Arsene blew November once again by Konstantin Mitov
Yeah, I’ve seen it again. It’s November and Arsene failed to win the group once again. We’re fourth in the table and it’s a story I’ve seen it so many years before. The performances have been bad. They started at Ludogorets, where I was at the game and the way we performed was terrible, but we got the result.
When the results come our way, if you dare say something bad, because the worrying signs are there and you just scrape past results, the blind believers of the Arsene faith will destroy you if you point to obvious leaks in our game. We have peen poor in November. Haven’t lost, but we were awful and had no purpose at United and should’ve lost.
We didn’t really play all too well against Spurs, but we still had the lead and we blew it. And yesterday, we escaped 1:1, being terrible for 35 minutes in the first half, than we turn it around and then we let PSG have the game. We were obviously not playing well and the subs were late again. At United we were being destroyed and we waited for minute 80 to make a change.
Luckily enough we equalised and got a point at OT, but truth is with United’s current state and seeing how City and Chelsea beat them, we should’ve at least put some heart into it. I’m worried. Alexis is dangerously overplayed, yet we do have a wide squad, but we don’t know how to use it.
Substitutions with Arsene come before minute 70 only if we are 2 goals or more down which is sad… A change in formation is unthinkable, but yet even though we play terrible we stick to it and hope that same old thinking will get us new results. No it won’t. Now we’ll finish second in the group and hello Barcelona/Real Madrid.
We’ll pay the price for being terrible and it’s a high one, but you know what? I’m used to this. It happens 6 years in a row, I kinda expect it. Yeah we didn’t lose against PSG, but this PSG side is not all that great and we didn’t deserve to win any of the two games we played with them. We’ll be drawn against a top European side and we’ll be exposed again.
Now people will come with the “let’s see in May” and I agree, the season should be judged on what happens in May, but until then I’ve seen this before and I know how it ends. Sorry but if we want to move forward, there’s a man sitting on 8 million pounds an year that needs to let go of his will of power, for the better future of this football club.
Wenger on whether he will be glad if November is over…
No… I believe that I have to be careful about the choice of my words because when I say ‘stuttering’ it comes back in the next press conference. Look, I think there is a special spirit in the squad and the consistency of the results… we are unbeaten for 18 games. Sometimes you go through a spell, when you have such a long momentum, where we win a bit less. It’s down to us to continue without losing a game but as well to transform the draws now into wins. But there is no reason to panic.
Konstantin
As always November has been underwhelming at best. We lacked pace, cutting edge and that crisp bot offensively and defensively.
Cazorla is a big miss but that doesn’t excuse totally the lack of performance we’ve put together. We’ve got the quality we should be doing better. At this point I wish Wenger would switch things up a bit and play 3 at the back with Gibbs-Kos-Mustafi and stack the midfield as we have wealth in that department. Ultimately switching tactically, I would play Gibbs-Kos-Mustafi than in the middle Coq-Cazorla-Xhaka-Ozil than as a front 3 Iwobi/Ox-Sanchez-Walcott.
Xhaka should be getting more mnutes specially with the way Ramsey is playing ( he hasn’t been awful like some suggest but not great either). But to his defense he is close to being a world beater when played in his proper position (Wales).
We have to get out of that funk as we can’t afford to drop more points aside from the Chelsea game we have failed to win games with authority against big teams.
Also we need to stop looking at Spurs and celebrate each little details we’re doing better…yes they’re out of the champions league but that should be irrelevant. Instead we should be annoyed by the fact that again we’re going to finish 2nd and likely play another big team!
Is Wenger to blame? Maybe over playing Cazorla wasn’t a great idea specially when you have the array of midfielder we do as a club and with games looming in November! Xhaka should’ve played more minutes red card aside!
Playing Ramsey for the sake of playing isn’t helping either when players like Ox would’ve been a better fit on the wings. Why not try Ramsey and Xhaka for the get go and use him the same exact way he was being used in Germany!
Great article, someone sees and speaks the facts.
There is no hunger in 90% of the team. Great example yesterday, Giroud.
For someone who hasn’t started big games lately, the guy was just walking the first 30 minutes of the game. We couldn’t get the ball atleast try to close opposition down, or was sit back and counter attack the plan from the first minute, at home?
We are not creating chances mainly because the midfielders who pick up the ball from defence pass sideways or back too many times.
Crazy. Giroud starts and we play without wingers. So his one strength, converting crosses is ignored. Also why can’t we bring on subs until mlnute 72, when we are screaming for change! Can anyone explain?
Yeah it is weird as sometimes it leaves it a little too late but more important how long do you have to wait to sub a player that is clearly having no effect on the game. Sometimes having a more dynamic, direct threat like Ox coming in earlier like the 65th minute could make a big difference
unfortunately, in my humble opinion , wenger is a fraud . he is one of the luckiest managers alive, bbut now things are turning against him . he was amazing for the first few years , he did revolutionise the game . but now he has no clue. we will never win anything of importance while he is in charge. this hurts me to say this but i believe it is the truth. surely the buck stops with the manager and his tactics.i have total respect for wenger , but there comes a time when you have to ask is he good for the club any longer , or is he dragging us down with his ancient one dimensional ways .
