Morning all.
While Wenger and his big boys go about trying to convince us all that all is well, which it isn’t and won’t be for a long time yet, the under 23’s are doing a tad better. Sitting in second place in their league, just eight points separate them and leaders Chelsea. Perhaps they are the ones to follow this season, or until the day the Arsene Wenger departs because watching any game without seeing him in the dugout or hearing him talk before and after, has to be a better option. I’d rather watch City these days, or some other club which plays exciting and entertaining football and that’s not because I care who wins, I just like watching good football and Arsenal haven’t done that for years now, not consistently. The odd game here and there yes, but generally it’s pretty boring stuff.
What I like about the under 23’s is the players haven’t been worn down by Wenger, not yet anyway. Reiss Nelson was a prime example back in pre-season. He might be young but he played without fear but with enthusiasm and passion, well, it certainly seemed that way to me. He wasn’t the only one but imo, he was the stand out.
Whereas the first team players look like men who really aren’t happy going to work on the day, something which many of us have experienced no doubt. Sometimes though you just have to keep on turning up, go through the motions and wait. Wait for the next advert in the papers or online, the one which makes you pop your CV in the post and then hope. Occasionally you might get lucky, a new door opens and you walk right through it and finally you’re happy again. Going to work is no longer a chore as you enjoy your new challenge. Others aren’t quite so fortunate and have to carry on plugging away, going through the motions whilst waiting for the next opportunity to escape from where they are.
Anyone who wants to try and convince me that if you were unhappy at work and your boss was a nightmare, you know, making the same fundamental mistakes day after day, you’d still give 100% then good luck, but you won’t. Convince me that is.
Anyway, that’s where I think many of our players are but unlike most employees, they can’t just get a new job as they have only two opportunities each year to do that. One in the summer and one in the winter. After that, they’re stuck, stuck in the job, or in this case, at the club and they’re just going through the motions. Not all though will be after moving on for a new and exciting challenge as like Arsene Wenger, they seem content to stay put and earn a nice fat salary whilst doing as much or rather as little as they can get away with.
But the younger players, they are still hungry. They are fighting for a chance to play at the highest level in the game. Every youngster wants to be the next Henry, Zidane, Ronaldo, Messi etc so there’s a lot for them to be excited about. Their future is in their own hands to a degree. If they have the talent they are very lucky, but with that they have to have hunger and passion. Passion for the club they’re at, passion for the game and passion to succeed. Not all will make it though, but for those who do, I just hope we can keep hold of them because all the time they and their parents can see the mood dropping within the club, they too will one day decide to hop skip and jump to their next club…..
In the meantime, watching them play for the club we all love is probably better entertainment value than their more mature counterparts. Then when the time comes and their banging on the first team door and one or two already are, the Frenchman will be gone and they’ll take their game to another level under the guidance of a younger, more innovative manager and his coaches….
Finally, thinking of all our HH chums in Ireland. Storms battered their country yesterday so I hope you all are safe and well…
Catch you in the comments….
I remember Guardiola playing for Barcelona , he was a driven character urging the best from all around him , no wonder that people like Cesc, Pedro most of the boys from La Masia and even Xavi and Iniesta not to mention half of Catalunya look up to him. He was the perfect fit for Arsenal and during his sabbatical should have been lined up to come here.
However another of those ships that sailed . Quite possibly it would have taken longer for him to turn us around without the open vault at City but his personality would have driven us forward and probably his stock in London would have been raised as high as it still is in his native area.
But until we have a manager who is prepared to spend big money, do any of us really know how much the board are willing to part with?
It took Pep a season and three transfer windows at City, perhaps back when he wanted to come to Arsenal, it would have taken a similar time period.
Saying that, Pep would certainly get more from the squad we do have than Wenger is. Of that I’m sure…
I tried to post that on the last post but the Internet in Norfolk wasn’t so good probably all those happy shepherds with their red sky and the high winds interrupted signals.
The kids ? Seems we have a batch coming through , lets hope that Wenger sees them as his leaving legacy rather than his next get out of jail free card.
Only the people on the inside know the true feelings about the man at London Colney , whether the young ones still look up to him we don’t know but I firmly believe that many of the esdtablished ones no longer do. I also wonder about the truth of the Alexis /Ozil contracts .,Did Campbell, Perez and Gabriel complain about their treatment ,? Did they get shunted out because they had the temerity to complain and were not as high profile as the former two contract rebels .? At least although the fans accepted that they were not world class, they couldn’t fault their effort when they got their chances.
I can’t believe that it’s all sweetness and light in the dressing room , lets just hope that the kids don’t get embroiled in it and are left to progress with the coaches that seem to know what they are doing.
Here is an off the baller , perhaps one of the youth coaches could be lining up up as the next manager rather like Bertie Mee was , radical as it may seem :- Appoint from within.
Good comment Potter.
Do we have a potential manager in the club? I can’t think of one unless Merts has the job in his plans which if so isn’t good news as surely it would mean Wenger will see out his contract..
Morning all.
I see Pep is snatching the limelight again 🙂
Rico, if Arsene is seeing his contract out, no problems, as long as he tells us that’s it.
I reckon if we absolutely knew that was the end, fans would stop the arguing and start supporting the club again as we’d have light at the end of tunnel.
Unfortunately, they’ll tell us nothing, as always.
Not for me Scott. He needs to get out of the club at the end of the season, if not before. I’d like him to go today..
Fair enough, Rico, but you know that’s not going to happen.
Not unless he quits.
Appointment of a new manager? Mmmm?
It the Boards problem, it’s their dilemma. In that they used to be indecisive now, they just don’t know what to do!
An internal appointment may well be the easiest option, (no work involved, well, not much!) or, they have to scour the world for a replacement. Sam Allardyce is available, so’s ‘arry! Thoughts of bigger fish, Allegri, Jardim, etc. Are a bit unlikely. To appoint such a manager would be inviting a huge loss of cash, (spending on a new squad and probably a replacement of most of the support staff). Plus the upheaval of an ‘unknown’ quantity, upsetting the status quo! Can anybody envisage our Board doing anything remotely risk You? I can’t!
