Arsenal

[Steve007]

Oh come on. The Chelsea game earlier in the season was way worse.

It wasn't, we had a bit of hope in the Chelsea game and the players showed a small amount of fight. Plus Chelsea didn't get their 3rd right until the end. Yesterday Man United ripped our trousers off and fucked us senseless for 90 mins. There was no fight, no passion, no effort - nothing. It was the most spineless performance I have seen for many, many years.

To add insult to our gaping wounds, I also heard once again from a highly reliable source that Cesc is definitely off in the summer (around 30m euros, which is about £26m). There is also very little money to spend in the summer even with the sale of Fabregas so Ramsey will step up and fill Fabregas's boots next season, which isn't bad news. Ramsey will only get better with experience.

[Rev]

Not at all, because just for a bit, it looked like we had learnt our lesson after getting bumholed 3-nil by a geniune title-winning team a few months ago. Yesterday proved that not only is this not true, but some of our players can't remember mistakes they made a few weeks back. That's right, Denilson I'm looking at you, ambling back as Rooney/Sidebe/Pensioner on a mobility scooter bombs past. And worst of all is ALMUNIA, THE STUPID FUCKING CUNT SHIT-BASTARD, JOKE OF A PLAYER ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRFGHHHHoihywq;odh

The build-up "This is where we prove these players are mature enough and capable enough to take down a big team" before the team proved how immature and incapable of taking down a big team was more depressing. As everyone has said, we had a good run by playing teams we should be beating. This was just a sequel to that.

We are still in with a chance, I guess as points are still being dropped elsewhere. But I guess we ought to be happy with the third place trophy*.

*There is one, right?

[Lucky]

Anyone else got a strange feeling of De Ja Vo?

Like we've been here before or something.

[Mars]

It wasn't, we had a bit of hope in the Chelsea game and the players showed a small amount of fight. Plus Chelsea didn't get their 3rd right until the end. Yesterday Man United ripped our trousers off and fucked us senseless for 90 mins. There was no fight, no passion, no effort - nothing. It was the most spineless performance I have seen for many, many years.

To add insult to our gaping wounds, I also heard once again from a highly reliable source that Cesc is definitely off in the summer (around 30m euros, which is about £26m). There is also very little money to spend in the summer even with the sale of Fabregas so Ramsey will step up and fill Fabregas's boots next season, which isn't bad news. Ramsey will only get better with experience.

£26 million?! Is that a fucking joke?

[Dude Ranch]

£26 million?! Is that a fucking joke?

Yeah. I wouldn't begrudge him going but I'd want double that. We do tend to get mugged on transfer fees. Fabregas has got to be in the top five most wanted in world football.

Mind you, think of who we can buy when we invest £6m of that £26m. I mean, obviously we wouldn't want anyone too good in case we stifle Walcott, Vela, Denilson, Fabianski..

[mop]

Mind you, think of who we can buy when we invest £6m of that £26m. I mean, obviously we wouldn't want anyone too good in case we KILL Walcott, Vela, Denilson, Fabianski..

[hauk]

Who are we definitely selling Cesc to in the Summer for 26 million? He knows he won’t get in the 1st team at Barcelona and I doubt he’d go to Madrid due to his Barcelona history. Also seems a very low figure given recent transfer activity.

[Liamness]

He'd probably be an understudy to Xavi and Iniesta, or play further up (which I think would be foolish) on the left. Barca have wanted him for ages though. Like the Rooney story, it all depends on what the player wants really. Is he happy at Arsenal? Well, then that's where he's staying.

[Rev]

I think that is a bit wishful thinking.

He's not far off Barce first team - Xavi is 30, he's probably only got a couple more seasons. And frankly I think a bench place at Barce is better than captain here the way both teams are playing. Who wouldn't want to join them as they're playing now?

EDIT: At Hauk.

[TonyPlay]

I think Cesc is happy at arsenal , but he is ambitious. Unless Wenger shows he also has the ambition to win and buy players that can do this, then we could lose him

So many gooners walked out 10 minutes after the second half had started in disgust

[Liamness]

Xavi is just class, if he stays fit and injury free, he can play for another five years easy. Look at someone like Scholes. His touch and his footballing brain will keep him in contention, even if his legs go a bit. I think Henry is the one they really need to replace soon.

[Rev]

Xavi is just class, if he stays fit and injury free, he can play for another five years easy. Look at someone like Scholes. His touch and his footballing brain will keep him in contention, even if his legs go a bit.

He's going to start less and less games as time pass. Having Fabregas there to take over is, well, perfect.

[Liamness]

He'd slot right into their system, for sure. I just think he will find it more difficult than many realise to pull away from his central, starring role at Arsenal. He'll be just another player at the Nou Camp, just like Henry.

[The Fox]

He'd probably be an understudy to Xavi and Iniesta, or play further up (which I think would be foolish) on the left.

Fabregas wouldn't be the one to play on the left of their attacking three, it would be Iniesta. He's played there numerous times before.

[Rev]

He'd slot right into their system, for sure. I just think he will find it more difficult than many realise to pull away from his central, starring role at Arsenal. He'll be just another player at the Nou Camp, just like Henry.

I think he'd be more of a star than Henry.

[Daley]

I think Cesc is happy at arsenal , but he is ambitious. Unless Wenger shows he also has the ambition to win and buy players that can do this, then we could lose him

So many gooners walked out 10 minutes after the second half had started in disgust

I didn't even go back to my seat for the second half. Just stayed by the bar, waited for the third and fucked off. I could see it coming a mile off.

