Against Man United last night, it was yet another of those games were Arsenal get loads of possession, but sloppy defensive lapses gift the whole three points to their opponents. Arsene Wenger, though, was pleased with the performance,if not the result.
“It’s a game that we dominated for 80 per cent of the time and we haven’t dominated a game like that against Manchester United for a long time.” Wenger said after the game on Arsenal.com.
“At the end of the day we were not efficient enough in the final third, defensively, and we made a mistake at the back which they took advantage of. That’s the story of the game. We had plenty of chances. Their keeper is man of the match. That tells you the story of the game.”
“We missed a few opportunities in the second half, even in the final 20 minutes. You have to be efficient in top-level games and we were not efficient enough in our good periods, but there were a lot of positives in the game today.
“Even if we are very, very disappointed, we have to keep that and rectify. At the moment defensively we are a bit naive.”
Wenger was then asked if there was a reason why this season Arsenal have simply failed to turn domination into easy points, Wenger said: “How you stop that is to be more efficient. That will be linked with confidence and the fact that we have to be a bit more calm and patient.
“At the moment we are after success and there’s a discordance with our possession, our chances we create and our result. It’s very difficult but we have to keep faith in what we do.”
So Arsenal have still only won once in the last 15 games against Man United. Yet again Wenger has failed to win against one of the Big Teams. United now move into the Top Four – and Arsenal slide down to 8th, albeit just two points behind Van Gaal’s but cananyone really see us getting our act together any time this season?
enough is enough….
crisis time..
The House of Rahman will negotiate a deal to bring in a new manager…
we need a proper manager Asap
My name is hafiz too and I’d like to meet you, fizz anoze(Facebook)
YES IF WENGER LEAVES NOW
“It’s a game that we dominated for 80 per cent of the time and we haven’t dominated a game like that against Manchester United for a long time.”
“At the end of the day we were not efficient enough in the final third, defensively, and we made a mistake at the back which they took advantage of.”
You can apply that comment to almost every Arsenal game this year.
Wenger’s robotic excuse line…
Oh my, my, my! “…we made a mistake at the back which they took advantage of” How often can a manager of a top club say this before he gets the can? It must be an easy job, as Mourinho said, to have as a manager where you don’t have or feel pressure to win any games.
Funny thing Harry Redknapp has
been saying all season that
“OPR have dominated the league
but because of a little inefficiency
our position does not reflect the fact
that QPR is the actually the best team in the league” 🙂
Not the domination part. Arsenal have dominated very few games this year.
What I learn from this match
Bad:
– Immature. Decision making and composure at final ball are really bad. Our British players need to step up, they have huge potential, big boy but are not really men yet. Surprisingly Chambers as the youngest of them but is the most composed of all – regardless getting so much stick from his previous performance
– The number of individual error that leads to goal is alarmingly high. Last week is Chambers, this week is Gibbs and Chesney.
– Bad luck in the first goal – but it is not an excuse as we must not let luck controlling our fate when can have at least put away one, two chances in the first half.
Good:
– We have quality, no doubt. Our pass connect, we attack with purpose. We have pace, and players who can beat their defenders one on one. We dominate the games, put pressure on them and create clear cut chances.
– Everyone looks at the result would say we are suffering defensively but it is not as bad as it looks. Looking closely we do not really give up too many clear cut chances (Man Utd have 0 shots on goal out of total 7 shots in the first half), and we have been top of the league in number of shot on goal conceded. We do not lose this game because having Arteta as DM or Monreal as CB, both are solid last night, especially Arteta, who even won a few impossible ariel headers with Fellani.
Surely get lots of thumb down for this. I dont blame our manager for this loss, he got his tactics spot on and a more clinical team may have this game wrap up by half time. Our players failed him. Result wise we had been much worse than last season, performance wise it can be an improvement. In some games, (Galatasary, Burnley, Villa) it is like we have seen our old Arsenal back, which never happens in recent season.
Watching Chelsea and you will know where the difference are – it is maturity. We have as much quality as Chelsea especially in attack – but they just much more clinical and efficient. Given most of our players never win any big titles in their career (unlike Chelsea who bought stars who had winning mentality before joining). I give credits for our manager for building a very capable squad with quality in only 2 seasons that he really had some money and did not lose any big players (except maybe Sagna) but won’t deny that he had failed in injecting the right mentality to the squad. Really hate to say, but sometimes you should learn from your Archenemy – he should look across London and see how Mourinho making his team so clinical and mature.
It is clear now that we won’t win anything big this season, it is really disappointing given we are in high spirit after the cup win. Result wise we had been much worse than last season, performance wise it can be an improvement. In some games, (Galatasaray, Burnley, Villa) it is like we have seen our old Arsenal back after a really long time, the type of performance which take our breath away (good luck finding that at Chelsea) . We also have a new talisman in Sanchez.
