Why Oh Why! Why didn’t Arsenal play the same team that destroyed Southampton on Saturday, as our so-called rested first team were absolutely awful in the first half. Why do we always go into games against so-called lower level teams thinking that we only have to turn up?
It reminds me of last season’s home FA Cup game against Watford, absolute rubbish! We couldn’t have had a worse start to the game, with Watford scoring 2 goals in the first 15 minutes. Didn’t Wenger notice how brilliant Oxlade-Chamberlain was on Saturday? Didn’t Wenger notice Walcott and Welbeck scoring 5 goals between them?
Ramsey was returned to the centre in place of the Ox, and he celebrated by deflecting the first goal in Cech’s net, giving away the ball for the second, and then going off injured in the 20th minute. At least we now have the Ox on the field…
The first half ended 2-0 to the Hornets, with the visitors having 6 shots on target and Arsenal managing a big fat ZERO. Watford haven’t beaten us since 1988 in the League and we are going to have to pull off a miracle in the second half…..
PRE_GAME STATS:::
The Gunners have won five successive home matches in the Premier League and are unbeaten in 10 at the Emirates Stadium since losing to Liverpool on the opening weekend of the season.
Arsenal have gone seven home league matches in a row without conceding a goal from open play – all four goals against them in that period have been penalties.
Watford are enduring a seven-game winless run in the Premier League (D3, L4). They failed to score in four of those games. However, they did end a run of five consecutive away league defeats by drawing at Bournemouth last time out.
Heurelho Gomes has conceded 23 goals in eight Premier League games against Arsenal, nine more than any other team he has faced.
Okay so Wenger has brought on the hat-trick hero from the weekend Theo Walcott on to replace Olivier Giroud. We can hope he can do the same thing in this game, but he has two attempts in the first 5 minutes, one blatant miss and one saved by Gomes. At least Arsenal have started playing now…
All Arsenal pressure now and finally we get the reward when Alexis gives it to Iwobi in the centre of the box and he slots it in. Now we have GAME ON! Half an hour to get two more (at least!). Wenger quickly gives us more attacking options by bringing on Perez for Coquelin for the last 23 minutes. We haven’t got any other fit midfielders so we may as well save him for Chelsea!
There may only be 15 mins left, but the good news is that Liverpool, Chelsea AND Tottenham are all drawing. All we bneed is one usual last minute goal to stay in the title race? Also our pressure is noted by having 4 shots on target this half with Watford defending with zero. A game of two haves?
It’s not looking so good with 10 minutes left, and now our makeshift midfielder Oxlade-Chamberlain is looking dead on his feet, not another midfield injury please!
Nacho Monreal was nearly the hero with a killer shot, but its getting nervy now with only 8 minutes and injury time to go. Who’s worried, we always score late goals….. Don’t we???
Come on! Perez hits the bar… we’re getting closer. Alexis caps off an awful game by getting booked with 3 minutes to go….
ADDED TIME ARRIVES AND THE WORRY LINES ARE SETTING IN, IF SCORES STAY THE SAME, SPURS WILL STILL GO SECOND EVEN WITH A DRAW…. COME ON ARSENAL!!
OH TIDDLEYWINKS, WE’VE BLOWN IT AGAIN.
At least Tottenham drew, and if Chelsea draw too then we are 9 points behind. Let’s cheer on Liverpool for the last 10 minutes! Or should we?
1st half: look like a pub team
2nd half: make Gomes look like world class
Wenger’s XI failed us big time. Well at least Spurs drew so Wenger Trophy is still on!
its ok, this wont go on much longer.
just support and sit tight.
please let it be allegri
I thought after our draw vs Bourmouth we would have learned how a slow start can cost us…
and mostly since we saw how much a good start can impact the game
LAST WEEKEND vs Southampton!!!
I don’t understand…
I am holding out for the same muffdiver.
For a 8million pounds a year manager, he should be awarded the Broken Record trophy for repeating himself incessantly, shamelessly,unapalogetically year on year. I am sure if we changed the manager we may see something different that’s good.He reminds me of certain world dictators that once in power don’t want to let go no matter what! The Allegri fella sounds mouthwatering in my honest opinion.Though there is the larger shadow of the board that still looms big.
