By Ian Grant
Emails sent in below are not necessarily the views of ANR.
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Anonymous
Gone *** **
Just got back from a ***** drive back from Southampton, why the **** do i bother going to see such *****, if it wasn’t bad enough that I travelled to Krautland to see the “Worse performance” ever in the champions league, by any team ever.
What the **** is wrong with our lot, its like they can’t be **** to play. This was a great opportunity for Vieira and Co. to show that the humiliating defeat on Tuesday was behind us. But oh no not Arsenal, we just seem to get from worse to diabolical. The rumbles from the terraces is that Wenger has to now start making himself accountable for our failings. If he was at any other top European team, he would have been sacked by now, no one at Arsenal is taking responsibility for our ***** displays, also how many more times do i have to hear that our confidence is high again, then turn out a display that would even embarass a conference league team.
I want to know what these prima donna’s do in training. How many times was there goal there to be shot at, but oh no not our boys, they want to turn not just once twice three times but 4 times, before they run into a player. Henry is not showing his “World Class” ability, and its no wonder Shevchenko won the World Player of the Year award, its because he knows where the goal is, and as a striker that is the clinical ingredient.
Well I have had my whinge, and making a promise, that I will not be going to any more away games this season, its a disgrace and its a ******* long way to come back feeling like ****.
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Matthew Fullerton
This Season
I would like to start by saying that i have kept up with your site on a regular as a die hard Gunner fan in Bermuda. This is my first time writing in however.
I just finished watching the Southampton/Arsenal clash and i must say that i thought before the game that we could still win the league with an outside shot.
However after watching that game just now the changes need not wait until the end of the season but must be made NOW!
Van Persie is a fool and that was probably the last thing that he should have done. [Ed: His game is based on close control, and he lost it. He was thinking of himseld and not the team]
Clichy is not a winger and if anything Wenger should have moved Cole up and put Clichy at left back. (Ed:Clichy did have a bad game yesterday, giving the ball away several times)
Lehmann needs to be sent to the reserves and for all i care he and Almunia can pack their bags now. Lets see Taylor. [Ed: Good idea]
I thought Reyes was a fool for even getting involved last week let alone raising his hands. [Ed:Yes, it compounds a not very successful season, for him]
And would someone please teach Flamini to pass!! [Ed: Flamini can pass. But he has a tendancy not to stay on his feet at critical times].
Also id like to see a TACTICAL #2 as you had stated in a previous post. This team needs a tune up. Lets just hope the season can finish on a good note. Thank you.
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Kenneth
Arsenal and UEFA
I wish Arsene was an Arsenal Fan maybe he would see things differently.
When was the last time Arsenal won a European championship… of any sort at all?
I have been waiting for something credible like the Champions League or the UEFA Cup (seriously). But if Arsene’s answer to Vieira and Edu is the double F in the middle, then let’s wait till these kids are 28 years old average, for us to make it to the finals of the Champions League. [Ed: Problem with the two Fs in midfield – they are very short for midfielders. One of the reasons why Real wanted Vieira was that he controls aerial balls and starts attacks again.]
In the meantime, let’s field the best of the best for Sheffield, (if its possible with Dennis and Reyes out for for 3 games).
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Richard Chipunza
Bang On the Money
We are a group of Gooners living in northern part of Norway who never miss your posts. Although We tend to disagree with some of your analyses, We do agree with most of what you write. This time though, you have been dead right in your latest analysis about AW not having a clue when it comes to subs.
This We have noticed for some time now and have been wondering why the press haven’t picked on it.
Our wish, for a long time now, has been if AW could be made director of football and the Arsenal appoint a savvy coach like Rijkaard, we could have won the champions league by now. We thought of Rijkaard soon after the Euro 2000 where we thought Holland played the best football for a long time.
Richard, Serin, Sadiq and Walter.
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David Wong
Tactical Number 2
Yes, Myles, during the game it was so clear that Reyes, Ljungberg and Pires were not comfortable in their positions. Yet Arsene did nothing, hoping that something would come of it. I totally agree also that Clichy may have been Arsenal’s best player on the night.
Perhaps it’s time for Wenger and Adams to bury the hatchet – Tony Adams might be someone capable of turning Arsenal’s back line into something that you can count on with 10, 20 minutes to go.
