Arsenal: Cech, Bellerin, Koscielny, Mustafi, Kolasinac, Xhaka, Ramsey, Ozil, Mkhitaryan, Welbeck, Aubameyang
Subs: Ospina, Holding, Chambers, Maitland-Niles, Elneny, Iwobi, Nketiah
—
Arsenal’s bad week continued with a second successive 3-0 defeat against Man City at the Emirates tonight.
In front of swathes of empty seats, not all of them down to the inclement conditions, the Gunners created the first moment of danger when Aaron Ramsey’s low cross almost forced an own goal, before Aguero shot into the side netting up the other end.
Good pressing from Arsenal saw us win the ball back high up the pitch and when Ozil set up Mkhitaryan he shot straight at the keeper. For all that though, we fell behind in the 15th minute. Sane went on a mazy run through the Arsenal midfield, he played it to Bernardo Silva who stepped inside Kolasinac and curled a shot over Petr Cech and into the top corner. 0-1.
Otamendi picked up a yellow card for a foul on Welbeck as Arsene Wenger’s men looked to hit back quickly, and from the resulting free kick Xhaka tested Ederson from a good 30 yards.
Hector Bellerin worked hard to create a chance for Ramsey but the Welshman’s shot on the turn was saved, but hopes of an equaliser were dashed when City doubled their lead. Sane did Mustafi out wide, drove past him again, played it to Aguero who slid it to Silva who took the ball on the run and put it past Cech at his near post. Brilliant City play but hapless Arsenal defending again. 0-2.
It got worse minutes later when they scored again. City worked it from deep in their own half, it went down the right via Aguero, it came across to Sane, who just about got there to trickle it over the line. 0-3.
It might have been four had Cech not saved at point-blank range from Aguero, Ramsey saw an effort deflect out, and Xhaka had a go from distance but it was easy for Ederson as City took their three goal lead into the break.
There were no changes at half-time and 6 minutes in Arsenal were awarded a penalty when Otamendi fouled Mkhitaryan. It was a chace for Aubameyang to get one back, but his spot-kick was weak and Ederson saved comfortably down to his left.
At the other end de Bruyne almost caught Cech in possession before Ederson clattered his own defender, leaving whoever the hell it was requiring treatment. Aubameyang volleyed wide after a short corner move, and City seemed happy enough to let Arsenal have more of the ball because they knew we wouldn’t do a lot with it.
It was a game everyone on the pitch realised was done and dusted and it played out accordingly. City showed flashes of their possession football, with Cech forced to save from Aguero, but it was an odd second half in front of a half-empty stadium and everyone knew what the outcome would be.
It was a bleak night in terms of the weather and a bleak night in terms of the football. Where we go from here is anyone’s guess.
Could I categorically apologise for questioning people’s continued belief in our manager in an earlier thread today. Sometimes I can be a little impulsive and occasionally make inflammatory statements about our perceived inability to put out a team that can compete with our counterparts. I appreciate all those who called me out on it, especially the dude who called me a cunt. COYG etc etc…
Look, we lost only 3:0 and in the last game it was also 3:0 so the positive of today is that we responded, presented great team commitment and did not lose more than on Sunday. We live in a world were everyone is entitled to have an opinion but if you have a bit more perspective you will see that this situation is ideal. What does it mean? I don’t know.
Be serious, they took the foot off the gas big time in the second half.
Don’t even know where to start, but sacking that clown would sure by a great first step to fixing the errors. Just when and how did Arsenal become so sh!t. We have all seen the gap between where Arsenal are and where Arsenal strive to be (hopefully). Just ask yourself if Wenger, the same guy who was busy revelling in mediocrity while this gap slowly built up in the first place, is the person who is to be trusted to bridge the gap. Wenger has won a lot of stuff and was once a very good manager, but right now… Read more »
We became so shit, because AW was past his best ten years ago. This has been coming for a while. And don’t think it “can’t get any worse” – if we don’t see some action soon, we’ll finish at mid table. Then lower next year.
cagooner it will certainly get worse, I’d be surprised if Brighton don’t spank us at the weekend.
