Suspect this is a sheepish Spuds we’re talking to.
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It’s not just been below our rivals, it’s been far below the precedent that Wenger himself set and to an extent even the precedent that George Graham set. We’ve just become so “un-Arsenal” in the past 10 years. IMO Wenger lost his shit after the CL final loss. He got the football equivalent of shell shock/ptsd from that I’m pretty sure.
As far as on the pitch performances goes; agreed, our football has been awful.
But end results; at the end of the day I think he is responsible for us not being able too compete, but we can’t deny the landscape of the Premier League has also changed. During 99-01 we finished with 78, 73 and 70 points and we came in 2nd every year. Now with the same points you’re maybe 3rd, probably 4th. We’d might win the Premiership, for example in 2015, but the arrival of Chelsea and City has made things so much more difficult.
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We have lost the formula of winning games, we have lost the balance of playing attractive, playing possession and getting results. We have lost the edge and winning mentality.
That’s why we need a new leader, on and off the field.
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When Wenger was winning and competing for the PL title every season, almost no players were under six foot tall, they were physically powerful and mentally tough, and we had a whole team of leaders.
Since we moved to the Emirates we have regularly put out teams where our midfield and forwards were all very small technical players, that were both physically and mentally light weight.
We have also lacked any real leadership on the pitch, the “mental toughness” Wenger drones on about is non existent, and we don’t have the sort of players that would do whatever it takes to win.
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The only ones lacking mental toughness is your part of the fan base my friend.
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When you see how the team crumbled a bit late November last season, his part of the fanbase are not the only ones who struggle with that.
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So accepting mediocrity, watching us throw away the PL title regularly while supporting Wenger repeating the same mistakes shows mental toughness?
I would have thought wanting something different, and not being scared of any changes, unlike the AKB’s who support Wenger and the club’s every decision, was showing a bit more mental toughness.
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Not even asking about winning the title or champions league here, but does even the most ardent Wenger supporter not have concerns about our style of play now.
Ive given plenty of criticism to Wenger on transfers, tactics, defensive frailties etc.
Since christmas last year though I never thought id be totally bored rigid watching one of his teams.
Id be interested to hear if anybody belives he will get that attacking style of football back on a regular basis. Again im not talking trophies but style.
I really dont think we will myself.
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Why not?
It has only been a matter of balance for Wenger teams to get the football flowing again.
Once Wenger decides on what midfield should be his first choice, how he wants to use Perez, how significant a role Iwobi plays etc; I am sure the style would improve.
As I said though it was like this for most of last season. Literally whole games when you cant create anything at all. Started off this season exactly the same from what I can see.
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I know. I haven’t enjoyed Arsenal since Cazorla injury as well.
But I would be really surprised if Wenger doesn’t get things sorted with a relatively fit team.
He has managed to play good football with likes of Denilson, Song, Bendtner, Walcott; so am sure it’s not a big ask given the current bunch.
I’ve been bored of our style for years to be honest.
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I think weve been going down a gradual path of decline for seasons now and style wise just disintegrated.
If your fielding Ozil, Cazorla, and not producing an ounce of entertainment your left with the feeling that the manager has run his course.
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Totally agree.
Like I’ve addressed before, the main criticism I have against Wenger is his style of play and tactics. I don’t think we have a bad team on paper, individually we have (or close enough) WC talent on every position (except striker). With a different tactical approach I strongly believe we could have a very competitive team.
I recall the first 10-15 games that Podolski played for us, on the left wing. He often came in from the line and took a more central position and did it very well! Maybe not the best clinical finisher but he was a constant threat for the opposition. On the old OA board many of us praised this. Wenger did not appreciate this however and often talked to him on the sidelines with gestures that he wanted him to stay wider. That hit the nail right there and although the players are given individual freedom to express themselves when having the ball at their feet, he clearly wants them to keep a strict formation.
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http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/arsenal-defence-dont-know-want-8839570
Do we hate Lee Dixon now like we hate Merson?
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They won’t hear you though.
All that talk of the defensive record being good in comparison to other clubs or some bollocks is just the team going out and playing their natural game. Which makes you wonder what they could achieve with a manager who knows what the hell he’s doing.
I’ve been saying for ages how they are clueless without the ball which is embarrassing, you get Sanchez pressing alone every game which isn’t going to achieve shit. Playing the way we do against weaker opposition may generally work but against better teams or those on par we’ll get beat more often than not.
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Dixon is only repeating what we allready know and have done for years .
We do not practice defense and shape when not in posession .
When we come against good teams with in form stikers we fall apart .
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No. Merson is a dbag.