Arsenal are in a shocking situation in the last week of the window by Gooner100
How can Arsenal get to a situation a week from the end of the transfer window with:
– An overblown squad with too many makeweights?
– Four key players genuinely at risk of leaving (Sanchez, Ozil, Chamberlain and Mustafi) – all starters in the first 11?
– lack of real competition in key roles (Ozil or ?, CB’s with few real proven options if the core is injured, or a CM that lacks real domination…)
……and as I say, so late in the window that we have almost no chance of responding if any of the four go, which would probably further weaken the team??
I wrote a post earlier this week about Gazidis. Midkemma got it, a few others maybe. Gazidis said and I quote, ‘The changes [we’re making] will keep us ahead of the game. Our strategy is youth development, player signings, and player retention’.
Personally I’m struggling to see how execution of a pretty glib statement is working.
Youth development is producing the occasional player. But let’s be charitable, it’s fine and yes we care more about youth development than most major clubs.
Player signings; Lacazette for sure, early days but the guy is class. Mustafi is seemingly keen to move on (like to know what’s happened there tbh!), Xhaka (tbc..good days and not so good tbh), Elneny (hard worker but not at the level we need), Sanchez (looking to go), Ozil (..just a frustrating on/off player who swings from being a World Class asset to a complete liability). So I can’t subscribe to this part being a great success.
And the final comment is clearly rubbish as we’ve retained the wrong players for too long and are losing the ones we want to keep.
So whatever you think of Wenger, no matter how much people want to take the easy option and say ‘this is all Wenger, he is in total control, no one else gets a say’, he signed a 2 year deal, the behaviours were well known and the challenge to move on was clear. In fact Gazidis said ‘this would be a catalyst for change’.
So I continue to say that the frustrations need to be directed at the board for not sorting this situation. For not asserting the necessary actions on Wenger. For not making sure these issues, which were visible months before the transfer window even opened were not sorted. For not being proactive enough. And in the case of Ivan for not taking the necessary executive decisions that as CEO he is expected and empowered to take to sort this, even if this meant tough talks with Wenger himself. That’s his job!
AFC is not a distributed business with a CEO overseeing multiple businesses in multiple countries. Sure from a commercial perspective, but there is one club based in North London. One team. One squad and one manager. To have allowed the club to get to this chaotic place, is a shocking indictment of the board. There is are only two transfer windows, so no surprise event that took them by surprise!
As for the manager, as I said in the post, Wenger is set in his ways, good and bad. He can create gold from nothing or act in the most irresponsible and myopic way. He has done great things but equally frustrated most Gooners at some point. The board should have made sure the weaknesses were redressed and the strengths supported. Instead it seems they’ve carried on as normal, remained apathetic and in fact allowed the off field issues to now materially jeopardise the success that is likely on the field.
As I said in the post, the board have a week to sort their acts! Move the relevant players out (sell them, loan them, do a deal…contribute to the salary bills if necessary, drop the prices etc), go out and get the couple of players we need, lock down the players we want to keep. This could have been so much easier, so much more controlled and financially balanced, if the board had been making this happen 3 months ago!
Gooner100
Told you boys. Pleas anyone at Sunday’s game bring out the #WENGEROUT #kreonkeout #wengerbeaspender banners. Unless we take action now things are gonna get even worse
I’m actually surprised that most of us fans expected anything different. This is Wenger we’re talking about. Arsene ‘freaking’ Wenger.
I think you’re clearly right from a logic standpoint, but I’m not always logical when it comes to football. Die-hard fanatics often have way more hope than is realistic. You can always dream of greatness and joy for your beloved club. The long delays can at least make it extra special when you finally get that championship and the memory of each one becomes a legendary event in your life. Hell I was over the moon with the recent FA cup titles despite league disappointments, even last year when I knew we had lost champions league football! I have some friends who are lifelong Chicago Cubs fans, I’ve never seen them go so gorilla crazy about anything before like they did last November. Can you imagine seeing your favorite team win a title for the first time in your life at age 45? It was like age 70ish for the first time for some of their parents!
Interesting that the Article mentions Gazidis and the board as the problem. I think they are sitting back smugly, letting Wenger screw up the transfer window AGAIN, whilst preparing to take over the whole process (thru a Director of Football).
