Everything good and bad about Danny W was on display yesterday as Arsenal bumbled their way past the worst Southampton side we’ve seen in 5 years. He missed an open goal so wide you could have squeezed Samir Nasri’s arse through it, he assisted with a delightful deft touch, and he banged in two goals, one with a scruffy deflection, the other with an opportunistic header at the back post.
It was Danny’s day, but it wasn’t one you’d look back on with a great deal of fondness. It was Arsenal at their most banterful. The ground was half empty, the players were preserving their legs on the off chance they could land a starting place in Russia this Thursday, and the output of the day was a touch bizarre.
We went one goal down early. Tadic and Cedric made mincemeat of Chambers and Kolasinac down the left, a speculative ball was fired at our front post with the curve moving away from the keeper, Mustafi just zoned out like he’d had a clean energy production epiphany, Shane Long nipped in and put it past Cech. A defensive error so very symptomatic of any Wenger side you could remember over the past fifteen years.
The German would likely be a machine under a proper manager who cared about defence, but he’s not with us. He’s clumsy, he’s a finger-wagger like Flamini, and he’s ever so average.
We clawed a goal back in a sumptuous move. Elneney found Auba from deep midfield, he laid off Iwobes who returned the pass, a quick one-two with WELBZ set the man from Gabon free to poke his shot inside the keepers post.
9 minutes later Danny W picked up a great ball from Iwobi, he cut inside right and rifled a deflected shot into the top corner from 20 yards. Has the man ever had a clean shot? Can we call this a strategy now? A great goal regardless.
Their second goal was a collection of very Arsenal fuck-ups. We weren’t alert to their quick freekick, we managed to get away with the first ball fizzed across our box, Jack Wilshere was pottering around and didn’t get close to Hojberg on the edge of the box. The Dane played a one-two with Tadic, crossed across a now packed box and found Charlie Austin for a near instant goal after he came on as a sub. Utterly embarrassing. I mean, I’m not even touching on Chambers shocking clearance, another player who looked off the pace all day. That £23m we rejected for him looking crazier by the day.
I thought we’d see out a point, but Danny Welbeck had other ideas, popping up to nod home a looping Iwobi cross in the 80th minute.
The game wasn’t finished from a drama perspective, Jack Wilshere had to make an impact the only way he knows how to these days. He had a tussle with Stephens just outside the Stoke box and didn’t like the outcome. He decided to track him down as he powered through the middle of the pitch, Jack ripped his shirt because he couldn’t keep pace with the centre back, and was instantly thrown to the floor in retaliation. Jack got up, protested, landed Stephens a red card, he managed to get away with a yellow. Then Elneney got involved in the mess and landed a red. A real joke of a situation that was completely unnecessary.
An entertaining afternoon, no doubt. But entertaining like a comical WWE bout. We shouldn’t be conceding 2 goals to relegation fodder under any circumstances, let alone at home. We shouldn’t be picking up late red cards in nothing matches. We shouldn’t be so flat. But we are. Arsenal is a weird old place at the moment.
Aubameayang is an interesting striker. He’s starting to settle into the rhythm of the first team, he’s offering up the runs our playmaker’s dream of, and he’s starting to connect better with the build-up play. His MO is goals, and pretty much just goals. I don’t think he wants to be involved in the play like a Thierry, Robin or Alexis would be. His end product outside of goals isn’t great, and I don’t expect we’ll be seeing much in the way of link-up play like a Giroud would offer. But, look, he scores goals. He’s now our most prolific striker over the first 7 games, beating out Davor Suker (Opta inventing stats to new levels). It would be a real shame not to give him a run with a proper manager, in a proper team. Next year is going to be him at his peak, we need to max out his value and that won’t be with Wenger.
Jack Wilshere was disappointing again. The apologists will say his head isn’t in the game at the moment as he’s thinking about his contract. Well, that never stopped Theo and it certainly isn’t stopping Ramsey pulling up trees (nor Ozil earlier in the season). I think it’s mostly because he doesn’t have the extra level we’d hoped would be there. He’s 26 now, and he’s no more interesting than he was when he was 18. At least when he was a kid, you felt he cared about the game, I look at him now and wonder if he’s just in it for the wages and the good life at home? He’s certainly not playing like he wants a new deal or a move to a better club. I’m not sure I’d be whacking £100k p/w on him based on what we’ve seen this year.
Arsene is clearly blowing all on zero at the roulette table. It’s the only way he saves this season. We’ll win on Thursday, and he’ll have a chance at a new deal because Stan and Josh don’t understand the context of failure. If he makes the final, he’ll have to avoid Atleti, who have so many levels to their game. I watched them respond to going 1 down at Madrid. They have many great players and a coach who can change the game from the touchline. We have no chance against them over two legs, and it’ll be a Chelsea like miracle over one game.
