Robert Pires has jumped to the defence of Arsene Wenger, following the clubs less than successful start to the season.
The Arsenal legend was quoted on talkSPORT.com saying:
‘I have known Arsene for many years and he is not the type of coach who will give up at the first sight of a problem.’
Wenger has been under a lot of media and fan pressure over the past month, which has seen Arsenal yet to win a game in the Premier League, picking up only 1 point out of 9, and have only managed to score 2 goals (pointless ones) in an 8-2 defeat against Manchester United.
Pires commented about the humiliating defeat at Old Trafford, as well as Wenger’s position at the club:
‘If people thought that after the 8-2 at Old Trafford he would leave, they are wrong. He did not go and will continue to the end with his ideas. The season is long and Arsenal still have room for improvement.’
I am glad that Bobby has come out publicly and defended Wenger, because I fully support Arsene and still think he is the best man for the job.
The fickle fans that are calling for his head will no doubt be satisfied if we win the next few games against Swansea, Blackburn and Bolton. Some of the comments from so called Arsenal ‘fans’ this summer have been borderline idiotic. Wenger led Arsenal to an unbeaten season in the past and if you think after the first 3 opening fixtures in the Premier League, which we all knew were going to be hard encounters, that the great Arsenal are going to be struggling for relegation this season, then you’re obviously just dumb and need a brain test.
The lowest position Arsenal have ever finished in the last 50 years is 17th, which was in the 1975/76 season. In fact, if you look at the record books, Arsenal have never been relegated. We did get relegated when we were known as ‘Woolwich Arsenal’ in the 1912/13 season, where we finished bottom of the league, but as Arsenal we never have been.
So in actuality, our club have not suffered relegation for nearly 100 years and our lowest position in the past 50 years has been 17th – so grumbling Arsenal fans should cheer up and be more optimistic.
Arsenal will be back and I don’t know about you guys, but I’ll be cheering the squad on until I curl up and die! Even then I plan on getting Arsenal put somewhere on my tombstone!!!
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Sorry Ian but you are living in a dream world if you think Wenger is not passed his best. I will support the team and players come what may but Wenger is no longer the man for the club not to mention the money grabbing board who are just as much to blame.
In addition calling fans who are worried about the club and think we need change stupid is a pretty blinkered view.
We will see, teams in the premiership are all to quick to dispose of managers look at chelsea as a prime example. If they don’t win EVERYTHING they sack the manager and replace him after the season.
Wenger has been at Arsenal for 15 years and we have won 11 trophies. Which in my book is not a bad record Tottenham as an example have won 2 trophies in the time Arsene Wenger has been at Arsenal.
The only teams to have won more than Arsenal since he took over are Chelsea and Man Utd.
Have faith in the manager and squad and see where it brings us at the end of the season not 3 tough games in. I believe in Wenger and in my opinion we will win trophies again with him as manager.
Sure ‘Gooner’ Sam , why dont you send your resume across. I am confident after reading your comment that we can have you to blame soon!!!
I admire your optism Iain but there is something wrotten going on at our lovely club that I don’t believe will be fixed by some last minute panic buying.
Don’t get me wrong I don’t think it is all Wengers fault. For the first half of his tenure he was a complete legend but he seems to have lost his way.
He has delivered a lot to our club and he will never be forgotten for that but that doesn’t mean we should be too scared to make a change if needed.
As you say we will see and I really hope that I am wrong
Neo, its called a different point of view, last time I checked we lived in a democracy, clearly not in your world. If your not able to discuss without being arrogant and agressive I’d suggest you don’t waste my or your time by commenting. (please see Ian’s comment for someone who is able converse without acting like a petulent child)
Gooner Sam…
Yes he was very successful during the first part of his career at Arsenal but then we were not competeing with Chelsea and Man City as well as Man U, and they were not building and paying for a new stadium either. Taking these facts into consideration the lack of silverware in the last few years is understandable and should not be classified as lack of success. We have always been in the frame, and that is an achievement most other clubs would loved to have emulated. To finish second or third is not to be sneezed at, just ask any Olympian who has won silver or bronze.
Mick – I agree with what you are saying and if we were trully competing I would agree but my faith has been slowly eroded I’m afraid. The frustration is that the same patterns and weknesses keeps happening / being there time and time again (the team keep failing at the same point every year) and some of the decisions have been shocking (as an example paying Denilson, Diaby and Bentner the wages they earn). Who can tell me the loss to Birmingham was down to luck and not a lack of experience / mental strength?
This also in the back drop of raising the cost of the tickets by 6.5% this year. What about the money that was made from the sales to Man City in the years gone past?
Of course I am not suggesting I know everything that is going on in the club but things do need to change……
Gooner Sam….
We can all point to things which could have been done differently and in hindsight, better. However the OVERALL situation should not be forgotten. We have achieved far more, despite the obstacles I have mentioned, than all other clubs bar the mega rich three. Oh, and the Birmingham result was nothing to do with Wengers decisions, good or bad, nothing to do with lack of mental strength, backbone, British spine and all the other nonsense. It was the result of a flukish bit of defending, pure and simple.
Then why were we not already leading? We are talking about a team that was relegated and if it was a freak incident why did our season crumble after that?
I also don’t agree about the whole 3 rich clubs arguement. We pay the most expensive tickets in the league and yet we have two millionaires who own the club? The board and managers are treating us like mugs taking our money and offering us promises that will never happen.
I did believe in Wengers vision but I now think I was pretty niaive to be honest. FFP will never be properly controlled by UEFA and we will be left behind.
As an Arsenal fan im getting fed up of this hatred for Wenger when he is only an employee and the board have the final say. Why does Wenger get bad press for losses when its the players fault? There is one problem with the club and that is the change of ownership and lack of passion on the boards behalf, noone else is to blame!