Daily Bits and Bobs

Wenger talks about Barca job. Some of Arsene Wenger’s best. What’s yours?

Posted on by rico

Morning all.

In September 2016, Arsene Wenger celebrated twenty years of being Arsenal manager. During those twenty years, it’s hard to believe that 232 managers in the league have been sacked. There’s been a few additional sackings since then with perhaps the stand out one being the most recent of Claudio Ranieri who last season, led his Leicester side to the league title. If that appeared cruel, Chelsea sacking Roberto Di Matteo after winning the Champions League and FA Cup back in 2012 was perhaps equally as bad..

Yesterday we looked at a few of Arsene Wenger worst results during his reign, today, it’s about some of the good stuff.

In just his second season at the club, Arsene Wenger had assembled a squad which was superior to all the others in the league. He’d inherited a strong group of players and added Patrick Vieira, Remi Garde and Nicolas Anelka during his first season. After finishing third in the league, in came Matthew Upson, Emmanuel Petit, Gilles Grimandi, Marc Overmars, Luís Boa Morte and Alberto Méndez, Christopher Wreh and goalkeeper Alex Manninger before the summer transfer window. Boy we looked a strong team.

And who said we didn’t buy the league back then?

I digress…

14th March – Old Trafford. Going into the game we were nine points behind United but with three games in hand anything could happen. Overmars scored the only goal and a good one it was too. Perhaps winning that one really gave us belief, a key game during that double winning season.

The FA Cup Final was a great game too with Arsenal battering Newcastle 2-0 thanks to goals from Overmars and Anelka.

What a way for Arsene Wenger to silence his ‘Arsene Who’? critics.

The following season wasn’t quite as good but we still thumped Utd at Highbury and held them to a draw at OT but silly losses and draws here and there throughout the season cost us dear. We came second to Utd, by one point and considering the final day of the season saw Utd play the Totts, perhaps we knew that’s how it would end even before kick off. I won’t mention the FA Cup semi-final, it’s still too raw.

The following season, 1999-2000 was pretty much the same as the one before, we finished second in the league, knocked out of the FA Cup, this time in the 4th round and at the hands of Middlesbrough.

2000-01 season. Wrighty had gone, Petit and Overmars were sold to Barcelona and in came Robert Pires, Edu Gasper and Sylvain Wiltord. Freddie had been snapped up the summer before I think, oh, and some bloke called Thierry Henry but still there was to be no second league title for Wenger, neither was there another FA Cup.

2001-02 season things got better.

Man Utd 0 Arsenal 1, Premier League.

Sylvain Wiltord’s goal, on his 100th Arsenal appearance, was enough to secure us the title that season and who can ever forget the ‘It’s only Ray Parlour’ FA Cup victory in which two stunning goals won the day. Romford himself and then Freddie Ljungberg with an equally as stunning strike saw us send Chelsea off with ease.

Double winners again but that was to be our last……

2002-03 saw the beginning of the end really. Not for the club of course but for a few of our key players. I think I’m right in saying that  the back five had now all gone, the last and perhaps the biggest loss was that of Tony Adams. Mr Arsenal, Mr brick wall, our captain but at least we’d nicked Big Sol from the neighbours for free… In came Pascal Cygan, Gilberto Silva and Kolo Touré. There was no successful defence of our Premier League crown, but we did win the FA Cup again after beating Southampton 1-0.

The following season was a special one. There’d be no domestic or European Cups as we were knocked out at the semi-final stage in English competitions but we did manage to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Wayne Bridge ended our hopes of going further in the latter by scoring a crucial away goal at Highbury late in the game.

As disappointing those defeats were, Arsene Wenger and his players did give us all something to be grateful for, to be proud of, as we witnessed something which many of us will probably never witness again in our life time.. It really was something special.

During Arsene Wenger’s reign, we’ve seen many great results, especially throughout the first ten years, but here’s just a few matches which I enjoyed, well, after the final whistle blew….

  • Arsenal 4 Liverpool 2, Apr 2004

This was the victory which pretty much secured the league. 2-1 down at half-time, Robert Pires and a Thierry Henry wonder goal turned the match around. Henry completed his hat-trick and we beat the Scousers quite comfortably in the end. A great comeback after looking down and out.

  • Arsenal 2 Bayern Munich 0 – Champions League, Oct 2015

We were disciplined that night and well organised. No gung ho stuff was on display as Arsenal ended Bayern Munich’s long winning run. A smart game played out and the type of game I wish we had seen much more of over the last few years.

  • Real Madrid 0 Arsenal 1, Champions League, Feb 2006

This result has to be up there with one of our best, certainly in Europe. Just after half-time, Thierry Henry shocked the home side and that was enough on the night. 0-0 at home and we were through…

  • Inter Milan 1 Arsenal 5, Champions League, Nov 2003

Any loss and we were out of the Champions League but who’d have thought we’d have battered them in the way we did? Not me, that’s for sure. Already 3-0 down from the first leg, Henry scored two, Edu grabbed one and then both Freddie and Bobby killed them off. Awesome.

