Arsène Wenger: Same Old Class

[Trilly]

Wait, what's happened?!

 

[rich 1990]

Wait, what's happened?!

We've come to a mutual agreement that he's staying.

 

[Trilly]

I'm so upset.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Wait, what's happened?!

You need to lower your fentanyl doses. Save some money for what is to come. It is gonna be long 3 years.

 

[gunner4lyfe]

Bayern can pluck all the talent from the German leagues for peanuts though, that's a big difference.

We can do that in our league too. We just aren't ruthless enough.

 

[Rex Stone]

Well if you're like that Wilshere has been living off his Barcelona performance for 6 years. And in fairness you said it would be giving up the game and I just showed you it wouldnt. Pennies on the pound Celtic with Wanyama in midfield done better than What Arsenal have done over a longer period.

In truth Wanyama has been living off ever improving performances year on year. He was fantastic for Celtic, he done really well for Southampton. Some were worried how he'd step up to Sp**s and he has been one of their best player. His passing stats are also one of the highest in the league at 6th with a 87% passing accuracy. The closest Arsenal player is Xhaka in 15th place. He has 89% accuracy with less passes, he also has a shorter average distance of pass and 12 fewer key passes. The next Arsenal player is Özil with the same 87% but fewer passes. Though he has 55 key passes compared to Wanyamas 28. Coquelin 88 accuracy average 15 yards 13 key passes. He's down at 78 with Wanyama that horrible passer up at 6th. Basically Wanyamas passing stats are better than anyone currently in our midfield according to Squawka and Premierleague.com.

As for needing more in your locker people don't seem to realise the challenge Celtix face domestically far exceeds our own. Literally every team sits back and tries to counter. So the thing needed to do that is in the same locker a player at Arsenal needs. Evidently you'll need to do it a higher standard none the less the tools are exactly the same. Wanyama has transferred those tools into the higher level show casing it at both Southampton and Sp**s where he has shown he can recycle the ball allowing his team mates to attack.

Well that stuff about Celtic is a massive stretch, if we're being honest they were comfortably in the shadow of Rangers as they often have been in the 21st Century and if it wasn't for their financial woes they wouldn't have had the dominance they've had in the SPL in recent years. Let's not act like they're some underdog success story, they've been knocked out of the CL qualifying round in recent years by real powerhouses like Malmo and Maribor as well as a comfortable bottom in this year's group.

As for the "stats", you left out a crucial stat which is total forward passes per 90 so I did a handy table showing Wanyama in comparison to other central midfielders going for top 4 this year.

The only player he's attempted more forward passes than.in there is Coquelin who ironically has a better pass %

Finally as for the point about breaking down sides, yes he can recycle the ball but do you see elite teams playing cloggers in the middle of the park. The big 3 don't, and most progressive sides have moved away from it.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Thing the first hint of Wenger staying was when he manage to pen contracts to Koscielny, Coquelin and Giroud. All France. Koscielny would go to war for Wenger and the other two are mid-table players and will do everything for Wenger.

Any players that will be signed in summer will be the player that fit easily with those 3. Wenger hand on the locker room will be a lot stronger after he has let go of Sanchez and Özil.

 

[KAB]

You need to lower your fentanyl doses. Save some money for what is to come. It is gonna be long 3 years.

Are you sure it is 3 years?

 

[happyhappy]

Thing the first hint of Wenger staying was when he manage to pen contracts to Koscielny, Coquelin and Giroud. All France. Koscielny would go to war for Wenger and the other two are mid-table players and will do everything for Wenger.

I doubt he had any intention to leave right from the start. They just didn't have the balls to announce it.

 

[happyhappy]

In truth Wanyama has been living off ever improving performances year on year. He was fantastic for Celtic, he done really well for Southampton. Some were worried how he'd step up to Sp**s and he has been one of their best player. His passing stats are also one of the highest in the league at 6th with a 87% passing accuracy. The closest Arsenal player is Xhaka in 15th place. He has 89% accuracy with less passes, he also has a shorter average distance of pass and 12 fewer key passes. The next Arsenal player is Özil with the same 87% but fewer passes. Though he has 55 key passes compared to Wanyamas 28. Coquelin 88 accuracy average 15 yards 13 key passes. He's down at 78 with Wanyama that horrible passer up at 6th. Basically Wanyamas passing stats are better than anyone currently in our midfield according to Squawka and Premierleague.com.

