Arsenal Banter Archive February 09 2016

09 Feb 2016 23:21:28
{Ed's Note - We have posted a new article entitled, Dortmund Fans Find Unique Way To Protest High Ticket Prices, Everton Near Takeover And More

09 Feb 2016 06:33:07
I have an extremely positive feeling about Sunday's match against Leicester, who we beat soundly at their place this season. However, we must replace Flamini, with fit again Coquelin, alongside Ramsey, with Theo on the right and Giroud up front.

09 Feb 2016 13:19:42
Funny thing is we beat them soundly with flamini. I think people get fixated on problems but they are mot always the answer. Its a lot deeper than that. Not sure coq is fit either, he's not played a full game yet.

09 Feb 2016 14:53:33
RG why would you start Theo?

09 Feb 2016 15:59:04
Theo still has a big? Over him at top level over a season as do Ox Olly Campbell Mertersaacker Gabriel Gibbs Chambers Jack Danny plus There's Arteta Rosicky and Flamini who there's no question about for all the wrong reasons.
That's 13 of our 25 man squad, OK you can argue about Olly but we have the 14th worst clear cut chance to goal convention rate in the league and he's our main striker.
There are still more questions than answers IMO.

09 Feb 2016 12:49:39
I'd have wallsnott upfront and JC on the right.

09 Feb 2016 16:00:14
I believe we win despite Flamini, never because of him.
I would start Theo to use his pace down the flank and neither Ox or Campbell have convinced me.
Ideally I would play Coquelin and Elneny in front of the back four, although that would mean dropping Ramsey.

09 Feb 2016 18:28:17
RG how you can you even consider dropping Aaron Ramsey for a player you know next to nothing about?
You don't fancy buying a car do you mate? Just send me £5,000 and I will have it delivered to you and take your current motor away for you totally free of charge, what car am I selling? Does it really matter :-)

09 Feb 2016 18:29:18
Rg you would play an un match fit coq and an untried elneny. Because you don't like flamini and drop ramsay. Not what id like to see but I do wish coq was fit.

09 Feb 2016 18:56:46
I'm sure that Coquelin will be fit, he is not long back from injury and thankfully Wenger has eased him back in time for the big big games.

He hasn't looked in any trouble when played, but just building up the fitness.

Ramsay will not be dropped and we are never likely to play with 2 DM's.

09 Feb 2016 19:22:21
Red he's definitely fit but he's not anywhere near match fit. He hasn't played a full game even yet against a prem team. Until he's played 4 or 5 he will be short. There is a reason why he hasnt, I suggest its because he's come back quicker than first expected and they don't want to push him too soon. let's hope whoever plays does a good job.

09 Feb 2016 20:15:18
How many times have we moaned about players being rushed back only to break down again and be out for another 3 months because of it? On this I have no issue with Arsene, which worries me a lot :-)

09 Feb 2016 20:45:48
RG both Joel and ox look far more convincing on the right, Theo can't have time to think otherwise he'll fluff his lines, he has to play Up-top or not at all, harsh but true.

The way wenger is handling Le coq is perfect, rush him back n boom he's on the casualty list again. Flamini is doing enough to cover him for the time being (not to much longer let's hope)

elneny has obviously been brought for next season otherwise I'm sure he would have chucked him in already Don't you think?

09 Feb 2016 20:56:24
Je I know less about Elneny now than I did in 2012 but apparently he's the answer, I'm just no longer sure what the question was or who asked it or why it needing asking anymore :-)

09 Feb 2016 21:14:32
Whos elneny?

09 Feb 2016 21:54:13
Elneny just needs to start wearing a lone ranger eye mask Steve and we can all ask? :-)
Hi ho Silver AWAY.

10 Feb 2016 06:41:04
Yes, I would prefer to play Coquelin and Elneny ahead of Flamini and Ramsey in the DM roles. Our most successful period under Wenger was when we played the likes of Petit, Gilberto and Vieira in front of the back four. In recent seasons we have used players such as Arteta, Flamini, Wilshere, Cazorla in these roles. Arteta and Flamini are woeful, whilst the other three players are excellent, but are not DM players.

I would rather start Coquelin against Leicester and take him off, if he fades due to a lack of fitness, I would also try Elneny, who cannot be worse than Flamini. I fail to understand why anyone defends this inept player. He is shocking. Watch his positional sense in the build up to the 3 goals recently conceded against Liverpool.

