Ahhh hah, the Board ****s. Now we're getting to the crux of the matter.Quote:
Originally Posted by Arse n Wonga
These are the fuckers that set the manager his targets.
Printable View
Ahhh hah, the Board ****s. Now we're getting to the crux of the matter.Quote:
Originally Posted by Arse n Wonga
These are the fuckers that set the manager his targets.
The Board are a problem but the targets they set shouldn't limit Wenger. I'm sure the Board at Unite don't have to tell Fergie that he should be aiming for more CL cups and Prem titles.Quote:
Originally Posted by BoringBoringArsenal
Where is Wenger's sporting ambition? You see it with other managers and even in other sports where they won't settle for second best. Just look at that bastard Vettel as an example.
Vettel is a legend tbh
Did the right thing
I don't think he does settle for second best.Quote:
Originally Posted by Power_n_Glory
I think he wants to be the best, but for some reason known only to himself, he is trying to be the best with second best rated players.
I agree to an extent and he’s going to have to be honest with himself. Most people want to be the best at what they do but can hide behind reasons or make excuses for themselves if they’re not. I just think he hasn’t got it any more. If he still had the edge we’d have at least won some domestic trophies.Quote:
Originally Posted by GB.
Aye. It's complete balls to suggest that someone who has achieved all Wenger has is now suddenly not bothered about success.Quote:
Originally Posted by GB.
Whether he's too principled or just unable to compete with all the money being thrown around, who knows. Maybe little bit both.
He's obviously bothered.
The board seem content to settle for perennial top 4 finishes though, if they weren't Wenger would have been sacked long ago.
Agreed, but if your bosses are happy with your output, and pat you on the back at the end of every profit making financial year, then who the hell can tell you that what you are doing isn't great? You have to remember who Wenger is really answerable to at the end of the day.
I honestly believe that he's given a tight budget to work with, and said budget only comes after major asset stripping. It has always been the Arsenal way. Even in our most successful era, this was how it was. An example is the sale of Anelka and the subsequent purchase of Henry. Now that worked well and we all hailed Wenger as a genius. Thing is, inevitably, others soon caught on and found ways to better what we were doing, especially when the arrogance and complacency started to seep in - a bit similar to the smartphone industry a la Blackberry and Apple/Android situation.
As for SAF, he really has no alternative but to reap on field success, because as heavily indebted as the mancs are, he's still given funds to work with in the transfer market without having to 1st strip down his team. The manc **** Board ensure that money is invested in the squad for the purpose of strengthening.
Anelka wanted to leave (we didn't want to sell him), he made a big fuss (him and his brother) to force a move and we were left with little choice, especially when Madrid offered big money as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by BoringBoringArsenal
That a bit beside the point. What I'm trying to say is we made bank off him, bought Henry for peanuts and went on to achieve greatness.Quote:
Originally Posted by Arse n Wonga
We are stil trying to replicate these type of dealings and fortune to this very day.
He'd like to win in an ideal world but it's not the be all and end all, just listen to him talking about 4th place and his lack of emphasis on the cups.Quote:
Originally Posted by Letters
In the old days he use to talk about competing for 4 trophies (when there were more games), now he just talks about 2 and watches his side fail every season without ever really addressing the problems.
A man really that concerned about winning wouldn't be telling us he's doing a good job getting 4th when he's won nothing since 2005.
Our board are certainly not blameless. At best they've sat back and been far too content to watch the money keep rolling in. At worst they've asset stripped and made Wenger's job impossible. I think Wenger has been too principled though, in an era of clubs spending £20m on mediocre players he's refused to play that game. Admirable up to a point but you have to mix it with a bit of pragmatism. He's clearly not the bumbling idiot ™ make out, even this season it's looking like we might scrape a top 4 finish, you don't do that every single year without having some nous, but we wouldn't have had to break the bank to be properly competitive.Quote:
Originally Posted by BoringBoringArsenal
I don't disagree, but that's not all driven by the board, Wenger endorses by going for players who aren't really on the radar (we could spend that money on players who are more high profile if we chose to) and has often said signings are not always the answer.Quote:
Originally Posted by BoringBoringArsenal
The policy very much suits his philosophy, we've heard him complain about the money in the game many times.
Unfortunately in an era when football is a business and 4th place delivers such high financial rewards (we both agree it shouldn't, but it does), 4th place is unfortunately a high priority, not just for us. And when we don't have the infinite money cheat turned on like some clubs we are somewhat constrained in trying to compete. But I agree Wenger has focussed too much on perennial top 4 finishes and not invested where and when he should have.Quote:
Originally Posted by Arse n Wonga
We just have to accept that Wenger has lost his touch.
No.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cripps
I think it's a bit more complicated than that but he seems unable or unwilling to compete in the era of billionaires and now the methods he brought in are now widely adopted and no longer give us an edge.Quote:
Originally Posted by Power_n_Glory
You finished 4 points off the title that year. You won every league game after the Arsenal game. Even if you'd beaten us you'd have still finished 2 points behind.Quote:
Originally Posted by Suarez Is Boss
So Cripps' colleague's theory makes no sense at all.
Well we didn't win the league thanks to too many stupid draws against crap teams; Hull, Stoke, Wigan et al, United had that stupid run of 10 games without conceding and because we bought Robbie fucking Keane instead of a footballer. Not because of "Rafa's rant" (our results were actually better after it) or a one off performance by a random Meerkat. And in any case, United were always a game or two in hand and nearly always ahead of us anyway, so we were relying on them tripping up.Quote:
Originally Posted by Letters
And then it all turned to shit.
If he’s unable or unwilling to compete, wouldn’t that suggest he’s either lost his edge or settled?Quote:
Originally Posted by Letters
Aye, there was a run in the middle of the season when you drew 8 out of 14. Not good enough. That's what killed you.
You won 10 and drew 1 (the 4-4) of the last 11 games so you did your bit but Utd were always ahead and didn't trip up.
Yes it would.Quote:
Originally Posted by Power_n_Glory
Yeah, we had a brilliant first third to the season, mediocre second and a brilliant final 3rd.Quote:
Originally Posted by Letters
Oh well. I'm off to sit in the corner of the room and cry.
What happened to go that close to the title to the total crap we have seen the following years?Quote:
Originally Posted by Suarez Is Boss
We sold Alonso and Rafa dispensed with his marbles.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cripps
Actually that should be the other way around.
At least your glory years DVDs are in colourQuote:
Originally Posted by Suarez Is Boss
Spurs :pal: