Despite the Arsenal team looking jaded and listless for the last few games, Arsene Wenger only made two changes to the side that had started the last six games. Admittedly we only needed a point against Sunderland so perhaps a draw was not such a great surprise, but surely Wenger will be worried abut our form ahead of the big FA Cup Final in ten days time.
Le Prof admitted that the team were tired after the draw against Man United, which is why I was so surprised he didn’t freshen up the squad, especially as we have so many fit players to choose from right now. After the game Wenger seemed resigned to the fact of our tiredness and was just happy to have confirmed third place.
He said on Arsenal.com: “You can say that we dominated possession and we lacked a bit of sharpness in our movement, in the way we prepared our chances and in our finishing as well. Physically it was an intense game on Sunday from what we have analysed and we were a bit jaded tonight. We haven’t scored in the last three games at home and the fact that we couldn’t score played a big part in our spontaneous attitude when finishing.
“We played with three strikers. Two wingers and one centre forward. We had the full backs going forward. Sebastian Coates especially and John O’Shea defended our crosses very well. We didn’t look like scoring, even if we had 28 shots on goal. There was something missing always and you could see that they would throw their body in every time. We needed something special to score tonight because they defended very well.”
Arsenal’s mis-firing strikers have made our opponents goalkeepers look good lately, and such was the case with Pantelimon last night, but Wenger was not surprised: “It is like that. You have to expect your opponent to play well and you to be good enough to beat them despite that. Overall it is what it is. We are in a strong position now to finish in the top three. Let’s do it and finish the season well in the cup final. We have to recover. It’s important to win on Sunday and give a good final game to our fans. After that we need to prepare for the FA Cup final.”
Although looking out of sorts Arsenal have still only lost one of our last 13 games, and Wenger was asked if this run has tired the team out. “I don’t know.” he replied. “When you don’t win, you’re frustrated and tonight some players looked like they had not completely recovered from Sunday. Now we know that the point we took at Manchester United was vital. Had we lost that game, then we would be in trouble.
“Have I got any nerves about finishing third? No. We want to win our game on Sunday, that’s all. We want to prepare to win the game on Sunday. You could see that some players are a bit tired. We played our 56th game of the season tonight and some players have given a lot. We still have time to recover for Sunday and prepare well for the FA Cup final. What is important now is that we win on Sunday.”
The Gunners have a seven-goal cushion above Man United, so I don’t think we have much to worry about, but what I think is much more important now is to NOT play the team that has started every one of the last seven games. I really can’t understand why Wenger has not rotated even a little bit until last night. It is obvious to all of us that they have burnt themselves out…
Let’s play ALL of our reserves on Sunday and give the team a rest!
you are mad Wenger!…….. Does it Look like u got a goaL scoring striker in your Team……..
When wilshere plays, he never leaves the most important “central attacking midfield ” position…..which means that more technical gifted players like Ozil and cazarola are either relegated to wing or in deep midfield position…..No wonder whenever he plays, cazarola and ozil looks s**t (just remember the start of season)……It makes wilshere look good but overall team performance suffers.
By the way the the arsenal win percentage now drop to 30% when wilshere starts as compared to 82 % wins when he doesn’t play for arsenal…I don’t want to go into his goal, assists, key passes stats which are pathetic.
Wow wow wow. Did u even bother watching the game? What did Jack do wrong yesterday? he played on the right all night and did his very best. How is jack the reason why Cazorla is playing as DM?
Are u drunk or something? cazorla has been Dm since february and all of a sudden and injured Jack is the reason? Ozil is the reason cazorla has been sent deep. Now we have our best number 10 in Cazorla playing 300 meters away from goal.
Yesterday Ozil would have done with some rest. Even Sanchez. Theo and Rosisky and jack should all have started. Mentally Ozil and Sanchez are getting tired and the sharpness and shooting is all gone.
When we drew vs Chelsea loss vs drew vs reading loss vs swansea and outplayed by United ??? Did Wilshere start any of this games? To come out and actually blame his when he did nothing is quite pathetic and weak.
Guys like jack Rambo and Giroud are very easy to criticise and hate. But if the 42 million Ozil has a bad game there will be excuses all over this forum.
OH Ozil is poor because Giroud is shit.
OH ozil is poor because he plays on the right or left
OH Ozil is poor because we have no pace in the team.
Enough with this Jack and Rambo hate. Constructive criticism is needed. No need to be bais with certain players.
