Feb 26
Match report? You want a match report? Here’s your match report:
Piss poor.
There, how’s that?
80 Responses to “Southampton 1 - 1 Arsenal”
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February 26th, 2005 at 9:53 am
Well this one had it all. Poor discipline, missed chances and conceding a headed goal from a set piece.
Sort of sums up the whole season.
Sais it before, let’s concentrate on the FA cup and see if we can have one good day out in May.
February 26th, 2005 at 9:56 am
Another pathetic, gutless performace, strewn with shocking defensive errors. And this is the defence that is expected to cope with Bayern Munich, in 2 weeks? Only a complete and utter fool can expect us to win that match 2-0. At present we’re not even good enough to get past Sheff Utd and win the FA Cup.
As for that moron Van Persie. Wenger might as well sell him in the summer. You can often tell if a player is good enough to cut the mustard or not, and Van Persie quite clearly isn’t. So get him off the wage bill and get some cash for him.
Arsenal are in decline. No doubt about it. Before Pires was stretchered off his performance was shocking. No passion, no skill, no nothing. Arsenal need a massive clearout, or we can forget winning any more trophies. Man Utd & Chelsea are in the process of superceding us now, that much is obvious. It will take a lot to match them, and this summer will determine our future under Wenger.
February 26th, 2005 at 10:04 am
You’re being generous. And yes we had to give them a goal. I was expecting it as surely as the rising of the sun. And that’s why most of use here don’t expect us to knock off Bayern.
Whenever I see Lehmann in goal I curse our not getting Robinson, whatever this rubbish about his body fat index. Surely Taylor could not have been worse, does anyone recall him having such a long catalogue of errors? He certainly deserves a chance now. He’s got CL experience under his belt.
Team just lacked passion, Henry, Ljunberg, Ashley, Eboue & Clichy aside. One of the worst I’ve seen this season and we have many to choose from. Van. P. was dumb to put in such an unnecessary challenge.
Kolo looked uncomfortable on the right, but thought it was a good idea. He seemed better defending and positionally than Lauren, but offered less going forward.
Purge Cygan, Lehmann, Almunia from this team. Sell Reyes & Vieira if a very good offer comes along. To be honest I hope we don’t win anything so Wenger can rebuild. And please start looking in England so we don’t miss out on players like Robinson and Defoe for the likes of Almunia and Reyes.
February 26th, 2005 at 10:09 am
This season has opened my eyes to all of Wenger’s previously hidden, or suspected, weaknesess.
1.There appears to be no discipline at the club.
2.Major problems are not being attended to on the training ground.
3.Wenger is unable to motivate his players in the big games.
4.Wenger is tactically inferior to many of Europe’s top coaches.
February 26th, 2005 at 10:11 am
Robin Van Persie and Jens Lehmann?s combined stupidity cost Arsenal two points as this frustrating season rolls on.
As Arsenal were enjoying a one goal lead as well as an 11 on 10 advantage, Van Persie, who?d already been booked in the first half, commited a moronic slide tackle that earned him a sending off.
There went Arsenal?s advantage.
Then later in the second half, Lehmann was woefully out of position during a Southampton corner, and there was nothing that could be done when the ball was sent back over his head and smashed in by Peter Crouch.
Oh, and on top of everything, Robert Pires had to be subbed out after suffering an ankle injury (caused by a first half tackle that saw the Southampton man sent off) that?s more than likely going to keep him out for a while. So, that makes the following players unavailable through injury and suspension:
Campbell, Edu, Gilberto, Fabregas, Bergkamp, Reyes, Pires and Van Persie
Joy!
February 26th, 2005 at 10:13 am
DannyT, you’ve said it. Arsenal ARE in decline. There’s absolutely no doubt about it. A faliure to make top quality signings and health competition for places. Even allowing for injury, look how thin the team is? How many seasoned internationals do we have? These days I even envy Spurs, with King, Robinson, Defoe, Mido, Kanoute and Keane. Even Pires has no more use these days than to knock in rebounds. The whole team stinks.
February 26th, 2005 at 10:22 am
Let’s just take a deep breath, folks. After that thrubbing on Tuesday, and with all the injuries and bans, who here wouldn’t have considered 1-0 a satisfactory result today?
We had a ton of chances all over the pitch and the defense warmed up and played well. We absolutley rot in the air, but hey didn’t have a prayer unless we gifted them one, which came courtesy of pug ugly Lerch and the usual suspect, Jens Lemon. He consistently mystifys even the most jaded of commentators. We do enough, and he punishes us for it. Effen idiot.
