Before I go into my thinking let me make state my opinions:
- Arsene Wenger is the club’s greatest ever manager
- Arsene Wenger remains one of the world’s best managers
- Arsene Wenger can achieve as much success as any possible replacement
- Arsene Wenger should leave at the end of this season
So how can I say 4 after the previous 3? Let me try to explain.
Arsenal are not a poor club; compared to the vast majority of clubs we are rich. However, compared to 3 other English clubs we are very much the poor relation. The problem is a huge swathe of our fan-base flatly refuse to accept this reality. So let’s look at the reasons why so many think we should be able to compete with these clubs and why their thinking is wrong.
We are the 5th most valuable football club in the world and worth more than City and Chelsea.
Yes we are, but you can’t spend your share value. An owner could of course borrow against it and fund the club that way, as Manchester United basically do, but our owner chooses not to. So just like the value of your house does not mean you can buy a new Ferrari, the value of the club does not buy players.
We have the largest cash reserves in football.
Yes, we do, but all of our cash reserves are shown in our accounts. City and Chelsea’s cash reserves are in the bank accounts of their owners and don’t show in their accounts. And importantly, their owners are prepared and willing to spend their own money to subsidise the clubs. Ours has no such willingness. It doesn’t matter how rich your Dad is, if he won’t fund your lifestyle, you are on your own. The fact that Stan is fabulously wealthy does not help a jot if he insists on the club paying its own way. And he does.
There is a proven 85% correlation across all leagues of money spent (on fees and wages) to success.
Did LCFC club outspend the rest?
No they didn’t. They were a once in a lifetime exception, and people should understand that for every 5000 to 1 winner, there are 5000+ losers. Using this freak result as an argument against years of proven data takes an incredible amount of stupidity, but that doesn’t seem to put people off.
Until fans accept that there are 3 teams much more likely to win the league at the start of every season there will always be rebellion. I don’t care who the manager is, each and every year there are 3 teams that will have vastly more expensive squads and who will most likely have out-spent us on transfers in the previous window. Some fans will ignore the financial gulf and demand we “compete” with the super spending clubs. But why?
Well, Arsene Wenger for a start. His massive early success set the bar, and the change that has happened in the game since is ignored. We want doubles and unbeaten seasons, no sausages for us, oh no-sir. We deserve better. We have tasted it, many are fans because of it and we demand it again. And again.
But we just want to compete I hear you say?
But that is bollocks, because if we did compete, the same fans would be accusing the team, manager and club of “bottling” it if we didn’t go on to win.
The connection between the fan-base and the team is broken. A huge portion of fans blame Arsene. If he achieves the finish we should be achieving – 4th- this will be hailed a failure.
But here is the thing. Any future manager getting 4th or better will have succeeded. Only Arsene can both achieve and fail at the same time. He needs to massively over-achieve for it to be seen as acceptable. If we finish outside the top 4 this year, it will be his first failure in real terms. But it is accepted thinking that he has failed for 13 years. And this thinking will remain as long as he is manager.
He has to leave before fans will see and accept that he is not the problem, and never has been.
The players appear to back him almost to a man. But until he leaves they will hide behind him and he will let them. He will take the flak for the players and the board until he leaves. I doubt a new manager will be as selfless.
Also the players could be carrying his burden onto the field. The pressure applied by fans and the media will not be released while Arsene is in the driving seat. They are sure he is the problem and will not consider an alternative view.
All this does not justify our current form which, by the way, is unprecedented in 21 years, but it might go some way to explaining it if people would be prepared to be a little open- minded. The problem is they are not. They are convinced. And only Arsene leaving will satisfy their lust for blood.
Arsene simply cannot win. He should leave, even if the club will actually be worse for it.
That said, if he stays, he will get my 100% support.
Because, well you know?
He’s Arsene Wenger.
Positively Arsenal 
So its full-on Hard Wexit – lemmings ahoy
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Wouldn’t blame him if he did leave. What they throw at him will only increase…the rather strange decisions that go the way of his team, the apparent lack of any shielding from the board.
Yet, he takes it on. The narrative now is that he cannot let go…..maybe there is an element of truth in this, as he clearly loves this club, but certainly not to destruction.
It appears the owner and board back the man, but there are times when I wish they would be a bit more conspicuous……only a personal opinion, but perhaps a bit more David Dein. Wenger is a lightening rod, he protects others.
