Wenger takes his biggest gamble (2/9)

As we're unlikely to see terraces again at football, this is the virtual equivalent where you can chat to your hearts content about all football matters and, obviously, Arsenal in particular. This forum encourages all Gooners to visit and contribute so please keep it respectful, clean and topical.
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gooner.ed
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Wenger takes his biggest gamble (2/9)

Post by gooner.ed »

http://www.onlinegooner.com/editorial/index.php?id=120

usual thread starter… is this about the manager’s obstinacy? Or has he simply lost his marbles? Sometimes people spend so long in a job they lose perspective. Arsenal did improve last season after 2006/07. that is why I am not calling for the manager’s head. But does anyone out there think we will improve further this year? I just cannot see it given the decision not to address the areas where the team is weakest. Maybe Mikael Silvestre will become the stopper we need? Maybe Alex Song is the next Gilberto? Maybe Arsene Knows? I just don’t see it though.

row 29
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Post by row 29 »

:( I did not watch the circus that was going on yesterday until I set my alarm at 11.50pm to wake up for half an hour or so - thinking, hoping, wishing that we have left it till the last minute and sneaked a couple of quality players in.... never mind I though perhaps the club won't release a statement until the morning (more desperation than sense)!
I am stunned and do not feel any emotion at the moment - it is like the train to the new direction football is taking (like it or loath it) has departed and left us behind?? or does Arsene know?? I was angry a few weeks ago but now I feel a desperation like you get when your backs to the wall and hopefully this is how the players and coaching staff will feel but to have that attitude until next May will be extremely difficult.

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RobbieVP
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Post by RobbieVP »

am so disappointed, but still holding fast to the moto that 'Wenger knows!'. maybe Song is the new Vieira, Vela the new Wrighty, and Nasri the new Limpar!, but strength in depth will be the problem no matter if these kids are quality. i really believed we would steal a last minute gem as the window closed, in true Arsenal covert style..perhaps an Alonso..but it was not to be. is it that Wenger couldnt get the man he wants, wouldnt pay the asking price or wouldnt pay the salary? I'm sure it will come out in weeks to come but I still believe the absence of Mr Dein is a factor in our failing attempts to lure experienced quality to the Grove

terry
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Wengers takes his biggest gamble

Post by terry »

This was a very sound comprehensive article. Wenger has has left himself wide open and has only himself to blame. As I have said before Wenger should not take part in player negotiations. He should nominate who he wants and let the directors negotiate with the other club. That way he will not feel as if he is spending his own money

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Lord Peter of Highbury
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Post by Lord Peter of Highbury »

So AW hasn't flashed the cash and everyone is moaning and groaning and predicting the end of the club as we know it.

So who would we have actually gone and bought? There was, er, um, er? Oh yes - Xavi Alonso, so good that he is an occasional starter at Liverpool and realistically nowhere near the top of any gooner list - until the rumours started.

Michel Arteta? Some Swiss bloke? Does anyone think that the Robinho move to 'Citeh' is anything other than mercanary b*ll*cks?.

Fact is, none of us can name anyone available to sign who would definitely have made us a better squad.

If the boss thinks that we have enough talent, then we have enough talent. He hasn't exactly made many mistakes over the years has he?

We've got 2 world class full backs, 4 centre halves who are all internationals, the worlds best midfielder, and 5 (when Ed returns) top strikers. Plus a whole load of technically gifted youngsters itching to get a look in. Remember Man U late 1990's "kids"?

We've acquired Nasri, Ramsey and Silvestre, don't forget. Hleb was rubbish and Gilberto the worst passer at the club. The only real loss was Flamini, but keep your eye on Denilson.....

And remember Reyes? £18m of toss - a typical foreign player who just wasn't robust enough for the premier league or Arsenals high standards - which is exactly why splashing the cash to keep people happy is complete folly.

I pay enough for my season ticket without seeing my money wasted on unconvincing signings just to please the fans and the press.

Arsene knows what he's doing - the man isn't stupid and neither are the board. So don't get hooked up in this tabloid mentality that because we haven't spent £30m on a couple of 'names' then we are doomed.

C'mon you reds!!! Lets show 'em.

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Post by gooner.ed »

hats off to your faith lord peter. i hope you are right. i think we are weaker for the loss of flamini and that we were never strong enough in central defence last season.

on that basis i don't think we can improve on last season, which is what we need to do to win a trophy. time will tell...

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Lord Peter of Highbury
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Post by Lord Peter of Highbury »

I can understand the concerns, but we have got the very experienced Silvestre for added strength at the back, and we no longer have to worry about Big Phil being drafted in (thanks AC).

Now there's Gallas, Kolo, Silvestre, Djouou, with Song too - so central defence should be better than last year.

And I reckon that the likes of Song (very under-rated) Denilson (loads to come from this boy), Nasri, and Carlos Vela will step up to the plate and do us proud.

