Match reaction vs Schalke

[Marc Overmars]

WTF was that?

[Gervinho's Forehead]

There all just a bunch of ****s really, just like before. Utter shite.

[fakeyank]

What a shite performance... and that too at home!! :haha:

[Özim]

Awful performance.

[Gervinho's Forehead]

What a shite performance... and that too at home!! :haha:

Don't worry the players and those the run the club still got paid though.

[Ollie the Optimist]

wasnt sure it was possible, but that was a worse performance then norwich.


sack the ****s

[Marc Overmars]

I can accept when we're well beaten and Schalke were much better than us, but to not even show an ounce of quality? That is a real sickener.

[Power n Glory]

Garbage! Never had a chance with those tactics! Idiots.

[Fats]

:trophy:we are BOSS

[Xhaka Can’t]

A shot!!!!
A Shot!!!!

Who cares about the result, we got a shot on target!!!!!

In the 94th minute! Oh it was wonderful - I don't know how I'll sleep tonight!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fuck.

[bignev]

FFS!!!!!!!

I actually hate this lot. Wenger get the f*ck out of my club and take those useless twats with you.

[Niall_Quinn]

We were tired from having to play in Europe. So we lacked a little bit sharpness. We played with the car on little bit bricks. The spirt was excellent, everyone was pissed well before kickoff.

[Gervinho's Forehead]

A shot!!!!
A Shot!!!!

Who cares about the result, we got a shot on target!!!!!

In the 94th minute! Oh it was wonderful - I don't know how I'll sleep tonight!

Rum might help, I'm seeing if red wine will do the trick!

[Lord Nelson]

That was Arsene Wenger's mediocre excuse for a football team. Going to stick a fiver on QPR to beat us on Saturday, and I hope they fucking do! Arsene(Stephen Hawkins) Wenger Out! Cu#t!!

[Niall_Quinn]

I want to see the possession stats. Let's wait to see those before we assume we lost.

[Joker]

Not really surprised, Schalke are a superior team to use and consequently outplayed us. I don't really "blame" the players, most of them (apart from Cazorla) are not very good. The questions we need to ask should be aimed at the board and management. How is it that we're being outplayed at home by a team that, although very good, we would be pushed aside 5 years ago? How is that we only managed 1 shot on target in 90+3 minutes?

This is the end result of 5 years of dismantling what was a very good squad of players, replacing it with youth or cheap signings, and focusing more on the financial bottom line than what happens on the pitch.

[Syn]

We didn't have enough quality out there. We genuinely lost to a better team.

Looking forward to restarting the hype machine when a midfield of Wilshere, Arteta and Cazorla lead us to a narrow home win on Saturday.

[Santi Clause]

as the dickheads on sky commentaries were saying, tomorrow's agm should be interesting....

:wwf:

Santos is poor, Mannone is a joke, Ramsey is slower than Mertesacker, Gervinho is a liability and we had Arshavin and Chamakh on the bench as "options":yikes:

As per normal if our first 11 aren't fit we are buggered. Wenger needs to stop relying on proven failures and give youth a chance before the next window gives him a chance to address the gaping holes in the team.

[Dennis Bendtner]

We have been bad and got lucky in the last two European games, that was against some bog-standard continental fare up front, now we got what was coming after a shocker at Norwich and facing some good attackers. The team is playing with no identity or sense of purpose. No one is on the same wavelength. I can't remember an Arsenal team so unfaithful to Arsenal's fundamentals. It's a mess.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

sack the ****s
From top to bottom

Stan/PHW/Ivan/Wenger/Bould all need to Fuck off and do one all ****s.

Its not a shock though Ollie really, we have a false start where it looked like we could do something, but over the last few weeks we have seen where we are.

We don't have a decent striker so we have to play Gev there. Poldoski seems to turn up every few games. Santos ff he is not no1 LB.

Vermaleen he is terrible im sorry take the armband off him. Merts well needs to improve really does,mistakes creeping in.

What has bould done to change the defence nothing it seems.

Ramsey fuck me this guy is terrible and needs to go but he's wengers son so he won't.

Giroud well what can you say about this guy i just don't know.

[IBK]

This is our reality. Mediocre team. In decline. Enjoy Tues/Weds nights for now. They are coming to an end.

[Gervinho's Forehead]

I want to see the possession stats. Let's wait to see those before we assume we lost.

You sound like fox news waiting to see the the timer on how long each candidate had to talk in the debates. :lol:

[Xhaka Can’t]

Rum might help, I'm seeing if red wine will do the trick!

Snap

[Olivier's xmas twist]

I can accept when we're well beaten and Schalke were much better than us, but to not even show an ounce of quality? That is a real sickener.

We don't have none and thats the truth.

Well maybe santi and jack.

[Niall_Quinn]

Seriously though, joking aside, what a fabulous night! Great gate receipts, the tills in the shop will be buzzing, catering profits up. This is what great nights of football are all about.

[Gervinho's Forehead]

Seriously though, joking aside, what a fabulous night! Great gate receipts, the tills in the shop will be buzzing, catering profits up. This is what great nights of football are all about.

The only downside is that UEFA won't allow the sell of alcohol in the pleb lower tier and upper tier, so not able to fully maximise profits.

[gooners]

Meh;

i hope van persie and song get their legs broken... for leaving this steamin pile of hoohah! <_<

[milla]

From top to bottom

Stan/PHW/Ivan/Wenger/Bould all need to Fuck off and do one all ****s.

Its not a shock though Ollie really, we have a false start where it looked like we could do something, but over the last few weeks we have seen where we are.

We don't have a decent striker so we have to play Gev there. Poldoski seems to turn up every few games. Santos ff he is not no1 LB.

Vermaleen he is terrible im sorry take the armband off him. Merts well needs to improve really does,mistakes creeping in.

What has bould done to change the defence nothing it seems.

Ramsey fuck me this guy is terrible and needs to go but he's wengers son so he won't.

Giroud well what can you say about this guy i just don't know.

Combination of clueless manager and bad players on the pitch. This Wenger team is going backwards IMO, we used to struggle to finish our chances but now we can't even create one. Sack Wumger and his cronies. :coffee:

[Olivier's xmas twist]

How bad would it really be if we did not finish 4th?

Im just don't care anymore i really don't. Thank feck i don't pay money to watch that.

Maybe in away this had to happen.

Now at the AGM no one can say how great the team is and how much quality we have and all that shit.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Meh;

i hope van persie and song get their legs broken... for leaving this steamin pile of hoohah! <_<

:haha:

gooners :bow:

where ya been.

[Niall_Quinn]

The only downside is that UEFA won't allow the sell of alcohol in the pleb lower tier and upper tier, so not able to fully maximise profits.

But we can still charge them for alcohol surely? And blame UEFA when we don't deliver. Just like we blame city and injuries when we charge huge ticket prices and give fuck all back!

[milla]

How bad would it really be if we did not finish 4th?

Im just don't care anymore i really don't. Thank feck i don't pay money to watch that.

Maybe in away this had to happen.

Now at the AGM no one can say how great the team is and how much quality we have and all that shit.

:gp:

This team has to take the fall, then it can expect some changes. :coffee:

[Niall_Quinn]

Quite possible well get no more points from this crappy group. An almost certain OSS to schalke at their place and the confidence will be rock bottom. Wenger may even play a weakened team because the stats chrts demand it. In fact this could be our only hope because the first team is pure shite.

[Globalgunner]

Welcome gents and ladies. Welcome to the wonderful world of Wenger, based in an edifice formerly known as Highbury but now to be known solely as Wengerville. Here a formerly crude enterprise called football has been refined by our professor to the purest art form possible. Goals are secondary because they only win you matches. In Wengerville we pursue the highest form of the tech, using crude implements or players as they are sometimes called we delight 60.000 viewers and millions more watching afield with connected interplay and domination of the opposition without inflicting pain on them or shooting at the poor sap in the opposition box. Our company is strategically set up to delight the senses and lighten your wallet with a smile. Our aim is total world domination and we will do it the quickest possible time. Please stick with us and enjoy your ride. You will not be disappointed and if by chance you are, then obviously something is wrong with YOU.

[Özil's Panoramic View]

*sighs*

Think about it mates, a 1st eleven with Ramsey, Gervinho, Santos, et al as regulars. Wtf more could we have expected?

[Master Splinter]

Gervinho is better than Henry.

Oh dear.

[Niall_Quinn]

Welcome gents and ladies. Welcome to the wonderful world of Wenger, based in an edifice formerly known as Highbury but now to be known solely as Wengerville. Here a formerly crude enterprise called football has been refined by our professor to the purest art form possible. Goals are secondary because they only win you matches. In Wengerville we pursue the highest form of the tech, using crude implements or players as they are sometimes called we delight 60.000 viewers and millions more watching afield with connected interplay and domination of the opposition without inflicting pain on them or shooting at the poor sap in the opposition box. Our company is strategically set up to delight the senses and lighten your wallet with a smile. Our aim is total world domination and we will do it the quickest possible time. Please stick with us and enjoy your ride. You will not be disappointed and if by chance you are, then obviously something is wrong with YOU.

You got an advance copy of the AGM opening statement?

[Master Splinter]

Gnabry looked quite good.

Have Bayern tapped him up yet?

[Olivier's xmas twist]

:gp:

This team has to take the fall, then it can expect some changes. :coffee:

:lol:

[Grebbo]

Only having one striker in the squad, and with zero prem experience was always going to bite us in the arse.

Utter lunacy.

[LDG]

I have no idea where to begin with that.

Utter drivel from top to bottom. Pitiful, unadulterted pile of shit.

****s.

[Xhaka Can’t]

Oh dear.

Fuck.

[Niall_Quinn]

Fuck.

Oh go on then. Might cheer me up.

[milla]

Yeah but the club had no choice but to sell Van Persie and we got Ramsey and Gerv who can play up front too. :coffee:

[Marc Overmars]

Ramsey needs to do one, I don't see what he's doing to justify a place right now. Windcheer needs to play ASAP.

Poldi and Catzola have gone off the boil and Arteta has become unusually sloppy.

Santos is a WUM masquerading as a professional footballer.

Gervinho is a dick.

[Marc Overmars]

Only having one striker in the squad, and with zero prem experience was always going to bite us in the arse.