But we’ll see… this season is the Europa mission. A shame for the home fans, because the Premier League season is like watching paint dry. The apathy in the ground is met in the living rooms. Pray we don’t mess up Thursday.
See you in the comments, and watch our podcast where Matt and I discuss:
- Aubameyeng: Hit or miss?
- The case for our defence: Who stays or goes?
- Iwobi: Hero in waiting, or another Nik B?
- Jack Wilshere: What do you do with him?
SPOTIFY (SHUT UP SO COOL)
VIDEO
Now for the good news: We finally have a core of attacking players who can scare the hell out of nearly any team: Aubameyang, Ozil, Mkhitaryan, Ramsey and Lacazette give us so many options and Welbeck and Iwobi are good squad players for domestic cup competitions and weaker premier league opposition. Central midfield is still an area of concern. Xhaka has definitely improved this season but his lack of mobility is still a probem. Wilshere looks to be on his way out if recent performances are any indication. Elneny is a reliable squad player and Maitland-Niles has been earmarked for… Read more »
El Neny gets off ban, surprising but good news!
TinyD
Except I didn’t make those assertions but your buddy,so the nous is on him to back them up with facts,you could even refer him to the my earlier post directed to you on this same subject,maybe then he will have some clue,still won’t hold my breath anyway
victorious
I’m waiting……..
Tony D, do you agree that ‘Wenger employs himself’? Or is an employee?
Michael
Wenger is an employee of arsenal. He doesn’t own the club.
We have a majority shareholder with a controlling stake who decides whether wenger remains in his job or not.
Last season, wenger reached the end of his contract. Kroenke didn’t even need to fire him
He could let him go with no fuss and no compensation.
Instead, our great owner flew in personally and without even consulting anyone else at the club, gave wenger a new two year deal.
Micheal24
cool it down mate,your obsession with Wenger is clouding your judgement,you’r writing in vague and passing opinions as gospel truth, remove the ‘Wenger obsessive spectacle’ then maybe you’ll get some clarity and absorb what my 10 year old son would grasp within seconds
Victorious
Did you go out and buy a shirt after Arsenal’s regular humiliations?
Yeh, we lost 10-2 to BM but surely shirt sails must be up!
Simple enough for you?
Sales
Certainly simple Michael 24
El neny is off the ban… Late April fool when it matters least
Michael 24
Those commercial sources?
How much down are we in recent seasons given we’re “floundering”?
alexanderhenry
Blah! blah! blah! blah!!
………and the fans keep protecting Wenger.
There’s always an excuse.
Shambolic.
Michael
Not sure you grasp the meaning of the word “excuse”…
Kroenke offering Wenger a new deal isn’t an “excuse” for Wenger, it’s a simple statement of fact. Wenger had no contract with the club in the summer, Kroenke offered him a two-year contract.
Not sure where any “excuse” comes into play
Poor Vicuntious. He probably believes Arsenal are doing great these days. “Crisis? What crisis? We’ve won five straight”. Lol
Martial rejects Man United new contract offer. We should be all over him, the guy is damn good.
The rat pack are out in force!
Let me put it to you another way –
Are Arsenal FC as commercially attractive in 2018 as they were in 2006?
Yes? No?
Don’t forget to take into account inflation etc.
Who is responsible for maintaining the club’s image and commercial identity?
I already know what’s coming.
‘Not sure you grasp the meaning of the word “excuse”…’
Not sure he grasps the meaning of ANYTHING,he sure knows how to scream’Wenger out’ on an Arsenal’s site though,very myopic and naive poster giving steve(chavs cunt) a run for his money
Leno – £20m release clause
Giminez – £60m? Release clause
Max Meyer – free
Surely that isn’t too much to ask over the summer? To at least make an effort for those players.
I mean if we really wanted to we could also try for Martial, although I very much doubt we would.
If you really want to get the full picture on Arsenal finances including commercial facts go to Swiss Ramble’s site. Comprehensive but not concise!
https://twitter.com/swissramble/status/914760608800821248?lang=en
No way United let us have Martial,honestly think the lad would explode with us,Boringho would sooner offload him to China though
Alexander
“Instead, our great owner flew in personally and without even consulting anyone else at the club, gave Wenger a new two year deal.”
Right, because like Charlie and thousands of other Arsenal supporters, Kroenke erroneously believed that Wenger was still capable of challenging for titles.