I said 2 months ago Leicester will finish above us. They still might
Damn true. Especially that last sentence is just spot on.
Don’t bring Mourinho into this
**Sarcasm Alert**
Sure now losing ‘only’ 3-0 is okay for the fans. Well done on the addiction to mediocrity drug called Wenger.
If i was a member of the board at Arsenal I’d get that contract extension ready… The future under Wenger looks promising. We got to the league cup final, what more could we ask for…
Seriously right, we are talking like a mid table team now. Didn’t watch the game and I’m so glad.
We have responded? You call this a response? Ha ha I must be dreaming this conversation ?
Wake up smell the coffee ☕️
Are you actually serious? We were weak, uncommitted and our only saving grace was that city at 3-0 up in less than 30 minutes went into 2nd gear.
Well, as mad as it might sound, i personally think we lost more gallantly today, compared to Saturday, even though the scoreline is the same, and I am cool with that. I think the lads went down fighting hard, especially in the second half and i am sure a comparison of the match stats will show it. We were simply beaten by a better tactician, not from lack of fighting spirit from the team and when that happens, you take it on the shin and move on…..whereas on Saturday, it was from lack of that same fighting spirit!
The game was over in the first half, it’s no good fighting once the game is done. They needed to fight from the off, they didn’t. That first half performance was one of the worst, if not the worst I’ve witnessed at the Emirates. Manager has lost the players.
Granite – you’re a spurs fan right? Or just a wind-up merchant? No genuine Arsenal fan can be ‘cool with’ tonight’s performance. These are dark days, we’re miles behind and falling further back by the week. West Ham getting bigger attendances than we are at the moment. Players fighting harder but STILL losing 3-0 is not a good thing, it just proves how shit we are.
I just hope all this is starting to hurt Kronke’s pocket, because that’s the only thing that might force change.
Felt inevitable. Groundhog Day fellas.
Whose belief in the manager? Did anyone say they believed in him to you? Anyone? Why do you have to start a thread out with a made up conflict? The teams gone to shit and you’re turned around picking fights with people that haven’t said a thing to you, most of whom agree.
Come on mpls, you big ol’ grumpy guts, anyone who regularly reads arseblog will know I contribute the best content in the comment sections. It’s a tough task a lot of the time, many of you seem to take the frivolity of discourse desperately personally and turn a love of football into a flag you must not only wave yourself but convince others around you to wave. In order to provide merriment for you all, I must occasionally use humour which is somewhat divisive and provocative in order to highlight irony and satirise our shortcomings. I may have to curtail… Read more »
Open a Patreon for yourself. Commenting this sad sh!t deserves support.
Everybody loves the discourse and the banter mate, but top of the thread is not the place for personal guff. Not today
You should direct your anger towards Stan Kroenke. He decided to extend Arsene Wengers contract despite what happened last season and is therefore responsible for this. Yes, Arsene has lost his magic and should be sacked but its Kroenkes fault that he still is our manager.
Kronke doesn’t give a fuck, it’s been obvious since day 1. And he wont sell whatever the fans do, because he’s absolutely raking it in. We’re screwed.
Ozil looks worth every penny
For a minute there I thought you were being sarcastic.
There is no good reason why we shouldn’t be going unbeaten for a full season again and it is unacceptable that we haven’t ever won the Champions League. If we had appointed a new manager ten years ago we wouldn’t be in this mess! Wenger Out!!!!
I just froze my fucking tits off watching that utter gutless spineless shite.
Even if Wenger has “lost the dressing room”, the players should still want to play for themselves shouldn’t they? Out of, you know, some basic level of professionalism?
Apart from Welbz (who should be nowhere near the premier league) most of our players are surely capable of actually playing football? What the fuck is going on?
Chelsea deliberately laid down on Mourinho during his last season there. Could the Gunners be doing the same to Wenger?
