Arsene Wenger insists he’s baffled by Arsenal’s away form after we once again surrendered a lead to lose 2-1 at Newcastle United; our fifth successive defeat on the road in the Premier League in 2018.
The Gunners are now the only team in English football without a point in this calendar year and the boss admits it’s a worrying trend.
Alex Lacazette had put us ahead with a smart volley on 14 minutes but Ayoze Perez’s leveller and Matt Richie’s second half strike once again highlighted our defensive fragility.
Here’s what he had to say to Sky Sports after the defeat at St James Park…
On the result…
It’s a little bit the story of the season away from home. We were 1-0 up, didn’t put the game to bed and made mistakes defensively. I felt overall today, the fact we payed on Thursday night meant we couldn’t raise the tempo and keep it up like we did in the firs half.
On only having themselves to blame…
Yep, that’s what happened many times this season. That’s all we can say together. It’s baffling how we lost this game today. From no chances, basically, we lost 2-1. On the other hand, the result is there.
On taking positives from Aubameyang and Lacazette pairing well…
Yes, and we had plenty of other opportunities in the first half. There are promising thing things in our game, I’ve seen that many times, but we live at a level where you have to be realistic and transform all your chances.
On whether the team selected was strong enough to win…
Yeah, of course. That’s what I thought before the game and the game hasn’t changed my mind. We made some mistakes in the second half, we didn’t give many chances away, but the few we gave away we paid for it.
On needing to consolidate 6th place…
It’s a missed opportunity, of course. We have some other games, we have to recover now and focus on the next one.
On how Arsenal can fix their away form…
By not making the same errors that we’ve made until now. It’s quite baffling because traditionally we’ve been very strong away from home. I believe as well, this week we had to give a lot on Thursday night. Those who played on Thursday, you could see in the second half that the game was a bit in their legs.
Man U away next. The away run is likely to continue…
Welbeck to the rescue
Man U lost at home today to hand it over to City.
Ironic. United win away at City with an amazing performance to avoid the shame of their rivals winning the championship at their expense, then lose at home to the bottom club in the PL to hand City the championship at their expense. Arsenal fans aren’t the only fans scratching their heads in bafflement today.
PS Did I mention that Arsenal are playing at Wembley in the Cup Final on May 5th?
“Yep”
Yeah there is no shot of a win at United and frankly this season that game is irrelevant, especially as it is between the two semi-final legs. Just put out the reserves plus P-E A and bite down on the leather when the game start.
It baffles me that this retard is baffled. He is 100% to blame here. Stop playing chambers at RB, next time take mustafi off not chambers, comfortably the worst player on the pitch by far. Donno what he expected when he played Xhaka and elnenny together without Ozil, Ramsey of Wilshere on the bench – especially in mkhytarians absence. Stupid fucking retard needs to fuck off, it’s blatantly obvious for everyone except him. Fuck him and his legacy, couldnt care less what he’s done for the club, he’s a selfish prick for staying this long at our club at £8m… Read more »
Yes, I think the manager is responsible for the team and the players are responsible for their individual performances. Whilst I understand your frustration, calling Wenger a ‘retard’ is a wholly unhelpful and unwarranted description of him.
How about “an old fart” in a friendly way
I poured out vituperations like you and got thumb downs by bloggers. You are lucky to have 22 ups so far. I said Wenger was selfish and not fair to the fans and the club. Give this exact squad to Sean Dyche, talkless of a Conte or a Jardim, Arsenal would win the EPL. I am really tirrrrrrrrrred of criticising this incorrigible Wenger. It almost looks as if nothing gets to him or his obsession to this club gives him extra immune system.
Jaysus but thats a whinney post there Gereoma.
Just go, please.
I’m sure he’s “baffled” you’ve said this lol.
If the man is not aware he’s finished that’s is “baffling”. If he was aware and scared of life without power the “baffling” has just been taking to another level.
Arsene IS the problem.
A bit of perspective lads …. 4 first choice players not playing … bigger fish to fry …. returned 3 days ago from Moscow … not much at stake here .. away at Newcastle ….most mpirtant now is the next game and the EL ….win the EL and this will be a great season … finalist in the EFL cup , plus another trophy potentially to play for ….
What if we don’t win el?
