Goodbye, I Am Official Done With Arsenal!

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What a shambles!

Yesterday morning I knew Arsenal wouldn’t win at Old Trafford. I was going to write an article basically saying that it was guaranteed that Arsenal would bottle it at Manchester United, it was so obvious!

That’s why I ended up working on my house in the morning, and then spent the afternoon / evening with the family. The Manchester United game was a foregone conclusion.

I am like most Arsenal fans, whenever they’re on TV then that’s it – it doesn’t matter what’s happening, I’m watching The Arsenal. And I usually get to around 4/5 games a season (not a huge amount I know, but having the time and money since I’ve had a baby son is difficult). But nowadays I find I’ve been watching them less and less.

It’s just the same old story year after year after year. The acceptance of mediocrity, and the 4th place finishes every single season! We’ve won a couple of FA Cups which is great, but we want more. Are we being unreasonable?

There are several guarantees you will get with Arsenal under Arsene Wenger:

  • We will lose to Chelsea (unless managed by someone as clueless as Wenger).
  • We will lose at Old Trafford.
  • We will finish 4th and celebrate it as if it’s a trophy.
  • We will reach the knockout stages of the Champions League, then progress no further.
  • We will have clear injury problems before January, but then not address them in the January transfer window.
  • We will flirt with the possibility of challenging for the Premier League, but ultimately tail off and be out of the race by February.
  • Then in the summer, we’ll be linked to 4,655,455 players but only bring in one or two – and the one or two aren’t actually in positions where we need strengthening.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

The match at Old Trafford was predictable as losing to Chelsea. We bottle it at Old Trafford and we get caught up in the atmosphere and disappear. It is an intimidating place to go and for the players from the Colney Creche they just get scared. This was a Manchester United ravaged by injuries and yet we got spanked by a young forward I’ve never even heard of. Arsenal always freeze at Old Trafford.

Arsenal has been my life for the best part of 27 years. Through all of the major events in my life, Arsenal has been there for me. The highs, the lows, the historic games – Arsenal was something always in my heart and I will never forget the amazing moments we’ve shared.

But now it’s time to say goodbye. Arsenal are just doing the exact same thing year after year and it’s just boring now. My life has moved on and no matter how hard I try Arsenal are just stuck in purgatory. Arsenal don’t actually do anything except make money and finish 4th. And I’m sorry but that doesn’t excite me. The acceptance from Arsenal fans and the board to just live with this is heartbreaking and we’re in a vicious circle of mediocrity.

Some will call me a plastic supporter but I am anything but. I have no idea how much I’ve spent on Arsenal things – football shirts, mugs, scarves, memorabilia, I have the lot. I’ve got an signed FA Cup winning shirt from 2005, another from the 2014 FA Cup winning squad and other signed memorabilia from the likes of Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Michael Thomas, Paul Merson, Ian Wright and Marc Overmars. I’ve got every single DVD Arsenal have produced, and even some turf from the old Highbury Stadium.

Ever since I was first exposed to Arsenal, they have been my life.

And it is with a heavy heart that I am getting this divorce.

Arsenal Over And Out As They Hit The Self Destruct Button

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Talk before the game was how many goals Barcelona were going to score – would it be 5, 6 or 7?

And while the scoreline was a little more respectable than that, the same scenario has resulted – Arsenal are out of the Champions League.

An in-form Arsenal would have given Barcelona more problems, and would have scored tonight. But as it was Arsenal had too many players off form, and hit the self destruct button in the process.

Olivier Giroud, Aaron Ramsey, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (and Theo Walcott when he came on) were awful and well below their usual standards. Petr Cech, the back five (with Coquelin) and Alexis Sanchez were excellent. Mesut Özil was on the periphery and struggled to make an impact.

But the bottom line is you can’t have 3/4 players under performing, especially against the World’s best team.

Ramsey missed a great chance from Welbeck’s headed knock down, Olivier Giroud’s hold up play and lay offs were very poor and Oxlade-Chamberlain defended well but was woeful in attack – missing a golden opportunity to open the scoring and making poor decisions in passing.

It was a fantastic effort on the whole but we had to carry too many players tonight. Our form has been poor domestically and it doesn’t seem to be improving.

