I watched a video online of Arsenal fans actually fist fighting with other Arsenal fans after the game, pure madness. There is such a divide between Arsenal fans who want to keep Wenger and the ones who say he should go.
cont.- I think whatever happens this season, new management is needed simply because these type of performances have occurred so frequently during Wenger's Emirates-era reign that it's impossible to say he isn't at least partly to blame. How much of the blame can only really be apportioned once a new manager is in and I'm more than happy to concede a good amount is down to individuals. This isn't a knee-jerk reaction to 1 F.A cup loss. We've won it 2 years in a row! But the trajectory of this season has been predictable. A slight change is that we have been in the title hunt this late in the season, and we can still win it- Leicester aren't Bayern Munich, but we've arguably only been in the race this long because of Chelsea's flop and City giving up since Pep's appointment was announced. Wenger revolutionised prem football, not just Arsenal, and he deserves to go out with another title but I feel if we're to truly progress, we need a change. I hope Watford win the FA cup now though.
@SteveHyland wenger has per and ozil world cup winner . Wender has also sanchez who beat by his power and skills neymar and messi in copa america. Webger has alot of players who are part of their national teams. Wenger has big budget. Wenger has huge number of arsenal supporters. So why do we try always to find execuses . Im asking my self ( if he was watford or leicester manager what he can do against this complete and very strong Arsenal) . 1 answer : Arsenal will beat him with 6 or more goals. We as fans have tendance to hail managers who has every thing under their hands. We should make a little brain storm to see other's abilities.
cont.- Welbeck was very good when he came on. Not sure why he didn't start. He's showing an eye for goal (by that I mean a will to score) that didn't seem there last season. The miss for our potential equaliser was borne out of lack of communication. He assumed in a crowded box, there'd be a defender straight on him so rushed it because he was given no information to the contrary. Had somebody simply shouted "time", like you get in every good Sunday league team, he would've been able to regain balance and pop it into an open net. We Gooners have a reputation as moaners but I honestly haven't seen a less lucky team over the past 5 years. Despite limiting Watford to 2 shots on target, they score from both. I've lost count the number of times I see an opponent's stats including mid-single-figure shots on goal, low single-figure shots on target and a ridiculous conversion rate of 75%+. A lot of our misses this season have been poor finishing but we also do not get the rub of the green....
You can put this in the seemingly ever-expanding category of games Arsenal should've won by half time yet end up losing. Giroud's goal wasn't offside. Advantage is supposed to go to the attacker but that hardly seems the case with us. Gabriel had another terrible game. Could've (should've?) been sent off for the tackle on Deeney although I would've given a yellow and was too easily turned by Ighalo for Watford's first. Per/Chambers should've prevented the ball even getting into the box mind. Elneny's chance was a good one which he fluffed spectacularly. It's hard to say he should've scored from there but he should've hit the target. Hard to fault any Arsenal player for their 2nd. Per did well holding Deeney up, forcing him to play it out. When the ball was rolling to Guedioura, you're shouting "shoot!" knowing that 49 times out of 50, that goes into row Z. Much like with Kane's wonder strike at the Lane recently, however- it went in. He has just 6 goals in his last 85 matches........
I'm so sorry friends. I commented after Leicester-Arsenal clash that "("by the 2nd of April Watford will kill the arsenal's last hope of the title")". I'm right and wrong . Right bcoz Watford prouve that it was a good prediction ,the most logical by the way despite media usual inflamation. I was wrong bcoz Watford have done it already b4 April. So you can give 9 downvotes again like the last time. For information Watford spent less than 10 millions not 156 millions for their players and they dont have replacements on the bench.
@sampo- Watford didn't do much. 1 good chance and a wonder goal shouldn't be worthy of winning a game against a team so heavily dominating. Ultimately it comes down to the fact that the team most successful against Arsenal is Arsenal.
Would be a nice time to have Debuchy, oh wait, he's injured in France. We can only play an ideal squad for either Barça or Watford. I choose Watford. So Coquelin and Elneny at Watford. They'll park the bus so I want Giroud at CF. Have to let Alexis face Barça though so start Walcott and Campbell on the wings. Maybe we see a Bielik appearance on the bench.
Per might be ok for this game so with that in mind, probably: Ospina, Bellerin, Chambers, Mertesacker, Gibbs, Coquelin, Elneny, Campbell, Oezil, Alexis, Welbeck with Macey, Monreal, Flamini, Iwobi, Reine-Adelaide, Walcott, Giroud on the bench.
@SteveHyland I thought Iwobi and the Jeff played well vs Hull. Theo scored twice so I doubt Wenger would bench him, as much as the fans would like Joel to start.
@Overmars- They did, but Watford are a couple of steps up in class from Hull and I think Wenger will be cautious about starting both against Prem opposition, especially with the CL tie all but done so no real need to rest the first teamers for Wednesday's game. Walcott and Giroud are just too wasteful in important matches. I see Watford defending pretty deep so there probably wont be too much space for Theo to run into. Given that's his only real weapon, but Joel has movement, is a better passer, offers defensive help and is a better finisher, I don't see how he'll start.
Ighalo and Deeney are a little out of form, but I'm still a little wary of this fixture. They gave us a good game earlier in the season before some Ozil and Alexis magic won the game late on. Hoping for another Arsenal victory to take us into the Semi-Finals. COYG!
