So just one day until our almost-table-topping clash with Liverpool. It’s a big game – big for this season and this team, big as it’s 20 years on from Anfield ‘89 (”it’s up for grabs now!” and all that), and big as I think most Gooners dislike Liverpool even more than usual right now because of the Champions’ League defeat last season.
Wenger and van Persie didn’t shy away from talking about that defeat, with Wenger re-opening the Babel-penalty debate, insisting it was “a dive” (with apologies for the spoony music on that link). I agree that it was a dive, and that Liverpool always, always get exceptionally lucky with refereeing decisions at critical moments when they’re at home (and often away too), but I also think if Toure hadn’t flailed around quite so much then it would have looked even less like a penalty. It’s much easier for the referee to award a penalty when the accused defender appears to be doing some form of hippopotamus-inspired ballet derivative around the attacker.
Still, no point crying over spilt hopes and dreams, is there? Tomorrow’s game could have a big impact on the league season and Arsene is pulling his best Raging Bull impression. The caption on that photo is incorrect. It should read “Big Bad Wenger-Bull butts that bastard Benitez’s bony Iberian bum bloody hard”. Here’s what he had to say:
I am confident that we can beat anybody. If we played Barcelona tomorrow I’m confident we can beat them. I believe that we were vulnerable at some stage to a different kind of game and we have rectified that. In the time coming up we can show that we can deal with that.
It is firstly a concentration problem and secondly because we face a different style of play; much longer and much more direct. It looks to me the main reasons. I believe we are more vulnerable to that type of play.”
I like the sound of the past-tense in reference to our abysmal showings against the lesser teams (you’re meant to put “so-called lesser teams” there, but come on, this is Arsenal we’re talking about so let’s not beat around the bush of SkySports cliches). “WE HAVE RECTIFIED THAT“. About time too. If he really has then there’s every chance this season could yet come up smelling of roses. And big-eared or golden-crowned trophies too. What do they smell like? Success, probably. What does success smell like? Blood, sweat and cheers? Ribbons?
More worrying was that Arsene said that beating the big teams (like Liverpool) was “compulsory” for our season. It’s one of his favourite media-words and it is almost always a harbinger of doom. “It’s compulsory that we don’t draw loads of games against crap teams 1-1 all the way through February and March… oops.” “It’s compulsory that when we play brilliantly and get ourselves a goal ahead we don’t brain-freeze and end up losing the game… oops.” “It’s compulsory that we keep Flamini.” You get my drift.
Team selection: Assuming Nassers is back, I’d like to see Almunia, Clichy, Djourou, Gallas (who tends to swap sulking for scoring in games like this), Sagna, Nasri, Cesc, Song, Denilson, Ade, RvP.
Yes I did just put Song in midfield and Denilson on the right. Got a problem with that? No it didn’t make me feel good about myself, and yes I’m aware that this isn’t one of our more distinguished midfields but what else was I meant to do? It worked against Chelsea didn’t it?
I suppose other options would include Vela on the left, Nasri on the right and then you’d presumably want Denilson in the middle – call it the Anti-Song selection. It would also have the advantage of pitting Nasri against Dossena who, as discussed on Arseblogger’s superb Arsecast yesterday, is absolutely terrible. I guess you could play around with Eboue, Ramsey, perhaps even young Wilshere, but would you really want to against Liverpool? Really?
Would be great to hear your opinion on tomorrow’s team.
Arsene also said he wants to give Arsenal the “gift” of the Champions’ League. Thanks Arsene, that would be really lovely. How did he know that’s what we always wanted? Has he intercepted our Christmas letters to Santa? Is he Santa? It would certainly account for our poor run of form, and for the fact that so far he hasn’t found any “special” players for us to buy in January. Too busy with his little elves?
What else might we find on the Wenger-sleigh? The quote I am clinging to about January is: “the Board let me do what I want to do. I know how much money I can spend and I will try to do it in a wise way.”
