Tomas Rosicky has admitted Arsenal’s defeat to Chelsea was a ‘slap in the face’ and ‘like a suicide’, but has the midfielder wants to focus on the positive aspects of the season.
The Gunners face Swansea tonight with a chance to close the gap at the top of the table to 4 points, and the Czech is expecting his teammates to provide the right response to what happened at the weekend.
“There are still eight games to go and so many points still to play for,” he told Arsenal.com.
“When I played in Germany for Borussia Dortmund and we won the title there, in the season that we won it we were five points behind first place with four games to go and we still managed to win it.
“Everything is possible but the most important thing at the moment is to bounce back straight away.
“If you see in the past almost every time we had a negative result we always had a good reaction up until now. We have the experience of turning a negative into a positive very quickly. I’m expecting the same thing to happen on Tuesday.
“I’m very confident that we can turn it around again and we have two big games at home now.”
Rosicky was one of the only players to come out of Saturday’s defeat with, if not credit, not no credit. Let’s hope tonight he can contribute to a good Arsenal win.
Lets hope we don’t set our stall out to play negatively and take a draw like we did the last two times after getting spanked…
We did play the chavs and manure after those two games though – bit different to Swansea. We should be thankful this game was moved to today otherwise our next game would be city & that definitely would’ve been our approach. Now we can hopefully have a confidence boosting mid week win for a must-win at the weekend.
I think they should be made to sing sing ‘Everything is Awesome’ from the Lego Movie while training. We already have our own Lego man in Señor Arteta and his magnificent hair.
Pace, combative, energy, goals a against Spuds, and now optimism. This guy is the ultimate Arsenal lad. Can we please cryogenically freeze him until we get some more players in for him to influence.
Wenger should be considering to have him to join the back room staff once he retires as I think he ticks all the boxes: Polite, humble, hard working, technical, with some good old mental strength 😉
Did anyone see Wenger’s comments saying that he does not know why the 6-0 happened? Also that maybe early kick offs are a problem? “An accident happened, that doesn’t mean that you are not a good driver” is just one of the head scratching quotes coming out. I am worried, very worried. There is an absence of self awareness from our manager, he almost sounds like Moyes saying he doesn’t know what else they can do to win games. Wenger doesn’t think there is a problem to fix, and my fellow gooners this is a major concern, because I think… Read more »
On a similar note – did anyone see the stats on Sky Sports News the other day regarding Arsenal’s away form (home form is decent) to the top 4 teams over the last 5 seasons? Played 15, won 1, drawn 1 and lost 13 with 15 goals scored, 42 conceded and gaining only 4 points out of a possible 45. That right there is our problem. Away games to the big teams, and crumbling as soon as we step off the coach. I said it after the Chelski game and I’ll say it again – we need a top sports… Read more »
Unfortunately Arsene is stuck in his ways, i doubt he’ll ever hire a sports psychologist. Wenger basically does opposite of what everyone tells or suggest him to: We need a striker, he’ll get a playmaker We need a defender, he’ll get a striker. We need to defend, he’ll attack. We need to spend, he wont. Sometimes i wished i was part of the journalist that attend his press conferences; Me: Arsene, a lot of atheletes believe their performances have improved with the help of a sports psychologist but once again you have proved that its a bunch of nonsense, as… Read more »
What are you talking about? Wenger has been a pioneer in the use of sports psychologists.
Really? its obviously working wonders for us!!!
@Paul S – initially yes, but at the moment it doesn’t seem like. We don’t have anyone among the staff who does it – http://www.arsenal.com/staff
Generally the best sports psychologists don’t seem to tie themselves to one employer. They’re freelancers.
Bollocks. What we need is a new manager. Yes I laughed when I saw Wenger referring to Saturday’s humiliation as “an accident”: It just shows how much he has lost the plot. He’s on a different planet to everybody else. Was it an accident that he decided not to play the only defensive midfielder he has away to the best side in the league? Was it an accident that we decided to play a suicidal high line with full-backs bombing forward, leaving our back four exposed? Was it an accident that he learnt nothing for the Liverpool 5-1 humiliation? Was… Read more »
Liverpool would be mid table without Suarez.
