Well, who knew?
I was minded to write a post about the ridiculous notion put forward by the malcontents that Arsene has changed. An idea put forward to justify their stupidity over recent times.
Yesterday in the comments section of PA, people did it for me. Have a read of some of them …
Anicoll:
“Yes its all a bit hard to follow the ‘Arsene has changed’ debate Harry
I think almost certainly Arsene has changed his approach and precisely how he does things – he is a bright, energetic professional man who constantly reviews what he does, how he goes about his work, to eliminate error and tries to devise better ways to secure the results he wants to achieve.
And I am sure he has done that every day of the time he has managed a football club, and is doing so today, and will be at it tomorrow too.
If he did not constantly change, adapt, improve, discard, test this approach and that, then he would not be the exceptionally good manager he undoubtedly is.
The notion however that he underwent some form of Damascene revelation and ‘changed’ at some point in the past few months is however a theory too far – imo”
Leo S:
“‘Wenger’s changed” is a very convenient way for those who endlessly criticised him to now give him his due praise without admitting they were wrong in everything they said about him – “he’s stubborn”, “he wants to win with his ‘project youth’”, “he will never spend £30m on a player, it’s not his way”, “he doesn’t care about the defensive side of the game”, yadda yadda yadda.
“Oh I didn’t get it wrong. Arsene’s CHANGED, you see. Yes, that’s it, I can definitely save face with that one.”
He has changed just as much as he ‘has listened to the fans’. I love that one. If he had listened to the fans he would have either sold off Ramsey, Mertesacker, Rosicky, Szczesny and a few others to buy Begovic, Samba, Cahill, Parker and Diame and play 4-4-2 with Walcott through the middle, or ‘fucked off back to France’ as some so eloquently put it. Listened to them my arse. He has done it his way, all the way.”
ZimPaul:
“Wenger ‘changed’! What a load of crap. He, and Arsenal the club has been and remain a model of consistency. In that respect, as far as always going for maximum results, trophies, and accolades, it was Wenger who began and managed a massive transition at the club more than a year before blog-idiots screamed for “change” and “end of era”. An unprecedented number of players were moved on, and brought in. It was a planned transition, faultlessly executed and not once did we blink and lose our top four and CL record. Youth development remains at the core of Arsenal. It is a matter of public record that Wenger has repeatedly said he is not averse to high transfer fees, although it worries him for the future of football in reference to financial fair play regulations and Arsenal will not spend more than its retained revenue and has not done so; he is averse to transfer costs that are not justified by the quality and attributes of a player. Who are the top players at Arsenal, what did we pay for them and what are they worth now: Gibbs, Theo, Ramsey, Jack, Mikel, Kos, Chewie, Giroud, Santi, Lukas, Flamini? That little lot alone would set any club back a Chelskian amount of dosh right now. We either developed them or purchased them at fair price and allowed them to flourish at Arsenal!! Now we are reaping the rewards of the man’s planning and wisdom.
‘Wenger changed’ is one of the biggest insults to the man, and there have been many”
Well said those men.
Positively Arsenal 
I have always said that the strength of a blog is reflected in the comments section.
I think ours is different gravy.
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Although it might be a little weak today as the discussion has been had, DOH- I never thought of that.
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I absolutely agree. It really grates me how all those ungrateful know it all’s were sticking the knife into Wenger all those years while he was working miracles to keep us at the top of European Elite despite countless set backs, both internal and external to the club. Any other manager, the great Sir Alex included, would most probably have failed to drag us through those difficult periods. But no, they only recognise his achievement now, courtesy of the fact that the team is a bit more consistent and been built around better professionals. Regardless of the fact that this team has been built over years and didn’t just rise from the ground yesterday. And not only that, but apperantly he’s only successful now because he’s changed. And he’s changed because these geniuses told him to?! Seriously WTF are these people smoking!!! I have a few friends who are Arsenal fans and they always used to come moaning after every defeat questioning Wenger and even wanted him gone. Now they come boasting about ‘their’ team and how brilliant it is, etc. I just look at them and thing, what a bunch of hypocrites.
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I cant see the change as they would want us to believe yes as stated above a normal adjustment by a professional to ensure he continues to do his work well… nothing nuch else
A number of players in the past let AW down… not least aided by the lack of protection of arsenal players by the refs.. Plus the over protection of man U which has become more glaring noe that SAF has left… Vidc used to literally get away with murder. I recall hleb being given a red card on his last game for arsenal due to such related matters… Else he would won a lot more in the past few years.
