Daily Bits and Bobs

Four more years for Arsene Wenger? History records broken, they might again tomorrow…

Posted on by rico

Morning all.

So Arsene Wenger has vowed to go on, not necessarily at Arsenal, but in football. At 67 years old, he still believes he has it in him to win. PSG are the hot tipped favourites to hire him but I strongly suspect that’s purely based on Wenger being French. Why would a club who just thumped Barcelona 4-0 want the manager of a side whose team have just been battered 5-1 by Bayern Munich? A young 45 year old currently manages the French side, Unai Emery who’s a retired Spanish midfielder. He’s only been in France since last summer so I’d have though PSG would want to keep hold of him.  He maybe young but prior to moving to France, he won three consecutive Europa League victories with Seville so he knows how to win in Europe. So perhaps PSG aren’t really an option, not right now unless they’d like to do a swap with Arsenal. No, I don’t think so either.

As he said on Friday, his preference is to stay at Arsenal until his retirement, but it would seem that that really isn’t an option, certainly not for many Arsenal fans. But we aren’t the ones who will decide his fate, well, we could indirectly, but it’s the board and Arsene Wenger who will make that decision together I guess. Another bad performance tomorrow night and a shock FA Cup exit could just the final nail in the coffin and I think that nail needs just one last tap in.

There were a few shocks yesterday in the big competition as Lincoln, one of only two non-league clubs left in the competition, knocked out Burnley and the ten men of Millwall sent Premier League champions Leicester crashing out of the cup. Lincoln have become the first non-league side in 103 years to reach the last eight and should we slip up, Sutton Utd would equal that record.

My heart says we’ll win comfortably but my head says, it might not be an easy game. Confidence is low and for the home team, this is a massive evening and they’ll play without fear after all, they have nothing to lose, unlike Arsenal. The boys are away training on a 3G pitch so at least there’s been a bit of preparation before we head into this match.

I would imagine Arsene has been searching Youtube or any other website  he can find which will show him and his players just how Sutton Utd play so he can work out a plan on how to beat the team who knocked out Leeds Utd in the last round.

I’ve no idea who Arsene Wenger will select to face the non-league side but bearing in mind we’re pretty much out of the league title race, out of the Champions League barring a miracle, the FA Cup is all we have left to fight for so perhaps we’ll see a strong side. Wenger picked his team a week to ten days ago he said so I’d imagine it’ll be similar to the one which breezed past Southampton. At least we know Lucas Perez and Danny Welbeck will play if fit, after all, there must be a reason they didn’t play in Germany…

It’s just a short trip to Surrey for the fans but even that journey home will be a long one should the unthinkable happen. But it won’t, will it?

Have a good day guys…

rico

78 thoughts on “Four more years for Arsene Wenger? History records broken, they might again tomorrow…”

  2. Wolfgang says:

    4 years more at ES? the board must have gone bonkers to do so in the face of
    record defeat .
    His time’s up. Yes Arsenal may not win every game when he leaves but Arsenal wont
    lose big games all the time.

  8. Wavy says:

    Who can possibly believe what is written in the Mirror or the Sun or the Mail et al? They’re all all full of ‘fake facts’!
    We’ll end up with who the Board choose from a huge list of applicants not the wild ramblings of the supposedly ‘informed’ journos!

    I’ve heard from a variety of ex players from, Frank McLintock this morning to Martin Keown last Friday etc etc that Arsene runs the club from top to bottom and that the owners have no intention of firing him. He will choose when he goes, so another four years is not as bizarre as it seems! Oh joy!

    I think the best we can probably hope for is that he slides aside and finds someone who will carry out the bulk of coaching duties under his tutelage. So no real change there. Meanwhile the owners cabin send in the ‘boys’ to sort out the practicalities of running a 21st century Premier League football club, a job that the ex players seem to think are ALL done by the current manager.

    I’ll stand corrected but I think the running of the club was undertaken by Ken Friar and the David Dein and now it’s Arsene Wenger! Ivan Gazidis is entrusted with the cleaning up and if he’s really lucky he’s allowed to wash up the lead crystal champagne glasses. He is actually a dog’s body, a gofor, a menial or even a maid of all works, except wielding any power as he has none.

    Realistically can you see the owners allowing the only man who actually knows what’s going on in the club, leave?

