EPL| Arsenal v Blackburn Rovers (H), 2/4, 17.30, ESPN

[Bossa]

Thats why I wouldnt mind if Clichy leaves. Replace the guy with a player who can attack like Coentrao. A fullback who has the engine and pace to get to the back line and make a cut back or give a good cross. Clichy is a donkey on the ball and I absolutely hate they way he plays. Sagna is a solid defender so I dont really mind that he's poor offensively, plus his crossing his much better than Clichy's.

 

[ThaSaltCracka]

Bendtner or RvP should have buried their headed chances, when opportunities are at a premium we need to be clinical and we're clearly not.

yup, RVP missed a few header chances and near the end he probably should have give Chamakh the header chance. Jack also had two GREAT CHANCES and blew one and passed on the other instead of shooting. We created opportunities, we just didn't capitalize on what we did. One goal completely changes the game.

 

[GOONER1991]

I'm so disgusted with the team right now. To be unable to score against Blackburn. To throw away yet ANOTHER opportunity. Now the title is in Man Utd's hands. They need to slip up, and even if they do, I can't see us taking advantage tbh.

Absolutely disgusted.

Clichy and Sagna are useless, in games like this we should play Gibbs and Eboue. Sagna was so good defensively at one point, but in recent weeks he's been absolutely dire.

 

[Bossa]

Clearly the players have the ability to crush a team like Blackburn even if they play the game of their lifes.

It comes down to passion, desire and mentality. Players like Bendtner earning 60k a week for doing nothing. Wenger should be more ruthless and replace these tumors.

 

[kofigunner]

Clearly the players have the ability to crush a team like Blackburn even if they play the game of their lifes.

It comes down to passion, desire and mentality. Players like Bendtner earning 60k a week for doing nothing. Wenger should be more ruthless and replace these tumors.

Exactly! Well obviously a team inherits the coach's mentality so I wonder about Wenger. Give a Ferguson or Mourhino this same team and you might be surprised that they just might develop that intensity. Most of our players don't have that fighting instinct naturally. Wenger seems to be picking nice guy captain material types(quite a few being national team captains), but we need the tigerish streak in there. Wilshere has it in abundance, most of the other players don't

 

[GOONER1991]

The issue is, none of the players are afraid/intimidated by Wenger in the same way that the United players are of Fergie.

When United went in 2-0 down today, I felt that they would come out at half time, and they would play differently. When we go in and need a goal, I know that we're going to come out and play the same. Rather than us raising our game to defeat the opponents, we usually just wait and hope that the opponents will collapse, and when that doesn't happen, we see draws like we've had recently, or losses.

 

[Kenyonhater]

Sick of it.

Sick of the same weaknesses season after season. Sick of the over-passing (Jack's caught the Hleb disease now as well), the needing ten chances to score a goal, the complacency that creeps in the moment we're in front, the inability to profit from corners and free kicks, the one-dimensional approach, the poor defending at set pieces, the goalkeeping howlers, the failure to learn from our mistakes, the lack of leadership, the mental fragility, the physical fragility and endless injuries, the lack of urgency until too late in the game, the peak of season collapses, the unwillingness to strengthen in obvious areas, the talk of our mental strength and desire, the stubbornness, the excuses, the youth of our team, the beauty of our football...

SICK OF IT.

 

[Anzac]

I know that AW had 3 central strikers on in an effort to score & win the game, but it still looked like we were playing in the same basic shape as RVP & Nik were often out wide on the flanks waiting for the ball.

That being the case I then wonder what the point of the exercise was - why play 3 central strikers but use 2 from the flanks, why not change shape to utilise their height & goal threat to something akin to a 4312?

 

[Emma Lusa]

I know that AW had 3 central strikers on in an effort to score & win the game, but it still looked like we were playing in the same basic shape as RVP & Nik were often out wide on the flanks waiting for the ball.

