Starting XI: Cech, Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil, Iwobi, Walcott, Alexis
Subs: Ospina, Gibbs, Gabriel, Maitland-Niles, The Jeff, Welbeck, Giroud
A header by Marcus Alonso, a solo effort by Eden Hazard and a late lob by Cesc Fabregas helped Chelsea to a comfortable 3-1 victory against Arsenal that all but kills off the Gunners title hopes.
Arsene Wenger’s men did reduce the deficit in stoppage time courtesy of Olivier Giroud’s header, but earlier profligacy in front of goal and sloppy play at the back proved costly.
The result leaves Arsenal 12 points behind the Blues who looked nailed on to win the title.
First half
Alex Iwobi’s early effort, from the right edge of the area and deflected wide, capped a bright opening ten minutes by the Gunners. However, it wasn’t long before Antonio Conte’s men clicked into gear.
Cahill bounced a header over the bar and two minutes later the league leaders went ahead. The ball was worked out to the right wing where Pedro curled a dangerous cross to the near post. Costa’s header cracked off the bar leaving Petr Cech stranded and Marcus Alonso, left untracked by Walcott, jumped higher than Bellerin to head in the rebound from three yards. (1-0)
Replays showed the Chelsea man poleaxing his compatriot with his elbow – he may have had eyes for the ball, but it still looked a foul. Bellerin was left dazed and confused, required medical treatment and was immediately substituted. Gabriel came on in his place.
After that Chelsea looked dangerous every time they came forward. Their quick transitions resulted in wave after wave of attack although clear chances were at a premium. Only Pedro’s tame effort, fumbled around the post by Cech, was on target.
In the ten minutes before the break the Gunners started to play a bit more and perhaps should have been level. A fine dinked cross by Chamberlain found Gabriel six-yards out but the Brazilian could only head straight at Courtois who palmed the ball over.
In stoppage time Ozil’s low drive produced another save from the Belgium international down to his near post.
Second half
Chelsea, buoyed by repetitively poor distribution by Arsenal defenders, regained their swagger in the opening stages of the second period and on 52 minutes doubled their lead.
A poor header by Koscielny was picked up by Eden Hazard in the centre circle allowing the Belgian to drive goalwards. Faced with three men he shimmied left and right before finding a finish over Cech. It was a horror show from the Gunners. (2-0)
Olivier Giroud and Danny Welbeck replaced Coquelin and Walcott as Wenger, sitting high up in the stands, threw caution to the wind in search of a goal.
The England international was an energetic presence and came close to reducing the deficit as he drew a save from Courtois with a header. From the resulting corner Mustafi headed wide with the goal gaping.
To rub salt in the wounds Cesc Fabregas, on as a substitute, killed off the game with five minutes remaining. Cech made a terrible error passing the ball to the Spaniard on the edge of the box and in chasing after the error made it easy for our former captain to lobbed the ball home. (3-0)
In stoppage time Olivier Giroud headed home a Monreal cross to end a four-year goal drought at the Bridge, but it too little too late after a wretched afternoon.(3-1)
In one of yesterday’s articles, one commenter posed the Wenger out / Wenger in question.
There were more thumbs for Wenger to stay than for Wenger to leave.
I’m going to repeat the question now, to highlight how fickle the Wengerholics are.
So let’s have your votes please…..
Wenger to leave at end of season – thumbs up
Wenger to stay – thumbs down
Thanks everyone!
Bye bye PL title.
Can we just hire Conte? He seems like a world class manager who can win titles
Wenger Out Now!? I have never understood how Wenger didn’t get the sack 5 years ago and at the end of every season since.
I thought Iwobi Monreal Gabriel Welbeck were alright the Ox and Coq don’t work Koscielny from the kick off he looked sluggish he wasn’t at the races today and Mustafi has been on a bad form since his return from injjury left Koscielny 2/3 v 1 a lot of times. Cech has been poor for the past 3 games now and can’t save a penalty to save his life and doesn’t come out to catch crosses like ospina does and he’s actually taller than ospina also he’s starting position is too deep for a team like arsenal that play such… Read more »
I thought Cech should’ve came out for the first goal that first cross that came in I was expecting Cech to be claiming that even before the second ball that bellerin had to contend which by the way was a clear foul he practically knocked bellerin out in mid air thats very dangerous play which i think should even be a red card but as always when we go to the bridge it’s questionable officiating that influences our bad performances and quite honestly i don’t trust the refs anymore and the f.a
The issues with Arsenal start from the top. If Wenger is unsackable then he has no reason to improve. Its the perfect job. You do whatever you do, no one asks questions. Eat Drink Don’t Challenge for Major Trophies Sleep Repeat This complacency flows down to the team. If the manager doesn’t care for finishing higher than 4th, then why should the players. I am sure he would ‘like’ to win the league, just as any man would like to sleep with a Supermodel, but he does precious little to ensure that winning the league becomes more than fanciful thinking.… Read more »
I don’t feel sorry for Sanchez he is a brilliant but flawed player who was mostly crap today. It shows Arsenals limitations that our best two players, Sanchez and Ozil, have major flaws. Sanchez holds the ball too long, plays for himself, and makes some terrible passes. Ozil is a luxury player that does not or can not defend. Wenger built it, Wenger owns it.
