Arsenal News 24/7Writer: Rocky7 
Date:Monday October 3 2011
Time: 10:35AM
UK time is: 09:57:38
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For The Love Of God ...... WAKE UP!
I`ve been thinking of writing this for the last few weeks, but now definitely is the time.
We need to wake up, and we need to do it fast.
You can switch on a football program any day of the week and find some former Gooner talking about how we don`t do enough without the ball. Not working nor pressing hard enough.
Each time over the previous years we`ve been whooped by Barcelona (and even the time we beat them) one of the most impressive things about their team was not their passing game that was even superior to ours when we were in our pomp, but just how hard they work in pressing us when we had the ball. The tackled and harried us into making mistakes time after time.
You don`t need to be a great footballer to do that, just be very fit and have a little tactical nous. Anyone can accomplish it, so why don`t we try more?
But I digress.
Whilst I agree with the people saying we need to work harder with out the ball, I think what we need to work equally hard on is work hard when the ball isn`t even in play.
I`m not sure what we`re taught in training, but it appears as though our players use the periods when it`s a dead ball situation to have a breather, to relax and generally mill around a bit, but one of the most important things in football is to be switched on when the ball goes out of play.
Too many times yesterday (and about a million times against Olympiacos) our players turned their backs on the ball the second it went off the pitch and completely forgot about it.
It was exactly that kind of situation yesterday that led to Tottenham`s second goal. Aaron Ramsey failed to track the Spurs man (despite Arteta yelling at him to do so) and it all went down hill from there.
Corners, throw-ins, free kicks, we just switch off, and it`s unacceptable or at least it should be.
All the great players over the years are switched on 100% of the time, Henry, Bergkamp, Zola, Giggs, Scholes, Cantona, Wright . They were always looking for that quick advantage to catch the other team unawares, but it seems as though it`s a dying art in N5.
We don`t practise being quick on the ball from set pieces and throw-in, and we certainly don`t bother when we`re looking to defend them.
Our current squad is lacking something, that`s not their fault, they are paid to do a job by the club, and whether they are good enough or not they can only try their best, but switching on and playing smart doesn`t have anything to do with footballing talent, it`s just plain common sense, a common sense we appear to be lacking.
If we don`t switch on soon we`re going to be in deep trouble.
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Your Comments
Ha, yeah, here's a novel idea Arsene - this isn't working. The players aren't drilled in the art of not ******** up, that's plain as day, we don't have very good creative options to compete at the top level, there is NO leadership whatsoever, no responsibility be it collective or individual level throughout the team, this is ALL down to Wenger, he has refused to admit that things have been heading this way for a fair few years now, the chickens really are coming home to roost. Moving to the Emirates appears effin pointless.
shewore
Tottenham fans - If you want to take the ***** (and I don't blame you) please do it on the match day thread, that's what it's there for. Thank you.
Rocky7
Some of the stuff is really ***** poor, not something you'd associate with a Premiership level club. Both goals on Sunday were results of switching off, and a few more events (Per & Song letting the ball bounce nicely for Bale to take a shot and narrowly miss, letting Parker run through early on). All we need is a sign that things are likely to change, and I think the fans will be patient with that process. I just don't see any hint of that.
prits
Stop moaning whinging people
HISHIGHNESS
It comes down to a simple question. Is the manager not telling them to do it? Or is he telling them and they're just not listening? Neither one is good news unfortunately.
Little Dutch
The latter, judging by his body language during games in my opinion
shewore
I didn't come here to gloat rocky, so I hope you don't mind me pointing out some technical faults I think Arsenal have. After watching you for the last few weeks, I think the main thing that's letting you down is, your players are not very good at playing football. I hope this helps. X
liamyid
I don't like Adebayour. No one at City does but we wouldn't sing that. You lot are horrible.
