Arsenal

[Rev]

Almost a quarter of the goals they've conceded are courtesy of Arsenal, in fact.

[Jonathan_Kerr]

In previous years when we've been rocked by injuries/players leaving, I don't think the other title winning clubs denigrate their achievements by going "Our title was lessened because Arsenal haven't signed anyone and their first XI was injured for most of the season." You can only play who's put in front of you, so the fact that Chelsea and United are having poor seasons is no different than when we were trying to win the league with kids and Squillaci/Djourou IMO.

 

That's not to say we shouldn't be nine points ahead now. I believe Wenger has always wanted to win the league at a bargain price, when ironically, it looks like it'll be Ranieri or Pochettino who will do that.

[The Fox]

 

 

Seen a lot of people say they agree with Souness about us bottling it but I'm not buying it personally. I think Sunday was another example of the manager and team looking at the state United were in and thinking they could basically just show up and win because we had better players. I don't buy the 'mentally weak' stuff at all, I think it's a lazy assessment. This isn't the Arsenal of 2009 anymore; these players have all won trophies and have all won numerous big, high-pressure games. Christ, just a couple of weeks ago we came from behind to beat the league leaders right at the death in a game we absolutely had to get a result in.

 

Our issues were in the lack of preparation and tactics, and we've seen it so many times over the years with teams Wenger doesn't respect. We took United seriously at home and had a proper gameplan. There was no evidence of that at all on Sunday, and Wenger got thoroughly outdone by Van Gaal. We had no structure, no movement, and when we got the ball we didn't seem to know what to do with it. I don't see how that has got anything to do with us 'bottling it', personally. People decry the lack of 'leaders' all the time, but where are the leaders in that young Spurs squad? They don't have an Adams or a Puyol. They also don't have any £40m superstars. But what they do have is a tactically astute manager who has set them up in an organised way that makes them hard to beat. Wenger can do this too - City away last season, Bayern home this season, Barca for 70 mins - when he respects his opponents and prepares accordingly. But all too often it seems he just sends the players out because he thinks that we will win purely through having more talented personnel. That was the real issue on Sunday for me, not all this intangible stuff about 'character' and 'bottle'.

[Rev]

If you hire him as a pundit and don't allow him to say "character" or "bottle" you better have a talented ventriloquist to stick his arm up Souness' arse if you don't want him sitting in silence. Even in 2009 there were usually other explanations. "Not quite good enough" more often than not, or at least "not quite good enough to change to a plan B".

 

There's nothing really worse than we were last season, we're probably better in some regards. If we finish 3rd and Wenger comes out and said "I am happy with this season as we have gone forwards from last season" it's really difficult to argue with him. We are better, but that's not why we could have won the league.

 

He called for solidarity from players and fans today, which I suspect means he's losing the dressing room as well as the supporters. I think it's the start of the end and I don't have a single clue what happens next.

[The Fox]

Michael Cox has just posted this about the hackneyed old 'lack of leaders' stuff: http://www.espnfc.com/barclays-premier-league/23/blog/post/2818906/arsenal-criticism-for-lack-of-leaders-is-missing-the-point

 

I really don't think our current squad compares unfavourably with anyone else's these days in that regard. Cech and Mertesacker are certainly more obvious captain types than anyone in Spurs' squad but it doesn't seem to make much difference. Puyol and Terry seem like the last of an old breed to be honest.

[Dude Ranch]

We've got absolutely no one to drag us through a game. No real match winner. Hilariously Flamini looks like the most vocal leader.

 

When the chips are down, as they all too often are, we look lost and flat.

 

We're predictable and actually quite dull to watch IMO. We've fallen so far it's quite pathetic. We used to be up there with the very best on and off the field. These days we're miles behind when it comes to identifying the players we need and swiftly signing them. The commercial side is under performing. We're mean. We have no ambition. The team is a genuine let down year after year. We're joined at the hip with a manager waaaaay past his sell by date. It's a bad joke. We're a gutless Club if you ask me.

[The Fox]

We haven't played consistently entertaining and effective football since September-December 2013 imo. Other than that it's just been the odd game here and there (Liverpool home, City away, FA Cup final last season; Bayern home, United home this season).

