There is no doubt that Arsene Wenger should have invested in one more defender and a defensive midfielder in the summer transfer window, because injuries (and suspensions – like now) have left the Arsenal squad with practically no defenders.
But Wenger feels that the Arsenal fans have been harsh in constantly criticizing the weak state of our defence and suggests that we should also consider the ames when we have defended well. “I think we defended well in Galatasaray,” Wenger said on Arsenal.com. “Before that game we had three clean sheets in a row but that is the modern game – it is always the last game that is judged definitively on the quality of the team.
“The last one was Galatasaray, before it was Stoke. Yes, we did not defend well at Stoke but I feel that at Galatasaray we defended well.
“We came back at five o’clock in the morning on Wednesday and we just have to recover at the moment,” Wenger added. “Our sessions are recovery, recovery because we played as well two more Champions League games.
“We have played eight Champions League games since the start of the season and we are exposed to demands physically that allow us to work less than we would like to. But of course we work on our weak points.”
“We want to play top level games and over the years we have learnt to cope with that and we don’t want to complain. I have played my 180th Champions League game, that means we can cope with that and Arsenal has learnt to cope with that.”
For this weekend, Arsenal are suffering even more than usual with the injuries to Laurent Koscielny and Nacho Monreal, and of course the suspended Calum Chambers (who was supposed to be a backup defender this season but has played narly every game). But Wenger is now considering playing Hector Bellerin, who had a shocker against Galatasary, or throw in an untried youngster.
“He (Bellerin) is getting better from game to game,” Wenger continued. “At the start he was a bit inhibited, but in the last game I think he played with more freedom.
“Defensively I have 24 hours to think about my options and I will find a solution for tomorrow. We have to play somebody with almost no experience or somebody who is not used to playing in the position.”
Wenger is suggesting that we are criticizing the defenders, but it seems to me that most people on this site are criticizing the manager himself for failing to provide enough coverduring the summer window, especially after selling Thomas Vermaelen. And who can explain why Wenger allowed Carl Jenkinson to extend his loan at West Ham United when we are going through a massive defensive crisis?
When did our defence become stretched..? It’s been poor since 2004!!!!
Wenger has failed miserably sorting the defence out and continues buying as many midget midfielders as possible in the hope we can out pass and out create every other team barring the ones with realistic title credentials..!
Our defence is the Pits! Is it Boulds fault or Arsene’s for deploying players in certain positions that are not familiar playing there or Arsene’s fault for never rectifying the problem for so long..
I’ve been saying it along with many others including ex pros that we need to creat a strong spine To the team instead of patching things up buying a player here or there JUST TO SAVE THE FUKIN BOARD A FEW MILLION HERE AND THERE ALA SUAREZ, SCHWARZER AND CAHILL TO NAME BUT A FEW!!!!!
God forbid we finish below the wenger 4th place Trophy……. That will eventually be an eye opener for AKBs worldwide……….. Right now i expect em to remain blind as bats
Although I’d never want us to lose.. It’s a worrying state of affairs that such a ‘United’ club has fans divided worldwide actually wanting us to lose and finish outside the top 4 (just to bring about change within the club)
On the one hand you can understand AKB’s disgust at such blasphemy .. Yet how else can you bring about change.. There’s no point accepting things as bad as they are.. Like the sheeple accept everyday life in today’s dictatorship society..!!
I personally believe there’s too much damage for Wenger to repair – and although he done a fantastic job in his first 10 years.. It’s now time for Kroenke to take this club back to where it belongs challenging for the league and replace Arsene with a more tenacious astute modern day coach.. Or himself hand over power to a true footballing man instead of being only interested in using us as a commercial tool generating personal wealth!
