Arsène Wenger: 20 Years and Counting

[Mastadon]

We have a better chance of winning the CL than the PL though that's not really saying much since our chance of winning the PL is 0%. With the CL you can get a good draw and hope the big teams knock each other out or get beaten by the weaker teams. Our team is surely better than the Liverpool team that won the CL in 05 just need to lot of luck.

 

[fabo]

Benitez worked some serious magic in that CL campaign + luck. Even Liverpool's current side is better than that team.

Knock-out matches come down to small details, tactics. But you wouldn't favour us against any of the top sides as we'll probably try to play our own game and lose.

 

[Tourbillion]

That Bridge goal was just devastating.

And Babel's dive in '08 that happened WHILE we were still celebrating Theo's wonder assist.

 

[fabo]

Yep, I was out in the hallway jumping around when Ade scored at Anfield.

I remember not speaking to the boss the next day at work.............heartbroken.

 

[outlaw_member]

****ing Toure ****ed up both times. It's usually at the most critical of moments when the truly great players stand up.

 

[fabo]

Haha, Toure ruined about 3 CL campaigns.............he was abysmal at Bayern in 05 aswell(although scored a consolation). And had a few shockers in the title run-in in 2003, scored a terrible OG against Villa away to cost us 2 points.

Similar to Koscielny for me. His highs were very good, but always capable of a massive blunder.

 

[a_fourteen]

The CL novelty has worn off slightly for me. I don't go into any CL campaign with the belief that we can do anything significant, even though there are countless examples of sides with inferior teams/lower budgets turning over the elite through tactics etc. Hell, we've done it ourselves once to get to the final but overall, Wenger hasn't done enough in the CL with some of the teams he's had.

It seems for us, the season goals tend to be getting Top 4 + winning our CL qualifier. Nothing has changed this Summer to make me think otherwise.

We've beaten Bayern, Milan and Barca in the last three years.

 

[fabo]

But we've lost the tie, which is 180 minutes long. Glorious failures.

 

[Camel]

The CL novelty has worn off slightly for me. I don't go into any CL campaign with the belief that we can do anything significant, even though there are countless examples of sides with inferior teams/lower budgets turning over the elite through tactics etc. Hell, we've done it ourselves once to get to the final but overall, Wenger hasn't done enough in the CL with some of the teams he's had.

It seems for us, the season goals tend to be getting Top 4 + winning our CL qualifier. Nothing has changed this Summer to make me think otherwise.

Was Chelsea stronger than us when they won the CL? I mean rentboys had Cahill, Mikel, Bertrand, Torres... Albeit Barcelona and especially Bayern spectacularly ****ed up. So it's a matter of big luck.

Dortmund had a better team, but not that much.

 

[Hunta]

I'm actually the opposite of fabo, I was desperate for us to beat Fenerbahce this year and I can't wait for the group stages to begin, it's probably got something to do with our rivals for the last CL spot getting stronger and us standing still because I'm even buzzing to see who we'll get in our group ffs.

 

[Anzac]

Enjoy yourself with this thread mate. Wenger is a visionary and his foresight, knowledge, philosophy of football have been on a curve ahead of the game ever since he got here and will remain that way. Fans are so caught up in the no trophy trip that they don't see what a great club we have now and how lucky we have been to witness such amazing football talent in our backyard for years now. The club ahs changed and is moving forward at pace-some of the fans need to catch up because I can assure you Arsenal FC are not going backwards. Wenger's a brave and stubborn man and just as well because if he was ever to have taken the advice of some of the clowns on this site we'd be in the Championsip with the mighty Owen Coyle at the helm

Call me an atheist but I'll appreciate him some more when he extracts his head and finger and then pulls several rabbits out of the hat this transfer window.

If not / until then he's more stagnant than visionary.

 

[jones]

Anzac posting in the "Wenger appreciation" thread

 

[Cruisio]

Haha

And after 4 games the apologists are out again

If the transfer window closes and we're left with nothing but our d**ks in our hands then what? They flip back again?

Wenger should have gone a long time ago. Do I wish him all the success in the world? Of course I do, because that would mean Arsenal are doing well. Do I thank him for what he's done for us and appreciate the vision? Of course I do, look at the great position as a club he's put us in

However, none of that masks the fact that he SHOULD have done more in the last few years and hasn't kicked on despite the resources being available for him to do so (not big money, but enough to not put up with Almunia or Denilson for as long as we did etc)

It's really time to sort it out, bring in the quality to plug the gaps in the squad and really go all out to win the league this season, because it's there for the taking given the situation with the other squads. Sadly I see him doing what he usually does, some, but not enough, but i'd love to be surprised

Thread title is crystal clear mate. If you dont have anything good to say about him find another thread. There are plenty of threads that house your little rant.

And yet you've failed to realise that in the post I actually did show appreciation to Wenger, haha

 

[ASAP Berg]

I have a question to all of you guys but especially any of the AKB crown lurking about.

I think for all the failures in this transfer window, it has brought a level of transparency in regards to why we are not securing major signings. It is now clear through Gazidis and the various financial reports floating around that Wenger has in excess of 70m pounds available to strengthen the club.

