No matter how much blame you allocate to Arsene Wenger for the poor performances of Arsenal this season in big games like the home defeat by Watford, the limp display away to Chelsea and most obviously the complete battering at the hands of Bayern Munich, you must realise that the manager does not send the side out with instructions to play poorly or not put much effort in.
It seems to keep happening though, so you can understand why the Frenchman might be concerned that it happens again in our FA cup trip to face Sutton United this evening. A game against a team from the National League that the Gunners are expected to breeze past is just the sort where you might expect some complacency from our big name players and I think that Wenger has real fears that Arsenal may flop again tonight.
Reading between the lines of his pre-match comments reported by the Arsenal website, I get the impression that the boss is really not sure whether his team will turn up for this crucial clash and he appears to be almost pleading with them to take it seriously.
Wenger said, “Sutton played very well against Leeds. They did it in a convincing way and overall we have to be warned that that game should put us on alert.
“The football is a bit different on an artificial pitch, so it gives them a little advantage. We have to prepare, to adapt, and to play our game, because the disadvantage of the pitch is that we are not used to it. The advantage is that it is a flat pitch and that you can pass the ball well.
“For us, it would be absolutely unexplainable and inexcusable not to take the game seriously. It’s a cup game and you know you have to turn up on the day or you’re out.
“I believe that if you have any ambition, if you play for Arsenal Football Club, you have to take every game seriously.”
They certainly should but the sad truth is that too often we see a below par showing from this Arsenal team. Will they do it again tonight or will the Bayern beating have shaken them into life?
Bob.
every game is different, but i think firstly is not to under estimate sutton and secondly hope that we play direct football and not as soon as we are in their half, we go backwards. hope that our players play for each other and help each other = gooner for ever
we will beat sutton and start all the fighting talk again.
meanwhile in germany…
Neuer wrote on Facebook….
‘After the holiday last Wednesday, yesterday was a hard day at work again,’
thats what we are to the best teams…a holiday
tonight will be nice, 50 percent effort and still ease through
When they drew us they done the same, acting like it was the best tie they could’ve hoped for. I remember one or two of them being like Neuer here. Then before the game I was expecting the same, I mentioned on here we should use it to help fire ourselves up. Instead they heaped praise on us saying how dangerous we are and went on about Ozil & Alexis in particular. But now he comes out chatting s**t, little bit chicken s**t if you ask me, it’s easy to talk afterwards.
You need to blame the man at the Top. You can’t just blame the players
We have enough talent. Maybe not to win the PL and CL but we should not have lost so easily to Bayern and Chelsea
Wenger not only doesn’t buy enough top players he doesn’t use the ones he does get properly
Wenger hasn’t used our squad to its full potential
That’s why Lucas wants to leave
Lucas has only started FA Cup matches and played very well in them
Wenger has treated Lucas like he did Podolski in his last couple of seasons
Yet loves playing Ramsey, Iwobi
Lucas not starting in PL and CL matches basically makes his transfer useless (unless we win FA Cup) because we basically have been using the same forwards from last season. We were hoping Lucas could have been the Mahrez of this season.
I don’t get it with Lukas. He can dribble better than Theo (Poldi couldn’t dribble too well and that’s bad for a winger), he looks like he can score too. But best of all he’s shown some good crossing abilities, which this team lacks esp when Giroud is playing. And besides maybe Alexis and Giroud he looks like the only other one who might be capable of scoring and assisting in the same game from time. He can mix it up a bit, also has showed decent positioning/intelligence. Walcotts diagonal run is like his except when this lad receives the ball he’s capable of weaving whichever way, whereas, Theo runs in straight lines. And if you asked Wenger who is our best winger (Alexis/Bellerin excluded) I believe he’d imagine it’s Theo, yet Perez can’t even get the opposite wing.
I’m sad that he’s going before I even get a chance to see if he has defensive qualities. When they said Ozil has some of the players ticked off because of his form, I believe because some of them seen how it’s unfair on Perez at the same time. Or with Iwobis dereliction duties, Oxlade playing central, yet, still Perez gets overlooked. The lad really has done as well as could be expected in such a short space of time.
I could also argue that the players don’t go into the pitch with a plan to loose.The sad truth is that a man has been paid £8m to get the team mentally and tactically ready for games. When Mourinho could not motivate his team any longer, Abramovich did not blame the players. He did what he had to do and today we are seeing the results.
sadly our model is different to chelseas, the owners a winner . he loves the club and wants to see them win at all costs
our owner doesnt give a flying f about arsenal just the investment, means nothing what we do on the pitch
wenger fits the kroenke model perfect, it works money wise.
wenger isnt like kroenke he loves this club but its clouded his judgement- he cant let go-
doesnt really matter who goes or stays, or how many banners go up.
the club our happy-
Okay fellas, I just got home and watch SKY Sports news with the fantastic news Lucas Perez wants to leave even If Arsene Goes. Dear me, that said it all for the poor clueless Manager we have been putting up for the last 13 years of failure. No wonder, there is no chance that Alexis remains. Lucas on his short displays have shown he can be a great back up and why not playing regular based on his performances. I’m gutted to the bare bones to see WE THE FANS ARE USELESS TO STOP THE ROT in Our beloved team. it angers me, it anger us and put more wood into the fire to put up with a contract renewal for the one who is making us a laughing stock. He demotivates, he trashed good players and this is why most want to move away. no matter the result tonight , it will not change my position backing the Manager to resign at the end of the season. He gave 10 plus years of opportunities to the likes of walcott, same as gibbs, 8 to ramsey and wilshere and 6 to Ox but still not up to the calibre expected but a guy who is humble and show us his qualities asked to leave. SAID NO MORE. disgraceful..disrespectful to the player and mostly to the fans.
Perez and his agent have denied claims of him wanting to leave Arsenal.
The player has also stated that he wants to be a success at club.
According to the Daily Mirror,
Perez’s agent has made a U-turn from his previous statement with the below being his latest statement:
“When one does not play he is not happy but we knew it would be difficult and it is a long contract.
“Lucas has this contract with Arsenal and he wants to succeed there. No-one has spoken of a move.”
?
Talking of flops, I got my Arsenal flip flops on standby,
ready and able to throw at the TV, if need be.????
Let no any Gooner be apprehensive as to what the outcome of our Sutton’s FA Cup match result will be tonight. I can confidently tell all Gooners that Arsenal will ease past Sutton easily by moulding them to the shapes they want to mould them to in the game tonight. As a matter of fact, this is a mismatch game Lady Luck has drew Arsenal against to play. In fact the grapevine had it said that the Gunners cried when they saw the team Sutton drawn to play against them by Lady Luck. And they asked Lady Luck that what did she take them for to have drew them to play against a none League club side when they are not chickens but men of great valour with timber and caliber. And have professed saying, for this singular misendevour Lady Luck has committed, the Gunners vowed to take Sutton to the cleaners by hitting them with a 6-0 drubbing in the game tonight. And I believe the Gunners will do that.
Good to see Walcott starting through the middle once more.
Wenger is desparate to win this trophy and save his job, Sanchez on the bench against Sutton WTF
Well it’s all we really have, this and the highest finish possible. The cup would mean more for me than the CL places, unless Alexis signing hinges on it. Players arriving could get a little blindsided, it will read a success, along with European football if we can manage it, it makes for better reading than nothing.
I don’t care, all I care is….. WENGER OUT!!!!