Well the news that some Arsenal fans were hoping would be about us rather than our Premier League rivals Manchester City has been confirmed today. The final day of the January transfer window may have been a bit underwhelming so far but the confirmation from Man City that Pep Guardiola will be their manager next season has certainly livened it up.
The Sky Sports report which gave out the news also revealed that the Bayern Munich boss was close to taking over at the Etihad Stadium in 2012 after he had stepped down after leading former club Barcelona to the most successful period in their history.
I was certainly hoping that Arsenal might be in with a chance of persuading the Spaniard to take over from Arsene Wenger with the Frenchman ending his contract a year early but that is not to be. So with Guardiola’s record and reputation it looks even more like this season is the best chance Wenger will have to win the Premier League again.
And I wonder if this announcement of a change at the top could affect the Man City players over the latter stages of the current campaign. There is a theory that this sort of thing can have a negative effect on team spirit and morale, despite the fact that the statement from City denies that this will happen.
The official confirmation read, “Manchester City can confirm that in recent weeks it has commenced and finalised contractual negotiations with Pep Guardiola to become MCFC Head Coach for the 2016/17 EPL season onwards.
“The contract is for three years. These negotiations were a re-commencement of discussions that were curtailed in 2012.
“Out of respect for Manuel Pellegrini and the players, the club wishes to make its decision public to remove the unnecessary burden of speculation.
“Manuel, who is fully supportive of the decision to make this communication, is entirely focused on achieving his targets for the season ahead and retains the respect and commitment of all involved with the leadership of the club.”
So Gooners, how do you think this news will affect the title race, if at all?
I’ll take the risk of not minding all the ‘thumbs-down’ I might get, so as to say this:
This message from Man City could play out in the following methods
1. The moral of the Coach could drop, which in turn will affect the players, and play out perfectly for out for us winning the BPL.
2. The moral of the Coach could rise because he wants to show Man City that they’re missing a trick by loosing him, which will not play out good for us.
3. The moral of the player will rise because they want to impress their new coach, which will not play out good for us.
Anyway, the title is still ours to loose. As long as we take all our chances properly. As much as many of us will not want to admit, I think next year will be a pretty difficult season for us, as we could be seeing a new improved Man City Team. We still have a chance of countering that effect by making our own quality additions during the summer.
COYG.
what if citeh win the quadraple this season?
I can see thats where they are going coz they are taking the cup games really seriously
what if citeh win the quadraple this season?
I can see thats where they are going coz they are taking the cup games really seriously.
Would they really sack pellegrini.
Where would this world be going?
The title is not ours to lose, it’s in the balance. City have a better squad, Leicester don’t seem to want to go away, Spurs are playing better football than us (I hate saying that, but it’s true), and we are not looking convincing at all.
We have a chance, but no more than that, a chance.
The media are having fun saying this should be our year, they’re building us up so they can attack us if we don’t win the title.
So Man city got Pep and we are stuck with Wenger that means we have to wait forever for our first Champions League title.
@bosko
You could go support pepsi and his man city boys. That is if you aren’t already doing it…
Pepsi wasn’t coming to arsenal. Dude likes to play for owners who don’t mind throwing 200mil+ at players. Glad he ain’t coming our way…
So true @ny_gunner. Was never gonna be at AFC. Like Mouhinho, Pep only plies his trade with clubs that already have stellar squads and will ensure success through glactico spending. Their egos and reputations, and possibly success, relies on it. I think your figure of 200m is probably about right for summer 2016.
please pardon all my spelling miskates
Pep arriving at City in the summer has no effect on this seasons EPL campaign. Everyone at City have known this for a while now and are prepared for the change the rest of the league should be ready too.
Manuel is still in charge, I don’t expect City to start playing like Bayern all of a sudden neither do I expect them to start playing like Bolton (or Chelsea, lol). We need to keep our focus going into this crazy run of games and leave City’s issues at City.
Wenger better step his game up and stop relying on the likes of Walcott and Rosicky. Managers like Pep don’t remain patient and do everything to dominate a league, and unlike Arsene more players would want to play under him than our Frenchman that’s a sad fact, so now City have the wages AND the manager to attract practically any player they wish which means we can’t be incompetent like this season and previous ones.
Now the mancs are gonna be a force in europe
Really why should it really bother us…he is not coming to arsenal will not benefit us in anyway ..we need to keep to our own business and focus on getting points not focused on other stuff going on outside our club!!!!.
