Once again Arsene Wenger has been forced to defend his actions during the summer transfer window, which saw Arsenal sign just one new player to boost the first team squad and supposedly get the Gunners ready for a long hard season. The Frenchman was grilled again by the football press today as he gave his pre-match press conference ahead of the weekend Premier League clash with Stoke City.
Arsenal fans were clearly expecting the manager to do a lot more in order to give us the best possible chance of reclaiming the Premier League title, but Wenger is sticking to his story about the lack of players available that would actually make the squad or the first team better, as reported by The Mirror.
He said, “We were ready to do something, but you have to be convinced that it’s not just to please people, that it’s an efficient solution. And the efficient solution didn’t turn up. As well you have to be brave enough to say no.”
To be fair to the prof, I do understand the situation and it is clear that there was a serious shortage of quality players as well as a serious over-pricing of those that were available. Having said that, Wenger needs to realise that Arsenal fans have good reasons to be angry, as we are forced into paying ridiculous amounts of money for the priveledge of watching our team play and we do not have any options.
Apart from saying no, of course, but that means we do not get a ticket for the game or the new shirt. We pay those prices with more hope than expectation most of the time, but is it not fair for us to want our club to do the same with players?
Wouldn´t it be nice if, once in a while, Arsenal fans could feel that the club was on our side rather than simply using as as a cash cow? And would it really have killed Wenger to spend some money on a player that might have helped us to achieve the goal we all want to achieve?
I understand what the author is saying but worth say the truth : it is not Wenger setting the season ticket prices and it is not Wenger responsible for the transfer budget. You all know what I am talking about.
Never, I’m not among those who know what you are talking about.
You know, it’s nothing, nothing is Wenger’s fault.
OK, I’ll bite. Please tell me how is Wenger at fault here. What does he have to do with the ticket prices and budget allocation. I am very curious.
Exactly, exactly my point. Nothing is Wenger’s fault. You know, I used to think he should be blamed for some things, not everything, but I now think nothing is his fault.
can you please answer so that we can have maybe a meaningful conversation? How is it that Wenger sets the ticket prices or he is having an influence in this.
Ah, if by creating teams who play beautiful football and by that attracting hordes of fans and as a consequence board sees a great profit opportunity then you are right. He’s at fault.
Budd, what exactly do you want me to tell you??? That Lord Harris never said we had about £200m to spend on any player at all, excluding Ronaldo and Messi? Or that Gazidis never said we would spend big in the just closed market???? What exactly??? That it is not Wenger who decides which player comes or goes? Or that the board does not back Wenger’s decisions????
Well apparently our transfer budget is determined from the amount of money we generate from ticket sales, merchandise sales etc. We pay the highest ticket prices in England. Wenger though not in charge of setting ticket prices is in charge of transfer policy of the club. He has the final say on who we buy and sell. This is a well documented fact. So where is the money fans are paying going? How is the person who is supposed to be using that money to buy players not accountable for it? I believe the transfers should be based on pragmatism not the whims and ideals on any single person. If in today’s environment, if it cost 60m to buy a world class striker and you have to pay him 250k weekly wages you have to do it because that is the only viable solution to improve our team. Wenger’s idealistic principles have been one of the major reason’s we haven’t been able to take a step up from being also-rans to a title challenging team.
Are you season ticket holder?
Sorry BUDD again I disagree with your defence. Wenger lied over the situation with welbeck knowing that we need a cf. There was many players that could have easily have improved our situation. Charlie Austin and beneteke had Arsenal put the up the money these would have been easy improvements. Wenger has a season or two and we can finally say goodbye. No more re election for wenger. Just retirement. O yeah what’s with wenger talking about Henry’s management and mental ability. Hopfully Henry never sells out and becomes a board puppet and tight pocket liar.
The transfer window for player is over….but not manager.
Get Klopp. Wenger OUT!!
What goal do we all want to achieve??? Come on, let’s put our heads together and come up with the best excuses why Wenger signed no one and why it is it means nothing at all that we are not after any major trophy this season. Let’s do this guys. It is not Wenger’s fault at all.
Wenger does not need excuses and you know that very well. Why should you sign for the sake of signing? Because media told you so? I admit, given on past events, I would have tried to sign Schneiderlin or Schweinsteiger. I have said it before. But now in retrospective I admit as well that I was wrong. These two (in fact their agents) were after the money and a bid from Arsenal they will have used it to ask more from United. They knew that. But Cavani? Benzema? Lewandowski? Seriously? These were players only media were in touch with, not Arsenal. So we should give it a rest. It is unfortunate that Welbeck is going to warm the physio until the winter but is not like you guys were praising him day in, day out here. Be a bit consistent.
