Arsenal: Cech, Debuchy, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil, Cazorla, Giroud.
Subs: Ospina, Gibbs, Gabriel, Arteta, Walcott, Alexis, Chambers
West Ham: Adrian, Tomkins, Reid, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Oxford, Noble, Kouyate, Payet, Zarate, Sakho
Subs: Randolph , Collins, Poyet, Nolan, Jarvis, Lanzini, Maiga
This was supposed to be the day that Arsenal laid down a marker, especially with Chelsea’s “slow” start yesterday.
And an Arsenal team that was supposed to be able to find goals from throughout the team proved not to be able to find a goal anywhere.
Expectations for the 2015/16 campaign were high, following a successful pre-season campaign as well as taking their second Community Shield on the trot, off the back of their second FA Cup on the trot.
Arsenal started with Giroud getting the nod ahead of Walcott, while Ox was rewarded for his hot form by a start on the right, and put in one of the better performances of the day.
Santi played on the left. Ozil played as the 10, while Coquelin and Ramsey handled the central midfield but with Ramsey a very attacking partner in the pair.
At right back, Debuchy started as Bellerin was believed to have a niggle.
Incredibly, Alexis Sanchez arrived with the Marines, stormed the beach, took out a machine gun nest, and made the bench. But obviously, that was just to keep him calmed down. He was never going to play any minutes today.
The debut of Petr Cech had many Arsenal supporters more confident about our defence than they had felt for many seasons. The era of conceding soft goals was now finally over.
West Ham came into this match giddy with their new signing of Dimitri Payet from Marseille, a creator of chances, and under new manager, Slaven Bilić, in from Beşiktaş.
The game started as a scrappy, end to end contest, with Chamberlain looking lively, and making a couple of quick bursts early on. So much so that between his efforts and a burst by Coquelin, West Ham picked up 2 quick yellows, and allowed us to apply some early pressure from freekicks and ensuing corners.
Around the 11 minute mark, a volley falls to Ox in the center at the edge of the box, who whistles it inches over. And shortly after a free kick sees Koscielny head just wide, but also from just offside.
Sakho then replies with a powerful run down the middle, after Ozil gave it away near the halfway, but Per tidies it up.
Coquelin has a couple of wayward crossfield passes but otherwise looks at his sharp and combative best while the Hammers threat is not to be ignored as Payet warns the Gunners with some trickery over on the left wing to conjure up a dangerous cross into the 6-yard box, which a grateful Cech was able to snaffle up
Arsenal look lively if a bit disjointed.
Giroud, with a superb touch on a high ball over by the left touch line pulls in the defender who brings him down for a freekick which Santi takes, but all for nought.
On 25′, Coquelin, off a West Ham throw, pops up as a left winger to put in superb cross to Giroud who traps it with his chest but can’t get it down quick enough to get the shot off.
A brilliant slaloming run which beat 14 Hammers took Ox from deep into Arsenal territory all the way to the by-line for a cross which Santi met at the far side of the goal. A first-time dinked volley from the Spaniard went inches over,
On 30′, Ramsey takes a 1st time shot which gets a bit of a deflection as it clips the crossbar for a corner.
Payet again threatened with a mazy run from the right through a couple of our players before getting off a deflected shot which went over our goal for a corner.
Down the other end and Coquelin angles a lob out to the right to set up Debuchy to head it into the center of the box which just eludes the noggin of a threatening Giroud. West Ham cleared the danger for a moment only for Monreal and Santi to immediately mount a second attack up through the middle to set up Ramsey just outside the box who probably should have teed up Debuchy to his right but took it on himself to put it just wide.
Shortly after Ramsey put in a clever ball which Santi met through the middle and managed to smuggle forward to Giroud who is called offside. We were turning the screws.
You sensed something was coming. Could we get the rewards? (No.)
A goal was coming alright…but not for Arsenal. A freekick halfway into our half and from the right was met by Kouyate who caught Arsenal’s defence out to get an unchallenged header into the net. A very high line left acres of space to attack. Cech came for it but never got there and 4 offside Hammers were played on by 1 Arsenal player holding his own line. You don’t need to be a defensive coach to know it all looked wrong.
