It seems a little bit churlish to complain about things that Arsene Wenger has done after Arsenal won an away game 2-0, but just as I look for positives after a disappointing result, I do feel that there were a few strange decisions from the Frenchman at Sunderland today.
I can understand why Wenger was a bit cautious after the Gunners’ por start to the season and our habit of conceding poor goals. But this was Sunderland at a low ebb and once we were ahead, I do not understand why the boss only gave Aaron Ramsey about five minutes on the pitch at the end.
The Welshman has been out of action for a month and even though his form was not great before he picked up his injury, Ramsey is a key player forus and is one of the players that could really make a difference for us. So I would have thought that the boss wanted to give him a bit more playing time. It was not as if Flamini and Arteta were having great games either.
Even stranger was Wenger’s decision to not use Theo Walcott at all. After ten months on the sidelines, the England forward is in desperate need of some game time to sharpen him up. And Wenger even said as much in his post match statement reported by Arsenal.com.
Wenger said, “He’s fit. He lacks competition. Physically he lacks two things: contact in the Premier League and competition. But fitness wise there is no problem at all.”
So can anyone explain why the manager did not bring him on to help him get those two things?
Because we had to see the game out and also Arteta did play well. What game were you watching?
I believe he didnt wanted to really rush theo back unless really needed!
Dear Arsenal_FC,
I hope u liked my present to you (the second goal by Alexis). I just wanted to let you know I have not forgotten you. Once a gunner, always a gunner.
With luv,
Vito………..
That was a horrible match to watch. Good result, but seriously what happened to AFC?
as wenger declines, so does arsenal.
thats what has happened (is happening) to arsenal.
Plenty times you lot on here moaned about us trying to play pretty football at the expense of results..Well last 2 games we got the results and not the football, the 2 before that it was the opposite , people were complaining about dropping points to Hull. We were all over them but it is the scoreline that matters. We won the Fa cup in 05 , we played terrible. Whos name is on the cup though for that year? Arsenal .
Wenger could be the best poker player in the world if he wanted. He gambles with our lineups/tactics on a weekly basis and then plays it off like he knew all along that Arteta was gonna have a good game or sanchez was gonna score. Then if we lose he blames it on being unlucky. lol the man is RECKLESS. Has no clue what he’s doing but somehow always bluffs his way out of trouble.
It seems Wenger never do any right thing in many people eyes here. After many years covering for the board in the transfer market and protecting his young players’ performance, he has become public enemy for both the media and some certain fan
He does not change tactics then people says he is stubborn, no plan B, etc …
He changed and won then the team does not play well enough, going downward, etc …
What I saw before the match
– We cannot afford to drop points any more
– We suffer big injuries at the back, and we really need a clean sheet to boost our confidence
– We have scored in every single match except at Dortmund and Chelsea, which mean if we keep a clean sheet we are most likely win, ugly or not
The manager starts with 2 DMs and not want to risk Walcott, Ramsey (both are just back from injury). We kept a clean sheet and won 3 points. After many bad performance the manager wants us to back to basic starting from defence.
Result is definitely important but as most here point out, it is one of the worst performance in attack this season. Arteta and Flamini both sit deep, no one link up between attack and defence, Carzola had one of the worst game this season – and as many other Arsenal players, suffer from inconsistency this season. Welback off the ball movement not good enough.
But no one care to mention it is one of the best performance in defence – rather giving credits to Sunderland as the worst team in the league (fact is they never lose a single home game this season before this match). Our patch up back 4 had a dominant game.
Now for Wenger, he does know how to win ugly now, but with all the noise after FA Cup win, we do want to see the club going forward and best the top top clubs. Now all what we are seeing is the team that is a bit lost. We do not yet find the tactics or formation that balance between attack and defence and get the best of our start players. Injury again and again.
Exactly mertesacker and monreal were excellent but they are players that are undervalued at arsenal by us fans. If they played poor there name would be on everyone’s lips
One im not happy about is our final balls
dire and abject!
Glad Theo and Ramsey didnt come on earlier or at all.
We’d seen the game out and god knows we dont these guys getting added to our injury list.
I hope to see in the coming weeks, Ramsey, Walcott, Hayden, Zelalem, Gnabry, Cocquelin, we need to inject some youthful entusiasm into the side quickly. Maybe even Crowley and Akpom?
Ozils not actually injured, my wife said he was singing on X factor tonight, (Jack walton).