Much though I would sack Wenger tomorrow, I know it won’t happen. I’m not sure it will even happen at the end of this season, no matter where we finish. The limpit is going to cling on till the very last possible moment. There is going to be no respite for us, the fans. Just a continuation and gradual decline into EPL mediocrity.
The one hope we may have is that some of our children step up and succeed in the first team and that Wenger’s overwhelming lack of vision doesn’t hold them back.
We can dream, I suppose!
Morning all. Bright and sunny here breezy though. A bit like Lanzarote!
That’s exactly what he needs to do, quit.
Rico, I have a comment stuck in moderation. I put the wrong email address. Can you unfreeze it please?
I’ve corrected my error now.
Ta! I’ve smacked my own wrists!
Rico. Having watched Pep’s Barca team at the Emirates a few times and of course on TV in La Liga what impressed me was his complete commitment to play proper on-the -ground football and his ruthlessness. He doesn’t score a goal then shut up shop. He wants to kill you with football on the pitch and score as many goals as possible.
We did pretty well in the games against him at the Emirates but the quality of his teams he has coached has been great. Not without a fair bit of cheating it must be said though.
As a coach he is the complete antithesis of Mourinho football-wise. Both successful but in very different ways.
I’m not sure Wavy, I think if Ivan and Chips had their way, we’d already have a new manager…
I don’t need convincing Adam, honest… 😉
Rico. 🙂
Morning All, interesting post Rico, so we’re reverting to Project Youth, with the major difference being that many of them are products of Hale End and not somebody parachuted in at 16 from a foreign academy, you know like Lupoli, Vela, Cesc, Szczesny, Bendtner, Djourou, Bellerin, etc etc.
I have to heartily laugh when the club tries to claim credit in developing these players.
Bullshit…
Wilshere, Gibbs, those are are true academy products of recent times.
Now we have Maitland-Niles (steady Adam), Nelson, Willock, McGuane (being chased by Juve and ManUtd), Ntekiah (although we took him from Chelsea as a 15 year old), who have been scouted as schoolboys and have come through via our coaching, not Barcelona’s etc.
Morning Kev, I meant watching the youth rather than the first team… 🙂
You make a very good point Kev. It’s good knowing we have real local players coming through and I hope they all make it, with Arsenal of course…
There appears to be a lot of talented kids about at the moment Rico even the England youth teams are doing well !
You can never be certain though until the kids start playing against older experienced players.Very few make the top grade. Interesting but not so surprising comments from former AFC GK Szcezsny who says that the coaching at Arsenal under Wenger is poor and that he never improved there . He says though that he has improved since moving to Italy .At Arsenal you’d just prepare physically .In Italy I’ve improved massively which is thanks to the coaches. The Pole doesn’t reveal though if he has given up smoking .
Trouble is with ours Jeff, Wenger isn’t one to give the English ones much of a chance at the higher lever. Look at Hayden who is now doing well at Newcastle..
I read that from Szczesny, not surprised at all, isn’t our keeper coach older than Wenger and equally as useless…
He is older Rico, but not quite as useless. 🙂
That’s debatable Adam… 🙂
Rico. In our jest we brush against an interesting point. Change the manager and everything is up for improvement. Not just the first team on the pitch.
Well Cech certainly hasn’t improved or even stood still under the dead hand of Gerry Peyton.
Yeah, I get that Rico, in fact not just watching the youngsters but discussing them, for that matter is preferable to the senior mob.
It seems as though it’s a struggle for most young players to get a chance to play in first teams these days Rico with all managers under pressure to produce results . Wenger though ,as he does with most things, goes to extremes regarding his approach to young players . One day he has a first team full of kids ,one of the barmiest ideas his project youth surely that was ever tried in football , now however young players can’t get a look in and are being sent out on loan. Wenger’s record regarding young players is rather a poor one . Jack is one example of what can happen to a young player under Wenger – who wasted millions on the perpetually injured Diaby and also spent 5 years and a shed full of cash in trying to turn a French kid called Aliadiere , remember him, into the next Henry. In fact Ali ended up in his early 20’s having to retire from football because no club wanted him. Well done Arsene you are a genius.
Adam, that’s a lot of compo that the club have to shell out if all the coaching staff leave following the inevitable demise of Wenger, interesting that all their contracts run seemingly parallel to Le Professor, mish…
Totally agree Adam and as we’ve said before, any new guy would want his own staff…
Jeremie Aliadiere is now 34, hard to believe as I remember him as a teenager, but he was at Lorien last season.
I guess his career, as it was, has run its course…
Kev, I wish we still had the Arsenal channel so we’d be able to see their games live. I used enjoy watching them..
Jeff, and don’t forget when/if he does play them, he overplays them too and then wonders why they get injured… He’s certainly an all or nothing guy.. Usually the later.. 😉
Do you have You Tube on your TV, Rico?
I get some of the game via that channel, it also affords you the delights of Arsenal Fan TV and the intellectual debate to found there, blud… ?
Where’s Cocker today?
Ok Rico, off out now, I’ll let you know when I’m on the rank… ?
Kev. Sometimes there just has to be a clean start and Wenger and his cronies leaving affords that opportunity. If it costs Kroenke a few quid then that’s on him and his complacency in letting Wenger carry on regardless.
Perhaps the coaches contracts soon run out, everyone else’s seem to… 😉
Thanks Kev, I’ll check. I have Apple TV so should do..
🙂 re the rank…
Except Merts!
I think their contracts are tied to Wenger’s , it’s Wenger’s trade union socialist background .
“”One out all out “”
Fingers crossed Potter.
Who’s got the whistle?
Was it Sheila Hancock in the ‘Rag Trade’? She was shop steward wasn’t she?
Good image that. Wenger at a sewing machine! With a whistle in his mouth.
Is sanago still available?
chamach, Gervinio, park, campbell, that Japanese kid, perez. .where they all gone?
Wenger’s scouts are really something.
We could have had de Bruyne for half the money we paid for Ozil..