If we win the Europa league this won’t be a great season, it just prevents it from being a shite season. Qualifying for Europe should be the bare minimum. I see it as papering over the cracks, just like with our last 3 FA cup wins. It’s not that we lost today, it’s that we lost in such a typical spineless way as we have for years now. I don’t want to see chambers at rb again HES NOT A FUCKING RIGHT BACK! Anyways I thought Xhaka and mustafi were shocking, yet he takes off chambers, I would have swapped… Read more »
GREAT SEASON???, we are total shit, winning the cup means nothing, and expect the same next season
33 people happy to see us disappear into mediocrity
The way I see it, Gazidis is playing this to solidify his position at the club. He’s not going to get involved until the season is over. Knowing the league is over for Arsenal, and has been for weeks, and the only hope now is on a long shot EL cup. And getting past Atletico will be difficult – but not impossible. In other words, he’s cleverly letting AW hang himself with his own rope. The longer this crap football goes on, the more and louder the supporters will blame AW – and rightly so I might add. Considering all… Read more »
I’m baffled with how Mustafi keeps getting into the starting lineup.
Prepare to stay baffled as this will continue next season to, along with selection iwobi, xhaka regardless of performances, same shit different season
Who else is there? They’re all shit. All Wenger can do is exchange one badly trained monkey for another.
I can’t understand why the young Greek chap, mavrapnos, doesn’t get a run. Or just play bobby holding and chambers at CB together, surely the have an understanding .I don’t even want to get started on mustafi today but he blows my mind because somewhere there is a player in there, not a 35m one but you know a centre half. Just whether he is knackered, not coached, has deep psychological issues, needs a better more commanding partner, whatever it is he’s not doing it for us. Let’s face it the league is done the only thing we are fighting… Read more »
No consequences for wank performances
Everything has to be nice at arsenal. He can’t handle characters who would question his decisions
Can’t handle characters? I don’t think we have any. Otherwise we would not be in this position.
Not really, look for options and the cupboard is bare. I would actually appreciate Gabriel right now 🙁
It’s his cupboard if there are no options that’s his fault. Wtf is per doing there if he can’t play?
I’m baffled that there’s no change of manager coming with the kind of performances we are putting in season after season.
It should be here in May ?.
Same here Arsene. If only you were a manager whk could come up with a way to turn this ar…. Oh wait. You ARE the manager! Silly me. See, when I see you sitting on your ass in the stands, looking all disappointed, I assume you’re a glorified Arsenal fan.
Be nice he loves the club
He loves the power he has and of course the money he earns
Baffled. Sums him up perfectly…
When you are baffled and can’t explain defeats time after time, and nothing changes, then there is no case for this man to be in charge next season.
I’d make a case for changing him now. i know he deserves respect, but a managerial shake-up might be the perfect thing to propel us past Madrid.
To be honest, I’d take Rafa in a heartbeat as a care-taker manager until the end of the season. He knows how to coach defence.
Club would never do it though…
One of 2 things Wenger. 1) The defenders we have are not being coached. These mistakes keep happening because you and your staff are NOT coaching these defenders. 2) The defenders we have are inept, not good enough and don’t belong at Arsenal. In which case, I would rather put younger lads in there because at least for them, there is a chance that they can be coached and come good. The decision to play Chambers at RB was awful, the young lads continually get dropped in the shit, and pay for it by their confidence being sapped. You’ve done… Read more »
Chambers did not play well.
He did okay considering he’s not a right back. Not that it’s great, but he didn’t do any worse than the people playing in their natural position
“Baffled”? really?
Baffled would be for Tom being unable to get the best of Jerry all those years. When your football team in a results (and money) based business has been consistently sh*t away from home all season, should be a sackable offense.
You could hear the anger and frustration in Thierry’s voice on Sky. I reckon he’ll be on the phone to Josh Kroenke tonight. Maybe he’ll get a look in at the club once Wenger leaves.
Same excuses for the past 10 years. Plenty of possession but wasteful in front of goal and a defence that has still not been sorted. Only team in the 4 divisions not to gain an away point this year and a cup run to paper over the cracks
If we could not keep up the tempo it points to a lack of squad depth. Not excusing Mustafi but he has played a load of games but we don’t have much alternatives in defense with the likes of Chambers, HOlding and Mavropanos. The numbers are there but is the quality in back up? Nor is our midfield with much strength if we have to throw in young Willock. We seem to have the strength in depth up top and we’ve spent a heap on the pair but can they finish and put the game to bed? Its not just… Read more »
But look at Liverpool. They’ve just hammered the champions of England and are in the semi final of the Champions League but they seem to have enough quality in their squad to keep winning their league games as well. Their youngsters are obviously well coached and don’t look out of place when they start in big matches. And that’s why I don’t want Wenger rolling out the tiredness excuse. We should have enough in that squad to cope.