Exactly.. Ozil has just been proving the critics right.. big fan but a 43m player who wants 300k a week should be more than just a fancy passer, should stand out once in a while and make yourself count in desperate times.. and yeh start performing after new years too ffs
He is not the kind of player we need. He plays football like he doesn’t have bones. He is so fible and weak. Not a premiership player.
I don’t think you can say AW doesn’t want to win the league, I think he is desperate to. But what I will say is that sometimes you have to question your own beliefs when results are consistently not what you want & he doesn’t seem to be willing to consider that prospect.
Not sure why Ozil gets so much stick for his performance today. Our least physical player got no support and no protection; he can obviously do better and not get pushed off the ball so easily, but that is not his job. He is a creator, which most teams in the world would snap off our hands mind you, so if the team around him don’t put in the shift with their own attributes (physical power, tackling, finishing, etc…) the creator is reduced to nothing.
His body language does him a world of harm in fickle minds in my opinion.
It’s everyone’s job not to get pushed off the ball by a mild breeze. And to jump for a header once in their fucking lives. Fucking pussy.
I thought about not responding but I had to point out that you are a classless son of a bitch.
You’re entitled to your opinion but to suggest he doesn’t really want to win the title is way off the mark in my opinion. He lives and breathes arsenal! I also don’t think the players abilities are the problem. On paper I’d say we have a better squad than Chelea. Don’t know how many other top teams alonso, Moses and Cahill would get into to be honest and that’s a credit to conte! Our team is fine. But there is a reason it doesn’t perform when it matters and it’s fair to blame the manager for that! But I wouldn’t… Read more »
Not sure, I don’t want to sleep with a supermodel, that would only make my self steem worse after i totally disapoint her D:
You forget one more crucial element…the people who pay Wenger and the players’ salaries,the fans.It takes a special breed of people to pay the the highest ticket prices in Europe and be content,even ecstatic,to be finishing in Champions League places every year.The board, Wenger and most of the players have very little concern for the fans,yet we are happy to defend them and reward them with handsome and undeserving contracts.Who in their right mind would give a f**k about finishing higher than fourth in these circumstances ?
@Gar I dont know if you are trying to defend Wenger or trying to lambast him.
If Arsenal indeed has better players then Chelsea as you say, then the Wenger should be shown the door even sooner, because even with a better squad he has somehow managed to put Arsenal 12 points behind Chelsea, and at the end of yet another hammering at Stamford Bridge, which has become an annual feature to be honest.
If that is not managerial ineptness, then I don’t know what is.
You forget so quicly how football can change… would you want conte at the beginning of the season when they got trashed at arsenal?? also you’ve forgotten what wenger has done for the club so fickle fans these days. Yes he should shoulder the blame but calling for the managers head everytime we loose is not the way to go.
Conte turned it around in 2 months. Wenger hasn’t been able to do it for 10 years.
And it’s not about changing managers for the sake of changing them.
I don’t think players like to lose themselves. Its not about complacency. Its just that Wenger’s approach to tactics and match preparation psychologically just doesn’t work anymore.
At some point you have to look at Wenger’s big game record and it becomes clear why we haven’t been able to achieve anything other than a top 4 finish.
I’m not saying wenger has been great i’m just saying he deserves respect from us the fans no matter what we think of him at the moment he’s been class for us and I still don’t think we right now is the time to be talking about a managerial change when we’re still in the middle of the season. I think we should focus on top 3 championsleage and f.c cup we need to win a trophy this season its the very minimum!! either the championsleague or fa cup! then we’ll discuss the managers position in the summer. but be… Read more »
I don’t think it’s a disrespect thing and I’d like to think that most Arsenal fans are grateful and appreciative of all he’s achieved for us. It’s just that things aren’t working anymore and he causes more damage to his reputation the longer he hangs around and we continue to fail. Seems people are scared of change but change of some sort is definitely needed.
I was concerned by how quiet our bench was when wenger isn’t there why can’t Bould be standing just his presence standing on the touchline shouting at the players would show some intent and seriousness. when Wenger is not there there is no motivation from the bench no passsion whatsovever??!!! When things are not going well wenger would stand up! psychologically it shows seriousness and intent when the players glance over and see a figure standing there letting them know they need to be up on their jobs tactically!!! Theo needed some shouting to today in that first half when… Read more »
Actually Wenger not being anywhere near the Arsenal bench next season would be great.
who said anything about next season?
You got that the wrong way round mate.. when chips are down wenger just sits on the bench like a dummy or shouts in the ear of who ever is sitting next to him.. frustration got him the ban not passion. he never shouts on his players or
no he doesn’t he stands up and thats when he usually get’s in trouble with 4th officials because hes on the touchline yelling pointing and arguing with refs too showing his passion both the good and bad but saying he just sits there like a dummy no you’re wrong you’re being the dummy
STEVE You are totally missing the point here mate. No one hates Wenger even most Totts and manure fans will miss him once he is gone. The point is to bring in the inevitable change because we have stagnated. Their is always a lingering fear we’ll shoot ourselves in the foot by a young player, by a new player or by some freak collective mistakes against the smaller team. Against big teams, we know what’s coming it’s never surprising and that’s the bitter part. We are just not strong defensively, never looked like a drilled unit where everyone knows their… Read more »
When wengers on the bench he rarely gives instructions to players its usually at officials with arms outstretched (doing the wenger), playing with zipper or head in hands in despair. He is now in danger of tarnishing his legacy.
