Arsenal Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2014/15

Looper007

Raf32 wrote: »

For those saying Joe hart isnt better than Szc, he has won the golden glove 3 out of the last 4 years so he must be better?

when you have a top defence like Hart has then are you surprised Raf

extra gravy

It's such a shame that this game will be remembered for our capitulation rather than Alexis' superb goal.

yipeeeee

extra gravy wrote: »

It's such a shame that this game will be remembered for our capitulation rather than Alexis' superb goal.

Enjoy him while he's here.

Alfred Borden

Looper007 wrote: »

when you have a top defence like Hart has then are you surprised Raf

Kompany and Zab are quality. but Clichy and Nas would be worse than Gibbs and Mert. Reina has three with Liverpool's defense? I just think using the award to hype up any gk is silly, as some will put it down to defense like you have with city, like i have with arsenal, and some will put it down to the quality of the gk.

Pudders

Wenger has lost the fans. Boos rang out throughout the ground. And why not. Wenger needs to go. Too stubborn and too set in his ways. Too loyal to players not good enough or past their peak. Ramsay, did he play tonight? Flamini was terrible. Mert appears finished. Our spine at the back is terrible. 3-0 up and we ****ed it up but was anyone really surprised? Anyone defending wenger is basing it on past glories. Shambolic tonight. What should have been a confidence booster destroyed. If I was Sanchez I would be wondering wtf have I joined.

extra gravy

Pudders wrote: »

Wenger has lost the fans. Boos rang out throughout the ground. And why not. Wenger needs to go. Too stubborn and too set in his ways. Too loyal to players not good enough or past their peak. Ramsay, did he play tonight? Flamini was terrible. Mert appears finished. Our spine at the back is terrible. 3-0 up and we ****ed it up but was anyone really surprised? Anyone defending wenger is basing it on past glories. Shambolic tonight. What should have been a confidence booster destroyed. If I was Sanchez I would be wondering wtf have I joined.

Do you think people are going to vote with their feet Pudders and stop attending games? I would be sick if I was paying for a season ticket to see that garbage.

keano_afc

extra gravy wrote: »

Do you think people are going to vote with their feet Pudders and stop attending games? I would be sick if I was paying for a season ticket to see that garbage.

Stadium didn't look full on TV anyway.

extra gravy

I don't think anyone has mentioned the fact that Mert is our vice-captain and instead of taking control when Arteta went off, he just panicked like everyone else. I think any previous notions that he has leadership qualities and is good enough to be a future captain can be dismissed.

Pudders

extra gravy wrote: »

Do you think people are going to vote with their feet Pudders and stop attending games? I would be sick if I was paying for a season ticket to see that garbage.

That was the emptiest I've seen the ground for a cl game other than qualifiers. However officially sold out so the club don't give a ****. At a guess I'd say it was 70% full. I pay £1600 a year. Upper deck section 92. Good seats but bloody expensive. I'll keep going because I'm a fan (maybe an idiot) but they are losing the fans big time.the board is hated. If Wenger went the board would be completely screwed. So they have no incentive to get rid of him.

farna_boy

extra gravy wrote: »

Are we seriously still going on with this Mert needs a rest because of the World Cup? He was dropped at the World Cup and had how many weeks off after it anyway? If we had a decent replacement, he should have been dropped after his recent "lack of motivation" comments.

Why not? He 35 games for us last season in the league, played 5 full games plus two overtimes with us in the cup, 10 CL matches, played 4 and a half games (and one overtime) in the world cup, 4 and half international friendlies, plus all the extra training sessions in the lead up to and during the world cup. F*ck it, I'm tired writing about it never mind playing it. He also had 4 weeks off during the summer.

I didn't read his comments, but do you think, right now, that we can afford to drop him? What is the alternative line up?

bad2dabone

I keep thinking this is some kind of elaborate prank

ugsparky

To lose a 3 - 0 lead in a group Champions Lge game is nowhere near good enough. The buck stops with the manager who we've been told has 100% say on football matters at the club. If he believes there aren't better quality players available than Mertesecker. Monreal, Flamini etc. then we are in trouble.

Two big obvious failings - no commanding defensive midfielder and no quality cover at centre back. If the basics aren't right then the rest all falls down. Alexis is doing for us what Suarez did for Liverpool last year and only for him we would be in deep shi-ite.