Even the pin dippers out thought us in recruiting the likes of suarez, continiho, mane and firminio! For less money!
Afternoon Rico and all.
Afternoon Kk and all..
Sanogo, must be his worst ever signing, or was that Bishcoff… ?
Football! What a carry on….
We have a manager who needs sacking but ISNT
And
Leicester City have a manager who was doing his best making a bit of progress (maybe) and he gets sacked after only 4 months!
Madness or what?
I wonder if we could ship Leicester’s Board into the Emirates? We might see some action of a positive nature!
Leicester have sacked Shakespeare…
If only we we’re so ruthless Wavy..
Raised expectations ,had a miracle , nose bleeds and now back to normal.
Evening to all the AKB`s….. your silence is deafening and evening to normal people and thanks Rico for a decent read.
Yes my freinds the youngsters are a refreshing escape from the torture we are now enduring football wise !……………………….I say we all just watch Mansour City from now on and then any team which Pep moves to later on. hahaha
Well it`s better than Wenger`s tactics and football which are so old and outdated that Arsene`s coaching manual is probable made from stone tablets or dead sea schrolls !
Rumours Spuds would only sell Kane for £200M………………………..that must really grate on Wenger, especially as he had him as an 8 year old and all for a bag of Sherbet Lemons per week !………..obviously I`m guessing there as it could have been anything from Cola Cubes to Rosy Apples to Wine Gums ……………………………….just had my Grandson around around and I asked him if he was captain of the Arsenal U6`s and he said he was captain of Green Army ( Plymouth Argyle …………..due to his inbred Dad !)…………………………..I asked if he would transfer to Arsenal for a of Sherbet Flying Saucers ?………………………….never see him move so quick to sign the contract ! hahaha
Evening Rico and All
Looks like almost all on here want
Arsene to get the P45,took a while
though.Even I was a bit slow,compared
to my mates.
It’s hard to talk The Arsenal without
negativity these days,the feeling even
a last resort idea seems to be to lose,
thats the only pressure left .Nurse
Who was it that allowed Kane to leave Lc?
Evening Fred. Each morning I try to be positive but as you say, there’s nothing positive about Arsenal right now. Nothing.
Night guys, off to watch Real v Totts.. Kidding, eastenders ?
Watching Real and the difference is the speed they move the ball going forward.
Then Spurs scored.Isco looks tasty,like Alexis but more direct.
There was a time when we used to move the ball quickly because we had the players who could and a manager who let them. Now we have players who can’t and a manager who hasn’t got good enough eyesight to see what’s going on!
Oh for the good old days.
1 each Ronaldo penalty.
It’s an open entertaining game ,no pressure apart from wanting Vertoghen sent off
Seven points off the relegation. 3 looses in the middle October and our usually bad times (Christmas) is in 2 months.
Keita – Leipsig, next season in Liverpool is a spetacular player! Why we have run for Lhemar (too expensive) and others?
It’s hard not watching Arsenal in the Champions League. I predict this will be true for several years
Poch had them really well organised ,as Madrid put on the. pressure they stood their ground. Everything we didn’t do in the same situations.
Bin dippers scored 7 too!
All English teams are top of their groups so far!
Young harry winks had a solid game against the best midfield in world football!
How do we think Wenger’s assembled team of powder puff, over paid players would of faired last night in the Santiago Bernabeu?
Irrelevant Lee…………………………………..we are not in the CL as we are not good enough !………….the only way our lot would be at the Santiago Bernabeu would be as spectators !…………………..on the other hand, if RM drop into the EL your question will be relevant !
🙂
Long time since Spuds have had the upper hand on us, but so far still haven`t won anything……………touch wood !
Seems we spend more time discussing Spurs and Citeh of late.
Riveting stuff, hey LC lol
We are average atm, and we will remain that way for a while yet.
Luckily, Spurs will win SFA as that’s just them 🙂
Morning Scott………………………………………think we will be average for a very long time, even when Wenger has left.
With Kroenke at the helm any top manager (if we can attract one, that`s another big question) will be wary as to the investment he will be given and although plenty on here think another manager will have plenty of funds like Wenger has supposedly had, it wont ever be as much as Mansour City will always spend !………………………………anyone who doubts this, just look back at the last TW…………………….just incase anyone has memory loss…………………
🙂
we made £30M !……………………………..this is where I have memory loss, I`m not sure how much City spent………..it was a lot though !
😆
I’m keeping off that topic LC hahaha
Ok, 410 million in 14 months but it’s all about Pep lol
Nah he’s obviously doing a bloody good job so I’ll not criticise him-he’s on his way to winning a title we can only dream about, these days.
Wenger is treading water now.
He’s either gotta go In January, or sell Ozil and Alexis and buy up big.
We know one option is impossible, and the other, highly unlikely.
I’m with you that a manager with a top reputation won’t join us, even though it’s exactly what we need, so we need to find a gem, yet nobody at the club is capable of finding one, IMO.
What a mess we really are in!!!!
Between me and you, Scott, we paint a bright future………..hahaha………………………good we can laugh about though as we would go insane !
😯
Sorry to bore you, but I`m off to Absville !………..six-pack needs working and if I dont keep it up every day I`ll never have abs like Kev` !
Morning all.
Lee, II’m quietly confident we’d have been the only English team to have been beaten…
I will just say and it’s not directed at any one person, people on here are free to talk about what they like within reason but if the name Pep Guardiola is annoying to read then tough. Put up, shut up or you know the other option..
Does anyone not believe fans of other clubs were envious of us and the players we had under Wenger when he first arrived in England?
Also, so what if Pep spent £400 odd million on on his team! He’s at a club which has plenty of money to spend so he spends it. That’s what ambitious managers do, they spend last pound they are given because they want success…
Rico, almost as deluded as people wanting Wenger to buy players…lol
Did City win?
Or not buy a single outfield player and people defend him lol
Morning Rico. I liked what I saw of Napoli yesterday. Their manager is an interesting character for sure.