Steve, I do not think you get. You are right with the Walcot observation but really don’t get point Sidkid and many other fans are making in this platform. If you really love arsenal fc, you would want it to succeed by all means. Many of us have come to that conclusion that Wenger is no longer the person that will take us to that promise land. He is a lucky man still in this job.
Canador, I can absolutely understand that and trust me I’m just as frustrated at our form result and positions in the league over the past 10yrs as any arsenal fan after all i’ve been supporting this club since 1992. but what i don’t appreciate is the utter lack of respect some sections of our fans give Wenger yes maybe it’s time for him to leave maybe arsenal needs a fresh idea I would like that too if it guarantees success but it doesn’t we could easily end up in the same situation as Man united in 2 to 3 yrs.… Read more »
Yes he shows up sometimes but personally I think Theo’s attitude stinks. Players who coast like that in too many games should not be in the bloody squad.
Any manager with just the slightest knowledge of tactics to influence a game would be better than this
Tim Sherwood it is then 🙂
He said the “slightest”. That rules Sherwood out.
We say goodbye to title everytime the mans contract is renewed.
in all honesty I’d rather have us achieve one thing.. trying to secure his new contract.
Hire Conte?? Did you not hear, there’s NO ONE who can replace AW. Just look at Man Utd (don’t look at Chelsea, RM, BM etc).
He has had his time (and some), his race is run, all good things come to an end, change is good it prevents staleness. A team that is motivated and fights for the cause and gives their all. 89 and 91 title winners were and were lower league buys or came through the youth system so Why cant players who are technically better, cost multimillions and are paid multimillions??? Oh, i just anwered my own question! Its because of the ££££££!!!!!! Why give 100% when you get paid whatever happens
Outmuscled and outclassed
Simply not good enough.
Did you not hear Gary Neville say be careful what you wish for? He has a point. Can you be sure we will suddenly start winning leagues with a replacement? Arsenal fans just don’t understand the risks that losing Wenger entails. And will all the Wenger outers please start your campaign when we are winning instead of when we lose? You might be more convincing that way. I understand the frustration but I think we have improved year on year. Individual errors have cost us again. Cech and Walcott. We were left exposed at the back and that needs to… Read more »
I accept the “careful what you wish for” but at some point it becomes a case of the worst decision is to not make a decision. If AW can’t accept that he is not taking the club forward, then he needs a shove. Do we really have to wait for him to decide?
There is always a lack of urgency in Arsenals play. I believe this is down to the manager preferring players to be calm and assured, rather than passionate and rash. But at times it has our players look lethargic. I do not necessarily think he is wrong, but I do think change is needed sooner rather than later, because I see no evolution with Arsene as manager. Only same old, same old.
Of course there is risk in changing the manager. But if not now, when? Next year? Five years? Time for courage, roll the dice, see if anyone else can do better.
Neville was slating Wenger until he saw that banner, then he had flashbacks of Valencia and switched up quick. He took it to heart! I disagree with out individual error assessment too, we beaten all across the pitch. They were sharper and more accurate throughout. We rarely got close or won second balls. So strange to see so few players back and yet so few in the box as well, not sure what we were playing at today but it wasn’t football!
I get so sick of the “be careful what you wish for” crap. Nobody is saying the next manager is going to be better, win us a title straight away, but to just sit idle while the club treads water is worse. If a new manager comes in and does a terrible job, guess what, you sack them and get a new manager. Case in point, Chelsea. And it hasn’t seemed to hinder their ability to win trophies. Wenger has spent close to £300 million in the last 5 seasons, can you say the club is any closer to winning… Read more »
Of course he should go. Wenger should have left three years ago.
Was that before or after he won us back-to-back FA Cups?
Before.
See I don’t get that. He won us two big trophies in a row, which we were all thrilled with at the time, and yet you’d prefer he didn’t do that at all?
Look I’m a massive Wenger fan, but even I feel he needs to do the right thing and leave at the end of the season, for the sake of his own legacy, and for the sake of the club so it can move forward, because we clearly haven’t.
But I just don’t get how you can be unappreciative of the trophies he won us again.
I had to listen to that on 5 Live. God I hate Danny Mills, it made a horrible experience feel about 1000 times worse. I’m going for a drink…
Danny Mills is an Grade A** dickhead. His ‘analysis’ is the worst I have ever heard (worse than bloody Savage even), he is clearly biased, mis-informed and very stupid! He just tries to hammer home endlessly a few crude themes throughout his commentary (‘Arsenal have been like this for the last 5-10 years’, ‘it’s always the same with Wenger’ – no shit Mills, how much do the BBC pay you for this sort of idiotic insight). And this arse-piece was on the FA’s advisory panel for a blueprint on English football several years ago – how in the name of… Read more »
Whenever Danny Milks came on I had to turn the radio off.
