Is Arsenal legend ‘wright’ to slam FA cup moaning fans?

Arsenal fans will be hoping that is third time lucky for the Gunners against Hull City in the FA cup, after we met the tigers in the final two seasons ago and then again last year on the way to back to back trophy successes. Well some of us will anyway, but some Arsenal fans have been accused by former Gunners strike star Ian Wright of disrespecting the oldest cup competition in football.

Writing in The Sun he slammed the Arsenal fans who have been complaining and saying that the FA cup wins in no way make up for Arsene Wenger’s failure to lead the club to the summit of English football since the invincibles season of 2004. While Wrighty understands and shares the frustration of fans about yet another faltering Premier League title challenge, he reckons we should have much more respect for the famous old piece of silverware.

He wrote, “Two years ago Arsenal lifted the FA Cup and it was seen as the saving grace for Arsene Wenger.

“Now it’s being used as a stick to beat him with — almost viewed as an “also-ran” competition not worthy of even winning.

“That, in my book, is the most ridiculous insult for a competition which still deserves its place as the best in football.

“If the Gunners win tonight’s fifth-round replay at Hull, they will be just three wins away from lifting a third successive FA Cup.

“That would be a fantastic achievement — something that’s not been done since Blackburn Rovers did the ‘treble’ 130 years ago!

“So don’t start using the competition as some sort of insult just because Arsenal are messing up in the league.

“Look, I totally understand where fans are coming from with their frustration at constantly tripping over in the title race.

“So yes, Gunners fans have got good grounds to be raging. But don’t take that out on the FA Cup.

“I won it twice at Arsenal, the last of which gave us the double in 1998 — and none of us saw it as a poor relation.

“The Gunners may have been second rate too often when it comes to the title race, but don’t put winning the FA Cup in the same bracket.”

I reckon he has a point you know. In it’s long history the cup has only been won by a team outside the top flight eight times, the last being West Ham in 1980 so it is clear that quality counts and it is far from easy to win. Man United have not lifted it in over a decade and it has been 25 years since the puds got their hands on it.

Of course we all want the EPL title but can we not appreciate the FA cup and want Wenger and the players to do all they can to equal that 130 year old record of three in a row?

Tags Hull Wenger

30 Comments

  1. Ian is right. Fickle fans want us to throw the FA Cup in hopes of being able to win the League. Thats like asking a fighter to take a dive…Sad…

    1. Then the fighter must learn how to dive … because that’s matter for us …

      1. @snas
        Good luck with wanting to be a champion with that outlook on life…Thats right, you’re one of those who are living “vicariously” through the club…

    2. Well, I thought folks like you postulate that Leicester is doing well because they are out of the Cup competitions and only focused on the EPL.

      1. @impenia
        It’s not “postulation” dude. Do you honestly think that they would be where they are, if they had those extra matches to play?

        1. So, can we just exit the FA cup so as to do well in the league? Assuming that theory is right.

    3. @NY_Gunner,
      I think what most fans (me inclusive) are saying is that FA Cup is not enough.
      There is the BPL which we’ve not won in over a decade. There’s also the UCL which we’ve never won (1 finals once in our great history).
      That’s where our frustration stems from.
      Anyone asking for us to throw the FA Cup is definitely not a True Arsenal fan.

      1. @arsenal007
        I’m quite sure some fans/supporters want us to throw the FA Cup and the CL under the bus, focusing mainly on †he League…

  2. Nothing seems right at Arsenal these days……… Buffer wenger is the reason we deteriorating drastically!

    …. Who thinks our darLing FA cup would be so easy to get this season….chelski and other troublesome teams still in it

    by far the EPL could have been a Lot easier to grab …… This was supposed to be the season… Remember?

    Now they come up with the FA cup success to brainwash us……i refuse to be fooLed!

    1. Don’t mind those wenger boys, FA Cup alone is not good enough, I will only respect if it comes with double.

      1. who the hell needs your respect? your statement belies your indifference to the club…you are not a true Gooner! You will only respect the club is they win more than the FA Cup???? shame, sham, shame, shame on you. Leave now!

        1. You have no right to categorize which kind fan I am just because I aim higher than what your mediocre manager can achieve, just wake up and face the reality this is the mighty Arsenal we are talking about. So there’s no way FA Cup will be enough I repeat.

    2. The FA Cup according to you xxxxxx (soop and muda) is nothing more than an upgraded League cup? it has no prestige? do a straw poll of professional football players and see what answer you get…then climb back under the rock from which you came. Tell the Spanish, German, French, Italian Leagues that their versiosn of the Cup means JACK!

