As it stands

Well, well.
Slow, lethargic, tactically naive.
One of the most gutless, disorganised performances I've seen from an Arsenal team.
How we sent the same team out after half time, I just cannot fathom.
Disgraceful !!!!!

ADRIAN_1976 wrote:Same OLD story lads..

everyone keeps pre warning you lot but Wenger doesn't get it..

You look like finishing 4th AGAIN..

Man City buy Fenadhinio.. Chelsea buy Matic.. While Wenger thinks Kallstrom will solve your problems    

Arsenal have blown a huge chance of winning the title this season..

Ades. I think the more sensible (cultured if you will) pundits amongst us knew from the word go that it was only a matter of time before the goons capitulated. Not enough grit, flair or guile from either the players or the manager. Are they even top 4 quality any more? I'd prefer to see the toffees get 4th personally. Proper club playing good football.

Ay Ay Ay Er Er Ay Ay Ay Er Er AY Ay Ay Stereo Whaccccck.

jak wrote:Well, well.
Slow, lethargic, tactically naive.
One of the most gutless, disorganised performances I've seen from an Arsenal team.
How we sent the same team out after half time, I just cannot fathom.
Disgraceful !!!!!

Yes we're short of key players (Walcott, Ozil, Ramsey, Koscielny) but that shouldn't allow us to play without team-work, team-spirit. The players out there should have been playing for their futures - it certainly didn't look like it!
I'm not an anti-Wenger fan by any means but Arsene has to take at least as much of the blame as his players - he prepares them, picks them so there shouldn't be any doubt about spirit, at the very least, especially in key games (like Liverpool, Chelsea and now Everton).
It's "all-or-nothing" in the semi-final next weekend. We should win but who knows what might happen? If we fail to beat Wigan and go out of the cup then I dread to think what the atmosphere will be like on the following Tuesday against West Ham. I'll be there - it could be a re-run of the '60's "Wright Must Go" and that was really horrible - it doesn't bear thinking about. If we get through to the final and win the cup perhaps Arsene can look forward to a further season or two in charge, although a CL place is important for financial reasons (and, let's face it, even we can't fail to win the remainder of our league fixtures, can we?). All this, after topping the table for four months and more - WTF happened?

jpr60 wrote:

jak wrote:Well, well.
Slow, lethargic, tactically naive.
One of the most gutless, disorganised performances I've seen from an Arsenal team.
How we sent the same team out after half time, I just cannot fathom.
Disgraceful !!!!!

Yes we're short of key players (Walcott, Ozil, Ramsey, Koscielny) but that shouldn't allow us to play without team-work, team-spirit. The players out there should have been playing for their futures - it certainly didn't look like it!
I'm not an anti-Wenger fan by any means but Arsene has to take at least as much of the blame as his players - he prepares them, picks them so there shouldn't be any doubt about spirit, at the very least, especially in key games (like Liverpool, Chelsea and now Everton).
It's "all-or-nothing" in the semi-final next weekend. We should win but who knows what might happen? If we fail to beat Wigan and go out of the cup then I dread to think what the atmosphere will be like on the following Tuesday against West Ham. I'll be there - it could be a re-run of the '60's "Wright Must Go" and that was really horrible - it doesn't bear thinking about. If we get through to the final and win the cup perhaps Arsene can look forward to a further season or two in charge, although a CL place is important for financial reasons (and, let's face it, even we can't fail to win the remainder of our league fixtures, can we?). All this, after topping the table for four months and more - WTF happened?

The same as always happens.
Anyway, jpr, what I really cannot understand is who was playing where in our midfield on Sunday. Try as I might, I just cannot for the life of me figure it out. Also Giroud is not as bad as this team is making him look. He is totally isolated.
Players like Cazorla need runners forward from midfield to pick up. There was no running off the ball. Arteta is wearing the halfway line out with his little square balls, he hasn't made a forward pass since the old king died.
Other teams vary their tactics, we dish up the same thing over and over again expecting a different resullt.
And, as I said, how we made no changes at half time just beggars belief. The writing was on the wall, we needed to get a quick goal back to have a chance to rescue the game and we sent out the same players who looked such crap in the first half.

