Should Wenger have left Arsenal in 2006?

Would Arsenal have been better off if Wenger had quit in 2006? by Paul

Undoubtedly a new era had besmirched Arsenal come 2006 as the curtain finally came down on Highbury. However was this change of ground the only necessary change needed for the Arsenal? The club and more importantly the fans now had a mounting appetite for success which would go starved over the next seven years.

Whether Wenger goes on to win countless more trophies or not, he will unquestionably go down as the greatest ever Arsenal manager. Yet why is there still such furore from disgruntled Arsenal fans culminating every year in the calling for his head? In this new era of social media it is easier to gauge a more valid, nevertheless hyperbolic opinion from a higher proportion of footballing fans, far from your usual crowd in the pub on a Friday night or whichever ex-Liverpool pundit is on the tele. So why is this? It cannot be due to Arsenal style of play which has seen a similar response to Sam Allardyce tenure at London rivals West Ham. I believe this overall resentment from Arsenals fan is due to Wenger effectively having the ‘blueprint’ on the ultimate team, the Invincibles and his stubbornness in his attempt to ‘reinvent the wheel.’

Wenger was once a pioneer of the evolution of English football, he bought young, hungry and powerful footballers from around Europe and merged them into one of the best sides in English footballs history. With success came much adulation from the media, but as his stubbornness and ego grew the team disintegrated. Arsenal greats such as Vieira, Ljungberg, Bergkamp, Parlour, Lauren, Keown, Campbell and Wiltord all left Arsenal without an authentic replacement being signed. The era of Arsenal replacing experienced pro’s with youth team products was in full swing and while for every Fabregas there was a Denilson, and Toure there was a Senderos, Arsenal became inherently weak. The replacements he did sign Rosicky, Eduardo and Hleb did not pick up the slack left by Pires and Ljungberg and Henry. Arsenal became a settled top four side that has never really convinced anyone of winning the league since. In 2006 Wenger said: “Arsenal lack maturity to be champions”, yet continued the perseverance in promoting youngsters, such as Djourou, Eboue and Fabianski. Maybe the quality he strives for in his squad should have been directed more towards himself as Arsenal face the same problems when facing Chelsea and Man City each year.

While it was a difficult time anyway in Arsenal’s history, as the club struggled to pay off the stadium it still shouldn’t have been paramount in Wenger’s mindset. While Wenger did do a great job of keeping Arsenal within the Champions league places since 2005, Arsenal have toiled away without any reward. Now, while Wenger recently said he will not sign another striker in Giroud’s absence, it reminds strongly of when Vieira departed and Wenger quoted: “I am not in a hurry. We have Gilberto, Flamini and Fabregas. We have plenty of players.”

This strong central midfield player was not entirely replaced until the emergence of the somewhat dubious Alex Song a good six years later. Altogether this ultimately highlights that Wenger cannot deal with issues so prominently visible to Arsenal fans everywhere. Now while I do not know if Arsenal would be in a better position had they parted company with back in 2006, I think the question should be looked at to see if Wenger truly is the man that should be taking us forward now when there are still glaring weaknesses within the squad and infrastructure.

Paul Wilson

Tags Patrick Vieira Wenger

164 Comments

      1. Cheers JDodge – but sorry mate you are way off mark. I am a Wenger supporter. I come on here for reasonable banter with reasonable people but way too many infantile, petulant flip-floppers of late. Have to give it a few days until some normality resumes on here. Thought I would try and shine a light on the stupendous dumbness of the question posed. Never had a comment hidden before so quite chuffed in the event.

        1. Wenger should have signed a striker by now. Wenger should have signed a holding mid by now. Wenger should have signed a defender by now. he has not done any of the above. Just direct replacements. Wenger has no idea what he is doing to us supporters and to the club. I hate seeing Sanogo lead our attack. He wont even make it in championship. This is all a joke

          1. @seancali
            Yet, you and many other “fair weather fans” were all over his jock when he popped in those 4 goals…

      1. Why? Have you not seen enough? Will any panick buy change the fact that we playe like shit today? that we dont need to blame the score just on the lack of a striker but lack of preparation, squad selection and tactics?

        Do you thin we need Falcao to beat Leicester? Arsenal FC with the players that we have should easily be beating a newly promoted club.

        We did not beat Leicester because the tactics, the squad selection, substitutions, simply everything was wrong. That is all Wenger’s fault. So hopefully he will buy amazing players in the next24 hours but the problem is way beyond that.

      2. its doesnt even come down to buying players anymore. No tactical flexibility. Every team in EPL knows how to beat Arsenal. Physicality, defend in numbers, wait for the break. This is going to be another season where we fail to beat City, Chelsea, probably even United.

        1. Completely agree with both of the above.
          I have said for the last 4 yrs that Wenger should go, even when we were top of the league last year I still wanted him out because it was obvious we were too light to endure any injuries and that his tactics were simply outdated and exposed by good managers with a competent squad.

