THE WENGER THREAD

[armchair]

In the end we lacked something, we couldn't take our chances and I must admit I expected Boro to collapse a bit more than they did in the final part. They didn't give in, even with tired legs and that is credit to them.

Wenger Dec. 2008 after Boro 1-1 Arsenal. PL

[SteveO 35]

After the 1-4 spanking at home to Chelsea and finishing 4th in May 2009

“I’m not chasing any player at the moment,” he said. “I believe my priority is to stay with the squad we have.

“We will try of course to bring in one or two players to strengthen the squad but we have plenty of strikers.

“And if we buy, it certainly won't be players who lack experience. We have enough of those.”

He made one signing - Vermaelen, and sold Adebayor and Toure amongst others.

Still - we all know that this time round it will be different eh? And we'll find those couple of players to make us a force once more

[SteveO 35]

After losing to Man United at Old Trafford in April 2008.

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archiv ... ced-player

"I will buy but not too much in the summer. My priority is to keep this team together because we are still young, especially in some departments of the team.

"If we can add one player we will do it, not one in each department just one experienced player."

He let Flamini go, plus Lehmann, Hleb and Gilberto

He signed Ramsey, Nasri, Silvestre and Bischoff

I presume Silvestre was the one experienced player we needed to complete the jigsaw?

[SteveO 35]

After another new low - conceding 3 goals in 15 minutes to Wigan, losing 3-2 in April 2010

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archiv ... iscipline-

[b]I believe that we were not focussed and were not disciplined and we got caught. We were a bit unlucky as well but overall, in football you have to keep focussed for 90 minutes or you risk or a bit much, especially against a team who has nothing to lose and fights not to go down. They will not give up and in the end we were punished.

I saw that we were having difficulties keeping the ball and creating opportunities. When you do not create chances in football you are in trouble.
[/b]

So not focussed or disciplined against a smaller team? Surely that was a one-off then?

[armchair]

I knew that it would be tight but I had hoped that after bringing on Ramsey, Eduardo and Arshavin that we would win the game. But Stoke were sharp, they were physical and they were always dangerous in the air. The pitch was very difficult because it was not very good and it took us too much time to bring the ball down and play.

Wenger Jan. 2010 after Stoke 3-1 Arsenal FA Cup

[SteveO 35]

I knew that it would be tight but I had hoped that after bringing on Ramsey, Eduardo and Arshavin that we would win the game. But Stoke were sharp, they were physical and they were always dangerous in the air. The pitch was very difficult because it was not very good and it took us too much time to bring the ball down and play.

Wenger Jan. 2010 after Stoke 3-1 Arsenal FA Cup

Yes I remember that game especially well. No fucking mention from him of course about starting it with Fabianski, Coquelin, Silvestre, Traore, Denilson, Eastmond, Emmanuel-Thomas and Vela

Another real trophy chucked away in pursuit of the invented one

[armchair]

I knew that it would be tight but I had hoped that after bringing on Ramsey, Eduardo and Arshavin that we would win the game. But Stoke were sharp, they were physical and they were always dangerous in the air. The pitch was very difficult because it was not very good and it took us too much time to bring the ball down and play.

Wenger Jan. 2010 after Stoke 3-1 Arsenal FA Cup

Yes I remember that game especially well. No fucking mention from him of course about starting it with Fabianski, Coquelin, Silvestre, Traore, Denilson, Eastmond, Emmanuel-Thomas and Vela

Another real trophy chucked away in pursuit of the invented one

I do not regret my team selection because I did not have much choice. Bacary Sagna, Thomas Vermaelen and Gael Clichy could not play and I think Sol Campbell had a good game overall.

If you look at our schedule you cannot always play with the same XI, that is for sure. If I rotate and we don't win it is my fault so I can only stand up and say that is the team I picked. We have ten injuries and we are going into a period where we cannot rotate a lot in the big games.