@k.A.F I agree with u on that one , if he didn’t know the extent of the injury he should’ve said so , now coz he can’t keep his mouth shut deluded people on here think its Welbecks fault we didn’t sign a striker , WTH , does welbeck scout & track players ? He doesn’t do medicals or sign cheques for players
Arsene says he never knew the extent of Welbeck’s injury, why then did he come out to say he (Danny) would be back very soon? Who told him that? If he never knew, why then did he comment on it? It’s not the first time. He’d say a player is four days away from making the team, 2 months go by and you see or hear nothing about the player. He’s worried fans are calling him a liar, what do you call someone who tells lies?
By the way, HRH, Arsene said the club found no good player in the market. Well, next time they should visit Dubai, lots of good stuff to buy their, and cheaply too.
Someone already answered that. For arguments sake lets say it is true, he knew the extent all along. Answer which someone pointed out weeks ago is ..that we had a transfer window to enter, prices were already high and you want Wenger to go into it showing all of his cards. The price would have rocketed as there was more need now. This is very basic stuff here we are talking about and you act like you know football better than the man himself.
Also have you never taken a knock believing its only a bruise and then the very next day your in a lump on the sofa after having twisted or sprained something. Injuries can worsen especially if you believe its not serious so decide not to rest. Wenger is not a doctor, he was repeating what he had been told. It’s not the first time he got a misdiagnosis (or a correct one which worsened from lack of care).
Welbeck last played in April,
It’s not as if his injury took place recently,
Wenger’s exact words were that we will have Danny back after the international games!
As a Manager you should be well informed regarding all your players!
Anyways, Roy Hodgson reckons Welbeck will be out for 6 months yet Wenger insists he will be ready to play this year
I know who I believe to be more correct with their analyst
Talk to them. OMH!!! What’s with some fans?
Yeah but Fatboy Gooney, at time Wenger was told not too serious and was given a short time frame. So either he was given a misdiagnosis or else the injury worsened.
Fans act as though it is Wenger’s fault. If there isn’t a striker available then he can’t get one.
What people say is ‘oh you will never win the league with Giroud’ and ‘you are a world class striker away from winning the league’.
But lets look at facts. The three strikers for the teams that have won the league in the BPL are:
Manchester United: Robin Van Persie
Manchester City: Sergio Aguero
Chelsea: Diego Costa
I don’t care what anyone says, there were no striker transfers of strikers in that class/bracket this summer. So even if Wenger did sign a striker from any of the strikers that actually did move we would not win the league based on peoples opinion that we need a world class striker to win it. We may improve but that still means just a slight improvement in being a top 4 team.
Wenger got it right. It is easy for people to say just sign anyone but Wenger is the one that then has to live with coaching and playing that player on a weekly basis. He will then have to get rid of him if someone of actual caliber becomes available.
Yeah you’re not wrong there, there were no top strikers available, but the thing is is how that has never stopped Wenger before.
We have been blessed in the past at how our manager would usually never go with what the papers were reporting instead opting for someone we never heard of. Like with one of the strikers on your list ..RVP who wasn’t even a striker but that didn’t stop Arsene from seeing true potential.
It’s Arsenes own standards, for other clubs their fans could say well there really isn’t anything big out there …but our fans will be thinking even if not admitting ..Wenger will find us a diamond among all that rough.
Is that no striker was available or Arsenal just did not think they were worth the asking price???????
I guess the answer to your question is whether any top striker moved. Not guys that could possibly contribute (Martinez, benteke etc) but guys who would in all probability make a difference (lewandowski, Benzema etc).
Carlos Bacca and Jackson Martinez made moves this summer.Either or both could have added some much needed expertise upfront
Wenger has became a specialist in everything from failing in transfer market to failing in epl title.
Hmm, you seem very familiar, I feel like Ive met you before.
We might have met but sorry ying yang i don’t remember you.
Wenger already has an excuse if we fail to win MAJOR TROPHIES….only at arsenal where fans are EASILY taken for a ride with the same old excuses. Someone tell me if such like excuses cld be given to manure or chelsea fans for such along time and readily accept!we’re our own failure!
Wenger has an excuse for everything,
He has taken a bigger gamble by not signing any out field player’s! And it’s gonna be even harder to sign quality in the January window.
All we can do now is just sit back, support our team and wait and see how I season turns out.
As far as I’m concerned..
Wenger has cut his own nose off to spite his face!
