We've stopped pressing to win the ball back and the deep defensive line and organised structure we saw at the start of the season is slowly fading. The pressing certainly has and I think Wenger may have somehow linked the intense pressing to our fatigue and injury problem. It's just a hunch but I have a feeling he's linked the two and feels to it burns too much energy so he's changed tactics.Originally Posted by Globalgunner
Same thoughts here. We joke about the computer making subs and telling us how far each player can run before they give up, but I do sense some horrible sort of sports psychology and statistical regime at work here.
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Conceding 17 goals against our title rivals doesnt bode well. If a miracle did happen and we won this title, we will go down for being one of the weakest sides to have won the eague, and will always be remebered for our 3 thrashings against our main rivals. Just a thought but I wouldnt want to win the league after those 3 maulings. Best to stay 4th for this season as Liverpol, Chesea and Man City deserve this championship with thier attcking style and free scoring total football, something we serioulsy lack.
I still think we lack real leadership in this team, it's all very good being great when we're playing well, but the leaders are needed when things are going wrong, they're needed to steady the ship and organiser, we've got noone basically, when we go a couple goals down we capitulate.
If we had an Adams type player or two I'm pretty sure this wouldn't happen.
This is reminiscent of 2000-01. We finished second, but lost at the homes of the other teams in the top 4. Not only that, we we embarrassed at two of them (lost 6-1 at Old Trafford and 4-0 at Anfield but fortunately only 1-0 at Elland Road!)
We had leaders in that team. Any of the back 5 could've made captain, as well as Vieira (à captain in the making). Hence, i really don't think it's a question of having leaders on the pitch. Yes, it would be nice to have à player who understands how their role would evolve in a game (Wilshere used to do that before his injury). It would be nice, for example, for Cazorla to head the ball once in a while, in spite of what the manager's told him.
It really is down to the manager. As far as the abhorrent Chelsea go, he ought to have focussed on their strengths and weaknesses and how to exploit said weaknesses. Instead, there appears to be an arrogant "do what you do best" style team-talk given ahead of every game. It would have worked with the Invincibles. Not with this lot. Not by a long shot.
Formerly TMOKJ
Can anyone tell me what the fuck does the manager see in Arteta? the guy is our weak link and all the top teams target him when we have the ball. Slow, letharig, no confidence, no energy, no strength nothing. He is one of the worst players in this team and doesnt protect the back 4 or break up oppo's play.
Unbelievable that he is vice captain.
Wenger likes him and thats all that matters. He probably thinks he owes him seeing as he was a starter at Everton before he came here, so he must play. We have seen it before, with other shit players. Wenger will keep playing them until the fans start getting on the players back, only then will he get rid. Oh and he will then blame the fans for killing the said players confidence. Arteta was never a DM. It is a disgrace for anyone with clear eyesight and a sound mind, to play him there.
Last edited by Globalgunner; 23-03-2014 at 02:16 PM.
He anything but our weak link. He's the fittest player in the team, the best passer and the most consistent player we have. This bullshit going around about him being bullied out of it by the chavs is complete crap. He was overrun, different thing. Overrun because he was having a bad game and his mates were having a mare too. He's not spectacular and he can be frustrating, mostly because his team mates have stopped giving him options. With a player like this the 50 unglamorous passes and the resulting ball retention goes unnoticed, but when he makes an error it sticks out, often because an error in that part of the field is dangerous. Look at players who don't get such a hard time though, Cazorla, Rosicky, Podolski - they kill us when they don't have a good game. Arteta will still put in a shift and still keep most of his shit together even when we are being murdered.
The criticism of this guy has been incredibly unfair.
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Spot on.
Absolutely mediocre. Passes the ball 5 yards but because he has this professional, obedient look about him, people seem to love him. Almost on par with Denilson in terms of being useless.
The first thing we should do this summer is replace this snail.
Agree with your last paragraph mate.
Chelsea did their homework and exploited our weakness to the max, we on the other hand had (as usual) no plan, no tactics, nothing. The players just passs it to whoever is free. The most frsutrating thing was that we didnt seem to learn from the Liverpool game at all and made the same mistakes as we did as Anfield. Do these players and manager not look at videos of past games and see where they went wrong? Chelsea yesterday were set up to stop us in the middile of the park and hit us on the counter where the Fbs leave space and that was exactly what Liverpool did.
Wenger is to blame for me, he doesnt do his bit to motivate or plan for the big games and thats why we're so shit in them.
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