Best thing about that game – apart from our excellent goal – was the news that Gazza is still with us, with his piebald skunk haircut !
Whatever happens in the EL, this must be Wenger’s last season with us. Any backsliding from that position is intolerable.
I dunno…if he wins that europa, he’s going to be given the option to see out the last season is my gut feeling.
I think you may be wrong there.
BUT first he has to get by Athletico.
Think the terrible away form just reflects the improved quality of the prem and that typically our technical level / better players has been enough to see us through but if the coaching / quality of the lesser teams improves we don’t have that crutch to rely on.
Basically everyone else has a squad / system that works + were just doing the usual throw out the good players + let them figure it out that was once a strength (when the calibre of players was high) but now is a pretty easily exploitable weakness.
The case in point is when you have a front 4 and have no idea what formation or system we’re playing.
We don’t even have high calibre players anymore. We don’t have wow factor players anymore. Our technical edge is eroded. Clearly Wenger’s organisational skill is never his strength when it comes to squad tactics and defensive issues. BUT going forward, even with two record breaking signings, we are flat. Truth is we don’t even have the most exciting front pairing. We also lack width. Could have got a Mahrez but instead we went for Mhkitaryan thanks to Mslintat. Its replicating Ozil and Ramsey instead of building wide capacity with pace that we had shed with Walcott, the Ox, Gnabry and… Read more »
Good comment, santori.
Except for mahrez; he’s a 1 season wonder. We have enough of those. And i don’t understand the hate for Mhty. Hes looked really good since he’s joined.
Man, the creative output of this team when we take some players out is atrocious. Time and time again we get as far as the back four and a “404, File not found” message comes up on the Arsenal ideas list.
Even when we form some sort of counter it’s like we wait for the defence to get back into position. Athletico will look at today and they’ll be licking their lips, rubbing their hands together, and clicking their well-drilled heels.
lol, I don’t know why so many people are baffled by wengers team selection, as he has been doing it all season, and I don’t know why wenger is baffled why we keep loosing away from home, well let me enlighten you mr wenger, its because YOU have got a shit team, so now YOU know
Its his job to provide solutions, and not to be baffled like the rest of us.
If the coach is baffled, then he has no answers and we must move on to new leadership.
Same Arsene, same.
well at least there’s no surprises.
First goal from Newcastle was a pretty sweet move with power and pace, but Mustafi was watching the ball coming in and not the player. Watch the damn runner and not the ball and block him off! Second goal was a balls up. Why the hell do you even take a throw in backwards if your defence is not reasonably set? After that it was comedy of errors stuff and some smart play by Newcastle. In general play the defence was reasonable, but by god learn from your mistakes! Obviously easy to blame the manager (why not!) but the two… Read more »
How about second goal?
Monreal ‘s second in a row. Positional error.
Sure highlight Mustafi because he is by popular consent the villian but some more popular players seem infallible.
Double standards much.
Not saying Mustafi isn’t at fault but its rubbish to highlight one player and ignore another.
It merely inflates the faults of one whilst conveniently ignoring the other.
It was the same as the comparison between Flamini and Coquelin.
Utter nonsense.
No, Im agreeing with you. Monreal out of position on the second along with most of the defence. So, dont throw it in so fast backwards if we are not set!
It’s not baffling as to why we lost yet again in the road and yet again after scoring first. Because our defenders are awful. Newcastle scored off a throw in. They scored their first after Mustafi, yet again, stood motionless as his mark went by him. Holding, chambers and mustafi don’t belong at tgis level. yet still they play. Next year will be no different because we won’t buy new defenders. Maybe we’ll get lucky and holding, Mustafi and chambers will realise how awful they are and retire to spare us fans from having to watch them over the next… Read more »
The defense is not the problem.The coaching is. Wenger is right he has some quality players but somehow he is not getting the best out of them. Mustafi came in with a critical block against Gayle earlier in the match and he has been putting in these kinds of interventions over 12 games now. Yet he is prone to these lapses. Predominantly, I feel the team does not defend as a collective. They leave it to each other to cover their own zones. No one in midfield is tracking dangers coming in behind the defenders I mean if you want… Read more »
I thought you were insistent that Chambers was a right-back? Have you changed your mind now?
