Hector Bellerin was the poor unfortunate Arsenal player wheeled out in front of the media after tonight’s 2-1 defeat to Brighton at the Emirates.
The Gunners slumped to another poor result, and now in 10th place, 24 points off the top but just 5 off the relegation zone.
It’s not being dramatic to suggest that we’re in for a real scrap this season, and afterwards the full back found it hard to explain what’s going wrong.
“I don’t know even what to say,” he said. “I have the feeling that whatever we do it doesn’t come out right. I feel the team gave its best, especially in the second half, we created chances.
“Every single player was going for every ball. We defended good but it seems like we need so many chances to score and teams with the smallest chances they score.
“It sounds a bit hard to say, but sometimes … I am lost for words a bit.
“From the pitch, from how hard we’ve been working this week, every single player has given 100%, the coaches as well, and when we go on the pitch everyone wants to win.
“Everyone wants to give their best for that shirt, and sometimes … I don’t know … it’s hard to say … we were full of energy, we had a goal disallowed… but it’s hard to take.
“We have to keep going, we have to keep giving 100% and I’m sure the results will come.”
Hopefully he’s right. With more work things might improve, but unless they do so quickly, we’re going to be in real trouble this season.
We’re washed. Charlie Watts said it best… This is relegation form.
To be fair, I thought the crowd was really up for it tonight, got behind the team and created a great atmosphere at times. The team responded positively and gave it a go, but when you have two center backs who are this poor, the team has no structure at all. Basic rookie mistakes that put our players under pressure every time we lose the ball. They operate as individuals, I see no partnership or any sort of understanding between the two what so ever. One of them could be trying to play the forward offside while the other is… Read more »
The crowd only got involved when the team upped the pace, in the first half there wasn’t hardly a sound! I couldn’t believe the empty seats, I thought it would have been packed for a true legends first game in charge at home.
I’ll be positive when there looks like the club has a plan in place. Currently there’s absolutely no plan.
Yes we’re looking for a new manager but are we planning on backing him up? What the point of signing Allegri if we’re only gonna give him 50-70 mil to rebuild.
Who’s in charge of our recruitment? We lost Ramsey, Santi, Jack within a year and who exactly have we replaced them with? Torriera/Guendouzi? please.
Am I missing something here?!?! I’ve seen people say a few times since the Brighton game that Lacazette is out of form. The guy has scored 3 goals in his last 3 games. The issue isn’t anything to do with Lacazette’s form. It’s bout picking a team that functions properly, be that with Lacazette or not. The only reason he should be dropped to the bench surely should be tactical, rather than based on a lack of (or laca) form.
It’s been relegation form for months and surely the people in charge that are supposed to know about these things should have done something about it! Oh wait they did…sacked the manager when it was too late to do anything about it!
No, it’s just an U23 coach trying to tussle with the big guys
Hang your head in shame calling the legend Freddie just the u23 coach. Your just a keyboard warrior.
He is a legend player, not a legend coach. Get real
Luiz has no place in the squad, No go to the team, he is shit, if i see him i will tell him that facial also, so pls exclude him
It just feels that there are too few high quality players like Bellerin to make up for the lack of high quality coaching the team has been subjected to for the last few seasons.
High quality? Bellerin? don’t make me laugh.
That’s why we’re here now. We’ve massively over-hyped an average squad. For countless years the standard of quality has fallen, untill it became ok to sign the likes of Luiz and Sokratis and foolishly hope for defensive improvement.
Have to agree with this. Arsenal fans over-egging of Bellerin’s ability has been going on for a while. Fact is, he’s at best a slightly above average right back. For some reason people seem to hark back to the promise he showed in his first season, and assume he’s now a world beater
Red sky. You are absolutely spot on. The children on this site , that have only ever known Wenger, think all our player’s are the dog’s danglers. Sadly the evidence tells you that is NOT the case. This is the culmination of ten year’s of Average at best players being indulged by average at best coaches. Team has no backbone,no shape, no organisation and definitely no leaders. Look at the last seven league games. Four points. Not a top side amongst the opposition. Massively over hyped is correct.
Oh stop–the “children on this site.” I think I am probably a good deal older than you, but you seem to believe that a 35-year old Arsenal supporter, who has followed the club for twenty years, is somehow not as able as you (or I) to adequately judge the quality of our players. Bellerin was terrible yesterday. At his best, he is a very good fullback, not “average.”
