I got Goosebumps watching ‘Arsene Wenger – Invincible’ movie.
As someone who has long written that our next generation of Gooners are being wrongly educated, it would be wrong not to implore all readers to watch this documentary released next month.
Too much negatively has been written about Arsene Wenger in the last few years. Not just in sport but in society negatively sells.
Some won’t be comfortable watching a film dedicated to celebrating the Frenchman. They would rather Amazon chronicle a season of regression.
This is Gabriel Clarke’s latest masterpiece after the critically acclaimed bios on Bobby Robson and Jack Charlton.
Here are a few who need to watch the trailer ……
Younger Gooners who are being wrongly educated and need to see for themselves how good Arsene Wenger really was.
Those who wrote Arteta was tactically better than Mr Wenger, Auba better then Henry or a Maitland Niles is better than Kante.
Watch this movie to learn what world class looks like…
Anyone who has ever challenged me when I call Mr Wenger the greatest ever manager in our history.
I could just point out that’s a factual statement – and facts are facts?
Yet, I’m sure the makers will document where the club were before Mr Wenger arrived in England and where they are now that he works elsewhere. You might see comparisons.
Fans who think 6th would be a good season, drawing at Brighton is a decent result, and being 11th is being on the right path.
All recent comments I have read.
Watch this film to see what a successful Arsenal looks like.
The likes of Talk Sport, who to this day try and play down the feat of not losing a single League fixture all season! Of course, they only downplay it when it can’t be replicated.
Remember two years ago when the media had decided Liverpool were going to match the class of 2004 and were being compared to the Invincibles. When that ended in February suddenly going unbeaten didn’t matter.
Of course, if it wasn’t an achievement why has no one else come close to doing it
AFTV or any other Youtuber who built their views on verbally abusing the greatest manager in our history. Having been so confident that the grass would be greener without Mr Wenger they haven’t had the gumption three years later to say they were wrong, even though it’s been proven by every notable measurement we have gone backwards since the Frenchman left.
This is either fear of losing subscribers by admitting they were wrong, or these people take themselves so seriously that they think to acknowledge they were not correct would hurt their credibility.
Let’s get live footage of these people having to watch the whole feature then ask ‘how have things improved?’
Current fans and players to learn the proud standards Mr Wenger had built. Standards the manger warned we were in danger of jeopardising even before he left. Dietary and training methods, how he stood up to the press, etc, he imprinted his values throughout the club and would not compromise on his ethos ever.
Even the likes of me who grew up with Mr Wenger as manager.
Intentionally, (due to a good relationship with the press) the Frenchman’s personal life was mostly kept private.
The trailer hints that this will be the first time he dedicates some time talking about his childhood and family with a camera running.
Anyone who wants to see Mr Wenger have his say.
Let’s be honest he’s too classy for this.
Think how he handled his farewell at Emirates.
This is a smart man, intelligent enough to know that the longer time goes, the more it paints him in a positive light.
Why point out just how hard it was to work with owners with zero ambition, when reality does that for you?
Saying that – he’s still a human being.
Anyone would see the irony that the club have regressed.
He’s a better person then me!
Anyone who doesn’t think we have gone backwards. I don’t know if some Gooners are in denial, or they don’t want to admit how wrong they were, there generally is a section of our fan base who will not admit we have gone backwards.
You would think our worst League position in quarter of a century would do the trick but apparently not!
Anyone seeking a great life lesson!
a) Be careful what you ask for, because you might just get it.
B) appreciate what you have today, because it might not be here tomorrow.
C) nothing lasts forever.
D) grass isn’t always greener.
“Arsene Wenger – Invincible” will be released 11th November for Cinema and releases 22nd November for DVD, Blue Ray and Digital Download.
Be Kind in The Comments
Dan Smith
Strange article. If you look at Wenger’s time as a whole, you see unbelievable achievements in the first 8 years or so and a gradual decline thereafter. He left us still in a reasonable position in the league, but with a greatly diminished club culture and it was always going to be a poisoned chalice for the next manager.
