I'm breaking with tradition. In 23 years following Arsenal, whatever the loss, depsite the scale of the set back I never publicly criticise Arsenal. Despite how hurt I feel inside, I'm too proud to do it. But enough is enough. Before I make my point, let me just quantify be stance. I'm not saying 'Sack Wenger'. I still believe he's the man for the job and I we have a lot to be positive about.
But I can't help thinking that Arsene's stubborness is delaying how quickly we'll get back to winning silverware. His 'total football' philosophy, his 'technical game' has gone too far. We didn't lose on Saturday because of Mike Dean, or because we were unlucky or because Anelka had a blinder. Ok all 3 contributed to the score line, but we lost because we're too lightweight, not built for a fight and simply not clever enough!!
Pires is an Arsenal great but was a complete lightweight, there also read Overmars. Neither would have scrapped out a result for you, but they didn't have to. They had a Vieira, an Edu, a Petit, a Parlour, a Keown, a Lauren even a Cole dare I say it, to do that job for them. The Pires's, Henry's, Overmars's and Bergkamps waited until the 'physical' players had 'won the right to play' and then went onto to win the game for us.
Who in todays teams does that for us? Toure on his own isn't enough. Gilberto isn't that type of player, not criticising him, but that's not his game, he isn't a Vieira or Edu. I've read today that we'll be fine once our midfielders physically develop. Ok granted, Cesc will gradually get bigger, but he isn't going to hawl you us back into game through the weight of his tackling. And please don't try and tell me that Hleb, Rosicky, Walcott, Flamini and Van Persie are ever going to win us games through physical might.
I am not criticising these players, I rate them all, it's not a case of ability, it's a case of balance in the team. Their work rate can't be questioned but without players made of sturner stuff along side them, to protect them and keep them in games, in this league over 38 games against the type of opposition we face, we don't stand a chance of winning the title. I remember the 97/98 double campaign after the 3-1 home reverse to Blackburn and again 01/02 following the same score v Newcastle at Highbury. We were way off the pace both years and things looked bleak. But when you looked at the squad, when we hit form you could see we had the players to grind our way back into things. I can't say the same of todays squad. You look at the fixture list ahead, the places we have to go, and irrespective of what form we're in, I can't see us getting the consistent results we need.
I can't help feeling that Arsene has become obsessed with beautiful football. I'm not saying we should revert to long ball negative football or anythign close to it. We played great football in 2002 and 2004, but we also had steal. We don't today and that is costing us big time. The younger players will eventually gain the necessary level of experience, but the squad we currently have will never have the necessary physical presence to sustain a succesful league campaign.
Sorry to go on but Saturday's match was hard to swallow as I feel it's a situation which Arsene has created for himself. Feel free to shoot me down in flames - life would be dull if we all had the same opinion!
Not Clever Enough & Not Big Enough
When you saw the line-up was anyone really suprised with the outcome.I have never betted against Arsenal but i was sorely tempted on saturday.What you need versus Bolton are 11 battlers,you have to fight for the right to play. Not for the first time this season have we conceded from a corner,we all know Bolton are a set piece team but the marking for the 1st goal was comical. Our midfield was powderpuff. Are we as good as we think we are? we beat Reading 4-0 a month ago yet we are level on points with them.I can see no difference from this season to last season.We are just not consistent enough. How many Bolton players would get in the Arsenal team 1 or 2 yet we struggle to beat them because they wanted it more like West ham did 3 weeks earlier. Will the results be any different when we go to similar teams like Blackburn,Everton and Boro?
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auto-maniacs0
