Written by Mean Lean on Tuesday, 17 May 2011 14:07

I find myself in a rather difficult position as a blogger today, not just today but in the last few weeks. I just don't feel like writing anything about Arsenal. Well that is not strictly true, I want  to talk about football but all the rest that goes with it is just not interesting me whatsoever right now.

I don't want to talk about Scott Parker, Gary Cahill, Eden Hazard, Chris Samba or anyone else that the media decide should join Arsenal. Don't confuse this with not wanting change. Oh no, far from it.

I want to talk about a new signing who has actually been identified by the manager and then Arsenal and the club agree on a fee, and then finally said player signs on the dotted line. Until then I just do not want to get involved with all the excitable made up crap from people who want to sell papers or gain website clicks.

While we are on the subject of talking about what I do not actually want to talk about *frowns* I do not really want to talk about what the players are talking about. I also do not wish to discuss what Arsene is currently discussing.

The season has ended badly and for me it has been pretty damn painful. Painful for myself because I believed in this squad, I believed that we had the talent and ability to win the league this season. In fact I still believe that we have the talent and ability to win the title. Clearly other ingredients have been missing. I believe that the manager has what it takes to turn this club back into a club that wins trophies. Many people and fans have lost faith in Wenger's ability but I have not. For me, he is a manager who has made mistakes, he has put his trust in certain players who haven't repaid that faith but this whole 'Wenger has lost it' line does not sit with me. A manager of his experience does not lose it whatever it actually is.

Now I assume that those who expected us to struggle to get into the top four and have no chance of success must be taking this all in their stride. In fact being in the title race until February must have been an over achievement to some.

I have the nagging feeling that it is those who have been down on the team from day one are the same collection of people who are kicking and screaming at our lack of trophies this season.

Arseblog sums up clashes between the support very well in his blog earlier today.

I don't really want to talk about players departing the club until they actually do but in this case I will.

Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy were all left out of the match day squad on Sunday due to injuries and it just so happens that all three of those players either have contract issues that need to be resolved or have been glancing over towards the direction of sunny Spain. It could all be coincidence but it cannot be written off completely that those players were left out until they fully commit themselves to Arsenal.

I have already explained why I hope we can keep hold of our players and I cannot be arsed with another long drawn out process of will he won't he.

I suggest we tie all three of them down, take their socks off and light a bunsen burner near their feet, slowing moving it close to their toes until they sign new contracts. If it is good enough for James Bond then it is good enough for Arsenal.

Sorry for the rather depressing rant today but that is where I am right now.

Back again tomorrow.

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Comments (26)

• 17-May-2011 14:48 | | Anonymous
  

  Mean, I think Mr. Wenger is very complacent. You and I know that for a fact. It's just a matter of attitude towards achieving these goals.

• 17-May-2011 15:04 | | Amrit
  

  I hate to say this. It just hasn't seemed (bar a game against United) that this team has wanted to win in the past few weeks. Each week I see the stats. 65+% possession but game lost. Something has taken the wind out of our sails. There is a lack of drive, focus and belief. There is no captain to take us out of this. If we score, then we concede, usually from a set piece. Wenger says the same thing, we seem inexperienced. I've lost interest Mr Wenger. Your tactics are not working. And whats more, you expect the fans to pay higher prices. Those higher prices mean more expectancy from fans if you lose or even draw games at home. The current system isn't working.

• 17-May-2011 15:07 | | hec  - there off
  

  yes , the ones we want to stay will be off and the ones we want to go will still be here next year , Wengers wont say to his unachievers :your not good enough : so they hang on for years and years

• 17-May-2011 15:12 | | Surrey Gunner  - Good blog
  

  You about summed it up for me.
  Two depressing thoughts
  
  All my non Arsenal friends (I know I shouldnt) are soory for us, what happen to Arsenal! and they seem to have fallen away.I cant take it.
  
  I really dont beleive we will do anything radically differtent next year, I am not sure we have learnt the lessons.
  
  Are seasons ahve been depressingly similar with the samer outcomes.
  
  Will stop but I could go on an on

• 17-May-2011 15:13 | | Zero
  

  Mean, it seems we av d same mind bout wenger. I knw tins will change. People jst talk like no brain fools, they nuffin bout football. We shall overcome.

• 17-May-2011 15:30 | | Danish Gooner  - Wenger out !!!!
  

  When we come fourth his excuse for not spending will be ready made,first we must qualify for the cl proper then we can spend.And the best players will not be available anymore.I have never ever wanted for Stoke or Bolton to do us a favour but golly i hope one of those can steal a point on Man City and we can beat Fulham, a very big ask i know.

• 17-May-2011 15:48 | | dkgooner
  

  I think many of us are in the same state ML.
  Agree that arseblogger has excelled himself today. Time to calm down and see what happens. Can't believe there won't be some big changes.

• 17-May-2011 15:49 | | goonerbegood  - WENGER OUT. JOSE MOURINHO IN.
  

  WENGER HAS FAILED US ALL,SO HE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.
  
  I KNOW PEOPLE WILL SAY BY WHOM BUT I FEEL WENGER IS NOT THE ONLY MANAGER OUT THERE WHO CAN DO THE JOB.
  
  FOR THE PAST SEASONS IT HAS BEEN THE SAME STORY..
  
  WE ALL KNOW WHAT WE ARE LACKING IN THIS TEAM BUT EVERY NEW SEASON WE SEE PLAYERS WHOM HAVE PAST THERE PRIME COMING INTO OUR TEAM TO HOLD THE DEFENCE.
  
  HOW CAN...SILVESTRE,SQUILLACHI ETC..I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST THEM AM SURE THEY DID THERE BEST BUT IT WAS NOT ENOUGH FOR US.
  
  IN JANUARY WHEN WE WAS SECOND WE HAD A VERY GOOD CHANCE IN BUYING PLAYERS BUT NO ,THE MANAGER CONTINUED WITH THE SAME OLD PLAYERS,SAME OLD TACTICS THAT HAS BEEN FOUND OUT AND AM VERY SURE NEXT SEASON WE WILL BE HERE AGAIN TALKING ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.
  
  HONESTLY, WENGER HAS TRIED AND I THINK HE CAN'T TAKE US ANY FURTHER .

• 17-May-2011 16:15 | | Gerardo
  

  I know what you mean Meany. I sat down to watch the highlights again last night only to switch it off after a wave of utter numbness came over me. You're right not to get swept up in the New Player sign-up frenzy : i) there's plenty of mis-information out there, ii) some players we've gone for we don't get, iii) we're linked with players we never were after. The whole things pure tittle-tattle.
  
  Though, got bit caught up in it myself during the last transfer window ! that's when I thought we might actually be in for Suarez. At the time I thought we were looking abit lacklustre upfront .. I know that's odd to say given how many RVP's been bagging. just seemed some dynamism missing upfront. At the time I think we'd also been struggling to get bodies in the box.
  
  I've said it elsewhere, but the next three to four months are critical. I've accepted Fourth already. I thought we'd only get 3 points out of these last 4 games .. I just didnt expect them to come from the Man U game. Has the end of this season come down to watching our opponents seemingly fighting harder for the points ? If the guys are struggling to do it on the pitch, then lets show them we can do it off it. I watched Celtic the other day .. and I challenge anyone to say an atmosphere like that does nt inspire / motivate. Boy could the team do with some of that ...

• 17-May-2011 18:59 | | irish gooner
  

  id say nasri is off along wit cesc,,thats 3 major signings alone for midfield that will be needed,,,1 possiby 2 for up top,,,,a CB of top quality aswell ,,,,if wenger doesnt 6 players this summer it will be thursda nights for a while im afraid

• 17-May-2011 20:11 | | mr h
  

  I'm sorry but anyone who thinks that Mourinho would be in any way good for a club with as much class as Arsenal really needs to question if they know what the club stands for at all.
  
  Nothing against Mourinho as a manager, he really has done great things, but he has no place at Arsenal. NONE.
  
  I would honestly rather never see another trophy come to Arsenal than see that man manage our club. If he ever did, I would honestly contemplate supporting a lower division team instead.
  
  He might well get the best out of the defence, but that is where it ends. He may be a great tactician, but he cannot even spell 'development' let alone contemplate how to achieve such a thing.

• 17-May-2011 20:55 | | Andy
  

  I honestly think there something deeper going on that we are not aware of.
  
  For someone with so much EPL experience as manager, you have to say that Wenger should have sorted out the defence over the years. There is really no excuse. Wenger's long term goals was simply his 'project', an experiment, an idea. It was a grand project while we were building a new stadium, but not for winning trophies. He wants to be applauded for creating a winning team based on youth, development, togetherness and exciting football. You have to admire his ideals, but in the end its only a project...a dream...which is now becoming a nightmare.
  
  Wenger won't change because he has sold this 'dream' to the board/shareholders. To change now is to admit he was wrong and the lose the confidence of the board. He has to follow through or leave

• 17-May-2011 21:03 | | CHGooner
  

  ML, I feel sorry for you, and I genuinely mean that. I'm not trying to be clever but I felt your despair and pain, but it was a few seasons ago. I didn't believe in what was being created or what we were being told. I'm past it now. It will end, and maybe sooner than many think. We need change as a football club. You still believe in Wenger you say, but I cannot understand why. His policies, his tactics, his coaching, his transfers. All rightly lauded in his first 8-10 years, all rightly condemned in the past 4-6. Time for us, fans, players, club to open a new chapter. The King is dead etc....

• 17-May-2011 21:35 | | DES  - WENGER MUST GO
  

  THE REASON PLAYERS WANT TO LEAVE IS THE LACK OF AMBITION BY THE MANAGER AND THE BOARD.LAST SUMMER CESC'S HEART MUST HAVE SANK WHEN HE SAW THE SIGNINGS BROUGHT IN.WHERE WAS THE WORLD CLASS PLAYERS WE NEEDED?AND THIS SEASON HAS PROVED WHAT ALL OF US WHO HAVENT GOT THEIR HEADS STUCK UP WENGERS ARSE KNEW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.WHY?BECAUSE IT HAS HAPPENED FOR THE LAST 5 SEASONS.WE ARE NOW 4TH.HOW CAN WE EXPECT QUALITY PLAYERS LIKE CESC AND NASRI TO STAY WHEN THEY KNOW WE KNOW NOTHING IS GOING TO CHANGE

• 17-May-2011 21:44 | | James T
  

  ML
  
  Wenger has lost it you just dont want to admit it.Brian Clough an even better manager than Wenger lost it.He went on too long.But because of his earlier brilliant achievements no one would tell him it was time to go.And it all ended in tears.Just like it will with Wenger.He is not going to change.He is deluded.He will end up being drivem out of the club by the fans.Why cant he hold his hands up and say he has taken the club as far as he can and leave with his head held high.For the good of the club he has to go

• 17-May-2011 23:12 | | Gino92  - Bye Bye 3rd Place ... Hello unwanted 4th Place!
  

  
  
  I still can't believe that we have gifted Man U 1st, Chelsea 2nd, and Man City 3rd and are now in 4th Place in the League in the space of about 6-8 weeks. And we now have to play a qualifier match to get into the Champions League. We sure like to do things the hard way, don't we? Maybe it is a blessing in disguise after all.
  
  And maybe we can use these 2 games to fine-tune the new and improved Arsenal Squad (with some of the big new additions that I hope are on their way to the Emirates soon) and gear up for the new season.
  
  And maybe we can also use 4th Place as motivation to go on a devastating rampage and tear through most of our opponents in 2011-2012.
  
  Too many "maybes", I know. I know. It is all in Wenger's hands now. Let's all wait and see what he does this Summer. Then we can all express our satisfaction or discontent.
  
  Make or Break Summer for Wenger, me thinks, despite my support for him. I truly hope that he gets rid of all the "deadwoods" and spends the cash at his disposal to make us unbeatable and scary. How I long for the days when most teams were so scared of playing against us because they knew exactly the trouble they were in...
  
  Let's hope it happens again!

• 18-May-2011 00:44 | | richie  - Arseblogs intelligent summing up
  

  I've not really been a reader of Arseblog before, even though I've glanced through in the past, but I think that summing up is right up there. I think he's put into words perfectly what many of us feel. I also think his summing up of "us" (the online Gooners) is as near the mark as its possible to get without clinical analysis. So I'm gonna try my best to heed his plea for time and see what arrives. Arseblogs intelligent article has touched me so much I'm gonna try not to post. I'm gonna try to calm down and wait for some news.

• 18-May-2011 06:15 | | Graham  - Wenger HAS lost the plot
  

  ML
  
  You need to take off the Wenger glasses and take a look at things in the cold light you day.We are 4th because we are not good enough.Because the signings last summer were not good enough.You sound so stupid to keep defending Wenger when the evidence is on the pitch for us all to see.Can you not see the massive faults at the club?
  The CB's with the exception of TV are not good enough yet Wenger has done nothing to correct this.Both Clichy and Gibbs not good enough defensivelySong is not a D.M who can protect the back 4 and we lack a 25 goal a season out and out striker.Chamakh is lightweight and Bendtner a poor striker.But all these faults are not new.But Wenger is stuck in his project.Where is the experienced leaders in this team.Wenger must be called to account. Stop defending him for what he does.And ask questions why he does nothing while all around is falling apart.But stop defending him for what he did 7 years ago.We live in the here and now

• 18-May-2011 08:22 | | Jolly
  

  I have said it before and will say it again! Fabregas doesnt have Arsenal in his head!! He wants to go to Barcelona so you know what i say.......GO AWAY THEN!!!!! Stupid Spaniard!! He gets captaincy, free kicks, penalties, yet he wants to go back to the club that threw him away all those years ago because they said he would be no good. Nice way to repay us!!
  To be fair, we need a new captain! I think Vermaelen should take it! Van Persie should be vice captain.
  We also need another Goalkeeper that can hold that goal line for a couple of seasons until Szczesny is a bit older and ready to take full time responsibility of the goal! I think Shay Given who is out of favour at Manchester City or Dutch International and Ajax number one Maarten Stekelenburg!

• 18-May-2011 09:36 | | Kenny
  

  Yes lets give the captaincy to TV who has missed a whole season and RVP who never completes a full season,thats the sort of thing that idiot Wenger would do .Are you after his job.Forwards do not make good captains look at Henry.

• 18-May-2011 09:46 | | Kenny
  

  Great post Graham
  Too many Gooners are blinded by what Wenger did 7 years ago.Its as though they are stuck in a time warp.If as likely we finish 4th we would have finished 4th in 4 of the last 6 seasons!!! And that tells you all you need to know.Wenger can get a team into the top 4 but cant take them any further.And this season he was so desperate to win a trophy he even took the CC seriously.A cup we have treated with contempt during his time as manager.And we even fucked that up.We need a manager with new ideas.Wenger has gone stale

• 18-May-2011 15:12 | | daz3421
  

  If wenger goes we would be mid table next year just look at villa as soon as oneil went they went to bits people go over react were not that far off having a great team just wait and see.

• 18-May-2011 16:52 | | redboy  - pay back
  

  how about these over payed players who are so called beside there self because they let us THE FANS DOWN down play for free next season.there all millonares off the back of our club so iam sure they can afford it there freeing up the money we need to buy some better players.But some how i cant see it what do you think folks

• 19-May-2011 09:54 | | goonerbegood  - WENGER OUT-
  

  FOR THOSE STILL BACKING WENGER.
  
  THE MAN WILL NOT CHANGE..
  
  HE WILL NOT SIGN ANYONE THIS SUMMER ,HE WILL BRING IN MIYACHI AND BUY SOME FRENCH PAYER FROM LORIENT AND TELL US WE SHOULD BELIEVE IN THIS TEAM,.
  
  COME JANUARY WE ARE CONTENDERS AS EVERYBODY WILL SAY WE WILL NOT WIN THE LEAGUE,
  
  COME FEB,WE WILL START FALLING APART
  
  COME MARCH ...THE FANS WILL START POINTING FINGERS
  
  COME MAY WE WILL BE BACK HERE AGAIN ..DREAMING ON WHAT MIGHT HAD BEEN.
  
  
  WENGER CANNOT TAKE US FURTHER ANY MORE.THOSE WHO ARE BLIND TO SEE THIS AFTER 7 YEARS ,WELL STUFF HAPPENS
  
  WHAT HAPPENED THIS SEASON HAPPENED LAST AND HAPPENED BEFORE THAT AND NEXT SEASON IT WILL BE THE SAME THING
  
  WENGER WON'T CHANGE HIS PHILOSOPHY ,IT WILL STILL BE THE SAME RUBBISH PLAYERS NEXT SEASON AND THE SAME IN ARSENE WE TRUST RUBBISH

• 19-May-2011 13:21 | | goonerbegood  - WENGER OUT ,JOSE MOURINHO IN.
  

  JOSE MOURINHO IS A LOUD MOUTH WE ALL KNOW THAT BUT I FEEL HE CAN DO A BETTER JOB THAN WENGER GIVEN HIS RECORD WHICH DOES NOT LIE.
  
  HE KNOWS WHEN TO ATTACK,WHEN TO DEFEND AND WHEN TO BE LOUD.
  
  FOR ME WENGER WILL NEVER CHANGE,WHAT MAKES IT UN BEARABLE IS THAT IN JANUARY WE WAS SECOND WITH A GAME IN HAND.
  
  
  THE LEAGUE WAS THERE FOR THE TAKING,WE HAD EVERY CHANCE TO TAKE THE LEAGUE,WE WAS SECOND WITH A GAME I HAND ,ALL WENGER NEEDED WAS GET A PROPER QUALITY CENTER BACK WHEN VERMAHLEN WAS INJURED INSTEAD HIS COMMENTS WHERE,IF WE BRING SOMEONE IN IT WILL STOP THE DEVELOPMENT,A DEVELOPEMENT THAT HAS NOT WORKED FOR 7 YEARS.
  
  HE KEEPS ON BUYING SPANISH PLAYERS WHOM DON'T HAVE HEART,PRIDE OR DESIRE TO PLAY FOR OUR CLUB ,AFTER A WHILE THEY WILL WANT TO GO TO BARCELONA
  
  
  MY QUESTION TO WENGER IS WHY KEEP ON BUYING YOUNGSTARS WHEN HE KNOWS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE TOO MANY OF THEM WHOM ARE NOT EVEN IN THE FIRST TEAM.
  
  I DON'T BELIEVE IN WENGER ANYMORE ,
  
  
  WHAT MIGHTY ARSENAL FC NEEDS IS A MANAGER WHO IS CLOSE TO THE FANS,WHO FEELS FOR THE FANS ,WHO IS A FAN ,WHO IS NOT WORRIED ABOUT HIS I KNOW IT ALL BUT LISTENS AND TAKES ADVICE.
  
  PLAYERS WITH QUALITY ,PLAYERS WHOM WILL TURN UP AT STOKE BATTLE AND WIN GAMES... PLAYERS WHOM WHEN THEY GO 4-0 UP WILL SMASH AND FINISH THE GAME OFF..
  
  A CAPTAIN WHOM IS RARELY INJURED ,A STRIKER WHOM COMPLETES 40 GAMES A SEASON NOT ONE WHO ONLY GOES HALF A MILE THEN FALLS BACK OR A STRIKER WHO IS ALWAYS IN THE NEWS PAPERS TALKING RUBBISH.A PROPER DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER WHO STICKS BACK AND COVERS THE BACK FOUR ,THAT DOES NOT VENTURE FORWARD TRYING TO BE AUSTIN POWERS,
  
  
  MIGHTY ARSENAL FC NEED A NEW MANAGER OR WE WILL BE HERE AGAIN NEXT SEASON DEBATING ON WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN .

• 20-May-2011 20:40 | | daz3421  - mourinho sucks arse
  

  cant believe people want wenger out how supportive just a few years back we went the whole season unbeaten so i think he knows how to get a team to defend. i dont blame him for going for youth why not? are experienced players so much better? look at gallas he was an experienced player and had a breakdown in the middle of the pitch and campbell walked out on the club before that maybe if they had some balls we might av won a couple more trophies since the fa cup cant blame wenger for those two having mental issues. and as for mourinho hes the last manager we would want he would come in changed the whole team maybe win a couple of things but then walk out to his next project and leave us in the shit just like inter then who would we get benitez? just wondering who thought xavi and iniesta were the best midfield in the world 6-7yrs ago? it takes time to develop young talent into world class teams the likes of nasri wilshire fab are still growing as a team just hope we can keep them together im sure wenger didnt plan on ramsey and eduardo avin broken legs im sure eduardo would still be here finishing of some of those many chances we create if that didnt happen. in the big picture 6 years isnt that long spurs aint won the league in about 50yrs i think and aint in the champions league next year yet redknapps done wonders spurs av only spent a net total of around £200m since the prem started compared to our £40m so i think ive said enough.

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