Is Wenger a Big Game Bottler?

Is Wenger a Big Game Bottler?

No?

So why the change of tactics in big game.

We have been playing 4-4-2 all season and have been playing well, Scoring loads of goals and top of the league, So why did we play 4-5-1 away to liverpool? We only really looked like scoring onces Theo and Bendtner came on and we went to our values of playing 4-4-2.
The first time Wenger did this was the FA cup final vs Man Utd and played Bergkamp as a lone striker in a 4-5-1,Even thou we won the game on pens for 120mins Man Utd battered us and we never had a single shot on target.

Yes I can understand the thinking behind this away from home, But Wenger even did this at home last season to chelsea which makes me think he would rather draw the big games then risk having a go and losing.

My point is this.
Playing 4-5-1 it makes us more solid in midfield yes but you take away the attacking flair. At times the lone striker has no support and we create nothing.

I would rather us stick to a 4-4-2 and having a good go at the big teams rather then pay them too much respect.

Let them worry about us, Why wait to we go 1-0 down and then change back to 4-4-2?

Pre Liverpool Rant

Every single person in the world, except Adebayor, has said that this weekends game against a “top four” (that’s in inverted comma’s because the last time I check the table Liverpool were 5th) is the first real test. Plenty of debate has taken place as to whether the sides we’ve faced so far are strong or not. Without going into it too much I do consider Man City, Portsmouth and Blackburn as strong sides.
I don’t care if it’s the first real test or not, it is highly likely that we’re going to get beaten sometime this season. Whether we lose now against Liverpool or lose next week against Manure the title is still going to be decided over the course of 38 games. Last season we had a brilliant record against the “big teams” but had absolutely nothing to show for it at the end of the season. So why should it matter now all of a sudden?

Let us also remember that this squad has suffered setbacks before. They’ve had to deal with painful defeats against arguably weaker opponents (a la Sheffield, Fulham last year). They’ve lost in a Cup Final. They’ve struggled with injuries. They’ve dealt with being criticized from almost every corner. They’ve dealt with big name players leaving. They’ve dealt with injury crises. Now tell me, how on earth is defeat to Liverpool going to be something that is going to overwhelm this squad and stop their title challenge?

All this make or break nonsense is nothing but Sky co. to hype up the fixture and cash in. It really isn’t that important.

Now United the week after is something to be hyped up. Its going to be a clash between the two best sides in the league at this moment, and hopefully another feisty encounter.

Arsenal fans dreaming of Quaresma

Photo edited by heskeyhater

Recently members on the forum have been asked to name players they would most like Arsenal to sign.

A group of players including Akinfeev,Huntelaar,Micah Richards,David Villa ,Nuri Sahin,Benzema and Agbonlahor were all named.

But One players name came up more then any other (85 %) and that’s was Portuguese winger Ricardo Quaresma.

Linked with a host of clubs all over Europe Quaresma is regarded by many as the hottest talent in the game and is valued around £20m.Wenger has proved in the past with the signings of Walcott and Reyes that he is not scared to spend big on a player if he feels they are worth it, Yes Wenger likes to sign players who not many of us have ever seen or heard of but the Arsenal board have said there is money available should the boss ask for it.

I cant find any credible links to us being in for Quaresma but many Arsenal fans live and dream that it will become a reality. Personaly I cant see it

And here is the reason why so many gooners admire him.

We all dream and hope that one day we might get to see Quaresma in the red and white of Arsenal.

For views on the matter, please sign up to The Gooner Forum
. http://thegoonerforum.phpbb24.com

And discuss it with our members.

Mad Jens is a Legend

He’s got a lot of stick this week from Arsenal fans for his recent comments. He doesn’t like being dropped and seems extremely angry about it. A lot of people seem to be going on about team harmony and respect to the manager and fans. Bollocks to it. Its entertainment that I want. The team and manager seem to be doing extremely well, top of the table, 7-0 win. Doesn’t get much better does it? We need a bit of drama here and there otherwise we’ll just end up with bullshit transfer rumours and endless speculation on what formation we’ll be playing over the weekend. Neither of which really interest me. Mad Jens on the other hand is a comical genius, and I just can’t get enough of his interviews.
I challenge Almunia or Fabianski to come up with gems like these, let alone save a 90th minute penalty to send us through to the Champions League Final for the first time in our history:

“Wenger spoke of three world class goalkeepers. One of them must be me. The other two have proved their class by winning titles? If I think about that, I can’t recall any. I guess today you’re nevertheless world class.”

