We Schalke overcome: if you are going through hell, keep going!

TotalArsenal

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Last night, Arsenal were toothless, idealess, dare-less, spark-less, wingless, driverless and leaderless. All the signs are that we have entered a mini-period of crisis and this is the time to unite behind the team; to live the value of Victoria Concordia Crescit.

Yet, I am pretty sure the opposite will happen today on the blogs and at the AGM.

I was very disappointed after we lost to Norwich on Saturday. Like many others, I did not see it coming and that’s when it hurts most. Last night, I was more prepared for a difficult game in which we could lose or draw. We carry injuries in a number of key areas, we lack form, a number of players have been played too much recently, and the normal automatisms are not working at the moment – an occupational hazard that comes with changing almost an entire team in the space of 24 months. And we were up against a very well-drilled, confident, quality team who deserve a lot of credit for the way they beat us last night. Anybody saying that Schalke is just a mediocre team that we should have beaten easily, does not know much about football.

I never thought Arsenal were insipid or lethargic last night. We are suffering badly from a lack of form and confidence: the machine, or system if you want, is not working in a number of places. This is mainly due to the aforementioned injuries (faulty parts) in key areas, currently non-functioning automatism (disconnected wires) and ineffective management decisions and interventions (wrong instructions).

As per recent posts, our wings are not working at all at the moment, and the lynchpin role between Arteta and Cazorla is lacking the quality so needed in our current 4-3-3 (4-2-1-3) system. Santos was not only a defensive liability yesterday, he also had very little to offer in an attacking sense. For the second game running, there was no partnership with Podolski on the left. Podolski is of course not a natural winger and he is heavily reliant on cooperation with both our LB and our creative, attacking midfielder in his current position. He needs the system to work, and it is not working at all on the left hand side at the moment.

As partly anticipated, Ramsey was played on the right and, just like Podolski, he is also not a natural winger. The only experienced natural winger we had, Gervinho, was played as a central striker, whilst we rested two central strikers and put one on the left wing! 😕

I was all for playing Gervinho in the centre in a fluid-three up-front but we needed at least one more proper winger in order to add a bit of variety and speed to our attack. In previous games we have used The Ox, and Theo as a sub, and although Ramsey is a safe pair of hands defensively, he cannot give us the width and threat of those guys. That’s why I hoped – and half expected – we would start with Gnabry on the right.

Coquelin and Arteta did not have a bad game defensively, but both failed miserably in offering some support to the once again isolated Cazorla. In midfield we looked so rusty and clueless and seldom or never dominated this crucial area. I personally dislike our 4-3-3 system as I feel it leaves players isolated in midfield far too often; not knowing who to pass to, whilst being hunted down by the opposition. But that’s for another post.

In a nutshell, we were once again without wings, creative support in the middle, and showed weakness at the back. On top of that, we lack form and confidence, and our system of football is not working with the current available squad.

So what to do?

For me, there are two options: wait till key players return and make the current system work again, or change our system/formation. Gibs & Pod on the left and Sagna & Theo on the right, with Diaby or Wilshere in the lynchpin position really will make a world of difference. As they are all due back soon, it might be worth hanging on to what we have got and know.

Alternatively, Arsene and Steve could decide to change the system altogether from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2 or 4-5-1, or any other formation. I am sure we all have ideas about what would work best for Arsenal, and it would be good to hear your ideas now, or afterwards, in response to a post I will issue later this week, or next week.

These are testing times for all of us Gooners and many will demand the departure of Arsene, Gazidis, Kroenke and who knows else. But that is not the solution at this stage of the season.

We need to stick together and trust in the ability of Wenger and Bould to turn this round. Or to quote Winston Churchill: “If you are going through hell, keep going”.

Total Arsenal.

112 thoughts on “We Schalke overcome: if you are going through hell, keep going!”

  • Well said Total

    Its truly mad that some people will be calling for Arsenal’s head today. But those are the people who have been sat in the shadows sharpening their knives for quite some time now.

    The club needs our support even more now

  • Hi Herb 🙂

    I guess yesterday was just another confirmation for you that things are not good enough at Arsenal for you at the moment? If you could change three things what would it be?

  • First and foremost, the club need to grow a pair, and how about some good old-fashioned honesty with the fans? Did the people’s hero really pay £7m for Andre Santos after only getting that for a real left back? You couldn’t make it up!

  • Sorry Herb, that is too vague for me. What do you mean by grow a pair specifically?