Elsewhere, they are the usual Liverpool journeymen. They are an average team with a sensational striker, nothing more. Sports psychologist or no, there is only one reason Liverpool are doing well this season, and his name is Luis Suarez.
The rest of it is ex-Liverpool media inspired wishful thinking.
It doesn’t bear thinking about that a realistic offer would have got him to the Grove. A serious strategic error.
Thats the whole point of football mate.
The team with the superior players tend to win most games.
Suarez an already brilliant player been told everyday by a sports psychologist how brilliant he is and how to focus all his energy on the game and not cheat, dive etc, will only improve the player.
Basically we cant knock it until we try it.
But im not sure we dont already have 1, cos in the interview with Ramsey on Arsenal.com, he talks about working with a psychologist to improve his confidence.
Telling a pig’s ear that it’s a silk purse will not make it so.
Liverpool without an Suarez would be mid table, no matter what is being whispered in their ears by witch doctors. They are quite simply an average team with a striker in the form of his life. Take him out of the mix, and within 2 games they’d be dropping down the table.
No mystery about it.
“I think the Mugsmashers’ confidence and fearlessness at the moment can be largely attributed to him. I don’t think it’s a coincidence. We desperately need a top sports psychologist as I really believe that’ll help us get further and will put an end to our bottling”. Or maybe they play with fearlessness because they are confident that attacking wise they can rip teams apart, Chelsea and City included. it’s a lot easier to cock things up in defense if you know you have Suarez, Sturridge and Sterling to rectify your mistakes. What do we have in comparison? Giroud, Sanogo and… Read more »
I agree that to some extent some of it must be attributed to something other than footballing skill, however I think above psychologists must come a serious, serious look at our physio set up. I’m aware that those we employ have reputations as some of the best in the business, but surely there’s something going severely wrong at some level? Previously I’d just attributed to the fact that we start players very young and stresses and strains on their bodies take their toll, but it’s just getting ridiculous now. I’m surprised Wenger hasn’t made more of it, if for no… Read more »
That is a shocking statistic. I think we were probably all aware that it wasn’t too great but ONE win in 15. Jeez.
You can’t fault him. When I saw the line up, I was like, hey, we can win this. Potent attack with Rosicky, Cazorla, Podolski, all can finish. Ox driving up from midfield. It all looked good.
But Flamini’s absence instead of Arteta/Ox was crucial. Wenger’s not going to admit it, that he made a mistake. So let’s just leave it at that. Don’t even compare Wenger to Moyes again, it just doesn’t even sound right.
Yeh I agree.
I think that’s where Arsene got it wrong.
The OX in centre mid, it wasn’t the game to play him there, against Chelsea and with Maureens experience in playing us, we needed that defensive foundation against them.
As all he does is line up Chelsea for the counter attack against us.
Not having Flam next Arteta was the key mistake for me.
I think as Blogs mentioned, the recent Wenger comment was just a smokescreen for the general public. I expect there to be a full ongoing investigation behind the scenes
I was still 100% in the ‘stick with Wenger camp’ until those comments. Now, I’m 50/50. Arsene, just don’t throw the full backs 70 yards up the pitch in big away games, buy a proper centre forward and a big, nasty defensive midfield player and see how that works for you. Practice dead ball situations more as well. We are shite from set plays, particularly direct free kicks. Just watched to Arsenal fan TV’s hangout /(twice). Was the best hangout I’ve ever seen (sorry Bloggs, yours have been good too). Proper splits in the camp of fans it seems. Wenger’s… Read more »
Your observation is spot on! I am a very big admirer of Wenger but i cant have blind faith anymore. I took to this stance 2 seasons ago. It just isn’t healthy for the club. Sometimes visionaries get deluded by their visions. They don’t act in the now, which is what there is to it! Thoughts are powerful but how do we see the stuff in them, unless they manifest? Can’t keep having a 10 year plan or 20 year plan. Thats just too far ahead in the future. If Wenger can show it this season with the FA cup… Read more »
“Can’t keep having a 10 year plan or 20 year plan. Thats just too far ahead in the future.” says who? you? maybe you are selfish and dont care what happens in 10 or 20 years time..Arsene does. Sounds like you want trophies so that you brag to your mates about it. Perhaps it should have dawned on you when we switched stadiums that titles will have to wait….. If anything wenger has showed balls and character to stay and see Arsenal gets through their stadium repayment phase and in also facing world class assembled teams on ridiculously high salaries… Read more »
Lol. And who is selfless? What have we got in return for investing 10 years in Van Persie or Fabregas? In modern football short term is as important as the long term. And in the short term besides being a well managed club we have exhibited no ambition. Yes, i am selfish and ambitious. Whats wrong in that?
