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circatee

Contributor
Nov 30, 2014
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Brendon Rogers taking advantage, and getting a new contract. Priceless.

The coming weeks will be rather interesting at Arsenal.
I know they say one should not make rash decisions. But, I feel we, Arsenal, need to do something (not sure what), soon.

As of today, 8th Dec, we are 10th in the league, and do not play till Monday.

Imagine falling into the bottom half of the table, and sliding further down. Ugh, depressing thought...
 
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Scepticalscribe

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Jul 29, 2008
63,834
46,281
In a coffee shop.
Brendon Rogers taking advantage, and getting a new contract. Priceless.

The coming weeks will be rather interesting at Arsenal.
I know they say one should not make rash decisions. But, I feel we, Arsenal, need to do something (not sure what), soon.

As of today, 8th Dec, we are 10th in the league, and do not play till Monday.

Imagine falling into the bottom half of the table, and sliding further down. Ugh, depressing thought...

What is more depressing is that - right now - the club's results for the past two months have been close to relegation form.

Agreed, one shouldn't make rash decisions; but one should make serious and thoughtful, and strategic decisions.

Agree, too, that Rogers played this situation superbly. Sharp guy managing an excellent team that have improved considerably since he took over as manager.
 

Silencio

macrumors 68040
Jul 18, 2002
3,447
1,552
NYC
It's going to be a make or break week for OGS at United. Poch is available and seemingly interested in the job, United have two derbies — the Mourinho Derby and the Manchester Derby — between today and the weekend, the squad is facing even more key injuries — Anthony Martial is unavailable to play against Spurs tonight, no idea if McTominay will be back, either.

Aced it.

Having key players like McTominay and Martial back certainly helps. They are like multiplier effects for Fred and Rashford, respectively, and you get a clearer sense of OGS’s vision when they’re playing and on form.

They still need to find a way to break down the lesser teams that just pack it in and defend. I’d like to see Pogba playing higher up when he comes back to help address that issue.
 

Apple fanboy

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Feb 21, 2012
55,099
52,715
Behind the Lens, UK
Brendon Rogers taking advantage, and getting a new contract. Priceless.

The coming weeks will be rather interesting at Arsenal.
I know they say one should not make rash decisions. But, I feel we, Arsenal, need to do something (not sure what), soon.

As of today, 8th Dec, we are 10th in the league, and do not play till Monday.

Imagine falling into the bottom half of the table, and sliding further down. Ugh, depressing thought...
I shouldn’t worry. Monday nights opponents won’t put up much of a fight. Or we will have a great performance.
One or the other. We are great or rubbish. Nothing ever between.
 

Scepticalscribe

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Jul 29, 2008
63,834
46,281
In a coffee shop.
I shouldn’t worry. Monday nights opponents won’t put up much of a fight. Or we will have a great performance......

Actually, I think our forwards will do creditably well, and our goalie - left endlessly exposed by a ludicrously static and stationary defence busy admiring the view - will also play well.

However, as for the rest of the team.........


...One or the other. We are great or rubbish. Nothing ever between.

These days, we are rubbish or we are rubbish.
 

pachyderm

macrumors G3
Jan 12, 2008
9,911
4,821
Smyrna, TN
There are certain football clubs which engender a smile, whenever one hears their name, or, reads their names in print: Teams with names from the Victorian era, such as Hamilton Academical, Brighton & Hove Albion (yes, they defeated Arsenal, but I would prefer to see their splendid and quite wonderful Victorian full name used when the team are mentioned), and, of course Sheffield Wednesday, all fall into this list.

Accrington Stanley?
 

Lord Blackadder

macrumors P6
Original poster
May 7, 2004
15,662
5,496
Sod off
They still need to find a way to break down the lesser teams that just pack it in and defend. I’d like to see Pogba playing higher up when he comes back to help address that issue.

The low block plus pacy counterattacks has paid big dividends against the bigger sides, but does not work as well against more cautious opposition (i.e. most of the league). I have no beef with OGS, but I still think Poch would make Man Utd a more balanced threat, more capable of winning against both "big" and "small" opponents. Given enough time, and if he truly has the talent, OGS might be able to get there. For the moment he has created good vibes, but if the club remains where it is right now it ultimately will not be enough. He's done better than most would have expected but he has still not fully convinced.
 

Scepticalscribe

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Jul 29, 2008
63,834
46,281
In a coffee shop.
Big game tonight for West Ham and Arsenal. Both need a win desperately. Don’t think our manager will survive a defeat.