Utter lunacy.

We're better off without RVC. :coffee:

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Yeah but the club had no choice but to sell Van Persie and we got Ramsey and Gerv who can play up front too. :coffee:

Its ok

"We lacked a bit of sharpness"

"Our minds were on the QPR game"

[milla]

I have no idea where to begin with that.

Utter drivel from top to bottom. Pitiful, unadulterted pile of shit.

****s.

It worst than watching badly recorded 80s amateur pron. :coffee:

[topgun]

Not really surprised, Schalke are a superior team to use and consequently outplayed us. I don't really "blame" the players, most of them (apart from Cazorla) are not very good. The questions we need to ask should be aimed at the board and management. How is it that we're being outplayed at home by a team that, although very good, we would be pushed aside 5 years ago? How is that we only managed 1 shot on target in 90+3 minutes?

This is the end result of 5 years of dismantling what was a very good squad of players, replacing it with youth or cheap signings, and focusing more on the financial bottom line than what happens on the pitch.

Have to agree with that,Im not angry just very very sad to see where this club is going,its been on the cards for a while,the team are looking as clueless as Wenger,but as some one else said at least we made a profit on the night.:oldboy:

[Power n Glory]

I want to see the possession stats. Let's wait to see those before we assume we lost.

:lol:

[selassie]

What else do we expect when we gut the team of stars every season?

I geniuenly hope we don't qualify out of the group, we'll only get shown up by Barca or Bayern or whoever in the knockout stages anyway.

It's sad that it's got to the stage now where we're effectively making up the numbers in all of the competitions we enter and I include the domestic cups in this too.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

We're better off without RVC. :coffee:

Him going was not the problem, replacing him with a bunch of crap is.

Are Poldi and Giroid really the answer ?

[Ralpheroo72]

Utter wank once more. Football in its basic form requires that you score more goals than your opponents. To do this, you need shots on goal. We have Gervinho.

This club is in the toilet. But as long as Wenger makes a profit every summer, the ****ish board that sit on high, will do fuck all.

[Xhaka Can’t]

What else do we expect when we gut the team of stars every season?



I expect world domination.

[Marc Overmars]

Him going was not the problem

It was the single biggest problem.

He was irreplaceable and now ManchesterfuckingUnited are reaping the benefit of having the best player in the league.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

You know whats even worse a few seasons ago we'd love but we'd play amazing footie now its just shite and its not that we can play any other way. Well it would make no diffrence with the likes of gev and ramsey in the team even if we played a 442 fast attaking game.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

It was the single biggest problem.

He was irreplaceable and now ManchesterfuckingUnited are reaping the benefit of having the best player in the league.

And have we splshed money on a falco for example we'd be better off. no point keeping a player that wanted out.

[Özim]

I expect world domination.
Well we're only 2% away so it's not all bad.

[Xhaka Can’t]

It was the single biggest problem.

He was irreplaceable and now ManchesterfuckingUnited are reaping the benefit of having the best player in the league.

Don't worry, they won't be buying any more of our players.

[milla]

It was the single biggest problem.

He was irreplaceable and now ManchesterfuckingUnited are reaping the benefit of having the best player in the league.

:gp:

It's a big feking mistake. We lost Henry and PV4 when they were already on the slide.. with VP, Cesc, Nasri etc it was the other way around. We turned em to excellent players and sell them to make
profits. :coffee:

[Niall_Quinn]

And have we splshed money on a falco for example we'd be better off. no point keeping a player that wanted out.

No one player is going to make a difference, even messi couldn't pull this shit around. We've let too many good players go and brought into much shit to replace them.

[Power n Glory]

It goes way beyond the point if discussing the sales of past players, it's seeing what we're doing with the players at his disposal that should be the real talking point. How is it that Ramsey and Poldoski are playing on the flanks with Gervinho up front? Madness. We take off Gervinho to play Giroud and Ramsey some now manage to play the full game. We take off our rightback and surprise surprise we concede down that same side. Even if we had the right players, Wenger can't be trusted to make the right decisions.

[Gervinho's Forehead]

Him going was not the problem, replacing him with a bunch of crap is.

Are Poldi and Giroid really the answer ?

podoli has really flattered to deceive, I barely notice he's there until the announcer says he's coming off.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Don't worry, they won't be buying any more of our players.

Now they will have Jack tbh Scholes needs to be replaced.

[Niall_Quinn]

Oh look, we're first on the highlights for a change. They're loving us now!

[Olivier's xmas twist]

It goes way beyond the point if discussing the sales of past players, it's seeing what we're doing with the players at his disposal that should be the real talking point. How is it that Ramsey and Poldoski are playing on the flanks with Gervinho up front? Madness. We take off Gervinho to play Giroud and Ramsey some now manage to play the full game. We take off our rightback and surprise surprise we concede down that same side. Even if we had the right players, Wenger can't be trusted to make the right decisions.

Players are shite don't matter where you play them or what formations you use. We were fucked from the begining of the season.

Ramsey some now manage to play the full game.

And who was suppose to replace him?

[milla]

podoli has really flattered to deceive, I barely notice he's there until the announcer says he's coming off.

It does't work, he belongs in CF role not wide. It is easy to do switch position with international team but in PL it is just too fast. :coffee:

[Maestro]

this is no longer a match reaction

[Niall_Quinn]

Perhaps this is a sneaky attempt to raise the ticket prices. If everyone ends up not giving a fuck any more then maybe they'll say two hundred million for a ticket and everyone will say, yeah, whatever!

[Olivier's xmas twist]

It does't work, he belongs in CF role not wide. It is easy to do switch position with international team but in PL it is just too fast. :coffee:

Yeah you have a point i guess, swap him and Gev around. It was clear Gev was more effective on the wing.

[Maestro]

Perhaps this is a sneaky attempt to raise the ticket prices. If everyone ends up not giving a fuck any more then maybe they'll say two hundred million for a ticket and everyone will say, yeah, whatever!

at this rate they could probably get away with it tbh

[Niall_Quinn]

at this rate they could probably get away with it tbh

It would only be a 2% rise after all.

[Power n Glory]

Players are shite don't matter where you play them or what formations you use. We were fucked from the begining of the season.

I disagree with that and agree completely with what Winterburn was saying and could see all game. Poldoski isn't rubbish and for all of Gervinho's faults, he's better playing down the left. But you have a point to an extent. Doesn't matter where we play Ramsey, he's still going to be shit.

[Marc Overmars]

Well anymore home performances like that and people will vote with their feet. It's one thing to be soundly beaten, it's another to put on such a lethargic and abject display.

[Kano]

I'm not a result racist but that was not very good.

[Xhaka Can’t]

I disagree with that and agree completely with what Winterburn was saying and could see all game. Poldoski isn't rubbish and for all of Gervinho's faults, he's better playing down the left.

He's better than Henry.

[Syn]

I'm not a result racist but that was not very good.

:haha:

Post of the day.

[milla]

Yeah you have a point i guess, swap him and Gev around. It was clear Gev was more effective on the wing.

The best part of the game was when Mert was move further up the pitch as a striker. Feking comedy tbh. :coffee:

[Joker]

I expect the propangandists on the blogosphere to be out in full force tomorrow, spinning everything Gazidis, Kroenke et al say at the AGM to make them look good. However, I think a lot of fans are now seeing beyond the bullshit.

[Marc Overmars]

I disagree with that and agree completely with what Winterburn was saying and could see all game. Poldoski isn't rubbish and for all of Gervinho's faults, he's better playing down the left. But you have a point to an extent. Doesn't matter where we play Ramsey, he's still going to be shit.

I'm sick of Gervinho and Ramsey. It's got to the point now where I genuinely resent the fact they start games for us. Gervinho can fluke a goal at least but Ramsey is such a non-entity.

Hell, I'd even let Arshavin have some games. He might have something to prove.

[Niall_Quinn]

The best part of the game was when Mert was move further up the pitch as a striker. Feking comedy tbh. :coffee:

I think it was improvised as well. Unlike Ramsey being selected to start which is a bit old now.

[Kano]

Hell, I'd even let Arshavin have some games. He might have something to prove.
definitely. hrm might not grant his passport if he is found to be unemployed on benefits.

[milla]

I think it was improvised as well. Unlike Ramsey being selected to start which is a bit old now.

Of course it was improvised buy why Mert? The guy base his game on reading the play not attacking the ball or taking chances.. fekin clueless. :coffee:

[Joker]

Ramsey's become like Denilson. No matter how poorly he plays he's in the starting lineup.

[Globalgunner]

It doesnt matter how good or bad a player is before coming to us. Wenger will find a way to coach the usefulness out of him.

War,,,,,what is it good for.....absolutely nothing. Say it again......

Pls substitute War for Gervinho, Ramsey, Manonne, Santos, Wenger.



I know,,,,I know but believe me its not easy coming up with these gems.

[milla]

I'm sick of Gervinho and Ramsey. It's got to the point now where I genuinely resent the fact they start games for us. Gervinho can fluke a goal at least but Ramsey is such a non-entity.

Hell, I'd even let Arshavin have some games. He might have something to prove.

LOL to those who rate Ramsey. He spends 70% of his game catching his own breath, 20% on clueless runs and side way passes, 10% occasional holywood passes. :coffee:

[jelgoon]

Do you really think anything will happen at the AGM? It wont be interesting at all. Gazides will start of by telling us how we have a fantastic financial model which he is offering to teach to other clubs.That will be followed by Hill Wood telling everyone how brilliant Wenger is with a young squad and how he is going to be offered a new contract as soon as possible. If anyone voices dissent they will be shouted down by PHW or the mike will be switched off.
as the dickheads on sky commentaries were saying, tomorrow's agm should be interesting....

:wwf:

Santos is poor, Mannone is a joke, Ramsey is slower than Mertesacker, Gervinho is a liability and we had Arshavin and Chamakh on the bench as "options":yikes:

As per normal if our first 11 aren't fit we are buggered. Wenger needs to stop relying on proven failures and give youth a chance before the next window gives him a chance to address the gaping holes in the team.

