Morning all.
Having been relatively quiet since leaving Arsenal, Arsene Wenger has now opened up. He’s been talking to the media about all sorts of things football related and we’re getting to know a few things which really happened during his time at the club. I’d like to think what he’s saying is true anyway but of course, there’s his opinions thrown in too and who can begrudge him those?
How often do you get to see Arsenal and where are you watching from?
I’ve watched them on television until now, I’ve not been back to the Emirates and overall I might one day go again to watch it, but I had two distinctive periods. One at Highbury was a big love story as well and after as well, preparing the future of the club. That was at the Emirates, where we had of course this idea to extend the potential of the club and I think today the club is financially in a very strong position.
However his career ended with Arsenal, I’m sure like me, you’ll be forever grateful for the wonderful things he did for the club we all love and let’s be honest, there were plenty of those. His best years were whilst working alongside David Dein, a double act hard to be beaten in the game in my opinion although Wrighty and Bergkamp come close.
Some of the signings made during their time together at Arsenal were exceptional. Vieira, Henry, Pires, Edu, Freddie, Campbell, Lauren, Sagna, Toure, Fabregas, Anelka, Rosicky, Petit, Gilberto… I would say the list is endless but actually, over the twenty two years, there weren’t that many. What he did do though, was bring in most of the best during his first few years. Funnily enough, when we were at our best under his management and before David Dein departed. That’s all in the past now though and we can only hope Raul, Edu and co can emulate those kind of signings over the years to come. Players who can make a big difference to the team.
Pepe should once he finds his feet although I know it’s tempting to wonder if he ever will but we have to be patient as even some of the greats like Bergkamp, Henry and certainly Pires took their time. Pepe is one of the players Arsene Wenger has been talking about recently.
‘I like the player and I thought it was a good decision [to sign him],’ Wenger told Omnisport. ‘He’s not yet completely adapted and you have to give him some time. ‘He looks a little bit to be playing not with the freedom he did in France at the moment.
‘I see some characteristics of his game, especially off the ball, that don’t happen at the moment. ‘On the other hand, I must say we have good young players who can play on the flanks, [and] that he will have a fight to keep his position.’
Bless him, he still says ‘we.’
Arsene has been discussing our player of the month for September too.
He [Guendouzi] looks to be a good potential.
Hes more than that I think, certainly this season. Yes he has his moments but they are few and far between now. He’s far more involved in the game and he’s becoming more and more crucial to our midfield. His energy is incredible but then he’s young, enthusiastic and improving all the time. I’ve read comments about him lacking pace but I don’t see it myself.
This is so Arsene Wenger:
“I think there are many other players who have fantastic potential, who played already with me, like Joe Willock and you have Reiss Nelson.
“You have many players who come out and have a big potential and Guendouzi is one of them. “It’s part of our DNA at Arsenal (giving youth a chance) It has always been part of it, to give a chance.
“I think when you are a manager and you can give a chance to a young boy, it’s always fantastic. And when they can play at such a high level like Arsenal, it’s even better.”
He’s right though in my opinion as there’s nothing better than seeing one of our own come through the academy and into the first team. Not just because they can but because they’re good enough and totally deserve to be there on merit. Don’t get me wrong, I love it when the club signs a top notch player from another club, or better still, a relatively unknown who takes to English football like ducks to water as was the case for many of Wenger’s better signings. But when it’s one of our own, there’s that extra sweetness when they become a success.
I bet if Arsene Wenger was honest, he’d wish more Arsenal youngsters had made their career for the first team during his reign.
Arsene was speaking to Arsenal.com after being named a ‘Legend of Football’ at the annual Nordoff Robins charity award dinner on Monday.
I didn’t realise our next match is on a Monday night, just a few days before we play our Europa fixture. Good job we’re at home on the Thursday and can afford to rotate eh…
Catch up in the comments guys….
Good morning all. Sounds to me like Wenger’s trying to weasel his way back into the club. It’s over Arsene, time to move on!
Interesting that he still has an attachment to the club in his mind and I think that is why he has not come back to the Premiership. I read that through Usmanov he was offered Everton under Moshiri but I can’t see him wanting to go through all that it would take to turn them around.
Recently he is being touted to take the French team at the end of Deschamps contract .Now that is more likely in my opinion
Good morning Rico and all, A bit strong that Cicero ! He may have stayed a little bit too long but we never dropped out of the top quarter of the League. We built a cracking stadium, played fantastic football and won a few things on the way. He did all this while being a nice man too. Not a nasty snarling person like Fergy. I wish him all the best, but hope he doesn`t manage another English club……… Just in case!