          The sad thing is that a large percentage of Arsenal supporters change their minds with every match and they are not the sort of supporters who can force any change within a club.
          Fans at other clubs can organise protests and make enough noise to make things happen.
          Arsenal fans are outraged over a pint at the pub but do sweet Fanny Adams.

          Of the 65 and 49 thumbs up (at the time of writing) how many of you wanted Wenger out when we were leading the league?
          How many of you wanted him out when we won the FA cup?
          My conviction has been undiminished throughout, he has been a hindrance to Arsenal for 10 years now.

          Chelsea are 4 points ahead of us already and with a goal difference of 6 to our paltry 1, due in no small fact to the fact that they have a good striker and bought Fabregas while Wenger sat on a beach in Brazil.
          FFS Swansea have a GD of 5!
          The league is already lost, we have zero chance of catching Chelsea with draws as both they and City have the firepower we lack, time for us all to get over Wenger and move on as soon as possible, he has returned to his old ways, light squad and zero tactical nous.

          1. Perfect analysis and observation on the very obvious lack of tactical nuance by the clown who frequently wrestles with his jumper suite. Flabbergasted therefore as to how this comical character contrived to ascend and hold on to the position of arsenal manager for all this time. Perhaps, it speaks volumes to the type of club Arsenal aspires to be- the yoyo kind.

        2. @RSH: Ur comments always make a lot of sense. I think the problem is beyond just transfers. It is in the tactics. We don’t have any, and we are always found out by the opposition! We are no barcelona and the sooner we accept it the better ! ‘Desire’ seems to be lacking in the players!

  1. No he shouldn’t have left in 2006, the club survived throughout the tough periods because of his genius acts.

    Strong links suggesting we are battling it out with City for Falcao. I feel we would get him since they have Aguero.

          1. Hell, let’s buy their leftovers, right now at this moment, I would be happy to have Negredo, Nastasic and Richards. For a very cut price. They are not my favorite players but Negredo would probably be our best striker and Nastasic would be 3rd/4th choice defender.

        1. Hahaa, or i duno… Vela! I was okay with not getting him back in the hope wenger would sign a world class striker. Now it seems we should of got him.
          I think wenger will regret not getting balotelli either. I dont buy this crap about ruining harmony in the squad. Viera was feisty. Ibrahimovic karate kicks his team mates in the head. Suarez bites. Balo just sets fireworks in his house.
          We’re a team of walking vaginas at the moment. (Apart from kos,alexis and ramsey).

  2. Should Arsene have left Arsenal in 2006, you would be cheering for a “top half” finish trophy.

    I might be exaggerating but AW kept this club afloat in this transitional years. And you Arsene-Out c*nts are forgetting Arsenal’s lack of trophy in the post 2006 era was due to the rise of Chelsea and City, who nobody had predicted when the Stadium plan was decided.

    F*** you all and go support Chelsea.

    1. Another spuds supporter dressed up as loyal arsen (al) fan…. Bill Clinton was right it’s the club stupid!!!

    2. Anyone who thinks Wenger should have left and we should have just thrown money at our problems is a fool. Wenger and the board took the decision to build the new stadium for long term gain, knowing that it would be tough in the short term. Wenger could have walked into any other club to be their manager in 2006, but he stayed to help us through the tough years, yet some fans don’t appreciate that.

      If we hadn’t taken the decision to move to the Emirates we’d be just like Liverpool now – struggling to stay in the top 4, in an old traditional stadium but struggling to stay afloat financially. Arsenal have been kept in the Champions League and have a great reputation around Europe for our style of play and positive approach to the game.

      Wenger will buy tomorrow. Of course he isn’t going to come out and say that, it would only push up prices and it’s not his style, but he will buy..

      1. Hey Mick,

        Wenger (SoAG) “isn’t going to come out and say [he’s buying a player(s)], it would only push up prices …”

        So, he’s keeping it a secret? So, no one will know Arsenal needs to buy a player(s)? Except, all of us already know that. If it’s a secret, then it’s an open secret. Do you think other clubs, their players and agents don’t yet know that Arsenal are in need of bringing in players?

        Prices don’t go up when a club openly acknowledges it’s intentions to buy players, but rather prices go up when negotiations are left till late and the perception of desperation becomes obvious.

        You should rethink your concept of the stock of pricing negotiations.

      2. Agreed. Wenger has had offers from Real Madrid, Brazil national team, Etc. But he stayed and help transform Arsenal into a financial giant. Wenger spent the first half of his tenure winning trophies. He took a look at other clubs in Europe and how to compete with their financial fire power as well as our domestic enemies (Man U the only serious challengers at the time). He decided we could do better. He put a team around him, created a long term plan for the club, in the new stadium, updated training grounds and built up the academy at Hale End.

        He then carried out that vision while working on tight resources knowing that today we would have the financials to compete with the biggest clubs in Europe.

        What wasn’t known at the time was the rise in clubs such as Chelsea, Man city, PSG, Monaco and others who use foreign investors and crippling debt to buy success.

        We could of done the same with Usmanov. Gladly we didn’t. We could of seen Kroenke buy us with debt like the Glazers at Man U. But we didn’t partly because Wenger stopped it happening in the strength and determination of his vision.

