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1. mbg

   Oct 29, 2015, 16:04 #78231

   Mark, does or would it surprise any one ? it would explain a lot, TOF's attitude and arrogance, that he's the boss and will make all the decisions, and he's always right regardless knows no bounds.

2. Mark from aylesbury

   Oct 28, 2015, 19:18 #78167

   Just been reading secret footballer . Wenger getting bashed for not making up his mind again on player options. Scouts apparently at whits end over his lack of decision making. Interesting nugget that Fabregas is one of the worst offenders in an internal player feud at Chelsea with the team split. Well worth a read

3. mbg

   Oct 28, 2015, 13:44 #78119

   Nick, I think Hiccup was referring to and pointing out the way all the AKB's wengerites would look at that and think of you, because as far as their concerned your not a true fan if you don't sing there's only one arsene wenger even if we're been beat 9-0 and crawl through a mine field to see it.

4. mbg

   Oct 28, 2015, 13:28 #78114

   Some fantastic quips on here and I haven't even got through the posts on the Editors summing up yet, the Oracles version of events, jet lag to Yorkshire, clocks going back, Happy clappers, French Hat stand, Hiccup, Smithy, take a bow, Quips of the day, I hope their not copyrighted.

5. mbg

   Oct 28, 2015, 13:10 #78110

   Hiccup, then crawl through a mine field, I bet the minefield would have been well cleared first, especially for that embarrassment last night.

6. Nick

   Oct 28, 2015, 11:23 #78089

   Hiccup at least I didn't turn it over to watch ballroom dancing as you said you did a couple of weeks ago, as for not being a true gooner as I stated that was the ONLY time in over 55 years of bleeding red n white ive done such a thing, ive brought my son, both grandsons and several cousins into the fold as did my grandad before me,the team on display last night however were NOT an ARSENAL side, it was a shadow team mirroring the managers contempt for the competition and his own clubs supporters, I turned over NOT because we were losing or even the manner in which we were losing but to show my contempt for a manager who obviously has NO empathy with me or any supporter, and because my wife told me in no uncertain terms that she was not prepared to bored stiff for a moment longer !! I have sat through or stood through many abysmal performance over the years and quite a few in recent times and NEVER.left the ground or the televised set before the final whistle, but the utter contempt the manager and some of the senior players had towards this game and supporters of both clubs made it an easy decision to switch to watching Chicago Fire on the planner.

7. Westlower

   Oct 28, 2015, 9:21 #78070

   Historically, Hillsborough has been a real graveyard for Arsenal, winning only 6 times in the past 27 games played there. Our best ever win was 5-0 in 1969, when John Radford scored a hat-trick + Jon Sammels & Bobby Gould. Team: Wilson, Storey, McNab, Ure, Simpson, Court, Sammels, Gould, Radford, Graham, Armstrong.

8. Bob

   Oct 28, 2015, 9:17 #78069

   So Groundhog Day arrives early. It's all very well saying the Mickey-Mouse cup wasn't a priority, but we don't have the strength in depth to win those competitions that are. Wenger's complacency and negligence means that we will be struggling with Ollie Giroud (decent enough as an impact player, but hardly top drawer) as our only option up front for the next few weeks.

9. Westlower

   Oct 28, 2015, 8:42 #78068

   @Smithy, I love watching youngsters break into the first team. John Radford, George Armstrong, Charlie George, Eddie Kelly, Jon Sammels, Liam Brady, Frank Stapleton, Rocky, Anelka, to name but a few. Maybe the creation of the Premier League & the influx of overseas players has changed the landscape for ever. We still have the likes of Jack Wishere & Hector Bellerin forcing their way in so perhaps all is not lost. Finding the suitable opportunities is the hard bit. A fired up hostile environment at Hillsborough was not ideal as it must have been like having a bucket of cold water thrown over them. For sure they will have learned much, virgins no longer.

