Stoke v Arsenal review – Offside error and defensive lapse sees Gunners lose

Although this Arsenal away game at Stoke City got off to a fast start and was quite good to watch, for the neutral as they say, there was a general lack of sharpness and quality from the Gunners in the first half and at times it gave the home side an easy task to press us and enjoy quite a lot of possession and create their fair share of chances.

We did have the better chances in a goalless first half, with Welbeck breaking into the left of the box to latch onto a diagonal ball but his shot was straight at Butland. The Stoke stopper had to be at his best a bit later when Ramsey almost finished a vcery similar move on the other side of the goal but that was about as good as it got for Arsenal in an attacking sense.

There was a penalty shout for handball but it looked accidental and another for a clumsy tackle that looked unlikely until you saw the replay which suggested we should have had it.

We were guilty of some sloppy play and passes went awry way too often, so Arsene Wenger was not looking too pleased and would have asked for a lot more after the break. Instead we did the same thing as last weekend and came out half asleep. Stoke pounced on a sloppy midfield ball and without any hint of a challenge from Mustafi or Monreal Jese received the ball and sloted past Cech.

After that it was all Arsenal and plenty of chances came and went, including another handball call like one in the first half. So many good shooting chances were blocked but the main reason for Arsenal frustration, however, was the offside decision to deny Lacazette a second EPL goal that was shown to be level.

Right at the death Giroud had a chance for another super sub goal but he blew it and planted his header well wide. That was that Gooners. A bit unlucky but not good enough once again.

Bob.

178 Comments

  1. Arsene Wenger as manager sees Arsenal lose!!!!

    Players come and go – only the one constant*

    *I gladly await the – oh it’s the Boards fault brigade even though Wenger rocks up season after season to collect his very large pay check

    1. We were a bit naive in the back

      We were not physically ready

      It wasn’t offside

      We lacked a bit of cohesion

      We had the possession

      Take your pick of excuses

      1. you forgot: we played with the hand brake on, we were a bit unlucky on their goal, we could have scored many goals but they didn’t go in, i am happy with the effort of the team.

        1. Not unlucky..exactly We didn’t know what to do with the ball
          all the goals against were from defensive lapses..

        1. Need to bench warm Ozil for sometime.
          if he don’t want it, let him retire.
          why a peeing child on arsenal’s shoulders..?

      2. When will Xhaka stop making defensive errors? 2 games 2 wayward touches leading to goals!

        The team really is screaming for someone to help them keep concentration. Mertesacker was on the bench; why didn’t Wenger start him? Another makeshift defence? Why was Monreal in the centre of the 3? Why not Mustafi or Mertesacker?

        I do hope the board have the balls to do whats necessary if Wenger underperforms again.

        1. Blah blah blah a few weeks ago everyone here was Wenger in. Well I keep saying Arsenal is regressing it is alarming how Man Utd dip and are now up again Arsenal is just going in one direction. This is the beginning of the end we will come in 6 loose Alexis , Ozil and Ox etc 200 million pounds.

        2. with maximum possession, arsenal couldn’t find a route through the centre..
          but only way ward crosses. you guys are way too high overpaid.
          ATLEAST SHOW SOME PASSION…. that was not a game we would have lost !!!
          (all these years & now its like killing yourself by supporting arsenal)

      3. we don’t know how to defend with Monreal as CB
        but mentally lost
        another day it was a great goal, with a little offside
        WE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO………………..
        only thing arsenal always do is to hang on to the balls… never a shot
        Wenger was scolding mustafi towards the end.
        sorry to say but being a gooner i am not optimistic..
        Need solution even if its wenger out or somebody IN..

    2. Even if Wenger goes, Arsenal’s ambition, transfer policy, youth development and management would remain the same. People with better financial power and ambition are required in Arsenal, take a look at Manchester City’s and Chelsea’s transformations.

    3. We finish with the same players as last year, having panic’ed & taken off our new signings, when Laca would have scored the chances Welbeck missed. If only we had a CDM who would have stopped the goal, & we still have a manager who never learns. Why bring on Walcott?! He did nothing. Here we go again

      1. It’s called desperation, just throw and hope for the best. We no longer claim our own fate but rather leave that to luck.

        1. Agreed . And to put into perspective we are now only missing Sanchez and kos . How anyone on this site can still think wenger is the right man for the job is beyond me . I said before season started 6 th would be about our position. To start the season unprepared is unforgivable , and what we need is so obvious that we go through this every season but the right players are never bought .

      2. I’m actually furious right now but I’ll remain calm for now because it’s just not worth it. What you reap is whata you sow.

        1. But why is being an Arsenal fan so b****dy hard, why can’t I feel confident when we play, or feel like we can dominate a game, without worrying we’re going to concede. I will always be a fan, have high blood pressure, hate Man U & dream it will get better

      3. GOONERS GETTING KILLED SUPPORTING Arsenal who is lead by A day by day turning phsyco professor who don’t know what to do..
        FEELING LET DOWN..

