THE WENGER THREAD

[Chinae]

He is there because he fulfils the minimum requirement of the club's owners as has been said above. The club has become too much of a business entity than a football club . It's not just Wenger who should take the blame but the board aswell. I admire him for what he has done but now its time to move on and he can take some of the board members aswell with him. He will always be a club legend though

Really? So if Leicester or worst of all, the Spuds, finished ahead of us this season, you honestly think he would "always be a club legend"? Based on what? Stuff he achieved about 12 years ago? How about the numerous insults to the fans and the years of lies? Brushed under the carpet? How about deliberately leaving us short every year and conditioning many into believing we should be grateful for annual failure (ie 4th place?)
Just what exactly would Lord A-Hole have to do in your eyes for him to no longer be "a club legend"?

George Graham despite being at a serious financial disadvantage to an all-conquering Liverpool side, never ever waved the white flag and used a category of excuses for failure. Back to Anfield 89, would you trust Wenger to win in that position? The same man who's already waved the white flag against Barca and spent pre match waxing about just how superior to us they are?

Genuinely amazed at this perspective. Like I said - if he fails to win us the weakest ever PL even though there's £200m sitting in the bank, I'd love to see how he could "always be a club legend"...

There is too much negativity among the fans at the moment right from the Emirates going ones. Some of it justified and some of it not like your rant mate. Never compare two eras, doesn't make sense. Plus you are comparing Arsene with a manager who was suspended for accepting bungs. Now I am not belittling Graham's achievements but we have to look at the the whole picture and not just whatever suits us to make our point.
Whatever Wenger's faults and we all know there are quite a few, it's the board that has kept him here. That's why I believe him leaving won't solve the team's problems. The board will appoint someone similar to Arsene. That's why I said both have to go.
I reiterate Arsene will always be a club legend

Ah yes.... it's all the boards fault. Wake up, the board does NOT dictate to Wenger. Wenger delivers EXACTLY want Kroenke wants, the board do not come into it. Wenger is a total despot, he dictates to the board, NOT the other way round.

As things stand it's a mutually beneficial relationship - he turns a profit every year for the board, and in return he gets full control and a chance to try out his 'projects', and an astronomical salary. Actual results mean fuck all

The pussified, 'taking part that counts' mentality around our club where Ramsey, Walcott and 'The Ox' are hailed as heroes absolutely reeks.

The hatred towards Arsene over here..

Sorry we're not licking his arse like the other forums

I totally agree with you with the first para. I want him gone too but I don't hate him. And I do understand why fans are angry but anger makes us lose our perspective.
I believe Arsene CANNOT take that one big step to the elite level and there aren't too many who can do that. Arsene is a good manager but not an elite one.

[postmanPat91]

I totally agree with you with the first para. I want him gone too but I don't hate him. And I do understand why fans are angry but anger makes us lose our perspective.
I believe Arsene CANNOT take that one big step to the elite level and there aren't too many who can do that. Arsene is a good manager but not an elite one.

Fair enough I'd agree with that - I definitely don't hate the guy and respect him for what he achieved in the beginning of his tenure. I remember when we won the FA Cup in 2014 and thought despite all the bullshit it was fantastic to see him smiling again, it's just a shame it didn't rekindle his hunger and ambition.

[Ikechukwu1]

He is there because he fulfils the minimum requirement of the club's owners as has been said above. The club has become too much of a business entity than a football club . It's not just Wenger who should take the blame but the board aswell. I admire him for what he has done but now its time to move on and he can take some of the board members aswell with him. He will always be a club legend though

Really? So if Leicester or worst of all, the Spuds, finished ahead of us this season, you honestly think he would "always be a club legend"? Based on what? Stuff he achieved about 12 years ago? How about the numerous insults to the fans and the years of lies? Brushed under the carpet? How about deliberately leaving us short every year and conditioning many into believing we should be grateful for annual failure (ie 4th place?)
Just what exactly would Lord A-Hole have to do in your eyes for him to no longer be "a club legend"?