Gazidis wanted a director of football. Wenger didn’t, Kroenke sided with Wenger.
What frustrates me the most is that Arsenal came fifth last season. Wenger hasn’t identified the problems within the squad to make the team better. Our defence was that of a mid-table club and this season, 2 games, 4 goals. It isn’t good enough.
Arsenal is spineless. They need a no nonsense centre back, a defensive midfielder, a attacking midfielder that will defend and a bully of a striker.
Believe me when I say that this season will be worse than last season.
How has that helped so far. We fans can’t continue to attack Wenger and achieve the desire change we want for our clubs. It doesn’t matter if he has absolute control or not he is but an employee of arsenal fc. Ask yourself this question. If you happen to be the major shareholder today what will you do? Sack Wenger you say because he has failed the club. If it so obvious to you and every fans why is it damn so difficult for Stan and the board? Except to them he is not a failure and to some large extend I believe he is not. Though i agree he should go because he is too old and that has affected his coaching ability and judgment. We should look at his achievements before the Stan became the major shareholder to know where the problem lies. No coach will achieve anything with kind of set up we have at emirate. People think Jose is a winner because he craves success a lone but no. He is winner because he is under a lot pressure to win from his employer with serious financial backing. Do Wenger have that arsenal?. Instead of showing him way out or moved him up, they gave him another two years.
So you would rather distract the sqaud with negativity in a difficult match against Liverpool. This truly irks me . Why not save those protests for after the match then Wenger can have one less thing to blame his losses on . We have weak and feeble players so let’s not fracture their fragile minds with protest banner . The reason Leicester were able to win a trophy despite the odds was that even though they had a bang average team with a deadly striker and a playmaker to assist , their fans spurred the team on no matter what the scoreline was . The fans chanted and cheered the team on from the 1st whistle to the last . Let’s inject some energy into the team and spur them onto victory . Leave the protests for after
Relax and rest assured, Wenger is fully covered on the excuses front. Protesting after the game is as good as screaming in the dessert…no one is there to care or listen. Anyway, not that am supporting the protests, I think if Wenger has managed to secure yet another two year contract extension after last season’s 5-1 hammerings at the hands of Bayern then he cannot be blamed for the direction the club is taking…its the board who quite frankly don’t give half a rat’s bumm what the coach does or doesn’t do.
To sit a cheer this club, as it stands, serves no purpose but to enable those in charge to continue down the same path of mediocrity
So let’s instead take a little time to reflect upon the potential future of this club…say we were to win this weekend at Anfield without Sanchez, what do you think the club would do in the final week of the transfer window? I believe there’s a good chance that Wenger would stand pat, he might even let Sanchez go under the guise that the board forced his hand, the fair-weather fans would once again rally around Wenger and those with a more critical eye would get largely drowned out by the euphoria of the moment…unfortunately the timing of just such a victory could be incredibly damaging to our future prospects because even the most ardent of the pro-Wengerites understand that this team is still a few key players away from truly competing…as such this dilemma totally encapsulates the fragility of this club, as there is nothing worse than putting fans in the unenviable position of “wanting” their club to lose so that reinforcements might arrive in the 11th hour
Now imagine the scene if Arsenal were to lose on Sunday…of course the manner by which the loss occurs does have a direct bearing on the reaction, but any loss is going to have some serious consequences…if Sanchez plays, which I doubt he will, some might take the long view and speak about how the unsettled lineup so far this year is the culprit and that continuity moving forward will provide the antidote…if Sanchez doesn’t play, and Wenger continues to get his tactics wrong while playing the usual suspects out of position, this could be an absolute shit-show…either way, the problems that are seemingly obvious to everyone except Wenger, will still remain…this will likely force the club to seek some sort of resolution in the transfer market as the public backlash will likely reach critical mass…as we know, this club hasn’t fared to well in recent years when they dive back into the marketplace in the desperate hours…not the optimum situation thus the term “panic buy”
l for one would love to see Wenger, just for once, put his big boy pants on and stop acting like a petulant teenager with a “me against the world” attitude and surprise us all by bringing in some truly world-class players regardless of Sunday’s result…I know this club has neither the fortitude or business acumen to address all the concerns that presently haunt this organization before the window closes(i.e. Sanchez, Ozil & Ox contracts, CDM, CB, right attacking forward, get rid of all the deadwood etc…) but I can only hope they understand the magnitude of the situation should they do nothing and the wheels fall off again…now is the time to really gauge the sense of urgency that exists within the fan base because failure to recognize this will come with a serious cost for many years to come…no matter what side of the fence you currently sit, no one wants to see our club crumble before our very eyes
Action must be taken. The 0layers a weak already and we will probs loose. They need to know that they are to blame also. So a live .arch 100%
Your argument is one of the reasons why we are failing as a club. How can you blame the fans for putting pressure on the players /club to do something? The fans always support the players on the pitch until we are let down. What more should we as fans do? We pay a lot of money to watch these players, the last thing we deserve as fans is blame. We need serious match protests or stop investing in the club if we want change. The customers are always the bosses & we have the power to initiate change if we want it. I love this club & I won’t sit down & watch it sink.
