Arsenal
Where do we go from here?
Theo
By Boris Mellor
December 18 2012
After the Reading game Wenger pointed to the fact that Arsenal don’t lose that often only four times compared to United’s three, and only once in the last seven league games. However the Gunners don’t win that often either, having won only seven to Utds 14, and Tottenham’s nine.
It never makes sense to claim that a whole season can be decided on one result. Yes it was great fun and no fluke, Arsenal dominated all over the pitch and didn’t concede until it possibly didn’t matter.
Of course the past weighs like a nightmare on the minds of the living, and no doubt many a fan’s mind drifted back to the loss of a four goal lead at Newcastle, but this time Arsenal had eleven men and a neutral referee. However, more importantly the opposition was far far weaker than Newcastle, so it only took a great goal by Theo for all the air to go out of a possible comeback.
That fifth goal possibly covered up for the fragility of Arsenal’s defence that has been there for a long time now. Even so Arsenal’s defence isn’t that bad overall, after all Man U have conceded 24 compared to Arsenal’s 18. However Man U have scored 43 to the Gunners 31 who are third top goal-scorers and third best defence.
So unless Arsenal start beating all comers 5-2 every match for the rest of the season we can expect to see them struggle for 4th place.
Wenger was clearly elated by last night’s result, weren’t we all, it has been a grim first half of season, but what concerns me is that he might decide he doesn’t need to strengthen the squad. That would be very bad news indeed. Can Walcott make a number nine? I hope so and its worth the try, the club must fight harder to keep him. He looks more like a natural goal scorer than Giroud, Podolski or the hapless Gervinho.
Wenger may claim that Bradford was a one off of no importance, but these freak results can be the canary in the coal mine. Billy Wright’s managerial career effectively ended on being beat by Peterborough. One stat that defeat at Bradford continued was that Arsenal have won only one game without Arteta since his arrival, and we had to bribe the keeper to win that.
Of course victory and defeat are both impostors, one victory or one defeat tells us very little. So if Bradford doesn’t predict the future, nor does Reading. The best indicator is not individual results but the overall record.
Wenger used almost his strongest squad at Bradford and it wasn’t good enough. He put a weaker team out at Olympiacos and failed to win. In the scheme of things neither of those results matter, except they demonstrate a lack of depth in the squad. Whenever key players are rested something goes wrong.
Wenger played, possibly, his best eleven against Reading and won convincingly, but we cannot get carried away, after all the Royals are firmly planted on the bottom of the league, looking a cert for relegation.
Walcott was superb last night, can he do it against the big teams, and more consistently? Well its worth a try, even if only it might bring out the best in Podolski. If Wenger can get Walcott to sign it could be just like a new signing, fail and it will be hard for him to survive another season without trophies.
Arsenal fans are already forced to hear of the exploits of a once great Arsenal striker, it would be unbearable for many to lose yet another.
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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2012:12:22:21:53:57 by Padre Pio.
we played our best team at bradford but lost so that confirms how rubbish we are
billy wright lost his job when he lost against peterborough, so surely wengers time is up
walcott has scored two golas in two playing upfront this season but lets not get carried away its not like it was against manu and city
where do we go from here you ask? i would like us to go to a place where we can enjoy a good win without moaning for more that 20 seconds
Do you think the stops should be pulled out to keep Walcott Jack?
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.
if playing him upfront gives cazorla the space to play as he did then he should be kept and played upfront regardless of whether he signs or not
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012:12:18:20:03:46 by Jack_is_the_truth.
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.
Quote:Jack_is_the_truth
.....
where do we go from here you ask? i would like us to go to a place where we can enjoy a good win without moaning for more that 20 seconds
Jack...u are such an easy fan to please. Arsenal management must wish for more of your kind to fund their well being.
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.
Quote:Padre Pio
Agree
The big issue is will we wait too long again to see how things turn and give away next year too as too many Gooners then will still be unprepared or even unwilling to take the more serious action the Board's inaction will almost force us to take.
only difference is Reading was even worse than a pub team they didn't close down anyone..leaving Arsenal with all the time in the world to pick out their passes
season doesn't look good
Quote:mapleleafgoonerQuote:Jack_is_the_truth
.....
where do we go from here you ask? i would like us to go to a place where we can enjoy a good win without moaning for more that 20 seconds
Jack...u are such an easy fan to please. Arsenal management must wish for more of your kind to fund their well being.
a 5-2 away victory doesnt please you?? Do you expect that i should be upset after a victory like that because the board are a bunch of muppets
im not a sheep dude i react to things i accordingly and not how i am told to
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.
Quote:Padre Pio
I was a bit misleading there, Billy Wright lost his job at the end of the season, so I hope it didnt raise too many expectations.
Do you think the stops should be pulled out to keep Walcott Jack?
