THE WENGER THREAD

[markyp]

Wenger is very fortunate that Giroud has managed to keep up the level of performance that he has done so far and that he's stayed free of injury. We always pick up several injuries and he is now the single most important player on the field - not because I suddenly think he's world class, but because this board and manager failed inexplicably to sign any other player capable of playing there

I actually think we could go on a losing run of 3 or 4 games if he got injured now and we were reduced to playing that usless gum chewing arrogant lump of Danish lard up front

i don't see it as the end of the world if Giroud is out,we do have options,Pod and wally can both do the job,ok i know not everybody would rate them as a CF but our midfield is so creative and powerful that that is where we are winning our games from.im sure we could battle along without Giroud for a couple of games although i really hope we don't have too as hes been a fantastic team man so far if not proflific in front of goal,dont get me wrong,he's weighed in well with the goals this term but he aint Henry but as a team we are strong and Giroud is pivotal to it,but i really do feel that if we look beyond Barry Bender it really isn't the black hole we all think it is,our midfield will more than make up for any short comings up top

[northbank123]

Wenger is very fortunate that Giroud has managed to keep up the level of performance that he has done so far and that he's stayed free of injury. We always pick up several injuries and he is now the single most important player on the field - not because I suddenly think he's world class, but because this board and manager failed inexplicably to sign any other player capable of playing there

I actually think we could go on a losing run of 3 or 4 games if he got injured now and we were reduced to playing that usless gum chewing arrogant lump of Danish lard up front

i don't see it as the end of the world if Giroud is out,we do have options,Pod and wally can both do the job,ok i know not everybody would rate them as a CF but our midfield is so creative and powerful that that is where we are winning our games from.im sure we could battle along without Giroud for a couple of games although i really hope we don't have too as hes been a fantastic team man so far if not proflific in front of goal,dont get me wrong,he's weighed in well with the goals this term but he aint Henry but as a team we are strong and Giroud is pivotal to it,but i really do feel that if we look beyond Barry Bender it really isn't the black hole we all think it is,our midfield will more than make up for any short comings up top

I suggest you cast your mind back to Bradford away last year. I don't think anybody played at their peak but how can a side with Santi Cazorla, an on-form Wilshere and Rosicky barely create anything against a League Two side? Because Gervinho was the only striker for 120 minutes and if he wasn't actively wasting possession with wayward passes, scuffed shots or clumsy touches he was moping around showing no movement and not even occupying defenders or creating space.

Norwich away very similar story - don't think we even managed an attempt on goal against a piss-poor side because we had Forehead playing up front. When you play 4-5-1 and have a striker who offers you literally nothing it makes it 10 times easier for the opposition to shut up shop defensively - even if a midfielder beats 2 or 3 men if he then looks up and has no options in front of him you know you're fucked.

If we have to play Bendtner or Sanogo up front our form will dip massively and the only hope we have of sustaining a title challenge is either strengthening in Jan or more likely Giroud only missing a handful of games max.

[markyp]

Wenger is very fortunate that Giroud has managed to keep up the level of performance that he has done so far and that he's stayed free of injury. We always pick up several injuries and he is now the single most important player on the field - not because I suddenly think he's world class, but because this board and manager failed inexplicably to sign any other player capable of playing there

I actually think we could go on a losing run of 3 or 4 games if he got injured now and we were reduced to playing that usless gum chewing arrogant lump of Danish lard up front

i don't see it as the end of the world if Giroud is out,we do have options,Pod and wally can both do the job,ok i know not everybody would rate them as a CF but our midfield is so creative and powerful that that is where we are winning our games from.im sure we could battle along without Giroud for a couple of games although i really hope we don't have too as hes been a fantastic team man so far if not proflific in front of goal,dont get me wrong,he's weighed in well with the goals this term but he aint Henry but as a team we are strong and Giroud is pivotal to it,but i really do feel that if we look beyond Barry Bender it really isn't the black hole we all think it is,our midfield will more than make up for any short comings up top

I suggest you cast your mind back to Bradford away last year. I don't think anybody played at their peak but how can a side with Santi Cazorla, an on-form Wilshere and Rosicky barely create anything against a League Two side? Because Gervinho was the only striker for 120 minutes and if he wasn't actively wasting possession with wayward passes, scuffed shots or clumsy touches he was moping around showing no movement and not even occupying defenders or creating space.

