Twist it any way you like, but another season proves Arsene is done for. by KM
Hello fellow Gooners. Lately I decided to leave Arsenal aside for a while, because I’d just get angry over the same mistakes we do every time. So much I barely watch the games and I was pretty happy to miss the West Ham one.
I watched the report afterwards and all I can say is that it summed up Arsenals season in a nutshell! In fact it was more or less what years since 2010 have looked like, make that 2006 and it’ll still be valid. We had a 2 goal lead, looked comfortable and then the inevitable slump, the fightback but in the end no glory.
Now I’ve been posting on this site for some time now and I read the comments and I look at all kind of sources to extract the general feeling among Arsenal fans, and there are always people who trust Wenger no matter what. I respect that really, but I feel that he really has let us all down.
Many fans and pundits have questioned Wenger’s tactics and the mentality of the teams he built by himself and although quite a few people slaughter me every time I dare say something about the Boss, truth is with the title gone and another top 4 finish looming we have the right to judge him and Arsene won’t like the judgement.
We badly needed a striker – got Welbeck and Sanchez and it wasn’t enough. We introduced Coquelin as a DM and it wasn’t enough. We bought Petr Cech and it was not enough again. We changed the ever so loyal Pat Rice with Steve Bould but it turns out no matter what changes we made, even signings like Ozil, Sanchez and Cech, we are 13 points off top and it’s not Manchester United or Chelsea or City, it’s Leicester we are chasing.
Look at it whichever way you like and makes you feel best, but the only constant things at Arsenal are the failures, Wenger and the board. There’s been banners and boos crying for Wenger to leave, but truth is the Arsenal fans have been divided in their views and opinions and quite a few fans still feel good with the top 4.
I invite all the people who told me to judge Wenger in May and those who judged him earlier in the season to come to the comment section and explain how they feel now the season is almost over and our position is pretty much certain to be 3rd or 4th.
I think we can all agree that Arsenal FC is run like a business machine making money, not a football club, but if we want to change this, the Arsenal fans need to unite. The home games until the end of the season are a great place to express how we feel about the lack of transfers, immense ticket prices, lost games against terrible opposition and so on.
If we chose not to do it, next season will be just like this one or the previous or the one before that. I feel like if we do not express our frustration with the way the club is ran throughout the games, this topic will never reach the ears of the board, which simply ignores anything the fans have to say about the club.
As another season finishes in a similar fashion so will my post. The facts are after another season of failure we need new people at strong positions off the pitch. At the end of the day, getting a new board full of ambition, means that Wenger wont live through another season of failure as the Arsenal manager.
A different path to go down to starts with a new manager. Until us fans request him though, we’ll be stuck with what we’ve got.
Enjoy the week.
Konstantin
Boom!!!
I don’t see 22 straight years competing at the top of the best league in world football failure. No rational person would either.
Thank you, paul, for being one of the few left here that can leave rational comments. A few times I almost posted the exact same comment as yours below about 5 teams ever winning the prem (likely 6 after this season).
I used to be an AKB, this year has finally changed my mind about that, but I am not an AOB either. I do believe that this year was the best chance we’ve had to win the league since 04, and we let that slip, but you lot would hang wenger in the streets for this. Get some perspective – this IS the same man who led The Invincibles. We HAVE won two trophies in the last two years before this one, something that everyone, including me, was crying for. I believe that after this year, I could be ready for a new boss, but I respect Wenger as a legend because he has led the team I support most to greatness, and even when I dont agree with some of the decisions he makes, I still respect a legend.
Its just ridiculous when I see “fans” wishing that arsenal would lose in order to drive out wenger. You want your team to lose? Think about that. There are so many football teams in the world, a few of them more successful, most of them far less successful, but we support Arsenal for a reason, right? Whats your reason?
best league in the world? You must be joking
There is another constant – Always in the Champions League (is that failure?)
Always in the Champions League and always knocked out immediately in the second stage is no success, you just say hi and leave (yes this is another constant) …
What is failure is not winning an EPL title for long 11years with the same excuses again and again (After Leicester winning it this year these excuses are not valid anymore) …
Are not you already bored G-Rude ?
