THE WENGER THREAD

[Jacky Wilshere]

At Anfield yesterday I was surrounded by AKB fans, they also sang the one Wenger ditty which I refused to partake in.....

Still it seems the detractors are a huge minority

Arsenal fans sing song in support of their manager....shock horror!

Some people have just become so blinded by their dislike for Wenger its ridiculous.

The man is doing a good job end of.He gets enough stick from every other club in the country without his own fans on his back aswell.Get behind the team and manager and see where we go from there.Nothing is changing until 2014 at least so the negativity towards him is achieving nothing.

On what fcuking basis do you determine that he is doing a good job ? Tactics clearly ain't his thing, judging players (below average al, bendtner, chamakh, feo, the forehead etc etc) isn't his thing, financial management (giving out bumper contracts to sub standard crap) ain't his thing so what the fcuk is his thing ? If the guy was appointed 5 years ago he would have lost his job by now but he is living off past glories and take offense to the sheep comment if you like but if you cannot see these things for yourself then sheep is an accurate assessment

On the (fucking as you so politely put it)basis that he has continually kept us among the big boys season after season despite being miles behind them financially in a game where money is the be all and end all in the current era.Judging players-why not focus on Sagna,Kos,Tommy V,Cazorla,Arteta,Podolski,The Ox and before them,Cesc etc etc...Inability to spot a player i dont think is something that can be levelled against the manager.

According to most on here financial management is his thing and he'd be best served as a banker,isnt that the general concensous on here??If according to you we have so many shit players and we finished third last year,is that not a major achievement by the manager?

I wont take offence to the sheep statement and you shouldnt take offence to the fact that i think your obsession with Wenger bashing is quite concerning and if you put half as much effort into the supporting the club i think you might find your health and general happiness with life alot more satisfying

[LDB]

Its amazing how many non-Arsenal fans still think the guy is doing a great job. I had a couple of weeks holiday in Turkey recently and watched a couple of PL games with fans from other teams - a real spread from the usual plastic Mancs, Mickeys through to a couple of Swansea fans and a Southampton fan - and the verdict is almost unanimous i.e. that he is a great manager, is still doing a great job and that when he goes Arsenal will be much the worse for it.

Liverpool fans in particular think he's brilliant and said that they wished they had a manager like him

I beg to differ of course, but there you go. He still has the respect of the majority

The worst criticism that you hear is that he's "maybe a bit stubborn" but its 95% positive.

Roll on the contract renewal in 2014.........I did warn you

I was in Turkey too for the stoke game, got talking to a mickey who said pretty much the same thing. But then again he had written off Rodgers after just one game..

Incidentally the never-been-near-manchester-in-their-lives United fans out there were unbearable. Just thinking of their fucking silly smug little voices makes me flinch. Its as if they're chuffed that they've made a really good life choice rather then they're actually supporting a football club.

[arseofacrow]

Its amazing how many non-Arsenal fans still think the guy is doing a great job. I had a couple of weeks holiday in Turkey recently and watched a couple of PL games with fans from other teams - a real spread from the usual plastic Mancs, Mickeys through to a couple of Swansea fans and a Southampton fan - and the verdict is almost unanimous i.e. that he is a great manager, is still doing a great job and that when he goes Arsenal will be much the worse for it.

Liverpool fans in particular think he's brilliant and said that they wished they had a manager like him

I beg to differ of course, but there you go. He still has the respect of the majority

The worst criticism that you hear is that he's "maybe a bit stubborn" but its 95% positive.

Roll on the contract renewal in 2014.........I did warn you

I was in Turkey too for the stoke game, got talking to a mickey who said pretty much the same thing. But then again he had written off Rodgers after just one game..

Incidentally the never-been-near-manchester-in-their-lives United fans out there were unbearable. Just thinking of their fucking silly smug little voices makes me flinch. Its as if they're chuffed that they've made a really good life choice rather then they're actually supporting a football club.

Why don't you guys stop talking to English people abroad?

