MDFC Manager
Full Member
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2005
- Messages
- 24,308
Never change
They outplayed City and would have been unfortunate to draw let alone lose. This performance today is actually more of a feather in Arteta's cap because he's shown his side can go toe to toe with the best in the league. He beat big teams in the FA Cup run but I don't actually think any of those performances were better than what we saw today from Arsenal, even though they won in those games.Done in again by ceding the initiative, happens far too often to be excused.
I wish it was random. But even though the penalty and sending off were soft, we needlessly gave the referee decisions to make. Why pull an opponents shirt in the box? Why scuff up the penalty spot?They were on top, this meltdown is as random as a Lukaku interview
It’s a real shame for you, City randomly have these games when the ball doesn’t stick up top due to having no striker and are contained with a good, defensive performance. Now the pressure is on the NLD where not winning could see you falling to 7th or 8th with a hill to climb.I wish it was random. But even though the penalty and sending off were soft, we needlessly gave the referee decisions to make. Why pull an opponents shirt in the box? Why scuff up the penalty spot?
Matin Keown then blamed it on youth, but it wasn't Saka or Martinelli losing their heads.
The difference between them is it was possible Ederson actually got the ball and made a legit tackle. But even if you think that's a pen, that shouldn't change the fact Xhaka's blatantly fouled Silva.I honestly think we should have had a pen, but fair enough if it was too close to call. But then the same consistency should go the otherway. Silva was already on his way down before Xhaka pulled his shirt.
Disagree with that. Silva was diving, and then Xhaka grabbed his shirt on his way down. It's not stonewall. But equally I do see why it was given.The difference between them is it was possible Ederson actually got the ball and made a legit tackle. But even if you think that's a pen, that shouldn't change the fact Xhaka's blatantly fouled Silva.
There is no debate to be had about Xhaka's challenge, he fouls him with his leg and then pulls his shirt and gets nowhere near the ball. There's no 50/50 about Xhaka's foul, it's just a stonewall pen.
And they continue to play Xhaka. So they will suffer.They have a very good shape and setup out of possession. They’ve improved in that regard a lot.
He fouls him twice. It doesn't matter whether Silva may or may not have gone down had he not been fouled, the point is he was fouled, twice. I just cannot understand the debate around this penalty, it's just Arsenal playing the victim card.Disagree with that. Silva was diving, and then Xhaka grabbed his shirt on his way down. It's not stonewall. But equally I do see why it was given.
My biggest issue is why didn't he go see the first pen on the screen?
Played well today but likeable? Armadale has joe hart vibes, Gabriel tierney & lacazette constantly moaning, only like lad one is saka!Bottled it slightly but really proud of the boys and this Arsenal team of late. Really likeable bunch (bar Xhaka). They really gave it their all which is all we expect to be honest. The fans in the stadium realise this and stayed beyond the game to cheer them on.
I hope this loss doesn’t demoralise the players. Need to keep pushing and playing with our confident football.
Feels like I’m playing football manager with this team. Playing with the youth and watching their stats incrementally improve each game.
No he doesn't though, neither were fouls. Both combined, there's a case for a foul yes hence why I say it might be a pen, but it's not stonewall.He fouls him twice. It doesn't matter whether Silva may or may not have gone down had he not been fouled, the point is he was fouled, twice. I just cannot understand the debate around this penalty, it's just Arsenal playing the victim card.
No he doesn't though, neither were fouls. Both combined, there's a case for a foul yes hence why I say it might be a pen, but it's not stonewall.
Didn't he get a new contract?Xhaka will always cost us points. We just need to say enough is enough and send him packing.
Probably my last post today, but care to explain? Bernardo tries to go over Xhakas leg but there's barely any contact there, and then Xhaka has a handful of his shirt for about a second which on its own wouldn't have brought him down at all.
The shirt pull is an obvious foul, anywhere else on the pitch and it's not even a discussion.Probably my last post today, but care to explain? Bernardo tries to go over Xhakas leg but there's barely any contact there, and then Xhaka has a handful of his shirt for about a second which on its own wouldn't have brought him down at all.
Like I said, neither would be given as fouls, but because he's on the way down already the shirt pull looks worse. And, again, I can see why it's given as a pen because of both combined so not arguing that.
That's really unbelievable anyone could think that.No he doesn't though, neither were fouls. Both combined, there's a case for a foul yes hence why I say it might be a pen, but it's not stonewall.
Here until 2024.Didn't he get a new contract?
Martinelli, saka, Gabriel, tomiyasu, ESR, Tierney (yes), odegaard, Tavares, ramsdale (yes he’s arsenals best signing that’s why).Played well today but likeable? Armadale has joe hart vibes, Gabriel tierney & lacazette constantly moaning, only like lad one is saka!
But I'm not misrepresenting the facts at all. You can see it for yourself if you want. You're making fantastic points about Kroenke and also about the spending of teams like City & Chelsea.I realise you are completely obsessed in proving your point however you are either mistaken or deliberately misrepresenting the facts. Arsene Wenger wasn't fired, he chose to resign due to the continual poor behaviour of a group of bedsheet waving fans.
Let's see from you comparative figures in black & white displaying Wenger's budget over a period of years in competition with City, Liverpool, United etc so that you prove your case that Arsenal had more to spend than others because you keep banging on with your same old tale but I've yet to see you back it up with fact.
