After an abject performance by his side and a furious reaction from the crowd Arsene Wenger gave a rather frank assessment of Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat to Swansea accepting that his side were not at the races from kick-off.
“We were not creative, nor sharp,” he told press after the match.
“Swansea were more creative and more sharp. They had a lot of possession, but without going anywhere. We tried to change things and took a lot of risks. In the end it turned against us.
“Maybe we should have made a 0-0 and in the end we were not cautious enough to play the 0-0. The quality of our game was not there. It was a bit frustrating because we lacked a bit of decisiveness and creativity.
“I knew the question before the game could be that we could be a bit jaded because we had many players on the edge who had played a lot of hard games recently.
“We had just come back from two very difficult away games physically and it was a bit like that today. We are guilty of losing a game at the moment when we should not have lost it.
Obviously subdued by both what he’d seen on the pitch and heard from the terraces, he continued:
“At the moment it looks like, away from home, we are quite consistent and our results are positive. But at home we have not produced the performances since the beginning of the season that you would expect from us, and that is where we have to find the solution.”
As things stand it’s the worst Premier League campaign we’ve endured since George Graham’s fateful final season at Highbury. Down to 10th in the table, Wenger didn’t hide the fact that he faces a huge challenge in the days, weeks and months ahead.
“Of course [it is painful]. I am not so much worried about places, even if that is not the place you want to be, but I believe what is important is we get the quality of our game back. Then the places change.”
“I am not worried about places” …places define a team! 1st place is clearly the best
You intentionally misquote him.
Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mirror, is that you?
What he says is true. If we play well, we will climb up the table. We should be focussing on our own shortcomings, not how other teams are doing.
aaaaaaaaaarrrrrrgggggghhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!
Couldn’t catch the game today..
sense alot of anger amongst the faithful…so
aaaaaargh! as well..
Wenger please go
And leave us with the greedy, rotten scum of a board? No thanks. Promoting boudly or recalling pat rice is as good as it gets with this board dude. They’ll tell you something about going on with the “Arsenal culture” as they turn the incumbent manager into their own “player selling-profit making” puppet.
Fuck.
To be frank, I don’t buy the excuse that there’s no money available to the manager. Check our books again, you’ll find that our reserves increase each year and we have the money with us. It’s the manager who is always trying to prove a point that you can achieve something with nothing. All you Wenger fans keep blaming the board for his incompetence, and it doesn’t stop there. People were blaming Pat Rice and the coaching staff to be freshened up, we’re sitting at the top of the league without him, aren’t we? He doesn’t want to spend because… Read more »
The last few years all our top players have left… The only person who was faithful and stuck up was Wenger… You want him to leave as well.. great !
With a salary thats 5th highest on planet earth as per coaches? Its not hard to stick around!
5th biggest salary? is that a fact? is there a credible source?
I am not going to even acknowledge Wenger’s frustrating, if not pathetic, remark with my own further frustrating comment. For the first time in the recent memory, I genuinely felt our club played like a mid-table team and got a result that a mid-table team deserves. Quality is not there. Tactics is not there. That is all I am going to say.
What u reckon we should do?
We wait n see if Wenger can work miracles…
Remember Wenger bought those cheap replacements every year after selling best players. How long will this carry on.
Yet he’s the highest paid manager….
For what exactly????
Bring back Alan “smudger” Smith, he would of put his head to that cross and not bottled it,even at his age now.
Gervinho – poo.
zero skill, zero vision, zero……zero….zero everything!!!!, except the forehead department!
so would John Radford.
Anger, Anger, Anger, Anger, Anger, Anger, Anger, now… Apathy…pfft
No shit. The quality was not there. It hasn’t been for years. Gervinho. That one word sums up everything that arsenal has become.
On the bright side, we’re only 10 quality January signings and a new manager away from competing for third place.
