A good draw at Chelsea but Arsenal is still a shipwreck

A rare good performance in troublesome times by Konstantin Mitov

So, after another long period of disappointment Arsenal managed a decent draw at the Bridge, when Chelsea were clearly the more dominant side. But in un-Arsenal fashion we were resilient and despite a few scarey moments I didn’t really feel like Chelsea would score.

It’s funny how Wenger actually has a decent record against Conte, with two 0-0 draws at the Bridge this year, considering the fact that before this season our last points there were in 2011! But this result came with more costs as Wilshere got injured again.

After we missed the chance to beat Liverpool and Chelsea at home and blew the lead at West Brom, it’s highly unlikely we would make the top 4. Alexis is bound for City this month and I am unsure what kind of replacement of that quality can we buy in January.

I’ve heard the name Malcom which only reminds me of a TV series and I don’t think it’s the kind of player that will set the Emirates alight. That said, I’d rather add some attacking threat to our impotent attack, because Lacazette cannot do it alone up front. He was badly missing Ozil and Alexis yesterday and with Walcott’s career finally looking like over, who will support him?

It’s funny how Iwobi was our best attacking threat, and how we played him despite obvious footage of him partying till 3 in the morning, before we got knocked out of the FA cup. Arsenal is a shipwreck at the moment. The best players are hoping for a move, the second best are yet to pen new deals and we don’t know if anyone is coming in.

Honestly with the form of Alexis this season we might as well have sold him in the summer for 70 million and got some money to attack this window. This situation proves the immortality of Arsene. It’s hard not to blame him for this since he is in control of everything.

I’ll leave the topic with the fact that if we sell Sanchez for 30 million, is that Champions league money? We lost a lot of money already, unless we have a decent replacement in line I’d keep him. That said, Wenger’s job is hanging on him being a good accountant, not a good manager.

We appointed that Dortmund scout and Barcelona’s former sporting director, but it’s hardly possible we’ll see any result from their work before the summer. Arsenal feels like apathy. Nobody cares about the fans and the fans start to feel like there’s no point in caring about the team too.

This team desperately needs a fresh face that will bring a new hope. Hopefully this summer. But hope at Arsenal has been long lost. If you believe in anything good after the years of misery Arsene has brought us, I feel sorry for you.

Konstantin

55 Comments

  1. Konstantin my Nicca!

    Always popping up after a bad patch.

    I just can’t imagine how i will celebrate Wenger’s exit

    1. The biggest recruitment Arsenal will have ever made is Wenger Out!!
      and there is a good reason Gazidis brought in Sanllehi and Sven i can gurantee you right now there already some fracture going on if you can assess what is coming out of mr wenger mouth against the 2 new guys but eventuelly he will get frustrated and walk out probably end of this campaign – i am Praying 24-7 for that to happen!!

  2. A bit pessimistic, but realistically we will need 2, 3 years of paying over odds for players to challenge for the title again. And I feel 5 or 6 players just below the level of Ozil or Sanchez would be more useful and wouldn’t cost much more (30 – 50 mill. per player, whereas ozil and sanchez quality is now 70 – 100 mill.

    Good news is that Wenger has more or less confirmed that the Greek kid Mavropanos is indeed an exceptional talent:
    “I personally want to keep him until May, to know him better, to assess his level. The first signs he has shown in training are so encouraging that I decided to keep him until May.”

    We now need talented midfielders and one more CB that will come good in 1 or 2 years.

    As I said earlier, I don’t want players that will get us into the CL right now, as the result would be another 3, 4 years of Wenger-style stagnation.

  3. So should we watch another team that plays with entertaining football and the one that is owned by a less greedy board, Konstantin? Another team like Manchester City, perhaps?

    Since you have conveyed your moaning message, I will also moan here (this is what JustArsenal for me, a place to get rid of my boredomness in work). Honestly, I feel I have wasted ten years cheering for other people’s glory, that are not even my relatives or friends, and they do not even know I exist.