  9. rico says:

    Not as manager Scott but as part of a new management team which would suggest assistant manager, but who knows if the story is even true?

  12. rico says:

    Trouble is Wavy, even if he bought new coaches in or someone to help him which i doubt he would, he won’t listen anyway, he’s too stubborn…

  14. Wavy says:

    Isn’t that part of his coat of arms motto
    :
    “Arsene the stubborn
    Wenger the omnipotent
    Ich bein uber alus
    Lord of all”

    Ho hum!

  15. Adam says:

    All this Wenger Out and Wenger To Remain Forever stuff is gold to the newspapers and with no press standards in this country they will continue to write what they want, when they want. The fact that the stories have often been concocted over a staggering drunk lunch and a half-eaten cheese and pickle roll will make not an iota of difference. The Arsenal audience will be drunk on it in no time, so we would be wise to treat the majority of it and those who spew this stuff out with the contempt they so richly deserve. Same with the vast majority of TV pundits. Those that can string a sentence together anyway – and that alone accounts for the greater percentage. They all have a half-baked opinion and will see the situation as a golden opportunity to belch their resentment through our screens.
    A plague on all of them.

  16. Rick says:

    Morning Rico and the House.
    Nice sunny day down South.
    Adam your 11.52 spot on mate.
    Back to nitty gritty.
    Danny Wellbeck is playing for the u23’s today which means he will not play against Sutton.
    Back Later.

  18. DB10 says:

    Cannot see him remaining after the season ends. Way too much has happened now, and surely even he must sit down in a quiet moment and think do I really need this pressure any more? Usmanov may not be the majority shareholder but he must have some input when the time comes. Cannot really see Arsenal allowing Simeone’s brand of management – more’s the pity, because I would love to bet that if he was in charge for a week there would be multiple exits!

    The media have always hated Arsenal, so nothing new from the bile they have spewed out this week. I don’t give a second’s thought to them, after all, when you have such legends as Lily Savage stating why he thinks Ozil isn’t world class, it’s obvious the lunatics have escaped the asylum.

    Arsenal will survive, grow and be successful again, of that I am sure. I would like Allegri, Koeman or Spalletti. As much as we all admire Henry, I think his managerial experience has to be honed for two or three years.

  20. frednerk says:

    Morning Rico and All
    Wavy’s bang on..Top to Bottom.

    For me if Arsene go’s and who come’s in
    is a real problem.
    We have The Syrup…Football Knowledge……. Zero
    We have Ivan……Yes Sir..Yes Sir..Yes Sir………Zero
    We have Josh..Yer Playstation Josh……………..Zero
    We have Chicken and Chip’s..The Carpetman..Zero
    We have Ken Frier Mr Evergreen…………………Zero

    Who has the Nous to get the right man in?

  21. Obi says:

    Watching Berlin vs Bayern 1-1 draw yesterday. It’s hard to believe that we lost to Bayern 1-5.

    @Rick 12:11, I guess AW has made the determination that the surface will not help his knees given past surgeries.

    Rico, re previous post I never said history is not important, I actually said it is “significant in the club culture”; however, given the changes in the game, the concentration should be on how we fix the current problems and go forward for positive results. Rather than comparing eras, glories or past management style.

  22. rico says:

    You’d think too much has happened DB, but then I thought that last season, and the one before that and……

    Hi Fred. Maybe they’ll ask Wenger who should replace him. Didn’t Utd do that with Moyes?

  24. Le Coq Monster says:

    I also totally agree with Adam`s 11:52am……………………well apart from Ornstein !……..he`s always right and if you look at his twitter page you`ll see he doesn`t tweet every minute of the day with garbage for the sake of it, it`s once in a while and to the point!………………..only trust Ornstein and Kelsey ! hahaha

    You know what I`d love to read ?………………………………..a Herb post on what needs to be done in his opinion !…………… I love reading his rants, but I`d love even more to read something different like who should go ?….who should stay ?…….who should come in ?……….what do we do ?…………anything on what has to be done, we can all rant, but not as good as Herbs dolcet worded tones !
    The rants are fantastic……….now lets take it to a new level………….come on Herb, you must have an opinion on it…………..let the juices flow ! 🙂

    Tomorrow`s game…………….I see nothing but a good win, but I`d take a bad one as well so we can have the best of both worlds by celebrating with a good old moan ! hahaha

    Wenger will fcuk me off straight away if he plays a selects a second fiddle team……….this is our season saviour….the FA Cup !……………fcuk 4th……..us fans want a proper trophy and to be the greatest FA Cup ever !…………..we are currently tied with Manshafter with same amount of winning games……….same amount finals and same amount of trophies !………………it certainly means a lot to me and should think all of you.