Rico Although Guendouzi is a great player, i do think he lacks a bit of pace. I think i read on the Arsenal official site one day that Aubameyang was ribbing him for being the slowest in the squad in training,
Morning all.
I heard a bit of his interview on SSN. He was unequivocal on his potential return to the EPL, he couldn’t because he is an Arsenal man! Nuff said.
Rico, he uses the pronoun “we” in the royal sense!! I mean, he has been dubbed Lord Wenger of Avenell Road, after all!
Good luck to him. He did his best it’s a great shame that it morphed into a slow and steady decline. Like all great leaders they rarely know quite when the optimum time to leaves, arrives.
Good post Rico and thanks.
It’s not easy writing stuff in the Interlull so we all appreciate your hard work.
Arsene Wenger, I used to love the man, he seemed to have all the answers.
But eventually, just like any other human being, his fallibility shone through.
I don’t really have any angst with him per se, not anymore.
It’s more with his apologists, those who couldn’t see how his decline was ultimately hurting the club.
There were times, like when he persisted with Manuel Almunia or the time he signed the useless Silvestre when we were actually crying out for a proper centre half and quite a few other players in weakened positions, but he didn’t do what was needed and that’s when I just lost faith in him along with many others.
The season Leicester won the EPL, when the title was on a plate for him, but he blew it.
I mean he isn’t an idiot, he’s an intelligent man, so why persist with something when it clearly isn’t working and not up to Arsenal standards?
It was his pride of course, but maybe an element of stubbornness leading to stupidity.
And that ultimately sullied his record and how many of us actually feel about him.
But it shouldn’t have been like that as he should have been big enough to realise his mistakes and make adjustments. We had the money and there was no excuse…
Ferguson made plenty of mistakes in the transfer market but he moved them on quickly and never lost the fans respect.
It was a serious fault in Wenger’s psyche.
But time heals and I don’t feel angry with him anymore, just sad that he didn’t or wouldn’t be more flexible when his intransigence only hurt everyone.
As for his apologists, well they can fcuk off, I haven’t time for their holier than thou prattle.
They aren’t a kind of football intelligentsia they’re just blinkered.
Just go on some of the blogs even now, it’s like reading a kind of Jehovahs Witness view of the football world, deluded, the lot of them…
You have to watch the Bergkamp/Wright video, it’s superb, a great walk down memory lane.
Afternoon Rico and all. I enjoyed the Wrighty interview with Dennis on YouTube. Reminded me of some happy times.
Don`t know about being an apologist Kev, I wanted him gone at least the season before, He was a stubborn pain , it seemed everybody except him knew what the team needed. Why didn`t the board have a word with him sooner and get rid of him before the fans turned on him ? He was never going to sack himself
But…..He did do some Great things in his earlier years for Arsenal. And he deserves credit and respect for that.
Afternoon Mike, Adam, all.
Thanks Kev.
I don’t think Arsenal wants to get back into the club, not right now anyway. I’m with Potter, French job has his name all over it…
Kev, his big mistake imo was going from strong athletic players to small technical ones…
I’ve seen slower Mike. 😆
Ha ha Wavy..
Mike as a midfield player he doesn’t have to be a sprint champion as long as is mobile and reads his position there is no problem . Afterall was Gilberto or going back Alan Ball likely to beat Bolt over 50 yards? No ! but both knew where to be and when . That’s what all of our young midfielders need to learn not just Guendouzi.
Yes to be fair Potter he is normally the first midfielder back defending when Torriera isn`t playing. I personally don`t think he and Xhaka are a good mix. But that is down to Xhaka probably.
He( Guendouzi) does cover some ground during a game and like you say I think he improves every game positioning wise already.
Evening Gooners and thanks Rico.
Couple of things from the comments………………………Kev saying we blew league when handed on a plate when Leicester won it …………well, the way I saw that season was the silver lining that the Spuds were in a two horse race and come third, they blew it even bigger ! 🙂
Mike saying on Wenger…………….” He was a stubborn pain , it seemed everybody except him knew what the team needed “…………………………………………..seems like deja vu with it happening all over again with Emery………….the most notable instance is the playing of Capatain Fantastic Xhaka !
Stubborness is what will dethrone every manager what ever the club. How they know better than millions of fans is egotistical naivity.
I don’t think Petit was that quick either but Vieira was which made their partnership such a success.
Didn’t Sol Campbell say the same about playing alongside Toure?
