Arsene Wenger says his side will not give up on the title despite being 12 points behind leaders Chelsea with 14 games remaining.
Having lost four of their last nine Premier League games the Gunners have been written off as potential champions in most quarters, however, the boss maintains that his squad will fight until the very end of the season.
“It’s never over – we cannot behave like that,” Wenger told media ahead of Arsenal’s game with Hull City. “Even if you think it is, I don’t. We cannot even think like that.
“We look at the teams around us and we’re all in a pack that is very tight, where the fight for every position will be massive like it has always been in the Premier League, maybe even more this season than ever before.
“The way we respond to our disappointing result last Saturday is vital. If it is over for us, it’s over for everybody else. We are all together in a pack there, so first we have to focus on staying at the top, then if we can reduce the distance between us and Chelsea after, you never know.
“They have an advantage where they aren’t playing in Europe. They have no midweek games, so of course they are in a very strong position.”
Needing to rebuild momentum ahead of games in three competitions over the next four weeks, Wenger also called on supporters to unite behind the players and for his players to give the terraces something to cheer.
“We have a big fight in the Premier League, a big fight in the Champions League, with a big game coming up, and we still have the FA Cup as well,” he continued.
“We want to do well in all three competitions and that’s as well why it’s important that we focus, respond and get our fans behind the team, because this is an important and very sensitive part of the season – and we have to respond to disappointment together.
“Our fans have been consistent and have a high level of expectation, as I have as well. But I don’t feel it is absolutely clear. You cannot be a fan until last Tuesday and not be a fan anymore and not be behind the team this Saturday, it doesn’t make sense.
“We fight with Man United, Man City, Liverpool – they have big expectations as well and big histories. We are in a fight there, we absolutely have to be united or we have no chance to do it. You have Tottenham, everyone is in the fight and everyone is behind their team. We have to do exactly the same, even if we had two disappointing results.
“I want the fans to be behind the team. But at the same time, I am not fool enough not to know that the first priority is us and our dynamic inside the team that will create and facilitate the support of our fans. That is down to the quality of our performance.”
?
That emoji was supposed to be a big fat YAWN
Wenger: Get behind the team, we’re not going to give up (bottling it).
^ Fixed
Blogs are you sure this isn’t an article you posted a couple of seasons ago? It sure reads like it.
Great fan.
Thanks. I’ve been one for 25 years.
Do you think it helps the team to get behind them and support their efforts, or is it a foregone conclusion?
How do you mean? I’m pretty sure fans get behind the team as much as is within their power to do so. The rest is up to the manager and the squad of players he puts out. If they are losing 1-0 leads, losing at home to Watford, dropping points at Bournemouth and Burnley etc. it gets harder and harder for fans to have reasons to ‘get behind’ the team. Especially if they’ve seen it all before in previous seasons. I want Arsenal to win games. I want Arsenal to do well. But this idea that the Arsenal fans do… Read more »
(Mootilated: I’m not if this will appear below your comment or above, as I’m not good at this stuff). I mean that every team in the PL this season, Chelsea excluded, have suffered embarrassments; but reading the pundits and many comments on here, an Arsenal fan site where Arsenal fans can continue to support their club in all its manifestations, you’d think we were the only team experiencing this. The team was showing major signs of improvement in the first half of this year: much better performance in the CL, we trounced Chelsea in the first encounter, we won and… Read more »
Futsboller truth be told, I’m not sure what “getting behind the team” is really going to do. Will it make us sharper in our positioning, passing, shooting, tackling? I don’t think so. At the end of the day either the players aren’t doing what is asked of them (whether they’re capable of that or not) or what is being asked of them is insufficient. Either way, “getting behind the team” has nothing to do with it
loose_cannon: getting behind the team creates a winning atmosphere (i.e., you rarely hear ‘we won a big game today, despite our fans’) and provides an uplift, especially when the going gets tough, but even if you don’t believe that, I’m sure you would admit that holding up dispiriting banners and feeding the discontent around the club does have an affect on the manger and players and the way we perform. Why else do championship clubs always thank their fans so profusely …
Fan’s are perfectly entitled to voice their displeasure.
