By FTK “Ipswich defended with heart, intelligence and gave us problems on the counter attack” these are the words used by Arsene Wenger in his post match press conference after the humiliating defeat in the Carling Cup. We had 70% possession, but what did we make of it? The usual suspects were on the scene of the crime, yet again. What really bothers me, is the way that Arsene Wenger reacts to players who are clearly not worthy of wearing the Arsenal Shirt. If you are a goalkeeper beware, because as Jens Lehmann and Manuel Almunia learned to their cost, upset Arsene as a keeper and you are shown the door, yet we all know the players that Arsene Wenger defends despite the performances that wouldn’t get them into a pub team.
I am not going to name these players, I was accused of being disloyal when I attacked Adebayor long before the rest of the AKB’s decided what I had to say was valid. I have already commented upon the deficiencies of players who were on the field against Ipswich, who in my opinion should be paying US the club for the right to wear the jersey. But this follow up to my rant about complacency is not a blog to carp “I told you so” This is a blog from someone who fears that the excellent legacy of Arsene Wenger is going to be tarnished with long term consequences. I repeat that I am a Wenger loyalist, and I am certain that in time he will deliver more trophies and success to the club, but he must first abandon those players who have failed to play to their potential consistently.
I am not a football manager, but having coached young players using a first level minor FA qualification, I do feel that I have some right to pass comment. The principles that were bestowed to me were to try and instil in players the need to keep as wide a field of vision as possible and always try to take up positions on the field that would allow anticipation of the opponents next pass. Well pardon me, but the long ball over the top has not changed since football began, and yet our two central defenders and anyone else who deputised for them as they went forward for corners, have missed the lesson that I attended that clearly stated, the ability to correctly react to a pass requires the player to be seeing the ball as well as it’s intended recipient.
If the centre backs are watching the ball and unaware of the intended player, or stand so square that they cannot respond immediately to the pace of the long ball put over the top to close down the receiving player, then they are guilty of being too square and flat footed. Why should we pay those players 50K a week? Or perhaps we should get rid of our entire defensive coaching staff? Whatever the solution what we saw with the reserve team against Aston Villa and now the first team against Ipswich is a level of play that is WHOLLY UNACCEPTABLE! For Ipswich to employ a single striker and get into scoring positions against a top Premiership side is not just embarrassing, it’s utterly PATHETIC.
Please Please Please Arsene Wenger, apply your same harsh responses that you have dealt out to our keepers, to all of those outfield players who deserve it. There are many younger players in the club who deserve a place in the first team above those players who are NOT FIT TO WEAR AN ARSENAL SHIRT. Enough already and put this club back where it belongs. We have the quality, we have the state of the art practice facilities, we have the needs and whims of the players catered for, but these complacent superstars DO NOT care enough about ARSENAL FOOTBALL CLUB, they do not care enough about the FANS, who have to endure the frustration of yet another poor Arsenal performance. I say to these players, you have dishonoured the heritage of Arsenal, and INSULTED your loyal fans.. What will be your response??? I ask you to SHOW SOME PRIDE and restore what it means to play for ARSENAL FOOTBALL CLUB!
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