Arsenal boss shuts down claims of departed stars

Arsene Wenger has hit out at the claims that Kieran Gibbs and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will progress better having left Arsenal.

The pair both left the club on deadline day this summer, joining West Brom and Liverpool respectively, and both have made comments talking positively about their departures.

The Gunners boss clearly felt like a nerve had been touched when asked about their statements, and has a dig at the pair’s performances since leaving North London.

“Once someone takes the decision to leave I wish them well and focus on my squad, but just look at the performances of the players who left us and then come back to me about it,” said Wenger.

“Learning is an attitude in life. It doesn’t depend on your geographical status, but more of the attitude in your brain. Are you ready to question yourself every day to see if you can improve? Kieran Gibbs became an England international here. He was a regular player many times but he had some fitness worries so we didn’t offer him a new deal and that’s why he decided to go.

“You should ask him what he means about being a better defender at West Brom. He will certainly have to defend more because we are a team that goes forward and they are a team who focus more on defending.”

Gibbs was earmarked as the successor to Ashley Cole but Wenger concedes a succession of injury problems stalled those plans. “Kieran had more health problems than Ashley Cole, who had a frail aspect but a tough body,” added the manager.

“Sometimes Ashley had ankle problems but he still played. He played 50 games a year and Kieran had more injury problems than him. It will seem strange to see Kieran in a different shirt because he was educated here from a very young age so I am sure he will have great motivation for this game.”

The Ox has already endured a disastrous time at Anfield, being left on the bench mostly, while disappointing at every opportunity he has had thus far. Gibbs is certainly no Ashley Cole, but was a competent defender in his time for us, but there was always better available.

Were the duos comments simply common place having moved to a new side? Were they supposed to provoke a reaction from Wenger?

Pat J

Tags Gibbs Oxlade-Chamberlain Wenger West Brom

16 Comments

  1. Both bot good enough for arsenal and have gone to lesser clubs. Yes liverpool is inferior to arsenal in all aspects when you look at the facts instead of how we feel as gooners.

  2. The point is Oxlade was so desperate to get away from Wenger’s personal Arsenal that he did so for a lot less money.

  3. Sorry but Wenger is talking out of the side of his mouth here. He makes me laugh when he becomes this manipulative little man. “…had some fitness worries so we didn’t offer him a new deal and that’s why he decided to go…”???? Really??? Are fitness worries a key consideration for you?

    If you don’t give contracts to players who have fitness worries how do explain keeping the likes of Diaby, Santi, Wilshere, Ramsey, Eduardo, Welbeck etc.? The fact is you are more than happy to spend massive amounts of payroll on keeping players around who will not give you a full season of performance.

    I think the truth is you let Gibbs go because you found a better left back in Kolasinac. And thank God you did. Kolasinac is a major improvement in our squad IMO. We need his physicality.

    1. How can you possibly think Wenger “is talking out of the side of his mouth”! Clearly, he is actually speaking out of the front of his mouth, but like he has done all his Arsenal career, he speaks nothing but LIES. So, “Nothing Changed” if you will forgive my teasing , you are spot on!

  4. Both has a degree of talent and at odd times looked decent players in small doses. But by and large, both were comparative failures both for fitness unreliability and simply not enough pure talent. Ulimately neither could hold down a regular place, once they had proper rivals for their positions. We got a decent price for Ox, who made a bad choice going to Liverpool as Klopp will be nowhere near as accommodating to a comparative loser as was Wenger.. Gibbs’s value eroded because of poor management by Wenger who should have sold him earlier last summer for roughly double the eventual fee. THE MONEY OUR CLUB HAS WASTED BY NOT SELLING NOT GOOD ENOUGH PLAYERS SOONER IS A SCANDAL. Typical example is Walcott who once would have fetched a good price. Now , all we have is a mostly unfit idler on huge unearned wages who hardly ever plays. Sheer waste!

    1. You forgot Ramsey who was wanted by Barcelona. Remember that rumor? Ramsey even bought it and said he was flattered if I recall correctly. 😉

      1. YES, I CONSIDERED INCLUDING RAMSEY BUT RIGHT NOW HE IS IN ONE OF HIS GOOD PERIODS- USUALLY FOLLOWED BY INJURIES AND LOSS OF FORM. A close call though and you are quite right about Barca wanting him at one time. He would have been nowhere near good enough though to stay there for long. Our current standing is about his core level overall. He would not make any one of our top Prem rivals teams though.

  5. Arsenal are worlimg hard to sign Jose Gimensz of Athletico Madrid to a pre-contract in January.I should’ve told you guys a,month or so ago.
    Mesut Ozil also wants a move to Man Utd and has told Arsenal that he won’t be renewing after he rejected his contract.
    OT:It’s a shame how Elneny is under appreciated.I for one believe he can do far better than Xhaka,if given the same chances since he can actually defend.I just don’t like how massively overrated Xhaka is.I wish we hadn’t signed him in the first place because we could have had a proper DM.

    1. I have to agree with your view on Elneny. Xhaka is the better passer but in terms of tackling, positioning, discipline and hence all-around package Elneny is the better player.

    2. i also do not rate XHAKAand think him a huge waste of money. Yes, when left alone he can pass a ball but in the Prem you are very raraely left alone unchallenged. He is one paced(slow) and relatively immobile and even his positioning is suspect. I would cut my losses and move him out and spend on a better replacement like William Carvalho, who we should have signed two years ago. Also I shall not be sorry to see the back of Ozil who is just lazy, timid and is only effective for his huge reputation, in the physical Prem, around one game in every four. Yes, great player, if you want a “one in four” type. I don’t and neither do any serious minded top manager You don’t win titles with that type of player, which is why I cannot see him playing under Mourinho, ever. If he were foolish enough to go to Old Trafford, he would never play, since Mourinho craves powerful players who work their socks off. That description is NEVER Ozil!

  6. I do not think Wenger owes anyone any apology for the departure of Kieran Gibbs and the Ox. These players were given enough time to impress but could not especially Gibbs. We wait to see them flourish as they claimed they would be. Sincerely I wish them the best, football is their job and they need our best wishes on the job.

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