Twenty years for Arsene Wenger but no Premier League title for twelve of them!

Morning all.

Twenty years ago, Arsene Who? became Arsenal’s new manager. Very few knew much about the man from France, but David Dein did and having failed in his attempt to get him to Arsenal the previous summer, in 1996 he got his man.

It wasn’t long before we Arsenal fans realised why David Dein was so keen to sign him up either. Arsenal changed. Diet, training, a new style of football and signings which like Arsene, not many of us had heard of, but soon turned Arsenal into winners again. Denis Bergkamp was already at the club but after the sacking of Bruce Rioch, he considered leaving, although once Arsene had been confirmed, such thoughts soon disappeared…..

From 1996 through to 2005, Arsenal were always there or thereabouts at the top of the league table. In the Cups too we often did very well, certainly the domestic ones but perhaps the one major regret of the Frenchman’s will be reaching just one Champions League Final and not managing to win it.

PL Champions –  1997–98, 2001–02, 2003–04.

FA Cup –  1997–98, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2013–14, 2014–15.

FA Charity Shield –  1998, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2014, 2015.

Europe – nothing!

The great players we’ve had at Arsenal since Arsene Wenger arrived is a list too long to type, mind you, so is the number of duffers he’s signed over the years but that’s by the by now, nothing can be done about that. Plenty of other managers sign rubbish players too but the annoying thing with Arsene is, he struggles to let them go despite how bad they are. Equally, he’s let a few go too soon and the one that still sticks in my mind is Robert Pires but again, nothing can be done about that now either.

Our success under Arsene Wenger came at Highbury and long before Stan Kroenke arrived on the scene and perhaps a lot of that was down to David Dein, the man who wasn’t afraid of spending money on the players his manager wanted, many who as said, were hardly known. £500k on Anelka was hardly a risk was it and he wasn’t the only bargain the club snapped up back then.

Highbury – the good time for Arsene and Arsenal.

Then came the big move to The Emirates and the rest is history….

But you know, for all the so-called failings over the last ten years, Arsenal are the only club to have been in the Champions League every season which I know means little to most of us but for the club, it was important during the stadium move. The European money was much needed and unlike Chelsea, Utd, City etc, Arsenal didn’t and still don’t have an owner who throws money around just because he can, and in Arsene, Kroenke probably knows ‘his club’ is in safe hands. Financially anyway.

Arsenal are heavily criticised by the media, pundits, sports writers, in fact anyone in football who likes to speak when a microphone is shoved in front of them. Arsenal, who haven’t won a trophy in ex amount of years…. was the old adage, which of course had to be adjusted to Arsenal haven’t won the league for ex amount of years…. once we won the FA Cup in 2014 and again in 2015 but how many other ‘big clubs’ clubs have won it during our baron years?

Everton haven’t won a trophy since 1995, Liverpool haven’t won a title since 1990, Tottenham haven’t won it either and since the beginning of time, so that’s just three and Liverpool are a massive club. Recently, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham have all had seasons when finishing outside the top 4 meant no Champions League. Meanwhile, Arsene Wenger and Arsenal, haven’t.

There’s a lot to be grateful, thankful about Arsene Wenger, there really is but much of his great work on the pitch was a long time ago. Nowadays, most other clubs have caught up with all the good things he brought into English football but the Frenchman hasn’t taken the next step to ensure he remains ahead of them. Younger coaches are appearing in the game with their own fresh ideas and tactical know how and soon, most will overtaking Arsene. Some already have. But despite their new ideas, it’ll be a long time before one of them keeps their club in the top four for twenty years running. In fact I doubt anyone will, after all, which other club would stand by a manager for so long having not won the league for……… years?

Maybe he’ll finally put that to bed this season with possibly the best squad he’s had for years at his disposal.

Then he can go and put his feet up, have a nice glass of red wine and toast his retirement.

But I think we know he won’t…..