The amount of whining and panicking on here really is quite amazing

for a team that is 9 points clear at the top of the league and heavily favoured to be in the CL semi final. Let's sack the manager and sell everyone while we're top of the league!!!!!

Honestly, have a word with yourselves :rolleyes:

My takeaways from the last two games are:

1) there is a huge dropoff from Raya to Kepa, I would have played Raya in one of those two games
2) hard to play the way we play without any of Ode, Merino and Eze. Havertz, as an example, should never play there
3) Rice is as big a reason as any that we lead the league in goals conceded
4) I like Arteta because he seems to learn and change, unlike Wenger. He needs to understand what went wrong for the first 20 minutes of the 2nd half in the cup final and fix it
5) he took a big chance with the team selection at Saints, and it backfired because they played really well but ultimately that decision was about prioritising tonight and Saturday so meh, not bothered

Now man up and grew a few pairs you lot :wave:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by WES

for a team that is 9 points clear at the top of the league and heavily favoured to be in the CL semi final. Let's sack the manager and sell everyone while we're top of the league!!!!!

Honestly, have a word with yourselves :rolleyes:

My takeaways from the last two games are:

1) there is a huge dropoff from Raya to Kepa, I would have played Raya in one of those two games
2) hard to play the way we play without any of Ode, Merino and Eze. Havertz, as an example, should never play there
3) Rice is as big a reason as any that we lead the league in goals conceded
4) I like Arteta because he seems to learn and change, unlike Wenger. He needs to understand what went wrong for the first 20 minutes of the 2nd half in the cup final and fix it
5) he took a big chance with the team selection at Saints, and it backfired because they played really well but ultimately that decision was about prioritising tonight and Saturday so meh, not bothered

Now man up and grew a few pairs you lot :wave:

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So essentially, you?ve echoed most of the collective gripes that have been posted and er, reposted them :hehe:

Point 1: Yep

Point 2 : Just how exactly do we play, because it bares little resemblance to what we were seeing a couple of seasons back. Injuries, are part and parcel of a season. All clubs have to deal with them.

Point 3: Agree.

Point 4: He?s proven that he cannot adapt. The final was a classic example. Stood there like a lamppost when it was obvious to a 3 yr old blind child that changes were needed.

Point 5: Agree. Although a defeat tonight would throw that viewpoint.

No ones advocating sacking the manager before the end of the season. My position is clear and probably a minority one. If he comes up empty, he?s gone. No room for sentiment after six seasons and the amount money spent on assembling this squad.
Time to try something different. I?m fairly sure he?d be given dogs abuse by the media and fanbase anyway and we all know how that ends.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by WES

for a team that is 9 points clear at the top of the league and heavily favoured to be in the CL semi final. Let's sack the manager and sell everyone while we're top of the league!!!!!

Honestly, have a word with yourselves :rolleyes:

My takeaways from the last two games are:

1) there is a huge dropoff from Raya to Kepa, I would have played Raya in one of those two games
2) hard to play the way we play without any of Ode, Merino and Eze. Havertz, as an example, should never play there
3) Rice is as big a reason as any that we lead the league in goals conceded
4) I like Arteta because he seems to learn and change, unlike Wenger. He needs to understand what went wrong for the first 20 minutes of the 2nd half in the cup final and fix it
5) he took a big chance with the team selection at Saints, and it backfired because they played really well but ultimately that decision was about prioritising tonight and Saturday so meh, not bothered

Now man up and grew a few pairs you lot :wave:

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The 9 points is rather misleading and four days ago we were heavily favoured to be in the FA Cup semi finals.....

What i take from the last few games is what I have taken from every game this season. Predictable football, inflexible tactics and fine margins. We were, for the most part, no worse than in 90% of games this season. The only difference was we made significant defensive errors in both games.

Now..... what do you think is likely to happen if we hit a tight run in, with City breathing down our necks, waiting for one mistake.......?

Fine margins, Wes.

This is why I am saying we must not lose at City. It is also why I think that defeat is almost inevitable.

I'm not in a panic. Just in the same sulk I have been pretty much all season :-)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 7sisters

So essentially, you?ve echoed most of the collective gripes that have been posted and er, reposted them :hehe:

Point 1: Yep

Point 2 : Just how exactly do we play, because it bares little resemblance to what we were seeing a couple of seasons back. Injuries, are part and parcel of a season. All clubs have to deal with them.

Point 3: Agree.

Point 4: He?s proven that he cannot adapt. The final was a classic example. Stood there like a lamppost when it was obvious to a 3 yr old blind child that changes were needed.

