Mar 23
The forces of evil prevailed once again today as Didier Drogba scored twice to help Chelski overcome an early second-half goal by Bacary Sagna to beat Arsenal 2-1. Coupled with ManUre’s demolition of Liverpool today’s loss by the Gunners finds them fall to third in the table, 6 points behind ManUre with seven games left.
91 Responses to “Chelsea 2 - 1 Arsenal”
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March 23rd, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Gallas has become a liability…2 missed headers leaving to 2 goals.
Injuries have killed our season…shattered ankle leads to shattered dreams. It started that day, and I think we all knew it in our hearts. We held out belief but we could see that our unity and spirit were destroyed that day. VP and Thomas have also been vital voids that are not yet filled.
Could not be proud of the lads, they have taken us on a fairy tale ride. Season is not over but the title chase is. Congrats to ManU…you were class and you deserve it.
On to the CL. Let’s pick ourselves up and finish it off.
Up the Arse!!! Kiss the Crest!!! Believe!!!
Wow…I can barely type…im shaking, nervy, and very very sad.
PROUD TO BE A GOONER!
March 23rd, 2008 at 2:36 pm
It was a fairly decent match for us UNTIL we got the lead.
Then Chelsea kicked it up a notch… applied the pressure… and we wilted like an Easter Flower in the cold.
We didn’t have the mental make up this season to take the Championship start to finish. When we put ourselves up 5 points in the league… we had every reason to believe we could and should win the league…
To blow the points against the weaker teams in the EPL… is inexcusable, but lets you know that we aren’t quite there yet.
Thats all.
A good run. A good season… but its done in the league now.
I hope we rest out best players for the CL matches…
RVP and Ade have shown nothing in recent weeks… they don’t exactly mesh together very well. Since Ade lost his braids, he’s done a Samson… he can’t score for shite right now… posing very little threat.
I can’t remember a win in the league!!!!!!
March 23rd, 2008 at 2:42 pm
I said the same thing about Ade a few weeks back..no braids=no goals.
Remember when Sagna took his out in the first part of the season. He had one of his worst games. Put them on the following week and PRESTO! The old Sagna was back.
March 23rd, 2008 at 2:49 pm
I have been feeling pretty crap and what was making me fell even worse was my perception that evil prevailed again today. And Mike, then I see this video and realize that atleast I am not alone in thinking that. Oddly, I think I feel slightly better after seeing your video. Even though I still feel pretty awful.
I truly was believing in this team and wanted them to do so well. anyway….tomorrow the sun will still shine, traffic will still block the streets, the Arsenal players will still have to go back to training and attempt to put this behind them. Maybe they will win soon…..atleast now, my expectations have been horribly cut down, so it might be less painful for me to watch the games in the next few weeks.
March 23rd, 2008 at 2:53 pm
i feel like i need therapy after the anticlimax that has been this season
March 23rd, 2008 at 3:08 pm
The core of the team is good enough. And that is what should be built on.
I always thought an “hero” will be needed to carry the team through the tough patches of March. And I always thought the hero would be Hleb/Rosicky. What Wenger needs to do now is to bring in TWO new attacking midfielders for the wings.
Vela does not count. Vela should be the insurance policy for Rosicky and RvP. Infact for next season we should pretend as if Rosicky is not our player.
Wenger got Hleb and Rosicky for less than 10 million. I am definite he can find similar material for at most 25 million combined. It does not have to be a name we recognise or know.
Finally we need a new first choice centerback. Toure will NEVER learn how to deal with high balls. He is 27 and remains as pathetic as ever.
March 23rd, 2008 at 3:12 pm
As I mentioned above…wasnt it Gallas who completely missed both headers?
March 23rd, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Fred, you got it all wrong, Gallas was the culprit in both goals not Toure. Also, instead of going into a defensive 4-5-1 immediately after our goal we looked out of shape and Monsieur Flamini was not tracking back to offer defensive coverage. As a matter of fact, Fabregas was playing Flamini’s position all evening.
We gave it a good run but our known weaknesses were exposed late. Good job by the “Young Guns”, just not quite good enough.
Hate to go into the “I told you so” mode, but I have been preaching for months that we are an unfinished puzzle and still have the basic weaknesses which we exhibited last year. The lads gave us a good ride and can actually pick up a trophy in the CL.
Thanks for the early ride Arsene, win the CL for pride and spend some money to address our needs in the off-season. In the meantime, I will continue to watch my team play great if not complete football for the rest of the season and suffer my heart palpitations over a few good brews.
March 23rd, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Havent watched the replays of their first goal yet but I can surely recall Toure’s attempted clearance of the ball that got to drogba.
Toure ALWAYS completely loses orientation when the ball is in the air. Yes, Gallas lost the header before hand - but there is nothing you can do about that. Toure on the other hand ran forward, ran back then missed the ball completely - with that look of utter panic on his face throughout. Senderos would have done better. And that is not good.
Anyway, it does not matter, it can only be fixed in the summer. For now we need to hold steady and get to the CL semis and try to regain 2nd spot.
March 23rd, 2008 at 4:00 pm
Season is finished, Man Utd will finish us off no problem. No chance in the Champions League if we defend like that, Benitez will be throwing in crosses for 270 minutes in the three Arsenal games - he’s not stupid.
March 23rd, 2008 at 4:01 pm
I wish you all a good summer and see you mid-August when the transfer merry-go starts again.
March 23rd, 2008 at 4:08 pm
I thought we played ok until Sagna went off.
We needed that Sagna goal so badly, a goal form an unexpected source. Then he gets injured!!
As soon as he went off I had this sinking feeling.
There is nothing Wenger can do really. He just has to let this team play out the remaining games. He lacks options. The backup players that are available don’t inspire as being answers now. So he just has to put out his best side (subject to injuries) and see what they can do.
Drogba is a handful. We actually seemed to contain him reasonably well until later in the game. That’s the sign of a seasoned pro…..he fluffed an early chance but later in the game when our organisation started to wane he capitalised.
March 23rd, 2008 at 5:03 pm
I think back a point Fred made a while ago, he said we needed a “Hero”. It’s a term Fred probably picked up from FIFAM I suspect! : ) but i know what he meant.
When the season is going down the wire, you do need a BIG player to step up BIG. Like 1998 Marc Overmars, 2002 Freddie Ljungberg, and 2004 Thierry Henry.
Perhaps that’s the difference between Man U (Ronaldo) and us. And in Drogba, Chelsea got a player stepped up big time today.
love him or hate him, he’s unstoppable today. Remember the sticks Senderos got for not being able to handle Drogba? Well, now we know why. I think he singlehandly destroyed our entire defence. If Gallas and Kolo combined together not being able to stop him, what chance Sendy had?
I think that’s the main difference. Neither Fabregas, or van Persie, or Adebayor, or anyone else gave us a feeling that they were taking charge and leading us to a final push.
Adebayor i can understand. Because like i said before, after watching him running so hard every single game, how long could he last? I don’t think he suddenly lost his touch, but watching him, he looked dead tired and basically been labouring on the pitch. we know this guy would always give his all, if he got anything left.
I remember Henry used to play almost every single game in a season as well. but Titi NEVER ran as hard as Ade in every game.
Van Persie just came back from injury, so it’s natural that he’s still a bit rusty.
But i m deeply disappointed by Hleb, and to a certain extend Cesc. They are our key players, but they just simply failed to produce the same form as they had early of the season.
The one who really tried to step is Flamini. Unfortunately he never got the skills Hleb and Cesc had to make a serious impact.
right now, I hope our players just to show enough pride and professionalism to give their best shot on every remaining game. The odds are against us in the league, but if our players give up now i will be deeply disappointed. And we still have Championship League to fight for.
I dont know about others. To me, Arsenal’s season definitely has not ENDED yet.