No need for #wengerout anymore.
Accept your destiny under him and even more so under Kroenke. A far as he’s concerned, we can be tenth and there is absolutely nothing the fans can do that can make any positive change at the club.
If you don’t renew your season ticket, there’s a person in an eleven year waiting line that’d be more than happy to take if from you, and then, there is a 50-50 chance that that person is a plastic prawn sandwich-eating, look-at-me-I-have-a-season-ticket kinda person.
If you put the banners out, you create a negative press atmosphere, so the press fekkers get on our back even more.
If you protest, you waste a bit of your time you could have spent with your family to absolutely no avail.
The fanbase isn’t united, so whatever you want to do, best you can hope for is partial support, so rather don’t do it and enjoy the two to three games that Arsenal will look like a title-winning club.
With how things are at the moment with the contracts and the signings, I reckon we might beat the last seasons’ record and actually drop below 5th.
Spot on nebsy…now whenever i go to the emirates i avoid the shop…i avoid the food and drink outlets…i take my seat and stay there till the end. If a lot more fans did the same then stan would soon get the message…especially when the sponsors start to ask questions. This is the only way we can effect change…banners and hurling abuse at players and wenger is only breeding more negativity. Leave that to the media and so called pundits. Lets get behind the team on the pitch and leave our keyboard warrior mentality at home !
No more signings,we have enough players to compete,I have heard this before you can clearly see no ambition from the club to win major trophies,lookwarm ambition always ,for the first time I can now say that Wenger is the main culprit here perennially deluded when the board hear his statements they breath with a sigh no push!!this old man brain is rotten
All the fans agree that board and owner are part of the problem. Based on recent history nothing positive will happen in the next one week irrespective who we blame – Wenger or the board. The question is what will it take for this board to take action. If money is their driver, do we know how have last season’s results impacted them financially. CL money aside, do we get less money from sponsors? The ticket money will keep coming in for years to come due to the wait list. I am just trying to understand if anything will make this owner and board to change and/or leave.
Ivan gazidis is not being allowed to work because of arsene. The board have back him time and again. Ivan says time and again we’ve got the funds its upto the manager. You think Ivan cares if he pays 31m for higuain? wenger penny pinches. You mean to say the board agreed that lucas perez was worth 17m? Wenger did. You know what seems likely? alexis leaving mustafa leaving to trim the squad and us starting deadwood because we can’t get rid of them. The board give you funding and you go and buy mediocre players and put them on huge money. naturally you must pay the price. Wages and signings are to be left to the mgmt. team not wenger. No board will allow you blow cash like and not produce. Look at liverpool with dalglish..
Stop going to the stadium, everyone boycott games
ivan gazidis
dick law
arsene wenger
take a bow.
get in a couple of good quality players and out the unnecessary ones otherwise #floppers season after season.
Arsenal fans complain too much. Lets get behind the team and see how the season works out.