One word review:
Arsenal – Gervinho
one word review
arsenal=diaby
Frightening review- Stoke above us
And in case anyone cares, I say ten because the only guy that I feel worthy of keeping his place is sagna. The rest can fuck off. They all lack either skill( gervinho, Walcott) or desire( podolski, Walcott ) or have been passed up by the game.
Sadly that same Sagna is the next player to be traded as our coach’s ego cant stand his truthful gut.
If only it was that easy, How are Arsenal going to get rid of all those players on comfy contracts? I heard Poldi gets 90k a week, we’ll be wearing that millstone for the next 4 years. Some like to blame the board, but Wenger bought/promoted these players, and he’s responsible for preparing the team. What this team reminds me of is the periods of apathy/impotence that cost us the title and trophies in seasons past. Instead of being a bad spell in November/January/April, it’s turned in to an all year event. Can’t really look too far beyond Wenger here,… Read more »
Poldi will be fine, as will the rest – once Mr. Ego decides to set it aside and actually look to some friggin tactics. Arsenal have 1 striker that can perform well in that single central role – all the other strikers are actually ‘forwards’ and play better when paired. Yet, here the team is – still playing Cesc-designed tactics -and we no longer have Cesc! Or his front-man RVP, or the rock behind him in Song, need more be stated? Tactics and heart, wins matches. Oh – it doesn’t hurt to have some quality backups, but seriously – would… Read more »
Nothing wrong with Poldi if we played him up front. Any other manager coming in would stick him there immediately.
Poldi cannot be truly ridiculed (though not aloof of all criticism), he plays out of his first choice (and easily more successful role) and a centre forward.
I don’t usually have criticism for Wenger’s decisions because he’ll always know better than i will what’s up with any given player on the team… But when you have a good quality striker, and Gervinho… WHY does Gervinho get piority in the middle?? Gerv’s just not a standout striker…
poldi did play as CF almost the whole game if any of you didn’t notice..
Poldi and Gerv were swapping positions occasionaly, but the current problem seems to be the lack of understanding of the squad, like what exactly Poldi, Gerv, Giroud, Santi and Walcott supposed to do when situation changes. They are all fine individuals but the team fall short of the quality.
When I watched a History of Arsenal DVD, Wenger/ Dein (I dont remeber who) was talking about this point – that each individual exactly knew what his position in the team (2002/2003) offensively and defensively. This group never had that understanding.
I’m not a fan of Gervinho either, but this is the wrong game to have a go at him. he didn’t run into a defender or run the ball out of play once.
This is because he was nowhere to be found
Yawn, more bloody spin.
The midfield really looks tired.When are the solutions gonna arrive?
After I wasted 40£ on schalke home I haven’t been fussed about missing arsenal games, I missed todays game and in hindsight that was a fuckin good bit of fortune
Really……you bought that quality that now sits tenth in the table 15 points of the top! Manage us out of this one Arse.
Wenger needs to have a long deep think about why we have lacked ‘sharpness’ so often during the last 4 seasons. I don’t want to aim this comment as a dig, just the total truth – if he believes that we lack sharpness so often, why hasn’t he tried to change it? We have been suffering of this either made up or real issue for years, not 1, not 2.
bet usmanov’s letter writing skills will be on full display soon enough….
Do you blame him, they have given him a chance to shine like a saint and all they needed to do what f up and they f up really bad
Well even Usmanov must be having second thoughts now 😛
When a Top Top team like Arsenal play like that heads must roll. Just to get everyone concentrating again. I’m not afraid of the future I’m sick of now.
I think Aresene has done enough for the club through the years, so he deserves to leave on his own terms. Also, all these people yelling for his scalp, he is just a symptom, you wanna treat the disease, start with a fucking board-Gazidis to be exact.
I don’t understand why the board doesn’t just give him a farewell package. £60+ million to spend on top quality players to have one last crack at it. Instead, his legacy has been tarnished by us devolving into midtable mediocrity. As we seen with Liverpool that state is not easy to get out of even if you throw money at it like they have done. In other words, we are fucked.