At this rate, If by January we are within 10 points of the leaders we will be very lucky
4 matches, only 1 goal
2 home matches 0 wins
Away record has been good: 2 wins. That’s good because look at our September schedule
September
12th: Stoke @ HOME
16th: Zagreb AWAY
19th: Chelsea AWAY
23rd: Spuds AWAY
26th: Leicester AWAY
29th: Olympiacos HOME
First 3 matches are within 7 days
Last 3 matches are within 7 days.
Very little time between matches, especially going from Zagreb to Chelsea within 72 hours lol
Hopefully we’ll see a bit of rotation or we can expect the injuries to start piling up. I’d like, for instance, for Giroud, Walcott and Ox to all start two of the three (Giroud both as striker, Ox both on the wing and Theo one each). The same could be done with Ozil, Ramsey and Carloza.
Lets just concentrate on Sto ..then hopefully enjoy our European fixture ..and see how things stand then when playing Che. Sto is a big one as far as I’m concerned, without those three points it will be nightmare facing Che.
Jackson Martinez was available but wenger let him sign for Atl. Madrid, Carlos Bacca was available but Mr arsene didn’t even try to sign any. There are alot of players Mr Wenger could have signed and who in-turn would strengthen us but he didn’t try. He must be a big joker to think he would sign a world class player on transfer deadline day.
Are they really improving what we have? Let’s suppose they do although if you watch La Liga you should know by now that Bacca is pretty much absent from half of the games. But for the sake of argument lets suppose they were better options.
Now, you do know who is the agent for these two players, right? Does the name Martial rings a bell? In this case you probably know that the moment United made an offer for him Mendes took the lead. Price went astronomical once he got involved. No one is dumb to pay that money for a 19 yrs old, not even LvG. Woodward took a big gamble here. If Martial flops then someone will have to give some explanations.
Imagine what would have been the price for Martinez or Bacca should Arsenal wanted them. Arsenal is banning Mendes, no player from Arsenal is doing business with him. Maybe in the future, who knows but Arsenal does not pay agents obscene amount of money because they contribute nothing to the game or to the deal.
@budd hope u realise that this is the yr we’re suppose to be winnin a major trophy coz if not then there shd be no excuse from anybody u included!
Budd gives zero f#*ks about trophies.
You have two seperate and distinct arguements in this thread Budd.
One is basically saying that”inaction is better than risky action” which I could not disagree with more. Every action has risks including inaction, we know that our strike force at the moment is not up to EPL winning quality, inaction means, we are ok with that, we are also ok to take a chance of injuries, just like Welbeck went down Giroud could too, in any case all I am trying to say is that not buying is just as risky and can be even more so than buying.
Buying Martinez would have been a risk, I agree with you, but not buying anyone and continuing with Giroud is also a risk we have already taken before and know the results.
So it would have been less risky to get Martinez, because if it di not work out ( and that is possible in any transfer) we would still have Giroud.
The second is Mendes and player prices and the amount that goes to agents etc…
Well it’s called a free market, prices are decided by the market, fees are decided by the market, basically all this is decided by the market. Arsenal does not live in a bubble, can not live in a bubble. If we dont think the market is fair, we can offer prices that we think are fair and not get the players, or pay what we deem as unfair prices and get the players. it is as simple as that.
Sterling, DeBruyne and Martial, crazy prices, crazy money, so oil Sheiks have brought the market here if we had wanted any of those players, we would either have had to pay those prices or continue with the existing squad, which is what e did.
Let’s see who the winner of the EPL is at the end of the year.
Jackson Martinez and Bacca are both better than Wenger’s love child Slowroud, it’s only you AKB’s who rate mediocrity.
Ambition is not an end result. All who strive to achieve are not victories ..nor are they always victorious. Go support sheikh town if end result is only meaning for ambition concerning yourself.
Without ambition there is no end result, without risk there is no victory.
The difference between you and i are is that I want Arsenal to try to win the EPL and you couldnt care less. For you its more important to be and act a certain way, and for me it is important to change and adapt with the times and play the game as it is played now.
Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing – Vince Lombardi
@jim well said bro i really like these words “Without ambition there is no end result, without risk there is no victory” and the last line.
There isn’t a Gooner who would not want to win everything all of the time, so that’s just baseless. The difference between you and I is respect and belief from my part whereas you have none to little for our manager. To say I couldn’t care less about winning is something I was going to answer but just realised it’s not worth a response.
You keep talking about how change might or could solve everything well what is this big risk you want to take.
Why I want to stick with Wenger is because I can see he is close to having a fantastic squad. Not buying for the sake of buying has me especially curious or eager to see who he fills the squad with next. Winning two FA cups is a big sign of things to come on my part. I think it will be a massive mistake to get rid now.