Of course, one of the problems for me, as an Arsenal supporter, is that watching these games only goes to emphasise how far we have slipped. I imagine that Arsene wouldn’t agree though. 🙂
Lee, I don’t want the bloke to spend a single penny of the clubs money. Leave it for someone who knows who and what we need because he clearly doesn’t…
Think City scraped by Napoli, just… 😉
I thought we were allegedly “treading water” not from what I’m seeing we’ve regressed massively….
Amazing that so called Arsenal fans could even consider it lol
Pep is a more interesting topic than Arsene, atm, so I say keep it coming 🙂
Go team Pep.
Does Arsene actually have the money available everyone seems to think he does?
Do we have actual proof it’s available to him?
There’s plenty of discussion and statements from the club-we know they’re full of shit-plus the in the know fans who tell us, but how do we really know?
Every year, the spending is balanced by the sales and we are all sick of it, so it’d be nice to have the question answered, I reckon.
It’d stop so many arguments.
Morning Adam. I didn’t watch much of the football, just bits and bobs of each game. I read what Pep said about Napoli, the best he’s faced he said so they must be pretty good..
Think I’ll watch the rematch though ..
You’re right Scott, Pep is far more interesting than the old past it Frenchman so yes, I suspect we’ll talk about him and his team as the season goes on – meanwhile of course, we’ll be able to chat too about the next pile of crap Wenger dishes up…
Treading water? We’re sinking fast…
Joe Say is even more interesting than Pep lol
Now there is a unique individual.
Total cnut
Wenger is treading water-that’s what I wrote.
I didn’t say the team was.
He’s lost, and doesn’t seem to know where to turn.
Arseblog did a really interesting Arsecast with Swiss Ramble a week or so ago.
It’s really worth a listen if you can access it.
For some reason I couldn’t get the link.
The top and bottom of it was that we may not have as much to spend as we think but that Wenger is just too cautious in the market and rarely spends all that he can and what he needs to.
But then we know that anyway I guess.
Regardless, Wenger is sinking fast too….
Kev, I’m confident Wenger doesn’t spend everything he’s got available each year, but has he got 100 million, 200 million or anything like it in any given transfer window as plenty tell us?
That’s my question and I reckon you’ve gone a long way to answering it.
Le Ditherer Kev…..
Re your question about money Scott. It’s not always about money, it’s about what Wenger does with the layers he has and these days all he does is suck the confidence out of them and his approach to the game is terrible.
Scott, I don’t doubt that he hasn’t got as much to spend as is often reported, but that doesn’t excuse Wenger for not spending what he has, or leaving till the last minute to do business.
Exactly Lee, his indecision is final, and it’s cost us a lot of players who may have made the difference.
The fact that Leicester won the league on a shoestring budget is even more amazing….Le Clueless one should of done better that season, in fact he should of done better the last 13!
Seems to me that looking at what money is available gives the manager a big out. It’s the combination of what players a club can buy and what the manager does with them. A look up the road to what Pochettino is achieving with far, far less should be sobering to our board,
The millions upon millions he’s wasted on shit players is amazing, continued to play them even though they weren’t fit to put the shirt on!!! Fucking disgraceful manager…
Wenger loves to go on endlessly about this player and that player and how he could have signed him or how he sat in their front room talking about how they should come to Arsenal and his plans.
It’s all fcuking fantasy and far from making him look a smart arse it just makes him look a prat.
He gets £200m p.a salary afforded him and he even fucks that up…distributes it badly and to wrong/shit players!
Kev, agreed 100%.
Have to agree, money wasted, not got shot of average players early enough, dreadful tactician all equals a terribly poor manager…,
Lee. Surely the board must be looking around Europe for the evidence that we are falling behind and that every day they allow this craziness to continue means it’s that much further to come back. Watching the games last night was painful for me as it’s a huge dose of reality. They must act soon and if money is the only thing that concerns them they should realise that resurrecting Arsenal will be growing more pricey as time passes.
Why can’t Pep win the League on a shoestring budget?????
He already had a squad that was much better than Leicester’s yet spent 400 million to top it up.
If he really is that good, why did he need to spend up?
Maybe he isn’t quite as good as everyone thinks.
Look at his shambolic plans for our defence this summer, he sold Paulista and was willing to sell Mustafi and/or Chambers, wtf was that all about?
We need cover for Bellerin and he did fcuk all in that dept.
He fcuked about with Oxlade-Chamberlain, can’t move on Debuchy or Jenkinson, then plays Reiss Nelson and Maitland-Niles at wing-back, AMN is totally out of his depth there and Nelson is wasted. Elneny at centre-back, but is trying to sell our bona fide centre-backs…
Is that a plan?
As I said, Kev, the mans lost.
He’s run out of ideas.
I had a mate who was half joking when asking is it possible Arsene is sending all fans a big FU by making these seemingly strange decisions, and will walk away leaving the club in a mess.
He reckons Arsene lost it at a Stoke train station when copping the abuse.
Why should he have to Scott? Just because Wenger tries too regardless of what the board give him, it doesn’t mean Pep should or any other manager.
To me, that’s like trying to find an excuse for Wenger’s constant failings..
Rico, a few still try and make excuses for Wenger, truly amazing but there are some deluded tools still about!
Kev. You are right to point out those defensive failings. I could never work out what was going on there at all.
Lee, I really don’t see what there is to defend him over. Nothing he does anymore is positive…
Thankfully, there’s no ‘deluded tools’ on here…
Mainland Niles? Now you’re talking Kev.
Rico, He doesn’t have to, of course, but the question is a fair one.
Condemning Wenger for NOT winning the League while Ranieri could do it on a shoestring budget, all the while talking Pep up makes it relevant.
Even with Leicester winning the League, the big clubs have spent up since which shows once and for all that money IS massively relevant to title aspirations.
Nah Scott, he’d be gone by now if that was the case.
The whole 1st team coaching staff needs to be cleared out, even Bould I’m sorry to say.
The club should be looking to recruit from outside, bring in fresh ideas, maybe bring back some coaches with Arsenal connections who work elsewhere.