Arsene Wenger, specialist in accidents.
you can get off the train, bus, ship if you dont like it…oh what am i saying..youre a neutral anyway
How many people here have wrecked their car three times in a year?
3 times in a year is good. Try 3 times in 3 months
Undoubtedly the best player at Arsenal right now. It’s a shame that the team is at it’s worst when he’s at his best.
Wouldn’t it be just wonderful, if Tomas leads our charge to the title, or FA Cup. I just bloody love this guy so much.
Can’t wait to see him, Sagna, and Wenger lift a trophy. ANY trophy.
I’m a little ambivalent about playing Rosicky from the start today, because I can’t conceive a team without him on the weekend. Three games in 8 days…
Couldn’t agree more. He should be given the arm band next year (and the next) and Wenger should find a way to select the midfield around #7. Wenger should get everything he can out of the Little Mozart for the next 2 years.
As much as I’d love that, Ros is not a constant starter so can’t make him captain. My first choice, would be Mertesacker, Sagna as vice (if he stays), and then Rosicky.
Apart from the Emirates Cup….
Action speaks louder than words
I hope we wipe it out and mushroom stamp this game!
*Or even whip it out
* Our away form over the past 5 seasons
How correct is that? Immediately I tried to identify in my head the 1 win.
Was it 0-3 to man City (Bendtner scored)
Or the 5-3 at Chelsea?
Or something else I’m forgetting.
that man city 0-1 with an Arteta screamer at the end?
sorry, that was at the Emirates.
Yes, it is the 5-3 Chelsea game that those stats include – and that was thanks to a suicidal high line from Chelsea (now where have I seen one of those deployed recently?!)
The 3-0 at City isnt included in those stats because they refer to the teams that finished in the top 4 that season I think? So actually scratch my previous comment cos the 5-3 won’t count either, it is the 3-0, i think they did come 3rd that year and us 4th!
Chelsea didn’t finish in top 4 in the 3-5 season. It’s the city game.
2010-2011 season, City finished third and we finished fourth.
“Rosicky was one of the only players to come out of Saturday’s defeat with, if not credit, not no credit.”
Easier to just say he came out with credit, no?
no, neither positive credit or negative credit, like my username
Be positive about the Chelsea game. At least we found whom should be drafted in as an emergency goal keeper in case of a crisis situation.
This season has already been a step up from last season us the fans act like they have a right win everything yes there is still a lot off work to do and we need to do better we need top players and the shit players off the books we need to back what we have at the club now tho and rosicky is right 4 points off the top in the sims of the fa cup look at what winning the fa cup did for man city just sit back and think about it the club well the ppl… Read more »
I think I like what you’re saying, but I think your full stop and comma buttons are broken.
its amazing how much wenger’s critisised these days,people talk about liverpool loss forgetting we beat them twice this season,maybe we need to spend over 100k and struggle like tottenham for fans to reappreciate Arsene.
Straw man, toppled. congratulations!
There’s nothing wrong with losing away to Chelsea, Man City etc But to get thrashed like we have this season is inexcusable, teams like West Ham, Crystal Palace and even a struggling Man Utd team didn’t get trounced like we did, and for a team that’s competing for the title, that is unacceptable. Most Arsenal fans want Arsene to do well, but the evidence we are presented with keep highlighting his flaws. I hate Maureen more than any other manager in world football, but not only did he win the battle, he won the war, took Arsene’s wife, his house… Read more »
“its over, he won and we all know it.”
True that. This is the age of Maureen, and that sucks too.
