My view on Wenger’s reign by S Vernon
For almost two decades Arsenal have been privileged to have Arsene Wenger as one of the leading figures in the world of football. He has achieved unrivalled premier league success and been successful almost to the point of perfection… A manager that managed great players, managed great victories and great unbeaten seasons…. For ONE decade of the 20….at least
What made him great…
Throughout the history of the game you can pinpoint certain teams and certain managers that had a ‘winning formula’ from Bob Paisley with Liverpool to Alex Ferguson and Man Utd, Brian Clough and Nottingham Forest, to Jose Mourinho and his multi national winning teams. The players had a belief and also a belief in their manager.. They trusted him – he trusted them..and so our dear Wenger had mastered that formula just after he arrived in 1996.
What do great managers understand …? Great managers understand..that..
‘Great teams’ have great defenders and for Wenger’s first few years in charge he had arguably one of the best in Tony Adams along with Keown, Winterburn, Dixon & Bould, Backed up by one of the best goalkeepers in the world, the spine was solid, the belief was inherent and the good times rolled..
I can still hear Martin Tyler’s voice ..03/05/1998 when we beat Everton 4-0 on the final day of the season, Tony Adams waltzing forward and continued up the pitch wondering if his mate Bould would pass .. then and half volleying our 4th to a screech from Tyler.. “Would you believe it..!?!?” “That sums it all up..”! It had all the hallmarks of a Hollywood fairytale, the ugly beast who put his head where you wouldn’t put your foot (a true legend a warrior with balls of steel – someone you wanted in the trenches) topped off a magnificent season..
Wenger’s philosophy and understanding of world football and culture gave him the upper hand in fitness and psychology that allowed him to gain some advantages in his early seasons and which culminated in the perfect unbeaten season of 2003-2004
The last time Arsenal won the Premier league was the 2003-2004 season !
David Dein was at Arsenal from ..around 1983-84 to around 2006-2007
He was instrumental in the signings- Vieira, Petit, Overmars, Henry, Suker, Pires, Campbell Clichy, Toure, Fabregas and van Persie.. Great players…
Most managers are guilty of signing the odd Chamakh or Park or Santos etc.. So even if you average the dross from the moss Wenger’s signings, or should I say Dein’s signings, haven’t been that bad..
The Premier league conundrum
If we take a look at the previous winners of the premier league you realise just how hard it is to win .. From 1992 until the present day only 5 different teams have triumphed mainly dominated by the team in red from Manchester – Premier league winners are as follows :
Man U 13
Arsenal 3 runners up 4 times
Man city 2
Chelsea 3
Blackburn 1
So we have won it thrice in 22 years and Wenger and the board think that’s acceptable???
Stan Kroenke joined the Arsenal board in 2008 we have won 1 trophy in that time up until now.
Abramovich took charge of Chelsea in 2003 – they have won 11 trophy’s including the CL !!
What did Arsene Wenger say after celebrating 15 years in charge of the club in 2011 after enduring one of the most testing spells of his tenure.
He said: “To stay at the top, top level we have to stay united. (Does this mean, don’t sell Nasri, Clichy, Fabregas and van Persie to anyone) or allow Song, Vieira, Henry, Anelka etc to dictate also..?
Wenger went on.. “That does not mean not I am not to be criticised, or the board – we accept that, but we have to show to the outside we are united. If you are not, then you have no chance.” (Why are we never allowed to criticise without being labelled ungrateful?)
He added: “I believe the values we defend are highly defendable.
“We want to do things with class and be very brave. Courage is a quality I admire, because it is highly needed in the modern world.” (The team show little courage and if Mertesackers brave, god help the meek!)
“I can see a lot of fear and discontent among you – (too right!) and I can understand that because we live in a world where we fight with people who have extremely high resources. (Kroenke is richer than the queen so why can’t we compete or can we….. is it just our stubborn manager won’t?)
