Arsenal 0 – 1 Blackburn
Match Report | Highlights | Arsene’s reaction
In this game, Arsenal played with such soporific slovenliness that it was as if they were trying to lull us in to such a stupour that the inevitable sucker punch wouldn’t sting quite so much.
To be fair, it worked. When Colin Kazim-Richards ran untracked through the midfield to fire home after Wojciech Szczesny’s feeble parry, I wasn’t surprised. There was a grim inevitability about the whole scene.
When Jack Wilshere fell in a crumpled heap at the final whistle, I felt for him. But any angst on my part was tempered by familiarity. His anguish was fresh, but mine has been dulled by duplication: I’ve seen it before. I’ve seen Cesc Fabregas similarly felled, and Robin van Persie too; great players, folding under the strain of swimming against a tide of mediocrity.
After Bradford and Blackburn, Arsenal now face a cup clash with Bayern Munich. One hardly imagines the Germans are quaking in their boots. A bad result at the Emirates on Tuesday night could all but guarantee us an eighth consecutive campaign without a trophy.
Things could be worse, I know. Whenever he comes under scrutiny, Arsene Wenger is quick to point out that Arsenal are not in a relegation battle. However, I’m afraid that just doesn’t cut it.
It’s about expectation. Reading are very much in a relegation battle, but that doesn’t mean Brian McDermott is under-performing. Equally, Arsenal might be well clear of 18th place, but they are falling below the standards expected of the club.
Those who criticise the manager are often characterized as pessimists, but it strikes me that there is an optimistic slant to their discontent. They see the potential of the club to be in a far better position than it currently is.
Replacing the manager doesn’t provide an absolute guarantee of positive change. However, an ever-increasing wealth of evidence suggests that keeping the manager absolutely guarantees more of the same.
I’m often asked when I’ll finally join the “Wenger Out!” brigade. Well, the answer is that I almost certainly never will. I’ve no time for brigades, or any other tactical military formations for that matter. Similarly, bandwagons have always struck me as an outmoded form of transport. I’ll make up my own mind on where I stand. I refuse to buy in to the dichotomy that has been imposed on the Arsenal supporter base, splitting us in to “AKB”s and “Doomers”. The reality, and my own position, is far more complex.
I will never chant for the removal of a man who has given me some of my greatest memories. However, I do believe there are certain fundamental issues with the management of the team that will only be resolved by a change of manager. Whether this summer would be the optimum time to do that, I don’t know: it depends on the availability of alternatives.
It’s moot, anyway. Arsene Wenger is no closer to leaving Arsenal today than he was on Friday. Negative results do not edge him closer to the door; only time and the running down of his contract do that. His current deal runs till 2014, and I find it impossible to foresee him leaving before that date. He may even be handed a renewal.
The extrication of Arsene Wenger from Arsenal will be a long and painful process, for both sides. I’d argue it’s a process that is already underway. It began when Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri abandoned Arsene’s project, and will end the day whatever contract he is bound to is allowed to expire.
Ivan Gazidis will not push him. Arsene will not jump. In the meantime, here we are: stuck in the middle of the end.
We really are stuck between a rock and a hard place. I agree with you. I am not one of the ‘wenger out’ crowd, but I really can’t support his project anymore. I’ll just accept we’re not going to win anything for a while.
should have accepted it when we moved stadiums mate… nevermind better late than never…
The game was an abomination, no argument. They looked completely devoid of ideas at the end. I also couldn’t help but notice how easily crestfallen this group is- when Rosicky hit the bar you could see their head’s drop even on TV, as if they were all saying “it isn’t our day again!”
WRT Wenger, I would be in favour of a change if I thought things would change for the better afterward. Do we believe Ivan G and the board when they say Wenger can buy as he wants? It seems crazy to me that he wouldn’t want to get another proven striker and defender. Why would he be cheap about this? It isn’t HIS money? I don’t get it.
