Blue Sunday

Written by Paul Williams on Sunday, November 2, 2008

Results

Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
01 Nov	3:00 PM	P	Stoke City (A)	1	2	Lost

What can I say now?

In a month where Arsenal will play Manchester United, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Chelsea, we will have to do so without Robin van Persie, without Emmanuel Adebayor, without Bacary Sagna and apparently Theo Walcott is injured too.

In a text exchange with my friend Ben during the game, which I didn't see, was going on yesterday, I opined that our forwards were all right - Nicklas Bendtner has a mammoth task on his hands this month, starting with Manchester United on Saturday. He is now our forward line for the next three league matches and so I wouldn't risk him on Wednesday night. And we've got Carlos Vela too, who will no doubt now be pressed into first team action despite not having been acclimatised to it as he might have been.

The worst thing about yesterday's result in Stoke is the fact that I am completely not surprised by it. I told Randall, the Spurs season ticket holder we'd lose, I told my friend Luke - an Everton fan who loves the way Arsenal play - that we'd lose. And why did we lose? Because we couldn't handle long distance throw-ins. Not corners, not free kicks, not dazzling interplay, poxy throws from the touchline. And why couldn't we handle those? Because "It is not our greatest strength", says the boss.

Jesus Christ.

Why not, Arsène? Is it because, having previously identified this as a weakness in the spring, you let the only centre back we had in the squad capable of dealing with a high ball join Mathieu Flamini in Milan? Is it because the next best option is sitting on the bench, wasting his career away, waiting for you to work out that you can play William Gallas with Kolo Touré, or Touré with Mikael Silvestre or Silvestre with Gallas and they still won't be as adept as dealing with a high ball as Johan Djourou should be.

Is it because you let Diarra leave when you knew there was a possibility Flamini would go and then let Gilberto go when you had already lost the French boys, replacing them with, um ... nobody, despite us all being told the funds (the funds that come from our ridiculously overpriced match tickets by the way) were available to you?

Ben ended our exchange by offering me his seat for Wednesday night, "£50." I replied: "I wouldn't pay a fiver right now". As it happens, I will be at the Manchester United game with Jo and Gabs next Saturday, where luckily, we will be out with friends after so I'll be able to forget whatever trauma is visited on me relatively quickly. After that I can look forward to seeing some pride taken in the shirt when our kids take on Wigan next Tuesday.

Three league matches gone; Fulham, Hull and Stoke. What price another four come the end of this month?

User Comments

18

Mos

Posted on 4 Nov, 2008 at 01:36 AM - Reply

I remember looking at our fixture list at the begining of the season and thinking we should win our first ten matches or maybe a couple of draws and eight wins at least, i definately didnt think we would be six points behind the leaders. I love this club and will still support them no matter what but some of the matches we have played this season have been very painful to watch. Against Fulham, Stoke and Sunderland we had so much possession but couldnt create a chance, we were just moving the ball from side to side with no urgency, i know these teams were defending deep with lots of men behind the ball but we just carried on doing the same thing when you could clearly see it wasnt working. To me it looks like we dont have a plan B and the only time Wenger wants to make a change is when were losing. In the summer three of our best players left the club and we did not replace them. I think Nasri is a great player but we needed him even if they stayed. To me it looks like our board are happy the way things are, they dont need to go out and spend money when they have a full stadium every week..why should they?? They qualify for the champions league every season which brings in a lot of capital and the only time they spend money on a player is from the sale of another. Even the likes of Usmanov and Kroenke bought shares in Arsenal because they knew it was a great investment as the club is so profitable. This club makes just as much as Man Utd by having a full stadium every week and qualifying for the champions league every year but the difference is that their board have much bigger ambitions for the club.

17

Andy

Posted on 4 Nov, 2008 at 12:06 AM - Reply

I still have faith in the team but i will not speak for the others...our patience has run out. Give Nicklas and carlos their start together, Diaby must perform by all means necessary.

If only Rosicky & Edurado were fit.....

16

Reg

Posted on 3 Nov, 2008 at 10:17 PM - Reply

I've been an arsenal fan for over 45 years and have been going to matches as long as I can remember and although I respect everything AW's done for the club & where he's taken us there comes a time when even the manager has to take stock at what's taking place on the pitch. I remember all those tough defenders & captains that would give their all for the badge, be difficult to beat...what do we have now, where's the leadership, the passion, could you imagine Tony Adams sitting in the middle of the field crying his eyes out, Frank McKlintock not urging his team forward or David O'Leary not giving his all? You don't have to go back that far to remember how strong our midfield was as well, Viera, Petit et al so what's gone wrong?

I feel its been a case of short-sightedness, not bothering to replace the players that have been sold or loaned with decent seasoned players, yes we've great young players but young players alone don't win you titles or cups, witness AW's oft remarked naive & immature statements, I think a sprinkling of maturity running through the team would help tremendously & would add stability.

My question has to be how long will we have to wait before we win a title or a meaningful cup as my patience is running thin with the excuses being trotted out by AW; too naive, too immature, tired who's fault's that, the manager regrettably. I don't care much for Man U, Chelsea or Liverpool as all I care about is my team so are we going to see some mature signings in the near future or not for our team, lets see.

