Saturday 30 April 2011

A depressing familiarity


There have been some loud echoes recently, the way in which we lost the Birmingham cup final from a strong second half position, the way in which we have thrown away a chance at winning the league title (again) and the way in which we lost away at Bolton last weekend. The recurrent manner of our league capitulation is extremely depressing and frustrating. Despite these frustrations there is no excuse for some of the abuse and vitriol that has been aimed in the manager's direction of late.

It pains me to say it but time is running out for the manager. He faces a massive decision, does he do nothing, carry on ignoring the obvious and risk losing his job? Or does he admit failure and then address certain glaring failings in our squad in order to turn things around?

I sincerely hope he does the latter and the signs are that he will, my fingers are firmly crossed. Lee Dixon's interesting opinion in the Independent is well worth a read. I just wonder if certain Arsenal players have become too comfortable at the club, there seems to have been too much complacency in our performances time and time again, is Arsene's 'vegetarian parenting' resulting in an unacceptable slackness which is consequently undermining our performances? I wonder.

The vast majority of us can see where things have gone wrong, we have lost our physical power, we do not quite have the raw pace we used to, we lack experience in the squad, we have an excessive amount of small technically proficient midgets, the balance in our elevens and squad has been lost. The problems we have are interwoven and inseparable, the lack of experience goes together with our lack of defensive organisation at times, our inability to grind out results stems from inability to defend leads, our lack of tactical variation stems from our many of the above.

This season has gone, maybe we can salvage a bit of pride over the remaining games, I sincerely hope so. It is now undeniable that significant change is needed to transform us into a side that is capable of lasting the distance. Even with significant change there will be no guarantees of success, but it has to be shown that our failings have been acknowledge and acted upon. Let's get behind the team and give the manager a chance of turning things around.

10 comments:

Danish Gooner said...

He have had 6 years of his stubborn vanity project lets not give him a seventh,chuck him.

Red Arse said...

Although you advance arguments that have been exhaustively debated previously, they are none the less valid.

I too hope that AW tweaks the formula and produces a team to challenge and win trophies. We are not far away.

Uncle Mike said...

Maybe Stan Kroenke needs to be George Steinbrenner, and to tell Arsene Wenger the equivalent of what George told Billy Martin, which ended up saving the 1977 season for the New York Yankees: "Billy, bat Reggie 4th, or you're fired."

I'm not sure what the Arsenal equivalent would be... "Arsene, play a front line of Walcott, van Persie and Arshavin"?... and "Arsene, if I see Denilson or Squillaci in the building, you're fired!"

But, while I don't think it is yet time for Wenger to be fired, or even "kicked upstairs" with some sort of title like "director of football," I do think that he, as much as any player, has gotten too comfortable.

Anonymous said...

Indeed Mike.

I think it is certainly true that the players are now too comfortable under Arsene.

It's hard to know what happens day to day, but booting out the underperformers could be a great way in kicking them all up the arse.

We need the players to be a bit afraid of what will happen if they are poor, what happens if they don't give their all, what will happen if they don't pull their weight.

A bit of fear is a great motivator, not too much, just a bit, this is what discipline is and we need more of it.

1979gooner

Sid said...

Danish gimp

Your anti-support is pathetic and you are a plastic. You contribute nothing, but expect as lot in return, fuck off you wanker.

The 6 years have included a massive move, which has hamstrung things, that ios no excuse for years and years of no trophies and this season has been the most frustrating in recent memory, wenger has fucked up, but comments like yours, based on nothing othr than 2nd hand 3rd rate hackery and mis information is more damaging than the club going a few years without a pot.

In fact, if it meant that fair weather cunts like you fucked off, I would bite their hands off

Mick Mahoney said...

Nice one Sid.

Danish Gooner said...

Danish Gimp !!! How clever,i never heard that one before.So you dont like me speaking my mind.I may be A danish gimp but i am right and you are so wrong.But hey,inbreds like your take longer time to understand what is going on infront of them,so you are excused !!!!

Spectrum said...

Danish Gooner - Don't be intimidated by the likes of Sid and the other A.K.B.'s. What you said sums up the situation perfectly.
It's the blind sheep like Sid who are the ones who need to look at themselves.Supporters who really care about the club and the direction it's heading in, are the REAL fans.
Wenger has had more than his fair share of chances.THIS was the season he was supposed to (finally) deliver. He hasn't. "Blame me." he says. We do. Time to face the music.
"In Arsene we rust."

Anonymous said...

Hi all,

Danish Gooner, you are entitled to an opinion but to claim Arsene has been on a vanity project is insulting, disrespectful and unfair

there is simply no excuse for the manner and the tone of some of the criticism, fine for some fair polite criticism, but a lot of it has not been of this kind

the 'AKB' nonsense is beneath contempt, it is the 'with us or against us' argument, if you start from a stupid premise then you will be spouting bull and this is what AKB based stuff does

'akb this, real fans that'

spare me this patronising drivel, come back with some sensible points if you wish, otherwise don't bother....

1979gooner

Rhinogooner said...

And yet you permit the Pro-Wengerists to leave insulting comments towards those on here that dare to criticize Mr. Wenger.

It's got to work both ways 1979.

Not everyone that opposes Mr. Wenger is spitting venom. And not all those who are loyal to him are respectful and intelligent in their comments.