We hardly self-destructed.

After the cup exits, we did what we could and finished fourth just behind Liverpool. We had nothing to fight for - catching Liverpool was going to be difficult and winning the League was impossible. Champions League placing was the League priority and we achieved that. Our next game after the cup exits was a home win, followed by an away win at Villa Park.

We could only finish 3rd or 4th and of course there was evident disappointment in the side. But as I said, we had nothing to fight for other than a Champions League placing, which we achieved.

Now we have the Champions League and Championship to fight for. And we're in great positions with both of them. We drop quite a few points and still lead the table, we now have less games and fitter players so we have an advantage and the 5th Round FA Cup exit has no effect on that. If anything, it will spur us on to prove ourselves and win the League. It'll particularly make us more determined to beat the Mancs at Old Trafford in the League which will now be a tasty affair and a mission for revenge in our case. That fixture last season was very strong and Arsenal came out on top with 3 points. I think with the big targets, small advantages and greater determination we can go on to win the League now - if we do so, this FA Cup exit will mean jacksh!t.

i think Arsenal will have yet another trophyless season

He respected the competition by fielding the best players available. However the players showed no ambition to win it. That is disrespectful in itself, but it's not spelling it out. Most people believe Arsenal gave their best and tried to win, so it doesn't come across as disrespectful whatsoever.

Of course it is less priority and prioritising it like that is somewhat disrespectful in itself.

But you tell me who could have played instead of Cesc that wouldn't have been disrespectful? Nobody. Song, Diaby, Rosický, Denílson and Flamini weren't given the green light to play - most were injured, receiving treatment or unfit.

It would be clearly and evidently disrespectful if Wenger were to swoop into the Youth team and select some kid to play in Cesc's role - there would be uproar about that. Tactically, nobody can truly tell how Wenger respected the competition. I'm just giving my view.

Extra FA Cup games would have helped that, in my humble opinion.

I am more of the belief now and in the past weeks since we took the 5 point lead that we will go on and win the Championship. Personally I feel we'll go out to Milan, but in a fighting fashion and we won't let down our fans.

But I do feel we will win the Championship and this season will be an absolute triumph.

Arsene Wengers face and demeanor during and after the match were definitiely that of a man who sent his team out not wanting to win the game, of that I have no doubt. That expression of gentle devastation was only there because he had to train and prepare his players for the game all week AND sit there for an extra 90 minutes at the weekend when he was hoping to catch that western on Channel 4.

Furthermore when Arsenal players started kicking Manchester United players and having hissy fits because Nani was teasing them I'm positive that it was just solely down to them not having anything better to do. They didn't want to win the match or even be there but they thought they might aswell injure a few players while they were there... You know, so they didn't waste the journey up there and all. The fact that they are still whingeing about it 2 days later is only because those bothersome journalists keep asking them about the game and they don't want to talk about that because they didn't care for it. At all. Not one single bit. Zilch. Zippo.

Hope this helps,
Forev,
Artist formerly known as ForeverArsenal.

Me and Hoopy made that happen.

Aye, such hilarity. No wonder you got funniest poster of the year.

Nowhere have I said that Wenger sent out the players and told them to not win the game. Nowhere has anybody said that Arsenal didn't want to win the match.

Ben91 clearly acknowledged that sensibly and maturely, with open eyes. I don't expect you to see that or understand it of course.

If Arsenal were winning 14-0 and Nani started dribbling & teasing players, of course he is going to get clattered. If he winds up Gallas, Gallas will clatter him no matter what the result, game or day. Wenger complains to Refs when we win.

We are 5 points clear - we have nothing to whinge about at the moment. You're in the Quarter final of the FA Cup at our expense - congratulations, we'll take the 5 point lead and the neater fixture list.

Thank you for your reply, J-Axe. I have decided to reply to you and even though I have noticed the deliberate wind ups and the fact that you are challenging me, I simply don't care and I find myself lacking the motivation to reply fully with effort and enthusiasm. See, I have a sore finger and I've got a more important post coming up next which I don't wish to tire myself out before.

But you should watch yourself, if you continue teasing people like that you should probably expect to recieve a kicking.

Being five points clear is not a teaser. It's a fact that has great bearing on both our seasons and definitely relates to this tie when considering fitness, limitations and caution.

This is your very first post match comment (on page 6 of this thread):



Enough said

We should both take time to reflect on the last time you got bitchslapped by Manchester United whilst in a powerful position in the league and consider what bearing that had on the rest of your season. Let's see how AC Milan treat your boys on Wednesday and then how you go afterwards on the away trip to Birmingham before you start boasting.

The real cream of world football look for success on all fronts, Manchester United and Chelsea are still pursuing most if not all the competitions they entered, certainly the most important ones but that's probably because their teams have the true attitudes of champions.

Yeah, I was talking about the performance and I expected people to read it differently. But since that comment on page 6, I have reiterated the same thing.

My opinions were that [based on the performance] we didn't want to win that game. That was my view. I'm not saying we didn't want to win it - but the performance tells that we didn't and we performed like we didn't want to win. I hope that clears that for you - not that it should be necessary as I've explained my views thoroughly throughout the posts thereafter. If you want to correct my own views, fair dos.

Why did you not play a First team in the Carling Cup? Why were you dumped out so early by Coventry? True attitudes of Champions don't act like that surely? You knew it was less priority. You sacrificed that competition, unlike Chelsea. Are Chelsea more of a Champion than you?

They are no more of a Champion than anyone if they don't win it. And we are winning it at the moment.