[milla]

Do you really think anything will happen at the AGM? It wont be interesting at all. Gazides will start of by telling us how we have a fantastic financial model which he is offering to teach to other clubs.That will be followed by Hill Wood telling everyone how brilliant Wenger is with a young squad and how he is going to be offered a new contract as soon as possible. If anyone voices dissent they will be shouted down by PHW or the mike will be switched off.

Pretty much, the only way around this is for fans to vote with their money and boycott the games (which I am doing now). :coffee:

[Syn]

It doesnt matter how good or bad a player is before coming to us. Wenger will find a way to coach the usefulness out of him.

War,,,,,what is it good for.....absolutely nothing. Say it again......

Pls substitute War for Gervinho, Ramsey, Manonne, Santos, Wenger.



I know,,,,I know but believe me its not easy coming up with these gems.

Que Sera Sera
Flog whoever can fetch a fee
Must be cautious economically
Que Sera Sera

[Özim]

Well anymore home performances like that and people will vote with their feet. It's one thing to be soundly beaten, it's another to put on such a lethargic and abject display.
No they won't, they never do doesn't matter what sh*t is served up, that's why nothing ever changes.

[jelgoon]

Well in theory Ramsey wont play much more as Jack will take his place. In practice of course he will cos someone else will get injured for 8 weeks.


I'm sick of Gervinho and Ramsey. It's got to the point now where I genuinely resent the fact they start games for us. Gervinho can fluke a goal at least but Ramsey is such a non-entity.

Hell, I'd even let Arshavin have some games. He might have something to prove.

[Xhaka Can’t]

Que Sera Sera
Flog whoever can fetch a fee
Must be cautious economically
Que Sera Sera

:haha:

[jelgoon]

Youre right. So many in the crowd now are tourists who will watch us however shit we are.


No they won't, they never do doesn't matter what sh*t is served up, that's why nothing ever changes.

[milla]

:haha:

[Kano]

santos looked completely lacking in match fitness more than anything else - he was knackered after 30 mins. was gibbs injured or something?

not to address that at half time was ridiculous, it was so clear we needed a reshuffle at the back. we'll probably scrape through in second but I would prefer a europa spot as we'd have a realistic chance of winning that.

[Power n Glory]

I'm sick of Gervinho and Ramsey. It's got to the point now where I genuinely resent the fact they start games for us. Gervinho can fluke a goal at least but Ramsey is such a non-entity.

Hell, I'd even let Arshavin have some games. He might have something to prove.

When I saw Ramsey in the starting line up, I was pissed off. We need JW back to keep Ramsey out of the team because Wenger will keep playing him. It was the same last year and only until he was out injured and Rosiky came in did we start to play good football. But soon as be was fit, he was back in the line up.

[milla]

we'll probably scrape through in second but I would prefer a europa spot as we'd have a realistic chance of winning that.

Like we did with mickey mouse cup? lol :coffee:

[Marc Overmars]

LOL to those who rates Ramsey. He spend 70% of his game catching his own breath, 20% on clueless runs and side way passes, 10% occasional holywood passes. :coffee:

Wiltshire and his little burst needs to happen immediately.

Ramsey is killing us. No pace and can't work in tight areas, WUMger is at work here for sure. No other reason why he's holding down a starting role.

[Kano]

Like we did with mickey mouse cup? lol :coffee:

we had a realistic chance but we wenger'd it up.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

robin van persie was the reason we got champions league football last year.

we sold him and didn't adequately replace him.

if you sell a player that got you champions league football without investing sufficiently to replace him, it's only common sense that you're going to perform worse the following year.

he single handedly kept an average arsenal team near the top of the table last season.

now without him we are completely average.

[Marc Overmars]

When I saw Ramsey in the starting line up, I was pissed off. We need JW back to keep Ramsey out of the team because Wenger will keep playing him. It was the same last year and only until he was out injured and Rosiky came in did we start to play good football. But soon as be was fit, he was back in the line up.

Totally forgot about Rosicky. We could do with him to speed up the play.

[Power n Glory]

Youre right. So many in the crowd now are tourists who will watch us however shit we are.

When we went another goal down the place cleared out. I doubt it's just filled with tourists.

[milla]

we had a realistic chance but we wenger'd it up.

I rather we 'Arry it up :sick:

[Niall_Quinn]

Pretty much, the only way around this is for fans to vote with their money and boycott the games (which I am doing now). :coffee:

Or to throw a satchel charge into the building.

[jelgoon]

Its not just filled with tourists but youll be surprised how many there are now.Loads of groups are coming from South East Asia and increasingly from China We have huge support abroad
When we went another goal down the place cleared out. I doubt it's just filled with tourists.

[Marc Overmars]

santos looked completely lacking in match fitness more than anything else - he was knackered after 30 mins. was gibbs injured or something?

not to address that at half time was ridiculous, it was so clear we needed a reshuffle at the back. we'll probably scrape through in second but I would prefer a europa spot as we'd have a realistic chance of winning that.

Yeah Gibbs is injured. Rather player Verm out there and bring Kos in. Santos is a clown.

I reckon there are plenty of teams who'd turn us over in the Europa League as well. We just don't play very good football anymore, neither do the other English clubs infact. The European clubs have evolved and play very pacey and incisive football...this pass pass pass shit we're doing is about 4 years out of date.

[Niall_Quinn]

santos looked completely lacking in match fitness more than anything else - he was knackered after 30 mins. was gibbs injured or something?

not to address that at half time was ridiculous, it was so clear we needed a reshuffle at the back. we'll probably scrape through in second but I would prefer a europa spot as we'd have a realistic chance of winning that.

Nah, city are winning that.

[Kano]

When we went another goal down the place cleared out. I doubt it's just filled with tourists.
luxury items and addictive goods will always sell well.

[milla]

Or to throw a satchel charge into the building.

I rather throw a pizza on Wumger's face tbh. Though he might just wipe it off and eat it... :coffee:

[jelgoon]

Youre right. It was a collosal error to get rid of him. One of the best forwards in the world -it was madness.
robin van persie was the reason we got champions league football last year.

we sold him and didn't adequately replace him.

if you sell a player that got you champions league football without investing sufficiently to replace him, it's only common sense that you're going to perform worse the following year.

he single handedly kept an average arsenal team near the top of the table last season.

now without him we are completely average.

[Niall_Quinn]

When I saw Ramsey in the starting line up, I was pissed off. We need JW back to keep Ramsey out of the team because Wenger will keep playing him. It was the same last year and only until he was out injured and Rosiky came in did we start to play good football. But soon as be was fit, he was back in the line up.

How do you know Arteta or Cazorla won't be rested when Jack comes back? Plus Wilshere will be off after 70mins (or 2 mins vs Stoke) and guess who will be on.

[milla]

How do you know Arteta or Cazorla won't be rested when Jack comes back? Plus Wilshere will be off after 70mins (or 2 mins vs Stoke) and guess who will be on.

Ramsey yay!!! :scarf: :patrice: :jumpnana: :cheer:

[Power n Glory]

luxury items and addictive goods will always sell well.

Luxury! :lol: That shower of shit?

[Olivier's xmas twist]

No they won't, they never do doesn't matter what sh*t is served up, that's why nothing ever changes.

Some have already don't see why more won't.


I disagree with that and agree completely with what Winterburn was saying and could see all game. Poldoski isn't rubbish and for all of Gervinho's faults, he's better playing down the left. But you have a point to an extent. Doesn't matter where we play Ramsey, he's still going to be shit.

:lol:

[Santi Clause]

Diaby and Rosicky will be back soon....:tumbleweed:

[Kano]

Luxury! :lol: That shower of shit?

that was the headline. it is certainly addictive.

[Niall_Quinn]

Luxury! :lol: That shower of shit?

Yes, the basics range comes in 2015. And the dumpster diving range in 2017.

[Dennis Bendtner]

Santos is not a footballer. He's a Bollywood villain.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

I rather throw a pizza on Wumger's face tbh. Though he might just wipe it off and eat it... :coffee:

I hear Fabregas is free since all he does is sit on a bench. :coffee:

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

Santos is not a footballer. He's a Bollywood villain.

http://gifsforum.com/images/gif/orly/grand/orly_gif.gif

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cripps. :bow:

On topic though, at least we came closer to missing sitters in this game but I suppose you would expect that from a home game.

[Marc Overmars]

You know things are fucked up when we're not even creating sitters to miss.

[Letters]

*sigh*

That was pretty shocking. I actually thought first half we were OK. Second half we were dreadful and were well beaten by a better side.

Players like Gervinho show where this club has fallen to. I would say he's not Arsenal quality but he is. Arsenal's quality just isn't what it used to be. I think we'll probably finish top 4 by default but miles behind the top 3 and no silverware. Again.

Who knew that selling your best players every summer would cause a drop in standards?
:(

[Injury Time]

So we got the response AW promised post Norwich then.


Oh.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

On topic though, at least we came closer to missing sitters in this game but I suppose you would expect that from a home game.


You know things are fucked up when we're not even creating sitters to miss.

http://theglobetrottinggeek.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/jackie-chan-wtf-face-i16_m.jpg

[Xhaka Can’t]

http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/400x/20072357.jpg

[Marc Overmars]

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/10/06/article-2213907-155CEBE8000005DC-28_634x616.jpg

[Olivier's xmas twist]

*sigh*

That was pretty shocking. I actually thought first half we were OK. Second half we were dreadful and were well beaten by a better side.

Players like Gervinho show where this club has fallen to. I would say he's not Arsenal quality but he is. Arsenal's quality just isn't what it used to be. I think we'll probably finish top 4 by default but miles behind the top 3 and no silverware. Again.

Who knew that selling your best players every summer would cause a drop in standards?
:(

:gp:

[fakeyank]

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/bould-we-lacked-confidence-with-the-ball-

Oh fuck! Wenger fucked Bould and infected him with Wengiritis! :ilt:

[Gervinho's Forehead]

*sigh*

That was pretty shocking. I actually thought first half we were OK. Second half we were dreadful and were well beaten by a better side.

Players like Gervinho show where this club has fallen to. I would say he's not Arsenal quality but he is. Arsenal's quality just isn't what it used to be. I think we'll probably finish top 4 by default but miles behind the top 3 and no silverware. Again.

Who knew that selling your best players every summer would cause a drop in standards?
:(

So you enjoyed your return to the emirates :scarf:

[Marc Overmars]

What's all this tiredness shit about? It's October.

