Arsenal Banter Archive April 14 2017

14 Apr 2017 22:22:49
I constantly read here and have heard fans say how Sanchez's workrate is phenomenal. And how ozil is lazy. Back in 2015 ozil covered more km then anyone else and Sanchez was bottom. As far as I'm aware, this season ozil is in the middle somewhere and Sanchez still at/ near the bottom.

As far as I can make out, because Sanchez gets stroppy more, but is incredible with the ball, fans think he works harder. Because ozil glides around taking up positions off the ball and (regrettably) looks quietly dejected more often, fans think he's lazy. Ultimately Sanchez has incredible quality, but let's not slag everyone else off for not trying as hard when they do.

Thinking about it, I can't think of many of our players who don't put a decent shift in;

Bellerin, Monreal, Gibbs, mustafi, Gabriel, holding, kos.
Coq, elneny, xhaka.
Ox, ozil, iwobi
Sanchez, Perez, Danny,

The only guys that it could be levelled at fairly are theo, Olly, Ramsey. Ramsey for me just doesn't have enough tactical awareness and is played out of position - needs to be in ozils position to get the best from him. Theo has scored bucket loads this season so can't be too critical. Olly, its more consistency, and he's scored a fair few and not really a starter any more.

Long and short of it, I don't think its the effort. I think its that the tactics/ formation don't always suit the team, and not enough top quality players in depth to compete with the beat teams when our main players aren't performing.

I would love to know if our problem is:
A- Wenger using wrong tactics
B- Team collectively not adhering to the plan
C- A particular player regularly not doing their job
D- other teams just incisive against our weaknesses.

15 Apr 2017 09:28:24
The club doesn't have a winning mentality running through it but instead has a collective sense of doing enough to maintain the status quo and keep each other in a job by doing enough to keep enough fans onside to tick along each year.
Arsene doesn't hold his players to account even when they callapse and totally surrender in game but instead comes in front of the camera and blamed officials or fixtures or whatever never himself or his team.
Within Arsenal football club there is a title wish but no necessary hunger simply because they are all good friends who enjoy working together.
Arsene looks after his players well he doesn't push them to hard he doesn't order extra training when results and performances are bad or even pathetically bad he just hopes they will "respond in a positive way" because he doesn't want to fall out with people he likes very much infact he'd much rather give them a contract just for being a good egg ( Artetta Rosicky Mertesacker) than confront players and risk upsetting them which might then rock the boat and spoil the friendly atmosphere that all enjoy so much on a day to day basis.
Arsene is and has been for ages been way to close to his players they are his friends not his employees and that's where it's all gone wrong IMO.
Mourinho isn't his players mate he's there boss and isn't afraid to let them know when they've let him and the club down, Klopp is the same Gardiola Keoman too but Arsene doesn't want to upset his players​ and spoil the special relationship he has with them and this is where it all goes wrong and why you could give Arsene a £ billion plus chuck in Messi and Agureo and he still wouldn't win things at Arsenal for him.
The move to the Emirates didn't just need the fans to accept a few years of austerity and non competitiveness​ it needed the players to buy into it so Arsene set about keeping the players happy despite not offering big trophy's and he did it by making Arsenal and enjoyable place to be for players on a day to day basis and has now been doing it so long it's become his trade mark and he can't turn it off.
The Emirates came at a heavy price for everyone connected with Arsenal but none have paid as higher a price than Arsene because it cost him his competitiveness​ and will ultimately lead to him leaving Arsenal on bad terms which is sad but inevitable now unfortunately.

15 Apr 2017 09:55:36
I watch him every time he plays at the emirates and let me tell you he works harder.

15 Apr 2017 09:58:39
I don't believe it's wise to use stats in football to back up your argument as they never tell the full story. Don't get me wrong despite what I feel he should be doing a lot better but I do like ozil. Anyway for me sometimes he may run say across the pitch to get the ball off a player but there seems no real effort to actually win the ball. No aggression or heart in it. That's just not him. Whereas Alexis could run half that but he's aggressive and really tries to get stuck in. Because that's his game.

15 Apr 2017 12:34:52
Running stats can be very miss leading. Just like when mertesacker had the highest pass rate in the prem.

14 Apr 2017 17:42:28
Here's my shopping list - sort out defence, midfield and at long last attack. Still think we need another back up right back

Defence
Sead Kolasinac
Midfield
Blaise Matuidi
Up front
Kylian Mbappe
Wilfried Zaha

14 Apr 2017 18:37:35
That's not going to be enough
We need a cb, dmf a winger.

14 Apr 2017 18:40:19
Allegedly kolasinac signing is imminent because he's a on a free so able to sign a pre season agreement, we shall see.
Matuidi would be hard pushed not to do better than Xhaka intact you or me would be hard pushed not to do better than Xhaka SY mate.
Are Mbappe and Zaha really up to what is needed next season at Arsenal mate? We need some really good strong proven characters right now to come in and inject some real passion back into the twam, players who can help dismantle the cosy club not get dragged into it as others have who might have done much better for us if it wasn't for the mentality within the club.
Good ambiotous players with very extremely strong character are going to be needed to help our future become better than our recent past, for us the strength of a players character is going to be every bit as important as his ability on a football pitch when making signings over the next couple of seasons.
Sanchez had a major impact of everyone around the club when he first arrived his work rate seemed to embarrass the others into giving more but unfortunately he is only one man and wasn't able to win the mentality battle on his own and to his great credit he has never allowed himself to be dragged into the cosy club despite not being able to beat it he refused to join it.