As far as I'm aware the only thing Arsenal has come top in during recent years is bums on seat ticket prices. If Kroenke spent in proportion to money coming in at the stadium in comparison with the rest of Europe, let alone the Premier League I'm sure Arsenal ought to be the best funded club in several leagues.
I thought we were well-organized yeah, I was very impressed. I just hope we don't waste our energy in the cup games because we desperately need top 4 and if our players can put in a similar effort against Tottenham away, then we can potentially get all 3 points.Showed good spirit and shape in the first half, good attitude and prepared to go and get the ball back.
Lost because one player let the team down in my opinion. However I think we showed that Arsenal has made improvements under Arteta.
That keeps getting mentioned but I don't get it. Man Utd were touted as premier league title challengers before the season began and ended being mid table when Ole was fired. Arsenal were expected to struggle to get into top 6 and are currently in a good position in top 4.Win on Monday and we are one point behind them with a game in hand. That’s with Arsenal having this fantastic season while Utd fired Ole.
That’s only because United finished last season in 2nd place and you finished in 8th. If Arteta did nothing else better than Ole he’s done a remarkable job at lowering expectations from his employer.That keeps getting mentioned but I don't get it. Man Utd were touted as premier league title challengers before the season began and ended being mid table when Ole was fired. Arsenal were expected to struggle to get into top 6 and are currently in a good position in top 4.
Its not just because of that though, our squad on paper is vastly superior. It was already better than theirs last season and then we went and bought Sancho Varane and Ronaldo on top.That’s only because United finished last season in 2nd place and you finished in 8th. If Arteta did nothing else better than Ole he’s done a remarkable job at lowering expectations from his employer.
Arsenal brought in a ton of young relatively unproven players. Whilst United added Ronaldo, Varane and Sancho. That’s surely played a massive part on the expectations for this season?That’s only because United finished last season in 2nd place and you finished in 8th. If Arteta did nothing else better than Ole he’s done a remarkable job at lowering expectations from his employer.
Touted pre season and what’s happening now are two different things. Arsenals fantastic season still has them sixth if we and Spurs wins our games in handThat keeps getting mentioned but I don't get it. Man Utd were touted as premier league title challengers before the season began and ended being mid table when Ole was fired. Arsenal were expected to struggle to get into top 6 and are currently in a good position in top 4.
More fecking smoke and mirrors. Arteta spend £160 million on new players in the last transfer window alone. They spent more money than any other club in Europe!Arsenal brought in a ton of young relatively unproven players. Whilst United added Ronaldo, Varane and Sancho. That’s surely played a massive part on the expectations for this season?
a complete squad rebuild to be fair. We signed backups (Tavares for example) whilst also clearing out the deadwood such as Bellerin.More fecking smoke and mirrors. Arteta spend £160 million on new players in the last transfer window alone. They spent more money than any other club in Europe!
It seems to me that you are misrepresenting the facts, note you haven't addressed the point that you said Wenger was fired - he resigned, you say he was forced to resign at a meeting but you seem short of details on when and where the meeting was held, who attended, either way, the record does not say he was fired does it? It is how you choose to portray Wenger leaving the club, you would like to believe your bedsheet was instrumental perhaps? As for the spending of budgets you have to look over a number of years, not just the year that suits you and the singular losses you want to point out. Anyone will tell you that a team isn't built in a season but over a number.But I'm not misrepresenting the facts at all. You can see it for yourself if you want. You're making fantastic points about Kroenke and also about the spending of teams like City & Chelsea.
But Liverpool had a similar spend in Wenger's final years but actually when you take a closer look, we had higher net spending than Liverpool, and a higher wage budget. It's just that Klopp proved to be far superior to Wenger. Tottenham had actually less funding across the board, not just transfers. And Wenger couldn't compete with them in the PL towards the end. We can't ignore these facts.
It also still infuriates me that Ranieri with a shoestring budget and a weaker team beat us to the title. Wenger's reputation took a hit that season.
No other big club manager (except Pochettino who was young and just starting out) could outlive that disastrous season. City, United & Chelsea all fired their managers that same season and Liverpool fired their manager mid-season. Only Wenger survived being humiliated by Leicester.
But it's the top 4 failure in his final 2 seasons which meant Wenger simply couldn't continue, and they did call him into a meeting and told him it's over, he was forced to give his resignation. Money wasn't a valid excuse for Wenger because like I said, Tottenham had even less than us.
Didn't they have a period last year were they had about 4 reds in 2 months or something ridiculous?Tweet
— Twitter API (@user) date
I think people practically forgot about Arsenal when Arteta arrived. Seeing them in the top 4 is like Barca being in next year's champions League final. People basically wrote off the chances of it happening because of how bad things got.Win on Monday and we are one point behind them with a game in hand. That’s with Arsenal having this fantastic season while Utd fired Ole.
That's the annoying thing. I did think Arteta was given a pass for his first year when OGS wasn't just because Arteta was often in the same camera frame as Pep but Arsenal are actually pretty good now.They went down to 10 against city so obviously they lost
But yeah, arsenal appear to have actually become good
Arsenal squad is far worse than us or City. They are doing pretty well when you put that in mind every thing considered.I felt like watching Ole’s united (final few matches before his sacking) where the opposition completely dominates the game and there are 1 or 2 counter attacks that cheers up the home crowd.
For us, bruno carried us and for them martinelli.
Yes there are few controversial referee decisions but that happens to almost every team and rightly
Arsenal deserved to lose today for wasting time, ramsdale’s actions before penalty take.