Morning all.
It was all inevitable wasn’t it. As the Arsenal life has been played out over the last few years with glaring mistakes both on the pitch and off it during transfer windows, it was always a when and not if that the club and more likely, Arsene Wenger’s name would be a reoccurring headline for all the newspapers.
Some of course just like to slate the man in any which way they can, whilst others like Henry Winter in The Telegraph remain respectful and balanced.
We all make mistakes in life, it’s all part of learning, growing and becoming better people, regardless of in which situation those mistakes are made. I’ve made plenty but when I have, I’d like to think that I learned, put right my mistake and moved on, ensuring that mistake was never made again. It’s not always easy to accept in life that we may have got something wrong but when just one person among many think they are right, it’s time to realise why…
And this is where we pretty much sit right now with Arsene Wenger. Actually, long before now but never have things been as bad at Arsenal under his reign. Finally the penny has dropped for many who had always hoped that the man who was once the best thing in football management would change. Arsene hasn’t changed and sadly the evidence is stacked against him to suggest he will.
There’s little point in going over where our frailties in the squad lie, or the tactical side to our game etc etc as we’ve been over and over that so many times but sadly, as we have all seen it, Arsene so very typically, clearly hasn’t. Even great players, great players he once signed, trusted and coached have spoken but still he doesn’t listen. He can’t do, otherwise he’d have changed long ago.
I don’t know if Stan Kroenke has told him that he couldn’t spend the amounts of money we believe to be in the Arsenal bank but somehow I doubt he has and in any case, good solid hard working players don’t always have to come with a hefty price tag which would bleed the coffers dry. One only has to search last summers transfer activities to see that but yet again our squad requirements were not addressed properly.
The reality is, Arsene Wenger is responsible for all the headlines he is creating, only he could have prevented them and still, only he can prevent them from filling the back pages of most newspapers each day from now on. All he has to do is instil some discipline into our players and make changes to how we play. Then of course, he could address our squad needs in January and really push on and salvage what has so far, been a rotten season.
He’s an intelligent man, he should be able to do that but history tells me not to bother holding my breath and I won’t.
There’s talk in the newspaper that Stan Kroenke has concerns about the state we are in. Probably, he’s merely concerned that top four won’t be reached and to be honest, as things are, I don’t think they will either. The Daily Star go as far to suggest that Ivan Gazidis and the manager were locked in talks yesterday as Stan wants to know what’s going on. True? I have no idea, but I hope so.
Our other major shareholder, Alisher Usmanov, has expressed his views:
Arsene is one of the greatest coaches not just of European, but of world football. But we have Russian proverb which goes, ‘Even an old lady can have a roof falling on her’.
As you age it is more difficult, more challenging, to accept one’s mistakes. He is a great man, a great coach, he had great victories and he has to have an opportunity to secure the place, which he and his team ought to have.
Usmanov has his opinions, just as we all have but with him it’s different. He allegedly loves and supports our club and he already has a foot in the door with his 30%+ shares. He’s one of the worlds wealthiest and no matter how much Stan Kroenke thinks he’s staying, every man/woman has a price for nearly any possession unless it holds an emotional attachment and when it comes to our club, I doubt Kroenke has any of that. He’s interested in only one thing and that’s money. If Usmanov really cared, why doesn’t he make Kroenke an offer he wouldn’t/couldn’t refuse? Then finally we’d be run by a man who would be in a position to back up his talk with actions.
He was asked about any such plan:
Q: Just to be very clear here, if the stake became available for you to become the majority shareholder, you would still buy it today and you are never going to sell your stake to Mr. Kroenke?
A: I don’t discuss certain business plans. Mr Kroenke has said repeatedly that he is happy with his investment and considers Arsenal club as a good business. I am happy with this and will also consider my investment as successful. And I don’t see today any other perspectives.