At the beginning of the season the europa league would have no bearing on the league he said. There is no difference to wed/sat thurs/Sun he said. Now it is a major factor. Just whatever excuse will do.
We looked good ish 1st half but Benitez changed things and we were awful 2nd half and could barely get our strikers in the game. How about aw changing something instead of just sitting the hoping they will fix it themselves?
Mustafa? Good god. 35m on him and even funnier when neville said Valencia couldn’t give him away
This is nonsense.
If Wenger did no spend 35m, the argument would be he is being cheap.
Now he spends money and he is being told he is wasting it.
Double standards much?
No Santori. By all means spend the money but spend it well. Take Maguire, think he was 2/3 the price of mustafi and looks twice the player. Maybe he’s a great player who the manager can’t get the best out of
Why highlight 35m spent?
How much did we spend on Aubameyang and Lacazette?
Just one goal?
Why are you defending footballs version of Inspector Clouseau ?
He chooses to play one of the best centre forwards on the wing. Out of position. This is how he accommodates his best players he plays them out of position in the hope they perform
Ild have sympathy for Mustafi if he was playing right back or cm. But now I fear I’m giving aw ideas and we have our new cdm. After chambers of course
Aubameyang has been a great signing so far, worth the money if you look at his current stats. And funnily enough it was the transfer Wenger had the least to do with.
Doesn’t help that we have virtually no defense at all.
Honestly the sooner Mustafi is out the door the better, nothing against him personally, but he can’t perform well on a regular basis at all.
Steve Bould should be sacked. Abysmal defending.
I don’t know what they teach the players in the training session.
Its pretty basic stuff. Watched the City match yesterday against Spurs. They ALWAYS double up against a player on the ball.
Others are alert with head on a swivel.
I mean its easier said than done, they still leaked a goal to Erickson.
But errors seem to repeat with us.
What does Bould do?
Slight element of luck in the Ericsson goal
I’m sorry but if you think it’s Bould’s fault your as clueless as Wenger
He can’t fix this. How many times do you watch different players making the same mistakes. It can’t be personnel. It’s lapses in concentration yes, but he trains them each day and analyses the matches afterwards so how can it continue to be this way? There is no leadership, no organisation and no communication. I see it even when we win games at home. Still making defensive mistakes. He can’t fix this.
I feel like with Mustafi and this near post business, someone behind him needs to give him a shout. I don’t think the team as a whole is in sync enough to defend collectively. Its more as if you defend your patch and I’ll do my zone. When you watch City, they defend almost in pairs at times. One person is always ready to jump in should the first defender get beaten (and it does happen) The other issue is we are not asserting control of the game. Possession is illusionary if we are not putting the other side under… Read more »
I’m baffled and befuddled.
-how do I get all these eggs out me aerse?
Baffling? Baffling? I am baffled he still has a job. Our defenders are crap! Nothing baffling there.
Apparently we have not won a single point away in 2018.
33 points behind
13 points behind 4th place
If Kroenke keeps him in post then Arsenal are truly finished…
It’s not baffling, Arsene is outcoached week after week. Auba + Lacazette cost more than Newcastle’s 11. Our tactics are awful. Our gaffer has no insight. Time after time he laments spirit or energy. Whereas in the modern game, just about every other team is led by someone who has tactical instruction.
Newcastle’s press was exceptionally well organized. We are still in the 90’s era of players “expressing themselves”.
I think he’s baffled by more things than that at the moment to be honest.
I am not baffled Wenger, this season our away form is shit, it looks like you do not know how to motivate the team, you carry on playing your favourites even when their form is dire. I mean Mustafi is still in the starting 11 somehow, players are either not being coached properly or have the memory of a sieve and forget everything within 5 minutes, too many players in to cosy a spot not being pushed or challenged, players keep being played out of position …….. the list is endless. Made worse still by the fact that rigth up… Read more »
We can’t defend but we can hardly attack either. No point moaning about defense when we do not put away or create enough chances the other end even with two record signings on the pitch. We need a midfield general and we need a wide player with pace and skill. How we end up with relying on Willock when our away record has been so poor is baffling. Iwobi has yet to prove consistency but Wenger may choose to develop internally with him and Nelson. That would be another error. And in defense, Mustafi sad to say is actually one… Read more »
What makes it even more annoying was the first goal was a cracker, a fast break like we used to do so well. How can we score a peach like that then disintegrate, forget how to defend and let *newcastle* ffs win ?
