Are Arsenal In Freefall?
Arsenal (1) - (1) Aston Villa
Bendtner (94′)
The Emirates Stadium, London
It’s hard to know whether Arsenal are in big trouble or just weathering the storm.
Since the ‘none performance’ at Old Trafford, Arsenal have failed to win, drawing against AC Milan, Birmingham City and now against Aston Villa. In that time, Manchester United have draw against Lyon, and thrashed Newcastle United and Fulham.
The fact is Birmingham City and Aston Villa are games that we should be winning. Obviously the horrific injury to Eduardo has influenced the performances of the last two games but the problem is I’ve yet to see the ‘fight’ the players have promised Eduardo. They’ve vowed to win the league for the stricken teammate but against Villa there wasn’t any evidence of that on show.
Only a couple of weeks ago we were 6 points ahead of our nearest rivals, but now United have reduced that to a solitary point.
I guess the result of Tuesday’s matches will have a massive influence on the title race.
Yesterday though, Aston Villa caused all sorts of problems and Manuel Almunia made some excellent saves to keep Arsenal in the game. Once they went one ahead the pace of Young and Agbonlahor was a constant threat on the counter attack and while Arsenal made some decent openings they were just lacklustre with their finishing.
Finally though Bendtner scored the equaliser in the fourth minute of injury time to rescue a point.
Talk about a massive few weeks. Arsenal need to get back on track and find that winning feeling again!
March 2nd, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Have faith. The team have done better than anyone had predicted sinc ethe start of the season. They will get the winning mentality back as Toure and RVP return. By the way, was it St Totteringham’s day yesterday?
March 2nd, 2008 at 3:54 pm
The Birmingham game was a wash because of what happened. Villa are a tough opponent, we have loads of injuries, yet we still managed to come away with a point. Teams that are of championship caliber find a way to hang on and salvage something from nothing. We have had a few poor poor performances where we couldn’t get things going, but where we managed to salvage at least a point. The ManUre game was an anomaly, we played a weakened side in a game few cared about with one eye already on the Milan tie. We played very very well against Milan and were unlucky not to get all three points. Milan showed nothing in that game…now going into the match on Tuesday Kaka is still injured (but will probably play) and Seedorf will be out. We should have Rosicky AND RVP back both with fresh fresh legs.
March 2nd, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Technically not yet for St Totteringhams. If Spurs win all their games, we lose all ours and their goal difference improves from 4 to above ours (currently 36) they will come above us. Next week, I predict, 2 weeks at most.
March 2nd, 2008 at 4:02 pm
If Arsenal are in free fall it’s obvious who is responsible.The warning signs were there earlier. The failure to strengthen the defence could yet come back to haunt Arsenal I’ve no faith in Senderos.
March 2nd, 2008 at 4:05 pm
I wouldn’t describe it as freefall - the team is struggling, but still got something out of the game. Maybe they were trying too hard yesterday and thus ended up being less effective. Milan will find some way to patch Kaka up and get him out on the pitch and hopefully that game free from OTT ‘tackling’ and incompetent premiership referees will allow them to relax and play their game.
March 2nd, 2008 at 4:07 pm
I am not worrying so much about this. This draw is as good as a win because we should have lost here today. These undeserved points when we play badly are what championships are made of. I rate Villa very highly. With these players & with O’Niell at the helm they will be a force for the next few years. We should not be downhearted about this result at all. In every winning season we have had a short run where we have drawn instead of won. The last few seasons we have lost these types of games. With 10 games to go we have been the best. Lets keep the faith here.
On another note, with all the doom & gloom it seems that people have forgotten that at just before 5pm yesterday, it became St. Totteringham’s Day.
Cheer up everyone.
March 2nd, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Not in downfall but struggling to get back to winning mentality that lacked in the previous 2 games..againts Milan there was great winning mentality but againts Brum and Villa was not seen in any Arsenal player.
Hope Wenger can install the winning mentality and attitude in the players. And Arsenal should attack and try to score as many goals as possible from the start till end like MU does to kill of opponents early.
ARSENAL ROCKS!!
March 2nd, 2008 at 4:40 pm
The truth of the matter is that we have overachieved and now showing signs of what we are made of-Glass, like the coach Wenger , made of glass and NO BALLS.