I’m one of Wilshere’s biggest fan, believe me, but there’s some truth to what Shankj is saying. Jack needs to improve his end product end of story. Nobody can deny he always looks good when he plays, but wtf 1 goal and 1 assist in 15 games playing in the CAM position this season. That’s inexcusable even for a naysayer in football statistics like me. And for some reason, Ozil always plays like shit whenever Wilshere plays; its either they have work something out on the training ground or 1 of them has to dropped.
if you have a proper playmaker in the team chances will be created even if the opponent has parked the bus.
i find it amazing that Ozil can do no wrong even though he is predictable, slow and has just one foot.
Wenger has played top talents out of position who got booed off the pitch by some fans yet our most expensive player gets the benefit of the doubt every game no matter how bad he is. (real madrid must still be laughing)
With this said, arsene out did his crazy self yesterday by playing Cazorla in the DM position.
So who is this “proper playmaker”?
JW+TR COMBINED have 29 League&UCL assists in 292 appearances over the last 6 seasons.
MO has 94 League&UCL assists in 238 appearances over the last 6 seasons. He has more assists in his first 50-odd Arsenal appearances than JW has in his career and more than TR has amassed in the past 6 seasons. And whilst MO should be scoring more, he is already half way to TR’s 9 season haul and double JW’s career league goal total.
Hate Ozil as much as you need to and make a case for TR and JW as you will – but the numbers frankly embarrass them both.
I think , you were drunk and didn’t watch match, Mr galen. Can you following things
1) Why arsenal win percentage is 30% when wilshere starts as compared to 82 % wins when he doesn’t play for arsenal???
2) Since when cazarola was playing DM???As far I know, ozil and cazarola both play as AM while coq play as DM.
3) What do you give rating to a footballer who plays as Attacking Mid but has just 1 assist and 1 goal in 15 matches?? and not in top 30 players in terms of key passes in PL.
4) Why ozil and cazarola suddenly found form since November since wilshere was injured and routinely get MOTM awards???
5) You are able to give just 2-3 matches when when arsenal played badly in absence of wilshere……There are atleast 11 matches out of 15 where arsenal played badly when wilshere started for arsenal
Shankj..why can’t we be slightly more objective?
Agreed Wilshere is shit. Now let’s move to Ozil. Wahat has he done. If a 42 million signing cannot make a diff then who can? How many games has ozil won for us since coming back. Don’t fault Giroud plz. In every big match there has been atleast one chance that he has fluffed which a palayer of his pedigree should have burried.
I would have been overwhelmed with Ozil’s performance if he had been bought for 15 million but for 42 million sorry sir but he shit. Look at Cazorla- a much more consistent player than Ozil has been in this 2 years.
For such a big sum, I would want someone like Sanchez who pre-christmas single handedly carried us on his shoulders. We do not need to find an excuse for Ozil. He has everything he needs- walcott, sanchez and Coq to protect him and still he cannot be that “difference maker”. If it was any other manager he would be sold by now. Doesn’t bring anything to the team. If sense prevails, Ozil should be sold. Cazorla/Sanchez should play the CAM position. Sterling/Chamberlain/Sanchez should play left wing and Schneiderlin/Ramsey should play alongside LeCoq. Much faster play. Much better defending unit.
As for Wilshere, he should be sold period- the time for sentiments is over. He just doesn’t fit in.
A few notices or call then an answered questions running thru ma head til now: 1-Assuming we were leading the table with just 5games 2go n cheaty were behind us with a game in hand n we had a 2points cushion, would we have won the league?
2- Had t been a champions league semi final game where we had drawn may be 2-2 at emirates n this was at sunderland could we have progressed?
3- Our world class king of hold up play has now gone 7games with out scoring not that he doesnt get chances…but thats his best
4- Since wilshere returned, no arsenal player has scored a goal while he played.
5- Are there fans who still believe wenger is the man n giroud the striker 2take us back 2glory after being beaten tactically n failing 2score respectively?????
@ArnSam well put, I love point 5, I’m actually looking forward to the end of next season to see if our board is serious about moving the club forward or comfortable with the current status quo.
Hahahahah!!! Super Soopa!!! Well, he’s got a male model posing as a striker.
Oliver Giroud, he catwalks when he wants!!!