Oh boy, watford, walk in the park? Eh! The old man must go, y gab wen bel is raring, y g-rod wen welcomeback and wally is raring, off with ozil, its easy in hindsight eh, but should have started with
Cech
Bel kostafi unreal
Le coq grande Oxie
Theo ozil duracell
Perez (for whisky tango foxtrot)
Perez been awesome.
Subs. Lampost for perez, welcomeback for duracell and iwobi for ozil.
Bye bye, whisky tango foxtrot.
Whisky calling foxtrot over. Tango out. Bye bye, wenger trophy, look out, here we come.
Ramsey, ramsey, ramsey. Even the chinese don’t want him. Maybe he should play for sunday league. And gab must break costa’s leg if he wants to stay in london, his footballing won’t quiet do it.
I agree with you on Ramsey and Gabriel.
(1) Ramsey does not do anything to deserve a starting role- this has to be his last season in an Arsenal shirt.
(2) Gabriel unfortunately is NOT Arsenal quality. We need to find someone with quality in the summer- its a shame because we spent a good 2 years on him hoping he would improve.
(3) Also if Ozil wants 250K he needs to show some fuck*** balls. If you cannot breakdown Watford please take your sorry a** to some team which can afford a 250K player consistently not coming to the party.
(4) Wenger in his post match conf says “we are unlucky”. In fact we are lucky that we did not get hit for 5 or 6. When the man in charge is always looking for excuses – the rest of the team is more than likely to follow.
I guess the title is now gone and I guess that is how it should be – because our team does not have the ba*** to play like champions.
I said before and now again. If the team wins leave it and then make changes at half time or just after. But to make all those changes to bring on fresh that were awful and no idea, means that 40mill don’t get you the player you thought. Wenger as I said before has no idea on picking a team only on giving his favourites game time. Chelsea good luck to them, we should play with the team that beat Southhampton with Lucas in for Giroud, onleft Welbeck up front Alex’s behind Niles in for Ramsey Walcott on right. By 20 minutes your know what to do if anything Ozil on bench with Giroud, Oxy on in 60 th for either Niles or Coquelin
We still have the wenger trophy.
How do we compare the team with the invincibles? Simple, the invincibles vs the invisibles led by captain ozil, king of invisibility.
Arsene Wenger and his coaching staff will have to explain why I won’t personally believe that the match was fixed. Getting it wrong in the first half was a bit excusable but in second half when Girioud was replaced by Walter and Iwobi was moved to the left flank we got it perfectly right. The boy combination with Sanchez was actually putting pressure on Watford team. Thanks goodness we got a goal and Iwobi became the best player on the pitch and looked like The Messiah has finally come. Suddenly I saw what looked to me like a needless substitution. Perez was brought in and our best performing player on the pitch was removed from his best position at that time to where he would be a second class player. And that was the end of the pressure. Haba Wenger, you need to tell us the reason behind the tactical change
It was bound to happen. No surprises there!
Riveting race for 4th place going on. Let’s get that 4th place silverware boys!
It is very hard to win any cup with such defensive performance! 🙁
worst result of the season
with our squad we need a manager who gets player selection right , who utilises and inspires.
i will be bold here and say i would let ozil or sanchez go if we get allegri.
cos the reality is we wont win the leave ever agin with the current manager. irrespective of buys
i love arsene always will, but im tired of top 4 , tired of empty optimism
Manager can make a world of difference, players can come and go. The exact Chelsea team + Kante has been cruising for the league ever since we won them 3-0.
They changed a manager.
We are not a sinking ship. We are a shipwrecked one, which doesn’t sink nor get saved.
analogy on point
Wenger needs to take a walk with his broke ass trophy! It’s about time and am neither a Wenger Out Brigadier or in the Arsene Knows Best society, just a proper thinking ‘Arsenalist’ who wants to see new and exciting things that attracted me to Arsenal in the first place, back and in effect, you know,the free-flowing unplayable football we used to watch back in the bygone days and all them opponents shaking in their pants whenever the Arsenal came to town! I know we all want our Arsenal back.