Perhaps that will soon change and if it does, we can expect eleven new signings:
My opinion, and I tell it openly, we need to strengthen every position to play on the level of such teams in UK as Chelsea and Manchester City, in Europe like Real, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Bavaria and other clubs.
Ok, I’m sure he doesn’t literally mean in every position but we really are lacking in many key positions.
Alisher Usmanov is wrong in my opinion is about our manager being a great coach. Arsene Wenger was a great coach, he’s been superb for the football club we all love so very much but sadly, those days are long gone. Perhaps one day, he’ll wake up, read a headline and think ‘Surely they can’t all be wrong, perhaps it really is me’…..
But then again, as the big guy from Russia says, ‘as you age, it get’s harder to do that’. Arsene Wenger isn’t getting any younger and him accepting he’s getting things wrong has happened yet.
So, expect little to change on the pitch and certainly, little to change on the back pages either.
Sad isn’t it……
Happy Tuesday……
Morning Coach….
Where do you see Bellerin and Hayden?
R/B or R/Mid..?
C/B or CD/Mid..?
A long shot I know, but do you think that Bellerin has the potential to develop along the same lines as Gareth Bale?
Good Morning Rico and the house.
Not been able to post for a short while and this will be short.
A great Post this morning Rico you have put it in a nutshell.
Kev in respect of Hayden I think he is the Best defender that we have at the moment and still think he should be C/B.
Very concerned about the way Jonker is working will try to explain later .
Morning rico, excellent post.
Thanks Rick/Andrew, morning to you both and all….
Month to Christmas. Guess Chelsea will be top.
Can’t see them blipping Brad, not unless they suffer many injuries…
Brilliant post Rico…… top notch…!
Excellent post, Rico
I’ve always been a supporter of Arsene, and I still think he has done a fantastic job but the result on Saturday has convinced me he has reached his ceiling.
In the past few years we have always had the problem of beating the big clubs. I’ve put this down to the fact that they were better teams than us, even though we lost many big games by missing clear chances, like we did on Saturday. The difference this time is that Man U are NOT a better team, yet we still missed all those chances. There’s nothing wrong with our attacking players, it must be down to psychology, which is down to coaching. I’ve come to the conclusion that Arsene, despite all his positive points, does not have it in him to install the ‘killer instinct’ against the big clubs. Other managers can do it – many smaller clubs raise their game against the top clubs, and we have suffered from this in the past..
True, if we struggle through to the Champions League knockout, buy a defence and have a bit of luck with the draw we could have a good second half, but I still can’t see us beating the likes of Man City even if we play better football than them.
Who’s next? Kuman?
Brian
Thanks Wath and Brian..
Klopp or Pep one would hope Brian….
Excellent post Rico.
Stick out for Pep I would say.
Sadly, I don’t think AW knows how to beat the mid table sides either any more, it’s not just the top clubs any longer…
Thanks Adam.
Do you think Pep would come to us Adam? I do..
But can we really afford to wait for him to finish at Bayern as I can’t see Kroenke paying off AW and going big for Pep…
Why not Rico? We can afford to pay him an enormous amount and we are in London plus he knows that Arsenal think long-term and won’t just sack a manager after a few bad results. As far as I can see, he is very tactically aware and takes great notice of opponents strengths and weaknesses. Arsenal are a giant of a club that Wenger has put to sleep. I would much prefer him to Klopp who, apparently, has a few issues. Pep would be less of a risk surely. One thing is for sure and that’s that Guardiola won’t make the same mistakes year in year out. I greatly admire what he has done at Bayern.
If we could prise him out of BM at the end of the season, that would be great.
Hi gents, I believe the Russian is correct and that’s because he couldn’t say Arsene was a great coach. Some things need to be said yes, but others needs to be said behind closed doors. That said, I heard the manager’s seat is heating up?
Adam, I understand all of that part but what happens in the meantime? We could be in the Championship by the time Pep finishes in Germany and with many players jumped ship….
