With Arsenal finally starting to look as though we might be able to have a good season and perhaps even challenge for and win the Premier League title, there is a little less pressure on the manager. Not much less though, especially after losing the two opening games in the Champions League saw Arsenal fans vent their fury at Arsene Wenger once more.
So the prof could probably have done without the comments from Sam Allardyce this week. The former Bolton, Newcastle and West Ham boss has just taken over as the manager of struggling Wearside club Sunderland and judging from what he has said about his previous meetings with Wenger, as reported by The Mirror, Big Sam will be looking forward to crossing swords with Arsenal again.
He said, “I enjoyed beating Arsenal more than anyone when I was in charge at Bolton. We’d really got to them and Arsene Wenger hated us.
“There was one time he wouldn’t shake hands with me at Highbury because we got a draw. I saw him ripping his tie off and throwing it on the floor in anger.
“He takes it all very personally and has an air of arrogance.”
I reckon that the Arsenal and England striker Danny Welbeck will be in the bosses good books this week though, as he gave his own thoughts on Wenger. As reported by The Express, Welbeck has expressed his surprise at the tide of criticism that has come the Frenchman´s way in recent years. He revealed how much he and the other Arsenal stars appreciate the way Wenger deals with them and he also feels that his achievements at the club deserve a lot more respect.
Welbeck said, “I can only speak for myself, and I’ve not been there as long as some of the other players.
“Obviously, Arsene’s done a great job at Arsenal, and you can’t really fault what he’s done. When I’ve been there he’s been great with me and great with the other lads as well from what I’ve seen.
“People are entitled to their own opinion. It doesn’t mean what they say is right.”
So who is right about Wenger? And should we be worried about facing another Allardyce managed team this season?