They might as well re-sign Cesc Fabregas in January.
The Arsenal thread | 2016-2017 season
- Thread starter baanke laal
- Start date
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) was joined by comedian Ali Woods to look back at the best and worst moments of a rollercoaster season with the annual United Hour Awards.
Has Ten Hag been sacked yet? We're not sure and we hope not, but it's looking more likely as the days pass.
Who should replace him and why is it taking so long to make a decision?
Every single Arsenal injury ends up going about 3 months over their initial assessment.
I have the same attitude after we won last season, the League Cup to me is a cheap clone of the FA Cup. Although it would be nice to win it after beating City and Liverpool (if we make it that far).
Just seen the Sanchez challenge, horrific. Should be a three game ban and a red card, yet all he gets is a yellow!
Cazorla being out is a massive blow. Without him we look tumescent in midfield especially after Wenger's habit of playing 2 DMs.
Your post is the same, you're not impressed by a team 8points ahead of you (and who have grinded out resultes despite playing poorly, something people always said we could never do) yet you're impressed and bold enough to predict United will finish ahead of us with their VERY average results.
I'd be amazed, quote me on it at the end of the season. You're not impressed by a team who is eight points ahead of you, yet are brave enough to suggest you'll overtake us. Sounds like Liverpool fans after they would finish 8th and after United would romp to the title, with their ''what a shit league no wonder they won'' yet if United won a shit league and according to them were shit then what did that make their mid-table team? Stop acting like someone from RAWK.
Your post is the same, you're not impressed by a team 8points ahead of you (and who have grinded out resultes despite playing poorly, something people always said we could never do) yet you're impressed and bold enough to predict United will finish ahead of us with their VERY average results.
You've been grinding out a lot of jammy points though. "stuff of champions" and all that, but if you don't find a higher level than you've played most of the season, you'll be the first to leave the title race and open up a top 4 race.
Well, really spurs were the first and they were in much the same situation.
Well, really spurs were the first and they were in much the same situation.
Till that happens its just bitter predictions, nothing more. Even with supposed ''jammy results'', whatever that means, we are within 3 points at the top.
Had we lost with such performances we'd never heard the end of ''Arsenal can't grind out results'', now that we actually are doing it (beating Chelsea and not getting beaten by United, our two bogey teams in the process) we are still getting hammered. We have been unbeaten in the league away from home since February, some consistency and we will always be there and there abouts the top 3-4. Even if we don't, there is nothing to indicate United will overtake us. You could keep waxing lyricals about these performances under JM but its no different than Liverpool fans who would write long essays on their ''domination'' during games, hitting woodwork etc yet kept finishing mid-table and were laughed at by people here. United fans are behaving no different.
The thing about Arsenal and its been the same for years, they lack drive. Dont get me wrong, when they are on form, they are irresistible, but something is missing from them.
It would though, we'll play better on the weekend by having fresher players and hence we'll be more likely to pick up more points. I don't think we'll win the title anyway but we may finish higher by prioritising the league.
I don't think this is true. LVG last season finished 5th and won the FA Cup. He was sacked, it wasn't considered a success because you had no CL football and didn't challenge for the title. United fans didn't have any sympathy for him despite him bringing in your first silverwear since Fergie left.
Qualifying for the CL is worth more financially than winning domestic cups.
There's only so long a team can grind out results. It's still early days. so the 8 points is nothing like the whole rawk analogy you put forward. It's only for so long that we are continuously going to outplay teams and not win matches.
We haven't played good football since the Chelsea game. But we have defended well and not allowed teams to create many good chances. All this 'jammy points' seems to focus on any decisions that go our way and ignore all the decisions that don't go our way.
We've lost Cazorla for 3 months so unless someone steps up and plays well in midfield we probably will drop more points. Either Xhaka or Ramsey needs to start bossing games and Ozil needs to up his game.
this is just plain wrong
No. If you're hinging on referee outcomes, you're scraping by anyway.
I was more thinking about the late winners and going on a run of scoring with pretty much every shot on target.
It's all extremely un-arsenal like really. If you do pick up from here, you can look back on this run as a defining period. Not sure where it is going to come from right now though. Still, you're in the mix with the other three so can't be that bad. Dont fancy Ozil to step up unless the midfield starts feeding him. Xhaka is probably your go to guy then.
