PALACE V ARSENAL - Aug 16th 1.30pm K/O

[Dein-machine]

Little bit pressure on this one lads. Palace are going to be massively up for this one, hope Wenger reacts.
Quote on Palace forum on their predictions thread " Palace 2 Arsenal 1 - if we're gonna push on a level we really should be beating a team bottom of the league" :haha:

[Marc Overmars]

Tricky game, play anything like we did the other day and we'll lose.

Nervy 1-2.

[AFC Leveller]

3-1, it all ends in tears with vinegar sent to the stands and Giroud sent off.

[GP]

0-4

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-2 Pub Special.

[Niall_Quinn]

1-1 Ozil hattrick

[Master Splinter]

1-3 if Wenger gets the team selection right and we play to our personnel's strengths.

Horrible 1-1 if WUMger packs the midfield and expects alchemy with an imbalanced front six.

[Niall_Quinn]

1:30 KO again? So if we can hold out until the 80th minute we'll wake up and nick it.

[fakeyank]

1-1

[Xhaka Can’t]

Honestly, I can't call this one. If I had a gun to my head, I'd call it for Palace.

[Bumble]

It wont be pretty but I think we will scrape this one 2-1 but a nervous last ten minutes. Although if Palace score first we are screwed.

[adzzzbatch]

Palace 1-1 Arsenal

Although after the last weekend I'm not that confident about getting the point.

[Injury Time]

They'll be eager to test Cech, 2-0, our world class striker is still in the post...

[Power n Glory]

All depends on the team selection. Just hoping he plays Cazorla at CM next to Coquelin and drops Giroud and Ramsey to the bench.

[fakeyank]

:lol:

Do you know who our manager is? How can you hope for something like that?! :haha:

[Xhaka Can’t]

PnG has been an Arsenal fan for years. I think he knows who our manager is.

[milla]

:lol:

Do you know who our manager is? How can you hope for something like that?! :haha:

You fool, reverse psychology, jinx etc will not work on Wenger. He is not on £8million for nothing. :coffee:

[Xhaka Can’t]

Reverse psychology is ygolohcysp.

[Injury Time]

Reverse psychology is ygolohcysp.

Yeah WUMger nearly signed him once too :rolleyes:

[Power n Glory]

PnG has been an Arsenal fan for years. I think he knows who our manager is.

:doh: Silly me.

[Dein-machine]

He knows who he is but has problems believing he's still here.

[Letters]

If he wasn't sacked when we weren't winning trophies, he's certainly not going to be now we are :shrug:

[Niall_Quinn]

If he wasn't sacked when we weren't winning trophies, he's certainly not going to be now we are :shrug:

We're not winning, or even competing for, the trophies he's supposed to be winning given the resources at his disposal and the amount he gets paid. If Arsenal wants to run things like a business then this is a business fact. Under-performance. No doubt about it.

[Marc Overmars]

Bellerin is back for this and Alexis is back up to speed.

Also WUMger said Rosicky will be out for longer than the expected 2 months. :lol:

[Dein-machine]

If he wasn't sacked when we weren't winning trophies, he's certainly not going to be now we are :shrug:

100% agree with you - thats the false picture that the FA cup wins have painted & the reason why the FA cup wins are actually a hindrance to us competing top level. Would be different if we had a manager who could build on success by not standing still but Wenger has consistently proved otherwise. With a squad crying out for another class CB,DM & striker we have bought nobody - officially the least signings made by any premier league team this summer. He simply doesn't learn from previous failures.
Give Bilic the Arsenal players & Wenger the West Ham players - who would have won last week. Give Eddie Howe the Arsenal players & our resources, would he have had a better way of breaking down defensive teams. If we can even debate these things, some of us 100% sure that a manager like Koeman would get better results by being more tactically aware then it would suggest that Wenger is no better than average these days. Koeman was playing for Barca & Holland when Wenger was already a middle-aged manager. Koeman's football nous is based on "total football" that he learnt on a day to day basis - Wengers is based on a philosophy that he bought from Japan 20 years ago.

[Letters]

I wouldn't swap Wenger for many other PL managers but I wouldn't mind Koeman, I like what he's doing at Southampton.

[fakeyank]

100% agree with you - thats the false picture that the FA cup wins have painted & the reason why the FA cup wins are actually a hindrance to us competing top level. Would be different if we had a manager who could build on success by not standing still but Wenger has consistently proved otherwise. With a squad crying out for another class CB,DM & striker we have bought nobody - officially the least signings made by any premier league team this summer. He simply doesn't learn from previous failures.
Give Bilic the Arsenal players & Wenger the West Ham players - who would have won last week. Give Eddie Howe the Arsenal players & our resources, would he have had a better way of breaking down defensive teams. If we can even debate these things, some of us 100% sure that a manager like Koeman would get better results by being more tactically aware then it would suggest that Wenger is no better than average these days. Koeman was playing for Barca & Holland when Wenger was already a middle-aged manager. Koeman's football nous is based on "total football" that he learnt on a day to day basis - Wengers is based on a philosophy that he bought from Japan 20 years ago.

The squad really is not crying out for that many players. May be some back up to Le Coq but I think we have a great squad (injuries permitting of course). There is only one problem at the club right now, and that is Arsene Wenger. You can give Wenger the Barcelona team to manage and he will fuck it up. Probably have Messi and Suarez at CB with Neymar playing as a DM.

IF Arsenal FC wants to become one of the elite teams in Europe, Wenger is not and will never be the answer.. If we however want to continue the status quo of pointing our fingers and laughing at our achievements over the likes of Spurs and Liverpool, then he is the manager for you.

[Dein-machine]

I wouldn't swap Wenger for many other PL managers but I wouldn't mind Koeman, I like what he's doing at Southampton.

yep- if Koeman has another decent year at Saints he would be my preferred option. Good name in the game aswell to entice top players.

[Kano]

Bellerin is back for this and Alexis is back up to speed.

Also WUMger said Rosicky will be out for longer than the expected 2 months. :lol:

So a week after looking right off the boil, he is suddenly ready to start the match?

Beggars belief. Same crap as last year, leaning on Alexis to run himself into the ground and to pull something out of the hat.

Wenger said he would give him four weeks off after the Copa America, meaning he only returned to training last week. Brilliant.

Goes to show we definitely don't need another striker.

