Arsene Wenger believes his side need to go back to basics if they’re to rebuild their confidence in the final weeks of the season.
Admitting that his side deserved to lose against a rampant Everton side, the boss also appeared to question his side’s attitude calling on them to show more personality on the pitch.
Speaking to the BBC a clearly disappointed Wenger said: “Everton were sharper, better and deserved to win. The only moment we looked like coming back into the game was in the second half then we gave an easy goal away and that was the end of the game. It was a disappointing afternoon.
“We did not start too bad in the first half, I think we had the first two good chances, but after the first attack and goal [we have to] defensively come back to basics better than we did today.
“We concede goals and don’t score. We had a lot of possession but were going nowhere, that’s of course worrying.”
Asked if there was a lack of fight, Wenger begrudgingly admitted, “You could say that. It’s a massive worry to lose like we have, we have to analyse it well and come back with a different attitude on the pitch with much more personality and being much stronger in the challenges.
“For a long time we did very well away from home, we had one of the best records. Since, something has gone. We have to go back to basics to get our confidence back.
“We knew before the game that if we lost today the race [for fourth place] will be very tough for us. Unfortunately, we lost it in a very disappointing way.”
Squeaky bum time.
Talking about changing attitude then doing the same stuff the next game doesn’t make me very certain that things will indeed change.
oh shit… now i cant sleep…
🙁
Time to go back errr home Arsene. You are s yesterday man. Thank you and goodbye Arsene.
This is his first year in which the stadium debt has not served as shackles to him. He brought in one of the best goal creators in the world. Had us top of the table for about half the season, then Walcott, Ozil, Ramsey, Wilshire, Gibbs, & Koscielny get hit with lengthy injuries, we start to struggle. I know it all feels familiar, and we can put the blame on the coach for not having enough depth to cover for these issues, but this instance is very difficult for me to do that. No coach could expect to have such… Read more »
I’d love to agree with you completely – and to a large extent I do. But we seriously would not be in this kind of situation had we made signings like Matic or whichever flavour of the month striker we so desperately need.
I would have total faith in the squad seriously contending for the title and even the CL with just a few signings. It’s just embarrassing when the frailties are this obvious.
I absolutely love Arsene. I think he is a top class manager.. he really is top class, nobody can deny that at all. He flat out doesn’t deserve all this horrific abuse from some sections of the Arsenal fans one bit. But I think he has to do one of two things – Either invest in the team drastically to get us back to where we need to be, or, if he isn’t willing to do so.. because he feels that is against his managerial beliefs (which is fine) but then he needs to be big enough to realise that… Read more »
Now that we’ve played all the good teams, we’ll probably win most of our games at the Emirates and get a bunch of draws away from home.
Europa League here we come.
We can only hope. With Arsenal in such terrible shape I can already see lower teams getting a scent of blood. Man U have even hit a good run of form and if we keep playing like we currently are the 7 point gap could disappear just as quickly as the gap between us and Everton.
Attitude is definitely the problem. No mental strength, no fight, no hunger and no passion. Just look at the smiling faces on the Arsenal bench after the second Everton goal today – https://scontent-a-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/t1.0-9/10015089_459610947517776_8550178717245421942_n.jpg
Yes because our problem today was passion on the bench. Right.
How have you misinterpreted something so simple? It’s indicative of the attitude around the team was my point.
that proves nothing.
You’re seriously making a broad sweeping statement like that based on a photo, that most likely, given that its the fucking press, captured a nano second of a moment of them making an expression, then blowing it out of proportion because, its what the press do, and playing right into their hands? You’re questioning the commitment of two of our most committed players in Rambo and Ox, over that one photo? Those two, as subs, one of them a 20 year old and the other someone who’s been out for 3 months, probably played better than most of our starting… Read more »
Not gonna lie – I smiled then. Can hardly hold anything bad towards Martinez and it was a humorous seeing him jumped on by man mountain Lukaku even in the cluster fuck of depression that was that 90 minutes. It may have been a wry smile more along the lines of ‘if only we had a striker (or manager?!) of that calibre and passion’…. but all the same.
how comes noone at these pressers ever asks him about the January transfer window? i want to hear him say he made a mistake. Maybe then he won’t repeat it ever again. that was our chance…that window was our everything considering the number of players we had out.
january Transfer? a mistake and not doing it again? you make me laugh
i want to hear him say he made a mistake.
lol….. who the hell are you mate? maybe you think wenger should come to your house and apologise face to face even ……
It’s easy to see why we lost. No runs being made off the ball, no urgency, no energy. I love Arsenal with my whole heart but the football we are playing at the moment is utter shite. Just boring passing around the box, then lose it and concede. The only players who are exciting to watch are either sitting on the bench or out due to injury. Arsenal have no attacking threat whatsoever.
