From Martin :
The players have to take some responsibility, but it really wasn’t lack of effort that we witnessed against Crystal Palace last night,.
It was lack of direction, cohesion, it really was like the days when you got picked for the County and bunch of lads turn up who have never played with each other before,
You try, sometimes too hard to do something on your own, and there is just no pattern.
Do think the Arsenal players tried, the effort was there, but they were always out of position, and reacting to everything, where the Crystal Palace players were always on the front foot, knowing where should be,
Sam’s self-satisfied post-match press conference (will give him this one, he had right to feel smug) pointed out actually how simple it was to unsettle Arsenal, “The centre halves get no protection” “The wingers come inside” “The full backs push on, exposing the centre halves” (repeatedly I would say)
It’s easy to criticise the defence, but they play as individuals, and do try, thought Monreal manfully tried to stem the tide on his own at times, but are woefully out of position and exposed as they fire fight situations. O, for George Graham piece of string, and the hours of work that back four did, and the shielding Vieira and Petit/Gilberto gave.
Going forward, again the Manager direction, must be, with one example summing up the whole ethos and mentality, as at 2-0 down, there was some good passing and movement that released Bellerin on right hand side of box, his defender pulled centrally having to make some distance to get out to him, and of course he will whip it in with pace across the box, but no! he turned in, and back it went! My reaction made the cat jump out of it’s skin and bolt out of room, it was exasperating
We had lots and lots of possession, but its sterile possession, where is the bursts to draw defenders and make space, its safe, safe and safe, a team frozen in fear with everyone looking at each other to do something,
So there was effort, I saw it, but it was effort that was always short given the abysmal positioning when defending and when in attack the possession is without penetration, it’s for possession sake,
This video was a Wenger team, this was against team pressing like mad, wanting to make it physical, and this is an Arsenal team that kept possession, but were always sharp and progressive’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBVVVF5-1Uo&feature=youtu.be
and
There is not a single player in this team fit to tie the bootlaces of that 2004 team.
It had heart, know-how, an indomitable spirit, and when you look at the characters you wonder more and more, did these players self-manage? Did Wenger just keep them together? How much of it was it his coaching?
Am starting to doubt, as when you hear Sam state so smugly what we all have known for a few seasons now, and without change, any adjustment, you wonder seriously the coaching that has been done, they must all run around playing 5 a side for a morning, as there are certainly no tactics that I can see,
Players are culpable, but think if they were organised correctly, told in no uncertain terms their jobs, and what is expected, this same group would be transformed as individually the talent is the, the coaching and tactics are setting them up to fail,
Thing is, they will play City in Semi Final and have a chance to make a final, as City are flawed too, and will let us play, though there would have to be a serious change to take on Spurs, who are doing nothing fancy, nothing an Arsenal squad could not do.
The difference is Pochettino sends them out on the front foot, with no doubt what it expected, to play, high-tempo football where everyone knows his position and job.
I wanted us to play well and win last night, always will, it’s a shirt I’ve followed for decades now, but was thinking you sometimes have to have the pain to initiate change, and as uncomfortable as it is now, these kind of results will be the only thing that will give the change needed, so we just have to suck it up and see the season out, and then hope!
Personally think its unsalvageable now, rot has set in completely.
The only way to make better is to bring fresh ideas, as that will bring hope to a tired fanbase, but more so togetherness.
When you hear “You’re not fit to wear the shirt” ring out, you know it’s over, as the away fans are the most committed, passionate, the least fickle, they represent the real fans view much more than the Emirates crowd.
Finally, just fail to understand why the change is so feared, Arsenal have changed Managers before, and were quite happy to let Rioch go for Wenger, even though he had at that time done little wrong as qualified for Europe for first time in a few seasons.
Make the announcement, and everyone would move on a lot quicker than Wenger, Board and Kroenke think.
After that it will all be about the games and how team plays, that’s all fans are actually interested in.