Cunt is someone who calls ppl cunts while supporting the reasons of our failure instead of supporting Arsenal and the fading idea of kings of London
Well atleast we are getting consistent at something….
Kolasinac missed 15/17 passes forward which i counted, He is an absolute poop of a passer!
Please let the season end now. We are just not good enough.
I know Citeh played well but when we had chances we didn’t take them. The penalty just about sums up were we are at the moment……nowhere.
The squad isn’t good enough. The defence is a car crash. Steve Bould,a top defender in his time obviously has no say and has to watch mistake after mistake.
I just hope that we regain a small amount of respectability at Brighton. A defeat there would seriously mean the planes and banners will be out.
There’s times when he’s ahead of his marker and the pull back is spot on and accurate. Then there’s the highly more frequent times that he just hits it first time forward and it’s an awful pass that loses possession. He needs improvement. Only thing I’ll say for him in this game was that he appeared to sprint back into his position on turnovers more than I’ve ever noticed him do before. That’s positive I guess. I’m basically in hibernation until Wenger is gone though. Can’t muster the energy to get enraged about any of it anymore. If we win… Read more »
Towards the end of the first half one of the commentators said that Arsene Wenger needs to find some words. I agree, and it should just be two – I resign.
dejavous
Latrine
La-treeeen!!!!
Each of us in his own way must learn to deal with adversity in a mature and adult fashion.
AW nearly signed him…
Aub penalty it sum up … weak and predictable.. Arsenal are technically so far behind the rest of the top 6 it’s actually unfair. The same recycled passing which is only getting slower by each passing year. The usual pass routine between koch-Mustafi to the full backs and then back to them. What is the point? It’s hard to also remb when was the last time any player has actually improved as a player at arsenal over the last 5 years or so. Too stale…. fans voted by not turning up
I agree. But i am positive that these players are alot better than what Wenger is able to get out of them. A lot better. A manager who could ise ozil like he should. Ramsey as he should, build a defence etc….
Its true, but this collective alone cannot rise much beyond what it is either as there are no leaders. There is no-one driving this squad. Its like a group of guys that like each other, have chosen to close themselves off to all except Wenger (who’s belief is unquestionable), sure they want to win, but it’s not everything, just like Hector said. This squad needs a new manager 100%, but it also needs some guys that will tell their teammates they are shit when they are shit, which is way way too often right now
I turned up. I think I’ve got frost bite in my foot as a result. And turns out that was about the highlight of tonight’s match day experience!
I didn’t expect us to win …but I really wanted to see if we would at least show any spirit and pride at all after being beaten in the cup final
But sadly, and predictably, no, we just looked like a lazy disorganised bunch of overpaid fuckwits.
We’re not even sad! You cant break us anymore! Now we the fans are the INVINCIBLES! Lalalalalala
Absolutely…not even depressed!. Sorry, Arsenal’s continuous self flagellation got me anaesthetised. kind of like expected really. We were completely outclassed at the carabao final and that gulf in class is not just going to disappear in 4 days peeps. Wonder what ‘s left for Arsene to say…… we have to bounce back from this bounce back that should have been a bounce back from a bounce back?…..sad!
Nothing to see here. Move along.
And surprised was no one
past it the manager is
Citeh were far too good. We tried.
They are wiping the floor with everybody this season for a reason
L8r 16
Let’s keep things in perspective, folks.
….
….
That was some gnarly shite.
Plus ça change…
Wenger – ‘we showed great character – we drew the second half’
I bet he uses the word “DOMINATED”
Sick of the sight of Mkhitaryan already.
Great dive to be fair but he’s a poor man’s Ozil. Now the team has two passengers.
Jeez that is really poor then…bcos ozil is shit
Was surprised when his signing was so celebrated here when he struggled so much at Utd and we were clearly getting the worse of the deal. I think he could still become a big player for us, but just not under this manager
I don’t care until the old man is taken out to pasture for his own good (in retirement terms). Judging by the crowd, I doubt many others care either
Was there a crowd tonight? I thought it was just a couple groups of people standing around in a somewhat covered and mostly empty gallery
Fans across from me were singing “we’re shit and we know we are”
Sad times.
