Wenger admits it’s Chelsea’s title to lose, but Arsenal still have lots to play for

Okay after the last week’s results I reckon that 90% of Arsenal fans (and Liverpool and Tottenham and Man City fans!) have finally accepted that this season’s title race is done and dusted, and even Arsene Wenger has basically come out in agreement. Le Prof said after the Chelsea defeat: “They look at the moment in full confidence, powerful, strong, they don’t concede goals.

“It’s for them to lose it. They are in the best position, they don’t play in Europe, they can wait every week for the next game and prepare properly. They are in a very, very strong position.”

I have just looked at Chelsea’s upcoming fixtures and they don’t make pleasant reading after just taking 4 points from Liverpool and Arsenal.

Burnley (A) – Sun 12 Feb
Swansea (H) – Sat 25 Feb
West Ham (A) – Mon 6 Mar
Watford (H) – Mon 13 Mar
Stoke (A) – Sat 18 Mar
Crystal Palace (H) – Sat 1 Apr
Manchester City (H) – Wed 5 Apr

I really can’t see Chelsea surrendering much of their 12 point lead in many of those games, although Watford (and Burnley!) may be a tough one lol. So if we all accept that it will be Chelsea’s title, then what is Arsenal’s aims for the rest of the season? Wenger continued: “It leaves us to focus and prepare to win the next game and that’s what football is about.”

Of course there is still lots to fight for. We have a BIG fight for the Champions League places, not to mention the FA Cup where we have got practically a bye into the 6th Round, so we still have lots to look forward to in that competition.

And then we have the big big one. We are just two games from a spot in the Quarter-Finals in the Champions League, although admittedly Bayern Munich could be a big obstacle on that front, but we still DO have a chance and we must support the team against the German Giants.

I bet all the big guns are very happy that Chelsea are not in that one, so we have as much chance as anyone else this season.

So don’t give up yet. There is still much to play for….

Sam P

23 Comments

  1. Yes Mr Wenger. I agree. Chelsea are full of confidence.

    Because they have a team of better players than we do. We do not have an equivalent to Costa, Hazard and Fabregas. They have a better defensive midfielder and defence also.

    Its your fault for expecting mainly average players to win and play like world class players. Confidence comes from winning matches, lots of them.

    1. No, Chelsea don’t have better players. The have a better manager, who has been able to organize them and make them work hard defensively. That is the only reason, they are so much better than us.

      1. Occurs Chelsea have some playersthatare better than ours. The biggest examples for me are Costa, kante and matic. We simply don’t have players with their aggression in those main areas.

        Chelsea also have a better goalkeeper. They have a player like Fabregas who cannot get a start, whilst the Manager had the balls to change his formation and play to his players strengths.

        Wenger meanwhile, sticks to his tippy tappy 4231 that has not won him the league EVER. The last time he won it almost 13 years ago he played a 4411, he had strong tall players throughout the side and physical aggression where it was required.

        Unfortunately for us, he will never admit his mistakes. Even the kostafi partnership is looking vulnerable, Cech seems to have aged 3 years in the last 3 months. Our full backs are looking weak. Our central midfield looks weaker. Whilst the attack is changed so much.

        It has come down to this, the easiest way to qualify for the champions league group stages is to draw both matches of the next 3 ties 1-1 away and 0-0 at home, then win the final on penalties. The alternative is fight United and Liverpool for 4th place then get through a tricky qualifier. That is all assuming that Leicester don’t win the champions league, cos if they do we need to finish third.

  2. HA!!! no shit!! Wnger blew the last chance to contend for the title last game, IT showed once again we cant win the important games against big teams.

  3. HA!!! no… realy?!! Wnger blew the last chance to contend for the title last game, IT showed once again we cant win the important games against big teams.

  4. I’m switching channels watching Bayern v Wolsgiurg and Atletico v Barcelona. Believe me, two special teams on display. Atletico first half? Presing is shocking that Barca has struggled to have shot on target and Atletico had 3 chances in the Camp Nou ( Love simeone style no mental weakness or lack of cohesion s… ) and If we want a good result in Munich on wednesday ( we have to play like atletico ) but wait. We do not have the players nor the mental attitude and go for it like when we destroyed Chelsea at the Emirates. The only game I have enjoyed this season. Bayern play 3-4-3 but with pace on the wings they will need to change the system as the 3 in midfield are slow ( vidal-rafinha-alonso ) but they push Alaba and Lahmn with Roben -COSta – Lewadonski up front. Remind us someone? yes, Chelsea so be aware .oh, Barca just scored. Guess who? Suarez. Hurt to know we could have got him ..just 🙁

  5. Maybe for you and Wenger but I wouldn’t call finishing 4th,
    plenty to play for ? unless your only init for the money??
    Your already taking the away game at Sutton Utd for granted but have you any idea of what their ground looks like,let alone their bumpy cabbage patch pitch? ?
    I can’t see Wenger risking any of our star players on that surface,
    Which makes this game more likely to be a giant killing with the reserves that he will put out for this game and the Sutton management know this too, which is why they stuck to playing this tie at their ground instead of moving it elsewhere (Crystal palace) that must tell you something ?

    You see, it’s not all about the money, for some clubs the fans come first even if they haven’t got two Bob to rub together. ?

  6. Oh and Sam, the other teams were only thinking that Arsenal are done and dusted for this season. ?

    Personally, i feel that the title will still play out to the wire, but we most definitely won’t be challenging for it.

