Having got the 3-1 loss to Bayern Munich on Tuesday out of my system, I would like to throw in my two cents about the performance, Arsene Wenger future and what our season ahead holds.
Performance against Bayern
It was simply not up to standards, that or the opposition we faced was clearly miles ahead of us in organisation, strength and quality.
The only player that showed me they are init for the long haul and willing to fight is Jack Wilshere. Wilshere is simply a class above the rest of our current crop and always gives his all – it’s just a shame those around him don’t have the same passion and desire. If we had 10 more Wilshere’s then we’d be challenging for trophies every season.
Some of our players think they are better than they actually are or are not big-game performers. I’ll let you figure out who I’m referring too.
Wenger’s future
Moving on to Wenger. The Frenchman is showing signs of strain and I for one don’t feel sorry for him – sorry guys but I don’t. The fact is he had a chance to strengthen the squad in January but he chose not to do so, even though we were, and still are, lagging behind Spurs and had Bayern in the Champions League.
We are set to go another season trophyless, which is simply not acceptable, and unless he and the players pull up their socks, we will miss out on a top four finish.
If he was managing any other side in the world, he would have been gone by now. FACT.
I honestly believe Wenger has run out of ideas and although he has done wonders for our club, he should seriously consider his future at the end of the season, regardless of the outcome in May.
Season ahead
Well there is nothing to look forward to in terms of silverware, unless Bayern decide to not turn up for the return leg in mid-March! All we can do now is take each game as it comes and pick up the points along the way and hope to finish in the top four. But this will prove to be a tough challenge for us if our current form is anything to go by.
Apart of me wants them to achieve this and qualify for the Champions League next season, but another thinks it would be best if we miss out – take a step backwards in order to take two forward.
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FoOooook kroenke get him out we dnt need his fu*king money again. get us usmanov
that’s what we need
Press reports continue to link with starlets.If he refuses to buy top quality players and the gunners continue to stgnate,he shd go.He is endangering Arsenal if he soesn’t change his mindset.
Its not 100% Wenger’s fault. Kroenke clearly has no passion for soccer in the same way as Abramovich, Mansour, or even Usmanov. All he sees is dollars and cents.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen such negativity around a single team as there is for Arsenal. If it’s not from the schadenfreude of the press or other teams’ supporters, then it’s from within.
Yes, we have every right to be disappointed with the way the season has gone, but guess who got us here? Guess who got us to the point where we can moan about this ‘disappointing’ season before it is even finished? Only one person and guess what, I’m glad he’s here and not leaving before his contract is up. I would love to see what Arsene could do with more resources, as promised. Guess what folks, the board won’t be changing. Even if Usmanov takes over, he supports Wenger, so what then? If the money is there and it’s spent wisely, as it was this past January, then we will see. Sorry, but David Villa is not and will not be anything but a stopgap solution. All those names were were linked to last summer, Mirallas, Sahin, all are busts. The man knows talent and knows the economics of football and more importantly the economics of the Arsenal Football Club. He’s worked miracles with a tight budget and the days of that tight budget are nearing an end. But that doesn’t mean he should just buy every player under the sun.
As for the battering at the hands of Bayern Munich, yes, it was frustrating, considering that two of their goals were less than convincing. Overall, were were outplayed, but considering that the mighty Barcelona fell, it’s not within the realm of possibility that stranger things than BM losing at home could occur. Even lower league teams supporters are full of optimism going into a game their supposed to lose. Sometimes reality sets in, sometimes belief is all you need. And until the final whistle against Bayern, I’ll keep believing that anything is possible. What is baffling is all of these so called Gooners that have given in to doom and gloom. Remember who got us here.
I agree with part of that. he got us tro a point of brilliance but lets not forget he inherited a side that has been the best defence ever seen in the prem, he also inherited Bergkamp, Parlour, Wrighty, platt. His record for buying defenders has been nothing less than abysmal over the years. Yes he has bought Campbell and vermealon but I do find it hard to find any others to protect our not to great keepers. He does find great talent going forward. But they all leave to find trophy’s that he cannot provide no longer. I am a supporter of a football club not a plc company. I want to see my club challenging not making money on selling their best players. Yes wenger has got us here and where is here. 5th or sixth in the league and trophy less for eight years!!!!!
Do some research. Wenger brough in Viera, Campbell, Petit, Kolo Toure, even…ahem Gallas, though it was a short move across town for him, and also Sagna who before his injuries was widely considered the best right back in the league.
Now, as I said before, we are 5 points off of 3rd and people are ready to throw the towel in. There are definitely things to be critical of, we should not be selling to our tital rivals, even if it means losing RVP on a free, but let’s be realistic. You’d prefer going back to the dark days before? 1-0 and fighting for a top ten finish instead of top 4?