Nobody can predict the future with any certainty, but I think the players, club in general, sensible fans once they wake up, and especially the board will miss the man when he has gone. I do not know señor allegri or sampaoli or the others we have been linked with, but I wonder if they might be banging on Ivan’s door a bit more….I want money for this player, wages for another, I want my own backroom staff, what the feck is wrong with the refs here, do something about it…now Ivan, or I go to Barca……if that twat Henry winter has a go again, I am going to deck him…..ok maybe exaggerated but get my drift?
Oh yes, they will miss Mr Wenger.
He has my support as well
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Enjoyed reading this George. Arsène can win only if there is a supermarket sweep of all the cups/trophies etc.-and we play great football.
The idea of failure in the wobs mind, is a relative one. The other day I saw a bloke on AFTV who before the Lincoln match wanted the AFC to lose so that AW would go. He said we hadnt won anything for 13 years. My Arsenal, or is the FAC only a trophy when Mou or Pep or Klopp or Conte (etc) win it? Supporter or follower? Ive never wanted AFC to lose -ever.
Ok so when havent challenged but then who else has? If we were 2nd last year then the rest werent challenging either. The Spuds might be second, but look how far behind they are.Not challenging! And they are enjoying ever second of this stupidity, and after 20 years in our shadow they will milk it dry if they finsih above us. Erm, when did they or Liverpool win the league last?
Getting spanked by Bayern, over shadowed the wins and draws against them in recent years. And as A5 pointed out the other day, which other of the mighty EPL would have over come either Barca or Bayern?
Plus have the wobs considered that Mesut and Alexis might do the off if AW goes?
How much of this situ has been an situation building up, one of jealousy from Ambrovichs entreè and false memories from childhood/teen/early adult years from earlier on in AWs time at AFC? These guys(wobs) are like Stalins attitude in the battle of Berlin.Win at all cost. Big money should get out, not AW.And if we had stayed at Highbury, how might it have been, once the Invincibles floated away into memories pastures?
I dont think the connection between the fans and the team is totally broken, loud aggressive noisy emotional voices are always attention grabbing. Does mean they are right,usually it denotes fear and pain. This toxicity and egoistic Absolutism has defiantly affected everyone at the club, away teams now know how to get the home crowd on the ass of the team and audible groans certainly are undermining everything,just because your paid a wad of cash doesnt make you deaf or without emotions, even the mythically hard wankers in the 70s were affected by the crowd. The Twatford game was the tipping point?It was like the lads couldn’t be naffed against the Orns on a rainy midweek with a crowd that can only really sing and shout when the big boys are in town.Why?
Q is what has happened things were looking really good before the Everton mess up and the City. Bayern (1st leg) was shocking as Ive never seen a Aw team collapse like that.And form then on its been fighting the negatvity ever second until we’ve arrived here.
What are these reports that certain players are argumentative etc? Tabloid bs or is there something there?
Ollie Kahn said after the first leg(v FCB) that AW had lost the dressing room and since then it does seem a bit like that. But why? These lads have been performing well earlier on so something has shaken them, its like they have no benzine to drive them along.
Wenger in..Wob shut up-its making things worse.Fans support the team, see what the end of the season brings. As long as the crisis that isnt a crisis (yet) is fanned by emotionally over charged responses from the wob and the media delight in having something other than the report( which we dont really need as we’ve seen the games already) to fill their economically unfriendly bog wipe with more charged up sensationalism.
This is al about shame, a low vibration, next step away form sham e is anger, and form there upwards we start to get back on track. Shame out! Anger out!Mills over.And out.
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Nice work, except for the “he should leave” part, although I do think the same on some weak days.
It will of course prove them all wrong the day he leaves and some crazy coach actually naive enough to take on the challenge replaces him, but I think it would be better if he proves them wrong before leaving, the club will be in a better shape afterwards.. possibly.
The next coach has to have the biggest ego ever, or be extremely naive. Fans, media and all these people tasted blood and will be ready to jump on the smallest mistake anyone will do in the post-Wenger era to get the planes flying again, think how empowering it felt to actually get Wenger to quit ! Let’s do this again!
And so it begins..
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You’re not wrong. You’re just an ….. Oh wait. This isn’t the movie quotes blog.
