Topic: Arsenal

[Cpt_Reina]

Did Sanchez actually say he finds London life stressful? I thought one of the reasons he chose Arsenal over Liverpool was because of the pull of London or did I miss something?

That came from our side rather than his, an excuse for missing out on him.

[plura]

That came from our side rather than his, an excuse for missing out on him.

Which is obviously something you can with credible sources deny to be the truth?

[Dim Glas]

Did Sanchez actually say he finds London life stressful? I thought one of the reasons he chose Arsenal over Liverpool was because of the pull of London or did I miss something?

he said he didn't go into the city a lot cos it can be stressful because of the crowds, something like that. The headline was hugely missleading. He was just saying he's a homebody! Likes to stay home a lot but sometimes goes into London to see stuff.

So he wasn't saying that life there was stressful.

How confident are Arsenal fans that he will sign a new contract? 

[BER]

Well... not anymore.

 

[No Appreciation of Liverpool Opposition]

I'll try and make a point via an analogy regarding Arsene Wenger (and Mourinho) that I hope makes sense (I know what I mean anyway)

In any walk of life, how long does your true 'genius' level output last? if you look at any musician, sportsman etc etc, the period at which that person truly excels is fairly short lived. That is not to say that the person concerned cannot continue at a high level for a period of time but that the point at which they were a ground breaker can never be regained. That can be for any number of reasons, money, age, kids/no kids/ marital situation, illness, family illness etc.

Take someone like Noel Gallagher, now whether you like Oasis or not, it cannot be argued that for a period of 3 or 4 years in the mid 90s, they were absolutely massive. Now, the point is, i'm sure he would like to go back and get that success again but the point is you can't just turn up at a studio and recreate something that you did 20 years ago just because you want to. You were a different person then, your priorities were different, your time is taken up in different ways, your energy is used in different ways, the people around you are different and life changes. You can still make good records, you will still sell records but you will never be at the cutting edge of music because you had your time and it has gone.

My point is that for people like Wenger and Mourinho, they have shone very brightly as managers but their time as real shining light, cutting edge managers has gone and others have taken their place. They can still do the jobs they are asked to do to a high level but the hunger is not what it was, the energy is not the same, the desire to fight the world and prove you are the best has dimmed and it will not return. Wenger will continue to do a solid, professional job for as long as he remains at Arsenal but for any fan expecting him to roll back the years and set the standard for everyone else to follow, those days are gone and they aren't coming back.

Or you can be Aerosmith and dive into nothing and come back strong.

Or you can be the Beatles and be great for 10 straight years.

Or you can be New Order and be relevant in 4th place for 15 

Can always make an analogy to fit the story line, doesn't make it true.

Think this Arsenal Squad can win the league or Champions League with Wenger with two things: Earlier subs, a DM to close down games.

[please, I have my reasons for it but...]

Odds on them dropping out of the top four?

[Barneylfc∗]

Odds on them dropping out of the top four?

11/8 on Skybet

[deFacto please, you bastards]

Odds on them dropping out of the top four?

They won't. I don't know why people fall into this thinking every year, when they've consistently managed to finish in the top four no matter what.

[Le_Mot_Juste]

They won't. I don't know why people fall into this thinking every year, when they've consistently managed to finish in the top four no matter what.

If Leicester can win the title, Arsenal can finish below Chelsea, Liverpool, City/Utd/Spurs

Only thing preventing me thinking it'll happen is that they have Sanchez - the best player in the league. (imo)

[deFacto please, you bastards]

If Leicester can win the title, Arsenal can finish below Chelsea, Liverpool, City/Utd/Spurs

Only thing preventing me thinking it'll happen is that they have Sanchez - the best player in the league. (imo)

and the chances of another side like Leicester winning the league are very low, anything is possible in football, and every once in a while something out of the ordinary will happen. Arsenal are not showing any signs of not finishing in the top four. This is talked about every single season for the past 10 years, and every year they finish in the top four one way or another.

Hence my original post.

[Yevgeny]

Arsenal always finish top 4 because they're the best in the league at swatting aside the shite and breaking down buses with intricate passing. They're soft at their core though, so they often come unstuck against the better teams.

[The North Bank]

We got as much chance of finishing outside the top 4 as we do of winning the league.

[Nick110581]

We got as much chance of finishing outside the top 4 as we do of winning the league.

I wouldnt be so arrogant about the top 4.

[cornelius]

and the chances of another side like Leicester winning the league are very low, anything is possible in football, and every once in a while something out of the ordinary will happen. Arsenal are not showing any signs of not finishing in the top four. This is talked about every single season for the past 10 years, and every year they finish in the top four one way or another.

Hence my original post.

There'll be a year when this bites them hard on the arse though (pardon the pun) and they'll miss out.

It's like always assuming that finishing top 4 guarantees CL qualification. Bound to happen one year where somebody fucks up their qualifier, in fact it's only a matter of time. It's the old 9 times out of ten rule.

[The North Bank]

I wouldnt be so arrogant about the top 4.

I hear that every year for about 10 now, its not arrogance, more a resignation.

[Nick110581]

I hear that every year for about 10 now, its not arrogance, more a resignation.

I just think you are one injury to Sanchez of being in real trouble.

It's tight this year.

[Chris~]

I just think you are one injury to Sanchez of being in real trouble.

It's tight this year.

Think everyone is an injury or two away from being in trouble to be fair.

[Nick110581]

Think everyone is an injury or two away from being in trouble to be fair.

More so them in my opinion especially with Europe.

It's so tight up there - a run of wins and you are near top.

No room for error really.

Although it's not a problem for them falling out financially, it means the call for Wenger to go would increase

[Yiannis]

https://twitter.com/HLNinEngeland/status/816402254790066177

[koptommy93]

They'll have the same season they always have. Top 4 and maybe win the FA Cup. Standing still as ever.

[DivisiveNewSigning]

https://twitter.com/HLNinEngeland/status/816402254790066177

I'd be fuming with that.

Do the celebration when you score the winner lad.

[PeterTheRed ...]

They'll have the same season they always have. Top 4 and maybe win the FA Cup. Standing still as ever.

Possible, but it will be very difficult for them to achieve that.

[kopite77]

 

https://twitter.com/HLNinEngeland/status/816402254790066177

It looks like he's auditioning for a Morcambe and Wise tribute act, despite looking more like fucking Rylan Clark!

[MagicHat]

Was pleased with the attacking 3 behind Giroud against Palace bar a lack of ruthlessness and been quite a week for Perez given his role as sub against Bournemouth.

We didn't seem at it till Wenger's subs and being 3-0 down last night, credit to Howe for saying the 24 hours extra rest helped. We couldn't press, we lacked invention bar Sanchez, even the usually reliable Bellerin was out of it. Gabrial coming on to shore up our backline helped, Oxlade and Perez gave some spark and we finally got support to Giroud who did really well in that last spell. Every point dropped is painful but hopefully can get some rest now

I'd be fuming with that.

Do the celebration when you score the winner lad.

I was amused and with a goal+2 assists, I'm not going to complain about his role in clawing us back from humiliation.

[Gerry Attrick]

Giroud has rescued Arsenal on a number of occasions already this season, he's one of the most underrated players in the league. Also, I've no idea why Arsenal are delaying paying Sanchez whatever he wants. There are few players who offer both the quality and workrate that he does and Arsenal have no chance of signing them.

[Greatness]

Giroud is an under appreciated striker, Arsenal would be sitting in 6th if weren't for his vital goals against West Brom, United and now Bournemouth.

Talk of Arsenal finishing outside the top four is premature, they could struggle for a while and look like they miss out on Champions League but once they get knocked out by Bayern in Arsenal's customary last sixteen exit.

I'm expecting them to go on a tear after that Champions League exit and finish 3rd or 4th at a canter.

[DivisiveNewSigning]

I was amused and with a goal+2 assists, I'm not going to complain about his role in clawing us back from humiliation.

Considering the ref blew marginally early and you were just about to start launching balls into the box, I'd say the time spared not dicking around could have got you an extra 2 points.

I'm a big fan of Giroud but I wouldn't expect to see that from one of our lads. Plus, I wouldn't attribute just him clawing the result back. Bournemouth couldn't adjust to losing Francis and Sanchez ran riot on the left for half an hour.

[ScottishGoon]

As an Arsenal fan, you wouldn't trust them to win a game if it was a title decider, but you would trust them if it was a top 4 decider. Make of that what you will.

[Nessy76]

There'll be a year when this bites them hard on the arse though (pardon the pun) and they'll miss out.

It's like always assuming that finishing top 4 guarantees CL qualification. Bound to happen one year where somebody fucks up their qualifier, in fact it's only a matter of time. It's the old 9 times out of ten rule.

New rules, no more qualifiers. As for top four, Arsenal are 4th at the moment, but there's no magic reason they'll stay there forever. Not long ago people assumed Man Utd would always be a top four side.

[Xabi Gerrard]

https://twitter.com/HLNinEngeland/status/816402254790066177

Absolutely pathetic by Giroud to insist on doing that whilst there was still all to play for. He actually pushed other players away because it was so important to him to show the world his celebration ffs. Almost rivals this in terms of cringeworthyness. Almost.




