Arsene's HT teamtalks and decisions from the bench...

[SpanishJoe]

I agree with BG. None of us have witnessed an AW team talk so we can't know what is said.

Also, different managers have different approaches. Some shout and scream, others don't. Some analyse every detail, some (Clough) only worry about what their own team is doing.

Most footballers don't seem budding Mastermind contenders and it makes sense to me to keep detailed instructions to a minimum at half time. However, I do think there's a place for motivational words to stir the emotions, which it appears runs contrary to AW's studious approach.

Assuming players have ability in their feet and are fit and strong, they need a brain to know when to apply what skill and I again agree with BG that our current crop seem severly lacking in this department. Song particularly, but also Diaby, Djourou, Theo, Gervinho etc regularly make ridiculous decisions (backheels in the middle of our own half etc). Experience can improve this, but we're not seeing much sign of it with this current bunch.

[I Hate Hleb]

i think it's stupid to judge his teamtalks since we have no clue as to what he does there....

I'm sorry BG but we do have a clue because all of his ex players have said the exact same thing about Wenger's methods when asked about them. That's stretching back to the likes of Dixon, Winterburn and Parlour as well as more modern players like Cesc. I'm sure you'd even be able to find some quotes from Wenger himself that acknowledge that he prefers not to say too much at half-time.

I'm also sure I saw an interview with Arteta, much like one given by Cesc when with Spain at the World Cup, in which he claims that Wenger gives the players only 6 or 7 points to think about as opposed to other managers he played under who would spend a long time going over the opposition strengths and weaknesses.

[AJAAFC]

i think it's stupid to judge his teamtalks since we have no clue as to what he does there....

I'm sorry BG but we do have a clue because all of his ex players have said the exact same thing about Wenger's methods when asked about them. That's stretching back to the likes of Dixon, Winterburn and Parlour as well as more modern players like Cesc. I'm sure you'd even be able to find some quotes from Wenger himself that acknowledge that he prefers not to say too much at half-time.

I'm also sure I saw an interview with Arteta, much like one given by Cesc when with Spain at the World Cup, in which he claims that Wenger gives the players only 6 or 7 points to think about as opposed to other managers he played under who would spend a long time going over the opposition strengths and weaknesses.

^^^THIS

[Bannerman]

I agree with BG. None of us have witnessed an AW team talk so we can't know what is said.

Also, different managers have different approaches. Some shout and scream, others don't. Some analyse every detail, some (Clough) only worry about what their own team is doing.

Most footballers don't seem budding Mastermind contenders and it makes sense to me to keep detailed instructions to a minimum at half time. However, I do think there's a place for motivational words to stir the emotions, which it appears runs contrary to AW's studious approach.

Assuming players have ability in their feet and are fit and strong, they need a brain to know when to apply what skill and I again agree with BG that our current crop seem severly lacking in this department. Song particularly, but also Diaby, Djourou, Theo, Gervinho etc regularly make ridiculous decisions (backheels in the middle of our own half etc). Experience can improve this, but we're not seeing much sign of it with this current bunch.

I recall seeing an Interview with Walcott and Fabregas when they were asked about the dressing room during games the question put to them was " who is the person in the dressing room who gets everyone fired up who's the load one clenching his fist before the game" to which they both looked at each other a bit confused and giggled saying " no nobody does that we stay calm and quiet all that shouting is an English thing "

I shit you not that is what they said there must be a clip of it on youtube somewhere .

Wenger likes nice characterless compliant players who will play his Wengerball with out question - that is why we have no leaders and no bollocks

[Bannerman]

I agree with BG. None of us have witnessed an AW team talk so we can't know what is said.

Also, different managers have different approaches. Some shout and scream, others don't. Some analyse every detail, some (Clough) only worry about what their own team is doing.

Most footballers don't seem budding Mastermind contenders and it makes sense to me to keep detailed instructions to a minimum at half time. However, I do think there's a place for motivational words to stir the emotions, which it appears runs contrary to AW's studious approach.

Assuming players have ability in their feet and are fit and strong, they need a brain to know when to apply what skill and I again agree with BG that our current crop seem severly lacking in this department. Song particularly, but also Diaby, Djourou, Theo, Gervinho etc regularly make ridiculous decisions (backheels in the middle of our own half etc). Experience can improve this, but we're not seeing much sign of it with this current bunch.

I recall seeing an Interview with Walcott and Fabregas when they were asked about the dressing room during games the question put to them was " who is the person in the dressing room who gets everyone fired up who's the load one clenching his fist before the game" to which they both looked at each other a bit confused and giggled saying " no nobody does that we stay calm and quiet all that shouting is an English thing "

I shit you not that is what they said there must be a clip of it on youtube somewhere .

Wenger likes nice characterless compliant players who will play his Wengerball with out question - that is why we have no leaders and no bollocks

Just in case there was any doubt I found it - at the end of the interview

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4y_1RXmzMxM

[brazilianGOONER]

i think it's stupid to judge his teamtalks since we have no clue as to what he does there....

