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Beginning Of The End For The Big Four?
Is this the beginning of the end for the Big Four? I still believe that Arsenal will get their act together and end 4th this season but what does the future hold? As next season I think Aston Villa and Mancester City will be real threats to top four dominance.
I do expect United and Chelsea to continue to dominate the top of the League but that has no small part to play in their financial dominance over the rest of the league too. But that is something that Arsenal and Liverpool do not have. Now that Manchester City are mega rich and are about to start their financial doping campaign it seems inevitable that they will acquire many talented and expensive footballers in the next two windows. That could quickly transform them for their current inconsistency to a real threat to the top four. What will follow is consistent out spending of both Liverpool and Arsenal until their top four goal is reached.
Then there is Villa, we have an exceptional manager who has built quite a decent squad, we are a few signings away from being a real threat to that top four. Now I don't believe we will ever consistently end in the top four but we have the potential to gate crash that club from time to time. The reason is in the long we will not be able to compete with the crazy money City can spend so it's inevitable that they will move up the table after following the Chelsea model. But it's what happens to Arsenal and Liverpool if their Champions League cash line is broken for a couple of seasons that will be interesting.
All the signs are there that the domination of four clubs over the Champions League places could be coming to an end in the next few seasons.
Conor Byrne
The World Wide Anti-Arsenal Conspiracy
With all the talk of Arsenal not having a defensive midfielder or big lumbering centre backs or not having a strong mentality has no-one else noticed that Arsenal were actually kicked off the pitch by Stoke on Saturday. Three players had to be taken off by the end of the game which is extreme for any match. Shawcross hacked Adebayor down from behind (isn't that a red card?) when the ball was out of play (isn't that a red card too?), then just got up and sauntered with a smug look on his face.
The thing is that I absolutely know that if it was any of Adebayor's Big 4 counterparts Rooney, Torres or Anelka that were tackled like that, the Stoke player would have been sent off straight away, there would have been uproar in the commentary box, the press and MOTD afterwards and interviews with Ferguson/Benitez (can't see Big Phil doing it to be honest) demanding the ref's give more protection to their superstars and the FA would extend Shawcross's ban. However on Saturday nothing was said Shawcross's tackle or Delap's maiming of Walcott either in the printed press or on MOTD. Nothing zilch nada! Just the usual cliché's about Arsenal being weak and not able to handle the physical side of the game.
This seems to be a recurring theme in the football community's opinions on Arsenal. Weak and injury prone. For example Stoke's Abdoulaye Faye boasted prior to the game that they would play physically against Arsenal as they weren't hard enough unlike Chelsea, Liverpool and ManU. Here's the thing though Abdoulaye and Lawrenson - if you go flying with tackles to players ankles and heels all the time even Chelsea's Iron Men would start going off under that kind of "typical British game". However out of the Big 4 only Arsenal seem to be getting this treatment on a regular basis. Their constant injury problems seem to be put down by Pete Gill and various mailbox contributors to be down to poor medical staff, Wenger only buying injury prone or Arsenal just being foreign and not British enough for the premiership. What's obviously the problem is that Arsenal are being singled out by lower table teams like Stoke, Bolton and last year Birmingham because they believe that kicking them out of the game gets results.
So why Arsenal and not ManU? Simple - the referees of course. While no seems to be allowed touch any of Sirs superstars without getting a card, teams can regularly hack Arsenal down with impunity. I can only put this down to the English referees having an innate sense of bias against Arsenal as they see them as bunch of foreigners who are ruining our game unlike the other Big Three who are bravely flying the flag with about eight Englishmen in their squads between them.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Stoke wouldn't have beaten Arsenal without hacking them down as they would. Arsenal couldn't handle Delaps throws and didn't create any proper attack on goal. But before everyone gets carried revelling in Arsenals misfortunes they should recognise that the team is getting kicked out of the game and the referees are complicit in this.
You know this is an open secret in the football fraternity and it's about time it was discussed more openly by those of such as F365 who are not in the boy's club. Sorry about all the paragraphs
Phil (yet another Irish Villain), Stokie
Where Have All The Real Arsenal Fans Gone?
I mean, come on! It doesn't take a genius to realise the deficiencies in our team, and it doesn't take a genius to realise that we won't win the league this year. Yet it is the mindset of fools to think that Wenger needs to quit after a couple of bad results.
