Arsene Wenger says his side need to learn when to keep things simple after watching his side throw away a lead for the second time in a week.
Having squandered a three goal advantage to snatch a draw from the jaws of victory against Anderlecht on Tuesday, Arsenal blew a hard fought lead at the Liberty Stadium conceding twice in three minutes to lose 2-1 – a result that leaves them sixth in the table 12 points adrift of top placed Chelsea.
Speaking after the game, the boss told Sky Sports that losing ground on the leaders was the least of his worries.
“At the moment we have different worries than that [losing ground in the title race]. We just lost a game that we feel we shouldn’t have lost. We have to live in a realistic world, in football you have to win the games you can win and today was one. If you want to challenge for the Premier League, you have to be a bit more realistic than we were today.
“We had the lead, it’s difficult to explain how we lost the lead because we were in control. You could see that they didn’t give up and I felt we lost some decisive challenges in the middle of the park in the last 20 minutes and we paid for that. That’s where we lost the battle.
“We were not in too much trouble and we had the best chances. It’s a place where it’s always tight, it was a very tactical game and I felt when we were 1-0 up we lacked some spark and killer instinct to win it. They didn’t give up and we couldn’t get the second goal.”
Per Mertesacker, similarly effed off with the way the game ended, added: “The game was completely in our hands. But then we have to play serious football and not make mistakes.
“Anderlecht came back at 3-0 and Swansea came back today from one goal. We have potential, but unless we play serious football any team can punish us.
“We have to play simple. We think we can do some difficult things, but we need to keep possession. After such a setback as Anderlecht we normally bounce back straight away, but we didn’t. We need to work hard on the issues now.”
Arsenal don’t play again until 22 November when we entertain Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United. It’s going to be a long couple of weeks…
At least we are no longer under the delusion of any form of title challenge. Its gotta be the cups. Arsene’s gotta know that a round of 16 exit in the CL won’t run this time. on account of league commitments.
come on wenger. Bring back Alex Song.
Jeez no frickin way. Turd of a player and hardly a step forward.
Song walks into our current midfield and improves it considerably. He would get in our defense at CB at the minute too.
I’m not sure how a headless chicken would solve our midfield problems, Song made Denilson look good………
Said the son of a whore.
Just so you know. My tick was a mistake! Don’t want that guy anywhere near us
Making jokes during sensitive times like these won’t be well received then.
All this talk about that ‘disciplined’ and ‘real’ DM that we so desperately need, and then Alex Song is suggested. LOL
I’m not saying Song is the answer because I know he really isn’t but without a doubt I’d rather have him in our side instead of the utterly useless Flamini, what does he do apart from point and shout? He’s so bad it’s unreal, how he can &Arteta (he’s been a great servant for AFC but time to move on) be the 1st choice holding midfielders for a club who used to have the likes of Vieira, Gilberto & Petit playing there, it’s so depressing
Agreed. The league is beyond us and the FA Cup is only the FA Cup. That leaves us with the Champions League.
Judging this season a success of failure hinges on winning our next two fixtures against Bayern Munich in February and March.
Which consequently means it’s going to be a bloody long interlull!
To be honest right now I can’t see us progressing into the next round in the CL. We need a point, just a point, but we have to go to Turkey to get it where it’s tough anyway. I also can’t see us getting anything against Dortmund.
The Dortmund and Galatasary games will be pure psychology. Dortmund are in shit form and Gala in a shit league.
If we don’t get anything there, it won’t be because of quality but because of tactics or playing like a demented giraffe.
We aren’t renowned really for our tactical nous, are we
Anderlecht won’t get six points in the last two games so we’ll qualify regardless of our results (better they are good results especially vs Dortmund for the confidence). And the Champions League is the most exciting sport tournament in the world. 99% we won’t win it but we can compete with hunger and belief.
What would really put my mind at rest is some senior players talking about how this kind of thing really can’t happen again.
