There have been many debates about the various problems Arsenal have had already this season and no doubt there will be many more. The Arsene Out Brigade and the Arsene Knows Best faction may never see eye to eye but when the team are struggling on the pitch, the debates are always more strenuous and heated.
The AOBs have recently had the upper hand because of the way the Gunners have stuttered so far in the Premier League as well as failing to win the Champions League group and suffering an early exit from the league cup. But a few good performances and results have swung the pendulum back to the AKBs a bit and now the Arsenal star midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has added his own voice to those Gooners that are fully behind the Prof.
Whereas Mathieu Flamini laid a lot of the problems this season firmly at the feet of our bad luck with injuries, which is a fair point in my book, the Ox has gone the other way and stated that the players have been responsible for some of the worst moments, like the first 45 minutes at the Britannia stadium.
He told the Evening Standard, “It’s a hard one for me to say what I would say to the fans. I understand their frustration. I would definitely say that and they are completely entitled to their own opinion. They pay good money to follow us around and support their club.
“I am sure they have supported us for a number of years so they are definitely entitled to their opinion and I can understand their frustration. But I wouldn’t put that on the manager. We have to stand up ourselves as players.
“On that day [at Stoke], it wasn’t the manager’s fault we went 3-0 down like we did in the first half. It was us as a group of players — we were not at the required level. On that day, it would have been harsh for a fan to completely blame our manager. As players, we are adults and we need to stand up and take some of that blame ourselves.
“All I can say is from my point of view, Arsene Wenger is an unbelievable man off the pitch and as a manager. He’s been brilliant for me in my career and I can say that for a number of players at this club. He has helped us massively and so it is not just him to blame when things go wrong.
“It is us as well as footballers to take responsibility but he would say the same thing in the same position as me [speaking publicly]. I am sure he will take responsibility because that’s what a great manager he is. All of us as a group need to work together to make things go the right way and we are trying to do that.”
To be fair to Wenger, it was not a tactical problem against the Potters, just an all round bad performance from the team. But there have been times when Arsenal have been naive or slow to adapt to a problem. Is that the fault of the players, or should Wenger have them better prepared and act faster from the touchline?
He needs to pick the right players and rotate them. Better tactics. Shared blame.
Oh, please!!! Why blame the players? We’ve all been saying it: Blame Mr. Nobody!!!
finally! Something to argue about ……..phewwww
I blame wenger, the players and the fickle AOB for arsenal’s failures
Yeah, me too. Have you seen my Unicorn?
Your unicorn is with your pal haywill
The OX is WRONG Wenger is at fault he is the manager and get’s paid 8m a year so the buck stops with him. In a recent interview Wenger said he more or less he won’t be going into the Jan transfer market. This is a big mistake on his part, this goes to show that the Arsenal Board and Mr Wenger are quite happy being a 4th place team plus last 16 in Champions League and the odd Cup. This means big dividends for the share holders and to HELL with the fans who spend their hard earned cash supporting Arsenal. Something has to change otherwise Arsenal will always be an also ran team.
Who can we blame in a few years time
when OX and the likes decides to leave Arsenal to City or Chelsea and their excuse being “not enough trophies and money” Like all our great players have left us,
we are not asking for much just the right amount of players that we need we know we can afford it.
Alexis our best player by far this season don’t even talk to the media, but why are our brits doing that when they should be following alexis lead
Alexis
Cazorla
OX
In that order.
Woh woh woh!
Carzola has had 3 good games and he is our 2nd best player?
Before he decided to turn up for work this season he was terrible, misplaced passes and row Z or scuffed weak shots.
Welbeck has been working his boots off week in week out, have you seen any of his heatmaps? the guy is a striker and is back in our box making clearances or chasing balls down deep in our own half.
We would not be where we are now if it hadn’t been for some of the shifts Welbeck put in.
Credit where it’s due, don’t be throwing accolades around after 3 games from a player who had a mediocre season before those three games.
When is Arteta expected to come back?
I say share this blame has a team…from top to bottom and that means us fans too….I feel some positive vibes in our club tho dont matter what the AOB says these players respect wenger…he started the season with this stupid 4-1-4-1. And it clearly failed so he changed it..and right now im happy with our formation maybe not all the players at this point but I think our formation is the way it supposed to be….say what u want to about ozil but with him in the middle he knows when to keep it simple when to go forward wenger is wrong on alot of things but when he says ozil is very effective to this team he is….stay positive fans..we are arsenal.upwards and onwards. ..arsenal for life from Jamaican
Wenger put ozil on the wing for his development one thing i dont get is how the fans dont see that Wenger done the same process with Wilshere, I remember when Monreal was caught out at the back post from a set piece and ozil didnt cover he just jogged abit n let monreal get beat, that would be video evidence for Ozil to learn and work on his duty to defend instead of giving him Candy like a baby n letting him be lazy in the middle not tracking back for the team its a learning process im 100% Wenger knows ozils best position is in the centre he followed him since Shalke its obvious but Wenger develops players into world class after seeing Ozil in the world cup and coming back after the world cup i coud see he defended alot more helping out monreal on the flanks and putting in alot more effort only then once hes showed his duty in defending will he be given his free role in the middle.
