Is this as bad as it can be? Let us hope so, because if we are honest, it’s dire.
How did it come to this?
This was supposed to be a thing of the past, but sometimes you get the feeling that you are in some weird Matrix thing, on a torturous loop.
It feels like death by a thousand cuts. So let’s try to analyse the cuts.
Theo has started less than 10 PL games and yet despite never being fully up to speed, he has scored 5 goals and had a similar amount of assists. That’s a goal or assist in every game. Just imagine what a fully fit Theo would have done with Ozil feeding him through balls. That’s what we lost when Theo was stretchered off on the 4th of January. We didn’t know it at the time, but they were actually carrying off our title challenge on that stretcher.
Of course you could say we should have cover for him. Well ok, name me one player in the league with his skill set that we could have as a back up? No team has a Theo, let alone a back up Theo.
Our natural replacement/cover for Theo is Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, but he was out for the first half of the season and it’s a little more than hopeful to expect a returning 20 year old, with a career total of 5 PL goals, to fill the void.
Up until Xmas, we got away with it because we had a little bit of Theo, but we had a lot of Aaron Ramsey. In 18 PL games he had 8 goals and 6 assists. That though only tells a fraction of the story. He was the stand out player in the country, the best midfielder by a country mile. He was giving us a balance that we have not seen in the team for years. Tackles, interceptions, incredible distances covered and an almost unbelievable pass completion %. He seemed to understand Ozil better than anyone and it appeared that no matter who he played along side, it worked. Player of the month became no more than a formality for him, collecting it 5 times on the bounce.
BANG – 26th of December he limps off with a slight thigh strain and was not seen again for over 3 months. I can’t remember us playing to that standard since.
Jack Wilshere has had an in-and-out season. It’s been a struggle for him with more downs than ups. His fitness has been suspect which has affected his game. Anyway, when we needed him the most, BANG – out he goes.
Mesut Ozil, the finest number 10 in world football – he is an assist machine – but he needs runners to assist. Since Xmas he’s had none. Anyway BANG – out he goes.
Mikel Arteta and Tomas Rosicky (32 and 33 respectively) should be used sparingly, but due to injuries, they’re being asked to play every game and it’s showing on them. Particularly on Mikel.
Abou Diaby was due back before Xmas – hello, hello HELLO, Abou???? Nope no sign.
Flamini, he was to be cover for Mikel in the lesser games. Instead he has had to play with Arteta. Needs must, but the least said about that particular double pivot, the better.
So basically, since Xmas we have been left with an unbalanced team that’s shot at physically.
But there is worse to come.
It looks like they are mentally shot, too.
Back to the thousand cuts.
United away. Half the team struck down with some illness or other on the way to the match. Some sent home, others having to play half fit. We lost to a RVP shoulder loop in a game that the very least we deserved was a draw.
Ouch, that stung a little.
Manchester City away, we have to play with only two day’s rest following a European away game. Studies show that you have 50% less chance of beating anyone, let alone a fully rested City team on their own midden. Even then we had 2 goals incorrectly ruled off-side and a clear penalty denied. 6-3.
Ouch, quite a cut that one!
Liverpool away. Early goal conceded (off-side btw) and a goal from a corner. Start chasing the game, holes everywhere, look foolish.
Ouch, that stung a lot.
So here we are now, stripped of confidence and knackered. Having to play with 6 first choice players missing and the rest running on empty.
Sort of explaining the present dismal run of form.
Of course along the way the manager and individual players will also have made mistakes, inflicting more little painful nicks.
People do, you know ?
Fortunately for Arsenal, the fan base has rallied around the team and will carry them to the end of the season on a wave a love and support.
BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT FANS DO?
RIGHT?
Positively Arsenal 
Actually reading the various articles, blogs, comments etc it is more like ‘death by a thousand cunts’..
I think Aaron and Mesuts return will make the difference, they provide an attacking focus in the middle of the park and push teams back, and pushing teams back is what we do best. When we can’t do that we get into trouble..