March 23rd, 2008 at 5:07 pm
You cannot make up “experience” and “mental toughness” with skills. We’ve got young players with “potential” and we saw some of that in the early part of the season.
Even if we had won those 4 winnable games, the loss today would mean that we are only going to be 2pts (75pts) ahead of United (73pts) and still have to play at OT which would would also probably lose.
It’s only a matter of time before United would overtake us, I guess it’s better for it to happen now than later?
We need a win badly in the league, but playing away at Bolton who is struggling for prem survival means another “kick’em up” game and we’ll probably drop more points then home to Pool with another two games against them in the CL means that our struggles would likely continue well into mid-april until we get some “winnable” games.
I don’t think we’ll win anything this year. Finishing 2nd is now a realistic struggle. Even if we get past Liverpool in the CL we most likely would not with Chelsea, and should we prevail it’s either ManU or Barca in the finals.
It’s going to be another “transition” season for us with no silverware. But at least this year we are striving to finish in the top 2, which is where we belong.
March 23rd, 2008 at 5:12 pm
Have to chuckle at certain people calling Arsenal bottlers and chokers after this defeat but when I called Arsenal bottlers after a very similar game at Aston Villa in November- when we sunk into our half after taking the lead- I was roundly derided for being extremely unreasonable. Surely Arsenal had ground out a victory and shown great character? It’s amazing how goals literally have to go in for some people to accept the truth. Until then, of course, it’s all if’s and but’s isn’t it?
Almunia(6)- Whatever.
Sagna(6)- Good goal and solid.
Clichy(5)- Continued his poor form. He tactically doesn’t have a clue at times and cannot be trusted.
Toure(5)- The AFNC wasn’t an abberation after all. Senderos and Gallas look a better partnership.
Gallas(6)- Decent I thought.
Flamini(5)- Poor. His lack of class and mobility was sadly exposed today. The amount of times he lost the ball in midfield through being outmanouvered.
Fabregas(5)- Poor by his standards. Got nutmegged around the area about ten times it seemed. Like Flamini, looks so slow compared to Chelsea’s midfield.
Hleb(5.5)- Okayish. Involved in a few nice moves and nearly set-up Van Persie with a composed pass. Still too passive and quick to shift responsibilty.
Eboue(5)- Usual nothing performance.
Van Persie(4)- Shockingly bad.
Adebayor(4)- Waste of space. Waste of air.
March 23rd, 2008 at 5:13 pm
Not that this makes things any better, but looking at things in Spain, Madrid have lost 7 games out of the last 10 in all comps. That includes two losses in the Champs League and 5 in the league and they are still 4 points clear at the top because Barca have also dropped quite a few points in the last few games. In Spain, things are such that Madrid can still afford to lose a few more games before the season is over and they would still win the title because teams behind them are more than capable of screwing up. In England, not such a case. Every dropped point has consequences and each draw feels like a loss. Such have been things in the last few years.
As for Liverpool, chances are Everton might beat them next week. I hope they do and I hope Arsenal knock them out of the Champs league. I am tired that Rafa can always fall back on the Champs league as something meaningful in a season. Liverpool’s poor record against Man Utd can’t be ignored. Teams worse than Liverpool have managed to avoid defeats against Man Utd but Liverpool can’t even manage a goal. One goal (and that also an own goal) in 8 league goals against Man Utd is pretty bad.
As for Arsenal, a season that looked so good until the second half started in Jan. A horrific loss to their bitter rivals, followed by a drubbing in the F.A Cup against another hated rival and then the recent poor league form. Ofcourse, a win against Milan was great. Arsenal outplayed Milan although Milan have been quite pathetic in Serie A, although in Europe they had some good results this year.
What happens now? I am not sure but will be interesting to see how the team approaches the upcoming games.
March 23rd, 2008 at 5:21 pm
Sachin - I wouldn’t be commenting on Liverpool right now, at least they weren’t winless in 5 league games are we are now.
We might have to do a “Rafa” and fall back on the CL as that’s the only realistic hope to make our season “memorable” this year. Who cares about us leading the league for most of the year, we’re at the business end and that’s were experience counts. We got too many injuries and those that are physically fit are not mentally ready.
I’m also tired of Wenger calling our “draws” in the last 4 games as a “testiment to our mental strength”. Had we scored a late equalizer today he would have kept up the tosh about our current form.
March 23rd, 2008 at 5:31 pm
Why do people get such a high from saying I TOLD U SO? Your team just lost a high profile match and possibly the title and all you want to say is i called it a couple of games ago?
March 23rd, 2008 at 5:31 pm
Neova, I am commenting on Livepool because of their poor record against ManUtd. I know that means nothing now as Arsenal didn’t win today, but it is frustrating. Yes if Arsenal won every game, then there would have been no need to look at results of other teams….A few years ago Liverpool did manage to draw 4 straight league games, and I can’t remember if that finally won their 5th game. I think they had two 2-2 draws in a row or something.
Yeah yeah shouldn’t be commenting on other teams when the team I like is doing poor…That is what was told against Wenger and Arsenal in the 99/2000 & 2000/01 season when Wenger complained about other teams laying down against Man Utd while Arsenal got ripped against them in the 00/01 season. Made a mockery of Wenger asking other teams to fight against Man Utd when Arsenal could not themselves.
March 23rd, 2008 at 6:25 pm
The team is OK as it is. It is tired…and the players with the most experience have their head in their ass - from Toure to Hleb.
Before Hleb could not score in his dreams. Now he cant even create. And he wont get better than this.
Two new attacking midfielders and one starting centerback and we would be fine for next season.
March 23rd, 2008 at 7:48 pm
I remember Hleb getting thru a few Chelsea players today… and sliding over a nice pass to RVP, who had the ball on his desired left foot, and shanked it yet again into the 14 row.
You know Hleb isn’t going to shoot, thats a given… but when he sets up other players who are supposed to be goal-scorers, and they can’t finish… we’re about done.
Why are we more tired than Chelsea, or United. or Liverpool???
We’ve played the same number of games.
If you say its depth… then thats 100% on Mr. Wenger.
March 23rd, 2008 at 7:52 pm
All that mental strength rubbish is what it is- rubbish. Now we’ve lost two games. So what’s Wenger going to see when United are opening the champagne bottles? “we are only team to be beaten twice in a season and lose the championship”?
Wenger needs to drop a bit of his ego, break a few team bonds and thus a few players hearts, and bring in four or five major players. Just get it done and then spend the next few seasons molding the squad together and improving team spirit. No amount of team spirit is going to make this bunch champions. It’s team spirit that has got us this far as we’ve playing rubbish since the end of November and in my opinion, have been in a false position all year. Flattered to deceive, and we’ve been found exposed ruthlessly in recent weeks as the pretenders we are.
I disagree about not lacking quality. We lack quality big time.
March 23rd, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Also, Wenger needs to work out how we are going to play. Either we get rid of Hleb, and maybe Rosicky, and bring in some Stewart Downing type wingers to cross for Adebayor, or we jettison Adebayor- my preferred option- and bring in a player who has above average touch, vision, and improvisation. At the moment we are caught between two philosophies and when confidence is low we get a unsatisfactory and squallid hybrid that produces very little.
If you want to work players like Fabregas, Hleb, et all into penalty area then you need a touch player to jam with them and be on the same wavelength with them. The last thing we need is a clumsy, 6″4″, concrete-booted African striker who runs back ten yards everytime he gets the ball.
At the moment our game relies too much on the whims of our full backs to provide width.
March 23rd, 2008 at 8:28 pm
What could have been always seems to be absorbed by what is. Today, “what is” slapped me in the side of the head. It hurts somewhat but like Sacchin said my family is around me, my dog is at my feet, my club lost and I still have something to cheer for. I’ll be eating humble pie when I see my boss, when it comes to whose club is better than whose club, but for the rest it’s all gravy.
