So I have just spent literally 10 minutes browsing for some quotes & I came across several quotes from several people at the very very top of football from 2 of the very best players of all time to some of the managers who have achieved exceptional success.
Jupp Heynckes – Feb 2013
“You have to take into consideration Arsenal are competing with Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City. Over the years they have been selling their best players and these other teams get in top world stars, so I don’t think it is fair to blame Arsène Wenger for that,”
“Wenger, is a great coach. You can see his team has a very great dynamic about it”
Pep Guardiola – August 2011
“”We should not forget what Wenger has done for football in general and for Arsenal in particular.”
Pep Guardiola – Febuary 2014
“Arsenal remains a good team and good club. I have a lot of respect for my colleague Arsene: he always likes the good, good players, the good style of football.”
Sir Alex Ferguson – August 2011
“The work he has done in the 15 years he has been at the club is the best in Arsenal’s history.
Sir Alex Ferguson – March 2014
I always enjoy watching Arsène’s sides – Arsenal play the right way.
Jurgen Klopp – Novemeber 2013
‘He is really something. I love him. He is Sir Arsene Wenger.”
Diego Maradona – March 2012
I would love to fulfil my contract and return to renew and be a kind of Arsene Wenger at the Al Wasl.”
Joachim Low – Febuary 2013
“I like Arsene Wenger a lot, because he stays true to his ideas and has been loyal to the same club for such a long time. With him, young players become stars.”
Johan Cruyff – Dec 2012
“Wenger will ALWAYS bring the club back to the top,” “People do not realise the achievement of this manager at Arsenal.
“I find it incredible that Arsenal have stayed at the highest level of European competition and England under his management without ever ending up in debt.
“I cannot remember red figures at Arsenal over the last 15 years. How many clubs in Europe can say they have qualified for the Champions League for 16 consecutive seasons under the same management? Arsene Wenger has put his life and soul into Arsenal.
“In 15 years, I have not seen him make any irresponsible purchases in the transfer market.
“That is why the work of Arsene Wenger at Arsenal is the prime example for every club in Europe.
“I cannot even imagine the board or the fans would ever think for a moment of putting Arsene’s position in doubt.”
Bare in mind I deliberately did not include quotes from any former players for Arsenal, even though people such as Bergkamp and Henry’s opinions are much more valid then anyone on twitter, they would immediately get accused of bias. Again this is all in 10 minutes of searching only.
So not only do these people at the very top of the game who understand football more than anyone have all come out with messages of admiration and support of Arsene Wenger in the last few years. Oh crap, I forgot these guys are all wrong and know nothing about football, just like Arsene, so maybe we should get some quotes from the twitter experts instead.
@TraderChris87
Of coure against them there are such colossus as Le Grove, Durham and Morgan. So if you want to side with them here is what John Cleese has to say on the subject.
Pedantic George (@Blackburngeorge)
Positively Arsenal 
have to make one more comment about the commentator Jonathon Pearce, it really does begger belief that with Arsenal winning 1-0 he came out with the statement
“Arsenal have to do something here”
no mr perace you idiot, Hull were the ones that had to do something. JP was more interested in talking about Wenger’s coat zip than he was of actually doing his job to a good level.
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I imagine that’s the side of his game that Vengargh told him he would improve if he came to work with him? Similar to Özil (different areas to work on?).
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George I understand how you could pick Santi or Tomas as MOTM over Alexis, but his goal, and his work rate and the sheer panic he causes makes him worth it today. I thought both Cazorla and Rosicky dropped their levels for a 20 minutes spell in the second half.
Alexis does give away the ball a bit too easily, and has done all season, he also takes the wrong option a little too much, if we can get those things ironed out of his game we will have a world beater.
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4th round draw on Beeb Monday evening 19.00 – if I understand it right (which would probably be a first).
Hull City – experts at keeping the ball and going nowhere fast.
Great goal from Alexis, but we rather made hard work of it.
Coquelin’s reputation up another notch, especially when he told a Hull player to fuck off after he got booked.
Campbell industrious but little final product. I guess he needs more games – like Theo,
who got another run out in his rehabilitation process.