Kos is due back shortly too….and I really would like to see Abou get a game or two in the run in.
We just have to roll our sleeves up and get on with it. Fourth and the FA Cup. Why not? …and as a season that will do fine we can build on that..
.
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Good morning, PG.
I was really depressed after reading that!
No seriously, just kidding — it was a fair attempt to rationalise the roller coaster that has epitomised our season, as we reached for the heights and then started the slow plummet down.
In football as in most sports, there are very small differences separating the quick from the dead, the winners from the losers, and the EPL is a case in point.
Before last Sunday’s game we were only 7 points behind Liverpool and 5 behind Chelsea, and that is not the end of the world. Unfortunately, we lost, and they both won, and suddenly we are 10 and 8 points behind them respectively, and outrage ensues from fans expecting more.
Can I suggest that our position is not a catastrophe – the manner of our defeat, however, was very poor though and the make up of the squad needs to be addressed in the summer.
The key attributes needed in the Premiership are Pace, Power and Purpose.
Our midfield, in particular, are lacking in all three at the moment, and the all round team ethos is also lacking in the fighting spirit needed to achieve the task in hand.
Our purpose on Sunday was to beat or draw with Everton, and then to go on and give it a good go for 3rd place in each remaining game. Sadly that purpose was lacking – but to offset that, throughout the majority of the season, as you pointed out, with a fit team we were able to match all comers.
I do not see our position as a disaster – it is disappointing, of course, and has dashed our hopes of becoming champions this season, but that is all it is, and with money to spend in the summer, these matters can be put right.
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Thanks for this George: much needed perspective, but the sadness as ever is that it probably won’t reach those who need the perspective most. I really appreciated the clarity of it.
The focus right now is on the manager. That is a simple solution for the IQless: everything must be AW’s fault. The media like that too as it gives them a simple narrative with human interest – but they like it most because it allows them to avoid the questions that should be being asked right now. Questions about referees, about pitches, about the way the game is played, which at times this season seems to have been more EDL than EPL. About money, about corruption, about institutionalised bias
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We’ve been beaten, trampled upon, and generally left for dead by the media, FA, PGMOL and every other organizations you can think of, and injuries, mistakes -by the manager and players- haven’t helped much, but like you rightly stated its the obligation of the fan base to carry the team over the line on a wave of love and support… Well, pardon my stating that unfortunately the Arsenal fan base(or a very vocal part of it) has been -is- part of the problems right from the start, and that hurts/stings more than any of the other cuts did or ever will. So if there’s any way to get them[the team] to see this -for whatever good or difference it would make, I would like them to know that here’s one fan that still believe’s in them and will back them a 100% come what may. COYLG!
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To beat dirty cheating referees that ravage our games and ravage the squad over the season, that make okay teams seem like superstars simply by letting them disrupt by kicking and diving, all unpunished and in fact encouraged…well to beat that nonsense Arsenal need men of character, big character and matched power and skill.
I have a thought that might be foolish…next season Ramsey is back…Ozil is back…Ox is fit…Diaby…he is finally back from the Alps like a lion. Youngsters promoted, recruits enter…did I forget Wilshire… And Theo…and koscielny….and how good will gnarbry be next season…and sonogo….and Joel is coming home surely….so fuck it…season will be what it will be…but the future is bright for the level headed.
And anybody who thinks its anything but the referees that orchestrate and cause these collapses over the course of matches and seasons…well the less said about fools the better. And they can fuck off.
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The irony on the injury front is that for most of last season and all of this the prospect of Giroud picking up a serious injury and unable to play for months has hung over the club like the sword of Damocles. Lady Luck has had other ideas as she had during Robin’s final eighteen months. Central strikers are indestructible it seems. He has been fine, albeit with a little too much sexual energy running his on-field batteries low of late.
If central striker was one position I, and a lot of others I think, were concerned about if serious injury struck the other was centre back with hysteria about signing the very average Ashley Williams all last Summer. Yet again we have had very few fitness problems between Kosc and Per. Sagna has deputised well in the centre when required and despite a mare on Saturday so has Tommy.
