06 Feb 2017 14:37:23
On Saturday I was frustrated just like every Arsenal supporter but I do have a lot of sympathy of Wenger. Even though I think the summer will be the best time to replace him I hope Arsenal fans don't forget what a great manager he really is and the last few seasons haven't tainted his legacy.
He built in my opinion the greatest team to win ever win the premier league and in the chase of more success Arsenal took the steps to invest on a new stadium.
During those years, the legends of arsenal were sold and Wenger had no money to buy replacements. He was forced to sell the good players just to make a profit and was unable to create a top quality squad just so the stadium can be payed off.
Most clubs would've gone backwards 20 years but Wenger kept us a float. Yes he didn't win anything in any of those years but how many mangers would be able to cope in forcing to sell thier best players and attempt to remain competitive without walking away. He could've walked into any job in world football but remained loyal.
In modern day football match day revenue isn't the main source of income anymore. Commercial, tv and foreign investment plays a bigger role and unfortunately we had to stagnate our club to pay for a stadium that actually doesn't help us keep up with the big boys. We probably built the stadium in the wrong time, clubs like Tottenham won't have to go through what arsenal did during our stadium move simply with the amount of tv money available.
Wenger started a project that he couldn't complete which does make me sad but he will need to be replaced eventually and I don't think there is a better time than the summer. He seems to slagged off a lot but he's biggest flaw is his consistency. I agree he shouldn't be untouchable because of it but surely the critism is overboard. In football you're either brilliant or pants and in modern day football there is no place for being very good. Wenger is a very good manager. He isn't as dynamic as his rivals but that doesn't make him a rubbish one.
Like I said I do feel Wenger should be replaced in the summer but the only memories I will have of Wenger are the happy ones!
06 Feb 2017 15:29:24
We can't go around saying no one could have done what wenger has done. Teams like athletico madrid, seville, villareal, porto, benfica, dortmund, monaco and napoli to name a few survive on a smaller budget than arsenal and have been power houses in europe as well as at home.
Would wenger for instance be able to have done what Southampton have done with all their problems, we don't know. There are many managers doing far better jobs than you give credit for and getting extra ordinary results.
06 Feb 2017 16:26:00
Steve's right, should say *no one HAS done what Wenger has done. Most of those teams mentioned would struggle to finish top four in the PL once never mind consistently over a period of selling their best players and all the rest of it etc. Don't let your opinions of Wenger undermine his obvious achievements in the past - if Mourinho can praise AW for the invincibles then I'm sure anyone can be big enough to give him his dues.
06 Feb 2017 15:50:26
It's a hard one to weigh up steve. If Wenger left in 2005 then it would be fair to say he has done an extraordinary job. At that time the club he took on to the club he would have left would have been far greater.
If you look at the time he took over to now (based on league position which is what fans only care about and rightfully so), he has made us slightly better. In the last 12 years of us not pushing on to be a dominant force we have seen clubs that we had some distance on come above us and others hot on our heals.
Now I think we're at a point where we have to be decisive, we could soon be a top 8 team or worse. It's a bit like when you see past lottery winners living in cardboard boxes.
06 Feb 2017 18:04:08
Sano i agree with you but the people who say no one could have done what wenger has done since we moved from highbury are wrong, there are people who couldn't but there are who could, there are managers out there now doing far more with far less than wenger. I think that is what the first poster is alluding too and others. Yes he did a good job the first 9 years, he oversaw a move and kept us fairly competitive for the next few years, although his European success for us was and is unsatisfactory. If he was the mesiah, he isn't now.
06 Feb 2017 18:08:37
Oh and the pretender, we all know wenger did have money to spend but he chose not too but we have had that debate before.
06 Feb 2017 18:17:52
Not even I am suggesting Wenger was a superb manager, bit that was TEN YEARS AGO! Since then it's barely been a disaster, but we've gone backwards and do the same damn thing every season. Why do supporters STILL think Wenger is the best option? Come was available, Klopp was, Guardiola was. Everyone is available at a price. Everyone. Why are several on here still prepared to put with falling behind the Spuds, relative mediocrity the same issues season after season? It's bonkers!
That doesn't mean I don't thank Arsene for all he did and his first ten years were wonderful. But I was a single man then, now I'm married with three kids 10, 9 and 3. They don't know what winning the league means! That's not fair to them. For my children's sake, go Arsene, go!
06 Feb 2017 19:12:04
It's amazing how you have managed to have em all arsenal fans! I'm struggling with mine and resorting to bully boy antics to keep them loyal lol.
06 Feb 2017 23:08:02
Klopp = something different but by no means an upgrade
Pep = big risk and don't think we have deep enough pockets for him
Not saying AW is irreplaceable but he's fine well keeping us in top 4 given our resources and selling our very best players to survive - Henry, Clichy, Cesc, RVP, Denilson 😉.
07 Feb 2017 08:11:21
I just find this thread of conversation completely pointless. Wengeris staying another two years and is probably our only chance of keeping Ozil and Sanchez (apart from pots of cash) .
Players like Wenger, its only the fans who loathe him but he ten years we've not won have been 10 years of financial doping of City and Chelsea. If it was a fair race sure Wenger would have done better. They've had a bottomless pit of money, we've had very little. Wake up!
07 Feb 2017 08:14:31
What Wenger can be blamed for is the weak mentality of the teamm. That is clearly his fault as its an ongoing issue. If you want to see the back of him, that's the reason, not the lack of titles when there are better teams about.