Arsenal - Post match thread

[blue ranger]

It wasn't me or others being very insightful by spotting the warning signs so early, for me personally it was absolutely obvious and irrespective of how I was shouted down, I felt the need to say so because I didn't want my team to regress.

Look back at our early matches under Pellegrini and you will see the same character traits as we have now. The only difference is the fear factor left over from the Mancini era was still there as our opposition massed their ranks on their 18 yard box and dared not attack us.

But one by one they started to do just that and many were surprised how defensively vulnerable we'd become. By the beginning of the 2014 season, they were all at it and we had no answers as we had lost Mancini's defensive discipline and replaced it with (as one poster put it) 'Fly by the seat of your pants style football' which he personally loved.

It didn't work for Keegan in the top flight, so what made Pellegrini think it would continue to work in the Premier League after most teams had figured us out. Time has told, but the warning signs have always been there.

Agree with this post 100%. Great read.

 

[Father Paul]

Statistically and in black and white you are correct - but I assure you the warning signs were there.

I was more than a bit concerned about Peller right from the start. A game at Cardiff I think highlighted a lot of problems which if truth be known were never fully addressed. However, it is hard to argue that the guys first season in charge was not a success.

 

[GaudinoMotors]

I was more than a bit concerned about Peller right from the start. A game at Cardiff I think highlighted a lot of problems which if truth be known were never fully addressed. However, it is hard to argue that the guys first season in charge was not a success.

Stoke away for me.
But yeah, with a cup and a league title .........

 

[Father Paul]

Yet for all that, a complete brain fart moment between Clichy and Hart followed by Mangala losing Giroud and Fernandinho just allowing Sanchez to run away from him cost us a much deserved victory in a game we dominated.

That hardly smacks of a completely wrong formation or tactical approach. The game I watched didn't have me thinking why is he playing these players in this way.

Such fine lines and had a couple of players done what they did for the majority, their jobs correctly we would have won the game.

Look im happy he is going, his time is up and I cant wait for Pep but the insistence that anything and everything that goes wrong on the pitch is Pellegrini's fault is both wrong and convenient and allows players to get away scot free form their responsibilities as well.

Should he be continually picking certain players who have made mistakes and played poorly? No he shouldn't and for that, he has let himself down and deserves criticism.

I thought the system worked well up until we went 2-1 up. Very quickly Arsenal took control and there were a number of warnings which I feel the manager should have reacted to and made a change. But yesterday was probably one of our best home displays in terms of performance this season. Pity that the result may have been everything.

 

[levets]

Yet for all that, a complete brain fart moment between Clichy and Hart followed by Mangala losing Giroud and Fernandinho just allowing Sanchez to run away from him cost us a much deserved victory in a game we dominated.

That hardly smacks of a completely wrong formation or tactical approach. The game I watched didn't have me thinking why is he playing these players in this way.

Such fine lines and had a couple of players done what they did for the majority, their jobs correctly we would have won the game.

Look im happy he is going, his time is up and I cant wait for Pep but the insistence that anything and everything that goes wrong on the pitch is Pellegrini's fault is both wrong and convenient and allows players to get away scot free form their responsibilities as well.

Should he be continually picking certain players who have made mistakes and played poorly? No he shouldn't and for that, he has let himself down and deserves criticism.

I'm just talking about a tiny minority on here who seem to want a medal for looking into their crystal balls and declaring that Pellegrini was a fraud and an imposter before a ball had been kicked - or more accurately after he'd been in charge for one match.

Yeah I know some have strange views...

But I told you before, although Mancini was a messiah to many... We understood why he had to go.

We were fed a narrative by some on here (yourself included) regarding Manuel and I warmed to him. I liked him and was glad he was the manager and not that eye gouging twat. But he had to go, as Pep was available. I'm just responding to your comment about 'Bobbys boys'...

In short, that presentation etc should have been right before the game; and the youth parade should have been at HT.

 

[levets]

Confused myself now..

Very simple... Chelsea is the worst defence of the premier league...

The worst defence EVER of the league championship is US...

 

[manimanc]

We haven't missed out on top 4 because of yesterday. I actually didn't mind our play and set up. My main grip would be after about an hour I turned to my cousin and called what sub needed to be made. Why did the corpse then wait until we have conceded which was coming before he makes the same sub I called before in enough time to save the game. If I can call it how on earth can a man paid millions not realise it. Mind boggling.

Could you pick me the numbers for tomorrow's euromillions draw please?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Dribble]

Agree with this post 100%. Great read.

What makes it all the more galling is that one poster insinuated today that many of us have been waiting 3 years for this to happen just to prove ourselves right about Pellegrini!