One goal down.
“Your mission, should you decide to accept…”
Moments later, Ozil cut across their penalty area and only an outstretched leg prevented what seemed like a goal-bound shot to their near post.
Halftime arrived and found the crowd a bit shell-shocked as Arsenal continued the trend of last season with vulnerability to crosses and set-pieces. which accounted for a third of our goals conceded.
The second half seemed to promise a re-match of Arsenal versus the counter-attacking bus. Not only would we need to breach the bus but we would need to do it twice, as it turned out.
Giroud with a great early run down the left wing put in a good cross to the box which the outstretched keeper fumbles but with no Gunner around to pounce.
Early in the second half, Walcott appeared on the sidelines to warm up. He would soon be on.
Chamberlain did great to set up Giroud in a good location in front of goal but again to no avail.
Things were about to get worse. Arsenal failed to clear cleanly from their own area as Ox looked to dribble the ball out only for Zarate to pounce on the ball. With little pressure on him, Zarate turned to face our rooted defence and slotted it in at our near post. Cech was gambling to go the other way and left a massive gap at his near side.
With 30 minutes to go, Walcott enters the fray for Coquelin. Now our front 3 is Giroud with Ox on his right and Walcott on his left.
A freekick from the left by Santi reaches Giroud but lands in the arms of their keeper.
Throughout West Ham continued to look threatening on the break which perhaps was a brilliant gambit by Arsenal to draw the Hammers out and give us some space to attack.
Amazingly, with 27 minutes to go, Alexis Sanchez comes off the bench for Debuchy to attempt to save Arsenal.
A run on the counter by Walcott leads to a corner which Ozil takes. It breaks for Arsenal in the middle but is deflected wide.
At this point the formation was pretty much “all hands to the pump.”
Then alarmingly, Giroud rose for a cross only to get knocked unconscious by a clash of heads in the box and it became a cause of some major concern for his team mates who had the play stopped. Minutes later he rejoined the play. (They need to look at these rules.)
A great opportunity for Sakho follows from a counter and then it’s back to their box, as Theo hits a volley at the keeper and, off the recycled save, Ox blasts it close into the side netting.
Even with all of this, it’s hard to see where two goals are coming from for Arsenal with less than 10 minutes of normal time left.
Santi lined up a left foot fizzer but hit it a little too close to the keeper
Late on, Chamberlain who had been our most effective player going forward all day, banged in another cross which was met near-post by Giroud’s right foot but he failed to get it on target.
5 minutes of added time gave the tired Gunners a lifeline. And with 2 minutes of play left, Arsenal attacked on the counter. Ozil set up Alexis on the left wing who cut inside to shoot with his right foot but his rustiness shows with a tame shot.
The inevitable seemed inevitably inevitable now.
But wait! It’s Alexis again. And again. In the box, he is foiled by an outstretched keeper’s foot followed by a slightly too high cross over his head. And so once again we leave their box empty handed.
Moments later the whistle goes.
It’s back to the drawing board for Arsenal as they start a 37 game season with the opener against Crystal Palace next Sunday. Lots of questions from today. Not so many answers. Let the debates begin.
Well, that fucking sucked.
Yep, disappointing really. I have no idea why we looked tired. Two years in a row now we looked great pre season and the first game we’re totally out hassled by the opposition. Hope it doesn’t continue. We really can’t afford a slow start like last season. And it’s days like these you really feel another option to Giroud can come in handy.
Actually I would argue otherwise.
Last year our preseason was lacklustre, we lost the Emirates Cup and I stated I thought the team ill -prepared. We then beat Man City in the Charity Shield but it was a false dawn where we promply slumped into the season and started in with the excuses…
The manner we lost today wiped away any good vibes & mental preparation the squad had through the preseason, they’re irrelevant now. So many placed high expectations on the squad this season, the response has to be really positive, next game can’t come earlier. COYG
I was actually dreaming of Invincibles II ..! Didn’t last much..