I do yet another player to leave just after we make them the players they are no way this has to stop plus I think he well deserves his chance upfront and even through all this contract stuff made it plain and simple he wants to stay and become a legend
Can't fault him for standing his ground over his terms and If what He says was promised I'm sure the last time he signed an extension him being a striker by the time he signs a new one was probably the that
Wingers are cheaper than strikers so with him as a striker we get another winger maybe zaha or someone better theo would be the new striker signing and would play like that hungry for goals but already used to the prem
No brainer
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012:12:19:14:41:32 by Big Guhnz.
Wigan will show us up what we are;
a mediocre and inconsistent team run-down by a deluded manager living in past glory and thought he is managing Barca.
When the going goes tough, this team of french poodles, pretty boys and bottlers will just lie down and die.
Quote:Jack_is_the_truth
......
a 5-2 away victory doesnt please you?? ..........
I am absolutely delighted with the 3 points. But I cringed when I see our players make mistakes like the 2 goals that we gifted Reading. Reading didn't score those 2 goals thru their own invention and brilliance. In fact ffs they have one of the worst scoring records in the league.
A sign of an improving Arsenal is the elimination of such mistakes where we seemed to periodically contrived to give the game back to the opponents. Real mental strength and focus are all I am asking for throughout the match. I think thats what all caring fans would want to see as well.
Just hope we can keep our forwards creative and scoring!
Quote:Philly the kid
Wenger doesn't seem to mind those dumb goals. He seems to be back on his "you score 4, we'll score 5" tips again.
Just hope we can keep our forwards creative and scoring!
I am sure u have heard of "Offense wins games. Defence wins championships"?
nobody EVER wins a game by not conceeding
As I have said many times the current Arsenal side whilst getting results has'nt looked like an Arsenal team, there has been absolutely no cohesion. The Spurs game left me cold, because after it I still didnt see that we had much going for us.
Now, I have to say that that terrible man Seanski called it correctly after the West Brom game, when he said that the midfield had shown signs of knitting together. And I think they are, on the showing against Reading. Yes Reading were tactically not just naive but suicidal, but the players were showing that wavelength that you used to get from Wenger sides almost irrespective of the competition.
yes they have to take it into other games against better opposition, yes we arent protected against injury, or Wenger not knowing who his best forwards are, or generally being a tw*t, but after seeing this performance I feel more optimisitc that we have a platform to build on. Whether or not we choose to build on it is another matter.
if a defence sits deep it frees up space for caz and wilshere to work. there will be less doubling up on cazorla because the defenders will always have to have an eye on theo and where he is going to run for and wouldnt run the risk of leaving there back line to double up on caz.
i know its only been one game but im excited at bout theo in the middle, the ox on the right and jack in the center pulling strings. this could be a major trio for us and country for years to come
Quote:mapleleafgoonerQuote:Jack_is_the_truth
......
a 5-2 away victory doesnt please you?? ..........
I am absolutely delighted with the 3 points. But I cringed when I see our players make mistakes like the 2 goals that we gifted Reading. Reading didn't score those 2 goals thru their own invention and brilliance. In fact ffs they have one of the worst scoring records in the league.
A sign of an improving Arsenal is the elimination of such mistakes where we seemed to periodically contrived to give the game back to the opponents. Real mental strength and focus are all I am asking for throughout the match. I think thats what all caring fans would want to see as well.
Yup.
Remember we were all singing the influence of Boulds when we kept FOUR clean-sheets in August/September?
What is the common factor that is missing?
- Absence of Diaby?
- Cazorla and Poldolski cuaght teams by surprise?
- managers wised up and prevented Cazorla from playing?
C_D got it right when he said our MIDFIELD "finally knitted', not because we gelled, but a sucidal reading forgot to stop our midfield, especially Cazorla from playing.
The MIDFIELD has not gelled yet if you noticed the large numbers of strayed passes into enpty sapces, behind players and right into the path of a defender.
The roof of whetehr the MDIFIELD had started gelling (like in August/September) is against an astute manager liek MArtinez who knew how to sotp Arsenal from playing and how to stop Cazorla-Wilshere from playing.
Wigan game wll show up whether Wenger had learned his lesson, tactically, and moved on from Reading and out-smart Martinez in countering his spoiling tactics.
In a sense, the emerging fo Wilshere, and to a certain extent OX and a Poldolski coming out of his slump, gives Cazorla more freedom to play.
I find no fault with our CB pairing in Mertesacker-Vermaelen. But the worrying part is our vulnerable LB in Gibbs and Santos, both of them can't read the game well, poor in trakcing back and simply lack that quickness of Cashley Cole and Clichy, i.e. one they lsot the ball, just watch their quickness in chasing down the abll winner.
When Gibbs lost the ball high up the pitch..just watch him jogging and staring at the back of the quick-running opponent. The best I can quote him is Gibbs is the "Eboue LB".
This weekend, if it is freezing cold, slippery pitch....it will show the character of this TEAM whether they are fighters when the goings get tough.
Quote:salisbury69
....Nothing will change as Wenger and the board will not learn any lessons until it is too late.
Nothing will change as long as the "self sustaining" model is maintained.
Enough is enough.
As for the squad, on paper we are pretty good I think. We are as always a couple of quality signing away from being a top class team again.
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