Written by SlimGingerGooner
Well, can you believe it!?
Arsenal have reached the landmark 40 points needed to stay in the Premier League!
Back in August another season of struggle was being predicted by the knowledgable Arsenal
faithful. A lack of quality signings in the transfer window and an air of disappointment from pre
season results even had some sections calling for a new manager:-
"Wenger will win nothing.
There are no excuses, yesterday we were outplayed and outfought by a newly promoted side, as
Swansea beat us 3-2 to seriously dent our hopes of making the top four.
The penalty decision was questionable, yes, but as has been the problem recently, we were not up
for this game at all.
Mirror: Video: Pundit Keown gets ball in the mush
Downside of pitchside analysis confirmed during Leeds' warm-up at Arsenal
View the full story here: The Mirror
A news article on 2012-01-09 20:38:13 from: The Mirror
This news item has been reproduced from today's media.
When was the last time you heard the words "Wenger must buy" followed by any of the following:
Jagielka, Cahill, Samba, Hangeland?
It seems only weeks ago that were as many headlines linking us with other clubs' defenders as
there are stars in the sky or skeletons in John Terry's closet.
Now.
One of the saddest effects of our poor form during 2011 has been seeing how lesser teams no
longer fear us.
The psychological advantage of having most opponents assume they would get nothing out of
playing us has been whittled away by a series of unfortunate events.
Throwing away a four goal lead at Newcastle; losing to relegation-bound Birmingham in the
Carling Cup Final; league defeats to the likes of West Brom, Stoke and Bolton:
All these and more have turned our shiny armour of invincibility into a tattered and battered
old coat of rusty chain mail, pock-marked with holes.
After just one defeat in six games, Martin Keown has praised Arsenal's bounce back to form after
their lucky but deserved victory against Marseille on Wednesday night. Speaking to the Metro, the
Arsenal legend said, "The defending has improved in recent weeks and it's easier to put things
right when you are winning more than [.
Written by Oz Gunner
Theodore Roosevelt once said:
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or
where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually
in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs,
who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who
does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends
himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and
who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never
be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.
Imagine a time when Arsenal had a decent back four –
HA.
No, not ‘The Invincibles" – they were a pale shadow of the 1998/99 quartet that
stood as a brick wall. In front of Seaman roamed Adams, Dixon, Keown and Winterburn – together
they allowed a miserly 17 goals, thirteen less than the next best record that season.
'8-2, eight bloody two' as Michael Palin almost said in Ripping Yarns (8-1).
The morning after Arsenal's worst defeat since 1896 was a sobering one.
The 8-2 capitulation at Old Trafford was slow-motion carnage or schadenfreude at its sweetest,
depending on your opinon of the Gunners and Mr Wenger.
Sometimes it is tough finding things to write about, especially on a deathly quiet Glastonbury
Sunday.
Is Wimbledon more interesting than an news-shy Arsenal newsnow? Not since the Crazy Gang has
Wimbledon held any interest to the football lover.
Those were the days the George Graham era.
Silent Stan has been making the headlines.
But what's excited me about The Arsenal this week has been the noise.
The noise of Arsenal players getting their heads in the game.
First: the noise of Robin van Persie bawling out Abou Diaby at half time versus Blackpool for
getting himself a stupid yellow card.
Six years on from their last piece of silverware, cracks are finally start to appear in the
near-15-year relationship between Arsenal Wenger and even the most loyal of Arsenal fans. More than
half a decade of underachieving has this season culminated in the most catastrophic of collapses.
Bowing out of three competitions in a fortnight has left the Gunners clinging onto one faint hope
of silverware and given the lack of confidence, depth and morale in the squad, it would appear
almost miraculous that the Premier League title will be delivered in May.
Written by Gooner in Exile
Yet again after the weekend result it is the defence that has been called into question, the
cries of weakness are again heard and the calls for a return to the glory days of the famous four
of Adams, Bould, Winterburn and Dixon. Add to those four Keown and yes we had an impressive back
line available.