Thats wenger trophy, wrecked but doesnt sink.
I wish we had a top class striker …
yeah cos that was the problem
we could have messi ronaldo suarez and it wouldn’t cover the cracks. ALL of Wenger’s squads since Invincibles have been plagued by the same mental fragility, and the suddenly drastic dip in form for no reason whatsoever. It’s like we lost this game because it about the time of the month to do so. Same things will happen when we have our routinely horrible Feb/March period. But master of 4th will save us all in the dying months and get us a UCL spot. Time to celebrate!
Suarez or zlatan won’t make a difference with the starting eleven, even a combo of MSN would struggle with ramsey as the link. Its better wen ramsey stays far far far far far………. Away from the pitch.
Appalling performance by the entire team! Really angers me when they play like that. Why was Bellerin not in the starting 11!?
Ramsey is useless!! Didnt know how to track back after lose it!
Walcott? Too greedy,he know he can pass instead of shoot! Such a headless chicken,glory hunterrr..
1st game mustafi lost in arsenal shirt…dun worry dude…try again next time and unlucky day for perez and arsenal..
COYG!!
Arsenal Foreverrr!!!
I have a lot to say. I don’t know where to start from but I remember saying we need to focus on our game first no matter the outcome in Liverpool v Chelsea game.
Watford finally won at the Emirates in the league. Mustafi tasted defeat with us on the pitch. Suddenly, we made watford really good.
We just bottle another opportunity….
So who wants Allegri
Dear injury table … Please keep Ramsey. Oh and Arsene too
It’s over, another season of the same old $hit. On your way out Wenger, can you take ozil with you? Absolutely shameful display! The fans who turned up should be refunded and an apology should be made by the club. If we played well and lost it wouldn’t be as bad.. BUT WE WERE SHOCKING!!!!!!!
Yeah, true, fans who paid should be refunded for such a shambolic display, i really need my sleep time refunded too.
Tonight’s result is exactly why Arsenal have needed a new manager for years. It wasn’t anything new, it happens every season. We blew it last season at home to Swansea, now we’ve done it again against Watford…yes, Watford. A team in terrible form, that completely bossed the first half. Yet again, Arsenal do not turn up for 50% of a game.
What makes me laugh, is that this is exactly what AKB’s want! They’ve been loving this for years, and they want to continue this journey into the abyss of mediocrity!
Final point, why on earth did Ramsey and Giroud start? I know we’re short in central midfield, but Arsenal would actually be better off playing with a man less, than having Ramsey on the pitch, and Giroud proved over a whopping FOUR YEARS, that he isn’t good to be our main striker. Further more, he has been excellent coming in from the bench, why change it!
You’re right, ten man without ramsey against watford, we’d have won. Great deflection for first goal, and jogging back for second after an awefull throw from gab ( should have played bel), an a calf for all that, great night for the great ramsey.
That’s what you get when you start Ramsey ahead of an in-form Ox. Also, with an in-form Perez, shouldn’t Giroud be dropped in his favour for at least one game?
As always, boring boring Arsenal. Same old same old.
Well, I love saying “I told you so”. Scroll back one week and quote me. Playing 4231 with Giroud upfront is going to make us lose at St. Mary and Stamford Bridge. We played 433 at St. Mary, we won 5 nil even if we brought in 10 changes! We play 4231 at the Emirates and we ruin it against a struggling Watford side. Need I say more? Unless Chelsea is losing tonight we have no chance, in fact scratch that, we have no chance already. Not with this SYSTEM. I absolutely hate it, I simply loathe it. We were losing in Cesc era but my gosh, we were a joy to watch. Wenger is done, you hear this from someone who stood by him last two seasons. There’s plenty of talent in the team, there’s a lot o spark but somehow we can’t fscking ignite it. To the game now, did we had a shot on target in the first half because for the life of me, I can’t remember. Selection again extremely poor. No hunger, no grit, no vision ffs! There’s no honor in this team bar Alexis and all starts from top.
