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Offical Arsene Wenger Thread

137K views 3.2K replies 138 participants last post by  MuadDib  
#1 ·
I thought it was time we had one to discuss his various stupid statements, inept tactics & poor movements in the transfer market...
 
#4 ·
The Wenger stuff comes up in almost every thread, that's why.

You won't ever hear me calling Wenger an idiot, but I'm finding it hard to believe he'll win us trophies again. 07/08 looked like being Wenger's new trophy-winning team, then he let it get dismantled without a fight and I was disillusioned, then he recovered it and we weren't far off the title last season, and now when we needed to kick on and improve that little bit more the early signs are that we've probably stood still at best or even gone backwards. Certainly, last season's team wouldn't have found themselves 0-3 down at home to West Brom, and if we can't beat newly-promoted teams at home, which is supposed to be the one thing Arsenal can do, then I don't know where we are anymore.

Still, that was only one game, and I still get swept up in the feeling sometimes that everything will click together once more. There is that lack of discipline though, that inability to defend properly throughout the team, that permeates everything. We just don't play like any other team out there, certainly not any other top team. I'm all for innovation, but there comes a time when, as they say on Dragons' Den, "I would kindly advise you not to waste any more time on this, because it won't get you anywhere".
 
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#21 ·
:palm:

I admire you. A bit.

But after six god damn years.

Remember when we were rivals? lol
those days are seemingly long gonee.. both of our teams are considerably weaker and other teams have also played a big role in easing up the rivalry.. ah well hopefully it will go back to how it was one day :)
 
#12 ·
Well as mentioned, it all comes down to tactics, and we definitely need a defensive coach brought in, and/or a super centre back.
 
#13 ·
I don't think the club is geared towards being overly successful on the field, so I can't say that i'm overly disappointed with the performance of the team on the pitch. I'm not even particularly disappointed with the lack of motivation from the club for victory, due to the boards financially based viewpoint of achieving success. When you look at the scale of the debts that clubs like Man Utd are in, and Liverpool, it is horrendous. Of course Arsenal has a significant debt also, one though which seems to be in a continual process of erosion as the stadium pays for itself. We have a beautiful stadium to show for our financial consternation, more then can be said for most other clubs. Arsenal has accepted a financial prudency, which is shared by clubs in Germany, and is now beginning to be shared by teams throughout the continent. A win at all costs philosphy is not on the cards, particularly as it would only lead to terminal decline when competing against the financial power of the oil fuelled Chelsea and Man City.

Arsene has complied fully with the remit that was given him, and although many would point to the lack of making key purchases in key areas of the pitch, this may be due to financial constraints, as well as the underlying ethos that guides the club now. Bring young players through, who's play has been indelibly marked by the Wenger system, and cement with quality players bought for reasonable amounts. Arsenal in this era will never be able to compete with Man City, Chelsea, or Manure. If we achieve fourth place that should be satisfactory, in this new found realsim of world football.
 
#14 ·
As whole AW and the board have done an outstanding job taking Arsenal to another plateau.

Still not a justification for our GK situation nor how inept Arsenal have been for years defensively. Think the lack of fuinds is a factor but not the end all and be all. A managers manager job is to instill a structured, discipled side defensively and a winners mentality, AW simply has not been able to do that for quite sometime.
 
#16 ·
I just keep thinking about the hard work and pressure which yielded great results early last season but they gave it up and it's not applied consistently, here we are talking about laziness from this player, and that player. It started, for example the 2-0 win away in Glasgow, it wasn't a brilliant display but they took it well thanks to hard work. They started it, why couldn't Wenger persist with it, tell them to continue down that path? These frustrating details missed.
 
#17 ·
Great posts Redpig. :thumbsup:
Full backs today see so much of the ball in attacking areas it ridiculous, the majority do so little with it. Dani Alves meant to be one of the best but against Inter last year he was so frustrating, just kept crossing the ball in the air trying to pick out one of the seven dwarfs, much like we do. Why i'd prefer Eboue and Gibbs in the team over the usual two because they may occasionally do something else.
 
#18 ·
Why i'd prefer Eboue and Gibbs in the team over the usual two because they may occasionally do something else.
I'd like to see Gibbs and Sagna, personally. Eboué is better than Sagna offensively, but considerably weaker from a defensive standpoint.

Sagna can deliver the odd good cross aswell.

EDIT: I should add; Sagna isn't on form, currently, so it could be the right moment to play Eboué.

Then again, Clichy, Song et al also deserve to be dropped right now.
 
#19 ·
is it only me more worried about our attacking against top sides than our defending, when we had Henry and Bergkamp we never used to care if Chelsea could get a couple, as we'd just get three or four, while RvP, Theo and all our other dangerous attackers are so injury prone we need to bring in heavy hitters not someone like Chamakh who is decent but won't ever blow a defence away?
 
#20 ·
WELCOME BACK JERN

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Back in the Henry, DB 10 era the games against Man Utd were tight games. Games usually came down to the battles in the trenches between the likes of Keane and PV4.