To change manager now would result in a mass exodus of our best players, which, coupled with the disruption caused by a mainstay like Wenger departing, could spell disaster for the club.
For all Hill-Wood's rhetoric about Wenger's free reign, rest assured that at the next board meeting Arsene will be given a rather stiff talking-to. Expect players through the door in January, but don't expect them to take immediate effect. Almost all the Arsenal starting XI that I can think of took a while to adapt to the Prem, and I fully expect this to continue.
But where are the real fans? Those who stick behind the manager and the players whenever results go against us? Booing players who flirted with other clubs during the summer months (fuck off, there's no loyalty whatsoever anymore - deal with it), leaving early, expecting glorious results every match, mocking Chelsea's money, then disregarding the Arsenal financial model whenever we lose...it maddens me.
Grow up, get behind your team, and enjoy the season for what it will be - no league trophy, a good crack at the cup comps, new players in soon, and a manager who can handle the team and club.
Jack Langridge AFC
Who Arsenal Should Buy In January
When Arsenal play well, they can beat anyone. Unfortunately, when they don't play well, anyone can beat them. You just do not see Chelsea, Liverpool or MU EVER losing to Fulham, Hull and Stoke in one season. Perhaps a single freak result might go against them, but the big clubs become big clubs through consistency and by not losing to smaller clubs.
As written in the letters page, ad nauseam, what is needed is a strong spine, especially at the back. Last week, Matt Penhaligon suggested Joey Barton as a solution. I think that the odious little wretch (Joey, not Matt) should not be let anywhere near Ashburton Grove, but I would like to suggest a few more sensible signings for January:
Centre back: Richard Dunne, Matthew Upson and Sylvain Distin. Dunne may stay due to the dosh on offer at Eastlands, but Upson and Distin may be available at the fire sales about to be held in January. Upson is not cup-tied for Europe either (although, it must be noted, he is made of glass).
Midfield: Scott Parker and Mark Noble; both English, both West Ham (so likely to be available in January). Both would relish the opportunity to play in the Champions league.
Goalkeeper: Assuming that MU won't sell Ben Foster to a rival (notwithstanding current form, I still consider us to be rivals), Chris Kirkland seems to be made of stronger stuff these days, so can probably be lured away from Wigan. Otherwise, I still rate Scott Carson or, as a bit of a gamble, Joe Lewis from Peterborough.
I have deliberately limited my selection to mostly experienced Premiership players (i.e. those who have demonstrated the qualities required to compete in the Premiership), and mostly English. Arsene has a wonderful and deserved reputation for buying cheap, foreign, young, talent but as proven recently, in order to compete with the likes of Hull and Stoke, sometimes you just have to lower/raise yourself to their level. The combined cost for all 6 players is likely to be less than Sp*rs paid for Darren Bent.
No doubt, Arsene will refuse to do anything and will insist that he has faith in his young team. In which case, the 'big 4' will become the 'big 3' and Arsenal will be left behind to fight over 4th spot with a resurgent Villa (who also lost to Stoke, by the way, so that's something that we have in common).
Philip Lewis
Drugs
Supporting arsenal is like having a drug addicted brother who does bad things. Bad things which you can't accept. Bad things you criticize him for. But then the more you criticize the more you feel like a total c*nt because at the end of the day he is your brother and you love him. Even if he is an absolutely shambolic c*nt at the moment.
My lord this situation at Arsenal has gotten me disillusioned and talking utter bollocks.
Also I know this sounds completely non-sensical but I think we're gonna beat Utd on Saturday...and then proceed to have it all go tits up against wigan.
Also let's all laugh at arsenal is a two week special whereas let's all laugh at Tottenham is a 38 week extravaganza, year in year out. Keep that in mind.
TJ
Idiots
Let's get one thing absolutely straight. If you have taken the the time and effort to write in to mediums such as F365 or 606 to call for the removal of Arsene Wenger, you are not Arsenal 'fans'. You are all idiots.
Actually, make that glory-hunting idiots.
If this applies to you, please do everyone who genuinely loves Arsenal Football Club a favour and go follow a team or sport where you can bask freely in the barely deserved glow of victory. Formula 1 seems like a good place right now.
Thank you.