The first Barcelona goal came on 71 minutes, when Arsenal had a 10 minute period of decent attacking play. Giroud had a header well saved and we were causing Barcelona problems. But like a deadly snake Barcelona caught us on the break, delivering that poisonous venom in the blink of an eye. A cross by Bellerin was headed out and Iniesta moved the ball forwards – Neymar was through, squared the ball to Messi and just like Messi can, he waited and waited before scoring from close range.

At 1-0 it wasn’t a total disaster, although it was an away goal for Barcelona which meant we’d have it all to do at the Camp Nou. But then a moment of utter madness killed off the game and the tie as a contest.

A Barcelona cross dropped to Per Mertesacker – who inexplicably tried to lay it off to Mathieu Flamini in the penalty area. As Flamini tried to clear the ball, Lionel Messi nicked the ball and ended up getting clattered. Giving away the penalty was Flamini’s first contribution after coming on for Coquelin and Messi coolly finished the penalty and ultimately, finished off Arsenal.

The contest is over and once again Arsenal are out of the Champions League at the first knockout stage. On the bright side however, maybe now Arsenal can concentrate their efforts on the Premier League and FA Cup?

Absolutely Massive Win For Arsenal – But Leicester Are Still Big Favourites

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What a game yesterday, it had it all – controversial decisions, red cards, and last gasp winners – and fortunately the winner was for Arsenal.

Leicester were fantastic yesterday, there’s no way to get around it. They’ve been brilliant all season and even as an Arsenal fan, I’ve found myself cheering them on this season. Yesterday however it was strange because watching the game, I found myself hating them.

And that’s all credit to Leicester City. They’ve worked extremely hard, both on the pitch and behind the scenes, recruited well and shown that you don’t need to spend stupid money to put out a winning team on the pitch. And the fact that I ended up “hating” them yesterday is testament to how much of a threat they have become – they’ve played some excellent football this season and rattled more than a few cages.

So to the first talking point which was the Jamie Vardy penalty. Wes Morgan fouled Mesut Özil but played on, then Koscielny tried to spear Kante and the referee still played on. Then Jamie Vardy found himself one on one with Monreal, nicked the ball passed him and clattered himself into the Spaniard. In real time it looked like a penalty so in all fairness, the referee didn’t have a choice.

Obviously the replays showed that Vardy “won” the penalty, leaving his leg in and making a meal of it, but the decision had been made and Leicester found themselves leading at half time.

It set up a fascinating narrative – could Arsenal comeback? Or is this were Arsenal’s title challenge would end?

Early into the second half Danny Simpson was dismissed, with two bookable offences. They were both yellow cards and Simpson was stupid to commit those fouls, which were both miles away from the penalty area and were completely needless. If Leicester fail to win the Premier League, they may point to that 5 minute period as the time they lost it – because in all honesty up to that point they were comfortable.

After that Leicester sat deep and we came forward with wave after wave of attack. The problem was because Leicester were so compact we could only push the ball out wide and even though our crosses found Arsenal men, our finishing was woeful. Ramsey, Giroud, Walcott and Sanchez all shanked very presentable chances well wide. It looked like it wasn’t going to be our day.

Then on 70 minutes Giroud did well to our muscle Robert Huth and Wes Morgan to beautifully lay the ball off to Theo Walcott. Theo was quick of mind as well as body to latch on to the ball and coolly finish from 7 yards out – Arsenal’s first shot on target!

After that we went for it and the biggest chance came to Olivier Giroud with 4 minutes remaining. He controlled the ball well inside the penalty area and lashed a powerful shot towards goal – with Kasper Schmeichel making an unreal save with his right hand.

It looked like Arsenal’s chance to get back into he title race had gone until 94 minutes. Nacho Monreal was poleaxed by Simpson’s replacement Wasilewski (who looks like an utter beast of a man!) to give Arsenal one last chance. Mesut Özil who was on the periphery all game floated in an excellent cross for Danny Welbeck to head home, topping off his return to Arsenal in the biggest way possible.

The scenes were amazing and Arsenal had pulled of a win over Leicester they badly needed.

So as it stands Arsenal and Tottenham are 2 points behind league leaders Leicester with 12 games remaining.

We are in an excellent position now but it must be noted that Leicester are still firm favourites. They are still the team in form (despite losing yesterday) and they have no FA Cup or Champions League to focus on. They only have the Premier League to prepare for and for me, that is a massive advantage. I think they have 12 days before their next league game and if you look at their run in, they have all very winnable games:

  • Norwich City (H)
  • West Bromich Albion (H)
  • Watford (A)
  • Newcastle United (H)
  • Crystal Palace (A)
  • Southampton (H)
  • Sunderland (A)
  • West Ham United (H)
  • Swansea City (H)
  • Manchester United (A)
  • Everton (H)
  • Chelsea (A)

Arsenal on the other hand, have some tricky fixtures:

  • Hull City (H) FA Cup
  • Barcelona (H) Champions League (1st Leg)
  • Manchester United (A)
  • Swansea City (H)
  • Tottenham Hotspur (A)
  • West Bromich Albion (H)
  • Barcelona (A) Champions League (2nd Leg)
  • Everton (A)
  • Watford (H)
  • West Ham United (A)
  • Crystal Palace (H)
  • Sunderland (A)
  • Norwich City (H)
  • Manchester City (A)
  • Aston Villa (H)

Plus we’ll have additional FA Cup fixtures if we beat Hull City, and if we progress against Barcelona in the Champions League (Haha! Okay…).

So who do you think will win the Premier League from this stage of the season? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below!

Are Leicester City Favourites For The Premier League?

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For the first time this season, Leicester City are now then favourites to win the Premier League with the bookies. After their impressive wins against Liverpool and Manchester City and managing to sit 5 points clear at the top of the league, the bookmakers have slashed Leicester’s odds to around 7/4 to be crowned champions.

Arsenal and Manchester City are second, with odds at around 9/4.

So are Leicester City now favourites?

As I’ve said they are already 5 points clear and their run in seems to be relatively straight forward. Their remaining fixtures are Arsenal, Norwich, West Brom, Watford, Newcastle, Crystal Palace, Southampton, Sunderland, West Ham, Swansea, Manchester United, Everton and Chelsea.

Out of those games, you could really only say that the final 3 games are difficult – but then again Leicester have already turned over United, Everton and Chelsea this season so they could easily sweep them aside anyway.

Meanwhile, Arsenal have Leicester, Hull (FA Cup), Barcelona (CL), Manchester United, Swansea, Tottenham, West Brom, Barcelona again (CL), Everton, Watford, West Ham, Crystal Palace, Sunderland, Norwich, Manchester City and Aston Villa. Added to that, if we progress against Hull and Barcelona (ha!) in the FA Cup and Champions League respectively, that gives us a lot more games to contend with in the title run in.

So looking at it objectively, the Leicester City game on Sunday is must win for Arsenal – but even then you’d still consider Leicester as title favourites as they only have the Premier League to concentrate on.

So do you think Arsenal can still do it? Or has our poor run of late blown our title challenge?

Leave your thoughts in the comments section below!

Which Team Will Win The Premier League! Vote Here Now!

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So we’re 25 games into the Premier League season, and the Top 5 positions look like this:

Screen Shot 2016-02-08 at 10.34.44

[Credit: Google]

Leicester City are in phenomenal form, recently brushing aside Liverpool and Manchester City in the space of a few days with really fantastic performances. They say that football fans who don’t support Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester City and Manchester United are cheering them on, but I have to say I’ve been hugely impressed with Leicester and hope they do well.

Their excellent performances in this campaign have been rewarded with a 5 point lead at the top of the Premier League table and the Foxes show no signs of wavering yet. Arsenal have had a very dodgy January but a professional performance against Bournemouth yesterday puts us “back in the race”.

So how is this topsy-turvy season going to end?

You would be stupid to write off Leicester because they have shown so far this season they have the desire, motivation and energy levels to go right to the very end. They fight for each other and say whatever you want about ability, price tags and reputations, nothing trumps sheer desire and the will to win. Leicester could win the league this season and a main component would be that the players and staff of the “bigger clubs” – Arsenal included – were too complacent.

This season has showed that no team has gone on a really consistent run and if Arsenal fail to win the Premier League this season, then every Arsenal supporter and his dog will know that it would have been a massive opportunity missed.

So who will win the Premier League this season?

Cast your vote below and leave your thoughts in the comments section!

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