And yes, RvP takes his place at the head of the class for young twits that we’ve tried to bleed. But inexperience is inexperience, and he had the better of the chances in first half, although he seems to have lost a few toes on the bench in Munich. At least Wenger tore him a new one on the way in, and I suspect he’s history as soon as someone is available to partner Henry up front some time in 2007.
To be fair, our passing and movement up the pitch was on par with a solid performance, and it should have been 3-1 had we not somehow raised the game again of our opposite keeper AGAIN. Why haven’t we tried to swap keepers on the sly after the game? I would have taken ANY keeper we’ve faced this year over our schizophrenic sieves. And did anyone else see how closeJense came to throttling someone after a muck up in the box, but managed to keep his cool only to shank it out of bounds about a third up the pitch? Raving. Effen. Looney.
Threadbare, keeper-bit and a tad uninspired is as harsh as I can get today. I say, let’s hope ManU fumble, Chelsea contract the plague, and we’re able to field 11 actual players come our next fixture. And prayers to any merciful god with his shingle out that Bobby is okay. He’s practically invisible lately, but at least he hasn’t been booked in a while.
I can hear it now…LUUUUUUPOLI.
February 26th, 2005 at 10:32 am
All I am reading is excuses. Despite the injuries our team was still full of players who should have won comfortably.
We did not have a ton of chances, maybe 3 or 4 clear cut. You need more than that if you want to be sure of a win. The defence did not play well, and yes we gifted them a goal, like we seem to do every bloody team.
So Van Persie is inexperienced? How many football matches does he have to play to know that you don’t make terrible, pointless tackles when you’re on a yellow card, and your team badly need a lift? He’s not 12!
Should have been this, should have been that. What if we did this or what if we did that? Bad luck?? What a load of crap! Look at the result, another stinker. Now you’re asking for Lupoli, as if he’s the saviour of Arsenal. How absurd.
This team is in decline, understand that fact. Wenger has lost it this season, completely lost it. No transfers, bad training, bad tactics, no motivation. Don’t ignore that simple fact, the buck stops with him.
February 26th, 2005 at 10:35 am
Smith today proved how a good goalie can keep a team in the game. Lehmann showed one moment of mistake can lose the team 2 points. We do need to clean house of keepers in the summer with the exception of Taylor who should be given more chances to play.
Wenger needs to sit down van Persie and talk some sense into him. His two yellow cards were unnecessary. It is one thing to be aggressive and another to be stupid. Also van Persie needs to cut down the need to beat his marker everytime he gets the ball. He is taking too many touches, resulting in giving away possession.
Soton made it very tough for us to thread in passes thru the middle. As a result, we gave the ball away too often. Maybe a more direct approach would have been better to bypass the crowded midfield.
With the exception of Lehmann’s mistake, I thot our defence contained the threat of Crouch and Camara quite well even though we defended shakily at the beginning of the match. Interesting decision by Wenger to sit Lauren and play Toure as right back. I would have preferred to rest Toure and play Lauren as Lauren will give us more penetration.
Between now and end of the season, I hope Wenger will focus on fixing our defensive gameplan. Forget about winning anything this season but try to qualify for CL - this is not going to be our season, so lets accept it.
We were close to winning an ugly game against a team fighting to stay up but that was not to be.
February 26th, 2005 at 10:42 am
I wouldn’t envy Spurs, we are still 21pts ahead of them despite having what I would consider easily Wenger’s worst season.
Arsenal have their own standards, they are high. But we are falling well below them. We have to be careful about saying WENGER OUT, no matter how unhappy we are with his unprofessionalism this season. We have to realise that whilst what we are producing is unacceptable, we still have incredible potential - potential that most teams can only dream of.
I just hope Wenger can get back on track, as I have lost a lot of faith in him this year.
February 26th, 2005 at 10:46 am
“I thot our defence contained the threat of Crouch and Camara quite well”
Let’s be honest, what sort of threat is that?? Still one of them scored. We need to look at the bigger picture, not make small excuses after every game. 10 clean sheets in 42 matches is what you might expect from a team in the bottom 5.
February 26th, 2005 at 10:46 am
1-0 UP at half with a woeful Soton down to 10 men.
Van Persie. BE GONE.
You could see Wenger say to him as he went off…
“I TOLD YOU AT HALF-TIME!”
I actually thought we should have taken him off at half KNOWING he does stupid things and has a temper and commits bad fouls.
Jens. GOTTA GO. He is better than Almunia. Thats not saying alot. He’s had his chance. It hasn’t worked out. He gives away goals.
