As we're unlikely to see terraces again at football, this is the virtual equivalent where you can chat to your hearts content about all football matters and, obviously, Arsenal in particular. This forum encourages all Gooners to visit and contribute so please keep it respectful, clean and topical.
Warren Barton pointed out on Fox Soccer that we had fallen so far to be celebrating 4th....
its all so predictable, we'll bring in some more new faces over the summer who'll be badly managed, the same faces will be injured again, we'll start slowly, go on a run against poor teams, wobble when we place decent ones, go on another run against the same poor teams. they'll be too many draws, the odd thumping and one or two careless losses against mid table clubs due to lack of preparation.
we'll go out of the cups before the semis, 1st or 2nd knockout round in the ECL, then scrape 4th or may be not for once.
there i've just saved you all a grand each and a lot of pain.
oh and Cesc will sign for City. Obviously.
Picture all those sad spud faces and enjoy the moment
One more season left, come on Wenger make it a good one
To be fair we've turned a corner the last 12 games keep the team together add an experienced gk, and a striker. We're maybe not as far away as we think we are. Utd will certainly be weaker next season. Citeh will have a major overhaul and chelski may have mourinho back but he's had a major blow this season. Keep the attitude we've had in the last 12 games and we'll be up there.
Nos89 wrote:One more season left, come on Wenger make it a good one
To be fair we've turned a corner the last 12 games keep the team together add an experienced gk, and a striker. We're maybe not as far away as we think we are. Utd will certainly be weaker next season. Citeh will have a major overhaul and chelski may have mourinho back but he's had a major blow this season. Keep the attitude we've had in the last 12 games and we'll be up there.
Unfortunately I don't have any confidence of us taking this form/record into next season. This run of games has given me a little optimism that perhaps if we got into the sort of position where we could win a trophy (we'll be miles off the league still imo) that we might be able to have the bottle to see it through - although we still have so much to prove against the big sides next season.
Unfortunately this won't be much use if we're 5 points off the pace by the end of October and 10 by the New Year. It will be interesting to see who Citeh add and Chelsea could be a real threat under Mourinho, and United have too many good players not to be there or thereabouts. I don't see us getting 85+ points required to seriously challenge. Especially not given that Wenger will believe that all the downs during the season have just been completely wiped out and vindicated.
Nos89 wrote:One more season left, come on Wenger make it a good one
To be fair we've turned a corner the last 12 games keep the team together add an experienced gk, and a striker. We're maybe not as far away as we think we are. Utd will certainly be weaker next season. Citeh will have a major overhaul and chelski may have mourinho back but he's had a major blow this season. Keep the attitude we've had in the last 12 games and we'll be up there.
I'm afraid to be "up there" we would have to beat the likes of Man u, Man C, Chelsea all of whoom we failed to do this year. 2 points from a possible 18, just not good enough.
IF we get rid of the shit, and buy 3 quality players who actually add something to the first 11 or are consistant / reliable back ups to what we have we will be in with a shout, until it comes to the pressure games, where you need the tactics/ nous to outwit a top team.
Just fcuking fcuk off wenger you has been caaant and allow this club to get out of this perpetual rut you have got us into and then maybe we can start to move forward and look like a big cub again
I was chatting to a fellow Gooner the day after Sir Baconface made his speech at auld toilet. He said he got a bit teary and a lump in his throat listening to his speech. I didn't bother, but said that I never hated a manager as much, but I did have a lot of respect(I wouldn't admit it until I heard he's retiring ) for purplenose.
He has a winning mentality and when things don't go his way, he fixes it.....which is so unlike Wenger. He seems to preach this "4th place" mentality which seems to fit well with our players. We almost didn't make it, but he can now take the high ground and tell all us fans -"I told you so"
MegaGooner wrote:I was chatting to a fellow Gooner the day after Sir Baconface made his speech at auld toilet. He said he got a bit teary and a lump in his throat listening to his speech. I didn't bother, but said that I never hated a manager as much, but I did have a lot of respect(I wouldn't admit it until I heard he's retiring ) for purplenose.
He has a winning mentality and when things don't go his way, he fixes it.....which is so unlike Wenger. He seems to preach this "4th place" mentality which seems to fit well with our players. We almost didn't make it, but he can now take the high ground and tell all us fans -"I told you so"
MegaGooner wrote:I was chatting to a fellow Gooner the day after Sir Baconface made his speech at auld toilet. He said he got a bit teary and a lump in his throat listening to his speech. I didn't bother, but said that I never hated a manager as much, but I did have a lot of respect(I wouldn't admit it until I heard he's retiring ) for purplenose.
He has a winning mentality and when things don't go his way, he fixes it.....which is so unlike Wenger. He seems to preach this "4th place" mentality which seems to fit well with our players. We almost didn't make it, but he can now take the high ground and tell all us fans -"I told you so"
FFS Arsene..try and win something next season
I have been arguing with many on here re wenker for the past 6 years and granted many have now seen the light but there are still many on here that refuse to do so and today they cite finishing top 4 as proof that they were right I could take being preached down to and having to eat humble pie and admit I was wrong if we won a league but to do so after finishing 4th in this shit league ? I don't fcuking think so - watching the players celebrate to the extent they did today after the the final whistle, and then having to listen to Geordie fcuk face (shearer) take the piss out of us for it, makes me cringe and fills me with sadness tbh This is what we have now sunk to
MegaGooner wrote:I was chatting to a fellow Gooner the day after Sir Baconface made his speech at auld toilet. He said he got a bit teary and a lump in his throat listening to his speech. I didn't bother, but said that I never hated a manager as much, but I did have a lot of respect(I wouldn't admit it until I heard he's retiring ) for purplenose.
