Some team that's worst than the one that played Norwich 0 - 2 Schalke 04

In the last 180 minutes we have managed two shots on target.

Silent Stan was at the Champions League game against Schalke.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-2222722/Stan-Kroenke-watch-Arsenal-twice-days--Charles-Sale.html#ixzz2AGDufCAA

Steve Bould says Andre Santos was "fabulous".

Santos' display ranks alongside Armand Traore's horror shows at Old Trafford in recent seasons (8-2 & 4-0).

I have seen much of the match and applaud most of the criticism and analysis by the Gooners here.

I am all too tired to post my full analysis (to which will be done by tomorrow) but I would like you all to know that it always it the darkest hour before the dawn.

This loss is good for Arsenal and will only bring more positive results from Wenger onto Arsenal.

Wins against Norwich and Schalke would have put us 4th in the table and in control of our champions league group, instead we're 9th and probably need to pick up a draw in Schalke in 2 weeks time.

I'm not massively worried about the overall situation, mainly because of the lengthy list of players to return - notably Gibbs, Wilshere and Walcott - but it's important we get back on track against QPR. Another bad result, and the pressure on the players could spiral out of control. Not to mention what going out of the league cup against Reading would lead to - "7 years without a trophy likely to continue" etc

Not good enough: Vermaelen says lacklustre defending cost Arsenal

'We are really disappointed,' he said.

'We lost on Saturday and wanted to be better today but it was the same story. We didn`t create enough chances to score goals. They got one and then got more.'
'It`s difficult to explain, we wanted to put it right.

'We gave 100 per cent but it`s difficult at the moment because we`re not creating enough chances to score goals.'

Arsenal had just one shot on target while Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Ibrahim Afellay showed them how it was done.

'Teams come here with strong organisation, technical ability and sometimes it is difficult to get through,' Vermaelen said.

Does anyone actually think we'll sign players in January?

I guess we have to wait and see how we are performing going into January, and with (hopefully) several key players back the situation won't be as bad. But it certainly seems, at this stage anyway, that a striker is vital.

A lot of fans on twitter saying if we don't sign a striker in January we will struggle for 4th. With Gervinho in Africa, Arshavin and Chamakh probably leaving and Walcott 6 months away from being a free agent, I'd say a striker was definitely coming.

Samuelj29060 wrote:Does anyone actually think we'll sign players in January?

I guess we have to wait and see how we are performing going into January, and with (hopefully) several key players back the situation won't be as bad. But it certainly seems, at this stage anyway, that a striker is vital.

A lot of fans on twitter saying if we don't sign a striker in January we will struggle for 4th. With Gervinho in Africa, Arshavin and Chamakh probably leaving and Walcott 6 months away from being a free agent, I'd say a striker was definitely coming.

Samuelj29060 wrote:Does anyone actually think we'll sign players in January?

I guess we have to wait and see how we are performing going into January, and with (hopefully) several key players back the situation won't be as bad. But it certainly seems, at this stage anyway, that a striker is vital.

A lot of fans on twitter saying if we don't sign a striker in January we will struggle for 4th. With Gervinho in Africa, Arshavin and Chamakh probably leaving and Walcott 6 months away from being a free agent, I'd say a striker was definitely coming.

Need a striker and one of those attacking players that can play on the wing as well as in midfield sort of like Cazorla.

I like to think that if Giroud hasn't found form by January then we will sign a striker. There's no way we can rely on Chamakh, Walcott is unproven there and might not even be at the club beyond that month anyway, and regardless of Gervinho "qualities", he'll be at the AFCON in all likelihood. Even then, I'm not keen on relying on Gervinho up front unless he suddenly turns into a good player.

If we don't have a new striker then, we are, quite frankly, boned. It's not like there won't be a couple of good exploitable opportunities come January either, what with the contract situations of Llorente and Huntelaar and Adrian's lowish release clause.

I'm all for going the extra mile, too. A quality striker could be the difference between a top four finish and a crap top seven finish. Furthermore, a big money signing would give everyone a lift a la Arshavin in 08/09. I don't think signing Thierry Henry again would cut it this time.

This situation might become more complicated though if we're still struggling to create chances. Then what do we do? Spend less on a striker so we can get another creative player/winger in as well? Break the bank on both? Still a few things we'll have to wait and see on.

I dont look forward January signing, if anything we might sell players not the ones we want gone though.

We have a owner who does not give a shit if we win or lose.

Yeah lack of creativity from flanks and others mids not offering enough offensively is big problem
jack shouldnt be rushed
Need Diaby back badly
how i wish Eisfeld could suddenly become ready for first team to play on right
and not being able to score first

our form yet again becomes as shit as it can get nearing to Manure fixture
lets blame them...cursed

GoonerJay29 wrote:I love a good rant.

AGM will be interesting tomorrow.

He'll talk himself out of this which he always does and he is good at it too.

