A frustrated Arsene Wenger faced the BT Sport cameras after watching his frustrating Arsenal draw a frustrating game 0-0 with West Ham at the London Stadium.
On the result…
Yes, [we are frustrated]. There are draws when you go home and you’re happy but this is a draw where you go home and you’re not happy. We had so much of the ball, we played ten against ten in one third of the pitch and couldn’t score. In the end, we could even have conceded a goal. Overall, it’s frustrating. They are in a very defensive phase West Ham, they did that against Chelsea, against City and against us tonight. We lacked a little bit freshness and sharpness to open them up. Overall, they have really focused to defend, they didn’t try to come out at all.
On Arsenal’s problems away from home…
I believe, if you look at the last two months, we have improved away from home. Usually we have conceded too many goals. I cannot reproach that tonight. I feel more that we had only three days to recover form Sunday’s goal. If it had been reversed and we’d played Saturday and they’d played Sunday maybe we’d have found a little advantage.
On Jack Wilshere…
Overall, it’s a positive performance. I think, especially in the first half, he had good accelerations, was fouled a few times when he had made the difference. He contributed well. He defended well, which is very important for me in this position. For a first game [in the Premier League this season] it’s a very positive performance.
On whether he’s worried about finishing in the top four…
Of course, we’re concerned but Manchester City is so far away that the whole league is concerned.
Yawn
Van Gaal, Ancelotti, Capello, Blanc. All these men were once young, brilliant managers who won lots of trophies. They aren’t anymore, so they have all been sacked by the last top club they managed. Wenger was young and brilliant once. He isn’t anymore.
And to think if the Arsenal board had the courage to make the hard call a few seasons ago, we could have had Guardiola at the helm
Pep only goes where the money flows.
Sure buddy
We would have spend net 300M in 3 transfer windows
That would actually be great! Some real investement in the squad and a manager willing to actually use the ressources he has to, you know, win football matches!
I’d take blanc or Carlo tbh.
Ancelotti is still pretty prolific, if Wenger were to go I honestly wouldn’t mind him taking the reins for a couple seasons before we do what everyone does with Ancelotti and sack him for fun
Ancelotti struggled at Real Madrid & Bayern. Still a decent coach no doubt but it would be strange to swap one ageing manager past his peak for another
Winning the Bundesliga and Super cup is struggling
For Bayern it kind of is… Guardiola left a pretty much complete squad for him to work with, and he struggled to win the title with RB Leipzig running them close for much of the season, then were out of the CL places when he was sacked this year. Super Cup is the German Charity shield so it doesn’t make a big difference
Yeah yeah, whatever but he won the same trophies Pep won at Bayern
Luis Enrique
Ladies and gents, welcome to Arsenal FC, the wilderness years.
(tickets still overpriced)
It’s amazing what a really top coach can do. City, halving spent shed loads, look a world apart from others even the high spending United and Chelsea.
We need a coach of this caliber now to bridge the gap
It’s more amazing what a billion pounds can do…
Was that tongue in cheek? Hope so Pep for me has yet to prove he is a world class manager ,where has he managed on a meagre transfer budget and with a team with no real superstars already there? For him to prove himself a top manager he needs to take on a team say a sleeping giant that has fallen into mediocrity and only rouses itself for cup competions, a team for which 4th place is the limit of its ambitions with a hands off couldn’t care less except the revenue and share price owner , I wonder WHERE… Read more »
Spot on Nick!
Pep inherited a very good City squad and struggled to finish in the top 4. Spent truck loads of money and is suddenly the Messiah of football coaching?
Or you could argue he took time to implement his philosophy
I’ve always and still believe that Wenger is a great manager, and that he might do well if he moved to another club. However, its increasingly hard to shake the feeling that Arsenal need a shock to the system; something more dramatic than new scouts or backroom staff. Whatever kicks up the backside Wenger is capable of delivering to the players are clearly becoming less and less effective.
Wenger is a control freak and couldn’t cope at another club where his views and techniques were challenged. He set this club up to be so codependent on himself that we are now in a situation that to sack him is unthinkable. It’s a bit like capitalism, it’s clearly no longer working but we don’t have an alternative so we just muddle on and blame other people.
