Like I said the other day, we need change for change’s sake.

[Burney]

Wenger out :-(

[7sisters]

Wenger out :-(

It's the sadly predictable end to it all that I find depressing. The stupid c unt had a shot at some departing credibility with that last FA Cup win, but no, no, the plank had to push for another two years.
Now the biggest question is whether or not he can see out the season.

[bbrian]

It's the sadly predictable end to it all that I find depressing. The stupid c unt had a shot at some departing credibility with that last FA Cup win, but no, no, the plank had to push for another two years.
Now the biggest question is whether or not he can see out the season.

He must be putting all his eggs in the Uefa cup basket as his route to staying next year
...perhaps even the LIttlewoods or whatever its called now

[barrybueno]

He must be putting all his eggs in the Uefa cup basket as his route to staying next year
...perhaps even the LIttlewoods or whatever its called now

It's the Caravan Cup. Wenger is such a **** he'd put out a bunch off 13 year olds v City's strongest team.

[Just Trent]

It's the sadly predictable end to it all that I find depressing. The stupid c unt had a shot at some departing credibility with that last FA Cup win, but no, no, the plank had to push for another two years.
Now the biggest question is whether or not he can see out the season.

:nod: It should've ended in 2014 with that Cup Win. He stuck around, made us worse and more stale. Then refused another chance to go out on a high last May. Shame on those at the top of the club for allowing this to drag on and reach this stage. So unnecessary.

[Peter]

It's the sadly predictable end to it all that I find depressing. The stupid c unt had a shot at some departing credibility with that last FA Cup win, but no, no, the plank had to push for another two years.
Now the biggest question is whether or not he can see out the season.

See out the season? Are you joking??

We could be stuck with this for years yet.....

[Tony C]

Bring Ancelloti in now. Give him a head start in the rebuilding job and the chance to clear out the deadwood b4 next season

[7sisters]

See out the season? Are you joking??

We could be stuck with this for years yet.....

No chance P. The power brokers at the club cannot ignore a full scale fan revolt. Declining attendance figures, Spurs on the up etc.
In pure human terms, could Wenger seriously absorb a vociferous level of abuse over a sustained period ? It's not as if he can play the top 4 card any longer and with Sanchez gone and Ozil in deliberation, we're now left, for the first time in recent memory, with a very average group of players.

[Alberto Balsam Rodriguez]

See out the season? Are you joking??

We could be stuck with this for years yet.....


Is Wenger getting the best out of the player that he has available? If the answer is yes we keep him until the end of the season. If the answer is no, he should really go now.

[7sisters]

Is Wenger getting the best out of the player that he has available? If the answer is yes we keep him until the end of the season. If the answer is no, he should really go now.

The missing piece to all that is that the potential for the club to source its preferred manager at this stage of the season is more than a bit limited :shrug:

[Tony C]

Lacazette going completely backwards and looking like he’d be more suited to playing at Stoke tells you all you need to know about Wenger getting the most out of the team. He’s completely abysmal right now.

[Peter]

No chance P. The power brokers at the club cannot ignore a full scale fan revolt. Declining attendance figures, Spurs on the up etc.
In pure human terms, could Wenger seriously absorb a vociferous level of abuse over a sustained period ? It's not as if he can play the top 4 card any longer and with Sanchez gone and Ozil in deliberation, we're now left, for the first time in recent memory, with a very average group of players.

There isn't going to be a fan revolt, let alone a full scale one. He has been getting abuse for years and it makes no difference.

Genuine drops in attendance would help......

[bbrian]

Bring Ancelloti in now. Give him a head start in the rebuilding job and the chance to clear out the deadwood b4 next season
You have made me sad now T ...Is Ancelloti what we will end up with when he does go :-(

[Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult]

You have made me sad now T ...Is Ancelloti what we will end up with when he does go :-(

I'd be happy with Stevie Bould helped by Keown and big Tone. Armed with scaff bars and 2 by 2. Tell those donkey defenders that each goal conceded equals one broken one.