Let me make it clear then – that’d be 60 mil out of their pocket or remaining for Stan to strip. I think they’re making a last raid on the til, and once CL money is gone watch out below. Vile money grubbers all.
Agreed, but I’m not sure what Silent Stan’s requirements, as far as finance, are. For all I know, he doesn’t know jack-shit about football, he’s only here to keep on cashing in the checks. You figure, if outstanding debt for the club as a whole is around 90 million and with funds on the rise, why the club wouldn’t be spending on top players in January or summer. If they do- great, if they don’t, then we all know that they are bunch of greedy cunts that don’t care about competing for titles.
The quality wasn’t there because the quality that was previously there, are now in other teams, what is there, are the abject cunts you brought in to replace said quality.
ps : can’t wait for stillman’s article, lets see how he tries to blame this on the fans yet again and not squarely on the manager and the bunch of numpties he bought and picked.
If santi cazorla plays against Olympiakos I will freak out. We need to bench that exhausted, unfresh, fatigued arse of his. Rosicky or Arsh can do a job.
n/b the “job” here is a hard fought draw!
[..]a little bit[…] and […] a little bit […] makes one HUGE difference
With a midfield of Arteta Wilshire and Cazorla creativity shouldn’t be a problem. In chemical terms, this team are for some reason not the right mix : they are inert.
Our lack of spark has been there for a few seasons now, although Cesc and RVP concealed it a bit. Flamini going was when it started to decline.
Not retaining or replacing Gilberto was a cack idea as well.
Hear hear @insight
Spirit, spirit, spirit, spirit…….. Ooh fuck off!
I swear I’m going to make a Wenger pull-string talking doll.
“We we’re not sharp.”
“We lacked quality in the final third.”
“When that player is healthy it will be like a new signing.”
“We will buy if there is value.”
“We made the Champions League again and that is an accomplishment.”
You should buy one before the season’s out, because come April, I’ll have to remove the last bit.
“errrrrrrrrrr”
“We were a little bit physically on the edge of the red zone”
I actually liked the way we pushed them further up the field than we have done against any other team this season, and it paid dividends most of the second half, but that was pretty much all there was to be happy about: – no cutting edge – most players taking easier option that is to play the ball back instead of trying to find a forward pass – we used to be the team whos players always had 2-3 passes available from any position, not anymore, Swansea were the ones with plenty of passing options throughout the game –… Read more »
Sadly, despite all the great things Wenger has done here, it is clear that no matter who plays, inherent problems in the team remain. They have remained for 6 years or so, now.
It’s time for Wenger to be replaced, not by Bould, but by a manager of some repute. Don’t think Guardiola would join, but I wouldn’t mind Klopp.
The attacking lacks the cohesion, exactly what happened with the defense last year. In the wings many a times the passes were misplaced and in the midfield we lacked physical power. Good thing is we’re only 5 points behind that 3rd place and bad thing is of course we are not playing ‘The Arsenal Way’. I became a fan and avid supporter due to the style of play and the philosophy of the club. But sadly now I have nothing to look forward in weekend. But Wenger will turn it around, like he did last year when things were even… Read more »
Klopp is becoming one of the most sort after managers in football. As long as we have that joke of a board he would never join us. He will go to Real or citeh where he can spend money.
“the quality wasn‘t there“.
so who‘s fault is it?????……..mine????…….just shut the fuckup and go fix what u‘ve broken
the award for the worst header of the season goes to gervinho.