I don’t think anyone disputes that he is a club legend beyond compare, he created some of the greatest sides ever seen in this country, and that is his legacy overall – no one disputes he left a mark on the club that will never be forgotten.
However, it is perfectly possible to love the good things he did without ignoring the bad. He left the club after years of decline, which was always going to make it really tough for the next manager
I see him as s genius, but a flawed one (as is the case with most geniuses). His biggest flaw was not knowing when to let go, IMO
I won’t go into why today but personally it was after the move to the Emirates and the followed so called period of decline that I found my deep respect and admiration for Arsene Wenger.
It was in that period that I came to see him as the greatest football manager to have ever lived.
As a fan, I feel many of us discredit Wenger too much in his works after the first 8 years. He stood by us during our most difficult seasons, when he was in his best years. Big clubs were going after his signature. Yet he stayed and maintained the club standard while losing his best players year in year out without adequate replacement.
After the invincibles, Wenger never had any chance to rebuild the squad the way Arteta did. To make matters worse, in the first 5 seasons, not only did we not replace our invincible players, we keep selling players that started to look good. Starting from Hleb and Flamini in 2008, Adebayor in 2009, Cesc and Nasri in 2011 (going yolo without replacing them and end up getting thrashed 8-2), RVP and Song in 2012.
I feel we never really recovered after Cesc left and the decline was apparent after RVP left. 2012/13 to 2015/16 we were on survival mode, keeping the squad “good enough” to fight for top 4 without any intention to challenge for trophy. The only world class players we bought were Cazorla (2012/13 summer), Ozil(2013/14 summer), Sanchez(2014/15 summer). If Wenger were to walk out of the club, I felt it should have been on 2011. We almost never replaced Cesc and Nasri if not for the Man Utd thrashing. And in the end ended up with complete downgrade in Mikel Arteta and Benayoun.
Up til 2016 though, I would never blame Wenger for the lack of trophy. I could never imagine Arteta would have done better than Wenger if he were to manage any of the 2007/08 to 2015/16 squad.
But his biggest mistake is the 2 years contract renewal after that, which ended up “disastrously”. Though, I feel the term “disastrous” is relative nowadays. I guarantee u all we would celebrate if Arteta achieved what Wenger did in his last premier league season.
Did Wenger stay too long? Yes, but I will account only those last 2 years as “too long”. I felt it would have been perfect for him to step down after 2nd position in 2015/16.
Well put G4L and completely agreed.
The following might sound like a conspiracy theory but it is what I believe so I am going to say it.
Our move to the Emirates coincided with the new trend of billionaires investing in teams and outright buying trophies. Buying all the best players with the money not earned to kill the competition makes Man City and Chelsea trophies worthless.
Since we have a poor billionaire owner and our move to the new stadium significantly limited our spending powers, the great Arsene did what no one could even think of attempting, he built teams capable of winning the league from academy players and bargain buys.
What he was doing was a threat to the new trend of trophy buyers and it was even scarier not only because he was capable of doing it, he was doing it.
I find it very strange that Arsenal suddenly became the enemy. We were attacked by the media, mocked by the pundits, career threatening injuries to our players and rough tactics from opponents and zero protection from the referees (effectively making our players play in fear and greatly affecting them psychologically). And this in my opinion is the true and root cause of a certain culture the great Arsene is wrongly accused of building.
“Starting from Hleb and Flamini in 2008, Adebayor in 2009, Cesc”
This was really the end – I really adored the side he’d built for the 07/08 season, and it could very well have won the title over Man Utd (who had an insanely stacked squad) were it not for some very bad luck towards the end of the season, particularly with Eduardo. (So I should amend my first comment to say: the first 10 years). One mistake I think that did come back to bite us was the appointing Gallas as Captain – not something that I really good against AW because like I said, I really loved that team, but I do think it proved a bit costly.