It maye just lead to boring nil-alls but at leats we wouldn't be losing.

[bbrian]

I'd be happy with Stevie Bould helped by Keown and big Tone. Armed with scaff bars and 2 by 2. Tell those donkey defenders that each goal conceded equals one broken one.

It maye just lead to boring nil-alls but at leats we wouldn't be losing.

Bould is part of the problem at this point ...overpaid for what he does and not seemingly showing the ambition to manage elsewhere . He should be Stoke manager by now

[IUFG]

Wenger out :-(

Quite.

and...I wouldn't be sorry if any of those playing yesterday were sold.

When the answers are Danny Welbeck and Theo Walcott, you know we're are heading for even ****ter times :-(

[World's End Stella]

I disagree, we don't need change just for the sake of it, we need change because the manager is no longer competent.

I'm also loving the idea that we should buy Malcolm only if we sell Sanchez. If we like Malcolm we should just f*cking buy him. Given that we made 20mil in the summer and just sold Coq for 12mil that would mean a net outlay over two windows of a massive 13mil or so.

Imagine that, one of the ten richest clubs spending 13mil over two windows. Obscene. :hehe:

[PSRB]

Wenger out :-(

I'm teetering on the edge, Wenger in.....until end of the season. Then I'm afraid he has to go

[Burney]

I'm teetering on the edge, Wenger in.....until end of the season. Then I'm afraid he has to go

That's what I thought last season, though. And here we are. :shrug:

[SWv2]

A truly sorry state of affairs.

The team manager going in front of cameras and being honest enough to say he has no idea what is going on meanwhile on the actual football side it appears he has no idea what is going on.

The clusterfúck of last summer with Sanchez, the basic scenario where two world class players are even allowed to be in this contract situation, gross mismanagement of the football club (not team, no idea who is ultimately responsible here).

Walcott running around on a sponsored offside. Christ if we can genuinely get £20m for him what is the delay, unless of course he is too settled in the easy life and won’t move in which case we’re fúcked.

Watching young players like Holding and other fundamentally good footballers like Xhaka and especially Lacazette just draining in confidence in front of our eyes.

As Wes pointed out, we like Malcolm and are willing to pay 40m for the lad, but only if Sanchez goes, otherwise we’ll muddle on with bang average shít****s like Welbeck and Iwobi, both of who have a role to play but neither of whom should ever be first 11.

Selling to United, not ideal of course though some are looking on it as the footballing equivalent of a person shítting in their cupped hand. Sell the wee fúcker if they are the highest bidder, take Mkytarian if they are genuinely offering him, screw them for everything we can get. Then take Malcom also but ask him to jazz up his name.

And yes, in summary … Wenger out!

I can’t believe the above is still in debate.

[Burney]

I disagree, we don't need change just for the sake of it, we need change because the manager is no longer competent.

I'm also loving the idea that we should buy Malcolm only if we sell Sanchez. If we like Malcolm we should just f*cking buy him. Given that we made 20mil in the summer and just sold Coq for 12mil that would mean a net outlay over two windows of a massive 13mil or so.

Imagine that, one of the ten richest clubs spending 13mil over two windows. Obscene. :hehe:

My point is that even the argument that there isn't anyone better available right now no longer stands because - however it's happened - Wenger's continuation in post (N.B. not the man himself) is now toxic. Virtually anyone would be better as manager for the club at the moment.

[World's End Stella]

My point is that even the argument that there isn't anyone better available right now no longer stands because - however it's happened - Wenger's continuation in post (N.B. not the man himself) is now toxic. Virtually anyone would be better as manager for the club at the moment.

Ah I see, yes I quite agree. I'm struggling to see us finishing better than 6th as it stands, quite astonishing.

[Ash]

Someone from the press should ask him if there any threshold of performance and failure at which he would resign. Is there any threshold at which 'honouring' his contract is not in the best interests of the football club? Could another manager get more out of these players?