    Why is £7m a lot for a Brazilian international? Some players just don’t work out – happens at every club.

  • It happens at Arsenal far too often for it to be coincidence. He shouldn’t have started last night after his performance at Norwich, but it doesn’t matter how badly you play at Arsenal, because we buy cheap and force square pegs into round holes, regardless of how clumsy or off-balance it looks.
    The club treat their fans in the same way the Tories treat the working-classes – with utter contempt.
    Grow a pair – some leadership, a bit of menace on the park, a bit of Churchillian attitude wouldn’t go amiss.

  • It is slowly dawning on people that Mr Wenger is a busted flush who got extremely lucky with the set up that was already in place when he arrived.

  • No, but since that’s all we’re aiming for maybe we should learn to celebrate it. We could show those that don’t already know how good we are at making profit. Good times!

  • Lighten up Herb, you are making the site sound like an undertakers.

    Just for the record, at today’s AGM this is what Arsene Wenger said;

    “For me, there are five ‘trophies’ –
    the first is to win the Premier League,
    the second is to win the Champions League,
    the third is to qualify for the Champions League,
    the fourth is to win the FA Cup and
    the fifth is to win the League Cup.

    That isn’t at all what you are claiming.

  • Its really frustrating and heart-breaking to watch my team that has been performing wonderfully well just a fortnight ago away to Westham united, to liverpool, Montpelier and man city loose it all back to back, even if we verbally lynch Santos and his mates, will we find an answer to this? It seems to me, the water really runs deep than the eye can see, could it be sabotage, think about it, how and why would a coach want to substitute the defender that’s really defending? Check the second goal.

  • A few years ago, when the first murmurings started appearing about Mr Wenger’s ability, thousands of people queued up to slam such doubters down, and I copped a load of abuse for it on ‘ArsenalArsenal’ myself. If there was ever an instance or a perfect example of wanting to be proved wrong this is definitely the one. Sadly, those people, and blogs like Le Grove are being proved right and suddenly the smug self-satisfied middle-classes who en-masse declared Mr Wenger as a ‘great’ aren’t being listened to anymore.

  • Herb @15.38 please don’t insult fellow bloggers whether on BK or AA. Anybody is welcome here regardless of class, profession or whatever, as long as they remain respectful.

  • Who have I specifically insulted, Total? I didn’t even insult people on ‘AA’, and for some of the abuse I had to take,quite a few deserved it. Arsenal are a mess, and whether you acknowledge it or not, more and more fans are becoming disillusioned with the whole project, and no longer consider it to be the same club they first started out supporting.
    Defend mediocrity all you want, real fans are seeing through the facade, and are very very hurt at what they are seeing.

  • Hi All.
    I have read many blogs today and i cannot see where some people are getting off about Santos. Some are supporting him and saying he is not fully fit yet. In that case DONT play him Mr.Wenger. He had an absolute shocker last night, and he is not fit to wear the Arsenal shirt imo. Nice bloke and all that, but come on even a blind man could see he was pants. If thats the case why was Jenkinson taken off and not Santos, could not believe it.

  • Thanks for the post TA and good prevening every one.

    I am not going to yap on how i feel that the future is great, every body knows my views.

    What i will say is that its a great club to support, and ime looking forward to meeting VCC, Cornwall & sons for a nice pre match beer at the Tavern Saturday.

  • I’ve been supporting and loving Arsenal for 44 years, Total, yourself?
    I don’t pretend things are great and that we have a great manager when all the evidence proves otherwise. Real fans call it as it is, not how they wish it were. £7m for Andre Santos is a shocking waste of resources, especially when you’re hell-bent on proving to the world how financially prudent you are. Squillaci, Chamakh, Diaby, Rosicky, Arshavin, Gervinho, Giroud, all stealing money. Real fans should not have to be subjected to such utter garbage.

  • Hi VCC, 🙂

    I made a similar point earlier on AA. Moving TV to left back and putting Kozzer into CB with Santos moving to Wing seemed a better bet to me.

    To take the Corporal off and put Le Coq at right back was weird. He never played right back even as a youth team player and the Corp was our best player.

    If you get a restricted view on Saturday don’t worry, Tel the Telescope man will sort you out. He sees everything. 🙂

  • Hi Terry, 🙂

    I hope you are not being put off being your usual cheerful and positive self because I was pulling your telescope this morning? 🙂

    Much better to have you as a friend, you always cheer me up!!

