Without doubt this is the most testing period Arsene Wenger has had to face in his reign at Arsenal.
For the first time since Wenger took over, Gooners are becoming disgruntled at what is going on at the club. And that really worries me.
I'm worried because I fear that unless Arsene Wenger sorts it out, his legendary status at the club, amongst Gooners, could become undermined. I'm also worried because Arsenal seem to be going backwards.
He has done so much for Arsenal and I would hate for him to have his time at the club tainted because he refused to budge in his beliefs.
There is pure frustration surrounding Gooners at the moment and I can understand why. It's glaringly obvious this squad needs freshening up but for some reason Wenger doesn't appear to see it.
It's no good Wenger relying on players coming back from injury. It's a gamble he took in the summer and one that has since bitten him on the arse.
We haven't won things in a long time now. I understand that there have been barren spells in the history of Arsenal before but this is a first under Arsene Wenger.
I want Wenger to turn that around so bad. For Arsenal's sake, and of course, Arsene Wenger's sake.
In years to come I don't want to remember Wenger's time at the club as being great but he out welcomed his stay. It has happened to many legends in the game. Brian Clough is a massive example. I don't want Wenger to go down that route.
At the moment there are even some Gooners who are calling for Wenger's head. I don't think that is the answer to Arsenal's problems. In fact, I think if Wenger left now Arsenal would end up in a far worse position.
These calls for a change in manager are a first in Wenger's time at the club though and I think that shows how frustrated some Gooners have become.
Wenger has left himself open to criticism but I hope he can turn it around. Because if he doesn't then his reign at the club won't be remembered for the good times. Sounds fickle I know but some people have short memories.
There will be a time when Wenger leaves the club and I really hope it isn't under a cloud. That's why I'm rooting for Arsene Wenger. Its up to him.
Keep it Goonerish...................
31 comments:
Absolutely. I'm with you 100%. Dein seems to be working some sort of charm offensive. I do think we have gone downhill quite a bit in the transfer market since he was ousted though.
Haven't heard much from the new boy, things hopefully will change tomorrow. Arshavin + 1 or 2 would be nice
Wenger is a wonderful manager and deserves a bit more time (this season and maybe next). One player he should have bought was Kevin Nolan. A player who would have toughened things up. With him and Arshavin we could have moved up the table a bit. One positive for the season is Djourou who has turned into a quality defender. However, Song, Diaby, Denilson and Eboue are going backwards and are just not Arsenal quality (These players are our main problem). Along with Adebeyor just not performing.
Wrighty fella, you say Wenger doesnt see the squad needs freshening up, but how you know this?
I think we're skint mate, he won't admit that some players he has are shite coz he has to use em!
Some of his decisions have baffled and frustrated me, for sure, and he does deserve some criticism, but also he deserves some respect too. Some of the bile and vitriol Ive seen on so-called blogs is effin scandalous IMO!
The problem with Arsene and why we are not winning at the moment is Arsene loyalty to his backroom staff. This are a bunch of coaches especially Pat Rice who has been in that position for 12 years. In comparism if you look at Man U they are always changing that position or the people in that position develop ambitions in their own right. Pat Rice just do not look like an ambitious modern coach which is now getting to me
anon 17;25;
Im sorry fella but i gotta take issue with 2 points;
Kevin effin Nolan??? Are you crackers mate? He's average at the very best!
And Denilson has improved loads since the start of the season.
Spike,
You maybe right mate but the Arsenal board don't help matters.
If Arsenal are skint and we Gooners were told that then I think many would be more understanding.
Instead we are told that if Wenger wanted £30m to spend then he would get it.
Something is wrong at the club but one thing for certain is that Wenger will suffer for it regardless.
Wrighty7
It would be a lot better if we knew 100% either way!
One minute we are told Wenger has shit loads (cue tabloid headlines informing us of £70m warchests etc...) and then there's a 'little money' and then again, Wenger has to sell every year to keep us afloat!!
Although I am in no way in favour of being bought by some billionaure (foreign or otherwise) I am in favour of more dynamic savvy board members and Kroenke along with the new CEO may be great for us. As for Peter Hill-Wood? I know his family have been around for a while, but that fella just does not come across very well does he!! In fact he has the air of a senile old cigar chompin Toff!
oi oi Wrighty.. did you play today?
or did that groin strain get worse? lol.
We need to sack mr wenger obe and have a different manager every 10 years, then we can be as good as the spuds.. haha.
I`ll say it again the board is to blame end of.. every year for about 4 yaers we here that we have got 40 million to spend on one player if needed.. Yeh complete b******* because all of sudden wenger is begging the board for money too buy players which we clearly need. What happened to we are fine we dnt need no backers...Hill-wood needs stick that cigar where the sun dnt shine and stick his hand in his pockets cos the board will undo all of wengers work in a week!!! He`ll walk and so will all his players we`ll b bck in the days of Rioch and Co.. With no money, no star attractions and and an empty stadium!!!
Avenell,
I played mate. It was about minus 10 and had a snow blizzard!