Rosicky and Santi their usual good selves.
Defence solid.
Shame the second goal came so late – I’d have liked to have seen Akpom get more time on the pitch.
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I bet the haters will try and portray Coquelin telling a Hull player to shut the fuck up, as him telling Per to shut the fuck up
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yeah… i think AS gives the ball away to often. he makes up by scoring many, but then when he does not, the team suffers from it
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finsbury – your earlier question about Campbell.
I think it’s still too early to say. He hasn’t been given a consistent run to work his way into the team, but on the other hand, if he was doing anything exceptional in training, he would have been given his chance. He’s unlikely to get a run either, now Theo’s back. I imagine he’ll have to wait and see who we get tomorrow evening – there are too many players ahead of him in the queue, even with Podolski gone.
I have to admit I’m unconvinced from what I saw of him in the World Cup. He looks like the sort of player who’ll run around a lot and get some tackles and passes in, without ever imposing himself on the opposition, and that’s the difference between the average player and the top, top player.
More time needed.
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Looks like Le Coq has acquired a good command of the English vernacular. LOL
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Apparently John Jensen said on Danish TV today that after Southampton game there was an episode in dressing room where Szczesny was fined & JJ thinks he’s played last game this season. I really hope this is not true.
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Steve Harper comes close for me. For MOTM, I mean.
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Wenger said that Ramsey and Flamini might be back for Stoke game, but Arteta will not be back for it.
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Man of the Match ?
The referee Robert Madeley.
Best refereeing I have seen for ages, though helped by almost no cheating from players on either side.
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A word to the wise Francois
Take off and fly through the air like that in front of Dowd, Marriner, Oliver etc you will see a straight red card
And at this present delicate time that might very well be it for you at the Ems
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Wenger: “Podolski is going to Inter Milan… Sanogo is at the moment here. Different from Podolski. Podolski was frustrated.”
wenger also said that if Sanogo goes on loan he wants it to be with an FAPL club, not with a Lique 1 club
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Ospina is a big lad – must be at least twice as wide as De Gea
Quiet day for him today but solid performance – interesting choice for Arsene for next Sunday
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wenger’s after game comments
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20150104/wenger-on-victory-alexis-and-walcott
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That was a very decent result, assuming there were no knocks.
Theo was rusty, but very lively – lots of very good runs.
The boss played AOC just at the right time in the match to keep the high tempo up.
Santi and Rosicky showing their sheer class in midfield which was a delight to watch.
Coq is doing very ok for a fellow who was on loan to Charlton a couple of weeks ago.
Alexis is Alexis.
All in all a decent evening.
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Eduardo 7:35pm
Yup, noticed that too. Well spotted.
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I agree with George, Santi was our MOTM.
Any number of Hull players were MOTM for keeping the score down.
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Wenger in once again… Long may the peace continue are we actually put a decent run of wins together to put real Madrid’s run to shame… culminating in the lifting the champions league before or after lifting the FA cup which ever one comes last!
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double canister
January 4, 2015 at 8:54 pm
I don’t need to post my match thoughts as you’ve said it all!
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the 3 top clubs in spain all lost this weekend, Barca lost to Sociedad
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Up Moyes
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pedantic george
January 4, 2015 at 7:34 pm
George you know MoTM always favours the goal scorer. I did not think Alexis had one of his best games tonight – he was very wasteful in possession at times and his decision making was off. I wondered if he was suffering from a little (mental) fatigue? However, being the top, top class player he is, you can never write him off as he showed by taking that goal very well to put paid to a plucky Hull team. However, I agree that Santi and Rosicky really stood out today – they were both rolling back the years with their energy and creativity. There were a few moments of pure Wengerball which they were at the heart of. It was great to see after the Southampton game.
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there seems to be growing concerns over how many fans stewards are putting out of the ground for standing up, there are claims that today fans standing on the last row at back of the stand put out, If they are at the very last row they could not be obstructing anyones view so why pick on them.
