Good morning Positive Arsenal fans or annyeong-hasimnikka this May Day (as they say in Pyongyang),
I admit I woke with a sharp taste in the mouth this morning. My mood was subdued. Things to be done but unsure exactly where to start on jobs that stretch out in front of me this Bank holiday. The sky light grey, the dregs of yesterday’s defeat in the glasses strewn around the place.
Of yesterday’s game not an unexpected result against a good Tottenham side who, certainly in the Premier League if not in Europe or the FA Cup, are a level above Arsenal this season. Just as Chelsea and Citeh were beaten 2-0 we joined the disappointed band. On the day they were better than us. I see that there was no shortage of BLAME to be apportioned for the result on social media, and on here!. Cut into who you want boys, they scored two and we scored zero.
It was a genuinely ‘open’ game. NLD derbies are very rarely sterile, tactical affairs. It would never be 0-0. History demands commitment and energy and I saw no shortage from anyone on either side yesterday. To add to the tension by 4.30 earlier results had provided both sides additional incentives. For us an unexpected springboard provided by Boro and Swansea past the Manchester clubs for a top 4 finish, for Tottenham the final chance to chase Chelsea. Both sides really needed three points.
We concentrated during the first half and other than two deflected half chances I thought our five-man back line defended well. The home side was faced with 8-9 red shirts as they moved towards our box and a boot or a head invariably stabbed the ball away. Our resistance was well organised and effective. Spurs had understandably came out with a plan to blow us away with an early assault but their efforts failed. In the final fifteen/twenty minutes of the half we got into the game, began to pass accurately and quickly and began to probe the Spurs’ defence. Larry was involved in a constant physical battle with the Spurs centre backs. Sanchez was weaving and bouncing. We also created two difficult goal scoring chances. Our finishing was off target.
I had cautious expectations at half time, a point achievable certainly, and if we could add quality to our offensive efforts perhaps all three.
Within twelve minutes of Michael Oliver restarting the second period we were two down. Both goals a failure of the collective concentration that had impressed me in the first disintegrated. The first goal saw two players in white shorts outwit five players in red, plus the keeper, to put away a scruffy finish. Within a minute Gabriel faced a charging Kane in the penalty box. Not another red shirt close by. The inevitable contact with the Tottenham striker took place. Kane put away a perfect spot kick.
Savage those these setbacks were we had the best part of 35-40 minutes to react and recover. Our first half efforts gave me grounds for optimism. As I said in opening there North London Derbies have goals. We had time, we had the players ……..
During that final period of the game, during which I anticipated we would fling ourselves upon the home side, we created very little. Up to the final third our football was tidy, within the final third we showed nothing to suggest we could penetrate the defence or test Lloris. There did not seem much variation in our approach. For a team full of intelligent players it was a predictable pass – pass – pass. Our shooting was always off target or weak. We had plenty of corners but each one was comfortable dealt with. Changes were made with Danny and Hector on, and later Theo, to no obvious effect. The game petered out. We had failed. My expectations were ash.
Of our players I make no criticism of Cech, the Ox nor of Kosc. Of the others I imagine left the pitch feeling dissatisfied with their afternoon’s work.
We shall not wallowing in misery for more than one day however.
We have an absolutely vital game next Sunday, against the Prince of Darkness.
Enjoy your Monday.
Positively Arsenal 
Good effort Andy.
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Amongst other thing, thought our tempo was way too slow, especially in the second half. This team truly is a strange incarnation of a Wenger team at the moment, I miss the teams that knew how to defend, but also throw the kitchen sink at opponents when attacking.
We know what Jose will do, most of the team in the box, hoping for a Rashford counter attack, or a Rooney/Rashford dive and a sympathetic ref. We certainly can and must get a result , but with this team, I fear yesterday’s result might produce an element of the post traumatic funk, a symptom of Arsenal 2017 that will seriously need addressing, I would imagine like many things in the game, through recruitment,some very hard work, and stability.
Utd Might be a good time to bring Iwobi back, use Bellerins attacking instincts, and have Perez on standby if he is fit.