[Niall_Quinn]

Well there's still time for Wenger to avoid falling into the same pit he's landed in on so many occasions. So many times we've been that one or two players short. 2% away. He has a couple of weeks to have a look back, spot that his blind faith in his players has never actually paid off, and bring the players in to close that 2% gap for the first time in a decade. Of course he's left it late chasing players that aren't for sale and he's already turned his nose up at outstanding bargains like Vidal. So whether he has the time left to identify a realistic target and get the business done we'll have to wait and see. If he's not looking at all then he should be sacked. Only the other day he was moaning about the transfer window still being open after the season kick-off. He's right, it should be closed before the season starts but it isn't. Fine complaining if you've done your business early, but considering we are still short then what's he complaining about? Good job the bloody window isn't shut or we'd be looking at another yawn of a season hanging to the tails of the genuine contenders. If he's pissed at the window still be open because it prevents him signing off on the whole transfer thing for another year, wallet intact, then see above - he should be sacked.

[Letters]

The outcome of this season determines whether he should be sacked.

[Niall_Quinn]

The outcome of this season determines whether he should be sacked.

Same as ten seasons passed. If he doesn't challenge this year..., If he doesn't challenge this year..., If he doesn't challenge this year. Judge him at the end of the season, Judge him at the end of the season, judge him at the end of the season...

Why not call him a manager good enough to win the minor stuff, nowhere near good enough to win the big stuff (see last 10 years), but given him a bit of leeway and say if he changes the broken record and makes a proper effort before the window closes then let's give him another chance? That's fair isn't it?

And if he sticks two fingers up at everyone again then get rid of him rather than watch him bumbling his way to another big points deficit on the final day of the season?

[fakeyank]

Same as ten seasons passed. If he doesn't challenge this year..., If he doesn't challenge this year..., If he doesn't challenge this year. Judge him at the end of the season, Judge him at the end of the season, judge him at the end of the season...

Why not call him a manager good enough to win the minor stuff, nowhere near good enough to win the big stuff (see last 10 years), but given him a bit of leeway and say if he changes the broken record and makes a proper effort before the window closes then let's give him another chance? That's fair isn't it?

And if he sticks two fingers up at everyone again then get rid of him rather than watch him bumbling his way to another big points deficit on the final day of the season?

:gp:

The problem is not about winning.. it is about not doing our best. We always are 2% away from domination and thats because of the manager. We know whats going to happen this season.. we'll watch it, fight over it and debate it anyway. But hey, spurs hasnt finished above us in ages, so we have the best manager in the world!

[Letters]

Judge him at the end of the season
Of course :shrug:

That's how any manager should be judged in any season.

After 8 years of no trophies Wenger's clearly not getting sacked now having won 2 in 2 years. The goalposts have changed - we have the money now to compete for the big prizes so Wenger should be judged differently from the early days of the stadium move. But, of course, you have to judge him at the end of the season.

[Letters]

But hey, spurs hasnt finished above us in ages, so we have the best manager in the world!

Why are you saying stupid things like that? Who has said we have the best manager in the world?

:blink:

[fakeyank]

I am saying this because the wenger lovers always look at other clubs misfortunes and point towards how we are lucky to be where we are. They never like to look at successes of the big clubs and say "we could be as good as them".

And the spurs thing is brandished fairly often by these same people.. "Spurs would bite your hand if you gave them 4th place at the beginning of the season", "Spurs have never finished above us". As for calling him the best manager in the world, I am sure you know the meaning of the word sarcasm..

[Kano]

Of course :shrug:

That's how any manager should be judged in any season.

After 8 years of no trophies Wenger's clearly not getting sacked now having won 2 in 2 years. The goalposts have changed - we have the money now to compete for the big prizes so Wenger should be judged differently from the early days of the stadium move. But, of course, you have to judge him at the end of the season.

Money isn't enough to win the league. It never has been. Wenger is lacking in the other important areas because winning the league is not just sporadic one-off games like a cup but momentum and sustaining a level of form across most of the season. He can't do that anymore. See our last game. Not just 'one of those days' because we keep having them.

[Letters]

Money isn't enough to win the league. It never has been. Wenger is lacking in the other important areas because winning the league is not just sporadic one-off games like a cup but momentum and sustaining a level of form across most of the season. He can't do that anymore. See our last game. Not just 'one of those days' because we keep having them.
Ok. It that doesn't change what I'm saying. Any manager should be judged at the end of the season.

[Kano]

Ok. It that doesn't change what I'm saying. Any manager should be judged at the end of the season.

I'm not sure why he deserves that continued patience. Two cups hasn't changed perceptions because it affected nothing in the league last year and his team have absolutely flatlined on the first day. It destroys all hope for those who had prayed for something new to emerge. That last result shows the same failings will keep popping up throughout a season. It isn't just one game when taken in the wider context of the past decade. All the money in the world won't alter that. People are exasperated with good reason, they can see beyond 'judge at the end of the season' because whilst they can't literally look into the future, it is all about feeling. And that feeling right now is one of utter deflation, defeated by such a poor approach to the season. Not willing to wait yet another 9 months watching the same cycle to experience the exact same result.

[Letters]

Well, it doesn't really matter whether he deserves it. He's not been sacked (I don't think he should have been having just won back to back FA Cups) and unless this season is a complete calamity he's unlikely to be during the season. So like it or not he is our manager for the season so the only sensible time to judge how the season has gone, and thus him, is at the end.

[Kano]

Well of course he's not being sacked, that doesn't mean the fans have to sit back and lump it just for that reason. Nor does it mean we have to wait 9 months to pass judgement, especially after that opener. We're been 'sensible' waiting for something to change and we're being just as 'sensible' now, sparing ourselves the stress of having our time wasted again.

[Letters]

I am saying this because the wenger lovers
:yawn:

My position is certainly not "well, at least we're better than Spurs". Of course we're better than Spurs, so we should be. But challenging the three sides who have more resources than us is difficult no matter who the manager is in an era where money and success are so correlated. That said, our financial position has changed since the new deals have been in place, that has resulted in a new level of signings and it has yielded immediate results in terms of trophies. Yes yes, the FA Cup has been devalued with the rise and rise of the CL, but it's still a pretty prestigious trophy - if you're a club of Arsenal's stature you wouldn't get a massive crowd turning out for a trophy parade for the league cup.

We need to challenge for the bigger prizes now, we should have challenged for the title last year but after the awful start we had no chance before we got going. We cannot do that again this year, last Sunday was a rather worrying start but it's way too early to be pushing the panic button just yet. This game has become a must win now.

[Letters]

Well of course he's not being sacked, that doesn't mean the fans have to sit back and lump it just for that reason.
What's the alternative?

Nor does it mean we have to wait 9 months to pass judgement, especially after that opener.
Well, obviously people's feelings will change as the season progresses - go on a run which sees us on touch, or even top, by Christmas, then people will be feeling less bleak. Ultimately though you can only really judge a season at the end.

[Kano]

What's the alternative?

Well, obviously people's feelings will change as the season progresses - go on a run which sees us on touch, or even top, by Christmas, then people will be feeling less bleak. Ultimately though you can only really judge a season at the end.