Nothing will change. It’ll be the exact same approach for the rest of the season. Hopefully Ramsey can save us.
Ok everyone let’s just calm the fuck down. Everton have a tougher run in. We will be fine
sack him now.
Who are the potential replacements?
Klopp just signed a new contract and quite unrealistic option,Martinez? Will he be able to attract the ‘World Class’ players? Under whom would a top player want to play Martinez or Wenger?
Not defending Wenger but a serious question?
Laudrup anyone?
i´d even take Villas boas now, i´m really that desperate
de boer and bergkamp from ajax. the dream team! you wouldn’t have a problem getting any player in to play for them and de boer has been doing a fantastic job on a zero net spend at ajax for past few years. i would be in heaven to see dennis back at the club at a senior level and if he is the assistant he doesn’t have to fly!! 😉
It’s irrelevant. I say this with all due respect to Everton, we should not be losing 3-0 to them, especially when it potentially decides a massive proportion of our future (signings and what not)! Even if we do manage to make it to the top 4, which I do think we will, it’s no excuse for players not to show up! Isn’t it sad how Sagna is just about set on leaving and a 33 year old Rosicky were the only starters that actually gave a damn and tried? I don’t care who you blame that on, it needs fixing!… Read more »
I somehow feel pity for most of the players we have because their weaknesses have come out in these kind of games and they are headed out of the club (firstly out of the first line-up like it happened with TV5). I hope AW has learned enough and toughened up to do that. Otherwise, the new guy (I’m not suggesting anything) will do it anyways. Despite all the pity inside me, I feel deeply embarrassed as a fan and can no longer tolerate NOT SCORING. Thus, I personally prefer many more new faces that I imagined around Nov-Dec. My beloved… Read more »
Which is exactly the ‘head in the sand’ attitude that has got us in this mess. Do you really think we will be fine? I fucking hope so but there’s a lot of evidence that says otherwise.
Newcastle away looks a tough game now. West Ham looks difficult in fact I’m not comfortable with any of our remaining fixtures……….. Arsenal look shattered and confidence is through the floor.
both of those games are at home
My bad.
There was me stressing for no reason. Thanks for the correction.
You are correct, but does it matter? We wount win them and honstly I hope we lose all the remaing games, so we might avoid EL.
yeah, remember Swansea?
“You are correct, but does it matter? We wount win them and honstly I hope we lose all the remaing games, so we might avoid EL.”
I am genuinely astounded that you not only thought this, but took the effort to type it out and share it with the world. I sincerely hope the spelling mistakes were from you trying to type while chuckling to yourself uncontrollably.
I would right now not trust this team to beat the Championship bottom team 11 vs 10. Easier run in indeed.
I wouldn’t trust any team picked by that manager to beat an egg.
It’s time for him to go, I’m afraid.
Everton – 6 wins in a row – have a harder run-in than Arsenal – 2 points in 4 games.
You’re right, nothing to worry about it then….
Disappointing is an understatement
Back to basics??? Your basics have been fucking us for the past nine years!!!
Back to basics will presumably mean more possession drills in training. Actually scoring goals is irrelevant, so long as we can keep the ball more than our opponents. Something which we barely manage any more. For me Arsene has fared well in keeping us in the CL during the recent turbulent years but the fact of the matter is that he has been overtaken as a coach by younger, hungrier and better managers. Two of these coaches have been given the opportunity at big clubs and both Merseyside clubs are reaping the benefits. I thought in light of the bigger… Read more »
Basics like bringing in substitutes at the start of the 2nd half if the players are playing like shit or buying a world class striker instead of the lamp post we have upfront.
if ever there was a game for a couple of early subs that was it. instead we wait until the game is over. happens on a regular basis and i am really tired of shouting at the telly. i love old arsene but i really fear he is now out of time. i don’t have any faith that he can produce something different next season and maybe it’s time we looked for some new ideas. this squad is good enough too compete for the league and we have failed woefully yet again.