Norwich away very similar story - don't think we even managed an attempt on goal against a piss-poor side because we had Forehead playing up front. When you play 4-5-1 and have a striker who offers you literally nothing it makes it 10 times easier for the opposition to shut up shop defensively - even if a midfielder beats 2 or 3 men if he then looks up and has no options in front of him you know you're fucked.

If we have to play Bendtner or Sanogo up front our form will dip massively and the only hope we have of sustaining a title challenge is either strengthening in Jan or more likely Giroud only missing a handful of games max.

but that was Forehead playing in a team low on confidence,we are talking Pod or Wally playing in a team riding on a wave on confidence

[northbank123]

Wenger is very fortunate that Giroud has managed to keep up the level of performance that he has done so far and that he's stayed free of injury. We always pick up several injuries and he is now the single most important player on the field - not because I suddenly think he's world class, but because this board and manager failed inexplicably to sign any other player capable of playing there

I actually think we could go on a losing run of 3 or 4 games if he got injured now and we were reduced to playing that usless gum chewing arrogant lump of Danish lard up front

i don't see it as the end of the world if Giroud is out,we do have options,Pod and wally can both do the job,ok i know not everybody would rate them as a CF but our midfield is so creative and powerful that that is where we are winning our games from.im sure we could battle along without Giroud for a couple of games although i really hope we don't have too as hes been a fantastic team man so far if not proflific in front of goal,dont get me wrong,he's weighed in well with the goals this term but he aint Henry but as a team we are strong and Giroud is pivotal to it,but i really do feel that if we look beyond Barry Bender it really isn't the black hole we all think it is,our midfield will more than make up for any short comings up top

I suggest you cast your mind back to Bradford away last year. I don't think anybody played at their peak but how can a side with Santi Cazorla, an on-form Wilshere and Rosicky barely create anything against a League Two side? Because Gervinho was the only striker for 120 minutes and if he wasn't actively wasting possession with wayward passes, scuffed shots or clumsy touches he was moping around showing no movement and not even occupying defenders or creating space.

Norwich away very similar story - don't think we even managed an attempt on goal against a piss-poor side because we had Forehead playing up front. When you play 4-5-1 and have a striker who offers you literally nothing it makes it 10 times easier for the opposition to shut up shop defensively - even if a midfielder beats 2 or 3 men if he then looks up and has no options in front of him you know you're fucked.

If we have to play Bendtner or Sanogo up front our form will dip massively and the only hope we have of sustaining a title challenge is either strengthening in Jan or more likely Giroud only missing a handful of games max.

but that was Forehead playing in a team low on confidence,we are talking Pod or Wally playing in a team riding on a wave on confidence

Of course neither of them are useless but when you're playing against Everton, Spurs, United, Citeh, Chelsea etc there's a huge difference between playing with a confident striker who knows and fits the system and somebody who's missed a large chunk of the season playing a role they're unfamiliar in and not really suited to.

Might get away with it if Giroud misses a few games against relegation fodder here but against tidy/strong opposition we'll get found out if he misses any considerable length of time.

I still think Giroud wouldn't get much of a game at all at City, United or Chelsea but he has improved massively this season and our system is more reliant than any other on the striker.

[SteveO 35]

Today was a typical day that defines Wenger's reign of the last 8 years

Chelsea drew, Spurs lost, City lost - a chance to go 11 points clear of United and almost write them out of the title race.....but when the expectation mounts Wenger can't inspire his team to deliver

We'll take 4 or 6 points off Cardiff and Southampton before predictably getting no points from the games in December against City and Chelsea

Spurs are shite so we'll still be good enough for 4th but our loser of a manager will never send us marching into Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge when there's a chance to stick one on them and deliver

[Sam59]

Giroud is key. He had a bad game today (as did everyone, but our game plan hinges on him). He also looks tired already.
He has France's play offs to play in as well.
I don't even know why OGL - back in his sleeping bag that he can't do up - bothers to bring on Bendtner. I'd have liked Gnabry to be on a bit earlier as he has some pace about him.
Usual non-performance at Old Trafford. They aren't exactly a great side either. Very frustrating, especially after City and Chelsea both dropped points. I wonder if the illness in the squad is confined to just the 2 players tbh.

