Where Do Arsenal Go From Here...?

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Wilshere Isn't World Class
Have I fallen asleep and missed the part where Wilshere became the greatest ever player to play football? He is very talented and has huge potential but seriously people need to get a grip. I saw Didi Hamann get slated on twitter for saying he's not world class at the moment. But he's not. World class is players at the very top of their game in their position, Messi, Ronaldo, RVP, Xavi, Iniesta, Buffon etc.

Is Wilshere currently better than Fabregas or Yaya Toure?? No. Has he even been better than Lampard or Gerrard this season? No! He is going to be quality but let's wait a while before calling him world class like everyone did with Rooney (who isn't either by the way)
Rob EFC (Haven't mailed in ages so please publish)


Are The Fans To Blame?
I decided to write this letter before the Munich game because one result or another the fans and press will be acting in the extreme ("Arsenal's season is over", "Arsene knows best", etc, etc). But reflecting on the season I've noticed one thing. Our fans are our biggest problem (and Gervinho--I kid).

Our fans forget that a fan supports the team through thick and thin. One bad result and its the end of the world. The knee jerk reactions are idiotic. Does it hurt not winning trophies? Obviously. But what fan is entitled to a trophy? A fan cheers for their team...a fan shares experienced with their team...a fan hopes and prays that "this is the year!"

Our fans have made the playing atmosphere at the Emirates almost untenable. I live in the States and watch every game. I borderline get chills when I hear "Come on Arsenal" bellowing from the stands and see our boys playing with energy, purpose, and heart.

But unless its 6-1 we feel like a club that is always one result away from Doomsday. Now is the time to get behind the team and manager even more. As a fan I'm hopelessly optimistic. I'm going into the Munich game with visions of Champions League Glory in my head.

I started watching Arsenal in '95 when I was 9. I've known a lot of great years with this club. I tried to emulate Henry in my back yard growing up. But my love for Arsenal is like a marriage--in good times and bad.

So all of you who don't share the same love, go get a divorce and support a team who will buy you your next trophy and not earn it.

Come on you Gooners...
Jonn Carter


Why Qualify?
What is the point in putting so much emphasis into qualifying for the CL if you can't then compete when you're in it?

Surely if this season has taught Arsene anything it'd that he should be resting players in the league and CL matches where we have no chance and playing his strongest team in the COC and FA Cup.

It's time to accept that we are no longer a big team. It's been the case for 6 or 7 years now, but it must have finally hit home now.

Of course of this is the case then they won't be able to charge £62 for cheap tickets any more but the ship has sailed on that one. Like Carolyn mentioned in the mailbox this week, the fans are voting with their feet. I don't mind us being an average team, but tickets need to be priced accordingly.
Adonis (good thing Steve Bould has sorted out our defence) Stevenson, AFC


Feel Ashamed, You Made Jack Cry
To the board, Wenger and most of the players last night I say this: your lack of ambition, drive and implementation of tactics made Jack cry last night and for this sin, most of you have to go or seriously buck up your ideas.

It's not that we were beaten by a better team, its that we never looked like we believed we had a chance, that we didn't appear to have a plan to counter their attacking strengths or break through their defence, that players didn't seem to know where they should be (Ramsey first goal), or who they should be marking (too many incidents to bother highlighting). Based on the quality of players on the pitch I would expect us to lose / get a draw, but we just never looked in it.

The time has come for Wenger to go, as he is clearly not instilling the right mindset in the players or tactical instructions before or during the game. Please let him resign gracefully in the summer and provide the new manager with sufficient funds to make this team great (or at least competitive) again (70mil should be able to get us a top quality centre back, defensive mid and striker which would be a good start). Had Wenger had the funds for the last couple of seasons I would have trusted him to rebuild the team, but the rot has set in so deep that a change is needed to signal a change in mindset, show ambition and stop the exodus of our brightest talent.

When Wenger does go, I will be the first to sing his name, thank him for his contribution and cheer his appointment in another role at the club....... but he still has to go. I just can't bear the thought of our best English talent in years leaving.
Noddy


Some Conclusions
It was a sobering night for Arsenal against the invading Bavarians. Ten observations on the game:

1. Bayern were great to watch. Could easily have been watching Germany in their pomp. Ruthlessly efficient and dangerous on the counter attack.

2. It was fascinating watching Bayern defend. When Arsenal probed they were snuffed out pretty quickly when Bayern closed the spaces. Bayern cut out the passing lines and gave Arsenal no options. Arsenal barely had a shot in anger in the first half.

3. Wenger's team selection didn't help matters. They were severely disjointed with Cazorla on the right. Vermaelen looked awkward at left back. All three Bayern goals came from the right hand side, which is no coincidence.

4. Walcott was poor playing centre forward. Granted he had a big task but he struggled to hold the ball up against top class defenders. He had his best moments when he played out wide. He might be able to play through the middle against also rans in the league but he doesn't cut it against top class opposition.

