Wenger: We proved the critics wrong

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Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
26 Dec	5:15 PM	P	Aston Villa (A)	2	2	Draw

Despite allowing a two-goal lead to slip (yet again) this season, manager Arsène Wenger has said that he's proud of the team spirit within the team.

The Frenchman had to contend with an injury to Alex Song just before half-time.

Wenger also deployed a formation that allowed Abou Diaby to act as an attacking forward, a ploy that paid dividends as the gangly midfielder scored the second goal of the game.

He said: "I feel that we have the quality and a fantastic spirit because everybody said we would lose today, and in the end we were unfortunate.

"We lost [Alex] Song just before half-time and had Adebayor suspended. Since Sunday I have watched what people are allowed to do I England and, being as objective as possible, it [the red card] is still difficult to understand.

"With Abou Diaby you don't know if he is a midfielder or a striker. He has the power to go passed players and he plays off the striker, so our formation was a 4-4-1-1."

User Comments

EA

Posted on 28 Dec, 2008 at 10:05 AM - Reply

What a bunch of traitors you all are.... At the first sign of weakness you go and attack Wenger. Let me tell you why I breath and bleed Arsenal.... When they are on the pitch and play against anyone the game will not be boring, they infuse this energy into the match. Don't get me wrong I'm in it to win and I get exhausted and depressed on games like that against Villa... And don't forget WHY ARSENAL HAS SO MANY DIE HARD FANS WENGER!!!!!!!!
All of you glory and glitter seeking panzies can go and be a Chelsea fan, no excitement watching one of their games is like being in a coma.
I say our biggest loss was the combative Flamini, otherwise we don't have the strongest squad ever but we are descent on the verge of rulling the EPL again.

Get Ade on te Bench he is nothing but a pre madona, RVP is a fighter a lion, he is a little volatile but you can always count on him.

ARSENAL rule and will reign on top again and will do it with class and will be immortal... Referees have been killing us. UEFA final against Barcelona we owned it, Liverpool got robbed.

IF YOU ARE A TRUE GOONER STICK YOU HEAD UP AND ON GAME DAY SCREAM OUT ARSENAL OTHERWISE TAKE YOUR ARSE TO CHELSEA

Nelson

Posted on 28 Dec, 2008 at 04:10 AM - Reply

It seems Wenger is not only denying his faults. I become doubt about Wenger¡¦s true intention. He should be well aware of all Song, Diaby and Denilson are substandard in quality to win any champion and with all of them in a match, Arsenal did not win any team. What make him keeping on doing wrong things?

Tony

Posted on 28 Dec, 2008 at 12:17 AM - Reply

I can't believe all this is being said of Arsene.

I appreciate things are not going great at the moment but I think there's more to it than is beneath d eye.

3 possible areas 4 blame:
1. The players
2. The manager - Arsene Wenger
3. The board

1. Peeps say, in general, d players r not gud enuff but most of them stand out in d big games. How come?

2. Why is Wenger so unwillin 2 spend d cash? He hasn't bn dis way in d past as he's made sum big money recruits. Now he appears 2 b less willing now.

3. I feel d board is d prob. For me, Wenger may know his squad's ability is limited and is aware dat rite now, they r punching above their weight.
He's doing his best not 2 blame d board while they sort out their internal struggles and at d same time trying 2 achieve d best possible.

Maddy

Posted on 27 Dec, 2008 at 08:16 PM - Reply

It was really frustrating to watch the last 3 games. Atleast he could have used the youngsters in a more effective way than just put them in the snr squad. SIMPSON and Vella are two good strikers they can play better than Bendter.If we do not finish in top 4 then CECZ will not be play next season in Arsenal for sure this applies to Ade too....He should really buy some good centerbacks and midfield players.....otherwise there is no point in watching games this season......If we do not finish in top 4 then only other chance of playing next season CL....is we have to win the CL this season........hheee...

elninio

Posted on 27 Dec, 2008 at 05:00 PM - Reply

We were outplayed and very very lucky to get a draw.