@kickassfan… A sexy a*s he got… One destined for the run-way. L()L
its good that he noticed that and admitted it for a change
@Nokia810. It is as if you don’t know Wenger. He will always notice and admit but will never make effort to rectify. Watch out on Sunday, he will still field his “best players” irrespective of their positions, all what he wants is for them to be on the field. How can you field four players of similar positions in a team of 11? Some players need rest next Sunday but he will never give them a break because he like to talk on plenty issues at press conference. I’ve learnt to accommodate his attitude to avoid heart attack.
that’s true, but last time he accused swansea of parking the bus.
Giroud Career at Arsenal should be over…
31 shots zero goal
haha but yet you advocate Falcao and Balotelli?
Falcao , Balotelli they guarantee goals….juz like Cavani and Costa
Falcao needs to get back in shape. FFS, this is F-A-L-C-A-O we are talking about here. The lad suffered a terrible injury and this is his first season, out on load, in a very different league.
Ahahahaha!!! Amigos, me no say we buy Falcao. Ahahaha!!! Naa, let de man go.
Balotelli ? hahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!! Balotelli couldn’t guarantee you the colour of Sh!t.
The only This Balotelli can guarantee you is that if yo ask him to go out and score goals he’s come back with sixteen washing machines a Humvee AND A JAR OF CUSTARD CREAMS. Ballotelli is a very very talented, Lazy @rsehole who thinks he’s Pele.
I’m not too fazed by the result honestly…
On a better day one of our many, many chances would’ve found the net. On a worse day they would have capitalized on one of their few counters. Such is the game.
It’s near the end of season. Third seems wrapped up bar a miracle. Wilshere and Walcott showing positive signs for start of next season. Hopefully Oxlade, Arteta and Debuchy will be added to that list pre-season.
Main focus now is F.A. Cup final. Secure that then it’s down to preparation and additions to be as strong as possible for next season.
During conflicts more people are killed by stray bullets and shrapnel than any dead eye dick shots.
Point being we should be pinging in shots from every conceivable angle within striking distanc. of the goal..They all seem to be frightened to shoot and when they do its usually high wide and not so handsome. I and my mates are forever shouting shoot to the screen shoot for F***sake.
Man, same thing here. Drives me mad when they fail to shoot.
@cheeterspotter
Like the analogy dude…
What is surprising is when Giroud has a clear chance to score and still passes, Henry wouldn’t do that if he gets the ball around the 18 it’s either he shoots or creates a small space to shoot. That’s what a striker does faces the post at all times we already have passers.
But overall I think we were all tired except the pple who came off the bench Walcott and Rosicky they showed what we have been missing.
Its very difficult to understand Arsene Wenger. Yes, a great manager but sometimes You just wonder if You are insane or If He is simply mad. Anyway, let’s win Aston villa on the 30th May and celebrate a trophy this season. We all need a break/rest after a roller-coaster season where we started poorly’, became incredible this year (2015) and look tired in the closing stages…Life as an Arsenal fan’.. Its never easy but we love this club.
Lol life as a arsenal fan is hypertensive .. but we the fans are loyal to our club. We are beginning to win trophies again and next season I believe we will be on another level guaranteed Arsene buys another great player like Ozil n Sanchez. My mind is on the double next season EPL n Fa cup.
Last night was a disgusting display and Ill tell you why I think this, Since the Swansea game last week its become highly apparent that for teams who are looking to get a point OR beat us the tactic is simple, park the bus and then get us on the break, Last night our team SHOULD have been steamrollering to try and achieve 2nd spot, but the fight has gone because they knew a point would suffice, the season aint over until the last game and whilst 2nd spot means nothing with regards to trophies it means everything with regards to pride and bragging rights for the fans. So does Arsene Wenger really believe that the poor love’s were tired? that’s cobblers they are athaletes at the peak of physical fitness, Tired my eye. try doing my working week and then pkay two 90 min games of football and then Id accept “Tired”. I harp on a lot about the board and their corruption BUT last nights woeful display was entirely AW’s fault. The point that also needs to be made is this, IF OG is the striker we need to win the premier league as AW is so adamant about, what happens when its mid season next season and we’re in the CL and challenging for the title in the EPL and he gets “Tired” who is there to score the goals??? as Ive already said the cornerstone of Wengers argument about not spending money was always the FFP rules “we were going to be the only club that were squeaky clean when FFP kicked in” ect ect and now that cornerstone is nothing but rubble. The board have been exposed as liars and Wenger has been exposed as their lying figurehead. You cant tell me that those in the know at our club did not know this would happen?? we WONT get another striker in the summer and the same round of rubbish will happen again next season, HOW LONG ARE WE SUPPOSED TO PUT UP WITH THIS? we look at Newcastle and feel sorry for them, we look at Leeds and say “we don’t want that to happen to us” but the fact is that ALL other premier league fans look at us and they say Mugs!!! and this is because we pay top prices and are always the also Rans of the PL and the other fans would be right, we are mugs. I love this club to my very bones and beyond but I’m pig sick of the Bull$hit and I wont be renewing my season ticket and I wont be buying any merchandise cos I for one will not help Stan Kroenke buy another multi million dollar ranch in Montana
You have to question how a team can start with all of the following players:
Cazorla
Ramsey
Wilshere
Ozil
That is 4 players playing that had three of those players out of position.