No son. He’s at best very average. If you fancy watching a world class full back take a look at Kenny Sansom. And I’ve watched our once great club for 50 year’s. So yeah, I would say I’m a tad more qualified to make that judgement. Bellerin sums up our current situation. Mid table. If you think otherwise I’d love some concrete evidence.???
Not sure I agree with him when he claims the players gave 100%. That first half was woeful and it didn’t look like we were trying our best
He didn’t, that’s for damn sure. Im saying this as someone who sucks compared to him, or any rb. But at least i could self asses my performances and realize I fucked up. Close down the pass. Was too easy for someone less skilled to just beat you and put in a perfect pass. Something he can’t do.
doesn’t mean he didn’t give 100%.
Have you ever watched a small child trying to perform a task that’s easy for an adult to do? Just because they’re clumsy it doesn’t mean they aren’t trying!
He has just come back from a serious long term injury, I think expecting him to be at the same level in just a few games is unrealistic. I don’t recall anyone saying he was shit just before he got injured, he was easily one of our best and most consistent performers. Give the guy a break.
We need to get Ten Haag whatever he wants and bring him in asap. His style of football matches what Arsenal fans want and he is experienced enough to save us.
Agree
The quality of the team is 100% poor, we need to scrap off all defenders and yes bring prolific strikers like den Haag who are fit to play EPL than stay with moderate strikers. Arsenal needs to style up!!!
Erik ten Hag isn’t a striker. He’s a manager ?
I think we should also bring in Carlo Ancelotti to play DM for us. Perhaps Gareth Southgate at CB?
Maybe he should talk about how important it is to be nice to homosexuals instead of playing fotball.
What’s this about??
Just another backwards troll banging on about the rainbow laces campaign.
Love you Bellerin, but maybe defend the fucking cross. Don’t just stick legs out. Our defending is awful.
Badbye 2019/2020 season.
Please take KSE and Raul along with you.
Lost for words? I’m not. Fucking shite.
What the fuck has happened?
Jesus, even Hector is getting cliched out! When times are bad, they just seem to keep getting worse. Even the league is up our ass. The last two games we looked like it was “free to kick Arsenal around time”. Not that it would have mattered, but the refereeing is about as ugly as our playing now. We could use a little luck, too. When some wanker gets a free kick on the ball after the Red Sea parts for their first goal, and their goalie doesn’t even know where the ball is but makes a safe with his feet(Willock),… Read more »
I do have some words, Ballerin.
Maybe focus more on football first instead of gallivanting to other causes!
Ignorant to imply that his attention to social issues affects his ability to run and recover. How about 9 months out with a banjaxed ACL.
Be a frustrated fan along with the rest of us but take that shit to AFTV.
He wasn’t El Fantastico before the injury either.
Yap, call us all ignorant as soon as we point out that his public performances are better everywhere else than on football pitch. As an highly paid and prominent Arsenal player He’s got right to do and to be what ever fuck he wants as long as he’s giving all he’s got for Arsenal on the pitch. Which he doesn’t! And he has been halfhearted pussy for much longer than 9 months he’s been out injured. Bellerin epitomises EVERYTHING that is wrong with this Arsenal. I could forgive him technical ineptitude if there would be a single thing he does… Read more »
There is zero evidence to suggest that what he does outside football effects his training and his motivation. There is also zero evidence to suggest that he is not giving his all on the pitch. What do you want him to be doing when he’s not training? Sitting in a dark room cutting himself whilst he rocks back and forth chanting “must stop the cross, must stop the cross…”. None of our players has been playing to their potential lately, to single him out because he is intelligent and has an opinion, and then to use those opinions against him… Read more »
Why don’t you just shut up! You wouldn’t recognise the word support if it fell on top of you!
You must be one of those who reveled in our third spot a few months ago.
Yes Hector!
You are a golden slave born to entertain us!!!
How dare you do… other staff!
Burn him!
Dear Hector, the answer is that you guys are just not good enough.
Now if Wenger was here he would tell you this:
Well….you know Brighton very organized and solid …and I think we lost our concentration defesivley. We could have also been more clinical up front…..but our mental attitude was great. Now….we have to try and win the next game, and make sure we are in the race. You know, its only december and mathematically we have the chance to make top 4 again.
And he did exactly that. He rarely lost 2 in a row. He rarely lost at home and he rarely failed to make the mathematical top 4. We took these things for granted.
And attacked him for it. Thankless ingrates, we are.
