Following last night’s 3-0 defeat to Man City, Arsene Wenger says it was the highest physical performance of the season from his team.
Arsenal were given the runaround in the first half by a City side who now sit 30 points ahead of us in the Premier League, and afterwards the Arsenal manager spent a long time in the dressing room with his players before doing his media duties.
When he did speak, he had praise for Pep Guardiola’s side and spoke about a lack of confidence among his players – something which was evident in the performance.
“I think we produced our highest physical performance of the season and Manchester City did as well, by quite a long way,” he said.
“Physically, the two teams gave a lot. I knew that the first half could have been difficult for us because we came out of Sunday’s game with a low confidence level.
“They came back with a very positive mindset and that’s why they took advantage of every defensive weakness we showed in the first half. At the end of the day, I must say we lost against a top-quality team who at the moment are the best team in the country.
“On top of that, the combination of their quality plus the fact that they’re high in confidence and we’re low in confidence played a big part in the game tonight.”
And on the job of rebuilding that confidence, he continued, “You go up by stairs and come down by the lift. That’s what confidence is. That’s what you have to show, that you have the level to be at Arsenal.
“When your confidence is not at the best, the first thing that goes is your fluidity in the movement, the spontaneous side of the game. You could see that tonight.
“I don’t deny their quality because they have top quality, but we’re going through a difficult patch at the moment. That’s part of football as well unfortunately.”
The huge gap between the two teams has been well and truly illustrated over the last two games, and despite any good physical stats, there’s a lot more to solve than just distance covered.
Even people here can’t be bothered to comment anymore. That’s how disillusioned everyone is right now
Can’t even roll out TW14 to say they wanted it more
First of all I cannot believe that was our highest physical performance of the season, it sounds insane.
Secondly, what must that statement really say to the players about how far we are away from the better teams?
And thirdly, It is a typical comment from a deluded, outdated man that doesn’t really care about this club…If he did and if he is as highly intelligent as we are told, he would have seen years ago this is as far as he can go in club football and left on a high like Fergie did.
“Doesn’t really care about the club”???
Really. Has he just stayed in this “marriage” for 20+ years for the kids then?
(Who’s going to be the first to comment that he stayed in this marriage for the 8 mill a year he gets paid)
Kids = $$$
Not in my experience TDTBO.
Goonerest it isn’t about the money but about the power he exudes
I’ve always wanted to “exude” power.
Is there like, an ointment I can buy that does that? Or maybe the right aftershave?!?!
ex·ude (verb)
1.discharge (moisture or a smell) slowly and steadily.
“the beetle exudes a caustic liquid”
synonyms:give off/out, discharge, release, emit, issue; More
2. (of a person) display (an emotion or quality) strongly and openly. “Mr. Thomas exuded friendship and goodwill”
synonyms: emanate, radiate, ooze, emit;
Ahhh your that guy homer
Just for you – Collins dictionary
If someone exudes a quality or feeling, or if it exudes, they show they have it to great extent
To make apparent by mood or behaviour – he exuded confidence (transitive)
Dictionary guy, seriously fella just leave it out.
I’d like to be the first to say that he stays for the 8 mill per year.
I honestly dunno what to say anymore……
What about: wenger out ?!
We’re closer in terms of points to West Brom at the bottom of the league than we are to Man City at the top…and have only conceded 3 less goals than West Brom. Sad f’ing times
How does this get any thumbs down?!?!?
Wenger talking about “spontaneous football” is a man that has no back up plan. If “spontaneous football” is not working, how about trying something like “tactically planned football”. He talks about this being the hardest physical performance this season then doesn’t make any subs to aid his tiring team….
I don’t think he should last until the end of the season and have no idea how anyone would want him to continue.
The only positive last night was that we drew the 2nd half.
How’s it going Ty!
