Morning all.
It’s that time of the year isn’t it? Arsene Wenger’s contract is set to be renewed, unless he finally wakes up and smells the gravy, season ticket holders will be pondering over whether or not to renew their deals and as they do, the transfer rumours go into overdrive. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if stuff gets leaked from inside the club in attempt to fool us. Fool us into thinking this summer and the season ahead of it will be something different than the previous eight or nine.
Wrong, it won’t as imo, it matters not really who the Frenchman signs, not anymore. He’s got a super little player in Lucas Perez who on the few occasions he has played, has barely put a foot wrong, yet his appearances have been very few and far between. He has a big strong centre forward who might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but who has delivered for France yet again over the weekend and all because they played to his strengths. Crosses, which unlike our pathetic attempts, found the big man and he did the rest.
When we went to Anfield, Ollie started the game instead of Alexis. We needed height said the manager, the same manager who the following week, left the French striker on the bench as we travelled to West Brom to play the best team in the league at set-pieces. Laugh, or you’ll cry.
As a few have over the weekend, we have taller defenders in the squad too in both Per Mertesacker and Rob Holding so when facing clubs who pose an aerial threat, why not play one of them? Let’s not forget either, one of them is the team captain! West Brom aren’t a team who will play other clubs off the park with fancy football or great pace, they have limited strengths and what Tony Pulis knows to how to do is play to those strengths. When have we truly been able to say the same about Arsene Wenger? Personally, I can’t recall his ever really playing to our strengths during the last few years which really is terrible management, especially from a guy whose been in management for 150 years. We had a flash in the pan against Chelsea early in the season, he set us up well against Man City last season I think it was and again against Man Utd at The Emirates but that’s just three matches I can recall when playing the ‘better’ teams in the league. Perhaps you can come up with a few more?
But despite the all the problems we have on the pitch, there remains a chance that we are stuck with Wenger for another season of two which is seriously worrying because by the time he eventually leaves, goodness only knows where we’ll be. At present it’s looking highly likely that we’ll finish sixth, maybe even seventh unless a miracle unfolds and sometimes at this time of the season, it does. We go on a little run of good results and end up somewhere between second and fourth but I can’t see that being the case. Not this time as our fixtures are really tough.
Manchester City – H
West Ham United – H
Crystal Palace – A
Middlesbrough – A
Leicester City – H
Tottenham Hotspur – A
Manchester United – H
Stoke City – A
Everton – H
If we can win all of our home fixtures at least, top four might be achievable but as Koeman, Guardiola and Mourinho all heading to The Emirates, I simply can’t see us doing so, not with the confidence being as low as it is within the team. As for the away fixtures, well I’m sure their managers will have seen what West Brom did and follow suit.
Happy days….
Morning all from a beautiful blazing Cornwall, last few days have been budgie smuggling weather !………………thank`s Rico !
For me there are just two MWG`s left this season……….the Semi and the Final !………………….the rest can be the nails in Arsene`s footballing coffin !
Morning all.
2018 could be a good year..or not
https://twitter.com/FutballTweets/status/846000176217116672
Rico I really do not want us getting the top 4 trophy. If it gets Wenger to go, so be it.
What I know that will taint his most cherished achievements at the club.
Marshall. I don’t think it’ll make much difference, not if the decision on his future really has been made. Win at the weekend and I reckon he’ll announce he’s staying….
good morning
more 27points?
I think we have to try to get in the first 4, but we have to look also at those who come back.
His UCL record is one thing that Arsene sympathisers use as a point in their arguments. That’d weaken his case for staying.
I bet now would be abit late for our slow board/club to start recruiting another manager, so I got a feeling he’s staying. Maybe we’d start paying KSE £3million annually again as Sir Chips said they helped us in making ‘quick’ decisions.
Gazidi’s negotiates very below par sponsorship deals and is given £1million bonus because “we are fortunate to have him” oh where could we be without him!
Agreed. It’d be different if he actually got further than the first knockout stages perhaps…
The club would probably get better sponsorship deals if it won something every now and again.
Ivan Gazidis is an anagram of………….Useless overpaid bald headed Cnut !
Nothing wrong with being bald headed, it`s the rest ! hahaha
Weird really because Stan Kroenke has the same anagram with the added ingredient of ……”die you bastard !” on the end of it ! hahaha
This one is true though……………Alisher Usmanov is an anagram of …….. A Manholes virus !………………………..but I`d prefer a Manholes virus to a dose Kroenke anyday of the week !
Good day all.