Lame ass excuses.

[Letters]

So you enjoyed your return to the emirates :scarf:
Not really :(

[Syn]

Bould:


on the substitutions…
They were certainly pre-planned. At 0-0 we weren't playing great, I was reluctant to change it too early. Then when we changed it we lost a goal, so it didn't work. Of course we miss [Arsène Wenger on the bench], he's the manager of this club. It's his job, that's what he does.

No, really?

[Marc Overmars]

Not really :(

It literally started to balls up the day of your wedding.

[Letters]

It literally started to balls up the day of your wedding.
We won the two games after that ak-tu-alley.
So don't blame me.

:p

[Olivier's xmas twist]

on the reasons behind the defeat…
We looked jaded, I don't know why that is. Coming off the international break we haven't performed really. I don't know if that's the reason but we definitely look jaded. With the ball we lack a bit of confidence. [Not creating chances] is not what we want, it's not what we're accustomed to. We normally create chances and at the moment we're not, so we have to correct that.

Oh feck of bould, nothing to do with being jaded more to being shit.


on Andre Santos…
I think he's done fabulous, coming in. It was tough, they had two very good players, their two best players, down that side. It was a tough game for us.

Really Steve, really. What does he do in training and what game was he watching, Santos has been shite.

[Injury Time]

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/bould-we-lacked-confidence-with-the-ball-

Oh fuck! Wenger fucked Bould and infected him with Wengiritis! :ilt:

Same script writer, same old story. :ilt:

[Power n Glory]

Bould:



No, really?


What does he mean by per planned subs? That can't be right.

[Injury Time]

We won the two games after that ak-tu-alley.
So don't blame me.

:p
Honeymoon period over....transition period returns

[Olivier's xmas twist]

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/bould-we-lacked-confidence-with-the-ball-

Oh fuck! Wenger fucked Bould and infected him with Wengiritis! :ilt:

You mean bould who has been their for ages, not sure how you just figured this our now.

[notwist]

I felt sorry for poor old Andre Santos. He must have been thinking they MUST hook me any minute, so I'll have another little dart forward, and blow me there he was in the 93rd minute still out there. He must be thinking, what do I have to do to get substituted, break a leg?

[Olivier's xmas twist]

on the fans' frustration…
We've lost at home and of course the fans are frustrated. We are too. We don't like losing football games. We have to pick ourselves up.

You don't like winning trophies either :coffee:

[Syn]

What does he mean by per planned subs? That can't be right.

It's what we all know - the subs are already worked out before the match has kicked off. After 70 mins get Giroud on for Gervinho. If we're still losing at 85, Jenkinson off for Gnabry. It would make no difference if the manager is on the touchline or not, our match-strategy is a simulation. We don't react to what is happening on the pitch. We've seen so many examples; taking Oxlade off against Man Utd last season was a particularly popular one.

[Gervinho's Forehead]

Oh feck of bould, nothing to do with being jaded more to being shit.



Really Steve, really. What does he do in training and what game was he watching, Santos has been shite.

I always had Steve down as a straight talking bloke, I guess not.

[Gervinho's Forehead]

Not really :(

Well there's always Saturday to bounce back!







Oh. :(

[McNamara That Ghost...]

The 2 minute flight from London Colney to the Emirates took it out of them.

[RomfordPele]

How did santos last 90 mins when it was clear he couldn't cope after 10? The inadequacy of the current team is only exceeded by the sheer incompetence of the club's management. Piss poor as always.

I expected better of Bould but it seems he's just another yes man like rice.

[Gervinho's Forehead]

The 2 minute flight from London Colney to the Emirates took it out of them.

:haha:


I like funny maccy. :)

[Marc Overmars]

What does he mean by per planned subs? That can't be right.

Bould was just the puppet.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

to think we went from the likes of henry, pires, bergkamp and campbell to coquelin, santos, ramsey and gervinho :haha:

[notwist]

I can't believe substitutions are pre-planned. That has to be a misprint. That's not management, it's......I don't know what it is but it isn't management. Why was Koz warming up anyway? He was running faster than Santos in his warm up than poor old Andre was in the match. Apparently on his pedometer if Andre had run at a consistent speed forward and back he would have ended the game in Trafalgar Square. Where he would have been about as much use.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

I always had Steve down as a straight talking bloke, I guess not.

Same shit, diffrent manager tbh.

Its like xfactor, everyone has their script (the judges) and they know what to say. The pubilc know its a fix but they still watch and act shocked when their favs go out.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Why does TV5 feel he needs to run foward all the time ffs.

[Marc Overmars]

I can't believe substitutions are pre-planned. That has to be a misprint. That's not management, it's......I don't know what it is but it isn't management. Why was Koz warming up anyway? He was running faster than Santos in his warm up than poor old Andre was in the match. Apparently on his pedometer if Andre had run at a consistent speed forward and back he would have ended the game in Trafalgar Square. Where he would have been about as much use.

I think he meant pre-planned as in Wenget had already told him who to bring on and off. Which I guess isn't really that much better than deciding what time to make the changes.

[Gervinho's Forehead]

Same shit, diffrent manager tbh.

Its like xfactor, everyone has their script (the judges) and they know what to say. The pubilc know its a fix but they still watch and act shocked when their favs go out.

Good analogy!

Just a shame no one ever takes their turn to be the "bad judge"

[notwist]

For the record:

As the stadium empties the camera catches “silent” Stan Kroenke, de facto owner of the club, and “old Etonian” Peter Hill-Wood, flag-bearer of old money and the traditional Arsenal ethos, in secretive conversation. Both are able to speak without moving their lips, Stan on account of his 1970s moustache and Peter because he is eating plums, but you can just about make out their thought process. “They’ve paid to watch 90 minutes, at 78p per minute, and by my reckoning we’ve saved £7-80 of wear and tear on that seat”. “So losing’s not such a bad thing then, Peter?” “Oh no, not at all. If we can sell all the seats and empty them as early as possible the stadium won’t need refurbishing for decades”. “No money spent then.....” “So more for you”. “And not forgetting you”. “Of course old chap”. “Result”. “2 nil I believe. But who’s counting?”

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Ramsey's become like Denilson. No matter how poorly he plays he's in the starting lineup.

Denilson was never a starter.
But feck it id bring him back and put him in the middle tbh can't be any worse. His passing was quite good as well.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

denilson > bischoff >>>>>>>>>>> ramsey

[notwist]

I'd bring back Nelson Vivas, I'm that desperate.

[Cripps_orig]

Got back, had something to eat and its calmed me down so i can post sensibly and rationally.

Wenger is a **** and he needs to fuck off asap. This team is a bunch of ****s who need to pull their finger out or be killed

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Got back, had something to eat and its calmed me down so i can post sensibly and rationally.

Wenger is a **** and he needs to fuck off asap. This team is a bunch of ****s who need to pull their finger out or be killed

Has nothing to do with pulling fingers out the sqaud's no good its simple as.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

Has nothing to do with pulling fingers out the sqaudis no good its simple as.

sqaudis :bow:

[jelgoon]

Lol. That is calm.


Got back, had something to eat and its calmed me down so i can post sensibly and rationally.

Wenger is a **** and he needs to fuck off asap. This team is a bunch of ****s who need to pull their finger out or be killed

[Cripps_orig]

Ok serious post about tonight

Positives first as i am a naturally positive person

Mert :bow: Love this guy. Was excellent tonight. Also Jenkinson is ever improving, clearly a fan favourite and im glad i was right about him. Always been a fan.

Biggest positive is its one day, one game closer to the end of Wengers reign. We dont know when it will be but since he cant stay forever, everyday that goes past is a day closer to the end of the worst time in Arsenal history

As for the rest

Mannone - no chance with the goals

Verm - Made no noticable mistakes but didnt stamp his authority over the team

Santos - did he look as bad on tv as he did live?

Arteta - Oh dear god. How in a Spanish golden generation era are we lumped with the worst Spanish midfielder of all time? He is terrible.

Coq - Dont actually think he had that bad a game

Cazorla - Well and truly infected with Wengeritis. His career as we know it is over :rose:

Pod - Needs to pla upfront

Gerv - Needs to fuck off

Ramsey - Needs to score and hope hes the next one to die cos of it

Subs

Giroud - Whats the point? He has no movement. Woeful player. At least Chamakh as bad as he can be would run down the channels, try something. Giroud stands there like a lump

Arshavin and Gnabry - Former had no supply and the latter showed more in the first 2 touches than Arteta, Ramsey and Gervinho did all night. Lost the ball for the 2nd goal but he lost it trying to be creative and i dont blame him for that.

It was a horrific performance. Bould has been an utter failure and needs to go as well as Wenger which is a no brainer. De Boer and Bergkamp in. Hell get Harry in. Anyone ffs. Thats what it has come to

QPR will be licking their lips no doubt as they are getting their first win at the weekend

[jelgoon]

Exactly. How pathetic and desperate can they get. Fucking two months into the season.
What's all this tiredness shit about? It's October.

Lame ass excuses.

[jelgoon]

Was Mert excellent?The part of the match I saw on the box he looked quite slow. Yet again i though the whole defence was disorganised and shambolic for their goals.
Ok serious post about tonight

Positives first as i am a naturally positive person

Mert :bow: Love this guy. Was excellent tonight. Also Jenkinson is ever improving, clearly a fan favourite and im glad i was right about him. Always been a fan.

Biggest positive is its one day, one game closer to the end of Wengers reign. We dont know when it will be but since he cant stay forever, everyday that goes past is a day closer to the end of the worst time in Arsenal history

As for the rest

Mannone - no chance with the goals

Verm - Made no noticable mistakes but didnt stamp his authority over the team

Santos - did he look as bad on tv as he did live?

Arteta - Oh dear god. How in a Spanish golden generation era are we lumped with the worst Spanish midfielder of all time? He is terrible.

Coq - Dont actually think he had that bad a game

Cazorla - Well and truly infected with Wengeritis. His career as we know it is over :rose:

Pod - Needs to pla upfront

Gerv - Needs to fuck off

Ramsey - Needs to score and hope hes the next one to die cos of it

Subs

Giroud - Whats the point? He has no movement. Woeful player. At least Chamakh as bad as he can be would run down the channels, try something. Giroud stands there like a lump

Arshavin and Gnabry - Former had no supply and the latter showed more in the first 2 touches than Arteta, Ramsey and Gervinho did all night. Lost the ball for the 2nd goal but he lost it trying to be creative and i dont blame him for that.