I don’t see any realistic circumstances in which AW can sign a new contract. There’d be uproar.
Even winning the Cup (and at this point, that looks unlikely) just isn’t going to paper over some gaping cracks.
The most disappointing thing from today is that that result and performance wasn’t even a surprise. And when you get to that stage, enough is enough.
Stagnant, Wenger is not going to change, so change Wenger.
I’m inclined to agree. Dick Law can go, too, and whoever else is responsible for our utter ineptitude in the transfer market last summer. Getting Ozil was luck rather than guile, re-signing Flamini was desperation, and not getting a striker was criminal. I imagine this would have looked a much better season with a defensive midfielder in his prime, and a goalscorer. The injuries have been unfortunate; the lack of transfer strategy stupid.
the injuries have not been unfortunate; we are top of the injury league every year. there is a fundamental flaw in how that side of our club is run, proved by the same recurring issues year in, year out.
This. I said earlier that it’s time for him to go. I say this not because I hate him, but because I *love* what he’s done for the club during his time with us, and I’d hate to see it get undone. I’m not sure if he’s out of ideas, out of energy or ‘just’ jaded but he looks lost at times, and god knows the teams he’s been picking lately have too. I know some people choose to blame the board and point to a lack of funds. The board are certainly not innocent here, but I think also… Read more »
how would you look if your faith on your elder and more mature players were repaid with what youve seen from arteta per giroud and tommyv lately…………? what can he do? kick them all out the club? beat them up? at some point we have to recognise that some of these “leaders” have let down the manager the team and the fans down big time! we know what wenger can do, wenger does not have to prove anything to us,wenger has been a top class coach for 3 decades at the highest level of the game….. its mikel and per… Read more »
Wenger should fuck off. Simple as that. Those supporting him: accept it at last.
I see putting an argument across in respectful manner is not one of your strong points…
Wenger just fucking admit you have no clue in doing your job because you don’t. Admit that the entire collapse is your wrong doing. You cannot motivate, you cannot pick or spot talent anymore and the entire makeup of this team is your creation. At least mourinho Martinez inherited the teams they have and are making them competitive and successful. Wenger only has himself to blame for the heartless makeup of this team. Slow technical small midfielders across the entire pitch. It will not get worse before it eats better. We will lose Sagna this summer and he’s been the… Read more »
Wake me up, YAYA sanogo
Man, that joke was old last summer. Besides, what does it even mean in relation to this game?
Follow the lead of other top Clubs and hire some mental coaches to work on the mental side of things. Olympians all have them, and more and more teams also acknowledge Mental coaches just as important as any other coach.
I think we already have a ‘mental’ coach ……
I am sure I read somewhere that part of the recruitment process is that players are required to undergo a psychometric assessment before they join to determine their mindset etc. Not sure if anyone can back me up on this?
Hard to defend this team at times. Even harder to defend Wenger. It’s really a pity..
He has used similar lines over the years….excuse upon excuse, thanks for your service over the years but please leave at the end of the season. Fan base is too split.We need a vibrant and tactically sound manager with a game plan #WengerOut
Hanging on to Wenger is like hanging on to your old VCR (Cassette) because u remember u watched ur favorite movies on it. SMH
So neatly put.
Can you please credit the source of the quote next time around?
Oh Arsenal how has it come to this? I’m sure Ramsey and Oxlade will start every game from now on and that will return us to properly functioning team and, I don’t want to go off on one but we absolutely have to get fourth and win the cup for Arsene not to completely lose the trust of the fans. Even beyond that we’ll have no prospect of recruiting the kinds of players we need in the summer to improve the club if we falter on achieving either of those objectives. I know we like making things difficult for ourselves… Read more »
Suffer another year of this from Arsene???? It’s time for him to go, he would never change. Remember, it is a world cup year and he has to go and preach his 90s old footballing knowledge in French TV and make more money until end of July!. By that time he will be back and tell us the transfer window it starts in the last week of Aug and by that time no good player would be left for us to sign!!!!. It would be a crime against Arsenal football club if Arsene sign a new contract and stay any… Read more »
How many times does it take for this man, with 1000 games in charge of Arsenal, to analyse what is wrong with the system he plays his team? Not to mention his players cower under a tough challenge. I’m just waiting to hear him say Like A New Signing that would complete the embarrassment.
