Match reacton - Soton

[Power n Glory]

For sure we were as wrong as it was possible to be. And that's the lesson to be learned, and 10 years is enough time for the lesson to be mastered. When Wenger speaks, he's lying. Either lying to us or lying to himself. Mostly lying to us though. And it's inexcusable. Which is why it's irritating to hear some fans still excusing him.

What Pep said about the Top 4 was his attempt to deflect attention away from the poor season he had. He knows it and his owners know it too otherwise he’d be fired if he came 3rd or 4th this season. Nothing has been left to chance this season. Man City are flying.

I don’t know if Wenger believes half the crap he says. In most cases I believe he’s just putting up a defence to deflect blame away from his record, but boy oh boy, how he’s managed to convince people of his bullshit is quite remarkable. From fans like Letters, to the Board room. It’s unreal. This is a man that tried to blame Ramsey's injury record on the hairspray Ramsey used!

I really can't understand it either.

[Cripps]

What Pep said about the Top 4 was his attempt to deflect attention away from the poor season he had. He knows it and his owners know it too otherwise he’d be fired if he came 3rd or 4th this season. Nothing has been left to chance this season. Man City are flying.

I don’t know if Wenger believes half the crap he says. In most cases I believe he’s just putting up a defence to deflect blame away from his record, but boy oh boy, how he’s managed to convince people of his bullshit is quite remarkable. From fans like Letters, to the Board room. It’s unreal. This is a man that tried to blame Ramsey's injury record on the hairspray Ramsey used!

I really can't understand it either.

I forgot about that

Up there with the weather excuse

[Marc Overmars]

I don’t think he believes he can challenge for the main prizes anymore, not at this stage of his career and life where the environment is so much more competitive.

However he finds himself in a unique position where he doesn’t need to challenge yet finds himself absolutely secure in his job. That is down to the owner first and foremost but also a fanbase that just isn’t bothered enough collectively to do something about it, probably due to sentiment.

It’s the perfect place for him to see out his career in relative comfort despite overseeing and accepting a complete drop off in standards. A vanity project, completely selfish and serves no purpose other than to prolong his time in football.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

I don’t think he believes he can challenge for the main prizes anymore, not at this stage of his career and life where the environment is so much more competitive.

However he finds himself in a unique position where he doesn’t need to challenge yet finds himself absolutely secure in his job. That is down to the owner first and foremost but also a fanbase that just isn’t bothered enough collectively to do something about it, probably due to sentiment.

It’s the perfect place for him to see out his career in relative comfort despite overseeing and accepting a complete drop off in standards. A vanity project, completely selfish and serves no purpose other than to prolong his time in football.

Pretty much.

[Letters]

I don’t think he believes he can challenge for the main prizes anymore, not at this stage of his career and life where the environment is so much more competitive.

However he finds himself in a unique position where he doesn’t need to challenge yet finds himself absolutely secure in his job. That is down to the owner first and foremost but also a fanbase that just isn’t bothered enough collectively to do something about it, probably due to sentiment.

It’s the perfect place for him to see out his career in relative comfort despite overseeing and accepting a complete drop off in standards. A vanity project, completely selfish and serves no purpose other than to prolong his time in football.

Interesting. I've always thought that he does believe he can and is simple deluded. But what you've suggested is certainly plausible.

[Niall_Quinn]

Interesting. I've always thought that he does believe he can and is simple deluded. But what you've suggested is certainly plausible.

???

It has been suggested Wenger is a second rate loser with zero ambition beyond feathering his own nest - ON MANY OCCASIONS.

You're only getting it now?

[Marc Overmars]

Interesting. I've always thought that he does believe he can and is simple deluded. But what you've suggested is certainly plausible.

If he did believe he could compete then I reckon we’d see a very different Wenger.

Instead we’ve wasted money and time on ordinary players, heard lame excuses, had expectations downplayed, and seen anyone who’s anyone pack up and leave because the club is at a dead end. Have you ever heard of a top club having its 2 prized assets walk on a free at the same time? It’s laughable.

Absolutely nothing that’s gone on at this club over the past decade suggests to me there’s any belief we can be something more than a top 4 outfit.

[Niall_Quinn]

If he did believe he could compete then I reckon we’d see a very different Wenger.

Instead we’ve wasted money and time on ordinary players, heard lame excuses, had expectations downplayed, and seen anyone who’s anyone pack up and leave because the club is at a dead end. Have you ever heard of a top club having its 2 prized assets walk on a free at the same time? It’s laughable.

Absolutely nothing that’s gone on at this club over the past decade suggests to me there’s any belief we can be something more than a top 4 outfit.

Bit unfair.

I think we're top 5 now.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

If he did believe he could compete then I reckon we’d see a very different Wenger.

Instead we’ve wasted money and time on ordinary players, heard lame excuses, had expectations downplayed, and seen anyone who’s anyone pack up and leave because the club is at a dead end. Have you ever heard of a top club having its 2 prized assets walk on a free at the same time? It’s laughable.

Absolutely nothing that’s gone on at this club over the past decade suggests to me there’s any belief we can be something more than a top 4 outfit.

I think when he signed on in 2014 and he signed Alexis I think that was a glimmer that he could spend more and go for things, even in that season he left us woefully exposed in terms of defenders. I think that and the subsequent season have shown to him that he can’t hack the modern game.
I genuinely think he signed on in 2014 because he believed he could take us forward, in 2017 it’s clearly a case of frightened to leave.

[Marc Overmars]

I think when he signed on in 2014 and he signed Alexis I think that was a glimmer that he could spend more and go for things, even in that season he left us woefully exposed in terms of defenders. I think that and the subsequent season have shown to him that he can’t hack the modern game.
I genuinely think he signed on in 2014 because he believed he could take us forward, in 2017 it’s clearly a case of frightened to leave.

Yes there was a window of opportunity after the 2014 cup win. The trophy drought was over, we had some new money and our rivals were in a state of flux. That was when our fabled "long term" approach was meant to come good, I certainly didn't expect to sweep all before us but to not even remotely challenge is really galling. Wenger had it easy for so long and conned us all during the process, now he's completely exposed as a bang average coach. I don't think history should be rewritten but it certainly makes me look back and think a bit differently and less dewy-eyed on his time with us.