But why did these players have to go? Hleb was attracted by a giant club, Flamini was miffed because he didn’t get a chance until his final season, when his form caused lassana Diarra to become miffed enough to leave (he was probably expected to take flaminis place), adebayor got a big head, and cesc got fed up with us letting all these players go and not replacing them adequately. All in all, it doesn’t paint is in the most competent light.
I completely reject the idea that what followed was the best AW could have done. He consistently neglected the areas of the team that needed the most attention and promoted the bad culture we ended up with by giving much larger roles to younger players than they deserved (Denilson, Walcott, Bellerin etc), and it appeared to give a lot of them the sense that they’d made it as top players and didn’t appear to strive for improvement – they were too comfortable.
On top of that, there’s, what seems to me to be a myth, that we couldn’t complete because of money. We spent plenty on wages, apparently, bit couldn’t seem to identify the right players a lot of the time. I remember when Newcastle bought cabeye and tiote, two players who’s just won the title with their previous sides, unexpectedly, and I though: those are the sorts of players we should be taking a chance on. These were the sorts of signings I believe we’d have been after earlier in AW’s time – I’m not sure if this lines up time wise, but I think we were by then more interested in the more expensive madrid-barcelona players..
I don’t care especially that we didn’t win the title later in his time; more so that the club culture declined to the point that we didn’t even seem to be trying – 4th was enough and that’s all anyone seemed to be bothered about.
AW and arsenal lost their edge.
To me he was great not because he gave us champions league football but because he gave us world class football even when the squad is mediocre
This will be something we would appreciate more as football becomes more monetised. Newcastle Utd will not be the last club bought by oil companies. Maybe in the next few years, birmingham, wba, etc will get their sugar daddy too. How would we compete with them? To me, as long as we keep our identity intact and plays good football, it is enough.
Never out of Europe though ?
From a fan’s prospective, is it really that exciting to watch us walk through the group stages only to get smashed by Bayern every year? It was getting like that towards the end. We weren’t competitive. It’s why our best players kept leaving
What’s it like now ?
Please detail “every season” for me Davi…. this could be interesting!!!!!
If you watched all our CL exits, you wouldnt say that. None of the clubs eliminating us would say we were beaten without a fight
EXACTLY Gunner4life – it just so happened, in most instances, we were beaten by the better side.
Funnily enough, that happens to every club that plays in any sport.
Wenger was the greatest ever. Anybody who followed football in the late 90s and early 2000s can tell you that.
Not an opinion, just a fact.
Fuzzwah, Do you even know what Chapman achieved? Do you know how lowly a club not just a team, but also a club, we were when he first came? Do you realise that when he died, we were widely regarded as the best team on Earth?
Seems to me you have little idea or you would not write silly mere opinions and then, incorrectly, call your opinion “a fact”!
You are very much entitled to your opinion as we all are, but you are not entitled, in truth, to call your opinion “a fact,” when it clearly is not one!
Wenger was more successful
Is that ALL you can manage??
HARDLY A CASE MADE OUT FOR YOUR VIEW WAS IT! I listed and in detail MY reasons for disagreeing with you.
NO attempt to compare with his main rivalsrecord at Arsenal either
Just four measly words and no REASONS why you think that way! Sad, really!
Because I assume you know their records ?
It’s well known Wenger won more
Wenger gave us gold trophy. If thats not a good enough reason, idk what is.
jon, unfortunately there are too many people, who mistakenly believe that the history, and particularly the success, of Arsenal FC began and ended with Arsene Wenger.
No one knows how many trophies Arsenal would have won under Herbert Chapman, if he hadn’t died from pneumonia in his relative prime.
When did Arsenal ever provide 7 players in a starting 11 for the England team? The reason Arsenal were considered the best club side in the world as you assert, was that the Italian side England beat 3-2 on 14 November 1934, had won the 1934 World Cup. England had left FIFA in 1928 and thus did not compete in the 1930 and 1934 World Cups.
Exactly OG… no one knows, but we DO know what AW did and his teams were full of internationals.
People don’t think our history began with Wenger
They think he was the most successful manager because .. .he literally was
I hope the film does not try and make fans feel guilty for his last few years at the club and the way he was treated .
