Did Chelsea beat Arsenal AND Wenger today?

Things always look a bit different when you have had time to step back and look at things in the cold light of day, but I get the distinct impression that if Arsene Wenger was being completely honest today after he saw his Arsenal side well beaten by Chelsea once again and lose any lingering hope of winning the Premier League title this season, I think he would admit that his time in charge of the Gunners is up.

The Frenchman was as downcast as I have seen him in his post match interview. He seemed to have had the stuffing knocked out of him and despite claiming that the first goal should not have stood because of a foul on Bellerin, our manager accepted that his players had been second best and even naive in the way they approached a team as strong as Chelsea.

After taking the blame for the defeat at home to Watford in the week, he must surely accept at least some of the blame for the performance and result at Stamford Bridge. With that in mind, can Wenger really believe he is the right man to take Arsenal forward and get us back on top of English football?

Bob.

30 Comments

  1. Wenger needs to go even though we all know that he won’t, Arsenal requires a massive shake up,yes change is hard to take but it’s necessary, if he was Chelsea manager he would have been fired years ago!

  2. All neutrals can see it (and have seen for years), and I think finally most Arsenal fans can also see it;
    Wengers philosophy is outdated and it is time for change.
    But can he see it? Tha tis a good question.

      1. Even a blind man see that our squad IS good enough to win the title. So year after year, different players, different staff, what hasn’t changed? It’s really simple.

        Funny, in the press conference Wenger didn’t forget to mention how the first goal made it difficult etc. WHO CARES. That kind of stuff happens all the time. Here’s an honest question:

        When was the last time (against top 6 teams), we came back to win it after the opposition scored the first goal? I cannot remember. So I always assume whenever, against the top 6 teams, they score first – it’s over for Arsenal. Sure we are the comeback “kings” against pub teams but against the big boys we have no chance.

        1. yet other teams always come back against us when we are up. remember Newcastle from 4-0 to 4-4, spuds from 0-1 to 2-1 Everton from 0-1 to 2-1, man city from 0-1 to 2-1 and the list is endless. so sad

  3. Wenger needs to go
    Wenger does not know how to complete the jigsaw

    Conte just needed a Quality DM to complete the jigsaw and will win the Title because he got kante
    Sir Alex just needed RVP and won the title
    Jose just needed a CAM and CF so got Fabregas and Costa and won the title

    We needed a Top goal scorer and DM and quality Defender. We got 1 out of 3
    The forward he did get LUCAS, he hardly starts!!
    Im happy he got Xhaka but he isn’t a DM

    Well, the same thing is in store for next season, because Wenger will NEVER change

    1. First time we actually bought players to positions that required strengthening. But nothing changed.

      It’s quite obvious for everyone what’s wrong at Arsenal..

  4. I have been preaching this for the last 6/7 years wenger has to go for the good of the club and good of the loyal supporters. He has treated us with utter content for the last number of years. He has not offered anything in the way of leadership for many many seasons. PLEASE JUST GO WENGER PLEASE JUST GO!!!!

  5. Conte was spot on with his tactics regarding our full-backs. If Chelsea players had a better final ball today, they could have easily got at least eight goals, possibly even double figures, dare I say. They had so much room on the counter throughout the entire game, it was embarrassing! I think Chelsea played well, and the setup was perfect, but I feel, as always, that it was Wenger that made the opposition look good.

    OT – I actually like Gary Neville as a commentator/pundit, but he was bang out of order on two occasions today. Firstly, having a pop at the fan holding up an anti-Wenger banner. I think he called the fan an idiot, because it was a preemptive act, because the fan had decided to take the banner to the game. Well of course it was preemptive! It’s preemptive because of YEARS of failure under Wenger, and that’s what that fan probably felt. I am sure he would have shown the banner win, lose or draw. It really infuriates me that even now, so called intellectuals/experts of the football world STILL cannot see where all of our problems steam from. Also, is that fan not allowed to have a voice, to express his opinion? Given how much we are charged to watch awful football, I would say we do have a right to speak our minds. Neville was bang out of order, and should have to apologise to that fan. If I was on Twitter, I would genuinely try and sort that apology out. Haha

    Secondly, Neville having a pop at our full-backs for giving Chelsea so much space. Players deserve criticism of course when they play bad, but this was to do with tactics, and who instructs our players on tactics…Wenger. They are pushed so high up with pitch because that is what they do every game, it’s part of Wenger’s tactical approach. Conte knew this, and rightly, he exploited that.

