Arsenal vs Man city Sunday 8th April 16:00

[fakeyank]

To be fair I don't think Wenger is a great tactician or a great motivator. To win trophies he's always needed a strong captain to provide the latter. I think we may have that now (if he stays) and as for great players...well, maybe not like at our best under Wenger but we do look to have the makings of a pretty decent side now. Need a few reinforcements but I don't think we're that far away.
Wenger has failed in some ways in the last 6 years but in other ways he's done well given the amount spent. You really shouldn't underestimate how hard it is to keep a side in the top 4 every single season. No-one bar Fergie has done it, it really isn't that easy. Given that he's done that we should have won some trophies along the way, that is where he has failed. The question for me is whether we're going in the right direction and I'm more hopeful for next season. Right now I am and IMO changing manager would be a far bigger disruption than it's worth, other clubs at our level have changed manager after a few trophyless seasons and it rarely improves things - sometimes temporarily in the honeymoon period but longer term it doesn't tend to.

What gives you more hope about next season than about previous seasons? Myself along with other users have seen this over the years and frankly speaking, I just do not understand what is different this season that hasnt happened before?

- We go on unbeaten runs and make the supporters think we have turned the corner... check
- We look like we are just a couple of re-enforcements short of challenging again.. check
- We look to be doing our transfers done early in a season, doesnt ever happen.. check
- We look to finally have a good captain.. only for him to jump ship either the following summer or the next.. check

[Letters]

What gives you more hope about next season than about previous seasons?

A strong captain (if he leaves we're screwed of course but I don't think he will)

More mental strength (winning 4 games in a row when we were behind, bouncing back from the QPR loss to beat City, winning games when other teams have slipped up to take advantage)

A real team spirit which hasn't been there in the past few years and players who have far more of a connection with the fans and seem to really care about the club (RvP, Ox, Ches, Jack if he's still alive)

Far stronger rumours about early signings than other seasons. The Podolski signing looks to be a done deal.

If you can't see that this looks different to other seasons then you've not been watching recently. It's not just me that feels this way.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

What gives you more hope about next season than about previous seasons? Myself along with other users have seen this over the years and frankly speaking, I just do not understand what is different this season that hasnt happened before?

- We go on unbeaten runs and make the supporters think we have turned the corner... check
- We look like we are just a couple of re-enforcements short of challenging again.. check
- We look to be doing our transfers done early in a season, doesnt ever happen.. check
- We look to finally have a good captain.. only for him to jump ship either the following summer or the next.. check

Oh come on FY even you have to admit, there is a diffrence between this season ending at last.


Last year u felt horrible going into the summer, with Cesc and Nasri both leaving, the sqaud bottled the season and thats the truth, looked like we do even worse this season. Just seemed the club did not know where it was going

Like letters says the mental strength seems to have improved better then last season, we seem not have any drama's of players leaving in the summer.


I feel the club, manager, know what needs to be done and hopfully will do it. we don't have a Cesc saga to stop us strenhening etc.

With the news were are doing our business early seems exciting. Things can only get better after all.

[Letters]

If you've been to any games recently you'll know what I'm talking about.
There is a different feeling right now. More of a connection between fans and players (something sadly lacking of late).
That doesn't mean that the outcome next season will be different of course but the feeling right now is, you can feel it on match day.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

A strong captain (if he leaves we're screwed of course but I don't think he will)

More mental strength (winning 4 games in a row when we were behind, bouncing back from the QPR loss to beat City, winning games when other teams have slipped up to take advantage)

A real team spirit which hasn't been there in the past few years and players who have far more of a connection with the fans and seem to really care about the club (RvP, Ox, Ches, Jack if he's still alive)

Far stronger rumours about early signings than other seasons. The Podolski signing looks to be a done deal.

If you can't see that this looks different to other seasons then you've not been watching recently. It's not just me that feels this way.

People are so used to living in the past they don't want to give the future a chance.

If as a fan you can't get excited about a new season then i just don't know.

[fakeyank]

A strong captain (if he leaves we're screwed of course but I don't think he will)

More mental strength (winning 4 games in a row when we were behind, bouncing back from the QPR loss to beat City, winning games when other teams have slipped up to take advantage)

A real team spirit which hasn't been there in the past few years and players who have far more of a connection with the fans and seem to really care about the club (RvP, Ox, Ches, Jack if he's still alive)

Far stronger rumours about early signings than other seasons. The Podolski signing looks to be a done deal.