It's p*ss poor management no matter how anyone weighs it up. Even if we get players in January it will be at inflated prices - any selling club will see how badly we need to fill these two positions - our club is slipping back despite making some brilliant signings.

Unfortunately I'm old enough to remember Brian Clough's decline - obviously for different reasons but I'm afraid it's beginning to look like Arsene is following a similar path - I think he's taken the club as far as he can.

extra gravy

farna_boy wrote: »

Why not? He 35 games for us last season in the league, played 5 full games plus two overtimes with us in the cup, 10 CL matches, played 4 and a half games (and one overtime) in the world cup, 4 and half international friendlies, plus all the extra training sessions in the lead up to and during the world cup. F*ck it, I'm tired writing about it never mind playing it. He also had 4 weeks off during the summer.

I didn't read his comments, but do you think, right now, that we can afford to drop him? What is the alternative line up?

He can't be dropped because there is no proper competition for places due to poor management. I don't want a player in the team who says he lacks motivation. Mediocre performances are being rewarded because there are no alternatives. He had 4 weeks off after the World Cup and so did most other players that were there. I just think this World Cup hangover story is a handy excuse for poor performances.

gosplan

Relax everyone. It's actually been a while since that happened and it won't have a huge impact.

There was one mistake and one mistake only that cost us that win - not having more defenders.

And that was Wenger's mistake.

And this is the cost.

But don't start banging on about guts, spine, DMF's and Mert. One more decent CB in the squad and we win that game. Monreal can't just go and become a penalty box defender.

Soups123

gosplan wrote: »

Relax everyone. It's actually been a while since that happened and it won't have a huge impact.

There was one mistake and one mistake only that cost us that win - not having more defenders.

And that was Wenger's mistake.

And this is the cost.

But don't start banging on about guts, spine, DMF's and Mert. One more decent CB in the squad and we win that game. Monreal can't just go and become a penalty box defender.

It's not just about tonight that result and performance is isolation is fine but it's one of many and more increasing in number.

Arsene is now a cancer of our club and I never thought I would think or feel that, he has over stayed his tenure

gosplan

gosplan wrote: »

Relax everyone. It's actually been a while since that happened and it won't have a huge impact.

Still apt over 6 years later.

gosplan

Deleted User wrote: »

Still apt over 6 years later.

Can't see what this is for some reason. Link?

Edit:oh wait can now. Not what I'm talking about at all. Why try start argument?

gosplan

Soups123 wrote: »

It's not just about tonight that result and performance is isolation is fine but it's one of many and more increasing in number.

Arsene is now a cancer of our club and I never thought I would think or feel that, he has over stayed his tenure

We're having a **** start to the season because Wenger gambled on having only 6 defenders he trusts.

Now we've four left.

Silly silly stuff from him.

Really annoying that in one area we've finally got competition for places and rotation but we're as thin as we've ever been in defence - nuts.

gosplan

Soups123 wrote: »

It's not just about tonight that result and performance is isolation is fine but it's one of many and more increasing in number.

Arsene is now a cancer of our club and I never thought I would think or feel that, he has over stayed his tenure

But he's not and that's going too far.

Cancer implies killing.

Wenger is at most stagnant.

3 points behind second and due to make knock out phase of CL again. Same old same old.

gosplan

gosplan wrote: »

Can't see what this is for some reason. Link?

Edit:oh wait can now. Not what I'm talking about at all. Why try start argument?

Tonight is a big deal. The empty seats, the boos ringing around, the need for results in the remaining CL matches. This stuff matters.

batistuta9

extra gravy wrote: »

Do you think people are going to vote with their feet Pudders and stop attending games? I would be sick if I was paying for a season ticket to see that garbage.

keano_afc wrote: »

Stadium didn't look full on TV anyway.

doesn't be full a lot of time, for one reason or another, though i think moreso on midweek games

but anyway the answer is no, they were on about tickets the other night on talksport, people complaining about the prices, chelsea fans, arsenal fans, & one guy even said he keeps the ticket & sells it at times for 3,4,5X face value at times to cover the costs of it (arsenal fan)
not sure what started the topic, might of been J.M comments about stan. bridge being quiet, and people saying fans are being priced out. corporates/companies buying tickets and selling them, etc.

clubs don't care about the local fans as much, the want people coming on day trips, spending in the club shop, tours, etc. & including people like us coming over from ireland for a game here & there looking for tickets, there's always going to be a demand and people willing to meet it.