“We can compete by trying to be intelligent (goal keepers with intelligence don’t behave like arrogant headless chickens) and to be united, because football is very difficult to be consistent and we have been more consistent than anybody in the world in the last 15 years.”
(Who on earth was Wenger trying to fool?) Fourth place and finishing 20 odd points from top isn’t consistent – it’s embarrassing for a club that is supposed to be challenging year in year out! Good managers don’t become bad managers overnight – he’s become bad over 9 yrs- and getting worse!
What’s made him worse?
In Wengers eyes, Arsenal have been the most consistent than anybody in the past 15 years!!!!!!!????
Like a new girlfriend – same with a new manager starting out at a new club, You bend over backwards in a new relationship and after a few years you relax- same with a new manager..
Claiming a Few titles and finishing in the top 4 is consistent in 15 years??? Actually, Arsene you’re right .. Definitely consistent.. Consistently average!
The last time we were competitive was in 2004.. So we have been consistent since then for a top 4 finish. Winning the league is hard, but being competitive is actually looking like you can win it!!!
David Dein’s departure had many people scratching their heads in wonder as to the ability of Arsene finding quality players again..? My personal stance on this is that we lost our edge when Dein left..
When you take Man Utd or Liverpool and their history.. Their Managers etc
Fergie.. Greatest Premier league manager of all time.. Reinvented teams consistently over a period of 3-5 years – the highlight being his famous 1999 treble -?
That is consistent !
Mourinho won title after title wherever he’s been, including the CL with 2 clubs. That is consistent! Chelsea have won the champions league and 11 trophies in total in 9 years under Abramovich rule..
A club that has a genuine desire to be at the top (as WENGER put it) would not, I will repeat myself for effect, would not have a manager in charge of their club that was not competitive for almost 10 years.
In every walk of life whether it’s sporting or not, if you are not improving a team of people to produce better results consistently, you would quite simply be fired! If you snooze you lose.. Stagnation is loser mentality.
Before I react like the jerk of the proverbial knee, I do not want Arsene Wenger to be fired as I have a lot of respect and admiration for what he has done for the club as he is, and always will be, a legend.
However, there is a fundamental imbalance running through the very nature of our club and if we were going to be competitive I’d say..
WE WOULD HAVE BEEN BEFORE NOW!
Questions that either never get explained or answered with a logical response are as follows:
1) Why do we never sign ‘the’ player or 2 that will fill a glaring deficiency and go a long way to enable us to stay being at the top or close to winning titles again?
2) Why do great teams have a solid defence but now we employ the Keystone Kops and a headless chicken between the sticks!!
3) Why don’t we hold onto decent players that show some balls instead of giving into the spoilt brats and disrupting our team cohesion year after year?
4) Why don’t we give certain youth players a chance?
5) Why do you persist with your favourites (allow them to become injured) while they are clearly no better than the fit able bench warmers that either go on loan or rot in the reserves?
6) Why have you discarded strong athletic players as we don’t have a strong spine to the team anymore?
7) Why do we get so many injuries?
8) Why can’t we beat the teams that finish in the top 4 anymore?
9) Why did we sign Mertesacker and give Arteta a new contract?
10) Why after almost 10 years haven’t we been able to win the premier league playing with the same outdated philosophy year after year and persisting with the same system, style of play and diminutive players?
I’m intrigued to know what we will make of these transitional times of the past decade and how after 20 years in charge people will be saying it’s been a game of 2 decades..!
In a nutshell, Arsene Wenger’s ego is huge, he is stubborn beyond comprehension, no amount of logical reasoning will wash with him as he is the omnipotent bearer of truth that only his eyes can see..the owners believe they must honour and respect Arsene like a god because of his name and what he did in his first 10 years as manager.