I just feel so sorry for Arsene Wenger at this point. As City scored the third goal last night, the camera panned over to Wenger, and it did honestly look like he was holding back tears. He looks so broken, and its so sad to see him reduce to this. He is so out of his depth now that its frightening. I genuinely think there was some sort of order given at halftime in the City dressing room to step off the gas in the second half. Because City did just keep the ball out of our reach and kept… Read more »
I’m still trying to wrap my head around the first comment on this thread. A philosophical conundrum. Is it a comment or not? Is this a comment? And the 82 comments at the time of writing? What is a comment? Is language real? What is real?
I feel sorry for Wenger..
It’s like one of those Rocky movies, except the opponent’s stamina doesn’t seem to be running out.
Thing is though, we are are not capable of fighting against any decent opponent or any opponent come to think of it.
capitulation
It’s not even that we can’t! We beat Chelsea. We’ve destroyed Everton twice this season. We can do it, we *can* play amazing football.
But we don’t, that’s what’s so incredibly frustrating.
And what’s even worse is that we’ve done better when we had a worse team!
Supporting Arsenal is absolutely exhausting.
Apart from Chelsea, oh and Spurs and Liverpool at home.
If memory serves, Arsenal tonked Spurs 2-0 at the Emirates. And played well against City at Etihad, though lost. Same with Mou-Yanited. (Yes, I know, that was longer than 3 days ago. And Arsenal-Fucktard-TV had a fit so that must be the way to go….)
Those performances I’m fine with. The results suck, of course, but the team played well, worked hard. The defending against Liverpool was like a pack of drunk teenagers though – embarrassing.
I finding it increasingly difficult to feel sorry for wenger. He looks like he’s going mad with every loss, he can’t be enjoying it…. so why not just knock it on the head and give someone else a crack. This team is monumentally underperforming and he doesn’t seem to do anything about it.
He has nothing else in his life. Sad really
the same here. I dont feel sorry anymore , Iused to do but not anymore. every one of the dire situation we are in right now is the result of years if systematic choices he made . tactics I can understand , that he is incapable of changing it anymore. but other simpler decisions like buying a replacement for xhaka , a defender or atleast changing them and giving any one of our youngsters a chance ,how bad can it be. Instead he just persists with whatever he is doing thinking somehow it might workout in future. it is a… Read more »
Exactly. I’ve wanted him out since Almunia. Back then we could have won the league with a real gk. Almunia cost us 9-15 points a season. No excuse for persisting with that, it’s sheer arrogance and disrespectful to the fans who pay the highest prices in football
Seeing as he’s so important to the side, why didn’t we bring Perspective on at half time?
?
He was probably injured
He is almost there, but lacking a little bit the sharpness
He and confidence were injured in a training ground collision.
Really! Could the physical exertion (performance) of the team be based on the way Man City ran rings round our players, and the absolute control they had throughout the 90 minutes of play.
It was great while it lasted Arsene, it’s time for you to go. Hasta la Vista, dude.
You’re officially the best when it comes to analyzing then rationalizing defeats. If only you could also come up with an unbiased recommendation like; “My team is shite and I’m past it so I quit”.
Well, unto the next one…
Oaahahahahahahahahaha!
or come up with a solution…
Need fresh ideas, sooner rather than later.
Some fans are going up the stairs ignoring the lift and chucking themselves off the roof.
😀 😀 Maaaan o maan! I do love me the comments section! ?
Its just sad. Considering the quality we have on paper. Worse teams are doing much better.
What quality do we really have? Mesut, Jack, Mkhi, Aubameyang, Monreal. The rest are a joke, nobody is excluded from that
Absolutely spot on, exact players I would have named. The players listed are the only players who could or would get into other top 6 prem squads and other top level european squads, the rest are bang average (apart from maybe laca if he was in a decent side) and for whatever reason just are not up to the level required. The most worrying thing is that wenger thinks this is one of his best squads ever assembled, hence his always confused and bemused look on the sidelines. He refuses to accept it even though the results and decline prove… Read more »
This list is so idiotic because it’ll change as soon as someone else gets in form! A few months ago Monreal wasn’t good enough for the club. A while back Rob Holding was the club’s future! We have amazing quality on paper. Koscielny was a wall, Cech was actually legendary at Chelsea, bellerin is a brilliant right-back, even Iwobi is talent! Wenger just doesn’t seem to be able to get the best out of his players like he used to. Our team could be top4, but they don’t seem to care and our management doesn’t seem to be able to… Read more »
Difficult patch, difficult season, difficult decade. Chelsea romped the league when they didn’t have Europe, were 8 points behind 5th in march ffs
Spot the mistake.
