Is Wenger really to blame for ALL Arsenal’s problems?

Is Wenger the villain or the silent martyr by Briantole

After a recent run of poor results we have all lost our minds and sanity and rightfully so. We as loyal fans deserve better. Arsenal related websites and blogs have all purred off their discontent in what goes on at AFC. And someone has to take responsibility for that and that person has and always been Wenger. So much has been asked about the Boss. What has he made AFC to become? A top club or a laughing stock. So much cons and short comings have been put across to suggest the failures of Wenger at this club, such as some teams having complete dominance over Arsenal, like Chelsea, or Arsenal not being a force in Europe.

Arsene has also been accused of being too much of an economist financially. That has caused so much disruption in our beloved club and tension between fans. The culprit has always been made out be Wenger by all fans. So are we all right to blame this one person or is there another side of the story? After years of limited success Wenger has finally managed to win the FA cup for two years in a row. It might not be enough but it has certainly relieved some pressure off him.
So now we have a squad, which some make it out to be good, while others still believe it is a few players short off major success.

But during those years of misery what really happened?
1/ we got so many infuriating injuries. Our key players like Fabregas and van Persie were too injury prone and that, in one way or the other, caused our success to be minimal. Was it Wenger’s carelessness or was the medical department the real cause of our problems? Now many of these problems were mainly fitness problems which are mainly directly concerned with the medical department. And such shows you the incompetent nature of the medical department then.
2/ Failed transfers – If you look at how we conducted our transfer business then. You would see the very unorthodox methods used. We were mainly going for young players while going to search for very cheap alternatives. It proved to be such a hindrance to our success. Other than that we always hear how Wenger complains on missed targets who turned out to be world class. There was certainly a problem to the one involved in transfer negotiations. And in addition to that we lost many of our key players such as Cole, Nasri, Fabregas and Van Persie to other clubs thus diminishing our resources.

Now moving on to the present.
I will be truthful and admit we now have a beautifully assembled squad capable of achieving great things. At times it has disappointed us while at other times it has made us proud. We had found that rhythm within us until everything was disrupted by injuries. Gradually everyone is returning and we are soon to have a full strength squad. We all know how far we can produce a magical performance if all goes well. It is easy to blame one person after a poor performance but it goes on to show you how collective a responsibility it is if you watch the game clearly. This team performed well in preseason and maybe gave Wenger hope that it is capable of doing great things. Maybe that was the reason why Wenger did not go into the transfer market and decided to put faith in his present squad.

Sometimes it is good to look at things in a rational manner. It might be best for everyone. I am not in any way giving excuses, far from it. In fact, I agree something must change here. But Wenger does not need to bear everyone’s burden. We need to put weight on other people’s shoulders. We are seeing Wenger doing his job. So must others in order to move forward. Blaming Wenger only might be a grave mistake. The board and the staff are all equally responsible.

Wenger needs assistance in his job. And everyone needs to back him up or otherwise nothing special will happen.

Tags Arsenal board Wenger

30 Comments

  1. You are right. All the keyboard warriors on here seem to think that Wenger does everything from the laundry to mowing the lawn, and if we don’t win every trophy every year, in fact every single game in every single competition then he should be sacked. I will be very surprised if at least one of them calls you deluded for writing this.

    Why can’t we just support the team every week not just for the next game?

    1. Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t know the manager was not responsible for team selection and the quality of players brought to the club. Not. Just look at Barca, Bayern, City, etc. and then ask yourself if we really have the same level of players as them. Those teams put fear in every opponents they face, meanwhile Swansea, Southampton, etc. are always excited to face us cause of the predictable tactics our manager uses. Now tell me, do we really deserve to call ourselves one of the biggest teams in Europe or are we just pretenders ? Because the biggest teams do everything to win instead of being satisfied with 0-0 draws against Stoke, the biggest teams also go for the most talented players instead of average ones. We should be running away with the title, instead we’re still fighting for top 4 while Tottenham have been scoring more goals than us and are above us in the table. Both Leicester and Spuds have a stronger mentality than us, there’s only one person to blame for that and if you don’t think so then you might as well admit you know nothing about football.

      1. Look, friend, this is the EPL… no team fears anyone, every team can beat anyone.
        You talk about acquisition of talented players….all players that were brought into the 1st team for the last 2 seasons or so are extremely talented..bellerin, sanchez, ozil, Gabriel, coquelin. we also have the likes of carzola, wilshere, monreal, Kos…all talented, so I don’t know what you are complaining about.
        Besides, “going for most talented players” doesn’t necessarily translate to direct success, Leicester is an example. City, Chelsea, Man Utd would buy anyone yet here they are….below us on the table.

