Bleacher Report - Articles by Samuel Mensah

Arsene Deserves A Hard Time

Samuel Mensah — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:27:41 -0500

I will not be challenged, nor will I be told that I am wrong. For I have written articles on here, causing people to laugh at me and berate me for being nothing but right.

After the Man U game I wrote an article called "Why Arsenal Will Not Win the Premier League." It may have been vague and lacking detail but that doesn't change how true those words were then or are even more so now.

Then after the Man City game I wrote an article called "Arsenal Fans Wake Up." This time I received a lot of hate for being right. I believe my words were "I told you so," which I knew wouldn't go down well.

I'll tell you what has gone down even worse: Arsenal's reputation as a team to fear. Where is the strength, the power, the leadership, the passion? The same can be said for the fans. I don't even want to go to the Emirates if it is full of people who want to quietly cheer only when we are winning. It's sad.

What has Wenger done to the team that won the league unbeaten? Almost every one of those players could still play in the Arsenal team now, and we would be better for it. Gilberto played a great game against England the other day, but apparently he's too old for us. Same for Lehman, Pires, etc.

Okay, so even after that was all gone we had a season where we came a month or so away from winning the league. Now instead of building on that we take step backwards by selling or letting players go i.e. Flamini, Gilberto, and then later Toure and Adebayor.

Adebayor and Toure weren't stupid. They saw what Wenger was trying to do and didn't agree with it. I didn't at first, but over the last two seasons I well and truly believe that Wenger has gone mad. This talk of genius has gone to his head. The game has moved on too much for him to believe in dreams of winning the league the beautiful way with his baby-like team.

The BPL is all about power, pace, and work rate. Arsenal may have the pace and passing, but they certainly lack the rest. It's all well and good when you are beating mid-table teams by copious amounts, but to continually lose to the top 4 teams is terrible. It's not even a new phenomenon.

How many seasons have Arsenal had an inadequate squad, a poor back line, a terrible keeper, a weak midfield, and a forward line who can only rely on one player who himself has never reached near 30 goals?

I don't care how good Fabregas is. A 22 year old captain is ridiculous. Oh, and he will be leaving soon.

It's just not good enough, and no excuse can dress it up. The youngsters aren't even that young anymore, it's more than the development, it's more than five-a-side football; it's the BPL. The English BPL, THE FIGHT, THE WAR ON THE PITCH! Arsenal would fall over if someone sneezed, it's pathetic. An English backbone is definitely needed. I have Scott Parker and others in mind. Did you know Shay Given could have joined Arsenal but we lost out?

Wenger must be at fault, well either him or the board—you make your mind up. Oh, and please don't forget to tell me that I'm wrong.

It's About Time Ferguson Received The Hairdryer

Samuel Mensah — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:46:20 -0400

I am a big admirer of Sir Alex Ferguson and the way he manages. He is a true winner inside and out and players who have played under him or managers who have pit their wits against him will say the same.

I admire his man management, his constant demand for commitment and his brutal willingness to reprimand anyone who crosses his path. He is a real old school manager with a modern outlook on playing football.

There is though one criticism I have of him, and it is not of his abilities. It is his ability to influence a game in ways that are sometimes not seen to the naked eye. It may be a myth, but it is known throughout football that if you go to Old Trafford don't expect many decisions to go your way, but do expect them to go against you.

How many times has there been a penalty not given, or a penalty given against the away side, or the refs inability to send off a player in red. Not to mention lengths of added on time that not even Darwin could explain.

From a personal view point I think the man is shown so much respect that people (ie. refs, the FA) are afraid to cross his path because they know criticism from Ferguson does not go un-noticed in the footballing world.

The recent debacle of Fergie exclaiming that Alan Wiley is not fit enough to be a referee is big news but not surprising at all. Is this another way of Fergie trying to influence the game and perhaps the referees he gets for his matches.

From now on Ferguson should only get the best refs while the rest can get all the so called unfit ones that apparently crowd the English game.

Fergie's biggest mistake was to not check the facts before he made his outrageous claim. I bet Alan Wiley has run more miles on the pitch than Berbatov has ran his whole life.

It was only two weeks ago that he was having a friendly chat with Wiley after United had scored a dubious winner in the 96th minute at, guess what ground? Old Trafford.

I think the FA need to step in and punish Fergie just so these wild claims are not repeated by others. To publicly humiliate Wiley and claim he wasn't good enough to do his job is perhaps a step too far.

Maybe some good will come of this and referees will now not be so scared of Fergie and maybe Fergie will now get what he deserves on and off the pitch.

Even an apology would be nice Fergie but why would he? He is Sir Alex Ferguson of Manchester United, an untouchable.

Arsenal Fans: Wake Up!

Samuel Mensah — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 21:30:06 -0400

Well, well, well...I don't want to keep writing negative stories about my team but that is all I have to give after years of nothingness. Unlike some of you easy-lead supporters not once have I been convinced that anything but backward steps have been afforded to a once-feared team.

