Another rant from the North Bank Upper

Some post-Fulham reflections



Another rant from the North Bank Upper

Communication breakdown?


Just what on earth is going through your mind, Wenger? I have tried, in the recent past, to help you through these pages, but you choose to bite the hand that feeds you.

Over 60,000 watched this latest debacle, plus a few million more who laughed at us when they saw it on the box. It doesn’t take a genius to work out why it ended in tears. Here is some basic stuff to consider:

1) Why are you refusing to communicate with Steve Bould? Yet again, your defence let you down, and you can’t blame Fatty Santos for this one. Zonal marking? You are having a laugh. I was off my seat in the North Bank screaming at somebody to mark Berbatov when Fulham were awarded their first corner. Lo and behold, with the boys in red watching shadows, the obvious happened. From Arsenal being able to close the game down against a very poor team, Fulham were suddenly back in with a sniff, which duly occurred five minutes before halftime with Mannone undone again, thus undoing all the good work in the first 25 minutes.

2) Why aren’t you trying to properly manage a team that is so short of confidence? They need you on the touchline rather than slouching in your pit. The likes of Orville Cazorla, Wiggy Arteta and Podolski were yet again well off the pace. These are your signings, Wenger, so please sort it out.

3) What was the point of replacing Le Coq with Rambo after 55 minutes? This was a time when we needed some inspiration with the introduction of The Ox, and not a like-for-like swap. Although The Ox did end up getting on the pitch, it was only for the last 13 minutes and not long enough to make a difference. As we all know, Rambo is not the answer. He was lucky to have stayed on the pitch with his nasty challenge soon after he’d been booked.

4) It was obvious that Wiggy was having a nightmare of a game. His contribution was minimal, he gave away the penalty, and the decision to trust him with the last kick of the match to put away the penalty was complete madness. From where I sat it was obvious that he didn’t fancy it. Instead of sitting in your pit, you had enough time to have a word.

5) I am fed up watching a load of Deckchair Denilson-lookalikes just passing the ball backwards and sideways and getting nowhere. Verminator, you have been one of the worst offenders in the past few weeks. Please cut it out.

So here we are again, with more points dropped, only this wasn’t anybody decent. This was Fulham.

I would like to remind you, Wenger, that the crowd did its utmost to help secure three points. The atmosphere was spot on, but at the end we were all rather shell-shocked. We thought that the idiot Dowd had given us a Get Out of Jail Free card, but to no avail. We were looking for a reasonable performance and yet again it never happened.

On Saturday, it’s the Odious Neanderthals from up the road and it’s cost us a King’s ransom for the privilege of watching. You have two choices, Wenger. Either get your team to put up a performance that makes us proud to be Gooners, or get out.


NEW! Subscribe to our weekly Gooner Fanzine newsletter for all the latest news, views, and videos from the intelligent voice of Arsenal supporters since 1987.

Please note that we will not share your email address with any 3rd parties.


Article Rating

Leave a comment

Sign-in with your Online Gooner forum login to add your comment. If you do not have a login register here.

28
comments

  1. mark from aylesbury

    Nov 17, 2012, 8:29 #28296

    PPP, What exactly is your point? Various shades of opinion are aired and discussed, everyone has different view. I cant see what you have to say apart from ridiculous comments. If you feel Wenger and the team are great tell us why. I cant see the point of your contribution.

  2. ppp

    Nov 16, 2012, 19:01 #28294

    A collection of Usmanov Schills and Tottenham fans having a weird love in. Three Premier Leagues. Four FA cups. Two of them doubles. Champions League final. Countless other finals and semi-finals. Please do list your reasons why you think we should have done better during the Wenger years. Oh of course, you won't... because you only have one answer "Waaaaaaahhhhh!! I want Usmanov money! Waaaaaaaaah! Give me my Arsenal back and buy Lionel Messi and Ronaldo and sell that nasty nasty sh*t Aaron Ramsey or I'll p*ss my pants!! Waaaaaaahhhh!!!" Do you really think anyone cares about your bleatings? Because that's what you are, a bleater. All genuine Arsenal fans stand behind the team. Black scarf movement.... how pathetic..... what will the attendance be this time boys? Over a hundred? And all of them curiously unkown to any regular match goers.... dear oh dear....

  3. maguiresbridge gooner

    Nov 16, 2012, 17:55 #28293

    AIsace LDT spot on that's one thing more than anything that dents his ego but will it happen ? a win tomorrow and everything will be rosy in the garden again for a while at least.

  4. loyal since 1980

    Nov 16, 2012, 17:28 #28292

    IG is just a oily little snake! He don't care about Arsenal, he only cares about his wages! The current board out, Usmonov in!

  5. Red shirt White sleeves

    Nov 16, 2012, 17:08 #28291

    Some very interesting comments posted on here, but i havent seen one yet wishings the boys good luck tomorrow. Maybe as supporters of this great football club we also need to take a good long hard look at ourselves?