    4. why am i seeing this bullshit over &over again. arsenal got great players & don’t know what to do.
      ozil don’t know what to do, ox don’t know what to do, xhaka don’t know what to do.
      stoke wasn’t attacking and still couldn’t know what tp do.
      i see MAN utd run riot, why i still support arsenal..?
      i do my life good, do i need to eat this bull shit over &over..??
      i QUIT

      1. Yup agreed, don’t pay him, if he doesn’t want to play for Arsenal show him the door, get as much as we can for him and then go get Lemar and Van Djik.

    5. Arrrrsenal, Arsenal F.C., we’re by the far the greatest team, the mid-table has EVER seen!

      Ohhh Arrrrsenal, Arsenal F.C., we’re by the far the greatest team, the mid-table has EVER seen!

      Come sing with me now lads…

    6. hi lads sorry to say, but
      PLEASE SHOW SOME PASSION TO WHAT YOUR DOING……………………….
      attitiudes so far.. briefly
      OZIL- it’s like getting the big bucks for the job that i don’t want to do.
      OX- you know, i can do it , i will do it better next time or nexext time.
      Kolasinac- I’m a beast (& beasts don’t run fast), god.. what did i miss today ?

    7. a players who you can count on to challenge for the title are :-
      from forward is only lacazet ,if Sanchez will be gone
      from midfield…none
      from wings ..only ox chambr
      from defense..kosienly, mustafi & kolasinak the rest should be replaced with a better,r strong and skillful players otherwise it would be even difficult to get 5th

  2. It wasnt a,mistake. Laca was offside, just by an inch or so by his heel. Check it again.

    This performance and team are the reflection of the manager: weak and gutless. Wenger is those things.

    Go Sanchez, as quickly as you can. For your careers sake.

    1. We always look for these excuses and half chances when we loose, and when we win, we forget to critically assess ourselves.

    2. At the end of the day we played against Stoke, not a very good team so we really had no excuse. If it was against Man United; Man City or Liverpool I may just accept any disadvantages.

  3. Arsenal is the only top club that concedes immediately the second half starts. I noticed this in our last four games. Last four games: against sevilla- 49th minute, chelsea- 46, leicester- 56, stoke city- 47. Thats three out of our last four games, even 56th is still poor. Sorry, but this team is not coached properly, not in a million years. I am hoping for a top four and Fa cup this season, nothing more. Hopefully, we will experience winning the league again in a few years after wenger leaves.Terrible loss.

    1. There is one mistake, you said Arsenal is the only top club… Do you you really think that Arsenal is top club.. I doubt… What wasteful performance from Arsenal… Lacazzate was offside by inch may be…. It is always been horrible performances under Wenger and again we are experiencing it… Just saw Man Utd playing against Swansea… What a win for them… They are going to be the Champions for sure…

        1. I am not declaring them Champions but they are at least playing like the Champion… Statics never fails and Statistics says that Jose has always won championship in his 2nd season as Manager of the teams where he has managed in his entire career… No matter whether it is Porto, Inter, Chelsea, Real…

          1. I would prefer City to Man U as Champions if it goes to Manchester. Don’t like Mourinho.

            1. What does it matter who he declares champ it won’t be us ever again under this manager .

              Mourinho goes round the world for a decade comes back sorts Chelsea a title again then chills an sees what united need an cracks on

              In that time we argue who’s a plastic fan and whether an fa cup is success.
              Mourinhos a winner .
              We are not

              1. 100% true but you know as long as Wenger is manager we will not win the PL and we probably won’t get back to the top 4. So if you are a football fan you might as well enjoy watching the exciting big teams whilst we shoot ourselves in the foot.

                TBH right now I dread Arsenal playing Man U but I would definitely watch Man City play Man U.

                I am so bored with watching our right back play on the left for the first time. our old left back play in the middle of a back 3 and who knows what player will be played out of position next week. It is hard to get excited about us when you know we will get a repeat in one shape or form of the last 13 years.

    2. We lost the game before the game even started, the moment we are not prepared on and off the pitch, destiny was already written.

    3. Xhaka was dreadful today and Monreal worse than first game if thats possible.
      Gotta love stoke counter where they scored. Ran past xhaka (no surprise) and ramsey 40 yards up the pitch holding down the RW slot, out of position by country mile.
      Walcott was useless why is he here still?

      Monreal. -2
      Ramsey 5
      Xhaka. -1 1/2
      Ozil. No rating he didnt play
      Welbeck. 2 (as arsenal player)
      Welbeck. 7 (as stock player)

      Wenger. -2

      Sell wenger for 3 quid and a new zip

      1. jesus … ramsey 5 … you are more delusional than wenger … the man is utter sh@@@ … no control no vision occasional foray in to box fluffed chances cant get back as hes too slow … as soon as i see his name on the team sheet i know we are going to struggle

      2. True, the goal was so much the midfields fault. Xhaka lost the ball, Ramsey lost as usual and OX, who actually could have covered, didn’t bother. Just look at it again, and you will see.

      3. Xhaka on the contrary is a very good player and I rate him quite highly, it may interest you to know that good passers of the ball do give away the ball most times as we have found out with Sanchez, Neymar and even Messi. My issue is why do Arsenal concede goals when their midfielder give a away the ball but other teams don’t ? Mustafi,Bellerin, Walcott are passed their sell date and why welbeck is starting games is beyond imagination. Lastly I thought Arsenal players are not known to be selfish why they refused to pass the ball to lacazette on occasions that he was well placed was beyond me.