10. Smithy

    Oct 28, 2015, 8:20 #78067

    Ref - westflower- I agree with you - I heard about Ray parlour talking about the south east combination and reserve leagues this morning.unfortunately I think the modern player couldn't be arsed to help young players along in these type of league formats. It's the first team or nothing for them. I thought per and debuchy particularly stunk the place out last night. Both need to go in May and Jenks brought back for right back cover. Gibbs was pretty awful with chambers also!where are the mickey Thomas, Rocastle and Davis's coming through? And why was Afobe let go?

11. Westlower

    Oct 28, 2015, 8:05 #78066

    @Smithy, It's not so much the academy is in a mess, more a lack of a reserve league where they can integrate with the older players. At present there is no way of giving regular games to the squad players. If left to me all current first team players would have been left at home as the pox ridden COC isn't worth putting in jeopardy the next 3 games, all away at Swansea, Munich & the Lane. We're not faring well with the fixture list as this is the 2nd time we've had 4 consecutive away games. Infamy!!

12. Bard

    Oct 28, 2015, 8:03 #78065

    I dont think the loss matters that much although the manner of it was worrying. The 2 crucial points are that our youth team players were nowhere near good enough. Rooney was scoring for fun at 17. The other point is that 2 months into the season we now have 9 first team squad players on the medium to long term injury list. Most of them are no surprise as they are aways injured for 2-4 months of any given season. This problem was discussed on here over the summer and my view was that we needed to cash in and buy healthier players. Looks like a good call at this moment. I would suggest that our charge for the prem will collapse about Nov Dec because of injuries and when the injured come back around Feb we will make a passable go of it. Season assessment; we are almost there. Groundhog day is upon us.

13. Smiithy

    Oct 28, 2015, 6:58 #78064

    The league cup is fourth on our priorities and is always an indicator of how good the fringe squad players and youngsters are. It illustrates what a mess our academy has been in, the poor lads who were put in were way off. I agree belick looked promising though.i worry about the balance of the side. Who is going to play on the right? I would like Adelaide there in the interim- is he injured he wasn't there? I definately don't want Campbell wenger has crushed the lads confidence. God help us if we are reliant on the French hatstand up front.i agree with previous comments our usual collapse doesn't feel far away.

14. Hiccup

    Oct 28, 2015, 6:27 #78063

    Nick, you ain't no gooner! Turning the match off just because we were losing? As baddie has said, true fans would move heaven and earth just to catch a glimpse of the arsenal. And that's exactly what I did last night. As soon as Holby had finished, I put my hat and coat on and trekked 2 miles over rough terrain to my nearest pub. I got there at full time, only to see Wenger shaking hands with several of the Wednesday bench, which led me to thinking we must have won? And what is the talk on here of refunds for the fans? These happy clappers like coldsore boy have been more than happy to witness performances like last night and the 8-2, and seem to revel in it? Anyway, far too much negativity on here. I shall await the Oracle's version of events, as I'm sure the jet lag of travelling up to Yorkshire or the clocks going back at the weekend must have had some bearing on the game.

15. Mark From Aylesbury

    Oct 28, 2015, 5:42 #78062

    Colseyboy - problem is you seem to be agreeing with us. What is the point of saying "usual suspects" then actually confirm all that has been said. Playing right out of their depth ? So who picked them? I know it wasn't me. Poor poor display doing no one any favours. Least of all Le Prof. Oh for a few additional solid players. Except of course our management committee decided to be the only top 6 side on Europe not to buy an out field player.

16. goonercolesyboy

    Oct 28, 2015, 4:42 #78061

    Just got in and had a quick browse through the comments. Usual suspects. The two injuries did us no favours at all and for your information jeff it wasn't freezing. The Ox warmed up as a starter so was ready, but felt a twinge after running with the ball so as a precaution went off. When it happened Theo should of course done some more rigorous warm up but didn't have the time and had mad e a couple of sprints prior to taking the corner from which he strained a calf. It happens. As for the game, nothing happened until they scored, literally nothing. Debuchy was caught out of position by a ball over his shoulder but after that the cross and finish were excellent. Cech didn't have a chance as it wrong footed him and actually went in before he could move. Then Wednesday's confidence was sky high and from a corner scored unchallenged at the far post, once again Cech had no chance from six yards. The killer goal was the dreadful third straight after half time, more unmarked players and again Cech had no chance. Game over. So then the singing began in earnest, similar to Old Trafford and the 8-2. As it happened the Bfg had a header turned over the bar, Iwobi should have made more of two straightforward opportunities and Campbell volleyed a cross just wide. It was clear that the younger players apart from Bielik who looked good, were way out of their depth, especially in midfield, nowhere near enough penetrating passes and a lack of understanding between the players. It was a poor performance but the two injuries did us no favours and their crowd realised when Walcott went off that this would be their night, as they cheered him off the pitch. Hate the shirt by the way, red and white please next time. A long day/night and went with my son who was visiting from Germany, so even more disappointing after the recent run of good form.