The Soton keeper was excellent. Henry played WELL. He had chances. Ash had chances. He stopped them. Thats what a good keeper does. Steal points. They stole this draw, when they had no business being in the match.
Doesn’t look to good. So, with Reyes & Bergy suspended, VanPersie gets his chance to shine for a few matches. He not only doesn’t. He gets sent off. Costs us the match. AND is suspended next match. If I were Wenger, I’d never play him again this season.
Why not Lupoli or Quincy?
We had some players playing HARD out there. I give credit where its due. But you simply CAN’T be up a goal, and up a man… against that team… and not come away with a win.
February 26th, 2005 at 10:49 am
Nah, Wenger is great, teams have hard times. I don’t evny Spurs, I envy some of their players. I wish we had Robinson, King, Defoe….
February 26th, 2005 at 10:51 am
The cry for Lupoli was me being sarcastic. Comes off flat in type, I suppose.
And I don’t know how you can say the defense didn’t play reasonably well! Look who we had back there and out of position. We covered our a**es…just enough to let Lehmann go to sleep. Camara’s been on fire, and he had some half chances. I don’t know what you can expect with our current injury and red card woes.
And I didn’t say anything about bad luck. You make you’re own luck, and sometimes you make it for keepers. They had a man in the sticks today who kept TWO Henry pops out: the excellent square from RvP and the strike from long range. Ashley had a game winner that was a scorcher that was barely saved. You only need the amount of chances that you need to win, and we had them plus. And we almost had a header off a free kick, but it got stopped again by an acrobatic save. Hey, I’m know I sound like I support Scunthorpe, but we’ve never had our line-up so fussed with in Wenger’s career.
The team is in kind of an emergency rebuild, with certain players failing to groove with that, others picking up the slack when they can, and a not one but TWO crap keepers. If you want to say Wenger has lost it, you should have been saying it back in August and September, cause it was the same team and the same tactics until injuries and OT took over. Any movement in January would have been a rash decision to appease his detractors.
And bad training? Come on, man. Many of our young players who wouldn’t see 5 minutes on the pitch in Stampford Bridge are all 5 feet tall and playing every game. So fault Wenger’s gamble on versatility if you want. Some are just there to patch up and have seen tons of play due to injuries. Yes we could have been tougher this season, and more motivated from time to time, but that’s hardly a decline.
February 26th, 2005 at 10:52 am
Well if moronic is the word of the day then I?d like to recapitulate my tiring refrain to the mix and that is, it?s all because of the Blue-Away-Kit. We have only won one game in this season in that blue kit ? at least if my memory serves me right.
That said I think it is a bit harsh to write off V.Persie, he is still a newbie and needs to control his frustration, which will come with time; he has the skill and passion he just needs some more experience. Nevertheless, he certainly disappointed with the red-card tackle.
Also, look at the starting 11 and who is/was missing. It is not so much that we have bad players as we have bad luck also. It seems to me that the tea leafs just don?t seem to be shaping up for much this year. Sure, we need some more depth and the defense is lacking, better goal keeping would also compliment us somewhat. However, they are still the Arsenal and if we only come in third after last season, well it sucks but it could be worse, although drawing with Southampton was too painful.
We?ve just had bad luck, some bad calls, some auspicious harsh red-cards (DB10 ? damn look what Rooney gets away with). As well as all the positive critique, we read here maybe we also need to nail a horseshoe in the tunnel and dig up some four-leaf clovers to sew in behind the Crest. If moronic is the order of the day that is.
Yes we sucked but we could of sucked worse and think of it this way at least we don?t stink like the odiferous ManUre.
I hope the lads don?t let them selves down as I never really liked the mentality that creates such clich?s like ?nobody remembers a second? or ?second is only first of the losers? because I think that everyone else in the table remembers whose ahead of them.
Call me a bleeding heart, call me a moron, call me a gunner as I?m footy-mad and I want to see one-touch football played at its best. I guess you could say I?m one touched in the head ? lol
It?s not just about winning it?s also about a rich tradition, which the Arsenal have in spades.
February 26th, 2005 at 10:52 am
There is nothing to lose now. We will finsh third. So Wenger might as well experiment with the likes of Quincy and Lupoi. When else would he get a chance?
But this is Arsene Wenger, who has made error after error this seaspn. I do not expect him to take this opportunity to blood some kids. He didn’t even play Eboue today, what a great opportunity to give him more experience and play Toure next to Senderos in defence. Why play Cygan? What is the bloody point. I despair at these stupid decisions.
