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Time Is Up For Arsene
I'm writing this as the embers of the London derby between Arsenal and Chelsea is slowing burning out. After being a fan for 19 years, I knew what it feels like to see your club, in my case, Arsenal, winning trophies as all big clubs should. But as I was watching the game and then seeing Chelsea running rings around Arsenal, I was wondering if for the past few years, Arsene have been slyly pulling the wool over our eyes.
Sure, the football is pleasing to the eyes, but without trophies to show for, it's hollow and somewhat meaningless. For years now, Arsene has been trumpeting about his young team."Give them time, they'll do well",he said. But with his contract about to end, will that day ever come at all? I doubt so. Times have changed. The time when SAF managed to bring a young team from scratch and built it to a winning team is over. Now money talks and as long as Arsene is still living in his own fantasy world,we're doomed I'm afraid.
But all is not lost for Arsene. If he really like to turn a team of youngsters to a team of winners, without buying big names, he'll be a perfect coach for the France national or any national team for that matter.
As for Arsenal, time to get a top notch coach, someone who have won Leagues and Cups, even the odd Champion League or two, will definitely won't hurt .
Ridzwan (thousand of miles from Emirates,but still hurts like hell) Singapore
Just Not Good Enough
Beaten. Comprehensively. In every department. Don't blame it on Van Persie. Don't blame it on November. We're not up to it. Third best in England; Fourth best in Europe (that will be an achievement).
A word of advice; if you come up against a big defensive wall - you can't go through it; you can't go over it. You have to go around it. Eleven years and counting. We still haven't learned that lesson.
I couldn't make the match because UPS lost my ticket. Maybe they did me a favour. Perhaps they can keep it.
Yours despondently and wishing we had qualified for the Europa Cup (no decent teams in that competition, unlike the Carling Cup),
G Stokey, Ely
...Walking back from the Emirates in the poring rain after getting tonked 3-0.
All I can say is.....
F**k you Wenger and your f***ing stubbornness.
David (too pissed off) Mendez, AFC
The Problems With Arsenal Are...
I know it's a point that's been made several times before and I'm sure I won't be the only one making it in today's mailbox either, but Arsenal really need to toughen up. I sympathise rather than support Arsenal, but it is frustrating to see a side with so much potential not being able to fulfill it just for their lack of grit and determination.
As much as Fabregas is a brilliant player, he just isn't a natural leader. That fact became all too obvious throughout the game as he kept complaining to the referee about Chelsea's at times very physical approach. Cesc just isn't the one you would look for to lift your spirits and take the game to the opponents. It's been said oh so many times before, but Arsenal need a Vieira figure again. Time will tell if Arsene realises that as well.
Fair play to Chelsea, they played well and although the papers will inevitably focus on their physicality, I think they played good football when in possession. If you are the stronger team, that will show anyway yeah?
Iver, Liverpool
Someone's Been Listening To Pete Gill
Remove van Persie from our team and you remove the focal point of our attacks, the pivot around which our movement is based. When fit, he is one of the best strikers in the world but he cannot be relied upon. To salvage something from this season and for the sake of next season, we need to buy a similar player in January.
Walcott is devoid of both talent and brains. He is an appalling footballer, whose entire game is based upon his one attribute: pace. I'll keep saying it till blue in the face; he is a sprinter in a football kit.
Arshavin is undoubtably talented but his attitude is a disgrace. He is sulking, wants to be sold and we should sell him. We should have learnt our lesson by now on how to deal with players who don't want to play for us.
As long Almunia is our goalkeeper we will not win a trophy.
Also, given their persistent failures to condition our players for the rigorous of a season, how are our medical team still in a job? The injuries incured are too frequent and of such a similar nature to be passed of as bad luck or coincidence.
Danny "not happy" Jacobs
A Bit Of Luck? About Time Too
Did Everton outplay Liverpool? yes. Did Everton have the better and clearer chances? yes. Were Liverpool second best in every aspect today? YES. And about f*cking time. I cannot remember the last time Liverpool played that poorly and won.
This year we have played some good football and lost the game. Last season we dominated the majority of games only to drop numerous points versus weaker teams and not really getting the rub of the green.
We've had beachball goals, bad luck with injuries and of course some devastating late goals so when a huge slice of luck lands our way and our keeper is our man of the match and we still win, then I welcome that luck just as much as if we would have thrashed Everton.
Now I am hoping this is some sort of turning point for us to have a decent run in the next 4 or 5 games and see where that leads us.
john king, lfc
An Unhappy Villa Fan Writes...
If I want to watch a load of big dull men lining up behind the ball for 80 minutes, I'll go and watch rugby. I walked out on Saturday actually feeling affronted that Spurs hadn't won - and outside of the Midlands, the only thing I hate more than Spurs is Harry Redknapp. As of now, Aston Villa are not getting one penny more of my wages until my football club stops making me feel like this.
Our players are average and boring, our football is average and boring, and our results are average and boring. I've got better things to do with my life than watch this s***.
Neil Raines
Nicely Done
Fair play Conor, you were right,Spurs couldn't beat Villa at the weekend.