Look at it this way, if I where a goth I’d be happy because there is pain in my life; although I don’t know if your football club loosing counts but hey.
Damn, if that doesn’t work I guess it’s back on medication me
For me the grass looks greener on both sides of the fence… pass me some of that grass!
See it worked.
March 23rd, 2008 at 8:34 pm
FOUR or FIVE “major” players????
For what positions?????
“major” players being players that you know. LOOOL.
March 23rd, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Actually this team could achieve far more if just one or two players carried it through. eg. HLEB!
I have said it since the beginning that it is actually a small nucleus of players that actually decide the league title.
Overmars did in 98
Ljunberg did in 02 after Pires got injured.
Henry did throughout 04.
We have a great framework but no IMPACT player.
Hleb is not even attempting it! That is where we fall short.
All our experienced players are cowardly, meek, loser-like and love to pansy about.
March 23rd, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Yeah, it’s Hleb’s fault. The non-scoring weed, the no-impact player that Inter Milan and Barcelona are after.
Our framework is the problem. We’ve got a main striker with a crap touch in a ‘touch’ team. That, right there, is staring everyone in the face.
March 23rd, 2008 at 10:42 pm
This is by far the smallest number of post i have seen after a vital loss/win.
Has everyone abandoned this team? The belief in the rest of the season?
My cousin, a Manure fan, said that this by no means the title is won. It is theirs to loose. But if we beat Manure and they loose to Chelsea its game on again.
Anything can still happen…BELIEVE!
March 23rd, 2008 at 10:51 pm
I didn’t see the game, and have come on here to get the real low-down…. all I can say, is that f*ck me Mazza you depress the hell out of me
March 23rd, 2008 at 11:04 pm
Most folk are probably feeling a bit like the team…..flat.
A couple of posters are positively drooling, they’ve waited all season to be able to gloat. Now they see their chance. Jolly inconvenient of Wenger to mess up their dire predictions - now they’ll make up for lost time.
Nothing is decided, it’s just that there isn’t alot to inspire hope at this stage.
Anyone hear the Chelsea fans turn on Grant? Sad stuff, what a horrid club.
March 23rd, 2008 at 11:12 pm
Someone needs to put that Mazza lad on weed as he depresses the “jiminy cricket” out of me to. Try beer sir, try beer!
And Mazza don’t say I told you so. When you do you remind me of my dear old mother when I was a teen but that was always after the fact. Frankly, you don’t know if your right yet or not so why puff up when you might just get deflated later. By the numbers it ain’t over till the fat old purple nose sings.
Go you red and white!
March 23rd, 2008 at 11:19 pm
#30 Yes, our TV commentator made several disparaging remarks about it. Let’s face it they’re Chel$ki fans and their old coach wants to kill them, now we know why. Nothing but Russian peasants dressed up in Sloane Ranger suits…
March 23rd, 2008 at 11:32 pm
Obviously, everybody is very depressed after the result. How could they not be?
Arsenal had not suffered a blip all season long, at least not in terms of results. Now we are. Yes, it is the worst time to do so, but there are some reasons (not excuses) that helped it - injuries, lack of experience, tired players, etc. If we had suffered a similar blip at the start and then went on to be 6 pts behind the leaders, we would have been hailed as heroes.
The lack of experience finally showed up. 4 draws and 1 loss at a time when we should be grinding out wins/draws has exposed the youthfulness of the side. The lack of an impact player (or HERO as Fred puts it) hurt us a lot. But there is still so much to play for and look forward too. Let’s not hang our heads in shame. Let’s give it our best till the end of the season. After that, Wenger should hopefully make the required changes.
March 23rd, 2008 at 11:36 pm
Lets leave out the doom and gloom guys (Sorry SEH, just a figure of speech), coming into the reason we would have been thrilled to be in the position we are now. Arsenal overachieved with the young kids but we all knew the final pieces to the puzzle were not there.
As badly as we all feel this evening we did put in a great effort and got beaten by one of the top 3 strikers in the world. Believe it or not, we still have a chance in the CL especially now because it must become our area of concentration and in a two game series anything can happen.
For the greater part we played Chelsea to a standstill at their home ground and were unlucky not to come away with a draw. Most of the players performed admirably under the circumstances except for Ade who seems to have lost his touch and Eboue who should seriously be considered for a remedial lobotomy.
Whether by accident or design, did any one else notice that Fab actually played the defensive mid-fielder role today and Flamini was the one who was continuously bombing forward, albeit unsuccessfully. Could this be a premeditated move for the future or was it just a one game anomaly? Only time will tell.
My only concern going forward is whether we will attempt to address our shortcomings in the off season being that they were the same last season and nothing was done to rectify them.
1. Lack of height in central defense and midfield which makes us vulnerable to set pieces and other aerial attacks.
2. Outside of RVP, a lack of personnel skilled in the art of the “FREE KICK”.
3. Lack of imagination in offensive set pieces.
4. Lack of goal scoring mid-fielder.
5. A proven alternative at striker.
March 23rd, 2008 at 11:37 pm
“Wenger needs to work out how we are going to play.”
I had the same thought soon after the game, but suspected it could be a knee jerk reaction. I felt the problem was with our slow passing style. I think it makes players start games slowly and build momentum gradually. Haven’t seen us start off the blocks anytime in the recent past. Ends up relying too much on second half heroics.
Was wondering if Wenger made the wrong change in the style of play. One argument is that it suits us better in Europe. Not 100% sure of that. Chelsea are usually the labored team. Even their midfield looks faster than ours yesterday. Either that or the players are completely knocked out. Either way, we need to add some pace to the side.
March 23rd, 2008 at 11:49 pm
Anybody else think that Almunia should have done a lot better on the second goal. I am not blaming him for the goal, but sometimes you need keepers to make big saves. Almunia just does not come across as the types who will make big saves that will win you games. Only the Keane penalty save comes to mind for the whole season.
March 23rd, 2008 at 11:50 pm
@ 27: inter and barca are after him?? big blooping deal! barca VP recently came out and said he wanted eboue! a team “after” a player means f- all.
u hate adebayor but he has but FAR more points on the table than hleb.
dont let facts get in the way of your staunch dislike though.
March 23rd, 2008 at 11:56 pm
I thought it was a knee jerk reaction too Nipuna and watched the game once more with my son and we both came up with the same conclusion, Fab was playing like a defensive mid-fielder. For one of the few times this season I thought we were marginally dominated in the midfield.
Also, although the commentators initially suggested it was a classic 4-4-2 formation with Ade and RVP as strikers we were actually playing a 4-3-2-1 with Ade as the striker, Hleib in a support role and RVP playing as a classical winger. Strangely, it actually seemed to work and RVP surprised me with his pace and defensive acumen in the first half. He is obviously not yet match fit and expectedly seemed to tire in the second frame.
Regardless of the result I was proud of our performance even though my thought process was enlightened by more than just a few good brews.
March 24th, 2008 at 12:23 am
Adebayor has been dissapointing in recent weeks. He has fallen off the map. Thats the truth Fred. Like it or not.
He has been a big part of the early success of the team. Thats the truth also.
But when we’ve needed him during this slide, he hasn’t done shite.
He has poor touch. He doesn’t work with RVP.
What we plan to do “style-wise” is an interesting question.
Right now, we don’t look like scoring two goals in a game EVER.
I can certainly see why teams would want Hleb. You might not like him, but he is a team oriented player… that plays well with Cesc… and distributes the ball around effectively in the Arsenal’s current mode of attack.
Its maddening that he doesn’t shoot or have Pires-like instincts around the net.
But he is what he is… I doubt Wenger is selling him off. He’s a Wenger player.
Its the final 3rd that is so sorely lacking for us. Ade was banging them in early on… and so was Cesc… and we were pretty damn impressive. But the scoring from midfield left… Cesc is back to his non-scoring touch… and Ade is not TH14… nor should he be expected to be.