09 Feb 2016 09:50:01
A couple of seasons after Newcastle threw away their massive lead at the top of the premier league Kevin Keegan admitted his loyalty to Peter Beardsley cost the title and looking back playing Asprilla out wide to accommodate Beardsley during the run in was the biggest factor in Newcastle not being champions, yes even more than Fergie getting in his head :-) .
I think a couple of seasons after Arsene leaves Arsenal he will look back realise just how much his loyalty to so many players was his biggest mistake too.

09 Feb 2016 11:44:18
Hindsight is always an easy way to judge . however in the moment, given the pressure, the situation and the decisions which need to be made depending on opposition gameplay its not at all an easy task. Gary neville should cue his wenger debates now. has wenger underperformed perhaps in his recruitment drive, but as far as i'm concerned he has done everything the club stands for, never giving into pressure or buying for the sake of fan pressure. i'm not his biggest fan but i give him credit for putting us on the map, and you can take that to the bank.

developing players, giving us an identity that we play football to, and the moments of glory and failure all part of the game.

perhaps man city, Manchester United fans and liverpool and chelsea fans can gloat and call us names, but can any of them do what we have done consistently with one manager and with our resources? perhaps that does not interest them and their unlimited funds, but for a club which exudes class and ethics, i'm still standing by the manager and his team.

my dad told me this 18 years ago when i was 12, history is just a moment of heritage, but times change and sometimes its nothing more than a memory, to repeat history you need to reinvent yourself and great minds reinvent. was nothing to do with arsenal but rather his take on sir clive sinclair. but i think its fair to say we have reinvented ourselves to give us a chance to keep competing at the top level.

09 Feb 2016 12:32:00
No I think he's damn proud of his loyalty.

09 Feb 2016 16:07:07
I'm sure he is for now perfect but once out of the job a while I think he might feel differently looking back.

09 Feb 2016 02:06:00
Practically 50/ 50 split wenger in/ out. Quite suprised, I thought he would have far more support, considering the stick I used to get.

09 Feb 2016 06:02:42
To be honest mate I can wholeheartedly understand why this season people will at the end of it, should we not win the league decide that enough is enough. I will be one of that number.

I struggle though to accept the thought process of wanting the guy out for what he achieved under onerous financial constraints.

You yourself have lauded younger managers who have outwitted him in certain games, yet not one of them has one the league once with their respective clubs nor gone on to keep a club in the Champions league with most having more to spend than him.

Now is different, money has been no object, players like Sanchez, Ozil and Cech have taken the team to another level but it is even beyond me how he could spend nothing and rely on woeful or injured players when there was clearly no need.

So as I said before, this season is the season, irrelevant of how easy or difficult it's supposed to be, he has to win it or move on to pastures new.

09 Feb 2016 09:10:59
If you make the decision to be the only manager in Europe who feels his outfield players don't need improving on and instead decide to retain and back older injury prone players with new deals instead youve got to be seen to be 100% right in those decisions at the end of the season.
If it was Brendan Rogers making those decisions we'd all laugh because let's face it they are very very bizarre decisions to make.
If he decides he's had enough this summer that would be very good news but I don't want to see him driven out for the sake of 1 more season.

09 Feb 2016 06:35:32
Wow, if we win on Sunday, we will be 2 points off top place, in the last 16 of the CL and with a very winnable match in the 5th round of the FA Cup.
Quite who supporters think we will replace Wenger with and how thy will improve on his current record, is beyond me.

09 Feb 2016 08:19:20
I do agree in someways stoner and it's been nice to be able to get players like Sanchez and ozil. But the team has not gone to another level were the same as always and that's bottlers and also rans.

09 Feb 2016 09:58:43
Stoner you say fianancial restraints but they will always be in Wenger's head. If he wanted a player that badly last summer he could of gone one.

And now he will moan about the TV money pushing prices up. The board have already made him say that the ticket prices must go up to pay players wages

On the plus side we will finally have a player on more than Wenger. Sanchez and ozil will be next. Unless he signs a new deal with a nice pay rise.

09 Feb 2016 12:58:14
We are all in differing ways fickle suppoerters and after sunday, i'm sure it could go 75/ 25 either way depending on the result. For me the result will change nothing, but the proof will come at the end of the season.

{Ed025's Note - i think your right steve..