Wenger Staying?

[Letters]

What do we have to do for you to be OK with Wenger staying? Would an FA Cup win and breaking the no trophy hoo-doo be enough? Do we need to finish 4th? Or is there nothing he can do now after another league collapse and you want him gone regardless.

[Munchies]

FA Cup and finishing 4th.

Anything other than that, and he has to go

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

I think 4th and FA Cup will probably be what's required for him to stay, and again i don't mean otherwise the board will sack him because i think we could lose every game between now and the end of the season and the board won't sack him. But i think he will walk away if he doesn't achieve both aims, and he will sign a two year extension if he does.
To be honest i have reached the point where i think he is long past his sell by date in terms of acheiving anything really big with the club, i don't want him to be pushed out by the kind of fans who can't seem to mention wenger without invoking the C Bomb but i'd hope he swallows his pride and decides it's not working for him anymore. Whilst a younger man could change his approach a man of 64 years is probably a bit too entrenched in his own way of thinking to do so.

[selassie]

I want him gone regardless. I would like him to go out on a high after achieving CL football and a FA Cup win, he deserves it for the work he has done at the club, he will always be a legend.

I just feel he is definitely not the right man to take us forward and there are way too many question marks over him these days, I don't trust him to have a successful transfer window, I don't trust him tactically. I just think when it comes to being a pure coach Arsene is found wanting these days...he's not bad, in fact he's very good at achieving the top 4 spot, but what we need now is someone to come in who is more pragmatic, someone who will make heads roll, we don't need a coach "babysitting" the players, we need someone to come in and demand results and performances, someone who is not afraid to spend.

[Bumble]

it is time for arsenal to move on to a new manager, it had to happen sometime but it would be good to finish 4th and the FA Cup at least Wenger can go head held high. The board wont sack him, so it will be totally down to Wenger if he stays or not which is not really the way it should work as no one is bigger than Arsenal but sometimes it does appear that Wenger is treated that way.

[Letters]

FA Cup and finishing 4th.

Anything other than that, and he has to go
That's the way I voted but I do understand the view that after another collapse we should move on regardless of how we do.
I have a lingering hope that an FA Cup win could be a springboard for further success, particularly as we should have the money to compete better now.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

I want him gone regardless. I would like him to go out on a high after achieving CL football and a FA Cup win, he deserves it for the work he has done at the club, he will always be a legend.

I just feel he is definitely not the right man to take us forward and there are way too many question marks over him these days, I don't trust him to have a successful transfer window, I don't trust him tactically. I just think when it comes to being a pure coach Arsene is found wanting these days...he's not bad, in fact he's very good at achieving the top 4 spot, but what we need now is someone to come in who is more pragmatic, someone who will make heads roll, we don't need a coach "babysitting" the players, we need someone to come in and demand results and performances, someone who is not afraid to spend.

I'm still not 100% convinced of our spending ability, but i pretty much agree with almost everything you say

[Marc Overmars]

Personally I think it's time for a change regardless. I might have given him the benefit of the doubt had we remained in the title race but to go from where to were to now worrying about finishing 4th is a poor show. For his sake I hope he wins the cup because he deserves it, but I really think he's yesterday's man and fallen well behind the times now.

Win the cup and go out on a high is what I'd like to see. Or if he's going to stay for another 2 years, I hope we use those 2 years wisely and prepare for life without him and sound out his successor.

[Özim]

I want him gone now to be honest, he's never going to change and adapt and therefore we'll never really be able to compete with him in charge (and I'm not talking coming 4th).

He's had plenty of time to get it right his way and he's not managed it but he's so stubborn he won't change.

It's game over for Wenger for me.

[Munchies]

I want him gone now to be honest, he's never going to change and adapt and therefore we'll never really be able to compete with him in charge (and I'm not talking coming 4th).

He's had plenty of time to get it right his way and he's not managed it but he's so stubborn he won't change.

It's game over for Wenger for me.

It's always the same shit, different year which irritates me the most about him.

If you go on the old GW board, you'll see the same topics being made countless number of times.

Enough really is enough. Tactically he's shot, and the team looks awful in attack. When we got thrashed by Liverpool/Chelsea it was literally the same display. Maureen destroyed him in his 1000th game :lol:

[Özim]

It's always the same shit, different year which irritates me the most about him.

If you go on the old GW board, you'll see the same topics being made countless number of times.

Enough really is enough. Tactically he's shot, and the team looks awful in attack. When we got thrashed by Liverpool/Chelsea it was literally the same display. Maureen destroyed him in his 1000th game :lol:

Yeah exactly and same with me, it's annoying he refuses to learn and change things, it's all so predictable it take a lot of the enjoyment out.

