Wenger may stay – but Arsenal still need to plan for the future

Where do you see Arsenal in 5 years?‏ by KM

Hello fellow Gooners. Are you anticipating the final somewhat important game of the season? It is a funny one, because City lost in the Champions League, but with their poor League form they will need a result and this is the decider for third place.

If we win, we guarantee third and skip the tricky CL qualification round, which is huge because it gives an edge when signing top players, because they want to play in the Champions League. A draw will leave it to the Villa game, which should be in the bag, even with our poor finishing.

This feels like one where we’d crumble again as we always do. Arsene is most likely safe with the top four and players are looking towards their vacations, but I hope we capitalise on the fact City played midweek and we get a result.

So what after? What’s the plan? If you ask the Board, they’d back whatever Arsene has in mind. We don’t have a direction and that’s why we stick with the top 4 Arsene somehow manages to deliver yet again. Truth is though we have members of the board, who get immense salaries for an unclear job to me. Arsene gets a lot of money, but he at least does everything at the club! Is he doing it well or not is another matter.

I was so saddened by the fact how misdirected the ‘time for change’ message was. A lot of people took it as personal offense because it was partly aimed at Arsene. As I said though the lack of vision is worrying.

We cannot compete against Europe’s elite, because we are so far off it. Atletico vs Bayern was a game of the highest level. It was so tactical and psychological, a battle of two completely different approaches.

The inventor of tikki-takka vs the master of discipline! Simeone looks like he’s taken from a mafia movie! Incredible how he managed in one season, what Arsene failed to do in 6. He beat Barcelona and Bayern in successive rounds, with a squad that, with all my respect, cannot match the quality of the opposition.

Yet discipline got the better of talent and if he manages the Final hurdle in terms of Real Madrid, he’d leave probably one of the biggest marks in footballing history just like Leicester.

Another thing that cannot go unnoticed is the way Zidane managed a very difficult situation at Real. He replaced a manager that albeit being probably the worse one to win the CL, Benitez has done it. Zidane won the Classico in a situation where nobody gave Real a chance and they haven’t looked back. He acknowledged the fact Real have to challenge for the biggest prizes, set some priorities, used his emphatic career to manage some huge egos at the club and if he wins it it will be a minor miracle in terms of shifting fortunes!

And finally, that little old Jurgen Klopp. What he’s doing to a Liverpool side that looked like it doesn’t have a purpose is sensational! He took over after the season started, manages average players leftover from a manager who lost the dressing room, and he’s led them to two cup finals! If he wins the Europa League, with Champions League football he’d have an entirely different calibre of players available in the market.

Next year is so big, because Klopp will build his own side, Pep and Conte two managers with lots of titles behind their backs are coming and we’re sticking with the past. But the common thing between those managers, and I have to add Max Allegri to the list, is they are young!

They are the revolutionaries of their time, just like Arsene was 20 years ago. They bring modern approaches that enable them to compete at the highest level! When Arsene came he introduced regimes, he added discipline and preparation that was uncommon to most teams and that allowed Arsenal to dominate opposition. Now, most elite clubs have great training methods and newer things come into play.

Most people don’t disrespect Arsene, despite wanting change. We could’ve won the title this year if Arsene allowed people to help him where he is weak. Add a motivating person to do the pep talks, get a better scouting network, allow other people to manage the transfers and the wages, even get some tactical help so we are not so predictable. This could’ve been the change we needed, but it means Arsene loses power. And the boards failure to do anything about the problem is another reason to ask for change.

Regardless of that the question of why we moved to the Emirates comes to mind? Isn’t it because a top club needs a top venue? Didn’t we do it to increase our potential to fight for success? Or did we do it to rip off the fans even more? Was that the real plan all along?

What next Ivan? I’m interested in the Q&A he will be giving to the fans and hopefully someone will ask him to give a true answer about Arsene’s contract and our ambitions in the tournaments we play in. We are having a man heading into his seventies in charge or everything. I have nothing against elderly people, but isn’t it time for us to at least start preparing for the future without Arsene?

Because if we don’t, you can see what happened at United who let Fergie appoint his pal Moyes and we all know how the story goes. So tell me where you see us in the near future? Still stuck where are now or going forward?

Konstantin

26 Comments

    1. Do you understand the expression “Discuss the football”?
      Sometimes you should just change your name to Phil Space…..

  1. It’s the fact that he keeps making top four is why many fans still think he is good enough for the job – they are worried if he resigns, things will get worse just like at United etc. They would rather stick with the devil they know. What is for certain though is that things will not get any better!

    This is how we need to approach the situation – Arsenal are one of the wealthiest clubs in the world. We are based in London, a prime spot for any footballer and his family. We have an amazing stadium which repayments are under control. We have lucrative sources of income allowing us to compete at the highest level. The fans have been doing their bit by supporting blindly, forking out crazy amounts for season tickets etc. In other words – Arsenal should be striving to win the BPL and at least mount a serious challenge in the CL. The sad truth is that we are not.

