@Swales1968 Cowards die many times before their deaths,
The valiant never taste of death but once.
The valiant never taste of death but once.
So where do I start with Wenger and the news he is leaving at the end of the season. I think he as a man and as a manager has been let down
Let down by the :-
The board
They have just let him time and time take the flack for their decision making and not just Stan the previous board as well (including David Dein). Wenger has fronted up at every time to explain decisions the board have made. The press have just had a field day with him over selling of players, how much money there is to spend right down to the cost of season tickets etc. I would put David Dein in here as well, if it wasn’t for his attempt at a grab of the power within Arsenal by going behind the boards back to get a certain Stan K on board the we may not have had the disruption and mess that the years since at board level.
The players
Again not just this bunch of players who seem to lack the fight needed, yes that’s partly down to Wenger but when they cross that white line they are all international players at one level or another they know what to do on the pitch. Players like RVP who threw his toys out of the pram and sold his fitness down the river for one season at Old Toilet, the Barcelona boys who all wanted to leave Arsenal to play in the sunshine of Spain (and yes that includes Henry), PV who spent a summer touting himself around Europe in hope of a better deal and when one didn’t appear he was upset when Wenger told him there was no new contract and he could leave.
The ex players
Where do we start with the players who would climb mountains for Wenger this week but have spent years earning the media’s shilling and towing the media line to find fault no matter how small with Wenger’s reign. Petit, Adams, Robson, Campbell (Kevin), Wright (Ian) and so on, the one constant with most of those who have spent most of their time criticising Wenger is that they have not tried to manage a club. They have just sat in a studio and talked the perfect game, with no pressure telling you, I and Wenger how he should be doing his job.
The media
From the beginning to the end they have been on the back of Wenger, where was the unbiased reporting or views on Wenger. From the day Wenger called to media out on the steps of Highbury when he was accused of unfounded and slanderous rumours, there has been a sly and manipulative attempt to get to Wenger from the media. No backing of Wenger when Man U cheated and kicked Wenger’s team off the pitch in the 50th game, the constant referring back to that’s Arsenal’s 937th red card under Wenger, the pushing of the they don’t like it up them mantra and laughing at Wenger when he fell over and I won’t even start on the twisting of words from his press conferences to suit their big headline agendas. Oh and I nearly forgot Talk bloody sport, with Adrian Dungball, Alan Brazil nut, Jason Cunty, and the rest of the anti Wenger presenters they employ.
The fans
Not all the fans, most, the silent majority have stood by him through thick and thin. It has just been a shame that over the past few seasons that supporting your team has meant you have got abuse because that included the manager. We’ve seen the rise of AFTV, bloggers and vloggers who’s whole life depends on negativity, they had to create the divide they said was down to Wenger. We have heard fans call Wenger a ‘cancer’, wished him dead, abused to his face at train stations and had demos calling for his head. Is that the actions of supporters, they claim that it’s because we are not challenging for titles and cups, then we go and win 3 FA cups but somehow the FA cup is now not that important and it the CL & PL that count, top 4 isn’t good enough for Arsenal, but it’s good enough for every other bloody team in the league.
And finally the FA/PL & officials
Okay I admit I’m paranoid about this but I honestly believe there is a different set of rules for Arsenal. From Petit being sent off for swearing at a linesman from the centre circle in French to PV being given an extra game ban for failing to leave the pitch, to how many broken legs from “not that type of player” to Xhaka being the only player I’ve seen for being sent off for a taking one for the team challenge to the Lacazette “yes his heel was a fraction offside so it’s the correct decision” and finally to the probably hundred not given penalties that Arsenal do not get while Vardy, Alli, Kane, Rooney, Gerrard, Owen etc got or get on a near game by game basis. Then there are the run ins with Wenger & the FA being banned for saying this or that while mangers like Sir Red nose and Jose look-at-me seemed to be allowed immunity.
I could of added more to each section, but you would of been here all day and night reading through, but I believe that Wenger has been let down by each and everyone of these groups, he is without doubt one of the greatest managers English football has seen, if it wasn’t for the money from Russia and the Middle East just as the club were either moving or trying to rebuild he would of won more trophies, but you can’t see the future and Wenger’s stock fell because of it, it’s just a shame that these people could not report fairly, could not support properly, could not officiate and follow the rules of the game fairly and could not stand up to the media and back him as they should.
Also this is not a post to say Wenger was without fault, but I feel that has been covered elsewhere on blogs etc over the past few years or so.
I will miss Wenger as Arsenal manager, but time and tide wait for no man so goodbye Arsene it’s been a pleasure and hello……? Let the rollercoaster ride begin again
Positively Arsenal 
We have acknowledged here that City have been too at the old football malarkey since they got in a half decent manager MP, four years ago.
I think we can all agree there. Again! IBSF.
Which is why we’ve appreciated and noted City Arsenal games as the best football games in the league for a time but not this season!
MP would’ve been a little bit gutted that his title winning strikeforce was immediately disbanded. Poor lad.
It’s taken them a few seasons of copious spending to rebuild and reduce the reliance on Aguero. MP, Young Pep, either would’ve struggled with the weaker squad they had there for a bit, and they did (Not an opinion just a simple and easy observation – rushing/forcing your only striker back from recurring hamstring injuries isn’t going to help you win the league)
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Many noticed something weird was going on with the home form from the Stoke game onwards.
There have been some comments on the subject over the course of the season.
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Or even the away form!
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–
I’m looking forward to this big game of Football tonight.
Only City, Liverpool have enjoyed such grand occasions this season.
Terrible times eh?