February 26th, 2005 at 10:52 am
I feel your frustration. Cygan Lehmann Almunia VanPersie… yes… they can depart.
Reyes & Vieira? No. Not unless a BIG cash price comes in. These players are very good. You don’t need to change the ENTIRE team.
We need a pair of solid defenders and a keeper.
If you are going to sell Vieira and Reyes… Edu is going… Gilberto is a question mark… Cole to Chelsea? why not sell Henry at his peak for LOADS of money?? What are you trying to accomplish? Getting rid of the entire team?
I feel your pain. Its just not that drastic.
An excellent keeper ALONE would make a huge difference for this team. PERIOD.
And its LUDICROUS to say you DON’T want us to win anything. To say that, you aren’t a fan. Regardless of WHO is on the pitch wearing our kit… you want to win titles/trophies. Thats the goal EVERY season.
February 26th, 2005 at 10:57 am
didn’t see the game, does anyone know whether the disallowed goal was really offside?
the buck quite clearly stops with wenger, such a great manager but so thick and slow on the uptake with it.
in 1998 we won the double with a threadbare squad that luckily suffered no injuries. all arsenal fans, well me at least, knew we had to strengthen in several areas. who does wenger buy? nelson vivas. next season-won nothing.
in 2002 we won double. tony adams retired, defence looking threadbare. does wenger buy a defender? no. what a prat.
same last summer, everyone knows cygan is crap but wenger still persists with current squad and seems amazed when an injury exposes a lack of strength in depth.
he always comes out with the same line after the subsequent disappointing season after a successful one; “well this squad won the championship so i thought it would be good enough to repeat the success.”
doesn’t seem to grasp fact that a team that stands still is a team going backwards.
also wenger’s belief that bayern away was our worst performance. we are spoilt for choice on that topic. borussia dortmund away, ajax away, auxerre home, ajax home, the list is endless.
arsenal have been destined to screw up in europe ever since tony vairelles scored in last minute for lens against us in 1998. that when i knew we were jinxed in that tournament.
today’s result not important, the league is complete write-off this season, as it has been since we lost to man utd away.
February 26th, 2005 at 10:57 am
U left out the part about “With the exception of Lehmann’s mistake…”. Otherwise it would have been all 3 points from an ugly win.
February 26th, 2005 at 10:58 am
Wenger didn’t get sent off. VanPersie did. He yelled at him as he walked off. You KNOW he talked with VanPersie at half and said: DON’T DO ANYTHING STUPID.
He did. Thats the PLAYERS fault. Not Wengers.
Wenger didn’t **AYE CARUMBA**(censored) up the goal. Lehmann Did.
He can’t PLAY for these guys.
HE BROUGHT EBOUE ON!
He played the last?? 25 minutes or so… He TRIED something at the back, by playing Toure in Lauren’s position. The PLAYERS simply aren’t getting it done. Without SOL, what option??
His mistakes were trusting in Lehmann to be THE KEEPER. Not buying a SOLID Defender (or 2)
He can’t control injuries to Gilberto or Edu. Flamini and Cesc are KIDS. They just don’t cut it on a weekly basis. Not when EDU and GILBERTO are International stars for the world champions Brazil.
The blame for this match is NOT on Wenger.
VanPersie and Lehmann OWN it. They changed the outcome.
February 26th, 2005 at 10:58 am
Yes, those players would be great additions, no doubt about it. Can’t see Spurs selling them to Arsenal though, their supporters would burn down White Hart Lane.
February 26th, 2005 at 10:59 am
It hasn’t been all rose under Wenger. BUt this season disgusts me the most. Why? Coz we are looking more and more like a joke. We got such obvious weaknesses EVERYBODY but the most important person in the club CAN SEE.
The transfer window is closed, so we are not going to debate this to buy or not to buy thing anymore. We got a joker between the sticks? We got a clown French defender as a backup? I can accept those.
But obviously, something can be done for the rest of the problems. And I guess we are too tired to go thru the problems all over again.
I can’t imagine myself, in Wenger’s shoes, thinking before every match: “Well, nothing to worry, nothing need to be changed. My formula is still damn working and my players are alright. The boys just need to bounce back like they used to do. We are going to win this one.”
But apparently that’s what in his mind. Someone once said here Wenger is the Moses. Well I think he is the Abraham. What a faith!
Having said that, keep the faith guys!! Not for a stubborn manager, not for some spoilt players. Simply for our beloved Arsenal. I love football because in football, impossible is nothing.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:00 am
Cole’s LATE non-goal WAS off-side. No Question.