I have seen it said that the reason stewards are under instruction to stop people standing is down to Islington council’s safety officer demanding it or they will cancel the clubs safety certificate, which would mean stadium closure, can any Gooner from Islington shed more light on this, or is it just the head of the stewards being a jobs worth.
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On MOTD Shearer said that David Moyes told him that ManU could not find any defensive players to buy that were better than those he had!
Shearer came to Wenger’s defence. A distinct global shortage of quality defenders available to clubs like Arsenal, ManU etc….wow!
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on the standing issue I just seen this – Ground Regulations, as adopted by every Premier League club, ‘forbid standing while play is in progress’ & ‘may result in ejection’
also claims that the two guys put out for standing where not only standing but trying to get others to stand as well.
Fans need to get behind “Safe Standing Zones” at FAPL grounds, until there is a big push from a large section of fans of all clubs for it, then it will not happen.
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I think Coquelin should have been sent off. Two of his tackles were rash and dangerous, the type that in worst case scenarios end careers. Other than that he had a good game, would be hilarious if the top class DM some have wanted is already in the squad!
Rosicky is just amazing. He doesnt age like fine wine, fine wine ages like him. His inevitable departure from Arsenal will be a great loss, greater than many realize I think.
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not sure how accurate the translation is but Loic Perrin spoke to the media in France after his club’s game today and is reported to have said
“Arsenal have contacted me personally, but, for now, there is no agreement with St Etienne.”
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i listened to Wenger’s post match press conference and am amazed at the stupidity of some of the journos, one asked him today why our forwards don’t score with all their chances, like really he gets paid for asking questions as stupid as that. How wenger did not make a laugh of it I don’t know, he simply told him sometimes the goalie saves the shot, or a defender gets in a good block or tackle to deny the goal, or the shot is a bit off. Football journos are as thick as pig shit.
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I notice we have only 1 game a week for the next five weeks, no midweek game till Feb 10th, so less need for rotation or resting players.
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happy new year to evryone once again.
i have been VERY busy lately to comment as i dont like to post without waiting to react to others.
great game yesterday and a comfortable victory against a potential banana peel. alexis for me stood out again as he always has done this season. although for sometime now i have read several comments here about him distrupting the flow of our game and giving possession away. it amuses me because the last place that i expect this kind of moaning is on positively arsenal. alexis is alexis. he is no ozil or arteta or cesc or alonso. he may give away possession but you can be sure he wont stop until he gets the ball back or at least try to get it back. what i hate is for a player to lose the ball and never make effort in getting it back. i am not good at checking stats but i’ll like to know how many times he has lost possession leading to goals or better still chances for the opposition against us.
i also read comment of hoping he irons out that part of his game as the season goes by. sorry that will NEVER happen. players of the breed of sanchez take risk and are never concious or caucious of passes or weight of their passes. i guess we have little problem with alexis because we have not been having his breed for a while in out team. perhaps the only player i can compare to him in the present squad is theo. players who dont like to pass sideways or backward. their intent is the opposition goal. no wonder they score goals aplenty.
i said it sometime ago that suarez is like alexis. he loses possesions as well but i’m suprised that some think suarez was far better. i’ll like to check the stats again to see if he was better in pass completion. in any case sanchez is ours no need to compare him with suarez who is presently doing lot worse than alexis did at barca. just as i wont compare ozil with cesc even if others are doing so.
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like i said i dont know how to get those stats but i tried this is what i find. suarez stats compared with alexis in after thirteen game in the league.
goals scored : suarez 4 alexis 9
shot on target suarez 23 alex 20
shot off suarez 24 alexis 7
shooting acc suarez 48% alex 74% chance creatd suarz 25 alexis 34
total pass suarez 467 alexis 593
pass acc suarez 73% alexis 77%
this is just the first 13 games. lets wait till the end of the season to compare their stats for the whole season.
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for the forst time this season, i was impressed by the perfomance of my boy campbell. he works hard and tracked back especially in the second half. if he keeps doing that the boss will trust him more.