Fan’s aren’t stupid, whatever Wenger would have you believe, and they know that this team has too many flaws, be it mental, physical or tactical.
Those of us that have been around long enough know what tops teams are made of, and this team, and manager isn’t.
Futsboller – I think that is the issue that most fans of Arsenal have. The fact that we are a better team, and have been for the last 2-3 seasons, yet seem to be producing the same results and performances we did when we had the likes of Denilson, Chamakh and Squillaci in the squad.
John C – Everyone can do whatever he or she wants, of course, and if a fan wants to pay a large of sum of money for a seat at the Emirates and then dump all over it (metaphorically speaking), fine. It is unfortunate that you don’t believe our team and our manager are capable of winning anything, but you are entitled to that opinion, and you express it well here. Mootilated – I completely appreciate that point, and it is frustrating to watch a team with such talent running through it (and the ability to hammer a team like… Read more »
Futsboller – I don’t doubt a “winning atmosphere” helps the players, if only to make them feel better about themselves, but I think that’s negligible compared to skills I’ve mentioned previously. Does a negative banner stop us from tracking back or anticipating a cross? Probably not, or at least it really shouldn’t. After all, around 50% of our games are guaranteed to be in front of a hostile audience! And I’m guessing Championship clubs really rely on the patronage of their relatively small number of supporters whereas clubs with millions of fans worldwide like Arsenal have a better time of… Read more »
loose_cannon – Agreed, fan behaviour is not going to impact a single play like a cross or something, but a great performance from the fans can have a considerable impact on the team’s overall play, not to mention the official. Teams often feed off the hostile environment of an away game and relish the chance to celebrate in front of their small corner of fans, but I doubt they want to celebrate in front of their own hostile fans, and a negative banner indicating a withdrawal of support can become a distraction for the team (whether it is there at… Read more »
Futsboller – I’m sorry, but all the banners i’ve seen have been a withdrawal of support for the manager not the club or players.
Don’t confuse the two, Arsene Wenger isn’t Arsenal Football Club
Not confused by it all. But the banners calling for Wenger’s head will have an affect on the team, not in the least by sowing disrespect for the manager. I can’t see how that helps our results this season.
If the manager was concerned that banners calling for him to go was affecting the players maybe he could do the honourable thing and resign?
@Mootilated I’m pretty sure that comment has been posted years ago too.
So we are all at fault, guess he has blamed everyone and his dog now.
Guess what? It helps a lot if you would just support your team rather than asking the boss out. I’m sure you think you know better than him huh?
Well the thing is that there are those in the business of being football managers who do seem to know a lot more than Wenger does.
Wenger has had a decade to fix the mess, Conte turned his team around in 3 months! Let that sink in.
If you believe that why don’t you go support their teams?? Maybe you already do. Because a true Arsenal fan knows Arsene Wenger IS Arsenal.
I bet he was an Arsenal fan before Wenger came along and will be long after he’s gone!
Haha. I see how he is supporting He can support Chelsea when the boss signs a new contract end of the season.
I support Arsenal, and have done so for 17 years now. I liked Wenger too, still do and he will still be an Arsenal legend. However you seem to confuse ‘supporting’ a team with burying one’s head in the sand and ignoring the blatant issues that exist. It has become clear to me that the club I have supported is no longer in good hands, and Wenger leaving is according to me in the best interest of the club. If supporting the team means sitting by and letting Wenger fail year after year to fulfill the clubs potential, then frankly… Read more »
Arsene Wenger is not Arsenal. You are a problem and so is he if he believes that. Granted he has a lot of power at the club right now (too much) but Arsenal was a great club before Wenger and will be post-Wenger. We heaven’t existed for 20 years. We’re more than 130 years old. Saying Wenger is Arsenal discredits everyone involved in the club since we were formed. Including a certain mr Chapman who is the only man in my eyes that can be seen as ‘Arsenal’ and not just an employee
Leicester City players made it quite clear last season that their fans were a big part of their success and creating an overwhelming atmosphere of belief despite the ever-present opinion of the pundits that their incredible performances would ultimately falter.