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Wenger is and has always been a great coach, all those years he’s been working on a future project(he is on record saying this a zillion times) and the future is now here! Arsenal fans now just need to sit back and enjoy the prof’s hardwork which he has been able to pull through under unbearable circumstances. I dont see another coach who would have managed to carry us through this transition while stillness maintaining the pride of Arsenal football club.
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I thank you
My admiration for Arsene extends further this morning and having read the transcript of yesterday’s press conference
He actually watches MOTD (sometimes) and listens to the pundits – he is a damn sight tougher than me if he voluntarily switches on.
That must be fucking excruciating for the man – the equivalent of a cat sliding down a blackboard for him to listen to their inane drivel.
And he does this for us, so that we do not have to suffer.
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Brilliant, once again.
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And he does this for us, so that we do not have to suffer.
yep thats exactly how the ast see it ….
top comments them three! congratulations .
3 points tonight..no rotation…
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Hunter @ 10:16 am
3 points …and a little bit of rotation, given a like a little bit of niggle here and there. Heh, Heh, Heh.
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Wenger…listened ..finally…..and look how we improved hey….. thank god for our classy fans, where would this club be without this tsunami of support i wonder? …
however truth be told, besides one incident with an away fan holding that banner which got him punched in the face ( and rightly so) the away support is a lot closer to the real thing. well done the away fans. well done!
i trade my emirates seat for away games….anyone?
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ok but only a tiny little bit….jenks which is forced really, and a bit of theo instead of jack(?) to rest his ankle (?)
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Nice article. Personally, I can’t say that Arsene has changed as such. I would prefer to say that he has maybe got something back of old. For, me he seems more like the Wenger of the title winning seasons.
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@ danmurphy1302… because players are better fulfilling their potentials and none is making crazy back passes like cesc did against barca for example… with iniesta, no less bearing down!
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none is making crazy back passes like cesc did against barca for example
ok …fair enough..but when you want to mention that you will also mention the time when he took a penalty with a broken foot and scored it against barca….for example….. plus the manner in which he played for the game we beat them , turning with ball at feet and releasing nasri perfectly to square it for arshavin, and the manner he celebrated that win.
and since you remember that backheel so well, perhaps you also remember a “hero” clichy being hit by ball in the nuts, falling down ..and instead of killign time, got back up tried to get in line but..tough luck…plays barca onside …goodbye….43rd minute that.
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Great post PG!
Allbeit taking some of the best posters around here words, no complaints about that.
TS – players still pass the ball square across the back line, it’s an Arsenal thing.
It makes me cringe though every time I see it, but we hardly ever give the ball away like we used to.
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this cesc vilification is wrong…the only person who genuinely has the right to hold something against him is wenger…cesc..and if you dont believe go watch as many clips as you want of arsenal in the internet where he has scored important goals in important occasions and important assists and you look at his face and tell me thats fake…that he didnt care…. and he didnt fuck off after being 8 years injured to join a domestic rival..he went to his homecountry to his friends who at the time were dminating the world and wanted to be part of that too…….an unlucky situation rather than an evil one like robin’s…
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You lazy bastard George! Getting others to write the blof for you!!
Me and Leo replied to Gunnerblog’s tweets about AW changing the other day. Siffice to say Leo and I didnt agree with Gblog.
Its the same with the hacks. I saw that useless smug twat Samuels saying Wenger has just done what they all told him to; spend some effing mooolah.
Seriously, they want to think he has sat on his hands, refusing to spend and now, finally, after immense pressure has relented and loosened the purse strings. Oh if he’d have done this years ago, we’d have won multiple trophies by now!
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I think we have to remember Arsene (or wennga as he is affectionately known ) is ultimately the most stubborn man in the world and will never listen to anyone or change voluntarily.
I have it on good authority from this bloke I know, that was told by his mate that his sisters husband was sharing a taxi with a vagrant from wigsakstan who knows where wennga lives and often sleeps outside. He said a group of ninjas wearing black scarfs came down of the roof and forced wennga into buying ozil and handing all defensive duties to Steve Bould , apparently they also broke into szczesney’s house and sewed on giant hands.
so there you have it conclusive proof wennga has changed.
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@ Hunter13, Cesc is one of my best arsenal players – was not happy with him for leaving – so don’t try to convince me of his abilities…
I scouted him in the under-17 WC long before he signed for Arsenal. LOL
Just relax, the statement was not about Cecs’s ability or lack of. Just debunking the claim that AW has changed as though it were a kind of drastic thing!
