Arsenal

[Fosterbloke]

I hope Arsenal can find some grit and get a 0-0 or something.

[topscorer]

Looking at the City fixture list and Arsenal and Southampton are the only two games where I can see them dropping points. Arsenal have lost form at a bad time for us.

[Norbs]

The funniest thing for me, aside from Ox's preposterous diving technique, was that the shot wasn't even on target.

Wenger had a clear view of that, apparently

[destinydude]

Looking at the City fixture list and Arsenal and Southampton are the only two games where I can see them dropping points. Arsenal have lost form at a bad time for us.

Everton away is a game they've generally struggled in over the years.

Relegation threatened Palace can be tricky too. It's Pulis' team. They play dirty. They can frustrate City.

[cannotmakeit]

We still have to play Palace.

[RichC]

We do indeed and it won't be easy

[Shaggy]

James Olley @JamesOlley
Wenger on Scholes criticism: "People who have managed zero games have opinions."

James Olley @JamesOlley
Wenger on Scholes: "If six points is a 'million miles away' [from the title], I don't know what the translation of a mile into a point is."

[Sarb]

I suspect it isnt just the points, its their capitulation against top sides. Last week was an embarassment by them in such a big game

[Tee]

I suspect it isnt just the points, its their capitulation against top sides. Last week was an embarassment by them in such a big game

And not for the first time. Lets also not forget they lost at Man Utd, how ****ing embarrassing is that!!

[Sarb]

I bet Mourinho feels a right prick that he played for a draw against Utd at Old Trafford. Special one

[Darkon]

James Olley @JamesOlley
Wenger on Scholes: "If six points is a 'million miles away' [from the title], I don't know what the translation of a mile into a point is."

Guess calculations isn't Wengers strong side then, it's ~166666,67 miles pr. point.

[G]

I bet Mourinho feels a right prick that he played for a draw against Utd at Old Trafford. Special one

Be great if we won the league by a point and some journo with balls(fictional) pointed that out to him

[dww]

Guess calculations isn't Wengers strong side then, it's ~166666,67 miles pr. point.

Both you and Wenger might be making the mistake of assuming a liner relationship.

I can see both sides of this one. Clearly they are in one of the tightest titles races for ages but they are also probably now 4th favourite. It's not so much the points as the number of teams in better positions really. The comment about their play against the top teams also seems valid.

To be honest I think if Wenger was willing to play Flamini more they would have been right up there.

[Fosterbloke]

Both you and Wenger might be making the mistake of assuming a liner relationship.

I'm not sure what shipping has to do with this?

[Shaggy]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/arsene-wenger-claims-arsenal-only-3296771

Arsene Wenger claims Arsenal have only ''really been beaten'' by Liverpool this season.. so what of that 6-0 vs Chelsea?

Mar 28, 2014 22:30 By John Cross

The Frenchman insists that despite 6-3 and 6-0 drubbings, the Gunners have only properly been defeated in their 5-1 loss away at Liverpool

Arsene Wenger last night claimed Arsenal have only “really been beaten” once this season.

Despite shipping 17 goals in three heavy defeats at their title rivals, Wenger says Liverpool's 5-1 victory at Anfield was the only time a defeat was inexcusable.

Wenger held up reasons for conceding six at both Chelsea and Manchester City as he launched a passionate defence of their season to date.

The Gunners boss also rejected Paul Scholes' stinging criticism after the Manchester United legend claimed Arsenal were a “million miles away”, lacked leaders and were physically and mentally weak.

Wenger said: “The only game for me where we were really beaten was at Liverpool. The rest is a bit more coincidence going negatively together.

“At Chelsea the game was over after ten minutes. At Liverpool were were outplayed on the day and there’s not a lot to say.

“One week later we beat Liverpool (in the FA Cup) and no-one says there is a gap there between the two teams.

“You have to accept that it is not always as simple as that in the game. You play ten times the same team and every time it’s a different game.”

Arsenal had Kieran Gibbs sent off at Chelsea in a red card mix-up and Wenger also maintains that, despite the 6-0 scoreline, they were often in the contest.

But after the midweek draw to Swansea left Arsenal well behind the title race, Scholes piled in while working as a Sky pundit with a brutal attack on Wenger's regime.

Wenger rejected criticism from Scholes about Arsenal lacking big physical players, that Jack Wilshere was not making progress and they did not have enough leaders.

“That is unfair. I have leaders in my team,” said Wenger. “It’s always exactly the same. When you lose games people say you have no leaders.

“The other night we conceded a goal when we have in midfield Kallstrom who is over 30 with over 100 caps, Arteta is over 30, Flamini is 30. We had plenty of experience in midfield and you can still concede goals.

“Jack Wilshere is an exceptional player who has been handicapped by many injuries. Once Jack is back and consistently on the pitch, he will prove everybody wrong about that because he is an exceptional player - and Scholes knows that as well.

“We changed our style. We lost players like Vieira and Petit and we didn’t find them any more. Since Vieira left here the whole of England has looked for the next Vieira and nobody found him.
“You could make the same reproach to Barcelona. The coincidence was that we had Fabregas. Do we not play him because he not as tall as Vieira? Do we not play Wilshere?

“You have to take the players we have. One who gives us a very strong physical element in our midfield is Ramsey and we lost him at the wrong period of the season.”

Wenger also came back with a spiky reply after being asked whether he begins to question himself with Arsenal's season in danger of falling away.

Wenger said to a newspaper reporter: “If you have the curiosity to question yourself and read the newspapers after the first game against Aston Villa you would say we are beyond all your expectations.

“Look, our ambitions for the season – we are in a position where we can still fight for the top, we are in the semi final of the FA Cup, we went out of the Champions League against Bayern Munich with ten men.

“We have been consistent all season so I don’t think you can say our season up to now is a failure.”