  3. Arsenal will not win the epl this year I can’t see then going unbeaten even if Leicester Tottenham and man city all manage to slip up. The fa cup is the only chance for a cup.

  4. Winning the FA Cup two years in a row is an awesome accomplishment, winning 3 years in a row would be mind blowing

    However, there is no guarantee of this. We are playing a replay in the FA Cup because we didn’t beat Hull at Home. They could beat us. Also other quality teams are in it.

    I agree with Ian that we should not batter the FA Cup as to me its still a major trophy and I am proud we won it the last two seasons

    However, Wenger has had over 12 years to win another PL and this year was his best chance. If we don’t win it, I blame Wenger

    1. if u wanna be respected the world over, then win major trophies………to be respected well over europe , lift the EPL and/or UCL

      even tho we are on course for the 3rd FA cup in a row (immense right?) … We are not known to be friends with the FA

  5. Come on Ian Wright its the same argument.

    Arsenal fans are by no means asking we give up on FA Cup – God knows we’ll need it as I cant see us ever winning anything else under Wenger – but its the same as saying: Arsenal fans should appreciate reaching Champions League round of 16 those may years in a row as no other club has been that consistent – or – Arsenal fans please appreciate being in the champions league every year as you are the only English team to maintain that consistency….

    Let be pragmatic – This is team was good to win the league this year, not because it doesn’t have weaknesses but its because our usual direct rivals are struggling and we should have taken advantage like they did when we were struggling to pay the stadium.

    Now next I will tell you this, Man city, Chelsea and Liverpool (Sorry I still dont trust Man United) will be going for it, and with the managers they have – its down to get super competitive. Add Leicester and Tottenham to that and you can see why its bloody so painful to not have taken advantage this year.

    We may win the FA Cup again alright, make history and so on. But it will not quench the disappointment of carelessly losing the league to teams who on paper and historically we are better than!

  6. It’s not how fans here at arsenal regard it but rather how it is regard here in England and beyond. Big clubs win league cups like the EPL and champions league with the rest being add-ons that are not significant but nevertheless mildly admired.FA cup and capitol one are not and may never be MAJOR TROPHIES not unless we are HULL city and company,PERIOD!!!

  7. Ian was winning doubles in a team that consistently dominated and threatened opposition whilst having a wall for a defense.

    Shame we can’t relish the FAcup more but our success in the comp is naturally tainted by our failure outside of it over some considerable period.

    I hope we do get to a position where we have a chance to win a historic 3rd in a row but I think it may be a bridge too far.

    But If I’m honest I would gladly swap one for the PL..

  8. Imagine if we won the PL and 3rd FA Cup in a row. Holy Shiiiiit!
    It would definitely be our best double because we made history

    But I would be happy with just the PL
    It doesn’t look good being 8 points adrift but its still possible

    1. L()L I will be so damn excited……… To the extent that i’d ask Wenger to step down honourably!

  9. PHHHHH SAME ALL SAME ALL

    every year we are at the same point same discussions same place same predicament, same subject

    i have people who don’t know Shi7 about football but they can all predict arsenals season month by month as if they had a crystal ball, but we all know you don’t need crystal ball to know what will happen to us,

    so i will try to shut up and expect the worst and be happy with 4th

    1. Well one thing did change. They went from saying Arsenal will never win anything mark my words to Arsenal will never win the prem under Arsene, before someone reminds them that actually happened. Then they say well he or they will never win another one.

  10. I agree with Wrighty, who in their Wright mind wouldn’t. One of my best ever memories is the last FA cup Vieira played in, loved how much they wanted that cup. The come back against Hull was pretty great too, awesome feeling.

  11. Arsenal lack spine in our current team. We dominated pre 2004 cause we had the likes of Adams, Bould, Keown, Viera, Petit, Silva – all players that drove fear into oppositions hearts and were not only good on the ball, but hard as nails.

    At the moment our squad is too soft and this is why we cannot win crucial games or beat teams who are physical and fight for the ball. Our strikers are also not up to scratch. Giroud, Walcott, Chamberlain, Welbeck, Campbell (although I rate him highly) would only make Barca, Madrid, Bayern and even PSG B team. They would be lucky to be on the 1st team bench. We want to challenge for CL? Then our squad needs to be just as good as these teams mentioned – simple as that.

    1. I agree fully about the stature of those players but people need to realise how Arsene showed everyone the way when he created those teams and now everyone is signing athletes and hiring nutritionists and using far reaching scouting systems especially in France. He showed them all the way to create fast strong exciting counter attacking teams while he himself has been influenced by Barcelona ..go figure.

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