Have dare you challenge what he’s saying! How many PL games have you managed in your life?
You must know by now that this group of players have great spirit! Tut!
P.S. Top 4 is a trophy.
Tough to get behind the team when each year the same scenario plays out, it feels like we have the same mental block as England do at every major tournament (Granted we don’t play that bad). If we can get past Munich then there’s something to be positive about, otherwise it’s the same it’s just another fight for toup 4.
Story of every Arsenal fans life. No other club has more loyal fanbase whom pay highest for almost 0 trophy each season. So yeah youre the lucky man at Arsenal. I dont believe any other big club would be behind you for this many years of nothing at Emirates.
Wrong Real would. They always wanted Wenger
“I dont believe any other big club would be behind you for this many years of nothing at Emirates.”
No Real would not.
People have won league and CL and got the sack there. People have scored a goal per game and got booed in Bernabeu. You believe Wenger would survive there? 14 title less seasons?
Google Atletico de Madrid then come back and tell me about long suffering fans
Unfortunately, ticket prices don’t guarantee a trophy. Oddly enough, Arsenal have delivered many of them. None for a while, sure, but there will be more to come. As in everything that is not guaranteed in life, you just have to hang in there. We’ve won some incredible games this year, scored some stunning goals, and still have a lot to play for — fan support to the end will only increase our chances of doing well.
Out of interest, do you have a ST?
If so where do you sit?
Are you saying only people who have actually walked on the Moon can talk about the Moon?
No, I don’t, unfortunately, though it is a dream of mine. If that disqualifies my opinion on this matter, I’ll accept that and be quiet.
I sit nervously rooted to an uncomfortable chair at home or in a pub every weekend, desperately hoping for the best. I’ve only been to the Emirates stadium once, but I finally knew first-hand what it means to worship.
It makes you no less of a fan. Not everybody has access to Arsenal season tickets. Fair play to you.
I had to wake up 6.30am for the Chelski game, just to have the very long day ahead of me ruined.
Am I less of a fan because of the ocean?
Is the team getting behind the fans by at least showing some bottle and fight on the pitch. It’s such a big responsibility to wear that shirt! Wenger too should show some ambition with his deployment and team selection according to the opposition. You can’t play Hull, Bayern Munich and Sutton all with the same approach. Form of the day should dictate, not sentimental attachment. Drop Petr Cech to start with – it’s time he took a rest. Play Lucas and Welbeck more, and let Iwobi play in his most effective position – on the left or at no 10.… Read more »
Yeah this whole situation reminds me of when clough lost the plot at Nottingham Forest – just hope Wenger leaves before its too late!!! We currently have a team that could, with the right man at the helm next season, could kick on – if Wenger stays the stagnation will turn to regression!!!
He made this team and he will win the league with it next season. Players are here because of Wenger.
Lol.
Look into my eyes, my eyes, not around my eyes, you’re under.
When you wake up you will blindly believe Arsene Wenger can win the league again, even though he has had the opportunity to address perennial failings but can’t manage to resolve them.
1,2,3 you’re back in the room.
It’s obvious you are having fun while Arsenal is down in the dumps. Bravo!
2013/14 – 79 points
2014/15 – 75 points
2015/16 – 71 points
And that’s after serious investment in the playing squad. Already looks like regression to me!
Few teams at the top experience progressive point totals over a series of seasons, so that might no be the best barometer. If we look at the last 10 years (including this partial season) of the top 6 squads are average out their wins and points, it looks like this: 1. Manchester United FC: 23.1 wins and 76.5 points 2. Chelsea FC: 22 and 74.2 on average 3. Arsenal FC: 20.8 and 71.3 on average 4. Manchester City FC: 20.5 and 69 on average 5. Liverpool FC: 18.4 and 64.8 on average 6. Tottenham FC: 17.6 and 62.3 on average… Read more »
Blah, blah, blah…
Why are we no longer able to seriously challenge for the league?