  4. Like the previous match, Arsenal played with the power of ten men from the outset. Some players got robbed too many times and could not retrieve the ball quickly.

    Instead of slowing the tempo down to avoid mispasses and wait for better chances, they often played with direct balls that were easily anticipated by Stoke’s defenders. I would be very surprised if Arsenal’s old system can make them challenge for the title this season.

    I think this is Wenger’s last season before the “Wenger Out” banners start to show up. I don’t think the next manager would be able to bring the glory back to Arsenal, if the people that sit on the board and the club’s ambition are still the same.

    1. Kolsanic is fine as a central defender. He can Play that position fine. He is a strong defender.
      Monreal can not. He needs to play LWB

      1. @Arsenal_Girl If even you can see that and the majority of fans too why can’t Wenger, I’m so frustrated!

  5. Laca not enough service because of selfish fellow players not preferring to try for themselves

    Wenger can start a game without putting some players in unfamiliar positions (Bellerin on the left???) and unsuitable positions Monreal centre CDer???

    Close to 8 shots on target and not a single goal, we are simply not lethal enough. We had some decent chances.

    We will miss Sanchez and even he stays we need more danger and more back bone (Draxler and Seri?)

    SAF once sad if you want to win the PL you can not lose more than 5 games we are 20% there after two games.

    Too early for Sam P to write an article about how we can still win the PL ☺

  6. there is a special place reserved in hell for kroenke and wenger. i hope they both rot there for eternity

    1. That’s harsh. How about for as many years as they fail to win a major trophy which is what 14 years and counting?

  7. There’s something wrong with the team..

    1. Playing players out of position
    2. Not ready for the league
    3. The midfield. There’s something not right. It looks empty. No steel whatsoever.

    We are aware of all this….we have been recyling things . Even if we had won, I will still say the same thing because I watched the game and observed the team.

    Still a gooner but it’s not easy!

    1. The midfield looks empty, because Arsenal played with only two midfielders. In 3-4-2-1, there are three defenders, two midfielders, two wingbacks, two forwards and one striker.

      The forwards tried to drop deeper, unfortunately they are not playmakers. It is different when Sanchez was playing. He can control the tempo and be the playmaker in the front.

      It would be a huge loss if Sanchez leaves. I don’t think Draxler could replace his role.

      1. He won’t play for Arsenal again so I’m afraid he’s an expense we cannot afford, if he’s made his mind up to go then bounce little man we don’t need to be paying silly wages if they’re not willing to play. Sell the money orientated midget and buy Lemar/ Draxler & Van Dijk.
        Even Steven Nzonzi would be an improvement and add some height.

    2. Agreed. I think, overall, Xhaka is a liability. For every assist or creative moment, there’s a major mistake in him.

  8. I think we were a bit naive at the back and in the second half we seemed to be playing with the handbrake on.

  9. Ozil is the so called “playmaker” but all he does is pass the ball back & sideways to Mustafi et al… Like I said, you can’t win the title with Bellerin, xhaka, ozil, welbeck, cech(he is done) & most importantly Wenger as manager
    China plz take Ozil away.. Waste of space & utter rubbish

    1. What about the ball he put through to bellerin which he should have finished. The ball to ox who then found lacazette who should have buried it if not for his awful touch. If you watched the game of football you would see how our attackl flowed through him.

    2. If Arsenal have guts to drop him and replace him with Iwobi, I am sure the result would be different. He is very unselfish and has good eyes for spotting chances, but he lacks the skill to possess the ball under heavy pressure from the opponents.

      Currently he often plays safely with back and side passes. The real playmaker should be able to dictate the tempo and control the flow like Messi, Xavi, Neymar, Sanchez and Cazorla.

      1. sanchez isn’t a playmaker and neither is neymar. Unreal how many football fans know nothing about a football

    3. Actually Ozil played well today.
      his passes created a lot opportunities, although some of them are not clear cut chances. We can not expect every pass from him is a goal scoring opportunities.
      we were a bit unlucky today. or attackers were not sharp enough, or jack butland was better.
      before Arsene made the 2nd change, we were still in game. but after that we were kinda like back to previous years. the attacking players lack movements. also danny played like he was sharing the same position as Giroud. Theo played like he is an invisible.
      all in all, we need new players.

    4. Ozil is good how about Walcot or waallcux or theo what ever the name is That vision-less goat called theo and wenger are so foolish. Clueless coach that introduces theo as a game changer. To tell how bad he is no club is bidding 4 him. Half fit Laca is beta than that idiot player called theo and he came in again today and display his stupidity.
      Perez is better theo, when he is on, u could see how he is working so hard to make his presence felt but theo comes on, plays like he’s the grandfather of Arsenal and that ancient wenger with his cat eyes can’t see what he does.
      “Attitude is every thing” I hate theo’s attitude on the pitch.

  10. The win over Leicester made Arsene deluded. A good defensive team with just two goals will defeat Arsenal with these silly lineups
    Let us see how next match goes

    1. Liverpool and Arsenals result today sets up next week really well.

      I exepct Liverpool will win through Mane’s directness/bullyness and his capacity to ‘make his own chances’ and ‘have a go’ mentality.

      Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal

        1. Possibly!

          If Coutinho is fit there is a good chance to be on the receiving end of a hiding. Especially if:

          1) Its an evening game (the Kopp is outrageously loud/vocal/intimidating in night games!)

          2) Coutinho is fit (he’s always a handful against us)

          3) Wenger plays Bellerin at LWB, Monreal at CB..etc

          4) Xhaka keeps giving the ball away in dangerous areas

          etc etc

    2. I don’t need the next match to know we are in a crisis. How many next matches do we need to have? I thought that was in pre-season where we should have sorted these things. Playing players out of poposition and experimenting things while the League has started, sound logical to you?

  11. Every pundit said we were not going to win because Wenger has not bought players for that, he wants us to finish top 4 and so we have started that way. I wish everyone a happy weekend despite the result

  12. One of the most frustrated matches I have watched.

    The referee was terrible.

    Xhaka literally gifted the game to them. He was involved in almost every chance they made until he came off.

    We had chance after chance that we threw away because everyone refused to make that final pass to the person with a tap in. I swear our team was playing like headless chickens today. Never the right pass at the right time.

    1. Exactly and that is why Laca didn’t get any service. he could have scored a hattrick if he played with team mates who had vision and weren’t selfish.

    2. Agreed, I don’t think I’ve seen a weaker link play for Arsenal, he’s got to go, never ever Arsenal quality.

  13. Why Theo?
    Ramsey shall be a sub at best.
    The first change gave us hope. but the second one killed it.
    Laca was not in form but still looks better than Theo.
    Ozil ran the show but teammates are not good enough. Welbeck had so many chances.
    Ox looks like he wants out, but still hope Arsenal can meed his demand if he still have.
    Finally Arsene is still stubborn.

    1. I’m worried key players will become average because they are not playing good players around them and the management does not instill the correct enthusiasm and winning mentality. Eventually all these players will experience burn out and want out

  14. No matter how hard arsenal and arsene wenger tries, I won’t say anything again. I’m so tired that I can’t say anything anymore, I don’t even have the guts to watch our games again…………I now resort to youtube to watch highlights and goal to follow the game………
    AKBs and the wenger optimists………………I salute you people for your optimism eve n though the parasite is still there

    1. When you come to work and management just throw you into the deep and expect you to do well without giving you a job profile then wish you the best of luck, would you really be able to perform to your strengths?

      1. Ox, Bellerin and Welbeck have not been thrown in at the deep end. They’ve been here long enough to know what to do. Problem is they don’t do it.

  15. I’m not sad we lost. I am sad knowing that we will put up with this throughout the season and of course another season at least. It may be longer cos Wenger may decide to extend his contract. How I wish I am in London or have the means to get there… A life time in jail is a worthy course.

  16. …somebody said ramsey’s superb … i’m wondering in which match was that?
    also Ospina ought to have been between the sticks today, their goal was stoppable

    1. Finally someone that was watching closely. Ramsey performed the best we could have expected from him but it just highlights how desperately we need to get a CM. If you can have Ramsey starting games in the season then you seriously have problems with the squad. Today I saw many times Ramsey had the option of that alternative pass but he chose not to, one played forward, ie: Lacazette link up, but he chose to pass or dribble backwards. There’s absolutely no penetration and link up play in the middle.

  17. Kolsanic is fine at CB. He is a versatile and strong defender

    Monreal has proven two matches in a row that he can not play CB. He was partly responsible for the goal. He was terrible in the first match.

    We can not play Monreal as CB again.
    Play him LWB but not CB.

    OX should not play LWB
    He should play RWB or CM.

    1. Didn’t Ox play on the right today and Bellerin on the left? I think Wenger wants to keep them on their toes and won’t play them in the same position two games in a row.

      1. I think Wenger wants to make then happy, Bellerin not turn his head to Barcelona and Ox to sign his contract.

  18. Did we really expect anything different this year? You could add Messi AND ronaldo and we would still be $#it. League? No chance. Top 4? No chance. Europa? No chance. Call me negative if you want but we’ve seen it before… 13 TIMES. we are the laughing stock of the league. Any football fan can see we needed some serious work in the summer but it never happened. Wenger should never have been offered a new deal and now we are stuck with him for 2 years… great. Last week was luck and this week our luck ran out.

    1. Yes…yes…I expected some difference….we signed laca and saed…..these are good players…..what I did not expect is not to see Sanchez playing even though he is still arsenal player ! What’s this non sense ??? Adding good players is what we need not making one to one swaps !

  19. Our midfield is a sham, welbeck is getting worse. Arsenal would be lucky to finish top four this season with performances like this.

      1. What? No way. As a striker, Welbeck was poor/average at Utd, thats why they sold him.

        When Wenger bought him, I genuinely had to hold back the tears.

        I’ve been a vehement critic of Welbeck throughout his whole career.

        I’m happy to have coined him ‘Bambi on ice’. The fact that he starts for Arsenal shows how poor we really are and how Wenger really has too much faith/too soft in average players.

        Now, if he had trained as a midfielder or a winger it might be a different story.