Promote from among the academy coaches perhaps, Keane Ampadu seems to be doing a great job.
Come on Rico, I’m the “deluded tool” and you know it!!!!
Kev, I agree with you, but it was a damn interesting theory, nonetheless.
Maitland Niles
That’s right Adam, it’s not exactly joined up thinking is it mate, it seems a reactive way to build a team rather than pinpoint the areas for improvement and focus on them during each window.
I knew Maitland-Niles would do it for you… ?
Spellchecker Lee
Kwame became Keane ffs.
Elneny became Boulder. ?
Scott, Leicester only won the league because the other clubs were going through changes. Well, apart from us but still Wenger couldn’t win it.
Brudder there’d be a plethora of managers given the £200m budget, current squad and other luxuries afforded to Le Loser that would do a better job….
I’ve always liked Boulder though Kev. 🙂
Lee, were you referring to Scott earlier?
With that budget, surely there must be some goals set and a sense of burning ambition within the club?
I know Adam, so do I….
Rico,
The point remains that money is relevant.
Even great managers must spend to have success.
Marco Silva for me 🙂
Adam, if there were, Arsene would’ve been sacked already, surely.
It seems there’s no ambition at the club, or at least, where it counts.
I’m with Rico, I think that this could be Wenger’s last season, especially if we miss out on the top four again.
Does that make me a deluded tool? ?
Of course it”s relevant Scott, but it’s not the bee all and end all. And not having £400 million to spend is an excuse for Wenger’s failings.
Rico, Portuguese managers are doing bloody well so it’s a fair shout.
I’m really starting to head towards the “anyone will do” club and I hate that, but no matter what happens, nothing will improve with Arsene around.
I say the same about Stan, and I hope I’m wrong, but one scenario is at least a possibility.
I’d like to see Marco Silva actually win something with Watford, maybe one of the cups.
Personally an older safer pair of hands for me as Wenger’s immediate successor, just to see us through the transition, that’s why Ancelotti ticks all the boxes.
Kev, you’re just a good, honest Uber driver 🙂 🙂
🙂 Kev.
I’m convinced he’s off…
Rico, do you reckon he’ll be gone by Xmas?
Also Pep seems an all round nice chap with a great footballing brain/ethos…..his teams play exciting attacking football! Whilst Wenger of late is naive,clueless,arrogant,inept and we play average football at best…sad but true imo!
Reading all the comments since I went off to exercise it`s apparent to me that none of you rate Wenger ! hahaha
Also slap in the face obvious what a cnut Kroenke is for extending his contract !.
I warn you all though, you will need therapy for PTSD when Wenger finally goes !…………………or……….PTWD….Post Traumatic Wenger Disorder !, where you will all then turn your attention to Kroenke !……………………..this will be a longer torture as he will be much harder to remove, if at all !……………it will only be then that you realise that as bad as Wenger is now without the same investment as Mansour or Abamovitch puts in we are bound to get more of the same !
I`d rather us be really shit than average, only then will there be a chance of change at the very top……….whilst we are in EPL and making money from TV etc`…………..Kroenke wont budge !
Yes Spuds have got a great manger who has them punching above their weight on a smaller budget than us, but lets be honest, how long and how many managers have they had since we had Wenger to try and get it right ?…………………..my question is, how long and how many might we have to employ before we get it right again ?
Now you’ve crossed the line Scott… ?
Cocker, did you get into the zone?
The club just needs a breath of fresh air Scott. I reckon Kev’s shout of Ancelotti in even if it’s short term, just to freshen things up and as he says, he’s safe..
No, not unless we keep losing Scott, but the end of the season, yes, I think he’ll walk…
Rico, fair enough.
It’s never dull, is it guys 🙂
Kev, my ears were burning as soon as posted it lol
LC, your last question is a massive one, but the change is required.
Pochechinno (spelling) has been quite lucky in that he joined Tottenham as a good clutch of players were coming through, although credit him for having the courage to bring them on…
How many of the present Tottenham squad had Poch been responsible for signing?
But just because the Totts took a while to get Poch Lc, why does that have to mean we’ll be the same?
There are better managers out there these days, many of whom I bet would jump at the chance of managing Arsenal.
https://arseblog.com/2017/10/episode-444-rich/
A really interesting listen from Swiss Ramble – who happens to be a Gooner
Kev, he’s doing a bloody good job with them, but you make a fair point.
Fair point Kev, but he’s certainly improved the players he does have and seems to know how to play the game to their strengths…
This Wenger doesn’t have the cash to spend is just the same guff that was put up in the past to try and cover for his shortcomings.Diamond Danny blew that one out the water when Wenger and his apologists were claiming that the ‘new stadium’ was impacting on finances. The diamond geezer denied that and said that there was money available for Wenger to spend ,if he wanted it.What Wenger wanted was project youth and that was a cheap option that he chose himself for reasons of his own to satisfy rather large ego by trying to show how clever he was . He followed that folly by trying to copy Barcelona’s tika taka with his own Barca Lite tippy tappy version and that failed as well .In fact it has resulted in us under Wenger ‘s mismanagement becoming a mid table Ropey Cup side.While the spuds are playing the likes of Ronaldo and co in the Bernabeu in Madrid we are shuffling about on a Thursday night playing Ropey Cup sides such as Red Star in Belgrade. Wenger’s had money to spend but he wasted it and has also run up a rather large wage bill that has to be paid – not least his own 8.5m a year one. What no one is mentioning when making comparisons with Pep at City is that Pep is expected to the Prem and the European Cup .Wenger’s remit on the other hand is more modest just making the top 4 in the Prem and to make up the numbers in Europe is job done for Stan.So let’s have a reality check please with all of this moaning about Pep at City. Wenger has had the money to enable him to compete with the spuds and Liverpool for a top 4 place he is just not up to doing it though.You couldn’t make it up.
Always in the zone when exercising, Kev`, at my age it`s about discipline and will power, unlike our team !…………………………like to see Wenger in the zone………….the end zone !