That being the case I then wonder what the point of the exercise was - why play 3 central strikers but use 2 from the flanks, why not change shape to utilise their height & goal threat to something akin to a 4312?

Exactly right, SAF today took off a left back and replaced him with a striker moving his left sided player Giggs even wider and pushing two players through the middle. Utd then pulled West Ham wide leaving space for Rooney. We on the other hand removed width and packed more players into an already congested midfield. We made no attempt to disrupt the Blackburn defence who even a man short were comfortable. By just adding two 'strikers' but not changing our formation we changed nothing for the defenders ... all far to obvious.

 

[Anzac]

I know that AW had 3 central strikers on in an effort to score & win the game, but it still looked like we were playing in the same basic shape as RVP & Nik were often out wide on the flanks waiting for the ball.

That being the case I then wonder what the point of the exercise was - why play 3 central strikers but use 2 from the flanks, why not change shape to utilise their height & goal threat to something akin to a 4312?

Exactly right, SAF today took off a left back and replaced him with a striker moving his left sided player Giggs even wider and pushing two players through the middle. Utd then pulled West Ham wide leaving space for Rooney. We on the other hand removed width and packed more players into an already congested midfield. We made no attempt to disrupt the Blackburn defence who even a man short were comfortable. By just adding two 'strikers' but not changing our formation we changed nothing for the defenders ... all far to obvious.

We improved our threat in the air for crosses (at the expense of our ability in the tight & on the ground), but then continued to play the same shape, roles & build up play = as mindless as the usual overlapping runs & blind crossing from the FBs.

 

[Spork]

Sick of it.

Sick of the same weaknesses season after season. Sick of the over-passing (Jack's caught the Hleb disease now as well), the needing ten chances to score a goal, the complacency that creeps in the moment we're in front, the inability to profit from corners and free kicks, the one-dimensional approach, the poor defending at set pieces, the goalkeeping howlers, the failure to learn from our mistakes, the lack of leadership, the mental fragility, the physical fragility and endless injuries, the lack of urgency until too late in the game, the peak of season collapses, the unwillingness to strengthen in obvious areas, the talk of our mental strength and desire, the stubbornness, the excuses, the youth of our team, the beauty of our football...

SICK OF IT.

I don't have to read anything more than the first part of your post, to know that I agree with it. I'm fine with accepting that we will have off games, but that usually means that we have more on games than off games. Which lately we have not. Pathetic really.

 

[Gunner Ossie]

come on guys, what are you all complaining about? arsenal are ****, BUT other than that..

we still made a pofit last year
we still have a new stadium
we still play the prettiest football and
we still might finish in the top 4

so as the song goes, always look on the bright side of life, da da, da da,da da........

NEW MANAGER, me thinks

 

[kanooo]

Sick of it.

Sick of the same weaknesses season after season. Sick of the over-passing (Jack's caught the Hleb disease now as well), the needing ten chances to score a goal, the complacency that creeps in the moment we're in front, the inability to profit from corners and free kicks, the one-dimensional approach, the poor defending at set pieces, the goalkeeping howlers, the failure to learn from our mistakes, the lack of leadership, the mental fragility, the physical fragility and endless injuries, the lack of urgency until too late in the game, the peak of season collapses, the unwillingness to strengthen in obvious areas, the talk of our mental strength and desire, the stubbornness, the excuses, the youth of our team, the beauty of our football...

SICK OF IT.

The same sinking feeling every season. For awhile though, I thought this could be the year. How foolish of me.

While Man Utd came back from 2 goals down at half time to win, we couldn't even eke out a miserable goal at home. The titale race (if there was one) is well and truly over, I guess .. It has to be.

 

[redwhiteAustrian]

Kos/Squib have been good yesterday, only Al threatened to **** things up.
If that isn't positive, I don't know what is.

 

[Spork]

we still play the prettiest football and

I do not believe this at all. What was pretty about last night? Or the game before that? Or the FA game, or the CL game, or the CC game, or so many EPL games this season?

