Suffer well

Results

Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
13 Dec	12:45 PM	P	Middlesbrough (A)	1	1	Draw

Here are some stats for you:

Jeremie Aliádíère scored 1 league goal in nine seasons at Arsenal.

Jeremie Aliádíère has scored one goal in his last nine league matches.

Gareth Southgate has yet to shake hands on a defeat with Arsène Wenger.

And finally...

Jeremie Aliádíère has scored two goals in two matches against Arsenal. No gratitude in the modern game I tell you!

It was clear that what happened in midweek, or at least it seemed clear at the time, happened because the boss had one eye on the game yesterday. However, even with the restoration of Gaël Clichy, Bacary Sagna, Francesc Fabregas, Robin van Persie and Emmanuel Adebayor, the best we could manage was a 1-1 draw. I was disappointed to say the least. Disappointed because we said that surrendering first place in our CL group was worth the sacrifice if we won yesterday, disappointed because both Liverpool and United drew, whilst Aston Villa won.

Mostly, I was disappointed because we, aside from 15 minutes around the Boro goal completely controlled the game yesterday and had we been more careful and made the right decisions at the right time, the game would have been won comfortably. And this is where the paying big money to big players rather than big money to small players argument resurfaces.

Think Abou Diaby, shooting (and not just shooting but shooting towards the near post) when there was a tap in for Ade on at the far post, think Ade's ball across the 6-yard box which would have given Robin a tap in if only it had been a few inches in front of him rather than behind and, I have to say, think Clichy electing not to put the ball out for a throw in when under pressure. That said, it was a wonderful cross and powerful header from Tuncay and Aliádíère respectively (isn't it weird how since he's left Arsenal he doesn't seem to get injured any more?) so I'm not going to get all "Chanting Trevour" on him. Or you.

It's getting frustrating to see the same things happen over and over, Robin could have, should have, would have scored a couple of goals, the shot he dragged wide with his "chocolate leg" early on coming after a lovely passing move. Complete control of a football match not being reflected in the scoreline, the opposition capitalising on a lapse to score after only the briefest amount of pressure. The Arseblogger, yes him again, sounds positively suicidal in wondering whether this is Arsenal's true level - call the Samaritans, Blogger! I think you have to accept that we are missing all of our wide players and our most clinical forward and we are suffering as a result. Yes, we could have improved in the summer, but that wasn't the path taken. So we suffer now and we suffer well. But things will get better. I genuinely believe that. It's hard to see how right now, but I don't for one minute believe the boss doesn't have a plan for the January window.

Then again, I didn't believe he wasn't going to sign a midfielder as the summer window drew to a close, so what do I know? Well, I do know this, we haven't lost a game in three (small mercies!) and if we beat Liverpool next week - which I think we will- all of a sudden, with Chelsea having been booed off after a draw at home to the Hammers, only five points (and admittedly four teams) separate us from the top. Which isn't to say we're going to win the league, but it is to say that there is not one team in the league this season who can be said to be dominating it. We are, against the odds, hanging in there.

Keep the faith!

User Comments

cro-gooner

Posted on 16 Dec, 2008 at 12:31 AM - Reply

wenger is right, we should not put negative pressure on the players, its AWs own arrogance that has put us in this position.

a few years back he made my gooner heart so proud, just to get wastful in terms of team management. his youth develeopment is supernatural, but this not quite the same thing, is it?

Epooue

Posted on 15 Dec, 2008 at 05:59 PM - Reply

DM Gooner....spot on. Denilson ruins every attack with have down the right! So slow and never takes anyone on. Jack Wilshere should have come on a lot ealier and Vela should play on the left. Need a new Ljunberg in Jan.

john quinn

Posted on 15 Dec, 2008 at 04:40 PM - Reply

I can tell you all now that Arsene Wenger has no intention of buying anyone in january .I have studied Arsenes various comments lately and after the Boro game he said we must keep believing - and that nobody believes in our team -except ourselves .... he believes so much in this group of players ....its really quite parental and touching... but the players really do need to start repaying this amazing show of faith by Arsene .... Attitudes need to change....certain players need to really appreciate what Wenger is doing for them- in standing so defiantly behind them ...Arsene believes so so much in this team that he really cannot crush that belief in certain players at this point -- are we really doing that bad? if we had not lost silly games to Stoke , Fulham, Hull, alone we would be nearly top --so we cannot be that bad-thence we MUST BELIEVE and contiue to BELIEVE in this team---although a upping of the attitude of some of the boys would help..some of the guys are great boys -Denilson {arsene really loves this lad }WEhave a lot to look forward too I personally think we will win the league.... come on BELIEVE W