    Not a good day for Wenger and Neville in my opinion!

    1. It is easy for fans to summarily says all said, it is Wenger that commands the troop, who gets the blame. But there is actually truly not much yet from transiting from no funds for transfer to now a little more funds. The funds is still not enuogh. And facts is majority of the current squad are the top four recruit, who are to be sorted out, that cannot be done with a wave of the hands. Player like Wilshere, who fans will say he is quality, but how many goals, assists, or chances represent his value to Arsenal. How many of those players have entered gear four, but spme of their mate or juniors in other teams are on cruise right now.
      If a coach set up tactics, do you not understand they work it out with players. Then after that, their heads are not cut off, that they cannot be able to make a good adjustment if the tactics cannot be implemented. If they are dull on the pitch, it is their fault, not to properly defend is their fault not tactical defect. No tactical approach allows a player to allow threats to defence in the hope of blaming the manager’s tactics. Otherwise, the manager would have put 11offensive players on the pitch.
      Arsenal fans have indulged the players because it is the manager the hate to love. I am not Speaking for the manage because I some sometimes take my fury to studio@arsenal. But when players are irresponsible, I don’t blame the manager, even though the manager is reluctant to apportion blames but I watch games, and have watch eniugh good football in 40 years all over different leagues and tournament to be able to make some reasonable observations and comment.

      1. Of course the players deserve criticism as well, and they should take more responsibility during games, but overall, it still ends goes back to the manager.

        E.g. Cech was poor today, and has been for most of the season, but why hasn’t the manager dropped him? Ozil goes missing in almost every big game, so why does Wenger not bench him for these games? Some of the players just are not good enough at this level, so doesn’t Wenger get rid of them? We’re always so open at the back in these big crunch games, so doesn’t Wenger start his team deeper, with a more defensive, counter-attacking mindset.

        The main reason the players are blameless in my opinion, is because Wenger has changed a lot of players down the years, and has gone from more of an average squad, with a sprinkling of quality, to one of the best squads in the league, and yet nothing has changed! The same problems persist, and we have gone backwards if anything, given the funds available, and the quality of the squad.

        Our squad is good enough to win the league, yet we’re 12pts adrift, and we’re only just into February. No more excuses! It was beyond doubt, the manager is the problem.

      1. May be he wishes he was still playing at Chelsea to throw more punches in this game, may he was thinking I could have scored a hat trick in this game

  6. Arsenal took themselves out…performance was extremely poor!!
    -Özil is one of the players who has been really poor a long time now and should have been subbed off by halftime when things could be salvage.
    -Alexis had a one off. It was one of those games where he was poor and I haven’t said that in a longtime.
    -Cech and it has to be said has been poor this season and the speed and athleticism to stop one of those sure goal is no longer there. He isn’t a X factor anymore.
    -Ox was the outstanding player in an overall worryingly and woeful performance that all of them should be ashamed of.
    The sad part in that is that it could get worse with 14 games left in the league we still have to play Man u, Man city, Spurs, Liverpool & Everton. Teams against whom we haven’t taken 3 points this seasons and with the display our team showed in the last 3 weeks we have no chance of winning any of those games.
    We could’ve taken a gamble last season and go with a different manager but we stuck with Wenger and now there is a real possibility of dropping out of the top 4. How do you retain players like Alexis and Özil? How do you bring in world class players if they go and you don’t have the UCL argument?
    I’ve always been neutral but it’s his team, his players and his team selection. Sure the players have to be blamed for such a poor showing, lack of discipline, (self) motivation, mental fortitude & leadership. But Wenger should take the blame and stop deflecting the blame.

    1. It looks like Özil is immune to getting substituted. Probably because Wenger wants him to sign an extension. I don’t. We mind as well sell him to China and get a CAM who can lift the team.

      1. The pressing issue is that with the result we are having even if we want to keep him and Sanchez what would he have to show? We would have to pay them so much…

  7. Waoh!!!

    it’s now clear to EVEN Bob and Admin that Wenger is the most overrated coach in the Europe?
    He hid himself inside the excuse of building and paying for the debts of Emirates stadium all these while.