        If FFP finally is enforced properly we should be a footballing giant for years while the likes of liverpool, spuds and even chelsea try to catch up with new stadium developments.

        Not only did Wenger help us get to where we are today, able to buy players like ozil and sanchez. But he did it while his own supporters turned against him, boo-ed him, campaigned against him. While he kept us in the Champions league and playing exciting football.

        Finally to the person who wrote the article. Although we never replaced Viera, it is unfair to say thats where the problems started. Because I watched the game between inter milan and Arsenal in 2006. We kicked their arse. And fabregas controlled the game.

        Lets not forget, We got to the champions league final the year after Viera left.

        Despite Helb being at fault for conceding the free kick for a reckless challenge at the corner for no reason. He was a large part of how we got to the final.

        In terms of going forward, Wengers here for three years, get use to it. Also for those who lost faith in Wenger. Remember someone else who did too. RVP. I bet he spends most nights thinking about how great it would be to have Sanchez, Ozil and Rambo behind him.

        1. @Gunningforpride: agree with u about the past but what about the future? Henry, Pires etc etc helped us win the double but when they were past it,did we not sell them? Agreed wenger has done incredibly with little money and whatever financial situation we are in is because of him, but now we need and want to win right? Is he the man to take us forward? Don’t think so. All of us are no doubt sentimentally attached to wenger but we have to admit top flight football has changed!

  3. I really don’t know what is wrong with Arsene.. I am getting tired of defending him every season when he keeps messing up..

    Everyone from the Pundits, Media, opposition fans, Gooners, Ex Arsenal players etc have been telling him how we need a striker, a DM and a dominant CB… But because he has too much pride in himself he does the opposite just to prove a point..

    He is quenching his own EGO while turning Arsenal into a laughing joke.. Lost 8-2 to United, 6-3 to City, 5-1 to Liverpool, 6-0 to Chelsea and 3-0 to Everton?

    What the hell is going on? He has lost that competitive edge, he just seems to brush off all these humiliating defeats like they are just a bad unlucky day..

    This is really getting me nervous now, has Wenger still got that fire in the belly? Has he still got that hunger to compete and come Top?

    I don’t think he has, he has just leveled out and is quite comfortable where he is now, this is worrying..

    He has had 2 summers consecutively to strengthen, but he seems to always be the last manager to buy even though his team is the one desperate for signings..

    SMH

  4. No ….he had chance to recreate earlier success building around key players…but his hapless signings from 08 onwards his “loyalty” to useless players who were never of highest quality and subsequently his willingness to sell quality players to rivals do mean he should have gone in 2011 when it was clear to many of us that he could not rebuild a winning team and squad… And he hasn’t disappointed….The fact that board just increased his pay packet is a sign of their negligence towards the club…wholesale changes needed at the top for arsenal to become serious contenders again

      1. more like his “loyalty” to carlos vela who has put the final nail in madrid”s coffin this ev evening…but seriously the list is a long one…he might be right about ramsey..but so far this season he has been extremely disappointing..anyway the best team he can put out from his squad can win the ell..needs a quality and versatile DM and striker as minimum…

        1. Funy enough last season we needed striker to win d league bt we forfit it in other for giroud to mk it to d world cup ok since ds window we stil hv not dress d isue, we got fabrigas in a plata of gold wat happen we stil forfit it cuz it wil hender ramsey nd wilshere progression, We hav campbel bt we decide to go wit our super star striker from france should i go on same tin wit squallci over cahil

  5. No that’s stupid to even to even think of
    He did a lot for us during that time and deserves full respect for that

    The problem I have is with wenger stubborn attitude
    He wants to go against the whole footballing world and tries to be oversmart

    In the last 4-5 years these are some essential players for a successful team

    1)Strong Defensive Midfielder(Every top team in Europe has one)
    ANALYSIS LOL @ARTETA

    2) Great St (Every league winning or CL winning team has one)
    ANALYSIS Don’t have one

    3) Good Depth & rotation( most important thing with so many games in a season)
    ANALYSIS Never rotates

    4) Tactics (Clueless In this department)

    So if you add all these problems plus injuries then I clearlydont see us winning the title

    Although we will surely challenge for it

    1. little do you realize this is asking A LOT from Wenger. He doesnt believe in the CDM position, he never changes tactics and when he did this season its been this stupid 4141 where everyone plays out of position, he thinks were fine on strikers…. he’s just so out of it.

      1. really need to abandon the 4141 expt.

        but i fear wenger will dig in and see abandonment as proving his critics
        right, so he wont do it, even if he can see its not working.

        he’s a genius in some ways, but his other qualities almost completely negate his good qualities.

  6. Its not that he doesn’t want to improve the team, he just nevef seems to be in a rush. Like if I dont sign this guy this window its ok as there are other transfer windows.

    he needs to be more ruthless, when he wants someone he needs to go all out to sign them as soon as possible.

