Yes
No
This is a really tough call IMO. My fear has always been that we'll get worse after Wenger leaves, at times this season though there didn't seem to be much to lose though. Right now we're looking like a pretty decent side with some fight about them. Do the right things in the summer and we could push on next season. Right now I'd like him to stay but another collapse and a 6th place finish and I'll probably change my mind again.
Can I add that I was listening to TalkShite last night before the game and the debate was over whether clubs should listen to fans when deciding policy. The point was made that while there are a few genuinely knowledgeable and balanced fans, the majority of us are pretty uninformed really, and clubs would be ill advised to follow policies on the basis of keeping fans happy. The situation at Wolves being a case in point.
Its amazing how a good run of results and seeing a liitle fight in our team means that we are miles away in terms of our feelings/opinions than we were 1 month ago.
Putting the laughter back into manslaughter
This x 2.
I had previously said that I wanted him to go because he is not getting the extra couple of players needed to make the difference. Otherwise, I was comfortable with things - Arteta, Merts helping to boost the team showed promise - but the fact that RvP still seemed to have no help in that no other strikers were scoring and there was no apparent attempt to buy a reliable goalscorer in the January window was the last straw for me at the time.
However, if this team finally does make an effort, if we do by Podolski at the start of the window and clear out some of the remaining crap - Chamakh, Bendtner, Arseshavings to name but 3 - and get a couple more seasoned players, then I think I am comfortable with Wenger staying on. It would show that while we are still wanting to bring in academy players - nothing wrong with that - we are still buying what we need to keep a PL title-challenging side. It does not take much to make the difference. If Podolski comes and scores half of what RvP does, then we are in great shape.
I guess it also helps that it looks as if we are in with a decent chance of pissing off spuds who thought it was their year to piss over us. Nicking 3rd from them and they being the ones who choke in the final 3rd of the season would be more than pleasant to see.
I think his fate hangs in where the team finishes at the end of the season - outside a CL spot, he should definitely go (what's next, staving off relegation). He will not be out of the woods at that point either as his next test will be his actions in the transfer market. If he continues his mad and insulting drivel about a lack of quality players available and then goes about some last minute mediocre signings, then it's by by Arsene.
i dont want him to go now because this team i believe in. he has turned it around, we used to laugh at his mental strength comments yet in the last four games he showed it was true. this team could do something special next season, keep it together with right signings and there could be at least a cup and a possible title challenge. this team has something special about it. one more season with the right summer and we'll see
We'll see what? Next year this, next year that, maybe with a signing or 2. It's all been said before.
The problem we have is that most fans despite their frustrations will always stop short of saying they want him gone by creating another "they have potential" perception for the team. Wenger is inherently a part of this club now and that is why he'll never be sacked and why the clamour for him to go will never be strong enough.
He's here for life he wants it.
Last edited by Marc Overmars; 13-03-2012 at 01:30 PM.
He is the man who killed Jack Wilshere. I don't think I'll be able to forgive him for that. I don't think I'll love again tbh. I do actually think there is something different about this group of players. Before we had the quality but lacked the mentality. This season it seems to be the reverse. But Wenger hasn't shown signs of being able to push on from a promising foundation. 07/08, 09/10 were both promising seasons but instead of building on it the next season is worse. He should have run out of chances last summer but here he is making us believe once more. But yeah, he fucked over Wilskins so he can go and bring in anyone who doesn't think it's normal to be topping the injury list table.
I don't doubt the fighting spirit they've shown in recent weeks, it's been great to see. It can't be ignored though that we were pathetic in Milan and powderpuff against Sunderland, where was the fight then? I think I've been duped enough times in recent years by what's gone on, I'm just a little skeptical now about anything this team is proclaimed to be.