Late winners are generally the result of non-stop work all game. United in Fergies heyday were getting late winners all the time. They weren't jammy, they were just consistently good and never gave up.
Yup. I remember I got slated when I said he's average at best and it's been masked by a few goals in that season. People talking about him on here like he was Iniesta
The fact of the matter is arsenal right now are outpointing their perfomances. History proves this is unsustainable over an entire season. Which means arsenal have to improve their performances if they want to have a shot at the title. If they don't, they won't win
Arsenal. What can you say.
Why would they try and make a good effort of winning a cup they have a home quarter final in!
Why would they?
They need to save players for the competitions they won't ever win.
Why would they try and make a good effort of winning a cup they have a home quarter final in!
Why would they?
They need to save players for the competitions they won't ever win.
That team last night had the necessary to win the game. Why do you assume otherwise? It's footy, sometimes you lose.
It was a shocking underestimation of Southampton. A dreadful lineup.
what a load of guff. You weren't aware that Wenger has a policy of not playing many first-teamers in League cup games? It's been going on for a little while now.I was aware Wenger has a policy of not winning many trophies
I could use the same analogy as you. You say we are playing poorly and still getting points and eventually we will start losing and lose points. Well then I could say you're losing despite playing well, and when you actually do start to play poorly you'll slide further down the table. I could also use your line and substitute it with Arsenal and say ''is only for so long that Arsenal will play poorly and eventually pick up form''
It is exactly like the RAWK analogy, who used to see United above them and say how crap United play and yet how United keep winning and instead used to point out how many games they (Liverpool) are dominating and how many time they have hit the woodwork and they were laughed at rightly. Infact Arsenal fans were told over and over again that only results matter in the end, not pretty football. Change of tune from United fans after becoming a mid-table side.
@B20, I am expressing my opinion, I can only post 3 posts per day due to the new newbie system, hence I have ''to bleat on'' to cover as much as I can in those 3 posts.
He sure was. Him and Allen looked like top class players but neither are in reality.
How come?
I can't see Ozil playing wide for Arsenal, especially in order to get the best out of Ramsey, it wouldn't make any sense to dislodge him for an inferior player.
Would you really say you've been consistently good?
You've been trying harder than your usual soft-under-belly approach so far, but I don't think it's clear whether you've been grinding through a rough patch, or just riding your fumes a bit longer than spurs could before points are getting dropped.
It's virtually another language.
Obviously I didn't say or imply that it was financially worth more... nor that club chairman would prefer it.
My point, to be absolutely crystal, is that as money is spread more evenly throughout the league, and it continues to be more and more competitive at every level, the prestige of every trophy being competed for goes up.
van Gaal's winning of the FA Cup was of course not enough to keep him in contract at this mighty giant of a club, it came at the end of 2 seasons of drab football and underachievement and it was clear his methods had taken the team as far as they were going to. But that fecking trophy still meant a lot to us as fans and to the club itself - check Woodward's beaming face at the presentation, check the scenes of joy both on the pitch and off when Martial stole us the win.
If you asked any Utd fan whether they'd rather erase from history that trophy victory, or BOTH of our last ventures into the CL, the answer would be obvious.
My point is that this will only increase and the worth (or prestige) of both the domestic Cups will rise as more and more good teams are competing for them.
A trophy that has better teams competing for it will rise in how much it means to said teams - i.e a hotly contested league title 'means more' than one that is won in a one horse race league.
Likewise, the more teams competing at a more similar level, means LESS SILVERWARE to go around, so the silverware available in the domestic cups will, I predict, continue to rise in it's worth to the fans.
I don't mean this as a slur to you, I like Arsenal as far as rival clubs go, and I like Wenger (and on topic, was actually really happy for him when you won the first of your recent FA Cups) but do remember that there is a culture at Arsenal of 'Top 4 being a trophy', and while the CL is great and the big clubs should be finishing in the Top 4, it isn't actually a real trophy, a real 'honour' to add to your trophy haul.
It won't be remembered in history, whereas trophy wins will. Especially trophies that are more hotly contested for.