PL games/fans/grounds are pathetic compared to the bundesliga where prices are a fraction of the cost.
& english fans are pathetic with what they'll put up with (changing names, colours, stadium names, etc. ) compared to fans in italy( napolis' bus got stoned after losing a EL match in switzerland there recently)
- obviously that's not a healthy situation either though, not sure what it's like in other countries

Soups123

gosplan wrote: »

But he's not and that's going too far.

Cancer implies killing.

Wenger is at most stagnant.

3 points behind second and due to make knock out phase of CL again. Same old same old.

For me it's killing. Since I was 7/8 and before my time we as a club tried to succeed on the field, we demanded success, we don't now. Being stagnant year after year is the same as killing it in my book.

It's long past move on time for Arsene

gnfnrhead

Funny how quickly people have turned on Mertesacker. We have to be the worst supporters when we don't get the win, and sometimes even when we do.

Oranage2

Do we just play the backup players against Dortmund, we've finished second might as well rest players.

Pierce_1991

Oranage2 wrote: »

Do we just play the backup players against Dortmund, we've finished second might as well rest players.

Definitely rest Alexis. Just read this from Tim Vickery about the reliance on him in Chile:
http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/blog/2014/10/12/delicate-balancing-act-facing-alexis-sanchez

I'm sure when he came to Arsenal he didn't think we'd be relying on him just as much!

Quazzie

Oranage2 wrote: »

Do we just play the backup players against Dortmund, we've finished second might as well rest players.

We're far from qualified. A loss to Dortmund and anderlecht beating gala leaves us needing a result against gala in the last game to secure second.

efb

Rudderless without Arteta. Mert shouldn't be vice captain - I'd say Kos has to tie his shoelaces

greendom

efb wrote: »

Rudderless without Arteta. Mert shouldn't be vice captain - I'd say Kos has to tie his shoelaces

The game turned on Arteta 's departure. Team lost control of the game after that.

Did anyone hear anything on his injury? Need him back asap. Koscielny has left a huge hole in the centre of our defence too.

AdamD

greendom wrote: »

The game turned on Arteta 's departure. Team lost control of the game after that.

Did anyone hear anything on his injury? Need him back asap. Koscielny has left a huge hole in the centre of our defence too.

Not buying into this either, Anderlecht had tonnes of chances all game.

yipeeeee

So it wasn't a nightmare ughhhhh....

efb

AdamD wrote: »

Not buying into this either, Anderlecht had tonnes of chances all game.

They weren't as disorganised. Why did we take a shot at goal (!) at the free kick in the 89th minute -play into the corner

CatInABox

yipeeeee wrote: »

So it wasn't a nightmare ughhhhh....

Yeah, I'm even more annoyed this morning than I was right after the match.

A night to reflect on what was a truly awful 30 minutes, no spine what so ever.

DvB

At best second place in what is realistically a weak group which is frustrating all by itself will also leave a last 16 tie againts a group winner that IMO cant be won by that Arsenal team, defensively they are too weak to last 180 minutes against a top european side. Dortmund are in the relgation zone in the bundesliga & look a different class to Arsenal, would anyone fancy them to come to the emirates & lose? I certainly cant see it ATM. That in itself will leave a situation where a result in Turkey may/will be required, & with Dortmund having already won the group by then there's no onus on them to play a full strength side v Anderlecht so anything could happen there.... for me that is for whatever reasons a disgraceful situation for a club like Arsenal to be in, especially when looking at the strength of the group, in fact its embarrassing.

Every single group winner will want to draw Arsenal as its effectively a bye at that stage of the competition, oh how the once mighty have stagnated & ultimately fallen.... my worry is there's further to fall & I don't see anyone at the club capable of arresting that fall.

Soups123

gnfnrhead wrote: »

Funny how quickly people have turned on Mertesacker. We have to be the worst supporters when we don't get the win, and sometimes even when we do.

I think thats unfair. People call it as they see it, I have a lot of time for Mert but he has been destroyed in the bigger games since he joined and has really struggled this season.

Having Monreal beside him has really highlighted the work Kos does to cover him. His mentality, positioning and drive has made him very valuable at times but at 30 he is only going to get slower.