Who’s not playing serious football? You can always demand a better showing from some players, yeah, but titles aren’t won on players playing at 100% of their ability all the time. Hence, ‘management’. As a manager of a title-aspiring team, you have to make sure that the average performance of the team never drops below a certain level. As imprecise a concept as that is, it CERTAINLY means that your absolute worst performance cannot drop to letting a three goal lead slip against Anderlecht and, arguably, a middling performance should hold a one goal lead against Swansea. The boss seems… Read more »
Stan Kroenke probably would be happy with fourth, until the end of the universe
#WengerOut #PepIn #KroenkeOut #UsmanovIn
Fuck Pep. Not paying to watch that boring shit. Sends me to sleep.
If by boring you mean brilliant passing and movement, and by shit you mean awesome and by Fuck Pep you mean Pep would come and win us the title and even the champions league, then yes, I agree with you.
I interpret it as simply fuck Pep. And fuck him indeed. Sideways, from behind, backwards, forwards and to infinity. Let him never set foot at the Emirates unless it’s to have his unsavoury team slaughtered by a back on form Arsenal. I’d have Allardyce, Pulis, Pardew and Steve Bruce rolled into one before I’d have Pep.
Wenger is stubborn, arrogant, ineffective and way past his sell by date. He has to go. I mean right now. We can forget about the title. Fuck 4th place too. We will only do the same shit in the CL. He has already conceded the title to Whoreinho. Some so called fans might accept mediocrity, but I will not. He is right, the rest of the footballing world is wrong. Everyone is screaming in the summer for defensive reinforcements, he turns around and gets rid of three defenders and replaces them with two. Even with those three in or team,… Read more »
Oh and I forgot, fuck Pep!
Oh, I forgot, we are in the business of mediocrity nowadays. 4th place is our title. FA cup is our champions league. Why would we want a proven manager who all he does is win titles wherever he goes, and he has Mourinho’s number.
Well at least we won community shield, so its not trophy-less season.
Agree with you. We have gone into the season without the needed players and have also had to deal with a high amount of injuries again.
Despite these circumstances, Arsenal should have won. Wenger has been struggling to get the best out of his team all season. How many games have we under-performed in now?
We needed to improve our attack on last season and I credit the manager on his signings in that department, but the tactical changes we have made has upset the stability of the team.
…..and repeat.
Bemoan, bemoan, bemoan… Never react.
So True @mk2691 they seem to always be on the back foot and ask for a reaction after a defeat or a sub par performance which happens with regularity these days. Just act FFS and quit complaining all the time.
I am increasingly believing that one of the problems AW has is he is a snobby shopper. When it comes to buying players, he only operates (and I am speaking broadly here) and two ends of the spectrum. One end includes significant names and existing big talent. Sanchez definitely fits into this. At the other end, he buys players who he seeks to make a point with. Players who are unloved elsewhere, who have not reached their potential, players who could be considered as bargains. He does not buy in the “solid with potential for extra solidity” category – is… Read more »
Rubbish. Chambers? Welbeck? Debuchy? Ospina?
On the other hand, when Wenger does what you suggest, and goes out and buys a Santos, then it’s “Wenger being cheap. Doesn’t want to spend. Buying rubbish.” Blah blah blah blah.
Just think, a couple of seasons ago Wenger refused to spend £8m on Gary Cahill. Sums up Wenger’s approach to transfers. He’ll penny pinch where and when he can…. and miss out on bargains as a result.
Actually the one disappointed me the most was Alonso (non) transfer!
Wenger has to go.
Absolutely 100% correct sir, you win a “New Car!” Seriously spot on, unfortunately he won’t back out of a contract and the board doesn’t have the humba’s to fire his old butt!
His third year is optional. One more year is technically all there’s left!
Hurts me & I hate to say it…but I agree. For the record I have always believed that Wenger is good for the club…just not sure anymore if that role is as manager. Would hate see us move to the model of certain other clubs where a new manager is brought in, given a target & a stupid ammount of money to spend…then fired when he fails to meet the target & the process starts again the following season. But lets face it…as a club we are stuck on repeat, & have been for years. Transfer failings each & every… Read more »
The fact that we’re hoping for a smaller team in the knockout stages of the CL tells you everything because anything other than a considerably weaker team means certain elimination. That’s how competitive we are.