People will still say things like, "its early days," and "they've only lost two," but surely this latest City result says more than the result itself. It proves what I have been writing on these damn pages for months, to which all I get is disagreement and anger, people telling me I'm being harsh. The problem is I'm not being harsh enough.

I feel some of the so called Arsenal fans on here haven't been supporting the team for long or don't know much about football and it's ever evolving ways. When you are beaten by team who have taken a few of your players and are seemingly breaking into the top four in your expense you have to admit things look bad.

Potential is too long a word in football and time is too short a word. If Wenger were at Chelsea or Liverpool it would be off with his head. My problem is finding the true protagonist of our demise...is it the board or is it Wenger?

Wenger has brought a great band of football to the BPL and Arsenal so perhaps he cannot be blamed so. The board in other hand have not put there hands in there pockets for ages when you think that from all Arsene's sales Arsenal have acquired buys through the sales of such big talent over the years.

I understand the stadium has us in debt but it has also handicapped us in the progression of this club. All the big four are in debt but they understand that football isn't really a money making venture and you're never going to see mega profit turnovers compared to other business.

Either the board at Arsenal are greedy or Wenger is mad, you make the decision. The squad is poor, not bringing in replacements for key losses is poor, lack of leadership is poor, making a 20 something captain no matter how good he is is poor, and the excuses are even worse.

Man City have found money and used it and thats how to be successful in the modern game, bad as it sounds the results will say it all. Manchester United, Chelsea, and Liverpool have been doing it for years, and as their squads boost, ours depletes.

I think it's safe to say youth, lack of squad, and inability to spend especially when needed will not win you a thing, not to mention the league, I laugh at the thought. Someone needs to tell who ever is in charge at Arsenal.

OH YEAH AND TO ALL THE IDIOTS WHO KNOW LITTLE ABOUT FOOTBALL—I TOLD YOU SO!!

Why Arsenal Will Not Win the Premier League

Samuel Mensah — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:55:56 -0400

The league is about strength and consistency, always was and always will be. Whatever team has one the league has had this as a basis and then used the added quality to step over the line in 1st in what is a marathon of a competition.

Arsenal are a weaker team than they were when they missed out with months to go after leading the the league, which is now two seasons ago. Less players, less leadership, less everything. You can't use the excuse that players are maturing because surely players in other teams are doing the same thing except their clubs are acquiring more players and better talent. Whilst Arsenal sell and buy less and wait for immaturity to finally flourish.

Starting in goal is a keeper who should never be No. 1, ask yourself this was he better than Lehmann over a period of time? No. Lehmann's mouth and two bad games cost him his place and the rest is history although I would still personally have him in goal just like David James continues to guard goal.

Almunia is obviously not mentally strong and his positioning in almost every game is suspect not to mention his stupid decisions. He is a very good No. 2 but he should not be the last line of defence. Manninger was as good as him!

No replacement for Adebayor is shocking! Tell me one player in Arsenal who can score 30 goals a season as an out and out striker?

I don't like to say I told you so but Rosicky? He will never be the same. Diaby? A good player but that own goal is unforgivable (he wasn't challenged, his eyes were closed, it was just very poor) and even worse was the way he capitulated for the rest of the game.

Arsenal still do not have the mental strength or the squad to win the league. Maybe a cup but definitely not the league.

We battered Manchester United left, right, and centre and still managed to lose, Chelsea would have won that game with two chances, not because of quality but because of experience and belief.

Phil Brown Is The Worst Kind Of Manager

Samuel Mensah — Mon, 25 May 2009 02:23:28 -0400

In the beginning half of the season, Hull were the surprise package. They were fun and exciting, taking scalps left, right, and centre. Arsenal, Tottenham, and Fulham were their best results in the first few months, with other impressive performances making them a top 10 team.

Brown had seemingly assembled a decent team with a quality player in Geovanni who was capable of scoring wonder goals.

Brown was thrust into the limelight and he seemed to revel in it. He may have deserved the spotlight, but what I noticed was that he was openly taking full credit as a miracle worker, a top boss, and yet they were not even half way through the season.

Getting ahead of yourself always comes back to haunt the offender and Brown was no exception. Gravity begun to work as effortlessly as usual and the bad results began.

Sunderland beat them 4-1 at home and then the infamous away day defeat at Man City. With his team losing 4-0 at half time, Brown decided to conduct his angry team talk in front of the corner of the pitch where their travelling support resided.

You can tell by the way the players walked to their crucifixion that they were disturbed by this. This has never been done in the history of the game and commentators and experts across the country expressed their opinions on this, most of them negative.

My feeling is that this belittled the players—washing his hands of any blame and siding with the fans against them. It's not as if Hull, who had just been promoted through the playoffs, were exempt from a beating or two, it was always going to happen.

These are pro players not Sunday league players, and there are ways of conduct in the professional game. This for me was a step to far. Brown's lust for the limelight and love of his own abilities had crossed a line never to be crossed.

This was bound to stir up the players. They may not have made a big noise about it but you damn well know were seething about it within their private circles.