5. Mandzukic did what Walcott couldn't. Held it up really well and his involvement in controlling a long pass on his chest, laying it off and sprinting into the box to score was pure centre forward heaven. Maybe Giroud could have offered Arsenal something similar had he started.

5. Ramsey is pants. The game passed him by. Showed a lack of awareness from Muller's cross by following Mertesacker and Koscielny into the box when no Bayern players were in front of him leaving Kroos free to score. He's a poor man's Tom Cleverley.

6. Kroos looks a quality player. Has serious tonk in that right foot and gets into very good positions. 9 goals this season. The German Lampard?

7. Arsenal's defending for the corner which led to Muller's goal was beyond belief. It was like watching a bunch of hungover Sunday league players decide they'd have a go at zonal marking. Everyone bar Arteta stood watching the ball as it came in. Why was Arteta the only one marking? Funny that he was marking Muller who scored the rebound.

8. Wilshire was Arsenal's sole shining light. Was busy as ever and showed real bottle when he kept battling at 2-0 down. His face in the post-match interview was a picture. He looked distant and downtrodden.

9. The advertising hoardings were a bit comically unfortunate, asking "are you UEFA champions league level?"

10. Loved Bayern's all black kit with the sinister red design on the chest. They looked menacing, which suits them. They could well win it this year.
Brian, MUFC, Dublin.


...I sat in the very end seat next to the noisy away fans last night at the Emirates and witnessed The End. Not just the end of our Champions League campaign, but the end of any pretence of Arsenal being a Champions League side anymore. So thoroughly were we second best in every conceivable facet of the game that never has the word 'defeated' sounded more apt.

And totally defeated we looked by the time the final whistle blew. Not least, but certainly most worryingly, Jack Wilshere whose body language from the time the 3rd goal went in was one of a man who was thinking 'Did I really work so hard to get back from injury for this?' Am not sure how they pick themselves up for the next game or who we should bring in to provide some much needed pep. Although Tomas Rosicky was the only player who showed any sign of enthusiasm when coming on as a sub and should definitely start the Villa game.

Come the end of the season I fear we will see the end of Arsenal's run of finishing in a Champions League qualifying spot and hopefully the end of the tenure of Arsenal's third greatest manager of all time.
James Page


Arsenal Need Rosicky
Now that we seem to have beaten all desire to shoot from range out of Santi Cazorla, is it going to be down to Tomas Rosicky to save our season again? He plays with similar pace and enthusiasm to Wilshere, but he can also deliver a tasty mega-hoon from distance when the opportunity arises. To see the two of the spend some time on the pitch together would be quite exciting.

His pass to Walcott just after he came on yesterday demonstrated what he gives us. Where other players take 2-3 touches and slow moves down, Rosicky knows what's in front of him, knows when he should run with the ball and when he should pass, and does it f***ing quickly. I just hope he stays fit and Wenger plays him in the middle, where he's at his best.
Ross (will anyone realistically want to buy our captain this season?) AFC London


They'd Be Top Of The Premier League - http://stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/PR/sndhalf.html
I know this has no actual meaning at all and I hate myself for even bringing it up but...does anyone know where Arsenal would be if the season was just second halves? We have been a different side completely in the second half in all big games and there must be some statistics to show.

Just curious.
Anonymous


Making Up Numbers
Sometimes a team will be beaten by a superior team. This is what happened to Arsenal last night. Unfortunately, due to a combination of reasons that Arsenal supporters have not been made aware of by the club for reasons of their own the club, in a footballing capacity, appear to be happy to just make up the numbers in the Premier League and Champions League.

Everything surrounding Arsenal has been analysed at length recently both in the media and on internet forums but all I have to say really is that if the football club are happy to not use all the means at their disposal to attempt to improve then they are really not worth spending your money to go and watch. So I don't any more.

Finally, when I saw that Wenger was playing Ramsey on the wing and Walcott up front then I just knew that there was no chance of winning. That formation has not worked out before so why would it work against probably the best team we're going to face this season? Bring on the 4th place trophy.

Have a nice day.
Cliff Mallinder, AFC


Oh, Andy
Something was said, not good. What was it? I am starting to think that I have imagined it, that maybe my memory is questionable. Surely a person paid handsomely to educate the public on football wouldn't have made such an utterance? Last night as I sat down to watch a Bayern team that included the talents of Thomas Mueller, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Franck Ribery, Arjen Robben, Manuel Neur, Javi Martnez and Toni Kroos I heard Gareth Southgate say something along the lines of 'although Bayern are a solid team they don't have any match winners and the Arsenal players won't be looking at a certain player and thinking he could cause up problems'. Bring back Robbie Earle is what I say.

The actual match commentary didn't improve much with Tyldsley's usual patriotic patronism schtick in full flow and there was one remark from 'see it, say it Townsend which riled me. After watching non-match winning midfielder Toni Kroos slam in a volley from the edge of the box Andy proclaims he has yet to see Kroos really dominate a game, will tonight be the night he finally shows what he is capable of? At least he didn't use the brilliantly tactical 'take the game by the scruff of the neck' analysis. I think he has been showing what he is capable of all season Andy, in one of the greatest midfields in Europe, for a team 15 points clear in their league. If a match winning performance against the Arsenal is all it takes to prove yourself a great player then Rory Delap would have multiple Balon D'ors!