  6. Jude

    Nov 16, 2012, 16:28 #28290

    RichardS: Coquelin played out of position at fullback last season. I don't recall him looking out of his depth. He's the same age as Ramsey. Arteta is playing out of position currently. It doesn't seem to affect him. The Ox isn't playing in his favored central role. How's he been out on the flanks? Fact is, proper footballers don't struggle like Ramsey does. I noticed you didn't mention the excuse that the lad is coming off a long spell on the sidelines from his injury. Is that because Jack's shot a hole in that argument by essentially coming straight back into the team after a long layoff and looked pretty sharp? Again, proper footballers don't struggle the way Ramsey seems to, which makes it clear the boy isn't good enough.

  7. Alsace Lorraine Du Totteridge

    Nov 16, 2012, 14:26 #28289

    Dear Stuart Hall, Absolutely excellent save that you did not say "I am Ozymandeus king of kings" in your remarks. As I gaze into the ether during this year when Le Boss is at last likely to be found out, I wonder idly, if we have now reached the stage that while it will have permeated the teams consciousness that the crowd will be displeased at a Spurs victory, they will not be physically able to up their game or resist a properly coached team. Spurs may not even be that, but we may be reaching an endgame, for one thing is certain, the only means of removing the manager is to shout nasty things at him. The one thing that he absolutely cannot stand is vocal criticism.

  8. TheManOnTheTube

    Nov 16, 2012, 12:27 #28284

    The worst bit about all of this? I've said it before and I'll say it again until something gets done, Gazidis and Kroenke DO NOT CARE. Gazidis can say all he wants about us 'being title contenders' and 'up against anyone in Europe' in a few years, we want the results NOW. Not tomorrow, otherwise I might just offer everyone free beer TOMORROW.

  9. Any Old Iron

    Nov 16, 2012, 12:06 #28283

    You have aptly touched on the significance of the game versus the 'swamp dwellers.' There are noises now emanating from N5 which indicate the club is trying to damage limit. Gazidis chief spin doctor is stating Arsenal have a 'rosy future', just in case we get turned over perhaps. I agree with many that zonal marking is a load of ***l*c**!

  10. Stroud Green Road Boy

    Nov 16, 2012, 11:51 #28281

    I wish the Spurs game was a crunch point, Womblein. AVB's job is on the line after Spurs' indifferent start to the season. Wenger has a new contract sitting on the table waiting for him to sign, doubtless with another pay hike. They've a point more than us. Says it all really.

  11. Ron

    Nov 16, 2012, 10:06 #28279

    Womblebin - Agree. Its the start of the end for this regime. Ive no doubt about it. A loss v Tottenham however bad losing to them feels (and under AW we ve been very fortunate to rarely experience it) could even hasten matters.

  12. Wombledin

    Nov 16, 2012, 8:29 #28277

    The spuds game this weekend feels like a bit of a crunch point. We now need 2.0 points per remaining 27 games to guarantee 70 points and 4th spot, the minimum benchmark for Wenger's 'success' mandate by the Board, else all hell breaks loose. The team needs to get a good result this weekend v the spuds, a draw will only just keep us from crisis, a loss will pitch us into crisis. Can we go on a good run from here....Wenger has pulled the white rabbit out of the hat so many times before, can he do it again? Even if we beat the spuds, I doubt it. This season feels different, it feels ominous....there is no red-hot RVP up front and no Song at the back. We are approaching some kind of rubicon for the club I feel.

  13. Graham Simons

    Nov 16, 2012, 8:20 #28276

    I think the evidence that Mr Wenger has stopped listening to Bould is clear. During close season and the very start of this one we were doing the old Bould trick of the flick on - where has all that gone? The reason no-one pats Wenger on the back if we defend well is he's rubbish at coaching a defence and he knows it and we should have worked this out very early on? Why else would the man thank George Graham the first time he came up against him for our well-drilled defence? Maybe you have to be a gooner of a certain age but some of us remember Graham's defence and just how good a defender Bouldy was - he knew a good a defence when he saw one and so do we and this defence is rubbish.

  14. Brigham

    Nov 15, 2012, 21:29 #28272

    Fozzy, that is one of the best posts I have read on here for a long time, well done. It hightlights just about every shortcoming currently going on at our once proud club. The general malaise of Wenger when things are not going right is what really annoys me so much. A fact you pointed out so very well at number two. I am really beginning to lose it with Wenger and he when he says "I did not see it." I am actually starting to believe him, as he is as blind as a bat with its sonar removed. Another insipid performance on Saturday like last week against the swamp dwellers and he will be getting some severe stick for sure.

  15. maguiresbridge gooner

    Nov 15, 2012, 20:26 #28270

    chris dee good point on jenkinson no doubt sagna has more experience something that hasn't worried wenger before maybe it's a case of favoritism and we know why that would be.But i'd say the most likely reason is to keep him in the shop window for the big guns when they come calling with their cheque book and a nice profit.