So it is completely down to him. All of it. The contracts to squad filler like Chamakh, Santos, Squillaci, etc. The personal valuations of players and refusal to budge on transfer fees. The refusal to disrupt the 'socialist' wage structure in place.

So I ask you guys, if we fail to sign any good players, and we fail to compete in the title race and are again struggling to secure top 4 is it right that Arsène is offered a new contract? Would he be deserving of a new contract.

It is clear I believe, that if this club had a manager able to identify and secure the 3-4 top talents this squad requires with the significant funds available we would be firmly in the title race.

So for whatever ideological/footballing reason if Arsène is unable or unwilling to secure top talent to the club and we are again blown out of the title race how can we go forward with him?

I mean at this point we are only worried about losing Wenger because we might lose that fourth CL spot. It is completely unambitious from the fans and the board. That's the only thing we can thank Wenger for, he has kept Arsenal in CL participation. And we are not really CL contenders ever.

What is keeping this man at this club? Are we that scared? There is a reason a heap of top players are rejecting us. Our reputation is being slowly eroded and now we are not viewed as serious trophy contenders.

I've had enough of all this. Bunch of scared cowards.

 

[a_fourteen]

What is keeping this man at this club?

16 straight years of champions league football. Period. No owner is going to fire a manager who assures that result. Bread and butter for the club and all that...

 

[ASAP Berg]

What is keeping this man at this club?

16 straight years of champions league football. Period. No owner is going to fire a manager who assures that result. Bread and butter for the club and all that...

Ok I understand that.

In the last 5-6 years would anyone consider us CL CONTENDERS? We lack the top end quality and squad depth to really challenge Bayern, Chelsea, Barcelona, Real Madrid.

So are you guys happy with simply making the CL, playing a few group games and then exiting next round or two?

Are we so scared that we will drop out of the CL?

How pathetic is that, the scope of Arsenal football club is to scrape into fourth position each year, secure CL money then play 6-8 Champions league ties and then bow out year on year.

 

[a_fourteen]

What is keeping this man at this club?

16 straight years of champions league football. Period. No owner is going to fire a manager who assures that result. Bread and butter for the club and all that...

Ok I understand that.

In the last 5-6 years would anyone consider us CL CONTENDERS? We lack the top end quality and squad depth to really challenge Bayern, Chelsea, Barcelona, Real Madrid.

So are you guys happy with simply making the CL, playing a few group games and then exiting next round or two?

Are we so scared that we will drop out of the CL?

How pathetic is that, the scope of Arsenal football club is to scrape into fourth position each year, secure CL money then play 6-8 Champions league ties and then bow out year on year.

you asked why he is still manager. i offered to help. let me break this down for you:
- stan kroenke owns arsenal
- stan kroenke doesnt love football, he loves money
- Arsène wenger makes stan kroenke lots of money by qualifying every year for the CL
- Arsène wenger keeps job

get it now?

 

[onetowatch]

The CL novelty has worn off slightly for me. I don't go into any CL campaign with the belief that we can do anything significant, even though there are countless examples of sides with inferior teams/lower budgets turning over the elite through tactics etc. Hell, we've done it ourselves once to get to the final but overall, Wenger hasn't done enough in the CL with some of the teams he's had.

It seems for us, the season goals tend to be getting Top 4 + winning our CL qualifier. Nothing has changed this Summer to make me think otherwise.

Tbf we've come up against Barca, Barca, Milan and Bayern in the last 4 seasons. Two eventual winners, all European powerhouses. We have a decent shot at the Champions league although we're behind the big 5 (Barca, Bayern, Real, Utd and Chelsea).

 

[onetowatch]

That Bridge goal was just devastating.

And Babel's dive in '08 that happened WHILE we were still celebrating Theo's wonder assist.

Two of the lowest points for me as a fan. The entire 07/08 season was heart breaking.

 

[onetowatch]

@ ASAP Berg

No one could've done more than 4th with the squads Arsène has had at his disposal, especially over the past two years. We have lost our best players every summer since 2005 (except 2010). Nobody can win trophies when that happens.

History will judge the post 2005 Wenger a LOT more kindly. He has transformed the club almost single handedly.

We have been linked with some of the worlds best players this summer. The deals may not have gone through but it is clear to see our situation has changed. I have no doubt we will be shopping at the top end of the market going forward. We're at the start of a new era. That's down to Wenger.

Look at this way. People downplay the 16 years of champions league qualification. We currently get about £30m per season just for qualifying. That figure would've been lower 14 years ago. However, in that period we've also made the final, a semi and a few quarters. Taking an average of £25m a season, that equates to £400m. Almost the stadium worth.

And that's not including the improved commercial deals that have come about partially due to our continuous presence in that tournament, partially due to the amazing football we have played under his tenure and partially due to the huge global fan base we have built up over this period. All down to Wenger.

Wenger is to Arsenal what Cruyff was to Barcelona and Ajax and Sacchi was to Milan. He has transformed the club. We would have been an Everton right now if it wasn't for him.