But yeah. You’re not wrong. The ‘logical’ choice would be that. But logic depends on the data you process (In cockney, a bunch of data is called a shot ‘a shotta)
If Wenger does leave, it will be a full on parade of obnoxiousness among the twitteratti. They will be drunk on their sense of power, while also having to find something else to keep them relevant. Meaning the complaining will never stop. It’s not like the media will let up on Arsenal, unless..I don’t know, we open up our dealings to their favourite agents. So maybe that happens when Wenger is no longer keeping his old fashioned, past it, has been notions of fair play and honesty. Maybe even the refereeing will improve. So Arsenal can ‘win’ again.
Personally, I would rather have MY Arsenal, and that is not a club that cheats or succumbs to bullying, simply in order to win. And what has been going on at Arsenal is quite simply bullying.
If Wenger leaves, we’ll have maybe 2 months of peace and quiet until we don’t buy the new hot player on the market as revealed by the highly rated scouts in the media, and then the protests against the board will start. And since the board doesn’t enjoy the love of anyone, they would be an easier target. I’m quite sure the target of this campaign is not limited to Wenger, but rather to have Arsenal fall in line with the ‘business’ model of the league, or force an ownership change to bring that about.
If Wenger stays, I think we need the board to sanction a one time mega spending budget though. We need something to quieten the fans and at least try for a fresh start. Even from a team building view, I think we do need something more drastic than the usual. So a bunch of new players ought to at least challenge the notion of groundhog day.
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This lemming thought he should’ve chilled out after that come back to win the cup in 2014,
The cheeky old bugger only went and won the cup again the following year, and signed my fantasy signing from the recent period, after Aguero was taken from Atletico by a reeking petro club Alexis was the only top top top star forward available for AFC imo.
Injuries did for the skipper and leader from that period the following season, and then went Per and then Santi the three key (panic btw!) signings that set the foundation for those back to back cups. So some of the screeching from the lamestream is vaguely correct, just a season or two late (wait till the genius’ find out Koscielny is in his last two/three years at this level).
George me old mucker the best bet the club has at replacing those three leaders is with AW around for a bit longer – Klopp etc’s signing don’t inspire confidence! And Gazprom will always be able to gazump afc on the kante’s & hazard’s even if those suffering from cognitive dissonance are in denial etc. (the officials won’t change their tune until afc start signing from third party ‘agents’ etc.). He’s already started, Mustafi if he improves as with all young CBs (23 going on 24) has the potential to be Lolo’s heir, Xhaka for Arteta, etc. and of course there’s always turnover in a football squad so i wouldn’t be too concerned about the ins and outs as long as the trend is upwards in squad quality, and that it is!
As for anyone who even listens to our lamestream media, they deserve the angst for exposing themselves and standing underneath to such repetitive droppings (sorry Andnic)!
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Just went on News Now Arsenal feed and the level of out and out bullshit, in particular from The Metro. The press really are at an all time low for me.
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There will be no return to peace and quiet and fan unity. What has been said and done will not be erased or forgotten.
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Fundamentally, no-one has proved to me there is anyone better than Arsene currently available.
No-one has proved to me that we won’t go the same way as any number of clubs – but let’s for the sake of illustration name Liverpool, who have spent a fortune in recent years and won precisely nothing.
Liverpool have, for some time, proven themselves consistently incapable of attracting (or retaining) truly world class talent.
Without either a Wenger or a limitless budget, neither will we.
We will move into the ‘Aston Villa’ slot. The region of the league the likes of Everton just can not emerge from. The upper-mid-table echelon that Spurs have spent decades – and substantial sums – trying to escape. To at best, only temporary avail.
And in the case of Leicester, never before has the phrase ‘the exception that proves the rule’ been more apt, at least when applied to a sporting context.
Yup, it’s been a disappointing season – at least this third quarter has, at any rate. But we can only speculate as to the reason for the wholesale collapse witnessed in recent ties and there’s little point in continuing to speculate without reliable word from the dressing room or the (ex) manager’s office. Evidently a player shake-up will be required in the summer, but how deeply required even that we can not be sure of although Fins again makes the correct calls re yesterday’s Trojans and tomorrow’s stars.
Arsene isn’t merely fighting for his job.
He is fighting for the true spirit of Arsenal.