“Thierry came up to me and gave me some advice but I ignored it and stuck to my plan.”

“If he is a superman who stops everything, then I may not play again, but from experience, I know I have played constantly and I am not worried that I will not play again when I am fit.”

“Your interpretation really annoys me.

“You write something and then you read it again and think that you were right, so then you ask me what I think of it.

“Don’t ask me how I should interpret your interpretation.

“You were in England (for Germany’s game against England last month) and have read the English press, which I don’t read. If I did read it, then I would go crazy.

“The English exaggerate everything and how can you understand such an interpretation?

Some Arsenal players need PR lessons

 

Over the last few days Lehmann,Diarra and Bendtner have all been Quoted in the press saying they are unhappy with life at Arsenal, Well work hard in training shut the f**k up and you might win your place in the team. I’m sick to death of all this crap. The TEAM in on a high playing well top of the league scoring goals for fun and we don’t need s*!t like this from selfish players who feel that they can use the press to poke Wenger and say play me or sell me.
After the Slavia Prague match Wenger was interview and rather then talk about the magnificent 7-0 win he was asked about some of the comments about what Jens Lehmann said to a German newspaper about Wenger is ‘humiliate”him by not playing him….WTF

Gallas has also been known to cry to the press when things ain’t going well,But just lately he seems to have changed his tune.

Diarra has done this sort of thing before likewise for Bendtner, I just feel that rather go the press and speak out they should use player like Gilberto as role models and work hard in training and try and force the manager to play them based on football.

The Magnificent Seven

Arsenal 7-0 Slavia Prague

Arsenal put on a magical display at the Emirates Stadium and took a huge step towards the Champions League knockout stages.
Cesc Fabregas’ stunning strike put the Gunners ahead after five minutes after some great work from Hleb on the left wing.
Hleb again was involved in the 2nd when he shoot was defected off David Hubacek’s for an own goal 2-0.Theo Walcott then got in on the show and scored his first Champions League goal, He stayed cool and slotted the ball home after a goalkeeping error.
Alexander Hleb then scored a wonderful individual goal cutting in from the left and sending the keeper the wrong way.And then the goal of the night, Hleb at the heart of a fantastic move down the left,Short sharp passes with Cesc one/twos all the way and set up Walcott who finished like Henry for his second on the night. Fabregas finished a fabulous move to score his second and Arsenals sixth before Eboue set up substitute Nicklas Bendtner bulldozed his way pass the keeper and tapped it in for a magnificent Seven.
The margin of victory also equalled the biggest ever win in the Champions League, matching Juventus 7-0 win in 2003 at Olympiakos.

Ratings
Almunia 7.5 Had to make 2 fine saves in the 2nd half, Did everything well.
Sagna 7 Solid as a rock
Clichy 7 Bombed forward
Toure 7 Solid as ever
Gallas 7 Looks back to his best
Eboue 7.5 Loads of pace and power,His best game all season
Flamini 6.5 Did he job well
Cesc 8 Fantastic goals and passing
Hleb 9 Involved in everything (MOTM)
Adebayor 6 Worked hard but nothing to show for it again
Walcott 8 Took his chances well and had a hand in the 6th goal.

Subs
Gilberto 6 Cameo roll
Bendtner 7 Time to give him a start ahead of Adebayor
Rosicky 6.5 Hit the post and looked sharp

A great night……Bring on Liverpool

Did we really need to sign Diarra?

When we signed Diarra I thought to myself do we really need yet another Center midfielder? But then I watched him play for us in the Carling Cup and though I was wrong this guy is mustard….But how are we going to keep him happy. After only a few months at the club he is already starting to play up and make some of the same sounds that forced his way out of Chavski.

I now am back thinking why did we even need more cover in midfielder?
We already have Cesc,Flamini,Gilberto,Denilson,Diaby ahead of Diarra.

