Match Reaction v Soton (Home)

[Niall_Quinn]

'We'll see at the end of the season. It's too early to say that,' he said when asked if he was worried that Arsenal were starting to tail off.


'It's true that we've had a stuttering start in 2016. Our January was bad, starting from the last minute at Liverpool, and then at Stoke. Where we especially have a big deficit is in our two home games.


'We have to catch that back and we have a difficult programme, especially away from home. We need to respond quickly away from home now.'

Having added only midfielder Mohamed Elneny to his ranks in the January transfer window, Wenger was again forced to defend his decision not to bring in any firepower.


'If you knew a world-class striker who could have strengthened our team, you should have told me before the transfer deadline was over,' he replied when asked if he should have signed a forward.


'They do not walk in the street and say "please, here is a world-class striker, can you take me?" They are all at big clubs and are under contract.


'There were none available. If tonight we think a miracle man could have scored the goal for us, I think it's better we think how can we score the goals with the players we have. We can score goals, we have shown that before.'

He's right you know. That's how the transfer market works. You walk around a bit and if a world class striker stops you in the street then you sign him. But if that doesn't happen then what else can you possibly do?

[Letters]

We most certainly ARE dying as a club. But on the positive side, we're thriving as a corporation.

Ok, that's a fair point. But that would be true however we're doing on the pitch. That's modern football for you, unfortunately.

[Power n Glory]

It would be a shame if it ends bitterly. Hopefully when the dust has settled his legacy will be appreciated. I think Clough's is and he took them down in the end. All Wenger's done is taken us from 1st to 4th.
Hopefully the two FA Cups will help. He does need to move on but he'll leave us in good shape for whoever takes over.

It's not the league position that will turn fans against him. It's the arrogance. The stubborn refusal to adapt and then the excuses and the way he defends his mistakes. That's probably what pisses people off the most. If he'd he'd have spent the money on top players, selected the right and obvious starting line up, a good chunk of the criticism would fall on the under performing players.

[Niall_Quinn]

I get the sentiment - but I'm not sure its that simple. LVG; Klopp; Koeman would fit your requirements, but have endured a somewhat rocky road this season. I agree that our talent has not been maximised, and that a more tactical man manager should be able to elevate our team, but it would need to be an extremely careful analysis of a manager who fits the playing style that is now deeply embedded in our team, and one who is not a cheque book warrior, given the financial approach of our owners and the need to preserve stability.

LvG is another Wengeresque dinosaur, so fair enough exclude him. Klopp is working with the dross from the Rodgers era, it would be great to see what he could do here with the talent we have. Koeman has already shown he's a significant upgrade.

[Letters]

Agree about Koeman.

[Letters]

It's not the league position that will turn fans against him. It's the arrogance. The stubborn refusal to adapt and then the excuses and the way he defends his mistakes. That's probably what pisses people off the most. If he'd he'd have spent the money on top players, selected the right and obvious starting line up, a good chunk of the criticism would fall on the under performing players.

Aren't a lot of top managers like that though? See Mourinho for further details (not that I'd want him anywhere near the club).
Most top managers have plenty of arrogance.

[IBK]

at the end of the season. It's too early to say that,' he said when asked if he was worried that Arsenal were starting to tail off.


'It's true that we've had a stuttering start in 2016. Our January was bad, starting from the last minute at Liverpool, and then at Stoke. Where we especially have a big deficit is in our two home games.


'We have to catch that back and we have a difficult programme, especially away from home. We need to respond quickly away from home now.'

Having added only midfielder Mohamed Elneny to his ranks in the January transfer window, Wenger was again forced to defend his decision not to bring in any firepower.


'If you knew a world-class striker who could have strengthened our team, you should have told me before the transfer deadline was over,' he replied when asked if he should have signed a forward.


'They do not walk in the street and say "please, here is a world-class striker, can you take me?" They are all at big clubs and are under contract.


'There were none available. If tonight we think a miracle man could have scored the goal for us, I think it's better we think how can we score the goals with the players we have. We can score goals, we have shown that before.'

He's right you know. That's how the transfer market works. You walk around a bit and if a world class striker stops you in the street then you sign him. But if that doesn't happen then what else can you possibly do?

That's the problem right there for me. I think there is an element of Wenger waiting for a 'world class player' to walk in off the street - at the right price. I think this is his obsession. He knows who he admires, and if like Ozil or Alexis, they happen to be available, he will buy. But to suggest that only a 'world class' striker could assist his team is ridiculous. The majority of his first team do not fit the 'world class' description. Neither do most of the strikers he has relied on over the past 10 years. I'm not a scouting expert, and don't take a great deal of interest in identifying players who could come in to our squad. But with Arsenal's supposed first rate scouting network I do not buy the idea that there was noone who could come in, or that players could not be tempted to leave elsewhere with the right financial incentive. Even the likes of Charlie Austin could have provided finishing potential during the January transfer window. We create shit loads of chances - a proven finisher - even if deficient in other areas would and could make a difference to our team.

Wenger's inflexible insistence on perfection and good value; and his pathological risk-taking in always assuming that his own squad players will return to fitness to fill the gap has hurt us, and will cost us dearly.

[IBK]

LvG is another Wengeresque dinosaur, so fair enough exclude him. Klopp is working with the dross from the Rodgers era, it would be great to see what he could do here with the talent we have. Koeman has already shown he's a significant upgrade.

That's just it, I'm not saying that any of the three would be the answer to our issues (although agreed Koeman might come closest). I'm saying that they are all examples of managers who have had success elsewhere - but have not been an instant upgrade for the teams that have signed them. I think we could find an upgrade on Wenger, but the 'anyone' idea doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

[Letters]

That's just it, I'm not saying that any of the three would be the answer to our issues (although agreed Koeman might come closest). I'm saying that they are all examples of managers who have had success elsewhere - but have not been an instant upgrade for the teams that have signed them. I think we could find an upgrade on Wenger, but the 'anyone' idea doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

Which was pretty much my initial point.
That doesn't mean we should keep Wenger. But there's no point in replacing him with someone worse and it's clearly balls to say that anyone would be better.

[Power n Glory]

Aren't a lot of top managers like that though? See Mourinho for further details (not that I'd want him anywhere near the club).
Most top managers have plenty of arrogance.

No, the difference is most Chelsea fans were sad to see Mourinho go and were pissed at the players for getting him the sack. It was a short sharp decline. That's not the case for us. We're having to watch the same faults unravel over 10 years and it's almost impossible to defend Wenger now. The last battle amongst fans will be how respectful/disrespectful we are towards him in these last few years or whoever long he has left with us.