It was a horrific performance. Bould has been an utter failure and needs to go as well as Wenger which is a no brainer. De Boer and Bergkamp in. Hell get Harry in. Anyone ffs. Thats what it has come to

QPR will be licking their lips no doubt as they are getting their first win at the weekend

[Cripps_orig]

Mert was brilliant in the first half tbf.

Single handedly the reason we kept a clean sheet in that half

Unfortunately as good as he is, he cant keep out a team all by himself for 90 mins. He needed help. He didnt get it.

On another point, think theres a good chance we are going out. No way are we winning in Germany or Greece and whilst we should beat Monty at home (should being the main word there but we have Wenger so Monty are favourites imo) will 9 points be enough?

The other games in the group between the other teams have become very important

[Cripps_orig]

Also the pace we play is terribly slow.

Schalke will not have an easier game ever.

We are also very one dimensional. Couple of times we had a free kick half way in the Schalke half and we just played it short and kept on playing the Wengeritis way instead of lumping it in the box and seeing what happens.

Schalke fans didnt stop singing all night. Need some new songs though cos it was one song throughout.

[Power n Glory]

Ok serious post about tonight

Positives first as i am a naturally positive person

Mert :bow: Love this guy. Was excellent tonight. Also Jenkinson is ever improving, clearly a fan favourite and im glad i was right about him. Always been a fan.

Biggest positive is its one day, one game closer to the end of Wengers reign. We dont know when it will be but since he cant stay forever, everyday that goes past is a day closer to the end of the worst time in Arsenal history

As for the rest

Mannone - no chance with the goals

Verm - Made no noticable mistakes but didnt stamp his authority over the team

Santos - did he look as bad on tv as he did live?

Arteta - Oh dear god. How in a Spanish golden generation era are we lumped with the worst Spanish midfielder of all time? He is terrible.

Coq - Dont actually think he had that bad a game

Cazorla - Well and truly infected with Wengeritis. His career as we know it is over :rose:

Pod - Needs to pla upfront

Gerv - Needs to fuck off

Ramsey - Needs to score and hope hes the next one to die cos of it

Subs

Giroud - Whats the point? He has no movement. Woeful player. At least Chamakh as bad as he can be would run down the channels, try something. Giroud stands there like a lump

Arshavin and Gnabry - Former had no supply and the latter showed more in the first 2 touches than Arteta, Ramsey and Gervinho did all night. Lost the ball for the 2nd goal but he lost it trying to be creative and i dont blame him for that.

It was a horrific performance. Bould has been an utter failure and needs to go as well as Wenger which is a no brainer. De Boer and Bergkamp in. Hell get Harry in. Anyone ffs. Thats what it has come to

QPR will be licking their lips no doubt as they are getting their first win at the weekend

I'm no fan of Chamakh, but I have seen a couple of games where he's come on to at least get a few touches of the ball and maybe improve the link up play. In this sort of game, in these sort of games where there seems to be no cohesion or link up play, he may actually be more useful than Giroud. Never though I'd say that. We have fallen badly.

Coquelin had a decent game today and I have no idea how Ramsey is getting game ahead of him in the centre of the park. How is it that Wenger is willing to give a player with no technical skill, can't pass, poor close control, no pace, poor off the ball movement so many games in the middle and even switch him to playing on the right, yet won't give Theo a chance up front? I just can't understand why he'd be so flexible with a player struggling that badly for form over a player in form and more than capable of playing up front, especially when you look at what Gervinho and Giroud offer. Plus we have Podolski. He should be playing as our striker with his bullet shot, clinical finishing and work rate. It really is hard to understand some of his decisions.

[Cripps_orig]

Chamakh is better than Giroud. Dont think anyone can dispute that.

We truly are fucked

Ramsey offered us nothing tonight. Jenkinson had to be a right back and a right winger. Ramsey was nowhere to be seen. Not his fault, hes not a right winger but is played there by a mong of a manager who doesnt have a clue.

Time for Theo up front

[Gervinho's Forehead]

Chamakh is better than Giroud. Dont think anyone can dispute that.

They're both shit!

Who'd have thought it, Arsenal fans fighting over who's the best out of to shit players. It's on a par with norwich fans conesting between morrison and holt FFS.

[Cripps_orig]

They're both shit!

Who'd have thought it, Arsenal fans fighting over who's the best out of to shit players. It's on a par with norwich fans conesting between morrison and holt FFS.

That they are but Chamakh is one of those normal shits that takes place every day.

Giroud is diarrhea

[Power n Glory]

Giroud is the better striker but his link up play is nonexistent. Chamakh is an absolute pussy in front on goal but if you knock the ball up to him, he will hold it up and pass it off to another player at least.

But neither are better than Bendtner! :lol: we have fallen far.

[Cripps_orig]

Bendtner is worse than both imo

We need a striker.

Llorente would do. Falcao would be awesome. It will be neither

It will be Adrian

[Japan Shaking All Over]

Just read the BBC take on the game. . .by the sounds we deserved nothing from the apart from the legal right to kick Santos's head in and that Gervino did everything he could to prove me wrong (no doubt some will be happy to remind me that I have shown support for this guy :o

[-Xs-]

I knew as soon as all those articles came out before the match proudly boasting about our home record in Europe matching/surpassing those of the best that this match had a defeat all over it.

What a bunch of c*nts.

[Xhaka Can’t]

:lol:


For the record:

As the stadium empties the camera catches “silent” Stan Kroenke, de facto owner of the club, and “old Etonian” Peter Hill-Wood, flag-bearer of old money and the traditional Arsenal ethos, in secretive conversation. Both are able to speak without moving their lips, Stan on account of his 1970s moustache and Peter because he is eating plums, but you can just about make out their thought process. “They’ve paid to watch 90 minutes, at 78p per minute, and by my reckoning we’ve saved £7-80 of wear and tear on that seat”. “So losing’s not such a bad thing then, Peter?” “Oh no, not at all. If we can sell all the seats and empty them as early as possible the stadium won’t need refurbishing for decades”. “No money spent then.....” “So more for you”. “And not forgetting you”. “Of course old chap”. “Result”. “2 nil I believe. But who’s counting?”

[Globalgunner]

I wish those who go to the AGM well and hope they are allowed to voice their true feelings. This club is fucked if this manager is allowed to continue with his delusions. We dont even play football anymore, just some esoteric exercise in Wengers head. If he had any dignity he would leave and allow this club to find itself again. I really wish this saturday we could have an empty stadium to greet these fools.....It is so infuriating and heartbreaking watching the decline of this club.

[server too busy!]

Podolski is literally useless playing on the left like that. He has to cover too much ground going back. You just know if you put him in the positions Gervinho gets in he will score, he's got to start upfront if Giroud isn't. Hell even Walcott is a better option upfront instead of Gerv, he is clincal and will score goals.

Mannone is awful, wasn't expected to save those goals but they were literally almost straight at him...should have saved if he was of any quality

Coquelin must start instead of Ramsey in midfield, looked pretty good.

We either need to change formation or actually use proper wingers because this shit isn't working. Ox and Gnabry would do nicely, hell even Gervinho can play there or Walcott. I think we need to move to 2 up front as we offer nothing otherwise. Giroud and Podolski or Walcott would work great with Cazorla in just behind.

[Power n Glory]

I have no idea what Wenger is thinking playing Podolski wide and then playing Ramsey wide as well. Then add Gervinho to the mix up front...it's a travesty.

This is never going to work. Just watching Barca v Celtic was a reminder of how far apart we are technically and seeing how Barca struggled to open up Celtic with their technically superior players, we haven't got a hope of being successful with this bastardised tika taka impersonation. We don't have the players, we don't have the passing range, we don't have the off the ball movement....when will the man see sense?

[LDG]

:fury:

[Marc Overmars]

Santos is a real problem, he has absolutely no sense of awareness to be a defender. Seriously poor and we need to bring in a new understudy LB.

[Power n Glory]

ARSENAL 0-2 SCHALKE: A BAD WEEK GETS WORSE

Where to begin? Perhaps in the same way that Arsenal continued where they left against Norwich, this could be a continuation of that blog. Talk after that game, and before this, was of reaction, improvement and bouncing back, but it was more of the same.

Arsenal looked tired, listless, devoid of any spark of imagination, and defensively a mess, again. The manager decided to play Gervinho as centre-forward again, something which has had a measure of success this season. The Ivorian is our top scorer in all competitions but last night had one of those games where he looked like he was playing in wellies and had been granted a start for Arsenal thanks to the Make A Wish Foundation.

Aaron Ramsey played on the right with Francis Coquelin in midfield but once more we failed to click. One more we had barely a shot on goal and that our first effort on target came in the 93rd minute from 17 year old Serge Gnabry tells you everything you need to know about Arsenal’s attacking performance. It’s a real worry because while defensive issues are not new to us, being so utterly toothless up the other end is.

Personally, I would have liked to see Olivier Giroud start. I know he didn’t have a good game against Norwich but he’s at least a natural centre-forward and I wonder if this chopping and changing, being in and out, and out at the expense of a guy like Gervinho, is doing him any good at all. He would, at least, provide the attack with some kind of focal point and having paid £12m for him, I think the manager should show some faith in him and give him a run of games.

With the transfer window a good two months away I’m loathe to go down that road but it’s becoming increasingly clear that the lack of options which, without meaning to harp on about Gervinho are highlighted every time the manager selects him as centre-forward, are causing us problems. If the manager won’t select a £12m striker to play as a striker in home games then it suggests he’s not convinced by him. We need more than one recognised striker, it’s as simple as that. If Giroud plays and doesn’t perform, we ought to have at least one other reliable option. We don’t.

At the back, we weren’t much to look at either. Without sugarcoating it in any way, Andre Santos had a nightmare at left back, but what frustrated me most was the fact that his troubles were obvious from the start and nobody, not coaching staff, or teammates, did anything to help him. I’m not defending him, but any player left alone to deal with two and sometimes three men is going to struggle. There was no cover from Podolski, no cover from midfield, and no help whatsoever from his captain who played alongside him at centre-half.