SkyBlueSuedeShoes
LD, if it is the latter, then surely, fault for that also lies with the manager, since the personnel have changed significantly over the past 3-4 seasons. If he cannot get through simple messages about playing football, then the time has come to ask - whether he can get back what he has lost a coaching perspective?
prits
On a more serious note, I wonder how the families of the people killed in the Togo bus shooting are feeling today after reading what your disgraceful fans where singing? There's lines you can and can't cross, maybe we over step it with calling wenger a nonce, or Manu's mum a whore but you took it way to far and I hope your ashamed of your 'fans' along with the Leeds abs united fans from last week!
liamyid
"maybe we over step it with calling wenger a nonce" says it all really, bore off.
shewore
Nobody died though did they, it's obviously a joke, I very much doubt anyone actually thinks he is one. I personally don't sing it and think it's childish. But seeing as you won't condem your own fans, shows how classless you are.
liamyid
Thisis nothing new so it's down to training and ultimetly the manager. We have not been able to properly defend set pices for years now. Infact I cant remember us being good at it since Keown left. He would not have stood for this lackadaisy approach that the players have. I belive we have the quality players to go for a top4 finish but with a different manager, every good period for the last few years has been a false dawn that drags the fans into beliving that things are finally changing for the better but the truth is that we are distinctivly average at the moment, you dont dismantle a side like the 2004 side and replace it with 2 class players and expect them do challange. Since the debacle against Wigan between christmass and new year last season i have been convinced that the club is on a fast track to disaster under current management and if we don't get a change at the top soon it could take years to rebuild again.
Armory
Sadly I see on the poll next to this that almost 40 % of fans belivie that the AW is still the right man fo the job. What Arsenal have they been watching for the last few years?
Armory
I remember, against Olympiacos, we go a free kick in the middle of the park. We wanted to take it quickly but their players were blocking all avenues so we were forced into a poor option, and gave the ball away resulting in a chance on goal. I was screaming for someone to just knock the ball against their player! I don't care about getting them booked but at least get them 10yards.
There does seem to be a genuine lack of knowledge/understanding of the rules as to dead ball situations.
No 10
I think my comments got deleted.......Shi*y arsenal
01tottenham
There are several matters all conspiring at once.
The lack of organisation defensively has been there since 2004, and I suspect that we have got away with that aspect because the offensive side of the team meant that we scored enough to flatten the opposition psychologically and blunth their attacking edge , whereas now as various have noted on this site everyone believes that they can score against Arsenal at virtually any time. AW has always paid more attention to the technical side of the game rather than the more mundane sides of it ( I remember him saying that the recruitment of Vermaelen would produce interesting opportunities technically as he was left footed when I would have thought words such as presence , aerial ability etc would be more important for a central defender) and since 2004 the personnel available, which to be fair he has recruited and nurtured have been sufficient to cover over this weakness except of course against the best of the EPL and Europe.
But this season there is a big drop in the ability of the players available to him (eg a midfield second only to Barca's in Fab, Nasri and Wilshere has gone completely),and the two factors combined mean that this is at best an 8th to 14th place squad, that only a manager with a different skill set to AW's could get higher.
We are in for a very trying and difficult season where I am afraid we will be more interestd in the results of Bolton , Wigan and Wolves than those of MU, Chelski or City.
grouvillegooner
It must be the Spuds voting yes......
Armory
Arsenal,d problem isn't d coach or d management but d ideas.watch09 ur matches 4rm last season:i notice dt ur players lack motivation d just can't perform wt d are taught in training on d bigger stage.wenger shld just motivate d players mayb by 10% pay rise.chelseafan
ebulonse
typica chelsea fan throw money at the problem lol what a tool. keep wenger and im not joking the guy is top top manager who would you realistically replace him with? pep isnt free yet i cant think of any one else
jljyid
jljyid - most sense I've heard in ages. And form a spud! What's the world coming to...
damiano_tommassi
Oh dear AKB getting support from the spuds, no wonder as the spuds get to gain the most from the status quo at The Arsenal.
Armory
Seriously, ***** off yids... We are not in a mood to debate chants when our team has bigger issues.
Sajit
Couldnt agree more Armory..Sigh..
Sajit
1.chelsea,2.man utd,3.man city,4.liverpool,5.spurs,6.everton.......17.blackburn,18.arsenal,19.wigan,20.swansea.This is how the log will look like on the last day of the season.
Dannism
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