    I remember the day I support Arsenal the first time, it was on the 25th of February 2001, when Manchester United demolished Arsenal 6-1 at the Old Trafford (Yorke scored a hat trick). They lost badly, but they played without fear and it was very entertaining, unlike the pragmatic Manchester United.

    From that day forward, I like to watch them play, because Wenger and his team are like underdogs for me (like Rocky Balboa story), and their costume is the coolest in Premier League till now (striking red and white design). I just hope one day Arsenal will play fearlessly again and Wenger could resign with style, like Ranieri’s comeback with Leicester City.

    1. @gotainidea I said Juve offered Sanchez £280,000 a week but I didn’t mention that was his preferred destination.I remember saying he prefers Man City.He has already agreed terms with them but City have shockingly not agreed fhe £35m we are demanding.
      I got some news for you bro.News coming in is that Utd have told us that they’re willing to pay higher than City.Currently,they’ve now offered Mkhtaryan +£25m for Alexis Sanchez.
      What do you say about this?Should we accept or the City move is better?

      1. can we force Sanchez to go to Man U? I think if you are right and Sanchez wants to go to City there is little chance of him willingly going elsewhere.

        It would be silly for City to offer 35 million if they know Sanchez wants to come to them and will refuse other offers.

        1. You’re right. Unless Sanchez wants to go to Man U or Juve there is nothing we can do. Even if Utd offered us £100 mil if Sanchez does not want to go that is it. If we are to maxmise Sanchez transfer fee are only hope is that somehow he is charmed by Maureen and changes his mind.
          BTW for those who are mesmerised by @ kev’s “inside knowledge” all the latest transfer news comes out first on Sky Sports or a simple interet search.

      2. @kev : Arsenal should force Sanchez to extend, don’t allow him to leave the Emirates if necessary. If Sanchez really wants to play tiki-taka again with Papa Pep, unfortunately we have to send him to Maureen, so he would know how it feels playing for an arrogant coach 😀

        1. Yo cant force/keep unhappy player against his wish also remember he will be 30yrs soon we messed up this one during summer at 60mln could have gone to Arsenal bank
          Gazidis had been blaming wenger indirectly “poor infrastrucure” where Mr wenger wants to handle everything by himself.

  4. I watched the game on Arsenal tv.Its the same old story.
    Plenty of possession but no end result.
    Blame the fm for this state of affairs.With the gunners buzzing around the
    inal third and the full calvary ready there was no way the gunners could
    score.I stopped watching after ht as I did not want to waste any more time.
    Its time for the fm to go.

  5. I think Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang would be a fantastic replacement for Alexis, in fact I’d even go as far to say I would prefer him, the guys a natural, as I’ve said on countless occasions, the nearest I’ve seen to Henry, he’d score more goals than “Lex” and I think he’s fancied by “Diamond Eye”. It’s probably Wenger who’s holding up the deal, the kind of thing the stubborn dinosaur would do just to show the new people who’s the boss

    1. kenny, yes great player Aubameyang but lets not get him til summer , when Wenger has gone and a proper manager in place who will use this great player to his best. For instance, I personally would stake my life on MAITLAND- NILES becoming a wonderful and highly infuential player, ONCE Wenger is gone,. But not before. I quite expect him to play AM-N in goal next game.