a free header in front of goal and the ball hits the corner flag. doh
Such a bad match, I don’t even want to go into it. At least on the bright side Rosicky’s back, he injects much more tempo into our game than anyone else. Never stops running. He reminds me of the Duracell bunny
Not slagging him off but rosicky does the hard work by running back for their second goal and then fucking stops, at least put a fucking tackle in and vermalem on the first goal gives up too easy aswell, start showing some fucking passion
He does stop because he thinks Sir Chessny will save it (he made a brilliant stop one-on-one earlier in the game). And when the team is already losing 0-1 with 2 minutes left, there is no sense in putting your recently healed Achilles Tendon on the line for getting a block which may or may not stop the goal
In two words mistable players
I must say we could get Pep in to change with Wenger. Look Arsenal is set up a little like Barca(yeah I know they are c*nts!) we’ve got a great youth system, great football philosophy and let’s be honest-a fair bit of cash in the bank Pep could use to make some shrewd quality buys. Also, a lot of you forget that Pep’s tactics that could work easily at Arsenal if brought in. A high pressing game with well drilled forward runs and passes together as well as collective defending. Also I believe Pep views Arsenal as a football club… Read more »
Where’s the hellfire?
Let’s be sincere. Arsenal is shit at the moment and without a doubt, it’s clear for everyone to see we are better defined as a mid-table team. Teams in the EPL no longer fear us. And the loss at the Emirates? Damn hard to take for me! As for Wenger, he always talks with all the composure in the world as if he got it all covered. Well, he got no shit covered. January window is a sure must for the greedy dogs at the Emirates. Jaded? Jaded my ass! This is how we started the season. Maybe the dutch… Read more »
Britton looks shorter than Cazorla, I thought he was brilliant today. Messi is as short as a hobbit, he’s days away from receiving Ballon D’Or. There are so many things wrong with us and I think less of height. Vermaelen needs a manager that will bench him if he’s having a shocker. Who do you replace him with? Djourou? Squillaci? Yet, we talk about depth. Dyer’s chance in the first half was as a result of our captain leaving his position to make an attempt to contest for the aerial ball in Mertasacker’s position. Although, he made up for his… Read more »
‘We have a lot of players on the edge physically ‘. Yes Professor that’s because as bad as our first team is performing our squad is that bad you don’t have any alternative, and Mr Wenger whose fault is that?
Don’t recall that much venum aimed at the team since Graham’s last days. A shocking display all round. I love my club I’ve seen us won doubles and finish mid table but I’ve never been so disappointed. 10 hour round trip bloody knackered, lost my voice but I’ll be back cheering my Arsenal on. BSM could have made some noise in the ground!!!
The quality was not there because the only players that got quality happends to be arteta, cazorla and wilshere who all happends to be exhausted…
Spirit, togetherness, mental toughness, nah, I’d rather the have 1-nil to The Arsenal.
I hear you, but not so long ago we had all of those things at once. Even better.
Fuck it, I know I shouldn’t slip into nostalgia, but I’m going to watch Copenhagen ’94 again.
The management wasn’t there either and haven’t been for years.
We’r rotten all the way through. A board that just fills their pockets n a manager who has lost his way. A terrible time to be a gooner & it ain’t gonna get better for a long long time. We are no longer a top club. We r in the second tier and not even the best in that. The board need to get usmanov in and Dein back.
Well done for all those who followed me and the rest today that want the end of the boards lies. We deserve the truth it’s our club not your play thing. I say keep protesting until this greedy regime is removed. Let’s get our arsenal back. I have huge amounts of respect for our manager for what he has done but he must have rally look back and think how did I fuck this all up and how bad. I would Have loved him to walk with his integrity in tact everytime he makes these nonsense interviews about Tiredness and… Read more »
Ummm..cant help but think Usmanov is pulling a Soros with you guys..
Atleast we used to play good football before now that does not even exist. So who is at fault here…
Players??manager??? Board???
