Arsenal V Swansea, Wed 19:45

[AFC Leveller]

Another game, another 3 massive points.

Swansea at home is generally a pub draw/loss, we tend to struggle against them and i can see us dropping points here.

Id drop Theo and Ramsay, bring in Joel and Elneny.

1-1, 1-2, or 0-0.

[Niall_Quinn]

M E H

[McNamara That Ghost...]

It's on!

The collapse that is.

[GP]

3-0

[AFC Leveller]

It's on!

The collapse that is.

:lol:

We have to move on i guess...

[adzzzbatch]

meh.

[Marc Overmars]

Going to this. Bagged a spare seat on TX, had to get out of the house as the missus is bringing her bint mates round. Shame it's non-refundable though given the shit we are currently serving up.

The atmosphere will probably be awful. Swansea annoyingly always seem to take results off us at home, needless to say we have to win this, not just for any lingering title hopes but our own sanity as well.

A glorious pub special. 2-1.

[Kano]

Easy win

[fakeyank]

1-1

[Letters]

Going to this. Bagged a spare seat on TX,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_siQqiT48Tc

[Letters]

Easy win

For which team? :unsure:

[fakeyank]

Actually I think we will have an easy win in this game, just enough to build us up for the Spurs game. And then we get royally screwed in the NLD to finish all doubts about the wheels coming off our PL title challenge.

[Ralpheroo72]

Piss poor pub game, we will dominate possession, with no cutting edge. We will show tremendous spirit, but ultimately we will fall short 0-0

[Xhaka Can’t]

If I were forced to bet my last £10 on a correct score, 0-0 is the score I'd pick.

Please don't let it be that - for once, please show pride and pull out a performance.

[Xhaka Can’t]

I've just gone on Ticket Exchange - there are a FUCKLOAD of tickets available on almost every section of the ground.

It is almost as if people think the title challenge is over.

[Ernesto]

We'll win this.

If not, it's the final nail on the coffin.

[Niall_Quinn]

The club will start selling nails on coffins if they can't sell tickets. According to football expert Paul Merson.

[Alpha]

The funny thing is the same people who joyously or sarcastically predict a bad result will be the first ones to complain if their predictions happen .
After two disappointing results , I expect the team to raise their game .

[Niall_Quinn]

The funny thing is the same people who joyously or sarcastically predict a bad result will be the first ones to complain if their predictions happen .
After two disappointing results , I expect the team to raise their game .

I don't think anyone predicted a bad result against Utd did they? It was almost beyond comprehension that given what was at stake and what sort of ragtag team Utd were putting out we'd fail to get something from the game or even turn up.

I think blaming the fans for the inadequacies of the manager and his team is becoming old and stale. Eventually the people who make the decisions and get paid to deliver the results will have to accept some responsibility.

You expect the team to raise their game? Why should they be in a position to require their game to be raised? How, in the middle of an alleged title challenge, was the game not raised to sufficient levels on Sunday? Leicester don't need to raise their game. The spuds don't need to raise their game. Why should all our highly paid internationals and our highly paid manager be any different? Do we congratulate them if they do us the honour of turning up next week?

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Alpha, are you actually Arsene Wenger?

He is blaming the negativity of others for his shortcomings

His excuses are now on a par with Mourinhos

[Kano]

Arsène Wenger has thanked people for their concern over his job security, as he responded to the avalanche of criticism that has followed Arsenal’s 3-2 Premier League defeat at Manchester United on Sunday with humour and a sense of perspective.

The manager sought to look ahead to Wednesday night’s visit from Swansea City, when his team will attempt to close the gap on the leaders, Leicester City, which stands at five points with 11 matches to play. He also confirmed that the midfielder, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, would be out for “six to eight weeks” with the knee-ligament injury that he suffered against Barcelona in the Champions League last Tuesday.

But the focus remained on the United loss, which has prompted an outpouring of frustration from supporters – some of whom are so cheesed off with the repetition of the same old frailties that they want to start again without Wenger. He has seen it all before, too, and he made his latest plea for unity.

“We have built this club, and it has been built before me, with values,” Wenger said. “What we try to do is respect these values and when we are disappointed, we need to show these values and clarity to fight together. Everybody has freedom of opinion and I enjoy very much that people care about my future. I thank them for that. Apart from that, in my life, I always taken care of myself and my future.

“What you want from your fans is to fight together until the last game of the season. What we have learnt from the league is that it is very tight, that everybody can drop points, and the teams – and the fans – who can show togetherness and solidarity until the end, might come out of it in a positive way. That’s what we want, to fight together until the last game of the season and not give up when you have a bad game or a bad result. That’s what fans and players and teams and clubs are about.”

Wenger has long taken the criticism he receives on the chin and he is not about to begin complaining now. “I’m never surprised by the criticism that comes,” he said. “That’s part of the media today. Part of the opinion is always a bit excessive and emotional, but we have to deal with that and I don’t complain about it. I think people are a bit too emotional and we want to put things into perspective by analysing things a bit more in a neutral way. This club is respected all over the world despite what people say.

“We want to transform the negatives into positives around us and create even more solidarity. Let’s not go overboard. We do not play to be relegated. We are playing to fight for the title. That’s why we have to put criticism in the right place.

“We had a very, very bad week and it’s down to us to make this week a very good one. A bad week is not permanent. It’s what you make of it and how you respond. That’s the beauty of sport. Things change quickly one way or the other.”

Wenger’s team is always lambasted for a lack of leaders and mental fortitude when they lose but the manager, unsurprisingly, continues to see it differently. “In a collective psyche, you always think you need a saviour when you have a bad result,” he said.

