It's not what but why that Wenger needs to explain
Statue Billy?
By Boris Mellor
April 18 2010
Before any Arsenal fans slit their wrists they should remember that Chelsea were beaten 3-1 at Wigan. Liverpool lost 1-0, but Man U won 5-0. Yes I know, I am just desperately grabbing at any positive I could find. Could it be that Wigan will be the litmus test of which team deserves to finish top?
This was either a remarkable comeback by Wigan, or a disgraceful collapse by Arsenal. You pay your money so take your choice.
Congratulations to Wigan, and especially Martinez who used his substitutes brilliantly. Meanwhile Wenger paid the price for having a squad stacked full of reserve second rate defenders and keepers. Apparently Almunia had a wrist injury, oh Mr Wenger you shouldn't have given him that Chinese burn after the Spurs game.
Now if anyone thinks the answer is Fabianski, then it must have been a stupid question. Once again on being given his chance the Pole insisted on proving that Almunia is the better keeper, which isn't saying a lot. Next season I look forward to him finding a new club and wish him well, as Almunia settles on the bench to watch a quality keeper.
Pressure wasn't off
In my preview I suggested that Arsenal play better with the pressure off, but I wrote that before the Chelsea defeat by Spurs meant that Arsenal could still win the league. Of course that was a theoretical chance to win the league; personally I never believed it possible after Birmingham.
With the theoretical pressure back on the team folded. The odds on Arsenal's chance of winning the title have gone up and down more often than a whores knickers on the London Underground, now that could be interpreted as staying power. In actual fact the best interpretation is that you never know what you are going to get with this team, a bit like fraternising with the aforementioned whore. In other words Arsenal's exit and entrance from the title race was not due to its own prowess, but the inconsistency of the opposition
Is the squad progressing?
Personally I never believed it was, and there are articles in the AT archive to prove it. Our best eleven is as good as any on its day, well not quite, but it certainly can beat the bum of the week. However, beset with injuries the results are far poorer. Any perceived progress is more due to the fact that the Premiership has a poorer top three in many a year. That a team can be in third place after losing eight games is incredible. That Man U could win the league after losing seven games is even more incredible, last season Liverpool came second after losing only two games.
Indefensible
If the team is progressing then no one told the defence, that has now conceded 39 goals as against 37 last year, but remember the season isn't over yet. Of course it should be kept in mind that most defences are poorer this year; for example Chelsea have conceded 32. However, Chelsea have scored 86 goals to Arsenal's 78.
No progress against top three
Last season Arsenal won 7 out of 12 points against Chelsea and Man U, this season the total is zero. In the last six games (all competitions) Arsenal have now lost three, drawn two and won one. If there was any progress it disappeared in the spring sunshine of April.
Reminding me of the past
The match against Wigan reminded me of the days when Billy Wright was manager, or even Don Howe's later period, when there was no consistency. You never knew what to expect. Would the team turn up was the first question that occurred to you before kickoff.
It's why, not what, that Wenger needs to explain
After the match Wenger was abject, he made no excuses, but said, "I believe that we were not focused and were not disciplined and we got caught". I don't have too much problems with the "what" happened analysis of Wenger, it's clear that the team became an indisciplined rabble in the last ten minutes.
What I would like to know from Wenger is why did his team lose focus and discipline. What is the cause of that? Not good enough, do not listen to him, demoralised, do not care? We need some real answers and real solutions because otherwise we are condemned to watch this kind of fiasco again and again.
Beware of complacency
Arsenal will probably need 5 points to ensure third place, where will they get them? Not at home to Man City if they play like this again, Blackburn away is not easier than Wigan away either. Arsenal may have to depend on the two Manchesters' to dispose of their rivals.
My feeling is that Wenger has claimed progress a little bit too early, beware of hubris.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:04:23:12:51:02 by Padre Pio.
The only difference between this team, and that of 5 or 6 years ago, is we used to have natural leaders, you could pick half a dozen captains, all were driven, determined individuals, the current crop are quite the opposite, Sol has returned and his focus and detirmination is on a different level from the rest of the squad, and back in the day he wasnt even captain or even close to being, kind of shows the overpaid fairies we have at the moment just dont have what it takes to WIN.
How short some memories tend to be.
Yesterday was simply not good enough despite our injury problems. But to claim this team has no drive or fight is aboslute and complete tripe.
What they lack is consistency - which apart from the invincibles has always been a problem with Arsenal for almost 20 years.
Its clear that we are not the team we were and we lack the same presence on the field. But not even Chelsea or United have as good a team now as we did then.
We need to get some players in if the money is available and we need to sort out our defence. That doesnt merely mean changing personel. We seemed to have sorted out some defensive frailties early on in the season but they have slowly but surely crept back into our game.
For better or worse its clear that now is the time and Wenger will have his day of judgement and the fans will be his jury.
Quote:We need an overhaul, 3 or 4 out, 4 quality players in.
And so keeping the squad the exact same size...
And yes we do need more quality brought in, but I still dont see how shrinking the squad is going to help in any way.
The thing is if we are so tight on money we will need to trim it down, the likes of Denilson and Silvestre must be on very healthy wages, which we need to cut, Denilson will also demand a 5 million+ transfer fee which we can spend on somebody better, Silvestre makes me nervous each time he takes the field, we would be better off letting him go, we dont need ex-united dinosaurs competing for a place when they are clearly way past it and probably raking in 40K+ a week which could go towards a much better player.
We cant just keep building the squad if we are already paying close to 100 million a season on wages (which is what City are apparently paying at the moment). Its time to trim the fat from this squad.
Not at all the same as Chelseas squad.
How many of them actually get a game?
Its one of the gripes I have with Wenger, he needs to put some faith in these younger players now and again.
Sagna's been poor and got done by Moses time and again yesterday. Silvestre where do we start with? Clichy's stepped out last 6 games or so but he were shocking earlier on (fair enough he'd come back from a long lay off) and the two goalkeepers, we all the knoew shortcomings.
Your right they may not have been coached brilliantly and the team as a whole is at fault with poor tracking back etc however the mistakes made have been absolutely basic which youd expect any decent defender not to make.
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.
all the events of this past season plus this season needs to addressed. wenger needs to come out and answer a lot of questions....what has happen is beyond belief..i'm so numb...its all so surreal
Can We Now Trust The Process 🤔🤷🏿♀️ or Should We Still Remain Cautious 🙇🏿♀️
as other pointed out all our opponents defend from the front, but we did at the beginning of the season but have not for some time now, why, who knows, maybe the forwards seen how little effort our midfield players put in to tracking back and decided what was the point when Denilson/Diaby/Arshavin etc did not bother and still get picked
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.
Football has changed a lot in the past few years with erratic spending and this is not Wengers way.
Everything is behind closed doors and i respect the fact he will not criticise players publicly but i want to know where this club is going.Are we going to spend.Where do we need strengthening.Do we have the finances.
If Wenger was a new manager that had recently been appointed i feel there would be uproar from the fans.
How much longer will the fans accept under performance
Next season is a telling year for Wenger.Will it be another year of selling a big name (Cesc).
You have had your 4/5 years you asked for,now please cough up.
Wenger has faults, this isnt one of them
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.
Quote:AW should be able to answer this.Padre Pio
In other words why did the pressing game stop?
Our players simply dont press enough from the front.
We've been stunned, but come on what right have we got to always be in the top 4? If we can get 2 centre halves and a keeper on a par with Arsene's last three signings (Sami, Frodo and Tony), then watch us fly next year.
BTW who are we playing on Saturday? Support the true football club!
All Tone