[SteveO 35]

Back to the subject matter, I think this Summer is going to see an even greater level of debate about Wenger.His contract is up in 2014 so when we get to the end of this season the media circus about him leaving or extending his contract will be in full flow and both sets of views will be being aired openly. Lets not forget the "Real fans have real patience" stuff last time

Now, there is still a reasonable possibility of a 4th place finish this season. AVB the Paperboy will alienate the core English players like he did at Chelsea and will be universally disliked by players and fans, Rodgers is in a fix at Liverpool already and I personally don't see Newcastle repeating last season's heroics. So barring an Everton or a Swansea suprising everyone, I think we have a shot at 4th. City, United and Chelsea will be over the hills and far away, but we could comfortably get 4th

At that point the pro-Wenger brigade will be in full swing - xx years continuously in the CL, working miracles financially etc and more importantly Kroenke will be delighted that yet again he has banked him another 25m+ in CL revenues for the following year. UEFA's half baked financial fair play shit will be a year closer to reality and the PR machine will be in full swing.

Only if Kroenke sells up before next Summer do I see anything other than an inevitable minimum 2 year contract extension for Wenger.

Anyone think differently?

[QuartzGooner]

I think Wenger usually renews just before his contract is up, not the season before?

Maybe by 2014 he will be tired and want to go back to France.

[augie]

At Anfield yesterday I was surrounded by AKB fans, they also sang the one Wenger ditty which I refused to partake in.....

Still it seems the detractors are a huge minority

Arsenal fans sing song in support of their manager....shock horror!

Some people have just become so blinded by their dislike for Wenger its ridiculous.

The man is doing a good job end of.He gets enough stick from every other club in the country without his own fans on his back aswell.Get behind the team and manager and see where we go from there.Nothing is changing until 2014 at least so the negativity towards him is achieving nothing.

On what fcuking basis do you determine that he is doing a good job ? Tactics clearly ain't his thing, judging players (below average al, bendtner, chamakh, feo, the forehead etc etc) isn't his thing, financial management (giving out bumper contracts to sub standard crap) ain't his thing so what the fcuk is his thing ? If the guy was appointed 5 years ago he would have lost his job by now but he is living off past glories and take offense to the sheep comment if you like but if you cannot see these things for yourself then sheep is an accurate assessment

On the (fucking as you so politely put it)basis that he has continually kept us among the big boys season after season despite being miles behind them financially in a game where money is the be all and end all in the current era.Judging players-why not focus on Sagna,Kos,Tommy V,Cazorla,Arteta,Podolski,The Ox and before them,Cesc etc etc...Inability to spot a player i dont think is something that can be levelled against the manager.

According to most on here financial management is his thing and he'd be best served as a banker,isnt that the general concensous on here??If according to you we have so many shit players and we finished third last year,is that not a major achievement by the manager?

I wont take offence to the sheep statement and you shouldnt take offence to the fact that i think your obsession with Wenger bashing is quite concerning and if you put half as much effort into the supporting the club i think you might find your health and general happiness with life alot more satisfying

So does that mean you believe that wenger is a liar then ? He has constantly spoken about having a healthy transfer budget at his disposal should he need it but yet we have averaged an £8m profit in the transfer windows off the last five seasons Do you honestly believe that wenger recruited enough quality in those 5 years ? Do you honestly believe that he could even recognise the weaker area's of the squad that most of us believed needed strengthening much less act on them ?

I think you misunderstand the criticisms of wenger's financial workings on here - being a skinflint in the transfer market does not make you good at financial management and you totally ignored the comment I made regarding his policy of wage increases and the massive wage bill. No player gets a new contract in our club without wenger being involved so you can try and avoid that point all you like but the facts are that the bumper wages given to almunia, bendtner, denilson, chamakh and shitatchi are the major reason why we cannot rid the club of these players and why they continue to drain the club.

People talk about the gulf in finances between us and the sugar daddy clubs but imo we have had chances in the last few years for success and fcuked it up mainly due to being weak in key area's but also due to poor management (arshavin put on the bench for cup semi v chavs ). I refuse to believe th,at clubs like stoke etc are in a better financial position to spend than we are but yet people like you point to the artificially doped clubs like citeeh, manure and thevchavs as if they are they only one's outspending us. If we fail to win trophies cos their squads are better and deeper than ours then I can accept that but wenger has stood idly by in rece,nt years when it was plain to see that our first eleven wasn't strong enough and that is unacceptable.