On the domestic front. Any victory over the neighbours or Utd through those years were great and I’ll leave you to pick your best…

Mine, possibly the one against Tottenham when Thierry Henry scored that wonderful goal and celebrated in style in front of their fans…..

Oh those days….

PS – Arsene Wenger has said he’s not interested in the Barcelona job… Shame.

rico

59 thoughts on “Wenger talks about Barca job. Some of Arsene Wenger’s best. What’s yours?”

  2. DB10 says:

    03-04, THE main reason why we are so hated. It makes me smile every single day that Maureen and all the other pretenders want oh so much to be that good….

    But never will 🙂

  3. rico says:

    That’s a very good article Kev and probably how most of us feel about Kroenke and the board but why does Arsene stay if he has no backing?

    Bigger and better men would walk away from it all….

  6. Wavy says:

    Has the old chap got a bit of brain function loss?
    I’ve just copied this from BBC Sportsday site. The crucial word in his statement is “lucid” it sort of implies that he’s not always clear headed or even clear thinking! I’ll leave the Housers to draw their own conclusions about his suitability to ‘carry on regardless’.

    Wenger on the future
    Liverpool v Arsenal (17:30 GMT, Saturday)
    Posted at
    9:37
    Asked to clarify what he meant by saying his preference has always been the same, this was Arsene Wenger’s response:

    “I’ve been here for 20 years and had the opportunity many times to leave. My preference has always been Arsenal, but I am objective and lucid enough to make the right decision for myself and the club.”

    The sad example of Bob Paisley comes to mind when we’re looking at the aging process and ‘lucidity’.

  8. rico says:

    Shame there’s even an option for him to stay Wavy…. Imo, there shouldn’t even be a new contract on offer for him…

  9. Wavy says:

    In answer to your question Rico, ‘why does Wenger stay’. I think the reason is simple. All he sees and all he does is his to do! That is he has control over all things Arsenal. He has no boss because he is the boss!
    I mean, would you trade omniscience for a very public position over which you have very limited control, but suffer continuous appraisal after every game, knowing that you will get the push if results go against you, even after only 12 months? Barca, Real etc offer that kind of crucible. Not the sorts of places an old man should be thinking of going, especially when he’s contemplating retirement and sheltered accomodation!
    It’s Arsenal first, last and for ever. He’s never hassled by the owner, he can do what he likes on the training pitch and he could care less about what the fans or press have to say! The despot is free to continue, ad infinitum!

  15. ScottfromOz says:

    The bastard is guilty of plagiarism lol
    It’s really not about pointing the finger of blame all at Stan-if I’ve come across that way, it certainly wasn’t my intention- it’s about apportioning blame.
    Anyway, he puts it more eloquently than I ever could but that’s why i don’t have a blog 🙂
    Arsene to Barca-I doubt there’s a chance in hell, to be honest.
    I can genuinely see him headed to Paris.

  21. ScottfromOz says:

    We need to go at Liverpool from the outset.
    They’re slow at the back.
    Attack at pace and we could put a few past them before they wake up.

  24. Obi says:

    Wenger to Barca is not as much as a spin that people think. Before they got Enrique they were actually after Wenger. Ironically when most were wondering if MSN can play “together”, Wenger was one of the first to endorsed it, on Bein sports, actually going into details as to how you move Messi around and playing Suarez upfront…. but the same guy doesn’t play Sanchez, Welbeck and Perez.

  25. Kk says:

    Waltord single goal at old toilet to clinch the title is up there with the best of arsene’s arsenal..considering how dominant united and furgeson were..

    Re the Liverpool game I expect wenger to stick to his old bollocks playing Walcot, Alexis and iowbi, with ozil behind them. .he could also pair xhaka & rambo if he is fit of course.
    We will score 1st and then go on a meltdown as usual. .
    Not very optimistic ?

  26. rico says:

    Odd that Obi…

    That was a good one Kk, nothing like beating them for the title in front of their own fans..

    Quite like winning it at WHL too, even though Mad Jens gifted them a penalty to draw the match. Must have been a good day for Big Sol….

  27. frednerk says:

    Afternoon Rico and All
    I have to feel sorry for you lot
    1971 at the Ben garzi..Full of Gooner’s
    What an amazing night..Then Charlie boy
    at wembley..What a week.

  29. rico says:

    Afternoon Fred.

    I felt good writing the last two days posts, they felt like a final tribute to AW before he hopefully leaves in the summer ….. ?