We all agree change is needed, Scott, but, that is throughout the club, not just a manager and any future incumbent imo has an incredible task ahead especially with today`s players holding the power instead of the management .
Someone like Pep holds a rare card of having done it all, so gains respect from his staff, no one is going to argue with him whilst his team are playing such scintilating football and all with Aguero out sick, he has strength in depth that`s for sure !………..wonder how he came managed to purchase such a great squad of players on a shoestring ………………..hahaha…………………………last comment was aimed at you Kroenke, I know you read ! hahaha
LC, you know full well I’d start the removals at the very top and work my way down 🙂
Who knows, Rico, It was a question, maybe we will be lucky and bring in someone who takes no shit and kicks some too comfortable arse`s.
Imo, we need Simeone and my reaoning behind that is that we will not whist Kroenke is here be able to buy the Aguero, De Bruyne, Sane etc players with our limited budget and it is a limited budget compared to the Big 3, so we need to go back to being hard to beat first and foremost, Simeone may be like the second coming of Graham, but to steady the ship, he`s the sort we need imo, lets make no bones about it, all the other teams and their players think we are a bunch of Pu##ies who can be roughed up !
My thoughts too Rico , he has inherited players but he seems to have installed a group mentality and has organised their play. Going 5 at the back nullified Real last night and left Ronaldo looking for scraps. We of course would have let our full backs go too far forward and left him the freedom of the pitch.
Good comment Jeff.
Cocker, I’m with you on the discipline
Changing tact and talking about actuall football, does anyone agree that when we concede a penalty from now on with Cech in goal, we might aswell bring on Gunnesaurus to try and save it ?………….Cech could have a breather !…………..like he has done for the last eleven penalties ! hahaha…………………………..infact, just walk out of the goal and leave it empty as there`s more chance of a player blasting it over the bar or wide than Cech saving it !………………………….stick a green jersey on Stans Syrup, much more chance of saving !
Kev` that`s why me and you have six pacts and the other HHers dont !………………………..or are you talking about some other kind of discipline you kinky fcuker ! hahaha
Cech may as well just stand in the middle of the goal and hope for the best.
Yeah, discipline is good Cocker
?
Any fit looking UBER drivers who need disciplining ?
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They need shooting
Think Scott is on too something !……………………………..he`s always being disciplined by Rico !
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Seems to simple, Kev`…………………..surely at least some light torture should be involved first………………………….and I dont mean making them watch Arsenal`s current brand of football ! hahaha
I’m a bad boy 🙂
Actually, I’m just misunderstood-it’s the accent lol
Good comment Jeff.
Exactly Potter. Wenger has no idea how to stop a team from scoring goals..
Is Pires risking the wrath of Wenger by this comment ?
http://www.football365.com/news/ozil-angry-that-arsenal-havent-spent-enough-pires
Understand, Scott, your accent is hard to read sometimes !…………………………………I have the same trouble with the local Cornish women…………….hard to know whether they are moaning or groaning ! hahaha
Lc, you list a few City players but how much did they actually cost compared to what Wenger paid for Ozil. Mustafi, Lacazette, Xhaka for example. Also, how much did City recoup in sales?
Just a thought…
Cech should take the middle of the goal and stand make himself as big as possible and react after the ball is struck. Before Deeney took his kick sky flashed up where he put his last 6 penalties . 5 went one way 1 the other. He put it where the 5 had gone Cech went the other way.
Pires staying the bleeding obvious there…
I should have put up players from other clubs as well Rico, but the main point is we cant compete financially with the Big 3 with our current owner, but too answer your question, I think I put up a figure a while back, where we made £30M net in the last TW and City spent £180M+ net, so they infact recouped £0……….so if they had say recouped £100M, they then would have spent £280M+………………..as I`m sure you would agree, a bit different to making £30M………………….I wonder who we could have bought for the extra £180M+ ?………………………not that I would trust Wenger spending it ! ahahaha
PS…………….I`m currently listening to Kev`s swissramble link………it`s an hour long !!!
Cech not doing his homework then Potter !………….. I`d like to blame Wenger for that ! hahaha
Wenger ? Peyton ? coaches , Cech whoever .
SwissRamble bloke just saying how Gazidis has “troused” £10M over the last 4 years and think`s he should have done better on the sponsorship deals…………….good money if you can get it he says !.
Jesus £27m
Sane £37m
KDB £55m
Mustafi £35m
Xhaka £30m
Lacazette £53m
Let alone the £42m for that waste of internal organs Ozil…
Compared to Manshafter , Swiss Ramble basically saying our commercial arm is shit……………….Manshafter chuck a lot of money at it, even have a big office in London !
Lee. And I have a feeling that MC recouped more than we did too.
Lee…………….Unbelievably cheap for Jesus considering his following !
LC. I hadn’t heard of him before Pep bought him. Remarkable bit of business though.
All good, but City`s net spend was £180M+ and our`s minus £30M…………………..dont see the point or argument as I want and surely hope everyone else would like to see us spend £180M+…………………..obviously by a different manager !
🙂
Wont argue there, Adam, on our scale of dealing`s how do Bin Dippers alwyas find the players like Suarez/ Coutinho/Mane etc`…………..our scouting is not doing the business or are and Wenger doesn`t take their advise ???
SwissRamble making a great point that Arsenal(Wenger) should have spent trhe money a couple of years back when we had our mountain pile of money before the massive player fee inflation just came in !……………………….two years ago we would have got a lot more players for the money !………….he talks about the”circle” of winning trophies, getting better sponsors, more fans, investing continueally on players etc`……..our circle is broken, by no winning the big trophies, which will stop new fans, sponsorship, players joining etc`………………this goes hand in hand to me with not having the owner investing one peny in the first place !.
Problem with wenger is not only he buys average to good players it’s also the fact that they all seem to regress really badly. .
I fear for the latest Freeby kolasniac now, after his no show against Watford. .hopefully it’s a one off!
I can think of at least 8 players who could have improved the team without breaking the bank!
As said before,the man had 12 or more years over his current rivals to assemble a much better squad and play much better football.