    Im not expecting anything to happen for us in this window now, maybe when I finish work Tuesday morning I will have a nice surprise when I read the final trannsfers that have gone through

  7. I have a theory to explain wengers fall through the years. If you watch the history channel you will see an abundance of alien/UFO programmes. I believe wenger has been abducted multiple times since 2006. Each time they erase part of his memory. He forgets what he did to become a great manager in the past .. Such as buying quality strikers, and having a solid DM.

    1. Kalou transfered to Hertha Berlin earlier today..

      Alessio Cerci moves to Athletico Madrid and Southampton is closing in on Toby Alderweireld.

      I think the latter one would’ve been a perfect 3rd choice CB, maybe even a starter.

      1. Alderweild is fine. My main concern is about the striker department.

        Wan’t falcao or cavani

  8. Even non fxvking arsenal fans are getting pissxd with how delusional Wenger is with not signing a striker with or without giroud being injured

  9. Anyways guys, the worrying thing for me is that we seem to scrape through games rather than win convincingly. Also it seems that arsenal are contractually obliged to score no more than 2 goals in a game. We need a striker! We need a DM! We need a CB!

  10. They need to throw the bank at Falcao surely we can’t let City have two of the very best goal scorers in the world. AW always says when top top top players are available he will get them. Falcao is moving we have wealth the time to use it is now

  11. The whole concept has changed! Just get with the programme AW we are moving fast and need a CDM and a quick striker….

  12. No one would have known what would have happened had he left then.the answer you will get here is ‘if and ‘then”. yeah it is easy to pick scape goat but as far as i am concern arsene has tried is best which is not good enough but to say had he left in 2006 things would have been better is a statement that cant be proved with facts.if y’all will start naming clubs that changed managers and succeed then try and be sincere to name those that changed managers and failed. I just hope the loopholes in the team will be blocked. Its still not the end of the world.liverpool started badly last season,even man city but we all know what happened at the end.i am not saying our case is like theirs but just saying things can still get better cos the only constant phenomenum on earth is change. Last bullet: we need a cb,dmf and a cf but most importantly we need dmf and cf.just dont know how wenger would go about it cos teams will be reluctant to sell now.

  13. Wenger has been the same for a long time now. He does not have the tactical astuteness of some of the other managers, he doesnt have the ability to inspire his team, he doesnt have the ability to motivate them, he doesnt have the ability to prepare the team tactically for each match. The players might love his fatherly attitude but he is not helping Arsenal as a team anymore.

    1. everything has its time and place.
      wenger was great for enough years.

      but unfortunately, he’s showing his outdatedness now.
      arsenal management need to accept that, give him a graceful retirement, grow balls and get klopp or simeone.

  14. And once again, this DMF myth of a player will do fck all for this team… You lot think just one big player in the DM position will change a thing when we have all our attacking players being so careless when they attack, they are the laziest bunch ever to rush back and stop counter attacks..

    Against a newly promoted Leicester team with average functional players kept exposing us time and time again.. How many times did we see 5 Leicester players running at 2 Arsenal players in defense? It kept happening and we got lucky that we had Szny and that those Leicester players aren’t top class, would have been 3-1..

    As long as we still have Cazorla, Ozil, Ramsey, Debuchey, Flamini not taking responsibility then we are in trouble, how many times were they caught upfront and they just kept jogging back?

    You can have 3 DM all you like, but as long the team is this weak it won’t change a thing.. We have got to defend and attack as a team.

    I am tired of hearing about Ozil or Cazorla should not be played out wide because they are not good at tracking back and defending?, what player was born to track back? Or you just learn and do it for the team?

    Lets keep making excuses for these players that act like GIRLS on their period and we will keep getting humiliated.. Our players have to grow some balls…

    Sorry about the rant, just had to vent all of it out..

      1. @NY_GUNNER…

        Sorry mate, but when did we reach this point of protecting certain players just because they are creative or attackers?

        Ozil and Cazorla should not be played on the wing because they are not good defensively? What rubbish is that? Sanchez is a defender? The guy plays more further than most of these guys but how come he is the most active player when it comes to attacking and defending?

        Are Ozil and Cazorla a special case? in their contracts they were told not to defend?

        Bullsh*t..

        1. Every team can make a special case for one extremely talented technical player, not to run back, not to track the opponent, just show his technical abilities and help win the game.

          We have Ozil and if he is not playing well Cazorla can play instead but two of them should never play together.

        2. agree. In all Ozil’s interviews he is the self-proclaimed best no.10 in the world and he seems to think that excuses him from defensive responsibility. It doesnt. If he isnt creating chances and not pulling his weight he should be dropped, simple. As for Cazorla, we saw that he could defend in the Besiktas game, so it really is a matter of him choosing not to do anything. In the past season he has gotten so lazy. But who should be telling the players this, who should be motivating them? Only time our players get motivated is when 4th place is on the line.