[armchair]

Wenger is a little economical with the actualitee. Hes also a tight fisted

[TeeCee]

Arsene Wenger is a compulsive liar. Period.

[green gooner]

Can we please try not to offend the 'clique', as I am desperate to join

Jacky has every right to back our club manager if he likes, but as I am now officially enlightened and see that Wenger is living off past glories, I don't totally agree with him. But I would add if Wenger and Arsenal win anything this season, hopefully the league title, I will be the first person to say Wenger proved me wrong before I dance in the streets

But after 7 empty years it's hard to keep the faith in him

[Babatunde]

Augie is spot on.
I have to say, I do find the defence of Wenher hilarious. The one put forward by 'Jacky' is classic AKB guff.

'Arsene cannot compete financially with the big clubs'
So why does he keep selling them his best players then?
It is one thing not being able to match their muscle in the transfer market and quite another completing their teams for them! Citeh haven't forever been loaded so what was the excuse efore them? 'Oh it was Chelski'. Ok and what was the excuse before them? 'Oh it was Manure'

There have ALWAYS been richer clubs, but tha has not stopped multiple teams the world over winning trophies.
Only at Arsenal can our sheep fans claim, with a completely straight face; that Arsene 'cannot compete' and then in the very next breath chat about the Invincibles (Chelski spent more money that year under Ranieri than they ever spent in a calendar year under Roman. Check it).

Oh and do you forget Arsenal make £3 mil a game - more than ANY team in Europe? 4th richest club in the world?

The other comical thing about AKB is that they muse that papa Arsene has no cash...errrm...before going on to name what a great thing he did signing Cazorla (£12 million), Arteta (£10.5 mil for a 30 year old), Vermaelen (£11 mil), Sagna (£8.5 mil), Podolski (£12 mil)...
Oh and apparently has 'a great eye for talent' by signing 'rough dimanond ' Cazorla. You know, the same Cazrola that was already in the Spain Euro winning squad, the same Cazrola that twisted Real at the Bernabeu last summer.
Yeah wow Arsene, what a talent-spotter!

Wenger is a liar and a fraud.
'He has kept us up with the big boys'
The only reason the 'big boys' hang out with us is so we can hand them over all our lunch money and our best toys!!!

[SteveO 35]

I do think Baba's right about Wenger's subservant approach to the bigger clubs, and for me its the biggest difference between him and Ferguson

Ferguson's sold players to the likes of Real and even lost Tevez to City, but you get the impression that it fires him up to stick one on them even more, rather than just roll over and have his tummy tickled. Lets be absolutely clear here - Manchester City have a spending power that dwarves that of Manchester United. If City wanted to bid £100m for Messi and offer him £500k per week - they could. Nobody else can. United have just lost the title to City but do you think they are sitting back with the old "boo hoo, its so unfair, nasty City, financial fair play" blah blah blah. Of course not.

Wenger and the owners have allowed us to become a grade B club, charging grade A prices. The overselling of the stadium move was unforgiveable in my view. Chelsea were a known force when that stadium move was planned and United were already richer, so to my mind the one change on English football's landscape has been Manchester City.

We conceded 49 goals last season and Wenger has decided to let the window pass without signing a single defender or defensive midfielder. In the same way he let 3 CDMs leave in 2008/09 and the general break-up of that 2008 team, he is again guilty of neglecting his duties as a football manager which is primarily to improve year after year.

Whilst I'm delighted by yesterday's performance and encouraged by Uncle Bpuldie's work at the back we have played 3 games in one competition - two of which were against the also rans in the division. We know that in a season of 50 games + there will be injuries, suspension and loss of form a-plenty so what happens when Arteta gets injured and there is no backup CDM for an important CL game. We are down to Frimpong or Coquelin. What happens if Giroud is out - either through injury or poor form. We are down to Chamakh......and please don't offer up Podolski or Walcott as being capable of the sole striker in the PL.