Three things will happen this summer, Alexis sold (probably Juventus), Ozil sold (probably Munchen), Wenger not extended and Gazidis (that fscking City c@nt fan) fired. That’s my prediction. Last part would be a long shot but hey, one can hope. There’s an acute need of change at the club. We lingered long enough, getting comfortable with the status quo and forgot that the reason you enter a competition is to actually win it. Prepare for the rally for top four. Spuds are going to surpass us if we don’t put some bone in the fight. Ironic, that’s all we’re fighting now for. The Arsenal.
Wenger not extended would be fantastic. I hope your prediction comes true.
That’s what I thought when I saw Giroud starting:
“Have wit won with comfort hence Giroud has started?”, I pondered.
“What art thou logic behindan starting he?”, I continued. And thus have we lost again.
Fans could see it wouldn’t work four years ago, longer for other fans. It’s a shame it’s taken everyone so long to see that Wenger’s been a poor manager for such a long time. Hopefully he’ll go in the summer, and I would pretty much take any other manager, because everything is in place for us to be successful, it’s just the wrong manager.
To be absolutely fair we won 2 FA cups in the last 4 years. I know, they are not titles but it added an aura of vindication for us the fans, the club and manager. I thought, like many others, the only way is up and everyone’s hopes run high, very high especially when we brought Alexis in. Yes, you are right, Wenger is not the right manager in this era. It fscking pains me to say it but here you have it. He is easily done simply for the fact that there’s absolutely no variation in his train of thoughts. I grew up tired of the same interviews. Rebuilding will be a pain guys but I hope we will stand close to the club.
And the bad news is,If we do manage to win the Fa cup this season then we can all expect Wenger to be around for another 2 seasons at least.
OMG I didnt think I would see the day!!! Budd has seen the light. Finally after all these years – better late then never Buddy boy. Welcome to your senses.
If by light you mean Wenger out then probably is going to be disappointing for you. I don’t care who the manager is as long as we put some thought in our next game. I thought it is not stubbornness but the fact that he really has a system. Well, if this is the system then it’s clearly not working. And if it is not working then you change it. If you take it personally and want to prove everyone wrong then you better deliver. There’s nothing delivered yet so we are entitled now to say it is just stubbornness. Not sure if this will deliver a title though. Sad for what he had become in the last year. Could have been his finest moment. Time to look forward guys. This may be or may be not a crumbling point. This is not the issue here.
I just wanna do a quick vote here guys…
Thumbs up= Wenger out
Thumbs down= Wenger in
Curious to see where this site stands on our “manager”
there will always be wenger in’s as our fans are fearful an look back fondly to nicer days.
change is scary, its the unknown.
but top 4 and knowing its there is not enough
we must take that risk
Change has to be better than this and people need to realise that. He should’ve left after the fa cup so he can go out with his head held high.
Change is scary. No one wants to change. Wenger is like an old cozy blanket, a little frayed, a few holes, doesnt really do its job of keeping us warm but its there and we are used to it.
I would rather go through the pain – loose some players (Sanchez is already gone) and re build this team. We probably wont make it to top four for a couple of years but its ok. Change will be good.
Simeone or Allegri would both be good choices.
these people need to realize change is going to come eventually no matter what, it’s inevitable. So why waste time being a pointless club that’s sole purpose is to get 4th place? Don’t get it, the entire club has been infected with a loser mentality and fans are okay with it. Have to take that leap at some point, and I’d rather we did than just twiddle our thumbs like we have the past decade.
Spot on RSH, this is the stuff that defines truly world class clubs from the also rans.Now Arsenal as it is right now, is an also ran.What happened to the ambition to be as good as or better than the Barcelonas, Real Madrids of this world? Change is a pain but in the end it mostly turns out as a gain. Anyway what’s the worst that could happen?
It doesnt seem right that we should be relieved that Ramsey goes off injured. We haven’t won a game that he has been in this season, and for some reason Wenger keeps playing him, and he hasn’t performed consistently. You don’t need to be on 8m a year, to realise that he should only be played in non vital games as he simply has not made the grade for the first team every single game.
Horrid result.
However, I’m concerned our treatment room may now welcome the OX, Koscielny, Mustafi and Ramsey.
Ramsey can go.
