A guest post from Muppet ( @MupetGooner )
If you are not a Wenger supporter, look away now.
Wasn’t it a great win on Sunday ? Superb. Simply superb. For numerous reasons. We beat the premier league champions at their own ground. We ended the 3 year barren run of away wins against City, Chelsea and Man U.
There was a good news story in Coquelin, who was up against one of the best play-makers in Europe, in Silva, and produced a performance that was quite astonishing given his relative lack of experience at this level.
There was a good news story also in Bellerin, who also looked accomplished at right back, at the tender age of 19.
Cazorla was magnificent, combining mesmerising footwork and gritty resilience to produce a phenomenal performance.
The whole team were disciplined and maintained a shape and organisation that had the pundits stunned, and purring, for Ospina had nothing to do. This is no exaggeration. Souness said he was stunned, so did Carragher.
In the aftermath of the result, we started to hear that “The penny had dropped” for Wenger. This was no “Mourinho tactical masterclass”, heralded after the chavs 1-0 win in February last year. No, this was “the penny had dropped” for Wenger, and he had been taught how to do this by Mourinho, despite Mourinho failing to repeat the trick himself in September, drawing 1-1. The style of the performance was manna sent from heaven for the wobs. The “Bould effect” was attributed to the result, as well as the end of an era of “Wenger Stubbornness”.
It’s a good thing that Arsenal fans are happy. It really is. But the level of delusion in some quarters is worrying. There are those that believe that if you have a good defensive midfielder, sitting in front of the back 4, it is the road to premier league and champions league glory. Just sit that man in front of the back 4, the “Gilberto” screen, inbetween the defenders and the midfield, and he will cause this stunning transformation that will provide untold glory and riches for the team. The same people believe, that in 18 years of qualifying for the champions league, finishing with an average position somewhere in between 2nd and 3rd in the league, that we have never defended, or held an organisational shape. Neither have we beaten big teams. And also, if we are so inept, how did we manage the 19 clean sheets last year, and how did we manage to have the best away form in the premiership in the previous season ? I take it we didn’t have any shape in any of those games ? I also would like to know how Everton, with their favoured 4-1-4-1 formation, didn’t achieve anything during Moyes’s tenure, as after all, he always deployed a gritty DM in front of the back 4.
Then there was the AW failing of not beating the top 4 big teams away from home. The damning graphic would be produced of our recent away form against City, Chelsea and Manchester United – ignoring Liverpool – as we won there in 2012. Also ignored is that AW is the man who ended the 100 year run of an english team going to the San Siro and not achieving a win. This is also the man who became the manager of the first english team to go to the Bernabau and achieve a win. And what glorious wins they were. These were not Stokish, smash and grab raids, having a man on the goal line standing on the goalkeepers shoulders at every corner. These were 2 memorable wins, exemplifying class and pure unadulterated football. This is also a man who went unbeaten in the premiership. A man who has transformed the club into one of the most popular amongst neutrals. And all we hear in the British press is a narrative that is underpinned by ignorance and commercial expediency. The results in Dortmund and Munich away, not seen as achieved against a big team.
We were told at the beginning of the season – look at Martinez and Klopp. Young, dynamic, fresh – exactly what we need. Yep, young, dynamic and at the bottom of the table, or heading that way. We were told that Wenger had committed mistakes in letting Vermaelen, Jenkinson and Sagna go, and not signing replacements. In reality, in came Debuchy, Chambers and Bellerin. Nobody wanted to consider Bellerin. He was too young. Not a serious squad contender. After watching him against City, not only is he under consideration, people are now saying that we don’t need Jenkinson back. So does the manager deserve some credit here ? Does the manager also deserve some credit for pursuing an internal solution with Coquelin ? Does the manager also deserve credit for the Monreal signing and his deployment at Center back as cover – a player who is now looking exceptional. I say yes, yes and yes. This is without even considering the acquisition of Sanchez and Welbeck. Welbeck rates 7 out of 10 for a transfer, but Sanchez is in the stratosphere. £35 million ? What ? I hear you say. If you don’t want to give Wenger credit for that, then well.. words fail me.
Whenever one listens to the press or some of the bloggers on the state of Arsenal, one hears the largely negative narrative, but not a positive one. Of course, it’s hip to be realistic. Be too optimistic, and overrate your players – you’re deluded. Keep it real. Of course, of course. But frankly, there are some amongst us, who believe that we are on the cusp of something special here, can see the vision, and have seen it all along. A long term plan that is being effected at Arsenal. Pay off the stadium loan, grow the commercial revenue and build the squad. The squad building exercise is not a supermarket sweep at Harrods, which we can’t afford. Instead, there are patient acquisitions, internal solutions to problems. There are positions in which we can still strengthen, and will strengthen. Unlike certain other clubs, we don’t have any problems with FFP, and we will be able to spend big in the transfer market.
Even though it is already January, we still haven’t seen a team with Walcott, Ozil, Sanchez, Cazorla and Giroud. Which suggests to me that we’re playing at 80% of our potential. We see City and Chelsea line up with their best players, and wonder one day if that will happen to us. I hope that it will.