it was painful leaving my apartment with this minus degrees weather and watching Arsenal players passing through the motion. Blame Wenger as much you like. There is foundamental issue(s) at the club. I can’t wait till he leaves and see how the rhetoric from commentators change. One Life the Arsenal. COYG
This is something that has become painfully clear to me recently- it’s the culture of the club that has gone downhill since Silent Stan took over. I don’t think this will be easy to recover anytime soon, though a change of manager is an important first step.
You honestly give a toss about the shite that commentators spew?!?!
Are you fooking kidding me?? Jaysus.
Support City. Really, you just should. Pep is a media darling. They ALWAYS say nice shit about him. And Klopp – another. You’d be much happier, really.
How can the club justify keeping the manager this morning?
Longest uninterrupted difficult patch in the history of the Premier League, another record for Arsenal. Woohoo!
Last two games? The gap in quality has been illustrated all season.
20 fucking points.
30 points
There was a bit more fight and passion last night from Sunday but ultimately we’re just not good enough. Granted Citeh are streets ahead but there is no excuse for not putting a shift in, so if that was ‘our highest physical performance of the season’ Wenger really has lost it. From the Board down, something has to change and quickly. The tipping point will be AC Milan, we go out of Europe and Wenger position will be untenable. He has to fall on his sword or the Board has the bollox to move him on.
It is already untenable to everybody but someone on the board and to Wenger himself.
I make a lot of sarcastic remarks on here but I’ll be honest.
I can’t watch any more, not because Arsenal are crap or because they are losing. It’s because when they cut to shots of Wenger sitting there looking glum and all out of ideas makes me very sad. I definitely definitely never watch his press interviews as they’re just heartbreaking. Just someone step in, anyone and save the man from himself.
That’s how you know an old bloke who has absolutely nothing left in him is at the helm. What a disgrace!
As long as Ramsey vampirises the game and plays his own show without caring this is collective sport…
Alex, they don’t really go for truth on here mate. Hence your downvotes… and of course, mine.
Ramsey looked half decent last Night, he was our only real threat at Times. But the pay off for that is we lose the midfield. xhaka is just not strong enough to hold the middle together. We have no holding midfield player that allows Ramsey to get forward so much.
It’s not Ramseys fault entirely. In another team that was tactically aware and with a manager that realised our weakness in that area Ramsey could be great but not in this set up when he bombs forward we have nothing but open spaces for the opposition to exploit
Still amazes me how Wenger still persists with Ramsey as a CM. Even Wales know he’s not that anymore.
Xhaka looked so slow at times last night. He has quality but it will never be suited to the premiership. Thought Ramsey at least tried last night
Excellent comment here, Dark(er) Lord. Yes, Ramsey’s habit of playing the safe/sideways pass is annoying as hell, but he does much less of that and has become quite a good midfielder. (Amazing that the Player who got the winner for Arsenal in 2 cups gets slagged off, but so it goes. I can understand that as I’ve often done the same but have recently stopped.) The problem, of many, that I’ve noted before, is tactics. Wenger has a lot talent at his disposal but he cannot do anything with it. The players all look lost. Soloists – not on the… Read more »
I know many will disagree but the team tried last night. I think we stuck to our philosophy and tried to play our football. It’s natural to lose by a big margin when you try to have a go against a team like that especially when you are low on confidence. City were phenomenal. You could see that they have gotten better after getting rid of deadwood like Kolarov, Clichy, Sagna, Mangala and others. They have bought players who would do absolute justice to their footballing philosophy and they threw millions to get there. Bernardo Silva, Gabriel Jesus, Walker, Mendy,… Read more »
What your saying is the 30 point difference between the two teams right now is purely down to finances? Umm…okay.