        1. We have not won the title in more than a decade now. Why has this been? What do we attribute this to? How could it be corrected?
          Someone help me explain…I’m confused here.

          1. Stadium debt being number 1. Because of it, we were unable to afford world class players and had to settle for bargain buys. This had a ripple effect, as on top of that we had players like Fabregas, RvP etc who were all offered much better salaries at other clubs which we just couldn’t match. So they left. Every season we lost 2-3 key players which was an extra burden on Wenger as he had to rebuild the squad. Yet, he still made a top four finish every single year – an amazing feat when taking the above into consideration. So we can actually THANK Wenger that we are where we are now as without those top four finishes, we would not have Ozil, Sanchez or Cech with us.

            Only in 2012/13 did we start spending money again as the stadium debt was under control, plus new lucrative deals with Puma and Emirates coming through. Since then we have won back to back F.A cups plus a few others. Not bad going at all. We are lying third at the moment and are still very much in the title race. People forget that the EPL is not a two horse race anymore…there are literally 6 teams all capable of winning it. Not having won the title in so long is propably the main reason why fans are against Wenger, but when taking the above into consideration, he deserves some slack and more support.

          2. Did you really expect the team we had back then to win anything? let me remind you incase you have forgotten; Due to financial constraints, we had to rely on a team that had lots of inexperienced teenagers (eg teenage walcott, ramsey, gibbs, wilshere, fabregas etc), injury prone players (eg, RVP, TR7, Diaby, gibbs, walcott, wilshere, etc) and some cheap mediocre players (squillaci, denilson, arshavin, chamack, Lord, Gervinho, Gallas, Andre santos, Park chu young etc.). Arsene also had to cope with departures of stars that he developed himself (Nasri, Cesc, RVP, A. Cole, Clichy, etc)
            What manager could possibly win anything with such challenges?
            Need I also mention to you that when Carzola arrived for a fee around 19m in 2012, he was the record signing for that decade, before then Arshavin was a record signing for something around 15m in 2008/09.
            So basically Wenger had nothing to compete with, to be honest we are lucky to have even made top four so consistently

        2. False, every team fears Man City and Pellegrini only has himself to blame for their sloppy play. When you have players like Toure and Aguero the opponent will not even think about attacking you as much because they would rather defend which essentially hands City control over the majority of games they play. When you have Giroud and Flamini the opponent knows they can remain calm defensively and counter without any problem. We’re the only top team in England who suffers more than one 4-0 defeat each season, I repeat, EACH SEASON. Now tell me, is that not the manager’s fault ?

  2. lol!!!! Here we go again. I do hope we win the title this season. No doubt, Wenger is a saint and we must all worship him.

    Oh, holy father Wenger, pray for us and bless us, your children. Amen

  3. Wenger is not to blame for ALL of Arsenal’s problems, but he is to blame for a fair number of them. Recently, there have been occasions where I see slack play from Theo and I could blame Theo instead of blaming Wenger.

    But here’s the big picture: we’ve finished in top 4 for God knows how many years, but of all those times, we’ve only finished first once. You could call it consistently making the top 4, but you could also wonder: how is it that a team could be so close for 12 years and only ever make it to the very top once? Does top 4 represent the very pinnacle of our ability so that it should be so celebrated each time? But what accounts for having achieved it so very many times and not going to the next level? Is the distance from 4th to 1st so much beyond our capability?

    Although many accuse Wenger of being cheap, I think there’s more: he did try to get Higuain and others. His repeated failure to get top level strikers indicates to me not only cheapness but it implies he and his team are just not very good at winning these battles. I don’t know how much of that is cheapness, dithering, slowness or other factors. How can you expect players to give it their all every week when you as the manager screw up so badly in the summer when it’s your turn?

    I could go on about late substitutions, favoritism etc., but I want to focus on the fact that from time to time AFC are able to pull off “upsets” by beating the very top teams. To me, this indicates our squad’s top gear is very high. For sure, it’s not as high as Bayern or Barca, but we’re in their ballpark! So what accounts for our domestic lapses against “lower” teams? Sure, you get a Southampton once in a while where it’s just not our day (and I hold no grudges for that match), but when I see the work rate of LCFC or Dortmund etc. I begin to wonder if Wenger has what it takes to motivate our players week in week out? His age, and his milquetoast style certainly would let many to have questions.