Arsenal messes up when they shouldn’t.. it’s becoming boring and frustrating. Win 5-0 then the players watch Federer’s win thinking watfords game is already won, useless! Now all the pressure is on us come Saturday
I am kinda glad I had lots of work today and almost forgot about the match. Wish I could delete the result from the title race too but no, some things wont change till Wenger is still here. No matter if he is on the sidelines or in the stands, just get him out of there. Ozil is one of my favourites but I dont care if you have to let him go too but cant take this anymore.
i have been saying this for along time sell ozil iwobi better number ten we play with one player less with ozil giroud is our only center foword no crosses inside the box without him only pullback
Yeah Walcott…a real game changer. 10 Years, no change. Told you people not to get excited by the 5-0 the other day., and his hat trick.
Not for the first time Ramsey gets injured or pretends to be when Arsenal are losing. Yeah right as if there is balance in midfield when he is playing.
Last two months we’ve been saying you can’t keep starting slow and expect to win games with 30 minutes left, it will catch up with you.
So one small positive I hope to take into Saturday is Giroud goes back to being a super-sub. Start with a front three of Sanchez, Welbeck and Lucas – at least they will get after teams from the get go.
Funny how despite the cupboard being empty in terms of experienced midfielders, I don’t think many of us shed any tears about Ramsey limping off. Is Elneny back for the weekend?
This team is really hard to figure out… watch us smash Chelsea on the weekend to keep us all our hopes on life-support for another few weeks.
Boooooo and Boooooooo again.
Iwobi was our stand out player, he deserved his goal and Ramseys injury has to be the highlight of the night for me, I just hope his out for months rather than weeks lol.
Fair play to Watford, they showed our fair weather mob how it’s done in the pouring rain.
Walcott the big ego he has comes on with half sleeve shirt in the cold and rain and does what? The Manager has persisted with this guy for 10 years to become a top top player, and we’re still waiting same for Ramsey but 5 years.
Ferguson would’ve kicked both guys out the team long time ago or get them to pull their socks up. It’s all to easy being an Arsenal player, no pressure from Manager.
the reason Wenger allways play Ramsey because he on giroud is the only players who make them self available inside the box the rest like to stand outside waiting for the ball
An How many times has Ramsey actually done anything good in the box. As soon as Giroud gets first 11 back he stop moving on the pitch. Alsp Walcott is bad, I’m shocked how people after 10 years don’t see this.
Its a shame that we are happy when we lost a game match because others drew! Such a shameful thing to say. Most fans here were already planning about the Chelsea game like Watford would just allow us to be rolling the ball in the net,someone even predicted 4-0 win. And I kept shouting that we should all focus on this game. I can’t remember the last time we played so poorly in many games in a single PL season,why can’t these players be motivated before a game match,why is the same thing always happening repeatedly this season. So Wenger and Bould can’t motivate the arsenal players? If we played well and lost,we would understand that its pure luck,but this abysmal display in front of the home fans,I pitied those that was in that stadium in the cold today,the players owe them an apology.
When the fixture list came out, I thought we needed to be five points ahead heading into the last three games of the season if there were a chance for us to win the title exactly because of the games like this.
If Arsenal were five points ahead with last three games being Manu,Everton and Stoke, you know there is a bigger chance of a screw up than winning the title.
Absolutely pathetic show. We will loose Sanchez in the summer and who on earth could blame him?
Through rot starts at the top and bleeds downwards
Wenger, hopefully will do one and leave the club but the sad fact is that this will change little about the clubs ethos and ambition. We’ll struggle to get a manager with any ability because anyone with any nous wants to win things not just settle for fourth spot. The rot starts with the board not even
North at the managerial level, yes Wenger aids it but he not solely responsible for this horrific state of play. It’s all set up to NOT set expectations too high cos that would mean we would have to spend money on winning even higher accolades and NOONE wants that kind of scenario at board level. I would love to see Wenger go but don’t expect the likes of Simeone to come in his stead or anything much else to change.
SO in two midweek games, Chelsea drop 5 points against Tottenham and Liverpool. We drop 5 points against Bournemouth and Watford and they are 9 points ahead of us.
