Arsenal are like Flashy Jewelery but need to be a HAMMER too!

Arsene Wenger’s record in the FA cup is remarkable by KM

Well, as Arsenal secured their record-breaking 12th FA cup I have to admit that Arsene Wenger’s record in this specific tournament is fantastic. He has led arsenal to half of those cups and when you consider the fact he’s only lost 1 of 7 finals, even though we dominated that game too, it’s even more impressive.

Take into account the fact that we sacked the FA cup in favor of other competitions makes the achievement even bigger. Although I really believe we could be bigger than we are now, and that Arsene will not take us back to the heights that I feel this club can achieve but I am happy with the season.

We will skip a CL qualification game and we’ve won a trophy for the second year in a row. That’s more like it. The players themselves feel that this team can do more. They know that with a few signings in the right areas we would be up there with Chelsea.

Full credit to the manager that for once he rotated and the rotations worked. Walcott started instead of Giroud who had a bad run of games. We rested Ramsey in the WBA game and he was magnificent. So was the entire squad.

I was really impressed how well prepared we were for the occasion. We were focused, disciplined and never looked in trouble. If we can maintain such focus for an entire season we will be serious challengers.

One thing I didn’t like was the typical post-game Wenger interview, when asked on the transfers he said we cannot go for Pogba or Bale. It’s sad because the money is there and those players would undoubtedly improve our squad.

This doesn’t mean of course that we want players that cost tenths of millions of pounds. Coquelin does a good job and he cost us nothing. Lewandowski was bought for peanuts in Dortmund. If a 3 million pound signing can improve us I’d take him as easily as I would a 80 million one.

Juventus is the latest prime example of a team who works with players that don’t cost ‘stratospherical’ prices but do a job. You can always cost 50 million and be a flop like Fernando Torres, or Radamel Falcaos wages. But then again we payed massive money for Ozil and Alexis and you see that money can and does buy quality. Sanchez is by far the best player we had this season and his thunderbolt of a goal was a pure joy to see.

The biggest transfer for me is a solid keeper. A proven top quality goalkeeper himself will cut the gap to the top in half alone. We all know where we need to strengthen. I just hope we do it early so we prepare well for next season.

I think the players really enjoy the feeling of lifting silverware over their head. It is what you play your entire career for. We have a bunch of good players who can now tell their kids how they won two successive FA cups. The open bus parades are also a joy to the fans. I really hope this becomes the usual thing at Arsenal.

Finally I’d like to mention that the two successive FA cups also mean that this squad is better than the “project youth” we had in the previous years. Despite having some very talented players over the years, it turns out that maybe they weren’t good enough to lead Arsenal to trophies, so they went elsewhere to get their asses carried to some.

Next season will be exciting. We don’t need to sell anymore. As always the next season will start with the question of whether we can be not only a flashy piece of jewelery but a solid hammer too that can deliver the knockout blow.

I really believe we are close. Will we make the needed steps? Only time will tell.

Have a sublime week to enjoy your FA cup….

Konstantin

Tags Ozil Sanchez Wenger

38 Comments

  1. Starting to get a feeling of Deja Vu with Wengers transfer talk and the rumours coming out of Scez and Arteta staying, next will be flamini saying his signing up for another year and God forbid diaby too.

    Theo looks like staying which is great but I can’t help but feel this will stop us dipping into the market.

    I really feel we must strengthen or once again find ourselves coming up short in the PL & CL.

    Come on, Show some ambition AFC!

    1. Deja Vu of when?
      When we had to sell due to debt?
      Do you not think to yourself;
      “Prior to our stadium move Wenger was good enough, our stadium move with debt held Wenger back for a few year but since then he has won a trophy each year…” ?

      Wenger knows we need to strengthen still, he isn’t about to slag any player off though and we don’t need to make signings just for the sake of making signings. He wanted a ACM when he got Ozil… from what I read he did try for Cesc but he turned us down so we got the other ‘best’ in the world.
      He wanted a pacey forward and a CB… ok he failed with the CB but we did read that our targets had gone to other clubs but he spent big on Alexis which has worked out, not only due to his pace but his work ethic. He then got a CB in the Jan sales.

