Arsenal HAVE changed but has something been LOST as well as FOUND?

It may not have been the free flowing Arsenal that has become the scourge of smaller clubs, but Saturday’s FA cup semi/final was further proof of just how far the Gunners have come in the last few years. More specifically in fact, the last year has seen Arsenal and Arsene Wenger find a new strength and resilience to be able to cope with the sort of determined and dogged opposition that Reading provided at Wembley.

It is impossible to say for sure of course, but you have to suspect that the Arsenal of last season may well have crumbled in the face of Reading’s heavy pressure. That team may have rolled over smaller clubs on a regular basis with our superior skills but when the going got tough we did not get going, we got beaten.

It is good to see the Gunners now able to stand toe to toe with in a physical battle and that has been a major part of us no longer failing so badly in the big away games. But I can’t help but wonder if we may have lost a little bit of our hold over the others at the same time.

Arsenal have still been winning against the likes of Reading, Leicester, Burnley, Newcastle and QPR recently but only just and not in the comfortable way we have become used to. As reported by Arsenal.com, Wenger says that his players have learned a lot from previous struggles and that is what got us into the final.

He admitted, “We struggled for a while. We have learned from our hiccups and we have matured a little bit.

“When we had difficult moments [against Reading] the team kept going. We don’t feel sorry for ourselves. We just kept our gameplan.

“We have to show that now on a consistent level and we have the opportunity to do that against Chelsea next Sunday. We were back against the wall and responded well. The team has great spirit and togetherness and that helps.

“Let’s finish this season well. We have six games, a big game next weekend, and I believe we have the spirit, which is encouraged by the results. That’s what we have to produce until the end.”

Am I worrying too much? Or have Arsenal lost a little bit of our swagger against the smaller clubs while becoming harder to beat?

Tags Reading Wenger

21 Comments

  1. Wenger must start welback vs Chelsea . Ramsey will be a gamble since he like to see himself as a striker. Bellerin or Dabuchy will be torn apart by Hazard. . Welback if feet his powerful to push around . and he can also defend set piece.

  2. We need to win in many ways, not just one, like Arsenal did for years. Different approach might needed to face various opponent. Just watch Chelsea. They have won when play at top as much as they’ve at their worst day. Dumped by Bradford was exceptional, but they’ve done it in such consistent basis. I hate Mou’s pragmatism football but we may have something to learn from it. We’ve change, and the change I believe is an improvement of our winner mentality. We are collecting our lost winner mentality since last year FA Cup, and looks to make it back to back.
    We on the march of getting the EPL title back to us after 9 tortured years. Get ready Jose, here we come! COYG!!!!

  3. Our style may not be as fluid and fanciful as it used to be but we’re winning games we ordinarily would have lost in d past.

    I got tired of hearing ‘Arsenal were the better side but Unfortunately they lost’ from the commentators.

    These days, we win clean (liverpool game), tactical superiority (Man City game), ugly (Reading, Burnley etc) and that’s ok by me.

    1. To be honest Namosky, Arsenal was a better side, but se where our opppents the years before, thats the diff.

      Our style was so fantastic, and our game so beatifull that it was a big shame that we had defenders like the likes of Djorou and a keeper in Almunia who ruined us everytime.

  4. Arsenal from the last season would have lost at Newcastle, draw with Leicester, lose at Burnley and QPR and definitely crack under pressure at the OT against Manure.
    Whatever changed it was for good. In fact I know what changed, we all do. Wenger changed the tactics totally in the sense that our players DO KEEP THEIR POSITION. These days you will not see a Coquelin rushing forward. No, he passes and he stays back. Ramsey although not very prolific on the wings sticks glued to that line. Ozil keeps the middle distributing position and press in the initial break to give Coquelin an idea how he best can stop the counter. Alexis keeps that left flank even if he keeps the ball with him as well. Our centre backs never, but never go up unless there’s a corner or a free kick. We do have moments of madness (see game against Monaco at home) but they were a blip on the radar.
    The next step in building an invincible team is to learn to keep a 1-0 or a 2-1 advantage. We still have work to do here. Other than that? Very pleased with the team.