I would imagine the documentary will start off with the amazing years we had then will take a turn 3/4 through and then the guilt trip ,obviously I havet seen it but have watched the trailer and thats what I took from it .
As with all documentary’s it’s usually one sided and never the whole picture is told ,I just hope he takes some of the blame and it’s not all landed at the feet of supporters .
Apart form that I’m very much looking forward to watching as he is a PL legend and his achievements are second to none ,producing the best team I’ve ever seen play on these shores .
Wenger was revolutionary, but he couldn’t get out of his comfort zone at Arsenal
Ranieri has shown that old managers could also come up with new ideas, if they get a very long break from their daily routines
I’m sure the sacking was a big lesson to Wenger, so Arsenal fans shouldn’t have regretted it. If Ranieri could return to EPL with a new system, I bet Wenger can also do that
He rejected Real Madrid twice. Not sur what you mean by comfort zone
If he was looking for a new challenge, he would’ve gone to other club. Unfortunately, he was too comfortable with his life at Arsenal, since he was the most influential figure there
So we called Wenger “couldnt get out of the comfort zone” and at the same time labelling those of the likes of Adebayor, Cesc, RVP as “Judas” for “getting out of their comfort zone”..
I would be more comfortable to call that loyalty. Accounting for the budget he has, Wenger’s team up til 2015/16 season was not a failure. And there was a reason the board does not sack Wenger. There probably was none better out there to handle the circumstances at Arsenal. Would Conte, Mourinho, Rodgers, Ole, Pochi, even Pep have done better than Wenger? Probably Klopp might, but not a chance for the rest of them..
I’ve never blamed Cole, Adebayor, Van Persie and the other ex-Gunners for moving out
Wenger’s ability to stay in top four with a tight budget was incredible, but I suspect he just didn’t want to deal with superstars’ egos and some managers also made it with small transfer funds
Rodgers started from the bottom, Ranieri won EPL with very cheap players, Tuchel led Mainz to a fifth-placed finish and Klopp started from the second division as well
I guess we have to agree to disagree on this. Though, whether it is because of comfort zone, to me Wenger staying is definitely not a loss to Arsenal
@dgr8xt
You do know that at Madrid wenger would have been expected to win the CL or La Liga nearly each season? I don’t think wenger would have survived 3 seasons at Madrid with the amount of expectation there. Hence why he refused to take the job and stayed in his comfort zone at Arsenal. Just finishing 4th was enough for a decade.
After the invincibles wenger retired from pressure or stressful football. At Arsenal with the excuse of “But but we have just built a brand new Emirates Stadium. We now have to sacrifice challenging for any major honours and just keep parroting the but but we are paying for the satdium” catchphrase.
It was the Right place and the right time for wenger to retire from having to stress about actually competing again with his counterparts.
The reason he would have been expected to win the league, would have been because the club would have supported him in the transfer market.
Kronkie NEVER supported Wenger in the transfer market and, in fact, he had to sell his best players.
Why do you think RM kept asking AW to become their manager?
They watched him build the Invincibles – discover the likes of Anelka, whom they bought for a massive profit to The Arsenal.
If he was in a “comfort zone” it was one of his making and that “comfort zone” saw our club become a top four side for over two generations – even with the introduction of russian roubles and slick and sticky oil money.
As for Dan kit’s comment about blaming the fans.. Dan, that’s the reason Arsene has said he will never return.
The personal abuse he received was THAT BAD Dan!!!
He should be promoting The Arsenal as an Ambassador, but due to the abuse from a section of our fan base, we are unlikely to see that happen… and it still goes on today, just read the thoughts of the likes of Loose Cannon.
The other way of looking at it is that they are just victims of brainwashing by the media.
They have been brainwashed to think that the way of the trophy buyers is the right way and that made them turn against their manager who was not only doing right for the club but for football in general.
They have been brainwashed to admire the trophies won through heavy spending of money not earned and dislike the way of their club which is the right way.