Atleast 10 points is down to the absence of Santi Cazorla. For the rest we miss couple of extra players who are on the same level as Santi.
Who is responsible?
Not Wenger. It’s purely finances.
So does the financial excuse also explain our defeats to Oosterunds, Nottingham and Spurs in recent months as well?
I think Ramgooner is actually Wenger incognito.
Ostersunds defeat shows some of the modern day footballers are a bunch of overpaid cunts.
Just be gracious about losing to Spurs. It’s rare for Arsenal FC to lose against Spurs and finishing below Spurs. Once in 50 years it might happen. Just be gracious.
The point is we didn’t go out and buy midfielders in the summer. WHY?
Discount Ostersunds – objective was to qualify with a second XI and to win on aggregate – done , Nott forest again a second XI and FA cup probably not a priority … Spurs was not good agree but still won the first tie 2-0 so 2-1 on aggregate … then 2 losses against e runaway league leaders with the highest wage bill and the most expensive squad … however the performances in the rest of the season will be crucial –I feel the fans and supporters have a crucial role to play , get behind the team , rally… Read more »
It’s not finances. He had 3 or 4 seasons to buy a suitable replacement for Cazorla and never did. That’s on him, not the finances.
Sensible comment, sir.
You’ll get no quarter here, I’m afraid.
He needs to go before the rot really sets in like Clough at Forest from which that club have never recovered from. Wenger’s last dignified opportunity to leave was his latest great ‘papering over the cracks’ day of beating Chelsea in the FAC final. I’m convinced Stan Kroenke being present at Wembley for that win is what saved him. To Stan, the euphoric atmosphere must have felt like a SuperBowl win. This from 7am kick off sums it up for me: ‘Wenger isn’t “tarnishing his legacy”. Nothing will take away his Invincibles. Nothing can take back the 7 FA Cups… Read more »
Apart from Fergie and a few others.
Fergie was smart enough to go when he saw signs of it. The signing of RVP was him going out with a bang, he knew his team’s decline was already starting.
No, he showed how he won’t the league with an average team. Because let’s be honest, Man Utd had bang average players since Ronaldo left.
I think Wenger knows that wasn’t our highest physical performance but to criticise his players would only knock their confidence back even more. Arsenal fans need to realise that he ain’t going no where between now and the end of the season. An empty stadium will destroy the club and players for the next manager.
End of which season is the key question? If fans knew this was his last season, they would give him the respect he deserves. He will not step down as he repeatedly has stated, nor Stan will chase him away…
Does he not have any family? Or close friends that give a f**k about him? Coz right now it’s gotten to were an intervention or something is needed before he completely and irreparably shatters himself
“We love you, we really do but for your own sanity, you have to let go”
Intervention? Get him on the Jezza Kyle show. The aftercare team will sort him out. Shit, ill need aftercare by the end of the season
It was really a sad night.
There are some things that anger me:
We are problably the only team in the league that has only got one right back. Hector Bellerin is still young and needs cover.
We are also the only team in the league without a proper DM! Xhaka gets a lot of stick. But he´s more a number 8 than a number 6.
That is just awful management. Nothing else.
You need a platform for your attacking players to operate!
I saw a statistik that Rambo was playing mor advanced that Aubameyang! That says a lot!
hubris
noun
excessive pride or self-confidence.
“the self-assured hubris of Arsene Wenger was the main reason the 17/18 season went down the toilet”
synonyms: arrogance, conceit, conceitedness, haughtiness, pride, vanity, self-importance, Wengerism, pomposity, superciliousness, feeling of superiority
Can we have a vocabulary lesson every morning?
Time to leaveMrr Wenger, the teams gone stale. The fans have lost all passion. We need a new GK, whole back 4 and 3 new midfielders.
We’re heading into the worst period to be an Arsenal fan. Going to be a bumpy ride.
Imagine swapping Sanchez for Mkhitaryan and thinking Arsenal got the better deal.