15

temmy,nigeria

Posted on 3 Nov, 2008 at 01:49 PM - Reply

as for me ,am not going to kill myself fro arsenal.i almost fianted wen we drew wit totenham.now see what mr wenger has done to our hearts again.many arsenal fans in nigeria are now crosing over to chelsea cos they now play good football and scores goal.mr wenger should please buy this january so that we have good support for fabregas,the boy is getting frustrated and only God can asked him to stay next season if we dont win anything.

i still remain a gooner but for how long will i continue to burry my head in shame.
mr wenger , please save us all in here in nigeria,we are dying and we want results

14

ERIC

Posted on 3 Nov, 2008 at 10:44 AM - Reply

Wenger should be able to make us the arsenal fans be pround of team by ensuring that we have prayers who can change the game we need a defensive midf who can handndle all those thro ball i think Song is not up to the task

13

kukun

Posted on 3 Nov, 2008 at 09:09 AM - Reply

AW must do something with defence,find a solid defence.He want attacking play must have a solid defence.Sergio Ramos is unhappy at barnebaeu.Why not Sergio Ramos????

12

Seyiblack

Posted on 3 Nov, 2008 at 08:37 AM - Reply

To you AJ in case u hav you hav forgotten it ws d back line that got us thus far in our invincible year all d attack needed ws to score a goal and there was a 100% assuarance we wernt goin to concede or loose AW shud get a DM and 2 CB's 'MEN', enuf with d kids already u dnt nd soothsayer to tell you it aint workin no more

11

saw keh

Posted on 3 Nov, 2008 at 07:44 AM - Reply

The season without trophy begins..
We can't make to maintain our consistency...
Pls remember that experience depends on maturity.

10

caseg

Posted on 3 Nov, 2008 at 07:37 AM - Reply

Big fan of this site... but this is NOT your best article. We want to read a fan's analysis, not self-absorbed whinging!

Everyone is upset at the moment, but can you not choose to show a little more respect for a manager who has transformed and entertained at this club for more than ten years! Your 'only sing when we're winning' attitude does not help!

Liverpool fans will not be feeling too cheery this morning either, and if the past few seasons are anything to go by, there is plenty of points to be dropped by any of the top teams before May.

And if someone offered me a ticket before Wednesday night at £50, I'd have bitten their arm off! But if you couldn't motivate yourself to be positive, its probably best that you didn't go and waste the opportunity to show support.

9

GunnerSG

Posted on 3 Nov, 2008 at 05:45 AM - Reply

Something tells me Arsenal are gonna get smacked this month.Being a fan from the heart, I will be behind the guys all the way.

8

delboy

Posted on 2 Nov, 2008 at 10:53 PM - Reply

Why do u write on this page. It's not an article rather a diary entry. Get behind the team you twat and stop your moaning.

7

Mohd

Posted on 2 Nov, 2008 at 10:33 PM - Reply

AW better know his attacking styleie. beautiful soccer is getting Arsenal nowhere.Games where the dominate 90% of the the time sometimes end in defeats.
I don't care how the goal is scored as long itt gets the three points.AW wtih his insisitence on scoring goals in poetic style wil l no doubt find out teams will lay down their bodies to stop goals.
In the end it will be a season in transition and the gunners will be lucky to get into the cl.

6

aj

Posted on 2 Nov, 2008 at 10:06 PM - Reply

I only hope that our fair-weather supporters are the ones who write blogs and that the vast majority still keep faith in the programme. Over the years, we have had many, many seasons where we have had to cope with difficulties like we are experiencing now. Take a look at the 'Invincibles' season and it wasn't all thrilling, crushing victories. I find it so depressing to see so-called fans turn on the team and the manager, at the first sign of difficulty. Fortunately, I do believe it is the minority.

5

Tom Brown

Posted on 2 Nov, 2008 at 09:28 PM - Reply

Wenger has tons of money the accounts show a cash balance of over £90 million why did he not spend what are the Board doing they consist of a lot of old people who do not even go to the games we are completely lost and the board have fired David Dein and Keith edelman we need to change the Board. The only youngun there is Danny Fiszman but he is holed up in switzerland counting his money he does not care about arsenal otherwise he would live in england and support his club

4

Tayo Erogbogbo

Posted on 2 Nov, 2008 at 08:24 PM - Reply

It pains me to say that I do agree with a lot of the comments in this article. I said this the year before last, last year and am saying it again this year WE NEED SOME MATURE PLAYERS; above all, we need some leaders. Gallas is no captain and I don't see many players waiting to take the arm band.

I like and respect Wenger but he needs to stop trying to make some theoretical point about being able to win the league with a bunch of TALENTED kids. The worse thing is that as they mature like Diarra, Helb, Flamini he sell them or lets them go. Please don't get me wrong Nasri, Vela, Ramsey are good players and in time might be even great but they can't compete with the players at Chelsea, Man U and Liverpool over the course of the season.

Every game is a nervous occasion, we can't go on like this. Our central defenders are shocking, shocking....

I'd love to be proven wrong but with 11 games played, we're not looking like champions and as good as some of the football we play its usually a nervous occasion watching us.

3

Big Dec

Posted on 2 Nov, 2008 at 07:52 PM - Reply

We nee a new keeper, new CB's and a new DM. This means we have no spine and are f****d for the season. Nice one Arsene!

2

RKS

Posted on 2 Nov, 2008 at 06:19 PM - Reply

Paul...
Flamini was looking for the best offer, which is why he went to Milan...the last thing i heard, he is complaining for playing out of position!

as for Diarra, he was impatient. He was afraid that he was playing enough games to play for France in Euro. The result? He didn't even got selected!

for Gilberto....i know he's a good guy, but it's past his prime...

p/s: i'm not an AKB, but these are little things that are neglected by most fans & making the manager as a scapegoat for everything.

1

harry

Posted on 2 Nov, 2008 at 05:46 PM - Reply

wenger also said we were tired. god help us .10 games into he seaonson and we are knackered. lets bring in a 1 month beak every 10 matches for poor arsenal. how have we ended up with this bunch of prima donnas. no heart, no fight , no passion

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