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This is absolutely one of the best pieces I have read about Arsenal’s current state of affairs. You summed up all my emotions to perfection. Thanks Gunnerblog, you are awesome.
I agree with Ptop. Thanks for being such a reasonable voice during these tough times.
Good read, and one which reflects my own position on Wenger. I’ve been supporting the club since 1968, and satellite TV has allowed me to watch virtually all their games which I follow religiously here in Malaysia. But Saturday’s dish was painfully poor…and the current malaise of mediocrity is in stark contrast to the halcyon days of the Invincibles & the ’71 & ’98 double teams. I will not abandon the club though, but it’s difficult to get excited about them for now…my mind just went back to the brilliant Bergkamp twist & turn for the FA cup replay goal at Newcastle a few years back. But thanks for the even-tempered comments in these insanely trying times.
Bah! What’s 8 seasons without a trophy? Between 1955 to 1970 I count 15 seasons without a trophy until the Fairs Cup. At this rate Arsene will need to double his current streak in order to break this record! No worries, it looks like given a chance he may just actually do it!
Wenger, the manager that drove Arsenal to invincibility and mediocracy.
Who drove Arsenal from mediocrity to invincibility? Yes, Wenger! FACT: as bad as things are now, the club is in a much much much better position than when he took over…..
Better position in what way ?
better as in bigger, richer, and more consistent at the top than ever before in our history, plus the change from local to global …..
how u doing kem ?
I think Hunter has more than answered you….thanks Hunter, couldn’t have put it better myself….in fact part of the reason why things are “bad” at the moment is for the greater good, and why as a football brand, we are in a much much better position than back when he took over….
no problem . its pleasure to put gloryseeking twats like kem at their places
I think that also includes more money for you cos i guess you are a shareholder. Look mate, i can’t as a matter of fact use my hard earned money to buy a season’s ticket and go home disappointed at the end of the day. My pride as a fan and supporter is my bragging right.Kem i support you 110% .Mokhele can go to the stadium with all his relatives to watch mediocrity
Kutlwano,
My dad says that even though you have befriended him on here, he doesn’t want to give you his bank account details or credit card number.
Btw, I hope your uncle the Vice President in Katanga province escapes with his $33 million.
Jerry, don’t go…..we really don’t need the likes of you as supporters. You people really don’t know what it means to be supporter…shameful. NUFC got relegated a mere a coupla years after playing in UCL, while in Championship their fans filled the stadium still. So, you wana go to a stadium and be guaranteed success? Pitiful. Even ManUre supporters can’t be guaranteed of that…you know what, just relocate to Catalonia and go support Barca you plastic fan.
you are missing the line of thot here. the argument is if Wenger has lost it, and i emphatically say he has. it takes a true fan to be critical.you cant go anywhere when you sell your best and replace them with mediocres. If anyone is plastic, you are man!
lmao jerry ..who the fuck are you again to have an opinion on whether wenger has lost it or not?
sit down you neanderthal and shut it….
go to whl….it suits you better!
Yes Jerry who are you?
Just because my dad and I live 10,000 miles away and have never gone to a game in our lives – doesn’t mean we’re not experts.
Like GS, I am not going to call for the sacking of Arsene Wenger. He has done a lot for this club, and while we are in paralysis with him in charge, he still deserves to choose the time and manner of his departure from this club. He found a London club that was underperforming and unloved, and turned it into the greatest team that English football has ever known. I for one will never forget that.
Wenger out.
Wenger once said that players are always the last ones to admit that they are past it and that sometimes the manager must take them aside and tell them like he has done so many times to Ljungberg, Lauren, Ian Wright, Robert Pires even Bergkamp by refusing to give them more than 1 year’s contract or even refusing to offer one. I for one was shocked and bemused when Edu and especially Gilberto and Lauren were allowed to leave when clearly to my eyes they still had a lot to give but I’m not on the training ground so I can give him the benefit of the doubt.