Yep coz they have all scored over 15 prem goals ..Austin beneteke. ..no more excuses leave it out
Just so your aware talk sport state that Chelsea matched UTD s offer but the selling club refused to renegade on the deal, I’m not saying he will be the next Henry but in today’s market of your not paying big money for the next top star your definitely not getting the next big star
@chinaka
Who says Martinez wanted to come to AFC? Look at DiMaria. He supposedly wanted to come to MU. Where is he now?
Martinez is 28, soon 29. Think next time…
Giroud is 28 too, he just got a new contract. RVP was sold to Manu at 29 and made them Champions that year. What is your point?
And what happened afterwards, we all know very well.
What do you mean? That Fergie left Football on a high note, thanks to the striker that we gifted him?
@jimbeam
We didn’t buy Olivier at 28. Next…
“Arsena we get it”…!!
Get what?
This is a manager who comes into a press conference and tells journalists that Welbeck is recovering well…
Then when it goes c*ck up (as usual at Arsenal), he says that while coming in the press conference he did not know Welbeck had suffer a relapse and needed surgery… I mean is he the manager or someone else is in charge…
If it is not embarrassing it gets “suspicious” and amateurish at best…
Win the league?
Win the CL?
Not in the most deluded Arsenal fan wildest dreams… This is just not going to happen. This club is no where near the top firms in Europe, no where near…
Top four and may be another of those meaningless domestic shite cup…
I genuinely hope you don’t hold a season ticket. Because you are not doing yourself a favor.
Seriously guys
I will be a happy man if we can finish top four + retain the FA Cup this season.
#everyyearsameoldstory
#toughtobeagooner
Always the same excuses, it is never his fault, maybe there is something wrong with the market and he is the one who has unveiled the puzzle…
He is smarter and more clever than anybody in world football, that is why he has, and Arsenal with him, won so many major trophies… The cabinet is so full we are building a special room corridor to commemorate his highness Arsene Wenger for the perpetual course of achievements of his reign…
In terms of players, it seems that Campbell has now come to the fold…!!! What the f*ck is going on in this club?
Welbeck goes from getting better to 6 months out… That is Arsenal for you?
Wilshere seems to have had another set back (“set back” !! I have not heard those 2 words more than at Arsenal)… Not like we need him… He is more of a liability than anything else.
What are the objectives of this club?
If it is reaching the top four, we are more than capable of doing it (despite Wenger coaching lameness and clueleness).
One thing is comforting, is that the fans (well except the deluded ones and the ones sucking Wenger gonades) have understood long time ago that winning the league or the CL will be done (hopefully in a near future) without Wenger being around…
I agree as It is too simplistic to believe a venture into the transfer market would have make the difference. Neither Ozil nor Sanchez proved to be the panacea of Arsenal’s problems…
The malaise is deeper than that…
This will go down as our best transfer window ever. Chech excellent. Jeff-Reinne looks like he will challenge Henry as our best ever signing (not sure why he doesnt count as a signing?) Dineyl Males is a far hotter property than we give Wenger credit for. Last post ever on this site. Its been emotional…. We signed top top top players. But who cares maybe if we payed 58m it would count as an outfield player. This site makes me embarresed to be an Arsenal supporter.
Am just relaxing waiting for the end of the season to hear from mr. Bean and his brigade coz am certain that we will not win the league nor the champions league because i refuse to be deluded after yrs of bullshit!!!retaining the fa wld even be a problem am sure. CITY BY ALL MEANS DESERVE TO WIN ALL THAT IS WINNABLE this season. Think of a farmer who plough his or her land and plants crops without fertiliser and all the necessary inputs of production yet expects to harvest more than those who have met the necessary inputs of maximum production…wenger out!
“CITY BY ALL MEANS DESERVE TO WIN ALL THAT IS WINNABLE this season.”
You draw that conclusion from 4 games?
Not by just 4games but by the way they play and easily score goals. Their depth,physicality and technique is 2nd to none and it’s a damn fact! 4cleanshts,12pts in 4games and yes a GD of 10.if u expect them to loose any sooner then ur in 4 a long wait!!!