  20. I think 3 at back is not something meant for Arsenal …. 3 at back is good for those teams who are efficient in their play… We are certainly not efficient and effective in the game… I think we should move back to 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 or may traditional Invincibles formation 4-4-2…

    1. Our problem isn’t three at the back, it’s the big hole in front of them, which Xhaka isn’t going to fill and Ramsey’s disappeared up front. If we had a strong CDM (for many years) we would be a team competing for the league (Matic, Kante) plus a manager who would actually then play them.

  21. Pass, pass, pass, pass [shall i shoot? a space has opened up: no i haven’t got the balls]. Pass, pass, pass, pass [shall i shoot?, a space has opened up: no i haven’t got the balls]; Pass, pass, pass, pass [shall i shoot? a space has opened up: no i haven’t got the balls];

    Counter attack [Ars player tries to tackle, goes in soft and gets knocked off the ball, opposition team either scores/almost scores]

    Pass, pass, pass, pass [shall i shoot, a space has opened up: no i haven’t got the balls]. Pass, pass, pass, pass [shall i shoo?, a space has opened up: no i haven’t got the balls]; Pass, pass, pass, pass [shall i shoot? a space has opened up: no i haven’t got the balls].

    Counter attack [goes in soft and gets knocked off the ball, opposition team either scores/almost scores]

    Repeat ad infinitum

    Chuck on Giroud

  22. We lack aggression and belief. Add in the sloppy passes and we don’t look good.

    Hate to say it, but Groundhog Day.

  23. Arsenal is really an annoying team to watch. Lots of ball possession yes, but also lots of misplaced passes esp Xhaka. Only Ox and Ramsey were really willing to take on players, thus, we were easily contained by their defence. Monreal switched off for the goal, Lacazette didn’t seem ready for the game. No impact whatsoever. Welbeck, full of energy but no brain. Bellerin, get more horrible by the day. He can hardly put in a good cross, lob or shot. Of course, Wenger looked like a man that has run out of ideas and was just waiting on luck. It’s easy to see why Sanchez wants to leave. He can’t keep playing with a group of underwhelming players like the ones at arsenal. With some of these players and with this coach, the glory days will never come back.

    1. TBH Laca was in good pistions a number of times but players like Welbeck and Ramsey preffered to ignore him despite him being in better position to score. This one is not on Laca if you ask me.

    2. I like your comment, Bellerin is horrible, Monreal is too weak and fragile no wonder he gets knocked off frequently by opposing strikers. Mustafi prone to errors, Xhaka gives the ball away frequently and Ox is too predictable irrespective of where he plays. Added to this confusion at the rear we have a mid field that is also fragile. Therein lies Arsenal problem which Wenger has been unable to fix year after year. Back to today’s game why does the team show no urgency in their play, this in recent years have become characteristic of Arsenal resulting in sloppiness and almost with certainty we begin to concede cheeky and preventable goals. Why do we also pass endlessly with no end product? Verdict as longer as Wenger remain nothing will change at Arsenal, same old predictable Arsenal.

  24. We are a joke! Don’t care what anyone says, nothing has changed from last season. Absolutely nothing! From top to bottom, but these so called international players should be performing better than that. Every time I hear someone talk shit about Arsenal I get defensive and go all out to defend them, but yet we give them all the ammunition in the world to justify their statements. Match day 2 and I’m already livid. Most of these players aren’t even good enough but that their fault is it? We keep them here and watch them collect their paychecks after lower league performances. I’m so frustrated I’m confused, I see a lot of players fans back and say the club is stupid to sell yet these same players take the field and do crap time after time, no footballing brains. I watched a 6th place Nan Utd team roll over 2 teams back to back and we couldn’t even make it to 2 games without a loss. Weekend ruined, how can anyone even defend this crap? I’m literally dying to know. Sick just plain sick!

  25. Lololol we are back. I am not even angry anymore. We fans have been made fools by the board and we love to become fools. Finishing top 6 will be Wenger’s goal and he will convince everyone how great achievement is that.

  26. We Arsenal fans are the most optimistic people in the world. Some of us even think we will win EPL this season. Okay, what changed from the previous seasons? Once the genius said insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different result. The same thing is Wenger; players come and go.

  27. Wenger can talk about the wrong call all he wants. He can’t set up a team like that and expect not to loss. Stoke is there for the taken but we choose to believe goals will come. If you want to win games you to look for goals. To think he brought in Walcott against a team that is sitting deep and defend is nothing but shocking.

  28. we must spend much more to able to challenge for tiltle. I do not understand why some fans think we do not need another quality center back ? We need buy 3 quality player to this team : 1 center back , 1 defensive midfielder, 1 attacking midfielder

    1. Hi Henrytl, you are right…but signing new players (hopefully world class or elite) will only help to an extent.

      Our problems are more geared towards a) lack of leadership, b) lack of defensive/organisational nous, c) lack of plan b or c during games, d) suicidal passing in dangerous players, e) overplaying, f) players not having the balls to ‘take the game by the scruff of the neck’, g) injuries

      So signing new players, won’t really change much. The problems are managerial and crashing based. Basically, we’re talking philsophy. Wenger’s philosophy is outdated and he’s expecting too much from average players to play in this system.

  29. Seriously though, where is that guy that wrote me an essay on how signings sk t work and I’m over rating the Manchester sides?