The alternative? Give up on the manager but still follow the team as best as we can. That's what we're here for. That doesn't mean rooting for him to do badly either. People won't be swept up by going near to the top because they will believe it won't last, that we're only ever a game or two away from blowing it. Fans aren't deluded by temporary positions at the top of the league. We know the best we can achieve is 3rd because that is all we have seen and that is exactly what this comical start has brought right back to us, evaporating all that optimism and patience to wait for a season end assessment.

[Niall_Quinn]

The alternative? Give up on the manager but still follow the team as best as we can. That's what we're here for. That doesn't mean rooting for him to do badly either. People won't be swept up by going near to the top because they will believe it won't last, that we're only ever a game or two away from blowing it. Fans aren't deluded by temporary positions at the top of the league. We know the best we can achieve is 3rd because that is all we have seen and that is exactly what this comical start has brought right back to us, evaporating all that optimism and patience to wait for a season end assessment.

Killing momentum. He's brilliant at it.

[GP]

Brilliant match thread, this.

[Niall_Quinn]

Well let's hope for a win so it doesn't get even better.

[Letters]

We know the best we can achieve is 3rd because that is all we have seen.
Well, it's all we've seen for the last 10 years, but before that we were champions 3 times under Wenger and pretty much always in the top 2.
It's harder these days because of the two billionaire-fueled teams but now we've got the money we've bought players like Sanchez and Ozil. IMO we've got a better squad now than we've had for a while and we showed last year we can win games like City away in the league and Utd away in the Cup, games we'd definitely have lost a few years back. If we get off to a start like we did last year then yes, 3rd is probably the best we can hope for. If we can stay in the mix then we've got a chance. You cannot draw any sensible conclusions from one game.

[Xhaka Can’t]

Ok. It that doesn't change what I'm saying. Any manager should be judged at the end of the season.

Even one where there is a mountain of data with minimal shift in any trend regardless of the extent of resources at his disposal to enable us to accurately predict the outcome season after season?

I'll always ALWAYS be greatful for what that man has done for this Club and will passionately debate with anyone who thinks otherwise. For years, while people criticised him, he was the right man, perhaps the only man to bring this Club through an unprecedented transition period that did include the briefest of property crashes at the exact wrong time for the Club.

He has in many ways sacrificed what would and should have been the best years of his managerial career. However, while he was the right man for us when he arrived at this Club, and the right man to equip us to kick on to the next level in order to remain competitive, I honestly do not believe he is the man to actually deliver that competitiveness and there is more than ample data to demonstrate that before waiting until the end of yet another season to assess it.

[Letters]

There's very little data. Since we've had the new financial deals (which is the only data that is relevant, otherwise you're not comparing like for like) we've signed Ozil and Sanchez and won a trophy in each season. And last season we won a couple of those 'big games' which we 'always lose'.
We need to push on and challenge for the biggest prizes now and it is debatable whether Wenger is the right man to do that. I saw a few signs for hope last year but some of the same frustrations too. Last Sunday was obviously frustrating but it's only one game, Chelsea only drew and could have lost. It's too early to push the panic button just yet although we just have to beat Palace and get going more quickly this year.

For better or worse he is our manager this season. After 2 FA Cups in 2 years I reckon he's earned that. If he doesn't push us on this year with this squad then yeah, #WengerOut.

[Power n Glory]

Well, it doesn't really matter whether he deserves it. He's not been sacked (I don't think he should have been having just won back to back FA Cups) and unless this season is a complete calamity he's unlikely to be during the season. So like it or not he is our manager for the season so the only sensible time to judge how the season has gone, and thus him, is at the end.

That's the problem with your outlook and why we always get this look of an argument with you. Just the other day you criticised posters for not being able to separate results from performance and I say that's the opposite. It's you that can't seem to separate results from performance. Judging at the end of the season isn't good enough. Analyse game by game and that's the only way to see if we're learnt our lessons. If Wenger goes out again with the same team and we put in another pub performance, what does that tell us? No good saying judge at the end of the season if your not paying attention to where we're going wrong.

[Xhaka Can’t]

There's very little data. .

Genuinely stopped reading here.

[Kano]

Well, it's all we've seen for the last 10 years, but before that we were champions 3 times under Wenger and pretty much always in the top 2.
It's harder these days because of the two billionaire-fueled teams but now we've got the money we've bought players like Sanchez and Ozil. IMO we've got a better squad now than we've had for a while and we showed last year we can win games like City away in the league and Utd away in the Cup, games we'd definitely have lost a few years back. If we get off to a start like we did last year then yes, 3rd is probably the best we can hope for. If we can stay in the mix then we've got a chance. You cannot draw any sensible conclusions from one game.
Your point about what he achieved over a decade isn't relevant any longer. Football has changed and moved on. That's the issue here. Anyone with their head screwed on will always praise the man and show him respect for what he achieved but the line of evolution from then until now means only his legacy remains intact at Arsenal, not his managerial skills in this present day.

What you seem to overlook everytime is this isn't just about one game or one season. What happened last weekend ties into years of similar issues, moments in the PL when we've needed to show up and have gone AWOL. These moments have nothing to do with money, they are typically associated with poor set-ups and naivety in the team dripping down from the manager. Compartmentalising each season make little sense when we have the same players and manager and still suffer from the same screw-ups. Those two games away last season probably highlighted more about the problems with our opponents than it did about our own game. When you place that stat of one PL win against top four teams, which is poor enough in itself, into a wider context of the top 8 for example, we won a grand total of 3 from 14. You can see really, that win away to City doesn't demonstrate very much when we can't even put away the teams immediately below us.

The optimism before the last game was something we haven't seen for a long time ahead of a season and that has been absolutely trampled on. Ask fans how they feel about Palace and you'll get an unconfident response, rather than a certainty we'll bounce right back. That alone says a lot. Because underneath all the hope is the nagging feeling that we've been here before and seen the outcome. Sticking to a mantra of 'end of the season' isn't logic but a safety blanket to cling to, refusing to accept a dour reality that this season bleeds into the last, that bleeds into the last, that bleeds into...

[Letters]

Clearly the most relevant seasons are the most recent ones and in the last 2 we've won a trophy in each.
We need to push on now and challege for the biggest prizes.
Of course fans aren't confident about Palace, the optimism from last season has been trampled on by the opening game. But let's see what happens, this lot showed last season they're a good side. IMO they're good enough to challenge. One bad game doesn't change that.


Sticking to a mantra of 'end of the season' isn't logic but a safety blanket to cling to
No, it's the only sensible way of assessing any season and thus the manager.
That applies to any club.

[GP]

http://le-grove.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Bj9o68rIQAAQuna.jpg

[Dein-machine]

http://le-grove.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Bj9o68rIQAAQuna.jpg

Took me ages to make that you know

[GP]

Did they take your crayons away again?