The issue is most people want a playmaking defensive midfielder. Doesn't matter if he gets bowl over by Hazard or let Capoue run straight thru. Just play Özil there, problem solve.

 

[ArtetaCognition]

Well that stuff about Celtic is a massive stretch, if we're being honest they were comfortably in the shadow of Rangers as they often have been in the 21st Century and if it wasn't for their financial woes they wouldn't have had the dominance they've had in the SPL in recent years. Let's not act like they're some underdog success story, they've been knocked out of the CL qualifying round in recent years by real powerhouses like Malmo and Maribor as well as a comfortable bottom in this year's group.

As for the "stats", you left out a crucial stat which is total forward passes per 90 so I did a handy table showing Wanyama in comparison to other central midfielders going for top 4 this year.

The only player he's attempted more forward passes than.in there is Coquelin who ironically has a better pass %

Finally as for the point about breaking down sides, yes he can recycle the ball but do you see elite teams playing cloggers in the middle of the park. The big 3 don't, and most progressive sides have moved away from it.

Not sure what you're talking about mate but Celtic had more league titles than Rangers in the 21st century even before Rangers were proven to be caught up in an illegal scheme which gave them a competitive edge in the market.

Anyway, I dislike both of those clubs so it's a moot point. But saying that one is in the shadow of the other is untrue. Well maybe it could become the case these days... but not back then.

To be fair, they probably both have better managers than us. And I don't even know who the Rangers manager is.

#NoDealMerci

 

[law90026]

What most people seem to miss when they buy the hyperbole of "rebuilding" the squad is that 100m doesn't get you all those names listed. Prices are especially inflated for English sides and will be even higher for Arsenal if Sanchez and/or Özil leave because they will know we are desperate.

Do people think clubs are going to give us players on the cheap out of pity for Wenger?

 

[Deathstroke]

What most people seem to miss when they buy the hyperbole of "rebuilding" the squad is that 100m doesn't get you all those names listed. Prices are especially inflated for English sides and will be even higher for Arsenal if Sanchez and/or Özil leave because they will know we are desperate.

Do people think clubs are going to give us players on the cheap out of pity for Wenger?

True. Let's hope the majority won't fall for this blatant and laughable bit of propaganda. It's clearly groundwork for softening the blow ahead of the contract extension being made public.

I agree with those who said Wenger had already signed an extension, but the bad results and fan protests have delayed the announcement.

 

[Deathstroke]

Bayern can pluck all the talent from the German leagues for peanuts though, that's a big difference.

Is that entirely true though?

Considering the time-frame from 2011 onwards:

Players brought in as starters from other German clubs:

Götze: €37 m (release clause) (biggest fee for a German player at the time) (2013).
Hummels: €30m-€35m (2016).
Neuer: €22 m (2nd-biggest fee for a GK at the time) (2011).
Mandžukić: €13 m (2012).
Dante: €4.5 m (2012).
Lewandowski: Free (2014).

Lewandowski, a 29-year-old Dante and arguably Mandžukić were inexpensive/bargain buys, but Bayern did pay top prices for the other three. Hummels & Neuer were in the final year of their contracts as well.

Looking at the squad/backup players,

Kimmich: €7 m (2015).
Petersen: €2.8m (2011).
Rode: Free (2014).
Kirchhoff: Free (2013).
Pizarro: Free (2012).
Ulreich: Undisclosed (2015).
Starke: Undisclosed (2012).

 

[scytheavatar]

New manager is ideal, but for those who responded to my squad overhaul post, I meant that it was what I hoped for were he to stay. Something needs to change in some capacity, and I'd be glad that at least Wenger recognizes something is wrong.

There is a lot to be skeptical about though. We do indeed hear this every year, and a player overhaul is only the least this club needs. Tactics and mentality are in need of freshening up as well.

I'm thinking I need to stop hoping though, because I'm setting myself up for disappointment. The club looks like it's pushing for Wenger to stay, and they're just waiting for an opportunity to announce it. It's kind of funny seeing them stuck waiting though as sh*t gets worse week after week.

Don't believe for a second that the club is committed to Wenger staying, if they are they would not have bothered the PR blitz and sending Wilson/Cross to write fake news for the fans. They are doing that because if the fans and players do not accept him staying then Wenger is a goner. No player would want to join a club with fans rebelling against their manager, because that would mean either the fans are terrrible or they have been treated poorly. Without big players joining us and with a few almost certain to leave in summer there's no way Wenger can do a better job next season than currently.

