Arsenal vs Man city Sunday 8th April 16:00

[LDG]

A lot of people thought the same about Cesc. He looked like a great captain but on hindsight, he looks to be just about average.

We have gone on unbeaten runs in the last 6 seasons without fail. In 07/08, we were unbeaten till about Jan/Feb I think, in 08/09 we went 16-17 games unbeaten, 09/10 we had a great run after the Chelsea defeat at Emirates (my first game at Emirates) till we decided to fold and die towards March (remember the loss to Wigan after leading 2-0 till 85 min?) then last season we were in 4 trophies till Feb.. what happened afterwards? I just do not see a different pattern this season to think it will be different.

As for team spirit- remember 07/08 when we thought that team looked awesome- Flamini, Cesc, Hleb, Rosicky, Ade looking unbeatable. How about the season before last when Ramsey's leg was snapped.. we thought after that game at Stoke, we'd take it to the next level. Remember 'Let's do it for Rambo'? I see no difference in this team spirit mentality bollocks of this season. I hope I am wrong but history tells me otherwise!

Podolski has been signed, so was Nasri and Chamakh a few seasons back. What was ignored was the need for re-enforcement's in defense and up front.

As for your last statement, No, I cannot see the difference unfortunately. Once again, I re-iterate, I hope I am wrong. I have said this for the last 3-4 seasons but unfortunately I get proven right!

We have been over all this before I guess, and the main difference in opinion is whether the manager should go or not.

I've always believed that there has been much more to the problems we've had over the last few years than just the manager. That said he doesn't escape without blame, and if we were a different club, I don't think he would still be there.

As far as I see it, it is a question you have to ask of the board. Why did they not sack him?

i) I think, as most people agree, he makes the club financially strong, whilst keeping us in the money spinning ECL.

ii) Is there / was there anyone else out there that could do the same job? Probably, but then, why not sack him, and actually do it....which would seem to point to

iii) The people that know the club, inside out, who are running a 750 million pound company, might just know there shit better than internet joe....and they actually think he's a pretty bloody good manager

You can look at Wenger and the team over the last 5 years, and I think EVERYONE who knows a bit about football, could point to the stupid, frustrating and bafflingly obvious holes in our team.

However, the KEY thing that has dissapointed me over the last few years, has been the players, their attitude, and their lack of respect for THE Arsenal.

Ade, Nasri, Diairra, Cesc, Cole, Flamini, Bendtner etc etc.

They all of them thought themselves better than our club. And despite their obvious talent (in most cases), did not make us a team that was going to win things.....


Which leads us back to now.

The fundemental principle about winnning shit....is having a team, who has strength through the middle of the park, talent when the game is looking beyond your reach on an off day, committment to the club / fans AND THEIR TEAM MATES (funny Nasri went missing on Sunday wasn't it...funny how Ade went missing when we beat the shite out of the scum)....and above all, a manager who believes in them, and get the best out of them.

I'm tired of seeing Wenger buy players for nothing, make them wealthy superstars, only for them to stab him in the back when a better offer comes calling.

I think this team, here and now, has (in the most part) players committed to the club. And that is where we can hopefully kick on from.

I'll always believe. It makes me a mug sometimes. But whats the point if you don't believe?

[Olivier's xmas twist]

I'll always believe. It makes me a mug sometimes. But whats the point if you don't believe?

Nope it makes you a fan and thats what its all about. Believing and hoping for the best can't ask for no more from a fan tbh.


Not saying we have to be delusional and pretend eveything is rosy, but having a bit of faith in no way makes you a mug.

[Özil's Panoramic View]

It's is rather quite simple, hence I see no point in over analyzing. For the 1st time in a long while, true team spirit and resolve can be sensed. As I said earlier, we always tend to fade and drop from 2nd to 4th at this stage of the season, but this time around, we seem to be finishing strong for a change. Whether it does continue, remains to be seen.

Players the ilk of say a RVP, are less likely to leave and it will be easier to get quality players to sign up for us for the upcoming season. We are not going into the transfer market in disarray and with talks of our best players wanting to leave.