George Graham despite being at a serious financial disadvantage to an all-conquering Liverpool side, never ever waved the white flag and used a category of excuses for failure. Back to Anfield 89, would you trust Wenger to win in that position? The same man who's already waved the white flag against Barca and spent pre match waxing about just how superior to us they are?

Genuinely amazed at this perspective. Like I said - if he fails to win us the weakest ever PL even though there's £200m sitting in the bank, I'd love to see how he could "always be a club legend"...

There is too much negativity among the fans at the moment right from the Emirates going ones. Some of it justified and some of it not like your rant mate. Never compare two eras, doesn't make sense. Plus you are comparing Arsene with a manager who was suspended for accepting bungs. Now I am not belittling Graham's achievements but we have to look at the the whole picture and not just whatever suits us to make our point.
Whatever Wenger's faults and we all know there are quite a few, it's the board that has kept him here. That's why I believe him leaving won't solve the team's problems. The board will appoint someone similar to Arsene. That's why I said both have to go.
I reiterate Arsene will always be a club legend

Ok. Never compare two eras you're right. So shall we take your own advice then?
Let's forget the era Wenger once won things and look to the present one. I'd love some answers to the following question:

1. He has £200m to spend. Why are there still huge gaps everywhere in the team?
2. For the past 5 years he's had money every year and yet has never even finished in the top 2 in the league. Why?
3. How is it the board's fault that he's been knocked out every year, at the same stage of the CL? Just for avoidance of doubt here is a list of teams with superior CL records in that period: APOEL Nicosia, Shakhtar, Wolfsburg, Leverkusen, Olympiakos, Spurs , Leverkusen, Benfica, Monaco, Porto, Marseille. Is it their oil money that's prevented Wenger from competing?
4. Is the board to blame for allowing Wenger a wage bill of £192m? Almost the same as Citeh's?
5. If the board are so awful why hasn't Wenger quit? Why has he continued to sign more and more contracts for more and more money?
6. Whose fault is it that a clown like Mertesacker is captain and that a dunce like Flamini is at the club?
7. You say Wenger leaving won't solve the problem - how do you know? Better managers than Wenger have been sacked at other clubs who've gone on to progress. How do you know firing Wenger wont mean getting in a boss that doesn't shit his nappy every time Mourinho looks at him funny? I just pointed out that clubs like APOEL and Shakthar have outperformed Arsenal in Europe - yet you don't know if Wenger leaving would solve anything? Who sells you your drugs? Can I have his number please?
8. Arsenal fail in the same way, every year, with a different set of players. Yet there's one constant. Before this board was appointed, I'll remind you Wenger was failing in the same way in Europe, and had already begun failure in the league...?
9. Leicester and Spuds are above Arsenal in the league. What is the excuse? (And don't use Citeh/ManYoo as mitigation unless you want to compare what these clubs have won the past decade)
10. I asked you if Wenger would "be a club legend" if he managed to finish the season below the Spuds. Who was the last Arsenal manager to do that then?

You've also done the classic AKB thing of talking down GG achievements. To my mind, signing someone like Sanogo might as well be a bung in itself. Graham was a great manager who overachieved on a shoestring budget. He was never paid the obscene wages this charlatan Wenger is. If you don't know your Arsenal history and if you genuinely think Wenger's incompetence is down to the board then I laugh....

Imagine going to your annual review at work, where you do a piss-poor job and imagine blaming it all on your board of directors? Imagine claiming that despite evidence you had lots of resources and no interference, that your ineptitude is down to them basically not sacking you?!

