PieFacE Posted March 8, 2017 Author VT Supporter Share Posted March 8, 2017 Arsenal just being Arsenal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobzy Posted March 8, 2017 Share Posted March 8, 2017 15 hours ago, Zatman said: Lewandowski was in box and Koscielny crossed over him and he made contact and went down. Never a red card but for me it was a certain enough penalty Meh, I'm going there - that penalty is soft as anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted March 8, 2017 VT Supporter Share Posted March 8, 2017 It's the normal Arsenal cycle. They go out of the CL in the last 16, stutter in the league, everyone says THIS is the year they don't make top 4 and Wenger will go, then they rally in the last 10 games, end up in the top 4 and Wenger stays. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodders0223 Posted March 8, 2017 Share Posted March 8, 2017 12 minutes ago, Stevo985 said: It's the normal Arsenal cycle. They go out of the CL in the last 16, stutter in the league, everyone says THIS is the year they don't make top 4 and Wenger will go, then they rally in the last 10 games, end up in the top 4 and Wenger stays. At this point it will be best if they don't make the top 4, it will be prompt severe questions and reactions, from the players, the fans and the board...and maybe even Wenger(unlikely), should he stay (unlikely) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtsimonw Posted March 8, 2017 Share Posted March 8, 2017 There's really no excuse. I get that they were behind and had to go for it, but you shouldn't be 5-1 down in the first place. To lose 10-2 is really shocking and it can't be blamed on 1 refereeing decision. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sne Posted March 8, 2017 Share Posted March 8, 2017 Wenger might have lost the plot a long while ago. But at least his blame game is still going strong. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyblade Posted March 8, 2017 Share Posted March 8, 2017 3 hours ago, Stevo985 said: It's the normal Arsenal cycle. They go out of the CL in the last 16, stutter in the league, everyone says THIS is the year they don't make top 4 and Wenger will go, then they rally in the last 10 games, end up in the top 4 and Wenger stays. They broke the cycle. They were supposed to come back strongly in the second leg before losing out on away goals or a single aggregate goal. I think this is the year they break out of their 13 year time loop and possibly even finish outside of the top 4 and sack Wenger. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharkyvilla Posted March 8, 2017 Share Posted March 8, 2017 4 hours ago, Stevo985 said: It's the normal Arsenal cycle. They go out of the CL in the last 16, stutter in the league, everyone says THIS is the year they don't make top 4 and Wenger will go, then they rally in the last 10 games, end up in the top 4 and Wenger stays. I was thinking that but then I remembered how Sanchez had sat on the bench sniggering during the last two matches. I think there are far deeper ructions in their dressing room than there have before and it'll probably cost them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Czechlad Posted March 8, 2017 Share Posted March 8, 2017 Interesting stat: "In the 103 minutes Koscielny was on the pitch over the two Bayern matches Arsenal won 2-1. In the 85 minutes he wasnt on the pitch, they lost 9-0." 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudevillaisnice Posted March 8, 2017 Share Posted March 8, 2017 I would usually agree and say it is a cycle but this feels different. They will just about finish in the top 4 I think but I also think this is the last season for Wenger at Arsenal. Too many fans now demanding him out, too many unhappy players. I'm intrigued to see how they are going forward, Kroenke is awfully quiet for a club in crisis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theboyangel Posted March 8, 2017 Share Posted March 8, 2017 After tonights result in the champions league, I reckon PSG will make serious advances to give Wenger an out from arsenal. Think he'll be 'encouraged' to take the opportunity (if it arises) by the arsenal board too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodders0223 Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 13 hours ago, theboyangel said: After tonights result in the champions league, I reckon PSG will make serious advances to give Wenger an out from arsenal. Think he'll be 'encouraged' to take the opportunity (if it arises) by the arsenal board too. Why would PSG hire a coach who doesn't win, and why would Wenger go to a club where is expected to win? He fears it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobzy Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 5 minutes ago, rodders0223 said: Why would PSG hire a coach who doesn't win, and why would Wenger go to a club where is expected to win? He fears it. In fairness, his win percentage in over 1,000 games managing Arsenal is over 57%. So he wins most of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted March 9, 2017 Moderator Share Posted March 9, 2017 1 hour ago, bobzy said: In fairness, his win percentage in over 1,000 games managing Arsenal is over 57%. So he wins most of the time. Winning battles but not the war. Stats are Wenger's best friend because as you say, things like win percentages mask the fact that more often than not he comes runner-up or worse. Where he has a 57, you'll find that the title winner that season had a 60 or a 65. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted March 9, 2017 Moderator Share Posted March 9, 2017 1 hour ago, bobzy said: In fairness, his win percentage in over 1,000 games managing Arsenal is over 57%. So he wins most of the time. Until it comes to the time it matters, he goes out at the same stage every year. The games before that are heavily weighted in their favour due to seedlings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobzy Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 43 minutes ago, TrentVilla said: Until it comes to the time it matters, he goes out at the same stage every year. The games before that are heavily weighted in their favour due to seedlings. Completely true. That said, Barcelona, AC Milan, Monaco, Bayern, Bayern, Barcelona, Bayern is a pretty unlucky run of last 16 fixtures (overally). They're bound to "under perform" to an extent because they don't strengthen their squad enough. I part admire it but mainly find it stupid, especially in an era when teams are regularly spending loads on average players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted March 9, 2017 Moderator Share Posted March 9, 2017 3 hours ago, bobzy said: Completely true. That said, Barcelona, AC Milan, Monaco, Bayern, Bayern, Barcelona, Bayern is a pretty unlucky run of last 16 fixtures (overally). They're bound to "under perform" to an extent because they don't strengthen their squad enough. I part admire it but mainly find it stupid, especially in an era when teams are regularly spending loads on average players. Is it though? (Genuine question to which I don't know the answer) Or is that fairly typical if you look at other teams regularly in the last 16? I suspect it's the later because except for Arsenal there aren't many easy games at that stage. I personal think Wenger's team and by extension the man himself is a mix of arrogant and naive. They are simply too open when they come against the really good sides either domestically or in European football and they get found out time and time again. There was a time when I think Wenger's achievements while keeping s lid on spending could and should be admired. I think that time has long since passed. They spent a lot of money in the summer but they haven't improved at all, if anything they've gone backwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted March 9, 2017 Moderator Share Posted March 9, 2017 4 hours ago, bobzy said: Completely true. That said, Barcelona, AC Milan, Monaco, Bayern, Bayern, Barcelona, Bayern is a pretty unlucky run of last 16 fixtures (overally). They're bound to "under perform" to an extent because they don't strengthen their squad enough. I part admire it but mainly find it stupid, especially in an era when teams are regularly spending loads on average players. That's true. I think that Arsenal as a club seem quite happy to get in EuroLeague every year, rake in the money...rinse and repeat. They don't give the impression of being "all about winning". They've kind of settled for a version of ambition which doesn't really include winning anything big. It's in a way the same (but different) to the likes of Stoke or whoever just happy to finish somewhere mid table in the Prem. Wenger wants to win, but not at the cost of adjusting the way the team plays and the club (admirably) follows a financial model that doesn't involve spending more than they get in, but they've fallen victim to now effectively aiming to get X amount of money via a top 4 finish and getting to the knockout stages of the Eurotelly league. And that's crept into the mentality of the players. There's a lot to admire about Arsenal, from the sustainable way the club is run, to the way they've got a 60,000 seater stadium which they fill to the way they play the game, but the downsides are high prices and a not particularly good record of winning trophies given the way the club has become such a regular Champion league qualifier and top 4 finisher. Going back years their fans always seemed a good bunch to talk to, but at the Cup final when we played them, or afterwards going back into London on the tube, their fans were mostly acting like knob heads and contrasted poorly with the Liverpool fans after the semi. They were brilliant. I guess Wenger will leave and then they'll struggle for a bit to get the same consistency, but ultimately Wenger's best football was some time ago. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtsimonw Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 4 hours ago, bobzy said: Completely true. That said, Barcelona, AC Milan, Monaco, Bayern, Bayern, Barcelona, Bayern is a pretty unlucky run of last 16 fixtures (overally). They're bound to "under perform" to an extent because they don't strengthen their squad enough. I part admire it but mainly find it stupid, especially in an era when teams are regularly spending loads on average players. I would personally say that going out in the last 16 hasn't necessarily been the major issue for me. As you said, they've had some real tough games. But it's the manner of it. Only once in 7 years have they been within 1 goal going in to the 2nd leg (2-1 win against Barca). This is pretty awful as it is, but when you consider 5 of those 7 1st legs have been at home, that's even worse to be losing by 2 goals so regularly. The 2 away game 1st legs, they lost 5-1 and 4-0, which is even more awful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davkaus Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 (edited) 46 minutes ago, TrentVilla said: Is it though? (Genuine question to which I don't know the answer) Or is that fairly typical if you look at other teams regularly in the last 16? I suspect it's the later because except for Arsenal there aren't many easy games at that stage. There are some pretty mediocre teams in the ro16 each year. Benfica, Basel, Shaktar Donesk, Olympiacos, Celtic, PSV, Gent, Malaga, Galatassaray, Schalke, Zenit St Petersburg...All teams that have got through in the last 4 or so seasons. I'd fancy Arsenal against any of them. I think they can consider themselves pretty bloody unlucky to have had these draws. Edited March 9, 2017 by Davkaus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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