Arghhhhhhhhhhh
Go back to basics ! get out the old roy of the rovers comics ! Good place to start ! Sorry
‘its a massive worry to lose like we have’ it’s more worrying that it’s the fourth time this year and you’ve done sweet fuck all about it
The most annoying part is that he will still sign a new contract and continue his stubborn ways
I find it frustating that he directed all the dissapointment towards the players. I thought he is the one who selected them all? And i am from Arsene’s Knows Brigade. Its getting thinner, the patience.
And he blamed their injuries on them taking supplements and not being trained and played into the ground. Time for a new broom.
Not good to be an Arsenal fan at the moment. That was just…yuck!
Giroud is simply not good enough and arteta has had he’s best days gone now . We need a world class striker and a world class midfielder . But saying that I don’t think we would have struggled if we had all our players fit ! Lets look forward to the fa cup and keep our fingers crossed and hope to stay in the top 4 and then think again in the summer hopefully with the fa cup in the cabinet
Flamini’s cards catching up with him now, misses FA cup semi and WestHam.
Flamini and Arteta are good squad players, but we need a first choice DM who is a bit better than those two.
Monreal was targeted as the weak link, and I’m beginning to think our left side in general is a weak link.
Team looked like a bunch of Berbatov’s, playing at a walking pace.
Baines had a field day down the right too lets not forget!!
Everyone and their neighbour’s dog would be able to predict the substitutions that Wenger would make around the 60-70 minute mark. That’s even after we conceded two and generally looked like crap for the whole of the first half.
Couple that with all the thrashings that we have gotten this season, and I’m finding it harder and harder to justify why Wenger should stay. As much as I love Wenger, I think it’s time for a change.
Can we put all the blame on Wenger? I would say NO. Most of the time, I put the blame on the players for always cowering under tough circumstances. Injuries have also played their part in our current awfully disappointing displays.
We should just win the FA Cup and qualify to the UCL and come back a rejuvinated and a stronger side next season. COYG!!!
A team competing for the championship doesn’t make excuses with injuries. We should have an A and B team capable of competing. Or at least not being cowardly in big games. Our team has a bunch of cowards. Pussies. Not competitors. Wenger stinginess is mind-boggling it’s becoming ridiculous. We needed an attacker and he never bought one. On two occasions.
Of course we blame Wenger this team is his entire creation. Every single player on this squad was his choosing. Stop picking up brittle small players who are on the shelf for 50% of the time ( I’m looking at you wilshere Walcott, rosicky and Ramsey)
Oh you mean the same Ramsey that was probably one of the if not the best CMs in Europe for the season until his injury (as a result of playing nearly every minute of the campaign, not him being injury prone)? The same one that didn’t get injured last season and played a major role in us scrapping 4th? You want him out, that’s your onus, but that kid could walk into most top teams in England and Europe with open arms being extended to him. Yet he shows loyalty and re-signs a new contract with us. If he walked… Read more »
He picks the team. He motivates the players. Well, not lately but I’m sure you get the drift. If the wrong players are out there, that’s his fault. If the players are not motivated then that fault is shared between him and the players. And yes, we’ve been lost key players through injuries… just like pretty much every other club in the league. That’s no excuse. If anything, it heaps more blame on Wenger as he is apparently unable to build a squad to cope with such problems, and he’d rather carry people in the squad like Diaby who (through… Read more »
LOUD NOISES
I love lamp.
The drop in form has been absolutely shocking and the only thing different about this season as opposed to other recent ones is that we started strong and finished weak instead of the other way around. We are in big trouble here and nothing is guaranteed. There needs to be significant change one way or another. Enough is enough, I’m sick of it every single season.
The strong start and weak finish is a feature of Wenger teams from previous years, the only constant is that we always have a run of bad form.