What a Chelsea-dick-sucking fucktard
Any reason why he should be kept on? I honestly can’t think of one reason why he shouldn’t be let go!
I’m pissed with today but now isn’t exactly the time to conduct an objective and rational survey of opinion.
Fuck Chelsea. Fuck refereeing association funded by interested contributors… Fuck sky TV coverage. And fuck off Cesc. That’s where I am right now.
Exactly. An hour after a defeat by the league leaders just isn’t the time to be objective.
…well, yeah.
How about a few days after losing at home to the mighty watford? Out!
Yeah that seems fine. A few days after. For what it’s worth I would like him to move on. There are however other considerations if you want to make a responsible decision. Who do we replace him with, how and when are they available, for one. Are the players we have more likely to stay if we go for a manager like Ancelotti for a couple of years first or we go for a rising young manager like Howe. Do we go for the guy at Leipzig and how do we get them here. I’d like Wenger g9ne but if… Read more »
This seems pointless
I’d rather sack the majority of the team!
Doesn’t matter if you’re Wenger in or out, we’re stuck with him till at least the season ends. Now that the league is realistically gone I really do hope Wenger pins all his eggs in the CL basket, and not try to juggle for both and ending up with f*ck all again come May.
I tried to get my son to fall in love with Arsenal (bought the kit, took him to games etc.) When he started school (he is now 5)… The kids started telling him Chelsea have been better for the last 10 years (imagine 10 years to a 5-year-old ). SO seeing as we beat them at our place, my son said he will support whoever wins today…. After that performance, I don’t blame him for straying to the blue. Shameful, Spineless, Weak, It was disgusting play. I think this has gone beyond getting Wenger out – I genuinely cannot see… Read more »
I think you need some very strong words with your son….. And possibly consider adoption. Lol
Tell your son that we beat Chelsea 3-0 and they beat us 3-1.
Never ever allow anyone in your family to support oligarch racist scum like that.
And i heard the chavski scum singing they want him to say just as i predicted a few articles ago. The only people better off since leaving the beloved Highbury for the cashcow are the board and shareholders. All us fans want is a team that gives 100% in every game for every minute and a manager that has a clue and doesnt mind spending OUR money and a board that is likewise. Thanks for the amazing memories Arsene but please step aside. We would rather a scrappy even owngoal than 50 pretty passes up to the penalty area with… Read more »
*stay. Noooo
To Fans who thumbed down – do you want Wenger to stay because a) you believe we can win PL with him this or maybe next season or b) you are ok with us not winning it? I think it is essential to understand in the nowadays divided community – maybe we just share different aspirations towards our Club?
Yes, let’s start a fight between supporters. That sounds fun.
No thanks, why would you like to do it?
Why not? Its common practice at home games. Not so much at away games cause they all want him out.
Even if stated in an indirect manner, the suggestion that any Arsenal supporter does not want to win has only one intent – to poke a stick at supporters that don’t share your opinion.
And before anyone says anything, I did not vote for two reasons. First, it’s the very definition of a knee jerk reaction. Second, I just don’t know and today is not the day to make up my mind objectively.
The first one – Wenger has never underperformed reasonable expectations, not in any single season.
Fair enough he hasn’t outperformed massively in recent years, but there has been some promising signs…and the risk of one or two underperforming seasons turning into a negative cycle that takes arsenal out of contention for many years is too high for me. And before you mention Chelsea or man united coming back from underperforming seasons, they are much richer than arsenal – they can always throw much more money at the problem than arsenal (or Liverpool, or spurs) can.
Cash reserves are there to be spent and we have some apparentely.
Isnt that why we moved into the cashcow? So we can compete with the bent oil money and dine at europes top table wasthe quote dished out at the time to get all our hopes up 10yrs ago. Sack the board! Who actually can do that? Wenger out kroenke out asap.
To Fans who thumbed down – do you want Wenger to stay because a) you believe we can win PL with him this or maybe next season or b) you are ok with us not winning it? I think it is essential to understand in the nowadays divided community – maybe we just share different aspirations towards our Club?
Sorry for doubling myself here
Why at the end of the season, out now!!
We are exactly where all the star managers are point wise.
The difference is that our star manager hasn’t competed for a league title in the past 12 years, whilst the others are yet complete a full season at their respective clubs.
These thickle fans are as predictable as the team. We don’t even need a calendar to tell us the time of the year. All you have to do is follow the Arsenal results over the last 5 years. This (groundhog)season is panning out like clockwork once again. The players change but the pattern of the results stay the same. Coincidence? This after spending £90m in the summer.
Next up,the likely elimination from the last 16 of the Champions League,leaving us to concentrate on fighting for a place in the top 4.
Well, currently, the vote is overwhelmingly for wenger out…. So I think you got the answer that we both knew you would. Football, eh.
This Wenger in/out gallup -result (see the first comment), which changed so drastically after one defeat compared to the previous one, kind of proves that there are a huge number of fans that are so short-sighted, that they change their opinion about this all the time. We win – Wenger in! We lose – Wenger OUT!! Good stuff.
