Arsene Wenger has moved to blame his players for conceding the goals which resulted in a loss on Tuesday night.
The Gunners took a lead in the first-half thanks to an Alexis Sanchez goal, only to go into the break level thanks to a header by Seamus Coleman. Our side failed to to score another goal, and in the tense final minutes of the match, Ashley Williams added to our misery by snatching a winner.
Arsene Wenger has now claimed that his side should not have conceded the goals they did, having planned exactly against those situations only the night before with his players.
He said: “In football you have to defend well.
“We knew exactly what was happening and the first goal is exactly what we planned not to do.
“We have to look at ourselves tonight because we punished ourselves by not respecting completely the rules that we put out the night before we played.”
This is a rather direct criticism of his players, and is quite a risky choice of words from the French boss ahead of such a big game in Manchester this weekend.
If we lose this weekend we could drop down to fourth place in the table and possibly nine points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea, and if we really want to stamp our claim for this season’s big trophy, then we should be going all out for the win.
Jose Mourinho has had his Man United players faltering around him, and blaming the players has had a negative effect on his squad, but Wenger’s words should not be considered as critical, and hopefully our team can be fully ready for the crunch clash.
Will Arsene Wenger play it safe and try not to lose to City? Is Wenger right to be blunt in his assessment?
Pat J
We will draw and let the rest catch us, I just hope for top 4 by some miracle.
I fully back wenger in this case. It’s funny you gave Jose”s example but in a wrong way. His criticsm has actually made Manchester United stronger. They are fighting for their places aND not sitting in their laurels. Jose has made two average no mugs footballers in Jones and Rojo into decent defenders.
Wenger has full right to question the players. I am a huge ozil supporter but after watching some of his game play against Everton , have to say he must be ashamed of himself. No player is bigger than the club, not even ozil or Sanchez. Alex Ferguson was a master of teaching his players a lesson when they acted superior to his club. He sold Beckham, nistelrroy, tevez and almost sold rooney. This is what Wenger should be doing. If ozil wants to leave then he is most welcome. We only need players who want to play for us. Period.
Mourinho is in year one of his three year cycle. He’s come in. He has the full backing of the board and the players know it. In January and next summer, Mourinho will get more money and he’ll shore up the defense and win a major trophy in 2017/18. The league, FA Cup, Champions League. The following season the players and front office staff will be fed up. Martial will be sick of the bench, Zlatan will retire, Rooney will quit or go to the US, Mata will be gone next summer, and between the player’s he’s treated like rubbish and the people he’s offended in the front office, the club will start to fall apart on and off the pitch and he’ll be fired or resign.
As far as selling star players, Arsene Wenger will not sign players to contracts the club cannot afford. Arsenal, while not under fiscal duress, cannot pay what the other Big 3 can pay. Arsenal will probably go as far as ™230,000 per week, but can’t afford more with Ozil set to earn somethign similar.
Sanchez might remember being on the rubbish heap at Barcelona. His galacticos decided Suarez was better and punted him. He might want to recall how quickly he went from golden boy to the scrap heap. Arsenal don
t treat their playersl ike that.
On the other hand, if he wants to go to China, let him go. For huge money. If Oscar is worth £52 million, Sanchez is worth £100 million. If he won’t agree to a contract Arsenal can live with, expect Arsenal to keep Sanchez for the rest of the season and sell him to China in the summer for £90 million or next January for £40 million. Good businss any way it shakes out. No player ican be allowed to be bigger than the club. If he is, the lunatics run the asylum and the team falls apart.
Paul
I don’t know but Jose at united is looking to build something special. Yes he might not stick for long but what he is doing for Manchester United is bringing back them to the winning ways and making them act like a big club. And this whole Jose vs all mentality is actually working for him and Manchester United because that’s how it was always under Ferguson. Also, let us not forget unlike chelsea and real Madrid , United will not sack Jose just because he goes trophyless. he’ll they gave lvg 2 full seasons. I think he will have full backing .
anyways this is not about Jose but about he fact that players need to know their role and we cannot always question the manager.
ozil can’t have a bad game.
Our PL league dreams will be over for most realists after this weekend. Whether we fall 8 or 9 points behind we are still the same old Arsenal and the energy around the club will likely turn toxic again as a result of disappointing performances, growing questions about the future of Sanchez and Ozil, every time they play poorly we will wonder if it is because they are disappointed Arsenal are not recognizing their contribution, and fans increasingly getting upset with Wenger. I would say there is a 75% chance that’s what 2017 will look like. Add a CL elimination to the mix and its ground hog day.
(Having said that I firmly believe this is the year we can take Bayern, but that’s a small consolation for another year not challenging for a major title.)
Top 4 would be a great result and a better result than 2nd last year IMO.
It is about time Wenger rips into the players for not defending well enough. The first goal and many of their attacks down the flanks are simply the fault of the our wingers not defending well enough. Walcott and The Ox were a disgrace defensively, and there is actually some cause for optimism, if Wenger finally adresses this.