Now we have proved that we were never that far off from winning games, Jayram can't admit that his assessments were knee jerk and wide of the mark. So now he tries to invent 'changes that he suggested' as a reason for our improvement because he's trying to save face at calling it so wrong earlier in the season. It's laughable. Nobody will forget that Jayram was calling for Wenger to be sacked, for Walcott and Sagna to be sold and that Tottenham had completed the power shift.
wow. I missed the debate back and forth last night (not feeling great). A lot I agree with - but not read all entries carefully. I didn't notice comments on Ramsey (mainly) not only wasting possession going forward, but also involved in endless pitch-width passing to midfielders and back to CBs. We were playing far too much 'tippy-tappy' without a cutting edge. I hold great hopes for Ramsey but he had a poor spell - with Rosicky finding his attacking feet we are much more inspired to CREATE instead of over- elaborate. I'm out for the day so catch up later.
Hahahaha I see PISKIE likes to call my name, be careful with that, you got done in the other debate and you'll get done in this debate These are the things that have changed, bare in mind that the complaints are not just from this season but previous seasons as well; 1) Stop playing tippy tappy football non stop. 2) Stop playing people out of position. 3) Play Walcott as a striker Our team at the beginning of the season was poor, we lacked thrust from the middle and defensively we were suspect - Vermaelen had just come back from long term injury so rustiness was evident - then he got injured again. This lead to Kos and Djourou being partnered and what a calamity that was. During the last few games Walcott has not been playing the entire game as a winger, he DEFINITELY changes role during the game, I see him increasingly playing further forward than RVP and he is making far more runs INSIDE the full back now than outside. It is not just Rosicky who is being more direct, I remind you of the Spurs game, Arteta AND Song were moving the ball forwards far quicker, the transition was complete when Ramsey came on as sub and even he moved the ball forward with urgency. When we went on our first run after we bought Arteta et al we didn't play this way ... yet we were "on form/confident" according to you lot. The change has come about more recently and it is clear to see. With Rosicky now playing in the middle he drives at teams and causes panic, he played this way before, the difference I think is Walcott isn't hugging the touchline so is easier to be slipped in on goal, which gives more end product to our play rather than us waiting for a disappointing cross. The keeper, Sagna and Vermaelen were quality before, I had a question mark over Gibbs, not due to ability but injuries, I think he is quality and recent games prove this. I thought Jenkinson was pap and Santos was poor to mediocre. Mertesacker far too slow and I don't see him dominating the air. Sod his reading of the game, Kos is far better than him, a better passer and much quicker across the ground. My feelings toward the team are much more positive NOW compared to how they were, but the changes made forced or not, have made a big difference whether you admit it or not, I couldn't care less.
Wow - another weasel like comment, typical of your approach on these boards. I would suggest that you worry about saving your own face - as you've been shown up as a complete hypocrite on this board on countless occassions As for not forgetting stuff - shame you seem to forget things when it suits. For the record: Only a fool would say that Spurs were not better than us throughout 2011 - ergo their power shift was indeed completed. As you know - or perhaps this is one of the things you have forgotten - I did point out it wouldn't last Its probably only Wenger from all managers in the world that could survive season after season (including this one) of failure. I would sell Walcot for £20m if he demands £80k per week - this was my comment, which you've changed (as usual). Sagna - dont rate him as highly as others. So? I see you've now changed your comment from 'not far off' to 'not far off winning games' What does that even mean???? We were never far off winning games, otherwise we'd have been relegated by now - but that wasn't your point. You have maintained 'we are not far off', to which I have rightly corrected you - we are miles off. take a look at the table as evidence You really are a silly chap.
'Not far off' means hitting the crossbar and the post in the 0-0 at Bolton. You remember? the game that subsequently you were calling for Wenger to be sacked and telling us that Walcott was **** and that we were in a full blown crisis. When in fact, we were not far off Read Arteta's article on the 'small details' that was published after the Bolton game, people like you will gain a lot of insight into what actually happened at Arsenal to turn things around
HAHAHAHA.. So now you're saying by 'not far off' you meant hitting the crossbar at Bolton! You said the team were not far off - and I am saying we are miles off. the table doesn't lie. We were in a full blown crisis - use whichever words you like. Remember you said there was no crisis (I think it was about the time you started your 'not far off' comedy routine), and the day after Wenger himself said there was a crisis. I remember chuckling (at your expense) at the wonderful timing of Wenger's comments. Oh, and then a week later GG came out and talked about the crisis at Arsenal I will say one thing for you Piskie - you are very funny. On the Arteta article - I read pretty much everything the players say and other sources. Good to take a cross section of views. You should try it. Let's not forget your embarrassment last time when one week you rubbished a view because it was in the Mail and then used the Mail as proof of your own theories a week later. Now that was a classic
If one of those had gone in, then we would have won the game, thus we weren't far off. Which is exactly the point, there were plenty of games where, but for missing a chance, or making a mistake in defence, we would have won. This was the basis of Arteta's 'small details' article, where he reflected what I was saying about not being far off, just needing to address the small details. FYI - small details are not sacking the manager and selling our best players You panicked which led to a knee jerk reaction and thus you made massive errors of judgement. The solutions were always within our club, which they have proved by their results.