I admit I’m nervous as I’ve not had faith in a certain CB since he melted every time a two legged Koscielny left the pitch against last season’s stronger Munchen squad (nowt to do with their change in manager!), hopefully he shows improvement today against opponents he’s excelled against.
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Stuart MacFarlane
@Stuart_PhotoAFC
Look who’s training at Emirates this evening. 🙂 #afc #santi
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oh santi cazorla
oh santi cazorla
oh santi cazorla
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I would have preferred Iwobi to start instead of Jack. I just feel Iwobi links defence to attack quickly and his speed is an asset.
I hope Jack is fully fit and up to speed and his positioning takes into account Ramsey’s rans into the box.
Looks like Athelitico will look to hit us on the counter but like all Spanish teams if we play at a slow tempo they will control possession.
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What a thorough twat Jenarse really is.
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markyb, who
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got ourselves a proper referee
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arsenal totally on top, just need to score
Atletico down to 10, RB off for two bookable offences, very similar fouls
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simeone sent to the stands, rightly so
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Jenas on BT. Cue shearer and every other plundit being sorry for the Madrid bastard
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but we’re playing Arsenal. We’re supposed to be able to kick the shit out of em…
Still, at least AM management are showing Pashun…
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really need to take one of these chances when we are so on top
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only our finishing missing so far, so on top its unreal, created loads of chances so far
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think ref right not to give us a penalty there
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we could do with one of these chances falling to Ramsey
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ospina with a fine save
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how is there only 2 minutes stoppage time, atletico time wasting most of the half
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We have gone off the boil a bit. Loads of chances we’ve had hope it doesn’t come to haunt us. But as the griezeman chance we ball watch and they have the quality to hurt us.
Wasn’t a penalty and I don’t like to see players being clever by half line that. Laca played for that and he was lucky not to get a yellow.
We need to up the tempo and get runners in the box. Welbeck should be more central and laca pushed out wide.jack started well but has not been effective in the last 15 mins
Ospina has done really well so far
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Lot of good stuff; real shame couldn’t get goal or two.
Talk about anti-pgmol refereeing.
Booking someone once for a deserved yellow very early- what are you doing????!!! Booking the same guy again minutes later for another clear yellow- Begone. Contract void.
Superb strength from him not to book us for any of the fouls Atleti made a huge meal of-ie every last foul on them- which were not yellows
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Well played so far. The red card probably made them even more defensive. Hard to get a clear shot. Costa/Torres will come on for sure. Need to score a couple before then.
Top notch refereeing. Got all calls right from my point of view. Also had the guts to send their guy off less than 10mins into the game.
Athletico dive and fall around a lot. Possibly trying to get one of our boys sent off well.
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HT: Arsenal 0-0 Atletico Madrid
AFC dominated the half, lots of chances, missed them all. AM with one good chance. A little disappointed with Ozil so far, not at his best yet.
every since they had a man sent off all they have done is dive and feign injury every time we make a tackle. And ref not given us anything since sending off either, like he is trying to even it up
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Worry is no team ever seems able to keep up the danger level we posed for first 25-30 for a whole game.
Sure enough, we couldn’t for last 20 or so and they started to look comfortable with a good chance materialising quite easily.
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Is it a French Ref who reads blogs? Seriously, who was telling the Argie how to play Arsenal I wonder
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Oh jeez, someone mentioned Torres coming on. Imagine what a whiny cheat he will be in this situation!
Even worse than Costa in some aspects, but only some.
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I thought the high boot on Monreal should have been a yellow though. But overall pretty good.
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could be a night for Iwobi to come on and be our match winning hero
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The red card was richly deserved. The way he stumps on the leg and just holds his foot pressing down to inflict more damage is worthy of admission to Stokes hall of fame. Nasty player!
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lacazetteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee 1-0
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You know, I wish Beckham had have proper kicked him in the bollocks and made it worthwhile.
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You know, I wish Beckham had have proper kicked him in the bollocks and made it worthwhile.
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come on arsenal, 15 minutes to go, one last big push
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typical bullshit from our defense, and its 1-1
dominate almost from start to finish, take the lead, miss a host of chances and then let down by the defense
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For folks sake
I am. Speechless
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Ref trying to even things up.
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come on arsenal, we need to get the win at least, come on.
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oblak makes a fine save from Ramsey
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My guard was totally down and so was the defence’s
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FT: Arsenal 1-1 Atletico Madrid
utterly deflated, dominated the game, AM down to ten men after 10 minutes, created enough good chances to win half a dozen games, but finishing badly missing, took the lead from Lacazette, but calamity defending once again let us and Wenger down, 3 on 1 and cocked it up. It never ceases to amaze the amount of ways we find to shoot ourselves in the foot.
Need to dominate the second leg and take our chances if we are to make the final.
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Dominated that draw like only Arsenal can. Kos brainfart equaliser. Too many chances missed however. Game should have been put to bed long before.
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found it odd we did not bring on a sub tonight.
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They’re quite good at defending Atleti -Better than us I’d say
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God we had some chances tonight
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Deserved more, and had the opportunity to get more. No lack of effort, yet again, an opposing keeper rises to the Emirates occasion.
Sorry to labour a long held point, But the new man really has to sort out our defending and susceptibility to long balls, a world class player did us in this game, but Shane long Troy deeney and Charlie Austin do the same, it has to stop, I hope they consider that when appointing, Athletico didn’t do that much, but again we shoot to the foot
Going to be tough, but there is hope , an early goal could pay dividends
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Anicoll , a team of drunks managed by Kevin Keegan are better at defending than we are at times.
Sorry, maybe a bit harsh
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