Wenger has to step up

[Anzac]

Question re Hull (I won't watch the game & have deleted it already).

Post match their manager said that they'd gone into the game determined NOT to try to hold us out & they played with 3 up in attack. Was this so & how did they attack us - direct route per Bolton???

Reason I ask is if they did play 3 up front & attacked us differently to Bolton, then we are increasingly having troubles against differing styles of play. We are used to having trouble breaking down a 10 man defence, but we are looking increasingly vulnerable against ANY style - be it the defensive style v Sunderland, the counter attacking direct ball in the air v Bolton, whatever Hull did etc.

The question is then - is it the opponents style that is causing the problems or ours - as ours is the one common denominator.

 

[Biggus]

As I remember it Anzac they played a quite open 4-4-2 counter attacking style, much as WBA did in the first game- certainly not long ball. They were a bit physical but we weren't kicked off the park or anything like that. We just played like we didn't give a sh!t and they wanted it more.
Now you see they've grown in confidence and gone and done the same to Sp**s so their positive attitude is bearing fruit. I hope they stay up and Bolton go down.

 

[Anzac]

As I remember it Anzac they played a quite open 4-4-2 counter attacking style, much as WBA did in the first game- certainly not long ball. They were a bit physical but we weren't kicked off the park or anything like that. We just played like we didn't give a sh!t and they wanted it more.
Now you see they've grown in confidence and gone and done the same to Sp**s so their positive attitude is bearing fruit. I hope they stay up and Bolton go down.

Good for Hull - success breeds confidence.

But as for us - Hull have shown the PL & CL that they can come to our house & not need to go into your shell & compete & ask questions, and that we aren't always capable of finding the answers - our air of 'invulnerability' has been shown as being a potential smoke screen. Unless we find some answers we may find that teams feel they can step up & obtain a result against us, unlike ManU & Chel$ki perhaps.

 

[Biggus]

Yes, we've lost that aura that meant teams were afraid of us before they stepped on the pitch and were already half beaten. You could see that Sunderland weren't afraid, they all know we're like a wounded animal and can smell blood.

 

[Anzac]

Yes, we've lost that aura that meant teams were afraid of us before they stepped on the pitch and were already half beaten. You could see that Sunderland weren't afraid, they all know we're like a wounded animal and can smell blood.

I don't think Fulham or Bolton paid us that 'respect' either.

 

[Clrnc]

In the past, every single pre match report talks about how to mark Henry out of the game and being vital to stop Pires's Ljungberg's run into the box plus winning the battle with Vieira. Hard. Teams were very afraid of us, especially Mr Thierry

Then it slowly evolve to trying to play 10 man behind ball to stop our midfield quartet of Cesc Hleb Rosicky Flamini/Gilberto. Quite Hard. Though teams achieved a little success at first, our midfield than ran riot the following season.

Then this season people talk about stopping Ade only, and then slowly slowly, teams starts to attack us and we lost the aura . Now we are treated like very beatable team. Its all Fulham and Hull's fault

 

[Anzac]

In the past, every single pre match report talks about how to mark Henry out of the game and being vital to stop Pires's Ljungberg's run into the box plus winning the battle with Vieira. Hard. Teams were very afraid of us, especially Mr Thierry

Then it slowly evolve to trying to play 10 man behind ball to stop our midfield quartet of Cesc Hleb Rosicky Flamini/Gilberto. Quite Hard. Though teams achieved a little success at first, our midfield than ran riot the following season.

Then this season people talk about stopping Ade only, and then slowly slowly, teams starts to attack us and we lost the aura . Now we are treated like very beatable team. Its all Fulham and Hull's fault

The rot started 2 seasons ago - we won the battle amongst the contenders, but we lost the war dropping points against the lower table teams.

