Arsenal Banter Archive February 23 2017

 

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23 Feb 2017 20:13:13
Ranieri sacked. Amazing.

If we are going to lose Sanchez, let's snap up Mahrez.

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{Ed001's Note - would you really want him after this season? There have to be question marks over his desire now surely? Still, you defo dodged a bullet by missing out on Vardy in the summer!}

23 Feb 2017 20:28:42
I feel sorry for Raniera the fans and Leicester city board too, it must have been a really difficult decision for them to make and for everyone at the club to accept.
They had to do something to stop making history for all the wrong reasons this time round.

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{Ed001's Note - they sided with spoilt brats over a man who had worked a miracle. Massive mistake. They are still stuck with those overpaid primadonnas on big money and long contracts and no one will want them now. Sad to see that they let it all go to their heads and cost a genuinely nice and decent man his job while they pat themselves on the backs at getting what they want. I hope they go down now.}

23 Feb 2017 20:48:39
Is that the fans Ed001?
If so I have to agree they have lived the dream and should have backed the man who gave them their moment in the limelight.
As for the board point of view I guess they were on a hiding to nothing as unfortunately Raniera looked helpless to stop them heading towards the championship but at the same time he deserved more time.
If they stay up and kick on next season to a top 10 finish they will be right but if they go down anyway then they will have got it horribly wrong.
Reminds me a bit of Nigel Adkins at Southampton seemed unfair at the time but proved to be best Southampton long term.

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{Ed001's Note - the players mate, they were the ones that downed tools and wanted the change. The fans were still on Ranieri's side, in the main. Totally different from Adkins though, he had taken the club as far as he could, winning nothing, Ranieri has just won them the Prem!}

23 Feb 2017 20:52:12
I would still take him Ed.

I know one good season doesn't make him a top player, and let's face it, he's been pants this term, but I think he is still a damn fine player.

Agree about Vardy mate.

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{Ed001's Note - I do actually agree he is a fine player, but you need winners willing to drive the team on at Arsenal. It is desire and drive and hunger that you lack, all things that seem to have vanished from Mahrez's game. Sadly your scouting department has shown a complete inability to scout those attributes, which is why you ended up signing a thug when you needed a fighter. I just don't think you need a Mahrez to replace Sanchez. You need to replace the lazy arsed Iwobi first. Should have kept Campbell rather than Iwobi, at least he shows heart and desire.}

23 Feb 2017 21:16:18
Can't disagree with any of that Ed.

Spot on.

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{Ed001's Note - I just don't understand how Wenger has not seen those things? I mean he is a highly intelligent man who lives and breaths football. He should be able to see it.}

23 Feb 2017 21:51:33
The players would have been my last guess Ed001 mate, I haven't really followed the story closely only the results and performances but had no idea the players wanted him out.
That is shameful, who were any of them before he arrived?
Since it was player power that cost him his job I have changed my opinion of the board behaviour, weak is the best word I can think to use.
As for the Campbell decision at Arsenal I thought last season he out performed Iwobi Chamberlain and Walcott put together but once they were fit he couldn't even make the bench, bewildering to say the least.

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{Ed001's Note - Vardy has led a players' revolt of sorts, though I am sure there will be a whole bunch of stories released trying to pretend otherwise over the next few days. The players have got big contracts and then decided not to bother trying while looking to blame everyone else for the poor results.

Does anyone think Campbell should have been the one to make way then? He really impressed me last season, with his effort and application as well as his play.}

23 Feb 2017 22:16:17
Campbell got his chance last season and look it with it with both hands and every bit of effort and ability within him, but still was dropped out of sight once the underperforming Ox and Theo were fit, he wasn't part of the cosy club so was expendable.

Doesn't bode well for Conte next season then Ec001 Morinho last season and Raniera this season forced out by the players after a title win?
I know there two very different people and circumstances but that still 2 out 2 for player power after a title win.

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23 Feb 2017 22:18:29
I think the players got Ranieri sacked.
Last season they were phenomenal.
Each player would have been deserved player of the season candidates.

Schmeichel, best keeper in Prem.
Huth/ Morgan, best Centre Halves.
Drinkwater/ Kante, best Midfielders.
Mahrez, best winger.
Vardy, best striker.

This season, they have been a disgrace. Money has gone to their heads.

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23 Feb 2017 22:34:29
They always say getting there is the easy bit Dags staying is the art
Unknown people who become celebs seem lovely and humble on the way up then turn into superbrats
Very few people and teams can maintain their place at the top repeatedly, no one has ever won the champions league twice on the trot and few teams retain the premier league title, Fergie was constantly looking for weaknesses and lack of appetite in his players and was never afraid to let players go stars or not if he thought it necessary.

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23 Feb 2017 22:32:26
Thats what you call hero to zero. Two managers sacked within months of winning the prem. Some said he should have had a job for life, owner obviously doesn't agree.

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23 Feb 2017 22:34:18
I was going to put a rant up ed! But you have put my sentiments word perfect. Lots of factors at play champions league for one and to get a 2-1 at Seville in the form they are in is a great result and if they got that there s 1-0 at home isn't or wasn't out of the question . We as arsenal fans know that it's hard and we buckled against Monaco a few years back.

A change of manager can only be detrimental at this time. Huge error from the Leicester board. And like you ed I hope they go down because I would hate for them to stay up and hail it as a great decision! It's very much the same for palace not because I hate them or liked pardew byt because of big Sam! No remorse arrogant prat don't want him in the EPL.

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23 Feb 2017 22:13:18
Ed,
The thing with Wenger is, he still thinks he has the ability/ resources to uncover raw talent, like he did with the French lads when he first came to Arsenal.

