Up the Arse! Goons Thread

[PendlePie]

Elneny was fantastic. He had an off night in front of goal though.

 

[bok_party]

I actually thought Elneny was one of our better players. His finishing was off, but he was constantly on the move, and looking to get involved. Some great one touch passes. I thought Coq should have been subbed, not Elneny.

He was mate. Great movement off the ball and smart passing. Unfortunately his shooting let him down a bit today which I put down to a bit of nerves in trying to score his first for the club.

 

[glenferry23]

Yep I thought Elneny and Campbell were our better players.

Which explains why they were subbed off.

Ozil is in a class of his own.

 

[PendlePie]

Missing out on FA Cup is probably a blessing in disguise as will being knocked out of CL. We need all the rest we can get at the moment because we just look devoid of any actual grit and determination. It's staggering the difference between our fightback/performance against Spurs and last night. Where is that same fight?

Simply put, It doesn't exist. The team fights when it feels like it. For maybe 5 games a year, it will flatter to deceive. But these matches are exceptions to the rule. Arsenal not only accepts mediocrity - it embraces and rewards it. The lack of accountability from top to bottom has culminated in a severe cultural rot. It was mentioned in here 1-2 weeks ago. Wenger places too much faith in sub-standard players, then rewards them with contract extensions on OTT wages. In the media, he'll peddle the "these players are good enough, they have good spirit" bullshit each and every transfer window - the huge issue being the psychological ramifications on the players.

He gives them the illusion of control and invincibility. Always backing the players publicly, always disputing the notion that signings are required, always peddling the same old excuses. These players, having thrown away the league and UCL, are now under no weight or pressure internally, and duly perform well enough to scrape top 4. Cue the mass celebrations, more Wenger media-spin on quality and talent and belief, and we head into pre-season with essentially the same squad full of the same average players, all with the same loser mentality that has been drilled into them by a manager who has simply forgotten how to win major trophies. Rinse and ******* repeat.

Another thing that goes largely unmentioned is that Wenger can't play the "youth" card anymore when it comes to making excuses. He has assembled an old and mature team - easily one of the oldest in the league - that he would legitimately feel is good enough to challenge domestically and in Europe. The squad at his disposal now is, in Wenger's eyes, probably the most ready and able team he has established since 2006. Nothing highlights his delusion quite like that.

Edit:

In the previous three seasons, Arsenal have averaged 2.17 points per game after the FA Cup third round

As it stands, we've banked 10 points in the 9 league games since the FA Cup 3rd round - an average of 1.11 points per game. Relegation form as someone mentioned earlier. This season represented one of the best chances Wenger and the team will ever have to win a league title - and they've responded by achieving about half of their own self-set benchmark to this point. Dismal is an understatement. But Wenger will stay, the board will bank a nice fat UCL cheque, and Walcott/Ramsey/Ox/<insert shitkuunt player> will continue to earn 10x what they're worth and be backed publicly and privately by a deluded manager. Onwards and upwards

 

[HODGEYROAD]

Simply put, It doesn't exist. The team fights when it feels like it. For maybe 5 games a year, it will flatter to deceive. But these matches are exceptions to the rule. Arsenal not only accepts mediocrity - it embraces it. The lack of accountability from top to bottom has culminated in a severe cultural rot. It was mentioned in here 1-2 weeks ago. Wenger places too much faith in sub-standard players, then rewards them with contract extensions on OTT wages. In the media, he'll peddle the "these players are good enough, they have good spirit" bullshit each and every transfer window - the huge issue being the psychological ramifications on the players.

He gives them the illusion of control and invincibility. Always backing the players publicly, always disputing the notion that signings are required, always peddling the same old excuses. These players, after having thrown away the league or UCL, are now under no pressure and duly perform well enough to scrape top 4. Cue the mass celebrations, more Wenger media-spin on quality and talent and belief, and we head into pre-season with essentially the same squad full of the same average players, all with the same loser mentality that has been drilled into them by a manager who has simply forgotten how to win major trophies.

Another thing that goes largely unmentioned is that Wenger can't play the "youth" card anymore when it comes to making excuses. He has assembled an old and mature team - easily one of the oldest in the league - that he would legitimately feel is good enough to challenge domestically and in Europe. The squad at his disposal now is, in Wenger's eyes, probably the most ready and able team he has established since 2006. Nothing highlights his delusion quite like that.

Absolutely brilliant post and bang on.

 

[windyhill]

It's like we've been relegated around here.

 

[HODGEYROAD]

It's like we've been relegated around here.

Its been our most disappointing season in the last 20 years given the level of competition, our results and the football we have played. Barca 4-0 Arsenal.

 

[windyhill]

Its been our most disappointing season in the last 20 years given the level of competition, our results and the football we have played. Barca 4-0 Arsenal.

