Match reaction vs. Everton

[Power n Glory]

Really not sure where the idea the game has moved on is coming from. Do you mean moved backwards, because the quality on display from all teams in all countries is considerably lower than a decade ago and is a mockery compared to a couple of decades back. Back then we had skilful, direct and entertaining football (except when the Italians were playing). Now the game is pure shit, apart from the odd moments when a very (very, very) few genuinely talented individuals raise it. Players seem to be fitter, they seem to be able to run further (has this actually been tested?), but they are weaker mentally, they aren't sportsmen with a sporting philosophy, they cheat relentlessly and don't have a problem doing it. Managers pack midfields, park buses, very much in the Italian philosophy which to me is a destruction of the game rather than a step forward. The media applauds this horrendous regression judging the ends as suitable apology for the means, in most cases. Even Wenger has adopted this negative approach now, not that it works well for us. Mardrid, Bayern, Dortmund, Manchester Utd, PSG and particularly Barcelona produced cringeworthy garbage last week, as did we and the other so-called elite of the game the week before. Chelsea are a horrible team beyond compare. Liverpool and the gypos occasionally produce something worth watching in a football sense.

Do you mean Wenger hasn't tried to destroy football itself to the same degree wreckers like Mourinho has? If so, I agree and I'm happy about that. I'm hoping Wenger's preferred style fo football, or proper football if you like, will come back into fashion at some point. I'm a little sick of hearing wise pundits and media hacks talk about the modern game because the modern game is every bit as shit as they are. Do we actually want this modern game or would some entertainment and sportsmanship be the better way to go?

How can the quality of football be lower than what it was two decades ago?

[fakeyank]

How can the quality of football be lower than what it was two decades ago?

Don't take his bait. He is just trying to be different and get a reaction. Just agree that it is the fault of capitalism, jose mourinho, usmanov, Abu Dhabi, sky, refs, neighbors goat etc.

[IBK]

This.

Everything about Arsene and his rotten system screams of his ideals and how he wants "football" played irrespective of the outcome.

As you stated, Arsene's system relies on too many unknowns to click in order for it to be delivered correctly. I would even go one step further and say most of his buys are fairly similar (highly technical attacking midfielders) because they fit into his "idealistic, tika taka barca lite" system.

Everything he does regarding the football team reeks of somebody so far removed from reality and living in his own bubble, he's unable to build a balanced football team, our team/squad is just a sum of parts...a fantasy. Arsene's teams collapse under pressure for a reason, it's not like we are talking about the same set of players everytime, it's a character trait of his teams.

People say "give him time", "we have money now", "we can't hire a better manager than him"? blah blah blah....

I respect Arsene for his past achievements but he simply has to go now...thanks for leaving the club in great shape financially and for building a solid-ish squad, but let somebody with an open mind and different vision take over.

Ernesto put it well when he said

The fact that managers who were knocking about in the lower divisions five years ago suddenly getting the better of Wenger so easily is unnerving.

...and NQ - AW has been excused a lot over the past few years for his principled way of going about things. And Mourinho's obvious spite stems from the fact that Wenger is still respected here despite his lack of success. We can justifiably point to the Citeh's and Chavs poisoning football. What hurts is that with fewer resources than us, Rogers; Martinez; and even the likes of Pochetino are showing that good management can breed success and a dynamic brand of football. Like it or not, the new breed of managers are playing more exciting football than us, even if they are also being tactically astute in setting teams up to play what is in front of them. It has been embarrassing seeing Arsenal so easily out-thought as well as out played.

[Niall_Quinn]

How can the quality of football be lower than what it was two decades ago?

It's a personal opinion. I think games are positively dull compared to two decades ago when the winger was common, defending was uncompromising and the striker needed to be a lot more proficient than he is now in order to get a sniff.

There's too much negativity in the current game - brought about by "progressive" coaches. It's not fun to watch. It's dull. Technically proficient maybe, like Barcelona, but uninspiring and monotonous.

[Niall_Quinn]

...and NQ - AW has been excused a lot over the past few years for his principled way of going about things. And Mourinho's obvious spite stems from the fact that Wenger is still respected here despite his lack of success. We can justifiably point to the Citeh's and Chavs poisoning football. What hurts is that with fewer resources than us, Rogers; Martinez; and even the likes of Pochetino are showing that good management can breed success and a dynamic brand of football. Like it or not, the new breed of managers are playing more exciting football than us, even if they are also being tactically astute in setting teams up to play what is in front of them. It has been embarrassing seeing Arsenal so easily out-thought as well as out played.

Yes, some managers are certainly more enterprising and ambitious with their football than Wenger is now, wouldn't argue with that. I hate watching the shit we play. But there isn't a manager anywhere who has ever produced the type of football we used to play. Granted, it's much tougher to play like that now, mainly due to the cynical approach that has come about because it is now so vital to win or get fourth or stay up or whatever the financial goal happens to be. This is what I mean when I say people shouldn't be so quick to applaud the modern game. Yes it is modern and it gets results, but it's boring and one of the key ingredients of any form of entertainment should be, well, entertainment.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Wenger has genuinely changed his ways fundamentally in a number of ways. The problem is, he is still all too familiar and comfortable with this slowly slowly catchy monkey aproach to getting to where ever it is he thinks he's going. That is why he allowed the Suarez negotiations to petter out and why he was happy to sit on his hands for so much of the last 2 windows saying "we will not buy for the sake of it".