I will keep supporting the team and the manager. We will back in winning way against Dortmund. The day this team found the right mentality they will be at least as good as the title challenge Liverpool team last season
You don’t get it do you?
Our team can dominate all it likes but it cannot defend a single decent counter attack.
The manager is at fault here, obviously. Why was Mertesacker even there in the first place? He can’t defend at all when we are counter attacked. We were lucky not to concede when Rooney was incorrectly ruled offside.
Deluded fans, and delusion everywhere!!
you are right but who do we replace him with. Looks to me Monreal does a better overall defensive job than Mert. Everytime he forays forward looking to pass the ball, I have my heart in my mouth, because one misplaced pass and it will be 2 versus 1 on Monreal. I really feel for Monreal, apart from winning arial battles, he does most things right !
The problems are more deep- rooted than they appear. We need a world class Playmaker- Santi isn’t good enough. Plus we need to shake up the backline. One Good CB + a world class holding mid. This at least gets us started.
PS: I agree with the Arteta comment. Was immense yesterday. Have been a vocal critic of his but truly admire what he did last night- the fact that he does not have pace is not his fault !
Arteta had a great game but there were a few times where his lack of speed was exposed. We need an athletic CDM with pace and physicality.
The best thing about arteta performance was his his strentgh he easily outmuscled feLlaini and van pu5$¥
What about the second goal? Who’s tactics caused it?
i can’t completely agree with you..
tactics spot on, well, can’t comment
but he should be screaming at his players when everyone forgot to defend, definitely his fault..
we got quality, but not enough.. szczes is good, but not good enough to compete for title, and i feel he has regressed this season
per is good, but cannot be a regular in a title winning team, good for the bench though, he should be used just as Leow used him
ramsey and wilshere – unlike few ppl d,i dont think that they are crap, they are quality players but arsene MUST accept it soon that they just can’t play together.
attack – not clinical, simple. we never had a good striker after RVP’s sole good season
reg manager bulding a squad.. well, the transfer activity this summer has been terrible, except for Alexis
letting Verm leave was the worst decision.. and I knew signing Welbeck was a wrong move, he just isn’t the finished product, and we needed one
but i am sure we won’t be signing anyone of top quality this jan, not for the lack of interest, mind you.. but I don’t see a top CB or a top DM arriving here seeing the performances of our team this term.. we also can’t compete with clubs like city or chelsea in terms of money, and certainly we don’t have any ‘project’ that’s being built..
to be honest, i don’t want wenger to be sacked, but this season should be the last chance for him to prove something
Players that should be release with immediate effect….
Monreal, Per, Coquelin, Giroud, Rosicky, Arteta, Flamini, Ryo, Ozil, Diaby and Sanago..
Wenger should go tooo
Discordance possession, chances
create result. blah blah blah.
Meaning. We lost.
We need to be more calm and patient.
Meaning. We are clueless.
We dominated for 80% of the time.
Meaning. We lost.
There were a lot of positives in the game today.
Meaning. I’m making it up.
We are not efficent in the final third.
Meaning. Our strikers are muggins.
They score goals from our defensive mistakes.
Meaning. Our defense is shite.
We must keep the faith.
I must keep my 8 mill salary for another two seasons.
Join us again this coming Wednesday when I’ll repeat to you these words “naïve,” “immature,” and “not good enough”! My name is Arsene Wenger!
It was actually a pretty good performance. I could take heart in that but for the fact that we faced the worst Man U side in history.
Forget klopp can we get pulis please
LOL
Wenger! Wenger! Wenger! Please don’t kill me before my time,Arsenal have killed a lot of people already by heart attack.
Neither Stoke nor Crystal Palace had world class defenders but Pulis made them a defending machine. Steve Bould has done everything ge can.
Wenger pay Pulis 4mil, bring him as an assistant. Let him drill and grill the players. You teach them attack and let Pulis work in defense and set pieces.
Football is evolving. We were the first club to have players wear numbers at the back of their shirt, let us be the first to have two qualified managers at the club at the same time.
I am not saying to give up our attacking identity but we need someone better than Bould to teach defense. Although we lost cause we weren’t able to score mainly.
If you meant what you said about Henry, bring him in, hus contract us over at NY Red bulls. Bring him as a player cum coach.
If Wenger chooses the defence line up, I don’t see how it is Boulds’ fault.
Also, if he doesn’t, then he should have intervened and dropped mertesacker.
Pathetic manager.
drop mertesacker? i understand he should be, but did you forget that he is the only CB fit?
why should per be a scape goat for shite finishing from wilshire n welbeck?
Per took the game to them and tried to force us forward showing great touch and technique, he also did very well against his marker to get the shot away.
His only mistake was his positioning when they scored the counter. Would per need to be that forward if we weren’t chasing the game due to a lack of finishing
A comment from a clueless fool.