14 Apr 2017 18:54:47
More chance of signing messi than mbappe.

15 Apr 2017 10:14:36
Two big strong defensive midfielders would be start, William Carvalho and the young guy from Monaco (name escapes me) . Add a top CF, Laccaette (spelling! ) keep Ozil and Sanchez. If going for luxury add a bigger CB, Van Djirk. Would be delighted with that, for a start at least.

15 Apr 2017 10:35:18
62 - I think Zaha has demonstrated a lot of things we lack. He would add something to our attack. I am concerned that City, Chelsea and Utd all need to add strikers then you have our standing in the Super power charts ( 6th in UK! ) plus the fan Vs player war. Who will sign? Griezmann would be awesome but he won't be wearing a Redshirt in London. Lacazette - doubt it after his good season, Lukaku- doubt it, . Our shopping list is restrictive. I mention Mbapoe due to age and price - surely the top dogs will go for a seasoned proven striker and we take an educated pricy risk. We should have signed Hernandez or whatever his name is last year or Lacazette.

I would love Turan and Marco Verratti but that's hoping!

In defence - I like Holding plus we have Kos and Mustafi. May be sell Chambers and pull in an experienced centrehalf for two seasons to sort us out. Like a Terry type character but less vile.

We will need to shop once the top teams in Europe have eaten - that's not us sitting on our Arse but the reality of a agent lead money mad world. We also cannot make 6 or 7 changes to the team and expect to win.

So, we need a little more:

First choice - left back, Santi replacement, winger and striker. Ok, a centre back to boss the defence around to sort our shape ( Terry type leader ) plus give Granit one more season to adapt and play with the correct team around him.

Back up - right back, out and out goal poacher / striker ( Defoe - not happy till I see him in an arsenal shirt coming off the bench) plus another danger player up front to offer Hazzard type options.

Finally - more instruction / leadership from sidelines and on the field.

This gives Sanchez and Ozil the quality in front and behind of them.

14 Apr 2017 08:22:52
Interesting news about Keown, one ex player I wanted in the new set up:

"Martin Keown is the only one that's fronted him in the last couple of years and he got him out.

"Told Martin to shut up, that he talks too much.

"No-one around Arsene Wenger can front him up and say 'you're wrronf. "

I don't know the circumstances but I doubt Keown tried to embarrass AW or be rude,

Not happy about that

Nice to hear Bouldy threw a bottle at Ozil after the Palace game. That will teach him. Sure Becks responded to something being thrown at him / kicked at him well.

Lastly - Ed, did Sir Chips have to leave early for tea at the Palace game and break tradition or was he just super pussed iff?

14 Apr 2017 11:48:19
The media circus is in full flow and looking to make the most of Arsenal football clubs total disarray both on and off the pitch.
What players with any half decent alternative are either going to join or stay with a club in such chaos.
We are the laughing stock of football with no real sign of anyone at the club having any real desire to do much about it any time soon.

14 Apr 2017 12:29:43
Just out of interest does anyone actually know if Arsene has been offered a new contract or not?
When i say does anyone actually know i include Arsene himself the board in that? Gazidis says no contract has been offered while everyone else seems to think there is one sitting on the table waiting for Arsene to decide and Arsene himself says he will tell us all very soon but insists​ his interpretation of very soon is very different to what the rest of the world might consider as very soon.
Has this whole thing gone round in so many circles everyone is to dizzy to actually know or remember what has and hasn't been agreed or offord or even talked about apart from Arsene who seems to live in his own little reality of events of all that happens both on and off the pitch.

{Ed002's Note - The offer was made last summer.}

14 Apr 2017 12:29:55
Agreed - I will get off my Keown bandwagon but another interesting piece

Keown claims that the players are worried about having the ‘warmth’ that Wenger creates ripped away from them and, with their confidence already so low, this is causing them to play poorly.

“One of Wenger’s greatest strengths is the warmth he creates, ” the ex-Arsenal defender told Daily Mail.

Wenger is not tactically naive but probably not the most tactically astute manager. More reliance on harmony ( our moto ) and player intelligence. He nurtures the team and creates a side that can lack defensive structure if not natural in the side but can be very creative. Over the years we have seen the best and worst of this. Seems like the feel bad Factor and uncertainty has topped the scales and we are seeing the worst side of it - like you say 62: someone please taking @@@@@@ charge and resolve the bad feeling / karma / uncertainty so we can get back to normal.
The current position is harmful to the club. Two parties need to step up. The board must protect the club - do your job. Our manager loves our club - do whatever is right for our club, whatever it takes. Unfortunately the fans see neither are doing this - so they are trying to force something to happen - this is having the wrong impact and the press / social media bloody love it - result is magnified even more.
I ask the two correct parties to do something about it as we are for the first time - a laughing stock rather than the strong valued, greatly run, fantastic playing club that once was once an example to all. : (.

14 Apr 2017 12:59:33
Thanks Ed002
I agree SY one way or another the whole thing needs to be resolved.
For me personally i will be extremely disappointed if Arsene is our manager next season but if he is he is and we can all (fans players potential new players) make our plans for next season around that decision.
Obviously it's in Arsenes best interest to delay any announcement of his staying until either we win the FA cup ( not highly likely) or the season has ended giving supporters the whole summer to let the disappointment and dissatisfaction calm down a bit meaning any demonstrations that would surely follow such an announcement would lose most of its energy if it had wait 3 months to take place.