Wenger should definitely leave. I don’t think he believes his own bull? This man is boring. Always making excuses. #Wengerout!!!
translating wenger excuses:
every time he says “a bit” or “a little” , just replace it with “completely f*ing”:
“we were a little bit short” -> “we were completely f**ing short”
“we were a bit naive” -> “we were completely f**ing naive”
“we were generous” => “we’re f*ing clueless and threw the game away”
“you’ll have to ask the ref what he saw” => “the ref is on the take”
“wilshere is maybe out for 3 weeks” => “we wont see him for 3 months”
“giroud is out for 3 months” => “he might be back next week”
Wenger isn’t going anywhere, we need to put up with it for another 3 years until he finally puts together a decent team that may be enough to win a trophy or two.
Wenger’s time is up. He will not make two more seasons. #Wengerout!!
I cannot stop feeling frustrated after every Wenger press conference, he tries either to challenge us or to tranquilize us (I just don’t get it).
Arsenal defense is all about Kos since last year … I have never considered Mert as a good defender even with their pairing record .. because for me it’s Kos who cover and clear out everything after Mert against small teams but when it comes to big teams you can see the gab very clearly (just remember what Sterling exploited and targeted Mert) …
I don’t see Wenger buying top quality defender and will not bench Mert (vice captain) …
Lol.
Wenquilizers.
Take morn, noon and nite.
Celebrate 4th place every day
with your fellow AKB’s
Manufactured by
4thplaceisatrophy.CON
Take only as directed and
consume copious amounts of
ouchihol with every tablet.
Battered Injurys included 🙂
Damn! I laughed so hard, my belly started aching! madly hilarious.
4thplaceisatrophy.CON (I saw what you did there with the .CON) loooooooolllll
Ahahahahahah! LOL! Ahahahaha!!!
Wenquilizers!!! That must be the exact stuff “Captain-Westham” takes.
what small teams could Mertesacker boss around?…… And don’t even think of mentioning QPR……. They’ve got a Terrific “AUSTIN”….. Capable of making Mertesacker look like a dwarf
I meant last year … but now secrets are out … every team knows the trick …
We are in for a shock come end of this season. Top four is under threat.
Though I still think that we have been here many times in the past and we have always claimed 4th spot atleast, I however agree with you, that our ambition for top four is truly under more threat than ever. It will be an over-achievement if Wenger and this team does eventually clinch top four. The irony of it all when you realize that we have Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez in this team.
our offense is clicking.
its our defense that i knew would be a shambles, when TW closed in the summer and he didn’t buy anyone (or maybe he only offered 1p for them).
i don’t want arsenal to finish outside the top 4, but i have a sneaking feeling we’ll make it again – that is something wenger is really expert at.
actually i’m not even sure if we finish outside top4 , whether wenger would be sacked.
sad.
I agree.
Chelski and City are top two
United are getting better. They may not have a great defense but Offense is very strong
Arsenal are sixth place and 1 of approximately 7 teams to fight for 4th (including Spuds)
The transfer business Wenger does in January may define our fate just like his mistakes this Sumner and during the season Has defined the first half of the season.
Solution: Get his cheque book out and also make sensible match decisions
You do the math
Out: Sagna + Vermaelen + Jenkison = 3
In: Chambers + Debuchy = 2
We started the season without enough cover to the point where we had to get Bellerin from academy to play or use Monreal as a CB.
All we needed was another solid CB or RB (if using Chambers primarily as CB)
It’s almost like Wenger was sabotaging the team or became incredibly stupid
There’s no point trying to second guess a fool.. Simple fact is, there’s somehting not quite right within our club.. And whether it’s tight arse stubborn fool Weneger or silent yank Kroenke – it’s only the fans that are losing out..
It’s now that bad- coquelain has been recalled from charlton .. It wouldn’t suprise me if Bould was on the bench tomorrow – just to save some pennies!!!!!!
@Fred Cowardly.
Not a good example chap.
Sagna ( good player )out
Vermaelen injured and lost form = no loss
jenkinson not up to standard = No loss.
Chambers CB and RB, Debuchy RB
= 1 out, 2 in.
He was doing both.