[Ed: Yes, but George Graham said something spot on. Arsenal need to buy in key positions in defence. According to Jimmy Hill’s Sunday Supplement today, they could have had Lucio, the Bayern defender, but Wenger didn’t want to meet his wage demands.] The Observer says Wenger will sell Lehmann in the summer. The People says the Arssenal board have sanctioned Wenger to go out and buy a goalkeeper, centre back, a forward and Michael Owen.]
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AmericanGooner
Vieira is Moses
Vieira is Moses. If you know the biblical story, Moses led the Isrealites out of bondage but never quite got them to the promised land. Our promised land is the Champions League. Vieira is great, immense most of the time. However, we won’t win a CL with him as captain and in the middle for us.
Why? First of all, he’s supposed to be our ‘hard’ man as you Brits say. Every club has one. Every club also has a winger or forward who goes down a bit too easy. That however, is beneath your hard man. Paddy at times will go down against players half a foot shorter and 2 stones lighter. What does that tell your teammates. And as important what does that tell the opposition? That Arsenal has no steel. Keane, Graveson, Gerrard or Savage would never go down easy. When we lost Parlour and Keown the last of the ‘hard’ men left the Arsenal I love. In ’98 and ’99, we successfully wedded continental flair with British grit. Unfortunately, we don’t have that anymore.
Name me Arsenal’s 3 biggest wins and 3 biggest losses since December 2001 (the month I believe that Arsenal became the best club in England). Paddy was only in 1 of the 3 I can think of (1-0 win at OT) and not in the other 2 (5-1 Inter win and 2-0 FA cup win at OT). The 3 losses? 4-2 league loss v. Man Yoo this year, 3-1 to BM, 2-1 to Chelsea in the CL QF. Who was in all 3? Who was missing in all 3 in the 2nd half?
We need Gerrard or van Brommel or someone with the steely determination to keep fighting in the 2nd half of must win games and to tell the other players not to give up or expect a kick up the ***** in the changing room after the game if you don’t.
[Ed: Vieira was the heart of the Premiership drive at times last season. Yet Real Madrid poisoned his heart somewhat. And it doesn’t look like he’s recovered 100%.]
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RALPH DUVAL
The Arseman
Arsene has a plan . We play 4 4 2 to our strengths , depending on injuries . We don`t care how the opposition line up , or who they are .
Teams have learned to shut down Arsenal and hope for some breaks in front of goal themselves . Sometimes that works , but is that how we want to play other teams . NO WAY . We are unique .
The team is evolving and The Arseman`s theory is superb . Slowly but surely and with the occassional addition , the squad will mature into a real force . Already , almost everyone has to change their formation to play us .
We play our game on our terms , it`s mostly great to watch , and as long as we keep hitting top 4 in England , that`ll do for me .
Remember the dire straights Chelski were in for years , How Liverpool are now , how Newcastle and Spurs always will be .
Right now our defending is below par , so much so that , minus Gilberto , Edu and Campbell for long spells we`ve plummeted into lowly 3rd in the league and need a 2 0 win at home to Munich to make the elite last 8 in Europe . Dire straights eh . Keep the faith people . The Arseman will deliver.
Ralph
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martin
match day 7
You have to wonder whether The Prof has the nerve, knowhow and flexibility to win at this level. You can’t win this tournament by expecting the team to be playing at perfect pitch every game – which quite honestly is their only hope.
All Gooners admire Wenger but it is beginning to look like he can’t take the team any further. The fact that he has created a team that has played so sublimely, has some great stars, and not least has generated so much revenue that it can build a new stadium means that he has laid the strongest possible foundations – but he’s like Moses and the Promised Land – he won’t be able to get there even though he has taken the team out of the wilderness.
As for Chelsea, without Robben, I can’t see them scoring more than a goal per game at the moment, and I think they’ll need 2 to beat Barca. So it is not inconceivable that all 4 English sides could be eliminated. Gunners seem least likely to progress, followed by United, then Chelsea and finally Liverpool. I can see Liverpool losing 2 goals without reply – given their poor away form. So this must also be a first for English football – not one representative in the 1/4 final. I cant wait for the doom and gloom newspaper headlines!!
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pat tryon
Bayern
Couldn’t agree more with that first letter. I got up and left at 3. Such naive defending. Toure was an absolute plank yesterday. Made Cygan look good! World class defending?
