I am always a little bit suspicious when rivals, be they football managers or anything else, say nice things about each other, especially when they are in direct competition with each other, so with Arsenal travelling north to face Liverpool at Anfield tomorrow I am taking a large pinch of salw with the comments of their manager Jurgen Klopp on our own Arsene Wenger.
As reported by Sky Sports the German, whose team last season condemned Wenger and the Gunners to a first year without Champions League football in two decades by just a single point, spoke about his respect for the Frenchman and gave his thoughts on the calls from Arsenal fans for him to be replaced.
Klopp said, “Arsene loves what he is doing and obviously he has all the energy he thinks he needs to do it.
“He is the only person that can judge this – apart from the board at Arsenal and they think the same, which is why they extended his contract.
“It was a long hard season and I think [Arsenal have always been] successful, always being in the Champions League and close to winning things.
“Then [sometimes] you can get the feeling that people don’t want you there anymore. I don’t understand this but I am not in the situation.
“The only thing I can say is that I respect him a lot. I really respect all the things he has done in the past, not just for Arsenal, but for football in general.
“He is a big, big manager in the history of the Premier League – and football – and he has all the power he still needs. I’m happy he is still there and we meet again on Sunday.”
Klopp saying he is happy that Wenger is still in charge sounds just a little too much like the taunts from rival fans when they chant ‘we want you to stay’ and it all smacks of condescension to me. Is Klopp being nice because he does not fear Arsenal and Wenger or see us as a threat to their own ambitions. Is he right>
D.N.
Someone should ask Wenger what he sees the reason behind that every rival fan and manager wants him to stay.
Our delusional manager will probably see it as a compliment. That they respect him as a manager lol
Felt like an actual compliment to me, even though from inside he may not actually feel that way. You know , the kind of diplomatic, politically correct things that you say to the press.
May be its time Wenger give a shove to klopp, like what he did with Mourinho, so he won’t spit it again.
People are overrating Liverpool a bit roo much.I don’t blame them though as we’ve all seen this before.This match can be easily won with the right tactics,players and formation.We must revert back to our old system and play 4-2-3-1.This should be our team:
Cech
Bellerin Koscielny Mustafi Kolasinac
Ramsey Elneny/Coquelin
Sanchez Ozil Iwobi/Ox
Lacazette
Wenger must take Xhaka out of the lineup because he can’t defend.Don’t blame Xhaka for a poor performance tomorrow if he’s overrun.He can’t play in this kind of matches.It’ll be too intense for him and we’ll be overrun.He’s massively overrated and another player will surpass him in the future.This lineup will also bring the best in some of our players like Kolasinac and Ozil.
Mustafi update:No permanent or loan deal has bern agreed today contrary to reports.Wenger has told suitors he’s not sale.However,Wenger is only selling if he’s 100% sure his replacement is coming.The likes of VVD,Johnny Evans etc. are some options.
Cech is a major liability. His performances have been abysmal of late .I’d rather play Ospina until Cech ups his game
Ospina is even worse than Cech.How lucky Ospina was to have not experienced many seasons of terrible defending like Szczesny did.He would’ve been exposed on countless occassions.Now the so called useless Pole is on his way for stardom if he takes his opportunities seriously.
Cech > ospina = szcz & emiliano yet to see !
Don’t deceive yourself bro.Szcz was always the better.I’d even have him back over Cech.
liverpool like to press and our boys always cave in when teams get too close and personal, this is why everyone favours liverpool over arsenal.
They have similar problems to us in defence. Don’t understand these reports about Mustafi being sold – we are already weak in defence, that would be unless we get van Dijk in, who is exactly what we need, but logic often doesn’t bother Wenger that much.
Van Dijk rejected Chelsea a month or so ago even though they agreed to pay Southampton their asking price.He’s doing all that to force a move to Liverpool even if Southampton’s relationship with Liverpool is sour.People forget there’s still a possibility that Liverpool can sign him and he knows this.I just don’t see Van Dijk choosing Arsenal now when he perfectly knows Liverpool have a chance.We’re wasting our time with him.