Wenger doesn’t deserve the blame for THIS GAME.
VAN PERSIE and LEHMANN totally deserve ALL the BLAME.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:03 am
Clown French defender as a back-up.
Cygan?
Did he do something wrong today?
Did he get sent off? Did he screw up on the goal.
No.
Can’t use the SAME Scapegoats today.
Not for this GAME.
Wenger gets blame for trusting Lehmann.
Wenger gets blame for not getting a solid defender.
He can’t play the matches for the players.
Lehmann and VanPersie. ALL FAULT THERE.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:03 am
Well Stag, you are a patient person. I started questioning this guy over a year ago. Lehmann has to go, we just can’t keep on like this. Even the keepers of the bottom teams don’t make such stupid mistakes, and they play with worse defences. And the fact is we defended well apart from a few half chances and Crouch’s other clear chance. All we asked was that he pick the ball out of the air, come a corner, but even that it seems is too much. Well what is he there for? He has to go. Honestly I well and truelly doubt Stuart will be any worse. To my recollection I don’t remember any moanings about him. Maybe the odd error, but who’s without? After all that’s gone on, how do we just stick him back in? What’s his form and confidence like?
Jens has to go, this is too much.
As for Lupoli he may get his chance sooner than we think, the way suspensions are going. Van P. is still a kid, I’ll give him another season. He get himself in positon, but needs to be more composed in front of goal. And he didn’t cost us that much, unlike Reyes.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:06 am
I am just in a bad mood, forget about me. I think Wenger messed up last summer massively. Our great start disguised that problem nicely. But I knew that a few injuries in key areas would cost us everything, and it would be unlikely that we would have as much luck as last season injury wise - Wenger gambled and lost. Some might say that was unprofessional management, I do.
Injuries does not detract from the fact that Wenger seems unable to motivate the players against the big teams, even last season, look at the statistics. It also doesn’t detract from the fact that we still had enough quality players to win comfortably today.
Also, it is now abundantly clear that tactically, at the top level, he is one of the weakest coaches in the Champions League.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:08 am
If you want Wenger to make a point to his players… making them responsible for their actions… VAN PERSIE should NOT PLAY AGAIN for this season. He COST US THE GAME.
Wenger YELLED to him as he walked off.
“I TOLD YOU AT HALF-TIME”…
Up a man and a goal, Soton are done. We just have to keep 11 players on. All he has to do is NOT commit a stupid foul.
DONE with VanP for this season. Get your head on straight kid or be gone.
Lehmann. Better than Almunia. again… thats not much. We need a keeper that can SAVE the DAY. That can WIN a match when we don’t play well. Not since David Seaman have I seen that occur.
I was WRONG on Lehmann. Wenger was too. We need a keeper. You are correct.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:11 am
I understand what he means though. You get the feeling that Wenger will not act unless things get so bad he simply has to. His lethargy in the transfer market has infuriated many fans.
Sometimes that means you might consider wanting the team to lose. It’s a strange psychology, you want the team to do well that you try to accept that defeat might be the best thing in the long run. It’s a pity that we should even consider that strange option, but that’s because we are beginning to despair in Wenger’s complete apathy.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:13 am
I’m with you on this, Stag. Cygan got picked on all day with hoofers and Camara nipping at his heels and, outside an early scare, did the job. I don’t remember a moment’s tension as a result of Soton pressuring the box. They did it like teams have been doing it all year, and I’m not sure what a manager is supposed to do about a keeper like Lehmann who plays a great game and then inexplicably poops all over it.
We’re still the best team going forward, and other than the differential of two keepers, we had an ugly win.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:13 am
well he does reallly. i know he wasn’t playing out there, but who bought lehmann. who bought van persie, i guy who had a history of a being an arsehole at feyenoord. he needs to look at the personality’s of these player’s more. van persie is a loose cannon, showed it several times this season, we shouldn’t have bought him in the first place.
reyes is just an idiot in my book. got the mental age of a 10 year old.
having said that, its ALL to do with injuries. arsenal get no injuries this season, great season. if robben doesn’t get injured for chelsea, they do not lose the last two matches. i’ve just realised, injuries are everything.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:14 am
Yes, but don’t you see that every week it’s a different player? It doesn’t matter who it is. You’re full of ifs and buts, the fact is we can’t keep a clean sheet to save our lives, in every single match we are hopeless at defending. This has been going on for 42 matches, not 5.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:16 am
I don’t get the wanting us NOT to win trophies. Sorry.
I think Wenger gets it. He is more animated and frustrated on that side-line than ever before.