The problem is, the fans no longer share his patience......that's if they ever did. I refer you to his quote from last summer about being well placed to challenge within the next 2-3 years regarding our resources which rings ominously in our eardrums. Or least, it does mine.

AFC for a long time were waiting for FFP to kick in, when perhaps we should have been waiting for more billionaire's shi* to hit the fan. Since Chelsea sold what was left of their soul, others have followed suit with Billionaires buying up top clubs and it may well happen again. It might have been easier to really compete before the situation got worse....but here we are. Despite it being the worst it's been, we are in the healthiest shape we've been financially.

Despite the current malaise, if we actually spend what is within our resources wisely enough this summer we can be genuine challengers from start to FINISH next season. If Liverpool can finish 7th and be title challengers the next season in April, then I see no reason why we can't.....except for the small matter of whether the manager is willing to do all of what is necessary....

[Bumble]

It's 9 points from 9 games now. But we have three homes games where we will pick up three wins. But we have to pick up a win away from home.

Wenger is lucky that the home performances have been pretty decent overall so has avoided any fan reaction. Still pretty supportive although that could turn if the next home game against west ham is a draw.

[AFC Leveller]

This.

Everything about Arsene and his rotten system screams of his ideals and how he wants "football" played irrespective of the outcome.

As you stated, Arsene's system relies on too many unknowns to click in order for it to be delivered correctly. I would even go one step further and say most of his buys are fairly similar (highly technical attacking midfielders) because they fit into his "idealistic, tika taka barca lite" system.

Everything he does regarding the football team reeks of somebody so far removed from reality and living in his own bubble, he's unable to build a balanced football team, our team/squad is just a sum of parts...a fantasy. Arsene's teams collapse under pressure for a reason, it's not like we are talking about the same set of players everytime, it's a character trait of his teams.

People say "give him time", "we have money now", "we can't hire a better manager than him"? blah blah blah....

I respect Arsene for his past achievements but he simply has to go now...thanks for leaving the club in great shape financially and for building a solid-ish squad, but let somebody with an open mind and different vision take over.

Im with you mate. The common denominator is the manager.

We've had 9 years of the same bullshit from him, the same capitulations from HIS players and the progress that we made earlier in the season is gone and we've actually regresed. This group have been together for 3-4 seasons yet they have not made any real progress and keep making the same mistakes they made at the beginning. The 06 to 09 teams were a talented bunch with RVC, a younger Rosicky, Cesc, Sagna, Adeisawhore, Flamini, Nasri (even Henry was there for a bit too) etc but they failed too! this man is the problem and the longer he stays the longer we'll wait for real progress and trophies.

His obsession with these tiny midgets who can play neat one twos is the real reason why his teams arent balanced and dont deliver sucess. Just how many of these kinda players has he signed over the last 10 years? Rosicky, Ozil, Cazorla, Hleb, Wilshere, Podolski, Nasri, Ramsay, Arteta etc just to name a few. these players are actually decent but they should be complimented by diferent type of players in order for us to go somewhere.

[selassie]

Yes, some managers are certainly more enterprising and ambitious with their football than Wenger is now, wouldn't argue with that. I hate watching the shit we play. But there isn't a manager anywhere who has ever produced the type of football we used to play. Granted, it's much tougher to play like that now, mainly due to the cynical approach that has come about because it is now so vital to win or get fourth or stay up or whatever the financial goal happens to be. This is what I mean when I say people shouldn't be so quick to applaud the modern game. Yes it is modern and it gets results, but it's boring and one of the key ingredients of any form of entertainment should be, well, entertainment.

That's the problem though NQ, when we talk about Arsene's Footballing achievements it's all done in past tense, it's all about what he did, not what he is currently doing.

Maybe we are at cross purposes but what does the modern game have to do with Arsene's obvious flaws in his approach to managing the "Football team"?

I really respect some of you guys for the patience you have shown with him, how you can want him in charge for another season completely baffles me. I am literally praying he walks away this summer, I've had enough.

[Power n Glory]

Yes, some managers are certainly more enterprising and ambitious with their football than Wenger is now, wouldn't argue with that. I hate watching the shit we play. But there isn't a manager anywhere who has ever produced the type of football we used to play. Granted, it's much tougher to play like that now, mainly due to the cynical approach that has come about because it is now so vital to win or get fourth or stay up or whatever the financial goal happens to be. This is what I mean when I say people shouldn't be so quick to applaud the modern game. Yes it is modern and it gets results, but it's boring and one of the key ingredients of any form of entertainment should be, well, entertainment.

That's pretty warped. Wenger didn't invent this style of football.

Swansea, Southampton, Liverpool and Everton are clear examples of teams that can play an attractive brand of football and don't have the same sort of problems we have breaking down more organised teams. It's no excuse. We're not even being hampered by teams parking the bus. They're just coming at us and getting points.