If we could get him sooner then that would be great, but would he leave? That’s what I’m not so sure about….
I just had a brain fart… perhaps AW is setting up his team to fail, so that the next manager didn’t have such a big expectation like Moyes and *cough United?
#StayingPositive
Hi Ec, don’t forget the ladies… 🙂
I guess you could be right, AU is hardly likely to be overly critical of AW, although he’s been very honest with his words….
Rumour is Jack is out for 8 weeks….
MY mistake… and to you ladies 🙂
I say hello
I would’ve expected longer by the looks of his ankle moving in the wrong direction with that clash 🙁
Still… he has been Arsenal’s best central midfielder of late – better than Ramsey, Arteta, Flamini. I would even argue better than Ozil earlier the season 🙁
Good post Rico. I have read the Telegraph article. I think Winter was extremely measured, he said what we think in the House, that Wenger has offered loads to football, has changed the face of football , from coaching to eating etc but his time has now reached the end and he should step aside gracefully, not remain and damage incurable he astounding reputation. Well, here, here to that!
Tend to agree that even if Usmanov took the reins from Stan the man, would much change? No I think not!
And as for a replacement, well, Pep said he would change horses in 2016, end of next season. Would that be a year too late or will the stubborn one carry on regardless as he has ‘never broken a contract”! That mantra may be his fatal flaw and lead to his disgrace and sack! And because we find our club in a vacuum we are forced to hire another ‘Bruce Rioch’. The permutations are endless………unlike Wenger’s reign, which is both finite and in sight!w
Teasing you Ec….
Its all good! 🙂
Thanks Wavy.
My own view is that Usmanov coming in would seriously change things. A new board and more ambition and a good few more players.
On the pitch if he keeps AW as manager, well perhaps it will be a case of shape up or ship out and pretty sharpish.
I blame AW for an awful lot but I blame Kroenke and the board too, they are the ones who allowed him all this power. They should have intervened a long time ago but it seems they are either too frightened to or haven’t a clue how to..
Or both!
We do try and have a fun side too Ec 😉
Good afternoon Chips and Monks.
That is a good post Rico….albeit a very sad one. but its the truth.
Kev…..I would have given Bellerin and Hayden their chance by now.
I saw last Saturday’s game and tbh I was impressed by the young ones of LVG. He was not afraid of throwing them in and they repaid his trust by playing well.
we had Bellerin on the bench while Monreal was at CB with a natural CB in the form of Chambers playing at right back. Mind boggling isn’t it.
I can assure you that with the same pool of players Mourinho and Ancelotti would have gotten better results. Yes, even the result against Manure would have been different.
The situation as it is at the moment is that the players and everyone at the club, including the tea lady are all without direction. Or running blindly into the same alley.
and while AW is allowed to be the mighty hand at the Ems very little will change….including giving players like Bellerin and Hayden and Campbell their chance.
LOL!
I’ve stumbled upon this site and even though I hate AFC right now… I have to admit its kinda a love hate relationship! I always tell the wife, yeah… I’m not going to watch Arsenal and then end up at the tele! Damnit!
So its cool having a read and some other peoples opinions. Some the same as mine and some a little different, but we’re all talking the gooner language at the end of the day!
And that is we all want our club to start moving forward for a change. And not just that, but consistently move forward. I’m sure you all know what I mean!!
Afternoon all….
I do not see a future for either Hayden or Bellerin. They will be sold off to championship clubs…and neveer get a proper chance.
Koscielny back in training….
HRD, do you think the staff (incl. players) are getting a little fed up with all this nonsense? Because I would and I’m sure its going to be even HARDER for AW to get them behind him again so that we can start getting results as well.
Afternoon Devil – thanks..
Me too re Hayden and Bellerin, albeit Hayden is injured right now..
Agree also re a different manager would have this squad performing better than they are right now…
Hi George, I think both are here to stay and will have a good career….