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Wonder which puppet will be Ref
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I had no problems with the starting line up Mandy but as we chased the game I thought we desperately needed a player who could take on and beat an opponent i.e. Iwobi
Perhaps he would have done no better but it would have given the Spurs defenders a different problem to deal with.
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I shall leave the strategic answers to others George
A week ago we were basking in the post Wembley glow – seven days later the club and its entire playing squad need to be restructured and/or replaced.
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Anicol at 1030
Well said.
After a good display at wembley the same players are ridiculed.
Why?
We must realise spurs were at home and after they were 2 goals up they had eleven bodies behind the ball so we failed to put 3 passes together.
No brainer……
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“As you go about your daily life, you will encounter many lemons. Sour expressions, sour attitudes, sour auras! The good thing is that if you don’t want to be a lemon, you don’t have to be! Just don’t let those lemons rub themselves all over you! And you don’t even have to save them! Let lemons be lemons!”
You [A5] are no lemon sir and I’ll echo PG’s words: well played.
We always knew we were up against it, Spurs has been playing with the wind at their backs since the start of this season at their spiritual home. You’ve said everything needed to be said about yesterday’s game so well done to them, better team in the PL not only yesterday but also this PL season.
Our challenge now is to get up dust ourselves off as we have a bit of rest til we have 5 games in 15 days. If ever the boys needed us blowing some wind in their sails that time is now!
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The old fartt’s thoughts:
So St Tott’s Day gets postponed for a year. Really not the way to end our last visit to the Lane, but it is worth reminding our conquerors that this is the only time in 22 years that they’ve managed to achieve this. We on the other hand, twice won the championship there. But that would be churlish. On the day, they roasted us and toasted us. But for Petr it could have been many more than two. Put another way, this Derby run at Epsom at 4 o’clock would have seen them finish in the places whilst we finished first in the 4.25 plate.
Can’t really say much else other than we’ll really have to liven up for the visit of Man U. Hard as it may be, keep the faith.
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Some years ago I used to earn good money for being a “cooler” in nightclubs. This wasn’t a “bouncer” it was the guy that would stop the “hard men” at the door. Turn them away when the door staff were frightened to do so. Because once a gang got in, if trouble started, the door staff could not cope with it . Don’t let them in and they can’t start trouble. It was simple. All that was required was that someone was willing and able to say “sorry lads , you can’t come in” Its been my policy on here as well and I think its worked well for us.
The problem I had was that if trouble started, my other policy, was hit anyone that comes near. No talking, no negotiating, protect myself and worry about the consequences of punching people afterwards. This is still my problem. When it goes wrong I think about myself and go full self defence mode.
I did this yesterday. We lost a game of football, and everyone in the firing line was fair game. The players, manager, board, everyone.It’s a weakness in me I see and understand. But a weakness none the less.
Andy is absolutely right. City was just one week ago, and these very same players and manager did us proud. I bitterly regret not managing to cope with my own disappointment.
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Thanks Andy, some one had to write up today.
You are right, we can wag fingers at many of our players after that game, but it was just something like a lack of belief in finishing chances that had me stumped when watch the game.
Personally I thought Ramsey worked very hard, but a soft touch in finishing was applied when a sledgehammer was needed.
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Good write-up AndyNic. For me the question you raise is how much of a gap there is between both teams. Below is the WhoScored summary of key stats from the game (Tottenham first):
Shots – 20/12
Shots on target – 11/4
Pass Success – 79%/76%
Aerial Duel Success – 54%/46%
Dribbles won – 11/9
Tackles – 15/23
Possession – 51%/49%
Almost all categories Spurs were superior. So team-wise and individual-wise we were unable to impose ourselves.
Is that simply down to home-field advantage, NLD butterflies? Do we have the right organization, the right personnel?
That to me is the key issue.
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PG – I feel you. Your apology is well intentioned but will be seized on as a sign of weakness by the “hardmen” of the blogsphere and twitter. Like all cowards and bullies they hide behind popularity and loudmouth ability to intimidate. They care one jot for the health and safety of the joint they are going to mash-up or the hard-working owner they aim to victimize. Facts and data matter little so long as their selfish needs are met. Most of them have for the past 12 years, when Arsenal was unable and unwilling to join the other wreckless clubs in trying to buy the title, have wanted Wenger-out and join the merry-go-round of fire and spend. One year out of 21 and they think they have license to “mash-up de place.” Your job is as vital as ever. Meet them at the door and tell them to fuck-off. Unlike them, you have the skills to put them in their place.