I hate to break this to you Piskie - but its another season without a trophy. The team have proven nothing. Its another failure. Can you make up your mind as to what you mean by not far off Is it 'not far off challenging', 'not far off finishing 3rd', 'not far off winning games', 'not far off beating Bolton', or soemthing else???? Many teams hit the bar and post a lot - perhaps Liverpool are 'not far off' too You must be having a laugh with this latest strand of dribble you're posting. If you are , well done, it is funny.
So now we are on "ifs" and "ands" ??? Any team/club that has to rely on "ifs" and "ands" are obviously in denial. there is a reason why Blackburn were near the bottom, there is a reason why Wigan have scored so few goals, there is a reason why Sunderland are mid table. You have become a joke with your views PISKIE. Being a die hard is one thing, being deluded is entirely another ... thin line my friend
To some extent Piskie is right. With the fans or the press things are always black or white. We're winning trophies or we're 'toothless, awful etc..' Sometimes the margin between winning and loosing is very small. In the last seven years we've been in THREE finals (all of which we were very close to winning, in fact all that was required on each of those occassions was a bit of luck) Wenger is a very stubborn man and he deserves some of the critiscm thrown at him. But he also deserves alot of praise and he does'nt seem to get much of that these days from fans or the british press. The Premierleague is currently the toughest, most competitive league in the world and we have managed to stay right at the top whilst going through a very difficult financial period. There's room for improvement and i think we will improve next season. However dont overlook the fact we have actually been pretty good over the last few years, things are perhaps better than they seem..
Yes he is - if you mean to the extent you live in a world of (as Hothead says) if's and buts. The only reality is that we havent won anyting in 7 years and are not even close to winning the title. As a team we are simply not good enough - yet - to really challenge. If we continue to change our tactical approach (particularly defensively) and attitude as we have been doing, plus keep our top players, and add to the squad then with top class quality then we can start talking about being challengers. It just sounds pathetic to talk about the if's. It's a deluded and one sided argument. For example, what if some of our GOALS had hit the post instead???? We MIGHT have lost games we won. It just becomes a ridiculous discussion that is only started as an excuse for no trophies and not even challenging for trophies.
No Jayram it's not an excuse, it's a recognition that we ARE NOT FAR OFF. As bear said, we've been in three finals in the last 7 years and 2 of those we could have won with a bit of better luck. And on the notion of luck, talk to any player or manager and they will all tell you that it plays a key part. You say that the only reality is that we haven't won any trophies, but you fail to recognise that we have not been THAT FAR OFF from winning at least one. The comparison was made with us being like Blackburn or Wigan because they also hit the post etc and therefore they are NOT THAT FAR OFF, but That is a disengenuous stance. We are much closer to winning trophies than Blackburn or Wigan are. Bear is right, the argument is too Black and White - either winning trophies or toothless. This is not the case, and it's not been the case this season either. We started with a string of bad results, but we were not playing bad football. We were making mistakes that were in our control to rectify and losing and drawing games that we should have won. It was Arteta's 'small details' that we were getting wrong, which is why we were NOT FAR OFF. Now we have rectified the 'small details' we have gone from a position of being NOT FAR OFF challenging, to one where we are challenging.
I dont think its realistic to complain that we arnt winning the strongest league in the world(particulraly at a time where the likes of city have unlimited resources while ours have been limited by a stadium build). We've made it through a difficult financial time on a tight budget while still keeping the club amongst Europe's elite. We very may well finish the season in third place and the manager and board have admitted they are ready to bring in some quality 'additions'. (we know for a fact wenger wants to add Podolski) I dont think it's helpful to be soo overtly nagative. I would like to see the club challenging for the title and I still wish we had tried to keep Fabregas but in life things are not always black and white there are thousands of shades of grey inbetween.
I forgot - the only reason we've turned our season around is because Wenger listened to the doom mongers suggestions (But presumably not the ones where they said we'd finish mid table, should sack the manager, sell Walcott and Sagna, and drop Song because he's no better than a non league player)