And where have we struggled with injuries ? In bloody midfield and in positions were we have fucking thousands of available players. Diaby, Mesut, Rosicky, Jack, Aaron, Santi, Mathieu, Mikel, the Ox – and lo and behold we sign Kim just to add to the choice
That is ten midfield players – and yet they have been ravaged by injury
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Sav from Australia
well said. agree entirely. i find it insulting that our own fans ignore this. apparently arsenal should get on with barbaric assaults aimed to break their spirits.
we built a stadium = no money yet our fans demand perfections in a period of transition that could take decade(s)…lol ..
“his players, his tactics, his fault” – well you get what you pay for.
the funniest ive read was from this nutcase gambon in legrove that arsenal needs to re-build for wenger has ruined arsenal…
with such fans what hope did arsenal have really….our fans think arsenal was big before arsene and that we should be at the same level of barcelona milan and madrid even without historically ever being there as a club…..
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they keep saying that arsenal had won titles before wenger as if it matters. as if real and milan and the rest were petrified by arsenal and graham lol…noone gave a shit, i might have been little but i dont remember arsenal being that famous or big before wenger…..in fact we were known for being unlikeable bullies stokeing teams for the 1-0 ..in some quarters of the arsenal fan football culture this is deemed as the equivelant to madrid’s 9 european titles and liverpool’s 5 lol….
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we have had to make do with bargains and the unwanted ones and as such a lot fo risk in involved
we used to play with bergkamp vieira henry pires……… BIG NAMES..big players
now we have arteta podolski etc giroud….results cant and wont be the same….we are aiming top four till we have the ability to get better or till youngsters mature
fans dont get that..they neevr got it actually
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A lot of sense in your comments, hunter.
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then again just to punish arsenal and their moronic fans id love to see wenger taken by real, psg or milan and win the lot while ebing able to spend and then see the goonies crying whiel they struggle in midtable with martinez/coyle whichever stupid cunt they consider betetr than the great Arsene.
give him money to buy proper footballers or protect him from the poison of the fans…if they have to ivan and stan can also get aggressive towards the fans also….give the moaners their monoey back and tellt hem to fuck off.
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oh and ..fabianski for chesney all day all week all year…….
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High 5 to this rationality!
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Hunter,
Woah! Are you asking self-declared experts in football, finance and foolishness to appreciate that although Plodders is a good player with a ridiculous and outstanding one in two record in over a hundred caps for Germany he has lost his starting berth in that team because his game is in simple terms slightly archaic (I’d still have him in the squad!)? That the Reus’ and Chamberlains and Thiagos of this world are the future?
That Arsenal are still pioneering stuff under AW, the stubborn old Veng.
I don’t actually know very much but I think now that he’s fit again that Plodders will be a better option at CF then Klose or others for Germany, but then I do not know very much. A shame 2013 was messed up by injury for Podolski, any chance he had of playing in the centre for Germany, and possibly Arsenal, was affected by that injury.
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well i suppose ..when amradona gets called a cheat around these shores how woudl a frenchman with a funny accent ever be permitted to be viewed as the one who reformed their national game and wins titles with net transfer spend of 0 against others with 500m+
i said soemthign about the clandar eyar and earnign most points the other day…..does that not make wenegr manager of 2013? and fans want him out? ..ahahah….
also in xmas i mentioned hwo our midfield when it flows can be devestating..that mdiifield was ramsey ozil jack and flami with cameos from santi and rosi..i also mentioned how if the CLUB i.e owners aim to make statement of intent now was the time to get wenger a killer for when the mid flow stops we score no goals and giroud becomes hopeless…..club never aimed to make a statement , we move on. pitty our elders failed to guide the team in the last month or so, hopefully wenger can buy better and more reliable footballers. give him money to bring in at least 3 world class ready and established footballers and see what happens next year with aaron jack theo and ox all ready to put things right.
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wouldnt mind song back tbh…already back then was top3 in epl, by now hed be top…i guess we needed th emoney and arteta worked good for a year and half but we are exposed in that area without ramsey and/or jack keepign oppsite mids pinned back with their energy….