When I heard the rumour that Ancelotti was available at the end of the season I thought 'yes, please'. Right now I'd like him to start tomorrow.

[World's End Stella]

Someone from the press should ask him if there any threshold of performance and failure at which he would resign. Is there any threshold at which 'honouring' his contract is not in the best interests of the football club? Could another manager get more out of these players?

When I heard the rumour that Ancelotti was available at the end of the season I thought 'yes, please'. Right now I'd like him to start tomorrow.

I'd still prefer a younger manager who we think might lead the club for the next 10+ years but as Burney points out, pretty much anyone would be an improvement at this point so if we don't have our eye on someone like Arteta (as an example) Carlo would do just fine for now.

I'm also assuming that this chap from Barca is effectively our director of football now and once SFC does the right thing and p1sses off, the new chap will start running the recruitment process. We badly need someone that can look objectively at the players we have and move out those not deemed good enough while scouring the world (as opposed to France) for the players we need.

[Alberto Balsam Rodriguez]

A truly sorry state of affairs.

The team manager going in front of cameras and being honest enough to say he has no idea what is going on meanwhile on the actual football side it appears he has no idea what is going on.

The clusterfúck of last summer with Sanchez, the basic scenario where two world class players are even allowed to be in this contract situation, gross mismanagement of the football club (not team, no idea who is ultimately responsible here).

Walcott running around on a sponsored offside. Christ if we can genuinely get £20m for him what is the delay, unless of course he is too settled in the easy life and won’t move in which case we’re fúcked.

Watching young players like Holding and other fundamentally good footballers like Xhaka and especially Lacazette just draining in confidence in front of our eyes.

As Wes pointed out, we like Malcolm and are willing to pay 40m for the lad, but only if Sanchez goes, otherwise we’ll muddle on with bang average shít****s like Welbeck and Iwobi, both of who have a role to play but neither of whom should ever be first 11.

Selling to United, not ideal of course though some are looking on it as the footballing equivalent of a person shítting in their cupped hand. Sell the wee fúcker if they are the highest bidder, take Mkytarian if they are genuinely offering him, screw them for everything we can get. Then take Malcom also but ask him to jazz up his name.

And yes, in summary … Wenger out!

I can’t believe the above is still in debate.


I'd guess that Monty, Nicosia and Ian Harvey would be the main protagonists still banging on the Wenger in drum?

[Ash]

I'd guess that Monty, Nicosia and Ian Harvey would be the main protagonists still banging on the Wenger in drum?

I spoke to Ian the other week and that didn't seem to be his position.

Just Monty and Nicos, I expect.

[Alberto Balsam Rodriguez]

I spoke to Ian the other week and that didn't seem to be his position.

Just Monty and Nicos, I expect.


Does Ian Harvey still think we have a shot at winning the league? :-)

[Burney]

I spoke to Ian the other week and that didn't seem to be his position.

Just Monty and Nicos, I expect.

Thing is, it's not an ideological question on which one has to take sides anymore. It's a purely pragmatic consideration. Wenger set CL qualification as the minimum benchmark by which to judge him and we finished outside the top 4 last season. We are now on course to finish outside the top 4 again, so by his own definition he is failing in his role. What alternative is there but to change managers?

[Ash]

Does Ian Harvey still think we have a shot at winning the league? :-)

When did he say that we did?

[redgunamo]

Wenger out :-(

The other day, eh?

Try "the other decade" ;-)

[Ash]

Thing is, it's not an ideological question on which one has to take sides anymore. It's a purely pragmatic consideration. Wenger set CL qualification as the minimum benchmark by which to judge him and we finished outside the top 4 last season. We are now on course to finish outside the top 4 again, so by his own definition he is failing in his role. What alternative is there but to change managers?

This is why I was wondering if he is considering his position, or how bad it would have to get for him to do so. His recent comments about going nowhere in the summer were not those of a man at home to Mr Humility. However arrogant Mourinho is, at least he is aware of his own mortality, p45-istically. Arsene seemingly feels accountable to no-one.

