Wenger picked the right team against Olympiakos – They didn’t perform.. by LP9
I simply don’t understand when some Arsenal fans mention that Wenger clearly underestimated or “gambled” against the Olympiakos team… because he was giving more importance in mind the Man United match at Sunday.
Didn’t he put the best centre back partnership (as declared by most of the fans) Gabriel and Koscielny?? Didn’t he put Ozil, Cazorla and Coquelin which was considered the best trio following from last season’s second half until now?? Fair enough, he placed Walcott because Giroud was not available, but didn’t he put Chamberlain also in the lineup… to form a pacy lineup to cause problems to Olympiakos defense?? Weren’t the fans demanding for such a lineup?? Also, most of us expected Debuchy to be lined up for providing rest to Bellerin… Surprise surprise
Only one position was debatable in that lineup….
Ospina.. Being that an important game, it was necessary to put Cech in the lineup. And if Wenger is almost lining up his best team… why not Cech also?? But he gave Ospina the responsibilty, because of two reasons possibly….
1. He mentioned that Cech had a slight fitness alert before Leicester game and he didn’t wanted to gamble with his situation.(If that had gone worse, everyone will be again calling for Wenger’s head because he risked Cech when he was not fit).
2. He also believed that Ospina would do his job which was keeping his team in the game by saving goals… (which can be considered because he showed us all last season that he is a quality backup if not first team player). Funny thing, most of the fans expected the same.
When this lineup was put up, most of the fans echoed the fact that this is a very strong team, and everyone EXPECTED that this should be enough to beat Olympiakos…. But that didn’t happen (sadly). It would have been fair if Olympiakos defeated us fair and square by playing better football than us…. But it was not them, it was us committing silly defensive mistakes…
Most of the fans aren’t sad because we didn’t show up even the slightest for the game (that would have been the situation if we wouldn’t have scored any goals), but they are more sad of the fact that we never expected that our best defense (except Gibbs) and a considerably quality backup GK, Ospina, will commit some of the most silliest mistakes.
Did anyone of us think that Koscielny and Gabriel would concede an avoidable corner (eventually leading to first goal) because they can’t communicate at the right time?? Same for Ospina. Did anyone of us expect that Ospina would commit such a mistake at that point where he was needed to keep his team in the game?? Would anyone of us expected that we would concede a quick goal just after we scored one??
That’s the point. All of us, including Wenger, expected that they would not commit these type of mistakes. Even we all can see Wenger’s disappointed face when we conceded the third goal. Why?? Because he never expected that we will concede that type of goals….
But lets all blame Wenger, why because eventually he is responsible for all that is going on the pitch for 90 minutes. Because he NEVER tries to MOTIVATE our players whenever we are down… Because he is getting 8 million a year and the players not…
Some players debated that Wenger didn’t try to bring in an outfield player, specifically a DM and a ST. But seriously, ask this question to yourself, could that outfield player have prevented us from conceding those type of goals??
The point is that not every manager (including Wenger) should be blamed every time when the team doesn’t performs. But every player should stand up to the faith given to them by their manager. They should prove that they deserve their chance when lined up – at least by showing some fight.
Summing up, the team can’t revert back what happened against Olympiakos. What they can possibly do, is to practice more on defence, taking care of the fact that we don’t concede those type of goals again, specifically against Manchester United in the coming game, which will be the most crucial part.
Hoping for a fighting performance from the team.
Lethal Prince 9
Also I know our team doesn’t always give us reason to be chanting and singing about but the The Emirates is so quiet!. I understand why other fans call it the library. We are far to quiet for the size of our own stadium and don’t get behind the team enough!!!
Arsenal fan’s have always been a “only sing when your winning” bunch ? Well… most of time! ?
If the manager can’t motivate the team whilst on the pitch,
You would think that the fan’s would do their upmost to inspire them with an aggressive “COME ON ARSENAL”
And another thing. ..
In the Highbury days it was the standing north bank that made most of the noise that got behind the team!
The cheap end lol those sitting in the seats from the East and West stand were to snobbish to shout and make some noise in support of our team!
Maybe this is food for thought!
And that’s reason why the Emirates is called a library?
The ticket prices is only affordable to the snobbish fans!
Wenger always asks the fan’s to get behind the team,
But unfortunately them kind of fan’s can’t afford to get in.
that team should have been able to beat olympiakos. ospina’s error was combination of bad luck and bad habit – he’s done that batting down before but needs to learn to punch it away. re koz/gab: unfortuntate. we need to play them together more so they can learn each other [mert is 3rd choice now]. i’m most mad at gibbs and debuchy: they’ve really regressed . i’m going to try to tell myself that since we wouldnt have won CL anyway, its better to focus our meagre resources on PL.
Who are blaming then, the pitch, the old lady, Global warming….
You play to win the game, its the manager responsibility to play his best winning team unless he want to lose it. Wenger told us he has a quality team and this team has to perform whether the Emirates is so quiet. The fan has the right to be dejected or quiet because this team lacks quality in three or four areas and an ambitious manager
The noise from stands either encourages the player’s,
Or disheartens them, So in a way the fan’s have to take some responsibility too.