As others have pointed out, the ‘£6 for 1,000 clicks’ mob and their odious brethren will find their fun and pocket-money in attempting to recreate the dog days of the end of Arsene’s Era. We will enter permanent strife with those who have a financial interest in controversy, instability, in-fighting and myriad unpleasantness finding their exposed platform on AFTV and the like.
And all the while our attempts to sign elite performers will continue to founder on the rock of a wretched reputation hewn from the cliff-face of entitlement.
We will simply reap what we sow, over and over again.
Wenger In.
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More AA more !!
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Liam Brady says Wenger has to announce his decision during this interlull, be it staying or going, Brady thinks he is still the best man for the job. He says he thinks that the uncertainty is affecting the team. So the sooner the better he announces a decision, and that there is no reason why it can not be done before we play man city on April 2nd
Mark Lawrenson says he thinks the players have not given up on Wenger like how the chelsea players did with jose, but that it all comes down to a lack of confidence, that all that is missing is the 5% extra that confidence gives a team. Players are low, and are second guessing themselves, have gone into their shells, are making mistakes due to it, and are not doing their jobs cos they are afraid of making a mistake. He says that our players standing in groups in our six yard box not making challenge for the ball on two goals, was typical of players frozen with fear due to lack of confidence, just as is our midfield and attack passing over and back instead of actually trying to make or score a goal. the missing 5% that confidence brings is the missing ingredient, not any loss of faith in Wenger.
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When Arsene leaves the toxic fans will leave too, because there will be no mileage for them in supporting a mid-table club who are largely ignored by the media.
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amendment to my bs: “mythically hard wankers in the 70s” I didnt actually mean the Arsenal but dirty Leeds which I should have written.
WENGER IN!
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Well, well !! I missed the results, because I was in “dock”,, ship-fashion!
One supports the club, the Arsenal, regardless of the result. I was not interested in the financial affairs of the Arsenal, until 2007/2008. Now, I am awash, with financial reports of various football clubs, even Lewes FC!
Money, is not really the problem, the liabilities with the top players’ salaries over the period of their contracts, COULD BE ruination! Say 4 years of players’ contracts, will amount to over £500,000,000. The club must be guaranteed the income to cover this liability, over the next 4 years. Portsmouth, Leeds, Glasgow Rangers have speculated and crashed.
The Arsenal, will not.
In my very humble opinion, this year is different. Mr Wenger has made an error of judgement, in putting off his decision to renew or not, until the end of the season. Some of the players, are disaffected as they may not be at the Arsenal next season?
Every malignant follower of the game of soccer, seeks to hound and harry every football manager. Except the likes of Sam Allardyce, I wonder why?
Come on the Arsenal, everything is not rotten in London Colney! Only, some of the onlookers.
Mea culpa, for any errors, as may eyes are somewhat vision challenged!
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NOTH ! I thought you’d run off to join the circus …
Financially the club is as well balanced, and probably better balanced, than any club in the PL. We shall struggle by.
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If Liam Brady is saying those things, can only agree with him.
He knows the players, club and what’s going on.
Think if Wenger announced he is staying, you will see an upturn in performance.
If it is happening as reports speculate, they should just go and announce it , the hell with the media/wob/PR concerns
There are of course notable exceptions, but surely a degree of stability helps performance
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Mandy, The PR has been so mismanaged that you’re right, there’s nothing to lose by announcing it.
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100% agree, Mandy and Hap. And, great read, George.
Mike |Arsenal|
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I support and am a fan of Arsenal Football Club
I support the manager
Bertie Mee –
He gave me the my first witnessed trophies,broke up the team too soon , can I say he made a mistake buying the great Alan Ball great player brought into the club that was not ready for that move.
But I supported him as he was the manager
Terry Neil
I did not realise at the time he had played for AFC untill he appointed,he irked me from day one Some of the players he bought, (I can only say in a privileged southern drawl) ‘I declare’ . still supported him,even though I thought of him as Spurs.
But I supported him as he was the manager
The Don
The right man at the wrong time ,will always have love for him., put the set stones in place,he seemed to loose his way.
But I supported him as he was the manager
GG
Came like a sea breeze recognised the work The Don started and built on it. But Pål Lydersen and his negative buying,selling and playing style led me to be disillusioned. Even when we fell to 12th but we won the domestic cup double and CWC
But I supported him as he was the manager
Bruce Rioch
Was never convinced by him,didn’t take long for him to prove me right by unsettling most of the players.