Wenger looked on the verge of tears last night. He needs to let it go…
The key concern for me I that players have come in with good reputations but you look at them now!!! Kolisinac being a classic example!!! I think Wenger should leave now so that a rebuilding exercise can begin BEFORE the season ends, so that the new man can work out who is going to play for him and know exactly who he is going to need to bring in during the summer!! We can then hit the ground running when the season starts, rather than waste next season trying to figure things out!!!!
Diversionary. We were below expectations. We have been for years. Arsene appears to be bleliving his own rhetoric. Really who’s he trying to convince anymore?
I like Wenger and believe that without him we would be worse. He is great coach, problem is the players. We do not have good enough players. At least not at a level of City. So guys calling for Wengers head are delusional, they are same fans that wanted Wenger to buy Jacson Martinez who even floped in China. Admit you know shit about football. Wenger forewer. Just pray board gives more moneys to buy better players.
@Nofuture Spot on mate. Many seem to think Arsenal are spending money because we have broken the transfer record twice but they don’t realize it comes with a cost and that is Giroud, Walcott, Coquelin, Ox and Sanchez. I’m not saying the players we let go are world class but the bench yesterday was awful. We need two world class midfielders who have a good football brain and a top top top CB+GK but i know the club won’t do it. They will hide behind Wenger as usual until his last day. We lost the club when Kroenke’s took over.… Read more »
So the problem is the players. Who buys and sell the players? Wenger. It was Wenger’s decision to buy Mustafi, it was Wenger’s decision to buy Xhaka. The list goes on and on.
But yep, it’s not Wenger’s fault for in the slightest.
Wenger buys and sells the players but Wenger does not allocate the budget. Wenger wanted Kante. He got Xhaka. Wenger wanted Vardy. He got Lucas Perez. The guy tries to do his best with what he has. Fair enough he makes mistakes but let’s remember he kept us in the CL for 20 years and every time in the last 16 we played peak Bayern/Barca. I bet M’bappe would be an Arsenal player if Wenger had 150 million to spend and 150 million is not even half of what United and City have spent this season. At the start of… Read more »
Kanye we cheaper than Xhaka. Giroud left because he wanted to leave not for finances, same with Theo, Coq and Sanchez (well his was money related but it was an absurd amount that made even City turn him down). Mbappe 100+ million for an unknown. That’s exactly what Arsenal don’t need. He doesn’t make do with what he has, he is the chief decision maker. He chooses who to buy and even used to set the price he is willing to pay. He is the one who coaches top quality defenders to look like school boys. Let’s not forget Bellerin:… Read more »
You act like the guy hasn’t spend any money over the last 5 years. He has spent loads of money and it’s comparable to what Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham have all spent (actually Tottenham considerably less yet they lie 10 points in front of us). Kante went to Chelsea for £32 million. So we spent more on Xhaka. So how was money a factor there? He got Lacazette and Aubameyang for £50+ million along with two £30+ million players in Xhaka and Mustafi. Not to mention securing Ozil and Sanchez years earlier and still unable to build a decent team.… Read more »
When we bought Ozil the other two signings were Sanogo and Flamini. We then bought Sanchez, Debuchy, Chambers, Welbeck. Welbeck was a panic buy because of injuries. Frankly we should have done well in 14-15 but we bottled it that year. Now why do you think we bought only Cech in 15-16 and no other outfield player. Simple, because we went out and bought Welbeck, Chambers, Debuchy the season before. You talk as if we spent generously over the last 5-6 years. The answer is a resounding NO. What did we do this year. AGAIN we went out and made… Read more »
He lost me when he persisted with Almunia.
Say what you like about Wenger. He’s finished, its sad etc. But the players are a fucking embarrassment mailing in ‘performances’ every week. They should be ashamed of themselves with the contracts they’re on.