There is not much to say about Arsenal's performance. Arsenal were not just good enough. If Giroud doesnt improve himself then we will have to buy another striker in january. Gervinho isnt good enough to play upfront, hell he is not even good enough to play for Arsenal. The same goes for Santos. Was easily beaten by pretty much everybody and was not that impressive going forward.

Other clubs are trying to get forward while Arsenal are getting worse every year.

I still feel without a DM is a major reason we are struggling so much Arteta and Ramsey are just not good enough defensively to do the work of an out and out DM.
Putting Coquelin or Frimpong into the midfield take a tonne of pressure away from Arteta/Ramsey and lets them venture forward more where they shine.

Attack still a major issue I think Podolski should be playing through the middle like at Koln where he clearly didn't have trouble scoring. He has also looked dangerous with his link up play and dribbling with Cazorla when he has drifted into the middle.

I haven't watched the last two games and sort of happy I haven't but the issues that have lost us these two matches are probably the same ones we have seen since the start of the season just we are actually losing matches from them now.

We are going backwards, we have had only 2 good games, one vs City and Southampton.

We will have many more games like this against better teams. Instead of giving our players the money they deserve, we shout them up and send them away and raise money to give this donkey face Gazidis a big raise.

Why didn't the board get rid of him, instead of the players who played their heart out to win us games and send up to CL?

What happened to our Arsenal? we used to crush teams at Emirates. No teams used to create as many chances as we did.

Why the hell we have 2 billionaires owners and we still stadium debt? how much do we have to make for this shit face Stan before he puts some money in to our club?

gunnerlistick wrote:

Diego Armando Maradona wrote:What a surprise, arteta again failed to shine in the champions league. Honestly people he is a decent player but he is not the top player fans have been calling him.
Yawn, i dont want to repeat myself but we have too many average players, its that simple. I just want to see cazorla and wilshere play together because thats the only combo we have that can make this team pass the ball brilliantly again. I cannot believe how bad our forward line is, its disgraceful really. We have been playing ramsey on right wing and gervinho as a false 9, thats how bad it is

I saw this against City and Chelsea , If you get tight to him and put him under pressure he struggles to have the same impact with the ball. I think he also misses the physical presence of Diaby or Song alongside him to take some pressure off him.

We underestimated Song so badly that some even thought it would be better if we replace Song.. Arteta and Song was the partnership.. Arteta could cover Songs defensive lapses and Song could have provided the physical presence and also the extra bit of creativity to help Cazorla and the squad..

Schalke are a good team, at the end of the day there's no shame in losing to them.

Art Morte wrote:Schalke are a good team, at the end of the day there's no shame in losing to them.

Oh no Art! there is plenty of shame with the way we played. I accept a 8-2 loss at Old Trafford last year because our squad was reserve quality with paper thin bench. The last 2 matches left really bad taste in my mouth, not because we lost but how impotent our whole team were, no chance created, no urgency, defense sleep walking. When we're down a goal, still played with the same rhythm, Wenger looks like clueless deer ( I stressed again, this is what worried the most, not the results but terrible reaction/ inflexible tactic).

And Bould came out said " We lacked confidence on the ball", what he really wanted to say but couldn't " we lacked balls, yes both balls"

Twoism wrote:

Art Morte wrote:Schalke are a good team, at the end of the day there's no shame in losing to them.

Oh no Art! there is plenty of shame with the way we played.

Sometimes good opponents can make your team look worse than it actually is. Obviously you guys can't be happy about yesterday's performance, but it's not like European minnows came to the Emirates and left with three points. Schalke are a big club and can trouble anyone.

Are people seriously saying Song is missed?

nope, but diaby is

RealGunner wrote:nope, but diaby is

The guy is barely fit. I cant wait for Wilshere to come back. Coqeulin really played well in this match and should be starting more matches.

Are you guys kidding me? Song is not missed? wow.

Diaby is missed?lol he has played 2 games in the last 3 years.


Song is missed, I wish he was still here.

Arteta and Song beat Ramsey,Coq,Diaby.

Jay

So unreal how depressing this is after our fine start.

I want Jack back.

Alan Davies: "I'd like to get a Citroen Picasso & drive Park, Chamakh, Giroud & Gervinho back to France...or into the sea preferably."

Actually agree with him.

Giroud? Really Sam?

urbaNRoots wrote:Giroud? Really Sam?

Why not? Wenger does not know how to use Giroud, and Giroud has no idea what is going on when he comes on.

If we have to sacrifice Grioud to get rid of Gerfartino, Chockmakh and park why not?

I know if we get rid of them Wenger will replace them with quality players, now that I think of it it would be a mistake if we get rid of them. I am afraid Wenger will replace them with even worse players so he can prove us all wrong and turn them in to wcp.

Dont Write Off Giroud after such short time just DONT
GIVE HIM MORE TIME
Then judge him