          1. When I criticized Ozil after the Besiktas game, people thumbed me down..but we paid 42 million and the highest weekly wages for him to own that final third and not wake up once or twice during the full 90 minutes. I think tactically, it is simple- make ozil and cazorla fight for the cam position along with Rosicky. Play with conventional wingers- fast and hardworking wingers. Bench Ozil if he does not produce the goods- if nothing it sends a signal to the squad that no matter what your past pedigree..u need to perform to play in the team! and that holds true for each player in the team not just ozil!

        3. @Goonster
          Thats what I’m sayin. Sanchez and Sanogo were tryin to get players to help in pressing Leicester in there own half and Ramsey, Oz and Santi just walk back down field.
          Sanchez, Sanogo and Monreal were really tryin. It might not have looked good, but they tried at least.
          I agree with you about the”playin out of position”BS. Arsenal is known for it’s version of “total football”. And any player coming here or who has come up through the academy is well aware of this. Especially the forwards. That also means being as prolific off the ball as on and interchanging positions in play.

    1. you’re right: missing WC players is not the only reason for our stinker w leicester.
      besides missing world-class CF & DM, i saw this today:

      * besitkas game was a bruiser: players from wed were not up for it today.
      solution was to start the fresh roziscky, campbell and pod (and sanogo) but wenger didnt rotate sufficiently. why have them on the squad if you’re only going to use them for 15min?

      * is ramsey is lost in the 4141? he had a real subpar today which is unfortunate bc he was rested whereas many of the other players were tired from besitkas (ozil,caz,sanchez,debuchy,monreal)

      * flam has heart but not enough skills. was too far off the goal assister today (and made a bunch of mistakes against besitkas on wed). plus, in the 4141, he doesn’t do so well.

  15. impossible to say really, if we had got someone else could we have done better? mybe, but it seems that arsenal really didn’t have the money to spend during this period. personally, I see wengers vision. he is trying to build a profitable self sustainable enterprise – that can pay for its own players and staff with out the risks of debt. personnaly I like that. and I will support that. maybe wenger should have bought so and so over so and so, maybe he could of used this formation rather than that formation but overall I don’t think we couldn’t of done much better unless we gave in the ‘sugar daddy’ way of things with the shady usmanov a Russian oligarch notorious for involvement in dubious politics and business.

  16. If we didn’t have the money to spend on top quality players because we built the Emirates, the board and Wenger should have told the supporters. If we are being used the board and Wenger can f-ck off.

  17. wenger time to scrap this tika taka crap it has got us nothing , wenger you are at a old age and dont have many years so stop worrying about arsenal football money its not yours .
    wenger just go out and buy a top striker like cavani or falco you have nothing to lose arsenal football club wont go into liquidation from this buy dont worry.

    _______schzney_______
    denuch__sokratis__kosc___gibs
    ________carvalho__ramsey____
    theo_________ozil________alexis
    __________cavani/falco________

  18. the negative article from a fake glory-hunter fan. supporting a real club like arsenal is not by force u can join chelshit or man shitty…

  19. 2 words to describe today and arsenal in general for a long time. Weak & pathetic, bottlers the lot of them starting from thay tall french manager all the way dwn to the physios. Absolute joke.
    Really hope he doesnt buy, I really do then hes gone becuase guaranteed theres no 4th place this year.
    Enough is Enough stubborn frigging TWAT.

  20. Remy moves to Chelski… wtf he would have been a perfect fit at Arsenal but we have a unfit Sanogo who doesn’t know where net is….got a few maybe we will score boys, so get a complete striker get some competition and get Casrvalho tiede up ffs!!!!

    1. I AGREE DONT SIGN ANYONE LETS BATTLE FOR RELEGATION ZONE AND SELL OZIL AND SANCHEZ. SANOGO AND ARTETA WILL DESTROY OTHER TEAMS.

  21. Chelsea needs Remy desperately as they have a lack of goals.

    We are okay. We have Giroud and Sanogo

  22. 1 DAY AND 6 HOURS LEFT IN TRANSFER WINDOW. WE NEED TO START WORKING ON OUR TRANSFER FROM NOW. DONT WAIT UNTIL LAST 10 MINUTE TO SIGN PLAYER.

  23. Bit of an over reaction to one game… Can I point out that, for the time being atleast, we ARE undefeated.

    Calm the hell down!

          1. Mate the only delusionals on here are those that think their shouty, keyboard rants matter or have any effect on anything whatsoever. And those that sanctimoniously proclaim that only those who get angry and abusive are the true supporters and lovers of AFC. What are the angry ones gonna do on Tuesday morning when Wenger is still in a job and after having decided to buy no-one?

  24. Take it from me bacca would be a panic buy, he’s no better than Vela, Bony is better but wenger does it his way we need a miracle

  25. Please Wenger and the board can we get back to our glory days before it’s to late. We’re the north bank we’re the north bank the north bank Highbury.

      1. No, we all know the blueprint for the Invincibles was set out by Graham and Rioch. Wenger gets all the credit all the time – it is not right.

  26. @GOONSTER

    Merci for the input and you are, in fact, spot on.
    If all guys who made comments so far had to “hit tha ass” (not to be rude or disrespectful), you are the only who would have struck the G spot…!