Bored? Hel no it’s been a great rollercoaster of a season. I love watching football and I love Arsenal winning. Only two teams have won more games than Arsenal this season, and we are hardly in a relegation battle are we? I don’t know why you lot seem to think we are entitled to win every trophy every year, but the reality is there are 3 trophies in England and 20 teams (at least) chasing each one. There is brilliant, exciting competition in the Premier League and I’d rather have a bit of interest rather than be a Barcelona fan and win every game every week. So – 3 trophies between 20 teams. We have won a trophy for the last 2 seasons so I’m not too upset we didn’t get one this year no!
“I don’t know why you lot seem to think we are entitled to win every trophy every year”
Every year? did I asked for that … Didn’t you get me when I said we are 11yrs without EPL title never mind the CL … what joy do you find in a drought …
You know that FA are not up to the level of EPL and CL …
Your Wenger use to play the kids in FA … and when he felt the pressure of going all these years without a single trophy he started to play his first team in FA cup to get in the comfort zone that you are giving him now …
I am going to use my right to reply and write an article.
Arsene has always taken the FA cup serious. He speaks often over the years about the magic and how it is the best of it’s kind the world over. That’s probably why he has won it more times than any other manager. You are mistaken, you are mixing up the carling/capital cup with the Fa.
and then came Watford! L()L
Leicester will win, or Tottenham, or even Arsenal. And next year where will Leicester be? Midtable. Or worse. Excellence is difficult. Winning a title is difficult. Keeping up that level of play for 22 years… only one club has done it. The one you keep pissing on.
can provide artwork for full sized banner if anybody wants!
HTeeTeePeeS://i.imgsafe.org/b4cf181.png
Shooting blanks!
How many titles have you won?
I am not a football coach. What has your comment got to do with the price of potatoes?
@Konstantin
You need to find a new team to follow dude. Because you just can’t find anything positive to say about AFC, so why stick around…
@ N.Y. Gooner. you seem to find positivity in everything about Arsenal. we are all arsenal fans buddy here, some more real about what’s happening the club than others.
@Drew
Your view is no more real than mine or anyone else’s dude. I just choose not to paint it all negative…And reality is, regardless of what you or anyone else thinks we should have done, no one could have predicted how it would have turned out.
You choose to view all rainbow and sunshine. That’s the problem of arsenal fans. Taking pleasure in mediocrity and yet expect success. You can still dream, success won’t come
Not much positive to be honest (one positive is Iwobi, and the other is Wenger benching Walcott and Giroud so far) …
We have big ambitions for this club that why we need to get real … You are happy with 4th, you yourself has to go and support Westham (obviously their ambition this season which fits you perfectly) instead of telling others to not stick around ….
I’m sure “we” meaning the fans have bigger ambitions than the owners who have millions invested, the manager and coaches, for whom this club is their lives, and the players, who work every day at being among the best footballers in the world.
That is the most ludicrous line of crap ever. You might say Arsenal have no risen to the pinnacle, you might say they could have done better, but to say the supporters have more ambition than the club’s manager, owners, or players, is either a massive delusion or an outright lie.
Have you ever in your life put out the kind of effort at your job that Alexis Sanchez puts in every game? Maybe you do, but in my experience, most people don’t. They go to work, do what’s expected, and go home. Arsenal have a lot of players who put in those kinds of massive efforts; in games and in training, to attain and maintain, excellence.
You want to say you are disappointed, that’s fair but to say you have more ambition? No. You don’t.
you really believe AW has ambition? wake up AW is a loser, the only reason arsenal seems to compete is because the league has become really average and he has more resources than 80 % of EPL clubs and the lack of ambition of the board but honestly, the guy is a looser.
@sam
Stay in ya lane dude…
It is if we never have any hope or expectation of success. What I fear is that we may not even grab 4th spot this year. Even though I want change I can’t see how it can happen when we’re dealing with a closed shop full of ex Public schoolboys who know nothing about football..
If people know full well that Wenger is never going to be sacked while he still has a contract, I have to ask, is it not detrimental to Arsenal having the fan base split during a season. Would the groans not be better used directed at players.
Well said konstatin its the only thing we have.
Cant add anything more but to congratulate you on your intelligent posts.