Question: who tells the manager when he’s had it and it’s time to go? Clearly at Arsenal it’s no one and Wenger will always be the last to admit when he’s over the hill. Let’s hope no long term permanent damage is done when he finally goes ala Leeds United.
certainly not the fans who dont know their arse from their elbow when it comes to coaching and managing football clubs..
such a decission is made by the principal owner and thankfully the principal owner is not some idiot to remove the greatest manager in this club;s history.
a few customers are complaining ..not a big deal…they can return their tickets get their money back and fuck off. the organisation has plans and they dont change just cause a few mugs cant tolerate the ups and downs of football.
My friend i will advice you shut the hell up!
whats the matter jerry….am i cutting too deep ?
Yes dad, you’re cutting very deep!
These plastic fans don’t appreciate having good grass and playing in the champions league every year.
They think new stadiums (with good grass) grow on trees.
They think that because we have never been to see Arsenal that makes us less supporters than them – when really we’re the real supporters.
you not even scratching the surface
jerry be careful tom doesnt catch you ……..
trolling cunt…
lol at arsenal fans…here we are playing games against european giants, something which has become a routine the last 16 years, and the arsenal fans are crying over a domestic cup against blackburn…lol..as if we are still the local pub team where winning an f.a or c.c is seen as success…
we are a big “name” that plays in a european league with other established big “names” and fans complain about little cups in england as if they are important…..
wenger has taken us to the f1 circuit of football and fans still want them trophies from the go-cart circuits….
we get past the germans and all the abusive cunts and revolutionists will have to shut up for a while wont they ?
Haha, get rid of our best ever manager? What a joke!
So what if he loses to Blackburn and Bradford – they’re good teams with good grass.
Who cares about the Hackney marshes cups – Sir Arsene doesn’t – he cares about the real trophies – and when we demolish Bayern Munich on Tuesday, all you doomers will be quiet.
you sure will
and it wont be the first time he shuts you up wont it ?
last year again you were crying and he got 3rd in the end….didnt see you apologise though ..
Dad, between you and me…..It was RVP that got us 3rd.
nah sonny gibbs and kons secured it
..robin was in talks with his inner child at that time…
strictly between you and me ..from father to son
Oh dear…
i just can’t wait…
the more wenger shows his true colours; obvious decline in being able to be a “manager”..constantly being taken for an idiot by players…former and current
the closer it gets to wenger himself calling it a day
oh when he’s gone that’ll make my day!!
can’t wait!
of course it will make your day you tottenham cunt..hes been fucking you the last 16 years making you wish you had even 10% of our success
hunter i know it hurts matey but there is no need to lash out personally at me
jeez calm down and jus be grateful he’s lasted this long
why not? you are lashing out personally on our manager ….
what makes you immune from criticism?
“I will never chant for the removal of a man who has given me some of my greatest memories.” I Suggest you get off your high horse and chant! he has given you some of your greatest memories? well he has given me some of my WORST memories! a prime example of such a horrible memory he gave us all only yesterday! Dude, the sooner he goes the better for you and me, and all other suffering Gooners.
ah well it still wasnt as bad as paok salonica disqualifying us inside highbury or saragosa lobbing seaman from the half way line in the dying minutes of a european final ….
how old are you again?
Well maybe Rainman is 15 years old. So what? Than he has experiensed some bad seasons with arsenal and because of people like you who thinks we are on the level of barca and utd he compares our seasons to their seasons. And I feel you should listen to yourself, you imply he is a young boy and maybe he is, should you than take that tone to a young arsenal fan? Since you come across as a 37 year old acting 17.
And for the games you mentioned I can mention more negatives during AW if that is the parrameter for failure. But even you understand that everything is not well when we are in competition of which era of the club is the worst. I mean that says alot of the state we are inn.