I have NEVER wanted City to lose under Pellegrini to prove any fuckin point! What has taken place was a disaster waiting to happen and I take no pleasure in City possibly being relegated from the Champions League next season and finishing probably 15 points behind Leicester City in the league because of Pellegrini's lack of tactical acumen.

You didn't need a crystal ball to be able to see what was coming, just a rudimentary knowledge of football. Look back at the matches from Pellegrini's first season and it will tell you all you need to know as to why we are where we are now.

 

[kevin horlocks wand]

To cheer us all up.

I texted a die hard red mate today and said fucking hell, how is it come to this pellers is utter shite, it's in your hands now mate.

His reply

I wouldn't worry we are wank......

 

[bobom]

I

What makes it all the more galling is that one poster insinuated today that many of us have been waiting 3 years for this to happen just to prove ourselves right about Pellegrini!

I have NEVER wanted City to lose under Pellegrini to prove any fuckin point! What has taken place was a disaster waiting to happen and I take no pleasure in City possibly being relegated from the Champions League next season and finishing probably 15 points behind Leicester City in the league because of Pellegrini's lack of tactical acumen.

You didn't need a crystal ball to be able to see what was coming, just a rudimentary knowledge of football. Look back at the matches from Pellegrini's first season and it will tell you all you need to know as to why we are where we are now.

I think I would probably hesitate before I accused everyone in the club leadership of lacking a rudimentary knowledge of football. It can be very tempting to believe that everything is obvious, but it's not that simple. Plenty of experts have failed to deliver once they've been put in charge - look at Neville at Valencia.

 

[sir baconface]

Enjoy your evening, don't forget to send a few shillings to papa!!

Pay attention, PiB. It's a lorra lorra shillings.

 

[sir baconface]

On this entitlement issue, I'm sure every single Blue is grateful to the owners. The vast majority of us simply expect club employees to make the most of the bounteous resources and fight like fcuk for success. Few of us expect City to win everything but the days of putting up with mediocrity went when we were taken over.

Hopefully the top brass will realise that the non-turnout for Manuel was no more than an indication of disgruntlement with him.

 

[Bellamy's Caddy]

First chance to post since the game yesterday.

I know we still have one match left to go, but to me it feels like the season has already ended. It was a strange season in many ways... we won a cup, something all of us would have been delighted with ten years ago. We got to the Semi-Finals of the Champions League, something very few would have ever imagined possible ten years ago... Yet the overall feeling is disappointment, it shows how far we have come as a club in this time!

I stayed for the end of season speeches yesterday, not out of any particular loyalty to Pellegrini, in the past I have always stayed for these things so to me it just felt like the right thing to do.

The fact that the majority did not stick around yesterday doesn't sit well with me though. I understand the reasons for it, but the club isn't just about the manager, which is just as well given the amount I've seen come and go ( and I'm only 30!). The club isn't just about mercenary squad players - again, I've seen plenty of those too (Steve McManaman etc). We criticise the players when they don't turn up for matches, or put in enough effort. What about us though? What about when we don't turn up for them?

It wasn't just Pellegrini that was snubbed yesterday it was Hart, Fernandinho, Kevin De Bruyne, Aguero (who may still end the season as top scorer). Did those players in particular not deserve a show of appreciation for their efforts this season? If Real Madrid or Barca come calling for Aguero in the summer, we would hope that even after a disappointing season as a club he would show us some loyalty and stay. Maybe Aguero would have expected some loyalty from us yesterday…

Following the takeover and the success we have experienced and money spent, expectations have increased, not just from City fans but from neutrals and in particular the media. I don't like the way City are viewed by neutrals, certain journalists and many pundits, but at the same time I don't care. They are not associated with Manchester City, they don't get it the way we do. I do care what our fans think though and I’m sure our owners care when negatives are associated with City as a club and our fans.

It concerns me that yesterday might not be a one off. What happens if Guardiola doesn't get to grips with the league straight away, or it takes a while for a few new signings to gel? We are getting the most sought after manager in world football. The man who could get any job has chosen to work for Manchester City - that is how highly our club is now rated! Who knows what Guardiola will have made of the post-match scenes yesterday, but he can’t have been impressed. We bemoan the media coverage that the club and even our fans receive, yet yesterday we gave them the opportunity to justify everything they have ever said about us. Spoilt, plastic fans, Emptyhad, every cliché they trot out we lived up to.

I appreciate that survival in the premier league isn’t the first thing on everyone’s minds any more (even if I’m secretly pleased when we hit the 40 point mark), I appreciate that no longer are we just happy to be there... but at the same time I never want us to forget where we came from. It defines who we are and it separates us from other clubs and their misplaced sense of entitlement. At one time it took character, a tough skin and a good sense of humour to be a city fan. I don’t expect anyone to mark this season down as our best, but it certainly isn’t our worst.