[Alberto Balsam Rodriguez]

When did he say that we did?


Isn't that why he left Awimb back in the day? Lots of arguments between him and the rest of Awimb on Arsenal's ability to win the league.

[redgunamo]

Someone from the press should ask him if there any threshold of performance and failure at which he would resign. Is there any threshold at which 'honouring' his contract is not in the best interests of the football club? Could another manager get more out of these players?

When I heard the rumour that Ancelotti was available at the end of the season I thought 'yes, please'. Right now I'd like him to start tomorrow.

Performances hasn't been the issue for years though; that's where we (the supporters) are all going wrong.

[PSRB]

That's what I thought last season, though. And here we are. :shrug:

Still in the Reindeer cup and the Europa league and will still finish Top 6, might as well let him ride out the season and that gives us time to find a decent replacement

[Burney]

The other day, eh?

Try "the other decade" ;-)

I think it's a little contrived to look back at the period since 2004 and see it as a process of managed decline. It certainly didn't always feel that way. With the advantage of hindsight, I suppose one could say that the point at which it was really all over was after we sold Fabregas and van Persie in successive seasons. That was the final acknowledgement that Wenger's attempt to build a third great side on the cheap had failed.
However, we were buoyed up by finishing paying for the stadium and the promised riches and influx of top players, etc and hoped for the best, so him staying on for that was understandable.

[Burney]

Still in the Reindeer cup and the Europa league and will still finish Top 6, might as well let him ride out the season and that gives us time to find a decent replacement

If he stays it will just get worse.

[Burney]

This is why I was wondering if he is considering his position, or how bad it would have to get for him to do so. His recent comments about going nowhere in the summer were not those of a man at home to Mr Humility. However arrogant Mourinho is, at least he is aware of his own mortality, p45-istically. Arsene seemingly feels accountable to no-one.

If he isn't considering his position, someone ought to be telling him to do so. My worry is that - with Kroenke being an absentee landlord - nobody at the club has the authority to do so.

[redgunamo]

I think it's a little contrived to look back at the period since 2004 and see it as a process of managed decline. It certainly didn't always feel that way. With the advantage of hindsight, I suppose one could say that the point at which it was really all over was after we sold Fabregas and van Persie in successive seasons. That was the final acknowledgement that Wenger's attempt to build a third great side on the cheap had failed.
However, we were buoyed up by finishing paying for the stadium and the promised riches and influx of top players, etc and hoped for the best, so him staying on for that was understandable.

Remarkable prescience on your part, I called it. You sensed that something was just wrong, even though nobody was really interested in exploring what it might be, back then.

Actually, do I mean "perceptiveness "?

[IUFG]

... might as well let him ride out the season and that gives us time to find a decent replacement

oh, that will happen alright.

LA Rams out of the play offs last week - will Stan lift his head up to see how Arsenal are getting on? Not a ****ing chance.

I am resigned to the fact that Wenger will also be in charge next season.

What a sorry ****ing situation.

[Burney]

Remarkable prescience on your part, I called it. You sensed that something was just wrong, even though nobody was really interested in exploring what it might be, back then.

Actually, do I mean "perceptiveness "?

Oh, I see. I'd forgotten that. In fairness, it would have seemed unbelievably harsh to get rid of Wenger in 2012/13 when he'd just got us through a hugely difficult financial situation while qualifying for the CL every year, etc. However, those are the sort of harsh decisions that truly ambitious clubs take when they believe someone has taken them as far as they can.

[Ash]

If he isn't considering his position, someone ought to be telling him to do so. My worry is that - with Kroenke being an absentee landlord - nobody at the club has the authority to do so.

Someone had the authority to appoint two senior positions over AW's head. Let's hope that someone can at least suggest to AW that he checks out a mirror sometime.