“We have won big games this season, many big games, with exactly the same players. I don’t feel that I lack leaders. Who are the leaders? The team. In every position. The players lead and we try to develop that with our work. Our job is to have a leader in every position.”

Wenger suggested that he might make a few changes against Swansea and he name-checked Danny Welbeck, who has only just returned from a long-term knee injury, as one player from the starting line-up at United who he would have to assess.

“It’s possible I will make changes,” Wenger said. “Some players are still not out of it. I will have to see if I have to be cautious with Danny Welbeck or not. Medically, I need advice on that and I will see.”

On Oxlade-Chamberlain, he said: “He will be out for six to eight weeks. No surgery. We feared surgery at some stage before we saw the MRI. In the end, we got, on that front, positive news.”


This should cheer everyone up.

:bow:

[Niall_Quinn]

He wants fans to be less emotional and to analyse things in a neutral way? WTF? If not for the emotion and bias that root fans in the club then that stadium would have been empty years ago. NO MONEY! We're fans (fanatics), shut the fuck up. We're doing our bit so you do yours and stop making excuses and trying to blame the people funding this shit show.

[Marc Overmars]

WUMger.:violin:

[GP]

Needs to be murdered tbh

[LDG]

Needs to be murdered tbh

I wouldn't go that far, but if he could be rebooted and have Version.2004 re-installed, I'd be a bit happier.

[GP]

that version is obsolete.

[rodders]

that version is obsolete.

At the moment I really don't care Wengers Wankers have done it again.

[Alpha]

I don't think anyone predicted a bad result against Utd did they? It was almost beyond comprehension that given what was at stake and what sort of ragtag team Utd were putting out we'd fail to get something from the game or even turn up.

I think blaming the fans for the inadequacies of the manager and his team is becoming old and stale. Eventually the people who make the decisions and get paid to deliver the results will have to accept some responsibility.


You expect the team to raise their game? Why should they be in a position to require their game to be raised? How, in the middle of an alleged title challenge, was the game not raised to sufficient levels on Sunday? Leicester don't need to raise their game. The spuds don't need to raise their game. Why should all our highly paid internationals and our highly paid manager be any different? Do we congratulate them if they do us the honour of turning up next week?

Well , I did not refer exclusively to the United game but there is a few fans who have that habit of predicting Arsenal loss before the game is even played . I wonder why are they disappointed if it happened exactly the way they said it would.
I , personally ,feel disappointed after any defeat because I don't always expect us to lose and when it happen , I am deeply saddened.
You also asked why do the players have to raise their game ? Simply because the level we are at the moment can not guarantee us a win let alone a title . If we want to get something we need to play better .
I think Leicester and Tottenham have raised their games that's why they fighting for the title . otherwise , Leicester would be fighting relegation and Tottenham would be struggling for top four finish .

[Alpha]

Alpha, are you actually Arsene Wenger?

He is blaming the negativity of others for his shortcomings

His excuses are now on a par with Mourinhos

Actually , I believe that negative or positive vibes exist and can affect anything to a certain extent. Most of intimidating stadiums are those where fans and teams are in perfect harmony . Where the crowd can puss their team to the victory despite their weakeness . We hardly create that atmosphere at the Emirates. What makes playing a game away from home very tough is the atmosphere surrounding the stadium . And that is created by the fans and the performance of the team .Psychology plays a big part in sports .

[selassie]

This one won't be pretty, I think we'll get the job done though.

[Marc Overmars]

Actually , I believe that negative or positive vibes exist and can affect anything to a certain extent. Most of intimidating stadiums are those where fans and teams are in perfect harmony . Where the crowd can puss their team to the victory despite their weakeness . We hardly create that atmosphere at the Emirates. What makes playing a game away from home very tough is the atmosphere surrounding the stadium . And that is created by the fans and the performance of the team .Psychology plays a big part in sports .

So, our team is mentally weak?

[selassie]

Well , I did not refer exclusively to the United game but there is a few fans who have that habit of predicting Arsenal loss before the game is even played . I wonder why are they disappointed if it happened exactly the way they said it would.
I , personally ,feel disappointed after any defeat because I don't always expect us to lose and when it happen , I am deeply saddened.
You also asked why do the players have to raise their game ? Simply because the level we are at the moment can not guarantee us a win let alone a title . If we want to get something we need to play better .
I think Leicester and Tottenham have raised their games that's why they fighting for the title . otherwise , Leicester would be fighting relegation and Tottenham would be struggling for top four finish .

Alpha, it's not even the defeats, it's the manner of them, Sunday's performance was totally unacceptable IMO, it was bordering on embarrassing, I wasn't totally confident beforehand given that I don't fully trust this team but still I expected a more fluid performance. This team has been in a bit of a mess for a while now, we look totally disjointed, they are playing like they have never played together before.

[Kano]

Actually , I believe that negative or positive vibes exist and can affect anything to a certain extent. Most of intimidating stadiums are those where fans and teams are in perfect harmony . Where the crowd can puss their team to the victory despite their weakeness . We hardly create that atmosphere at the Emirates. What makes playing a game away from home very tough is the atmosphere surrounding the stadium . And that is created by the fans and the performance of the team .Psychology plays a big part in sports .
What you say makes sense but away win ratios are at their highest and have been creeping up for the past five seasons. Home wins this season are also at an all time low so far, which means teams are avoiding defeats on ther travels quite often now. Alongside the counter attacking style used by so many currently, players are used to the intimidating atmospheres at stadiums and I'm not sure it has much affect on the modern player. The psychology of how a player is prepared before the match probably has more of an effect than anything the crowd does, as most of them live in an absolute bubble. The only time the crowd acknowledged is for a goal or after the game is done. They are mostly shut out. Highbury was never the loudest stadium but that didn't affect Wenger's great teams one bit. It would be great to hear more noise at the Emirates but its effect on the team is negligible I think.

[Niall_Quinn]

Well , I did not refer exclusively to the United game but there is a few fans who have that habit of predicting Arsenal loss before the game is even played . I wonder why are they disappointed if it happened exactly the way they said it would.
I , personally ,feel disappointed after any defeat because I don't always expect us to lose and when it happen , I am deeply saddened.
You also asked why do the players have to raise their game ? Simply because the level we are at the moment can not guarantee us a win let alone a title . If we want to get something we need to play better .
I think Leicester and Tottenham have raised their games that's why they fighting for the title . otherwise , Leicester would be fighting relegation and Tottenham would be struggling for top four finish .

No fan WANTS the team to lose. But when you see these results against particular teams happen year after year you go into those games with trepidation - much like the players it seems. And then when the same outcome unfolds you think WTF! What's going on with this team, year after year? So you can want to win, be disappointed when you don't win but also not in the least bit surprised given the history.

My point about raising our game is if we aren't peaking now, at the business end of the season, with our squad experience, with our resources, with the club's experience of these pressure soaked title challenges in relation to the spud's and particularly Leicester's lack of experience then it's inexcusable. It really is. You have to conclude the manager has not done his job, has failed miserably to do his job, when you consider our performances over the last couple of months. All culminating in a limp-wristed capitulation to the worst equipped and worst managed Utd team in decades. It's a scandal and there's no explaining it away with tired old excuses that Leicester are busy blowing out of the water and a mile into the air. Leicester raised their game months ago and have kept their performance levels at a peak. The spuds have been relentless in the past couple of months, peaking just at the right time. It's as if they are the experienced campaigners and we are the nervous rank amateurs. Questions need to be asked and it wouldn't hurt the club or the manager to provide some answers. Instead you see sarcasm from the manager who is busy blaming other clubs for tapping up his players, pretending Utd's money had a bearing on Sunday's results and advising the fans who have watching this repetitive bullshit to be "neutral" and unemotional. This is a joke surely?

I understand that we have more chance of fixing this mess if the fans and the team are united, and I don't see any problem with that and I believe it's what will happen. But there's no requirement to include Wenger in the relationship. He knows best, he fucked up the transfer window, he took the big pay-cheque to manage at the top level and he has fucked up, again. Just as he does every season. There comes a point where the man's excuses have to be discounted and his performance analysed in a colder light. Is 10 years not enough time to reach a decision on this guy? Bottom line, he can't compete with Leicester City and our reviled rivals so what is he good for? And why do we need to support him? He plainly has no respect for the fans, look at his interview today. So let him live by his attitude and his failures. That doesn't stop us cheering on the team and I'm sure we will.

[Alpha]

So, our team is mentally weak?

Any team which does not have a proper support may be mentally affected .
There are two kinds of situation here :

1) Some fans wait for their team to click before their can show any support .
or
2) Some fans scream , claps and push their team to make them click .

Current United squad is weaker than Arsenal's but last Sunday their fans gave them a proper support to push them to the victory .

[Niall_Quinn]

Any team which does not have a proper support may be mentally affected .
There are two kinds of situation here :

1) Some fans wait for their team to click before their can show any support .
or
2) Some fans scream , claps and push their team to make them click .

Current United squad is weaker than Arsenal's but last Sunday their fans gave them a proper support to push them to the victory .

Do you really believe it is the fans who need to step up now? Well okay, maybe so. But what about this manager and his team? Huge resources, huge pay packets, the best of everything and they can't be bothered to turn up? And the manager's response is basically to tell the fans to shut up? So which is it? Shut up or shout?

[Alpha]

Alpha, it's not even the defeats, it's the manner of them, Sunday's performance was totally unacceptable IMO, it was bordering on embarrassing, I wasn't totally confident beforehand given that I don't fully trust this team but still I expected a more fluid performance. This team has been in a bit of a mess for a while now, we look totally disjointed, they are playing like they have never played together before.

Totally agree with you , Selassie . But we should not just only point a finger at the team . All of us are concerned . Board , management , team , fans ,.. Etc .. We have let the Arsenal "family" down . What was once a great team , we have made it average .

[Niall_Quinn]

Totally agree with you , Selassie . But we should not just only point a finger at the team . All of us are concerned . Board , management , team , fans ,.. Etc .. We have let the Arsenal "family" down . What was once a great team , we have made it average .

No "we" have not! The fans have had the prices doubled on them and they are still filling the place.

[Alpha]

What you say makes sense but away win ratios are at their highest and have been creeping up for the past five seasons. Home wins this season are also at an all time low so far, which means teams are avoiding defeats on ther travels quite often now. Alongside the counter attacking style used by so many currently, players are used to the intimidating atmospheres at stadiums and I'm not sure it has much affect on the modern player. The psychology of how a player is prepared before the match probably has more of an effect than anything the crowd does, as most of them live in an absolute bubble. The only time the crowd acknowledged is for a goal or after the game is done. They are mostly shut out. Highbury was never the loudest stadium but that didn't affect Wenger's great teams one bit. It would be great to hear more noise at the Emirates but its effect on the team is negligible I think.