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Hunter I liked Song, his game suited the PL very well. Think he burnt his bridges in order to be Busquet’s understudy – not forgetting that Bunga Bunga Barcelona thought he’d be ready to play at CB in a new league from the off after having had about one game at CB in his last seasons at Arsenal. That was quite funny!
The evidence tells us that it is too much to ask the Groaners to appreciate that AFC cannot throw about £15M so foolishly – Bunga Bunga still need a CB (& Gazprom still need a striker – let’s all blame Arsene!)
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ha fins….podolski knows how to score goals alright but thres a reason wenger aint starting him. last year he did defend though, well much better than this year…
im shocked at the abuse wenger gets from arsenal fans….shocked….. im 99% of making my mind up that i dotn want anythgin to do with this club of rotten deluded fanatics …..the decline of civilisation and logic = arsenal fans
let the poor man go where they value what he does…english football culture < wenger
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our fans want to catch barcelon …cruyff has been there 40 eyars ….they produce world class academy players …we have just started …do we hear a thank you in return? no all we hear is how wenger steals these kids form other academies…..ajax bought ibra and barca bought messi but wenger gets the stick for getting cesc ……
we built a new stadium. on our own /// “yeah but bayern also built a stadium” …a quick search on the internet and the bayern stadium is 50-50 owned with other club plus it was buitl by allianz and th emunich municipality…..not bayern…..
we have no money and arsen is asked to sell first…and the fans react ” we arent we buying world class players?”….
zero logic = arsenal fans = know nothing abotui football
i know understand why other peopel hate arsenal fans…they never cared about what wenger brought them but only to brag about it to their mates in the pubs…
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Hunter,
It is disgusting.
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” wlacott wa out, ramsey was out, january was there to strengthen the team ..why didn tyou buy arsene ?!” ….
well was he given money to buy ? so many arseholes associated with arsenal…… such a pity.
stay strong arsene! tell them all to go to hell. do it your way!
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it is beyond disgusting…sick evil and immoral
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0 net transfer spend fins !!! 0 ….Z.E.R.O. na dour rivals are 500m +
and in 2013 his team had the most points …..in 2014 they ran out of steam …noone appreciates the progress, not even the ones who are meant to keep their eyes open cause its their fucking team!
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Eyes wide shut
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and minds closed
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A Dream Story:
Stanley Kubrick. Another genius who moved to somewhere near London Colney. Too smart for some, and yes, he consequently had enemies too. Not surprising for someone who told the big (Hollywood) studios to “fark orf” in order to work on his own terms. Heh.
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absolutely fins ..here we have the equivelant of posh and lazy film students telling stanley he knows fuck all about directing…..
and there is no monty pythons to make a sketch taking the piss out this mentality sadly….
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and to give yo another exampleof how life is cruel and unfair just press barbara guerra and images in google and silvio’s bunga bunga parties………. fuck crouch end.
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Hunter
Trust me, you’re better off in Crouch End then hanging out with a slimey old perv who’d be banged up if he worked for Aunty Bleeb (or maybe not?*). There are some cool places hidden in and around in Crouch End, went to to a cool and friendly partay there before the New Year. Good music, nice people, nice art studio! Below a cool recording studio. There are hidden gems. Not to mention my old cricket club North Middlesex (South of Tottenham). Alexander Palace, there’ve been some good concerts there.
*You know how the Groaners try to justify their malicious stupidity with lines like, “but all the plundits hate Arsene”, What? Do they refer to the very same plundits some of whom were happy to get called out by AW for their nasty allegations that they did not dare to follow up in his first ever press conference, whilst they sat there drinking cups of tea with Stuart Hall?