In the old days it was the home fans that were called the 12th man but nowadays its the ref! Especially with Arsenal ?
We need some great tunes! In days gone by we had great chants that all the crowd engaged in singing and they are lacking. Of course the layers need to lift the crowd but to cuts both ways.
Also got to say although Elvis singing ‘the wonder of you’ didn’t resonate with some, we need an uplifting anthem in the stadium again. You look at some of our competitors and whilst the refs standing there waiting to blow his whistle for ko there is some rousing song blaring out of the home team tannoys.
We need to raise the roof at the Emirates athough I completely agree the northbank were the best at doing that.
It ain’t the cause of our problems but Increased noise levels and energy would be a great step forward…although perhaps we need to distribute song sheets to those at club level! (Sarcasm).
It’s down to the character of the manager.
Klopp likes heavy metal music, so westfallen stadium so alive.
By jove you got it!
Practice!Practice!Practice!
The missing ingredient…with practice no need to sign top players just practice and fill your boots with tropies!
trophies…must practice my spelling!
We all have to realise that Wenger will leave Arsenal one day…either he is sacked, at the end of his contract, or he dies of old age as the manager. But you know what? We will still be Arsenal after him. So, we shouldn’t be scared of Wenger leaving. Arsenal will not fall apart.
My opinion though is
#WengerOut
Spread the word.
#wengerout
Dinamo and Olympiakos are now past. The important thing is ‘Do we ever learn’? I agree, Wenger should take the blame but not all. The players should also share the blame. They need to step up and fight for the team/teammates/shirt and manager who put faith in them.
Hoping we defeat Manchester United. We(the fans) need a lift’ And the players know how winning the game is important.
Really!! Such a stupid article. Who are we supposed to blame? If you go to work knowing you can underperform and know you won’t be replaced then some days you will just show up the other days you will be exceptional. He refused to buy quality to compete in this team and I am to blame the players, Garbage in Garbage out.
We get picked a bad team for Zagreb. Too many changes and we suffered. He picked a good team for Olym. But in hind sight of course it may have been wise to use Cech. Our players have no excuses though. I have always supported Mert but he is a weakness in our back line. We have no depth in our attack. Ox is up and down and Ramsey wants to be inside so we lose our width. We need belief out there. Cech provides that, Coq, Alexis. When things aren’t going well players start to look around and there isn’t anyone to come off the bench to spark an attack. Wen get got that wrong.
Oh and by the way I wonder what the excusesssssssss will be after our next game to Manchester United this should be interesting.
WENGER OUTTT!!!!!
Im sayin it before the game & after the game #wengerout
We can’t always blame Wenger DIRECTLY, because sometimes players make mistakes, don’t put their heart into it, bad decisions, bad luck etc.
BUT we can always blame him INDIRECTLY
Everything that happens this season is affected by not signing ANY first team outfielders especially a top DM and striker
Huge mistake that probably will ultimately cost us trophies. I hope I’m wrong though
If I had been Wenger I would have tried to get
1. Top striker or at least one better than Giroud
2. An excellent DM (I would have even settled for Khedira for free or Milner even though they aren’t DM)
3. Another reliable CB who could also play LB like Howedes or even just a good cheapish CB Like Van Dijk, Clyne, etc.
4. A versatile backup to Alexis at LW like Draxler
Oh and get this we will not and I repeat we will not beat Manchester United and whomever want to tumbs down why don’t you put your money where your hearts and mouths are lets bet state the amount your willing to loose.
I bet you a peanut butter and banna sandwich that we will beat utd …….. Someday! ?
Nah…Seriously, I predict that we will win on Sunday,
What with wenger losing the plot later,
Most of our players supposedly came to Arsenal because of Wenger and They know from first hand that he is cracking up under enormous pressure, This is a Super must win game and the result on Sunday will show us if these player’s really do care enough to bust a gutt for their manager or not!
when AKBs write articles like these…….. They do nothing but keep Wenger out of the circle…….. Like this nonsensical article written above……. Who’s really to blame?……. Not wenger?….. The players?……oh who buys em?….. Who puts em on the team?……the fans?….. Who pay top pounds to watch games?…. The refs or pundits?…….the board?(they are just like wenger….soulmates)…..the AOBs? For wanting mediocre wenger replaced……or the AKBs who blindly follow a deluded sheperd?…….. Who! Who! Who????????
Everything in life is about blaming, isn’t it?
ultimately, yes, wenger is to blame. but the players should be ashamed for not focusing 90mins.
and ospina needs to stop batting it down: learn the punch-out dude!
Manager has the decision and responsibility for their job and his own men.
That’s what happened in the real world of work in every corporation or company.
If not, it will be the same like Mourinho that always escape with his antics excuses comments.
Be a man, get the result of your job desks, and have the dignity to step aside if you didn’t perform.
1. “Didn’t he put the best centre back partnership (as declared by most of the fans) Gabriel and Koscielny?? ”
key words: Most of the fans. Really? Wenger now does what fans claim? what is THE PROVEN partnership?…rest my case.