He has a winning mentality and when things don't go his way, he fixes it.....which is so unlike Wenger. He seems to preach this "4th place" mentality which seems to fit well with our players. We almost didn't make it, but he can now take the high ground and tell all us fans -"I told you so"
FFS Arsene..try and win something next season
I have been arguing with many on here re wenker for the past 6 years and granted many have now seen the light but there are still many on here that refuse to do so and today they cite finishing top 4 as proof that they were right I could take being preached down to and having to eat humble pie and admit I was wrong if we won a league but to do so after finishing 4th in this shit league ? I don't fcuking think so - watching the players celebrate to the extent they did today after the the final whistle, and then having to listen to Geordie fcuk face (shearer) take the piss out of us for it, makes me cringe and fills me with sadness tbh This is what we have now sunk to
I would say that Shearer doesn't know his arse from his elbow but let's be fair he wouldn't have scored half as many goals if he'd have used his arse to assault defenders every week.
But I do agree some of the celebrations are over the top and worrying symbolic. I myself was fucking delighted that we've kept the scum at bay once more but when you've got players tweeting pictures of celebrations from the changing room akin to a title-winning dressing room you have to worry about the targets being set.
I reckon that for the vast majority of posters on here, today was about finishing ahead of the toilet.
Now, when monkey boy leaves them, next year they will revert to being mid table and we won't have to worry about the virtual trophy, and still finish above them.
Until there is a management change, at the very least, then we only have more of the same to look forward to next season and beyond.
Top Londoner wrote:I reckon that for the vast majority of posters on here, today was about finishing ahead of the toilet.
Now, when monkey boy leaves them, next year they will revert to being mid table and we won't have to worry about the virtual trophy, and still finish above them.
Until there is a management change, at the very least, then we only have more of the same to look forward to next season and beyond.
IF they do sell monkey boy then I am damn sure that they will reinvest every penny into buying replacements and not some shite replacements from ligue deux or some c.unt that isnt good enough to play for a top club in the french first division This summer will see another transfer window where the scum, with a 50m wage bill less than ours, outspend us without having the champs league financial windfall that we will
As much as Wenger is chastised in this forum and by me, I think that he deserves a bit of credit for making a couple of good decisions to get this 10 game unbeaten run. Yes, I know that he is stubborn as fuck and he persists with some unusual decisions (Gervinho as a striker, Ramsey on the wing, etc.) and the defense was a shambles for much of the season, but whatever it was - listening to Bould, dropping Vermaelen, etc, the run that we went on without being sensational to watch, was effective and we picked up the necessary points to finish 4th. Yes, I know that is the minimum that he should be getting, but the defense has looked quite good and dare I say - - - - organized? This is something that I haven't ever been able to say about Arsenal defending for a long long time. I hope that with a couple of key additions that next year, we can crack on next year.
No - I am not celebrating the 4th place trophy, but like it or not, we were always going to be stuck with him for another year no matter where we finished, so I guess a dose of optimism has been injected into my blood for next year and this summer whereas I think that before (especially last year), I didn't hold that optimism.
As I had guessed, last seasons problems were inconsistency, we dropped too many points against struggling teams.
Firstly is where the 70 points came from last season against final league positions.
In red are this seasons 73 points, we have been more consistent, only dropping 2 points against the bottom 4, but a meagre 7 points against the 5 teams around us shows a clear lack of quality.
Who says we don't miss RVP?
Teams 1-6 14 points, 2013 - 7 points
Teams 7-11 19 points 2013 22 points
Teams 12-16 23 points 2013 22 points
Teams 17-20 14 points 2013 22 points
The question is 'is Wenger the man to trust to identify the quality?'
I have serious doubts.
Look, it may be unpopular on here, but I've got to say that Wenger deserves some credit for a couple of decisions this season. Say what you like about him, but the man is known for being a stubborn old fucker who doesn't change for anyone. That said, there's been a couple of big calls he's made this year where he's stepped out of his comfort zone - e.g. Dropping Vermalen. I've never known him to drop a captain before, but he got that one bang on.
Don't get me wrong; there are still TONS of decisions he made/makes that baffle me (persisting with Gervinho, playing one striker at home, etc.), but I think that we would be doing ourselves a disservice if we didn't give credit where it's due.
Also, I posted this on another thread but I thought I'd repost it on here as I thought it was a very surprising statistic;
Arsenal 2011/12 (with RvP)
W - 21
L - 10
F - 74
A - 49
PTS - 70
Arsenal 2012/2013 (without RvP)
W - 21 (-)
L - 7 (-3)
F - 72 (-2)
A - 37 (-12)
PTS - 73 (+3)
Turns out our defence was much tighter this year and our strike-force was not as weakened by the departure of RvP as many think. Don't get me wrong; if we'd had RvP instead of Giroud, we'd have been in a much stronger position.
) for purplenose. 
I could take being preached down to and having to eat humble pie and admit I was wrong if we won a league but to do so after finishing 4th in this shit league ? I don't fcuking think so - watching the players celebrate to the extent they did today after the the final whistle, and then having to listen to Geordie fcuk face (shearer) take the piss out of us for it, makes me cringe and fills me with sadness tbh 
This is what we have now sunk to 