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Gosh, Andrew, I don’t know how you do it; when so many around you are losing your heads, you’ve kept yours for the most measured and balanced commentary I’ve yet to see on yesterday’s challenging encounter.
The bald facts are we were roundly thrashed by the best Tottenham side in numerous generations at their home 5-0, sorry, 2-0, whilst looking offensively dishevelled ourselves.
For the umpteenth time one of their goals courtesy of a penalty, whadyaknow?!
The speed and timing of the 2nd goal that came courtesy of that dive, sorry, rash challenge by Gabriel is what killed the game and not for the first time this season, having suffered a setback or two, we were unable to regroup sufficiently to ask any questions of note of the Spurs defence. Our bad.
Some people are talking of Tot’s massive superiority to us in this game, yet both sides went in for half time having untroubled those managing the scoreboard.
Of course, many will point out that our 17-point gap from the plucky power-shifters is the real point.
The reality is I’ve now lost count of how many of those 17 points were courtesy of a Pochettino-coached dive of the kind not seen since Leicester City’s highflying heyday.
And look where the midlanders have ended up this season now the refs have wised up to their aerial antics?
Meanwhile, all season-long, Arsenal have been granted few penalties and a multitude of cards including the pretty red ones for, largely being, well, Arsenal. The number of penalties awarded against us constitute the just desserts of a thuggish, clumsy and footballingly inarticulate team – no wait! Are we still talking about the same team? Surely some mistake?
Enjoy the gap Tottenham; chances are today’s heroes are in fact playing for lucrative salary-doubling/tripling contracts elsewhere and the chances of a whole host of them not learning from Vardy’s and Marhez’s mistakes in not reaping the rewards of one good season seem remote.
As for Arsenal, we have clearly suffered from the absence of Santi and Mertesacker (imo) and the presence of Sanchez. Yes I know it probably isn’t all poor Alexis’s fault and he’s scored some great goals blah blah. But when there are question marks over the entire spine of the side, terminal disruption is unlikely to be far behind.
Our huge swings in form are impossible to ignore and hard to stomach, especially when the highs of a deserved and frankly brilliant semi-final victory are followed by the lows of a derby defeat. Consistency is everything at the highest levels and only Chelsea and Spurs have had that this season – good luck to them, incidentally, whichever way they have gotten away with achieving it.
The degree to which Arsenal FC straighten out Arsenal FC this summer remains to be seen but it’s a reasonably safe(ish) bet that consistent form will continue to elude us right up to Cup Final day.
I rather fear, once again, for the state of our dressing room but we will see for ourselves when the master tactician and great draw specialist visits next weekend. If we give Manure a much overdue thumping and see off the Chavs at Wembley, we may yet enter the summer break in a more positive frame of mind and that, my friends, is possibly the best we can hope for at this time, and I suspect Arsene knows this.
Team selection for both of those games may prove to be somewhat revealing.
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ArsenalAndrew: The summary stats from WhoScored indicate that the pessimism is excessive. They were superior to us generally but not overwhelmingly so. Aerial success shows an 8% swing but that is not where the game was won or lost. The internet bullies would want us to believe otherwise.
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Shotta – yes, I read your stats after posting my last comment. Certainly seems to back up my point that whilst beaten, we were hardly taken apart.
And this is Spurs’ best season since 1066 and our worst one since Agincourt, so ‘they’ say.
What’s that saying – ‘if you can keep your head after a derby defeat while all around are losing theirs then one day, my son, you will be a man(ager)’ or something?
Such is the rarified atmosphere of a north London derby …
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Those gits have done well to build a strong starting eleven with decent deputies at full back.
However you feel about refereeing standards in the league, the amount of cynicism some teams deploy, and how they benefit from it, you have to concede they have built an outfit expressly designed for the nature of the premier league.
In terms of the success rate of their signings, they probably aren’t any better than us, they’ve just had a handful who have been huge successes and form a vital part of their core.