Players like Iwobi should be used sporadically or go out on loan to develop. He is nowhere near good enough to hold down a regular spot.

Agree about Campbell. Not the most consistent player, but he gave 100% every game and some of his assists were world class.

In fact, him and Serge Gnabry were more worth keeping and playing games in place of Iwobi.

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{Ed001's Note - thing is, he never uncovered raw talent, he just brought in highly rated players who were struggling at their current clubs. None of them were unknowns in France. Vieira, in particular, was very well known and that is why he ended up in Juve in the first place.}

23 Feb 2017 22:34:46
I can't believe vardy if that's true Ed! He should be thrown back to non league! Player power is getting out of hand nowadays. Feel sorry for Ranieri. such a charismatic and genuinely nice man. He will be missed in the premiership!

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{Ed001's Note - it is a shame, Ranieri was a genuine guy. It is very rare to see someone get success and no one to begrudge him, but that is what happened with Ranieri.}

23 Feb 2017 09:23:30
Are we a better side since ozil and Sanchez joined?

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23 Feb 2017 15:45:25
We have won FA Cup twice since there arrival, so I guess that is a possible indicator we are a better team with them.

But, until we win the league, the players and manager will always have doubters and be regarded as a cup team.

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23 Feb 2017 15:48:42
Strangely our points total suggests otherwise, since Ozil then Sanchez then Cech arrived our points tally has consistently declined.
The reason for this is a total mystery to me but our points return over 38 games keeps falling each season.
The introduction of those 3 top class players plus the emergence of Le Coq should have taken us from annual 4th place trophy winners to 80 + points contenders but for some reason it just hasn't happened.

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23 Feb 2017 17:09:44
Maybe it's because the surprise factor of the league growing each year. Seems to be more upsets by the week.

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23 Feb 2017 17:51:40
True 16 mate but it hasn't stopped city Liverpool liecester Chelsea all reaching the 80+ mark during that time, it does seem the mentality within the squad is subconsciously top 4 and above Spurs focused so maybe with winners like Cech and Sanchez comming in others have subconsciously slackened off thier efforts without realising it,
It is a mystery mate.
We all said we needed to replace Szczesney with a top keeper but it's made little difference, we said Mertersaacker was to slow but replacing him with Mustafi hasn't improved us either, it's a job to know why or which players would actually make a difference to our end of season total and get us to that elusive 80 points mark.

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23 Feb 2017 18:17:16
All very good points. Seems the attitude has changed over the years with the mentality. So many players I could name on the top of my head who turn up to games when they want.

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23 Feb 2017 18:38:54
I can only assume it's a collective mentality thing 16 mate, I'm sure none of the players or Arsene delierately want to be continual also rans in both league and champions league but it seems they are just incapable of improving as season after season of the same last 16 above Spurs top 4 finishes just can't be coincidence.

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23 Feb 2017 22:14:23
It's a fair point 62. Just look at it from the fans perspective last year. Although we ain't satisfied it isn't a tragedy . A crisis to us is if we finished outside of top 4 and last year if we didn't pip toot to second we would have seen that as a crisis. Need a strong run in! Pressure is off so we have to kick on.

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23 Feb 2017 08:16:25
Now that sanchez looks to be on his way who does everyone want to replace him? I would like insigne from napoli.

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23 Feb 2017 09:53:26
Superman?

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23 Feb 2017 15:50:54
As things stand I don't think it matters much because if Sanchez couldn't turn us around its difficult to see how any one player could.

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23 Feb 2017 17:11:24
Doesn't griezmann play lw/ cf.

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23 Feb 2017 17:52:58
Sanchez is an excellent player and his work rate is second to none. However I don't think his departure would be as disastrous as some suggest. He has a tendency to overplay and hold onto the ball too long which has cost us on multiple occasions. The attack can seem quite disjointed when he plays and his passing is rather atrocious. He seems to think he can defy physics and pass the ball through a solid opponent.

He is capable of producing something out of nothing but those moments are few and far between. He's odd in that he is erratic yet predictable.

I'm not disputing the fact that he is a wonderful player but if he leaves then we have an opportunity to make signings that suit our system and compliment existing squad members. Although my preference would be signing players to suit a new system.

I'd love to see him stay but won't be distraught if he leaves, I just hope whatever funds we receive from his sale are reinvested back into the squad.

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23 Feb 2017 18:25:39
There is something in what you say Lose Cannon mate as results without him playing have been ok, Olypiakos away last season comes to mind.
He's a fantastic player who delivers in 9/ 10 games so as to why he doesn't improve us is beyond me really, maybe the rest up thier own game when he is not around, maybe.

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23 Feb 2017 19:22:47
G62, it's a strange situation mate. It seems like some players have the attitude of 'leave it to Sanchez' and Alexis himself often tries to do everything on his own instead of functioning as part of the team.

Others definitely work harder when he isn't in the team and we do seem to play with more fluency in such instances. Altough that doesn't make us anymore more efficient as far as end product goes.

For the team to be so unbalanced at this stage in its cycle is simply unforgivable and entirely the fault of the manager. This summer is going to be an extremely interesting one for Arsenal with so much uncertainty and so many possibilities. Yet I wouldn't be surprised if we're in the same boat this time next year.

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23 Feb 2017 20:05:06
I'm not sure what's going to happen Lose Cannon mate, is there enough sentimentality left to see Arsene go another season? I just don't know.
There is no reason to think another season under Arsene will end any better than the last 10 have and it does seem more and more people are now ready for change but when push comes to shove will the majority fall back in line because of long since past achievements and an extremely strong sentimental attachment to a man who historically brought us all so much pleasure and and unbelievably excitement all those years ago.

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25 Feb 2017 08:11:44
I would go for reus or mertens.

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