But I supported him as he was the manager
Support the manager till they are no longer the manager Arsenal Football Club
Support the players till they are no longer players for Arsenal Football Club
ATID
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Wenger stays, fuck the WOBs…
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I understand why Arsene would have wanted to wait to the end of the season before signing on. As a man of integrity he would want to be sure that the club is still progressing under his stewardship, that the Board are justified in offering him a new contract and he had earned it. For him, contract or no contract he would be fully focused on doing the best job he can with the resources available to him to the end of the season.
Unfortunately for him we live in a world of few values and he may have underestimated how much the press would go to town on magnifying the situation for their own ends. I said it weeks ago, he should not have answered their constant questions, press conference after press conference. I would have told them to fuck off weeks ago and said if there are no questions about the match, the press conference is over. The PR department at AFC should be closed down as they are fucking useless and have allowed him to be exposed to disrespectful questioning with no back up.
The lowlife scum of the media and malcontents who claim to support the club while undermining and embarrassing it cannot be allowed to drive AW from the club as they will feel emboldened and as bad as things are now, they will only get worse. I know that manager out brigade or MOB has always been with us, but in the age of entitlement that we live in it is magnified in the echo chamber of the internet. In fact it is so insidious that even some of the supposed ‘positive’ supporters have been convinced that the manager should go. They may dress it up with a different rationale, but it amounts to the same thing and plays into the hands of the forces that are seeking to destroy this club and AW’s legacy.
If Arsene decides he’s had enough, or feels he cannot take the club any further forward I will respect his decision. I don’t think he should go and I don’t want him to go as I believe he is still the best man for the job. He is respected by people who matter in the game and can still attract players who are in it for more than the money. I would like to see him go out on a high. He deserves it for all the years of sacrifice when he gave up his personal ambitions to shepherd this club into the modern era. There are clearly a lot of goldfish in the fan base who have forgotten that, I haven’t so I say fuck the WOB and fuck the media #Wenger in.
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“…not making challenge for the ball on two goals, was typical of players frozen with fear due to lack of confidence, just as is our midfield and attack passing over and back instead of actually trying to make or score a goal.”
I said on Twitter on Saturday that the players were afraid and got ridiculed for it. No room for fear, they’re grown men paid millions, I was told. My response was that I don’t believe God passed anyone over with this particular affliction. Uncertainty and anxiety can make anyone ineffective. I liken it to working for a company where there are rumors of being bought out and restructured. Hard to do a good job under those circumstances.
I think Arsene should stay, but IMO whatever he’s doing they need to say so now.
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I love passenal
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I second that, George.
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I third that.
WENGER IN!
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Passenal
Right on about the PR team. I will say, Arsenal as a club aren’t the most… shouty. We’re more understated (Part of the reason I picked us over ManU) Arsenal tend to take the long view and go about their business. Like, even the twitter battle that other clubs’ official accounts get into. I don’t think we do and I happen to like that. I find it crass.. We also have some great videos and great photos, and the sense of humour when announcing Xhaka was brilliant. I don’t think they are inept.
But they must have their shackles taken off. There comes a time when being predictable, even if right, in your response becomes a weaknesses for those attacking you to exploit.
There is a slight change with the chairman making a statement on Wenger’s future (which could have been clearer, firmer. But still) and the club officially denying media stories about contacting Tuchel for the job. We never used to do any of that.
But now they need to go on the offensive. Make the story rather than wait to react to a story. Annoy a few people if need be. It’s not like they’re not looking to be annoyed by anything and everything. If the board want Wenger to stay, they must make it clear that no amount of whining, shouting, protesting is going to convince them otherwise and they invite all fans to revisit the issue in two years time, during which they hope fans remember the spirit of fandom and the club motto. I swear if they keep that effort up to ‘influence’ people rather than ‘educate’ them, it will be more successful. Use the average joe’s gullibility rather than fight it.
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Get the Gooners20 over here!
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In fact, I think the entire cast of PA should take over the PR at Arsenal. The club must surely be aware of the battle being fought here.
I’d give the Website a makeover to start with so that it not only reflected today’s world (its looking a little old) but also reflected more obviously the club’s values – values that are enshrined in the motto and all the incredible work the club does in the community. What a deafening hush there was about the 10-0 drubbing of Tottenham in the Women’s FA cup. What silence about our brilliant youth teams. Etc. Etc.