[afcforever]

Today was a typical day that defines Wenger's reign of the last 8 years

Chelsea drew, Spurs lost, City lost - a chance to go 11 points clear of United and almost write them out of the title race.....but when the expectation mounts Wenger can't inspire his team to deliver

We'll take 4 or 6 points off Cardiff and Southampton before predictably getting no points from the games in December against City and Chelsea

Spurs are shite so we'll still be good enough for 4th but our loser of a manager will never send us marching into Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge when there's a chance to stick one on them and deliver

Steveo, we played well enough not to lose, after watching the game I honestly think well be there or there abouts

[SteveO 35]

Today was a typical day that defines Wenger's reign of the last 8 years

Chelsea drew, Spurs lost, City lost - a chance to go 11 points clear of United and almost write them out of the title race.....but when the expectation mounts Wenger can't inspire his team to deliver

We'll take 4 or 6 points off Cardiff and Southampton before predictably getting no points from the games in December against City and Chelsea

Spurs are shite so we'll still be good enough for 4th but our loser of a manager will never send us marching into Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge when there's a chance to stick one on them and deliver

Steveo, we played well enough not to lose, after watching the game I honestly think well be there or there abouts

Thought we were awful buddy - especially first half. The second half was then played at a snail's pace that fell into their trap. They have one of the slowest midfields ever with Carrick, Cleverley, Giggs etc and if we played at a similar tempo to how we did against Napoli we could have dicked them over. But we go to OT fearing the worst instead of doing what West Brom and Soton did and giving it your best shot

Opportunity missed against the worst United team since the early 90s

[Theoperator]

I didnt think we were awful enough to pour the vitriol STeve O. It was bloody disappointing, for sure but it certainly wasnt capitulation, we have to keep picking off the smaller teams like we have been doing and it may not be the cataclism predicted.

Lets try and stay positive for the time being and get behind the team.

COYG

[Theoperator]

(Sorryx2 post )

[SteveO 35]

I didnt think we were awful enough to pour the vitriol STeve O. It was bloody disappointing, for sure but it certainly wasnt capitulation, we have to keep picking off the smaller teams like we have been doing and it may not be the cataclism predicted.

Lets try and stay positive for the time being and get behind the team.

COYG

When we stick one on Mourinho or United, I might change my mind. Until then I see a flat track bully manager making the same mistakes as he has for the past 8 seasons

[markyp]

I think we can pretty much workout our points total now for this season,we can eliminate any points against UTD,City,chavski,maybe a draw at anfield and a draw at the lane then mostly wins against the rest of the shite,the big games will cost us,same old story year in year out

[Dan_85]

Stop coaching this tippy tappy, slow, sideways, 25yds in front of 11 men, possession at all costs bollocks you *word censored*

[goonersid]

I still want him out, despite not being too perturbed by todays result, but cant help thinking wenkers stupid team selection in the nothing cup chavs game coupled with our other tough game caught up with us today,

[SteveO 35]

I still want him out, despite not being too perturbed by todays result, but cant help thinking wenkers stupid team selection in the nothing cup chavs game coupled with our other tough game caught up with us today,

The only thing stupid about this proper cup selection was selecting the Danish Samurai up front in one of only 2 competitions we can win, and Jenkinson at right back i.e. his reserves rather than his regulars cost him another cup

Still what's new? He's been letting Fabianski throw away cups for years and playing the likes of Eastmond and Denilson at places like Stoke in the FA Cup

Only a born loser does that sort of thing........or one that is incentivised by 7m a year for finishing fourth