    The players are usually early 20s ; they have some experience but nowhere near as much as Wenger. Plus, as manager, he decides where to put them, when to play them and what they should be doing. He should shoulder most of the blame for our “post stadium” inability to kick on from 4th to first.

  4. Wenger makes all game day decisions, he makes all managing and coaching decisions and he makes all player decisions and therefore he is totally responsible for the outcome.

    Why is this so difficult to understand?

    Why does Wenger have an extensive scouting staff throughout the world and a massive financial bankroll and then sign only a squad player from Egypt?

    Why does Wenger extend the contract at enormous wages for a player like Theo Walcott and then let the “little princess” sit on the bench game after game?

    Why does Wenger hold on to players past their prime like Rosicky and Arteta when they contribute virtually nothing to the squad either domestically or in international competition?

    Wenger deserves much of the credit for keeping Arsenal in the top four for many seasons, but he also deserves the blame for failing repeatedly to do the things necessary to win the title. Are you going to tell me that his army of scouts cannot find anybody better than Rosicky or Arteta to strengthen the squad?

    Wenger is stubborn beyond compare and he can only blame himself if the team fails. The title is wide open this year and Wenger must take the responsibility for the result whatever it may be. Sadly, my guess is that Arsenal will fall short again.

    1. @AndrewU
      So, by your logic, AW is also responsible for the players on pitch performance.
      Every manager managing in football is stubborn to the point he wants to do it his way. Aw is no exception.

      1. @NY_Gunner
        I’m not going to apportion any blame here. But either way you see it, for a team of Arsenal’s calibre, 3 BPL titles in 19 years, with none for over a decade is quite poor, and not a record to be celebrated.

  5. This article is well written…..Arsene!
    The butt stops with Wenger as he’s ultimately responsible to get the team ready for each game, (individually and as a unit).
    My only real gripe, (apart from the lack of a few key signings) is a number of our players seem too comfortable and don’t seem to have the winning/aggresive mentality required to kill off teams and convincingly win games. Walcott, Ox, Ramsey, Giroud…..

    Instilling this mentality is down to the manager assisted by his team, (sports physocolgists etc.)
    The lack of pressure on Wenger and the team often shows.
    Saying all this I hope with all my heart we beat Leicester next game then anythings possible.
    COYG!!

  6. After the Invincibles several
    factors developed which saw
    Arsenal go 11 years with out
    the EPL title. The question is
    how much each factor played
    in the 11 year hiatus.
    1. Arsene believed he was superior to every one else
    so did not respect his opponents or their managers.
    2. The Fighting qualities of Sir Alex Ferguson.
    3. The arrival of Abramovich at Chelsea
    4. The arrival of the Quatari syndicate at City.
    5. The stadium build which took finance and focus
    away from the teams performance.
    6. A new clientele happy with 4th place entertainment.
    7.The “sustainable model” where by the New Owner wanted
    ECL qualification i.e. 4th place ahead of actually winning anything.
    8. So Arsene could abandon winning a for a more genial
    4th place focus allowing him to experiment with all manner
    of strange signings, keeping injured players and keeping
    and playing favourites long after their used by date.
    9. The 8-2 at Old Trafford was a wake up call.
    Eventually Arsene signed Ozil then two years later Sanchez.
    And now through luck Cech and Coquelin.
    So why did it take so long to be seriously competitive again?
    To top it all off we are competing with Leicester
    a team of nobodies and perennial failures Spurs
    not our great enemies Chelsea and Utd!!!

  7. Speaking of team selection, that front 4 yesterday is the best we have…mostly coz I’ve been a supporter of the OX ahead of Walcott and Campbell for a long time now. He just brings something entirely different and I’m delighted he got the goal. But that midfield though.

  8. Arsene is to blame for putting Kroenke’s plans in action. If he had any guts, he would go out in public, resign and state the reasons of his resignation being Kroenke’s ambition being top four and constant selling of our top players.