Lotsa shuffling to do. Its fun..you know! 😀
Takes the pressure off for the rest of the season.
Thanks for reminding me… 🙂
most confusing part was bring on Walcott and shifting the Ox to right back. I thought the Ox was our most dangerous weapon. Have to say Ozil and Coq were poor today.
Don’t wna be too negative but chasing a goal and bringing in Walcott whose weapon is pace is not really gna bother a team who are ready to park the bus. We shouldn’t be surprised by Cech, cause if you watch the Community Shield again you’ll see he wasn’t that convincing coming out for balls. I think this could be a blessing in disguise, cause there was too much hype as if Cech in goal is a guaranteed medal. The work still needs to be put in. We all agreed at the end of last season we needed an outfield… Read more »
The Ox lost concentration for the 2nd goal, and look a bit tired late in the game. In that case, Theo was supposed to be an upgrade in that right wing position, but we know how that turned out.
Overall, the team’s usual Achilles Heel of a sense of entitlement (the famous “3rd gear” or “handbrake play”) was all too evident. I guess the manager could do more to keep the team sharply focused and motivated before games.
For all the talk about desire,cohesion and automatisms and togetherness in our play ironically those were some of the biggest things missing today.
Very poor performance indeed. No cutting edge, lacked penetration apart from the Ox and desperately dependent on Alexis and Ox to bail us out. I expect things to improve obviously, but a start as disappointing as this, the manager has to take the blame – Lack of intensity in the first 15-20 minutes of the first game of the season at home. Cech had a stinker, but we didn’t manage to score.So he only cost us a point utmost. West Ham were good by the way,strong and committed. And this guy Payet,looked really solid,good on the ball, strong physically. Wondering… Read more »
Very poor performance indeed. No cutting edge, lacked penetration apart from the Ox and desperately dependent on Alexis and Ox to bail us out. I expect things to improve obviously, but a start as disappointing as this, the manager has to take the blame – Lack of intensity in the first 15-20 minutes of the first game of the season at home. Cech had a stinker, but we didn’t manage to score.So he only cost us a point utmost. West Ham were good by the way,strong and committed. And this guy Payet,looked really solid,good on the ball, strong physically. Wondering… Read more »
Agreed. We were all Coq and no balls today.
It’s horrible I know, but probably not as horrible as that opening day vs villa….. Which we then went on to top the league for a large part of the season. It’s the first game, the other teams weren’t convincing either and we just lost our nerve. It’s a hiccup nothing more COYG
This happens too often to be a one off. Tell me is this still the players’ fault? Aren’t all these WORLD CLASS players? Too many inconsistent players on this team yet they’re heralded as top players. Mertesacker, Arteta, Giroud should’ve been moved on. Debuchy is awful (to think even Jenkinson is better) …nowhere near bellerin’s level No upgrades in central midfield always counting on streaky one season wonder performances by Ramsey and possibly Coquelin…the combination of those two is just not good enough to open up the other team yet wenger wants to play all his tippy tappy players…only 2… Read more »
Not as compelling as you probably thought it was I’m afraid
more compelling than a 4th place trophy probably…i’d take that bet
But not as compelling as 3rd place and an FA cup, probably the best and most decorated years in Arsenal’s history and some of the most fluid football the game has ever seen
this backward passing no effective penetration is some of the most fluid? yes we play that too but not enough
I’m not saying today’s performance was good, it was terrible. But the fact is that Wenger has brought us closer to challenging for the title than we have been in years, we’re making great big name signings and we’ve even started beating teams that we’re supposedly supposed to capitulate against, all whilst sticking to a philosophy of great technical football and developing young players. Sacking him now would be incredibly short sighted, which fortunately the Arsenal board aren’t.
