THE WENGER THREAD

[highburyJD]

I have to question when his form was excellent?

in 2007/2008 when him and Sagna were in the PFA team of the year
they were the best fullbacks in the league

[LDB]

Clichy and Gallas had both excellent and poor form

Almunia was the inexplicable one. Lehman played badly and deserved to be dropped
Then Almunia was bad and Lehman came in - fine these things happen
Yet somehow several seasons later we were relying on players, in arguably the key position on the pitch, who had demonstrated they were not good enough.

Almunia would be OK, then make huge throbs in big games (particularly v ManUre)
his best games were when we got battered - 1-0 at OT in the CL and 2-2 v Barca at home spring to mind
and we went out of both those ties so were ultimately useless

Manuel was apparently a nice lad, well-liked, good trainer etc etc - he demonstrated he wasn't good enough for us
and IMO was given far too many chances. One of Wenger's biggest fails.

Agree with most of that. It was clear early on that Almunia was 2nd rate. About the same time Shay Given was available for £5m I think. Criminal management!

You don't like second rate yet you wanted us to sign Shay Given?

[highburyJD]

Shaven Gay was a hell of a lot better than Manuel - esp in terms of pace off his line
we had a CB partnership that didn't really gel in Kolo and Gallas.
I would have liked to see them commit to a highline with a sweeper-keeper behind.
Given was an unbelievable shot stopper, quick off the line who couldnt dominate his box
2 out of 3, on that metric Almunia's a .5

[DB10GOONER]

Given had maybe 2 or 3 years where he was the top keeper in the PL but not much more IMHO. At the time though he would have been a way better signing than Almunia. But then so would my very dead grandmother.

[northbank123]

I reckon Given was class, made very few mistakes and was consistent as fuck.

[SteveO 35]

So back to the comparisons with the 2008 squad that were "1 or 2 per cent away"

Adebayor scored 30 goals that season. How many is our equivalent Giroud likely to bag this season?

Fabregas scored 13 goals, six of which were in the CL, including a master class in the San Siro. We rave about Cazorla and perhaps he will match that but I personally think he'll fall short of that

Eduardo weighed in with 12 before that bastard broke his leg in February that season. A second striker capable of scoring 12 in six months now, to back up 30 goal Giroud ?

We had 3 naturally defensive midfielders in Flamini (played 40 games), Gilberto (played 36 despite people saying he was finished) and Diarra (played 13). Who fills that role if Arteta doesn't? Frimpong? Coquelin? Are they better than any of the 3 mentioned from 2008 - no.

Sorry Wenger, in 4 years you have taken a team that was close to competing and done exactly what you did between 2004 and then.....taken us backwards. You have more money at your disposal, there is no 'lockdown' agreement, the debt has had millions paid off it since then.

[AJAAFC]

We need 4 points from our next two games to avoid our worst TEN GAME points total since 1994!

[northbank123]

We need 4 points from our next two games to avoid our worst TEN GAME points total since 1994!

No chance of getting anything up at United. Ferguson will set up to shut us out and van Persie is a fucking banker to bag at least one.

[highburyJD]

Diarra played well in cups
but his first start in the league was our first loss
did he start again after that?

[QuartzGooner]

Steve O

Where do you get 13 Diarra appearances?
Wikipedia says 7, not that Wikipedia is always correct though.

We all know that the three defensive midfielders were sold, and seemingly none bought to replace them.
It caused consternation on here in the summer of 2008.

Fair enough Flamini wanted out and we could not stop him; the business failure was in not making him sign an extension by January.
Fair enough Gilberto was creaking at the knees and was poor for most of the season though he perked up in the last few games.
Fair enough Diarra was a hothead at the training ground and Wenger shipped him out ASAP for open dissent.

Look at this central midfield list for the following few seasons though up to summer 2012...Wenger does not look so bad in theory when one sees these names:

Cesc
Nasri
Rosicky
Diaby
Wilshere
Denilson
Song
Arteta

But straight away strike Diaby, Rosicky and Wilshere from the list for long term injuries.

Denilson and Song were one season wonders;

Leaves
Nasri who blew hot and cold and missed half a season injured,

so just Cesc remains as a player proven to be top level over any reasonable length of time.