While I am as frustrated as anyone is with our inability to learn, failing to bring in the needed personnel, no plan B etc etc… If you were to look at our expected league position every season, and see where we have finished, you can only credit Wenger for keeping Arsenal “stable”. The problem is we need more than to just be stable now. It is time he delivers. I don’t think any Arsenal fan will be happy with another 4th place finish. Progress needs to be made in results and performances. Last season demonstrated that we can be consistent,… Read more »
To be replaced by whom ?
To be replaced by whom is not the decision we have to make. We have to decide that the current one is not working. Unfortunately, there is no-one around the club with the gumption to do that, and to be fair it’s not an easy decision even if it is the right one. On the other hand, if it were me, I would go for Klopp and with that timing is everything. Of course if it were my fulltime job to find another manager there may be all sorts of managers suitable around the world who I can’t think of… Read more »
What on earth make you think Klopp would leave a team with immense supporters home and away, for our bunch of home whingers and moaners. Klopp has had his ups and downs (at Mainz and BVD) but he won’t come here as he knows he needs time which our ‘here and now’ fans won’t give him. Similarly he’ll never manage one of the big 2 in Spain and Italy is pretty unlikely.
Absolutely unacceptable at Arsenal right now. We’re only fifth because of how crap teams like Pool, Spurs and United have been, a normal season and we’d be mid table by now. Could easily finish there with a year like the season has been so far. Wenger has to go, he has run out of any reasons to back him and even his most ardent supporter has to agree with that.
I wonder what’s the excuse for all the teams below us.
Wonder if our Gunners are bemoaning their sloppy manager?
When I die I want Arsene to bury me so he can let me down one more time.
Arsene seems tired. It’s as if he’s being forced to manage the team. I truly feel for him.
There really isn’t any excuse he can give right now, the buck stops at his table.
Maybe it’s time for change (never ever believed I would feel this way, I love the man ffs)
Get in 2-3 top players in January, give it a good go in the Cup and hand over in the summer.
There are several reasons why people usually retire at pension age
Sorry to disagree but old red nose didn’t do too badly post 65
Obviously some people retain their hunger after 65 but the evidence suggests not with our manager. With fergie we are talking about a different beast, a ruthless selfish winner who was competitive enough to actually retain the league title several times and win in Europe- with arguably a lesser squad than we had. 1999 and 2003 were a travesty
I am trying to say it’s not about his age it’s his blinkeredness
So to you he did not seem to be more competitive when he was younger?
fucking useless comment
I agree SG. Wenger needs to evaluate this club’s ambitions now that we are nearly on par with other clubs financially and he needs to check if he can really do this job. He needs a bit of soul searching now. It’s not just this year. Every year we go through new sets of problems. I don’t think we are alone in it but some of those issues could have been avoided. Last year, we didn’t have a central striker except Giroud. This year we don’t have a centre half and despite the fact that it has been made obvious… Read more »
I get so disappointed, yet here I am refreshing Arseblog News to read more about how crap that was.
I think I need another hobby.
You’ll be back here again next time, so will I. The never ending Arsenal FC treadmill
All the rhetoric about doing this and doing that grates my nerves. if you know it, then can you do it? i think not, so what’s the point of saying ‘we should have done this done that'” Wenger out. For the first time.
But wasn’t it just a few days ago Wenger and the team were, for the umpteenth time, talking about learning from their mistakes?
I mean, who would’ve expected this team and manager to NOT learn from their mistakes? After all, it so rarely happens….
Im sick of hearing the same shit every year, absolute bullshit! Time for change and get rid of the stubborness and bullshit that is happening at the club! Same shitty performances every season, nothing is changing! Even when we get World class players!! Its only a matter of time before stupid decisions and outright stubborness will suck every little bit of passion out of Sanchez and leave our club finishing outside the top 4! Ffs when is this bullshit going to change? It is early November and already we are hoping that we will finish in the top 4 and… Read more »
Wengers response to why Chelsea are so far ahead is that there is no obvious reason. pls does anyone else but me see that this man has totally lost his mind!!!! Chelsea have a complete squad capable of challenging for the title because they got what they needed in the window and Mourinho is a master tactician. That is why they are running away with title. We can’t continue like this for the next two years. There are no football ing brains left at arrenal to call Wenger on his bullshit tactics. It’s all business men up there and all… Read more »
The culture at the club is to tolerate mediocrity as long as the cash keeps coming in…. Nothing will change under AW….
