I sometimes think that we Arsenal fans are harder on Arsene Wenger and the Arsenal players and their failings than anyone else is, probably because we are so desperate from them to do well and to get everything right both on and off the pitch.
We certainly feel the defeat of a defeat like yesterday’s latest Premier League frustration against bogey side Chelsea. That frustration has led to many of us questioning whether the Gunners have really got what it takes to keep up the title challenge.
The manager’s tactics have also been placed in doubt once more after the decision to take the big French centre forward Olivier Giroud off in order to bring Gabriel on after Mertsacker’s red card. Former Tottenham star and current pundit, Jermaine Jenas, certainly thinks it was the wrong call, as he explains in a BBC report.
Jenas said, “The Arsenal fans and Giroud himself made it very clear what they thought of the decision, and I agreed with them.
“I can honestly say I have never seen that happen in any game I’ve been involved in. If a team has a defender sent off, it is usually one of their ‘luxury’ players who gets dragged off – not the big striker.
“Personally I would have taken off Joel Campbell, but I would also have chosen to lose Mesut Ozil or Theo Walcott rather than Giroud.
“It was 0-0 when Wenger made the switch and it is possible he was already thinking he would take a draw, but he must surely have been thinking that he might need a goal at some stage.
“If Campbell came off and Arsenal conceded quickly as they did, Wenger might have regretted his decision but he had another similar player in Alexis Sanchez on the bench who could have come on to try to rectify the error.
“The main problem with taking Giroud off was that Arsenal did not have another striker like him. Once Wenger made that decision, then tactically he was totally committed to playing one way.”
Even though he is a spud I have been quite impressed with Jenas as a pundit and the intelligent way he looks at the game so I am willing to take on board his take on the Giroud sub. However, he also had some very positive things for Arsenal fans to take from the game, mainly the fighting qualities that we have showed in the last three difficult games. In fact, surprisingly enough the Spurs man is backing Arsenal to bounce back from this and claim the Premier League title in May.
He said, “Arsenal’s defeat means they have only taken two points from their last three games, but I do not see their recent form as real cause for concern for their title hopes.
“Gunners fans will be worried, of course, because of their side’s recent history of falling short in the latter stages of the season.
“But I would focus on the performances they have put in against Liverpool, Stoke and now Chelsea, rather than the results.
“Wenger will not be happy with the way they conceded on Sunday, but I think he will be proud of the way they responded and the effort his players put in. Chelsea were hanging on at times.
“Yes, Arsenal’s second home league defeat of the season was a set-back but they again showed the kind of character they will need over the next four months.
“The way they have responded in tough situations, to draw at Anfield and the Britannia Stadium – and fight with 10 men against Chelsea – is a sign they have the mental strength to be champions, and I am standing by my prediction that they will win the league.”
Is he right Arsenal fans?
Its an Insult and salt to our Lacerated wounds to be Linked with the Likes of “kylian Mbappe” at such critical point in time when we desire the EPL trophy most
i have somehow known why Wenger rarely makes big money signings
1) their big money signings and fat pay checks
2) they have to PLAY….. to justify their price tags
and that would eventually mean
3) Benching his favourites
@SA
Spot on dude…
““Personally I would have taken off Joel Campbell, but I would also have chosen to lose Mesut Ozil or Theo Walcott rather than Giroud.”
Substitutions are better judged in hindsight at times. Looking back, it appears it was Campbell who should have gone off and not Giroud. Many things could have explained Giroud’s substitution: 1. He was actually a huge doubt before the game with an ankle problem. Wenger couldn’t afford making another substitution due to injury 2. Walcott and Campbell will cover a lot more ground considering we were a man down. But yes, it’s true that by removing Giroud we were left with limited tactical options.
No way did taking away any of the front three players (walcott, giroud or campbell) affect the game
our big problems were a CB (per) and MF (ramboflame)
end of….
Then obviously that means that the manager with the most premier league years of experience has totally lost the plot!
Why start with Giroud, if there was a risk of making his injury worse?…. What?… Still no lessons learned? ?
And what else does it say when Wenger talks of regrets after the Chelsea game?