Nobody’s sacking him. That’s self evident. Doesn’t mean we have to enjoy the same old that his sides produce. We’ve been here before for years. Yes, he produced some of the most beguiling football that england let alone arsenal has ever seen but the premier league has moved on and passed what aw has to offer. Role on 2017/18. At least it will be someone different to blame when we dont challenge for the title.
look there’s a point where you have to say…we have all these world class players…why are we still inconsistent? one positive thing i’ll say is oxlade will be top top player but even he’s getting suffocated in this system…we have a lot of pace in the squad yet we never use it…always trying to play the tippt tappy triangle on the wing of the penalty boc between santi, ramsey and ozil
Mourinho’s team drew at home against Swansea yesterday. Should he be fired too?
YES PLEASE!!
mourinho won the league last year…what’s your fucking point? look we weren’t bad until we conceded the first goal…but we had no plan B to open them up…you mean with ozil, santi, walcott, ox on the pitch you couldn’t even score 1 damn goal? please…out with that comparison with moronho…
Average league position before Wenger (1919-1996): 7.06
Average league position under Wenger (1996-2015): 2.74
Points per game before Wenger: 1,57
PPG under Wenger: 1,99
Win percentage before Wenger: 43.50%
Win percentage under Wenger: 57.98%
Based on league stats only. These are facts.
How long have you been waiting to unleash that particular bit of info? Not sure you’ve proved any point, though. Is it the superiority of Wenger, or the ambiguity of statistics?
Bad defeat I agree. But I guess its just too much..I mean whatever you have written.!
this blog is too positive and there are more fans who support the manager more than the club
May be majority of fans believe he is the right man for the club.
Most have probably never known any other manager here.
It was the Ox that cost us the second goal. He is already a top class player, they all make mistakes – inc keepers. First game OK, kick up the arse and then kick on. Take the shit from your Chelski and Manure mates, neither of whom covered themselves in glory yesterday, and believe this was a one-off. Remember the second half of last season.
these kind of one offs are good enough for 4th place…not to win the league unfortunately
The Ox made the same mistake last year when we lost at home in the last 16 of Champions League.
This is so true. You can’t even say mildly negative on this blog without being branded a troll. There are a lot of people on here who are cheerleaders rather than fans.
I think folks are open to criticism, it’s just that very often the most negative opinions are presented in a way that gets people’s backs up.
blogs, i don’t think your argument is valid…every time a comment comes up that says we need a better player etc etc…immediate thumbs down …anything “positive” that helps the club but deemed as un-Wengerish…immediate thumbs down
It’s OK, we’ll probably get back on track within a few weeks and it will become unacceptable to criticise Wenger or the team again. We’ll finish in the top four this season, make a new signing or two next summer, and head into the next season with optimism again. Then the whole boring cycle will repeat itself yet again.
This blog is too positive? Then don’t read it. If you want something else, either go elsewhere or create one for yourself. Of course you’re entitled to your opinion, but that is nothing more than a silly comment. What harm comes from positivity towards a team? None. This blog being “too positive” has no bearing or effect on how the club do. Keep up with your other comments, but this one is completely off.
We will be bottom of the table and Arsene’s cult would still say he did no wrong. I mean they were complaining Chavs and ManC won’t the league because the spent more money than us. And now we have 200 mil in the bank, it goes oh but money can’t buy success, who is the player to buy and cohesion is better than talented players lol.
You can’t make it up.
Arsene IS the problem (four the 5th season running I have been saying it)
Arseblog is one of the most ridiculously blind, pro-Wenger blogs out there. Blogger himself is alright and I come for his blogs, but 99% of the commenters here are just utterly incredible (they make up excuses as they go… eg. “Cohesion” as you mentioned).
How did the “cohesion” work out for ’em in this game? LOL.
Few of us fans who have been realistic, saying we need to reinforce and buy get massively thumb-down and shouted down.
Let’s hope things get better
I mean the man paid 8 good million pounds a year, we have been with not top top top DM since Gilberto, no top top top goal keeper since Jense, until this season Cech will come good, and no top top top striker for there years. Yet the manager believe we can win the league, HOW?. If it is one season I would say we always get it wrong but this is the 11th season and all the excuses used by his cult. I mean last season he entered the season with two senior defenders one injured and one coming… Read more »
I agree with everything you said except everything after the second sentence
I actually believe that this defeat was the best thing that could happen to these players.