Point 5: Agree. Although a defeat tonight would throw that viewpoint.

No ones advocating sacking the manager before the end of the season. My position is clear and probably a minority one. If he comes up empty, he?s gone. No room for sentiment after six seasons and the amount money spent on assembling this squad.
Time to try something different. I?m fairly sure he?d be given dogs abuse by the media and fanbase anyway and we all know how that ends.

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Er, you'll note 7s that nowhere in that post did I question Arteta's job security, either now or in the near future. Nor did I ask for anyone to be sold. Nor did I moan about the performance of the team.

I provided an analysis with no moaning or whining for one simple reason.

We're top of the league :-)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by WES

Er, you'll note 7s that nowhere in that post did I question Arteta's job security, either now or in the near future. Nor did I ask for anyone to be sold. Nor did I moan about the performance of the team.

I provided an analysis with no moaning or whining for one simple reason.

We're top of the league :-)

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Is that the only thing stopping you from moaning?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by WES

for a team that is 9 points clear at the top of the league and heavily favoured to be in the CL semi final. Let's sack the manager and sell everyone while we're top of the league!!!!!

Honestly, have a word with yourselves :rolleyes:

My takeaways from the last two games are:

1) there is a huge dropoff from Raya to Kepa, I would have played Raya in one of those two games
2) hard to play the way we play without any of Ode, Merino and Eze. Havertz, as an example, should never play there
3) Rice is as big a reason as any that we lead the league in goals conceded
4) I like Arteta because he seems to learn and change, unlike Wenger. He needs to understand what went wrong for the first 20 minutes of the 2nd half in the cup final and fix it
5) he took a big chance with the team selection at Saints, and it backfired because they played really well but ultimately that decision was about prioritising tonight and Saturday so meh, not bothered

Now man up and grew a few pairs you lot :wave:

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You're just happy because Rambo's retired from intl footie.

I could point out that he's someone who knows how to win finals, what with playing in three and scoring the winner in the two tricky wons.

But he's a Welsher so you hate him and that's that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult

You're just happy because Rambo's retired from intl footie.

I could point out that he's someone who knows how to win finals, what with playing in three and scoring the winner in the two tricky wons.

But he's a Welsher so you hate him and that's that.

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Definitely not GG :nono:

Little Miss WES went to Cardiff Uni, I spent quite a bit of time there and am very fond of the Welsh, particularly how much they drink

My hatred of Ramsey, as you should know, is based on entirely on how badly he played for Arsenal. The defensively ignorant, lazy, slow, back heeling in the middle of the pitch, dodgy Welsh c*nt that he is.

:-)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by WES

Definitely not GG :nono:

Little Miss WES went to Cardiff Uni, I spent quite a bit of time there and am very fond of the Welsh, particularly how much they drink

My hatred of Ramsey, as you should know, is based on entirely on how badly he played for Arsenal. The defensively ignorant, lazy, slow, back heeling in the middle of the pitch, dodgy Welsh c*nt that he is.

:-)

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He did do a smashing goal in the Champions League. Galatasary, perhaps?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by WES

Definitely not GG :nono:

Little Miss WES went to Cardiff Uni, I spent quite a bit of time there and am very fond of the Welsh, particularly how much they drink

My hatred of Ramsey, as you should know, is based on entirely on how badly he played for Arsenal. The defensively ignorant, lazy, slow, back heeling in the middle of the pitch, dodgy Welsh c*nt that he is.

:-)

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:hehe:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football...s/cj9r4gjewmno

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 7sisters

:hehe:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football...s/cj9r4gjewmno

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Speaks volumes about the state of Welsh football :clap:

Still like them, though. Live a piss up do the Welshers

Quote:

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Originally Posted by WES

Definitely not GG :nono:

Little Miss WES went to Cardiff Uni, I spent quite a bit of time there and am very fond of the Welsh, particularly how much they drink

My hatred of Ramsey, as you should know, is based on entirely on how badly he played for Arsenal. The defensively ignorant, lazy, slow, back heeling in the middle of the pitch, dodgy Welsh c*nt that he is.

:-)

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But he scored some sexy goals, even taking into account his Welshness. Look, at that time with City and the Chavs, all we could hope for was to make the top 4, win a cup occasionally and score some sexy goals.

Rambo did all of that.

He scored final winners that are at least in the same ballpark as Sunderland and Nicholas. The kung-fu kick goal, the back heel, the left foot 30' half-volley into the top corner from the wing, the other great goal in the Wilshere goal game.

