Couldn't have put it better myself!

[mattbanger]

Geoff shreeves speaks arsenal!

Quite rightly Sir Alex Ferguson and his glorious achievements dominate all of the headlines but when I drove away from Old Trafford on Saturday it was his counterpart who was uppermost in my thoughts.

Ferguson and Arsene Wenger used to have the sort of relationship the Scot currently enjoys with Benitez and have never actually enjoyed a post-match glass of wine, a tradition the Glaswegian likes to uphold.

Wenger: seems down

Yet whilst the teams were warming up Arsene readily accepted an invitation for a cup of tea and a cosy chat with his Ferguson.

The weary Arsenal manager seemed desperate not only for company he respected but to hear a voice of reason and understanding in the increasingly mad world of football management. I would love to have known what was said.


What Wenger has achieved in recent years is like mixing it with the big boys in Formula One with a car you knocked up in the shed yourself.
Geoff Shreeves
Quotes of the week

When I spoke to Wenger myself I have never seen or heard him so down. To say that he was upset by the criticism he received at the shareholders meeting a few days before is an understatement.

Appalled doesn't come close either, insulted to the core would be about as accurate as I could describe it.

The "no trophies in four years" line is the familiar refrain from various dullards but what they fail to understand is that this French alchemist took Arsenal to the last four in Europe not even on a shoestring budget. More like a badly stretched single thread, which if my reading of body language is correct, like Arsene, is about to snap.

What Wenger has achieved in recent years is like mixing it with the big boys in Formula One with a car you knocked up in the shed yourself.

No favours
I cannot believe any true Arsenal fan would not worship the ground Wenger walks on if they were aware of the true financial restraints he works under, and the directors of the club have done him no favours here by constantly briefing journalists that "he just won't spend the tens of millions we offer him".

The rumours that Wenger being courted by Real Madrid is no surprise but his response in the press is nothing short of astonishing.

"In general I always go to the end of my contracts". In general? One thousand per cent more like. He has been offered countless top jobs with mega salaries and astronomical transfer budgets over the years and his response has always been the same: "I never break a contract".

Yet now he responds "In general?" For me, those two words spoke a thousand.

If you are a true Arsenal fan, be very afraid.

[Eboue-Why?]

Go to Madrid and be dictated to by a mad President? I think not

[digger]

Go to Madrid and be dictated to by a mad President? I think not

Work at Arsenal under a mad, torn apart board?

[Eboue-Why?]

Go to Madrid and be dictated to by a mad President? I think not

Work at Arsenal under a mad, torn apart board?

Mmmm put that way.....

[goonersid]

Geoff shreeves speaks arsenal!

Quite rightly Sir Alex Ferguson and his glorious achievements dominate all of the headlines but when I drove away from Old Trafford on Saturday it was his counterpart who was uppermost in my thoughts.

Ferguson and Arsene Wenger used to have the sort of relationship the Scot currently enjoys with Benitez and have never actually enjoyed a post-match glass of wine, a tradition the Glaswegian likes to uphold.

Wenger: seems down

Yet whilst the teams were warming up Arsene readily accepted an invitation for a cup of tea and a cosy chat with his Ferguson.

The weary Arsenal manager seemed desperate not only for company he respected but to hear a voice of reason and understanding in the increasingly mad world of football management. I would love to have known what was said.


What Wenger has achieved in recent years is like mixing it with the big boys in Formula One with a car you knocked up in the shed yourself.
Geoff Shreeves
Quotes of the week

When I spoke to Wenger myself I have never seen or heard him so down. To say that he was upset by the criticism he received at the shareholders meeting a few days before is an understatement.

Appalled doesn't come close either, insulted to the core would be about as accurate as I could describe it.

The "no trophies in four years" line is the familiar refrain from various dullards but what they fail to understand is that this French alchemist took Arsenal to the last four in Europe not even on a shoestring budget. More like a badly stretched single thread, which if my reading of body language is correct, like Arsene, is about to snap.

What Wenger has achieved in recent years is like mixing it with the big boys in Formula One with a car you knocked up in the shed yourself.

No favours
I cannot believe any true Arsenal fan would not worship the ground Wenger walks on if they were aware of the true financial restraints he works under, and the directors of the club have done him no favours here by constantly briefing journalists that "he just won't spend the tens of millions we offer him".

The rumours that Wenger being courted by Real Madrid is no surprise but his response in the press is nothing short of astonishing.

"In general I always go to the end of my contracts". In general? One thousand per cent more like. He has been offered countless top jobs with mega salaries and astronomical transfer budgets over the years and his response has always been the same: "I never break a contract".

Yet now he responds "In general?" For me, those two words spoke a thousand.

If you are a true Arsenal fan, be very afraid.

What about insane team selections and tactics? That has f**k all to do with money. That is incompetence nothing more nothing less. Do you think Fergie or any other manager worth his salt would have had Arshavin on the bench had he been in an identical position to Wenger? answers on a postcard to the AKB society.