2. “we never expected that our best defense (except Gibbs) and a considerably quality backup GK, Ospina, will commit some of the most silliest mistakes.”
key words: except Gibbs.meaning he s NOT our best there. WHY was he there? who is the PROVEN?…rest my case.
thats two.
3. Walcott. Granted. he COULDNT put Giroud so he HAS to count Walcott as a change in your best xi. like it or not.
thats 3.
4. Ospina. Yeah he was promised time, but hey…you already have ONE OBLIGED change there up there. Was Cech in the subs lineup? a n injured player isnt…rest y case
Now we have 4.
5. Chambo. We all know he was at fault for some silly movves leading to goals. Whose leg was that there with Olympiakos?
So 4 out of 11…that IS playing with the balance.
and a gy that had clearly defensive issues…
Yeah, for me Wenger was and is still at fault.
See I am not mentioning the fact that Wenger put his best line up there. But he expected that this team should get a result against Olympiakos. And most of the fans here were saying that this team should be enough for the opposition. I am talking about those fans, who mentioned “best lineup, best front four, Ospina should be enough”. And after the match they started blaming Wenger for the same reasons.
fair enough.
but i am not saying that either.
i am just saying why i think he actually is to blame, and that if he choses then not to tell us the reasons etc then take the blame with pride. after all, he says his team can do it.
my main point being: you dont change 4 players of the team that is working like a clock, in a crucial game
Look I am not sayng the players are not at fault.
But Wenger himself mentioned (and some made fun here) the cohesion.
well, you CANT have cohesion without repetition. You said it in the article: Gabriel and Kos couldnt communcate…and Wenger didnt see that in practice?
2. Fighting spirit, yes. Players are at fault by lack of it. But thats something you have or you dont, and you can tell this from the first time you seee a player…wnegr doesnt like players with strong personalities. Thats is a know fact. When Ibra said “you dont try me you hire me” he passed on Ibra.
3. “What they can possibly do, is to practice more on defence, taking care of the fact that we don’t concede those type of goals again,”
And who is in charge of that at practice? who sees if they are fit or not to proceed?
Wenger puts himself in a position to be attacked because he doesn’t want to have his players under such scuritity. That’s a marvellous quality to have.
I don’t think the Fans at this one should really start pointing the finger and saying you are accountable to us fans…
Because Mourinho is sitting in his dark room smiling at the fact his words, filtered through the media has made an impact!
In truth, support your club! Nothing is won or lost in this part of the season…so stop finger pointing and causing issues… Support your team, encourage them to feel they can go out and play…and not to feel the fans are on there back…(internally created pressure).
Knowing what fans are like, Wenger protects his players but they need to repay that faith.
@disgusted…..common gooner we will beat united.I kind a heard Wenger blasted his players.I hope its true coz he defends them every time and they keep letting him down.imagine Wenger threatening d press at d conference of walking out on them coz of ospina!now sincerely our players are pros so I expect them to read d game their selves n put in their utmost concentration and commitment. I believe mert should shout and even insult some of his teammates just to get their common goal and apologise after d win.if u work in a firm and were given a set goal with ur team u must look for ways to achieve this goal.especially when there is a competitor and incentives.so summarily the players need to become more of leaders I mean d likes of mert,Santi n sanchez.arsenal players must start acting like men with character not boys with a teacher to always go back to for correction.I luv my club dearly but I’m not liking d manager and some players at d moment
The key to beating United will be our attack
United doesn’t have a perfect defense either
We both have very good DM
Schweinseiger > Ramsey
Our Keeper is better
Ozil v Mata are quite even but who will create the more opportunities on the day.
It will be about Rooney, Martial, Depay v Walcott or Giroud, Alexis and OX
It seems home advantage doesn’t seem to be much of an advantage to us looking at our home record, so this match is very evenly matched and could go either way
We need much better performances though and we can do it.
Actually the key is everyone playing their best from GK to defense to DM to b2b to cam to wingers to CF
And without Cazorla and Koscielny it will be even tougher
Wait why without Cazorla??
AKB’s are really on a roll with these articles… anything to make Wenger look innocent. it’s really admirable… maybe you AKB’s should try looking out Arsenal’s interests and not Arsene’s interests.
Maybe you should realise that we are all ARSENAL fans and surprisingly not every one agrees with you! We should support our players and manager whoever they are.
I didn’t hear you complaining the day after the Olympiakos defeat when nearly ALL the articles were anti-Wenger. We cater for all Arsenal fans whatever their opinion so get a life and deal with it…
so get a life and deal with it??? You are admin right? why dont you get real and do your job. Slacking off your readers, shouldnt be a part of your job description me thinks.
There are enough AKBs out there doing that, and when they do you are awfully quiet.
I will slag off who I like on my website. You are slagging off the writer’s opinion simply because YOU don’t agree with it. This site is not just for your opinion and those who agree with you. It is for ALL Arsenal supporters to express their opinion without getting childishly abused. I don’t accept abuse from anyone whatever their opinion. What is starting to annoy me is that SOME people are actually enjoying watching Arsenal lose so they can carry on being abusive. If you enjoy it, then you are NOT an Arsenal fan…..
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