He scored some sexy goals. If we don't win anything this season, we'll have done worse than when we qualified for the CL, won a cup and had a couple of sexy Rambo goals to look back on. Without the misery of watching us throw it all away again.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult

But he scored some sexy goals, even taking into account his Welshness. Look, at that time with City and the Chavs, all we could hope for was to make the top 4, win a cup occasionally and score some sexy goals.

Rambo did all of that.

He scored final winners that are at least in the same ballpark as Sunderland and Nicholas. The kung-fu kick goal, the back heel, the left foot 30' half-volley into the top corner from the wing, the other great goal in the Wilshere goal game.

He scored some sexy goals. If we don't win anything this season, we'll have done worse than when we qualified for the CL, won a cup and had a couple of sexy Rambo goals to look back on. Without the misery of watching us throw it all away again.

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I always felt that he didnt really overcome the Shawcross tackle. He recovered physically, but mentally he came back a different player. Reluctant to be on the ball in central areas, worried about what was behind him.

As a young midfielder he looked great. Good touch and balance. But he became a ghost- a part time midfielder who just disappeared in games.

He scored plenty of goals (for a midfielder) but his all round game let us down. It was the right decision to let him leave for nothing. It saved us a fortune.

[QUOTE=WES;4293513]Speaks volumes about the state of Welsh football :clap:

Still like them, though. Live a piss up do the Welshers[/QUOTEad]

I like the Cardiff fans. When we went 4-0 up at ours they sang "Let's all have a disco."

And when Rambo scored at theirs and didn't celebrate, he then scored a second and their fans demanded that he did celebrate scoring against them, by doing their tradmarked ayatollah celebration.

He looked so confused and they cheered him to the rafters for scoring against them.

I like them. Though Bale's a ****, obv. And Rush and Giggs. Edit - forgot Mark Hughes. Uber****.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Peter

I always felt that he didnt really overcome the Shawcross tackle. He recovered physically, but mentally he came back a different player. Reluctant to be on the ball in central areas, worried about what was behind him.

As a young midfielder he looked great. Good touch and balance. But he became a ghost- a part time midfielder who just disappeared in games.

He scored plenty of goals (for a midfielder) but his all round game let us down. It was the right decision to let him leave for nothing. It saved us a fortune.

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I was thinking about the tackle. There's a reason why both AW and Fergie wanted him. Why did all our players get ****ed? Diaby was probably the biggest loss of the lot.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult

I was thinking about the tackle. There's a reason why both AW and Fergie wanted him. Why did all our players get ****ed? Diaby was probably the biggest loss of the lot.

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Someone on here, 2020 I think, back in the day had a terrible hatred of Diaby.

He was one of the most talented midfielders ever to wear the shirt for me. He was more talented than Vieira, and Patrick Vieira is my favourite Arsenal player of all time.

But talent doesn't really matter when you are as fragile as Diaby was. Tragic that football never saw the best of him.

Aaron Ramsey scored spectacular goals every now and then, in between those goals he routinely gave the ball away in dangerous positions, was defensively useless and represented everything that was wrong with the latter Wenger era teams. After he left us he never again played regularly. Not at Juve, Rangers, Nice or Cardiff. Because none of the managers would tolerate him.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by WES

Someone on here, 2020 I think, back in the day had a terrible hatred of Diaby.

He was one of the most talented midfielders ever to wear the shirt for me. He was more talented than Vieira, and Patrick Vieira is my favourite Arsenal player of all time.

But talent doesn't really matter when you are as fragile as Diaby was. Tragic that football never saw the best of him.

Aaron Ramsey scored spectacular goals every now and then, in between those goals he routinely gave the ball away in dangerous positions, was defensively useless and represented everything that was wrong with the latter Wenger era teams. After he left us he never again played regularly. Not at Juve, Rangers, Nice or Cardiff. Because none of the managers would tolerate him.

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Sunderland clogger, played about 6x for them and then disappeared

Quote:

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Originally Posted by WES

Someone on here, 2020 I think, back in the day had a terrible hatred of Diaby.

He was one of the most talented midfielders ever to wear the shirt for me. He was more talented than Vieira, and Patrick Vieira is my favourite Arsenal player of all time.

But talent doesn't really matter when you are as fragile as Diaby was. Tragic that football never saw the best of him.

Aaron Ramsey scored spectacular goals every now and then, in between those goals he routinely gave the ball away in dangerous positions, was defensively useless and represented everything that was wrong with the latter Wenger era teams. After he left us he never again played regularly. Not at Juve, Rangers, Nice or Cardiff. Because none of the managers would tolerate him.

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To reply to the two points.