It is gratifying that many on this site have seen the manager’s logic through their responses. However there are those whom Shakespeare described that “It is in vain to talk to him that means not to understand.” Anyone with an open mind should have seen the manager’s dilemma. What do you do if you go to buy a cotton shirt and find none in the store? In this case you do not lack shirts to wear but you just need a quality cotton shirt. Would you buy a nylon one instead or wait until cotton shirts become available? This situation is very similar to Arsenal’s. It is not that the team has no players; it is only that the team wanted to reinforce its personnel. There was no crisis or compelling reason to buy at any cost. On the issue of the EPL trophy which some fans are mourning, where was the divine covenant which guaranteed that if we got Benzema or Cavani we would take win the EPL? The way some people were behaving would indicate that they had been assured by a super natural being that if we got either of the above strikers we would automatically win the trophy! Hence there is no justifiable reason for any rational Arsenal fan to wish the manager all sorts of bad omen for not buying a player at any cost just to please the media and some gullible individuals!
You might have a point if you went out to buy a cotton shirt and there were none left. I think it’s Arsene looking for Egyptian Cotton shirts at regular cotton shirt prices that gets us in trouble.
Also, Strikers have changed teams this season, to say that Giroud is equal or better than them is simply not true. Also, we have seen Giroud for three years and know his capacity, is it too big of a tisk to ty, Martinez, or Bacca in his place. Inaction is riskier, you might think you are not risking money but you are, from CL place, to shirt sales, to growing the fan base, to makeing even better deals with sponsors, all depends on the players and where we finish the league.
Also, Kongdobia, Schneiderlin, Vidal were all transfers we could afford for a position where our alternative player is 33 year old Arteta.
I like ur answrs @jimbeam…i like the fact that when u respond to Budd he doesnt continue an argument wit u hahaha 🙂
Cheers mate, I really try to have an above the belt, logical discussion with some of these guys and sometimes it works, and then sometimes you get NY_Gunner spewing stuff like “willfully ignorant” below.
That pretty much happens when someone pretty much has nothing intelligent left to say, unfortunately it happens a lot with NY_Gunner.
@Jimbeam
I just call it as I see it dude. I’m not here to stroke your fragile ego…
@jimbeam
You sure wrote a lot for a guy worried about wasting his time…
Jimbeam, the other side of the fence takes much worse on a regular basis. It’s only fair you get a taste of your own medicine.
@davidrusa
Well laid out and stated Gooner. But you’re attempting to reason with the “willfully ignorant”…
Thank you NY Gunner. You are right. When I wrote my piece I knew many on this site would rubbish it for exactly the reason you mention. However we should never fear to be logical because there are a lot of illogical individuals around. Remember that quote from Shakespeare? “It is in vain to talk to him that means not to understand” The good thing is that time will prove us right. Besides, how many of the people who write in this column ever appreciate a balanced argument?
My only issue with Wenger not buying a shirt (I like the analogy) is that part of his rationale is that he has lots of good nylon shirts that are as good as the ones on sale. What he needs is another cotton one which everyone agrees.
But then he just keeps wearing the same cotton shirts and doesn’t get the nylon ones out of the closet. Maybe he doesn’t like the nylon ones as much as he says. If he keeps wearing the cotton ones exclusively they are going to get ripped. I guess what I’m saying is, for crissakes Arsene, wear one of your nylon shirts once and awhile.
Wenger and his AKB’s must fall…
If such is ur rationale of seeing things then it surely has to be ur last post!
Well, it isn’t him who sets the ticket prices but the damn truth is that as a manager he has to give value for the fans money!!!it has to be worth it…
Kloop to come in as number 2 for the next 18 months just to see how things work at arsenal because we don’t want another man united situation do we or a Liverpool. Mr s bold well put him in charge of the kids as I can’t see what the hell he is doing there. This plan would work big time. Can you see this happening? No Liverpool will take kloop and we will end up with some half wit manager. Mr AW would have been fired from any other club for what he has done this year
Wenger cannot win any further honours at arsenal. Lockay is right it don’t matter if wenger bought ronaldo and bale he won’t know how to balance the team in every position.
The way some Arsenal fans sit and wait just to leak Wenger’s Ass is beyond my comprehension. No forward thinking manager will do what wenger did this year. Last season wasn’t that great that mr. Wenger will say okay we did good less see where we can reach by January.
The usual slogan ‘no quality player available’ has also came out to be just one of Wenger’s failed excuses because it is the same crap he yearned a day to signing danny welbeck. If you can sign Danny as a squad improvement then I’ll be damned if you argue Benteke,martinez or even Dzeko are not much of an improvement. Furthermore, olivier G-round has been given more than enough chance to save his sloggish reputation.
What this shows is too obvious; Wenger is long gone and became so convinced nothing he’ll do will ever win him any major trophy, so he gave off.
I keep my door open for anybody who think I am wrong to come and show me how
@Maigari33