[redgunamo]

Oh, I see. I'd forgotten that. In fairness, it would have seemed unbelievably harsh to get rid of Wenger in 2012/13 when he'd just got us through a hugely difficult financial situation while qualifying for the CL every year, etc. However, those are the sort of harsh decisions that truly ambitious clubs take when they believe someone has taken them as far as they can.

Sure, but I'm guessing that Old Trafford debacle, the season before, confirmed your suspicions. Certainly concerning the actual football anyway.

[Burney]

Someone had the authority to appoint two senior positions over AW's head. Let's hope that someone can at least suggest to AW that he checks out a mirror sometime.

Having the authority to hire others is a bit different to having the authority to sack our longest-serving and most successful manager, though.

[Ash]

Oh, I see. I'd forgotten that. In fairness, it would have seemed unbelievably harsh to get rid of Wenger in 2012/13 when he'd just got us through a hugely difficult financial situation while qualifying for the CL every year, etc. However, those are the sort of harsh decisions that truly ambitious clubs take when they believe someone has taken them as far as they can.

For me he deserved a shot at the thing with the new commercial monies. He had earned that imo. He bought two world class players but failed to build a good league team around them, as we have seen. He got three FA Cups, which some of us of a certain vintage can enjoy, but last summer was the time to step down. Now he has lost the goodwill of most of those that stuck with him over that tough decade, and he needs to see that.

He has finally united the fanbase. :-(

[Herbert Augustus Chapman]

Remarkable prescience on your part, I called it. You sensed that something was just wrong, even though nobody was really interested in exploring what it might be, back then.

Actually, do I mean "perceptiveness "?

Wenger - six 'ish years ago b?

greg mitchell was first out of the traps a good 10 years ago in calling the inevitable decline based on "Wenger's refusal to strengthen". I thought he was wrong because I still believed Wenger was capable of finding gold in a silver mine.

[Burney]

Wenger - six 'ish years ago b?

greg mitchell was first out of the traps a good 10 years ago in calling the inevitable decline based on "Wenger's refusal to strengthen". I thought he was wrong because I still believed Wenger was capable of finding gold in a silver mine.

Something like that. I wouldn't claim any great perceptiveness in it. We could all feel the thing had drifted.

Calling for Wenger's head 10 years ago was crazy, though. We were financially constrained and yet in 2008 we could easily have won the league. I still believe that Eduardo doesn't get crippled and we win that season. :shrug:

[Alberto Balsam Rodriguez]

Oh, I see. I'd forgotten that. In fairness, it would have seemed unbelievably harsh to get rid of Wenger in 2012/13 when he'd just got us through a hugely difficult financial situation while qualifying for the CL every year, etc. However, those are the sort of harsh decisions that truly ambitious clubs take when they believe someone has taken them as far as they can.

A natural point for him to leave would have been 2014 after winning the FA Cup. I think all round it would have seemed right. As Ash points out, if any manager deserved the opportunity with the financial changes, it was Wenger. For him to choose to stay was not beyond the realms to lunacy. This, as it turns out, has not succeeded.

To be offered a contract by the board in the summer was sheer lunacy. For Wenger to sign was not. After all, he had failed, his reputation has taken a dent and it looks like he had no other Football options and he got a pay rise. To accept that was somewhat of a no brainer.

[Burney]

A natural point for him to leave would have been 2014 after winning the FA Cup. I think all round it would have seemed right. As Ash points out, if any manager deserved the opportunity with the financial changes, it was Wenger. For him to choose to stay was not beyond the realms to lunacy. This, as it turns out, has not succeeded.

To be offered a contract by the board in the summer was sheer lunacy. For Wenger to sign was not. After all, he had failed, his reputation has taken a dent and it looks like he had no other Football options and he got a pay rise. To accept that was somewhat of a no brainer.

I think we underestimated the extent to which he actually enjoyed the years of having to get by on a shoestring. I think he took great pride in being able to achieve what he did with very little money. The problem is that, when he finally had money, he either didn't really know how to spend it or (and this is my suspicion) just didn't want to because that isn't how he liked to work.