Positively Arsenal 
A quite outstanding article. Exciting times, and isn’t the journey more than half the fun anyway?
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Marvellous!
(My last comment was also ‘marvellous’ but hey, such is the way of things)
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Absolutely perfect. Flawless, calm reasoning and logic backed up by facts. Exceptional in the world of Arsenal blogging. Thank you.
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I think the worst thing is how pervasive and insidious it can be, I’m generally pretty optimistic but all I can think of with Coquelin is ‘if he carries on like this, he’ll be at City or Chelsea next year’. Luckily, the rest of the team was so fricking good against Man City that I (almost) don’t care.
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Dick @ 10:17
The reality is that those other teams fans will soon be starting to worry that player ‘x’ will soon be tempted by Arsenal, because player ‘x’ will want to win things.
THAT’s how positive I am
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You won’t get a lot of comments on this post as it’s not slagging Arsenal off.I’ve been constantly called deluded for backing wenger and the team.Just well done top draw stuff 🙂
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Then I will take your cue and start believing that instead, not sure I can believe that we’d offer more money than a team with oil money behind it, but I can definitely get behind that.
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Excellent article. A pity it has been so long to be able to back up AW principles. The man is a genius and Arsenal are so lucky to have him in charge
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Great stuff Muppet.
My only addition would be to the line ” No, this was “the penny had dropped” for Wenger, and he had been taught how to do this by Mourinho, despite Mourinho failing to repeat the trick himself in September, drawing 1-1 ( and despite the home side being reduced to ten men by a questionable red card for Zabaleta) “.
Fancy not being able to put away a side in an important game when you are in the lead and they are then reduced to ten men ?
Preposterous
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Excellent stuff as usual Muppet. It really sticks in the craw of the negativistas to give the man the credit he deserves. But I’m convinced he will make them eat their words and choke on them too!
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My regret is that some people did seem to understand, but lost faith, couldn’t cope with the setbacks and disappointments, and threw in the towel. They then set aside the facts and logic, and adopted an emotional and illogical outlook.
I can understand and even forgive stupid people. But the others? The fiip-floppers and cowards. No!
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Another superb article. I too am also optimistic about this team. Importantly for me is that when I shut the door to the world and sit and watch Arsenal play I am supremely entertained. Most of the time I am alone when I watch our team and am transfixed by what I see. I am in awe at some of the play. That is what matters most to me, along with how this all came to be: Arsene Wenger
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Well Muppet, you have covered nearly everything – not much I can add.
Looking forward to seeing Özil and Walcott against Brighton, that’s for sure!
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Arsenal confirm the signing of Krystian Bielik
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20150121/arsenal-complete-krystian-bielik-deal
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I must pay more attention to the transfer window – I thought Gabriel and Paulista were two players
It must be the excitement
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excellent post muppet.
without being inmodest, arsene is the most experienced manager in club football at the moment. ironically, he’s the most derided by the deluded fans and journos who have no experience of even a sunday league football team. over 25 years of unbroken football management at the highest level. it’s beyond ridiculous that some will still question his tactical nous. while some even say ” arsene dont do tactics. ” no manager has been able to perform better than him at any level or competition without spending bucket loads of money more than him. no manager has discovered and developed players from all around the world like wenger. do i also need to add that no manager is as versed on so many issues and topics from economy to politics to humanity and all like arsene. he is more than a football manager. if there is any manager i want to see run a country, it is arsene.
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Mark Twain wrote “when I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years” and I always used to think that was how most Arsenal fans who had grown up with Wenger would think. But if they never get to that stage of being 21 then even articles like this one will make no difference, as it is clear to me they must be following some other agenda.
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i watch lots of la liga games but i must admit i have not taken special note of pulista. i will try to do that this weekend. i’m sure if we are signing him, it wont happen until next week. work permit is another issue the club will also consider before going through with the deal.
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Simply superb. Thanks.
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Great stuff Muppet!
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real funny stuff happening with Arsenal twitter users today, there is a bit of a meltdown by a whole host of idiots, as someone put out a rumor that now Bielik has signed that Arsenal have sent Coquelin back to Charlton on loan.
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Top class, Muppet. Good seeing you around. I see nothing contentious. Sober, cold hard facts that are not open to debate.
Many of the so called experts you find online nowadays are an interesting specimen. But as we have seen elsewhere Arsenal do not have the monopoly on the most idiots per thread ratio. The internet is a wonderful tool don’t get me wrong. Sadly most folks just can not keep a straight face behind the screen. It has turned into a no holds barred playground for the bored and hopeless. The level of quackery these know it all’s stoop to back their flimsy facts is quite depressing.
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Eddy It was Daren Berry .Prankster .
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Great stuff Muppet. I think realistic Arsenal fans have all reasons to be optimistic. As loomer says, all cold facts, no delusion here.
So Arsene who might retire as Arsenal manager in two and half years are signing 15 and 17 years old players amid pressure to sign something sexy and expensive. Instead of just complaining can’t they really at least give some credit to the man for always placing the clubs long term future above his own ego? For all we know these players won’t have real impact during his tenure but will instead benefit next manager. How many top league managers show this kind of loyalty to their club? Borinho, Guardiola? Just look at the mess red nose left behind and be grateful for what we have.