The brainwash is so deep some are calling the invincibles a fluke (why can’t the trophy buyers they admire so much do it then?)
The brainwash is so deep that everything about the trophy buyers is good and everything about Arsenal is bad. The players are mediocre (no matter who we buy), the managers are mediocre (Arteta is but not Wenger and Emery), the owner is stingy (no matter how much he spend).
The brainwash is so deep that they still blame Wenger for everything wrong at the club four years later even though nearly all his players are gone and there is another management different from his time.
The trophy buyers have ruined football that is certain, and it is sad to see that their way have made some turn their heads away from their own, which is better and which is beautiful.
I agree perfectly with you Gai. 👍 Arsen. W became too comfortable with his ideas and his team started regressing. From some of his comments at FIFA he seem to be given to modern way of playing the game. Though I know old felas like him hardly change too much.
Yeah, I still don’t agree on his biennial World Cup proposal though
The team started regressing WHEN THE KROENKE’S TOOK OVER. That’s not a coincidence
With the “double whammy” that the Kroenkes forced out David Dein.
“Wenger was revolutionary, but he couldn’t get out of his comfort zone at Arsenal”
Completely agree – sums it up for me. Acknowledging the second part does not mean we forget the first!
So perhaps you should acknowledge the CL, fa cups and top four finishes in his “second part?”…. That sums it up for me, along with the fact we NOW are the most successful club in the history said FA cup…. seven down to the master Le Prof.
Wenger’s decline started when the Kroenke’s took over. It’s no coincidence at all. Yet it’s only natural for fans to grumble and complain. I was one of those who wanted him out cos I thought he had overstayed, although I never played down on the consistent top four achievement cos I knew it wasn’t easy, especially given how Chelsea, United and City were lavishly spending into billions. . But like the article states, OUR CLUB HAS REGRESSED ESPECIALLY UNDER ITS CURRENT MANAGEMENT. I consider it travesty when fans celebrate a clean sheet at Norwich, Burnley and West Bromwich Albion team two. Indeed, the grass isn’t always greener on another side. And we now have a new superpower to contend with in the form of Newcastle United. This ship can be steadied. We desperately need a top manager. Arteta is “doing well” at the moment but it will not last long term, though it’s not entirely his fault. He’s a rookie and needs to learn his trade where the pressure is less. Wenger was and is still great. I would see those days return
Where did you watch the movie, Dan? Is it available already? I’d like to watch too.
GREAT ARTICLE Dan!
One quibble though; you write that AW being our greatest ever manager is fact. Well old son, facts are truisms and cannot be denied. MANY WILL DENY that AW was our greatest EVER.
So that is mere opinion and NOT fact!
I agree that he is IMO, our greatest since the Second WORLD war.
But to me Chapman, who built out club to be the best in the world from being permanent also rans up til he came in, will to me, ALWAYS REMAIN THE BEST WE EVER HAD.
But that too, like yours, in merely an OPINION!. Not a fact DAN!
AJ I was there. It was 1-0. 100% certain! What ever any book might say. Books have been known to get “facts” wrong.
It was almost snowing, freezing cold and we away fans were kept in for about half an hour til all the home fans had gone.
I remember it like yesterday and that 1-0 WAS the score.
It was definitely 2-1 as I still have the DVD jonny boy ,a dvd I watched countless times as A 12 year old
24th game of the season ,smith scored in injury time just after Dixon had made it 2-0 .
Just thought you would like to know for future reference as you like proper facts not half truths
.
If your in doubt I’m happy to link you the vid .
https://youtu.be/RIPznj9VQvA
If you wanna watch
You are talking about a different match than me DAN. WE LOST the one I speak of under George Graham and that was the only game we lost all season. And it WAS a 1-0 defeat.
In your game you say we won, so clearly not the same match!
We are talking about GGs 90-91 season where we lost one game ,which was Chelsea 2-1 .
I should have explained better
Dixon scored for Chelsea to make it 2-0 then Alan smith scored in injury to make it 2-1 hence it was a final score of 2-1 .