Arsene.. You have taken our beloved Arsenal as far as you can!! Are you just hanging on – like the jilted partner refusing to let go or when the relationship is over – but you can’t quite make the final push to say goodbye because you have lost interest in each other and it’s gone too far to resurrect the old passion you once shared…? The players know you are coming to the end just like your spouse does ..it’s a slow death waiting to happen.. I’m not sure the players believe YOU believe you can win the Premiership ever again.. That mentality is defeatist and if the players need a role model, then it’s Wenger’s stubborn weak or mild manner running throughout this current crop of mediocrity.. plus the lack of belief we can’t win the league but only compete for 4th which will eventually seal his fate. We are only an average team at best. The Spuds, Southampton and even Liverpool are as good as us. We are a tier below the likes of Man City and Chelsea and a new steel needs to be built within the team to have ANY chance of competing again.
That steel can’t be built by Arsene Wenger or Stan Kroenke ..
Farewell Arsene it’s not getting any better my old friend…
Steven
Wenger has his problems but the players also need to look at themselves. They’re not babies. I mean Mertesacker our vice-captain ducking a set-piece.
The best Manager in the world lost heavily today. Sometimes we have to call out the players. No passion or desire. Just show up and expect to win and collect a cheque.
Our back 4 is made up of German, French and England internationals who played in the world cup. Why can’t they organise themselves, why do they have to be babied?
Szcesny’s clanger which Led to the 2nd goal…… And his throat got dried…… You should have seen him rushing his drink
this very Hotspur under pochettino is a marvel…… How they play, how the control the game……. CheLski was torn to shreds, can’t even find traces of em pieces….
still regret wasting 90mins of my Life watching that utter crap!
JUST ONCE I would like to beat mourinho. To see him scowl. Remonstrate with the ref while we put them to the sword.
JUST ONCE..but will never happen with this manager.
Crap day of football for me
5th richest club in the world with our 2 cdms being a 19 year old right back and the a Charlton loanee left midfielder, what an utter joke this club has become.
(comment taken from youtube)
Coquelin was again one of the best players in an Arsenal shirt, he was harrying players but just didn’t have the support from his team mates.
100% not his fault, another Wenger blunder.
We are short
So Stop !
What happens when you spare the cash and refuse to buy an iPhone?
Answer : pretty soon, your house is full of many useless androids.
Since the invisible were dismantled, it is pretty obvious that the owners have refused to spend the money. The amount made available have only been enough to patch existing holes and not for improvements.
Van piersie was asking for £200,000 a week , song was asking for an upgrade to his £60,000 a week for his performances on the pitch.however the money mem at the club (gazidis) refused.
All this means that we are not competing at the top of the market for world class players. In short, we shop at pound land while our rivals shop at Marks and Spencers
Ozil and sanchez were bought to sell shirts and fill stadiums. Ozil especially,was a gazidis purchase after the loss to Aston villa.
We were lucky need with Mata, hazard,David silva etc before the Chelsea knew they existed. Yet we did not have the money.
Unless you agree that the whole team needs an overhaul, then your complaints are not tenable.
What happens when you spare the cash and refuse to buy an iPhone?
Answer : pretty soon, your house is full of many useless androids.
Since the invisible were dismantled, it is pretty obvious that the owners have refused to spend the money. The amount made available have only been enough to patch existing holes and not for improvements.
Van piersie was asking for £200,000 a week , song was asking for an upgrade to his £60,000 a week for his performances on the pitch.however the money mem at the club (gazidis) refused.
All this means that we are not competing at the top of the market for world class players. In short, we shop at pound land while our rivals shop at Marks and Spencers
Ozil and sanchez were bought to sell shirts and fill stadiums. Ozil especially,was a gazidis purchase after the loss to Aston villa.
We were linked with Mata, hazard,David silva etc before the Chelsea knew they existed. Yet we did not have the money.
Unless you agree that the whole team needs an overhaul, then your complaints are not tenable.