No point commenting on a blog where the writer thought he is a better manager.
My 2 cents thought about this blog is that before one criticise other of their inability, we must be sure that we can manage and perform better than Wenger or else shut the fxxk up!
The problems Arsenal are facing does not lie solely with Wenger but other factors that the club will not reveal.
And as a reminder, we are 5 points off of 3RD place to a Spuds team notorious for choking and a Chelsea team constantly in turmoil and unbeaten in our last 4 league games. Find some positives and get behind the team!
I’m part of a minority that believes we actually have a competitive team, it’s just that Wenger is an incompetent tactician. Stubborn and naive come to mind. Why would you start Walcott in the center forward position? Ramsey every game? Why are substitutions only done at 70 minutes? I think Wenger should be “promoted” to Director of Football at Arsenal and a manager hired to direct play. BTW, I though Rosicky gave his heart to the effort similar to Wilshere.
The players has given their all but shaky at the back not due to Manager’s fault. Are you sitting in the Board or spoken to Wenger on tactic to understand what’s went wrong?
Well what is your position in regards to the board and the manager? We are just fans that watch this club and want it to win _and_ continue with a football philosophy that Wenger brought to Arsenal. After all these years, a simple observer can question the tactics of a Manager who has been so consistent as Wenger. The removal of a true defensive midfielder is a tactical decision that affects the performance of the defence.
I would agree that Wenger can be stubborn and rigid. Especially with the 70 minute subs. He seems unwilling to change based on the opponent’s formation or personnel. I’m a big AW supporter, but he’s definitely not above criticism.
Thanks Sergy, I also believe we have a competent team but the tactician is wrong. For instance in the Bayern game, it was obvious after 10 minutes that Theo could not play in the centre, all Arsene had to do was shift Podolski to the centre, Theo goes to the wing and play until half time when further changes would have been required.
If you’re looking for the ball, and he knew we would, then play a few hardrunners there until such a time when you would bring the skillful but slow players.
For God’s sake, study the opposition and play according to them. That does not mean you’re not good, you’re being smart.
I agree. I don’t see Theo as a long term CF. He’s not a hold up player, how many times did the ball get launched his way and he couldn’t get up for it. I think Giroud was missed sorely and Theo needs to accept that he’s a winger.
I think AW should be sacked at th end of the season.He is clearly at the end of the road and has run out of ideas.The tactics for BM were pathetic.why play theo at CF if hes not played there often enough to be familiar with the gameplay. Also why play podolski for 70mins when it was obvious that he was not creating anything. why put ramsey again on the wing along with santi?who were creating moves for us ? nobody seemed to know what they were supposed to do in the first half.and the game was finished then itself, cause BM could easily resort to just defensing and hitting us on the counter if they wanted,which they did, to get the 3rd goal. We defended pathetically for all the 3 goals that it is an embarrassment to the coaching at arsenal. Nobody had any visiion(barring jack), any desire or any belief and this all stems from the manager’s lack of nous. He has to go.If the board do spend 70mill on players i would say AW is the wrong person to give it since hes bought pathetically in the last 7 yrs.for every santi hes bought, hes also bought a chamack and a squillaci.its best if the fans dont renew their tickets to send a message to the board to really clean up their act.
‘Apart of me wants them to achieve this and qualify for the Champions League next season, but another thinks it would be best if we miss out – take a step backwards in order to take two forward’ You are right sometimes you need to get out of your comfort zone to find the energy and the hunger to be successful. Arsenal players and staff are too comfy.
I concurred with you on this and not those who fans lives in the world of “Football Manager”.
I’m sure Liverpool fans thought the same thing. That’s been a resounding success. I don’t think the complacency will last, regardless of the outcome of the rest of the season. There’s too much fan unrest and the pressure is mounting for changes in spending behaviour and on-field performance. They’ve been telling us to wait until FFP or until the stadium debt is reduced and new sponsor deals are in place. So, that time is here, things will have to change and if there’s no marked improvement, I expect there will be a clearout, but not before the end of AW’s contract.
As a fan, I am disappointed to see that we are not united and prefer to listen to Stewart Robson’s comment which he would probably being handsomely paid by the press to criticise Arsenal and as a result created disunity among us.
In most comment, fans seemed to be happy with the press comment and perceive what the paper said to be true. Yes, is frustrating to watch Arsenal stupidly letting in goals and not scoring despite the possession.
To think about it, a manager like Wenger given his experience and achievement cannot deteriorate to a level worse than mediocre Managers. There is more to that behind the scene and we should not speculate like we are involved in the Board discussion.