If he'd tried different things and failed I'd have more sympathy, but he's stuck to the same formula which just hasn't worked and yet he continues to persist with it.

The 1000th game thing was embarrassing frankly, this would have been the perfect game to prove a point, instead we get stuffed in humiliating fashion, says it all for me, even the players dont believe and don't play for him and if you're players don't believe you're on a hiding to nowhere.

[AFC Leveller]

For me, he is finished as a great manager and needs to go but because of what he's done from 97 to 2005, he deserves to go out on a high and 4th and FA cup would be decent going. As wel as that the new manager will have a great club on his hands with plenty of good players, great stadium and so much potential.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

I hope he moves upstairs and takes a director role at the club.

Despite his faults, there's no question about his loyalty to the club or his intelligence and his strengths of implementing a grand strategic vision for the club and helping to develop players. He can still play a valuable role at the club and I think it's imperative we don't throw the baby out with the bathwater in a hasty attempt to cut ties. He's still a much admired man and I would be incredibly sad to see him leave the club fully.

I know people will point to the current situation with Ferguson and Moyes, but just because it's (so far) not working for them doesn't mean the same setup couldn't work for us with the right tweaks.

[fakeyank]

If we finish 4th and win the FA Cup, I will still want him gone but I can see reason why some people might want him to stay. I can muster up enough courage to give him one more season to fix things.

When I say things, I mean our football. I want pace back in the team. I want our players to give a fuck the moment they step on the field, not only one half of the game. I want to see a winning mentality. I want passion among every person wearing that shirt. I want some tactics in the game, not the one tactic piss we have all game.

Do I see Wenger doing any of the above? No, so IMO he has to go regardless. If you see, I dont mention money anywhere. I dont give a toss about money spent. I want to see people wearing the shirt show some passion and I cant see it happening with Wenger around.

[AFC Leveller]

If we finish 4th and win the FA Cup, I will still want him gone but I can see reason why some people might want him to stay. I can muster up enough courage to give him one more season to fix things.

When I say things, I mean our football. I want pace back in the team. I want our players to give a fuck the moment they step on the field, not only one half of the game. I want to see a winning mentality. I want passion among every person wearing that shirt. I want some tactics in the game, not the one tactic piss we have all game.

Do I see Wenger doing any of the above? No, so IMO he has to go regardless. If you see, I dont mention money anywhere. I dont give a toss about money spent. I want to see people wearing the shirt show some passion and I cant see it happening with Wenger around.

Yes to all of that, esp the bit about pace in the side and playing the full 90. I fucking hate our slow approach.

[Özim]

Yes to all of that, esp the bit about pace in the side and playing the full 90. I fucking hate our slow approach.

Me too it's so boring, occasionally we play with a bit more pace (Spurs in the cup for example) and it's night and day in terms or excitement and enjoyment

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

I hope he moves upstairs and takes a director role at the club.

Despite his faults, there's no question about his loyalty to the club or his intelligence and his strengths of implementing a grand strategic vision for the club and helping to develop players. He can still play a valuable role at the club and I think it's imperative we don't throw the baby out with the bathwater in a hasty attempt to cut ties. He's still a much admired man and I would be incredibly sad to see him leave the club fully.

I know people will point to the current situation with Ferguson and Moyes, but just because it's (so far) not working for them doesn't mean the same setup couldn't work for us with the right tweaks.

Agreed and furthermore you can't really compare the Ferguson-Moyes situation, firstly Ferguson left because he wanted to get out whilst the going was good which is something rarely afforded to people in this modern game. Also Ferguson knew he had wasted a lot of money on sub par players, and whilst Wenger has in terms of wages...he would leave our squad in a lot better shape than Ferguson left his.
All we would need is someone ruthless enough to dispose of Park, Diaby, Arteta and other wastrels and bring in the type of player that Wenger might turn his nose up at to add to what is on the whole a very decent nucleus.
I still think Podolski and Giroud both have something important to contribute as long as there is a third top class striker brought in to play with them.