Even after the game Steve Bould admitted it was tough for the Brazilian, saying Schalke had their ‘two best players down that side’. So why was nothing changed to help him? Where was leadership on the field? At the most basic level of football if you see a teammate having problems with his game, or being outnumbered time and time again, you fix it. If your coach won’t do it, surely it’s incumbent on the captain or other senior players to have a word and tell those around him to give him a dig out. That we simply failed to react to this problem is a real worry for me.

Santos will get pelters for both goals and there’s no doubt he’s culpable to a certain extent. For the first he was slow coming out, playing Huntelaar offside, but Vermaelen had no idea where the Dutchman was. His lack of defensive awareness concerns me now, his laissez-faire attitude to defending is no longer offset by the chest-thumpery of the goals he scores. All he had to do was look behind, and look across his line to know there was a problem. He didn’t, we were punished.

For their second I thought he could have done more after the ball had been given away in midfield by Gnabry. Once again Santos was left two on one, the simple ball outside the Brazilian allowed Farfan to cross to the far post where Affelay had a tap in to seal the game for the visitors. I know we were pushing for an equaliser (as unlikely as it would have been) but as bad a game as he had, and he did, it’s wrong to blame Santos for that one.

Some of the post-game comments from Steve Bould were a bit of a worry too. With Arsene Wenger serving the final match of his European ban, it seems everything was pre-planned, including the substitutions. Bould said:

They were certainly pre-planned. At 0-0 we weren’t playing great, I was reluctant to change it too early. Then when we changed it we lost a goal, so it didn’t work. Of course we miss [Arsène Wenger on the bench], he’s the manager of this club. It’s his job, that’s what he does.

Which is all well and good but Arsene wasn’t in charge of the team last night. I can understand the manager wanting some control, but to have been so autocratic was costly. It was obvious that things weren’t working up top, yet no change was made until the usual 70 minute mark or thereabouts, and I’ve touched on the defensive problems. It’s too easy to say we should have brought on Koscielny and pushed Vermaelen to left back, the Belgian would have been faced with the same overlaps as Santos, but that there was no attempt from a defensively minded coach to alter the shape of the team, or address that particular issue for the whole 90 minutes makes me wonder.

It’s obvious that the wounds of last season, and the problems this team has faced for a longer period than that, had barely scabbed over. The positive start to the season has now been well and truly undermined by two abject performances and it’s difficult not to worry. We seem to be constantly trying to make our way up a down escalator. We get up a couple of steps, stumble, fall down a couple of steps, pick ourselves up, climb, stumble again, and all the while there’s a staircase with a handrail beside us.

We make life difficult for ourselves on the pitch and the club make life difficult through their choices too. You can get away with selling your best players if you replace them, invest in the squad and use what you have to make your team as effective as your possibly can. You can get away with selling your best players and coming out even in the transfer market if your team performs consistently, but you simply cannot get away with selling your best players and then playing like we did in our last two games.

Every single thing at a football club is dependent on what happens on the pitch. Today’s AGM will be tetchy and fiesty and all those things, and I can understand why. Although I feel there’s too much focus these days on who and what and how the club is run (everyone’s a businessman, you know), this is one of the only fora open to supporters to make their feelings known to those who run the club. Or, at least, make their feelings known in their presence. Ideally, we wouldn’t really care that much about what happens at the AGM, when we were winning things nobody really did, but these are different times and we no longer win (or even really compete).

Ultimately it comes down to the squad, to the team, and to the fact were are, for a club of our financial resources, underachieving. It’s all well and good talking about 2014 but new commercial deals rely on us having a full stadium and a team that can compete for the biggest trophies in football – last night we had neither of those things. The empty seats around the stadium were obvious from kick off, embarrassingly so at the end, and that’s not a true reflection of the support, it’s a reflection of the manager and the team.

I do believe there’s a danger in overreacting, but I also believe there’s a danger in the ‘Keep calm and carry on’ message too. There is unhappiness and discontent, not at who owns us really, but at how we’re run at a footballing level. The grumbles and gripes are borne almost entirely out of what happens on the pitch and last night will do nothing to allay fears that, without some character, on and off the pitch, this is a season which once again will deliver little.

Till tomorrow.

Not a huge fan of Arseblog, but some good points about the match. Santos is getting slated, but he has a point, he was getting double teamed and nobody did anything to help. As for talk about finances and the way the club is run, it just becomes irrelevant when you see the sort of decisions made during an actual game. The management look clueless at times and just fail to react and show leadership when we're in a crisis on the field.

[Gervinho's Forehead]

The Ivorian is our top scorer in all competitions but last night had one of those games where he looked like he was playing in wellies and had been granted a start for Arsenal thanks to the Make A Wish Foundation. :haha:

Arseblog :bow:



It’s obvious that the wounds of last season, and the problems this team has faced for a longer period than that, had barely scabbed over. The positive start to the season has now been well and truly undermined by two abject performances and it’s difficult not to worry. We seem to be constantly trying to make our way up a down escalator. We get up a couple of steps, stumble, fall down a couple of steps, pick ourselves up, climb, stumble again, and all the while there’s a staircase with a handrail beside us.

Too fucking true.

[Özim]

The thing about Santos is that he was clearly not fit, he barely seemed to be able to run. Winterburn thinks he's far too square on when tackling and that he's one of these full backs that is great at attacking but is very much lacking defensively.

Yesterday he should have been hauled off, problem is that Bould clearly had his instructions and couldn't use common sense to bring him off when it was clear he was being exposed all night, in the end the 2nd goal came from this.

[LDG]

Not a huge fan of Arseblog, but some good points about the match. Santos is getting slated, but he has a point, he was getting double teamed and nobody did anything to help. As for talk about finances and the way the club is run, it just becomes irrelevant when you see the sort of decisions made during an actual game. The management look clueless at times and just fail to react and show leadership when we're in a crisis on the field.

The fact that Bould said the subs were pre-planned says it all.

Arrogance, Ignorance, Niavity. Call it what you like, it's schoolboy stuff.

All of it. Every single thing we do now, goes against the basics kids get taught. It's pathetic.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

we used to call the likes of milan, madrid and bayern a tough game.

now we're calling the likes of schalke a tough game.

how far we've fallen.

[LDG]

we used to call the likes of milan, madrid and bayern a tough game.

now we're calling the likes of schalke a tough game.

how far we've fallen.

You have to give some respect to Shalke, who aren't a bad side by any means. But we are a lot worse than we used to be. That is for sure.

No team in this competition is crap, tbf.

Apart from us, I guess.

[KSE Comedy Club]

And citeh, tbf.

[Niall_Quinn]

We sold our top striker and didn't replace him. We sold the steel in front of the back four and didn't replace him. Unbelievably this has had a negative effect on our performances. It's all very well criticising the club but who could have predicted gutting the team for the umpteenth season would leave us unable to compete? It's crazy talk to suggest this has anything to do with unimaginably greedy owners, a manager who absolutely refuses to accept what he sees with his own eyes and refuses to change or a team that's full of players who would rather talk about their contracts than do their talking on the pitch. I think it's just bad luck. For the fans at least. For the owners, manager and players, roll on pay day.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Mert was brilliant in the first half tbf.

Single handedly the reason we kept a clean sheet in that half

Unfortunately as good as he is, he cant keep out a team all by himself for 90 mins. He needed help. He didnt get it.

On another point, think theres a good chance we are going out. No way are we winning in Germany or Greece and whilst we should beat Monty at home (should being the main word there but we have Wenger so Monty are favourites imo) will 9 points be enough?

The other games in the group between the other teams have become very important

Mert was shite yesterday. gave them the 1st goal. Not sure what game you was watching.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Chamakh is better than Giroud. Dont think anyone can dispute that.


No he is not stop talking rubbish.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Santos is a real problem, he has absolutely no sense of awareness to be a defender. Seriously poor and we need to bring in a new understudy LB.

This, When Gibbs was in the team we looked much better. Santos can't get back fast enough.

[Cripps_orig]

Mert was shite yesterday. gave them the 1st goal. Not sure what game you was watching.

:doh:

[Letters]

We sold our top striker and didn't replace him. We sold the steel in front of the back four and didn't replace him. Unbelievably this has had a negative effect on our performances. It's all very well criticising the club but who could have predicted gutting the team for the umpteenth season would leave us unable to compete? It's crazy talk to suggest this has anything to do with unimaginably greedy owners, a manager who absolutely refuses to accept what he sees with his own eyes and refuses to change or a team that's full of players who would rather talk about their contracts than do their talking on the pitch. I think it's just bad luck. For the fans at least. For the owners, manager and players, roll on pay day.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iddqe7s1PIY/T_bifgBxfzI/AAAAAAAAAWc/l_dQaz6vlEw/s1600/Wenger-laughing.jpg

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Coquelin had a decent game today and I have no idea how Ramsey is getting game ahead of him in the centre of the park. How is it that Wenger is willing to give a player with no technical skill, can't pass, poor close control, no pace, poor off the ball movement so many games in the middle and even switch him to playing on the right, yet won't give Theo a chance up front? I just can't understand why he'd be so flexible with a player struggling that badly for form over a player in form and more than capable of playing up front, especially when you look at what Gervinho and Giroud offer. Plus we have Podolski. He should be playing as our striker with his bullet shot, clinical finishing and work rate. It really is hard to understand some of his decisions.

Ramsey playes cause who else is there. Can't play Arshavin he is poor, Jack is out. Love him or hate him we have missed Diaby and that is the truth, we missed Gibbs, we missed Theo and not giving Theo a new deal will cost us big. We missed Ox. Id say we missed Jack but he ain't played in so long its going to take time for him to get match fit.

Gev is not a striker and should not be played as one and this is not the time to expriment, unless Wenger sees this season as a write off. Poldi well he has been poor the last 2 games and for me its not down to where he played as he has done well there this season.

Giroud was always going to take time to settle in, was always going to happen. Still think we need to buy another quality CB and CF.

Theo/Giroud/Poldi/Gev none are good enough to replace RVC and be our top striker.

[Letters]

Mert was shite yesterday. gave them the 1st goal. Not sure what game you was watching.
He was watching the same one I was. Merts was outstanding. Maybe not so much in the 2nd half but no-one covered themselves in glory then. First half he was outstanding.

[Cripps_orig]

He was watching the same one I was. Merts was outstanding. Maybe not so much in the 2nd half but no-one covered themselves in glory then. First half he was outstanding.
Remember who you're replying to

[server too busy!]

With the formation we play, Podolski and Ramsey or whoever have far too much ground to cover running forward and back constantly. It means they basically do neither job of attacking or defending. We need to change the formation because we basically have no width as it is.

Also time to buy a Jenkinson for LB, Santos would clearly be suited better to the Podolski role. Gibbs is good enough for first choice but he will always get injuries and can't relied upon for the whole season. A decent youngster would be enough.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

He was watching the same one I was. Merts was outstanding. Maybe not so much in the 2nd half but no-one covered themselves in glory then. First half he was outstanding.

Thought he was poor when ever i saw him, but each to their own.

[Marc Overmars]

Merts made several important interceptions in the first half. Like he always does.

Faded in the 2nd half but then so did everyone.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Though i suppose tbf to him he had to keep an eye on the shit that is Santo's and it did not help TV5 was darting up the field instead of staying back.

Drop Santos start Kos and CB with Merts and put TV 5 at LB.

[Xhaka Can’t]

Merts made several important interceptions in the first half. Like he always does.

Faded in the 2nd half but then so did everyone.

He was out of step with his teammates in the first half.

Bould brought him back in line at HT.

[Cripps_orig]

Break up our best CB duo

That should help

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Break up our best CB duo

That should help

Yeah lets keep Santos ant LB. Tv5 likes to dart up the field, so until Gibbs gets back id put him at LB, rather him then santo's.

Kos and merts play well together.

[LDG]

Yeah lets keep Santos ant LB.

I'd put Gibbs there.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

I'd put Gibbs there.

When he's injured?

[Power n Glory]

He was watching the same one I was. Merts was outstanding. Maybe not so much in the 2nd half but no-one covered themselves in glory then. First half he was outstanding.

Yeah, Merts was good for the first half and the 1st goal wasn't his fault at all. He had his man covered. Although we were playing the offside trap, Verms was supposed to at least know where Huntelaar was but he didn't. I think both Jenks and Santos was playing him onside. Wasn't a commanding performance from our captain but he was gutted about the loss and I'm sure he'll look at the tapes and try to sort his game out.

[Cripps_orig]

Impossible to tell from where i was sitting who played Huntelaar onside and i havent and wont see a replay so guess il just have to take peoples word on here

[Power n Glory]

Ramsey playes cause who else is there. Can't play Arshavin he is poor, Jack is out. Love him or hate him we have missed Diaby and that is the truth, we missed Gibbs, we missed Theo and not giving Theo a new deal will cost us big. We missed Ox. Id say we missed Jack but he ain't played in so long its going to take time for him to get match fit.

Gev is not a striker and should not be played as one and this is not the time to expriment, unless Wenger sees this season as a write off. Poldi well he has been poor the last 2 games and for me its not down to where he played as he has done well there this season.

Giroud was always going to take time to settle in, was always going to happen. Still think we need to buy another quality CB and CF.

Theo/Giroud/Poldi/Gev none are good enough to replace RVC and be our top striker.

Arshavin is a better option over Ramsey, regardless of his poor work rate. He can actually dribble, pass and has a bit of pace. On a poor day he could still get an assist from a corner, cross or sneaky pass. We're getting no defensive cover or an advantage on attack by playing Ramsey. Gnarby is also an option, even though he's pretty raw. We could have played Giroud up front with Gervinho on the left and Poldoski on the right so he's at least able to cut in and rifle in shots. Gervinho is miles better on the left as well. Play Coquelin in the middle instead of Ramsey. We had options.

[Power n Glory]

With the formation we play, Podolski and Ramsey or whoever have far too much ground to cover running forward and back constantly. It means they basically do neither job of attacking or defending. We need to change the formation because we basically have no width as it is.

Also time to buy a Jenkinson for LB, Santos would clearly be suited better to the Podolski role. Gibbs is good enough for first choice but he will always get injuries and can't relied upon for the whole season. A decent youngster would be enough.

Good point about Santos. He's good going forward but he was double and triple teamed at times because Poldoski couldn't make the ground up. Maybe Charlie has a point about playing Verms as left back. We could at least then push Santos further up field to get some proper width. Podolski out wide doesn't work because he's not a dribbler and can't beat his man.

[Niall_Quinn]

Arshavin is a better option over Ramsey, regardless of his poor work rate. He can actually dribble, pass and has a bit of pace. On a poor day he could still get an assist from a corner, cross or sneaky pass. We're getting no defensive cover or an advantage on attack by playing Ramsey. Gnarby is also an option, even though he's pretty raw. We could have played Giroud up front with Gervinho on the left and Poldoski on the right so he's at least able to cut in and rifle in shots. Gervinho is miles better on the left as well. Play Coquelin in the middle instead of Ramsey. We had options.

Only trouble is Arshavin is just as likely to give the ball away as Ramsey. That's what hurts us most, possession breaking down around players who are incredibly indisciplined in the simple stuff. If Ramsey could just retain possession and shuffle it along to somebody capable of doing something with the ball we'd be a lot better off. Lots of people are saying Coquelin had a good game but he's the same as Ramsey, gives the ball away all the time. These are workmanlike players being forced into a comedy version of the Barcelona style. Can't work, they don't have the talent or awareness, in split second decision making they can be relied upon to make the wrong decision. Direct opposite to Cazorla who knows what to do with it when he has the ball. Shame he only has Gervinho ahead of him, he might as well kick it into touch as pass to that guy.

[Power n Glory]

Only trouble is Arshavin is just as likely to give the ball away as Ramsey. That's what hurts us most, possession breaking down around players who are incredibly indisciplined in the simple stuff. If Ramsey could just retain possession and shuffle it along to somebody capable of doing something with the ball we'd be a lot better off. Lots of people are saying Coquelin had a good game but he's the same as Ramsey, gives the ball away all the time. These are workmanlike players being forced into a comedy version of the Barcelona style. Can't work, they don't have the talent or awareness, in split second decision making they can be relied upon to make the wrong decision. Direct opposite to Cazorla who knows what to do with it when he has the ball. Shame he only has Gervinho ahead of him, he might as well kick it into touch as pass to that guy.

Cazorla gives the ball away sometimes as well and the fact that he's able to get marked out of the game so often shows how badly we miss Fabregas. Fabs was a difficult player to mark because he already knows which player he's passing to before the ball even reaches his feet. In an ideal world, we'd have both players. Cesc is more like Xavi, while Caz is more like Iniesta.

Coquelin is way better than Ramsey. He doesn't give the ball away as much and he's better at intercepting the ball and making tackles. He's not a brilliant but he's a better option over Ramsey.

As for Arshavin, he may give the ball away but for all the high risk stuff he tries, there is a good chance that a few of them will come good and lead to a goal. Ramsey is just a risk and none of what he tries leads to anything positive. He is that shit. If hadn't have sold Song, we wouldn't even be having this conversation.

[Özim]

Mertersacker was at fault for the 1st goal, he drifted away from the scorer.

[Letters]

Mertersacker was at fault for the 1st goal, he drifted away from the scorer.
I haven't seen it on TV so maybe you're right but every player will make mistakes here and there.
First half he was brilliant and he's generally had a good season so far.

[Power n Glory]

Mertersacker was at fault for the 1st goal, he drifted away from the scorer.

It wasn't Merts' man. Merts had his guy covered but Verms didn't have his man.


http://cadfael.tv/image/src/1351109929672.gif

[LDG]

It wasn't Merts' man. Merts had his guy covered but Verms didn't have his man.


http://cadfael.tv/image/src/1351109929672.gif

Aye. Twas Verms man....

Plus we didn't move out as a line.

Basically, we defended very very shitly.

[Letters]

It wasn't Merts' man. Merts had his guy covered but Verms didn't have his man.


http://cadfael.tv/image/src/1351109929672.gif:gp:
Looking at that makes it pretty clear. Merts is marking the other striker. Wasn't his man. He did his best to get across when the ball got to him but the Verm should have had him. Mistakes happen, Shalke are a decent side. The lack of chances and shots is more of a concern.

[Marc Overmars]

Should have signed Huntelaar years ago.

Would've killed Bendtner though.

[Letters]

Should have signed Huntelaar years ago.

Would've killed Bendtner though.
In which case...should have signed Huntelaar years ago.

[Power n Glory]

Aye. Twas Verms man....

Plus we didn't move out as a line.

Basically, we defended very very shitly.

He was ball watching and had no idea where his man was. If he was a bit tighter on his guy, he could have intercepted the knock or at least challenged Huntelaar, but he was moving forward and got caught out by the header. Watch Merts' movement and he steps in to cover his guy just in case the ball goes to him. If it did, he'd have at least been in position to get a challenge in. I rate Merts. Anticipates the danger and positions himself well.

[Kano]

huntelaar is a big time choker.

good at a club who can overachieve every now and then.

oh wait...

[Cripps_orig]

Seen that for the first time

As expected, Mert not at fault

[Power n Glory]

Should have signed Huntelaar years ago.

Would've killed Bendtner though.

I think he'd struggle in our squad. He needs service and we're just not creating anything for our strikers. As Letters said, that's more of worry over defence. Mistakes happen at the back, but that goal was coming. We're probably going to get battered when we visit their ground.

[Özim]

It wasn't Merts' man. Merts had his guy covered but Verms didn't have his man.


http://cadfael.tv/image/src/1351109929672.gif
The commentary team looked at it and felt it was Mertersacker who was more to blame for it.

[LDG]

He was ball watching and had no idea where his man was. If he was a bit tighter on his guy, he could have intercepted the knock or at least challenged Huntelaar, but he was moving forward and got caught out by the header. Watch Merts' movement and he steps in to cover his guy just in case the ball goes to him. If it did, he'd have at least been in position to get a challenge in. I rate Merts. Anticipates the danger and positions himself well.

Yep. he's been good this year. What he lacks in pace, he makes up for in positional sense, and reading of the game.