Not a rhetorical question, I would appreciate an answer.
Because the Premier League is increasingly competitive at the top (back in 03/04 and 04/05, the winners were 30 points clear of 4th spot at the end, while that gap has diminished in recent years), and even the middling teams are investing and building better squads. Did you know already back in September when we beat Chelsea 3-nil that we wouldn’t win the league? I certainly didn’t. I thought we handled our CL group stage better than we have in the recent past, and though we’ve struggled for fluency at times I thought we still measured up well. I’m not… Read more »
Yeah, I know the PL is increasingly competitive but why aren’t we one of the competitors in at least one year?
I’m not saying we should expect to win it every year but we should at least challenge for it once in while….but we don’t. You might be content with that situation but I am not, because I want better for Arsenal FC than just qualifying for a competition that we never get close to winning.
I think we are challenging, but it is just not as close as we would like it to be. Aside from 2011/12 and 2013/14, the last 6 seasons have had a clear front-runner without much of a challenge from anyone. We aren’t the only team struggling to maintain our challenge; it is frustrating, and I want better for and from Arsenal FC, too, but I don’t think we are as far removed from the reality of winning a PL title as it might appear to some.
You think we are challenging? Haha, now I know you are trolling me. Have you looked at the league table?
Other clubs may fail to challenge one year but then they do another year. We fail to challenge every year!
What constitutes for you a proper challenge for the league title? Did Sp*rs challenge Leicester for the title last season?
Lol to you we were 4th 3rd and 2nd in previous seasons in that order. Its so obvious we are on the way to win coming seasons. You think Guardiola Konte or Klopp would be better choices? How many PL titles do they have combined?? Go support their teams if you are so desprate to convince ppl Arsenal wont win the leagur.
None, as none has completed a full premier league season.
But since Wenger last won a league title, Guardiola’s won 6, Conte 3, and Klopp 2.
What makes that worse is that Conte was still playing when Wenger last collected his!
Pep was still playing in 2004 too!
Whilst we may disagree, we are all agreed that it is pathetic to tell someone to support another team because you disagree
grow the fuck up
Disagree isn’t the same as being asshole.
Any Arsenal fan calling for a sacking or booing their own is as bad as an Arsenal player shirking from a challenge or committing a mistake on the pitch. If you call out a loyal Arsenal man you get called out in return.
Grown ups know how to keep perspective.
Arsene we’ve paid you £110 Mil since you last won the league. For that money I’d expect a better reaction than essentially blame the fans for the lack of mentality in your pampered team.
Is it naïve to want him to come out in a press conference and accept responsibility?
That’s a lot of money for two FA Cups.
Not just two FA Cups, what about that trophy we win every year which is more important than the FA Cup according to Wenger?
Yes Wengerholics, it was what he said.
Direct quote from Arsenal’s 2012 AGM:
Wenger said: “For me, there are five trophies – the first is to win the Premier League, the second is to win the Champions League, the third is to qualify for the Champions League, the fourth is to win the FA Cup and the fifth is to win the League Cup.”
This is hysterical and totally disrespectful to a manager who has dedicated the best years of his professional life to the club and its needs. The money he gets paid is based on his importance to the club and his performance, both on and off the pitch since he is one of the old-school type managers. What he earns is irrelevant and attempts to draw any significance to it is snide and beyond crass. Criticize the results of his work if you wish, which have in fact been incredible consistency over the last 20 years, always in the Champions League,… Read more »
When Wenger took over we were the second most successful english side in terms of league titles, now we’re by some distance 3rd.
Thats regression in anyone’s books
its not just about 2 disappointing results though, its about the many disappointing groundhog seasons that have gone before and the familiarity of our collapse and apparent lack of fight and tactical nouse in so many games that have gone before.