I think being dropped at the world cup has knocked the stuffin out of him

Colonialboy

look on the bright side at least the zip was working on Wengers jacket....

Oranage2

Well wenger just signed a 3 year deal, there's no chance of him being sacked.

I'm still firmly in Wenger camp, give him the next three years, it's the least he deserves after keeping us top 4 when we shouldn't have been. We could easily end up like Liverpool after Rafa or united after Fergy if we sack him.

Ken Shamrock

Or more likely, we could end up being one of the best teams in the world again.

efb

gnfnrhead wrote: »

Funny how quickly people have turned on Mertesacker. We have to be the worst supporters when we don't get the win, and sometimes even when we do.

We didn't turn, a lot of us have been saying how slow he is, Kos saved his ass so often

Ken Shamrock

gnfnrhead wrote: »

Funny how quickly people have turned on Mertesacker. We have to be the worst supporters when we don't get the win, and sometimes even when we do.

I've been slating him for months, people give out to me about it but then this stuff happens and its all hush hush.

Gringo180

I am still baffled by those subs we made bringing on Podolski and Rosicky :eek: Surely you would think of taking off Cazorla and put on Walcott and let him go up top with Welbeck going onto the wing and helping our full back out. Without a doubt we would of hit them for a goal on the counter attack. Still fuming over that result last night and the performances from Flamini, Cazorla, Mertesacker and especially Ramsey.

farna_boy

Gringo180 wrote: »

I am still baffled by those subs we made bringing on Podolski and Rosicky :eek: Surely you would think of taking off Cazorla and put on Walcott and let him go up top with Welbeck going onto the wing and helping our full back out. Without a doubt we would of hit them for a goal on the counter attack. Still fuming over that result last night and the performances from Flamini, Cazorla, Mertesacker and especially Ramsey.

I don't really have a problem with the subs he made, just when he made them. It would have been much better to make the subs at 3-0 so they were under no pressure and Anderlecht were still pressing and open. Instead, we revert to the "we have enough done" mindset and got punished for it.

That seemed to happen quite a bit last season as well. If we ever started winning a game, all of a sudden you could see the tempo drop and instead of trying to put 5/6 past a poor team, we would just try and sit on a 1 or 2 goal lead. That is the reason that Liverpool scored so many last year, they wouldn't stop at 1 or 2, but they would try and really punish a team. In some ways I know it doesn't make a massive difference, but after last nights result you can see that some times it really can.

keano_afc

Sorry, but bringing on Podolski for Welback was lunacy. It was something I'd expect from a young manager learning his trade, or Harry Redknapp.

Ken Shamrock

farna_boy wrote: »

I don't really have a problem with the subs he made, just when he made them. It would have been much better to make the subs at 3-0 so they were under no pressure and Anderlecht were still pressing and open. Instead, we revert to the "we have enough done" mindset and got punished for it.

That seemed to happen quite a bit last season as well. If we ever started winning a game, all of a sudden you could see the tempo drop and instead of trying to put 5/6 past a poor team, we would just try and sit on a 1 or 2 goal lead. That is the reason that Liverpool scored so many last year, they wouldn't stop at 1 or 2, but they would try and really punish a team. In some ways I know it doesn't make a massive difference, but after last nights result you can see that some times it really can.

That's Wenger down to a tee.

Soups123

farna_boy wrote: »

I don't really have a problem with the subs he made, just when he made them. It would have been much better to make the subs at 3-0 so they were under no pressure and Anderlecht were still pressing and open. Instead, we revert to the "we have enough done" mindset and got punished for it.

That seemed to happen quite a bit last season as well. If we ever started winning a game, all of a sudden you could see the tempo drop and instead of trying to put 5/6 past a poor team, we would just try and sit on a 1 or 2 goal lead. That is the reason that Liverpool scored so many last year, they wouldn't stop at 1 or 2, but they would try and really punish a team. In some ways I know it doesn't make a massive difference, but after last nights result you can see that some times it really can.

keano_afc wrote: »

Sorry, but bringing on Podolski for Welback was lunacy. It was something I'd expect from a young manager learning his trade, or Harry Redknapp.

Bob.Carcass wrote: »

That's Wenger down to a tee.

