The Football Thread 2017-18

[gamerforever]

Arsenal are a big joke at the moment and aubameyang looks worse than ‘lacagoals’. Maybe it was all too much playing at spurs’ home stadium!

I feel sorry for both strikers as they get next to no service.

It's like watching England at their worst as we play a formation that doesn't suit the players, people played out of position and the 'big' players guaranteed to start. To think Ramsey had that outstanding season in the raiding midfielder Lampard role and hasn't played in that position since.

That is true, but surely these supposedly world class players should be carving out chances for themselves and others around them? I just think Wenger is still stuck in the 90's/ early 2000's and hasn't moved on, which is ironic considering he brought a new style of football when he came to the UK. ArsenalFanTV is hilarious to watch right now! Bellerin's comments about them making money off Arsenals demise is a bit hypocritical - hes doing the same, but to a much larger extent!

[7256930752]

Arsenal are a big joke at the moment and aubameyang looks worse than ‘lacagoals’. Maybe it was all too much playing at spurs’ home stadium!

I feel sorry for both strikers as they get next to no service.

It's like watching England at their worst as we play a formation that doesn't suit the players, people played out of position and the 'big' players guaranteed to start. To think Ramsey had that outstanding season in the raiding midfielder Lampard role and hasn't played in that position since.

That is true, but surely these supposedly world class players should be carving out chances for themselves and others around them? I just think Wenger is still stuck in the 90's/ early 2000's and hasn't moved on, which is ironic considering he brought a new style of football when he came to the UK. ArsenalFanTV is hilarious to watch right now! Bellerin's comments about them making money off Arsenals demise is a bit hypocritical - hes doing the same, but to a much larger extent!

To an extent but managers, tactics and formations do have an effect. Look how badly Kane played in the Euro's yet in the Prem he is a beast. How much better Man City look under Pep. You're dead right about Wenger, he has no answer to the questions of the modern game and will stubbornly stick to his 20 year old ideas. For most of last season and the start of this his idea was to try and copy the formation that worked for Chelsea, when that didn't work he went back to 4-3-3 playing central midfielders as wingers. The problems with the defence must have something to do with the coaching as the players aren't that bad. Wenger got very lucky with the defence he initially inherited as he hasn't had anything close to that since.

[DML]

Arsenal are a big joke at the moment and aubameyang looks worse than ‘lacagoals’. Maybe it was all too much playing at spurs’ home stadium!

I feel sorry for both strikers as they get next to no service.

It's like watching England at their worst as we play a formation that doesn't suit the players, people played out of position and the 'big' players guaranteed to start. To think Ramsey had that outstanding season in the raiding midfielder Lampard role and hasn't played in that position since.

That is true, but surely these supposedly world class players should be carving out chances for themselves and others around them? I just think Wenger is still stuck in the 90's/ early 2000's and hasn't moved on, which is ironic considering he brought a new style of football when he came to the UK. ArsenalFanTV is hilarious to watch right now! Bellerin's comments about them making money off Arsenals demise is a bit hypocritical - hes doing the same, but to a much larger extent!

To an extent but managers, tactics and formations do have an effect. Look how badly Kane played in the Euro's yet in the Prem he is a beast. How much better Man City look under Pep. You're dead right about Wenger, he has no answer to the questions of the modern game and will stubbornly stick to his 20 year old ideas. For most of last season and the start of this his idea was to try and copy the formation that worked for Chelsea, when that didn't work he went back to 4-3-3 playing central midfielders as wingers. The problems with the defence must have something to do with the coaching as the players aren't that bad. Wenger got very lucky with the defence he initially inherited as he hasn't had anything close to that since.

To be fair, Kane was comfortably our worst player at the last Euros regardless of service. He was utter gash.

[PES Fan]

Arsenal are a big joke at the moment and aubameyang looks worse than ‘lacagoals’. Maybe it was all too much playing at spurs’ home stadium!

I feel sorry for both strikers as they get next to no service.

