The cost is much higher when you consider the players we will lose - the real cost comes in future years as we struggle to get back to the top table.
Today was a chance of really taking the initiative at home in front of our own fans in the last game of the season at the Emirates - and some players gave less than 100%. This is the second year now where the lap of honour has actually been a lap of shame. Still its lucky we've had a successful season eh?
Counting your chickens before they've hatched. The game at WBA is likely to make a massive difference on whether we qualify or not.
but the point is we should have all but sealed it today - last home match, RVP to re-sign, what a send off..... instead we got. a shambles again.
We are and it's not. But the WBA game will likely still have a massive influence on whether we qualify or not.
scraps from the table, eh? How do like waiting on the kind SPUDS to implode? Or rooting for the Oil-well spenders to beat Newcastle who can hold their heads up after a fine season? Not my idea of a season ending. Sorry - but I'm right pissed off - and its become a regular habit with the lacklustre overpaid dozen we keeping using..
Newcastle will finish 5th and I have a feeling Tottenham are going to slip up once so it's all to play for. I think it's exciting and I'm going to enjoy the ride until it's finished.
Yes there's a lot to address this summer and has been every summer since 2005 after Viera left. Too many players sold off and not being replaced. Let's hope that this time we get it right and complete our transfer business long before 23:59 on the 31st of july.
And btw to everybody, let's not act like everything's a formality, assuming Newcastle and Spurs drop points, WE STILL HAVE A GAME TO PLAY AWAY AT WEST BROM, and with the way we've been playing, we will probably f--k up there too.
I believe like today - most fans just went home in disgust and the team ran around some near empty stands. Whilst i dont agree with booing during the game - the team certainly deserve to experience that shame.
You crack me up. This team have thrown away advantage after advantage. Your confidence/optimism is no longer misplaced its fukkin stoopid
It seems the players already had in the first half after Benayoun's goal. Don't blame this on the supporters because that is what we truly are - supporters. It is the players who are at fault here and a manager who has not addressed these faults time and again. How often do we have to suffer such anguish when the prize is there for the taking and we blow our chances. It was as though they were not aware of the importance of the game and yesterday's game was the umpteenth opportunity afforded to us over this season since our rivals have had problems. However instead of seizing the opportunity and making good the chances offered to us we literally blow it and now are at the mercy of two sides who know what to do to get their hand on the prize. Now you tell me if this assessment is flawed.
Piskie, how many incentives do this team need? Yesterday was the biggest incentive, one in a long line of several this calendar year despite our fall from grace in January, our winless month as you'll recall. Yet they let two precious points slip. If Newcastle and Spurs win their two final matches, it's Europa Cup for us. That's second division football as far as I'm concerned.
I hear you RVB and yesterday was hugely frustrating, especially given the stakes at hand. But this thread was in reaction to some fans saying that that we were already out of CL qualification and basically giving up. To me that is ludicrous when we still have the edge (just) for qualifying in 3rd. The players performed poorly yesterday, but I don't think for one minute that they have given up on finishing 3rd. This season isn't finished until the final whistle blows at the Hawthorns, at the moment there is still everything to play for.
Another issue is our defensive organisation. I believe our personnel is pretty good, one of the best in the Premiership IMO. It's the way they are trained and organised that must be the problem, also it's time to bring in a proper DM, we had one during the Wenger glory years, why does Wenger believe we can do without one now? It would also be good if we mixed things up a bit depending on the opposition. Maybe switch to a 442 for some games to unsettle the other team. That's part of the problem; we're so ****ing predictable!!!!!
We don't defend as a team, the midfield constantly give the ball away, and rarely track back, plus add into the mix that the full backs both attack at the same time, it basically leaves both central defenders exposed all the time. We need a sea change in philosophy, the full backs should concentrate on defending, if one full back is attacking, the other should sit back, not bomb up the park like they were yesterday. The midfield need to work harder to get the ball back, not throw their hands in the air blaming everyone else when they misplace a pass. I don't think it would make that much of a difference if we had another 2 centre backs, they would still be terribly exposed and we would still concede a load of goals, maybe not as much as we have done, but it would not make us championship winners, that's for sure. Every time we tried to get at their defence yesterday there back 4 were all in a line, hence the reason we found it difficult to get past, if we did get past one of their defenders, another defenders was coving. Contrast that to us, every time one of their players attacked us, we had no cover as the midfield and full backs we so high up the pitch, jogging back and blaming each other for losing the ball.
Even more important that we don't give up now. We have just been handed a great chance. we need to take it this time.