  16. CanadaGooner

    Nov 15, 2012, 18:26 #28267

    Fozzy, your Point 2 is pretty much what has underpinned our season for the past 5 years and is the reason why we wont win anything this season. 7 years without a trophy, but people forget that in those years we have been in the final of the champoins league and the carling cup twice and could have also won at least 2 premiership titles, but pissed it away in what has now become an ARSENAL fashion. I do however disagree with your Point 1; communicating with Steve Bould isnt an issue. Steve can get on with his work and Wenger his; they dont have to be chummy. And this misplaced faith in Steve is something that slightly annoys me; there is nothing yet out there to indicate Steve Bould will make a difference to an arsenal defense that is so used to being complacent, they almost celebrate it

  17. 1971 Gooner

    Nov 15, 2012, 16:02 #28264

    School physics: kinetic energy = 1/2 mass x velocity squared. So, if a little bloke runs into a static big bloke, he will splat him out of the way. Bring back man for man marking and stop this zonal cobblers.

  18. Stuart Hall

    Nov 15, 2012, 15:07 #28263

    As dark clouds gather overhead, a storm brews in N5. The visitors from N17 are on their way. The famous cannons are being stoked in readiness to shoot down the crowing cockerels, whose sharpened beaks are primed to peck back at their wounded rivals. The confrontation of Wenger and AVB, the sorcerer and the apprentice. I quote Nietzsche: "Whoever battles with monsters had better see that it does not turn him into a monster. And if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you."

  19. Bard

    Nov 15, 2012, 14:56 #28262

    Important points forcefully made. I thought of writing a sacrastic Wenger ish reply but decided not to waste my time. What does puzzle me the absence Wenger supporters, countering all the questions and criticisms. Are they waiting till we beat one of the half baked sides in the lower half of the division and then come out of the woodwork. I really would like to hear the counter arguments if there are any.

  20. maguiresbridge gooner

    Nov 15, 2012, 14:36 #28259

    Fozzy i'm sure you know by now arsene listens to no one not even his assistant no matter what way things are going.Another two points dropped to an average team how many times have we seen that ? but i suppose that's what we are now an average team.The get out of jail free cards don't come around very often and should be accepted no matter if deserved or not but it seems we have no one even capable of doing that.Yes it's the spuds on Saturday and nothing less than a win will do against the swamp dwellers.Yet another mediocre performance is not acceptable from either the players or the manager.

  21. RichardS

    Nov 15, 2012, 14:26 #28257

    Some good points, Fozzy. I don't think you're ranting. Just making some very clear tactical observations which you would hope someone of Wenger's experience and stature, would employ quickly. I can't agree on the atmosphere. I thought it was dead apart from after our 3rd goal. This was maybe due to where I was sitting (upper tier near the halfway line), whereas I usually sit in the north bank. It felt like a feeling of resignation around the stadium. I struggled to reach normal volume levels, so I can't blame others! I actually thought Coquelin had a reasonable game....really working his nuts off for the team. So I couldn't believe it when he brought Ramsey on to replace him. I will probably get shot down in flames, but I still think Ramsey has got great ability and a future at Arsenal, when he is played in the right position, in the right formation. I know he had a shocker against Fulham, but he will get better.

  22. Tony Evans

    Nov 15, 2012, 13:43 #28253

    James - I can't believe the zonal marking has anything to do with Steve Bould. It has Wenger written all over it and I am sure it is yet another one of his crackpot ideas.

  23. gooner-girl

    Nov 15, 2012, 13:00 #28249

    If he could he'd play ramsey in every position. Jonah ramsey - th only player we will never sell.

  24. Der Projekt ist Kaput

    Nov 15, 2012, 12:42 #28246

    Protest. Demonstrate. Get our club back.

  25. james

    Nov 15, 2012, 12:29 #28244

    I am sorry but did we not switch to zonal marking this year , and was that not bouldys thinking. when the defence is great bould is the man when it bad it is all wengers fault. get a grip

  26. Tony Evans

    Nov 15, 2012, 12:28 #28243

    Ah but don't forget Fozzy, Wenger is only on 7M quid a year, so we can't expect too much out of him.

  27. Andy M

    Nov 15, 2012, 11:55 #28241

    We have probably the best chance of winning the Capital Cup since the horrors of the Birmingham final. That could be a massive boost to the 2013 half of this campaign and start to instil a winner's mentality in the team. What do you bet we balls it up?

  28. chris dee

    Nov 15, 2012, 11:40 #28238

    That's not a rant,that a clear and concise assesment of our current situation. You could also have added that the players 'team spirit' has gone down the karzi and that we are paying like a bunch of arrogant individual prima donnas. By the way ,what has Jenkinson done wrong to be dropped for the inclusion of Sagna.Jenkinson,who really has the club at heart, has been a breath of fresh air among the stink of our current 'couldn't give a s***' attitude from players who should be running themselves into the ground in every match,not just when they fancy it. The last few performance would not have been unnecceptable at United,Chelsea,City Barca or any top club,or has Arsene settled for the club being an also ran.I hope not, cause the fans will not accept it and will be showing it in ever increasing anger. But Arsene does have a get out of jail card.All he has to do is win 4 frigging matches,starting with Bradford,in the Capitol Cup.That's a trophy,that's confidence building,that's a monkey of our backs,that's a springboard for further success.But will Arsene play his best team or will Djourou still be flapping around at centre half with the Captains, god 'elp us ,armband on?