Honestly there are some disappointments that need to stop … this has been a tale for far too long … too much disappointment over the past 10 years. No one is saying Wenger is a bad manager but its time for a fresh start. A new manager to bring something fresh to the team, new ideas and so on. The whole club has just become stale and each of the past winless season a repeat of each other. Just win the FA Cup (not something to be taken for granted by any means) and go. Of course Arsenal will need… Read more »
Am a huge Wenger fan,but maybe we really do need some changes in our management
Players are an absolute joke, the manager puts trust into these players , and this is how they repay him. But wenger is at fault , dont get me wrong
Am the biggest fan of AW but in all honesty I think its time for him to go, for the past seven years we have been playing the same formation with no surprise elements to opponent even a kid born yesterday know what to do against arsenal and our manager refuse to change against any opponents this is a disgrace to the fans and the club I think its time for the board to do the right thing and let something new happen to this club
Cheer up season ticket renewals next month.
We won many games in the first half of the season, where overall we were not very convincing, the Welsh Jesus saving our asses. However, as frustrating as today’s game was, wtf is the ref doing? What Flamini got was a straight card for Diaby against Newcastle in the 4-4. The challenge on Ox would have been a penalty on 9 out of 10 occasions. The handball from Santi’s cross: how many times have Arsenal conceded penalties like that? What is just pathetic is that games turn on those decisions. However, so-called Arsenal fans love blaming Arsenal and Wenger for… Read more »
I don’t agree. You cannot blame a teams loss on referees. Crap refereeing only influences about 5% of a games outcome. The remaining is according to the ability of the team. The point is, if the team was good enough the refereeing decisions would not be a factor. Because we have been so poor with the loss of a few first team players, the influence of poor refereeing decisions is magnified.
Sorry but the point being made is that decisions can and do turn a game. So the crap reffing mentioned could have given the team lift that can turn around the poor performance. It didn’t and the team were bollocks, everyone one including the manager. I don’t think he should go.. yet, I still think that there’s life in the old dog, look at the way we started the season and the performances before Christmas. More importantly look at United, changing manager might not be the tonic. I do however think that he’s gone of his own accord. Which will… Read more »
I’m not blaming it on the referees. But it makes a difference, and I don’t understand why the pathetic level of refereeing gets so little attention.
I don’t see how two penalties (at least one obvious one), one red card and a goal (wrongly called offside) makes 5% difference.
Gerrard has scored 11 goals from the spot this season, many of them 50:50 calls like yesterday’s handball
the 90th minute winner against Fulham and the 71st minute one against West Ham gave them three points when they might have got just one. they weren’t dubious calls but you don’t see referees handing Arsenal those kind of lifelines
My point is still valid. Every team makes their own luck. If we were good enough and scored goals, we would be destroying teams like Everton, and refereeing decisions would not play a huge role in the games and seasons outcome. But, because we only like to play for the last twenty minutes of a match, more often than not when there are one or two goals between the sides, a refereeing decision can affect the game one way or another. If we played with ferocity that we are capable of, we would most likely be two or three goals… Read more »
going back to the basics but am sure it’ll without you because your best isn’t just enough
Gatzidis said at the beginning of the summer transfer window “we could afford Rooney” “we could pay 250k a week for a player” then he bought no-one at all. Then panic bought Ozil so that he and Wenger wouldn’t have a revolt on their hands. Then Wenger was quoted as saying “if we can make to Christmas with Giroud injury free then we can strengthen the squad and push on for the rest of then season. Then bought no striker and panic bought calstrom. I respect Wenger but I’m finding it hard to keep defending the guy much longer.
Gadzidis said that at the beginning of the season for 2 reasons. !st reason is season tickets were up for renewal and he has to sell season tickets to fans. 2nd reason is when the shit hits the fan Gazidis can then say “I told you the money was there to be spent” and pass the blame for the failure of the team onto Wenger. In my opinion Kroeke, Gazidis and Wenger are all in it for the money. Kroeke and Gazidis reap the rewards from not spending the paying fans money to strengthen the team and Wenger is paid… Read more »
That felt like the scene in breaking bad when Walt realises his money has gone and he starts crying then fits of laughter. Fucking shiteee
Arsene is a pretty good parallel for the ozymandias metaphor actually. As mighty as he once was, all that’s left now is a patheetic shadow of the past that the new generation have comfortably transcended. Frankly I’m tired of living in the past, for better or worse, arsenes got to go.
Same old story..if you arent up for a game as massive as that we’re in big trouble!!
Incredible that someone says it would be “alright”, to lose with a smaller goal difference.
Come on. What has Arsenal come to? For f*cks sake. Man yourselves up, Arsenal! We’re an army, but currently we look like a bunch of pathetic players, who doesn’t care much about the army.
Show some passion, the fans deserves it!
Arsene has done brilliantly to keep us qualifying for Champs League while we’ve been paying off stadium, but have to lay quite a few things at his door today. Lots of chickens came home to roost: lack of alternative striker (Sanogo as first-choice back-up for title-challenge is a joke), lack of pace (why no transfer-window signing of speedy winger when Walcott got injured?), starting line-up (why no Ox on right wing?), lateness of subs (Ox and Rambo should have been on when we still had a chance). Why sign Kalstrom if it wasn’t to play in games where our midfield… Read more »
We where all over the bloody place today really hope to god we can bring this team over the line. I am sick and tired of these nail biting end of season run in’s.
Enough is enough wenger can’t compete with big teams and in big matches. I don’t understand why was he so adamant to make a signing in January despite knowing injury crisis situation afterwards he will announce injuries have taken their toll. Its better that wenger didn’t sign the contract yet. We need energetic managers like simeone, garcia, klopp…..
Yay Ramseys back.
Hello, Is there anybody in there? Just nod if you can hear me Is there anyone home? Come on Now I hear you’re feeling down I can ease your pain Get you on your feet again Relax I’ll need some information first Just the basic facts Can you show me where it hurts? There is no pain you are receding A distant ship’s smoke on the horizon You are only coming through in waves Your lips move But I can’t hear what you’re saying When I was a child I had a fever My hands felt just like Two balloons… Read more »
great song, thanks
If Wenger was a baby right now, I would struggle to resist the urge to shake him silent.
What the fuck is wrong with you? People have a right to be angry but these kinds of posts are just disgraceful.
Oh come on,,, it was a metaphor for the fact that he can`t Control his emotions because wenger couldn`t motuvate a 16 year old rookie to jump Sheryl Cole even if she wanted to. You shouldnt ban someone for that. It is not like he said he should shake babies to silence.
That is not a metaphor that should be used anywhere.
Yeah so what!
I said something in a bad mood that shouldn’t be taken literally, get the fuck over it.
Here’s something else, how many embarrassments are we going to have to sit through, before someone pulls our clearly senile manager out of his role!?
Do all the mighty Gooners who keep telling us to calm down or to trust in Arsene not think there’s been a pattern developing?
Don’t forget everyone we are still in with a shout for the top 4 trophy, and since we’ve been winning that for the past god knows how long I have confidence. Oh and wenger is couple of good results away from signing yet another contract, we know how it goes by now, I for one i m not surprised to say the least. As they #In Wenger we doubt
Funny!! The only reason we are not fighting relegation is that there are just not enough games left….
Great that some of us are happy to be dependent on another team blowing up for us to achieve top 4
Who was playing rm and tracking baines? Clueless tactics fron aw yet again. Great we have no striker to replace giroud who looks dead physically and emotionally
Enough is enough. Wenger seem to take the Club for granted because he is assured to go for more 1000 games. If he is fair. Can he tell us when Arsenal will be somewhere near Barcelona Real Madrid Man Ccity Bayern Munich and even Chelsea? What is he missing? To me it is lack of will. Arsenal has been strugling for near a decade and still he thinks he can take us throgh as our right man. No way near our expectation this year. He must re assess his position as a person. Forget what h did. He has failled… Read more »
Look at this. Embarrassing !
http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/wtf-the-arsenal-bench-enjoyed-romelu-lukakus-celebration-with-everton-boss-roberto-martinez-picture/?
I said it before and I’ll say it again only this time I’ll shorten it, the players that AW puts his trust in get paid enough to try and change stuff on the pitch for themselves, end of
“Wenger: We have to go back to basics.”
Yep. Let’s start by sacking this clown and getting a new manager.