I think you grossly overestimate how many people are changing their minds from game to game.
So it’s about 2.4 to one. Or is my maths as shite as today’s performance?
Eddie Howe would be my pick tbh. We want someone who’s young enough to hang around and build a team long term. We don’t want the ChelsManManSpurs revolving door
For all the moaning Alexis and Ozil have done about asking for increased wages with their new contracts, they should both give this weeks back. Both completely anonymous. Only players in my mind who didn’t embarrass themselves today were Monreal, Welbeck, and the Ox. Groundhogs day all over again. Bring on the Round of 16 exit to Bayern!
Bayern will hammer them. No contest. This team is a shambles. Will achieve nothing yet again.
I thought Gabriel was excellent today. Worked his socks off at the back.
Didn’t offer anything in attack besides the header straight at Cortouis
Completely agree on that. As soon as Bellerin is back Gabriel should play instead of Mustafi.
Yes I agree he’s been out of form and dwells too much on the ball takes too many touches and always loos like he’s about to get caught on the ball since he came back from injury
Thoroughly disagree. He needs some throw-in practice. I count one throw directly to a Chelsea player and the throw to Cech that led to the 3rd goal.
Welbeck was on for about 15/20 minutes think that sums up a whole performance then.
He was on for half an hour, champ.
Ok, I’m not a manager but I was thinking whole week, giroud was afoul against watford he was subbed on half time, conte knew that giroud was poor and knew that he will not start against chelase and knew that because of the first game at emirates we will start alexis, so i was thinking as a manager why don’t you surprise them and start welbeck but not as a winger start him as a striker with alexis on the left it would have disrupt their game plan especially because they knew that alexis will start up front and were… Read more »
I though Ox was absolutely immense today
Yeah. A number of players can hold their heads up. Ox, Gabriel, Monreal. Wellbeck and Giroud when they came on. Aside from that goal by Hazard (which just happens sometimes, you got to just applaud really), Kos and Mustafi had pretty reasonable games too, really. It’s weird to say about a game which we lost 3-1 but it was the attack and not defence that let us down. Conceded one goal to a blatant elbow to the face and a header from a richochet which simply advantaged the Chelsea player to outjump (and outelbow) Bellerin. Conceded one goal to an… Read more »
Coquelin should have dragged Hazard to the ground. He’d have got a yellow card. Game would be 1-nil and we’d start again. The moment he let him go, it makes it tough for the defenders to put in a tackle.
I’m not taking away from the man (yes he’s world class) but that was not a world class move. It was poor defensive work from our CDM.
Walcott had an anonymous game? Shock horror!
Have to say I thought koscielny and coqelin were particularly poor today, coq Huss had players breezing past him and koscielny was terrible in possession, lost count of how many times he gave the ball away, unusual for him. Ox was the one bright light though
Don’t mix up things: Sanchez was crap, Özil did his job and tried and led the team!
The usual. Pathetic, no desire, no effort. Nobody looking for the ball. Lacklustre. No passion. Say what you will about Liverpool and sp*rs but at least their fans can look forward to the big games and know they can win. We know what will happen every fucking year. Fed up of this crap. Why should we keep giving resources to this club when they don’t give back? These players can fuck off. Fabregas even got in for the comical goal too. His reaction said it all, he feels sorry for us. Wenger out fucking now.
Gary Neville can fuck right off
No actually fans like you can fuck right off! Trying to drown out voices that highlight the blatant problems that are there at the club, so you can all pretend they don’t exist, is exactly the reason why this club has become a groundhog day joke.
You’re a very strange Arsenal fan if Gary Neville was what upset you most today.
I think neville was pretty spot on with his analysis. He wasnt being disrespectful, the truth just hurts.
It wasn’t the thing that pissed me off most, it was just fresh on my mind as he had just said it before this report was published.
But to dismiss the Arsenal fans wanting a change the way he did was ridiculous and so condescending. You don’t have to agree with that view but how can you not understand it?
Do yourself a favor: Stop listening to shit pundits. If you feel their analysis is shit, their opinion is shit, or they are biased to such an above average degree, tune it out. Seek out criticism borne of love not spite, bias or laziness.
Shame shame shame. Where is that game of thrones lady when you need her. Arsenal ever the let down.. Bunch of gutless, ball-less players we have
So embarrasing.
What a pile of absolute pony
Again. Arsenal fans regularly say we don’t deserve ozil and Sanchez. But where were they today?
Not that they were our worst players. But the expectation is obviously higher for them
Hello again. I’ll try give you a reasonable answer completely outplayed and they hardly received the ball in a threatening area. Pretty thin I know but true.
Sanchez misplayed countless passes to Chelsea players as well and Ozil was just outmuscled way too easily. I think it’s a little bit of this and a bit of what Deano said.
When I saw alexis not runing fighting for every duel careless to every simple pass and passing to the opposition it sums up that their heads are arelaredy turned. The time ozl and alexis pass it to the opposition in the middle of the park with no pressure on the ball was ridiculous, and only luck save us that Chelsea from every ball passed to them from ozil and alexis ignored pedro or we would lost 6-0. If the don’t want to stay than it is better to leave in the summer. Anyway it is not like we lost the… Read more »
Isco??? Out of Real we wouldn’t even talk about him.