    For the last three to four seasons – Wenger has had adequate resources available at his disposal to accomplish this. We don’t really expect to win the CL in such a short time, but the BPL? Most definately. On top of that Wenger is the most experienced manager in this league by a long shot, in other words the last three to four seasons, as a team, we have had the most stability. Other clubs have gone through major transitional stages incurring disadvantages and we have seen the United’s, Chelsea’s, even City to a degree dropping points. Yet what excuse does Arsenal have? Absolutely none, and I am afraid this falls at the managers feet. Which proves the point that Arsene is set in his ways, his state of mind will never change which will continue to affect our players on and off the pitch.

    If Wenger has one more season to finish his contract, then so be it out of respect. But going forward, as mentioned in the article, the board and Kroenke should have already discussed and planned his replacement at length. There are no more excuses for this club as to why we cannot challeng for top honors, we have all the resources necessary. No more excuses, we want RESULTS.

  2. Ranieri is 64,and
    Ferguson was 71 when
    he won his last title
    so age is not a problem.
    Leicester is not super rich and had no world class players
    so money and quality players are not a guarantee of titles.
    Stan and Wenger know this so aim for top 4, titles being a bonus.
    While this indeed a logical assessment I would like to think
    Arsenal could do a Leicester once every four/five seasons.

    1. Leicester owners didn’t expect the team to do what they did, there was a better harmony at that club then ours, I think.

      Also lets not overlook how much of an impact the owners words may have on the team.

      March 11-12 is when Silent Stan said what he did about winning championships, we wasn’t doing great and needed to bounce back.. we had an important FA Cup game on the 13th… which we lost.

      Doesn’t matter though as Silent Stan doesn’t care about it. Same for getting knocked out of the UCL by Barca 3 days later.

      I am not saying this is the reason behind our poor performances BUT I will argue that it may of been an important factor in the players mentality during the time we needed them to have the desire to win.

      Wenger could have done more to motivate the players, I am not dismissing what Wenger could have done… but I do not want to ignore the timing of what Silent Stan said and how it appears to have had an affect on our season, a time we needed the higher ups to be united in a winning mentality…

  3. For arguments sake lets say that up to 2010 the new stadium was a stumbling block for any progress. So what have we done in the last 6 years and don’t mention the FA cup we tripped up on? NOTHING, that’s what has happened. We cant even top our groups in the CL, cant challenge for the PL and end up being happy for participating in the CL so that the greedy yank can make a bucket load and wenger keeps his job.
    True gooners dont give a $##t if we play in Europe if its just for the money without a chance in hell of winning the trophy. So for those who want Arsene to stay then complacency is now rooted into your minds and we will never move forward with you lot sitting in the stands.
    WENGER OUT

    1. “What have we done and don’t say what we have done!”

      Well that can not be answered, you refuse to acknowledge the FA Cup yet go back to before winning that and fans was including the FA cup in things we couldn’t win. People was saying how long it had been since the last time we won a trophy.. which was what again?

      “You not won anything since 2005 when you won the FA cup”

      The FA Cup is something of note, we hold the damn record for it due to the double we done with it.. It is worth more than what you appear to give credit for. I bet we could have won the EPL and you would have said the same because it wasn’t the UCL.

      I’m a true gunner, I have been to see them live and never miss a match, use to spend hundreds a year on them until I found out more about Silent Stan and how all his sports teams are cash cows… I have researched our majority share holder, I have paid attention to the appointment of Gazidis and the role he was to then take over. I am heartbroken that Dein was forced out as he appeared to be the driving force for success in Wengers 1st decade, that combo worked. I read about how Dein said we needed investment to keep winning and that is why he got Usmanov involved with Arsenal FC. I read about how the board (old share holders) made a pact to not sell because they was proud in a mulit-ownership and how the board was ‘brittish’… and then how that pact got threw out the window as soon as enough money was offered.

      We have had years of mediocre players being bought in for top players that was sold, that is the issue currently, half the players are not good enough to wear the badge but Gazidis bought bargain versions of what we used to get with Dein.

      People blame transfers on Wenger but they are too damn ignorant to look up Ivan Gazidis and what he does for Arsenal! just like yourself!

      And you call yourself a true gunner?

  4. “We could’ve won the title this year if Arsene allowed people to help him where he is weak. ”

    You mean like Arsenal FC have Ivan Gazidis to do the contracts and transfers, he took over Deins job, Dein used to do the transfers and contracts.

    Gazidis can not support any manager at the highest level, he makes business decisions over football issues and how is that going to benefit the team in a sporting manor?

    I do support the need for change and I do not think we can make all the changes in 1 year and expect to maintain a min of top 4, we need to get a passionate and dedicated board… well dedicated and passionate for winning and not profit 😛

    I would love to see Dein come back to Arsenal, he isn’t the whole board but when he was here and when he had power to do stuff, we won stuff. He would be a good start and once he is back working for us we can look to create extra roles around him to compliment the background support for the managers of the future.