    Basically some fans need to wake the f*ck up very quickly.
    Like I said before, Wenger joy at us going through the group stage of the CL was just a sign that we got there because we cannot miss on the cash (No chance to win it of course).

    We need power and have been needed it for years.
    Wenger should have brought a top poacher 3 or 4 seasons ago… It was more necessary after Van Persie left.

    Can someone tell me what is his problem with Campbell? And please don’t tell me he is not ready. He is better than Sanogo any day.

    WTF is going on right now?

    We even have the smallest squad in the league with Burnley !!!!! Go figure !!!!

  27. The good thing is that after tomorrow, I won’t have to beg for a top striker and CDM, like been doing all summer. I can just focus on the season until January.

    1. My son is mentally disabled – he would not write a thread like this because he does not have the mental capacity to do so. Thin ice there chap.

  28. Guillem Balague ✔ @GuillemBalague
    Follow
    Arsenal are not interested in Falcao. They can’t afford him
    9:40 PM – 31 Aug 2014

    Are we ashamed yet ?????????????

    1. I read it too,,, and yes I am ashamed. I am ashamed that we can no longer play in the same transfer league with Chelsea, City and United. I am ashamed that I believed that with FFP and the stadium payments winding down and the new Puma deal things would actually be different.

      I am ashamed that the great Arsenal FC is no longer a scary opponent on and off the field.

    1. Shouldn’t think so there justsoccerfan – they don’t give me the impression they are a bunch of AKBs.

  29. I know Wenger is the Target but the Arsenal Board have a lot to answer for they seem quite happy with 4th Place a Champions League Spot. They could not care less what the Fan’s want.
    So they (the Board) and Wenger must take the blame for not singing a Top Class Striker.

  30. Sorry, I’ve lost my patience now.

    It is not Sanogo or Giroud the main problem, the main problem is Wenger that he choose not to buy quality main striker.

    It is not Flamini or Arteta the main problem, the problem is Wenger that he choose not to buy quality CDM.

    And even World Class Quality Player like Messi, C.Ronaldo, Bale, Suarez, etc, can NEVER EVER help the team IF they are not given a chance to play.
    That’s also the problem that we have quality player like Rosicky and Campbell, BUT Wenger choose to not given even a single chance for them to play. Rosicky and Campbell deserved a chance to proved their worth. They absolutely can improve our attacking performance IF they were given a chance to play. Rosicky can inject much creativity, spirit, directness, game making and dictating tempo ability, penetrating dribbles to break down the opponent defence, and much much more.

    Rosicky always makes things happen, not only with individual dribbling but with individual acceleration of his passing and of his runs.

    Unfortunately, Wenger is way too STUBBORN and too old.

    The main problem is Wenger, his poor team selection and his old tactic.

    Sadly, the FACT, in our last five matches, we still have a very serious problem in beating the likes of Crystal Palace, Besiktas(twice), Everton, and Now Leicester city.

    Chelsea beat Leicester, we draw.
    Chelsea beat Everton, we draw.

    If you really watch carefully our current performance, last five matches, we really need to improve. Our current performance are definitely not good enough.

    Unfortunately, Wenger is way too STUBBORN & too old to listen any advices.

    1. Yeah that’s the thing. We can scrape to beat Crystal Palace in our first game – fine. But what has changed tactically from our squad since? Nothing. In the last 4-5 matches we have done nothing but get injured.

  31. 15 minutes ago from Agent Edward.:

    Breaking; Man Utd & Man City going head to head for the signing of @FALCAO

    We are not even mentioned!!!!

    Guys its over, its hopefully Arsene trophy again. We will have to be better than Manu, Liverpool, Everton and the Spurs just to come in third.

    The funny thing is every year, every damn year, he makes us believe for a split second. For a split second i think he is not lying, he will actually go toe to toe and get the right players from the jaws of the MAnchester teams and Chelski’s of this world. He makes us believe in FFP and the fact that we can finally compete, and for a split second I trust him, even though I know, I know he is a liar, I know i shouldnt hope, but I do. And for me that realization year after year is the hardest part of it all.

    1. @jimbeam – I squeezed a tear out reading that. I want to say keep the faith but in my heart I know you’re probably right. Wenger please make us all apologise tomorrow night at 10:01 for doubting you.

    2. I’ve been going through Agent Edward’s tweets. Some transfer news he’s been spot on about and others have been just the opposite. 3 days ago Chicharito was going to Juventus, but now he’s at Real Madrid. So I’m gonna be optimistic and not read to much into his news.

  32. Problem sorted. We have 27 million supporters world wide, all we need to do is pay a £1 a week until we can buy the club once that is done the sky is the limit 🙂

  33. When it comes selecting players, be it purchasing or match selection, Wenger is a long way behind Maurinho (the `Buccaneer`). Wenger has been a good administrative manager but has deteriorated as a football manager. He has never listened to what the fans are saying and that, to me, has been one of his greatest failings. He has had a golden opportunity, with money available, to build a title challenging squad this season but he has let it slip through his fingers. Not filling the striker and mid defensive positions and not resigning Fabregas, to me, is unforgiveable.

