Written by podge b on Wednesday, 20 July 2011 13:44

Arsene Wenger has always been a visionary when he came to our great club which was in serious decline, he stopped everything that was dragging the club down. Alcohol was banned for everyone training methods were completely changed apparently the first thing he did was give David Dein a list of gym equipment and suppliers in Europe to refit the training facilities. Everything from supplements to colour coding the player's p*ss were introduced. His Arsenal revolution hit England like an earthquake and we won the double in his first full season.Now all proper Arsenal fans knew the history of Wenger's reign how much he changed Arsenal and English football.

Almost as soon as he arrived he began plans for new training facilities and a new stadium.These plans had to be changed from the originals to be accepted by politicians anyway thanks to Arsene Wenger Arsenal enjoy the best training facilities and stadium in Britain and rival those of A.C Milan and Real Madrid. These facilities have ensured Arsenal will remain a big club long after Wenger leaves. Now the cost of all that was huge and a new approach had to be taken, a financial plan unlike any football had ever seen was undertaken to fund all this and keep Arsenal competitive in the transfer market with ManU.All of this was in place by 2001 and it took a few years to get the green light from planning authorities,banks etc. so everything came together in 2003 Arsenal had a better squad than ManU, just set up the best academy in the country and their new stadium plans were committed to, everything was rosy for Arsenal and that vision for how Arsenal would continue to work. However Red Rom came riding into Premiership land.

Chelsea now had financial backing of about £7b but Arsenal were 'Invincible' so nobody cared. The Invincibles weren't young and some were past their prime or were content with the 49-game-streak. Chelsea won the league in 2005 their buying power and salary offers putting them on top. Arsenal had to increase wages for our top players and this money came from the transfer kitty we would have to rely on younger cheaper players we could pick up from foreign countries. Now this is the important part about Wenger getting it wrong.

Chelsea's new wealth didn't matter to Arsene he had already predicted financial fair play rules sadly UEFA were slow acting and ultimately bottled it.Football in England changed in the late 90's becoming more about the football than long-ball physicallity.Wenger expected this change to continue his teams post-05 have been smaller more technical sides. Wenger predicted all clubs in the Premiership to follow his lead which was reasonable as he was having great success in England.However they didn't Mourinho with his sugar daddy and footballing genius built a big strong team with excellent technique and near perfect tactics Fergie did likewise. Fat Sam's tactics survived his Newcastle shambles and Stoke arrived etc. So as Wenger created one of the best footballing teams around widely agreed as second only to Barca he ignored the physical side and we have suffered for it.Had things worked out more like Wenger's predictions we would have dominated English football like Barca dominate Spain, the last 6 years and be pushing Barcelona in Europe.

Arsene Wenger made logical predictions when Arsenal were on top to keep us there in the short and long term. Unfortunately things didn't work out how he predicted and we have gone six years without a trophy and the club needs to keep revenue up to compete this has hurt the fans in heart and pocket.Arsene gambled and lost but unlike roulette all is not lost, we still have a great training ground and Academy, Swanky stadium and an exciting young team that competes for trophies and is capable of beating Barcelona on their day. Financial fair play has screwed us over and we have had to play little penny pincher while we negotiate new commercial deals and wait for FFP to account for our new deals.

In summary Wenger's predictions=good, outcome=bad,Arsenal under Wenger=almost ready to kick ass again

Mean Lean's Response

It is amazing that Arsene is currently being beaten with the same stick that he has handed out to people. Arsene has come to Arsenal and raised the bar, we have accepted that and enjoyed the success in his early years. These days he hasn't been able to reach those levels, mainly because the competition has been so tough and so much money has been poured into the game either by rich sugar daddies or clubs who are willing to risk their future by overspending. Whether you believe in Arsene Wenger's methods or you do not it is difficult to escape the fact that Arsenal FC has never been a club to overspend or risk its future by reckless spending.

A quick look through history and our spending has always been conservative, whether that be George Graham, Terry Neil or Don Howe it has always been the same so I do not understand why all the criticism has been directed at our manager as to why we do not buy superstars.

While these last 6 seasons have been frustrating to the extreme and some of the frustrations have to land at the managers door step which is fair, it is also fair to say that Arsenal FC have not been competing on a level playing field with our rivals.

Judging by the way things have gone, I imagine that the respect will only come his way from the main stream media and a section of the supporters if he manages to beat his rivals with a lower wage bill and lower transfer budget than the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and now Manchester City. Good luck with that Arsene, it appears you are going to need it.