Out of the six Center mids I class Cesc Diaby and Denilson as Attacking and Flamini Gilberto and Diarra as Defensive.

I can totaly understand the player is frustrated at the lack of games since he signed for us,But like all players at Arsenal you have to fight for your place, Just ask Jens and Gilberto that.

The only way Wenger is going to keep Diarra happy is by letting Gilberto leave in Jan. Ether that or Diarra gets sold and I cant see that.

Whats the future for Eboue and Hoyte?

Things keep moving around at Arsenal and fighting for a place in the starting lineup couldn’t be any harder. Get injured and you might as well miss out the season because somebody already took your place.

Someone moving up will only mean someone else ready to fill his shoe , this is how things have been at Arsenal and this is how a certain Justin Hoyte is hoping it goes, the youngster has seen some first team football last season when Eboue was injured but then vanished once Eboue was back and with Sagna signing for the gunners in the summer,And performing as well as he has  could only have meant a step back into reserve football for  Hoyte.

Sagna is now performing at his best and Eboue, the former obvious No.1 for the right back spot, is back from injury But something is different about him.

Playing on the right hand side of midfielder ahead of Sagna in two games so far as a right winger and he seems to be doing an OK job,Yes he is not a natural winger but he pace and power gives us a great option on the break.

Yes Eboue is not as  good as Hleb or Rosicky but there is obviously something out there to made Wenger play him as a RM instead of a RB moving Hleb to the left and keeping Abou Diaby out, As in the Bolton game.

Wenger seems to be getting ready to turn him into a winger and bring Hoyte up to fill his boots at RB. When everyone was calling out for a winger, Arsene went on to buy a full back, maybe it’s because he has this in mind, maybe because he foresees Eboue as a winger?

Recently most of the manager’s talks have revolved about getting Theo more involved and bringing forward the talented English players in the near future, this comes at a time when Arsene knows his team ( in its current foreign dependent form ) will suffer most from Platini’s new regulations of forcing clubs to have a quota of local players … Arsenal only have one English player at first team level who rarely plays as well as a handful of others in the reserves … in the near future Wenger will sure be moving things around to adjust his game just like he always does but and a certain Justin Hoyte will definitely be hoping the manager’s new vision will include him

Late Flurry Wins Arsenal the 3 Points,Report and Ratings

Late Flurry Wins Arsenal the 3 Points

Arsenal have remained top of the English Premier League following their 2-0 victory against Bolton Wanderers at Emirates Stadium. The game didn’t start to plan for the gunners, with Bolton physically unsettling the home side. They came with an intention to unsettle Arsenal, and it showed in the first half, with few chances falling to either side. Best chance of the half fell to Arsenal in the 7th minute when a Hleb run and subsequent cross down the left found Adebayor just a few yards out, but he fired his shot into a defender. Both sides went into the break 0-0, in a fiery half that saw many cards distributed from Mike Riley. His failure to take control of the game left both sides asking for consistency.

Arsenal came out in the second half with much more purpose about their game. The introduction of Walcott and Rosicky into the midfield sprung Arsenal into attack. They were rewarded for their constant pressing, when Fabregas drew a free kick 25 yards out. Fabregas layed the ball of for Toure, who shot powerfully into the bottom left corner of the goals, to leave the home side deservedly 1-0 ahead. Arsenal put the result beyond doubt in the 80th minute following a neat Walcott run and cross that found Rosicky, whose clever flicked found the far corner of the goals. A dominant performance by Arsenal, with Bolton unable to have one clear cut chance all day.

Player Ratings:

Almunia: 7 - Didn’t have to make one save all day but his goal kicks and clearances were good.

Clichy: 8 - Took the game to Bolton in the second half with his overlapping runs down the left. Marked Diouff out of the game. Should’ve been awarded a penalty late on.

Gallas: 7 - Solid at the back.

Toure: 7.5- Solid as well, and scored a beauty.

Sagna: 7- Did well at right back, denied any Bolton counter attacks down the wing.

Eboue: 6.5 - Tried hard on the right wing but struggled to have a big influence. Missed a big oppurtunity to take the lead early in the second half. Got taken off.