It's like watching England at their worst as we play a formation that doesn't suit the players, people played out of position and the 'big' players guaranteed to start. To think Ramsey had that outstanding season in the raiding midfielder Lampard role and hasn't played in that position since.

That is true, but surely these supposedly world class players should be carving out chances for themselves and others around them? I just think Wenger is still stuck in the 90's/ early 2000's and hasn't moved on, which is ironic considering he brought a new style of football when he came to the UK. ArsenalFanTV is hilarious to watch right now! Bellerin's comments about them making money off Arsenals demise is a bit hypocritical - hes doing the same, but to a much larger extent!

To an extent but managers, tactics and formations do have an effect. Look how badly Kane played in the Euro's yet in the Prem he is a beast. How much better Man City look under Pep. You're dead right about Wenger, he has no answer to the questions of the modern game and will stubbornly stick to his 20 year old ideas. For most of last season and the start of this his idea was to try and copy the formation that worked for Chelsea, when that didn't work he went back to 4-3-3 playing central midfielders as wingers. The problems with the defence must have something to do with the coaching as the players aren't that bad. Wenger got very lucky with the defence he initially inherited as he hasn't had anything close to that since.

Going to defend Wenger here a bit.

Lauren - Campbell - Toure - Cole wasn’t a bad back line? He built that.

Wengers issue is his inability to identify leaders. It maybe a football cliche. But you need leaders on the pitch because these players demand and command a high standard on the pitch.

Ramsey’s good form was about five years ago. That could have been a purple patch. He’s done nothing since then. Him and Xhaka were embarssing yesterday with their lack of effort. Cazorla is a big loss. I did say a few years ago Xhaka isn’t good enough to lace Cazorlas boots and he’s too slow and not strong enough to be a holding midfielder in the prem.

The issue with Wenger is that he’s nothing nowadays. He’s certainly not a great defensive manager like Mourinho. He certainly isn’t great at coaching attacking play like Pep and Klopp. I agree that he seems to be left behind.

Koschielny is a good defender. But he is always suspicious in big games. He certainly isn’t no Sol Campbell or Tony Adams. But in Wengers defence there has been a shortage of good defenders in the last 5 years. Arsenal can’t spend £200m on centre backs like Man City. I was surprised he didn’t go for one of the Spurs pair before they joined Spurs as they both are his type of CBS.

It’s crazy really. France are having a golden generation and Wengers only French signing has been a striker who can’t get in the French Squad. 10-15 years ago the likes of Mpabbe and Dembele probably would be moving to Arsenal as soon as they were 16.

Wengers lost his ability to identify good young players. He’s also for some reason gone the British route. The likes of Chambers, Welbeck, Holding and Ramsey are not good enough. So Arsenal look less pleasing on the eye technically.

Even when Arsenal first moved to the Emirates and they weren’t winning anything. Technically they were the best team in the premier league with the likes of Hleb, Nasri, Fabregas, Rosicky and RVP. They probably lacked the fighting spirit when the going went tough like Chelsea and Man Utd had at the time. But atleast you were guaranteed good football and goals.

[Dowbocop]

Arsenal are a big joke at the moment and aubameyang looks worse than ‘lacagoals’. Maybe it was all too much playing at spurs’ home stadium!

I feel sorry for both strikers as they get next to no service.

It's like watching England at their worst as we play a formation that doesn't suit the players, people played out of position and the 'big' players guaranteed to start. To think Ramsey had that outstanding season in the raiding midfielder Lampard role and hasn't played in that position since.

That is true, but surely these supposedly world class players should be carving out chances for themselves and others around them? I just think Wenger is still stuck in the 90's/ early 2000's and hasn't moved on, which is ironic considering he brought a new style of football when he came to the UK. ArsenalFanTV is hilarious to watch right now! Bellerin's comments about them making money off Arsenals demise is a bit hypocritical - hes doing the same, but to a much larger extent!

