http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30571153 "Bad memories" of last season's 5-1 defeat at Liverpool might have affected Arsenal's display during Sunday's 2-2 draw, said Gunners boss Arsene Wenger. Liverpool scored four in the first half in February and the Reds were again on top in the opening 45 minutes although the teams went in level at 1-1. Wenger said of the first half display: "Maybe bad memories played a part. "Some players weren't at their best. We played with the handbrake on a little bit in the first half especially." Oh dear, what on earth is he on about. The fact that Liverpool was missing two of their best players, one of which was their best player Suarez, who left completely, and that Liverpool has been one of the worst teams in the Prem all season, his comments simply don't have any validity. Sometimes i wish he would keep quiet instead of spouting cr@p.
I Wasn't happy to hear this, said on another thread that if Wenger wants to be taken seriously about our team having 'mental strength' then this completely contradicts that.
I don't think he thought much about what he said. Two of the chief destroyers for Liverpool last season was Suarez and Sturridge, Suarez left and Sturridge has been injured most of the season and has hardly factored. There is no disputing that Liverpool have been a shadow of themselves and have been playing quite dreadfully all season. Mental strength? What kind of mental strength is it that you sh1t your pants against a shell of a Liverpool side from last season?
since when did Wenger give a rats ass if the fans take him seriously.? He couldnt give a toss . His job is the safest in the UK . win lose or draw , his bosses never question him .
You know what, fair enough from Wenger that he was honest instead of bullshitting everybody. I said it at half time that our players were cowards, and basically Wenger is saying the PC version of that, that these players don't have the mental balls to deal with these big games. There is something very wrong mentally with this team, they always freeze up in the big games, when it should be the opposite, it's in the big games you really get fired up, and it's the big games you look forward to, but for us it's the opposite. That feeling of dread has even gone to the fans, I remember back in the day, when we used to be good and challenge for things, I used to look forward to the big games, now it's the opposite. It's the sad reality, our players are cowards. And when you look at Mert and Monreal and how they reacted to defend the corner, it's a further testament to the lack of balls this team has, both mentally and physically. They didn't want to get stuck in because they'd probably ruin their hair style or end up with a bruised face, and that's obviously not good for these pampered players who are probably waxing their asses at the training ground and posing in front of mirrors asking each other if it looks good afterwards.
they didnt get stuck in because they didnt have to get stuck in . What incentive do they have to get stuck in . They will play next week anyway . No danger of them losing their staring place. They get paid whatever sh1t performance they put in . and they get to start next week whatever sh1t level of performance they put in . It starts right at the the top . No pressure on him . No pressure on them .
Could you imagine van Gaal or Mourinho coming out and saying these things? Seriously?? Van Gaal comes in and in a matter of months he's turned the ageing Man Utd around and taken them above Arsenal, waving goodbye on his way past. A disciplinarian, a tactician, a clever man. How come in a matter of months he's improved Man Utd past Arsenal while Wenger hasn't improved their position in several years, despite Falcao & others being injured or in their first season at the club?
And then it'll be "judge him after the transfer window" and then "the season has only just started" and then "if he buys x and y in January" and then "wait til the end of the season." The new Arsenal mantra should be "2 players from a title challenge"
That is hope on your part more than anything. You have a low opinion of United yet always see the positives in a lacklustre and inconsistent Arsenal side despite the fact we're winning games and look stronger than you, if not in defence, certainly in attack. I don't get how you square that?
Fair enough But I do believe that if there was a role reversal - you were playing like us and in the position we are in the league, while we were in 6th/7th then you'd be swiping away Wenger detractors with how good you are and how well you've been playing.
I wouldn't say utd look stronger than us. I'd say utd of all the teams in the league are having the most similar season to us (minus the embarrassing way you lost to mk dons and the fact your not even in the champions league). Both teams are shaky at the back but pretty good going forward. Both teams could use an extra CB and a proper quality DM. Both teams have lost games this season that they should have won. As for you being clearly better in attack, arsenal and utd have scored the same amount of league goals (30) and overall we've scored more goals this season in all competitions. I'd say arsenal and utd are likely to end in 3rd and 4th in the league, pretty close on points. If your really confident that utd are better than arsenal this season I think you might be getting a little carried away. Particularly given both teams have performed to a similar level so far whilst Arsenal have missed the majority of our first eleven for most of the season. (I appreciate utd have had some defensive injury worries too).