Biggest wins against Man Utd were one nil to Arsenal i.e 98 Overmars and 2002 Wiltord. In 2002 we won it sans Henry, DB 10 and Super Bob. Thing is if we could keep clean sheets the worse Arsenal could do against the likes of Chelsea and Man Utd would be 0-0 draws which would ensure valuable points.
 
#23 ·
IFFHS have concluded Le Professeur to be the manager of the oo's. The top 10 with points scored:

1. Arsene Wenger 142

2. Sir Alex Ferguson 133

3. Jose Mourinho 115

4. Guus Hiddink 112

5. Fabio Capello 106

6. Luiz Felipe Scolari 101

7. Rafael Benitez 97

8. Carlo Ancelotti 92

9. Marcello Lippi 88

10. Marcelo Alberto Bielsa 86

http://www.iffhs.de/?d443d0b45fdcc02...c70aeedb883d05
 
#27 ·
Regardless, I think people consistently undervalue Le Professeur.

We have consistantly been top 6 of EUROPE over these last 5 years his critics go on about. Semi finals and quarter finals of the CL have become the norm. Which people take for granted for us. But when Tottenham get in the Champions League (just qualifying for it not the semi final or quarter final) having spent ÂŁ200M over the last six years, and when Everton did so, its because Moyes and 'Arry are miracle workers!

The reason Wenger has not spent is not because he chose not to, obviously. I cant believe people still believe that! Its because we were in ÂŁ350M of debt five years after building the stadium. He's basically kept us in the top 6 clubs of Europe whilst decreasing our debt from ÂŁ350m to ÂŁ150m now.

I know a lot of United fans who would swap the trophies they won over the last 5 years for the financial stability Arsenal has now whilst they wallow in ÂŁ800m of debt. Even Abramovich has now realised you have to be self sufficient. And the new UEFA rules on transfer to revenue ratio will come in. So never again will teams be able to buy the title like Chelsea have done recently at the expense of teams like us who were well run.

In the next few years when we are completely out of debt and Wenger has lots of money cos of the very high revenue stream he has ensured, trophies will flood. I am sure of this. Willing to bet anybody here that we will win at least 3 trophies in the next 5 years.
 
#30 ·
I agree that he is undervalued at times and I also agree what you said on the other thread about the squad looking much stronger now than it has been for a long time but we don't know if the injury plague will continue and the club were down to the bare bones at the end of last season against Barca away. It really had to improve anyway as it was painful to see.

The UEFA Fair Play ruling, it really is best not to completely rely on that. The clubs that have been throwing the money around can and will find ways to get around it. Abramovich was very keen on the fair play ruling just because he didn't want anymore potential challengers coming along ala Man City.

Five years is a long time Chris so I want be taking you up on any bet.
 
#33 ·
I genuinely do not think Le Prof's weakness is entirely in the transfer market. I feels last year we had a chance to win the league despite losing to Chelsea and manure twice. I remember after having been 11 points behind we beat Bolton to go top only to give it all away at Birmingham, Titingham, Wigan and the home draw against average ManCity. Again I saw the signs of the usual Arsenal complacence against Newcastle. Thats what LeProf must manage.
 
#34 ·
Hate to beat a dead horse but issue is goal conceded and overall team defense. We have seen in the last few games what results Arsenal can produce with a decent GK performance and a more focused effort sans possession.

The day Arsenal become a team that can defend anywhere near the level we attack is the day a ton trophies will fill the cabinets at the Emirates.
 
#37 ·
I know a lot of United fans who would swap the trophies they won over the last 5 years for the financial stability Arsenal has now whilst they wallow in ÂŁ800m of debt.
That is hogwash. If they go into administration, then sure. However, until that day comes financial instability means little, except perhaps having to spend in the transfer market the same way Wenger already does year after year. Prem titles/Champios League titles/ and Fa Cup titles for financial stability? no way in hell. To, me Financial stability is the base you build in hopes to win the amount of titles they have won in the last 4-5 years. Not the other way around.

So in other words Wenger is sacrificing the short-term for long-term success. Knowing that because of his earlier achievements at the club he is unquestioned and can keep his 6 million pound a year salary for a long time into the future while he trys out his experiment. Will it eventually work? possibly. It likely will indeed take sterner rules from Uefa like you outlined, but depending on something
 
#39 ·
That was hard to watch.

"Depends what you mean by a Title"

"If we spend 150 MP will go bust"
Ummmm....I don't recall any Gooners demanding Arsenal spend 150 MP, 100 MP, 75 MP or even 40 MP. What Gooners can't accept is the idea that there are no others options to the likes of Almunia, Clichy, Diaby, Denilson etc etc etc.

I'm not one of those Gooners who thinks AW should get the sack, I agree that the likes of Chelsea and Man City spending prowess has made wining much more difficult but still AW is far to defensive when anyone attempts to hold him accountable.

Won't bother getting into AW's tactical aptitude.