17. mbg

    Oct 28, 2015, 0:41 #78060

    ArseneKnewBest, internet channel ? just go to any comedy channel. Smithy, jw, wengers arrogance has rubbed off on them they just thought they had to turn up as usual, such is TOF's arrogance i'm surprised he didn't send them out to play in trainers.

18. mbg

    Oct 28, 2015, 0:06 #78058

    jw, 82645, and that's only the one we've heard off, if the rumours surfacing now are to believed OGL was/is a real Casanova/stud.

19. mbg

    Oct 27, 2015, 23:50 #78057

    Go now old man your an embarrassment.

20. mbg

    Oct 27, 2015, 23:38 #78056

    Oh dear the bubble didn't last long, yet another embarrassment for TOF to add to the rest, I guess the little technicians thought they could just turn up with no aftershave or moisturiser, well I guess theirs and TOF's skin is bright red tonight.

21. Nick

    Oct 27, 2015, 23:23 #78055

    As I suspected Wenger picked a mix of untried youth, rusty ex first teamers and the odd first team player but as two of those went off injured before hardly kicking a ball they don't count, a shameful display the players attitude mirroring that of the manager towards this competition, although no doubt despite the fact we have no hope of winning the CL and only a slim one of getting out of the group Wenger will no doubt play all his big guns in our next group match, we DID actually have a reasonable shot at winning the league cup if we won tonight, but there's no money in that I suppose, frankly Wenger should refund the away supporters their ticket and travel costs from his own pocket after this total slap in the face to those loyal few, I changed channels after 75 minutes something I have never done before at least I unlike those who travelled had that option !

22. Mark from Aylesbury

    Oct 27, 2015, 23:05 #78054

    Oh dear oh dear. As many of us warned all this triumphalist nonsense about extending contracts on a back of a good euro result. Note nothing has been actually won, no extraordinary effort to win a trophy against the odds. Just a good win. What do we have now an embarrassing loss unless we somehow rescue this carnage. Any takers for pulling back on the contract extension? Whenever I hear chat from the Arsenal board it reminds me of another event at Sheffield and that was Neil Kinnocks triumphal rally. Queue a towering majority for Thatch.

23. jeff wright

    Oct 27, 2015, 22:10 #78053

    Merson's half time comments on Sky that AOC and Wally's injuries result from them not warming up properly on a freezing cold night show yet again that all of these injuries that we suffer from under old Clueless are not just down to bad luck. As for the game well just more Keystone Kops type defending with the big ducking German showing yet again that he needs putting out to pasture. Cech had a poor game and was not brilliant against Everton either. With a string of tough games coming up between now and Xmas he will need to produce more BM type performances because I suspect that he will have to do so.

24. Bard

    Oct 27, 2015, 21:38 #78052

    If that is the state of our second string players then we are well and truly f*****. No heart or desire, a shameful performance from the experienced players. Not one chance created in the whole game.

25. WeAreBuildingATeamToDominate

    Oct 27, 2015, 21:37 #78051

    Give a refund to those poor sods who forked out good money to go up there and watch that shower this evening. Talk about Laurel and Hardy.

26. Arseneknewbest

    Oct 27, 2015, 21:30 #78050

    wenger has thrown the game on purpose and is making a poor show of concealing it. he brings shame on the club and is not fit to be associated with it any longer. Go!