Particularly regrettable is that they got Alli. They have other good players in the team but even more so than Kane, Dembele or Alderweireld I believe he is key. A real git, but a seriously talented player.
It’s also good work and/or good fortune that, to date, there’s little hint of their key players demanding maximum payment and the heavy stress that would exact on them
Their showing in Europe raised huge questions about the current standards in the league as well as the impact of our referees, but that doesn’t feel like too much consolation.
As for us, I feel a bit lost at the moment. We have the fact, surely, that we have been much better with Santi playing in recent years and that his partnership with Coq is the best we’ve had for some time, and that we’ve missed him acutely; and we have the argument about Sanchez and whether for all his excellent end product his flaws are hurting us.
Beyond that, I don’t know. I like a huge amount of our players to varying degrees yet, bar Santi, have no real ideas about how to use them to make us much stronger than we’ve been of late.
The future feels completely open and uncertain to me. Pretty low today, but there could be massive enjoyment to be had if we can win a trophy while Spurs don’t in what’s been a tough old season.
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Rich: I can’t believe I am saying this but for all its limitations there is always the transfer market if we want to change personnel.
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Super stuff, Anicoll, and again I applaud you for producing an article that even the most vitriolic could not object to. Thank you.
I note your comment regarding the 5 man defence performing well, but I might have nuanced that a bit, because in general they did defend reasonably well but — to let you in on a secret – well it’s only a secret because no who cared heard me, ensconced as I was in my digs, watching on TV in Manchester, yelling my head off time and again, as I saw the swathes of unoccupied green grass on both sides of the penalty area which were apparently reserved for the sole use of the Spuds attack, who at their leisure curled crosses into our box without much in the way of a challenge from Oxo or Gibbsy.
Nuanced? Well, it would be remiss of me not to mention that nothing came of their crosses and dribbles from the left and the right, and in fact both goals came from within the box — one poorly defended, and one a suspect penalty.
Yeah, I know — suspect penalty schmelanty — they deserved to win, so to bitch about the diving Kane would be pointless.
Incidentally, I see absolute nothing wrong with someone saying words they might later regret after accidentally hitting their finger with a hammer, or in frustration or disappointment at breaking up, or seeing their team beaten. Harsh words can be demeaning, but I have never seen too many saints among the many football fans I know, regardless of which club they support — and frankly anyone claiming to be a saint – ain’t. lol
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someone asked why a week after the glow of a semi final win over man city should the players get lambasted for losing to spurs, well its simple really, the difference in level of performance is the reason, the team reminded us last week that they can play, and play very well, that they can rise to the big occasion, do a comeback win, and yesterday they reminded us that they can totally fail to rise to the occasion, be second best in every department, go down without a fight, be a pale shadow of the players we know they can be. They should have been given a confidence boost by the semi final performance, but the performance yesterday was as if the semi final never happened.
9 defeats in 33 bpl games,
one point gained away from home v the five teams above us, the one point gained in the only game we kept the opposition down to one goal, the only away game v a top 10 team that we restricted them to one goal and we have 2 points in the 8 games so far away to the top 10 – southamtpon still to come. 19 goals conceded in those 8 games.
in the league one away clean sheet in 2017 (swansea), 3 away clean sheets in 17 away league games (Leicester, Burnley, Swansea). Just the 7 clean sheets at home too in 16 games(Chelsea, Middlesboro, West Brom, Crystal Palace, Hull, West Ham, Leicester).
we have only failed to score in 4 league games this season, 2 of which were 0-0 draws,
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Shotta
I’m pinning my hopes on that to be honest- just one or two could perhaps transform our fortunes and unlock the full potential of many others in the squad.
What’s unusual for me is that I don’t have ideas at present about which position we should be looking at nor candidates.
At one time I was obsessed with the dm position and would have been convinced that having three players with defensive attributes like Coq, Elneny and Xhaka would be just the ticket, massively improve us and leave us in a very good place. Less getting caught on break, bit more physicality for fight, extra confidence for attackers with a stronger platform behind them. That was my thinking
My convictions have taken a bit of a pasting in the last couple of years, especially in terms of what makes for a great midfield. Ramsey and Xhaka are good, good players, Coq and Elneny are also good players to me. So I’m stumped.