[armchair]

i was thinking about why there is so much frustration around Wenger still being the boss and I think this is it - he is still a good manager.
Ok obviously he is not a great manager or even very good, but he manages to do the minimum season after season.
Winning the FA Cup to get himself a new contract was also a masterstroke.
I have no time for the man, hate his guts and wish he would fuck off but...I can also see how he continually manages to con a lot of the fanbase.

this season is panning out as usual with the team bumbling on in 3rd or 4th place and facing another CL exit at the round of 16 stage. the problem Wenger has got this season is that currently Leicester and Spurs are above us and not Man City and Chelsea.
with those 2 above us he is starting to look a bit stupid but....as any AKB wll tell you dont forget we are doing better than Chelsea, Man Utd, City and Liverpool

Unfortunately I cant agree that Wenger is even a good manager. And the reason is simple and obvious.

He simply refuses to use all the resources made available to him by the club to improve us.
A good manager, a great manager or even a poor manager would bust a gut, go all out trying to make us better. Give everything. Nothing left.
Wengers cowardice wont allow him to do that because if it didnt work out then the money spent would become an issue as to why there wasnt more success.
As it stands now he is still lauded as a genius, rewarded with bumper contracts for NOT using all the resources he has. For NOT improving us. For NOT bringing more sucess. For hitting that top four spot and bringing us CL football and money of course.
It really is a crazy situation where he is applauded not questioned for lowering expections instead of raising them.

[DB10GOONER]

10. I asked you if Wenger would "be a club legend" if he managed to finish the season below the Spuds. Who was the last Arsenal manager to do that then?

You've also done the classic AKB thing of talking down GG achievements. To my mind, signing someone like Sanogo might as well be a bung in itself. Graham was a great manager who overachieved on a shoestring budget. He was never paid the obscene wages this charlatan Wenger is. If you don't know your Arsenal history and if you genuinely think Wenger's incompetence is down to the board then I laugh....

oops!

[mcdowell42]

DB I wonder will he be able to connect the dots

[armchair]

Are we back to blaming "the board" again?


The same board that has continually made transfer money available to Wenger? The same board that Wenger sits in on their meetings? So by default he's a defacto member of the board who we are supposedly to blame?

I swear Wenger will be the death of me.

See what I did there DB10. Try not to lose your shit.

[DB10GOONER]

Are we back to blaming "the board" again?


The same board that has continually made transfer money available to Wenger? The same board that Wenger sits in on their meetings? So by default he's a defacto member of the board who we are supposedly to blame?

I swear Wenger will be the death of me.

See what I did there DB10. Try not to lose your shit.

Borderline. But genuinely clever and funny!

[DB10GOONER]

DB I wonder will he be able to connect the dots

[Sean]

What is mostly overlooked with Wenger is that he very seldom splashes big, we all know that. What he does do is buy cheap, hoping to unearth a gem.... BUT then, 90% of the time we get the Arteta's, Sanogo's, Walcotts, Girouds, who end up on ridiculous wages and then we cannot get rid of them. What club in the world would pay Walcott 140k per week??? So now he's stuck with this dross, he's overpaying them and there is no way out.... so he does the only thing people like him do... he plays them AND he defends them, even trying to convince us how great they are. We might not lay out big money in single transactions but tot up our weekly wage bill, then look at how little bang we are getting for our buck

TOF's 'Socialist Wage Structure' in action

He is there because he fulfils the minimum requirement of the club's owners as has been said above. The club has become too much of a business entity than a football club . It's not just Wenger who should take the blame but the board aswell. I admire him for what he has done but now its time to move on and he can take some of the board members aswell with him. He will always be a club legend though

I agree with most of your post, but I cannot agree that The Old Fraud will always be a club legend - He ruined that sometime between 2008-11 and it gets worse with every passing year. He ruined his legacy by becoming power-mad and refusing to improve the team with the resources we have, his obsession with frustrating sideways football and wasting wages on average players ever since we moved to Cashburton.

Welcome

I totally agree with you with the first para. I want him gone too but I don't hate him. And I do understand why fans are angry but anger makes us lose our perspective.
I believe Arsene CANNOT take that one big step to the elite level and there aren't too many who can do that. Arsene is a good manager but not an elite one.