Pretty much sums up in a nutshell all that's gone wrong with Arsenal over the years. Look at how they celebrated (an opposition penalty miss) back when they were good;



The sheer aggression, not just from Keown but from Lauren, Parlour and Toure too. Proper winners. It's not even about quality, all four of them wouldn't have stood out in this Arsenal team, or arguably even have got in it. Must be sad for Gooners to see what they've become. 

[Achilles Heel]

Arsenal have to be under serious pressure for Top 4 this year because all of the Big 6 are on (or very close) to the 2+ points per game mark. If that is replicated over the 2nd half of the season it could be that even 76 points isn't enough to qualify for CL. Yet, 76 points is nose bleed territory for Arsenal because it is a tally they have only hit twice in the last 10 seasons.

 

[Achilles Heel]

A great start this season, hopes are high, the boo boys are quiet, Wenger is all smiles.  Happy times. So will it be a serious title challenge or is it building up nicely for another bottle? I know where my money is.

In recent years Arsenal have a big weak spot against the better teams away from home. For example, they have won just 1 away game in each of the last 3 seasons against the 8 other teams that finished with them  in the top 9:

W1 D1 L6
W1 D2 L5
W1 D5 L2

3 wins in 24 games there. Shocking. By far the worst record compared to the other big teams.  And in a nutshell it highlights the problem with Arsenal - consistently shit results in the toughest matches.

And the good news for other title challengers,  Arsenal haven't played a top 9 team away from home yet this season.....

Quoting myself from earlier in the season and it seems the trend has contined with a W0 D2 L2 record against top 9 teams. So that is now just 3 wins in the last 28 away games against top 9 teams. That has to be on Wenger surely?

[The North Bank]

Can't believe people are having a go at Giroud celebrating, we just came back from 3-0 down with 20 minutes left and if it wasn't for his contribution the game was over. He got the equaliser 2 minutes into injury time.... I know I was celebrating.
Never seen a team get so much stick for coming back from 3-0 down, I guess the reports were written and couldn't be changed In time. Bournemouth are still a premier league team, this wasn't Darlington away. Even then I'd take a draw at 3-0 down.

In the grand scheme of things, top 4 doesn't really matter and Chelsea will win the league if they beat spurs tonight.

[Ashburton]

Giroud does like a good celebration, good on the lad, two assists and a goal ain't bad for a second choice striker.

[Xabi Gerrard]

Can't believe people are having a go at Giroud celebrating, we just came back from 3-0 down with 20 minutes left and if it wasn't for his contribution the game was over. He got the equaliser 2 minutes into injury time.... I know I was celebrating.

Firstly, it was a really really cringeable celebration which is deserving of stick in any circumstance.

But the fact there was still just about enough time to win is what's really pathetic about it. Anything other than running into the net to grab the ball and sprinting back to centre circle would be disappointing in the circumstances for a team with aspirations. Ox knew which is why he was trying to drag him back to restart. 2 extra points is fucking massive at the moment in Arsenal's position.

And of course you were celebrating, you're a fan! It's not your job to win the game - it is Giroud's though.

Giroud does like a good celebration, good on the lad, two assists and a goal ain't bad for a second choice striker.

It doesn't matter if he got a hattrick of worldies to drag you back to 3-3. It shouldn't be about him and what a great game he's had. It should be about what's best for the team.

[The North Bank]

Firstly, it was a really really cringeable celebration which is deserving of stick in any circumstance.

But the fact there was still just about enough time to win is what's really pathetic about it. Anything other than running into the net to grab the ball and sprinting back to centre circle would be disappointing in the circumstances for a team with aspirations. Ox knew which is why he was trying to drag him back to restart. 2 extra points is fucking massive at the moment in Arsenal's position.

And of course you were celebrating, you're a fan! It's not your job to win the game - it is Giroud's though.

Bit sad that the guy who runs to giroud to grab him for a restart is seen as more of a winner than the player putting the ball in the net. This is how football has become, its all about what could have happened, what actually happened is immaterial.

[SerbianScouser]

5th. Will this finally be the year?

[Purple Red]

This I liked I must admit. Iconic footy moment - albeit a bit mad.

[Cpt_Reina]

Would love to believe they'll fail to sort out Sanchez's and Ozil's contracts, finish 5th and also retain Wenger at the end of the season but all three is just being greedy.

[Xabi Gerrard]

Bit sad that the guy who runs to giroud to grab him for a restart is seen as more of a winner than the player putting the ball in the net. This is how football has become, its all about what could have happened, what actually happened is immaterial.

No one's saying that mate. The game was still in play. There was still just enough time for Arsenal to win 2 VERY valuable points. Every second counted at this stage. Giroud ate into that valuable time with his cringeable celebration when he should have done what was best for the team and restarted the game ASAP.

By all means celebrate "what actually happened", as long as you do so when it's not detrimental to the team (in this case after the game instead of wasting 20+ seconds of time in which you can score a winner).