When do we start to believe ?

[saintnickle]

No, but no matter who our manager is there's no way we can compete with them in the transfer or salary market.
We can't buy £30m players and have them on the bench as backup like they can. Our squad does need to be stronger but if we buy an expensive flop there is a consequence, with City and Chelsea there isn't, they can just keep on spending till they get it right.

Was ozil not on the bench against stoke??And arshavin spent most of his arsenal career warming it as well?

[Power n Glory]

Good post.

I think this team is crying out for Suarez (note: nota A Suarez but Suarez himself because he's one of a kind). We need a lethal player, a guy who runs, terrifies defenders, wins his duals, scores goals in the tight games etc. We dont have that right now and the fact that we have challenged is a testament to the squad and management team.

Ozil has to be held accountable for his performances. Chelsea have been without a world class striker for a while now and that didn’t stop Mata or Hazard from stepping up to the plate. It didn’t stop Cazorla last season. We should be seeing more from Ozil and I guess we’ll have to wait until next season.

[Letters]

Was ozil not on the bench against stoke??And arshavin spent most of his arsenal career warming it as well?

That's a really stupid post, I'm sure you know why.

[JonasTC]

As far as i know, Özil is one of the players that have created most chances in the premier League, he would probably have been top assister if our players had not failed to score on them.

[LDG]

As far as i know, Özil is one of the players that have created most chances in the premier League, he would probably have been top assister if our players had not failed to score on them.

http://news.arseblog.com/2014/03/ozi...edium=facebook

Mesut Ozil says he pays no real attention to the criticism that has been cast his way in recent weeks.

While acknowledging his form hasn’t been as good as he would like, the German international says that’s a natural consequence of settling into a new country and a new league.

He also suggests the English press will find something else to write about in a few weeks time when he stops being ‘flavour’ of the Fleet Street month.

“Nearly every player who is new to Premier League needs time to settle in,” he said to Bild.

“Here, you meet other challenges. It was clear that I would endure a difficult spell because I missed all of Arsenal’s pre-season preparation.

“There was a time when I was not satisfied with my performances either, but I have come through this phase. I don’t concern myself too much with the criticism.

“Three weeks ago they wrote totally different stories and, in three weeks’ time, they’ll write different stories once again. That’s part of the business in England.”

[JonasTC]

Not sure what point you're trying to make. I just stated a fact in support of that he hasnt been as bad as people make him out to be (Arsenals Torres, etc.), can he be better? Most certainly, and im sure he will be

[LDG]

I give up.

[Letters]

[IBK]

Don't get me wrong. You always write very well, and I get your points. But you're also losing sight of some key things, which, is a consequence of the ability to judge a team whenever is convenient, ignoring some of the other factors which are extremely important, and aren't just a reaction at any given time.

Liverpool are unique this year, in that they have clicked wonderfully well up top, but also haven't had to deal with too much by way of fatigue, rotation etc, meaning they have been able to field a consistent eleven. We all know how important it is to have "relationships" on the pitch. Couple that with one superstar player, and it's not hard to see why they have been a success. I would has at a guess that throwing in ECL football next term, and testing their squad (which needs serious investment....and lets not forget they have a 50m loss on thier books this tem) will see them struggle a little more.....they're also not under the spotlight in the same way our team are.

City and Chelsea don't need much talking over. They don't need to build, develop and do things through too much hardwork. As NQ has said before; Injuries don't mean a thing to a team like theirs. It has no bearing on them. Hence you can't really judge us against them.

And where, relative to our season, are Utd, Spurs and the like? Why are you not judging us against them, rather than against our direct (atm) competitors?

Let me also say, that you, being a reasonable chap, should also remember not to judge players too quickly. In Ozil, we have an extremely good player. But there are so many things you have to consider when you lok at his signing alone...long before you call him a flop.

i) It's his first season in a new league. Yes, some players adapt straight away, but lots don't. There are very few who set a trailblazing run of form in their first term. A player of his calibre will succeed given the time.

ii) You have to look at the team he's currently playing in. It doesn't suit him...YET. He needs a Suarez (who it seems we were very unlucky not to get). He needs Walcott. He needs Ramsey, and he needs TIME.

As far as our style of play goes. Well, I'm sorry, but playing the way we play (frustrating as it is) requires things to drop into place. There are still pieces of the jigsaw to put together. We can all see that.

We have all been patient, so I get the wish to see us sweep to glory NOW. But when you look at what has actually happened over the last year or so, it does bode well, but it won't happen over night. We still need our star striker. Desperately. But when we have him....I for one believe that it will change the whole team. The style, the movement etc. But also, it's like connecting the electricity to all of the other components.

Do I believe? Yes. Can we win it this year, now? Not so sure. But I don't think many of us did.

And it deserves a proper response.

Firstly, I am neither judging the team 'when convenient', nor am I reacting to our situation at this given time. While as every fan should, I can be emotional after a good or bad result, the whole purpose of going into greater detail about why I am, with some justification, yet to believe was to show that my position is not merely a reaction to recent poor results.

The basic issue that seems to be up for debate here is whether we have made substantial progress this year as a team. I say substantial, because it is self-evident that we have improved in defence as a unit - in large part because, like Liverpool up front we have stability and players - particularly in the CB positions, who compliment each other. This has not happened for years. Also, our points total was also higher than last season, last time I looked. Noone can deny that in these 2 areas there has been an improvement.

