(The not-so-temporary quite-official) Gooner Thread

We were never going to beat them, we never do. At least we didn't get battered this time. Had to score when we dominated that first 30 minutes or so. When it was 0-0 at half time I knew we'd lost. They were always going to be better in the second half and we were never keeping a clean sheet. January panic buy to look forward to now 4th is looking unlikely.

Gotta finish those chances - Wilshere and Sanchez both guilty, to a lesser extent Cazorla and Welbeck too. We shoulda had a bagful. 

9 shots on target versus 2. 

 61% possession. 

11 corners to 5. 

Ridiculous we didn't win, but unfortunately that's our mindf*ck against these guys - 11 losses in our last 15 against them. 

Wilshere's ankle must be bad, I was able to pause mysky with his foot bent the wrong way, not cool. Up until then he'd had a storming game, (miss aside).

Trouble in the goalkeeping stocks now as well... broken ribs for Szczesny?

Arteta and Monreal both had excellent games which was good to see given the pressure they've been under this season.

In fact it was hard to fault many of our players aside from the terrible misses - result aside it was our best performance in a long time, ironically. That won't mean sh*t now unfortunately - player confidence will take a hit regardless. 

Your negativity is astounding sometimes mate, how can you say this early on top 4 is out of reach? I'd happily put $100 on us making top 4, and that's without any signings over summer. This squad has talent, this league is tight, and Wenger has the experience to pull it back. 

Looking forward to midweek against Dortmund, should be a cracker!

As painful as this morning was, in terms of general play it was just about our best performance this season. We looked dangerous all the time, the last 20 minutes alone gave us enough ball and chances to win that game. 

Our guys did everything right except stick the damn thing in the back of the net. 

In terms of individual performances I feel Ramsey was the only one clearly not at his best. 

Also the first time we've looked properly fluid when playing both Wilshere and Ramsey ahead of Arteta this season.

I tuned in at half time, saw first half highlights and was amazed by the end that we didn't win the game. Luck has to go your way sometimes, definitely went in favour of United with the deflection from Gibbs.

I thought we played well otherwise, and Leggy in the United thread gave a very telling report on the match in Arsenal's favour - (given the shit he gets (and gives) from our lot), it's clear who the dominant, deserving and unlucky side were. I'd take that positive spin for sure. Classic Arsenal we didn't win, or draw, though. 

Injuries aside, and haven't read on them so no idea the severity, welcome back to Giroud. 

If you can't feel down after yet another loss to them when we've played them off the park when can you? I didn't say it was out of reach either, just that with our form at the moment and the way we're playing, it's currently looking unlikely. Maybe I should have said in doubt instead. But if there's one thing Wenger knows it's how to get 4th so no doubt he'll scrape home in the end and be rewarded with the usual bonus and contract extension. I long for the day we have an owner and board who demand more of the manager than that.

100% truth right here. 

Can anyone really say we have put a string of decent performances together yet this season? We are heading into December with 4 league wins to our name. Even worse have been the times we have absolutely dominated an opponent (Spurs and United, who we should be dominating because they're both shite) and come away with either a point or fuck all.

Wenger has to look at the now, fucking forget the future for a bit, focus on what is happening now. He needs to get the current squad through December as best as possible and hopefully gain as many points as possible, then plug the holes in the January transfer window. Those are his two main priorities in the next two months.

I hope Steve Bould starts throwing his weight around as well because 3 clean sheets in 12 games is unacceptable.

Buffy, totally agree about Bould. We seem to keep persisting with zonal marking, and pushing on when we shouldn't. This business of both FB's high up the pitch is out of control, we should always have at least 3 at the back, with your FB's there to cover the lack of pace provided by CB's.

But I don't get your comment on focussing on the now rather than the future? He isn't playing a bunch of kids at the expense of experience for developments sake. His back 4 picks itself, with the chambers/bellerin argument the only actual option. The midfield and forwards has a few options but he is mixing it up.

I don't get the impression from his quotes that he is happy at all with performances and understands the mental shift needed.