    1. yeah!……… >enter<midkemma…. And he can't do without mentioning silent stan, gazidis, fA cup, stadium debt, Top 4 and Dein

      Hahaha

      He Lives in the highbury days!….. Should u blame him?

      1. What did your comment add? Nothing.
        All you done was troll a post and stroked your member afterwards… 😛

        How can we not mention the owner and CEO when talking about the clubs future?

        Only an idiot would exclude it and well… you are obviously an idiot for wanting to ignore these important facts.

        I also bang the drum about Wenger breaking Arsenals transfer record in 2007, after we moved into our new home.
        Lives in Highbury days? I miss the dedicated and passionate players we use to get back in those days but I recognize it isn’t highbury that stopped it, it was the politics of football and the loss of Dein being an active member.

        Dein done a lot for this club.
        I will not forget what he did, not like ignorant fools like you, I still respect what he done for the club.

  5. Whether you’re a fan of Wenger or not, Arsenal do need to start planning for the future given his age, and his rapidly declining mental health.

    I really think Arsenal should move for free agent Klopp…oh no wait, too late! Pep’s leaving Bayern, I think…oh no wait, ambitious Man City have already got him! Well at least Ancelotti’s still availa…damn, Bayern’s already signed him up!

    I joke about us missing out on some top class managers, also as free agents, but to be fair, pretty much any manager out there could do what Wenger’s doing. There’s no fear for when he leaves because he has us nowhere near the top on a consistent basis.

  6. It looks as if Liverpool are going to get into next season’s champions league by winning the Europa league.
    If we lose to City on Sunday, We could end up chewing on what the spuds ate when they finished 4th and then Chelsea took their place.

    Can we really expect Wenger to have a game plan against City?… Or will it be the same old lazy team selection and hope for the best senario? ?

    1. @Fatboy……….hahaha………would be interesting to see who values 4th place more

    2. There is now a maximum of 5 players from each country in the Champions League so that can’t happen. Only risk of losing the place for 4th would have been if City had won the Champions League and Liverpool had won the Europa League.

  7. Arsenal say they are ready for this but did not expect the season to turn out like this and Wenger will have to be evaluated by fans at the end of season because he said “judge me in May”, if Sanchez had form all season it would have helped but with Ozil dropping deep to collect the ball Wenger is sacrificing his abilities due a poor midfield duo.
    If Giroud is not playing well in euros you can bet a striker may come in handy to the team.

    The comparison between Arsenal and the match that played in semi of champions league is not justice to Arsenal players because 70% are not at the level they play in and a careful reason would be that teams in Spain are very careless in procession and easy to score against and in the Bundesliga it is a one man show. So by the time teams like Athletico and Bayern play it becomes easy for them to concentrate on european matches.

  8. Sometimes I wonder how Alex Ferguson at his old age still motivated his players and had so much success and Arsene Wenger is yearly fighting for top 3-4. Its really shameful.

    1. The signing of RvP tells you all that you need to know. United were willing to pay that money for a player with a couple of good years left, Arsenal were willing to let him go and he wanted to go to a club with real ambition. Obviously he goes on to win them the league. You could say everyone is happy apart from us the the Arsenal fans. For Wenger and the board it was a great financial deal.

  9. Arsene’s problem isnt ignorance but rather arrogance.. The belief that he is the only one that can do every single piece of work out there, from transfer business to pitch duties. I dont even know whether that guy reads the scouting reports on arsenal.com. the only thing that could make him go against a particular system in use is injuries. Rarely does he vary tactics between opponents.. we are just too predictable.. Next season is going to be a real test of character for him. He is going to learn the hard way. pep conte lvg poccetino ranieri & all these small clubs that now have access to loads of money from the tv rights, wenger must have his A GAME on. And anyone else for that matter

  10. I am sure that they do have a plan and I am sure that it involves promoting from within. Barca do it, Real Madrid now do it and with all the talk that we hear about “Arsenal values” i’m sure that Arsenal will do it too. They won’t want to take the risk of bringing in an “outsider”. We can talk about who they might bring in but just look at who they have ignored recently. It will be Thierry Henry, assuming that he doesn’t say anything “against the Arsenal values” on TV such as criticising the team, which he is required to do because it’s basically his job. Arsene will stay until he identifies someone that will continue what he started having been coached in “the Arsenal way”. It could be Vieira, Arteta, Bould or anyone currently coaching at the club but we’ll probably be stuck with Wenger for another 4 years until Henry is ready.

  11. I guess I first started to doubt Wenger during the Asharvin days. This was a greatly talented player allowed to rot on the wing and end up on the bench. He lost his confidence and his career. I recently watched his display against Liverpool when he scored four goals just after joining Arsenal, then the decline. It worries me the same could happen to Sanchez but fortunately he has someone of his own class in Ozil. Hopefully this will be Wenger`s last season, we need a Klopp. Liverpool will be the ones to beat next season.

  12. I don’t think Wenger’s going…..IF

    You plan to leave at the end of the next season and not appoint a director of football or a new number two then how does the club assure both existing players and prospective new?

    Unless something is announced before the start of the season……I call a contract extension

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