Ec – glad you made that stumble… 🙂
No, HH?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2848671/Arsene-Wenger-failed-gone-years-ago-Jurgen-Klopp-best-man-job-jury-out.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490
Hi Bt, I was invited but declined…..
Rico, you honestly think Bellerin will get a chance? Funny how well Jenks is doing at WHU…
Hayden will get carling cup games next year and a preseason emirates tournament at best
Hi Rico, here’s another you may have read,,
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/11252641/Arsenal-manager-Arsene-Wenger-hits-back-at-Alisher-Usmanov-and-questions-shareholders-lack-of-solidarity.html
George, I do, at some stage he’ll be our right back imo. And Hayden, once fit will no doubt be involved in the FA Cup…
Only time will tell but I think both could have a good career with us, especially Hayden…
Hadn’t seen that one Bt, thanks. Will read it now…
Doesn’t this sum him up. Talk about head in the sand and so condescending….
Wenger is also convinced that his Arsenal team will have a successful season.
“I feel there is a very strong bond inside the club and that this club will have a strong season,” he said. “I’m ready to bet with you on that. I believe that this group of players will have a very strong season.”
Asked if he questioned himself and whether Arsenal were in crisis, he said: “When you are so long in football, you don’t really understand what crisis means.
“I best get to the dictionary and look at it again. I believe in what I do and I believe especially in my players, the qualities and their spirit. I question myself every day and I hope you do that as well.”
I was just thinking that Arsenal are forking out near 400k a week on 4 players that hardly played this season.
1) Ozil
2) Podolski
3) Rosicky
4) Walcott
No wonder we have one of the highest wage bills.
Great points Coach…
Agree with you totally….
Monreal at centre-back, is laughable…
But why not play him at right-back…?
Pep will do for me….
Brad two of them have been injured…. whereas Diaby has been draining £60k pw for ages!
Lee, apparently Crutches, didn’t take any wages last year.
Kev, at r/b. would probably be just as bad, as cb..
Maybe BT, but just because he is left footed it doesn’t mean that he can’t play right-back…
I don’t think that he is a bad player, I just don’t think that he’s a centre-half,
Rico, that Wenger interview is typical…
As somebody on here said earlier, criticism will just make him more detirmined to hold on to his job, come what may….
I’m not suprised at all.
He’ll see out his three year contract, of that I am sure…
So we’ve just gotta put up with it as Kroneke won’t do anything…
Kroenke….
Kroneke???
Silent Stan… 😉
🙂 Kev, or Syrup….
I do hope you are wrong though, 2.5 years is a long time of more of the same….
Kev, he’s no center-half and not a bad player but also not a great player.
True Kev, being left footed doesn’t mean he can’t play RB, a mate and i discuss this on a regular basis watching Arsenal, how a top professional can’t play with his so called ‘weaker foot’. Being reasonably comfortable on your good side, does always relate to be so on your weaker side, as seen at Arsenal. I could see him giving away a lot of free kicks at rb,
‘Wenger hits back at Usminov’ the whole article is all about HIM! His mention of the Board and HIS players is so self-supporting it does verge on arrogance. He is a fool to himself! For me though, the last few words of the final paragraph sum it all up, ‘I ask myself questions every day’. Do you know I think he does, I think we all do, eg what shall I have for breakfast? Which car shall I go to work in? Does my bum look big in this puffer jacket? Can I manage the zip? Etc etc. but, does he ask the right questions? Who shall I play at RB? Why didn’t I buy a DM? Who advised me not to replace Tommy? oh, I did, all on my own! Shall I have another Rolo, yes I think I shall! Tactics? No not today, no, not tomorrow, no not The day after either! I’ll do it MY way!
Ad infinitum………….!
The road to perdition!
I should have added!
A song for AW, My Way…
Ooops, Wavy….
Good film that one Wavy….
BT, I make you right mate.
Syrup it is Rico…. 😀
Bt, was he not fit enough to walk to the finance department? lol
Wow Wavy, you go him mate….