 

Results were largely good from Feb-Dec 2015 but the football wasn't often sparkling. Since Cazorla got injured it's been fairly terrible.

[hauk]

Things might not be so bad, we apparently have a warchest that will be opened at some point in the summer. We might even purchase back up left back from Leicester City to replace Kieran Gibbs.

[The Fox]

Sounds like Cazorla and Wilshere won't be back this season. Cazorla has aggravated an achilles issue and Jack is still 3-4 weeks away which is the same as he was 3-4 weeks ago.

 

The Cazorla one is worrying to be honest given that he's 32 this year. I wonder if this might be the beginning of the end.

 

I also think this means we need to throw Elneny in at the deep end here, because there are no midfield reinforcements coming anymore. Initially I'd drop Coquelin because he's clearly not operating at the right level (he's a pure ball winner but his tackles/interceptions are waaaay down since coming back). If that doesn't work it'll probably be too late for the league, but then you'd have to try Coq-Elneny CM and Ramsey on the right.

[Rocafella]

I think having a lack of 'leaders' is one of the key reasons we're not clear of those around us.

 

It's easy to dismiss all these ex-pros who trot out the line, but the fact is most of them have won numerous titles, so it's obviously a key aspect to any successful team.

 

I actually think it's a big part of why Leicester have been so successful this season; solid organisation, fantastic individial quality in certain players, and an amazing teamwork that comes from having leaders all over the pitch. 

 

What team has won the league without having a spine of players you could point to as leaders and back to drag you through those games you don't win otherwise. Wenger's tried to do away with the concept, much like the captaincy, and I wouldn't say it's worked out particularly well. 

 

Of course there are other major factors, but it's still an important one IMO.

[Rev]

I think the "we haven't played nice football for ages" and the "we lack leadership" are two sides of the same coin. I'm more than happy that the combination of Cech, Per, Alexis and (OFF THE PITCH, IN HIS SPARE TIME) Flamini are perfectly capable of ensuring that Wenger's messages get through. Regardless of whether people think we've become a long ball team (we have) there's clearly no coherent tactical philosophy any more. If it's open to interpretation what should be happening, Cech aiming for Giroud, Per thinking he should be playing it short, Flamini shouting (FROM THE STANDS) for everyone to pass to Ozil...What happens? I'd argue that sometimes it goes well, most of the time it looks like a clumsy mess.

 

That sounds like our season.

[The Fox]

10 hours ago, Rocafella said:

I think having a lack of 'leaders' is one of the key reasons we're not clear of those around us.

 

It's easy to dismiss all these ex-pros who trot out the line, but the fact is most of them have won numerous titles, so it's obviously a key aspect to any successful team.

 

I actually think it's a big part of why Leicester have been so successful this season; solid organisation, fantastic individial quality in certain players, and an amazing teamwork that comes from having leaders all over the pitch. 

 

What team has won the league without having a spine of players you could point to as leaders and back to drag you through those games you don't win otherwise. Wenger's tried to do away with the concept, much like the captaincy, and I wouldn't say it's worked out particularly well. 

 

Of course there are other major factors, but it's still an important one IMO.

 

I'm gonna have to disagree here. I'm not saying on-field leadership isn't a real thing, just that I can't see any evidence for us being lacking in that respect compared to our rivals. Were we lacking leaders when we beat Bayern? Or City home and away? Or when we thrashed Liverpool and United?

 

To use your Leicester example, it just seems like you're conflating 'playing well' with 'having lots of leaders'. Did Leicester have lots of leaders last season when they were in the mire? Because it's only really Huth who's come in since then who you could say possesses some leadership qualities.

 

I dunno, I just don't see it as a thing for us really. Like I said, Spurs have a largely young and inexperienced side but they're doing really well so far. Best goal difference. Fewest goals conceded. But it's not because they're a side brimming with chest-thumping captains; they've been fortuitous with injuries and so haven't needed to deviate from a system which is working well for them.

