In his whole 21 years at Arsenal, Arsene Wenger has never seen his side beaten in the Third Round of the FA Cup before and although he feels very ‘hurt’ by the result, he admits that the team he picked were simply not as good as Nottingham Forest today. “I am very disappointed by our performance because Nottingham Forest were the better team out there, the most dangerous and won many challenges,” he said on Arsenal.com.
“We were not at the level and that’s it. People think maybe subconsciously that the Championship will be easier, but it’s more difficult because many of these players have been in academies, they are prepared physically and they are at the level. I can congratulate Nottingham Forest because they were the better team tonight.
“It hurts very much. I’m very, very disappointed because I love the cup competitions and unfortunately you jump out of the train now – you cannot come back on it and we have to focus on our next game.”
And as we move on to the next game, we see we are going to play Antonio Conte’s Chelsea side in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final on Wednesday at Stamford Bridge. Wenger has never won the lesser competition but right now he sounds like he is going to try and win this one to make up for today’s defeat.
“It’s the semi-final of the League Cup and we have to absolutely turn up to it.”
I have a feeling that Wenger will be sending a strong team to the Bridge, but with our awful away form and the depressing aspects of today’s game, it is not going to be an easy matter to pick the players up and get them ready to fight again. We can only hope for the best but it is difficult not to be very worried at this point. …
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Ha ha ha
So league cup now wenger priority?
How about europe cup?
Still blaming the referee?, im sure most premier referee now hate wenger, and want arsenal to lose.
Just entering the last half of the season and we already lost two out of four trophies chances. Surely, this will be the making of unmemorable (or memorable) separation between Arsene and Arsenal. Europa Cup trophy, that’s the most farewell consolation for Arsene’s last ride.
I’m sick of listening to Wenger now! I just want him out of the club not upstairs to the boardroom or any room at the club we need to sever our ties with the man ASAP! We have become a joke amongst rival fans now even championship fans because of him! I honestly can’t believe how he still has a job at a big club like Arsenal nowhere else in world football would this be happening! I could write a book as could many other gooners on Wenger.. his time at the club is over we know it other fans know it the whole footballing world plus the man and the dog know it everyone except him and that pathetic joke of a boardroom and clown of an owner! It’s obvious to see not much goes on in training these players look like they have been thrown together and told to go out and do as you please! That team yesterday the Europa league team is nowhere near being good enough to win anything and the first team isn’t much better! We have gone miles backwards this season struggling against teams like Stoke city, Watford, Southampton, Doncaster and Norwich at home, red star Belgrade.. koln away the list goes on.. the defence is an absolute disgrace (first and second team) And we all know Wenger will put out the same team as he did today against Ostersunds and we’ll be further humiliated.. how much of this rubbish do we fans have to witness before someone grows a pair and says enough is enough ? Is there anyone within this club that sees what the whole world sees? Countless heavy embarrassing defeats conceding penalties almost every game out of the title races well before Christmas every year, non existent transfer activity when it’s clear additions are needed mediocre players on massive wages mediocre staff on massive wages and what exactly does Steve Boulder even do? I don’t think I’ve ever seen Boulder and Wenger make eye contact let alone work together.. on top of that our record against the big teams is laughable we’re lucky to win one game against the big boys in a season.. we haven’t won at old Trafford in the prem in 12 years that’s absolutely shocking and yet the club is still offering this has been joke of a manager new contracts and he’s so out of touch he actually thinks the team is one of his strongest he’s ever had and we’re told we’re over achieving? How Ivan Gazidis can say that with a straight face is Oscar winning material! Of course at the AGM next time out they will repeat the crap they’ve been shoving down our throats for years once again and the cycle will repeat itself again next season. Just so disillusioned by it all now and I’m sure a lot of you guys are too.
I’m afraid too. History seems not to be on our side when it comes to losing and kicking us out of cups…remember after Barca and Bayern games?