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Bugger the Spuds. One swallow doesnt make a summer, and one smelly Spud season doesnt make a power shift. Hopefully the curse of Wembley will be upon them.
I thought Citizen Kane made a big deal form the penalty. and we did have a few chances, but after the 75 seconds of anti -concentration our fight seemed to sort of ebb off somewhere else.
If only we had turned up against the Orns; that was the night this poop cloud of misery started to take hold.
One thing that worries me is that if we go to intimidating grounds our lads look quite nervous as if they would rather get off home. Mind you, must be odd to have half of your own fan base hating you as much as the opposition fans. Cheers Wob, thanks for all your support!
Anyway not long now till the end of the season ands everything will be wiped clean and off we go again.
The irony is of the two of us, it might only be the Arsenal with any silverware in NL at the end of this one.And it must have been odd day for those who follow the Chicken cult yesterday, after all normally the get off early.
And dont ever forget a Cannon is always better than a Chicken!
COYG!
PS Many great posts in response to Andy Nics piece(cheers for that Andy) but PGs post at 11.06am touched me.Its odd how football can grab your emotions.
Onward and upwards!
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Behold the perfect paradigm of the flippy-floppy, arse-kissing, back-stabbing modern football journalist;
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With regard to venting disappointment it would be a pretty poor world if we could express a few screams of rage and frustration from the soul. I know I do. Without the pressure valve the the rage turns in, and that can be very dangerous.
We lost to a better team on the day. I can live with that. As I said the only top team to leave WHL with anything this season is Liverpool with a single point. We are in for the long haul. A defeat at WHL is nothing on the weighing scales of Arsenal football club.
If you can’t then, as John Cleese said – “It’s not the despair, Laura. I can take the despair. It’s the hope I can’t stand”.
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It’s the hope that kills you, Anicoll, but to live without hope is not to live at all.
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John Cross is an arsehole, he is oaid to be contraversial and has the gall to put forward that he is an Arsenal fan when his staple job is to paint us as chumps
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*Paid
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I had in my mind a more extravagant piece this morning but settled for a picture of “Yvonne” from the film Casablanca, belting out La Marseillaise;
I had in mind a remake of the original cinematic milestone, recast with the members of PA in the leading roles.
George would obviously be club owner Rick Blane, wise-cracking, worldly-wise, but with a romantic streak.
Stew would be Victor Lazlo – idealistic, articulate, and prepared to stand tall for his beliefs.
Kelly cast in the Ingrid Bergman role, Pass as Yvonne, discarded by Rick as Ilsa turns up ……. ( sorry the female parts are not the best in Casablanca)
I shall be the cynical police Captain Louis Renault, always propping up the bar of Rick’s Café Américain, with his eye on the best opportunity.
Major Strasser clearly calls for a guest appearance from Pedro of Le Grove.
You may decide who is Sam, though I suspect Henry B might suit the ‘Sydney Greenstreet’ role.
So in your mind’s eye please join me at Rick’s this afternoon;
and be sure you sing up.
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I think I I’ve written this before.
Anicoll is the rock on which my faith is built.
All I need now is for Passenal to add a few words of wisdom and I’m ready for the week ahead…
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No, No, No Anicoll —- I might be big, fat and ugly — but in my mind’s eye I am a shoe-in for Rick — so Mr George can be Sam orchestrating the drama as he plays the ole pianner while Alabama Girl sings to me, ‘a kiss is still a kiss in Casablanca, but a kiss is not a kiss without your sigh, Please come back to me in Casablanca, I love you more and more each day, as time goes by …
Disappointing game?? What game? Now what was Alabama singing …….. lol
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What have I unleashed ?!
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Georgaki,
Anicoll is a very, very, cheeky sod, tieing me to Sydney Greenstreet. How dare he?!!!!!
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I’ve been looking around and much of the Arsenal blogosphere is talking about how great Spurs are and what a team they’ve built.
As i said elsewhere, Spurs right now, are a bit like Arsenal circa 2007-08.A good young attacking team who are outperforming expectations. Great. But do you know the difference? Nobody is telling them that they have been facing a 9 year trophy drought, and more than a half a century since they won the league. Nobody is breaking their legs and claiming they are soft. Nobody’s giving penalties against them, or sending them off for dirty play.