The only reason Diaby was fragile is that Sunderland brought on some 17 year old thug in injury time when 3-0 down at ours and he wanted to show he was a hard northerner and he killed Abou. {I believe that was his last contract and he became a plasterer.} He wasn't fragile. That's like saying Tyson Fury was fragile cos Usk or Wilder floored him. That norverner could have cost us - he certainly cost Abou. Have you seen how many great players say he was the most talented they saw? I loved him. That winter trolley dash of Abou, Togonator and Feo was great.

Again, Wes, I'll try to make it clear. I agree about Rambo giving the ball away, not covering etc. What I'm trying to say is that I had a different level of expectations to you in that period.

City and the Chavs were financially doped. We'd been crippled but the stadium and project yoof had died with Cesc and Nasri going in one summer. AW was in his dotage but afaiwc deserved to stay forever. So all I wanted was a top 4 spot, a cup run now and then and some sexy goals, all of which Rambo achieved. Fans of about 88 league clubs would have given their right arm for that.

Likewise, we'd never win the league with Ozil. We would never be so much better than 2nd place that we could carry him. But he made me happy.

Rich goes to Paris and he wants a treat when he eats out, dropping 3 figures each on food and wine. I want to bimble over to St Michel and get onion soup, andouillette and choc mousse for €15. And Rambo is like an andouillette sauce moutarde. He makes me happy. And I don't really care if his tracking back is like the packet chips or the microwaved sauce, because his sexy goals are like the tripey goodness in the sausage that I could eat all day, every day.

Did you moan about Ozil's tracking back, too?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult

To reply to the two points.

The only reason Diaby was fragile is that Sunderland brought on some 17 year old thug in injury time when 3-0 down at ours and he wanted to show he was a hard northerner and he killed Abou. {I believe that was his last contract and he became a plasterer.} He wasn't fragile. That's like saying Tyson Fury was fragile cos Usk or Wilder floored him. That norverner could have cost us - he certainly cost Abou. Have you seen how many great players say he was the most talented they saw? I loved him. That winter trolley dash of Abou, Togonator and Feo was great.

Again, Wes, I'll try to make it clear. I agree about Rambo giving the ball away, not covering etc. What I'm trying to say is that I had a different level of expectations to you in that period.

City and the Chavs were financially doped. We'd been crippled but the stadium and project yoof had died with Cesc and Nasri going in one summer. AW was in his dotage but afaiwc deserved to stay forever. So all I wanted was a top 4 spot, a cup run now and then and some sexy goals, all of which Rambo achieved. Fans of about 88 league clubs would have given their right arm for that.

Likewise, we'd never win the league with Ozil. We would never be so much better than 2nd place that we could carry him. But he made me happy.

Rich goes to Paris and he wants a treat when he eats out, dropping 3 figures each on food and wine. I want to bimble over to St Michel and get onion soup, andouillette and choc mousse for ?15. And Rambo is like an andouillette sauce moutarde. He makes me happy. And I don't really care if his tracking back is like the packet chips or the microwaved sauce, because his sexy goals are like the tripey goodness in the sausage that I could eat all day, every day.

Did you moan about Ozil's tracking back, too?

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Yes, I moaned about Ozil's tracking back as well, of course his talent level was far beyond Ramsey's.

Not having it about Diaby not being perma crocked, GG. He was one of France's most talented junior players who we bought from Auxerre for 2mil precisely because he was constantly injured. His manager there referred to him as 'extremely fragile' at the time. And his godlike performance at Anfield came years after his injury against Sutherland.

He - and we - were just unlucky that his body wasn't meant to handle professional football :shrug:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by WES

Yes, I moaned about Ozil's tracking back as well, of course his talent level was far beyond Ramsey's.

Not having it about Diaby not being perma crocked, GG. He was one of France's most talented junior players who we bought from Auxerre for 2mil precisely because he was constantly injured. His manager there referred to him as 'extremely fragile' at the time. And his godlike performance at Anfield came years after his injury against Sutherland.

He - and we - were just unlucky that his body wasn't meant to handle professional football :shrug:

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Absolutely correct. The stress and strain on the body is incredible. Only a tiny fraction of people have a body that can handle it. It is not that surprising that there are people witg the talent to succeed but not the body.

Diaby was one. So was Wilshere.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Peter

Absolutely correct. The stress and strain on the body is incredible. Only a tiny fraction of people have a body that can handle it. It is not that surprising that there are people witg the talent to succeed but not the body.

Diaby was one. So was Wilshere.

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Can't stop thinking about Diaby now.

The goal against Villa :love: