Why Everton Will Demolish Arsenal Based On This Season Alone

Posted on by
23

So here we are, another massive game for Arsenal.

As it stands, Arsenal are in 4th position in the Premier League after having played 32 games with 64 points. Everton sit in 5th after 31 games, and have 60 points.

So the situation is clear.

If Arsenal win, they are well on the way to finishing in a Champions League spot come the end of the season. A draw gives us a theoretical 1 point buffer over Everton (if they win their game in hand) and a defeat… Well that’s not worth thinking about.

The problem is that we’ve been in this exact same situation 3 times before this season and every time, spectacularly failed.

Regular readers will know that I have repeatedly made the same old point over and over again. When Arsenal are ahead of a team in the league, and only need a point to keep a nice distance between them, they collapse is unbelievable fashion.

Against Manchester City, we were several points clear and should have kept it tight and played for a draw. What happened? We played an extremely naive and open game and lost 6-3.

Against Manchester United, we were well ahead of them but somehow managed to lose against the worst Manchester United side in the last 20 years. And a Manchester United side with the worst home record over the last 2 decades.

Against Liverpool, we were 7 points ahead of them and what happened? We lost 5-1. Before Anfield we were 7 points ahead and now we are 8 points behind. That is a massive 15 point swing in the matter of less than two months.

And then we have Chelsea. You would think Arsene would have learned his lesson but no. Once again we play a ridiculous system and end up losing 6-0. In a game where a draw would have kept us in the race, we spectacularly lose.

So why is there any hope against Everton?

Every time we’ve faced a top opponent, and every time that has been away, we’ve lost the plot. We’ve collapsed, we’ve capitulated, call it whatever you want. For whatever reason, we haven’t turned up and had a hiding.

Is it because Arsene Wenger has lost the dressing room? Is it because we need Ramsey and Walcott?

Whatever the reason is, Arsene needs to sort it out because once again we face a top Premier League side in their own back yard. And in the 4 times that’s happened already this season, we’ve completely collapsed and given that side a massive boost in the process.

Liverpool Are Top Of The League Because Of Arsenal

Posted on by
16

As Liverpool destroyed Tottenham Hotspur and end the weekend top of the Premier League, you can’t help but think back to Saturday 8th February – the day Arsenal collapsed in dramatic fashion and lost 5-1 at Anfield.

Before that game, Arsenal were top of the league on 55 points. In fact, the top 5 looked like this after 24 games:

1. Arsenal – 55 points
2. Manchester City – 53 points
3. Chelsea – 53 points
4. Liverpool – 47 points
5. Everton – 45 points

So we were 2 points clear of Chelsea and Manchester City, and 8 ahead of Liverpool.

But now look at the Premier League table, only 8 games on:

1. Liverpool – 71 points
2. Chelsea – 69 points
3. Manchester City – 67 points
4. Arsenal – 64 points
5. Everton – 60 points

So before the the 5-1 drubbing at the hands of Liverpool, Arsenal have managed to get a pathetic 9 points from 8 games, while Liverpool have won 8 games from 8.

An 8 point lead over Liverpool has turned into a 7 point deficit. Let that sink in for a minute.

And why have Liverpool done so well over the last 8 games? Their form is that of Champions – they are determined, full of fight and give every since game everything they have. Arsenal on the other hand have been limp, lethargic and devoid of any motivation which ultimately comes from the manager. The 15 point swing from Arsenal to Liverpool is frankly unbelievable.

While Liverpool have been sensational, the catalyst was the shambolic performance at Anfield. Liverpool were 8 points behind Arsenal before the game kicked off and their aspirations were to finish in the Top 4 ahead of Everton.

So if you wanted to give a chasing team the belief they can win the league, then losing 5-1 in dramatic fashion is the perfect way to do it.

If Arsenal weren’t so naive and even managed to get a draw at Anfield that day, do you think Liverpool would be top today? No chance. That game gave them the belief they could do something special. After all, how often do you smash a top side 5-1?

And Arsenal have gone in the exact opposite direction. We have collapsed. There are no other words for it. As you watch Liverpool celebrate after beating Tottenham 4-0, you can’t help but think that should be us. We were 8 points clear of Liverpool in February and look where the red side of Merseyside are now.

Credit to Liverpool, they have done phenomenally well to be where they are now. They have what we don’t in abundance – belief, fight, passion and the will to win.

If a single game could dramatically change the fortunes of two top sides, then it was the 5-1 at Anfield.

So Are Arsenal Back In The Title Race?

Posted on by
12

After the shambles at Stamford Bridge, and the disappointment against Swansea, Arsenal put in a dogged performance and managed to get a 1-1 draw against Manchester City (a score I predicted before the game).

I’ve said all season that Arsene’s approach against the top sides, especially away, has been all wrong. In games we should have kept tight and even played for a draw, we’ve collapsed. We lost 6-3 against Manchester City, 5-1 against Liverpool, 6-0 against Chelsea and 1-0 against Manchester United (most people forget the Old Trafford result, but remember this was against the worst Manchester United side in 20 years).

In those 4 games alone, if we didn’t go Gung Ho and played with intelligence then we could have conceivably come away with 4 draws. Currently we are 5 points off Chelsea who are top – with a win against Swansea and a draw against those top sides we’d be a point ahead of them. Manchester City and Liverpool have games in hand obviously, but being 6 points better of at this stage of the season would have been massive.

