Wigan

[Gunnersaurus]

Such an embarrassment.

[FrenchGun]

Wenger:

Overall, it was a difficult game with high levels of commitment from Wigan.

The pitch became more and more difficult for us to put passes together.

They defended deeper in the second half and it was more difficult for us to find space.

We had a disadvantage that Wigan played three days ago and only 48 hours ago we played a big game in the evening.

Arsene turned his answering machine on?

[USMartin]

It's hard to fathom why the ref didn't give a penalty for the handball from Nasri's freekick. He couldn't of been in a better position - prick

Amazing really - about as nailed-on a pen as I have seen in awhile.

[USMartin]

Wenger has always said he won't make many signings out of season because he thinks continuity is so important...........well what about a bit of continuity in the TEAM you deluded old fart? If a couple of players need resting, fine, 8 players is utterly ridiculous and asking for trouble. This is not the thinking of a top manager it really isn't.

Your comment would make more sense if said that having players like Fabianski, Denilson, Eboue, Rosicky, Bendtner, Koscieny, Squillaci, Diaby, and Chamakh(whom I like actually) in a club like Arsenal"s senior team squad at all is not the thinking of a top manager.

Of course than comes the question why are they there now and why weren't they there from 1998-2005? Could it be the money we keep hearing is available to spend now was actually available to spend then?

So long as our finances remain what they are this is the ebst we can hope for - a holding action for the Champions League Place. No top manager besides the one under contract now would sign to manager Arsenal with the cureent financial policies in place unless their sole goal was a fat paycheck for themselves.

We have a really good half of a team - not as good as 2002 or 2004 no but not bad at all. But in 2002 and 2004 - we had very good whole teams. Our problem remians that half the team is simply substandard now and underinvested in, even if some there are overpaid relative to their skills or experience(overpaying Denilson significantly still costs less than paying for a proper defensive central midifelder)

Is there a remote possibility that you might be able to comment on team performance/manager's team selection without mentioning fucking finances?

Sure. But what is the point?

We can easily say that making eight changes was not the best decision and certainly waiting until 2-2 to introduce Nasri and Walcott was just plain bad decision-making.

But again is there any point in deluding ourselves that with a simple managerial change all will be right again straight away or in short order and that suddenly we'll be right back where we were in 2002 or 2004?

[Arsenal 1991]

Wenger has always said he won't make many signings out of season because he thinks continuity is so important...........well what about a bit of continuity in the TEAM you deluded old fart? If a couple of players need resting, fine, 8 players is utterly ridiculous and asking for trouble. This is not the thinking of a top manager it really isn't.

Your comment would make more sense if said that having players like Fabianski, Denilson, Eboue, Rosicky, Bendtner, Koscieny, Squillaci, Diaby, and Chamakh(whom I like actually) in a club like Arsenal"s senior team squad at all is not the thinking of a top manager.

Of course than comes the question why are they there now and why weren't they there from 1998-2005? Could it be the money we keep hearing is available to spend now was actually available to spend then?

So long as our finances remain what they are this is the ebst we can hope for - a holding action for the Champions League Place. No top manager besides the one under contract now would sign to manager Arsenal with the cureent financial policies in place unless their sole goal was a fat paycheck for themselves.

We have a really good half of a team - not as good as 2002 or 2004 no but not bad at all. But in 2002 and 2004 - we had very good whole teams. Our problem remians that half the team is simply substandard now and underinvested in, even if some there are overpaid relative to their skills or experience(overpaying Denilson significantly still costs less than paying for a proper defensive central midifelder)

Is there a remote possibility that you might be able to comment on team performance/manager's team selection without mentioning fucking finances?

Sure. But what is the point?

We can easily say that making eight changes was not the best decision and certainly waiting until 2-2 to introduce Nasri and Walcott was just plain bad decision-making.

But again is there any point in deluding ourselves that with a simple managerial change all will be right again straight away or in short order and that suddenly we'll be right back where we were in 2002 or 2004?

USMartin, you know fuck all. We have plenty to spend and Arsene is spending some of it but not on the right players. A new manager would certainly actually work on defending in training too.

[mcdowell42]

Wenger has always said he won't make many signings out of season because he thinks continuity is so important...........well what about a bit of continuity in the TEAM you deluded old fart? If a couple of players need resting, fine, 8 players is utterly ridiculous and asking for trouble. This is not the thinking of a top manager it really isn't.

Your comment would make more sense if said that having players like Fabianski, Denilson, Eboue, Rosicky, Bendtner, Koscieny, Squillaci, Diaby, and Chamakh(whom I like actually) in a club like Arsenal"s senior team squad at all is not the thinking of a top manager.

Of course than comes the question why are they there now and why weren't they there from 1998-2005? Could it be the money we keep hearing is available to spend now was actually available to spend then?

So long as our finances remain what they are this is the ebst we can hope for - a holding action for the Champions League Place. No top manager besides the one under contract now would sign to manager Arsenal with the cureent financial policies in place unless their sole goal was a fat paycheck for themselves.

