Expectations for Next Season

[clockender1]

us to beat the chavs to 4th.

WE'VE GOT OUR ARSENAL BACK will be rung around the half empty stadium

How have we got our Arsenal back?, it's 67% owned by a greedy American who doesn't give a sh*t about winning only making money and 33% owned by an oligarch.

we'll be back in 4th and wenger will be gone. the decline will be over.

[DB10GOONER]

We would be worse under Neill. He was an appallingly shit manager. With that late 70s team we achieved fuck all bar one FA Cup. He drove Brady and Stapleton out of the club - our best 2 players by a country mile. Our attendances under him dropped to circa 20,000. Our football under him in the early 80s was horrible to watch. He hadn't a clue and not one of his ex-players speaks well of him.

Neill did OK to start with and like Graham played a number of younger players (O'Leary, Rix, Brady, Stapleton, Price), but having dragged Arsenal back into the top half and into four cup finals couldn't get Arsenal anywhere near the level of Liverpool, Manchester United, Forest or Ipswich. Brady leaving was the beginning of the end. Biggest mistake was leaving Howe there for another couple of seasons carrying on much as before albeit with some expensive signings (Nicholas, Woodcock, Williams, Anderson, Mariner etc.). Might have persuaded Ferguson to come down from Scotland at that point.

We tried. When Rednose was at Aberdeen, we approached him as the potential successor to Howe in summer 86. Rednose reckons he wanted to take Walter Smith with him and delayed responding to us while hoping Smith would leave his job with Scotland but Smith had lined up a move to Rangers and as the Arsenal board wanted an immediate answer the offer cooled off.

[SydneyGooner]

We would be worse under Neill. He was an appallingly shit manager. With that late 70s team we achieved fuck all bar one FA Cup. He drove Brady and Stapleton out of the club - our best 2 players by a country mile. Our attendances under him dropped to circa 20,000. Our football under him in the early 80s was horrible to watch. He hadn't a clue and not one of his ex-players speaks well of him.

Neill did OK to start with and like Graham played a number of younger players (O'Leary, Rix, Brady, Stapleton, Price), but having dragged Arsenal back into the top half and into four cup finals couldn't get Arsenal anywhere near the level of Liverpool, Manchester United, Forest or Ipswich. Brady leaving was the beginning of the end. Biggest mistake was leaving Howe there for another couple of seasons carrying on much as before albeit with some expensive signings (Nicholas, Woodcock, Williams, Anderson, Mariner etc.). Might have persuaded Ferguson to come down from Scotland at that point.

We tried. When Rednose was at Aberdeen, we approached him as the potential successor to Howe in summer 86. Rednose reckons he wanted to take Walter Smith with him and delayed responding to us while hoping Smith would leave his job with Scotland but Smith had lined up a move to Rangers and as the Arsenal board wanted an immediate answer the offer cooled off.

That could've changed the course of our entire history had he been appointed. Possibly No Graham? No Anfield '89?

[arrgee]

Might have persuaded Ferguson to come down from Scotland at that point.

We tried. When Rednose was at Aberdeen, we approached him as the potential successor to Howe in summer 86. Rednose reckons he wanted to take Walter Smith with him and delayed responding to us while hoping Smith would leave his job with Scotland but Smith had lined up a move to Rangers and as the Arsenal board wanted an immediate answer the offer cooled off.

Had Arsenal gone for him at the end of 1983-84 and not appointed Howe full time I suspect he may have. The big jobs at Liverpool and Manchester United didn't look like coming available and he had pretty much won everything he could with Aberdeen. Of course given how unsuccessful he was at United for four or five years, we were better off with George Graham.

[oaodan]

I would expect a decent manager to move on 3/4 from Ozil, Elneny, Ramsay, Xhaka, Iwobi, Elneny, Bellerin, Chambers, Mustafi, Ospina, Cech. If 50 mill available now,that gives him maybe 120 million or so. I expect a decent manager to be decent in the transfer market and bring in 3/4 quality players, at least 2 with a bit of leadership and attitude. Top 4 to be fought for. I expect to be interested in going to see Arsenal again.

[Nos89]

Winning the league and cup double.
With a new CB, DM and GK we should be good enough to challenge man city, man ure

[markyp]

I would expect a decent manager to move on 3/4 from Ozil, Elneny, Ramsay, Xhaka, Iwobi, Elneny, Bellerin, Chambers, Mustafi, Ospina, Cech. If 50 mill available now,that gives him maybe 120 million or so. I expect a decent manager to be decent in the transfer market and bring in 3/4 quality players, at least 2 with a bit of leadership and attitude. Top 4 to be fought for. I expect to be interested in going to see Arsenal again.

moving on ozil?thats a joke right?

[augie]

I would expect a decent manager to move on 3/4 from Ozil, Elneny, Ramsay, Xhaka, Iwobi, Elneny, Bellerin, Chambers, Mustafi, Ospina, Cech. If 50 mill available now,that gives him maybe 120 million or so. I expect a decent manager to be decent in the transfer market and bring in 3/4 quality players, at least 2 with a bit of leadership and attitude. Top 4 to be fought for. I expect to be interested in going to see Arsenal again.

moving on ozil?thats a joke right?