So followed a complete capitulation of form, with just one win in their last 22 league games. Fighting now in a relegation battle, form like that does not deserve to be celebrated.

They survived through no fault of their own, relying on teams with equal or worse form than them. Come the final whistle, Brown celebrated with champagne, singing, yes actually singing to fans on an open mic as if he had anything to do with their survival.

Why should he be taking any credit? If anything he should be having a quiet word with his players over a serving of humble pie.

He really does think he is something, but if Newcastle had pulled a finger out and scored just one goal the outcome of his season would have been completely different.

I couple this with various fights with other clubs, such as Arsenal and the infamous Fabregas spit-gate, and all I see is an arrogant big mouth who has lost the respect of a lot of his players.

His lust for the camera has overshadowed his players but maybe he just wishes for 11 of himself to be on the pitch and perhaps he could win the Premiership, or even better, fame.

Managers should have humility, respect, and control and this man is just a massive pain in the backside.

Adebayor Has to Go Now!!

Samuel Mensah — Sun, 17 May 2009 17:09:20 -0400

It is time for Adebayor to go not so much for his talent but more for his destructive attitude. Some players have a languid look about them, laid back, almost unemotional and detached. Berbatov comes to mind and of course the ever cool Henry towards the end of his Arsenal career.

My gripe with Adebayor is he is not as good as those two or even as good as he thinks he is. Some would say it is wrong for the ever increasingly fickle Arsenal crowd to turn on one of there better performers over er...one and a half seasons.

When he first came he was terrible, Kanu in disguise we would call him.. Unable to catch a ball with his hands let alone his feet and as for his woeful finishing, he was hardly worth shouting about.

Then came the end for Henry, with Wenger failing to buy anyone to replace the genius Adebayor had his chance. He was a man possessed, leading the attack seemingly on his own, chasing every lost cause there was to prove he could fit the bill.

He had improved immensly, his touch now resembling Kanu, his finishing as emphatic as Henry's notching up 30+ goals.

Despite this Arsenal stumbled and crumbled at the final hurdle and then came the pre season. Noise that there was interest for the Togo striker had caught his ear and suddenly he wanted out. No loyalty, no love for the badge he often kissed and beat with his fist. The only reason he stayed was due to a 80,000 a week contract.

The cheek is resounding, who is he? Does he not know where he has come from and who has given him the chance and in turn made him? Fair enough though you have signed and now you are an Arsenal player for a few more years...But then came the new season.

Fans had the right to voice grievances but Adebayor didn't understand, believing his own hype and surviving in his over paid bubble. Then came his actual performances, though not totally ineffective he cut a moody figure, sulking when things did not go for him or after another missed chance.

Gone was the hard working, back tackling leader of a striker and now was this "I think I'm better than Arsenal attitude" that clearly affected younger less experienced players around him.

He really believes to be the new Henry of Arsenal and if that's the case we should let go of him now and get the money for him before he gets more ineffective and is worth less.

Arsene needs the money to buy players who want to play and work hard for Arsenal and I feel Adebayor has given up way too early.

Arsenal Can't Beat a Two Man United

Samuel Mensah — Sun, 17 May 2009 09:26:48 -0400

Once again Arsenal play a team off the park and go away empty handed.

Watching the whole 90 minutes, one thing became clear to me and that was that Arsenal are still the best footballing side in the Premiership.

Man United had their best team out and they were chasing shadows and defending for most part in their own back yard.

The only two players that seemed like doing anything were, as for most of the season, Rooney and Ronaldo.

In fact, Rooney played better in this game as a defender than a striker as Man U resembled a boxer rocking off the ropes and Arsenal a contender unable to inflict the knockout blow.

I, an Arsenal fan, have now become tired of the lack of cut and thrust that used to adorn our football. It has been replaced by a certain impotence of sideways football.

The Arsenal game has become considerably slower, gittery, and a distinct lack of self-belief that Arsene continues to believe the team have.

It is simple we lack leaders, experience, height, strength, and real English fight. We are now awash of overpaid egotistical youngsters who have the talent, but not the attitude.

For all the teamwork displayed on Saturday, one moment from Rooney and Ronaldo would have been enough to win the game despite Arsenal's possession.

Not once did Arsenal really look like scoring and I seriously question playing Van Persie up front on his own.

He doesn't make those penetrating runs; when the ball goes wide, no one darts near post or into a menacing position, things that Fabregas use to do last season.

Fabregas has become too involved in being everywhere at once, and it's too much for a captain at the age of 22.

Wenger obviously wants to see the back of Adebayor and so do the fans, now what they need is a big burly out-and-out striker a la Alan Shearer to scare Prem defences.

Our defence is slack, the midfield is weak, and the forward line is dry of ideas. Everyone seems afraid to shoot, but I think it is Wenger who has to start shooting from the hip because compared to Ferguson, he is a soft touch and he is allowing some players to get away with murder.

He is the boss and perhaps he gets undermined by in-house fighting and transfer requests.

For the team he made us, it would be a waste for us to just become fourth in race for the title year after year. A few sales and acquisitions can save this talented team.