Kroenke wont change Wenger until he is dethroned off his 4th spot, it is as simple as that. I’m not tired of watching us lose, I’m tired of watching us PLAY. Inconsistency, injuries, lack of discipline… the list goes on. As far as I am concerned Wenger has come out and said the board have backed him with the cash if he requires it, whether Arsene has gone out of his way to lie and cover for the powers that be to save his job is none of my business. If he still had any balls about him he’d hang up his (ridiculously long) coat and call it a day. I’m just tired of the same old tosh, that is all. Sigh.
The players need a manager that gives them confidence.
SAF was famous for winning titles with mediocre players. The players feared and respected him at the same time.
Players like Ibra have said that Mou makes them feel like Lions.
THE PLAYERS ARE SIMPLY NOT GOOD ENOUGH
David seaman at his worst is 10 times Szeczny.
Viera is 30 times flamini + arteta
Martin keown = 2000 x mertesacker
Robert pirez = 500000 x the brains of wilshere + ox
I can go on and on
Only the following players will get into the invisible or early wenger era substitute bench.
Cazorla for Reyes
Ozil for petit
Gibbs for Ashley Cole or van brochurst
Debuchy for Lauren
Kolcieny for kolo toure
Sanchez for Kanu, wilttord or overmars
Özil would not merit any place in the invincible team
It is not tactics anymore?
Now confidence.
Next time it will be injury.
I will tell you one simple fact.
There are players in the arsenal team who wouldn’t get a game on the streets of Rio de jeneiro.
Street football : show up without a boot and players are chosen based on their pure natural talents.
Dribbling skills
Mesmerising and dummying skills
Ball retention skills under pressure
Show boating skills
Ball control skills
Warnings :
running with the ball means you will never get a game ever again .
You must show off your talents
You must never turn your back to your marker when on the ball.
ans so on
Dumb comparison, Chelsea is looted with money. We are not looted with money. We cannot ‘buy’ ourselves titles. That one comparison has ruined this whole article. Smh.
Here is the reason Wenger will never be fired.
Kronke is an absentee owner. He can leave for 18 months , come back and Wenger will have Arsenal on a solid financial footing. Wenger is coach/manager/financial manager all in one.
The Board is satisfied with Wenger, the vast majority of fans are satisfied.
Now the loudmouth twitter morons, FIFA15 football experts are pissing in the wind screaming Wenger out. It will never happen.
Arsenal fans like me who have been Arsenal fans before the Twitter twats were born recognize the the bleating will stop as soon as we go on another winning streak. The Twitter Tools are fickle.
I remember when we bought Wright for $2.9million. I remember when we bought Titi and fans were moaning “some skinny winger from France”. Recently the FIFA farts wanted Balo Balo Balo. What happened to Balotelli?
Several things to accept as an Arsenal fan:
We can never outbid Chelsea PSG and the other big boys.
The Chezzer will have two moments of madness every season and charge out his goal.
We suffer serious injuries; no one knows why. Arsenal has a medical team trying to have an answer.
For heavens sake stop posting dream lists of players; this is real life, not your computer game. Would you sell Pogba? Can we spend $100 million on a Bale ?
Get real , support your club, support your team, and STOP WEEPING LIKE LITTLE GIRLS.
Even The Ox admitted that the players have been shocking this season
THE TRUTH IS WENGER IS A GOOD MANAGER WHO HAS LOST TOUCH WITH THE CURRENT GAME DUE TO UNWILLINGNESS TO ADAPT, NOT TAKING ADVICE FROM OTHERS WHO HAVE IDEAS TO CONTRIBUTE AND BELIEVING HIS OWN HYPE. THE INCONSISTENCY AND FRAGILE NATURE OF WENGERS TEAM WILL NOT DELIVER ANY SUCCESS, FOR SURE AND HE IS PARTLY TO BLAME FOR THIS EVERYTIME THEY DO BADLY ON THE PITCH. No man knows everything no matter how long you stay within a career.
Watching tottenham being Chelsea today, you are almost assured that Wenger could not achieve that with either Arsenal or Tottenhams squad.