 

Compare that with what we've had to deal with in terms of our structure: based on pre-season our 'Plan A' seemed to be Coquelin-Ramsey in CM, Wilshere on the right. Before the season even started that was out the window with Jack's ankle turning to dust yet again. 'Plan B' was Coquelin-Ramsey in CM, Cazorla wide. After a poor half against West Ham that too was out the window, so Wenger can't have had much faith in his backup plan. 'Plan C' was going back to the tried-and-tested Coquelin-Cazorla in CM, Ramsey on the right. That was working ok-ish until December when both the CMs got injured. Since then we've been on 'Plan D' of Flamini/Coq-Ramsey in CM, and we're really struggling to transition the ball from back to front. Ramsey is trying to do it as best he can but it's not his strong suit and the movement ahead of him is often non-existent.

 

Something needs to change in that midfield because with setbacks for Cazorla and Wilshere there's no cavalry on the way. These issues could all have been alleviated if we'd replaced Arteta last summer, but here we are.

[Rev]

If leadership counted for anything, Chelsea wouldn't have lost games when Terry was on the pitch. They did.

 

It was important when Souness was playing because you needed to unite a bunch of (comparatively) amateurs to play as a team. Getting your centre back through a hangover and onto a bus is a very different skill to advising how to manage social media visibility and controlling your agent.

[The Fox]

Well this is fucking weird.

 

March 1st: 

 

“Santi is not doing too well,” said Wenger. “He has some Achilles problems that hold him back.

 

“His knee is doing well but his Achilles has inflamed a little bit and we have to put him off impact training.

 

“It has been a reaction to coming back. A return in April? We have to see now how he responds. He always had a little tendinitis in his Achilles and we have to see how he responds to that.”

 

March 2nd:

 

 

[Rev]

If I could be bothered to fight with quotes, I'd quote my "lost the dressing room" assertion above.

[The Fox]

I can't believe an institution like Wenger loses an Arsenal dressing room. He pretty much runs the place from top to bottom. Surely never gonna happen.

 

Not saying players won't ever have doubts or grievances, but I think that's going too far.

[Rev]

I'm sure it takes longer to reach that point but once you've got there that's it.

 

It's just another consequence of a ridiculous season. A third place finish after signing a great player couldn't ever result in Wenger going unless we're behind a predicted relegation candidate and Spurs. But it has happened and answering how that has happened is just impossible, the players know that as well as the fans.

[Rev]

I mean, look at this shit:

 

http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CcjT13rWEAAtXDR.jpg

[Dude Ranch]

Leadership doesn't just mean shouting at the boys. I think we're short of players who can grab a game by the scruff of the neck and visibly lead by example. I'd say in terms of inspirational effort the full backs can't be faulted,  nor can Kos mostly. Ramsey is a weird one cos he doesn't stop but doesn't come up with big tackles nor is he overly influential in an obvious way beyond getting a goal. Alexis runs his nuts off but is a bit selfish and end product can be frustrating. Beyond that I suppose Flamini - oh God - at the very least he really goes at it vocally and physically. Coquelin I guess looks focused most of the time and knows his role. Ozil gets by on talent. Stats show that he runs a lot but so does Eddie Izzard. Ozil shirks tackles and looks disinterested.

 

Dunno, we just look flat and bland. Maybe Arsene has lost them. I look at them and it's hard to tell who really looks overly fussed.

[Chooch]

On 1 March 2016 at 9:38 AM, The Fox said:

 

 

Seen a lot of people say they agree with Souness about us bottling it but I'm not buying it personally. I think Sunday was another example of the manager and team looking at the state United were in and thinking they could basically just show up and win because we had better players. I don't buy the 'mentally weak' stuff at all, I think it's a lazy assessment. This isn't the Arsenal of 2009 anymore; these players have all won trophies and have all won numerous big, high-pressure games. Christ, just a couple of weeks ago we came from behind to beat the league leaders right at the death in a game we absolutely had to get a result in.

 

Our issues were in the lack of preparation and tactics, and we've seen it so many times over the years with teams Wenger doesn't respect. We took United seriously at home and had a proper gameplan. There was no evidence of that at all on Sunday, and Wenger got thoroughly outdone by Van Gaal. We had no structure, no movement, and when we got the ball we didn't seem to know what to do with it. I don't see how that has got anything to do with us 'bottling it', personally. People decry the lack of 'leaders' all the time, but where are the leaders in that young Spurs squad? They don't have an Adams or a Puyol. They also don't have any £40m superstars. But what they do have is a tactically astute manager who has set them up in an organised way that makes them hard to beat. Wenger can do this too - City away last season, Bayern home this season, Barca for 70 mins - when he respects his opponents and prepares accordingly. But all too often it seems he just sends the players out because he thinks that we will win purely through having more talented personnel. That was the real issue on Sunday for me, not all this intangible stuff about 'character' and 'bottle'.