Ozil is a luxury player. You need a three man midfield with him in front to be effective
Gap so big I can see arsene wenger contract inside it…
I often forget what a bunch of scum Chelsea are until we have the misfortune of playing them. Despicable club.
Despicable for sure. But they are winners. People hated the invincibles for same reason. Champions can play dirty.
We lost because we were completely outplayed today but that doesn’t change the way I feel about them.
I thought they played well today. The new manager has transformed them from a diving, cheating bus parking band of cunts to a well drilled team who keep winning. They deserved their win today. Whereas we were just shit!
Bang on Godfrey, but like Maniac I can’t stand the wankers either.
My hatred for them remains as well of course.
I like them. Even Costa. At least they’ve got balls.
Everybody happy with Alexis up top?
Ineffective today obviously. But that’s not to say someone else would have been.
When we were beating Chelsea 3-0, they switched their formation and pushed on after. When’s the last time Wenger showed any willingness to make structural changes to this team? We play the same formation with the same subs at the same time in every single game as though we played the same opponents every weak. It’s unforgivable.
Er, that’s not correct. The subs were on at 60′ not the legendary 70′ mark, and Giroud went on for Coquelin. That’s a structural change. Welbeck went on the wing, a very different style to Iwobi who went into the middle. It’s just not writing different numbers on paper.
The formation wasn’t to blame. Errors and lack of finishing were. A lot of poor passes and bullied off the ball under pressure. And then there was that Coqscielny thing.
BUT I share your view that on many match days we wait far too long to make changes.
What about playing Gabriel as a right-back instead of switching to a back three?
Most sensible comment on here today. Kante is easily the best midfielder in the league. Matic up there too. Never gonna win that battle 2vs2. Only guardiolas barca could turn up and play in the modern era
Fuck
if alexis wants 250,000 a week, he’ll have to play better than that. i can’t believe i’m about to say this, but he was one of our worst players today.
chamberlain had another great game in the middle.
No passion, no agression. Sort of miss Wilshere when we deliver such passionless football…
Jack seems very passionless with Bournemouth these days! LOL
No surprise. Same every season. Nothing more to add.
Just leave Wenger.
Worst game from Alexis I’ve seen in a while.
Like he’s the one to blame, He’s surrounded by a bunch of idiots (and Ozil) who has no real desire for winning the league and only enjoy taking Instagram photos or jumping over each other while smiling to the Arsenal media camera guy.
Give me a break, Sanchez is the first to pose in front of the camera of the Arsenal photographer during trainings ! A headless chicken he is, face it !
So the guy who pushes this shit team this season is the one to blame? At least he’s a professional on the pitch.
didn’t blame him, just pointed out that it’s the worst I’ve seen him play for a while.
Yeah since his pathetic first half performance against Watford!
Depressing and sad, watching my team play like that in a must win game. I feel numb.
Not surprised to be honest. Let’s focus on the CL and FA Cup now.
Regardless of what we win, Wenger has to go!
After a couple of weeks we’ll only have the FA Cup to focus on.
Until we’re drawn against Chelsea…
You can blame the manager all day long, and many times rightly so, but when experienced players like we have keep fluffing their lives and making things difficult for the team, you have to call it out to. PlayErskine let themselves down once again today. This was a really strong side Wenger put out.
Like a stubborn gambler who believes he can turn it all around all the while sinking deeper and deeper in debt, Wenger is already more than £200 million in with a team that is no more of a title challenger than Koeman’s Everton.
Wait…so you are telling me we lost a game (got humped actually), to a top team we never beat away, in a game we needed to win? No way! Seriously what did we expect? They have a better team, a better manager and a collective winning mentality. We are the definition of losers. Just fucking pathetic and no so damn inevitable. Ozil and sanchez can fuck off too.
This club needs an injection, a fresh new approach and that my friend starts with Arsene Wenger.
Where to start? Our defense was shite but I think it comes down to mental and tactical coaching as on their day Mustafi and Koscielny are great and they still made some good tackles Ozil’s final ball was wack. Oxlade-Chamberlain did very well defensively, I think he’s a good candidate for that box to box role. He’s one of the only ones to come out of this game with some credibility. I’m grateful for everything Arsene has done for the club but its time for him to go: 1: He talks about mental strength, but the playing style and mental… Read more »
I’d also add that Wenger saying he will wait till May/June to decide his future is quite selfish (unless the board is forcing him to say this)
I seriously hope Arsenal have a long-term planning structure like Southampton do where they ID potential managers on a continuous basis even when the current one’s position is secure.
Give a break to Özil, please! He has adapted terrifically to the PL being the best creator of this championship…
We’re told that Lucas Perez wasn’t fit (injure/niggle, not sure).
thanks for clarifying Mike
We played in a 4-3-3…
No we did not. Ozil played as a forward.
Bellerin going off was the moment I knew we were going to lose.
Losing the will to live now!
I realize it was an inexcusable performance that’s ruined your mood, but please remember, there will be seasons year-after-year but there’s only one life.
