Okay. I've been critical of Wenger many times on here, as some may know. And before I start I wanna say that in no way is this a Wenger out article. But what this is, is maybe looking with a bit of doubt upon what our fanbase seems to think right now about the man, his plan, and Arsenal FC.
As our form's taken an upturn recently it's natural that the tide will shift back in support of Wenger, and this will be further cemented if we finish 2nd and win the FA Cup, which we are favourites to do on both counts. There's a feeling that we could really push on next season if we achieve both of these and have a good summer (This sounds pretty familiar XD but this article isn't about that).
But what's pretty striking is there seems to be this glorious rewriting of history taking place on JA, on twitter, and on the media in general about a number of decisions we've taken over the past few years. What was Wenger once criticised for is now said to be part of his 'master plan'. Saw one tweet that Wenger should be offered massive praise for 'Getting CL football with Denilson and Bendtner in the side'... right, this statement implies those two players are absolute waaaank so we should praise him for doing so well with crap players, but he signed Denilson and Bendtner?!
It's as if everyone wants to engage in a da-vinci code style contest to try and find what things Arséne was actually sneaky planning all along. It sometimes comes to fruition on here, when his worst decisions are defended at times simply because it is him making them. That's never a rational position to take on any issue - your praise doesn't mean much if there's nothing to balance it out when the opposite happens. It's perfectly acceptable to think Arsene Wenger is a great manager and also that decision X, Y or Z that he made was the wrong one.
Let's not forget that a lot of what has come good in recent times has been pretty much what the naysayers had been arguing for a very long time. The prime example of this, Francis Coquelin himself, I've seen people on twitter hail Wenger's foresight and genius, citing a quote from him where he says that Coquelin was ready before December but he sent him on loan to Charlton give him first team football. Come on guys . How can that actually stack up against Coquelin coming back against Man City, when Arteta and Flamini just happened to be injured? Whatever he's done great since then, surely it's also an equal criticism of Wenger that he's had a player for at least four seasons that's never really been given a good go here, but also, given the apparent ease of him slotting in, that we haven't signed a similar player of his vain since Viera?
And what of our injuries? Wenger's got some good praise on twitter for bringing in Shad Forsythe, but surely this draws the question as to why it took a good 5 or 6 seasons of repeated injury problems before this was done?
So in short, yeah, praise the man. He's done some fantastic things for our football club. But I really don't buy the rhetoric that seems to be present right now that everything he's done has been part of some huge plan and that we've just been mugs for ever daring to question it when it's gone wrong because of how it is now.
Trying to get balanced views
posted on 24/4/15
I don't mind if fans are disappointed with what Wenger is doing, or even want him out. I don't mind reading reasonable, well thought-out comments along those lines. I am somewhere on the fence on that particular matter.
What I can't stand are the comments about him being "a senile old fool" and disrespectful insulting words thrown around. It smacks of a spoilt brat mentality, and fans who probably don't even know Arsenal before we were winning things.
What Wenger has done for the future of this club is unparalleled elsewhere in football. He's not a Mourinho who comes in, wins a few trophies, then fúcks off after a few years leaving a mess behind him. Wenger has secured the long term financial and competitive future of the club, to the detriment of his own reputation (and yes he has been handsomely paid to do so, but he could have been at Madrid or PSG if he had felt like it). He deserves more than a little respect. I cringe when the kids on here post things like "Get Wenger out of MY club now blah blah blah". I guarantee that Arsenal means more to Wenger than it does anyone on here.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
this
posted on 24/4/15
comment by Gunnerthru (U6675)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by Chris H (U15205)
posted 3 minutes ago
Agree with everything you say Skins, it goes the other way too. There are fans who care more about Wenger than Arsenal, absolutely clear as day.
Both as bad as each other in my book to be honest.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
That is absolute nonsense. No one cares about Wenger personally. We are all support a club ffs.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I "care" about Wenger, I'd love him to win another title with us, as much as any individual can deserve a team accolade I think he does, otherwise his achievements post 2004 will be forgotten in the next few decades, and they really shouldn't be.
But I don't care about him more than Arsenal as a club, and there are plenty that do, you can see that quite easily.
posted on 24/4/15
he pulled off a miracle keeping Arsenal in the top 4 while getting the new ground built. No other manager could do that. He's only been spending for 2 seasons now and had got you to 2nd.
please sack him, it would be doing the rest of us a huge favour
posted on 24/4/15
"Actually his point is sound."