In Kroenke's other football team, the Los Angeles Rams, they gave their head coach a 2 year extension early in the season in secret, but still fired him when results were poor. There's going to be a limit to how far our board can tolerate disapproval of Wenger, and we will be brought to that limit if Wenger doesn't get his act together very soon.

 

[bingobob]

Well that stuff about Celtic is a massive stretch, if we're being honest they were comfortably in the shadow of Rangers as they often have been in the 21st Century and if it wasn't for their financial woes they wouldn't have had the dominance they've had in the SPL in recent years. Let's not act like they're some underdog success story, they've been knocked out of the CL qualifying round in recent years by real powerhouses like Malmo and Maribor as well as a comfortable bottom in this year's group.

As for the "stats", you left out a crucial stat which is total forward passes per 90 so I did a handy table showing Wanyama in comparison to other central midfielders going for top 4 this year.

The only player he's attempted more forward passes than.in there is Coquelin who ironically has a better pass %

Finally as for the point about breaking down sides, yes he can recycle the ball but do you see elite teams playing cloggers in the middle of the park. The big 3 don't, and most progressive sides have moved away from it.

11 league trophies in the 21St century. 6 out of 10 from 2000 - 2010. No shadow mate. Anyway. You're missing the point. Its about looking at players who play in a style or situation similar to our own. High possession. Pressure. Kicked off the ball. Conceding few chances so high concentration required. I'm not daft to think that any team at a lower level who play in those types of conditions will be able to step up. You need to find the diamonds, the guys who are so comfortable it's clear they have more to give.

We can do stats. Personally I don't think forward passing is a big issue for us and sounds to me like it's just a stick to beat Wanyama with. Originally it was he can't pass the ball. Which he clearly can. Stats prove that. Now two important stats. Goals for and against. Sp**s have lost 21 goals the same as Chelsea. Now in my eyes those teams have defensive minded players in Kante, Wanyama we have lost 34 only Liverpool have conceded more. We also have the third highest number of goals scored. Our issue isn't getting the ball forward it's keeping it out of our own net.

Its a pointless discussion anyway. I'm not going to give an inch. We'd be a much better team with Wanyama in there than any of our other allegedly defensive minded players. We missed the opportunity.

 

[Deathstroke]

In Kroenke's other football team, the Los Angeles Rams, they gave their head coach a 2 year extension early in the season in secret, but still fired him when results were poor. There's going to be a limit to how far our board can tolerate disapproval of Wenger, and we will be brought to that limit if Wenger doesn't get his act together very soon.

Wasn't that guy totally hopeless the year(s) before getting the extension?

I think the question will be how poor is poor enough in the board's view. If we do finish outside the top 4 this season, as is looking likely, will Kroenke & co. see it as an anomaly or a sign of the team going backwards? Do they feel that Wenger's overall achievements would merit giving him a chance to get us back into top 4 and Europe's premier club competition?

 

[Jury]

Don't believe for a second that the club is committed to Wenger staying, if they are they would not have bothered the PR blitz and sending Wilson/Cross to write fake news for the fans. They are doing that because if the fans and players do not accept him staying then Wenger is a goner. No player would want to join a club with fans rebelling against their manager, because that would mean either the fans are terrrible or they have been treated poorly. Without big players joining us and with a few almost certain to leave in summer there's no way Wenger can do a better job next season than currently.

In Kroenke's other football team, the Los Angeles Rams, they gave their head coach a 2 year extension early in the season in secret, but still fired him when results were poor. There's going to be a limit to how far our board can tolerate disapproval of Wenger, and we will be brought to that limit if Wenger doesn't get his act together very soon.

That's a good angle. I hope you're right

 

[happyhappy]

Its a pointless discussion anyway. I'm not going to give an inch. We'd be a much better team with Wanyama in there than any of our other allegedly defensive minded players. We missed the opportunity.

It is not about his passing bro, next we will someone say he doesn't like his hair style.

 

[Jasard]

Anyone listen to Footballistically Arsenal podcast? Josh Landy has got to be even more stubborn than Wenger. Just dismisses anyone who wants Wenger gone and offers zero arguments for why he should remain. Drives me mad.