What I don’t understand is why our fans are so unwilling to tolerate the natural development arc

[Monty91]

that a team in our position – that has not won anything yet – is always going to go through.

Is it really surprising that a team that has not won anything yet would be susceptible to drops in confidence, to nerves, to not quite getting the balance right between going all out to win and not losing? Why would our fans not be understanding of this and offer the support that could, possibly, alleviate these issues rather than exasperate them?

Sure, there may be a well-founded suspicion that we may not have enough to keep up with our formidable rivals, but I find it incredible that’s so few fans are willing to give this team the benefit of the doubt by not attributing every tiny thing that doesn’t go to plan to some fundamental and inherent failing by the manager.

If you didn’t know better, you would genuinely have to consider the possibility that some of our fans are actually keen to do what they can to sabotage any chance (however small) or us winning the league.

[Peter]

And a fear it could end worse. A place in the top is a long way from guaranteed.

For months it has looked like we had turned a corner but it is beginning to look as though this is merely last season in reverse.

It isnt yet a fair conclusion to reach but the last twp games have certsinly shown that we are not quite as good as we may have thought we were.

Also....it is starting to look as though those pundits who rated liverpool's title chances above ours may have been right. Only starting to look.....but it is really f**king annoying.

In summary, it is just frustration.

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

Now you disagree with that, as do many others on here and out in the real world. However those that do think so have done for ages and are perfectly entitled to, they have not just formed that opinion since lunchtime on Saturday.

It is f**k all to do with a natural development arc or whatever *******s you want to spout. This arc presumably has been arcing for 8-9 seasons now and those who hold the aforementioned opinion have allowed this opinion to develop over that time.

They will have predicted this mini collapse (as they see it) now. They will be out in force come Sunday if we lose, less so midweek one would hope.

Of course it is all over the top but more or less everything about football is over the top.

God help us if we managed to get caught by those who have sneakily and quietly come up the rear.

[Monty91]

likely to sustain a challenge.

I think even if we'd lose narrowly to Liverpool the reaction would not have been hugely different. "Same old Araenal, bottle it when it matters" etc.

We've now had two blips this season. One were we picked up two points from three games (in hugely trying circumstances) and now another were we've picked up 1 point in 2.

We all know that we will need to keep up our excellent record against the lesser clubs and then, at some point almost certainly beat one of the big boys and probably pick up a decent bunch of points in other tough games.

We are in an incredibly good position given the resources of our rivals and given that you and others would have laughesd their tits off last August had I told you we're be 1 point off the top in February.

I do not understand the frustration. It is exciting!

[redgunamo]

Not until after the fact at least.

Subverting perceived natural orders is supposed to be the whole point, game to game and season to season too.

[Pokster]

Where we are looking to struggle is the area that has been highlighted since then end of last season, we lack options up front, we are forced to play our only half decent striker game after game as we have no reasonable back up. That hasn't changed since last season and we have done nothing about it, so i think our fans get frustrated that a season that promised so much could be all but over in a week or 2......

[Hillary]

[Monty91]

7 years and we ended up pretty much blowing everyone else away, winning ten (?) games in a row at the business end of the season.

But even that year, after a home defeat to Blackburn in December, there was virtual mutiny amongst the fans (and the players!). So development arcs do exist.

[Pokster]

[Monty91]

table!

The arc lasts until you win something. Then you go on another one.

[Pokster]

[Billy Goat Sverige]

you can't now. When a club spends £43m on one player and has money available to spend a similar amount on however many players the managers sees fit you can't really use it as an excuse.

[Monty91]

[PSRB]

I appreciate that wasn't the question

I always think of us as being a really pacey side, without Theo or Gnabry we really aren't

[Pokster]

than having 1 half decent striker (which all he is) with no viable back up?

[redgunamo]

I never believed George wouldn't win another title.

[Monty91]

winning the Carling Cup, because it would give us the mental strength and beeelief to go on and win bigger and better trophies :shrug:

[Billy Goat Sverige]

[Billy Goat Sverige]

[Monty91]

that level of player (though I'm not sure we will ever be able to flood the team with them).

But given the consensus seems to be that we'ev only had that kind of money for one summer, it's certainly valid for the time being.