Lost 2-1 to a last minute goal!
arsenal badly need a new defensive mid as denilson is just not good enough we should get cana mbia or even nick appiah off the spuds.also we need to sign arshavin as this team lacks creativity and guile and pace.if we buy these players we could still geta top 3 finish.
Totally agree with Spike. So refreshing to read some intelligent blogging.
Cheap 2nd rate neuvo gooner sites forget the days of don howe& terry neil.
He has clearly got no cash, i have a very good insider at the grove and i will soon right a full report of what i know on my blog.
Stick with wenger, you have no idea how much we need him for the next 3-5 years.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=D0DqAHgFCx8
Can somebody tell me why we haven't gone back in for M'Bia? We here that Newcastle have gone in for him and apparently we bid for him in the summer. I'm hoping we manage a sneaky transfer tomorrow as well as the Arshavin one. Fingers crossed.
Oh yeah and by the way we're fucked when Wenger does eventually retire. We'll end up having Adams as boss and playing shit football.
Stringfellow. The facts are as far as I can see..We have £93 million in the bank but we owe £145 million in may.
We make £40 million a year profit.
I think that means we have no money.
Spot On Wrighty - he is and alwways will be one of the best managers this club will ever have ......
Times are difficult - live with it!
Arsene Wenger has made some very poor decisions: letting Hleb and Gilberto go; continuously playing sub-standard players - Eboue, Song, Diaby, Denilson, Bendtner, Adebayor etc.
But what is the alternative? the Board will only choose an "Arsenal" man or an "Arsenal-type man" ... there aren't many around!
Wenger's reputation is suffering because there hasn't been a full disclosure of the club's situation. The erratic and contradictory statements coming from upstairs leave the fans confused about what we are entitled to expect. if we don't have the money, then so be it, but if we do have the money, then Wenger's decisions to let Flamini go, not to buy Alonso at Liverpool's price deserve to effect his reputation..
spot on, avenell.
What about this £12mil price on Veloso's head. Even Bolton put in a bid. What's going on in the market, this guy was rated at £20/£25mil 6 months ago
He failed, sorry.. how long do you need to win a single trophy?
Wrighty, are you saying because he was sucessfull in the past that he has a job for life. Are people so blinded by Wengers lies and spin that they think the club will collapse without him. Let me put you people straight, no matter what bullshit is being spoken by some "Arsene knows" apologists, fact is Arsenal was a big club long before Wenger took over and in spite of what you will have us believe it will be a big club when he goes. Another fact is that hes not doing his job anymore. He was quick to point out last year that we should have won the league and only finished a few points behind so that was progress and he was happy. Thing is we were well out of it long before the season ended and this year we've progressed backwards so Wenger will have another little bullshit story to cover this up. Im amazed to see people make excuses for these players endlessly as they are useless, have been for a few years now and always will be. Do some people watch different games than the rest of us, I mean how the fuck can anyone defend the shit that plays for us. Its not long ago since we watched Adams, Winterburn, Dixon, Bould,Vieira, Henry, Bergkamp, Pirez, Seaman and Wright to name but a few, and oh my god look what we have now. Wrighty I agree with you a lot of the time but words fail me as to how you can think we will be worse without Wenger. The mans a proven liar and has hit a brick wall. He cant take us any further and thats fact. Is it not obvious to you that this team is now worse than when Wenger took over, its like groundhog day watching these mediocre players make the same mistakes week after week and watch Wenger lie through his teeth every time telling us something we know is fucking bullshit.
paulie.
SAVE WENGER!
Message to all Wenger haters, please hear me out.
I know you want him out,
I know you feel he has taken us as far he can,
I know his transfer policy leaves you frustrated,
I also appreciate that you feel that the ‘Arsene Knows’ mob are blind to his faults and too loyal.
The above points may be valid and I’m sure you could reply to this post with even further evidence to see him on his way.
But let’s get real, let’s have a reality check.
No matter what the board is telling us, it is clear that WE DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO SPEND! And,
This is NOT WENGERS FAULT!
David DEIN has stated that he left because the board would not allow new investment from the Russian or other willing sources.
I feel the board believe that they are protecting the interests of the club and that they are protecting the club we love from a foreign owner who may just want a new toy toy play with.
Now I’m not sure if foreign investment is a good or a bad thing but I’m convinced the board promised WENGER the money from the Highbury Square Development. Obviously with the Credit crunch this money is no longer available.
Now this may be the boards fault, it maybe the fault the greedy banks and governments of the world, but I can assure that,
This is NOT WENGERS FAULT!
THE simple fact is WE DON’T THE MONEY and he sooner we get used to this the better. WENGER is nothing short of a miracle worker and yes he has made mistakes more then previous seasons but he his fighting to keep a club with a transfer budget, of a lower mid-table team in the mix, with Europe’s Elite clubs and quite frankly under this pressure he ‘WILL’ make mistakes.
He has spent money in the past and would spend it if he had the funds. How many times has he said that he is working within a tight budget, what more do you want from him?