Give the fans some credit, we are not payed 8 million a year, ours is a life long commitment that can cost the average fan a small fortune, we have every right to voice our opinions in anyway way we choose.
We can express our opinions, for sure, but during the season why not keep the support high and firm and the criticism (especially the media-collated ones: groundhog day, lack of fight, poor tactics) moderated till the campaign is finished? If fans are an integral part of a club, shouldn’t we stay behind them till the end rather than echo the poorly formulated criticism of the ‘experts’?
Very gallant of you to say, support not matter what during the season but save criticism until the season is finished.
But where is the opportunity to voice criticism during the summer break?
Fans pay their money, its up to them whether they wish to show their dissatisfaction.
Liverpool fans did it during a match to object against proposed ticket price rises, and guess what happened – the club took notice and listened! Do you think they should have kept their mouths shut and save objections until the season’s end when nobody would have noticed?
I completely and utterly agree with the idea of protesting against ticket prices at the stadium, on social media, organized and resolute. For sure. And I think football fans from all clubs should support each other in maintaining the accessibility of the stadium experience. But I don’t see that as the same thing as protesting against your club manager, or echoing the pundit-bred narratives and rancid criticism of the club wherever possible every time we lose a game. The manager and the players get that message loudly and clearly, but I have my doubts over whether that will help us… Read more »
With regard to the final sentence of your comment – how do you propose we let ‘them’ know at the end of the season?
Via the same means people are doing it now; stage a final post-game protest with rage-lettered banners, inside and outside the stadium. Organize spokespersons and campaigns on social media to voice the collective discontent clearly and concisely. Do the unthinkable: pledge and even take action on not renewing season tickets, or warn the board in May that you are organized and capable of a boycott (point to a preseason game later in the summer), and they’ll understand. Social media enables one to capitalize on a moment’s discontent and explode it into a movement; doing that now is tactically aware, for… Read more »
Well said Sir. Although I do believe any opinion can be voiced with respect to all those involved. Except for those banner waving twats.
Please not this hore shit again! It is absolutely clear. Fans have stuck by you and believed in you, and you’ve let them down again and again and again and again, now they’re less inclined to stick by you. What about that is complicated to understand? He’s got a lot of balls to go after people for being less than pleased with the shit show we’ve seen. If this is the fight he wants to pick then things are going to get real nasty.
It’s a bit manipulative isn’t it? Everybody keep quiet about your concerns and get behind the team until the end of the season. It’s another version of the classic “judge me in May”.
Can anyone explain how we, the fans, are supposed to communicate our “judgement” of him in the summer, when the season’s done and dusted and everybody goes on holiday?
The answer is you’re not, we have to shut up and be grateful with what we’re given
As a fan, you should be eternally supportive of your team. And by support we mean only ever cheer and sing and buy season tickets and sweatshop memorabilia that’s marked up by 600% from manufacturing price. If you think for a second you can boo or show in some way that you are dissatisfied about the performance of the team you support, then clearly you are not an actual fan and should consider reevaluating your life and life choices. Opinions are irrelevant, just give up your money and shut up and be happy you fucks.
Alexis only started 15 games last season. He’s been nearly ever-present this season plus we have four new squad players. If we can’t do better than last year’s 2nd place finish, we have automatically failed.
And if Wenger/AFC don’t see it that way, it’s because they don’t set concrete sporting targets, only financial ones. Looks like people who warned us about the American model of sports ownership were right all along.
Yes, the team has played shit recently.
Yes the team has not competed for the titles for the last few years.
But at the end of the day, the team still needs us to be behind them. There is no excuse for turning our backs on the team right now. They need us now when we’re stumbling more than when we’re on a good roll.
It’s obvious why Wenger or ANY manager would say that. He’s not turning in the fans, he’s stating the obvious.
We need to back our team.