27. Smithy

    Oct 27, 2015, 21:28 #78049

    I feel sorry for the youngsters let down by their more illustrious colleagues. Ox and Walcott for not warming up properly, per and debuchy for being appalling, chambers and Gibbs being way off the standard. Campbell and Giroud looking totally clueless. Some on this site said this squad is good enough - it simply is not.

28. Paulo75

    Oct 27, 2015, 21:14 #78048

    No creativity, no power, no cutting edge, no shots on goal - not to even mention the defensive shambles. Whatever anyone sees in Joel Campbell I've yet to see it.... As for Debuchy, worried for his Euro 2016 place - are you having a laugh??

29. Arseneknewbest

    Oct 27, 2015, 21:10 #78047

    I'm enjoying it in a strange way. 8-2 anyone? Three stages: Sadness to indifference to entertainment. Chambers should be nowhere near an Arsenal shirt. Good old Wenger - three cheers for the man who's been making Arsenal a laughing stock for the last 10 years.

30. Smithy

    Oct 27, 2015, 20:48 #78045

    What are we going to do now? We have the Premiership and the champions league to play for with one fit but slow forward. The mismanagement of the squad repeats season after season. !

31. Bard

    Oct 27, 2015, 20:45 #78044

    Fairly disastrous first half but who cares the sooner we are out of it the better. Two of the usual suspects off injured for how long who knows. If this is the best of the youth set up then it needs an overall. Slow, indecisive and lacking power. Good job we didnt buy anyone in the summer we are packed full of quality players. Is this the game that signals the usual collapse.

32. Arseneknewbest

    Oct 27, 2015, 19:12 #78043

    Lord of the Froth - Interesting that you use the word "capitulation". You're right, the past decade's title campaigns have all felt like surrenders or capitulations rather than seasons which involved fighting 'til the end, a la Arsenal of old. The Birmingham game, in which Eduardo endured GBH, also sticks in the memory because our captain and former chelski and spuds star w gallas decided to sit things out for a few minutes. That must have really helped his team mates prepare for the remainder of the match. So the idea that OGL has coached any sides in the past ten years that have legitimately challenged right to the end is a myth. It might happen this year, but let's face it there's hardly evidence of a legacy in the past ten years. Our best bet for a title - while we remain be-calmed by this regime - is that the others cancel each other out and all have chelsea-type seasons. Cannot see that happening somehow, and you could say that opportunity passed a few years back when Moyes was top man at Manure. Anyone got a good internet channel for the Owls game? Tried to get tix but it was farcical. Hope the B team can do us proud tonight.

33. jeff wright

    Oct 27, 2015, 18:45 #78042

    Frothy, I'm not buying this nonsense that it is a matter of opinion that we have never challenged for a title over the last ten years. No, my lord,it is a fact that we have never been in a title winning position on the last day of any season during the last ten of them. We have never been in the top two even, that is another fact .Facts always beat fiction where truth is concerned. Wenger's consistently ,as he is entitled ( no pun intended) to do with our wage bill ,finished 4th or 3rd in that time span and won places in the group stages of the European Cup .It's been obvious to many that doing this,rather than trying to win titles ,has been his brief .When the chance to go for a title was there on a couple of occasions at XMAS time he never bought players to try and help him to do so . Wenger's title challenges are just illusions and have been so since 2004 - a season in which he hit his peak .He should have left 7 years ago but money and other factors such as his ego have kept him with us. Only a failure to get into the Champions League will see him leave in the summer. He could still be around in 2020! Jesus wept,you couldn't make it up.

34. jeff wright

    Oct 27, 2015, 18:25 #78041

    I know you knew that it was Stan that Woodentop meant Westie, it was the anomaly involved in you using it to which I was referring. I wouldn't rule out anyone myself including Mourinho from becoming manager if circumstances, at some time when Wenger and Stan have left the building ,warranted it to provide a quick fix if things were desperate. It's all about money and anyway Wenger himself is no paragon of virtue or morality either . He has done similar things or worse than the not now so special one has by mouthing off and swearing at match officials and he has also been involved on more than one occasion in violent incidents with other managers. Wenger's image off field has taken a big knock with his well documented affair in Paris with a younger women leading to his wife divorcing him .It must have been embarrassing and hurtful for the child. Good old Arsene.