And why do you think that? Sorry, I just want to know. I was trying to see it the same way, like now they will be galvanized and go on a 10 match winning streak, but we’ve been there already.. Can’t they just start strong, aren’t ee past such lessons finally?? It’s just so depressing. I felt that if the match went on for another 2 hours that we would not score a single goal, and with the players at our disposal, it is an alarming thought. Is it our mental preparation, did they players already succumb to expectations of… Read more »
My thoughts exactly. The team clearly lacked sufficient motivation going into this match, expecting an easy win after beating Chelsea and taking the Emirates Cup. Slaven Bilic’s boys were clearly more motivated. This is as good a wakeup as any.
My thoughts exactly. The team clearly lacked sufficient motivation going into this match, expecting an easy win after beating Chelsea and taking the Emirates Cup. Slaven Bilic’s boys were clearly more motivated. This is as good a wakeup call as any.
omg this hasn’t started already has it?
Piss poor
Ox gives away the ball before a goal: Check
Key player injured: Check
Goalkeeper about to get hammered in the press: Cech
Damn is it that time of the season already. One loss isn’t bad but it’s the first game and now no ones going to take us seriously. My week is already fucked….
Szczesny’s instgram post will read. “Look guys..I am still in Rome. It was the other guy”
Plus a pic with Colosseum in background!
League season over. Best we can hope for is to retain the FA Cup.
Only good moment from this game came in the commentary on US feed. Lee Dixon said, “Oxlade-Chamberlain doesn’t look too happy to be playing at right back. I don’t think that’s right–it’s a glory position.”
Yep, might as well give the title to Leicester. West Ham, Palace, Newcastle to the Champions League, we join Sunderland and Norwich in the Championship next year. Or, we remember that after losing to Villa two years ago we won 10 straight and led the league for months. It’s one game dude, Cech’s not gonna have howlers like this every week.
“…Cech’s not gonna have howlers like this every week.”
Uh..best not to say things like that. (crosses fingers, throws salt over left shoulder, rubs rabbit foot, etc.)
GET OUT WHILE YOU STILL CAN, JOEL!
what the fuck was that? no one even looked interested from the beginning (monreal aside), deadly errors were there ok but the mentality was fucked up, ramsey messing up opportunities and smiling afterwards, cazorla seemed to care just to pass each ball with his left foot (whats that all about!!) crossing one ball after another with giroud alone in a box full of defenders (at times giroud was doing this and it was only the defenders) coq almost misstouched every ball and of course there is no pressure on our only defensive midfielder and finally the familiar: us being 2… Read more »
Beggars belief… yet all too familiar. Last week focused against Chelsea – this week we strolled out as though entitled to take the win. Is there any bloody argument at this point it is… a) due to a lack of talent or b) due to lack of focus and preparation. In the first half The Ox looked like the only player who was truly hungry. And, this was precisely what cost us points at the start of the last season – entitlement. The excuse became World Cup hangover and then injuries but the crux of the matter was entitlement that… Read more »
We won our first game a year ago.
True! I think Monreal is the only one that’s already 100%. Giroud & Kos gave their best but still didn’t look sharp enough yet. The rest were in each others way so much. & so sloppy!! Ugh…
So, so disappointing. We were so ready for a proper response to all the whingers and wind-up merchants. Just bitterly disappointing.
And for future refence, all the analysis of preseason form is just meaningless bollocks. At least this’ll shut the people who claim we don’t need a striker up… Walcott and Giroud looked lost today. Both have tons to contribute to this side but bringing on Alexis smacked of such desperation- we need at least one additional option in the forward positon.
A day to forget
This is bullshit! *kicks bathroom door in*.
Please don’t hit me!!
Oh good, he hasn’t hit me.
Why bathroom? Just curious.
We are a squad capable of 80 points. Not enough reliable quality to do much more. Just hope it is a year where the champions fall well short of the usual high 80s total. I think it might be giving us a chance.