Wenger’s idea of taking a risk, is by playing our player’s whilst they are not 100% fit and then he hesitates playing them, when they are!
And he obviously thinks that its a huge gamble to start with Gabriel and Elneny instead of Mertesacker and Flamini. ?
Some of our so called positive thinking fan’s have stated that it would have been a risk to bring on Elneny against Chelsea,
In those circumstances, as the crowd may have turned against him, if he had a nervous start, like Cech did.
But isn’t that being negative?…. Who’s to say that Elneny might have come on and scored an absolute Screamer from 30 yards out!..If Flamini ended up having our only shot on target, then why not Elneny becoming an instant Hero?..
Oh, It’s okay to be negative, when it suits the “always look on the bright side of Wenger’s mistakes” type of fan’s!
Whilst the unhappy fan’s get slatted for seeing things the way they really are! ? ? ?
Stop moaning and whining at the moaners and whiners!
? It’s so annoying. .. just thumb it down and move on!
They don’t understand your logic and you don’t understand theirs… So just leave it at that!…. and all will be alot clearer,
Come May! ??
This —>
“And he obviously thinks that its a huge gamble to start with Gabriel and Elneny instead of Mertesacker and Flamini”
Lmao but apparently it’s wasn’t a gamble to start Arteta in a PL game after half a year of no first team action -_-
I know he needed speed in our counter-attack, but taking off Giroud, we were left without a physical presence upfront, which we sorely needed against a side like Chelsea… I don’t think he really considered the possibility that the few chances we would get to get into Chelsea’s box would’ve resulted from situations like corners & free-kicks, where Giroud was needed!
Why Campbell? Defensively he puts a shift Theo useless Walcott should of come of he was pss poor
the whole world can back arsenal to lift the League……… Pundits, ex-players, rivals, managers, fans , tv presenters , punters, coral, williamhill, betshoot, whatever
none of it all matters
in the end…..3pts, decent performances , consistency, the hunger in our bellies, the fire in our eyes, the right players, the right tactics….. justifies the means
Arsenal will win the league.
City has too many games.
Leicester will falter.
Spurs are too young.
There is no doubt Arsenal will win.
Champione Champione woooooooooooooo
Hahaha and you will still be waiting for Leicester to falter with two games left ??
Please, tell me…
When was the last time that a team who had lost 5 or more games, won the premier league ?
I can’t remember any!
Its normal 2 or 3 defeats, at the most and looking at that statistic, it favours Leicester (lost 2 ) and the spuds ( lost 3 )
History will keep repeating itself, all the while the circumstances remain the same!
Same old Arsenal…. Same old.. End results!
I’m sure David was still on with his “Arsenal will certainly win the title this season” since 2004, LoL
Fatboy Gooney, I will tell you that arsenal make new history by losing 5 games and still win the league. I will also tell you Leicester will fight against ManU for 4th place. Please remember me come May.
Well one thing is for sure is it’s now clear who the front 3 should be if there isn’t a better acquisition before this window shuts and if we want to be serious about winning the title THIS season. From left to right, Alexis-Giroud-Campbell. Also I see why Cazorla(the shortest player) was chosen as the box to box or CM and Ramsey was played where Campbell took over now. It’s COMPOSURE!!! Coquelin is the obvious at DM as Cech is for GK. In defense Gabriel must now get his shot or a longer run to show he is truly a starter. Would really like to see what our new signing can offer as well.
No way! Campbell was still fighting the game! If it’s anyone that should have been taken off was theo not giroud our best target man on the field!
the epl nowdays is so damn weak, that even the likes of L. city can have a go on it to win it, and even worse, even spurs look like they could have a try to win it.
pathetic and very shameful, not to arsenal alone, but to all the other epl top teams as well.
if wenger cant win the leauge this time. then what the f is he doing at arsenal?
His getting paid large amounts money ??
Thats what his doing!….. And he is not as deluded as we think, to give that up in a hurry! ! ?
The american bastard must be laughing his ass off in joy, so much that he will present wenger with 2 more years for his great work in taming the idiot of fanbase we have.
I only hope we don’t rue our missed chances this season…Arsenal is sooooo close, yet still sooooo far.