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PA could now be a rallying point for all those who arent wobs?Would be amazing to see! For me, the posts in reaction to PGs piece are the strongest Ive can recall…really enjyoed reading what you all had to say.
Love Passarsenal? Yes of course, but all you guys are brilliant! Good to see you all in such strength!
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This is quite amusing in its own small way – many years ago, my first season commenting on A Cultured Left Foot saw me roundly attacked (okay, gently disagreed with) for suggesting AFC’s PR Dept wasn’t all that.
You have to remember this was a different era, when to be seen to be criticising the club was tantamount to commentator’s suicide. I ploughed on for a bit with an A4 poster here, and a few flypasts there. If Twitter been alive back then I’ve no doubt my banner – “Thanks for all the soundbites but it’s time for a change of agency” – would have been a big hit, (ironically).
Had the club only listened to me all those years ago, all of this could have been avoided.
*Ends*
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First up, apologies for talking shite on Saturday. Turned into an epically bad day across the board for me and that spilled over into my comments no doubt.
Second, good article ,George, and nice to see fighting spirit in comments.
Avoided the media and football stuff out of near necessity on Sunday and have since been getting some enjoyment in doing so. Damn it feels healthy.
I’m now taking the (risky) step of clicking on Arsenal NewsNow, looking at the monstrosity of negative headlines and – damn, humanity!- clickbait hell, feeling the slight pull of old habits, the temptation to re-engage, see what on earth that prick Sutton is saying; resisting, stepping away all clean for it.
I feel like proselytising : join me, brothers and sisters, imagine what we can achieve together if we simply ignore all of it, turn the cheek, don’t let it sully our brains and souls. Admittedly, some things need to be ironed out : how will we know if it is working if none of us look at it, ever, and where to draw the line (cancelling sky, renouncing football, setting up the commune)?
In all seriousness, it’s just the thought that if it’s a victory for me wouldn’t it be great if enough people felt the same and just maybe it could have a real positive impact.
My one real argument against it- but you have to know what the assholes are up to, it does impact eventually and directly on our fortunes, you can’t give up the floor entirely to them; echo-chamber danger. etc- isn’t a winning argument, in my case, and simply doesn’t outweigh the health-giving benefits.
It’s far too early to congratulate myself on wising up, but you have to try be optimistic and I hope it sticks for me this time and I can change my ways permanently.
The likely effects on my opinions and how I watch feels open at present, and i just have to wait and see what ‘contact’ with reality, i.e the next game, and so on, does to them.
The most important thing of all will be whether I can come to terms with the refereeing. If it affects me as it did on the weekend again (well, the sober version) I’ll have to make a big conscious effort to reprogram my noggin and detach further from events, and if I don’t succeed just let it be.
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Hopefully, should he decide for the best of reasons, The Man stays. He has a busy and effective summer, things start to look up.
And eventually, in fact, rather soon, the majority of middle of the road supporters see the Me Me Me supporters, and I’m angrier than though bunch for what they are and start to get mightily fed up with them.
Take the likes of Mr Troopz….Can anyone tell me what an Arsenal Trooper actually is…..and why does this individual refer to himself on his page as a Man of the People…..which people exactly?
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A bit of a change of topic. But there’s talk of appointing a Director of Football operations at Arsenal and Pires apparently wants to be one in the future, and I thought of Pavel Nedved doing well for Juventus in that regard, so why not? But then I remembered that Pires thought John Stones would be the ideal player for us, and I’m not so sure. (banned smiley)
However, Edu has been (or was) playing that role in Brazil, and Marc Overmars over at Ajax. Those two might be good candidates for a potential role in any revamp.
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Wenger has revealed that contract talks with Ozil and Alexis are on hold till the summer. Not good news at all.
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A change of theme very welcome. Certainly a strong case at Arsenal, as well as most other clubs for the season increasingly wide range of tasks the manager is responsible for to be shared. There is a main requirement for a manager to be head coach, the rest of the administrative, organisational and media workload should be spread out. Ridiculous as it may sound the best appointment the club could make is an official media/press secretary to liaise with the news organisation and fix a thought out strategy on public pronouncements.
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“Revealed” ! – now there is a word in the finest tradition of dubious news.
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The only thing revealed I will pay attention to, because it is important, is that Mesut Ozil and Slexis Sanchez are fully fit and determined to put on a display against MCFC that will earn us three points.