    2. I thing right now there is power struggle between wenger and Sven/Sanllehi, and wenger doesnt seem happy to have them working with him he took swipe on one press conference about Sanllehi being new and thats the difficult changes he will go through at Arsenal

  6. I won’t bother slaughtering Wenge any more for two good reasons. Firstly , I have long ago written off any trophies this season under him and also written off the clubs own self styled trophy, ie 4th place and KNOW he will be leaving (sacked, or whatever spin the club wish to use, by falsely calling it mutual agreement or for health reasons or any other lie the club wish to call it) and we will have a new man installed ere long, strongly rumoured today to be Ancellotti, on a four year deal, which would be marvellous.
    Secondly, even I am fed up posting the same old true ,necessary but boring catalogue of his zillions of faults. Next season is everything now to “switched on to what is happening fans” among us – which is the vast majority, thankfully. So goodbye Wenger and thanks for the ancient history glory days but most of us,- pires and Ken, being dinosaur type exceptions on here and also the sweet, naive and ever water guzzling TY from Arsenal fan TV – prefer living in the here and now and looking forward to the near future, for we are all a long time dead, as our club has effectively been this last decade. If it is to be you Carlo, then welcome and if someone else , then also welcome. And as for Arsene , a well hidden part of my better nature still feels a little sorrow for him but most of me feels nothing but relief and a renewal of exciting times to come. Who agrees?

    1. HI JON.I read carfully what you write since you are our “elder brother” (attending since 1958). and witnessing you saying there is a part in you which have any kind of feeling for wenger (whatever you’r calling it)is a good thing for a gooner .A manager who has won you TEN major trophies and seven communityshields always deserves it. I recall you JON that befor he comes to the club, arsenal fc didn’t have even a training center (yes the players used to train in a ground which belongs to a university….whatever).The sell of Anelka helped the building of a proper Training center AND buy HENRY….So he deserves a little bit of respect.NOW i will agree with you that he can be DISASTROUS at times….all managers make MISTAKES we’v seen mourinho wast SALAH and DEBRUYNE the two best players in the league right now,ferguson kiking a shoe in the face of BECKHAM….It doesn’t make them bad managers.

        1. if F.A cup isn’t amjor trophy,why critisize wenger for putting a “B” team at Forest(even though he was at FAULT)

          1. Nothings changed
            Well,The media, Maureen and Manure supporters saw the community shield as a trophy so lets go with it. Thanks for pointing that out.
            Why do supporters belittle the record of a manager who could have left Arsenal for PSG<Real Madrid or Barcelona to further his career but instead has built Arsenal Football Club into one of the top clubs in the world.
            Look around the stadium and see the trophies listed as Arsenal successes and you will see every league and cup win highlighted and won under different managers.
            Pires, as you rightly say, he does make decisions that make you wonder what he is thinking about.
            The team he put out for the Forest game was one of them. However, I could not believe the way that team let him down. As I said earlier, by the way my post has disappeared) how can Holding play so differently in the space of four days?
            People have such short memories regarding Arsenal before Arsene arrived and what the club has now.

              1. Ken1945, I’m surprised that a long time supporter like yourself think’s that it was Arsene Wenger who turned us into a big club. I can understand it coming from new fans who think our history started when we moved into the Emirates but you, a fan since 1952. Have you ever heard of the “the battle of Highbury” in 1934 when England beat the recently crowned World Champions Italy with seven Arsenal players in the side. At that time Arsenal we’re the best club side in the world and if the European Cup had been been around then we’d have half a dozen under our belt. We also took the game around the world, playing friendlies from France (Racing club de Paris who became PSG) to the likes of the Argentine against clubs like River Plate, spreading the game from continent to continent. Ken, I thought you would know the history of our great club.

                1. Great post Kenny Rolfe, as a supporter from Australia, watching Arsenal on Match of the Day on ABC since 1962. Finally got to watch Arsenal live from the North Bank of Highbury beat Leicester City 2-1 in 1977. By the way it was one of the first dates with my now wife of 37 years!

                  1. Good luck to you both Ozziegunner and a happy new year, you certainly smashed us at cricket, we have a lot of catching up to do

              1. The post from Nothings Changedis the one I refer to, pires,. I have already answered yours. And may I also say I DO ADMIRE YOU AS A REAL,FAN, NO MATTER OUR DIFFERENCES. Same also applies to ken 1945.