[Dein-machine]

Did they take your crayons away again?

No, Letters did.

[GP]

Letters OUT!!

[Letters]

:cool:

IIP :bow:

[Dein-machine]

Letters OUT!!

Could be a new thread - Who goes 1st - Letters or Wenger. One is a bumbling, arrogant, megalomaniac that will never listen to reason & fails every year to change with the times & learn from previous mistakes - the other one is French.

[fakeyank]

There's very little data. Since we've had the new financial deals (which is the only data that is relevant, otherwise you're not comparing like for like) we've signed Ozil and Sanchez and won a trophy in each season. And last season we won a couple of those 'big games' which we 'always lose'.
We need to push on and challenge for the biggest prizes now and it is debatable whether Wenger is the right man to do that. I saw a few signs for hope last year but some of the same frustrations too. Last Sunday was obviously frustrating but it's only one game, Chelsea only drew and could have lost. It's too early to push the panic button just yet although we just have to beat Palace and get going more quickly this year.

For better or worse he is our manager this season. After 2 FA Cups in 2 years I reckon he's earned that. If he doesn't push us on this year with this squad then yeah, #WengerOut.

There is plenty of data to show that he will try to fit square pegs into round holes. His inability to change, alter formations, play players in their positions CANNOT be related to money. Give him a billion dollars spending money and he will still play players out of position and have little tactical nous.

Money is not the issue, our manager is.

[Dein-machine]

Correct - we have £200 mill sat in the bank & yet we have strikers that would struggle to impress at Stoke.

[Letters]

There is plenty of data to show that he will try to fit square pegs into round holes. His inability to change, alter formations, play players in their positions CANNOT be related to money. Give him a billion dollars spending money and he will still play players out of position and have little tactical nous.

Money is not the issue, our manager is.

Wenger has his faults but those faults were there when we were winning titles, they were there for the last 2 years when we've won 2 cups.
We've got a squad good enough to properly challenge this year. If we don't then sure, #WengerOut.
But let's not pretend that the next manager will come in and we'll suddenly be sweeping all before us. With the two billionaire sticking their oar in it's harder than ever to win the league these days and it's no coincidence that the only 3 sides to do so since we last did are the 3 sides with bigger resources than us.

[Dein-machine]

Wenger has his faults but those faults were there when we were winning titles, they were there for the last 2 years when we've won 2 cups.
We've got a squad good enough to properly challenge this year. If we don't then sure, #WengerOut.
But let's not pretend that the next manager will come in and we'll suddenly be sweeping all before us. With the two billionaire sticking their oar in it's harder than ever to win the league these days and it's no coincidence that the only 3 sides to do so since we last did are the 3 sides with bigger resources than us.

If a new manager came in & like the rest of the footballing world, saw the need for us to improve in key areas - went out & bought Vidal & Benzema as well as playing the likes of OX, Ozil, Cazorla in their correct positions - we may very well "clean the board" - not necessarily the C.L. but we'd have a much better chance. In recent years teams winning the league haven't been too impressive. Chelsea stumbled home last year, Liverpool could & should have won it the year before - all the way back to Fergie's last title which was a poor Utd team - we've hardy been up against any modern day invincibles.
Your dismissal of someone new coming in & being able to achieve what Wenger hasn't for the past decade is wierd. I'm not saying someone new guarantees us the league but I certainly can't say we woudln't win it.

[Letters]

What I'm dismissing is the idea (which may not be people's view, but sounds like it sometimes - especially when you hear some of the names of potential replacements for Wenger) that Wenger is a bumbling incompetent , can't see what the rest of us can see and that any idiot would come in and do better.

[fakeyank]

Wenger has his faults but those faults were there when we were winning titles, they were there for the last 2 years when we've won 2 cups.
We've got a squad good enough to properly challenge this year. If we don't then sure, #WengerOut.
But let's not pretend that the next manager will come in and we'll suddenly be sweeping all before us. With the two billionaire sticking their oar in it's harder than ever to win the league these days and it's no coincidence that the only 3 sides to do so since we last did are the 3 sides with bigger resources than us.

A new manager would mean an effort to make a change. Please dont mistaken by criticism of Wenger to be because of trophies... sometimes trophies are won and lost by the smallest margins. My displeasure is that we do not even challenge, and when it does look like we can challenge, Wenger takes his foot off the pedal.

What astonishes me about Wenger is his lack of common sense in so many situations. It was not rocket science to figure out that our center was soft, yet the only way that problem was solved was because of injuries last season. Ditto for defensive vulnerabilities, lack of width, having a plan B etc. Money can only mitigate these issues partly but you cannot compete if you are stubborn in your ways and do not want to change.

[Dein-machine]

What I'm dismissing is the idea (which may not be people's view, but sounds like it sometimes - especially when you hear some of the names of potential replacements for Wenger) that Wenger is a bumbling incompetent , can't see what the rest of us can see and that any idiot would come in and do better.

But unfortunately that view of Wenger is down to him. Is it any co-incidence that since he ( for the first time ever ) bought actual world class in Ozil & Sanchez, that we have gone on to win a trophy. Not only that but climb to 3rd last year when really a slightly better finish would have got us 2nd. Even I, after the Cup final performance, was thinking - come on Arsene, give yourself a treat - we've got the money now, go on & buy a couple of worldies to give us a further chance next year. The whole of the footballing world have suggested that with a better goal-scorer we have a chance. Even Thierry gave his thoughts on this.
But no, Arsene won't be told. Instead trying to prove everyone else wrong. "It is not the answer to go & buy new players after a defeat" he says - Well what did he do after the 8-2 Utd defeat & then the Villa one 2 years ago.
If he can't see that we are probably only a serious goal scorer a way from really challenging because he want to have faith with players he bought - then we will go nowhere. He has a history of playing mediocre players for too long even when the home crowd & media were questioning the quality of these players, Dennilson & Eboue for example. Now we have the same situation with Giroud & Welbeck. Neither will EVER be the consistent finisher we need, not now or in 5 years time. When you have realised this - get rid. It may take us 3 or 4 strikers to find the next Aguero but if we keep Giroud & Welbeck just because Wenger doesn't want to be proved wrong about them, then we don't find the next Aguero - somebody else does.
We all know deep down he's not an idiot but in many ways his actions make him look it. Even an idiot has the ability to learn from his mistakes. If Wenger isn't an idiot but doesn't learn from his mistakes then that would suggest he is knowingly making the wrong decisions for other reasons. If these reasons are based on his arrogance & not wanting to change his ideals, then it becomes personal & Arsenal Football Club should not be allowed to be Wenger's toy.

[LDG]

I genuinely think he's surprised when things go wrong. He's not an idiot, but he will continue to make the same mistakes over and over again, and blame anything but himself. It's not because he is unwilling to accept he's wrong, it's just that to his mind it SHOULD have gone right, rather than wrong.