The alleged lack of fund is the last thing you could blame for his staggering failures!
Spot on Lee ,Wenger’s had money to spend and wasted it. That’s before we get to the other flaws in his management such as a lack of any tactical nous with which to think on his feet with during games. The away supportrs are right when they tell him loud;ly that he doesn’t know what he is doing .How that must pain his enormous ego.Outdated training methods and a crap medical regime are other faults that need fixing pronto. For donkeys years Wenger supporters cited his finishing ahead of the spuds in the Prem every season as being one justification for his ever ongoing yawn inducing tenure to continue but they have gone a bit quiet on that now. As I said before Wenger should be doing better than he is against the spuds and Liverpool.Like not getting stuffed 4-0 at Anfield for starters. This has nothing to do with what money Pep spends other than in Wenger la la land.
I like this SwissRamble guy, he`s on an Ornstein level hahaha……………….in his opinion, we are not going to the next level whilst Kroenke is at the club, states his (and doesn`t say Wenger) lack of investing our current resources and his lack of investing any of his own money to take us there and that we need an owner with a lot more ambition than Kroenke if we are to catch our rivals………………..did say that Wenger going would possibly the catalyst for change for the good, but obviously like me sees Kroenke as the evil !……………………………………and Im` not going to argue with someone who obviously is a lot more intelligent than a van driver ! hahaha
Someone obviously forgot to tell Ranieri that little built their squad on coat buttons Leicester had no chance of winning the Prem against the big spenders. That season was Wenger’s big chance after donkeys years of failure to win the league – but he blew it big time with the usual after March collapse that everyone expects from his players occurring. Only the Shroud of Turin poses a bigger mystery than how Wenger is still in his job.
Afternoon guys, Jeff, you are on a roll… lol
Have to say I agree with pretty much everything you’ve written. how the bloke is still in football management at level we should be at I’ve no idea…
Kk, I can think of at least eight managers who could improve us too…
It’s almost as much of a mystery as why Wenger can’t do the zip up on his coat…..
AW is still a coach?
Is Ozil still called?
Then one more loss as a visitor next Sunday.
Near the relegation at the end of this month.
? Lee.
And a thrashing the following weekend Jm…
No mystery to the Shroud of Turin, radiocarbon dating in 1988 found that it is 728 years old, so only just older than Wenger`s management style and tactics !…………………….further investigation also found evidence of the worlds first known zip !
Like this headline from one of the rags……………………….”Arsenal star Theo Walcott works up a sweat in training as he looks to force his way into Arsene Wenger’s side”……………………………………………I`ve seen the photo`s and it`s true, maybe he saves the sweating for training sessions as I cant say I`ve seen it on the pitch !
Has anyone else though Lc? Theo is an easy target but at least he gets goals, unlike that useless Ozil who’d be in your best ever Arsenal team…
Morning all.
The debate continues. I see.
On The Swiss Ramble-how many have listened to it?
I’ll bet nobody who blames Wenger and ONLY Wenger have bothered spending any time on it, as it’ll destroy their argument.
Kev and LC have, and both accept that we have two big problems at the club.
Jeffs posts will continue being popular because he’s writing what the majority have been saying for ages now.
It doesn’t mean he’s wrong, doesnt mean he’s right but going with the flow here does make life a lot easier than going against it-i believe Jeff is giving his honest thoughts, mind you, and not just saying what he believes will be supported.
Rinse and repeat, though, as the saying goes 🙂
Rico, you’re right that Theo is an easy target.
We have a few of them, to be fair, and some warrant it, some don’t imo.
I’ll never understand why Giroud cops so much criticism.
His work rate is decent, as is his goal return.
Ramsey always plays well when played in the right position, yet fans abuse the shit out of him relentlessly, then when he’s played the right way they ask why Wenger plays him out of position so often?
Classic stuff.
Others get away with poor performances with minimal fuss, for some reason- I guess running around, waving your arms about and screaming at team mates masks 10 turnovers a match 🙂 🙂 🙂
Oh I had to say it hahahaha
Credit to Alexis-he’s giving his all and under the circumstances, I’m surprised he’s able to.
No Scott, what Jeff writes is real. It’s happening at the club, or has happened.
I think you lose sight of the fact many of us here know Kroenke is as fault for keeping Wenger on board but after that, Wenger is useless…
Your criticism of Alexis baffles me Scott. He’s the only one bar Kolasinac who gives their all..
Rico, I never said what Jeff writes isn’t correct-I was clear on that.
I could say many on here are equally guilty of ignoring the fact I’ve criticised Wenger for years now-me, the deluded tool, AKB etc etc 🙂
Didn’t I just give Alexis credit?
I was having a laugh when I mentioned Alexis, Rico, but my comment on his efforts were genuine because as you well know, I rate effort above all else.
I wasn’t taking the piss there.
I’m not sure you get it Scott so I give up….
I’m off, night guys.
Rico, I’m never right according to most, so to be told I don’t get is hardly surprising.
Of course, I get misquoted so often, I know plenty on here don’t “get it” either but communication is tough on the net.l so we will put it down to that.
I was only being satirical regarding Theo, I actually like the guy, he would make a great son-in-law ! hahaha,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,however the amount of goals he scores though, he doesn`t break sweat and imo could work harder, the ironic thing is the man normally accused of no work rate works a damn sight harder than Theo……….I give you one of my all time Arsenal best……………..Mesut ! hahaha
I`m also a lover of work ethic, all the greatest work hard even with their exceptional skill, there are plenty, but just to name one exponent of all the skill in the world and train even harder……………..Cristian Ronaldo……………..not only on the pitch and training ground, but with his architects in designing his owm museum about himself !…..hahahahaha
Lol LC.
I was talking to my son the other day about Messi v Ronaldo.
I said to him that, IMO, Messi was more naturally talented, but Ronaldo, though obviously bloody talented, works his arse off and gets the very best out of himself.