Link is above which I provided .
No it’s a fact
No manager has won more at arsenal then Wenger
Correct and Herbert Chapman, who none of us have ever seen actually managing, never had the cost of a new stadium, Russian roubles, oil money and billionaires to contend with.
I will add to that also
It was 2-1 jonny boy
NO Ken . HE ONLY HAD THE FACT WE WERE A NOTHING CLUB WITH NO SILVERWARE IN OUR HISTORY AND A NOTHING MUCH CLUB TIL HE CAME .
AW inherited a world famous club with a world wide fan base and came when we were already (and for decades past) a massive club.
Such a biased AW view, as is par for the course with you.
Yeah so you agree
It’s a fact that Arsene Wenger was more successful then Herbert Chapman
Sorry that’s not what you want to hear
So you agree that H C didn’t have to worry about roubles, oil and a new stadium then Jon?
He also didn’t have to contend with the worst owner we have had, along with gazidis stabbing him in the back did he?
Actually, as I wasn’t around in the days of Herbert, I read what he achieved, along with the views of people around at that time.
Unfortunately, I have taken your advice on this and decided not to trust what others say, as they probably had a hidden agenda and/or didn’t really mean what they were saying.
So, I can only judge from the managers I can remember and, without doubt, Arsene Wenger is THE manager who took our club to the level that no other manager ever has… even Herbert…. INVINCIBLES!!
Like it or lump it Jon
, that’s a pure and simple FACT and that’s why I’m “biased” as you put it.
As a side note Jon, I’m sure you know that Herbert wasn’t a Saint either, as you and I have read, of course.
Ken, Arsenal did pay for a major redevelopment of Highbury in the 1930’s, when the Art Deco East and West Stands were constructed, while the Great Depression was still in effect.
And the cost was what OG?
Araenal under 18 playing Burnley live fre to watch on Arsenal.com… anyone interested in watching Marcelo Folres?
Thanks bro! I’m watching it now!
Amazing revolutionary from 1996-2004. A seriously competent manager in his first 8 or so seasons. Then became very comfortable, nonchalant, stale, dormant, arrogant, stagnant etc after that. Poor 10 years after that going by his initial standards he had set.
Became a dinosaur of a manager that refused to change with the ever changing world of football. Refused to accept constructive criticism from anyone and became too stuck in his own little Wenger bubble. Hence why he was gotten rid of in 2018.
Amazing first decade and a very stagnant to poor the next decade.
Goonster That is about right!
Still, AW had a great almost decade though. That alone puts him above George Grahams mere six successful years and then two poor ones ending in him being sacked for stealing from our club by that bung.
Herbert Chapman , our greatest IMO and many others too, died prematurely. But what he achieved in his 8 full seasons – and esp what our club was like when he took over – makes him the greatest IMO, and by some distance too.
Not true arsene was more successful then Chapman
Daniel, jon fox’s reasonable contention is based on the state of Arsenal FC when Herbert Chapman took over and their status/reputation, when he died prematurely.
Never disputed that
Just said factually Wenger won more
And let’s not make out Wenger walked into a title winning squad .
They were finishing mid table in George grahams last season’s
Drinking culture at club , etc
In their first 8 seasons Wenger was more successful?
Are you talking about the same Arsene Wenger that we’re all talking about?
2007/08 we almost won the league without any household name in the squad. The bad tackle to Eduardo destroyed Arsenal’s young squad..
From then on, it was downhill for Arsenal as it became apparent that the board is not interested with trophies. Which big club in the right mind would sell their best players continually for the next few seasons when we were supposed to be in the middle of rebuilding the squad..
So Goonster, explain why AW kept us in the top four for two decades, not just one?
If his lowest position of 6th denotes a dinosaur, you must be living in Neanderthal land these last two seasons.
Fair analysis. Not a poor decade though, just underwhelming. And set in a culture of mediocrity, with the help of Kroenke’s as well, who should’ve moved on from Wenger when it was clear he couldn’t guide us to the future. But of course we have one of the worst owners in football, and things had to deteriorate to such a low degree before a move was made. Tons of managers we missed on in that time period as well.