I can’t figure out why i dislike ManCity players so much – they all seem ugly to me when we all know they’re best team in PL ! Maybe it’s those little and unnecessary fauls they commit ? Or maybe their faces ? Anyway perhaps both Michitarian and Auba brought the additional low level of confidence with them and it added to the present malaise … ? Frustrating times being the Arsenal supporter now
Good morning all Blog made a very good assessment this morning. I am older than Blog I remember Highbury before Wenger I remember when Wenger came and revolutionalised modern football in England. I knew when we decided to move to the Emirate that we will have few difficult years. I knew that we will become a selling team due to the business model Arsenal have. But what I did not envisage was that our owner was going to only used our club as a cash cow. Other clubs got new owner. Most of them did invest in their club with… Read more »
Spot on mate. As someone else as posted and I’m elaborating a bit. He most likely won’t be remembered for ‘The Invincible s’, introducing the next level of sports science into the Premiership, moving us to The Emirates, winning the Prem at WHL, winning the Prem at Old Trafford, winning 7 FA cups, surpassing Fergie’s Premier League number of matches in charge. People only remember the recent bad times which will tarnish his achievements at The Arsenal.
I sincerely and respectfully disagree. I will remember the good times he brought and focus on that. I´m a positive guy and there´s my perspective always. Rough times for sure but Arsenal will come out stronger eventually.
Runzac, appreciate your comment and I agree with you about the good times and that Arsenal will come out stronger after a period of transition, however long that will be. To be honest, I was generalising and pre-empting the future media frenzy about the negatives. COYG
He will be remembered as a man who in his pride brought the club to the brink of ruin. The squad he leaves behind, league position, prestige, the whole negative vibe of the club being on the donwslide. It’s all his doing.
Nottingham Forest supporters always remember the great days under Brian Clough rather than the decline. I believe this will be true with Wenger
When we used to lose I would be angry, now it’s just acceptance that we are who we are and that’s a mid table bunch of also-rans. I think it’s clear that there’s a culture within the club of excuse making. Wenger moaning about refereeing decisons, too many games in quick succession, Mustafi moaning that refs won’t talk to them, Jack saying that his ankles fell off again. I think it’s clear that only one thing is going to make a difference no matter how many times they try to paper over the cracks, or how many times they get… Read more »
Latest from Wenger on the reason for the defeat.
http://www.southendnewsnetwork.net/news/wenger-we-lost-because-we-were-fucking-shit/
What are we going to talk about when Wenger finally does go?
Good football hopefully
How refreshings things now are and how its clear now that wenger should really have gone many years ago. Hiw funny it is that we once feared this new chapter. How lovely it is to be seeing something different on the pitch.
Brendan in?
100% agree with Wenger. We were not outclassed….we were mentally inferior.
In the crunch times, when you had to shoot it in….they were cool and clinical, and we werent.
Great game. Great teams. Great managers. Lovely football. Onwards and upwards.
If it was the highest physical performance of the season, why no subs Arsene?
Meh
I am concerned for Mr Wengers mental health. This is not sarcasm or trying to be funny. Wenger is in denial I hope he leaaves Arsenal soon. If he does not I fear for him. Try to keep the faith my generation got read of Billy Wright. We just need a change of manager
Below expectations. That’s the charge leveled at Wenger. Its B.S. Now, before going further, I want to make clear that I agree with Blogs in his recent post (though, too melodramatic by half). And I also think Wenger should either retire or be removed at the end of this season, but not before. Out of respect, decency, and the idea of sort of club Arsenal is – or at least says it wants to be – they owe Wenger that. Leaving with dignity. (Enough with supporters mimicry of that Asshat-ArsenalFanTV scream fest silliness. We get it – the results and… Read more »
Your so wrong about Wrighty, Th14 etc, all the old players care about the club & the dismal state Wenger has got it into. All Gazidis was trying to do was bring the place up to the standards that other top clubs have achieved. Wenger it seems like a Tin pot Dictator refuses to go along. Yes I blame Kronk for keeping him on past his sell by date. This is ARSENAL FC, not Wenger fc. his personal retirement home, now a laughing stock throughout the game.
I at the very least expect to have a decent GK. Almunia cost us 9-15 points a season. We might have even pulled an EPL title once or twice from 2006-2011 with a few low cost upgrades. There’s NO EXCUSE. Now it’s miles beyond that, who knows how much it’ll cost to challenge again.
Loser