Well, as debuts go, Cech’s was about the worst I’ve ever seen. Having said that, we’ve just failed to score in 97 minutes at home to West Ham. Turns out Premier League is tougher than pre-season friendlies. No point maintaining the pre-season optimism for any longer than necessary, eh?
What a piss poor display by the team, by EVERYONE. no creativity, bad defending, poor game by Cech (maybe this shows u dont have to be 2meters long to be good in the air like some of Ospina haters say, now im not saying Ospina is better than Cech, he is the best keeper still, but u get my point i hope). On the bright side, is just the first match, but if we gonna keep playing like this, this gonna be just another year where we will just fight for FA cup
I remember a few weeks ago, one wouldn’t even dare say anything here about the team still having issues in the faith of sheer collective optimism, that any mention of anything counter to the wave of optimism going on, would be negged to oblivion.
Let’s see how this comment section works out today. No doubt the complete opposite extreme will take over.
Haha. That’s a very valid point. We Arsenal fans always take to one extreme. In the summer I was calling for Schneiderlin to be signed and I got slaughtered. Today I’m calling for a bit of calm, still not well received it seems.
we should have signed him though
Sometimes the comments section does have the faint whiff of the Church of Scientolgy, or some such other mad cult of religiosity.
“Le Prof has spoken”…
Ozil called lazy while taking a free kick. Premier League is officially back.
So where’s this title winning side I keeper hearing so much about?
Wonder why these mistakes keeps happening to the same team year after year……
yeah I wonder what the consistent overriding factor is!
maybe henry isn’t all that wrong?
goals goals goals!
how many guys scored more than 10 in that starting lineup? In the whole squad at that?
might sound as hindsight but it’s been my fear all summer. our squad is full, depth and all that but like Arsene we have to hope those 3 goal a season players score 10
Well this exhausting
Well, that was a disaster.
Incidentally, if there’s one thing I really hate, it’s the way this team wouldn’t stop going on about how they’re “ready to challenge” throughout the summer. They’re awful good at talking about succeeding than actually doing it when it matters on the pitch. Pathetic.
First it must be said that it’s only one game, and there are 37 others in which we can surpass the 1 point lead Chelsea have over us. That being said, it’s so hard to watch this type of game again, like we have many times. To look so fit and healthy in the preseason and so limp on opening day hurts. The fact that our ‘Plan B’ when our subs came on looked exactly like our ‘Plan A’ hurts. I don’t know if we need a big shiny signing or not, but we have to find some way to… Read more »
no one is saying we’ll be relegated but aren’t we going for the league?
Chelsea is not the only team to beat mate there are 37 other teams. Even Leicester City were very impressive yesterday, can we beat Leicester?
Chelsea is not the only team to beat mate there are 19 other teams. Even Leicester City were very impressive yesterday, can we beat Leicester?
Don’t wanna pick on him, but dreary me, Ozil got pocketed by a kid.
Light weight, RM reject
We looked rustier than we did all pre-season. Very hard to stomach this one. West ham were up for it and we weren’t. simple as that. do we want to win the league or not? I don’t know why Bellerin didn’t play but he’s our best RB. Cech disappointing. The only positive today was the Ox. He can be huge. We need a new striker. that’s my 2 cents.
Preseason is air pie. I don’t want to hear about it ever again. Let’s go back to the days when it wasn’t broadcast everywhere as if it meant anything at all and collectively block it the fuck out. Charity shield gets a pass – everything else can go. It’s all just marketing.
Credit to Nacho and the Ox. The rest were woeful Amidst a sea of mediocrity two stood out. Ramsey who when he’s good is very good. Today he was abject and spent most of the time falling over his feet.. Ozil likewise. I’ve not seem him perform once in 2 years where I thought he looked to be worth half what we paid for him. He was rubbish today. Still at least it confirms the view that they are at least one top grade player away, from being serious contenders. But this was Villa from two years back on the… Read more »
Ox was responsible for the second goal.