    Last arsenal EPL trophy was in 2004. Then, I was in high school.
    Since then:
    I have gained admission into Tertiary institution,
    graduated,
    stayed without jobs,
    got jobs,
    got married and had kids who are doing well in primary schools.
    built my personal house !!!

    Wenger is still a team that can compete for EPL till April.

    I was really put to shame today. Arsenal fans in Nigeria know what they suffer today. Football is a religion here in Nigeria. You lose here, you lose heavily.

    1. Congrats on building a home and family mate,
      Just don’t go betting on any Arsenal results ??
      And don’t worry, Wenger will probably still be around when you’re a grandpa ?

  8. How is Wenger beaten here? Only the passionate fans lost here. Wenger and his lazy bunch will still earn handsomely even after being given a hiding by hazard and conte.
    I am gutted for the gooners who shell out their heard earned pound to by ticket and end up being served crap. I feel for us gooners all over the world who have endured and still endure painful trolling from our rival fans. Oh heavens! may this end. Something has to happen to make The Arsenal great again.

  9. We all know Wenger has ‘favourites’ who aren’t necessarily what’s best for the team. The fact that Yaya Sanogo was given many more chances than Lucas Perez has been given says it all. And Perez is not the first talented player to have been wasted .. Joel Campbell, Podolski, Gnabry .. the list goes on while players clearly unfit are played until they’re injured again, e.g. Ramsey, not benefiting the club or the player. Yes it’s frustrating not to have the talent but even more frustrating to have the talent and not to use it.

  10. Wenger is far too stubborn to admit that he can’t take the club any further and as long as the club is making a massive profit, they will always offer him an extension.
    Wenger has been mugging us off for years, especially during the transfer windows, so I’m not buying his bull? that he may walk this year.
    Could it be that He is waiting for offers from elsewhere? can anyone foresee another club giving him the same money and freedom that he gets at Arsenal? ?? I very much doubt it and don’t go thinking that Wenger will go because of the fans turning against him either because he has already shown that he doesn’t give a flying ? what we think ??

    Wenger will only leave when his health prevents him from carrying on.

  11. Title is off our hands for sure bt there are some issues I have to iron out. Sanchez was very poor 2day & shld have been substituted earlier bt the boss decided 2 remove Walcott instead, the 1st goal against us was supposed 2 be disallowed as Bellerin was struck down & injured, arsenal played the 1st half without a recognised striker on the pitch meanwhile we had 3 recognised strikers on the bench & finally why do we always play with fear when we play against a big team? We played as if we didn’t want the game, looking at how relaxed Bellerin was before Alonzo came & got to the ball before him shows that they needed it more than us & why did the coach play Chelsea without a striker? I miss Cazorla & Xhaka.

  12. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Sanchez is going at the end of the season, and to be honest I’m not that bothered, he hangs onto the ball too long, constantly tries to go past (or should I say through) two or three players when there is a better option.

    His body language is awful, his head went down as soon as Chelsea scored and hardly figured in the game. To cap it off, at the final whistle, he and Monreal marched off without going to the Arsenal fans, doing his own impression of the incredible sulk yet again. Monreal did turn around just before he went down the tunnel and give a cursory clap to the fans, but nothing from Sanchez. It wasn’t us, the fans who let Arsenal down today, it was the team and management.

    Let’s be honest, we’ve haven’t won the league with him, so what if we don’t win it without him, same thing isn’t it!

    I’m not a fair weather fan, I’ve been going to Arsenal games since I was six years old, I can take defeat, as long as the team competes or tries to, but the blatant disregard for the fans, who pay a small fortune to watch them is what really winds me up.

    1. I should have added, I’m 52 now so that’s 46 years of watching and supporting Arsenal. The question is, will we win the league again before I shuffle off this mortal coil?

  13. Last Thursday, after 1-2 lost to Watford – our new nemesis – (remember Watford sent us packing from Cup last season), our players and Wenger still got paid that Thursday.
    Also in next Thursday, they will get banks credit alerts on their cell phone ?
    Mourinho is right! Arsenal job is the easiest in the world. Wages not commensurate to excellent performances.

    Has anyone ever heard of pay-cut in this Bottling company called Arsenal??

    1. Whenever you hear Wenger signs a new contract, just know that there is improvement as well in that amount he earns.. but ask yourself why improve the salary while the old man couldn’t improve anything? In fact he’s improving backwards while his salary is improving upwards, so frustrating

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