Was just enhancing my point with the fact that with players like CESC, Arshavin, Nasri and co on the pitch, AW could not be said to have not fielded weak players, yet time and again one or the other of them like the clichy example you gave did one silly thing or the other that seemed to cost us games; this along with the added pressure of refs gleefully giving contrary decisions in almost every game we played all adding to the seeming under-achievements of the past rather than the quality of players that were on the field.
Setting aside the price of Ozil (which was probarbly further enhanced by the purchase of bale and thus the need to recoup as much money as they could hope for), this bunch are not necessarily more skilled than our past teams, just having gelled better as a team, being fields on and off it, more experience gained even for their young age…. that sort of thing.
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Ooops…
being fields = being friends!
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@ DC, passing it across our back and that sort of almost causal backheel are not exactly the same thing!
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Great post today! Thanks to all.
–
Hunter,
The F word will have his critics for the way he handled himself in thise final months. If he cannot get a game slightly deeper towards the midfield (he likes the No.4…) with Xavi, according to reports, still not back to form, if they continue to play Xavi in this funk, the F word may be knock knock knocking on Arsene’s door at some point?
You’d think now would be the time that he starts to take over from Xavi, maybe they just see him as a forward, which isnt quite right for me. It is Barcelona, the new president might soon be replaced with the old president, their squad is unbalanced without any mitigating circumstances…oh dear. I think they’ll work things out eventually but there’s a danger that they could come third in a two team league before they do! Heh.
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When I say that the F word might have his critics for how he handled that last period I don’t mean anyone else but me!
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other of them like the clichy example you gave did one silly thing or the other that seemed to cost us games;
but they were way to young to cope with it …the fact tey were ending 3-4 in epl and also progress in europe to last 8 or 4 was an overachievement for that arsenal. not a stick to beat them with and call them losers or pansies or whatever else they were called.
it was a fact they would do silly things that would cost us…the point was to stick with them till they mature…ok it didnt happen for various reasons ..as ive said int he past there was always the case that teh first crop would get burnt from the weight of expectations and pressure.
this bunch though has seen what has happened to the previous one, has stayed on, has experienced the late attacks on wenger from fans and of course is in much better position to deal with it after the inclusion of a couple of older mature players who are thirsty/hungry to achieve something ( arteta cazorla podolski per sagna flamini) and without having annual disruptions in team roster.
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and dont forget how hleb flamini and others left disgusted after eduardo incident and the general treatment of arsenal in this country…. here it is the club that was at fault…the natives were slaughtering us on the pitch ( with criminal fouls, not football) and the club did nothing to protect them…..
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On tonight:
Jenkinson had two games for the u21, playing well and grabbing a goal against some minnows. I think those games would’ve kept him in the groove. He’ll be fine.
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Todays topic is not about Cesc.
We did that to death last week.
On Wenger changing – he is intelligent, adaptive, and aware that the game of football itself evolves every season.
We are seeing a vintage premier cru version of Wenger for season 13/14.
The bubbles will be crisp and delicious next May.
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Fans attitude and reactions towards their clubs ups and downs is basically the attitude and reactions they have towards life. Some of them are wise and faithful. The more vocal on
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Finsbury
Yes, there is nothing to worry about bringing Jenkinson in tonight.
Theo may well start the game too.
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… the more vocal ones are often the most shallow and immature.
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Hunter.
We remember. At least, I remember the “tackle” that lead to Cesc’s bruised bone. Not even called a foul, a perpendicular flying kick close to the knee. Nasty business. I don’t disapprove of him for leaving the league after that, it nearly cost him his WC.
Let’s see what happens in the new year if The Arsenal keep on firing. I don’t want to go on about the refs because there are better forums for that, but you know what I mean! The PMOB left a card at start of the season. So, we know we can’t trust them.
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More importantly
Have the “fans” changed?
Can’t they see the project is nearly reaching fruition?
Can’t they see the sacrifices made over the last few years have been worth the pain now?
Can’t they see that the future of our great club is going to blossom into something amazing for the entire world to see, as long as we keep this man at the helm?