He'd slot right into their system, for sure. I just think he will find it more difficult than many realise to pull away from his central, starring role at Arsenal. He'll be just another player at the Nou Camp, just like Henry.

I'm sure he will enjoy all the trophies at Barca and will learn to live with not being the "star".

[hauk]

I don't doubt the fact that Cesc may leave in the Summer, but 26 million seems quite a low figure compared to recent transfers. I mean he's one of the world's most sought after players and only 23. Does he only have 1 year left on his contract or something?

[phresh]

He'd slot right into their system, for sure. I just think he will find it more difficult than many realise to pull away from his central, starring role at Arsenal. He'll be just another player at the Nou Camp, just like Henry.

Does he want the starring role though? It's not like he has a choice at Arsenal, I don't think it would bother him at all to go into a team full of players with equal ability. Playing with less pressure would be a good thing I would have thought!

Mildly interesting fact - Wengers 'young' team was only (on average) 6 months younger per player against United and that difference is largely down to the rather ancient VDS. The average age of the outfield players was more or less identical I think.

[Liamness]

Some players enjoy the weight of expectation and pressure, but he can't do anything about the team leaking goals can he? He can play as well as he wants and they still might lose. Is this frustrating enough for him to want to leave? I'd hate to see another top-class premier league player move to Spain, regardless of who they play for.

I don't doubt the fact that Cesc may leave in the Summer, but 26 million seems quite a low figure compared to recent transfers. I mean he's one of the world's most sought after players and only 23. Does he only have 1 year left on his contract or something?

I suppose. Ronaldo had a good four or so years left. The pound's not worth much right now, which would make £25m a paltry sum in euros. It would be shocking if he left for that fee, I don't think that's a credible suggestion.

[toythatkills]

Mildly interesting fact - Wengers 'young' team was only (on average) 6 months younger per player against United and that difference is largely down to the rather ancient VDS. The average age of the outfield players was more or less identical I think.

Nobody's saying Arsenal lose because they have a young team any more, it's because they have a largely shit team and peculiar tactics. Playing 4-6-0 is just weird.

[Daley]

Nobody's saying Arsenal lose because they have a young team any more, it's because they have a largely shit team and peculiar tactics. Playing 4-6-0 is just weird.

Indeed. The "young team still learning" bollocks peddled by Wenger last year has largely stopped. Hopefully he now realises certain players are not up to it and never will be.

[Mars]

Yeeeeah, that's not gonna happen

[Rev]

Our next trick will be shuffling - Nasri to DM, Walcott to striker.

They'll be like new signings.

[Liamness]

Yesterday I saw a lack of planning, or interest in what needed to be done when you did not have the ball. You lose it and there is no shape, no pressure or much tracking back. They need discipline drilled into them, even if it suppresses their natural attacking play; there is no point having one without the other. I don't think buying in new players or tweaking tactics will help, you need a change in philosophy. Wenger, despite everything he's done for you, is to blame for this oversight. He's assembled a great squad but you're so easy to beat right now, it's depressing to watch even as a United fan.

[Art Vandelay]

What can you say about that game? The most galling part is that it was a predictable as the tides. The same players letting you down again and again and getting away with it. The second most galling part is that unlike somewhere like Chelsea or Utd where you have options to give these slackers to the boot, apart from bringing in Ramsey for the weapon Denilson, what the hell do you change? Who do you give a go to? Bugger if I know. Well actually, put a bolt in Almunia's cranium and put in Fabianski. The poor fucker looks like he's had a nervous breakdown.

We were just absolutely hopeless and Wenger's faith in this lot has gone on far, far too long. The fact that he hasn't spent a penny again suggests he's even more stubborn that any of us suspected. If he actually genuinely believes he can put all our eggs in one basket and win the Champions fucking League he needs sectioning. I care so little about practically every member of our squad it actually makes me sad.

By the way, I've got a contact at Arsenal who spends every day with the players (he's not the chef) and goes to all the games too (or the bus driver) and says that it's a fairly open secret that Cesc is leaving in the summer. Who can blame the kid? The figure quoted there is just about right too. Remember we get utterly bummed when selling to anyone but City.

[phresh]

Nobody's saying Arsenal lose because they have a young team any more, it's because they have a largely shit team and peculiar tactics. Playing 4-6-0 is just weird.

It wasn't aimed at you guys sorry, just an interesting fact I thought.

[Art Vandelay]

I've though that several times. We've got Almunia, Gallas, Rosicky, Arshavin, Sagna and Clichy in the team who you wouldn't class as 'young' and even the younger guys have all got at least around 100 appearances each too. We're just really shit.

[Mars]

This is how I feel at the moment:

D:

[KRP]

Why are you upside down man!

It sure is lucky I gave up football just before yesterdays game, or I would be fucking fuming. Who ever heard of a team that plays without any strikers?! We're are bag of shit, and I don't think we have been playing well for some time, I remember seeing the Bolton game and thinking we were rubbish, how many deflected goals have we got this season... Wenger is mental if he doesn't think we need a striker.

[Steve007]

I think Cesc is happy at arsenal , but he is ambitious. Unless Wenger shows he also has the ambition to win and buy players that can do this, then we could lose him

There's no money. This £30m "war chest" is a pack of lies. We are fucked for the first 10 years or so of the new stadium, hence why we buy only when absolutely necessary. Just to clarify, we don't have a pot to piss in.

Wenger is paid very well for not spending transfer money.