Helb, Eboue and Ade are pissing poor players. Helb cannot shoot, Ade for his height, is the worst header of the ball I ever see, and Eboue, enough said.
Until Wenger gets his finger out of his ass, and get some like benzema, a true winger and a central defender, then maybe we might have a chance next year.
Next year will be even tougher, as Liverpool, Spurs and Villa will strengthen and challenge.
March 2nd, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Arsenal were robbed last week, and this week Villa were robbed.
But ironically if the games had the right results (Arsenal beating Birmingham, and Villa winning yesterday) then we would be better off! Since we’d have 3 points from 2 games and not 2 points.
The problem is Arsenal just draw too many games.
It was a good comeback yesterday, but it looks like the team are having the same form as last season now. Conceding the first goal and then having to nick a last minute equaliser. We’ve lost our early season form and look tired now.
March 2nd, 2008 at 4:57 pm
At the end of the season Wenger will say that wev’e improved on last year. In the programme yesterday he said he’s not going to buy a striker I think most will agree that we need one you can never have too many especially good ones not mediocre ones like adebayor and bendtner yesterday was a load of crap and we looked like a middle of the table team which we have been since the first half of the away game at villa.. At the beginning of the season I tipped them to finish third (an improvement on last year) now it looks I am going to be proved right..
March 2nd, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Jason and Danny
In case you 2 Manc/Spuds supporters hadn’t noticed - we are still top of the league!!
March 2nd, 2008 at 5:34 pm
In India lot of people are Arsenal fans and they respest Wenger very much. But irony of fact is that Arsenal can not become champion with such a weak team. Let Adebayor score 100 goals, I will never accept him as a good striker. He can not be the main striker. Helb is useless, can never score. Eboue is horrible. Fabregas is highly overrated, he can never be Ballack or Lampard or Scholes or Vieira. Flamini is so so, still I rate Gilberto as a better player. Experience counts. Walcott has no standard and very unlucky. Arsenal can rarely win with Walcott on the field. In the entire squad, only two players are really quality players and they are RVP and Rosisky but unfortunately both are out for most of the season. Edwardo was also quite good. Wenger should have taken atleast one striker and one central defender in the team. He is very adament. Since people say they Wenger spots young talent and convert them into world class players, it has gone into his head. He is really spoiling the team. If Arsenal wins any trophy this time, it will be a miracle.
March 2nd, 2008 at 6:16 pm
oh dear, Gilberto is good? Whenever he play I would worry about his inacurrate passing. He is most OVERrated of all time in the Arsenal entire history.
Toure, Sagna and Flamini are the most consistant and impressive in their position. The rest are just being too weak, overrated and inconsistant, that include the captain as well, WEAK.
I hope I am wrong, Arsenal will not win the title this season.
March 2nd, 2008 at 6:43 pm
yes, gilberto is over the top and we should have got rid of him
Wenger is just a stubburn coach , it is unbeliveable. he will not win anything . he should have strengthen in the JAN market and kept Darra
unless most of you guys get your heads out of teh sand, wenger is tehman to take us a level up
March 2nd, 2008 at 6:54 pm
either you guys are WUMS or you are just stupid - how come we’re top of the league and only lost 1 game if we have such a useless team and manager. Grow up.
March 2nd, 2008 at 7:17 pm
re danny,manas & jason-at least have the balls to admit your MUGS(manure geezers)when you come on this site slagging players off-with brain dead comments like that you couldn’t possibly be anything else-why not try some shit stiring on your own crappy manure blogs hey!!
March 2nd, 2008 at 7:41 pm
why is it, when someone critises wenger and the team, they are automatically a scum or man u supporter
we will not win the league and be taken to cleaners by milan
March 2nd, 2008 at 10:02 pm
Agree with Danny, why can’t fans voice their opinion without being branded scum supporters?
Gilberto better than our current midfield? You’re having a laugh. Unfortunately Gilberto is passed it and probably cost us all 3 points at Birmingham the other week - he gave the ball away so many times in that last 5 minutes.
Just hope the team can turn it around because we could be looking at another trophyless season again.