Daniel

Posted on 15 Dec, 2008 at 01:58 PM - Reply

I agree with Brian. The attitude is appalling. We only showed in the last few minutes on Saturday that we wanted to work hard and win the game and that was far too late. We they to expect that they only have to turn up and win against the likes of Boro and Stoke etc. Do they not realise that these teams raise their games against us and we have to respond as we have done against Man Utd and Chelsea and probably will again against Liverpool. The team at the moment is not good enough to finish in the top four. At the moment we have players that are not good enough ie. Denilson(What does he do) Bendtner(how many chances does he need) Diaby, Eboue and Gallas. We also have a lot of players out of form or inconsistant ie. RVP( Good against Chelsea nowhere against Boro) Cesc (out of form this season) Clichy (too many mistakes Birmingham, Spurs and Boro to name three). I have said before we have exciting young kids coming through but that is not what we need right now, we need defenders that defend first then play fotball and a centre midfielder who wants to die for the cause as Flamini did last season and a striker who can finish ie. Henry and Ian Wright to play with Ade.

simon

Posted on 15 Dec, 2008 at 01:39 PM - Reply

Heleb and TH are on fire for Barca at the moment.....

saw keh

Posted on 15 Dec, 2008 at 09:32 AM - Reply

Denilson and Diaby are not wingers...AW knows that..but..WHY? you have to see what Jhonson and Downing had done to our team...

farrel

Posted on 15 Dec, 2008 at 08:38 AM - Reply

Of all that was said, I agree with Brian! There is something else happening and it doesn't look great at the moment. Buying players won't help us to win a game. The players need to get it into their minds that they need to fight for each ball! Good grief men, they are professionals! Big men don't cry!!! YES GALLAS, THAT'S YOU!!!

GunnerSG

Posted on 15 Dec, 2008 at 07:35 AM - Reply

We lack creativity in midfield and we have too many CM's(Diaby,Song,Denilson,Ramsey etc). We need to offload some of them or move them to other positions where there would be more effective or equally effective. Most importantly we need more creativity in this squad. Sad to tell this but we are missing Hleb.

David Mulokwa Gunner from Uganda

Posted on 15 Dec, 2008 at 06:32 AM - Reply

Your article is really good but i would like to you back to the unbeaten run. During the time of the invincibles flair was added with speed counter attacking and individual brillance.Today you don not see an Arsenal player willing to take on a defender with confidence simply because Bendtner is not sure whether he will lose the ball or not. Arsenal is too slow these days that any player can easily take the ball away from anyone. We need to be more aggressive than just waiting to concede a goal and start panicking to look for a draw. All this goes back to the manager's tactics and poor decision making.

saintpeter faeji

Posted on 15 Dec, 2008 at 04:06 AM - Reply

personally, i am getting frustrated with the way we handle things in squad especially Clichy. I think dat guy some rest, he has been making some school boy mistakes lately. Perharps, a week or two of rest will calm his nerves.We always failed to capitalised on slip-off on the top of log each time it happened.

i wish us well against Liverpool and i want the boss to start thinking of at least two quality players to be added on in January.

meedo

Posted on 15 Dec, 2008 at 01:43 AM - Reply

i'm sure that the news about Rosicky's delayed return will have influenced the Professor's decisions regarding the winter transfers

aj

Posted on 14 Dec, 2008 at 11:47 PM - Reply

Very good piece. Nice to see some reational thinking, amid the doom and gloom.

If you look at our last three fixtures, last year we got 3 points from those same three games. This year, we have accumulated 7 ! That's progress!

Aside from playing too many and too young central midfielders, you are right that it comes down to decision making and also technical quality. You are absolutely right about the poor decisions and we had plenty of those last year too - remember Ade not passing to Bendtner, who had an open goal, at Birmingham? That probably cost us the league last year. Also, we should be able to expect players of this standard to be able to strike a ball properly. I would normally put money on Van Persie hitting a sweet strike but both his legs seem to have gone to chocolate, since Chelsea.