“Are Arsenal FC as commercially attractive in 2018 as they were in 2006?”
No idea, haven’t seen the figures that measure whether we are or not. You presumably have to make your assertions, so perhaps you can share what they are? Unless you’ve not done any digging are are simply stating an opinion as fact…
—-
“Who is responsible for maintaining the club’s image and commercial identity?”
Ivan Gazidis deals with the commercial aspects of Arsenal FC, he is the Chief Executive Officer at the club.
Steve
“Poor Vicuntious. He probably believes Arsenal are doing great these days. “Crisis? What crisis? We’ve won five straight”. Lol”
SIX
https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/arsenal-leapfrog-paris-saintgermain-in-deloitte-football-money-league-after-earning-400m-a3746796.html According to that article from January 2018, Arsenal are in the top 6 for revenue generated in world football. Those figures are courtesy of Deloitte. I find your “floundering” comment to lack some substance Michael. I will say however, the above was courtesy of a 2 minute google search so I’m open to being wrong. Do enlighten. —- “Right, because like Charlie and thousands of other Arsenal supporters, Kroenke erroneously believed that Wenger was still capable of challenging for titles.” There’s Mr “I have never lied once” continuing with the same lie about me from the summer. Hope those… Read more »
Binford ‘Right, because like Charlie and thousands of other Arsenal supporters, Kroenke erroneously believed that Wenger was still capable of challenging for titles.’ Kroenke “erroneously believed”that Wenger was still capable of challenging for titles NOT because of fans Like CC but because HE is absolutely out of touch with reality,i mean a fan could be forgiven for holding some form of affection for the club’s greatest ever manager but a supposedly ‘business man’s with money as his utmost goal to allow revenues and global brand of his asset depreciate Slowly and steady over the years has ZERO excuse. nice try… Read more »
“No way United let us have Martial,honestly think the lad would explode with us,Boringho would sooner offload him to China though”
___
Yep he’ll explode alright. In the sense his career would be finished being coached by the specialist in failure.
Beggars belief how stupid this Vicuntious is. Dumber then Ty even.
Than*
Chavs cunt
Apparently you’re not just a daft cunt but an obsessive one,why not get your dumb head outta my ass and go show some support to your ‘floundering’ chavs team?..there you go boy
The type that still inhabits Emirates Stadium at this stage are typical Vicuntious type of cunts. Wenger FC supporters. Daft cunts.
Feeling 2-2 draw tonight.
Pep Guardiola is also obstinate just like Wenger. How on earth can he pick Jesus ahead of Agueuro in a tie as big as this one? Jesus has done little to justify the hype around him.
El Neny gets off ban, surprising but good news!
Wow didn’t see nothing about that all day until I read Le-grove cheers Bob for the info.
Pep going 3 at the back..
Yeah aguero is a complete striker can do it all. Jesus at this point is just a tap in merchant.
You’d think pep would like a striker like aguero a striker who can be involved in the build up play.
I have a feeling pep just doesn’t like aguero.
one guarantee for this type of matches are GOALS!!!nail-biting for the respective fans but loads of fun for the neutrals
Kompany not in the starting line up either. Strange,really strange.
City 1-0
In store for some match.
Haha the ‘tap-in merchant’ at it again!!!
Pool just needs to score one.
Aguero would have scored that as well WE. Let’s not pretend Jesus has something in his locker that kun doesn’t.
TR7
I love Aguero, think that you’s are being very harsh on Jesus though, kid is class.
Been very impressive for Brazil NT too.
I could see why Kompany can’t be trusted in games of this magnitude,sadly his injury record is shocking,he hasn’t got the legs,an early injury that’s a spanner in the works for pep who clearly wants an all round attacking game
City are playing 3-5-2.
Keeping Liverpools 2 CB’s occupied. I guess Pep’s mind is “we are already out, why not go for it”.
lol, brace yourself up lads,this could be a festival of goals
Pep had to have taken inspiration from Barca’s 6-1 win over PSG in the build-up for today.
Roma also one goal up.
‘Pep had to have taken inspiration from Barca’s 6-1 win over PSG in the build-up for today.’
that has to be the greatest of comebacks,no?
Yeah, only United’s 1999 UCL Final one comes close for me.
3-1 after 88 mins gone and needing 3 more goals to progress… nuts.
Liverpool look rattled, they need to stay calm and claw their way back in the game.
A 2nd for Citeh would make things very interesting, two goal lead atm for Pool is still comfortable.
A 2nd would make Pool very unsure of whether to defend the lead or risk going for that away goal.
