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Look Closer To Home, Arsene...
Shut it Wenger! The man is more bitter than a Liverpool fan coated in John Smiths.
It is becoming increasingly clear that the squad Arsenal have is not able to cut the mustard on all fronts.
Don't get me wrong, when the full first-choice team is playing, it is a fine side who play great football. But there is a number of problems, especially when they have had a few injuries.
United have played without three first-choice central midfielders this season, whilst Chelsea gave Middlesborough (and most other teams) a right lesson with eight genuine first teamers out. Even Liverpool to their credit have shown themselves to be beyond the two-man team we suspected them to be with Torres only playing half their games and Gerrard not quite at his superb best yet.
Wenger headache surely include:
1) No real captain figure. Gallas has shown himself to not relish the fight when the going gets tough and the team needs someone to lead by example (Birmingham last year was a joke - throwing your toys out of the pram when your team needs it is not good)
2) They keep going on about the team's 'mental; strength - if its not actually a problem, then why keep talking about in the press the whole time - you don't hear Chelsea or United wittering on about it the whole time.
3) Lack of transparency on the transfer funds front - keep hearing about these great profits being made, well either its b*llocks and the stadium bill is crippling them, or you need to get your hand in your pocket and spend some moolah like the rest of the 'big 4' on stuff you do need - not United cast-offs (he's never been good) and unnecessary attacking midfielders.
4) Lack of adequate replacement for Flamini. The missing good quality defence-shielding player, which has exposed the defence (see point 5) far more, meant their best player Fabregas has had to play deeper and been less effective. Nasri is a quality player but not really what they needed. Letting Diarra go looks like a schoolboy error.
5) A quite shocking defence when it comes down to it - Gallas and Toure good players and athletes but don't play well together especially positionally a la Ferdinand and Vidic, Terry and Carvalho.
6) Occasionally world-beater but woefully inconsistent players - Adebayor, Walcott, Van Persie all spring to mind in this category - can tear anyone apart on their day, but don't do it often enough.
7) The back-up for the first team - Diaby, Bendtner, Song, Eboue hardly strike fear into the opposition, whereas the Ballack, Anelka, Obi Mikel, Belletti - (when the various respective first team are back) line-up scares the sh*t out of me!
8) Injury-prone players - Rosicky (is he still alive?), RVP, always seems to have a half a season off.
I don't think they'll be out of the top four (Sorry Villa fans), but they don't have a chance with the limited squad they have. Chelsea, United and Liverpool more and more, have quality in all areas in depth. Like Villa there isn't much depth past the first team at Arsenal. You can't keep going on about the kids - thrashing Sheff United in the Carling Cup is great but doesn't win you trophies anymore. Fabregas is class but they bought/stole him and Theo was big bucks, not sure who else has genuinely made a first-team impact regularly other than perhaps Clichy having come through the youth set-up.
All in all I think Wenger is still doing rather well given the list above and I am sure there are other problems I haven't mentioned. Until Arsenal spend big like the other top three in the £30-£50m a year bracket they won't reach the so-called 'next level' everyone seems so worried about.
Rant over - sorry for the epic.
Pete (We're gonna give Arsenal a right pasting this weekend!) Ridding MUFC
Same Old Arsene, Always Whinging
I remember thinking at the weekend that Wenger was quite gracious in defeat (well, didn't whinge about Stoke's aggressive play as much as he could). I even thought maybe he'd managed to stop being sure a sore loser. How wrong I was...
Tom Evans, Ware
...Wenger's comments immediately after the Stoke game:
"... at the end of the day Stoke deserved their victory...We lacked sharpness. It was very difficult. You could see that Stoke, physically, were a bit stronger than us."
Fast forward 48 hours and after a beating in the press and on the fans' forums, we get the Arsene Wenger that we all know who comes out with tired lines about how Arsenal are being 'targeted' by all and sundry. I was generally of the opinion that the Gooners calling for Wenger's head were idiots, but after hearing Wenger's pathetic whining yet again, I thinks it's time he left us alone, closed the door of his padded room and got back to gently rocking backwards and forwards.
Chris (Is every near the knuckle joke on TV/Radio going to result in 30,000 complaints now?) London
...I initially applauded Wenger after the Stoke game when he said that they had played to their strengths, while Arsenal had failed to do the same. Then, just when I think I might have got him all wrong, now it's the same tired old fanny about the opposition resorting to heinous methods in injuring his babies. Apparently it's cowardice. This might have some legs, were it not for the fact that no other team consistently whines about a physical approach, they just accept it as part and parcel of the game. I'm not for one moment advocating late or career-threatening tackles, but it is a physical game and people will occasionally get hurt.