35. Lord Froth

    Oct 27, 2015, 18:21 #78040

    @ Bard & Jeff - It depends of course how you define a challenge. If it's only to be in with a chance on the final day then no, of course we haven't met that criteria. I can't remember the ebb and flow and fine nuances of every season but in 07-08 we were only 4 points behind and in at least two other seasons were been there or thereabouts but been done by injuries, selection mistakes and capitulated in the end. You can be in the mix all season but fluff your lines in the last handful of games and go from being second place by 3 points to end up 9 points or so behind fairly quickly. A gap of that size can look bad on paper but doesn't always tell the story of the full season. I think we've only come second about 8 times in our history in Division 1 and the Premier League and without doing substantial further research my quick Wikipedia search showed that we'd only come second and within 3 points of the leaders on 3 occasions. So by your reckoning fellas we've only challeged for the title on 16 occasions in our history. Also, you shouldn't pick and choose when to use statements by Arsene Wenger as evidence to back up your opinion. He says lots of things that we all moan about "mental strength" etc and you would be quick to discard that as true but because he said we've not challenged it doesn't necessarily stand as true. It's just words. As I say in 07-08 we challenged and should have won the league that year. The others are debabtable but it's a matter of opinion.

36. Westlower

    Oct 27, 2015, 17:38 #78039

    @Jeff, I'm well aware he said it about Stan but in true Brit style we'd sell our grannies if the price was right. @Ron, Did you sack your assistant for spilling the papers? Wouldn't make a good slip fielder in your cricket team.

37. jeff wright

    Oct 27, 2015, 17:13 #78038

    Er, Hillwood said that about Kroenke,and...oh!

38. Westlower

    Oct 27, 2015, 17:02 #78037

    @Ron, As much as I dislike the loathsome Maureen I would still give him my full backing should he become the next Arsenal manager. I'm saying that safe in the knowledge that it will never happen. As Peter Hill-Wood famously said, "we don't want his sort here."

39. jeff wright

    Oct 27, 2015, 16:02 #78036

    Lord Froth, is it at the mouth >? Now READ THIS SLOWLY... we have not managed to even finish 2nd ,are you following this >? In the last 10 years and we have never been in a mathematical position to win a league title on the final day. Wenger himself admitted that there have not been any title challenges since moving from Highbury himself recently - saying that he thought we were close to doing one until the Eduordo injury malarkey at Brum. That was a shocking admission from Wenger that since then we have never looked like winning a title . The incident at Birmingham was just an excuse anyway the real truth is that the players and Wenger couldn't hold their nerve when the winning post was in sight. Do try and keep up old chap and I suggest you google that Arsene interview about no title tilts ,toodledo and all that...

40. Bard

    Oct 27, 2015, 15:57 #78035

    Lord Froth what exactly constitutes a title challenge ? How many points behind means its a close run thing ? Just curious

41. jeff wright

    Oct 27, 2015, 15:36 #78034

    Rom adopts the European approach to hiring and firing managers, one of get them out pronto after a season or so ,successful or not. It's a bit brutal this policy but it helps to avoid the mind numbing comfort zone of complacency from setting in. My guess is that Mourinho could end up at PSG in the future for his next port of call .There is no question though that the Portueezer is the man for quick fixes but struggles after fixing things to maintain the success he initially brings to the table.I still think that if he is still around after Xmas at the bridge of sighs that he will make the top 4 and he is still in the European Cup with a better chance than Arsene has of avoiding the dreaded Thursday nightmare Ropey Cup. Everything in football is relative it just depends on where the bar is set at to define success or failure.