Wenger doesn’t let Bould coach defense in the way he wants and he won’t buy the players Bould asked for.
He has restricted Bould’s control of the defense since the infamous ‘it’s not all him’ reply at a press conference where Bould was (rightfully) getting credit for improving our defense.
Bould would do a better job as temporary manager than Wenger until we found someone else.
Instead of name calling why don’t you link your conspiracy theory to a reputed newspapers? Bould was bought in the first place to improve oue defense, than why do you think Wenger is not letting him do his job?
And if it is what you say it is, than why do you think Bould is not saying something about it? Or are you implying that Bould loves money more than the club and that’s why he is afraid to speak about how Arsene is not letting him do his job.
P.S.- You lack class.
True, shouldn’t have called you a clueless fool, was still smarting from the game but I will admit when I am wrong; apologies Sumo.
Re the Bould saga how do you not know this?
Think back to when Bould arrived and we very quickly became the best defense in the PL.
At a press conference when asked about Bould’s positive effect on the team, Wenger got all hissy and snapped ‘it’s not all him!’
Bould was immediately stopped from doing his defensive drills and our form suffered a lot, so much so that 4th place was looking very optimistic.
Wenger relented some and allowed Bould to resume training again, our form improved and we scraped 4th by a single point.
It was in a number of papers at the time and a number of pundits, who had been players, were aware of it.
Wrighty said a few weeks ago in an interview that he knows 100% that Wenger restricts Bould’s coaching and wouldn’t buy any of the defensive players he advised.
Wenger is so jealous he would ruin a player or coaches career before admitting he was wrong.
A comment from another clueless fool do you not think we have designated defensive coaches ? Bould is an assistant manager who assist wenger there are other people on the coacHing staff to train different area. If wenger wanted to be ‘bould’ he should hire a world class defensive coach to teach them defensive transitioning
you don’t get it dude ..do you? Wenger will never work with anyone who has equal or more say than him..he seeks and wants power, and for that very reason should be all the more accountable when time and again, week after week, the team gets caught in the counter. His words “i don’t know why for the second goal we did not have anyone back” reveals a manager who has lost it ! The problems are so deep rooted that i fear that we are into a downward spiral. Mid field which was once our forte is turning into a comedy. Jack and Ramsey are doing their own individual thing ( I am more disappointed with ramsey- he seems to be playing to the stands). Welbeck wanted to prove his own point. Cazorla- well the less said the better- fabulous player but not physically suited for the premier league- is a liability for the big games.
one thing new & disturbing this season: a lot of players have gone backwards: ramsey, scezcsnsey, per, mert, flam, ozil, cazorla. i think there’s more discord behind the scenes than we know of: the players aren’t gumps: they see the senile coot getting worse every year. ozil probably doesn’t want to succumb to wenger f**ing him up at LW. the players see favourites getting worked to the ground where pod/roz/campbell rot. they can see the castle falling down around them. and also: i will NEVER forgive him for allowing RVP to go to an EPL team, nor for not buying Fab back: those two actions to me spells a man who too easily accepts defeat on and off the pitch.
I love it how Wilshere headbutted Fellani, shows the stomach for a fight. And i hated it when -as much as i love him- Rambo walked away instead of intervening.
Why do the players i love are at fault so much? In the tunnel when the players lined up no one was talking to each other. ManU players weren’t interested in talking to us. Welbeck, Jack, Ramsey, Gibbs no one talked. They understand the relevance of ManU vs Arsenal.
But suddenly Szczesny turns up and winks at De Gea and high fives him. Arteta follows suit and than Artera cautiously smiles at Rooney.
I know it has no relevance to the match but can you fcuking keep the courtesy for after the game.
Can you imagine Henry, Vierra winking, shaking hands, smiling with Keane, Scholes?
The head butt was extremely stupid. Could have been a red card if Fellani had tumbled over the way most players would have. Wilshere did foul Fellani (and Fellani made the most of it). A call not going your way is no reason to behave the way Wilshere did. It shows a lack of discipline, maturity and composure and Wilshere does something like that nearly every game. There is nothing to love about that. Wilshere cries wolf too often so that even when he does get fouled badly the refs assuming he is acting. The tackle that took him out of the game was brutal and the ref didn’t even call a foul. The ref probably initially assumed it was just Jack being Jack (i.e., acting like a spoiled baby).
wtf.. wilshere was extremely lucky.. he should be thanking Fellaini
he should’ve be red carded first and be cautioned/disciplined/banned whatever by the FA AND arsenal as well..
i am first a football fan, and then an Arsenal fan..
players who do that should be punished. period.
I am seriously frustrated as fcuk. Supporting Arsenal has been fcuking with my head. If the game was on today and we had the same result, and i would have to go to work tomorrow than i am sure i would have ended up fighting with one of my colleagues.