Just remember…Wenger said there are no excuses this season. That this is our best chance of winning the title, team is more mature average age is higher.
What a disgrace. On the positive atleast AFTV will be good.
Why is it that in most games we start so slowly and don’t even have any shots on target in the first half. What sort of team talk and instructions does Wenger give before a game.
Also, for the few games that Ozil turns up and plays well and influences the game I won’t be sad if he goes and that’s a shame because he is obviously talented but we just don’t see it often enough. As for Ramsey after all this time surely even Wenger can see that it just isn’t working.
Haven’t been on here in a while….
Sad to say it’s same Arsenal really!!
Injury to Ramsey who WAS rested…
Correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t Wenger recently say this is the best attacking side he’s managed??
First half 0 shots at goal
Nuff said ?
Wenger likes talking sh*t, Henry and co wouldn’t a half without a single shot on target, or goal. these now are bunch of average players trying to win the Wenger trophy every year
I don’t understand it – if you want to experiment, surely you wait until you’re 3-0 ahead and bring on the experimental players in the last 15 minutes, not bring them on to begin with, wait until half time and 2-0 down, then try to win the game … Bellerin Ox should’ve both started, with either of Walcott, Perez … and Danny Welbeck .. whenever he was….
center foword wellbeck rw Sanchez lw Lucas number ten iwobi ozil bench
Wenger got it all wrong tonight the man has lost his way. Nothing more to say than he must go.
when i say we have the weakest midfieldin the league people think I’m crazy we can’t play true pressure onl after our opponent relaxed we played better no one on our team can beat a player one on one accept Chamberlain
For Chelsea NO Ramsey
Not even on the bench
Oxlade and Adelaide will do.
Cech
Bellerin…. Koscielny… Mustafi… Montreal
Coquelin….. Oxlade
Walcott…… Ozil……. Lucas
Alexis
SuperSub : Giroud
It’s just simply not working out, all over the pitch. Giroud, since he first kicked a ball for us, has followed up great patches of goal scoring with being a complete lamppost, Walcott, Ox, are the definition of overrated, Ramsey is horrendous, Cazorla is always injured now, Ozil plays well when he feels like it, Gabriel is not Arsenal quality, we have no true top striker STILL since RVP left. It’s just not working, and we keep going around in these circles and keep giving average players chances. Great, let’s all pat Ox on the back after an FA Cup performance, knowing full well that if we were to give him a handful of games in EPL he’d be terrible. This is why Ramsey started, but the problem is he is also terrible. Too many overrated players at Arsenal and nobody is willing to get tough on them. Maybe they just need a mentality is change is all, but that is never going to happen under the current management. But for me, many of these players epitomize the WEAK Arsene Wenger mentality that has plagued his many squads throughout the past decade. It’s really a shame the fans put up with this.
Do we ever learn?
After 5 minutes, I had a feeling that we were going down, because, once again, we failed to start strong. We have only ourselves to blame.
Fans can take them lightly, but the players can’t. They are not paid astronomical amount of money to do that.
Now, how can we expect to beat Chelsea after playing, so many times, with no hunger, focus and running and chasing?
Gabriel shouldn’t have started when Bellerin was available.
Ramsey was unlucky for the first goal, but responsible for the second. Injury seemed to be an excuse; he looked like he just didn’t want to play anymore.
Ozil and even Alex were poor in their passing, lost the ball too cheaply.
Iwobi was better on the left in the second half, but after moved to DM role, disappointing. I don’t see why he is favored over Perez.
It’s a pity we couldn’t utilize the pace of Walcott.
I can understand we didn’t play Welbeck. But love to see him against Chelsea.
Overall, we didn’t have the quality. Pathetic.
It is very painful to see Arsenal losing points in such a silly condition. Now I realized that it is difficult for Arsenal to win titles as far as Wenger and Ramsey are existed in the club. How Ramsey is allowed to start over the better players in the position?. I don’t understand the reason. I am tired of wenger’s wrong decisions and Ramsey’s poor performance. Uh…
Arsenal……. big time bottlers.
The season is over, why? We can never beat
Chelsea at the bridge.
Bring on 2017/2018 season, the current campaign is over.