If we had a strong and athletic midfielder, our midfield would be so much better imo,
Morning anybody 😆
‘morning Rico a wet one here, our Friday walk has been rained off so we will probably go for just the second leg, the pub lunch. 😉
Shame about the rugby, various games cancelled or, maybe, rescheduled. I wonder which genius at World Rugby decided the tournament should be played in Japan during the hurricane season.
The same genius who thought Qatar would be a great place for a World Cup
Morning Cicero..
Perhaps the same people who thought a WC in Qatar is a good idea….
😂 Kev
Spooky 😳
Morning Rico, interesting supporters evening with Raul and Vinai yesterday.
Apparently Raul said that after the transfer investment of last summer that they expected top four from Emery – no pressure then!
Morning Kev.
I’ve not seen much football news so hadn’t read that. Good, Emery knows he’s got his work is cut out then.. lol
I like a plan… lol
We often read about players being given a bonus if they achieve x, y and z, well why not reverse it and if they don’t reach their targets, hand back a percentage of their wages.
The PFA would never allow it, nor would players’ agents…
But I like bonus related salaries, not that I imagine that Ozil is on one!
Another comment from Raul, when asked about Ozil he said something along the lines of the manager picks those who work hardest in training. So a united front on that one!
Who knows, maybe he’s on his way out this January?
Possibly Kolasinac as well, if an offer for him comes in?
It’s wrong though Kev, all seems one way to me..
Raul saying that about who Emery selects is good. Supportive front being shown which is only right.
Ozil is certainly one player who’d be handing back his salary each month..
…World Athletics Doha. Japan Grand Prix (all activity suspended on Saturday, Qualifying moved to Sunday morning. I wonder what’s next, Winter Olympics in Rwanda?
I find it mildly comical listening and reading all the gushing comments from the media regarding the Lampard revolution at Chelsea – almost as if it was a well thought out policy and not forced on them by a transfer ban.
Of course Frank is an England icon, well liked by the media corps, whilst his use of so many young English qualified players is beneficial to the National team and certain to win him a lot of brownie points from the many cynical hacks we have reporting on football and getting bladdered in El Vinos.
Meanwhile the planned policy of developing youth at Arsenal at the same time is being fairly ignored even though Emery is blooding and playing as many English players as Lampard.
Most of the Chelsea youngsters are a year or so older than those at Arsenal and have extensive loans behind them, only Nelson and Smith Rowe have had a loan at Arsenal.
Willock and Saka have gone straight from Academy football into our 1st team, Nketiah likewise last season, injury has slowed Smith Rowe’s development, as he hardly played last season when in Germany or this season, in fact ESR has become the forgotten man from our academy.
I guess that Frank is news and Emery isn’t…
There’s a few headlines suggesting Ozil is off to fenerbache… (spelling)
Can’t see Kolasinac going in Jan. not if we’re in the Cups still. I wouldn’t sell him until the summer, if then. If we have money in January, a CM is surely the priority..
That’s for a loan if the reports are to be believed Rico, but rumours linking our players to Turkish clubs are totally unreliable.
Now if he was linked to the MLS or China then I’d take more notice.
I get what you say about Kolasinac, Rico and yeah I guess the summer is more likely, but we must get a fee for him and get his ridiculous wages off of our books, he’s been massively overpaid for what he’s delivered, a crazy deal.
You would think that a def/mid would be the priority this January and certainly this summer Rico, that’s if the right player is available, maybe some Brazilian we’ve not heard of?
I guess it depends on whether or not we pay part of Ozil wages Kev re Turkey. I can’t see any club matching his salary so I guess the club will have to give a bit..
I don’t mind Kolasinac tbh Kev, but if we have someone coming through who can replace him great but if not, we’ll need to sign someone so you’re right, a fee for him is a must. If he goes.
Can’t see Raul letting players leave for nothing though.
More likely we’d have not heard of him Kev, not that it would bother me if he was good. 😆
Re your earlier Kev, well said re youth. British media, British manager Frank.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzkGiiASIac
Just had to do it . The North Bank went mad on the second . I was under the upper tier and it was bouncing .
Potter, having just watched the Bergkamp clips, it felt that I’d seen something similar recently……from Martinelli.
Anybody watching the England game?
Me Kev…
The good thing about England is they make Arsenal look world class… 😂
Watching England is like watching someone having a tooth out…
England’s only attacking tactic seems to be get Sterling into the box and fall over so Kane can score from the resulting penalty.
A very dramatic fall it was too..
New post up now.