We need changes and huge changes.
Wenger must be sacked
Konstantin’s articles are far from intelligent. He admitted himself that he didn’t even watch the West Ham game, but here he is, giving his analysis. I don’t mind subjective criticism, but he doesn’t even offer that. All of his stuff is full of pure hatred, and nothing else. I agree with another poster who said that what’s the point of even supporting the team with Wenger in charge if he doesn’t care for him? I’ve been a Gooner since late 90’s when I saw Bergkamp play for the first time, and Wenger is all I know, but I would seriously consider switching teams, if Mourinho became our next manager, because I hate him so much. I’d offer the same advice to Konstantin.
Some people are obviously scared of change.
No we have not been relegated and yes there are other teams worse of, but with revenue the 7th largest in world football surely the club should be doing more.
The board (who in an ideal world) would not be at our club need to understand that for the ‘brand’ to grow we need success on the field. 12 years with no domestic title, and no European glory under the same manager is just not good enough for a club of our stature.
Change will happen whether it’s sooner or later. I for one want it sooner as it makes no sense to continue this cycle of failure on the field any further.
Other teams with less or the same resources have done more in those 12 years, so the common denominator in all of this is our current manager. It cannot logically be argued otherwise.
Thanks Arsene but it’s time for a New Arsenal!
G-rude has the right perspective. In 22 years of Premier League football (since 1994), only five teams (it looks like the sixth will happen this season) have ever won a single title.
Man U – 12
Chelsea – 4
Arsenal – 3
Man City – 2
Blackburn – 1
A lot of great teams with long histories and brilliant players; Liverpool, Aston Villa, Newcastle, and Tottenham for instance, have never won. Blackburn one once, then plummeted back into the Championship due to their inability to compete financially.
The real issue is asking some honest questions about the team and why they haven’t won. Here’s a few, with some answers;
1. Man – U won 12 times in 22 years, why? Resources and influence. How many games did you all watch when the injury time expired and we went into “Fergie Time” when United were down or tied? The club had huge resources to procure and keep the best players and the influence of their manager and the club on officials, the FA, led to a lot of wins and titles.
2. Arsenal haven’t won since the arrival of the Oligarchs. Why not? Cou7ld it be resources. In part. Absolutely. Arsenal went form being in the mix of a half dozen teams right behind Man U resource-wise to being solidly fourth in the league in terms of spending power. The results? Consistent 3rds and 4ths. You could criticize the club for not punching above its weight, but failure? That’s just not being honest.
3. Why do supporters of football clubs expect their team to spend more than it earns? While it is true Arsenal haven’t won a title since the arrival of the oligarchs (and not just the obvious Chelsea/Man City duo. The number of clubs spending over revenues is through the roof in world football, making it difficult for clubs (like Arsenal and Liverpool) to compete. Using outside money is seen as a an expected practice by most supporters who scream about owners caring more about money than winning. The problem is, poorly run teams do not sustain their efforts. Aston Villa, Portsmouth, Blackburn… these are all clubs, big clubs, that tried the spendthrift approach, then spiraled into mediocrity and irrelevance due to those policies when the rich owners lost interest. Clubs like Arsenal, Liverpool, and yes, Tottenham may not win titles like the oligarch funded sides, but they remain competitive and offer quality sport to their fans. The relaxing of the FFP rules will only make it harder.
4. Arsenal has a consistent, well-identified strategy and policy when it comes to youth players, transfers, and management. Are these policies working? Yes. If you accept that the plan of building the Emirates, allowing high-wage veterans to move on to stay solvent, and developing youth, and bringing in good-value signings has allowed the club to be competitive and at the top of the table while similar clubs, like Newcastle and Liverpool, have not been able to maintain their status as elite teams once the oligarchs arrived.
5. Could Arsenal have remained solvent and viable is they’d held on to Thierry Henry, Cesc Fabregas, Alex Song, Cael Clichy, Ashley Cole and so many others? No. If Arsenal had not let these player go, but instead paid wages that kept them Gunners, Arsenal would have either gone bankrupt or lacked the depth to compete in Europe, further eroding the club’s finances.