Milan put on a show tonite didn’t they. An absolute clinic on defending. Nesta and Maldini were towers back there. That’s what we need. Someone who understands, not just great atheletes.
And while i love to watch our team play their game, they will have to add a different style to play with the big boys. There is a certain lack of sophistication about the boys and our style that in these games is all to apparent.
Well there’s still the FA cup. hopefully he will splash for quality and experience over the summer.
[Ed: There are those who think Arsene has already got players lined up – deals done already – hence his reluctance to buy in the transfer window.
Alan Nixon, on JHSS said Wenger has a questionable record with big buys, naming Jeffers Wiltord and Reyes. He said he’s a great record of buying players who haven’t made it at their current club, with a point to prove, like Henry and Vieira. Therefore the summer is a massive challenge to Wenger to rebuild.]
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But Myles
if the flaws were obvious before the game why weren’t you calling for Wenger’s head then?
In truth Arsenal still have the ability to consistently take-apart the average premier league teams better than anyone. And remember, you don’t have to necessarily beat your main rivals to win the title.
If Arsenal fixes up their defence in the premier league they’ll go very close to winning next year.
Europe’s a different proposition because the mean (average) team has defence equivalent to, say Manchester’s. In Europe nothing short of a complete change in tactics and style is required.
Cheers
Owen
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Richard King
strategy change
Said it before-we need a focal point to that team-if henry is out on wing-he can look up+drill a ball for a forward to bury with 1 touch.
We need a player similar to Makaay, Owen, Shevchenko-we won’t sign these obviously cos we’re tight, but a player of the same mould! People then say it won’t match our system-then bloody change the system!
Pires was a joke last nite -i’d take Owen for Reyes right now -i know he’s class but we need a finisher badly+he wants a return home.
Wright-phillips would be nice! We need another centre back to make it 3
Ledley king is good but is he good enough for that level?he wouldn’t have helped us last nite. i think!jens wasn’t bad-even Cygan had a good game-Toure had his worst game ever-but he’ll bounce back-thank god for the goal-we have a chance at highbury but we need an inter/juve performance!
no point in freddie up front-reyes shld have played there!he’d have collected ball higher up pitch,turned+got at them!wenger apparently has 40m to spend in summer-he better cop on+use it properly!no more youth “starlets” crap -we need proven quality!we can give quincy,lupoli chances in some premiership games-it worked with fabregas, it’ll work with them- they cld be big stars for us.
[Ed: Yes, could Lupoli be the new Maxi, we need?]
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Oliver
Thoughts about Munich
As great a manager as Wenger is, he simply doesn’t have the tactical nuance for the CL. His game plan is always to attack play perfect football, outplay your opponent and score beautiful goals.
At the start of the season i said to a mate of mine that Liverpool were my outside tip to win the CL (or at least do very well, reaching the semis at least). Even as their domestic season was going badly I stood by that. Benitz is a good manager, not as good as Wenger mind you, but more importantly he knows how to do well in CL. He’s got a tactical brain.
Benitez would never go to Bayern and try to attack for 90 mins (especially with an already weakened defence). Bayern were the home team, they should have been the ones with the ball possession, pushing players forward, and then Arsenal could counter.
It’s really that simple, but Wenger simply doesn’t get it.
Cruyf said before the game that Bayern would easily win, and afterwards he said that Arsenal were basically ‘running onto the sword/knife’. They brought the defeat on themselves by the way they try to play, and Cruyf (like many people) knew it would happen because they’d already seen Wenger do the same thing year after year.
But I’m not saying he should leave, no way. I’d rather have Wenger’s consistent, beautiful attacking football and the odd premiership/FA Cup title than 1 CL semi/final and then disappear into mid-table oblivion.
We just have to face the facts, we will never to well in Europe under Wenger, unless a) he changes his tactics, or b) he pays top-euro for the very best, experienced players in every position, with which an attacking game is more feasible. Unfortunately, I think both of those are unlikely.
[Ed: b is more likely come Ashburton Grove. But is AG fostering too many unrealistic hopes?]
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Steven Son
Key on tuesday
Myles, you thought that it was the night of the big men with skill but it actually turned out to a set piece night! 2 goals in the Bayern match, PSV, Real Madrid and dem scousers got 2 from set pieces.
