Good morning Positives,
A game nine and a half out of ten of us had marked down for three points but, as it turned out, a game I was happy to escape from with the solitary single point as reward. The unbeaten run goes on, and we remain in the chasing pack for he CL places, but an unexpected and unwelcome slip. Three points from the previous nine PL points on offer, and now three points behind our North London neighbours. Plenty of time and games to improve and return to winning games, but a check to our confidence certainly. That we stagger into yet another international break is, for once, a welcome interlude in which Emery can get to work on the training pitch and iron out the ‘kinks’.
Of the game itself a sluggish first half, even among Arsenal’s sometimes slow starts with no urgency in our movement, and little accuracy in our passing. Wolves game-plan as superior to ours, when they advanced over the half way line they looked threatening and we never did. Having rattled us the duly took a deserved lead.
A better second half and a far, far better last 20 minutes when the kitchen sink was duly flung at the obdurate opponents. But for some dreadful marksmanship from Auba the equaliser should have come earlier but, eventually, Mkhi forced in the goal, scruffy, lucky even, but fair recompense from a lot of sweat from our lads. The visitors retained a sharpness that but for Leno would have embarrassed us further but Atwell eventually blew his whistle, thank Gawd.
No contest for the MotM so well done Bernd. If MotM was a podium ceremony you’d probably have been on your own.
We shall rise, we shall be better, we shall smash Tottingham. Know this.
Enjoy your week.
Positively Arsenal 
It was a good idea Andy, to allow some time to pass tween ye o’l whistle and pen
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A pretty fair summary.
In some ways, an annoying performance, with quite a few unnecessary errors, but I fear there are more of those to come, regarding Emerys team as a work in progress. He will need time, the much lauded Klopp and Pep needed time as well, and they had and have far greater funding than Emery
Despite some good results this season, perhaps aided by some very clinical forward play, and some great effort by the squad i dont believe the team and coach are yet in perfect harmony or anything like, not after 18 games. I would imagine he is trying to drill some quite complex and physically demanding systems, perhaps more suited to some than others.
The PR machine tells us all the players buy into the new methods, again, I suspect some buy in more than others, after all, surely it would be almost unique for such a number of people all to completely buy into a new boss!
Will be interested to see if Emery ends up with the almost Wengerball approach with his FFP busting elites at PSG,if he goes for a more pragmatic tough team like his Seville, a combination,or something else?
After such change, and clearly things behind the scenes where we dont know the full story- Ramsey- at the wish of sounding unambitious and lacking pashun, I think consolidation and maybe steady progress is a realistic expectation for this team this season, anything more is a bonus,. And lets face it, they are on a half decent run. The rivals are better funded in most cases, some are further down the road in their respective managers projects.
But this team will get better, Rome, and for that matter, the new Tottenham stadium werent built in a day
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Thanks Anicoll5 for rounding up a frustrating evening. The interbore can hopefully give us a few new thoughts + experiences away from recent events and we can re group having cleared the clouds.
At least we didnt lose, and we saw how great Leno is ( watch out Neuer!). who knows on another day ( and without the Welbeck injury) how we would have performed, we are quiet capable of anything, including giving Wolves a thrashing instead of not being too bovvered and offering them a false sense of greatness. Although Eds stats prior to the game on transfers costs of both teams was pretty interesting.
Well, it wasnt what we wanted, but and we havent got our Arsenal back ( the one made by Wenger!), although it does sometimes seem similar to pre AW day(!) however I hope we dont start getting in the autumn doldrums because I dont want our AFTV back. And dear Arsenal can we have the Arsenal matchday show back as it was?
Thanks again A5, and may the force be with you.
COYG!
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What was baffling Dave was how it took a full 60 minutes for us, Torriera in fact, to strike a shot that Patricio actually had to save ? We have talented footballers in every position. We had enjoyed 60%+ possession up to that point and had earned a few corners and free kicks that allowed us to put in balls to the penalty box.
