Winter Transfer Window - Cold and Lonely.

[Power n Glory]

The next 2 games will tell us a lot

Considering we fell at the first hurdle, did you take anything new away from this game? Do you have a different perspective on the club, manager, players and title hopes?

[Niall_Quinn]

Agreed. If we'd won last night then a win at Chelsea would have put us 3 points behind, right back in it. But, as far too often, we fail to do what we need to and even a win at Chelsea would see us 6 points behind. The more likely outcome is we'll be 12 points behind and out of it, even a draw leaves us 9 points behind and we're not making that up. Twats.

A win at the chavs would have been a tease at best, but it would never be an indication we are in the title hunt. Mathematically, perhaps. But based on the evidence of soul crushing season after soul crushing season under this manager the chance of us winning a title has been 0% for quite some time now. Literally 0%

Even when all our main rivals disappear we still can't do it. Teams like Leicester City can sneak in and say, we'll have some of that. But Wenger will always find a way to lose. If there is a way to lose it is 100% certain Wenger will seize it and exploit it to the maximum. Of course he doesn't mean to lose. And because of that we can conclude, with 100% certainty, he is incompetent.

At the start of a season, what are the chances of winning a title with an incompetent manager? 0%
In the middle of a season, what are the chances of winning a title with an incompetent manager? 0%
With a win against major rivals in a crunch game near the end of the season, what are the chances of winning a title with an incompetent manager? 0%
Next season, what are the chances of winning a title with an incompetent manager? 0%
The season after...

[Letters]

Considering we fell at the first hurdle, did you take anything new away from this game? Do you have a different perspective on the club, manager, players and title hopes?

Well, as you know I'm generally a glass half full kinda person. I saw this as a good opportunity to make up ground on Chelsea as they had the harder game and that would mean going to Stamford Bridge with a chance to put some real pressure on them.
But yes, we fell at the first hurdle, we actually lost ground on Chelsea

So I'm done, I don't see any hope of major trophies with this manager. I still don't think he deserves quite the level of disrespect or abuse he gets on here, he's nowhere near as inept as people make out and is only failing in comparison with himself, but with our squad we should have won the league last year and we should be pushing Chelsea hard this. We didn't and we're not. #WengerOut.

[Power n Glory]

Well, as you know I'm generally a glass half full kinda person. I saw this as a good opportunity to make up ground on Chelsea as they had the harder game and that would mean going to Stamford Bridge with a chance to put some real pressure on them.
But yes, we fell at the first hurdle, we actually lost ground on Chelsea

So I'm done, I don't see any hope of major trophies with this manager. I still don't think he deserves quite the level of disrespect or abuse he gets on here, he's nowhere near as inept as people make out and is only failing in comparison with himself, but with our squad we should have won the league last year and we should be pushing Chelsea hard this. We didn't and we're not. #WengerOut.

Agree with most of that but the part in bold doesn't make sense. How so?

[Letters]

A win at the chavs would have been a tease at best, but it would never be an indication we are in the title hunt. Mathematically, perhaps. But based on the evidence of soul crushing season after soul crushing season under this manager the chance of us winning a title has been 0% for quite some time now. Literally 0%

I disagree. These are the sorts of games we "always" mess up. If we'd actually won them this time then it would have been a small glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, things might be different.
If you don't have any hope then what's the point in following it?

But anyway, we reverted to type so fine, it's over, it's all over #Rocky

My level of involvement with Arsenal these days is tutting at results after games are over. I think for now that's probably the level which the club deserve.

[Letters]

Agree with most of that but the part in bold doesn't make sense. How so?

We're still, on average, doing better than at most times in the club's history. It was only the first half of Wenger's time with us that we were, for a while, dominant in a way we hadn't been since the 30s.
We have no divine right to be in the top few each year and before Wenger that was the exception rather than the rule.

[Niall_Quinn]

I disagree. These are the sorts of games we "always" mess up. If we'd actually won them this time then it would have been a small glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, things might be different.
If you don't have any hope then what's the point in following it?