  31. Obi says:

    Having played multiple sports, competitively on high levels, and having watched sports all my life – nothing in sports surprise me. But I will be SHOCK if Arsene stays pass this year. I believe he leaves ends up at big club as a figure head manager with a strong backroom coaching staff and wins a major trophy.

  33. frednerk says:

    With all the speculation concerning Arsene
    A statement should,by now have been made by the club.
    By all account’s a 2 year contract is on the table.
    For a manager to stall on a contract is not usual,it destabilise’s
    the player’s and the fan’s.
    Who’s playing the poker game again..Our Arsene
    Is he hoping for Silverware…..Sh*t or Bust..Looks like.
    Our gutless board are a joke.
    I really hope our great season ticket holder’s
    dig in when the reminders come in.

    The promised land around the corner from
    our old ground seem’s a million mile’s away.

  37. Le Coq Monster says:

    Afternoon all.

    Thanks Rico……I said my bit yesterday on wins and losses ! 🙂

    How about that Chillean protest to get Alexis to leave The Arsenal !…………..predicted a 10/15,000 turnout !……………………………only 5 turned up ! …………………bit like the so called Wenger protests at the Ems !
    😆

    Gnarley mate…..not into that crickety thingy stuff, your mate palying in a final is that like my neighbour who won a medal for his dry stone walling at The Launceston Show ?……………………only sport here is Pasty eating and Rugby !………………………….our Launceston Rugby Club are known as the Cornish All Blacks !………………aparrently, the other All Blacks……..the southern bastards South of Oz ……were not to happy about Launceston being called The All Blacks and threatened to sue !………………….they think they are scary with their laughable haka !…….nothing compared to an inbred cornishman slaughtered on scrumpy whilst eating a pasty and wearing a kilt ! hahaha

  39. Mark says:

    On a slightly different note , how did we not insert some kind of sell on clause with Gnabrey ?? We sell him for peanuts without him getting a decent chance ( keep hold of injured or deadweights tho ) Only for Werder to probably sell him on for a shitload of dough ! So not only do we not buy players when they are relatively cheap, but we’re not able to even sell them for their true Worth. It just makes me mad.?? To me All signs point to him trying to stay, just choosing the best moment to sign the extension. We need to up the pressure & do whatever we can to turn up the heat , to get this fraud out !

  42. Obi says:

    Gnabry is a perfect example of the dark side of football business. For all practical purposes he is a Bayern player. His father was approached by the Bayern during the Olympics and they agreed to leave Arsenal – no matter what Arsenal does. The mystery is why did Bayern needed a conduit to buy him, and couldn’t they have bought him and loaned him to Bremen?

    Blame AW for maybe not playing the kid, but selling him was not up to him. The kid was walking regardless. They were not signing anything with first option to buy back either because he was on his way to Bayern. The funny thing is, I think, AW knew it too, that’s why he took the 500k.

  43. micko says:

    Maybe a long shot but how about we move back to South London and don’t tell Arsene…….ok I’m desperate !

  45. Marshall says:

    Beating Ac Milan 2 nil at San Siro was quite an achievement. No English team had conquered there before. (The same Milan that wiped the floor with Real Madrid). I was watching that game behind the couch before Fabregas scored. That’s the Arsenal that I miss. Coming out on top against a midfield of Pirlo and Gattuso was quite an achievement for Wenger and his then squad.

  49. Marshall says:

    Scott, it’s sad those glimpses are far and apart lately. In 2008 they were a couple of good times despite having Senderos in defence.

    Yes Rico, that game. For over 80 mins we were 0-0. Fab had cracked the post earlier. He was good! If prices were crazy back then as they are today, we’d have sold Fabregas at a record price. Mind you we were playing a world cup winning Midfield with an effervescent Kaka in attack.

    Now we are rolling over at Bayern.

  50. rico says:

    I remember it well Marshall.

    Still think we’d have got a lot more for Fabregas had he not only wanted a Barca return. I wish he’d stayed back then…

    We have gone a long way backwards…

  51. Adam says:

    Morning Rico. I remember that game too.
    As the world changes, so does football. It seems generally accepted that Sanchez will leave and possibly Ozil too. If this does happen then, throw in a few more ins and outs all over the pitch and you’re looking at building a new team. I just can’t see Wenger taking that on, but I could be wrong. 🙂

  52. scottfromoz says:

    Adam, do you reckon Arsenes right side of his brain has let the left side know what he’s doing lol
    I guess Sanchez and Ozil leaving may well be the final straw for Wenger, but then, if he signs an extension before hand, who knows what happens?

  53. Adam says:

    Scott. Who knows? I can’t make up my mind if letting the fans know now what is happening next season is a good or a bad idea really.

  56. scottfromoz says:

    I think he should if he’s leaving, Adam…..
    I’m sure the fans would then get behind him for the remainder of the season.
    Typing that, It suddenly strikes me that he is probably staying lol.

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