Monaco at home

[VAVAVOOM 14]

I wonder what does Steve Bould do at Arsenal?

I've asked this in the past.

Is he or is he not allowed to work with the defence in training? Rumours are Wenger is too much of a control freak to allow Bould to do so. But if he does work with them he is absolutely useless, defending is supposed to be his forte yet this is probably the most porous Arsenal side I've ever seen - we are a total shambles at the back.

As far as I can tell all Bould does is sit next to Wenger like a fucking pleb looking miserable - genuinely looks like he hates his job.

[EsxGooner]

Would be nice to have a couple of goals comfort instead of going away with it all still to do.

Having stumped up £90 for a ticket which really did sting it better be the best game of the season..

I bloody knew it what a disgusting performance, was an absolute disgrace. First we scraped into the Group stage, Anderlect and now this.. It's been a horrendous European campaign, my only hope is our pathetic team suddenly realise they need to start trying to make up for this and knock out Utd in the cup. The players need to stop fucking about taking selfies when we nearly draw to palace away and start taking the big games seriously, time after time the performance is not good enough, Wenger is obviously the one who's supposed to get the team going but honestly even if he'd given the most demotivating pre match brief ever I'd of expected SOMETHING from one of the team, do they just think "let's not try because we probably can't win the CL anyway so what's the point?"

Walloftextrant over

PS Wenger I want my 90 quid I'd rather of spent it watching spurs in the Europa league.. we were that pathetic

[safcftm]

I still maintain that you were a bit unlucky last night. Yes, Wenger made mistakes but you still had plenty of incredibly presentable chances that were either missed or were unluckily deflected. Nevermind a good day, Giroud on an average day would have at least had you going there level.

Fair enough they dont concede many (and i believe they had a few out) but i still see no reason why you cant get through. Scoring 3 is a big ask but, regardless of their previous form, they looked shaky. I know it wont be popular but i'd start Welbeck up front with Wallcott and Sanchez either side, get Wilshere back in the side and get them on the back foot. You need to score 3, theyre bound to sit back especially if you play a pacey side (hence Welbeck ahead of Giroud) and you can even afford to overcommit a little bit because one goal for them wouldnt knock you out. We'll see in a few weeks but i genuinely think this tie is still alive going off what i saw in that first leg

[augie]

I still maintain that you were a bit unlucky last night. Yes, Wenger made mistakes but you still had plenty of incredibly presentable chances that were either missed or were unluckily deflected. Nevermind a good day, Giroud on an average day would have at least had you going there level.

Fair enough they dont concede many (and i believe they had a few out) but i still see no reason why you cant get through. Scoring 3 is a big ask but, regardless of their previous form, they looked shaky. I know it wont be popular but i'd start Welbeck up front with Wallcott and Sanchez either side, get Wilshere back in the side and get them on the back foot. You need to score 3, theyre bound to sit back especially if you play a pacey side (hence Welbeck ahead of Giroud) and you can even afford to overcommit a little bit because one goal for them wouldnt knock you out. We'll see in a few weeks but i genuinely think this tie is still alive going off what i saw in that first leg

Thats the whole point though........le cock has amassed bang average players in fundamently key positions - in big games you need a clinical striker to make the most of the chances that come along, but sadly we have giroud and wellshit In big games you need a defence that doesnt allow the clinical strikers on the other teams many chances cos the strikers on these teams are gonna take them - le cock has stockpiled defenders who are great at making surging runs forward (fcuk all end product mind ) but has no positional and tactical awareness of how to shut down an opposition forward line Then of course we are stuck with the most shittiest collection of short-arsed DM's in the history of football I coach teams and have allows told my midfields that they are the engine of the team and that they need to dominate if our team is to succeed - we are too light, lacking intelligence and dont seem to be responsible enough to sacrifice themselves for the team.
Of course all of this comes back to le cock who has built that team and "coached" them and set them up "tactically"......whats the point in even discussing the useless c.unt ?

[augie]

Wally made a big difference when he came on and I give him kudos for that

Must have been watching a different game. He made two decent runs & bottled out of it (shooting) when the keeper looked like smacking into him. Apart from that he did very little else. Just like everyone else on the day !!. This team has no width either attacking or defending. Walcott may help us if he can use his speed out wide but I still think he see's himself as a CF which he's not. Today was pathetic & we will be lucky to finish in 6th spot unless we improve on this.

Ray I honestly dont rate wally (and probably never will) but have been pushed into defending him twice lately and it is not a position that I am particularly comfortable with, but all I ever do is comment on what I see in front of me and last night I thought that he brought something extra to the table - as many have said already, he kept his position wider than wellshit and made his runs from that position which makes it easier for him and the team. That might sound easy/obvious but try telling wellbeck that - when wellbeck drifted inside, it allowed ozil and sanchez nowhere to slide those passes for him to run onto, plus when wally was running in from a wide position he was doing it at pace as opposed to wellshit who was in a standing position when receiving the ball
I absolutely agree that wally has notions of him being a striker and I absolutely agree what he will never be good enough to be a top quality striker, but last night I thought that he did ok

[safcftm]

Hard to disagree with any of your post tbh Augie; Wenger, for me, has done his remit which seems to be to assemble a side good enough for top 4 but hasnt got anywhere near the quality to compete at the top end of the CL. Not sure you can totally blame Wenger for that mind, part of it will be down to the money men (not saying that Wenger couldnt have bought better players for the money he has spent though!)