In the last 785 minutes of gameplay (going back to midway through the 1st half at Palace), Arsenal forwards have scored 1 goal (& that one was offside). Not that they are the only problem, but dammit at least see what Eddie can do. Welbeck looks like shit. No subs?! Jeez, if Wenger can’t be bothered, why should his team?
Yeah mad that there were no subs, we’ve got a game on Sunday and this one was done at half time, might as well have rested some players for a match we’ve got a chance in.
Wenger’s team are only consistent at loosing this days, 3 loss in the last 7 days,
Thursday: Arsenal 0:3 ManCity, Thursday: Arsenal 0:3 ManCity
Sunday I meant, guess the loss got to my typing as well.
Glad I haven’t seen that
Arsenal should sack Arsene Wenger tonight. It’s obvious that the players have given up on him.
Top four has gone but if he stays we will definitely not win the Europa. Sack him tonight & we have half a chance.
The whole club under him is stale & done, we are utterly desperate for change now.
Thanks for everything Arsene but it’s time to say goodbye.
I don’t understand why people keep saying this when it’s obviously not going to happen. It’s so un-Arsenal like. He will see out his contract. Who do you bring in if he goes tonight? Actually, forget that question… It’s just so unrealistic. Its just an emotional response – something we want to happen but we all know never will. Even after his contract expires, I don’t see world class managers out there. We should have got Pep or Anceloti. I don’t want to sacrifice our tradition/style and get the great Simione. Leonardo Jardine seems most likely and he hasn’t won… Read more »
This is the point, we need to do something which is totally un-Arsenal.
In case you haven’t noticed, our style went years ago.
Style? We can’t defend, we are bloody woeful at it. We haven’t had a proper defensive midfielder since Gilberto, I genuinely struggle to see what Xhaka brings to the team… the term fuck all springs to mind.
No communication across the back, but hey we look decent sometimes going forward. When a new comes in, hopefully he will have some idea on defence!
I’d love Simeone. Can’t see it happening but that’s exactly the kind of managerial discipline and energy that we desperately need.
Better this time but City are just the better team. At least this loss wasn’t down to major mistakes made by us, though who knows what scoring the penalty could have done. We’re really needed a goal. I hope we can win the Europa league. Wenger probably will go and I hope he can at least get us back into the champions league.
If we had scored the penalty it just means City would have tried the last 25 minutes instead of switching off. We had no chance
No ways mate! We never stood an earthly. Did you notice how, in the second half, city would cut through our midfield then just turn around instead of playing the killer pass? I think Pep’s fondness for Wenger is the only reason we didn’t get hit for 6. Its almost as if he told his players not to humiliate us. Ramsey showed glimpses and we won a penalty because, well, Otamendi. Thats it! Completely outclassed. Again.
Why this fixation with us being in the CL? Exactly what do you expect if/when we get there? ee’d get slaughtered by any of Europes top teams. We’re not good enough for the CL & haven’t been for years. Have felt for a while now that Europa was more our style (wasn’t happy with that mind you, but was trying to be realistic). Now looks as though we might even balls that up, purely because we let Walcott & Giroud go & our goal threat is Welbeck. Believe that Le Coq would aslo have added to our EL chances. Sad… Read more »
If Mustafi passes that ball back to Cech ONE more time!! ..
Agreed. But there is no midfield movement or plan on how to build from the back. No plan. What can he do?
We are a passing team, who plays out from the back. But we don’t have a midfield that can’t turn!
Including Carzola in the squad for the 2nd half of the season is not internal solution, it’s a hope for a miracle!
Tonight I expected us to lose. The reason the cup final hurt more is because IT WAS FUCKING CUP FINAL FFS.
Men v Boys.
Pep plus oil vs Arsene plus nobody of any help. Sad.
Been flogged by Palace and Bournemouth this season didn’t realise they were smothered in oil.