Regardless of Champions League football, a new era starts at City next season, we all hope it will be a successful one. I just hope we play our part too, that yesterday was a one off show of apathy, a reflection of a weird season on and off the pitch. Personally I will be glad when this season is officially over, I'm excited to see the type of football we will play under Guardiola and which players he recruits. Bring on next season!

 

[blue banks]

First chance to post since the game yesterday.

I know we still have one match left to go, but to me it feels like the season has already ended. It was a strange season in many ways... we won a cup, something all of us would have been delighted with ten years ago. We got to the Semi-Finals of the Champions League, something very few would have ever imagined possible ten years ago... Yet the overall feeling is disappointment, it shows how far we have come as a club in this time!

I stayed for the end of season speeches yesterday, not out of any particular loyalty to Pellegrini, in the past I have always stayed for these things so to me it just felt like the right thing to do.

The fact that the majority did not stick around yesterday doesn't sit well with me though. I understand the reasons for it, but the club isn't just about the manager, which is just as well given the amount I've seen come and go ( and I'm only 30!). The club isn't just about mercenary squad players - again, I've seen plenty of those too (Steve McManaman etc). We criticise the players when they don't turn up for matches, or put in enough effort. What about us though? What about when we don't turn up for them?

It wasn't just Pellegrini that was snubbed yesterday it was Hart, Fernandinho, Kevin De Bruyne, Aguero (who may still end the season as top scorer). Did those players in particular not deserve a show of appreciation for their efforts this season? If Real Madrid or Barca come calling for Aguero in the summer, we would hope that even after a disappointing season as a club he would show us some loyalty and stay. Maybe Aguero would have expected some loyalty from us yesterday…

Following the takeover and the success we have experienced and money spent, expectations have increased, not just from City fans but from neutrals and in particular the media. I don't like the way City are viewed by neutrals, certain journalists and many pundits, but at the same time I don't care. They are not associated with Manchester City, they don't get it the way we do. I do care what our fans think though and I’m sure our owners care when negatives are associated with City as a club and our fans.

It concerns me that yesterday might not be a one off. What happens if Guardiola doesn't get to grips with the league straight away, or it takes a while for a few new signings to gel? We are getting the most sought after manager in world football. The man who could get any job has chosen to work for Manchester City - that is how highly our club is now rated! Who knows what Guardiola will have made of the post-match scenes yesterday, but he can’t have been impressed. We bemoan the media coverage that the club and even our fans receive, yet yesterday we gave them the opportunity to justify everything they have ever said about us. Spoilt, plastic fans, Emptyhad, every cliché they trot out we lived up to.

I appreciate that survival in the premier league isn’t the first thing on everyone’s minds any more (even if I’m secretly pleased when we hit the 40 point mark), I appreciate that no longer are we just happy to be there... but at the same time I never want us to forget where we came from. It defines who we are and it separates us from other clubs and their misplaced sense of entitlement. At one time it took character, a tough skin and a good sense of humour to be a city fan. I don’t expect anyone to mark this season down as our best, but it certainly isn’t our worst.

Regardless of Champions League football, a new era starts at City next season, we all hope it will be a successful one. I just hope we play our part too, that yesterday was a one off show of apathy, a reflection of a weird season on and off the pitch. Personally I will be glad when this season is officially over, I'm excited to see the type of football we will play under Guardiola and which players he recruits. Bring on next season!

Generally a good post and I agree with a lot of it but I've become less naieve and more cynical the older I've gotten (36 now) and I'm no longer sure about players' attitudes and their respect for fans.



It's becoming more and more a 1-way street - the fans giving, giving, giving … the players, well, not so much taking, but, at best, not giving back.



I'm sure Pep would have been more concerned yesterday with the scense on the pitch rather than off it.



We're an extremely loyal fan base - one that will give every support to an honest squad - a squad who give their all for the Club.



We're entitled to vote with our feet if we feel that the Club has not been respected fully throughout the season.

 

[paulchapo]

These end of season events are usually a bit hit and miss. Firstly it was not officially the end of season as we have one more game to go and depending on the rag result in mid week it could be vital.

Yes ten years ago this season would have been beyond.our wildest dreams but times have dramatically changed and we have on the whole been shit, by our recent standards.

Add to all this the undercurrent of discontent with ticket prices, certain players attitudes and the manager and we got what we got at the end of yesterday's game. This is probably the only form ofeffective protest the fans can make these days.

 

[pride in battle]

First chance to post since the game yesterday.

I know we still have one match left to go, but to me it feels like the season has already ended. It was a strange season in many ways... we won a cup, something all of us would have been delighted with ten years ago. We got to the Semi-Finals of the Champions League, something very few would have ever imagined possible ten years ago... Yet the overall feeling is disappointment, it shows how far we have come as a club in this time!