It’s simple
True words
Coygs
Getting behind the team is as important is being a fan. If you went to work and everyone there jeered you all day long, you’d find it demotivating too! Now I’m not saying we’re in a rich vein of form, but we are still fighting in 3 competitions, 2 of which our future is in our hands. All the haters can happily hate in the closed season, but whilst we are still in with a chance, as small as it may be, we need to rally behind the team and be the 12th man for every game. Enjoy the game… Read more »
In the closed season, no-one can hear you scream.
Is it being suggested that fans should programme their emotions so that they respond in the same way, whether they are happy or sad? It is not a natural reaction to cheer when you are sad and demoralized. Unless we want to pretend.
Why call us haters, we care that’s why we are frustrated. If I went to work and performed the equivalent of Walcott I wouldn’t have a job for very long.
Not that I dislike Walcott, just making the point that jeering would be the least of our worries if we ordinary folks performed as poorly. There are consequences in the ‘real’ world.
We want to do well translates to finishing 2nd 3rd or 4th in the PL, reach round of 16 and invariably or unfortunately play Bayern and try and reach quarters, and maybe win the FA cup… Making this comment makes me sad because I dislike sarcasm.. what better can one do but take refuge in sarcasm.. What Wenger says is right but it’s reached a point where I can neither laugh nor cry about it..
“We fight with Man United, Man City, Liverpool – they have big expectations as well and big histories. We are in a fight there, we absolutely have to be united or we have no chance to do it”…
10/10 Wenger for totally omitting the Sp*ds from the list of serious contenders!
Didn’t read his comments. Knew it would be the same repetitive shit we’ve heard hundreds of times before.
Bored now. Bored of his excuses and clichés. Bored of the football we serve up. Bored of the same tripe every season.
Bored of the football we serve up? Our 3-0 win over Chelsea in September? Our 3-2 victory over Ludogorets and Ozil’s slick piece of genius? Our 3-3 draw with Bournemouth, as horrendous as that first half was to watch? Giroud’s big goal on the back of a solid team move? Our 5-0 victory over Southampton in the FA Cup despite 10 changes? Bored of Xhaka’s passing, bored Bellerin’s speed, bored of Koscielny’s ability to boss, bored of Sanchez’s 17 goals or Walcott’s 14, bored of the anticipation of what Welbeck might bring to the run-in?
If the football we serve up is so amazing, why haven’t we challenged for the league for over 10 years?
Because winning a 9-month long, 38-game campaign is not easy.
Nobody said it was easy but you haven’t answered my question.
I didn’t ask why we haven’t won the league, I asked why haven’t been able to challenge for league. And if you think 12 points behind Chelsea is challenging then I’m wasting my breath with you.
Right, sure, but a week ago we thought we were still challenging, or about to get our title challenge back on track. Now, according to many voices here, we should burn it all down. Did anyone aside from Leicester City challenge for the league last season?
“The way we respond is important”
I’m fairly sure this line gets rolled out anywhere between five and ten times in a season.
Well, if you’ve been tuned in for the last decade you’ll have a pretty good idea of how in the long run the team is going to respond and sadly it isn’t going to result in a league title.
I completely agree with him. Arsenal and Arsene deserve better. 3/4 Arsenal fans just moan and moan and moan. I am sick of that criticizing. Of course I am not happy with the status quo but I respect Wenger and will stay behind him until he goes eventhough I sometimes disagree with him.
The saddest thing for me is when I read the bunch of comments like Ozil should go, he is shit… That is embarrassing.
Remember that only when you lose something do you realize the value of it.
Heard the same thing about Arshavin
The truth is Wenger does not have what it takes to motivate this team to win crucial games anymore. The pattern is the same – win 3 to 4 games after a loss, draw/lose and then repeat.
Wenger has been very good to the club all these years with the titles and the financials turnaround. It’s time for him to be recognized for his service and awarded some sort of medal in retirement at the end of this season. One tree does not make a forest. A new manager must start next season.
sure loved his historical clubs ‘and Tottenham quote :P’
Fighting against Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool, yeah right could have fooled me. He picked a reserve side against Liverpool and Leicester for that matter, because everyone was tired, and was spineless in Manchester.