42. Ron

    Oct 27, 2015, 15:30 #78033

    Your defo obsessed with 'Maureen' Westie! Oh dear! This 'evolution' is an interesting new AKB project though. Is it intrinsically linked to the notion of 'cusps'? PS I met Mourinho once in 2005 for about 40 mins at the Marriott in Birmingham when on a Course and Chelsea stayed there. Carlton Cole knocked my assistants papers all over the place in the dining area accidentally. Some nice banter towards Cole from Jose M who then proceeded to be pick every piece of paper up for us, bought us wine at our table and then 3 of us had a really nice chat with him and a couple of other CFC people who i didnt recognise. A lovely charismatic chap, ive no doubt about that in my mind. You stick to your Daily Mail though matey! I note that youve got our Rt Reverend Badarse betraying his true colours again, dishing the bile on him now (he who s pure and never offensive and spiteful). Where does the pre occupation with Mourinho come from? I rather suspect its subliminal envy and i think you know it is. Its a common AKB trait of the successful teams and their coaches. There's little less edifying than an ill informed, baying mob leaping all over another when theyre having a bad time. COYG - A win later. Might need pens though.

43. Lord Froth

    Oct 27, 2015, 15:28 #78032

    @ Jeff Wright - Post No. 82631. Don't rewrite history mate. Arsenal have had two, aguably three, title challenges in the last 10 years.

44. Westlower

    Oct 27, 2015, 15:04 #78031

    What's the likely hood of any English club attempting to pick up Maureen to be their next manager after the humiliating implosion he's caused at Chavland? We already know Man U wont go near him. Maureen is high maintenance, who can afford him, Citeh? He's 66/1 to be their next manger. Taxi for Maureen! Tip for the taxi driver - don't attempt a selfie as he'll push you over.

45. mbg

    Oct 27, 2015, 15:02 #78030

    jw, ha ha, yes a real danger to everyone, one even thinks or imagines that he, and what he says is/are important enough for others to want to start throwing custard pies. You really couldn't make it up.

46. jeff wright

    Oct 27, 2015, 14:35 #78027

    mbg there are some really silly names being used by hard on AKB's on here at present with views to match them. I must be missing something because I thought we were struggling in Europe and lost to a way below par Chelsea that everyone else is beating recently. If we had won against them we would be top of the league,but we didn't and still have to play some tough games up until the end of January. It's still 10 years without a title challenge by the way for Arsene and 20 in Europe without winning anything. When this changes tell us about it,we have had all the advice to let's all get behind the team regardless for years and it has changed nothing. By team the AKB's mean Arsene of course. The point that fools like Problems miss with Mourinho is that unlike our comfy zone Monsieur the mouthy one is likely to get fired again by Chelsea's owner - who doesn't see winning FA Cups to mean that Mourinho is doing things right and anything other than first place in the league or a European trophy is a failure. Indeed you really could not make up it up some of these AKB's are not safe to be let out on their own !

47. Nick

    Oct 27, 2015, 14:32 #78026

    Westflower says " if it wasn't for injuries" then goes on to list a plethora of players who would most likely have featured in tonight game if they just didn't happen to be injured, citing this as proof of.our club evolving , the fact is out injury list is ALWAYS a long.one always filled with long term.injuries a foreign coach recently questioned.our training methods as being a possible cause for this blight, whatever the cause it is an ongoing fact in the relative strength of our squad, which is not helped by the lack of investment this summer, squad strength is not a mystical problem it could and should have been a problem solved, perhaps then we would be approaching games like tonight's without so much trepidation. To anyone that says its ONLY the league cup, I would retort that it is a trip to Wembley, and a chance of silverware, that is now a mere three games away , if your not exited by that then.i would suggest your following the wrong.sport .

48. mbg

    Oct 27, 2015, 14:05 #78025

    Nick, if his job and reputation were relying on it the league cup wouldn't be treated with contempt you can be sure of that, just the same way the FA Cup came to his rescue and saved his bacon after he and his wengerites treated it with contempt for years now it's the best thing since sliced bread.

49. mbg

    Oct 27, 2015, 13:51 #78024

    Another utter Wotsit (very apt)appears from AKB central command to ask the same questions that have been asked numerous times before over the last nine ten years by his like,(obviously he's never been here before or he'd have known that or with another silly name like that he probably has) and have been answered numerous times also, with a list of names to go with it. There's still always one. You couldn't make it up.

50. jeff wright

    Oct 27, 2015, 13:36 #78023

    Yes Problems great idea we have noticed how Wenger never loses to Mourinho. Oh....!

