I think the first half of Wenger's tenure he probably didn't need to enforce too much. That squad was full of serious professionals who didn't **** around. I remember hearing there were fights every day in training. But when you start filling the squad with kids you have to take a more stern approach.
I never bought into the idea that Wenger was a soft touch. Obsessives like him rarely are.
Yup. Spot on. Auba was an amazing player. But we're so much better without that sort of ego. I like all these young players who buy into his programme. It's just replacing Jorgy that worries me. Top quality player with bags of experience who'll often be on the bench except for the hardest games. Where do we get someone happy with that role?
I don't think Aubamayang really suited the way Arteta wanted to play. He isn't really a centre forward but was never going to be suited to the left side role he favours. Players like him and Ozil are not really suited to the high press Arteta wants, particularly at their respective ages.
No doubt Arteta was making a point in the way he dealt with him but part of me thinks he wasn't too worried about moving him on.
..building up at the convention
As the hustlers began to arrive.
Must've been nine-thousand or more that came through the door.
The time was 11:55.
There were pick-pockets and dope peddlers, murderers and thieves.
Card shark gamblers with aces up their sleeves.
Bank robbers, burglers, boosters and pimps.
Prostitutes, call girls, all kinds of nymphs!
Loan sharks, swindlers, counterfeiters, and fences,
Crooked politicians spending campaign expenses.
Highjackers, arsonists, bookies in the mob,
And anybody else who'd ever killed, cheated or robbed.
Yep. Sounds like our training ground alright.
"Plenty of strikers can score goals," he said, gesturing to the famous old stands casting shadows around us.
"But a lot have found it difficult wearing the number 9 shirt for The Arsenal."