6. Will changing managers mean more winning? Be honest? Klopp’s done no better than Rodgers. Poccetino might win, something Wenger did three times. So in my mind he’s 1/3 as accomplished. He’s done a great job but will Tottenham be able to sustain their success? Everyone looks at Dele Allli, Harry Kane, Toby Alderweireld, Eric Dier, and Eric Lamella, and Christian Eriksen and point to a long stint at the top. That might be true. But those names now constitute a transfer wish-list for bigger, richer clubs. If Juventus, Roma, or PSG come in for Lamella, will he stay? A second 20+ goal season for Kane will make him more interesting to Real Madrid. Benzema is a PR nightmare, so they’re looking for a goal scorer. PSG may let Zlatan go. Harry Kane would score 40 goals a season in France. Man U might break the bank to sign England’s best forward. It is really easy to imagine Dele Alli in the powder blue of Man City. He’s exactly their sort of player. Will the Spurs be able to pay him 150,000 pounds a year to keep him? Eriksen is shaping up to be a budget Ozil. Could he take up that role at Bayern? The one thing is sure; the Spurs won’t be able to keep them all. Just like Arsenal couldn’t keep their Invincibles together, Spurs will lose some of the pieces of their best season in four decades. Can they replace them?
Someday, next year, the year after that or perhaps the year after that; Arsene Wenger will retire. What will the team look like without him? If you look at Man U, you shou7ld be nervous. Man U averages a 2nd place spot under Fergie. They’ve dropped to a fifth place average without him. Arsenal have averaged a third place spot with Arsene Wenger. If they drop 3 places, welcome to the Europa League.
I agree with you, for the simple reason that it is true, and because Arsene is a top manager no matter how people think. The league is not an easy thing to win, you only need to look at the different amount of winners you’ve named. People trying to proclaim Poch a better manager haven’t got a clue, that or else they are blinded by frustration. The problem I have with Wenger at the moment is that Id liked to have seen him throw money at the problem, put his own ambition ahead of the shareholders. And my other bone to pick would be the loyalty he shows to players, the man has to much belief in certain players who’ve let him down one to many times. Hopefully this season was a last chance for certain players, because if he starts cutting some of them loose he will again have a good opportunity in building something. His latest recruits and youth promotions have been pointing that way. I look forward to the transfer window, it will say allot.
@paul35mm
I admire your use of logic Gooner…
It is the first time I thumb this year and I am doing it just because more people thumb it down and it will be hidden. This comment should stay here and be read 10 times by every keyboard warrior here.
I’m game to just about listen to anyone’s opinion on Arsenal especially if they are a Gooner. I have to wonder though, how much does a Gooners opinion matter if he admits to being freely able to take a break from the club whenever he chooses. Decides to not bother tuning into Arsenal out of frustration. Granted the Wham match was a kick in the nards but those type of games are the reason people love football and also the reason why prem is no1. Admitting after the result you were glad, it’s a bit like someone checking final score each week and then preach to you about what is wrong with football.
That said, I will say that the writer makes fair judgement and he is judging at the correct time. Also he’s been respectful in his words.
Ok, I started this by reading it was by KM… I knew from then it would be a difficult read.
The WHU game result was the PLAYERS letting us and the manager down, the TACTICS was spot on. We took the lead, we dominated possession then WHU got back into the game and took the lead, this was the PLAYERS fault. We went for the win and Wenger threw on all he could to get the goals, it was the TEAM that failed us all.
“I barely watch the games”
Really?
So STFU and watch them, your a fan are you not? How do you know what has happened during the games? Read it in the papers/heard it on the news, rely on them to tell you the truth and not think for yourself?
“We badly needed a striker – got Welbeck and Sanchez and it wasn’t enough.”
Yup, Wenger was at the WC getting Alexis which has turned out to be a good signing, Gazidis got Welbeck who Wenger said wouldn’t be here if he stayed at home. Who’s fault is it that we have Welbeck and not a WC CF? Not Wengers but you ignorantly blame him, the problem with your opinion is that it is WRONG.
“Look at it whichever way you like and makes you feel best, but the only constant things at Arsenal are the failures, Wenger and the board. ”
WRONG.
Like an ignorant fool you jump to conclusions.
Wenger was a winner with Dein.