    1. @Aussie Jack
      You’re truly “nutz” if you think Jose or any other manager listens to their fans. Oh, and that “buccaneer” thing, go buy some Lego dude…

      1. If you`re an American I can understand why you can`t spell `NUTS`.
        By the way I never suggested `the buccaneer` listens to his fans although being an egotist I would suggest he likes to be popular and please them. At eighty years of age I`m a bit old for Lego.

  34. All our big rivals including in Europe have done there shopping and addressed their weaknesses apparent last season!
    Wenger the deluded poker player in the meanwhile will be competeting with like of Honest Harry, Bruce, Allyrdyce etc etc on Monday to land a bargain!

  35. Please someone tells me what ambitious club would put Mertsacker as starting CB ? not even Tottenham. Im so upset. almost every goal conceded comes from his mistakes. why dont we keep chamber and koscieny? his lack of speed will cost us the 4th place. because at this point we cannot even dream of the podium. chelsea liverpool and city are far ahead. and trust me Man U will qualify for champions league, DI Maria will carry them and Van gaal will soon give up on the 3-5-2.
    Wenger has to resign or listen to what us fan want. stop playing ozil on the left when you know that he is world class in the #10. Give Campbell a chance he is for sure better than yaya Sanogo (Diaby 2.0). Giroud is a good bench player you dont have to sell him. bring another good striker, one DM to replace outdated arteta and one backup CB.
    STOP IMITATING BARCELONE OR BAYERN (4-1-4-1) WHEN YOU DONT EVEN HAVE HALF OF THEIR SQUAD QUALITY. try other stuff 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 but for God sake stop being stubborn. I cant believe we missed balotteli, Remy and now chicharito…

  36. Welbeck is probably the only striker out there that makes sense to buy at this point. I think he can be deadly with Sanchez and Theo on the sides.

    I would be ecstatic at this point to see Welbeck and Carvalho come in for about 40M on the last day.

  37. If he and the board stands by and allows city or even worse, united, sign Falcao I’ll be devastated.

    1. Its not looking good is it. We have to hope we are in for him but it is being done under the radar. Balague saying we can’t afford him, do we believe that

      1. I think. Either he’s misinformed/lying.
        Or the club is lying to the fans by suggesting we have the financial firepower to compete.
        I guess we’ll find out soon enough mate.

  38. I blame Wenger for not signing CDM and ST. He says we have Podolski, Campbell and Alexis
    upfront but plays useless Sanogo.

    1. @rock88
      I also blame him for not signing a left winger, Podolski, Carzorla, and Wilshere aren’t natural left wingers.

    2. given we had so many players burnt out from wednesday,
      if he says we have pod/campbell/sanogo: why didnt he start pod and campbell?

      our wednesday players looked really tired while roziscky, pod and campbell didnt start.
      pod only got 15min.

      they sit on bench, get disenchanted, while wenger plays his faves to death.
      ROTATE wenger: and u’ll have a happier bench + your faves wont get injured!

  39. For those who regularly read the blogs, you will be aware of Wenger’s reputation at the Emirates for dithering. That is why we always have to wait for deadline day. He really does not quite know what he wants. Remember he was the man who bought Mikel Sylvestre, Sebastian Squillaci and Park Chu Young. Personally I think that Wenger is suffering. He is a wonderful Plan A coach. He is the worst Plan B coach I have seen. If there was a capable replacement I would think it may be time for Wenger to move on. But he will realistically stay. Surely after the Leicester match debacle, he knows we need three players. I foresee another season that collapses unless Wenger suddenly has an enlightened realisation. In my dreams I see Fabian Schar, William Carvalho, and Radamel Falcao, in reality I see Sokratis , William Carvalho and Carlos Bacca. I would be happy with either trio, but I am sure Wenger will let us down. Some blogs are using the line “Wenger will let you down”. Sadly I think that is now the truth.

  40. Are we getting a proper striker AW??? Our defence is also far to weak, ffs………………..

  41. Wenger leaving in 2006 would probably cost us financial crisis today.. Then again, a huge team with fantastic history might attract oil bosses to buy the club and make us a much richer club.

    But then again, I dont want arsenal to be man city like or whatsoever..

    1. What I am saying is, I AM PROUD OF THE HISTORY OF ARSENAL UP TIL NOW. I dont care if people call it a dark 9 year history. I am proud of even during our 9 years of trophy drought. Proud of Wenger. Proud of our playing style. Proud of the identity we uphold despite the crisis.
      If you guys envy Chelsea or Man City for whatever they have achieved through their way of doing things, please just move over and support their clubs… #StupidArticle

  42. Have we signed Carvalho yet….??? We will be a success with right DM in place!!! Then we can confidently go forward and win games…

  43. Signing a world class striker would only solve 80% of our attacking problem. The last 20% is divided between the striker gelling with his team mates, and our midfielders finally getting their fingers out of their arse and remembering how to pass. Never underestimate the last 20%.