But firstly, I would argue that an 'improvement' in these areas has not, as yet, seen any step-change in our Arsenal's effectiveness as a competitive team. Put another way - we need more than simply cutting out our previous errors to make real forward progress. I accept that those posters more optimistic (or maybe more wishful thinkers) than I am may see where we are as the basis of real improvement going forwards - and I am not debating that separate issue here. I am trying to take an objective approach as to what has really changed this season. And as I have explained, other than better defensive stability I see little, if anything, to demonstrate that any of the fundamental issues that have hampered Wenger's teams of the past few years have been resolved, and nothing to suggest that we are more capable of besting the strongest teams in the league than we have been previously.

Secondly, like it or not we are in a league - and any improvement will, and should always be judged against those teams that we need to leapfrog to show tangible progress in this regard. Without yet going into specifics, we are a team that has finished 4th in the league since 2006, with the exception of 2 seasons where we finished 3rd. This season the smart money says we'll finish 4th again, or 3rd if we are lucky. Looking at the facts - what has changed? I accept that we are up against financial doping - but a few points arise here. Firstly, and as has rightly been pointed out, the fact that We have two billionaire funded clubs makes no difference whatsoever to many of the issues that I have identified with our team. Secondly, the whole stadium move was intended for us to be able to compete against the then huge financial muscle of Manure. Are we honestly saying that because 2 more financial giants have arrived on the scene then we should simply accept that we can't compete and regard 4th place as the highest place that a club with our resources can finish? Because this is the inevitable conclusion to be reached by your statement that we cannot be judged against the likes of the Chavs and Citeh. Ferguson was not cowed by having far fewer resources than these clubs - and you can bet that neither would Danny Fizman or David Dein. We did not used to be so defeatist when we beat Manure to the league title, despite our tiny ground and having a fraction of the resources and marketing income.

Another point that is rarely mentioned when considering the ‘opposition’ is the advantages that we have enjoyed, relative to them. In massive contrast to both the Chavs and Citeh, we have had the stability of a manager with huge experience of the EPL and an absolutely guaranteed position – no pressure from a capricious owner and absolute control over what happens on and off the pitch. That alone serves to balance out, in part some of the financial advantages enjoyed by others. Yet through all the turmoil at these other 2 clubs, it seems to have made no tangible difference. We are most likely set to attain our usual league position despite the obvious setbacks that have been suffered by 2 other managers in trying to settle on their best teams and deal with the legacies left to them by others – not to mention Manure falling off a cliff. When you look at how Benitez and Mancini fared last season, it’s difficult to argue that we should never look beyond just money.

I have to say that while it may be logical to make excuses based on the finances of the competition, it is also defeatist - and in danger of becoming a permanent psychological limiter on the ambitions of our club and its supporters. Indeed - it seems to have fundamentally altered the mindset of our once winning manager, and while I am not totally convinced, I do have some sympathy with those that argue that Wenger's greatest crime is brainwashing Gooners into believing that finishing fourth is a trophy. The reality is that finishing fourth is no more, and no less from a financial point of view than a club of our size and resources should be doing - and certainly not a step change. To answer your question – this is why I look up, rather than down in considering our progress. Why should Spurs be relevant when with 1 exception that have never finished top 4 in the EPL? Why should Manure be relevant when they have imploded so spectacularly this season? What achievement is treading water in the league – no matter whether the composition of those finishing above us has at the end of the season may have changed slightly?

As for Liverpool – I accept what you are saying about the advantages, and perhaps the luck that they have enjoyed this season. But that ignores some fundamentals that I am afraid reflect badly on our own team by comparison. Firstly, Rogers has transformed several of his players – Sterling; Sturridge; Coutinho; Henderson – not to mention changing Gerard’s role out of all recognition to how they were before. Wenger has succeeded in the same spectacular way with just 1 player this season, and he has been injured for a large part of it. You talk about Liverpool’s good fortune with their forwards. As I’ve said, we have had similar luck with our defenders. Yet Liverpool are undoubtedly on an upwards trajectory – and we all know how important confidence and belief are in football. We have, and continued to stutter as we always do – and that is the reason why Liverpool are flavor of the month and the jury has always been out on our team and continues to be so – no matter how long we topped the league for. Liverpool’s team is balanced. Ours is not. Liverpool consistently overwhelm teams going forwards. We rarely do. Liverpool are dynamic. We are turgid. Most importantly, there is no doubt whatsoever that Liverpool have made proper progress this season. However optimistic you are, It’s impossible to argue that we have come nowhere near this level of progress – or that Liverpool fans have more reason to believe than we do, at this moment in time. You talk about a jigsaw – well Rogers seems pretty much to have finished his jigsaw, while the truth is that Wenger has had years to make his jigsaw work, and has failed to do so. Again – I am not commenting on the future. I am looking at the now.

Finally, Ozil. Please do not get me wrong. I have not passed final judgment on this player - and I cannot therefore be accused of calling him a flop in any terminal sense. What I am commenting on is his performance this season. And for such a feted player, this season has simply not been a success. I am worried, with good reason, about his disappearance in most of the big games we have played this season. I am worried by what we have seen about his mentality, and I am worried about whether, given the other players that Wenger has built his team around – particularly the preponderance of playmakers Ozil was the right player to spend that kind of money on. You have obviously seen him in action for RM and I imagine you are basing your view on him on that. It is legitimate, and not reactionary for me to ask whether he is a player that thrives with a team full of world class players around him, where the pressure is not on him, rather than being a player who can step up to be the main man in our team. Whether he will come good or not is pure speculation I’m afraid. I have never argued about whether or not he should be given time to see what happens.

[Power n Glory]

We did not used to be so defeatist when we beat Manure to the league title, despite our tiny ground and having a fraction of the resources and marketing income.

That's a strong point.