I dont know boit y’all but the arteta I’v seen the last games he as played as been very good positionally…I mean he’s not the beast of a DM we need but he as look really good especially his last game
Three injuries already this season for arteta so can only see him in a squad role,be a great player to bring on especially when we need to defend a lead.
Maybe the players should give back there weekly pay for every game they lose ?
This can then be used to reduce ticket prices
Your asking for a riot,
saying that you do know if we don’t make CL the players salary will be reduced ( clauses in their contracts) thats probebly why we just make it every year 😉
Off topic
Just wondered who had seen the sky advert where the ex pros ‘souness’ carragher’ redknapp & Neville are all talking about our king…
It makes you realise the talent he had and the respect he brought throughout the world..he was in my opinion THE greatest player ever to grace the premiership ( and that’s not biased!) and the advert only evokes memories of a time when we had the world of football at our mercy.. Proven by the invincible season..
Although he can never be replaced- I’m just wondering if Wenger can unearth or mould someone into an arsenal superstar like henry..?
I doubt it somehow as most of the players Wenger nurtures either become shite or is sold to our rivals!!!
I’d love to see arsenal produce a player like Henry (a true superstar) even a great defender someone that is ‘world class’ that actually stays at the club.. Currently we have Sanchez, but he was made at Barca…
I have hopes that the OX can become great, time is on his side but our boss might hinder his development, I’m not sure..?
One thing is for certain- our king hasn’t been replaced and the only thing Arsene can do to redeem himself would be to mould or unearth a new king, who one day, all the pundits and fans alike can once again marvel at his/their greatness…
Sanogo meant end up being the new henry.
You had it here first
might*
Hope there was sarcasm in that statement…?
Why not it took TH a few months to score his first goal, I remeber beginning of his first season he was awfull he was missing balls kicking the ball with his shin he realy was crap until his first goal around Christmas and then there was no stoping him, credit to AW he took a lot of stick from fans telling him to get rid off him thank god he stuck with him and we know the rest.
Please….!!!!
what???
Well we produced fabregas, sold him, then turned him down and now hes at chelsea with more assist then our whole midfield combined.
*sips tea*
Well, you should understand that we hv quality players like cazorla, rosicky, ozil as seniors in that position. We also have those starting to show their worth and real talent there like ramsey, ox, jack. Add to that our academy playera like zelalem. I think it is fair enough for wenger to fight and give more chances to these players than buying a player who left us for his ‘boyhood’ club at our most fragile time when he was holding the honourable, mighty captain’s arm band.. anyway, who cares about chelsea’s player..
*gulp a glass of beer*
Will never happen my man…..but I think performance like first half at stoke.6-0 at Chelsea 5-1 at….wait forget that 1..but performance like those I definitely this that should pay for all the fans tickets
To OX I say, player vs player (atletico vs arsenal) who’s better individually? Arsenal by a LONG mile, so there you go, you need a manager who will get the best out of avg players (atletico)
Not make world class players avg!
La liga ain’t pl m8
My though exactly,
Did you know Aparently there are so many great players that won’t come to the PL becouse it’s a tough legue.
Very noble of Alex-C to support his manager, let`s face it it wouldn`t do his career much good criticizing now would it? Many of Wenger`s problems stem from his own stubbornness and poor decision making, the players just do as they`re told. Occasionally you get a talented `johnny rebel` who seems to forget the instructions and does his own thing, very successfully I might add.
With that kind of skill and determination it is hard for the bureaucracy to over look it. I refer of course to Alexis Sanchez. We need more with his attitude.
Yeah dortmun just draw.
Get klopp fast, he is world class.
Dont give us stories, boy. If Arsene prepared well for the season, we would not be in this mess.
I dont give a damn what Rookies say about Wenger. Let us be honest, they have to speak in his favor to get them selfs some brownie points. Its Wenger who awards them with money they would probably never be able to win somewhere else.
Its simple pointles to listen to players, even so why dont we get the chance to hear something from Podolski, Rosicky or Cambell?
What i am, and always was interested to know was how our former greats thought about Wenger. Them not believing in the team and Wenger is a clear indication of everything which speaks against the Wenger.
He must be off. Wenger out.
Its both fault players and Wenger its simple as Wenger not on the field and the player can’t pick the team #nuff said
Admin I said I won’t make another Wenger out comment until after January transfer window, but with many more articles like this that ain’t going to happen.