To be honest , there is a kind of vicious circle at Arsenal football club . The team wants the fans to be their 12th player before they can raise their game , the fans wait for the team to give them some joy before they can show any support .
You just do know what should come first .
It's not just the same Arsenal we have known for ages . Normally this period is when we are always starting to wake up but with 11 games remaining we still seem sleeping . hopefully we will wake and once for all tomorrow. I haven't given up for the title yet even though I know it will be very hard . we have never done it the easy way , have we?

[Marc Overmars]

Any team which does not have a proper support may be mentally affected .
There are two kinds of situation here :

1) Some fans wait for their team to click before their can show any support .
or
2) Some fans scream , claps and push their team to make them click .

Current United squad is weaker than Arsenal's but last Sunday their fans gave them a proper support to push them to the victory .

It's like the last 10 years have been one constant loop, things should be different now but they're not, they're exactly the same thanks to one man repeating the same mistakes over and over, after being given ample opportunity to get it right. I do think the Emirates can be a suffocating place however no team has been more stagnant than us, we are right to demand more because we have been short changed. Players deal with all kinds of hostility wherever they play, if they're not mentally strong enough to deal with it then I'm not sure I want that kind of lily-livered personality in the squad.

[Niall_Quinn]

I didn't think I could be surprised by any of the lame excuses coming out of the club, but I underestimated them. It's not the money, it's not the injuries, it's not the tapping-up, it's not the fixture list, it's not the International breaks, it's not the pitch, the ref, the weather. Forget all that. Today's apparently unified front from the club and it's evangelists has been kind enough to inform us it's the fans' fault.

Breathtaking. Who could have guessed that an owner adding hundreds of millions to his net worth, a manager who has taken some £100million out of the club, and a team all on insane money have failed because of a bunch of blokes on docker's wages who don't cheer loud enough as they are being shit on. Selfish bastards have cost us another title. No wonder we have such a terrible record in the CL.

[Alpha]

No fan WANTS the team to lose. But when you see these results against particular teams happen year after year you go into those games with trepidation - much like the players it seems. And then when the same outcome unfolds you think WTF! What's going on with this team, year after year? So you can want to win, be disappointed when you don't win but also not in the least bit surprised given the history.

My point about raising our game is if we aren't peaking now, at the business end of the season, with our squad experience, with our resources, with the club's experience of these pressure soaked title challenges in relation to the spud's and particularly Leicester's lack of experience then it's inexcusable. It really is. You have to conclude the manager has not done his job, has failed miserably to do his job, when you consider our performances over the last couple of months. All culminating in a limp-wristed capitulation to the worst equipped and worst managed Utd team in decades. It's a scandal and there's no explaining it away with

tired old excuses that Leicester are busy blowing out of the water and a mile into the air. Leicester raised their game months ago and have kept their performance levels at a peak. The spuds have been relentless in the past couple of months, peaking just at the right time. It's as if they are the experienced campaigners and we are the nervous rank amateurs. Questions need to be asked and it wouldn't hurt the club or the manager to provide some answers. Instead you see sarcasm from the manager who is busy blaming other clubs for tapping up his players, pretending Utd's money had a bearing on Sunday's results and advising the fans who have watching this repetitive bullshit to be "neutral" and unemotional. This is a joke surely?

I understand that we have more chance of fixing this mess if the fans and the team are united, and I don't see any problem with that and I believe it's what will happen. But there's no requirement to include Wenger in the relationship. He knows best, he fucked up the transfer window, he took the big pay-cheque to manage at the top level and he has fucked up, again. Just as he does every season. There comes a point where the man's excuses have to be discounted and his performance analysed in a colder light. Is 10 years not enough time to reach a decision on this guy? Bottom line, he can't compete with Leicester City and our reviled rivals so what is he good for? And why do we need to support him? He plainly has no respect for the fans, look at his interview today. So let him live by his attitude and his failures. That doesn't stop us cheering on the team and I'm sure we will.

I can not disagree with any point you have made because it is the truth , black on white . Arsene has a kind of stubbornness which is affecting the team and it has been the same for a while . by refusing to buy top players who can not only play top football but soak up pressure he has not done any favor to his team .
To be honest if Spurs and Leicester seem to play better than us , it is not because they better than us . It is simple because we feel more pressure than them . Everyone expect us to do better than them . But as we do not have the kind of players who can deal better with this kind of pressure , we are cracking .

[Niall_Quinn]

I can not disagree with any point you have made because it is the truth , black on white . Arsene has a kind of stubbornness which is affecting the team and it has been the same for a while . by refusing to buy top players who can not only play top football but soak up pressure he has not done any favor to his team .
To be honest if Spurs and Leicester seem to play better than us , it is not because they better than us . It is simple because we feel more pressure than them . Everyone expect us to do better than them . But as we do not have the kind of players who can deal better with this kind of pressure , we are cracking .

We are cracking. Again. It's like a tradition. That's why the manager has to go. If only he would have the sense to call it a day himself so all of this could end with some sort of dignity. But I have the feeling he'll have to be hounded out. Either that or the fans will have to just sit there and bear it until he leaves. And listening to him today it sounds like that's what he expects to happen. It won't. He won't be excused for blowing this title opportunity. Nor should he be.

[Munchies]

Come on you bottling cunts

FFS

Can't let the Spuds win it

[Xhaka Can’t]

Is anyone else going to this?

[LDG]

Is anyone else going to this?

I had to have words with myself today as I took a look to see if there were tickets left.

But no. I can't do it.

[Xhaka Can’t]

I don't blame you.

This is most likely it for me this season.

[Marc Overmars]

I booked my seat 10 days ago. Shame TX is non-refundable.

I'll be shouting Boo Urns.

