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 
GETTHEMOUT!!!!!!
[In the nicest possible way!!]
LikeLiked by 2 people
don’t want to put a damper on the feel good moment, but southampton and tottnum losing now means they will have less fixtures, and in SFC case they now only have league games to play in, so actually much like LFC last season, it makes it easier for them. the good point for us is that it takes four of the better FAPL clubs out of our way, and so should make it easier for us to retain the cup, lets hope that today’s results give us a wake up call so we are fully ready for Brighton
LikeLike
the special one looked like he was about to cry when doing his post match interview with the BBC
LikeLiked by 2 people
Well I never! Our boys best make sure they take the lessons from today. There’s no need for us to become the next victims of the romance of the cup.
LikeLiked by 3 people
anyone got a link to the Sanogo goal
LikeLike
so as things stand there will be at least 5 lower league teams in the 5th round of the FA Cup
LikeLike
Here you go Eddy bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30966193 …
LikeLike
We’ve got a job to do at Brighton tomorrow first.
The team got a big warning today of what can happen if complacency slips in.
Still, I haven’t laughed so hard today since Stevie’s slip at Anfield.
LikeLike
“mourinho’s right your fans are shite”
LikeLiked by 1 person
The tiny totts have a lot of Europa league football yet to play Eddie, as do Liverpool.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m not sure if everyone can access these video’s abroad, BBC website with all the goals thus far & Maureen’s very special stuttering post match interview. The Bradford goals look class. Sanogo’s coolly taken.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/fa-cup/video
LikeLiked by 1 person
Will Benn @WengerBoy1 · 1h 1 hour ago
Funniest moment of the whole day has to be Chelsea being gifted 7 (S-E-V-E-N) minutes of added time to equalise and going 4-2 down instead
LikeLiked by 1 person
@ eduardo – with no major incidents or injuries I have no idea where the extra 7 mins came from.
The BBC video of Maureen has been edited down, so you don’t get to see a completely shocked manager unable to explain what happened at the beginning of interview.
A couple of what if’s have been answered to day.
1) What if Martin Atkinson wasn’t given all those games at the Bridge to referee.
2) What if Chelsea had Arsenal’s injuries this season, could the squad cope.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I wonder will Arsenal move for PSG’s midfielder Clement Chantome, who is available this window, Arsenal have been long time admirers and the PSG manager said today that he can move this window
LikeLike
reports in Germany say Arsenal have moved for 24 year old Hamburg midfielder Tolgay Arslan, saying that a proposed move to Besiktas has stalled because Arsenal have come in for him.
Could you imagine Arslan playing for Arsenal and Arsene
LikeLike
by his name alone, he fits right in…
Arslan playing for Arsenal and Arsene – great! LOL
LikeLiked by 1 person
FT liverpool 0-0 bolton
LikeLike
as expected by the Mail in their coverage of Chelsea defeat to Bradford 2-4 after being 2-0 up compared to their coverage of Arsenal losing away to Bradford in a penalty shoot out
LikeLike
Jamie Carragher @Carra23 · 3h 3 hours ago
We all know why Jose plays his best team every week now.
LikeLike
wenger complains about an away pitch and he is labelled a whinger, Rodgers complains about their own pitch and not a word is said in the oh so unbiased media.
LikeLiked by 1 person
all clubs have idiot fans, here is an example of an idiot man city fan
MCFC World @MCFCworld · 2h 2 hours ago
Do not blame the club for the midweek friendly in Dubai. Blame FFP, as its the only reason we are forced to raise money like this.
LikeLike
Villarreal have confirmed they have agreed a deal in principle with Arsenal for the sale of Gabriel Paulista, with Joel Campbell going to them on loan for rest of the season
The negative crew are already going ape shit about all our attacking depth being let go out on loan this window – podolski, Sanogo, Campbell
LikeLike
All the goals currently available on YouTube. Just search with name of teams, e.g. Chelsea vs Bradford (the funniest one).
Only downside of today’s results is that we don’t get the pleasure of dumping Totts out again.
LikeLiked by 2 people
With you DK the quality of mercy is never strain’d
LikeLike
ALL OUR ATTACKING DEPTH… THEY ARE SURELY JOKING…
GIROUD, WELBECK, WALCOTT SANCHEZ
LikeLike
Joel Campbell got out of Arsenal while he still could
LikeLiked by 1 person
@ Eduardo, WHY was he in any danger of he stayed?
