Arsenal vs Swansea

I think the last few weeks have shown just how much RVP bailed us out last season. Excluding RVP, I don't think our squad is that different from last season and maybe is even better than last season, the problem is, they just wern't that good to start with. It just so happened we had a truly world class player who could produce a bit of magic when he needed to. Now we lack that player who can turn a game by himself, the rest are being shown up. Pretty much the whole season I don't think I have been less enthused going into the last 10 minutes of a game. In times gone past you always felt we could nick something late on, these days I'm more worried we're going to fuck it up. We clearly lack that quality and precision that a player like RVP bought to the team (and a whole string of players before him).

We are like the Wigan of the Champions League, forced to sell our best players year on year, we kept our heads above water (water being 4th spot) and in some ways performing admirably to stay there. But slowly the team gets weakened every year until inevitably we can't float above water. I am worried this team is sinking into mid table mediocrity, and perhaps this isn't the worst thing in the world, just to taper some of the expectations being banded around.

For whatever reason, this is the team we are, not the worst, but no where near the top. Financial fair play and whatever else may come in, but it won't help us in the near term. I'd be surprised if we are in with a shot of the prem/cl in the next 5 years minimum and outside shots for the cup. There is also a fallacy that being outside the CL places means you can't attract decent talent, utter rubbish. Yes you may not be able to attract the superstars but that is no different to where we are currently, it just means you have to work a little harder to find the hidden gems. In fact this is a pretty good time to look for those gems as plenty of clubs have been over extending their resources for years and are now paying the price. You look at the likes of Michu and Carzola moving and the German market is surprisingly well priced, there are deals to be had with or without CL football. If the scum can attract VdV or Dembele etc, Liverpool got Suarez without CL football, there is no reason we would suffer as badly should we fall out of the top 4.

This team for me needs an identity, they are stuck without a clue for most parts. They are playing pretty aimless football without an end goal, as the blogs above have mentioned, they are passing the football simply because they are too afraid of making a mistake by trying to penetrate the opposition's defences. Wenger has worked out that whatever his tactics were, they wern't working so has tried to change it up without telling the players what the change is. They look pretty confused out there without real shape or conviction and it is pretty depressing to watch. Before we even think about personnel changes this is what we really need to sort out first, because even Messi in that side would look lost

"Jack, Arteta, Santi, Tomas, Abou, Ramsey, Coquelin, Frimpong, even Arshavin"
Jack was injured and is now fine
Arteta fine
Santi fine
Tomas was injured
Abou had a big injury record
Ramsey not his hater but utterly average no clue when he will find form
Coquelin hardly progressed and anverage
Frimpong needs to sort his head out
Arshavin personally I'd rather START him over Gervinho but apparently not in Wenger's eyes
So that basically leaves us with 3 midfielders! The very same three we have starting since Jack came back and look at our results, we're 10th. Saying that we are packed in midfield is utterly ridiculous as 6/9 of these players are injured/average and on top of that not diverse. How awesome would it be to have Yaya in there? OK we can't pay 300000 a week, and therefore can't have him, it would still be great to have a player with 80% of Yaya's qualities, but we don't!

So what if we started the season with 3 FULLY fit midfielders knowing that others are less than a month away? We can't afford to have a better bench than that, I can't see how it is Wenger's fault.

I will happily wait another two years when Ramsey, Coquelin and others become very good players and how everyone will be happy then.

Are you supporting Arsenal or Ramsey, Coquelin and Frimpong? And even if they do come good, they will leave just like any of the other players that did before them. I've learned the hard way not to love players anymore. I don't give a shit if we get X and Y, not necessarily big money transfers, who are better than Ramsey and Oxlade Chamberlain and "kill" the latter two.

I should ask you the question? Do YOU support Arsenal or do u think we are just like City and Chelsea? Arsenal Football Club CANNOT afford to have 9 quality midfielders. Arsenal football club rely on youngsters rather than buying a 10m bench warmer. I am supporting Arsenal and their methods, I am not sure you are. If frimpong, Coquelin, Ramsey etc.. are what Arsenal have at the moment and what Arsenal rely on, I sure as hell will support them.

Where did I say I want 9 quality midfielders? Why are you twisting my words? What I want is:
1- Not fielding 3 similar midfielders
2- Having someone to replace Santi/Jack/Mikel so that you know, we won't hear the "jaded" excuse once every three days.
And where did I say I don't support Frimpong and Coquelin? Do you think I am not watching matches now even with this kind of consecutive shit performances? Do you think I don't want them to do well? But the thing is, they are not doing well, and they need to be replaced.
"Arsenal rely on youngsters" well there is room for improvement! Arsenal have Squillaci, Chamakh, and Arshavin who are on massive wages compared to their contribution. Then Arsenal also have Alex Oxlade Chamberlain and Coquelin who despite doing fuck all, get improved contracts. I know you will go on to tell me if we did the opposite and didn't renew the contracts of our promising youngsters and they went on to be the next Bergkamps at Barca and Real how I would feel. The answer is, they're already doing that, but instead of going at 20-21, they're going at 24-25 (Song and Cesc).
We can surely offer better wages to our top performers/possible new acquisitions if we don't have the Chamakh's and the overpaid youngsters. You are NOT supporting Arsenal any more than I am, you are just putting blind faith in a system that is clearly not working.