He doesn't understand why it's gone tits up, because balance of probability should have won him that game vs West Ham. What Wenger doesn't understand is the game itself. He sees it as a mixture of art and maths, rather than sport. In sport you have to respect your opposition, and not assume pureness wins over all.

He's a fucking lunatic is what he is. It's sad, because it must eat him up inside. He hates losing to himself basically.

[Master Splinter]

We will be respectful to our game, yes.

If there is a chance to be obstinate and inflexible, we will do it.

Are there internal solutions to improve our game? I don't know solution.

[Marc Overmars]

I genuinely think he's surprised when things go wrong. He's not an idiot, but he will continue to make the same mistakes over and over again, and blame anything but himself. It's not because he is unwilling to accept he's wrong, it's just that to his mind it SHOULD have gone right, rather than wrong.

He doesn't understand why it's gone tits up, because balance of probability should have won him that game vs West Ham. What Wenger doesn't understand is the game itself. He sees it as a mixture of art and maths, rather than sport. In sport you have to respect your opposition, and not assume pureness wins over all.

He's a fucking lunatic is what he is. It's sad, because it must eat him up inside. He hates losing to himself basically.

One would think he's a bumbling idiot from that reasoning you've given. :lol:

[LDG]

One would think he's a bumbling idiot from that reasoning you've given. :lol:

A bumbling masochist, more like it.

[Letters]

But unfortunately that view of Wenger is down to him. Is it any co-incidence that since he ( for the first time ever ) bought actual world class in Ozil & Sanchez, that we have gone on to win a trophy.
No, that isn't a co-incidence. The new financial deals have meant we have a new spending power, we've been signing a higher level of player and that has yielded immediate results. I do agree that we should have pushed on this summer, Wenger has always valued stability too highly in my view but unless he does make an 11th hour signing he's made his decision and will live or die by it. I reckon Wenger has a point to an extent - in theory there should be plenty of goals in this team. I also agree that a real top class striker would have pushed us on and Giroud and Welbeck aren't going to win you the league.
He's always been a stubborn sod but overall he's got more right than wrong over his time with us. I don't think he's knowingly made wrong decisions but I do think he's always taken a longer term view, he could have spent more but he didn't want to put us (as he saw it) in short term financial difficulties. Personally I think he could have spent more but he's shown with Ozil and Sanchez that when the money is there he's not averse to spending it.

Overall he's going to leave us with a lot of good memories and in great financial shape for whoever comes in. It would be nice to think he'll go out with another title, I doubt he will but at least the 2 FA Cups will go some way to mitigate a decade of frustrations. He doesn't deserve some of the disrespect he gets on here. Arsenal fans suck the cocks of here today, gone tomorrow players who we all know in the back of our minds will be kissing another badge in a few years. Meanwhile they massively disrespect the man who has won us more trophies than any other manager, kept the skip steady during a massively complex stadium move and who has clearly only wanted the best for the future of the club. We should be preparing for his departure, but I don't really think he should be told to 'f*** off'.

[Dein-machine]

No, that isn't a co-incidence. The new financial deals have meant we have a new spending power, we've been signing a higher level of player and that has yielded immediate results. I do agree that we should have pushed on this summer, Wenger has always valued stability too highly in my view but unless he does make an 11th hour signing he's made his decision and will live or die by it. I reckon Wenger has a point to an extent - in theory there should be plenty of goals in this team. I also agree that a real top class striker would have pushed us on and Giroud and Welbeck aren't going to win you the league.
He's always been a stubborn sod but overall he's got more right than wrong over his time with us. I don't think he's knowingly made wrong decisions but I do think he's always taken a longer term view, he could have spent more but he didn't want to put us (as he saw it) in short term financial difficulties. Personally I think he could have spent more but he's shown with Ozil and Sanchez that when the money is there he's not averse to spending it.

Overall he's going to leave us with a lot of good memories and in great financial shape for whoever comes in. It would be nice to think he'll go out with another title, I doubt he will but at least the 2 FA Cups will go some way to mitigate a decade of frustrations. He doesn't deserve some of the disrespect he gets on here. Arsenal fans suck the cocks of here today, gone tomorrow players who we all know in the back of our minds will be kissing another badge in a few years. Meanwhile they massively disrespect the man who has won us more trophies than any other manager, kept the skip steady during a massively complex stadium move and who has clearly only wanted the best for the future of the club. We should be preparing for his departure, but I don't really think he should be told to 'f*** off'.

But he doesn't live or die by his decisions - he lives every year. Who's going to make him die by his decisions, not the board who are shit scared of upsetting the financial apple cart.

[Letters]

That's a fair point :lol:

The board seem to have set his target as top 4 - it's been opined on here that Wenger has a job for life at Arsenal which is balls in my view, he's stayed because he's met his targets. We can debate whether the board's targets should have been higher but I reckon had we slipped into mid table he'd have long since been sacked.

Whether the board will have higher targets now the financial constraints have been lifted remains to be seen, I suspect not, but the fans' target is loftier so that is how Wenger will be live or die in terms of opinion if not in terms of his job. Right now while Internet twats (no offence, like) have turned against him I don't think that is reflected in the mood in the ground. The crowd could seriously turn against him if we have many more games like West Ham.

[Munchies]

Not looking forward to this game, it's going to be tough.

1-2

[Syn]

2-2, because Per Mertesacker.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

But he doesn't live or die by his decisions - he lives every year. Who's going to make him die by his decisions, not the board who are shit scared of upsetting the financial apple cart.

That is where I do find myself in agreement with you, and actually at a stretch I think this is why the results are better when 4th place is in doubt, things do change performances are more professional.....and although it's not the full answer it's a good indicator of why we cannot sustain a title challenge, because the bar is set too low and the pressure isn't applied

Wenger even himself admitted he's been under more pressure when top four was on the line

In any high profile job, you have to have rewards for success and consequences for failure and the board I'm sure believe that too, but a) This won't stir them out of their laisse faire approach to the team and b) they don't want to rock the boat whilst we are getting top four and it's abundantly clear that whilst the promise of premier league title challenge teasingly remains it's not having an adverse effect on our ability to sell out our stadium on match day.

[Niall_Quinn]

That is where I do find myself in agreement with you, and actually at a stretch I think this is why the results are better when 4th place is in doubt, things do change performances are more professional.....and although it's not the full answer it's a good indicator of why we cannot sustain a title challenge, because the bar is set too low and the pressure isn't applied

Wenger even himself admitted he's been under more pressure when top four was on the line

In any high profile job, you have to have rewards for success and consequences for failure and the board I'm sure believe that too, but a) This won't stir them out of their laisse faire approach to the team and b) they don't want to rock the boat whilst we are getting top four and it's abundantly clear that whilst the promise of premier league title challenge teasingly remains it's not having an adverse effect on our ability to sell out our stadium on match day.