LikeLike
TS you will have to ask the numpthies who were abusive to Wenger at Stoke railway stations, it was their advice to JC on the day
LikeLike
Sanogo got 2 league starts for AFC this season, Podolski got none, and Campbell got none, but the cult of wenger out know its a disaster to loan them out.
LikeLike
oh yes and 10 sub between them, 7 for pod, for JC and 1 for Sanogo
LikeLike
By the way lads don’t call our new guy Paulista, that only refers to him being from Sao Paulo, his name is Gabriel Armando de Abreu, and should be known as Gabriel, I would expect that it will be Gabriel on the back of his shirt, and probably No. 5
LikeLike
Oh okay then, i was worried for a moment. LOL…
Glad i don’t have to ask them anything!
LikeLike
must say I’m impressed by how Villarreal have acted/reported the deal, they let him join the team tonight for a pre-match photo, and to salute the their fans, and on their web page they put up a “Thank You Gabriel” message, shows how highly they regard the player, and also I would suggest that it reflects how Gabriel has performed for them and how he has acted in regards this transfer, I watched his game for them in midweek and he gave it 100%, which bodes well for us.
LikeLike
TS its not often than visiting fans are more of a knuckle dragger than the home fans in Stoke, but those couple of idiots managed it.
LikeLike
lots of the reports tonight are suggesting that the fee for Gabriel is £11.2M, and that AFC are getting £700K for the loan of Campbell.
LikeLike
I shall call him Angel
LikeLike
Glad AW has been able to go about his business of picking put players best suited for him by a thorough check but in playing ability and character and not allowed the tension to get to him too much else we would have had falcao instead of Sanchez for example…. Even welbeck has done more for us
LikeLike
I see the “Arsene finally listened to the advice of players” fairy tale had been swallowed by the usual dummies.
I wonder if they travel by canoe ?
LikeLiked by 2 people
don’t mix him up with di maria
LikeLike
Admittedly it is to their credit that they have managed to get their head out of their collective arse to discuss anything but the TRANSFER WINDOW (swoons with excitement )
So there may be hope yet
LikeLike
from Villarreal official site
Joel Campbell is loaned to Villarreal CF
The Costa Rica wingman will play with the Submarines until the end of the season // Saturday, 24 January 2015
Villarreal CF and Arsenal FC have come to an agreement to loan Joel Campbell (26/06/1992, San José), who after the physical examination will play in the Submarine until the end of the season. The official presentation will be confirmed shortly.
Campbell is a strong and skilled wingman whose qualities are his speed and dribbles. He can play both on the right wing and forward. Campbell has already proven himself as a quality player in Spain while on loan for Betis during the 2012/2013 season, playing a total of 28 matches and scoring 2 goals. Only 22 years old, he exploded as a player during the World Cup in Brazil. Costa Rica managed to reach the round of 8 and he was one of the big players of his team.
During his footballer career, Campbell has played for Arsenal, Olympiakos, Real Betis, Lorient, Deportivo Saprissa and Puntarenas. His best season was last year with Olympiakos, scoring 11 goals (league 8, Champions League 2 and Greek Cup 1). Campbell has won the Greek Superleague (2013/2014), the Community Shield (2014/2015) and the Center American Cup (2014).
LikeLike
AW: “People question the hunger but I think a lack of confidence does much more damage to a team than a lack of hunger.”
LikeLike
no wonder chelsea let in four, look how far off his line their keeper was
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B8IaELpCYAEthjP.jpg:large
LikeLike
maureen dont do tactics
LikeLiked by 1 person
no surprise that MOTD totally ignore the horrible performance of Kompany today v Middlesborough, if that was an Arsenal defender there would have been a five minute analysis of everything he done wrong. but kompany is called the best defender in the fAPL so all his mistakes, which there are many, get overlooked
LikeLiked by 2 people
Blimey! Watching match of the day and what the heck is happening?! For first time in years have managed to get to match of day without knowing any scores. Blackburn have just gone 2-1 up against Swansea and I’m still having trouble breathing after the Chelsea (lol) and Mancity (lo) games… heck 3-1 blackburn…. whats next ffs! HEck we must be favourites to defend the title now! lol 9 men swansea
LikeLike
Arse, typed too soon. Spuds get a pen and score and leicester dont get a pen and get a booking, poor decision that i think
LikeLike
ooooh! 1-1 lol
LikeLike
OH MY GIDDY FUCKING AUNT!!!!!!! lol. Somedays things are jsut wonderful…. more beer I think lololol. 1-2 lol
LikeLike
HAve all these results genuinely happened? United holding on for 0-0 at cambridge yesterday looks a remarkable achievement now
LikeLike