And yet it took 60 minutes for the Wolves keeper to get his fingers stung ?
Shakes head
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A5-I feel the same — is it one of those mysteries we cant get to the bottom of, although it seemed like a hangover/haunting from midweek.
I thought we would win 3-1 but like you was happy for the draw. I really missed the guiding hand of Mr Ramsey yesterday. But on another day Unai’s subs and systems might have worked, I quiet like the way hes trying to create a squad and doing lots of rotation, whether it works or not is to be seen.
Football is a mysterious game in some senses. But the best mystery was the Arsenal stadium mystery in 1939!
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As you have gone the effort to write this Jod I do not intend to bin it and what you say is fair comment, for a fan of another club. We are however Positive AFC fans on here.
Emery is in the same position Klopp was when he took over at Liverpool and Pochettino when he took over at Spurs. Over time he’ll build the kind of team he wants but he won’t do it in one season. Reading the comments some of your fans seem to think your squad is better than it really is. While you have some class players you also have some fairly ordinary ones. Then there’s Ozil, talented but seems to be a flat track bully that goes missing when the going gets tough.Some of it is about attitude rather than ability. Look at Spurs grinding out a win at Palace in dreadful conditions despite not playing well the day before you dropped points at home to Wolves.I suspect in a couple of seasons Emery will have changed the squad to the point you will hardly recognise it. Strange comment by Mandy Dodd that Liverpool are richer than Arsenal. In fact Arsenal are the third richest club in the country, only the Manchester clubs have more money.
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It’s hard to think whether we went into the game with a different approach compared to Liverpool because Mikhi was the only change from that line-up. Or just could be old habits crept in of being a bit too complacent against “inferior” opposition. Bournemouth who got Rafa’d over the weekend will look at our performance and say to themselves we are there for the taking.
I hope Ramsey smash whomever Wales are playing. How many minutes of PL gametime did he get last three games?
I see Arsenal twatter saying we got lucky. How is it luck when fans cried out for the longest time for a GK that put in the performance Leno did yesterday. Saying we got lucky is undermining his performance and the recruitment process. On the balance of play probably a fair result. Game could’ve so easily ended 4-4 had both teams took their chances.
[hat tip Andrew]
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Jod… there is absolutely nothing strange about Mandy saying:
“He [Emery] will need time, the much lauded Klopp and Pep needed time as well, and they had and have far greater funding than Emery”
Unless you want to elaborate.
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Jod, who are the ordinary players you mentioned?
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whatever the reason this performance was a complete turnaround from the Liverpool performance, night and day, last we the team was “up” for it from the word go, our best first half of a game this season, then yesterday as we seen so often, too damn often in recent years, the team looked like they thought it would be easy, and went out with no fire in the belly, twitterland and blogs would have been in uproar over that performance if we still had AW in charge, but our PR is good so far this season, so the manager escapes any criticism, of course these people have turned on the usual suspects, Xhaka, Mustafi, Iwobi, Kolasinac and Bellerin.
Yes Xhaka coughed up the ball needlessly for their goal, but it does beg the question as to why it seems so often once we cough up the ball like this why it either ends up in a goal or it takes a superb piece of keeping to stop a goal, what is it about our set up that we are so open, even with the great new addition of a top quality DM in Torreira, Personally I put it down to attitude, well that combined with a lack of real speed in midfield and defense. On a couple of occasions yesterday when we lost possession our two fullbacks who were upfield barely broke into a jog to get back, its as if they think there is no point as they have a ten yard lead on us, when so often the reality is our CB’s slow down the attackers only to be still undone cos no one has bothered to get back to the free runners. I seen Iwobi run past Bellerin yesterday to get back and help, he really sprinted flat out to get back, now that is the right attitude, and something just not enough of our players do.
Up front the lack of movement was staggering, the amount of times Ozil had the ball in the middle of the park and both PEA and Lacca just jogged beside their marker, and ozil would play the ball sideways or at best out to Bellerin wide right, it was real sterile stuff, I know many don’t like or rate Ramsey, but the one thing we normally get from him being in the side is that midfielder who will run beyond the strikers and make the opposing defenders have to move, have to cover, which in turn gives PEA and Lacca that bit of space and time. And is the reason why I’d have Ramsey in the team all the time. Ozil needs movement for his best performances, he needs the movement so he can exploit the angles
we’ve dropped 4pts to Crystal Palace and Wolves, that is the difference to being 5th and being 4th, it could be the difference to being in the CL next season or being in the EL.
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Even on a bad day Ramsey is good enough Ed. His tireless running wear defenders out and allow others more opportunities to have an impact than recently. Bringing players on with 15 minutes or so minutes to spare when you’re behind is more of a rescue mission. I don’t really see Ramsey as that “impact” type player Fellaini is, he need to grow into a game.
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It may be that a set up at home against Wolves with two defensive midfielders in Torreira and Granit is one too many. Mesut had a very unproductive day yesterday, and his frustration showed – that he stayed on for 75 minutes was a surprise.
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Jod, a few definitions definitions of rich these days, Arsenal may be well run, have money in the bank and the asset of a stadium in high value land well on the way to being paid for, being self sustaining, but to me, that doesnt make them as cash rich as clubs with an individual or state who ploughs a billion of their own money into the club, and lets them get on with it, thats who Arsenal and others are up against.
Utd are another matter, richer than just about anyone and not through an owner .
But I maintain that Liverpool and City, and quite a few others have had more funding than Emery, just look at who spent what last summer. I sincerely doubt Emery will be catching them up in Jan either.
Tottenham- lets just wait and see what happens there
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Janni Arnth to join Arsenal Women from Linkopings
Arsenal Media 12 Nov 2018
Janni Arnth Jensen
Janni Arnth Jenson will join us from Linkopings.
An experienced defender and former captain of Linkopings, Janni’s club achievements include winning the Elitedivisionen – the top tier of women’s league in Denmark – and the Damallsvenskan – the top flight women’s league in Sweden – twice.
Janni is a Denmark international, having played at under-17, under-19, under-23 and senior levels.
Joe Montemurro said: “Janni is an experienced professional and an important addition to our squad. Her understanding of the game, technical knowledge and game experience is important for our squad to grow. We are pleased to have her with us and I am looking forward to working with her.”
Janni Arnth Jensen
Copyright 2018 The Arsenal Football Club plc. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to http://www.arsenal.com as the source.
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Guendouzi called up to France U21’s for the first time
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This game reminded me a bit of a home game a couple years ago- Middlesboro at home, but with that game,if we won, we went top of the league.
Against Boro, the team were pretty poor, Traore caused us serious problems then as well, we had masses of possession doing little with it, Kos missed an absolute sitter, but in the end, lucky to take a point, think they hit the woodwork, and had a 1 on 1 which Cech saved right at the end.
My main reflection of that day was a bad day at the office, think I remember one or two ring rusty players, I am sure we had injuries, but a performance tinged with just possibly the merest hint of complacency?
Doesnt take much to come a cropper against a highly motivated opponent , on a bad day.
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Lot of stories tweeting about concerning Nasri going to the Irons.
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A friend of mine (who is a very talented sportsman) has a theory about under-perfomance against so called ‘lesser’ opposition. He says that it is all too easy for players to only give 95% ,and the problem is the way that spreads throughout the team: it becomes 95% of 95% of 95% whihc soon adds up to a collective problem. I don’t think it is just lack of motivation either: sometimes when players have more time they start to overthink and lack the sharpness that they normally conjure up when doing things instinctively.
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So another draw against a bottom team at home. I read Ed that it was the first point lost to a team out of top6 at home since Jan 17 I. E 20 months. Arev we making progress under UE? I fear no. Winters are fast approaching and one of our striker is out for the season.
I don’t think we will finish top4 as in my opinion we have a weaker squad than we had in 2013/14; 2014/15 & 2015/16. when Wenger started rebuilding the team post austerity period. I believe had Cazorla been not injured we would have won the league is 2014/15 (leicester year) Pigmob permitting.
Let’s have a look.
Gk. Cech >leno
CBs. Kos Mert> mustafi/papa/holding
WBs. Bellerin/Monreal. OK the same but litch and Saed not upto that level.
Dms. Arteta/Coquelin /flamini=xhaka/Torriera/elneny.
Maybe Torriera better among the lot.
AMF. Cazorla/Ramsey/ozil>mikhi/ozil
I am not taking Ramsey as he is leaving.
Fwds. Alexis/Giroud/welbeck>laca/Auba
For me Alexis was miles, ahead of the lot and Giroud had better/ different/qualities than Laca. The French manager knows something 😀۔Giroud was sold under pressure from the malcontents.
All in all we had better players one on one in the last years of Wenger and if we had let Wenger continue we would have been a better team
I don’t want to look pessimist but I think we will not be able to finish top4.
The malcontents wish for the title is far off iIMHO. We would be lucky to finish top4 but that is not the malcontents wanted top4 is not they wish for…… They are in for a bumpy ride for sure.
The old gaffer looks to be enjoying his punditry. 😀
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“So another draw against a bottom team at home”.
Wolves are not a bottom team. And unless you are from Mars nor are Liverpool.
The last time we drew at home was in the PL was Chelsea, on the 3rd January 2018.
The last time we drew with what you sneeringly describe as a “bottom team” at the Ems was the game Mandy mentioned above , v Boro, on the 16th October 2016 and it 0-0.
What is the matter with you ? If you don’t enjoy it – don’t watch it.
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Lacazette called up by France after Martial pulls out
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update on that Lacazette call up, he has turned it down after France FF and Arsenal’s medics.
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Anicol Haha
You think wollves are a top club or even a medium club. They are a bottom club for sure. Let’ the season carry on they will surely fade off.
Also it doesn’t matter much if I mentioned Jan 2017 or Oct 2016 as Eduardo wrote that it was Jan 2017 so I copied it.
Also drawing Liverpool at home is no big ask if we think we are pulling trees already.
Re your advice for not watching games it’s my own will you cannot dictate me.
And how did my post offended you. I honestly shared my opinion about how things are going under UE.
If you don’t like my opinion you can go to any Wenger out blog. You can find a number of them. …..
Sorry a harsh one from me.
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There’s nothing wrong/inferior about this Arsenal and I think we are still in with a shout for top-four if we just get our act together. We had a great run 7 PL game winning run and then Unai tinkered with line-up. That just hasn’t quite worked out. Was Crystal Palace the first time Auba started since Laca replaced him up front after Cardiff(?) game?
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Wolves hasn’t been lower than 11th on the log all season, and they dropped to there only recently. Was 7th and thereafter about before last inter-break. Drew vs Manchester United, Manchester City, Everton and came back from 3-0 down to lose 3-2 vs Spurs. They are NOT a team that will fight to survive relegation this season.
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rosicky we have not dropped any points at home to a team other than one of the top six, Man City, Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs since Jan 2017, the oct 2016 I would suggest is last time we dropped home points against a newly promoted team.
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there are some reports that Guendouzi after initially being called up to the France U20 squad and then getting promoted to their U21 squad has now been called up to the senior squad, as of yet its unconfirmed
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We have a very decent team. Under a new coaching staff which means we will have good days and some less good days, nothing more,nothing less.
As an earlier poster said, we are where the likes of klopp and poch were when they came to this league, a work in progress but doesn’t mean they wont give us plenty to cheer about
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I think its a case of being patient, its unknown waters for all of us, after an amazing long run with AW. The daily culture changed drastically in that time, a new stadium after years at being at a well established home that touched hundreds of thousands of hearts, football culture has also changed drastically since Wenger came.