As it stands, we’re 5 points behind Chelsea, and theoretically 7 points behind Liverpool if they win their game in hand and 9 points behind Manchester City if they win their 2 games in hand.

Liverpool still have to play Chelsea and Manchester City at home, and City have to face Everton. And with teams fighting for Premier League survival, then I suppose some will believe that “there are no easy games left” in the Premier League. And Chelsea did lose against Crystal Palace yesterday so I guess if you’re clutching at straws then anything could be possible.

So what do you think, are Arsenal back in the title race?

Leave your views in the comments below.

Predictions For The Manchester City Game? Will Arsenal Lose 4-0, 5-0 or 6-0?

Posted on by
14

Arsenal go into today’s game on the back of a disappointing draw at home against Swansea, and a disastrous defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The level of opposition doesn’t let up as Manchester City come to town. The blue side of Manchester completely outplayed Manchester United (something we failed to do at two attempts), beating them 3-0 at Old Trafford.

So it’s going to be a big ask today.

If we can’t keep a clean sheet against Swansea, then what hope do you have against Edin Dzeko who is on form, Yaya Toure who is a beast and David Silva and Samir Nasri, who are pulling the strings.

If Manchester City turn up, then it could be another embarrassment.

The small consolation is that it is away from home Arsenal have been a shambles. At home, we’ve drawn against Chelsea, Manchester United but also managed to beat Tottenham and Liverpool.

So all hope is not lost.

But Arsenal are well out of the title race while Manchester City are in a fantastic position to win the league.

If Arsenal do manage to win, then they still have a slight chance to making a late charge for the title. It’s a small chance but it would still be possible to nick it if the other teams slip up – but it would take a near impeccable rest of the season, which on recent weeks looks hugely unlikely.

So predictions for the score this afternoon?

My heart says 1-1, but my head says 4-1 to Manchester City.

Arsene Wenger Has Obviously Lost The Dressing Room

Posted on by
33

In 2013, Arsenal were virtually unstoppable. From January 2013 until the end of the season, our form was the best in the league – it was title-winning form. From August until Christmas, it was similarly good, albeit it with a couple of blips (mainly in Manchester). But since the new year, and especially February and March, our form has been awful.

From the last 6 games, we are 11th in the form table. Liverpool are top with 6 wins from 6 and have 18 points from those games (which is championship-winning form) while Arsenal have dropped 10 points, only getting 8 from a possible 18.

Only if we could combine the start of this season with the end of last eh? Combine those two half seasons and we’d be league winners.

If our form was as good as Liverpool’s, we’d be 4 points clear at the top of the Premier League.

But the fact is, Arsene Wenger has lost the dressing room.

There’s rumours that Arsene has already told the players that he’s leaving at the end of the season and it wouldn’t surprise me as the players have basically given up. Yes, we’ve had injury problems but we still get to field 11 professional footballers and in recent games that literally haven’t turned up. I mean our reserve or youth sides would have given a better account of themselves against Chelsea and definitely wouldn’t have lost 6-0 like the first team did.

Even against Swansea we were limp. Arsene has lost the dressing room – either because he’s already told the players he’s off in the summer or just because the players who have played for him for so long have lost faith in the manager.

Just look at the last few seasons. Samir Nasri and Robin Van Persie left so that could win things, and that they did. Would Cesc Fabregas have left if we were winning Premier League titles? And we know Adebayor and Clichy went for the money but having trophy-less season after trophy-less season probably helped them jump ship. All of those players played under Arsene for at least 5 seasons and what do they have to show for it? Nothing, except a nice bank balance.

So it’s hardly surprising the current squad have given up. Bacary Sagna, one of our most consistent players has obviously given up. If he had any faith that Arsene’s methods would bring success then he would have signed a new deal years ago. He joined Arsenal in 2007 and has seen team-mates  Cesc Fabregas, Alex Song, Robin Van Persie, Emmanuel Adebayor, Gael Clichy, Samir Nasri and even Kolo Toure all leave and win major honours. So he’s obviously sitting there thinking what the hell is going on at Arsenal? This is obviously a club who have no ambition of winnings things and are happy to settle for 4th place in the league.

And it’s not surprising that players such as Mikel Arteta, Santi Cazorla, Mesut Özil, Lukas Podolski, Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny has lost form – they’ve given up as well. Nothing about Arsene Wenger or Arsenal suggests we are genuine title challengers, or even close to winning a major trophy.

The FA Cup may provide better performances and it would be unbelievable, even for Arsene Wenger, to somehow lose against Wigan in the semi-finals or mess up the final. Jose Mourinho was widely slated for calling Arsene a “specialist in failure” but it’s hard to argue against that. How else could you explain performances from the players like the ones at Anfield and Stamford Bridge. Arsene Wenger has obviously lost the dressing room.

His rhetoric doesn’t work any more. There’s only so many seasons players and the fans can believe what he says. The performances from the players had dipped so dramatically because they don’t believe any more. Being top of the league gave the players belief but when they needed their manager to instil some fight and determination he was found lacking.

I’m not being funny, but I give more fight (possibly too much to be fair) when I play football on a Sunday. I hate to lose and people who know me know that I always want to win. It comes out when I play and the other players know it. The Arsenal players are so comfortable and devoid of belief that it’s almost unbelievable.

Flamini aside, half of the players don’t look like they’re bothered anymore.