And if Man City continue flouting FFP then arguably it will remain valid.

[Bergkamp's Brain]

We didn't know whether there was money available to strengthen the squad. The signing of Ozil is a double edged sword. While it shows that money is available, it also increases the expectancy and hence, the impatience level in the lowest common denominator of fans.

I bet you that most of those booing last night were the same people who would have been lauding us for the title back in January :shrug:

[Monty91]

players to fill three positions upfront, including four players who can play centrally.

Giroud
Walcott
Podolski
Ozil
Cazorla
Chamberlain (albeit, Wenger sees his future in the centre)

Behind them we have the experienced Bendtner and two young, unestablished players who may or may not make the grade.

Sanogo
Gnabry

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

Good old M.

Decent lad, talks an outrageous amount of utter *******s all the same.

[Hillary]

in danger of losing it, whereas I don't think that most of our dropped points so far this season could be placed at that door.

I guess we could have spent £37m on Draxler and it might have improved our chances of winning the league ever so slightly. On the flip side, it would have had an impact on what Wenger has planned for this summer and, as I said, would not have made any difference anyway to the points dropped at Anfield.

This summer was the first that Wenger has had in years where he was able to buy big whilst retaining the players he had. As a result, we have had an excellent first two-thirds of the season. Whatever happens from now on in, we have shown that we are a club to be reckoned with again. It is highly unfair to expect us to win the league in the first year after the end of austerity (which still doesn't mean we can compete with Chelsea or the two Manchesters financially of course).

It seems to me that Wenger could win the treble this season and some fans would be complaining that we didn't win the Carling Cup. It is also noticeable that such fans were almost completely absent from this message board from the Spurs match until Christmas.

[Monty91]

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

Football meets David Brent type scenario.

[PSRB]

would just be very nice if we could get a top 3 and a possible FA Cup

[Bergkamp's Brain]

[Monty91]

Surely you don't disagree with that?

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

Given his apparent reluctance to play his many options up front when given the chance.

[Jenko -EE27]

[Brentwood]

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

Success itself tends to bring with it financial reward which often results in a reinvestment in the playing squad, thus 'stronger' - or at least stronger in theory.

Earlier however you said a development arc exists until a side wins something then it starts again.

So using that definition we have teams like Stoke in the midst of a 40 year arc.


Stoke being only an example, for all I know they may have won something since 72.

[Monty91]

He has been rested this season and will be rested again.

He is a very important player and, if he is fit and feels good, he plays :shrug:

I'm sure I've seen you mock Wenger for claiming players are "jaded". Is Giroud's apparent fortitude and willingness to play every game not a breath of fresh air?

[Peter]

[Herbette Chapman - aged 15]

checking out the board again. What utter errant *******s you spout.

[redgunamo]

respond in kind. Hence our nervous start defensively.

0-3 down after 20 minutes is less of an issue if you have Reinaldo and Gerd Müller supporting Olivier upfront.

[Luis Anaconda]

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

Still doesn't explain the lack of opportunity afforded to the many options you refer to.

Wenger clearly knows we need more up front, even you cannot deny that now based on what we know about recent transfer windows, yet even in games when Giroud is not at his best he appears reluctant to allow others a chance to play.

How do you explain what some see as the under use of Podolski, the often touted best finisher at the club? There is clearly an issue here.

When I say clearly I obviously mean my opinion.

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

http://www.awimb.com/fudforum/index.php?t=tree&goto=3833 355&rid=173&S=98249919882ec2b9ea95b3239462d83f (http://www.awimb.com/fudforum/index.php?t=tree&goto=3833355&rid=173&S=98249919882ec2b9ea95b3239462d83f)

[Monty91]

after Giroud, Theo and Bendtner (maybe even fifth, had Sanogo not been injured for most of the season).

His best position is on the left of a front three.

So if there is a certain reluctance by Wenger to play him centrally, then it's because he is a fair way down the pecking order and a fit Giroud is pretty much always a better option.

Walcott, unfortunately, is out for the season.

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

[Billy Goat Sverige]

£40m net. Total spend for Liverpool in the last 3 seasons is £154m, ours is £158m.

[Luis Anaconda]

I'm on your side. Does that mean you owe me a pint

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

Wrongcocks basically.