Thinking about it, when was the last time any of our keepers made a save of any note? For years now it's seemed like our oppositions mostly score from their only shots on target. Yesterday we were even in the ludicrous position of being one down without them even having had a single shot on target. Think it's going back to the Cup semi final shootout last season for the last save that affected a result.

Chesney needs a rocket... though I'm not sure the rumours if us picking up Petr Cech is it. Whilst 'keepers can play into their 60's, he is very much yesterday's man (otherwise he wouldn't be leaving the chavs).

In fairness Cech is probably still the best keeper in the league (maybe behind only Coutois or De Gea at the most), but they had to start playing Coutois sooner rather than later if they wanted him to stay long term. It's kind of like when we signed David Seaman all those years ago. We had the second best keeper in the league at the time, but George Graham still went out and signed the best just because he could.

Our problems are a lot more than just a goalkeeper or lack of a beast DM though. It's the way we defend (or rather don't) as a team and as a midfield. The midfield in particular is not set up to defend at all. There were some stats (will see if I can dig it out) the other week showing that over the last 2 or 3 years Sczeszny and Koscielny have conceded the most penalties in the league. Think it came out after Koscielny gave Hazard the penalty. It's no surprise because the way we defend generally requires more last ditch tackles than anyone else. It's why opposition strikers get through one on one with our last defender or goalkeeper multiple times in every game.

Edit: Here it is:

Have you read 1984? 

You seem to be very skilled at conveniently forgetting historical facts for the sake of your arguments sometimes...

I'm not going to bother posting links because there's craploads of them all over youtube, but Szczesny has made dozens of stunning saves for us, every season, and many of them in critical moments of a game. I can't remember the exact games last season but there were several where Szczesny made huge saves at 0-0, and we then went on to win. Plenty of our clean sheets last season were down to him, and don't forget those clean sheets won him first equal with Cech for the golden gloves award.

Your last post makes much more sense to me - he has had a few rush of blood moments in one-on-ones which I think he'll iron out with experience, and as you say a lot of that is down to defending as a team, and Szczesny/Kosc simply being the last guy trying to prevent an almost certain goal.

But to say we've never made a save of any note... that's just not true. 

I know I'm often a bit over-positive compared to some of you guys, but as a comparison I do remember feeling that way about saves when Almunia was our keeper... we've come a long way since then!

Whilst this is true, we shouldn't be using Almunia as a yardstick to measure our current or future keepers. It would be like saying Koscielny is Baresi reincarnate when compared to Stepanovs.

Relax Paul, was a little bit tongue in cheek. I've posted many times about being a keeper myself so I do understand and remember these things. I also went on to say the goalkeeper is not the problem and did not say anything about his ability. Was perhaps not the best way to comment on the annoying trend that over the last few years whenever we have lost it does often tend to have been from the opposition's only shot(s) on target and was just airing frustration at that. I didn't say we have "never made a save of any note." I do remember his saves and performances last season, but do note we do have to go back to last season to find anything that was result changing.

So, I wonder...

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-24/real-madrid-to-play-in-melbourne-in-july/5913274?section=sport

finally calmed down after yesterdays game, Dont think we have had a better chance to beat man u for years. Ox was excellent i must, have to say it is really tough being out of the league race already. I can't see us going too far in the champs league or FA cup is our only really chance at sliverware???

I really feel we lack a geniune leader in the team, Per isnt the same player without Kons there tbh.

Agree with that. That was the worst side United have put out since before the Ferguson era and I haven't felt this livid about a result for a long time. Feels even worse than some of the beatings we took last season, was just easier to accept we were shite whereas yesterday was probably the best we have actually played all season. As we know all too well, goals win matches not possession and once again defensive errors, and then panicking and lack of leadership and shape cost us.

Late on it that first half the pundit said 'Arsenal are unbeaten in the League at the Emirates since the start of last season and Utd haven't won an away fixture this season'.  I should've tipped the telly out the window right then and there cos I knew what would come of that!