Wenger defending the weakened team he fielded for that game

[armchair]

We played against a very good Everton team on Saturday who for the biggest part of the game were more dangerous and sharper than us.

At the end of the day we dropped two points but, looking at the game, we gained one point. We were closer to losing the game than winning it. We got the point because we had the spirit, the desire, but we didn't find our game.

Wenger Jan. 2010 Arsenal 2-2 Toffees PL

[SteveO 35]

I knew that it would be tight but I had hoped that after bringing on Ramsey, Eduardo and Arshavin that we would win the game. But Stoke were sharp, they were physical and they were always dangerous in the air. The pitch was very difficult because it was not very good and it took us too much time to bring the ball down and play.

Wenger Jan. 2010 after Stoke 3-1 Arsenal FA Cup

Yes I remember that game especially well. No fucking mention from him of course about starting it with Fabianski, Coquelin, Silvestre, Traore, Denilson, Eastmond, Emmanuel-Thomas and Vela

Another real trophy chucked away in pursuit of the invented one

I do not regret my team selection because I did not have much choice. Bacary Sagna, Thomas Vermaelen and Gael Clichy could not play and I think Sol Campbell had a good game overall.

If you look at our schedule you cannot always play with the same XI, that is for sure. If I rotate and we don't win it is my fault so I can only stand up and say that is the team I picked. We have ten injuries and we are going into a period where we cannot rotate a lot in the big games.

Wenger defending the weakened team he fielded for that game

Yep, and yet by some miracle four days later in pursuit of the 4th placed trophy we managed to play Sagna, Gallas, Vermaelen, Clichy, Rosicky and Arshavin

Still, who wants a shiny silver pot at the end of the season when you can dream of another trip to Olympiakos in December?

[armchair]

I don't know why we performed poorly. Did we want it too much? Were we a bit inhibited and tense? I'm not sure.........

Wenger Jan. 2010 after Arsenal 1-3 Man U PL

[SteveO 35]

We played against a very good Everton team on Saturday who for the biggest part of the game were more dangerous and sharper than us.

At the end of the day we dropped two points but, looking at the game, we gained one point. We were closer to losing the game than winning it. We got the point because we had the spirit, the desire, but we didn't find our game.

Wenger Jan. 2010 Arsenal 2-2 Toffees PL

Was that the one where that aerial colossus Leon Osman managed to head one home from a set piece?

[Dan_85]

We played against a very good Everton team on Saturday who for the biggest part of the game were more dangerous and sharper than us.

At the end of the day we dropped two points but, looking at the game, we gained one point. We were closer to losing the game than winning it. We got the point because we had the spirit, the desire, but we didn't find our game.

Wenger Jan. 2010 Arsenal 2-2 Toffees PL

Was that the one where that aerial colossus Leon Osman managed to head one home from a set piece?

Shortly before Almunia lay down in the snow, allowing Pienaar to chip over him into an empty net

[armchair]

A very promising season has become very unsatisfactory because that is one of the easiest run-ins we have had for a long time. We didn't take our chances many times during the season and that is frustrating because you feel that the potential is there.
But we live in a job where you have to take your chances and be realistic. We still lack something and that is maturity, experience and calmness in important situations.
I have been asked if I will change my principles and if you can convince me that my principles are wrong, then I am ready to change. But I feel we try to play football the proper way. When you don't win, your principles are questioned.

Wenger Apr. 2011 after Bolton 2-1 Arsenal PL

[armchair]

Sunday was very disappointing because we made a very bad start and Aston Villa punished us...........

Why were we so tentative? We have been hit very hard by bad results and you could see that we suffered a little bit at the start of the game. But we have to rise above that. By the time we looked comfortable it was too late......

I feel fortunate that for 15 years we have played with full stands so when people are not happy they can show it. We are in a job where you have to please people and if they are not happy, we have to accept that.

Wenger May 2011 after Arsenal 1-2 Villa PL

[Chippy]

Enough already.