If you can't see that this looks different to other seasons then you've not been watching recently. It's not just me that feels this way.

A lot of people thought the same about Cesc. He looked like a great captain but on hindsight, he looks to be just about average.

We have gone on unbeaten runs in the last 6 seasons without fail. In 07/08, we were unbeaten till about Jan/Feb I think, in 08/09 we went 16-17 games unbeaten, 09/10 we had a great run after the Chelsea defeat at Emirates (my first game at Emirates) till we decided to fold and die towards March (remember the loss to Wigan after leading 2-0 till 85 min?) then last season we were in 4 trophies till Feb.. what happened afterwards? I just do not see a different pattern this season to think it will be different.

As for team spirit- remember 07/08 when we thought that team looked awesome- Flamini, Cesc, Hleb, Rosicky, Ade looking unbeatable. How about the season before last when Ramsey's leg was snapped.. we thought after that game at Stoke, we'd take it to the next level. Remember 'Let's do it for Rambo'? I see no difference in this team spirit mentality bollocks of this season. I hope I am wrong but history tells me otherwise!

Podolski has been signed, so was Nasri and Chamakh a few seasons back. What was ignored was the need for re-enforcement's in defense and up front.

As for your last statement, No, I cannot see the difference unfortunately. Once again, I re-iterate, I hope I am wrong. I have said this for the last 3-4 seasons but unfortunately I get proven right!

[fakeyank]

Oh come on FY even you have to admit, there is a diffrence between this season ending at last.


Last year u felt horrible going into the summer, with Cesc and Nasri both leaving, the sqaud bottled the season and thats the truth, looked like we do even worse this season. Just seemed the club did not know where it was going

Like letters says the mental strength seems to have improved better then last season, we seem not have any drama's of players leaving in the summer.


I feel the club, manager, know what needs to be done and hopfully will do it. we don't have a Cesc saga to stop us strenhening etc.

With the news were are doing our business early seems exciting. Things can only get better after all.

What makes you think we wont have the same saga for RVP? He hasnt signed a deal yet and the longer it goes, the more rich boys will come sniffing!

[Olivier's xmas twist]

What makes you think we wont have the same saga for RVP? He hasnt signed a deal yet and the longer it goes, the more rich boys will come sniffing!

In Honesty he seems to love this club, The Cesc thing went on for about a few years and he was only going to Barce which messed us up.

RVP has no ties so even if he did go it would be quicker and for a decnt fee.

even if he goes we have podolski coming in which is a quality replacement.

I just think compared to last season it seems diffrent. Me personally was miserable going into last summer just did not know what was going to happen or where the club was going.

now it seems with investment in the team and the core players we have next season could be a top 1.

[Letters]

A lot of people thought the same about Cesc.

No they didn't. A captain that spends all their time making eyes at another club isn't a great one. I do think he did his best for us while he was with us but he clearly had one eye elsewhere all the time. I don't think anyone thought he was a great captain. He did OK but there were depressingly few other options. There was an article earlier in the season when we started to get it together citing RvP as one of the reasons, organising days out and helping the players build some team spirit. Also I think we have other strong characters in the squad like Ches, Jack and the Verminator. I hear the last of those cocked up at QPR but he ran 80 yards in the 95th minute to put the ball in the net vs Newcastle so you have to give him some credit there.

You don't see the difference partly because you take such a black and white view on things (Mourinho is a GENIUS with no faults, Wenger is an IDIOT with no redeeming features - I may be somewhat exaggerating your stance but that's how it comes across), and partly because you don't go to games. If you did you'd feel the difference, especially the connection between the players and between the players and fans. That's something you don't see on TV.

I hope you're wrong too and I hope I'm right. I am the eternal optimist and I do maybe take a too rosy view of things but I see us heading in the right direction and I hope it continues as I'm sure you do. Wenger has his faults as do all managers but he deserves some credit after the mess in last summer (I've no idea whose fault that was, Wenger is not blameless but I don't think he should get all the blame) and getting the team playing again. Who'd have thought we'd be top 3 right now? Not me. To deny him any credit for that is massively unfair. Will we push on from here? We'll see. I'm sure you hope we do as much as me.

[Marc Overmars]

I am the eternal optimist .

No you're not.