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Comments (25)

• 25-Jul-2011 20:53 | | PTangYangKipperBang  - Yep, like it
  

  

• 25-Jul-2011 20:58 | | z  - x
  

  

• 25-Jul-2011 21:09 | | Tom
  

  There's an old saying in politics which goes something along the lines of - 'when all you've got left is to list your achievements, the end is nigh'.
  
  This article is a massive red herring.
  
  There isn't a single Arsenal fan I know who believes Wenger should buy 'superstars'.
  
  Arsenal fans aren't unhappy with Wenger because he hasn't paid 50m for Tevez or 80m for Ronaldo, but because he refuses to strengthen the squad despite having the money to do so.
  
  The excuses are being prepared already - 'we had injuries last year', 'we were unlucky', 'the market is crazy', 'judge me in May', 'you have a go at me when I don't spend, and when I do spend'.
  
  Wenger is undoubtedly a great manager, but he's so blinded by his own dogma that I no longer believe he can take us any further.

• 25-Jul-2011 21:14 | | Iggy
  

  At last someone talking sense about my Arsenal..all the other teams have copied his methods, but a few like Chelsea, United and City have more money... though defence has always been a major blind spot to him

• 25-Jul-2011 22:16 | | ctc
  

  The notion that we're not competing on a level field is fatuous. If we were only losing to those teams you'd have a point. But we're losing to teams that have none of that financial muscle. Stoke, Bolton, Newcastle, Wigan......And we've been losing to them for several years now.
  Not some of the blame falls on Wenger, all of it does. The problems are apparent to all and Wenger has done nothing to addres the problems.

• 25-Jul-2011 22:20 | | damo
  

  I wholeheartedly agree with Tom comments, Arsenal fans aren't annoyed at Wenger because he dosen't spend big it's because he dosen't spend. Apparently we lost out on the Fulham goalkeeper for sake of £500,000
  (whom I no fan of by the way). I mean come on Arsene that's not even pocket change in this market..
  
  Again he is being hoisted by his own petard by stating in the we don't need to strengthen etc, we are being taken for fools! This is what Arsenal fans hate the duplicity and the lies, Arsenal fans are adults and if in the past there han't been money for transfers then so be it.
  
  The need for a defensive back line is critical, and recruiting suitable players should be a priority (as we have a champions league qualifiers to get through) yet who does Wenger sign first? Nuff Said.
  
  I really do hope that he does get it right as you can see that he is completely in love with the club, but as the saying goes 'you often hurt the ones you love'.

• 25-Jul-2011 22:29 | | Ben in New York
  

  I totally agree with Tom.
  
  I also think that Wenger has gotten so comfortable with his philosophical approach to management that he has forgotten that Arsenal is a sports team and that the true business end of the sporting world is WINNING. That's what credentials you.
  It is so sad that such a great man of our time will forget such a great thing about our time - WINNING!
  
  I seriously cannot see how Wenger and the Arsenal board fit in the competitive space where Arsenal needs to live and thrive in. So hard to see.

• 25-Jul-2011 22:55 | | MeanLean
  

  Thanks all for the comments. Its nice to hear differing opinions without insults being thrown around. I guess the kids are asleep.
  
  The thing is, whatever we think the problems are, the point remains that we are not in the same boat as United, Chelsea and City.
  
  While Wenger has clearly made mistakes with part of the squad, he has also created a squad that is playing at a higher level than any other team point per pound. Rightly or wrongly, he has a budget which includes wages and he has to decide on a valuation for a player. We don't truly know the facts about how much he is not willing to overpay on certain players, much of it I think is made up rubbish. Like the Alonso transfer that Myles Palmer made up.
  
  This is how I see it. We have a squad of players with many players who will surely only improve (Wilshere, Ramsey, Verm, Walcott etc) and while we have come up short I am holding onto the hope that one day our team will get it all right and not just for part of the season.
  
  Many can disagree with that and fair enough but that is what I will hold onto.

• 25-Jul-2011 23:37 | | Tacky
  

  It's like this mr wenger , is a fantastic manager alas the man is a mere mortal i would take a little warning with the greatest of respect I think you're in danger of becoming an emperor the problem being all empires fall from within

• 26-Jul-2011 13:18 | | Podge
  

  I think it's unfair to say he doesn't try to solve the problems for a few seasons we were so vulnerable to counter attacks it didn't matter how well we played we would always lose to the quality sides with pacy forwards and quality defenders but he solves that problem almost completely, we only suffered on the counter against Wigan, West Brom and ManU in the Fa cup maybe Squillaci was at fault for those to some degree.The team lacked the mentality to win big games but last season we beat Chelsea ManU and Barcelona nobody else did anything like that. Problems we have now are set pieces,lack of urgency in attack and the 100% every game attitude.
  