Things might not be going our way right now, but I can say that I much preferred being in with a shout of the title than battling to scrape 4th spot for the champions league spot on the final day of the season. Our squad may not be perfect, but the fact that we were competing is a positive. It is no coincidence that our form started to drop off after Ramsey & Walcott got injured, followed by Ozil and Wilshere. If these guys were fully fit, we would not have dropped as many points as we have of late.… Read more »
I have copied this from f365 mailbox written by Dave, Dublin this is for the cannibals and all them “democrats” in here or anywhere among the arsenal support who want to critisise and judge and offer “opinion” on subjects they have no knowldege experience or authority on. QUOTE 10th, 4th, 12th, 5th. 3rd, 1st, 2nd, 2nd, 2nd, 1st, 2nd, 1st, 2nd, 4th, 4th, 3rd, 4th, 3rd, 4th, 3rd, 4th The first numbers listed are taken fro the time ‘football officially began’ and marked Arsenal’s finishing positions in each of those years. Let’s not bother talking about style of football here,… Read more »
If we score as many as you punctuate, we are doomed!
The above was for forshawgunner.
I cannot believe some of the drivel from some so called arsenal fans about arsene wenger. If anyone has played the game of football at any level will know that sometimes you just all have a bad game and you as a collective do not know the reasons why. It happens , get over it . If any arsenal fans seriously thought for one minute that we were good enough to win the league this year then you are all seriously deluded. One big signing does not guarantee anything and we still are a bit off the pace as things… Read more »
Yada Yada Yada
You’re right. Spot on. A bad game is possible but getting spanked 3 times in a season?
I didn’t think we win the league this season to be honest but what so wrong is that in January when rwe eally could have pushed on and supplemented the squad, he bought a crock who could be available today some 8 weeks later.
We were in a position we had little right to be in and blew it massively. That sits at one mans door.
so how/why did we “blew it” since we had no right being there in the first place?
You sound like those ‘honest and dignified’ hacks in the media who one day say arsenal aint good for top4 and the next day they give arsenal shit for not winning the title.
Hmmmm…
My point is that the position we found ourself in exceeded expectations and our hopes ( mine anyway as a realist) and it’s criminal we didn’t take advantage of it.
But you just spin it anyway you like.
Don’t you think the opportunity we had in January was a massive miss?
i think the one you could really call opportunity missed was suarez in the summer, forget january. and i blame the ones above wenger for not calling henry’s bluff and tell him to stfu. get him and you spread panic over europe, forget the epl, that would be your playground. now its too late….
If we had bid 50-60 mill for Suarez over the summer the title would have been ours
Not that simple. Firstly I doubt we had that kind of money, secondly we did trigger the release clause but Liverpool refused to sell. What are we supposed to do, hold them at gunpoint until they sell?
These kind of stupid simplistic comments are just idiotic.
Since when has a stupid, simplistic comment been idiotic?
It was less of a ‘ slap in the face’ than it was an absolute ‘kick up the backside’. If there was an ideal opportunity to address Mourinho’s specialist in failure’ allegation this was it. The opportunity to record Wenger’s first victory over Mourinho and at the same time be the first manager to beat the ‘special one’ at Stamford Bridge in a premiership game should have been enough to inspire a far greater performance than what we witnessed. Wenger really needs to take a hard look at the strengths and weaknesses of his squad compared to the top sides… Read more »
“If Arsenal never had Wenger they would have been mediocre/bad finish, nice finish, medicore/bad finish, nice finish, etc. etc. throughout the Premier League era. Since he took over ‘good finish, amazing finish, unlucky not to win finish, amazing finish, unlucky not to win finish, amazing finish, good finish, good finish, good finish, good finish etc. etc’.” and “If you sack Wenger, you will have a big, big drop, and then you might get somewhere again but that consistency, relevancy in Europe, it will be more or less gone. If Wenger decides to stay for another 1,000 games, you’ll be the… Read more »
well my little neutral genius, rather than risking with the unknown quantities out there id rather stick with the tested winning formula of the manager who is already there the last 17 years and knows shit loads more than you or any other funny neutral. the one who has kept the club at positions 1-4,youth or no youth , stadium or no stadium. Unlike some others who drop to 7th and 9th just cause they changed managers. Imagine if they have to move grounds and play with inexperienced youth for a decade and longer…… as for your point b. …… Read more »
Everton and Southhamton, possibly Liverpool, although they are about 100M in red. But their investment is paying off, they will probably make it back when Real come in for Suarez this summer. Wengers decisions in the transfer market and wages are another discussion altogether, arguments can be made he was financially handicapped, other arguments can be made that he overpaid on wages to underperforming players and that he keeps too much faith in players that are not doing well enough, also some of his recent buys are not so brilliant/have not come off. While good players, Neither Poldi or Giroud… Read more »
Im sorry but Arsenal has been playing champions league football every year (what about everton and liverpool spending fortunes all these years and still fail to get there, do the previous years of failure dont count for them in your example?). Southampton is admirable for what they do ( only this year though, no consistency like arsenal) and so is Arsenal for what they do. You mention that ‘arguments can be made he was financialy handicapped” i dont think its an argument at all. Its an undisputed fact and common knowledge since we moved grounds. And since he has been… Read more »
“… tested winning formula”
…a formula that consistently fails to evolve, or learn, or win. A one size fits all plan and style of play that is now becoming easily read and picked. Wenger has become tactically inept and it’s there for all to see.
