Arsenal FC a very promising story

[hhyftrftdr]

I don't see why Wenger should be allowed to decide when he steps down? Basically saying he's beyond being sacked, and that has to be a dangerous thing for the club?

I could understand if they'd had a trophy laden decade, but its been far from that. It just looks like things have been going gradually stale, over the last 3/4 years in particular, but a reluctance to change anything from the powers that be.

People point to the finances and all that jazz but that's important to the suits, surely all the fans want is glory and to compete. Arsenal are so far behind the competing curve these days, highlighted by finishing above City, Spurs, united, Liverpool, Chelsea etc last season and still not winning it. Not sure a couple of FA cups can mask the general decline since the 'invincibles'.

Only an outsider but if AW is still in charge after summer I'd be amazed (and very disappointed if I was a fan)

[BigAdz]

I would then cite Leicester and say anything is possible....bar us winning a title under Wenger. That moment has passed.
 

A squad like ours evidently does get motivated week in week out by our Boss. Its ot a crime. Life will go on...just differently. So in May 2018 if we finish 8th, with a new guy, who has spent money on a defence we have all questioned for YEARS, its almost better than 4th, last 16, and a feeling of deja vu.


Would love to check on all the other forums and see if our devout AW fans are quite so loyal about other teams managers....

[Karabiner]

A major problem with replacing AW as touched upon by AndrewM in his Arseblog piece today is that it would take a sea-change in the infrastructure of the club.

We will need a "football man" on the board of directors - something we don't currently have.
We will also need a director of football - these two positions could possibly be combined but I don't see it that way.
And then the £64M question we will have to find a successor to our greatest-ever manager which might well be a poisoned chalice in itself.

I like the cut of Eddie Howe's jib, but there is no way he could take over all of AW's responsibilities.

Well known Arsenal fan Piers Morgan has suggested a few names in the recent past including: Owen Coyle, David Moyes, and Harry Redknapp.

[hhyftrftdr]

A major problem with replacing AW as touched upon by AndrewM in his Arseblog piece today is that it would take a sea-change in the infrastructure of the club.

We will need a "football man" on the board of directors - something we don't currently have.
We will also need a director of football - these two positions could possibly be combined but I don't see it that way.
And then the £64M question we will have to find a successor to our greatest-ever manager which might well be a poisoned chalice in itself.

I like the cut of Eddie Howe's jib, but there is no way he could take over all of AW's responsibilities.

Well known Arsenal fan Piers Morgan has suggested a few names in the recent past including: Owen Coyle, David Moyes, and Harry Redknapp.

It begs the question; why wasn't the groundwork done years ago?

[rinswun]

I don't really have an opinion on Wenger one way or the other. All I'd say is that no one questions Poch despite the fact he's finished below Arsenal in each of his three seasons and until recently Klopp hadn't kopped any flack despite finishing below Wenger in both his seasons. I sometimes wonder whether if Wenger had left, gone to Madrid and Inter and won a couple of titles he'd be given as tough a time as he gets. Familiarity breeds content I guess.

[arbboy]

The key thing for me changing my view on AW was the betting stats from 2012 onwards if you backed them in games where they were bigger than 8/11 then you would be absolutely doing your bollocks to a level stake.    This was a decent sample size and showed how badly they have performed to expectation in any game where they are in for a fight.  It pretty much means any game at home to a top 6 side or away at the top 12 ish teams in the EPL.

They are lazy flat track bullies who are good at beating up the fodder in the EPL but never turn up when it matters.  That is definitely down to the manager and his lack of ability in motivating players for big games.

[Graham C]

We're not competing oligarchs aside, we're dropping points left right and centre due to bad decisions both on and off the pitch.    A couple of players should have been dropped several games ago and if they get the hump with that and go elsewhere, so be it, we don't need them at Arsenal under performing.  Why Sanchez is still on pens is beyond me.  This is stuff that AW should be changing but isn't.  He's had years to sort the team out but there's always something and we're always losing vital points to teams like Watford or Southampton.    Things like bidding £40m + £1 - wtf was all that about?

I don't mind him making the decision but make it soon please.  Should have left after winning the FA Cup last time and end on a high instead of the lows we keep getting dragged through at this time of each season.

I know he fills positions filled by several roles at other clubs but we can get people in to do them.  We have Mr Arsenal's all over the place that would help - I believe Pires would welcome a role as I'm sure would Bergkamp, Henry, and others too.  We may not necessarily need a name as head coach after all most hadn't heard of AW before he came to us, but we need a change.

[rinswun]

Could it not be argued that they are overrated by the bookies/general public due to over performance in terms of finishing position? What is their wage budget compared to the rest of the top 6? Finishing positions pretty much directly correlate with the wage budget historically (obv Leicester huge outliers). If they've got the fourth highest wage budget the. He has over performed for 21 years by never finishing below that position.

[Karabiner]

We're not competing oligarchs aside at all, we're dropping points left right and centre due to bad decisions both on and off the pitch.    A couple of players should have been dropped several games ago and if they get the hump with that and go elsewhere, so be it, we don't need them at Arsenal under performing.  Why Sanchez is still on pens is beyond me.  This is stuff that AW should be changing but isn't.  He's had years to sort the team out but there's always something and we're always losing vital points to teams like Watford or Southampton.    Things like bidding £40m + £1 - wtf was all that about?

I don't mind him making the decision but make it soon please.  Should have left after winning the FA Cup last time and end on a high instead of the lows we keep getting dragged through at this time of each season.

I know he fills positions filled by several roles at other clubs but we can get people in to do them.  We have Mr Arsenal's all over the place that would help - I believe Pires would welcome a role as I'm sure would Bergkamp, Henry, and others too.  We may not necessarily need a name as head coach after all most hadn't heard of AW before he came to us, but we need a change.

Who would you have on pens if OG is not on the pitch?

[Graham C]

Based on form, anyone else.   Theo should be capable. He seems to have faith with Ozil and I'm sure he's taken some before (but could be mistaken).  I expect Ox could take a good pen.  It's something all footballers should be able to do.   Sanchez's pens this year have all been pretty poor and we need to take advantage of every opportunity.

Not saying he can't take them, just needs to pass them on to someone else for a while while he gets his shooting boots back.

[Karabiner]

That's not an answer; you are the captain - who takes it?

[rinswun]

Ozil is the worst German penalty taker I've ever seen.

[Graham C]

That's not an answer; you are the captain - who takes it?

Depends on what I've seen in training, for now, Theo if he's starting. Ozil/Ox if not.

[arbboy]

Could it not be argued that they are overrated by the bookies/general public due to over performance in terms of finishing position? What is their wage budget compared to the rest of the top 6? Finishing positions pretty much directly correlate with the wage budget historically (obv Leicester huge outliers). If they've got the fourth highest wage budget the. He has over performed for 21 years by never finishing below that position.

If they are over performing overall and massively under performing relative to the odds against the bigger boys then AW must be the greatest flat track bully manager in history.  Amazing skill to have as flair teams like Arsenal should really be the total opposite with lazy players not getting up for the Mickey mouse games but that never seems to be the case with AW.

[Karabiner]

That's not an answer; you are the captain - who takes it?

Depends on what I've seen in training, for now, Theo if he's starting. Ozil/Ox if not.

I rest my case.