I would sell him in the morning - personally I think that we should acknowledge that a player like him is never really gonna be at home in the english league, and especially playing in an average side like ours. He is after signing a new deal so we should get a decent transfer fee for him to allow us to re-invest in other areas

[brucers]

I would keep Ozil. In Auba & Laca we have a potentially potent strike force and with Mikki & Ozil assisting goals should not be a big issue. Most other areas need overhauling.
The new manager will need to sort our mental weakness and address the backroom problems I think we have, in keeping players strong and fit physically. We seem to get too many innocuous injuries that take ages to heal etc.
We cannot afford to have a gamble manager as we could go even further behind.
My worry is the advertised transfer kitty of 50 mil suggests Kranky is not looking for a top draw big name.....a reduction in manager wages would no doubt improve his personal finances!

[Jock Gooner]

I’d be delighted with the emergence of a new defence with at least 2 replacements to our current set up with further changes the season after. There is probably too much to do all in one go.

Would also be chuffed to see us cut out a lot of the over play sideways bollox. We have 2 strikers who clearly would like early balls played through to them but hardly ever receive them. You sit there watching good runs being made when we break and 90% of the time nobody has the nous or quality to play the pass - sometimes ozil does. By the time we reach the opposition 18 yard box their entire team is back, had a cup of tea and are facing up to our sideways shifting attack. I’m not advocating route 1, just a more direct approach using the speed of those upfront which Is going to waste. Thanks wenker

[augie]

I would keep Ozil. In Auba & Laca we have a potentially potent strike force and with Mikki & Ozil assisting goals should not be a big issue. Most other areas need overhauling.
The new manager will need to sort our mental weakness and address the backroom problems I think we have, in keeping players strong and fit physically. We seem to get too many innocuous injuries that take ages to heal etc.
We cannot afford to have a gamble manager as we could go even further behind.
My worry is the advertised transfer kitty of 50 mil suggests Kranky is not looking for a top draw big name.....a reduction in manager wages would no doubt improve his personal finances!

I think that you will get it very hard to come up with a workable formation that can include all 4 of them playing in their proper positions. Common sense (never a strong point with the french tool ) would suggest that when you have two strikers like bang bang and lacazette you play two up front, so I believe that our formation/system should be built around that and players purchased to compliment it - in other words play 2 centre midfielders that are prepared to sit and (mostly) let the 2 wingers and strikers do the attacking stuff. Of course the next manager could go with a diamond formation in midfield but how do you fit ozil and mickeywhatshisname in there then ? That is why I am back to my belief that we should be willing to (almost) wipe the slate clean and start a total rebuild, and to aid that I would sell any of the high value assets that wont suit the formation - in other words ozil AND ramsey

[robbo10]

Surviving relegation on the last day with a 7-0 win over City in front of 4581 people at the Bowl,then Wenger tweeting "be careful what you wish for" on his Twitter account.............

[Jock Gooner]

Surviving relegation on the last day with a 7-0 win over City in front of 4581 people at the Bowl,then Wenger tweeting "be careful what you wish for" on his Twitter account.............

[brucers]

I would keep Ozil. In Auba & Laca we have a potentially potent strike force and with Mikki & Ozil assisting goals should not be a big issue. Most other areas need overhauling.
The new manager will need to sort our mental weakness and address the backroom problems I think we have, in keeping players strong and fit physically. We seem to get too many innocuous injuries that take ages to heal etc.
We cannot afford to have a gamble manager as we could go even further behind.
My worry is the advertised transfer kitty of 50 mil suggests Kranky is not looking for a top draw big name.....a reduction in manager wages would no doubt improve his personal finances!

I think that you will get it very hard to come up with a workable formation that can include all 4 of them playing in their proper positions. Common sense (never a strong point with the french tool ) would suggest that when you have two strikers like bang bang and lacazette you play two up front, so I believe that our formation/system should be built around that and players purchased to compliment it - in other words play 2 centre midfielders that are prepared to sit and (mostly) let the 2 wingers and strikers do the attacking stuff. Of course the next manager could go with a diamond formation in midfield but how do you fit ozil and mickeywhatshisname in there then ? That is why I am back to my belief that we should be willing to (almost) wipe the slate clean and start a total rebuild, and to aid that I would sell any of the high value assets that wont suit the formation - in other words ozil AND ramsey

Tactics is something I am not much good at so have no for/against what you say. I do have the common sense (thinking) that our 'French tool' lacks and part of that feels that players on their sort of money should be more adaptable, although that plays against their strengths potentially. Against Madrid, Ozil seemed to play much of the game just passing out to Bellerin....surely Ozil should have been doing more, against 10 men too.
Anyhow, I have no issue who they move on and agree we should build from those 2 forwards, who seem to be doing ok early on and hopefully won't have time to be ruined by Wenger!

[bergkamp10]

I expect a few things -

1. A manager that can motivate and who will not accept lazy half arsed performances - these players need to know that their carefree days are over at AFC

2. A manager that not alone understands tactics, but recognises the value of them and is able to coach and impliment them.

3. I need the incoming manager to recognise the priority areas that need addressing, and make genuine efforts to fix them - a top quality keeper, DM and centre back has to be the absolute priority, and anything after that (preferably a left back) would be a bonus for me

4. I need an awareness and acceptance from all the fanbase that there is no quick fix to this malaise, and it will take time to get the club challenging again - for me it is pointless putting an expectation of where we will finish next season cos this is a squad low on talent (and probably about to lose wilshere (and I suspect ramsey and one or two other first 11 players), and the squad will need a major injection of quality and that simply will not happen in one transfer window.

5. Finally I need the club to strive to be winners again and do everything in their power to do so - falling short is ok as long as they (the board, managers, coaches and players) have done everything they could to be winners, but I cannot accept a mindset where our ambitions go no higher than finishing top 4 each season, and where merely qualifying for knockout stages of champs league is considered as success

Augie, I would throw your hat in the ring if I was was you..