The comments from Arsene Wenger today have a little more than a hint of attention deflection – almost urging the press to focus on him and his failings rather than go to town on certain members of the squad that haven’t justified his, not always well placed, faith.
“We feel more frustrated than ever because we are closer than ever to winning this league. Of all the trophies, the most important above all for me is the league and this year we had the quality to win it.
“The unfortunate thing is that there are plenty of moments to look back at with regret. We missed many opportunities.
“The players gave everything and I am responsible for the results so if there is someone to blame, it’s me. I have to stand up for the results and the way that we play and the way that we behave, and that has not changed since last Sunday.”
I do feel rather sorry for the manager at the moment. He looks frail, tired and ready for a long break. Admittedly he has not helped his own cause in many cases but I really do think that he recognises the next summer is key. Many of you may contest this but he is well aware that Liverpool, City, United and Chelsea are looking to strengthen considerably this summer and Arsenal can’t afford to be left behind.
For the first part of this now six year trophy drought, Wenger did brilliantly to keep us competitive whilst starting to bring through the first talents from the youth system that he completely overhauled years ago. It will still be many years until we see the true results from that I think – Jack Wilshere is an advert for Arsene’s belief in youth and I don’t think his eye for talent can be doubted at all.
Over the past two years the case is different, Wenger has had the cash at his disposal but has looked to finish the job without using it – for the first time he has maybe based a team around one single player in Cesc Fabregas and the core of that team has been decimated so often due to injuries to the likes of Vermaelen, Djourou, Gallas, Cesc and Robin van Persie. I have a gut feeling that now he knows he has to use the resources available, it isn’t admitting defeat, its looking to diversify and build on the competitiveness that we maintained after moving stadium.
I think that right now people may just need to lay off the guy for a bit, give him this chance to change his approach and take this stagnating team forward.
without big name and proven signigns I think it is time to go for him. This is his last chance otherwise we should look elsewhere!!!
Who’s to blame then, the buck stops with manager, apparently he chooses the playing staff and picks the starting eleven. I also believe its Mr Wenger’s tactics/instuctions that the team follow. Mr Wenger appears happy to take the credit but not shoulder the blame.
It’s all well and good arsene taking the blame and protecting his under performing squad. I would love someone to ask exactly what has he failed at. Not buying the right players last summer,not buying in january or at least replacing TV when he knew he was out for the season. Not coaching the defence on the training ground in how to play offside,defend corners and set plays and have a plan b when clearly the tippy tappy play up to the box breaks down time and time again. Having a number 2 who’s only job is to agree and put the cones out. His subs are to play a 6ft 4inch centre forward as a winger and our little rusky he plays out of postion. All this is just for starters
GunnerX, which part of “blame me” makes it look like he wants the upside and not the downside of results. We have been unfortunate with last minute goals on 4 or 5 times this season and if you think his instructions/tactics legislate for this kind of abrogation then I would like to know how he tells his players…guys in the last minute lose the game… is that his tactic?
You are kidding aren’t you. You can’t have it both ways…shower me in glory when things are going well but leave me alone when things start going bad. Its goes with the millions he is paid.
aw has to take this on the chin he has made an error of judgement as far as signing experiance instead of just youth all the time and unexpirienced premier league players providing he understands this and puts things right next year maybe
Are all of you Arsenal fans? Get out of here Spuds fans an try not to create chaos and shut your mouth!
rvpgunners i’ve been a season ticket holder for 20years so not a spud. Every thing i’ve said is true so take ya head out of ya arse and see what has been happening at OUR GREAT CLUB not arsene fc. They have got away with it for the past 3 seasons because of the loyalty to arsene and this season was the the one for improvement yet infact we’ve gone backwards we’ve got less points in a poor prem. Jack and chezzer have been the bonus for this season and that’s it.
In America we have a saying about the balance between College and Profession sports. In college its about the Coaches/Manager. In the Pros its about the players. The coach can make a significant difference but it always comes down to the players and their ability to execute.
I am sorry he looks fatigued on £6m a year plus endorsements I am do so sorry for having the audacity to question u MR W
I am fed up with this if you criticise go support Spurs crap if u are happy with mediocre performances then u go to the Lane!
We are likely to come 3rd at best and given the highest tickets prices in the world that is not great 6 years running
If we can’t afford to buy players fine tell us we want players who are committed and show loyalty to the club that is why the fans are disillusioned
I want trophies don’t expect them and if they don’t come fine but stop making the same mistakes and taking us for a ride
Fed up with blind faith supporters saying don’t complain well if we don’t nothing will change it is s business now not a club to them so if the customer keeps buying without complaint it won’t change trust me
No let us not blame him 100 percent only 75 and the rest will have to go to the players.
not the biggest fan of the arsenal badge. id prefer a all white design. as were only blue and yellow in away matches. wiz kalifa anyone…
imo wenger is only human first and foremost. and has the better track record. i agree with simms21. far to many times this season ive screamed at players not doing there basic job. those screams turned into sighs of bafflement.
take nasri for example cos there are too many scapegoats already. one of my favorite players. i remember him recently defending on the left of the 18th. the space and lax attitude in that moment was unacceptable. i was thinking does nasri not think highly enough of this player to allow him to just put a cross in?
usually he is quite good at defending. my point is those moment tend to plague us. and its down to the players.
we all can forgive mistakes if we believe they gave everything. at every moment for the duration of their time.
this season should have been a successful one, and i think the activity over the summer will explain the present.
at least i can wear my shirt without having a cock on my chest.
