One of the biggest problems we've had is our lack of mental strength after a disappointing result (ironic considering how often Wenger goes on about it being a quality we do have) I think our form changed when we lost to Man City back in December...we'd been on a great run beforehand...8 games unbeaten in the league after a horror start. And to be fair we played really well at Man City and could have easily got at least a point. I think the confidence was shook up after a end to our decent run of results and subsequently we've been on a very poor run of results. 6 Games PRIOR to Man City 5 Wins - Chelsea, WBA, Norwich, Wigan, Everton 1 Draw - Fulham 0 Losses TOTAL = 16 Points 6 Games AFTER to Man City 2 Wins - Villa (We were very lucky!!), QPR 1 Draw - Wolves 3 Losses - Fulham, Swansea, Man Utd TOTAL = 7 Points I compared this slump to the well publicsed crash after the Carling Cup final last year which we were (a) Expected to win and (b) ruined out chance to end the trophy drought. 6 Games PRIOR to Carling Cup Final 5 Wins - West Ham, Wigan, Everton, Wolves, Stoke 1 Draw - Newcastle 0 Losses TOTAL = 16 Points 6 Games AFTER Carling Cup Final 1 Win - Blackpool (Got relegated!!) 5 Draws - Sunderland, Blackburn, Liverpool, Tottenham, WBA 0 Losses TOTAL = 8 Points And possiblty the most painful slump was 2007/08 when we were odds on for the title and Eduardo was ruined by the thugs in Birmingham with a last minute penalty as well as our captain having a mental breakdown that was the title gones 6 Games PRIOR to Birmingham away 2-2 5 Wins - West Ham, Fulham, Newcastle, Man City, Blackburn 1 Draw - Birmingham 0 Losses TOTAL = 16 Points 6 Games AFTER Birmingham away 2-2 1 Win - Bolton 4 Draws - Aston Villa, Wigan, Middlesborough, Liverpool 1 Loss - Chelsea TOTAL = 7 Points Alot of the players have changed between these seasons, the one consistant is Wenger and he's failed to both build a mentally resliant side but he also fails in his coaching to stop the players from suffering a slump after a disappointing result which has costs us season after season
In many of those years I had excused our inability to take the fight all the way to the finish on the youthful element of our team, a lack of experience and all that. But the model of our team is one that never seems to get to the end of a season. Come the end of February or thereabouts and we bow out of the chase. Along with Wenger I would say that there is another constant, Gazidis and the board or should that be two? However he has only been here since 2009 and Arsene is still responsible for selecting and motivating the team and calling tactics. Perhaps Arsene's own model may now be seen to come up short and on the matter of mental strength, Arsene would appear to be satisfied once we have a couple of good results. I turn off when he starts talking about that and spirit... Not all would agree of course.
Good piece of analysis there OP Its weird because on one hand we tend to capitulate too much, but on the other hand we do show remarkable strength in character, like coming back from 2 goals down against Villa the other day. As a guy with a massive hooter once said ..... "who nose" !!
I think part of the problem is all the tenacious, fighting spirit from the old guard (Adams, Keown, Dixon & Co.) is no longer still around the club. When Wenger joined his new exciting foreign talent learnt alot from the old guard so once Adams and Keown retired they'd still passed on those qualities to foreign players (even players like Pires) But that's now evaporated and players like Walcott, Ramsey and Co. haven't had the exposure to that kind of mentality. That's why players like Parker would have been so beneficial to the team
He need to perform better, really! If we got a half-decent manager they would walk accross a body of water to inspire the men. Sack him now!
so it nees time to rebuilt their confidence ,hope that they will do well ! please log in to view this image
I disagree with this analysis. Against Villa we played well in the first half, pressed their defence into making mistakes and created chances. Like the Bolton game, we could have been 2-0 at half time. Instead, we didn't defend a corner and got caught on the break and were two down at half time. The credit for the team is due not for leaving the pitch 'in disgrace at half time, then coming out fighting' but for sticking to their plan in the 2nd half and not being phased by the scoreline. We continued with the same plan in the 2nd half, continued to press and create chances and we were eventually rewarded.
First of all, nice stats and good work. It's sad to see us throwing away great positions to win a trophy/the league after playing so well. The reason why I quoted this section is, because I'm sure that we didn't lose to West Brom. We came back after being 2-0 down and got a 2-2 draw.
On ESPN, Martin Keown and Neil Warnock were talking about the change in Arsenal's second half performance and the difference in their mental approach to the game. MK said Arsenal were as good as he had seen. Warnock again commented especially about the difference in Arsenal in the second half. However Piskie says different. I mean whose analysis would you rather set your store by, Keown and Warnock or Piskie......
I felt the need to counter the need for yet another spin from cloud cuckooland which flew in the face of fact.
"An alien who just landed and never seen a game of football" Funny, that's how I've always pictured you Jayram please log in to view this image
My Bad Gonner91 you are correct we were 2-0 down and did come back to 2-2 but the goals we gave away were pathetic (Almunia dancing outside his box. Good spot i'll make the edit on the post
I agree with Piskie, they did play well in the first half except for missing all the chances. Second half was even better though.
A Piskie: The older, more genuinely Cornish conception envisages a wizened old man, sometimes in a green suit, who both threshes grain and rides a horse. It doesn't comment on knowledge of football,
On the basis of the new trend of this thread at the time of the response one could conclude and given the nature of general discussions that Jayram does indeed know more about football and indeed of finance.
Don't let the wild alien conspiracy agenda distract people from what actually happened in the Villa game. 64% possession and 6 shots on target in the first half