My post has once again disappeared. Why? Anyone know please?
Wenger wanted Ronaldo and Messi etc…..he didn’t always get the players he wanted ….. Imagine if he did……then what would most people be saying……….!
For me his greatest achievement the biggest trophy is the Emirates stadium………!
Wenger gave Arsenal an identity………..teams feared Arsenal not for defeat but humiliation……..they ran rings around other teams……………I WANT THAT BACK………….!
How many managers today would be able to take Arsenal back to that level………….who ever you name will be the best managers around….so what does that tell you about Mr Wenger………….!
I can only speak for myself. In the 64 years I have supported the Arsenal I have never seen a better or classier manager than Arsene Wenger. He produced the finest teams I have ever witnessed playing with such flair and power with truly world class footballers (we don’t have a single one in the current side). Of course he made mistakes, who wouldn’t after a 22 year stint as a manager? Personally I admire the man and always will and look forward to watching the documentary when it’s available.
Top comment Andrew 👍👍
Classy like the man himself .
Perfectly said Andrew and, if fans really sat back and digest what you have written, they would have to agree 100%.
Trouble is, some have set their stall out and just cannot admit they made a mistake about our greatest ever manager.
Thanks Dan kit and Ken, I was going to add a personal footnote to my post which I now will. I wrote two congratulatory letters to him, one after his first league and cup double and then after the invincible season. He personally replied to both letters which I believe he dictated because of the typical Wenger mannerisms in each letter. 50 years from now there will be supporters talking about the legendary Arsene Wenger, the man who returned the club to greatness!
Class mate 👏
Thank goodness we have supporters like you Andrew.
Supporters who will always appreciate what Arsene Wenger achieved and did for The Arsenal.
I despair at the negativity some fans have for his latter years – yet they seem to be the ones who are content with where we are today.
We are lectured about the squad he inherited – but not the culture GG encouraged.
Arteta inherited AW and UE players and won the fa cup and CS with them…. now where are we?
AW will always be seen as the man who made The Arsenal into a top four club, despite all the odds and, long after we’ve all gone, his achievements will stand the test of time…. just ask Sir Alex Ferguson and David Dein.
You’re spot on Ken, AW very quickly changed the prevailing culture he inherited and by his methods prolonged the careers of our famous back four by 2 or 3 years. I don’t think he will ever get the credit he deserves, which is quite sad. In my eyes he was a one off and I certainly won’t see his like again in my lifetime!
@ken
As much as we are told Arsene was given the best defence in the league at the time (which he was )
What some fans fail to say is that he made our defense even bettter
Cole better than winterburn
Lauren better than Dixon
Sol better than adams
Toure better than keown
That is not my opinion that is definitely a fact .
Sol Campbells signing was one of the best piece of business I’ve ever seen as a supporter and the best CB in the PL .
Unbelievable player and I remember the press conference like it was yesterday ,if fans haven’t seen the story I would suggest go on YouTube and see what happened.
Fully agree Dan kit, especially about Sol Campbell – special player and we got him for free from the Spuds!!!! Never once saw him bossed by any CF.