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fins i dont know i was checking stats yday..ozil is top the last 5 years in assists with 702, then its mesi 68, then xavi 56, and then cesc 55……for this season i saw a stat of 8 assist for laliga in espn site for cesc but then at barca website i saw a stat readinig 26 assists in 14 games so far for barca….which is ridiculous if true…. xavi ( as per site stats) is at 56 assists and cesc is at 55 …and so far for 13-14 cesc leads the assists in laliga with 8 …so he is slowly slowly surpassing xavi and might even catch up to messi who is injured. ..not bad for a player who isnt exactly first team the last 2-3 years…..
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double canister
December 4, 2013 at 12:56 pm
correct! hull + 3 please!!
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Hunter,
I imagined that this would be the season that they would manage the transition from Xavi to Cesc. But with elections and the circus in town, who knows, could ruin their season. Hopefully.
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@ hunter13
All you wrote just enhances the point that its not about AW changing (as DC above pointed out, have the fans changed?), Yes at times i cant blame them for leaving due to that lack of protection from the refs which many fans did not seem to see… that Hleb hitting that player for his red card in his last game was probably an attempt to make a point – it seemed to be a deliberate act on his part and rather unusual for him, and at that time i was suspicious of why he did it.
At times too, I feel maybe just 1 or 2 more of them especially Nasri and RVP should have stayed back, their leaving more than any other seemed to really be about greed!
Obviously all water under the bridge, am just glad this batch seem a lot happier and more mature obviously also helped by experiences gained in the past… we are getting to the fruition of this project
How i wish Eduardo will come back and him and Diaby partake of the success of this season. I would be so happy for them – Diaby, Eduardo, Ramsey – epitomizing the Arsenal rising above all adversities like the Phoenix from the ashes!
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Passenal
Thanks for the info on JC.
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I value the opinions of the commentors here a hundred times more than the hacks or the I-want-it-now/self-important-but-no-good lot. Actually no, because 100 x 0 is still 0. Lets just say I value you guys here highly and this virtual pub been an amazing part of supporting and following Arsenal.
Not even Ferguson would have acheived what Wenger has done in the past eight years. Even with the help of his sidekick – the FA.
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fins : xavi wont let go his position that easily 🙂 ..big player..wants world cup. as far as he is concerned cesc can wait….
teamspirit : but i dont believe wenger changed either…and i dont know if it was a project or just the normal and only viable option/process we could take after pressing the ‘reset’ button. a process that required stages…small steps if you like.
sensational: fergie? ahahahah the momment he realised he aint got money to ‘rebuild’ he said bye bye…..
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haha Hunter. Fergie wouldnt have gone along with the new stadium idea at all. For all his titles, I am truly glad that he never managed a team that went unbeaten in the league. That will always be Wenger’s.
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Brenda was right about fergie’s gibe.
If the bin dippers need 6 players to rebuild their team, the manure need 8.
Only De Gea, the Grannyshagger and JvC are top quality players anymore.
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not Top, Top though.
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DC, am I right in inferring that Rooney is the granny shagger?
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Tonights game is yet another TEST, in previous seasons when Arsene has tried to rotate before a run of big games the players coming in have lost fluidity and have not been able to secure the required 3 points. December is a heavy month with good results and staying top confirming our position as title contenders and either give fuel to the doubters or consign their argument to the bin for a few months. March will be where the title will be won and if we’re top on April 1st then this season we will bring it home.
If you look at the fixture list it will add many furrows to your brow especially if we progress many competitions but for now tonights game is the most important whoever is chosen to wear the cannon emblazoned red & white
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You want to see who has changed? Go to Le Shite after a victory. When the chips are down, that place is like a Khmer Rouge concentration camp. Now that we’re on the up, it’s like a hippy commune.
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yes aob..march looks like a schedule a spurs fan would make….and i agree..lets be there in march/april and fight for it like never before.
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Hunter: “fins : xavi wont let go his position that easily 🙂 ..big player..wants world cup. as far as he is concerned cesc can wait…”
It’s not Xavi’s decision whether he keeps his position, it’s the manager who decides. It’s telling that Guardiola took Thiago to Bayern with him and not Cesc.
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Hunter: “this cesc vilification is wrong…the only person who genuinely has the right to hold something against him is wenger…”
Criticism does not equal vilification, hard feelings or resentment. It’s just that, criticism. So let’s stop framing anything said against Cesc as vilification. Thank you.
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@ Gainsbourg69
It would have been beyond odd for cesc to move to Munich less than 2 yrs after claiming the lure of going back to barca was what he wanted most in life! Even taking a pay cut to achieve that and all else in between!
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I know. I’m just trying to wind Hunter up.
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