Sometimes it just gets to madness with Arsene Wenger. A team full of midfielders playing all over the place. Walcott was available so not sure how anyone other than him could have even been on that side.
I almost think now that’s its smoke and mirrors all the way to just confuse and befuddle the public and the fans its almost as if Winning something would be detrimental to what the board and Wenger are looking to do, perhaps if we won the premier league they arew scared we’d ask for more or something, I dunno I cant Figure it out for the life of me I cant.
Ozil cazorla jack and Rambo ? Only 2 of them should be on the pitch at a time. Play Rambo as box to box and play cazorla as number 10. Why is Cazorla playing as DM. yes he has improved defensively but look at how he was bullied vs united? When we play good teams cazorla cannot be that deep. he has too mcuh talent to be too deep. If we played Rambo or jack on the right at Wembly Aston Villa will crowd the fxxxx out of us in the middle of the park. I hope we learn our lesson.
FA cup final on a big wembly pitch. We need pace and width.
——————-Ospina———————-
Bell ——–Per———–Boss———-Nacho
——————-COq——————–
Theo/Ox——–Rambo——Santi—–Sanxhez
———————Giroud————————-
Bench Szseney Gabby Gibbs Jack Rosisky Ozil Welbeck
You will also bench Ozil.
Squad
Ospina Bellerin Debuchi Chambers Gabriel Koz Mertz
Monreal Gibbs Coquelin Arteta Ramsey Wilshere
Ozil Cazorla Sanchez Ox Walcott
Giroud Wellbeck Akpom
Buy: Cech Kondogbia Striker . 24 man squad
Release Diaby Ryo Flamini Rosicky
Sell Podolski Campbell.
Loan Sanogo Szczesny Gnabry Martinez.
Good thing Wenger knows that we didnt look like scoring. And it will be even better rif he knows what to do about it. Because we rarely look like scoring if a team parks the bus. Unless the game is stretched and open we generally do not score and that is alarming. We cant win the PL this way. We need sharper and more efficient Forwards upfront.
What did Jack do wrong yesterday? Why do some people hate for no reason. Some even suggesting since his return we’ve not won a single game, if memory serves me right, yesterday was his first game to start this year. Love him or hate him, he’s here to stay…
Jack was decent. But he was constantly leaving the starting wide position and drifting to the middle thus causing middle players to drift wide and this was disturbing the coordination and structure of the team. But again, Wenger should stop playing players out of position. When Walcott , a proper winger came we were much batter and threatening. Was it a coincidence?? I dont think so.
We don t hate on Jack but the thing is that he has been vastly over hyped by the British media and beside being constantly injured he has done nothing to prove his worth.
The problem for Jack is that for him to play in his favourite cam position,Arsenal has to shift better cam than him on the wings and he does not work out.He tries do tdo well but the entire system is doom to fail.(remember our season start).
Can we blame him,no the blame lay on Wenger who insist on flooding the team with similar quality midfielder.
Jack should go on loan to a aston villa style team in order to play regularly in his favourite position like Cleverley did,if he s good enough he can come back to Arsenal.
Wenger is the problem but I guess the board is pragmatic and is happy with the results that he brings who are stable and economicaly rewarding.
If you don’t have access to the french league there is a thing called Youtube.
Check out Alexandre Lacazette who has the following attributes.
speed
skill
assists
strength
finish
Reminds me of a certain king Henry
On youtube even Lord Bendtner looks like Ronaldo.
the lads are nackered. mid-week games are killers.
hope we rotate the heck out of this side, ozil, sanch, OG etc were not sharp. we need tot be sharp vs aston villa. it doesn’t fit into my summer plans to lose to villa.