I think he wanted to KILL VanPersie today.
There will be changes in the Summer.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:17 am
I cannot understand why you feel the need to shoot Cygan today. Yes, we’ve been saddled with him all season, but he’s been solid lately.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:17 am
Stag, you missed out on the point entirely.
Its not about this game. Its not about this game and Munich game. Its not about few games’ problem.
Who said Cygan was at fault today? But can you say that he did not contribute to our current position? Can you say that given we have a better backup, we will still be on our current situation?
Vanpersie is inexperienced, nonetheless I think Wenger took the gamble to play him and I can still forgive him for that.
BUt resisting to play a keeper that most of the times make mistakes, is sort of unforgiveable for me.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:19 am
Whether you like it or not Stag, the buck stops with Wenger. He buys the players. Lehmann cost us the Champions League last season, so does Wenger get a better keeper in? No. He leaves it. Who’s fault is that?
As for Van Persie, he came with a bad reputation. Even Arjen Robben said that the kid has great potential but gets sent off every 5 minutes. Wenger took a gamble with him, and he lost again today.
When things are going right you acclaim Wenger, and when things go badly you have to blame him too.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:20 am
Ultimately Mazza… yes. Wenger bought this player and that player.
However… he put these players in the position to succeed… and they BLEW IT. Not Arsene.
If VanPersie doesn’t get sent off… We win.
He should not play again this season. Send the message to the team.
Lehmann. If he for once made a BIG save, to win a match… as opposed to giving away a goal… we win.
Injuries hurt. No doubt.
But the players are NOT performing. So some of them have to go.
You take your chances with players. Young players especially. Reyes/VanP/Cesc/Flamini… etc.
Some will work out… some won’t.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:21 am
I agree Scotty. Cygan played a good match. He has NOT been the problem of late.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:22 am
Van Perise cam with baggage. The kid’s obviously a bit thick to be honest. As for Lehmann, we all saw his weaknesses last season, Wenger had the chance to do something and messed it up.
When are you going to realise that Wenger has made a terrible mess of it this season? We all love the guy, but he is not GOD!
February 26th, 2005 at 11:25 am
Exactly, if its not Cygan its Lehmann, if its not Lehmann its Lauren, if its not Lauren its Cygan.. blah blah.
Stag really has his head in the sand.
It was only last week at Sheff Utd that Cygan came on and sliced a clearance that led to panic and a conceded penalty.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:25 am
No question. The manager ususally gets the sack, not the players. But he is limited by who he can play right now with suspensions and injuries.
He owns the mistakes of not getting a keeper and defenders.
I am talking about THIS MATCH ONLY.
Not Wenger’s Fault at all. He can’t play for them.
They were in position to WIN.(like many times this year)
Don’t get sent off… we win.
If Bergy doesn’t get sent off v. Sheff.Utd. … we win. Stupity on the players part has cost us alot this season too.
ALOT of blame to go around and be shared.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:27 am
I didn’t say trophies. Of course I want trophies, but we’re not going to win them. Everything is lost now, we’ll win nothing this season. The psychology is that we might as well get battered so that Wenger will finally do what he didn’t do last summer. Get it?
February 26th, 2005 at 11:28 am
He made mistakes.
ALL managers do.
Mourinho LOST the FA CUP tie v. Newcastle himself by bringing on 3 subs at half.
Do you want Wenger out?
I don’t get it. He made mistakes. He has made ALOT more positive moves than errors. Thats for sure. He is the best coach the team has ever seen.
At some point… the PLAYERS have to take “SOME” responsibility. Its not all down to Wenger.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:29 am
But Wenger has to be criticised for that because he has failed to instill discipline at the club. This is one of his major downfalls. If he doesn’t think Van Persie can control his temper then sub him or play someone else.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:31 am
You called Cygan a clown.
He has actually been pretty solid.
VanPerise can’t be forgiven for this. He should not play for a while. Getting sent off in that situation, after the manager clearly TALKED to HIM about it at half… is UNFORGIVABLE.
Thats where its NOT Wenger’s fault. Its the PLAYER.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:32 am
how did senderos play today?
February 26th, 2005 at 11:32 am
Personally I think Wenger must stay, I have enough faith in him that he will sort things out in the summer. Every year when he has won a Championship he has failed to build on it the following season, but the year after he has corrected it. I am hoping the same will happen this year too.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:32 am
No. I don’t.
We CAN win the FA CUP.
We are actually still alive in the CL.
We can WIN a trophy AND realize changes have to be made.