So about three weeks ago or so the league was tight, and if we would have had a few results going our way we would have been 2nd and only one point behind. And now some are scared as we are 5th and 3 behind the Chickens, 4 behind the Chelsea buns, 6 behind the Schkowshers and 8 City.
The EL and CC are not so hot this year( if they ever were, in our current climate of hierarchical competitions?), and this affects are club like ours, its hard to rise the game sometimes. Theres a severe divide, and all the top teams( and we are in that bracket) are expected to smash anyone that’s popped up from “down there”. Our lust for supremacy shadows out logic: everyone has a chance, no-one in the top flight is kack. Chelsea are over -rated and Liverpool and City are slick but one upset or two could put them out of orbit. When was it Liverpool last one the league? City desperately wanted that League Cup final last year. Yes the mighty City wanted the Tin pot.
Dannys injury has affected the team, they arent soldiers, but sportsmen, and this isnt the 70s anymore and one of their friends was badly injured, and when they see that it affects them, as it has done in the past when some of our players had their legs and ankles hanging off.
Uncle Emery organised a Facetime link up with Danny before the game, so the lads inspire each other to get well and play well: it didnt work as well as should have. We will never know why we drew( even though it feels like a loss) and soon enough we will move on.
Fuck it, we are still in mid Nov, its only been dark for two weeks. Ok its not where we want it, but we aint as kacki as the Mighty ManUre of Old Toilet. And they are under ‘bottom clubs’ Bournemouth and Twatford. And the darkness will get darker, and teams will hit the Christmas nightmare, ten games in ten days with too much Turkey stockings+ brandy butter, and then we shall see?
The Wenger wound may never heal, but hes gone and I cant see him coming back unless its the weirdest moment in everyones football lives. And personally I dont want that, would you?
Maybe only the Ferg in his prime could have picked up the baton and run with it to Baton Rouge, who knows? Maybe AW might have done better? Who knows, all speculation is a bet anyway.
I loved AW and stood by him big time, but his legacy is all in black and white, and not from the psychological horses arse of the Wob. But nows Uncle Emerys time, hes a good manager and deserves our support and hes got mine. Not the murmurs of the crowd v Wolves but a bit of noise. Wenger had a season to pull it together and UE deserves that too,
Better to just watch whats happening? As Ricky from Eastenders would say ” I dunno do i?”
COYG!
FOYS!
aftv out!
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He’s left Ro – why the fuck would I wave to go on a Wenger Out blog ?
Get it through your head – Arsene – has – gone. A glorious contributor to the Arsenal Football Club, respected, revered but a part of the club’s history.
So either accept it, support the club, the players and the coach as Positively Arsenal do, or go off and find a Wenger In blog – and if you can’t find one set one up.
I think that is fair.
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Lol a “Wenger in” blog. Now that would be niche.
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All I asked from the new manager was that he basically tried to play attacking expansive football. Emery does that. I have no complaints.
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I adored Arsene and although it is early days I like most of what I see of Emery. I find my reaction to draws and losses interesting, just as I find it interesting to see which players I forgive for just about anything they do, and which ones annoy me the moment something doesn’t quite work out for them. Earning a point last week felt like a win, whereas yesterday felt like a loss. Same result, same points, different emotions.
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Rosicky
You’ve done nothing but undermine Emery since he joined Arsenal. I’ve pointed this out a few times and also made it clear that it’s obvious that you’re waiting for him to fail in order to fuel your Wenger cravings. I know this BS goes down well on the conspiracy blog, but you really need to get a grip on yourself, and as for ‘malcontents’…you’re one yourself.
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Very good Mail article on Nelson:https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6381257/Reiss-Nelson-threatening-outshine-Jadon-Sancho-Bundesliga.html
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What is the conspiracy blog?
