Match Day Thread AFC Bournemouth vs. Arsenal 2015/16 Match Thread

True. They are on good form again now.

Love the profile pic btw. And welcome back to the forum

 

PISKIE, when you have as little faith in Wenger as I do, you'd understand why I feel this way. I don't think that you will because you see him as the best man for the job, but I don't have any belief in him at all. This is what causes me to be so cynical.

 

I do sympathise with your view to a point, I get frustrated too with the same mistakes seeming to be made season after season, but with those players you mentioned, any team would be unstoppable, pretty much irrespective of the manager.

 

Must win game as we pointed out, but just comparing our fixture list with Leciester, and the ball really is in their court, they have such a good favourable fixture list, compared to us, who still have to play United, City, Everton, Spurs, and West Ham all away from home, and when you consider how poor we have been away from home recently, with 1 out of 6, that doesnt bode well at all for us.

Unfortunately, we have dropped too many points, since November, we have dropped points in 8 games, and that is not good enough no matter what you try to cut it for a team that's going for the title, and hardly what you'd call title winning form or a title winning team, we just don't look or feel like a champion winning side, there's always those vibes and signs that usually show it's going to be your year, unfortunately this season so far, none of that is coming through for us, we look like our regular old selves, fragile, weak, fail to get it done when it matters.

Once again, we are the makers of our own failure, if we had just shown some more urgency, passion, and an actual ruthless mentality, we would not have dropped silly points away to West Brom, Norwich, and even Chelski at home.

And I will say it again, the buck stops with the manager, he is the common denominator throughout it all.

 

A lot of people felt Chelsea would retain the title this season or that they'd be in contention till the end. They're 14th in the league with pretty much the same players that walked it last season. The manager has a crucial role in getting the team to perform. If he cannot get all the players on board to play for him, the individual quality that the team has becomes insignificant.

 

Bit of a different situation at Chelsea though, those players basically downed tools and Maureen lost the dressing room.

 

The fact remains that the manager has to get all the players on his side, ready to fight tooth and nail for the cause. Otherwise the players won't give a ****.

Mourinho may have lost the dressing room, but Wenger's not exactly been inspiring ours at the moment you'd have to say.

 

I don't think the two situations are at all comparable, but I do agree that the buck stops with Wenger to motivate the players.

 

Just seen on MOTD that Bournmouth have conceded the second most goals from set pieces this season. Worth putting the ball in the box and getting our CBs forward when we get free kicks.

 

We could do with improving on our corners too, we win a lot, but rarely make anything of them.

 

In our last game against them at The Emirates, our best chances came from set-pieces. Virtually every inswinging free kick, corner or cross caused panic in their defence. It's definitely something we need to look to exploit. Think we hit the woodwork three times from set-pieces. You'd think that Giroud will be crucial for this one. Let's hope he can do the business.

 

I think this game is pretty crucial. A win today and a win against Leicester will put us right back in it. Our second half performance against Southampton showed signs of us hitting some kind of form again.

Loosing today would be a disaster. I want to see the team looking motivated.

 

And Wenger is a big fan of Cherries boss Eddie Howe - comparing the 38-year-old with Leicester. “(Eddie Howe) He has done extremely well,” he added. “When I see his team play, they play well and you see he has done a great job there. “Leicester are a bit like Eddie Howe, you know. I think it’s great to see that. That’s why you ask me always ‘why do you not buy a big-name?’
“But Leicester are a fantastic example that football is not only about just spending the money. It’s the quality of work and it’s important to think that the quality of the work can get you there. Leicester are a very good example for our league.”

Is Wenger basically admitting that the quality of his work with the Arsenal team has not been good enough?

 

He appears to be being complimentary about Leicester and Bournemouth. I'm pretty sure it isn't any secret way of him telling the world he isn't good enough... Lol

 

"He appears to be being complimentary about Leicester and Bournemouth. I'm pretty sure it isn't any secret way of him telling the world he isn't good enough... Lol"

Not intentionally, I'm sure.

 

Wenger can't get where we need to be with or without spending so a bit of an irrelevant comment to make

 

He could do it WITH spending IMO. But we all know his dislike for that.

But I guess that's a whole different debate.

 

Cech, Bellerin, Gabriel, Koscielny, Monreal, Flamini, Ramsey, Chamberlain, Ozil, Alexis, Giroud.

Subs: Ospina, Mertesacker, Gibbs, Coquelin, Iwobi, Walcott, Campbell.

Really surprised Coquelin isn't in the team ahead of Flamini, as he's been back a few weeks now and must be ready!

 

FFS. The Flamini-Ramsey axis does not work. Why Wenger doesn't see this is beyond me.

Why is Elneny not in the squad anymore?

 

oh, just seen he's become a father. i guess that's acceptable

but flamini starting is not.