This team and club is in freefall. Where they go from here fuck knows ?
genuinely wondering if i’ll wake up tomorrow to the news of Arsenes ‘resignation’. Really have a feeling now.
Its getting closer and closer.
based on the few replays i saw, he sure looked like he knew it was appropriate. he had that “shit, this was my last chance to right this ship” look about him
No subs at 3-0 down? No changing tactics or calling players to account? Why even bother showing up? Does he simply go to the bench for games as it’s traditional for a manager to be pitchside? He may as well give his orders the day before and see the players again the day after for feel-good sessions.
No emotional response to this anymore. Losing the Cup Final on Sunday didn’t even put a dent in my weekend. Just waiting now…
Relegation form in 2018.
Oh to have a keeper like Ederson rather than one like Cech who, in comparison, looks like a hammy-legged geriatric when the ball’s at his feet
Agree. Cech looks like he’s going to shit his pants every time he comes under pressure after a back pass.
I sure hope that Gazidis has been on the phone with Ancelotti this evening. We need stability and we need it starting tomorrow. What will it take to remove Wenger as manager? It’s embarrassing from top to bottom. This manager, this team, this board and this club have no more excuses to exercise. It’s always said no one man is bigger than the club. Let’s see some authority and prove it!!!
Koscielny, Xhaka, Bellerin, Cech. Bye bye. You lot can fuck off.
Ramsey was outstanding today. Never was my favorite at the club but i know who to trust when the chips are down. Ramsey played like a man today.
Leave Bellerin out of that and give him a manager and defensive coach that do defense properly. He’s done quite well considering he has to make it up as he goes.
Hector Bellerin has played two seasons without a rest because we don’t have a back up for his position. He played half a season injured. He’s left to control the whole right side of the pitch on his own most of the time. When he had a shocker and still went to face up to the fans he was abused and told he’s not fit to wear the shirt. I agree totally with Mpls, he’s a very good young player who isn’t being managed or coached properly.He’s not the only player who’s being let down by the manager and coaches.
I respectfully disagree with Xhaka and Bellerin. I’m not saying Xhaka is the best midfielder in the world, or even a great midfielder, but when we’re searching for a goal Ramsey becomes a centre forward and Xhaka is left in a one man midfield which is too much for anyone. There’s potential there, we just need to actually have… a midfield. Bellerin has a similar issue in that with Mkhi out there, nobody comes back to help him take on a winger and fullback (not to mention the occasional midfielder). There’s dead wood absolutely, but I don’t think those two… Read more »
Honestly we played well. City just have more quality. Our fundamental game was good. We lacked a couple of quality players on the pitch. I can’t help but think the game would have been so different if we had someone like Cazorla in the middle.
I agree to some extent on Bellerin but Xhaka is crap. Too one dimensional.
As for Koscielny I can’t believe what I’m seeing. I think physically and mentally he is done. He may have some individual quality left in him but he is done at Arsenal for sure.
Kos was a legend but he’s just too slow now.
Xhaka gets a lot of flak but I’d like to see what he’d be like in a more disciplined and properly run team – I have a feeling he has ability but we are just not going to see it under Wenger.
Welbz must go.
Ramsey has talent and at least gives a shit. Same goes for Jack and Hector.
Aubameyang, Laca and Mikhi – can’t tell, must be tough for them arriving in a toxic atmosphere but they’d should still step up.
I’ve watched all the goals from a variety of perspectives now and…we still didn’t score any of them.
They toyed with us really. We can’t defend Kos has lost that vital yard of pace and Mustafi has no confidence at all. Teams eventually get rid of managers, they stop believing in them and become quite poor.
I doubt Wenger will see out the season.
Well, if that’s a magic wand you are waving to make him disappear, i suggest you wave it twice, or even thrice. Arsene has proved he has more than nine lives pal,…. he is a cash cow that keep making money for arsenal and i doubt if this profit loving cowardly board will sack him!
Only for that magnificent penalty save,we would have won the 2nd half!
Someone needs to tell Auba he can stop with holding performances now.
