Around this time last season, Arsenal were faced with a season defining month. In that month, they had a Round of 16 tie against Barcelona, a Carling Cup final and some important league games in between. That Arsenal side managed to defeat Barcelona in at least one leg, they won those league games... but lost the Carling Cup final. After that defeat, the season steadily began to go down hill as Arsenal were dumped out the FA Cup by Man Utd, dumped out the Champions League by Barcelona and began to drop more and more points in the league, to the point where we ended the season with only three league wins after Carling Cup final.

This season, Arsenal have been faced with a season defining week. A vital league game at Sunderland to stay in the race for fourth, the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16 against AC Milan and an FA Cup game at, again, Sunderland. We won that important league game, and had some momentum going into the Champions League... too bad we were, to be frank, raped by Milan. The FA Cup gave us a good opportunity to bounce back quickly, but we lost. So out of two competitions in the space of a week, and performances suggesting that obtaining fourth place looks far from viable, how can you see the rest of this season playing out?

We've been here time and again. A team that supposedly has a lot of character and mental strength regularly fails to bounce back when things go against them.

So what went wrong today, exactly?

Simply, we were out-faught. The heart and desire to win was not there, while Sunderland had that in abundance. In times like this, talent matters little. Of course Arsenal have a more talented team than Sunderland, but if you play with no heart, desire or purpose you're always going to come up second best.

The game itself wasn't of great quality and there were very little opportunities between both sides. Sunderland were happy to sit deep with eleven men behind the ball and hit us on the counter, while we did nothing but pass sideways, and sideways, and sideways... Typically, we had lots of the ball but did absolutely nothing with it.

If Arsenal had somehow managed to dig a couple of goals out of somewhere they would have won the game, because Sunderland's only threat was on the counter. But this has the problem so many times this season, hasn't it? The team can't break other teams down. They can't create opportunities to score and only one player in the whole squad, let alone the starting eleven, looks like scoring.

Most disappointingly tonight, nobody looked like they wanted to win the game. Everyone just seemed to leave it to someone else, hoping that maybe they will do something to turn the game around. That is not the sign of a team looking to bounce back from humilliation. That is the sign of a team of cowards. That may sound harsh, but I feel it is the most accurate term to describe this team at times: cowardice. Hiding when the going gets tough.

Just look at Sunderland tonight. Look at their work rate and hunger to win the game. They had a plan, they stuck to that plan and it paid off for them. Their goals may have a touch of fortune about them, but then, you make your own luck, don't you? Richardson decided to have a shot and he got the luck such a great effort deserved. Arsenal try to stick to their principles but never force it. They don't test their luck. Why not try a few efforts from range? Why not just drill the ball across goal? You never know until you try, and Arsenal's problem a lot of time is that they never seem to want to try and do something different.

The manager never seems to want to do something different. This midfield trio has failed to create in so many games now but he doesn't change it. Why not try different players? Why not try a new formation? Why not mix it up a bit? Insanity is defined as doing the same thing over and over and expecting the same results. So why does the manager insist on doing the same thing over and over?

This isn't me suggesting Wenger is insane, and I did praise his effort in motivating the players in training but regardless he does still shoulder some of the blame. He's the one that instills the mentallity in this team, and if this team of players is not responding to his attempts at motivation, then something is wrong. Are we so unfortunate to have a whole squad of players incapable of responding to motivation? It's doubtful.

How the players respond now will decide where we end up at the end of the season. Being knocked out the FA Cup is a disappointment but doesn't change the fact that since day one, our goal has been top four. Any trophy picked up along the way would have been seen as a huge bonus. So our target has not changed. The season is not over, but with the squad being in this state, how many of us can see us defeating the likes of Tottenham, Liverpool and Newcaslte in the next few weeks? God forbid what will happen if we fail to win any of those games, too. Even me, one of the most optimistic supporters, cannot see us beating Spurs next Saturday.

So somehow, Arsenal have to get their act together. There is still a big prize to play for. Say what you want about fourth spot not being a success for a club like us and what have you, but we will have a much better chance at rebuilding with Champions League football than we will without it. A win against Spurs will hopefully give us the necessary boost to consilidate fourth spot, and I say that with great caution. A defeat, though, would probably be the final nail in the coffin for most fans.

shit second half, where was the passion and the effort ??...Sunderland won everything. 50-50's, corners, one on one duels. Very disappointing because I though we played well in the first half.

Prior to the game, Wenger said that our past great teams had one great quality: their ability to bounce back from disappointment. He admitted that today, our character and our honour was at stake...and we lost.

More than any other time, I will admit that our current team is simply not good enough. Take away injuries and we'll be better, and honestly the Stadium of Light pitch is shit, but this team, right now, is not good enough.

F*ck this season.

Watching this team play is really painful.

They simply don't know what to do with the ball except keep pinging it sideways to one another. And this is supposed to be our strongest attacking lineup

90 mins game
1st 45 mins shit performance
2nd 45 mins better but not shit

fighting spirit was their in the second half
luck wasn't

Bottom line : Don't Give Up Yet

*bleep* this team, i'm done with them this season

Deserved to lose. sunderland were 200000 times better than us, they probably have more quality players than us.


This is an average team, filled with Medicore players. Don't see us finishing top 4.

Season is done, Lets fight for a EL place with Newcastle and co and hope we finish in top 10.

I wonder what Wenger will say after this. Unlucky or injuries?

Alright, I'm waiting for the odd non-Arsenal section poster (Zealous, Mole, halamadrid) to come in here and tell us to 'chin up' and spit out something about how this season is still salvageable.

Go ahead. I'm waiting.

RealGunner wrote:Deserved to lose. sunderland were 200000 times better than us, they probably have more quality players than us.


This is an average team, filled with Medicore players. Don't see us finishing top 4.

Season is done, Lets fight for a EL place with Newcastle and co and hope we finish in top 10.

lol Jam..we still have to play Spuds,Scousers,Chavs. So we have a fighting chance.

this team is full of denilsons pass the ball backwards and sideways
.ffs. we do so well wen the ball goes forward but none of them understand tht!

wengers gonna blame it on the pitch, time wasting, injuries and the wind

No excuse for 4th spot not, only being in 1 competition. Gervs' back, my only worry is how complete shit the defense looks without Mertesacker.

gunnerlistick wrote:lol Jam..we still have to play Spuds,Scousers,Chavs. So we have a fighting chance.

Not sure if serious or iron

This team would lose to Oldham Athletic in it's current state, nevermind a fighting chance against Spurs, Liverpool or Chelsea

Sushi Master wrote:No excuse for 4th spot not, only being in 1 competition. Gervs' back, my only worry is how complete shit the defense looks without Mertesacker.

Our love for Mertesacker was completely justified when we bought him and some people were upset

getdarker wrote:this team is full of denilsons pass the ball backwards and sideways
.ffs. we do so well wen the ball goes forward but none of them understand tht!

wengers gonna blame it on the pitch, time wasting, injuries and the wind

It's very hard to break down a team with 11 players behind the ball, we use to do it because we had Cesc,Arshavin,Nasri all firing. The team that was out there doesn't have those type of players so it ain't their fault

The 'Arsenal way' would be to win the next match against spurs

you guys are finally starting to come around, realizing that we aren't a good team. arsenal has tolerated mediocrity for so long now, and that's what we're getting out on the pitch.



you'd be foolish to believe we're turning a corner when almost every other week we have an embarrassing performance and then during week we see training pictures of the players and every last one of them is laughing, smiling, and joking. these guys dont mean business, and we see it on matchday

MJGunner wrote:Alright, I'm waiting for the odd non-Arsenal section poster (Zealous, Mole, halamadrid) to come in here and tell us to 'chin up' and spit out something about how this season is still salvageable.

Go ahead. I'm waiting.

This

i DARE anyone to defend this shit, absolutely DARE anyone on this forum to defend this utter pile of crap that once was Arsenal FC

We need to make a mourning stand over our reputation

season is NOT over & i wont give up until last second
because from the start finishing in CL places has been our objective
so we just need to get behind our team and we have got chance to finish where we want
who is not disappointed.no one
but this is what it is
no time for complaining

Lex wrote:

gunnerlistick wrote:lol Jam..we still have to play Spuds,Scousers,Chavs. So we have a fighting chance.

Not sure if serious or iron

This team would lose to Oldham Athletic in it's current state, nevermind a fighting chance against Spurs, Liverpool or Chelsea

lol it's still a chance, whoop Spuds, it could be good for morale...Chavs and Scousers haven't been anything special so it's there just needs to grab the chance

Sina
clearly something needs to be done
we cant just keep hoping for a miracle it aint gonna happen
im behind the team 100 percent but at times like this itts difficult not to complain

Denilson >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Ramsey

what will make us win against Spuds who are having their best season when we were outplayed by Sunderland.

lol at the comparisons of Wilshere and Ramsey last season ahhaahah.

I'm afraid that Wilshere might under perform when he comes back.