Arsenal are the team in disarray and a sitting target for the German Bundesliga club FC Cologne, or at least that is the view of the former Liverpool, Newcastle and Germany international midfielder Dietmar Hamann, reports The Mirror this week.
He said, “One must clearly say, Arsenal show signs of disintegration under Wenger.
“The debate about Wenger isn’t new, but I didn’t expect them to start this early in what is still a relatively new campaign.
“This is why Cologne’s chances against Arsenal are quite good — if they don’t show too much respect for the name Arsenal and the individual players.
“Cologne is a blank sheet of paper for them. However, there are many players who are experienced on the international stage at Arsenal.
“I don’t believe they will underestimate the challenge. But when there are basic problems within a squad, when the team doesn’t pull together – then it doesn’t matter who you play, the opponent will always have a chance of progressing.
“I even think that Cologne is strong enough and will advance from this group.”
I suppose that Hamann is entitled to his opinion and as he works as a pundit for Sky Germany and has never been all that keen on Arsenal it is hardly a surprise that he finds negative things to say about us and positive things about the German club.
Having said that, it is pretty easy to see that Cologne are in a much worse place than us, as they sit rock bottom of the Bundesliga table having lost all three of their league games so far. They were not the hardest of games either, but Cologne shipped three goals to both Augsburg and Hamburg so to say that Arsenal are the team in crisis seems a touch harsh.
In fact, we have won two games pretty well and only lost to Stoke due to some dodgy decisions from the referee. Yes we were poor at Anfield against Liverpool but that is just one game. Tonight’s Europa League clash will also see some Arsenal players on the pitch who are hungry to prove their worth to Arsene Wenger and the Arsenal fans, such as Reiss Nelson, Theo Walcott, Olivier Giroud and Jack Wilshere, who Wenger spoke about in the build up as reported by The Mirror.
The Frenchman said, “He is very hungry and sharp. He is not completely at his best, but he is getting there. He enjoys being back and competing for his place and what I see in training is positive.
“We’ve got at least two good teams [in the Gunners squad] and have a lot of competition for places.
“It’s very nice for everyone because we need to be focused and always improve ourselves.
“So, trust me, we’ve got a very good team on paper tomorrow.”
Does all this suggest to you that it is Cologne, not Arsenal, who are about to get a proper stuffing?
Bob.
I bloody hope we win & play well! I’d love for us to score a fair few goals too anything other than that I’ll be phoning in sick at work tomorrow ?
You might just have too. We are 1nil down ffs
I actually think Hamann is an honest guy. He seems like a straight shooter, you know where you stand. I don’t think he holds any grudges or ill will against Arsenal, or Arsene for that matter, in fact I think he admires Arsene allot, or held him in a very high regard. He’s right, we imploded way too early, we should’ve had a desire and a motivation to come flying out of traps, or at least try our damnedest to prove the doubters wrong, but we didn’t, far from it. Ferdinhand talked about the need for familiar faces in the spine area, I’m amazed to this day that Arsene does not even remotely feel the same way.
Is it not today? If Wenger will field the right players at their natural positions they will know that we don’t support this team for naught. Hammering is what am expecting.
He’s a German so what do you expect him to say about a German team?
Having said that, we are clear favourites and everyone is predicting a big win for us. Just seen the 20,000 Koln fans marching down Oxford Street and they are bloody noisy.
I’ve seen this film before!
What is it about Arsenal that so incenses these ex-Liverpool players? Hansen, Owen, Gerrard, Fowler, Thompson, Carragher, Redknapp, Souness, Murphy, and now Hamann; they’re queuing up to make disparaging remarks about us. I understand the embarrassment of having the league torn from their sticky little fingers in 1989 was difficult for most of them to take, and possibly scarred Alan Hansen and the Liverpool team of that unbelievable day for life, but come on. . . Isn’t it time the rest of them got over it and started being just a little objective in their comments and analysis?
Sod the lot of them is what I say!
Yeah every year is their year, eck, eck, eck.
The bin dippers did actually nick my hub caps in 1971. !!
usually Bundesliga teams that dare come to face us at home already know what they’re likely to be going home with… and its usually a big zero. we are facing the Bundesliga’s whipping boys only tonight i expect some hapless-sod to use this as a window of opportunity to distinguish themselves in the hope of that a standout performance will somehow “help” get him the hell out of team koln. 2-1 home win#COYG