I despair …
arsenal has not been in the best of form, no one can deny that. and as painful it is for us to watch the team sometimes, we have to admit, we still could get some decent results at home at times. the real question is why we cannot at least replicate that kind of ‘form’, however much form there is, when we’re playing away from home? i’m not trying to defend wenger, i still do think he should bow out at the end of the season, but i’m just trying to be a little bit objective here. if the same… Read more »
It’s the managers job to change their mentality either, either through motiviation or proper coaching to make them prepared. Obviously this is not happening.
It’s ok arsene, have another 2 years to see if you can finally figure it out.
Beyond a joke now.
With all due respect to Wenger, I do hope we get Tuchel in. I think he is the best coach out there right now that doesn’t have a job.
I think he’s going to PSG.
Chelsea are getting tonked, till Giroud, yes the same HFB whom Arsenal fans delivered to the Blues, took them by the scruff of the neck to win that game. Spurs were kicking the hell out of Man City players, but doing precious little, while Arsenal were being Arsenal. I lost count of Mustafi to Holding to Elneny to Mustafi to… after 500. I thought this would never happen to a Moaninho side, and what do I know, they lose to fu*king WBA, the bottom side, who last won a game when Columbus sailed for the Indies, at the Theatre of… Read more »
With City losing lots of games recently and Manure losing to the bottom of the table team at home, coupled with the spuds winning nothing (probably) are we too hard on Wenger?
Don’t care about them. We are in a rut of shite performances and clueless direction.
A manager who selfishly won’t accept he isn’t good enough anymore and a board too weak to tell him so. Oh the words of Ivan when aw signed his new deal! Lolz
“losing lots of games” – City are on course for a record points tally, I think their fans will excuse a loss or two along the way. We are also breaking records of another kind.
You want to know what’s baffling, that he’ll still be in charge next year even if we’re knocked by Atletico and are overtaken by Burnley. Now that’s baffling.
Yes every X player feels the same, even D. Dein if you put him on the spot would admit ‘Arsene ‘ the stubborn old French fool’ should have gone years ago. The fact the Krankies have no idea about Football works in his favour, no matter what Ivan & the board want, Wenger sly old bugger will go behind there back. He should be sactioned, put in a home of the delusional, people who think they are Napoleon or Hitler or whatever. He actually believes in his diatribe of ‘ Every club on the Planet wants me’ so I am… Read more »
Traditionally was a decade ago ! Change is sorely long overdue, I still have love for this man ! But for how much longer though I don’t know …….
What’s more baffling is how much support this guy is still getting from us fans
Baffled is when you dont know whats happening, Eveyone one can see it .I dont think you need to spell it out to players that have dozens of games under thier belts.The need a fucking good fright a few threats that are made into promises. They rolled over and got shafted.Also are they forbidden to shoot from more than 5 yards out? FFs
Whatever fortunes await in our final games, you need to leave Wenger. You are diminishing ur own legacy and our club values for every season you stay now, time for change. Big time.
To be fair, if you are baffled by our losses you need to go…and take Mustafi with you.
Yeah we’re going to win the Europa League alright…….
“I felt overall today, the fact we payed on Thursday night meant we couldn’t raise the tempo and keep it up like we did in the firs half.”
Well, you know what then? Let’s just not play in Europe ever again. Never. No Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays. None. Just remove it entirely so we don’t have to eat this gruel of a comment ever again.
Yes. I’m pissed. (off).
“Baffling”. I couldn’t think of a word to better describe Arsenal over the last 10 or so years.
‘Baffled’? I’ll tell you the problem at Newcastle. One, no motivation due to poor league position. Two, makeshift side. Three, players playing out of position; one of Europe’s best strikers on the wing. But, hang on, wasn’t Podolski and Arsharvin given the same position? Four, no defence. Five, a manager bereft of how to fix things and expecting players to make it up as they go along.