[Ash]

A natural point for him to leave would have been 2014 after winning the FA Cup. I think all round it would have seemed right. As Ash points out, if any manager deserved the opportunity with the financial changes, it was Wenger. For him to choose to stay was not beyond the realms to lunacy. This, as it turns out, has not succeeded.

To be offered a contract by the board in the summer was sheer lunacy. For Wenger to sign was not. After all, he had failed, his reputation has taken a dent and it looks like he had no other Football options and he got a pay rise. To accept that was somewhat of a no brainer.

I don't believe he had no other football options. I dunno if he even cares about the money. What does he spend it on?

"Every decision I take is taken in the interests of this football club" or words to that effect. Does he generally believe that no-one else could do a better job, or is he consciously bullsh1tting, I wonder?

[Ash]

I think we underestimated the extent to which he actually enjoyed the years of having to get by on a shoestring. I think he took great pride in being able to achieve what he did with very little money. The problem is that, when he finally had money, he either didn't really know how to spend it or (and this is my suspicion) just didn't want to because that isn't how he liked to work.

He did spend quite a lot of the money. He gave it all to some fairly average players. :-|

[redgunamo]

Something like that. I wouldn't claim any great perceptiveness in it. We could all feel the thing had drifted.

Calling for Wenger's head 10 years ago was crazy, though. We were financially constrained and yet in 2008 we could easily have won the league. I still believe that Eduardo doesn't get crippled and we win that season. :shrug:

I'm not sure the idea that the jig was up really had anything to do with finances. Anyway, Wenger's trick had always been to make 5 million-pound players look like 50 million-pound ones, and not t'other way about :-\

[Burney]

I don't believe he had no other football options. I dunno if he even cares about the money. What does he spend it on?

"Every decision I take is taken in the interests of this football club" or words to that effect. Does he generally believe that no-one else could do a better job, or is he consciously bullsh1tting, I wonder?

I think it's complicated by the fact that he now knows that leaving Arsenal effectively means retiring. He's 70 next year. No big club is going to take him on in a full managerial role at his age. So if he goes, what's he going to? I don't think he has any other interests.

[redgunamo]

I don't believe he had no other football options. I dunno if he even cares about the money. What does he spend it on?

"Every decision I take is taken in the interests of this football club" or words to that effect. Does he generally believe that no-one else could do a better job, or is he consciously bullsh1tting, I wonder?

No, it's a fair point. Who else is doing better with our sort of spending?

[Burney]

He did spend quite a lot of the money. He gave it all to some fairly average players. :-|

Yes, but he spent it on mid-priced players with the idea that he could turn them into stars. He couldn't.

[redgunamo]

I think we underestimated the extent to which he actually enjoyed the years of having to get by on a shoestring. I think he took great pride in being able to achieve what he did with very little money. The problem is that, when he finally had money, he either didn't really know how to spend it or (and this is my suspicion) just didn't want to because that isn't how he liked to work.

Right. After all, not spending much is the thing that got Him the job in the first place. And the thing that's kept Him there.

[Alberto Balsam Rodriguez]

I think we underestimated the extent to which he actually enjoyed the years of having to get by on a shoestring. I think he took great pride in being able to achieve what he did with very little money. The problem is that, when he finally had money, he either didn't really know how to spend it or (and this is my suspicion) just didn't want to because that isn't how he liked to work.

Yes, that is probably true. Changing one's modus operandi can be quite hard when the mind is set in stone. One can easily lose perspective. If it is his choice to operate this way, he should have gone. Our recruitment has been pretty ordinary and we have produced very little from the youth system. Not a good recipe for progress imo

[Ash]

No, it's a fair point. Who else is doing better with our sort of spending?

Tottenham.

[Ash]

I think it's complicated by the fact that he now knows that leaving Arsenal effectively means retiring. He's 70 next year. No big club is going to take him on in a full managerial role at his age. So if he goes, what's he going to? I don't think he has any other interests.