Wenger need to rotate heavily keeping in mind the FA cup final. We have taken the 3rd place already. We need fresh legs, fresh mind and fresh ideas in the final. If we play like we played against Chlesea, Swansea ,United and Sunderland we would not win the trophy.
I have a theory about why we don’t score. Ozil, as talented as he is, is our out-and-out attacking midfielder, yet he refuses to shoot at goal when he gets the chance, thus costing us a few goals per season that could swing the title in our favour. All he does is get into good positions and then looks for someone else to pass the ball to. Put Silva or Lampard in the same position and the keeper is more than likely going to have to make a save. Wilshere, Ramsay and Cazorla all want Ozil’s place in the team but instead are played in stupid positions. Cazorla and Ramsay both started off as DMs last night!! While Wilshere’s ability to go round players and his defensive attitude are to be admired, he is good to have on the pitch but not as a winger when we have Walcott sat there twiddling his thumbs wondering what’s going on. Lately Ramsay has looked out of sorts. Wilshere, on the other hand, was our best player last night so we decided to take him off the pitch and leave Ramsay on!! Coquelin could’ve been brought on to move Cazorla further forward.
I hope Wenger gives full 90 min to Rosicky in the last game of the PL season. I don’t know if i would ever be able to see him in Red and White again gracing Emirates. So Wenger please please please.. Give us Mozart one last time!!
Its NOT wilshires Fault Its down to the manager whatever anyone says the buck stops with Wenger!!!!
Cannnot wait for those 2 years to end.
We need something new.
Nothing against Wenger (even though he is well over rated, especially in this country… May be because English/British managers are just inexistent).
This club just need something fresh, new ideas and a new philosophical conduct.
We won’t win major trophies with the current management (just a fact) and the season resemble the one before that and the one before that…
Yesterday was a chance to bring new players into the fold (I thought we had a massive squad to select from? Anyway in Wenger mind we do…!!) and rest our major assets (If any) for the weekend game and the only trophy we can win (FA Cup).
Cazorla, Sanchez and more were just on their knees.
Wenger said he does need a new striker because Welbeck (rip off and bad piece of business) was brought (4 goals in 3 months… Joke! When Sanchez scored 10 goals in the same period).
Anyway, another season ending and no glimpse, NO GLIMPSE at all of any improvement in challenging the top club in the league.
Next season, again, we will start badly (because the preseason is a waist of time for us because Wenger does not do his job anyway) and then go on a run after Wilshere (and our worse players) gets injured (and some of our best) and the true team will start improving the results.
Then we will have a “slow down” and finish either third or fourth.
Wining the Premiership and the CL are just impossible mountains to climb. We neither have the squad nor the manager for it (and the experience).
@LoCkAy
I agree completely mate.
Wenger was an innovator and changed the face of the EPL, however he has not changed and the clubs philosophy has steadfastly remained on the side of financial caution and profit making for the elite few. The board are adamant that FFP was going to be the thing that justified their financial plan and their caution and this was their justification over the years for NOT investing large amounts of money into the club from outside investment. FFP has this week been proven to be a load of Bollocks. The board forced out David Dein and stated that the excuse as tat h was looking to bring in big time foreign investment and they disagreed with it. They then bring in Stan Kroenke who was probably the worst foreign investor thy could have found…for the fans at least. Wenger keeps his job because he loves the club and manages to keep us n the top four every season and ECL witch is good for the board because it keeps the share prices up and pays huge dividends to the owners of those shares but fans pay the highest prices in europ and the board manipulate the AKB’s and al the other fans who love the tradition of the club and fear th change that MUST come if we are to ever move forward. Wengr has no new idea’s as the world has cauht up and passed him by.
Nothing will change next season mark my words enger will go up not out and the philosophy that the club has will not change aytime soon.
Wenger himself is the problem. At this rate Aston Villa will defend, Benteke scores on counter and they’ll win FA. Wenger has to know how to avoid being so predictable.
Am afraid Thiery Henry was right when he said Arsenal cannot win EPL with Giroud as their top striker
Against Swansea we could have played another one and a half hours and still not scored.
Against Man U it took 55 minutes to have our first assualt on goal.But eventually got a lucky goal.
Against Sunderland we actually had the chances but once again could not hit the back .
Am I concerned about the villa game ? Bloody rite I am
top4 finisher