But anyway, we reverted to type so fine, it's over, it's all over #Rocky

My level of involvement with Arsenal these days is tutting at results after games are over. I think for now that's probably the level which the club deserve.

Why do you keep asking disgruntled fans why they continue to follow the fortunes of the club they support? It's not that fans' fault that everything has become depressingly predictable, that's entirely down to one man. He's the guy who should be leaving, not the fans.

We've had "game changing" results before. Spanking the gypos, crushing Utd, a nice win against the chavs earlier in the season. None of it amounts to anything significant in the end though. We never build on success, either in the transfer window or in the team selections or tactics on the pitch. Wenger has a failsafe position he'll always revert to as soon as he can and that's why we can always anticipate momentum being destroyed or confidence smashed or progress derailed. It's all him.

Even our shitty owners have started to do a bit by kicking in cash. We know the players are up to the task - BECAUSE of these one-off games where suddenly they can play, suddenly they have motivation, suddenly they can pass again, suddenly they want the ball. Against Watford, look at the behaviour of the players in the first half and compare to the second half. It's almost as if a set of unenergised clones were sent out for the first 45, then the real team arrived for the second. Of course Wenger found a way to screw up the second half too - he always does. And that's why a win against the chavs won't mean a damn thing in the grand scheme. Beat the chavs and the players will get excited, the fans will get excited (or would do at any normal club), the media will get excited (or would do if they hadn't seen it all before), false dawns will break and everyone will bask for a while - then Wenger will intervene and blow the whole thing up. That's what he does. That's what he has unerringly been doing for over a decade now.

This man has to leave the club so we can get a proper manager in. There's nothing more important in terms of Arsenal progressing as a genuine title contender. We can't move forward as long as this guy is holding us back. I'm not happy we lost this game, but maybe there is a silver lining. We are out of the title race even earlier than usual. That gives time for the owners to consider their options and for the fans to remind them what the main option should be. Wenger out.

[Letters]

Why do you keep asking disgruntled fans why they continue to follow the fortunes of the club they support?

The same reason I would ask anyone who keeps hitting themselves on the head why they keep hitting them-self on the head.
You in particular I asked because you seem to get zero pleasure out of it, win or lose. And actually the only way I see any change happening is if people en mass disengage from the club. While people keep filling the ground, buying the merchandise, subscribing to the TV packages and the money keeps rolling in then the board won't change a thing.
There is no silver lining from this result. The money keeps rolling in, we'll finish top 4, cha-ching! Round and round we go.

[Power n Glory]

We're still, on average, doing better than at most times in the club's history. It was only the first half of Wenger's time with us that we were, for a while, dominant in a way we hadn't been since the 30s.
We have no divine right to be in the top few each year and before Wenger that was the exception rather than the rule.

Would you say the same about Man Utd, Man City or Chelsea? Bayern, Madrid or Barca?

It's not about divine right. Nothing divine about it. It's about the standard we set ourselves and the amount we've invested in this club to achieve that. If any of the above clubs I mention drop fall way short of winning the title, question marks are raised about the players and manager. It's not divine right, just knowing that we're falling below the standard we've set for ourselves and Gazidis said the aim is to be able to compete with clubs like Bayern. We're far from that.

[Niall_Quinn]

The same reason I would ask anyone who keeps hitting themselves on the head why they keep hitting them-self on the head.
You in particular I asked because you seem to get zero pleasure out of it, win or lose. And actually the only way I see any change happening is if people en mass disengage from the club. While people keep filling the ground, buying the merchandise, subscribing to the TV packages and the money keeps rolling in then the board won't change a thing.
There is no silver lining from this result. The money keeps rolling in, we'll finish top 4, cha-ching! Round and round we go.

There's a big difference between the long term fans and the tourist consumers filling an increasing number of home seats. And the odd game comes along, like on Saturday, where before you know it you are enjoying football again. Slim pickings but the tiny chance we'll see a game and the long standing and unbroken relationship with the club means I won't be going anywhere. I was here before Wenger arrived and, fate willing, I'll be here when he's gone - even though I might be 90 years old.