I wonder if TV5 is feeling the pressure of the captaincy. Some players do, I guess. Gallas was worse as captain. What they had positionally earlier on the year seems to have vansihed....very strange.

In any case, yet another defensive error costs us a goal :(

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Should have signed Huntelaar years ago.

Would've killed Bendtner though.

When we had RVP?

[Kano]

The commentary team looked at it and felt it was Mertersacker who was more to blame for it.

who cares. it was another fuck up and another goal.

[Cripps_orig]

When we had RVP?

Yes

Squads are allowed to have more than one striker

[Letters]

The commentary team looked at it and felt it was Mertersacker who was more to blame for it.
I've looked at it too, have you? You can clearly see Merts was marking the other striker as he should have been.
It really doesn't matter. Mistakes happen. It wasn't a massive clanger, our CBs are generally pretty decent but mistakes will happen.
The fact we didn't have a shot on target till the 92nd minute is more of a worry.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Yes

Squads are allowed to have more than one striker

No i meant did he mean when we had RVP or before that. IMO signing him in before he went Schalke would have been ideal, don't think he was what we needed before.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

The commentary team looked at it and felt it was Mertersacker who was more to blame for it.

Yep thats what they said. Then again left the room at 1-0 and only heard them blame merts.

[Power n Glory]

I've looked at it too, have you? You can clearly see Merts was marking the other striker as he should have been.
It really doesn't matter. Mistakes happen. It wasn't a massive clanger, our CBs are generally pretty decent but mistakes will happen.
The fact we didn't have a shot on target till the 92nd minute is more of a worry.

That something that can be sorted out in training. Even the problem with Santos playing guys on side can be sorted in training. Just a shout or glance over to make sure everyone is line can sort it. But I feel we'll need to bring in a player like Wilshere, Arshavin, Ox or Theo...(maybe all of them) just to sort out our lack of creativity. The guys we have playing just don't have it in their locker to break teams down with cutting passes. Cazorla is the only player.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Arshavin is a better option over Ramsey, regardless of his poor work rate. He can actually dribble, pass and has a bit of pace. On a poor day he could still get an assist from a corner, cross or sneaky pass. We're getting no defensive cover or an advantage on attack by playing Ramsey. Gnarby is also an option, even though he's pretty raw. We could have played Giroud up front with Gervinho on the left and Poldoski on the right so he's at least able to cut in and rifle in shots. Gervinho is miles better on the left as well. Play Coquelin in the middle instead of Ramsey. We had options.

This is what we need to do, Put Arteta is a dm, A fit Diaby in the Artea role now and have Jack and Santi as our creative midfilders. Gev and Someone maybe Poldi or Ox on the wings, with Theo up top.

[Power n Glory]

We won't see anything radical from Wenger unless certain players pick up injuries and others made available. Ramsey will probably start against QPR if Wilshere isn't fit. And saying that, even if Ramsey is on the bench, Wenger will continue to play Poldoski down the left and Gervinho up front or on the right.

[KSE Comedy Club]

If only we'd have replaced song in the summer and added another 1 or 2 players that we were clearly short of.

Oh well.

[gooners]

How is it that Wenger is willing to give a player with no technical skill, can't pass, poor close control, no pace, poor off the ball movement so many games in the middle and even switch him to playing on the right, yet won't give Theo a chance up front? I just can't understand why he'd be so flexible with a player struggling that badly for form over a player in form and more than capable of playing up front, especially when you look at what Gervinho and Giroud offer.

theo is greedy; and wenger knows best!

utter madness

[Özim]

I've looked at it too, have you? You can clearly see Merts was marking the other striker as he should have been.
It really doesn't matter. Mistakes happen. It wasn't a massive clanger, our CBs are generally pretty decent but mistakes will happen.
The fact we didn't have a shot on target till the 92nd minute is more of a worry.
Yeah see image below, Vermaelen was already running away from goal long before (maybe it was his man but he was long gone), Mertersacker was the only one who could see the attacker and therefore really should have covered him rather than ignoring him. Both at fault but ultimately Mertersacker should have covered it IMO:

http://s11.postimage.org/fkmmzg4nn/mertersacker.jpg

Since we play zonal marking, no player marks any particular man and thus Vermaelen was simply covering his area, the player behind Mertersacker would have covered the other guy.

Ultimately though it was a poor performance by everyone IMO, we conceded two goals and didn't score any which is hardly a strong case for either defence or attack.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Ultimately though it was a poor performance by everyone IMO, we conceded two goals and didn't score any which is hardly a strong case for either defence or attack.

They were all, poor, we'll still qualify though as the other 2 teams are terrible tbh. Losing was not bad it was more the way we lost.

[Power n Glory]

Yeah see image below, Vermaelen was already running away from goal long before (maybe it was his man but he was long gone), Mertersacker was the only one who could see the attacker and therefore really should have covered him rather than ignoring him. Both at fault but ultimately Mertersacker should have covered it IMO:

http://s11.postimage.org/fkmmzg4nn/mertersacker.jpg

Since we play zonal marking, no player marks any particular man and thus Vermaelen was simply covering his area, the player behind Mertersacker would have covered the other guy.

Ultimately though it was a poor performance by everyone IMO, we conceded two goals and didn't score any which is hardly a strong case for either defence or attack.

Give it up man. You're wrong. If Merts would have moved over to cover Huntelaar, his man would have been open and through on goal if the header were to go his way. No point in being stubborn on this and posting up a still image after we've seen replays. But whatever.

[Özim]

Give it up man. You're wrong. If Merts would have moved over to cover Huntelaar, his man would have been open and through on goal if the header were to go his way. No point in being stubborn on this and posting up a still image after we've seen replays. But whatever.
I disagree, I watched the match and that part of it over and over again I have it on Sky Go, Vermaelen was long gone (perhaps wrongly) and Mertersacker was the only who could see the attacker, he then completely ignored him (just as they said in the commentary) and allowed him a free run on goal, he should have seen the danger and stopped it, the other guy wasn't a threat in the least.....we don't play man to man marking so noone is marking anyone in particular...you just covering the danger.

As I said both at fault in some way but Mertersacker should have covered, that's what good CB partnerships do, cover for each other.

[Niall_Quinn]

I disagree, I watched the match and that part of it over and over again I have it on Sky Go, Vermaelen was long gone (perhaps wrongly) and Mertersacker was the only who could see the attacker, he then completely ignored him (just as they said in the commentary) and allowed him a free run on goal, he should have seen the danger and stopped it, the other guy wasn't a threat in the least.....we don't play man to man marking so noone is marking anyone in particular...you just covering the danger.

As I said both at fault in some way but Mertersacker should have covered, that's what good CB partnerships do, cover for each other.

Even in a zonal system as the CB you don't allow two strikers in behind you in the box, on the penalty spot in fact, the key danger area. You've got men ahead of you to cover the space TV is moving into (actually no, we sold him but the theory stands). TV is completely out of position, the only reason he'd be there is if he had a fair chance of charging the ball down. He's left Merts in a hopeless position where the pass can go either side of him to either striker. It's a lack of discipline from TV, the guy doesn't treat defending seriously enough. He's too cavalier. Kos is the same to be fair. Merts looks more like an old school defender who knows the importance of conservatism in defence.

I can't recall if maybe Jenks could have got across to help out but even if he could have he should have been the third man used to overwhelm those two, not the emergency cover because TV had gone walkabout. It's lack of awareness, straightforward poor defending. Add Santos into the mix and an inexplicable instruction to Podolski not to chase back (because you can be sure he would be bollocked if he was disobeying orders) and you have a mega-fucked strategy that can't possibly have come from another old school defender Steve Bould.

This has Wenger's fingerprints all over it and if he wanted to find a sure fire way to fuck us up that was the team and the gameplan to do it. If I didn't know how committed he is to the club I'd even suspect him of sabotage it was that bad, that obviously flawed and so obviously negligent not to change it once the disaster waiting to happen was being broadcast loud and clear.

It was an incredbile fuck up of a match. The same shit was happening in midfield too with Arteta being overwhelmed and no fucker stepping in to help him. Then you have Ramsey and Gervinho gifting the ball to the opposition and that doubles the workload. Shit all round.

[Power n Glory]

:gp: NQ

Summed up nicely.

[Özim]

I agree with what NQ says to some extent, however it's still brainless defending to just let a player run free in the penalty area when you see him, especially their best finisher and one of the best finishers in Europe.

Mertersacker saw him and would have seen Vermaelen was nowhere near, he should have covered end of, it's a team game not an I'll look after myself mentality required, in the days we had a decent defence the defenders didn't just play like lemmings, they covered for each other when necessary and when better placed, the other guy had run away from goal and was even further away than Vermaelen.

Why the hell would you ignore a guy who scored 39 goals last season when he's free in the penalty area?

It's no wonder we're sh*t in defence when our positional play is awful and noone anticipates danger when it's plain to see to anyone who bothers looking.

[Power n Glory]

http://cadfael.tv/image/src/1351109929672.gif

He didn't just leave him. He's tracking his man and when he sees that Verms doesn't have his man, he tries to cover but it's too late. If Verms had maybe taken a step to his right as Merts does when the ball gets flicked over then that ball gets cut out.

[Özim]

http://cadfael.tv/image/src/1351109929672.gif

He didn't just leave him. He's tracking his man and when he sees that Verms doesn't have his man, he tries to cover but it's too late. If Verms had maybe taken a step to his right as Merts does when the ball gets flicked over then that ball gets cut out.
That angle doesn't really show it well, the side on view gives you a much better idea, Vermaelen is badly positioned no doubt about it, but Mertersacker is standing behind Huntelaar and with that in mind you'd be crazy to just let him run free when you're fellow CB hasn't seen him, he's their best finisher why would you track a guy who's nowhere near as dangerous if you have the choice, common sense should prevail.

[Niall_Quinn]

I think we can all agree it was fucked up. Whole match was fucked up from start to finish.

[-Xs-]

I didn't watch any of the match

Just watching that gif, I'd say the blame lies across pretty much them all - bad positional awareness from the defence and mid, failing to close down correctly, and a shit keeper behind them.

[fakeyank]

Was it Per or Tommy? Well I know for a fact that it was a monumental fuck up by everyone... all the players on the field barring gnabry should be executed.