This is valid if the focus of the board is on the football pitch. Many times I have watched a board operate and wondered what sort of drugs they are taking. All the shit that they generate over and above the stated goal of the business. To the extent that sometimes they even place that goal in jeopardy while they fight it out for pecking order, their conceited "visions" and all other manner of personal ambitions. We saw this happen at Arsenal when the last board were stuffing the wheelbarrows ready for departure, we saw it before with Dein and certainly there is still some element of it taking place with the jostling between Kroenke, Usmanov and this Nigerian bloke who has been making himself known over the last few weeks.

I wonder if the main focus of Arsenal is football?

A good board with a good executive and a good structure that extends all the way down with everyone focused on a clear plan of action is rare becoming increasingly unlikely as a company grows. This is why football and business don't mix, or sport and business in general. Their goals compete, they don't align. Unfortunately the closest we have seen to a proper alignment is, hate them or hate them, the chavs. They have a dictator at the top who has a genuine interest in the game, attends the matches, lives and breathes the results. Unfortunately for them (and fortunately for the rest of us or nobody would ever catch them) the man at the top likes to micro manage and that's their downfall.

Arsenal is the other way around, a board that doesn't seem remotely (and they are certainly remote) interested in football. Combined they make Abramovich look like a pauper but minus the love of the game none of that wealth has come our way. And we have a manager who loves the game but manages upwards rather than down onto the pitch. It's really fucked up, like a cigar club that happens to have a footie team.

It can't be easy for Wenger behind the scenes but how much of it has he brought on himself? He has to want to be involved in all the areas he really shouldn't be involved in. It would be perfectly legitimate for him to bow out of all that shit and focus on the football but that hasn't happened. Does he not trust the guys at the top? Is he on a power trip himself? Does he think he can merge the interests of business and sport (good luck with that)?

Sport at the highest level is about absolute focus and total commitment to excellence. Every ounce of every resource is poured into the pursuit of the goal, whetehre it's a gold medal, a yellow jersey (Which is why Armstrong's betrayal cuts so deep), the Champions league trophy.

We don't have that, do we? The absolute focus and the total commitment to the claimed goal. Wenger is at the heart of the problem, but it's not just him. For all their financial results and fancy stadiums and bold proclamations, this board doesn't love Arsenal. Their words say yes, their actions say the opposite.

[adzzzbatch]

We haven't lost our first 2 games of the season for 23 years, lets try and make it 24 today :pray:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Sky's programme is on in a minute.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Arsenal: Cech, Monreal, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Bellerin, Coquelin, Ramsey, Cazorla, Ozil, Alexis, Giroud.
Subs: Ospina, Debuchy, Gibbs, Gabriel, Arteta, Theo, Ox.

Crystal Palace: McCarthy, Ward, Dann, Delaney, Souare; Zaha, McArthur, Cabaye, Puncheon, Bolasie, Wickham.

Theo. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Man City now title favourites after one game. :bow:

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

City will lose to Chelsea today.

[Marc Overmars]

Bellerin. :bow:

[Power n Glory]

So again we'll have a midfield player going out as a winger. It's either Ramsey, Cazorla or Ozil being shifted with both Theo and Ox on the bench. For crying out loud.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Panic management by Wenger bringing back Sanchez sooner than he should if cazorla plays on the left again we are fucked

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

So again we'll have a midfield player going out as a winger. It's either Ramsey, Cazorla or Ozil being shifted with both Theo and Ox on the bench. For crying out loud.

My sentiments exactly

[AFC Leveller]

FFS that midfield is unballanced again, no natural wide man, no pace on the wings and Ramsey stinking up the place again.

why the fook does he need to bench both Ox and Feo? this guy is insane. Both players offer pace, an outlet and goal threat so it is logical to play either or both but he starts Ramsey...!!!

[Power n Glory]

Panic management by Wenger bringing back Sanchez sooner than he should if cazorla plays on the left again we are fucked

My one hope is Cazorla plays in the middle and Sanchez gets his usual start on the left. Under no circumstances should Ramsey play in the middle.

Also, we need to hope Sanchez is ready otherwise we're risking injury as well as a poor performance from our only genuine wide player.

[Niall_Quinn]

So again we'll have a midfield player going out as a winger. It's either Ramsey, Cazorla or Ozil being shifted with both Theo and Ox on the bench. For crying out loud.

Just because it hasn't worked on the last 200 occasions doesn't mean it won't work today.

[Niall_Quinn]

Theo: "I'll play anywhere for this team..."

Bench mate! Sit next to Ox. If you insist on having pace then what do you expect?

[Niall_Quinn]

Stat: Ox and Theo have never played a full 90 minutes together in any competition.

So he hasn't even taken the chance to experiment. He has just decided and that's that.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

In fairness, they've exchanged huge periods of one being dead when the other is fit, not that I am too sure it'd happen anyway now with Alexis.

[Niall_Quinn]

Why are they blaming Theo for being on the bench? Too scared to mention the manager and his weirdness?

[Niall_Quinn]

In fairness, they've exchanged huge periods of one being dead when the other is fit, not that I am too sure it'd happen anyway now with Alexis.

In fairness, Wenger has always had his favourites regardless of form. It has cost us many, many times.

The fake NQ is bashing Ozil again. Being an absolute twat tbf.

TH and Souness are a bit more clued in though.

[Power n Glory]

Henry did hint at the fact that he needs a run of games up front, scored a hat trick and scored in the FA Cup but then gets benched for Giroud. Fact is Wenger doesn't trust him and he's going to have to go above and beyond. No idea how Giroud can get a run of games with woeful performances yet still start.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

What's amusing BFG?

[adzzzbatch]

COME ON ARSENAL YOU TWATS!!!

[Marc Overmars]

Come on Arsenal you pubbers.

[Power n Glory]

In fairness, Wenger has always had his favourites regardless of form. It has cost us many, many times.

The fake NQ is bashing Ozil again. Being an absolute twat tbf.

TH and Souness are a bit more clued in though.

Ozil has to step his game up. Fantastic passed of the ball but he's so dependent on that one weapon and its not potent enough to unlock a stubborn defence. He has way more potential than what we're seeing.

[adzzzbatch]

Nervous for this one :sick:

[Niall_Quinn]

Ozil has to step his game up. Fantastic passed of the ball but he's so dependent on that one weapon and its not potent enough to unlock a stubborn defence. He has way more potential than what we're seeing.

Not that simple though. His passing is what we want him for. Provided...

We have the pace and movement ahead of him to open up the space. Then Ozil comes into his own.

But tippy tappy in front of a packed defence? Robbie Savage or Ozil, hardly makes a difference.