To an extent but managers, tactics and formations do have an effect. Look how badly Kane played in the Euro's yet in the Prem he is a beast. How much better Man City look under Pep. You're dead right about Wenger, he has no answer to the questions of the modern game and will stubbornly stick to his 20 year old ideas. For most of last season and the start of this his idea was to try and copy the formation that worked for Chelsea, when that didn't work he went back to 4-3-3 playing central midfielders as wingers. The problems with the defence must have something to do with the coaching as the players aren't that bad. Wenger got very lucky with the defence he initially inherited as he hasn't had anything close to that since.

Going to defend Wenger here a bit.

Lauren - Campbell - Toure - Cole wasn’t a bad back line? He built that.

Wengers issue is his inability to identify leaders. It maybe a football cliche. But you need leaders on the pitch because these players demand and command a high standard on the pitch.

Ramsey’s good form was about five years ago. That could have been a purple patch. He’s done nothing since then. Him and Xhaka were embarssing yesterday with their lack of effort. Cazorla is a big loss. I did say a few years ago Xhaka isn’t good enough to lace Cazorlas boots and he’s too slow and not strong enough to be a holding midfielder in the prem.

The issue with Wenger is that he’s nothing nowadays. He’s certainly not a great defensive manager like Mourinho. He certainly isn’t great at coaching attacking play like Pep and Klopp. I agree that he seems to be left behind.

Koschielny is a good defender. But he is always suspicious in big games. He certainly isn’t no Sol Campbell or Tony Adams. But in Wengers defence there has been a shortage of good defenders in the last 5 years. Arsenal can’t spend £200m on centre backs like Man City. I was surprised he didn’t go for one of the Spurs pair before they joined Spurs as they both are his type of CBS.

It’s crazy really. France are having a golden generation and Wengers only French signing has been a striker who can’t get in the French Squad. 10-15 years ago the likes of Mpabbe and Dembele probably would be moving to Arsenal as soon as they were 16.

Wengers lost his ability to identify good young players. He’s also for some reason gone the British route. The likes of Chambers, Welbeck, Holding and Ramsey are not good enough. So Arsenal look less pleasing on the eye technically.

Even when Arsenal first moved to the Emirates and they weren’t winning anything. Technically they were the best team in the premier league with the likes of Hleb, Nasri, Fabregas, Rosicky and RVP. They probably lacked the fighting spirit when the going went tough like Chelsea and Man Utd had at the time. But atleast you were guaranteed good football and goals.

Wenger is on record as saying he doesn't really hold much weight in the captain's role. We've given it to Mertesacker who is not a starter, and Arteta before that (Per deputised while Arteta was out). All well and good (both players are good leaders in my opinion, Arteta in particular), but they're not on the pitch! It's like giving a promotion to a worker on long term sick. I just looked it up: even now, the idea is that Per will be supported by Koscielny and...Cazorla! I had to look up Arteta because he was so rarely on the pitch as captain, especially in the last season.

Previously we had Gallas before who had all the leadership skills of Trump, and tried to keep RVP and Cesc happy with the armband as well. He doesn't give a gooseberry fool about captains and it shows.

[Photek]

There was a time that Klopp looked odds on to be the next Arsenal manager but Wenger resigned a contract. Imagine how'd they'd play if he had taken charge?

If Wenger gets another year I can see Arsenal finishing 8th, they are horrendously bad.

[PES Fan]

There was a time that Klopp looked odds on to be the next Arsenal manager but Wenger resigned a contract. Imagine how'd they'd play if he had taken charge?

If Wenger gets another year I can see Arsenal finishing 8th, they are horrendously bad.

They need to get Tuchel. Someone up and coming rather than someone like Carlo Ancelotti. I don’t think Ancelotti would solve any issues there. The players would probably still be lazy under him. It was the senior players at Bayern who got fed up with the lack of intensity in training under him. Where as Tuchel wouldn’t really stand for it.

Or even wait for Conte to be sacked, but I doubt he’d want to go to a team that spends less than Chelsea.

