Fed up of the negativity / Arsene needs to look deeper than stats

Evening all,

there has been a lot of negativity around the place these past few days, I really don’t know how bloggers and the like get off on slating the team all over the place – don’t air your dirty laundry in public. Criticism is alright, fine, a good thing. But non-ending tirades of abuse aimed at a selection of players and the manager of Arsenal FC is down right ridiculous.

One blog famed for its insults fired at the boss said this:

Ive given up on Wenger long ago. I hope the board have a shortlist by now. Wenger showed his contempt for us when he dropped Arshavin for the Chelsea semi-final. He showed his contempt for the 9,500 fans at Old Trafford when he got stuffed 4-0 in the FA Cup, and he showed his contempt for the 6,500 Gooners at Stoke, when he chucked the FA Cup again with a 3-1 defeat.

So we now know how profoundly selfish he is, how arrogant he is, how he doesn’t listen, how deeply misguided his Youth Project has proved to be. The greatest spin-doctor in the history of organised sport has recently told us that third place is a bigger achievement than winning a domestic cup.

There is nobody more of a bandwagon writer than this man. A joke, a total and utter joke. He sounds off like a broken record every time the team loses – its the managers fault, when they are winning its the players success – not the managers. I might be wrong but it wouldn’t surprise me if he thinks Wenger is to blame for global warming and famine in Africa.

At the start of the season would fans have taken this scenario?: 6 points off the top of the table and needing a 1-0 win at home to go through to the Quarter Finals of the Champions League?

You know what, I would have taken it.

We know certain players are not up to it (at the moment), I have mentioned a fair few of them before and for the readers’ sake I will name them again:

Almunia

Fabianski

Clichy

Denilson

Nasri

Walcott

Vela

Silvestre

I believe Almunia is a decent second choice, but sadly not a number one. I was a big supporter of his last season and previous to that but his form has slid to such an extent that I believe we need a world class keeper, especially given our attacking game. Fabianski has mental weakness from what I gather, we can’t allow that with other members of the squad having fragile temperaments too.

I called Gael Clichy the best left back in the world a couple of seasons ago, now he is a wreck – a shadow of the player, and I can’t see that player returning anytime soon. He gets skinned game after game, even by average players. Onto Denilson, a player I backed time and time again. My gripe? Lack of effort. Watch the Rooney goal again, he isn’t fussed.

Nasri has been diabolical really, he had a good season last time out but has been a sufferer of second season syndrome. Is it confidence? Its not lack of talent thats for sure.. Maybe he is surrounded by to many of the same type of player – one of my main gripes with the manager. Either way, this season he has stagnated and needs to show the manger the player he spent 12 million quid on.

Walcott – Lack of intelligence on a football pitch has been shown again. Prepared to give him time though.

Vela… seems to spend more time playing for Mexico than he does for us. Another injury prone player who may be young but isn’t repaying the managers faith and perseverance over several seasons and the fuss in having him loaned out to Spanish clubs. Just seems more of the same. Again, I am prepared to give him time but a season on loan at a Premiership side is needed next season in my opinion.

Silvestre… he tries, and for that I have no grudge against him at all, he was good at his peak and would have been an asset but his peak has passed and is a player in decline. Will probably have an unceremonious exit in the summer.

The boss has to look deeper though, why is our defence so crap? They are OK as individuals but as a unit they fail miserably. Communication? Coaching? My moneys on the latter… which improves the former.

The message? ignore the people who just want to stir up trouble like that disgruntled old beatnick (he admits as much himself) on that site, I suppose at least he can string a sentence together unlike some other blogs who don’t deserve the time of day. They know who they are.

Til next time.