Football Focus

[SeanMacGabhann]

geez - just over a week ago we had a couple of on the bounce wins to put us breathing down Chelsea's neck and were set fair

Just a week later and because of 2 bad defeats (which doesn't put us out of anything) people are saying Wenger should go?

This whole 5 years without a medal business.. trust me, when Wenger does go Arsenal will enter a period of significant decline, and all Arsenal fans will pine for his reign again. In that 5 years we have come close on a number of occassions despite moving stadiums and paying off that debt. The club is consistently there or thereabouts and is financially secure and self-sufficient in a way no other club at the top is

I only hope he chooses when to go and doesn't get pushed out by fickle punters.

[Sandperson]

You may be 'financially secure and self-sufficient' but there are holes in the squad that could be filled by buying some world class players and it seems that Wenger refuses to do so. Every one of those five trophyless seasons you've been a couple of players short of a world beating squad. I don't think most fans see Wenger as a failure, just as a stubborn man who refuses to admit the obvious. For that reason alone, and bare in mind the board have said he has money to spend with no problem at all, he should be questioned in his role.

[Emerson Crane]

Not suggesting he is fired, simply stating that our approach needs to change. As a gooner that has suffered and experienced great highs since 1968, I'm eternally grateful to Wenger for what he has brought to the club, we simply need to rethink our approach to compete with our main rivals.

I've never said we'd win the title this season, but I simply want us to challenge seriously from game 1 to 38.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Oh everything isn't perfect by any means and I agree we are short of a couple of world-clas players

And yet and yet... they don't just grow on trees and buying them means we lose that financial restraint. And even then, buying them guarantees you nothing. On balance I like what we do - even if weeks like this frustrate the hell out of me

[Ladygooner]

We are 3rd in the league - 2 points off the leaders and joint top in the champs league group. We will win at home against Belgrade and go through to the next stage and no one will remember our loss against Braga away. Arsene Wenger should stay

[Sandperson]

The problem is that Wenger is a manager, he wouldn't take an umbrella role in my opinion. So you either stick with him or get shot. It's not a good situation to find yourself in as I think he's one of the all time greats.

[Jah Lush]

Oh yes get rid of him. Go on get rid. I'm dying see you in decline.

Jeez! Ladygooner has got it right. A couple of bad results does not a season make.

[Emerson Crane]

I've not said he should go, I just think he doesn't have a plan b when we are swimming against the tide. And at the risk of sounding like the proverbial broken record, we need a quality keeper (in fairness to Fabianski neither of the last two losses were down to him), another central defender, somebody to take on the Viera mantle as he has never been adequately replaced since he left, and another striker. Bendtner didn't play as well as he talks last night, no surprise there, and a few other players didn't get out of second gear.

Right now, apart from Guardiola and Mourinho, there are no top quality managers out there capable of stepping into Wengers shoes.

[Emerson Crane]

Jah Lush Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Oh yes get rid of him. Go on get rid. I'm dying

> see you in decline.

>

Oh alright then!! Is 'Arry free, maybe he can do for us what he did for Pompey, West Ham, Southampton. :))

[Jah Lush]

He's not doing too badly now though is he. And he won the FA Cup for Pompey and got them playing in Europe. Perhaps if you watch Spurs tonight we'll show you how's it's done.>:D

[murphy]

It has been the same problem at Arsenal for years, four key positions have needed to be filled and even if Wenger had had joy in two of them Arsenal would have won some trophies. Arsenal play great technical football but Wenger seems to think every player he signs has to be technically perfect, they don't. Sometimes you need to compromise and find the right type of player with the right attitude that will more than make up their lack of technical ability.

The following isn't necessarily a serious list of who he should have bought, I am sure there are better options, but add say Given, Parker and Crouch to the Arsenal team and they would be better and have more steel/character in the team than they do now.

goalkeeper (Given, Schwarzer)

centre half (tough centre halfs aren't hard to find)

defensive midfielder (Scott Parker)

extra attacker (target man. Kevin Davies, Peter Crouch)

As Wenger saw how good Bould, Keown and Adams were just can't understand why he is so scared of buying someone who isn't technically perfect. Perhaps if Dein was still there he could have persuaded him. Anyway Arsenal would be mad to get rid of Wenger.

[Emerson Crane]

Jah Lush Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> He's not doing too badly now though is he. And he

> won the FA Cup for Pompey and got them playing in

> Europe. Perhaps if you watch Spurs tonight we'll

> show you how's it's done.>:D<

Ok it's a deal, but do you think they'll show us how to win the title, or is a case of 61 never again? ;-)

[Jah Lush]

Same old Atila. Turn the record over.

[Emerson Crane]

Jah Lush Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Same old Atila. Turn the record over.

Just joking with you buddy, lighten up.

[Ladygooner]

Jah Lush Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Oh yes get rid of him. Go on get rid. I'm dying

> see you in decline.

>

> Jeez! Ladygooner has got it right. A couple of bad

> results does not a season make.

Thanks Jah - women always know best!

[Jah Lush]

In this case, yes your Ladyship.

Anyway balls to Rangers v Man Utd. If you want entertainment the game to watch tonight is at White Hart Lane. Come on you Spurs!

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

You're probably right Jah, too many injuries at Rangers to make the Man U game much fun tonight.

[Mick Mac]

Rangers games are rarely fun. ;-) But they can be remarkably resilient.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Oh b******s. Penalty deserved, though I don't think it was a malicious tackle - Naismith seemed to be going for the ball and completely oblivious to Fabio (which is poor footballing anyway you look at it). But did it have to be Rooney? He's so damned smug!

[Mick Mac]

I did not see it but in general I don't think penalties should decide football matches especially if there is not a real goalscoring opportunity.

From the bit of the match that I did see Rangers were typically difficult to beat, so hats off to them PGC. A good effort.

However - for MU fans - here's the last time you came to Glasgow and were humbled by the little Japenese ....

 

[Narnia]

Yeah.......you need a drink Mick.......you make much more sense.Roll on the 27th!

[SCSB79]

Peckhamgatecrasher Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Oh b******s. Penalty deserved, though I don't

> think it was a malicious tackle - Naismith seemed

> to be going for the ball and completely oblivious

> to Fabio (which is poor footballing anyway you

> look at it). But did it have to be Rooney? He's

> so damned smug!

I thought there had to be "intent" to award a penalty? In that sense, Naismith was hard done by. However, we were very lucky not to have been penalised in the first few minutes for Davis' challenge on Berbatov, which I thought was a clear penalty.

Miller had a couple of chances that could have changed the game.

Real bonus tonight was seeing Hutton perform very well - a real prospect.

[red devil]

Peckhamgatecrasher Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

He's so damned smug!

You mean like this...

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50140000/jpg/_50140106_4231215.jpg

Double Bubble...Utd in, Teddy Bears out :))

[Emerson Crane]

Peckhamgatecrasher Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Oh b******s. Penalty deserved, though I don't

> think it was a malicious tackle - Naismith seemed

> to be going for the ball and completely oblivious

> to Fabio (which is poor footballing anyway you

> look at it). But did it have to be Rooney? He's

> so damned smug!

You'd be smug as well if you'd held your club to ransom, got what you wanted, got away with saying he didn't think the club was able to succeed without buying better players, AND the Manc fans actually let you get away with it. Smug doesn't cover it.

[kpc]

SCSB79 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Peckhamgatecrasher Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

>

> I thought there had to be "intent" to award a

> penalty?

See Law 12 - if the referee considers the challenge to be careless or reckless it is a foul. I'm sure Naismith had no intent but it could certainly be argued to be both careless and reckless. Harsh, but correct.