[Power n Glory]

Totally agree with you , Selassie . But we should not just only point a finger at the team . All of us are concerned . Board , management , team , fans ,.. Etc .. We have let the Arsenal "family" down . What was once a great team , we have made it average .

Fcuk off! :lol:

[Xhaka Can’t]

Fcuk off! :lol:

He genuinely means well.

Me? I'm about to join in the family angst tomorrow.

[AFC Leveller]

What gets on my tits is when this deluded man says "one bad week doesnt mean its all doom and gloom"! the guy has been in charge for the last 10 years and has watched collapse after collapse and has made excuse after excuse whole earning 10m a year!

Fans arent stupid, noone is overreacting over a bad week, we have had enough and have seen this happen so many times.

[GP]

Robert Madley will be the referee.

[Alpha]

Do you really believe it is the fans who need to step up now? Well okay, maybe so. But what about this manager and his team? Huge resources, huge pay packets, the best of everything and they can't be bothered to turn up? And the manager's response is basically to tell the fans to shut up? So which is it? Shut up or shout?

I think we are in desperate situation where we need to do something to seize this opportunity which is , for me ,our best chance to win the title . We haven't been that closer for ages where it is only up to us to capitalize . It is not only for the fans to do it but the manager and the players as well . We are not doing it for them but for the club we love . Players and managers come and pass but mighty Arsenal will always be there . We don't need them to do the first step before we could do something . Let's do our bit .

[Alpha]

Fcuk off! :lol:

It depends on how you tackle a problem when it occurs in your life regardless of the fact that you have caused it or someone else did . You can see your house on fire and say as long as it is not me who did it I'm gonna wait for the person who set my house afire to call the Fire Brigade . Or you can just say well it's my house I have to save it . If we spend time and money for Arsenal it means we are concerned .
If you talk to a neutral or a fan of another team about Arsenal fans they might not have the same opinion with you . Everybody is sad and disappointed but pointing a blaming finger to someone will not solve the situation just yet .

[Munchies]

Team for today imo

Big Man Cech
Bellerin Kosc Turtlesacker Monreal
Elneny Coquelin
Alexis Ozil Campbell
Welbeck

[Niall_Quinn]

I think we are in desperate situation where we need to do something to seize this opportunity which is , for me ,our best chance to win the title . We haven't been that closer for ages where it is only up to us to capitalize . It is not only for the fans to do it but the manager and the players as well . We are not doing it for them but for the club we love . Players and managers come and pass but mighty Arsenal will always be there . We don't need them to do the first step before we could do something . Let's do our bit .

I know what you are saying, genuinely. All you are really saying is let's do the sensible thing that sporting outfits attempting to achieve excellence do. Let's try to get every component, including the fans, firing in unison. I get that and I agree, it would be great if that could happen. But you need to understand, it won't happen under this manager. He's not in the same place as everyone else, he doesn't see the sport, he doesn't see the achievement. He sees red zones and yards covered in the first 10 minutes compared to yards covered in the final 10, he sees the number of minutes played to develop player X, he sees scenarios where if this player is rested now then that player can cover 368 more yards in 14 weeks time - all the while ignoring the likelihood the player will be out injured for the rest of the season by that stage. He does safety, ball control, possession in region Y, pressure in region Z while ignoring the huge gaps in regions A-Y. He does efficiency, multi-purpose, utility. All these things are good if you are a marathon runner on a set course and you opponent can't just come and trip you up. Wenger would prefer it if the opponent would not interfere with his calculations and he's pissed when they do, it offends him. He won't talk to them, he shuns them, they are less than him, their ideas are vulgar compared to the purity he offers. The game should be played his way, always. And he will never change.

So when you say get behind the team, that's right. We must do that because we are fans. But know that whatever we achieve then Wenger will undo it because he's in a completely different space doing different things that run counter to what we want. We want 100% effort every time - he wants 73.2% effort because he's calculated that what we need to win by 1 goal. We want to see teams thumped when we go 2 goals up in the first half. He wants to see energy conserved. We want to see a shot, he wants ball retention. And so it goes.

We can cheer but we are cheering calamity and that's a bit strange. Like watching a blockbuster for 10 years without a break - how many times can you cheer when the hero almost saves the day and mean it? We still love the hero but we kind of knew what was going to happen after the first 400 times. So Wenger says, come on fans, where are you? Get behind the team so we can serve up the same ending yet again. Okay, we do it out of loyalty (which isn't returned by the club or players btw) but really, it becomes an effort after all these go-arounds.

[Niall_Quinn]

Big Man Cech

Let's not call him that. Ever.

[IBK]

Strangely, I think we'll scrape a win tonight...but it won't make any difference as we're bottling the league for sure.

[Munchies]

http://i.imgur.com/D7rmDcL.png?1

It's on!

:haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

8-0, it's about time.

:haha:

Maybe not.

[rodders]

The grim reality is that win or lose it matters not a jot. Barring miracles we have buggered it up yet again. Even Champions League is debatable.Just how many chances does Wenger need to accept what has been staring others in the face for some years. It was ours for the taking but when the chips are down Arsenal will let you down.

[Power n Glory]

We have a very dodgy record against Swansea. I want to see what team he picks tonight and how they respond. Besides Wenger being an embarrassment, the players are too. Spineless. They're in the title race and need to show up today.

[rodders]

Unless we win and Spurs lose tonight and of course we avoid defeat on Saturday the cock up is complete.

[Özim]

This should cheer everyone up.

:bow:

Noone can say he doesn't know how to patronise.

[Kano]

Noone can say he doesn't know how to patronise.

2% away from condescension.