ARSENAL NEEDS CHANGE URGENTLY BUT I AM HONESTLY UNSURE HOW THIS WILL COME. BY LOSING 4TH SPOT, CHANGE OF MANAGER, NEW PLAYERS etc ANYTHING WILL HELP.
It’s time for the fans, ALL FANS, to get real. The problem is the manager. It’s not like he’s just had one bad game this season, it goes back to many bad games over several seasons. The players carry out the managers plans, however uncomfortable they may be. The keeper is poor but the manager continues with him, he has turned our great club into a laughing stock. Let’s not defend mediocrity any longer.
It’s all about the mentality.
The board and the manager and it eventually gets to the players.
If he can come out in interviews and say “2014 was a good year”, after going from 5 points clear at the start to finishing 4th, how do you think the players are going to react?
They are happy being average, collecting their big salaries, driving nice cars with their WAGs, while us fans waste our precious time and money.
Arsene is the worst manager in the whole world, even a cricket or baseball coach can assemble a football team to beat him. Stupid man
Arsene is the worst manager in the whole world, even a cricket or baseball coach can assemble a football team to beat him. Stupid man I pity those that will pay for season ticket next season
You post in anger without reason. Why?
The rest of us will buy tickets and gear. You know there is a waiting list for season tickets, don’t you?
I am sooo jealous of Hazard
Spuds put 5 past their ass today.
Arsene is the worst manager in the whole world, even a cricket or baseball coach can assemble a football team to beat him. I pity those that will pay for season ticket next season
Stupid comment.
Yes, that was stupid.
Steven dear, you’re simply frustrated because Arsenal lost today. Sorry sha… It’ll be well…believe me!
AKB’s will still look 4 excuses 4Him and if we go on a 2 game wining run beating top european. Clubs like burnley and leicester den dey will come out again and claim his d best manager in d league
Fans are fickle. Remember them calling “Let Chambers play DM” Well?
u thought chambers was the problem today?
Tyno are you a spud?
You haven’t looked at the whole picture. This article is dumb.
What’s the whole picture ..?
The last 10 years not good enough to paint a picture??
Arsenal fans here are the worst set of fans in the history of the game. They come on here and boast before a match, then come back after 90mins to moan, cry and call the manager all sorts of names. Stinking really…
@Tyno…….. And u are what? …… A saint right? ……..u don’t moan, you don’t complain, you don’t celebrate arsenal winning, you don’t see anything wrong with this team, you don’t see how clueless ur god (wenger) is……. Nice sitting on the fence…… I’d like to consider you a static fan……one who’s non-existent
It pains me everyday; It puts me off too that my team doesn’t win. I can shed tears when they lose like they did today. I would want Arsene to drop WS1, yes, and use Martinez. I can criticize Wenger, the players etc, but I wouldn’t insult him. You needed to see him shed tears today. Which other way can he show you his passion? He wanted to win; we wanted to win. Can’t you see we’re together in this? Support is the word, or don’t bother. Shiv happens anyway. Chelsea ring a bell?
AKB’s will still look 4 excuses 4Him and if we go on a 2 game wining run beating top european. Clubs like burnley and leicester den dey will come out again and claim his d best manager in d league
Once beaten, twice shy. Arsenal (NORTH LONDON) 5 vs 3 Chelsea {Stanford Bridge}
Spurs (NORTH LONDON) 5 vs 3 Chelsea {W H L}.
Ours is superior because it was away.
However, I got something that cheered me up after the back four Howler today. Spurs tastes good.
chelsea cldnt beat them…and fans do think we can win?
wenger.out!
Chelsea came out to play football against Tottenham and got thrashed. When they play Arsenal, City, United and Sometimes Liverpool. Arsenal is easiest to play against because we don’t have plan b.
The was no major referring mistake today in their game vs Tottenham, and still Mourinho complains.
On the otherhand I don’t know what Wenger is on about today saying ‘their goalkeeper kept them in the team’. Forster only made one good save, unless he means by not making 2 mistakes he kept them in the game.