Whoever says signings dont work wonders just go look @ city. They may not be winning the league(YET) but the have certainly come from a nothing team to a team that look set to win the FAcup after beating Manure. Their best buy was David Silva, who we could have got for merely 17.5mil but Shitty paid 25mil n really isnt he worth it?? RVDV(Spuds) was almost our player until Wenger became stubborn again and he showed us why he would be a great addition. All in all, Wenger has been wrong and people dont realise that the reason we switched to 4-3-3 is Because AW didnt want to splash the cash on another striker to replace Henry. We need a proven goal scorer like Alex Pato. A great CB like Hummels/Subotic(or both), Phil Jones and maybe Cahill then get rid of the squid, Clichy and Bartley(who says he could go if we add another CB and Phil Jones would more than replace him). A great left back like Fabio Contreao. A great DM like Mascherano and really a top class goalie in Neuer/Lloris. Splash the cash once and the trophies come calling. Lets give the Emirates Staduim history worth the past six years come next season.
I think there’s a lax attitude in the squad where the players are told, “do your best and that’s all you can ask of yourselves”. They seem to be told that a defeat is ok as long as you had a good passing percentage. Forget statistics, winning is everything, not just a side-issue from a good performance. There may be another issue that makes things appear this way. Wenger eluded to this in a recent interview, he said that ever since they lost in the Carling Cup final there had been a lack of belief. It’s so true and it’s what plagues this team. They always keep possession and pass well but when they have confidence they get the ball in the net and when they don’t they just tap it around and it falls apart when they get around the box. This is why the team needs a talisman, a man who everyone looks to when the going gets tough, and it is not sulker Fabregas.
The problem is Wenger is a dictator and surrounded by sycophants .The latter dare not raise issues contrary to Wenger’s expectations. I don’t blame them. They have their jobs to worry.
Nobody is bigger than Arsenal If Feb or even Wenger were to leave,does that mean Arsenal come to a virtual halt. No. The football must carry on.
Football is a simple game. The one who scores more goals win. However Wenger has tried to make football into a piece of art. Notice the marathon passing and reluctance to shoot. Compare this to the approaches adopted by other teams. THey don’t waste time passing times 1000 onethousand.
They try to score in the fastest time and play shut the barriers to goal. As a result the gunners are frustrated by these tactics which Wenger calls anti soccer.
These are the tactics used by Mourino against Barcelona last season and beat them.Until Wenger
is down to earth and play to win,the gunners are going to be trophyless as long as he is in charge.y
Overall Wenger has been magnificent for this club but i’m looking at a few of the managers available….Hiddink, Rijkaard and Andre Villas Boas….and thinking that if we could get one of them perhaps losing Wenger wouldn’t be the end of life as we know it. On the other hand we might not get a manager who not only has the talent but has the tactical philosophy to work with the current squad. Look before you leap as the saying goes, don’t blindly kick out an excellent manager without knowing the alternative.
I’m putting this out there but… Could it be that the reason we play so tippy tappy and are so indecisive is because we are afraid to give the ball away due to the ease that we get picked apart with when we do give the ball up. I think fear is greatly restricting us. Unfortunately fear being a phsycological and a recuring theme combined with being a youngish squad i personally believe the physcological/mental identity of the squad now is now permanent as it has been allowed to manifest for too long. So what I am saying is that the current squad IS good enough to win it is just they are directionless and nobody is the to guide them (the flaw with youth). This change of attitude/confidence will only be admistered through an external party such as new players (experienced, vocal characters) or new coaching staff with fresh ideas.
GunnerX, YOU ARE A FOOL imho cuz he just took the blame!….
Glenn, he wld av been a sorcerer to know TV was out for the season…and just try to reason, or give proofs to back up ur claims.
I wld love to see him change his approach radically for next season but how u can com up wiv som of d rubbish u spew is beyond me…..’not coaching defence on offside, corners, set plays’….’having Pat Rice as a yesman’….laughable.
Tell us all how you arrived at these conclusions, perhaps u heard frm an inside source (playing/non-playing staff), and stop promulgating your opinions as facts….because, quite frankly, opinions r shite @ tyms bt sadly, though, everybody has 1!
Certain Arsenal players must take all the blame they
can for not producing on the pitch,so Arshavin,Walcott
Sagna and Clichy are just 4 Arsenal players who need
to speak up already about their abysmal performances this season?