what happened to our often mentioned mental strength ?

[gco40203]

"We have had a difficult schedule [this season] and the weight of a negative result, the mental aspect of a negative result in a big game, is massive," added Wenger.

[Hillary]

'mental strength', doesn't it? It would have been easy to capitulate at 1-0 down with 10 minutes left.

Swansea was also another game which we could easily have lost.

[Pat Vegas]

Not always obviously but in a way Wigan scoring probably did us a favour.

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

We weren't that ****, were we?

[Pat Vegas]

pressure.

Wigan didn't really have any threat at all imo. They had 6 in midfield so it was rather congested.

But wasn't very inspiring. And a bit worrying as couldn't see where the goal would come from.

Smashing car by the way.

[Hillary]

not least about how we got comfortably beaten by the other teams in the top five away from home, despite looking on a par with all of them on our own pitch. These four matches have effectively torpedoed our league campaign.

However, the idea we lack mental strength is silly - we have dug out many results this season when we've gone behind, both home and away.

[Hillary]

We can't be accused of playing well though.

[gco40203]

Fully agree. I watched the highlights on sunday and it was all about our chances. Apart from their goal and 2 off target efforts there was nothing about wigan attacking. After the game I went into a restaurant near the stadium and some wigan fans came in and they all said best team won. And without doubt we controlled the game.

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

[gco40203]

Yes and no. We do it when we play a team we know we should beat but it seems the opposite happens when we play a "big team" or top 4/5 competitor (I don't count spurs in either those categories). We play like rabbits caught in headlights. Its like we don't think we can beat them and then we go down its like its a self-fulfilling prophesy.

[gco40203]

Yes but we played a lot of the game around the halfway line which won't hurt any team. Also although our options got better when Gibbs came on, he often went inside instead of going down the line to get behind them. We didn't use the flanks very well.

[Hillary]

If we got gubbed home and away, I would heartily agree with the assessment.

[Monty91]

It's not as if we're regularly beating them at home, either. We've drawn with United, City and Chelsea at home.

[Hillary]

even when we played City off the back of that spanking at Liverpool

[Bergkamp's Brain]

[Pokster]

is a sign of mental strength...

There does seem to be something seriously wrong with us over the last 3 months or so (odd result excluded)

[gco40203]

except when you are away that is the ultimate test...playing top team, on their pitch, stadium full of their fans. The real test of ability and durability.

[Peter]

Just like the good old days

[Peter]