I am sick & fucking tired of this team ‘lacking sharpness’, ‘being a bit short physically after two tough games’ & whatever other shit Wenger spouted after that embarrassment today,I don’t need or want to hear it.I don’t want to see any player interviewed this week, I want them working,yes WORKING in training to try & drag themselves & the club out of the shithole they’ve collectively dived into.Play the kids in Greece,(I don’t give a flying fuck about the score-& I’m sure they wouldn’t do any worse than that fucking shit shower today!), & make sure this doesn’t happen… Read more »
Can’t guys see that it’s not about the players. Manu vs reading- rafael gets substituted in the 20min, red nose doesn’t care, he’ll whatever it takes to win. I bet you my head Wenger would have let the game turn into a proper women’s football special b4 making changes. We talk about money all the time, can’t anybody see that even his tactics (both starting and substitutions) are majorly WACK. You have jst one striker and he’s on the bench, DOING WHAT?
I totally agree wit u,look out manu players whenever they are on d pitch,they are happy to play there heart out,why? 1,fergie plays formation dat suits d players.2,he doesnt play players out of position.3,fergie doesnt stick to 1 formation dat is nt working 4 d team,he changes tactics and formation.4,fergie doesnt wait til 70mins to change players onto d pitch.our performance on d pitch is down to wengers poor coaching qualities.why cant wenger try playing 4-4-2 or 4-1-3-2 formation a change.pairing or playing two striker upfront.d next game wenger should try 4-4-2 formation.Wat is d use of having fast wingers… Read more »
awful result and, clearly an awful performance but perspective needed. swansea are good. man c drew to a team we drew with and chelsea were beat by a team we beat. man u had a lucky victory against reading. As bad as things may seem we’re not the only team struggling at the moment. yes the squad needs a bit of radical surgery but as the blokes in the pub (not arse fans)next to me said, “arsenal fans will regret the day they ran wenger out”
I wonder what your story is?
I agree that it will be sad when Wenger goes, but it’s becoming increasingly clear that his transfer market dealings, management of contracts, tactics, and team selection are more miss than hit. It might be time for him to move upstairs.
Upstairs with all his degree in economics and what not?. He either continues (i’m for this) or he fucking steps aside to As.Monaco or some other shit pub team. (shit pub team???. Are we talking about spuds here?)
we still regret even when hes z around..so it doesn’t make any difference.
Did someone mention back passes?
Better stay right there I Sao Paulo!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the real problem at our club is the chronic lack of leadership and management at the highest levels. We have a first-team manager who is now well past it and needs to be removed. But we have a Chief Executive who knows nothing about football and who is Wenger’s lapdog, so he won’t make the decision that has to be made. And in his ivory tower in America we have an owner who also knows nothing about football and doesn’t give a shit as long as the money keeps rolling in.… Read more »
Arsenal won’t play well because they have an average squad – Average stays in the middle – it doesn’t move up and it doesnt move down just lingers there doing nothing. One person to blame for this and that is Wenger. This season is poor and the previous six were not much better (sorry but I do not subscribe to finishing fourth as an achievement). Wenger has to go and should have gone years ago – Much is said about how this man IS Arsenal but I don’t buy it. I hope he is gone as soon as possible the… Read more »
Wenger is right about us 1st getting our game back 1st and then the position will improve with that so I’m hoping we start playing the Arsenal way again and quick! Also I think we need a defensive mid, a striker and a LB as cover or another mid (attacking maybe?)
LB- M’bengue. DM-Etienne Capoue/Gundogan/Yanga Mbiwa. Striker- Lewandowski/Huntelaar.. They are good possibles!
But imagine if we could get Mario Goetze! Goddamn! Start of this season and especially last season I think that was a liability but now? Can’t see it and this guts me. I still can’t get over Alex Song leaving,i could see all this coming!
Really just beginning to feel sorry for wenger now, the interview was fairly pathetic. You can’t build a system based on ‘quality’ with the funding he has. We are paying dearly for buying cheaply. The players are letting him down. The owner and (mis)management are hanging him out to dry. I don’t think he’ll even hang on for FFP which is supposed to be the silver bullet. He doesn’t deserve this as his legacy after everything he’s done.
this season we only have 1 back to back win in the league. we are officially a mid table team. congratulations gooners, we are no different to stoke, west ham, sunderland and liverpool.