It’s a huge shame Arsenal has to exit the competition at this stage in the hand of rookies! The team has lost focus and their confidence is at its lowest ebb. It’s time for Arsene to bow out,he has lost touch of the modern Era and the technical savvy needed to steer a ship like Arsenal’s.Ironically, the board will have a different view come the AGM. Arsenal needs dynamism, precision and ruthlessness. Wenger does not have these to offer anymore. Surprise us Le professor, step aside!!!
What experienced manager takes an inexperienced team in to an away cup competition? Only Arsenals manager…being coaching a team for over 20 years you d think he would make a good call…i think the best one for him now is resigning.
We’ve won it three times over the last four seasons so I wouldn’t be expecting any major decisions in response to this FA cup exit. I sometimes wonder if people listen to themselves.. Also Wenger has come out here and said Forest were better than us. I hear fans asking for our manager to do this often yet I don’t see anyone acknowledge it. I also understood team selection with the Chelsea match on wed, something I agree with on Wengers part. What I thought was a mistake though was us not having any big hitters on the bench.
Arsene out!!!!!
There’s no passion in this club anymore, no passion to suceed, no passion to better ourselves and no passion to prove the doubters wrong, it all stems from the board to the management, Wenger and Bould look like the most disinterested fans in the stadium which reflects on to our players performance’s, if they can see where we are going wrong in a match, why can’t they issue out instructions, they won’t because that’s not Wenger’s way, he would rather sit there and let the team figure it out by themselves, all Wenger does it pick a team and hope for the best.
Spot on there
I can understand the team Wenger put out against Forest due to our game against Chelsea on Weds, but why did we have nobody on the bench, if Ozil, Lacazette, Wilshere and Sanchez were there 3 of them going on with 20/30 mins to go would have made a big difference, I couldn’t understand why our bench was so weak, that was abysmal management, what is going on behind the scenes? Kroenke, Gazidis and Wenger are grinding down Arsenal into just a mid table team in my opinion, we are going to be competing with Burnley for 6th place, that will be our main achievement this season, Chelsea will beat us over 2 legs and we will only get through the upcoming Europa league round then we’ll be up against someone decent and that will be that.
He doesn’t usually bother with the carabao cup, so I’m flabbergasted
I don’t believe anything Arsene said nowadays.
Forrest were the better team because Wenger choose a weak team to face them. Please when will Wenger be sacked already? In Nigeria, we call Wenger “Baba Ijebu” because he is a tight fisted mofo and a sit tight leader… All hail Monsieur Wenger!
What a complete idiot, so sick of hearing his excuses! Did he seriously expect us to win with that AWFUL team selection?? That was really disrespectful in my eyes, the only cup we really do well in & we’re out at the first attempt! Nice one Arsene. Be the same on Wednesday…. Chelsea will play a decent side & we’ll play Iwobi & Walcott ?
I’m really shocked I haven’t woken up to Arsene has been sacked!
Should I prioritise the League Cup over the FA Cup.. Hmmmm?
Seriously?, think of the revenue Arsenal are losing this year..
No Champions League football =£££££?
No FA Cup = ££££££?
Empty seats because of the s**t performances = ££££££?
Reduction in merchandise sales because the club is not attractive enough = ££££££?
Sanchez and Ozil walk away for nothing = ££££££?
TV coverage may be reduced next year if Arsenal don’t finish in top 5 = ££££££?
Lower finish in the Premier League financial impact = £££££££?
Not sure what all that adds up to but I bet the “End of year” sales report is not that attractive either!? We’re sure to lose a lot of cash this year under management that is just too damn stubborn and ignorant!!
Unless Arsenal really are mega rich and have money to burn!?
There are still those who defend Arsene Wegner, why?only they know,because here’s this man telling everyone after the game ,that he knew forest would be a difficult game ,yet he chose to play such a weak team ,so to all those who choose to bury their heads in the sand ,you are guilty of deliberately standing aside and allowing this man ,along with the board and silent Stan to continue to destroy this once great club ,your blind faith in this inwardly rotting regime is a major factor why they continue to get away with it (divide and rule).