COYG excited for tomorrow
Red army red army red army
In wenger I trust COYG
Shame on you, man. We lost 6-1 to United in 2000- 01 season. U call urself 6-1 never again. Yet we lost 8-2 to them two seasons ago, under ur beloved Wenger, and u say “never again”? Duh!!! Remember #Wenger1000?
Errr… I thought 61 Never Again was a reference to the year the Spuds did the Double?
Lol! Admin, must be a “perspective” thing, but I guess I’m spot on, though he won’t admit it.
He is special man, dont tease him.
Arsenal 1
Newcastle 2
Arsenal 2
Newcastle 0
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Injurys 🙂
You sane people on this forum one thing you must understand. It doesnt matter if Arsenal fails to archieve the 4th place, or if Arsenal ends up in the second devision. To many people in the world think that Wenger is beyond the club, for them he is the club.
I have asked many Wengerits, what the turning point would be for them in saying enough is enough, and everytime i asked they keept quit.
Losing to 8 goals to manure, being called from a rival ( if we can call them rival ), specialist in failure and then only to be remainded that we actually are by getting spanked to 6 goals in the 1000 game of Wenger. ( how emberessaing that was, geee, pathetic). Losing to City to 6 goals, Liverpool the list is simple endless.
How is it possible that every team in the world can beat us, but we cant beat the others. How is it possible that Wenger never did beat moro once in his life? How is it possible that even though we win to 4 goals, other teams, ( Newcastle f united) can catch us to it, and almost beat us.
How many games have you see Arsenal being able to come back. Like for example losing to 4 goals and then catch them. No, no such things only happens against us.
Arsenal fc, a club lead by a narcistic wannabe economist of a manager who gets backed from a board full of bankers and no football people at all.
Same can be said the other way round wen all the aob just sit and slate everything about our club and we ask them what’s the answer to make things better they haven’t got an answer and just split out rubbish like lets get rid of everyone like I’ve said ive seen my club in much worse position then this in fact 20 years ago this season we finished 10th in the league I know your comment is directed at me so wen you can tell me you seen arsenal finish in 10th below the spuds then I might start thinking that our club is in the sh#t like most of you spoilt brats think and then you can come to me and start calling me deluded for keeping my faith in wenger for everything he’s done for our club COYG in wenger I trust
From your comment, I can see it is all about loyalty to Wenger not Arsenal … We need titles not promises, manager worries about the club stature not money … If he cannot deliver, he should step down and we will be thankful for the great history we had …
What answer do you want? …. Don’t you know that most (if not all) of the so called AOB were to the death Wenger supporters and did turn against him for many reasons (personally I became against Wenger just last winter when he refused to get a striker and cost us the league title) … The answer is “Wenger out” and then we discuss what comes … Now, he is of no use and with his current tactics and stubbornness we can forget about wining titles (epl, cl)
Interesting argument from wenger but it’s tosh really! I saw a photo of per in a mobility scooter today, the idea was he could use it to go faster! Ot: coquelin recalled from Charlton Is this as were short atbat the moment or can we now expect no dm or cb to be signed in Jan?
Wengers never invested heavily in the back 4/5. He has always prefered to spend his money up front and in mf. We make do with arteta our of position, a free flamini and one wc cb and one who’s shocking. He needs to bite the bullet and realise a young pogba/kondogbia type player will be a wise investment for the future. As for a wc cb I believe good captains ate well postioned at cb as they can see the play in front of them. I can only dream of a hummels, kompany, cahill, terry type character at cb next to kos. Per not only is not at the level bwe need buthis on pitch/in game leadership skills are questionable and virtually non existent! I dream of fabian schar/varane and kondogbia/schneiderlin. Never mind benching per sell him. Ot: who thinks poldi/campbell out konoplyanka in may be a good shout?
Nice excuse. No one believes you…….
Wenger was supposed to go they day he said 4th place is a trophy, its an insult to arsenal as a club
Ian wright said someone needs to be sacked am sure we all know who it is (wenger), everyone who loves arsenal are fed up, some can say it openly but they are..