posted Mar 25, 2007

We've underperformed and underachived for two seasons now and it's not on.

Henry not an out and out goalscorer? Not a clinical finisher? Please, who's finished top scorer 4 times out of the past 6 premiership seasons?

Our problem is that when HE is injured, we can't produce goals from other places as well as the other top three teams. We have one striker who can grab 25 a season, but our other strikers can only grab 5 or so, which is ridiculous.

I agree that we need to buy another finisher in, as 1) cover and 2) to play alongside Henry when his pace starts to waver in a few seasons time, as he will still have his creativness and ability to Open up defenses, that is something you DONT lose (See Dennis Bergkamp, Zinadine Zidane, Pele even Henrik Larsson!) ...

Arsene Wenger needs a plan B, as every now and then the plan A doesn't work.

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posted Mar 25, 2007

Arsenals problem is they always try to score the perfect goal, they try to pass the ball in the net instead of belting it in.

Quality footballers, fantastic to watch and without question the most entertaining team in the premiership, but when it comes to scoring the scrappy goal from a couple of yards they are unable to do it.

I have always said that if Arsenal get a goal poacher and maybe another 1/2 players in positions Wenger sees needs improving, they will win trophys because when all the football comes together for Arsenal no team can stop them.

Everything else is their already, you just need somebody alongside Henry like a Shearer,Owen esq type of player.

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posted Mar 26, 2007

Arsenals problem is Henry, without him the team does not have a regular goal scorer, if he goes in the summer where are your goals coming from next season? Aliadiere? don't think so, and as for the 'youngsters' excuse, looking at the clubs starting 11 there is only Fabregas who i would consider a 'youngster' and he is one of the best on the team, a decent striker is a must come summer weather Henry leaves or not.

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posted Mar 26, 2007

1. We did not underachieve last season. Did nobody watch Arsenal's run to the Champions League final? We did better than Chelsea, United, Real Madrid, and Juventus in that competition, and I can't understand why people still discredit last season as 'underachieving'.

2. Our 'experienced' players are 'underperforming' because they are not playing or have not played through injury. Stop this nonsense about 'underperforming'. You cannot underperform if you're not playing. Gallas, Ljungberg, RVP, Eboue, and Henry--all experienced stars--have struggled with injury all season.

3. This season has been a failure in some respects, but not totally, We saw what our youngsters could do in the Carling Cup, and they got all the way to the final. We now see their potential in a greater light, because many of them have had to replace our more experienced players because of our injury problems. This season is not a 'transition' year. That is absolute rubbish. There is no such thing. Last year we made it to the CL final, and this year we've had injuries and yet also seen some great results from young players. If Henry, RVP, Gallas, Eboue, and Ljungberg had been fighting fit all season, nobody would be on here talking about underperforming, transition, etc.

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posted Mar 26, 2007

Let's face it, for all the arguing and excuses, Arsenal should be achieving better results, end of story. It's that same old story..,on paper we're great. But we don't play on paper do we? For all the highlights (doing the double over Man Utd, the Anfield goalfests etc), it's the bread and butter fixtures, the supposed 'bankers' that we're falling down on. All due respect to the likes of Sheffield Utd etc. but these are games we should be winning at a stroll. But they've worked us out and, to their credit they've been disciplined enough to stick to their gameplans. Now, we can go on and on about the age issue but I'm with those who say 'if you're good enough, you're old enough'. Sure, the youngsters may not have come in so soon had there not been injuries, but every club gets injury spells so I don't think we're alone there. As for underachieving, well perhaps, but I would point to the Carling Cup here. There seems to be a cloud over it because we lost to Chelsea. Well hang on, we were berated over the last few seasons for fielding our 'babies' and look what they've gone and done now! They took a virtually full strength Chelsea team all the way in a Cup Final! Not bad for a team and a manager who 'don't take the competition seriously'. Frankly if any of the top 4 clubs, even the top 6, have the Carling Cup at either 1 or 2 in their list of priorities at the beginning of the season, I'd be very surprised.

We all like a moan and I guess the Spurs and Man Utd fans are loving that our season's over already, but I'm looking forward to next season (never thought I'd be saying that in March!). It's true, we DO need some fresh blood, preferably an established player or two and frankly Baptista can crawl back to Madrid. Get Reyes back, sell him and use the money to get the aforementioned established player in.

Talk of 'transitional' seasons just doesn't wash with me. I'm with Tony Adams on that one. It's like saying you're taking a year off. Footballers careers are short enough without the odd transitional season.

Bring on next season and let's hope the 'potential' is realised. The time for excuses is over.

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posted Mar 26, 2007

I've said this all along...get rid of baptista!! yeh sure he did do well in the carling cup but in the prem, champions league etc he cnt score!! yeh he's probably one of the strongest players on the pitch when hes playing but is he scoring?? no!!! we need bendtner back and also reyes cos like it or not, he was a scorer!!!!!

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posted Mar 26, 2007

Gallas is getting on my nerves at the moment, he is publicly critising the other players and the medical staff and who knows who else. He's a great defender but something tells me he cares more about his career than he does the club, I don't think his heart is with the Gunners and tha tcould be a problem. Lets face it, did he really want to leave Chelsea off his own accord? I don't think he did, the spat just got blown out of proportion in the end and with his recent comments about the other players I'm starting to see why maybe things turned out the way they did at Cheslea.

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posted Mar 30, 2007

gallas..great defender...bit of ponce !

arenal...not a "young" side as everyone makes out....they should have really been in contention this year for a number of things...i mean they were in the CL final last season.

i think you'll do better when the clubs focus narrows abit...arsenal havent got the capacity to be goin for every single competition...not until they have got all there players firing on all cylinders..i think the final 3rd play is what is hindering you this season....great passing....no shooting..

arsene needs to say.. " guys....i know your rich and you dont need too..butt.............you dont win the lottery unless yuo buy a ticket"

good luck for the new season...cant wait for the arsenal chelsea encounters...they usualy make for good games...even if they do have love tap fights

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posted Mar 31, 2007

Something i do not compreend, why is everyone keep on blaining Baptista for arsenal failure? Where has he gone wrong? Come on he's a very good player. We are just affraid to ask Wenga's head, he has lost it. Very bad tactic, very slow football (no aggressivity at all) why is he there for? Come on let's stop blaming Baptista

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posted Apr 4, 2007

Personally I'm not blaming Baptista alone for this season. It's a team thing and there's no getting away from it. Yes we've had injuries and of course they've hampered us, but the point of buying players like Baptista was to bolster the squad for times just like these. He was a proven goalscorer in Spain and came highly recommended. Frankly his finishing this season has been woeful, that of a centre back. Granted, in the Carling Cup he went to town and filled his boots for some reason, perhaps the pressure of playing in the league had been lifted, who knows. But you can't deny what you see whenever he runs out in the league. Some of them have been glaring misses too, what about the one at Anfield during the 4-1 defeat?

Give him another season if you must, indeed if the loan/swap deal allows it, but he's got some serious shaping up to do.

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