IMO, Wenger has managed to navigate the rough parts of the sea, went close to capsizing a few times, but somehow has miraculously managed to get us to steady waters and sailing pretty smooth right now. This towards the end of a season that started disastrously, but what it will do, providing he gets the team to maintain momentum, is to give him the opportunity to aim higher next season and that aim can be nothing less than the EPL title.

[Marc Overmars]

We were lingering outside the top 4 all season but have managed to haul ourselves back in at just the right time. We all know 4th place is the bare minimum target the club needs to meet, and the team has given everything to ensure we do it.

What I'd like to see next season is whether we can we put this sort of brilliant form together if we're involved in a title race. History suggests we stumble in that scenario, however thrive when our top 4 place is under threat.

I'm certainly looking forward to next season anyway but we must get RVP signed up ASAP.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

It's is rather quite simple, hence I see no point in over analyzing. For the 1st time in a long while, true team spirit and resolve can be sensed. As I said earlier, we always tend to fade and drop from 2nd to 4th at this stage of the season, but this time around, we seem to be finishing strong for a change. Whether it does continue, remains to be seen.

Players the ilk of say a RVP, are less likely to leave and it will be easier to get quality players to sign up for us for the upcoming season. We are not going into the transfer market in disarray and with talks of our best players wanting to leave.

IMO, Wenger has managed to navigate the rough parts of the sea, went close to capsizing a few times, but somehow has miraculously managed to get us to steady waters and sailing pretty smooth right now. This towards the end of a season that started disastrously, but what it will do, providing he gets the team to maintain momentum, is to give him the opportunity to aim higher next season and that aim can be nothing less than the EPL title.

This, But id be happy to see us Challenging for the title even if we don't win it, i'd like us to be up there longer then Feb/March/April.

[Syn]

If RVP goes, it's all gone. Any confidence/optimism/momentum we have built up - game over. Back to the same feeling at the beginning of the season. We don't just need him to stay for the goals, he's the figurehead of the fighting Arsenal. We can't do another transition...we have to be at the absolute limit now. Although the moaners™ think nothing is changed and that fans will always continue to back Wenger, they're forgetting how bad the atmosphere was at part this season. You might not realise it, but it the 'Wenger Out' party keep picking up a lot of floating voters each time something horrible happens. Not horrible like a loss to QPR after a run of 8 wins...that shit happens to everyone. Horrible like pissing away a 2 goal lead to the spuds or losing our captain, again. Van Persie goes, Wenger's Arsenal is finished for good.

Good thing he's not going though.

But if he does, we're fucked.

But good thing he's not going.

[fakeyank]

I agree. If RVP leaves, we will be back to where we were last August. The longer the saga goes, the less optimistic I am about him staying. Wenger needs to do business asap and give RVP confidence that there is a great team around him to win trophies. If, as in the past, AW goes into a waiting period, we might as well pitch in and buy a ticket for RVP to fly to the next team he will be signing for.

[Marc Overmars]

RVP leaving now would be worse than Cesc, Nasri et al. It would certainly be the nadir for me.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

I agree. If RVP leaves, we will be back to where we were last August. The longer the saga goes, the less optimistic I am about him staying. Wenger needs to do business asap and give RVP confidence that there is a great team around him to win trophies. If, as in the past, AW goes into a waiting period, we might as well pitch in and buy a ticket for RVP to fly to the next team he will be signing for.

Agree with all of this Losing RVP the MVP would be a disaster of the highest. I think there is a chance of him staying unlike Cesc who bitched his way to a move.

[Letters]

I agree. If RVP leaves, we will be back to where we were last August. The longer the saga goes, the less optimistic I am about him staying. Wenger needs to do business asap and give RVP confidence that there is a great team around him to win trophies. If, as in the past, AW goes into a waiting period, we might as well pitch in and buy a ticket for RVP to fly to the next team he will be signing for.

IMO RvP won't sign if we don't finish in the top 4. He's a world class player and would want to be playing at the highest level. If we do, and I think we will now, then I think he will sign but yes, we need to get that sorted early and not have it drag on all summer while $ity et al wave increasingly obscene amounts of money at him. I think he'll stay because he's got a brain (a rare commodity amongst footballers) and wouldn't want to go somewhere as soulless as City.