This kind of terrible first game performances happen too often to be just coincidence. That was terrible terrible game from us. The very high hopes I had for this game only to be shit in the face like that. I guess that’s just the ingredient of a an ‘excellent’ despair. SHIT
We are actually 9-4-2 in our last 15 “first games”
sooooo?
Hey now, this is not the time for facts
You can not continue to do THIS, then attack people who don’t take you seriously. I hope it doesn’t affect them too much
This is classic arsenal losing strategy
-Keeper error
-Defensive error
-Young player never heard of before outshining everybody
– arsenal have all possession but do fuck all with it
-important first team player goes down with life threatening injury
-arsenal fans eating their words after speaking too soon..
– top player who might have made the difference playing less than half of the game..
-at the 80th minute when arsenal should be rallying the players start passing like they just came off an Alton towers teacup ride on fast forward
Add yours
Reminded me of when we lost at home to Villa on the opening day of the season. Dont worry we will get it right come January to secure 4th spot. Those that think we dont need Benzema to compete for the title are seriously deluded. Also we need 2 upgrades in defence. We should of sold Monreal and as for Per the big fucking german he is Perfect for 4th
Throw money at Madrid for Benzema and Lucas Silva or Illeremandi please.
As I’ve said for the last 3 years, even after winning those children cups, we need a new manager, younger and with new ideas. Koeman, Klopp, so much better than this guy, depressed who can only attract bad luck rather than good play and good players…
You totally undermine any point you’re trying to make by referring to ‘childrens cups’ and Wenger as ‘depressed’.
No; the guy doesn’t attract any good “vibes”, just look at him, he’s depressed and tired, new blood is needed.
You should stop speculating on the mental health of people you don’t know, or choose different words.
Cheer up…we’re only a point behind Chelsea.
New season, same old Arsenal. The inquest begins.
Fuking pathetic apart from the ox no effort clueless and total lack of interest will someone please take the responsibility of a shot on goal im getting sick of our so called superstars talking the talk and failing to do it when it counts win the league don’t make me laugh we will be lucky to finish fourth
I’m waiting for the “Welbeck is our answer” fans to appear.
If you’re talking about Welbeck being our answer as an alternative to playing Santi, Ramsey, or Ozil out of position on the wing (when Sanchez isn’t available), then here we are – we never left! It’s pretty clear that he’s our fourth-choice forward ahead of the central midfielders that Arsene keeps forcing out there all the time. I think we’d have looked more threatening if Walcott was out there today. Is that fair to Santi or Ramsey, one of whom would have been pushed out of the team? Yes, but you’ve gotta be ruthless sometimes. If you’re talking about him… Read more »
Well make that fourth or fifth, he’s clearly behind Theo at striker and on the wing (if we need goalscoring threat out there). If we need industry and defensive ability, Welbz is the one to provide it.
ugh.. so many plastic fans
its time to face the facts. so many of our players are nowhere near as good as we think they are. Ozil is nowhere near a world class player, compare his impact to that of cesc’s with us all those years ago as well as at chelsea and you’ll realise i’m right.
Ramsey is more concerned about scoring goals from outside the box than what’s best for the team, and giroud is NOT GOOD ENOUGH. fact
it’s good this happened first match day so we can adjust our expectations. 4th spot here we come
Classic. You just criticized Ramsey for trying to score goals. This is beyond stupid now.
The comment on Ramsey was spot on. He’s at his best when he’s in the middle the park battling for the good of the team, and making late runs into the box when the opportunity presents itself. Drives me nuts when he goes stat hunting.
Is this the same Cesc that the Chavs have already turned on??
Do some homework before you flex your fingers.
I am sad.
I also heard that we have not won an opener since 2009?! Is that true?
No.
Literally felt like there wasn’t a soul on that pitch in an Arsenal shirt that cared to win the game. Except for the two minutes between their first goal and the half-time whistle, we had no desire, no drive. Absolutely pathetic.