I'm sorry BG but we do have a clue because all of his ex players have said the exact same thing about Wenger's methods when asked about them. That's stretching back to the likes of Dixon, Winterburn and Parlour as well as more modern players like Cesc. I'm sure you'd even be able to find some quotes from Wenger himself that acknowledge that he prefers not to say too much at half-time.

I'm also sure I saw an interview with Arteta, much like one given by Cesc when with Spain at the World Cup, in which he claims that Wenger gives the players only 6 or 7 points to think about as opposed to other managers he played under who would spend a long time going over the opposition strengths and weaknesses.

i know that hlebby, i've read that a lot - wenger is known to go to the player and say "i believe you kid, go out there and do what you know well" and not much more than that.

i strongly believe that that approach together with recruiting players who are intelligent and skillful, lead by a good captain, will bring better fruits than a team of great players moulded to a single strategy that is in the mind of a coach. not sure if my english is being good enough here to express what i mean, but i don't think that's lack of effort or intelligence by the manager, just a different approach. and of course we're exaggerating a little bit as well, it's not like he comes to players and says "go do whatever you want to, i don't care".

i remember a game against liverpool not long ago where arshavin got us the winner (after the 4-4) where we were losing at half time, and players came out later saying that they were impressed with his anger and the way he slated everyone in the dressing room. later he said he doesn't like to do that often, as it loses its efficiency if it becomes a normal practice.

i think his tactic works, we didn't have those wonderful teams from 1997-2005 just because he bought the right players - he had the perfect approach as well.

i think his mistake is that, like theo walcott, wenger is a one trick pony. he needs intelligent, quick and skillful players, and they'll always play to this 'free football' style. he can't manage a team playing stoke-style football, and he'll never succeed with brainless knobheads like diaby. i just don't get how can't he figure that out.

[brazilianGOONER]

and I insist, players say that he is not as emotive as other managers may be, but that does not mean that he doesn't get his message through, and i honestly expect a man who works with football for 50 years and that gave us teams like the ones from 97-05 (and some fantastic performances from this current team, like this year against barcelona, the best team ever in football) knows his way of getting what he wants from his players.

again, we presume because we hear what our players say and what we believe, but how exactly do we know what would've happened if he, instead of letting the players realize things for themselves, called everyone a son of a fucking whore in that game against the scousers in 2003-2004? i'm sure you all remember the story.

understand that i'm not trying to make excuses for wenger neither i am saying he does it the right way - i just think we're not qualified neither have the information enough to point the finger at his style of management. that's all i meant to say with two huge posts

[flash gunner]

Wengers best days are behind him, he cant motivate the team so lets get rid now or get left even further behind

[Revgoon89]

Wenger needs to put the players under pressure some more. Since he doesn't critisize them they don't have any reason to believe what they are doing is wrong, they feel they can justify taking home hefty wages if they just do the exact same thing every time.

[StuartL]

Didn't Fabregas say that in the run up to games they never watched videos of the opposition and studied them? Every game is the same tactic, bringing on the same players. it's like punching a brick wall in the same place hoping the weak spot is there. It wouldn't surprise me if Wenger didn't do much at half time.

I think I have mentioned before that I did a training ground trip last year and asked the guy who showed us round if we would be having different training due to our next opponenents - who are renowed for physical, long ball, hit and hope style - the response " No, we are Arsenal, we let our opponents worry about us"

So fucking arrogant it's untrue, clubs we play against adapt their tactics to nulify us, yet we play week in week out the same repetative way, that every opposition manager knows how to stifle, without regard for who we are playing and their strenghts or weaknesses - we just rely on a bog standard approach that clearly doesn't work.

[mcdowell42]

Big fat sam described wenger as tactically naive on sky/epsn not sure which a while back and much as i cant stand that *word censored* he hit the nail on the head

[TeeCee]

mourinho win something without any money

Errrr, well he won the league, cup and UEFA cup with Porto in one season and then followed it up a year later by winning the champions league!!! Not bad going

[Gunner4LiF3]

mourinho win something without any money

Errrr, well he won the league, cup and UEFA cup with Porto in one season and then followed it up a year later by winning the champions league!!! Not bad going

I am not doubting Mourinho one bit, but that is a terrible example . Porto are the United of Portugal plus wasn't there a massive corruption scandal?

Edit: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 435898.stm We only know about 2 matches that season, but how many did they "buy"?

[Gunner4LiF3]

I'm with BG on this one.

Arsene's biggest problem is that he can't adjust his management style to get the best results out of morons like the ones playing for us these days.

[HashKads]

I'm with BG on this one.

Arsene's biggest problem is that he can't adjust his management style to get the best results out of morons like the ones playing for us these days.

The morons that he brought to the club.