I stayed for the end of season speeches yesterday, not out of any particular loyalty to Pellegrini, in the past I have always stayed for these things so to me it just felt like the right thing to do.

The fact that the majority did not stick around yesterday doesn't sit well with me though. I understand the reasons for it, but the club isn't just about the manager, which is just as well given the amount I've seen come and go ( and I'm only 30!). The club isn't just about mercenary squad players - again, I've seen plenty of those too (Steve McManaman etc). We criticise the players when they don't turn up for matches, or put in enough effort. What about us though? What about when we don't turn up for them?

It wasn't just Pellegrini that was snubbed yesterday it was Hart, Fernandinho, Kevin De Bruyne, Aguero (who may still end the season as top scorer). Did those players in particular not deserve a show of appreciation for their efforts this season? If Real Madrid or Barca come calling for Aguero in the summer, we would hope that even after a disappointing season as a club he would show us some loyalty and stay. Maybe Aguero would have expected some loyalty from us yesterday…

Following the takeover and the success we have experienced and money spent, expectations have increased, not just from City fans but from neutrals and in particular the media. I don't like the way City are viewed by neutrals, certain journalists and many pundits, but at the same time I don't care. They are not associated with Manchester City, they don't get it the way we do. I do care what our fans think though and I’m sure our owners care when negatives are associated with City as a club and our fans.

It concerns me that yesterday might not be a one off. What happens if Guardiola doesn't get to grips with the league straight away, or it takes a while for a few new signings to gel? We are getting the most sought after manager in world football. The man who could get any job has chosen to work for Manchester City - that is how highly our club is now rated! Who knows what Guardiola will have made of the post-match scenes yesterday, but he can’t have been impressed. We bemoan the media coverage that the club and even our fans receive, yet yesterday we gave them the opportunity to justify everything they have ever said about us. Spoilt, plastic fans, Emptyhad, every cliché they trot out we lived up to.

I appreciate that survival in the premier league isn’t the first thing on everyone’s minds any more (even if I’m secretly pleased when we hit the 40 point mark), I appreciate that no longer are we just happy to be there... but at the same time I never want us to forget where we came from. It defines who we are and it separates us from other clubs and their misplaced sense of entitlement. At one time it took character, a tough skin and a good sense of humour to be a city fan. I don’t expect anyone to mark this season down as our best, but it certainly isn’t our worst.

Regardless of Champions League football, a new era starts at City next season, we all hope it will be a successful one. I just hope we play our part too, that yesterday was a one off show of apathy, a reflection of a weird season on and off the pitch. Personally I will be glad when this season is officially over, I'm excited to see the type of football we will play under Guardiola and which players he recruits. Bring on next season!

Brilliant post mate, excactly how I feel and yes the fans who left FUCK YOU :)

 

[Shirley]

These end of season events are usually a bit hit and miss. Firstly it was not officially the end of season as we have one more game to go and depending on the rag result in mid week it could be vital.

Yes ten years ago this season would have been beyond.our wildest dreams but times have dramatically changed and we have on the whole been shit, by our recent standards.

Add to all this the undercurrent of discontent with ticket prices, certain players attitudes and the manager and we got what we got at the end of yesterday's game. This is probably the only form ofeffective protest the fans can make these days.

I'm not sure it really was the fans protesting, maybe they were doing what they usually do every home game and simply just fcuk off home early regardless of the score.

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

Everyone saying years ago we would have all stayed behind etc is forgetting that 10 years we were getting crowds of 36,000 for some games! We didn't even have people turning up, let alone staying!

I don't remember everyone hanging around after the Norwich defeat a couple of years ago and I think last season people only stayed because it was Lampard's last ever game in the prem and even then thousands still left.

This leaving is not a new thing that was invented yesterday.

Seeing messages from people I know on fb who are criticising who have never been to a fcking game and certainly not in the last 10 years. How can you moan about other fans not being loyal when you don't go? These lads are not paupers, they choose not to go.

 

[GaudinoMotors]

So the "snub" to the manager is now also a snub to the players like KDB and Kun who may leave on account of it.
I think the players are sophisticated enough to understand. Joe certainly seems to get it.
Hopefully they're the type of players to put it right rather than get so offended.

 

[PragueBlue]

I just hope we play our part too, that yesterday was a one off show of apathy, a reflection of a weird season on and off the pitch.

I don't think the supporters reaction was one of apathy, more of disappointment with the apathy shown by players and management during the season. Apathy would have been staying and showing an acceptance of those performances.

I'm sure if they had put the effort in all season and done their best, many thousands more would have stayed regardless of league position. The performance yesterday showed what we can do when in the mood but those performances have been few and far between this campaign.