It sounds cool and clinical and calculating, like he’s going to bust open his incredible £400 million chequebook, sign the entire Man Utd team then the Chelsea team, sling them all in the reserves apart from Vidic and Essien, who will be allowed to play having been put through a rigourous anti-bastardising programme involving Bob Wilson and the movie “Fever Pitch”. Sounds like a good solution to me.
In the unlikely event that this doesn’t actually happen, I will of course stand corrected.
Tags: Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, Liverpool, Rafael Benitez
December 20th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
One thing the past four years has taught me about Wenger is don’t believe his comments. There is absolutely no evidence that “we have rectified” anything, we will be dreadful and drop points to lesser teams so long as we don’t have a big and horrible combative midfielder who will protect Cescy and let him do his magic, a proper right winger on our books and a new commanding centre half. Until then, we my friends are in all kinds of trouble.
As for the game tomorrow, I hate the way people are thinking we’ll win and we win in big games because we totally struck lucky against United and Chelsea…we didn’t do so well against the other Top Four team…Aston Villa, did we? Let’s go to tomorrow’s game with humility as we shouldn’t put too much hope in an Arsenal team which has been so badly neglected in strength and depth by its deluded manager.
SORT IT OUT WENGER!!! OPEN YOUR CHEQUEBOOK AND SAVE OUR SEASON!!! Sorry about that.
December 20th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
SACK WENGER. He’s lost the plot. Song is worse than I am! Where is the class nd power of Seaman, Adams, Keown, Viera, Gilberto, Bergkamp, Pires and Henry?
Lost it completely. He must go.
December 20th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
thanks for your views dan. of course i wasn’t suggesting that there is any evidence yet that the problem has been rectified, simply pointing out that arsene says he’s dealt with it – let’s just hope he has, eh?
i would agree that we got a bit lucky against united and chelsea but that doesn’t take away from the fact that we also played much much better against them (especially united) than we have done against everyone else.
i don’t think wenger’s deluded.i don’t think he’s perfect either and he’s made a lot of decisions which i would question. still, i think he’s done enough for the club that he deserves not to have fans calling him deluded (even if they do disagree with some of his policies/decisions).
i’m yet to hear even the most optimistic arsenal fan say that we shouldn’t strengthen in january. what i am interested to hear is some reasonable suggestions for exactly who this team needs (and i’m not saying the players aren’t out there). who are these players that can “save our season”?
everybody agrees that we need a dc and a dmc. but who? if you read fan sites like le grove they actually can’t come up with very many convincing suggestions for those positions specifically. many of them you look at and you think “really? is he really going to be that much better than what we’ve got?” the grass isn’t always greener.
December 20th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
dave, give me 5 good reasons why wenger should be sacked (none of which can include “we’re not as good as we were in 2004″) and the names of 3 potential successors who you think would do better than him.
December 20th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
ribery alonso alex all experienced quality ship out the dead wood denilson song eboue bendner not good enough for the arsenal we wanna be a big time team gotta have big time players time to act arsene otherwise its payin for 4th spot and bye bye cesc
December 20th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
i think AW favorite media words are “i have confidence we….” ” i have belief we… ” “i have faith we…” “i have trust we…” AW NEVER says “i know we..” he should have a team good enough to say ” i know we can win the league”. he could have said that with last years team if we were totally healthy. but this year he knows he cant win with this team. he is putting faith in a team that he has built, because this is the best he can do with his system and policy..once AW says “i know we will…” then he will have a winning team, maybe in january we will get an “i know…” coach..
December 20th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
“by getting an “i know ” coach…” i meant he will buy some players and can confidently say “i know…”
December 20th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
sorry, iamkalive, i wasn’t aware that having a championship winning team was such an exact science. maybe we should appoint you?
December 20th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
there is no dought wenger must buy in january,but there defence is looking alot better,but its as bad as people think,arsenal to me need a world centralk midfielder delinson,song diaby are good but they need time they realy have not played first taem football,but evon when they badly they still creat a few opportunuties but its more the case the team miss willcat very badly,they miss width and pace,and both ade and rvp have not hit form yet edwardo should be back very soon,right now arsenal have conceeded more goals than top 4 and have scord the least,they do need dm and i think the fact wenger tried to sign at least 5 players whuch is strong indication that he will buy at least 1 player i hope he buys a winger and a dm
December 20th, 2008 at 6:34 pm
Apologies for stating the obvious, but it strikes me that it needs stating.