      1. PIRES, old chum, or should I say more accurately , young chum, you and I have our differences , as we both know. BUT I have no complaint whatsoever with him, quite the opposite, obviously, pre 2007, before which he had already won all his PREM TITLES, made the CL FINAL in 2006, won the Double twice and to top it all, the INVINCIBLES. But we are now in 2018 and being far older than you and almost all, bar possibly Ken 1945, on this site and possibly a few others, unknown to me, I have a passionate rage to win important titles again while I can still breathe and walk. OF COURSE I AM PLEASED WE WON 3 fa cups in last four, now five seasons. But football has moved on and the FA Cup is no longer the huge honour it once was. Are we not entitled to expect change, which I know far better than you has happened ever since 1958 when I began attending( and supporting since 1955 as a tiny lad but already able to read and understand newspapers,which I did , avidly)? My late grandad used to tell me aged four and five about the times he regularly went to support us at Woolwich and the early Highbury days too when , contrary to popular belief we were relegated. I WONDER HOW MANY OF TODAY SOCIAL MEDIA FANS EVEN KNOW THAT TRUTH. Zillions of things in fooball, life and our topic, Arsenal, have changed in that time which is the fruit of many Arsenal people. Who knows today -apart from we oldies- how Sir Henry Norris corruptly “PERSUADED” other clubs chairmen to vote for us, not Spuds or Chelski. to go into the new expanded Div One. He is arguably our most important ever Arsenal person, even above Chapman. At least arguably. You can go back to the founding fathers at Dial Square and argue the same in their case too. So to say Wenger was responsible for the new training ground is , mostly , but not exclusively,correct. That is what happens ; it is called rightful progress and no Gooner I have ever met and ceratinly not me either is anything but glad about that. BUT, and here is the real point, our historically progressive and innovative , first to new methods club, stopped progressing in 2007-8, NOT coincidentally straight after the admirable David Dein , in a catastrophic day for Arsenal was forced, physically, from our boardroon and thrown away like an old rag by corrupt and stupid existing directors. That day is when Arsenal’s clock stopped ticking and for Wenger too , who thereafter sold his soul to the devil, for money, increased dictatorial power and esp Kroenkes filthy money and non caring ownership. From that moment he became a different , almost diametrically opposite man , bereft of dynamism , and Deins legendary work rate, contacts and astute brain power and Deins fierce, til the death Arsenal love. I have no idea – and how could I -how much you know about all these matters. All, some or little, I don’t know, but I can promise you the Dein sacking was extremely relevant and all Wengers mistakes stem from that date. That is almost 11 years ago now and most of us think we have waited, far too long, for that necessary change that football has always needed, always had. But NOT , for all those disgracefully long years at our club. Finally , with all due respect to you and any young people whose knowledge and therefore perspective is not based on clear facts, there is no way that they have the personal life and Arsenal supporting experience and Arsenal historical knowledge to make a true and meaningful comparison between the Wenger great days pre 2007 and the miserable last decade. If I demean the knowledge of some younger fans about our history then I of course apologies to those fans. But from myriad comment from younger fans on here, it is blatently obvious how litlle many of them really know about our club, rather than merely todays team.