He should write that book. Or invest all his time and money into an academic study of referees. :hehe:

[redgunamo]

I think it's complicated by the fact that he now knows that leaving Arsenal effectively means retiring. He's 70 next year. No big club is going to take him on in a full managerial role at his age. So if he goes, what's he going to? I don't think he has any other interests.

Watch Michael Mann movies and cry at the end as a mortally wounded Robert De Niro offers offers his killer, Al Pacino, the hand of friendship?

[Alberto Balsam Rodriguez]

I don't believe he had no other football options. I dunno if he even cares about the money. What does he spend it on?

"Every decision I take is taken in the interests of this football club" or words to that effect. Does he generally believe that no-one else could do a better job, or is he consciously bullsh1tting, I wonder?


After years of PSG chasing him, why didn't they get him last summer when they finished 2nd and Wenger was out of contract? Perhaps there is more to it than meets the eye.

Perhaps my statement should have read, "better options"

[redgunamo]

Tottenham.

Spurs haven't really threatened to win anything decent since Margaret Thatcher's third term, have they?

[Burney]

Right. After all, not spending much is the thing that got Him the job in the first place. And the thing that's kept Him there.

Our mistake was thinking that, if he can turn lead into gold, how much better will he do when he gets gold to start with? Sadly, it doesn't work like that. Virtually every big money signing he's made tells me that he isn't great at handling big-money players who come to him as the finished article.

[Alberto Balsam Rodriguez]

No, it's a fair point. Who else is doing better with our sort of spending?

It isn't just about spending though. What about the youth setup. Apart from Jack, have we produced anything from the youth system over the last 10 years?

[redgunamo]

Our mistake was thinking that, if he can turn lead into gold, how much better will he do when he gets gold to start with? Sadly, it doesn't work like that. Virtually every big money signing he's made tells me that he isn't great at handling big-money players who come to him as the finished article.

Well, quite. That is a common mistake. I've always said it's possible Wenger doesn't have an intuitive appreciation of this fact of life. On the other hand though, if He did, He almost certainly wouldn't still be with us.

Now, this is not meant in a bad way. All would be extremely happy for Him had He gone off and had a career winning European Cups at Bayern, Barcelona and Real Madrid, I'm sure, after all He's done for us. But He loves the club and wants to stay, so rather than spend Mourinho-money which would only get Him two or three years, He makes sure to stay within financial boundaries that ensure our board is always more than happy with Him.

[redgunamo]

It isn't just about spending though. What about the youth setup. Apart from Jack, have we produced anything from the youth system over the last 10 years?

Same at practically every big club though. It's complicated.

[redgunamo]

After years of PSG chasing him, why didn't they get him last summer when they finished 2nd and Wenger was out of contract? Perhaps there is more to it than meets the eye.

Perhaps my statement should have read, "better options"

Simply because His main selling point is finances, which the likes of PSG couldn't really give a stuff about.

[Alberto Balsam Rodriguez]

Simply because His main selling point is finances, which the likes of PSG couldn't really give a stuff about.

They only really started chasing him when they became rich

[SWv2]

No, it's a fair point. Who else is doing better with our sort of spending?

Perhaps this needs to be qualified by asking why our sort of spending is our sort of spending.

[redgunamo]

They only really started chasing him when they became rich

He knows He wouldn't get long there unless He won the European Cup though. "Money" wouldn't be an excuse.

And anyway, He loves working at Arsenal.

[redgunamo]

Perhaps this needs to be qualified by asking why our sort of spending is our sort of spending.

Tottenham :-\

[redgunamo]

Wenger - six 'ish years ago b?

greg mitchell was first out of the traps a good 10 years ago in calling the inevitable decline based on "Wenger's refusal to strengthen". I thought he was wrong because I still believed Wenger was capable of finding gold in a silver mine.

Yeah, old Greg did always seem to know his stuff, imo.

