‘Arsenal fans are living in the past.’
These are the words of former Gunner John Hartson following the north London club’s 2-0 home defeat to Swansea last Saturday.
The Gunners lie in 10th place in the Premier League table after just 15 games, 15 points behind leaders Manchester United and five behind fourth placed Tottenham.
And after yet another disappointing result and falling further behind, Hartson believes his former club don’t have the ‘quality’ in their squad to challenge for top honours anymore, and claims Arsenal fans are kidding themselves if they think they can:
‘They don’t have the quality players they used to have.
‘The fans moan and groan about current results but they just don’t have the quality in that side.’
He added:
‘Why do Arsenal fans seriously think they can be title contenders? Arsene Wenger himself has said a top four finish is acceptable, that’s where Arsenal are at the moment.’
I hate to admit but I think Hartson is right – we do live in the past. We go on about what we have done in the past, but don’t concentrate on what is going on now.
After seeing three new faces join the club in the summer, I honestly thought we had a chance of challenging for the title this season. Boy was I wrong. Its only December and I think you will all agree that we are already out of the title race and will struggle to acquire a top four finish with the way things are currently going.
Some of us out there, mainly all the AKB’s, need to wake up and smell the coffee.
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Well I also thought we were gonna challenge for the title this season, not because I was living in the past or whatever. Its because I thought we had the best looking squad(on paper) maybe after the current champions.. Experience, incredibly talented youth, pace, power, skill, goals all over the squad,a good `keeper, a good defence, a wetdream of a midfield, potent lookong frontline and a hunger to prove a point to the world that all those who have wronged us are fools and not to mention a football philosophy which is unstoppable when played the right way.. I’m still amazed at how wrong it all went
It’s unlikely that we will come anywhere near winning the title this year or next but isn’t that the beauty of the game?In the second week of April 2012 only a clairvoyant would have backed Man city for the league and anyone who witnessed the disorganized rabble that was Chelsea at the San Paolo in Naples last February would have been certified for suggesting that we had just witnessed the champions of Europe.That Arsenal team aren’t far off the standards required for silverware in this country.A bit of balance in both the team and the press might be helpful.Anyway as John Hartson should know,the past is the natural constituency of most football fans
You are kidding. An error prone GK, A ponderous looking defence, a weak midfield and an attack sans RVP. A mid table team on paper running true to form.
Who on earth is lobster kidding blabbing about goals all over the squad? I have never seen an arsenal side so less dangerous upfront that opposing defenders and keepers are always on vacation while our keeper repeatedly have it all to do. If Gervinho, Giroud, ramsey and co are your ideal goal machines in the mould of Henry, pires, bergkamp and co, then you ve got to get youself examined.
I agree with u, anyone who thinks that SHOULD get examined.. Why still compare our squad with those guys? Talk about living in the past
Goerge, that’s bullshit and u know it. Compare the individual ability of our Bac4 and ,let’s say, the league leaders back4. A midtable strikeforce? Wallcott, podolski and giroud are all experienced regulars for international teams who go into world cups with a good chance of winning them. A weak midfield? I hope u mean physically weak, because then, in that case u are obliged to go support west ham or stoke as they will give u what u are looking for in a midfield. But then i would also advise u to stop watching the champs league because u won’t see any team there with monster midfield oaths, u know, beacause football in the elite level has moved on from 1920
I wouldn’t lose faith just yet,theres a lot of football left this season.Of the teams above us united and city are merely consistent not brilliant and bad as we’ve been recently none of the others have our strength in depth.Any kind of a run of form will throw us back in the mix.In 2009/10 I remember arsenal losing to utd and Chelsea in consecutive weeks in Jan/Feb and being out of the race, only to be in a position to win the title about six weeks later.As regards Bergkamp, Henry and all I seem to remember that it wasnt all beer and skittles in that era either,brilliant and all as they were
as a club we go one step forward two steps back thats how its been for past 5-5 years….
but in all honest as team its not that hard to fix our problems….
we just need a world class striker.
and a big strong defensive midfield.
and hate to say it but podolzki dose not fit how we play on the left wing.
our ceneter woard players with his back to goal and wants crosses.
we need someone who can play on the shoulder of defenders so carzola can play a though ball that he dose well…
but in most games giroud just stand there wanting the ball to feet, his movement is not great….
just 2-3 players is all thats needed
our defensive is not as bad as people make it out to be.
I agree that Giroud is not quick enough to be our centre forward last Saturday a Walcott or such like would have got onto that bad backpass and been through on goal (and this with the score at (0_0).In a tight game such things are important.At the same time our current team have shown that they can score goals when they are playing with a bit of verve,the football just needs to be moved around quicker.If Arsene is going to persist with Giroud then he should select Walcott and Chamberlain on the wings to give him a chance to play to his strengths.Their speed would also give our midfielders an option as regards the quick through ball.Against WBA we must be careful that. Yacob and Morrison dont overrun our midfield so maybe let coquelin come in as a shield and give one of the regular three the afternoon off.