Laziness or pure arrogance from Wenger and Arsenal scouts?

You have to wonder whether Arsene Wenger and his back room staff at Arsenal even bothered to do any homework on our latest Champions League tormentors Olympiacos, because it looked as though the Arsenal players had no real idea of what they would have to cope with.

Just because Arsenal have always beaten the Greek champions at the Emirates, and quite recently at that, did we decide that some detailed tactical scouting was not necessary? I hope not because the Olympiacos team was hardly recognisable from the last time we played.

Did the scouts just do a bad job and miss the fact that one of their biggest threats was from corners and crosses into the box, with size on their side? Why else would Wenger rest his tallest (and best of course) keeper Cech as well as the giant centre back Per Mertesacker? Ospina is just 6 feet tall while Cech is a significant five feet taller and more dominant in his area.

Maybe the scouts did their job and were ignored by the manager, or the players then ignored their manager´s words. There has to be someone to blame for missing the fact that a quick counter attack was their other major weapon, because we certainly did not set ourselves up to cope with that tactic, a fact put into stark focus on their third and winning goal.

You have to think that the homework was done on Olympiacos and if that is the case then I can see only arrogance and complacency as the reasons we failed so dismally to cope with them. What do you think Gooners?

Tags Cech Olympiacos ospina

17 Comments

  1. well I think you’re bad at math..if Ospina is 6 feet and Cech 5 feet taller..that would make Cech …11 feet? Anyways enough jokes I honestly think we could use that line-up selection poll before games that Wenger was talking about. We can’t continue with his shenanigans.

  2. If our scouts could find a certain Yaya Sanogo somewhere in ligue 2,then someone explain to me how they couldn’t find a better player than giroud and Arteta?

    #Thanks for the memories Arsene,but it’s time to say goodbye

  3. Arsenal are cutting our selves on the wrist and expect someone else to take the blame. I really don’t understand why someone would think Arsene isn’t to blame. He said he has a squad good enough to compete. He said there were no players available who can add quality to our team. So don’t call Arsenal fans fickle just because they demand to see the team perform.

  4. That game was more painful than watching an old person use a smartphone for the first time

  5. @Robin Vanpayslip …Lol…

    I have one thing to say…. Let’s rally and kick wenger out… No more statistics, no more potienal, no more 4th place finish, no more stagnation, no more FA cups, no more next season title challenge, no more stupidity, no more “Same Old Arsenal”…… All we want is to see WENGER OUT…. So no more Buying of Match tickets, since the board has decided that there is no more success!!!….
    I’m waiting for those crazy AKB’s to attack me!

    1. totally agreee….

      its time we bring in a new manager…

      spend big and bring in 5 to 6 world class players

      clear the deadwoods

      and win!!!

    2. Right on let’s rally inside and outsides Emirates until he is kicked out. Away games are our best chance because Emirates Stewards will not allow anti Wenger banners in.
      WENGER OUT ASAP

  6. Bob, you’ve not said anything wrong as regards to the non practical approach by the Boss & Gunners in their handling the emerging threats of Olympiacos as the match was playing out. The Gunners were overconfident to beat Oympiacos, and one can’t really blame them for having such confidence because they’ve always beaten them. But the moment Olympiacos scored the 1st goal, the Gunners and the Boss should have been forwarned and re -armed. Oxlade & Ospina were the weak link in the Gunners’ team on the night. And the Boss failed to smell rat when Oxlade deflected the ball into his net as he did at Zagreb. I expected the Boss to sub him with Ramsey immediately at the start of the 2nd half. Oxlade is not a reliable player but erractic. How many goals did he scored last season? 3? The Boss should be playing him as a Left winger where he may do better than to be playing him at right wing. What was Ospina still doing on the field after dropping the ball into his net? The Boss shld hv sub him with Cech at 2nd half.

  7. Griezmann 35m

    Reus 45m

    Isco 35m

    Lewandoski 50m

    Varane 45m

    Kondabagia 40m

    Total 250m

    we have 200m in the bank untouched plus next season budget and players sales…….

    6 mighty signings and we are good to go!!!

  8. Does AW ever rely on scouts or checks out other teams strengths and weaknesses before games…I think he just sends the team out their and tells them to play the Arsenal style without Plan B and C’s if things dont go according to plan.

  9. Its a known fact that wenger dilly dallies in the transfer market when talents are spotted. This more pronounced post david dein. He literally has no one to tell him to his face the raw truth unadulterated.

  10. arsene has made transfers as clear as he possibly could to us fans

    1. buying club should find trade-off between player & cash paid
    2. selling club should want to sell at mutually agreed price
    3. player should also want to come.

    now, here we see that almost all “talents” want to work with wenger to further their career. AFC is in London – A happening Place for all players. AFC has talented squad – so players should not have problem coming to AFC

    Selling club need to be at times “forcefully coerced” to sell their prized players – which AFC dont do…

    AFC do not overpay cash for players. NEVER..

    So there you go…

Comments are closed

Top Blog Sponsors