  Set pieces will only be fixed on the training ground one or two new defenders will not solve that to a satisfactory level. Gervinho is a direct runner and deadly finisher, with the through balls our midfielders can play he will for want of a better word rape defences across the league I'll stick my neck out and predict 20+. I know 100% in every game is impossible but that attitude isn't and in my opinion the only team that has this attitude in England is ManU there squad isn't close to ours,chelsea's or ManC but they won last year because they always gave as much as they could to win(at home anyway) Barcelona also have that attitude along with the best players in the world.I think Arsene is trying to give Arsenal that mentality just look at the new players we will have in the squad this season; Gervinho, he has talked about Arsenal constantly for 2 years all he wants is to win at Arsenal. Jenkinson, he is a lifelong Gooner as is Frimpong "if they want me to leave they will have to drag me kicking and screaming out of here" that is the attitude I want to see from our players. Afobe if he is involved with the squad is a lifelong fan and Gibbs grew up idolizing Ian Wright and Dennis Bergkamp. Having Gooners in the dressing room is a boost wouldn't you give everything you had for Arsenal on the pitch they have the same mindset + the ability to actually do it. Their attitude will rub off on the other players who will try harder to win and once that mentality is established we will start turning more of those draws into wins and runner-up spots into trophies.
  
  Fan support is important at the Emirates last season support was awful it really was and whether you think the players should motivate you or that you should express your opinions at games you need to support Arsenal at the Emirates 60,000+ and the atmosphere is described as the "library".I don't think it's a coincidence that our home form was poor last season while our away form was the best in the league despite that late season collapse. Support is incredibly important,it motivates players and earns the club respect it's an intangible asset that we cant estimate how many points it is worth at the end of the season maybe 1 maybe 15. It also helps us keep our best players if Nasri hears positive songs about him every game he may be more inclined to stay. We cant criticize Clichy for leaving us for ManC for money when all we offer is a similar chance of trophies and less money our fans don't offer the love that other clubs do.
  
  Trophies and transfer fees don't make a big club, fan support does.

• 26-Jul-2011 15:57 | | ctc
  

  I would have to disagree. We've been bad at set pieces for years now, not just last year. If we're 'trying' to solve the problem then clearly we're trying the wrong things. It's down to coaching or players. In either case that falls on wenger for not bringing in the players or being unable to coach defence and unwilling to bring in someone who can.
  As for effort. Arsenal are a team of nice boys now. To win you need players with character: killers, assasins, people who will do what it takes to win.. Guys like Viera, Petit, Parlor, Adams..... There aren't any killers on this team. (Maybe Jack, RvP, and Sagna, but beyond that nothing.) That's why you hear wenger pleading with the refs to protect his boys. The boys are unwilling to protect themselves and they're unwilling to fight for the opportunity to win. How you think bringing gervinho in or simply because someone is a fan of the team makes them killers is beyond me. That type of character is innate and not artificially acquired because you love the club. They have it because they love winning!
  
  When we are so close to actually winning but can't because wenger can't deal with reality is what leads to the level of frustration one sees with the fan base. There are other things besides technical skill that are integral to winning. That stuff can't be coached.
  
  Finally, fan support is earned, not given. Arsenal will always be my team, the players and coaches need to reciprocate.

• 26-Jul-2011 20:11 | | IndiGooner  - Bingo podge
  

  I agree with Podge..
  Wenger does not work on his own there is a gropu of people who suport him and he has no option but to rely on that "Team".
  
  1) Last year we had the title.. and i would blame only medics for it and not Wenger at all.. We missed T.V. so much that cost us the title and it was only medics who gave incorrect suggestions to Wenger. Had he know that TV would loose the entire season he would have got Samba (Whom i dont like any ways. tooo slow for our game.) but it was his backroom staf that said TV would come back sooner..which was not the case..(TV went for ops only in FEB after transfer window closed) had he played more games he would have made a difference on atleast 3 games and that would have changed the mindset.
  