Zidane was good, but Zlatan and PV4 didn’t really perform. I still think we can go through, 2-0 is simple enough but I think we need to score an early goal.
Keeping a clean sheet wont be easy as i’ve just read sol may be out for the second leg but with Dennis and Thierry pulling his finger out i think we can do it
Marc
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awful night
Hi Myles
I love Wenger and I fully appreciate what he has achieved and done for Arsenal Football Club since his arrival but last night’s display must be the watershed for him to realise that it is not considered a sin to have a proper plan B in place. Players who can come on and execute plan B if the situation requires.
As much as I adore Wenger and the way he wants to play and win games, if he does not go out this summer and buy a top top proven goalie, a top cental defender to play alongside Sol and a striker that can hold up the ball and most importantly head the damn thing – then I think Wenger’s time at Arsenal will be over quite soon (whether or not Dein can find someone else who can take the club forward).
Managers have to be stubborn but surely Wenger (THE PROFESSOR) does not need to be told that no team in the world wins anything with a dodgy goalie and a dodgy defence.
How can a manager not feel the importance of working on set pieces (to defend and to attack from)? How much longer can he ignore the fact we do not posses a single striker for our wingers to cross a ball into for them to score with a header?
Pitches and weather conditions do not always allow a team to play their normal style of football so you need to have a team who can adapt and cope with different tactics.
I was a huge Rocastle fan and I am sure he would have been delighted that Pires wears his No. 7 shirt but if he was watching last night’s performance, he would be wondering how the hell Arsenal got into the Champions League in the first place with that bunch of players.
Whether or not we had players out for whatever reason – we lost because our squad is not good enough to deal with these types of occasions. I hope the reason is not because Wenger is far too stubborn to recognise these glaring problems.
Yes, the tie is not completely dead but I hope Toure’s goal last night does not make Wenger think it disguises a truly awful night which sums up the state of his squad.
Have more to say but its too depressing and its gonna get worse come Saturday at St Mary’s!
[Ed; good call]
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Onyechi Olosi or AJ
Arsenal pays the prize for Wenger’s stubbornness
What can I say but emphatically repeat that arsenal has always had limited options due to their small squad which has been this way for such a longtime.
For how long shall we keep pushing our first team? This present team in earnest lacks steel, grit and experience because we don’t have a bench and the fact that we don’t buy quality and experienced players who can come into the game and change the game. Plus the fact that our big guns freeze nearly in every big game. No offense to our young prides but they still have 2yrs to grab the necessary experience for grind out results in games that do not swing to our rhythm.
Frankly what more did arsenal expect, a total collapse from this squad like last night before they realize that with a limited squad they will not likely repeat the fit of last season or get anywhere in the champions league.
Then there our defensive frailties. We lacked it from the start of the season but paid no attention to what was bound to happen. **** defending, poor marking, constant failure to defend set pieces and only Cole and Sol the natural defenders in our back line.
Given that Wenger admitted to our poor defence, one wonders why he had to gamble on the onset as he chose to gamble with Cygan instead of finding a replacement for Sol who was going to be out 6weeks from the start of the season and has since been plagued with one injury or the other. He should have bought another natural defender.
Sol’s absence rocked Toure and our confidence in defending. (Kolo is fast becoming a one season wonder. he is not a natural defender, not disciplined enough to defend on tight games, always surging deep into the midfield. May be he should be shipped into the midfield or to right side of defence) .We were always bad at set piece so what’s the fuss now. We should have sorted it out during our pre-season friendly matches as we conceded set piece goals last season.
With a small squad and no experienced recruits, it was always a gamble going into a new season. We need 2 extra experienced 2 footed midfielders, 2 natural defenders who can play solidly in any position at the back and one complete striker that is two footed and can score with his head as well, plus a quality and tested keeper.
I am not a fan of Jens simply because he cannot do a 2 spring save dive (hope he gets his sick and desperate number one shirt for Germany after his great show last night). Alumina is a joke.
When you have a coach who is stubborn to the truth of what is facing his club and allows players who are not natural defenders to surge deep into the midfield without caution, who believes in sticking to a system without having a plan B when the going gets tough, or who has refused to increase his squad with depth and experience. We all know the result.
If this year’s Champions League is anything like last year then just maybe all is not lost, but it’s a very very slim chance for the Gunners.
Whatever the case I am still a die hard GUNNER, female and from Nigeria.
