Sometimes you have to wonder if the Arsenal players think that us fans are thick or that we are so blinded by loyalty that we refuse to see the obvious, that is certainly what the latest comments from Sokratis Papastathopoulos imply.
Basically, the defender is refusing to acknowledge that there is a big issue with our away form, he tries to compare it with the likes of Man Utd and Chelsea and denies that it is anything any mental
When asked that specific question, if it was a mental thing he said
“I don’t think so because if you see big teams like United and Chelsea they also lost a lot of points,” .
“It is very difficult. We are in the Premier League and the other teams are strong.
“I don’t have a reason.
“Other teams are the same, some days good, some days bad. We have to improve and look towards the next game.
“But I think we didn’t have the same fight (as Everton) so we didn’t win a lot of battles and we conceded a goal which was a little bit easy.”
OK, let’s look at some cold hard facts.
These are the points gained away this season
Chelsea 28 points
Man Utd 29 points
Arsenal 19 points
Now, we have played two games less than United and one less than Chelsea on the road but even if we win those games and that is a big if, we would still be 6 points behind Chelsea and 4 behind United.
The only game we have won away in the league since November was against mighty Huddersfield Town.
So, how Sokratis can compare our away form to the likes of Chelsea and United I do not know and anyway, even if it was on par with those clubs what the hell difference does that make, it is like he is justifying our woeful road record because other top teams are just as bad.
As they say, the first step is to accept that there is a problem.
Seems Sokratis is not quite there yet…..
Thanks for the info Admin. The points and the number of away games show that Arsenal have a lot of homework to catch up their rivals
It’s sad because Arsenal used to beat plastic teams like Chelsea/ Man City and mediocre teams like Everton/ Wolves at away easily. I can’t believe Kroenke, Gazidis and Wenger allowed this degradation happen
I can’t wait to see Emery get his own marquee signings. This season should be a transitional period for him, but he has to get his own soldiers next season
What I don’t understand is why Unai insists on leaving the club’s top scorer on the bench? If you have a gun that shoots just fine why would you face your enemies carrying a knife while leaving your perfectly good gun in your pocket?
Do you expect him to say what everyone has already know including themselves. How sweet to your is it to here again and again from all our players what everyone in epl-sphere most especially our club critics and fans say everyday and by so doing add more unnecessary pressure on themselves to the one they are under already from the bad away game form. l would prefer for them not to tell us the away form is bad but to fix it starting with Wolves. And I put this last away defeat squarely on coach feet first before any player’s
The fundamental reason why we are so poor away from home is because Socratis and his fellow defenders are inadequate and cannot cope with the opposition away from the lift they derive from their own supporters.Even at home they are rarely in control and invariably let the opposition create a number of clear chances which luckily they have failed to convert this season.Our away form will improve when and if we sign better quality defenders .
“Grandad” you are clearly too long in the tooth and braindead to recognise or admit the Fundamental reason why Arsenal lost to Everton this time; Unai Emery got the (1)Team Selection Wrong. (2) The Team Formation was Wrong – Should always be a 4231 as was vs Spurs. Unai Emery Needs to seriously take a Hard look at HIS OWN FAULTS. THE BUCK STOPS WITH HIM.
Omar, the coach isn’t on the field playing. Surely professional footballers have to take some responsibility for abject performances?
YOUNG MAN, YOU ARE BEING EXTREMELY RUDE, ARROGANT AND PLAIN WRONG TO A MATURE AND THOUGHTFUL FAN (IN GRANDAD) WHO HAS MORE SENSE IN HIS LITTLE FINGER THAN YOU DO IN YOUR BRAIN. As you clearly do not accept that our defence is as substandard as Grandad rightly says and almost all other fans also accept, then perhaps you have no real understanding of our team problems at all.
Grandad Your right Socratis is always fouling pulling opponents shirts and grabbing them and getting booked I am fed up with him getting booked 10 times this season
I don’t think Sokratis comments called for a special article. He expressed his observations which you may agree with or reject. Socratis is one of our strongest defenders and therefore deserves to be accorded some respect. This article seems to be in bad taste! The problem that many of our supporters seem to suffer from is the illusion that Arsenal has an automatic right to win all games against mid table and lower teams. This is very illusory because no team has an automatic right to beat certain teams. All of us know that winning games depends on several factors. There is no shame in one team losing to another. I don’t quite understand the essence of this article. What does the writer want us to do? Condemn Sokratis who is one of our consistent performers? I believe we deserve better than such articles! We should be discussing how to improve our away form instead of responding to comments by a player who was not even responsible for the goal that caused our defeat. We need to get over our emotions and be objective.
Well said !!
David, Do you honestly consider “wrestling Sokratis ” to be worthy of being regarded as a remotely good enough CB at our expected level? If you really do, then I say you are not thinking properly. MERELY BEING A STEP AHEAD OF DREADFUL MUSTAFI AND WAY PAST IT MONREAL IS SAYING VERY LITTLE. If that standard actually satisfies you, then you clearly lack ambition for our club. Sigh!
Look man, against Everton Sokratis did not deserve to be on the losing side. If the other players had put in half the fight the man put in, we would never have lost that game! Let’s give credit where it due.