Dippers need at least one goal,city certainly has more goals in them,they really look fluid
Wijanaldum is so poor,the game just passes by him and he can’t do anything about it. Henderson at least has energy and presence if not skills. Can a big miss as well.
It seems like Anthony Martial is off this summer. Throw HB at them Raul/Sven/who ever the fuck on charge of transfers. Get the guy. He solves 2 of our problems.
Victorious,
We finally agree on something.
*fuck is in charge
Akilan
“We finally agree on something.”
hahah,long overdue mate,you certainly are a big fan of Martial,likewise me,would give united, Bellerin,Mustafi, Wilshere and a pack over chips to have him,a sleeping giant of a player,imo
Tr7
Precisely why Ox is getting games centrally for them when he couldn’t at ours.
How’s was that a yellow for Benardo?
Clear goal by Man City there
Ref too card happy?wont be surprised to see him dish out the red
Why was that goal disallowed?
How is that offside?
oh dear
Raheem is quicker than Mane
Wtf no added time for Liverpools time wasting? Really? Shit ref.
Citeh robbed a goal there.
@azed, Champagne Charlie
Only one Liverpool player behind their goalkeeper.
Ref getting all sort of shits from city’s fans
steve
Ive noticed for a while now that there is basically never ANY added time at the end of the 1st half in UCL ties, really weird.
‘Thunderstorm” from City as Klopp had predicted it. Pool lucky to be just one down. Klopp should take one of the attackers off and put one more man in the midfield. That midfield of theirs is getting throughly exposed.
Lol offside rules peeps
I swear commentators have forgotten what the offside rule is.
McManaman incredibly saying offide when it quite clearly isn’t. Even read some dozy fans pointing out it came off Milner when it was onside regardless of who it came hit it.
Ox or the anonymous Wijnaldum should get hooked off.
City can feel aggrieved there, clearly off Milner and not at all difficult to spot. Could have made a huge difference going in 2-0 up.
Ashley Young “pen” Sunday to boot, not getting decisions they really should get. Poor officiating once again
“@azed, Champagne CharlieOnly one Liverpool player behind their goalkeeper.”
Does there need to be at least 2?
‘Even read some dozy fans pointing out it came off Milner when it was onside regardless of who it came hit it.’
Kilbane was spouting the same shit on TV3.
Even if it was off the City player, there was a Pool player level with Sane keeping him onside.
If that’s a rule it’s a bloody stupid one.
TR7
The longer the game goes on and city don’t score they will become frustrated all it takes is one of those counter attack’s and Liverpool score game over.
If you’re ahead of the opponent goalie, you need to be behind 2 outfield players to be onside, I think. No idea if it is true though.
Wenger Eagle
To be honest Jesus goal was basic, aguero would have scored that and been more of a threat.
“Even read some dozy fans pointing out it came off Milner when it was onside regardless of who it came hit it.”
No it wasn’t, there was only one man between Sane and the goal. There needs to be two
That definitely doesn’t sound right.
What about those goals you see scored when one outfield player squares it back to another one after he beats the GK?
A player is in an offside position if: he is nearer to his opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second last opponent.
Googled it
are those officials behind the goal posts mannequins?
The refereee (Chris Foy) on BT doesn’t seem to even know this two player rule, and says it’s onside.
That is a stupid rule then, should exclude the GK.
“What about those goals you see scored when one outfield player squares it back to another one after he beats the GK?”
The player is normally behind the ball, not ahead of it.
LG
Expect we’ll see Aguero pretty promptly, by the hour mark at the latest.
dzeko is quality, scores another against barca
Wenger has been wrong about so many things that it’s more than likely he will be wrong about Spurs new stadium. He said that Pocchettini would be plunged into austerity by the stadium debt (just as he was.) He also has said that RVP would not be leaving the Club, that UEFA’s fairplay rules would transform Arsenal into title-winners, that his current squad is his best-ever, that…..well, the list is endless, but you get the drift.
Dzeko’s always been underrated, excellent technique for a big man.
“@azed, Champagne CharlieOnly one Liverpool player behind their goalkeeper.”Does there need to be at least 2?
That’s correct
@WengerEagle
In that case the player is behind the ball.
Englandsbest
Lol theres actual football on mate, leave Wenger out of it for another hour ehh
how many do Roma need,giving Barça a scare here
City definitely need Aguero.
The rest of the City players don’t look convincing. De Bruyne doesn’t look confident, overthinking too much, and Sterling is back on full on spaz mode in front of goal.
I think the issue here though is the ball came off of Milner.
CC
Get you.
Sane once again has looked City’s best player, creating havoc anytime he’s on the ball.
B Silva a close second.