a formula that brought you the most glorious era in your history as a football club. a formula that worked when employed by world class players who owned the epl.
when you get such players again or such characters and wenger still cant win titles ONLY THEN can you complain.
because…i dont know if you realise you had brasil’s captain at that time one gilberto silva world cup winner and them “lightweights” from france who just happened to be france’s greatest ever generation of payers..some unknowns like patrick thiery robert wiltord etc….
get players like that again…not artetas and girouds…but proper players…I.E tell the owner/board to release proper funds for proper footballers and if wenger still dont win trophies then complain all you want…until then show some understanding and support to what he is trying to do for your football club. you owe him. he doesnt owe you anything.
Fella, I buy the ticket so, it’s my right to complain whenever I want.
Hmm don’t share his optimism about the league however the F.A Cup is a different story. Time to get that damn monkey off our backs!
If we win every game we’ll get 86 points. Out of the last 4 seasons, 86 points has been enough on two occassions.
Damn, why do I keep doing this to myself?
I’m with you on that.
If we beat Swansea (we’re a bit shell shocked at the moment so i’m worried )and then City (would love to beat those fuckers) then it really is possible.
I blame prozak for this tiny glimpse of optimism that nipped in there.
Make that 84.
Come on man, there’s no excuses for what took place. “An accident” is complete bollocks!
It’s school boy errors to say the least. I manage Sunday league and tell my players every week to keep it tight early doors and earn the right to play our football.
You don’t go to the top of table team and go gung-ho from the first minute because everybody knows how that will end up… No one told Wenger apparently!
Is arteta a schoolboy now? and sagna? and rosicky? and cazorla? Per? No? then stop treating them like they are. Are they blind and/or deaf? Were they not aware that arsenal is trying to challenge for the title? Were they not aware of Mourinho’s comments on Wenger?
Did you see them do anything about it?
I did…i saw them playing like arseholes and embarassing their manager, their club and their fans.
I appreciate your experience in the Sunday Leagues but football is a simple game. 99.999% of times, its the players character that win the match/trophy.
Not schoolboys, but Arteta, Rosicky, and Cazorla were/are the weakest links, that’s all. Maureen saw that and punished them mercilessly. “Press them and they shall wilt” he probably told his midfield.
Since we moved stadium, wenger has had to MAKE £30m every season while other managers have been able to SPEND £100 per season and he’s still expected to compete and win trophies. Just think about that for a minute. He’s been managing Arsenal with both hands tied behind his back. Only an extaordinary manager is capable of this. I cant think of another manager thats ever had to do this at a big club. It’s a totally unique situation compared to any other club. It’s only now that were coming out the other side of that as proved by the… Read more »
Sorry, £100m
you are talking too much sense. stop before you melt their brains. they only understand 1st= best
“Rosicky was one of the only players to come out of Saturday’s defeat with, if not credit, not no credit.”
Bet that drives his bank mad.
@gunner73 – was it a lack of money that made us play such a high line or made us push both our full backs up? How about not ensuring someone sat in midfield and protected the back 4… No amount of cash buys you tactical nous, something we seem desperately short of.
x 100 recommends if I could.