There are many aspects to the game of football, and Arsenal are perhaps the finest exponents of one part of it, the intricate passing game. Just as effective for some teams, though clearly not as entertaining, is the long ball game. Similarly the physical approach, set pieces, and, unfortunately, gamesmanship are part and parcel of this game, and in order to become the best, a team needs to be able to master as many of these facets as possible. Arsenal have not, pure and simple. So when they acquire some players with balls, adopt a plan B in the event their passing game is being spoilt, and learn how to consistently defend and score from set pieces, expect them to be challenging for the title again. Until that time, maybe a fortunate run in the cups, but that's about it.
As for their fans saying that they are only six points off the pace, what's the problem, correct, they are only six points off the pace, but when their lesser tally has been made up via games against eight of the bottom-placed teams, you can see surely why opposing fans aren't altogether taking their title claims seriously. Of course it's entirely possible that they will beat United on Saturday, and do the same to Liverpool and Chelsea, but the chances of them doing so are far outweighed by the chances of the opposite happening judging by current form. Basically, it's not all over yet you're right, but you shouldn't really be so incredulous when other people say it might be.
Dan (wanting to use the word incredulous in a sentence on here for months) Ferretti
Is He Actually Being Very Clever?
Am I alone in thinking Monsieur Wenger's latest outburst is merely an attempt at mind-games, aimed firmly and squarely at Keith Hackett and the Premier League referees?
Bearing in mind that Arsenal travel to ManYoo soon (and bearing in mind what happened in 2004 when they were kicked off the park, losing their unbeaten run in the process) I can only assume it is an attempt to stop Arsenal getting a similar robust hiding there in a few days' time.
I am awaiting Sir's response when he complains about foreigners diving, petty fouls, red cards for 'nothing tackles' and the need for a strong referee who will let the game flow. You mark my words, it's days away from appearing on this site!
Stu (Got the Liverpool team from 2001 v Barca in 54 seconds - beat that!), Brum
The Problem With Wenger Is...
Cathal Georghega makes an good point about fans having realistic expectations for their team's performance. However, he then undoes all his good work by talking complete rubbish about Wenger and Arsenal.
The frustration with Wenger isn't that the fans want the club to get hugely in to debt for the £30m players that they think will get them the trophies they deserve. It is the fact that the club loudly tell everyone that they could afford the £30m players if Wenger wanted to sign them but Wenger takes some sort of perverse pride in refusing to sign any player who is over 18 and costs more than the price of a Happy Meal. For all that the way Arsenal play and bring on youngsters is hugely admirable, Wenger's refusal to spend the money that is available to him to address the weaknesses in his squad is directly causing the club to fall short of actually winning anything.
What really grates with the Arsenal fans that I know is when Wenger complains about his squad not having enough depth, or his players not having enough experience, when he has been given every opportunity to fix it but has chosen not to. It's as though he is choosing to not win the Premiership, rather than finding himself in a situation where he can never compete.
There's a story that Paganini used to deliberately play concerts with worn violin strings so that when they broke he would look even more impressive as he completed the performance on the remaining strings without missing a note. I can't help thinking that Wenger is deliberately choosing to have a young, inexperienced squad so that if he does manage to win a trophy the glory accorded to him will be all the more great. But in the meantime Arsenal fans have to pay the price of his vanity as their team fail to win a major trophy yet again.
Can't believe I'm making out that Arsenal fans deserve any sort of sympathy. Ignore everything I just said - Wenger is a genius and should be left alone to get on with things.
Monkey Steve
Absolutely No Sympathy For Barton
One rule for Joey and one rule for everyone else? Don't make me laugh.
How many of the 'everyone else's' have been put away for a violent attack? And have viciously attacked people many times? And that same person asking for patience and saying they have turned over a new leaf.
Barton can't help himself. He is a cockey little tw*t who is an average player but because he is thinks he can get away with it, will intimidate anyone. 'Course, he won't take on any player who shows any bottle as he is that kind of cowardly bully that will only attack someone he thinks won't fight back.
He hasn't learned a thing. He doesn't show remorse for his past actions. If he wasn't a footballer he would have been away before now and for a longer time.
He is, quite simply, a hypocrite. If he actually acted like a semi-mature adult for at least a game, he might have a case but he can't.
Does anyone seriously think he isn't going to attack someone again?
Paul McDevitt
...Is Pete Gill auditioning for the 'Defend the Indefensible' on Fighting Talk, or something? I happen to think that the media is perfectly within its rights to hound Joey Barton. There was a widespread feeling amongst football fans and writers alike that Barton should not have been given his latest chance, that he should have been banned from football and that Newcastle should have sacked him. Given the number of 'last' chances Barton has had this was entirely reasonable.