And therein lies the difference. Our team was cheated out of the title in 2008. Their team is being helped towards one in 2017.
But they haven’t won anything yet. Did our own fans praise us for being the plucky underdogs? Nope. Why stand up for your own when it’s much easier to fall in line with the media and praise the ‘best team in North London’ (barf) and they hope, the country. So that they can finally use Wenger making Arsenal bigger than Spurs against him, just like the possible absence of top 4..
People gleefully pointing to those Spurs chants about wanting him to stay. When Wenger got here Spurs had the higher turnover and were seen as the team on the rise. They had more FA Cup wins than us. And they (claimed to) have the attacking football. Arsene Wenger took all their bragging rights away from them for 20 plus years. And now that once they manage to get ahead who is shouting loudest about their achievement? Spurs fans? Understandable, but no. It’s Arsenal fans. Spurs weren’t mocking Wenger, though they have good reason to hate him. They were mocking your club by following your cue.
The club needs to step back and look at what needs to be done. But not because Spurs beat us. But because we are better than how we’ve been playing lately. And if that includes drowning out (or just drowning) the negative ‘fans’ and media via bans, sponsoring counter movements etc, then so much the better. .
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Hi Shard,
I understand where you are coming from, but you are in danger of aggrandising people who are calling for the team to be overhauled (actually AW has already said there are weaknesses and will deal with them) and for him to go.
There are no definitive figures on how many fans are in the Wenger out camp, but the silent majority tend to be just that, a majority of loyal, mature types (and I do not mean as reflected in age groups) who will support the club come what may, and realise they have never run a huge multi-billion company, nor managed an amateur, let alone a professional team, and do not want or need to be fed from the teat of Mammon, and therefore realise they are not in the best position to judge.
There is no doubt that yesterday’s game upset many fans, of whatever persuasion, as have previous lacklustre games, and it is clear that neither the fans nor our manager want that to continue, and if Arsene stays, and there is every indication he will, I am sure he and the owner will work on a programme to rebuild the team for the near future.
I am now, and always have been, a great admirer of Arsene, but if I could wave a magic wand I would have preferred him to have retired two or three years ago, and avoided what has become a rather grisly situation for those of us forced to watch from the sidelines, and it must be so much worse for a man who has done so much for this great club.
There is no easy answer to all this, of course, and it was ever thus.
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Sorry HenryB. I can’t agree with your statement on Arsene retiring. You either think he should be Arsenal manager or you don’t. I don’t feel sorry for Wenger. He is doing what he loves. The problem isn’t that he faces abuse or ridicule. As long as he believes in and enjoys what he does, he’s a big boy and can deal with things thrown his way.
The problem is that the abuse and uproar and media narrative has made his job harder. And what that means is that it is a negative for the team and the club as a whole.
People are no longer talking about Wenger leaving as something they believe in. Just something that they demand. He MUST go! I don’t want to protect Wenger from their short sightedness or spitefulness, or even genuine desire for change or something better. Nor do I want Wenger to go because of it. But if he’s staying, (and in some respects even if he isn’t) the club has to do more to change the narrative. As the WOBs are so loud in proclaiming, without a sense of irony, It’s Arsenal FC not Arsene FC.
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Agree Shard, the club could be doing a lot more.
None of us know what’s actually going on, but the club have been totally silent. I get the fact that they may want to avoid the dreaded vote of confidence type scenario, but there have been no words of support for Arsene….nothing, except what some I terpret as Ivan’s….reportedly… slightly threatening , but equally baffling words at the recent fan meeting.
Perhaps they have very good reasons for the silence that will be revealed in time.
If they want Wenger to stay, come out and say it now… like Ivan did last autumn…don’t keep it as some dirty little secret to be revealed at a later date, not only would that be cowardice, our greatest ever manager deserves far better than that.
Only my opinion, but their silence suggests to me either,that he is going…and they know it, or there is doubt, division and maybe some not wanting him to stay on.
Either way, it’s a mess, probably not of the managers making, but I find it hard to separate recent uncertainty with the teams performance. This uncertainty could prove costly, not just financially.
