Faith and unbelievers

[badgerhead]

The heart of the matter is do the players themselves believe in the Wenger experiment? When they get out on the pitch with the big boys do they believe that they can win, that they belong with the best? Look at the reactions of (fill in your favourite names) when we are under pressure you can see them wilt, you see the body language change, the slump of the shoulders , the air of resignation. They know they are not good enough and what can they do about it? They are not going to run away from some of the best contracts in world football, they are not going to turn around to our one-eyed manager and say "please boss just let me go, I'm never going to cut it at this level". Perhaps, just perhaps if their coaching was more rounded if they were taught how to defend as a team, how to organise without the ball, how to make corners and free kicks dangerous to the oppostion, just perhaps they may find that extra percentage to bridge the gap.
Then there are the likes of (fill in names of choice) good enough to play in the Premiership but consistently make the wrong choices under pressure, look around at their teammates don't like what they see anddisappear when the going gets tough.
More importantly though is do the likes of Fabregas, Van Persie, Nasri and Vermaelen believe in Wenger's methods any longer. When they see Gallas go and Squillaci arrive. When they see the keepers publicly told they are not good enough and they are going to be replaced not by a world class keeper but an average keeper of 37 years. Do they think we are building to be the best, heading for world class? Even if they still want to believe with every passing year that belief diminishes and you hear the players saying they would rather play beautifully than win ugly. Yeah right may be the odd game but not over a season at the expense of winning something. I believe it was this diminishing belief in Wenger's methods that turned Toure, Hleb, Flamini even that tosser Adebayor. You can throw money back at me but if they truly believed in Wenger and this vision they would have stayed and been part of it.
I don't want Wenger to go, mostly because I am scared shitless that were he to go the whole house of cards would come crashing down. I'd rather he stayed and recognised he needs to adapt and modify to prosper in today's game. He can start with something public, a top class defensive coach for the first team. He can state publicly that second best and second rate is not good enough and that players not meeting the high expectations of Arsenal FC will be moved on.
Lastly if Barcelona can marry a highly successful youth system to buying in the best talent around why can't we? Everytime Wenger says he can't buy in 'x' it would prevent the youth team players coming through and then lines up a team containing Eboue, Diaby, Almunia, Clichy, Bendtner, Denilson etc etc the statement is exposed as hollow. He condemns himself from his own lips. Time to change or time for the Board to enforce change.

[marcengels]

I thinks it's valid to question the character of these players, their personality, their attitude. Especially at crucial moments it's difficult to see who stands up to take charge. Where are the people who are going to take the game by the scruff of the neck? They are few and far between.

Again, how many times in recent years have we heard about players not fitting in/getting on/being disruptive. Henry;Adebayor/Bendtner; Diarra; Toure/Gallas; Nasri/Gallas; Wenger does seem to have a problem dealing with things, certainly Winterburn had said that Wenger does not like confrontation - and I feel he steers away from dealing with diffocult issues, to the detriment of the team.

I also find for a manager that plans things so meticulously in some respects, that things like free-kicks (direct or otherwise), corners, defensive discipline, pressurising the opposition consistently seem so alien and untouched.

[Highbury_Born]

I thinks it's valid to question the character of these players, their personality, their attitude. Especially at crucial moments it's difficult to see who stands up to take charge. Where are the people who are going to take the game by the scruff of the neck? They are few and far between.

Again, how many times in recent years have we heard about players not fitting in/getting on/being disruptive. Henry;Adebayor/Bendtner; Diarra; Toure/Gallas; Nasri/Gallas; Wenger does seem to have a problem dealing with things, certainly Winterburn had said that Wenger does not like confrontation - and I feel he steers away from dealing with diffocult issues, to the detriment of the team.

I also find for a manager that plans things so meticulously in some respects, that things like free-kicks (direct or otherwise), corners, defensive discipline, pressurising the opposition consistently seem so alien and untouched.

You have to take into consideration, 2006 was the last of a great football team for Arsenal.
Chelsea’s owner ManCity’s owner Manu billion owing so what have Arsenal’s board decided to do.

Take the cheap option and now it is back-firing on AW.

Following the Barcelona way of play, is the right way I feel. But it is going to cost us dearly until we reach their heights. (If we ever do)

[mcdowell42]

is it me or ishighbury born getting into a habit of bumping up old threads

[Highbury_Born]

is it me or ishighbury born getting into a habit of bumping up old threads

lol Never me why would I do that?

[Highbury_Born]

I thinks it's valid to question the character of these players, their personality, their attitude. Especially at crucial moments it's difficult to see who stands up to take charge. Where are the people who are going to take the game by the scruff of the neck? They are few and far between.

Again, how many times in recent years have we heard about players not fitting in/getting on/being disruptive. Henry;Adebayor/Bendtner; Diarra; Toure/Gallas; Nasri/Gallas; Wenger does seem to have a problem dealing with things, certainly Winterburn had said that Wenger does not like confrontation - and I feel he steers away from dealing with diffocult issues, to the detriment of the team.

I also find for a manager that plans things so meticulously in some respects, that things like free-kicks (direct or otherwise), corners, defensive discipline, pressurising the opposition consistently seem so alien and untouched.

Do you think we are going to stay up this season? Do Ya?

You have to take into consideration, 2006 was the last of a great football team for Arsenal.
Chelsea’s owner ManCity’s owner Manu billion owing so what have Arsenal’s board decided to do.

Take the cheap option and now it is back-firing on AW.

Following the Barcelona way of play, is the right way I feel. But it is going to cost us dearly until we reach their heights. (If we ever do)

[MegaGooner]

is it me or ishighbury born getting into a habit of bumping up old threads

lol Never me why would I do that?

lol..why did you type "never" in caps? Protesting too much?

[MegaGooner]

.........anyway, I couldn't be bothered to read the OP(I read the first 2 paragraphs ) and in my opinion our players have inherited our managers attitude. Put in a bit of a shift and when you fail, you don't have to answer to anyone and you'll still get your big cheque at the end of the week. If my manager got constantly rewarded for failure, I would do think I can follow his lead too.