I know but this is what watching 11 blokes with no will to live does to you.
Tell me more about Chelsea’s oil money, Mr. Wenger. #nowheretohide
Pathetic, if it feels like you have watched the exact same game for at least 20-30 times – It’s because you did.
Inferior tactics, preset substitutes, pointing the blame to anyone beside himself – The man has lost it a decade ago. #WengerOut. And no, a tiny banner won’t make a difference (unless the man who gets paid 8 million pounds a year can stand to hear the complains from some very unpleased fans, yet he’ll definetly sign a new contract after securing a top four spot in april).
This really is a team without cohesion or discipline and all this lines to arsene wenger..
Same old same old, face big club, pressure on, we flop. This team needs a right foot up there butt.
This is how far behind the title we are. The champions changes but this is how far behind we are and have been for 10 years. This team lacks everything, except talent. We lack management, we lack fight, we lack heart, we lack leaders, we lack strength. Remember the southamton 5-0 game? Well this is the same game but we are the children. A clearout is needed. Wenger must go. It´s all down to him. His favorites Ozil, Walcott, Coq, Ramsey, Gabriel, Ox also needs to leave. We need to reboot and Wenger is not the man for that job.… Read more »
If we had swapped keepers we may have had a chance.
Yeah we really need a keeper who can do a “game saver”, Cech hasn’t done many this season. A lot of shots going in this season that top keepers could have saved. Ospina has been brilliant every time he has played.
Cracking pass to Fabregas though. Sealed the game. Gotta hand it to him for that one.
I’m amazed at the lack of comments calling Cech out. Thank you for raising the point. To be honest I was never happy with signing him. It epitomises for me everything that is wrong with Wenger. Not in a million years would a manager with a winning mentality sign another competitor’s cast-off unless there was a valid reason i.e. a breakdown in relations. Not only do we sign a Chelsea legend who can no longer make their first team but he becomes our only choice. To be honest there’s very little that he’s done to impress me. He started off… Read more »
It’s embarrassing watching teams aim for Cech’s near post time and time again…
Cech wanted to stay in London so he picked Arsenal. He basically had the club over a barrel as imagine the fury if it had been found we had the opportunity and never signed him. I didn’t want a Chel$ki cast off either, but I must say I’ve been pleasantly surprised as he’s a really nice guy. Trouble is he’s getting worse all the time, and been living off his reputation for a while now. Time for Ospina, and Cech to the bench.
I get the argument that we might not be able to find someone better than Arsene & I get the argument that Arsene has done so much for the club that he has earned the right to decide when he leaves…(I don’t agree with either but I understand them)…..but can we please, please stop debating our title chances for his remaining time in charge.
We’re not winning it again with him as manager. It is just ridiculous to suggest otherwise.
Eff chelski, eff the refs, eff chech, eff coquelin, eff anyone that still loves cesc, eff everyone except nacho, hector, ox, welbz & Giroud, eff not busting a gut, eff having hope against hope we really go out and represent, eff all the we’ll learn from this, eff this all to familiar weekend pain. I love you so much, but you’re breaking me.
why are you effing coquelin? i thought he had a decent game. the challenge on hazard’s goal wasn’t the greatest, but hazard did well to push him off. eff hazard!!
Gave the ball away for the first goal as well. I thought he struggled today to be honest.
I am as depressed as everyone but i have to weigh in on this…..Fabregas didn’t do anything wrong today, he was gift wrapped a sitter and as a professional footballer, he lobbed it into the net. That’s what he is paid to do, and personally i forgive him today for having the class not to celebrate!…he has left us for a number of years now and nobody can blame him if he did celebrate. Plus he did offer himself first to arsenal and arsene turned him down (understandably, given the saga of his leaving), and he has said it time… Read more »
That’s just pathetic. Coquelin really is a liability and so narrow , there are no runs being made. Just remembered the old days when nasri and clichy used to play each other in the left flank. So predictable. Hmm the season will be over in February itself. Gabriel is just a waste of space
Pathetic. I cant understand how come they did not jump into the ugly faces of atkinson and alonso after he knocked down their teammate. Bunch of ballless cunts.
I was born in England, lived in the Middle East, the Caribbean, and for the last 15 years America. Everywhere I’ve gone I’ve had Arsenal posters and a new kit almost every year. I flew from the US on a Friday morning to London to watch Arsenal’s first FA cup trophy win in an age and came back Sunday afternoon. I listen to most all Arseblog arsecasts the day they come out and given Wenger every chance to prove me wrong. But my passion is waning, as is the passion of my fellow American gooners. Arsenal to the core but… Read more »
Not that it matters given our decision to twice blunderbuss ourselves in the foot in the 2nd half, but about the first goal: let’s say the situation is reversed. A defender and attacker are going for a high ball in the box, the defender gets his head to it, but before he does so his elbow strikes the attacker in the face. I don’t think they’d be any argument whatsoever that that would be a foul and a penalty. So, it definitely should have been called a foul and the goal disallowed when it happened the other way round.
If Oli did that it would be a straight red, guaranteed.
And if i did it to john terry in the street id be arrested imprisoned and/or fined. Where is the justice?? Did you know some players have had legs or ankles shattered and careers ended with culprits getting a hefty 2 or 3 game ban?