[Alberto Balsam Rodriguez]

He knows He wouldn't get long there unless He won the European Cup though. "Money" wouldn't be an excuse.

And anyway, He loves working at Arsenal.


Of course he like working here. He practically has a free reign. That's the problem.

[Alberto Balsam Rodriguez]

Our mistake was thinking that, if he can turn lead into gold, how much better will he do when he gets gold to start with? Sadly, it doesn't work like that. Virtually every big money signing he's made tells me that he isn't great at handling big-money players who come to him as the finished article.


So now he is turning lead into purest green? :hehe:

[redgunamo]

Of course he like working here. He practically has a free reign. That's the problem.

Free reign to do what? He's a football manager :shrug:

Everyone's different. Some people are like freelance workers on short-term contracts; they get bored being in the same place all the time. Others enjoy the security of long-term employment.

[taxman10]

I wonder with the ox’s emergence at Liverpool as something resembling a decent player will make other younger players think twice about staying at arsenal. When was the last young player Wenger actually improved? Hector seems to be going backwards and maitland-miles is getting his confidence dented every week because he’s played out of position

[Ash]

Free reign to do what? He's a football manager :shrug:


Free reign to rule with no accountability.

Power corrupts, and absolute power ...

[redgunamo]

Free reign to rule with no accountability.

Power corrupts, and absolute power ...

He's not corrupt though, is He, and He's accountable to His bosses. He doesn't even have the absolute power to win the Kangaroo Cup :shrug:

[Ash]

He's not corrupt though, is He, and He's accountable to His bosses. He doesn't even have the absolute power to win the Kangaroo Cup :shrug:

No, not that sort of corruption. But tainted, twisted, damaged. Broken. A of lack of honesty and humility. Where else would a manager at this level with three away wins in twelve declare that he would see out his contract, while the clown car explodes all around him?

We're still in the Buffalo Cup though.

[Viva Prat Vegas]

Perhaps his (he has lost the 'right' to a capital H) bosses are accountable for doing sod all about his clearly exhausted management

[Viva Prat Vegas]

Well said Ash
Comical wenger see no evil

[redgunamo]

No, not that sort of corruption. But tainted, twisted, damaged. Broken. A of lack of honesty and humility. Where else would a manager at this level with three away wins in twelve declare that he would see out his contract, while the clown car explodes all around him?

We're still in the Buffalo Cup though.

He's from France, what do you expect. Just don't be surprised when He starts claiming the Bandicoot Cup is like a trophy.

[World's End Stella]

Perhaps this needs to be qualified by asking why our sort of spending is our sort of spending.

Yes, that is the salient point, I think. The question isn't whether someone else could do better with our level of spending, it's whether someone else could do better full stop, even if it involved spending more.

And then we get back to the whole why did we build the stadium etc etc

BTW I saw a surprising stat the other day. Chelsea have actually generated a profit in player sales/acquisitions over the past 4 or 5 years or something like that. Partly because of the Chinese, I think, but it surprised me nonetheless.

So you can add Chelsea to the list of teams doing better than us with similar spending patterns. Plus Liverpool as well possibly.

[SWv2]

Perhaps his (he has lost the 'right' to a capital H) bosses are accountable for doing sod all about his clearly exhausted management

Quite, they did after all offer him his last two contracts.

[Ash]

He's from France, what do you expect. Just don't be surprised when He starts claiming the Bandicoot Cup is like a trophy.

:hehe: As if we could knock out Chelsea and Man City to win a domestic cup.

Oh.

Anyway, he's a Kraut really, no? Just because France occupy that corner of Germany. Though I expect you know more about that sort of thing than any of us.

[Alberto Balsam Rodriguez]

:hehe: As if we could knock out Chelsea and Man City to win a domestic cup.

Oh.

Anyway, he's a Kraut really, no? Just because France occupy that corner of Germany. Though I expect you know more about that sort of thing than any of us.


Rieslings are good with Chicken curry etc.