So mental strength is back on again!
Of course we have keep going no matter what happens is just same old that we yet again collapsed when opportunities were there for the taking!
Usual Wenger garbage. The fans are 99% behind the team, it’s him we have the problem with. If he left and a new manager came in, the team would get the same support. Whenever he effs up, it’s the ref’s fault, or the fans’ fault for the environment they create – never HIS fault. Yet we all know it’s HIS fault. His tactics stink. match preparation is lousy and motivation oft he players is repeatedly questionable. Even worse, he knows he’s incompetent but refuses to stand down. He’s putting his own selfish needs above the club and constantly trying to… Read more »
Agree with every word!
I read a comment the other day asking at what point does his time at Arsenal start to be considered a failure? I personally think we’re getting very close, if we haven’t already gone past it.
Where has the freedom of expression gone blogs? Now one can’t vote in support of a comment against Monsieur Wenger?
I don’t know about u guys but i heard all that last season, and the season before…and it seems to me more and more that with Mr. Wenger as manager, i will hear it again next season and the one after.
I don’t understand the commotion in regards of his quotes. He didn’t criticize the fans.
He’s absolutely right that the team needs to keep going instead of letting heads hang in shame now. He’s absolutely right that the team has to focus and do as well as they can (and hopefully better and more consistently) because in the fight for CL football, every point counts too. And he’s absolutely right that it helps, if the fans get behind the team.
I personally wouldn’t like him to come out to say “I messed up, our season is over.” at this point.
SPOT ON !
Because the fans are never not behind the team, and never have been. When they boo afterwards, the catcalls are directed at him not the players. It’s only his arrogance and/or attempted manipulation that is throwing the blame on the fans’ for the players psyche.
I understand your anger. I am pissed off too and we have every right to be. But I don’t see any reason to crucify Wenger for above quotes. Some people act as if he had blamed the fans but he didn’t.
Btw. – calling Ramsey a c*nt, Ozil lazy, Cech old and slow, Walcott a liability, Giroud not a good enough striker for the Arsenal etc. etc. doesn’t really sound like “the fans are never not behind the team”, does it.
Do the players hear these criticisms on match days? I doubt it. That all happens after the event. Anyway, you cannot seriously expect individuals not to be criticised if they are consistently underperforming. We’re human beings, not sheep. I agree that players should never be criticised during a game, but the very rarely are. The last time was probably Emmanuel Eboue.
If you think players don’t hear stuff said or written about them, you’re nuts
Heard it all before. I’m sure arse blog can pull out an article from the archives where wenger has told the fans to get behind the team. #WengerOut
“it’s never over” – that’s a phrase I believe so much in, but not sure our squad knows the first thing about that, I mean, why else would we begin games the way we’ve been doing recently. I just want to see some fight,even if you lose while doing so, I would be behind you all the way. Just the way Alexis makes it hard for you to criticize him because you know he’s giving nothing less than 110%. *wipes tear.
Granted Arsene comes out with some of the” same stuff” every season when things starts to go bad (not sure what else he would say though). The fact is the Fans come out every season with the same kind of crap for a little while as well, when the going gets tough! The protests are as rubbish as some of the performances! Let not even begin to discuss the ”Great Supportive” atmosphere at the emirates ? Fans have a right to protest, I can agree on that! But ATLEAST DO IT PROPERLY ! or if not GET BEHIND THE TEAM… Read more »
In your view, what exactly is protesting properly?
Is it grinning and bearing it, and cheering when we lose?