I never want to see us lose. I never want to see us NOT win a trophy.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:32 am
Adequate.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:34 am
I think our problems are currently too big to have any such expectations. You are an optimist, I am a realist.
Optimism is fine, but nor for the manager of Arsenal. Wenger needs to be a realist, and he is too often an optimist. That’s why we’re in this mess.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:36 am
I don’t agree.
A manager’s job is to put the team in a position to WIN. The PLAYERS have to execute the plan. We were in POSITION TO WIN.
1-0 up. Up a man.
VanPersie is the goat. Its his fault.
Do we not play Bergy because he was stupid to get sent off v. Sheff.???
If you are blaming Wenger for everything bad that happened this year… why not sack him? If its all his fault, then he should go… why veil the commentary.
They won’t sack him… because he is excellent. He can’t play for the players. But he can replace them.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:38 am
as a fan and manager…
you need to be BOTH a realist AND an optimist.
Positivity can go a long way.
You have to believe in your team, your players and yourself. If you don’t, why should anyone else.
I would always want and expect Wenger to be optimistic and positive.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:38 am
But that’s the major complaint, he doesn’t replace them.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:40 am
Agreed!
HE has work to do.
He has some decisions to make on players for sure.
I believe he will/can learn from these mistakes.
He always has in the past.
It can’t all be roses and trophies every year.
SH** happens!
February 26th, 2005 at 11:42 am
But there comes a team when such optimism becomes unfounded. Like playing away to Bayern Munich in the Champins League with two attacking wingers who never track back, ahead a recognisably weak defence.
That’s where optimism borders on stupidity. I don’t think any top European Manager worth his salt would have placed his optimism on that line up.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:42 am
Cygan was at fault for the penalty?
TRY SENDEROS Jumping in the box with his hands up!!!!!!!!!
How long has he played soccer?
That can’t be done. Its not Cygan’s error.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:43 am
Agree with Danny. Adequate.
Nothing special, but there was not alot to do
at the back. Should have been an easy win.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:44 am
Again. you are saying Wenger is NOT a top manager with that comment.
You clearly advocate he goes…
I would NOT have played that line-up either.
But he has a bit more knowledge than I do.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:45 am
It’s worrying that he never learns from his past mistakes though. That’s why I feel he has taken Arsenal as far as the club can go. There’s still another level. The question is do we want Arsenal to be at that level or not? And is Wenger capable of taking us there? Once I would have said yes, not anymore though.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:46 am
Hard to replace players on a team that went UNDEFEATED last year.
Generally, you don’t change alot to that record.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:47 am
Why do you keep drawing me into trying to suggest he goes? Allowing him to go would be a massive risk, not one I would be prepared to take despite my misgivings. But then he will probably not be at the club in 5 years anyway. He has to go sometime.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:48 am
Danny…
don’t veil the commentary.
Its pretty clear you believe Wenger should be fired…
If you don’t believe he can get us to the next level, then you think he should be gone.
If Dein and Arsenal don’t believe he is capable of getting us to win in Europe… THEY should fire him. Its really that simple.
I believe he can and will.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:48 am
Ah, that’s where you’re so wrong. You keep building when you’re ahead, you don’t wait until it all goes wrong. That’s his biggest failing.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:49 am
You keep saying things that suggest he be fired.
You have said it over and over.
No, actually he DOESN’T HAVE TO GO SOMETIME.
He could manage here for 20 years.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:50 am
Just because I don’t believe it doesn’t mean it won’t happen. He could prove me wrong, he has before. I would rather place my confidence in him than take the gamble of kicking him out.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:51 am
If a manager CHANGED a team that went undefeated in the league… he’d be called DAFT.
You tweek that team, yes. Make changes to it?
February 26th, 2005 at 11:52 am
It was a simple clearance, and Cygan panicked. Wenger messed up tactically by bringing Cygan on at all.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:53 am
It can’t be both ways.
You either have to believe in him… or you think he isn’t capable.
You repeatedly say you don’t think he can take us to the next level. That he isn’t a top European manager. If that IS true… he has to go.
I don’t believe he isn’t capable.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:54 am
I didn’t propose changing the whole team did I? Every season you refine it, bring in players, move out the dead wood or leave them on the bench. A continuinal process of improvement.
We could all identify the weak links, Cygan, Lehmann, Lauren. Wenger kept them all, didn’t do a thing. Big mistake.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:55 am
Not everybody can be the best manager in Europe, just like you can’t have all the best players in the world.
You can’t throw out a manager because he is not the best, sometimes you just have to accept it and hope.