Even if Wenger wins the Europa, I don’t think he should stay. Even though I don’t think they will win it. AC Milan are gathering momentum and are 8 games unbeaten now under Gattuso. They’d probably be slight favourites heading into the match. Then you have Atletico and Dortmund. The draw is definitely harder than last year. They also relying on Welbeck to lead the line for the Europa.

[Tomous]

Jack Wilshere embarrassing himself:

Getty Images
“That being said I can't accept some of the decisions that went against us yesterday.

“What ever you say about the first goal, it’s a foul. The second goal is offside. There should have been a second yellow in the first half.

“Yes, this happens in football but it’s still hard to accept and people will say we are looking for excuses but these are facts.

“Facts”

[Saint of Killers]

[Buffalo]

Wilshere’s frankly cringeworthy petulance towards the end of the game yesterday summed him up in a nutshell. strawberry floating pipe down you overrated turd.

[Luboluke]

The fact that Wenger is happy to sit back and cry foul for Aguero's goal just tells you that he will never make Arsenal successful again. Any manager watching that and isn't embarrassed and outraged by Moustafi's defending clearly just doesn't care enough. That should be enough to end a players career at a club but the truth is that Wenger is the problem as I think most of these players are better than what they look right now. It's obvious that the problem with Arsenal is their mentality and that is 100% down to the manager and the standard that they demand.

The man is a genius but he just doesn't have the right qualities to be a successful manager (at that level) anymore.

[7256930752]

The fact that Wenger is happy to sit back and cry foul for Aguero's goal just tells you that he will never make Arsenal successful again. Any manager watching that and isn't embarrassed and outraged by Moustafi's defending clearly just doesn't care enough. That should be enough to end a players career at a club but the truth is that Wenger is the problem as I think most of these players are better than what they look right now. It's obvious that the problem with Arsenal is their mentality and that is 100% down to the manager and the standard that they demand.

The man is a genius but he just doesn't have the right qualities to be a successful manager (at that level) anymore.

I'm fairly sure this isn't the first time Mustafi has had a ball go over his head that has resulted in a goal. There is a nudge from Aguero but it's good centre forward play taking advantage of an idiot who has gotten himself in a stupid position. You'd be better arguing that Sane influenced the second goal from an offside position as he's clearly in the line of sight. Neither of these things are the problem though. In a tight game they might have changed things but we were completely outplayed.

[Saint of Killers]

[Mini E]

They'd scored at the other end, keeper didn't realise it had been disallowed and turned around from the edge of his box to walk back, opposition took a quick free-kick - how the crowd noise didn't tell him to at least turn around is beyond me

[Mafro]

I've been looking for this video for ages and it just popped up on F365.

[Benzin]

Isn't that Jack Wilshere?

[Photek]

What a ham roll fam.

[Benzin]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43215246

All the moaning about how the festive schedule is the problem and the result of a winter break is to do it in Feb

[Drumstick]

Didn't realise that Arsenal get to play City on Thursday before their visit to the Amex for the early Sunday kick off.

[Moggy]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43215246

All the moaning about how the festive schedule is the problem and the result of a winter break is to do it in Feb

As a consequence, the fifth round of the FA Cup would take place in midweek and there would be no replays.

...

Newport County manager Michael Flynn, whose side earned a lucrative FA Cup replay at Tottenham this season, is wary of the impact removing fifth-round replays could have on smaller teams.

"With the FA Cup games being played midweek and with no replays it's going to hit the smaller clubs a little bit harder," said Flynn. "If we couldn't have had that replay at Wembley, then it takes a lot of the romance out of football.

"For our players, there's a lot of them who would never have got the chance to play at Wembley. It's a great occasion and they might not do that again."

The League Two club are expecting to earn around £900,000 from their cup run.

The little guys will get screwed if this change goes through. And I bet that the big clubs will be heading around the world to play some lucrative friendlies during the “break”.