Arsenal Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 12/13 MOD POST #232

farna_boy wrote: »

Did anyone else notice that Chamakh was standing by himself before and after his penalty kick? It seemed strange to me. He seems to have a strange relationship with the rest of the team anyway. I don't know is it just his confidence is shot or that he doesn't get on with them but I reckon he is finished with us.

i never noticed & he's in the middle of the group in that photo posted here though, but...

Think it was on the alan davies podcast but they mentioned something like that a few weeks back - think it was after arteta's penalty miss vs. fulham - they were saying he looked as if he didn't react/care and they got the impression he wasn't/didn't feel like part of the team - so you could be right, there's something in it anyway

on the confidence, would he be going to take a penalty if he's confidence was that bad or was he told to take it & agreed?

My opinion on wenger is simple now

If he is working on limited funds he should stay

If there is money there to spend and he didn't spend it, I think he should def go

Be very very careful what you wish for.

Sacking Wenger right now seems like the best decision the club could make from a fans perspective. From an opponents fans perspective, Wenger really is a magician.

Every season you guys lose your big players and need replacing, often by players not of the same ilk.

Yet every season you lot qualify for the Champions league, and not only that but you are competitive in it.

Wenger (last night aside) is making the absolute best of whats at his disposal in a general sense. You guys are operating exactly at the level you should be, a 4th placed team, always qualifying for the last 8 in Europes top competition.

Arsenal's problem is in the boardroom.

Calling for a new manager is all well and good, but the real question to ask is will he be backed financially? Or will he get more out of the squad currently in place?
If you are unsure of the answer then you are better off sticking with the devil you know. If you take a gamble you may find yourselves slipping out of the top 4 indefinately.

My own club Liverpool took the decision to get rid of Benitez in order to seek pastures new. We had a steady trophy haul and genuine reasonable prospects of champions league football every season.

He however did not have the ability Wenger has to replace big name departures. Quality was not adequately replaced and we went on the slide under successive managers.

Wenger has lost big players, but he has also maintained league standing, and in fairness you lot will probably be in the top 4 come the end of the season.

The main issue Arsenal fans need to delve into is finances. If Wenger has not got the financial backing then he is hamstrung and his performance the last few years to maintain league position and European competitiveness is superb.
If chooses not to spend then thats a whole different issue.

All i'll say though is be careful what you wish for.

Mickeroo wrote: »

Re: the picture. They all look to be reacting to me. It's pretty easy to make random pics of the range of emotions a person's face can show during a few seconds look like something they're not tbh.

Can't believe folks are calling for Wenger's kneck again, it's only the Carling cup ffs. Sure I wanted us to win it too, and Bradford are in league two but **** it, if I was given a choice between being put out tonight and winning our next match in the league I'll take the league win thank you very much.

The problem for me was last night was 1 in a number of very disappointing performances this season. The insipid display at Old Trafford, being played off the park at home to Swansea- the dreadful display against Schalke at home - I could go on - these to me point to deeper problems - a lost dressing room perhaps. I'd love him to turn it around, none would be happier than me if he did but I'm coming to the conclusion that he's gone as far as he can.

I said it in the match thread last night but I think we should have played our second string team last night. They were the ones who got us there and they should have been able to reap the rewards.

When I did see them play, they also seemed to play like a team, something that the first team is missing. Maybe Wenger should stop looking at the names on the teamsheet and start looking at who plays best together, but that is a discussion for another time.

Even from a more cynical perspective, if we ever want rid of, as some of you put it, the deadwood from our team, this would have been an ideal place to give them game time and let them either prove themselves to Wenger or to other teams. No one wants to buy a player they haven't seen playing in over a year or a player who has been sitting at home for twelve months.

Bottom line is results are what counts at the end of the day. Arsene Wenger is the manager of the FOOTBALL team and the players are not performing under him anymore. Too many fans are saying he built the stadium by managing finances etc etc etc and keeping the club financially stable but is the person responsible for the finances the ACOUNTANT ffs!!!!!
Wenger maybe trying to do too many peoples jobs at the Emirates and may thats why were suffering on the pitch!

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2012/12/12/3597296/guardiola-tells-arsenal-youre-my-top-choice-in-england

Deleted User wrote: »

You're loving rubbing it in eh?

EDIT: Also to be clear, as much as people like to paint what's-his-name leaving in the summer being down to ambition and not money it's a bull****. Cazorla, Podolski and Giroud didn't arrive in the wake of him leaving, they were already in.

fair enough.

duly edited.

point still stands though. the signings didn't convince him. he thought elsewhere had more ambition, and more money.

calling him "what's his name" is awesome too. you could've kept him for a year. your board and Wenger chose to sell him now. if he'd gone AWOL, fúck it. he's not at Utd, and they may have forgotten about him next summer. at best, you have a 30 goal striker at the club for another season.

the board chose a quick buck.

Said last night I hoped the team selection didn't backfire, unfortunatly it did.

Can't see any reason not to have stuck with the fringe players that got us that far. Had we drawn someone like Chelsea, maybe. But a League Two side shouldn't warrant dumping those that got us there. Even had we lost it wouldn't have been so bad because it was a fringe player line up. Picking such a strong side was lose-lose. Win the game and we missed a chance to rest first teamers. Lose and confidence takes a big hit.

People are being way too quick to dismiss Wenger. Not a hope in hell I'd even consider it mid-season. Wait and see how the rest of the season finishes before making any decisions. After all, technically we could still win the three trophies that matter albeit highly, highly, highly, highly unlikely :pac:

markesmith wrote: »

Spurs fan in peace.

Would you take Mourinho if he was available?

Who wouldn't? I can only think of maybe Barcelona.