51. mbg

    Oct 27, 2015, 13:36 #78022

    Andrew, very few I know would point to gorgeous football either, unless of course tippy tappy crab like trying to score the perfect goal by walking it into the net after 40 passes constitutes gorgeous, a more fitting word is boring. Yes indeed OGL is very good at making money and people rich, second third rate players for a start, and rich men richer (including himself) and with fans money too no doubt not his own you can be sure of that. With the help of his followers of course he couldn't do it without them and their weekly collection and yearly donations and they just love helping out. As for getting/giving some back ? a bung a fee you must be bloody joking the only people that applies to is TOF himself and his cronies. And as far proper trophies like the prem and CL go (cough) i'll have a drag of what ever your smoking mate, it's not resources that's needed for that well in a way I suppose it is, but just one resource though, A proper manager. Good Article.

52. Platitude Problem

    Oct 27, 2015, 13:17 #78020

    Sack Wenger now and bring in Mourinho. He'll never get deluded and lose his winning habit like Wenger.

53. Bard

    Oct 27, 2015, 13:03 #78019

    Im with Westie. I like the club to be well run with lots of money in the bank. All this harping on about trophies and winning is missing the point. Anyone would think it was a top football club.

54. jeff wright

    Oct 27, 2015, 12:52 #78018

    Well the injuries are still happening,so there is no evolving there and why is Cech having to play ,do we only have 2 GK's . At least Sanchez will get a break for one game. If our players are up for it then we should win but with Wenger in this competition you can't take anything for granted.

55. Badarse

    Oct 27, 2015, 12:47 #78017

    Not according to jeff and the 'Quality Street Gang', 24601. Evolution to some should be spelt 'evil-ution'. It stops the big headline grabbing signings, the slightly improved chances of winning a trophy, and with it the imagined engorgement of their manhoods. All rather bleaak, dark and shadowy, if you ask me. To be psychoanalyst of this mob would be a frightening experience. Brain patterns of a perpetual quagmire of disconnected thoughts, with some similar ones reverberating daily, and the sponge like texture of mashed potatoes. Custard pies at the ready! Ha ha. Only kidding folks.

56. Westlower

    Oct 27, 2015, 12:30 #78016

    Food for thought. If it wasn't for injuries our squad team for tonight would read: Ospina, Debuchy, Gabriel(BFG), Chambers, Gibbs, Arteta, Flamini, Wilshere (Ox), Walcott, Welbeck, Rosicky with Campbell, Iwobi & Reine-Adelaide on the bench. Are we evolving nicely or what?

57. jeff wright

    Oct 27, 2015, 11:49 #78014

    Woitsit,your views are complete nonsense. Winning FA Cups doesn't mean Wenger is doing things right, it just means he won two FA Cups after 10 years without him winning anything . What he did do during that time was to exploit the Champions League top 4 places to make money from doing so. Who can ever forget the manic celebrations from him when we finished 4th on the last day with a narrow win at Newcastle. Other managers such as Martinez have won the FA Cup and been relegated at the same time . Was winning thr FA Cup proof that they were doing things right >? As regards who Wenger should have signed well he could have signed Suarez a couple of years ago ,the player actually said that he wanted to join us Liverpool put a price on him of 50m+ but Arsene being Arsene,had HIS own valuation of the player and ended up making a fool of himself with that silly 42million and one pound bid. He is the only manager I can think of who would do something as stupid as that. So Suarez got away to join a long ,list of players that Wenger nearly signed. Benzema was claimed to be wanted by Arsene and the story ran all summer getting a few dedicated followers of Arsene excited ,but the reality was that Wenger was never going to make an offer that Real Madrid and the player could not refuse.In a nutshell this is the big problem with Wenger he has his wages ceiling and players have to accept this before he signs them, some such as Ozil were in situations where they were surplus to requirements at the top clubs they were with no other big Euro clubs showed any interest in them. Ironically Sanchez was replaced at Barca by Suarez .Sanchez had a choice of joining Liverpool or us and if we were good enough for Suarez to want to join then obviously it was a no brainer really. I see Wenger as being the nearly man,in fact he has always been so, even in his pomp .He never cracked Europe when he had teams to do so with . As I have said before it's been a game of two halves for Arsene ,Highbury and The Emirates with his biggest success at the current stadium being the consistent qualfication for the group stages of the Champions League and the big bucks earned for his boss by doing that. It's this that has kept him his job at AFC at any other top club with real ambition he would have been gone donkey's years ago . By the way clubs do not spend millions on wages to just win FA Cups and when they start claiming that the Charity Shield that Moyes won with United as being a trophy then you know that things are desperate. To sum it up my view is that a new manager with new ideas and more ambition is required and a change at the top with someone replacing creepy Kroenke would not go amiss either.