Wenger I think to blame over Wilshere's fatigue induced injury, but not for Rosicky's or Diaby's injuries.
Questions exist though over the rehabilitation of all three.

Wenger to blame over Nasri...his personality was not checked out properly enough before he joined.

Wenger to blame over Song?

Partly...Song should have been commanded to remain inside his own half and he would have been OK.


Denilson?
Who knows how a good young player regressed so much...baffling.

And I also allow Wenger leeway for his reduced funds 2006 onwards.

But the failure to compensate for long term injuries to Diaby and Rosicky was an oversight.

I actually think we are OK now for central midfield;
Arteta, Wilshere, Coquelin, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Frimpong should be fine (Wilshere's and Frimpong's recovery permitting).

As long as we do not use Ramsey there.
And as long as we replace Diaby this summer, he simply gets injured too much.
And I would even try Vermaelen there in a League Cup game; be fascinating to see how he gets on.

[skipper]

Steve O

Where do you get 13 Diarra appearances?
Wikipedia says 7, not that Wikipedia is always correct though.

We all know that the three defensive midfielders were sold, and seemingly none bought to replace them.
It caused consternation on here in the summer of 2008.

Fair enough Flamini wanted out and we could not stop him; the business failure was in not making him sign an extension by January.
Fair enough Gilberto was creaking at the knees and was poor for most of the season though he perked up in the last few games.
Fair enough Diarra was a hothead at the training ground and Wenger shipped him out ASAP for open dissent.

Look at this central midfield list for the following few seasons though up to summer 2012...Wenger does not look so bad in theory when one sees these names:

Cesc
Nasri
Rosicky
Diaby
Wilshere
Denilson
Song
Arteta

But straight away strike Diaby, Rosicky and Wilshere from the list for long term injuries.

Denilson and Song were one season wonders;

Leaves
Nasri who blew hot and cold and missed half a season injured,

so just Cesc remains as a player proven to be top level over any reasonable length of time.

Wenger I think to blame over Wilshere's fatigue induced injury, but not for Rosicky's or Diaby's injuries.
Questions exist though over the rehabilitation of all three.

Wenger to blame over Nasri...his personality was not checked out properly enough before he joined.

Wenger to blame over Song?

Partly...Song should have been commanded to remain inside his own half and he would have been OK.


Denilson?
Who knows how a good young player regressed so much...baffling.

And I also allow Wenger leeway for his reduced funds 2006 onwards.

But the failure to compensate for long term injuries to Diaby and Rosicky was an oversight.

I actually think we are OK now for central midfield;
Arteta, Wilshere, Coquelin, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Frimpong should be fine (Wilshere's and Frimpong's recovery permitting).

As long as we do not use Ramsey there.
And as long as we replace Diaby this summer, he simply gets injured too much.
And I would even try Vermaelen there in a League Cup game; be fascinating to see how he gets on.

That's, like, 10 months away

[TeeCee]

6th place or lower and no CL have been coming and will arrive at the end of this season. Wenger has taken this club apart, the same as he did at Monaco. Many people said history was repeating itself years ago.......Arsenal are truly f*cked, once we're out of the CL we may not get back in for years......oh well....cheaper tickets??

[SteveO 35]

6th place or lower and no CL have been coming and will arrive at the end of this season. Wenger has taken this club apart, the same as he did at Monaco. Many people said history was repeating itself years ago.......Arsenal are truly f*cked, once we're out of the CL we may not get back in for years......oh well....cheaper tickets??

You're kidding !! Everyone will moan a lot, renew their STs despite a 5% ticket price rise, watch us sell Sagna and Cazorla, and Wenger will get his contract extension following another Red Action march

I love supporting the modern Arsenal

[SteveO 35]

Ivan - step by step instructions for you below

1. Find out the phone number for the Chief Exec of Everton FC (most CEOs would have it but to a faceless corporate with no contact book, try 118 118, or type into Yell.com 'football clubs', 'merseyside')

2. Ask for permission to speak to a Mr Moyes

3. Ask how to transform a team from regular relegation fodder to top four contenders

4. Ask how it can be done on a budget a fifth of what you are paying to achieve the same thing now

5. Once suitably impressed make offer - half of Le Fraud's wages would suffice

6. Find Le Fraud a nice old people's home

[northbank123]

Would you really want Moyes SteveO?