believe Wenger has told the Central Midfielders to just play with freedom and interchange positions as and when necessary, it's like he wants them to have these undefined total football type roles when none of them are suited to this.

[Power n Glory]

One of my favorite Arsenal podcasts out there. Clive, in the nicest way possible, sums up the cowardly behavior of Granit Xhaka. Around the 33 minute mark. Wilshere shouldn't have been battling with Dembele. Xhaka should have helped out because he should be the physical guy.

[Mac76]

One of my favorite Arsenal podcasts out there. Clive, in the nicest way possible, sums up the cowardly behavior of Granit Xhaka. Around the 33 minute mark. Wilshere shouldn't have been battling with Dembele. Xhaka should have helped out because he should be the physical guy.

well like i said somewhere else, Xhaka got carded out of making any more tackles, call it cowardly but again it's down to the coaching team to teach him how to do it without having the refs on his back