If anyone out there believes that no off a manager who with the same budget could do a better job please let me know.
If we push him away we will regret this madness for years to come.
Look at Newcastle, and Spurs, they budgets are far superior and they are nowhere.
Vent your anger at the board if you see fit but leave the boss alone he is still working miracles.
Sensible gooner!
Paulie,
I'm not saying Wenger should have a job for life at Arsenal.
Wenger is a legend at the club but the bottom line is its a results business.
We have seen a side of invincables torn apart and a new era born.
Wenger has made mistakes over the last couple of years and this season could be his worst at Arsenal.
I think he deserves the chance to put that right after all he has done for the club.
If he doesn't then by all means it may be time to look for another man.
Whoever that is though must realise it will a huge job to take on.
Its easy to sack someone but its harder to replace them.
paulie;
Feel sorry for you meate. To be sooo full of bile towards someone you dont even know!
Fact is, with the likes of Dixon, Winterburn etc, we were pretty average at times too! Id take Sagna over Dixon every day as well!
What spin and lies you on about?
Coz Wenger didnt get the transfers he promised? Aw diddums! Shit happens. You think he is deliberately lying to fuck the club up?
We have a few players I wouldnt be too gutted to lose and I think the lack of signings in the summer has meant we are where we are; 5th and out of the title race. Thats an effin disgrace and Wenger should be criticised for it as should the board, for it is them that havent been honest IMO. You only have to look at the shit going on at boardroom level, the sackings/departures new faces etc, to see something aint right there.
Wenger has the best iunterests of the club at heart and in the short term (next 2-4 seasons) is the best fella for the job IMO.
BUT Arsenal will still be a big club, true and given the great young players we have coming thru, and home grown too, the next manager will have it a lot more cushy than it is at present.
Oh and its funny how, anyone whom isnt full of spite, hatred for AW gets labelled a Wenger apologist, Arsene knows gimp etc, like we are fucking denying the guys an ex-Nazi or something.
Really intelligent that!
Thanks for thatintelligent insight, mysterious blog nerd!
wenger is a legend. remember where arsenal were before he became manager, uefa cup, now we are so use to champions league football everywhere we are taking it for granted. he has done wonders for the club, a manager is only as good as his resources and wenger wont admit but he does not have the money to go out and the buy the players he wants. He has done remarkably well for so long with little resources and i think that just truly shows his class. if he had man citys resources he probably would be able to create an unbeatable team. u know that saying, u never know what u have till its gone. if we lose wenger we will soon realise what we had and what we lost...a true gem.
is this the same person leaving these comments? they all follow the same pattern from post to post.
what a shit blog - i won't get those three minutes back
Sensible gooner, you are spot on.
The heart of the current problems of Arsenal, like the current credit cruch, is to finance the £430 million Emirates Stadium entirely by borrowing money. In financing the new stadium Arsenal were able to raise some money but still had to borrow a huge sums of money, precisely £260 million. What it means is that we all as supporters, and of course, Arsene Wenger are there to protect Danny Fiszman and Peter Hill-Wood's Arsenal stakes. They are neither willing to put new money from their pockets nor to bring new equity investors. I feel sorry for Wenger. He gets the blame for all the Arsenal failings. Most Arsenal supporters believe that he does not sign big names by spending big. That is not true. When Arsene was at Monaco, he did sign big names: Hoddle, Hateley, Klinsman and etc. He wanted to sign Ronaldo and I am sure that he would have loved to sign Torres. But now given the financial stiuation of the club he can't even think of signing players like Torres. Of course, Arsene has made some mistakes. But with the resources he has, he still managed to assemble a team capable of beating Man United and Chelsea. To win the title you need to have a big squad. Arsenal must sign a few quality players. But under the regime of Danny Fiszman and Peter Hill-Wood, I don't see that it is going to happen.
Disagree with you Wrighty!!!
Theres a limit to how far youngsters can take you in this day and age. Teams have money and can flex their muscles and while Arsenal are staying stagnant, other teams are catching up and passing them.
Arsenal are now a Uefa cup team...Thats it...!!!
Mistake was not bringing in a top midfielder to complement Denilson and Fabregas...Big mistake!!!
Fergie is bringing in the same number of youngsters...Fabio, Rafael, Welbeck, J Evans, but allowing them to work with the experienced big guns!!
Wenger doesn't seem to know which positions need experienced players!! Central midfield is one of those areas!!
Wrighty
Although your articles are very simplistic, they are a great change from the doom and gloom on every other blog.
One thing I would like to add for those who criticise AW's decision to rest RVP
RvP is on 4 yellows and would obviously miss a game if he got another one. He has also been working very hard in all our games and Arsene knows that if he were injured/suspended/burned out it would really halt our season. Arsene also did this to instil confidence in the rest of the team. By leaving Rvp out, he is sending a message to the rest of the team that he thinks they can win without Rvp. Unfortunately it didnt work but it was a very solid idea - I mean we should have been able to score against West Ham at home.
Post a Comment