    That is 8 goals and none conceded with at least 3 £50m plus players scoring in each game. Talk to me about the science of that but wasn’t it Wenger who told us that we left Highbury to compete with the best and now he tells us that we can’t afford it?

  30. Like I said all along, this team is not going anywhere until real changes are made…you’re not a top level team when Welbeck starts for you up front(worst first touch player we’ve ever had), Ramsey starts in the middle(turns around in circles even when no one is around and can’t thread the needle when required) and when Wenger continues to encourage sideways soccer(no service whatsoever for Lacazette)…just read anything I’ve written in the last month and all of it was on display today…you pro-Wengerites can bury your heads in the sand all you want but unless drastic moves are made things will be worse in North London than last year and no matter what side you fall on no one wants to see that…the GRINCH who stole soccer has to go and we can only hope that Mustache leaves with him

  31. Ox played well and should be given whatever he is currently demanding to stay…

    Xhaka has been defensively shocking 2 games in a row now and should be benched after this!

    Theo coming on, just makes me laugh how useless of a player he can be…

    Welbeck needs to spend all of his time practicing his finishing…

    Wenger is a muppet who has already started to ruin our season with his brainless decisions (i.e. players out of position)

    What does Steve Bould even do??? Im curious as our defense is average at best with no signs of improvement, past or present.

    Kronke out, Wenger out, Steve Bould out!

  32. Ahhjjjjhhh this so called manager makes my heart ache… WTF us wrong with him???? Why is martasaker on the f##kin bench while the left back us at center??? Why is welbeck an Arsenal player???he is a f##kin horse who can only run… I have always thought xaka would be good but I just saw today he is too selfish to make simple passes!!! He cost us our 4th goal in 2 games!!! It’s just depressing being an arsenal fan. We loose for the potters on our 2nd game of the season!? F##k wenger!

  33. wengers subs were bad and killed what fluency we had. we penetrated the box a lot of times before the subs, with no efficiency, but never got in after the subs.
    a squad full with one dimensional players will get us nowhere. xhaka and ramsey are squad players, playing two LB’s as CB’s after it proved disastrous last week is just insane, we should have started holding or mert, or go 4-3-3.
    without two top midfielders and top CB we will finish outside the top 4. but wenger won’t buy, because we have new signing whillsher and cazorla who will play 2 games each this season. CBwhise he won’t buy because defense is not important for this football prof…
    realistically we improved slightly but no where we needed it the most, other teams improved more than us. prepare for a long season…

  34. Different day same sh** !! Year after year , season after season same failings. This happened before this nothing new , everybody knows how beat arsenal this is embarrassing. Arsenal sucks im not buying any Arsenal merchandise this season !!! I am tired of making shareholders richer and they don’t invest in the club

  35. welbeck keep missing chances…he should be sold as soon as possible and please start giroud in his place. monreal is not a centre back, bellerin should have played at right back while ox play d other wing

  36. Same old crap different season! Arsene Wenger had no right signing on for another 2 years.. Who knows it’ll probably be more because that man does not know when to call it a day! Big deal he beat a few teams who were in pre season mode and the akb’s screaming Arsene’s back! Back to playing everyone out of position back to being miserable and clueless in the transfer market! Nacho Monreal our new center half .. I’ve had enough of watching this rubbish for over 10 years now the club is run by a bunch of clowns we got a penny pincher has been for a manager that talks the same sh*t every interview.. Wenger fans need to wake up fast we’re a laughing stock and this club is all about finance! Moved to the emirates to compete with the biggest clubs in world football we can’t even compete with Everton for heavens sake or more to the point we can but just won’t.

  37. Depressed I am just sick of it pass pass pass and no end product same old same old and when losing a game I don’t take off ur goal scorer even for half a chance and bellerin is waste space should been mertsacker in def and kolisinic lab and ox rwb and how we miss cazorla , one free and one striker and no champions league football oh how we’re trying very hard get bk in haha joke of board ambition is sad we need atleast 2 players van diik and nzonzi would give us steel over and out need ? feel sick

  38. Wenger cost us the game. In a way I understood why he didn’t play mertersacker against jesse but he also could have had a back 3 of holding mustafi and monreal instead of two lb.
    I don’t think we have a problem with personnel. I think we have a problem with our style of play. Just like Henry highlighted, we should play more forward passes. Our style of play hinders lacazette. Aside Ozil’s true pass against bayern in pre season: we have barely been able to get him in the game. It was the same problem suffered by poldoski and walcott wenever he played there. Alexis strived because of his perseverance and stamina.
    Wenger must decide who must start as rwb btw the ox and bellerin who was awful today.
    I know the season just started but EPL is beyond us. Maybe top 4 should be the aim. As much as I hate united nd Jose….they look good.

  39. Now is defense problems right? But when Ospina is the goalkeeper nobody blames the defense just Him. Cech performance is poor game by game but nobody says nothing.