…we managed to prize sol away from spurs – its not inconceivable that with a sensible offer we could get a central-defender from what has been one of our feeder clubs…
But in this case the player loves Liverpool which is also a big team.If we have any chance then it must be a very big offer.VVD has been Liverpool’s main CB target and they’ve not been linked with others in these late stages of the window.There’s surely going to be something happening between them in these late moments.The sure thing is he’s not choosing Arsenal over Liverpool if it comes down to the two teams only.I fear that’s what will happen that it’s likely to come down to Liverpool and Arsenal.
…id rather see an established central-mid come in as a matter of urgency, but yes we’ll see if anything more than ‘absolutely nothing’ happens for us. as all too often we speculate (a lot) and what is delivered is zero.
sorry, i just do not see a top 4 team this year, the comp seems to have strengthened, 6th place man utd look much better, we added a few and are losing a few, but nothing to increase this teams competitiveness, as we struggle, sanchez will de motivate, as he did last year,
we needn’t pay much mind to the wind coming from either wenger’s or klopp’s mouth what’s more important is that we learn to not experiment by playing square pegs in round holes up at liverpool.
personally, id like to see ospina in goal, mertesacker marshal the defence, lacazette longside iwobi and r.nelson on arsenal bench. if he’s fit coquelin should start too. im hoping for a 0-0 or 1-1 draw im annoyed at wenger’s mis-management but i never find it in me to forecast arsenal annihilation.
#COYG
Mourinho making Wenger look like the specialist he is, in failure.
In about 24 hours we will be trailing the leaders by 6 points already, after just 3 matches. Unbelievable.
It’s going to be a long winter *GoT theme music comes on*
I’m I da only one watching Utd beating Leicester first they get pen den a goal which was more offside than lacasettes , da game is currupt I mean we lose tom to Liverpool and we’re out title chase already 3 games in haha like why are Man Utd rite at it why are we always under strength start league now sky sports are getting mustafi and we’re getting no replacement like wat is going on so that’s mustafi plus of wants out plus alexis plus Ozil and top off iwobi mite be going loan turkey hahaha we buy lacasette and someone wants cash bk I’m sick to death this carry on will somebody explain me wat is wrong or wats going on
Liverpool will beat us, of course they will.
Keeping that delusional old fossil in charge is the best option for everyone except Arsenal fans because they know he is a tactical buffoon – hence why people like Klopp are talking such rubbish.
The sooner he goes the better but it looks as though once again we have to write another season off – along with the other thirteen he has ruined before it with his tactical incompetence.
just fattening the pig…
Unless and until we don’t spend 150 Millions we won’t win… You don’t need to change entire team only 3-4 players are enough to win you games… Look at Man Utd, they have bought only Lindelof, Matic and Lukaku… And their team is complete now… But for those 4 Players you have to pay 150 Millions.. Our Owners don’t want pay at all.. Unless and until we don’t pay our mediocrity will be continued…
Unless we change the philosophy of the team = change the manager we won’t spend half of 150 millions or win titles or whatsoever!
I actually expect arsenal to win tomorrow, although there is a lot of negativity coming from us the fans, i think our defense will be a lot better organise and base on the previous game, we were unfortunate in not even getting a point base on the chances we created.
Base on some fans comment we should be playing in the championship and the world has ended, i have stopped guessing who is going to go or who is going stay, i will just wait to see when the window closes.
One thing about Wenger he knows what will be will be the reactions of the fans, if he does not carry in players.
We should sell Welbeck, Gibbs, Jenkinson, Debuxhy, Akpom, And buy Draxler and Carvalho.
Also, Ozil must not play all games. He must not play every minute. When he has an off day, take him off. We need to convert the many chances we create. We don’t need beautiful goals. We just need to put the ball at the back of the net. Take more shots. Work more on good passes. Direct football. Aggressive football. Then we have a chance of winning the EPL.
OT- Renato Sanches has been left out of Bayern’s squad for their game to make a decision over his future. Seems like he would be available for around £30m. I feel he would be a fantastic signing, may not be as proven as others available on the market but he hasn’t had a run in Bayern’s first team. Has fantastic ability and potential. Thoughts? (I understand that any signings right now are extremely unlikely but one can only speculate)