[Bradywasking]

Arsenal's players are not being managed and are not being coached , even the great Barca players like Iniesta, Xavi and even Messi have underperformed , or at least dropped their standards, while poorly managed.
Last night was a case in point, this , the first five minutes apart, was a totally inept , without shape or intelligence. We were not playing Bayern, Barca or Real , we were playing a good competent side missing five players. Berbatov said they wanted it more, perhaps they did but it had to be deeper than that. Surely "wanting it more" is not enough to win games at this level. Crystal Palace want it more than most teams but are in the relegation zone.
I did think Walcott made a difference, not by being brilliant but by being there.He held his position and caused a problem. After the Spurs game it would have been obvious to any one with a football brain that Welbeck cannot play wide right , he offers no shape to the team and no cover to the right back.
Arsenal may not be strong enough to win the Premier League or the Champions League but they have the players to be better than they were last night and too many similar occasions. The problem is the manager and lack of coaching and lack of motivation.
PS Mertazacker, who I have defended, is a coward. His pathetic sideways turn on the first goal was cowardly. He is afraid of the ball. He is afraid of his man, he is afraid to compete. Time to move him on.

[SPARKSY]

I wonder what does Steve Bould do at Arsenal?

I've asked this in the past.

Is he or is he not allowed to work with the defence in training? Rumours are Wenger is too much of a control freak to allow Bould to do so. But if he does work with them he is absolutely useless, defending is supposed to be his forte yet this is probably the most porous Arsenal side I've ever seen - we are a total shambles at the back.

As far as I can tell all Bould does is sit next to Wenger like a fucking pleb looking miserable - genuinely looks like he hates his job.

Think you're aiming this at the wrong person. Yes, Bould does just sit there looking miserable but from where I sit that is solely down to the fact that Wenger is king and only his way will do.
I don't believe for one minute that Bould has any input. If he did we would have a bloody good defence.
An example of that was when he first took the job. The first few games of the season we started playing the corner routine that was so successful when he played, cross into the near post, flick on , Adams or Bould steaming in at the back. It only lasted a few games, as if Wenger had told him not to do it. We've never seen it since.
Also, the fact he doesn't even get off the bench during games (nor does the French bloke) tells you that he is not allowed any say.
He's in a well paid job, has a family. He's not going to rock the boat and put himself out of work.

[gp543]

Two shocking squad selections. Welbeck on the wing offers fuck all. Monreal, who has been quite good this season, dropped for no reason for Gibbs who can't defend.

Only the second time Monaco have scored more than two goals all season, including preseason friendlies.

Veil starting to slip on Ospina.

Abdennour was excellent last night. With Toulalan back for the away leg, it is a spring of european regret again.

[Top Londoner]

I found that reading pages 1 and 2 of this thread, really cheered me up.
Thanks guys.













WENGER OUT, YOU ARE A FUCKING DISGRACE

[SPARKSY]

This club is rotten. I'll always want us to win but I hate the Champions League. The only purpose it serves is to make Kronke rich. Every year we go through this, every fucking year.

And that is exactly what its all about - making Kronke money. Why sack a manager who pretty much guarantees that income every year. He may not win anything (if he does its a bonus) but as long as the bottom line shows a nice hefty profit, there is no need to change it.

[SPARKSY]

Very bad day at the office but I still think you've got a decent chance, you certainly created a fair bit. Get an early goal (preferably Giroud will find his shooting boots) and they will get nervous. The third goal was a bastard like but i think you're still very much in it

[augie]

I wonder what does Steve Bould do at Arsenal?

I've asked this in the past.

Is he or is he not allowed to work with the defence in training? Rumours are Wenger is too much of a control freak to allow Bould to do so. But if he does work with them he is absolutely useless, defending is supposed to be his forte yet this is probably the most porous Arsenal side I've ever seen - we are a total shambles at the back.

As far as I can tell all Bould does is sit next to Wenger like a fucking pleb looking miserable - genuinely looks like he hates his job.

Think you're aiming this at the wrong person. Yes, Bould does just sit there looking miserable but from where I sit that is solely down to the fact that Wenger is king and only his way will do.
I don't believe for one minute that Bould has any input. If he did we would have a bloody good defence.
An example of that was when he first took the job. The first few games of the season we started playing the corner routine that was so successful when he played, cross into the near post, flick on , Adams or Bould steaming in at the back. It only lasted a few games, as if Wenger had told him not to do it. We've never seen it since.
Also, the fact he doesn't even get off the bench during games (nor does the French bloke) tells you that he is not allowed any say.
He's in a well paid job, has a family. He's not going to rock the boat and put himself out of work.

Excuses, excuses, excuses..........if the man had any love for the club, if he had any pride in his work, or if he even had some awareness of rome crumbling around him, then he would either walk or kick up a serious fuss at least. He surely can see the demise of le cock amongst the fans ? Does he not think that the majority of fans would support him in a battle to change the way the team is being managed and coached ? What we do know for certain is that he is sitting back collecting a healthy pay cheque and having to do fcuk all to earn it except remain mute Personally he is little better than the money grabbing players we have had in recent years, who instead of going to another club to play football they have been happy to sit back collecting their money until their contract runs out - I hope that bouldie's reputation in the coaching game takes a severe hit by being associated with this shambles, and I hope only a shithole club will employ him when le cock leaves

[n7gooner]

That was Arsenal as usual in a last 16 first leg, milan 4-0 munich 3-1 munich 2-0 last night 3-1. Nothing will change at Arsenal till wenger and the board leave. Im sure we will put a brave performance in out there and win 2-0 and all we will hear is how the away goals rule is wrong. Every player last night put in a shit performance, only walcott looked like he could score even if he did chicken out a couple of times. Alxis is done but thats what happens when you play an injured player week in week out. The only thing that can save our season is beating united in the cup but we all know what happens when we play them just like the last 16 we bottle it.

[Bradywasking]

From Arsenal.com

Per - We must be brave in Monaco

Per Mertesacker says Arsenal must be “brave” if they are to turn around their Champions League last-16 tie with Monaco.


Seriously Per ..look at yourself you giant coward.