Great points though….
Rico, one brake stuck on the w/chair, he just went round in circles….
I can see AW being a Rolo man Wavy, I bet he’d eat the last one too….
Does for me Kev.. lol
Ha ha Bt, bit like when he plays then…..
Rico,i can’t remember it’s been that long…..
🙂 Bt
Thanks Kev
there is only one manager…….Ancellotti
he will take us to a new level and re-arrange the club from top to bottom. He has coached in England, Italy and Spain. he won the CL with two different clubs and also the WC.
Plus he is one of the coaches who can put Mourinho in his place
I still remember when they were in a conference and Mourinho threw a jibe saying that he would never have lost a final with a 3-0 lead and Ancellotti calmly replied that even though it was true, he has still won the CL as a player and as a coach…..something which the midget has never done since he only won it as a coach.
I was LMAO that day.
In my opinion Ancellotti is the man who should be hired.
With Pep it would be more of the same pass pass pass till we vomit
but deep down I still think that it will be Joncker who will be given the reigns.
Wenger should remember that Usmanov has paid hundreds of millions to get his stake in the club and is fully entitled to an opinion. How and why he has no place on the board tells you the sort of organisation Kroenke runs. Wenger is an employee drawing a massive salary. He is messing up badly and continuously. He knows he has fucked up but continues with his petulance, talking more and more crap as the days pass, embarrassing himself and the club. He is arrogant and deluded. He is the reason we are where we are, not Usmanov.
Like you Adam (and few others) I really respect what Wenger has done for Arsenal football club,and I’m guilty of calling him names in my frustration/anger when we under perform. I know that really doesn’t achieve anything and is born out of sheer frustration…. I just think if he just managed the team, didn’t treat the funds available as if they were his own and delegated more responsibility we’d do a load better!
Brudder. I think his dream of doing things his way and winning the PL and CL lies in tatters.
Lee and Adam you are right. on both comments.
His ideals are really magnanimous but on a level playing field….
expecting a takeover soon….
Hi George. That would shake things up. 🙂
George, sorry mate .can’t see it happening any time soon, unfortunately..
You know what Wavy, when you ‘go into one’ I just think, effin spot on mate…
So pissed off with the whole poxy charade over there, I can hardly bare to listen to Wenger anymore…
Every time I hear him, usually making excuses, I just think ‘shut up you twat’ it’s your bloody fault…
Kev, do yourself a favour and stop listening, it’s a broken record…..
Coach, Ancelotti does it for me, he has style but is a winner…
I think he would enjoy going head to head with Mourinho and Abramovitch…
Mind you, I’d be very happy with Guardiola…
But we won’t have worry about that until the summer of 2017, unless Syrup buggers off…
Wenger’s gonna spend the next 2.5 years writing the longest resignation in football history….
A dead man walking.
BT, believe me, his pre/post match pressers are well low down on my listening priorities…
I’ve been hearing the same shit for over 8 years. It just gets repeatitive…
Kev, personally i stopped years back, they use to wind me up no end, now i’m in a more serene place…lol
Evening all…
Has he walked yet? 😉
Totally agree Adam re Usmanov. He has every right to be as concerned as Kroenke for his investment….
Who, Diaby?
Diaby is still in a specially designed baby walker……so that he can learn how to walk properly.
he went to use it a week ago and the support stretched his groin further than imaginable.
A floppy dick followed. now he has to have an operation to strengthen the groin and the muscles under his belly button
I must apologise for the first paragraph in todays post. How anyone made sense of that I do not know…
Adam, why didn’t you tell me… 😉
He used the experience phrase again today, ‘after 18 yaers’ I don’t know what cane next, I just tuned out!
You would have thought he would recognise the signs, especially of incompetence. He seems to be able to see it in some of his players, Podolski, Campbell, Rosicky, Bellerin, to name but a few! After 18 years you’d have thought that he would have learned a thing or two, including the ability to take criticism and to be able to act on it? But no, he carries on repeating the same old mistakes year after year after year.