This is the year we drop out of top 4, and when that happens Arsenal better hope the players step up cause no world class player will come then.
Wenger better strengthen in January cause we in the shit and with current team have no hope.
If Spurs clinch top 4 above us will the AKB’S still worship the deluded one
You panic too easy !
Tyno is obviously someone possessing physic ability who is aware that unlike the last 10 years the following ones will be paved with gold under his (AW) stewardship.
Naive, dillusional and blindly following.
As I have said many time
Wenger
Bould
Schez
Mert
Gibbs
Kos
Monreal
Arteta
Flamink
Flamini
Jack
Screw it just dump the entire team and coaching staff and start from scratch
Irrational anger? You seem unable to format a proper solution.
Go back a few articles and I said Kos is nothing but a good back up.
Guess he proved me right
we should have paid the 30m and sign gary cahill a few years back….hes world class, wanted by bayern, real, barca and etc….and doesnt makes mistakes like kos….
He was never 30 mil… why do you insist on blowing up every player’s price, do you think this is just monopoly money?
I do agree we should have gotten him though, he’s class.
It was £6m
WOW, you genius!!!!! Let’s all bow down to the mighty predictive power Craig!
Yeh, guess what, I said all Chelsea’s defenders were utter shit and look, I was proven right by them letting in 5 goals. Not only that, I predicted that Falcao was the best striker in the world and was proven right today when he scored in their 1-1 draw to Stoke.
but seriously, good job, they should hire you to help guide them.
if chelsea are utter shit, what are arsenals defence.
every team has an off day- we have off-years.
ur proven right by one game ?
falcao is best striker? let me guess mystic megan – ronaldo is is the best winger 🙂
You an AKB I see, one of the reasons we in this position with a useless manager.
Enjoy Europa next season
2 defensive error causes the goals…..
we are juz passing the ball around….
a major overhaul of the first team is required….
with Wenger around…..we will not improve, hoping for a draw in every game will led to a better life….
Nobody here can deny Wenger was one of the greatest… was.
Only the Wenger lovers still believe he still is.
serious football fans and arsenal lovers wanted this man gone 3 or 4 years ago when it was clear that his ego and arrogance was getting in the way of what was happening on the pitch…. one FA Cup and a sh** load of sad excuses later we are a second-tier team with 4th place aspirations … some of our best players have been sold or moved on and in most cases to better things we have been left with a whole bunch of mediocre players …. ramsey podolski merteshaker flamini arteta gibbs jenkinson walcott giroud etc…. or worse…squillaci, chamakh, djuorou, frimpong,senderos… annointed by the great gallic bs artist at one time or another as our next great footballing saviour and exciting the 4th place junkies that keep wenger in his job….his ocassional successful foray in to the market…carzola kos sanchez ozil… were ad hoc and in some cases accidental signings that were done with little sense of why or where to play them..but then playing them out of position and with insufficient quality around them to bring best out of them…. enough for me…so only one new year’s wish….JUST GO…and thanks to the irate fan who managed to get to wenger’s technical area this afternoon…the kind of passion and determination that wenger is utterly incapable of brining to this club
sheez needs to be dropped permanently….
Just as pissed off as everybody else, but AW is not on the pitch.
He and his right hand man, one of the best Arsenal defenders a few years ago manage the team, but if the defensive players themselves do not seem aware of the responsibilities given to them, then don’t blame management.
One of the basic rules as a defender is to get the ball as far away from goal as possible if a cross comes in, not try and pass it out.What the ferk was their second goal all about ?
BFG is now far to slow now and puts other defenders under pressure.
The Invincibles sorted the defence out themselves and covered each other, unfortunately injuries have stopped this from being possible at the moment.
However as proffessional footballers they should be able to work this out for themselves during training with overall advise from AW and Bould.
No wonde AKB is as frustrated as the rest of us.
Don’t shoot the piano player.