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maropatrick
time to sign big guns
I’m very suprised with AW! He had an opportunity to sign SWP for 7 million pounds but he blew the opportunity and now he’s 20m!!..
i think AW should forget about buying galactikids because they cannot fight in the Champions League.
..Arsenal now is a big team, Wenger should buy players like Benny McCarthy, Carlos Alberto and good defenders with ‘Cafu’ qualities…clearly im very disappointed with the Munich game and AW should be ashamed of it because he had the funds to sign guns in January but he didn’t, i don’t know what is in his mind…Arsenal doesnt look like winning CL unless HIDDINK comes in…
patrick
east africa
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Linda
Comment on the Comments
After the ManU game, I promised myself that I would never again go to bed with as sore a heart as I did that day! I too switched off last night – it was so predictable. We have turned into the Schizoids – the Schizophrenic team who are absolutely fabulous one day and then look a complete shambles the next.
The worse thing is – this can also happen during a match! Listening to the Sky interview with AW did little to cheer me up this morning. I too think that CL is not for us…
Oh Myles – many women read your column. And I must admit I often use bits of it to impress the hell out of my uni colleagues who pretty much think football’s a man’s game. So thanks for the assists!
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Don Pedro
Futility
I’ve had enough!!! you know the point when you’ve had too much Christmas pudding and try to force down that extra morcel?? and it just doesnt want to? well, I’m there.
Arsenal tll i die and all that, but at this juncture, death would be the easier proposition. Somebody wrote in, talking about how we take football too seriously…*******.i’m sorry, but, if God gave us passion then, pro-creation aside, what else is there to live for?
Arsenal isn’t good enough and, we never will be playing the style of football we do! plain and simple. Henry…the second best player in the world… ( were used to that second spot, The Arsenal aren’t we??)…the number one choker…..definitely! I told my mates tonight, if Henry isn’t inspired by someone else within the first ten minutes, he’ll go missing….running away from the ball when it would be easier to run towards it, and pretending to work for the team..if monsieur Arsenal doesn’t start well, you can forget about victory for the gunners….
I’ve said it over and over again, for a number of years..the key to victory isnt Henry…..never has been…..its a man called Bergkamp……a big game performer who, admittedly picks and chooses some of his games, but is always there for the big occassion……..
why didnt he travel to Munich?? he’s gonna miss the next three games??..Pires?? a defensive liability…some idiot wrote in before me saying Clichy was out of his depth…he was our best player, and will be better than Ashley Cole…
Vieira?? he lost it two years ago…people say that he had a great season last year?? what? Edu carrierd us through our unbeaten run…he has more composure than Vieira ever will…I’m not knocking him for the sake of it, but Vieira wasnt that great last year..he was merely good..look at the evidence……
lauren….hahaha…i had to laugh its just that no one has ever noticed cos hes the most conspicuous! cool under pressure, but no pace! and no defensive capabilities!
Cygan…..brilliant in Europe! admit it fellow Gooners, he is the most obvious scapegoat, but has he ever let us down in Europe?? never!
He’s not the answer, never will be, but he has that one thing we lack throughout the team…COMPOSURE…I’ve had enough…it’s just a game?? who where you kidding Myles?
Pedro
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Andy Rayner
Thanks
Just to follow…thanks for printing my e-mail.
Is it me or do we have to rebuild..
One world class Goalkeeper
One world class Central Defender
One attacking Right back..but essentially a defender
One World class forward
Here’s a team sheet and sub after the summer transfers and sales
CUDICINI ( well why not 5m and won’t bench warm forever)
COLE OR CLICHY ( depending on contract and sales )
CAMPBELL
LUCIO OR KING ( King will be difficult )
THURAM ( experienced cheap and french )
PIRES or FREDDY ( only room for one )
VIEIRA
GILBERTO
KAKA ( expensive but boy would he inject something new )
REYES
HENRY
SUBS
LEHMANN
PIRES or FREDDY
TOURE
BERGKAMP
VAN PERSIE
CESC
FLAMINI
SENDEROS
LAUREN
No CYGAN, EDU, PENNANT OR ALMUNIA
We need to change dramatically or our chances of winning big are gone. CAN WENGER CHANGE? DO WE HAVE ANY REAL MONEY?
I’m sceptical and not very optimistic.
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