Wenger stank the place out! Gazidis needs to press that button ASAP!
Thats part of the problem at Arsenal. We have a manager that dictates to the CEO and the owner loves it as long as the club continues to increase in value and cost him nothing
It is always the same things with Arsenal and Arsene. He made some great summer signings but he also really, really fucked things up at the same time. We all knew it at the time, and it really is hitting hard now, but what isn’t acceptable is how we are dealing with it. We may be short of options, but Wenger’s reluctance to change things up, both in terms of personnel and tactics, is really just as damaging. I can’t see things getting any better for now as I don’t see anything changing. Don’t mean to be the eternal pessimist,… Read more »
SHUT THE FUCK UP
Just want to give this senile prick a good slap…Which might jog his memory and make him remember what made his title winning sides successful..Everything that was good about them the current side has none of. I dont need to name them you should all know.
Yesterday marked 6 years since Nasri’s double in the 2-1 win over United in 2008. We had to wait until May 2011 for another league win against them… It’s about damn time now… We didn’t even play that badly today.. This is one of the times where I’m glad we have an interlull. Hope we smash those cunts in two weeks.
Unfortunately we seem to be in the habit of gifting teams morale boosting wins that ‘kick start their season’ . The ManU game sits smack bang in that category. Last thing we need might now is facing that frontline with our defence.
I am gonna get red arrows but bfg is one of the biggest weakness of this team. we cant push up because of his lack of speed, gets brutally exposed without kosc and doesnt even win enough headers for his hieght
Mertesacker and Arteta are the players who set this team apart from the Invincibles. Nice and amiable guys, but as DM and CB, do they instill fear in their opponents the way Sol Campbell, Martin Keown or Patrick Vieira used to do?
They are top professionals, but they don’t quite have the physicality or the pace to push Arsenal onto the next level – challenging for top honors. These 2 positions should have been strengthened and it is not their fault they are relied on every week. They should be backup solutions providing experience and depth.
‘Specialist in failure’ Jose Mourinho
‘Tactically Clueless’ Paul Merson
Cunts of the highest order..( Merse was a gem when he played for us but is an idiot nowadays)
But as fans how do we argue against statements like that when Wenger continues to prove them right.
Applied to the last 9 years despite some decent highs along the way can we really contest these words.
Here is a good analysis to what happened today
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/29917344
Even Stevie Wonder can see we have a badly managed squad and transfer policy. Wenger should do the honourable thing and just walk.
Until then, we’re going to be served up the same s**t for the next 2/3 years. You can’t hide behind the lack of funds excuse any longer, the money is there, Wenger just doesn’t want to address the glaringly obvious deficiencies in the squad.
Well at least he didn’t blame the Welsh rain or try to pass the buck onto Paul Merson.
Two and a half more years of this at least. Unless of course Kronke offers him another three years after that. And believe me, if the Yank thought that would put more bucks in his bank account – he would.
“If you want to challenge for the Premier League, you have to be a bit more realistic than we were today.”
When was the last time Arsenal and Wenger challenged for the title? 2008? I love the guy, but can he turn this around? Not for my money.
Well, last season Arsenal spent more time in first spot in the League than any other team. Our league season fell apart when we picked up 2 points from an available 12 feb-mar timeframe. I understand there is a need to vent, but all the hyperbole gets a bit tiresome. I would argue that last season we challenged for the title in a very meaningful way. Was it ever realistic that we could have gone on and won the league? Maybe not, but injuries to several key players during that dip in form was very real last year, and one… Read more »
Good comment. All the miserable whining is getting a bit much for me now.
Wengers substitutions are the worst I’ve ever seen and I fully blame him for our inability to play professionally but sometimes things just don’t go your way and with injuries taking out Debuchy and Kos we were bound to suffer. The season is still young and I remain optimistic we can improve considerably.
Wenger is to Arsenal what Ed Miliband is to the Labour Party. They are both the living definition of a ‘busted flush’. Wenger? He’s lost it. Totally lost it. Would not know ‘tactics’ if it came in and invaded one of his private dinner parties. Ditto strategy, defence, and rotation. Nearly £11million a year to do what???????? Cazorla needs a rest. As does Chambers and Mertesacker. I feel for Rosicky and Bellerin. Unfortunately, there’s no manager worth his salt who would take up the cudgels midway through a campaign. Especially this mess. I’ve lost all hope for anything this season.… Read more »
And I bemoan the fact for weeks on end we have been playing the same dysfunctional team with no hint of rotation either to the system or the players. Santi, dont get me wrong who I love, has been so below par yet gets picked match after match. And I genuinely question the reason to start monreal at centrehalf. Wouldnt it make more sense to have the taller Chambers at centreback and have Monreal fill in at right back if we think Bellerin is too raw? Im no expert but I think a fullback would be more comfortable playing as… Read more »
Damn my sausage fingers. Thumbed you down when I wanted to reply.
None of us are experts. We’ve never managed, made a substitution and haven’t a clue about the game.
Here’s a thumbs up to even the balance unlike the team.
Thank you my good man. All we can do is have an opinion I suppose.
Seriously when wenger will even realize that tactical changes in between the game is really important. Through out the game chambers was overrun by montero what was wenger even thinking to stop him after the 1-0 lead. Had it been me I would have bought in bellarin the only defender on the bench as an additional cover. Did wenger even realize that Ramsey and cazrola have been very poor this season. What is actually stopping him from playing podolski in place of cazrola?? Where is Joel Campbell?? Is he even gonna get a chance?? In what aspect sanogo looks better… Read more »
We’ll never score enough goals to hold on to three points with the back four (and DM) we’re fielding. And it’s a position AW has put himself in for seemingly no reason at all. Again. I miss not being Wenger Out.
Also: I know Chambers is raw/impressive/really a CB, but stopping at least one cross before Christmas isn’t a tall order.
Not even angry anymore, just kinda… meh. It’s a hard feeling to describe. I’m so fed up of looking for positives, or the silver lining in our downfall. Today was just pretty shit.
Sadly what’s needed now is senicide……….. (figuratively, not literally)
I bemoan the bemoaning.
Fuck me it’s tough being a gooner nowadays.
Always has been.
I have personally appreciated all that Arsene Wenger has done for Arsenal, but his time has come. I do not think he is able to do much more for the club. He can continue as a director but he needs to relinquish his duties as manager of the team.
It’s easy Wenger. You’r team got sloppy and scared like a badly managed team get’s. It’s not the players Wenger, it’s you.
Come on Arseblog, I’m waiting for the ratings! However, my num keyboard is stuck with just the number 2… Well, I guess they’ve earned it…
“…it’s difficult to explain how we lost the lead because we were in control” Please Arsene let me have a crack at it. We’re one nil up away from home. Instead of keeping our shape and discipline, we, as usual, go charging like raging bulls which inevitably leads to a Swansea break. Gibbs gave away a foul and nice freekick from Gylfi. Second goal, big, strong Gomis comes on, cross comes in from Montero who’d skinned Chambers all through the game,and who’s marking Gomis natural lefrback little Monreal. How did I do Arsene?
Wenger is tarnishing what’s left of his reputation with every passing week. It saddens me to see a once great manager withering away in such public fashion. He needs to go while he still has some dignity left. His apologists will caution that things might get worse under a new manager before they get better and well they might but, right now, I think I could tolerate worse as long as ir was different. I’m just fed up of this inertia and status quo and, if a supporter of the club for 35 years has lost patience, I don’t think… Read more »
CB,Strikers,CDM…..we can get the best players for these positions. but with the tactics wenger is employing,we won’t do shit.
It’s sad but I think Arsene and the board have lost all objectivity regarding Arsene and his performance. I don’t think he has been near his best for at leas three years now, it seems like he is still in build-a-stadium/top-four trophy mode. Lack of defensive signings, terrible subs and lack of motivation are serious symptoms of an inflexible football manager. I mean, Alexis must be wondering what the hell is this sport they play at Arsenal. It’s as if some of his teammates are just there to collect their pay; no getting in the face of opponents/ref, let alone… Read more »
Chambers should never be played as a rb ever again. Move him to cb and play either bellerin or fucking call back jenko.
A team with serious title aspirations would never play monreal as a cb…I don’t understand why he’s been played there.
Wenger ego has ruined the good work he did in his first few years. it’s like he does the opposite of what he feels is right.
And its about time Welbeck starts bloody scoring some goals.
Wenger says “…we lost challenges in the middle of the park”.
Like that’s something new!! Wake up man!
Ramsey was shocking today. Utter rubbish.
It was wet and windy out there….I think everybody’s being very harsh !
I bemoan that at 1-nil up, against a Swansea team that only ever looked dangerous on the counter, both our central midfielders pushed up to join the attack, lost the ball, and thus allowed Barrow to get the ball and run right through the middle of the pitch where they should have been, forcing Gibbs to foul him and give up the free kick which Sigurdsson scored. I bemoan that Chambers got beaten by the exact same move at least a half dozen times and never once forced Montero away from his left foot. I bemoan that Wenger watched Chambers… Read more »
Interesting that both are talking about the team and the clear lack of discipline as if they have little or no control over this.
There are enough senior and World Cup winning players in the side to know you can’t leave five players ahead of the ball chasing a 4th goal at 3-2…or 0 in midfield when cruising at 1-0.
As for AW, he needs to buck up, sort his team out, get some shape back or he needs to get out…final straw…
Talk is cheap mr wenger and mert. When i saw mert leading the team out today i wondered how we got to this stage. Imagine it was viera less than a decade ago.lets not even mention adams and TH14. Like him all want mr bloggs but mert like most of the team are overhyped average (at best) players with a coach who is insanely ignorant and clueless of the challenges of today’s football. Isnt it pure foolishness and racism for sanogo who has never scored a competitive goal for arsenal to come on in search of a goal, leaving podi… Read more »
Calm down. Mertesacker is not overhyped. In fact I don’t think any of our players are overhyped. Just overplayed. Fergie was a master rotater. Poor Monreal gets slammed for doing a job he has never done before. He should be applauded for trying and failing. The manager should get the shit for putting him there. And Chambers, and Arteta and Ozil.
Oh, wow and just read rest of your comment… racism is a hefty word I suggest you put it down before you hurt yourself.
Arsene hanging himself again there. The reason we lost some big and important tackles in the middle is because we don’t have anyone to particularly win this tackles.
Whose at fault for that..?
Cue the corporate public relations speak from players and the manager on arsenal player about howthey learn lessons, try harder, see out games, blah blah blah.
the cause is pretty clear to see from here: we don’t have a defense… we can’t defend and we lack a solid back line and a big physical holding midder… you clearly can’t stop yourself from buying speedy little wingers and have overloaded squad with FIFTEEN (?!?!?) creative midfielders… and you can’t bing yourself to consider let alone actually buy a defender… that is the reason we’re bleeding goals and leaking points…
I feel the pain of most fans here…I gave up on arsene 5 yrs ago at least in my head but my heart still loves him for all he has done In the last 4 or so years he has visibly aged and some of his behaviours and reactions have been embarrassing to say the least especially not giving credit to opposing teams when we lose…not shaking hands…being very tetchy etc…..funny enough most times when I see him I feel really sorry for him..because surely it must hurt him just as much as its hurting us.. But then it occurred… Read more »
Agree with most of your comment, but when (aside from Maureen playing the usual prick and divebombing down the tunnel (probably straight to the bog to knock some wank out)) has Arsene Wenger not shaken his opponents hand? I’m under the impression he is fairly consistent and congenial in this regard..
Hand shaking is not the normal practice in Europe, just here.
And when a team that should have lost actually wins purely because of foul play or the poor officials, (or when you think the opposition manager is a cunt) why the hell should you shake his hand. A handshake means fuck all.
“I felt we lost some decisive challenges in the middle of the park in the last 20 minutes and we paid for that. That’s where we lost the battle.”
Sign a F*cking DM!
So fucking sick of this shit.
It’s not the DM that cost us, it’s playing our left back at centre back. chambers should be playing there.
Wenger never EVER learns.
What the fuck!