Even ranting on here doesn’t make me feel light anymore. I keep telling myself it’s just a game but this isn’t working. How we lost yesterday is beyond me. But somehow i sensed it before the game and during half time i was sure.
Clueless manager, where were u on transfer deadline day and when was d last tym u signed a quality player for us cos u can’t take credit for Sanchez, he joined us while u were having fun on sao paolo beaches
This man turned ARSENAL into the laughingstock of the PL, MAN UP you fool and say it how it is, YOU cannot WIN period end of story, like yours you are done, keep the money and get the f…k out…
wenger too old to be arsenal manager. i think its perfect time wenger must resign, rest and spend time with his family.
Wenger has to go.
Mertesacker is not a football player anymore.
Wenger ain’t a manager anymore.
Wenger should have replaced mertesacker this summer, he didn’t.
He should have bought another backup CB, he didn’t.
A DM? No need for a DM, I’ll just convert an attacking midfielder.
We have one keeper, so he signed an already injured keeper.
Ozil came back with an injury? It’s fine, so wenger puts him on the left wing and persists with him every game.
Campbell can’t play because wenger has cazorla at LW.
The same applies for Podolski.
Wenger be like:
” I’ve the 8 million for doing nothing, and people are paying so it’s fine.”
Campbell hasn’t got enough quality as well, and cazorla is def btr than him
People can still keep supporting Wenger, even after this?
His continued favouritism and usage of players out of position.
Which manager would be allowed to continue after all that has happened, in any industry?
I pity the fans who pay such high prices for tickets and buy Arsenal merchandise.
As it is that the football world is over inflated.
The final third and finishing is not good enough. Credit to the ManU goal keeper for the saves. We also had no luck in scoring considering the chances created. Our defense was horrible. Again we couldn’t beat the top 4 contenders. Opponents seems to know how to play us on our weakness on the counter, even the poorer sides know how now. Frustration as an ARS fan all around again.
At this stage we are in the worst start for last 30+ years and 11 points off last year. If we don’t bring in some solid defensive players e.g DM, Defenders and also change the strategy, we will not even finish in the top 4. If this is not Crisis, I dun know what is. Change is needed!
‘Credit to the ManU goal keeper for the saves’
yeah.. right.. we lost because of our poor finishing, and their keeper gets the credit
DOMINATED?? Losing 2-1 and Wengers says we dominated lol?? Just about the biggest bullsh*t I’ve ever heard. No, I’ll tell you what dominating means. Dominating is actually WINNING the game. Scoring goals. Not giving your opponent any chances. Playing with composure. Dictating the tempo. Controlling every aspect of the game. I don’t think we’ve dominated a game for quite some time now.
We are pathetic a laughing stock a joke and not even a funny joke at that I am disgusted that we pay the highest ticket prices and get nothing in return
Is there a team in the PL that is worse on corner kicks than Arsenal? We get so many of them yet there is never anything to give one the slightest hope that we might score off a corner. On the other hand, every corner we defend is a nail biter.
How clueless is this guy? “It’s a game that we dominated for
80 per cent of the time and we
haven’t dominated a game like that
against Manchester United for a
long time.”
Of course Arsenal is going to dominate, its ubderstandable for me.Arsenal is playing a team that was hit by an injury crisis that their six first team players are out.Raphael, Jones, Evans, Rojo, Shaw, Blind and even Falcao.And they have to play with 2 wingers, two 19 year olds and a defender at the back. And the manager is like ‘we dominated the game’, are you kidding me? People say Arsenal defense is at fault for the lose but the attackers are all rubbish.How can a team full of professional doesn’t know how to take a proper shot at goal? At end United manager and players knew what they were doing and because of that they have won.
Rooney said,
“It was a very important victory,”
said Wayne. “We weathered the
storm at times, especially in the
first half, and then we knew we
could hit them on the counter
attack, we knew they were
vulnerable on the break and we did
that.
“We rode our luck at times, our
goalkeeper was fantastic for us
today but we hit them with two
good goals. It was quite a difficult
game, they had a lot of
possession but we hit them on the
break and that was our game plan.
“We knew we had to get as many
players into the defence as we
could and we did that by putting
five at the back. We had a bit of
experience in myself, Michael and
Fellaini in the midfield to try and
protect them and I felt we did that well at times.
“We also knew we had the legs in
terms of Robin [van Persie], Angel
[di Maria] and myself joining in on
the break, which we saw to good
effect in the second half.”
And Van Gaal said,
“It was a fantastic result,” said
van Gaal in a post-match
interview. “We had a lot of injuries
and in spite of that we have won.
In an away match, it is very
difficult. Arsenal are a very good
team, an attacking team and that I
knew in advance.
“That is why I chose this strategy
and at the end I can laugh, but at
the same time, you can imagine
that if Arsenal could have scored
one of the four or five chances in
the first half then maybe this
would have been another game.”