Wenger's delight for the slow and congested game is what kills Ozil - and everyone else.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Come on Arsenal. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

2001/2002 kit. :cloud9:

[Power n Glory]

Not that simple though. His passing is what we want him for. Provided...

We have the pace and movement ahead of him to open up the space. Then Ozil comes into his own.

But tippy tappy in front of a packed defence? Robbie Savage or Ozil, hardly makes a difference.

Wenger's delight for the slow and congested game is what kills Ozil - and everyone else.

True he needs the right balance to open up space but he has the ability to dribble and create space to shoot. He needs to do that more when passing isn't cutting it.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Palace not clearing it very well.

[adzzzbatch]

Poor ball.

[Power n Glory]

Cazorla central!!

[Master Splinter]

WUMger sticking with his favourites and not taking in to account form, balance or the opposition.

Theo and Ox should hand in transfer requests.

Bellerin will have to do the job of Theo and Ox.

[adzzzbatch]

Kos boots it out for a corner :unsure:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Zaha trying to run through a brick wall, out of play it goes.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Will Coquelin remember he is Deschamps or think he's Pirlo today?

[adzzzbatch]

oooooooooooooo

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Great move, Giroud's shot blocked.

[Niall_Quinn]

At least we don't seem to be leaving free acreage on the flanks today. For now.

[adzzzbatch]

Looking very narrow. again.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Alexis two attempts, both stopped!

[Thierrymon]

Great counter attack. Sanchez shot blocked on the line.

[adzzzbatch]

should've scored!

[Master Splinter]

Alexis :doh:.

[Marc Overmars]

You've got to put that away Alexis! FFS.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Özil. :cloud9:

[adzzzbatch]

We look sharp for now.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ramsey goes for glory, McCarthy saves.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Alexis trying to do it all by himself!

[Marc Overmars]

Rusty Alexis. :doh:

[Thierrymon]

We are managing to get possession between their defence and midfield which is promising. Sanchez bit greedy there.

[adzzzbatch]

Come on Alexis!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

It's Pirlo.

[Marc Overmars]

Need to take advantage of Palace's generosity here.

[adzzzbatch]

Coq :doh:

[Niall_Quinn]

Bif's fault. Offside for the entire attack :doh:

[AFC Leveller]

Just for the record guys, we have won every game i havent watched on a Sunday (last 2 years).

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Awful ball from Dann.

[adzzzbatch]

Arsenal domination then Palace goal?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Easy for Cech.

[adzzzbatch]

We get cut open so easily :lol:

[AFC Leveller]

Sounds alright.

[Niall_Quinn]

That Palace break is what we have the capability to do - all game long. Pace, directness.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cabaye comber, again easy for Cech.

[adzzzbatch]

More sloppy play on the edge of our box :rolleyes:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

GIROUD!!!

WHAT A GOAL!!!!

[Thierrymon]

Giroud what a goal!!!

[Master Splinter]

BIF!!!!!!!!!

[adzzzbatch]

YYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSS

[A Gunner]

0 - 1 Giroud

[Marc Overmars]

What a finish!!!

[GP]

Holy shit what a finish!

[adzzzbatch]

Lovely goal!

[Niall_Quinn]

BIF!

'bout time matey.

[Master Splinter]

Someone finally converts an Ozil assist.

And it's one of the harder chances too.

Arsenal :wacko:.

Finish them off now FFS. No drop in tempo.

[Power n Glory]

Fluke!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

"We are staying up".

:haha:

[Niall_Quinn]

Fluke!

As flukey as Rooney's goal of the century. Everything like that has an element of luck. At least he tried it instead of passing short and to the centre.

[adzzzbatch]

Good contest between Zaha and Bellerin

[Niall_Quinn]

Ozil needs to do more. He needs to pass and get on the end of his pass. He needs to assist and score the assist.

[AFC Leveller]

Come on guys, get the 2nd and third please.

the good thing about today is that the subs cant come on and do a defensive job, Theo and Ox do the opposite.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Bolasie is a bit chaotic.

[adzzzbatch]

ooooooooooooooo

[McNamara That Ghost...]

McCarthy saves from Alexis! Tight angle.

[Niall_Quinn]

Terrible decision making there. Should have been a goal.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Er how did Coquelin foul there?

[Niall_Quinn]

Er how did Coquelin foul there?

He's levelling up the earlier Bolasie FK which the crowd didn't like.

[adzzzbatch]

He's levelling up the earlier Bolasie FK which the crowd didn't like.

pretty much

[Japan Shaking All Over]

Was it too much to ask Ozil to slide in on that last chance? Defender would have gone down like a sack of bricks so best he hadn't I suppose.......good start but too many pussy flicks

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Alexis header, not even close.

[Marc Overmars]

Alexis still on the beach.

[adzzzbatch]

Wake up Alexs

[Japan Shaking All Over]

Coq needs to work on the way he maintains the ball

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-1 Ward. :doh:

[Thierrymon]

1-1 fuck

[adzzzbatch]

FUCK OFF

[Marc Overmars]

:rolleyes:

[adzzzbatch]

Arsenal are dicks

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Bolasie entitled to be offside apparently. :sarcy:

[adzzzbatch]

Cech is a bit shit

[Master Splinter]

A 0-3 is somehow a 1-1.

Good finish though.

[Niall_Quinn]

Yeah. Was always likely.

We've been playing okay but at no stage were we in control of this match.

[Globalgunner]

Ok. game on. Lets do it again.

[adzzzbatch]

the twat has only scored 2 goals :haha:

Us :haha:

[Marc Overmars]

Should be about 0-3.

Typical.

[adzzzbatch]

Kos just backed out of that like a pussy.

[Niall_Quinn]

Palace are using the width well and they are overloading us on the edge of the box when the crosses come in. Coquelin has been late on the scene a couple of times but he's getting absolutely no support.

[Japan Shaking All Over]

Cech is a bit shit

He's not.......and it wasn't his fault but we are still waiting for him to pull off a stunning save

[adzzzbatch]

3 soft goals we've conceded already this season.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Giroud's shot, wide it goes this time.

[adzzzbatch]

He's not.......and it wasn't his fault but we are still waiting for him to pull off a stunning save

Lets just say I think he could've got a hand to it.

[Niall_Quinn]

LOL - that looked a pen. Maybe the refs haven't been briefed this season - yet.

[Power n Glory]

Cech is a bit shit indeed. Koscielny not blocking again.

[Japan Shaking All Over]

He will not go in for a challenge!!!!

[Thierrymon]

Bolassie giving us problems.

[adzzzbatch]

Here we go we're rattled now nto doing the basics right.

[Niall_Quinn]

We've drifted into careless mode and we've dropped the tempo right back.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cazorla shoots over.