You know what shocks me? Arsenal fans want to be happy. Its simple why ant you guys stop going to the games? Are you guys seriously spending that type of money on a season ticket? Go for a damn holiday or buy your kids something! Boycott the home games. Only then will the board and arsene realise! Look we are the next everton. In two years moshiri will take everton to a level where they can compete for the top 4 with intensity. Arsenals profits will keep increasing as long as the club is able to sustain its brand which in my eyes will not diminish for the 5-7 years, similar to liverpool. It is obvious that arsene will continue at arsenal after he’s done managing and have huge influence on the club. Arsene will probably be on the board. And lets be honest we’ve arsene turn into a worse version of daniel levy. He’s all about the corporate side and book balancing. Arsene isn’t going anywhere he’s got nothing, his wife separated because he chose arsenal by signing a new deal in 2013. All he has is arsenal and football. So its better the fans stand up and do something other than crying like little fools on aftv and on forums. If you want change then do something about it. You think its disrespectful? Giving the club your time and huge money and look at the way they treat you as a fan! You’re disrespecting yourself. As a businessman if I could balance the books I’d love to own a football club, you can do whatever you want and fans will still comeback… Arsenal the next everton at this rate before becoming the next newcastle and post that villa and then notts forest.
Bang on my bro, u are special!! Pls spread the message, let’s stay away from the home games and the changes will happen swiftly, that glutton called knonke will disappear and Dangote or usmanov will come and get rid of wenger and take arsenal to where it truly belong
Already done that, Released my 2 season tickets and will not buy any merchandise, Started watching my local team, Will always support Arsenal but now only on tv until drastic changers are made, As long as Kronke is there we are doomed.
Welcome aboard, I done this some years back. I said then until kroenke sells I won’t go, since then he has given wenger 2 more contracts which suggests that he and wenger are happy with how things are. True wengers love affair with the fa cup has brought in 3 trophies, but really? Is that all we should be boasting about?
Finally someone with the same thoughts as I have . A protest of this nature would scream out to the board that they need to change. Abstain from going to the home games , stop buying their merchandise , just have a total blackout from all Arsenal fans , delete them on all social media sites.when the fans cripple the club financially then perhaps they will change the mindset at the club .
The board is inactive that is correct. We have a absentee landlord that is correct. But the guy who has been in charge for 20 years, the guy who refuses a Director of Football, the guy who has bought every single player on this team, the guy who decides the tactics and the training, the guy that gives the motivation, the guy who knowingly left his decision to stay until the last minute and caused chaos in the dressing room that guy, that guy, well guys that guy is 100% at fault for were we are today as a team.
So please stop with the articles about putting blame on someone else, this is squarely on Wenger’s shoulders.
Transfers are mediocre at best
Youth development mediocre at best
Tactics takes forever to change
Adapting the game to am opponent – What do you mean?
Motivating the team is absolute 0
Overpaying mediocre players – Check
Underpaying talented players – Check
Being left behind by the Manchester teams, Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool check!
You are 100% correct in saying that Gadzidis and the board clearly are not doing a good job. However your excusing of Wenger is part of the problem. It has been more than 10 years (before Gadzidis arrived) since we last competed for the title. It is a long, long time since he has “created gold from nothing” as you say, certainly not in the last 10 years. Wenger’s tactical play has always been poor even in his best times however then we had better, harder players so it was not as obvious. Last year his management was terrible and so far in the first two games he has been even worse. What has he been thinking with the defence?
Yes Gadzidis is poor and should be shown the door but he is no Dr Evil and Wenger would be no better under any other CEO. Wenger , Gadzidis and Kroenke all out!
I wish I could disagree with you but I can’t.
We desperately need a Top CM, a Top CB and another attacker ie Goretzka, Van Dijk and Lemar OR Gueye, Koulibaly and Mahrez (just examples)
Wenger does this every season. Gets 1 or 2 good players but doesn’t finish the job.
For 13 years no replacement for Viera. No real defensive midfielder like Kante, Matic
For past 5 years no top replacement for RVP until this summer
With Cazorla out we desperately need a Top CM who can play both box2box and CAM to compete with Ozil ideally
I’m giving Wenger until 31st as I do every summer. But I am sure this imbecile will let us down once again
What are new signings going to do? We’ve had new signings come in every year. Quality players like mustafi lacazette alexis ozil xhaka cmon… We have talented players like chamberlain ramsey and bellerin. Koscielny now kolasinac. I think we all know that a manager like klopp, poch or mourinho would have taken the exact same team very far..
Does our CM have players like Pogba, Matic, Kante, Gundogan, Wanyama, Gueye
We only have 2 top CBs. Koscielny gets injured
Mourinho or Kopp would 100% get better players if they managed Arsenal and would get rid of the average players
3 points in the bag.