When Arsene Wenger talks to the press he is talking to the players. Just because he says that he believes they are good enough doesn’t mean he actually does.
But he can’t admit that what he’s got is not good enough. That would be crazy.
December 20th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Good point as always James. Would be interested to know your thoughts on team-selection for tomorrow.
December 20th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
yeah he shows arrogance and i believe he thinks were all fuckin stupid playin players out of position is wrong and signing some experience is what we need and a player who runs at players and penetrates defence we havent got that at the moment!
December 20th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
who do you suggest john? arshavin perhaps?
December 20th, 2008 at 7:54 pm
yeah arshavin would be a good signing to replace hleb. then i suppose some experience to partner fabregas maybe scott parker he will battle all day long?
December 20th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
Wenger has completely lost the plot do not be fooled by his pathetic coments.Song most improved player yer right he is losing touch and living off his reputation , can you imagine sir alex or the speacil twat jose playing song in thier team no way!.danny fitzman the most powerfull man at Arsenal has stated thier is enough funds to by the player players if he wants.we read the board were alarmed by recent results this season and have urged wenger to spend – wel thier you have it if we fail this season it will all point to wenger and he will have two choices spend big or step down , we are falling behind we must be aware we could finish outside the top 4 this season it will be a disater all for that tight git for for not spendinga few quid , his youth policy will be tarnishe by the football world , where will this leave our great club ?
December 21st, 2008 at 3:57 am
Thank you Grabs (for your response) and thanks John for highlighting the player we need…Mr Scott “the Mop” Parker, sure he’s not one of these flavour of the months like Veloso, but he will come in and add some quality and something different. Mind you I think Alex Song rupturing his cruciate ligaments in training would actually improve our chances of getting fourth place (let’s face it, that’s what our aim has become). Of course I wouldn’t wish that on the lad, maybe a long bout of homesickness instead.
As for the right winger I suggested…maybe an actual winger rather than a player playing out of position like what Walcott (even Wenger’s maintained he’s a striker), Eboué and Denilson have had to endure would be a significant improvement. Unfortunately Wenger bottled out of signing the natural option for this position Shauny Wright-Phillips.
Centre-half is going to be difficult, as a good back four need a good commanding presence, Matty Upson is a candidate but would he be able to come in and immediately take the situation by the balls? I don’t know. That’s why I’m not the manager. All I know is Wenger has to take action, I wouldn’t care if he drops a host of players and plays the likes of Nordtveit, Emmanuel-Thomas and Simpson for a few games at least it’s something rather than watching players who are all hype and no product like Song and Denilson f*ck up our campaign.
December 21st, 2008 at 9:05 am
Team-selection. F**k, I don’t know, to be honest! It really depends on Nasri, being fit, but even then its a toughie.
If RVP hadn’t won us the match at Chelski I’d be inclined to say we should play 4-5-1 with Diaby behind Ade, because I’m certainly worried about Liverpool being stronger than us in the middle. As I’ve probably said before, I think Song is a 4-5-1 man; a proper holding midfielder with no attacking nous.
But after the Chelsea game it would look more than a little foolish to drop RVP or move him wide.
If we’re playing 4-4-2 I think I’d be inclined to play Nasri left and Diaby right (or vice versa), with Denilson in the middle, although I’d be cacking my pants about Gerrard for the whole game.
Sometimes its easier, I think, when you’re forced into a team selection in these big games (a la Man Utd).
If Nasri’s fit then we’ve got Denilson, Song, Diaby, Eboue (and arguably RVP) as the square pegs vying for 2 or 3 positions.
Sorry, I notice that things aren’t much clearer after mmy little ramble.
This is probably why Wenger is manager, and I’m not.