wenger and the media

[Olivier's xmas twist]

I have little sympathy for Wenger.

He has presided over an era of unprecedented spin and bullshit from AFC, and increasingly, every time he takes decisions that fly in the face either of common sense, or the club's statements, all we are fed is more bullshit.

I have been thinking about why it feels so bad to be an Arsenal fan, and for me it comes down to the utter lack of transparency and respect shown by the club to its fans.

Should Gooners be happy at seeing:

- The captain of their club/best players sold almost every year
- Perserverence with and big wages spent on with players whom logic dictates are either never going to be good enough or are never going to be fit
- The highest ticket prices in Europe
- An increasingly bland and unsuccessful (relative to our recent past) style of football
- Bizzare decisions taken on the pitch that almost always backfire?

Each of the above on their own might be explainable. The problem is that they are never explained. Never commented on. We are just fed more and more bullshit -and make no mistake - this is a Wenger trait as much as it is an American one.

I am not saying that any club is a paragon of fan worship - but I can only think of one or two clubs that have shown as much disdain for fans as Arsenal, and those - Mike Ashley's Newcastle and Abramovich's Chelsea at least have (relative) recent success to sweeten the medicine.

For me - Wenger's response to what was admittedly an impudent question on Saturday summed up how he thinks. However the question was phrased, would it have been to much to at least offer some explanation for his decision to bring on Coquelin. Instead he bridled at the suggestion that the move had been bizzare. And that for me is in part why we Gooners feel so frustrated,.

Its fine to be arrogant and distant when things are going well. When they are not - it looks like contempt. Our club professes to have only the best interests of the club at heart. Bullshit. Any football club is the fans - and we are made to feel like we are a mere commodity while everyone - from owner to board to manager pursue their own agendas with no regard whatsoever to the likes of us.

Would the observer feel so sorry for the old lion if it had just sauntered over, mauled your dog and then pissed on your shoes? Probably not.

Angry IBK scares me.

Couldn't give two fucks about how the media treat Wenger, tbh.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

football isnt that simple. its not black and white. we willingly hand over our money because we support arsenal fc not wenger fc. football is in this unprecedented position where it can mug you because of the unconditional love born at childhood. but that doesnt mean we cant complain. in fact, if we're going to be that pedantic, then those that go games have more right to complain seeing as our money is used inefficiently.

Well they are the only fans the board/manager take seriously. They bring in the money. Think what NQ was getting at was if your not happy then why pay. This has been happening for a few seasons now, people moan about this but still pay to go to games.

Maybe if the fans did boycott a better message would be sent to the Board/Manager. I don't plan on watching the boys, well pay to watch them till this shite is sorted out, i won't let myself get mugged off then complain about it.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

i pay because i love the club, not the board or the manager. and i have boycotted home games, not stepping foot into that shower of shit until professor nutcase has left. ill keep going away games because i think the boys deserve support when stepping into another mans territory but even that is fading. and anyway, isnt it dangerous to set your precedent the way you have? are you characterising those who should go to games as those who support wenger, and that everyone else shouldnt? doesnt that make it wenger fc, not arsenal fc?

[Niall_Quinn]

football isnt that simple. its not black and white. we willingly hand over our money because we support arsenal fc not wenger fc. football is in this unprecedented position where it can mug you because of the unconditional love born at childhood. but that doesnt mean we cant complain. in fact, if we're going to be that pedantic, then those that go games have more right to complain seeing as our money is used inefficiently.

I'm not saying you can't complain, I complain enough myself. As fans of course we have the right to complain. All I asked was how are you being robbed? It sounds like you are really saying you are robbed of the club you would like to see and robbed of your expectations, not robbed financially. I'd agree with that, I hate the bastards that have come in to scalp the club. I won't buy a ticket or a shirt until they are gone and I prefer to steal coverage off the Internet when I can. So I suppose if anyone is robbing anyone financially it is me robbing them. I can live with it.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

robbed financially, robbed of expectation, robbed of winning trophies, robbed of atmosphere at emirates, robbed of being robbed.

i feel like a homeless man sitting on the street corner.

any change, kind sir?

[Injury Time]

his name rhymed with *******, he was always fucked tbh. He's never really helped himself and lets face it he doesnt really mix it up with 'the lack of sharpness' blah blah as it gives the hacks fuck all to work with, so a few drops of blood of fan disatisfaction gets them in frenzy. I dont listen to him anymore nor the hacks...just the GW ones

[Injury Time]

robbed financially, robbed of expectation, robbed of winning trophies, robbed of atmosphere at emirates, robbed of being robbed.

i feel like a homeless man sitting on the street corner.

any change, kind sir?

Thank you for your interest in our affairs, however you have nothing left to offer the club, you may now become bitter and twisted and work as a pundit or a mod.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

i pay because i love the club, not the board or the manager. and i have boycotted home games, not stepping foot into that shower of shit until professor nutcase has left. ill keep going away games because i think the boys deserve support when stepping into another mans territory but even that is fading. and anyway, isnt it dangerous to set your precedent the way you have?

I don't doubt you love the team, there are fans who have cancelled Season tickets who still love the club and are making a stand.

are you characterising those who should go to games as those who support wenger, and that everyone else shouldnt? doesnt that make it wenger fc, not arsenal fc?

No i'm saying if you moaning about change and want to force the board/AW out the best way to do that is by not going to games, selling season tickets and hitting them where it hurts. It does not make you less of a fan to do this makes you a fed up one. My point is its those that go to games can make the diffrence, those at home the board won't even think twice about how they feel.

I never said if you go to games then you support Wenger. So please don't put words in my mouth.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

no thats true, boycotting games is the best way to hit them but realistically speaking, when has that ever happened? when will it ever happen? there is always a conveyor belt of casual fans that will keep stan rich for at least the next couple of years. but i agree, people are starting to wake up and smell the coffee, although boycotting games is still a slow process. we still attract crowds of 55k so it'll take years to get it down to 20k-30k where it will actually make a difference. but by then stan will be long gone my friend, basking in his millions, sipping whiskey in barbados and asking hill-wood for a toke on his cuban cigar.

where will we be? fuck knows. hopefully not too screwed.

[Niall_Quinn]

no thats true, boycotting games is the best way to hit them but realistically speaking, when has that ever happened? when will it ever happen? there is always a conveyor belt of casual fans that will keep stan rich for at least the next couple of years. but i agree, people are starting to wake up and smell the coffee, although boycotting games is still a slow process. we still attract crowds of 55k so it'll take years to get it down to 20k-30k where it will actually make a difference. but by then stan will be long gone my friend, basking in his millions, sipping whiskey in barbados and asking hill-wood for a toke on his cuban cigar.

where will we be? fuck knows. hopefully not too screwed.

I don't know why PHW and his cronies are still here. They had their pay day. Continuity is one thing but what purpose can PHW possibly serve that couldn't be replicated by a much cheaper and more socially aware chimpanzee?

I don't think many games would have to be boycotted, and maybe not even the home games. If the hardcore away fans stopped turning up, just for a couple of games, that would be enough to cause a storm that might force Kroenke into making a few minor adjustments in the fan's favour. Empty sections at away matches would be pretty powerful. Like a half executed threat and a message the fans are prepared to do more than wave banners or wear T-shirts.

The fans could gather at the Emirates instead, maybe. In Scream masks with machetes.