Some very interesting posts above. Alot wrong right now, we just have to count on Wenger to help us finish the season as high (league position) as possible and then step aside for another manager.

In terms of players, we need to bring in 5 players over the next two transfer windows.

Quite a few quality players available for free next summer and on the cheap in January - Huntelaar, Holtby, Llorente, Adrian Lopez and even Lampard (*horror*).

We are 5 points off 3rd place.

8th / 9th December round of fixtures:

Arsenal (10th, 21 pts) v West Brom (5th, 26 pts)
Aston Villa (16th) v Stoke (9th, 22 pts)
Sunderland (17th) v Chelsea (3rd, 26 pts)
Swansea (7th, 23 pts) v Norwich (12th, 19 pts)
Everton (6th, 23 pts) v Sp*rs (4th, 26 pts)
West Ham (8th, 22 pts) v Liverpool (11th, 19 pts)

We could fall as low as 12th but we could also finish the game with 3 points with the teams above us playing each other and dropping points as well.

Ofcourse I am disappointed every time we put in performances like we did against United, Schalke, Fulham, Villa and Swansea (sure I have missed a few as well) - but it really isn't getting to the point where it spells the end of the end of this club - mostly due to the excellent work of Wenger and the board in the past.

We are one managerial change away from challenging for honours again. It just has to be the right change (the right man) at the right time (end of the season).

Meshaal wrote:We are 5 points off 3rd place.

8th / 9th December round of fixtures:

Arsenal (10th, 21 pts) v West Brom (5th, 26 pts)
Aston Villa (16th) v Stoke (9th, 22 pts)
Sunderland (17th) v Chelsea (3rd, 26 pts)
Swansea (7th, 23 pts) v Norwich (12th, 19 pts)
Everton (6th, 23 pts) v Sp*rs (4th, 26 pts)
West Ham (8th, 22 pts) v Liverpool (11th, 19 pts)

We could fall as low as 12th but we could also finish the game with 3 points with the teams above us playing each other and dropping points as well.

Best case, we could go up to 6th and be 3 points off 3rd place by the end of this round of fixtures.

Just looking at the fixtures ahead...

3rd on 1st January.

ralph avedikian wrote:We can't afford to have a better bench than that, I can't see how it is Wenger's fault.

Says who? you look at the benches of the top sides and they are all littered with talent. Of course it is Wenger's fault that the bench isn't up to scratch, because he has built the squad and deemed fairly average players good enough when the truth is, if we want to compete at the top, they just arent good enough. Your bench has to be able to come on and offer something different to change the game, or make spot starts to give others a rest but still be able to get a result (they are most likely to be playing against weaker opposition than your starting XI). Would you be confident of getting a result at say Sunderland with a midfield three of Coquelin, Ramsey and AA?

You've let us down all year! Wenger's No.2 Steve Bould slams Arsenal flops

No more touchy-feely culture – Gunners players get both barrels from big Steve after their defeat at Emirates by Swansea

Steve Bould branded Arsenal's under-performing flops a big "let down" in a furious dressing room inquest.

Arsenal No.2 Bould tore into the players after their defeat to Swansea as he questioned their commitment and responsibility after a string of bad results.

Bould shouted: "You've let us down and you've been letting us down all season." And Bould also roared: "None of you are taking responsibility."

The dressing room inquest lasted more than 40 minutes as Bould's patience finally snapped after defeat left Arsenal floundering in mid-table after the worst start to a campaign in Arsene Wenger's 16-year reign.

Arsenal's players have complained they have been left shattered by a gruelling fixture programme but, crucially, some players have complained that training levels have not been scaled back as they are at other clubs in the Champions League.

That has come as a culture shock to big-name summer signings Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla and Arsenal are likely to rest as many players as possible for the final Champions League Group match at Olympiacos tomorrow night (TUES).

Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere and Lukas Podolski will not fly to Athens later today (MON) while Santi Cazorla and Mikel Arteta may also be rested.

It is also understood that more players would be given a complete break but three youngsters who would have gone - Nico Yennaris, Serge Gnabry and Ignasi Miquel - are all struggling with knocks.

Wenger has clearly taken on board the players' complaints of being tired after the dressing room inquest but it is also believed Bould is now pushing to do more specific coaching sessions and drills to save Arsenal's season.

Andrey Arshavin and Marouane Chamakh were both axed from Arsenal's match day squad against Swansea and are both up for sale in January to help fund a major rebuilding programme. Unless Theo Walcott signs a new deal they will look to sell him next month.

Arsenal are in for Schalke's Klaas Jan Huntelaar after glowing scouting reports throughout November and Wenger is under pressure from the fans and from within to spend big in January with serious cash available.