We need more 37 points!!!
I think it is achievable but finger crossed
What’s the ”chaos” about , eh?
OT: Why we are not going after Seri is beyond me.
I love being happy, I love football, I love competition and reward(trophy). Sadly the club I support has been in conflict with wat I love. I think days as an arsenal fan are number because above all I love myself.
Have say I’m worried talks today with van diik just get him pay watever we need him oh really am worried for Sunday but worried we see da last of the signings I think we need 2 more realistic like van diik and I would go for ya ya toure at city prop get him cheap he’d give us power in midfield aswell 2 excellent signings there and put power in our squad ahwell oh 2 oh 2 be a gunner?
Lets just say look how long it took wenger to bring in a world class GK thats says it all
I agree that Gazadis and the board are also to blame but even if I take what Mikedemia states quite often that it’s not Wenger my question to you guys is: why doesn’t Wenger come out and say something could it be the 8m a year he’s on? The fans would respect him for it but he’s all about control and the money so please stop this it’s not Wenger ?
Ya Cech world class maybe 4 years ago he’s too old and he’s clearance kicks are woeful
Deadwoods are being cleared to reduce wagebill for the greedy board to get more profit since there’s no cl money not the purposes of ambition.Thank you mourhino truly Wenger is a specialist in failure
Wenger is unable to enthuse and motivate the players because he is an abnormally defensive human being. He also speaks about how hard it is to sign players who are up to Arsenal standards yet has numerous players that he signed and are not good enough. He should accept that is no longer up to the job. What is totally clear is that if he does not buy another two top players Arsenal will be mile behind Man City, United and Chelsea. Does Wenger not realise that the point is to win the Premier League not come 4th.
Don’t get me wrong, we’ve massive problems with Kroenke, and the board, but was it they at Stoke that only selected one CB in a back three when FOUR CB’s were available? Was it they that selected an out of form RB/RWB at LWB, when THREE LB’s were available, and the Ox who has been playing very well in that position? Was it they that took off our new £50 million prolific striker when we were desperate for a goal?
Doesn’t matter who’s running the club, because it’s the manager that decides what happens on a match day.
And in regards to the players, and the contract situations, Wenger is the major player in this problem. For example, how has Walcott lasted 11 years (and counting), and on 140k p/w at Arsenal? He’s lasted that long because of Wenger. Wenger even sanctioned the 140k p/w!!!
Walcott is a prime example of holding on to players too long and overpaying them which in turn
creates a wage issue and therefore the chaos that is Arsenal today.
High wage bill for mediocre players. Wenger is living in his own fantasy trying to discover the
Theirry Henry. Those players are rare and Wenger believes he has the magic touch to turn everyone to greatness. That is delusional. How many like Walcott ?
Take away of the current Arsenal team Walcott/Welbeck/Coq/Elnelny/Gibbs/Ox/Jenkinson?debuchy and you can add 2 world class defenders 1 CM and Draxler/Lemar/Ascencio for propably the same $$. Mourinho buys the players he wants no matter the cost because in the long run it is like this: if you buy quality it will last longer and pay you back faster
Wenger’s make up of arrogance and self indulgence does not allow for this. He is a mad genius in his own world. The fact this club gave him 2 more years is astonishing and they will pay for it.
Arsenal with the current squad will finish much lower this season and especially if Alexis starts realizing he is fighting a loosing battle. this disease will travel thru everyone and players will start bailing ie. Moustafi.
I don’t care about Wenger “getting” how the fans feel – I could not give a sh*t about what he thinks or what he is planning – I just want him out.
The same outcome every season, the same frustrations and failures and there he is slap bang in the middle of it on his soap box bemoaning others ambitions, blaming referee’s and never once taking the responsibility for HIS mistakes. I make no apologies in saying I cannot stand the sight and sound of him…
Arsenal’s games are not lost in the board room by Gazidis’s lack of proactivity or through Kroenke’s continued absence. They are made by Wenger’s tactical incompetence and negligence – playing players out of position, setting them up to be destroyed in the press and destroying their confidence, failing on an annual basis to strengthen the squad, sticking with the same ineffectual coaching structure and failing to address the injury crisis that seems to strike us down every season.