  25. allezkev says:

    Afternoon All

    Afternoon Rico

    Arsenal are news, the Scum failed to qualify for the knockout stage and lost last week to a minor club in Belgium.

    And nobody cares, because the Scum aren’t news.

  26. allezkev says:

    Anyway I watched You Tube last night and was very impressed with Troopz.

    I bet that Sky put Gary Neville up to it because he seemed a bit uncomfortable to me…

  27. allezkev says:

    Yeah Rick, I thought that about Welbeck, so I guess it’ll be Giroud up top at Sutton?

    Hey Adam, how are ya doing blud… ?

  28. Wavy says:

    Thanks Fred. Always nice to believe you’ve expressed the right view! Well I’d like to think I’ve got my finger near the pulse!
    Tomorrow I don’t care who he picks so as the idle gits win and win well. I thought the last cup team he put out performed better than the first team! So perhaps he’ll select the same personnel! Then again will he be able to remember what he’s done!!

  29. frednerk says:

    Amazing Rico
    We can only see the next new manager
    Being someone Arsene approves of..
    Like I said..A Real Problem

  32. Herb's Army says:

    Hi Rico and HH.
    Thanks for our Sunday supplement, always an interesting read.
    If some of the headlines on NN are to be believed, we must be in some sort of alternative universe where the last eleven years didn’t really happen. It was all just a horrible dream and we’re all going to wake up back in 2006 just before our CL final and the much-celebrated new stadium move. I can’t wait…
    Hi Obi.
    I don’t think we’ve addressed each other on here before so I’ll keep it brief.
    Your first sentence was laced with sarcasm, as if to display some under-lying annoyance.
    It was originally a passing comment that the good lady of the house decided to make a headline Post, so something not entirely within my control.
    I’m not a writer, just a supporter, who like most other Arsenal supporters, is confused about the club’s current situation, and what our proposed plan is for the future.
    I certainly didn’t mean to offend anyone, I was just offering an opinion as to why Wenger shouldn’t be allowed to continue, but others might have an equally strong argument for him to stay.
    I imagine it’s very difficult to keep people entertained every day and offer up something fresh to read and talk about, and Rico has a thankless task, which I personally think she does exceptionally well.
    At the same time, Rico has invited everyone on here to put together a headline Post for us all to muse over, so if you don’t agree with the content of what you read, you can put your own head on the block and entertain us all with your own personal take on all things Arsenal.

  33. Wath says:

    Herb, for me the media are merely stirring the honey pot knowing that The Arsenal is ‘big’ news sells papers and gets hit on social media.

    What they fail to understand is although many ppl read those articles most just laugh.

    The Konkie/Usmanov story has to be the funniest one, our second largest shareholder who isn’t even on the board telling the owner and major shareholder who to appoint as manager, you couldn’t make it up. The yank under the advisement of his non footballing clueless board of directors will discuss who to appoint and no doubt we will be lumbered with Mickey Mouse… maybe even Pluto….

    In all honesty although they board merely know how to run a sustainable business and not a football club who’s to know if they seek the advice of ex players and respected football men behind the scenes… we will not know. We will also not be aware that if a new manager makes demands on the board and of the owner with motivation and with precise directives for progress and to show the benefits of investing then maybe just maybe Kronkie will agree and back said manager fully….

    We won’t know until it does or does not happen. If we are to employ and install a forward thinking manager with ambition and with desire then that’s all I ask and for that to happen they would want the total backing and support of the board and owner, this appointment will show us all exactly where the owner stands and his intentions to merely carry on milking the cash cow or will he see that with investment the cash cow could actually grow even more.

    I have no words for Wenger any more, i am not wasting my energy suffice to say ten years of progress followed by ten years of mediocrity whilst lying to us all has not got him on my Xmas list. We could still be at Highbury and won 2 FA cups in ten years….! IF you are told to expect average then fine we deal with it but all the bullshit and the mutton dressed as lamb comments sum up the way this club has been run since the move from Highbury. Negligence on so many fronts it’s disgusting yet they know they an pull on the heart strings of the fans as we are going nowhere.

  34. Herb's Army says:

    Hi Wath, good to ‘see’ you mate.
    All very sad, but very true.
    At this moment in time, I’m thinking the same, we should have stayed at Highbury, the only justification for moving to a bigger stadium was to line the pockets of our BoD and shareholders.
    No other big club in the world is administered the same way as Arsenal.
    We can only hope that someone somewhere has enough of a conscience to remember us long-suffering fans, if not, we’re done for.

  35. rico says:

    Afternoon Herb, Kev and all.

    I’ll cheer you all up. Got all my chores done ready to watch England v Italy in the rugby only to realise its next Sunday!!

  37. rico says:

    As fora new manager, chuck a few names into a pot and Josh will pick one out. Then they’ll offer him peanuts and whoever it was will say no…

  38. Wavy says:

    It’s always good to do your bits and get ahead Rico, even if you are a week ahead. At least you’ll be ready when the times comes! Only 7 sleeps to wait. Not long in a life to
    Ime!?

  39. Obi says:

    Hello Herb:

    Herb at 3:36. I can honestly tell you Herb no sarcasm was intended. The fact is I do enjoy ur posting and to me is a must read. And as I said I may not ALWAYS agree with it but it doesn’t take away from the fact that they are good, “cracking “. So don’t take any offense. For me HH is no different from sports guys, in this case, Arsenal guys sitting in a bar having a healthy discussion. IMHO, is not about being wrong or right, but getting it right. So please, Herb, continue putting your “head on the block”.

  50. Le Coq Monster says:

    Conspiracy !……………….FA are being very kind to us this year trying to get Arsene finish his career here with a record 7th FA Cup winners medal !……………………what a nice way to go ! 🙂

  56. Le Coq Monster says:

    “Gotta love the Cup”……………………..exactly !………….do I ever have this smile on my face when the CL draw is on ?…..nope !…………………………I`m fcuking buzzing and grinning from ear to ear !………cant help it ……………… I love the FA Cup ! hahahahahaha

  58. Le Coq Monster says:

    With the shit we`ve had to put up with recently the FA Cup is like a breath of fresh air in a putrid rancid Arsenal atmosphere !

  60. Le Coq Monster says:

    Obviously I`d love a final against the Spuds and batter them, but I would be too scared that they battered us !………….Second choice would to beat Manshafter Std in a final to officially be the best FA Cup team ever in a final shootout, but again I`d be too scared that they beat us, so Millwall or Hudderfield will do !……….no way would they beat us ! 🙂

  62. ScottfromOz says:

    Yes, Sutton will be a start 🙂
    LC, it’s always been huge here in Oz because it’s one game of the year we could always see live, back in the day.
    The odd game was shown, such as Anfield ’89 when the title was up for grabs, but that was rare, and it almost seemed the cup was bigger than the League.

  65. Le Coq Monster says:

    Sutton !……….piece of piss !…………………………….Lincoln !………..piece of piss !…………………..semi`s here we come ! hahaha

    FA Cup is the oldest cup competition in the world and it`s one thing we…..and give him his due….Arsene !……….are good at !

    I always feel jealous of other teams in it when we are knocked out !………………..CL never has that effect !…………………………..it`s not called………………..The magic of the FA Cup for nothing ! 🙂

  68. Wavy says:

    LC don’t count your Coqins until they’re hatched!
    Whilst we should beat both these teams it’s never over till it’s,over! And there’s a fat lady too, somewhere!?

  71. Le Coq Monster says:

    Listen !…………….if we cant beat Sutton and Lincoln ………………….then we deserve Wenger for another 2 years !
    😆

  77. Le Coq Monster says:

    Although Wenger is making excuses already…………..unbelievable !

    When asked what could go wrong for the Gunners against a non-league side, Wenger said: “First of all the pitch. Secondly their enthusiasm. Thirdly that we are not ready mentally for a big fight and think subconsciously that it doesn’t matter.”

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