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it was refreshing to see Campbell’s work rate, despite him looking like he is carrying a few extra pounds. He is also very limited by being so one footed, I think he made one pass the entire game with his right foot, when on the right he had to cut inside all the time, and when on the left he had to go wide all the time or turn back. What a pity he did not put away that early chance, as a goal would give him such a boost.
Although Theo was rusty there was clear signs that he will add so much of a goal threat for us, and I can see us having a devastating attack with a front of Giroud flanked by Walcott and Alexis, with Ozil or Cazorla at No.10
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layksite
Thanks for that just confirms what I knew before Sanchez was signed, he’s better then Suarez haha! IBSF
Vela probably outshone Biter as Sociadad beat Barcelona yesterday. heh.
Sanchez brought Barca closer to the title with his incredible goal in May against A.Madrid then Suarez will bring Barca this season, that’s my predication for the end of the season comparisons. BBB will probably win the title now.
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reports that Joel Campbell will sign a new contract with Arsenal and then go on loan to another FAPL club for rest of the season.
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No one is asking that Sanchez take less risks, I just wont him to cut out the needless loss of the ball, a bit like Jack, just running into traffic He could also release the ball when its clear to everyone bar him that other players have taken up better positions.
The frustration is that with just a few tweaks he could be absolutely incredible.
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Exactly what you just said George.
Hopefully, with a schedule of only 1 game a week for a month or so – there will be some time available for extra training on what to do with Alexis’s passing, especially now Ozil, Arteta and Theo will be back in the team – passing will be crucial.
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Hard to believe but I really hope it’s true:
Wenger said yesterday “It’s a very important period now. We’ve had many injuries until now and hopefully everybody will be back.”
Jack Wilshere is still out until Late February. Arteta and Ramsey are supposed to be back training this week.
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I enjoyed the game and thought we were properly in charge throughout. The defence looked organised and apart from a spell in the second half when we seemed happy to concede possession, we always seemed in control of the game. I was very impressed with Campbell and felt he made a big impact: the ball seems to find him, and he was often involved. He provided excellent support defensively and his energy level seemed high – Monreal must have thought he was in heaven. Given that it was effectively his first proper match for Arsenal I thought he did well, and I would love to see him play again. There have been better players than him who have been one-footed and as the Tony Adams quote on the wall of the stadium says, “play to your strengths”. He seemed to give us a very different balance and it will be interesting to see how he is used. There is a line of thought that says that that left wing spot has been the hardest to fill effectively: Podolski, Ozil, Cazorla and Wilshere have all played there with varying degrees of success, and not all have embraced the defensive aspect of the role wholeheartedly, so it was good to see him trying so hard: he deservedly got an ovation when he left the pitch. Given the doubts over the fitness of our midfielders I wouldn’t be rushing to send him out on loan, although playing a dozen or so Premier League games for Palace, QPR or WBA would do him no harm at all I guess.
It was a good natured crowd, with a lot of youngsters there, and also a lot of empty seats, although I suspect that the official attendance was high as no doubt it was largely season ticket holders who were absent. Not many Club Level members seemed to have made it, and I can only guess that most were still on the ski slopes or wherever it is they head to over the Christmas holiday. Nice work if you can get it as they say.
And now we enter a period of brief normality with only a game a week for a while which will be very welcome for the players and rather dull for us. But thanks to our warriors yesterday we have the excitement of the Fourth Round draw to look forward to, and that is something to be more than happy about. I rather fancy an away tie at Old Trafford.
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Layksite, it’s hardly moaning to point out that Alexis could be even better if he improved a couple of aspects of his game. All good players constantly look to improve their game and he is with the right coach for that. As for the Suarez comparisons, I have not seen any on here since his fanboy left. Alexis is head and shoulders above the biter and I’m glad we missed the latter and got an upgrade for a better price too.
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reports in Poland say Szczesny’s lack of focus v Southampton was down to him being love drunk
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i must confess i used to have some concern about monreal last season but he is reborn this season. his time in the central defence must have done him lot of good. i’m never afraid of us conceding early from kickoff whenever he starts at the leftback. he doesnt rush forward unless he’s sure the back is settled
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New post http://wp.me/p37nXa-192
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