    1. @Goontz
      Some hear have been in denial about the significance of that last 20% and blaming all but them for their shortcomings…

      1. Yes, we get a bit carried away with the idea that our all conquering, dynamic, intricate midfield creates chances aplenty. We were 7th in PL last year for chances created – behind Newcastle and Swansea and the other top 4. So when people say if OG can score 16 behind our midfield then Bony/Remy would score 30 they should pause for thought and check their hypotheses.

  44. @bazooka
    I bet you would let someone invest big money so we could win the UCL and the EPL, football is changing just look at Man United signing Di Maria with no CL football this season.

    1. @Andrew AFC
      Di Maria went were the money was. Nothing has changed on the front…
      Whats up Dude? Hope all is good.

      1. @NY_Gunner
        All is good thanks for asking how are you and your family? Don’t forget we are the fourth/fifth richest club in the world, sorry I have just cheeked we are down to eighth and thats what happens we you don’t win major trophies.

        1. AndrewAFC – we are up there in terms of business value ie what an investor would need to buy us out – but we are nowhere in terms of ready cash and liquid assets. Abramovich could buy the whole AFC business lock, stock and barrel 10 or 20 times over. The Mansours could buy every club in Europe and not dent their finances.

  45. I’m reserving judgement until the end of this window. If still we have no DM and ST by the close of business tomorrow, then consider it a failure for us in this transfer window.

    I like the players we have bought, but those 2 positions I mentioned have been glaring needs for 2 summers now, and have not been addressed despite everyone and their grandma knowing that’s what we lack.

  46. The problem is other managers in the EPL have learnt from Wenger and have moved on and we haven’t.

  47. Jesus Christ !!! We play 1 bad game and didn’t even lose I might add yet Man City lose to stoke and u don’t hear their fans calling for his head !
    Do ye F’ing support Arsenal or not ????
    My god ! This is fist visit to this site today because I knew exactly what I would be reading !! Wenger out bridgade out in force today ! Funny how ye all shrivelled away into ur bedrooms when we won 2 trophies in 2 months !
    Why don’t ye all just F off and support the cheating money clubs !! Cause ye obviously don’t support Arsenal ! Ye are just trolls who want to spread negativity through out our beautiful club !
    Oh yeah for all ye SO CALLED Arsenal fans I will just say Arsene Wenger has spent over 100m int two seasons and ye are still not happy ! Yes I agree we need 2-3 more players but this isn’t FIFA or football manager ! The REAL world of football transfers do not work like computer games !! Just hold yer judgement till 11pm tomorrow night and PLEASE STOP all this megativaty throughout our club !!!
    And remember we are only 1 point less than this time last season an have not lost !!
    WE DREW WE DID NOT LOSE which is the big important thing here ! Just support the club and stop putting it down at every chance ye get !
    Victory through harmony !
    Come on Arsenal !!!

  48. To me there is a difference between losing a game and getting beat. We won the FA cup, the community shield and we have 3 World Cup winners as well. What troubles me is tat. We are losing games (I count a tie as a Loss) without showing the heart, desire, etc we should be seeing from a group that has found confidence in their recent cup wins. Where is that? Getting beat is playing a team of equal or higher caliber players like when we play Bayern Munich in the CL and we get beat. It’s about the way you played because sometimes you play a team that has a great day when everything clicks. What I saw today looked like a group of players who’ve not played together before with the only true passion and effort coming from Kos, Sanchez and Monreal. SCzesny saved us from losing all 3 points thanks to a great save. I don’t mind getting beat as bad as I do losing without a fight!

    Where is our cohesive attacking play?
    Where is the defense we saw last season?
    Why is Ozil being played On the left wing?
    Campbell is in Arsene’s plans but he doesn’t get on when we need a win?
    We leave it till 15 minutes left to make a sub?
    We don’t loan out Sanogo & buy a top striker?
    We don’t have replacements lined up Immediately after we sell a player like TV5??????? Terrible habit of not replacing players with equal or better quality.

  49. Wenger has had plenty of time to get in the needed players. I thought this transfer window was going to be different. Any chance for a strong challenge for the title has gone.
    It could and should be so different. It’s not as though the deficiencies in the team were not clear.
    Time to say ‘Thanks Arsene and goodbye’

  50. We drew against Everton and Leicester, if we are going to be title contenders we need to win these games. You are right though Victory through harmony, victory being the operative word.

  51. The fickleness of fans may be part of the game but you guys are getting ridiculous it’s so polarized it’s either wenger out or he’s the savior of the club just realize that he’s great at his job that’s why he’s in his position and has been for years and he does make mistakes but those mistakes are not grounds for scalping him on the spot. You make mistakes at work as well.

  52. Don’t think any other manager would’ve been able to navigate us through stadium building period without consequence.

  53. Simple answer: yes! The Arse ought to have been driven out of the club a long time ago. Nevertheless, its isnt too late to bundle the clown the ship him back to france pronto. Operation save ARSENAL football club should be in effect.

Comments are closed

Top Blog Sponsors