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honestly i think emery is doing much better than i expected nd i know it is true for many others. arsene is a difficult act to follow. a world class manager and probably the best at using less fund to fight larger and bigger funded clubs. emery is doing just that.
it may be true also that had wenger been afforded this team he would do better, but under the difficult artmosphere in the stadium at home, i doubt he will do as much. the filure of the last couple of years of wenger in getting into top four wasnt because he wasnt good any more but the working environment has gone too bad for the players.
now those who fought for him to be sacked are doing all they can to make emery look much better. i think that is what some can not stomach. so much has been said about our streak but there is nothing new about it but still a welcome development. i wish emery all the best of luck he can get because these people who worked against the best manager in the history of the club are still around.
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Self Righteous
How can you term me as malcontents?
If I speak for Wenger why does it offends you. Alright nobody is above the club but how can I let go the idiots who forced our greatest manager out of the club who made this club as one of the biggest in the world. Infact he served the club for 20 years and stood against the dark forces of pigmob, the anti Arsenal media & the new breed of fickle fans who undemine his achievements on a regular basis.
I never wish Emery to fail. As I know that Wenger days are over and no body is immortal he had to go someday but I wanted Wenger to bow out on his will and not due to those forces who wanted him out.
Regarding the team performance I gave my realistic view that it seems difficult to finish in top 4 considering the capabilities of the players on one on one basis as compared to our team during the period 2013-16.
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Layksite well said.
Those people who forced Wenger to leave the club are still around and I sincerely wish them to fail in a miserable way.
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I strongly suspect the main forces that meant Wenger leaving, under whatever terms, were commercial rather than personal.
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A5
you know you are one of the most respected voice in this place. moreso for someone as me who is a late comer all the way from naija. i like you for your deep knowledge of the club history but i disagree with you that aresene is respected and revered by the club. the way he was shown the way out and the manner they are trying to move too quickly from his time to the new regime and almost never mention his name or talk about his legacies in the club or its website clear says the opposite. up till now ferguson is well treated and respected at united nd the old tratford but you can hardly remember anyone was wenger at emirates – the stadium he single handedly biult at the expense of his personal success in the field. no ihe is not respected let alone revered.
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George
Re ‘the conspiracy blog’. I’m reluctant to name it as I don’t want to offend the people here who regularly post comments on it.
Personally, I think it stinks the Arsenal blogosphere out, but that’s just my opinion which is not shared by that bloggers acolytes .
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layksite
‘the stadium he single handedly biult’
Something else to add to his CV…master builder?
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arsenal has been existing for over a century before wenger came on board but we in africa hardly hear or know anything about the club. we know liverpool were giant of english football same a united and even newcastle but today, you will have to go far before you meet any newcastle fan. arsenal have overtaken united nd liverool are far behind. all thnks to wengerball and the way he opened door to african players. i struggle to count 3 african players that play for ferguson. yes he was successful but a racist. wenger is more than a football manager but a philosopher, a nelson mandela of football. a man who defy all odds and intimidation as well s pure hatred to build a club that was never really connected to his root.
he stood for the club to get a loan to build a world class stadium and his name isnt even boldly written in the front. knowing fully well that he will be forced to sell his best players and rely on young nd inexperience player to qualify for ucl. he never grumble of complain. never. even when some idiots kept aying you cant win anything with kids the club didnt come out to defend him that he does not have to win anything but bpay the stadium debt. arsene wenger is not respected. he was betryed.
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layksite
Yes Wenger was wonderful man & world class coach and his name on his contract was essential for the banks to finance the stadium build, but I don’t think he had anything to do with the actual construction. His name isn’t on the front because our main sponsor has that privilege.
Also that ‘you can’t win anything playing with kids’ wasn’t directed at Arsenal. It was Alan Hanson sniping at Manchester United (who proved him completely wrong).
Sorry you don’t get enough Arsenal info where you live and not everybody has access to the internet, but you seem a bit misinformed on some issues.
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I suspect he is referring to Untold?
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Wish it could remain civil here but know it aint easy when passions run high, button’s pressed,etc.
