Yeah, about that 'decline' we're supposedly arresting...

[Burney]

But I think that's the point, isn't it? He inherited a group of violent lumps, added Vieira and Petit and turned them into Brazil. Bould to Adams, and that sums it all up, doesn't it? That was Arsene's vision.

What's Unai's vision?

He also won the league in his first full season, so Pokster can take his '50 games' and shove that right up his hole.

[Burney]

Oh, and if our goals for and against are linear for the next two games we will finish almost exactly where we did last year in both categories. He's engaging in number games by looking at the last 5 years, the valid comparison is to last year.

Well no. He's judging Wenger's recent record on more than one season - something you're pleading that we should do with Emery.

[Burney]

I wouldn't be terribly fussed about poor results in the first season while a new manager imposes his ideas and teaches his players a new system. What concerns me is that there doesn't seem to be a coherent idea or an identifiable system. "What's the vision Unai?" I ask, plaintively. Sadly, answer comes there none. Well nothing comprehensible, anyway.

I doubt anyone can understand him. Imagine that - we could have the greatest tactical genius in the history of football, but because he talks like a ****, it counts for nothing.

[WES]

Well no. He's judging Wenger's recent record on more than one season - something you're pleading that we should do with Emery.

He's ignoring the clear decline during the 5 year period by averaging the results out. And I don't agree that the 6th place was an aberration. I would have sympathy for that argument if there had been no sign of decline the previous 4-5 years but there clearly was.

And the last season comparison is far more valid simply because the players (at Arsenal and other teams) are far more similar.

We're going to score and concede more or less the same number of goals and finish probably 6-9 points ahead of where we were last year, to deny there has been improvement is a nonsense. So the decline has stopped, not only have we not declined, we've not stood still either, in fact we've improved. All in a manager's first season at the club with relatively little investment.

You really do need to get over that or risk looking biased and silly.

[redgunamo]

That was largely a title-winning team that had simply, perhaps understandably, overdone it a little with the celebrations. Of course, they could already play a bit

But I think that's the point, isn't it? He inherited a group of violent lumps, added Vieira and Petit and turned them into Brazil. Bould to Adams, and that sums it all up, doesn't it? That was Arsene's vision.

What's Unai's vision?

[Burney]

He's ignoring the clear decline during the 5 year period by averaging the results out. And I don't agree that the 6th place was an aberration. I would have sympathy for that argument if there had been no sign of decline the previous 4-5 years but there clearly was.

And the last season comparison is far more valid simply because the players (at Arsenal and other teams) are far more similar.

We're going to score and concede more or less the same number of goals and finish probably 6-9 points ahead of where we were last year, to deny there has been improvement is a nonsense. So the decline has stopped, not only have we not declined, we've not stood still either, in fact we've improved. All in a manager's first season at the club with relatively little investment.

You really do need to get over that or risk looking biased and silly.

A 'clear decline' would show results getting progressively worse year-on-year over a significant period. Wenger's results don't bear that out at all. The last two league positions were poor (although the one in 2016/17 was offset by a cup win against Chelsea), but the fact that results went from 4th to 3rd to 2nd in the years before that (including two more cups) show the very opposite of a decline. By your own criteria (trophies, league placing and points) the only possible argument for there having been a decline is between 2016 to 2018 - and even in that time we won a trophy!

[Burney]

That was largely a title-winning team that had simply, perhaps understandably, overdone it a little with the celebrations. Of course, they could already play a bit

We hadn't won a title (or even come close) for seven years at that point, r.

[Sir C]

That was largely a title-winning team that had simply, perhaps understandably, overdone it a little with the celebrations. Of course, they could already play a bit

The 'bit' they played under Graham bore no relation to the 'bit' Arsene had them playing.

[IUFG]

The 'bit' they played under Graham bore no relation to the 'bit' Arsene had them playing.

All relative, innit, sc.

George Graham took us to a whisker of an unbeaten season in 91.
So by that measure, Wenger only marginally better than George Graham.



Chelsea. always been ****s

[redgunamo]

Class is permanent, B. Just a long hangover, is all.

We hadn't won a title (or even come close) for seven years at that point, r.