Just carrying on a bit too much imo, 90% of other clubs would love to be in our position. Barca, 3-1.

 

[HODGEYROAD]

Just carrying on a bit too much imo, 90% of other clubs would love to be in our position. Barca, 3-1.

Thats the sort of attitude that is allowing this slide and putting up with bullshit mediocrity, comparing us to shit kicking clubs to make ourselves feel better... Given the resources available to us and the amount of $$$$ fans pay what we are seeing at the moment isn't good enough.

 

[windyhill]

Thats the sort of attitude that is allowing this slide and putting up with bullshit mediocrity, comparing us to shit kicking clubs to make ourselves feel better... Given the resources available to us and the amount of $$$$ fans pay what we are seeing at the moment isn't good enough.

You can't win 'em all buddy.

 

[HODGEYROAD]

You can't win 'em all buddy.

Yeah I understand that but I certainly expect to win more than 4 from 14 and lets be honest soon to be 4 from 16 after we play Barcelona and Everton away.

 

[Benno_900]

The saddest thing is that I thought Watford were actually terrible.

They were sloppy in possession and wasteful going forward. Their defence was so static - not that it mattered as they only had Giroud to deal with.

It doesn't take much to beat Arsenal nowadays.

 

[windyhill]

Yeah I understand that but I certainly expect to win more than 4 from 14 and lets be honest soon to be 4 from 16 after we play Barcelona and Everton away.

Barca, yep , foregone conclusion as soon as we drew them, Everton away, wouldn't give up on the boys on that one.

 

[HODGEYROAD]

Barca, yep , foregone conclusion as soon as we drew them, Everton away, wouldn't give up on the boys on that one.

Lakaku will terrorise our defence, we will get bashed up in midfield and will really struggle.

 

[Benno_900]

 

[bok_party]

The saddest thing is that I thought Watford were actually terrible.

They were sloppy in possession and wasteful going forward. Their defence was so static - not that it mattered as they only had Giroud to deal with.

It doesn't take much to beat Arsenal nowadays.

Seems easier to soak up the pressure and sit back against Arsenal and hit on the counter. I find we play our best football when we do that to sides ourselves.

 

[HODGEYROAD]

Just listened to a near 2 hour podcast Gooner Ramble, pretty decent listen if you have the time.

 

[PendlePie]

Barcelona 5-1 Farcenal

 

[Shoei]

Seems easier to soak up the pressure and sit back against Arsenal and hit on the counter. I find we play our best football when we do that to sides ourselves.

What pressure though? Watching Arsenal players pass the ball around the outside of the box for 90 minutes isn't pressure.

 

[Genesis67]

The saddest thing is that I thought Watford were actually terrible.

They were sloppy in possession and wasteful going forward. Their defence was so static - not that it mattered as they only had Giroud to deal with.

It doesn't take much to beat Arsenal nowadays.

They certainly weren't that great. When we were going forward, there were constantly holes in their defence.

 

[bok_party]

What pressure though? Watching Arsenal players pass the ball around the outside of the box for 90 minutes isn't pressure.

I know. That's why it's easier to just watch us do that because no one pulls the trigger. With good teams, that "pressure" is actually that.

 

[PendlePie]

I know. That's why it's easier to just watch us do that because no one pulls the trigger. With good teams, that "pressure" is actually that.

I know it was only against Villa, but I checked the scores before bed and saw that Spurs had 5 shots in the first 5 minutes. Spurs don't have many class finishers, but they peg sides back and pepper the opposition goal - eventually, it leads to a chance via a rebound or deflection e.g. Iwobi's shot that set up the late Welbeck chance.

 

[bok_party]

I know it was only against Villa, but I checked the scores before bed and saw that Spurs had 5 shots in the first 5 minutes. Spurs don't have many class finishers, but they peg sides back and pepper the opposition goal - eventually, it leads to a chance via a rebound or deflection e.g. Iwobi's shot that set up the late Welbeck chance.

Exactly man. It's all well and good to keep possession (which I am a stickler for) but there has to be some attempt at a finished product. For all Elnenys poor shooting the other night, at least he was trying and same with Iwobi. Tell me who else tried from the edge of the box or further out? Sanchez does but he always picks the wrong moment. I couldn't tell you anyone else.

 

[Genesis67]

Exactly man. It's all well and good to keep possession (which I am a stickler for) but there has to be some attempt at a finished product. For all Elnenys poor shooting the other night, at least he was trying and same with Iwobi. Tell me who else tried from the edge of the box or further out? Sanchez does but he always picks the wrong moment. I couldn't tell you anyone else.

Alexis seems so out of form at the moment. His effort, as always, is unsurpassable. But that flair and magic that was there last season doesn't seem there atm.

 

[HODGEYROAD]

I just want Diego Simeone to be our manager so badly.