I say lets see this season through... we owe Arsene that at least... see what happens in the summer in the transfer window because I don't see too much business happening in the interim window. He knows how to put a winning team together BUT THIS TEAM IS NOT IT!!!! One more full season and if nothing happens I think we should bid the Professor a fond farewell. (sniff sniff)

double-you

Posted on 27 Dec, 2008 at 04:28 PM - Reply

nashville please tell me your post is sarcastic? drop ade AND rvp for simpson and vela or eduardo??!!!
simpson and vela are not ready yet and edu isn't fit.

top quality right midfielder aaron lenon? do you watch football?

to be honest mate, i can agree with points 1-3 but your solutions would cause more problems.

nashvillegooner

Posted on 27 Dec, 2008 at 02:43 PM - Reply

If I could interject a point- Arsene Wenger is only part of the problem. There are three problems I'd like to outline:

1.) Arsene has no one left to push his squad to play well. If you are the only striker healthy and you have no competition, are you gonna play your hardest to keep your spot? Squad depth and talent go a long way.

2.) All of our major first team players have ego problems. I love RVP and Ade but they are not REALLY that good. They pull out some great moves and score amazing goals once on a blue moon, but like our beloved team as a whole, they are consistently inconsistent.

3.) In order to beat the players considered the best, you have to play the squad with the best bet for victory. Villa beat us the first time thru pace and agility. We fielded an old defense vs. a young hungry fast offense. ManU got rid of Silvestre because he was old and surplus to need, and WE PICKED HIM UP???????

SOLUTIONS: Recall Eduardo NOW, bench ADE and RVP and let em watch Vela and Simpson tear apart the defense. Retain Nasri on the wing, give Denilson a chance, but cover him with a SUPER QUALITY holding midfielder in the transfer market. Purchase no strikers, but get the BEST right winger, center back, and holding mid possible, money is no object for us.

Players to get: I still want Alonso, but Toure would work, I would like a Lescott or Upson, for wing- Arteta or Aaron Lenon if possible.

Dan

Posted on 27 Dec, 2008 at 01:02 PM - Reply

With Ramsey, Denilson and Song as the midfield engine room choices we will not finish in the top 4.

zabulon

Posted on 27 Dec, 2008 at 12:35 PM - Reply

It is always like that with Arsenal (Malchanceux) the red card for ade was not a right one,and some teams are coming with a mission in order to tacle our players, sometimes referies are giving penalties when we have one it is denied, with Aston it is like the previous refery new coz if Ade was there we could have scored more goals and the same in the championsleague against Barcelona the red card was on Lehman and we made a record to be the first team to be redcarded in the final of the Championsleague, the same last in the championsleague we played with Liverpool they were given a penalty while we were denied one.

bettats

Posted on 27 Dec, 2008 at 12:23 PM - Reply

so now we play to draw.come on people lets do a petition and get this fool out he lost the plot.i cant take it anymore

Jon

Posted on 27 Dec, 2008 at 11:57 AM - Reply

Not good enough Arsene, time is running out for you and I'm sick of those who say trust in Arsene.

Three, nearly four years is too long to wager the success of a large and so well loved club on the experiments of a manager who has become so caught up in himself he cannot see he is damaging us.

UEFA Cup next year would not be too bad a blow, but we would lose Cesc. Lets face it he would say he had to leave for his career. Arsene should leave for the whole clubs sake.

It would be difficult to start with, but we would need to get someone who understood the ideology of how we play, and also how to get success in more conventinonal and flexible ways.

Danny

Posted on 27 Dec, 2008 at 10:46 AM - Reply

how can Arsene Wenger say that we were unfortunate?We were bloody lucky to come away from villa with a draw.They have outplayed us twice this season,and thats with a team that doesnt cost as much as ours!how wenger can still have the nerve to still talk about championships,our battle this season is,and always has been for 4th place,and he's treating the fans as mugs with his repetetive mantras after each game.If Villa lose a game,Martin O'Neil comes out and gives an honest assesment ,it is blatently obvious that he is a better manager than Wenger.Nobody would dispute that Wenger is the best chief scout in the business.If villa finish in forth above us this season then they will be there rightfuly as they have now outplayed us twice.

Tomas

Posted on 27 Dec, 2008 at 10:17 AM - Reply

Arsene. You are in the worst denial a Arsenal manager has been in for a long time.There is not a single player in your squad playing up to his standard.secondly the players you have are just not good enough to represent Arsenal football club if the club want to be taken seriously. To be second best in a game against Aston Villa is just a proof of that.Either you need to step down as a manager or you need to wake up and realize things are not good for Arsenal.We can not defend. we dont even pass the ball well and we are slow as Christmas. So our strength in the past is gone and there is nothing left but the smell of it and thats not going to win us games.Its time for a change..................

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