Been enjoying life without the Arsenal for a couple of weeks, haven’t even see a picture of Wengers face let alone the drivel he preaches, which has been really refreshing.
Of our league fixtures to come I agree rico, I don’t see many points coming our way. My predictions for what they are worth. (and i’m being kind to us)
Manchester City – H – Draw/Loss – 1 point max
West Ham United – H – Win – 3
Crystal Palace – A – Draw – 1
Middlesbrough – A – Win – 3
Leicester City – H – Draw – 1
Tottenham Hotspur – A – Loss – 0
Manchester United – H – Draw/loss – 1
Stoke City – A – draw – 1
Everton – H – draw – 1
Even the 2 games I think we’ll win I’m not confident.
Lewis, I can see us losing at Soke and a draw a Boro as they are fighting for survival…
The silence speaks volumes. Sad times eh…
Personally, I am enormously optimistic for the remainder of the season.
Must be a lonely feeling…
Hi Rico and HH.
As I said a few weeks ago – and Wath echoed my view the other day – The Arsenal that we grew up supporting has died and been surplanted by an inferior product.
The rot started for me when they switched the cannon 180 degrees to face the wrong way. That’s an insult to our history right there. Someone keen to distance themselves from our glorious past, in particular the dynasty we created during the 1930’s.
Just like the Emirates. It is more a symbol of wealth than it is a passionate sporting venue. They can ‘Arsenalise’ it as much as they like, but it isn’t Highbury. And they might have some of our past heroes names in Arsenal shirts decorating the outside of the stadium, but they look nothing like who they’re meant to be, and how many of the new Emirates generation relate to ‘James’ or ‘Drake’? Why not put their full names so that these fans can read up on them, and fully appreciate what Arsenal used to represent, and the journey since?
Luckily we have many wise old-heads on here who are fully aware of Alex James, Cliff Bastin, Ted Drake et al, and their massive contribution to our club, but it seems the new regime hardly acknowledge them at all.
Arsenal were a far better club, and in a far better place back in the 1930’s than they ever been under Kroenke’s ownership.
Our Arsenal has ceased to exist, Rico.
Well, perhaps not enormously.
Hi Herb.. just Wenger and Graham for me…
TV time… nighty…
Herb , you said it all, they changed the badge for the image rights , the new place will never be Highbury like the board and our majority shareholder it doesn’t have the character. I remember the last game at Highbury as the game finished many just stood around , I stood at the top of the North Bank steps for about 10 minutes with my son eventually a steward came and ordered us to leave.
First manager for me was Billy Wright, which at the time was ok with me as I knew nothing about tactics etc` but fancied a foursome with the Beverley Sisters !………………..I was only about eight at the time !. hahaha
Herb
I’m sure the fans of Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, Derby County, Sheffield Wednesday prefer playing in their shrine stadiums to their former past, than moving with the BIG boys of Europe. I bet a few older Derby geezers tell the younger ones the Baseball ground was heaven.
Ashburton Grove looks like a sensational stadium, it’s just the hierarchy have insisted it be respected like an Opera House.
Just something I have noticed, you all seem to want change @ The Arsenal, but some keep banging on about how the change to a world class stadium has been bad. It’s not the stadium, it’s the Yank pulling the strings, or lack of, allowing Arsene Wenger to reign freely over all things footy for 10 years too long.
LC
Budgie smugglers! Do you wear a matching knotted hanky, socks & sandles with that??
Herb, is it our fault we aren’t as old as you?
Back in the day, those of us from overseas simply couldn’t watch games on television, except the cup final, so relied on an hours highlights package once a week that covered the entire league, and with the odd little snippet in the paper.
We had no internet.
This “new regime” as you call it had no real access to these legends of the past but let me add this-plenty of the “new regime” have been posting a lot longer on here than you have!!!!
Would you like the “new regime” to brush up on the clubs past using the internet and suddenly be able to recite everything these gents did in the past-would that suddenly get the “new regime” some respect?
No, because your post shows you have little or no respect for us.
Don’t hold us accountable for what the clubs done.
Don’t think Herb was taking a pop at you specifically Scott , I would imagine that you know as much as most about the club’s history however that can’t be said of many that go to Ashburton , the ones that believe that football started with the Premiership and discount anything that happened before.
Hi Potter, the speed at which they turned Highbury into their own personal money-spinner is shameful.
Hi Gnarley. You’ve said nothing that I disagree with.
Scott – you really are pig-ignorant at times. You are ridiculously aggressive and have no manners.