Sure we are still second, however we have NOT done enough for a team with such a name.

 

[Freagle]

I wasn't able to see the match yesterday but I read through the comments today and I have got to say I am really disappointed. By the comments I feel the players didn't have it in them to win the game let alone the drive to score. I read Arsène post-match comments and the usual **** he has been feeding us..

I don't know what happened yesterday but it should of been 3 points in the bag even if we knew beforehand that Man U got the 3 points they needed. It's not rocket science, there is something wrong with the team and the longer we avoid it, the longer we will suffer. Arsène has got to step up, I believe he is the right man for this but he has to roll up his sleeves and take responsibility because to me, he has been deflecting for far too long.

One question lads;
When was the last time we created a match rating thread? I was curious and I believe the answer is simply because we have been too depressing to watch or even analyse..

Our last Premier League win was against Stoke 23 February.
Our last win in all competitions was against Lortient in 2nd March
We haven't won in 5 games in all competitions.

Now, you can colour it as you like but I believed that despite losing the CC Cup our team had it in them to instil that sort of motivation that drives them forward. I have been proven wrong and although mathematically we are still in it, I just can't put my heart to believe we have a chance to win anything this season.

 

[fabo]

Wenger's a choker mate, always had issues motivating a team after disappointing setbacks.

Nobody wants to rate players when we slip up, sweeping it under the carpet is a better idea.

 

[dyeruz]

Thats why I wouldnt mind if Clichy leaves. Replace the guy with a player who can attack like Coentrao. A fullback who has the engine and pace to get to the back line and make a cut back or give a good cross. Clichy is a donkey on the ball and I absolutely hate they way he plays. Sagna is a solid defender so I dont really mind that he's poor offensively, plus his crossing his much better than Clichy's.

Backward step for me, why lose a guy with so much premiership experience? The surgery needs to happen in the middle for me, Squillaci shouldn't even be 9th center, outrageous lack of pace. Our defense to be honest is not that far off to be honest, say Djourou/Verms in the middle, two more center backs with premiership experience and mist importantly height, not the identi-kit Wenger ball playing defenders because that's what gets us into trouble, defenders trying to play the ball out instead of just damn defending And a proper DM shielding the back four. But I fear we'll get none of that, just Frimpong/Coquelin..Bartley/Ignasi good players but the same old blood the youngsters nonsense we've been having these few years

 

[dyeruz]

come on guys, what are you all complaining about? arsenal are ****, BUT other than that..

we still made a pofit last year
we still have a new stadium
we still play the prettiest football and
we still might finish in the top 4

so as the song goes, always look on the bright side of life, da da, da da,da da........

NEW MANAGER, me thinks

sarcastic git

 

[dyeruz]

Can we also put to bed this mental nonsense. The players havent "lost" their mental belief or are mentally weak, all this mental jazz is from Wenger because he always talks about it. Mentality has nothing to do with Denilson sucking as a player, or playing injured players against barca, or not changing your tactics or making substitutions at pivotal moments to try and win the game or not buying a center back when three are injured and the one you rely on is injury prone and hasnt played a full season since Van Persie won the iron man award. It's funny how Wenger never comes out and says I made a mistake, he always shovels it off on the squad and spouts mental believe and desire. Desire doesn't protect you from injuries, desire doesn't make you a better player or make you play better when you play out of position. Teams will always defend better and raise their game against us, it's always been that way, press adulation for the little team standing up to Arsenal's pretty football and overcoming the over whelming odds. Only now other teams are not so afraid of us, they have a go back and when we try to raise our game to that next level, we fail because our team is just not that good. Team, not players.by themselves players with talent, skill and grace and when organized correctly can beat almost any team but key players have to be fit and on top of their game, which sadly does occur to often.
I didn't bother to listen to Wenger post match press conference, same old same old isn't it.