Marc (I actually hate people like this more than Sp*rs fans) Sinfield
Anger
It's been a bad week for the club and in particular for the fans. We feel let down by a manager who won't shift from his ideals(however noble) and betrayed by a bunch of immature, greedy, arrogant, selfish, tw*tish players who frankly don't deserve to be at a club that has been home to the greats of Adams, Bergkamp and Rocky. However I hope that as fans we can rise above this on Wednesday and Saturday. We have a responsibility as fans to support the team through thick and think and actually try and encourage the players who pull on the red and white, however destable they might be(for some reason a mental image of a crying baby smoking a cigarette won't leave my head now). I hope that we can turn the anger of the last week into some noise in the next two games and start turning the Grove into a fortress. I have to say on this point(even though you probably don't read F365) to all the Arsenal fans who think supporting the team constitutes sitting for the whole game, expecting to be 6-0 up after 30 seconds and moaning when we are not, can F*CK OFF OUT OF THE GROUND!!! I, and most real fans, have had enough of you- STOP TELLING ME TO SIT DOWN YOU PR*CKS BEHIND ME! Back to my original point however every fan is completely justified for voicing their opinion online and calling for Arsene's head does not make you a plastic fan, you just have a different opinion, however we cannot allow the anger to spill out at the Grove during a game. Personally I think Wenger can and will put things right, if not in January in the summer, as he must have realised that he has got stuff wrong and that the team does need a spine.
Come on you reds!
Will "O Capi, you came and we stopped winning trophies" O'B
ps i know it's a mixed letter but you get my drift
...Arsenal fans need to get a grip. Sacking Wenger is on a par with the MUFC idiots who were saying 'sack Ferguson' a few years.
Yes Arsene has made mistakes. We should have bought a top class (aerially dominant) centre half and a top class defensive midfielder. Also a goalkeeper is probably required. Those failings have left us in the difficulties that we are in now.
He is a brilliant manager who, if he can rectify these problems in January/next summer will lead us forward. If he fails to do so by next season, he would deserve to have people seriously questioning whether he is the right man to lead the club.
Chris Brighton
Mythbusting
Having read the numerous letters saying it's time to laugh at Arsenal now and not Spurs, I thought I would dispel a few myths!
FACT: Spurs did NOT beat Arsenal last week...they got a last gasp DRAW!
FACT: If you've had your eyes open for the last FOUR SEASONS, you will not be greatly surprised that Arsenal lost to an inferior but competitive team on set plays delivered high in to the box!
FACT: Harry's LUCK will NOT last forever...Liverpool hitting post/bar and scoring an own goal, whilst Arsenal miss straightforward chances and make stupid defensive mistakes is NOT down to the genius of Harry.
FACT: Spurs are still in the BOTTOM 2 Arsenal are still in the TOP 4 (or 5 after tonight)!
So forgive me...but Fabregas is still Fabregas and Bent is still, well, Bent. And Arsenal may well lose to the superior Man Utd next week...but I still know which one I'd rather follow and it ain't the one whose emblem is a chicken standing on a beach ball!
Chris did they REALLY release a comemorative DVD of an away draw?) Charteris
Miserable, Brainless...
Aside from John King and his fair comments in this morning's mailbox can all of the other miserable, brainless Liverpool fans just sod off and stop contributing their ridiculous knee jerk, thoughtless comments. It's plebs like these that want a new manager every time one little thing goes wrong.
Maybe they could consider these points before sending in their moronic ramblings. 1) We played well but lost. It was just one of those days. 2) We've had a great start to the season and this is just one game 3) Rafa's tactics and substitutions have won us far more games than lost them, including one slightly important match in Istanbul. 4) How lucky we are to have a manager who has managed to keep us within touching distance of Man U and Chelsea despite being able to call upon much less funds. 5) Our squad was in a complete mess before Rafa came along and turned things around. The future is now much brighter than it has been at Liverpool since the days when King Kenny was in charge. 6) Maybe we'll win the league, maybe we won't but at least we're in with a shout and have the hope of winning something. There are plenty of other teams in the prem who would love to have more than the hope of staying up to get them through a season. Real Liverpool fans would understand all of this.
Sean Kelly (LFC) - Finishing above Chelsea this year will be a hell of an achievement for any team.
Spurs: Not Lucky
Last weekend Liverpool grabbed a fantastic result away at Chelsea. Xavi Alonso's hugely fortuitous 10th minute goal was enough for Liverpool to see off Chelsea and establish themselves firmly as candidates for the title. Of course, with it being football and with Chelsea being as good as they are it wasn't that easy. Chelsea enjoyed 60% of possession during the game and Deco and Ashley Cole, in particular, both squandered good chances. However, to the national press it was a clear indication that Liverpool would be mounting a serious challenge for the title. Let's now fast forward 1 week shall we. This weekend I watched my team, Tottenham Hotspur, for the second time in a week, come from behind to claim a very important and impressive result.