I and others hate him because he refuses to use the resources we clearly have. I belive that TOF WILL NOT take that step to the elite level because he selfishly wants to do it his way or no way. The man has been exposed as a coward and an utter fraud. Eighteen seasons of failure in the Champions League and counting.

You've also done the classic AKB thing of talking down GG achievements. To my mind, signing someone like Sanogo might as well be a bung in itself. Graham was a great manager who overachieved on a shoestring budget. He was never paid the obscene wages this charlatan Wenger is. If you don't know your Arsenal history and if you genuinely think Wenger's incompetence is down to the board then I laugh...

I don't like to see GG's achievements downplayed either. TOF's 'trophies per season average' has been shot to fuck by the nine year drought. Plus GG has one more European trophy than TOF will ever have. The man deserves a statue one day (despite managing the Scum).

Unfortunately I cant agree that Wenger is even a good manager. And the reason is simple and obvious.

He simply refuses to use all the resources made available to him by the club to improve us.
A good manager, a great manager or even a poor manager would bust a gut, go all out trying to make us better. Give everything. Nothing left.
Wengers cowardice wont allow him to do that because if it didnt work out then the money spent would become an issue as to why there wasnt more success.
As it stands now he is still lauded as a genius, rewarded with bumper contracts for NOT using all the resources he has. For NOT improving us. For NOT bringing more sucess. For hitting that top four spot and bringing us CL football and money of course.
It really is a crazy situation where he is applauded not questioned for lowering expections instead of raising them.

Fucking spot on, sir

10. I asked you if Wenger would "be a club legend" if he managed to finish the season below the Spuds. Who was the last Arsenal manager to do that then?

You've also done the classic AKB thing of talking down GG achievements. To my mind, signing someone like Sanogo might as well be a bung in itself. Graham was a great manager who overachieved on a shoestring budget. He was never paid the obscene wages this charlatan Wenger is. If you don't know your Arsenal history and if you genuinely think Wenger's incompetence is down to the board then I laugh....

oops!

To be fair, GG wasn't in charge for the last three months of the season

[GoonerMuzz]

Simply put Wenger is a busted flush, nearly every excuse he has hidden behind has been shot to pieces over recent seasons but you'll never convince a large part of the fan base because of some simple reasons:

1) Early record of achievement
2) There's simply no one who could achieve more
3) He's over/achieved with limited resources
4) Fear

Number 4 is probably the most common one but most people would never admit it and therefore fall back on 1, 2 or 3

[Ikechukwu1]

10. I asked you if Wenger would "be a club legend" if he managed to finish the season below the Spuds. Who was the last Arsenal manager to do that then?

You've also done the classic AKB thing of talking down GG achievements. To my mind, signing someone like Sanogo might as well be a bung in itself. Graham was a great manager who overachieved on a shoestring budget. He was never paid the obscene wages this charlatan Wenger is. If you don't know your Arsenal history and if you genuinely think Wenger's incompetence is down to the board then I laugh....

oops!

Yeah GG once finished below them (ignore that he was booted out before he got a chance to see the season out then yeah?) - does that take away from the main point, which is that he overachieved on his funds? And does it change the point on what he achieved? Considering his resources? No? Ok then...

[Henry Norris 1913]

the way GG treated rocastle and limpar is still something that rackles with me. but he had a superb record considering the money he spent, and he always got one over the scum.

until he joined them

[armchair]

George Graham team talk 1990.
26 years ago. 26!

https://youtu.be/JERdIAMmFNQ

[StuartL]

George Graham team talk 1990.
26 years ago. 26!

https://youtu.be/JERdIAMmFNQ

I remember George whipping us up

He would occasionally " give us a wave" that was like a goal start

That team talk was total shite, as much bollox spoken as a Wenker Interview.

Still Love you though George, you were responsible for the greatest night of my life.