Fabregas: 7.5 - Ball distribution was good all day and patrolled the middle of the pitch.

Flamini: 6.5- Didn’t have as great an influence on the game as Fabregas and made a few stray passes. Can’t fault his work rate though.

Hleb: 7.5- Did well both on and running off the ball but at times just lacks that finishing finesse in front of goals.

Eduardo: 7- Played as a deep striker and found it hard to find space up front. Didn’t compliment Adebayor that well.

Adebayor: 6- Frustrating game for the big fella. Missed quite a few chances and his first touch wasn’t good.

Rosicky/Walcott(subs): 8/10 - Injected some much needed pace and flare into the game.

As Requested by the fans : The Arsène Wenger statue confirmed

A few weeks ago a thread started on the forum by Arsenal fans who wanted the club to recognize the achievements of Manger Arsène Wenger by making a statue and a online petition was then set up.

Our wish to have a Wenger statue :27 Sep 2007 08:15 pm
http://thegoonerforum.phpbb24.com/weblog_entry.php?e=170

We are pleased to say that the club has listened to the fans and have unveiled a new bronze bust of Arsène Wenger,This was unveiled at the Club’s Annual General Meeting on Thursday.

Wenger with a tear in his eye said “I am very touched by this gesture”

Well done Arsenal FC and Thank you to all the people that signed the online petition.

Just a few of the comments that you made….

Sep 28, 2007, Den Taranov , Ukraine
I have been an Arsenal fan for most of my life, and i remember the times pre-wenger, and the way he transformed the team is just amazing. Love Wenger, he really does deserve a statue and for the stadium to be renamed to Wenger’s Ahsbarton Grove

 

Sep 27, 2007, Wade Pruss , Australia
we should also dedicate the stadium, or at least a stand to him. ‘wenger end’. or rename a street in his honour, outside the stadium. and when he passes rename the stadium wenger arena, or something similar like the bernebeau

 

Sep 27, 2007, Michal Bartlomowicz, Canada
He has revolutionised, not only our club, but the way people think about football in the whole country. One of the most monumental managers in the game, and who knows, he still has time to become the very best…

 

 

Sep 27, 2007, John paul Gleeson, United Kingdom
The greatest manager ever to the grace the English league. Bringing a style of football never before witnessed, and yet to be bettered. A professionalism to his team, on a and of the pitch. Is an example of how to build a world class team by developing young, or relatively unknown players into world class superstars. Winning nearly every trophy there is to win. The man is a genius. Created the basis for Arsenal to become a football club respected across the globe. And nurturing the talents of players such as Thierry Henry, to become one of the greatest strikers in the modern game. I could go.

 

Sep 27, 2007, Clarence Chin, Singapore
He’s a living Arsenal Legend. The only ”Special One”that we Gooners have ..He evolutionised the way Arsenal play, eat, train and breathe football from the first team down to the Academy. What more can u ask from Le Boss??

 

Sep 27, 2007, Paul Griffiths, United Kingdom
Not only has he brought success to Arsenal but he has completely redifined the entire football club and how it is percieved. The only other manager to have the same impact was Herbie Chapman. He is class.

 

Sep 27, 2007, Emmanuel Fyle, United Kingdom
Arsene Wenger has done more for this club than any player or manager in my living memory. He is a man of integrity who has given British football some of the most breathtaking and technical brilliance it has witnessed- in stark contrast to the series of negative boredom the likes of Mourinho and Allardyce have given us. He went a season unbeaten, broke numerous records and has turned Arsenal from a good club into one of the biggest and richest in the world. His name will forever be associated with Arsenal and his grace and integrity will always make him the perfect ambassador for Arsenal. A true Legend

 

Sep 27, 2007, Charles Dukwe, Maryland
My Arsenal jersey says “Wenger-The Mind” A stautue is just a beginning. We should hold the Wenger tournament every pre-season after he retires having won us two champions league tittles !!!

 

Sep 27, 2007, Michael Doyle, Ireland
I went to higbury to see the bust of Herbert Chapman - but some idiot had only put his head out on display Seriously Arsene and the Arsenal Board are the last sane men in Football and fully represent the tradition and values of the greatest football club on eath. Give us a statue of Arsene