If Wenger was to be a constant failure then he would have failed at the start, can you not use the English language?
End of the day we have lost a man who helped Wenger get the right men for the job, Wenger has never been the transfer god some others will make you believe he was at the start, that was all Dein. Anyone who is a TRUE fan of Arsenal knew what was going to happen when a share holder who works within the club gets forced out for profit.
With the right backing then Wenger is a winner, every manager needs support to get the best out of them and our board will not support any manager when it comes time to make a GAMBLE over a SAFE BET. Remeber who owns the club!
“I think we can all agree that Arsenal FC is run like a business machine making money, not a football club”
Yet do you UNDERSTAND WHY?
It was not Silent Stan who started Arsenal being run for profit, it was the old board, the old fools who inherited their shares and wanted to sell them once the price was right. To get higher price they didn’t want to spend, hence the reason for them to make a pact to not sell to a single foreign majority share holder. That was all a lie…
“the Arsenal fans need to unite.”
No good uniting against climate change and expect Silent Stan to start running the club by putting the club 1st.
Arsenal fans do need to unite but against the real issue, the real issue comes with the board. Lack of support for Wenger and any future manager who does take over Wenger in the future. The owner not interested in winning titles but puts profit 1st which is the reason why he bought us, lets be honest, the old board sold the profit making business idea over a successful sports team. Shows the direction we went in many years back.
If we get a new manager then they will have the same owner to please, same owner giving out the targets and do any of you really think they will change if we do not unite against him and the targets he sets Arsenal?
“A different path to go down to starts with a new manager. Until us fans request him though, we’ll be stuck with what we’ve got.”
Complete ignorance.
As said, if we get a new manager then that manager will have the same issues to deal with as Wenger has had, lack of support from board and pri goal of profit over titles.
New manager will not change the owners targets, we need to unite against the real issue, the targets given to the club by the owner. We can boil it down to Silent Stan, we need that profit driven fool gone.
@midkemma
Thank you…
Probably the most intelligent, and complete reply that I have ever seen. Pretty much summed up everything I was thinking myself. Nicely done!
How do you know AW has lacked support from the board, are you a member of the board? If it’ the case why he’s still in charge and hasn’t stepped down? Oh yes he earns 8 million a year without the pressure to acheive; how do you know a new manager won’t achieve? You support AW, fine but please stop with all those statement rationalizing you fear of changes.
Next Season
Man Utd – Mourinho
Chelsea – Conte
Liverpool – Klopp
Man City – Guardiola
I doubt if we make top 4 next season!!!
WE NEED CHANGE.
Seriously those supporting Wenger..might have been brainwashed by his lies…after the emirates project that there were financial constraints…if Wenger realized that stans target For the club each year was a champions league spot…he as a true arsenal fan wud have either tld Stan to invest more in the club to enable him compete or come out open ND let d fans know what’s up…i bet you there wud be a revolution by the fans to throw Stan out of the club by selling his shares…stan is not bigger than the club and there is no club without the fans…..but truth is Wenger is just as bad as stan or worst by lying to the fans each year and covering for stan, knowing fully well that stan does not have the clubs best interest at heart…..but for 8mil a yr most men wud accept to be called a specialist in failure or worst…but a true lover of the arsenal! Wouldn’t…even if Wenger loses his job for coming out to let the fans know how things are, he wud still be seen as a true lover of the arsenal….
I’m beginning to suspect that Konstantin is just a troll, and most likely a Spurs supporter, because no one in their right state of mind would be posting idiotic stuff like this. How can you call yourself an Arsenal fan, and then not watch the games? Or how can you watch the games, but want the team to lose? Only because you want the manager gone?! That’s just stupid. But having been following Konstantin for some time, I think I know the type of person he is, so I’m not surprised at all by his constant beyatching and moaning. But I am surprised at some people’s reaction to his pointless posts. Do you people really think that it’s Wenger’s fault we haven’t won the title in 12 years? If you do, then you’re just as naive and shortsighted as the author.
Maybe you are the naive one. If it’s not AW fault, the who it is? AW is loser. I know a his disciples you don’t want to hear it but that’s the hars truth. And the sad thing, he doesn’t even has arsenal best interest but still has whorshippers