  7. What’s left?? Well I personally feel very little.
    Which knows it may turn around somehow but whilst there’s division, unsigned comtracts and discontent I feel it’s damage limitation this year. Even kos critiqued wengers selection post match. There are players speaking out now that normally wouldn’t. He’s lost a high % of the dressing room.

    1. and that’s never happened before. Players speaking out against the Great Wenger is unheard of. You really have to wonder if this is finally it. It’s hard for any manager to come back once they lose the dressing room. Players don’t want to waste their careers. Kos knows he can go to another club and probably win a title in 2 seasons. At Arsenal, it will never happen under Wenger. This is why Alexis being gone is almost a guarantee. Ozil will stay because he wants a bigger pay-rise, and thats the truth. He doesn’t care where he plays honestly. You can tell who has ambition and who doesn’t. It’s a shame we have players that want to play here, but also want to win, and they know it can’t be done at Arsenal too.

  8. Chelsea winning the PL title this season is done and dusted? Who has said so when there are still 14 games for 42 points to play for? Are Chelsea iron cast protected from dropping points as the PL season’s campaign drags near to the homestaight? I think Monsieur Wenger is just been diplomatic when he said, the title is Chelsea to lose.

    Sam P, out of the 7 PL games you’ve listed above which Chelsea will play for a maximum 21 points collection, take it from me, Chelsea will drop 9 points out the 21. But the question we must ask ourselves is, will Arsenal take advantage of Chelsea dropping these 9 points by winning their own next 7 PL games to limit Chelsea advantage over us to 3 points? If Arsenal will do this, then Chelsea winning the PL title this season is after all not yet done and dusted as it is being believed in some quarters.

    1. its done mate, they don’t falter like we always do. you remember us leading the league in one previous season (can’t remember which) till late Jan or early Feb, but finished 4th come May? and I also remember Chelsea leading the table in Sept (can’t remember the year) i think and they never moved an inch till the season ended and them crowned champions, they don’t normally do what we do best. so Wenger is right, add to his lack of motivation, excuses and tactical ineptness! we are doomed

  9. “They don’t play European football..”

    LOL, Wenger got excuses alright. As if no other team has ever won the title while playing in the Champions League/Europa League

  10. “When Arsenal are spoken about as title contenders, people actually laugh because they can’t see it happening”- Diego Forlan

    Says it all right there. Nobody realistically thinks Arsenal can win title besides for some Arsenal fans at the beginning of the season. It stinks to see this happen every year, but it’s going to keep happening as long as Arsenal keep making the same mistakes as a club. Arsene seems to have lost the dressing room this season, something that has never happened before with past failing teams. Will this finally be it? Or will we be saying these same things next year? Really a shame it’s not up to us. It’s well known the board cares about money over silverware, and sees fans as big sacks of cash. Huge problems at Arsenal, and they’ve been there for years. You have to wonder if there is any going back, if Arsenal can go back to being a club that has a winning mentality, that puts football first.

  11. Please stop with this nonsense! We have no chance of getting close to Chelsea! There is no need to give yourself hope because there is absolutely zero chance we are catching them.

    I am not trying to be negative just realistic, do you really thing any Arsenal fan wants to be in this position?

    Be sincere and ask yourself, are we really going to catch Chelsea?

      1. and he lacks ambition too, how would he sign a contract when he knows he did nothing to earn that contract? he’s doing it for cash, its a huge sum of cash, 8m a year is enough to turn some heads

  12. Yeah they still have quite some things to play for. I am neutral be it with Wenger or not I don’t care…all I want is the club success and honestly we are fighting for pride and not to be the laughing stock of the league and football in general.
    Just listen to all the comments about how nobody believed Arsenal would contend for something. As a player or the manager I would be ashamed, frustrated and revolt myself in a positive way.
    This article I read on bleacherreport sums up what a fan who wants the club success would like to see from than onwards:
    -Beat Bayern and progress above our mental block
    -Make top four and possibly as good as last season finishing #2 likely getting positive result in our 5 most difficult fixtures (Spurs, Man U, Man City, Everton, Liverpool) & taking back some lost points
    -Ensuring we finish above any team in London except Chelsea of course
    -Win FA Cup best chance of silverware
    -Win UCL long reach but beating Bayern could spur the team and maybe make them believe coupled with playing any team except Barca, Real & Atletico in the round after and could we do a Chelsea 2012.
    Maybe that could ensure and mean Wenger leaves on a high. Legacy kind of unblemished and fans happy. Best outcome frankly.

    1. Well spoken Raoh.
      Question is..
      Can Wenger find it in himself to get his team’s s**t together at this point in time?
      I highly doubt it myself. He always has corny excuses at the ready meaning he expects failure, and then he does not seem to want it badly enough, the reason for all them sh***y excuses in the first place.He made the bed and now he is lying in it whether he believes it or not.The sooner he comes to his senses the better for the club and its real drivers, the FANS.But my sixth sense tells me he should be gone by season’s end.

      1. That’s the 8 millions dollar question isn’t it? I doubt it too. What I am simply saying is that would be the dream miracle and everybody would get what they want.
        In a scenario like that one:
        -Wenger will likely leave and on the highest level he could possibly be
        -Alexis & Özil will likely renew among others
        -Arsenal pride will be restored to some extent
        -Fans will finally be able to be completely together and celebrate not only a change at the manager’s position for the past 20 years but a winning season with a double and positive results against top 6 teams

        At the end of the day it is also down to the players to switch that losing mentality, show some ambition, self belief individually and at a team level that the quality is there. Hold each other accountable, be discipline, focused. Some of the things sure the management can pass down into the squad but the players have to do there part too.

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