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“Eddy It was Daren Berry .Prankster”
Tell that to the victims !
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i believe bielik will become a great player here at arsenal. i like the fact that he is tall ( could still be taller ) like diaby and hope he has some pace as well. it’s like wenger wants to put him in the first team at once and maybe fast track him like ox and theo. another advantage is the fact he can also play in the centre defence.
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As I say every season, I really like this squad. And I mean it, every season.
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Reblogged this on dadgooner and commented:
What a great blog : top work
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Arsenal Under-18s to play Royston in FA Youth Cup: Huddart, Johnson, Smith, Dobson, Robinson, Maitland-Niles, Zelalem, Hinds, Crowley, Willock, Mavididi
subs: Keto, Bola, Donovan, Sheaf, Eyoma
great to see Hinds fit to start after being out for some time. very strong midfield, pity Moore, Pleggy and O’Connor not fit to play
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arsenal doesn’t have supporters who constantly slang the team.they are mercenaries from Tiny Tots
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slag I wanted to say
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good God, Arsenal U18’s are losing to non league Royston in the FA Youth cup, AFC hit the post after two minutes, but Royston have took the lead after 4 minutes. Royston have not lost a game all season.
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a good article on the sensational headline that distorts what Walcott said about our attack/squad
http://northlondonisred.co.uk/walcott-im-better-than-henry-bergkamp-pele-and-jesus/
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Mavididi makes it 1-1, (37)
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Mavididi makes it 2-1, coming up to half time
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HT: Arsenal U18’s 2-1 Royston Town U18’s
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U18’s, probably u16’s with so many promoted to the u21s?nnot sure I can focus on all that. I’m still living the dream as I walk down the street, imagining myself playing against City like some kind of Roberto Baggio, or Santi Cazorla:
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Thanks Muppet.
If I was a groaner I’d ask how could you leave out last season’s victory at WHL from your post. A performance without any speed in the eleven that could scare the opposition on the counter. A great performance. But I forgive you, not sure it matters as there are plenty of other examples/matches haha!
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according to the Arsenal twitter feed, Royston kicked off both halves, if so the inept refs are not confined to the FAPL
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I guess Rosicky hit his shot/rocket with enough speed and in the end that was all that mattered.
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FT: Arsenal U18’s 2-1 Royston Town U18’s
Arsenal at home to Crewe in the 5th round
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Chelski achieved a brilliant tactically astute 1-1 draw at Liverpool. This was ,despite the admission of the chelski players, not playing well. This is supposed to be a sign of a great side even though Liverpool had 20 attempts and really chelski got away with it. More relevant is they achieved this with a squad with no injuries none, zilch the big O. How any squad of 25 players ever has 0 injuries in todays modern game is a mystery to me. Anyway my point is the achievements Muppet mentioned above and many more have been achieved with many injuries to young inexperienced squads. Therefore if you see the background to those victories you will realize they are even bigger. The bigger picture is rarely sought when looking at black and white stats and this is why they can be attached to any agenda especially negative ones. But those victories and the 49 cannot be denied.
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No mystery at all why CFC have no injuries Ian
You’ve seen the first team doctor, dark hair, dark eyes, v attractive
She’s a witch
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George you are 100% right about those who have fallen by the wayside especially those who feelings were so strong at the outset. The shame is not only they doubt Arsene but have doubted themselves and have been scared at ultimately being wrong. I have seen many not only sit on the fence but jump both sides of it anyway well done to the youngsters and Zelalem who must be 104 by now
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PG, it is 2 years since you were banned from that other site! January 21, 2013 at 8.19 am.
From a forensic, it would seem that the owner of that site is a beer swilling ITK, therefore unlikely to see much of the action! Source, a cissy lager drinking layabout, and it would seem that Muppet was present!
Of course, none of the almost daily bloggers, have the qualifications to be a manager or a coach of any football club, under the auspices of the Football Association.
We, being the swell set, know we do not have the expertise of the likes of Allardyce, Pulis, Bruce, Hughes and the like!
It is good to see another article from you, Muppet. Spot on, cut to the chase and Tally Ho!
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Noth, How the hell did you know that?
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its amazing what the negative mob will moan about, it seems that they are that hard up for things to find fault with, they have decided that our new signing Bielik being pictured in his kit but holding up an Arsenal shirt is worthy of them having an hissy fit.
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Bielik went to the FA Youth cup game tonight
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some MKDons sites saying that Chuba Akpom is the man MK want to replace Afobe, they have asked for Akpom on loan for rest of the season. Akpom is said to be keen on the loan deal.
Arsenal unlikely to agree to any loan deal unless Akpom signs a contract extension first.
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Great write up Muppet, we are very fortunate to have our team led by such a great man. I think we’ll be in for a heck of a thrilling run til the end of the season. I think we may be very well set up for the CL. I have the feeling that the other coaches left in the CL must of noticed the masterpiece last week and said to themselves “oh shit” Arsenal will be a nightmare to play against….as for the league, first may be a far reach but 2nd is definitely within our grasp….interesting times ahead I say!!
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