Glad she made me laugh and smile today 🙂
Alexis sanchez was just amazing today! At one stage watching the game it looked like alexis sanchez vs sunderland! Coyg!
yes. just like when it was Sanchez v Anderlecht and then Sanchez v Hull. Next week Sanchez v Burnley.
theo would not of influenced this game tbh because sunderland were soo deep into their own half there would of been no space for theo to run into
Don’t agree, Theo always makes defenders nervous with his speed and would have stretched them and possibly caused a mistake.
If they were so impenetrable how did we still manage to get a few shots off even with the team minus Sanchez playing $hit.
He really is a class apart from the rest of the team.
Interesting article. Good luck trying to figure out why wenger does what he does. The man is an enigma. He sticks with players who put in below par performances week in week out and does not see the importance of giving game time to podolski, campbel and rosicky. Our players get injured in every other game and yet this man will overplay them and work them to the ground like a slave owner only to make pointless substitutions in the dying minutes of a game or non at all. Now you understand why we are stuck with certain problems that wont go away. It is no coincidence that we lacked width and pace last season. That is exactly how wenger likes it. He enjoys battling the impossible with one hand tied behind his back. Other managers love him because he is the gift that keeps on giving.Wenger will bench all his wingers and field three or four central midfielders so they can tiki taka their way to nowhere just the way the boss wants it. But i am confident that he will not be arsenal manager forever. At 65, he certainly has signed his last contract.
Theo wasn’t needed so why rush him back. and ramsey just came back from injury and played during the week. I love how we complain when players get overplayed and don’t get rested but then the same f*ckin people whine that they don’t get more minutes smh.
Why start with both Arteta and Flamini
Considering the game could have ended as a 1-1 just as a 2-0, I think Arsene Wenger made a top, top decision not to bring Ramsey and Walcott earlier on. I never felt easy in the game until Sanchez converted the second goal. That said, we need to get Walcott up to speed as soon as possible. Thankfully, unlike Wilshere, Walcott is able to hit top form immediately after injury.
When is Theo gonna start playing again then? How long is Gibbs going to be out? Will Campbell ever start? Is Wenger gonna keep the 4-2-3-1? Is there really life on Mars?
Because he is a stupid old fool who is making the worst managerial decisions in the PL at the minute.
Of course Theo should have been getting game time, he desperately needs it.
Once again Wengers 5 and 10 minute substitutions but keeps the injury prone Gibbs on even though he motioned to our staff he had a problem.
The words incompetent and inept are not enough to describe Wenger now.
I have remained loyal to Wenger in hopes he would see the error of his ways, accept reality, and make the necessary adjustments. After all, some long-term managers begin to lose their way and some find their way back.
But I think we have waited long enough. When I see so many good players decline under Wenger’s management, that for me is the final straw. It is getting difficult to rationalize the lunacy any more. Enough.
Do you know our doctor feedback about Walcott physical condition now?
Did you even watch his last game in Arsenal U21?
If he played and get injured again – you will complain it is Wenger’s fault to rush him back
Calling a professional with more years of experience than your age an old fool ?
Criticise him when he made mistake, even you hate him, give him some respect.
I’m tired
I am sorry but……….
Wenger is making repeated terrible decisions on a scale far greater than whether or not Walcott or Ramsey get into this one game.
Loaded team with CAMs but keeps LWingers he refuses to use.
Uses players out of position week after week.
Failed to acquire even basic defensive cover that even a struggling 3rd Division team would have.
Somehow is managing to take good players and turn them into bad players under his management.
So you see, some tiny little decision about using Walcott for 10 minutes this week instead of next week seems a bit irrelevant at this point. And I don’t know what Ramsey would do to help as he is also playing far below par right now.
We have Sanchez – that is about it. But he is new. Let us see how long it takes Wenger to coach all the quality out of Sanchez also.
Moan about Wenger all you want. People write him off every year but with little money he has kept us at the top level for years. Name another manager that would have seen us successfully change stadiums?
The only surprise was why Walcott was on the bench at all. Wenger’s comments on Friday made it sound like Walcott definitely would not play on Saturday. I’m guessing he had Theo on the bench in the event of a comfortable in which case Theo might have been given him 15 minutes or so.
Theo has been out 9 months. It was definitely the right move to use other players as substitutes to help close out that game.
Ughh “comfortable win”. Word “win” missing above.
Two words to explain why Wenger didn’t bring on two injury prone players when they were not needed
“Lee Cattermole”
No way, the game was way to scrappy and physical to bring him in. There were yellow cards fouls, by both sides mind you, not going noticed let alone punished. I’m sure if we were 2-0 or 3-0 up at 70 or 80 mins he would have come on.