  2) We have killers/assings what ever you want to say.. I want to take you to newcastle 4 vs 4 Arsenal we were leading the game but what changed... the Killer instict(Foolishness) of Diaby of pushing Barton which gave Phil dow an oppurtunity to kill us. we can say we lacked a leader again Cese was missing..I missed T.V the leader of backline and Fabiansky.. but do u remeber the AMAZING Support newcastle had.. please watch the replay..CTC.. Support can help a lot... it can change/terrify the opposition..how can u forget Arsenal VS Barca and Vice versa it was the support which changed the course of the game..
  
  3) Support and fans... WTF have we done to Chamakh! this guy played his heart out kept us in for first six months when he was new to the club and yet we want to sell him.. (most of the fans)
  
  3) As far as making mistakes are concerned which manager has not? Please compare Chelski to Arsenal last year.. both played all 4 competions resul same.. no trophies.. What if Wenger would have bought Torres for half the amount i bet we would have killed him..
  
  and as they say
  
  "The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just"
  Abraham Lincoln

• 27-Jul-2011 12:50 | | Andy Mack  - Wenger under estimated the PLRA
  

  Wenger had seen the rules change and assumed that they'd be unheld. The tackle from behind was banned..... but it wasn't.
  Unless you're a manure player, you can't come through the back of someone. However (despite the rules) you can kick seven shades of Sh1te out of the guys calves/shins/ankles. The thought that skill would prevail over muscle has been held up whilst the Premier League Referees wait for theirown club to adopt the new rules, and only when Manure do, will the refs start to uphold the rules.
  
  
  Slightly tounge in cheek, but not cpmletely

• 27-Jul-2011 13:03 | | Podge
  

  The last line of your comment is exactly what I think is wrong with Arsenal supporters right now. Support should be unconditional, and anyway it doesn't come even when the team are winning and performing well famously sung by Celtic fans at the Emirates "3-0 and you still wont sing" compare that to Portsmouth fans when we were 5-0 up signing "if you think we'll win 6-5 clap your hands" there was a lot of clapping. I think having genuine gooners in the changing room before a match or at half time motivates the whole squad. How is a love of winning and a love of winning for Arsenal any different? We let many games end in draws because the players don't take a chance if Rosicky is on the ball just outside the box faced with 5 defenders and no forward option for a pass he plays in sideways or back if the fans are signing his name and telling him how great he is maybe he will have the confidence to take a shot, drive it into the top corner like he used to do so often.
  
  Set pieces have been poor fora few years but we have had other problems in that time which were probably more pressing, we were conceding on the counter against ManU and Chelsea our 6-pointer games so that problem was at least a 12 point swing so that had to be solved first. The first few games last season we didn't concede from set pieces when TV5 and Almunia were starting but then injury and chronic shitness changed our first XI and Wilshere was not expected to be such a key member of the team so you need to take more into account than just Wenger ignoring a problem.
  
  I see attack as being a problem last season we are supposedly the best attacking team in the prem and ManU outscored us, we had more shots on target than anybody else but didn't score the most.That is a pretty serious problem that needs solving too and maybe Gervinho is the answer.In attack a new player can make the difference as it is more individualistic but defence is a team effort that needs a)quality b)tactics c)familiarity and d)leadership, we certainly didn't have Cor D last season before we even talk about A or B.

• 27-Jul-2011 14:55 | | Man United Killa  - Good Points
  

  I agree with you Tom.Most Arsenal fans are not yelling at Wenger for not spending 100 million pounds.They are angry at his constant signing of sub-standard players when addition of a few million pounds will get us a better player who is an umpteen times better.
  Plus his failure to solve persisting defensive problems and tweak our ineffective tippy tappy football is a constant shocker.
  On this website you will always get slated for saying anything against Wenger even if you are making sense.In my opinion you make a very good point.Nice one!

• 27-Jul-2011 15:03 | | Man United Killa
  

  Thumbs up comment!I agree!Just show some ambition is all we are asking.Not sign players for 1000000000000000000000000000000 pounds.

• 27-Jul-2011 15:13 | | Man United Killa
  

  ML...I have to agree with your 'point per pound analysis'-and that is in terms of our main competitors...but you do realize that we have lost frustratingly to teams that have a higher 'point per pound' rating than us.
  Hold on to what you will but chances are that these young players will move on when they get good enough if we continue our stingy and unambitious ways.Mark my words.
  A lot has been said about how much Wilsehere and Ramsey love Arsenal but the same thing was said about Cesc.Now not so much can be said for the love story between Cesc and Arsenal.