If ours hadn't been appointed (albeit temporarily) so recently, I might have said much the same thing, although, in general, Arsenal don't make a habit of sacking or firing managers, as the club tends to prefer some element of stability.
 

Apple fanboy

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Feb 21, 2012
55,099
52,715
Behind the Lens, UK
If ours hadn't been appointed (albeit temporarily) so recently, I might have said much the same thing, although, in general, Arsenal don't make a habit of sacking or firing managers, as the club tends to prefer some element of stability.
We don’t get through managers as much as other clubs either. But I think a big defeat tonight would be the end.
 

circatee

Contributor
Nov 30, 2014
4,427
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Arsenal and Relegation. Well, you certainly don't hear those words in the same sentence too often.
Let's see how we do tonight...
 

Scepticalscribe

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Jul 29, 2008
63,834
46,281
In a coffee shop.
Arsenal and Relegation. Well, you certainly don't hear those words in the same sentence too often.
Let's see how we do tonight...

No, agreed, one doesn't.

But, our (Arsenal's) form for the past two months has not just been poor, in fact, it has been utterly dismal.

Re relegation - and for the past two months, Arsenal have been producing relegation form football - Arsenal have been in the top flight for a century - since 1919 - which is quite a bit longer than any other club.

But, the team is currently lying eleventh in the table, a position I doubt they ever held under Mr Wenger.

For now, the saving grace is the goal-keeper and also, the forwards, both of which are excellent.
 

circatee

Contributor
Nov 30, 2014
4,427
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On MSNBC Sports a moment ago, I just watched Freddie's interview. He seems to be bolstering some confidence. Well, we will see in 10 minutes...

No, agreed, one doesn't.

But, our (Arsenal's) form for the past two months has not just been poor, in fact, it has been utterly dismal.

Re relegation - and for the past two months, Arsenal have been producing relegation form football - Arsenal have been in the top flight for a century - since 1919 - which is quite a bit longer than any other club.

But, the team is currently lying eleventh in the table, a position I doubt they ever held under Mr Wenger.

For now, the saving grace is the goal-keeper and also, the forwards, both of which are excellent.
 

Scepticalscribe

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Jul 29, 2008
63,834
46,281
In a coffee shop.
On MSNBC Sports a moment ago, I just watched Freddie's interview. He seems to be bolstering some confidence. Well, we will see in 10 minutes...

Agreed.

And I don't doubt that he has some good ideas as well as an encyclopaedic knowledge of the club.

However, for a start, I'd settle for a less static and sleepy and stupidly inert defence.
 

Scepticalscribe

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Jul 29, 2008
63,834
46,281
In a coffee shop.
Wake me up, if we score. My goodness...

No, @ivanwi11iams, the problem is not if we score. With this team, in fact, I expect them to score, as - most of the time, this team manage successfully to put the ball in their opponent's net.

Rather, the problem is if - or, rather, worse, when - we concede.

Offhand, I cannot recall the last time Arsenal managed a clean sheet.
 

circatee

Contributor
Nov 30, 2014
4,427
3,000
We are playing awful. Even Ozil is moaning constantly.
Honestly, we need to get a bloody grip!
 

Silencio

macrumors 68040
Jul 18, 2002
3,447
1,552
NYC
Arsenal look absolutely dreadful. They are going to need a significant turnaround in desire and effort to get back into this match.
 

Scepticalscribe

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Jul 29, 2008
63,834
46,281
In a coffee shop.
Well there’s been a goal. But not by your lot!

Indeed.

And, I hesitate to say that I have almost predicted/expected this.

We are playing awful. Even Ozil is moaning constantly.
Honestly, we need to get a bloody grip!

Arsenal look absolutely dreadful. They are going to need a significant turnaround in desire and effort to get back into this match.

Yes, and yes.

But, none of this is new.

It is the culmination of a slow rot and deterioration that has been in place fr at least four years now; only, the trajectory is grim, and, since the disgraceful collapse at the end of last season, thee has been no sign of any improvement, or any attempt to address very obvious shortcomings on the pitch.

Arsenal will be lucky to salvage a draw from this; until recently, draws could be expected on a routine basis, but I suspect that they are beginning to acquire that losing habit.

As I remarked a few posts earlier, this is relegation form football.
 

Scepticalscribe

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Jul 29, 2008
63,834
46,281
In a coffee shop.
Well, well...

Yes, well, well.

All the plusses (an excellent Leno and an excellent - once they start to concentrate) forward line, plus a few extremely good individual performances - and minuses - falling asleep, that brittle, and static and porous defence.......that we are more than horribly familiar with.

However, that inane cliché "(football) is a game of two halves" seems unusually apposite here.
 
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