The questions will be RVP. Is he capable of playing a decent number of games and can he play with Adebayor.
Rosicky… can he play a decent number of games and score goals from the midfield…
Eboue… where does he fit in… if Rosicky is in the midfield, does he have a position?
Center Back… whats the pairing?
Toure and Gallas don’t look like they are a proper duo. Lacking height and in dealing with the ball in the air. Was Sol Campbell UNDER-RATED? Because Toure was EXCELLENT playing next to him. Seriously.
Keeper… who is the answer… I don’t think its Almunia… and Lehmann’s about done as well.
We’ve got many questions… and they are all out there now because of this nose-dive in the last third of this season.
When your winning… there isn’t a weakness and everybody is a genius on the coaching staff. But now, we have questions.
What a JOKE the Chelsea supporters are… That was the most ridiculous thing I have seen from alleged supporters ever. Actually mocking the manager… saying “you don’t know what you’re doing”… and changing Mourinho’s name?
Unbelievable.
March 24th, 2008 at 12:57 am
#28: I don’t think anyone is abandoning the squad. I for one needed most of the day to even think about the match again. Gutted.
I hope the results will come in Europe. It seems like we get up for those games in a big way.
Also, I can’t help but feel that some of the criticism leveled at Almunia is unwarranted. He got peppered today and made some really quality saves. He also knew exactly when to come out and challenge for the ball. The first goal he had no chance, and though he might have done a little better on the second, the pace on that shot was wicked. He got a hand to it, but it wasn’t enough. It’s true that we may still want to look for a keeper, but I don’t think this performance alone would warrant Almunia’s departure.
March 24th, 2008 at 1:26 am
Basically, I’m not angry, but simply feel bummed and need a couple of days to even thing about watching another football game. This match really took the spirit out of me, but that usually changes with a good night sleep. My alma mater winning an NCAA tourney game shortly after the game today really perked me back up, and I must admit it is a welcome distraction, a distraction that I hope continues for four more bb games (!). I listened to some great music and opera and felt even better. You need some antiseptic after a match like today.
Looking at our team, it felt like men against boys, and the youth has really inspired many observers of the game, but it feels like the youth has totally caught up with us.
Six points is not an impossible of a gap to close - nowhere near - it just feels more like 60 points at the moment. Tomorrow, it will feel less, and by next week’s game it will feel like 6 again.
So, it’s too early to reflect on the match - it’s time to sleep and get on with other more important things - until next weekend, when we’ll all be back chomping at the bit of hope.
March 24th, 2008 at 1:29 am
with the title so close, on hindsight, it was disappointing that wenger did not buy anyone, maybe experienced in the jan transfer window… could have given a bit of thrust and belief… and personnel since van Persie and Rosicky are almost always injured, and more injuries, suspensions, etc can be expected…
in the unbeaten season, i think signing of Reyes was a masterpiece…
too bad that instead of signing someone, we even lost diarra, who was more than decent
March 24th, 2008 at 1:32 am
I’m totally gutted as well….although we are not mathematically out of it yet…the title race is over…don’t see us coming back from here on in…There has been enough analysis done on the match so won’t add to it.
Even in the disappointment….i couldn’t help but feel that this loss is a blessing in disguise. I said earlier that depending on the results of the matches on Sunday..Wenger may have to make a call on which title the team would want to concentrate on the UCL or the EPL…..going by the results i think the decision is simple. Face it…there was no way that our team was going to go through the tough round of fixtures they have and come out on top….we would have had to face disappointment in one of the two title chases.
I’m saying that the loss is a blessing because from now on in Wenger and the team will have to concentrate on the UCL……We are probably not in any danger of slipping out of the Top 4….so there is no pressure there. What i’m trying to say is that givne the series of events that have taken place….this is our best chance to win the Champions League..this means the for the next round of the UCL… the team will have to forget about the league fixture against Liverpool in between …..so that means that we’ll have to get a goal or away goal advantage over Liverpool in the 2 CL matches and we are through to the next round. That is a much easier prospect compared to having to beat Liverpool in 3 matches over 8 days.
I know a lot of people don’t like Wenger prioritising on competitions ..but this year he had to make that choice….. he now is in a position to know very clearly where the team’s strenghts and weaknesses are..and he will make the required corrections in the Summer……so come next year if we again are in the same position discussing whether Arsenal need to concentrate on the FA/EP/UCL…i will be the first to say that Wenger has got in wrong. However, I definetly don’t see it happening next year..we are going to come out all guns blazing next year all the way to the EPL title atleast.
And lastly….if we had a choice of winning only one of the FA Cup..EPL or the UCL this year..which would you have taken……for me it would definetly be the UCL…we still have a strong chance in the UCL…and IRONICALLY this defeat to Chelsea has probably only improve our chances of winning it this year.
So here’s to the Gunners winning the UCL this year….i’m positive that we will
Cheers,
Wayne
March 24th, 2008 at 2:56 am
First things that come to mind ill start with defence.
Gk- Almunia is a good goalkeeper but its not enough to have a good keeper a big side needs a Great goalkeeper. Lehman did it for 4 years almunia isnt at that level. Even when mad jens played recently he looked the part
Cb- Toure or Gallas either one of them has to defy nature and become 5 inches taller and stronger or we need senderos to step up big time because this defence cant play the offside trap and cant for heavens sake win anything in the air. It makes a lot of sense as to why AW dint sell senderos in the summer and why djorou was called back from birmingham..
Rb- Either hoyte has to go or eboube because we cant afford to have 3 rbs in the squad and play one on the right wing because his end product is Zero.. i wonder if anyone saw it when sagna broke eboube kept telling him to go drift inside lol it was funny and we lost the chance..
Lb- Clichy he seems to have gone a little bit of the boil a bit as fas as i am concerned he needs to work on his offensive side of the game making the runs like cole did crossing is not just the only thing a full back does look at sagna he makes a lot of runs and keeps the play moving and flowing..
Mid- Field - Either Gilberto has to play at the level he was or we need a new Defensive player maybe song can fill it if he plays like he did in the ACN..
Wings- We need a winger u can see why AW is playing eboube there Jose Reyes has not been replaced i know we hated his moaning but we never replaced his goals yea he did score 10 a season..Vela is not the answer we need one more player who can beat players with his pace and dribble atleast who is direct..
Forwards– I am happy with the forwards line only if Ade can stay central he is not a 20 goals a season player Van persie is but we can get a lot out of him ..
March 24th, 2008 at 4:31 am
It’s easy in the shadow of disappointment to start slashing through the team. Spotting inadequacy in every corner. But it’s time to mellow…..
First if as some say this team over-performed…..and by this I think they mean the teams progress has been quicker than expected. If that is indeed the case then don’t expect Wenger to make radical changes.
It is likely that he will make changes but due to the impact of injury to key players. RvP, Rosicky and Eduardo. A young squad can’t afford a repeat of this year. Already we will start without Eduardo’s participation and a large questionmark over his future. RvP and Rosicky…..no one knows how they will fare over the remainder of the season. So Wenger has to decide how to cover for (replace) Eduardo and whether RvP and Rosicky are sufficiently robust. If he says they are, then I suggest he needs to have a fallback position should they disappoint again. I think he needs a backup versatile attacking player.
In my mind Eboue is a certified liability. He is inept in the attacking role (can’t shoot, can’t score, can’t cross, can’t link…..) and he is horrendous at RB. Notice how everything went south today when Sagna left…..coincidence…..I don’t think so. Add to that his reputation with ref’s. He is destabilising on his team-mates.
March 24th, 2008 at 6:45 am
yeah shocking bit of defending by toure, who has gone a bit downhill since cambell left the club. he needs a big tall centre back next to him, sadly so does gallas. or alteast thats what it looks like from the archair …
think we really need someone who can take on defenders at pace. hleb can take on and beat people when he’s up for it, but he hasnt been for 4 months now. today we had ade against a backtracking terry in a promising situation couple of times and he chose to pass, exactly the kind of situation henry would just have relished and eaten the centre back, we need that! someone to beat his man regularly, you cant pass your way through a chelsea too often..