It's also reasonable to expect that the very people that condemned him would wish to highlight every further indiscretion. Fans who dislike him, of whom there are many, will be pointing at his bad behaviour and lapping up the media condemnation. Let's be honest, there isn't a more deserving person to try to hound out of football. It's not even too much of a stretch to say that what Barton received when he was spared the fitting punishment for his previous crimes was an injustice. Every 'unfair' highlighting of further indiscretions is simply restorative justice.
Phil, Reading
...Is Pete Gill out of his fecking tree? Of course there should be a different rule for Barton! This guy is a complete animal and every movement he makes should be closely scrutinised, otherwise he'll feel he can get away with it all. Again. He's already got everyone on the Newcastle staff making excuses for his past behaviour, giving him another chance he doesn't deserve so at least he's used to it.
Aside from all that if we continue to hound him every time he's on the pitch then he might just get the message and p*** off!
Phil Jones
Joey Barton, The FA And Setanta
Right, Barton is probably my least favourite footballer/thug. The fuss about this nose tweaking is fuss about nothing.
Credit to Agbonlahor for staying on his feet, I bet a few jolly foreigners would have fell down clutching their faces at that.
The problem I have with the incident is that last season Vs Liverpool at Anfield Aliadiere was sent off for about the same thing (apart from acting in retaliation to Mascherano nose squeeze). As you will be aware Mascherano got away scot free, whereas Aliadiere was sent off with a three-match ban, which on appeal was increased to a four-match ban. So the precedent has been set, and as the ref didn't act upon it on the pitch the incident hasn't been dealt with.
Three-game ban should be given, however soft it was.
The other thing that wound me up last night was the Setanta commentary team, the incident with Barton and Agbonlahor especially. It was clear in the replay that Barton tried to put his shoulder into Agbonlahor to block his run, yet the Setanta team had a serious case of the Wengeritis and were left pondering why Agbonlahor got the free kick. Even after about five replays of the incident.
Stephen Dennis, Billingham
Rooney As Bad As Barton
Barton is on very borrowed time but how is Wayne Rooney getting away with his latest signs of petulance? He was booked against Everton due to frustration and he was booked versus Hull. If someone else bar Rooney had of went on the way he did against Everton and hull then they would have been sent off. How he can argue against his booking against Hull I will never know.
Great player with the potential to be one of the best in the world but he needs to sort his temper out before it gets him into some serious trouble. He has such a will to win but he really cannot be going around jumping into tackles and complaining like he did on Sat. He went down for a pen on Sat (dive) and when the ref blanked him he went mad. That barnet is not going to help the situation either. He looks like Shrek on crack. The media are shunning away from the topic because it's Wayne Rooney, the saviour of English football. It's a disgrace and he is as bad as Barton on the pitch but gets way with a lot more.
Sean Connor, Dublin ,Ireland
Not Buying The Houdini Hype
The media is still banging about 'Harry Houdini' and the miracles he is working. Players are coming out left, right and centre saying how great it is down at the Lane and I have to put up with Spurs fans at work giving it large how great they are after winning a couple of games.
I'm sorry, I am not buying any of it.
I have watched the last three Spurs games and the only thing I see different about the team is luck is on their side. A win against Bolton (Bolton down to 10 men). Arsenal should have buried them. Liverpool should have been four up by the time Carragher scored for them. Spurs have had the rub of the green. It won't last. You can't go through a season on luck. If Spurs continue to play like they have done for the last three games they will be in big trouble. Dodgy keeper, leaky defence, no strength in midfield and Bent up front. I have a feeling their luck will come to an end in big style against City on Sunday.
Anyone for 4-0 City?
Paul, London
Sympathy For Windy Arse
I have to say it rubs me the wrong way how Windass is being treated by Hull. I'm not naive enough to think he should be starting every Premier League match for them; but after being the one to secure their top-flight status, to be axed for the trip to Old Trafford without explanation to his personal frustration is very poor man-management of a terrace hero. It reminds me of Unsworth being released by Wigan after scoring the penalty that kept them in the Premier League. It's likely if he'd missed it on purpose, he'd have stayed employed with them albeit in the Championship. It's no wonder players always seem to only look after themselves when clubs show they can treat them this way. The clubs will want to earn a bit more respect before they label players mercenaries.
Adam Corbett
Sticking Up For Barry
To respond to Neil Raines, firstly may I point out that, no, I'm not from Birmingham and no, I probably haven't been to as many Villa matches as you. I do, however, possess a fairly well-functioning brain which I feel may give me a distinct advantage over him in giving an opinion on the team we support.
