Top 4 is acceptable - Wenger

safcftm · Post by **safcftm** » Thu Aug 11, 2011 12:39 am

Regardless of whether or not 4th would be an acceptable finish for Arsenal (trying to catch Man United was always a big ask for this season and with Chelsea and Man City bankrolled to the extent they are I can almost understand Wenger being happy enough with 4th for this season), I don't think he should be coming out and saying it. By doing so you risk players getting into the comfort zone- if they're third in January but a good way off top spot, you want to see them putting in 100% effort every game desperately trying to make up the ground, if they're sitting there thinking "it wont happen for us but, hey, the boss will be happy anyway" you wont get anywhere. Prior to the season starting he really needs to set the bar high imo and suggesting he'd be happy with 4th is hardly doing that

Post by **Barriecuda** » Thu Aug 11, 2011 1:27 am

safcftm wrote:Regardless of whether or not 4th would be an acceptable finish for Arsenal (trying to catch Man United was always a big ask for this season and with Chelsea and Man City bankrolled to the extent they are I can almost understand Wenger being happy enough with 4th for this season), I don't think he should be coming out and saying it. By doing so you risk players getting into the comfort zone- if they're third in January but a good way off top spot, you want to see them putting in 100% effort every game desperately trying to make up the ground, if they're sitting there thinking "it wont happen for us but, hey, the boss will be happy anyway" you wont get anywhere. Prior to the season starting he really needs to set the bar high imo and suggesting he'd be happy with 4th is hardly doing that

This! But I think we already have a lot of that mediocrity instilled in the squad with the high-wages for underperforming players.

I really do wish we'd follow the Ferguson example. Obertan, Wes Brown, John o'Shea... when they started to slip, they got moved. Obertan would have had five years under Wenger.

defleppardisking · Post by **defleppardisking** » Thu Aug 11, 2011 5:32 am

so does that mean we will still win a trophy if we finish third?

JakeN13 · Post by **JakeN13** » Thu Aug 11, 2011 5:36 am

Dan_85 wrote:I saw a t-shirt on the way out of Estadio da Luz on Saturday which reminded me of Wenger's comments during last season where he stated he'd be happy to finish second for the next twenty years; "Second place is for losers".

Second place is for losers", maybe we should all start brining banners in to the Grove with statements like that...if nobody else will the fans, should do everything we can to drum into Arsene and his players that this is not accaptable.

I had a another thought how wonderful it would be if the whole stadium decided to sing, there's only one Tony Adams, and we want our Arsenal back, for the whole first half against Liverpool.

I know it's never gonna happen, but one can dream!

terry henry · Post by **terry henry** » Thu Aug 11, 2011 7:52 am

4th would be an acceptable finish considering the state of our squad, but you should always aim for 1st surely. No wonder some players have a poor mentality

Eboue-Why? · Post by **Eboue-Why?** » Thu Aug 11, 2011 8:02 am

terry henry wrote:4th would be an acceptable finish considering the state of our squad, but you should always aim for 1st surely. No wonder some players have a poor mentality

Should definitely aim for first and stop calling me Shirley

SteveO 35 · Post by **SteveO 35** » Thu Aug 11, 2011 8:03 am

What happened about competing with Europe's elite.......or did they just mean the ticket prices ?

Oh I forgot the nasty men at Chelsea and Man City have come along and spoiled everything - boo hoo. Lets just admit defeat instead....

Deise Gooner · Post by **Deise Gooner** » Thu Aug 11, 2011 9:12 am

We cant compete because of their huge money blah blah blah

We were second last year with United to come to the Emirates and a game in hand and the reason we failed to win the league was because of out lack of investment in quality experienced players. If we spend within our Budget we have more than enough money to improve the squad year on year and win the league. We are Arsenal we shouldnt be making excuses in August for not winning a compettion that finishes 9 months from now and we shouldnt be aiming for anything less that 1st!