    1. Wenger hasnt changed, the players have. Now they are working together on defence aswell as attack which was not always the case. I remember the match which the players came of age and showed there experience.. v manc.. after that game Wenger mentioned how he let his players come up with ideas and was delighted how mature and efficient the lads where.

  5. I’ll be booing fabregas on my screen …give Le Coq his masks to counter that of Fab…and pliz dear medical staff, done forget an extra shirt for le coq. coz of a certain Ramirez ….

    1. I really hope we play Bellerin, Debuchy isn’t match fit and Ramires will take advantage of that with Mourinho’s dirty tactics

  6. I don’t think we’ve lost that quality play – it’s just a case of getting the players playing it. Firstly we need a focal point at the attack who can play both facing the goal and facing away from it. Giroud is master of one, very average at the other. Welbeck is good at one, poor at the other. This means we have an issue in not having the attacking force of a Van Persie up top. BUT our interplay is still excellent when we keep some width which is enough to do in weaker teams. Alexis and Ozil on form have added some star quality and match winning world class goals. The only thing really different about our team is our ability to tighten up when we need to.

    We’re like a Spartan phalanx. We can open out to attack as a force, we can act alone as a skilled warrior or we can form up and become a brick wall for the opposition to bash their head against. We haven’t lost that flare, we are just that little bit more rigid to stop ourselves getting flanked by teams with a good counter. When our passing is working, we’re outstanding. When it isn’t, we’re a tight unit. I can’t really see that as having lost anything.

    The reading game is the first blip for a while. It was caused by not having a striker to play around. We were losing the ball too often from clearances, goal kicks and our own throw ins. We couldn’t pass into feet up the park as Welbeck wanted to get behind the defence instead of offering for our passing game. Alexis and Ramsay strayed inside and playing the ball wide was almost shunned. That is called having a poor game and the two additions (Gibbs and Debuchy) not giving us the width or outlets that the team has gotten used to. We still stayed tight and got the win so all in all it’s just testament to what we’ve gained.

  7. I would like to see us win against chel$hit like all Arsenal fans , to be honest i don’t see us winning against them. I reckon it will be 0-0 draw or we loose to them final score 0-1 chel$hit , I hope I am wrong and we win

  8. The only thing that has really changed is we have more players with heart and determination. Fabregas, RvP and the rest of them were all faders…we have better players now willing to sweat blood and tears. We still play pretty attractive football, the difference is that when opposition teams inhibit us from playing the passing game, we move to plan B AND STILL WIN. Where as before, we would just crumble…

  9. Chelsea hasn’t been scoring loads of goals recently, but have been doing just enough to win. They beat United by one goal at home.

    If our defense is solid (I would play Koscielny and Gabriel because on Saturday Mertsacker looked really slow against Reading) and Alexis/Ozil work their magic then we have a decent chance of winning.

    1. Also this is a HUGE chance for Giroud to shut up his critics once and for all if he can score against the top team in the PL.

      He scored against City in the Community shield and scored against United in our first match and has scored in double digits this season despite being out for 3 months

      However, he needs to score more against top teams with strong defenses and huge matches. The match against Chelsea AND the FA Cup final will give him that opportunity

      I believe in my heart and soul, that if our defense (including Coquelin and Ospina) work their butts off and the Alexis/Ozil/Giroud connection are on form we can WIN

      Arsenal 3-1 🙂

        1. Not saying that i am not thankfull to Giroud, but Arsenal needs a Suarez a like caliber of a striker. The team can always become better.

  10. There are some rumors of Klopp situation, appereantly he is heading to join Arsenal, i think its great thing, Steve Bould did good, but having Klopp as assistant manager would be great, until Wenger retires. better assistant in Arsenal than head coach in City LOL

    1. Wenger should go off with glory, a possible fa win would be a nice way to go, just like Fergi with his epl title he won. But i cant see that happening as Wenger is to much in love with his job. I will be worried when he retires. Klopp is to good to stay unemployed for to long.

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