 

[Clrnc]

Oh and just for coincidence, Bayern is suffering the same problem too

<a class="postlink" href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=579523&sec=europe&cc=4716" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story ... pe&cc=4716</a>

 

[Anzac]

Oh and just for coincidence, Bayern is suffering the same problem too

<a class="postlink" href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=579523&sec=europe&cc=4716" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story ... pe&cc=4716</a>

I'd be a lot happier if it was SAF talking about 'luck' deserting ManU at OT, or of CFC being beaten at SB by a lower table team......... :wink:

 

[hackajack]

I'd be a lot happier if it was SAF talking about 'luck' deserting ManU at OT, or of CFC being beaten at SB by a lower table team......... :wink:

Well in the last two games they've been gifted a 'pen' and allowed a goal after a clear foul on the keeper - so we'll have to wait for 'things to even themselves up'.

 

[Anzac]

I'd be a lot happier if it was SAF talking about 'luck' deserting ManU at OT, or of CFC being beaten at SB by a lower table team......... :wink:

Well in the last two games they've been gifted a 'pen' and allowed a goal after a clear foul on the keeper - so we'll have to wait for 'things to even themselves up'.

Yeah - situation normal then..........

 

[General]

In the past, every single pre match report talks about how to mark Henry out of the game and being vital to stop Pires's Ljungberg's run into the box plus winning the battle with Vieira. Hard. Teams were very afraid of us, especially Mr Thierry

Then it slowly evolve to trying to play 10 man behind ball to stop our midfield quartet of Cesc Hleb Rosicky Flamini/Gilberto. Quite Hard. Though teams achieved a little success at first, our midfield than ran riot the following season.

Then this season people talk about stopping Ade only, and then slowly slowly, teams starts to attack us and we lost the aura . Now we are treated like very beatable team. Its all Fulham and Hull's fault

The rot started 2 seasons ago - we won the battle amongst the contenders, but we lost the war dropping points against the lower table teams.

It looks like 06/07 all over again to be fair. Only, we can’t blame it on our new pitch this time around!

 

[Captain]

So, would people be happy to see Wenger gone if we win nothing this year?

 

[hackajack]

Wenger's earned the right to leave at his choosing, trophies or not.

 

[Clrnc]

No. Not at all. Anyway he will never be sacked imo.

Anyway, when the time he decides to retire, I can see people being afraid of taking the Arsenal Job. Who could replace the Wenger legacy, or ever think of replacing him at Arsenal? Could we get used to a manager not buying many young talents and just splurging on oldies or not good enough players?

 

[True Gooner]

To answer Captains question: No.

Wenger will leave Arsenal on his own terms, he said that he would reevaluate his status as a manager when his contract runs out and if we haven't won anything by then I'm sure that he will step down.

 

[Alfonso]

So, would people be happy to see Wenger gone if we win nothing this year?

Yes (if we dont give a good challenge for the title as well). Theres not winnnig anything and the manor in which you dont win anything too, this is important also.

I mean if Wenger sacrfices the FA Cup again this year for whatever reason knowing that it is our best chance of silverware then the man is too arrogant to change and we will never win a trophy under him again whilst he puts his eggs in one basket and continues to fail.

 

[qs]

So, would people be happy to see Wenger gone if we win nothing this year?

**** no.

Who'd replace him? Who on earth could come in and do a better job with a limited budget?

 

[asajoseph]

How limited is the budget?

In one ear, I always hear about how wonderfully run the club is, about how our financial position is so solid, and how wonderfully wealthy our new stadium is making us.

In the other, comes all the chatter about how incredible it is that Arsène manages to keep us in the top 4 with so little money.

As time goes by, it will become increasingly difficult to reconcile these two stories, and eventually, the breaking point will come, and something will have to give.

It would take a monumentally bad season for Wenger to leave of his own accord, and I don't think the board would have the bottle to fire him, come what may. He'll see out this contract, I have no doubt, though I have a hunch that whatever happens in the meantime, it will be his last at Arsenal. At the moment, he's working for his reputation, not to keep his job.

 

[number_0]

I think the board is to blame, they dont push wenger hard enough, aslong as they get CL money, and fill the stadiam with entertainment football, they will happy let wenger experiment with the kids as long as he gets 4th place, I dont think we as fans can demand wenger out, because we have no hand in this.
I feel if we pressure the board they will pressure Wenger and everything beneath.