Thought we looked sluggish from the start, like we expected to win. That attitude must be changed quickly. You have to earn every point as Chelsea found yesterday. Long way to go and this may make AW re-think his transfer policy before the window closes
Thats the point. The team is capable of beating anyone when focused. We just looked presumptuous today that things would fall our way. Instead of taking the field hungry to prove a point, as I have already stated, we just looked entitled and therefore got our arses handed to us. In short all this type of games follow the same pattern – shit preparation and focus- whether its West Ham today or Monaco last season (where even Kos stated angrily the team had not been prepared and took it for granted they could stroll it). I’ll bet our dressing room… Read more »
So then, this probably needed to happen to damp down all the hubris from the team about going for the title before they’ve even kicked a ball! Good! Imo
Well this was disappointing. You wait with so much optimism and excitement for almost 3 months and you get this in return. All of us arsenal fans including myself get carried away in that wave of optimism such that we start expecting a little too much. All of us here slate Chelsea and mourinho and Terry for obvious reasons. But one thing that I noticed yesterday was that they looked gutted on dropping those points even in those circumstances. They were trying to do everything and looked more likely to score. Until we instill that sort of winning mentality in… Read more »
best comment of the day, nicely put.
this is quite disappointing. I’m really lost for words. coquelin misplaced most of his long passes but that wasn’t a big problem. cazorla and ozil didn’t do much to impress. and the defence and d keeper was at fault for the opening goal. but anyway, this is not the end…I really fear for our match against crystal palace next weekend. we need to pick up and the players have to relax a bit….I think we still need a striker that’s different from giroud.
Wenger out
Not as alarming as the loss to AV on the first day a couple years’ back, but equally indicative that something is not quite right. I’m not panicking on Cech, but if he was worth 10 points then he’s got a few to make up for today. Few bright spots today, and the fact that we needed Alexis on a week’s training shows we don’t have the depth we thought we had.
we can expect the usual players, per etc saying lessons learnt blah blah balh!
typical arsenal, talk themselves up, build up the hype and throw it away when they couldn’t handle the pressure! was ozil playing today?
At least welbeck gives you 100% every game so don’t knock him some of our so called stars could learn off him
I really like welbz work ethics and work rate, but he wont be our saviour in the forward department unless somehow he becomes a goal scoring machine out of nowhere so yeah i dont see him as our saviour, but hope to be wrong cuz we need another quality forward to compete with Giroud
First game of the season.
Opposition had all pre season to perfect their game plan.
West ham this season
Palace was a struggle last season.
Villa the season before.
All at home.
Need first game to be away.
Reality check for expectations.
Kick up the arse.
Bounce back next week
didn’t we have all pre season to prepare ourselves for this game too?
no excuse, after all the building ourselves up the players bottled it! too many playing in second gear.
I know ozil barely turns up in the big games, but these games hes meant to. if it wasn’t for the blind fans seeing the price we paid im sure a lot more would be critical f him. at times hes sublime, others slow lazy and terrified to take responsibility and shoot
Come on Fat gooner deliver us some home truths
Mertesacker is a liability, ive said it many times but Wenger and Wenger fans keep tucking it under the carpet. Same goes for Giroud. Im sure Gabriel and Theo if given more chances as well as a possible new striker would make the difference.
per is fine when we’re leading but 1-0 down he hampers our ability to push…
Any player that is only good when we are winning is by definition not good enough
i think that was my point
Both goals were dreadful, and if it had been Ospina or Szczesny rather than Cech they’d have been slated by everyone as not good enough for a top club. Be interesting to see what all those journalists and pundits who claimed that Cech was infinitely superior to Ospina (too foreign, too small) and Szczesny (too crazy) will have to say about that display. So much for the 12 points a season he was supposed to gain for us. However, and not for the first time (remember Monaco), it was just as much our rubbish finishing that cost us the game.… Read more »
Petr Cech they said. World class goalie they said. Pffffffff!
Same players…same manager….same result. We’ll win some, lose some, go on the odd run but be nowhere near the title. The fragility is till there. Why should it be any different if nothing fundamentally has changed?
Is it the Emirates? The players seem to shrivel around games with big expectations at the Emirates.
It just feels like they psyche themselves out before they’re even on the pitch. Or is it just me?