MANC resources and Guardiola combination is a bad bad combination for PL’s other team. It is going to be Everest level effort to win PL next season. That is why, its so so so important to win this year and get the PL draught monkey off our back. But does Wenger have what it takes to lead us to title. I have my doubts. But i hope for the best.
That is an issue for next season…lets finish the season we are in right now and push for the title before we get sidetrack and drop out in the race all together
@invicibles49
Unless pepsi gets in players who can hit the ground running in the BPL, then it will be business as usual…
All the better managers being snapped by our rivals like Klopp and Guardiola. Simeone will join
Chelsea or Man U meanwhile our profit hungry board is busy renewing Wenger’s contract.
Lol…
Hurt i would say with Pep coming to Man city and giving extra incentive to Manuel to finish off with a bang i expect the sky blues to put the league and the champions league as an opportunity to win it this time.
Greedy Wenger wont win us the league again. We failed to beat sides like Liverpool, Stoke and even the worst Chelsea side ever in the last 3 games. We still have to play Everton away, West ham away, Spurs away, Man U away, City away.
Arsenal had 70 m transfer kitty last season but spent just 16 m on Cech and Elneny combined.
Where is the 54 m gone ? Will it be added for next season or do we have to sell Ozil or Alexis to buy someone ? Such a pathetic way a club is runned always not caring whether we win title or not.
i’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, arsenal will NEVER win the PL again under wenger and if Arsenal miss out on simeone or ancelloti then we’re royally screwed for the next 5-10 yrs.
worse news possible & you can absolutely guarantee city winning the title with pep for them 3 years and quite possibly the champs league, Wenger has not only created a legacy but also ruined it at the same time by over staying his welcome and ruining arsenal chances of getting a top replacement i,e klopp,pep, ancellotti,
Everyone knows were not winning the title this season its a mentality thing and only a different manager can change that, i would honestly even consider pellegrini after he wins a minimum of 2 trophies poss 3 this season.
stoke to buy imbula for 18 million a top defensive midfielder one that got away for sure, before people say why did porto sell him its quite simple Money talks, unfortunately Mr scrooge budget of 5mill and 20k a week only floats average players and teams boat.
The saddest aspect of this news (Guardiola to ManCity) is that we have very little hope that Arsene Wenger will suddenly become ambitious so as to face this new challenge. We all know the standard at which Guardiola’s teams play. We also know very well that Wenger’s sides over the years have never attained this level. If Mourinho ends up at United and Chelsea get their hands on someone like Simeone (not forgetting Pochettino’s improving Spurs and a possible Liverpool revival under Klopp), we would be left hoping for miracles. To still hope to win the league (and all the other domestic competions) under such cirumstances is pure madness!
You guys are pathetic and plastic…Pepsi is a bluff and will finally be found out once he comes to the BPL. This ain’t no 1/2 team league, no matter who he buys…
Haha @ny_gunner. They’re moaning what might have been…as usual.
Half of them would have sanctioned the purchase of every European player going, (many of which have proven to be complete duffers), bought one season wonders from our rivals, changed Wenger for Klopp, Brenda, Mancini..anyone who’s had a half decent season, dumped our football philosophy and youth policies……and guess what we’d be mirroring Utd, but sadly be broke. All of this would be backed up by ‘facts’….which generally upon inspection look more like one persons opinion. I genuinely lmfao at few of them.
@gooner100
Realtalk…
If some on this site are not stupid, who is? Do you seriously expect Guardiola to come with miracles and turn everything upside down? I doubt it. He will have to take time to adapt to the English league which is more physical than any other league in Europe. For those who are yearning for Wenger to leave don’t worry I think he doesn’t have long to be manager at Arsenal. We shall then see how it will benefit you. I bet some of you might wish you had not wished Wenger to leave! This is not a threat to anybody but a realistic analysis of the situation as it might unfold in the future. If Man U is anything to go by it might not always be a bed of roses with a new manager. There will be bumps and smooth stretches, ups and downs. So this business of wanting every name you hear being mentioned might turn out not to be what you hoped for. I remember Man U fans boasting about a treble after learning of Luis Van Gaal as their new manager. When they returned to Champions league many were taking very confidently that it was the beginning of winning trophies but have they yet? It is easier said than done!
Comments like wenger relies on rosicky n walcot show how dim someone is. If anythn we rely on cech, kos, mesut, and alexis. Second, I av nuthn against pep but honestly he’s in 4 rude shock. Hope he gets stoke city away 4 his debut game. There are no weak teams in epl. This wil be his 1st lesson.