Up the Gunners.
Forget to say Happy New Year all you Gooners. It’s not over til it’s over.
CYG.
Who chooses the players?
Who repeatedly plays the same players above others?
Who fails to sign better quality players time and time again?
Yes, players are always to blame but you don’t talk to the monkies when the organ grinder is in the room..
I think us fans have every right to moan and be discontent. For over a decade since our last stint of real success, we have sat patiently on the side, supporting our team during years of financial strain due to the stadium expenses, etc etc. We have watched all our best and loved players leave this club, because let’s be honest they saw this coming a mile away and were wise to get out as their career and winning trophies was more important than loyalty to a sinking ship.
They had a replay of the 2006 CL final on the other night, and when Barca scored the second, the writing was on the wall for many of our top players…the shake of Henry’s head and facial expression said it all. Not long after that, ironically he departed for the same club that broke our hearts. The trend continued and we saw players groomed and nurtured from a young age like Fabregas and Van Persie all leave for clubs with more desire and passion to win. Yet, of course what could we do but trust the judgement and goals of our board and have faith in our manager.
Since then, we have witnessed the same problems year in and year out plaguing our squad – lack of a proper DM and CF, not enough cover in defense and of course every year we go through an injury crisis which just somehow always seems to catch our manager with his pants down. Instead of harboring a player like Diaby on 60k a week who has contributed next to nothing in the last 4 years, why not get rid of him and bring in a player who can actually contribute and be useful? You would think someone with a masters degree in economics would wise up about things like this. This is just one of the many problems we have at Arsenal that just NEVER get fixed.
I am all for Arsenal having a self sufficient business model being able to cope under any type of economical situation without relying on one individual, but it becomes a problem when the ‘customers’ are exploited with there being no real desire or goal for success, just a means to an end for those in control. It is a major slap in our face that a club with such a rich history and global following, massive wealth, prime location in England we have to sit year after year with these disappointments and be humiliated like we were today and countless other games, especially the thrashings United, Chelsea and City have been giving us over the past few years. I have always given Wenger the benefit of the doubt, but I think it is quite clear he has no clue anymore, no drive, no passion and most importantly no fighting mentality. Our players are just coasting and it is a reflection of Wenger’s attitude. The only player(s) worth 2 cents right now is Sanchez, Ramsey, Rosciky and one or two others who wear their heart on their sleeve for this club.
Someone has to say it – not cutting top 4 this season will be best for this club as the only way Arsene Wenger will ever resign is if this happens. It is sad, but true.
Wenger once won 3 Premierships.
That was 10 soon 11 years ago.
Now Wenger is successful at
winning the 4th place trophy.
The EPL landscape has changed in 10 years.
Arsenal made a conscious decision to
develop a “4th place sustainable franchise model”
and it is to be fair a run away success.
We may not like it or accept it but we either
learn to appreciate the model or look else where
for our football needs.
We beat West Ham, QPR, west brom and palace.. Same old same old cannon fodder.. Yet against the better teams.. We fail miserably with our weak spine.. No steel and average players.. Only sanchez can hold his head high …
A complete overhaul is necessary to even get close to competing again..
Wenger and Kroenke can’t bring back that steel we so desperately miss…
I reached the point where I would be happy with Shawcross in our back 4, and another like him in DM. He may not have the class of some of our players but he gives 100% on the pitch.
Arsene was guilty of badly setting up the team, the players we guilty of not playing to their potential. A real shame as we would have been in the top 4 tonight and closing on United.
Reinforcements are required, as well as making an example of a couple of players. Send them a message by shipping out Szcesny.
People laughed when I mentioned Ron vlaar in the summer and people will laugh at Ryan shawcross… But the truth is they are BOTH worthy of replacing 2 out of 3 of our current back 4!!
Would reinforcements be the right type of player if wenger signed them.. I’m losing trust in his ability to sign the steely type player we need..?
Two BIG problems…..