[AFC Leveller]

We've drifted into careless mode and we've dropped the tempo right back.

not to worry, we have a tactically astute manager, he will sort it out.

[adzzzbatch]

Shit shot from cazorla

[Master Splinter]

Cazorla can't shoot at all anymore.

[adzzzbatch]

not to worry, we have a tactically astute manager, he will sort it out.

:lol:

[Niall_Quinn]

For all the "express yourself" bullshit, we don't have a player out there who takes control when things aren't going our way. Remember how Adams used to shout and scream and instruct and drag players around? Coquelin tried that a few times last season but he's not senior enough to pull it off. Merts goes missing in these moments where the momentum swings.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ramsey effort near post, saved.

[adzzzbatch]

Their keeper is doing well.

[adzzzbatch]

We look like rabbits in headlights in our defence.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ridiculous shove from Zaha on Monreal.

[Niall_Quinn]

Palace are drilled, we aren't. So their inferior players are getting the better result. We can still win it with moments of technical superiority, but if it goes by tactics and discipline Palace will win.

[adzzzbatch]

we should really stop "cheating" :rolleyes:

[adzzzbatch]

shit corner

[Niall_Quinn]

Ramsey hopeless so far. Off with every pass.

[adzzzbatch]

Coq :doh:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Coquelin booked.

[adzzzbatch]

We were relatively comfortable at 1-0 FFS

[AFC Leveller]

It was a similar story last season, we scored two then sat back and got really luck when their last minute shot hit the post otherwise it would have been 2-2 after looking like an easy win.

Never gonna learn.

[Niall_Quinn]

Coquelin :doh:

That's why we needed some backup - he'll serve a couple of suspensions this season.

[adzzzbatch]

Really poor from Cazorla

[Niall_Quinn]

We slow it to a crawl every time we get into their third. Fast from the back through the middle, then snail mode.

[adzzzbatch]

We can't play against organised defences

[McNamara That Ghost...]

I think we've attacked quite well to be honest.

[adzzzbatch]

tippy tappy shit :banghead:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Coquelin. :lol:

Sort it out.

[adzzzbatch]

he should be off.

[Niall_Quinn]

I think we've attacked quite well to be honest.

This is when we should be bringing Vidal on before Coq gets sent off.

But Wenger knows.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

McArthur booked.

[Japan Shaking All Over]

Is it just me or have we gone back to tippy tap shit

[Ernesto]

Wenger has to substitute Coquelin.

If he doesn't, he's a buffoon.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-1 HT. The pub 1-2 is very much on.

[adzzzbatch]

Load of shit

[Marc Overmars]

Played well, just didn't stamp home our dominance then got done by a hit and hoper. Back to normality.

[adzzzbatch]

We are very lucky not to be down to 10 men.

[AFC Leveller]

We need a win today, it doesnt matter how.

Palace are strong at home and are growing into the game.

[Niall_Quinn]

That booking for McCarthy is going to come back and bite us when the ref levels it up. Coquelin is almost certainly gone.

HT

Really, really pointless performance which could easily be predicted from Wenger's hapless team selection. Seen it all before. Manager is clueless. He really is.

[Kano]

Too much going through the middle again. Too many pointless flicks that lead to nothing and we not stretching their defence enough, making it too easy for their defence. And take off Ramsey. If he can't keep away from the centre of the pitch put someone on who can play that role. Sanchez, once again, is the difference for us this week.

[Niall_Quinn]

Wenger is a buffoon.

:gp:

[AFC Leveller]

Played well, just didn't stamp home our dominance then got done by a hit and hoper. Back to normality.

Ward has probably never scored in his life, today he scores a screamer...

But the closing down was non existent.

[Penguin]

Wenger has to substitute Coquelin.

If he doesn't, he's a buffoon.

He doesn't need to take Coquelin off, but he needs to tell him to calm down and stop taking unnecessary risks. And to stop throwing up his arms and complaining to the ref for every decision. Doing shit like that is just asking for a second yellow.

[Niall_Quinn]

Too much going through the middle again. Too many pointless flicks that lead to nothing and we not stretching their defence enough, making it too easy for their defence. And take off Ramsey. If he can't keep away from the centre of the pitch put someone on who can play that role. Sanchez, once again, is the difference for us this week.

The players are expressing themselves. Who needs tactics, formations and leadership when it's a free-for-all?

[Niall_Quinn]

Ward has probably never scored in his life, today he scores a screamer...

But the closing down was non existent.

Again

[Globalgunner]

We can't play against organised defences

Its not organised defending this time. palace actually want to play. Its packed defences that we are clueless against. If palace decide to close up shop 2nd half we will likely lose this on the counter. If they keep it the same we are winning, better players but not sure about the manager.

[Power n Glory]

Again

Koscielny again. Just stands his ground instead of closing the ball down. Needs to sort it out.

[Munchies]

Just caught the goals

#WengerOUT

[Power n Glory]

We lack balance down the right. Koscielny is a pussy. Coquelin needs to come off.

[Niall_Quinn]

On the replay, Coquelin puts a hand on the guy and basically he cheats by diving. Fortunately the cheat didn't prosper. But he will eventually.

[Kano]

The players are expressing themselves. Who needs tactics, formations and leadership when it's a free-for-all?

And that's the problem. Unless certain people are on their game, it just be becomes a repetitive mess.

[Niall_Quinn]

We lack balance down the right. Koscielny is a pussy. Coquelin needs to come off.

We lack balance anywhere, we lack tactics, we don't have a formation to speak of what with Ramsey, Ozil, Cazorla, Bif all having free roles. We have no in-game management. No leadership.

Other than that everything is great against a team we should be beating comfortably if we have any genuine title aspirations.

[Munchies]

Coq is a poor mans Schneiderlin

[Niall_Quinn]

And that's the problem. Unless certain people are on their game, it just be becomes a repetitive mess.

What do you think, bring Theo on after 72mins and the start bunging crosses into the box?

[Kano]

We lack balance down the right. Koscielny is a pussy. Coquelin needs to come off.
Ramsey. Sanchez has spent more time on the right than he has. But Wenger doesn't reign him in, so he just joins in the kick-about in the middle of pitch flicking round corners onto the oncoming legs of Palace defenders.

[Master Splinter]

Mason becomes the first ref to let Arsenal get away with something.

He'll even it up by sending off Arteta, Ramsey and Alexis in the second half.

[Niall_Quinn]

Coq is a poor mans Schneiderlin

He's trying to do too much by himself. He doesn't have a partner in the middle because the players who could be helping him out are anywhere except where they need to be. Ramsey and Cazorla have thrown him under a bus. They are both too busy sitting on Ozil.

[Niall_Quinn]

No subs by the stubborn fool Wenger.

[Master Splinter]

Munchies is a poor man's Cripps.