February 26th, 2005 at 11:56 am
What, when he’s 80? Don’t talk nonsense.
February 26th, 2005 at 2:53 pm
I can’t believe that I stayed up all night to watch that crap at 4:30am in the morning! Where do I begin? Even though I’ve defended Lehmann in the past for being the scapegoat, what he did today to concede their goal was just unforgiveable! You don’t even see keeper’s on Hackney Marshes doing what he did! It was amateurish and if I was Klinsmann I wouldn’t have him anywhere near my squad for next year’s World Cup! If he is Germany’s number two keeper, I’d hate to see what the others are like!
Also, Kolo Toure looked about as comfortable at right back as a bacon sandwich feels comfortable at a barmitzvah reception. If Wenger thought he lost confidence then maybe AW should’ve rested him for today’s game. He and Freddie just didn’t click whatsoever on the right flank. Also, I lost count the number of times he gave the ball away for a goalkick or passed to the opposition!
I think Robin van Persie is too much of a liabilty with his hot-headed temprament. Even though we were well below par we had the game won when Prutton was sent off. But RvP’s temper cost us two points today. You could see the look on AW’s face when he trapsed off the pitch after being red carded.
Vieira also didn’t look like he was really up for it today. I’m really starting to question his loyalty towards us. He looks like someone whose got his bags packed ready for a move to the Bernebeu in the summer.
Fair do to their keeper who played a blinder in the last 10 minutes, but in saying that we should’ve wrapped things by the middle of the second half!
Overall, it was like watching the Arsenal of old where we trying walk the ball into the net. The number of chances Henry had to sow the game up for us but never took advantage was unbelievable. Even with the goal we scored it looked like we didn’t really want to score, what with the number of fancy clicks and backheels in the build up!
God knows who Wenger will put out to face Sheffield United on Tuesday, because I don’t think any of them played well!
I just hope that he gives Stuart Taylor a chance as Lehmann and Almunia are just not Premiership material!
February 26th, 2005 at 2:54 pm
If we play like this again….we’ll be lucky to end up with a teacup come the end of the season!
February 26th, 2005 at 2:57 pm
I hate to say this Danny, but we just gave up today. I saw none of the so called Arsenal fighting spirit that is suppose to be amongst the squad out there today until five minutes from the end when it was too late!
February 26th, 2005 at 2:59 pm
You summed it up in a nutshell. What’s the point in having a new stadium when the team itself stinks!!!!!
February 26th, 2005 at 3:00 pm
Believe you me I don’t AW was too thrilled with the lack of effort today either!
February 26th, 2005 at 4:05 pm
I can’t imagine Taylor’s confidence is that high either, having been continually overlooked in favour of crap like Almunia & Lehmann.
February 26th, 2005 at 7:23 pm
Today’s sorry performance is utterly frustrating…Our boys have lost the plot; they have given up and are no longer fighting. There is no passion, no fight in our game…We can’t continue to rely on TH14 to rescue us time and time again.
We don’t need a massive clearance of players; we just need 3 solid players for next season…Get rid of Lehmann , Almunia, Cygan, van Persie and bring in Carlo Cudicini, Ledley King, and Michael Essien (Lyon)….and with a healthy Gilberto, Edu, we can be back next season.
Until today I didn’t feel this, but now I am seriously pessimistic about the CL and the FA cup. We won’t be able to keep a clean sheet against Munich, and it’ll be tough against Sheff U (Gasp!!! I can’t believe I am saying this…they’re a Championship side for Pete’s Sake….but they have more heart than us right now). Even if we get past Sheff U, we will have Big Sam and his Bolton Boys to look to whom we haven’t beaten this season…..
Sorry, But no silverware for us this year….
I hope I’m wrong…
Keep Fighting Gunners…
February 26th, 2005 at 11:53 pm
I have to correct you gerard….we’ve won twice in it….against Charlton and Villa.
But I agree with you about it. Reminds me of a bunch overrated tossers from SW6 who are managed by an arrogant Portuguese muppet and are owned by the Russian mafia
February 27th, 2005 at 4:53 pm
I stand corrected but you know I just like the refrain about the blue, although it hasn’t been to lucky for Arsenal.
What I did like was your description of that other team on the Kings Road who usually where a similar kit. You gave me a good laugh.
Potugese muppet - lol - :)~
February 28th, 2005 at 10:22 am
I was very slow to admit it but Cygan has played very well for us for quite a while. He is the BACKUP who do you think we are going to get to come in here and play backup CD. Do you think we are going to get Alesandro Nesta to come in and back up Campbell, I don’t think so.