I don’t know what made us play such a high line, maybe the players should have used their brains and taken some responsibility? I totally agree that saturday was a total clustefuck and I’m as pissed off and embarrased by the performance and result as any other gooner, but some of the comments regarding the manager are just totally over the top. Also worth remembering that Chelsea played really well and were utterly ruthless going forward, we were down to 10 men, and most of our first choice attacking midfield injured. Us on a really bad day + them on… Read more »
Yes, You focus on the positives Rosicky. Like getting that one year contract extension* and laughing all the way to the bank.
* When really your contract should be being run down so that we can afford to replace you with a young hungry beastly defensive-midfielder who fills a blocking shaped hole.
The truth is that being seven points behind with a game in hand, and eight games to go, isn’t an impossible gap to cross – especially since Chelsea and City both still have to go to Anfield. But something’s got to change – FAST – to salvage any hope we have left.
One thing that is 100% certain. Liverpool v Chelsea will be 0-0. You heard it here first….
Still not getting it are we ?? The players are at fault for giving the ball away so much. We fielded a team that wasn’t up to it on this occasion and the other big games we lost. It’s easy to criticise the manager but as I said earlier we are more or less the same team as last year we was never going to win the league this year. I remember watching arsenal in our boring days when we were a struggle to watch be careful what you wish for gunners fans. Why have the board not sacked him… Read more »
The answer is somewhere in the middle. The akb’s are right that arsene has done very well despite having to make a profit and that very few if any other managers could have kept us in the top 4 while making a profit of 30 million a year.
however the arsenemustgo brigade are also right that we fail to win the big games/trophies because we a unable to vary our tactics and we dont necesasarrily buy players in the positions we are weekest
How would the players make things right tonight?? By winning 1-0?? He’ll no!! Personally, I’ll just take it as another 3 points that had to be in the bag but not retribution. IMO making things right is fixing that goal difference starting tonight!! Anything less than 3-0 won’t make me smile. COYG!!!! Lets take it out on those fucking Swans
No other manager would’ve survived this long without being sacked.FACT.
Wenger out.
The way it’s going tonight, blogs might have to disable the comments section for a few weeks.
oh fucking reallyeverything is possible? Well I guess you maybe right at that even getting turned over by Swansea. Losing 1-0 at half time and all I’ve seen makes me think of a bunch of verpaid pussies who can’t be bothered to fight for the club I love.
sorry I’m so angry I can’t even type correctly. Overpaid pussies etc.
We are 1-0 down to swansea city at home WAKE UP PEOPLE THE SEASON IS NOT OVER THIS COULD BE OUR WORST SEASON IN DECADES!!!!! People saying would you rather be battling for the title? Or scraping 4th place! WE ARE 4th were loosing to swansea at home, everton are 5th! Theyre winning? They have a game in hand! We play man city next! Then we have them! Everton at their ground!!!! We are having a CRAP SEASON for AFC standards!! Wake to fuck up! The manager needs to go or fucking sort it out! We are a laughing stock!… Read more »
This is the team that at home had the mugsmashers sAs in their back pocket.
This is the team that went to the scum, scored early and held firm all game.
What the fuck Is happening?
We mighty Gooners pay he highest prices in the league and are way more loyal to the core than any others (including the in bred Pardew posse).
Whether it’s the board, AW or the players, stop taking us for a ride. Enough is enough.
Everything is possible… including a stoppage time own goal.
Same formation, same tactics, same struggle! We are going nowhere playing like this. Wake us and smell the Coffee, before we suddenly find our wonderful team free falling.
I’m not sure anything is possible, but a 4th, 5th or 6th place finish are looking increasingly likely!
Ramsey Ozil to win us the title if they come back this season Kallstrom will create chances @ the moment we are missing another creative brain in the middle we don’t need hardman who play with pain in their feet which they use to create accurate chances… If only Gnabry was more patient but he is the perfect example of trying to make too much happen to continue the hype and frenzy listen to Rosicky he has won a title before in less well placed circumstances enjoy the rest of season whatever happens we will finish above the Scum, Van… Read more »