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when you say hidden gems you dont mean that place with the label “male grooming” which is full of china girls for massage do you ? horrible awful place absolutely dirty obscene filthy and immoral. stay away… a friend of a friend tried it once ..no good…
i got lost in fiotzroy park with my bike lookign for hamstead heath and was in some cottage road with allotments and forrest area with fences ….i had to use satelite device to find way out of there….lost in a park in a city…pathetic really…. couldnt beleive the houses though……ridiculously rich…ridiculous… utterly ridiculous…. who lives there..what jobs do they have ? can they adopt me ?
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its only 3,5m for a house there….. i think ill just save for a couple of years make add an extra hour or two overtime at work and i can have it by 3047….. funny how you can only own title on porperty for 99 or 999 years,…
i think capitalism is aiming at abolishing ownership…who the fuck are you to own a house and pass it on to the children and so on and so on? what ? you have a cottage too? and a summer home in spain/crete? how dare you …….houses will be owned by the big boys/corporations and rented out to you…yo wont own shit…money flows….its what we want…like we fuck if we cared improving peoples lives its the pockets we improve…forgive me im sympathising with ghost town kensington..poor chaps…
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Er….No!
I was thinking of places like the recording studios near the Capoeira school, which admittedly is closer to F.Park then Crouchy.
–
What you need to do Hutner is build yourself a bank that has a data centre that can move your wonga about the place quicker then anyone (as in anyone) else can. That way you can easily make that loot that disappeared from Greece reappear in some London property…justlikethat. Magic. Innit.
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House prices in London went up 13% last year…!!!!
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I have finally understood where the moaners come from. I get it now. Hvae you not found yuorself “screaming corrections” at a Picasso? If only he had tried a bit harder, ………..perhaps whatever it was he was drawing would look more accurate……
🙂
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I can’t understand why Picasso couldn’t draw properly. I’ve seen kids that can draw better then that.
Clearly he lost it with that Guernica painting. I can’t see any tactics with those brushstrokes, just senile mindless madness. Anyway, Politics and Art don’t mix as those Experts like Brian Sewell tell us. Just like with sport.
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bingo!
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Remember when the Groaners were telling us that Levy knew what he was doing (31st August 2013).
Well. At least they are consistent.
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the problem is that this attitude shoudl be the de facto attitude of the arsenal support….whichever that is…. arseblog, ast , yoga.. whichever prick has got the most clicks ….instead we get the kids with the crayons doign scribbles like that muppet picasso
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Hunter: that is an absolute gem. “Think how good Picasso could have been if only he had corrected his work properly.”
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im in such sarcasm mode i have even confused myself with the last one….. sctrath that out…or…guess the conenctions i cant…abstract art…
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foreverheady im suffering as you can see and sarcasm mode is off the charts ..cope mechanism..its eithr that or crying…. dont take me seriously….im shooting in all directions…no target no purpose…philosophising.
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I often go down the Tate and boo loudly – You will often find me on the third floor yelling “Fuck off Rothko”
That’s the only thing these people understand ( nods head vigorously)
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Don’t get me started on that pillock Pollock.
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have you heard the latest one ?
“IF arsene gets top4 plus f.a cup we are willing to allow him to stay but only in one year extention deals”
the arsenal lads have spoken….
ahahah
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“Two choices for Arsene: Leave now or cede power and collaborate”
we are the urukhai of football fans
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“IF arsene gets top4 plus f.a cup we are willing to allow him to stay but only in one year extention deals”
Well he started it …………..
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mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm blueberry muffins..mmmmmmmmmmm i say mmmmmmmm
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anicoll5
April 8, 2014 at 4:24 pm
its the universe and course correcting you see
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Anyway – roll on the end of the season I say and we can put all this football nonsense behind us.
Get down to the real business of being a football fan
The transfer window
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have to sya though…players have played liek cunts lately…we need top4 and champions league to recoevr money spent on ozil. wenger the economist knows that betetr than anyone….. damn players how coudl they drop their bollocks like that? ok injuries, ok deflated but hang on mikel per and verm and wojo ..hang on mates….this is wrong…look at wenger, they have sucked the life/blood out of him …. horror..it is in that sense i urge to use the youth and their eenrgy..ersfeld gnabry abaka frompom and ryo if fit.bellerin all of them…
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