It isn't. If you're trying to overhaul 2 clubs, it's silly to use their failures to justify your own. And he's even wrong. Clubs making unsuccessful signings is very different from clubs making NO signings. We went into a season with 6 facking defenders for 4 positions! That is criminal and indefensible.
posted on 24/4/15
comment by Chris H (U15205)
posted 14 minutes ago
comment by Gunnerthru (U6675)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by Chris H (U15205)
posted 3 minutes ago
Agree with everything you say Skins, it goes the other way too. There are fans who care more about Wenger than Arsenal, absolutely clear as day.
Both as bad as each other in my book to be honest.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
That is absolute nonsense. No one cares about Wenger personally. We are all support a club ffs.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I "care" about Wenger, I'd love him to win another title with us, as much as any individual can deserve a team accolade I think he does, otherwise his achievements post 2004 will be forgotten in the next few decades, and they really shouldn't be.
But I don't care about him more than Arsenal as a club, and there are plenty that do, you can see that quite easily.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
That quote is not from me if you adressed that to me. There are always exception from the rule though.
posted on 24/4/15
comment by Sheriff John Brown - bring back David Dein (U7482)
posted 4 minutes ago
"Actually his point is sound."
It isn't. If you're trying to overhaul 2 clubs, it's silly to use their failures to justify your own. And he's even wrong. Clubs making unsuccessful signings is very different from clubs making NO signings. We went into a season with 6 facking defenders for 4 positions! That is criminal and indefensible.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
This point has been discussed several times on this forum. No one denied that going into the season with 2 experienced CB's werent a mistake. Of course Wenger made mistakes but that could be said for all managers in the world.
posted on 24/4/15
comment by Sheriff John Brown - bring back David Dein (U7482)
posted 12 minutes ago
"Actually his point is sound."
It isn't. If you're trying to overhaul 2 clubs, it's silly to use their failures to justify your own. And he's even wrong. Clubs making unsuccessful signings is very different from clubs making NO signings. We went into a season with 6 facking defenders for 4 positions! That is criminal and indefensible.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Just on this and not arguing re the point,
do you think maybe he was planning to use Hayden a bit this season and Flamini as a FB in extremis?
posted on 24/4/15
comment by TheSkins (U3865)
posted 1 hour, 20 minutes ago
I don't mind if fans are disappointed with what Wenger is doing, or even want him out. I don't mind reading reasonable, well thought-out comments along those lines. I am somewhere on the fence on that particular matter.
What I can't stand are the comments about him being "a senile old fool" and disrespectful insulting words thrown around. It smacks of a spoilt brat mentality, and fans who probably don't even know Arsenal before we were winning things.
What Wenger has done for the future of this club is unparalleled elsewhere in football. He's not a Mourinho who comes in, wins a few trophies, then fúcks off after a few years leaving a mess behind him. Wenger has secured the long term financial and competitive future of the club, to the detriment of his own reputation (and yes he has been handsomely paid to do so, but he could have been at Madrid or PSG if he had felt like it). He deserves more than a little respect. I cringe when the kids on here post things like "Get Wenger out of MY club now blah blah blah". I guarantee that Arsenal means more to Wenger than it does anyone on here.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
superb
posted on 24/4/15
comment by The Godfather (U10154)
posted 4 hours, 50 minutes ago
Harry Kane was a total fluke, he was behind Adebayor and Soldado. No one should take any credit
----------------------------------------------------------------------
He was given a chance by Poch by choice. We were forced into recalling Coq due to injuries to Arteta and Flamini.
I have given Wenger praise lately because he seems to he learning from a lot of his errors. The next 4 months are massive for us. We have the Mourinho hoodoo, 2nd place, a cup final and a long pre season with what looks like being a fully fit squad and an important transfer window where weaknesses must be addressed.
Only then we will see if he might be turning a corner, in honesty there is no reason nor are there any excuses for us not to be competing for the major trophies next season.
posted on 24/4/15
From 05 to 2014 I have never looked forward to the new season as knew we didnt have a squad capable to sustain a challenge but it's changed now super excited for what we can achieve next season. We are close to having a completly strong squad. Wenger's got no excuses not to challenge next season and I honestly think we will be the team to beat. I dont think Wenger has changed at all still the same man he may have tweaked a little but that's it. Amazing what you can do when you dont have to sell your best players by making 20m season under financial constraints. We have made big progress and I think we will laydown a marker for next season by taking Chelsea to the cleaners on Sunday.