      Yes it would of been nice to get everyone we needed in a single transfer window but it would also be nice to win the lottery, we all knew it would take 2-3 years to build the squad back up again after all the high profile sales we made didn’t we?

      What I am saying is, we are showing ambition and currently there is no reason to doubt Wenger in improving his squad, he has ALWAYS improved his squad when we haven’t had a debt hanging over us like a raincloud.

      I got no doubt Wenger will improve the squad, if it is as much as I would like becomes another question 😛 but I have no doubt we will be stringer next season.

      1. When? Near enough every transfer window. But Let’s hope your right re: the coming season though.

        I take your statements as assurances from the club.

    2. What do you want Wenger to say?
      Do you think he should announce how much we have to spend?
      Do you think he should name his targets?

      Don’t be stupid you tell the world how much you have to spend clubs start putting stupid price tags on players. Like Spurs after they sold bale 60m worth of players for 120m. And why would he tell people his targets? So potential other clubs become aware of a players availability and out bid us. Bit early for comments like that especially after Wenger spent about 90m in the last 2 transfer windows.

      1. I do not want him to ‘say’ anything.
        It is more of the ‘doing’ that interests me.

  2. We can afford players like Schneiderlin, Kondogbia, Vidal, Reus, Martinez, Lacazette, Pedro, Cech etc

    All quality players. That’s good enough for me. We don’t have a sole Arab/Russian sugar daddy owner. We have share holders. Majority of which is with American Kroneke who I don’t like and the Russian Usnanov who I do like as he understands what the team need And what fans want

    So Wenger can spend more than he used to but still has constraints by the shareholders

    1. Indeed.

      But it will be Wenger and he alone who does/doesn’t sign Vidal,Schniederlein and decides to award Flamini,Arteta 1 yr extensions instead.

      Ambition must be shown. Not make-do solutions of convenience.

      1. Wenger alone?
        You mean like how Nasri has admitted that the board sold him when Wenger said he wasn’t going anywhere?
        Also like how Wenger said he would of LOANED Welbz instead of buying him if it was up to him?

        Of course Wenger has the final say, there is nothing to back up that idiotic claim but hey… Everyone knows it so it must be true right? Is the world still flat for you?

        1. Believe what you want.
          I believe that AW signs off 99% of transfers so it is generally up to him (of course there are exceptions).

          Bet your fun at parties.

          1. Your gonna use the “bet your fun at parties” when he used logic and reasoning to counter your statements and when your the dude who is negative cynic who always complains even when things are great LIKE RIGHT NOW

  3. Ranking of Arsenal players this season, do you agree?

    1. Alexis Sanchez
    2. Santi Cazorla
    3. Francis Coquelin
    4. Mesut Ozil
    5. Aaron Ramsey
    6. Olivier Giroud
    7. Laurent Koscielny
    8. Nacho Monreal
    9. Hector Bellerin
    10. Per Mertesacker

    (List deliberately created to stir controversy)

    1. haha so much controsvery that it started in my ind and I dont get to decide which statment to write.
      although yes…Alexis at least one step up above the others. The Guy deserved it.

    2. Can’t we have 3 players share #1 spot? 😛
      For me I can’t choose between Cazorla, Coquelin and Alexis. They have all done their jobs so well it is impossible for me to choose, I’m so proud to be a gunner when I see those 3 working so hard and never giving up.

