Former Players Views

[Cripps_orig]

Former Gunners skipper Frank McLintock believes Arsene Wenger will have serious problems should club fail to qualify for Champions League.

The Gunners have a 1-0 advantage over Udinese in the play-off stage of the European Cup but face the Bianconeri in Italy next week.

He told the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast show: "When I look at them last night I don’t think there was a leader on the pitch, and it could so easily have been a draw.

"I think they’re going to have a really tough game next week and if they get knocked out of that the pressure is going to be really unbelievable for Arsene Wenger and for the club.

"He’s had a great record as a manager and sometimes you feel a little bit embarrassed, as a former player and manager, in criticising him, but it does seem to be getting further and further away from what the Arsenal fans want."

http://www.talksport.co.uk/radio/spo...enal-fans-want

Frank

[Cripps_orig]

Former Arsenal striker Alan Smith has told talkSPORT the club have no choice but to cash in on Samir Nasri. The French playmaker has a year left on his contract and, having refused to sign a new deal, is being heavily linked with a move to Manchester City.

Having lost Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona this week, Arsenal fans will be angered to see Nasri follow him out of the Emirates exit door. “If he doesn’t get anybody in, they are going to be up against it finishing in the top four”Alan Smith
But Smith told Keys & Gray: “I think mentally he’s left the club. It looks as if he is going to go. He’s a got a year on his contract and Manchester City are willing to pay 20 odd million. I think you’ve got to sell him.”
Smith, however, fears his former club could miss out on a top four spot if they fail to strengthen their squad by the end of this month.
“You’ve got to hope as an Arsenal fan that Arsene Wenger brings in a couple of players,” he added. "I’m not confident [he will].
“He’s been linked with the likes of Jagielka, Cahill, Samba, but if he wants one of them why hasn’t he gone out and got them in time for pre-season? He could have, they are available for the right price.
"If he doesn’t get anybody in, they are going to be up against it finishing in the top four.”

http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-ne...nasri%E2%80%99

Speaks sense he does.

[Cripps_orig]

Former Arsenal manager George Graham has called on current boss Arsene Wenger to buy players with experience, otherwise the club will struggle to qualify for the Champions League.Graham believes Arsenal need to sign three players, and they must have enough experience to slot into the first-team straight away rather than needing time to develop in the academy and reserves.Graham told BBC Radio 5Live’s ‘Sportsweek’: “They need experienced, outstanding players and I think they need about another three in the side at the present time."They've got the money, let's sit down, get some of these players in he's supposed to be after and let's see if they can start winning trophies again."Wenger has been criticised in recent times for his refusal to spend money on experienced players, despite the funds being available, and his philosophy of moulding and developing young players has come under fire after Arsenal’s poor start.Now, Graham believes that Wenger must find a solution quickly, otherwise he will face mounting pressure.He added: "They have big signs at the club saying 'Arsene knows'. Well I hope he does."I think he's going to be there this season. I think he's under a little bit of pressure just now from the fans."But I think Arsene, if he sits down and is honest with himself, he'll put it all back together again. But he needs to do some hard thinking."Please get the cheque book out Arsene. “I think they need another centre-half, I think they still need a strong, outstanding, experienced midfield and I still think they need an out-and-out striker like a [Thierry] Henry."Arsenal next face a difficult away trip to Udinese in their Champions League, before then travelling to Old Trafford to face champions Manchester United in their next Premier League match.

Its from goal.com. I can't link on phone.Time to bring Graham back tbh

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Arsene Wenger must bring in experience to complement Arsenal’s promising young talent or face more of the club’s big names wanting to leave, according to former Gunners star Robert Pires.

Cesc Fabregas, Gael Clichy and Emmanuel Eboue have already departed the Emirates Stadium this summer with Samir Nasri and Nicklas Bendtner likely to follow, while Ivory Coast forward Gervinho is the only experienced arrival.

Wenger has been widely criticised by Arsenal fans for failing to act decisively to adequately replace those who have left, and many fear the club’s season could be ruined if reinforcements fail to arrive before the close of the transfer window.

Pires, who was a key component of the last Arsenal side to win the Premier League title in 2004, believes that his former boss must bring in experienced players if the club are once again to compete for the biggest trophies at home and abroad.

“The time has come for Arsene Wenger to think about investing the money from player sales into players with experience and more of a guarantee,” he told French TV station Canal Plus.

“I think other players have spoken with him and told him the same. The set-up has changed now.

“Before this, many players wanted to stay at Arsenal for a long time but this has changed now, too. Players leave now at their first chance.

“That goes for Clichy, Nasri and Eboue. Indirectly, Wenger is to blame. Unless new players come in and others stay then the problem will get worse.

“I don’t think that they can rival the likes of Manchester City or Chelsea but you can’t win just with young players.”

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/...r-arsenal-star

Pires

[Grebbo]

This is getting embarrassing now.

Former players, Jamie & Louise Redknapp, the world and his wife - they all know we need to SPEND SOME FUCKING MONEY ON EXPERIENCED PLAYERS.

NO MORE SHIT YOUNGSTERS.

FFS WAKE UP YOU OLD CRETIN.

[Cripps_orig]

Wenger knows

All the others dont apparently.

They cant all be wrong...

[Joker]

Seriously, it's so blindingly obvious that our squad needs some serious investment. How on earth can Wenger not see it? The fans aren't being unreasonable, we're not asking for an unsustainable spending spree from Wenger, just sensible signings in important positions to strengthen an extremely threadbare squad.

[Boss]

Pires

Still available.

Sign him up, Arsene.

[Cripps_orig]

David O’Leary believes Arsene Wenger will quit Arsenal if he feels he has hit a dead-end.

The former Gunners captain has watched Wenger go from the ice-cool academic to the nutty professor as injuries, suspensions and Samir Nasri’s impending move to Manchester City have crippled his side’s start to the season.

Certain sections of the Emirates crowd have already started to question Wenger’s future in north London and unless they reach the group stage of the Champions League, by avoiding defeat against Udinese on Wednesday, calls for his head will grow even louder.

““I never think Arsene will get the sack, I think he will only leave if he thinks he has done enough."”David O'Leary


“I do fear for them in Italy and I hope I’m proved wrong because they are liable to concede goals. They are liable to score goals too because of the attractive way they play but they give you chances,” O’Leary said.

“They are a team that says: ‘we can play and play really well', but they also say to the other team: ‘you can go and play as well', and I think that is why teams like playing against them, it’s like a basketball match, end to end stuff.

“I never think Arsene will get the sack, I think he will only leave if he thinks he has done enough or he will only go when he thinks he is going down a cul-de-sac that he thinks he can’t get out of.

“I don’t think he is a quitter but I don’t think he has ever been in this position in his football life."

http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-ne...nd-arsene-exit

Udinese will never have a better chance to beat us

[Coney]

http://www.talksport.co.uk/radio/spo...enal-fans-want

Frank

Former Gunners skipper Frank McLintock believes Arsene Wenger will have serious problems should club fail to qualify for Champions League

Frank McLintock shocks by stating the obvious.