Has Mourinho’s return just made Arsenal’s title chances smaller?

Is Wenger’s job as manager about to get a lot harder? by Ash

On a day where Arsenal had to hand their crown of FA CUP holders back, after two years at the helm, Manchester United once again closed the gap for the record number of Cup wins! After the final match, several sources including the BBC and Sky Sports confirmed that Jose Mourinho will be taking over as manager of Manchester United.

It marks the return of the supposed ‘Special One’ and whilst Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger had a long standing rivalry with old United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, now Wenger’s current arch nemesis, Jose Mourinho, will be back to face the Gunners in the Premier League.

Wenger has always struggled tactically with beating Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea sides and whilst it will be much anticipated to see how he fares at United, the real question is, with so many class managers currently in the Premier League, is Wenger beginning to fall down the pecking order as the best of the pick?

Now in no sense am I suggesting that Arsenal should have been in for Jose Mourinho, as I can certainly imagine the backlash from fans and players alike. However, in the past season we have seen all of the generic top six (Arsenal, Chelsea, City, United, Liverpool and Spurs), apart from Arsenal change managers in the past two years, with the most recent changes coming at Chelsea, City, United and Liverpool.

Liverpool have seen Jurgen Klopp take over the helm and the German was almost a fan favourite to take over at the Emirates after Wenger, although it would seem that it has now become dramatically unlikely. Chelsea have brought in Conte, the Italian boss who has much renowned success and he will certainly strengthen their team and take the Blues back to the top six of the table. City have brought in yet another fan favourite who was touted as a possibility to take over at the Emirates in the form of Pep Guardiola. Although many will say he has always been gifted with spectacular teams, there is no doubt in the Spainard’s ability to tactically strengthen a team to the best of its abilities. Have Arsenal missed the best picks of the bunch, by allowing Arsene Wenger to continue at the Arsenal helm?

Not only have we missed out on some big name managers who ‘could’ have improved the success of the Gunners, but Wenger’s and Arsenal’s competition as a whole, has just dramatically increased even further and we should expect all of the Top Six to really strengthen with summer signings! Although we have seemingly already completed the signing of Granit Xhaha, which is a fantastic start, we must look to continue in the transfer market and address all the concerns we have. Otherwise I feel that with many new faces in charge of the big teams in the Premier League, Arsenal’s likelihood of challenging for the league could be at a disadvantage before we even kick a ball.

Does Wenger still remain as one of the best managers in England or do you think he has lost his attraction? Big name players look towards the manager as a decisive factor when signing, take Ozil’s comments when he signed as an example. Only time will tell, and some of the new faces of Guardiola and Conte could be unsuccessful in England. However we have already seen the rises of Mourinho and Klopp and there is therefore a general fear that Wenger is dropping down the pecking order of the best EPL managers.

By AH

Tags Conte Klopp Mourinho Wenger

18 Comments

  1. Wenger has not been a ‘top’ football coach for a long time..

    Book balancer, yes
    Jack of all trades, yes
    Top footballing brain who delivers the top prizes, NO.

    Let me take a wild bet on something here. WE WILL NOT WIN THE PL or UCL NEXT YEAR!

    Why? Call it a stab in the dark;)

    1. There are at least six (if not more) sides that believe they can win the PL, and at least 16 that think they can win the UCL. Most of them will fail, so its not really a shot in the dark is it?

  2. No. I think Josey the Awful’s failure and firing this season has finally destroyed that myth. When he wins it is because he has all the money and all the players he wants. Let him coach Aston Villa or Norwich for a while to see what he can do there.

    Having him back will not really alter Arsenal’s fate but it will re-poison the league as it thrusts this awful excuse for a human being back on the good EPL fans.

    1. Q: Has Mourinho’s return just made Arsenal’s title chances smaller?

      A: I guess not. But keeping Giroud as our main striker, as well as mediocre players like Walcott has.

  3. Jose has proven that he can flop when under pressure…and it won’t be an easy season for him as a ManU coach. Wenger would be more stabilized next season than Mour.

  4. Not just Mourinho. Infact, with or without Him’, It’ll be very competitive next season.

    New managers will want to make their mark immediately (Pep, Conte, Maybe Mourinho if he joins Manu). Then Klopp, Mochetino.. Then we have good teams like Westham, Southampton. And not forgetting the champions ‘Leicester’

    Wenger job will he harder with or without Mourinho.

    1. Yes its shaping up to be a great
      league next season. I think. 🙂
      Mind you Chelsea and City
      were favourite to win the
      League and they struggled
      and no one predicted Leicester 🙂 or Spurs.
      But on paper the league does look tougher.

  5. The real question is has Xhaka’s signing made Mourinho’s title chances smaller.

  6. Can’t understand why Utd
    would sign Mourinho.
    Utd don’t do bus parking.
    They are an attacking outfit.
    That’s why they look awful under LVG.Giggs would be dynamite.
    Mind you there are a lot of striking talent in their squad.
    Just need 2 quality CB’s and a DM.

    1. I was surprised as well, i thought they were looking for long term stability. Perhaps they see mourinho as someone who can bring sucess in the short term, probably concerned with lack of sucess reducing income.

      1. Am surprise too. Man U have finished themselves. They will regret like Real Madrid.

        The only Coach am waiting for is the German National team coach Joachim Low.

  7. Arsenal need to buy a striker who can be quick on the transition. Xhaka has been pictured in a Arsenal shirt yet the club is not informing go his arrival when clearly Wenger wants to announce it himself or probably the marketing dept have been hit by a boulder wherein the new kit photo has been already leaked just like the 2014 kit and there can be no hype to create so therefore to launch the player with the kit launch.

  8. Just like our rivals are praying we keep Wenger forever because they know Arsenal keeping him at the helm limits us and our ambitions…..of course Mourhino coming back makes it more difficult, and whatever we say or like to believe we all know he has Wenger firmly in his pockets

  9. i disagree because even though they are very good managers everybody knows that it takes time to get used to the pl,new manager means new players whom will need time to hit the ground running,also for the team to gel and like you said some players might even flop,i think a good start to the season is going to be very important even decisive do you agree??

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