Have done it myself, but after a day to put things in perspective- cliche but there it is- yesterday…I don’t know.
Just a shame if us lot, all drawn here for something different (and better!) than the rest of Arsenal internet, can’t avoid the stress and strife and whatnot of elsewhere.
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I think Wenger is respected within the club. What is happening, that seemingly gives the impression that those within are moving on to quick got more to do with giving Unai the space to make his mark on the team.
As I said before its is his time now and just as its expected of us to give him time and space, so does he need from the Arsenal board.
Afterall what Wenger has gone through the last few seasons he deserves a break from Arsenal just to take regroup, reconnect with family and friends and enjoy life. And to give the “malcontents” time to get over their obsession with him. The last thing we all need now is for Wenger to sit at the Ems with the rancour of “we got our Arsenal back” going around.
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I have respect for you guys still upset about Wenger’s departure, angry about some of the issues, especially behaviour of some of our own fans, media bullshit etc.
Get a proper view of the depth of feeling sometimes and even if I disagree on any details or points, I’m impressed to witness true, rare devotion and loyalty. To be a person who inspires that, justifiably, from people all over the globe!
Myself, I’m mostly onboard with moving on, concentrating on the present and seeing what future holds. I accepted a long time ago that the popular view, in the UK at least (don’t know elsewhere), of Wenger does not do him justice, as a person or for his work. So nothing has changed there.
Like anything important, ultimately your own valuation of a person or thing has to do, though that may coincide with some popular view or you may get lucky and find people you respect who think similarly
I certainly don’t miss knowing any poor result and many ok ones will result in endless bile towards Wenger. Think that added extra to the pain of any defeat to me in recent years.
Also think, though it’s impossible to quantify, the atmosphere et al had become unhealthy, was hurting us and would be very hard to change (unless Mr Kroenke woke up thinking he was directly connected to an oil-rich state one day, said he’d match whatever City really spent, and Arsene agreed- in which case, it could be changed with ease)
We pressed the reset of managerial change, which has grown alien to us, but which most clubs use regularly. This tends to bring some short measure of respite from ubercritical fans, naturally encourages hope,etc. I don’t think the club could or should have played it much differently in this stage. Again, it suits me for them not to give arseholes a chance to pounce by talking of Wenger too much. Emery deserves support and positivity also.
Wenger’s greatest gift to future managers, aside from the good shape he left club in, is that he did not walk, as just about every manager in his position would have, when his great, obvious successes were very fresh, any time from, say, 2005 to 2008.
Those who judge him most harshly now would, had that happened, revere him as a managerial titan, and demand any manager at the club lived up to what Wenger achieved then, or else. With everything else the same, they would have been incredibly difficult years for any manager, and that comparison could still be going on now and for many years to come.
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Don’t know if it’s pure bullshit but one of our youngsters linked yesterday with a move abroad- Dortmund and others supposedly interested.
Ben Cottrell. Based purely on fact I’ve seen next to nothing of him, there’s been little talk, limited appearances for u18’s, and what I have seen of others, I’d have listed him about 15-25 in some notional assessment of our best prospects.
So , if links true, either that assessment/guess way off, or we have a very deep pool or talent at the moment.
There’s talk, though I have no expectation of it coming to pass, that post-Brexit FA will push for dramatic increase in English players in squads. Might be only 12 foreign lads out of 25.
Almost no chance of it happening, but would likely suit us at this time if our youth system is as healthy as i believe, and would be a spanner in the oil works beyond anything FFP as it was meant to operate could do.
Yes, they could still pay the English premium painlessly in a way others can’t, but it would reduce their margin for error tremendously, and that is precisely what they have been able to do with their cash : widen the margin for error as much as money allows, and it allows a lot. They’d have to trust youngsters sometimes when it matters, and could not have huge players in reserve for every position, nor be in a position to strengthen again easily any time they wished.
I wouldn’t change my vote for it, mind, but it would be something.
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