Just one question. How did you get 11 men to stay inside the 18-yard box for 45 minutes?
Rob 'Villa, the Premiership's answer to longbowmen' Davies
And The Not So Nice
So, Conor Byrne was right, Spurs didn't win at Villa Park and they did concede a goal which, to be fair, hardly makes Conor Nostradamus. It has to be said though that I have never seen a team with top four aspirations defend for 75 minutes. That was simply a pathetic performance by Villa, Stoke with a little bit of class. Spurs may not crack the top four but Villa certainly won't.
Patrick Quinlan
...So Conor Byrne said that we wouldn't beat Villa "period". Well can I just say well done Conor, you were certainly right about that. Your majestic team proved how great they really are. However, can I just say that watching Villa tonight reminded me of that FA cup game where Havant and Waterlooville went one-nil up against Liverpool at Anfield then did f*ck all after.
Mailbox compiler, seriously, why do you print mails from this plank? "we all know that Downing will probably show Spurs what they missed and come off the bench to finish them off", "With the usual London bias they get all the coverage and people fancy them to get 4th spot". Right then! What team with top four aspirations shuts up shop with 45 minutes to play? At least we attack when we're playing at home, which can't be said for Villa. Birmingham at White Hart Lane were more adventurous with the scores level than Villa. I honestly can't remember the last time I saw a top six (or any) premiership team put eleven men behind the ball after being one-nil up after 5 or so minutes. "London bias" has nothing to do with your negativity at home Conor my boy, full stop.
I don't think that either team will make the top four however, after seeing Villas display tonight I'm doubting whether they have the mentality to make the top half.
John (too annoyed about negative teams at home to be witty) Painter, Noth London, Spurs
...Dear Mr bloody mailbox favourite
Everyone else might think you're the bee's knees. As a Spurs' fan (it's nothing personal you see mate) I don't. You slag Spurs off quite a lot. I think it's because you're scared we're going to finish above you.
You were right, we didn't win. But we were by far the better side. You said we had a sh*t defence and a soft centre. On the basis of our performances this year, especially away from home, it appears neither are true. Sure, we've had our pants pulled down by Arsenal, Chelsea and Man Utd but if the only teams to do that to us are the ones that finish above us, I'll take that. Whilst I tried to dampen talk of a Champions League place in the wake of last week's 9 - 1, Tottenham Hotspur are doing very nicely under Harry Redknapp thank you very much.
So if I was you, Mr Byrne, I'd keep schtum as far as we're concerned from now on. Schtum.
Andrew, Woodford Green
Hughes On The Way Out?
£120 million has been spent by the City manager on forwards alone however the results are worse than when Sven had the might of Vassell and Samaras at his disposal.
If I were employed by a small firm with a small budget and the firm then merged with say Microsoft I would not be expected to be the CEO in the merger. This is what Hughes/Bowen have had thrust on them and the result is seven draws in a row. Hughes will say we have improved but look behind the 22 points and ask how many did we deserve?
Against Blackburn, Arsenal, Portsmouth, Wigan, Villa, Fulham we were second best and fortunate whereas against Wolves the second half could have resulted in a draw. I feel Hughes has been lucky and if he possessed the luck of say Stuart Pearce we would have eight points.
The problem is how much do the Abu Dhabi group actually know about football?
Paul Carroll
Phil Brown Is Growing On Me
I've a confession to make. I've began to keep an eye out for Hull's results, starting to cheer them on when they're on tv.
I guess I just got stick of all the vitriol Phil Brown was getting. The attitude that he was Lucifer re-incarnate, the worst thing to happen to the premier league, and the reason behind the struggles of Hull.
Reality is, Hull are a small team, with limited resources. Every match for them is a battle for them against opposition who see the three points in the bag.
Brown developed a Jose-esque method of dealing with this, which grated with people, understandably.
But he does add character to the league, in the same way that Ronaldo used to, and Drogba still does. Ronaldo took a lot of flack for his antics, but the league is not quite the same without him.
So I hope Hull stay up, it'll keep things interesting anyway.
Steve (slightly ashamed to be sharing this)
Oooh, Somehow Is Defensive
Conclusions for Manchester United-Portsmouth from the so called 'forgive-nothing' Utd fan
- A team with more quality than Portsmouth would have really hurt us today.
- Ragged is the word that best describes this defensive performance
- Kuszack may just have hammered the final nail into the Fosters casket with that performance.
- Valencia is coming along nicely after all.
- The only thing more ridiculous than Aruna Dindane's finishing was the borderline visually impaired performance from Mike Dean( and yes I know we benefited most from it, doesnt change the fact) .
- Giggs reaches 100 league goals and Mike Dean reaches a 1000 dubious penalty decisions given in the league
- There are undoubtedly several problems in the side and pointing them out does not make one a bad fan. Those of you accustomed to a blinkered existence need to understand this.
AKV
How Droll
Thank god for that, I was starting to worry Benítez might get the boot..
Gaz MUFC
...Adebayor said he wanted to make history with City. Well after seven consecutives draws, I guess all we arsenal fans can say is: Mission accomplished.
Guillaume (have fun not playing in europe two seasons in a row) Paris