  40. – If this is what Ozil can offer & still demanding £300K per week, Arsenal should juz sell him. Mahrez & even Wishere are better playmakers compared with his past few matches performance.
    – If PSG really offering £80m for Sanchez, then accept it & get on with it!
    – Wellbeck & Ramsey were mediocre & wasted their chances to convince their first 11 spots.
    – Yes, Lacazette need time to adjust but he’s not convincing yet. At the moment, he’s no better than Giroud. Giroud is better in lay-off & in aerial duels.
    – Ox & Xhaka over-played the ball too many times & made too many mistakes.

    1. We need Alexis now more than ever. I don’t want to see Ozil playing slow motion football, with Welbeck bobbling along, and Iwobi deemed not nearly ready. I want to see at least one real star playing for us this season, and Lacazette with him. I’d love some common sense introduced regarding our back line too. Losing in this manner, it may as well be the first game, Wenger is his own worst enemy.

  41. My first comment this new season, good win for Stoke, ugly football but achieved the goal, meantime we once again played beautiful football and lost……Stoke is a mid table team they and their fans know it, they don’t aspire the EPL title nor play CL football, to be top 10 would be their greatest achievement. we on the other side talk about winning the league be contenders at the CL , but look at our team nothing changed same team a free transfer and LACA other than that the same team with the same Manager, my point is we should lower our expectations we cant compete with the top 5 teams not with this team and current Manager, let’s just support them and hope we will be back in the CL next year and maybe add another FA Cup to ensure no one will win more than AW

  42. Wenger just pisses me off sometimes. Why can’t we take it bloody serious. Yes the ref was a tool, and the linesman, they robbed us of an equalizer. But Wenger robbed us of a solid comfortable win.

  43. I have been saying for a while that Wenger allows circumstances to dictate his decisions and a lot of you fans feel the same. I personally feel as though his targets are to run the club fanicially well. in that respect he has done well, however, the promises that have been forced on fans have been lie after lie. Its disgusting how the club have knowingly used the love of the fans to line their pockets. The club is lost and until BOTH Wenger and Kronkie leave we will never see the PL or the CL AGAIN!!!!

    However what STILL surprises me is the fans who support this regime !!

    Oh and just in wenger” we were unlucky” the goal should have stood
    theres a shock

  44. How do we get wenger to understand that we need a pure CDM like Calvaho/Veratti. Buy Veratti and Mahrez. Sell Welbeck.

  45. Is money all that great? From the owner, to the board members, to big shareholders, to the CEO, to the manager, to the players how can you look yourself in the mirror and be proud of such a poorly ran football club? God just when you think this club can’t hurt or embarrass you anymore they find a way to accomplish that season after season. You know what’s worse this time around? No champions league so all we have to focus on now is the league according to the manager. I’m not remotely convinced. After just 2 games!

  46. Absolutely shambolic performance.
    Wenger must just leave.
    He sits down from the beginning and only gets up to shout once at the players later when 1 nil down but not when we were dominating with the scoreline goalless. He must leave.
    Our team is far from a top four contender.
    Struggling against Stoke City at this time of the season is so unacceptable. Wenger plays people out of position and expects excellence?
    Lacazette obviously suffered as he wasn’t given enough chances and Welbeck who had the chances just ruined them all.

    So frustrating to be a Gunner.
    Wenger Out. I don’t see us winning the league with him and this team he has pampered for years.
    Tell me change of manager can’t change anything and I’ll show you Chelsea’s Conte.

    We support the team not Wenger.

    So painful.

  47. someone wrote an article earlier is “Xhaka the first name on the teamsheet” i bet they feel stupid now.

    we can stop talking about transfers because wenger will ruin any decent player that comes, i am guessing we are due a panic buy very soon

  48. I calmed down myself when I remembered we have won a trophy this season (The Community Shield) . That is the only trophy this re-branded Wenger can win in modern day football. My recipe may help you too folks unless you are living in a fantasy world.

  49. Anyone that still believes in this old man needs to have his brain checked by a Psychiatrist

  50. in the last two week ozil and walcott got paid more than a quarter million dollar … let that sink in … and our ahole of a manager criticizes other teams for showing ambition and buying winners who can get them trophies

    1. Oh, why did you post this!!??!?

      This is the most damning post in the thread.

      Walcott: what are you??

  51. It’s too easy to score on the counter attack v Arsenal. Especially since there is no real DMF in the whole squad. Coquelin used to be, but then he thought he can be a playmaker and sopped doing defensive duties full time.

    If Wenger wants to play Xhaka, Ramsey and Ozil all together then he has to go with it like a diamond formation with another player behind all three of them. Atleast that gives defensive security. Then Sanchez and Lacazzette uptop. It also keeps the overated players out of the starting 11.

    1. If that was Martesacker on Monreal’s position, he would have made a tackle or at least disturb the player! I am not a fan of a too defensive player especially playing against a defensive team

  52. waiting for the words of wisdom from krish n’chips postman pat eddie the eagle and the rest … they are so insightful at these moments …

    1. What could he do?
      Prevent the midfield from giving the ball away and allowing Stoke an almost free run at goal?
      Or should he have scored a couple of goals, so we had won anyway?

  53. ……the fans are shouting…..no problem just add ticket prices
    ….now they are shouting more…….no problem just add more ticket prices
    ….now they stay silent…..now there is a big problem let’s fix thigs……..