Winch72
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Post by Winch72 »

I have a couple of questions that I hope some of the more educated people out there might be able to answer...
Why has Danny Fiszman come out and stated that Arsene could spend £30 million on a single player if he wanted to? Is this his way of distancing himself from the manager if things go horribly wrong?
Amaury Bischoff, why??
Where is the money going??

Freddie71
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Post by Freddie71 »

Lord Peter of Highbury - Couldn't agree with you more.

There are far too many whingers about. :banghead:

Also some blogs are asking that demonstrations be made or shirts be sent back to the club.

u2bagooner
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Post by u2bagooner »

A summer of Spin and not a lot else, we are not paid to find players to improve the squad, if they are really that short on the ground they are a lot shorter by 23.00 on A Monday night. Diably has spent his arsenal career on the treatment table or on the left wing, suddenly he is the answer to our problems. Everytime wenger speaks he says less and less. If a strong performance against a piss poor pub teamfrom Holland and an appaling Newcastle then he really knows nothing but will convince the majority he does. Because like the players he is under no pressure. Between them and Mclaren they have really fucked up the summer

Juan
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Post by Juan »

I think Le Boss is (mis)placing a lot of faith in Diaby. Were it not for him being injured at the start of last season he would have been Cesc's partner instead of Flamini. I'd also suggest that a lot of those appearences last season where he was on the left wing was to give him some playing experience.

However, for me, I don't beleive that we can rely on Diaby to stay fit or boss the midfield. Tackling is not his strongest suit. I don't think he's psycologically got over his injury at Sunderland a couple of seasons ago and seems reluctant to really mix it (apart from Bolton last season, where he managed to get himself two yellows in about 5 minutes). His passing really isn't crisp enough for him to play in the middle either.

Considering the window has now closed I'm very concerned by our lack of cover. Ever since Flamini left we've had all summer to look to bring in a replacement and we haven't. More players have gone than have come in so the squad has less depth than this time last season. My main worry is that whilst Wenger's principles are admirable, he seems to have fallen into a trap of being too hung up over his ideal of football. At the moment we have a collection of technically very gifted players, but no-one who what they lack in technique make up for in heart, grit and determination.

Look at Wigan away last season. Playing on that Potato Patch they called a pitch was not somewhere where we could play our one-touch football, but called for digging in, working hard and getting a result and we simply don't have players that can do that. The squad is imbalanced at the moment with too many heroes and not enough villains.

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I Hate Hleb
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Post by I Hate Hleb »

Well done Lord Peter of Highbury. I'm sure there is a position waiting for you in the club's PR Department as soon as you serve notice in your current job!! :banghead: :banghead: :roll: :lol: :wink:

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Sammy Mooner
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Post by Sammy Mooner »

I can't send my shirt back to the Club - because I didn't buy the Ebbsfleet abomination. (The programme still claims we wear red shirts with white sleeves btw).

But like others I am disapointed that we didn't get the defensive midfield player we so obviously need - but was this because we didn't try to buy a player or because the ones we wanted were not available?

If we tried to purchase and failed to get our man then fair enough. I see no point in buying whoever might be available at an inflated price just because they are available. Were Man City planning to spend that much on Robinho? Did Hughes know he wanted him and did he have any say in the matter? Were the Totts looking to buy an untested Manc as a make-weight in the Berbatov deal? Did United really want to spend that much on the slowest forward since Teddy?

I believe the League will be decided by the time the January window opens as there are 17 more League games between now and then. But would just one more player have made the difference for us if it was just any old player rather than the one (or ones) we can only assume were targeted by Wenger? I think not.

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Lord Peter of Highbury
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Post by Lord Peter of Highbury »

No Mr Hleb-Hater, just a case of glass half full, and not getting whipped up by all the tabloid anti Arsenal brigade whose simplistic view is that to compete is to spend £30m on overpaid wankers who think they are a lot better than they really are.

Still no one has been able to suggest a viable signing that we should have made to improve our squad..........

WestUpperRed
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Post by WestUpperRed »

Lord Peter i would say that Arteta or that swiss bloke would have improved our team but overall i agree with you.

No doubt we attempted to sign some players but they were not available at the right price so what can AW do? From where we all sit its pure speculation what our money situation was this summer but both as Fizman and AW both recently said we had funds to buy people if the right man was available all we can realistically conclude is that they werent.

Football in England has chagned alot since AW took over so i dont think its fair to say Wenger is losing the plot in the same way Graham did as there are no parralels between the era's of football. Its just things have changed that AW has had to react to ie the Arab Dhabi firm that just took over citeh.

Wenger may have had money but no-way do i want to see us splash it out recklessly and risk being another Leeds or West Ham (shitheads) if buys dont work out.

I think Wenger is them man we need to steer our club through the modern day game. Until Janurary we will be very stretched i agree and that i dissapointing but i DO NOT hold that againts Wenger.

Arsene Arsene give us a wave!!

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