Andrew, I have no real issue with the basic tenets of your first post regarding our former manager, but I find it difficult to analyze his time in charge with such a broad brush…there’s two distinctly different periods, when discussing his tenure in North London, the latter of which simply can’t be glossed over with one rather cavalier comment stating that anyone with such an exceedingly long reign was bound to make mistakes
the brilliant, forward-thinking and innovative COACH, who changed the way the game was played, prior to the move to the Emirates, was a vastly different creature than the one who emerge in the years immediately following the ribbon cutting…I would strongly suggest that the loss of one David Dein and the subsequent arrival of a less silent Stan had an immeasurable effect on this metamorphosis of sorts
as such, I think whenever one discusses the entirety of his career it’s important that we make this clear distinction, as there’s no doubt in my mind that by the time RVP had left the fold, Wenger had become a part of the problem and not part of the solution…the only reason the fanbase accepted the lowered standards and the nonsense about the supposed financial implications of the move, was due to the fact that Wenger signed off on this obvious ruse
it’s clear that he read his own headlines, much like our current manager following our fortuitous FA result, which in turn led him to make a series of totally misguided managerial decisions that were largely selfishly-motivated and didn’t have the club’s best interests in mind…he undoubtedly felt that he was vastly more important than the sum of it’s parts, so much so that he felt that you couldn’t spell Arsenal without Arsene…this was evidenced by the way in which he had a tendency to recruit soldiers and yes men, on and off the pitch, thereby ensuring his monopolistic rule at the helm of what had become a largely spineless club
by the time of his dismissal our club was a shell of it’s former self, much like the man himself…this predominantly antiquated and mismanaged organization continues to suffer as a result of his actions or lack thereof, after all, for many a years, he was the one individual who truly controlled the narrative…the fact that he’s never properly addressed the divisive part he played in the “stadium ruse” will forever impact my ultimate evaluation of the man, which is too bad because up until that seminal moment in time he was the standard by which all future managers should have been measured
I became an Arsenal fan, after they signed Dennis in 1995. I was, and still am a rabid Dutch fan, and was over the moon when they signed my favorite player of all time…Naturally, Arsenal became my club… But my fandom and appreciation for Arsenal grew exponentially after Arsene came to the club. He brought an exciting style of football, which obviously produced results and put smiles on fans’ faces.. The way they played was just so beautiful to watch, and exciting!
I’m not going to delve into the trophies won, and details of seasons and matches -that’s there for everyone to see. I was sad to see the way Arsenal bid goodbye to Arsene, with all the negativity and lack of class, which was the one thing Arsene was, all class!
To all the Wenger fans , myself included- the second half of his career was a downer. But they still did better than what Arsenal can and are doing now… Fans still blame Wenger for the decline now- that’s a bunch of nonsense. I strongly believe that ownership failed Wenger and has failed other managers since..Arsenal cannot compete for the best players anymore, and that’s sad to see as an Arsenal fan.. For those who say we got hammered by Bayern year in, year out in the UCL – i’ll just say this, we are losing to Brentford and West Bromwich year in, year out…You decide which is better – losing to Bayern in Europe, or Brentford, and staying mid-table, which is what we have become…
Arsene Wenger was all class and a gentleman…I can’t wait to watch this documentary!!!
Keep writing your articles my friend, I haven’t followed them before but you have the right outlook and understanding of Arsene Wenger era. You are one of the enlightened brotherhood of Arsene Wenger appreciators, the uneducated will have to learn over this time of famine at the club how good Arsene was. The film we be a masterpiece with Wenger’s approval and Gabriel Clarke involved. Keep writing and stay strong from those who didn’t experience and understand what we saw- they will never truly undersand.
Andrew re the Sol man- Jason Roberts that’s all i’m saying bro. And try to forget that West Ham game when he got the hook at half time and went missing for several days.
Wonder what the Wegnerites will think if he becomes Newcastle’s manager as some rumours imply. Personally I believe he won’t take it on because he doesn’t have the guts or energy. As for the comparisons between Chapman and Wegner, I think they are ridiculously stupid. Chapman build a club and stadium from nothing after already having won three titles at Huddersfield of all places. When he died Arsenal were still a work in progress. Wegner inherited an iron tight defence along with Bergkamp, Wright and Merson. To say the least, that was something to build with. And yes the rest is legend. Two doubles and an invincable season, what is there to add? Well, a European Championship would have been nice. No excuses there, just not good enough. After that what a let down. He then became a stooge to Kroenke and Gazadis. Nothing worse than than 2015-16 season when mighty Leicester “pipped” us for the title. It was there for the taking, the midfield needed reinforcement because Xhaka and Ramsey were not cutting it,but in January who did Arsene sign? The mighty Elneny. Was it a gutless lack of ambition, failure of judgement judgement or a vain belief in his own legend.