The fault of this is all Wengers and the sooner he goes the BETTER…
We shouldn’t buy anything because if the disgusting Kroenke doesn’t get enough money from Arsenal he will definitely sell Arsenal.
Let’s the fans surprise them this weekend, everyone with #We need more signings, #open that cheque you kronke, #Kronke with Arsenal no EPL no champions league #Usmanov with Arsenal EPL and Champions league, #Dangote with Arsenal EPL and Champions League, #Kronke leave our Club of you don’t like Football, #Arsene Wenger buckle up, #In Wenger we (T)rust. I believe this banners will speak a lot of volumes and they will know that it would be a very long season for them if the lose any game without getting new players in before the window closes
Can’t think about the topic here as it just incenses me but I will say what better way to persuade ox to stay that to say he owes it to the club!
Omg arsene it may be true but you know what modern day players are like and the guy probably feels he’s only getting game time now due to the contract situation. He fancies lifting the pl cup and in 6 years at arsenal it’s not happened will it in the next 6 years when he’d be 29.
Off topic:
Everton v arsenal
Williams or mustafi?
Schneiderlin or xhaka?
Sigurdsson or ozil?
Pick ford or cech?
Rooney or lacazette?
I know my answers!
Ps anyone see gylfis goal in 46 minutes tonight in Croatia, audacious ànd technically accurate.
Wonder goal!
Mustafi
Schneiderlin
SIgurdson
Pickford
Laca
try that with UTD
Chels
City
Spuds and Liverpool
I think it all comes down to Wenger wanting a say in everything and never delegating.
He’s to cuddly with his sqaud because he’s around them night and day and has become like a father figure that’s why he’s hurt by Ox wanting to go.
Ferguson at mu had coaches take a lot of the sessions when he would occasionally turn up and oversee. Rhe players woukd be like Oh the gaffer’s here!
End of season then pre season then start of season.
Wenger basically wants to manage in outs existing contracts, commercial sponsorship, every training session, man management and so on. If the guy in his 40s and only needed 4 hours sleep I night it would be a huge task but he’s older and although fit still he’s not a young man anymore.
It a simple matter of task versus available resource and left just to him something has to give.
I don’t even know what to feel anymore I’m past angry or surprised I’m just numb.
I look at Everton as an example abd they’ve a pot of money from lukaku sale but no cl and look at some of the signings they’ve managed.
As for watching Liverpool last night it made me sad they played the type of slick and decisive football we used to.
I’m trying to remeber where and when exactly it all started to go wrong.
Rvp leaving? Rosicky retiring? Goodness kbo3s
My point John was that even Everton,(no disrespect) that are meant to be consistently Europa league team have better players than us and a majority I feel.
I don’t even want to do it for spurs mu mc and Chelsea 🙁
Another thing that gutted me last night was gnabry loved him I know things weren’t simple but look him at him last pace power etc yes okay raw but bayern saw something. Gylfi and mane two players that should be ours.
If Wenger was NOT on board with the leadership/ownership, he would speak up! He’s got NOTHING to lose. In fact, he has everything to GAIN if he were to call out the leadership and say he is not being supported to bring-in players, but he is NOT. If he actually stood up and told the fans his hands were tied, he’d have a huge amount of fan support for change!
This means he is on the exact same page as them all, they are all in agreement as a group regarding how the club is currently being managed and concerning the (lack of) transfer activity. If anyone out there believes differently, they are just sticking their head in the sand.
In IMO, the real truth is that Arsenal were never seriously after Lemar. All the talk about new initiatives regarding transfers and turning over a new leaf was just a smokescreen. I said this a few years ago and I still believe it today; Arsenal will never return to the top of English football until its has new management from the owner down to the manager. Supporters have the power to force change but they have to make their feelings known especially to “Silent Stan”.
I agree with you Paul mbappe!! Then oh well go for lemar then oh no too late.
Come on then arsene mahrez? Not that I really want him signed. You watch sanchez and ox will be sold next week then what?
I love that Everton sold lukaku and rightly reinvested the money and wisely. An incredibly diverse sqaud now. Berkley where will he end up then? Chelsea?
Yeah the title pretty much says it all right now, couldn’t agree more. Hope this might still have some remote chance of changing very soon!
I’ve nothing to say. I’m too depressed, I’m going to bed!!!