  54. Wenger is a joke.
    Arsenal can never win d league with him in charge.
    Wenger should leave football,football has left him.
    another two years of moaning and heart brakes.

  55. the problem with arsenal is not only players but wenger himself and his so called formation…. have never been a fan of this formation right from day one not because the formation itself is bad but arsenal dont have the players to carry out this formation effectively like Chelsea did last season but our coach is too blind to see this… he keeps playing players out of positions just to please this formation instead of creating a formation to suit the players he has… imagine playing 4 full backs in a 5 man defence leaving our fragile midfield with 2 players even when we had 5 players there we were still fragile…. in turn attackers keep falling back to the midfield to make the numbers while the likes of ox and belerin just run like headless chickens on the wings with no brains…. I thought the last game against Leicester when he changed the formation and our all round play changes as we created chances will teach the deluded wenger lessons… but instead he went back to this stupid format with makeshift defenders and two ball losers in midfield in Ramsey and xhaka to combine with an ozil in the flangs[total rubbish ] and Mr no football brain welbeck on the wings leaving lacazette always with no options all alone and no one to play with… the whole day just sums up what a deluded manager we have sitting on the bench while the team play trash and he was hoping for a miracle just like last week…. for me have zeroed my mind for the next two years coz I know after his rubbish two years he dare no renew again…. I will advise you guys to do same….

  56. i fear the similarities with the long slow strangulated decline of aston villa, we are starting to regress in that way.american owner who dont give a sh** manager who looks for john lewis players in aldi and only has pictures of himself on the walls. big signings wont happen again because who wants to join a sinking ship. we need change from top to tail and that change is a decade too late! but its now urgent. we need to be able to sell a new project / vision to potential signings not an old french stubborn TW** who will play you out of position or leave you on the bench

  57. The Squad is good enough to win the PL… But of course we do not have a manager to manage the team to the Title. Poor selection and lack of tactics has caused us for years, and am afraid to say, as long as Wenger remains at Arsenal.. Nothing will change. Why was Kolasinac taken off with Belerin playing at left back? Why was Walcott brought on? Why did Welbeck played 90mins? The questions are many, and all the fingers point to only One Arsene Wenger.

  58. If refs an assistants are going to go against the rules what’s the point of even watching games on the TV let alone travel and pay hard earned cash to see goals disallowed for being an inch or so offside ? Fans want to see goals and decent finishes and will clearly part with cas to go see good football with plenty of goals. What they’re not going to pay to see is overzealous assistant( yes assistant) referees making huge decisions that deprive us of goals. Obviously the assistant that disallowed Lacazette’s strike has a bionic eye. I’ve rewatched it about 9 or 10 times now and when Giroud flicks the ball toward Lacazette, he is onside. Mariner should of got advice from the video refs but he lost hi a…hole

  59. Everybody blames xhaka’s wrong pass but don’t u think ozil could have catch up with DAT pass if he were an athlete…. Ozil right now is arsenal’s problem.. But why is bellarin on d right wing back? Y is monreal in d centre of defence? And lastly Ramsey is not just good enough in dat advance midfield role… No creativity… Lacazette is good.

  60. The same old story, I am really fed up with arsenal lack of ambition, the same players for many years with the same low mentality

  61. Out defence didn’t cost us the game our attack did, welbek is our major problem, he cant score, or pass, to be sincere, we created many chances but couldn’t convert any, I observe most of our players r not good enough. Moreso, Giroud needs more playing time than welbeck, football is not always abt running of dribbling, is all abt impact,.Belletin going down don’t kno y , Ox final pass is zero, ozil not a world class. We need quality signing

  62. Same crap, different game! Season after season it’s over before it’s even begun! AW talking rubbish about having to sell players first even though the team is soo grossly uderprepared, AGAIN! Makeshift defence at the start of the season, AGAIN!! Issa joke, swear down!!! Wtf ffs

  63. Our defence didn’t cost us the game our attack did, welbek is our major problem, he cant score, or pass, to be sincere, we created many chances but couldn’t convert any, I observe most of our players r not good enough. Moreso, Giroud needs more playing time than welbeck, football is not always abt running or dribbling, is all abt impact,.Belletin is going down i don’t kno y , Ox final pass is zero, ozil not a world class. We need quality signing

  64. Welbeck is a new specie of striker called Defensive striker……. if they must score it certainly has to be the type he scored against Leicester where u have no chance missing…. even my grand ma can put that in the back of the net….. Arsenal’s problem is not quality in d playing staff my friends… the problem is lack of mental strength from d manager… personality crisis bcos every team is a reflection of their manager…… u instill ur principles into them. i have decided to stop opening the book of Lamentation as regards Arsenal cos i cant kill myself yle those that should be most burdered are making kool money and enjoying themselves…. the worst people in d world right now are people like me, a Nigerian and an Arsenal fans dats obviously suicide mission and it cant get worst than this.

  65. When I was 75 years old I made a prediction on this website that Arsenal would not win the Premiership in my lifetime, I am now eighty two and time is running out. This club has nothing to offer it`s followers but heartache and sparks of hope, the depths of excitement are gone. Black and white photographs of Wally Barnes, Joe Mercer and an entrance fee to Highbury of half a crown did more for me and many thousands alike than all these millionaire glitter boys.

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