[BlindFaith_8]

Even if we win the FA Cup and get 4th place I still dont want him to sign the new contract. The FA Cup is devalued anyway and Wigan won it last year and then got relegated. As for the 4th place cup, I am sick of hearing his ambition and need to qualify for 4th place, we are Arsenal FC for fucks sakes. Have you ever heard the manager in any interviews state that Arsenal FC should always be looking to win the championship, anything less is an unsuccesful season. We are now becoming Tottenham with the only amition of playing CL football by finishing 4th place. This is wrong 100%. We are Arsenal FC and top 2 should be the bare minimum. I mean everytime we enter the CL we always get knocked out at the last 16 stage, so this is only for monetary reasons not to atract quality players. We can become domimant and succesful domestically and in Europe, but we need a change of direction by having a young manager who is ambitious and who can move us forward. Lets put this 4th place bollox in the trash and this baton to Spurs because thats their goal. Sorry but I have seen enough dross for the past few years to say enough is enough. We have been deceieved with this bollox of Chelsea and Many City buying the league, so how come Dortmund won back to league titels with Klopp, how come Atletico Madrid are head of Barca and Real Madrid and oncourse for the La Liga title?? Its because they have fucking brilliant managers and we have a fucking dinoasaur whose methods are so backwards and late 90's and early 2000, but football has moved on and no longer can Wenger motivate or implement tactics and setup a team not to lose by more than 2 goals. We are the whipping boys of the league and the nearly men. I have been wounded up too many times on a Monday morning at work after a thrashing and I cant take this crap anymore. We will have the same ole season every season and the odd few thrashings to go along if Wenger stays.

[Power n Glory]

Agreed and furthermore you can't really compare the Ferguson-Moyes situation, firstly Ferguson left because he wanted to get out whilst the going was good which is something rarely afforded to people in this modern game. Also Ferguson knew he had wasted a lot of money on sub par players, and whilst Wenger has in terms of wages...he would leave our squad in a lot better shape than Ferguson left his.
All we would need is someone ruthless enough to dispose of Park, Diaby, Arteta and other wastrels and bring in the type of player that Wenger might turn his nose up at to add to what is on the whole a very decent nucleus.
I still think Podolski and Giroud both have something important to contribute as long as there is a third top class striker brought in to play with them.

You really think that Fergie left Moyes a poor squad and worse shape than Wenger would leave ours? I disagree with that.

[I am invisible]

I still have a lot of time and respect for Wenger, but I do kind of feel that it's the right time for a change, regardless of how we finish the season? Even if he'd won everything in sight for the past 9 seasons, it still wouldn't change the fact that he's going to be 65 in October, and fast approaching the end of his career - would we really be doing anything more than delaying the inevitable by keeping him on for another year or two?

The way I see it, there's some great candidates out there right now to be his long-term successor, and the club is in an almost perfect place for someone new to takeover: we have the basis of good team in place, but not a complete team, so there's plenty of room for someone new to add their own finishing touches; there's world-class facilities, but scope for an overhaul of personnel in any number of areas (coaching, fitness, analytics, etc); the massive cash reserves we have are still unspent, and ready to give someone new a massive instant boost; we have a patient and supporting board and owner, who see the value in long-term strategies; and there's no impossible act to follow right now - if anything, things are set up nicely for the new guy to walk in and be the instant hero! If we're going to do it, then this feels like as good a time as any...

[Munchies]

Arsene Wenger hints at Arsenal stay.. but admits it could be ''painful'' season without Champions League


Arsene Wenger dropped another big hint he is staying at Arsenal by revealing he is planning for next season.

But Wenger admitted it will be “painful” if they do not reach the Champions League as he claims it is vital for Arsenal to be on Europe’s biggest stage.

We do make plans for next season, we are really focused and working very hard,” said Wenger. “Every day we spend time on that.

“It’s vital to me to make the top four. I want this club to play in the Champions League.

“What will be an advantage is our desire to play in this competition because we love the Champions League and just to imagine how much we love it will help us to achieve it. I would like them rather to concentrate on the pleasure to be in it rather than the pain of not being in it.

“It is vital for the young players as well. You learn more by playing against Bayern or Barcelona or Real Madrid than if you play in the Europa League, that is for sure.

“You don’t go backwards, but you want to play with the top teams.

“On the other hand for many years I had to convince you it was important we were in the top four.

“Now it is in a reverse *position, you say to me, ‘you realise how important it is for us’.” If Arsenal fans have taken the Champions League for granted in the past few years and ridiculed Wenger for wanting a trophy for finishing in the top four, then these next few games will provide a timely reminder of its importance.

Wenger, who defended the club’s lengthy injury list, said: “You are limited to 25 players.

“It’s difficult to predict you will have Ozil, Walcott, Wilshere out at the same time and Ramsey, Wilshere, Ozil and Walcott out. It’s too many.

“Fatigue is an issue but it’s difficult to predict how you will be three days later after an FA Cup semi-final.

“The mental part is so *important in the *physical recovery. The fact we come out in a positive mood will help us to recover. I believe physically we can cope with it.”