Where in my comment did I blame supporters for things out of their control???
Do Manchester United remember Matt Busby? You bet they do, and he joined them after WWII in the 1940’s.
Do Liverpool remember Bill Shankly? Only recently Jurgen Klopp mentioned wanting to build a legacy at Liverpool ‘like Shankly’s’.
Clubs remember people who served them with distinction regardless of their time-frame, it’s what makes the character of the club.
The 1930’s was Arsenal’s golden era when they dominated English football, something they have failed to replicate since, so it should be well documented by everyone who feels a connection to Arsenal Football Club.
Grow up and stop creating an argument where none exists.
Terry Neill for me.
“We’re the famous Arsenal, famous AFC, first double won in 71, even better cause we beat the scum on their own ground, what a famous nite”……a bit too early for me, not quite in Wath’s league i’m happy to say !
Victoria Concordia Crescit my arse, but fear not I’m sure Stan and Arsene are burning the candle at both ends working on a new motto for our club !
Herb, how about a little bit of respect.
Scott has been a regular on here for over 5 years now, back then everyone was an Arsene basher lol.
Potter, I’m not suggesting he was taking a pop at me, just the younger ones in general.
Not sure why anyone but the club can be blamed for the rebranding and their approach towards profits only.
Micko, some have stayed consistent.
Some have changed their mind over time 🙂
GG- well said!!!!
Adam 6.34, until it’s mathematically impossible, I’ve got your back matey.
Hehehe Scott.
Nite all.
Micko, I must say those of you criticising Wenger have been proven absolutely correct.
Maybe some of us were still blinded, maybe we just had a little more patience but at the end of the day, the signs were there, even back then.
Jack Crayston my first manager
Evening to the House.
Tom Whittaker was my first manager
Like most of the North Bank my older Brother and I shed a few tears when he died.
On a more positive note C Willock scored 2 for England U19 and Eddy Nketiah scored a hattick for England U18 in games played today.
Rico, is Nketiah the real thing?
Seems damn impressive from the reports-haven’t see him play, but he keeps banging them in.
George Swindin for me, seemed OK. Then Billy Wright, full of hope when he was appointed, him and that there Beverley sister, marriage made in heaven…..bring on the good times. What a fckuing disaster he was!!!!
Wenger, unknown, …….give him a whirl…..brilliant with George Graham’s residue, thereafter playing Wenger picks pretty much downhill, well not so far but just NOT WINNERS!!!
Only two standout managers for me, Bertie Mee and George Graham, plus, if I’m honest Wenger for most of his first 10 years, thereafter he’s been little better than ordinary.
Wavy, I was joking with a Chav supporting mate the other day, and we came up with the idea of a love child from Arsene and Jose being a pretty decent manager!!
There’s little doubt Scott that you’ll again accuse me of ‘picking on you’ which really isn’t the case but why you take take certain comments personally I really don’t know.
When Herb left his comment about Arsenal fans not remembering the managers of yesteryear’s, I too have never seen Arsenal play under the older ones but I do know who they are/were because I’ve read about them. But did I take offence?? No because I can see his comment is a general one, not aimed at anyone on here but yet again, that’s not how you have seen it.
One doesn’t have to be older in years to know about Arsenal’s history, which is all Herb is pointing out. In fact clearly, his comment imo was more directed at the many ‘fans’ who attend The Emirates. Those who know only Wenger, those who have jumped on the Arsenal ship since his arrival and can see no wrong in what he’s doing.
Not anywhere in his comment was the name ‘Scott’ written, so why you chose to jump all over it beggars belief really.
As Herb himself said, why try to create an argument when there really isn’t one to be had…
Sam Hollis was the Arsenal manager when Kev first attended a game….
Me being so young it was Bertie Mee….
Someone’s tired!
Morning Rico. It feels like a really weird period of Arsenal history to me at the moment. As if the club is somehow on hold and the fans are waiting to see what happens next.
Rico, I didn’t take Herbs post personally at all.
Hell, I even stated that at 10.17pm but I guess we all read what we want to, and ignore the rest.
Still, allowing Herb to call me pig ignorant is acceptable these days, as his call that I’m ridiculously aggressive and have no manners.
Imagine the uproar if I made those claims about poor old Herb hahaha
I’m sure it’s all fair though.
Sensational stuff and if it wasn’t so bloody funny, I’d possibly be upset 🙂
Morning Adam, all..
I am now Lee…
And there was me being so polite in my comment to you Scott…
Hey ho…
New post up now.