Agree, the subs were made after the horse had bolted. Tactics didnt change once. For there last goal we had 5 players on there 18 and got caught on the break, there was no instructions that were obvious that the team were to sit back and retain what they had.

On the subs we had nothing defensive of note to bring on after Flamini so we should have played a pressing game, bring on Pod was ridiculous he is one of our laziest players

farna_boy

Soups123 wrote: »

Agree, the subs were made after the horse had bolted. Tactics didnt change once. For there last goal we had 5 players on there 18 and got caught on the break, there was no instructions that were obvious that the team were to sit back and retain what they had.

On the subs we had nothing defensive of note to bring on after Flamini so we should have played a pressing game, bring on Pod was ridiculous he is one of our laziest players

Considering some of the tackles going in on Sanchez, I'd say Wenger was afraid that Walcott would get injured again, so I can understand that in a way. Also, if we had managed to get a half decent ball to Podolski in or around the box, he is as likely to score as anyone. He was also the closest person to whoever crossed the ball for the third goal, as far as I remember, so he was tracking back at least.

Soups123

farna_boy wrote: »

Considering some of the tackles going in on Sanchez, I'd say Wenger was afraid that Walcott would get injured again, so I can understand that in a way. Also, if we had managed to get a half decent ball to Podolski in or around the box, he is as likely to score as anyone. He was also the closest person to whoever crossed the ball for the third goal, as far as I remember, so he was tracking back at least.

It was a very clean game, they werent going in heavy at all.

Agree Pod is likely to score goals but thats not what we should have been looking to do, we should have been looking to take the tempo out of the game and see it out. We went looking for a goal in the 90th minute with 5/6 players on there 18 and got caught on the break.

Shambolic substitutions and lack of any tactic from the manager alround.

cson

Realistically we were never going to finish 1st - not a prayer we'd have scored 3+ against Dortmund. So we need a point out of our last two games which you'd think we should be capable of getting. Hoping for a kinder draw then, which we're due in fairness.

Paj

I’m a fan of wenger, I’ve grown up with him as the manager of the club and I’ll always be grateful for his tenure, he modernised the club and some would say he played quite a part in modernising English football.

But we need to seriously ask is he holding the club back at this stage?
Reluctantly I’d have to say it looks like he is.
He should have stepped away after last season.

He’ll never win the champions league with his current flaws. Not a chance, not even half a chance.
He’ll never be able to push the club ahead of Chelsea and City.

Liam O

A draw with Anderlecht causing a lot of meltdowns in here. City drew with CSKA Moscow in the last round, this was a freak result. Wenger has brought in Ozil and Sanchez the last 2 seasons. To say he's holding Arsenal back is ridiculous. Ozil will look fantastic in this current set up when he gets back imo. The first team is a match for anyone outside of the superclubs and a match for them on their day and improving every year. I know it's tough after years of winning little but I don't see how people can't see progress.

gosplan

For me it's about the spine of the team.

I think another decent CB and we pick up three points last night but if you look at it from the point of a winning manager, say Jose (and I'm reluctant to do this comparison because Wenger is not Jose and sacking him won't make the next guy Jose either).

Anyway, Jose's first Chelsea team had a spine of Terry - Lampard - Drogba, they led it all on the pitch.

This time he's kind of got Terry but ahead there's Matic - Fabregas - Costa.

Last season we were doing well IMO because we had a decent spine for the first time in years - Kos - Arteta - Ramsey - Giroud.

Robben, Sachez, Hazard, Walcott are the guys that get you the goals but the spine controls games and provides the platform.

None of the players that were important to us gaining 79 points last season (Kos, Arteta, Ramsey, Giroud) have any decent replacement at the club. When Arteta left last night we were down to one out of form Ramsey and in the place of the others we had Flamini (getting old and not that great), Welbeck (signed last min), Monreal (ridiculous having him as a CB)

You'll see Jose maybe rest Terry for a match and another time he'll play Mikel instead of Matic but he will never EVER EVER rest more than one of his spine in an important game - because then he loses his lieutenants on the pitch and loses control.

In one way Wenger's really unlucky with injuries. In another he took a stupid gamble and is unbelievably lucky that players like Chambers and Sanchez have performed so well.

I'm sure he knew he needed these players but he didn't buy because he couldn't find the exact ones and that's costing us now. And it will cost us again until Kos min comes back. We're just lucky that last night's result probably won't change much in the long term.