BTW, we needed to make sacrifices. Remember how we were struggling to finish 4th and preparing to be overtaken by the superior Spurs squad this season? Well we are "over-achieving" and are [beep!] on Man Utd in the League currently with a five point gap that will be instrumental in our success.

We pursued the FA Cup, but when we had to make sacrifices, we did so. There is no point straining & risking limited players for an FA Cup Quarter Final when you have AC Milan in the European Cup only a few days later. That's surely understandable?

Remember, as I said, Arsenal were expected to be about 4th or 5th and/or not challenging for the big competitions. Well we are challenging for the big trophies and sacrificing the FA Cup to boost that challenge is a logical and intelligent move.

so are you proud and pleased to be an Arsenal fan after that game?

did wenger and his players do you proud and represent the club in the manner you expect?

Of course not.

I logically respect the limitations of the team and the performance and I have more care for the condition of the squad for the upcoming games rather than having more care for progressing through the 5th Round of the FA Cup.

But I have already expressed countless times that I am disappointed by the result like any other Arsenal fan. I am not proud of how they got beat, nobody would be. As Wenger critically said, "it was a one off". We don't ever play with limitations at that level but I do feel that the sacrifice was necessary.

The fashion in how we lost and how we reacted to the mocking of Man Utd's enjoyment was disappointing.

But I am still proud of Arsenal this season. It has been a triumph so far and long may it continue. I am happy to make sacrifices for the big trophies and I guarantee you that every single man at Arsenal Football Club is happy with making those sacrifices too. Before and during the season every single player and fan wanted to win the Championship.

We played our reserves in the Carling Cup for the same reason Arsenal did, the Carling Cup isn't as important as the three other tournaments Sir Alex wants to win. That's why I just stated "certainly the most important ones. And we were dumped out because the players in the line-up didn't win the match, like they were expected to do... Chelsea also left out Cech, Carvalho, Ballack, Mikel, Drogba, Cole and Malouda, they simply have a better squad than every other team in the league.

I never called anyone champions, I said they had the attitude of champions because like Manchester United, they have been there and done it.

You say FA Cup quarter final as if it's nothing No, I personally don't understand that because it's not what happened. You didn't sacrifice it, you were sacrificed in it and I don't know if you actually believe that yourself but it would take some believing for fans of any of the other "big four"...

But hey, lap up your lead at the minute, you're entitled to do so. I've already said you's should win it but by all means keep talking as if you already have, it will make it all the sweeter if or when you bottle it.

I haven't spoken as if we've won it.

I've said that I'm happier with the advantage that we have and that I believe & feel we'll go on to win it.

It's far from being over. But we have the advantage and the neater fixture list.

Arsenal are supposedly over-achieving at this moment in time, so why are you expecting our priorities to be the same as yours? Our priority has been to challenge for the Championship this season - not even to necessarily win it, but to give our best challenge and try to win it. If we were out of the title race by now, you'd probably see our priorities lie elsewhere and our efforts in the FA Cup boost because of the high-stakes.

We can win the Championship and it's priority no.1 - reaching the FA Cup Quarter Finals is not a priority when the Championship is within our grasp and taking into consideration all the other factors that I've moaned about in this thread already.

We are a growing team and if we win the Championship this season I can guarantee you that we'll be setting higher targets next season and challenging for all trophies with higher expectation.

it does smack of unprofessionalism though if the Arsenal players went out there not bothered if they win or lose .....J-Axe you seem to have a well written comment for every single likely outcome of any match in any competition or for any incident or any performance by Arsenal or the players ...

Some of those players out there on saturday should be ashamed of the way they played , we have reserve youngsters screaming to be given a chance ....yes we have many players injured but thats why we have a reserve squad ....why send out players who were clearly not interested , Fabregas , Gallas , Toure , Gilberto ....all performed abysmally ....

If that had been at The Emirates in front of 60,0000 fans would the players have cared more ....should not matter where they are playing really .

You expect us to go out against AC Milan ...but fighting and wont let down the fans ....i dont know what planet you are on sometimes ...we will be out ...end off ....i will still be gutted for another year ...so what that they gave it their all ....no trophy ..


Then you will probably say ."but now we can concentrate on the league" ..i am one of those Arsenal fans who is sick and gutted whenever we lose to any team or in any competition ...i hate it absolutely hate it though when we lose to Spurs , Man Utd , Liverpool , Chelsea , West Ham ...

I expect a win against AC Milan and a win against Birmingham ....show us some pride Arsenal ..

I hope we win against Milan, of course I do. But I feel they are great masters at the competition and although we've got great records against Italian teams, it'll take something special to knock them out and yet maintain our good run in the League.

Perhaps I'm just a little more realistic here. So many Arsenal fans believe we're ultimate brilliance because we're top of the League. No, we have almost over-achieved so far and this progression is a triumph. Even going trophyless but improving our League position and reputation from last season will be a good season for us.

I hate how when you do well people suspect you are just brilliant and should be winning everything. You don't finish 4th and trophyless and lose your best player in one season, then win the treble the next.

no ...but as you say the current feeling of expectation is such that another year trophyless would be unbearable given the quality of players we have and the way we play .

I would expect at least one trophy each season regardless of situation ...same as Man Utd ...when they won the Carling Cup a few years ago ...at least it was a trophy ..

I think Arsene Wenger is clever enough to know the Premier League is the no 1 target ..being 5 pts clear , he knows the match against Birmingham is vital to win to keep our confidence up show the FA Cup defeat was just one of those days ...