We have a really good half of a team - not as good as 2002 or 2004 no but not bad at all. But in 2002 and 2004 - we had very good whole teams. Our problem remians that half the team is simply substandard now and underinvested in, even if some there are overpaid relative to their skills or experience(overpaying Denilson significantly still costs less than paying for a proper defensive central midifelder)

Is there a remote possibility that you might be able to comment on team performance/manager's team selection without mentioning fucking finances?

Sure. But what is the point?

We can easily say that making eight changes was not the best decision and certainly waiting until 2-2 to introduce Nasri and Walcott was just plain bad decision-making.

But again is there any point in deluding ourselves that with a simple managerial change all will be right again straight away or in short order and that suddenly we'll be right back where we were in 2002 or 2004?

USMartin, you know fuck all. We have plenty to spend and Arsene is spending some of it but not on the right players. A new manager would certainly actually work on defending in training too.

Can open worms everywhere

[frankbutcher]

Can we use one of those worms to go....?

[I Hate Hleb]

Now we all expected one or two of the players to be rested but 8 changes was just shocking and I really can't see any defence for that at all.

Then you look at the balance of the team and wonder on what planet does playing both Chamack and Bendtner up front, without the players to give them the service they thrive on out wide, make any sense? Seriously, how can one expect that to work?

Also, can you think of one other football manager that would have a 2nd choice and defensively suspect right back playing as our left back, and then compound things by putting the least likely player to offer cover just in front of him? It was almost Keeganess in it's recklessness and utter stupidity!!

As for leaving the substitutions until it was too late again - well, he was just following a tried and trusted method - albeit that it very rarely works.

So sorry Martin my old mucker, money or no money, there just can't be any excuses for the decisions made tonight by Wenger, and Wenger alone!!! And to answer your question, Yes, there are managers out there that wouldn't have made - or at least continue making - such awful tactical and formation choices as the current incumbent does and continues to do.

[treygoony]

Wenger:

Overall, it was a difficult game with high levels of commitment from Wigan.

The pitch became more and more difficult for us to put passes together.

They defended deeper in the second half and it was more difficult for us to find space.

We had a disadvantage that Wigan played three days ago and only 48 hours ago we played a big game in the evening.

:finger:

[Perryashburtongroves]

Wenger yet again spouting shit and making himself look like a moaning, deluded twat- which is what he is fast becoming. What gets to me is that there's always a shit excuse, just for once come out and say that the team didn't defend well, were sloppy and condeded another soft goal. For once say that a decision you made wasn't right and stop pretending you are the all-knowing deity who makes decisions or see rhings that us idiot fans are just too stupid to understand. I would fucking love someone at that club to turn round to him on Thursday and say: 'Right, stop fucking about, stop taking the piss with shit team choices, start waking up to the problems in the team that you have created and do something about about it or fuck off to manage a national team.' The fact is though, is that he makes these shitty excuses that some people believe and actually think that Arsenal are thw greatest team, constantly let down by bad pitches, fixture pile ups, weather problems or bad referring.
I started this season prepared to give him a final go but his lunacy, arrogance, excuses, poor tactical awareness and general inability to do anything about the problems staring straight at him have firmly convinced me that he is past his sell by date and in need of either a massive boot up the arse or an ultimatum. Until that day, it's the same old shit defending, the same old draws from winning positions or lacklustre defeats. We are third place at best in this league, ten-twelve points from being champions. The record got stuck in 2006.

[mcdowell42]

On making eight changes for the game…
We had a disadvantage that Wigan played three days ago and only 48 hours ago we played a big game in the evening. I had to change it because we play on Saturday and again on Wednesday so we can't always play with the same team. But I don’t think that was a problem at all.

[1989]

On making eight changes for the game…
We had a disadvantage that Wigan played three days ago and only 48 hours ago we played a big game in the evening. I had to change it because we play on Saturday and again on Wednesday so we can't always play with the same team. But I don’t think that was a problem at all.

He actually said that? And I thought Selsdon was just taking the piss when he mentioned that in his post.

Wenger you're a complete and utter joke of a man.

[g88ner]

As I said elsewhere, the team selection tonight felt like our title challenge was being sabotaged from within. To take the post-Chelsea feel good factor, tear it up and chuck it in the bin was outrageous.

The pre-match mood around the ground was one of disbelief... and a sense of impending doom. As it turned out, people were right to worry, and the lack of quality was there for everyone to see. It was a world away from the Chelsea performance, but of course it was almost a completely different team. One team could challenge for the title... the other should stick to the Carling Cup.

[Deise Gooner]

On making eight changes for the game…
We had a disadvantage that Wigan played three days ago and only 48 hours ago we played a big game in the evening. I had to change it because we play on Saturday and again on Wednesday so we can't always play with the same team. But I don’t think that was a problem at all.

Is he serious He really is starting to sound like a stupid old tosser moaning about everything little thing lately. I dont ever remember him being this bad spouting about the poor quality of pitches or how the players need rest. FFS they had a game cancelled the week before they cant be that tired that 8 of them need a rest in order to play saturday. Fair enough if you rest 2 or 3 for the Wigan game and then a different 2 or 3 or Brum on saturday but making 8 changes is worse than Rafa is his hayday.

[Chunky The Gooner]

Just got home from the game. Got to be in work for 530. That was fucking rubbish