Wenger has been alerted that Chelsea may be willing to offload Frank Lampard - Arsenal were offered Michael Essien in August as the Blues look to trim their wage bill - but the England midfielder has had big offers from the MLS next summer.

Wenger, who will bring in Thierry Henry on loan in January, has had PSV midfielder Kevin Strootman watched and are likely to bid for Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha. Derby's Will Hughes is on their January radar as one for the future.

Meanwhile, Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood is making a "good recovery" after a heart attack last Friday. His health will now be assessed before it is decided whether he can carry on.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/arsenal-coach-steve-bould-raged-1470107

Mike York wrote:You've let us down all year! Wenger's No.2 Steve Bould slams Arsenal flops

No more touchy-feely culture – Gunners players get both barrels from big Steve after their defeat at Emirates by Swansea

Steve Bould branded Arsenal's under-performing flops a big "let down" in a furious dressing room inquest.

Arsenal No.2 Bould tore into the players after their defeat to Swansea as he questioned their commitment and responsibility after a string of bad results.

Bould shouted: "You've let us down and you've been letting us down all season." And Bould also roared: "None of you are taking responsibility."

The dressing room inquest lasted more than 40 minutes as Bould's patience finally snapped after defeat left Arsenal floundering in mid-table after the worst start to a campaign in Arsene Wenger's 16-year reign.

Arsenal's players have complained they have been left shattered by a gruelling fixture programme but, crucially, some players have complained that training levels have not been scaled back as they are at other clubs in the Champions League.

That has come as a culture shock to big-name summer signings Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla and Arsenal are likely to rest as many players as possible for the final Champions League Group match at Olympiacos tomorrow night (TUES).

Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere and Lukas Podolski will not fly to Athens later today (MON) while Santi Cazorla and Mikel Arteta may also be rested.

It is also understood that more players would be given a complete break but three youngsters who would have gone - Nico Yennaris, Serge Gnabry and Ignasi Miquel - are all struggling with knocks.

Wenger has clearly taken on board the players' complaints of being tired after the dressing room inquest but it is also believed Bould is now pushing to do more specific coaching sessions and drills to save Arsenal's season.

Andrey Arshavin and Marouane Chamakh were both axed from Arsenal's match day squad against Swansea and are both up for sale in January to help fund a major rebuilding programme. Unless Theo Walcott signs a new deal they will look to sell him next month.

Arsenal are in for Schalke's Klaas Jan Huntelaar after glowing scouting reports throughout November and Wenger is under pressure from the fans and from within to spend big in January with serious cash available.

Wenger has been alerted that Chelsea may be willing to offload Frank Lampard - Arsenal were offered Michael Essien in August as the Blues look to trim their wage bill - but the England midfielder has had big offers from the MLS next summer.

Wenger, who will bring in Thierry Henry on loan in January, has had PSV midfielder Kevin Strootman watched and are likely to bid for Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha. Derby's Will Hughes is on their January radar as one for the future.

Meanwhile, Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood is making a "good recovery" after a heart attack last Friday. His health will now be assessed before it is decided whether he can carry on.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/arsenal-coach-steve-bould-raged-1470107

Good. If this is all true, then it sounds like at least Bould is absolutely fed up with how things are going. Arshavin and Chamakh have needed to go for a while, and Walcott needs to know that we're willing to let him go if he doesn't do what we want. I like the sound of van Huntelaar and Kevin Strootman, and I wouldn't even be opposed to Zaha. Let's just hope this all actually gets down.

Chris Chan wrote:

ralph avedikian wrote:We can't afford to have a better bench than that, I can't see how it is Wenger's fault.

Says who? you look at the benches of the top sides and they are all littered with talent. Of course it is Wenger's fault that the bench isn't up to scratch, because he has built the squad and deemed fairly average players good enough when the truth is, if we want to compete at the top, they just arent good enough. Your bench has to be able to come on and offer something different to change the game, or make spot starts to give others a rest but still be able to get a result (they are most likely to be playing against weaker opposition than your starting XI). Would you be confident of getting a result at say Sunderland with a midfield three of Coquelin, Ramsey and AA?

so you think that wenger believes that coquelin, ramsey, frimpong etc are good enough for us to win titles? Of course he doesnt but he cnt do anything about it as he doesnt have enough funds. It is like saying he wanted to sell rvp to united.

Hisham El Mawan wrote:Good. If this is all true, then it sounds like at least Bould is absolutely fed up with how things are going. Arshavin and Chamakh have needed to go for a while, and Walcott needs to know that we're willing to let him go if he doesn't do what we want. I like the sound of van Huntelaar and Kevin Strootman, and I wouldn't even be opposed to Zaha. Let's just hope this all actually gets down.

Yeah apparently true. Just read this today, Bould did give them a bit of a bollocking according to Szczesney - http://news.arseblog.com/2012/12/szczesny-confirms-dressing-room-blast/?utm_source=feedburner.com%2Farseblognews&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+arseblognews+%28Arseblog+News+-+the+Arsenal+news+site%29