[Marc Overmars]

I met Bully earlier at the station. :lol:

What a nice but mental chap he is.

[Master Splinter]

Swansea City boss Francesco Guidolin will miss Wednesday's Premier League game at Arsenal as he has been taken to hospital with a chest infection.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35711608

Get well soon. :good:

Hope we win 10-0.

[Master Splinter]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CckGTbbW4AAN84D.jpg:large

[Power n Glory]

What happened to Kosienly? Gabriel again? Ramsey again - but expected.

I don't know about that line up.

[Munchies]

Ramsey seems irreplaceable

Kosc has a calf injury apparently

[Munchies]

Swansea Manager's been taken to hospital with a chest infection & wont be their tonight at the Emirates.

Imagine the fallout if we lose against a managerless relegation side

[Niall_Quinn]

Merts and Gabriel - potentially disastrous. Gabriel just won't have the game time to try and play the two positions. So the midfield needs to give them some protection tonight. That means Ramsey.

[Niall_Quinn]

No Theo though. What a massive boost going into the game. If we can't win without Theo then what the fuck can we ever win?

[Maestro]

Can't argue with that team apart from Rambo, who maybe needs to hold a bench

If we can't beat Swansea at home with that team, then hey :d

Can't bring myself to watch it though

[Power n Glory]

Merts and Gabriel - potentially disastrous. Gabriel just won't have the game time to try and play the two positions. So the midfield needs to give them some protection tonight. That means Ramsey.
Excuses in for Gabriel nice and early eh? So regardless of what happens, it's Merts or Wenger's fault. ;)

He just has to step up to the plate like everyone else. No exceptions.

[Niall_Quinn]

Excuses in for Gabriel nice and early eh? So regardless of what happens, it's Merts or Wenger's fault. ;)

He just has to step up to the plate like everyone else. No exceptions.

He's twice the defender Merts is - as demonstrated previously. So he could, and should, step up and I agree no excuses. From anyone. But as I said before, he's not playing well at the moment so when you couple him with one of the worst defenders in the league (facts not opinion) then there's a potential there for disaster. Therefore, the midfield will have to be the shield.

[Niall_Quinn]

Can't argue with that team apart from Rambo, who maybe needs to hold a bench

If we can't beat Swansea at home with that team, then hey :d

Can't bring myself to watch it though

Might as well watch otherwise why support at all? Every now and again the team turns up, maybe this will be one of those nights.

[Maestro]

Might as well watch otherwise why support at all? Every now and again the team turns up, maybe this will be one of those nights.

I'll watch the commentary on here whilst catching up with The Night Manager.

I'll be posting spoiler scores from other matches on this thread though :d

[adzzzbatch]

I'll watch the commentary on here whilst catching up with The Night Manager.

I'll be posting spoiler scores from other matches on this thread though :d

:gp:

[GP]

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/news97

[Power n Glory]

He's twice the defender Merts is - as demonstrated previously. So he could, and should, step up and I agree no excuses. From anyone. But as I said before, he's not playing well at the moment so when you couple him with one of the worst defenders in the league (facts not opinion) then there's a potential there for disaster. Therefore, the midfield will have to be the shield.

Let's hope both arrive with their A game. No excuses for either of them.

[adzzzbatch]

Weak swansea team what could possibly go wrong!?

[adzzzbatch]

Loads of empty seats

[Power n Glory]

Just keep an eye on the build up from deep and who wants the ball.

[adzzzbatch]

Shoot giroud ffs

[Munchies]

Lmao Giroud has no confidence to shoot anymore

passed it to no one

[Niall_Quinn]

Shoot or backheel- decisions, decisions.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Bif should have gone for goal.

[adzzzbatch]

Giroud :doh:

What's wrong with him

[Power n Glory]

Weak shot from Bif.

[Munchies]

Chances are falling to Garood and he's doing nothing

[Niall_Quinn]

Just keep an eye on the build up from deep and who wants the ball.

It's fucking hopeless. Campbell is already coming deep and central, standing on the toes of the midfielder there. There's nothing at all.

And Bif is a 1 in 15 striker and that just doesn't cut it.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Bif strikes this time but quite a weak one.

[adzzzbatch]

Offside :doh:

[Master Splinter]

Good start so far. Giroud and Campbell very involved.

[Niall_Quinn]

Ozil knows what he is doing but the rest of them don't have a clue. Just random stuff.

[Thierrymon]

Ozil :bow:

Alexis :doh:

[Master Splinter]

Oh fuck off!

[adzzzbatch]

Alexis :doh:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

There is an other games thread for a reason.

[Niall_Quinn]

Alexis unlucky there. But Ozil is the key here. He's got this.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Alexis hits the post after rubber legsing it!

[adzzzbatch]

Piss off ref!

[Thierrymon]

Campbell!!

[adzzzbatch]

YYYYYEEEEESSSSS!!!!!

[Master Splinter]

CAMPBELL!!!!

[GP]

Woop!

[Niall_Quinn]

Good finish that. Are you watching Theo?

[Munchies]

GET IN!!!

[Power n Glory]

He stepped up to the call. Great finish.

[GP]

Great finish :lol:

[Master Splinter]

Goal of the season tbh.

Ox to take his place in the next match?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

CAMPBELL!!!!

DREAM GOAL!!!!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

That's an unbelievable finish on the slide.

[Niall_Quinn]

Come on ref, WTF?

[adzzzbatch]

Careless passing now we're 1-0 up

[Niall_Quinn]

I could strangle Ramsey. Why play it backwards there. WHY?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Özil belts it, blocked.