March 24th, 2008 at 9:03 am
Did anyone see the way ManU heckled Torres? It was a much milder version of the way they “handled” Reyes. Are they masters of this dark art or do they just get away with a lot thanks to being predominantly “British”?
March 24th, 2008 at 9:49 am
The disappointing thing about yesterday was that you felt if Arsenal scored after ten minutes, Chelsea would equalise on the 15th minute mark. If Arsenal scored after twenty-five minutes Chelsea would equalise on the 30 minutes.
As I said before the game, Arsenal go into games with Chelsea praying it will be a tactical affair. If it’s an open game, they kill us. That’s why I predicted 3-1 before the game. The only surprise was that it Chelsea again waited till near the end to go for it. If they really wanted to they could beat Arsenal 5-0 at Stamford Bridge every time. Long ball up front and run onto second balls. Simple as.
The hard part for Wenger is trying to decipher which parts of the team are on a genuine upward curve of progression and which elements of the team are flash in the pan.
And Fred, I don’t see why you are scoffing at the thought of buying four players. I would thought it would be obvious now we need replenishing nearly all over. Need to stop this obsession with making the squad as lean as possible. If we have surplus players next season, loan them. It’s not that difficult.
March 24th, 2008 at 10:39 am
Will Senderos be back on Sat?
March 24th, 2008 at 11:01 am
When it hit the 70′th minute mark, I was feeling a flood from Chelsea. I was hoping the 20 minutes would go without a blue goal. When Sagna (who was the MVP of Arsenal) just for scoring, but also for keeping their left side busy, got injured, I was worried that we are going to concede right away. That moment, Grant did some amateur changes, AW had 2 minutes to do his, and I thought AW would out coach him, like Ramos did, but I was very disappointed with AW respond. I like the man, but sometimes he thinks too much, typically like Economist …
I am not going to say what changes I would have done, but if Chelsea is throwing men forward and playing the long ball (they are good in it), I would not play with 5 mids .. Ade failed to put pressure on their back.
I was worried to wake up Monday and see Arsenal 3rd. I happened.
The Lads need to get mentally strong. Some of them are like 11 years old.
Hire some better physic to help them !!!
March 24th, 2008 at 11:01 am
@ mazza: actually i am ALL for buying any number of players…i am a fan. and believe my “dream” arsenal team at the beginning of the season didnt contain ade, flamini, hleb, gilberto, almunia in the starting positions.
but you have to mix it all with realism. 4 or 5 major players….the word major being underlined. then what happens to hleb?? adebayor is an oaf….but in my view he is the major reason we have these much points right now. wenger has invested too much time in RvP, adebayor, etc to jettison them at this time. especially has they still have an upside in the years to come.
what we need is competent, competitive back in the “creative” areas on the wings. why wenger doesnt buy backup in his key areas is what baffles me.
buying a solid CB and 1 or 2 young, competent AMs who are patient to sit and learn some things from hleb is one thing……buying 5 MAJOR players is throwing the bath water out of the tub…and is knee-jerk.
March 24th, 2008 at 11:10 am
Fred, sometime back, you challenged people to name one backup CB who is better than Senderos. Now you want to buy a solid CB. So who is being kicked out - Gallas or Toure?
March 24th, 2008 at 11:13 am
I still believe that the problem is with our attack. When the attack fails, there is pressure on the defense and everybody looks bad. Our defense is not the best. Never was, never will be (apart from the old back 5). We are meant to be an attacking unit. If we do that properly, we will succeed. For that reason alone, I am wondering if this slow passing style really suits us. The remaining games will tell us more.
March 24th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
I’ve checked out this site for some time and I think that we need some differing opinions……
The Boss obviously doesn’t have the confidence in much of his squad to perform when under pressure. That was clear during yesterday’s game when after we scored, Chelsea started playing Route # 1 football, then Sagna went down and rather then bring in Sendy to add some much needed height and put Koule on the outside, he moved a low quality and poor performing Eboue back.
There are too many players playing out of position, too often to be successful over an entire season. Diaby is an interesting example. As a late game sub he initially played outside left and looked completely lost, not involved and slow. After moving to the middle his energy picked up and he looked comfortable taking quite a bit of space and closing down attackers (too bad they played over his head). We need his height in midfield and his pace. He needs games to increase his confidence and experience and I hope we use the remaining League games to provide that.
Flamini can take Eboue’s position on the right. Eboue must go. We’d have far more quality moves down that side via this change. Similarly, RVP should start on the left and provide quality crosses to the strikers who just don’t get enough good chances delivered from our wide players. Indeed, Eboue and Hleb both carry the ball to the box and immediately come inside to further jam the area with players when width is what the circumstanes demand. It is too easy for our opponents to clog the middle and prevent our attacks when we play right into their hands! We must get behind the defense to create opportunities and to use the height of Ade and Bentner.
I’m all for bringing Hleb on in the second half of a match as a game changer, bringing great energy to the task. Too often he disappears for long stretches.
We have some good potential in the squad that can develop but only if the Boss gets them in their correct positions and uses the remaining games to add confidence and experience.
March 24th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
@ nipuna: actually, it is much simpler to look for a vidic-like CB to start …and yes to bench toure or gallas.
finding somebody to sit on the bench is a much harder…because if the person you bring in is any good he will WANT to start.
i am sure wenger can cast his net far and wide and find some sagna-like-performance, 6′3 or 6′4 CB for around 10 million or something.
March 24th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
The problem with this team as it stands right now is that it is too small. As much as I like Wenger and the way he gets the most out of his players, he seems to take too much pride in doing it with a small club. Yes, we play the same amount of games as all the other teams, but those other teams are much deeper and it is starting to show. I’m not saying that the team needs World Cup All-stars two deep at every position, but there really is a stunning lack of depth to the team.
Secondly, I think Arsene needs to give some real thought to his squad this summer. I don’t think Rosicky can be counted on again. As much as I like him, he does no good if he can’t get on the pitch. Same with RVP. All the skill in the world does no good if he only plays 15 games a year. Does Eboue even have a spot on this team? With Sagna and Clichy he is only a back up fullback and he is an utter failure as a midfielder, providing neither assists or goals. Gilberto? Probably gone. Lehmann? Gone and I’m still not sure about Almunia. He is a good shot stopper but I don’t think he commands his area very well. That’s alot of potential holes to deal with, but the good news is that money doesn’t seem to be a problem. The board keeps saying it is available if Arsene wants it, so it is up to him.
March 24th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
@ 56: I agree.
I think Wenger can get 2 youngish AMs PLUS a very solid CB PLUS a couple of his usual 17 yr old kids for 30 million pounds.
We can get 3 to 4 million for Eboue, Gilberto probably 1million. And if we sell off some of the kids on loan am sure we can make up to 7 million in credit. When you add that to all the PROFIT we have been making on transfers in the last 2 years……..we wont need to spend more than 15 million.
That is small money. This should be the last time we ever have such a thin squad.
March 24th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
I agree with posts 56 and 57, but will AW agree? We can only hope.
March 24th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
ANALYZE THIS
Needs:
1. A tall, athletic, excellent heading CB in the mold of a Wheater, Dawson, Vidic, Ferdinand type to to complement Toure , Senderos and Gallas based on the team we are playing or to provide cover when strategically needed.
2. More height in the midfield, preferably at CM, to assist with defensive set pieces and sustained aerial attacks.
3. Another player otherwise than RVP who can score goals or create havoc from offensive set pieces.
4. Another striker in the mold of Anelka ( Up in age, content to play when called upon and is clinical with finish.
Arsene indicated that his CD was soft and hopefully he will do something about it in the off season. Stale news now, but I can never understand why we did not get Ya Ya Toure and Anelka this season when we had both the money and the opportunity and both players were eager to come to Arsenal. This season could have been far better if we had purchased those two players with a combined value of 23 Miliion pounds.