[augie]

Go to a club where you actually get judged on your recent performances instead of one where oustanding glories from 5 years ago or more are allowed to paper over things ? He would be mad

[I Hate Hleb]

Boo fecking Hoo!!!:roll: A few horrible people dared question the mighty Wenger - for the first time in 12 years, may I add - and now he's whinging like a baby and threatening to throw the toys out of the pram!! Yeah, go to Madrid if you want and see how long you last there - even if you do win things!!

Like someone else said yesterday on a related thread, the news of Wenger leaving might have had me really upset and worried in the past, but now it's sadly become a 'Que Sera, Sera' matter for me.

[goonersid]

Boo fecking Hoo!!!:roll: A few horrible people dared question the mighty Wenger - for the first time in 12 years, may I add - and now he's whinging like a baby and threatening to throw the toys out of the pram!! Yeah, go to Madrid if you want and see how long you last there - even if you do win things!!

Like someone else said yesterday on a related thread, the news of Wenger leaving might have had me really upset and worried in the past, but now it's sadly become a 'Que Sera, Sera' matter for me.

If he is going to go then now is the time, there's no point in waiting for a summer of dithering in the transfer market, and holding on to excess baggage. A "new broom" and all that is what's required.

[I Hate Hleb]

Ideally I'd like Wenger to sign a couple or more experienced players and make a real fist of competing next year. If he does that, I'd want him to continue at the helm next year and beyond. If he's not prepared to rectify the mistakes of the past, then I wouldn't be too fussed if he's not still manager come the 2011 season.

[goonersid]

Ideally I'd like Wenger to sign a couple or more experienced players and make a real fist of competing next year. If he does that, I'd want him to continue at the helm next year and beyond. If he's not prepared to rectify the mistakes of the past, then I wouldn't be too fussed if he's not still manager come the 2011 season.

Does he sound or appear to be willing or indeed able to do any of these things. I think he will stay, and we will be in a real mess this time next year.

[hadareud]

if anyone thinks we'll be able to employ a star manager as a replacement for Wenger with our lacking funds they are kidding themselves.

If you tell Rijkaard he has 13 million to spend on new players he will laugh in your face. Same for O'Neill etc.

Will also be fun to see what the Adebayor haters would do when a new manager declares that he's one of the most important players in his plans and that he'll keep him at the club.

[donaldo]

if anyone thinks we'll be able to employ a star manager as a replacement for Wenger with our lacking funds they are kidding themselves.

If you tell Rijkaard he has 13 million to spend on new players he will laugh in your face. Same for O'Neill etc.

Will also be fun to see what the Adebayor haters would do when a new manager declares that he's one of the most important players in his plans and that he'll keep him at the club.

Would Rijkaard conitinue to play players out of position?Would Rijkaard leave his best player on the bench in an FA cup semi final?Lack of funds is no excuse for bad tactical decisions

[Its Up 4 Grabs Now]

Personally I’m not in the Wenger out asap camp - not yet anyway - but I have to agree if he’s really that upset by the criticism of the last few weeks then he needs to grow some balls!

Eboue dealt with the booing & came back stronger (sort of) - as Wenger himself said he would have to do! So too did Bendtner.

And as much as I can sympathise with his frustration if there really has been a chronic lack of funds & even admire a lot of what he’s done under those circumstances (up until this season at least), how in the hell can he not understand why the fans are as frustrated & upset as they/we are?!

He surely knows the board have been saying the money’s there but he just wont spend it! F*ck me, he’s even said himself the money’s there a few times! Now maybe he was just toeing the party line but if those words came out of his own mouth surely he can understand why people aren’t so quick to suck him off for doing such a great job with no money!

The guy really does himself no favours sometimes!

[NBM]

Ideally I'd like Wenger to sign a couple or more experienced players and make a real fist of competing next year. If he does that, I'd want him to continue at the helm next year and beyond. If he's not prepared to rectify the mistakes of the past, then I wouldn't be too fussed if he's not still manager come the 2011 season.

Seconded. Accept that a slight alteration is needed to his grand plan, bare his teeth and go for it.

[hadareud]

if anyone thinks we'll be able to employ a star manager as a replacement for Wenger with our lacking funds they are kidding themselves.

If you tell Rijkaard he has 13 million to spend on new players he will laugh in your face. Same for O'Neill etc.

Will also be fun to see what the Adebayor haters would do when a new manager declares that he's one of the most important players in his plans and that he'll keep him at the club.

Would Rijkaard conitinue to play players out of position?Would Rijkaard leave his best player on the bench in an FA cup semi final?Lack of funds is no excuse for bad tactical decisions

the tactical thing is so ridiculous. As if other managers get the tactics right in every bloody game.

Everyone makes mistakes. He's made one in the FA Cup semi-final, such is life. He also made a mistake playing Kolo at right back at the end of last season.

Do you think Rijkaard was fired by Barcelona because he got everything right? Same goes for every single manager out there, including Mourinho or whoever you care to mention.