In fact lads don’t reveal it – just get on with it.
As for the Summer that can take care of itself, as it always does.
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afcstuff @afcstuff 9m9 minutes ago
Photo: Mesut Özil receiving the German Player of the Year award before kick-off tonight. #afc
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Podolskiiiiii!!!!!
Think we have missed that at times this season
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Podolski !
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Plodders was certainly a good person and influence to have in the/any squad, not forgetting his experience.
What a goal!
Lucas seems to add similar depth to the striking department
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Jeorge Bird @jeorgebird 1h1 hour ago
Eddie Nketiah scored on his debut for England U18s against Saudi Arabia. Reiss Nelson also featured.
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Positively Arsenal @Blackburngeorge 16m16 minutes ago
I think the average fan thinks they know a lot because pundits are useless.
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I am in total agreement with PG’s points and his summation. I also agree with the comments. After every disappointing Arsenal game, I feel far worse for Wenger than anybody else. The fact that some fans see themselves as victims of Arsenal failures says more about them and their priorities than any of the people working for the club that they so love to blame and abuse.
The only reason why I would support Arsene staying on, even if the club gets relegated or worse, is that I do not want those whiny bastards to think that they succeeded in forcing him out. Somehow, I suspect that the board wouldn’t want the wankers to think that they have that kind of power.
Seriously, fuck the wobs in all the most painful ways possible. Bloody wankers.
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the latest theory as to why Wenger says he has made his decision but has not informed the board yet, is to cover the board, cos if he says he has told the board, then under stock market rules the board are duty bound to make it public or at the very least inform shareholders, as any decision that may affect the share price has to be disclosed right away and Wenger staying or going is very much the sort of decision that could raise or lower the share price.
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so top 7 in the BPL will be in Europe next season, 4 cl and 3 el.
with utd having a chance of getting cl place by either league position or winning the el, and their league cup win and with the four teams left in the fac all being in top 7 positions then both league cup and fac spots could go to league positions.
of course if lcfc win the cl then things change around again, with a 5th spot in cl.
but if utd win el but finish outside top 4, then they take a cl place with the 4th place team going into el.
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I have love for Poldi but he too often did the bare minimum , but got away with a lot because he could explode a left foot shot.
Now if you have Theo, you have to make a choice,you can only have one player that does not engage in the rest of the play.
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I have read about these “stock market rules” eddy – as far as I know there are no “stock market rules” that require the contractual arrangements of an employee to be publicly disclosed. There are rules relating to what is directly price sensitive information, and that is in place to avoid market abuse and/or insider trading.
If a company chooses to announce an employee is extending their existing contract or not then that is their choice but required to ? I don’t think so.
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We shall all just have to settle down patiently and wait for Arsene to let us know his decision. I have no doubt it will be the correct one.
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Hi anicoll,
The parent or the holding company of Arsenal Football Club is Arsenal Holdings PLC and they in turn are governed by the London Stock Exchange, and also by EU Company Law, and altho AH Plc do not have to reveal the specific details of an employee’s contract, except in certain circumstances, they must reveal any information to potential investors if it could make a material difference to the future value of the company.
The term ‘senior executive manager’ is rather sweeping, but could well encompass AW as he is key to the main business of AFC, and if he left voluntarily or had his his contract terminated, I think AH Plc would have to announce it as soon as they knew.
It is a little odd, given that there are only two significant stock holders, Kroenke (67%) and Usmanov, (33%) together with a small number of individual shareholders (3%) that should not affect the principle legal requirements placed on the parent company.
Of course, if AW has already told the Board that he is staying as manager, there is nothing to declare, legally, but the club will do so as a PR requirement, when appropriate, to keep the fans updated.
My thoughts are that if AW had never considered leaving his post, none of this hullabaloo would have occurred. The fact he himself made it clear he was undecided as to his future during a post-match interview, makes it certain that he was being affected by the team’s recent (and hopefully temporary) drop in form, together with the toxic abuse he has received from some quarters – but given he and the Board are taking their time to make his decision known, given the above LSE requirements, then that is a firm pointer that he will stay.
All that said – I am really not into blogging at moment, especially responding to all the football nonsense revolving around our manager, especially in the light of the dreadful events of yesterday afternoon, surely even the most crass whiners and bitchers can give us all a break at this time?
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