Thanks
I was trying to be constructive David as I believe our defenders, including Socratis, lack the quality we need to take us to a higher level. I admire Socratis for his grit and determination but he is lacking in height, pace and composure and this is reflected by his need to foul on a regular basis as evidenced by his 10 yellow cards.A high quality centre back does not have to resort to these tactics.As you say Socratis has been one of our better defenders this season which highlights how bad some of the others have been.
Sergio Ramos one of the best defenders in the work holds the record for most red cards
Well our next 2 games will be even worse as he’s suspended… and yes a lot of fans say he’s rubbish etc but I’d rather he was in the team than not.. and if Koscielny isn’t fit then I really fear for us (& our cojones) no doubt Troy will let us know if we have any after the game on Monday!
I can’t work this away hoodoo out.. obviously last season was bad, but it’s still carried on into this season.. I’ve never known us be this bad before, yes we’d lose the odd one or two away, like most teams do, but to be continually awful away from home is really worrying… great for the neutrals.. but really pants for us Gooners . It has to be a mental thing surely as it’s been going on for too long… ..
Come on Sue, you know exactly what it is..it’s that goddamn creme de menthe..would you perform at your job wearing that hot garbage? Lol
Hahaha brilliant Sean! ??
OT Man City’s kit is gross Come on Sergio ?
Am I the only one on here hoping for Spurs? For one, Spurs pregressing to semi-finals means they are distracted from PL run-in. For two, can’t stand the thought of City winning the quadruple.
They’re looking more likely to score right now ☹
Trudeau, a sensible and well thought through comment from a Gooner who has, as should we all, have more love for Arsenal than he has “hatred” for Spuds. The petty fans who would rather a Spurs loss inconvenience and harm us, rather than them winning and thus having a tougher, busier run in, which helps us, as you correctly say, are not the “brightest souls” shall we say!
I am irritated almost to despair by the dull brains and inability to think of some on here.
Thanks a lot Jon
Off topic here but I really liked hearing from Martinez today. He had a go at Szcznervy and Flapianski over their treatment of Peyton. I remember an article at the time in here and nobody thought it was massively disrespectful or below the belt, which was strange. Peyton has worked with some top keepers over the years but there is only so much you can do with a keeper of certain ability (and we’ve had a few). Martinez mentioned that they fell out and it makes sense, how they behaved in the media like that was disgusting. What Szcz said though, he didn’t get it, Peyton was telling him not to go early because Hazard is watching your movement and can go either way with it (so stay tall until he strikes). Top scorers do that, Auba done it with his last penno. Good man Martinez, massive respect.
Don’t our comments reach these players & coaches? I doubt, let them be like us who are very passionate with our Arsenal
Andre from Zambia
13 years of the Emirates, One CL semi final.
First year of new Spud bowl, on their way to CL semi final already.
Something tells me it’s mere incompetence from the ones in charge of the red and white.
I’m gutted! Thought City would win… they weren’t up for it tonight! Plus Liverpool won… ???
Plus played in 2 semi’s (losing in 1, winning the other)
Oops scrap that ?
Does the S stand for Spurs. Tott were the worst team by far, City very unlucky, I’ll be surprised if City don’t obliterate Tott in second leg. You don’t want to see a team in that shape reaching the latter stages, it demeans the value of the competition. And why are spuds singing the Saints go marching song, have they no dignity.
S that is because they have players who are hard working and all put in a shift and when they go down the do with a fight.I am hardcore red and white but i knew something was wrong when Hugo loris joined them when we had almunia/ fab/schnezy.And worse was when Jans & Ericson signed, they scouted Delli Ali and we are struggling with our overpaid and over hyped players.Luckily they have won nothing till date !
Everybody is talking about Sokratis & Kosch & Mustakees, but nobody is even giving Mavropanos a mention. I wonder why the boy was even signed by Wenger. Our young defenders will never get a chance to grow as proper footballers if they never get the chance to play at the top levels.We want to spent millions on buying defenders instead of developing those we have. And I know what everybody wants. Instant success, which is not always there. Unai will have to rebuild, and we should start at home, as we have enough talent. Forget the 30 somethings that he wants to bring in with no add on value. Just pair these youngsters with the experience players, so that they can learn. And I’m still reeling with the idea that we are losing Rambo for absolutely nothing. Can’t actually believe that we haven’t tried to keep him. Everbody will say that Chambers & Mavro is not good enough. Well, I disagree. I always wanted to know why Rob Holding was never playing, because I liked him as a player, and I knew he could do the business. He has definitely proved that. Just goes to show that our coaches don’t always know what is best, as they have their own ideas of players.
Wenger did not sign Mavropanos !
Omar I agree wholeheartedly with your comments on Emery as I have advocated for a flat back four since our away defeat at Southampton.By the way I have been called a lot of things in my life but I can assure you , after a very successful education and career I have never been called brain dead.My comments referred to our away form throughout the season not specifically to the Everton match.
By this time last season, heavens had already been let loose that Arsenal hadn’t won a match away from home in the league in 2018. Same situation, different reactions.