Bellerin belts it, Fabianski saves it of a fashion.

[adzzzbatch]

Good effort bellerin

[Niall_Quinn]

2 shots in a minute WHHHAAAAAATTTT? Well worth the effort. Keep doing it.

[Niall_Quinn]

Cech had that.

[adzzzbatch]

That was a poor attack.

[Niall_Quinn]

That's so poor from Monreal.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Not so good from Kanye there.

[Munchies]

Look at Joel track back

[adzzzbatch]

Why the fuck can't we just kill games off.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Gomis was nearly in but BFG sorts it out.

[fakeyank]

We really need to try and score more goals. The cunts GD compared to us is vastly superior.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Campbell's shot was woefully off target but the deflection intervened. :lol:

[Niall_Quinn]

Unlucky Joel. At least it's ambitious and aggressive.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-1. :doh:

[Thierrymon]

1-1 Arsenal :lol: :doh:

[adzzzbatch]

:ilt:

[adzzzbatch]

Fucking ref

[Letters]

Blatant foul on Ozil completely ignored :rolleyes:

[Niall_Quinn]

Foul on Ozil. It was totally obvious. But, you can't take the rules literally I suppose.

[GP]

Play to the whistle you dumb cunts

[adzzzbatch]

His first goal in a year :rolleyes:

[Master Splinter]

You get three blatant cheating vouchers against Arsenal at the beginning of every match.

[Niall_Quinn]

It's hard to know what to do. We won't step on an opponent when we get the upper hand so we're always asking for any work we've done to be undone.

[Munchies]

Fuck sake

[adzzzbatch]

Cunting ref and cunting players not playing on.

[Kano]

Mertesacker had a nice walk back towards goal as Routledge ran past him.

[Power n Glory]

Play to the whistle. That goal could have been stopped.

[rodders]

HERE WE GO AGAIN!!!

[Niall_Quinn]

Ozil is just too good for this lot.

[adzzzbatch]

Swansea got their tails up now.

[Niall_Quinn]

YES - Bif was right, he was calling for it, but by the time Ramsey had checked if the backwards pass was on the opportunity had gone.

[adzzzbatch]

Where's the fight from this lot? Just jogging around!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Go for goal Bellerin!

[Power n Glory]

Fucking shoot.

[adzzzbatch]

FFS this is very frustrating

[Niall_Quinn]

Appalling by Bellerin. Totally unacceptable.

[Munchies]

Bellerin is f'n useless

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Maybe I'm in a negative frame of mind but went to get my dinner at 1-0 almost fully convinced that they'd get an equaliser out of nothing by time I got back.

[Globalgunner]

Mertesacker had a nice walk back towards goal as Routledge ran past him.

Running is entirely optional and many a time not even necessary.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ayew booked.

[Power n Glory]

Bellerin is f'n useless

Shit cross after shit cross.

[rodders]

What that word fight mean, no comprende.

[Kano]

Running is entirely optional and many a time not even necessary.

As long as he's not too tired. That's what counts.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Bif smashes the bar!

[Niall_Quinn]

Shit cross after shit cross.

Again, notice how he's keeping it on the deck. More words of wisdom from the guru I'm thinking.

[adzzzbatch]

FFS!!!!

[Munchies]

FUCK SAKEEEEE

[Niall_Quinn]

That's a terrible, terrible miss by Bif, our 1 in 15 go to guy.

[Power n Glory]

How the heck do you miss that and why not go for goal?

[Niall_Quinn]

Back it goes. A bit more variation required. Maybe mix it up with a few sideways passes.

[adzzzbatch]

Poor.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Alexis didn't fancy the goalkick for some reason.

[Niall_Quinn]

So a dive is a foul and a foul is play on.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-1 HT.

Good going you clowns.

[adzzzbatch]

Crap.

[Maestro]

right done catching up with The Night Manager and now onto The People vs OJ

....meanwhile, how goes it here? any news from The Emirates?

[adzzzbatch]

I don't know what pisses me off more conceding that soft goal or the lack of composure the other end.

[Niall_Quinn]

HT 1-1

Difficult to judge that. Plenty of effort. No tactics as usual. Ozil trying to improvise and create some sort of plan but the others have been brainwashed by L'Idiot. Cambpell is our central winger. Ramsey is our sweeper one minute and striker the next, but he's not making the mistake of holding the midfield and distributing the ball. Bif statistically has to score at some point.

Swansea are poor. Really poor. We should have more than enough to beat this lot but you still need to have a plan to beat an opponent and we we don't have that. Random.

Should still win but because we're doing the random thing we could just as easily be caught out and see a title slide away.

[Niall_Quinn]

right done catching up with The Night Manager and now onto The People vs OJ

....meanwhile, how goes it here? any news from The Emirates?

People vs OJ is on!!!!

Fuck this then, I'm off.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

People vs OJ is on!!!!

Fuck this then, I'm off.

Bye.

[Maestro]

People vs OJ is on!!!!

Fuck this then, I'm off.

watching it on iplayer

[Master Splinter]

As long as the ref doesn't intervene again, we should have enough to beat them. Our conversion rate has to get out of decimals at some point.

Campbell playing well. Coq and Ramsey driving forward aggressively. Ozil half-interested. Alexis slightly better but still at a hundredth of his potential.

[Munchies]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cckf4QXW8AAgJQ7.jpg

[Power n Glory]

We need something from our big players in the second half. Bif has choked some good chances and nothing is really coming from Sanchez and Ozil.

When will Ozil take a man on and then go for goal when in the danger zone? Need to create something for himself instead of others.