However, according to F365 and most other media outlets, it was down to pure luck. Whilst I can not debate the statement as a whole, I just wonder whether if it was Man Utd or Chelsea that had produced the two results Harry and his boys had done, they would be lauded as favourites for the title? Whilst I won't waste too much time on our draw at The Emirates on Wednesday I do feel it necessary to point out that while Arsenal enjoyed a significant amount of possession during the game, Robin van Persie's pass to Samir Nasri for their third goal was really the only time I can remember one of their players being through on goal during the game. Furthermore, Spurs wouldn't have even needed to come back from 2 goals behind had Alan Hutton not put through a delightful through ball for Emmanuel Adebayor. Let's put the result a bit more into perspective shall we....a team that was challenging for the title was playing at home to their biggest rivals who were bottom of the league and without their captain. Did anyone in the country expect us to go and play them off the park. In fact, does anyone go to the Emirates and play Arsenal off the park?
Now onto Saturday's game against Liverpool. Again, it would be hard for me to debate that we were the better team and deserved 3 points from the game. In addition, for much of the first half and 20 minutes of the second half Liverpool were by far and away the better team. However, when I read of the hundreds of chances Liverpool failed to put away it makes me wonder what chances are being referred too. Gerrard hit the post once from a deflected shot. He hit the bar after our goalie had passed the ball straight to him. Dirk Kuyt missed from a sliding tackle and Xavi Alonso can't head the ball? 5 clear cut chances, including the goal, and they took one of them. Not the best ratio I admit but it hardly suggests there were shots raining in on Tottenham's goal. Then, following the introduction of Aaron Lennon (who I know didn't play a part in either goal), and buoyed by a fortunate equaliser, for the last 25 minutes or so, Spurs more than matched Liverpool and were really the only team that looked like scoring.
Again, I am not saying that Spurs fully deserved to gain the results they did from those games, but credit where credit is due no? It's hard to say that a certain degree of quality isn't required to score 4 goals away at Arsenal and then beat the league leaders at home? Or is it just because we're bottom of the league that Harry and his men aren't getting the credit they deserve?
Josh, London
Missing...Found
Missing from this week's losers: Juande Ramos. With no change of personnel, Spurs are suddenly playing with confidence and picking up points. From being the laughing stock of the Premiership, they now have 9 points and have picked up 4 points in consecutive games against members of the 'big 4', whilst also ending Liverpool's unbeaten start and probably destroying Arsenal's season. There is probably nobody outside of the Ramos household who would have predicted that 10 days ago.
Philip Lewis
The Usual High-Brow Debate From The Potteries
So Karl Byrne of Dublin, Stoke are horrific and will almost certainly be relegated this season?
As overjoyed as I was on Saturday, beating Spurs with their 'we should be in the top 4, moan moan, whine whine' fans was still more enjoyable. Regardless of how we play we're having a good season so far, much better than predicted and every Stokie is loving it. So f**k off!
Stokie Julian
Laugh It Up
Karl Byrne, Dublin should take some of his own advice about not getting too excited. 'Let's all laugh at Arsenal'? What, Arsenal despite hitting form still find themselves in 4th position in the league and sitting very pretty in our CL group?
Spurs, by your own admission, have been very lucky to escape with 7 points from the last 3 games, which could quite easily have been 1 point. If Newcastle manage to earn so much as 1 point tonight, guess where Spurs will be? That's right! Bottom of the league, once more!
See the problem for you is, teams like Stoke are actually picking points up and although you describe them as being horrific, they are 12th in the league so I doubt they really care what Spurs think of them. Other teams like, Bolton, West Brom & Fulham are also starting to pick up wins so the challenge ahead for Spurs is a big one.
Spurs are still Spurs and they haven't convinced me that they've got much better, only their luck has picked up. They are very capable of winning games but they are just as capable of losing the next 3 so I'd hold that laughter for a bit because come tonight, you could be the worst team in the league again.
Laugh it up.
Paul Griffiths, London
Maybe He Was Playing The Jeff Stelling Drinking Game
Was it just me, or did Jeff Stelling come across as particularly drunk on Sky Sports News on Saturday.
Steve, MFC