As usual we are 3 players away from a good shot at the title.......but under Wenger it will always be 3 players away

[northbank123]

I do think Baba's right about Wenger's subservant approach to the bigger clubs, and for me its the biggest difference between him and Ferguson

Ferguson's sold players to the likes of Real and even lost Tevez to City, but you get the impression that it fires him up to stick one on them even more, rather than just roll over and have his tummy tickled. Lets be absolutely clear here - Manchester City have a spending power that dwarves that of Manchester United. If City wanted to bid £100m for Messi and offer him £500k per week - they could. Nobody else can. United have just lost the title to City but do you think they are sitting back with the old "boo hoo, its so unfair, nasty City, financial fair play" blah blah blah. Of course not.

Wenger and the owners have allowed us to become a grade B club, charging grade A prices. The overselling of the stadium move was unforgiveable in my view. Chelsea were a known force when that stadium move was planned and United were already richer, so to my mind the one change on English football's landscape has been Manchester City.

We conceded 49 goals last season and Wenger has decided to let the window pass without signing a single defender or defensive midfielder. In the same way he let 3 CDMs leave in 2008/09 and the general break-up of that 2008 team, he is again guilty of neglecting his duties as a football manager which is primarily to improve year after year.

Whilst I'm delighted by yesterday's performance and encouraged by Uncle Bpuldie's work at the back we have played 3 games in one competition - two of which were against the also rans in the division. We know that in a season of 50 games + there will be injuries, suspension and loss of form a-plenty so what happens when Arteta gets injured and there is no backup CDM for an important CL game. We are down to Frimpong or Coquelin. What happens if Giroud is out - either through injury or poor form. We are down to Chamakh......and please don't offer up Podolski or Walcott as being capable of the sole striker in the PL.

As usual we are 3 players away from a good shot at the title.......but under Wenger it will always be 3 players away

That's the one thing that gets me. If people still think Wenger is untouchable then fair enough, that's their opinion, albeit one I disagree with. But I don't see how people can support the way the board conduct themselves, although amazingly if you read many websites and even plenty of responses to articles on here you will see people do. Forget all this bollocks about "we don't want to be another Pompey/Leeds/Rangers". We were sold the move from our beloved home on the basis this would allow us to compete financially with the European superpowers, whereas in fact the policy has been to pay off the debt acquired in funding the stadium by making considerable profits on player transfers. The only inference I can draw is that these people who are happy at the board lying to the fans to justify moving from Highbury and charging higher prices do not attend many (or any) matches. In my view Wenger is at the heart of this web of lies and deceit, people who blindly support him cite his ability to read balance sheets etc but this is the other side of the coin.

[green gooner]

My belief of the situation is that the move from Highbury was largely based on the projected income from the luxury flats at the old stadium and new homes which are being built now. Now if the real income from these ventures falls below the level that was expect at the top end of the housing boom then the club will not realise the funds it hoped to obtain.

I'm not putting this forward as an excuse but it was how I think it was sold to us.

[DB10GOONER]

My belief of the situation is that the move from Highbury was largely based on the projected income from the luxury flats at the old stadium and new homes which are being built now. Now if the real income from these ventures falls below the level that was expect at the top end of the housing boom then the club will not realise the funds it hoped to obtain.

I'm not putting this forward as an excuse but it was how I think it was sold to us.

To a certain extent I think you are right GG. The Board anticipated a huge return on the flats and didn't foresee the economic downturn. But that is something that really irks me - they risked the mid to long term future of the team's chances of competing on a housing venture, when history shows that economies based on the housing market go in cycles of boom and subsequent collapse. The Board are as guilty in their area of responsibility as the bankers that fucked all our economies through their own greed and reliance upon risk.

[Herd]

DB the worst about the Highbury flats was they could have sold them all prior to them being built,and then the whole financial structure of the loan could have been altered leaving us in a far better financial position ,than we are today ,but Fizman held on trying as always to squeeze the last ounce out of the deal and held back on further sales as the market went up !