It does not take a genius to realize what our shortcomings are and wonder if Arsene has lost sight of reality or will he seek to address these in the coming off season. I say this, because our shortcomings are the same as last year and nothing was attempted to ameliorate the situation. Sagna was a fantastic signing and Eduardo will probably be one too if and when he gets over his injury, but never really addressed our most glaring needs. If Arsene does not, it will raise questions about his ability to tactically understand the footballing needs of his team in order to ensure we are capable of dealing with opposing competitors in the Cl and EPL.
March 24th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
Tha lack of posts to this article suggests that either people expected this result or have given up.
March 24th, 2008 at 11:56 pm
Well, there were over 100 on the match thread…
March 25th, 2008 at 3:45 am
Nipuna, not necessary. I think most ppl are deeply disappointed and upset. And we know what stuffs being written here after every defeat, and it would only make us even more depressed. can’t speak for others, but me for one is in no mood to get involved in those pointless banter. not now.
March 25th, 2008 at 6:33 am
Hi Folks,
Know its been a very disappointing week..but i still believe that Arsenal have it all to play for in the UCL …….on a lighter note…. I work in the banking sector here in India…and looking at the huge stock market falls happening probably throughout the world…thought it’d be fun to compare supporting a club to investing in the stock market…..here’s what i came up with
Let’s say you invested 10000 USD in Arsenal Football Club at the start of the season……At that time looking at the way things were and one of the main stars having left the club..all we were probably expecting was a decent return on investment (Read: Top 4 finish)…but the way things went..the stock really overperformed and went to 30000 USD in Jan …….now after a correction the stock will probably end the year at USD 20000…….As a rational investor..would you consider the investment a success or a failure?. ..I always believe that you need to look at the performance of the team in line with the expectations you had at the beginning of the season…and on that count…this season has been a success (and by winning the UCL it can still be a great success). True… expectations can change with a good run of games…but then we also need to remember that when a bad run comes alon….things are not as dark and gloomy as they seem
And continuing on this analogy….i could compare the extra pessimistic people on this board to Short Sellers (Read people who would profit by seeing the stock price fall)…..these are the guys who probably bet that the Arsenal stock would fall to USD 8000 come the end of the season……However, when the stock rose to USD 30000…these guys were staring at a huge loss (of face :P)…now that the stock has corrected to USD 20000 the short sellers seem to think that their philosophy was correct…but the truth of the matter is that it is still a very good return on investment for the rational investors…where as it still is a big loss for the short sellers :))
Cheers,
Wayne
March 25th, 2008 at 6:39 am
haha, brillliant post Wayne!! especially of that Stock market theory, u really hammered it right on the head! can’t agree more!
March 25th, 2008 at 7:59 am
The attack looks impotent. People say that form is temporary while class is permenant. Well Adebayor and Fabregas’ goal scoring form proved temporary and is now gone. The truth is their goal scoring form has allowed us to overachieve but now the cream is rising to the top. However van Persie is class and Rosicky has never hidden from a fight. I knew we would miss Tomas’ sword in the battle and we’ve surely missed the exceptional skill and guile of an in-form van Persie.
Liverpool still have to contend with Everton and may not be as fully focused on the CL as some might think.
Chelsea were fresh because they have players who haven’t played all season. Think, Drogba, Lampard, Carvalho, Terry, and even Cech have missed a good chunk of games this season. Despite those injuries, Chelsea still managed to stay close. Now their players are back and they’re making a run.
People have speculated on when the game changed and for me it was when Anelka came on. Anelka has the same effect on Toure as Drogba has on Senderos. When Anelka came on, I thought surely Wenger would counter by bringing on Gilberto to help out the CBs. It was a big mistake not to as our two CBs were never going to be able to handle Anelka and Drogba alone. I mentioned we would miss Rosicky, well we needed Gilberto as well. Also, in the past two games when we’ve had to sub van Persie, we’ve completely lost the initiative in attack. I think Walcott came on after 75 minutes and touched the ball only once. He was a ghost. It was like playing with ten men when we’ve needed a goal.
March 25th, 2008 at 9:04 am
#60
I haven’t given up, I’m still just walking around in disbelieve. Last week there was so much hope and now there seems to be very little and everyone keeps telling me so.
It’s a good time for me to work with my new camera and lenses. With spring in the air there will soon be plenty of birds, flowers and insects to photograph. I guess such a loss helps you put the rest of your life into perspective. They (Arsenal) may not be number one but hat doesn’t mean that I’m not. I’m doing what I do best making art.
March 25th, 2008 at 9:43 am
Well, using the stock market analogy Wayne, I’ve got back what I’ve put in. Maybe gained 1000 but that is neither here nor there. What I expected to happen this season has happened. You can call it pessimistic or negative, but when Arsenal’s season collapses in the fashion I predicted in January I wouldn’t call it pessimistic, I would view it as an exremely perceptive call and The positive petes should just accept it for knowledgable prophecy it was.
However, I also invested in Tottenham and that investment has bombed!
March 25th, 2008 at 10:47 am
I feel that scene of Gallas sitting on the floor and CRYING in the opposition’s half of the pitch after a penalty that still saw us SIX points ahead is the picture of our season.
Absolutely pathetic behavior - that somehow represents the weak, chicken hearted personality of ALL our senior players.
The more I think of that scene, the more I cringe. Extremely poor behavior from a “leader” in any profession.
When all those “pundits” continiously called him out on it, it was natural to get defensive…but for once their were probably right.
And its not like Gallas has been a bastion of great play and consistency all season. Thinking about it Gallas has probably been the least consistent of all three of our CBs. Toure is consistently bad in the air but consistently good on ground. Senderos is only cut out when left one-on-one with a runner.
So the point is ALL the senior players that Wenger gambled on this season to bring the kids through are weak, meek and loser-like in mentality.
Look at all of them:
Gilberto: Weak mentality, slow in mind and body, pathetic play.
Gallas: Totally inconsistent, sulky and crying type.
Toure: Has the look of utter fear when the ball is in the air.
Hleb: Never wants to take responsibility.
If these four play like experienced pros that they are supposed to be. If Gallas and Toure were solid consistently. If Hleb was stronger in spirit and decisive they would have carried us through this poor patch.
I think its unfortunate that none of our senior players can be called “strong-minded” or “winners”.
The rest of the team have never even competed in a league challenge before, so they have no clue how to react. The good news though is that Ronaldo took THREE full seasons (of being a one-trick pony) before turning into a league winner.
March 25th, 2008 at 11:15 am
Is this the same William Gallas that marauded forward against Wigan in the last ten minutes and headed in a winner in a game that was heading for a dead set draw? Is this the same William Gallas that had the bottle to lash home- with imperious technique- a last minute equaliser against Manchester United? Is this the same Gallas that headed the WINNER against Chelsea at the Emirates in December? Is this the same William Gallas who blocked a goal-bound shot from Steven Gerrard in the last minute at Anfield? Is this also the same William Gallas who actually does a pretty good job of impersonating a striker everytime Arsenal are looking for a goal in the last few minutes?
You would rather scrap all that and use Gallas’s reaction to the 2-2 draw at Birmingham as the seminal moment of our season? That Fred, is possibly the biggest load of bollocks I’ve ever read on this site.
Gallas wouldn’t have even needed to react in such a manner if Adebayor had squared for Bendtner. Or most importantly, if Gael Clichy did not decide to give the world another unique glimpse of his idiosyncratic nature by losing his vision inexplicably with a player five yards from him. Yet, you bypass that and blame it all on Gallas. Sorry Fred, that’s tabloid logic. Whether Gallas had thrown a strop or not, the team had already shown its weakness to its rivals. Plus, it was six points with a game played more. So, it was really three points, that should have been five. That it wasn’t five points had nothing to do with Gallas.