Wenger only rewards players who perform IF (a BIG IF) they are on his favorites list. Players who perform well but are not his favorites rot on the dead wood pile.
Wenger does not like to bring in players if fans/pundits like them. He likes to maintain the fantasy that he has unique ability to recognize “true talent.” Conversely getting rid of players that do not work out is often too damaging to his ego so he does not do it or waits far too long.
Many of the truly talented players move on to other teams when they get the chance.
kos is officially not a good player after todays game..
Buy from ligue 2 and you get ligue 2 quality players
You voted him our best defender. Do you have short term memory problems?
*sarcasm alert*
Don’t worry, it is a world cup year…………
As much as I want Wenger to go, I reject the idea that he is a bad manager. He kept the team in Champions League with minimum funds for every single year of his tenure for nearly 2 decades. Not even Sir Alex accomplished that. In addition he won us some PLs and FA Cups and the double.
He is no longer fit to manage a top team, but there are worse managers.
Fred
I listened to Tony cottee comment after the game and although he’s not saying anything we don’t already know – it makes you question Wengers ability to be flexible and think outside the box and adapt to changes within the game..
Unfortunately, Wenger has lost the ability to manage winning teams and instil winning mentalities.. I’m of the belief Wenger has been a great manager for us, but he’s lost his ability to understand changes and move with the times.
Stubborness beyond belief, tactical naievity and inability to sign players ‘that we actually need’!!! Has been our Achilles heel for almost a decade, and until either he changes his ways or is sacked then we will perpetually be a team that can consolidate top 4 and never a team to win the premier league!
Agree there are worse managers- but there are many who I can think of that will see the glaring deficiencies he blatantly refuses to acknowledge..
Major overhaul is required…
OUT: Giroud, Arteta, Diaby, Flamini, Coquelin, Sanago, Monreal,Debuchy, KOS, Per, Sheez, Welbeck, Carzola, Ozil, Rosicky, Poldi, Campbell and Wenger….
the above players and manager should be release with immediate effect….
You just sold 18 players. Is that the thought of a rational human being?
Where will you find 18 world class players to replace them?
Geez, do you people think before you type?
Are you saying those 18 players are world class?
Winning teams start with defense, be it soccer, league or rugby, Wenger has not acknowledged this rule. A part from that , and getting off Wenger`s back for a while, I remember (a life time ago)
spending an evening each week trying to pick out six draws on Vernon`s and Littlewoods pools.
The results were more consistent then and you could put your house on certain results it was finding the draws that was the problem. Scores of 4-0, 6-0, and even 7-0 were not uncommon, especially in the Scottish league. So, what has changed? New elements have crept into he game, the most prominent being `money`. More matches means more money, more money means more fatigue and more injuries and picking a result means you start with studying the sick list not the form. The more successful a team is the more games it is required to play and you end up with a sick bay the size of a nursing home. Reduce the number of matches and the results will become more genuine and, may I add, more enjoyable.
Two words: TV money !
We are inconsistent as a team, and the defence plays a big part in that.
The answer? Perhaps a new defensive philosophy and some fresh solid, experienced blood in that area.
A new manager could go either way, but we definitely need fresh ideas within the management structure..
@mark Don`t know where I got the `minus` mark from you`d have to be approaching, or turned , eighty to appreciate my comments. However, you seem to agree with what needs to be done.
i became an arsenal supporter and i loved this club first for the football that that we were playing..the latest years we are just awful!! i want a change to see my arsenal playing again top football and not cheering for a win against west ham or qpr…
…..but you can’t quite make the final push to say goodbye because you have lost interest in each other and it’s gone too far to resurrect the old passion you once shared…?
ANSWER
8MIL quids per year x 3 = 24MIL reasons why he will not leave………MOREOVER no one and I mean the board holds him accountable for his performance, where can you find a better job.
@mark. Strange… I get a minus three for saying the same thing as you did to get a plus 10.
You should be managing Arsenal my friend.