          1. No Muff, I don’t need to , since I can properly write and explain for myself. JEALOUSY IS A TERRIBLE AFFLICTION , EH?

        1. Jon Fox,
          I had previously decided to accept our differences and not get involved with you anymore as we were just going round in circles.
          However, I feel I owe you an apology in that you are a real and passionate Gooner.
          You and I can go back to those days when Arsenal were just another team and to support them was so difficult as other clubs were far and away better than us in every department.
          I think, working back our ages, that I was at Highbury watching them about three years before you and it is still crystal clear in my mind.
          The difference in our fantastic club then and now is indescribable and from 1953, some of the names that spring to mind when explaining the changes are: Bertie Mee, Don Howe, George Graham and Arsene Wenger on the managment side.
          Ken Friar, David Dein and the Bracewell family.
          Players such as Jimmy Logie (i think I saw him once) George Eastham Mel Charles Ian Ure etc etc It makes you smile doesn’t it!!!
          So we both have history and we both have passion for the club. I think the “younger supporters” are lucky to have seen the likes of the Invincibles, but that is the way of life and I think we are lucky to have seen the transformation of our club from also rans to one of the top five teams in the world. I know I wouldn’t change it anyway.
          But where we differ completely is the manner in which Arsene Wenger is viewed by you. He lost his right hand man when Dein was sacked by the board. That was a disgraceful episode for our club but Arsene decided to stay with the club he loves and try to compete with the unlimited money starting to appear in the game.
          Your description of corrupt existing directors has no way of being verified and, frankly disgusting.
          Then you say that Wenger sold his soul to the devil and list the reasons you believe this. Again I find this truly unacceptable to speak about somene like Arsene (or anyone else come to that).
          Kroenkies filthy money? I don’t understand that either. The man is a business man whose wife owns walmart and family wealth hence their incredible financial standing. What he does with his money is his concern.
          Your dislike for the hiearchy of the club knows no bounds and no respect.
          You say this is because you want the club to move forward and be successful, but so do I.
          I note that you said to a suggestion about buying a playerthat we don,t until wenger goes … does this make any sense at all? If we can buy him now, it strengthens the club, not Arsene wenger.
          Anyway, as I said at the start, we will never agree on how to respect and disrespect people and I am sure there will be Gooners who agree with your ways and others who agree with mine.
          One thing is for sure, for the two of us the memories of our great club are part of our life…long may it continue.

          1. Sorry again Ken but I’ve been a supporter as youngster since ’58 and the players you reeled off we’re from my era, your era, being five or six years before me I thought would have included the likes Kelsey, Evans Tapscott , Forbes, Fotheringham, Roper, Holton and feel you’d have Jimmy Logie more than once

          2. Interesting post from you as a real and long term fan. As you say, we will not agree on many fundamentals but I deeply respect that you are true to your views and also that you are able to articulate them so well. Just to touch though upon your point about why I don’t want any top player right this moment. I want total 100% clarity that Wenger is off and want nothing left behind that might cause him to stay. Its academic anyway about Aubameyang as we both surely realise. He is never coming to us. Never was, never will. NOT UNDER THIS REGIME ANYWAY. But hey , respect! BTW, I thumbed you up this time, despite our clear differences. But I do believe in fighting for what you believe and if that upsets some , well a shame but in war, folk get hurt. And the battle between almost all our fans and our current regime IS war.

        2. Jon, you know how I like your articles when you reminisce, well this was one of your best 100% right and very educational for the youngsters. Remember when they built new all seater North bank stand in the 90’s they ask fans to write in with a name. Well I suggested “the Sir Henry Norris stand” for exactly the reasons you pointed out

          1. I too enjoy reading others reminiscences (must be my age) and the one thing I do know Kenny is that it does not get better than when you first started supporting as a kid.
            As a fan since 1970 I would like to see a few articles about reminiscences from people, first time attending matches, why they started supporting Arsenal, favourite players etc. Give us a break from our current situation.

            1. Your a long time passionate fan Ivan but you may have just missed or maybe not, the greatest night at Highbury when we came back from 3-1 first leg deficit against Anderlecht to beat them 4-3 on aggregate to win the Inter Cities Fairs Cup (Eufa Cup) when it really was a top competition . I was in the North Bank that night and the noise was deafening,. Best and loudest atmosphere in all my times at Highbury. The fans won the trophy that night for the team, they roared them on relentlessly and never stopped to the final whistle

              1. kenny, We will remember in that 1970 game, before 51000, Bob Wlson,shirtless on the lap of honour who just would never leave, so delighted was he. What a superb keeper and even better human being. That was my first trophy as a young man. I cried that night, with joy, as did many in the crowd.