March 25th, 2008 at 11:26 am
Gallas was awesome in the first half of the season.
Since the Birmingham game, he failed to track Agbonlahor for the Villa goal, he failed to track Tuncay for the Boro goal and he was totally culpable for BOTH the Chelsea goals. In short, he too has cracked (along with others) in the recent run of games.
March 25th, 2008 at 11:45 am
The Villa goal was Clichy and Senderos’s fault. Clichy played Villa onside and Senderos straight out scored an own goal. Gallas could have done better but there wasn’t much he could other than triple-jump over to Agbonlahor to block the cross.
Tuncay goal he was poor, along with a few others, but reallly, was it that important? We were obviously ‘gone’ as a team by then anyway.
Gallas hasn’t been wonderful but I still feel by and large he is the same player he was at the start of the year. Still defending well and still looking to make the difference up front.
Another thing we have to take into consideration. Gallas has switched positions consistently in central defence over the last few months. With Toure he plays left-sided central defender, and with Senderos he switches to right-sided central defender. That must have been unsettling along with players around him failing to do their jobs.
March 25th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
@ 69: Bollocks? Fair enough. You have written far more on this website.
Ofcourse if you had actually decided to read my comment you will see I have a problem with his consistency. The primary job of a defender is not to “play as a striker”. So telling of his goals show your stupidity of your response. Just the same way as saying Gilberto is a awesome DM because he scored 10 goals last season.
If you look at DVDs of matches which I always save…you will see that in a large amount of matches he does stuff that you would pummel Senderos for.
The true test of a leader is being consistent and steady in the BAD times.
Not just the crying. The kicking of boards and the refusal to defend a penalty and all the hystroinics show petulance the kind you would expect from pizza throwing fabregas not a 30 year old man who has WON THE PREMIERSHIP TWICE BEFORE.
Him sitting on the pitch and crying on the opponent’s side of the pitch when there was still a penalty to be taken is the scene of our season.
March 25th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
ofcourse the only reason you are even trying to start an argument is because I listed hleb in there hey? hleb-lover
March 25th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Mazza, you are a funny person. For Gallas, you ignore his weak points and highlight the strong ones. For Ade, you do the exact opposite.
If Gallas struggles because he has to shift between left and right sided CB, then Ade too struggles by having to play as a lone striker.
March 25th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Rumor mills now saying we are “after” Ben Arfa and Benzema in double deal. Probably nonsense but such a deal will solve our depth and attacking problems in a swoop.
Ben Arfa, Hleb, Rosicky, Vela, Walcott battling it out for the wing spots.
RvP, Benzema, Adebayor, Bendtner, Walcott battling it out upfront.
We might be able to squeeze 15 million from Gilberto, Eboue, Djorou, Merida, two or three of those on loand and one of either Diaby or Denilson.
20 - 25 million is SMALL change for a club of Arsenal’s current size. Especially considering that we made a 10 million profit in transfers last summer.
March 25th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Gallas is not the problem. He is a good fit for Arsenal. He reads the game brilliantly, is comfortable with the ball, and has bottle. Arsenal need far more players like him and Sagna.
Nipuna, the two situations are non-comparable. Completely different positions. In a 4-5-1 and a 4-4-2 Ade has a bad touch. Makes little difference. When you are a striker it is easier to trace problems back to you. Because they are usually direct and obvious ie. bad touch, poor vision, poor shooting. With a central defender it is a collective problem. You are only as good as the three players around you and to a lesser extent, the players in front of you.
Adebayor has players ’serving’ him all the time. Gallas is the one that has to cope with short-ass slow midfielders tracking back and terrible stand-in full backs.
Let’s stop blaming nothing incidents like the Gallas one for our choking of the league. This is a player who won two back to titles with Chelsea. He can spot losers better than others. Clichy confirmed his suspicions and he understandably reacted, Fair play to him. He did nothing wrong.
March 25th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Fred, if we get rid of Eboue where is our right back cover?
Next, none of our 3 main CB’s have consistently played well over the entire season and the pairing of Gallas and Toure will always be susceptible to an aerial attack. Conversely, a pairing of Senderos with Gallas/Toure leaves us susceptible against teams with pace up front.
Combine that with Flamini consistently not tracking back to the defensive 1/3 over the past 6 games has exposed our defensive liability. Because of Flamini’s play, Fab has been forced into a more defensive role and as a result his offense has suffered.
Ade looks tired, and while he is still the unfinished product we would not be where we are today without 19 goals. Let’s get real, anyone who can score 19 goals in the EPL MUST have some skills regardless of the amount of support he receives. If he can improve next year in the same manner as he improved this year he could be an awesome weapon for us
We are playing with the hand dealt to us this year but hopefully will be addressed going into next season. More height is required in the CB and CMF position, add a true winger, mix in 1 or 2 experienced squad players, overhaul the entire Medical/Strength and Conditioning staff and we should be a lock for next year.
Until then, we still have a great chance to win the CL and should focus on putting forward our best effort to do so So Arsene, I beg of you 2 things:
1. Do not play Gilberto at DMF unless we are ahead and going into a defensive 4-5-1 formation.
2. Do not play Bendtner and Ade together unless we are behind late in the game and going with an offensive 4-3-3-formation.
If my wishes are granted we can still get a Trophy or at least reach the finals.
March 25th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
@ 76: exactly, he has won two league titles yet he is not playing exactly as such. against villa, toure has his usual brain freeze in the air and lets a long ball pass and the attacker passes easy. now mr. gallas stand your ground cut out the cross on the carpet EASY….the play is still on, he raises his hand, stops playing and viola we are behind. so much for winning 2 league titles!
if you cant see the wrong in a 30 year old captain sitting in the oppositions half crying and kicking boards when a penalty is to be taken…..then there is no point arguing with you.
March 25th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
@ 77: eboue is not that much better than hoyte defensively, so its not like we have RB defensive cover right now!
i guess we could sell hoyte instead and move eboue back to backup for sagna. let him play against bottom half teams, that will give sagna enough rest for the major games.
March 25th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
Adebayor has had little support for most of the season so to criticise him is silly. Why criticise the one guy who has provided goals whatever the formation? He is looking weary. I for one am really pleased with his effort and development this season - and with the priceless benefit of hindsight we can confidently say he simply has not had enough support - in strking partners and from attacking midfielders and from accurate supply.
The Birmingham display by Gallas was emotive at best…..but sadly immature is probably a better word. But players need to be judged by their season-long contribution.
We’re all feeling as little flat, and a vent is natural, but we don’t need a wholesale dissection of our team. Why wouldn’t we have confidence in a young side capable of staying top for 30 games? Let’s remember they did so against 2 hugely consistent expensively assembled squads. I think we can see that the back-up squad was light - persistent injuries to key attacking players have exposed that. Walcott, Bendtner and Eboue haven’t got the goods to compensate for RvP, Rosicky and Eduardo over a long period.
Most folk were concerned re the lack of quality out wide even assuming a fit Hleb/Rosicky are an answer. The backup looked dodgy. Those concerns have proven to be true.
For me the defence is Wengerish and we just have to accept that. Truth is, if the attack had more potency we wouldn’t be debating the defence. Wenger sides are defensive and don’t as a matter of course look to defend 1 goal advantages.
The defence is being criticised because the attack has been impotent. Attack includes the wide boys. Frankly it has been woeful for 4 to 6 weeks. Normally we wouldn’t be playing RvP - he would be introduced as a sub over a number of games. He offers future promise at a time when we need goals. Hleb is wonderfully linkish but blunt where it counts, Eboue is just plain inadequate. Walcott & Bendtner are green and not ready to take responsbility when the acid is really on and the team is struggling.