What did I learn from the SwissRamble link ?……………………………………………I can multi-task !…………………………..about an hour long and whilst listening I was writing on HH about certain parts of it whilst also cutting my toe-nails and rubbing my dogs belly to stop him barking whilst also flexing my abdominals ! ………………..who said only woman can multi-task ?……..
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Always wondered, Scott, whether them two could play in the same team ?……………….could be scariest ever partnership or mega sulking egotistical nightmare…………………..
Night all………………..wife is multi-tasking !………………….telling me to get of the fcuking computer with frying pan in hand whilst strangling me with other hand !………….gulp !
Messi would play alongside anyone, IMO but I doubt Ronaldo would share any limelight.
Night LC.
Evening All,
Hearing makeshift team tomorrow said to be the following,
Czech, Debuchy, Ellneny, Holding, Nelson, NILES , Coqulin, Willick, Wiltshire, Walcott and Giroud.
Brilliant read, and highlights plenty of the weaknesses the club and Arsene have.
https://theshortfuse.sbnation.com/2017/10/18/16486656/premier-league-arsenal-need-an-overhaul-arsene-wenger-tactics-adjustments
Morning Rico. Amazing goal by Dzeko last night against Chelsea if you saw it.
Grey and mild here.
Morning Adam, all.
Thick fog here so im staying in bed… ?
I’m going to find the goal…
Just seen it, what an incredible strike.. Reminds me of a certain Dutchman we had not long ago…
Rico. That’s just what I said to Mrs Adam funnily enough. I particularly remember a last minute equaliser against Everton by RVP. What a left foot that bloke had! Another player who drifted away after being told a load of porkies about the future. He copped it big time when he left but time and distance have shown that he was probably right to go.
Spooky Adam. Yes, just another in a long list. At least he was honest to the fans.
He was and although I criticised him at the time I really can’t ignore the evidence of my own eyes and ears anymore. In fact, watching the CL games over the past couple of nights has depressed me, despite seeing Man City, Napoli etc. play some great stuff.
Morning all.
Interesting read, Scott and only illustrates 2 thing`s I have said for years………………..first and foremost you have to be hard to beat and secondly, Wenger doesn`t play horses for courses tactics.
Cant tell you how many timnes I have said we are vulnerable to counter attack with our WB`s so high up leaving space behind in the 3-4-3 formation !.
I think had he gone abroad, we’d have been more forgiving at the time but going to Utd was hard to swallow. I think many of us expected him to stay because we’d been good to him whilst injured for so long but as we know, there’s no sentiment or loyalty in the game.
Why should any player stay at a club which lacks direction from its manager? I wouldn’t..
Not even as an Arsenal fan would I want to be there right now. Wenger has killed us slowly but surely.
Question ?……………………………where the fcuk does Alexis get into the current Mansour City team the way they are playing ?…………………………maybe it`s a case of being so rich they can buy their rivals (hahaha) best player just to weaken them, probably buy him them loan him out to Huddersfield !…………….
Lc, anyone would think it’s rocket science wouldn’t they? Wenger is so terribly terribly poor at tactics. I’ve seen better organised pub sides defence than ours.
How he can believe that he’s right for the club is beyond me.
He has a big group of players and just throws them together and expects them to know what to do. It’s shoddy and very amateurish.
I agree Rico. The two friends who sat in front of me at the Emirates used to say that we have been going backwards for several seasons. We used to have a laugh about it because, if we didn’t, we’d probably cry. 🙂
Another few bad results and I imagine that the pressure will begin to mount.
LC. Pep likes to have options and I think that’s where Alexis comes in to the picture. There’s always injuries too.
Obviously, Rico, Wenger is in some kind of delusional state of mind to think he is the only one who can take us forward when infact he is taking us backwards !……………that would be fine if he took us back to 2004, but the man looks in the mirror and instead of seeing an aging naive tactician he is seeing fairy lights, glitter and a halo !.
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True, Adam……………..I`m just clutching at straws hoping they think they dont need him !
Well Adam, I reckon were in for two more losses before the international break, one I fully expect to be a hefty one. Actually, could be three as tonight is going to be tough I reckon.
Right, sorry to say it Abs Time !………………….I`m probably delusional as well, thinking a six pack will pull me the fit women, whereas in reality I need Arsene`s bank balance to attract ! hahaha
Perhaps Pep is going for all four trophies. Sanchez would fit in up there rather well I’d have thought. He might not play quite so often as he does with us but he’ll probably end the season with a medal or three….
First stages of old timers I reckon Lc.
LC. I agree but the idea of boosting your own squad while weakening another (I was going to say ‘rival’ but thought better of it) is probably irresistible. But, I know what you mean. As for Alexis? What top player wouldn’t buy into what PG is putting together at MC? It is completely the opposite to what Mourinho is doing at MU and I have to admit, through somewhat clenched teeth, that it is both great to watch and exactly what the PL needs.
Morning all.
Rico, RVP lost plenty because he gave us one gr at season and bolted, after several dismal ones and nornince did he complain about a lack of ambition during those times.
Rightly or wrongly, I detest him for that.
Arsene and options don’t go in the same sentience together, unfortunately.
He’s made some damn good tactical changes, however, they’ve often been too late in a game or even a season to really help.
He’s too reactive and too slow at making these changes.
I still think Giroud would benefit in a 2 striker set up yet we only seem to resist to it when chasing a game.
LC, it’s impossible to argue with that article, unfortunately.
Meanwhile, we plod along with no real answers in sight.
Jordi Ospina-Tutu has travelled to Serbia with the squad according to jeorge bird, he’s a 19 year old right back who we signed from Reading a couple of years ago. Apparently he’s been excellent for the under 23’s…
As Adam said earlier Scott, something I wholeheartedly agree with, who could blame him now? Under Wenger we were and still are going in the wrong direction.
But Rico, why was there no concern from him during the injury riddled seasons?
Did he ever tell his website followers of his concerns over the clubs lack of ambition at any other point?
Each to their own, but that’s why I can’t stand him.
I’m sure there was Scott but he couldn’t move when he’s injured could he?
He left for the right reasons and right now, I totally get why he did, just like so many others have…
New post up now.