WENGER NEEDS TO GO! Not because of the two losses we just had, it is more complex than that and i will try to explain below.
This is the second time this year, when i have been too tempted and had to write a post, even though it's not about a match from the Premier League. I think a lot has happened since the Blackburn game this Saturday and there is a need to discuss all that.
First, let me start with the Blackburn game. I have no problem with the starting line up that Wenger chose. We had more than enough quality on the pitch with the exception of Gervinho who proved himself useless yet again and missed our best chance of the game. I was quite happy to see Rosicky on the pitch and he continues to be a stud every time he is healthy enough to play. I was also glad to see Coquelin who had another good game. When you add guys like Diaby, Oxlade, Arteta, the team line up was strong enough. Throughout the game itself, we dominated completely. Created more than enough chances to win it easily and ultimately lost it on a lucky goal. So i definitely don't feel the Blackburn game itself, was managed incorrectly. The problem for Wenger is that people have been waiting for results for way too long and will overlook the fact that we completely dominated and should have won the game. There were also guys like Giroud, Oxlade and Gervinho who didn't perform well enough to help their manager.
Now, today's game was a different story. Today's game was an example as to why Wenger needs to leave. Bayern gave us a lecture on how you are supposed to pressure a team when you don't have the ball, especially in the first half. We had an incredibly tough time taking the ball out of our own half of the pitch and advancing it forward. I am pretty sure we had 0 shots on goal in the first half. After we would get a corner, we had to kick the ball all the way back to our own half, because all of our players were covered. We did it way more than once! On the other hand, our pressure when Bayern had the ball was limited to a few players running around with nobody else doing the same.
This is where i feel we are WAYYYYY behind in the modern game! With the players we currently have, going forward against shitty, average and above average teams: no problem! Going forward against a very organized top class team: average to bad! On the flip side: pressing and defending against shitty, average, above average and great teams: we are shit for the most part!!! Yes, we have games where we press well and win the ball back, but it's not because it is something that is in our identity and has been trained non stop. It's because we had a good game defensively or we played a shitty team.
I have written, posted pictures, taken videos and talked about this for so long that i get tired just thinking about it. Wenger hasn't been able to get better at that aspect of the game for many years now. Is he still a good coach? Yes. Is his time at Arsenal done? YES! Is it going to be easy to replace him? No. But something has to be done, so we can get out of this vicious cycle of thinking that we are close to the top, when in reality, we have quite a few good players, but we also need a few more. And we need someone who can teach them how to play as a team on the defensive side of the ball! I am pretty sure offensively they can manage on their own.
I think Wenger wants to do well for this club so badly, that he doesn't see clearly the whole picture anymore. It's hard for him to do the right thing and let someone else finish what he started so many years ago. And because of his legendary status at Arsenal, no one seems to want to be the one to tell him that the club needs a new face. Someone who can hopefully keep and expand on the good things Wenger has done, but fix the flaws that we have and take the club forward!
Today's game was the last nail in the coffin for me. We were dominated for 75% of it, and the only reason we got in the game was because of Neuer's mistake. In a way i am glad we didn't come back, because that would have just masked the problems that we have and need to fix. They are not many, but the ones we have are the most important ones: defensive organization and proper pressing, and playing as a team where every player knows his responsibilities.
I really hope we will stay in top 4 this year but the fact that Wenger needs to go, is painfully obvious!
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