Yes brother communism is the way forward
Honestly, Arsène, it’s taken me 5 years of reading this blog to make an account. Today, for some reason, was the final straw (as if I’m going to make a difference I know I know). As things stand, this clubs is in seventh I think, has 9 points out of 9 away games, scores less than 2 goals per game (average), has issues breaking down defences, has issues seeing the simple cross as an option over the sideways/backwards passing, and can’t seem to defend (which by the way is an issue that has been chronically apparent under Wenger. Wenger has… Read more »
Everyone wants to build a team around Wilshere, we have since he was 18. The point is you can’t. He just can’t stay fit.
This was his first start in the PL. if he can go the rest of the season with a major injury which keeps him out for 9 months+ then yes but are problems have often been down to the over reliance on injury prone players.
I would definitely keep Wilshere no doubt. Would just hold off making him the central part of all our midfield plans
He’s been fit for about 10 games now. One can only hope.
I wouldn’t be able to count the number of simple crosses that have been effortlessly cleared by opposition defenders this season. The last 20 minutes I guarantee there were at least a dozen.
Sick to my stomach. “Improved away from home”. You’re having a laugh Mr. Wenger.
He’s right if you look at the record.
Last four away games: L W D D
Four games before that: L D L W
Without that extra point we’d be even further behind Burnley.
I’m amazed! i can’t even work up the passion to be angry at our performance…it’s like i just don’t care anymore.
Am I the only one who thinks Wilshere was actually great today? He had one bad miss, yes, but up to that point he had some sweet passes, aggressive (but successful) tackles, and tried to make things happen. Some really nice turns too.
Why do everyone think Wilshere were Great? He had an Ok first half, his defending were ok. Not any better than Xhaka. You guys talk like he will be a savior. I thought Ozil were the only one looking to create and move, same with Iwobi..who at least tried to score. When playing against 10 men in their half, players has to move and interchange position! We did that against United, and we have done it to better oppositions.
In those games I almost wish walcott played..Thats How dreadfull our movement were today
I could say the same thing for Iwobi. Why do you think he was good today? He was horrible. Yes he had 1 shot attempt on goal but everything else was bad in my opinion. I’ll give that he is good at dribbling the ball and taking on defenders. For a player who needs to either score or be a threat to score, create chances and defend he does none of those consistently good.
Totts and Pool only need one decent run to join the top 3 in UCL spots. I guess we’ll have to go for Europa to have look in the UCL. We also need to keep Jack fit and signed up, for what ever reason, it brings the beat out of rambo..
Forget about top 4. Anyway what are we going to do playing in the Champions League? Humiliations against the bigger clubs could atleast be avoided.. to be on the positive.
Don’t really care anymore.
Better than the embarrassment of losing to a lesser club in the Mickey Mouse competition which, on this form, we inevitably will. Even Forest looks like a banana skin.
Arsenal are now an average team, playing average football, with average players. However fans are still expecting an outstanding team, amazing football, great players with thirst for victory. What do we do as fans? lower our standards to meet the team standards? or continue expecting more? fans like plants need to be cared for, otherwise they wither away and die.
Lower standards should be followed by lower STs.
Cant charge caviar prices for tuna lunch.
Spuds have for years now?
Funny how 9 points in 9 away matches is an improvement
It’s a big improvement on the 1 point from Arsenal’s first 4 away matches…
We were lucky to escape with a point after that Keystone cops defence at the end. And why was no-one marking Anusnoutabitch when he “scored” earlier. Come in Martin Keown. The worst part was Bein Sports and smirking cunt John Terry tearing us a new one about “pointless passing etc”.
Jack was superb but another of our former targets, Kiwi ace Winston Reid, was a rock for a lively Hammers outfit. Bring on Newcastle at the Emirates.
Amazing how players everyone has ignored in the past suddenly become great defenders against us. Wonder if there’s another reason?
The last few years I had genuine hope we would push on and compete for the title vs. this year where I’ve viewed 4th as really the best we could hope for. While it’s hard to watch the team really struggle, the failings are so well known at this point coupled with my expectations being lowered that it’s hard too get too worked up when things don’t go well. I would consider a great season at this point simply getting back into the CL which would allow us to more easily rebuild the squad, which has a lot of players… Read more »
As I said, I wouldn’t mind a purge and a new reliance on youth. Heck AMN was one of our better players today.
AMN
Holding
Chambers
The Jeff
Willock
Nketiah
Nelson
In place of Fringers like
Theo
Coq
Elneny
Welbeck
Per
I can get behind that.
None of those “fringers” play alot of minutes to begin with at least in the Prem.