I think wenger has to change things and change them fast! Let’s suppose for a minute that we came out on sunday with 2 ST- Giroud&theo LW/RW- Sanchez&OX ACM-Ozil CM- Xhaka&Coquelin and back 4 of Monreal-Kos-Mustafi-Jenko/Maintland Niles
More importantly, we must press teams that play from the back high up the pitch get quick scores and make the right subs no later the 60 minute
For how many more years do we have to put up with “judge me at the end of the season”? It’s beyond a joke now. The funny thing is, myself, and many others, HAVE been judging Wenger at the end of each season, it’s been awful for so many years, yet he’s still in charge! Wenger makes comments like that because he knows he actually WON’T judged at the end of the season by the board. Whatever happens, he’s perfectly safe.
Fans keep saying, we need to change the tactics, formation, players, but realistically, this will never happen until there’s a change in manager. Wenger isn’t going to suddenly ditch his philosophy over night. I think that we, the fans, just need to get through this season, avoid getting angry, just accept that it’ll be the same old, same old, and hopefully welcome a new manager in the summer. I cannot imagine the level of anger from the fans if he gets a new contract.
And out come the knives again!!!!!! Is anyone else getting bored with the anti Wenger comments on this site? I know were a big club, and we should be winning more and playing better, but come on guys its not even xmas yet. I hate to say it, as i am one of them, but our home support is bordering on awfull. Our away fans are a credit to the club i must say though. But we as fans need to support our boys, and the only way we can help them is to encourage them. Sing for them, cheer them on!!! stop whining like children when things are not going so well. I agree, we all have a right to have our say, and i have many a time on here. Ive been a North Bank season ticket holder for 8 years now. 3 years ago we were getting the atmosphere right again, but it is quickley turning into a boring, non atmospheric place to watch football. This has an affect on the players you know! All players respond to encouragement in any sport. Fans!! take a look at the part YOU are playing during our mini slump. 18 games unbeaten! Not a bad mini slump really is it?
I would say that only two trophies in the last 11 years, and no major trophy in 12 years, is more than a mini slump. We’re on a very lucky unbeaten run, but the season ends in May, and Wenger’s track record come then is woeful of late! And in terms of the atmosphere, you can hardly blame the fans. You can’t expect them to be happy, and optimistic, when they see the same mistakes repeated over, and over again. They pay huge ticket prices every year to watch relentless passing, from a really uncompetitive team, and that’s the manager’s fault. How about the team getting the crowd going for once, give something back for the ripped off fans. Wenger has pointed out many times that football is only a business now. So the fans are paying the highest prices, for a product, that is rubbish!
Nah, they just do what they do best. When we winning, Wenger is king. When we not, mind you not losing either, he’s a fraud. Personally, I believe the truth is somewhere in the middle. Even the most fervent Wenger opponents say that fans at the Emirates are utter $hyte. And that can be heard even on teevee, or not heard. It is always and it will always be like that as long Wenger will be in charge. What if … People will try to hang on anything they believe is going to be better.
As for the “November, the most dreaded month”, this Konstantin guy is just spouting what he heard on the media forgetting that this November, unlike others had 4 tricky games in a row with no pushovers to take on and included one (in fact coming off the back of two) international breaks. So, he’s not even genuine and no idea belongs to him except “Wenger’s fault”. He is doing exactly what he say he hates: looking at the club as a corporate holding. We don’t turn profit, well, the boss gotta go. Except that what it matters for the owners is there, like the money. I will never understand people moaning about a choice they made. Like in this case, you chose to support a club, then you do it down to League One if needed. Or if you believe you have absolutely any saying then vote with your wallet although to be fair this is not the bulk of the revenue. Clubs usually leave sponsor sell the merchandise. And this idea that supporters have anything to say in the Premier League is utter rubbish. The money involved is huge, no sane boss will turn to the crowd and ask, what do you reckon I should do? Buy Ibrahimovic? What’s that? Yes? OK. Marketing is also huge, especially online and on scree. For the first time in history, gate revenue is surpassed by the TV deal. Add in sponsorship and image rights and you will see how the supporter at the game become less important for the revenue stream than the rest of the world. This game is changed so much in the last 10 years I am losing interest in it gradually. This is not the football I grew up with. As for Arsenal, after 30 years of supporting them I guarantee I will do it for another 30 if given the chance. Managers come and go, players come and go, supporters come and go these days. History will always be there for anyone to look at.
I thought the same thing, kinda sad screen away fans are louder than ours and you look at the score we are not even losing making it easy for the opponents to put pressure on us. You gotta start realising how much of an effect the fans have on our home form. We should be aiming to make the Emirates the loudest place to go to and yes that means even in bad times and you’ll see the change on the pitch. No matter what you think a toxic atmosphere affects the players
In a land called Arsenal, at a time called November, the failures of a great club rest on the shoulders of an old man. His name…..WENGER!!!
What failures? Are you talking about our three draws against great teams? Did you notice we haven’t lost for the last 18 games?