You seem confindent of beating Bayern and I hope we will, can“t see it happen but still. But what if we don`t and finish behind LFC this season which I have put a bit og money on. When will you question our club. Or have you decided that you just don`t?
dont take it personal i mean i make fun of all the silly boys of all ages who come out their caves when we lose to abuse the club
who ever said that arsenal is at the level of united or barca? they have worked for decades to reach the point they are at today. arsenal started in 2006….. so be careful what you say huh…..
and yes im quite confident about the bayern game and not a scared pussycat like you, maybe its because i know my team and what they are capable of on their day.
question the club? who am i? some fool like the rest of you here who aint got a clue about football ?
why not question the cunt fans who think they are entitled to judge a professional of that callibre and why not question the xenophobic press who is anti-wenger/ anti-arsenal?
why not question the psychological condition of all them tough guys who use the anonimity of the crowd and the anonimity of the internet to abuse our manager ?
why not question the clueless brigade who wants falcao one day and cahill the next and grills the manager for not getting samba…….
you have useless drunk bastards in the pubs radios and newspapers trying to teach wenger football tactics …. you agree with that?
are you seriously calling wenger;s seasons at arsenal as bad ones? lol..isnt that a bit silly….do you remember what was happening before wenger? we were endign 7th and 12th at times…
why dont you tell me when in the past has arsenal ever endured a 16 year run of always being in the top4 of the epl?
oh its never happened before has it? keep moaning…
ok jerry …remember you always have a choice and noone forced a gun on you or twisted your arm to purchase anything.
you can come back when we start winning things again. that way you will feel better about your investment on a ticket….
Defintely my man, that is the only sensible thing you have said
good then glad you understand it cause some other pricks cant get it you see !
dont pay a damn thing….fuck off and coem back when we start winning again.
i wish others could follow your fine example instead of coming like the uncivilised animals that they are to insult and offend our manager and players.
well done jerry!
From your line of reasoning and your speech, you strike me as one uncivilized and uncultured dude. All the best
oh well i treat you in the manner that you deserve
An excellent post apart from the last 3 paragraphs.
I’ll start by fully ackowledging Wenger’s achievements up to 2005 (8 years ago).
It seems you are saying that Wenger should have a free pass to continue on 7 million quid a year until he decides that he wants to move on.
I don’t get it – we have had numerous players in the past who have been wonderful servants to the club who didn’t get contract renewals when their powers waned – why should Wenger be different?
It is pretty clear to most of the fans now that he is well past his sell by date and the squad is going backwards.
This one individual is NOT bigger than the club – while he stays in post the damage is immense – FFS we now have the bizarre situtation where Chelsea now have a bigger brand and world-wide fan base than us based on a few seasons of their success and our 8 of winning sweet FA.
If this situation festers on Jack will rightly conclude that he should ply his trade elsewhere – I can guarantee that if this happens that will be the tipping point for the fans and it will really get ugly.
Have you forgotten purchase of the new stadium?
Have you forgotten the good grass?
Have you forgotten European football every season?
Have you forgotten big profits for shareholders?
Have you forgotten world class signings like Giroud, Gervinho, Jenkinson, Sqillaci, Chamakh?
Have you forgotten how he gave us Almunia for so many seasons?
And let me tell you that if Wilshere goes…it doesn’t matter – Sir Arsene can make five of him. And then sell them too for even bigger shareholder profits.
that part about chelsea really gave me chuckles west loser …thank you!
are you sure you counted them all ? what if you missed a few in mexico?
Yes you peasants, no one is forcing you to go to the games.
If you don’t like it – don’t go! Me and my dad have never been ever – but we know what we’re talking about.
Sir Arsene is the greatest ever manager period, better than Ferguson, Graham, Mourinho, Paisley…..better than all of them put together.
He has won more 4th place trophies than all of those managers combined.
Plus we have more Spirit and Mental strength than any other club…….even Sir Arsene said so this morning.