Resign old man
I guess the only positive is that WHU beat Chelsea, and got as close to beating ManCity as anyone else has this season in thier previous 2 games. They have managed to get 4 points from 9 available in their last 3 games, vs 3 of the big 6, not a bad outcome for them. Pricks.
Beautiful and attractive football we used to watch is gone long time ago, Wenger is lost in time and space, stadium is full only on derby days, players look like they don’t like to play football and I am just sad, not angry but deeply sad…
Ah the joys of being an Arsenal Supporter.
On their day we swoon at how freaking good they can be, then days like this you think for a bunch of footballers they make a pretty good Croquet team.
“they didn’t try to come out at all” I think all low-table sides have figured out you don’t have to try to come out at all with us as we’ll find a way of giving them a couple clear cut chances ourselves- better chances than what we can make for ourselves. Heck, this was the basis of Man Utd’s successful game plan against us.. I’ve never been Wenger out, but I’m really struggling for excuses this time :/
Liverpool have the same issues mate. Teams have figured them out too. And a lot of us thought Klopp would be brilliant at Arsenal. 🙁
City? You’re watching them? What for?
Mate, be more concerned about Burnley.
Another valuable point in the scrap for a place in the top eight.
Disappointed we didn’t win.
Positives:
Return to back 4
New player
Alexis subbed
Wishire played extremely well — shoulda scored, too
Negatives:
Chaos at times still in back
What is Xakha contributing?
Can Iwobi influence after 60 minutes?
What I look forward to:
Mustafi return
Bebouchy getting some starts
Ramsey return in the context of a back 4, Wilshire rotating w/ Xakha and some Ramsey positional disciple.
Disappointing, but sky not falling in.
‘Alexis Subbed’
Ha, totally agree. Bench that fucker until he decides he wants to play some real football again. His mentality wasn’t professional enough for Barca, and now it’s not professional enough for us. Highest bid or he can rot and get out of shape if he’s not going to do a proper job befitting his reputation.
i agree Xhaka negatives right now outweighs his positives. He needs to sit out a few games.
What dreadful questions yet again
same excuses, i just can´t hear it anymore. can somebody please Keep Arsene´s mouth shut? that shit about rest days and sharpness and freshness, blah blah blah.
Big changes are needed at Arsenal – Wenger needs to be offloaded asap and replaced with a decent manager who could actually drill defense and tactics into the team and motivate the team. Otherwise, Arsenal are staring into the abyss come next year, as we see an exodus of relatively good players, and at this rate Wenger is becoming the next Brian Clough without Clough’s alcoholism, returning Arsenal to the lower-mid-table rubbish they were under Rioch.
Rioch’s team finished fifth. Unless there were eight or less teams in the league that year that’s not lower-mid-table. It is actually pretty par for the time. Plus he signed Bergkamp and I am forever grateful. I think “exodus” and “abyss” are over-stretching the point.
Hmmm I thought it was under Rioch’s tenure that Arsenal finished 12th but no that was under Stewart Houston instead.
Yet again an opportunity for Wenger to accept at least some of the blame was passed by ! We played with ONE up front against a parked bus team we played a static forward who gives neither Wilshere or Ozil runs to pick out yet we only crossed THREE times with any accuracy to try to give Giroud the service he thrives on ! If Laccazette had been played just off of Giroud in a 4 4 2 we might have had more joy ! Bellerien, Sanchez, Kos, Xhaka, are all below par and need to be dropped Debuchy has… Read more »
WTF pairing one of them with BFG? Did you not see BFG doesn’t belong in the Prem in a regular basis. The performance against Chelsea in the FA cup was an anomaly.
Wilshere in, Wenger out!
Pep would never manage arsenal. Pep needs to spend 300 million a year to buy players.
Arsenal will never spend like that. Look at our team. Not one player would start for man city. Maybe Sanchez but at the rate he gives the ball away pep wouldn’t stand for that.
We have three really good players…our front three…And a bunch of average ones.
Burnley might even finish above us for crying out loud.
To put it bluntly, we are average at best.
I just read that Wenger complained that the team is suffering a hangover from the man United loss.
How long is he going to use that excuse.
That pic is creeping me out.
Apologies in advance, this is not very positive. I don’t really know what to say anymore. I think a few seasons ago there was anger (I don’t think I have ever been as angry as that loss at Old Trafford after we had beaten Leicester at home the year they won the league). There is still some anger, the first 15 minutes of the United game I was very angry. So angry i stopped watching because I was just simply not prepared to give them any more of my time. I think that is the point I have reached now.… Read more »