This post reminded me of this tweet:

 

 

[gooner4life]

Coquelin is having to do the job of 2 men - I'd drop Ramsey or put him back on the wing - play Elneny or Flamini next to Coquelin, Ramsey is over complicating things at the moment, his strengths lie in his offensive positioning and the timing of his runs, at the moment he's trying to do stepovers and backheels and generally taking too many touches when he should be keeping it simple, give an option, move the ball on quickly and get in or around the box to support the striker, that's his game.

 

 

[The Fox]

Yeah that probably sums his approach up to that game to an extent. Just thought we could rock up to Old Trafford and turn them over, piece of piss. Ugh.

 

Anyways we can debate the issues and in reality it's probably a mix of lots of stuff anyway. Personally I feel that it mostly just comes down to poor squad balance in midfield and I think everyone could see we needed another holding player in the summer instead of retaining both Flamini and Arteta. Whatever else may or may not be happening, we're definitely paying the price for that now in our play. We muddled through when Santi was fit to an extent but we still weren't playing well or scoring that often, and since he got injured it's been even worse.

 

For tonight, I think Welbeck should have a rest ahead of Spurs. Gabriel and Walcott obviously deserve to be dropped, and I think he has to mix something up in the middle. Personally I think Coq looks like he was rushed back a bit too soon and is struggling to reach anything like his 2015 form at the mo. I also don't really understand why Chambers hasn't had any more minutes in midfield since Bournemouth when I thought he played pretty well. He's technically very proficient and I think I'd like to see him given another shot. I'd try: 

 

Cech; Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal; Chambers, Ramsey; Campbell, Özil, Alexis; Giroud

 

Edit: ^^^^^^^ Re: Ramsey taking too many touches and slowing things down -- I don't see what choice he had against United! Time and time again he'd get the ball and there was just nothing ahead of him. United man-marked and our forwards just wandered around.

[Rev]

Sanchez has seemingly forgotten how to kick a ball, let alone do anything of interest with it. Really, we've got to mix things up and hope to revitalise everyone, so I'd happily bring Chambers and/or Elneny in, but I'd also bring in Iwobi personally, he was the only plus point of the FA Cup match.

 

It's hard to care, frankly. We don't want to lose 3rd place, but that's about all we're aiming for now.

[The Fox]

If Alexis is crap again tonight then I'd bring Welbeck in on the left vs Spurs and try Sanchez on the right. I think part of it is due to defenders having sussed him out on the left.

[Rev]

I'm not wholly convinced he'd have scored if there weren't any defenders in the last couple of games. He's working hard, but that's literally all you can say about him at the moment.

[Rev]

(I'd rest Welbeck entirely tonight though. We want him available for Spurs. He's our best chance of Leicester winning the title.)

[The Fox]

Once more with feeling for Coquelin-Ramsey then.

 

Hopefully it'll work a bit better with a big lad at CF and Joel on the right who's fairly safe on the ball. Mesut needs to drop off more than he did against Utd though.

[davidcotton]

6 hours ago, The Fox said:

Well this is fucking weird.

 

March 1st: 

 

“Santi is not doing too well,” said Wenger. “He has some Achilles problems that hold him back.

 

“His knee is doing well but his Achilles has inflamed a little bit and we have to put him off impact training.

 

“It has been a reaction to coming back. A return in April? We have to see now how he responds. He always had a little tendinitis in his Achilles and we have to see how he responds to that.”

 

March 2nd:

 

 

 

It's an early April's fool gag innit

[The Fox]

That would be amazing. "April Fools! I'm actually going to have to retire with immediate effect due to persistent Achilles problems"

[Silent Runner]

Giroud looking for the lay off the whole time - dudes confidence looks shot. Just shoot big man.