HOW WOULD YOU DO BETTER THAN WENGER?

[Babatunde]

Baba makes an interesting point about the scum players only seeing Harry at training a couple of times a week (it takes quite a bit of time back and forth to Monaco).
Many of the top managers have not been great coaches (Clough is the obvious example, O'Neill another) but they've been great managers.

I remember hearing that when the new training facilities were being constructed AW got involved in every decision, including the choice of crockery. At the time I thought this showed amazing attention to detail, but in hindsight he should maybe have learned to delegate a bit.

While I agree that having ex-players like Keown, DB10 etc back at the club would be a positive move it isn't a given that they would all be good coaches.

Many great players haven't understood what it takes to make a top player and even if they have it is another skill entirely to be able to communicate this to a developing player. Thick ex-players teaching thick young players isn't a recipe for success.

I completely agree with this. It's also interesting you mention Mart O'Neill because he is another one who according to the Villa players, only sees the players once a week! The Villa players said though, that this apparently increases their respect for him and his messages got through a lot more. Because he's not there every day when they do see him, his messages meant more. How do you think the Arsenal players feel about having that senile old fool rehashing the same garbled crap every day?

Alex Ferguson. Another manager who the ManUre players see just once a week - twice when it's European weeks. Apart from that, Ferguson has always used his number 2 (used to be Queiroz and then Walter Smith) to do the training. Ferguson gives the tactical instructions and details on the opposition.

When have you ever seen Wenger at an opposition game studying them? Because that's what Fergie/Redknapp/Mancini all do. Whilst their number 2s do training.

But oh no. The Great Lord Arsene HAS to be in charge of everything, no number 2s for I am ze great numbers 1, 2, 3 and 199!!!!

[QuartzGooner]

Reading through these replies, one question springs to mind.

A lot of people prefer Arteta to Song as the holding midfielder.

This might take the thread on a bit of a tangent, and though I like the tactics threads am not trying to make a deep tactical discussion on things, but...

A few people on here want to see Arteta as the new defensive midfielder, playing in his style which is very much that of a holding midfielder who links the play, rather than a more aggressive out and out ballwinner.

Who are the other central midfielders?

My preference, would be Wilshere in a 4-4-2.

If we stick with the current system, then it would be usually pairing Arteta with Wilshere centrally, with Ramsey ahead of them.

Or pairing Arteta with Coquelin deep, then using Wilshere ahead of them behind RvP.

Song would be useful on the bench, as he could slot in one of the deep positions, or even play behind RvP.
As odd as it may sound, I am serious about that on an occasional basis; I think Song is a decent enough passer of the through-ball on goal, and it would give us the relative stability of Arteta and Coquelin guarding the defence.

[Babatunde]

Reading through these replies, one question springs to mind.

A lot of people prefer Arteta to Song as the holding midfielder.

This might take the thread on a bit of a tangent, and though I like the tactics threads am not trying to make a deep tactical discussion on things, but...

A few people on here want to see Arteta as the new defensive midfielder, playing in his style which is very much that of a holding midfielder who links the play, rather than a more aggressive out and out ballwinner.

Who are the other central midfielders?

My preference, would be Wilshere in a 4-4-2.

If we stick with the current system, then it would be usually pairing Arteta with Wilshere centrally, with Ramsey ahead of them.

Or pairing Arteta with Coquelin deep, then using Wilshere ahead of them behind RvP.

Song would be useful on the bench, as he could slot in one of the deep positions, or even play behind RvP.
As odd as it may sound, I am serious about that on an occasional basis; I think Song is a decent enough passer of the through-ball on goal, and it would give us the relative stability of Arteta and Coquelin guarding the defence.

Quartz brah with all due respect, I think you were spot on when you saisd 'Song's best position is on the bench'.

Preferably, a park bench somewhere. With a can of Super T's in hand...


This is a team that had Bergkamp for years, Fabregas after that and watches our rivals have the likes of Silva, Mata, Rooney, Modric and the Racist (Suarez). And errrm...Song is the best we could do?

I can see your logic behind it but no, if he isn't good enough for what is supposed to be his position then let's not shift him in another. Wenger has been doing this for years (Eboue, Denilson, Bendtner).

You're either good enough in your position or not. Football is a simple game like that....

[rigsby]

Stevie Walford is the unsung hero for Martin O'neil and is the type of bloke we need in the backroom staff. He's an ex-gooner as well.

[Naki_Gooner]

If I was Wenger I think I'd know when I've blown me chips, and head for the exit

[bradders]

Wenger out !

[Rosie_titters]

i would listen to the fans, and introduce an x factor style format - where each week the supporters get to decided who stays and who goes

[SteveO 35]

The main thing I disagree with is contained within point 7

[armchair]

I would insist the players sip their water throughout the day, not glug glug.
Also make sure they eat pasta on matchdays.

[1989]

Babs, you'd probably do a better job than Wenger mate.

[LDB]

I would take a similar approach to this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9f1TYyvEx8

Cant be worse

[1989]

What I'd do is simple: get rid of the dross and buy quality. Then play the players in the right system. Get some defensive coaching in, tell the players that anything less than 100% is not acceptable under any circumstances. Sack the medical staff and hire a new one.

Piece of piss this management lark.

[Herd]

For a start I would demand a salary of 10,million a year minimum,I'm not taking a cut in salary for nobody even the Arsenal.

Secondly I would remind the players that I know where they and their families live and that unless they improve people will start to get hurt.

Piers Morgan would be banned for for Life and Tom Watt told to shut his mockney noise or be banned,Staurt whatshisface will have already fled the borough !

My Pal Shovel will be appointed the media manager and Jimmy and John Lydon will be brought in the bring the game back to the disaffected Islington people.
Not sure what they will pick for the team walking out but you can be sure the wonder of you is History .

I would then see if I could arrange some fatal accidents for players we no longer need but could do with the insurance money.

My Lawyers Messrs Sue Grabbit and run will be instructed to look at all players contracts to see if we can avoid paying them or in the case of Arshavin suing St Petersburg under the trade description act.

Armed with some cash that Mr fat Fryer and his cohorts have squirreled away in foreign bank accounts ,I would then buy myself a larger house ,the 3.5 million one I've been eying up in Highbury Fields will suffice for now.

Transfers will be done through my Sons newly founded Agency with a nice slice for dad on the side .

Il get round to sorting the football out in May but in the meantime id buy a few defensive players and appoint George Graham as temporary manager to win us the FA Cup and CL with a series of 1-0 wins.

Sounds like a plan eh boys ?

[SWLGooner]

Herd Knows...

[DB10GOONER]

Herd Knows...

...how to stitch together Nike Hi-Tops without needing to receive the whip from Boss-San.