DM Gooner from Harrow

Posted on 14 Dec, 2008 at 11:38 PM - Reply

I agree what you say about the wide players missing. The wide players are one of the key reasons we're stuttering. When the season started we had wing players doing their thing. Now we effectively have a 4-man central midfield; Diaby and Denilson on the wing? What a joke. Jack Wilshere is a star ready to burst onto the scene. Wenger talked about sometimes taking a risk in the last quarter of a game trying to get a goal to change 1-point from a draw to 3 points from a win. So why did he not stick JW on? Instead he brings on Bendnter. (i'll discuss him later). Wenger should give the kids a run in the last 15 mins or so. Even Ramsey we've seen has been quite effective as a sub. Ok he's not a winger but a damn sight better on the right wing than denilson. denilson always wants to cut in. How do you carve open a stubborn defence? aside from long balls, you use the full width of the pitch and draw the opposition out and create the gaps. Thats when you see Fabregas at his best when he has wide players creating the openings. i miss the days of pires and ljundberg. They were not your classic wingers by any means but they both had footballing brains, scored lots of goals and could carry the ball and create space. i think wenger brought rosicky in to replace pires but he hasnt had a decent enough run. walcott is an amazing player but when you look at ashley young over the past weeks it makes you think how far walcott is from being world-class. young has pace, uses it to beat defenders, scores goals, has a good cross and most importantly has developed an intelligent (genius-like, apparantly) footballing intelligence.

And this folks, is today's key lesson. playing youngsters with raw talent and enthusiasm is all fine and well, but footballing intelligence is not something you pick up without experience. some players have vision etc but don't fully develop footballing intelligence until they have the experience. thats why we wont win the league this year - they dont have enough experience. thats why manure can win year on year.
anyway back to the midfield i think if we had some more flair and creativity on the wings, we'd simply score more than the opposition. our defence has a long way to go but fixing a leaky defence is not wengers key asset, its creating chances to score goals. thats also why i agree than the new year coudl turn into something great for us if our injured players return and the others stay fit. we have a fantastic squad of players but right now we're completely thin on the ground and our 5th position proves that we don't have the resources to compete when down to bare basics. i agree we should have trodden over midsbrg'
finally on bendtner i agree he deserves as much flack as eboue. if it wasn't for bendtners lack of enthusiasm in front of goal we'd have been in the micky mouse cup semis. i know he struck a great goal against kiev but he is not clinical enough. ade is far better, even though he misses perhaps as much, he finds himself in positions more often than not so scores more; plus he creates many for himself whereas bendtner needs a provider most the time.

thanks for your support

Arsene Wenger (LOL)

delboy

Posted on 14 Dec, 2008 at 11:33 PM - Reply

positive comments for once paul, well done. i know yesterday was poor but as the boss says the players cant keep taking critiscism and expect to perform. Keep behind them gooners and it will turn around.

Miss B.

Posted on 14 Dec, 2008 at 11:11 PM - Reply

I was disappointed too the way Arsenal Boys let their opportunity to win the game on Saturday slipped off.
They played well as the first half of the game and lost concentration on the second half.
Manager, please let them practise more on how to score goals no matter what position they are. Let them watch the movement of the ball, because some of the mistakes both from the players and the goalkeepers could have been prevented.

chester

Posted on 14 Dec, 2008 at 10:12 PM - Reply

great article, mate..., totaly agree with ya... ;)

Brian

Posted on 14 Dec, 2008 at 09:58 PM - Reply

What really concerns me the most about Arsenal of late is the attitude. Compare the attitude of the Hull players yesterday with those of the Arsenal players, Absolute worlds apart.... I really believe ALL of the Arsenal players have a terrible attitude and do not EVER give close to anything like 80% never mind 100%. Its like the Man U game at the end of the season last year. if we had won that game, we would have won the league. Did the Arsenal players look like that on the day?? NO! Instead they turned up for the game KNOWING they were going to lose and thats exactly what happened. We are never going to win anything with this mindset... does Wenger know this i wonder?? We can talk all we want about buying players in Jan but there is a deeper malaise at Arsenal and it needs to be addressed right now!

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