A Man Utd v Liverpool League Cup final at Wembley would be fecking bouncing - and I tell you right now, both managers would be literally desperate to win that trophy!
You need to listen fam, so you can understand blud.
But that has hardly been the case for Arsenal this season has it ? Are you honestly comparing 2016 Arsenal to United in Fergie's heyday ? You've had less shots at goal than Everton, only 2 more than Palace and 3 more than Swansea. 15 less than City, 16 less than Chelsea, 21 less than Spurs and 33 less than Liverpool. This isn't the Arsenal we're used to seeing. You've definitely had more than the average rub of the green so far and the assumption is, whether it ends up being correct or not, is that eventually this will lead to a deterioration in results.
Ramsey has talent but doesn't seem to know how to use it. For me, at the Euros, Wales let him play at AM & Bale do what they wanted didn't they, behind the Centre Forward, keeping Bale on the left side - tactics are only a framework after all.
Cazorla knows how to play & does the simple things well - it's an interesting contrast. Also, Ramsey has got to be spending far too much time at the hairdressers.
Xhaka looks like a loose cannon & is still settling, Elneny & the Coq are nothing special, which leaves Ozil & Sanchez. Too many on lead violin, too many water carriers, not enough who can do both when required.
Having said thet, you can't really argue against 19 games unbeaten & however much we might not like it, clubs, players & Managers just can't be bothered with the League Cup if they think they are serious contenders in the League or CL.
Jury still out on the Goons this year.
Cazorla knows how to play & does the simple things well - it's an interesting contrast. Also, Ramsey has got to be spending far too much time at the hairdressers.
Xhaka looks like a loose cannon & is still settling, Elneny & the Coq are nothing special, which leaves Ozil & Sanchez. Too many on lead violin, too many water carriers, not enough who can do both when required.
Having said thet, you can't really argue against 19 games unbeaten & however much we might not like it, clubs, players & Managers just can't be bothered with the League Cup if they think they are serious contenders in the League or CL.
Jury still out on the Goons this year.
Who cares how opposition fans feel about you? The two FA Cup wins were great, and my favourite moments as an Arsenal fan in the last decade, the Hull final especially.
Pissed off we played such a shit team on Wednesday in a winnable quarter final, especially when it's only really Ozil, Sanchez and Koscielny who should be in need of rest. With it looking likely that we'll get someone like Barca in the Champions League again, this would have been a great chance of a trophy that we've thrown away for no good reason. We would have had a maximum of three extra games in the Carling Cup, but a trip to Wembley would come after two of those, and a trophy potentially after three. Seems ridiculous to throw the game in the way we did.
Well done that man! Put that big ugly @Grinner character right in his place. Thanks!
Some of the Arsenal fans here on another planet it seems. So much so even the normality deluded scouse Caf contingent have left the safe haven of the Klopp thread and come in here to set them straight.
Good stuff gents @B20 @Rafateria
ugh this "blud, fam, yeah" guy is barely listenable.
I think the bizarre thing about Arsenal is they rest players in cups they could win so as to keep them fresh for cups they have no chance of winning. It's quite a unique and bizarre concept.
When United did this it was because we were actually going and winning the CL/PL/both so it was prioritising silverware.
I find it sad Arsenal fans seem to think they are above domestic cup silverware and are instead happier keeping players fresh to battle for 4th.
When Wenger leaves all his hard work will be judged on trophies and sadly there's been nowhere near enough.
When United did this it was because we were actually going and winning the CL/PL/both so it was prioritising silverware.
I find it sad Arsenal fans seem to think they are above domestic cup silverware and are instead happier keeping players fresh to battle for 4th.
When Wenger leaves all his hard work will be judged on trophies and sadly there's been nowhere near enough.
You're right, last year around this time we'd had the highest chances created while being least clinical and generally over the last decade our finishing has been poor, the attitude has always been 'create enough and you'll score eventually'. Now we create a fraction of that and have been clinical. So something's changed, Sanchez being moved to CF partly, maybe breaking quicker, maybe working on finishing in training more, I don't really know. We do sit deep after taking a lead though, so it's not necessarily that we can't create more.