We are so poor defensively. Iwobi can’t offer enough support to his LB and Coquelin has forgotten how to defend. Also, unbelieveably we lack depth in RB even tough we have 3 players there. Cech hasn’t really done anything in his last 10 games to deserve that starting spot, how well does Ospina have to play to get a PL start?
On the positive side Ox had a good game again.
We really need to change things at the club if we are to improve, same pattern each year.
We also need to change our system. Ozil in a free role number 10 where he doesn’t defend and gets crowded by the opponent’s defensive midfield when attacking doesn’t work. Either play 2 pure strikers or 3 man midfield as the other top teams do.
A great assault on Hector well done you Chelski cunts!
Boy o boy I’m sick of watching us roll over every February. Really really sick of it.
There was chance to score three especially from set pieces. But who of arsenal played well Sanchez was invisible or gave ball to Chelsea so disappointing. Ozil slowed it down too much, great set piece delivery though. Isobi and ox ok coq tired hard. Gabriel good once on mo real too. Mustard mustard at least he shouts at team mates to inspire or sort out. Kosielney make the tackle on hazard outside the box instead of back ing off into the box. Walcott looked a threat but we didn’t play him in with pace too slow. Start wellbeck and Walcott… Read more »
The only positive out of that disgrace of a performance is that it should finally wake up the most deluded Wenger supporter & the board. The man simply cannnot be allowed to manage the club after this season. The players look disinterested & unprepared, that is a demanding inditement of the Manager. Arsene has been wonderful, he really has, not just for the last twenty years but the foundations he’s put in place for the years to come. But football is merciliess and unfortunately modern football has passed him by. He should be told that this season is his last… Read more »
Bill Murray knows
I think it’s time for him to go. But he won’t deserve the bile he’s about to revive from home fans either. Look what conte did to Chelsea. Shook them into belief. That’s what we’re missing. Confidence and ruthlessness. We could all go on about the obvious bad luck with injuries and bookings, but as a staunch Arsene defender these last two years opened my eyes. Credit to him for convincing Özil and Alexis to come, but that was supposed to be the end of our transition and the start of our next era. Now the mismanagement may see us… Read more »
Anyone know why Perez wasn’t on the bench?
Or even on the pitch? Goals, assists, technique and work rate. He’s been pretty solid in practically every appearance.
Horrible start to the weekend. We were outfought, outmuscled, and it was so maddening to hear those idiots at Sky repeat the same stuff about Arsenal year after year. We didn’t stand up and make ourselves count (apart from that 5 minute spell at the start of each half) and proved to the rest of the league that we’re the biggest bottlers (apart from that lot of course). The only positive, apart from the goal, was the performance of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in midfield. Up against the waves of Chelsea players bearing down on him, I think he did alright. Ozil… Read more »
Özil was very present, had the most passes, the most created chances, so let’s stop he was invisible or so. Sanchez was SHIT!
You may see them as bottlers. But everyone else will say that it’s the club that ruined them. They’ve collapsed under the weight of carrying the rest of the midfield and forward line on their own. That’ll be the spin and I’m sure that’ll be what they tell themselves as they walk away.
enough is enough. another season ‘s gone. chelsea players are not even better than our players . this team needs something different. arsene should have the decency to step down. and alexis and ozil are definitely not on henry and bergkamp standard. no way they deserve a pay rise. may be the sad truth is , that we are not a title contender team but a good team from the first tier of the bpl. and it’s been like that for a decade now. i am just expecting some good football till the end of the season and may be… Read more »
The result flattered us a bit, the way Chelsea carved us open we were a bit lucky not to lose by 5 or 6. Thinking of the few positives to come out of the game, I thought Iwobi and the Ox did pretty well and Wellbeck and Giroud looked sharp when they came on. On the negative our full backs were often no where to be seen when Chelsea attacked, our exposed Centre backs struggled, although to be fair to them it was often 2 or 3 against 2. The Coqs limitations were again exposed – In my opinion he… Read more »
Will get a lot of thumbs down for this… But Coq is not good enough for a team that wants to win titles…. I single him out because week in, week out it’s been him. Truth is this midfield gives the defence too much work to do and I find it hard to blame the defenders… If Hazard could shrug off Coquelin that easily, imagine what Costa, Lewandowski, Zlatan, Suarez would do to him… I will again make reference to the run just preceding the penalty conceded at Spurs, where was our CM/CDM? Same mistakes at City/Everton (failing to track… Read more »
I think he is a good squad player, for that reason we should keep him, but I agree there are better players out there in the same position that should be in the starting eleven.
The problem with him as squad player is once the starters are out, you start having this feeling that you have cover. He is not anywhere near good enough. he can only be good enough if Santi is not injured so much and if Xhaka was more disciplined. The problem is I don’t believe Xhaka is a natural CDM so we’re left with only Coq and El Neny (not championship material in my opinion)
Would rather pull my toenails put than watch that again.
Surely Cech can be dropped now? Would like to see Perez and Welbeck come in for Alexis and Ozil, with Iwobi moving to CAM, as well.