It’s now obvious that Freddie can’t take us anywhere. You can’t salvage dwindling fortunes with Academy players
In what way is it obvious? Two games in, a week with the players who have had all confidence obliterated since that night in Baku. Its going to take time to build thst confidence. We need a win soon to instill some confidence in the lads, and I do think there have been goos signs that Freddie is the guy. We’ve played better the last 2 matches, albeit only taking a point from a possible 6, but the movements are better – generally – there was definite desire on show to win the ball when not in possession. We lack… Read more »
Would like to share your optimism but the central defence is irreparable and midfield not much better. Not sure which manager could fix that
Can’t remember the last time we scored a goal of any quality whatsoever.
I feel that malaize.
Though Laca’s last goal at the Emirates – two or four … or a hundred weeks ago, was pretty solid.
Taking out Kolasinac was unnecessary and starting Willock wasn’t the best. The players gave their all but our tactics didn’t work. We need a top class coach asap.
Completely agree. Freddie is out of his depth. Willock was given no role except to just run around like mad. Kolasinac was decent, I thought. There was no midfield strategy. And Ozil…
Honestly breaks my heart to see Hector so defeated.
Me too I’m lost for words.
I’m not. Its not surprising. An on evidence, clearly task is a big one for someone like Llungberg. None of his fault as he is being asked to step in half baked. We look bereft of discipline and structure. We do not play as a unit. We do it for about 15 minutes each half before devolving into bad habits with players static waiting for the ball, some non competitive (Auba, Pepe) losing the ball way too easily, others do not follow the player on the ball on the attack leaving few options. We also lack urgency and sufficient work… Read more »
Another good comment by Santori.
What is the world coming to.
Go on son. Go on!!
Every other team has figured out how to take advantage of Arsenal’s weaknesses.
The team is mis-configured and does not fit together well, this is why they cannot play.
The only way is to get a good manager/coach who will be able to get players who will fit into a system(a system we do not have).
He was woeful tonight but at least he fronted up because, really, he has had all of 5min after 9 months of an acl (the most horrific injury) to find form. Why? Because literally we do not have another right back for the first team. Yup, one right back. It’s the clubs fault that we cant at least share his load with an adequate backup. Hope he gets some form soon despite this because hes so good at his best
I agree The Arseman.Need a quality right back.i like the young lad at Chelsea Reece James.Quick strong and great delivery in the final third.We won’t get him because we are only usually interested in Chelsea’s castoffs.
When players slow down their pace in order to see off a manager like our boys did to oust Emery, that’s what happens in the long run. It’s difficult to rise to their full potential after idling for so long. Pity.
Nothing is gonna happen with Sideshow Bob and Socratis in the middle there, with Mustafi and Holding as backup. Our defence is SHIT and that’s the root of our misery. Our offensive game is stunted by the fact that the players are shit scared that just one break is all the opposition needs to score. January transfer window priority: sort that fucking defense out Raul! No halfway, no bargains, no promising youngsters. GET US A FUCKING VAN DYKE!
The Club are a few years late for picks like VVD – “too nonchalant,” Van Dyke was labelled under Wenger’s scouting regime – when Arsenal could and should have snapped him up at Celtic (I also think Wanyama should have been bought at the same time). He is now priceless and Liverpool yet again won the European Cup and are charging forward towards a title this year. Apparently, far “too nonchalant” for the likes of Arsenal. Koulibaly is one of the other options if we are talking about a CB at a similar level to VVD, I thought we should… Read more »
Bollocks.
The French lad that’s coming next year is the real deal.
Holding is superior to either Sideshow bob or the Greek.
Freddie … ridiculous team selections. Not gonna work for long, sir.
Man, I for one would have loved to see Potter at Arsenal after his stint in Sweden.
Tough times to be an arsenal fan.
This is very discouraging especially to the fans. We need radical change in the dressing room if we want to get positive results.
The man who speaks after this game is a leader.
There’s no chance those players were giving 100%, and if they were, they’re not fit enough. Everything we did yesterday was like watching in slow motion.
Nobody tracks their man, nobody senses danger (except a couple of times from , nobody moves off the ball into space. We spent most of the second half with Xhaka pinging long balls up to the forwards, despite Brighton’s defence of four shithouses – it was full fat Allardyce-ball!
The only thing we learned tonight is that Freddie is not the guy to turn this around.
Maybe he overworked them in training with the new high intensity drills this week.
If true disappointing as you’d hope the fitness staff would overrule him.
Bring Simeone to sort this defensive shambles out! I want to go back to winning 1 nil again.
Words aren’t required, performances are.