I watched a video online of Arsenal fans actually fist fighting with other Arsenal fans after the game, pure madness. There is such a divide between Arsenal fans who want to keep Wenger and the ones who say he should go.
cont.- I think whatever happens this season, new management is needed simply because these type of performances have occurred so frequently during Wenger's Emirates-era reign that it's impossible to say he isn't at least partly to blame. How much of the blame can only really be apportioned once a new manager is in and I'm more than happy to concede a good amount is down to individuals. This isn't a knee-jerk reaction to 1 F.A cup loss. We've won it 2 years in a row! But the trajectory of this season has been predictable. A slight change is that we have been in the title hunt this late in the season, and we can still win it- Leicester aren't Bayern Munich, but we've arguably only been in the race this long because of Chelsea's flop and City giving up since Pep's appointment was announced. Wenger revolutionised prem football, not just Arsenal, and he deserves to go out with another title but I feel if we're to truly progress, we need a change. I hope Watford win the FA cup now though.
@SteveHyland wenger has per and ozil world cup winner . Wender has also sanchez who beat by his power and skills neymar and messi in copa america. Webger has alot of players who are part of their national teams. Wenger has big budget. Wenger has huge number of arsenal supporters. So why do we try always to find execuses . Im asking my self ( if he was watford or leicester manager what he can do against this complete and very strong Arsenal) . 1 answer : Arsenal will beat him with 6 or more goals. We as fans have tendance to hail managers who has every thing under their hands. We should make a little brain storm to see other's abilities.
cont.- Welbeck was very good when he came on. Not sure why he didn't start. He's showing an eye for goal (by that I mean a will to score) that didn't seem there last season. The miss for our potential equaliser was borne out of lack of communication. He assumed in a crowded box, there'd be a defender straight on him so rushed it because he was given no information to the contrary. Had somebody simply shouted "time", like you get in every good Sunday league team, he would've been able to regain balance and pop it into an open net. We Gooners have a reputation as moaners but I honestly haven't seen a less lucky team over the past 5 years. Despite limiting Watford to 2 shots on target, they score from both. I've lost count the number of times I see an opponent's stats including mid-single-figure shots on goal, low single-figure shots on target and a ridiculous conversion rate of 75%+. A lot of our misses this season have been poor finishing but we also do not get the rub of the green....
You can put this in the seemingly ever-expanding category of games Arsenal should've won by half time yet end up losing. Giroud's goal wasn't offside. Advantage is supposed to go to the attacker but that hardly seems the case with us. Gabriel had another terrible game. Could've (should've?) been sent off for the tackle on Deeney although I would've given a yellow and was too easily turned by Ighalo for Watford's first. Per/Chambers should've prevented the ball even getting into the box mind. Elneny's chance was a good one which he fluffed spectacularly. It's hard to say he should've scored from there but he should've hit the target. Hard to fault any Arsenal player for their 2nd. Per did well holding Deeney up, forcing him to play it out. When the ball was rolling to Guedioura, you're shouting "shoot!" knowing that 49 times out of 50, that goes into row Z. Much like with Kane's wonder strike at the Lane recently, however- it went in. He has just 6 goals in his last 85 matches........
I'm so sorry friends. I commented after Leicester-Arsenal clash that "("by the 2nd of April Watford will kill the arsenal's last hope of the title")". I'm right and wrong . Right bcoz Watford prouve that it was a good prediction ,the most logical by the way despite media usual inflamation. I was wrong bcoz Watford have done it already b4 April. So you can give 9 downvotes again like the last time. For information Watford spent less than 10 millions not 156 millions for their players and they dont have replacements on the bench.
@sampo- Watford didn't do much. 1 good chance and a wonder goal shouldn't be worthy of winning a game against a team so heavily dominating. Ultimately it comes down to the fact that the team most successful against Arsenal is Arsenal.
Giroud he is not a striker.
First defeat in the FA Cup in over 3 years, it was bound to happen.
Good predictions here... ;-))
@neumi17 Where is your prediction?
3:1
X2 Forza Watford
4:1
plesse warm up Arsenal players before you start the game! lol
Would be a nice time to have Debuchy, oh wait, he's injured in France. We can only play an ideal squad for either Barça or Watford. I choose Watford. So Coquelin and Elneny at Watford. They'll park the bus so I want Giroud at CF. Have to let Alexis face Barça though so start Walcott and Campbell on the wings. Maybe we see a Bielik appearance on the bench.
Apparently we haven't lost to Watford in a very long time. COYG.
Per might be ok for this game so with that in mind, probably: Ospina, Bellerin, Chambers, Mertesacker, Gibbs, Coquelin, Elneny, Campbell, Oezil, Alexis, Welbeck with Macey, Monreal, Flamini, Iwobi, Reine-Adelaide, Walcott, Giroud on the bench.
@SteveHyland I thought Iwobi and the Jeff played well vs Hull. Theo scored twice so I doubt Wenger would bench him, as much as the fans would like Joel to start.
@Overmars- They did, but Watford are a couple of steps up in class from Hull and I think Wenger will be cautious about starting both against Prem opposition, especially with the CL tie all but done so no real need to rest the first teamers for Wednesday's game. Walcott and Giroud are just too wasteful in important matches. I see Watford defending pretty deep so there probably wont be too much space for Theo to run into. Given that's his only real weapon, but Joel has movement, is a better passer, offers defensive help and is a better finisher, I don't see how he'll start.
Ighalo and Deeney are a little out of form, but I'm still a little wary of this fixture. They gave us a good game earlier in the season before some Ozil and Alexis magic won the game late on. Hoping for another Arsenal victory to take us into the Semi-Finals. COYG!
As Arsenal get their usual post pressure run going, Watford are likely to be overrun. 3-0 to the Arsenal, 3-0.