      Bellerin would be my 5th and pushing Ozil for 4th spot, prior to Ozils injury he was a bit hit and miss but Bellerin has been improving non stop. Ozil after his injry is a defenat 4th but all season… it becomes more of a fight between him and Bellerin… well for me at least ^.^

    3. Bellerin below Monreal Ramsey and giroud … Don’t think so… He has been impressive for most of season and alongside mert makes him doubley so

    4. How can anyone take this kind of list seriously and what is it meant to serve? I believe strongly that it is illogical to say that Sanchez is no 1 and then put Per Metrtesacker as no 10. This is simply illogical because the two play very different roles and each of the roles complement each other. The only way you can rank players is by the positions they play not this kind of random grading which is done in bad faith aimed at denigrating some of our loyal players who have done such a fantastic job for the club this season. Anyway putting everything in context what is the purpose of this kind of player grading? I am even surprised if the writer is a true gunner! Why would any gunner want to do such a thing that does not in any way help the team? I don’t doubt the writer’s freedom to air his feelings but if it touches the feelings of others we can’t simply accept it.
      I sometimes wonder whether some of our detractors also take advantage to create disharmony in our ranks; otherwise why would a true gunner write this kind of stuff immediately after we have won FA trophy back to back? What was his motivation? I don’t believe that his intetnions were noble. If you read between the lines you get the feeling that this is a disgruntled fellow for whatever reason.

    5. Yh, about that. I would place Coq on top though, the only match he has not quite delivered must’ve been against manure and Southampton. And Giroud further up, right next to Alexis, asking me.

  4. Off topic,

    Juventus have signed Khedira on a free transfer. The club want €40m for Vidal.

    1. Doing good biz early. Already bagged Dybala and now Sami on a free.

      The old lady is alive and well.
      (Looking forward to the CL battle between them & Barca!).

        1. Think I will have to back Barca on this occasion as they have superman in their team and I’m a sucker for fantasy.

          So barcas 5th as opposed to Juves 3rd CL/EC for me..

          Hopefully be a humdinger either way.

          1. hahaha Superman indeed. hey will def not be tthe same ithout that guy.
            will be a good game i hope.

  5. Ramsey 4th, mesut 5th and swap santi and Le Coq too.

    Sanchez deserves top but Coq is close as he made perhaps an equally transformative impact to the team/season.

  6. GK is the last priority in my opinion. If we go by Arsene’s three signing policy, my priorities will be 1st a top striker, then a top DM and finally a top GK.

    1. We have to offload plenty of players to sign new players too. Szczesny needs to leave, Podli,
      Campbell and Sanogo should be sold or loaned out again. Diaby and Flamini should be released.
      Walcott, Coquelin and Monreal should be given new contracts.

  7. I think we did have more “Hammer” this season tan the last one. Alexis helped a Little to that, and le coq as well.
    Its a start, but i think it will come, either by new players or by the actual team behaving different on the pitch.

    As far as millions go, we did not spend huge on either Ozil or Alexis, nt by todas standards in any case. (Bale, Cristiano, Falcao, etc.). Ozil fee came close but Alexis’ was lower.

    in any case I agree that a 3 million player that suits us is welcome as a 40 million that suits us.

    Does the title Hammer ws to hint at Hummels…?

    in any case, for me it would be a very good striker but not a 50 million just for the sake of it one. I d like to seee Jackson Matinez or Lacazette, regadles of age difference between them.

    One DM would be awesome, but in all honesty….who? There are no Gilbertos or Makeleles out there.

    a Goalie for competition, there are some thtare good. I wouldnt mind Cech but I dont buy it that Jose will give us Cech, he will use all his legal staff to stop it hahaha. Damián Martinez made some good appearances. Ospina has been very good and Wojech has learnt lessons. Unless Casillas comes walking in I dont want anything changed.

    now….how about an article on our Injury record….

    THATS where the real issue lies…solve it and we can go on.

  8. You know what i realized guys? IF and i mean IF arsenal could stay minimally free of injuries for the whole season we could contend for the title with chelsea and mourinho knows this so does wenger. I know that is a big IF, so let’s go with scenerio 2 where we have the usual injury list. In that case we will need a ST/DM- In case of injury or burnout to Coq. I think the biggest concern for wenger will be sorting out podolski/campbell/ryo miachi/sanogo/AND Jenko, what will he do with these players, will he keep them? what about arteta/flamini? rosicky?

    Big summer ahead for LeProf

  9. Szczesny is staying no new keeper.
    Arteta is signing new contract no new CDM.
    Podolski, Sanogo and Campbell are returning no new striker.
    Sadly this could happen if Wenger has confidence in current squad.

  10. wenger will get the players he needs the only thing that worries me is that man united are going to try and bust a groove on our transfer targets, and throw about stupid money and ruin the window for us wenger did say that they are always there on the case already. when wenger was offered players already am just hoping that his special discreet way of doing transfer gives him the edge, ahead of the competition for players and we get in there early and do the business, it will be more about quality than quantity this summer wenger and gazidis have both said this.
    1. striker lacazette higuian
    2. d/m schniderlin,kondogbia
    3. l/w fekir,griezmann,draxler (as sanchez will move to the right wing when walcott goes up front)

    1. I think it would be a bad idea to switch Sanchez to the right as we would lose a great deal of goals. He has scored some of the best goals by any player this past season and they all came from him playing or cutting in from the left onto his right foot. Man City @ home, Liverpool @ home and recently against Villa @ Wembley. With that I would agree with you on going for Griezmann or Fekir as they could imulate that on the right as they’re both left footed players.

    2. Sanchez has to stay left. It’s his best position to cut in and laser guide rockets into the oppositions onion bag!:)

      1. I hear you – but all the talk on here about best positions for our front 3/4 seem pretty academic once a game starts. Don’t know about you guys, some may understand the “system” better than me, but I get dizzy keeping track of where are guys are on the pitch and where they turn up unexpectedly.

  11. Get a feeling of Deja Vu hearing all these talks coming from LeProf. Really scared. Most of us here we agree that though COHESION is important we are still lacking at least 3 players to challenge Mou and Co. for the title. Without new signings, I cannot see the current squad achieving this. The words coming off LeProf’s mouth about COHESION do not auger well. So guys stop dreaming. Why does not he see that we need 3 additions. Cech, Vidal and a striker would be ideal to begin Mou’s nightmares…

  12. Arsenal may not be the hammer at the moment but far from just being a fancy jewellery, more like a rubber mallet, with at least 2-3 fine tuning could become the hammer of justice, but leave it to master Wenger in finishing his master piece , each year he seems to add a couple pieces, not to unsettle the ones he has already, this coming season would be a good time to complete the master piece

    1. Spot on, bringing it to the boil gently. Spent close on £140M in last 2 summer windows with only one first X1 starter each year. Wenger has said it enough times about how difficult it is to try and bring in half a dozen players at once – surprised people are expecting any sort of quantum shift in policy this year. Cohesion and togetherness is often derided by the quick fix spend brigade – but it is possible to get just as high levels of improvement through continuity, winning and losing as a team, carefully bringing your own players through and developing the right winning mental approach. It is impossible not to notice the incredible squad spirit. Even in the pre-match coverage there was ample evidence of this – Ospina, Szczesney and Martinez all in a row and being asked who was going to start in the final – they all burst out laughing and pointed to each other. The difference after the final whistle on Saturday was hugely different from the year before. 2014 was an untidy game with little confidence which we got through by the skin of our teeth with the extra quality just coming through in the end, and pure relief was the main emotion at the end. 2015 was confidant and commanding, and at the end it was little more than “yes we won” now lets move on.
      Three players to come in, none that we have been linked to; a marquee signing, a talented youngster and a real left-field rabbit out of the hat – that is my prediction.

  13. I agree with the DM part. But the CB bit is outof touch with reality. We have 4CB. Per Boss Gabby Chambers. No team in the world plays with 5CB in their squad. If you know any team then you let me know.
    With The DM there is and array of defensive midfielders out there that the club could focus on.

    Morgan Schiniderlin Wanyama Kongdobia Grzegorz Krychowiak,
    Games 26 32 23 32
    Pass 89% 84% 86% 81%
    Takles 79 78 61 82
    Airialwon% 45.265% 50.77% 60.87% 70.80%
    Airial Duel 43 66 28 97
    interception 63 59 57 96
    Blocks 5 5 3 12
    Clerance 47 54 18 58
    pass Foward 1040 876 772 1056
    Pass backward 497 614 469 417

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