“..that’s why it’s important that we focus, respond and get our fans behind the team, because this is an important and very sensitive part of the season – and we have to respond to disappointment together.” Not being rude or trying to bring a complete downer, but we saw this “focus” & “response” to a shambolic performance against Watford when we played Chelsea. And, well to be honest it wasn’t very good. Yes, “we have to respond to disappointment together”, but for me it’s the team that are causing disappointment at the minute, NOT the fan base. Just wish for… Read more »
Bunch of flipping glory supporters. This is the issue of globalization and people don’t support their local team anymore where you would give your support regardless because the team represents your patch. Just wait until the next manager doesn’t get champions league qualification, then everyone will be reminiscing of the good ole wenger days because you’re bored that we don’t have a mid-week match. Seriously. I’m bored of constant moaning of gooners and that goes back even as far as the 25 years I’ve supported them.
15th of May 2011. Wenger said to judge him in May, I did and I want out. Every season is so similar, difference now is our squad is definitely capable of the title and we still are a long way off. For those referencing beating Chelsea 3-0 at home, did beating Leicester home and away make up for being 10 behind in 2nd?
Haven’t looked to see if anyone has spoken about this already but anyone seen skysports have turned this part of his press conference into Wenger is telling us to be like Spurs fans?if you watch the press conference he in no way meant that!Starting to really dislike the English media’s stance on Arsenal.I agree fans should be allowed to feel what they like towards Wenger and our club for what has happened over the past decade, but how time and again the media in this country put us down and make teams like Liverpool and S*urs look like there the… Read more »
Wenger should shut up,.,he’s old and not mentally sound anymore. I said Wenger should use the team that deffeated Southampton against Chealsea cos the team possessed marking ability he refuse.Try the team anywhere they will excel. Drop Czech and use Ospina with the rest of the team that played against Southampton you will see the different.
Hi all. Forget about ‘Wenger in – Wenger out’ (shake it all about) and if you read my long post, try to do so with an open mind: Reading into people’s reactions after results like the win against Chelsea you would’ve thought we became world beaters. We didn’t. Same now, after a couple of bad results you would’ve thought we’ve got a shit team and a clueless manager. We don’t. It’s been years since we’ve challenged for the league and on a few occasions recently we should’ve done better overall, even if we wouldn’t go on to win it. Just… Read more »
same old shit.. just a different season.
Arsene always says we will fight for the title till the end. He fears that if they focus on top 4 the team will ease up and miss top 4. When the title is not mathematically possible he immediately changes tack and talks about how great it will be to make top 4. He does it every season.
” You cannot be a fan until last Tuesday and not be a fan anymore and not be behind the team this Saturday, it doesn’t make sense”….Yes it does, when you have seen the same shit for 12 years….especially the last 3. If being a fan means looking forward to games, then i dont think i am one anymore.
Au revoir!
Love the defeatist attitude of some fans.
Imagine if the team said the same thing “same old shit, not going to be any different”
They probably said that before winning back to back FA cups not too long ago when common consensus was we would never win anything again and would drop out of top 4.
Or imagine if Liverpool down 3 nil to Milan came out thinking, we will just play for pride and not lose too badly.
If only the team exhibit the same old fight as some fans purport.
😀
PLenty to play for, impossible is for the feable minded. Granted its stacked against us now in the title chase and unlikely, we should try to finish at very least second and crucially ahead of Spurs. No Arsenal fan in his proper mind should want to see them finish above us even if it may usher Wenger out. Nor CL. We must MINIMUM finish in CL spots. I mean if we have a mentality issue, so does Spurds, City and United not to mention Klopp and his Liverpool. If Wenger is tactically clueless so is Guradiola. Bear in mind last… Read more »
Since we last won the league in 2004, ManU and Chelsea have won it 9 times between them (in 12 years). City have been champions twice while Spurs and Liverpool have never been PL champions. It is fair to argue that in recent years no team has dominated the league like Ferguson’s ManU used to do. We get too frustrated at the long wait for the title and we ignore putting things into perspective sometimes. It is a difficult league to win and changing our manager will probably not mean we’ll dominate English football. Whether or not the club’s owners… Read more »
Let’s debate who should replace the old man, Vieira, Henry, Bergkamp, Koeman?