  9. Look, in one way or the other, I think we can all concur that Arsene Wenger’s a legend in the sport… and according to the grapevine, a fashionista of some sort as well, but that’s beside the point. We all bring good points to the flogging a dead horse discussions. He’s notoriously stubborn, team selection seems obvious to everyone but him, the injuries, the stadium debt all obscure what appears straight forward to everyone else blah blah.
    11 years is no joke I get it. It’s frustrating that we’ve seen the finish line but can’t quite get over it. 2007-08 still breaks my heart. Is Wenger the problem? I can’t say for sure but I’ll certainly have a better say after this season. But replacing him is another argument altogether. Several media outlets have Saints boss Ronald Koeman as the next boss. Koeman sounds good to everyone then?

  10. Would you listen to yourselves for christ sake, talking like we are down there with Chelsea and the season is over. And whats with this twelve years thing when on occasion when it suits you you yourself will mention how we only really started spending three seasons ago. That thing about spending three seasons ago is there for all to see, its no coincidence we actually started winning trophies straight after the first big spend.

    1. Comment of the year so far. Wish the other fans had your intellect. They cannot see the bigger picture and keep throwing the baby out with the bathwater concerning this title drought.

  11. I really do not get it..some of those in support of the manager in this site are following their heart as he does with some over ratted and injury prone players.The fact is , we knew that moving from Highbury to EMIRATES would have affected the team funding for STAR PLAYERS for several years but there is something call planning that every business follows..you need foundations to go through this transition ( academy and good scouting ) which ours is ABYSMAL..SPUDS is having new stadium built and already got a Manager with a vision who has found and brought some young players who are showing signs that by the time they can not afford massive expenses in top players ..they make sure , they can compete. WHERE ARE OURS? do not come and tell me Iwobi and Adelaide bla bla..Look at Ali, Davis, and few who i can not remember that Pochetino has brought to the first team selection mixed with senior players.We have financial resources according to the media to go and at least spent 100 million in 3 top players ( ST – DM – CB ) which will bounce back on double digits on marketing and media exposure with the new TV deal..not 150 or 200 millions as we are not City or Utd but will put us up there with the big ones to compete for EPL and UCL so it comes from a manager sitting with the board and tell them I NEED THIS MONEY to spend in players I know will give us success for years t come not going Cheap all the time.people blame Kroenke but If a manager ask the owner for finance and he can not get it then he resign..then the culprit is the owners so the FANS CAN SHOW THEIR DISAPPROVAL boycotting ticket sales and merchandising but ANY TRANSFER WINDOW THE COACH COMES AND SAID WE CAN NOT FIND SPECIAL ONE TO GIVE US A LIFT..and there is no better ST out there than Croock Welbeck..he got Ozil after a trashing..Sanches after poor start..then he’s the one to blame. SO WHO’S DECEIVING THE FANS? WHY WE HAVE NOT WON IT FOR SO LONG?

    1. Where have Spurs finished the last 10 years? When last did Spurs win anything worth anything? You assume that both Ozil and Sanchez were panic buys, yet have no evidence of this. You cannot just phone up Madrid and expect to have a player like Ozil the next day? It takes weeks, even months of negotiations to iron out all the details, but also these are human beings we are talking about, they have families they have to uproot every time they move to another City or Country. I think fans fail horribly at actually understanding all the factors involved behind being a manager – its not a video game where you push a few buttons and have a world beating team at your disposal, it takes time and the right chemistry between the team mates which I think Arsenal are extremely close to having.

      1. The counterpoint to that claim is if and when Arsenal fall to the mighty Barcelona sword and potentially struggle down the stretch for the Wenger 4th place crown, will world class players such as Sanchez and Ozil commit there futures to the Emirates and Wenger. Will a self proclaimed BIG European football club that consistently underachieves in its domestic league and refuses to spend the money needed to seriously challenge in Europe be able to attract such WC players to tbe red side of London?

        We all may despise the economic platform that Oil City implements to run there football club but damb I envy there ambition in England and on the World Stage. Tbey may be languishing in 4th @ the moment but Pep and his unlimited budget will have them dominating England in due time.

        As for our beloved Kroenke, he has another new stadium to built in LA.

  12. I will repost this comment from time to time now on so you could remember it!!!
    It’s all about wrong or lack of psychological motivation boost for the players before the game and at half time.
    It results with often clueless hoovering in front of opponents goal, panic and clumsy reactions when defending and clearing out the danger.
    So somebody is not doing his job right!!
    Whoever that is, he should be fired!!!

    P.S
    Maybe some reporters could use this and ask Wenger about it in the press conference.
    I think that it’s much more important question rather than for ex: spending half of the press conf. talking about John fkn Terry ahead of S’ton game.
    I mean…C’mon man fuk dat.

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