In his mail, he describes Gareth Barry as being as effective as a bag of excrement for Villa for the past twelve months. All I can say to Neil is that he should invest in a colostomy bag because a sack of his s**t must be worth millions! I can only assume that he's talking about the same Gareth Barry that somehow kept his composure to slot away the injury time penalty at the Bridge on Stephen's Day, the same Gareth Barry that scored two and made two to defeat Bolton to re-ignite our league campaign last year, the same one who controlled the midfield when we hammered Blues 5-1, the same one who put us into the lead against West Ham on the final day of the season to put us 5th for a brief time, the same one who laid two on a plate for Gabby on the first day of the season, the same one who ran the show against Spurs, the same one who scored our winner when we beat Ajax and the same one who scored three in three coming up to the Newcastle match? Can I just ask Neil what more does he expect Barry to do?
Barry has never been the kind of blood 'n thunder midfielder to cover every blade of grass on the field. He is a calm, composed, measured footballer who performance and passing more often than not dictates how well Villa play. I don't know if you've noticed, but we've played pretty damn well for most of this season.
Now, I wouldn't class myself as Barry's biggest fan (despite this being my second time writing in to defend him). I was as angry as any other Villa fan at Barry's behaviour in running to the press to engineer his move to Liverpool, as I told anyone who would listen at the time. Since then though, after being denied his dream move, he's knuckled down and flourished in the more attacking role that Martin O'Neill has given him in the latter part of last season and the beginning of this, letting Petrov and Reo-Coker to do the spade-work behind him. He has also won over the fans who booed him during pre-season through his displays on the field, which suggests that he must be doing something right.
It seems that some Villa fans are just looking for a stick to beat Barry with at any given opportunity. If he doesn't play the 100% perfect game, every game then some fans are dying to stick the knife in. If he really was as effective as a sack of excrement then don't you think Martin O'Neill would have dropped him by now, especially with a now fully-fit Sidwell waiting in the wings?
Villa lost to Newcastle last night, should have been winning at half time, weren't, conceded and then never looked like getting back into the game. Barry didn't play well, neither did any other Villa player. Get over it, these things happen. We were/are never going to finish in the top four this season and anyone who thought as much is a fool.
We do though, have a five-point lead on seventh place so European football is well within our grasp again this season, especially if we strengthen the squad in January. Some silly Villa fans have had their expectations skewed by our impressive start to the season which plastered over some of the rather glaring deficiencies in our squad compared to the big four.
European football again next season should be our aim, along with maybe a decent cup run. Then, with some more heavy investment next summer we may possibly, perhaps, conceivably, with a lot of luck, challenge whoever the weakest member of the big four is at the time, but any thoughts of that should be reserved until then.
Brian Finnegan (LUVS GB 4EVA), Galway
How Many Conor Byrnes Are There?
What is it with this guy? Is there more than one Conor Byrne supporting Villa in Ireland? Yesterday he was predicting an end to Arsenal's status as a top four club and Villa's rise as a replacement, today he is telling Arsenal fans not to worry about it. Why would you look to have an opinion published that you can't keep for more than 24 hours.
Also, why do you print everything he writes? None of it's particularly offensive, unless you're a Liverpool fan apparantly and offending them's not much of a challenge. The thing is, none of it's particulalry interesting either and yet the mailbox compiler seems to publish everything he writes. Perhaps most of the emails come from him. Or maybe there actually is more than one Conor Byrne. Maybe there are hundreds of Conor Byrnes writing in and all the mailbox compiler is doing is honestly representing what appears to be the site's key demographic of Irish Villa fans called Conor.
Conor Byrne (only joking, FD)
Dear Befuddled...
The Ball is in play as follows from dead-ball situations:
Kick-off - when it's kicked forward.
Goal Kick - When it leaves the Penalty area. If the ball doesn't travel outside the Penalty area or if it is touched before it leaves the Penalty area then the kick is retaken.
Indirect or direct free (for defence) from the penalty area - when the ball leaves the penalty area. If the ball doesn't travel outside the Penalty area or if it is touched before it leaves the Penalty area then the kick is retaken.
Indirect or direct free for attacking team or for frees not in penalty area - when the ball is kicked and moves.
Corner kick - when the ball is kicked and moves.
Penalty - when the ball is kicked and moves forward.
In general it's the player's action that starts the game, not the ref's whistle.
Hopefully this will serve to unfuddle you.
Rory Johnston, Galway
...To Befuddled, Sydney the ball can't be live once the Ref blows his whistle otherwise every freekick would be like that Zaire player who just charged out of the wall and tonked the ball down the other end of the pitch against Brazil in 1970. However, I think I'd actually love it if it were the case. Seeing C Ronaldo's face as some lump cleared the ball while he was still doing his run-up would be a picture.
Daniel Zaïre