58. Westlower

    Oct 27, 2015, 11:22 #78013

    @Andrew, You show little understanding of Arsenal football club. When Wenger has moved on the club will be run on exactly the same lines as they are today. They have got themselves into a 'comfort zone' as you call it by prudent and intelligent management. AFC have never been a club to throw money down the drain in a blind panic. Many clubs have tried and failed to copy the Arsenal template. You don't sacrifice the clubs future simply to put a tin pot in the trophy cabinet. Winning trophies will come with evolution. we are on the right road for future prosperity both on and off the field. There is no better run club in the UK in my opinion.

59. Mathew

    Oct 27, 2015, 11:21 #78012

    Hey Andrew, did you just poke the AKB's in their eyes, expect them in full force on you...lol. They are deluded thinking no one can replace Wenger, and money has made everyone blind !

60. Nick

    Oct 27, 2015, 11:17 #78011

    Cheaper tickets would be nice it would also be a case of less is more in the long term, but as this is a football site may I get on to that subject please? Tonight we face an away trip to Sheffield on a Tuesday not a Wednesday, but if we prevail we are then a mere two games away from a trip to Wembley and a chance at picking up the first significant trophy of the season, others such as manure blue and chelski have used this league cup as a fillip to bolster confidence and as a bridgehead from which to launch a final assault on the league title,I for one cannot understand Wengers seeming contempt for this competition, yes we have to rotate to rest tired bodies but please play the STRONGEST side that we can , a win keeps momentum going adds even more confidence and a triumph at Wembley again would also instill even more of that winners mentality in our players.

61. Uber Wotsit

    Oct 27, 2015, 10:51 #78010

    I can't get a handle on what the hell you're talking about Andrew.. Clearly the players and the manager are trying to win things. 2 FA Cups in the last 2 years. Very good. The League or the Champions League this year would be incredible. You can go on about how rubbish you think Arsene is - but you should also offer a suggestion of how we could do things better. Could we spend that £200m you talk about? Of course! Should we just fire it off blindly in an attempt to look good during the summer? Definitely not. If you think Arsene doesn't like signing players then you are insane. If you think he doesn't want to win things then you are beyond insane. So again I ask you - what would you Andrew Cohen do to make things better? Which manager would you chase? Which players in our current squad would you ditch? Which players would you try to replace them with? If you offered up your blueprint for winning trophies - and don't forget that Arsene's 2 FA Cups in the last two years are proof that what he is doing is at least working - then we could at least be able to decipher if there is method in your insanity instead of just a load of moany old nonsense.

62. Dave

    Oct 27, 2015, 9:48 #78006

    Staying level headed in these difficult times can be difficult. Constant wars, big brother and fake FA cup wins can get you down - but it is important not to start taking crack. Crack is whack kids and the above article is here to remind you of that. Don't end up like poor Andrew trapped in hopeless ennui because of drugs.

63. WeAreBuildingATeamToDominate

    Oct 27, 2015, 9:36 #78005

    I'm promised a partial refund of my train season ticket if the railway don't perform to a certain standard over a period of time. But the standard is that 95% of the trains run on time over a 12-week period, and "extenuating circumstances" like someone throwing themself in front of a train doesn't count. Hence = no refund. Depends what "standards" AFC have in place.....the 4th place I guess. On a broader front, after WW2 attendances at a lot of clubs were for the time the highest they'd ever been, and the players were on maximum wage. Were'd the money go too then as well?