[Heisenberg]

I love Wenger. I love what he's done for this club. But this season has become pretty hard to take because it has turned out to be more of the same. Early on it looked like a fresh start because we were getting the wins, but we've just collapsed again. Really, what's the difference between this and the last few years? Those seasons we've put together great runs at the business end but been undone because we started so slowly. This time we started well and didn't keep it up (like 2007/08). Even if we win the FA cup, it's hard to take being in the scrap for fourth yet again, regardless of whether we get 4th or 5th.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

I love Wenger. I love what he's done for this club. But this season has become pretty hard to take because it has turned out to be more of the same. Early on it looked like a fresh start because we were getting the wins, but we've just collapsed again. Really, what's the difference between this and the last few years? Those seasons we've put together great runs at the business end but been undone because we started so slowly. This time we started well and didn't keep it up (like 2007/08). Even if we win the FA cup, it's hard to take being in the scrap for fourth yet again, regardless of whether we get 4th or 5th.

Where's my crystal meth you?

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Arsene Wenger hints at Arsenal stay.. but admits it could be ''painful'' season without Champions League

To be fair whilst a contract has not been signed, anything he says in this regard should not be taken as a firm statement of his intentions, the media like to read between the lines but i think the truth is (and again this is only specculating on my part) that even Arsene Wenger doesn't know what he is going to do yet. I think whatever happens between now and the end of the season, i don't expect any decision to be forthcoming.....even if we finish 4th and win the fa cup i don't think he is going to put pen to paper straight away.

[Niall_Quinn]

No option for him to stay regardless - framed poll again.

[KSE Comedy Club]

I really want him to win the FA cup, try for 4th....and then leave.

Don't have any hatred for the guy, but his time is up. I really cannot stand watching he same season for another 2 years after the last 10, it's just too draining and frustrating.

At least if he wins the cup he can leave on a high, and we can start afresh with someone new in the summer.

The team need some silverware, but ultimately they also need a new direction and a fresh approach.

I don't even care if were in Europa next season, I actually think it will be a benefit to make them work harder in the long run.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

No option for him to stay regardless - framed poll again.

Do you want him to stay if we finish 5th and without a trophy?

If so than perhaps a new poll can be created, but i would guess it wouldn't be a choice many people would click on. Bit like having an assisted suicide App on your Iphone

[IBK]

I voted 4th plus Cup, but it was a close call, as I have lost any real belief that he can take this club forward. I suppose my main problem is that I don't think the board have any proper plan for life after Wenger, and if he reaches this bare minimum, would prefer a well managed transition. Wenger has so much power over so many aspects of this club that the fall put from his departure concerns me.

[IBK]

To be fair whilst a contract has not been signed, anything he says in this regard should not be taken as a firm statement of his intentions, the media like to read between the lines but i think the truth is (and again this is only specculating on my part) that even Arsene Wenger doesn't know what he is going to do yet. I think whatever happens between now and the end of the season, i don't expect any decision to be forthcoming.....even if we finish 4th and win the fa cup i don't think he is going to put pen to paper straight away.

We all know that the decision to stay or go will only be Wenger's, however we finish the season. Not a healthy place for a football club to be. TBH.

[gunnerrrrr]

Hope he goes...or swallows his ego, loses his arrogance and accepts he needs help.

[Letters]

No option for him to stay regardless - framed poll again.

Not framed but I didn't think anyone would be of that opinion.
In the other poll there was no point in putting a 'both' option because there is no reason not to pick that, in this case I didn't put 'neither' for the opposite reason.

In brief: Ahhhh, shadduppaya face :tiphat:

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

I voted 4th plus Cup, but it was a close call, as I have lost any real belief that he can take this club forward. I suppose my main problem is that I don't think the board have any proper plan for life after Wenger, and if he reaches this bare minimum, would prefer a well managed transition. Wenger has so much power over so many aspects of this club that the fall put from his departure concerns me.

I'm not sure about that to be honest, i bet you find if Wenger goes that they probably will have measures in place to quickly bring in a replacement.
We can accuse the club of moving slowly in the transfer window, but i think that's more likely the manager prevaricating than anything else.

[selassie]

I'm still not 100% convinced of our spending ability, but i pretty much agree with almost everything you say

Maybe I didn't explain myself properly but when I mean spend, I am being quite broad. I mean, buying the sufficient quality in the areas of weakness in the squad, adding quality backup, that kind of thing really.

Wenger still comes across as too much of a opportunist to me. Take the summer for example, he was after a quality defensive minded midfielder, put in bids for Bender and Gustavo yet we end up with Flamini. I don't mind Flamini, I think he has done OK...but Wenger compromised cost over quality there. He does that a lot IMHO.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

interesting that we are being linked with Luis Gustavo again.

I don't think you can link flamini in with luis gustavo, flamini only came in because arteta was injured otherwise we would have signed no-one and that's even more scary.