March 25th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
whoops….Wenger sides are NOT defensive….
March 25th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
In my book only drama queens and people with an agenda(the media) would attempt to attach any real significance to the Gallas histrionics. He is French and volatile. His show of petulance was IN character. I would be worried if a mild-mannered chap like Gilberto did something similar. If that happened, I could understand the furoure. As it stands the players know this rubbish goes on all the time behind closed doors and I don’t think too many were losing sleep over the public nature of the incident. They know in the cold light of day Gallas talks alot of smack, but tends to back most of that up with his performances on the pitch. That would keep respect levels at healthy levels.
March 25th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
I agree with you Mazza. I’ve expressed exactly the same sentiments re Gallas.
The real disappointment is that it gives the media fodder. And they love firing it about. In saying that, Gallas was OTT…..it would be hilarious if he wasn’t our captain
Like you say, nonsense happens off the field all the time and life goes on.
March 25th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
I find Gallas a comedic character. Even that before the Chelsea game when he was trying to gee up the team on the pitch I couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of him saying in his croaky french voice ‘we must play our football!’, ‘we must show them we are not afraid’. He’s so enthusiastic and takes the role so seriously I can’t help but give him the benefit of the doubt. Makes a welcome change from the politician Henry.
March 25th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Agree again, it’s the French thing, for us of British heritage (however far back that may be) we find the French ‘way’ amusing and comical. They’re more emotive and intuitive. I think we misinterpret quite a bit, and miss some stuff altogether simply because we don’t ‘think’ and ‘express’ ourselves the same.
I often think a Frenchman would interpret Wenger quite differently to how we do. Even though he speaks relatively good English it’s Franco-English and there is a lot of Frenchness that we simply don’t appreciate. That is why I cut Wenger a bit of slack in interviews - because sometimes I think he expresses things but doesn’t communicate fully because we simply can’t gel to the French undertones being communicated.
Back to Gallas, at least he’s presents a bit of passion and that new word - physicality. We needed both - after having the UN goodwill ambassador as captain (no disrespect to that diamond of a player that Henry truly was). Hopefully Gallas can round off a little of his OTTness.
March 26th, 2008 at 12:19 am
Mazza, I am NOT blaming Gallas for ALL our troubles. I am just saying that Gallas is as guilty as Ade or anybody else for our recent slump. It’s a collective effort and hardly anyone has covered themselves in glory in the past 5 games (except maybe Sagna).
As for the defense vs offence, I said it in #53, our defense is not meant to be defending one goal leads. As long as our attack functions, we don’t need a GREAT defense. Our defense is usually just keeping the ball away from the opposition. We have got to strengthen our attack.
Funnily our defense has everything we need - pace, athleticism, experience and aerial threat. Only problem is that it is spread across 3 players instead of 2. So I don’t see Wenger making any changes in that department, especially with some young guns in waiting.
March 26th, 2008 at 1:37 am
@Andez…Thanks….That comparison occured to me as i was browsing through some stock market news..and the more i think of it…the more it fits perfectly
@Mazza..Would beg to disagree on getting back just a little bit more than what we put in…
Last year..if any one had predicted that Arsenal would win the league with no major signings …how many of us would have believed him?…Probably 10-20% of the most ardent Arsenal supporters….most of us were thought we’d make 4th place….of course there were a few who thought that we were destined to fall to 6th or 7th..but that is another matter
Next year if people predict Arsenal will win the league again with no major signings and having all our players back from injury…you will have plenty more in agreement ….in fact even I am willing to say that even now…..i call that more than “nothing here or there” improvement.
What this season has done is it has more or less exposed the last remaining flaws in the Arsenal team…..and i am absolutely sure that Wenger will rectify them in the summer….at the very least I expect 1 signing of a pacy winger…..We will also have Carlos Vela coming back….. And 1 youngster from the junior team will should step up to the first team next year…my guess is it will be Nacer Barazite…..he looks like a class act.
If Wenger has really lost faith in the strike partnership then he may go for a striker…but i think that will not happen (if he does decide to buy then I hope it is Aguero from Spain …everytime i see that guy play…. i keep wishing he plays for Arsenal)……With these signings we should be more or less settled to win atleast the league next season.
Already there are noises of us being after Ben Arfa ..normally i don’t believe in speculative reports…but they have quoted Wenger himself as saying that we are interested…in all my years of supporting Arsenal i’ve never seen Wenger being so upfront about his interest in a player at this stage of the season…..show that more or less we will have a couple of signings in the summer.
And lastly….that part on short sellers was not meant to be a personal jibe……i actually quite enjoy the opposing views of folks here…as it encourages a very nice discussion…this expecially on an all Arsenal fan site….if all of us kept posting useless topic slike Arsenal are the best etc etc…it would have quickly become a really boring place.
However, what a lot of people don’t like is the extreme stands taken…which generally results in the heated and personal arguments….although you may call a lot of us overtly positive about Arsenal’s chances….i don’t think many of us have been guilty of going to a positive extreme….
saying …. “Arsenal have no hopes whatsoever of winning the title/UCL this year” is pretty much the same extreme as “No matter what happens…Arsenal have the best 11 in the premiership and will definetly win the league/UCL this season” ..the problem is i’ve seen a lot of the former statement and very few (if at all) of the latter.
Cheers,
Wayne
March 26th, 2008 at 5:19 am
Wayne, the more i think about it, that share buyer mentality comparsion to some posters here just look more spot on. It brought a smile on my face. Witty man!
March 26th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Wayne and Andez,
I enjoyed Wayne’s thoughts too.
Here’s a different view on that same theme.
Let’s say (and I did) that a fellow thinks at the beginning of the season that our beloved Gunners will finish 3rd in the Prem. Then, lo and behold, he finds his lads sitting atop the league in February. He then adjusts his expectations from those voiced back in August based on current conditions (assuming that the original prediction of 3rd also assumed that there would be no way the Gunners would be 5 points clear in February). Human Nature!
ACB = initial investment + additional contributions + reinvested distributions - amount of any previous redemptions.
In February, my view of the scene caused me to not only reinvest some of the dividends I had earned from my initial investment in August (due to the stellar run in the EPL), but (admittedly at my own peril) caused me to make additional contributions (hell, we can finish first!!!). Thus, my cost basis was adjusted (I had a different set of expectations in February than in August). Then, the stock plummeted.
We’re now in 3rd - original prediction in August, but because of my adjusted basis in February, I feel worse than if we were 5th in February and rose to our present 3rd spot.
Human Nature.
Question now is, do I sell (become totally despondant), keep my money in as is (I think we could finish second), or pour more into the investment (we can finish first!!!)?
I’m holding my investment for a while longer because I still see some growth potential between now and May.
March 27th, 2008 at 9:41 am
@thompson gunner -..haha…with that post i can positively bet that you are definetly connected to the finance field in some way :))
@Andez….Me too..have been able to categorize posters into different categories of investors whom you will generally find in the stock market… ..would love to continue the discussion but i guess the non fin folks around here might not appreciate the discussion veering away from football
….but in any case..if you guys want to take the topic forward we can discuss it amongst ourselves on gtalk or something
BTW….just read a report that Fabregas has split with his long time agent…because the agent was trying to engineer a move to Real Madrid and…Fabregas and his family did not agree to it……if this is indeed true..then the respect i have for Fabregas has just doubled…inspite of all the commercialisation of sport…you still have players who play for the love of the game.
Cheers,
Wayne
March 27th, 2008 at 10:06 am
and to all who slag the 24 yr old ade ……i would quote arseblog….
“At the same age age Didier Drogba was securing a move from Le Mans to the mighty Guingamp.”
And lets remember that this 30 year old Drogba who destroyed Gallas and Toure and pretty much every defender in the league STILL has a POOR touch!!!! It showed on several occasions in that match.
This should put Ade’s development into perspective.