              2. I did miss that game Kenny. Although I was a supporter by then I did not attend my first game until 1972.
                I can only imagine the atmosphere at Highbury; It must have been great. Another one I would loved to have attended was when we won the league at the Lane in 1971.

                1. What a night that was Ivan, It was the days when you still paid at the turnstile, Tottenham High Rd was at a standstill, we got in about 6-30, stood on the shelf, was among the last to do so because it was about then when all the gates were closed. 3/4 of the ground that night was Arsenal support, they’ed got in early, there was at least 50,000 locked out. One of the great nights in Arsenal’s history

            2. IVAN , I would be happy to write a reminiscence article , if I thought it would not bore many. I could tell of Old Flo Burgess who used to go to all away games by supporters coach and used to throw – or offer – toffees from her spot just behing the North Bank front rail to Jim Furnell and when Bertie Mee and many of the team came to visit her in hospital. She used to send birthday cards to the players too. I remember the peanut- “peanuts! tanner a bag” – and hot chestnut sellers who used to come around the terraces, esp at night games. And David Stacey, who sold old programmes in Charles Buchans Football Monthly magazine who now and again would walk around the dirt track at Highbury with a rattle. And another even older man doing the same, whose name I forget but wearing England strip. The Met Police Band and vocalist Constable Alex Morgan who used to sing tenor songs from older musicals before and at half time. I am a singer too and perform these sort of songs regularly at concerts. One day ,while the band marched up and down the pitch at half time as they always did, the bandmaster , who always threw his baton up in the air and caught it, twice dropped it, to huge cheers. I remember Jimmy Hill(youngsters, “Who he?”) taking over as linesman from out of the crowd when the lino was injured. Loads more too. HAPPY DAYS!

              1. And the guy who used to come on at half time and play with an imaginary ball, score great imaginary goals, run around the penalty area and receive cheers from the crowd. I think he was a bit mad but they never slung him off. On David Stacey’s board that he carried round the ground, home and away, were the words, “We Arsenal supporters say may the best team win” Also Jon I was programme collector in those days and would send off every month to “the football monthly” for 5-10 programmes, had a fantastic collection but threw them all away when I was about 18. Still regret it to this day.

                1. I too through away all my old programmes when I moved in with my wife Kenny but thanks to eBay I bought them all back.

              2. I love reading about these memories Jon. For me it is what drives my love for the club; why I drive my Mrs mad with all my Arsenal memorabilia around the house not the BS we have had to endure now the club is run by spin doctors.
                BTW I understand and accept why we moved to the Emirates but I still miss Highbury and think a little bit of the club died when moved.

  7. What a dire frame of mind you are in Konstantine.
    There was one sentence in your post that made me laugh however. It was the reference to Arsenal having “blown the lead against West Brom”!
    Have you not recognised that Dean (the most biased ref in history) has admitted he made a mistake?
    He joined every pundit interviewed along with , I believe, every fairminded football supporter.
    We did not play well at The Hawthorns, but to insinuate that we blew the lead is ridiculous.
    By the way, Jacks injury was an unfortunate accident, along with the other five first team squad currently unavaiable.
    The point made previously about how expensive it will be to get the players in that will bring champions league back th the Emirates: It was the current first team squad that failed to qualify last season after 20 years in the competition and it loooks as if we are going to need a positive second half of this season to finish in the top four.
    What I saw on Wednesday evening against the current champions gave me, as a fan, something to be proud of. Our problem is player consistency. Just compare Holding on wednesday to the Forest game as an example.
    The players need to step up and prove their worth to the fans.
    I have criticised Steve Bould before, but the team did play really well and looked organised in defence. A sign of good things to come?
    Lets wiat and see what happens over the next five months before doom and gloom descends on the ranks.
    It could be that we will have won two cups and qualified for the champions league.
    By the way, I watched the game on Sky so I am not trying to be confrontational, just curious: Were there any/many placards regarding Arsene on show?

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