    Now tell me what you really think about the Glicster, as he is not here.
    Is he really as cute as his mirror tells him? 🙂

  • WOW!!! Over at ‘AA’ a certain blogger who hounded me off the site is now banging the same drum! You really really couldn’t make this stuff up.

  • Hi Redders

    Not at all my friend, think nothing of it. I know that my constant search for positives stretches (hahaha) the limit and at times is best kept back, especialy when weve just had the last 2 results.

    As for Cornwall. Well in the dim light of the Tavern he has a striking resemblence to Cary Grant. Outside in the light its Norman Wisdom. hahaha

  • Hi Herbie

    I am curious, who is the Hound Dog? Its not me is it? hahaha

  • Actually, Terry, now you mention it — you/hound dog — hound dog/you – hard to see a difference!! 🙂

  • Herb,

    I understand now. Sorry, I thought you were referring to a separate incident/blogger.

    Best to let it go then, I think, it will only upset you again.

  • Hi Terry. Likewise, Mi Amigo. Its approx 12 months since I found AA and I have simply enjoyed 99% of blogging with like minded people. I have met Chas/Peaches/Rasp/Harry/Total/GM. and I will be able to add Yourself, Chary and that handsome bastard to the list.
    Its been a crack all along the way. Being Totally Arsenal mad its filled many evenings for me as I am not a television person.

    Looking forward to 12:00 – 13:00 at the Tavern.

  • Herb, let’s be honest now: you only love Arsenal when we are winning. As soon as it gets rough, you put the boot into the manager, players, board. You seem to get satisfaction out that and are always keen to argue against those who have a more positive outlook at the club. Seldom or never do you say: I respect your point of view, we just see it differently. Instead you always want to convince others how shite everything is at Arsenal.

    When I ask you to come up with three things to improve the current situation you give us some vague stuff about growing a pair and start putting the boot in again. Now, I have accepted all of that recently, but when you start talking about what real fans feel and do, it is time to tell you how it is.

  • Ok Total, we’re all deleriously happy with our under-performing under-achieving players, who all deserve to wear the shirt and pick up their over-inflated wages.
    The Telegraph on-line are reporting that Mr Wenger has won the ‘Islington open-mic Comedy’ award, can anyone confirm this?

  • Do we have to have this discussion, Total? To put Arsenal into proper perspective you have to look over their 126 year history, and key decisions at crucial times, such as 1976, and again in 1986. Today’s club is the result of not getting those decisions right. Arsenal should and could have been a major world force among the world’s elite, but then as now the fans were shafted. We have spent more time in the top division than either MU or Liverpool, and yet we are miles behind in terms of real trophies. They have eight European Cups between them, we have the painful memory of one losing final.
    Schalke aren’t a big club, and yet they came to The Emirates and gave us a footballing lesson. Didn’t Barcelona offer us Ibrahim Affelay in the summer?
    As I said to Kelsey the other day, these are dark, depressing days for Arsenal fans of many years standing, and if you can’t see this, you are blind to what is going on right under your nose. The whole set-up stinks rotten, and if nothing changes at Arsenal within the next few years, I refuse to continue following a false project, and there aren’t many as passionate about football as me. No-one takes pleasure from seeing a once-great club in this state.

  • Evening Kelsey 🙂

    Herb, I am not blind it is you who does not see what is going on in football at the moment.

    Just tell me, what needs to change and how? Come on, stop putting the boot in and refer to the past all the time, and start improving. 3 practical improvements for the FUTURE.

  • Red Arse n Kelsey . Sorry chaps, I meant the guys who I met in the Tavern. You know you two are my favourites, he he .

  • I don’t know if I really have the will or the energy to do so, Total, I’m not being paid £7m a year.
    Here’s a question for you. If everything is as great/promising as you suggest, why are thousands and thousands of fans finding themselves disillusioned with the current regime, and feeling disconnected with the club? People such as yourself are fast becoming the minority.

  • Hi Kelsey, 🙂

    I thought you were off making up false allegations about our beloved boss, for inclusion in one of your special Posts!!!!!! 🙂

    Hope you and your daughter’s health is improving!!!

  • Herb,

    Seriously — you have to give the rest of us a break from this constant griping.

    I come here, with the majority, to enjoy myself with ALL my blogger mates.
    That means having the occasional laugh, and it would be great if, for part of the time, at least, that included you too.

    If I wanted to be depressed I would go back into the Wards and see the poor people in there with life threatening illnesses.

    Perspective in all things!

  • Sorry Redders, if people address me, usually I am polite enough to respond.
    Just heard Peter Wood (Pedro, Le Grove), on ‘TalkSPORT’ confirm Ivan Gazidis saying that Mr Wenger is sitting on a transfer-pot of £70m. A Stan Collymore ‘WOW!

  • Wow, indeed, Herb.

    That’s more like it! 🙂

    I have no reason to doubt one of the bosses of LG reporting that figure.
    Perhaps Arsenal will spend some of it in January and please us all! 🙂

    It may well be that we will buy in the summer, because prising a quality player away from a club when they may be fighting for a trophy of their own is probably difficult.

  • Thanks for that Redders, I shall withdraw from blogging for not being a real Arsenal fan.
    Thanks to everyone for all your time, take care.

  • Dont be like that Herbie Baby.

    Good news, i have managed to get 2 tickets for that Manilow concert in March. i have also bought you a Big Bird outfit so you can honour the great man in style. I shall be coming as my Big Nosed self.

  • Evening all 🙂

    Family has been fed again and everybody happy.

    Hi Herb 🙂

    For the record: I don’t think everything is great at the moment. I think it is good given the circumstances and there is still hope that we can somehow make the final step forward at some point in the future. In the meantime, I love watching and supporting Arsenal, although the last two days have been tough for me as well. I see plenty of positives ahead and if indeed there is extra money to spend on additional quality players then I look forward to that being spend as soon as possible.

    you know we will never agree on the direction of Arsenal and how the club is being managed, and I am going to suggest to agree to disagree and call this particular debate a day. Thanks for your contributions. 🙂

  • Hey Herb, don’t leave us now, my friend. We are all passionate fans and don’t like losing games. You and I are both tenacious in debate, but at the end of the day we are both Gooners and let’s just call this particular discussion over for now. Plenty of other stuff to talk about. 🙂

  • Hi Glic, 🙂

    That very naughty TerryM has pinched your mirror and tied it to his bum!!

    He reckons you will not be able to resist kissing it — the mirror, not his bum, but you never can tell with Terry!! 🙂

  • I packed it and shipped it to the Tavern ready for Saturday . I shall take it in the stadium aswell and watch the game Poznan style ! hahaha

  • Bloody hell Redders, dont say I`ve got to watch the Arse and Terry`s Arse, oh well two for the price of one !.

  • Herb,

    I nearly missed your comment.

    No one on here doubts that you are a true Arsenal man and have been for more years than most on here!!!!!

    I really hope you will continue to comment. Your withdrawing from blogging was most certainly not my wish, nor anyone else’s. (and the Glicster likes to tease you) 🙂

  • Herb, if i promise to join your army will you come back please. I enjoy reading your posts.

  • GLiC…..On Saturday,can you please refrain from calling me an UMF in front of my Son, everyone says he looks like me and he gets very sensitive about his looks. Lmfao.

  • I loved driving back tonight, listening to Durham, he cracks me up !. He was watching the game with some gooners somewhere in North London and he`s going in the Arsenal end with his son at the away game with Reading in the Capital One Cup !. How does he get the tickets ? and why does watch Arsenal so much ?, because he`s a closet gooner !.
    To tell the truth, he slags Arsenal off so much for not winning a trophy , that I`m sure he is Herb ! hahaha

  • Where were you today, Glic?

    Poor old Terry was wandering from site to site prophesying a great future for Arsenal which was great — and then he spoilt it by prophesying his hair would return and all the women would fall in love with him after he rubbed dung all over his body!!

    Have a word with him, but watch out for the telescope — it was last seen twitching shamelessly!! 🙂

  • Hi VCC,

    You have hit the nail on the head. Perhaps Herb will do a Post for TA?

    He always brings a different viewpoint and guarantees plenty of discussions.

  • VCC
    Give your son my sincere condolences, I will give him one of my special mirrors ! hahaha
    I`m saving the insults of you for my next video ! hope you dont mind. hahaha

  • Redders mate, I was on my Spursday trip to Orcland, the women there have more facial hair than Terry has on his bonce !

  • Go ahead GLiC…..I love it. Perhaps if we have time you can explain how you do it on Saturday.

  • Come back Herb !. If we all agreed on everything Arsenal, it would be boring, you spice it up a bit !.
    Can you imagine if we all agreed !

    glic : we are great !

    Total : yeah, we are great !

    TMHT: your so right lads, we are great !

    VCC : I concur , we are great !

    Rocky : who said we`re great ?

    Total : glic

    Rocky : I think he`s right, we are great !

