That "girl" is most of the current Arsenal team. After the appalling display against Villa it has become blindingly obvious that most of the team don't have the will to win, the will to fight when things go against us and most of all NO backbone. The reason for this lack of fight? Foreigners. Most of them pansy French players who just don't care about Arsenal. (Alert a Mod for racist comments if you want) BUT the fact is the team is not a team of fighters. Where are the Adams, Bould, Keowns, Parlours etc of old? They don't exist. We're been connned into foolishly supporting a team of Fancy Dans who couldn't actually kick a blancmange into touch. Add to that a manager suffering from mental health problems including delusion, isolation and retreating into a compound syndrome and we're on a hiding to nothing. The players don't care about the Mighty Arse but are very good at apologising for not winning anything, but promise everything will be all right neaxt season. NO IT BLOODY WON'T unless there is a complete sea change in the attitude and outlook of the club and M. Wenger. I wrote on not606 a couple of months ago we would be lucky to make fourth spot in the Premiership. I got shot down in flames and they're still looking for the wreckage. This ain't a "told you so" article it's a rant against the stick-in-the-mud attitudes of M. Wenger and Pat Rice. The news that Mr Rice is going to serve another year is about as welcome as a bowl of cold custard in the face. Great respect for him and the Double winning side and his "Mr Arsenal" tag but he has NOT got the nous to back-up Wenger and the team. I've been an Arsenal supporter since about 1966/67 and remember with "joy" being crushed against the barriers on the North bank. I will always be an Arsenal supporter. Trophies or no trophies...oh all right one or two might be nice. However, it would be even nicer to be an Arsenal supporter and know the team will FIGHT for a result in every match. Here's the rub. Shouldn't we be buying British players who know how to fight and carry on that "never-say-die" attitude until the clock reaches 95 minutes or whatever some half-wit official deems necessary?
It's not about nationality for me either. Vieira was probably the best DM we've ever had. Someone like Melo would be a good acquisition for that role now, tough in the tackle and up for the fight as well as being able to play. But your assessment about the lack of will to fight is spot on. Other teams worked this out 2-3 seasons ago and we've done nothing to address it.
OK chaps. I consider myself spanked rotten (please) and you're wuite right, it's not a question of nationality but a question of possessing the will to fight. Soooo....where do the Mighty Arse find this mercurial quality from? IMO it's no good buying hard-hitting midfielders and "bite yer ankles" defenders who are going to get continuously banned during the course of the season. Melo is a good example of the sort of monster Arsenal could with - but for how long? So where is this mythical British "never-say-die" attitude going to come from? Certainly not M. Wenger. He is, after all, a cheese-eating surrender monkey and has no idea how to fight. So - ideas please... It is, heaven forbid, someone like Cahill????
You want more English players? Did you not watch the world cup? By the way even though you said this wasn't an 'I told you so' article we are still on course to finish 4th so you couldn't say that anyway. However I have to agree with you about the problem of a lack of fight. Wenger doesn't not seem to be able to fix the problems we have had for 6 years and whilst signings may solve them there is no guarantee of it. Personally if making the type of signings we need doesn't fix us then I am completely at a loss to say what we are supposed to do next. If that happens then I may have to agree with you that Wenger's time with us is up, however I still have faith in him.
robin - completely agree with you re M. Wenger. I think he's the best thing that has happened to Arsenal in decades. But he does have failings and appalling short-sight on some things and one of those is the lack of a fighting spirit. He doesn't seem to get it - fighting spirit -at all. And as for, possibly, finishing fourth. In Arsenal terms; not good enough. Playing qualifying rounds against teams no one has heard of in July/August is just not on. In the meantime, Scott Parker anyone? I'm sure West Ham will be having a clear-out soon. Maybe a bit old for our French manager and his (unstable) yoof policy but.....? Any takers?
Not sure about Parker. I think He'll leave West Ham, but I'm not convinced he's what we need. Another bid for Melo please
I think Wenger does have fighting spirit, but I am not sure he is/can transmit it to the players. I agree with you about finishing 4th though, we are supposed to be a big club but big clubs don't continually hang around the edges of European qualification. That would be good for a team like Aston Villa, not us. Yes other teams spend more than us but that excuse cannot last for ever. As for Parker, although he has the leadership qualities we desperately need more of, he is proven in the premiership, he is in his prime and he is in the position we need I am still undecided about him. We only have room for one more player in the DM/CM position because I think having Song, Diaby, Ramsey, Wilshire plus a new signing is enough players, so that new signing needs to be perfect for that area. I am not sure if Parker is defensive minded enough to be that player as he is best as a box to box midfielder, which I don't think we need. I would prefer A.Diarra to him or someone else who is purely as defensive midfielder.
