Arsenal were beaten in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley today. The Gunners went down 3-0 to Pep Guardiola’s side and there’s no doubt about which team was superior on the day.
You can check out the player ratings here, and watch the on the whistle thoughts of James from Gunnerblog.
Hard to argue with any of what James is saying there. The team is broken. Hard to see anything other than a turbulent, messy end of season ahead. If Milan knock us out of next round of Europa League ( a distinct possibility) then Arsene Wenger must surely resign that same night.
Ok, is he definitely not at Wembley?
No, he was not at Wembley, as millions of other arsenal fan all over the world. Love for football and Arsenal does not change the fact that it’s just a game and there are various other more important things in life. And it has reached a point that Arsenal has given me miserable life. I watched Arsenal games whenever I can…not in the stadium, as I am thousands of miles away. Even when I was unable to watch the game, each “oh no” sound from the Football Mobile app kicked in agony in my heart. Last night was the worst.… Read more »
Yeah, it was just a joke as, unless the Wembley hospitality has changed dramatically, sitting on the corner of a bed in a dimly lit boudoir is a pretty obvious indication that young James didn’t travel for this one.
In 1901, Connie Mack founded the Philadelphia Athletics baseball team. He built three separate championship team (in 1901, the early 1910s and around 1930). He was probably the second best manager of his era, a visionary in many ways, and a gentleman by the standards of the times (or of our times). And then he kept managing into the 1950s and into his 90s. The last 20+ years were deeply embarrassing to everyone. Arsene Wenger is now three or four years into late-Connie-Mack territory. It’s terribly sad. But well past time to go.
I agree we were set up alright and seemed quite stable and on a good path most of the first half. The 5-4-1 was working, if not the most attacking formation. But that leads me to where it went wrong: So right on the comment about not holding players responsible for their part. Yes, Wenger is a key part of the problem, we know. But Mustafi made an absolutely clueless error. He’s made many. Chambers, not at the level required. Kolasinac was better than other recent matches in which he was poor. Attackers are ineffective. Now, I don’t know that… Read more »
Agree Wenger shoulders plenty of the blame, but definitely Mustafi is not excusable in any way. No CM worth a damn would choose to pretend to be fouled rather than man up and fight for that ball till the very end. And in this case, Wenger did try to rectify the Mustafi situation by trying to sell him off and replace him this summer. It didn’t pan out for whatever reason, and we’ve been paying for it in a very meaningful way this year. Yet it’s hard to drop him when Holding and Chambers have had chances to step up… Read more »
I don’t want to go too tangential, but based on this season Holding’s got more in his locker. Plus he seems to have the head that can develop into the positionally aware type. Mustafi and Chambers, not so. The number of times I see Chambers getting ghosted past while he gets his grabby hands out is scary. Mustafi just overcommits and puts himself totally out of the play. Not the guy to ‘organize’ the back line. Kos is also the type that likes to press up and get the jump. We need that update on the Mertesacker role – never… Read more »
It’s time for revolution, not evolution.
It’s just a shame. In Australia but absolutely no inclination to stay up for the game as it was a foregone conclusion. What I don’t understand is why, if Wenger loves the club, he is hanging around as he can see it is doing no good whatsoever and we need to start afresh
Just don’t see us a a team at present. It’s just a rag tag collection of individuals thrown together wearing the same shirt. I don’t believe that I am alone in saying there is no connection with the squad from the fans. We try. We support the Arsenal & this rag tag bunch just happens to be “The Arsenal”…so we’re kinda stuck with each other for the time being. But it is so so painful & we all know it. No leadership on the pitch today. No barking out instruction or direction. No individual trying to raise heads or performance… Read more »
Sorry James, I know you want us to share our thoughts, but what can we genuinely say that hasn’t already been said countless of times before?
Good comments James. Wholeheartedly agree with you. I watch the games from my couch in Melbourne in the middle of the night and I am ready for change. I am positive that it will lift the players, the club and also the fans that go every week. I remember pre Wenger and what happened to the club when he came in. I am sure that a new manager will not have such a big impact however it could get us into the top 4. I’m never sure what the best team is, 3 or 4 at the back, 1,2,3 up… Read more »
The most disturbing thing is that Mustafi knows there is no chance one teammate or even the manager will hold him accountable for laughable defending.
We are simply treading water in the hope that Arsene will leave us alone in the end.
As a fan what I hate most in feeling humiliated. I can handle a loss when the team gives it they’re all, but they are blatantly not doing that for this manager, even in a cup final. I think we’re all agreed that too many performances in recent years suggest that as an effective manager, Arsene has run out of ideas. The reinvention that kept Alex Ferguson at the top of his game has not been there for Arsene and he only has himself to blame. I love the man to bits but in my opinion, he is the problem,… Read more »
I agree it’s time for a change and Wenger probably needs to go now, but what I don’t get is how everyone who thinks Stan Kroenke is our downfall, why do we think Arsene is the problem. I think Arsene probably still has all the qualities to build an amazing team, but I doubt the dysfunction of the club management enables it. I think year after year he had his targets and is delivered 3rd 4th and 5th options instead of his key targets. Then he also is probably offered an option that he isn’t even interested in and he… Read more »
The thing is I look at all the players in the squad and I think…with the right management we could have a serious team. Ozil, one of the best number 10s in the world, auba, myka and kolasinac, best players in Germany last few years in their respective positions. Lacazette, one of the best players in France up to a year ago. Even mustafi was highly rated when he came, shows glimpses of promise and is only 24. All of our players, bar none, are regressing under wenger. It’s almost as if our staff coach all of the good out… Read more »
The success of Man City this season is that they asked themselves the three basic questions of a classic investor,1.do l want to make profit/to win? 2.with what personnel/coach? 3. at what cost/the players needed. After the game, I saw Fabian Delph, Mendy and other grade A players not even deployed for the match. While City wants to make profit from winning the Champions league and the EPL, the Carabao Cup already in the kitty; Arsenal wants to make profit through top4, and other fringe areas such as TV Rights. Arsenal cannot complain in the position it has found itself,… Read more »