• 27-Jul-2011 15:18 | | Man United Killa
  

  "Trophies and Transfer fees dont make a big club,fan support does"?...Really??????? Trophies make a club great (not big)..Excessive transfer fees is what you wanted to type not "transfer fees"...as far as fan support goes,it goes both ways.

• 27-Jul-2011 21:32 | | john  - waste of space
  

  The wimp and most overrated player ever to play for Arsenal, Theo, is injured again. he would get injured getting into bed. ml, you must admit there is something seriously wrong with the medical team .It really is becoming a joke. It is also so refreshing to see most of the comments laying the blame where it clearly belongs, AW unwillingness to spend and .his deluded comments that we dont need to strengthen our defence

• 28-Jul-2011 01:19 | | richie  - This is for both Tom & Muk
  

  Name the manager who you think can take us further than AW?
  Muk's been asked this many times and usually (If my memory serves) he says it the boards job to appoint a new man not his. But by that logical deduction it follows that it must be Muk's job to advise AW (& the rest of us) on which striker is available for £13.6M that is umteen times better than Gervinho who Arsene just signed.
  Its no good claiming the article is a red herring if all your pedaling is mackeral dressed up as kippers. Remember no previous Arsenal manager has spent anywhere near the ££ AW has we've never been a splash the cash club.

• 28-Jul-2011 01:30 | | richie  - 4get full ness?
  

  Iggy did you forget a little defence built by AW that had the audacity to go a whole season without a loss, the 49'ers? Or was it the unimaginables? increadibles? Unbelieveables? Undefeated-ables? Something like that? Un-vanquish-able defensively? I know you get my drift

• 28-Jul-2011 01:59 | | Man United Killa
  

  Richie..How many times do I have to give you the answers to that question.I think it seriously about time that you got your memory checked because every time you 'try' to quote me you do an awful job.I have given you names over and over again.The fact that you dont agree with the names I give you does not mean that I have not answered your question.Your apparent lack of a working memory is beginning to make you seem ridiculous.And for the record, I have never said that it is the boards job to do that..I only posted in support of CH Gooner a while back when he made that point.If it makes you feel better,I will reiterate that it is the boards job to find a good manager.I dont know if you are a working man but the fact that someone has been hired to accomplish some task does not mean he is doing that task..then again,you see,you dont need a job to know that.You would have to be from a different planet.
  Say what you want about the perspectives of people who dont agree with you but if you think no manager in the world can sign Gervinho for less than that then you are seriously deluded.I am not saying that Wenger is not shrewd in the transfer market but PLEASE dont let it sound like he is the only one who knows how to get good deals.This attitude of seemingly having yourhead up AWs arse is starting to put you in the spot light for all the wrong reasons.
  'Your Manager' has come out to say that we need one more signing-a defender.
  And I put it to you today.Mark my words.If you and your manager think getting one more defender,not tweaking our ineffective tippy tappy football,leaving our defensive frailties and more importantly relying on a midfield trio of Wilshere-Ramsey-Song is going to win us a trophies there is really no point bothering to challenge...cos it just wont happen.
  There are things wrong with this team and these things are vital to our assault on trophies.If you want to overlook them that is your problem.I am not an AW supporter-like you.I am a GOONER!

• 28-Jul-2011 02:00 | | Man United Killa  - getting tired of hearing about what we did..move o
  

  Past glories will get you NO WHERE Richie!!!Live in the NOW for a change!

• 28-Jul-2011 02:18 | | richie  - Your not an Arsenal supporter!!!
  

  I couldn't agree more with you Podge mate! When I read "Fan support is earned not given" JP McEnroe sreaming at the umpire flashed through my mind "You can-not be serious"!!!
  
  All we supporters can do is support we don't have any other choice. I can't become a manx even if the thought ever crossed my mind. I'm a Gooner! If and when we lose I'm gutted but I'm still a Gooner, Draw? same as! Win I'm an extatic Gooner!
  My support ain't earned I give it through good and bad times.
  When we had both the magical Bergkamp & Pires.
  Or when John Jensen & David Hillier I was there supporting.

• 28-Jul-2011 12:51 | | Man United Killa
  

  Gooners who moan and groan about the club are still here.aint they?The fact that they are not happy about how the club is beingg managed does not make them any less of a Gooner than you are.Actually, the fact that someone is unhappy with something but still sticks around it shows how much they love it.Much more like sticking around with a woman though there are a pile of things you dont like about her.You still love her anyways.

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