    Redders : *&%^$£”={]}{&*%45^

    Oz : What did Redders say ?

    PPP : I`ve got a universal translater Oz, Redders said, ” We are great !

    Oz : cheers PPP, I agree we`re Great !

    PPP : I thought the same, We are Great !

    Herb : Actually guys, we are ………………………………….

  • Thats what I thought VCC. If we cant laugh at ourselves, who can we laugh at !. The more someone takes the pee out of me , the more I laugh ! hahaha

  • VCC @20:39

    ” Go ahead GLiC……I Love it. Perhaps if we have time you can explain how you do it on Saturday ”

    I`m so glad my wife hasn`t found a text message like that on my phone ! hahahahahahahaha

  • Aghhhh…… thats it….. yes…… harder…….. just a bit more……ohh too much…..aghhhh……..it`s too tight……….aghhh………quick, some vaseline……………thats better……I just love it………it`s soo good……your the best !

    Excuse me Stretch, now you`ve finnished putting your syrup on, can I have my mirror back !

  • The trick is to have 2 phones. One for the normal things, wife, kids, friends , family. work etc. The other is the phone that must never be seen or spoken off. It is primaraly used for women other than the wife of course, but can also be used for crank calling, stalking, or heavy breathing.

    I find a combination of crank calling, stalking and heavy breathing to be an excelent combination. Some people might try to spoil your fun after youve heavy breathed them a few times. The two most commen methods they use are threats to call the police or using a heavy duty whistle to hurt your ear drum. To combat these two threats the phone you use should be stolen from some one you dont like and for the ear use a womens stocking as protection. Whilst heavy breathing remember to tell your victim that you have a stocking stuffed up your ear, this should excite you even further.

  • GLiC, is this you:

    http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=magic+mirror+images&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1024&bih=653&tbm=isch&tbnid=slp9I-66UAtwyM:&imgrefurl=http://www.twowaymirrors.com/magicmirror.htm&docid=D5vq776G66SxVM&imgurl=http://www.twowaymirrors.com/images/magicmirror.jpg&w=400&h=258&ei=jKqJUPXfIaiR0QXrjoHwBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=711&vpy=278&dur=488&hovh=149&hovw=227&tx=159&ty=94&sig=115558614953313296487&page=3&tbnh=135&tbnw=202&start=37&ndsp=23&ved=1t:429,r:25,s:20,i:208

  • Total 22:13. GLiC’s mirror is very similar to that one, his one distorts the true picture of the voyeur. He is possibly the most ugliest man in Cornwall, but looking into his wonky mirror it gives him the appearance of a handsome f—– like me. That’s why he goes about his business with so much confidence and thinks people like him when in fact they actually think he is wearing a mask advertising for haloween.

    His local council have tried to ban him from the streets as he is frightening all the school kids. At first, they think he is wearing a mask, where in fact it’s his own ugly face. Such a shame, as he tries so hard to be nice poor sod.

  • Hahahahahahahaha VCC 🙂

    You tell him and I agree! You’re the handsome F——-

    One thing is for sure, GLiC has a great face for blogging….or radio work. 🙂

  • In fact Total there was a comment on AA about GLiC’ looks. They said if they had a face like that they would sue their parents. Don’t be too hard on him he’s had to live with it all his life.

  • When GLiC went on a recent visit to the haunted house at Alton Towers, as he came out, the owners gave him an application form.

  • Poor Glic 😦 😉

    VCC, would it be possible to drop me a few lines on how QPR play and what strength and weaknesses are, so I can incorporate these into my post for today? 🙂

  • Did we win yet? Oh it’s still Friday!

    Great post TA and comments from all on the blog.

    Terry two phones, GLIC, and co bloody hell if you lot can’t cheer up someone I don’t think anyone could.

  • good as always thank you TA, yourself?

    It is a touch quiet RA. I think everyone is tuckered out after all the anger and frustration

  • I went over to read WG’s Post yesterday, and apart from a couple of comments from me, and a loony, there wasn’t anyone else around to read a quality Post.

    A great shame.

  • Hi Oz,

    You should always put a comment on. I pop back on a lot and if I saw you were around I would chat to you.

    The Troublesome Three, VCC, Terry and the Glic, will no doubt be razzing each other later. That’s always good for a laugh! 🙂

    I was hoping Herb would be back on this morning, but no sign – so far.

  • TA,

    I have always admired your upbeat attitude — mind you — you are barmy about Gerv!!! 🙂

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