Two and a half years more! The best I make from that is, at least the end is in sight! Only a pin prick at present but it’s getting larger!
I was going to Rico but thought you might say I was being pedantic. 🙂
I seem to be in moderation!
Is it Wenger’s revenge? Nobody anywhere, anytime about anything Arsenal is now disallowed from frank criticism?
God where will his meglomaniac end?
Not at all Adam, not this time… 😉
Sorry Wavy, no idea what happened there….
Morning all.
Please tell me we have better options than Stan and Usmanov.
Can’t stand either of them.
Dennis is still the manager I want, after a season under Hiddink, just to break things up a little.
Get some Arsenal blood in.
Hi Scott, out the two, I know who I prefer….
Aye Scott……out of them two she prefers AFC to be run by herself. 😛
🙂 Devil, if only I had the money…..
Early night for me, night all…..
Rico, as long as you learn form your mistakes, as for the money i can only see a trail of dust..
Night Boss…. Great to see Citeh getting beat….
3 for Kun …..3-2 Citeh
night all !
All the teams were played 12 games . About 1/3 of overall.
What was the best player and the most influential in this 1/3?
Fabregas. !
This was our big mistake this season..
with Fabregas, probably will be in other position and in this squad ,we don’t need any more players.
A terrrible mistake by AW
Morning all.
Rico, I’d rather they both keep away, to be honest.
Usmanov only starts yapping when we lose.
He is not a Gooner, and I don’t care what anyone says about that, he’s an ex Manc who will not do what people think he will for our club, IMO.
There has to be someone out there, surely…..
Maybe Arsene is saving his pennies so he can take over hahahahahahahaha
Morning Rico and all. Damp and ‘orrible here.
I’d take Usmanov in a heartbeat… Scott why do you say he’s not a Gooner? He attends most of our games.
One thing I do know is that the rug wearing sceptic fucktard isn’t a Gooner!
Morning All
Morning Scott, Adam, Lee, Rico…..
Damp, dull and miserable in London Town today….
Wilshere is another perma-crock….
Moderation, I am in moderation… 🙁
Bloody traffic, Bermondsey is a log jam.
Scott, i ditto your 6:15. You are becoming even more cynical. 😀
Morning Rico and fellow HHers.
Big PL clubs are the playthings of the super rich. Who knows what any of them have in their heads?
Good morning Peeps and Geeks.
How many are dreading tonight???
I dont look forward to match days anymore. I prefer the days when we dont play.
Tonight could be terrifying.
Morning all,
I don’t have to worry tonight devil, it’s my year end function so it’ll all be over by the time i see the result.
Morning All,
How can wenger have a go at Usmanov,
Wengers says:
Everybody has the right to have an opinion, having said that, we have values at this club.
“The first one is when we go through a difficult patch, we show solidarity. That is a very important one.
“The second one is that, when you have something to say to each other, we say it face to face. We don’t need to go to the newspapers.
“I don’t take (Usmanov’s comments) personally at all. It is an opinion that I respect, but when you are from this club, you are from this club. You are in or out, you cannot be both.”
So in future all you gooners…Keep your mouths shut.
Unless you want to say it Face to Face.
Just rung up to get an appointment with wenger.
Guess what..his to busy.
Yeah Fred, talk about contradiction, one minute he says that everyone is entitled to an opinion, next he is criticising Usmanov for having an opinion….
You looking at me?
Morning Kev. He also says that opinions have no effect on him. I think that much is certainly true.
You going tonight Brudder?
Kev you might have fare.
Taxi for Arsene.
Hope it is a taxi any way
The way wengers sounding late,
……..It could be an ambulance.
Morning all….
I see last night that even Chelski’s official tweeter account, was taking the piss out of Arsenal last night…..
New Post up……………
Well I’m the only one here…