We are told a “mutual” decision will be made at the seasons end. let’s hope they don’t delay any further than that
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the only thing mandy on the question about a possible split among the board over wenger staying or going, is that it is completely irrelevant as to how many of them want him to stay or how many want him to go, just like the votes on motions at the AGM every year, there is only one vote that counts, that is Stan Kroenke’s, his vote, his opinion, is the only one that actually counts on the board. Do you really think that he can be out voted either at the AGM, or at a board meeting. He has the ultimate call on every board level decision, after all, every member of the board are actually there at his behest, and can be shown the door at his whim.
Do you remember a couple of years ago at an AGM, some irrelevant motion or other was put forward and the likes of the AST were procrastinating and Mr Hill-wood pointed out to them that they could all put up there hands to vote against it, but that Mr Kroenke was putting his 67% of votes in favor of the motion and that it would be passed.
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Shard,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me, you know how much I hang on your every word.
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What would you like the club to “do”
And why ?
I appreciate you want the club to do something
On the basis that you believe it will improve the results – in the Premier League
I don’t disagree I would love to know what the future holds – whether results would be affected I don’t know – I’m not sure there is any evidence on that either way
But if the future is not set ….
And when is the future ever set ?
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Eddie,
It is just speculation — but in my opinion, I suspect the new contract has already been signed. AW clearly wants it – and Mr Kroenke would have no reason not to agree with him.
I do to know what to think about the delay in announcing it — there must be a valid reason — but I am sure Shard will tell me what I should think.
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I can’t help thinking the less anyone at Arsenal football club says the better.
Just send the players out to mouth the usual inanities – even Arsene imagines he is employed to inform the press – the real problem starts when Ivan starts waxing lyrical
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Good luck with that Anicoll. lol
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Inconceivable though it may be perhaps Arsene and the club are not quite decided ?
Inconvenient to me who wants to know NOW though that may be
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Wexit means Wexit Henry
Or not
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Well, thank you Andy, an excellent summation of events. I had a great day. It’ll take a lot more than a lost football match or two to spoil my Monday.
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As for that parasitic bastard Akers …
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But you saw Bristol Rovers v Millwall Stew
One of the ICONIC clashes in English football – ever since Panorama popularised the fixture
I’m v jealous
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Take the point Kroenke has the final word, but maybe he is getting conflicting advice and opinions.
Not really sure what I would want the club to do….they are under such scrutiny these days,,but just seems a lack of overt support for the manager and what is a …relatively….difficult time.
If it is already signed, it is quite insulting to,the manager that they appear scared to announce it…or maybe they have other reasons.
As for results,,no evidence, but have often heard it said that footballers only need an excuse to underperform, lack of stability could be such an excuse….for whatever reason, they appear to have under performed in 2017.
My money is on ….either them knowing Wenger is going, or more likely, that it genuinely is undecided, explaining the silence and uncertainty….possibly…maybe…
I would love to see Wenger lead the transition to a successor, that would surely be one of the better options, but maybe, he doesn’t want to groom , or create conditions for his successor….understandable for a man who has played such a part in building what the club is now..not sure other legacy managers past would always take too kindly to that either
One more thing, if uncertainty really is affecting the players, it could also be doing the same to the manager for all we know, he is only human
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There is no chance of Arsenal football club, or AW, being pressured into deciding such a crucial item as his further engagement with the club by the pressure of the media, or of fans, or players or agents, or anyone else. And even less chance the decision is announced until the parties are ready.
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I don’t think any contract is signed, the club would announce it if it was, and some reports suggest that under stock market rules any such contract signing would have to be disclosed straight away, a manager such as Arsene signing a new deal could be one of those things that impact on share price, as would be star players signing new deals, or major new signing done. Any decision that can have major impact on share price has to be disclosed.
Also I don’t think Arsenal have any good reason not to disclose it if AW signed a new deal. I think its more likely that both parties have things they want included in any new contract. Wenger might want assurances over keeping certain players, bringing in of new ones etc. The board have been letting it be known that they want Wenger to work under/with a Director of Football.
It could be as simple as Wenger will only stay if we win the FA Cup and/or get CL spot.
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Absolutely spot on Anicoll @ 10:08
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