Right - a good performance at Wembley with a winning result (I wouldn't mind a resounding scoreline in our favour but I'd accept a 1-0 if that's all we've got) followed by a proper thrashing of West Ham on Tuesday night, just to get ourselves back on track. Let's get this straight - we have to win The FA Cup and finish the season in the top four, that's the minimum we should expect from a season that looked very positive (after the first match was "forgotten") and has recently stuttered and stumbled.
How and why should we finish strongly? Because that's what we do and we'll hopefully/finally have some of our injured players coming back, starting with Aaron Ramsey on Saturday, so come on Arsenal!

Yep, put the nightmare at Goodison behind us and make the most of what's left of the season.
Come on you Gunners !!!!!!!!!!

Well, a struggle to beat the Hammers but we got there in the end.
Now it's Hull on Sunday and we've got some of the injured trickling back.
We have really missed Walcott and the pace he provides, Ramsey's return is a boost, he will give and go, something we've been sadly lacking in recent weeks.

jak wrote:Well, a struggle to beat the Hammers but we got there in the end.
Now it's Hull on Sunday and we've got some of the injured trickling back.
We have really missed Walcott and the pace he provides, Ramsey's return is a boost, he will give and go, something we've been sadly lacking in recent weeks.

I think Hull will in all probability beat you    

FrenchSpur wrote:

jak wrote:Well, a struggle to beat the Hammers but we got there in the end.
Now it's Hull on Sunday and we've got some of the injured trickling back.
We have really missed Walcott and the pace he provides, Ramsey's return is a boost, he will give and go, something we've been sadly lacking in recent weeks.

I think Hull will in all probability beat you    

Well, I'm pleased you said that Cath, because you know feck all about football.      

Yeah thats true....

 

So, Hull on Sunday. Some injured players drifting back for the final run in. We need them all to give their ALL, Champions League is really vital for The Arsenal, we need to be in the Europa League like Oscar Pistorius needs his third leg amputated.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have it on good authority, from a Spud (see the Tottingham board, I'm afraid I've been collaborating) that The Arsenal will finish fourth.

And that will do nicely - a little 3-0 away from home, nice goals too.

What a difference Ramsey makes. His movement and sheer honest endeavour are a sight to behold.
A real example of what has been sadly lacking in recent weeks/months.
Let's hope we can qualify for the CL and add some stength to what is not a bad squad.
I think Arteta and Rosicky have had their day, Vermaelen too. It looks like Sagna will go, he's had a reasonable season but he's after a big pay day. I think given a run in the side, Jenkinson can make up. We'll need cover at RB.
So come on Gunners, the weaknesses are plain to see. Let's do it right this summer !!!!!!

Another 3-0 against a VERY poor Newcastle side (glad I don't support them) who barely raised a gallop. Still, you can only play what's put in front of you and we did that very well.
If Man City beat Everton on Saturday our job, CL wise, will be done.
We can then rest a number of players with our eyes firmly on the FA Cup final.
Mertesacker was playing his 50th game of the season last night, that's a lot by any standards and advertises our need for better back up in his position. Come on you Gunners !!!!!!!!!!!

How is Ozil looking since his return...

ADRIAN_1976 wrote:How is Ozil looking since his return...

He's looking good but he's a player who needs movement around him. He is great at picking a pass, he and Ramsey make the players around them look much better. I'm sure, with the return of Walcott and with Oxlade-Chamberlain continuing to make progress, Ozil will really be the business in his second season in the PL.
We will also find out how serious The Arsenal are about strengthening in the areas that have been an obvious weakness for the past few seasons. I really don't think the money has been there but it is now, so will we sign the 3, 4 or possibly 5 players we vitally need to add the final touches to what is already a very good squad?
If we don't then some people at the top need outing, as simple as that!!!

Different class - he floats in and out of the game but when he gets the ball something happens. OK, it doesn't always come off but his touch is sublime - a goal, an assist last night - but it's not just him, it's the way he's available to help the other players to shine (e.g. Ramsey's reverse pass to him for Giroud's goal).With Ozil, Cazorla and Ramsey in the team we get to another level - everyone looks better! That's not to deride the work that Arteta gets through, nor Rosicky for that matter. If and when we've got a completely fit squad we're as good as anyone, although we clearly need back-up in positions where injuries have hit us this season.