Now please go away and play Football Manager – so that the real professional can go and get us another 4th place trophy. And if it’s not 4th place trophy, it will be 5th place trophy, and if it’s not 5th place trophy then it will be 6th place trophy…..one way or another we will get another trophy this year.
oh my son what bit you i wonder?
…here let me honour family tradition in alcoholism and make you a drink like your mom likes them..a b52 on the way then?
bitches52 i call it….for obvious reasons
Pah listen to you, you contradicting drunken cunt, you would say that that huh? bitch’s52 well that would be a woman’s drink considering your daily tipple and why have you not been finishing your moonshine drunken cunt you know you talk absolute shite when half cut …..You will be telling paying arsenal fans to get out of your stadium again soon lol……………………………lol so you drunk cunt
Tell us or should I say enlighten the arsenal fans …do you think arsene wenger is bigger than arsenal football club as you say above arsenal only started in 2006 and let’s be honest you do not have a good word to say about arsenal pre-wenger …
Let’s hope le fool has had serious words with that underperforming shower of shite as I agree those players need to play to their best to repay some of the Ludacris faith placed in them by le fool .I do agree with le fool on one thing though that was a strong team of 11 internationals against BLACKBURN but I have to disagree with him on one thing as they deserve to be insulted as the lack of effort from some of players was quite unbelievable but I would say you had to be there to witness it (unfortunately you can’t comment on that drunken cunt) .The first 11 of arsenal can still beat byern so I am still hopeful (stupid I know ) I am going for a 2-1 win for arsenal in both legs and arsenal go through ….now I know some of you ARE SAYING I AM NUTS BUT HEY IF WENGER CAN COME OUT IN A PRESS CONFERENCE THE WAY HE DID I feel I can be a little crazy as well….drunken cunt you up for a pre- game I can make anywhere down the Holloway road ……PS that’s in London mate but no worries if ya can’t
But who would we replace him with?? ZZZZZZZ
Well maybe the blackburn or blackpool manager or maybe even Norwich. They ahve all beaten us… or anyone above us in the league with a lower wage bill…. so thats AVB and Moyes from memory.
The list is getting easier and longer by the week.
Wenger out (and take the cockhunter with you)
HAHAHAHAHAHAHHA thank you for at least making us laugh so early in the morning..
the manager of norwich and blackburn at arsenal? ahhhahahahahahahah
maybe one day the spur(m) in your head grows into a braincell and you stop embarassing yourself like that.
Dad, these peasants would replace our greatest ever manager with Sam Allardyce….after all he’s good enough to manage Real Madrid
Support you say? Just what is support? Sitting in front of your TV shouting and screaming as if anyone but your bitch can here you and then coming on here and moan like a bitch? Is that support? Pathetic. How about going to games week in week out, investing time, money and emotion into Arsenal. Now that is true support. Anything below that is pure horsemeat and we don’t eat horsemeat do we Cockhunter? So why don’t you and your son go hunt cocks somewhere else dick wart!
investing time and money ? what you mean like the 4000 ive paid this year ? or the 4,500 i paid last year ? youve given more? i doubt it…
shall i fax you my receipts as well ?
why dont you shut up with your madeup and fake conclusions heh…..
you are going to teach me about support kid?
I shall spell it out for these peasants….
Every time Arsenal are on “Match of the G’day” we spend money on shrimp for the barbie and 2 six packs plus there’s coals for the fire…..this is not cheap watching Arsenal.
youre the only ones moaning mate…i just put you trolls at your places
the cunts who will abuse wenger and arsenal will get their replies dont worry ….
There’s a good post on 7amkickoff about Stan Kroenke’s lack of attention to the Arsenal, it’s worth a read if you’re interested in something more than Wengerout-ism.
Basically, the board is stale, Wenger is stagnant, the squad is mismanaged, and the owner likes it this way as long as the profits keep churning over. If Wenger leaves, it is a real worry who we have in the management team who can competently appoint another manager to lead this team to success.