My biggest fear:  the continual misuse of the January lucky dip window.

Fans and journos alike talk about the saviours Arsenal will sign up in January but even 2 decent players at the back won't fix us by February.

I can't even offer an argument for this.  It could simply and inevitably be our 'Moyes' time coming up.  Nothing is changing and the team isn't remotely close to performing as the sum of its' individual parts.  

<....send Gilbert Enoka to London Colney now...sort their heads out...>

I am still speechless, how did we lose that? Man U were horrible...Argh!

Usmanov should be ignored at all times.

Yeah he's gone a bit far there even for me. He's basically said we need a whole new squad as well as manager. Looks like a selection of copy/pastes from various fan forums.

Personally I don't see why there is so much negativity around Usmanov, I wouldn't have in total control but he wants to challenge at the top, is prepared to invest his own money and isn't afraid to tell things as they are.

Lowest points total after 12 games in 34 years, Alexis and Chambers still the 2 success stories so far for me.

I agree to a certain extent, but the fact is that Wenger has gotten where he is today because of his stubborness. Who else would've believed in Theirry, for example? That is a huge part of his personality. You won't be able to change that. To change that, you need to change the manager.

The above article was pushing it too far, no arguments from me there.

Wenger's stubbornness at the start was a great thing when his ideas and science were new, but now that they are being overtaken he is failing to adapt. What I can't understand is that the style he had, the players he had and the team that he set out in his early years were successful. He's now completely gone away from that, we melt in any of the big games and he refuses to change anything or go back to that.

We used to be in a smaller ground, with less resources where teams hated playing against us. Now anyone plays against the Arsenal and backs themselves to get something - it's frustrating the hell out of me and while I know I can be over the top, I'm not going to be taken for a ride by some at the club.

He was great for Thierry and others, but now without a doubt his time is up and he's risking losing his reputation he worked so hard to build up.

Yeah, agreed. I personally think he should have gone after we won the FA Cup; perfect time to leave, in my opinion.

The problem is the succession plan - who do we have to replace him? That is the billion dollar question.

Giroud not available for Dortmund because he was not submitted in our champions league group stage squad list... how friggin ridiculous is that

He injured himself before the group stage started, and was then expected to be out until the knockout rounds so wasn't put on the list... I mean I can see why we did that but farken jaysus

Also rumours circulating that Wilshere has done ligament damage and is gone for 10 weeks.

Can't say I'd be surprised. As I said before I paused on mysky with his foot pointing the wrong way, I can't see how that would be anything but an injury, particularly given his past ankle issues.

Giroud not registered in the CL. You couldn't write this stuff could you? Yeah Wilshere's injury looked terrible on replay, thought it could have been another Eduardo for a moment as it looked similar to his foot hanging off. Wouldn't expect him back for a while.

Not sure what the deal is with Szceszny. And has anyone heard anything of Ospina or is he just another permacrock?

Giroud issue is unfortunate.

Had he been listed, then we had Welbeck, Campbell and Poldi injured then it would no good as well.

Most of the negativity around Usmanov is not football related. Wether it is worse than being run by Son of Wal-Mart could be an interesting discussion but one I'll leave for tonight:)

And just like that Koscielny is back and in the picture for Dortmund. Both he and Giroud appear to be back ahead of schedule?!

At least Koscielny appears to have been registered! Anything to get Monreal out of CB.

Kosc should make a world of difference, even just mentally for our team knowing that he's on the pitch. 

Just hope he's not being rushed back in desperation.

I don't think so. His whole injury has been a bit of an enigma. One day he's playing, the next day he has chronic tendinitis. One day he's injured, the next day he is back in the match day squad. You'd think with an injury like that you couldn't really 'rush someone back' like you could a joint injury or pulled muscle, holding them together with tape.

Wenger's comments that Wilshere will be "out for a while" don't sound good.

If you've ever had an ankle injury you shouldn't be surprised :-) His ligaments will be roasted after a challenge like that.