[Power n Glory]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cckf4QXW8AAgJQ7.jpg

Blatant foul. Second time that has happened to us. But we need to play to the whistle. These refs are incompetent.

[Xhaka Can’t]

Bellerin is f'n useless
Bellerin has been very good tonight.

[Munchies]

Bellerin has been very good tonight.

Can't cross at all

[Niall_Quinn]

We need something from our big players in the second half. Bif has choked some good chances and nothing is really coming from Sanchez and Ozil.

When will Ozil take a man on and then go for goal when in the danger zone? Need to create something for himself instead of others.

If Ozil coached this team we'd be 5 up.

[Munchies]

FFS Siggurdson on

If he scores a FK, I will be pissed off

[Master Splinter]

If Ozil coached this team we'd be 5 up.

We'd be even bigger pussies than we already are.

[Niall_Quinn]

Is Bif a better defender than striker? I think he is.

[Niall_Quinn]

We'd be even bigger pussies than we already are.

Right there. Ozil, fast, accurate, Alexis, fast, accurate, Bif. And that was that. It was a FK but only because all he can do is plough forward. In some ways he's not Thierry Henry.

[adzzzbatch]

Giving swansea too much of the ball

[Power n Glory]

Bring on Welbeck for Bif.

But my money is on Wenger taking off Campbell for Welbeck or Walcott.

[Power n Glory]

Come on Ozil.

[Niall_Quinn]

How is that a foul by Alexis but Ozil getting mugged is okay? What does the rulebook say? How can these refs be misinterpreting it so badly? No way the cunts should get paid.

[adzzzbatch]

Yet another terrible cross

[Static]

Someone link a stream please.

[Power n Glory]

Giroud crossing the ball. He's hiding from the goal.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Shite.

[adzzzbatch]

Will one of you fuckers shoot ffs!!!

[Power n Glory]

Fucking shoot Ozil. Why is he angle it back?

[Niall_Quinn]

I think that's the record - 733 touches in a single minute in the opponent's penalty area.

[adzzzbatch]

Gave ayew all the time in the world there unless twats

[fakeyank]

Team is a mirror of the manager- useless

[Niall_Quinn]

Giroud crossing the ball. He's hiding from the goal.

He shouldn't ever have the option. He should have instructions and he should follow them on pains of being dropped. But that might affect the incredible little bit spirit.

[Power n Glory]

Shocking from Sanchez.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Alexis will never score again.

[adzzzbatch]

This is absolutely shit.

[Power n Glory]

Close from Sanchez.

[Niall_Quinn]

That was a penalty. Player pulled down by his shirt, Gabriel I think. And then it was a corner.

[rodders]

Doing their best to lose. Never shoot if you can pass!!

[Niall_Quinn]

Alexis will never score again.

When Wenger does a job he does it properly.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

FFS Alexis. How?!

[Niall_Quinn]

Just keep fouling lads, it's all free.

[Niall_Quinn]

Didn't get a touch on that at all I don't think.

[Niall_Quinn]

Alexis really has lost the plot. 1 year in this chaos and it has scrambled his brain.

[adzzzbatch]

WTF is this!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Welbz is getting ready. :bow:

[Niall_Quinn]

PLAY ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FUCK IT - IT'S A FUCKING TITLE LADS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[adzzzbatch]

Oh fuck off you cunts

[Power n Glory]

Welbz is getting ready. :bow:

Let's see if he takes off Campbell or Giroud.

[adzzzbatch]

Twats the lot of em

[adzzzbatch]

Crazy sub coming up

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Campbell off, Welbeck on.

WUMger at his finest.

[adzzzbatch]

Booooooooo

[Power n Glory]

What a dick move!

[Niall_Quinn]

Whatever we can do to make an opponent feel at home, we'll do it. Wenger is right this time - fucking stupid to stop the game.

But of course Wenger can't be right for long. Joel Campbell about to be hooked.

[Munchies]

FFS WENGER

Taking off Campbell???

[Master Splinter]

Our best player goes off.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

How hasn't Sigurdsson buried us?!

[Thierrymon]

Almost 1-2. Thank fuck.

[adzzzbatch]

wenger you tosser

[fakeyank]

Somebody kick wenger in the face. What sort of shit substitution is that?!

[Power n Glory]

What fuck is Gabriel doing?

[adzzzbatch]

Fuxking useless gabriel

[Niall_Quinn]

That's the lucky fluke that can go against us.

Anyone here want to try to explain the Campbell sub? Was it punishment for shooting again?

[adzzzbatch]

Wankers!

[Munchies]

OMG

PHEWW

[Power n Glory]

Giroud bottled it.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Freekick to us.

[Niall_Quinn]

Bif offside to save the ref from having to cheat.

[Thierrymon]

They are giving us so much space and we cant use it. Spurs aren't gonna be this generous.

[Munchies]

Gabreil is useless too

Shocking defending on that

[Power n Glory]

That's the lucky fluke that can go against us.

Anyone here want to try to explain the Campbell sub? Was it punishment for shooting again?

I knew he'd be the first to come off. Wenger is weak and too afraid to hook his main starters. It's not tactical.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Alexis hits the bar. FFS.

[adzzzbatch]

Fuck off!

[Munchies]

FFS

WHYYYYYY

[Niall_Quinn]

Our midfield really is shit.

[adzzzbatch]

No one wants to fucking shoot

[Niall_Quinn]

Ah, so that's why Bellerin doesn't loft the crosses.

[Power n Glory]

Shit cross after shit cross. Nobody willing to shoot.

[adzzzbatch]

Where's the leader ls on the pitch?