Think about it, most of the top, top quality managers would be hesitant to take on the Arsenal. We are breaking even in terms of wages/earnings at the moment. We would presumably be out of the Champions League. We would have a large payroll filled with failed squad players we can’t offload. We wouldn’t have money to pay the top, top quality players that the new manger would demand. It would be a big challenge, and a sensible big-name manager would rather wait until their get a chance at managing Chelsea for a year.
I think we need to accept that we aren’t going anywhere until the Squillacis and Denilsons of this team end their contracts and free up monies for a new manager to use.
Sad but true.
It’s a bit sad that I look back on the 2008-2010 sides and think how much stronger and mental tougher they were, compared to this current side.
Haha dad these peasants would have us replace Sir Arsene with Harry Redknapp
Dad told me not to read this article.
I suggest you also don’t read it….It’s all lies!
http://www.talksport.co.uk/magazine/features/130219/how-bayern-show-arsenal-financial-fair-play-can-equal-trophies-191970?
“Bayern won’t settle for second best” it’s a real shame arsenal don’t have that attitude atleast they don’t want to settle for second best …where as wenger has openly stated there is nothing wrong with finishing second every season and once your coach or manager excepts this I am not sure what he thinks the players will do …..oh sh1t sorry I forgot they are also second half champions …..le fool really is letting himself down when opening his mouth thses days
btw, we are not settling for 2nd best!
We have the best grass in the premiership bar none.
Sir Arsene is No. 1
Dad Good News…
I don’t think anyone noticed that Kutlwano Mokhele has the same posting address as you.
Brilliant….
You peasants think Arsenal is mis-managed, well you’re wrong…
There is nothing wrong with Sir Arsene’s socialist wage structure for the players as long as he’s not part of it
It is OK for Arshavin to be on £70k a week – Sir Arsene authorised it – so it’s cool. And also for the other world class hopeful; Squillaci, he’s a snip at only £50k a week.
And so what that Sir Arsene fielded an under strength team against Olympiacos and we ended up being 2nd instead of winning it…..we would still have had to play Galatasaray anyway.
It doesn’t matter that he could have had Bale and Walcott in the same deal. Bale looks like a monkey anyway. Do you really want a monkey in our team?
It’s only been 8 seasons without a trophy – anyone would think we have exclusive right to win trophy every season. Before Sir Arsene, players were drug addicts and alcoholics.
Wanadoo you can some back now…..
Cock hunter is dead baby, cock hunter is dead.
0-2 down after 20 minutes, and I’m proud of how well the grass is holding up. Lush, green and beautiful, truly one of the great European lawns.
Poor guys – feel for the ones above ^^^
Why feel sorry as we already no we would be well Beaton ,we had hope but that is all it is we all know arsenal do not have the quality and especially the spirit to win the champions league we have seen again tonight poor goal keeping poor defending same as really and the same as always against top teams , we loose a goal before we have even started and we can’t really blame the players this time as it was fairly obvious really as I don’t feel the current arsenal squad has a player of the ability of rob en or ribery for that matter and rob en was on the bench .we really need to look now and say to arsene we believe your team has quality just not football quality .really think he should take it easy in Japan or France or somewhere as he looks so stressed and surely he has enough cash now and let’s be honest the team tried tonight but they just don’t have required ability to win at the highest level
Punctuation; give it a try.
Spot in Shaun – the more this carries on and just snowballs n picks up momentum..the quicker wenger will relieve himself (thank god)
Listen Peasants, this was not Sir Arsene’s fault – it’s not years of mis-management – how dare you question Arsenal’s greatest ever manager.
If Giroud had been practicing his technique a bit more we would be looking at 2-2 and then who knows.
Giroud is the one that needs lambasting.
In Arsene we trust
GS, maybe you should stick to Football Manager…
gunnerblog @gunnerblog
Signing off for the night by saying I really think we have every chance of beating Bayern tomorrow and taking a lead to Munich. Really.
Interesting post.