What quality programming do ITV acually produce? Reality TV/Celebrity wannabe contests/talent shows and football analysis that could be improved on by Tim Lovejoy are not things to be proud of.
Michael (End of Rant) Colman, MUFC, Dublin


...Should pundits/commentators be unbiased?

Andy Townsend last night...'Go on Jack' when he was through on goal and 'Oh No' when Bayern scored.

This is the same bloke who asked the question ''Snakes on a plane? What's that all about?" while on talksport.

Other nuggets from last night were, 'the cross was whipped in with genuine pace...' (what the hell does that mean? GENUINE pace? What as opposed to artificial pace? Or fake pace?) And 'They certainly wouldn't have wanted to be two down in 20 mins...'

Sigh. is it too much to ask/wish/pray for a Robbie Earle ticket touting style fall from grace?
TJ (Count how many time Andy Townsend says 'That's better!' in any given game...last night there was 14!)


No Pity
I will start off by saying I'm no Arsenal expert or historian and I did have to research some of this, but bear with me. I'm 24, and in the last 24 years I have seen my beloved Newcastle United win the Championship and the Intertoto cup (remember that?!).

In the last 24 years Arsenal have won 5 top division league titles, 5 F.A Cups, the League Cup, 5 Charity Shields and the Cup Winners Cup. Newcastle have only ever won the F.A Cup 6 times and the Top Division 4 times in their entire history.

Although I can see where Arsenal fans may get their thinking, I can't even remotely feel sorry for them. This "no trophy in 8 years" is getting rather offensive to probably a lot of fans who don't support sugar daddy football clubs or Man U.

Good luck in Munich though. Sincerely.
Ben Owers


B Grade
So Arsenal will be knocked out of 3 cups by:

Bradford City
Blackburn Rovers
Bayern Munich.

That's three Bs. I'm afraid that's the new standard at Arsenal. B grade.
Sami Magoon (It was meant to be)


Mourinho To Coventry?
So as far as Sarah Winterburn is concerned, if Jose Mourino is to return to England next season his options are limited to Chelsea, Manchester City and possibly Manchester Utd. To which I say, why? What would be the point? Mourinho has already proved, 3 times, that he is capable of taking over a big, wealthy club and keeping it in the style to which it has become accustomed. Where would be the point, what would be the challenge, in doing it for a 4th time?

Taking over at Chelsea or Man City would merely be an act of minding the store, keeping things ticking over for a couple of years. Mourinho could only be the loser - these clubs and their boards and fans see success not as a bonus, or a reason to celebrate at the end of the season, but as an entitlement, which I suppose is understandable given the money they've spent. Anything less than the Premiership title and/or the Champions League would be a failure.

Surely it would be better for Mourinho's reputation, ego and CV to take over a sleeping giant - Newcastle, Liverpool, Spurs, Arsenal, even Villa - and start restocking their trophy rooms? If he wins trophies he's a legend, a genius, a miracle-worker; if he doesn't, it won't reflect badly on him and he will still have entertained us in the process. If he REALLY wants a challenge, then we'd love him to take the currently vacant Coventry job - if he can win anything at the Ricoh, he truly is the Special One.
Tim Russell (Coventry fan)


Wenger Should Go To India
I have a suggestion for Arsene Wenger. This is assuming that his time in Europe as a top quality manager with revolutionary ideas are over. He should move to a place where Football is catching up (and a place socceronomics predicts will have majority football fans in a couple of decades). Welcome to India Arsene. There is a league here (I-league) which is new and growing. Time someone came and revolutionized the manner in which football is run in the country. Anyways AW's time in Europe is effectively over.

By coming to India it is a win-win situation as he still becomes a great manager who revolutionized the way football was run in a club and also a new flavour to football is brought to a country which boasts of the second largest population yet cannot qualify for the world cup. Either ways in 15 years when Indian football becomes better (Assuming arsene comes here and does what I believe he can do here) and AW reaches a situation where he is no more a top quality coach, he'll be old enough to hang his boots (At the age of 79 perhaps?) and settle in a village in France with all plaudits and riches.
Aravind, CFC, Chennai.


Gloves
I've just done honestly 7 minutes research on this and cannot find a single reference on eufa website, fa website, within the laws of the game or anywhere which suggests a limit or a real definition of what constitute's a "Goalkeepers Glove"
Surely then a baseball catchers mitt or even a 1990's "Gladiators" style glad hand would be better for shot stopping.

F*cking ay I say!
Martin "of to the copyright shop in the morning" Ansell


Fortunately It's Nick's Day Off
Things must be tense in 365 Towers this morning. 6-1, ouch!
Chris (Good job we spent all game defending at the weekend), BWFC