We were better tonight and gave it a bit of a go, I though Welbeck and Ramsey played very well and worked very hard, no disgrace getting out played and beat by Man City as long as you give it a go.
Welbeck tried but unfortunately there’s no quality there
Welbeck just fell over every time he tried to run with the ball. His close control is just terrible.
Seriously, what do Arsenal actually do in training?
Exactly what I’ve asked myself the last few seasons!
Who knows, but most likely –
Bellerin practises (lots of) backpasses. Welbeck practises falling over a football (over & over again). Cech practises diving the wrong way.
Mind boggling that these are highly paid professional footballers!
#StealingALiving
I wonder why you didn’t say this right after mauling Everton.
What is life?
42
So long and thanks for all the fish, Arsene, you’ve turned us into a team that’s mostly harmless.
Couldn’t be bothered tonight. Not saying I knew it would be a shower of shit or anything but…meh! Had zero interest tonight. And it appears I did the right thing.
Roll on next season and let it be with a new manager!
I still believe that this squad could play well and win (one of those would be a start!), but under the current regime they have very little confidence, very little self-belief and very little idea what they should be doing tactically.
#WengerOut
Just wait now to see if Wenger reveals anything in the press conference. Like admitting he may actually be part of the problem now, but he won’t. He’ll say they scored 3 terrific goals that no team could defend, he’ll say we improved in the second half, he’ll say we now start to concentrate on the next game, etc. Argh! Argh! It’s like smashing you head against a wall!!! Argh! Argh! Argh!!!!!!
Does anyone give a shit what AW says anymore? WE are all just waiting…
It is actually getting to the stage where they will have to have Psychotherapists on call with the St Johns Ambulance.
I thought I had hit the bottom with apathy but I have an unknown gnawing feeling that is completely new territory now.
It seems to be triggered by the thought of the month of May 2019.
I have horribly mixed feelings of anger and sadness for Wenger. One day there might be a book that can rationally explain his behaviour over the past few years
Part of me feels that Wenger has hung on for so long because Fergie did
what excuses now Arsene?
‘Well errr, they have Petrol we do not it’s not fair’
I like the cut of your jib. Can you be next manager? You got the excuse thing down pat.
It will be a shame if Wenger does not get the closing to his career from the club that he deserves but he must go. Now. Tonight. Hire Carlo Ancelotti as he is available now as we cannot wait until the end of the season. Too much damage can and will occur to the players and to the supporters. It is admittedly reactionary and stinks of a move Chelsea would do, but Wenger has passed on all past opportunities to leave graciously, and the time is way overdue for a change.
I find myself anticipating breaking news of a resignation or firing in the same way I anticipate a new signing during the transfer windows. Sad state of affairs for all involved. Cheers to all those who made it out tonight. Stay safe and warm, all.
Damn, this was some ugly shit. On the positive side, I think if we just get rid of Xhaka, Mustafi and Koscielny we would be fine again. I think the rest aren’t THAT bad, but it is just these three who are at the core of this shit. The only quality Xhaka has is that he is relatively strong (which is useless because he is slow and has no clue about positioning himself so that he could use it) and he can make long passes ( which is also relatively useless, because short passes are made much more often and… Read more »
Did the City fans sing “One Arsene Wenger” and “We wan’t you to stay” at the end of the second half?
Yep they sung it in first half also
We go to sunny Brighton
Asking for Jim to get sacked today is just an emotional response – something we want to happen but we all know never will.
Even after his contract expires, I don’t see world class managers out there. We should have got Pep or Anceloti. I don’t want to sacrifice our tradition/style and get the great Simione. Leonardo Jardine seems most likely and he hasn’t won anything huge.
Wenger hadnt won that much before arriving from Grampus Eight.
Was Ramsey playing?
Yea with your mum
Who would win, Riochs last team in charge: (Seaman, Dixon, Keown, Linighan, Marshall, Winterburn, Merson, Parlour, Platt, Bergkamp and Wright), or Wengers team tonight?
the team with leaders, i.e. Riochs.