Most of the sky sports pundits seem to predict Arsenal will drop out of the top four
The way the PR Spin machine has been going at Arsenal it wouldn't surprise me if they have been influenced to predict this so that when we invariably end up in the top four again it makes it seem like Wenger has defied the odds and achieved something fantastic.
It doesn't matter how poor we look, finishing at least 4th is the one thing you can count on every year. Things suddenly start going for us when the precious top 4 spot is in peril.
Phillipe Auclair who seems to have the inside track on what's going on in the club says there is nothing but paper talk to Allegri, and that Allegri is looking more to achieving something big in Europe with Juventus. There were rumours about approaching Eddie Howe although the Bournemouth chairman blocked this, and Hasenhutl seemed to suggest there'd been talks between him and Gazidis. But Auclair seems to be of the view that the board are operating in a state of business as usual with the full expectation of Wenger being there for the foreseeable. With Antonio Conte the contact between him and Chelsea took place over quite a period of time before he took over.
I'd like to believe this was true, Allegri is the last manager to make AC Milan champions, plus he definitely did well getting Juve to the champions league final. I don't think he's a glove on hand fit for our current squad (I think someone like Tuchel or Emery would be better at that) but he's definitely a winner. I just think the board have made no succession plans and are betting the house on their man signing on one last time.
I think Eddie Howe's name is being bandied about as a threat. He's the classic Moyes candidate, he's done well enough at a lower management tier but his inexperience at a big club like Arsenal could put us right where Utd found themselves with the manager overwhelmed and the media pack converted from devotees to hounds taking lumps out of him. So you want Wenger gone? Okay, let's get Howe (Moyes) in. Still want Wenger gone?
Simeone really is just paper talk. I haven't even seen a rumour linking us to him. I don't know much about the Italian guy but you have to ask the question, why would he leave Juventus to come to Arsenal? Yes there's the lure of the PL, but any manager coming in here will have far more than managing a team to contend with. Whether the role of manager is redefined or not (it must be surely?) when Wenger goes, it's still going to be a massive upheaval. Seems a lot of trouble to go to when you are already sitting pretty at a top European club. On the other hand, maybe he feels he's done all he can at Juventus and now wants the ultimate challenge, making Arsenal competitive. Who knows, and who's likely to know until the end of the season?
I agree, the 2 year contract is already sitting there waiting. Why is it 2 years? Why not 3? I think it represents the full extent of the concession the board is prepared to make to the fans. See! We listen. We know you want this guy gone so we've listened and given him a 2 year contract instead of 3. And we'd like him to stay here forever, btw. Arsene will decide for himself. They have said this.
So we'll go on our little run to secure the top 4 spot and I even have a sneaky feeling we might progress in the CL this year. Then they'll pounce and Wenger will be signed up. It's just a matter of timing. Wenger will then get the credit for making the sacrifice and also encouraging Ozil and Alexis to stay on a quarter of a mill per week each. It will be sacrifice all around, heroic stuff. Half the fans will eat it up and on we'll go. Ty will be admitted to hospital because all the blood will drain to his dick and he'll go into a coma.
Für eure Sicherheit
There is no way, even in a fairy tale that we are beating Bayern over 2 legs. Not a chance. Nada. Nil, Zero.
A new contract for Wenger will be the ultimate slap in the face for the fans. I hope the way fans give him no doubt as to how people feel at every game we play away from the Emirates gestapo stadium.
Make 2mrw better than 2day
I agree, the 2 year contract is already sitting there waiting. Why is it 2 years? Why not 3? I think it represents the full extent of the concession the board is prepared to make to the fans. See! We listen. We know you want this guy gone so we've listened and given him a 2 year contract instead of 3. And we'd like him to stay here forever, btw. Arsene will decide for himself. They have said this.
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No i think it's a realisation that Wenger is 67, a two year extension would take him up to 5 months before his 70th birthday. I think Wenger has probably made it clear to them that he wants to retire by the time he is 70 so if they offered him a three year extension he might not be inclined to take it.
It's still very much a case of kicking problems into the long grass (for them problems is when Wenger goes because they will be reminded all too profoundly that they have a football club to run). Gazidis may or may not have spoken to other managers to plan for the eventuality of Wenger deciding he's had enough, i think there probably is an element of truth in the fact that Wenger is affected by the fact that he's not feeling the love from the fans and it's been leaked to the media as if to say "LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO OUR GOLDEN GOOSE YOU UNGRATEFUL FREAKS!"
Gazidis knows that he has no control over Wenger and is in no position not to offer him a new contract and say we want to go in a new direction, but i suspect he'd like Wenger gone in some ways as much as the fans if only because at that point he is the generalissimo in more than just name.
If you're Gazidis and you know that you actually get power over the club as soon as Wenger goes, it's worth playing the long game